(I apologise. I failed. I couldn’t make it as dark as planned. I think I broke myself in the process. I breezed through it. But I hope it still is enough to get them past this phase in their lives)
*****
Luca’s gaze remained on Veronica. "Veronica..." he whispered.
Marceline’s voice cut in. "Not you. Her."
Veronica looked at him. Her eyes moved over his face. Then she answered. "Crimson."
"You know him best," Marceline said. "When you sense he has had enough, use your safe word. The task here...is to lay his shame out in front of him. His failures. His guilt. The things he has buried because carrying them silently feels easier than speaking them. You will not appear weak," Marceline added, "even when it becomes uncomfortable. He has to hear it from you."
"I do not want to hurt him," Veronica said quietly.
"You already have the power to hurt him, Mrs Genovese. Tonight, we give that power structure. We give it a door out." Marceline walked to the dresser and picked up a set of cuffs. The metal links made a soft, cold sound as they dangled from her fingers.
Veronica’s expression hardened immediately.
Marceline lifted a brow. "How does this work? You say I cannot touch him, and you only have good use of one hand."
Vee yanked the cuffs from Marceline. The movement was clumsy because of the cast, but the insult in it was elegant. "I said what I said." Veronica stepped behind him. "Give me your wrists."
Luca obeyed. Slowly, he placed both hands behind his back. Her fingers trembled as she fitted the cuffs.
She struggled. The cast made the movement awkward. At last, the cuffs locked. Marceline handed her the blindfold. She slid the fabric over his head.
"Now," Marceline said, stepping back, "shall we begin?"
Veronica moved in front of Luca. She drew a breath. "Be good, and it will be easier and faster..." she began. "You make me like this."
Luca’s lips lifted in a smug smile. "I don’t mind you being like this."
The flogger cracked across his back again. Luca’s body jerked slightly from surprise, and then he settled again, jaw tight, mouth closed.
If he kept turning this into flirtation, he would hide behind desire the same way he hid behind violence.
That was not why they were here.
"If you’re not going to listen," Veronica said, "then this makes no point. We are here because you stopped being able to pleasure me."
Luca’s face changed. The smugness thinned. His head angled slightly, as if her words had found the exact place Marceline promised they would.
"You think I am going to stand around?" Her stomach twisted, but she forced her voice to remain hard. "You either fuck me or I get fucked."
The words sounded foul in her mouth.
Ugly.
Cruel.
Wrong.
They did not belong to her. She would never throw his pain back at him like that outside this room.
She saw the response it had on him. His breathing shortened. His lips pressed together. His shoulders tightened.

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