Page 19

Chapter nineteen

Mia

A couple of weeks have passed since the festival. I won’t lie and say it’s all been wine and roses, though. I was beyond nervous about going to work on the Monday after the Spring Fling because of the confrontation between Knox and Leonard, but so far, he’s avoided me pretty much every day, not that we would have much of a reason to interact. I thought about going to the principal and the district about his behavior, but he seems to understand that it’s in his best interest to stay the hell away from me. It’s not as though having him fired would be an easy process, and honestly, I’d rather not have to deal with the headache and gossip that would ensue if I were to take that action. It wouldn’t look good for me or the club, considering Knox threatened him.

Last week, Knox brought up the idea of going into Boston tonight to check out the club he’s a member of. A couple that he’s friends with is going to be showcasing shibari techniques. They’re the ones he met years ago who actually trained him in the art of shibari.

He and I haven’t experimented with that yet. Knox let me know it can be very intense, more so than the scenes we’ve already done. He wants me to be fully educated like he was before engaging in it. I’ve been doing a lot of online research, and I’m more than a little intrigued. I’ve loved everything Knox and I have done so far. There’s something incredibly freeing about being restrained, which seems like such an oxymoron. Every time he pulls out the restraints, I know I’m in for a night completely centered around my pleasure.

Through my research, I’ve come to learn Knox is a bit of what’s referred to as a pleasure dom . He finds his pleasure in making me come over and over while denying himself a release until I’m so wrung out, I can barely form a coherent thought. Then, and only then, will he allow himself his release. I don’t know that I would consider myself a brat, though, which is a common dynamic. But I’m all for lying back and allowing him to make my body quake with desire and unbelievable pleasure any damn time he wants.

When I agreed to go with him tonight, the way his face lit up was like he was a kid at Christmas, and I was his present. It never occurred to me that he’s never introduced anyone to this type of thing, but he told me his previous scene partners had all been in this lifestyle just as long, if not longer, than him. Then I asked him what would have happened if I’d told him I wasn’t interested. He assured me he could sense the part of me that needed the release of letting go and letting him be in charge. He explained that it was almost instinctual, just that he’d never cared enough for anyone else who wasn’t already a part of this life to introduce them into it.

There’s a lot of trust involved on both ends for it to work, and seeing as I’m pretty much the only committed relationship he’s ever been in, he hasn’t ever broached the subject with another woman. From what I know of Knox before he and I were together, his reasoning behind it is clear. I’ve never been one to go to all the club parties, but I’ve known him to be unattached, and he never seemed to want to change that. I never saw him look at a woman the way Linc looks at Charlie or the way Jude looks at Lucy—until me.

My phone buzzes with an incoming call, and I look down, expecting to see Knox’s name. Instead, it’s another Unknown Caller . I’ve been getting so many of these calls in the last week, I’m just about ready to change my damn number. For the life of me, I can’t think of what I signed up for that someone would have gotten my information. I answer the call and immediately tell whoever is on the other line that I’m not interested in anything they’re selling. It’s so incredibly annoying. I resume putting on my makeup and my phone vibrates again.

I grab the phone, irritated that in less than a minute they’re trying to call again. “Hello?” I say into the phone.

Silence.

“For the millionth time, I’m not interested in anything. Take me off your call list,” I tell the person on the other end, then hang up. Thankfully, my phone stays silent as I finish getting ready to go to Boston.

A knock sounds at my door, and Knox calls my name as he enters.

“In here,” I call back, walking out of my bathroom into the bedroom to slide my feet into my heels.

Knox is standing in my bedroom doorway, and I take in the gorgeous man before me. I’ve never seen this look on Knox before. His blond hair is slicked back, not with a ton of gel or anything, but it’s more styled than usual. He’s wearing a fitted black dress shirt and black slacks that show off his long, muscular legs, paired with black boots that look nearly new. I love this man when he comes in from working on his bike, dirty and rumpled. I love this man when he’s dressed casually to take me to dinner or hang out with our friends. But holy hell, this is a whole new side that I’ve yet to see, and I’m starting to think we may not be making it out to Boston tonight.

“You look beautiful,” Knox says, startling me out of my silent appraisal.

