“Quiet,” I warn, and prowl around her once more. I flick the crop against her in the same sweet spot and she whines on contact, her eyes closed as she absorbs the sensation. With another twitch of my wrist, the crop snaps against her nipple. She throws her head back and moans. I aim again, and the crop licks her other nipple, and I watch it harden and lengthen beneath the bite of the leather keeper.

“Does that feel good?”

“Yes,” she rasps, eyes closed, head back.

I smack her across her behind, harder this time.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Sir,” she cries.

Slowly and with care, I lavish strokes, licks, and flicks over her stomach and her belly, down her body, toward my goal. With one flick, the leather tongue bites her clitoris and she shouts out in a gargled cry, “Oh, please!”

“Quiet,” I command, and reprimand her with a harder flick across her backside.

I skim the leather tongue down through her pubic hair, against her vulva to her vagina. The brown leather is glistening with her arousal when I pull it back. “See how wet you are for this, Anastasia. Open your eyes and your mouth.”

She’s breathing hard, but she parts her lips and stares at me, her eyes dazed and lost in the carnality of the moment. And I slip the keeper into her mouth. “See how you taste. Suck. Suck hard, baby.”

Her lips close around the tip and it’s like they’re around my dick.

Fuck.

She’s so fucking hot and I can’t resist her.

Easing the crop from her mouth, I wrap my arms around her. She opens her mouth for me as I kiss her, my tongue exploring her, reveling in the taste of her lust.

“Oh, baby, you taste mighty fine,” I whisper. “Shall I make you come?”

“Please,” she pleads.

One flick of my wrist and the crop smacks her behind. “Please, what?”

“Please, Sir,” she whimpers.

Good girl. I step back. “With this?” I ask, holding up the crop so she can see it.

“Yes, Sir,” she says, surprising me.

“Are you sure?” I can barely believe my luck.

“Yes, please, Sir.”

Oh, Ana. You fucking goddess.

“Close your eyes.”

She does as she’s told. And with infinite care and not a little gratitude, I rain quick, stinging licks over her belly once more. Soon she’s panting again, her arousal heightened. Moving south, I gently flick the leather tongue over her clitoris. Again. And again. And again.

She pulls at her restraints, moaning and moaning. Then she’s quiet and I know she’s close. Suddenly she throws her head back and mouth open and she screams her orgasm as it shudders through her entire body. Instantly I drop the crop and grab her, supporting her as her body dissolves. She sags against me.

Oh. We’re not done, Ana.

With my hands under her thighs, I lift her trembling body and carry her, still shackled to the grid, toward the Saint Andrew’s cross. There I release her, holding her upright, pinned between the cross and my shoulders. I tug my jeans, undoing all the buttons, and freeing my cock. Yanking a condom from my pocket, I rip the foil packet with my teeth and with one hand roll it over my erection.

Gently I pick her up again and whisper, “Lift your legs, baby, wrap them around me.” Supporting her back against the wood, I help her wrap her legs around my hips, her elbows resting on my shoulders.

You are mine, baby.

With one thrust I’m inside her.

Fuck. She’s exquisite.

I take a moment to savor her. Then I start to move, relishing each thrust. Feeling her, on and on, my own breathing labored as I gasp for air and lose myself in this beautiful woman. My mouth is open at her neck, tasting her. Her scent fills my nostrils, fills me. Ana. Ana. Ana. I don’t want to stop.

Suddenly she tenses, and her body convulses around me.

Yes. Again. And I let go. Filling her. Holding her. Revering her.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

She’s so beautiful. And sweet hell, was that mind-blowing.

I pull out of her, and as she collapses against me I quickly unbuckle her wrists from the grid and support her as we both sink to the floor. I cradle her between my legs, wrapping my arms around her, and she sags against me, her eyes closed, breathing hard.

“Well done, baby. Did that hurt?”

“No.” Her voice is barely audible.

“Did you expect it to?” I ask, and I push stray strands of her hair off her face so I can see her better.

“Yes.”

“You see? Most of your fear is in your head, Anastasia.” I caress her face. “Would you do it again?” I ask.

She doesn’t answer immediately, and I think she’s fallen asleep.

“Yes,” she whispers a moment later.

Thank you, sweet Lord.

I wrap her in my arms. “Good. So would I.” Again and again. Tenderly I kiss the top of her head and inhale. She smells of Ana and sweat and sex. “And I haven’t finished with you yet,” I assert. I’m so proud of her. She did it. She did everything I wanted.

She’s everything I want.

And suddenly I’m overwhelmed by an unfamiliar emotion that rocks through me, slicing through sinew and bone, leaving unease and fear in its wake.

She turns her head and starts to nuzzle my chest.

The darkness swells, startling and familiar, replacing my unease with a sense of dread. Every muscle in my body tenses. Ana blinks up at me with clear, unflinching eyes as I struggle to control my fear.

“Don’t,” I whisper. Please.

She leans back and peers at my chest.

Get control, Grey.

“Kneel by the door,” I order, uncurling around her.