Chapter Fourteen

Wick

The tarmac at CyberCo Airline, Miami International Airport, Florida…

"Do you want me to take you back to Tampa?"

Callum Finley, the pilot who had been flying her back and forth between her hometown and Miami, didn't hide his amusement at her predicament. That he was also a Master of Club Decadent Skies added to her discomfort. The damn man had been there the first time she'd been on the GoldenEye. That he had seen her naked ass… worse, he'd seen all her naughty bits , turned her cheeks tomato red every time he looked at her. At least he never once mentioned her humiliating foray in the gilded bird's cage.

"No… I don't know… maybe," she mumbled incoherently as her eyes darted to the black and gold Airbus a couple of yards from where he had landed the helicopter. Up to the moment when Callum had knocked on the front door of her beach house, she had been adamant that she wasn't coming here.

Then what the devil are you doing here?

Fucked if I know.

Well, fucked you'll be if you stay. Leave, and more sexual frustration is going to drive us both bananas.

Another thing she had been adamant about—whether or not Max had demanded the day in his office that she not masturbate and climax, she would do whatever she pleased.

Yeah… how did that pan out for you?

As if you don't know.

Exactly. So, pull up your granny panties and get your ass on that plane.

Callum glanced pointedly at his wristwatch. "Master M is very strict on taking off on time, Wick, so whether you stay or go, you better make a decision quickly. I, for one, am not going to miss this trip. A couple of days island hopping in the Balearic Sea is just what I need."

"Holy shit, you're going to Spain?" It was one of Wick's bucket list items. She had been dreaming of going to the small islands in the Balearic Sea ever since she had read romance novels about pirates and their wild ways when she was a teenager.

"Oops," Callum grinned. "I wasn't supposed to let that slip."

"Pfft," she scoffed. He knew exactly what he was doing. She had told him on the first leg of the trip to Tampa how she dreamed of island hopping all over the world. "Well, since I'm already here, I might just as well go along."

"That's my girl."

Damned if his praise didn't make her feel like she had just received a gold medal. What was it with these Dominants that made her all mushy? Huffing irritably at the warm feeling tingling inside her, she jumped to the ground and followed Callum to the plane.

"Buckle up," he told her once seated on the second level among a full cabin of members inside the GoldenEye plane. "Once we reach cruising altitude, I'll take you to Master M's private suite."

Wick returned the smiles and greetings from members close by. She even recognized many of them. Celebrities, politicians, and to her surprise, a senator or two.

It seemed that a kinky lifestyle had become a way of living among many. Something Wick would never have believed in a million years she'd be interested in, yet here she was—ready and Lord help her, eagerly awaiting whatever Master M had in store for her on this trip.

Four days, Wick. You do know this is four days, not just a couple of hours like the last time?

You don't have to remind me.

Wick was all too aware that the last time she had only been introduced, in a very limited way, to the thrills of what BDSM offered. This time, she feared Master M had a lot more deviousness planned for her.

Her buttocks clenched at the mere thought that he might spank, or heaven help her, flog her. What shocked her and caused her breathing to stagger was the seam of lust that loosened deep inside her, settling in a continuous throb of her loins.

Demanding, delicious desire that needed to be fed… pain be damned.

Max

"Hello, darkness, my old friend. I've come to talk with you again."

The familiar chords of the song settled deep into Max's soul as he rested his head against the edge of the office chair. Buckled in for takeoff in the pitch-black cabin, he allowed his mind to drift.

The song reflected a time in his life that had formed him, built his resilience, and made him into the man he was today. Darkness hadn't always been his friend. The first time his father had locked him in a dark box in the basement to teach him a lesson, he had been petrified. What six-year-old boy wouldn't be? Over time, the solitude had become a reprieve… a breakaway from the mundane life he was forced to live with a man who clearly hated him.

Darkness was just what it said—an absence of light. To Max, during those years, there had never been any light. Even during the brightest day, all he experienced was darkness—a symbol of the evil the negative part of his life had offered. He had wanted clarity, questioning why his mother had chosen to leave him behind. Surely, she must've known how cruel a man Matthew was? The only place he found peace in those years was encased in darkness—his old friend, the only one growing up that he knew and connected with, that he trusted. He had the best conversations with darkness… within the sound of silence…

Today, his composure had been shattered by a phone call he had never expected to receive. Now, he sought direction in the darkness, allowing the haunting voice crooning the words to soothe his emotions, to calm his mind, and offer him guidance.

"And whispered in the sound of silence."

The final chords drifted off, and although quiet descended over the cabin, the poignant words kept repeating inside his mind… desperately seeking the answers he needed.

They didn't come.

With a sigh, he unbuckled the seatbelt as the indicator echoed through the cabin. The click of the door opening forced his eyes to flicker half-mast. The motion center downlight on the inside of the door flashed on as the door closed.

She came.

