by Golden Angel
"I'm gonna take a walk around the club," he said, finishing off his beer and pushing the empty bottle towards Andrew.
"Sure thing, boss," Andrew said. He started humming along to the music that was playing as Patrick stalked away.
He did feel a little better after talking to Andrew though. Sort of. Hopefully Jake would take the same viewpoint about Lexie that Andrew did. Patrick could wait out Jake struggling with the idea as long as, in the end, he got Lexie. Suppressing a groan, he realized that he was getting ahead of himself again. It was just so hard not to think of Lexie as his. But she wasn't. She might never be. That was the whole point of training her first. Plus, he wasn't exactly reassured knowing that his friends were worried about the same things he was. Namely, what would happen if things didn't work out between him and Lexie. The sexual tension between them could easily become awkward, or even unhappy, and it would spread to the group as a whole. If Lexie couldn't be what he hoped for, what he needed... it was going to hurt. A lot. On the other hand, he didn't like to think what it would be like if he disappointed her.
He looked around the Dungeon, which was empty. Noises came from the themes rooms, but, as usual, none of the swingers had wanted to utilize the spanking benches or the Saint Andrew's crosses. Standing in front of the chains where Lexie had hung, less than a week ago, Patrick felt his cock twitch as he remembered how fucking good she'd looked, trussed up and pink-skinned, with weights hanging from her rings and her head thrown back in ecstasy.
For Master Michael.
Grimacing, Patrick started planning. Lexie had already had her Introduction scene, so that's not what this Thursday was about. He told himself it wasn't going to be about topping that scene either, but he knew he was lying to himself. He’d sent the survey to her and already received it back, which had given him plenty of ideas for what to do when she came in.
******
Longest.
Workday.
Ever.
Normally Lexie liked her job. Okay, so being a receptionist at a Doctor's office wasn't exactly demanding, although she had to deal with the occasional unhappy patient (especially when the doctors got behind schedule, which they always did), but it wasn't a hard job. It also wasn't what she thought she'd be doing when she graduated, but she hadn't really known what she wanted to do. So she'd picked up this job, and then just got kind of stuck.
That kind of seemed to be the way of her life, honestly, ever since graduating college. She would start towards something she wanted, find a way to settle until she could get it, and then get stuck on that settling point. Like working two receptionist jobs because she didn't know what she wanted to do, or dating guys like Trevor until Patrick came to his senses, or working at Stronghold instead of actually getting to attend the club.
But tonight, she was taking one major leap forward. Not just settling. She was getting into Stronghold, for a real scene, and she was doing it with Patrick. That was the key. Because her scene with Master Michael had been real in the kinky sense, but not in the 'this could lead somewhere' sense. In a way, that had been settling too.
Except that it had also been the catalyst for finally moving forward.
Now she just had to get through the workday.
Her phone buzzed. The little leap of her heart when she saw that it was Patrick might be silly, but she couldn't help the way her body reacted. She was such a cliché sometimes when it came to him.
Be here at 8 pm tonight. Wear the blue waist cincher that you wore to my office. No thong.
Oh heavenly hot flashes... Lexie squeezed her thighs together as she stared down at her phone screen. It was all she could do not to whimper. Why did being bossed around and told what to wear and when to show up turn her on so much?
Still, the snarky inner brat in her rose up as she texted him back.
What about the heels and trench coat?
The phone on her desk rang and Lexie quickly slid her cell into her pocket, feeling strangely guilty like she'd been caught doing something wrong even though she obviously hadn't. The patients in the waiting room couldn't even see what she was doing unless they approached the desk, but all of them were involved in whatever reading material they'd brought. None of them knew that she was texting about going to a BDSM club or that she was now officially horny as hell.
She answered the phone, making her voice stay calm as her cell vibrated next to her thigh. It took all of her self-control not to check it while she was scheduling the appointment, but she was determined to remain professional. Plus, it wouldn't kill Patrick to have to wait for her response. She was not going to do something so irresponsible as checking her text messages while she was on the phone with a patient.
