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  I greeted him with a simple, “Hi.”

  An eternity of awkward silence passed during which time he scrutinized me from head to toe. I grew uncomfortable by his scrutiny and silence. “Would you like to come in?” I asked as I stepped back to let him in. He stepped past me, and the woodsy scent I would always associate with him enveloped me. I closed the door and studied his back while he made his way around my living room, pausing here and there to examine pictures scattered around. Most were pictures of my best friends and me, with a few of me with my parents.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” I offered when he had yet to acknowledge me. I stood there twisting my hands when I caught myself. I pulled my hands to my side and wondered why I acted like a self-conscious twit. Didn’t I possess a backbone? So far, Marcus ignored me, and I wasn’t some wilting flower. Anger burst through me. I didn’t tolerate rudeness well. “If this is how you treat women you ask out on a date, I think we should call it a night before it even begins. You’ve been here for over five minutes, and you’ve ignored me this entire time. Submissive or not, I’m certainly no doormat. I think it would be best if you left.” I moved to open the front door when he turned to face me.

  “My apologies for ignoring you. I didn’t intend that at all. To be honest, my thoughts were elsewhere instead of where they needed to be. On you.” Marcus made his way over to me and stopped less than an arm’s length away. He reached out to cup my cheek as he rubbed his thumb over my lips. “I received a phone call earlier that brought some unfortunate and unexpected news. I shouldn’t have brought my bad mood with me and let it affect our first night together. May I offer my apologies by telling you how stunning you are in that dress?”

  I had unconsciously leaned into his palm, and his apology brought me upright. I hadn’t expect such a sincere apology. I stared for a minute trying to judge his expression before I nodded, taking him at his word. “Thank you.”

  Marcus lowered his hand from my face and traced a line down my arm until he grasped my hand, brought my fingers to his mouth, and kissed my knuckles. “Are you ready?”

  I nodded, even though, no, I wasn’t ready to step into this man’s world.

  “Yes, I’m ready.” He arched an eyebrow at me. “Sir,” I added belatedly. He wrapped my hand around his bicep and led me out the front door to his waiting car. He opened my door for me, and after situating myself in the front seat, he closed the door before getting behind the wheel.

  “Buckle up,” he warned as we set off to wherever our destination might be.

  Marcus

  Anger coursed through my veins at the news the security firm I’d hired gave me about Evan Banks. His efforts to fuck with me and mine were tireless and pissed me off. The man was dangerous and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. I paid them a lot of money to find that son of a bitch, and he’d run so far to ground, I had no idea when they’d ever find him. Pissed off and distracted were not emotions I needed to feel tonight. My attention needed to be on more important things — like the beautiful woman sitting beside me.

  We pulled into the warehouse district, and I caught Penny looking around the area. She didn’t seem familiar with it. I wasn’t surprised. Not many people knew about the BDSM club tucked inside one of the old warehouse buildings. From the outside, it appeared run down, the way the developer intended. He didn’t want to attract the wrong crowd or the police. Millions of dollars had gone into the project, and the inside of the club was state of the art. I should know. I happened to be an investor. Being a financial advisor gave me a certain expertise when it came to investments. The developer also happened to be a good friend of mine. So, when the opportunity arose, I jumped at it. The club was not only elusive, but exclusive. Members were vetted, and a person needed a special invite to not only become a member, but even to enter. Security denied entrance to any person who attempted to walk in off the street.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Penny looking around for any signs of life. Several cars were parked around a couple of the buildings. No one milled about. There were no restaurants or flashing club lights to signify which building might be occupied. All was quiet and empty. “Where are we?” Penny asked as she warily inspected the area.

  I pulled into an empty space and shifted into park before I turned slightly toward her. “Your education begins tonight. This club is by membership or invite only. As a member, you are my guest. This means that you stay with me at all times. No one is allowed to touch you without my permission, and you are not to engage with anyone without first seeking my permission. If you observe a scene that interests you, tell me what it is that interests you. How does it make you feel? If you witness a scene that you have questions about, don’t be afraid to ask. You are not allowed more than one drink and no matter what you see happening inside the club, you will not interrupt someone’s scene. Are we clear?”

