Burke set the scotch down on the desk in her room. He tossed his jacket and hat unceremoniously onto the chair. He didn't turn to look at her, but he could hear her getting undressed.

"I have to leave in the morning," he said.

She stopped for a moment, then he heard her dress hit the floor. "I know. We both have things to do. Can…" her bare feet barely made a sound as she crossed to him. Sliding her arms under his and around his torso, she tucked herself against the small of his back. "Can we pretend we don't have to?"

He put his hands over hers and squeezed. Pulling them apart enough to turn around, Burke wrapped her in his arms and held her. There was too much to do. He had to tie up so many loose ends he didn't even know where to start. Part of him wanted to just run away with her, give the Capital the finger and just be with her. He knew he couldn't. The future of mankind was more important than they were.

"I don't know when I'll be back," he said honestly, "I'll send for you," he promised, "You won't have to wait long."

"Why can't I just go with you?"

"You're a bit of a distraction, love." It wasn't really a lie. She would distract him, but he didn't want to tell her the real reason was that he couldn't be sure she'd approve of all of his business deals. "You should try and find your father. That way whatever answer you find, you can move on."

Hel scoffed but nodded. "How will I get word from you?"

"I'll send word here, I promise," he tilted her head up and kissed her, "We'll be back together before you know it."

Hel took a step back and tugged on his suspenders, "Make love to me?" Her body looked amazing in the moonlight, young and strong, ready for him. She took another step backwards towards the bed, "Make me remember you."

Burke nodded, "Trust me love," he closed the gap between them and swung her up into his arms, "You won't ever forget tonight."

…

Burke carried her to the bed and laid her out on top of the covers. He slid his hands up her arms and pushed them above her head. "Do you trust me?"

"You know I do."

He loosened his tie, "Don't move," he released her hands and undid his tie completely. Moving back towards her hands, he slid the silk around her wrists, binding them together and pulling them up further so he could tie the other end to the head of the bed. He kissed her and asked, "Does it hurt?"

"No," she breathed.

Standing, he walked to the other side of the room to where he'd left the scotch. Pouring a shot, he turned to look at her and leaned back against the desk. Confused, Hel waited. And waited. Burke drank and set the glass down. He slid his hands into his pockets as his eyes traced over every inch of her.

"Burke? What are you-?"

"Shh," he brought a finger to his lips, "Don't talk."

Hel squirmed on the bed. She didn't know what he was waiting for, why he was on the other side of the room. She waited a few minutes more. Ready to snap, she opened her mouth just as he pushed himself off the desk. Slowly, he walked across the room to her. When he reached the side of the bed, he cocked his head to the side and looked down at her. "Who would have thought it would be so easy to tie up the Queen of the Wastes? I could do anything I wanted to you right now, and you wouldn't be able to stop me." He drew a hand down her side from just next to her breast, down her ribs and hip. "How does it feel to know you're helpless?"

She licked her lips, "Good."

"Does it?" His eyes took on a dangerous look. "My little bird likes being contained? Do you want to be used?"

The question stirred something dark inside of her. Nodding weakly, she breathed, "Yes."

Burke leaned over, "Even if I'm rough? Even if I don't let you cum?"

She bit her lip. She wasn't sure about those two.

He chuckled darkly and straightened, "Not so brave all of a sudden?"

"I just…how rough are you going to be?"

"Mmm, if I told you, that would ruin the fun. Didn't you say you trust me?"

He was right, she had, and she did. This was a game. She didn't know how to play, but just like she'd trusted him last night, she trusted him to not go too far tonight. She relaxed into the mattress, "I trust you, love."

He caressed her cheek, "Good," he crouched next to the bed, "Do you know what a safe word is?"

"Like a password?"

"Sort of," he ghosted a hand over her breast, "It's something you say to get my attention if I do something you don't like. A way to check in."

"Stop isn't good enough?"

"Stop means stop and always will," he reassured, "But if you didn't want me to stop, just to ease up," he pinched her nipple gently and she yelped, "You need a quick easy way to tell me. Understand?"

She nodded.

"You must be honest with me, love. Don't let me do something just because you think I want to."

"I understand. What do I say?"

He grinned and stood, "Nuclear."

"Nuclear?" She repeated.

"Mmhmm."

"Trying to be funny?"

He shrugged, "You'll remember it. It doesn't sound like anything else one of us might say in the heat of the moment and cause miscommunication," he gave a wink, "And yes, given the circumstances, I think it's amusing."

"Alright… About the other thing…"

"Not letting you finish?"

"Y-yes…"

"That's negotiable," he bent at the waist and whispered in her ear, "If you're a very, very good girl for me, I might decide to change my mind."

Hel felt a pleasant shiver down her spine, "I'll be good," she promised.

"We'll see," Burke kissed her, "Roll over."

"What?"

He straightened again, "Did you not hear me or are you already being bad?"

"No, I just…" she shifted her hips and rolled over even as she tried to explain herself. It was a relief really, to be told what to do. She was always the one making decisions, the one in charge. It felt good to give that responsibility to someone else.

"Good," Burke rested a hand against her ass, "Now remember that safe word, love. I'm going to make sure you use it."

…

Burke squeezed her ass, delighted at how receptive she was. It was tempting to jump in at the deep end, but he knew better. She had put her trust in him once again. He couldn't betray that.

"Tell me about that Vault boy," he said softly.

"W-what?"

His hand came down sharply against her. With a yelp, she jerked sideways and looked over her shoulder at him, "Burke!"

"Do as I say, love," he said as he gently rolled her back over onto her stomach. "Don't ask me another question."

"He- He's just some boy."

"What's his name?"

"Butch."

"Tell me how you felt about him before."

