“Would you like me to get you a mirror so you can see for yourself?”
“No, pet. The fact that you like it is good enough for me.”
My heart melts at his answer.
“I’ve brought something for you, as well.”
I watch with bated breath as he pulls the thin black collar from his pocket. “Now that your parents are gone, it is time for you to wear this.”
I know in my head that this is only a temporary collar, but my heart flutters as I kneel down before him to receive it. My skin tingles when I feel the leather collar press against my throat.
In a deep voice he vows, “This temporary collar symbolizes my commitment to protect you, my pet.”
I close my eyes, my heart racing as he secures the buckle in the back. I love the pressure of it against my skin. It’s like feeling his physical touch.
Opening my eyes, I make my own vow to him. “Captain, I accept your collar of protection, and will fully commit to each encounter you present to me.”
He smiles, giving me a tender kiss on the cheek. “I will not fail you, my pet.”
I remain convinced that he is my one, but I accept his conviction to the contrary, and I am willing to walk through this test with him.
“You make a beautiful sub,” he says in a gravelly voice ripe with lust.
I touch the collar with my fingers, confessing, “Wearing this makes me feel more beautiful, Captain.”
“You are always beautiful, my pet.”
I lean toward Captain, wanting to thank him with a kiss. But, when our lips touch, I’m instantly hit by the sensual chemistry between us. He feels it too, and pulls me into him, kissing me more deeply.
My body responds to his sexual desire, drawn in by his natural dominance. I run my hands through his hair, inadvertently loosening the eye patch because of my inadequate tie. It slips down and he instantly stiffens.
“Let me…” I purr.
Instead of retying it, I take it off completely.
It’s a beautiful thing not to have that barrier between us, and I move in for another kiss.
At first, his lips are stiff and unyielding.
I know Captain feels vulnerable, being exposed like this, but when I lightly flick my tongue against his mouth, I’m gratified to hear the deep rumble of his passionate groan.
I open my lips slightly, inviting him in, and begin moaning softly as he explores my mouth with his tongue. Climbing onto his lap, I run my hands through his hair again, becoming completely lost in his kisses as he grasps the back of my neck and presses my lips firmly against his.
My Captain…
There is a sexual thrill to knowing the eye patch lays on the table beside us.
My pussy aches with need as he turns and slowly pushes me onto the couch. I look up at his beautiful, scarred face as he hurriedly unbuckles his belt and unzips his pants. The scars he carries are a part of who Captain is, heightening the intimacy between us. It makes this encounter far more personal than any before it.
My heart begins racing when I feel his hands hike up my skirt and slide off my wet panties. He caresses my body with his mouth and hands—his touch gentle, his kisses lingering.
I open my legs to him, needing to make love to this man. Arching my back, I moan as he pushes his cock into me—starting off with slow, measured strokes.
Reveling in the feeling of his hard shaft deep inside me, I wrap my legs around him, wanting even more. “I love you, Captain,” I whisper, gazing up at him.
The look of love in his eyes makes me want to cry and I fight to hold back the tears.
Captain begins rolling his hips, taking me even more deeply, but with the same measured strokes, building up my desire as he stimulates my G-spot. However, my thoughts are not on my orgasm, but this intimate connection between us, and I don’t want it to end.
But when he leans down and whispers in my ear as he comes, I am undone. Hearing Captain profess his love for me in this vulnerable moment takes me right over the edge and I climax, caressing his shaft with adoration.
He holds me for a long time afterward. It’s as if, just like me, he doesn’t want this connection to end.
Eventually, Captain releases the embrace and sits up, zipping up his pants and buckling his belt. He suddenly seems uncomfortable being openly exposed, and picks up the eye patch, turning away from me while he puts it on.
I’m secretly delighted he’s chosen my gift over his old one.
Again, I’m struck by how handsome he looks in it. But, the truth is, Captain’s just as handsome without it. It’s my hope that someday he will come to a point when he no longer feels the need to wear it around me.
That would be the greatest compliment of all.
The Protector
Candy
Captain asks me to dress up in a flirty little dress for my first encounter.
“Who am I dressing up for?” I ask, curious who his first Dom of choice is.
“Baron,” he answers confidently. “I’ve seen the chemistry between you two. He is a fine protector, and a man who would treat you with the respect and care you deserve.”
It’s obvious that Captain has given great thought to this match.
As we drive to Baron’s place, I start to feel my nerves kicking in.
“What’s wrong, pet?”
“I’m not sure how I feel about this, Captain. I thought this would be like the scenes I did with the Doms during my Submissive Training classes, but it doesn’t feel that way at all.”
“I’m actually glad to hear you say that. It proves to me that you are taking this challenge in the spirit it was designed. My mission is your happiness. Therefore, being true to yourself tonight, wherever it leads you, will guarantee you get the most out of this encounter.”
I nod, still feeling anxious about it.
He reaches over and strokes my cheek. “If you leave tonight feeling differently toward Baron, I will be satisfied.”
“And if I don’t?”
