by Ivy Nelson
“You don’t need to take anything that fucker said seriously.”
“I know, but it’s hard. He said things that made me question my lifestyle choices. For just a minute he made me feel like a whore asking to be raped. I fought like hell to get that out of my mind years ago when he raped me. It pisses me off that he got into my head again, so I need your help. I don’t want him to have that power over me.
“I’m also pissed at Theresa, Tessa, whatever. I don’t understand how anyone could be with someone like Kaden, let alone do everything she did to help him. I feel dumb for not recognizing her. I hate that my alarm bells didn’t go off stronger when I ran into them in random places. There is so much about all of this that I hate, and I need for it not to control me. I need to take that power away from them.”
“You know I’ll help you, baby. Just tell me what you need and I’m so there. I promise. If we need to leave the kink out of things for a while or hell, forever, we will. If you need to just be friends for a while, we can do that. It will be hell not touching you, but I’m here for you. Anything you need.” She let him talk, but she was shaking her head. When he finally took a breath, she interrupted him.
“Actually, I need the opposite.”
“Opposite? What do you mean?”
“I think if I’m ever going to escape the hold Kaden has on my thoughts, the power he’s still clinging to even from the grave, I need... how do I say this?” She suddenly felt shy and awkward as she always did when she talked about the things she needed. She blew out a puff of air and continued. “I need to surrender power to someone else.”
Understanding spread across Bradley’s face, and Darci felt relief that she had gotten it out.
“I think I understand what you’re saying, baby, but I’m going to ask you to spell it out for me.”
Just then the waiter came back with their food.
When he left, Bradley waited for Darci to speak, keeping his steady gaze locked on her. When she didn’t speak, he said, “talk to me, pet.”
She looked down at her plate of food and fiddled nervously with the cloth napkin.
“Eyes up here, baby girl.”
She lifted her head to look at him and whispered, “I’m saying I want to surrender power to you.” Her voice got stronger as she continued speaking. “We explored our kinks, and I was submissive, but I want to make a more serious commitment.”
He smiled kindly at her. “Oh, baby girl. I love you so much. I want to take everything you’re offering, and I want to give you so much more.”
“I can’t promise not to freak out sometimes. He’s still in my head.”
He gripped her hand. “I’ll be there for the freak outs, for the nightmares, for everything.”
She squeezed his fingers. “I’m sorry I left,” she said with a sad voice. “He wouldn’t have been able to grab me if I hadn’t freaked out and fired everyone but Peter.”
“That’s in the past. I hate that he got you, but we might have never caught him if he hadn’t. Now finish your breakfast so I can take you home.”
Before she realized what she was doing, her tongue was out of her mouth. She decided to blame it on the pain medication she was still taking.
“You’re lucky we’re in a public place, pet. I was going to make you come for me a few times when we get home, but perhaps it’s a spanking you’re after.”
She shook her head vigorously.
He scooped up a forkful of her pancakes and lifted it to her mouth. “Is it up to you, pet?” he asked as he waited for her to swallow the bite. She shook her head and lifted her coffee to her lips.
“Excuse me?”
A grin spread across her face. “No, Sir. It’s not up to me.”
He chuckled. “Good girl. Now finish your food and let’s go home.”
47
♥♥♥
Darci stood in front of the mirror in the restroom at club Exposure. It was a day she had dreamed of for weeks and it was finally here. Bradley was going to put his collar around her neck. She had no idea what the collar looked like; she just knew he had picked it out himself because it reminded him of her. Like the first time they came here together, Darci wore a simple black dress and nothing else. The dress would come off during the ceremony. It was an open play night at Exposure so the crowd would be large. After the ceremony, play would commence as usual. As she was touching up her lipstick, Michael poked his head in the door.
“Hey, sweetheart. Things are just about ready out here. How are you doing?
She smiled warmly at him in the mirror. “I’m wonderful. This day couldn’t get any better.”
“I think you might find that it can get a little bit better,” he said with a wink. “Come on. I’ll walk you out.”
She took the arm he offered and together, they walked out of the bathroom. He led her down the hall and through the doors into the main play space. Her breath caught when she saw who was standing near the small platform that had been set up for the occasion.
“Peter and Carrie are here?”
Michael grinned down at her. “Bradley arranged it a couple of weeks ago.”
“God, I love that man.”
He chuckled. “I sure hope so.”
Glancing at his watch, he said, “It’s time, sweetheart. You better get to your spot.” He kissed her cheek and released her arm so she could move to the stage. She blew a kiss at Carrie on her way.
Not having a hand in planning the ceremony was hard for her, but Bradley had asked her to give him this power and she had agreed. She was only following directions when she took her place standing on the left side of the stage. The butterflies in her stomach seemed to multiply as she stood and observed people milling about the dungeon talking and laughing. She had no idea where Bradley was, and she found herself wondering if this is what the groom felt like at a traditional wedding. Gary came to the stage and took the microphone that was laying on a small table. He switched it on and offered her a wink before speaking.
