Touch of a Dom

Book two in the Dominant Lovers series.

With her mother recently dead, Adele Royer is determined to find the father who

abandoned them when she was a toddler. The only clues she has are two addresses in
Nice that she finds among her mother’s papers. Determined to start her search in the
South of France, she applies for a job as cook in Eze and becomes part of Luc Prioux’s
staff at Les Santons.

She loves the job and is more than ready to begin her search but Branko Odic, Luc’s

secretary, proves to be a delicious distraction. The passion they share is undeniable,
their chemistry tangible. He becomes her dream Dominant in bed and a true friend as
he aids her in her quest.

Together they find her father in nearby Cannes. But Adele is in for the shock of a

lifetime.

A Romantica® BDSM erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

OUCH OF A

Madeleine Oh

Madeleine Oh

Chapter One

In a suburb of Lille, Northern France

Adele Royer hit Send and her application went off into the ether. She knew better

than to hope too much. The last five applications hadn’t netted anything and this one

was definitely a long shot. They wanted a cook for a private estate and her work

experience was in a clinic, a hotel in Tournai and, the past four or five years, a small

café restaurant in Lille after she’d come back home to take care of her failing mother.

And now, mother gone, Adele was all set to disobey and break the promise she’d

made when she was seven.

The job sounded fantastic, or potentially fantastic. A live-in position in an estate not

far from Nice. Close to a dream job! She looked out at the drizzle against her window

and decided, apart from anything else, a little southern sunshine was just what she

yearned for.

Ten days later, a brisk email asked her to come to Paris for an interview the next

week. Paris meant Uncle Alain. Since she was little she’d wanted to meet the man

who’d never forgotten a birthday or Christmas. Odd really, he lived only an hour away

and it might just as well be a thousand miles. She’d never met him. In fact she had only

the haziest memories of her father. Now that her mother was dead her father’s

unknown family were her only relatives.

Just because her mother refused and forbade any contact with her ex-husband’s

family was no reason for Adele to continue. She wanted to know what had happened to

her father and to meet her uncle.

A week later, she was in Paris. Adele walked out of the Gare du Nord and took a

deep breath. Of carbon monoxide and pollution. She was used to the traffic and bustle

of Lille but it was nothing compared to Paris. She smiled at the crowds, the noise and

the buzz of activity. She was making a new start. Assuming, of course, she actually got

the job. If not, well darn it, she’d keep looking and meanwhile she was defying yet

another of her mother’s many fiats. But come to that, Maman had other secrets, several

of which Adele had packed into the rolling overnight case she pulled behind her as she

headed for the Metro.

Her destination was a certain shop in a side street in Le Marais. And this too, Maman

would have disapproved of. She had done all her business with Le Paradis des Sens

through the post. Well Adele was in Paris, and delivering the last consignment would

save postage and Maman had always approved of saving money.

Plus, Adele would be lying to herself if she pretended she wasn’t curious about the

man who’d bought her mother’s exquisitely handmade whips, blindfolds and floggers

Touch of a Dom

for years. That extra income had often made all the difference when it came to holidays

or new shoes or repairs to the little house her mother owned.

Adele opened the door to the little shop, looked around and had to close her mouth.

Incredible was the only word. No, fascinating. Amazing. Wonderful. And talk about

blush-making. Never mind all that. She was here on business, not to gawk. Although

she had to admit the gray-haired man arranging magazines didn’t match her mental

image of the Monsieur Charles Morgan she’d corresponded with.

“I’ve come to see Monsieur Morgan,” Adele said. Was he in the back room

perhaps? He’d said to come to the shop at eleven.

The elderly man straightened himself and crossed the space between them. “You

must be Pauline’s daughter, Adele.” The minute she nodded, he shook hands, then

hugged her. “How wonderful to see you, and my thanks for bringing her last works to

us.” He turned to the tall woman standing behind the counter. “Marie-Claude. Close

the shop and come and see the treasures this young woman has brought us.”

As Marie-Claude locked the door and turned the sign to Fermé, Monsieur Morgan

led Adele to the rear of the shop and invited her to open her suitcase.

She couldn’t help smiling as she spread out the array of suede, leather and velvet in

a spectrum of jewel colors and darkest black. There were ten floggers, two braided

whips and a dozen or so velvet, leather and silk masks, and another mask in a gorgeous

bronze-colored velvet with a matching set of manacles and leg restraints.

While Marie-Claude exclaimed, Monsieur Morgan smiled like a benevolent gnome

as he let the tresses of a flogger slide over his fingers. “Beautiful craftsmanship. As

always. Your mother had such talent and such dedication.” He shook his head. “A true

tragedy. She was so young.” He turned to Marie Claude by his side. “Feast your eyes,

my dear, these are the very last Pauline Royer toys we will ever see.”

That had Adele sniffing back a muffled sob. Not that muffled, though. M. Morgan

reached out and touched her hand. “Such a tragedy, my dear. Have you considered

taking on her mantle?”

Adele shook her head. “I used to help her at times but I was never as meticulous as

she was. Usually I was relegated to buying raw materials and shipping out her finished

products.”

He sighed. “A pity and this is all?”
Hadn’t she told him so on the phone? “It is. She used to sell to other places.” Might

as well make the point before dropping the big one. “But she was very firm that you

were to have all she had left. She said you had encouraged her to make a business out

of it.”

“I did indeed. I saw a beautiful flogger she made years ago for your father.”
Adele’s mouth went dry. “You knew my father?” Maybe not the best time to ask

but she had to know.

“Briefly, my dear, only briefly. They parted many years ago.”

Madeleine Oh

Adele already knew that.
“So do we take these under the usual agreement?” Obviously business was more

pressing than sharing details—if he had any—of her long-absent father. “I can pay cash

if you prefer.”

It could be tax free that way, but she wasn’t too sure of walking around Paris with a

bag stuffed with money. “Bank transfer will be fine, but I think we need to talk about

prices.” Not waiting for him to interrupt, she went on. “Since these are the very last

ever, they will surely go for a premium price. Collectors all over France will be eager to

snatch them up while they have the chance.” She smiled, heart beating at her own

nerve, but heck… Money was very important right now. She couldn’t count on getting

the job, after all.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked.
She told him, Marie-Claude gasped and then tutted at the suggestion and was sent

off to tidy the shelves as M. Morgan invited Adele to sit down. They haggled for several

minutes before shaking hands on the deal. “Pauline would be proud of you,” he told

her, “and if you ever decide to follow her footsteps, I want first option on your wares.”

“If I ever do, you will.” Unlikely as Adele didn’t possess her mother’s skills, but if a

job proved elusive…

“And you give your word these are truly the last? I don’t want another batch

appearing somewhere else.”

“There are no more.” Aside from a rather gorgeous magenta suede flogger that

she’d held back for herself as a memento of her mother.

Bargaining over, he sent the transfer to the account she gave him. Adele said, “Au

revoir,” and went out into the sunshine.

Pausing only to check on her phone that the money was in her bank, she took the

Metro back to the Gare du Nord, left her now-empty suitcase in the left luggage and

treated herself to a petit café in a nearby cafe.

She was hungry but waited to eat as she was due for lunch in just over an hour.

And that was another hurdle. At this rate she’d be worn out by the time of the interview

later that afternoon but darn, she was in Paris and wouldn’t miss any opportunity. She

might even go back and quiz M. Morgan about her father, but put more hope in her

uncle. She stifled the twinge of conscience. Her mother had wanted to sell her last work

but definitely would not have wanted Adele to have lunch with Uncle Alain. But she

was going to.

As she approached the restaurant in a trendy-looking side street in Le Marais, she

was overwhelmed by doubts and could hear her mother’s voice in her head, berating

the entire Royer family.

Damn it! She was on a quest for answers and her father’s brother was a good place

to start. Taking a deep breath, Adele squared her shoulders, crossed the narrow road

with a determined tread and opened the door.

Touch of a Dom

The small restaurant was almost empty. A group of three men in business suits was

in earnest conversation over coffee and brandy. A couple, totally engrossed in each

other, sat in one corner and, across the room by a window, a single woman was

studying the menu.

Uncle Alain had been right, the crowd had thinned out but where was he?
Half-tempted to back out and run, Adele looked around as someone called her

name.

“Adele? It is you. It must be.” A short man with salt-and-pepper hair smiled and

came toward her. He reached out his arms and, as if by instinct, she stepped over to him

and they embraced. “I would have known you anywhere,” he said as he released her

but kept his hands on her arms. “You are so like your poor mother, but enough, come

and sit. We have oysters, fresh from Brittany this morning. I saved some for you.”

He’d saved a dozen. Total luxury and indulgence verging on gluttony but she’d be

a fool to offend him by refusing. “You’re not eating?”

“I will, my dear. I eat with the staff after we close, but now, let me feed you.”
She couldn’t remember the last time someone else had cooked for her. Mother,

before she became ill, but that was years back. “They look and smell wonderful.” She

picked up a shell and tilted the oyster into her mouth. It tasted of salt, lemon and the

sea. “They’re incredible.”

He smiled. “Enjoy, my dear, and thank you for taking the time to visit an old man.”
“You’re not old.” Perfect opening here. “You’re not much older than my father.

Four years older, right?”

He nodded. “Yes. I wanted a puppy but my mother had Jules instead. I was

devastated.” He sipped from the glass of Perrier in front of him. “But I soon recovered.

We used to be very close.”

She caught the “used to be”. “I don’t remember much about him.”
“You wouldn’t. You were very young when they separated.” He shook his head.

“But enough of that. Tell me what brings you to Paris?”

“To sell the whips and floggers mother made” wasn’t perhaps the best reply. At his

age the shock might give him a heart attack. “Mother left me a little money and I

decided I needed a holiday.” The first bit was true, and wasn’t getting a new job—

hopefully—a version of a holiday? “I decided to start with a day in Paris.”

“To look up your old uncle? Eh?”
He obviously did not believe that was all. “I wanted to thank you for all the

presents you sent me over the years and to ask about your family. My family. Mother

never let me even mention the Royers.” She’d barely consented to Adele keeping the

toys and books her uncle sent her. “As a result, I know nothing. Do I have

grandparents? Cousins? Were you and my father the only siblings? What about great-

aunts and uncles?” For all she knew there was an entire tribe of Royers. “I know

nothing at all about any of you.”

Madeleine Oh

“I thought as much.” Uncle Alain shook his head. “That, my dear, was your

mother’s doing.”

She’d hoped to learn something she’d didn’t already know. “I’m well aware of that

and while she was still alive I’d never have gone against her but she’s dead now. I have

no brothers or sisters. You are the only other relative I know about, and I really want to

know if I have any other family and,” she paused for a deep breath, “if my father is still

alive. Mother said he moved south but that was it.” Could have been South Africa for

all Adele knew, but she always suspected, hoped perhaps, that her mother meant the

South of France.

Uncle Alain went silent for a good minute or two. “As for family, Adele, there were

three of us, your father, myself and a much younger sister, Eloise. She was ten years old

when your parents separated. You did meet her once or twice, but I expect you were too

tiny to remember her. She’s married, has three children and lives in America, in

California, with her husband. He’s a visiting professor at Stanford. They are due to

return next year and I believe she would be very happy to get to know you after all this

time.

“As for your grandparents, your grandfather died five years ago and unfortunately

your grandmother has since had two strokes. She is very frail. The last one affected her

mind and some days she does not even recognize me. I can take you to meet her if your

stay permits but be prepared that she will not know who you are.”

Seemed her best hope was her uncle. “And about my father?”
“I have not seen him for twenty-five years.”
What had happened? And seen didn’t necessarily mean I don’t know where he is. “So

he moved south.” He hadn’t denied that. “What did he do that everyone cut the

connection?” Being an only child didn’t give her any experience of siblings, but why

such a break? A thought occurred. “Is he in jail?” That would explain a lot.

“Good God, no! Whatever gave you that idea, child?”
The arrival of a veal chop in a luscious and aromatic cream sauce caused a delay in

replying. She had to taste it. Two bites later, she replied, “I can understand Mother

never admitting to a husband in jail.” On the other hand, wouldn’t he have visited a

brother in jail?

“My dear, listen to me. The rift was mutual. Your father made the choice to cut

himself off from all of us. I am sorry but you’d best do as all of us have done and forget

about him.”

Since she had no memories, there was nothing to forget, but darn… “You have no

idea where he is now?”

“He left no trace.”
Not entirely. “He sent money to Mother.” Not that the bank had been exactly

forthcoming when she’d asked some weeks back. All she had was the name of a notaire

in Nice who arranged the money but… “I know that because—”

Touch of a Dom

“Let it go, my dear. You have family now. Me, your aunt Eloise and her family and,

although sadly very frail, a grandmother. Spend your time getting to know us. Now tell

me what you think of the veal.”

That was easy enough—incredible, and the fondant au chocolat that finished off the

meal was superb, but when they parted she felt, aside from a meal she could never have

afforded to pay for, the visit had been close to useless.

Yes, she now had an uncle, but she’d already known that. Her aunt and cousins she

hadn’t known about—but they were on the other side of the world—and a

grandmother who was frail and feeble. If she were staying longer in Paris, she’d take up

Uncle Alain’s offer to take her to visit. Maybe she’d find time to come back in the next

couple of weeks. Although if this job didn’t work out, she’d be busily looking for

another.

Mother had said her father had gone south and Uncle Alain hadn’t denied it.
So, the South was where she was starting her search. But first her interview, and

fingers crossed that she got the job.

Madeleine Oh

Chapter Two

Helen Crew wasn’t too sure about this interviewing business. First, because it had

been dumped on her lap. Not that she really minded having to spend a couple of days

in Paris at the expense of her employer, Luc de Prioux. But also because she’d made a

thorough hash of the first interview—maybe because the woman reminded Helen of a

much disliked PE teacher from her schooldays. The said interviewee hadn’t helped by

going off in a huff after learning the previous cook had been murdered. Sad but that

was the fact of the matter and if poor old Madame Louise hadn’t met such a dreadful

end, she’d still be reigning in the kitchen of Les Santons and there’d be no need for a

replacement.

But Helen liked Adele Royer on sight and after fifteen minutes, decided she’d fit in

nicely into their rather unorthodox household up on the cliffs overlooking the

Mediterranean. She had good references and training, was quiet, obviously intelligent,

asked good questions, gave clear, sensible answers and had absolutely nothing of the

severe teacher about her manner.

There was only one nagging thought. If it hadn’t been for the report from Luc’s

private eye, Helen would have had a hard time believing this sweet-faced girl—okay,

young woman—was really into kink.

But appearances could be deceptive. After all, Helen had met all sorts of people

during the years she’d frequented clubs, fetish fairs and gatherings and enjoyed kinky

weekends.

Luc’s background check passed Adele. So it was up to Helen whether or not to hire

her and it was an easy choice. Getting along with Adele would be heaps easier than it

had been trying to make friends with the rather forbidding Madame Louise. Would Luc

and his secretary Branko feel the same? Hell if she knew. Only one way to find out.

“Do you have any more questions?” Helen asked.
“Not really, we’ve covered most things. I should add though that I’d very much

like this job.”

So she’d said earlier. Was she too eager? Helen didn’t think so. Adele was alone in

the world, needed a job and, Helen guessed, was a bit pushed for money. “I did make it

clear, I hope, that any offer would be tentative. There’s a six-month trial period after

which both sides would be free of obligation or if everyone agrees, we can renegotiate

salary and so forth.”

“Yes, but in that case, what about references?”
Helen had brought up the very same point with Luc. “This isn’t the Victorian age,

Adele. M. Prioux will observe all work protection laws. In fact he’s a very fair and

Touch of a Dom

generous employer. The concern isn’t your professional abilities—your references are

excellent—but rather whether you will enjoy working in what is a rather isolated

environment. There’s not much in the village.” Nothing in fact for a single young

woman apart from tourist shops and cafés and a couple of overpriced restaurants.

“There are buses into Nice and Monaco and I’d be willing to let you borrow my car if

I’m not using it.” Wild offer there, what if Luc objected?

Adele nodded. “That would be kind but I have my own car. I’d really like to

explore the area in my time off.”

“It really is gorgeous.” No lie there. “Weather’s fantastic and the estate is in a

wonderful position perched high on the cliffs. I love it there and M. Prioux is a very

reasonable employer.” And a bloody good Dominant to boot, but she’d keep that to

herself. At least for now.

“When would you expect the new cook to start?”
“As soon as possible. Would a week’s time be acceptable?”
She hesitated, as if weighing the question. “I could, but it would be difficult. I’m

still tying up my mother’s estate.”

“We’d pay travel expenses of course. You could put your car on the auto-train if

you’d prefer. Just let us know and Branko, Monsieur’s secretary, will take care of the

booking.”

She hesitated again. “Are you offering me the job?”
Helen stopped. Was she? Why not? “If you want it, it’s yours. For the trial period at

least.”

The girl’s shoulders relaxed as she smiled. “Really? I’m so glad. And yes. I could be

there in two weeks.”

“Perfect.” Helen held out her hand. “Welcome to Les Santons.”

* * * * *

Fifteen minutes later, Adele understood what walking on air meant. From the hotel

doorway to Tuileries Gardens was five minutes and it seemed her feet hadn’t touched

the pavement. She had a well-paid job in the South and now all she had to do was find

her father. She still had some sorting and packing to do but she and her mother hadn’t

owned much. She planned on letting their small house and keeping it as a bolt hole in

case she ever needed one. As soon as she heard when they’d booked her car on the

train, she’d be off.

She bought an Orangina from the kiosk and settled herself on a chair.
Should she stop in Paris on her way down and try to visit her grandmother with

Uncle Alain? No, two trips so close might seem odd, and if she mentioned where she

was headed, he’d start telling her not to look for her father. She was alone on this and so

be it. The six-month trial suited her purpose perfectly. If she didn’t find any trace of him

in that time she’d give up and move on.

Madeleine Oh

But for now it seemed everything was falling into her lap.
It probably wouldn’t last but for now, she’d enjoy her prospects.

* * * * *

It was almost two weeks later to the day when Adele drove off in her little red

Renault, leaving her childhood home and her previous life behind. She braved the

traffic of Paris, survived the sheer insanity of the Boulevard Périphérique ring road and

deposited her car, containing most of her worldly goods, at the Bercy station. She

treated herself to a taxi and made her way to Gare d’Austerlitz.

With time to spare before her train left, she set off wandering the neighborhood but,

bored with looking at hardware stores and racks of cheap clothes, she found a café,

ordered a kir and settled to read. It was no good. She was keyed up, excited and

nervous, to say nothing of downright scared.

Was she a total lunatic to walk out on everything she’d ever known and race off

into the unknown to look for a father who might well want nothing to do with her? He

hadn’t for the past twenty-five years after all.

On the other hand, what did she have to lose? She might never find her father—it

did rather come under the heading of “needle in a haystack”—and if she did, he might

repudiate her, but would that be anything new? Okay, she had no tangible proof he

went down south and even if he had gone there twenty years ago, who was to say he

was still there, or even still alive?

All she had to go by were three addresses, two in Nice and one in Cannes, that

she’d found in a folder in her mother’s desk and she wasn’t about to ignore her uncle’s

insistence that she not look for her father. If he’d been dead surely he’d have known

and told her.

Small, no minimal, clues as to his whereabouts, but on the flip side she now had a

well-paying job, a total change of abode and if the job didn’t work out, so what? Living-

in meant she’d have few expenses and could save a chunk of the generous salary. She’d

liked Helen Crewe, the woman who’d interviewed her. Librarian, hadn’t she said she

was? If this Monsieur Prioux could afford a private librarian, he was loaded. Things

might be pretty good at Les Santons.

* * * * *

She got a foretaste of her new employer’s generosity when she made her way back

to the station. She’d been promised a couchette and had been impressed that he’d sent

her a first-class ticket but to find he’d paid the supplement to have the compartment to

herself was a definite bonus.

After a not exactly outstanding sandwich, Adele stretched out on her couchette and

with the help of three glasses of wine went to sleep, lulled by the rocking of the train.

She woke to sunshine.

Touch of a Dom

Seemed like a good omen.
It took longer than she’d expected to claim her car and get on the road. She’d been

tempted to go straight to the address that was burning away in her handbag, but since

her new employer knew exactly what time she was arriving, best to get straight there.

Searching out that old address could wait until her day off. Didn’t take long to get out

of town and head up the Moyenne Corniche and the village of Eze.

Finding Les Santons took a little longer—she drove past the gates twice but found

them at last. She parked, called through to the house on the intercom and, when the

gates opened, drove down the drive, the sea sparkling ahead in the distance as she

pulled in beside a sporty blue car and stepped out onto the gravel drive to look around.

“Estate” wasn’t an overstatement. The house was immense. “Chateau” wouldn’t

have been an exaggeration. The garage block across the drive was three times the size of

the house she and her mother had shared. And as for the grounds, “expansive” was

putting it mildly. She could spend the better part of an afternoon exploring them.

“Bonjour, Adele.” It was Helen Crew, the woman who’d interviewed her in Paris.
“Bonjour, Madame.” Adele held out her hand.
“Call me Helen,” she said, shaking Adele’s hand. “I’ll call you Adele—if that’s okay

with you?”

Why not? “Very well.”
“How about I show you your apartment and let you get unpacked. Once you’re

settled, if you come over to the house, I’ll show you the kitchen and explain the security

system.”

Helped by Vito, one of the gardeners, they lugged Adele’s luggage up to the

apartment over the gym.

“This is beautiful!” She had a bedroom and bathroom, a kitchenette and a sitting

room that overlooked the gardens and the sea far below.

“It’s a great view, isn’t it?” Helen agreed, adding, “Luc believes in making his staff

comfortable.” That caught Adele’s attention. Helen referred to their employer by his

Christian name? Were they really that informal? Or was she more than a librarian?

Time would tell.

“Look around,” Helen went on, “and if you’re missing anything let me know. Take

your time, grab a nap if you want one. I know those night trains aren’t the most

comfortable places to sleep. No one is here but me, so no hurry to get busy.

“When you’re ready, walk over to the main house. The French windows by the

fountain will be open. Come in that way, cross the salon and there’s a door on the right

down the hallway. It’s my office. I’ll be working there.”

With that, she went out, leaving Adele to wonder if she was dreaming.
Spacious living quarters, generous travel arrangements and a salary she still

couldn’t quite believe. Fortune was smiling in her direction, or there was a catch

somewhere. Maman would have insisted the latter. Adele decided to wait and see. For

Madeleine Oh

what Monsieur Prioux was paying, he’d expect good meals and on time. She’d be

earning her money, but earning it in gorgeous surroundings and with free time to

pursue her rather doubtful quest.

Adele allowed herself two hours for a much-needed shower and some unpacking.

Then, not sure why she was so nervous, she crossed the courtyard and entered the

house by the door Helen had pointed out.

The salon was a vast room with long windows looking out onto the garden and

across to the blue sea beyond but she wasn’t here to linger. She turned into the hallway

and plowed right into a man. Dear heaven, was he her employer? What a way to start.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Oh dear!” Her face was burning.

Even her neck felt red. “I really am sorry, M. Prioux.” His hands on her shoulders only

seemed to exacerbate her embarrassment. “That was clumsy of me.” He probably

thought she smashed and dropped dishes too.

“Don’t worry.”
For some reason she didn’t. Not any longer. His voice was warm and smooth with

an accent she couldn’t quite place. Definitely not American like Helen. She looked up at

him and her jaw dropped. He was utterly gorgeous and she felt as awkward as a one-

legged cow.

“I should have been looking where I was going.”
“Where are you going?”
“Monsieur Prioux.” She stepped back and held out her hand. “I’m Adele Royer. The

new cook. I was looking for Madame Crewe.” “Helen” didn’t seem right when talking

to their mutual employer.

He took her hand, his grasp confident but oddly relaxed too. “Welcome to Les

Santons, Mademoiselle. I’m Branko Odic, Luc Prioux’s secretary.”

