Dungeon Daddy

by Jane Henry

  I nodded. “Yes.” I smiled at her intelligence and intuition. “I agree. The trick is finding someone whose dreams dovetail with your own.”

  She sobered then, her lips drawing down into a frown. “Is it foolish to hope that my dreams align with yours, Ryder? So soon? When I have no real experience, and we have no idea where we go from here?”

  “If it’s foolish, then count us both fools, Rae.”

  She leaned in, her hands gently sliding down my face, and kissed me, a soft, tentative kiss at first that I instinctively deepened, pulling her pelvis against me, sliding my legs apart so I could pull her to me. I slid my tongue gently in her mouth, an exploration, and she welcomed me, her sigh mingling with my moan as we kissed like reunited long-lost lovers, a fusion of hope and passion.

  Finally, I pulled away. “It’s time I take you to the dungeon, babygirl.”

  Her eyes lit up, her swollen lips parted in excitement. “I’m ready, Daddy.”

  She wasn’t, she had no idea what she was in for, but I’d help her.

  “What are the two rules you have to remember when we go down there?”

  “Do what you tell me.”

  “That’s one.”

  “And…” her voice trailed off and she bit her lip. I crossed my arms and waited. “Uh…”

  Taking her by the arm, I spun her around and gave her a sharp crack to her backside.

  “Ow!”

  “Other couples? Remember?”

  “Oh. Right. Never interfere with a scene.”

  I growled, and took her by the hand. “It’s a major rule here, Rae. And if you break it, I’ll have to punish you in front of everyone -- severely.”

  As soon as I spoke the words, I wanted to take them back, remembering that she’d fantasized about public punishment. “And just because you think that sounds hot doesn’t mean that you’ll really like it if it happens. Got it?”

  “Mm. Okay.”

  I groaned. She didn’t sound so sure at all.

  I opened the door to the office. She’d been prepared. She knew the rules. If she broke them, she’d know what to expect.

  Caden rounded the corner. “Boss?”

  Jesus, I’d almost forgotten all about Caden’s instructions. “Yeah?”

  He paused for a brief second, his eyes halting on Rae next to me, and I looked at her as if for the first time. Her eyes were bright and excited, her lips full and pink from having been kissed. Her stark hair contrasted with her delicate ivory skin, and the sleek black dress accentuated every curve and angle. She was goddamned stunning.

  For a brief moment I contemplated hauling her ass back up to my place and keeping her away from everyone, but I’d made a promise to her.

  Caden cleared his throat and pulled his eyes away from Rae. “Went through what we discussed.”

  “Do we need to go back to my office?” I jerked a thumb at the door but he shook his head once.

  “No. There’s nothing to tell you. Footage from earlier has been wiped clean.”

  I froze, a cold realization dawning on me. “Is that right?” Someone in my club was tampering with evidence. I needed my staff on, observing everything they could, and my hand went to my phone before I realized that I couldn’t call Seth or Dean. And could I even trust what Zack had told me?

  “Thank you, Caden. Much appreciated.”

  “Do we need to go upstairs?” Rae asked.

  “No. We’re going downstairs. What we need now is time. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” I smiled at her. “If we bring the focus to the dungeon, whoever is up to something might feel it’s safe to make a move.” I tugged her hand. “Let’s go.”

  14

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Rae

  I walked beside Ryder. I knew I was in trouble. I barely knew the guy, and already, I was falling for him. Every time he issued a command—to one of his staff, or a low growl to me—my heart leapt in my chest. My panties were still damp from climaxing in his office, and I knew he wanted me the way I wanted him. Inside me. Alone. I wanted to make love.

  When his hand slapped my backside, arousal surged through me like molten lava, steaming hot, and uncontrollable. The way his blue eyes turned stormy or cloudy or hot with arousal made the breath whoosh out of me. His strong, powerful body next to mine made me feel soft and feminine, yet overcoming my inclination to push back against his authority empowered me.

  I’d walked out of a nightmare existence and straight into a fantasy. And I didn’t trust it. I didn’t believe it. It was too good to be true.

