Chapter 11

When Marie woke the next morning, it was to the horror that it was Monday. The sun was up and she was definitely late. She would have sprung out of bed if she didn't feel like her bones were made of lead. Instead, she gasped in pain.

"Relax. I called out for both of us." Leo stood in the doorway, breakfast in hand. "Hungry?"

Marie sat up slowly. He sat next to her on the bed. Careful not to touch her, he lay the little tray on her lap. There were two slices of toast with Nutella and bananas, a glass of water, and what looked to be a berry smoothie. Carbs, sugar, potassium, and hydration– all the things that needed replenishing after a scene. Marie gave a watery smile.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Leo asked.

"Awful, to be frank. What time is it?"

"Just before 11. I hope you don't mind that the toast isn't warm. I wasn't sure when you'd be up."

"It's fine."

Marie took a bite of the toast. It was a mouthful of heaven. It occurred to her that she hadn't eaten in nearly eighteen hours, never mind the fight she had put up last night. If the spread hadn't been so sticky, she might have shoved the entire thing in her mouth.

They were silent as she ate. When she cleared everything on the tray, the full weight of the night before hit her.

"My god, I was an idiot."

Leo sighed quietly. "Who did this to you?"

"My ex. I went to him for it. I wanted - needed - someone to punish me for what I did to you, but he didn't stop. And when he was done, he just threw me out. It's no less than I deserved, I suppose."

"No," Leo set the tray aside and took Marie's hands. "No one deserves to be taken past their limits. Especially when there's no aftercare involved." He lifted one hand to caress her sob-swollen cheek. "I never want to you feel like you deserve to be punished. That's not what BDSM is about. It should never be enacting vengeance on your partner, okay?"

Marie nodded, eyes swelling with tears. Leo cradled her at his shoulder as she sobbed.

"Do you still feel like you're dropping?" he asked. She shook her head. "Good. Just rest, alright?"

At her clinging, Leo shifted so that he laid on his back against the pillows. Marie cried herself back to sleep.

***

It would take a few more days for Marie to feel normal again. Luckily, the weather was cool enough that she could wear a cardigan without seeming out of place and a little makeup could hide her bruised cheek. She told Piper what had happened, but held her to an oath of secrecy (even from Michael).

More than getting back to work, she was focused on repairing her relationship with Leo. Every day for two weeks, she brought lunch for them both, making sure that she never had to descend into the IT office. After the fifth day in a row, he brought his food upstairs to eat with her.

"You know I'm not mad anymore, right?" he asked.

"You should be," she replied. "I'm still mad at myself."

"Look, I already said my piece. I know you're working on it. And the fact that you came to me after what happened proves that you *do* trust me."

Marie swung her legs restlessly under the table where they didn't meet the ground.

"And you're sure you're not mad? I don't want you to feel like I used you."

Leo chuckled. "No. You've made lunch for an entire work-week. I think that's plenty payback for one argument." He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek.

For the next few weeks, things nearly went back to normal. The pair went to work, had lunch together, and went home. Marie avoided date nights at their homes purely to keep herself from being overly invested, just in case Leo decided she wasn't worth it. Leo had other ideas.

"Do you want to come over tomorrow?" he asked one Friday.

"Sure. Just to hang out?"

"Yeah. For a little adventure, if you're feeling up for it." How could she say no to that mischievous smirk?

***

When Marie arrived, she was surprised to see a note taped to the door.

*Come inside and pick your weapon. Ready, player two?*

She carefully opened the door and spotted two toy guns. Looking around in confusion, she tentatively picked one up.

And was promptly hit in the head with a marshmallow.

Gasping theatrically, she dove behind the couch. "How dare you attack with no notice?"

"I gave you a count of five!"

She fired in the direction of his voice. It missed by several feet but Marie couldn't contain her giggles.

"Come on, you can do better than that!"

Firing several more marshmallows, she heard a squawk when one finally landed. She stood to grab the other gun, getting hit squarely in the butt. She squealed before wielding one gun in each hand, firing into the living room with abandon. It wasn't until both guns ran out of marshmallows that she took cover again.

"Did you run out of ammo, Rambo?" Leo's voice teased. "Well, I didn't!"

He vaulted himself over the couch and emptied his clip of marshmallows on Marie. By the end of it, they were both laughing uncontrollably, grasping their aching stomachs. Leo joined her on the ground.

"Had fun?" he asked breathlessly.

"More than I have in a long time," she replied between giggles.

