The Best Friends Anthology (A New City Story Book 5) Read online

  I studied the view and found him looking at me when I picked up my drink.

  “I asked Adam about you. And Jane.”

  “Find out anything good?” I sipped the cold liquid.

  “You’re very normal.”

  “Wow, what a compliment.” I gave my best unimpressed-with-a-man face.

  “We’ve all got baggage and skeletons.”

  I leant back, sucking an ice cube. “People think those like yourself have the strength and power and discipline in the dynamic. That’s a misconception. Your control is over yourself, and other things automatically follow, right?”

  He nodded, sipping his cola.

  “The discipline in our scenario is with me: the sub and masochist. It’s my choice to be vulnerable, to endure, and risk myself for another. I’ve denied more than you’ll ever know. You are out the norm for me.”

  “I’m honoured.”

  “You are. There are so many that believe I have to be a piece of shit to want this and treat me accordingly. But giving me what I want is worship, and in return, you receive my obedience. It’s complex and nuanced, and when I was younger, I didn’t have the self-awareness to keep myself safe. I vowed never again.”

  “How long has it been?”

  “Nearly seven years.”

  “What happened?”

  “I can’t give you that. Not yet.”

  Vaughan scowled. “I need to know.”

  I leant in. “If I withdraw consent. You stop. I told you my hard passes. That’s it. I’ll take most things. That’s the problem. If things go further and you take me as yours, I’ll tell you.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you? The risk I took with you is out of character.”

  “Why then?”

  “I have a thing for you.” I fidgeted.

  “Stop fidgeting.”

  I obeyed. He held my gaze before I lowered it.

  Vaughan nearly said more, but we were called to our table. We ordered and chatted, and I liked him. Not just the fantasy I’d built up, but him. He really was together, mostly, he really was how he appeared. We talked constantly. He liked football too much for my taste, but our perspectives lined up for the most part.

  It was nice. A normal date.

  I rolled a mint over in my mouth as we bickered about who was paying.

  “Vaughan, I’m not after that kind of Daddy.”

  He laughed. “I will pay as part of a greater apology. Plus, I’m not sure you’re aware of exactly how this will go.”

  “Oh? Do as I say in all circumstances?”

  “Not quite. But I’m not bickering over shit like who pays. If I offer, I’m doing it.”

  “Fine,” I huffed.

  “What and however I choose in play.”

  “Definitely.”

  “If you want to alter boundaries, ask to discuss them. No games. We watch for each other’s drop.”

  “Agreed.”

  “But I’m not seeking mindless obedience.”

  “Have I appeared to be a weak pushover?”

  “The opposite.” He leant forward, keeping his voice low. “Part of the problem I had in my previous relationship was I thought he’d speak up. We’d talked and negotiated.”

  “But he felt overwhelmed by you.”

  Vaughan took a slow breath, turning the unused dessert spoon. “It was for the best in the end, but I hurt him. It broke me at the time.”

  I reached out, and he took my hand in his. “We’ve both made mistakes. We know our weaknesses. We can be better. Self-awareness and communication is everything.”

  “Good.”

  He tilted his head, and we left, walking down by the river to shake off the food tiredness.

  He wound his fingers in mine. “This feels so natural.”

  “Yes.”

  He stopped and pulled me close. “May I kiss you?”

  “Please.”

  Slow and almost sweet, a hint of pressure and need restrained. Licking his lips, he stepped away.

  “Home.”

  PLAY

  Vaughan pulled me in behind him as he opened the front door and kissed me.

  “Aww and eww.” Ariel laughed.

  Vaughan stepped back. “Are you going out?”

  “Why yes.” She picked up her bag.

  “Where?”

  “Kayla’s.”

  They stared at each other. “Okay.”

  “I promise not to come back and interrupt. Eww. Bye.”

  I waved. When she closed the door behind her, we glanced at each other.

  “Right.”

  I giggled.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “It’s pretty fucking funny.”

