Torn: Caught between the Billionaires, Book 1: Lucas Read online

  Torn

  Caught between the Billionaires

  Book 1: Lucas

  Julia Sykes

  © 2012

  For Louise and Claire

  xxx

  Chapter 1

  Pain seared across Shay’s back in a hot, stinging wave that emanated outward from where the flogger lashed her; if this was what being a submissive was like, she wasn’t at all sure that she enjoyed it. But no, she wanted this, was determined to see out the experience. She gritted her teeth, barely containing the cry of pain that threatened to escape her lips.

  Shay had fantasized for most of her adult life about exploring the world of kink, and at twenty-seven she had finally plucked up the courage to venture into the one BDSM club in Charlotte: Tempest. And here she had met the Dom who was currently beating the tar out of her. Although she was now beginning to suspect that Bobby was more of a sadist. Surely a flogger wasn’t supposed to hurt this much? She had told him it was her first time. Maybe she just had a low pain tolerance?

  The lash raked across her ass, leaving lines of fire in its wake. This time she couldn’t hold back her strangled cry. Instinctively, she tugged at the restraints around her wrists that held her firmly down over the spanking bench. This was getting to be too much. The promises she had made to herself about sticking it out began to waver as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

  “Stop,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even and controlled. But the flogger’s stinging kiss made contact with her sensitive thigh. “Stop!” She said more loudly, desperation lacing her tone now. Another burning blow across her ass. Panic began to rise in her throat. Was he really not going to stop? She jerked more wildly at the cuffs that held her in place, locking her in her vulnerable position. She suddenly, starkly, realized her own powerlessness. Only the loss of control didn’t bring her the pleasurable rush that she had hoped for; all she felt was a growing terror.

  Tears were rolling down her cheeks now. “Please!” The word came out as almost a scream as the lash came down on her thigh again, merciless and unrelenting. Panic engulfed her. Was no one going to help her? Couldn’t they see that she was truly in pain? Oh god, when would it stop? Surely he had to stop soon.

  She squeezed her eyes shut in dread as she heard the flogger whooshing through the air once again. But somehow, mercifully, there was no answering line of fire on her skin.

  A deep, accented voice came from behind her. “I’m not usually one to interrupt a scene, but I believe the lady wants you to stop.”

  Shay nearly sobbed in relief, the sound almost drowning out Bobby’s reply: “Well, you are interrupting,” he snapped.

  “No! Please,” she interjected quickly. “I want to stop.” She tried to crane her head back to look at her tormentor and her savior, but her restraints prevented her from seeing them. Please, she thought desperately. Please listen to me. She forced her tone to harden. “I may be a submissive, but I do have rights.”

  “We’re not finished-” Began Bobby’s cruel voice.

  “Do you want to use your safe word, sub?” The stranger cut across him.

  “Safe word?” Shay asked. She had heard of those, but Bobby hadn’t discussed them with her.

  The accented voice let out a low curse. When he spoke, his voice was tight, the anger in his tone carefully controlled. “You mean to tell me,” he said coldly to Bobby, “that you did not discuss safe words before play? I’m assuming that she’s a new submissive if she doesn’t know about them. Were you aware of this?”

  There was an uncomfortable pause from Bobby before he finally answered. “Yes. But how was I to know that she didn’t know about safe words?” He said defensively.

  Her savior let out a low growl. “You always discuss safe words before a scene. Any idiot knows that.” His voice turned soft, dangerous. “Now, I suggest you leave and never come back to this club. I will be reporting you for this.”

  “But-” Bobby began.

  “Now!” He barked, his tone brooking no argument. Shay shivered slightly at the power of it.

  She jumped as gentle hands touched her wrist, the cuff around it tightening momentarily before it was unbuckled. For some reason that she couldn’t quite identify, she glanced away from her savior before she could see him, allowing her curtain of dark red hair to hide her face. Keeping her eyes on the floor, a pair of polished black leather boots entered her field of vision as he circled around the spanking bench to release her other wrist. She let out the breath that she didn’t know she was holding as relief washed over her; she was free. Then strong arms were around her shoulders, turning her onto her back.

  “Up you get, sub,” his tone was warm, gentle. She let out a squeak of surprise as he hooked an arm under her back and another under her knees, lifting her up until she was pressed against a hard-muscled chest. Her eyes widened in surprise and lifted of their own accord, finally meeting her savior’s eyes.

  All the wind was knocked out of her as she gazed up at one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. His midnight-black hair was shortly cropped and slightly mussed, the length accenting his strong jawline. The planes of his face were masculine and angular, and dark stubble covered his jaw, giving him ruggedly attractive looks. And his eyes: a bright, mesmerizing bottle-green. A small, sexy smile was playing around his full mouth. Shay’s mouth watered and she felt a sudden urge to lightly sink her teeth into that lower lip. She licked her own lips unconsciously, and something in his eyes darkened in a way that made her stomach flutter.

