Read Bound to be Tested: Emergence, Book 3 for Free Online

conduct as she’d snuggled with Margaret on the couch after the flogging. Jude’s words had dipped into her bloodstream and made her pant through her increased heart rate. She could still hear the timbre of his voice in her head, the same voice that had brought her to her knees many times in the past.
    She squeezed her hands tighter. She needed to get a grip. Shake away whatever craziness had seeped into her system. It was ludicrous for her to lust after Jude. He’d been gone for two years. She was a different woman.
    What the hell had Jude been thinking taking over her scene? He hadn’t come to the club tonight to top Margaret. He’d come for Lori. A twinge of longing filled her chest and made her gasp.
    As though in slow motion, Lori replayed the scene in her mind. She’d been so out of control while completely in control at the same time. Margaret had to be confused as hell, but Lori couldn’t bring herself to discuss the awkward elephant. She couldn’t begin to articulate how she felt, let alone talk it over with her sub. And that sucked more than anything else. It wasn’t fair to Margaret to leave her sitting in silence with no explanation.
    Lori had never shared intimate details about her past. Margaret knew the gist of things, but not the specifics. That part of Lori’s life was in the past. She’d never expected to drag those skeletons out and toss them around. Both she and Margaret had skirted the edge of certain topics about their pasts. It was understood they both had baggage.
    Margaret stared out the passenger window, away from Lori. Lori swallowed around the pain she felt, knowing she was hurting Margaret.
    The dark, mysterious world passed by outside, revealing very few of its hidden secrets. Lori wanted answers to questions she was afraid to ask. She blinked, praying she’d imagined the entire evening and Jude Cavanaugh had not just waltzed into Emergence this evening and taken over as though he’d never left.
    When they pulled into the garage, Lori exited the car as though she’d driven there alone. She left Margaret in the front seat and entered the kitchen through the side door. She left the door open when she passed, trying not to be a complete bitch but needing space and time to think.
    Lori headed for the master bedroom and then made a beeline for the bathroom. She had the water running and was in the shower before Margaret stepped into the room. The first thing she needed to do before she could breathe properly was wash Jude’s touch off her skin.
    As she regained control over her heart rate, she could sense Margaret watching her. She stared at her sub through the glass door. Margaret dropped her jacket on a chair and peeled herself slowly out of her tight denim miniskirt and the bra she’d worn as a shirt. She kicked off her heels and lifted her gaze to Lori. Head held high, she padded across the room and didn’t hesitate to enter the shower behind Lori.
    Lori was her Domme, and they’d worked things out perfectly so that Margaret held the role of sub about fifty percent of the time, basically when they were both home and not working. However, Margaret was taller than Lori by several inches. She easily wrapped herself around Lori and pulled her body back until they both stood under the cascade of hot water nestled together.
    Lori watched the steam rise as Margaret held her, feeling as though Margaret were the top and Lori the bottom. That had never been the case for a moment in their relationship. But Lori needed consoling, and she relaxed into Margaret’s embrace.
    Lori gripped Margaret’s forearms where they rested under her breasts. She held on tight, her head hanging. “I’m so sorry. So sorry…”
    Margaret kissed her temple and wiped Lori’s thick red curls from her face. “It’s okay. I’m here.” Was that even a good thing? Lori gritted her teeth, afraid anything she said would hurt Margaret deeply.
    Margaret rocked Lori back and forth as Lori released her tears and