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“And what do you find the most intriguing?” he asked, his voice lowering to a deep throaty sound.

“All of it!” I blurted out, blushing profusely. “And, um…I sort of really liked being spanked last night. Is that weird?”

“I underestimated you, Miss Cole,” he said, a shrewd smile curling the edges of his mouth. His blue eyes narrowed into dark slits as he studied me, the lust in them intensifying with every passing moment.

“I want to learn more about your world, Alex. I don’t know why...” I trailed off again, suddenly very conflicted over the thoughts swirling in my head. “I didn’t know this sort of thing would…well, interest me.”

“This needs to be more than just a passing curiosity for you, Krystina. There is no halfway. I want you all in, or nothing. You should know only the strongest of individuals are able to give someone their gift of submission. I think you may possess that strength, but you have much to learn.”

“I’m a quick study,” I informed him confidently, but my mouth had become extremely dry.

He moved over to his dresser and flipped on the stereo. After a few moments, a distorted guitar sound filled the quiet bedroom of the penthouse, followed by the familiar voice of Brian Aubert of the Silversun Pickups. I listened to the lyrics of the song I already knew so well.

Catch and Release.

Alexander stood with his back to me.

I concentrated on the song.

He waited.

In just a few short seconds, the air in the room started to sizzle, like the wick of a time bomb waiting to go off. Alexander’s ability to persuade me with music, yet again, was a true talent. He was the master at his craft—an artist—always seeming to know the right sound to ignite me in an instant.

When he turned back to me, there was a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“Are you ready for your first official lesson, Krystina?”

I watched his gaze skirt up and down my body, fanning the fire building in the pit of my stomach. I loved the way he looked at me sometimes, like he was picturing me naked beneath him, touching and exploring every inch of me.

My little devil had festooned a red feather boa around the pouting angel’s neck and began kicking a lively Charleston around her. I was more than ready to dance. I nodded my consent.

“I need more than a nod, Krystina. I want you to say it out loud. Because once you agree to submit to me, there’s no going back,” he warned.

“I’m ready,” I told him, forcing back the lump in my throat.

“If you’re truly ready, then you need to pick a safeword,” he told me, his deep blue eyes searing into mine.

“Sapphire,” I blurted out without really thinking.

He cocked his head to one side, a curious expression on his face.

“Interesting choice of word. May I ask why you chose it?”

“It’s a stone. And it…it matches the color of your eyes.”

“It’s perfect,” he said, his voice thick as he moved around to stand behind me. “Now, raise your arms.”

I hesitated to lift them, trying to predict what he would do, and he tsked at me.

“What?” I asked, worried I had already done something wrong.

“Lesson number one. Unconditional obedience. When we are together, you are to do exactly as I say. No hesitations.”

I complied immediately and tried to will away my natural instinct to question everything. When he merely pulled my shirt over my head, I stifled a sigh of relief as my arms settled back down to my sides. I wanted this, yet I was still so afraid.

“Now what?” I asked, feeling extremely silly because I didn’t know how to act. I wasn’t an inexperienced virgin, but in Alexander’s kinky world, I might as well have been.

“Relax, angel. I can feel how tense you are,” he said, lightly massaging my shoulders. “Close your eyes. Listen to the music and feel my touch. Submit yourself to me, and I promise to give you more pleasure than you can ever imagine.”