by Avery Gale
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Jenna was enjoying a late lunch out on the deck with Kat and Rissa when she looked up into the furious face of Colt Matthews. Uh oh, this didn’t bode well for a peaceful afternoon of sun and snoozing before tonight’s festivities. Glancing toward Kat for support, all she got was a shrugged “I told you he’d find out.” And Rissa looked like she was seriously trying to make herself invisible, knowing Mitch Grayson wouldn’t be far behind and equally livid. Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Kat, you coward!
Jenna smiled warmly and sweetly spoke as he stomped closer. “Good afternoon, Colt. Care to join us? I’m sure Selita would be happy to bring you a plate.” Geez, she was pretty sure if she looked closely, she could see the steam coming out of his ears. He kind of reminded her of one of those cartoon characters she remembered from Saturday morning television when she was a kid. Holy crap! Jenna had asked Rissa to stay behind when Ethan Jantz, the security assigned to babysit them, had walked Kat back to the mansion so she could talk to the other woman alone for a moment. Jenna had wanted to apologize for blurting out what she had finally figured out about Mitch’s gifts last night in front of her new friend. She felt like she had only added to the tension that was already arcing between the two of them as if they were both using some kind of electrical current to communicate. She’d planned to apologize to Mitch later this afternoon. Then she’d see what she could do about setting the whole mess to rights, at one time she and Kat had been pretty good matchmakers. Lucy and Ethel could surely cook up some kind of great plan.
After talking to Rissa, they’d been distracted and had just ambled along until they’d found themselves at the door leading out of The Club. And despite Kat’s warning to wait for an escort and assurances that yes indeed, the guys most certainly would find out if they didn’t, she and Rissa had decided they were grown women and should be able to walk across the gardens back to the house alone if they wanted to. Geez, it was only a short distance, hell we didn’t see one other single soul the entire time. But it was obvious from Colt’s expression he was in full pissed-off-boyfriend, ex-soldier-Dom, I-am-the-boss-of-you mode. Time to adopt Catharine Lamont’s motto, “The Best Defense is a Good Offense.”
Colt’s words were calm, but his underlying fury was crystal clear. “Jenna, did you and Rissa walk back to the house unescorted?”
Jenna gave him a considering look. “We walked together, Colt. There was no need to wait for one of your security team to leave something important to come and walk us that short distance. Perhaps you have forgotten, I am fully trained in self-defense and have been traveling alone in some of the most dangerous parts of the world for several years. I’ve never had a single problem, I didn’t expect to encounter the boogeyman in the gardens in broad daylight, and my confidence in both mine and Rissa’s ability to make an adult decision about our own safety turned out to be well founded, don’t you think?” Way to poke the bear, Jenna, dumb, dumb, dumb. Jenna just wished Smart Jenna had been at the controls of her mouth instead of Bratty Jenna. Holy shit, he looked about ready to blow a gasket.
“Were you or were you not both told to only leave the spa with an escort? Not just the fucking Club itself, but the spa as well?” Colt’s words began to trail off into angry mutterings as he paced back and forth, pushing his hands through his hair in frustration. Wow, looked like a play right out of the Alex Lamont book of pissed off. He finally stopped in front of the table and speared Jenna with a glare. “One of the security team will pick you up at your suite at 8:00 p.m. You will wear what is delivered to your suite later this afternoon.” Stopping her from speaking by holding up his hand, he continued. “Yes, I know the Submissives’ Masquerade doesn’t begin until ten o’clock, but the two of you will be paying for this little transgression before we have to focus all of our attention on other matters. The men assigned to watch you have been dealt with, they’ve already paid the piper, and they will be allowed to watch you pay for walking away from them and disobeying very specific direct orders. Alex and Zach have left this to Grayson and I to deal with, they will be staying with Katarina in the house during your punishments. Don’t even think about trying to bolt, Jenna, and that goes for you also, Rissa. We will find you.” And with that, he turned and stomped back down the stairs and disappeared into the gardens.
