Page 109 of High Reward

“You are not putting that thing in my nipple,” I blurt.

He laughs. “No. Not tonight. But the top part of your breast is a good spot for a first experience with needles. You’ll be able to see what I’m doing and see the blood run when I pull it out. If you bleed at all. Sometimes they don’t bleed much with needles of this gauge.”

“Which part do you like more? Putting them in or taking them out?” I ask as I pull my top over my head.

He watches me as he pulls on a sterile glove from the box and opens one of the needle packets.

“That’s a tough choice. Watching the metal piercing the skin is definitely enticing, and the little yelp that some bottoms make is part of the fun. But there is definitely something to be said for watching blood run down a woman’s skin. It’s…”

“Primal,” I finish for him, unhooking my bra. “I think I get that part.”

He holds up the needle with the cap still on. “This is a small-gauge needle, but not the smallest I use. For this project, I’musing something slightly bigger so there is no risk of skin tearing under the weight of the feathers.”

I frown. “That would never have crossed my mind. The feathers are so light.”

“They are, and it’s likely that any needle could handle it, but I would rather not take the risk.”

“Fair. I’m sure Grace appreciates that.”

He reaches out and pinches my nipple sharply without warning, and I whimper then moan. “If you don’t plan to fuck me right here and now, I would suggest you stop doing things like that,” I warn.

But Victor doesn’t heed the warning at all. Instead, he bends down and tugs the offended nipple into his mouth and sucks until I’m writhing against the desk.

Then he stands and picks up a small packet and tears it open. Sterilizing wipes.

His touch is gentle as he wipes down the top of my left breast. Then he pulls the cap off the needle and looks at me. “Ready?”

“Yes,” I say, my voice steady despite my nerves.

“Fair warning, this isn’t really something you can safeword out of like you can with other things. Once I start to push it through the skin, I need it to come out the other side. So, if you safeword mid-pierce, I need to finish it, then I can immediately take it out.”

“I appreciate the warning, but I’m not going to safeword. It can’t be that bad.”

He chuckles. “I don’t think it is, but you never know.”

“OK. Do it,” I say.

He pinches a section of skin between his thumb and forefinger with his left hand and quickly inserts the needle. There’s a sharp twinge when it enters, and again when it reappears a half inch away. It’s not a deep puncture. In fact, I can see the raised areawhere the needle sits beneath the skin, and I want to touch it, but I don’t know if that’s safe.

“How was that?” Victor asks, trailing his gloved finger along the area I want to touch.

“Not painful. A little intense at first. Sharp little sting, but then it’s over.”

“Good.”

“What now?” I ask, staring at the tiny bead of blood that seeps around the needle.

“It depends. I can take it out, or I can add another one and introduce you to something called an endorphin button.”

“I’m intrigued,” I say, still staring at the needle.

“Is that consent for a second one?”

“Yes,” I say softly.

He opens another package and pinches the skin again. To my surprise, he inserts this one so that it crosses underneath the one already in my skin. It’s a little deeper, and a little more intense, but the pain is still barely noticeable.

“What’s an endorphin button?” I ask as he steps back to admire his work.