2

Chicklet had mentioned Akira because she wanted Ford’s focus where it belonged. Akira was being tested, forced to kneel just outside the roped area and watch her fiancé take each welt-raising lash without a sound. Adorable in her studded, black leather halter top and belt of a leather skirt, her sleek black-brown hair spilling down her back. Usually so serene on her knees. Now though, she had her hands clasped on her thighs, and her eyes were spitting fire. More than once she moved to stand. Stopped herself.

Akira had more experience than either of her men, so Sloan trusted her to stay put. Breaking that trust would be very bad if the trio wanted Sloan to keep training Cort.

“She shouldn’t be watching them.” Ford slammed a rag down on the bar top, but stopped and inhaled slowly before moving out from behind the bar. “She doesn’t understand why he needs to do this.”

“Oh, I think she does.” Chicklet put her hand on Ford’s arm before he could walk by, probably to “save” Akira. He glared at her. She arched a brow and waited for him to calm down. Once he did, she continued. “This is hard for her, but she insisted on being involved in both your training. She’s a big girl, but she needs you to remind her why Cort is doing this.” Chicklet withdrew her hand and smiled at Ford when she felt him shiver. “For you. And I think seeing this is harder on you than her.”

“He doesn’t get off on pain.” Ford rubbed a hand over his face, then held it up and laughed. “Don’t bother. I know that makes me sound like his sub, but I’m used to us looking out for each other. Trying to prevent anyone hurting either of us. But this isn’t the same. Cort needs to be in control. Him submitting, even to learn how to do this right, seems wrong.”

“How is that a submissive statement, Ford? Doms are protective, and they know what the people who belong to them need. Your kinks have you all over the fucking place. You went through the exact same thing.”

“I enjoyed it.”

“And you would have done it even if you hadn’t to be a good master.” Chicklet patted the young man’s smooth cheek. He was a bit more her type, all wiry strength with a mouth she’d love to smack just for fun. “The offer’s still out there. I’m not a sadist, but I can hurt you.”

“Thanks, but…” Ford frowned, shaking his head as he rubbed his hands on his black jeans. “Wouldn’t be the same. I don’t…feel anyone else now that I’m with Cort and Akira. Don’t need anyone else.”

“You, mister, confuse the hell out of me. By the end of the night, Cort will have you in chains while he practices everything Sloan’s taught him and his mentor stands watch.” She ran her tongue over her teeth, honestly baffled. And having no problem explaining why. “I’d call you a switch, but you’re not. You’ll give up a bit of control to enjoy the pain, but the submission itself does nothing for you.”

“Trying to read me, Mistress?” The lazy smile on Ford’s lips only proved her point. A sub would try to show her how wrong she was. A switch might argue, try to pull on a dominant front. Unless they were comfortable with straddling the fence. Ford played close to the fence, but the need for control was obvious. Obvious in the way he owned that the right kind of pain got him off.

“Why bother? If I can’t play with you, it’s a waste of time.” She heard the soft ding that sounded behind the bar when the front door opened. The most beautiful woman in the world, one who made even the sexiest model on the runway a pale comparison in Chicklet’s eyes, came in with timid steps. Her long, dark brown hair fell over one shoulder as she looked around the bar, stopping at the threshold and going no farther. Her midnight blue eyes were huge, her hands fisted at the hem of her nearly transparent, but virginal white slave dress. A mockery of rags in the finest silk, gliding over her ample curves like water.

Laura. Chicklet forgot Ford and moved toward her girl. The perfect mix of strength and complete submission. Years ago, when Chicklet had met her in a BDSM club in Chicago, Laura had been doing her best to submit to one fumbling Dom after another. She’d come out as a lesbian in her teens, then retreated into the closet after her mother kicked her out. She was a Kentucky girl, but you would never know that listening to her because whatever accent she’d had was gone. She’d been fostered with a family who’d moved to Nova Scotia. She had dual citizenship and went back to the States often. But never back home. She hadn’t been to Kentucky since she was thirteen.

Chicklet walked straight up to Laura and cupped the smaller woman’s cheeks in her hands. Laura’s eyes were bloodshot, red-rimmed from crying. Chicklet wanted to be a gentle, caring Mistress for her, but she’d tried that before and failed miserably. Laura needed to be controlled completely. Things couldn’t be easy, or they weren’t “real.” If Laura even sensed Chicklet was denying herself, she’d hide. And Chicklet couldn’t let Laura hide.