I went with simple tonight. A black formfitting dress that hits just above the knee with high slits on both sides. It has a square neckline that accentuates my cleavage beautifully if I do say so myself. I opted for something without long sleeves, seeing as I’m assuming they keep these kinds of places on the warmer side if people are walking around barely dressed like the pictures I’ve seen. Knox said the main floor of the club is tamer than the other levels, which is where we’ll be. If I want to check out the rest, I’m sure we could, but the only thing he’s interested in tonight is seeing his friends and sharing the beauty of shibari with me.

Knox reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. “I’ve been meaning to give this to you,” he says and opens the box. A beautiful pair of earrings are nestled inside. They’re a deep red and match the necklace I always wear.

“Thank you,” I say, taking the box from his hand and walking over to my dresser with a mirror attached. Setting the box on the dresser, I take out each stud and put them in my ears. “They’re perfect.”

Knox comes to stand behind me and wraps his arms around my middle. “I saw them a few weeks ago on a run we did to Michigan.”

Knox has told me while he was on that trip he had a lot of time to think, and that’s when he decided he was done trying to convince himself that I was too good for him or whatever nonsense kept him from me. Knowing that story makes the earrings even more special. He was thinking of me, already making plans to give them to me even though he had no idea if I felt the same. Well, he probably had some idea. It’s not like I’ve ever been particularly skilled at hiding my feelings.

He leans down and presses a kiss to my bare shoulder. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Knox parks his truck in a private parking garage an hour later. We head to an elevator where there’s a large man in a suit waiting in front of the doors. Knox hands him his ID and a membership card. The man scans the cards and hands them back to him. “Good evening, Mr. Turner.”

I have never heard him referred to as Mr. Turner. It’s almost as though this is an entirely different life than the one he has back in Shine. I hand the man my ID, and he scans it and smiles, pressing the button for the elevator doors, which open immediately.

“Have a good night,” the security guard says, closing the door.

“Fancy,” I say to Knox’s reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator.

“They take security and privacy seriously. That’s something I like about it. It’s not necessarily the most exclusive club or anything like that, but they treat everyone with respect. Even a biker like me.”

“You don’t exactly scream biker tonight.”

He shrugs but doesn't say anything before the doors open again. We step into an alcove with a pretty blonde woman in a dark-green dress standing in front of a dimly lit podium.

“Good evening. May I have your phones, please?”

Knox is reaching into his pocket before the woman finishes her sentence, obviously already accustomed to the rules. We hand ours over, and she gives Knox a card with a number on it.

“Thank you,” he says and slips the ticket into his pocket. Then we walk through a deep cherrywood door carved with beautiful filigree and into a large room filled with people.

This is my first time at a club like this, and from the looks of it, it seems like any high-end lounge. My eyes adjust to the dim lighting, and I notice a few differences—one being several women and men wearing collars attached to leashes held by, I assume, their partners. There’s a large main stage that’s empty and two smaller stages with girls in cages dancing to the sultry music playing through the speakers. Couples and groups of people sit in the booths lining the perimeter. Swaths of deep-purple fabric hang against the walls, which give the space a dark and sexy feel. My eyes travel to the ceiling where intricate black and white crystal chandeliers hang, casting a low, warm glow over the space.

“Wow,” I breathe out as I take in my surroundings.

“Come on,” Knox says, leading me to the bar. “There’s a two-drink maximum, but they have pretty much anything you can think of.”

I look around at all the bottles lined on the glass shelves behind the bar, illuminated by muted, soft lighting.

“I’ll have a glass of champagne please,” I say to the bartender and Knox orders a water.

“You don’t want anything?”

“Not tonight,” he says, leaning down to kiss me.

“Knox,” I hear a slightly accented feminine voice call from behind me.

Knox lifts his head and smiles just before I turn to see a woman with long black hair and a rich tan complexion walking toward us. She’s accompanied by a man nearly as tall as Knox, with a head of curly black hair and dark eyes. Both are wearing matching smiles as they approach us.

“Camila,” Knox says in greeting and leans into the woman, giving her a brief kiss on both cheeks. When he straightens, he shakes the man’s hand. “Andrés, good to see you.”

