by Zoey Derrick
“Dacotah…”
“You can call me Cotah,” she says and I smile.
“Cotah, so you know Cami and Tristan?”
“I didn’t, not until that week in Vegas. Derek took me to one of their charity events. I fangirled over Tristan, Derek laughed at me, called me crazy, then the next day we had lunch with them. Cami and I hit it off pretty well. We became pretty good friends and she invited me to Jaden’s first birthday party, which is where Derek found me again.” She nods in Derek’s direction.
I giggle. “The We Are One Event?” I ask and she nods. “I was at that event. Running around like a maniac, but I was there.”
“Oh that’s too funny. I’m surprised you haven’t met Derek before today. He’s been in Cami’s office several times since she took over.”
I shrug. “Honestly, he looks familiar, but so much of the time I was running around that office like a mad woman.” I shrug and take a sip of my Cosmo.
“Yeah, you’ve always been pretty preoccupied,” Dex chimes in and I look at him. “Sweetheart, I’ve seen you in that office a few times and never once did you pay me any attention.”
I nearly spew alcohol threw my nose and the three of them laugh. “That you know of. The same could be said for you, mister.” I bump shoulders with him.
With the funny banter between the four of us, our night slides into a normal friendship style, talking about work, business, the band, the tour, and all that fun stuff. We left shortly after finishing our drinks for dinner. Derek took us to a nice, not overly fancy place to eat before we played a game of musical cars. Derek had said that he wanted to be sure no one was following us. After the roundabout and twenty minutes, we arrived outside of The Box.
I can kind of see where The Box gets its name. The building is exactly that, a box. Though it looks like a more run down warehouse on the outside, with the exception of the rather ornate looking doors we’re standing before now. I watch as Dacotah shifts her stance, and I can watch as her submissive side comes back. She and I have already exchanged phone numbers, vowing to talk frequently. She’d told me to call her with any questions but that she herself is still learning the lifestyle and learning what she likes and hates about it.
Derek, with a massive duffle bag thrown over his shoulder, punches in a code. “We’re here before the doors officially open. Master Orik, who you’re going to meet in a moment, is the owner of The Box. He’s going to go over a few rules for the two of you. If you decide you want to stay after the doors open, he’s going to need some information from the two of you, for security purposes. But I can assure you, anonymity is important and required.” He opens the door and ushers us inside.
We step into a rather dark reception area. There are a couple of chairs and a podium that stands in front of curtain covered doors.
Derek continues, “Most of the people who come here have alternate names that they use. For example, I am Orion, Master Orion or Sir Orion.” His eyes light up when he tells us his club name. I watch as Dacotah smiles. “Depending on who is here tonight, you may recognize a couple of them. The Box is an exclusive club that caters to the wealthier side of Nashville, including celebrities.”
“Oh goody,” Dex says a little sarcastically and I want to punch his shoulder.
“Oh believe me,” Derek says without hesitation. “No one in this club talks about its members outside these doors. It’s against the rules for one and for two, speaking about the club, or its members, puts the entire operation at risk, which can include the closing of the doors. One thing you will quickly learn about those in this lifestyle is that there is no judgment on anyone’s part and odds are, outing one member means that the person doing it has just as much if not more to lose as well.”
“He’s absolutely right.” A deep baritone voice says from behind Derek. “Sir Orion.” The burly man that accompanies the voice comes to shake Derek’s hand and Dacotah bows her head and clasps her hands in front of her.
“How are you, Master Orik?”
“Fabulous. Are these your friends?”
“They are. Dex, I’d like you to meet Master Orik, owner of The Box and our tour guide for this first little bit.”
Dex releases my hand to take Master Orik’s. “Pleasure to meet you, Master Orik.”
“Likewise. If I must say, before we enter the club itself, that I’m a huge fan.”
Dex chuckles. “I can’t take this mug anywhere, can I?” The men all laugh.
“No, probably not, but I assure you, I will be the only one saying anything about it. And who is this beauty next to you?”
“This is Raine.” Dex gently places his hand behind my back, giving me some encouragement. I’m sure he can sense how nervous I am. I extend my hand to him.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Master Orik,” I say politely.
“Likewise Raine.” He releases my hand. “Welcome to The Box. If I’m remembering correctly, you and Raine here are interested in the lifestyle?”
Master Orik does not address me, only Dex, which I can tell since he’s yet to acknowledge Dacotah is protocol, so I keep my mouth shut. “We are. More interested in learning about the dynamics and of course I’d like to learn about some of the tools of the trade as well.”
“Absolutely.” Master Orik smiles at him.
“I’ve been to a couple of clubs before, learned some, but hardly enough to make a BDSM relationship with Raine completely safe. I know she’s never been to a club before.”
“Excellent. Orion here is a pretty good teacher, though I understand you live in LA?”
“We do,” Dex replies.
“There are some wonderful clubs out that way. I’d love to get you some information on a few of them. In fact, there is another club with the same type of clientele as I have here, and owned by a good friend. We’ll get you hooked up.”
“I belong to that club too,” Derek chimes in. “It’s not as good as The Box, but it’s comparable.”