Tension rolled from his shoulders as he silently watched her. At first, she was unsure and fidgeting, shifting her weight constantly, looking around, searching… until finally, she clamped her elbows behind her and closed her eyes. His heart missed a beat as her stance changed from insecure to peaceful. What he saw in the expression on her face sealed her fate.

Acceptance.

Submission.

It drifted off her relaxed body to ease the turmoil in his mind. Max never had a permanent relationship. He played the field, as Jax usually said. Of course, he did; there were just too many to choose from, and he loved variety.

Correction… he used to love variety. Until she trespassed on his plane. Her reaction to the song, which had been carved into his soul since he was a teenager, had cracked the iron wall he had built around his heart as a young boy. With every glance of her blitzing eyes, she managed to force the fissures wider and wider. Fucking her in his office was the final opus that had crumbled his resistance.

He wanted her. In his life. As his sub. Permanently.

All he had to do was convince her that was where she belonged.

Leaning forward, his fingers rolled over the glass panel on his desk. The rest of the lights came to life in a dim, golden glow that offered warmth and invitation as his dark, gravelly Dom voice crawled from his throat.

"Come to me."

There was no hesitation. Her eyes opened, and she immediately walked toward him. Not surprisingly, she wasn't dressed in kink. He didn't expect her to be, but the high-heel pumps, denim mini skirt, and champagne glitter top that molded her full breasts were more enticing than had she been naked. Her long legs drew his eyes as she came closer. A vision of her wrapping them around his waist revisited his memory banks. He would never have a meeting in his office again without remembering that moment.

"Kiss me, little bird."

Again, no hesitation as she boldly straddled him, and with her hands curled around his cheeks, she leaned closer. Like the first night, her tongue peeked through her luscious lips, wetting them until they glistened in the light.

"Just one?" she whispered against his mouth.

"For a start."

"Then I better make sure this one lasts," she whispered as she licked his lips back and forth before locking their mouths together. This time, Max wasn't the enforcer. He was playing a strategic game, gauging her instincts, her uncouth desires, and the way she reacted to his demands.

The kiss was sweet, hot, and more seductive than he imagined it would be. Up to now, Wick had given an unconscious impression of sexual reservedness, yet with him, all shyness and conservatism evaporated. He couldn't be happier.

It meant she would be open to change… to dip her toes into the lifestyle he lived, but he would have to tread carefully. Pushing her too hard, too fast, could have the opposite effect, and the one thing he didn't want to do this weekend was to spook her.

His hands curled around hers to gently end the kiss and ease her away to break contact.

"Hmm," she moaned as she leaned back and licked her lips.

Damn, this woman is hot, and she's going to drive me insane if I'm not careful.

Max was known for his stellar control over his emotions and his body. Wick challenged both severely. Her eyes fluttered open and widened when their gazes met. He wasn't surprised. When his emotions spiked, his eyes glowed like hot, liquid gold.

"Why are you here, Wick?"

A frown encased itself between her brows. "You asked me to come."

"Why are you here, Wick?" Placing the emphasis on one word warned her the question was one she needed to carefully consider before answering. He wasn't interested in a watered-down response but rather an accountability for why she chose to come.

For long moments, she stared at him, unblinking, yet he could see her mind spiraling in the depths of her gaze. He waited.

"I am here because you make me want to get to know you better. You make me want to experience what I only had a promised taste of the first time I was on this plane. I have yet to experience what the dungeon and Club Decadent Skies offer." She hesitated. Her eyes dropped to his mouth.

His cock twitched as she licked her lips. He was already hard from the kiss. If she continued on the same trend, he was likely to fuck her nonstop to kingdom come and spoil her first experience in the club.

"I want to experience you… Master M. What you have to offer me… your little bird."

"Fuck, Wick," he growled as one hand fisted around a clump of her hair, and he forced her closer, tightening the hold until she whimpered in pain. "You play a dangerous game, little bird. Be warned, in here, if you tease a coiled snake, he's going to strike. Hard and fast. Know this, love—once you commit to my domination, there will be no retreat."

"I won't expect any, Master M."

"Then I give you this to consider. Do you even realize what you're walking into? What really goes on here apart from what you saw the first time? What is it that you expect from me? Not as a man, but as your Dom, your Master."

"I know what BDSM entails, and yes, I never had any interest in exploring the lifestyle, but with you… I don't know how to express my feelings." She fidgeted with her fingers. Once again, her tongue did a foray over her lips. "You make me want to experience the level of pleasure I saw the subs reaching that night. After that first meeting and the way you fucked me in your office, I knew… I had a glimpse of what it is you can offer, and it excites me. I want more of it. I want ALL of it." She closed her eyes briefly.

"I'm not sure how to say this… I know I'm a strong, confident, and assertive woman, but you make me want to drop that veil I carry all day, every day. You draw me in without saying or doing anything. It's like I feel you offering to carry that burden for me, to take care of all my hardships and free me of having to be the one to make decisions in every aspect of my life. You make me want to clear my mind, fall into your arms… and breathe into you… allow you to be the one to think while I bask in your attention. The one who knows what I need, my body needs, even before I do."

