by Avery Gale
Holly looked slightly taken aback, “Oh shit, I don’t know, now. What’s going on? Oh dear, this explains the anxiety I’ve been feeling all day.”
“No…I didn’t mean anything bad is going to happen…although with your Masters who knows…but at least they haven’t forgotten that you are their sub.” Jace watched his sweet friend’s shoulders sag and felt his heart tighten with the pain he saw on her face. Grabbing his phone he sent a quick text to Ian. “I just meant that it’s going to be your first night at the club as a submissive and I wanted to make sure you are prepared for the things you are going to see and hear. It’s a bit overwhelming if you aren’t ready, and I didn’t want you to have the same issues I had.”
Holly raised her eyebrow in question, but Callie just forged ahead, “It’s a long story and some evening after I have this baby we’ll have a gab session over frozen margaritas and I’ll tell you all about it, but I don’t have a lot of time now. This place is wired for sight and sound and I’m sure your Doms already know I’m here, which means I’m already in trouble…hopefully. But I was worried for you and wanted to make sure your head is in the right place tonight.” Callie took a deep breath and then smiled, “Yeah, I know, I know. Everybody gives me that look and no I don’t know how I can say so much without stopping for a breath.” Callie’s laugh rang through the room and Jace was happy to see her smile and even more pleased to see a look of relief wash over Holly’s sweet face.
Gage shook his head and chuckled, “God, you have to love Callie.” Jace couldn’t agree more. He’d worried that she was going to spoil all of their plans when she had just been trying to be a friend to Holly, and it endeared her to him even more.
Callie grasped Holly’s hand in her own and smiled, “There will be a lot of people there tonight and things can get pretty intense. If you get scared, no matter how insignificant you think your fear is, tell one or both of your Masters. And if you can’t for some reason, find me and I’ll help. Also…and I can’t even begin to tell you how important this is…remember to keep your focus on your Masters. I don’t know what they have planned for you tonight, although I have a few guesses, but keep the fact that you trust them first and foremost in your heart and mind. Make certain all of your attention is on them and remind yourself frequently that they can only Dominate you if you submit.”
Jace smiled at Holly’s confused expression, damn she was so cute when she was perplexed over something. Callie smiled, “I know it’s hard to believe, but handing over your body and soul to your Dom, especially when you’re in a place that is new or unsettling, is the most liberating feeling in the world.” Watching the grin spread across Callie’s face, Jace braced himself for what the little imp was going to say next.
“Oh sister, I can’t tell you how great sub-space is when you go deep into a scene, but trust me, it’s a ride you don’t want to miss.” Callie sighed and looked as if she was lost in a sweet memory for a few seconds before she blushed and seemed to come back to the present. “The bottom line is, you always have the club’s safe word system to fall back on…if you start to get overwhelmed, say ‘Yellow’ and your Doms will stop and check in with you. I can’t overemphasize how important that is, please don’t hesitate to use it. And if things are just too much, call ‘Red’ and everything stops. And I do mean everything, not forever, but you’re out of commission for twenty-four hours…club rules.”
Holly leaned forward and gave Callie a warm hug, “Thank you so much. Damn it’s great to have a friend again, it’s been so long since I had anyone to really talk to I had almost forgotten how wonderful it can be.”
Jace and Gage watched as the two women said their goodbyes, and it was only then that he realized Ian was standing behind him. The men that worked for Ian all swore he was better at sneaking up on people than they were and that was a hell of a compliment from a group of former Army Rangers and Navy SEALS. Ian simply smiled and said, “I think my Carlin deserves a reward, and I think it’s time to bring out the little surprise I had made for her.” Ian didn’t elaborate and Jace didn’t ask. But he knew Ian had been spending time in the island’s small workshop recently, and that certainly opened up a world of possibilities.
