Club Wonderland

by Christine d'Abo

“Why did you stay, Alice?” He swallowed, and she became fascinated by the movement of his Adam’s apple. “The second you walked out onto the main floor and realized this wasn’t a typical club, why didn’t you turn around and leave?”

  Why indeed. “I was going to. I realized it was a sex club and that you wouldn’t want me to know about you being here. But then I...” It was more than simple curiosity and she knew it. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes. “I realized that if you were here then there was a reason for it. I wanted to understand what that reason was.”

  “So you could blackmail me?”

  “God, no! Why does everyone think I would do something like that?” Maybe Gael thought she was shallow and was trying to find a way to make some extra money on the side. It would explain why he tried to warn her away the way he did. But she couldn’t believe anyone would think her capable of being so deceitful. “I like you. I thought if I understood what it was that drew you to here that I might have a better chance at understanding what you looked for in a woman.”

  And there it was, the embarrassing truth. Alice had a crush on Gael. He’d rejected her once, telling her he wasn’t interested in a relationship. No, he was apparently into having kinky sex with strangers. Now was his opportunity to reject her a second time. The only difference was this time Alice understood the full reason behind his rejection.

  She was the least kinky person out there. How the hell could she compete with the women in this club?

  The answer was, she couldn’t. Time to leave.

  Gael released her shoulders, but didn’t completely pull back. “Do you understand what it is I look for here?”

  No. “A little bit. Mistress Red tried to explain things to me. You’re dominant and like your partners to be submissive.”

  “But do you understand what that means?”

  There wasn’t much point in lying. “Not really.”

  She couldn’t be certain, but she got the impression Gael was making a difficult choice when he stood up and offered her his hand. “Come with me.”

  “Why?” Her entire arm tingled as she slipped her hand into his and shakily got to her feet. It took a moment for the blood to start flowing once more and she was able to walk without stumbling. Gael waited patiently until she took a few steps.

  “Why should be obvious. You wanted to learn about me—here’s your opportunity. You’ll only get one. And if you give me time to think this over, my rational side will kick in.”

  She gasped as he pulled her hard against his side and pressed his mouth to her ear. “I can either take you to the front door and get you a taxi, or you can come with me. Which will it be?”

  Heart racing and body trembling, she tried to get herself under control. She couldn’t back down now, not after everything she’d been through so far tonight. Turning her face so her mouth brushed against his cheek, Alice whispered, “Teach me. Sir.”

  Chapter Six

  Gael’s cock went hard as stone the moment Alice called him Sir. It was worse than the accidental slip at the office, because this time she understood that there was a certain amount of power behind the phrase. It didn’t hurt that it came out sounding so innocent, practically inviting him to slap a collar around her neck and claim her as his.

  This was the single dumbest thing he’d ever done.

  A whole shit-pile of trouble, given the look of excitement and lust on her face. No woman should be able to be so alluring without trying. He hadn’t given Alice much thought the first month he’d started working at the firm. She was yet another pretty face who floated around the office, someone who was savvy when it came to her job. It wasn’t until that second month, when a bunch of the newer lawyers got together for Friday afternoon drinks and they started discussing the various women in the office that Gael’s mind went there.

  Man, did it ever go there.

  Most of the associate lawyers had her on their list of wanna fuck. The more the alcohol had flowed that day, the more graphic their descriptions had gotten, the more Gael wanted to beat the shit out of them. Even Uncle Stephen had more than a few choice descriptions for what he’d do to Alice given half a chance. It had turned Gael’s stomach to the point where he’d gotten up and left without a word. No woman deserved to be talked about like that, let alone Alice. The sweet girl who treated everyone with the same degree of respect and kindness. The woman who never lost her patience, who never demanded anything for herself.

  Alice with her perfectly done hair and makeup that actually enhanced her features rather than cover them up. Her ability to pick the perfect clothing that made her look feminine without coming across as too soft, sexy without being slutty. It was far too easy to picture her sinking to her knees by his desk, his hand circling her neck while his other pulled her hair to expose her neck.

  Gael had been forced to keep his distance from her as much as he could after that. He wasn’t supposed to be looking for a submissive, especially one from the office. Uncle Stephen would have a field day if he discovered that Gael had Alice on her knees, wide-eyed and willing. That would be the reason he’d need to kick Gael to the curb, cutting him off from the income and loan he needed to help his parents’ business.

  So why the hell was he hauling Alice to one of the private rooms?

  Because she’s just too perfect to pass up.

  “Where are we going?” Her words were breathy as she stumbled along behind him. He should be waiting for her, taking care that she wasn’t going to get hurt. Any other day that’s exactly what he’d be doing.

  But not tonight.

  “You asked for this.” He was many things—hard-ass, focused, driven—but being a selfish bastard was at the top of that list. Alice had been sitting in the back of his mind for months now, scratching away at his resolve with her perfectly manicured nails. He tightened his hold on her arm. If this was going to blow up in his face, he was damn well going to enjoy it first. “No backing out now.”

  “I wasn’t. I just wanted to know...can you slow down, please?”

  “No.”

