Page 69

"Yes, Mistress." She giggled and leaned into me when I led her away from the scowling face of Raven. "Did you know Raven's real name is Rita?"

"I did. Pretty pathetic, isn't it?" I grinned and urged her through the crowd toward the greenlit staircase heading toward the private rooms. "To be both Raven and Ravana, with such little regard for her true self."

"We all know Beast isn't your real name." Marley raked her teeth over my shoulder. "And it isn't even true. You're no beast."

"You're going to regret that comment, brat." I slapped her ass under the hem of her skirt. "When I deny you over and over."

"No." She whimpered when I pulled her into the disco-themed room. I locked the door behind us, and the mirror ball above us cast its wild lights across our faces. "Is Samirah with you?"

"Not yet. She has the key." I plucked at the strap of her top and she stuck her tongue out at me. "Pick your safe word, brat." I shoved her shoulder, albeit gently. She pretended to stumble, gasping when she caught herself on the small table in the middle of the space.

I dropped down to sit on the sofa that circled the perimeter.

"Albion," she said, her breath leaving her in bated puffs. "What shall I do, Mistress?"

"Get on the table, girl." I nodded at her. "You know what to do."

"You're lacking luster today, Beast." Marley narrowed her eyes at me, a playful smile curving her lips while she slipped out of her halter. "What's got your nut sack in a bind?"

"Watch that pretty mouth of yours, girl." I kicked the edge of the table when she climbed on it. "Or you'll get nothing you desire."

"Yes, Mistress," she whimpered, crawling on all fours now that she wore nothing.

I indulged in her beauty, the plumpness of her breasts, and the way her muscles flexed with her sensual movements. She looked at me from over her shoulder, until I leaned forward and slapped my hand down on her ass so hard that she nearly tumbled.

A pained cry left her, though the shiver that accompanied it told me it was exactly what she wanted. Tonight, I would give it to her. Not because she begged for it, but because I felt like it. Denying her, prolonging anything, drained my energy more than it should.

Samirah showed up, dressed to kill in her leather corset over black jeans. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders and her thick makeup told me she was in it for the long-haul tonight.

"Are we doing that thing where I have all the fun and you watch?" she asked, slapping Marley's ass before even offering her a greeting.

"Fuck yes, you are." I folded my hands behind my head. "Let's go."

"Mistress." Marley turned her attention to Sami. "She's very grumpy today."

"Don't you worry your pretty little pussy." Sam leaned down and nibbled her cheek. "I'm here to take care of you now."

Marley shivered, her entire body trembling under Sami's croon.

"Mistress Beast neglected something." Sam pulled a black braided rope from out of the chest beside the sofa. "Sweet Marley loves her bindings."

"Yes, Mistress," she cried out before Samirah even finished the first wrap around her ankle.

That's how every night went for a while after Nora ended things following Wilkinson's confrontation. We became fast colleagues, and slow friends, rarely speaking regarding anything other than work. In a few weeks' time, I lost not just the girl I yearned for over the years, but the friend that I shared my life with.

We no longer shared hotel rooms when traveling, mostly because Wilkinson kept Nora away from fieldwork along with his other agenda. We didn't swap lunches, and I never got to see her new condo once she moved in. It went on this way for months, and our flagrant disregard for each other became nothing more than forced exchanges or work-related dialogue. My psyche compensated for Nora's loss, by painting her as a blank space where she stood beside me during every case presentation. Anytime she took the focus to introduce a scenario in front of a room filled with our colleagues and other law enforcement agencies, I listened to the words she spoke, but never quite heard her voice.

It was better that way and it was easier. If Nora didn't exist to me in the way she used to, existing to me at all didn't matter. She followed my lead, ignoring me just the same. For the better part of a year, we continued just like that.

Samirah finished off Marley after a lengthy session in my playroom and I joined her that time for the most part. The two of us tag-teaming our favorite girl, until she slithered under the thrall of her afterglow, as we intended. I left the caretaking to Samirah, as usual lately, and returned to the kitchen to fix us something to eat when she woke up. My favorite thing about Marley became her fast recovery. She wasn't as needy after our playtime, and it saved me the stress of it all. Samirah, forever my favorite co-Domme, took over the portions that I didn't want, while allowing me the pieces that I enjoyed.

"I'm beginning to think…" Samirah paused to bite into a strawberry. "You're losing your spunk."

"It's fine. I'm growing bored of things these days." I stabbed a sausage with my fork. "Marley is easier, riskier, and doesn't linger once she perks up from subspace. I can handle that."

"Marley doesn't want to be claimed just as much as you or I don't want to do any claiming. It works in our favor."

"It does."