  “I’ll need to check on my crew in a short while, but for now, it’s time we enter. Guests are arriving. Stay close to me. And for Christ’s sake, Rae.” His tone sharpened. “Do what I fucking say.”

  “We’ve already established that,” I said, a twang of irritation at his harping on about obeying him making my tone snappier than I intended.

  “Up against the wall. Now.”

  The sharp, sudden command took me by surprise. I turned to look at him, but he released my hand, raised a brow, and pointed to the vacant wall of the hallway. My eyes on him, I tentatively walked toward the wall, painted a high gloss black with silver black and white prints scattered throughout. My breath caught in my throat, and I trembled a bit.

  He bit out a command. “Face the wall.”

  I obeyed, my eyes ahead of me on the glossy black wall, my hands placed lightly up against the cool surface. I didn’t really know what he wanted me to do.

  He stood several paces behind me. Though I couldn’t see him, I could feel his eyes on me. I shivered as one minute passed, and then two. “I want you to think about obeying me, Rae. Think about why you want to do this, and what it means for us. Take a few moments to do that.”

  Alone and vulnerable, he could do whatever he wanted to from his position of power behind me, I did think.

  He’d said this would be much harder in real life than in the fantasies I’d had.

  He wasn’t wrong.

  However, it was far better than anything I’d ever expected, and I knew that this was what I wanted—me. Him. Us. This dance with the power exchange that challenged me, pushed me, and fulfilled what I craved so deeply.

  “Do you want this?”

  I jumped. So immersed in my thoughts, I hadn’t realized he’d come so close. His breath tickled me, but he didn’t touch me. He didn’t need to. My body responded unconsciously to his voice, the low, seductive purr making my panties dampen and my breath come in ragged gasps.

  “Yes. I want this, Ryder.”

  A brief pause and then I felt the bottom of my dress lifted before pain blossomed across my ass with a sharp crack.

  “Then you do what you’re fucking told in there.”

  Immediately humbled and turned on, I nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”

  He spun me around, wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, and pulled my mouth to his in a kiss that was so deep, so immediately sensual, that my knees buckled. He took what was his.

  He released me, took me by the hand, and we marched in silence toward the elevator a few paces ahead of us, me breathless, my heart still racing against my rib cage, him with lips thinned with determination. He pressed a glowing silver circle to take us downstairs, and the doors immediately opened, waiting for us.

  He waved me in ahead of him. I stepped onto the elevator. He followed, the doors sliding noiselessly shut, then he pressed a large D on the column of buttons, and the elevator dropped with a sharp descent. The walls were mirrored, silver lights illuminating the interior.

  “We’ve come a long way, in a short time,” I finally said, breaking the silence.

  He looked at me, and one corner of his mouth quirked up. “From you smacking me upside the head with an iron?”

  I crossed my arms on my chest. “I meant from you breaking and entering, but whatever.”

  He smiled, revealing white teeth, his beautiful eyes crinkling at the edges. “I still owe you a spanking for that.”

  Though
I feigned outrage, my heart pitter pattered in my chest. “What? No fair. You’ve spanked me maybe ten times since then.”

  “I’ve given you a few swats here and there. Little love pats, and you deserved it each time.”

  “Well I’m grandfathered in, because I hadn’t consented to your authority at that juncture.”

  “Oh? That’s written in the fine print, is it?”

  “It should be!”

  The elevator came to a halt and he sobered then, taking me by the hand. “No fine print when I make the rules, baby girl.” Before the doors to the elevator opened, though, a high-pitched scream ripped through the air. Ryder froze, my hand in his, as the doors slid open.

  “Stay by my side and do what you’re fucking told,” he said.

  Seth jogged past us and a crowd of people gathered around an area. It was hard for me to see what was going on from where I stood, but I heard Seth’s deep, booming voice across the room. “Everyone freeze! There’s no need to panic. Ryder pushed his way forward. In front of us sat a woman, her knees drawn to her chest. She wore a short black skirt, platform heels, and a bright pink tank top. She was shaking her head from side to side, as if terrified.