Chapter 29
Walking into Club Isola’s main room between her two husbands and having her senses bombarded with everything she heard and saw had been enough to take Holly’s breath away. She tried to not let the sounds and sights overwhelm her, but once they crossed the threshold and she got her first look at the BDSM club’s activities in full-swing, it was as if her feet had become rooted in place. The smell of leather and sex was thick in the air and the sounds of screams sent chills up her spine. There was so much to take in that her eyes felt like they weren’t able to process enough information and suddenly she was all too aware of the way her other senses were scrambling to catch up and absorb the information as well.
The feel of the smooth stone floor under her bare feet felt cool and oddly comforting, like the touch of something solid and organic could keep her anchored somehow. The smell of sex soon divided into the scents of cleanliness, soap and the tangy citrus of shampoos and at the other end of the spectrum were the scents associated with human lust and release. The tangy musk of exposed genitals was heady and Holly felt her sex flood with moisture as she imagined the sweet scents her two Masters were going to add to that mix.
Listening to the crack of a whip followed by the soft gasps of the female sub tied to the St. Andrew’s cross sent lightning bolts of electricity up her spine. Holly had watched Callie take several lashes the night of her wedding and collaring, but the marks Ian and Jace had left across her delicate back had been faintly pink. The marks across this sub’s back were a deep red and the welts were already visible. Holly didn’t realize she’d been backing up until she bumped into a solid wall of warm, hard muscle. “Stop sweetness, tell me what you see that has frightened you so.” The comforting sound of Gage’s voice in her ear was so overwhelming she sagged in relief. He whispered in her ear, “You have no idea how much I love the fact that your entire body relaxed at my touch and voice. Your body and soul recognize your Masters, baby, let them lead you tonight. You don’t need that sharp mind of yours tonight—it will only make submitting more difficult and delay your pleasure.”
He’d wrapped his arms around the filmy dress they’d given her to wear and as short as the damned thing was, his arms pressing under her unbound breasts was probably lifting the front enough that anyone looking was going to get a great view of her bare pussy. And while the idea should have mortified her, it didn’t. In fact she felt another wave of moisture roll through her folds and wondered if it would soon be running in rivulets down her legs. “I…I was looking at those nasty looking welts on her back. And, well…I was remembering the faint pink lines that Master Ian and Master Jace left on Callie.” Holly had glanced up to see Jace watching her intently, his expression devoid of anything but assessment.
“And you don’t understand the difference? Is that it?” Gage hadn’t stepped away from her and she was grateful that their conversation wouldn’t be heard beyond the three of them. She was riveted to the scene in front of her and as the lashes continued to leave dark marks the sub’s back Holly felt herself start to shake. She couldn’t even answer because she felt like she was falling in a dark spiral. “Take a breath Holly—right now.” Gage’s voice had shifted and the command was unmistakable. She gasped in a breath and was relieved to see the darkness begin to fade.
Holly hadn’t even realized that she’d dropped her gaze to the floor at the authoritative tone of Gage’s voice, and when she raised her eyes Jace was standing directly in front of her. He was blocking her view of the scene and his eyes were filled with worry. “Pet, there are many people who enjoy pain. There are as many variations to BDSM as there are people. Our job as your Masters is to know your needs and your body even better than you do. We will always be watching even the smallest of your reactions. Lisa is being whipped by her Master as a
reward. They have a long-term Ds relationship and he knows that she loves the endorphin release the pain gives her. She recently completed her pediatric residency and this is her reward for all of her hard work.” He stepped to the side and her eyes went back to the scene, but this time she tried to focus on details other than the angry marks that were lined up in perfectly spaced precision diagonally across her slender back.
Gage spoke against her ear, “Listen to Lisa’s moans. Those are the sounds of a woman fast approaching her climax. She is deep in sub-space, but she is so in tune with her Master that she won’t come until he commands it. Lisa loves the pain and Master Brian loves her, so this is his gift to her even though he actually prefers other forms of play. Master Ian and Master Jace pulled their lashes with Callie because her loving husband didn’t want her to have painful memories of their wedding night, but he also wanted to fulfill Club Isola’s rules for a collaring ceremony. And baby, this is not something we expect from you. We already know that you respond well to small amounts of erotic pain, but you are not a pain slut. Trust us to know what you need, sweetheart. Thank you for your honesty. We want to hear if you have questions or concerns. While we won’t always allow you to speak freely when we visit the club, tonight it’s important that you don’t hesitate to be open with one or both of us.”
