PENNY

    When I open my eyes, I am surrounded in warmth. Jack’s scent fills my head. His arms are around me, his clothed body curled around mine. His warm breath tickles the back of my neck. His chest rises and falls. The room is dark and quiet. Peaceful.

    I stroke his forearm, so strong and thick. He is one of the biggest fighters at Redemption, and one of the strongest. He is scared of nothing and no one. He makes me feel safe.

    Slowly, so as not to wake him, I turn in his arms. My eyes trace the planes and angles of his face and search out the scars barely visible in the darkness. I wonder what it must be like to be so strong, inside and out, to never be afraid.

    Gently, I rest my hand on his chest. I can feel the steady beat of his heart, the heat of his body. I run my hand over his pecs and down, lightly tracing over the ripples of his abs beneath his shirt, stopping just above his belt.

    My pussy clenches at the memory of this belt in his hand. The crack of leather on my ass. The fierce sting that sizzled into pleasure. Even now I am still tender. How many women has he whipped with this belt? How many begged him to make them come?

    “None.”

    I look up. His eyes are open, lids heavy with sleep. “Only use I’ve ever had for this belt is holding up my pants.”

    “How did you know what I was thinking?” I trace my finger along the edge of his belt, my palm brushing over the bulge in his jeans.

    “Your fingers talk.” He reaches for my hand, brings it to his lips, kisses my fingers one by one. “Curious fingers. Naughty fingers.”

    I scoot closer to him, so close our noses almost touch. “How naughty?”

    He growls, a low rumble deep in his chest. “Very naughty. Fingers going where fingers aren’t allowed to go.”

    Cocooned in the darkness, surrounded in his heat, safe in his arms, I feel brave tonight. I ease my free hand down between us and cup the heavy length of his erection through his jeans. He groans, nuzzles my neck, his five-o’clock shadow an erotic burn on my sensitive skin. His fingers dig into my hip so hard I catch my breath. “Do you want to play, naughty girl?”

    Moisture seeps between my thighs, dampening my knickers. “Yes,” I breathe. “I want to play.”

    In one swift move, he pushes himself up and tears the blanket off my body. I shiver as cool air brushes over my heated skin.

    “Hmm.” His sensual gaze rakes over me, and he licks his lips like I’m a tasty treat. “Do you have any toys?”

    My cheeks heat, and I suck in my lips, inexplicably embarrassed at having to reveal something so personal when I’m about to get naked and have rough sex with the man of my dreams. “Nightstand beside the bed.”

    Jack chuckles and pulls open the drawer. “Quite the collection,” he says, rummaging through my assortment of sex toys. “I don’t know which one to use first.”

    “Don’t talk. Just…take something.”

    He assumes an innocent look. “Why can’t I talk? Don’t you think we should discuss your sex toy addiction? Although there are a few classic items missing and nothing for anal play.”

    “Jack!”

    “I love it when you blush. It makes me want to introduce you to all sorts of naughty things.” He pulls out my rabbit and holds it up in the beam of moonlight filtering through the curtains. “We can get up to all sorts of trouble with this.”

    My mouth goes dry when he kneels on the bed in front of me and unbuckles his belt. He yanks it from the loops and doubles it in his palm.

    “Not again,” I whisper.

    His face softens, and he leans over, reaching for my hands. “Not again. You wouldn’t be able to take it. I have something else in mind.” He lifts my hands over my head and binds them together with his belt, twisting it around the wrought iron headboard to hold me fast.

    “What’s your safe word?” he asks as he tests my bonds, tightening the belt so I am stretched to the point of discomfort but not pain.

    “Redemption.”

    “Good girl.” He reaches under my shirt and slides my knickers over my hips. After tossing them on the floor, he grabs the rabbit and flicks the switch. “It lights up,” he says in delight when it glows purple. “Is that in case it gets lost? Or maybe to help me find my way?”

    “You’re killing me,” I groan. “I ordered it online because it was on sale. I didn’t know it glowed until I turned it on the first time. It gave me quite a fright.”

    He’s laughing so hard he has to brace himself on the bed. I like seeing him laugh. It reminds me that he is still Rampage, my friend from the gym, the man who can cheer anyone up.

    “I can imagine,” he says, finally. And then his face smooths, and he turns off the vibrator and holds it to my lips. “I didn’t see any lube. Lick.”

    I wrinkle my nose at the scent of plastic and the disinfectant soap I use for washing up. “Um…actually, I don’t think I need to do that. I’m pretty wet.”

    “I didn’t ask.” His voice carries a low, warning note that makes my core tighten.

    Tentatively, I touch my tongue to the cool, smooth plastic, swallow down the taste of soap.

    With a grunt of disapproval, Jack presses the head of the vibrator between my lips, forcing me to take more into my mouth. “Let’s see a bit more enthusiasm.”

    Drawing in a deep breath, I swirl my tongue over the softly rounded head, lick up and down the plastic shaft. Jack watches me intently, his gaze never leaving my mouth as I work to lubricate the entire surface.

    “Good girl.” He pulls the vibrator away. “Now spread your legs for me.”

    I part my legs, and he frowns. “Wider.”

    “They don’t go wider.”