  Seth crouched down to her and whispered, and Ryder released my hand only long enough to join Seth, beckoning for me to come closer.

  “He didn’t honor my safeword,” she whispered, her eyes closed. “He -- he put the hood on me.”

  “Sensory deprivation hood?” Ryder asked sternly. She jumped, looked up at him and nodded.

  “I didn’t know you were here, Master Ryder. Yes. But I couldn’t breathe. That was a hard limit. And I safeworded and he caned me for resisting. I was cuffed to the table so I couldn’t get away.” She shuddered.

  “Who did this to you?” Seth asked.

  “I don’t know who he was,” she replied. “I’ve never seen him before. When I screamed, one of the guards stepped in and the man ran.

  Seth sighed and looked to Ryder, who stood. “Contact Caden and have him see what he can find.” He stood. “If anyone else here knows anything that can lead us to the perpetrator, have them let us know right away.” Ryder reached for the woman’s hand and helped her to her feet. “We’re going to get you some help. We have a member here who’s a licensed therapist.” He turned to Seth. “Contact Rochelle?”

  Seth nodded, and offered his hand to the woman, who took it with a grateful sigh. I was close enough to Ryder that I could hear what Seth said when he leaned in close to speak to him.

  “Best keep things normal here tonight. Carry on as if nothing happened. My money’s on someone trying to make us look bad. Girl’s okay, we’ll go over footage. Chances are the guy’s already left. I’ll make sure to call in backup security.”

  Ryder nodded. “Let me know if you hear anything at all. Got it?”

  Seth nodded, and he and the girl took their leave. Ryder turned to the crowd.

  “Alright, folks. We’ll take care of the disturbance here and make sure all safety precautions are in place. Members are reminded that failure to honor safewords will result in immediate removal from our premises as well as potential charges for assault.” He turned and faced the bar. “Drinks on the house for all members.”

  A murmur of approval went up from the crowd, and soon guests were mingling and making their way up to the bar.

  “I’m doing everything I can, Rae,” Ryder said to me. “Take a good look around here, and try to relax. Focus on me. On doing what I say.”

  I didn’t really know what to expect from what I’d read. My understanding was that dungeons ranged from high-end and classy to sordid.

  At first glance, it didn’t look much different from what I assumed a high-end night club looked like. Dance music played loudly, and a crowd of people danced to the music. Excitement grew in my chest as I walked in with Ryder, his hand on mine firm and heartening. I would not lose my nerve. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “You’re the most gorgeous woman in here, and you belong to me. There is nothing to be afraid of. Just follow my lead.”

  The first indication I got that something was amiss was when I looked to the left of the large bar. The bartender, a large, muscular man with a shaved head and a tight black t-shirt stretched across his chest, wore a heavy silver cuff around his wrist. When we drew closer, I saw why. A woman on all fours, dressed in nothing but a sheer negligee, knelt at his feet.

  God! I inhaled deeply, but kept stride with Ryder as he took a seat at the bar. “The usual for me, a ginger ale for my girl.”

  I loved when he called me that.

  “I’d like something a little stronger,” I said, and when his eyes shot to mine, so I tacked on, “Please.”

  He shook his head. “If I ask you what you’d like to drink, you may tell me,” he said, taking the two frosted glasses from the bartender. “Speak out of turn again, and I take you across my knee.”

  He handed me the drink. He’d spank me for speaking?

  I reached for the glass but froze at the look he gave me.

  “Did I give you permission to sip that?”

  I placed it down on the bar, the glass clinking. Though the sounds around us carried on, I felt as if everyone could hear the pounding of my heart. He leaned in, entwined his fingers in my hair and tugged so hard my mouth fell open, a piercing pain radiating from his touch. “You touch nothing without my permission. Do you understand me?”

  Desire licked through me at his utter command. “Yes, Daddy,” I whispered, my heart in my throat as tears stung my eyes. I wasn’t quite sure why I got all choked up. I loved this.

  Another tug, and his command rocked me.