This is the couple that Knox told me about. The ones who he studied under when learning about rope bondage.

“This is Mia,” he introduces, and Camila and Andrés both shake my hand.

Andrés is dressed much like Knox, except his shirt is a dark blue, and Camila is wearing a light-pink silk robe.

“We wanted to come say hello before our show. We reserved a table for you.” Andrés points to one of the tables closer to the stage with a small sign sitting atop, then turns to me. “Knox has told us this is your first time at a shibari show. I can’t wait to hear what you think.”

“I’m excited to watch,” I reply with a smile.

“Wait until you try it,” Camila says. “There’s nothing quite like it.” She shares a loving smile with Andrés before he checks his watch.

“We need to head backstage, my love,” he says, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing her palm. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” she says with a smile meant for only him on her face.

“See you after the show,” Andrés says, and Camila gives us both a small wave before they disappear back into the crowd, then behind a curtain to the side of the stage.

Knox grasps my hand and turns it over, bringing it to his lips and places a gentle kiss on my palm. “Let’s go to our table.”

“They seem really nice,” I say to Knox. “Did you…did you practice on Camila?”

I’m not sure where my insecurity is coming from all of a sudden. Oh, yeah, she’s absolutely stunning and knows this entirely different side of Knox that I’m just learning about.

“With Andrés, yes. He was there every step of the way. But it was never sexual between us, Mia. Camila may be willing to help train people learning the art, but Andrés is far too possessive of her to ever share her for anything else.”

I’m well aware that Knox has had partners before me. I mean, look at Heather, beautiful and sweet. Did it suck to learn that Knox and Heather played with ropes? Yes. But he was honest and forthcoming with the entire conversation and assured me that it was a purely physical relationship. Knox is many things, but a liar isn’t one of them. However, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting to know she was the only person he had done this with who didn’t belong to this club.

“Hey,” Knox says, leaning toward me. His hand palms the side of my neck. I’ve noticed he does that when I start freaking out about something in my head. And I’ve also noticed the calming effect that connection has on me. Obviously, Knox has noticed it, too.

“Take a breath. I love you.”

I exhale the ball of tension that was forming in my chest and Knox smiles.

“Good girl.”

And just like that, with his hands on me and his gaze boring into me, my body relaxes into him.

“I love you, too,” I say, and Knox leans in and kisses me tenderly on the mouth.

The overhead lights in the room dim as the stage lights illuminate. Soft music plays in the background as Camila and Andrés walk on the stage. Camila has rid herself of the pink robe and is wearing a retro-style bra and panty set. Black lace covers her full breasts, and she's wearing a cheeky pair of panties with ruffles on the back. It’s absolutely adorable and sexy at the same time.

Andrés walks to the side of the stage and grabs a bundle of black rope. When he walks back over to Camila, he whispers something to her. It's too quiet for me to hear what he’s saying, but I read her lips when she agrees.

“Andrés checks in with her at every stage when they do their shows,” Knox whispers to me.

“Like you do with me.”

He nods, then turns his attention back to the stage.

Andrés undoes the bundle, and several feet of rope pile at his feet while he holds the middle in his hands. He steps behind Camila and begins wrapping the rope around her. He forms knots around her breasts and down to her navel before he loops the length around her thighs, pulling one leg up, then tucking it behind her. He attaches another rope hanging from the ceiling and lifts her tied form, slowly spinning her so the audience can see the knot artwork on her back. She swings slightly as though he’s showing off his work of art, which, I suppose, is exactly what he’s doing.

Camila’s face is serene and relaxed while Andrés continues his work, putting her in different positions and showing the crowd different styles of knots. The entire time, I’m watching every position he puts her in, and my heart rate is increasing with each new display. My skin tingles against the hand that Knox keeps on my upper thigh. I thought we were coming for a demonstration, but it’s turning into so much more for me. I want to be the woman being tied. I want to feel what Camila is feeling.

The show only takes about thirty minutes, but it barely feels like it’s been five. I am completely enraptured by the scene in front of me. The look on Camila’s face. The control and precision that Andrés exudes. It’s over too quickly, and when Andrés is finished and unties Camila, he carries her off the stage. She looks like she’s in a completely different stratosphere when she rests her cheek on his shoulder, and he tenderly kisses the crown of her head.