  Vaughan pinned me against the wall. “You’ve worn an indecent dress, argued with me, and laughed at me.” He tutted. “That’s not good behaviour.” Gathering the soft cotton of the dress, he bunched it up to mid-thigh.

  My laughter fell away.

  Putting his head against mine, he rocked against me. “We doing this?”

  “Please Vaughan.”

  He grunted and led me by the bunched fabric in his grasp. He pulled my dress off and looked me up and down when we got to his room.

  “I’m not sure I’m going to fuck you yet. Maybe denial is the best punishment.”

  My nipples hardened as I shivered, all my heat went between my legs.

  “Knees.”

  I went. Hands on thighs, eyes lowered. I liked how we began. He pulled his bench out, and I bit back a retort. He leant an elbow on it.

  “Speak.”

  “That.” I nodded at it.

  He starting adjusting it, so one end slanted up and the bottom went lower. “It was what did it with my last relationship. I bought it. I really wanted a good piece of equipment. He lost his shit. I had no idea how he felt. Whenever we talked, he seemed fine. I believed him when he said so. He was trying to keep me happy.”

  “Vaughan, can I hug you?”

  He pulled me up and gathered me in a tight embrace, my feet dangled just off the floor, and the great, sexy man held tight.

  “I promise I’ll talk to you. I’ll be honest.”

  “Thank you,” he whispered into my neck.

  Setting me down, he marched me to it, and from behind pulled my knickers down. I leant against the cool leather, and he attached my wrists and ankles into the restraints. My toes perched on the crossbar, but the seat took most of my weight. At least it only came to under my tits so I could breathe. Vaughan grabbed my bun and pulled my head back, and leant onto me, ensuring I was where he wanted me. I hummed. It felt so good.

  “I’m going to gag you.”

  “Please.”

  He showed me the thing, new, it had a black plastic bit to bite down on. He buckled it on. Saliva gathered instantly.

  “Don’t resist it.”

  The saliva fell.

  He opened his fly, took his t-shirt off, and when his cock sprang free, I moaned and squirmed.

  He tapped my face. The sting made me blink.

  “Don’t.”

  I held still. He stroked himself, and I watched him wank, transfixed. He paused, fetching lube and carried on. He stood close, with his cock in my face.

  It didn’t take long before I saw pleasure etched on his face, muscles tense, a light flush to his cheeks, and then he came. Hot cum splashed my face and hair.

  He moaned, enjoying the last of the ebbing pleasure. Then he put himself away.

  “I love seeing my cum on your skin. Marking you as mine.”

  I tried to smile around the bit. My clit throbbed. I held his look, needy and intense.

  Vaughan moved around me, feeling over my body, squeezing, hands sticky from the lube. He parted my cheeks and rubbed a finger in the wet.

  “Filthy girl.”

  I writhed against my binds, desperate.

  He slapped my bottom hard. “I’m g
oing to hurt you. I’ll take you beyond your known limit. To stop, knock the leg. Show me.”

  I tapped the metal leg with my knuckle, and it made a high tinkling sound.

  “Good girl.” He moved about and showed me the flogger. My heart and breath kicked up. This was new for me.

  He held something else. Metal nipple clips. I nodded and moaned, and he palmed my tits, pinching and pulling. Attaching them, he tightened until I squirmed away, and then a little more. It hurt, and he watched me carefully as I cried out, biting down. The intensity settled, the hard pinch bringing me closer as pain pulsed into pleasure.

  The clamps had rings on, and he clipped a fine yet sturdy chain to each one and unfurled the length to my thighs. I tried to look over my shoulder to see what he was doing, but he pulled the chain with a smirk. I went still, whimpering.

  He wrapped the length around the top of each thigh, clipping the chain to itself, if I squirmed, it pulled.

  I was in heaven.

  “Ready?”

  My muffled yes made him laugh and he teased me with the flogger before striking. A thousand needles burst across the skin on the back of my thighs and bottom. The pain sharp and instant and I jolted, pulling the clamps.