But she yanked her cell out of her pocket the second she hung up.
Heels, yes. Leave the trench coat at the front desk. Come into my office when you get here.
A shiver went down her spine that was so intense, she looked around fearfully, sure that someone must have noticed. Nope. They were all lost in their own little worlds, completely indifferent to the sudden upheaval of hers.
Her phone buzzed again.
How do you respond, Pixie?
Wetting her suddenly dry lips with her tongue, Lexie felt her heart pounding as she typed in her response.
Yes, Sir.
******
Waiting for 8pm was a form of torture all on its own. Patrick hadn't wanted to do Lexie's scene too early in the evening. Making it later gave it a more pressing time limit to end, so that he couldn't be tempted to extend it. It also meant that he had far too much time to kill beforehand.
Lisa was behind the bar, Jared was at the door, and the club wasn't exactly hopping yet. It was always slower on Thursdays anyway, especially earlier in the evening, so Patrick just wandered through, double and triple checking that he had all the toys he wanted already set up in the "Office." Not his own office, although he'd been tempted; he'd signed out the theme room Office for the evening. All new toys too, chosen specially with Lexie in mind. She'd get to take them home at the end of the night.
It gave him a small sense of satisfaction to know that, if nothing else, she'd always have the toys that he'd picked out for her.
When he came back down to the bar, Justin and Chris were there with Jessica. She immediately perked up when she saw Patrick, a happy grin alighting her face. Tipping her head back, she said something to Justin, who had his arm around her waist. He looked up and gave Patrick a nod before releasing her. While he and Chris kept talking, sipping on their drinks, Jessica came trotting over to him.
It was all Patrick could do not to raise his eyebrows. Usually she couldn't be separated from those two, and even though she was friendly with him, he could always tell that he intimidated her. She tried hard not to show it though.
"Good evening, Jessica," he said, as soon as she got close enough, giving her an encouraging smile.
The pretty brunette beamed up at him, for once not an ounce of trepidation in her expression or body language. She was looking particularly pretty tonight, with her soft brown curls falling around her shoulders and her curvy body on display in a tight violet corset and a black latex skirt. Patrick recognized Justin's particular style in what she was wearing; he and Justin both had a penchant for dressing their submissives.
"Good evening, Sir," she said. "I just wanted to say that I'm really happy you're letting Lexie into the club now. She's so excited, and the rest of us are really excited that she's going to be here."
Now one of Patrick's eyebrows did go up. He hadn't been sure what to expect from her, but somehow this wasn't quite it. He doubted Lexie had put her up to this; it was more likely her naturally friendly inclination and desire to see everyone happy. That was definitely something he'd noticed about her. It amused him to think that maybe she was trying to give him some kind of positive reinforcement for what she saw as good behavior. Although, he supposed it could also be a kind of guilt-trip in case he was having second thoughts.
On
e thing he did like about the subbies of Stronghold was how they stuck together. Not all of them liked each other, of course, but he didn't tolerate drama in the club. He had been surprised by how many of them had rallied around Lexie last week. That kind of thing was rare. Then again, such a situation had never come up before.
"I'm sure she'll appreciate the sentiment," he said, a bit dryly.
Jessica shifted slightly on her high heels, and he wondered if she was getting a little nervous now or if she was just having trouble balancing. "You're doing the right thing."
If Justin had heard her say that, he'd probably give her a spanking. She was teetering on the line of being disrespectful.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he stared down at her, watching as she went from an insistent friend to an anxious subbie who realized she'd just pushed things a little too far. As a Dom, he didn't need her approval on how to handle his sub - and Lexie was his, at least for the duration of her training. As the owner of the club, he needed it even less so. Jessica's hands fluttered and then slid behind her back, where he was sure they twisted together. He wondered if she even realized how her body language had changed, to that of a submissive trying to show her acceptance of his dominance.
"Have you thought about how Lexie will feel if she can't meet the standards I need for any woman, any submissive, that I become involved with?" he asked, his voice perhaps a bit harsher than he'd intended it to be. But he knew she'd pass her words on to the other subs, and they all needed to think about how much pressure they were putting on both him and Lexie, when it really wasn't any of their business. Not to mention, how much they were encouraging her without thinking of the consequences. "How she'll react? How it will affect everyone else?"
