Page 67 of Cruel Master
Juliet.
I’m still riding the aftershocks of pleasure as my name drops from his lips. MY name. It’s water in the desert after so long without it. I thought I might never hear it again. His eyes flyopen, and the shocked expression isn’t Saldar or his new role as my master. It’s him. Purely him, the expression he makes when he fucks up.
It’s not enough to put him off, though, and he closes his eyes again as he groans, wrenches my hair, and shoots deep inside me. He stays frozen for a long time as his breathing gradually slows. His skin is flushed, real, human. Not hidden behind a cold mask.
He used me as Saldar and must have enjoyed himself, but I never really got to see it. Now, I study the red mottling on his chest. The beads of sweat at his temples. He fucking loved it.
And so did I.
The punishment chair, the pain, the teasing. All of it scratches the itch I’ve had my entire life, and if the evidence wasn’t right before my eyes, cock still buried in my ass, I’d never have believed Hadrian could do it. But he is.
He opens his eyes, and there it is again, that flash of guilty panic. Hadrian hates making mistakes. He’s the ultimate perfectionist, and letting my name slip out like that will haunt him for days. It’s almost funny, given the circumstances, and I’m still giddy enough from the orgasm that I open my mouth to say so, but he beats me to it.
His finger lands on my lips. “Don’t say a word, doll. Think about how you can behave better in the coming days.”
Back to his master tone, stern and uncompromising. I keep my mouth shut. I enjoyed what just happened, but another punishment right now would cross the line into too much. And I have no doubt that Hadrian would do it. If I’m disrespectful, he’ll pull me back into line. He’s just proven that.
My pussy throbs at the thought. Fuck.
He extricates himself from my body and dresses quickly, in a hurry but trying not to show it. I imagine him taking a shower,berating himself the whole time for his mistake, and have to fight back a smile.
God, a shower. I’d give my left tit for a hot shower and not the freezing cold trickle I’ve become accustomed to. If Hadrian lets me out of here, my love of camping will be a thing of the past forever. I’m never going anywhere that’s more than five minutes away from a real bathroom.
What the hell am I thinking? I don’t even know where we are. For all I know, we’re in an underground bunker with a bunch of insane end-of-the world cultists and I’ll never see daylight again. That’s if Hadrian doesn’t keep me locked up in here forever.
Once dressed, Hadrian strides to the door and leaves without a word. Very typical behavior for Saldar, but from him, it feels somehow rude.What about goodbye, asshole?Not that I’d ever say it.
As I clean myself up and wrap myself up in the blanket, my chest feels lighter.
***
The next week—I think—passes in a haze. Hadrian sticks to Saldar’s schedule, visiting twice daily, and doesn’t slip up again. I’m Doll once more, but I don’t mind as much as I did. My name is still there, and he’ll say it again. I’m sure of it.
My ass is permanently sore, as he seems to have decided my pussy doesn’t exist. When did he become so much of an ass man? I asked him why once, and he told me, “You don’t deserve it yet, doll.”
Why does that make me want to earn it? I’m truly messed up.
He doesn’t give me much time for conversation, issuing orders and doling out punishments if I’m slow to obey. I fallinto the rhythm of it, just as I did when he was Saldar, but it’s different now. I can’t believe this is all Hadrian has planned for me. There must be more to it.
One morning, I’m working at training Charlie, persuading her to move from her paintbrush to my hand. A smile splits my face when she does it, tiny legs almost impossible to feel against my skin. I keep my hand lowered into her vivarium, not wanting to run the risk of her making a dash for it. When the door clicks open, I jump.
Shit.
I’m supposed to kneel, and my body twitches toward the position, but I can’t do it without endangering Charlie. When Hadrian enters, I rush out, “I need to get her vivarium closed before I kneel, Master.”
It’s weird how not weird that name is starting to feel.
“Take your time, doll. Finish what you’re doing.”
I flash Hadrian a quick glance and almost knock the tank over. He’s dressed. His uniform of jeans and bare chest had become as much of a constant as Saldar’s red cloak. Now, he wears a plain black T-shirt.
Nondescript clothing, but my hand shakes as I take in his black combat boots. He’s dressed for the outside world. This is different. It has to mean something is coming. Information. A change. Something.
My fingers are clumsy as I use the brush to lift Charlie off my hand and onto her favorite branch. The lid rattles as I close it, and I take deep breaths to calm myself as I take up my position at Hadrian’s feet.
He leans forward, expression warm. He’s pleased with me. Good. He runs a finger down my cheek, and I shiver at the touch. I find myself holding my breath, unwilling to risk breaking the silence with the slightest sound.
He smiles slightly before he speaks. “Your good behavior has earned you some information. It’s time you learn about the Onyx Brotherhood.”
