Possessing Bella Ch. 24

His hand wrapped around her high ponytail and reefed her head back before lowering his to kiss her hard bruising her lips in the process. His free hand ran down over her breasts and stomach dipping under her dress to find her G-string panties. He growled unhappily into the kiss and bunched then in his hand pulling up high making her gasp in pain as he yanked several times until the came away from her body and she whimpered into his kisses.

"It has been difficult to keep you at arms-length these past weeks," Stephen said as he stepped back unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it from his black jeans. "I realise that situation was not entirely of your making and as you have said it did have its merit but my discomfort during that time requires compensation." He shrugged the shirt down his arms and threw it into a chair in the corner.

"I am sorry, Sir Stephen," Bella said softly.

"You will be," he informed her. "While Rob and Kurt have offered me a conciliatory pat on the back, you, my sweet little slut need to compensate me in an entirely different way. He went to a corner and picked up a short flexible whip. He flicked it at her testing its reach, and it bit into the exposed side of her breast and back making her yelp. "Lovely," he murmured and approached her undoing the clasp on the halter top of the dress and letting it hang down over the wide belt to expose her breasts.

Bella quivered as he circled her feeling the coarseness of the plaited leather whip caress her skin. He stepped back and the whip struck her again on the other side of her body, the tail wrapping around and created a livid red welt across her breasts. She bit her lip in an effort not to cry out and whimpered loudly.

"You have five seconds to remove what remains of the dress or risk it being damaged," Stephen's deep bass warned, and he watched as she scrambled to comply stepping out of the dress and kicking it away before resuming her stance.

"Not content with having two masters to instruct you, you also sought out a Mistress," the whip cracked against her ass and curled around her hip. "Such a needy slut, two Masters and two mistresses," he said with a knowing smirk. Gian had been bubbling with excitement when they had come back to the club that evening to relax after their tryst with Bella.

Bella gasped, he knew that she had served both Josie and Gian? It wasn't common knowledge that she had done that, she didn't think it was anyway. Her mind whirled as the whip landed on her ass again, making her stagger a little in her stance. Stephen stepped forward and caught her pressing up against her back.

"I told you to remain still, whips can be dangerous on moving targets," he murmured in her ear. "If you cannot remain still on your own I will help you," he growled and discarded the whip forcing Bella to a sawhorse and pushing her down along its length. He quickly cuffed and secured her wrists and ankles slapping her ass between each one leaving large red handprints with the force of each slap. He spanked her several times as he circled her ensuring she was secure and dipped his hand between her open legs feeling her hot, wet cunt.

"So my needy little slut, I haven't heard a thank you out of you yet," he slapped her red ass again.

"Thank you, Master," Bella said without thinking earning her another slap harder than the last.

"Have you had so many masters you forget who you are with?" His bass rumbled over her.

"I am so sorry Sir, please forgive me," Bella pleaded in a voice that cracked with disappointment.

"Bella," Stephen squatted down beside her to look into her eyes, "I love you, and I can forgive you anything, but there will always be consequences," his smirk told her this would be a long painfully pleasurable afternoon. He stood then knowing her face was at his waist and undid his belt. He smiled as he drew his cock out before her eyes holding mere inches from her face.

"Contrary to what you believed I am not adverse to you exploring your interests," he said as he fisted his cock stroking it slowly just out of her reach. "The idea of seeing you dominated by a Mistress is appealing on some levels. It is difficult to see what you want just out of your reach but when you claim it as your own it's so satisfying," he let go of his cock, letting it dance before her eyes as he pulled his belt through the loops of his pants.

Staying where he was his hand travelled down her back and dipped between her legs again teasing at her cunt and forcing her to rub against the small wooden beam of the saw horse that split her body in two. He delighted in her whimpering as she squirmed below him and craned her neck to get closer to his cock. He continued to tease her pushing two fingers into her and finger fucking her until her body shook with her impending orgasm, and then he stopped.

"Almost painful isn't it, to get so close to what you desperately need and then have it taken away," Stephen growled and squatted down beside her again. He was pleased when she whimpered and looked up at him.

