TouchNode | Complete

44 | A Color Well Known

The crimes of others have always outweighed my own.

Two days later I stood in the center of a three-piece mirror on a round platform, dressed to kill. Carter was hosting one of his infamous Gothic Romance Masquerades and he made sure I looked the part. He suggested that the new “Ruling Lady,” out style the previous reigning Lady and settled on a custom-made dress for me.

Even though I hated every second of it. I had to admit: the dress was incredibly stunning and so was the matching mask.

It was a one-shoulder vermilion and sable creation with a nearly translucent corset. The one-shoulder sleeve was delicate handsewn red lace that extended all the way to the floor and embellished with white diamonds and rubies that spiraled to the ends. My corset, though pitch black, featured translucent slots to show my stomach and the bottom of my breasts. The skirt was mermaid, fitted to my frame, but pooled at my feet. If I stepped out either leg, artful slits were cut all the way up to my hips.

“Tell me dear, would you prefer the Miu Miu or the Louboutin?”

I shrugged at the stylist, still staring at my reflection. My lips were painted blood red, my eyelashes were lined with coal, and princess cut diamond studs winked from my ears. I had never felt this low in my life.

She sighed heavily, clearly annoyed by my muteness, but reached over to grab the pair of Louboutin pumps. Quickly I followed the motion of her hands, trying to avoid another tangle with Carter that always ended with my panties down and his mouth on my cunt.

She lightly pressed away the soft material of my dress and sat down on her bottom, cross-legged, and slipped the black chiffon and satin shoes onto my feet. The red soles matched my dress exactly, adding a second punch of color. My stomach knotted as she tied the satin straps into neat bows — it was almost time.

“There,” she whispered softly to herself and stood. “Would you like to make sure you can walk in them?”

I chuckled lightly. “There aren’t a pair of heels on this planet that I can’t walk in, sweetheart.”

“Is there anything else I can do for you?”

I glanced up at her eyes, watching the way they wormed down my frame in interest. Frowning, I shook my head and straightened my spine to curb my overflowing cleavage. Instantly her eyes shot to mine, wide with fright.

Slowly and deliberately, my body rose from the ottoman, and I took a few test steps. The heels were comfortable, stylish, and set off my outfit.

“No. You are free to leave, Miss Sinclair.” Carter ignored my stiffened spine and wrapped his right arm loosely around my waist to pull me closer to him. “She looks absolutely incredible. Thank you.”

She cleared her throat and nodded, still checking me out discretely.

“I’ll be on my way, Mr. Mize.”

He waited until the door shut behind her to speak again. His eyes were trained on our forms in the mirror, watching the power couple we appeared to be. We looked like a matching king and queen in a chess set.

The colors of my dress, red and black, matched with his tuxedo. His wedding ring finger was empty, adorned only by a tan line. Reaching into his pocket, Carter produced a shining necklace. I held completely still as he clipped it around my neck.

“It’s called Sunflower.” His fingers traced the complex design. “I figured that you would like it. It’s your favorite: Harry Winston.”

I nodded, suddenly choked up. Euphrates had purchased a gorgeous Piaget necklace for me, a surprise, I lost it the day Carter kidnapped me. Swallowing away the bile building up in my throat, my body reverted to autopilot. With a deep breath, I smiled emptily at my reflection.

“Are you ready, Carter?” Ricky interrupted a second later. His deep voice carrying through the enormous closet. “We have less than 10 minutes before the party is scheduled to begin, sir.”

“We just need a few more minutes, Rick.” Carter’s security head nodded and disappeared behind the closing door. “You’re almost perfect. Just a few more adjustments and then we’ll be ready to go.”

First, he tied the intricate mask to my face. The black and white mask was bejeweled like my dress, covering both of my eyes and my right cheek down to the chin. He hummed in approval as he finished the knot nestled into my waist-length beach waved hair.

Carter pushed me backward until my knees were pressed against the chaise lounger. He rounded me and grabbed a white box on the counter, opening it. Without looking up, his voice casually commanded.

“Turn around and bend over.”

Confused, I turned to look at him. “What?”

“I said — turn around and bend over, Devani.”

My body shook in fear as I complied. Carter’s steps sounded like thunder as he made his way behind me. He slapped away my skirt and ran his fingers across my backside, slapping my left cheek hard when I tried to move away.

“Stay still, Devani.” He rubbed harder. “We don’t want a bruise tonight. You have to be perfect.”

A rushed breath puffed out of me as I felt cold lube rub around my anus. He probed me gently, pushing his thumb against the ring until I pressed back and opened for him. I jilted when he entered me, sinking my teeth into my lower lip when a second and third finger invaded my space.

“There you go, Dev. Just relax.”

His fingers pulled out of me, but a hard silicon toy replaced them. Trying not to moan, I widened my stance and breathed deeply. He spanked me twice without warning and I yelped, releasing the tension in my anus to allow the toy all the way in. My hips swung backward, catching rhythm with the thrusting toy.

“You like that, eh?” He cooed, dragging his right hand up my front to grab my breast. “We’ll see how you feel at the end of the night.”

I knew what this was, what this toy meant for me. It was a punishment.

Carter had spent the better part of the last few days with his mouth between my legs, sucking and licking, hoping to make me orgasm, but I staunchly refused him. I wouldn’t be caught dead coming for a monster like him. It had never happened as a TouchNode, it was sure as shit wasn’t going to happen now.

The night in his bed two days ago was the most violent I’d ever seen him. He rolled his tongue and sucked on my clit until the sun crested the horizon and then began again shortly after lunch. I’ll never forget the sound of his moaning while he violated me.

“All done.” His voice teased. He stepped away, letting me stand fully and right my dress. “To think, you’ll be walking around with a cock up that round ass.” He grabbed my ass, squeezing the handful until I whimpered. “It’ll be my cock soon enough.”

Awkwardly, Carter dragged me out of the closet and down the stairs. He portrayed us as the ultimate power couple as we moved through the crowd. They parted like the Red Sea, falling to the side to allow us deeper into the main dance room.

I shivered next to him, feeling my nipples harden and my pussy grow wetter by the second. The toy thrust deeper and harder energetically, fucking my ass until my brain turned to mush. My legs tensed and I fought off the urge to cross them as Carter welcomed the party-goers.

Happiness flooded me when he finished and led me off stage. Surreptitiously, my hips moved. I humped the air as I walked, gyrating my hips to move the fake cock inside me at a better angle. I was enjoying this more than I should.

Carter chuckled under his breath when he glanced down. He pressed his hand against my lower back, awakening my disgust. Instantaneously, I stopped moving.

“Awww… don’t stop.” He breathed in my ear, reaching lower to drop his hand under my skirt. I pinched my lips together as his hand pushed into my underwear, dragging until it met the toy. Carter pressed it deeper and turned up the volume with a second chuckle. “I want to hear you moan—”

The next words faded out as we cleared the door to enter the hall and a pair of surprised bright green eyes met mine that I’d recognize anywhere.