Double faux pas. “Oh!” Well darn, she might be still blushing but she wasn’t

apologizing all over again. “Madame Crewe mentioned you.”

“Helen?” Seemed Christian names were the norm here. “I bet she did. I hope it

didn’t put you off me?” She looked up at his face and his dark, dark brown eyes. Given

his tone of voice—and a very nice voice it was too—she’d expected a flirtatious twinkle

and little bit of a smile, even a grin but he looked completely serious.

“I don’t yet know enough about you to be put off.” Yes, a little familiar this early in

their meeting but it was out and hovered in the space between them.

“I hope you never do.”
That could be taken several ways and she wasn’t even trying to sort out the various

ramifications. “Please to meet you, Monsieur.”

“I’m Branko and I’m happy to have bumped into you.”
Helen had been right, they were informal here. Fair enough, she’d use first names

as well. “Could you tell me where Helen’s office is?”

Touch of a Dom

“It’s right here.” Helen stood in a doorway not three meters away. “Come along. I’ll

show you the kitchen and explain things.”

“I could do that,” Branko offered.
“Yes, you could, but I doubt you know where the egg poachers or the bain marie are

kept.”

Definitely a put down. Was there something between these two?
Adele walked past Branko and followed Helen down a couple of passages into a

large, airy and very light kitchen. “It’s beautiful.” She’d half-expected some dark, dingy

basement but the wide windows overlooked a well-tended kitchen garden.

“It’s a good kitchen. I think Luc redid it a few years back to Madame Louise’s

specifications.”

Two dishwashers, an eight-burner hob with both electricity and gas, and a Lacanche

range, just what had figured into her kitchen dream but not one she’d expected to have

fulfilled. “It’ll take me weeks to find my way around all this. It’s fantastic.”

“Luc doesn’t spare expense. Makes working here very pleasant.”
She called her employer “Luc”. They were all so informal. Not what she’d been

used to but never mind. “So what should I do first?”

“Make us both a mint tisane and I’ll try to explain specifics.”
The first was easy but as they sat at the table, Adele began to realize the job wasn’t

going to be quite as straightforward as she’d thought.

She was expected to put two meals on the table every day and leave something cold

or to be warmed up on her days off. Easy enough there but…

“What I expect will drive you bonkers,” Helen told her, “is keeping track of when

meals are needed and exactly how many. Madame Louise, who’d known Luc since he

was in diapers, used to scold and fuss at him. It didn’t make a blind bit of difference so

I’d advise you to not waste your breath. I’m here unless I’m out and trust me, if I’m

going to be out, I’ll tell you.

“But Luc comes and goes like the wind. He’ll say he’s off for three days and

reappear after twelve hours and another time he’ll say he’s away for a couple of days

and come back a week later.” She sounded a trifle irked at that. “Branko isn’t quite as

unreliable and I’ll have to nag at him to let you know when he’s going to be away. I’ll

tell him being new you need to know that.”

“Does he live-in too?” She wasn’t curious really, just needed to know. For meals.
“Sometimes, but he has a house in the village.”
Interesting. Perhaps. “So, he eats here?”
Helen shook her head. “It depends. Sometimes breakfast and usually lunch, if he’s

working in the house. Dinner? Well, that varies.”

Adele was beginning to wonder why they needed a cook if so many seemed to be

away half the time. “Sounds as if numbers could be anything.”

Madeleine Oh

“I don’t think it will be as bad as it sounds. I certainly don’t expect three courses if

I’m on my own here. Luc does like good food, though, so your efforts won’t go

unappreciated. As for coping with people coming and going, I know Madame Louise

used to keep soup and a few extra meals in the freezer for when Luc appeared without

warning. I suspect he believes meals appear by magic and a wave of a tea towel.” Adele

had to smile, never doubting the truth of it. A man who could afford a cook didn’t

worry about how potatoes got peeled.

“I’m happy with an omelet or soup, so don’t fuss when I’m alone. In fact, if you

don’t mind me invading your space—I seldom dared with Madame Louise as she ruled

the kitchen like a dictator—I can often fix my own. It’s really when Luc is here you need

to pull out the stops.”

“What about tonight?”
“With the two of us? A home-cooked meal would be welcome but I’m not sure

what’s in the freezers. You’ll need to check.”

That she could do, and it seemed she was responsible for ordering from the shops

in Nice and Monaco and sending the bills to Branko. “What about things from the

garden?” There could be no way all that abundance wasn’t going to be used.

“Use whatever you want and as much as possible. Talk to either Vito, who helped

bring up your luggage, or his father Pipo. They’re here most days, unless it’s raining, of

course. They live up in the hills. I can give you their phone number just in case.”

“What time is dinner?”
“Eight usually. Will you have long enough?”
“I think so. I’ll go through stocks and supplies and see what’s there.”
“Go and look and to make it easier, since Luc’s out, why don’t we eat here in the

kitchen? It’ll tell Branko. That way we can get to know you. Anything else you need,

there’s a house phone. My extension is 25. Call me if you have any questions.”

She was gone and somehow the room was vast and empty without her. Nonsense!

It was a fantastic kitchen, would be a pleasure to cook in, and she had a job to do. Her

actual employer might be absent but she’d make every effort to impress her fellow

employees after a bit of foraging through freezer and pantry.

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Three

“We’re eating in the kitchen?” If Helen had announced dinner would be served in

the downstairs cloakroom, Branko couldn’t have been more astounded. “Did Luc agree

to this?”

“Luc is away. If he comes back between now and then, we can change. Get over

yourself, Branko. Food will be just as tasty in the kitchen and look at it this way, you

can chat up Adele while we eat. Don’t you want to get to know her?” The more she

thought about it, the better sense eating there when Luc was away might make than

dining in state in the rather grand salle a manger.

Branko thought about it. “We will see, and now you have given me good reason to

discipline you when we stage our little charade tonight.”

“Really? What charade?”
He actually had the nerve to feign surprise and confusion. “Surely, Luc told you.

We must perform under her window.”

Just like he and Luc had on her first evening. “You’re serious?”
“Most definitely. Luc was very clear in his directions. You and I will perform an

erotic tableau for her delectation. After dark, of course. I am to be in charge of the

choreography. You must agree. Luc was counting on your participation since he cannot

be there. If I am on my own, it will not pique her interest in the same way.”

True, but mixed feelings was putting it mildly. And why had Luc omitted

mentioning this before he left? She knew the answer to that because he liked throwing

her for a loop even if he did it in absentia. Much as she had enjoyed witnessing the Luc

/Branko, or perhaps Branko/Luc, exhibition on her first evening, did she really want to

do the same? “Let’s talk about it.”

“But of course.” Taking her at her word, he pulled up a chair for her and smiled.

“So, Helen, what may I do to you?” Their eyes met and he smiled.

“Branko, I’m not so sure about this.”
“Why not? Didn’t you enjoy the little exhibition we put on for your benefit?”
He darn well already knew the answer to that. “All right. Let’s get this sorted out.”
He leaned over and stroked his fingers down the side of her neck. “One thing I will

insist on, you must wear a collar and lead. A velvet one.”

Dear heaven! That would be hard to refuse. “What color?”
“Red. Bright, glorious, sexy red. And nothing else.”
“Wait a minute, I’m not walking barefoot over the gravel and stones.”
“Then it is a good thing Luc bought you some red boots.”

Madeleine Oh

News to her, but it would save her feet. “And if I have to kneel or lie down, I’m

having some nice thick blankets.”

“How about an air mattress?”
That would do. “Sort of like a bouncy castle or a trampoline?”
“Oh, you are so impudent, Helen. Your chastisement, at my hands, will be truly

deserved.” And truly enjoyed if past experience was anything to go by. “There will be

no air mattress, but a soft pad that I will place on the stone bench under the pergola. I

will spread-eagle you on your back and tie down your wrists and ankles with velvet

straps and you will lie there helpless and submissive whilst I do whatever I want to

your pliant body.”

Helen saw Luc’s signature in that little scenario. She took a deep breath, only too

aware of tightened nipples inside her bra and the dampness between her legs. “Okay,”

she said, “if you insist.”

“Oh I do, my dear Helen. I most certainly do.”

* * * * *

Adele wasn’t sure if having meals in the kitchen would be easier or harder. Easier

really, from the point of serving, but she wasn’t too sure if she wanted the other

employees invading her domain. All right, what would be her domain once she settled

in.

Meanwhile, she set about delving into the basket of salad and vegetables Pipo

brought in from the garden along with a request that she tell him what she needed in

the morning. Although, with just three people to feed, including herself, the pile on the

table looked enough to last a couple of days.

Several beautiful eggplants caught her eye. They were firm, small and still warm

from the sun. Baked with garlic, basil and some of the bottled tomato sauce from the

deceased Madame Louise’s larder they’d make a perfect first course. Adele ran her

hands over the shiny flesh and smiled. There was something gloriously voluptuous

about a purple eggplant.

“Bonjour.” Adele looked up. A man stood in the doorway. Branko. He was rather

sexy, with a wicked spark in those dark eyes.

“Hello again. I’m glad you’re not permanently injured by my bashing into you.”
He smiled. “Not at all, Mademoiselle.” He held out his arms, palms uppermost. “As

you see I am undamaged.”

Good thing too. She’d hate to have been responsible for a permanent injury. “I’m

glad. Is there anything I can do for you?”

The way he grinned, she half-expected him to make a couple of interesting

suggestions.

Touch of a Dom

“I came to welcome you to Les Santons.” As he spoke he held out his hand. His was

a very nice handshake, strong fingers, his grasp just firm enough to make her wish he’d

held hers a little longer.

“You will be here for dinner?”
“Wouldn’t miss it, but Helen tells me we’ll eat in here.”
“She suggested it. Does that suit?” It had better. She was not serving here and in the

dining room.

“Of course. We can eat together and get to know each other better. Since we all

serve the same master.”

He put such a clear but very subtle emphasis on the word “Master” that Adele

wondered if she was hearing more than intended. “He seems a very generous

employer.”

“When he wishes to be.”
And what was she to make of that? Was Monsieur Prioux not always so open-

handed?

Branko sauntered into the kitchen—no other word for it—and reached for one of

the eggplants. Running his fingers over the shiny purple skin, he asked, “Are we having

these beautiful fruits of nature for dinner?”

She was tempted to tell him no, salad of prickly pears, but couldn’t help smiling

back. “Yes, baked with garlic, to start, and after that some veal chops I found in the

freezer.”

“I look forward to dinner, Mademoiselle. If you need me, for anything, call me. My

extension is 22.”

That was far too obvious for her taste. “I feel sure I can manage. Later I may need to

start ordering fresh supplies.”

“I will be at your disposal. See you at dinner.”
When he left, the kitchen seemed sort of empty. Just as well. He was an incorrigible

flirt and a distraction and besides, it was so much easier to work on her own.

* * * * *

Adele was pleased with herself over her first meal at Les Santons but even though

the food went well, she sensed a tension between Helen and Branko. Why? She so

hoped she hadn’t landed deep in some household feud. Helen was friendly enough,

and given she was American, appeared to appreciate the cooking. That was unfair of

Adele. What did she know about Americans? This one had, after all, given her a job.

“Where in America are you from?” Adele asked. Curious, yes, but…
“Virginia,” she replied. “I lived there all my life, until I came here. I needed a

change. My husband died,” she added.

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to intrude.”

Madeleine Oh

“No intrusion. It happened. What about you?”
“I grew up near Lille and when my mother died recently, I decided to come south

for sunshine.” Curiosity getting the better of her, she asked Branko, “Where are you

from?”

“Croatia,” he replied, after a pause. “I was born in Zagreb but when I was a boy,

my family moved to Italy and then France. There was a lot of turmoil when I was

growing up.”

Of course, there would have been. “Seems we make a mini United Nations,” Adele

said.

“I hope,” Branko said, “you will find us interesting.”
“I do already.” He was particularly intriguing.
They didn’t linger over coffee, much to Adele’s relief. She cleaned up, made a rough

list of groceries she’d want to order in the morning and made her way back to her

quarters. Although “quarters” was a pretty sparse way to describe the very spacious

and comfortable apartment across the courtyard.

She needed an early night if she was to be up in time to have breakfast laid out by

eight. She should have asked about bread but had forgotten. Another thing to add to

her list. But she’d found brioche in the freezer. The late Madame Louise had stocked up

well and they’d manage for one morning.

As she got ready to turn in, Adele couldn’t help wondering about her new, and as

yet unmet, employer. What sort of person owned property like this? And enjoyed a

lifestyle that included his own librarian and secretary as well as cook and gardeners

and, according to Helen, a cleaning crew to take care of the house?

Sooner or later she’d find out.
Mind you, Branko wasn’t half bad but perhaps there was something going on

between him and Helen. The tension between them had to signify something.

Meanwhile, she was ready for bed. She’d traveled a good distance—in more than one

way—since she left Lille that morning.

* * * * *

“So, we are agreed?”
Helen looked at Branko and shrugged. “I guess so.”
“You do not sound too certain. Have you never performed before?”
Thank gave her pause. She had… “Yes, but it was with Sam and a group I knew

well.”

“You know me, Helen. We have played before and I think you found it pleasant,

didn’t you?” More than “pleasant” and he knew it. “Tonight, there will be no group,

familiar or otherwise, just the two of us in the moonlight.” And Adele at her window.

Maybe.

Touch of a Dom

“What if she doesn’t get up and watch?”
“I think she will. You were curious, weren’t you?”
True, but she’d been a horny widow at the time. “Okay, so she wakes up and sees

us. What if she’s shocked and horrified and calls the cops?”

“My dear, according to Luc’s report, she will be far from horrified and will see us in

a new light at breakfast. You did after all.”

No point in denying that. “Okay, you win.” And she would too in the end. Branko

was darn good and well worth all this palaver. “So, you need me naked. What time?”

“I will alert you. Fifteen minutes after her light goes out.”
“You’ll watch her room?” What a silly question. Of course he would. “Okay, let me

know and I’ll be ready, but better make sure it’s a nice warm blanket on that bench.

Nothing like cold stone to ruin the mood.”

His chuckle was downright lascivious. “My dear Helen, you will not be cold, I

promise.”

Might as was well get ready. She wasn’t about to shower and go out into the night

air but she stripped, rubbed her body with rose-scented lotion, slipped on the so-called

“boots” that were not much more than firm-soled slippers and wrapped herself in a

warm robe to sit and read until Branko summoned her.

She left the collar and lead on the dresser. He could put that on. It would help get

her in the mood.

It was just after eleven when he came up to her room. “Ready?”
“Pretty much.” She put aside her book, stood, took off her robe and turned to look

at him. And gaped. He was out to get Adele’s attention, no two ways about it.

He was wearing black thigh-high boots that fitted like a second skin and a matching

thong, for want of a better word, long gloves and that was it.

“Nice getup.”
“Luc chose it.” Why did that not surprise her? “You’re not wearing the collar.”
“I thought you might want to put it on.”
“Coquine!” He smiled. “Come here and bring it with you.”
Easy enough to oblige. His fingers were warm against her skin as he fitted the

velvet around her neck. She gave a little shiver as he kissed her shoulder. “You will

perform well for me, Helen. I feel sure of it. Now, follow me downstairs.”

He took up the looped end of the lead and led her down the main staircase, across

the entrance hall and out the front door into the moonlit garden.

Madeleine Oh

Chapter Four

The night was still warm. Good thing that, as freezing and shivering wasn’t exactly

sexy. Mind you, following Branko’s tight butt and being led on a velvet lead certainly

stirred the submissive streaks in her DNA. How far was he going to make her walk?

Around the house? She’d need more than slipper boots for that.

He headed straight for the pergola and the stone bench, walking slowly, as if

stringing it out. Helen was downright glad of the high walls that surrounded the estate.

Putting on a show for Adele was one thing, streaking and performing for the

delectation of random passing tourists was quite another thing entirely.

Votive lights hung from the overhead beams—a rather nice touch, and they gave

just enough light for her to notice he’d covered the bench with several blankets and tied

them down. He obviously expected her to be moving. And he’d brought over a table

from the terrace and on a spread-out cloth were a flogger, a blindfold and… Her mouth

went dry at the sight of a bullwhip.

“You’re not using that on me.” No way in heaven.
“It’s just for sound effect, my dear. I’m nowhere near skilled enough to venture to

use it on your tender flesh.”

But was he skilled enough to use it on Luc? Neither of them had ever given her a

straight answer as to who’d wielded it when she’d watched from the rooms that Adele

now occupied.

Thinking that she might be watching already sent a shiver down Helen’s spine.

Could she really go through with this? Branko tugged, very gently, on her lead and she

turned to look at him. He nodded at the bench and she lowered her head.

“What must I do?”
“Lie on your back and prepare yourself to worship my cock.”
She’d swear every nerve ending in her body responded to his softly voiced order.

She crossed the few meters to the bench and took up position. “Spread those beautiful

legs of yours,” he whispered, bending over her. “I want you open and available.”

She was spread before he finished talking.
He didn’t restrain her at first, just walked around her, whispering promises of how

he would tie her down. First one leg, then the other, teasing her skin with his fingers

and his mouth between times. It worked its intended purpose. She was aroused and

longing for restraint. She wanted to be able to tug and pull ineffectively, to know her

efforts would be useless and she was his captive plaything.

If only he’d get a move on and make good on his promises.

Touch of a Dom

No point in saying so. Knowing Branko, he’d only delay even longer. But he’d very

effectively aroused her. Helen was ready to moan aloud when he said, “Give me your

hand.”

When she complied, he wrapped a soft band around her wrist. It felt soft like

velvet, maybe matched the collar she still wore and the lead draped between her

breasts.

The band might feel soft but when he let go of her hand, her arm immediately was

stretched out over her head with a jerk. She cried out in surprise. “What’s that?”

“Bungee cords,” he replied. “It’s a bit of an experiment but they seem to hold you

nicely. You can move but not much with your arms at that angle.”

He was right. Her arms were pretty much pinioned down and she didn’t have

strength in her shoulders to exert enough force to stretch the damn bungee cord. Well,

she wanted to be immobile, didn’t she? He was definitely satisfying that desire.

“Hand me your other hand. If you want to.”
He got it.
Now both arms were stretched over her head and if her legs were still free, they

wouldn’t be for long. She looked up at his face as he bent over her.

“Comfortable?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I’d better do something about that then, shouldn’t I? Legs still unrestrained, aren’t

they?” he asked, shaking his head. “Can’t have that, my dear Helen. I like you best

helpless. Come along,” he went on, as he walked to the other end of the bench. “Give

me your foot, if you please.”

“And if I don’t please?” It came out unbidden.
“I will tie you down and leave you here until morning and you will not get your

treat.”

Put that way… She lifted her left foot and placed it in his outstretched hand.

Moments later, that too was anchored down. She had a little more movement with her

legs than her arms but when she tested it too much, he slapped her thigh. “Keep still,

Helen. I said ‘immobile’ and I meant it.”

Suited her. She had no hesitation offering her right leg when asked.
God, this felt so good. She was helpless, spread and waiting. The air was a little cool

this late in the year but he’d soon warm her up so she wouldn’t notice a little night chill.

Branko walked around her twice before stopping behind Helen’s head. “Time to

make sure our watcher is awake.”

As he spoke, the bullwhip cracked overhead and hit the paving stones. Helen

shrieked. Damn! She had not expected that.

“Very good, and nicely natural sounding,” Branko said. She only just heard him

over the sound of a second crack and a third. Then came a volley of them as the whip

Madeleine Oh

whirled and hit the ground back and forth on either side of her in rapid succession for

several minutes. Putting faith in his promise that he’d not hit her flesh with it, Helen

relaxed and listened. The sound was arousing. By the time he paused, to rest his

shoulder and arm no doubt, she was very wet between the legs.

“How was that?” he asked. She heard the whip drop.
“Why don’t you check?”
“I think I already know, but just to be sure…” He stroked her breasts, tweaking her

hard nipples, then trailed his hand down her body to feel between her legs. “You

naughty girl, you’re wet and aroused. Now that, I think, deserves something special.”

He picked up the flogger and waved it in her line of vision. “How about a little

encounter with suede tresses? Just what will do you good.”

She could not agree more. “Please.” It wasn’t exactly begging, more like an entreaty

she had every expectation of being met.

“Since you asked so nicely, Helen.” He brushed the full width of the tresses across

her breasts.

She sighed. This was so good. Her back arched, putting a little stretch in the bungee

cords before they pulled her back. She didn’t care. He was caressing her, stroking her

breasts, belly and thighs with the soft tresses. She’d be happy to go on like this for

hours. Her sighs and soft moans filled the night air as her arousal grew, slowly and

steadily. Would he change his rhythm? Strike a little harder with a slowly increasing

force? What about a few well-aimed hits to her pussy? Now that was something to look

forward to.

She let out another moan, almost a groan and prepared to beg for more.

Above them, in the night, Adele watched. She’d been barely dozing at the first

sound of the bullwhip and was awake in an instant. Some sounds one responded to no

matter what.

By the time the third crack echoed in the night, she was across the room and

opening her window wide to see what in the name of reason was going on.

Spectacle was the only word for the sight below. By the light of dozens of candles, a

woman was spread-eagled on some sort of table by the pergola and a near-naked man

stood at her head, cracking the whip on the paving stones. He was skilled, even in the

poor light that was clear enough. With confident movements he whirled the whip from

side to side, hitting the ground but never touching the woman. Her quiet moans rose up

to where Adele watched and she shut her eyes a moment, imagining herself in the

woman’s place and feeling the rush as the evil whip cut the night air.

Adele grasped the window sill to steady herself as her body responded to the sights

and sounds below. She had missed this. How many months had it been since she’d had

a session with a skilled Dominant? And this man was skilled. Was it Branko? Had to be.

The security on the estate was far too tight for random couples to wander in and frolic

Touch of a Dom

on the terrace at will. Besides, this scene was carefully choreographed. She’d taken part

in far too many not to notice that right away.

Helen—it had to be her—moaned and Adele moaned with her. This was too much,

too wonderful and… What the hell were they really doing? Had to be put on for her

titillation. This employee benefit hadn’t been mentioned during the interview.

The tempo changed, the bullwhip hit the ground with a most stimulating crack and

the man went over to the side and took up a flogger. It was unmistakable, even from

here, and Adele cast a longing thought to her own flogger, now in her underwear

drawer. She longed to feel its kiss on her skin. As Adele watched, Helen’s head and

shoulders moved a little but mostly she sighed, reveling in the sweet caress as Branko

stroked the full width of the spread tresses up and down her body before trailing them

loosely down the inside of one leg and up the other.

Seemed he liked the effect, or perhaps her response, as he repeated the movement

several times until Adele was half ready to call out to him to do more, to ply the flogger

harder and, as if sensing her wish, he did just that.

With a practiced and very skilled movement of the wrist, he tapped the end of the

tresses across Helen’s thighs and shoulders and then flicked the flogger across her

breasts. Oh! Switching techniques like that teased and aroused. Adele was wild and

ready for whatever happened next and she was merely a spectator.

In the night she heard him say, “Are you ready, my dear?”
She darn well was. More than ready, overly ready, dying from readiness. This

should be her reward. It was going to be.

Without pausing for slippers or robe, Adele dashed across the room, through the

apartment and down the outside stairs. She ran across the drive, barely noticing the

gravel on her bare feet, and called out, “No!”

Branko turned and watched as Adele ran toward them. This had not been part of

his plan. A quick glance at Helen, still prone on the bench, showed she was even more

stunned. Understandable, given her state of arousal.

“No?” he asked, sounding feeble to his own ears. “Were you invited?” Bit lame that

but hell, he was ad-libbing here.

“I invited myself. Wasn’t I intended to?”
Not exactly but now she was here he looked at her intently, hair all over the place,

nothing on but a flimsy nightgown that did nothing to hide her full breasts and very

tight nipples, and the scent of her arousal filled the air. Her appearance was unexpected

and downright unintended but most certainly not unwelcome.

