On the Edge of Fear Read online

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few guys walking toward his booth. He leaned on the side and grinned. “Well, hello there, lads. Who needs a spanking today?”

  Chapter Five

  Talking with Ryan had been stupid. Agreeing to go to dinner with him had been idiotic. Even so, Alexis knew she’d go. After today she’d never see him again and he was cute and sweet and charming in a Disney prince kind of way—if one removed the whole spanking thing from the equation. Guys like him would never want someone like her.

  It was just one evening. She could play things up and he’d never have to know that she was a thief. Besides, a free meal would help her save money.

  “Your moral outlook could use some work.” Her grandmother’s voice almost made her smile. Granny Finer’d had very specific ideas on one’s morals. She would definitely be unhappy with Alexis today. Her almost-smile crashed. She would be horrified at the person Alexis had become. Though she rather hoped her grandmother would have taken her anger out on her father and not her. Well, if she’d been alive things wouldn’t have happened the way they had. Alexis would have had a home to go to when she was kicked out. There was no reason to keep thinking about that. The past was the past. Nothing she could do to change it.

  Admittedly her way of looking at things was cockeyed. While she saw picking the pockets of people on the street as a way to stay alive, she would never steal from a business or someone who looked as destitute as she was. “Right. I’m a fucking Robin Hood,” she muttered in disgust. As if she had the right to steal from others.

  Movement caught her attention and her inner instincts kicked in as she spotted Gray Eyes looking at her. Shit. Why was he watching her? His expression would make the bravest man pee his pants. She took a left and went into a shop.

  While the few other shops had horrified her to some extent, she found herself entranced by the clothes in front of her. Everything was made out of chainmail. “How pretty,” she breathed as she fingered a dress.

  “Welcome,” said a deep male voice. “If you’d like to try anything on, let me know.”

  She glanced toward the counter where a large beefy man with a bald head and a bushy beard sat. “I never thought chainmail could be pretty, but it is.”

  He smiled. Crinkles popped up on the sides of his eyes and mouth. Each laugh line made it obvious he smiled a lot. “Thank you. My subs and I have been making them for some years now.” Subs. He had more than one? “Would you like to try one on?”

  “Oh no,” she said in a rush, still fingering the metal. “I could never afford one.”

  “They’re pricey, but they’ll last for a long time. Go on. Try one. Maybe you’ll like it enough to save and buy one sometime.”

  If it weren’t that Gray Eyes might still be outside, she wouldn’t have done it, but she slowly nodded. “Those are the silver ones but on the other side of that rack are the gold. Both would look beautiful on your skin tone.” His eyes fell to her neck and then back to her eyes. “Not owned?”

  She had no idea what that meant, but figured shaking her head was the best answer.

  “This would definitely turn some Dom’s head if you have someone you’re interested in. What size are you? A three?”

  He handed her a couple dresses and separates and waved toward a small room. “Go ahead. If you need a different size, let me know.”

  Alexis never should have tried them on. She knew that even as she removed her clothes and pulled the first one on. It was beautiful. Quite a bit of her skin showed through the small holes created by the interconnecting chains—including her nipples—but she felt like a princess in it. Pretty almost. ”Wow,” she breathed.

  “How does it look?” His voice from just the other side of the curtain startled her and she kept her eyes on the mirror.

  “It’s amazing.”

  He chuckled. “Good to hear. Size about right?”

  “Definitely.”

  It was difficult to remove it and try another one. The second looked just as good if not better than the first. By the time she put her clothes back on, she was sad. She would never be able to wear such a beautiful garment. Not that she lived the kind of life that would require it. “Thank you,” she said as she came out of the dressing room and handed the items back. “They’re beautiful.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetie.” He handed her a business card. “If you ever find yourself with the money, check out our website. We make custom work as well.”

  She walked out of the shop, feeling lower than she had all day. “This must be how Cinderella felt when she couldn’t attend the ball.” Not that she had a ball to go to, or ever would. Perhaps that would have happened to the previous Alexis, the girl whose parents adored her and showered her with love. That was before her mother died. That was before her father remarried.