Jessica's mouth opened and closed, and she frowned, obviously thinking. Her hands still behind her back, chest thrust slightly forward, she swayed slightly on her heels as if his words had struck her. Then she shook her head, looking up at him with liquid brown eyes.
"Have you thought about what you'll do if she can?"
She quailed almost immediately as his eyes flashed with displeasure. "Back to your Doms, little subbie. Ask Justin for a lesson in minding your own business."
He like a sassy sub, otherwise he'd never have been attracted to Lexie, but Jessica had just pushed a little too far. She knew it too.
Dropping her eyes to the ground, she nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Sir. It's just... we're all worried that you're not going to give her a real chance and then both of you will be miserable." She peeked up at him, sincere apology in her eyes. "We just want you both to be happy."
"Apology accepted. Just remember, part of being happy is finding our own way, just like you did," Patrick reminded her gently. He dropped his arms from across his chest and opened them, Jessica immediately stepped forward and snuggled in. Across the room, he could see Justin and Chris take note. They'd been watching the whole time of course, but they had to be wondering what had prompted the hug. "It's okay to be a concerned friend, but you can't push people into a relationship just because you think it's a good idea. Something you should know better than others."
More than one person had tried to convince Jessica that she was making a mistake by being in a triad relationship with Justin and Chris, pushing her to choose one over the other. Hell, the other guys had all been concerned, especially because it could have seriously fucked up Justin and Chris' friendship. But, at the time, both of the guys had been determined to have Jessica and just as convinced that they could keep their friendship intact. Choosing both of them had done that, but it hadn't been an easy decision for her.
Jessica squeezed his waist and then pulled away and gave him a smile before trotting back to Justin and Chris. He smiled at them, so that they wouldn't give her too hard a time after she gave them the message. She deserved a spanking, but nothing too harsh. Patrick appreciated how much the other women watched out for Lexie. He just wasn't about to let them push him around because of it.
Chapter 6
Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god... I'm doing this. I'm so really doing this.
Lexie walked quickly towards the door into Stronghold, her heels clacking on the pavement. Not just because she was excited, but also because she was freaking cold. The temperature had dropped when the sun went down, and even though it wasn't frigid or anything, being basically naked under the trench coat meant that she didn't have a whole lot keeping her warm.
Although her shivers weren't entirely from the chilly breeze that slid under the skirt of the trench coat. Nope, that was definitely partly from the excitement too.
"Babe! You're here, you made it!" Freddy, a submissive and one of the receptionists, perked up as soon as she came in the door. The slender blonde was one of Mistress Erin's favorites, although Freddy was bi and played with several of the male Doms as well. He was a pain slut and extremely submissive, not to mention so pretty that Mistress Erin often dressed him as a girl, and he was as gorgeous as any of the women in the club. He was also super friendly and eager to please, with everyone. Lexie had a special soft spot in her heart for him, because he was like a doormat, and she worried that not everyone was looking out for his best interests. Mistress Erin did, of course, but sometimes Freddy played with Doms who didn't seem to care for him as much as Lexie thought they should.
He was thrilled that Lexie was finally getting into the club - and not just because it meant more work hours for him to pick up, which he needed since he was currently putting himself through college. Freddy just wanted everyone to be happy.
"I'm here, I made it," she repeated his words gleefully, throwing a happy smile at Jared who just sighed and scowled a little. Still, he didn't look upset, just concerned, which she was okay with.
"Take off the coat, I have to see," Freddy said, practically dancing in his seat behind the desk. His hazel eyes were sparkling with excitement, little fashionista that he was.
"I'm not wearing much," Lexie warned, before whipping open the trench coat and letting it drop to the floor. She really hoped Patrick was watching the security cameras. Even if he wasn't, it was worth it to get Freddy's excited shout of approval, even with the bass undertone of Jared's groan. Peeking over her shoulder, she saw the big guy staring at the ceiling.