“Holy shit, you two are really in deep this time. Damn, I’m glad I’m not a part of this.” Kat stopped and then sighed deeply. “Shit, I’m turning into an old married robot. I didn’t even think of the fun I’d have getting paddled for misbehaving. Crap, I’m turning into a mom already…I’m going to be dull and boring…Hell, I’m already dull and boring! This sucks! I’ve got a reputation to maintain, what will people think if I all of the sudden start doing exactly what those two Neanderthal husbands of mine demand? Damn and double damn!” Jenna was just watching Kat with stunned disbelief. The crazy woman had talked herself right into a tizzy fit about not getting into trouble and getting her ass paddled. What the fuck is that about? Must be the hormones. I’ve got no other explanation for Kat’s insanity.
Jenna looked beyond Kat to see both Alex’s and Zach’s smiling faces. No doubt they’d heard Kat’s tirade. Her sweet friend had always bemoaned the fact that thinking out loud got her in more trouble than anything she’d actually done deliberately. Alex stepped up and looked down at his wife. “Katarina? Did I hear you correctly that you wish you had misbehaved earlier today, just so you could maintain your reputation as a problem wife? Hmmm? That doesn’t sound quite right to me, what do you think, brother? Perhaps our wife is in need of a reminder about why bratty behavior is to be avoided.” Jenna watched Zach work to hide his grin before he stepped forward where Kat could see him.
“I believe you might be just about right, brother. Come along, kitten. We’re going to have a remedial lesson this afternoon.” Zach held out his hand, and when Kat placed her hand in his, he pulled his round little wife to her feet. God, but he loved seeing her carrying their growing child inside her sweet belly. Kat had flushed several shades of crimson and was giggling like a school girl at whatever the men were whispering to her as they led her inside.
Rissa looked at Jenna and blinked as if to refocus her eyes. “I’ve fallen down a damned rabbit hole and landed straight in BDSM hell. Hell no, I couldn’t land in Alice’s Wonderland, oh no, I went straight past ‘Go, do not collect $200’ into BDSM hell. Shit, Jenna, what are we going to do? What do you think they are going to do to us? Damn, I’m so scared I’m going to throw up!”
Jenna reached over and touched the other woman’s arm. “Stop it, Rissa. Think about this for a minute. Do you really think my brothers would allow someone to really harm either of us?” When Rissa slowly shook her head, Jenna asked, “And do you really think any of the security guys who have been charged with protecting us would actually stand by and watch someone hurt us?” Again she waited for Rissa to shake her head before adding, “And do you honestly believe Colt or Mitch would really ever cause either of us true physical harm?”
Rissa let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and said, “No, I guess not. But I’m really not sure about this whole punishment thing, ya know? I’ve got some, well, some kind of bad memories of punishments.” Her last words were soft, but her meaning was clear. “I don’t know if I can do this, Jenna. What if I fail? What if I let Mitch down? I have been careful to keep him at arm’s length because I’m sure I can’t be what he needs, well, at least I can’t anymore, but damn, I’ve stepped right into it this time. If I can’t do this, I’ll have to leave ShadowDance, and I’ve been happy here...” And her mouthed words and safe here weren’t audible, but they weren’t missed by Mitch, who’d been watching the whole scene from the monitor in the Crow’s Nest.
* * * *
“Did you see that? Did you catch it? What does she mean by ‘safe’? Did anything in her background check come back hot?” Mitch had already turned to a keyboard and was furiously pounding on the keys before the questions had even
stopped sounding in the room. Colt had been plenty proud of his performance until he’d seen the stark look of terror in Rissa’s eyes. Jenna had held her chin perfectly level to the floor and not even blinked during his tirade. Oh, she was going to be a joy to tame, and Colt was hoping like hell it took him the rest of his life to get it done.
