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  EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2019 Elyzabeth M. VaLey

  ISBN: 978-1-77339-974-4

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To Doris. You sent my muse the spark it needed. Love. Always love.

  OPEN

  Lust, Love, and Darkness, 1

  Elyzabeth M. VaLey

  Copyright © 2019

  Chapter One

  Marcus sipped at his soda, wishing it were something stronger so his libido would subside. Who was he kidding? Looking at her would get him aroused regardless of the amounts of alcohol he drank.

  She was perfect. Everything he’d ever fantasized about: luscious curves, ample bottom, tits which would fit his hands, and a mouth made for sucking and screaming out his name.

  Gabi. Her last name was of no consequence. Neither was her first name. Years ago, he’d known her as Abby. What mattered was that when he made her his, he’d refer to her as “kitten”. He’d called her it once, by accident. The term had come naturally. Back then, she had been vulnerable, small, like an abandoned pet. Now, however, he stood in the presence of a different type of cat. She was graceful, strong, seductive.

  Unfortunately, unlike cats, which tended to be more snobbish when it came to choosing an owner, Gabi played with just about everyone. She was a regular at the BDSM club where he’d found her. One night, he’d see her getting a spanking, the next, a caning, and another day, she was being whipped. There didn’t seem to be anything Gabi wouldn’t try, except sticking with the same partner. She had a different Dom every weekend, playing with them at a distance, never really giving in to the experience. He knew why, and he was determined to change it. Starting tonight.

  Currently, she was tied to the Saint Andrew’s cross, and Master Eric was giving her a good flogging. The Dom played her like an instrument, knowing exactly where to hit to make her skin tingle but not bruise. Marcus scowled. When they played, he’d make sure to mark her so every time she sat down, she would remember him and how her body had yielded to her Dom’s touch.

  Marcus downed the last of his drink and moved closer to the cross. It’d been close to eight years since he’d last seen her. Eight years. He sometimes thought they had been wasted years, but deep down, he knew they hadn’t. After what she’d gone through, she’d needed the time to heal and become the person she was now.

  In all that time, he’d never stopped wanting her. He’d been incapable of erasing her from his mind even after he’d lost track of her whereabouts. And then, fate had thrown her in his path. He’d finally decided to join the BDSM community in the city, and he’d found her. Here of all places. In his city.

  One look at her and he’d made up his mind. Gabi would be his. Permanently this time. He’d bided his time, investigating her present, trying to find out more about who she was today. Every weekend for the past month, he’d come to the club and watched her. He’d leave with a hard-on and a desperate craving to claim her.

  Tonight would be different. Eric was almost done, each stroke of the flogger turning into a caress until it came to a full stop. Gabi shuddered and hung her head. Marcus stiffened. Was she okay? Eric seemed to think the same because he hurried forward and whispered in her ear. Gabi nodded. Eric chuckled. Giving her ass a light tap, he began to undo the restraints.

  Marcus clenched his fists. Soon, he’d be the only one spanking Gabi’s behind. He waited patiently for them to finish. His heart hammered in his chest, and sweat gathered at his nape. He hadn’t been so on edge in years.

  Finally, Gabi became free and turned around. Marcus’s breath caught. She wasn’t naked, but she didn’t need to be to get his dick hardening. He focused on her mouth. Wide with plump lips. How many times had he fantasized about having them around his dick? Fucking her mouth. Marcus swallowed a groan.

  Soon.

  Eric blocked his view, stepping in front of Gabi to give her a hug. She smiled politely, but there was no affection in her gaze. She was merely being civil. Marcus smirked. They wouldn’t end their sessions with a friendly pat. Finally, Eric left. Before Gabi could also leave, Marcus approached her. She saw him coming, her gaze narrowing and her lips parting into a coquettish smirk. He couldn’t wait to make it sincere.

  “Gabi?”

  “That’s me. What can I call you, handsome?”

  “Marcus will do for now.”

  She pouted, feigning disappointment.

  “Shame, I thought you were a Dom.”

  Marcus grinned. “I am.”

  “And you don’t want me to call you Sir or Master? Do you prefer Daddy?” She ran her fingertips across his forearm making goosebumps sprout on his flesh. Marcus pulled away.

  “If the men you’ve been playing with require you call them Sir after barely ten seconds of interaction, you’ve been hanging around the wrong people.”

  She shrugged, her gaze dipping then just as quickly meeting his again.

  “So, why are we having this conversation, Marcus?”

  “I would like to play with you.”

  Gabi quirked an eyebrow. “And you don’t want me to call you ‘Sir’?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Well, I’m done for today, so maybe next time,”

  He grabbed her wrist. Her eyes blazed.

  “Release me.”

  “In a minute, kitten.”

  “Don’t call me that. I didn’t give you the right.”

  “Forgive me,” Marcus apologized. “You’re right.” He stepped into her personal space, forcing her to tilt her head to look at him even though she wasn’t much shorter. “You have to understand, Gabi, I don’t want to play with you right now. I want to get to know you a bit before I make you kneel at my feet, open up that pretty little mouth of yours and stuff it with my cock until you gag.”