"Yes, Sir," her voice was high and trembled with her need as he stroked her hair from her face.

"I don't just want you, Bella, I love you and have needed you painfully over the last month, but I had to wait for you to come to me, I need to know you want and need me in the same way," his voice was thick with emotion. "I want you to know what it is like to almost have it all and have it dangled just out of reach."

"I know," she said tears forming in her eyes. "I have hated the distance you put between us when we saw each other over the last weeks. I felt that more so than any punishment you could devise down here in this dungeon." She admitted sadly. "When you told me last weekend that we would remain just friends, my heart ached like I have never felt before," she began to cry softly. "I know and understand the punishment."

Taken aback by her confession Stephen quickly unbound her and pulled her into his arms kissing her deeply. He rolled her to the floor and entered her then without preamble the teasing having affected him as much as her. He drove into her in a furious need to possess every inch of her.

Bella wrapped her arms and limbs around Stephen as he took her hard, and fast she felt her climax wash over her suddenly, and she arched up against him her cunt wringing out his orgasm as it clenched and pulsed around his cock. He hadn't bothered to try and hold back his cum, and he howled out as he came feeling the emotions they had been toying with heightened at that moment. He gathered her into his arms and lay on the floor with her held tightly against his chest, while they both considered what had just occurred and unwilling to break the silence.

Only when the cold of the stone floor began to seep into him did Stephen roll away from Bella and stand helping her to her feet. He kissed her tenderly and smiled brushing an errant curl from her face. "Get dressed, little one, it's cool down here in the dungeon, and I don't want to be the cause of you being unwell."

"Thank you," Bella said simply. Then she reached up to touch his cheek softly, "I needed to hear all of that," she explained. "I needed you to tell me." She blushed and went to pick up her dress from where it lay discarded on the floor as he watched with a bemused look.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly as they mounted the stairs after dressing quickly.

"I feel better than I have in some time," she smiled up at him and seeing his look of concern laughed lightly. "I love you," she stood on her toes and reached a hand up to his cheek to guide his head down to kiss her. His low rumble almost seemed to purr as he lowered his head to kiss her.

He put his hand on the door and whispered, "Before we go out there, and you meet my men who will more than likely be waiting for me you should know I am the Lord of this land and the Brotherhood of the Cove." He said with a little edge to his voice. "The king of this castle so to speak and they will refer to me as such."

"Yes, Sir Stephen," Bella said tilting her head in confusion as to why this would bother him so much as to warn for of it.

"They are not all into the lifestyle, but they hold to the knights code which is important to me, to us as a group," he tried to explain but decided not to explain further. He opened the door guiding her out into the brightly lit living area where six men stood up immediately and looked at them expectantly.

"Greetings my Lord," the nearest of the men said coming forward to grip Stephens' arm in a warrior's greeting. "We stayed hoping to talk to you about the battlefield if you have time."

"They stayed to meet the Lady Bella," Thomas chuckled from behind them coming to his feet. "The battlefield is going to be perfect. Arek has done a good job of the plans I hope he can pull it off."

"True enough," another man said also gripping Stephens arm in friendship and smiling at Bella. He took her hand in his and held it to his lips brushing them lightly over the surface. "Greetings my Lady, I am Sir Tristan, but most people just call me Tris," he said with an infectious grin.

"Put her hand down Tris," Stephen said good-naturedly. "She is way out of your league. Everyone this is Bella, and this is, Tris, Lance, Gerry, Boris, William and Ed." He went through the names quickly waving a hand at each man as he said their name. She smiled as each dipped their head in acknowledge of the introduction.

"Why don't you go and see if Anissa needs any help in the kitchen while I talk to the men for a minute," Stephen suggested.

Bella knew it was a command from his tone and unable to resist even though she knew it may cost her some form of punishment she dipped into a small curtsey and smiled sweetly as she said, "Yes my Lord." Then she hurried off to the kitchen.