“Can I have your attention please. Bradley and Darci want to say thank you for coming. If you would please find a place to sit so we can get started, I would like to invite one of our own to the stage to officiate the ceremony.” He looked in Peter’s direction and offered him the microphone.
Peter moved onto the stage and took it from him. Into the mic he said, “Hey, Kitten.” She smiled through the tears that had begun to fall and offered him a tiny wave.
“Hi.”
“Come on over here and let’s get this party started.” She giggled and walked into his open arms.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
As Peter released her from his hug, Bradley stepped out of one of the side rooms and her pulse quickened. He was wearing a black button-down shirt and a pair of gray slacks that hugged his hips just right. In his hand, he held a small velvet jewelry bag, and she knew that was the collar he intended to place around her neck. The rest of the room faded away as he made his way to the stage. Once he was in place, Peter began to speak.
“We are here today to celebrate two people coming together in a unique way. Many of you already know how special the bond is between a Dominant and their submissive, and it is that bond we are honoring today. I’m just here to make things look official. Bradley and Darci are the ones doing the real work.”
She grinned at him as Bradley squeezed her hand.
“Bradley, let’s start with you since I hear you wouldn’t let your girl plan any of this.”
Bradley chuckled and took the mic. “Strip and kneel, baby.”
Her hands shook as she lifted her dress off and let it fall to the floor near them. She slowly sank to her knees and looked up at him.
“You and I have had a lot of talks over the last few months about what power exchange is and what it isn’t. We’ve also fallen madly in love, and I want nothing more than to make you mine. I bought this for you not long after we met, because I knew that one day, I would be placing it around your neck. I’m just glad
you’re not making me wait any longer.”
She grinned as a tear slid down her cheek.
He handed the mic back to Peter.
“I’m going to ask you both a series of questions and we’ll start with Bradley,” Peter said, facing the man. “You’ve both acknowledged that you are entering this union as equals with separate roles to play. Bradley, do you accept your role as Dominant and leader?”
Bradley nodded, “I accept.”
Peter turned and looked down at Darci. “Darci, do you accept your role as submissive?”
“I accept,” she whispered, her voice shaking.
Bradley settled his hand on her shoulder, calming her. “You’re doing good, baby.”
“Bradley, do you promise to love, protect, and guide Darci in this partnership, and do you promise to treat her as your treasured partner and not your property?”
“I promise all this and more,” he said boldly.
“Darci, do you promise to love, follow, and obey Bradley in this partnership, and do you promise to bring your fears to him so that he can build you up when you’re struggling?”
“I promise,” she said. This time her voice was stronger and louder than a whisper.
Peter motioned for Bradley to place the collar around her neck. He pulled the piece out of the bag and Darci smiled. It was a thin silver chain with a tiny amber colored pendant on it. It was understated and beautiful.
As he draped it around her neck, Peter said, “I offered to fit it with a GPS tracker, but he told me you wouldn’t need it since you won’t be trying to run away from him anymore.”
Darci, along with the audience laughed at his silly joke, but she could hear the undercurrent of a threat in his tone. Peter would always be protective of her.
When the collar was on, Peter said, “They’ve chosen not to put a lock on the collar because they want to always be reminded that this is a choice, and with or without the collar their love is what binds them together. The collar is just a symbol of that bond, and now that the collar is around Darci’s neck, I now pronounce you… collared.” To Bradley he said, “You can now kiss, spank, fuck, or whatever other devious thing you have planned, your submissive.”
The audience cheered and Bradley helped Darci to her feet before he pulled her into his arms for a rough kiss.
“Mine,” he growled as he broke the kiss.
“Yours,” she said with a sigh as she snuggled close to him.
Darci put her dress back on and the couple set about visiting with all of their friends, sharing champagne, cake, and conversation. Play stations were starting to be used and soon the dungeon was filled with some of her favorite sounds. Bradley had stepped away to talk to Gary, the club’s owner. Michael came up to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“Congratulations, kiddo.”
She tilted her head so she could see his face. “Thanks! Couldn’t convince Adara to come?”
He laughed. “I’m trying not to scare her too much all at once. She’s open to visiting sometime though.”
Darci clapped her hands together. She was happy for her friend. “Let me know when, I’ll make sure we’re here. Or would that be too weird for her?”
“I’ll find out. But today is your day. That’s enough talk about me. Looks like your man is up to something anyway,” he said, jerking his chin in the direction of the platform. Darci turned, and sure enough, Bradley was back on the stage with the microphone in his hand. What on earth was he up to now?
“Darci, come up here please.”
Maybe this was a test of her submission. She wondered what he was about to do to her. Her pulse was racing by the time she reached him. He didn’t ask her to kneel like she expected. Instead he took one of her hands in his.
