Page 153 of Jewel of the Assassin

“Listen,” he commands, voice sharpening. “You know I love you, Valentina. In the possessed and addicted way a man can love a woman, a sadist can love a masochist. I have spent many a long night thinking of the time when the one worthy woman, my queen, would become pregnant. How I would handle her physical state.”

“Physical state?”

“The body is resilient, including the womb. But it does not mean the same rules apply. You are pregnant, Valentina. The rules mustchange.”

It’s the first time he moves. Just once. He comes out halfway and stabs back in again.

“Oh, God, Rom—my Lord!” I whine, trying to gain some leverage, but he yanks harder on my hair, forbidding it.

“We must reframe things.”

“As long as you don’t turn into a monk?—”

“I am serious, Valentina. For I cannot change. I am scarred beyond hell for that.”

I hiss, insisting, “I don’twantyou to change.”

“Good. What we have is not a power exchange, my Jewel. I setthe rules. And the terms. But…we need more understanding moving forward. Equality.”

As he softly releases my hair, I tilt my head and glare daggers at him. “We don’t need understanding, my Lord Roman. You have mytrust.”

“Be that as it may, I am informing you of the positions I will place you in—ones that will ensure a way to sate the beast but preserve the mother of my child. Sadists don’t change, Valentina. They merely…evolve.”

I tremble, unable to prevent squeezing him.

His breath grows heavy. “This place and this throne will appease some of the beast when you submit and surrender to my reign.”

He gestures to our environs, and I look up, feeling as much as seeing the Northern Lights, long prisms dancing across the night. A multi-colored extravagance.

“But…”

“Exhibitionism will serve a worthy function for the edge I need.”

Like the time at the ball when he had me do a blowjob in the lounge while he discussed business with all those present.

“I can live with that.” I shrug. The idea of Roman showing me off, even when I am pregnant, must be a kink because it sent heat spiraling to my pussy.

“It does me good to hear you say it.”

“And if I hadn’t?”

He chuckles darkly. “Wouldn’t have mattered.”

I shrug again, but can’t help my giggle. Because I know who he is. I know his hungers, his needs run deep. So do mine.

“Any beatings will be spankings by my hand and my hand alone,” he dictates. “No whips. No canes. No other instruments.”

“What else?”

“Lactation play.”

My breath hitches. I knew anything with breasts was a kink to him, but I didn’t know this. When ribbons of heat surge to mycenter, I recognize how it’s a kink for me as well. My breasts, my nipples have always been sensitive. I imagine they will be more when I’m further along.

“I can live with that, too. I think I…might enjoy it.”

“Other kinks will be taken into consideration during the day. During this time period, I need your submission and surrender more than ever, Valentina. Do not try to claw away my dominance. Let me sate the beast and my wife in the best way I deem so.”

I nod without hesitation. “I will, my Lord. I swear. Mmm…”