Page 24 of A Dead Man’s Pulse (Trident Security Omega Team #1)

Taking a deep breath, he nodded at the dark-haired woman, then did as she’d suggested. He didn’t want to subject them to his horrible singing voice, so instead, he counted down those beer bottles in his head while sitting on the beach with Dakota. At least in his mind, she enjoyed his singing.

Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall.

Removing his T-shirt, he draped it over the arm of the chair then stepped toward the leather-covered St. Andrew’s cross.

Roxy positioned herself behind it, so she could see his face between the upper parts of the large letter “X.” Goose bumps pebbled his skin.

His jeans sat low on his hips, so his entire back was exposed.

Ninety-six bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-six bottles of beer . . .

He reached up and grabbed hold of the straps.

Ninety-five bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-five bottles of beer . . .

“I’m going to snap it a few times without striking you,” Charlotte assured him.

“First within view and then behind you. After that, I’ll switch to a soft flogger to warm up your skin and bring the blood to the surface, just like I did with Jake yesterday.

” She moved to his side and held up the nine-tailed leather instrument for him to see, before letting it fall against his arm in a gentle caress.

“That’s exactly what it will feel like, no harder than that.

And I won’t hit you with this or the single tail without warning, okay? ”

Logan swallowed a lump of fear blocking his throat. After surviving SERE training in the military, he could do this, he tried to convince himself. “Yeah, okay. I’m good.”

Ninety-one bottles of beer . . .

She brought the two ends of the whip together and doubled over the length, holding it up in her hands for him to see.

“I’m going to snap it. Watch the leather and listen to the sound it makes.

It’s an inanimate object. You have full control here—we just have to convince your internal fight or flight system of that fact. ”

When she yanked it taut, the two parts slapped together, the sound not as loud as it would be when the whip cracked at full-length.

She repeated it several times, her gaze never leaving his face.

“Good. Your muscles relaxed after the first few times. We’re ready to move on.

” She hung the whip around her neck. “I’m going to do some joint compression next.

Since you’re so much taller than me, I need you to kneel.

I’d have you lay down, but the cleaning crew hasn’t been here this morning, yet, and God knows what’s on the floor. ”

Letting go of the restraints, Logan lowered himself to his knees.

He bowed his head when Charlotte’s strong, yet baby-soft, hands caressed his upper arms and shoulders.

Using the heels of her palms, she pressed down, forcing the tension from his muscles and joints.

Her hands never left his skin as they moved and pressed in an intermittent pattern.

After about thirty of them, she then kneaded the surrounding flesh.

If he wasn’t anticipating what was coming next, he might have closed his eyes and fallen into a coma.

Giving his shoulders a final squeeze, Charlotte stepped back. “Stand and grab the restraints again. Keep your eyes on Roxy’s. Try to stay here with us.”

His gaze met the doctor’s, and she gave him an encouraging smile.

“No worries if you freak. I’ve already seen you do that, and we got through it just fine.

And what happens here, stays here, Logan.

Neither of us have talked to anyone else about this other than Ian, Jake, and Trudy, and that was with your permission.

” Her eyes shifted behind him, and she gave her fellow Domme a nod.

“All right, Cowboy.” Charlotte sounded much further away than he’d expected.

“I’m down on the play floor by the stairs— far enough away that I can’t reach you at all.

After each crack, I’m going to take a few steps closer.

If you need me to slow down or stop, say yellow or red. Here comes the first one.”

Even though he’d been warned and knew the whip couldn’t hit him from that distance, he still startled when the loud crack split the air. His muscles seized briefly, his fists tightening on the restraints that he could release at any time.

“Breathe, Logan. You’re holding your breath. Breathe.”

He hadn’t realized that’s what he’d been doing until Roxy pointed it out. Inhaling deeply, he slowly let it out again.

Take one down, pass it around, seventy-four bottles of beer on the wall.

“One more. Inhale, exhale.”

After doing as he was told, he forced his muscles to relax once more, and then nodded. “I’m ready. Again.”

Although he’d been told she’d move closer in between the targetless strikes, the next crack sounded as far away as the first. This time, he remembered to keep breathing.

Sweat covered his entire body, but his gaze remained on Roxy’s face.

Apparently, she didn’t see anything in his expression or body language that would cause her to stop the scene, since she stayed quiet.

Realizing Charlotte was waiting for a word from him that she should continue, he said, “Again.”

The sequence was repeated until Charlotte was standing on the stage once more.

