Jake Read online

  The outpouring of love threatened to have her in tears again, but she managed to hold them back. She did, however, burst into laughter when Mark brought her the biggest piece of Pavlova he could fit onto a plate.

  She and her mother talked a number of times through the following week. They cried together, laughed and talked seriously. Emily still held back many of the details from her mother. She didn’t want to upset her any more than she was, but they did talk. Emily felt better with each day.

  Her mother had been cleared by the physiotherapists and could now drive. She no longer had to see them.

  “It’s time you found your own place, Emmy. Much as I love having you live with me, you need to start living life again. You’ve made a start, and now it’s time. While you stay here you are not truly standing on your own feet. It truly is time.”

  She knew her mother was right. Moving out would make her face more and more people, letting her adjust to life again. They both searched for somewhere nearby and found a little one-bedroom apartment a few streets away. Her mother declared it was close enough that she could be there in an instant if Emily needed her and far enough away that Emily had her independence. Her brother, David, his husband Trent, her brother Mark, and Rich, Mark’s third in his ménage, had all said they would help her to move. Most of her stuff was still packed in her mother’s garage as there hadn’t been room for it in the house. The apartment would be ready for her to move in on the thirteenth.

  She went back to the club after the New Year break, missing Jake so much. His smile when he saw her walk into the lounge area took her breath away, and she wondered if she’d ever get used to seeing him without her heart thumping loudly. He had been talking to Evan and Adrian and gestured for her to join them.

  “Adrian has finally accepted he isn’t Dom material, Emily. I wonder if you could talk to him about submission. He really needs to discuss things with someone, and I thought you’d be the perfect person for him.”

  “Of course, I’d be happy to.”

  Adrian looked very embarrassed as he thanked her. “Thank you, Emily. I’m truly sorry for what happened between us. I realize now I’m just not dominant material, but I want to stay in the lifestyle. I really love it. Maybe I am a submissive, maybe not, but I understand I need to do some soul-searching.”

  “Well loving the lifestyle is a good way to start, Adrian. I’ll work out a time that suits us both, and we can have a talk.”

  “Thanks.”

  He left the group, and Evan took her hand.

  “I can’t thank you enough, Emily. Ash and I have been trying so hard to convince him he needs to give submission a go, and now he’s finally accepted it. I really appreciate you talking things through with him, especially in light of what happened.”

  Evan shook Jake’s hand and left them. Jake thanked her, and then he got a serious look on his face.

  “Em. I think it’s time for you to face one more fear—the St. Andrew’s cross. I know you avoid it all the time. Except for that one time when I made you watch and you finally broke down, you’ve scuttled past all areas that have one.”

  Her heart was thumping but not through joy of seeing Jake. It was through fear. The cross had come to represent all she feared. Jake took both her hands in his and gazed deep into her eyes.

  “I know you don’t want to, but the longer you put it off the worse it will become.”

  Without giving her a chance to speak, he pulled her through the lounge then the bar area and down one hall to a vacant stage which held a cross.

  “I… Jake! I—I don’t know if I can do this.”

  “Yes, you can. You’re brave. You’re stronger than you think. I know you can.”

  He had so much faith in her that she didn’t want to disappoint him. The truth was she trusted him implicitly. If he thought she could do it, then she would. She nodded, fearfully and, with a few tears threatening to fall, said, “Yes.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  He dropped her hands and led her to the cross. Making her stand with her back against it, he began undoing her corset.

  “No!”

  “Yes. Emily, you get past this one thing, and then nothing can ever hold you back again. Nothing can scare you. Remember how you sat on the table?”

  She nodded in terror.

  “Think of this as the table.”

  He finished undoing her corset and then drew her panties down. He put them both on top of a bag. Obviously, he’d thought about this and prepared.

  “I’m going to touch you, Em. I’m going to make you come at least twice. I’m going to prove to you that this is simply another toy to give you pleasure.”

  Emily certainly wasn’t as confident as Jake, but the trust in him was there.

