Embers: A Dark Romance Love Triangle (A Special Agent Novel Book 5) Read online

  Outside the tank, everything goes ominously quiet around me. There are no hands on my flesh, no fingernails trailing down my legs, and I can’t feel a single whisper of movement around me. Is he still there? For fuck’s sake don’t leave me, James, I pray. Don’t leave me to die here alone. My heartbeat thuds in my ears as I wait for something to happen. What is going on out there? Are they talking? I can hear nothing down here bar the odd occasional muted tone, and it might be voices, or it might be something else entirely.

  Please don’t let anything happen to James or Adie and please don’t let Alain win this war. My prayer is for anyone who’ll listen. This is without doubt the tightest spot I’ve ever been in, and I feel my legs begin to wobble as terror sets in. I’m about to break my first rule of being an assassin, but before this journey is over, I suspect it won’t be the last.

  Chapter Three – James

  I’ve been doing my best to build Lois up to the pain side of things gradually. Although it’s part of the test, it’s also the part where things usually start to go wrong, so I’m playing it as safe as I dare. Alain is on the side-lines, of course, calling me a pussy, but I don’t give a fuck. I just have to go through everything step-by-step and get Lois the hell out of here. So far, she’s been doing great. We’re at the half-way mark, and she’s been keeping up with my pace. Although she’s slowed down a little on the last couple, that’s to be expected. She’ll be getting tired by now. I’ve still got a few tricks in my book to pull out, though, and I’m pretty sure I’ll get her through this in just over an hour. She’s just got to hang on in there.

  Adie is watching me like a hawk from the other side of the tank, although Lois probably won’t know he’s here. It’s too dark for her to see much underwater. He hasn’t said anything yet, but I’m positive that’s because he doesn’t want to disturb my concentration. He’ll only offer advice if I need it. There’s a reason he hasn’t volunteered to do the honours today, and that’s because he’s killed someone in here before. Thankfully, I haven’t, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have taken this on if that had been the case. Leaving Lois at the hands of Alain would be a last resort. Bad things happen when he’s left alone with females. Hundreds of dead women can attest to this. Actually, they can’t, for obvious reasons. Concentrate, James.

  Running my fingernails up and down her thighs, I try to let her know there’s some pain coming her way. I back up that action with a few sharp swats of my hand. I need to get her used to keeping a tight grip on that plastic mouthpiece, no matter what I throw at her. Even though I’m sure she’s understood my warning, she won’t like what’s coming next, and that’s tame compared to what I’ll have to dish out in order to finish this. I don’t let myself think about that. All I need to do is focus on the here and now. If I take things one step at a time, we’ll cross over the finish line sooner or later, and that’s all I care about.

  Picking up the paddle, I deliver a series of hard swats to her thighs. I bang them out one after the other, as hard as I can, to get her ready for what I’m about to dish out next. Turning the thin, mahogany paddle on its side, I prepare to give her a series of smacks on her clit, which will almost certainly send her over the edge. This will be a stronger orgasm than those previous, so I hope she’s paying attention down there. If she loses that tube this early, it’s all over.

  Tracing my finger over the smooth grain of the wood, I give her a moment to anticipate what will come next. The fewer strokes I have to use the better, and hopefully her imagination will be running riot by now. I can’t help but wonder what she’s thinking. She’s smart enough to be focused on some sexual fantasy or another, and if I had to put money on it, it would probably be a threesome with Adie and myself. I smile. Maybe I’ll ask her one day, when this shit is all far behind us.

  Although I’m sure she’s figured it out by now, there are rules to this game. Certain orgasms have to be induced by pain, and pain alone – but thankfully, I don’t think that will be a problem for Lois. For most of the poor submissives who’ve come before her, it has been a problem, and it’s usually the part where someone gets killed. Trying to concentrate while someone’s spanking your clit is pretty damn hard, but if anyone can do it, Lois can.