“You look beautiful, pet.” Chicklet pressed a soft kiss to Laura’s glossy lips, teasing them with the tip of her tongue to savor the strawberry flavored lip gloss Laura wore for her. A hint of vanilla from Laura’s perfume made Chicklet’s mouth water. She drew a long, black nail down the center of Laura’s chest, pleased to see the sadness fade from Laura’s eyes. Not completely, but her girl was slipping into the peaceful submissive mind-set she craved. Satisfied that the night would go well from here on, Chicklet took a step back. “Go fix us each a tea. We’ll chat a little while I work the bar, then I’ll bring you to the medical room.”

Laura’s eyes widened as she drew in a sharp breath and pink rose high on her cheeks. She’d once told Chicklet she hated the medical room, that all the metal, the sterility of it, made her uncomfortable. After that, their play in that room had been mild. But they had continued to scene in there until Chicklet eased her sub past her discomfort.

It was now one of Laura’s favorite rooms.

A nod and Laura turned to fetch their tea. Then stopped and glanced back at Chicklet, fiddling with the hem of her dress again. “What about the boy?”

Chicklet frowned. She gave each of her subs “special time,” playing with them separately often enough to meet their unique needs, but always on her terms. Why would Laura ask about Tyler now?

“My boy will join us.” The flicker of disappointment in Laura’s eyes disturbed Chicklet. She slid forward, invading her sweet little sub’s personal space and tipping her chin up with a nail. “I’ll forgive the question, pet, because you’ve clearly had a rough day. Which is why I will use him to make you come so hard you’ll scream yourself hoarse and won’t be able to speak properly for days. Tell me how much you love his mouth on you.” Chicklet let out a low, cruel laugh when Laura wet her bottom lip with her tongue. She brought her fingers to Laura’s mouth. “When he kisses you.”

The tip of Laura’s tongue touched Chicklet’s fingertip. “Yes.”

“When he sucks these beautiful nipples.” Chicklet brushed her knuckles over Laura’s breasts, heat surging low as she enjoyed the feel of hardened tips pushing against the silk with no bra to restrain them. She slipped the same hand between Laura’s thighs, rubbing the silk against her bare mound. “When he fucks your hot pussy with his very talented tongue.”

“I do, Mistress.” Laura swallowed hard and her knees buckled. She leaned heavily against Chicklet, shuddering as Chicklet continued stroking her until her juices soaked through the silk. “He’s yours and I love that you share him with me.”

“That’s my good girl.” Chicklet kissed Laura’s cheek and withdrew her hand. “Now go.”

Laura went, but having to repeat the command bothered Chicklet. They really had to talk before doing a scene. Whatever Laura had gone through today was bad enough to latch on to her emotions like a big, black leech even once she’d come to one of the few places where she usually let it all go. As Chicklet made her way to the bar, she considered letting someone else take her shift so she could bring Laura home. Where they could be together and set aside the D/s mentality.

Only, the times where Laura wanted to be out of the scene were becoming rare. She had to maintain so much control at work that giving it up was a relief. Which Chicklet had been handling by increasing the power exchange from only a few scenes a week to nearly 24/7 now. But days like this were difficult. She wasn’t sure that she really helped Laura by letting her escape so completely into submission. It was a different way to hide. She would tell Chicklet everything, but only because her Mistress expected full disclosure.

They had been friends once. Laura would laugh and tease Chicklet about getting her nails done only for play, but leaving them short and bare for everyday life. They’d go shopping and Laura would beg her to buy something pretty for when they went out for dinner. Chicklet didn’t do “pretty.” She loved her faded T-shirts and jeans. She dressed in leather pants and a leather corset at the club, but for Laura, she had a few dresses and strappy heels for their monthly date night.

Back at the bar, Chicklet served several bottles of water and coffee to the subs ordering for their Doms. Laura brought her tea and went about tiding up the bar as Chicklet handled the drink inventory. When Chicklet finally had everything running smoothly she went to take a sip of her tea, then ran her hand up and down Laura’s back as her girl washed the stack of glasses behind the bar by hand. There was a dishwasher, but Laura preferred the old-fashioned way. Any kind of mundane service task grounded her, so Chicklet let it go.

But the troubles of the day hooked into her sub’s heart would have to be extracted. And at very least bandaged before they could go any further. Chicklet rested her hip on the counter beside the sink and chose her next words very carefully. “Do you want to talk about it?”