  He leaned forward and kissed one breast then the other. “Ready?”

  Tense, she allowed him to cuff her ankles, then her right arm. Each breath seemed like agony as she tried to draw air into her lungs. She shook uncontrollably, the adrenaline spike making her heart thump so loudly she swore she could hear it.

  “I’m not going to cuff your left.”

  There was no way she could answer, no way could she acknowledge him. He reached down and pulled out a flogger. Coming close to her, he whispered in her ear.

  “You are truly beautiful. I can barely control myself.”

  She was surprised as he stepped back then flicked the strands of the flogger across each breast. She gasped but saw her nipples peak. Still shaking, she felt the flogger caress her skin. She realized Jake was holding back, only letting the tails kiss her softly. It was arousing, and despite herself her breathing turned into excited pants. He drew the flogger between her legs, letting it stroke her clit.

  “That’s it, Little Bird. Soar away, relax, and enjoy.”

  She did. Slowly, she let the feelings take over. The kiss against her flesh, Jake’s fingers touching her nipples. Now they ran between her slit, now rubbing at the engorged bead. She couldn’t stop her moans as he twisted a nipple then forced two fingers inside her.

  “Come for me, my beautiful sub.”

  And he tapped against her G-spot. She quivered and shook, this time in delight, as she climaxed on his hand. But Jake wasn’t satisfied. He drew a nipple into his mouth, sucking hard on it as he kept fucking her with his fingers. Her head lolled, and she would have collapsed in a heap had she not been restrained. As it was, her left hand groped for the wall, trying desperately to hold on as a second orgasm sent quivers racing around her body.

  Jake took out a vibrator and held it against her clit, still using his fingers inside her. She doubted she could have any more climaxes, but her body belied that thought. A minute later another shook her. She thought she would shatter into a million pieces as Jake unbound her, and somehow, she was in his arms, on a couch.

  “My beautiful, beautiful girl.”

  Emily closed her eyes. She was drained and allowed herself to drift away. Her body was still tingling, still filling her brain with endorphins, and she embraced them. She must have fallen asleep because when she opened her eyes next there was another couple on the stage playing. Jake was watching her as if she were the most precious thing in the world, and she snuggled tighter against him, clamping her jaws hard together to stop herself from telling him how much she loved him.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Jake doubted he could continue on this way much longer. Friday night after playing on the cross, he almost told Emily how he felt. Somehow, he managed to hold it back rather than have her look at him in horror. Saturday night they’d scened using the cross again and then a session on the bench, which ended with him fucking her.

  He wandered through the house. The kitchen, pantry, and family room were now finished, but it gave him no pleasure to see the gleaming light-filled kitchen with its top of the range fittings and appliances. The outdoor area was now paved and covered, and the wooden surrounds of the Jacuzzi had been completed as well. The bedroom downstairs had been stripped and now
ready to paint. Two weeks ago, he’d had all the cracked or broken windows in the house replaced with replica ones to match the rest of the house.

  In the same way that he’d thrown himself into overseeing the large building projects, he now threw himself into the house. Anything to stop thinking about Emily. The only trouble was everything he did, every time he chose a color or a fitting he would wonder if Emily would like it. What a fool he had become—loving a woman who would never return the love he had for her.

  After all the years of protecting his heart, now it was aching in the worst possible way. He hadn’t told his friends exactly how deep his feelings ran. They knew he liked Emily but didn’t know the truth. But now he realized he had to make a decision—either tell Emily and risk her laughter or set her free.

  Friday night she came in. She seemed very happy, and Jake knew his heart couldn’t take much more. He’d been talking with Sean Franklin and Nico when she arrived, and the two men greeted her warmly. She laughed at Nico’s outrageous flirting and accepted the kiss on her hand. Kaden saw the group and came over. He actually put an arm around Emily’s shoulders and kissed her cheek.

  Nico laughed at Kaden’s bold antics then said to Emily, “Bella signora. When are you going to come and play with me?”