  With a nod of acknowledgement, she answered in the affirmative, “Yes, Sir.”

  I came around to Penny’s side of the car and assisted her out. With my hand at the small of her back, I directed her to a building kitty-corner from where we had parked. We heard faint music pulsating the closer we walked to it. After reaching the front door, I rapped out a code with my knuckles. Within moments, the door opened to a stocky man with dirty blond hair that touched his shoulders. He wore dark blue jeans, shit kicker boots, and a short-sleeved gray t-shirt that hugged his body so tightly his nipples and the bulging muscles of his biceps were accentuated. In his ear rested a security earpiece with attached microphone.

  “Good evening, Mr. Allen.” We were ushered inside, and the door closed behind us.

  “Hello, Philip. How are you this evening?”

  “I’m doing well, sir. The crowd is sparse. It’s still early though.”

  “Has Master Connor arrived yet? I need to speak with him about something.” I spoke with Philip while Penny took in her surroundings. To the naked eye, the foyer appeared lackluster. Bare white walls surrounded us, void of any pictures or paintings. Semi-translucent wall sconces with pale yellow bulbs were the only decoration. Immediately to the left of the door we entered was a coat closet where a few long coats hung, which seemed out of place considering the relatively mild weather we’d been having. Next to the closet was a large, dark wood desk with intricate scrollwork along the border. I smirked as I observed Penny take a closer peek at the desk, squinting to make out the designs. Her eyes popped open when she realized what the designs depicted. The intricate carving along the edges of the desk showed men and women in different sexual positions. Even though I wasn’t an expert, I knew they’d been created by an outstanding craftsman. The attention to detail was almost life-like, displaying every dip, curve, and crevice of the people etched into the wood. She quickly stepped away from the desk and moved closer to me.

  I knew the exact moment Penny realized that my conversation with Philip had ceased. She turned, and I saw the deep blush in her cheeks when she noticed both of us staring at her. Philip’s face was unreadable, and one side of my mouth turned up in a half smile, and I raised a single eyebrow.

  “Um, excuse me. I was admiring the, um, workmanship.” The blush continued to spread, and I delighted in her adorable stutter. I loved seeing her get flustered and needed to make sure I continued to say or do things to unsettle her.

  “Did you see anything that interested you?” I chuckled as I ushered her through a doorway hidden in the wall opposite the coat closet and scandalous desk. Penny shook her head and kept silent during our walk down the hallway toward the sound of the music. As we turned a corner, the hallway opened up into a vast room filled with people and delicious things I couldn’t wait to subject Penny to. The lights were dim, casting a purplish glow around the room. They illuminated the room just enough to make out the things happening. I observed her as she took everything in and wondered what was going through that beautiful head of hers.

  Penny

  Red couches and lounge chairs were scattered aroun
d the room, including a large cluster in an alcove immediately to the right of the doorway. They were filled with men and women wearing various amounts of clothing, including nothing at all, engaged in anything from what appeared to be casual conversation to various sex acts. A slender, blonde woman wearing nothing except a collar attached to a leash knelt on the floor in front of a dark haired man lounging in a chair. He held the other end of the leash, and his head was thrown back while he watched with hooded eyes as she gave him a blowjob. On one couch, a woman sat sideways over a man’s lap while his hand disappeared between her legs while they kissed. I even saw a young man sitting silently at the feet of a voluptuous brunette woman dressed in a black satin corset and boy shorts. His head rested on her lap as she lovingly stroked his hair while she conversed with another woman in a chair next to them.