Bella found Anissa taking inventory in the large pantry and though Anissa refused any help she was happy to have the company and answered all of Bella's questions about the renovations to the Abbey and its surrounding grounds. There was an old farm house on the new block of land bordering this one that Stephen had bought. It was being demolished and rebuild in a similar stone to the abbey, and she and Thomas would move in there and run a small hobby farm to help supply the abbey with its needs. It would also mean continued work for the men and women who relied on this place to get back on their feet.

"Thomas has fallen in love with the whole idea of this place. The knights code and helping those less fortunate while indulging full time in a life very similar to that of the Goreans and their homes," Anissa said. "You work hard for the good of your city and caste. He is getting a bit old for the builders game nowadays, but the farming appeals to him especially if he can have his own forge and horses."

"Is it like Gor for the women too?" Bella asked.

"Well it won't be for you, my Lady," Anissa grinned. "You will be treated like a delicate flower and be expected to behave like a sweet and innocent young woman. The serving girls, on the other hand, may wear more clothes than the slaves of Gor, but they can be bawdy or flirty and can expect to be groped and propositioned often."

"You should look at the plans for the grounds, they are quite extensive, and I believe that Arek has brought a neighbouring property so he can be close by during all the landscaping work he has set out. I wouldn't be surprised if this Brotherhood Stephen has begun here with his friends doesn't become big enough to rival the gatherings of Gor," she said. "Perhaps with the interest of both Arek and Thomas, there will be more than a bit of an overlap."

"I'm not so sure about that. The whole Gorean notion of survival of the fittest and enslaving the weak doesn't quite fit with the charitable side of the Brotherhood here," Bella said thoughtfully.

"If you try to see it regarding Lords and peasants rather than Masters and slaves it's not so hard to find the common ground," she explained her thinking in more direct terms.

"I guess," Bella said unconvinced. She yawned, "I am so tired it seems like forever since I have slept properly."

"Would you like some coffee?" Anissa offered looking at her critically.

"No thank you, I never developed a taste for it," she admitted. "I'll be fine. I will sleep on the drive home."

"They will be ages yet if recent conversations are anything to go by," Anissa smiled. "The is a small couch under the covered walkway on that side of the house," she pointed toward a large doorway. "Go and lie down for a bit it will make you feel better, it looks like you may need the rest." Her finger ran along the red strip visible on Bella's back and side disappearing beneath the halter top of her dress.

"You might be right," Bella said sliding from the stool with a blush, "Wake me when they're done." She walked in the direction Anissa had pointed and found the small couch. It was more comfortable than it looked and she easily dozed off in the warmth of the afternoon.

Bella wasn't sure how long she had been asleep but her arms tangled around Stephen's neck as he lifted her from the couch and carried her through the living area and up the stairs of his tower. She nuzzled into his neck as he held her close and she was reward by him pulling her closer and holding her tightly.

He placed her on her feet and stood behind her as she took in the three hundred and sixty degrees view the top of his tower afforded them of the sunset. The inky black night sky rose up out of the dark waters of the cove and pushed the sun towards the hills of the surrounding hinterland.

"It's beautiful," she whispered daring to disturb the silence of the moment.

"Did you enjoy your rest?" He asked equally as quietly.

"I feel very refreshed," she smiled. "I didn't realise how tired I was until I sat talking with Anissa for a while."

"Good, I thought we might stop on the way home to eat. If you are up to it," he said in a questioning tone.

"I'm not dressed to go out anywhere elegant, but a café maybe," Bella said softly looking down at her short dress that was looking the worse for sleeping in it.

"I have something you can wear," he murmured into her ear, "but I would be just as happy if you wore nothing at all." He smiled seeing her blush and giggle self-consciously in the darkening evening light. As the last of the light died from the sky, he guided her down into his bedroom.

"This," he said removing a large box from a chest, "was originally what I had planned to give you for Valentine's Day so you could have it for the grand opening." He placed it on the bed near where she stood.