  “Oh gee, Master Nico, I’m booked solid with Master Jake. Sorry.”

  “Jake! Why don’t you release her? She needs a strong Italian man.”

  “That isn’t you. Get lost, Nico.”

  Nico laughed, but Jake had to push down his jealousy especially when Emily seemed to really like him, and Sean for that matter. He thought he was safe from Kaden because he wasn’t a dominant, but Nico and Sean were another story. Both men were single, both attractive and very much dominants, plus Nico didn’t have a permanent sub. Sean was in a relationship with his sub, Matt, but both men were bisexual and Jake knew they were looking for a female third.

  What the fuck am I doing? Shit, Emily needs to be free. Nico’s right. I have to release her.

  The three men walked away but not before Nico caressed Emily’s hand when he took it again to kiss her goodbye. Jake pushed down his feelings, slapping a smile on his face.

  “How are you, Emily?”

  “Very well, Sir. I’m moving tomorrow.”

  Jake’s heart plummeted to his toes at her words.

  “Moving? You’re leaving, going back east?”

  “No, no. I’m moving out of my mother’s house. She and I had a deal that I would leave once she was well. I really would have liked to stay, but she insisted. She thinks she’s giving me my independence, Sir.”

  “Oh. Em, will you still be coming here?”

  “Naturally. My apartment is a few streets from my mother’s house. I won’t be here tomorrow night, Sir. My brothers are helping me move in and I promised I’d feed them, but then next week I’ll be able to come whenever I like.”

  “You won’t be here tomorrow?”

  “No.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  Jake’s heart somehow had returned to his chest, but he had a bitter taste in his mouth. Emily was different from the little fragile bird he’d held in his arms months ago. Her confidence was coming back. She was quick to laugh, and even though she cried easily, she had moved past the horror that had been slowly killing her.

  Jake picked up his bag. He strode upstairs, not bothering to see if Emily was following. Stomping along the wide corridor he stopped at an empty stage area. It held a bench, a cobweb, and a number of hooks and ropes attached to the ceiling. Emily came and knelt before him.

  “On the bench.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Strip first.”

  She peered at him, concern filling her eyes, but acknowledged his order. Removing the kimono, black and red corset, then her panties, she gave them to Jake when he held out his hand. When she was naked, he indicated she was to lie face down. It was easier to cope without watching her beautiful face when she began climaxing. He tied the cuffs to her ankles and wrists then set about reddening her back with the flogger until he could hear her little moans and mewls. Her ass was high in the air, her legs wide apart, and he could see her glistening juices beckoning.

  Determined to make tonight the most memorable of his life, he knelt down and tasted her. Sweet, delicious. He fingered her ass as he drank her honey, slurping and then sucking on the clit. He saw the muscles in her legs tighten and knew she wasn’t far from coming. He stuck his tongue into her cunt, delighting in the way she shivered. Then he drew her clit into his mouth and sucked hard. She shouted as she came, and he tasted a burst of that rich liquid as it seemed to pour out of her cunt.

  Getting to his feet, he used the flogger some more, then moved to the side of her head. He’d never had her suck his cock, and this would be his only chance. He unzipped and forced his dick between her lips. He almost closed his eyes in delight as he felt her stroke the underside with her tongue as she began to suck.

  Jake began thrusting as she licked and sucked. It was wonderful. His legs felt a little shaky as he forced his cock deeper and deeper into her mouth. She gagged a little then relaxed her throat until he could feel his cock touching the back. Pummeling back and forth, he built up speed, clinching her hair in one hand. Despite wanting to wait, Jake knew he was about to climax. He thrust forward hard and deep, filling her mouth, her throat. She swallowed as he forced the last of his cum into her mouth.

  Giving himself a moment to recover, he hoisted his leathers up then flogged her a few more times before using a rabbit vibrator in that delightful cunt. She squirmed and wriggled against her bindings as the rabbit ears did their work. Emily panted out a scream as she came, but Jake wasn’t finished. He kept the rabbit held against her until she came again.