“I’m glad you did, but tell me,” he hardened his voice, “why are you here, Adele?”
She shivered under his scrutiny but he suspected it wasn’t from cold, rather from

something far more enticing. For both of them.

Madeleine Oh

She took a deep breath, tilted up her chin and met his eyes. No modest and

submissive lowering of eyes for her. He rather liked her attitude. “I’m in need and

horny and you and your partner pretty much drove me to the edge.”

“Pretty much?” He raised his eyebrows slowly and met her eyes steadily. “Does

that mean you are still on the edge?”

“Yes, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“And you expect me to take care of that?”
“Why not? You seem expert at these things.”
She was in need and wanted him. Wanted him to oblige her. He could be very

obliging when necessary. He stepped close to her and fingered the neck of her

nightgown. Nice, flimsy cotton, perfect to his mind. It covered but really didn’t conceal

much. But even so…

“If you want me, you’d better be naked.” He put in just a hint of menace. Her

breath caught but the nightgown was off and over her head before she exhaled.

Now he gasped. He’d seen many naked women, dozens even, but Adele took his

breath away. Her breasts were large but gloriously firm and rounded, her nipples dark

and every bit as hard as the little bumps under her nightgown had suggested but it was

the incredible curve of her belly and generous roundness of her hips that drew his eyes

down to the dark triangle of her pussy. His cock responded with passion, dire need and

sheer and fantastic horniness.

He wanted her, right here and now but first… He raised the flogger that was still in

his hand and asked, “Would you like me to discipline you?” She nodded. “I thought

you might but—Damn!” He threw the flogger to the ground. “That will have to wait for

next time.” He certainly couldn’t. Branko pulled her close, pressing his erection into the

warmth of her lovely belly and he took her mouth with his.

He heard a soft, strangled gasp and then nothing. His mind shut out everything but

the warmth of her lips, the passion in her mouth and the heated need of her tongue as it

met his. Forget gentle exploration or tentative teasing. He took her mouth with his,

possessed it, devoured it. She was heat and passion and woman and damn, she met his

every need and more as she pressed her body even closer. He grabbed her arse cheek

with one hand, squeezed, then spanked. Her cry was swallowed by his continuing kiss

and he slapped again and again. The sound of flesh on willing flesh filled the night.

It was incredible. She was incredible. So much in need, so earnest. So all around

sexy. He couldn’t wait any longer. He backed her against the nearest upright of the

pergola. Keeping his mouth on hers, he ripped aside his thong and lifted her,

positioning her over his erection. Seconds later he was in her. Deep. She cried out as he

worked her up and down on his cock. She matched his rhythm. Her hands grasped his

shoulders as she propelled herself up and down on his cock.

Her noise filled the night, just as her scent and need and passion flooded his mind.

He was close to coming but held off, wanting this to last forever as her cries rose in a

sweet crescendo and she came. That took him over the edge, and with the last of his

Touch of a Dom

strength he held her close until sated and spent. He slipped out of her and gently

lowered her until her feet reached the ground.

Adele clung to him. They were both sweating and he shut his eyes to relish the

incredible feel of her slick skin on his.

He kissed her damp forehead and then her shoulder and tasted salt.
“You are like a dream,” he whispered.
“I think I might be dreaming. Will I wake up and find this didn’t happen?”
“Never.”
“Excuse me for intruding on the moment.”
He turned with a shock. Dear God! Helen. He’d forgotten her. How in hades could

he have done that? “I’m really glad you both had such a great time but would you mind

untying me?”

He was by her side in moments, his hand still in Adele’s. “Helen, I’m sorry. I—”
“Got carried away? I noticed. Branko, you do have a great way of making a woman

feel forgettable and neglected.”

Not his intention. “Forgive me.”
“I can manage that, if you untie me.”
“Of course but how are you?” She was close to peaking right before he

got…distracted.

“Branko, watching the two of you, even if it did put a crick in my neck and strain

my shoulders, was plenty to finish me off. You two are quite the hottest thing I’ve even

seen.”

Adele gasped. Understandable, all things taken into account.
“You must be cold,” he told her, taking an unused blanket and putting it around

her shoulders. “Give me a minute to help out Helen.” He quickly released the straps on

her wrists and ankles and helped her up. She stood, grabbed a blanket and promptly sat

down. “Have a seat,” she said to Adele, patting the bench beside her. “You look a little

wobbly about the knees.”

“I am.” She sank down beside Helen. “But it was incredible.”
Nice to know he merited that much accolade, especially since he wasn’t exactly

steady on his own pins. He sat beside Adele.

Nobody said anything for several minutes. Just listened to the call of some night

bird and waited, breathing heavily and waiting for someone else to be the first to speak.

Just as Branko decided he should be the one to take charge, he was the Dominant of

the group after all, Helen stood.

“Good night, you two. It was fun. Many thanks, Branko, but I imagine you and

Adele need to talk.” She wound the blanket around herself a little more securely and

walked away, into the house.

Adele looked at Branko. “Maybe I’d better go too.”

Madeleine Oh

“Let me come up with you.”
She nodded, so he followed her up the stairs to her rooms.
“Thank you,” she said as she reached the still-open door. “That was quite

wonderful.”

“Next time will be even better.”
“Is that possible?”
He grinned. Who wouldn’t? She was quite fantastic. “Oh yes, next time I will plan

things properly.”

“So was this time planned improperly?”
“You should be spanked for that impudence.”
“Before we do anything more, Helen was right, we need to talk but not tonight.”
“Tomorrow,” he told her.
“Tomorrow,” she replied and gave him a sweet and chaste kiss on his cheek.
He closed the door and waited until he heard her key turn in the lock, then went

back down. Great as he felt, he still had to clear away the evidence of tonight’s

encounter or the gardeners would have something to talk about in the morning.

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Five

Adele turned off her alarm and lay back on the pillow. Total bemusement was not

too strong to describe her state of mind—and body come to that. Every fiber of her body

sent a very clear message that last night she’d been well and truly fucked. But her mind

pretty much refused to believe it had happened. Had she really watched Branko tie

Helen to the bench in the pergola and, this was the most incredible bit, had she, Adele

Royer, actually run out into the night and demanded he fuck her there and then?

The fact he’d obliged most kindly and forcefully was clearly imprinted in the

deepest and most secret parts of her body and if that wasn’t enough, she knew she’d

worn a nightgown to bed last night and now she was naked. Another, more immediate

and down-to-earth fact was she had to get up and do her job. She had breakfast to see

to.

Thirty minutes later she had coffee brewing, she needed it for a start, and was about

to set out fruit and jam for breakfast when Helen appeared in the doorway.

“Morning,” she said, then “bonjour” and went over to the coffeepot. “Mind if I help

myself? It’s just us anyway.”

“Not Branko?” She tried to keep the anxiety out but suspected she sounded

desperate.

Helen shook her head. “I doubt it.” Adele wanted to shake her and ask “why?” but

waited as best she could as Helen added milk to her coffee and took a seat at the big

kitchen table.

“Can I get you something?” Adele asked, reminding herself her job was to feed all

of them.

“Not yet, I need coffee first. Why don’t you sit down too, since it’s just us?”
It was tempting, unprofessional, yes but… Adele refilled her half-empty cup and

joined Helen. She was not going to ask again about Branko.

She didn’t need to. “You asked about Branko,” Helen said. “He’s seldom in for

breakfast. He doesn’t live-in like we do.”

Yes, that she remembered but really, after last night… “And he’ll probably be in

late this morning. After he took you up to your room, he still had to clear everything

away. I bet by the time he headed home it was well after midnight, maybe closer to

one.”

“I see.” She did, really she did, but all the same.
“Look,” Helen went on. “I’m not telling you what to do, don’t think that, but since

Luc is still away but due back this evening, there’s a good chance Branko will be in late,

Madeleine Oh

maybe not until this afternoon. Why don’t you take the morning off? I can see to my

own lunch if you don’t mind me messing around your kitchen.”

“I intended to put together orders this morning.” She wasn’t going to add that

Branko was going to send them in for her. He was too much on her mind as it was.

“Why not take them in yourself? You have the names of the shops, don’t you?”

Helen smiled. “That way it’s not even time off.”

Could she squeeze a whole day off? Branko wasn’t here and Helen was more than

amenable. “A good idea but what about dinner?”

“You need to see to it tonight. I got an email from Luc saying he wants dinner at

eight. He may well actually be here.”

“You mean he might not?”
“Yep. He’s notoriously unreliable. Madame Louise used to fuss at him but I think

you’d better not. At least not right off the bat.”

So she could take a few hours off and still have plenty of time to prepare dinner.
“I think you’re right. Although it does feel odd to take a day off the second day I’m

on the job.”

“Working here is not your everyday sort of employment.”
She was right there. “Was last night’s activity typical?”
Helen took a slow taste of coffee as if to sort out her words. “Last night was

specially choreographed for your benefit. Although neither of us expected you to jump

in like that.”

Adele could feel the blush burn her face. She had been brazen. “Did it shock you?’
“Surprised me but I think Branko was delighted.”
That was good to hear. She supposed. “What about when Monsieur Prioux

returns?”

“Luc and I are lovers. I’ve played with Branko some, like I did yesterday. To answer

the question you didn’t ask, this is definitely a kinky household. After last night, I think

you’ll fit right in.”

Except she really wasn’t here to stay for long. Or was she? Even if she didn’t find

her father, it seemed there were some very desirable fringe benefits to this job.

* * * * *

Taking Helen’s word as authority and since Branko hadn’t made any appearance by

ten-thirty, which rather irked her royally, Adele took advantage of a free morning and

armed with suppliers and grocery lists plus the two addresses in Nice she’d found in

her mother’s bureau drove down the mountain toward Nice.

She parked in the Cours Saleya and set off. Even with a map, it took her a good forty

minutes and asking directions three times before she found it.

Touch of a Dom

An old building now restored as apartments for the chic and artsy crowd. No

concierge, but by dint of pressing intercom buttons, Adele found one person at home. A

man who, through the muffled tones of the speaker, informed her he’d been there for

eight years since the building was renovated and as far as he knew, no one knew

anything of former residents before his time.

Questions asked in the shops underneath and across the narrow street pretty much

repeated what she’d learned already. A young waiter in a café down the road did

volunteer the information that according to his grandmother the building had once

been a safe house for the Resistance and a brothel. Maybe both at once, Adele surmised.

And before her father’s time.

One dead end so far. She finished her petit café and, because she was ostensibly here

for work, set off in search of the butcher, baker, fishmonger and grocer that Branko had

given her yesterday.

Branko! Why could he not have called or left a note? Was it really that casual for

him? Obviously yes, but damn it all she was not looking for a lifelong commitment, just

some more really fantastic sex and some reassurance that he’d enjoyed it as much as she

had.

She could phone him. She had his number after all but she wasn’t going to, she was

going to visit her suppliers, leave her orders and come back with something wonderful

for dinner tonight to impress her new employer. By the time she’d done all that it

would most likely be time to head back.

A shame she didn’t have time to check the second address.
That would have to wait for another day off and it seemed getting time off, if

Monsieur Prioux was away, wasn’t too difficult.

* * * * *

“Not again, Branko!” Helen was running out of patience. This had to be the fifth or

sixth time he’d poked his head around her door. Okay, that was a bit of an

exaggeration, but at least the second or third. “She’s not back yet.”

“I don’t understand why you gave her the day off.”
Maybe if she did have this conversation he’d go away and leave her in peace.

“Come on in then, but for the nth time, I did not give her the day off. I suggested she go

into Nice and visit the suppliers. She’s not needed here until dinner.”

“So we had to have sandwiches for lunch.”
Heaven give her patience. “Since you didn’t saunter in until well after lunch that

was hardly a problem for you, was it?”

He let out a tsk of frustration. Perhaps she should be kinder. Maybe. “What’s the

matter, Branko?” Idiot question really. The answer was written all over him from his

creased brow to his fingers tapping endlessly on the doorframe.

Madeleine Oh

He took that as an invitation to come in and occupy her spare chair. Better sort this

out. “Well?” Silly question when things so obviously weren’t.

“I keep thinking of last night.”
“Oh I see. You’re worried about letting me down.” Sarcastic, yes, but he’d better

understand it wasn’t all about him. “Don’t worry, Branko, really. I ended up okay.”

“It’s not you,” he almost snapped. “It’s about Adele. I need to talk to her.”
He did indeed. “You should have made an appearance earlier. She was here and

obviously expecting some sort of contact from you.” Honestly, men were all the same.

“How hard would it have been for you to call her? Email? Dammit, you could have

managed a text saying ‘last night was great!’”

He frowned. No, he scowled. “You’re a woman, you don’t understand.”
Right on both points. “What’s the problem? Did she ruin your nicely

choreographed scene? Was that it? I didn’t see you complaining.”

“I am not complaining!” The way he said it rather gave that impression. “It was just

so…” He waved both hands in the air as if trying to shoo away flies. He really was all to

pieces.

“But you’re not happy.” He nodded. “In heaven’s name why not? The intention last

night was to get her attention. We did that in spades and from where I was tied down

flat on my back, it seemed to me you had a very satisfactory end to the scene.” A lot

better than hers.

“It is about Adele.” She’d figured that much out on her own but since he seemed to

be warming up to talk, she let him go on. “She surprised me.”

“She rather surprised me too but I think you got the better end of the deal.”
Another tsk. Perhaps flippancy was the wrong approach. “Okay, Branko, what is

your beef? We found out she was kinky and wanted to fuck you. Most men would see

that as a bonus, not a snag.”

“It is who she is. How she is, Helen, you do not understand how it is for me.”
He was right there. “So tell me.”
“It is Adele, she is so young and sweet, almost shy and now, it seems, she is not.”
As complaints from men went, it was a new one. “You mean you’re disappointed

she likes sex.” And pretty enthusiastic, close to rough, sex at that.

“No, no, no! It is just I did not think she would be so…”
“So what? Sexy? Enthusiastic? Incredible? Wonderful?” Honestly. Why was she

even trying to understand?

“She is all those, but what am I to do now?”
“Talk to her. She darn well wanted to talk to you earlier but who knows, she might

have changed her mind by now.”

Touch of a Dom

“But she is not here!” Dear heaven, it was as good as a wail and while part of her

rather enjoyed seeing self-confident, even arrogant at times, Branko go all to pieces, she

had work to do.

“Branko. You need to be having this conversation with Adele. Not me. And if she’s

so pissed with you that she never wants you to touch her again, that’s your fault not

hers. However, I got the distinct impression she had great sex last night and this

morning, at least, was rather inclined to repeat the experience often and with variations.

So, if you still have half a brain, send her a text or call her and tell her you need to talk.

And meanwhile, if you don’t have any work, I most certainly do. So scram!”

With a shrug and more scowls and plenty of mutterings in a language other than

French, he left. Helen shut the door.

She had to catalog and sort out a series of engravings and lithographs to form part

of an exhibition at the Sex Museum in Amsterdam. And she really wanted to be done

before Luc got back. Otherwise he might spank her. Now that was a prospect. Almost

made her want to be deliberately slow.

* * * * *

Adele ignored his first two messages. He sent a third one and after that Branko

gave up, although part of him didn’t. Just thinking of her and sending a text gave him

an erection and that was ridiculous. No woman ever did that to him. Seemed Adele

Royer was the exception.

He was tempted to get into his car and drive off for a couple of days to sort out his

mind but reluctantly conceded Helen was right. He did need to talk to Adele. Actually

he needed to fuck and be fucked but that had to wait.

Or did it?
He finally got a reply to his third text, hours later. It simply said, “Okay. After

dinner.”

He had hours to wait.

* * * * *

A satisfying and satisfactory day—in some respects. Adele made herself known to

the suppliers the household used and even had an introduction to a new charcutier who

was the son-in-law of the butcher. After picking up enough supplies to keep her going a

couple of days before the deliveries started arriving, she was left with enough time to

look up the second address.

The house in a side street near the port turned out to be a nightclub, Velours Noir. It

was firmly closed for the day but her repeated bell-ringing got the attention of a

doorman who snippily, and unnecessarily, informed her the club was closed and, as a

parting shot before he slid the judas peephole closed, informed her admission was for

members only.

Madeleine Oh

Walking away, Adele wished she’d had the presence of mind to ask if anyone knew

a Monsieur Jules Royer but she’d missed the chance. Maybe she’d come back one

evening and try her luck again.

Trouble was, three solid weeks of web searches and Googling had produced

nothing. She’d found several Jules Royers—neither was exactly an uncommon name

after all—but between an eighteen-year-old student in Caen and an octogenarian living

in a home in Strasbourg, none was the right age to be her father.

Enough for today. She had weeks ahead. Months even and now she really should

get back and cook a dinner to impress her new employer.

And face Branko.
She’d ignored two text messages but had replied to the third. He could wait. Might

give her time to decide what she was going to say to him. Starting off with “Fuck me

again, please” just might make her appear a bit too desperate.

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Six

Branko was ready to burst. Luc, just back from a visit to his mother in Antibes, was

in a chatty mood and lingered over dinner just when a quick meal would have suited

admirably. True, he saw Adele repeatedly during the meal as she brought in dish after

dish but the conversation he wanted wasn’t one he planned on having in front of Luc

and Helen.

And to crown it all, Adele was deliberately avoiding him. When he’d tried to catch

her the minute he realized she was back, she’d as good as thrown him out of the

kitchen, telling him she was not going to let him ruin the first meal she prepared for her

new employer.

She scored there. Luc was duly impressed with the veal Marengo and the onion

tarts that had started the meal and the fondant au chocolat was suitably mouthwatering.

Not that Adele’s prowess in the kitchen was foremost in Branko’s mind.

He was darn well holding her to talking to him after dinner if he had to corner her

in the pantry to do it.

Once dinner was over and Adele brought in their espressos, Luc praised the meal,

welcomed her to Les Santons and told her she wouldn’t be needed any more that night.

Luc might not need her but he damn well did. Branko was tempted to follow her

but Luc obviously had questions.

“Well?” Luc asked, once Adele was well beyond earshot. “Was there any reaction to

the scene you played out last night?”

Helen almost choked on her coffee.
He was not going to. “It was—” Branko began, before Helen rudely interrupted.
“Quite fantastic,” she said with a grin. “You’ll be sorry you missed it. She jumped

right in halfway through and demanded Branko screw her.”

Luc had the audacity to roar with laughter. “What on earth?” he asked, still

chuckling.

Helen told him. Damn, she was enjoying this. Luc thought it positively hilarious.

Seemed he, Branko, was the only one not amused. Damnation! He needed to be sorting

this out with Adele, not sitting watching the pair of them revel in mirth and merriment.

“So,” Luc finally managed after an unnecessarily long period of inane chuckles,

“she demanded your body, did she?”

“She demanded it.” No point it denying it, was there? “And got it and had every

reason to be satisfied with the outcome.”

Madeleine Oh

“And what about you, Helen? Were you abandoned and neglected? Most

unchivalrous of our Branko.”

“I was quite satisfied. It’s called self-service.”
Luc was in a jovial mood this evening and how in hades she had the nerve to call it

“self service” when her hands were tied down beat Branko. No point in saying so. “It

wasn’t as planned but highly pleasurable. I think she will be a fine addition to the

household.”

“And given her skills in the kitchen, Branko, we must do all we can to ensure she

wants to stay.” Luc smiled. “Don’t you agree?”

He’d ignore the uncalled-for amusement in Helen’s eyes. “I will make every effort.”
“I bet you will!”
“I believe we can rely on you, Branko,” Luc said. The smirk was totally

unnecessary.

“With that thought in mind, I will wish you both bonsoir,” Branko said and stood.
Luc told him, “Bonsoir.” Still smiling, Helen wished him “Bon chance.” He’d take it.

He needed all the luck he could get.

Determined not to let Adele slip away, Branko went straight to the kitchen where

she was scraping plates and loading the dishwasher.

She looked up as he came in but didn’t quite smile.
“Hello,” was all he got.
“We need to talk. You agreed.”
“After I’ve cleaned up and finished here. I’ve got to get all this put away plus get

things set for breakfast and that will be in the dining room. So scram, unless you’re

prepared to help.”

And why not? He grabbed an apron off the door and asked as he tied it around his

waist, “What do you want me to do?”

She stared as if suspecting she was dreaming. No surprise there, he couldn’t quite

believe he’d actually asked it. “Best start with the plates and glasses. Once the

dishwasher is loaded I’ll have more space.”

They got it loaded and he even had the thrill of going out with Adele to Pipo’s

compost heap with a bucket of kitchen scraps.

Coming back, he grabbed her hand and stopped her just outside the door. Once

inside she’d get busy again but now he had her for a moment. “Is everything all right?”

he asked.

She didn’t pull her hand away. That was something. “Not exactly. I’m not sure

about last night.”

“Why? I thought it was incredible. You’re incredible.”
“I went rather wild. I don’t usually act like that.”
“I’m glad you did.”

Touch of a Dom

“I messed up your scene.”
“Trust me, you improved on it.”
She smiled. “Helen said you’d staged it for my benefit.”
Helen should hold her tongue. “We wanted to get your attention.”
“Oh, you got it all right.” She paused and shook her head. “Look, we can’t stand

out here talking. I really do need to clean up inside.”

“Fair enough. We go back in and I’ll help finish off, then we talk.”
“Only talk?”
He tightened his hold on her hand. “What else might you want to do?”
She met his eyes in the twilight. “What about some more wild, up-against-the-

pergola sex?”

His cock hardened at the prospect. “You ignored two texts I sent you. Maybe I

should spank you for that.”

She stood on tiptoe and dropped a quick kiss on his cheek. “Maybe you should.”
He spun around so she was backed against the wall and plastered his mouth on

hers, pressing his body into hers, making sure she could feel his erection against her

belly, and opened her mouth with his.

She gave a little shiver, then met his tongue. Dear heavens, she knew how to kiss.

Her tongue caressed his, teased him, all the while she pressed her body against his as

she let out a series of muffled whimpers.

He resisted the desire to stroke her breasts. He intended to leave her wanting and

needy, just as he’d been all day. But he did indulge in pressing his knee between her

thighs until she rode him, rubbing herself against him as she moaned with desire.

Time to stop this, for now, at least. He stepped back and released her, sort of. She

was still backed against the wall, only their bodies no longer touched. “I will spank you,

Adele,” he told her. “I must for your own good so you learn not to ignore my texts but

if you take your punishment like a good girl, then I will fuck you. I’ll fuck you until you

scream with pleasure.”

She met his eyes and moaned. “Branko, I still have to clean up.”
“I know. I hope you will be in torment while you do the dishes. Torment that only I

will release you from.”

That earned him an impatient scowl but her eyes were bright with wanting. Good.
He pitched in to help her finish. The sooner she was done, the sooner he’d get to

wallop that pert and lovely bottom. It had felt wonderful in his hands last night.

Tonight it would be warm and red as well. Meanwhile they got busy. Dishes and pans

cleared away, uneaten food to the fridge or freezer.

That done, she still wasn’t ready, there were plates and bowls to be set out for the

morning. He even obliged by fetching jam from the pantry and filling the coffeemaker

with water.

Madeleine Oh

She was clearly on edge but stayed focused on her responsibilities. If only she’d

transfer that sort of focus to sex play. A man could only dream.

When she was finally satisfied that all that could be done for the morning was done,

she untied her apron, took his from him and hung them both on the hooks by the door.

She washed and dried her hands for a final time and came over to him and knelt at his

feet.

His throat went dry as she lowered her head and said, “I am now ready to receive

my punishment.”

He rested his hand on her head. “My dear Adele, tonight you will receive a good

and thorough spanking. I might even make you cry, but that will be all.”

