Page 66 of A Secret and a Lie

The crop comes down on my clit, hard, and Grady commands, “Come for me. Come on my crop, whore.”

Painful pleasure radiates through my battered body as he flicks the leather against my cunt again, and I erupt. The most powerful orgasm I’ve ever experienced washes over me like a tsunami of rapture, and I bask in the sensation.

My knees buckle, my eyes rolling into my skull as tingles spread through me, my toes curling into the hardwood floor almost painfully. Grady catches me before I hit the ground, scooping me into his arms.

Before I know it, I’m sobbing into his dress shirt, curling in on him as he moves us to the couch.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’m proud of you,” he murmurs, wrapping me in a sense of safety.

I think I’m in trouble.

I feel raw, like every nerve ending is sawed off and exposed. I can’t seem to stop overthinking every decision I’ve made in my life. I’ve thought about texting Grady about a hundred times, and I’m battling the overwhelming urge to cry. Gritting my teeth, I swipe on the blood-red lipstick, trying to pull myself out of this headspace by sheer will.

Emotionally, I’m a fucking wreck. I like to think that I would’ve noticed if someone like Henry had dropped like this. Grady should’ve seen the signs of the sub drop.Right?

Though, I suppose he can’t be expected to read my mind. I should’ve spoken up. Either way, the sub drop is lingering, and I’ve been moping around the apartment all day, trying to avoid Corinne so I don’t accidentally lash out or burst into tears.

I need to find a way to pull my shit together before my meeting with Henry tonight, though. Just as I’m thumbing through the clothes in my closet, Corinne saunters into my bedroom.

“What gives? You’ve been sulking since you got home last night.”

I should’ve known that she’d see right through me, and that makes me smile a little. Corinne is a sub, and the thought occurs to me that she might be holding the answers, so I reply honestly, “Sub drop.”

She winces. “That fucking blows. He didn’t give you any aftercare?”

“I needed more than what he gave me, but I’m not reallyhissub. I’m just the girl he pays to dominate.” I shrug.

Leaning against the doorframe of the closet, she folds her arms over her chest and arches a dark eyebrow. “Have you considered talking to him about that?”

I shake my head, sighing. “Not yet.”

“Well, I think you should talk to him…or at leastsomeoneabout that. You know I’m here for you.”

I smile, her words floating in my mind long after she leaves theroom. Outside of Corinne, there’s only one person I feel comfortable talking to about this. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, I realize I have time to check my messages before leaving.

There’s no way I can wait until tonight to crack open my computer. That’shoursfrom now, and the thought of walking out the door without checking to see if he replied hurts more than usual. My blistered nerves need soothing, and he’s the only one with the ointment.

Logging in, I find a notification.

@livingh3ll: Great idea, but I think we should practice a few hundred times first. If you give me your number, I’ll call you. I’m eight and a half hours ahead of East Coast time.

Thank God, I didn’t wait until tonight to check my messages.I find myself breathing heavily, gnawing on my lip as my mouth spreads into a grin. I like this guy a little too much to keep myself safe.

Hurriedly, I type out a reply.

@dc_d0ll: Only a few hundred? If there aren’t at least half a million trials, I’m not interested.

I add my phone number, followed by a winky face to the message and hitsendas more butterflies stir in my belly.

Genevieve

My heart hammers loudly in my ears as my phone lights up right on schedule, my hands trembling as I accept the call.

Please be a man.

“Hello?”

Relief swarms me, and even staticky, the deep rumble of his voice is unmistakably male.