But now Colt was really worried that the scene they’d hurriedly set up for tonight was going to push Rissa too hard. They were going to have to find out exactly what they were up against with her, no Dom wanted to do physical or psychological harm to any sub and particularly not one he had deep feelings for. One of the basic tenants of Dominant-submissive relationships was to push boundaries, but to never do anything that could cause permanent damage to a person who had given her Dom the ultimate gift of her trust. Every Dom knew his or her biggest responsibility was protection and care of their sub, and that included protecting not only their physical health but their mental health as well.
As Mitch worked his way through the pages of Rissa’s background file, Colt picked up the phone and dialed Alex’s number. Even though he knew he’d be interrupting his bosses’ afternoon delight, he needed to know if there either Alex or Zach had information that wouldn’t be found in the file. When he was switched immediately to voice mail, Colt hung up and sent a quick text saying, Call me ASAP, and turned back to watch the security monitors that Grayson had abandoned after Rissa’s tear-filled, but silent words.
Chapter 27
Jenna had spent the rest of the afternoon mentally preparing for whatever Colt had planned. She wasn’t just worried about herself, she had seen the terror in Rissa’s eyes and was worried the men would push her too far. Having been a victim herself, she well knew that a misspoken comment or overly familiar touch could send her into hiding for weeks and back to having nightmares for months. She’d wondered about talking to her brothers, letting them know her concerns, but had decided she’d see what was planned before making a decision about action. She didn’t want to betray Rissa’s confidence, if that’s what you would call her vague, mouthed words about safety, but she would if she felt it was in the other woman’s best interest. After she’d made inquiries this afternoon about returning to college to earn her counseling degree, she’d decided she would visit the school and talk to the instructors, but after what had happened earlier and her overwhelming desire to help Rissa work through whatever had happened, well, now she knew for sure this was the direction she wanted to go. There certainly wouldn’t be much money in her new career, but the rewards she’d reap by helping others would far outweigh the monetary loss. She’d still help with Lamont Oil when she could, but God knew she’d trained a number of employees that would be fantastic replacements for her, and most would be over the moon for the opportunity.
Jenna had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t heard the knock at the door. Mitch stuck his head in the room and saw Jenna pacing back and forth, and he could hear her muttering something about Lamont Oil and college. Damn, she must be really distracted to not hear my knock or the door open, not safe, Jenna, Colt is really going to be pissed if you don’t start taking some fucking interest in your personal safety. Mitch and Colt had decided to pick up each other’s women because they knew it would add to their apprehension and would also allow the men to more accurately assess Jenna’s and Rissa’s states of mind. Emotions could easily cloud a Dom’s judgment, and this was too important to take a risk. Both men knew the next couple of hours was going to be a make-or-break moment for both them and the girls. He was praying that the adjustments they had made to their planned scene would be enough. They hadn’t been able to get much information about Rissa, seems Sheriff Marshall wasn’t all that keen to share what he knew, but he was smart enough to know what they’d gotten was likely just the tip of a very nasty iceberg.
“Jenna, are you ready? Why didn’t you answer the door when I knocked?” Mitch had deliberately used his Dom voice, hoping to set the tone for the punishment she was going to receive. Her startled gasp and wide eyes told him that he’d startled her. Damn Colt was going to add swats for this, no doubt.
“Shit! You scared me! I didn’t hear you. I’ve been thinking and worrying a bit.” She’d started out angry at being startled, but she’d picked up his demeanor and was quickly sliding right into a sub mind-set. Perfect! Should have thought about this before you went prancing out of the spa and Club earlier, sweet cheeks, now your man is going to warm that pretty little ass of yours right up.