  She gazed up at him stupidly for a moment as he carried her across the room and sank down onto a dark red leather couch in a secluded corner. He surprised her by not letting her go. Instead, he positioned her so that she was sitting on his lap. The way that he handled her body so casually, as though he had every right to, made warmth rush to her loins.

  “Um,” she blushed, “thanks, but I can sit on my own.”

  He speared her with a hard gaze, making her swallow back a sudden dryness in her throat. “You’re a sub who’s just been through a traumatic scene. You need someone to help you come back up from that. It’s a Dom’s responsibility. And since there is no way that I’m going to allow that arse to touch you again,” his face twisted as though he had an unpleasant taste in his mouth, “I’ll happily fill in.”

  “Oh,” she said softly, not really knowing what to say. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” he smiled down at her. God, his voice was sexy: a deep rumble that sent tingles up her spine. And that accent! Yummy. He was definitely English. What American woman didn’t love a guy with an English accent?

  She was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that she was almost naked and in the arms of a complete stranger. A sexy stranger whose gorgeous eyes were roving up and down her body appreciatively. She squirmed slightly, suddenly self-conscious about her body. It had taken her years to embrace her curves, but now she was rather fond of them. Her tapered waist was cinched in by a red and black striped underbust corset, accentuating her exposed breasts and flaring hips. Her black, faux-leather skirt was still hiked up over her ass where Bobby had pulled it up to give him easier access, so all that protected her modesty now was a skimpy black g-string.

  She might have come to terms with her curves, but not all men liked them. She tried to tug her skirt down to cover her generous ass, but large hands were suddenly encircling her wrists, stopping her short.

  “Don’t,” he ordered. “I like the view.” His voice was low, with a hint of a sexy growl.

  Shay relaxed instantly, reacting instinctively to the command. But she couldn’t hide her flush of embarrassment an
d… pleasure? Releasing her wrists, he reached a hand up to lightly stroke her cheek.

  “Now isn’t that a lovely color?” He whispered. She only blushed deeper. She wanted to drop her eyes, but she was caught in his intense gaze.

  He suddenly dropped his hand and his expression closed, his features schooled into a controlled mask. “What’s your name, sub?” He asked, his sudden callousness throwing her off.

  “Shay,” she answered, a bit shyly.

  He smiled slightly, as though he couldn’t help it. “It’s lovely to meet you, Shay. My name is Lucas.”

  A sexy body, sexy voice, and a sexy name? Was there anything about this man that wasn’t sinfully hot?

  “Now,” he continued, his tone turning a bit brusque, business-like. “Am I right in assuming that this is your first time coming to a fetish club?”

  She dropped her eyes. “Yes.” Her voice was small; she was embarrassed that she had been so naïve about club protocol that it was obvious this was her first foray into the world of kink.

  Lucas hooked his index finger under her chin and applied pressure, forcing her to meet his eyes. “You’ll look at me when I’m talking to you, sub,” he ordered. “Unless I tell you otherwise.”

  A shiver ran through Shay as she met his hard eyes. They seemed to be mercilessly stripping away her defenses, cutting to the core of her. She felt her will bending to his, ceding to his power. Heat flooded her sex, and she could feel herself growing wet. She blushed again but didn’t dare drop her gaze from his.

  “What is your experience with BDSM?” He asked. Shay squirmed uncomfortably in his lap. She didn’t want to admit that she didn’t have much experience with it outside of internet research and her own fantasies; she had always been too self-conscious to voice her wants to her sexual partners, worried that they would be disgusted by her kinky requests. But his commanding tone demanded an honest answer. Still, she hesitated.

  Lucas’ startling green eyes flashed. “You’ve chosen to walk into the lion’s den tonight, sub. There’s no hiding here. Especially not from me.”

  “Um…” Shay stumbled over her admission. “Not much. I used handcuffs once with one of my exes. And…uh… I’ve read stuff. Researched.” She was sure that her cheeks were crimson now.

  Lucas’ expression softened and he let out a low chuckle. “And you came to a fet club all on your own? And in this outfit, no less? That was brave of you.” His praise seemed genuine, his dominant façade dropping for a moment. Warmth filled her chest at his words; he didn’t think her foolish for coming here, then. His mention of her racy choice of clothes – or lack thereof – made her acutely aware of her state of undress, and of the fact that a stranger was holding her firmly in his strong arms. She could feel the coolness of the air on her exposed breasts, and her nipples hardened. Was it from the cold or from his presence, the fact that he held her as though he had every right to?

  But then Lucas’ expression quickly turned reproving, and she was distracted from her thoughts as the Dom came back. “You don’t seem to have done your research very thoroughly. Safe, sane, consensual: that’s the BDSM code that everyone in the lifestyle should follow. And to ensure that those parameters are met, safe words are essential.”

  Shay turned a bit defensive. “I do know about safe words,” she said, a bit of steel entering her tone as her usual backbone returned. If there was one thing she couldn’t stand, it was her intelligence being belittled. “But Bobby didn’t bring them up, so I thought maybe they weren’t for club play.”

