Elvie
I lay spread out on the soft mattress, my eyes glued to Cassian’s bare, muscular back as he stood by the wardrobe, the towel still wrapped low around his waist. I had no idea what he was rummaging for in there. The only thing I knew for sure was that my whole body was practically throbbing for him.
A sudden shiver ran down my spine just remembering the dark, intense look in his eyes when he told me he was going to punish me.
I really hadn’t meant to lose track of time or ignore his calls. I was so caught up with Gemma that I completely forgot I even owned a phone.
Gemma and her boyfriend had broken up, and she practically begged me to go to the bar with her. She wanted to get drunk to oblivion just to forget the pain. The crazy part was that Gemma was actually the one who broke up with him, yet she was crying her eyes out.
If I hadn’t stepped in to stop her, Gemma would have completely wasted herself at that bar. The moment I finally dropped her off at her place, and finally remembered I had a phone, I saw Cassian’s missed calls. I rushed straight home. I knew he would be angry, so I figured I needed to do something to soften the blow. That was why I changed into this revealing black lace lingerie—a set he had bought for me himself.
And now, lying here, I felt a mix of wild excitement and nervous anticipation, wondering just how far his punishment was going to go.
Cassian finally turned around from the wardrobe. In his hands, he held two silk ties, a small white towel, and a thick leather belt.
My brows furrowed in confusion. What is he going to do with all of that?
Holding my gaze, he walked slowly toward the bed where I was still spread out just as he had commanded. The heavy mattress dipped under his weight as he climbed on top.
"Hands apart," he ordered softly.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I spread my arms out. He reached down, picked up one of the silk ties, and pulled my wrist up toward the wooden headboard.
That was when the sudden realization hit me like a splash of cold water.
He’s tying me up.
A wave of fear seeped through me, mixing with the heat already pooling low in my stomach. I had read about stuff like this before. Where woman would be tied up while having sex. I used to wonder what that kind of surrender would actually feel like. And now, it was happening to me.
"Cassian... wait—"
"Shh," he rasped, his hand wrapping around my wrist like a band of iron, completely cutting off my escape. His touch wasn’t rough, but it was firm. "No talking, little birdie. You lost your right to negotiate the second you ignored my calls."
He looped the cool silk tie around my right wrist, securing it to the headboard with quick, practiced ease. Then, without breaking eye contact, he reached over, grabbed my left wrist, and pinned it to the opposite side, tying it just as securely.
My heart was beating so fast I could feel it in my throat. I tested the bindings, tugging against the silk, but there was barely any give. My arms were completely stretched above my head, exposing every inch of my throat, collarbones, and chest.
The realization sent another electrifying shiver straight down to my toes. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t cover myself. I was entirely at his mercy.
Cassian leaned over me, his shadow completely swallowing me up. He picked up the small white towel he had brought from the wardrobe and folded it twice.
"Open your mouth," he commanded, his thumb pressing lightly against my chin.
My eyes widened in surprise. "Are you... are you going to gag me?"
A slow smirk spread across his face, his dark eyes gleaming with possessive delight. "You like to make excuses, Elvie. And right now, I don’t want to hear a single word out of those pretty lips unless it’s my name."
Before I could process it, he placed the soft cloth between my teeth and secured it behind my head.
A muffled whimper trapped itself in the back of my throat. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move my hands. All I could do was stare up into the dark, storming eyes of the man towering over me.
Cassian sat back on his heels, taking a moment to scan his work. His gaze dragged slowly down from my eyes, past the cloth in my mouth, down my strained neck, and over every inch of the black lace lingerie.
"Beautiful," he growled low, the sound vibrating straight into my core.
Then, his fingers moved down to the buckle of the thick leather belt he was still holding. The sharp, metallic clinking sound echoed through the quiet bedroom, making my blood run completely hot.
Is he actually going to use it?
Cassian didn’t rush. He folded the leather belt in half, the heavy material sliding through his large, calloused hands. He was teasing me.
He leaned down, bringing his face inches from mine. The heat radiating off his skin mixed with the clean, masculine scent of his soap, making my head spin.
"Do you know why I’m doing this, Elvie?" he murmured, his voice a low, gravelly rasp right beside my ear.
I couldn’t answer. The soft cloth gag jammed between my teeth kept me silent, letting only a pathetic, choked whimper escape the back of my throat. I shook my head slightly against the mattress.
A dark, possessive shadow crossed his face.
"It’s because you need to learn," he whispered, his free hand reaching out to trace the side of my face, his thumb pressing hard against my lower lip. "When I say I want you safe, when I tell you not to slip away from me... you listen. Because the next time you ignore my calls and wander off into a crowded bar where other men can look at you, I won’t just tie you to a bed."
A shiver raced down my spine, so intense it made my toes curl against the sheets.
He moved away, the leather strap of the belt trailing slowly down my neck, sliding over the black lace covering my chest, and tracing a slow, agonizing path down my stomach. Every place the cool leather touched burst into a trail of white-hot fire.
"Let’s see if this teaches you a lesson," he growled softly.
My breath hitched as the leather lifted away from my stomach. The air felt cool against my skin for a split second before a sharp, stinging impact echoed across my thighs.
A muffled cry burst from my throat, trapped hard behind the cloth gag. The sting was sudden and burning, sending a wild jolt of electricity straight through my veins. It wasn’t unbearable, but the shock of it combined with the humiliation of being laid bare, bound, and completely helpless made my head spin.
"That’s for wandering off without telling me," Cassian’s voice rumbled from down the bed.
I barely catch my breath, when the leather fell a second time, landing with a firm smack that made my whole body jerk against the silk ties holding my wrists. "And this is for looking breathtakingly beautiful like the little birdie you are,"
A hot, heavy wave of shame and raw desire flooded my system all at once. My core was throbbing so hard it felt like it was burning alive. He’s actually doing it. He’s really punishing me.
I squeezed my eyes shut, a mix of frustration and overwhelming heat pricking at the corners. Every single inch of my skin felt hyper-sensitive, completely tuned into the sound of his breathing and the heavy, commanding presence he held over me.
"Look at me," he commanded.
I forced my eyes open, staring up through the dim light as he shifted back up the mattress, leaning over my body again. His eyes burned into mine, filled with a fierce, possessive and hunger.
"Have you learned your lesson yet, little birdie?" he whispered, his thumb reaching out to brush against my cheek with surprising gentleness.
I gave a tiny, desperate nod against the gag, my chest heaving up and down.
A low, satisfied groan rumbled in his chest. "Good. Because the real lesson hasn’t even started yet."
He reached up, untying the knot at the back of my head. The soft cloth gag slipped away, and I drew in a ragged, desperate breath, my lips parting as I eagerly chased the cool air.
"Good girl," he murmured, his voice thick with raw hunger.
Before I could even catch my breath, he leaned down and covered my mouth with his. The kiss was hard, demanding, and completely breathless, tasting like pure heat and absolute control. Every ounce of fear or hesitation I had left dissolved right into his mouth. My body arched against the mattress, pulling instinctively against the silk ties at my wrists, wishing I could wrap my arms around his neck and pull him even closer.
He pulled back just an inch, his thumb traced a slow circle over my swollen lower lip.
"Say my name, Elvie," he whispered, his breath hot against my skin.
"Cassian..." I breathed out, my voice trembling and thick with a desperate, aching need.
He shifted his weight, sliding between my legs, and his hands moved down my body, mapping every curve of the black lace lingerie before sliding it aside.
"Um...fuck!" My lips parted and I bucked up my hips when I felt his finger dipped inside me.
To be continued...