Bound to be Tested: Emergence, Book 3 Read online

  Jude slowed his movements as she worked through the long, drawn-out orgasm. He kissed her shoulder and nibbled around her neck. “So sexy, baby. God, I’ve missed you.”

  He eased his fingers out of her pussy and sucked them clean himself this time.

  When he determined she was able, he released her. “You may kneel next to the table. Same rule applies. Either kneel with your hands behind your back or sit on your heels. You won’t want your ass touching the ground right now anyway.”

  As she took her spot on the floor, her knees wobbled. She lowered her gaze. It had only been a few days and already she’d started to slip back into the role of submissive to Jude without question. Was she doing the right thing? The man had given her three orgasms in such a short time, she hadn’t been able to recover her brain cells in between. An onslaught of sensations constantly slammed into her.

  Whatever his motive, it was working. It was difficult for her to disassociate and make rational decisions about her choice to fall back under his care with the way he continually proved to her that her body belonged to him. No matter where her mind was on the issue of his disappearance and the way he’d so callously tossed her aside two years ago, her body melted under his gaze, his touch and his damn words.

  Chapter Twelve

  On Monday morning, Jason looked up from his desk to find Jude hovering in the doorway. He leaned back in his chair, took a calm breath and then motioned him in.

  To be perfectly honest, Jason hadn’t expected Lori to survive the weekend under Jude’s eye. But he’d been proven wrong. He’d called twice both days and gotten the same response from her. She was fine. She was happy. It seemed the man was back. And Lori was intent on making things work, so he figured he needed to man up and get rational.

  “Sit.”

  Jude entered and took the chair across from Jason.

  “I’m surprised you made it past Carlton. The man is stomping angry after the stunt you pulled here.”

  “I brought him gourmet coffee and a muffin.” He grinned.

  Jason nodded. “Yep, food will do it.”

  They stared at each other for long moments.

  “Where were you? I have to know.”

  Jude pursed his lips before he spoke. “I know how you feel, man. Really I do. And if I could tell you, I would. But it’s complicated and I’m not at liberty to disclose a word.”

  Jason narrowed his gaze. For the first time he contemplated the possibility Jude was on the up and up. “Did this have something to do with the military?” There was no doubt, with the amount of unrest on the planet in the last several years, it was possible Jude had been deployed. What didn’t make sense was why it was such a secret.

  When Jason scanned Jude’s frame from top to bottom, he had to admit the man had not spent the last few years somewhere sick or dying. He was even larger than before he’d left, his broad shoulders muscular, rigid lines in his face telling a tale of hard work. The military could do that.

  Jude didn’t move or blink or flinch.

  Jason glanced away, exhaling in exasperation. “I don’t like it.”

  “I know. And like I said, I’m sorry. I need you to know that my departure had nothing to do with Lori or how I felt about her…still feel about her. She was never out of my mind. If I could have separated myself from her emotionally and lived out my days in sanity, I would have done so. But the reality is, I can’t. She owns a piece of my soul, Jason.” He set his hand over his heart as he spoke.

  “You broke her heart, shattered it into a million pieces and left the shards for me to pick up.”

  “I know. It nearly killed me. I’ll never forget the look in her eyes when I told her I was leaving.”

  “Did you have to be an ass about it?”

  “I thought I did. It seemed best at the time. I told myself if I was firm and led her to believe I didn’t want her anymore, she could move on easier.”

  Jason leaned forward as a light bulb came on in his head. “You never expected to return.”

  Jude said nothing.

  “Fuck.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked around, wishing he could make the last two years disappear and cease to exist. “Are you planning to stick around this time?”

  “Absolutely.” Jude dipped his head and folded his hands together in his lap. “I love her, Jason. More than anything in the world.”

  “Have you told her that?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “Of course not. I’m giving her time. I don’t deserve her. I need to be sure she will be okay with my return and her role reversal before I lay anything heavy on her plate.”

  Jason nodded. “At least you have one brain cell.”

  Jude sucked in a deep breath. “How’s Margaret?”

  “She’ll survive. She was in love with Lori.”

  A pause, and then Jude continued, “I know, and I’m sorry for what I’ve done. As for Lori, I don’t have all the answers yet. I steamrolled over her, flipped her upside down, yanked her from her current life as a Domme and turned her into my submissive so fast her head is still spinning.

  “I know it was the right way to go about it. Anything less would have been cruel. It wasn’t a situation I thought possible to ease into. She couldn’t have it both ways.”

  “And now?”

  “Now she’s settling back into the role of my submissive.” He shook his head. “I never meant to hurt anyone. But settling down without Lori wasn’t an option for me.”

  “Are you sure you have this under control?”

  “No.” He chuckled. “Not in the least. All I can do is what feels right each day and hope for the best. I pushed Lori hard this weekend. I needed to know what she could withstand after all this time. She did better than I ever could have expected. I hope Margaret can find peace without Lori. I know this was a trial, and I hope Margaret isn’t hanging on in hopes she will get Lori back. I don’t see that happening.”

