Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
She nodded.
The pressure on her limbs eased and she felt that tightness in her chest unravel.
She could breathe again. And she also became even more aware. Opening her eyes, she looked from Alexei’s frowning face to Salem’s concerned one.
Why were they both in bed with her? Hadn’t she gone to sleep last night with Salem?
What was going on?
“I . . . what happened?” she asked.
“You woke up swinging,” Alexei told her. “You nearly punched me in the nose and you were making this terrible noise. Like a wounded pig.”
She winced. Wow. She could only imagine how that sounded.
“Why?” he demanded. “What’s wrong?”
“Are you all right, Pet?” Salem added. “How is your head?”
Throbbing.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” Alexei grumbled as he sat up and pointed to his own forehead which looked red and sore. “How can it be fine when my head is aching?”
She sat up, resting back against the headboard as she drew her legs up to her chest.
While she knew this was a defensive position that said too much about how she was feeling, she couldn’t help it.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to.”
Nausea bubbled in her stomach. How had she managed to hurt Alexei? She didn’t want to hurt Alexei, she loved him.
No, no.
You can’t love him.
You’re not free to love anyone.
Except she loved them all.
“I didn’t mean to. I really didn’t.” She swallowed her sob, stifling it.
She didn’t cry. She never cried. And starting now would be a terrible idea.
“Pet, listen to me,” Salem said. “Look at me.”
Tamsyn turned her gaze to Salem, taking note of the scratch marks on his neck.
“Oh, God, did I do that?” she asked, pointing at the marks. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know what I was doing. I’m so sorry!”
“No one is blaming you for anything, Pet.” Salem tried to grasp hold of her chin, but she shook her head and backed away.
Right into Alexei, who snatched her up and put her on his lap.
But it was too soon. Her skin was crawling and she couldn’t handle his touch. She tried to shove herself out of his hold.
“Let me go!”
“Alexei, don’t let her go,” Salem said, jumping over to grab something from his bedside drawers.
The eye mask.
Yes, please.
It might be weird that she took peace from the eye mask, considering that she hated not being able to see when she was pinned down. But as long as no one tried to hold her, then the eye mask brought her peace. When she had it on, she didn’t have to worry about anything. All she had to do was what Salem told her to do.
“Let her go, Alexei,” Salem said. “She doesn’t like being held when she’s blindfolded.”
Alexei let her go and she climbed off his lap.
“Good girl,” Salem told her. “On your knees, please. Do you want to suck as well?”
They’d both discovered that having to suck also helped her let go and just be in the moment.
She glanced over at Alexei, unsure he’d like this.
“Look at me, Pet,” Salem said in a voice that was both silky and hard.
It was difficult to describe, but he meant business when he used that voice and she glanced over at him.
“That’s a good girl. I’m in charge now. Not you. Not Alexei. If he’s uncomfortable with anything we do, he can leave. Just like you can say your safeword, understood?”
She nodded.
“When she’s really upset, she can’t always verbalize,” Salem explained to Alexei as he secured the eye mask over her head.
Her breathing started to ease. Although she still found herself on edge with Alexei here. This wasn’t their Pet and Sir time.
“Good Pet, you’re doing so well for me.”
“Would it be better if I left?” Alexei asked. “I don’t want to upset her more.”
“If she’s uncomfortable, she can say,” Salem said.
Right. She could.
“And I think you need to be here. For you, as well as for her. That wasn’t an easy thing to witness.”
Guilt made her tense and she opened her mouth. But she wasn’t quite sure what to say.
“You don’t need to be upset by that, Pet,” Salem told her. “You’re not worrying about anything unless I tell you to. And I won’t do that. Because I don’t want you worrying. All you need to do is trust that I will take care of you. Do you trust that I will look after you?”
“Yes, Sir.”
She knew that Salem would take care of her. He always did. Never once in their playing had he let her down.
“That’s it. Just relax for me, good girl. I’m going to guide you and you can suck on me and relax. Nod if you understand.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Alexei, you can stay or go.”
“I’ll stay,” Alexei said. “But what about her head? Should we put some ice on it?”
“Good point. Could you get an ice pack?” Salem asked.
“Yeah, I’ll go now.”
She felt him move and she tensed.