  That was before everything turned upside down.

  Not watching where she was going, she ran into a wall. “Oomph,” the wall said. “Watch where you’re going, girl.”

  Startled, she looked up. And up some more. A tall man in leather trousers and a leather vest glared down at her.

  “Sorry,” she said.

  He grabbed her upper arm. “Sorry doesn’t cut it, girl. On your knees.”

  Her skin went cold and goosebumps spread over her arms and shoulders. “N-no,” she said and tried to pull away. She wasn’t one of them. Not kinky. Surely they wouldn’t force her to do one of their things, would they?

  “I said on your fucking knees.” He shoved and she fell to her knees.

  “Let me go!” Alexis might be slight, but she knew how to defend herself. One swift kick of her leg and he tripped backward to stop himself from falling. In so doing, he released her and she leapt to her feet and ran, not even noting where she was going.

  “Stop that slut!” roared the man but thankfully nobody tried to stop her. She darted in and out of the crowd until she couldn’t run anymore. Finding herself at a wall, she gasped for breath as she looked around for a way out. There didn’t seem to be one. The wall was too smooth and tall to climb over.

  The guy in leather was coming toward her at a fast walk and the expression on his face was almost as scary as Gray Eyes. He was going to hurt her if he caught up with her.

  Turning to her right, she ran along the wall, gasping as her muscles seized up and she grasped her side. A scream wrenched from her mouth when a hand grasped her hair and yanked her head back.

  “You’ll pay for that, slut,” he spat, spittle covering her face and arms.

  The exit gate was in the distance. She wished she could get away, but he held her hair in an iron grip and her side hurt so bad she wasn’t sure she could run. “Please,” she begged. “I said I was sorry. What else do you need?”

  To her horror, a cruel smile crossed his lips. “That’s better, bitch. I think a good long throat fuck might make me feel better.”

  Throat fuck? She might have gotten good at blow jobs, but “Throat fuck” sounded brutal.

  She tried to struggle but he held her hair in a tighter grip. “Keep struggling, slut. It will make this more fun.”

  Alexis screamed as panic overtook her. This kind of position she had never been in before. The whole place was slightly scary and she’d seen men shove women to their knees and stick their cocks in their mouths. Was that going to happen to her? Bile rose in her throat.

  “Stop!” The yell caught her attention because she knew the voice.

  “Ryan, help!” she cried out, screaming when the man yanked her head back further.

  “Stop,” Ryan demanded, this time right in front of her. “Lexi, did you agree to this?”

  “No,” she said, shocked to find herself sobbing. “I accidentally walked into him and—” She waved her hand around. “He said he was going to… to…” She couldn’t get the words out. It would make the thing all too real.

  “Take your hands off her.” Ryan’s voice was ice cold.

  “Shove off, boy,” the guy said. “This is my s
lut. Go find your own. Or, if you want, we can take her at the same time.”

  “You’re drunk,” Ryan said, disgust in his tone. “She’s not consenting. Hands off now.” He reached for the guy’s wrist but the asshole yanked back, throwing Alexis off balance. She was suddenly half way on her back staring up at the angry guy and at a furious Ryan. He looked over his shoulder and shouted. “DMs!”

  Two men dressed in black jeans and shirts that read Faire Security ran toward them. A woman dressed in a regal dress meant for a queen rushed up as well. “What is it?” she asked, her eyes glancing over the scene.

  “The guy’s drunk and Lexi isn’t consenting,” Ryan spat out. “I told him to unhand her, but he won’t.”

  “Release her,” the woman said, her voice cold.

  “She’s my slut,” the guy spat. “She fucked up and now she’s gonna get her punishment.”

  Security moved in and grabbed the guy’s arms. A moment later, Alexis’s hair was loose and she fell to the ground. Quickly, she was on all fours and scooted away from him. Ryan stepped to her side and she grasped hold of his arms as he lifted her up.

  “I won’t ask if you’re all right, because of course you’re not,” he said. “But besides pulling your hair, did he hurt you?”