He turned to her and closed the door. “I’m going to inspect you to be sure you are properly attired before we go. Go to the bed and lean over it, move your feet shoulder-width apart.” She was wearing the very short and very sheer dress Colt had sent up to her room earlier, and God knew he didn’t have any trouble seeing that she didn’t have on a bra or panties, but the inspection wasn’t really about verifying that she’d worn the clothes she was supposed to, it was about establishing power and checking how wet she was so that they’d know if what happened from this point forward was arousing her or not. Women’s bodies were brutally honest even when their words or expressions attempted to camouflage their real feelings. He also had a nice little bullet vibrator, a small butt plug, and a tube of lube in his pocket, she was going to get a taste of how it felt to take a stroll with her pussy aching with need. Oh yeah, the remote control was going to let him give sweet Jenna a few “Oh shit” moments on the way to The Club. He would hand it over to Colt when they met in the main room of The Club. Almost every member of the security team was going to witness her punishment, they were owed this for the reaming they’d taken for letting Jenna and Rissa just walk right past them. He and Colt were still steaming about that, and the Lamonts had nearly come apart at the seams when they’d heard about the huge lapse in security.
Jenna’s brothers had no desire to see their sister stripped naked and punished publically and had put some pretty heavy restrictions in place, but they had ultimately agreed that her Dom should be allowed to punish her in a way he thought appropriate. She wouldn’t be sitting comfortably for a few days, but then neither would Rissa.
When Jenna had bent over, he walked over and flipped up her skirt, exposing her bare ass, he ran his fingers through her folds and found they were moistening quickly. Yes, Colt’s little warrior pixie is a true submissive. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew the lube. After applying a generous amount to both her puckered rear hole and his fingers, he began rimming her, and then slowly pushed in two fingers at the same time. He heard her gasp and watched as she clutched the duvet in her fists at the same time she moaned and pushed back into him. “You’re doing fine, sweetness. I’m going to put a plug in your ass now, relax and press back into it.” He felt the rush of moisture from her pussy slide onto his fingers, God, she was so very responsive. “Good girl, almost there.” He continued to fuck her ass with the plug, gaining ground with each stroke. It was a much larger plug than they had used last time, but still wasn’t a large as Colt’s cock. They had wanted her stretched but not so that she was completely prepared. That pinch of pain during the scene was going to be a part of her punishment, and she would know it soon enough. Finally seating the plug all the way, he could visibly see the muscles of her ass flexing. He slowly massaged her ass, then slid his fingers between her thighs and pressed the bullet vibrator deep into her vaginal opening using his long, slender middle finger to be sure it was up against her G-spot. Oh, sweetheart, you are in for a ride. Laughing to himself, he made sure his features were impassive before pulling her back to her feet.
Jenna felt unsteady when Mitch pulled her back to her feet. She wasn’t sure if it was from standing so quickly or because of sensation overload. Holy shit, she felt so full, how on earth was she supposed to walk with these things stuck up her privates? Holy crap, what have I gotten myself into? This is just over-the-top, I can’t do this. Just as she was about to tell Mitch that she’d changed her mind, something inside of her started to vibrate, and she heard a strange ani
malistic noise. Just as it registered in her mind that the sound had come from her, she felt her knees buckle.
Mitch had already put his hand on her arm to steady her when she’d stood up and swayed precariously, so he wasn’t at all surprised when he switched on the bullet that her knees had gone out from under her. Her eyes had practically rolled back in her head. He’d been listening to her thoughts all the time he’d been in the room, and they had been scattered. They’d raced from concern for her new friend, Rissa, to worry about letting Colt down in front of his men, to fear that she wasn’t going to be brave enough to face the punishment, to a complete whiteout from sensation. He found it interesting that she hadn’t once thought about the pain.
“Whoa, steady now. Take a couple of deep breaths, you’re doing fine. Just so you know, that is the lowest setting, and you will be experiencing the higher settings before we are done playing. Now, let’s get moving, your Master is waiting.” He wasn’t going to tell her that Rissa would not be participating in this scene. He would be meting out her punishment in private. Dylan Marshall had been adamant that even though he wasn’t willing to share all the details, public punishment was absolutely not going to happen. He had come clear out of his chair, and the man who was renowned in The Club as being even more detached than Alex Lamont had nearly become a raving lunatic until he realized that everyone was simply staring at him, bewildered.