Holly felt Gage tighten his hold on her with one arm as he slid his other hand down until his fingers were trailing through her folds and the drag of his fingers told her that the arousal she’d felt earlier at the idea of being on display had disappeared as she’d watched the welts appearing on the woman’s back in front of her. Drawing his dry fingers up in front of her, Gage chuckled, “See baby, this is pretty solid evidence that this is not what you need.” Holly wasn’t sure exactly why his words embarrassed her, but she felt her face go hot in an instant.
* * * *
Jace had watched Holly’s reaction to the scene between Mark and Lisa, and he’d worried that she was going to go into a full-blown panic attack before Gage’s voice had broken through the fear he’d seen in her eyes. They had known this scene was planned for tonight and had intentionally made it one of their stops while making their way to the smaller corner stage where they had planned their scene with Holly. While he hadn’t enjoyed seeing the fear in her eyes, he was glad they’d made the time to double-check their mutual opinion that Holly wasn’t ever going to respond positively to real pain. Despite all the competing smells in the room, Jace had known Holly was aroused earlier. And now he was sure her arousal was from Gage hiking her dress up enough to expose her to the room when he’d wrapped his arms around her, so it seemed their wife was a bit of an exhibitionist. Interesting.
Making their way to the smaller stage they turned the lights down so that the small box frame that Ian had built for Callie was the only thing visible. Jace watched as Holly’s eyes went wide and her respiration became shallow. Perfect. When Gage had pulled a small rolling cart closer but left it so it was still just out of the light, they both stood with their arms crossed over their chests. “Strip” was all Jace said, but the command of his tone couldn’t be missed.
When Holly started biting her lip and her eyes darted back and forth Jace wondered if they might end up having to punish her before they even started. He saw her eyes lock on something to her left and then she gave an almost imperceptible nod before pulling the straps of the dress over her slender shoulders and letting the soft silk slide to the floor. In his peripheral vision, Jace saw Callie standing just close enough that Holly would have recognized her. Ian’s gorgeous wife had given her friend a thumbs up and then pointed to them as a reminder of where Holly’s focus was supposed to be. Callie would be getting a nice large box of her favorite Donnelly’s chocolates for her friendship and support of their sweet sub. Callie was a natural nurturer and Jace didn’t doubt for a minute that she was going to be a terrific mother.
Gage secured Holly to the inside of the large wooden box that looked a lot like an empty picture frame. Ian had designed and built the unit for Callie because everything else in the club was designed for taller subs. Both Jace and Gage had been concerned about the strain on Holly’s shoulders and the small scars from her recent close encounters of the violent kind with a hand gun. This scaled down version of one of their favorite apparatuses in the club was perfect. Jace glanced to the side and saw Ian quietly escorting Callie away from their scene. When he and Gage had spoken with Ian earlier this evening, his friend had assured him that he had planned a very special reward for his sweet wife. Her actions earlier today had warmed all three of their hearts.
But, Ian had also agreed with Jace’s assessment that Callie’s recent bratty behavior needed to be addressed and also agreed that he had probably been too lenient as a result of her pregnancy. He’d taken them into his playroom and shown them the spanking bench he and Mitch Grayson had designed and built. The thing had every bell and whistle imaginable. The padded leather could be warmed or cooled with the flick of a switch, various attachments would allow small hydraulic cylinders to automatically fuck the sub’s ass or pussy with dildos of various sizes. The entire thing could be tilted until the sub was almost standing on her head and it rotated as well. But the best feature was that it had a removable panel over the belly area so that a pregnant sub could be restrained without any discomfort or danger to the new life cradled in her womb. Jace smiled to himself knowing that Callie was going to get some much needed attention tonight. He didn’t doubt she was going to enjoy the hell out of Ian’s latest toy.
