I cracked the belt sharply and watched her jerk again in anticipation of the pain. I let loose a laugh that wasn’t rooted in humor. I dropped it on the floor and the buckle thunked on the wood. I saw the tension ease out of her muscles as I moved closer to her.

My fingers grazed along her exposed back and she protested softly as her skin responded, forming small bumps in the wake of my touch. I leaned over her, sliding my fingers around her waist and then up towards her breasts as I pulled her back against me, her back to my chest. I inhaled sharply and her scent, smelling uniquely of shampoo and the oils she uses, came to me. My fingers sank deeper into her breasts, her nipples pressing against my palms.

Her head turned towards me and she placed a kiss to the base of my neck. ‘I can feel your heartbeat against my back.’ She said quietly, her eyes not meeting mine, as if the thought were some sort of inner dialogue that had escaped the filter.

I tightened my hold, moving my hands so that my arms surrounded her, squeezing her almost painfully close to me. She lay her head back on my shoulder, relaxing, despite the increasing pressure on her body to contort to my will. Her trust was something that amazed me. I felt the smile tug the corner of my mouth along with a resulting wave of calm that soothed some of the anger riding me so hard.

‘I think you try to gentle me.’ I looked down at her, her head in my shoulder, my arms around her, now allowing her to breathe. Her arms were still bound in front of her, surrounded by a silk tie. Her eyes lifted and met mine. In the corner of my eyes I saw her hands lift and then drop back down as if she had forgotten their restrictions. I thought I saw myself reflected in those dark orbs.

‘I want you happy.’

I kissed her, one hand dropping from her skin as I lazily savored the taste of her harp shaped mouth. When we broke, I studied her face for a long moment before I pressed the warm metal against the underside of her right breast. I heard her breath catch and I twisted the blade, the tip pressing into her skin a little more.

‘Happy?’ I wasn’t sure if I was questioning her, or repeating her words back to her.

She arched her back, pushing herself further against the blade until she gasped and pulled back. I lifted the tip and turned it slightly. We both saw the thin drop of crimson that graced it. She nodded her head against my shoulder. ‘Happy.’

I brought the knife around and wiped the flat of it against my bottom lip. I tasted her immediately, metallic, spicy, vibrant. My blood pulsed, rolled loudly through my veins light a freight train. I smiled down at her and then shoved her roughly forward again. My hand followed her down until I felt her face make contact with the chair again. I dropped the knife to the table, it settled with a loud sound and was still.

My fingers worked at unfastening my fly and I stepped out of my slacks, kicking them to the side. ‘I’m not quite done yet.’