  My eyes rounded like saucers, and my lips dropped open farther as I continued to scan the room. Immediately opposite us stood a rope rigging apparatus surrounded by people observing a suspension demonstration. I’d seen various ropework and suspensions during my research, and the artistry of it always had me amazed and turned on. I’d imaged being naked and wrapped in an intricate design with rope between my legs, decorating my back, belly, and breasts as I seemingly floated in space.

  To the left of the doorway in which we stood were four or five alcoves built into the wall with curtains tied open. People hovered outside each alcove observing the different activities and demonstrations going on inside. My true fascination belonged to the scene to the right of all the various alcoves. Along the perpendicular wall to the alcoves, a built-up stage rose from the floor. Directly in front of me, a St. Andrew’s Cross with a naked female sub tied to it decorated the stage. A shirtless Dom expertly flogged her. Even from this distance, it was obvious the sub thoroughly enjoyed the flogging she received. Wetness glistened on the inside of her thighs, and her nipples were ruched from excitement. Her back and ass were red from the flogger’s tails, and the sound of the falls striking her echoed through the room, along with her cries of pleasure. The mastery in which he wielded the implement aroused me.

  My imagination ran wild seeing the sub splayed out and at the mercy of her Dom. In my dreams, I took the sub’s place. My arms and legs were bound to that cross, my ass naked and on display for all to see. I waited in anticipation for each thwap of the flogger. My nipples puckered, and my chest rapidly rose and fell. My breathing increased at the scene unfolding in front of us. I knew if Marcus touched me, he would feel the wetness from me.

  As we stood there, I became lost in the show in front of us. I didn’t realize Marcus had guided us off to the side of the stage and into the shadows until he pressed his front against my back, and his erection poked against my ass, catching me off guard. I gasped and heard him groan as I, almost against my will, pushed back into him. He pressed even further forward as he placed his hands on my hips.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying the show,” he growled against my ear, softly kissing it and laving it with his tongue. My heart raced as he continued speaking and slowly moved one of his hands to right under my breasts. “Can you see her pushing back into each strike, welcoming it?”

  “Yes.” My back arched as he cupped my left breast in his hand. I gasped in pain as Marcus pinched my nipple hard through my dress.

  “Is that the proper response to a question, sub?”

  “No, Sir. Sorry. I’ll try not to forget again, Sir.”

  He caressed my breast to ease the pain. “That’s better. Now, look at how she’s in tune with her Master. She wants what he is giving her. She needs what he is giving her. It’s his job to provide her with the things she needs. She knows this makes her Dom happy, and she wants to please him.”

  They only word I uttered as he continued to knead my breast was “Sir”. Without pausing, he reached his hand inside my bra and grasped my nipple between his thumb and forefinger and began twisting and plucking it. A moan escaped my lips.

  “Are you imagining that you are the one up there while everyone watches? Watching as your back and ass turn a bright red from each strike?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I choked out, not sure if I responded to his question or to the fact that he directed his other hand under my dress, cupping my exposed sex. He drew circle after circle around my engorged clit, his finger coated in my wetness. I continued pushing my breasts and sex against his fingers, moaning in ecstasy, completely oblivious to my surroundings. I had forgotten we were in a room full of strangers who, at any given moment, might glance over and see what Marcus did to me. My eyes drifted shut as a languid relaxation came over me from his ministrations. A sharp pinch to my breast and clit at the same time had me abruptly coming to attention.

  “Don’t close your eyes. Keep watching the stage.”

  My eyes flew open at his command. I had no idea how he knew they were closed. I forced my attention back on to the stage as we watched the scene continue to unfold in front of us. The flogging had stopped, and the Dom squatted to his knees behind the bound woman, his hands squeezing her ass cheeks while he devoured her from behind. The sub writhed when the onstage Dom moved one hand from her hip to plunge his fingers inside her pussy, not moving his mouth from her ass. I squirmed when Marcus followed suit and plunged two fingers inside my pussy. We both remained fixated on the scene in front of us. In and out, Marcus and the Dom thrust, when suddenly, in concert with each other, both the onstage sub and I found our release. Pleasure burst through me and shudders coursed down my body, causing my knees to buckle. Without Marcus’ support, I would have collapsed in a heap on the floor.