  The whack of the paddle comes down hard, and I mete out the next four in measured doses before I can see her cunt convulse. I let out a breath of relief. We’re well past the half-way mark and it’s all looking good. That thought dies an instant death as I then watch her body writhe and jerk in the water, while bubbles float to the surface of the tank and pop in gentle little bursts. I can just see them as they break the surface. That can only mean one thing. Holy fuck. She’s lost the tube, we’re only nine orgasms down, and it’s all over – unless I can think of a quick way to take out Alain and all of his men in the sodding dark. I’m not a miracle worker. It’s not happening in this lifetime.

  “Oh, my fucking God, please tell me that sound wasn’t what I think it was.” Adie sounds as if someone’s just jammed a red-hot poker up his ass – which is a combination of shocked, horrified, and dismayed. It echoes my sentiments perfectly, which is why I can’t answer him. My brain is trying to process a solution to this problem, and there isn’t one. Lois isn’t going to be able to do watery pull-ups for her next seven orgasms and there’s no way around that. I’m good – but I’m not that good. This is it. We’re here to watch her die. My eyes widen as the reality of our situation sinks in. Somewhere in the background, Alain chuckles, and I feel my hands curl up and turn into claws. I am going to rip that bastard's throat from his neck with my bare hands and then punch a hole in his chest while I tear his heart out. The only problem with that, is I can’t do it until I get Lois out of the damn tank and make sure she’s okay. Logic then kicks in. There are guards in here, and even though it’s dark, someone will have a gun trained on me. That’s the beauty of infrared goggles. Alain will have thought of everything. If I try and help Lois, he will shoot me. He might even shoot her. There’s a possibility he’ll also shoot Adie, so I need to think my next move through as cautiously as I can – within a ten second window. Oh shit. Don’t lose it. She’s not dead yet, and she’s one of the smartest, quickest, and fittest women I know. She’ll think of something. I just need to give her a chance. You had better not die on me, Lois. I swear I will never forgive you.

  The last few bubbles rising to the surface of the tank sound like missiles detonating. They echo in my ears and blow holes in my brain. Those soft, fizzing pops of air turn my body to mush. It’s feels like someone has just yanked a very large rug from underneath me and left me free-falling. I can’t do this anymore. I cannot watch anyone else die. I’m on fragile enough ground as it is, and what’s left is crumbling beneath me.

  Why is Lois not rising up to take a breath? Has she got stuck down there? Is it the whipping Adie delivered earlier? So help me God, if I find that bastard has bruised her so bad she can’t move, I’ll slit his throat the same as Alain’s. If Lois goes, I’ll take down everyone else here or die trying, the consequences be damned. I won’t be able to help myself.

  Standing back from the tank, I try my best to figure out what’s going on. Although the room is shrouded in darkness, my eyes have become accustomed to it and I can make out figures and shapes. At the moment, Lois is moving, but she’s not trying to rise to the surface of the tank. Her body is twisting about with sharp, jerky motions, and it takes me a moment to realise what’s going on. She’s trying to retrieve the tube. That’s a hairbrained mission, even in my book, but I guess anything is worth a shot. I feel my breath freeze in my throat as I watch coils of hair wind around her featureless face. Adie is watching, too. We both stand, still as sentinels, while the horror unfolds before us. Somewhere in amongst that mess, is a piece of plastic that means the difference between life and death. What are the chances of her capturing it? Even if she does, it will be filled with water by now. How much air does she have left in her lungs?

  I tell myself I’ll give her another te
n seconds of this nonsense and then I’ll drag her out. I’ll offer up myself to Alain in recompense and hope he’s prepared to barter. In fact, I’ll pretty much give him anything he wants, as long as he lets Lois get out of the tank alive, and that includes my life, although I know he doesn’t want it – not yet, at least. Ten, nine, eight. Will Alain try to shoot me as I rescue her? Seven, six, five. What happens if he’s not prepared to barter? Will Adie step in? Four, three, two. Alain doesn’t want her dead, though. He just wants to watch me suffer. Will he rescue her at the last minute? Is this just another one of his stupid games? I can’t go to Il Piacere without her. There is no one else here who can take her place. One.