The way Laura’s spine stiffened screamed “No!”, but she simply nodded. “Of course I do. It hurts to keep it in, and I…” Laura’s bottom lip trembled. “I’ve been waiting all night to see you. To tell you about what happened so you can make it go away.”

“Oh, baby.” Chicklet took a sudsy glass from Laura’s hands and set it aside. Pulled the small woman into her arms, feeling the tense muscles covered by a woman’s softness, every inch belonging to her, so precious, so desperate for her strength. Chicklet wasn’t soft, and she was grateful for the hard body she’d worked for, one her subs could lean on like a rock when their own strength failed them. “I can’t make it go away. But I can help. Tell me.”

“She was…the little girl was only eight years old. A neighbor called and told us they’d suspected that she was being abused by her father and her brothers. We went there so fast, but…” Laura’s sob ripped right into Chicklet’s chest. She didn’t want to imagine what her sweet girl had seen, but she would. She would so Laura knew she had someone who’d face the horror with her. But she didn’t speak because she sensed Laura had more to say. She held her breath as Laura continued. “They’d tucked her into bed. They let us in and the father…he asked us not to wake her. Hamilton let me go in first because I insisted. I didn’t want to scare her.”

Stroking Laura’s hair, Chicklet nodded. “I would have done the same.”

“Her lips were blue and there were bruises all around her mouth. I talked to her. She was so cold, wasn’t breathing and I knew she was…but I kept talking to her. I told her no one would ever hurt her again.” Laura pressed her eyes shut. Tears covered her cheeks. “No one will ever hurt her again.”

“No. They won’t.” Chicklet hugged Laura as she sobbed, looking up when she caught someone approaching the bar. Dominik. His expression held concern as he mouthed “Do you need to go?”

Yes! But, then again, no. Laura would panic if she suggested leaving. All her girl had to keep her moving forward was tonight. A chance to get away.

With what she’d gone through, Chicklet would let her hide for a little. She’d earned it. And sinking into submissiveness would give Laura a safe place. A safe place where Chicklet stood guard, making sure her vulnerable girl could escape the harsh reality she was subjected to every single day.

Yes, she missed the times when they could be equals. But there was nothing more important than being the haven for the precious soul who’d placed herself in Chicklet’s hands.

She met Dominik’s eyes, smiled, and shook her head. Laura wouldn’t accept concern from another Dom, but she’d take him as another buffer if Chicklet let him near. He’d never been involved in their play, but other Doms had. Inviting Dominik into their scene was tempting, he was one of the most attentive Dominants here. And yet, there was no telling how far that kind of play would push Laura. She was so vulnerable she would accept anything just to say she’d done what she was told. Laura’s submissiveness ran deep and when she lost herself in it, any command would suffice.

That was where Chicklet came in. Where she set the boundaries and made sure her girl was protected and could let go without any fear.

“Can you take over the bar, Master Dominik?” Chicklet added the “Master” so Laura would know she was surrounded. And not in a bad way. In a way where the cushion of control was all around her, reinforcing that Laura could just let go.

Dominik took over, meeting Chicklet’s eyes and waiting for her nod before pulling Laura into his arms and kissing her forehead. Laura went stiff at first, but relaxed when Dominik brought his hand to the back of her neck.

“All your Mistress has to do is say the word.” His voice was gruff, and he gave Chicklet a tight smile over Laura’s shoulder, proving he would be there in whatever way she needed, no question. “And I will take you so far out of your head, you’ll know nothing but pleasure.”

Laura ducked her head, pressing her face against his chest. “Thank you, Sir. But my Mistress can do that for me alone.”

“I know she can.” Dominik chuckled and kissed Laura’s forehead again. “But a man can dream, can’t he?”

I love you, Dominik. Chicklet shot a grateful smile at Dominik, then held out her hand for her girl to come to her. Feeling Laura leaning against her side as they headed to the theme rooms put everything into perspective. A cool rush of power flowed through her veins. Almost like the sensation she got before strapping on her pads and stepping on the ice to play goalie for her bar league. To most, there was nothing real on the line, but it was real to her. Her team depended on her and so did Laura.

“If I had a say, you’d be working behind a desk, still doing what you love, but…” No, this line of thought would get them nowhere. She let out a shallow laugh. “That’s not who you are. Some days will be hell. I fell in love with a woman in uniform. A woman who kneels to me and bares her fucking soul. And I will do whatever I have to so you feel whole again. Even if that means breaking you first.”