  “On your knees.”

  I fell to the floor in front of him, and to my surprise it yielded a bit to my weight. I cast my eyes about quickly, not daring to move my head, and noticed I was by no means the only one on her knees. Clearly, they’d prepared for us.

  Ryder took my chin in hand and lifted my eyes to his. “Eyes on me, little girl,” he said in a soft, sultry drawl. “You don’t look to the side, or away from me when I address you.”

  I nodded. His voice softened then and he lowered his mouth to my ear. “Baby, your eyes are filled with tears. Remember your safeword and repeat it to Daddy.”

  I blinked and swallowed, trying hard to calm myself. “Austen,”

  “Good,” he said. “If you need it, you say it. Understood?”

  I nodded. “But you’re not even doing anything to me,” I whispered. “It would be stupid to use a safeword when we’re not in a scene.”

  His mouth came to my ear one more time. “Baby girl, we’ve been in a scene since you stepped off that elevator. I am going to tell you one more time. If you need your safeword, use it. Otherwise, I will punish you by not allowing you down here for a very long time. Got it?”

  I nodded and whispered, “Yes. Thank you, Daddy.”

  “Good girl,” he said, and that was the last gentle word I got from him. “Back on your stool, now.” I felt the eyes of so many around us my cheeks flamed. I’d set foot in the dungeon as the new submissive to Master Ryder, and every single person here knew it. I sat back on my stool, satisfied I’d passed my test, content in the knowledge that I was the property of the most powerful, most experienced Dungeon Master in Limits.

  “Eyes to me, Anne.” I looked to him, surprised at how weird it was to hear him call me something different. I much preferred baby. He held my glass in his hand. “Are you thirsty?”

  I nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Good. Take a sip.” He lifted the glass to my lips and I took a tentative sip, surprised at how the cool, sweet liquid energized me. He took it away and slid it on the counter.

  “We’ll be back,” he told the bartender, then got to his feet and took me by the hand. “I should’ve gotten a collar to bring with us,” he muttered to himself.

  I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him that interested me, but a sharp look had me holding my tongue.

  “Come with me, bab
e,” he said. “There are things I want to show you.”

  As he walked he held his head high, as if he were proud of me, and eyes followed us. “Permission to speak, Daddy?”

  “Yes?”

  I leaned in to whisper. “Why are they all staring?”

  “They know me, honey. I’m they’re leader. And word is spreading that I’ve taken another submissive. And also? You’re stunning.”

  It was on the tip of my tongue to counter this comment, but I didn’t want to push my luck.

  To my right were three men and one woman. I stopped breathing once I realized what was going on. She was laid across the lap of one man, who had his hands up her skirt, while another man knelt behind her and a third plied her with a stout riding whip. Oh my God. Her moans and gasps could be heard even from where I stood. What would it be like to have two men pleasure me while one brought me pain?

  I glanced at Ryder, who only smirked. “I don’t share, kitten.”

  Though I was a bit disappointed to hear this, a part of me felt a rush of pleasure. I was all his, and he wouldn’t share me with anyone.

  And I liked “kitten.” I smiled at him. “When you call me ‘kitten’ it makes me want to purr.”

  The familiar grip on the back of my neck made me shiver. “Believe me. I can take care of you without some other man touching you. And I’d kill any man who tried. Kitten.”

  Yeah, I could live with the over-the-top possessive thing instead.

  As we walked, a sharp cry caught my attention. “No, Master! No!” A woman stood, tied to what looked like a whipping post, her hands bound. She wore nothing but a short skirt and tank top, and a huge man with a large leather paddle stood behind her. He reared back and slapped the paddle against the woman’s ass with a crack that made me jump.

  “No!” she repeated.

  I pulled my hand away from Ryder and turned to the woman, ready to knock the paddle out of the guy’s hand. Tears stained the cheeks of the woman bound to the post.

  I turned to Ryder. “Do something! She said no!” To my surprise, he didn’t stop them but immediately grabbed my arm, pulled me to his torso and whacked my ass, hard, three times in rapid succession.