by Piper Stone
I had to wonder whether anyone would talk in turn against them. The limited questions I’d asked a few of the dancers who’d dared talk to me had gotten me nowhere except the Dunmores seemed like basic boy scouts to the majority of them.
“They’re total gentlemen.”
“They care about their employees.”
“They never allow any of the members to break the rules.”
I’d seen the last one in action. Maybe they were being set up. With the number of enemies I suspected they had, there was too large of a number to go down every trail.
At least I would be away from the club for a couple of days to regroup.
And away from him. I found it even difficult to continue thinking his name. Jesus. I was pathetic.
As I attempted to shove away the ugliness of the entire evening, allowing the tension to ease, I shoved the key into the ignition. The hard clicks when I turned the key actually brought tears to my eyes. Even the piece of shit I was forced to drive to hide my identity was another harsh reminder of the terrible game I was playing.
I stared out the window, counting to five, slamming my hand against the glass as the steam from my hot breath formed horrible-looking figures. On top of everything, it was fucking raining.
Damn it. Damn it!
“Don’t do this to me. Don’t.” I twisted my hand on the steering wheel then tried again. The same clicking sound was a clear indication of just how dead the battery was. Did I honestly think that any of the members or even the damn bouncers had a set of jumper cables? And did I really want to ask any of them for help?
After trying for a third time, a moment of utter exasperation and exhaustion settled in. I was unable to stop the tears, sobs rushing up from my stomach. I couldn’t do this. I just didn’t have what it took to be something I wasn’t. I wanted to go home.
Only there wasn’t a home to go to.
The sharp knock on the door dragged me out of my misery. I gasped as I glared at the window, the light mist and my heated breath fogging up the entire section of glass. I wanted nothing more than to reach for my weapon that I’d carefully concealed under the seat, but my instinct told me to wipe the damn glass first. I was in the middle of a half empty parking lot by my fucking place of employment after all. A nervous laugh bubbled to the surface as I grabbed the flashlight instead.
I smashed my hand against the window, rubbing in an aimless circle then shining the full beam on whatever asshole had dared bother me.
Gregory...
His eyes were just as imploring as before but there was a return of the coldness. I wasn’t certain whether to take comfort or feel another wave of trepidation.
When I didn’t react quickly enough, he placed his hand on the handle, jerking open the door. I shrank back, taking scattered breaths.
“What’s the trouble, Valentina?”
“Battery. It’s an old one so I’m not certain that it will even hold a charge.”
He stood to his full height before reaching inside, waiting for me to take his hand. “Come with me.”
“I’ll figure something out. I’ll call a garage or something.”
“At almost two in the morning? It will be expensive if you can find one open. Come with me, Valentina.”
He wasn’t making a request and I knew that I couldn’t ignore his command. After all, he owned me. I couldn’t be disobedient.
Bad girl. Bad girl. Bad girl.
Christ. I was exhausted. He already knew where I lived. What the hell did it matter now? When I took his hand, I expected the electricity that I’d experienced before shooting through me, the wave of fire in my belly, but tonight was more intense. As he yanked me onto my feet, the strength he used forced me against his chest. His hair was already damp from the rain, drops trickling down both sides of his face. The streetlight didn’t do his sculpted face any justice but at that moment, I realized that he was the most beautiful man I’d ever laid eyes on.
I hated myself for thinking so, but he seemed so strong and virile, as if he could take on the world and win. Look away. Look the fuck away. The inner voice did nothing but piss me off as well as create a wave of tension.
“I’m not going to bite, Valentina,” Gregory said in passing, waiting until I’d grabbed my things. “Come. My car is nice and warm. And working.”
As he chuckled, I cringed and took a look at the foreboding building holding the club. A part of me wasn’t that concerned if he did bite. He opened the passenger door on his big black Mercedes, waiting until I was comfortably seated inside, my seatbelt in position before closing the door. As soon as he did, another wave of sensations rolled over me. I couldn’t help but feel like his prisoner.
I dared not look at him when he climbed in, although I could feel his weighted gaze on me, could hear his scattered breathing as he studied my reactions. He had to ascertain just how uncomfortable I was in his presence.
He said nothing as he started the car, rolling out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed, zooming around a series of vehicles. If he was trying to impress me, it wasn’t working. I hated playboy types who thought they could get into your panties because of their fancy cars and expensive apartments.
I remained on edge, trying to stay as close to the passenger door as possible and I had no reason why. He wasn’t making any overt threats, nor had he locked me in chains. Maybe I’d watched too many espionage and kidnapping movies. However, when he passed the turnoff that would lead toward my end of the world, I bristled.
“Where are you taking me?” I demanded.
“Home. Where else? Although you will need to give me your address.”
“Bullshit, sir. I’m well aware that you found out exactly where I live. I’m surprised you didn’t have the balls to knock on my door. That doesn’t seem like you at all. And heck, we could have shared lunch since you saw the food I was buying.” I glared at him, enjoying the look of surprise he was trying so desperately to hide.