“We will move on to the next Dom,” he answers without hesitation. “The goal does not change.”
Once we arrive at Baron’s place, Captain helps me out of the car and walks me to the door. I sigh nervously, standing beside him as he knocks on the door.
Baron is quick to answer. “Captain and Candy, won’t you please come in?”
Captain ushers me into the apartment, and I keep my gaze on the floor out of respect for Baron.
“No need for formalities tonight, Candy,” Baron tells me. “I want to get to know you first. Eye contact is required this evening.”
I gaze into his hazel eyes and smile. In a matter of seconds, Baron has already put me at ease.
“May I ask, Captain, how I received the honor of being the first chosen?” he asks as he leads us into the living room and gestures for us to sit.
“You were the obvious choice.”
Baron glances at me and winks. “And how do you feel about the arrangement?”
I’m not sure how to answer, but end up telling him the truth, “I’m nervous.”
Baron gives me a reassuring smile. “There’s no need to be.”
I glance around his apartment. Like Captain, he has simple tastes in furnishings, although he has an impressive entertainment system. I also notice pictures set about the room. They’re all of the same woman. She’s beautiful, with a confident smile and a stunning collar around her neck.
I’ve heard rumors that Baron lost his submissive in a mugging. Looking at her smiling face, I’m heartbroken that such a bright spirit is gone. Just like Ethan, her life ended far too soon.
“Since she is wearing your protection collar, would you like to go over your limits while she’s in my care?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Captain says. “My desire is for you to interact naturally with her. The only limits will be any she voices herself.”
I’m surprised by Captain’s answer and glance at Baron, wondering what he has planned for me.
“I
t goes without saying that I will honor her limits,” Baron replies. He looks at me while telling Captain, “Based on her experience with Liege, there is something specific I would like to focus on tonight.”
“Good.” Captain stands up. “Then I will take this opportunity to leave so you can begin.”
“Don’t leave just yet,” Baron says. “I would like to ease Candy into this transition with your help.”
“And how do you propose to do that?” he asks as he sits back down.
“I thought we’d start with a more personal conversation between the three of us.”
Already, I am warming up to Baron’s approach. He isn’t overbearing, and I appreciate that he understands my unease.
“Candy, let me start by sharing something personal with you.”
“Please.”
“I see the same fire in you that I saw in my own Adrianna. She was stubborn like you, with the same fierce loyalty. Sir Davis introduced us at her graduation ceremony. I’ll never forget that moment. My life stopped and became something new when I met Adrianna for the first time. I was completely and utterly taken with that woman.”
His full lips spread into a mesmerizing smile as he talks about her. “Adrianna had a dynamic personality that both comforted and challenged me. That woman carried herself with a confidence that a lesser man might mistake as arrogance, but she was anything but. No, she was a calm female presence wrapped around an intensely sharp mind.
“My baby was the kind of woman that instinctually made you want to meet her high standards. And you can bet she had a harem of men vying for her attention when I met her.”
Baron smiles at me with those striking hazel eyes, confessing, “I believe Sir Davis knew exactly what would happen when he introduced the two of us.”
Baron sits back against the couch, chuckling lightly. “I knew as soon as we met that she was the one. It was like meeting a missing part of my soul. When Adrianna agreed to be mine, her submission was unconditional, and I have yet to experience that level of power exchange again.”
Seeing the love in Baron’s eyes made my heart ache for him. I look at her pictures around the room and tell him, “But she’s with you.”
He smiles. “Yes, she’s always with me.”
I glance at Captain. “It’s strange that all three of us carry someone with us from our past.”
He nods, a troubled look in his eye.
I still don’t know who Grapes is, but I know the man had a huge impact on Captain’s life. I decide now is a good time to find out more about him. But, rather than ask Captain about it directly, I turn to Baron. “I have only heard the barest of details about her death. Do you mind telling me what happened?”
I see the question pains him, and I instantly feel a deeper connection with Baron, since I feel the same way about Ethan’s death.
Baron glances at the nearest picture of her. “It was a simple night out. A late-night movie at our favorite theater. When we came out after the show, it was raining heavily. I went to get the car to spare her from getting drenched.” He pauses for a moment, his eyes clouded with sorrow. “When I pulled up to the theater entrance, I found her on the pavement, bloody and unresponsive, nobody else in sight. I later found out she had been attacked by three juveniles for the forty dollars she had in her purse…”
He growls under his breath, but soon that haunted look returns as his gaze darts back to her picture. “I rushed her straight to the hospital, but my baby never regained consciousness…”
Tears run down my face as I share in his pain.
Baron continues, “I’m haunted by the fact I never had the chance to tell her I loved her one last time, or to tell her I was sorry.”
I close my eyes, trying not to sob. His regret matches my own.
“I understand,” Captain states in a gravelly voice full of emotion.
I look over to see he is crying. My heart is crushed, and I want to rush over to comfort him, but I stay still. I’m afraid any movement on my part might disturb this rare moment of openness.
“The guilt you carry when you feel responsible for their deaths is the most damaging emotional of all,” he says, wiping the tears from his good eye.