  Gabi’s jaw dropped and quickly shut. Her pupils dilated, and her cheeks turned crimson.

  Sweet.

  “I don’t do sex during scenes. No cocks. No intimacy,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “Have you considered that’s why you’re not getting off?”

  “That’s presumptuous of you.”

  “Please, it’s obvious. You enjoy the pain, but by the end of it you’re not knees shaking, sitting down. You’re here, chatting with your next partner.”

  Her lips thinned, and her eyes narrowed.

  “You don’t know me,” she said.

  “I’ve been watching you.”

  “Then you’re a stalker and I should probably call security.”

  Marcus burst out laughing.

  “Kitten, it’s hard not to observe you. You walk in here every weekend as if you own the place, then, make your choice of who to play with depending on your mood. You don’t stick with one person.”

  “I don’t intend to, either.”

  Her gaze bored into his. Fearless. Marcus gazed at her lips. Damn. He wanted to kiss her right then. He was so proud of her and of how far she’d come. Eight years ago, she didn’t even glance his way. It was probably why she didn’t remember him, and in a way, he was thankful she didn’t.

  “Have you ever had a taste of what it could be like to be with a Dom who truly cherishes you?” he asked.

  “I enjoy my freedom.”


  “That’s not what I asked, kitten.”

  “I already told you—”

  “Enough,” he said, lowering his tone to a harsh demand. Gabi’s eyes widened, but she didn’t flinch or attempt to run.

  “It’s blatant to anyone with a bit of observation skills that you lie.”

  “You—”

  “I didn’t give you permission to talk, sub.” Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Marcus smiled. “You have fun playing, I’ve seen it. Spankings, floggings, light bondage, but you never venture further than that,” he continued before she had a chance to speak back at him. “You don’t push yourself, and neither do the men you choose to play with. They are comfortable.” He lowered his voice. “They are blubbering messes thankful you’d even consider playing with them. I’m not.”

  Grabbing her chin, he tilted her head upwards so she’d be forced to look at him. This time, he had her full attention.

  “I am what you have craved all this time, Gabriela.”

  Chapter Two

  Gabi’s mind reeled. There was something familiar about this man, but she couldn’t place it. He didn’t seem threatening, even if he was built like a door and a full head taller than she was, which wasn’t easy as she wasn’t exactly petite.

  Perhaps, it was simply a matter of attraction. He hadn’t been wrong in what he’d told her, and his inner strength was almost palpable. This man wouldn’t play games.

  Marcus ran his thumb across her bottom lip, and she sucked in a breath. His gaze darkened. He hadn’t spoken a word, and already her body was responding to him. It’d been so long since she’d let herself go. Too long. Was she ready? She averted her gaze.

  “Look at me.”

  He spoke so softly she wasn’t sure she’d heard him, but when his lips curved into a smile, she knew she had. Her heart picked up its tempo.

  “Let’s play, kitten.”

  She hesitated. His eyes, green like pine forests, kept her mesmerized. There was something uncompromising about the way he regarded her. Arousing and frightening. She could lose herself to him. The men she chose to engage with wanted only one thing: to beat her and have her feed their egos with fake moans and honorary titles. She enjoyed the pain, but the pleasure only came from her own hand. Marcus would be different. Playing with Marcus wouldn’t just be a spanking, or a flogging. He’d demand more.

  A cold wave washed over her, making goosebumps sprout on her arms. Antonio also had had the same uncompromising air. Gabi shivered.

  “Not today,” she finally said.

  Marcus cocked his head as if evaluating the situation. Her heart climbed to her throat. Safe. Sane and consensual, she reminded herself. In here, everyone had to follow the rules. She could call for help if he refused.

  He nodded.

  “I understand. Not today. Give me your number.”

  It wasn’t a question.

  She didn’t have to do it. She could walk away. She pressed her lips together.

  “You can always block me if you don’t want to speak to me, Gabi,” Marcus said softly.

  Letting out a long breath, Gabi nodded.

  “You’re right, but I never give my phone number to anyone,” she said.

  “I’m not anyone, kitten. I’m your next Dom.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You’re full of it.”

  His grin was demonic.

  “You know I’m right. You’re hesitating because you’re afraid. A bit of fear is a good thing. It makes you cautious. A lot is a problem. It stops you from living to the fullest.”

  “Why would I be afraid? I’ve done things you can’t even imagine.”

  Marcus smiled affably, as if he were trying to make a petulant child understand.

  “I’m sure you have, but there’s one thing you haven’t done.” Marcus tucked her hair behind her ear, and she gasped, erotic electricity racing across her body. He leaned into her. “You’ve never been with me, kitten,” he whispered huskily.

  Gabi’s breath hitched, and her nipples tightened into tingling points. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so responsive to any man. Even Antonio had never aroused her so quickly.

  “You’re right,” she finally admitted throwing her hands up in the air. She quickly dictated her phone number. A thrill ran through her, and she struggled to contain her quaking legs and the smile creeping into her face. “Happy?” She attempted to sound irked, but the word reflected her nerves.