Logan’s knees were quivering, and his pulse and breathing had increased as he fought the urge to run like a coward.

His best friend’s voice resounded in his head.

You can do this, Cowboy. Don’t let the bastards win.

And whatever you do, don’t piss your fucking pants in front of the ladies.

Yeah, that was definitely something Clutch would say.

A soft thump sounded behind him and then Charlotte stepped to his side so he could see her again.

She no longer had the whip in her hands—instead, she held up the six-tailed flogger.

Running the tails up his arm, she gently caressed him.

As she dragged it around his back, the leather stayed on his skin, over his shoulders to his other arm.

She then lifted the handle and the tails fell less than an inch onto his arm again.

Moving to his back, she did more of the same, from his shoulders to the flesh just above the waistband of his jeans and up again.

Logan was surprised to feel his eyelids grow heavy as the tempo and force of the strikes intensified.

They were far from painful—he’d had insect bites that had hurt worse.

Several minutes passed, and the skin on his back tingled with the increased blood flow.

His body glowed with perspiration, but he was more relaxed than he’d expected to be at this moment.

Charlotte’s soothing voice floated to his ears.

“All right, Cowboy. Stay in that zone. You’re in your happy place.

You have all the control, but don’t move if you can prevent it.

I’m going to crack the whip three times.

If I think you’re good, the fourth one will hit your right shoulder blade.

I’ll pause and make sure you’re still okay.

It’ll hurt—Jake told you that—but reach past the pain and feel the heat. Ready?”

With Charlotte’s tone of voice, Roxy’s gentle gaze, the warm-up they’d given him, Clutch’s urging to keep it together, and Dakota on the beach, wearing a white string bikini and thong, they were keeping him grounded, despite his anxiety and fear. “Ready.”

The first loud crack sounded, and he stiffened but didn’t move. Roxy inhaled deeply and Logan followed suit, letting it out slowly.

Crack.

Logan’s jaw tightened. Happy place. Happy place. Dakota’s hands went to the string around her neck.

Crack.

Jesus Christ, this is it.

Seconds ticked by. Logan heard the crack before he felt the strike. The tip of the whip licked his shoulder blade, right where the Domme had said it would. It felt like he’d gotten stung by hundreds of bees at the same time. His fist clenched as he rose up on the balls of his feet. “Shit!”

“Breathe, Logan,” Roxy prompted. “In and out . . . that’s good .

. . again. Find your happy place. The heat of the sun is on your back.

That’s what you feel. It’s warm and spreading across your skin, covering your entire back.

Start with your hands and relax your muscles down your arms to your torso, then legs and feet. Breathe.”

Swallowing hard, he opened his hands, willing each muscle in his body to relax one by one, until he was once again, flat on his feet.

He inhaled through his nose and out his mouth, concentrating on Dakota’s bikini dropping from her breasts.

Damn, they were incredible—round, firm, and begging for his attention.

“Here we go, Cowboy. Left shoulder blade. Ready?” When he only nodded, Charlotte added, “Verbal response, love. Ready?”

“Ready.”

A second or two later, the whip stroked his skin again.

This time, in addition to feeling the sting of the bees, he heard them, but it sounded like their numbers had multiplied into the thousands.

A hiss escaped his lips, and while he rolled forward on the balls of his feet, he immediately brought his heels back down.

He didn’t need Roxy’s encouragement, breathing in and out, pushing the pain away as Dakota’s hands went to the strings holding her thong to her hips.

As the scene progressed and the whip caressed his skin over and over, his mind floated—in fact, it felt like his entire body began to float.

His cock was hard as a rock, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the subspace he was achieving or because Dakota was now gloriously naked on the beach in front of him.

Her sun-bronzed skin, high, perky tits, and waxed pussy were pure perfection.

She held her hand out to him, beckoning him to come closer.

Cowboy.

He tried to step forward, but something was preventing him from doing so.

Cowboy.

Her tongue darted out to wet her—

“Cowboy. It’s over. Step back, love.”

It took Logan a moment to realize it hadn’t been Dakota calling his name, but Charlotte.

His body and mind tingled as he released the restraints, lowering his arms. The two Dommes stood on either side of him, holding him by his upper arms and the belt loops of his pants, as Roxy said, “Sit down, Logan. The chair is right behind you. Just bend your knees and sit.”

Once he was in the chair, one of them covered him with a soft blanket, but in his mind, it was Dakota’s long hair draped over his skin, teasing him. His eyelids closed, and he let her embrace and comfort him.