He darted a quick glance in my direction, his dark eyes managing to reflect the passing lights. When he picked up speed, I almost burst into laughter. He didn’t like having the tables turned on him.
Ah, what a shame.
“While I understand that you still think I’m some corrupt individual hell bent on taking you down for something, I hope that by seeing the neighborhood I live in you can understand why I need the job.”
“Yes, Valentina, I was curious as to the girl underneath the ugly blonde wig, hungry to find out why she goes to such great lengths to wear an outlandish costume every night she performs. While pretending to be something we’re not is often necessary, I believe you’re doing so for an entirely different reason. Although I no longer believe you’re an officer of the law.”
I wasn’t shocked that he’d realized I was wearing a wig, but I despised him that he thought he knew me better than I knew myself.
Then maybe again he did.
I also realized the way he’d stated I wasn’t a cop meant he’d had someone or maybe dozens of people on the police department who were members. No wonder Captain Snelling had been tasked to hire someone from another freaking state.
Huffing, I glanced out the window, trying to think of what to say. “You’re right. We are all pretending, including you. Sir. You act like you’re the big badass of the club, as if your brothers are just along for the ride, but I know you rely on them. I also know you’re one of the most untrusting human beings I’ve ever met. I have to wonder why. What happened to you to make you distrust everyone and everything?”
While the bantering was interesting, I was already weary of what I said for fear of providing too much information about the real girl. Or about what punishment he’d choose to dole out for my bad behavior.
“I have my reasons as I’m certain you do,” he said quietly. “However, you will respect me.”
“Well, it certainly can’t be a woman because I can’t see you as anything but a control freak. And respect is earned.”
My words
brought another chuckle. “You knew from the very first night you set foot in the club that I was dominating, Valentina. You’re in my club, which means I automatically command respect.”
“Yes, I guess I did catch on.” A trait perhaps he’d acquired from his father. I’d learned that Richard Dunmore had been a formidable patriarch, but there was almost no indication of how he’d been as a father. I couldn’t imagine anything but a tough taskmaster who refused to allow his sons to be anything less than stellar.
The best grades.
The most beautiful women.
The fanciest cars.
“Since we’re playing a game of get to know each other, let me try. You’re very closed off, untrusting of everyone including yourself. You long to try new things, even if you’re afraid of what others would think. The dances you create are an expression of your true self, the girl breaking free and it makes you feel as if you’ve conquered one of your terrors. If you moved here to a city by yourself to find a better life, there’s a reason why. A boyfriend you wanted to get away from? A family bothering you to the point you felt suffocated?” Gregory’s voice seemed predatory, yet the velvety smoothness slithered up the length of my legs, sliding easily into my pussy.
I shifted in the seat, uncomfortable as hell.
“I told you. I had a job offer that fell through,” I hissed, clenching my fist. He was getting far too close for comfort.
“I don’t believe you, at least not entirely. But you’ll tell me at some point. You’ll share every fear as well as every single desire.”
He seemed so damn confident. Oh, my God. I wanted to wreck the car. Scratch out his eyes. The man infuriated the hell out of me. “While I understand you own me and I’m certain you consider this absolute disrespect, you really are the most arrogant prick I’ve ever met in my life. Do you always get what you want? Do you simply lay down the law and expect everyone to obey?”
“Yes, I do. I always get what I want, Valentina. And I take what you just said as a compliment. However, your impetuous behavior is... disconcerting. We will deal with that as well.”
He was treating me like a child and having fun doing it. “Just take me home.” The way he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel was infuriating. “Did you hear me? Sir?”
There was a quietness about him, his chest rising and falling. I could swear his level of testosterone increased, the scent combining with the musky fragrance of utter desire. It filled the car, expanding to my lungs, colliding with the hunger burning all throughout my body. I realized I was taking shallow breaths, waiting for his answer, anticipating his reaction.
When he turned his head, his lips parting, I held my breath.
“We’re not going to your apartment, Valentina. No matter your words, you do seem to forget that I own you and I will make good on my promise to you. You will learn to obey my every command. There is something else, my sweet pet. You will learn to enjoy it.”
* * *
The entire conversation seemed blurred in my mind, as if it had either never happened or didn’t matter. He was picking apart every protective layer just like he’d done before and the worst part was that I was allowing it to happen. I couldn’t believe that I was incapable of turning off his charms. I rubbed my watch, the only thing that I had to keep me safe. How ironic that I’d ended up in the lair of the enemy, expecting to find dungeons and cages. The beautiful yet austere environment suited him, very cold and impersonal. There were no pictures other than colorful art and certainly nothing living. While everything was perfectly polished, not a speck of dust in sight, I suspected that his cleaning crew spent more time in the condo than he did.
I sensed his presence behind me, his perch allowing him to watch me like a hawk as he enjoyed a glass of wine. Everything about him was a quiet force of nature, unnerving in every way.
The wine goblet in my hand seemed heavy and as I attempted to take a sip, I realized my hand was shaking. He’d simply poured me a glass, not bothering to ask what I’d like. Just like he’d done at the club the first night. I closed my eyes after finally managing to take a taste, once again pretending that this was an extension of a nice evening instead of what felt like a trial.