Leo rolled onto his side and gazed at her. He looked contented in a delirious, distant way.

"What is it?" Marie finally asked.

"I love you," he said simply.

Marie bit her lip. "Really? After everything?"

"Really."

"Je t'aime aussi," she said.

"Can I kiss you?" She laced their fingers together, secretly amused that he had never asked so directly before.

"Please do."

The kiss was so gentle, Marie could feel tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She hadn't realized how touch-starved she was. Instinct made her pull him closer, eventually settling his torso on hers. His weight eased some of the pressure in her heart.

When they broke apart for air, she looked purposefully into his eyes.

"Please, I…" she bit her lip, unsure what words to use. "Am I still yours?"

"For as long as you want to be."

"Will you show me?"

He smiled and stroked her face. "Go pick what you want. I'll meet you in there in five minutes."

***

Once Marie chose the toys she wanted to play with, she felt slightly at a loss. Did he want her to undress before he got there? Or maybe he wanted to strip her himself? He hadn't given her any instructions.

"I can hear the gears turning in your head."

Leo appeared in the doorway with two glasses of water. He placed them on the night stand before crowding her space. He lifted her face to look him in the eye.

"Relax. I'm going to let you lead, okay?" She nodded. "Alright. Where do you want to begin?"

Marie rocked up on her toes to kiss him again. She looped her arms around his neck, creating as much contact between their bodies as possible. The rhythm of their kisses soothed her anxiety. One hand snaked between them to start to undo Leo's belt. He, in turn, pulled down the zipper on her dress. His hand caressed the length of her bare back, warm and solid. She sighed. Leo took the opportunity to kiss his way down her throat, pulling a breathy moan from her.

Once they had both rid themselves of clothing, Leo turned to the collection of items Marie had picked out. Smiling, he first picked up the soft black rope. He gently positioned Marie and began to wrap her in a harness. She breathed a deep sigh as he tightened the rope around her, relief coloring the sound. He tied off the end and cradled her in his arms, guiding her to the bed. Once she was settled on her back, he reached for the next two items.

He lit the long black candle with the silver lighter. The flame danced - powerful and mesmerizing - melting the wax. Leo held it as high above Marie as he could before letting the first droplets spill onto her stomach. She hummed a little moan at the warmth, her eyes sliding shut. He dripped a little more, closer this time, trying to ignore the fresh bruises that peppered her skin. She still didn't open her eyes. When most of her front was solid with wax, Leo looked to the next items.

But before he used them, he touched Marie's leg to get her attention. She looked up as if waking from a dream.

"Color?" he asked quietly.

She took a deep breath, but replied confidently. "Green."

Leo simply nodded. He rolled on the condom Marie had laid out, but knelt between her legs first. Starting at her ankles, he trailed his lips up her legs, alternating kisses to each side. He could feel her trembling. When he reached his goal, she let out a whine. Her fingers clawed at the bedsheets, willing her body to hold still as he worked her with his tongue. He used the rope around her hips to press her to his face, encouraging her to ride him. When she started to get close, he pulled away with a pop.

"Not just yet," he said, kissing her hipbone.

Three deep, stuttering breaths later, Leo tugged Marie to the edge of the bed, her lower half hanging over. As he entered her, he peeled the wax off her nipples. He pulled one into his mouth as he began to thrust. Her hands flew to his biceps when he bit down, arching and wriggling beneath him.

But she wouldn't escape. She didn't want to. *Green, green, green.* The word echoed through her mind, nearly drowning out her own moans. She almost didn't notice when Leo picked up the last item she had picked.

The vibrator wand touched to her clit threatened to overwhelm her. Leo started it mercifully slow, but quickly raised the intensity. White burst behind Marie's eyelids. She must have screamed her orgasm because Leo clamped a hand over her mouth. She didn't care. He didn't slow his thrusts or take the wand away. Riptides and tidal waves tossed her, pushing her to the precipice again before she knew which way was up.

Twice more, Leo drew orgasms from her before he finished, finally taking the wand away. For a long time, their panting and Marie's sobbing was the only sound. Then, Leo helped Marie fully onto the bed, climbing up to hold her. She cried into his chest until there was nothing left.

He kissed her swollen eyelids and began unwrapping the ropes, gently pulling off the remaining wax. He sat up and handed her a glass of water, disappearing briefly to get a warm, damp washcloth. By the time he returned, Marie was recovered enough to wipe herself down. She kissed him gratefully.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely.

"My pleasure."