  “No,” she whispered, a little shocked. She hadn’t been in such a bad situation in years. Obviously she’d become too complacent. “He wouldn’t s-stop.”

  “I know.” He wrapped wonderfully strong arms around her and she sunk into his warmth. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized how cold she was.

  “Lexi,” the woman said and Alexis turned toward her. She had firm, but kind hazel eyes. “I’m Queen Alice of the Faire. I need you to tell me what happened.”

  So this was the queen. She looked every inch the part. Alexis explained everything that happened since leaving the chainmail shop. “And then Ryan rushed up,” she said and shivered again. “I didn’t think anyone was going to stop him.”

  The queen’s eyes turned glacial. “I see.” She turned to the man the security guys were holding. “Since you’re here, I know you signed the release. That release stated that everything had to be consensual. What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “Stupid slut wants it,” the guy spat out. Ryan pushed Alexis behind him, as though protecting her. It was a bizarre feeling. Nobody had put themselves between her and anything in a long time.

  “Oh fuck off,” the queen spat. “Take him down to the docks and lock him in the stockade. Leave him there until the ferry comes and then kick his ass off. He’s blackballed for a minimum of a month.”

  “You can’t do that,” the guy yelled.

  Queen Alice cocked a brow at him. “Shall I get the Discipline Master? I’m sure Master Craig would love to tie you down and give you the same treatment you were going to give this girl. Ever been throat fucked? Afterward, no doubt he’d shred your back with his favorite whip. Which punishment would you prefer?” The guy didn’t respond. “Thought so. Get him out of here.”

  The two security guys dragged the man from the Faire and the queen and Ryan turned to face her. “Ryan,” Queen Alice said after observing her for a moment, “I bet Lexi could use something sweet to drink and a little care. Think you can do that for her?”

  “Damn straight. I mean yes, my lady.”

  Amusement twinkled in Queen Alice’s eyes. “Good. Take her to the Boar’s Head Tavern and get some food and drink. I’ll send Joseph to check on her.” She turned and headed back toward the Faire’s entrance. Ryan held his hand out.

  “Hungry?” His warm blue eyes had gone unbearably soft. “I’m sorry you had to find someone like that. Kendrick is strict about who he allows into the town, but we can’t control the idiots who arrive on the boat. We make them agree to safe, sane, and consensual, but unfortunately some people don’t get it.”

  “Do you do stuff like that?” she asked as he guided her along the fairways to a rustic-looking tavern. Above the door was a wooden sign that looked like it had seen better days. The Boar’s Head.

  “I’d never force someone,” he said fervently. “The stuff he wanted to do in a consensual scene would be acceptable. But against your will?” He frowned. “We don’t do that here.”

  She couldn’t imagine being throat fucked would ever be consensual, but she didn’t say so.

  They stepped into a rowdy tavern with lots of booming laughter. Alexis instantly moved closer to Ryan when several men looked in their direction. Ryan put an arm around her shoulders and led her to a table in the far corner. A reserved sign was on it and as every other table was taken, she wondered if it would bother whoever had reserved it. “Should we be here?” she asked as he waved her toward the bench.

  At first he looked confused and then he grinned. “You mean the reserved sign? It means this table is always reserved for Her Ladyship, Queen Alice. As she sent us here, we can use it.”

  She scooted into the hard, round bench and he sat next to her. A man with slight gray at his temples, dressed in black jeans and a gray t-shirt, walked up to them. His t-shirt read Master of Arms, Legs, Cocks and Pussies. She shook her head. The whole Faire was bonkers. “Hey, Ryan. What can I get you?” She’d expected a rough voice, but he had a very soft southern drawl.

  Ryan waved toward Alexis. “This is Lexi. Lexi, this is Master Neil, one of the owners of the island and the Faire. My lord, Queen Alice sent us here as Lexi was attacked by a bastard. She suggested something sweet and a meal.”

  “All right.” Neil turned light green eyes on her. “You’re under twenty-one?” She nodded. “Your choices are root beer, orange soda, or strawberry lemonade.”