I was even able to see a silhouette of his reflection in the window, the casual way he was perched in his big leather chair, one leg crossed over the other. He’d removed his jacket, rolling up his sleeves and even the way he’d performed the task had left my mouth dry and my heart racing.
“Why did you bring me here?” I asked quietly as I stood staring out his floor-to-ceiling window, the beautiful lights of DC the backdrop, the Potomac River in close proximity.
“Because we’re going to begin your real training,” he said oh-so quietly.
“Training?” I cocked my head, unable to stare him directly in the eyes.
“Yes. You crave having a firm hand, which is why you spout off, attempting to push every boundary. Once challenged, you refuse to give in because you want me to be angry with you. You long to find out what I’ll do. When I don’t react, your behavior only gets worse.”
His new round of arrogance was just as frustrating as the last, but I found myself unable to reply.
So he continued.
“You would thrive on regular and continued discipline, allowing you to feel safe and cared for. Protected. While you want nothing more than to surrender your body and soul, your will and even your heart to someone, you have no understanding of how to do that. But somewhere inside, you realize that only in absolute submission will you be completely free.”
I allowed the frank statement to sink in, frustrated at my body’s betrayal. Every part of me was tingling, on fire as it had been before. He was merely issuing words, but my nipples ached from hearing them. I purposely shifted my head away, uncertain what I would say if I dared to try. “You sound like the judge. He told me that all women desire and deserve to be punished for every infraction. Supposedly, it’s what we crave more than breathing.”
“Judge Needham is a pig. He wouldn’t understand what it meant to indulge in a true relationship because he’s a selfish bastard,” he said, huffing afterwards.
I could almost smell his anger from where I was standing. “And you do?”
I watched in the window as he twirled his glass, shifting it back and forth on his knee before taking a gulp. “I understand more than you know.”
His words were more chilling than before and I believed him. While none of the girls had ever seen him involved with a session, the way he’d handled the one with me had been practiced.
“We’ll begin with easy tasks, Valentina. You need to learn to trust me. Do you understand?”
Oh, I understood all right, but that was never going to happen. “Yes.”
“And you will learn respect. Let’s try that again. Do. You. Understand?”
I wanted to hate him, but every inch of my body was on fire because of his dominating attitude, his tone even deeper than normal. “Yes. Sir.”
“Better. Now, remove your wig.”
The ugly blonde piece was a security blanket of sorts, as if allowing him to see the real girl would end everything that I’d worked so hard to achieve. I was no fool. I knew what he was doing and only a portion of his theatrical bullshit had anything to do with trust. This was more like another test and nothing more. How could I fake it? My God, he was pushing me to a level I wasn’t certain I could handle.
Get on with it. This is your job.
No. I decided to push him right back. I had to know what he was capable of.
“I... I don’t want to,” I muttered.
He was quiet for thirty seconds, adding to the building anxiety.
“That will cost you, Valentina. You do not question my commands. While I promise you that I’m not going to allow anything to hurt you, rules are designed for a reason. Now, we’re going to try this again one last time. If you fail, I will have no recourse but to punish you severely and I don’t want to do that at this point.”
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He was so confident, so...
Fine. I’d play the game for a short period of time.
I hid behind the glass for another few seconds before turning to place the dense goblet on the table, unable to look at him. As I reached behind my head, finding the various pins keeping the wig in place, I could tell his heartrate had increased, his breathing even more ragged. When I pulled the last one, I cradled all of them in my palm, squeezing before putting them beside the glass. Very gingerly I removed the wig then pulled the clip that held my hair in place, allowing my long locks to cascade past my shoulders.
I’d kept my eyes closed, uncertain of his reaction, angry with myself for thinking it mattered. When I heard nothing at first, I dared to open my eyes.
Gregory had moved to the edge of his seat, sliding the glass from one hand to another. His expression told me exactly what he was going to do.
Devour me.
“You are far more beautiful with red hair, Valentina. Stunning in fact. Please don’t wear that godforsaken thing again in my presence.”
“Yes, sir.” I had to fight the hiss from erupting from my throat from answering him so quickly.
“Have a sip of your wine, Valentina. That is your reward for obedience. But only one sip.”
Dear God. He thought he was going to control everything. Keep playing. Keep doing it.
As I wrapped my hand around the glass, bringing it to my lips, I was surprised the fire burning in my belly was even more intense. I dared to lick around the rim, enjoying the way his eyes narrowed, the slight curl of his lip. Obeying, I took a sip then placed the goblet in the exact same place.
“Very good. Undress.”
“I...” Swallowing the damn question, I studied the uncovered window for a few seconds. There were several buildings close enough that if they had binoculars, they would be able to see. That was crazy. No one was going to be hoping that a woman would be undressing in front of one of the damn windows at this time of night. Yet I shifted away from the window before initiating the task.
“I didn’t tell you to move, Valentina. That will also cost you. Remain where you are.”