“Not all of you know this, but as a symbol of her submission, I asked Darci to let me have complete control over the collaring ceremony. She graciously agreed, even though I know it was hard for her.” He turned to Darci as he spoke. “So now, I have a question.” She eyed him suspiciously as he paused for a moment before dropping to one knee.
“How would you like to plan the wedding?”
Power Reclaimed
A D.C. Power Games Novel
1
♥♥♥
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Adara Kent stared at the text message. The number wasn’t in her contacts.
You must have the wrong number
When the message showed as sent, she set the phone on the vanity and picked up the mascara wand sitting next to it. She brushed the black makeup across her already long lashes. When her eyes looked the way she wanted them to, she stuffed the wand back into the tube and placed it in her makeup bag. A quick swipe with some ruby red lipstick and her makeup was complete. Soft curls settled at her shoulders. It was a far cry from the simple knot she typically kept her hair in, but she felt her best friend’s wedding called for something a little more fun and elegant.
A quick glance at her phone told her there was an hour before she needed to leave. There was no reply from the wrong number. She had time to read for a bit, so Adara crossed the room to the reading corner that held a cushy love seat with lots of pillows and her favorite blanket. A book sat face-down, splayed open on the cushions where she’d left it. She spread the blanket over her lap and soon became engrossed in her book.
Three paragraphs later, the sound of her phone ringing from across the room nearly sent her jumping out of her skin. She set the book aside and scurried to answer it.
“Adara Kent,” she said, trying to calm her racing heart.
“Miss Kent, it’s Leslie Hanover. I was wondering if you’d given any more thought to running.”
Adara grinned. Nothing else had been on her mind the last few days. “I have. And I want to do it. I was going to call you on Monday. I also have the perfect campaign manager in mind.”
“Excellent,” Leslie said with a squeal. “I’m so excited, Adara. There is no way you can lose this campaign.”
Adara wasn’t so sure, but after eight years of keeping her head down to please her parents, she was ready to follow her dreams. Bradley had been pushing her to run for office for years and she avoided it. When Leslie Hanover, chair of Elect Progress, a local organization focused on electing progressive candidates approached her about running for an at-large D.C. Council position, she’d promised to think about it. After a week of weighing her options, she decided to go for it.
Leslie was still rambling about how to put together a launch and how her organization could help secure funding. Adara laughed and interrupted her, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m heading to a friend's wedding soon. Let me call you back on Monday. By then I should have a campaign manager for you to run these excellent ideas through.”
“Sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to get started,” the woman exclaimed. Adara ended the call and glanced at the clock on her screen. Only twenty minutes to get dressed and call a ride share. Her pulse raced a little faster than before the phone rang. Was she ready for this? She had avoided the media for almost a decade. It felt right though. What would Michael say?
Thoughts of him brought a smile to her face. She had been casually dating the tall police officer since they had met in Senator Atleigh’s office—before he resigned and left her without a job. Thinking of that might have sparked bitterness in some, but Adara was grateful. If she hadn’t lost her job with the senator, she might never have taken the leap and agreed to run for office. Michael’s opinion about her election run wasn’t a deal breaker. They weren’t that serious, and she didn’t want to be serious. In her mind, they were just two people having a good time.
A good time indeed. Some of his proclivities made her unsure but so far, he had never pressured her to try anything she wasn’t interested in. Even without the kinks he had, she had to admit the sex was fantastic. Heat crept up the back of her neck and onto her cheeks as she thought of the number of orgasms he had given her just two nights ago.
<
br /> She couldn’t wait to see him in a tux again at the wedding. One of their first dates had been to a D.C. fundraiser. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but the tux may have been a big reason she slept with him the first time. Her phone told her she had been daydreaming for too long. She hurried to slip on her dress and call a car. Taking the Honda sitting in her driveway would have been easier, but she’d agreed to ride with Michael after the wedding.
Ten minutes later she was in an Uber on her way to the swanky downtown D.C. hotel where Bradley was tying the knot. Everyone had to get there early to go through security since presidential candidate, Steve Givens, was attending. Secret Service would have the place locked down tight. At least he wouldn’t be at the after-party. She smirked at the image of Bradley’s dad setting foot in a BDSM club.
When the car arrived at the hotel, she hopped out and hollered her thanks to the driver, promising a five-star rating and a tip. As she was tapping out the quick review, her phone buzzed, and the text message notification appeared at the top of her screen. It was that damn wrong number again.
You look nice today
Adara glanced around. Could this be a stalker? She shook her head. No way. She was being paranoid. Best to just ignore it, she thought as she slipped her phone into her clutch. Probably just some poor schmuck who got given the wrong phone number at a bar last night. It was a trick she had pulled more than once in college.
• • •
Michael Silas stood with his back against the wall and watched Darci pace. A smirk spread across his face. High-strung was an understatement with Darci, and now she appeared to be mid panic attack.
“Darci, sweetheart. Calm down.” Crossing the room to her, he placed both hands on her shoulders, attempting to steady her.
