Read Punishing for Pleasure for Free Online Page B

impression the reporter who’d questioned her about her ex was a threat in a physical sense, he could certainly hurt her professionally. Dex knew enough about women to know the fall-out of having her kinks exposed would be emotionally devastating, and that was what worried him the most, he’d always sensed a vulnerability in Meri. She was a borderline masochist who didn’t have a strong enough sense of self-preservation in Dex’s opinion. But even more significant was the fact she was also a submissive who would always see herself in whatever she saw reflected in her Master’s eyes, so she could easily let things go too far seeking his approval.
    Merilee Lanham’s pleasure during a scene was so closely linked to pain, Dex wondered if she’d be able to orgasm without it. That is something we need to work on. But outside of that specific dynamic, she was a “pleaser” of the highest order. Her happiness was dependent upon making the other people in her life happy. If she belonged to them, Dex knew for certain one of their biggest challenges would be teaching her to recognize and respect her own limits. He doubted the woman ever said no to anyone—hell, she’d probably run herself into the ground helping others if they didn’t monitored her closely. Oh , Ash and I will d efinitely stop that nonsense in short order.
    They gave her a few minutes to say her good byes and as soon as they saw her assistant moving toward Meri, they both stepped forward flanking her. Their synchronized movement made it look as if they’d rehearsed it and Dex had to hold back his smile at the impressed expressions on the faces surrounding them. If they only knew how many times we really have drilled and practiced that particular move in preparation for everything from hostage rescues to escorting prisoners , they wouldn’t be so awestruck.
    When he wrapped a large hand around her upper arm and began leading her toward the door, she stiffened, “What are you doing? I’m not ready to leave yet. You can’t just manhandle me out of the room you know.” Meri’s voice was little more than a quiet hiss and Dex wanted to laugh at her lame attempt to avoid being alone with them. Good luck with that, sweetheart.
    “Be still or we’ll chat right here…and I don’t think that is in your best interest, do you?” Dex didn’t change his expression or slow his pace, he just kept walking. He could see the wrinkles around Ash’s eyes—it was usually the only outward sign when the man was enraged—and Dex knew his friend well enough to know he was just a few heartbeats away from giving the gorgeous woman between them a thrashing she’d never forget. If she thought the beating she’d gotten for her comments to Tobi had been bad, she’d be getting one a whole lot worse unless she played her cards very, very carefully.
    *****
    Ash was straight up pissed off. He wanted to lead Merilee D. Lanham into the nearest housekeeping closet, strip her bare, and beat her ass until she understood there was absolutely no difference between lying with words and deception with silence. But he wasn’t going to say one word until he got her through the throng of dignitaries and reporters that seemed to be continually trying to cut off their escape. The next asshole who tries to step between me and th e fucking door is going to get steamrolled.
    There wasn’t any doubt that he was mad as hell at Meri, but if Ash was honest—and he always tried to be—he was angrier at himself for not realizing how much more there was to the woman that he and Dex had been spending time with. Talk about your newbie Dom mistake. Hell, this was a beginner-level fuck-up of epic proportions…it might even make it into a training manual or two. When he started to lift his hand to run it through his hair, a gesture even he knew was one of his few tells , he cringed at the sharp pain that accompanied the quick movement of his injured arm.
    Meri hadn’t missed his wince and looked