"Wh-?" she barely stopped herself from asking, "I… He was a bully, I told you."

"Yet you brought him out here with you. He must have changed," he ran his hand up her back, gently tracing his fingertips over her skin.

"Sort of. He was still an ass. But he wanted to get out, at least at first…"

"And when you traveled with him, you started to have feelings for him."

"No- ow!"

His hand came down on her other cheek, "Don't lie, little bird."

"I… He…" she huffed, "I thought maybe…maybe I liked him, but the longer we were together, the more I realized I had to baby him."

"And that was a turn-off?"

"Yes."

"You fantasized about him."

"No-"

Another spank.

"Fine, yes," she glared over her shoulder but she didn't use the safe word or ask him to stop.

Burke took his shoes off, "Tell me."

She was silent for a moment. No doubt fighting a question burning inside of her, "I…wanted him to tell me he'd always had a crush on me. Then he'd kiss me."

"Is that all?"

"I… Burke…"

He waited.

"I wanted…" Under her breath, she muttered, "Damn," then out loud, "I wanted him to fuck me. I wanted him to be excited and happy to be my first… Like you were."

"Details, love."

Silence.

"Tell me how you imagined it."

"…Y-you want to hear that?"

"Oh yes," he leaned over her, "I want you to tell me all of the little fantasies in your head. Everything you ever imagined doing with that boy or anyone else. Then, I'm going to shred those fantasies and show you what you've really wanted all along. So tell me about Butch, love." He straightened and placed his hand on her ass again.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "W-with Butch I wanted it to be outside… I guess because it scared him so much… I imagined him making an excuse to lay next to me at night. He'd admit to me he'd never been with anyone and how lame was that because he assumed I had by then. He'd be excited and clumsy when I told him I hadn't. I wanted us to be each other's first."

Burke slid his hand up her back, "Adorable. So you did want someone inexperienced?"

"Back then, yes… I thought that was how I'd feel special, like he had waited to do it with me. I didn't realize someone could know what they were doing and still make me feel special."

He kissed her shoulder for that. "What sorts of things did you want this boy to do to you?"

She chuckled, "Nothing you haven't already done better than I could have imagined, except…" she hesitated.

"Love?"

"I…I wanted him to put me on my hands and knees."

Burke grinned, "And?"

"And…and to take me from behind…pull my hair… He used to pull my hair when he was teasing me… I wanted him to do it while he was inside me." He could see her face going red from admitting her fantasies about someone else to him.

"Is that all?"

"Like I said, any other fantasy I had with him you've already improved on."

"Tell me about someone else then."

"I-there isn't-"

Another swat on her ass, "I told you to be honest with me, love."

"But I am-"

His hand left a red mark on her ass and he smoothed his hand over it gently as he said, "I don't believe you. You didn't roam these Wastes this long and never come across another man that didn't make you look twice."

"I…" she peeked at him over her shoulder, "You won't like it…"

Burke reached for her chin and angled her head back to look up at him, "I already know, love," he whispered darkly, "Tell me what you wanted that stupid fuck to do to you."

"Burke-"

He held her chin with one hand and brought his other down on her ass.

"Ow!" she squealed but still didn't use the safe word. "I wanted him-"

"Say his name," he said in her ear, voice low and dangerous.

She took a shuddering breath and licked her lips, "Jericho."

Burke kissed her forcefully. As he pulled back, he said, "Good girl," and released her chin. "Now tell me."

"I-I," she squirmed. This confession was much harder to admit. Burke looked down at his bruised knuckles, he savored knocking the fuck on his ass even more now.

His hand squeezed her ass, "Come, love, tell me what nasty little things you would let Jericho do to you."

"I wouldn't-" SMACK. "Ah! Burke! I only thought about it once!"

"And you only have to tell me about it once."

She huffed, "It was mostly what I've done with you. He just…he wasn't gentle… He just took."

Burke was both intrigued and infuriated, "You fantasized about him raping you."

"Y-yes…"

"You said mostly. What else did you imagine him doing that I haven't done yet?"

She flushed red and shook her head.

SMACK!

"Ah! I-he- He took me. He used me up…every part of me."

Burke's eyebrows shot up, "Elaborate, little bird."

"Burke, please-"

SMACK!

"Ngh- My ass, okay?! He fucked every hole. He fucked my ass."

Now that was interesting. Burke began unbuttoning his shirt, "Anything else you want to admit, love?"

"No. Besides you, there's been no one else. I swear."

Sliding his suspenders down and pulling his shirt off, Burke nodded, "I believe you. You did very well," he caressed her hair. "But now I have to make sure you never think of them again, understand?"

"I won't."

"I have to be sure, love," he leaned over and grabbed a handful of her hair. Her head tilted back and he met her gaze. She looked caught between horny and frightened. Perfect. "I'm going to carve them out of you and fill the space with me," he growled.

She shivered. He let her go and ran his hand down her back again. He stood back and removed the last of his clothes. He hadn't thought he'd be fucking her ass so soon, but he wasn't about to let the washed up Raider live in her imagination. If he couldn't murder him out here, he would in there.

Sorry for edging all of you! XD The next chapter is going to be a doozy of a smut piece. I would have put it all in one chapter, but it would have been absolutely massive. I might have mercy and upload it halfway through September so you aren't waiting until October. I just didn't think it would be fair to the readers of my other fic for you guys to get two chapters this month and they only get one. Let me know if you guys can't bear to wait.

I might be late on my October upload, we'll be vacationing a lot the next two months and I'm likely to get frazzled on the dates. Just a heads up, I'll upload within that week, it just might not be exactly on the 1st.

Hope you're all still enjoying the story!

Much love,

Meg