  “I know Margaret pretty well. She’s a strong woman. She’ll survive this. I’ve always thought the entire relationship with Lori was more a mutual fulfilling of needs. They are close, but they will survive.” He paused. “Not that I’m condoning your actions.”

  “I understand.”

  “You aren’t stupid. You know how Lori feels about you.”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you wanting to return to Emergence?”

  “Eventually. But let’s leave it alone for now. Tensions are high. Your man Carlton might stab me if he finds me in the club during working hours.” He smiled.

  “And I might watch, so be sure you don’t piss either of us off. You’re on a short leash. I thought you were my friend. One of the best. Lori was devastated and I spent countless hours consoling her, but you hurt other people too, Jude.” Jason leaned forward, making sure he’d made himself clear.

  “I know. And I’ll work hard to earn your friendship back. I swear.”

  “You do that.”

  Jude stood. “I have to get back. Lori was teaching a yoga class. She’ll be home soon.”

  Jason stood also. He reached out a hand. “Please ensure she is safe and consenting, Jude. If I get one inkling of an idea she is treated any other way than with the utmost respect, I’ll be at your door faster than you can blink.”

  “You have my word.”

  Lori stepped into the house Monday afternoon with her heart pounding out of her chest. The entire time she’d been at work, her mind had been elsewhere, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

  Yoga was her life, her escape, the way she grounded herself on this earth after the ground fell out from under her. To step back onto that same slippery slope terrified her at moments. While she’d been teaching, she’d wondered what the hell had gotten into her. She was certifiably crazy to let Jude get under her skin.

  Fuck that. He was so deep inside her
already, she was swamped with emotions that wouldn’t settle enough for her to wrap her mind around them.

  The house was quiet, and she took a deep breath before removing all her clothing and folding it neatly by the door. No matter where Jude was, she had orders to perform a certain way, and she wasn’t wired to defy him.

  Her skin tingled as soon as she was naked. She came alive, her pussy gripping at nothing, her nipples pebbling. Amazing how her body reacted to the lack of clothing even if he wasn’t home.

  A door creaked and she jumped. Jude stepped in from the backyard. He smiled at her. “You’re home.” He wore nothing but jeans.

  His bare chest and feet made her mouth water. “Yes, Sir.” She lowered her gaze, folded her hands behind her back and spread her legs farther than necessary to be sure he was satisfied. Thank God she was in such good shape or her thighs would be killing her today after the length of time she’d spent hobbled by the spreader bar yesterday.

  He smiled as he stepped closer. “It’s nice out. Come outside with me.” He reached for her hand.

  She stepped toward him, uncertain about sitting in the backyard of this home she was unfamiliar with. What if someone saw her?

  “Trust, Lori. Remember?”

  “Yes, Sir.” She took a deep breath as he led her onto the back deck. She glanced both ways. The property was large and the yard was secluded. Someone would have to be lurking in the woods behind the edge of the premises to see anything.

  Jude took a seat on the oversized lounge chair and pulled her into the space between his legs.

  She leaned back against his bare chest and tried to relax.

  For several minutes he didn’t say a word. He reached under her arms and toyed idly with her breasts, grazing the undersides back and forth. The effect was maddening, but she said nothing. If she closed her eyes and let herself feel, she could almost erase the last two years and all the grief she’d endured.

  He spread his hands down to her thighs and lifted her legs, setting her feet outside his knees. “Relax your legs, baby,” he whispered against her ear.

  She shivered as he nibbled the skin on her neck. The air was warmer today, but not quite warm enough for naked.

  Nevertheless she heated under his touch.

  “I’ve missed this,” he said.

  She had too, but she held her tongue.

  “Tell me about your job.”

  Talk? Now? She almost smiled. Some things never changed. He’d always loved to torture every inch of her bare skin while asking her questions. If she didn’t concentrate, he would make sure she paid attention by pinching her nipples or clit.

  “I teach yoga.”

  “I got that part.”

  She took several breaths, imagining cleansing herself as she would instruct her class. “When you left I stumbled upon yoga by accident. A friend dragged me to a class. I liked it. I went back. And again. Until I was hooked and became obsessed. Now I can’t imagine how I lived without it. I teach a few classes a day at various locations. It’s not something a person could live off of, but you left me well taken care of.” She shivered as she remembered how much money he’d left her. It wouldn’t have lasted forever, but she was taking her time trying to decide what to do next with her life. She’d lived frugally for many months.

  “That’s impressive. I’m proud of you.”

  Her chest expanded. He was proud.

  He circled her nipples and she tipped her head to watch as her breasts swelled and her tits grew tighter.

  “How are you doing?”

  “Fine, Sir.”

  He chuckled, his chest vibrating beneath her. “Have I ever accepted that as an answer?”

  “No, Sir.”

  “You want to revise?” He pinched her nipples and released to soothe the puckered skin with the tips of his thumbs.

  Lori thought for a moment. She wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t have all the answers yet. “I’m not sure, Sir. I’m conflicted.”

  “I wouldn’t expect less. You should be, and I’ll do my damnedest to prove my worth to you for the rest of your life.”

