Page 58 of No Going Back

“Are you ready for this, kitten?”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Lift your skirt and stand with your legs apart.”

The black lace thong was soaked even before his finger stroked her clit. Her hips rolled into his touch, and earned her a stern look. “Do I need to put you in chastity before we leave?”

Her gaze dropped. “No, Sire.”

“Good. Take them off. You aren’t going to need anything like that until we get back.”

With a wiggle of her hips, she removed the offending item of clothing, and handed the thong to her Master. Another for his growing collection.

“Now kiss me properly.”

One of her favourite commands. She stepped closer to him, rising on tiptoe to press her mouth to his. Lips parted, tongues explored, and when his arms went around her, one hand strayed beneath her skirt. Fingers dug into her buttock with enough strength to leave prints.

“You know the rules.” His voice was gruff with a need that echoed her own. “We’ll call in at a place I know and get you kitted out for the club, but when we reach the apartment, you strip. While we’re within those walls, I want my property naked and accessible at all times—no clothes, no closed doors. You’ll deny me nothing. Understood?”

Her stomach turned a somersault. The implications of what he demanded were exquisitely intense, harsh in a way he knew she needed. “Understood, Sire.”

The drive to London was pure torture for Maddie. Every few miles, Guy would order her to stroke her clit and pinch her nipples until she was on the verge of coming. Each time, he denied her the ultimate pleasure.

As a result, when they reached the store he’d told her about, her legs were barely capable of carrying her inside. They didn’t stay long—her Master knew exactly what he wanted, and they soon set off on the final leg of their journey to his apartment.

The penthouse property was located in an exclusive block with underground parking. As she preceded Guy into the lift, Maddie swayed under the assault of memories of the times she’d accompanied him here before. She was grateful for Guy’s strength as he instantly appeared at her side.

“Are you all right?”

His hand at her waist was her cue to lean into him. “It’s silly, but… I never thought I’d come here again. I know they’ve updated the décor since then, but that’s just cosmetic changes. Fundamentally, it’s…”

Her voice trailed off. How could she adequately explain to Guy how deeply this return to the past affected her? When he’d mentioned his place in the city, she’d subconsciously assumed he’d meant somewhere else.

His arm tightened around her, pulling her against him so he could kiss her hair. “The apartment hasn’t changed much either. Will it bother you?”

The genuine concern in the quiet enquiry brought home to Maddie how much her welfare had always mattered to him. “Honestly? I don’t know? I hadn’t thought about it. With you there, though, I know I’ll be all right. I’ll be all right.”

The lift came to a smooth halt. The doors glided open, revealing the small foyer that provided a buffer between Guy’s inner sanctum and any visitors. It was lighter than she remembered, more contemporary, with an impressive piece of modern art hanging over the console table set against the wall on the left.

“Everything okay?”

Maddie took a moment to compose her thoughts. “Green, Sire. Everything’s green.”

“I understand.”

He held her hand while he unlocked the door, then ushered her in. After two steps, she froze, her head swimming. Skeletal fingers clawed at her, dragging her down into the past, burying her in a toxic pit of memory and sensation from the last time he’d brought her here.

I can’t do this.

“Madeleine?”

The deep, solicitous voice broke the stranglehold of their shared history, effectively locking that skeleton back in the cupboard where it belonged. She couldn’t tell him—she could never tell him. Instead, she made a mental grab for the instructions she’d been given and so far had failed to obey. “I’m sorry, Sire.”

With trembling hands she unbuttoned her top, folded it, and set it down on the chair a couple of feet away. The rest of her clothes followed—not that there was much—and under Guy’s watchful gaze, she sank to her knees as gracefully as she could manage. With her hands on her parted thighs, she took a deep, calming breath, and centred herself for whatever her Master had in store.

“Good girl.” His hand on her head, along with his deep, rich voice, isolated her from the world outside, reduced everything to just the two of them. “When I bought this apartment, I bought it for more reasons than being close to the office. The views across the river, for one thing, but more importantly, it’s not overlooked.”

Maddie remembered. She remembered every one of her visits to this apartment, and the ensuing pain of knowing she’d never be here again when he’d disappeared from her life. She’d needed that mission to Moscow, not to mention the challenge of staying alive once she got there, to take her focus away from that pain. She’d never expected to return, so now that she was here, tears stung her eyes and threatened to flow freely.