  I brace myself for Alain’s wrath, and get ready to dive into the tank, to pull Lois’s body to safety. As I bend over, I am then blinded by a stream of cold water, directly in the face. My head snaps back automatically, as I realise what has just happened. By some miracle, Lois has the tube back in her mouth. As it was filled with water, she’s blowing it out so she can breathe again. I can see the plastic tip as it rises above the surface of the tank. She’s not out of the woods yet, though. As my eyes fall back down, I can see her choking, as she swallows the remainder of the fluid trapped inside it. I have no idea how much water has just gone down her throat, but I suspect it’s a lot, and I’m still not sure whether she’ll have cleared enough to be able to breathe. There’s no way she’ll have enough air to try and clear it a second time, so I bite my lip and pray. I know Adie’s doing the same thing, even though I’m not looking at him. I can’t. My focus is on the scene unfolding in front of me. Breathe, Lois, I urge. Fucking breathe.

  For a full minute, I am motionless with fear, but when nothing happens and her body returns to a still, calm position, I’m not sure whether she’s dead or alive. In the end, I have to put the flat of my hand over the top of the tube, to see if I can detect any movement from there. Sure enough, I can feel warm, soft tendrils of air coming up through the plastic, and elation surges through my chest.

  “She’s alive,” I whisper, mostly to reassure Adie. I don’t know how she made it through that colossal fuck-up, but I’m mightily glad that she has. Shit. I’d better get back to work. After that, it’s more important than ever to get this mess over with as quickly as possible. Adie then whistles in relief, and my posture slowly relaxes as I begin to calm myself down. Jesus Christ, that was close.

  Tapping Lois on the leg twice, to let her know I’m still here, she shakes her legs and rattles her chains in acknowledgement. I’m guessing that’s as good an indication as any that she’s ready to begin, so I bring out the big guns. We’ve got six more orgasms to get through, and I need to get at least three under my belt before I can start to breathe again. This means I’m going to work her hard, and she’d better be prepared to go fucking nuclear.

  Gently working a finger inside her, I’m surprised to find she’s still wet. I’d have thought the sheer terror of losing her mouthpiece would have erased any semblance of arousal, but apparently not. She’s still soaked. This means my work will be a little easier. Inserting another finger, I begin to stimulate her G-spot, while my other hand works her clit. I still have to make her come using the crop and flogger, but after the last fucking catastrophe, I think we can get another two or three under our belts before we go there.

  Using my thumb nail to flick her swollen clit in the middle of my careful rubbing, I get her where I want her in about three minutes. This time when she climaxes, there is no drama, just a gentle rocking and jangling of chains. In my head, I count to sixty while I stop working her over with my thumb. The fingers inside her don’t pause, though, so it isn’t long before I’ve wrung a G-spot orgasm out of her, and she’s squirting away in excitement. Giving Lois a quick pat on her leg, I let her know she’s doing well. Although I’m aware she’s getting tired, we’ll soon be on the home straight.

  “Isn’t it about time you used the flogger, James?” Alain’s voice breaks the silence around me, and my body stiffens. He’s tormenting me, but I don’t care. Lois is still alive. Things could be much worse.

  “I’m now about to, Alain. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten the rules,” I reply. In reality, I’m shit scared of giving her another pain-filled orgasm. I can’t take a repeat of earlier. Even though her chances of success rise slightly the further we work through the programme, we are still a long way away from the finish line. When I reach back to pick up the leather handle of the rubber flogger, my veins fill with acid. I’m glad the room’s dark because if it wasn’t, everyone would see paralysing fear written all over my face. The thought of swinging this beast around makes my gut clench, but I’ve got no choice. Lois has to achieve four of her fifteen orgasms through pain, and so far, we’ve managed one. They also need to be delivered by three different impact toys, one of which has to be the crop, so I’ve got my work cut out for me. I need to get over this. This time, she’ll cope. She has to.

