Bound to be Tested: Emergence, Book 3 Read Free Page B

flesh.
    Carlton stepped closer, joining them on the mat. “Lori?”
    She tipped her head up to meet Carlton’s gaze. “It’s okay. He’s barely a distraction.” She didn’t believe that for a second. What she did know, however, was that dozens of people were watching her and judging her, the crowd growing as word spread that a new man had stepped onto the scene and taken over. It was unheard of. It seemed more prudent to save face by playing this out as though it were planned rather than potentially causing a total disturbance by kicking Jude to the curb.
    Besides, the damn man was under her skin. She didn’t want him to leave. She wanted answers. And the only way to get them was to finish the scene out and ask the hard questions.
    Carlton lifted both eyebrows, clearly not buying her attempt at nonchalance, but he wandered back to the front of the club anyway.
    Trying to ignore Jude’s presence, she let the leather swish through the air once again. This time she struck her sub along the backs of her thighs.
    “Again, two more in quick succession.” He hadn’t waited for her consent. He just took over.
    Lori glanced to the side to find Jude nodding at her. Encouraging her to continue.
    She turned back to her sub and swatted across her ass again and then her lower thighs. Perfect pink welts rose in both spots.
    “Soothe them. Stroke her skin,” he commanded.
    Lori switched the flogger to her left hand and caressed Margaret’s ass and her thighs, running the flat of her palm over the pink lines and massaging them to ease the discomfort.
    Margaret moaned.
    “You should have gagged her, baby.” His tone was low, deep, only loud enough for those very close to him to hear.
    Lori twisted her face to Jude’s again and shot him a glare. Against her will. She didn’t want to look at him. Every time she made eye contact, she melted a little.
    Jude shook his head. “Okay. You don’t like the gag.”
    Lori stuffed the flogger under her arm, conscious of the way it made her corset press out. She stepped up to her sub on feet that held much less confidence than ten minutes ago. She held her sub’s chin. “Do you want me to gag you?”
    “No, Mistress. I’ll keep quiet.”
    Lori glanced down at her chest as she got a hold of the flogger’s handle again. She had goose bumps and her nipples were barely covered by the front of the bustier. She couldn’t adjust now. It would look awkward.
    She took a deep breath before lifting her gaze to Jude once more. He might have a hold over her she could barely control, but she wasn’t about to lose the battle with him over the gag. Even if her only reason was purely based on principle.
    “Another three strokes, baby.” He stepped closer. “Keep them on her ass this time. Three distinct spots.”
    Lori swung again, coming close to nicking Jude’s leather-bound legs. She almost wished she’d been less accurate and cut his skin beneath the damn tight, fucking sexy pants.
    Instead she hit her mark precisely. Three quick strikes that made her pet lean forward, putting too much weight on her shoulders.
    Lori eased her back into position, holding her steady.
    “She’s fine. Rub the new marks. Squeeze her cheeks. I want to see you make them pink.”
    As if she were a puppet, Lori fell under his spell. She held a very fine, thin balance between being in control of this scene and feeling like a marionette.
    To the innocent bystander who wandered onto the scene late, it might have seemed she’d specifically asked the Dom to aid her tonight. She could play that off. Her closest friends and those who’d been members for years knew better, but the majority were probably confused.
    Lori straddled Margaret’s legs, tucked the flogger under her arm again and smoothed her palms over her sub’s cheeks. She squeezed and molded her hands to the delicate flesh, rubbing her thumbs lower with each caress until they were perilously close to Margaret’s sex.
    “She’s rocking with your