  “But—”

  He stopped short and pulled her hard against him. The thin fabric of her sundress did nothing to hide her body from him. As she pulled in a breath, her breasts pressed against his arm. He could feel the hard peaks of her nipples, tempting him to pull her dress down there and then so he could suck them. She’d be shocked, but she wouldn’t pull away from him. He’d felt this unexplored connection between them for months now. It was time do something about it.

  He took her chin in his hand and held her still. The mixed emotions swirling in her gaze were almost enough to make him change his mind and take her home, away from this place and its madness.

  Almost.

  “There are no buts. No words. I want you to remain silent until I tell you it’s safe to speak. Do you understand?”

  Gael half expected her to continue to prattle on. She talked when she was nervous—that was one of the first things he’d learned about her. He should have known better. Alice’s eyes grew wider, but she only nodded her acceptance. Of course she wouldn’t back down. Stupid, stubborn woman...

  Beautiful, generous, sexy...

  “I’ll answer your questions then, but not before.” Letting her chin go, he kept his hold on her wrist before tugging her along behind him. As much as having her here with him was a fantasy come true, Gael wanted to keep her safe, pure, separate from this part of his life. He’d do anything to ensure no one but him would touch her.

  The main floor of the club was now a hive of activity. Given the time of night, Gael was surprised it had taken this long for many of the members to jump into the roles they all knew and loved. Wonderland served a very specific clientele—Doms looking for a place to play with their subs. The moment most people crossed the threshold past Chess’s watchful gaze, they slipped into their roles without a second thought. That there was a lot of chatter, and not as many of the regulars in attendance, was odd.

  This wasn’t a no-holds b
arred sex club like Mavericks, the other main lifestyle club in town. Although Gael had enjoyed playing there the few times he’d gone, it didn’t give him enough of what he’d been looking for. Mavericks attracted couples or single people looking to get into relationships. He couldn’t get involved with someone. He couldn’t afford the distraction when he’d been going through university. But it was there that he’d met Mistress Red and gained an introduction to Wonderland. Gael hadn’t looked back since.

  By the time they reached the main floor, Gael was faced with a sea of naked bodies. Most of the Doms had broken off, some into smaller groups, some playing only with their subs. There would be an array of activities—floggings, Shibari, humiliations—anything and everything. Although the crowd seemed slow to start, the energy in the room was ramping up quickly, which in turn would push the players deeper into the games. He caught sight of Marcus and Justin over by the suspension ropes. Emily wouldn’t know what hit her once the boys got to work. At least he didn’t have to worry about amusing his friends tonight.

  Gael wanted to be a part of the main flow of the evening, but he wouldn’t risk it with Alice here, in case things went too fast. And they were very likely to, especially if Mistress Red got into one of her moods.

  Red loved pushing his buttons, and the temptation Alice presented was likely too great for her to resist for long. Better for him to take charge and get Alice out the door as quickly as possible.

  Tightening his hold, he pulled her through the crowd. Alice’s steps slowed the deeper they went. He didn’t need to look to know she was taking in the scenes around her. With his fingers pressed to her wrist, he could feel the jump in her pulse, the shudders that ran through her at the sound of the moans, the sharp snap of a whip against skin. She wasn’t disgusted. That was a good first step.

  Sidestepping a spanking bench and skirting around a cage, Gael finally found a free side room and pulled Alice in. “Get on your knees in the middle of the room. Put your hands behind your back.”

  The command came from him without hesitation. He was taking a chance, showing her this side of him without any form of restraint, but the time for that was long past. She was here, knew about this now, hell, there was a chance that she might actually want this for herself. However, it was just as likely that Alice would run screaming as soon as she saw the Dom he kept hidden from the world. He’d deal with that when the time came.

  Gael crossed his arms and locked his gaze out on the main floor. He wouldn’t force her to do anything—that wasn’t the point. If she didn’t give this to him freely, then it would be best to end things before his mind latched on to the idea and refused to let go.

  Too late for that.

  Still, when Alice tentatively stepped further into the room, Gael’s heart began to pound. He forced his body to remain rock-like, cold; he didn’t want her to get any misimpressions of exactly what he had to offer. She couldn’t want this. Not really.

  Alice let out a small huff, moved forward another few paces, and carefully got to her knees. “What should I do with my purse?”

  He closed his eyes and gave himself a few moments to get his libido under control. That question, so softly asked, had managed to fire him up hotter than the most obedient of submissives he’d ever played with before. Beautiful, practical Alice, on her knees waiting for him.

  “On the floor beside you.” He kept his back to her, not wanting to see if her hands shook as she complied. “Nothing will happen to your things.”

  After another few seconds, he finally turned to face her.

  Alice had tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ears, fully exposing the side of her neck to him. The fabric of her sundress was pooled around her knees, pulled up to expose her calves to him. From this angle, he was able to look down the front of her generous cleavage, able to see the fullness of her breasts.

  He moved so he stood in front of her. Normally, he’d like to tease any new subs he played with, determining what their preferences were and how far he could push them. He’d never been faced with a neophyte, someone who didn’t know what this world was, let alone what her role within it would be. She wouldn’t necessarily know that there were rules, let alone what they would be. If he were going to give into this temptation, then he had to be careful not to destroy that innocence inside her along the way.