  Sliding the flogger up and down her leg, I get her used to the feel of the fronds. I’m warning her pain is coming, and that she needs to pay attention. I’m pretty sure she’ll take me seriously this time, but even so, the first swing of the flogger upon her sex is as soft as I can make it. Panic swirls in my bloodstream, and bile crawls up my throat, but I have to continue.

  In gradual increments, each swat is slightly harder than the one before. Although it will take longer if I do it this way, I daren’t risk hammering into her. I’d rather take my time than face another disaster. Thankfully, this time, things seem to be going a lot more smoothly. Lois keeps her body calm and controlled in the water, and her sex flutters and contracts with each passing blow. Holding myself back as much as I can, I let her work up to this one slowly. My fucking heart can’t take anything else. When she finally climaxes with no more drama, I feel my body deflate in relief. We’re edging closer to victory, but there’s still a way to go yet.

  “Work her straight through. She can take another one like that, trust me.” My head spins around to glare at Adie.

  “Since when are you an expert at this?” I growl. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what happened last time you were here in my place.” It’s a mean jibe, but I need to get it out there. He is not about to start calling the shots. I am responsible for the life before me, not him, and I will be doing this my way.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to help,” Adie says, so softly it makes me pause what I’m doing. “Don’t forget I need her alive just as much as you do. Can we work together?” He’s right, of course. Logic and reason went out of the window as soon as I saw her oxygen supply transformed into tiny little bubbles. Maybe I can wring another one out of her by carrying straight on through.

  “How do you know?” I know how he knows, but I want him to tell me. It will make me fucking angry, and I need that to counter some of the awful dread I am feeling.

  Adie leans over the side of the tank and frowns at me. “This can’t continue,” he whispers. He’s right. We don’t fight over women. There is no point me even getting close to one, and he’s not in any better position. The last women he showed any interest in ended up being committed to a mental asylum courtesy of his brother. Since then, Adie has made a point of sleeping with a different woman every day of the week.

  Continuing to rain the flogger down on Lois’s body, to see if he’s right, I soften the blows. He’d better be right. If this fails miserably, my fist is going straight through that handsome face of his, and it’s never going to be the same again.

  “As soon as I can get myself away from here, she’s yours. You can have her. I won’t stand in your way.” Rubbing my free hand across my face, I note that it comes away covered in sweat. My cool, calm, collected self has flown out of the window. Those words sting as I say them, and I realise that Alain is not the only one who can torture me, now. There’s two people who can do that, although only one is aware of it.

  “I’ll hold you to that, James. I’ve never wanted a woman in my life more than I’ve wanted, L
ois. She can handle me. I need her.” Adie’s wasting his breath. I’ve already said he can have her. I know he’ll take care of her, and if he doesn’t, I know Lois will put a knife through him. They are perfectly suited in every way that matters.

  “You’re only having her if you figure out a way to dispose of your brother. I won’t let the pair of you use her as bait in your twisted little games. If that’s the case, I’ll kill you both by whatever means necessary.” I mean it, too. The thump of the flogger increases against Lois’s straining flesh, and it takes me a moment to realise she’s close to coming – again. Adie was right. The jealousy that ripples through my body is only placated by the fact that I’ve got three days of Lois at my utter beck and call in Il Piacere. I’m going to fuck her, too. I’ve already decided. Alain’s given me a freebie, and I owe her for the stunt she pulled when she handcuffed me to the bed. I am going to watch that woman scream in torment as I rip her body to shreds. If she thinks this is bad, she hasn’t seen anything yet.

  “James, you can stop now, she’s climaxed.” Adie bangs his foot against the edge of the tank to get my attention, and I pull myself back, blinking. Concentrate, you idiot. Lois gets another tap of the leg, as I fling the flogger behind me, and then I begin pacing. She needs one orgasm with the crop, and the other can be delivered however the hell I like. My dilemma is whether to use the crop now or save it until last. Neither option is great.