“It is,” Baron agrees.
“As a Captain, you know your men’s lives are on the line anytime you’re on the battlefield—it’s a burden you always carry. But nothing prepared me for that day…”
He swallows hard several times and then looks at me. The depth of pain I see in his face overshadows my own, and I struggle to breathe for a moment.
“Grapes was the very first casualty. We never saw it coming. One moment he’s standing beside me, and the next, he’s…gone.”
Captain glances over at Baron. “I agree that it’s the things you didn’t get a chance to say that end up tormenting you.” He shakes his head, a look of anguish on his face. “He and I had a tendency to give each other grief. That’s how we communicated. But Grapes was the best friend that I’ve ever had.” Captain looks at me with regret. “I never told him how much I admired him as a person. Adam never knew how truly exceptional he was.” His voice starts to choke up and he turns away from me.
In this short exchange, Captain has given me the information I have longed for. Grapes was his best friend, he died the day Captain lost all of his men, and his first name was Adam.
“How have you dealt with the guilt?” Baron asks him.
Captain gives a sarcastic snort. “Not very well, obviously.”
Baron turns his attention back on me. “Like you, I’ve only heard bits and pieces from others. What happened to Ethan?”
My heart stops for a moment as the sounds of crunching metal and shattering glass ring in my head. It takes me a few moments to settle the emotions it evokes before I can speak.
“Like you, it was a simple outing. I suggested we go for ice cream and wanted to walk since it was close by…” My throat closes up as the pain takes over.
“It’s okay, pet,” Captain encourages me.
I nod, grateful for his presence. “We were crossing the street when a big white truck came barreling straight at us. I froze, but Ethan pushed me out of the way before impact.” I cover my face and start crying.
I feel Captain’s hand as he rubs my back gently in silent support.
“Ethan died saving me and, like both of you, it was as if one moment he was there, and the next he was gone. I still can’t wrap my head around it.” I can’t stop the tears from falling as I share. “The worst part is that I never got the chance to say goodbye or to thank him.”
Baron nods while Captain wraps his strong arms around me.
“Let’s face it. A sudden death leaves a wound that’s nearly impossible to heal,” Baron says. “It’s been years, and I’m still blindsided by the loss. Every time I think I’ve made headway, I catch her scent or see her favorite flower and I’m completely undone. The hardest thing for me is that it hurts just as much now as it did when I found her on the sidewalk.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. “I know…I feel that way about Ethan. It just takes seeing a big white truck and I break down in tears. I keep retracing my steps, wishing to God I had taken Ethan up on his offer to drive me instead of walking. If I’d just said yes, none of this would have happened and he would still be alive.”
“I completely understand feeling that way,” Baron says. “If I hadn’t left Adrianna to get the car, she would not have been alone when those boys showed up…” His voice trails off as he’s hit anew with grief.
We are both locked in a single point in time, and neither of us we can free ourselves from it.
“It’s been twenty-six years, and I have to say that the pain never goes away. You simply learn to live with it,” Captain tells us. “As far as the guilt, you need to let it go. What happened was pure chance in both your cases. It wasn’t a mistake on either of your parts that resulted in their deaths. Holding onto that guilt is pointless and damaging. It helps no one.”
&nbs
p; “I know you are right,” Baron replies, “but that is easier said than done.”
“Yes,” I agree. “I’m helpless to stop replaying what happened no matter how hard I try.”
Captain looks at me seriously. “You must find a way, pet. You are only hurting yourself and doing Ethan no service.”
“I will say that something good has come from the guilt, though,” Baron interjects. “I have found great satisfaction in my mission of rescuing new submissives from abusive Dom wannabes.”
“Yes, and that is something I greatly admire about you,” Captain tells him.
“The one good thing to come out of Ethan’s death was that it eventually led me to you, Captain.”
He shakes his head. “No, the future holds so much more for you, my pet.”
“And on that note, I think we transition to the next phase of the evening,” Baron announces. “After a little heart to heart session, it’s always good to follow it up with a kiss.” He stands up and walks over to the couch, sitting on the other side of me.
“Give your Master a kiss,” he commands in a low, seductive voice.
I turn my head toward Captain and lean forward. Giving him a gentle kiss on the lips, my emotions still raw from our conversation. It starts out almost tentativly, both of us having exposed so much of ourselves in the conversation but, as his kiss continues, it becomes more passionate and intense.
Captain brushes away the remaining tears on my cheeks and kisses me more deeply. By the time he releases me from his embrace, I am wet with desire.
“Very nice,” Baron compliments, in his silky smooth baritone. “Now kiss me.”
I automatically glance at Captain, who nods his approval. With my heart beating rapidly, I lean up and kiss Baron’s full lips. He groans in response, pulling me into his kiss. The chemistry we felt at the graduation ceremony is enhanced by the emotional connection we now share. I get lost in his passionate kiss and the spicy taste of his lips.
When I finally pull back, I feel a little light-headed.
Captain commands, “Kiss me again while Baron touches you.”