  “There are going to be rules here tonight.” As soon as the plan came to mind, Gael’s body relaxed into the role, back to being his second skin. He could do this, show her this part of him while keeping himself apart. He’d already learned the hard way about becoming emotionally attached to a sub. At least with Alice he knew her well enough to be able to see if things were getting too serious.

  “I know you don’t understand what we do here, what I like. You are permitted to ask questions. I might decide to answer them. Or not. That is my prerogative as your Dom.”

  Alice nodded, as a flush colored her cheeks.

  “I’ll make that rule number one. Alice must ask questions when she doesn’t understand. Say, ‘yes, Sir.’”

  “Yes, Sir.” The words were spoken softly, but she didn’t seem tentative.

  “Rule number two. You are to trust me. I need you to do what I tell you to, but understand that I won’t do anything that I don’t think you can handle.”

  “But how will you know?” Alice pressed her lips together almost as soon as the question came out. He’d seen this reaction before in a sub. They wanted to know, to press, but were scared of angering him.

  “Did you forget rule one already?” He wanted to touch her, run his hands through her hair and offer her a small measure of comfort, but held himself back. “I won’t punish you for asking questions. Not tonight at least.”

  Somehow, Alice’s big hazel eyes got wider. “There will be another night?”

  Shit. So much for not getting attached. “No.”

  There was a flicker of something in her eyes. Not disappointment exactly. If he didn’t know better, he would have said she looked challenged. He should have known that a woman of her caliber had boundless depths of strength to draw from.

  “To answer your question, I will know because you will tell me in a specific way. Saying ouch won’t cut it. Neither will stop. You’ll have to say Red. That will be the way I know things have gotten too much for you.”

  “Red?” Alice let her gaze slip to the floor. “Why can’t I just say stop or no?”

  “Because some submissives enjoy saying no. They like to push and love it even more when I push them back. The struggle is what’s important.”

  “And how do you push them?” Her gaze was locked on his shoes and a beautiful blush now covered her cheeks and throat. “What exactly do you do?”

  He had learned the power and appeal of restraint early on in his life. It wouldn’t surprise those who were familiar with him in the courtroom that he took control in the bedroom in much the same way.

  Perhaps it was time for Alice to learn firsthand, and to hell with the consequences.

  “Don’t forget that you asked for this.” Closing the distance between them, Gael stopped by her side, pleased that she didn’t move her hands from where they were clasped.

  Alice watched him as he reached out and slid the thin strap of her sundress across her shoulder and down her biceps. Her skin was as soft as he’d imagined it would be, and he went slower than he would normally, liking the way her breath hitched and her blush deepened. She pulled her hands apart for a second, but when he gave her a sharp look, she re-clasped them behind her.

  Goose bumps rose on her skin, trailing in the wake of his touch. The scent of her perfume and sex tickled his nose, making his cock pulse. Regardless of what happened between them here, from now on when he caught a whiff of her scent, he’d associate her with this moment—half-naked on her knees by his side.

  “You know how to stop things. You need to say Red. I’ll back up and you can walk away. I won’t think any less of you.”

  It would kill hi
m, but he’d do it.

  Alice shook her head. “I... No, I’m fine.”

  The top of her dress now pulled on the loose side, exposing her bare breast. Of course she wasn’t wearing a bra. That would be too easy on him, to have that rounded flesh hidden from sight. Instead of focusing on the skin before him, Gael moved around her slowly, running his finger along the back of her shoulders.

  “I know you’ve watched me through the day. Your flirting was obvious, but not obnoxious. Not like some of them. I could feel your eyes on me, could practically hear your thoughts as I’d sit behind my desk. Do you have any idea what you were doing to me? Answer me.”

  Alice gasped as he wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck. Her skin was hot beneath his touch, her hair damp from the humidity in the club and no doubt her own anticipation. He hadn’t toyed with someone like this, stretching the moment out as far as he could, in a very long time.

  “I didn’t realize you’d noticed. I didn’t want you to think I was trying to make a play for you.”

  “Weren’t you?”

  “No!” Alice huffed and turned her face away. “I know some of the girls think I’m working there because I’m trying to land a lawyer husband, but I’m not. It’s not like that.”

  She held still as well as she could, but Gael could feel the tremors running through her body. Encouraged by her reactions, he stood directly behind her, his hand still on her neck, and pulled the second strap down her arm.

  “I never once thought you were after me for my money or my position.”

  “Oh.”

  “You wanted something more than I’m able to give.”

  “But I—”

  He squeezed the back of her neck once more, cutting off further argument from her. “Quiet now.”

  Another tremble rolled through her before she pressed her mouth closed.

  “You sit outside my office, smiling and laughing. It would have been easier to ignore you if you were a bitch, or trying to land a lawyer husband like those fools said. But you’re too fucking sweet to everyone. You look after your friends, help your colleagues, make sure we all have everything we need to do our job. And not once have I heard you ask for anything in return. You’re selfless, and that drives me absolutely mad.”