Ha. Maybe she should go over and give him a hug, just like this. He'd probably have a heart attack on the spot.
Grinning, she decided not to torment him. She didn't want to give Patrick any reason to decide she wasn't being serious about being in the club. Better to just follow the orders she’d been given, without sidetracking. Plus, now that her dramatic reveal was over, she was feeling a little bit weird about standing in the front room wearing basically nothing. None of her important bits were even the tiniest bit covered.
"Girl, you are going to have the Doms in a tizzy," Freddy said, making her laugh.
"You've been spending some time with Hilary," she accused. Because, seriously, who else ever used the word 'tizzy'?
"I just overheard it," he said, grinning as he took her coat. "Loved it. Stole it."
"Good for you," she said, moving towards Patrick's office door.
"Stop by and see me on your way out!" Freddy demanded, and Lexie nodded, smiling as she knocked on the door and then entered, quickly. She usually waited for Patrick to tell her to come in, but right now her bare ass was hanging out.
It didn't matter anyway, since the big office was empty. Lexie bit her lip. Had he meant the theme room Office? She'd only ever been in there to decorate, but she knew where it was. But did he really want her to walk across the entire club, alone, with all her goods hanging out? Lexie hadn't minded people watching her scene with Master Michael, but that was a little different than just brazenly walking around like this. Then again, she'd seen plenty of other people do it.
Was this a test?
If it was, Lexie hoped she was making the right decision. She was 99.99% sure that the text message had said his office. Choosing a spot in the center of the room, she k
nelt down, knees apart, and put her hands on her thighs, letting them rest, palm up. It was a position she'd seen on the internet, when she'd been cruising BDSM sites.
Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. She could do this.
******
Perfect. Fucking. Perfect.
Those were the first thoughts that ran through Patrick's mind when he walked into his office. Swiftly followed by a swell of satisfaction and a sense of rightness that he tried to shake off. Lexie, on her knees, in a submissive pose, right in the middle of his territory. His space.
The pose was nearly perfect. Her head twitched, and he could tell that she wanted to turn to look at him, but she didn't. The silver rings gleamed on her nipples, which slowly hardened even further under his gaze. His cock seemed to press even harder against the zipper of his pants at the sight. With her head bowed, she looked like she was offering him everything.
Fuck if he didn't want to take it.
He hadn't meant to be late. Tardiness was one of his pet peeves, but when he was running a club, he couldn't always control everything that went on around him. A lackluster scene between a couple down in the Dungeon had turned into a shouting match, which had turned into a break-up. The Dungeon Monitors had been there, of course, getting the sub down from the Saint Andrew's Cross and trying to calm both participants, but Patrick had been able to sort things out faster. The couple was new, and the Dom was drunk. Patrick told the jerk his membership was revoked and had two of the DMs escort him out the back entrance, to disturb as few people as possible. The crying, but defiant, sub he'd handed over to Jessica, Justin and Chris, who had just come down to start their own scene. They’d probably end up getting Jared to take care of her while Justin or Chris took over at the front door until the sub was ready to go home. Out of all the Doms at the club, Jared was always the best when it came to a sub in need of support and gentleness.
He wouldn't have left without getting Jared himself and making sure that the sub was okay if Lexie hadn't been waiting for him and if Jessica hadn't jumped in without being asked. She'd practically pushed the DM out of the way to get to the angry and heartbroken sub. Patrick wasn't sure exactly what had gone down, but he'd heard the Dom call the poor woman frigid. Which was part of why he'd revoked the ass' membership. If he couldn't get his girlfriend to respond sexually, Patrick was pretty sure it had more to do with him than her. Blaming her was unacceptable, as was being cruel. Jessica had taken the sub over to the aftercare area, hugging her and nodding as she listened. Chris and Justin had followed behind, Chris looking resigned and Justin pissed - although not at the sub. Going by the way he was cracking his knuckles, Patrick had a feeling that Justin had heard more of the Dom's muttered diatribe on his way being escorted out the door.