“No toys?” she asked, sounding disappointed.
“Not this time, you must earn the privilege of a good flogging or bondage or a plug

up your tight arsehole. But if you accept your discipline as I think you should, I will

reward you with a nice, hard fuck.” To let her know what waited, he pressed the side of

her face against his crotch. In response, she rubbed her face against his erection. A little

cheeky that, but he let it go. It felt damn good on his side. “Now, my dear, stand up and

off we go.”

“Where?” she asked.
Good question. Not to his place, it would be late when he brought her back and she

had an early start in the morning, and not her bedroom—too intimate that. “Would you

give me permission to use your sitting room as a place of discipline?”

She looked up, her eyes wide and bright, her face flushed and so sexy. “You may.”
“Perfect.” He helped her back to her feet. “Listen carefully. You are to go up to your

room. I will follow in a little while. Before you go, take off your panties.”

“What?”
“Was that so hard to understand?” He put an edge in his voice. “Give me your

panties.”

“I’m wearing tights.”
Slight logistical snag there but it wasn’t going to stop anything. “Then take them off

and give them to me.”

She did that, quite quickly too, and handed them to him. “Here you are.”
He stuffed them into his pocket. Her tights were the springy, support sort, ideal for

bondage if he felt so inclined. “Listen to me, Adele. You will walk across the drive,

naked under your clothes, knowing full well that soon your arse will be hot and

stinging from my chastisement. Once inside, you will take off everything but your skirt

and stand in the middle of the room and wait for me. Is that understood?”

She nodded. “May I stop to pee? I really need to.”
He wasn’t ready to try that sort of torture on her. Not yet. “You may but be ready

when I arrive or you will feel my belt as well.”

Touch of a Dom

She left and he wondered if she’d be late on purpose. He hoped not. He wanted her

to feel his belt but another time.

He’d give her fifteen minutes.

* * * * *

Adele had had lovers who demanded she strip naked and ones who wanted her to

wear costumes. Others had liked boots or fuck-me shoes but wearing just a skirt was

new. Hers was longish, utilitarian really but it didn’t restrict movement or his access.

She could just imagine Branko whisking her over his knee with her skirt over her head.

Or would he make her bend over a chair or have her touching her toes, her hands

braced against her thighs?

She’d soon find out.
The exact center of the room was a bit hard to measure precisely. The room wasn’t

square for a start and a coffee table stood in the rough midpoint. Maybe he’d position

her on that. It would be hard on the knees. His lap or the chair would be more

comfortable.

Not that anything would feel that comfortable once her arse started throbbing. Her

pussy clenched and she was sopping wet with anticipation. He’d promised this would

be better than last night. She trusted him on that. He knew just how to spark her arousal

with fear and promises but right now she was finding the middle of the room. She was

not ready for a belting tonight.

She moved the coffee table and took up position where it had been just as she heard

footsteps on the stairs. He was coming. Unsure what to do with her hands—other lovers

had been more explicit in detail—she clasped them behind her back and, as the door

opened, lowered her head. Heart thumping, she waited for Branko to come close.

Madeleine Oh

Chapter Seven

Adele swore she heard every single footstep as he crossed the floor to pause, just an

arm’s length away.

She took a slow, deep breath, did her utmost to relax and opened her eyes to see the

toes of his polished shoes against the tiled floor.

“Adele,” he said, his voice slow and almost caressing. “You did exactly as I asked.

Very, very soon I will do exactly as I promised.”

His feet moved to one side and then out of her line of vision. Was he walking

around her? Seemed so. She wanted to turn and watch but standing and waiting, head

lowered, added to her sense of submission and that was what she yearned for.

His shoes reappeared, just to one side. His hand rested on her shoulder. She

shivered.

“Are you cold?” he asked.
“No, not really. Just anxious.”
“Why so anxious?” He stroked her shoulder, then eased his hand up the back of her

neck.

She took a breath before replying, “I want to please you and I’m not too certain

what exactly you want.”

“Look at me.”
Their eyes met. His were dark and glittering. He smiled. “Adele, you please me by

being here, naked-breasted and willing. It takes time to learn what two people desire.

We will take that time and begin right now. Kiss me, like you did out in the garden last

night.”

That was easy enough.
Adele wrapped her arms around him and he pulled her close. Her breasts pressed

against his chest as she stood on tiptoe and lifted her face to his. Since he’d specified

“kiss me”, she pressed her lips to his and parted them. His mouth opened under hers

and he kissed back, his tongue teasing as the heat rose between them. Was it possible

for a kiss to be so hot? Yes, yes and yes! His arms came around her and she felt his hand

on her breast.

She whimpered as he squeezed her nipple, and they kissed on. Her need rose as his

hand worked her breast and she moaned. This was so good, so wonderful and so what

she’d missed the past weeks.

Gently he pulled away but kept his arms around her. “Are you wet between your

legs?” he whispered.

Touch of a Dom

“I was wet back in the kitchen.”
“Good,” he replied. “I want you to be wet for me. Makes the fucking of you even

more fun.”

She wouldn’t argue with that.
“What,” he asked, his voice low and teasing, “must I do before I fuck you soundly?

How much do you deserve and need? You definitely must get something for ignoring

my texts and being so sexy and wanton.”

He’d added a couple of extra bits there but never mind. “You said you’d spank

me.”

He stroked her breast, gently pinching her nipple. “I did promise a spanking, didn’t

I? And I really think you need one. You agree?”

How long was he going to drag this out? “I do. I agree completely. I need you to

give me a good spanking.”

Saying it made her pussy run. He had to smell it. She could.
“Very well.” He took her hand in his and led her over to the armchair but stopped.

“No, not there tonight,” he said. “That will be perfect for positioning you when you

need a thrashing with my belt. Tonight we take the other chair.” That meant the upright

one by the writing table.

Branko sat down, still holding her hand in his, spread his legs and positioned her

between them.

“You consent to be spanked?” he asked.
She swallowed. “I do.”
“You understand this is for your own good and our pleasure. That you deserve this,

that you need it and you accept this as your due and my right?”

Would he please get on with it? “I do.”
“Use my name.” His other hand came under her skirt between her legs.
“I do understand and accept all that, Branko.”
His hand parted her pussy lips. “You are very wet, Adele. Why is that?”
As if he didn’t know! “Because you excite me.”
“Good answer.” As he spoke he tipped her over his thigh. She shrieked. “Be quiet,”

he said, his hand between her shoulders holding her down. “It’s not time to make noise

yet.”

“You surprised me.”
“I intend to surprise you often and frequently. Now settle down and prepare

yourself. I’m ready, are you?” Her skirt was up over her head and his thighs tightened,

holding her captive. His arm on her back held her shoulders down. “I don’t want you to

move unless absolutely necessary. You are to be still and submissive and quietly accept

your well-deserved chastisement.”

Madeleine Oh

He stroked her arse, his hand cool on her skin. It wouldn’t be cool for long. He kept

on caressing for several minutes and Adele pictured him looking at her exposed flesh,

planning where to hit first and how often.

“Ready?” he asked.
She’d been ready for half an hour. “Yes, Branko.”
“Good.” He slapped one cheek then the other several times, the sound of hand on

naked flesh echoing in the room. They were steady, but not hard, slaps.

“Did they hurt?”
“No.”
“This one will.” As he spoke, his hand came down with full force. She gasped as

another, just as hard, landed on the other cheek before he paused. The sting faded but

the throbbing and warmth stayed. Time to breathe while he gave her the chance.

Which wasn’t for long.
He started again, half a dozen hard slaps then a pause. To rest his hand, no doubt,

and to let the heat build and spread before he went on.

She cried out at the next volley and the next. He was laying it on even harder now,

with few pauses between slaps. Her arse throbbed continuously and still he continued.

She yelled as a particularly hard one hit an already tender spot. “Enough! Branko!

Please stop!”

“Four more,” he said, “just four more.” One came as he spoke, so that meant three

more. She could take three more, but instead his hand came between her legs and his

finger entered her.

“God, you’re so wet,” he said. “I must do this to you often.” Then came the other

three. Hard slaps, yes, but knowing it was the end she took them quietly. He helped her

stand. Just as well, as she was limp as a dishrag.

His arms drew her close and she leaned into him, welcoming the feel of his body

and the strength of his presence.

“Come over and look in the mirror,” he said. “I want you to see my handiwork.”

He held her close as she looked over her shoulder.

Good God! No wonder her arse throbbed and ached so much. It was scarlet.
“You color up so beautifully,” he said, as he kissed her gently. “I’d like to do this to

you every day.”

“I don’t think I could stand it every day.”
“You could if I wanted you to.”
Her heart clenched and something deep inside her leapt with anticipation. Could

she? Would she? “Branko,” she began, having no idea how to finish the sentence.

“We’ll sort that out later. Right now, you need a good fuck and I’m so hot for you

we’re not waiting. Come on.”

Come where?

Touch of a Dom

He threw the cushions from the armchair onto the floor and laid her on her front,

her still-throbbing arse in the air. “I’m going to fuck you from behind,” he said. “It

would be cruel to make you lie on that bottom.” He positioned her on all fours, her

hands and knees on the cushions, a big improvement from the hard floor. He got

behind, his hands stroking her breasts. All very nice but not what she wanted.

“I need a fuck!”
“I know you do, my dear and you will get one, very soon. Be patient whilst I get

myself ready.”

She hear a zip go and the sound of foil being ripped open then, moments later, he

pressed against her, his hands holding her hips steady as he kissed each arse cheek in

turn. “I love your beautiful red arse. You’re so perfect, so submissive.” The tip of his

cock eased between her pussy lips before nudging the opening to her cunt. Adele felt

the pressure of his hips thrusting against her still-sensitive arse and he was in her, deep,

filling her. She threw back her head and yelled.

He’d promised to make her scream and she did. He was so immense, so

magnificent and so hard inside her.

She cried out with disappointment as he withdrew, but smiled as he pressed back

into her, even deeper this time, and yelped as he gave her bottom a slap. The sound of

his hand on her flesh and her shout echoed in her ears but was soon lost in another

shout as he began fucking her in a steady and forceful rhythm. Adele pressed back

against him, wanting him even deeper. Wanting to be filled, to be taken.

Her climax built, fast and furious, and she was yelling and shouting. As she came,

he held her tightly, persisting in the fuck, forcing her back to her peak until he climaxed

and they both ended up on the cushions in a tangle of limbs.

They lay together several minutes. His heart still beat fast as she rested her head

against his chest and he cupped her breast as she lay there, gasping.

“Wonderful,” he whispered in her ear. “Magnificent. Last night you were splendid

but tonight was incredible.”

“You’re pretty magnificent yourself.”
“Was the spanking too hard?” Branko asked, drawing her close.
She thought about that for a moment or two. “Not too hard but you do lay it on.”
“You’d have been disappointed if I hadn’t.”
True. “I couldn’t take that every day.”
He laughed, his chest vibrating under her cheek. “Let’s see about that later. We still

haven’t had a proper talk.”

“And whose fault is that? You distract me.”
“You’re easily distracted.”
She got a slap on her rump for that. “You need to go to bed so you will be up early

enough to see to our respected employer’s breakfast.”

Madeleine Oh

She got up and pulled on a dressing gown and he found his shirt—she didn’t even

remember him taking it off—and she watched as he tucked it in and zipped up. It

seemed a shame to hide that lovely cock away but she didn’t think she could take any

more. Not tonight.

They kissed goodbye and he left.
The place seemed empty without him.
But she’d be seeing him in the morning. And darn, they really did need to have a

good, long talk about dos and don’ts and what they both wanted.

And she really wanted another session.

* * * * *

“You’re looking particularly cheerful and relaxed this morning,” Helen said, as she

reached for a cup for coffee. Adele blushed. Maybe the poor child was embarrassed. No

“maybe” about it. Even her neck was red. “Thanks for having coffee ready early. I need

to get some work done before breakfast.”

“It’s served at eight, right?”
“Yes, but time is a bit flexible in the mornings. You’ll hear when Luc comes down.”
“And Branko?”
Yes, unmistakably deep question there. “He comes in when he comes in.” Poor girl,

she was obviously smitten. Understandable as Branko was pretty good. “He’ll be in

sooner or later.”

“Of course.” Adele shrugged. As attempts at insouciance went it was pretty lame.

She did not do playing cool at all well.

“Don’t worry. He’ll be in and most likely make the kitchen his first stop.” Or so

Helen hoped. “Branko is one of the good guys.” If you ignored his criminal record, but

it wasn’t her job to tell Adele about that.

“You know him well?”
Tricky question this. How open was Adele? There was no point in prevaricating.

“We’ve worked together since I got here seven months ago.” That wasn’t all Adele

wanted to know. “You mean have we been lovers?” She nodded but looked a trifle

pained at the possibility. Oh dear, she did have it bad but she surely must have twigged

there was something between them after the little scene under her window. Maybe she

needed specifics. “Yes, twice. When Luc wanted a threesome and once, not long after I

arrived, just the two of us. Otherwise, no.”

Adele sat down, perhaps to think on this. Well, she shouldn’t have asked if she

didn’t want to know. Come to that Adele hadn’t asked. Helen had anticipated the

question. Damn.

“Maybe you two need to sit down and have a good talk.”
“You’re right, but every time we get together, something comes up.”

Touch of a Dom

Helen could guess what came up. “Better tie him down then.”
Dear Lord, the girl blushed some more.
“I will, I mean not literally but…”
“He might like it, once in a while.”
“I’m not sure.”
Helen was tempted to ask what Adele wasn’t sure of. She suspected it was more

than Branko’s willingness to be on the receiving end of bondage. “Never mind.” A

fatuous comment if ever there was one. “Things will sort out one way or the other. They

always do.” Now she sounded like her own mother. “Meanwhile, enjoy the weather

and being here. When have you ever had a job in a nicer place?”

At last Adele smiled. “Never, to be honest.”
“Me too.” Helen turned to go, the bit about working before breakfast hadn’t been a

ploy. “See you later.”

That conversation hadn’t helped Adele one iota. So now she had to compete with

Helen for Branko, or did she? Hadn’t she said just twice? But would that night in the

garden have ended with Branko fucking Helen if she hadn’t interrupted the scene? And

what about the threesome? Was Branko really into that? Adele was none too sure she

was willing. Damn, she could worry about this until she was old and gray. Besides, she

hadn’t come here to have an affair, not that the prospect was unwelcome, but to find

her father. If he was still alive.

She’d been told weekends were free unless there was a dinner party. She’d check

with Monsieur Luc at breakfast and if she didn’t need to work, she’d go back to Nice

and that club. If that failed, she’d try every phone book, street directory and voter

registration in the entire Cote d’Azur. Only then would she give up.

Maybe she was getting obsessed.

* * * * *

“Luc, would it be possible to use the house in Monaco this weekend?”
Luc looked at Branko and smiled. “You’ve already checked?”
“That it’s free, yes, so unless you plan to use it.”
“No, I’ll be in Amsterdam ironing out the final details for the exhibition. I’m a bit

leery about their security arrangements. And I’m taking Helen with me but haven’t

mentioned it to her yet. The place is all yours. If you want dinner, sort that out with the

Rizzolis.”

“Thanks, boss.” Luc always liked that moniker.
“I’m assuming this is for our charming new cook’s edification.”
“I though she might enjoy it.”
“Whilst you enjoy her, right? Go ahead. Enjoy her and the weekend.”

Madeleine Oh

“I expect to.”
“She’s eager, isn’t she?” Luc grinned. “She’s already confirmed she had the

weekend off. So enjoy yourselves. I’m glad things are working out well.”

So was Branko.
But he rather wondered at Adele assuming they’d spend the weekend together. On

the other hand, why not? She was quite wonderful and he would make darn sure she

enjoyed every minute.

Luc and Helen were leaving Friday morning. Well and good, he’d come in for lunch

on Friday, have a nice heart-to-heart about her special preferences, then whisk her off to

Monaco to make her wishes come true and enjoy her delectable body and sexy screams.

Two days, that was all he, they, had to wait. No problem there. A little abstinence only

made the need stronger.

* * * * *

By Friday, when Helen and Luc left, Adele felt she was getting into the routine of

the household. A free weekend lay ahead. She needed to prepare lunch for Branko since

he was working but after that, her time was her own.

In fact she was a trifle irked at Branko. After her second attempt to talk to him had

been brushed off for “later”, she decided she was entitled to a minor snit. She was

polite, cordial even to him but set her mind on the coming weekend, not on what

Branko wasn’t doing.

He surprised her Friday morning by suggesting he have lunch in the kitchen. Helen

frequented the kitchen, nipping in for coffee refills or quick chats but never Branko, but

since he asked… “Of course. Would an omelet suit?”

He smiled his killer smile and she half-regretted that she wasn’t staying in that

evening, but night was the best time to try Velours Noir again. “Perfect. Cheese?”

She made him an omelet with chives and fresh goat cheese and served it with a

green salad.

“Join me,” Branko insisted when he arrived for lunch, so she made a second one

and they sat down together.

It was vaguely domestic but felt oddly strange to be sitting across the table when

two days earlier she’d been over his lap getting spanked. Especially considering they’d

barely exchanged five words since.

Confusing was putting it mildly, but that was that. Now they were face-to-face and

seemed he was ready to talk.

“We need to compare our preferences,” he began.
Adele nodded. Hadn’t she been trying to do that for the past forty-eight hours?

“Good and yes. I’d be quite happy to get another spanking. You are expert.”

Touch of a Dom

She’d said the right thing there. He smiled. “I do my best to please. What else do

you enjoy? Bondage?”

“Yes, if I trust my Dominant. I don’t know you that well yet.”
“Then I must earn your trust, Adele. I will.”
She hoped so. “What about you? What do you expect of me?”
“Your obedience, your submission to my will. That’s what arouses and excites me.

And I expect you to tell me if I go too far or impinge on your limits.”

“Fair enough, I will. Will you tell me if my response is what you expect? I don’t

want to be punished unless I agree.”

“No? What if you deserve it?”
“This is about play and sex, not punishment.”
“But you submit to my discipline, or you did last time.”
“That’s because I wanted it.”
He grinned. “You did, didn’t you? What else would you like? My belt? A cane? A

flogger?”

“I’ve never had anything but hand spanking.”
“Really? Then let me introduce you to some delectable and sensational

instruments.”

Her throat tightened at the prospect. Was this really what she wanted? Maybe.

Perhaps. “One at a time. When I say so. And I have a flogger.” Had that been wise to

mention it?

“You have what?”
Given the light in his eyes she should, perhaps, have kept that to herself. “Long

story, I’ll tell you about it later.”

“When I’m ready to belabor your lovely body with it?”
“Before then.”
“We don’t have long. With Luc and Helen away, we have all weekend to explore

our preferences and desires and I have a surprise for you.”

“No.”
“What are you saying ‘no’ to?”
Talk about the horns of a dilemma. “Not this weekend, Branko. I have the time off.”
“I know, that’s why I asked Luc if we could borrow his place in Monaco. I thought

you’d like seeing somewhere new.”

She would, or rather would have but… “Not this weekend, Branko. I’m sorry but I

have somewhere to go tonight and have more to do Saturday.”

“What are you talking about?”
“Just what I said. I’m busy this weekend.”
“But I planned this weekend for you.”

Madeleine Oh

“Then you might have mentioned it before now instead of announcing it at the last

minute.” Should she change her plans? For two days she’d yearned for this

conversation. Had hoped for another session with him. But darn it all, she did have

plans and he was taking her for granted.

She’d let him spank her once and he acted as if he owned her. “Perhaps another

weekend?”

“The house may not be free another weekend.”
“Does it have to be in Monaco?” Did Luc really have a house there too?
“It does and it should but since you are not available, I will go on my own.” And

with that, he stormed out.

Damn him and the horse he came in on. He was taking her for granted. No two

ways about it. Being nicely Dominant was all very well and exciting but she was not

here to come running when he crooked a little finger. She had a life too. Well, a semi-

life. But she did have something to do this weekend and dammit, Branko was not

ruining her plans.

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Eight

Once evening came, Adele headed down the mountain and into Nice to take a

chance at Velours Noir again. Her mistake last time had been trying to get into a

nightclub during the day. Stupid of her really, but now she would have better luck.

There had to be a reason her mother had kept that address all these years.

Walking up to the door last time in blue jeans probably hadn’t helped either.

Tonight she was wearing a long black dress and lacy shawl and her hair hung loose

around her shoulders. With luck the wizened door keeper wouldn’t recognize her.

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, a great long line of hopeful partygoers

waiting to get in? Red carpet? Mercedes dropping off glamorous model types? Instead a

small cluster of people waited at the door.

Adele joined the end of the queue just as an older couple got in line behind her.
The first couple went in and then the next. They’d had no trouble getting admitted.

So far, so good.

It seemed the time of day had been her stumbling block before. The final couple

ahead exchanged words with the doorman and his burly sidekick unhooked the velvet

rope and let them in.

Adele took a deep breath and stepped up.
One look at her and the doorman shook his head. “Same answer as last time,

Duckie. Members only.”

Adele actually had her mouth open to argue when Branko put his arm around her

shoulders. “She’s with me, Arzhel.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” he asked, looking at Adele. “In you both go then. Sorry

about that, Monsieur Branko.”

“Not at all, Arzhel. It’s your job to be careful.”
They were inside and the door closed behind them before she had a chance to ask

Branko what the hell he was doing.

She got to that moments later.
“I’m getting you in here. Are you meeting someone? If so, they did a damn poor job

of explaining how this place works.”

“You seem to know.”
He grinned, a smug, self-satisfied, so full-of-himself grin. “I do.” His hand in the

small of her back propelled her to the right and a small kiosk. He picked up two black

velvet masks and handed her one. “You might want to wear this. Most people do.”

So they went in masked. She understood why once they reached the floor below.

Madeleine Oh

Dungeon was the word, a vast space divided into several areas. In one, a fair-haired

man was strapped to a flogging bench and getting well laid into by a tall, black-clothed

woman. Soft but eerie music played. Some stations were empty, others well occupied

like the center stage where two naked women were fastened to upright frames while a

woman and man flogged them alternately.

“Did you come to be a spectator or a participant?” Branko asked, sounding a trifle

piqued.

“Neither. I came to—” A scream from the corner interrupted her. Branko waited,

his hand still firmly in place in the small of her back. She could move away from him,

but did she want to? Having Branko at her side would ensure she wasn’t approached

by any hopeful would-be players but on the other hand, maybe someone here might

know something. Except she somehow doubted casual conversation was uppermost on

people’s minds.

“You came to do what?” Branko asked. “Get refused entrance and end up at a loose

end on a Friday night?”

“No.” This was becoming awkward but she owed him for getting her in here.

“Thanks for your help with that officious gnome at the door.”

“Arzhel? A gnome!” Why the hell did he have to have such a sexy laugh? “Not a

bad description but I wouldn’t say it to his face.” She had no plans to. “But tell me,

Adele, truly, why did you come? If you wanted this, why not say so instead of turning

me down flat?”

Had she actually done that? Yes. She had. “I’m sorry, I would have liked to spend

the weekend with you but I’d promised myself to…”

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
He was peeved. Understandable but still. “Branko, it’s not straightforward.”
“I’d pretty much worked that out for myself. Do you want to explain or not?”
Habit told her to refuse but deep inside she wanted to share this with someone. “It’s

complicated.”

“For God’s sake, Adele! I can’t hang around and be put off like this. If you want to

stay and play on your own, go ahead.” He turned to leave but she grabbed his arm.

“No, I’ll tell you but not here.” Not with the ever-increasing tempo of the floggers

and now something far noisier starting up in the far corner.

“Is this place a bit too much for you?”
She halfway deserved that and she did owe him for getting her this far. “To talk,

yes.”

“I can take care of that, come on.” He grabbed her hand.
At the far end of the room, another bouncer stood before a dark curtain.
“Monsieur?” the bouncer asked.
Branko angled his head toward the curtain. “Do you have a space for me, Jean?”

Touch of a Dom

“For you, yes, of course, Monsieur.” He looked at a small handheld computer.