They were almost at the door and Laura was shaking hard. Needing all this, but Chicklet wasn’t taking her in hand fast enough. Time to change that. She put her hand on Laura’s throat and shoved her against the wall. The shaking stopped as Laura stared up at her in shock.

“Mistress—?”

“Hands behind your neck and not another word.” Chicklet swallowed hard, hoping she was doing the right thing. Laura needed out of her head now. She pressed her lips to Laura’s, swallowing her gasp and delving past strawberry-flavored lips with her tongue. She hooked her fingers to the silken material of Laura’s panties and dragged them down her hips, letting them fall to her ankles once they were past her knees. “You wanted a male doctor, didn’t you, little girl? Only a man should touch you like this.”

Laura writhed as Chicklet pushed two fingers into her slick pussy, automatically reacting as she always did to this game. Being with a woman was so very wrong, the idiots that should have loved Laura had drilled that into her, but Chicklet had turned it into a naughty pleasure during these scenes.

And Laura played along very well, her tone all sweet and innocent. “I’ve been told it’s very bad, Ma’am, but—”

“Doctor. There are women in this profession, and I can make you all better.” Chicklet nipped Laura’s earlobe. “Tell me where it hurts.”

“Everywhere.” Laura groaned as Chicklet withdrew her fingers and backed away. “But you almost made me forget about the pain.”

“Oh, I will, sweetheart.” With one hand wrapped around Laura’s wrist, Chicklet pushed the door open. Once they cleared the doorway, she pressed the door shut quietly. Motioned Laura toward the exam table which was covered in a fresh length of paper. “Undress and lie down. I’ll give you a full physical to see if I can find the problem.”

This was where a sub had the full advantage, though few fully grasped the power they held when they stood before their Masters obeying the most basic commands. Elegant submission and a slow, tempting reveal could test a Domme’s control. Chicklet held her breath as she stepped away from Laura, trying to maintain her composure as the small, graceful woman let her eyes drift shut and lowered her hands to her sides. Laura’s curled fingers slowly lifted the hem of her dress, then stopped. Her hands slid up her body, over her stomach, her breasts.

Chicklet gave Laura a hooded look when she caught her sub’s eyes opening just a little as though to gauge her reaction. With deft fingers, Laura slid the straps of the dress off her shoulders, and Chicklet’s pulse sped up as Laura lowered her gaze to the floor and drew her dress down over her breasts. Let it fall, revealing pale flesh, thick nipples and wide hips curving out from a small waist. She shifted her stance, bending her knees a little with her thighs parted, betraying how insecure she was with them. She always tried to stand in a way that wouldn’t show how they dimpled over her knees, but Chicklet didn’t comment this time. She loved Laura’s legs, strong, but cushioned so nicely there was no mistaking it was a hot, voluptuous woman Chicklet held when they were together.

This time, Laura didn’t wait for Chicklet to repeat her command. She neatly folded her dress, put it on the gleaming white counter on the other side of the room, then went to climb onto the table. Lying back, she rested her arms by her sides. Her heavy breasts swayed with her deep inhales. Her slow, measured exhales.

Chicklet’s lips crept up at the edges. She gave herself a few moments to admire the exposed body of her sweet girl under the bright lights of the room, to take in the tiny goose bumps covering Laura’s arms and breasts. The way Laura chewed at her bottom lip let Chicklet know her girl was slipping out of that special, quiet place where she needed to be.

Time to change that. Chicklet went to adjust the thermostat to make the room a bit warmer. There was a black gynecology chair in one corner of the room, a long white counter with metal drawers beneath it full of all kinds of fun toys and medical supplies still in their packages. In the cabinets above the counter there were hospital gowns, towels, and water bottles. Two metal rolling trays stood between the chair and the counter. Chicklet went through the drawers under the counter to select the tools she’d need. She wasn’t into blood play or extreme pain, so she didn’t need to open every drawer, but she knew Laura would worry a little as she heard each one sliding open and slamming shut.

“Did I mention I want your eyes closed?” Chicklet asked, her tone light and purposely disinterested as she took a small, metal vibrating bullet from its package and dropped it with a loud clang! onto one of the covered trays.

“No, Mistress.” Laura rasped in a sharp breath, but spoke softly. “But I thought you might, so I closed them.”