“Wow,” I say on an exhale.

Knox is staring at me, studying my face. “What did you think?”

“I think…I think I can’t wait to get home.”

He smiles and stands, taking my hand in his. “As you wish.”

When we step through Knox’s doorway, I can’t seem to keep my hands off him. The ride home was filled with tension, unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I was a bit nervous that we would offend Camila and Andrés by leaving without saying goodbye, but Knox assured me that it would be an hour or so before they emerged from whatever room they were in. Camila was feeling the effects of shibari subspace, and there was no way they would be leaving that room until Andrés was confident that she was taken care of.

The moment we’re inside the house, Knox bends at the waist and takes my mouth is a hard kiss before lifting me in his arms. I immediately wrap my legs around him, once again thankful for the slits in my dress. Honestly, I probably would have ended up ripping my dress at this point had they not been there.

He walks us into his room and gently sets me on my feet next to the bed, then takes a step back.

“Take your dress off,” he says in that growly voice that makes me wet.

I slip the straps from my shoulders, then peel the dress from my body. When it pools at my feet, I kick it away with one of my heeled shoes. Knox’s eyes devour the sight in front of him. I’m left in nothing but a see-through lace bra with matching panties, a garter belt that’s attached to silk stockings, and my black patent leather heels.

“Holy shit,” he breathes, the hungry look in his eyes making his pupils darken with desire. “We would’ve never left your house tonight had I known what was on underneath that sexy-as-fuck dress.”

“Funny, I was thinking almost the same thing when you walked through my door.”

Knox takes a step toward me, his knuckles brushing the soft skin of my stomach, making my muscles clench. His hand strokes up and down my belly as he stands, allowing his eyes to drink in their fill. I love having his eyes on me like this, appreciating the woman standing in front of him with his worshipping stare and reverent touches. He slowly walks behind me, studying every inch of skin on display while his knuckles trail along my stomach and over my side to my back. He moves his hand up and down my spine, eliciting another shiver.

“You looked absolutely stunning in your dress tonight, sweetheart. And you look just as beautiful out of it.” He leans down, his breath warm against my ear as he whispers, “But fuck, I’m ready to see what you look like in my ropes.”

“Please.” I lean against his chest and feel the silky, cool fabric of his shirt caressing my heated skin.

Knox’s fingers move under the straps of my bra so he can slide them off my shoulders before his fingers deftly unhook it from the back. When the lace falls from my arms, his hands cup both breasts while he stands behind me, softly running his palms against my hardened nipples over and over. It reminds me of the night he played with them until I came just from that. The tingling between my legs makes it hard not to rub my thighs together to try to ease the ache quickly building there.

He walks in front of me and brushes his mouth against mine, then trails his lips down, leaving light kisses in his wake. Down between the hollow of my throat, between my breasts and over my stomach until he’s on his knees in front of me.

When he looks up at me, there is so much love and gratitude in his gaze it almost brings a tear to my eyes. There, he kneels in front of me, worshipping me as though I’m vital to his existence. It strikes me at this moment that that’s exactly what he’s become to me. Vital in every way I could have imagined.

He places my hands on his shoulders and removes one shoe, then the other, as I use him for balance. His fingertips trail lightly to the tops of my stocking, where he undoes the first clasp, kissing the top of my thigh before rolling the silk down my legs and removing it completely. He does the same to the other, his motions slow and precise as he takes his time unwrapping me.

Meanwhile, my panties are completely soaked, and I’m about to beg him to touch me where I need it most. As difficult as it is for me to stand straight and not melt into a puddle of goo on the floor before him, I allow him to do this his way, in his time. As much as he makes me the center of pleasure, allowing him to have this his way brings him his own gratification.

He slips the garter from my hips, brushing his lips against each bone before sliding it off me. My hands are still on his shoulders, my fingers holding onto the tight muscles under his shirt like my life depends on it. When he reaches my panties, he kisses me between my thighs, and I cry out. His molten stare meets mine, and the man winks at me, holds my gaze, then leans in, licking me over my panties.