“Room six is free and ready.”

“Thank you, Jean.” And before she could ask the whys, hows and wherefores, they

were through the curtain and the door behind and into a bright corridor with stairs

going up in both directions. Branko obviously knew where to go, so she followed him

up the farthest staircase and down a hallway past a couple of closed doors to one that

stood ajar.

“It’s quiet here and we’ll be undisturbed,” Branko said, as he closed the door and

she looked around.

No mistaking what this room was for. There was a large bed with brass head and

foot rails and manacle hooks already attached for ease and convenience, an upholstered

chair, an assortment of toys and flagellation instruments laid out on a table and, bang in

the middle of the room, a large whipping bench.

“We can play later if you like,” he said, “but first let’s talk.”
She looked around for somewhere to sit. It was either the bed, the single chair that

was obviously not designed for comfort or relaxation, or the bench. She settled for the

bench.

“Want a drink?” Branko asked. “They do a pretty reasonable champagne here.”
“Thanks, it might help.” But would one glass be enough? She’d kept this bottled up

inside for so long she wasn’t sure she could talk about it. Why so hesitant? Looking for

a father wasn’t that unusual a thing to do. Not compared with some of the goings-on

downstairs.

He bought her over a glass and propped himself at the other end of the bed. “To

secrets shared?” he asked and raised his glass.

She returned the toast and they both drank. Silence. It was up to her. “What I’m

about to tell you may sound silly.”

“Can’t be that silly if you were willing to forgo a weekend of wild and wonderful

sex with me to accomplish it.”

He had a point, aside from being so full of himself that she had to smile.
“I’m looking for my father.” There, it was out, and she hoped Maman wasn’t

turning in her grave.

“You think he’s here? In this club? What’s his name?”
“His name is Jules Royer and as for being here, I found two addresses in my

mother’s papers after she died. Both in Nice. One was an apartment building that has

been completely renovated and was a dead end. The other was here or this street

address at least.”

“You expected him to be here?”
“I don’t know. It was all I had.”
“You want to find him?”

Madeleine Oh

She nodded. “It sort of became a goal. After my mother died, I had no one and my

only clues were these addresses, so I applied for every likely job I could find down here.

I couldn’t believe my luck when I got hired but I’m beginning to think I’m chasing after

the impossible. For all I know he’s as dead as my mother.”

His arm came around her shoulders. The sudden, kind touch had her sniffing back

tears.

“Need to cry?” Branko asked. “Scream, kick the walls, rail to the heavens? You can

do all or any of them, these rooms are soundproofed.”

She had to smile at that thought. “No, that would waste energy. I had some silly

dream that I’d walk in here, recognize him immediately or find someone who

remembered him and it would all be storybook perfect. Stupid of me.”

“It’s not stupid to have dreams or hopes.”
“What about wishing for the impossible?”
“Impossible things happen. I met you.”
He wasn’t being flirty or flippant. He was serious. Or seemed to be. “And I take you

on a wild goose chase.”

“You could say that. I certainly wasn’t expecting you’d come here.”
“Thanks for getting me in anyway.”
“My pleasure. I’d suggest we stay for a pleasant encounter but perhaps you’re not

so inclined?”

In her mind, no. She’d dedicated the evening—the weekend, come to that—to her

search but now she was sitting thigh to thigh with Branko, her shoulder brushing

against his arm. “I shouldn’t let myself get distracted by you.”

“Why not? Do you plan to keep on searching? Are you going to ask everyone here

if they know your father?”

“Not everyone but surely the man at the door might know, or there must be a

manager or someone like that.” Did she sound as desperate to him as she did to herself?

“Best not ask Arzhel when he’s working. I’ll ask him tomorrow, if you like. I can

also have a word with Stephane, he’s what you could call a manager. They’ve both been

here for years. If you father ever was here, they might remember.”

“If you could ask, I’ve be so grateful.”
“How grateful?” he asked.
She looked at Branko. Just meeting his eyes, feeling his thigh against hers and his

arm around her shoulders stirred her need and brought back vivid memories of the

night in her sitting room.

Her breasts ached but she reminded herself why she was really here. “Promise me

you will ask them.”

“You have my word, Adele. I wouldn’t lie about this, nor would I make that sort of

promise just to get you naked and helpless.”

Touch of a Dom

“Who says I’m going to be naked and helpless?”
“I do and, most of all, so do you. You want that, don’t you, my dear?”
He was right. She was in need and he could ease that need. She reached out for his

hand and he grasped hers. “I want to find him, Branko. Or at least know if he’s alive or

dead. And I want to know why he left us.”

“I will do everything in my power to see that happens, Adele. Luc has resources

and contacts that can help us too. Together we can do more than you can on your own.”

She didn’t doubt it. “Branko, I hate to pile my worries on you.”
“My dear, what I can do, I will do. It will be my pleasure.”
She leaned into him, feeling his strength and the hastening of his heartbeat. “I’m

glad I came here and met you.”

“Glad enough to play?”
This was not how she’d planned the evening or the weekend but she trusted his

word that he’d help, and she wanted him, wanted the security of putting him in charge.

She lowered her eyes. “How do you want to play?”

She could picture his face with a wide, sexy smile of triumph. She had agreed to

submit to him and he would play her body for their mutual joy.

“Get off the bench and sit at my feet and I will tell you.”
She was at his feet in an instant, resting her head against his knee as he stroked her

hair. “Good girl, now listen carefully. I will tell you what I plan. You agree or refuse. If

you refuse, we negotiate something else, understood?”

“Yes, Branko, but…”
“No ‘buts’ yet. Listen. I remember what you said about bondage and about belts. I

will do nothing you don’t agree to in advance. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes.”
“Good. Now, Adele, we will stay here, in this room. When I finish, you will stand in

front of me and strip naked while I watch. Once you are naked, I will examine you. You

will permit me to and make no attempt to resist my inspection. I will not hurt you.

When I am satisfied, you will kneel at my feet and fellate me. I will spank you a little,

since you need that so very much and because you caused me so much anxiety. I want

to tie you to the bed. Will you concede me this?”

Adele shut her eyes to think. Would she? She hardly knew him. Could she trust

him that much? She was alone with him, in a room that was soundproofed. Once he

made her helpless, he could do anything he wanted. But he’d promised that it would

only be what she agreed to. Did she trust him? Damn, he was the only living person

who knew about her father and her search. She’d felt safe enough to share that.

“Being helpless scares me, Branko.”

Madeleine Oh

He caressed the back of her neck. “A little fear excites, my dear. Will you do this for

me? Let me make you helpless before I fuck you? You will not regret it and if you like

we can have a safeword. I will respect that if you say it.”

She was already alone with him in a closed room over a kinky dungeon. A step

further wouldn’t hurt. Or rather it might hurt but it would be wonderful. “Yes, then I

agree.”

His hand went motionless and she’d swear his heart beat faster and louder in the

quiet. “What safeword?”

“My name, Adele Royer.”
“Good. So you agree to let me tie your arms down?”
“I do.” Her throat was dry but she got the words out.
“And then do I have your permission, when and how it pleases me, to take your

legs, put straps around your ankles and spread-eagle you and tie down your legs, so

you will be open, exposed and available to me and unable to resist me, whatever I may

choose to inflict on you?”

He had some way with words. She had to take a breath to be able to reply. “Yes,

Branko, you have my permission to do all that.”

“Are you aroused by my talking to you like this?”
Who was he kidding? “Yes, my nipples hurt and…”
“And what, Adele?”
“I’m aroused. I’m wet.”
“Wet? Without my permission? Oh Adele, that does deserve a spanking. And you

will get one very soon.”

A sweet shiver crept up her spine and sent a shimmer of anticipation across her

skin. This was so good. He was so good. She wanted, needed to trust him. “Please,

Branko.”

“You please me first. Now stand and let me watch you strip.”
It was harder than she expected. She’d been as good as naked before, and it wasn’t

as if he were her first lover. But standing just a meter from him, as he watched her every

movement, was disquieting to say the least. Taking off shoes and pulling the dress over

her head hadn’t been that hard, but he watched so intently as she unhooked her bra that

she felt herself blushing.

She was down to just her panties when she paused and looked at him. His eyes

were dark and glittering and he was smiling. Why wouldn’t he? She was about to stand

naked before him and acquiesce to all his demands.

“Go on, Adele,” he said, his voice quiet. “Get those panties off or would you rather

I tore them off your disobedient body and added a little extra to your promised

chastisement?”

Touch of a Dom

Now that was a thought. Maybe another time. She eased them down and stepped

out of them.

He reached out and stroked her breasts, teasing her nipples until they were even

harder and extra sensitive. He stroked her belly and then covered her bush. “Have you

ever shaved your pubic hair?”

His question left her speechless for a moment or two. Better get her mind in focus.

He wanted an intelligible answer. “I did once, for a lover who asked me to, but never

again.”

“Why not?”
He wanted to know everything. “It itched when it grew back.”
“Waxing is better. Discourages regrowth too.”
“I bet it hurts too.”
“I would imagine so. Would you do it for me?”
“I’m not sure.” He wanted the truth, didn’t he?
“Think about it, there is a salon nearby that will do it most expertly.”
“I didn’t say ‘yes’.”
“I think you will, eventually.”
Damn his smug smile, he was probably right. When she didn’t reply, he stood and

walked around until he stood behind her, his hand resting on her arse cheek. “Yes,

Adele, I like you naked. If I had my way you’d never be permitted to wear clothes, but I

will get you naked as often as I can, that is a promise.”

It wasn’t a shiver, more a thrill of anticipation.
“Now,” he went on, walking around her slowly, “inspection time.” He stroked her

shoulders, lifting one arm, then the other, as he ran his hand from her wrist to her neck.

He caressed the curve of her hips and the softness on the insides of her thighs. A single

finger traced a line down her spine and up again. He kissed each shoulder blade, then

slapped her arse.

“Ow!” That had been unexpected.
“Hush,” he whispered in her ear. “It’s not time to make noise yet.”
She took a slow breath, determined not to make a sound next time he slapped. Only

he didn’t, he stroked her arse and it wasn’t hard to imagine him comparing the red

shape of his hand on one cheek to the unmarked one. Was he going to give her

matching slaps like last time?

No. “Bend over,” Branko said, his voice almost a whisper in her ear. “Touch the

floor if you can.”

Was he asking her to take up position for a spanking? No. Not yet anyway. He

spread her arse cheeks, holding them open for a minute or two, long enough to be sure

she felt truly exposed, then pressed a finger gently against her arsehole. “Have you ever

been fucked up here?”

Madeleine Oh

“Yes.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes.”
“Good, because I plan to do that to you. I’d like to spank you until your arse is

bright red and throbbing, then open you up and push my hard cock in deep. Will you

allow me to do that?”

Was he kidding? “Yes, but not tonight. You promised to spread-eagle me and fuck

my cunt.” Or had he specified where he was going to fuck her?

“And I will, with your permission, of course, but first permit me a little indulgence.

Maintain position.”

He walked across the room to a tallboy with many shallow drawers. He opened a

couple and came back with his right hand gloved and a tube in his other hand.

He was going to penetrate her.

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Nine

“I expect you to keep your balance, Adele, so brace yourself.”
In her experience, relaxing worked better, but she did brace her arms as he parted

her arse cheeks and pressed lubricant into her. He took his time spreading the cool gel

over and into her arsehole. Then came gentle pressure against her tight muscle. “Relax,

Adele. This is going to happen, so don’t fight me.”

“I’m trying to relax.”
“Good.” As he spoke, his finger penetrated her. He paused a few moments, letting

her accustom herself to the intrusion perhaps? Then, without a word or warning, he

pressed in deep. She gasped, couldn’t help it. “Keep position,” he said in a quiet voice.

His finger eased out a little, then came back in even deeper. “Are you steady?” he

asked. “You’re not going to wobble on me are you?”

“No.” One hand on her back kept her bent over as his finger fucked her hard and

fast. She couldn’t hold back the gasps. If she got spanked for making noise, too bad. She

cried out, “Branko! That’s so good!”

He chuckled. “Like that, do you?”
“Yes!”
“Why? What’s so special?” He expected her to think in this position, aroused and

his finger wiggling inside her? “Tell me.”

“It makes me feel helpless, vulnerable, exposed.”
“Adele, I will bugger you, and often, but not tonight.” His finger came out, slowly.

She couldn’t hold back the sigh. Before she’d felt filled, invaded, possessed and now she

was empty.

“Stand up, my dear, and come over here. I want to show you something.” He

pulled off the glove and tossed it in a bin. Then he opened a drawer to show a selection

of dildos, vibrators and butt plugs. The next drawer held gloves, several pots and

tubes—lubricants and other unguents, she guessed—and bottles of massage oils and

creams. Another held tit clamps, blindfolds and gags and the next several sets of

manacles and other restraints.

“Pick the restraints you want me to use.”
There was a black leather set with big metal buckles, one that looked like red plastic

or vinyl and bright-blue velvet ones. She picked those. They were lined with silk and

fastened with Velcro. “These, please, Branko.”

Her pussy flooded as she spoke. She was agreeing that he could, and would, tie her

down and make her helpless, he could do whatever he wanted, but only what she’d

consented to.

Madeleine Oh

“Nice choice. Put them on.”
Putting them around her ankles sent wild shivers of excitement deep into her body.

She fastened the others to her wrists. Getting the right one tight with her left hand

wasn’t easy but he didn’t offer to help. Just stood and watched. Each one had a D ring

sewn into it but no tapes or chains. “How are you going to tie me down?”

“The bed is equipped for that. You won’t be disappointed.” He stroked her forearm

and tested her manacles. “These could be much tighter.”

“I don’t want them too tight. Not yet anyway.”
“I’ll indulge you over that. This time.” He knew just how to add the perfect amount

of threat and promise. “Come and look in here,” he said, opening a door in the wall. “I

won’t use all of these but I think you should be aware of what I could use, if the mood

struck me.”

“If the mood struck you?” She stared at the array of whips, canes and floggers

behind the cupboard door. “I’d be the one getting struck.”

“Impudent wench! For that perhaps I should lay into you hard.”
“Not if you want me on my back.”
“True, another time. I think you’d like to come back here, wouldn’t you?”
Was he kidding? “Only if you come with me.”
“You’d better not try coming here without me.”
Since she doubted she’d get admitted on her own, no point in arguing. “I won’t.”
“Good. Now pick the implement you’d like to feel on your sweet flesh.”
His hand was good enough for her and frankly the thought of canes or whips

scared her but from the collection, one as good as leaped at her. It was purple, had

narrow leather tresses and a carefully braided handle and she’d swear the last time she

saw it was in the box she handed over to Monsieur Morgan in Paris. He hadn’t been

flattering when he said Maman’s creations sold all over the country. She couldn’t resist

reaching out and taking it off the brass hook.

“Seriously, Adele, it looks beautiful but those leather tresses will hurt.”
“I just want to look at it. May I?”
He shrugged. “Of course.” On close inspection she hadn’t been mistaken, it was the

very same. She’d looked at each of them carefully when choosing which one to keep for

herself.

“It appeals to you, Adele? It fascinates you.”
Might as well tell him. “I know it. I’ve seen it before.”
“That isn’t possible. These are unique. Handmade. Never duplicated.”
It was most certainly possible and she told him.
“Mon Dieu.” He shook his head. “Astounding. Your mother was the Pauline of

Jouets Pauline?”

Seemed her mother was famous too. “Yes, she did it to bring in extra money.”

Touch of a Dom

“No wonder, Adele, that you make such a wonderful submissive if that is in your

bloodline. You were born to be flogged.”

“Maman never hit me. Ever.”
“No, sweet, that will be my privilege. I will use your body as you yearn to be used

but this one,” he took it from her, “must be used very gently until you become

accustomed to the lash.”

“Not that one. I have my own.” She explained about the one she’d kept.
“And that is back in Les Santons?” She nodded. “Where?”
“In my underwear drawer.”
“Then you will surely give me permission to use it on your lovely body.”
Hadn’t she fantasized about this? “Yes, but…”
“We’ll settle the ‘buts’ later. Time to work on this butt.” He slapped her left arse

cheek. “You did agree, didn’t you? I won’t let you down.” He tossed the flogger into a

box by the door.

“Why not put it back?”
“We both touched it, we’re scrupulous about cleaning all toys and implements

when they’ve been used.”

That was reassuring, or might have been been if she’d had liberty to think about the

establishment’s policies, but he as good as dragged her over to the end of the bed.

“Enough chatter, Adele. It’s high time to bend you over again and turn your arse a

tender pink.”

And turn her arse tender too, but she bent over. It was far more comfortable than

touching her toes, the black satin bed cover was smooth and soft so it wasn’t difficult to

relax and wait. And wait.

“Just give me a minute.”
Footsteps crossed the room, to give him a long-distance view perhaps? He was back

in a bit more than the “minute” but as he spread her arse cheeks she knew what to

expect. Cool lubricant. Not that she needed it. He could have used her own wetness

from her cunt but this time he didn’t go slowly. The tip of his finger pressed against her

muscle. “Relax,” he said, but not waiting long enough to give her a chance to actually

relax, he penetrated her. Adele gasped and threw back her head as he began to finger-

fuck her tight hole. If he kept this up, she’d demand he forgo all the bondage business

and have him fuck her hard and fast right here and now. Except demanding would be

fruitless. He had a plan and she knew he’d stick to it. So she let herself go, relaxed

completely into the bed and let him work her hard for several minutes.

By the time he withdrew and tossed his glove, she was limp and needy. Her nipples

ached and her clit throbbed.

How long was he going to play her like this and keep her waiting?
“You’re definitely getting buggered,” he said, as he stroked her arse. “Next time.

For now, get ready for chastisement.” He spanked left to right several times quickly. It

Madeleine Oh

stung and throbbed but was nowhere near as hard as last time and was over very soon.

She felt the imprint of his hand and half-wished he hadn’t stopped but was glad he had.

She was aroused and in need and he’d promised to fuck her, once he had her restrained,

and that was what she really yearned for.

He kissed between her shoulder blades before running a line of soft kisses down

her spine.

“Adele, my sweetness, you were made for punishment and discipline. I so look

forward to devising new ways of bringing color to your skin but for now I want you

immobile and helpless and at my mercy. My willing submissive captive.”

Just the promise of that stirred her need higher.
“Please tie me down.”
“You are asking?”
“Yes.” If he didn’t do it soon, she’d be begging. He’d enjoy that.
“Very well, since you said ‘please’. Climb onto the bed and lie on your back.”
Not hard to do. The satin cover was nicely cool against her arse. She shut her eyes.
“Look at me.”
She opened them again.
“You freely agree and give me permission to tie you down and make you helpless?”
“Yes, I do, Branko.” And he’d better get a move on.
“Very well, give me your right hand.”
She raised her arm and reached out to him. He stroked her wrist and kissed her

palm. “Thank you for your trust,” he said as he attached the manacle to the hook over

her head. Her arm was held secure with only a little give.

“Now your right leg.”
This time he stroked up and down the inside of the leg but never quite reached her

pussy, where she was yearning to be stroked and touched and squeezed and, hell,

penetrated. Instead he kissed the inside of her ankle and then hooked that foot securely

to the end of the bed.

“Now your left hand.”
That and her leg were both secured in the same way, only this time he moved even

more slowly, stringing her out and making her wait.

“Can you move much?” he asked.
She tested both arms and legs. “Not much. My legs more than my arms.”
“Better take care of that.” He stood at the foot of the bed, leaned over as if reaching

for something and her legs were suddenly pulled farther apart. “That’s better. I don’t

want you moving on me.”

He was getting his wish. She was spread open, exposed. A wave of submissive

energy washed over her. This was so good, so wonderful and—

Touch of a Dom

“Look at me, Adele.” She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes. “If you keep closing

your eyes, I will blindfold you. Is that what you want?”

Was it? “Not today. Another time.”
“Maybe when I flog you?”
She successfully fought the urge to close her eyes again. “Maybe.”
He walked around the bed, watching her every breath. Or so it felt. “I want you to

be comfortable, my dear. Let me see what else I must do.”

He put a pillow under her head, plumping it up until her neck was supported, then

two smaller pillows under her knees so she was even more exposed. “That’s

satisfactory, I think,” he said. “Don’t go anywhere, I need to make some preparations.

Preparations that seemed to require sitting down and pouring another glass of

champagne and sipping as he watched her.

She was dying with need, her cunt ached and he was making her wait. Bastard!

Wonderful, dominant, sexy bastard!

She considered begging but decided it would be counterproductive so she relaxed,

as best she could anyway, into the bondage and very comfortable bed. But she was

careful not to close her eyes, no matter how much the urge took her. He was watching

her intently and would notice the minute she did and right now a blindfold was not

what she wanted.

Glass empty at last, he stood, strolled over to the valet stand in one corner and

carefully removed his jacket, taking a ridiculously long time to arrange it on the stand.

He took off his sports shirt and very carefully folded it. He then walked over to sit on

the end of the bed. He was inches from her but she couldn’t even move enough to rub

her leg against him. She was pinioned and as good as immobile.

He untied one shoe, removed it slowly, then peeled off his sock, rolled it up into a

careful ball and tucked it into the toe of his shoe. He went over to the corner and put his

shoe away, then ambled back, sat again and repeated the procedure.

Damn the man, he was taking as long a humanly possible. He’d no doubt stop in a

minute and send for coffee. But now she had a fine view of his nice chest and the silky

sprinkling of dark hair that went all the way down below his navel and disappeared

into his waistband.

At least she’d now see him naked in good light, previously it had been dark or he’d

been behind her. She could feast her eyes while fighting her desperate urges. Which he

didn’t appear about to satisfy any time soon. He was sitting down again and pouring

more of the bloody champagne. She could use a glass too but suspected that was not

part of his choreography.

She was right, he sipped slowly and took so long, she was temped to tell him to get

a move on, but remembered he told her to be quiet and since she was at his mercy,

decided to comply. How much longer could he take anyway? Silly question, all night if

he chose.

Madeleine Oh

Finally, he stood and walked over to the dresser, opened a drawer and reached in

for something. What? More lubricant? Her cunt didn’t need that, she half-suspected she

was leaking on the sheets. He shut the drawer, then moved out of her line of vision.

Where was he? By the door? He couldn’t leave her like this, could he?

No, he was back at the foot of the bed and now naked—apart from a bright-blue

condom that highlighted his prestigious erection. She hoped her gasp didn’t contravene

the “no noise” rule.

He looked at her and smiled. “This is how I like you best, Adele, naked, helpless

and so hot for me I can smell your arousal.”

She rather liked being this way too. “May I speak?”
“Since you have shown so much commendable restraint, yes.”
“You’re beautiful. I wish I could reach out and stroke your cock.”
“You’d rather do that than be tied down, waiting for me to pleasure you?”
What, a choice? “May I touch you some other time?”
“Of course, if you earn that privilege. Now a special treat for my lovely, helpless

submissive.” He moved fast this time and was on the bed, astride her chest. She looked

up at him, looming over her in all his glorious nakedness. His hand came behind her

head, lifting her closer to his glorious cock. “Suck me, Adele. Show me how much you

want my cock.”

That was no hardship. She parted her lips and, as he raised her head toward him,

closed them around the head of his cock. He was immense, and soon he’d want her to

take all of him, to swallow him down to the root, to worship him with her mouth. Her

entire body thrummed with anticipation as she took more of him into her mouth.

This was wonderful, fantastic, incredible. As her tongue eased up and down the

side of his lovely flesh, her cunt responded, her clit throbbed and her nipples ached.

This was so incredible, wonderfully superb. He was superb. He moved her head gently,

so he was supporting her neck and head as she took more of him between her lips.

This was a submissive’s dream, but how much more fantastic would it feel to have

this lovely cock pounding her cunt? She wanted that, needed that but first she had to

demonstrate her submissiveness and her longing for his body in hers and to show him

the depth and extent of her desire.