“What a good girl.” Chicklet smiled as she rolled the tray over to the exam table. Laura had forgotten to call her “Doctor,” but that didn’t matter. She’d let herself go exactly where Chicklet wanted her. Chicklet took fresh gloves from the small box she’d added to her supplies. Pulled them on with a deliberate snap. “Now, no matter what I do to you…” She pulled one strap from the side of the table to place it over Laura’s chest, just above her breasts, then secured it to the Velcro on the other side of the table. “You must promise me one thing.”

Laura’s lips parted and she was gasping in air now, clawing at the paper on the table and shifting her legs. She trembled as Chicklet drew the next strap over her belly. “Anything, Mistress.”

There were straps for Laura’s thighs, but Chicklet didn’t use them. Instead, she attached the simple leather cuffs to Laura’s ankles, then clipped them to a small metal loop at either side of the exam table so Laura’s legs were held apart. Loosely, so she could squirm all she wanted.

“Don’t worry about anything. Move as much as you can, scream if you need to.” Chicklet walked along the side of the table and stroked Laura’s cheek with her fingertips. “Don’t even attempt to control yourself. You don’t have the ability anymore. I’ve taken it away.”

* * * *

Gone. The world with all its shadows and darkness was already gone. The room was so bright, even behind Laura’s closed lids she could see the light, filtered in a warm, glowing red. Her rapid breaths sounded too loud in her ears, so she forced them to slow. Could almost hear her own heartbeat slowing as well as she relaxed. She inhaled through her nose and had the sudden urge to giggle as she caught a hint of mint in the air.

“A smile. Now that’s what I like to see,” Chicklet said, chuckling as she stopped somewhere to Laura’s left. A brief touch on Laura’s hip helped her place her Mistress. To envision her face as she looked down at Laura’s naked body. “Where does it hurt now, pet?”

Laura felt a tension in her brow as she tried to find the right answer. The sensation of Chicklet trailing a nail over her stomach made it impossible to think. The tension eased away as Laura finally replied. “It doesn’t. Nothing hurts.”

“Good.” Chicklet drew her nail up Laura’s ribs, her tone soothing. Hypnotic. “You are lovely. Have you ever had a woman tell you that? I suppose it’s not a horrible thing for a woman to say? We can admire one another, no?”

“No. Only a man should say that to me.” Laura bit her bottom lip, holding back a grin. She didn’t really care what anyone thought about her being a lesbian. Not anymore. But it was fun to pretend because Chicklet had made it okay. Mocking all the things she’d been told were sinful in the past was strangely arousing. Almost as though she was giving in to temptation over and over again. “I won’t insult you by asking for a man to examine me, but I beg you to be professional. I should have kept my clothes on.”

“I disagree.” Chicklet pinched her nipple. Hard. The pain darted into Laura’s breast, a shock of heat that spread down to her belly and made her muscles jump. Chicklet’s fingers left her nipple, only one returning, warm and wet, circling the painfully hard tip. “How could I be sure you weren’t hiding an injury under that dress?”

“I would have told you.” Laura whimpered as Chicklet pinched her other nipple and twisted it, this time drawing out the pain so it was like a steady pulse driving down mercilessly. Laura was already wet, but she could feel the moisture soaking into the paper covering the exam table now. Her breasts were so sensitive, it wouldn’t take much for Chicklet to make her come by playing with her nipples. Her clit felt swollen and as Chicklet latched on to her other nipple with her teeth, Laura’s lips parted at the burst of pleasure skipping back and forth between her nipples and the tiny nub.

Releasing Laura’s nipple with a soft “Hmm,” Chicklet palmed both her breasts and massaged them gently. “You are exactly as I need you to be. Let me do my job. When was the last time you had these checked?”

“Last month.” Laura flushed as she thought about the exam which had been a lot less pleasant than this one. Her regular doctor was a man, but that didn’t bother her as much as having to place her breasts on that machine. It was one of the few things she did at Chicklet’s request that she’d ever dared complain about. Which was stupid and she knew it. She’d earned the punishment that followed and didn’t plan to repeat the mistake. “I told you when I went, Mis—”

“Doctor. And that’s good. What about here?” Chicklet’s gloved hand pressed against Laura’s pussy. One finger pushed into her. “Have you been examined here lately?”

“Yes!” Only one finger. It wasn’t enough. Laura tried to lift her hips, then stopped herself. She had to be patient. “He was very thorough.”