  He gave me a moment to settle. Then he went to work. Each strike was harder than the last. He worked from the back of my calves up to my shoulders, avoiding my lower back. Each hit burnt hot like a bite, and my body reacted, pulling the tight clamps.

  The orgasm that followed was unlike any other. Slow, it didn’t build up or was forced out; pain washed through my body with my heartbeat. With every breath, ecstasy heightened. The first wave of it drew hard and long. My body twitched, writhing against my will until my nipples screamed in pain, and so did I.

  The only tempering was the burning ice on my back.

  Vaughan didn’t stop.

  The intensity drew out on a thread, I clung to it, skidding along with my eyes squeezed shut. No longer feeling my body, I became the sensation of his pleasure, and it weaved through my flesh and bones.

  It stopped. My back throbbed as I floated over myself. He pulled my bun, lifting my hanging head.

  “With me, little kitten?”

  I couldn’t focus on him, but he laughed.

  Behind me, he fingered my pussy. “If you can ask, you can have.”

  It took a second to register what he said. I mumbled yes.

  “I don’t think you want me inside. You have to do better than that, ask nicely.” He caged me, skin close, and I felt his body heat.

  I mumbled around the bit in my mouth.

  Vaughan sighed breath on my cheek. “I guess you don’t really want it.”

  I mumbled louder.

  “We’ll leave it then.” He nuzzled me.

  I cried in desperation.

  “There, see, you do want it.”

  I struggled, pussy clenching, soaked and sore. I begged and sobbed.

  He leant against my back. Cock pressing into my pained skin. “Tell me again that you’re my cumslut.” He teased, kissing my neck.

  I gave him my muffled answer.

  “I can’t hear you.”

  I said it again.

  He eased his tip inside me, and holding the bench, Vaughan fucked me.

  My body was raw and oversensitive, which meant every sensation was heightened.

  He took me. Owned it. Hard and vicious. He sated the tight want of my body with hard punishing thrusts. He held my head still with one hand, and I gave to him. Limp, unable to resist or struggle. I cried. Unashamedly overwhelmed. High. His cock filled and stretched me as he thrust deep. Rough. Our bodies met hard. The pain so intense, I came again. Strung out and sweating. His cries, the breaking of control as he gave himself everything he wanted from me warmed my heart. I’d let him take everything. Needed him to. With several harder jolting and disjointed thrusts, he came, my pussy clamping hard around him. I felt it. He slumped, moving slowly bringing me down. Comforting me with little kisses on my shoulder.

  After a moment, he withdrew, taking the clamps off. My tits ached and throbbed. He took the gag off and put two fingers in my mouth. “Lick me clean.” He put his softening cock in my mouth, and I sucked both our cum off it.

  He started fucking my mouth, hardening again. “I can’t get enough of you. It’s not enough.”

  Pushing further down, I struggled, but he didn’t stop. I was exhausted, my body unable to fight. Such a precious moment being at his mercy, not that I wanted any.

  With my face pressed into his body, he thrust in shallow movements. My eyes swam, unable to get my breath. On the edge of panic, I relished fear and discomfort.

  “Oh fuck.” His sudden cry, shuddering, and the warm, tangy liquid that filled my mouth and throat took me by surprise, and I retched.

  Withdrawing, leaving me coughing and messy, he bent down.

  “Who do you belong to?”

  “You,” I croaked, struggling for breath.

  “Yes, little kitten, mine. Mine.” His face softened in tenderness.

  I’d be his for as long as he wanted me in unwavering loyalty, and I’d bow to him as he worshipped me with pain.

  We stared at each other. Something fixed at that moment. In a flurry of movement, he unclipped me and took me in his arms. Limp and bruised, I cried out. My back and legs sore.

  Truly sated. Alive. He carried me into the bathroom and set me in the bath. He ran tepid water on low pressure, showering me, holding the head in one hand, until I came around enough to cooperate with him.

  He ran his thumb over my cheek. His lips trembled.

  “What?”