She worked him with her lips and tongue as he fucked her mouth, moving in and

back in a steady rhythm. She was whimpering and moaning. She tried to restrain

herself but when he said, “Make sexy music for me, Adele, show me your need,” she let

go of restraint and let the sounds of her wantonness fill the room. She was sighing,

moaning, groaning as he worked her mouth in a relentless and passionate rhythm.

Until he slowed, still supporting her head, and eased out. She couldn’t hold back

the whimper of disappointment. “Enough for now, Adele. You have earned your

reward. Almost.”

Damn! Why the nasty little “almost”?

Touch of a Dom

Because he wanted to fuck her breasts.
His hands cupped them together and his cock was between them as he rocked his

hips. She could see his cock, feel it but not touch it. She tried lifting her head to kiss the

tip but he kept it just out of her reach.

“You want my cock?” he asked.
“Yes, I do. I need you.”
“Need me to do what?”
“Fuck me. Fuck my cunt.”
“How much to do need a good fuck?”
What a bloody question. “I need you to give me release. I’m in pain from need and

wanting. You promised!” That sounded like a whine. Okay, it was, but he had

promised.

“What will you let me do, if I fuck you? Will you let me tie you up again?”
“Yes! Yes.”
“What if I want you against the wall or to fondle you with the flogger you haven’t

shown me yet? May I?”

“Yes! Yes.”
“Suppose I tie you to a bench and spank you until you cry. Will you let me?”
“Yes!” She was running out of breath from keeping on saying it.
“You know I want to bugger you, Adele.”
“Yes! I’ve said ‘yes’ a hundred times.”
“One last thing.”
Dear God! She was sweating with need, her cunt was running and he indulged in

the bloody Inquisition. “What?”

“Will you scream for me when you come?”
“Yes, yes! Yes!”
“Good.” He moved again and he could move quickly when he wanted to. He lifted

her hips, his cock nudged apart her pussy lips and, with a thrust, he was in her. She

gasped and yelled and he started fucking her hard and fast. He was pumping her,

holding her steady as he took her. There was little tenderness, no gentleness now, just a

wild and pounding need, on both their parts. How he could keep it up for so long

amazed her. How she could take so much astounded her but she wanted it. Wanted all

of him, needed his strength, his power and his need.

She was crying out now, calling his name as he pounded her to climax. She

screamed, gasping his name and her joy as he finished and collapsed on top of her. For

a few moments she luxuriated in the heat and weight of his body, the slickness of their

sweaty skin and the slow softening of his erection inside her.

Madeleine Oh

She whimpered in disappointment as he slipped out, but she had no strength or

energy to do more. She was used, sated and satisfied, and he could do this to her as

many times as he wanted.

He released her arms, stroking her skin as she turned and wrapped them around

him.

“Thank you so much, Branko.”
“My pleasure, Adele. My pleasure.”
It had been her pleasure too.
“I’m going to hold you to those promises,” he said. “We will do this again and next

time, my dear, I will bugger you.”

“I hope so.”
He kissed her and then moved to release her legs. “Tired?” he asked.
“I need a new word to describe how worn out I am.” Worn out, but so satisfied and

contented.

“Best you sleep,” he said, and from somewhere brought out a duvet and laid it over

her. “We have this room as long as we want.”

Her last thought, as her eyes closed, was she never wanted to leave.

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Ten

He woke her with a tray of breakfast and a smile. Had he slept beside her? She

thought not. “What time is it?”

“Nine.”
“Branko,” she said, taking the cup of coffee he offered, “thank you for last night.”
“My pleasure, and I hope we have many more sessions. I like you and your body,

Adele, they inspire me.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied. “You are a very nice Dominant but you’re

a distraction.”

“I’m flattered to hear it. Now, I have one request.” She waited, cup halfway to her

lips. “Will you let me join you in your search, perhaps tell Luc and see what he knows?”

Part of her wanted to refuse, this was her quest, her mission, but common sense

prevailed. “You really mean that?”

“Why not? It will be a way to earn your gratitude. I’d like to deserve that.”
“You’ve already got that, you know. You are the lover of my dreams.”
“And you dream of being dominated.”
“I have since I was little, before I had any inkling of what I was.”
“What you are is wonderful, Adele.” He kissed her, a soft, gentle kiss, just a brush

of lips on lips but her nipples tingled in response. “Now, my dear, get showered and

dressed. I asked Arzhel if he knew your father. He didn’t but suggested we look at the

club records. It’s a long shot but might be worth a try.”

“Let’s please check, but don’t you have something else to do?”
“I’d planned on spending the weekend with you in Monaco. Remember? You

turned me down. Let’s see what we can find today and then tonight, I’ll give you the

chance to show your gratitude.”

“Here again?”
“No, back at Les Santons and you will allow me to use that flogger. Pink, did you

say it was?”

“Yes, bright pink, magenta.” As if the color really mattered.
“So, finish your breakfast, get washed and dressed and I’ll be back in a couple of

hours.”

A couple of hours would also give her time to explore this room a little more too.
Wild and wonderful sex with Branko and maybe finding clues, this was going to be

one fantastic weekend.

Madeleine Oh

* * * * *

Branko sat at a computer in the back office of the club and shook his head. Much as

he’d be delighted to help Adele find her long-lost father, and he was more than willing

to support her in the endeavor, he privately thought she was chasing after a blue moon.

Adele was twenty-eight, he’d learned that from her job application, and her father

had abandoned her when she was four. Hell, the man could be in Timbuktu or Outer

Mongolia, although staying in France made more sense. But how useful were years-old

addresses? One had been a dead end and this one turned out to be one of Luc’s business

ventures. Now how odd was that?

Or was it? Adele was kinky, her mother had made premium sex toys. Good chance

her father was kinky. Had he been here, all those years ago? Come to that, how long

had this club been here?

Good question. He went in search of Arzhel again and found him dozing in one of

the downstairs rooms. He wasn’t delighted to be roused a second time.

“Damn it all, Branko, a man has to sleep.”
“Sorry, but I need to know something.”
“It had better be good.”
“How long has this club been here and did it always have this name?”
“Christ almighty, you want a history lesson! I’ve worked here ten years, that’s all I

know. It was established then but who the hell knows for how long? I don’t.”

“Someone must.”
“Ask Luc Prioux, or Stephane. And you won’t be able to disturb him. He locks his

door when he’s sleeping. I’ll have to start doing the same.”

Call Luc? Why not? He punched in the number and listened impatiently, hoping he

wasn’t going straight into voice mail.

“Branko?” Luc said on replying. “Enjoying yourself? I’m surprised you have time to

call. Something wrong?”

“No, everything’s fine but a question came up and I think you’d know the answer.”
“What?”
“The Nice place, Velours Noir,” he tried to sound as causal as possible, “was it

always a kinky club?”

“Has been since my grandfather bought it and set it up after the war. Before then it

was some sort of hangout for collaborators, or so he claimed.”

“Thanks. Sorry to bother you.”
“Not a problem. Thinking of taking Adele there? Might be a bit much for her until

you know her better.”

Little did Luc know! “Thanks, see you Monday.”

Touch of a Dom

So, if it had been a kinky club all that time, and assuming Adele’s father was

inclined the same way as his daughter, it was not impossible that her father might have

been a member or an employee. There had to be some reason her mother had the

address.

He was whistling as he made his way back upstairs.
Something inside his chest caught as he opened the door and saw Adele sitting by

the dressing table, combing her hair. She was so beautiful, his chest ached.

Had to be hunger pangs. They both needed to eat a proper meal after all the

exertion last night.

She turned and smiled. “Hello, Branko.”
Mon Dieu. This was more than feeling a trifle peckish. He ached, but not for food,

but he had to wait. She needed to rest and recover. So, come to that, did he, even if

certain body parts disagreed.

He walked over and kissed her. “You are beautiful, dressed or naked.” He perched

beside her. “You were incredible last night. Truly stupendous.”

“You were pretty impressive yourself. I think I’m lucky I can sit comfortably.”
“I’ll see about that later but meanwhile…”
“I need to get going, Branko.”
“Listen to me. Please.” She listened. “I want us to go back to Eze. I thought of

something when I was in the office downstairs.” She held on. Not exactly patiently but

she let him continue. “This club has been here, under one name or another, since the

war and Luc’s family has owned it all that time.”

“And?” Not sounding the least bit patient, she let him go on.
“The business records, Adele. They will list anyone who was a member or

employee. If your father was here in either capacity, his name will be there.”

She was out of her seat and her hand on his arm was like a spring clamp. “Where

are they?”

“Back at the house. I’ve been spending a lot of time the past few years transferring

old paper records to the computer. We can check.”

She gave no argument after that and even beat him back to Eze, practically

dragging him out of his car before he’d killed the engine. A suggestion she make them

both coffee was dismissed with a frown and an impatient tsk. So he pulled up an extra

chair and had the distraction of her sitting so close that he’d swear he could hear her

heartbeat. Or maybe that was his. What was happening to him?

“All right.” His computer took forever to start up but once going he got busy. “I’m

doing a search for anyone with the name Royer for the past twenty-five years. Would

that be about right?”

“Why not start right after he left us and do five or ten years at a time. It might be

faster and since he isn’t known there now, if he ever was there, it’s more likely it was

earlier.”

Madeleine Oh

A good point. He set the search for twenty-five to fifteen years previously. She was

right, ten years would surely do it.

“Look!” Excitement wasn’t the word for her reaction. “There’s a list of them but it’s

not exactly an unusual name after all. How many?”

“Twelve.” He brought up the full list. “Okay, we can eliminate Annette and

Marguerite.”

“Might as well.”
“How old was he?”
“I have no idea. In the one picture I have he looks sort of the age you expect your

father to be.”

“Let’s say that then he’d be between twenty and thirty. That knocks out Etienne

Royer. He was fifty-six.” They also eliminated Georges, Saint Jean, Maurice and Paul.

But… “Hey, is this him?”

Jules Royer, age twenty-nine, employed as a bookkeeper and it gave an address.
“Oh!” she said, and then, “Damn! I tried there already. It’s all been refurbished and

there’s not even a concierge nowadays. I asked around but no one knew anything other

than it had been run-down and uninhabited for several years before it was restored ten

years or so ago. It’s a dead end, Branko.”

“Maybe not. At least you know for certain he did come down here, and where he

worked and lived. There has to be a reason your mother had those two addresses.

Maybe she did have contact with him but never told you.”

“No.” She sounded very certain. “I saw his brother, my uncle, when I was in Paris

and none of the family has seen or heard from him. Unless Uncle Alain was lying and I

don’t think he was. Although he did urge me to forget about him so maybe…” She

ended up shaking her head.

“Could he be dead?” He hated to throw that out there but it wasn’t impossible. Her

mother was dead after all.

“It’s not impossible but I don’t think so. He used to send Mother money, every

month until I was eighteen. It came via a notaire in Cannes. I wrote to him about six

months ago asking if he knew the whereabouts of Jules Royer and got a rather curt

reply telling me to cease making inquiries and threatening me with an ordonnance

restrictive if I persisted. So that pretty much confirmed he must be alive.”

And not wanting to see his daughter. Bastard. “So you ignored him and came down

to look for yourself.”

“Not right away. I had to find a job first.”
“I’m glad you did.” Very glad. “So what now? That notaire wasn’t joking. Seems

your father is determined to stay out of reach.”

“But why? At this point I don’t want anything from him. But I would like to know

why he walked out on us, without as much as a word. And cut himself off from his

Touch of a Dom

family too. Branko, his mother is old and frail and you’d think he’d at least have kept

contact with her.”

“Are you sure persisting is a good idea?” Seemed pretty dicey to him. The man

threatened legal action to preserve his privacy, so it was pretty clear he valued

anonymity.

“It’s probably a rotten idea but I’m doing it. Will you help?”
If he had the brains of a fruit fly he’d talk her out of this ridiculous, self-appointed

mission. One look at her face and he’d conceded the superior mental power to

drosophila. “We need to be organized. No point in barging in and having that notaire

waving legal papers at us. How about we have lunch, then you show me everything

you have, addresses, the photo and anything else? Heck, even the notaire’s address as

that’s all proof of one sort or another.”

“We’d better not try to contact the notaire again, he was pretty emphatic.”
“You have the letter?”
“Yes, I brought that too.”
“Good. Luc might know of him.”

* * * * *

So, after a lunch of omelets and salad, Adele spread out her collection of scraps. It

wasn’t much to go by, just an old address book, the letter from Maitre Dupont in

Cannes and three very old photos. One, a crumpled wedding picture, another of a very

young man posed by a motorcycle and the third the same man, a few years older,

holding a dark-haired little girl on his shoulders.

“That’s you?” Branko asked.
“Yes, and I don’t even remember it being taken. I found them all among Mother’s

things. And the two addresses are in the address book.”

He flicked it open. It was old, held together with a rubber band as the spine was

split and some pages were loose but there, under “R”, were the two street addresses.

“Maybe we should go through this,” he suggested. “There might be other addresses

that could help.”

“I already have, nothing else caught my eye, just Mother’s old friends, her

parents—who are both dead—and tradespeople, but go ahead and look. I even tried the

studios on the back of the wedding photo but they’d been out of business for years. No

luck there.”

Did seem she’d hit nothing but dead ends but dammit, he wanted to help her.

“How about this.” She was clearly too disposed to listen so he went on. “We talk to Luc

when he gets back. He knows people and has contacts and might possibly have heard

something. Failing that, we talk to his notaire, Maitre Poulain, and see if he can’t do

something from our end. What do you think?”

Madeleine Oh

She didn’t seem as enthused as he’d hoped. “Sounds marvelous but, Branko, I can’t

afford to spend money on his fees.”

“Don’t worry about that. Luc keeps him on retainer. If Luc okays it, he’ll do the

work.”

“But seriously, why would Monsieur Prioux do that?”
“Because he’s one of the good guys and besides, it would put you under a bit of an

obligation to him and you’d be less likely to leave.”

“And losing a cook would be so devastating to him? Honestly, Branko!”
“It would devastate me.” Where had that come from?
“Please, Branko. Two weeks ago you didn’t know I existed.”
He hadn’t. That rather gave one pause. “I didn’t know what I was missing. I need

you, Adele. I never knew I did until I met you.” He sounded as if he were suffering

from brain fever. “You think I have a screw loose, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure what I think about you. No, that’s not true. I think you’re a rather

wonderful lover.”

That was a good start, until he got better control of his brain and tongue. He’d

never get control of his cock. Not while she was around. “It’s mutual, my dear. Good

and sincere submissives aren’t easy to find but a superlative one like you, a Dominant

finds once in a lifetime.”

“Branko, you’re getting too serious and too earnest.” He disagreed but kept that to

himself. “Are you trying to distract me?”

“Would you blame me if I were? I’ll do anything I can to help you find your father

but I strongly urge you to wait a couple of days until we contact Maitre Poulain.”

She looked ready to argue but nodded. “Fair enough, but what do I do until then?”
“You’ll do what I planned for this weekend before you ran off to Nice.”
“And what was that?”
“We go into Monaco, to spend the rest of the weekend at Cent-Vingt-Six. It’s a club

Luc owns.”

“Another club? Now many does he own?”
“Lots but this one’s not like Velours Noir. It’s a rather staid dinner club, with special

rooms upstairs for Luc and his special associates. If we leave soon, we’d have time for

an aperitif on the terrace, maybe two, and a very nice dinner and then afterward, I’ll

take you upstairs and have my wicked way with you as you learn what obedience

really means.”

“Is that a promise?”
“Most definitely.”
Her smile was the finest reward a man could have. No, wrong, her naked body,

spread and restrained was what he wanted. “We can stay until Sunday evening. I’ll

Touch of a Dom

show you around Monte Carlo. Bring your identity card and we can stop by the casino

if you like.”

“Anything else I should bring?”
He had her, at least for now, and God he needed her. “How about that flogger you

mentioned?” He stepped close and rested the back of his hand on the side of her face.

“I’d rather like to try its touch on your lovely body. I want to see your skin with marks

on it.”

“I thought you already had. You spank darn hard.”
“Sweetheart, the kiss of a flogger leaves very different marks. I hanker to see them

on you.”

She swallowed, eyes wide and her breath caught. “I’d better go and fetch it, then.”
“Do, let’s close up the house.”
Everything set, Adele ran across the drive to her flat. Branko didn’t follow her. If he

did, they might never leave. She was like a fever in his soul and he needed her in every

way imaginable.

“Adele,” he called, as she reached the stairs. “Don’t you dare come down wearing

panties.”

She turned and grinned. “Or you’ll do what to me?”
“Rip them off you and hang them from the top of the gate. So every passerby will

know you disobeyed.”

She laughed. “Really?” And she went on up to her door.
He half-hoped she would defy him and come down wearing them. He rather liked

the prospect of bending her over the hood of the car and ripping them off her.

He’d better stop thinking such thoughts or he wouldn’t last the drive to Monaco.

Madeleine Oh

Chapter Eleven

Adele sat down on the end of her bed and looked at herself in the mirror across the

room. She was confused, excited and horny. Not a good combination when trying to

make a considered and reasoned decision. She’d agreed to go with Branko to Monaco,

but was it a good choice? If she told him to forget it, she could follow her own plan to

keep looking but if she did that, she’d miss out on some rather splendid sex.

Was she letting her hormones rule? And if so, was that a bad idea? Branko was

incredible as a lover, almost too good to be true. But he was real, as well as hot,

passionate and gloriously dominant. She was wet already thinking about last night and

what he promised was waiting for her tonight.

She could go with him, have a superbly wonderful time and rely on his word to talk

to Luc.

Why not? She was in need and her need was Branko. She smiled. She wanted him

and darn, he wanted her and had promised to use her new flogger.

What more could she ask for? At least for now.
She changed into a blouse and a denim skirt, guessing he’d want easy access, and

reached into her underwear drawer and took out the flogger. It was beautiful, all bright

pink and she longed to feel it on her skin.

She was going with him and going right now. She remembered just in time to take

off her panties. Although she was tempted to leave them on to see what he’d do.

Another time.

He was waiting by his car as Adele came downstairs. She swallowed. The sun on

his dark hair gave it the sheen of polished ebony, his smile sent a thrill of anticipation

right down to her cunt and his eyes lit up when he saw the flogger in her hand.

“Are you planning on walking through the street with that?”
“No, I thought you’d want to carry it.” In truth she hadn’t stopped to think. Should

she have grabbed a bag for it?

“I do, but best not scandalize the Monegasques, to say nothing of the nice tourists.”
“I’ll get a bag.”
She was upstairs and back down as fast as she could, a small shopping bag in her

hand. Somehow putting that flogger into a plastic Monoprix bag seemed a bit of a

letdown but it did make a satisfying rustle as he pressed the tresses out of sight.

He opened the car door for her, nicely chivalrous but as she moved, he stopped her.

“Just a minute. I need to check you obeyed my instructions. Bend over the car.”

Touch of a Dom

Good thing she’d remembered. Cool air brushed her arse as he lifted her skirt and

his warm hand stroked her naked flesh. She waited for a slap. It never came but her

skirt stayed high. She was darn glad the gardeners didn’t work weekends.

“Very good. How does it feel, being naked under your skirt?”
“There’s bit of a breeze.”
He chuckled. “You’ll feel more than that when I get you there, but meanwhile, we

need to get you in the mood. Stand up.” He kept hold of her skirt. “Get in the car. I

want your bare bottom against the leather.”

The seat was warm from the sun but not uncomfortably so. Thank goodness it

wasn’t July or August.

“Part your legs. I want your cunt open.”
Easy enough to do.
“Pull up your skirt so your knees show.”
“What if we get stopped for speeding or something?”
“I’ll tell the flics they can spank you.”
“The hell you will!” Games was one thing, getting manhandled by the police—even

if they would do anything so outrageous—was another.

He looked down at her, pulled the seat belt over her shoulder and clipped it in

securely. “You refuse to accept appropriate discipline, Adele?”

“If it might get us arrested, yes. I want to spend this evening in bed with you, not in

a cell.”

“You have a point. One never knows with the Monegasques.” He kissed her cheek.

“Keep thinking about that flogger coming down on your naked shoulders and how my

cock will feel in your mouth when you kneel at my feet.”

She’d have trouble thinking of anything else. He was a marvel at the tease. That

wasn’t all he was a marvel at. She looked sideways at his profile as he turned the car

and headed up the steep drive to the wrought-iron gates that opened and closed

automatically.

In minutes they were heading eastward and she relaxed against the seat, wriggling

a little to find a more comfortable spot.

“Keep still,” he said, without taking his eyes off the road. “It’s not meant to be a

comfortable ride. You wait until we get there and you have to sit on a wicker or

wrought-iron seat.”

“You’re downright nasty.”
“And you love it.” He was grinning now. “Don’t you, my dear?”
It would be stupid, pointless and a bold-faced lie to deny it. “I sometimes wonder

why?”

Madeleine Oh

“It’s the way we’re made, Adele. I’m born to dominate and you’re made to submit.

Best not to ask why, there’s no answer. Just enjoy what I’m going to do and accept what

I want. It’s the easiest way for both of us. And that’s what you want too, right?”

“With a few exceptions. You can spank and use the flogger but I don’t want your

belt.” The prospect scared her.

“Fair enough, but I promise you will, one day. Before long, you’ll beg for the kiss

and caress of my belt on your bare skin.”

“Let’s wait and see about that!” And wait a long time, as far as she was concerned.
“I’m a patient man, Adele. I can wait. That lovely flogger will be quite satisfying for

now.”

Her throat went dry. Why had she even mentioned it to him? Easy one, that.

Because she’d longed to know what it felt like and deep in her heart, knew that with

Branko it would be a sensual pleasure. She hoped.

* * * * *

He made good his threat about the wicker chair as they sat in the secluded

courtyard and sipped on Kir Royales.

“What is this place?” she had to ask. It was a beautiful old stucco building and it

seemed they had it to themselves, apart from the elderly couple who’d greeted them.

“One of Luc’s ventures. Ask Helen. I think he told her the whole story. Used to be a

dinner and assignation club for Luc’s great-grandfather and his cronies. Nowadays it’s

a way to make money. He lets out the dining room to businessmen who want to

impress clients, and the upstairs, that’s reserved for very special friends.”

“And special employees?” Seemed as if Monsieur Prioux liked to treat his

employees well. “It’s quite lovely here.”

“You could have been here last night if you hadn’t been so intransigent.”
“I had other things to do last night.”
“Yes, and most of them involved me.”
He was downright arrogant and so full of himself but he was right. “And tonight?”
He shrugged. “We will enjoy a superb dinner—the Rizzolis keep a very good

kitchen—and then I will take you upstairs and give you a thorough flogging.”

Her breath caught and she had difficulty swallowing. Why did she react like this?

She wanted this, needed it but was so all-around scared at the prospect. She took a slow

breath. Swallowed and nodded. Words were still hard.

“It’s what you want, isn’t it, my dear?”
“Yes, but I’m scared. Will it hurt more than spanking?”
“It’s good to be scared, just a little. It will add to your anticipation, and will it hurt

more? That depends on how hard I wield it.”

Touch of a Dom

She knew that already. “Have you flogged many people?” Did she really want to

know? Yes! She did not want to be the body he practiced on.

“Worried?”
“Yes. Have you?”
“Many times. I enjoy flogging but not as much as wielding my belt. I admit, that

gives me a tremendous thrill but since you refuse that, I will put all my skill into

flogging you and ensuring you are not disappointed.”

“How will you know?”
He smiled as he answered, “I will watch your reactions, Adele. I wonder if you will

climax from the flogger alone. We’ll find out, won’t we?”

Dear God, that was a prospect.

* * * * *

She didn’t remember too much about the meal. Couldn’t swallow much, come to

that. Her mind was one constant tangle of trepidation, excitement and anticipation, and

having to sit bare-bottomed on the gilt chairs in the dining room didn’t help. She was so

wet, she was sure she’d stand up and leave a damp patch.