  “Very much so, kitten. I will walk you to your car.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “It wasn’t a question. You need to learn to open yourself to being helped, escorted, and taken care of, Gabi. You receive a spanking or a flogging and you barely accept a hug.”

  “I gave Eric a hug.”

  “One you didn’t want to give.”

  “You can’t know that,” she argued.

  “I know you more than you think,” Marcus said, opening the door for her. Motioning for her to walk through, he stepped in behind her, his palm grazing the small of her back and sending a jolt through her.

  “You are used to playing with inexperienced men or those who are happy just to cater to your needs. Things won’t work out the same way with me.”

  “You won’t care about my needs?” She grabbed her coat from the rack and made to put it on, but Marcus put out his hand. She handed it to him, and he helped her into it.

  “You see? We can work together, and I promise you I will care about your needs, wants, and desires. It’s why I’m agreeing to letting you leave tonight, kitten.”

  “Yet, I’m leaving on your terms.”

  Marcus winked, flashing her a quick smile. “I knew you were bright.”

  Gabi scowled.

  “Don’t get mad, kitten. I’m just trying to make you understand.”

  “Understand what?”

  “How being a Dom works. Let me ask you something, have you ever switched?”

  “You mean, acted as a Domme?”

  “Yes.”

  She hung her head and dug her hands into her pockets, fishing out her car keys. Marcus’s question was simple, but she’d become so used to not being asked any questions she didn’t know how much to disclose.

  “Yes,” she finally said. “Once.”

  “How did you feel?”

  Marcus threw open the club’s main door. The cold winter elements slapped her in the face. Harsh, uncompromising. Like Antonio. She toyed with the car keys, rubbing her thumb across the jagged edges. She’d pretended to forget many things about her time with Antonio, but she’d never been able to erase that night from her memory. It had been the first time she’d met Becky. The young eighteen-year-old hadn’t known what she was getting into, but she was so spent by drugs and alcohol she hadn’t cared either. Gabi, on the other hand, had been consumed by what she thought back then had been love. She knew better now.

  “Gabi?”

  “Uncomfortable,” she admitted. Dear Lord, she’d hated every minute of it, but Antonio, her “Dom”, had demanded she do as he told her. She wanted nothing more than to please him at her own expense. She’d given her all, but it hadn’t been enough. “Phony and out of place. Why?”

  She pressed the button on her car keys unlocking the vehicle. The brief flash of light hit Marcus in the face. His jaw was clenched, his gaze full of an anger she couldn’t understand but that strangely enough, soothed her. She climbed into the car.

  “Whoever he was, he was an idiot for asking you to do something which clearly brought you more grief than joy.”

  “How do you know I was asked?”

  Marcus shrugged. Grasping the seatbelt, he reached over her and fastened it into place. Gabi held her breath. He didn’t touch her, nor did he need to. Her body was on fire, every inch attuned to his moving fingers, practically begging for a caress. Their gazes locked.

  “I dominate not because I can, but because it is who I am. Dominating you, kitten, comes naturally. If I were to reverse my r
ole, I’d feel the same way you did that day. I will never ask you to do something you don’t want to do. I don’t want to break you, kitten. I want to stretch your limits and broaden your horizons, open you up to a version of yourself you’re not even aware of being.”

  Gabi swallowed. A turmoil of emotions clashed within her. For some reason she wanted to say yes, Sir, to this stranger. She wanted to trust him and take what he offered. Her heart raced, and she clenched her jaw. Memories of the last time she’d truly trusted a man resurfaced. Was she ready to place herself in such a position again?

  “Don’t worry, kitten. You don’t need to make a decision now. We’ll speak soon,” Marcus said.

  “Bye,” she said, both thankful for his comprehension and condemning it for making him even more appealing.

  Marcus closed the car door and gave her a short wave. She turned on the engine and sped out. Before hitting the road, she looked into the rearview mirror. Marcus stood on the same spot. A shiver ran through her. She couldn’t get involved with someone like him. He was clearly too possessive and demanding. She was used to her freedom and her solitude.

  It didn’t take her long to get to her apartment. As she switched on the lights, Henry, her cat, stood up from his spot on the couch to greet her. After rubbing himself between her legs, he meowed loudly to let her know his food bowl was empty and he was starving.

  “You hungry little thing,” she cooed, opening a can for him.

  Henry promptly ignored her and proceeded to eat. Gabi sat at her kitchen table. She looked at her home. It was a two-bedroom flat, with no fancy decorations, but she’d made it hers. There were pictures of her new friends, motivational quotes neatly framed on the walls, and a quilted blanket she’d purchased at a flea market. She bit her lip. Would Marcus fit in her world? She covered her face with her hands. She’d only just met the guy, but she could picture him here, sitting across from her at the dinner table. He wasn’t like Antonio, or he didn’t seem to be. In the brief interaction she’d had with Marcus, he’d treated her as more than a sub.