  “Root beer would be good.”

  “Me too,” Ryan chipped in.

  “I’ll be back with your drinks.” He put a small menu on the table. “That’s our offerings today.”

  A roar of laughter from the other side of the room made her jump, but neither Ryan nor Neil seemed to notice. Once Neil left, Ryan turned toward her. “So besides the idiot, have you had fun today?”

  He looked so hopeful that she searched her mind for something positive to say. “Before I ran into him I went into a shop that had the loveliest clothes. They were made out of chainmail.”

  His eyes lit up. “I’ve seen the stuff. I bet it looks amazing on you.” Something about the slight way his voice went breathy at the end made her heart speed up and her core clench.

  Neil returned with their drinks and she quickly looked at the menu. Smoked sandwiches seemed to be the order of the day. “I’ll have the pulled pork,” she said.

  Ryan ordered the pulled chicken and then pointed to her glass. “Drink up, Lexi. Don’t want you to go into shock.”

  Go into shock. Would she? Perhaps right when it was happening, but being saved by a cute knight had its pluses. She no longer felt shocky. However, to appease him she picked up her glass and took a drink. “Mmm.” It was the best root beer she’d ever tasted. Then again, it had been a long time since she’d had a soda.

  “I know. Neil makes it on site.” Ryan took a sip of his drink and asked, “So did you try on any of the chainmail outfits?”

  What had made her do it, she wasn’t sure. As the few friends she’d made after she was kicked onto the streets had told her, “You’re a prude, Alexis. Come on. Lighten up.” Only she never had. Even when she’d had to turn tricks, she mentally divorced herself from the act. If anything, she’d probably become even more of a closeted freak over the last few years. But for some reason, when she tried the beautiful outfits on, she’d held her camera out and taken pictures of each one.

  Suddenly the camera was in her hand and she showed him the pics. A long appreciative whistle left his lips. “Wow, Lexi. You look… wow.” He gulped some more root beer and his hand went underneath the table. From the subtle movement of his arm, she figured he was adjusting himself. Other guys had shown interest in her in the past, but she’d been disgusted by their advances. The simple ways that showed her Ryan was
interested in her lit her up inside. “Which one did you like best?”

  “I liked them all,” she admitted. “But I thought the silver halter dress looked really good.”

  “I agree.” He glanced at her and then back at the phone. “Could I… Uh. Could I send this to my phone? I’d love to have a picture of you.” The unspoken “in this” hung in the air between them.

  “Sure.” Once again her heart ratcheted up. Stupida, Alexis. You’re not thinking. But she didn’t listen. She would be gone in a few hours and never see him again. Might as well get the most out of it. Plus she liked the thought he’d have her picture. Maybe someone might remember her for once. Even if he just used it to jack off.

  Heat flooded into her cheeks and she took a big drink to try and cover her embarrassment. It wasn’t that she was naïve. One did not stay ignorant on the streets.

  Vergognatevi.

  As her grandmother’s voice erupted in her head, she watched Ryan as he sent the images to his phone. He looked pleased and she felt warmth hoping he would be just as happy every time he looked at them.

  Chapter Six

  Ryan couldn’t believe his luck. He was sitting with the prettiest girl he’d ever seen and couldn’t find a thing to say. Why hadn’t he spent more time flirting with girls? Instead, he’d focused on learning kink. In a kink environment, he could ask if a sub wanted to scene. Here he had to make conversation. That was infinitely more difficult. How did his brother get all the girls to go out with him?

  “Where are you from?” he asked after Neil delivered their food.

  “All over,” she said quickly and took a bite of her sandwich. Poor thing. He wanted to go down to the docks and kick the guy in the balls for what he’d been about to do. Hopefully after a filling meal, she’d feel better.

  “I grew up in Oklahoma,” he said. “My parents moved here last year and I came with them.”

  She swallowed her food and took a drink before asking, “You live here?”

  “Yeah. The Faire only takes up a small part of the island. The rest of it is the Elan Isle Township.” He grinned. “We’re all kinky.”