“Worried?” Branko asked. “There’s no need to be. If you say the word, I’ll take you

straight back to Les Santons. You have my promise.”

“I don’t want to go back. I want to stay but…”
“But what?”
“I’m beginning to wonder why I even mentioned that damn flogger.” Which right

now waited, still in the crumpled plastic shopping bag, on a chair in the entrance hall.

Waited for her to follow Branko upstairs to the rooms above.

He reached across the table and took her hands in his. “You mentioned it because

you yearn for it. Why else did you keep it for yourself? And you hope I will give you

want you want, even though part of you half-denies it. It’s the submissive paradox, my

dear. You want to be flogged, need to be flogged but the prospect scares the willies out

of you.”

“That’s about the measure of it.”
“Then perhaps, may I suggest we skip coffee and proceed upstairs?”
“I think I need the coffee.”
“As you wish.”
Two cups appeared at his signal. Adele swallowed hers in one gulp, like an Italian,

and looked across at Branko.

“Better take me up upstairs before I chicken out.”
He did just that.
Of course, he had her carry the damn Monoprix bag.

Madeleine Oh

The room was large and furnished with antiques, or very good copies. Under their

feet was a thick pile carpet in pastel colors and across the room, doors opened to a

balcony but what really grabbed her attention was the four-poster bed that dominated

the room.

“What do you think?” Branko asked.
“It’s beautiful.” She walked over to the window and looked out at the courtyard

below. “Wonderful. And Luc owns this?”

“Luc owns a great deal but he never minds sharing his largesse.”
“You’ve been here before?”
“I have but I’m not talking about that now. I want to talk about you. And what I

plan to do to you.”

“Okay. What will you do, besides flogging me?” Her chest tightened as she asked.

Why did the prospect excite and scare her so much at the same time? Branko was right,

some things couldn’t be explained easily.

“Besides flogging, Adele?”
He crossed the room to stand beside her. “I’ll fuck you, maybe spank you. I can’t tie

you down as I’ve no restraints but I can use this.” From his pocket he produced a butt

plug. “Ever had one of these up you?”

She nodded. “Yes, but it’s been some time.”
“I’ll start with this little johnny then and when I deem you ready, I’ll insert his big

brother.” He produced a second, bigger one. “It should stretch you nicely. Get you

ready to take my cock. You are willing, Adele?”

Time for a slow, relaxing breath. It had been months since she’d been fucked there

and she longed to feel him deep inside her. “I’m not sure I’m ready but I’m prepared to

be readied. If you take your time.”

He kissed her. Not what she’d expected but she opened her mouth to his and his

tongue caressed hers. Putting her arms around him, she pressed herself against him and

deepened the kiss. God, he was good. She could kiss him all night except she wanted

the rest he’d promised, so she broke the kiss, her heart racing as she looked up into his

dark eyes.

“I’ll take my time,” he told her. “I’ll take so long you’ll be begging me to fuck your

tight little arsehole.”

She didn’t doubt it. “Will that be before or after you flog me?”
“Oh after. I want your back and shoulders red and burning and your arse warm

under my hands. Adele, this is going to take all night.”

“Is that a promise?’
“You are so cheeky,” he said. “I’ve never known a submissive to answer back like

you do. I’m going to have to work you over and teach you obedience.”

She hoped so.

Touch of a Dom

“What must I do?” she asked, lowering her eyes.
“First take a long, hot shower. I want your skin soft and still a little damp so you’ll

feel the kiss of the flogger in every nerve ending. Once you are clean and naked you

will kneel on the medallion in the center of the carpet, put your head on the floor and

wait in that position until I return.”

The prospect thrilled and scared her. It was going to happen. He’d flog her and

then… No, better concentrate on the flogging. One thing at a time.

“How long do I have?”
“As long as I choose to allow you, but you’d better be on the floor, head on the

carpet when I return.”

“Or?” She had to ask.
“In that case, it won’t be just the flogger you feel.” He rubbed his belt buckle with

two fingers. She got the message.

“I’ll be ready.”
“I hope so, for your sake, Adele.” And without another word or glance in her

direction, he walked out.

She sat on the nearest chair and realized she was shaking.
This was going to be so much more than the spankings she’d had from him and

other lovers. She’d been buggered before, not often but one lover had really enjoyed

bending her over and taking her that way and she’d enjoyed the sensation of tightness

and invasion and the wild climaxes that resulted, but she’d never been flogged. Tonight

she was going to get it all. The flogging she’d fantasized about and on top of that,

Branko was going to plug her and fuck her arse.

Part of her, the sane, sensible part, wanted to run but the overwhelming and

sensual part of Adele Royer longed for his discipline and treatment and, most of all,

longed for Branko’s cock.

She stripped and went into the adjoining bathroom.
It was downright sybaritic. A pity she didn’t have hours to indulge in the deep

whirlpool bath and the vast shower. Better not take too much time but she would take

full advantage of the scented shower gels and lotions. He wanted her skin soft and

sensitive. She’d do her best. Even if she ended up regretting it once he plied the flogger.

Fifteen minutes later, skin warm and perfumed, she went back into the bedroom,

took up position on the carpet as he’d ordered and knelt and bent over so her forehead

touched the ground.

It was almost a yoga position, so she relaxed. At least most of her body relaxed, her

cunt wouldn’t. There she was sopping wet with arousal and tingling with anticipation

and her clit was close to throbbing. She was eager and ready for a thorough fuck,

anywhere he wanted to go but guessed she might have hours before she climaxed.

She shut her eyes and waited, the only sounds in the room the thumping of her

heart and the muted tick-tock of the gilt clock on the mantelpiece.

Madeleine Oh

Until she heard the door open and Branko said, “Very good, Adele, very good.”

Touch of a Dom

Chapter Twelve

Was he naked too? Or wearing those incredible thigh boots he’d had that first

evening? She so wanted to know but kept her head down. Better not turn to look. He’d

said head to the floor and that was what she’d give him.

“Very nice,” he said. “You follow direction well. Are you ready to feel the kiss of

the flogger, my dear?”

“Yes.” He’d better start soon, before she chickened out.
“Good,” he said, as she felt footsteps approach. “You are in the perfect position for

discipline, except for one little detail.” What the heck was that? She’d done as he’d said,

hadn’t she? “You need to spread your legs a little. I want easy access to every opening.”

“Okay.”
“Then spread them, or do I need to do it for you?”
That voice! Adele responded as if by reflex, knees and thighs apart, head still low.
“Much better. Nicely exposed cunt, high arse, ready for action. Don’t you dare

move.”

She’d expected a little more anticipation but right away cold lubricant was pressed

into her arsehole and before she had time to gasp, a plug was rammed home.

No finesse or seduction here, just tightness and a sense of being stuffed. But above

it all, she couldn’t hold back the sigh of pleasure at the sensation.

“You like that?”
“Yes, Branko, I do.”
“But you’ll like my cock more.”
“Indeed, I will.”
“You have to earn that, Adele. Earn it on your knees and by your submission. Are

you prepared to do that?”

“Yes, I am.”
“Good.” As he spoke he slapped her arse, right between the cheeks, shoving the

plug even deeper for a moment. “How did that feel?”

“Tight!”
“It’s going to be tighter when my cock’s in there up to the hilt, isn’t it?” Oh please,

yes. “Isn’t it, Adele?” he repeated, his tone much shaper.

“Yes, Branko, it will be and I want to earn that privilege.”
“What privilege? Say it.”

Madeleine Oh

“I long to enjoy the pleasure of your cock buggering me. I want what you can give

me. I want…”

“You want a flogging, don’t you?”
“Yes, please.”
“Like this?” Branko asked, as he trailed the tresses down her back.
It took her a minute or two to reply, as her body responded to the touch of multiple

tresses of soft suede slowly easing down from her shoulder blades to her rump and

back. “That’s so wonderful.”

“You like it?” This time the tresses tickled her shoulders. He had to be brushing the

ends over her skin.

“Yes.” She sighed. It was wonderful. The touch awakened nerve endings all over

her body. Now it teased the small of her back, up to her shoulders and back down

again. The tresses stroked under her butt cheeks and then up her spine. She gasped. She

had been worried about this? It was incredible. He could do this all night and she’d be

deliriously happy.

The tresses crossed her shoulders and caught the edge of her breast. She gasped,

quite loudly this time at the unexpected sensation on her breast. She knew this wouldn’t

be all, more and harder was coming and soon but for now, she closed her eyes to shut

out the room and focus on the sensations in her body.

“So, my dear, does that hurt?”
“No, not yet.”
“I’ll have to see about that.”
This time the flogger came down much harder on her shoulders and she cried out.
“That better?”
That was one word to describe it. Just not the one she’d have used at this moment.
“It hurt.” Her skin still smarted from the touch of the lash but she knew that was

nowhere near as hard as he could wield it, if he chose to.

“Not really. Before I’m through you will know what hurt is all about. Understand?”
“Yes.” She would soon anyway.
“You want me to proceed?”
It was up to her. Refuse and cut the scene short or acquiesce and feel what she’d

dreamed of and get buggered as a reward.

“Please keep on, Branko.”
“Then brace yourself.”
This was flogging. Adele couldn’t keep quiet as he hit her shoulders from right to

left in a steady rhythm. The suede tresses stung, building up to a burning across her

skin, but he was skilled, each time her shoulders and upper back took the force, never

her neck or arms. Had he practiced this? Obviously.

Touch of a Dom

Just as she was thinking she could take no more, he stopped. “Better take a rest,

Adele, you’ve a lot more coming. Catch your breath.”

She also flexed her shoulders, was that prohibited? Seemed not. “Good girl,” he

said, “ease the tension before I give you more. In fact relax a bit, rest whilst I…” He

pulled out the plug and she whimpered as it left her. It felt easier but she missed the

invasion.

“Complaining?” he asked. “Can’t have that. Keep position, head down and keep

your arse in the air.”

Not exactly comfortable but she guessed what was coming. More lubricant, a slap

on her rump and her arse cheeks were parted. “Relax, Adele. If you don’t it will hurt

and it’s going in. It has to. I want you ready for my cock by the time I’m ready to do

you.”

She relaxed, letting her shoulders sag into the floor as his hand parted her lower

cheeks and the tip of the new plug pressed against her muscle. “Just a minute, please,”

she said, remembering what a previous lover had taught her. Hoping Branko permitted

it, she pressed back against the plug as she relaxed her muscle.

“Very good, Adele.” His hand on the small of her back steadied her as she

continued to press back and he pushed in. In a moment it was past her muscle and the

rest of it came home. This one was bigger. Much bigger, and as he gave it a final shove

she cried out.

“Good. Ten minutes, twenty maybe and you’ll take me all the way. Looking

forward to it are you, Adele?”

She couldn’t lie even if she wanted to. “Yes. I enjoy feeling filled and used like this.”
“I am so glad, my dear, as your arse is so inviting. All nicely plugged and getting

prepared. Now, a change of position is needed. Listen carefully. If you get this wrong, I

will take off my belt. Look up, see that chair over there?”

“The yellow one?”
“That’s it. I want you to crawl over there, staying on all fours, and don’t you dare

let the plug pop out. Understand?”

“Yes.” Understanding directions wasn’t the same as actually managing to follow

them.

“Once there, place your arms on the seat of the chair and brace yourself. Do your

shoulders still hurt?”

“Yes, but it’s eased off.” In fact the pressure in her arse pretty much overshadowed

the sting in her shoulders.

“Can’t let that happen, can I?” She took that as rhetorical. “All right then. Get

moving.”

In what fiendish recesses of his mind did he come up with these ideas? Moving on

her knees wasn’t the problem, but moving while keeping her arsehole plugged was. If

Madeleine Oh

she clenched her muscles too much she risked expelling it and if not enough, damn, the

same thing would happen.

She made her way very slowly, knowing he was watching her every movement.

Probably hoping she’d lose the damn plug so he’d have the fun of going at her with his

belt, but she made it and took up position, forearms braced on the seat.

He hadn’t said a single word the whole time she’d been crawling, but as she shut

her eyes to help herself relax, he started whistling.

Whistling! What the heck was that about? An attempt to throw her off-kilter, no

doubt.

It almost worked.
Just as she was waiting for him to say something, anything, Branko kissed her left

shoulder, letting his lips press against her sweaty skin.

“Adele, my dear, you taste of glorious submission. Will you give me permission to

flog you some more? Your body was made for this.”

What made him so damn certain? “Adele?” he repeated. “I asked a question. Do I

have your permission?” Why didn’t he just go ahead and lay into her? Because part of

the play was making her speak and to agree.

“I give my permission, Branko.”
He had to have had the flogger poised and ready. She’d barely spoken when it

came down on her shoulders, harder than before but in a slower rhythm, giving her

time between strokes to absorb the sensation. Her mind was caught up in the ache on

her shoulders and the wild and impossible throbbing in her cunt. All combining and

adding to the impressions clouding her mind.

She was moaning steadily now. He hadn’t told her to be silent so she let her cries

add to the swish of the flogger in the air around her and the sound of suede on willing

flesh.

She was part of a symphony of hurt and pleasure, fear was gone, dread no longer

existed, all she knew were the thrills in her body and her longing for more and more.

She whimpered with disappointment when he eased the flogging, slowing until he

was just stroking her skin.

“No,” she moaned. “Don’t stop. I want more, much more.”
“You’ll get more. Another day, right now—”
Adele yelped as he picked her up and as good as tossed her on the bed. She was

bent over the foot of the bed, damn plug still in place. “Why did you stop?”

“Impudent girl!” He slapped her arse. Twice. “You get what I give you, not what

you want. Understand?” His rough tone sent a deeper thrill down into her cunt. “You

wait there and don’t you dare move or I’ll tie your hands and leave them like that all

night.”

He’d leave her like this? Yes, he would. Better not move anything no matter how

much she longed to rub her clit against the bedclothes. Adele waited, listening as he

Touch of a Dom

moved. Getting a condom, most likely. She pictured him rolling the thin latex down his

lovely cock, smoothing the wrinkles out, getting ready to thrust into her arse. He’d have

to take out the plug. Would he ease it or perhaps twist it, teasing her as it left, or just

yank it out as roughly as he’d shoved it in?

He returned, his hand resting on the small of her back, gently pressing her down

into the mattress. “Adele, you listen well and seems you know how to obey. Is it desire

to please me or because you want a nice hard buggering?”

What a question? “Both. I want you to fuck me but if it makes you happy, that’s

good too.”

He laughed. Laugh? He bloody well cackled. “It is, isn’t it? You’d rather I fucked

you than left you hanging but maybe it would be good for you. It might teach you self-

control and a little much-needed self-discipline.”

She’d better keep quiet. Saying what she thought right now might not be a good

move. Her naked arse must be quite enticing but not enticing enough it seemed and she

was in dire need. “Branko, please.”

“Please what, my dear?” Was he going to make her beg? Most likely.
“Please what, my dear?”
“Please fuck me.”
“Fuck you where? Your luscious cunt, you lovely mouth or…” He twisted the plug,

pulling it out just a smidgen before shoving it back in place. “Right here, in your so very

tempting, tight arse?”

“Please, bugger me.” He’d told her she’d be begging him for it and damn, she was.
“Oh!” His feigned surprise was so transparent she had to smile. “Is that what you

need? Why didn’t you mention it sooner, my dear? Of course, I’ll be happy to fuck your

arse. I think you might be ready by now, don’t you?”

He hardly needed to ask. “Yes. Please, Branko.” She waggled her ass as she replied

and got a slap as a result. As the sting faded, he parted her arse cheeks and very slowly

eased out the plug.

“Breathe and relax,” he told her. “This may take some time.”
It took bloody forever as he eased it out, twisting as he did but moving so slowly it

seemed he’d take until morning. “Patience,” he told her when she moaned, “or I’ll ram

it back in and leave it there until breakfast.”

Another slow breath as she made herself relax and wait. Forced herself to be

passive as the plug moved, millimeter by sensitive millimeter, a twist here and tug

there, until she felt real pressure against her muscle. It had been in so long, her body

wouldn’t release it. “Relax,” he told her. “Let it go or you won’t get my cock.”

Did he think she was holding it in on purpose? “I’m trying.”
“Not enough!” He slapped her hard and, as she groaned, out came the plug and he

gave her another slap on the other side. “For luck,” he said with a laugh. “I love to see

you redden up, but enough of that. Time now for what I promised.” He parted her arse

Madeleine Oh

cheeks but this time it was the end of his cock that pressed against her. She called out

his name as he pressed harder. “Let me in, dear. You need this so much.”

He wasn’t kidding. Her clit was so aroused it hurt. “Hang on a minute.” She

pressed back against him.

“Good,” he told her. “Keep going, you have to take all of me, not just the tip. This

will be a total buggering.”

“Please.” It was almost a whine but they pushed together and he was past her tight

muscle. He paused, holding her hips steady as she relaxed. “Good, let it all go, Adele,

all the tension and the worry. At this moment, all you want or need is my hard cock

penetrating you, buggering you.” As he spoke, he pressed gently and slowly, going

deeper and deeper until he yanked her hips toward him and he was home.

Adele screamed, couldn’t help it. It was so wonderful. She was taken, filled, used

and her mind went into a wild spin of need, desire and euphoria as he began pumping,

marking her with his cock. She cried out with utter pleasure. Her cunt came alive, her

clit throbbing with need and her rising climax. She was yelling, calling his name,

shouting the pleasure he gave her as he impaled her on his cock.

Her yells echoed off the ceiling and seemed to reverberate from the walls. This was

so utterly and fantastically wonderful. Seemed he fucked her forever, she forgot time,

no longer knew where she was. All she knew was his cock fucking her, taking her,

pleasuring her. “I’m coming!” she screamed.

“Then come,” he shouted back. “Come for me, Adele, come!”
She came with a great cry as he continued to work her with his cock.
As her climax faded, he came, pressing harder and deeper than before, taking her

up again until she climaxed a second time and collapsed on the bed, the weight of his

body covering her, enfolding her in his embrace as he whispered, “You’re wonderful.”

“So are you.” She barely had breath or energy to say it but she managed.
He moved, slipping out of her, and somehow they both crawled onto the bed and

under the covers. Her body throbbed and ached and thrilled as her climax eased and

she closed her eyes, nestling against him.

“Did I please you?” he asked. “Was that what you needed?”
“Oh, Branko, yes.”
He curled up beside her. “Good. I’ll do that to you again and again.”
She hoped so.

* * * * *

Branko opened his eyes and stared first at the ceiling, then turned to look at Adele,

warm by his side. Something deep in him stirred, and it wasn’t just his cock. She was

magical. No other word for her. Beautiful, her face still flushed from lovemaking and

her lips parted as she breathed gently. He wasn’t sure he knew the right word to

Touch of a Dom

describe her as a lover. Submissive didn’t tell the half of it. Yes, she was submissive and

stirred every Dominant fiber in his being but she was so much more. Driven might be a

good description and therein lay the rub. He’d as good as promised her Luc would use

his contacts to help her out and now he was going to have to make good on it.

He hoped to heaven he didn’t let her down.
And wondered anew what she’d done to him that he felt this desperate need not

only to stand tall in her eyes but to help her in her search. He was a fool. Maybe. Still

best see if Maitre Poulain could do something. None of them needed legal trouble but

the threat of the ordonnance restrictive pretty much implied her father was alive and

dammit, Adele had a right to know the man who’d sired her, even if he was a reclusive

arsehole.

She stirred beside him and smiled before she’d even opened her eyes. Seemed he’d

pleased her last night.

“Good morning.”
Her smile broadened and her gorgeous blue eyes lit up as they met his. She was so

beautiful, face still flushed from lovemaking, hair all over the place after sleep and those

incredible eyes, still brimming with sexy promise.

“Good morning to you, Branko. I don’t think I’ve ever woken up feeling so

wonderful. Even if my arse is still a bit sore.”

“Did I hurt you?”
“Good Lord, no!” She sat up and flexed her shoulders. “You laid it on hard, didn’t

you?”

“Too hard?” He so hoped not.
“Just right.” Her smile pretty much underlined the truth in her words. “The sort of

hurt that feels incredible at the time and quite wonderful the next morning.” She kissed

him.

Really kissed him, there was nothing submissive or tentative the way her mouth

opened and took his. And darn it, he’d give back as good as or better than she gave. He

wanted her, all ways and everywhere and his cock hardened at the prospect. He rubbed

against her and she sighed. It wasn’t need exactly, it sounded almost regretful.

“Branko,” she said, lifting her mouth a little, “you used me up last night. I can’t take

any more for a while.”

“Not even if it’s a nice, sweet vanilla fuck?”
Her eyes widened. “You’re serious?’
“Indeed, I am. Do you think I only know how to arouse you by spanking?”
“Branko, you arouse me by being in the same room.”
For that, she deserved his very best efforts. “Let’s see what I can do to take care of

that problem.”

“I don’t see it as a problem.”

Madeleine Oh

She seemed set to answer him back all morning. Best way to put a stop to that was

to kiss her. Rolling her on her back, he pinned her down with his leg across her thighs.

She chuckled under his mouth. Quite how she managed that, he didn’t know but it was

so damn sexy, he kissed her harder. As she wrapped her arms around him, he cupped

her breast, stroking and teasing and, just for luck, gave her nipple a little tweak.

She yelped, but responded by breaking the kiss and licking up and down his neck,

ending with a little nip just above his collarbone.

“Coquinne!” he muttered, going for the other breast. God! They were so warm and

smooth and abundant. He stroked one then the other as she murmured something that

sounded like “more”. His hand went lower, stroking circles on her lovely belly before

he moved his leg. He wasn’t going to let her go anywhere but he so wanted to play her

cunt.

She had other ideas. Once her legs were free she rolled on her side and reached for

his cock.

“You are lovely,” she told him, as her fingers traced up one side and down the

other. He hardened even more under her touch and when one finger pressed gently on

the sensitive underside, he pulled her hand away.

“Very nice, my dear, but I don’t want to end everything before you’re hot and

ready.”

“I’m pretty close to that now,” she said, with a quite alluring smirk. “I told you that

being in the same room with you gets me going.”

“That’s what I like to hear. I want you always hot for me, Adele.” He cupped her

bush. “You said you used to shave down here.”

“I said I did it once. It was fiddly doing it and itched like nobody’s business

growing back.”

“So.” His fingers tunneled through her dark hair. “No shaving for me? Not even to

please me?”

“Are you serious, Branko?” Not really, but she hadn’t outright refused.
“What if I were?” His finger parted her outer lips and he stroked the soft pink

within. She was aroused, no mistaking that.

She sighed. It was do darn sexy. “Don’t ask me to do that, please.”
“Very well.” It wasn’t one of his fetishes, but she was fun to tease. “I’ll just spank

you whenever I feel the need.”

Her hips jerked and, in an instant, she was wetter than before.
“Branko,” she whimpered as he tapped her clit. “You’re killing me.”
“On the contrary, I’m making you come alive. You need another good, hard fuck

and soon. If you deserve it, I’ll give you just that.” He eased a finger inside her, then

three.

She gasped. “That’s good!” His thumb played her clit. “Wonderful!”

Touch of a Dom

He pulled out his hand and she cried, “Don’t!”
“I have to, to make room for my cock. You do want my cock, don’t you?”
“Yes!”
“Good, put your hands over your head and leave them there.”
“I thought you said this was a ‘vanilla’ fuck!”
“It is, otherwise they’d be tied over your head. Now get in position, hands high,

legs wide and I’ll be there in a jiffy.”

A “jiffy” was as long as it took to roll on a condom.
He settled between her legs, his arms flexed. She wanted to touch him and told him

so. “You may touch me,” he said. “But not now. Wait until you feel my cock filling you

up. Understood?”

“Yes!”
She was in such need and he loved to watch her face as she forced herself to lie still

and wait. She was aroused and wanting and…hell, so was he. Positioning himself over

her, he rubbed his cock between her pussy lips. She was slick and warm as he moved

his hips and pressed the tip of his cock against her cunt opening.

