Zack laughed. “Oh, I’m certain of it,” he said with a smile in his eyes. “But we'll work through it. Together.” He offered the reassurance she desperately needed. "But you have to be willing to try, Dani. You have to be willing to stay and fight for us, even when things get tough. Because I can guarantee they will. Nobody's life is ever plain sailing, and relationships take work.”
The fear of failure, of not being enough, still lurked in the corners of Dani’s mind. But looking into Zack's eyes, seeing the unwavering faith he had in her, in them, she knew she was more when she was with him. And maybe, in some small way, she made him more too.
“I love you,” she admitted, the words leaving her lips for the very first time. “Despite everything; despite the way I behaved. I think I’ve always loved you, even when I didn’t want to admit it because I thought it was a weakness. Even my own bullheaded stubbornness couldn’t stop me from loving you.”
The expression on Zack’s face as he accepted her declaration was like the sun creeping out from behind a cloud and brightening up the day.
"I love you too, Dani. More than I ever thought possible. And just so you know, I was never leaving. I was just going to give usboth time to cool down before I came back to claim you again.” He cupped her face gently, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Because I know together, with effort and commitment, we can make this work."
"I want that. I want to try; to be better. For you, for us."
"Then let's start now," Zack said, his voice taking on a firmer note. “I think a certain somebody has definitely earned herself a spanking… or two.”
EPILOGUE
Zack's hand landed with a satisfying smack on Dani's upturned bottom, eliciting a delicious gasp from his wife.
"Happy anniversary, kitten," he purred, admiring the rosy hue blooming across her sun-kissed skin. He’d taken to calling her that after they’d finally sorted everything out. The term ‘pet’ had always been generic; kitten suited her better since she was soft, adorable, but often showed her claws and could hiss and spit like the true Italian hellcat she was. Zack wouldn’t have her any other way.
Dani wiggled enticingly, her body bound in an intricate karada, a shibari rope dress that framed her breasts, accentuated her curves, and sported a diabolical tease of a knot right over her clit, designed to have her writhing. "Mmm, happy anniversary, Master. I can't believe it's been a year already. It’s gone so fast.”
“Time always flies when you’re having fun, my love.”
And it had been fun. Oh, it had been trying at times, too. Breaking Dani’s preconceived notions about relationships, persuading her she could have a career as well as being his wife, hadn’t been easy, but every challenge had only broughtthem closer together, strengthening their bond and deepening their trust. Zack traced the intricate patterns of rope across Dani's back, marveling at how perfectly they framed her shapely form, suspended from the specially braced steel frame he’d had installed. As perfectly as the two of them fit together - in body, mind, and soul.
It had taken time for them to get here, but they’d made it and never been happier.
The balmy Caribbean breeze drifted through the open windows of the beach villa they’d built on the family island of Syèl la, complete with its own ‘adult’ playroom. Outside, gentle waves lapped at the pristine shore of their private slice of paradise and the air carried the scent of tropical flowers and the salty tang of the sea.
"Best decision I ever made was moving here and making this place our home," he murmured, bending his head and taking the rosy peak of one straining nipple into his mouth.
Dani gasped, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Really?” she asked, her eyes wide with a fake innocence Zack knew he should be mindful of. “I think that was actually your second-best decision. I'd say marrying me was the first."
"Cheeky girl," Zack growled playfully, moving around to deliver another sharp swat to her bottom.
"I think someone needs a reminder of her place."
Dani's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Oh? And how do you plan to remind me, Master?"
Zack's grin turned predatory as he reached for the nearby flogger. "I have a few ideas, kitten. Let's start with counting. I want to hear that sweet voice of yours. You know how much I love to hear you beg."
He trailed the soft leather tails along her spine, watching goosebumps rise in their wake. Dani shivered in anticipation, her breath quickening.
"Ready?" Zack asked, voice low and commanding.
"Yes, Master," Dani breathed.
The flogger whistled through the air, landing with a satisfying thud across her upper thighs. Dani yelped, then remembered her instructions. "One! Thank you, Master."
As Zack continued, alternating between sharp strikes and soothing caresses, he watched as Dani lost herself in the sensations. The sting of leather, the brush of fingertips, the tightening of ropes as she writhed - it all blended into a heady cocktail of desire, which he fed off of.
Her cries grew more desperate with each stroke, the numbers tumbling from her lips in breathy gasps. "Fifteen... oh god... sixteen... please, Master!"
Zack paused, admiring the rosy glow spreading across her skin. "Please what, kitten? Use your words."
Dani whimpered, tugging at her bonds. "Please... I need you. I need to feel you inside me."
"Patience," Zack murmured, trailing his fingers along the insides of her thighs. He could feel the heat radiating from her core, smell her arousal. "We're not done yet."