Turning his full attention back to Holly, he moved into position in front of Holly. They had deliberately left enough space between them for a third person to step into her view, and Jace saw the slight crease in her brow, so he knew she had indeed noticed the fact they weren’t shoulder to shoulder which was their norm. Jace spoke first, “Pet, do you remember the rules we outlined regarding who and when anyone besides one of your Masters sees your lovely naked body?”
Holly’s eyes had been half-lidded with desire, but they were certainly wide open now. He fought down a chuckle and noticed Gage’s lips twitch as well. “Y-yes, Sir.” When he only raised an eyebrow at her, she quickly got the idea that he was expecting her to recount what they’d told her. “One of you has to be present if I am naked in anyone else’s presence, except in emergency situations.” He heard the trembling in her voice, oh yeah, she knew exactly what this was about.
Just before Jace responded, Dr. Don Whiteside stepped into the lighted circle. Gone were the surgical scrubs he’d been wearing the first time they’d met him. Those hospital standards had been replaced by skin-tight black leather pants, black boots, and a black silk shirt that was unbuttoned halfway down his tanned chest. Master Don assumed a stance similar to Jace and Gage’s and just watched Holly intently. Jace heard her small gasp of breath when her gaze locked onto the doctor she’d seen just this afternoon. Jace fought his smile as he watched her entire body flush like a beautiful pink rose as she realized what was to come.
“Pet, did anything happen today at your appointment that you’d like to mention to your Masters?” He’d kept the steel in his tone, but he knew she was watching his face for any clue as to his real mood. Jace felt the corners of his mouth twitch and saw some of the tension drain from her lush body.
“I had to undress for my exam with Dr. Donnie Dark, but I kept on the ugly gown his nurse gave me and she stayed in the room at my request.” Holly’s eyes were wide with expectation and Jace was sure she’d deliberately baited him with her reference to the Dom standing between him and Gage by a nickname that was as disrespectful as it was funny. When he raised a brow at her she tried to act nonchalant, “Oh, sorry. Dr. Whiteside. I guess the nickname just seems to be so much more fitting…” Now he was certain she was playing and while he might have allowed it at home, he couldn’t allow it in a scene at the club.
Stepping up close to her and grasping her chin he tilted her head back until she was forced to look directly into h
is eyes, “Pet, you had better amend that apology and do it quickly because that beautiful smart mouth of yours is just about to change the whole climate of the scene we have planned for you.” He watched her breath catch and her eyes go wary. That’s better little sub. Don’t go getting too big for the britches you aren’t wearing.
“I’m sorry, I know that was disrespectful. I’m nervous and bad stuff comes out of my mouth when I’m nervous. He has all that dark hair and commanding presence that is kind of like Dark Shadows meets Dr. House. Oh drat on a dead cat, I’m doing it again. But I really do apologize and I’ll just stop talking now.” Jace was biting the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing out loud at her description of Don White because it was so damned accurate and he was glad he was blocking her view of Don and Gage because he’d heard a snort of muffled laughter and wasn’t sure which of them had been responsible.
“Very nice, pet. Now, I want to clear up something. Even if you are in an examination room, but you’ve only been given a thin little cotton gown, Master Gage or I need to be present. We aren’t trying to be overbearing, we are trying to protect you. We have heard of subs and women in ménage relationships being accosted by the public, and being in any state of undress makes you particularly vulnerable. As you gain confidence and learn more about self-defense, we’ll revisit this issue. But, my love, that is a long time in the future. And this applies to female doctors as well, pet.” As he had pointed out their reasons for the rule, Jace had seen her eyes go glassy with unshed tears. Because Holly was a bright and creative woman, they would need to provide her with more information than some subs required, especially when it was related to anything she perceived as an infringement on the independence she’d worked so hard to earn.