“Please,” she whimpered. “Please, Branko.” She kept her hands still but brought

her hips up to meet him and he entered her, deep and hard as she closed around him

like a sweet, soft glove.

Her legs came up to his hips and she held him tight.
Nothing submissive about her here and it was so wonderful.
She called out, “Branko!” as he started pumping. He was driving into her with all

his force and strength.

She was screaming now, yelling, shouting. He sensed the rising tension in her body

and drove into her even faster. Angling himself to go in deeper, to touch the very heart

of her cunt and as she called his name and shouted her passion, she came.

Now it was his turn. As if remembering she could move them, she placed her arms

around him. He was anchored to her by her arms and legs and he loved it. She gave

another sexy chuckle and her lips on his neck tipped him over the edge. He came with a

shout and collapsed on her. He tried to move. “I’m too heavy,” he said.

“No. I like to feel you on me. It’s so sexy and you’re still hard. I want you to stay.”
He was still hard but softening and soon he eased out, but for what seemed like

ages, they lay together in a panting, tangled heap.

He did not regret his rash promise to help her and seconding Luc to join them. She

was worth it.

Madeleine Oh

Chapter Thirteen

If Branko had his druthers, he’d have stayed in that room for weeks on end.

However they both had jobs to keep and easygoing as Luc was as an employer, he did

expect his letters to be answered and his meals served on time.

After a day wandering Monaco and admiring the rather pretentious yachts in

Monte Carlo harbor, they were back at Les Santons by five.

Helen was already settled in the kitchen with her eternal cup of coffee. “Hello,” she

said as they walked in, “had a good weekend?”

“Wonderful,” Adele replied.
And why not? It was the truth but the interested gleam in Helen’s eye stirred in

Branko an inexplicable urge to protect Adele. Although from what, he wasn’t too

certain. She could take care of herself after all.

“I’ll be off, then,” he told her. “See you in the morning.” Or would he do better to

stay for dinner? “Is Luc here?” he asked Helen.

“He is,” she replied, “and that’s why I’ve been lurking here since he got back. He’s

rather testy and I thought I’d better warn you, Adele. If he complains about the food,

it’s not your cooking. His mother set him off.”

“He doesn’t get along with his mother?” Adele asked.
“He does, but once in a while she gets on a high horse and demands he take care of

something or other.”

“What’s it this time?” Branko asked. Might as well be prepared.
“She wants to get some income from a parcel of land she owns over near La Turbie

and Luc has been given the privilege of making it productive. Seems he offered to build

apartments on it and almost got himself thrown out of her house.”

“Does this happen often?” Adele asked the room in general.
“This is the second time since I’ve been here,” Helen said. “Last time she wanted to

raise all the rent on her properties and he told her she couldn’t as the government had

reintroduced rent controls. I think she wanted him to run for the National Assembly

and get the law repealed. She settled down then. She will now. I hope.” She turned to

him. “What do you think, Branko?”

He thought now was not the time to ask Luc’s assistance with Adele’s problems.

“It’ll calm down. It always does. Give it a few days.” He smiled at Adele and hoped she

understood.

She nodded. “Okay, so tread warily for a few days and make sure there’s a really

good meal tonight. Got it.”

Touch of a Dom

* * * * *

It was Wednesday before Branko judged things calm enough to broach Adele’s

needs to Luc. Luc hadn’t resolved the problem over the land but his mother had

stopped calling him every couple of hours to demand action and the household had

settled into the usual routine and he, Branko, was about to shake things up again.

But he’d given his word to Adele and she was counting on him. Damn, he’d do it.
As it turned out, Luc broached the subject first.
“How’s the new cook getting along with Helen?” he asked.
“Pretty well, you’re pleased with her cooking?”
“Yes. She’s not the same as poor Madame Louise but she’ll do. Settling in all right,

is she? Everything went well over the weekend?”

Luc was asking… “It was close to incredible, after a bit of a rocky start.”
That got his attention. “Trouble, was there? You know my rules.”
“No, nothing like that, it’s a bit involved.” He went on to fill Luc in with the events

and revelations of the weekend. It took some time and then Luc had a few questions of

his own, hardly surprising given the lack of solid information.

“So.” Luc swiveled back in his chair. “You really expect me to get Poulain and his

agencies looking into this. She’s already been warned off with an ordonnance restrictive.”

“She takes that as confirmation he’s still alive. So do I, come to that.” So would Luc,

surely.

“Certainly sounds like it but does she realize her long-lost father may not be the

sweet papa of her childhood fantasies? He’s been gone well over twenty years and

obviously doesn’t want contact.”

“She’s not a fool, Luc, but she’s an only child with virtually no family. Mother dead,

one distant uncle whom she’d never met until recently, a senile grandmother and aunt

she’s never seen. Adele has enough gumption to realize the man could well have

remarried, have another family, gone to jail or who knows what? But we do know he

was once a bookkeeper at Velours Noir.”

“Nice bit of detective work you did there.”
A thought struck Branko. “Did you know him?”
“Unlikely, my dear Branko. I was still at school when he would have been there. All

we know is he worked there for a few years and lived in Nice.”

“Maybe still does. Won’t hurt to try.”
“It will cost money. Are you prepared to have me take it out of your wages?”
It might beggar him. Branko knew what Poulain and his associates charged but

what the hell? “If required, yes.”

Luc didn’t need to crackle like that. “You are smitten, Branko.”

Madeleine Oh

No point in trying to deny it. “She has impressed me, in many ways. If I can help

her with this, I will.”

“You really mean it. Very well, call Poulain. I suppose you’ll want to take her down

there to talk to him?”

“Yes. If it’s convenient.”
“See what you can set up next week. I need you this weekend, it’s the exposition in

Marseille.”

Damn! He’d forgotten about that. No weekend with Adele. Double damn. “I’ll call

Poulain.” He could do that much for her after all.

* * * * *

He’d expected her to be more appreciative. “So what happens next?” True, she was

chopping onions so that might be why she sniffed.

“We go and see Poulain on Tuesday and he will take all the information you have

and initiate a search. His contacts are very good.”

“I see.” She gathered up the chopped onions and tossed them in the pan heating on

the stove. The spit and hiss from the fat rather matched her frown.

“Adele. He’s good, if your father can be found, he’ll find him.”
She ran her hand through her hair and let out an exasperated sigh. “I believe you,

Branko, and I’m going to make a point of thanking Monsieur Prioux. I know I sound

like a spoiled child but I want to find him now. I’ve waited years!”

Branko put his arm around her shoulders. “After all this time, it’s surely worth

waiting a few more days if it gives you an answer.” He wouldn’t add it might be weeks

or months. Missing person searches weren’t exactly easy. He kissed her on the back of

her neck and knew she was smiling. “We’ll get you an answer.”

She turned and looked up at him. “It’s not that, Branko, honestly. It seems I’m so

close but really I know little more than I have all my life.”

“We know he was in Nice, and if that letter you received is anything to go by, he’s

most likely still alive, possibly in the area but guards his privacy.”

“Do you think that means he doesn’t want to see me?”
Quite possibly. He drew her close. “Could be he feels guilty and can’t face you.”
A loud sizzle from the pan got her attention. She lowered the gas and gave the pan

a stir. “He should feel guilty but that’s no excuse.”

“Adele, my love. Sooner or later we’ll learn something. Be patient.”
“I’ve waited this long, I suppose a few more weeks won’t kill me. You’d better

scram. I’ve a dinner to prepare.”

“I’ll ‘scram’ then. Sorry about the weekend. I’d hoped to invite you to my house

and have you over my knee again but alas.”

“Waiting sometimes makes it even better.”

Touch of a Dom

She was right there. Didn’t make it any easier, though. He wanted her, no, needed

her and a weekend without her body next to his was just something to be endured.

* * * * *

They got Poulain’s report ten days later. It was sparse and unenlightening and

Branko hoped Luc didn’t feel he’d wasted his money.

“You want to show it to her?” Luc asked, after he’d tossed it to Branko to read. “It’s

not what she hoped for, is it?”

No, it wasn’t. She’d known all along finding him was a faint chance at least but

this? Her father presumed dead and a surviving stepmother. Odd wasn’t the word, no

trace of a death certificate and a presumed bigamous marriage since there was no

evidence of a divorce. Poor Adele. Or did it just underscore what she already knew of

him? “Mind if I take it to her now? She’s been anxious.”

“Go ahead. If you like, tell her to leave dinner for Helen and me and then you can

take her off to console her.”

“Thanks. I will pay for the search.”
Luc waved that idea away. “No need. We’ll charge it to employee search or

something. It’s worth it to keep her. She’s good and you’ve been remarkably pleasant

and good-tempered since she arrived.”

It was true. With Adele around, he was relaxed and keyed up at the same time.

Tonight wouldn’t be sex games. Tonight, he’d give her a shoulder to cry on if she

needed it. Otherwise they’d have dinner at Le Nid d’Aigle, the little auberge up high in

the old village, and then he’d take her to his house and make slow love to her or do

whatever she wanted as many times as she desired. She could cry on his shoulder all

night if that was what she needed.

Things didn’t quite work out that way.

Madeleine Oh

Chapter Fourteen

“Let me get this straight,” Adele said, after looking through the slim folder.

“According to all this agency could discover, my father lived in Nice for three years.

That just confirms what I suspected and you confirmed in the records of Velours Noir.

He moved to Cannes and bought a flat. Two years after that, he disappears without a

trace but leaves behind a wife.”

“That’s a bit iffy,” Branko said. “They found no trace of a marriage or a divorce.”
“So he left Mother and set up house with a fancy woman and gave her his name.”

She sounded most put out. Understandable. “Then disappeared. Sounds most peculiar,

to put it mildly.”

“He could have died outside France. Maybe married this woman overseas.”
“To use an expression Helen said the other day, he’s a piece of work.”
“What next?” It had to be her choice, even if it made no sense to him.
“I’m torn. Part of me wants to go raging up to this woman and ask her what the

blazes she was doing with my father. On the other hand if she’s been a widow for

fifteen years, it’s a bit late. Maybe I should just let it go.” She paused. “I wonder if

Maman knew about her, but never told me.” She shook her head. “I think she’d have

told me, if she knew. On the other hand, she was always so emphatic about not talking

about him and not wanting me to know anything, so perhaps she did know all along

but kept it to herself.” She let out a great sigh and looked at him across the kitchen

table.

Maybe he should have waited until they left the house to show her the file but she’d

wanted to know so much. “You can never really know what someone is thinking or

knows. She might have been trying to protect you.”

“You know, it wasn’t just us he abandoned, but his family too. I often wondered if

he was in jail but seems he really did leave his old life behind and make a new one. And

now he’s gone and I’ll never know why he left.”

She reached across the table. “Let’s go and have dinner and just let me be happy

being with you, Branko.” Sounded perfect to him.

It was ideal up at Le Nid d’Aigle. The evening was cool but pleasant in the sheltered

garden, the tourists had left, most of them at least, and only two other groups were

eating in the evening. He looked at her as she cut a square of pizza and spiked it with

her fork. She looked up and smiled as she met his eyes. “Thank you for putting up with

me.”

Was she joking? No, she was serious. “Adele, I wanted to help. So did Luc. I wish

we’d found what you hoped for but we did the best we could.”

Touch of a Dom

“Branko you did miles above what was reasonable. You’ve been a fantastic friend

and Luc, well, few employers would have done what he did.”

The “friend” rather stung. “I hoped I was more than a ‘friend’.” Now he sounded

piqued.

“Branko. I don’t let just anyone spank me, fuck me and bugger me, so please, rest

assured, you are a lot more than a ‘friend’.”

“How about your Dominant and your lover?” Might as well go for broke. But if she

said no…

“Only if I can be your submissive.”
“Maybe I should take you back to my place right now and have you prove your

submission.”

“That,” she replied, “is a wonderful idea but…” What the hell was that “but”

about? “Let me tell you what I really want to do.” Her eyes, deep blue and earnest, met

his. “I want to go into Cannes, it’s not that far. I drove in with Helen when you and

Monsieur Prioux were away. I want to see where this woman lives. After all if it was my

father’s property and he’s dead, it should, by rights, be mine.”

“You’re going to throw some poor old woman out of her house?”
“I don’t think so. Not unless it’s some enormous palatial place that he had while

Mother and I lived in three rooms, but I would at least like to lay claim to it. Maitre

Poulain could do that for me, couldn’t he?”

Didn’t sound unreasonable. “We can ask.”
“So, let’s finish this pizza. It’s too good to waste and then, please, Branko, drive me

there. It’s not late.”

* * * * *

It hadn’t been late when they left Eze but it was dark by the time they drove along

the Croisette in Cannes. “Thanks for humoring me,” Adele said, resting her hand on

Branko’s knee. “I needed to come and see for myself.”

“Just ‘see’?”
“At first. If it’s some massive place worth millions of euros…”
“You’ll claim it as your due as his daughter, so we can open a kinky club there and

have our own private dungeon that only you and I can use.”

“We ought to let Helen and Luc use it too.”
She knew about Helen after that first evening but… “Luc?” he asked.
“Oh please, Branko! I’ve looked at his library, he’s as bent as a corkscrew.” That

was one way of putting it. “Besides, Helen told me a lot about him.”

“You and Helen have become very tight.” What else had she told Adele?
“We had a good time over the weekend, talked, drove around the hills, and all the

way to Antibes and back. I like her.”

Madeleine Oh

That might make for some interesting encounters one of these fine days.
Meanwhile, with an address to find, he needed to concentrate on his Garmin.
Rue Georges Clemenceau was easy enough to find. Parking wasn’t quite as simple but

he found an illegal spot and it would have to do.

“What now?” he asked Adele.
She shook her head. “Hell if I know. Better go and look, I suppose.” He let her lead.

He’d be her backup if she needed it. 189 bis wasn’t so hard to find, it was a flat over a

shoe repair shop. Not exactly glamorous quarters, the long-absent Jules Royer had lived

modestly.

Adele hesitated several minutes and just as Branko expected her to turn around and

say she wanted to go back, she stepped up to the door and pressed the buzzer marked

“Royer”.

“Hello?” A female voice spoke through the intercom.
“Madame Juliette Royer?” Adele asked.
“Yes.”
“Apologies for bothering you but I’ve some papers from Maitre Poulain in Nice.

May I come up?”

“What does he want? I’ve never heard of him.”
“Just a formality. There’s been a claim of ownership against this property and I’m

contacting everyone to confirm identity of the legal owners.”

Adele had balls, no two ways about it. Lied well too.
“What do you need from me?”
“Just identification so we can confirm for the property records.”
“Sounds most odd.”
The woman on the other side of the intercom was dead right.
“It’ll only take a couple of minutes. Please. You’re my last call. If I get this done I

can go home and it’s getting late.”

Adele won her over. The door lock buzzed and she went in.
Branko followed.
They were halfway up the first flight of stairs when he caught up with her. “Adele,”

he said, catching her by the elbow, “are you sure about this? You don’t know what’s

waiting up there.”

She stopped and shook her head. “Let me go, Branko, I need to know. It’s bothered

me all my life. If my father is dead, abandoned someone else or had another family, I

have to know.”

He so wanted to protect her from possible hurt and heartache but recognized her

need. “Go ahead, I’ll be right behind you.”

Touch of a Dom

She moved down a step and kissed him. “Thank you for understanding.” He didn’t

really but recognized need when he saw it and Adele needed to climb those stairs and

face whatever and whoever awaited.

And he’d be right behind in case she needed him.
When they reached the second landing, a tall, gray-haired woman stood before a

closed door. So, she’d come to meet them. Was she suspicious, cautious or just

unwilling to let them inside her home?

“So,” she said. “You wish to confirm my identity. Here’s my carte d’identite.” She

held out the small plastic rectangle. “I am Juliette Royer. Does that satisfy your notaire?

Although why anyone needs to verify I own my own property is beyond me.”

Adele walked across the landing toward her and, as she reached the light from the

landing window, the woman gasped. Shock wasn’t too strong for the look on her face.

“Pauline?” she asked, her voice tight and harsh. She shook her head. “Forgive me, of

course not. Look at this,” she said, holding out her carte d’identite. “Verify I am who I am

and perhaps I can get back to cooking my dinner.”

“Pauline?” Adele repeated, ignoring the carte in the woman’s hand and stepping

forward so they both stood in the light. “You knew my mother? Pauline Royer?”

The older woman grabbed the doorframe to steady herself. Eyes wide, she was as

pale as bleached rice when Branko stepped forward.

Alert to the all-around confusion and emotion, he came close, looking from Adele

to the older woman and meeting her blue eyes that were wide with shock.

“How did you know my mother?” Adele demanded. “Was it because of my

father?”

“Your father…” the older woman whispered. She looked ready to fall and Adele’s

clenched fist suggested she was about to pummel her to get an answer.

It was their eyes that explained everything. Facing each other as they were, they

couldn’t see it but for him it was like looking into twin mirrors.

“I think,” he said, as a door across the landing opened at Adele’s raised voice, “we

need to finish this inside.”

Neither of them seemed inclined to move, so he pushed open the door behind the

older woman. “I must insist,” he said. “This doesn’t belong out here.”

“Who do you think you are, young man?” she began. He ignored her and bustled

them both inside.

“Forgive me, madame,” he said, “intruding into your home like this, but Adele has

gone to great lengths to find you.”

“Adele?” Madame Royer said, her voice gravelly with shock. “You are truly Adele?

No wonder you like so like Pauline.”

“How do you know her?” Adele asked again.
The woman shook her head, confusion and worry etched all over her face. She

waved a hand at Adele. “Best you leave now. Or I’ll call the police, say you forced your

Madeleine Oh

way in here.” She glared at Branko but made no effort to reach for the mobile within

reach on the table beside her.

“You wouldn’t do that to your daughter,” Branko said.
“Daughter?” Adele shook her head.
Tactless should be his middle name but there was no way to do this gently or

delicately. “Adele, despite all appearances to the contrary, this is your father.” It was

the only explanation.

Madame Royer sat and looked as if she’d been steamrollered. Understandable. “Do

you mind talking to us?” Branko asked.

For a few moments he thought she’d make good on her threats, but she nodded.

“It’s not me who’d mind,” she said, looking at Adele. “It’s your mother who will have

my carcass.”

“Mother is dead.” It came out rather curtly.
“Pauline, dead.” She wiped a tear from the corner of each eye. “What happened?”
“Cancer.”
They all went silent.
“So, you came looking for me.” She looked at Branko. “Who are you?”
“He’s my friend,” Adele said. “He’s been helping me.”
There followed an even longer, protracted silence. It brought to Branko’s mind his

grandmother’s saying about angels passing overhead. If they were, they had one wild

conversation to carry up to heaven.

Madame Royer was the first to speak. “You’d best have a seat,” she said, “and I

think we all need a fortifiant.”

She brought three glasses to the table and filled each with dark liquid from an

unmarked bottle. She passed the first to Adele. “You need it as much as I do. I never

imagined this day would come.”

“You didn’t want to know me?” Adele asked, her voice tight and harsh.
“It was, is, very complicated,” her father replied. “Perhaps now you understand

why I left you and your mother.”

What now? Adele was in shock, her father still alarmingly pale and her hand shook

as she passed Branko his glass.

Adele sat down and raised her glass. “To the truth.”
“Ask me what you want,” her father said.
“Why did you leave us?”
“Isn’t that obvious? Am I the father you imagined or would have wanted? When I

decided to change, your mother insisted I leave and never see either of you again. I

understood why. She was hurt, confused and felt deceived. I had deceived her and

myself trying to be what I wasn’t. So I went as far away as I could and still be in France.

Touch of a Dom

I made financial provisions for you and your mother and then I had to start working

and preparing for my change.

“I understand your hurt and anger, Adele. I missed seeing you grow up but Pauline

was adamant and I don’t blame her. Perhaps today we might have made it work, but

back then a family with two mothers would have shocked and scandalized. I did what

your mother wanted.”

“You could have stayed with us, just as you were,” Adele said.
“And lived a lie? No, I did that for far too long as it was.”
Another long silence followed. Branko wanted to say something but honestly

couldn’t think what. Better keep quiet.

“Did everyone in your family know?” Adele asked.
“My parents did and my brother. I don’t think my sister was told, she was so much

younger than us. Do you know my parents?” he asked. “Have you met them?”

She shook her head. “I met my Uncle Alain for the first time, a few weeks ago. He

used to send me birthday presents when I was little. He said your father had died but

your mother is old and frail. I didn’t meet her.”

“How is Alain?”
“Well. He runs a restaurant in Paris.”
“What did he say about me?”
“Nothing really but he urged me most strongly not to try to find you.”
“He did, did he? And you ignored him.”
“Yes, I wasn’t going to let him change my mind.”
“Are you glad you stayed on course?”
What a question. Adele reached out and took Branko’s hand. Needing reassurance

perhaps? “I’m not sure. This is confusing.”

“Yes, it is. Very confusing but, Adele, if you don’t find the reality of your father too

upsetting I would be happy to see you if you are ever back down here again.”

“I live down here. I have a job. I’m a cook. In Eze.”
“So close,” she sighed. “How long have you been there?”
“Only a few weeks. I took the job after Mother died.”
“I see.” She turned to Branko. “And you, young man, were you the reason she

moved down here?”

“Actually no. I met her when she came. We work for the same employer.”
“I see and you’ve become very good friends. Better treat my daughter well, young

man, or you’ll explain yourself to me.”

Female she might be but she sounded just like a father. “I intend to, madame. I

would never hurt her. I love Adele.”

Madeleine Oh

Now he was the one in shock. Where had that come from? But it was true. He

looked across at Adele, her eyes wide in astonishment, and smiled.

“Good!” Madame Royer sighed. “Part of me wants to suggest we go out to dinner

but I think it best if we do that later. I need some time to grasp the full reality of this and

so, I think, does Adele.”

“You’re not disappearing on me again, are you?” Adele asked.
“No, I have a business here and my entire life is here. And now you’re here. Is your

job permanent?”

“I’m on six months trial.”
“It’s permanent,” Branko said. “I can vouch for that.” He’d damn well have a word

with Luc when they got back.

They parted shortly after that. Adele was quiet as they got in the car and headed

back east along the Croisette.

“Are you okay?” he asked. Stupid question. How could she be anything but in

shock?

“Over the years I’ve made up all sorts of wild and wonderful stories about who my

father was, where he was or what he might be doing but that possibility never entered

my mind.”

“It’s a lot to come to terms with.” That was the understatement of the year, if not

the decade. “But he wants to see you again. Will you?”

“I’ll see him, or rather her. I’m not sure how I’ll ever get used to saying that,” she

said. “But what I really want to know is did you mean it?”

“That I loved you?”
“Yes. We barely know each other.”
In the biblical sense they “knew” each other darn well, but she meant something

much deeper than that. “True, and there’s a good bit you should know about me. Like

my criminal record—juvenile, I hasten to add—and my family members in jail, and that

may put you right off me. But never doubt, I love you and soon I’ll have the

opportunity to prove it with your lovely, bright-pink flogger.”

She looked at him sideways and smiled. “Can you drive faster?”

The End

About Madeleine Oh

Madeleine Oh is an expatriate Brit, retired LD teacher and grandmother now living

in Ohio with her husband of thirty-five years. She has published erotic short fiction,

novels and novellas in the U.S., UK and Australia.

Madeleine welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email

addresses on her

author bio page

www.ellorascave.com

Tell Us What You Think

We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email

the author

directly or you can email us at

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Service, be sure to state the book title and author).

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Ellora’s Cave Publishing

www.ellorascave.com

Touch of a Dom

ISBN 9781419947735

Edited by Grace Bradley

Cover design by Willo

Cover photography by Guryanov Andrey/shutterstock.com

Electronic book publication January 2014

The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

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Touch of a Dom
Touch of a Dom

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