“He?” Chicklet clucked her tongue. The click of her heels moved away. Her hands pressed against Laura’s inner thighs. “Of course, only a man should see this pretty pussy. It should only be this juicy when a man has his hands on you.”

Hot breath. Lips hovering so close that Laura could feel them brush against her as Chicklet spoke. She quivered at the jolt of pleasure rising up as Chicklet kissed the top of her mound.

“Were you this wet for him?”

“No.”

“Mmm, so that poor man didn’t get to taste this sweet pussy?” Chicklet spread her open and licked her, humming in a way that had Laura straining against her restraints. “I pity him. Because you’re fucking delicious.”

A soft tap at the door. Chicklet’s tongue left her as it opened.

“You’re late, Tyler. You know better than to interrupt.”

Oh, Chicklet sounded mad. Laura did her best not to smile. The boy was her Mistress’s pet and she tolerated him, but she wished Chicklet would see she could have so much better. If she needed a male, she should find one who deserved her attention.

And, naturally, the second Tyler opened his mouth, he proved Laura’s point. “I’m sorry, Mistress. I wasn’t sure whether I should come in or not. But I… You told me not to keep anything from you.”

“What happened to your face? Did you get in a fight?” Chicklet sighed and gently placed her hand on Laura’s stomach. “Wait. No. I’m sorry, my angel, but we can’t discuss this now. Strip and kneel.”

Laura pressed her lips together. The atmosphere in the room had changed. She knew Chicklet put up with a lot from the boy, but she could sense the irritation in her Mistress—he wasn’t doing as he was told.

No surprise there. Laura rolled her eyes behind her closed lids.

“What is it, Tyler?”

“You should punish me.”

A chill went over Laura’s flesh. She felt Chicklet pull away from her, not only physically. It was almost as though she didn’t want to be close to Laura as she let her tone go stone cold. “Should I?”

“Yeah…umm.” A shuffle of sneakers on the tiled floor. The stupid boy was probably staring at his feet. And he didn’t care that he was ruining everything. “I took a stick to the face. I promised not to go back on the ice when I was hurt, but I did. I didn’t think it was a big deal, but maybe I was wrong.”

“You’re a fucking adult. When I asked you to be careful, I didn’t mean you should stop playing because you need a goddamn Band-Aid. I play hockey, Tyler. I know the difference between a little cut and a cracked fucking skull.” Chicklet audibly ground her teeth. Spoke calmly as she continued. “You made a decision. Be a big boy and own it. That doesn’t excuse you coming in here and disturbing my scene.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you? Or are you feeling guilty?” Chicklet’s cruel laugh made Laura nervous. “Are you looking to be punished because in that moment you thought I’d be upset and didn’t care? Do you expect me to make it all better for you, boy?”

“No, I—”

“The truth, Tyler. Think carefully before you answer.”

Laura almost pitied him. In a way, she could understand how he felt. There were times when Laura came home from work and knew she’d done things Chicklet wouldn’t approve of. And a punishment would fix it. But she’d never demand her Mistress take away her guilt by doing something that was unpleasant to them both. That was the big difference between her and Tyler. He needed the boundaries set for him constantly, seemed to enjoy reaching the end of his leash and being jerked back to heel.

Perhaps Chicklet had enjoyed the novelty of having a bratty sub at first, but she was finally getting tired of it. Or, at least Laura hoped she was. Dealing with the boy had to be exhausting.

“Please, Mistress. I’m sorry,” Tyler whispered. There was a thunk. He’d probably dropped to his knees. Too little and much too late. “I’ll do anything to make this right.”

Chicklet sighed. Laura could picture her nodding slowly as she spoke. “You do need to be punished, Tyler. Return to me once it’s done.”

What? Laura had to press her eyelids tight to keep her eyes shut as Tyler repeated her thought out loud. “What?”

“You heard me. Find someone to punish you. I won’t feel right playing with you until you feel better about yourself. It was you who decided you did something wrong. So it will be you who decides on the penalty.” The sharp click of Chicklet’s heels came closer to Laura, as though she’d turned her back on the boy. “Give him or her your safeword and bring whoever agrees here when you’re done. I will thank them for taking care of you.”

“Chicklet, I—”

“We’re done, Tyler.”

“But—.”

“We. Are. Done.”

Those words, and the sound of the door drifting shut as he left, had to be the sweetest things Laura had ever heard. But she was very careful not to let it show as her Mistress’s hands, her mouth, and her attention, returned.