“Wonderful,” Master Orik says. “Before we can go in, I need a few things from the two of you, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Dex answers quickly.
After handing over our driver’s licenses to have Master Orik complete a form and then finally signing a confidentiality agreement that states we will not discuss the club or its members outside of these four walls, Master Orik walks toward the curtain.
“The reception area here is where everyone checks in for the evening. All members are on a master list and the list is used so that we know who is here at any given time. In general, no one’s real names are used. Or only their first names preceded by their titles. Once they’re checked in, they’re allowed to enter the club. There are a few of my dungeon monitors here already as we open in a little over an hour and they’re going about their duties. Dungeon Monitors are here for everyone’s protection. The submissive, should she safeword while doing a scene, are immediately protected by our DMs. The situation is assessed before the submissive can be released back to her Master or Dominant. They’re also here to protect Dominants and the other people within the club. Most of the time, they are in the shadows and are hardly noticeable. They themselves are either Dominants, submissives or switches.”
With that, Master Orik pulls back the curtain, and beyond it there is a slight blue glow of black lights. He ushers us through the curtain and my breath catches in my throat as I take in the sight before me. The room is massive. The floor and walls are black and lining the room are various apparatuses from St. Andrew’s Crosses, to tables, frames, and benches. In the center of the room there are several tables in front of what appears to be a bar.
“We do not serve alcohol, but we do offer a variety of juices and waters. Can I get you anything?” Master Orik asks and Dex meets my wide eyes. I shake my head.
“No, thank you,” Dex says and Derek declines as well.
“Master Orik?” a gentleman calls from the other side of the room.
“Excuse me.” Master Orik dismisses him
self.
Derek turns to us. “What do you think?”
“It’s big,” Dex says. “Probably the biggest I’ve seen.”
“It is, probably one of the biggest in the country. Orik expanded a few years back. His clientele was growing and so was the demand. He was forced to limit the number of people to first come first serve or a sign up, so he expanded. We don’t get a lot of time tonight because of the club being open, but if you guys would like to stay, and watch…” He doesn’t finish his thought and Dex looks to me.
“I’d love to stay,” I tell him and Derek lights up.
“Good,” Derek says before he slides the bag off of his shoulder and hands it to Cotah. “Take this to our room.” He leans down and kisses her cheek. “You know what to do.”
“Yes, Sir,” she says with enthusiasm.
She disappears toward where Master Orik disappeared a few moments ago. “There are private rooms back there. You can rent or purchase one for your personal use. If you want to stay, Cotah has agreed to being put on display, to give you guys a chance to see how we play.”
“Oh she doesn’t…” I start to say and he stops me with a look.
“If there is one thing I’ve learned about this lifestyle, Raine, it’s that you can read about it all you want, you can watch all the bad porn you desire, but nothing compares to seeing the real thing in action. You may not get another chance to see this for yourself. So, if you don’t mind, we’d like to show you and Dex.”
I nod and give him a small smile. “I’d like that.”
“Good. Now, since Orik is occupied, I’ll show you a few more things while Cotah gets ready.” He turns and leads us toward the bar area, then makes a left. “There are no gender roles in this dungeon. He points to two different doors. One says Dominants, the other submissives. “Dominants and submissives are both male and female, inside the room are private dressing/changing rooms and restrooms along with lockers and a common area.” He goes toward another hallway that is lined with curtains. “This is an aftercare area. For club members who do not rent rooms, they’re allowed to use these for their aftercare purposes.” He stops in front of one of the pulled back curtain doors.
I look inside the room and there is a bed, about full or queen size, along with a nightstand and a doorway that appears to have a bathroom and standing shower inside. One of the common things I’ve noticed throughout the dungeon and now in here is that there are bowls of chocolates everywhere and I wonder what that’s all about.
“Each night stand is actually a fridge with water and Gatorade in them. One of the most important things that can happen after a scene is aftercare, and hydration is important. The chocolate is a sweet, and if you’ve never tried eating chocolate after sex, you should.” He grins. “There is just something about it that is blissful.”
“I’ve heard of that,” Dex says with a smirk. “She could have used that a time or two.”
I shoulder check him. “Hey now.” Both men laugh.
Derek ushers us back into the dungeon area of the club and Master Orik returns. “Where’s Cotah?” he asks Derek, which surprises me because he’s paid her no attention so far.
“She’s changing. They’d like to stay and they’re going to watch us scene.”
“Excellent idea.”
“Will Cherry be here tonight?” Derek asks.
“She’s up in my office right now. She’s being a brat.”
That doesn’t sound good.
Derek smiles and shakes his head. “You know she only acts like that to rile you up.”
Master Orik laughs. “I know and I fucking love it. I’ll let her come down later. She’s do for a good punishment. Maybe I should just tie her to a chair and make her watch Cotah.”
“Now that’s an idea,” Derek says.
I squeeze Dex’s hand and I’m longing for a few minutes alone to talk to him. To ask him how he’s handling all this, but I can tell by the way his eyes are lit up that he’s observing as much information as Derek can throw at him tonight. A thrill runs up my spine.