  She held her breath for a moment at those powerful words. Her mind finally wandered to other issues. As long as he was asking… “Margaret…”

  “Talk to me about her.”

  “She was my friend in addition to being my submissive.”

  “I know that.” He smoothed his hands down her body and fondled the insides of her thighs.

  “I feel guilty.”

  “About letting her go?”

  “Yes.” Lori sighed. “I’m worried about her.” She twisted her head to look at him.

  He said nothing for several moments. “She’s strong. She’ll make it. What about you? Are you having second thoughts?”

  “No, Sir.” She shook her head. “But I should. It makes me nervous how easily you have slipped into my life.”

  Jude nibbled her ear until she let her head settle on his shoulder. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke again. “I used to be able to almost talk you into an orgasm.”

  She bit her lip and held still as he caressed the skin of her inner thighs, chasing away her distraction. Her pussy grew wetter by the moment.

  In painstaking slow motion, he inched his fingers toward her core and pulled her lower lips apart, exposing her to the air but not touching anything vital.

  Lori stiffened. Please, she pleaded in her head.

  Instead Jude released her lips and stroked the outer skin almost imperceptibly. He repeated the same sequence again and again, pulling her lips apart and releasing them. Her wetness was trapped between.

  When she moaned and began to writhe, he pushed her lips together and squeezed them shut, rubbing them against each other. They were slick with her moisture and she lifted her ass in supplication.

  Jude chuckled. “Who’s in charge here?”

  “You are, Sir,” she whispered.

  “Sit still then. I’ll decide when and how much. You need patience.”

  She sucked in a breath. Patience had not been something she’d ever mastered. He played her like an instrument, but the melody was always too slow.

  “On a scale of one to ten, how aroused are you?”

  Oh, how she loathed this game. “Eight, Sir.”

  “Let’s get that to a ten before I touch you.” He kneaded the edges of her pussy, carefully avoiding the center. He grazed one finger up around her clit, not touching it.

  And then he left her pussy altogether and smoothed his palms up her torso to fondle her breasts again. All her blood had centered in her sex. She felt light-headed as he circled her nipples and danced his fingers around the puckered buds.

  “I love your tits, baby.” He kissed her neck again. “So soft and feminine and responsive.” He flicked the tips. “But I really love when your clit hardens to match your nipples.”

  She held her breath as he lowered his hands again, pulled the hood back and stroked her clit lightly. She moaned and gripped his biceps, squeezing hard.

  “Uh-uh. Hands at your sides.” He held still until she complied, dropping her arms to the chair. “Who is your Master?”

  “You are, Sir,” she whispered.

  “When will you orgasm?”

  “When you say so, Sir.” She stiffened her legs outside his. His chatter always made things worse.

  “One to ten, baby?”

  “Nine.”

  “Good.” He dipped toward her pussy again, pulled it open and then released. He trailed his fingers lower, leaned them both back farther in the chair and circled her ass. “I want to work on this puckered hole soon, baby. I need to take you there again.”

  “Yes, Sir.” She squeezed her butt cheeks together as he spoke. She enjoyed anal sex. A lot. Though she’d only done it with him. And she hadn’t even considered it for the two y
ears he’d been gone. That included plugs. She didn’t own one and hadn’t used one.

  “You’re squirming. You like the idea.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He tapped a finger over her lower hole. “So tight,” he whispered. “I always came too fast in there.”

  She didn’t move except to fist her hands and wait for him to quit torturing her.

  With no warning, he swiped a finger through her folds.

  Lori moaned and bucked toward him.

  “Ah ah ah. Don’t move.”

  She lowered her ass to the chair and he did it again. “One to ten?”

  “Ten, Sir.”

  “I thought so. How do you want me to take you? Hard and fast? Slow and easy?”

  “Hard and fast, Sir.” And fucking now.

  He swirled her wetness around her pussy. “So wet…”

  Lori held very still. The waiting was the entire hold he had on her. It was the crux of their relationship. He liked to keep her on edge, and she loved it more than he did. It felt so fucking fantastic, needing to come, being consumed with only thoughts of orgasm. Dazed.

  Suddenly Jude released her and grabbed her hips. He lifted her to stand beside him on shaky legs. Then he lifted his ass and shrugged out of his jeans and underwear. He plucked a condom from his pocket and rolled it onto his length. “Straddle me, baby.”

  He was going to let her be on top. It was rare. And she knew better than to think she was in control. If anything, he could manage to give her less control from the top than the bottom.

  Lori straddled his legs and lined herself up with his cock.

  Jude held her hips. “Who’s in charge?”

  “You are, Sir.” Always.

  “Lower yourself on my dick, slowly. If you go too fast, I’ll turn you around and spank you and leave you horny, understood?”

  “Yes, Sir.” She swallowed. Challenges like this had always been his specialty. And she knew he wasn’t kidding. She’d endured the punishment for not heeding his instructions properly on too many occasions to count. He meant what he said. He would spank her ass until it stung, and leave her dripping pussy alone, sometimes letting her suck him off before he left the room.