  Lucas’ face darkened. “Arse,” he muttered. “I’m going to report him to the Dungeon Master here. It’s never acceptable to play with a new partner without discussing her limits. Even if the submissive is a seasoned veteran. And it seems that the bastard is a sadist, based on how hard he was being on you. I’m guessing that you’ve now discovered you’re not a masochist?”

  Shay stiffened, remembering her panic, her feelings of helplessness at being unable to stop the pain. “No. Definitely not.”

  He stroked a long finger across her face, tracing the line of her cheekbone before drawing down around her jawline. “Stay here with me, Shay.” His deep, accent voice called her back from the memories, and she relaxed instantly under his touch, melting for him.

  But he wasn’t done touching her. His finger was at the hollow of her throat now, tracing its way slowly downward. When he reached the top of her breasts, he opened his hand, gently touching the tips of his fingers to her skin, encircling her nipple. Instinctively, she tried to pull back from him; he was a stranger, after all, and he was touching her so intimately. But his strong arm around her back held her in place. Then, slowly, he drew his fingers inward, moving toward her nipple at an agonizingly slow pace. When he reached the outer edges of her areola, he began to swirl his fingertips around it, gently teasing. Her sensitive flesh pebbled, and her nipples began to ache, almost throbbing in their need to be touched. Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, his fingers closed around the sensitive peak, pinching hard. Shay cried out in shock at the twinge of pain. But then the pain sent a line of heat shooting straight from her nipple to her clit. Her cry turned to a moan as he lessened the pressure, deftly rolling her nipple between his fingers.

  “So responsive,” his voice was a low, pleased rumble. To Shay’s disappointment, he released her breast, drawing his hand away from her, leaving her wanting. His eyes twinkled knowingly; he was perfectly aware of what his ministrations were doing to her body. She had never been so turned on in her life, and he had barely touched her.

  “Would you like to submit to me tonight, Shay?” He asked earnestly. “I promise I won’t take you further than you’re ready to go.”

  “Yes,” she said hastily, almost before he could finish speaking. He chuckled again.

  He smiled down at her. “You’re an eager little sub, aren’t you?” He asked, cocking his head at her, amused. After a moment though, his face returned to that business-like, emotionless mask. “So you say that you know about safe words, then. Are you familiar with the standard ‘yellow’/’red’ system?”

  Shay nodded. “’Yellow’ if I need a break, and ‘red’ if I want to stop altogether.”

  Lucas nodded approvingly, as though at a particularly apt pupil. “Very good. Now Shay, I’m not going to do anything to you that will cause you pain. Not tonight. I think you’ve had quite enough of that already.” A shadow of anger passed over his face again, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. “But I still want you to use your safe words if you are uncomfortable in any way.”

  Shay nodded her assent, letting him know that she understood his terms. She couldn’t help swallowing nervously, unsure of what he had planned for her. Her muscles stiffened again without her realizing. Lucas stroked a hand up and down her back, reassuring her, grounding her.

  His other hand moved to rest on her knee. “You have all the power here, Shay,” he said, looking at her intently. “You understand that, don’t you? I am in control, but you can stop me at any time if you wish.”

  Shay let out a sigh of relief, the tension fully leaving her as she realized the truth of his words. Safe, sane, consensual. She thought to herself. I’ll be fine. But looking up into Lucas’ merciless eyes, she wasn’t so sure. Would she be able to deny him anything? She again felt that sensation of being stripped bare as he stared down at her, robbing her of her defenses that the usually kept so carefully in place.

  “Your only rule is not to come without my permission.”

  Never allowing her to break from his intense gaze, he slowly began to move his hand up her thigh, brushing over her skin lightly as he progressed steadily from her knee until his fingers were stroking at the edge of her sex. He stopped there, keeping her on the edge as heat flooded her pussy, her clit beginning to throb with need. He traced the line of her skimpy panties, starting at the upper edge before drawing down the side, maintaining his carefully controlled pace. When his fingers reached the point where her thighs
met, he gently brushed the pad of his thumb over her clit. The feeling of it through the silky fabric made her let out a low whine.

  “Open your legs for me,” he commanded. She complied immediately, her intense need overriding any embarrassment that might have made her hesitate. He was toying with her, making her wait; he was showing her that he was in total control, manipulating her body skillfully. This wasn’t at all what she had expected, but the power-play was thrilling. And more erotic than she could have imagined. This was what it was to be dominated.

  Once her legs were open for him, he suddenly grabbed her pussy roughly, his hard grip contrasting sharply with his teasing strokes of a moment before. Shay cried out in surprise and delight.

  “So wet,” Lucas’ voice was a pleased rumble. “I like that, sub.” He ground his palm against her, pressing against her clit. She nearly came immediately, the shudders of her orgasm beginning to ripple through her.

  His hand was gone. Shay let out a whine of frustration as all sensation was suddenly snatched away from her. She looked up at him in shock and protest, but his stare was hard and reproving.