Breathe into you.He repeated the words in his mind. Nothing anyone had ever said resonated more with his soul than those three words.

"Wicked Witch Bitch, you have just sealed your fate." His voice sounded darker than usual, causing her to blink in trepidation.

"Meaning?"

"What you just said is a shortened version of what encompasses submission. Allowing someone else to take control of all your needs, to care for you, and expand your boundaries by pushing you to test what lies beyond them. A Dom instinctively knows when his sub is scared or hurting and will always look out for her and make decisions required to give her what she needs. And I'm talking about real needs, to enable her to break free from the shackles society and work places on her and become free to be the woman she can be. He'll hold her when she needs to be held, not only when she wants to be held. The right Dom is all about wanting to make her feel incredible and will demand complete honesty when they're together intimately. A Dom and a submissive in a relationship share body and mind." He pinched her chin to keep her eyes on him.

"I, Master M, accept your words as a vow to be my submissive, to allow me to care for and protect you and keep you safe from all harm. As your Dominant, your pleasure and needs will always be the most important aspect of our relationship, but so will discipline and punishment should you deviate from our agreement or put yourself at unnecessary risk. I will honor your boundaries but will push you within those parameters. I offer you my trust as I take you, little bird, my little witch, as my submissive."

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to…" Her words evaporated as his eyes turned dark and demanding. Swallowing, she flattened her hands against his chest. "Okay, I'm not confident I'll get it right, but here goes. I, Wick, or your little witch, since I don't have a club sub name, accept you, Master M, as my Dominant, to care for and protect me and to discipline or punish me should the need arise." She rounded her eyes. "Which I assure you will never be the case." He suppressed a smile with difficulty. "Where was I? Oh, yes. I, Wick, your submissive, will always put your pleasure and needs first and thereby offer you as my Dom my trust. I take you, Master M, as my Dominant."

"I appreciate the gesture, little bird, but always remember, submission is all about you. As a sub, you have the ultimate power. That's what the power shift between us means. You trust me with the power to control and dominate you, but you can just as easily take it away or stop it by using your safeword."

"Which is?"

"At Club Decadent Skies, we use the universal green, yellow, and red, similar to that of a traffic light."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, I know what that means."

"However, if you prefer to choose a different word or words, it's your choice."

"No, I think I'll stick with those." A frown creased her forehead. "Uhm… how is this going to work? I know in the lifestyle, Doms scene with subs and not necessarily the one they're in a relationship with. Is this what this is? A relationship, or is it just a Dom/sub agreement?"

"Oh, no, little bird. This is a full-on relationship as a Dom and a sub, and outside of sexual context, as a man and a woman. I'm not interested in just playing or scening with you in the club, love. I am only interested in building a future with you. This,—he pointed out between them—"is a binding, permanent agreement."

"So, no scening with other subs or Doms?"

"None whatsoever. I am too possessive a man to allow another Dom to touch what belongs to me."

"Oh… uhm, there is something you should know." Once again, she fidgeted with her hands. It was a big tell of hers and so far not annoying, but it was one he was going to have to address in the near future.

"I'm listening."

"That night, when I stowed away on the plane."

"Trespassed, you mean."

"Tsk," she clicked her tongue. "Jax and I… well, he… uhm, he kinda… he made me come with his…" Her cheeks exploded with color, urging him to take pity on her.

"I know what he did, Wick."

"And you don't mind? I thought you just said that you'd allow no other man to touch me."

"And I wouldn't. What happened with Jax was before we met. It won't happen again. Once everyone knows you belong to me, no Dom would dare lay a finger on you… unless I give them permission to."

"W-Would you?"

"Maybe when punishment or discipline is involved, but not for a scene."

"I don't—"

"Let's not worry about something that hasn't happened yet." He smiled broadly. "And since you assured me it never would, you can relax, right? For now, let's find you a club name, shall we? Any suggestions?"

"No, I haven't thought about it."

"Hmm, as my little bird and watching you in that gilded cage last time, I had a vision of a Russian folklore, of the firebird that represents a treasure rare and difficult to possess with eyes that resemble jewels." He traced his fingers over her eyebrows. "Just like yours… Phoenix."

"Oh, that's…" Her cheeks turned rosy under his intense scrutiny. "I like that."

"Good. Phoenix it is. Come, since you completed all the necessary forms electronically and discussed your concerns with Jax beforehand, we don't need to spend more time on that." He pushed to his feet. "Except if you have any questions?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Then let's join my co-owners in the entertainment area. You're allowed one drink before we scene. Our bar lady makes delicious cocktails."

"Scene? We're going to scene? Tonight, here, on the plane?"

"Of course, we are, little Phoenix." His smile was devious and wicked as he tapped her on the nose. "That's what the plane was built for. Don't worry. I won't hurt you… much."