"The dress you gave me was exquisite and more than generous considering," she gasped lifting the lid from the box. A long black cigarette holder and a three strand pearl necklace sat on top of the tissue paper covering the dress. "Breakfast at Tiffany's!" she picked up the two items and peeled back the tissue revealing the slinky black dress. It was beyond thoughtful that he had remembered one of her favourite old movies they had once watched together and its appropriateness for the launch of her new jewellery outlet. She put down the pearls and holder and picked up the dress hugging it against her body.

"Thank you," she whispered putting it back down and throwing her arms around him. His height made it impossible for her to kiss him spontaneously, so she buried her face into his chest. "Thank you so much."

"Happy uncollaring day," Stephen said uncertainly and picked her up to kiss her rather than bending down to her height, loving the feel of her small frame in his arms.

"May I shower quickly please," she asked.

"Yes, I will shower while you dress because if I come in with you, it will be anything but quick," he chuckled putting her back on her feet. He continued to chuckle as she quickly undid her dress and stepped out of it on her way into the bathroom.

Half an hour later they left the Abbey and rode to the restaurant where they had shared their first kiss. Bella smiled at the memory despite the emergency dash to the hospital to see Dorothea at the end of the meal. Her mind clouded as she thought about her dearest friend and the knowledge that her days were numbered.

"What's wrong," Stephen asked helping her from the car.

"I just remembered the first time we were here," she smiled up at him, and he nodded letting it pass assuming she had remembered the end of the evening. Stephen was greeted like an old friend and shown to a table near the dance floor. He and Bella ate a perfect meal and drank a beautiful wine with it. She seemed more thoughtful than usual, and he worried that the memory of Dorothea this place had evoked had stayed with her.

Pulling her onto the dance floor he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close lowering his head to whisper, "Stop worrying and enjoy the music." His lips brushed softly over hers, and they danced until desert arrived.

"I will have to do extra time in the gym this week after today," Bella laughed lightly as she ran the spoon around the plate picking up the last morsels of Pavlova. "I wanted to finish work early, at least one day this week to go and see Dorothea, but I am not sure I can skip gym now."

"Why can't you see her at work?" Stephen put down his spoon and looked at Bella critically as she froze with her spoon in her mouth. He could almost see her berating herself in her expression as she slowly lowered the spoon.

"She resigned to work on some personal projects," Bella said trying to keep her voice light. "She still pops in from time to time but I miss her, and I know she will want to hear about our agreement. You did say I could tell someone if I wanted." She hastily added trying to steer the conversation back to them.

"I think that is an excellent idea," Stephen could see the anxiousness in Bella as she spoke about Dorothea and he was more certain than he was that morning that something was going on with Dorothea. "We should have her over for dinner tomorrow night, and we can both tell her," he suggested testing her reaction.

"Oh umm, Monday's aren't always the best days. I'll call her tomorrow and see when she can make it," Bella offered to try and hold off the inevitable conversation. Dorothea had not asked her to lie for her, but she had pressed upon Bella that she didn't want her Masters to know of her ill health yet.

"I see," Stephen murmured not pushing her and thinking about how to approach this subject differently. It was obvious that something was going on, and he wanted to know what it was. He let Bella change the subject to her early morning start and taking the hint that she wanted to leave he paid the bill, and they left heading back into the city. They were both relatively quiet listening to the soft music as they drove and contemplating their individual thoughts regarding Dorothea.

"Sir Stephen," Bella said quietly into the darkness of the car as they reached the city limits and she knew they would be home soon. "In all these months that I have been learning about the lifestyle and the company there are two things I know absolutely," she took a deep breath. "Love can make you endure unbearable things," she turned to look at his profile knowing she had made him wait longer than he should have for her to come to him ad agree to be his. "The other is that love is nothing without trust and honesty to back it up."

"I agree with that," Stephen said unsure of why she had begun to speak in this way.

"The problem is that keeping secrets can warp those truths a little at times. I don't want anything to warp or strain the relationship we are beginning to explore properly," she said it in a rush having made up her mind to tell him about Dorothea and praying that he wouldn't push her to do anything she didn't want to do.