Chapter Eleven

EMMA

The next few weeks were a blur of bliss. She went down to Club Inferno every night and spent long hours with Dante learning the dynamics of a Dom/sub relationship. She loved every minute of it—well, almost every minute of it. The sex was thrilling, of course, and Dante always knew exactly what she needed and how to wring the utmost pleasure out of every scene and encounter. Even though she no longer wore Queen Mab’s mask, Emma still pretended that she was the brave woman who walked into Club Inferno and commanded Master Dante’s attention.

But when she wasn’t with him, her old insecurities and shyness crept back in. It would be so much easier if she could channel Mab during the day or when Dante wasn’t with her. Kiki Pretty was up to her old tricks, and for some reason had decided that Emma was the bane of her existence.

One of Kiki’s favorite tricks was to be disruptive, especially when Emma was doing something away from Colleen’s office. So far, Kiki hadn’t done anything to warrant her being escorted out of the resort by Istvahn again. Emma wished she could gather the courage to ask Kiki just what the hell she had against her anyway. What she really wanted was to ask Dante what he had been talking to Kiki about on the terrace a few weeks ago, but she was trying not to think about Dante being a Dom to other women.

Emma thought she could handle it if he punished other women, but the thought of him having sex with them too made her want to cry. They hadn’t been seeing each other long enough that she felt she could ask him to be monogamous. But she hoped he was. She knew not all Doms had sex with their submissives. What she needed to do was sit down and have an open and honest talk with him about their relationship. But she was too afraid to rock the boat. Things were going so well between them.

“Morning, Emma,” Kiki said, sidling up next to her as Emma waited in line for coffee. Even first thing in the morning, Kiki looked impeccable—not a strand of golden hair out of place, her makeup flawless. Emma felt a pang of self-consciousness as she twisted a lock of her own hair around her finger.

“Hi,” Emma said, doing her best not to fidget while she waited for her latte. She could already feel Kiki’s eyes boring into her, that subtle curl of disdain playing at the edges of the blonde’s perfectly sculpted mouth.

“New outfit?” Kiki arched a perfectly groomed brow, her tone dripping with laced venom. “It’s...interesting.”

Emma’s cheeks flushed as she glanced down at the simple black dress she’d chosen. “Just something comfortable for the office,” she mumbled, suddenly regretting her choice.

Kiki made a soft tutting sound, shaking her head slowly. “If you say so, dear. Though I would have thought you’d want to put in a bit more effort.” Her eyes glittered with wicked amusement. “Then again, why bother?”

Emma shouldn’t let this little bitch hurt her feelings, but something about Kiki made her feel like she was back in school again with the mean girls.

“I mean, you’re lovely in your own way.” Then Kiki shocked her by leaning in and whispering with venom, “But Dante will never be satisfied with someone so...”

Plain. Ordinary. Unsophisticated. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air, burrowing into Emma’s psyche like insidious barbs.

“Never mind,” Kiki said, pulling back. “Don’t fret over it, pumpkin. Just enjoy the time you have with him.” With that, Kiki picked up her skinny mocha and walked away.

Emma collected her coffee and went back to her office. She hated herself for snooping, but she did it anyway. Yes, Kiki was one of Dante’s subs. Dismay filled her and she wanted to throw up. But when Emma checked the schedule in more detail, she was somewhat mollified that it had been over a month since Kiki had scheduled dungeon time with Dante. At least that was something.

But he did have several dungeon appointments for the evening. That wasn’t surprising. Dante’s schedule was always booked. But he always ended the night with her. Emma checked his Couture office hours and saw that he had a free moment. She might as well continue on with her unprofessional behavior. Emma took the elevator to his floor and before she could second-guess herself, knocked on his door.

“Come,” he said.

She felt a smile twist on her face as she opened the door. “You’ve got to be careful who you say that to,” Emma said after she walked inside and closed the door.

He smiled back at her. “I hadn’t expected to see you this morning. Is something wrong?” He frowned.

“No. Yes.” Emma sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Sit,” he said. “I don’t have anything going on for a few hours.”

Emma sat down on the couch in his office. She hesitated, her thoughts racing as she struggled to find the right words. “Will you promise me something, Dante?” Emma asked, her eyes searching his for reassurance.

“Anything,” he said, his expression resolute.

“Promise me that you’ll always be honest with me, even if you think it would be difficult or painful for me to hear,” she said, her voice quivering slightly.

Dante came over and sat beside her. “I promise, Emma. No secrets, no lies.”

Here goes nothing. “I can’t help but feel insecure about your submissives.”

“We should have had this conversation a while ago.”

“I know we’ve only been together a few weeks, but it’s been bothering me that you’re having sex with other people.”

Dante shook his head. “I’m not.”

“I mean, I understand it’s part of your job—wait, what?”

“I don’t have sex with my clients at Club Inferno.”

“You have sex with me.”

“You’re not my client, Emma.”

That was true. He had never given her an invoice. There hadn’t been a contract signed between them. Emma closed her eyes. “I’m so stupid,” she groaned.

“No, I shouldn’t have assumed that you knew. Without giving away anything personal about my clients, you should know that there are many kinks and services I provide. Some offer gratification. Some offer relief. To some, it’s penance for their sins, real or imagined.”

“You’re a therapist whether you’re at Couture or Club Inferno,” she said, realization hitting. A tentative smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she felt the weight of her doubts begin to lift.

He shook his head. “Not always. Sometimes I’m a sadist.” He shrugged. “But ever since I saw you as Queen Mab, there hasn’t been another woman in my bed. I haven’t touched or allowed another to touch me but you. I only want you.” His words, spoken with such sincerity and conviction, sent a shiver down Emma’s spine. She searched his eyes for any hint of deception but found none.