“Fuck,” I moan, and he does it again. “Harder,” I plead, wanting to come this second. It would only take a few more brushes of his tongue, lips, or fingers. Fuck, if he breathes on me the right way, I’m liable to explode like a fucking cannon.

Instead of doing any of that, Knox chuckles as he kisses my pubic bone and stands.

“On the bed,” he says, nodding toward the mattress.

I crawl over his comforter and look back. His bottom lip is in his mouth as he bites down, staring at the way my ass sways.

“Temptress,” he says through gritted teeth.

“Absolutely,” I reply with a smile.

Knox returns my smile and walks over to his tall dresser, where he keeps his restraints. He opens the drawer and pulls out a thick bundle of rope.

“Are you ready?” he asks, walking back toward me and standing at the edge of the bed.

I nod and sit straight on the bed with my ankles tucked under me as he undoes the long length of the rope. He holds it in his hand while running it up my arm, then over my shoulder. I tilt my head to the side, and he runs the rope across my neck and past my shoulder, down my other arm.

“It’s a lot softer than I thought it would be,” I say.

“It’s not supposed to hurt. But if it does, make sure you tell me right away.”

“I trust you.”

“I appreciate that. But make sure you tell me if there’s something you don’t like. I’d like to think I’m trained well enough that it wouldn’t happen but remember, none of this should hurt. If it does, use our safe word.”

I nod and he leans in to kiss me. “This is as much for you as it is for me, and if you aren’t ready to jump out of your skin from being so completely filled with pleasure, then I’m not doing it right, got it?”

“Yes, sir,” I reply cheekily.

“I fucking love that mouth of yours, Mia. I can’t wait to have it wrapped around my cock.”

When Knox talks to me like that, I swear to God my mouth waters with how bad I want to lick him from root to tip.

He walks in front of me and kneels on the bed, sitting back slightly on his haunches. “Put your hands on my thighs.”

I place a hand on each thigh, and he trails the rope over my wrists, looping it through each one. In one meaningful motion, he tightens the loops, forming a knot that ties my wrists together.

Knox’s eyes flare as he studies the first knot before he meets my gaze. “What color?”

“Green.”

He nods and begins tying me much the same way we saw before. He wraps the length through my thighs, and on each side, he tightens it on the crease between my pussy and thigh. I let out a low moan when I feel the pressure there. My eyelids droop as Knox begins wrapping the rope around my arms and waist, making a row of knots over my stomach. With each pull and tug, my body sways as though I’m being gently rocked by waves. His eyes are zeroed in on every spot he’s working, and I look down, seeing the effect this is having on him. His hard length is pressing against his slacks as he continues his work.

“Color?” he asks as he reaches my breasts.

“Green,” I reply in a rough whisper.

I’ve never felt anything like this. It’s as though I’m being cocooned and bound at the same time. My mind is quiet, but every nerve ending is shooting off with the delicious feel of the soft fibers of the rope.

He ties the rope under, then over my breasts, before reaching behind me and making his final knot.

Knox steps from the bed and looks over my body, bound in a beautiful design of his making.

“You are breathtaking,” he says as he unbuttons his shirt. He rips the material from his body and immediately removes his pants and boxer briefs, standing naked and proud before me.

His hand goes to his cock, and he strokes it up and down. “How do you feel?”

“Like…I’m floating,” I respond, my words coming out slightly slurred.

He steps toward the bed and gently moves my legs, guiding me to lie back.

Spreading my thighs, he eyes the wetness dripping from me. I’m so turned on it feels almost out of body at this point.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Knox growls before he drops to his knees and looks at me from between my spread thighs. His first lick has my hips jerking, which moves the rope across my skin, and I cry out in pleasure at the sensation. Then he eats at me like he’s absolutely starving for my taste. Lick after lick, savoring every drop of wetness, Knox never stops, never slows. The orgasm starts between my thighs, but moments later, it’s as though my entire body is on fire as I cry out in pleasure. And Knox keeps licking. His hand presses on the knot on my lower abdomen and then he adds two fingers, immediately stroking over my G-spot. The pleasure is indescribable and so beyond powerful that there needs to be another word to describe it. For the first time in my life, I gush, the wetness squirting onto his face and into his mouth. I scream louder, never having felt anything like this before, as my pussy pulses so intensely that my vision goes hazy around the edges.

