“Holy shit,” Rodrigo blurted. He’d frozen in place just within Severin’s peripheral vision, but it was the girl who held his attention. She was staring at him with her lips parted, her expression a mix of desire and humiliation.
“Sorry, Mister Leduc. I –”
“Didn’t think I’d correct you in front of someone you don’t know well? I warned you.”
“You did, sir,” she said meekly, her eyes wide and still surprised.
“Next time your pants are coming down first.”
She blew out a shaking breath. “I understand, Mister Leduc.”
The matter settled, he turned back to Rodrigo who was standing beside him with the bottle of disinfectant dangling from his fingers.
“Well?”
“I never thought I’d see the day.” His friend shook his head as though to clear it but said nothing else as he finished setting things up.
Rodrigo made the demon and his little slave come to life on his ribs, filling in a spot where the demons on his back wrapped around. The burn helped calm his nerves, like it always did.
Why had he decided to bring the girl to Rodrigo’s?
First of all, because he wanted Ro to like her. Just not too much.
Second, because he was feeling out of his depth. Letting her direct things felt strange, but the only experience he had was with watching. Not the best teacher. What the hell could Ro do to help, though?
As for piercing Minnow’s nipples – that had been a flash of inspiration. Possibly the best idea he’d ever had in his life. The idea of watching Rodrigo slide a needle through the poor girl’s nipple make him really fucking impatient to get his tattoo over with.
Minnow watched the process eagerly, and after her shock at the spanking had subsided, she started asking questions.
“I’m surprised you don’t have any tattoos, Minnow,” Rodrigo said as he worked. “Most of the masochists I know have at least one or two.”
“Honestly, I was afraid.”
“Of the pain? It’s not that bad.”
“That I wouldn’t be able to stop. That I’d end up covered in tattoos. Between the fact that they’re beautiful and I like pain, I don’t know if I could stop myself, and I know how people with tattoos get treated – particularly women.”
“True. That’s why mine are all in places I can cover with clothes,” Rodrigo said. “If I’m going to get people to trust me with their money, I can’t risk it.”
“Exactly. If I’m trying to get people to trust me with their vulnerable loved ones, I have to try to look sweet and demure.”
“But you aren’t.”
“No. It’s completely false advertising.” Her gaze shifted from Rodrigo to his work, then to Severin. “I must have fooled Sutton, though. I feel bad for corrupting poor Mister Leduc.”
“Watch yourself, girl,” Severin grumbled. It was hard to know when to correct a playful submissive. He wasn’t particularly playful, himself, but he enjoyed the quality in her.
“Done!” Rodrigo announced. “It was hard not to give you a rush job considering what you want me to do next. Unless you’ve chickened out?” He sluiced the tattoo with disinfectant one more time then spread cream over it and bandaged it. “Once the piercings are in you have to leave them alone for months to heal. No nipple play, and you’ll have to follow the cleaning schedule I give you.”
She opened her mouth, but Severin held a hand up to silence her.
“She answers to me, not you, Rodrigo. If she wants out of this she has to take it up with me.”
Minnow laughed nervously. “I can follow the instructions. I always wanted to do this, but I’ve always worried I’d freak out and move at the last minute.”
“Maybe Sev should help you stay still,” Rodrigo suggested, smiling crookedly at Severin. “Sit on his lap and he’ll hold you for me.”
This ganging up on her feeling was fun. Leave it to Ro to have the brilliant ideas.