“Do you really mean that?” she whispered, her chest tightening.

“Absolutely.” Dante kissed her forehead. “Maybe we should get out of Club Inferno and do more couple things together.”

“Are we a couple?”

“Yes,” he said. “That is, if you want to be.”

“I do,” she said. Though her insecurities still lingered, Dante’s reassurances brought her some much-needed comfort. “But let’s not be too hasty about leaving Club Inferno behind.”

“That’s my good girl,” he growled and nipped her neck.

And damn it if she didn’t get wet for him.

***

THAT NIGHT IN THE DUNGEON, Dante’s fingers brushed against her skin as he adjusted the cuffs. The anticipation was killing her, the cold metal chain connecting the cuffs sending goose bumps down her spine.

“Beautiful,” Dante murmured.

He positioned her beneath a sturdy hook hanging from the ceiling, attaching the chain from her cuffs to the hook, allowing her enough freedom to move, yet still bound to his will. The weight of her submission pressed down on her like the heavy velvet curtains encasing the room, both comforting and suffocating at the same time.

“Tell me what you need, Emma,” Dante said, his gaze intense and unwavering.

“I...I want to feel your control, to know that you’ll protect me.” Her voice was barely audible, a whisper of vulnerability that seemed to hang in the air between them. “But I want to change.”

“Change? You’re perfect just the way you are.”

“Here, I am. When I’m with you. Like this. I want to be this free when I’m not in the dungeon.”

“Trust me,” Dante urged, his hand cupping her face, his thumb stroking her cheek with tender possessiveness. “I will guide you, cherish you, and push you to new heights. But you must trust me.”

Emma took a deep breath, drawing in the scent of him, the warmth of his touch. “I trust you.”

He smiled, a predatory grin that reached into the depth of her as he stepped back and reached for a flogger hanging on the wall. The cool leather strands caressed her skin, teasing her senses as Dante traced patterns across her body, heightening her anticipation.

“Are you ready, Emma?” he asked, his voice thick with desire.

“Yes,” she breathed, closing her eyes and bracing herself for what was to come.

The first strike of the flogger landed on her back, a sharp contrast of pain and pleasure that made her gasp. With each subsequent lash, Emma’s body ached and soared, embracing the intensity of their connection. Dante wielded the flogger with skill and precision, his every movement a testament to his expertise and care.

As the final strike landed, leaving her body trembling and flushed, Dante released her from the cuffs, his strong arms enveloping her in an embrace that spoke of love and belonging.

“What comes next,” he whispered into her ear, his breath warm and soothing against her sweat-dampened skin, “is only what I share with you.”

“Thank you, sir,” Emma said, her voice ragged and filled with emotion, as they stood together in the dimly lit playroom, the darkness now a sanctuary.

“Undress for me,” Dante ordered.

Obediently, she peeled off her clothes, each layer discarded like a shedding of her earlier doubts and fears. As Dante watched her with hungry eyes, the last remnants of her insecurity vanished, replaced by a fierce desire to feel him inside her again.

He guided her onto the bed, his hands exploring her body with a reverent touch that whispered of devotion and reverence. He paused to slip on a condom.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, leaning down to capture one of her nipples between his lips. She arched her back, moaning softly as he suckled her, his hand tracing lazy circles around the other nipple. His touch sent fire through her nerve endings. He sucked harder. She could feel the rasp of his beard on the sensitive skin of her breasts.

“Mmm, more,” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the pounding of her heart.

Dante smiled wickedly before positioning himself at her entrance. He slowly eased inside her, filling her up with his hard length. Emma gasped, feeling the stretch of his cock as he began to move within her. He started slow, teasing her with shallow thrusts that made her ache for deeper penetration.

“Please, sir,” she begged, arching her hips off the bed in desperation. “Fuck me harder.”

Her plea was met with a low chuckle from Dante. He pulled out almost completely before slamming back in, his thick cock going deep with every powerful stroke. Emma cried out, a mix of pain and pleasure as she felt herself being taken to the edge.

With each passing moment, the intensity of their lovemaking increased. Their bodies became one, moving together in perfect sync as they sought release. As Emma felt herself start to climax, Dante slowed his movements, drawing out the sensation until she was begging to come and writhing beneath him.

“You may come,” he allowed, and her orgasm exploded like a firework show.

Emma’s body was still humming with pleasure as Dante rolled them so he was on the bottom, his hard cock slipping out of her wet heat momentarily. She gasped as he settled her on top of him. His hands gripped her hips as he began to thrust upward. Her breasts bounced with each movement, her nipples still sensitive from his earlier attentions. She looked into his eyes, seeing the raw desire there, and she knew that this was where she belonged.

“Ride me,” he growled. Emma nodded, her hands steadying herself on his shoulders as she began to move. She felt powerful, in control, as she set the pace, grinding down on him as he filled her over and over again.

Dante’s hands moved to her breasts, cupping them, teasing her nipples as she rode him. She moaned, throwing her head back as pleasure coursed through her. She could feel another orgasm building, her body tightening around him as he thrust deeper.

“Look at me,” Dante commanded, his voice rough. Emma opened her eyes, meeting his gaze as he stared up at her. She could see the desire in his eyes, and she knew that this was right. This was where she belonged.

“Let go,” he said, his voice low and commanding. And Emma did, her body shuddering with pleasure as she came apart around him. Dante followed quickly after, his body tensing as he filled her with his release.

Emma collapsed on top of him, spent and sated. Dante wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as they both caught their breath.

“I can’t believe this is real,” Emma panted.

“Believe it. This is just the beginning. I’m looking forward to many more depraved and delightful nights with you.”

As they lay there, Emma knew that this was where she belonged, with Dante, her Dom, her sanctuary, her home. And she would never let him go.