“Fuck, baby,” Knox says, lifting his head from between my thighs with a look of awe in his heated blue eyes. He jumps up from his kneeled position and kisses my mouth with such force that it takes my breath away for a moment when he shoves his tongue inside of my mouth. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says when he pulls away. “I need to be inside of you right now.”

“God, yes.”

Knox reaches over to the nightstand and yanks the drawer open, grabbing a condom before straightening himself. I watch him roll the condom on his hard length between my thighs, then he sits back on his heels and drapes my legs across him. His hand grips the rope under my breasts, and he pulls me toward him. It doesn’t hurt in the least. It’s almost as though I’m swaying in a hammock when he presses his lips to mine again.

“I love you,” he whispers against my lips.

“I love you, too.”

Before I finish my sentence, he enters me in one thrust. I let out a loud exhale, and Knox moans as he begins pumping into me, still holding me off the bed. Sweat beads and drips down his chest as Knox fucks me, his eyes darting between where we’re connected, then to my face over and over.

“Goddamn, baby, you take my cock so fucking good. Look at you, so beautiful, tied up and letting me fuck you.”

“Oh, my God, I’m about to come again,” I cry out, my belly tightening in anticipation.

Knox repositions me on the bed and takes my hips in his hands, pulling them off the mattress as he pumps into me so hard my entire body jerks with each thrust. The orgasm washes over me, making every part of me tremble as Knox roars into the room, his cock twitching as he releases himself inside of me. His eyes stay locked on mine as he slows his movements, allowing both of us to catch our breaths. Knox leans over and kisses my mouth again, his tongue languidly stroking in and out of my mouth as he pulls himself out of me. He lifts up and balances himself on one arm, reaching over to grab a tissue, then uses it to remove the condom.

“How do you feel?” he asks.

“Like I’m glowing,” I reply dreamily.

Knox kisses me again, then settles me into a sitting position. He begins untying the rope, starting at my back. As he removes the bindings, he kisses every part of me that was tied. His lips trail over the pink lines across my skin. It doesn’t hurt in the least. There was never any pinching or feeling of rope burn anywhere. As I look at where the lines are, I actually think it’s kind of beautiful to see the marks they left, kind of like a lovely afterglow of sorts.

When the rope is completely gone, Knox tosses it on the side of the bed and gathers me in his arms.

“You were perfect, Mia. Fuck…” He shakes his head like he’s at a loss for words. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

I hum into his chest, my eyelids becoming heavy as I’m being lulled by the strong beat of Knox’s heart. His hands slowly trail up and down my back, his touch calming and soothing after one of the most intense experiences of my entire life.

“We should clean up,” he says, and I hum in agreement. “How does a bath sound?”

“Like heaven.”

Knox chuckles and gently rolls me off him. He disappears into the bathroom and starts the bath before coming back and holding out his hand to help me up.

“I’ll be right in. I’m going to change the bedding real quick.”

My nose scrunches and I dip my chin, remembering why he has to change his sheets. “Sorry about that. If I would have known that was a possibility, I would have warned you.”

“Is that the first time you’ve ever squirted, baby?” he asks as his finger tilts my face back up to his.

“Pretty sure we established that this”—I wave my hand toward the bed behind me—“is all new territory for me.”

“First of all, never, ever apologize to me for that. That was fucking hot and will be my mission every time I eat you out from now on. Secondly, the fact that never happened before is making me feel on top of the fucking world right now, so there’s no way in hell you’re allowed to feel any embarrassment over that. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

Knox laughs. He’s already told me he doesn’t have that particular kink and that’s not the kind of relationship we have, but it makes him smile, and I love that, so…

He spins me around and lightly smacks my ass. “Go get in the bath, and when I’m done in here, be prepared for me to stick my cock in that sassy mouth of yours.”

That shouldn’t have the effect on me that it does, should it? Oh fucking well. It does, and I’m done questioning and second-guessing my happiness.