“Raine, will you come with me?” Derek asks me and I turn to Dex who smiles and nods.
I stand from the table we occupied a few minutes ago and follow Derek toward the private rooms.
“How are you handling all this?” he asks me once we’re out of ear shot.
“I’m already in love and I haven’t seen anything yet.”
He smiles at me. “What makes you so interested in the lifestyle?”
“If I say I’ve read too many books, does that sound too cliché?”
He chuckles. “No, not really. Books can be a good gateway, but I know of several books that do a bad job of portraying the lifestyle.”
“I agree completely. I’ve read a few of those. I tend to stick to those written by authors who are active in the lifestyle. It makes them easier to understand because they do a better job of explaining it. But in all honesty, I think a lot of it stems from my willingness to let it all go at the pleasure of someone else. But I also think that I have a Dominant side to me as well.”
“Do you see yourself in that role?” he asks.
“I can, and in a way, I enjoy that side of things too. Dex also has a submissive side to him as well.”
“That will make for an interesting dynamic between the two of you.”
“How so?” I ask.
“Well,” he pauses in front of a door, “sometimes it can be a struggle to let go when you really want to top. Other times it is hard to top when you really want to be on the bottom. Which are you more interested in learning first?” he asks me with honest curiosity in his voice.
“The bottom,” I tell him with conviction.
“Why?”
“Because I like the way Dex makes me feel when he takes control. I love the way I feel when I am at his mercy. It’s empowering and enlightening. I want to please him.”
He smiles. “That is a great place to start. Now, I’m going to ask you a few personal questions.”
“Okay.”
“Safeword?” He raises an eyebrow at me.
“Kit Kat.”
He chuckles. “Hard limits?”
“Feces.” I watch him shudder.
“No argument there. Anything else?”
“Without knowing, I can’t say for sure. I’m open to trying anything and…” I hesitate to tell him the next part. He raises an eyebrow, expecting me to continue and my inner submissive kicks in, “I love pain.” I reach up to the V of my dress and pull it wide enough so that he can see Dex’s marks.
“Oh, ouch,” he says.
“It was a heat of the moment thing the first time. I begged for the second.”
“We’re going to get along just fine.” He smiles. “I’m going to open this door. Cotah, being the good girl I know she is, will be on her knees, facing the wall. She will be naked except for a pair of boy shorts. Does that bother you?”
I shake my head.
He opens the door. He was right. She is kneeling in the corner, her back to us, her head lowered and her palms are resting on her thighs.
I watch Derek as he admires her. There is a gloss that fills his eyes as he looks upon his sub. There is a loving adoration that is coming off of him in waves as he steps toward her. He unbuttons his dress shirt as he goes, removing it before he reaches her and tossing it over the back of a chair. When he comes to stand next to her, he gently rubs along her head and she comes alive, leaning into his touch. “Well done, pet,” he tells her.
There is a level of intimacy that comes with what I’m watching that I almost want to turn away from.
“Raine is in here with us. Nod if you understand.” I watch as she nods twice. There was no hesitation in her nod and I take comfort in that. “Rise up and present your wrists.”
I watch as she rises to her feet and she turns to face him. I notice now that the necklace I’d seen her wearing earlier has been replaced by a black leather collar that has a loop hanging from the center of it. A shiv
er slides up my spine as envy and jealousy rock through me. What I wouldn’t give to be in her shoes right now. Only with Dex leading the charge.
She presents her wrists to him and he reaches onto the chest of drawers and pulls one of the four cuffs sitting atop it. He makes quick work of securing it to her wrist, then checking its tightness. I shiver. He repeats the process for the other wrist. When he’s done he brushes his hand gently along her cheek. “Spread for me, pet,” he says and she widens her stance, then places her hands behind her back, bending and grabbing the opposite elbow.
Derek lowers himself to the floor, bringing the two other cuffs with him, and quickly secures them around her ankles. Then he rises to stand before her. The look in his eyes is back to the loving admiration I saw earlier as he cups her chin in his hand and lifts her face to look at his. “Open your eyes,” he commands and she does. I watch as she visibly melts. Much the way I do when I look at Dex. Then Derek kisses her, hard and full of love, passion and desperation. She moans into his mouth when he pulls back. The loss nearly insufferable to her.
He reaches for the last thing on the desk and the noise it makes as he picks it up sends another thrill through me as the chains clink together. I watch as he clips the end into the loop on her collar and she instantly lowers her chin, her eyes downcast. “Come,” he commands and he starts walking toward me. I step out of the way so that he may pass. “Ready?” he asks me.
“Yes,” I breathe out and he smiles a knowing smile at me.
I fall in behind him and Cotah as we walk back toward the dungeon. There are a few people inside now as the club is opening to its members. I quickly spot Dex, but I wait to be dismissed from Derek before going over to him. He turns toward me and says, “Grab a chair and Dex. I’m going to take Cotah to that cross.” He points to a table where the duffle bag is sitting now. He’d fetched it right after we sat down, before he took me back to claim Cotah.