  Reality slowly sank in, and I stumbled away from him, shocked at what I’d just let him do to me in full view of a crowd. Mortification spread through my body.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God,” I repeated, and I covered my face in shame. “I can’t believe I let you do that to me in full view of everyone.”

  Marcus reached for me, and without much resistance, I let him draw me into his arms, where he began stroking my hair. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. We are all here to enjoy pleasure. Don’t castigate yourself because you enjoyed something you don’t think you should have enjoyed. You pleased me very much, Sweetness. I loved watching you come apart for me. You were beautiful in your release, and you should never be ashamed to take your pleasure where you can. Now, come with me and let’s get you something to drink.”

  He then led me to a chair tucked away in a corner and pulled me onto his lap, where I leaned my head on his shoulder as he held me until I began to relax. Neither of us spoke as he lightly kissed and stroked my hair away from my face.

  I felt movement, and seconds later, someone handed Marcus a bottle of water. He opened the cap and placed the bottle to my mouth, coaxing me to drink. After about ten minutes of comfortable silence, we stood, and Marcus led us to the bar while holding my hand.

  Penny

  I sat on a bar stool while Marcus stood next to me, a protective arm wrapped around my waist while I nursed the single gin and tonic he’d allowed. I tried not to look out over the room, embarrassment still running through me. I hated being the center of attention, and after that display, I knew people were watching me. The liberties I’d allowed Marcus to take, especially in a room full of people, were completely out of character for me. I sat there contemplating how I let that happen when, out of nowhere, a tall, blond man with a military haircut approached us. I lifted my head as he spoke.

  “Marcus, my friend, so good to see you.” The man reached out to shake Marcus’ hand, his attention on me though.

  Marcus returned the handshake, his voice gruff as he ground out, “Donovan Jeffries, long time no see. How’s the trial going? Most importantly, where’s your sub of the month, or is it week? You go through subs like I go through underwear, and I can never keep up.”

  Donovan, a cheeky grin on his face, responded, “Oh, she’s around here somewhere, and the trial is going well. The defense is scrambling for some last minute eyewitness to test
ify. It’s a crapshoot for them, but I can’t fault them for trying. Really, though, it’s an open and shut case. But enough about boring work stuff. Why don’t you introduce me to this lovely vision you’ve been keeping from everyone.”

  Marcus released a sigh I struggled to interpret and introduced us. “Donovan, this is Penny. Penny, this is Master Donovan.” Donovan glanced at Marcus with a question in his eye. With a look of disgust, Marcus gave a short nod of his head. I shifted almost self-consciously as Donovan reached out to clasp my hand and bring it to his lips to kiss my knuckles, never once taking his regard off me. I didn’t know what to make of him, and I shifted uncomfortably, unused to the attention of such good looking men.

  “Enchanted, my dear. Tell me, what is a beautiful young woman like yourself doing with an ugly old man like Master Marcus here?” Donovan continued to hold my hand, caressing my knuckles with his thumb. The friction of his thumb felt good, and I shifted again, this time, not from embarrassment or discomfort. Instead, arousal had me squirming in my seat.

  I opened my mouth to respond, forgetting Marcus’ instruction that I wasn’t allowed to speak with anyone without his permission. Luckily, I was saved when he jumped in. “Penny is currently undergoing sub training, and this is her first visit to Club Eden. We had the pleasure of observing Master James and his flogger earlier. Penny enjoyed it immensely.” At his pronouncement, my cheeks heated with embarrassment again. I struggled to get my discomfiture under control.

  Donovan surveyed me, assessing everything, including Marcus’ arm around my waist. My blush deepened as he whistled his appreciation. “You have great taste in submissives, Marcus. Perhaps we can all get better acquainted later.”