  He couldn’t hold it in. I felt it too. We held onto each other in the bath, awkward and tangled. He crouched, and I had one leg over the side.

  We both cried.

  Finally, he pulled away, and we pulled ourselves together.

  “Come on. Let me put aloe on your back.”

  He patted me dry. I chugged water before lying down. He took a photo and showed me the crisscrossed red lines on my back. It was beautiful. We lay there until I fell asleep.

  Vaughan made sure I was safe and warm. Comforted. I didn’t drop. We watched television later as the day faded and finally cooled with pattering rain.

  I lay nestled between his sprawled legs, lulled and soothed. My body utterly calm.

  “I could stay like this forever.” I kissed his stomach.

  Vaughan stroked my hair. “Whatever you want.”

  I pushed through the intensity of my emotion. It would be a long road to forever, but I knew it was there. I hoped for it.

  And for the first time, I gave myself permission to have it.

  The End

  NOT GOING ANYWHERE

  One of Poppy’s best friends, Toby, makes her world a better place. After an unpleasant event, she sees him in a whole new light and puts their friendship in jeopardy. Realising you love your best friend is the worst.

  ***

  Content Warning: Contains graphic sexual and BDSM depictions of anal, restraints, spanking. Strong language and themes, including harassment and violence.

  A GUY

  It was a weird night. How I get into these situations is beyond me. My housemates, Claire and Anne, were with their boyfriends, and I’d decided to try dating apps back in the spring. Again. I was lonely.

  Cue Jer.

  We’d chatted a lot, he was attentive and sexy and far too tall, but there we go. He wasn’t immediately gross, so I took a chance. I did the one thing I promised myself I wouldn’t do, and not listen to the doubt needling in the back of my mind.

  We met a few times when I was comfortable, but he became a bit cagey after a few dates. I thought they’d gone well, he was extremely personable in real life, but he disappeared on me, only to reappear again a week later.

  I remember when the penny dropped. My housemates and I had gone to the park the first hot weekend in June, and Claire’s boyfri
end was playing football. I messaged Jer asking if he was on social media and he said no. Then he vanished.

  I checked him out using his photo in a reverse image search and found him under his full name. He was engaged. I felt sick and so relieved I hadn’t slept with him. I sent a message with no explanation, saying I didn’t want to see him anymore and that was that.

  Only it wasn’t.

  He started messaging me again, and I think it was just the chase he wanted, not me, and he was charming in moments and weird in others, and I agreed to meet him so he could explain and apologise — try to shag while he still had a chance — and in a weird fit of fuck-you, I agreed. He’d pestered me since I sent that message and it followed with a lot of apologising and emotional manipulation. I let him think I fell for it.

  So there I was in a packed pub a few weeks later, about to eviscerate a man more than twice my size. One doesn’t go into such a fight unarmed, especially when one is four-foot-eight and the opponent is six-one. He’d said something lecherous from the off, and I think he saw he burnt whatever chance he had.

  I strained up in my platform heels, gaining a good four inches. “I’m not tolerating any bad boy bullshit, come near me, and I’ll end you.”

  He blinked, surprise turning to anger. “You?” The fucker laughed. Prick.

  “Me. I’m going to make sure everyone you’ve ever known understands what kind of cock waving dick bag you are. Starting with your mother. Sue, is it?”

  He paled.

  “That’s right. Did you think I’m a complete numpty because I’m short? Of course I was going to check up on you when you started acting suspiciously. Did you not think people do that? You only gave me your nickname, Jeremy. But I know everything I need to about you.”

  He pushed away from the bar. “Don’t you dare, you little cunt.”

  “Then stay away from me.”

  He loomed, and his physicality overwhelmed me. His perfect dark hair and perfect sunbed tan wrapped around his gym-perfect body. I hated him. I hated everything he was. Preening arrogant shit. I was done with the whole lot of them.

  The server leant on the bar. She had a nose ring and a lot of makeup, and I wished I was that good at winged eyeliner.