  “No, no, Sir,” she managed to pant.

  But Jake ignored her. She hadn’t called red, and that meant he was well within his rights as her Master to make her come again as many times as he liked. When her fourth climax shook her body, she was limp, and Jake knew she was drained completely. He uncuffed her, packed his tools away, then took his bag to one of the couches before picking her up like a baby. He carried her to the couch, cradling her to his chest. Emily’s eyes had closed as she lay exhausted against him. He could only hope she would remember this night because he knew he would—forever.

  Brian Palle walked past a step behind his Domme and Jake called out, “Mistress Anne, may I ask your sub to get a bottle of water, please?”

  “Of course, Master Jake.”

  She flicked her fingers, and Brian ran off. Anne came over and sat nearby.

  “Emily has come out of the terrible place she’d been living in all these months. Thank you for taking care of her, Jake.”

  He shrugged. “At least now she can live as the woman she was before it happened.”

  “I’m very glad. She is much happier and friendlier. At last she’ll be able to enjoy her life as a sub again with a Master. Has she been asleep long?”

  “About fifteen minutes.”

  Brian returned with a bottle and a blanket. Jake carefully wrapped it around the naked sleeping woman.

  “Thank you, sub.”

  “Thank you, Master Jake.”

  “I’ll leave you to it. Come, Brian. I have a need to whip you.”

  “Thank you very much, Mistress Anne.”

  Anne nodded to Jake as she stood then walked away. It was perhaps thirty minutes later that Emily woke. She gave a yawn and stretched against his arms before peeping up at him.

  “Hello, Little Bird. Did you have a nice sleep?”

  “Wonderful. I can’t remember the last time I went into sub-space. I really missed it. Thank you, Sir.”

  “You’re most welcome. I enjoyed it very much.”

  “I’m glad, Sir.”

  “I’ll miss you tomorrow, Em.”

  “I’ll miss you, too, Sir.”

  Jake suddenly realized that not once in all the time they’d been together had she called him Mast
er Jake except when talking to others. It reinforced the fact she saw him as the man assigned to get her past her ordeal and not the man she truly considered her Master.

  Fuck, I need to get away. I need to let her accept a proper Dom. The time to release her has come.

  He sighed and caressed the side of her face. “I’d better let you get dressed, Em.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  Despite saying that, he sat with her nestled in his lap for another three quarters of an hour. They didn’t speak. They simply enjoyed the afterglow of a satisfying session. Finally, he breathed deep and set her on her feet. Rummaging in his bag, he then lifted out her corset, wrap, and panties, handing them to her.

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “I love this corset. These rings are great. I should have cuffed your wrists to them.”

  “I’ll wear it next time and you can.”

  He merely nodded, but he knew there wouldn’t be a next time. Jake followed her downstairs.

  “I’ll wait for you in the foyer, then walk you out to your car, Em.”

  “Thanks, Sir. I mean, Jake.”

  He grinned at her and watched as she walked into the change room, the blanket clutched around her. He walked past the bar where Ash and Nico were deep in conversation. Ash called him over, but he waved him off. He couldn’t face talking to any of his friends tonight.

  Waiting in the foyer, he didn’t bother talking to Stan. Instead he stared out into the car park. Ten minutes later Emily came to his side, dressed warmly in jeans, thick shirt, and boots under her coat. He wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you, too, Jake, but I’ll see you next Friday night.”

  “Yes. Yes, you will.”

  He walked her out to her car and made sure she was inside safely before kissing her cheek softly.

  “Drive carefully.”

  “I will. Goodnight, Jake.”

  “Goodbye, Little Bird.”

  Jake stood in the carpark, ignoring the cold, and watched her drive out of the gates. It felt as if she were driving out of his life, and he knew that was exactly what was happening. Stamping his feet against the chill, he went back inside, collected his bag, then left.