Fragile: Book One in The Everett Gaming Series
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Why would she say that? Did she really think she wasn’t a good sub or was someone saying that to her? No response came right away. As each text message had come over though, I was learning little bits and pieces to the fragile kitten. I wanted to show her how good this lifestyle can be. She obviously has the interest but hasn’t had a very good start from what it sounds like.
I decided to take another chance and invite her to a small gathering I was having next Saturday. I was having Matt, Gina, Anthony, Blake and his wife and three male Doms over for a casual, relaxed evening. These were all good people and Sydney could see what it's like casually with like-minded people. Maybe she’d let me work with her.
CE: smgirl?
SB: Yes, Mr. Everett?
This girl could put me in an early grave. So fucking submissive and she probably doesn’t even grasp her potential. I needed her to trust me enough to show her. It would change her life. And maybe mine.
CE: Next Saturday, I’m having a small party with some close friends. They’re all into BDSM and are friendly and welcoming. I’d like for you to come so you can see that we’re not all uncaring people.
There was a longer delay, but she finally responded.
SB: Thank you for inviting me, but I couldn’t. I don’t want to impose on you and your friends.
CE: You wouldn’t be imposing. Just a small group of people and there will be food and music and a relaxed atmosphere with good conversation. It’s not a play party. Please consider.
SB: I’ll think about it.
At least she was going to think about it. If I could get her to come over next Saturday, she’d see that Doms can be nice, caring, decent people and not all assholes. I don’t know where her misconceptions are coming from but I’d like the opportunity to clear them up.
When the guys come over Sunday for the 49ers game, I’ll fill them in on the invitation to Sydney. Especially since I knew some of her misconceptions of the community, I know everyone that I am having to the party would appreciate me inviting her to set her straight. Nothing pissed myself off or many of my friends within the community regarding BDSM other than misconceptions and wrong information. I think it would do her some good to be in a relaxed setting with people who share interests that she does. She’ll see that they are regular people who are into a little kink. Or a lot.
Chapter 14
Saturday, October 12th
Sydney
My luck might be changing. Mr. Everett invited me to a party with his friends from Club Irons next weekend. I really want to go so I can see what his BDSM world is like. He might know how to make me better.
Things with Howard are getting worse and more violent. I don’t know how much more I can take. I had to call in sick last Monday because of those pills he made me take that weekend. My stomach was a mess and it’s now a deep purple color. I think it’s a combination of the pills and from him kicking me. Do all Doms kick their subs?
Though, if the sub needs punishing, I suppose whatever the Dom feels appropriate goes. If I just knew what I was doing wrong with Howard, I could try to fix it. I’ve been trying to figure it out but he doesn’t tell me. When I’ve asked, I’ve been whipped harder and he tells me to figure it out. I’ve been trying but it’s getting worse. I bet Mr. Everett could figure it out pretty quickly since he’s a trainer at Irons. There was something about Mr. Everett that made me feel safe.
Besides, I had developed a crush on Mr. Everett…Colin. He was one of the most handsome men in the building. Plus he was nice and friendly. All the girls at the main reception desk all said how he and Mr. Graves are the only big wigs in the building that greet them every day.
Mr. Graves was something else too. He winks at me now. The winking does something almost destructive to me. I feel my face get warm when he does it and then I can barely concentrate on what I was even doing. I bet he’s a tough Dom. Actually I bet both are. One look from either of them could turn a sub to mush. I’ve noticed how they both get the attention from people in their paths at work. People always acknowledge the two of them in some fashion. Of course, it helps that they are very easy on the eyes. I wonder if they kick their subs.
My crushes on these two though had nothing to do with their physical appearance. Not in the sense of looks. I was finding myself becoming addicted to the way they made me feel when I thought about them. They both were big guys and I felt like I’d be completely safe in their presence. I was trying to explain it to myself because I can honestly say that I didn’t completely understand it. I just knew that they made me feel safe. And I adored that feeling and wanted more of it.
I had to find out what I should wear to the party and brush up on my manners. Chances are that his house was nice and the people he was having over were nice too and similar to him. The thought of it was very intimidating but the thought of not going made me feel defeated and trapped. I know Howard expects me Saturday nights, but I think I might just take a chance and go to Mr. Everett’s party. Mr. Everett might be able to help me to be better.
Chapter 15
Monday, October 14th
Colin
Anthony and I sat at Beans Monday morning waiting for our fragile kitten to arrive. While we waited, we talked more about her potentially coming to the party next weekend. He knew my goal and shared in wanting to be able to show Sydney that this lifestyle can be incredible and that it’s probably nothing like what she’s thinking it is or had been led to believe.
“I want her to see that we’re not all uncaring monsters. I think I’ll call the others and tell them about Sydney. That way they’ll know she’s new to the lifestyle and they’d be more apt to tell her things or reach out to her and let her know she can ask them questions and that sort of thing.”
“Good idea, Col. You know, the party might be just the thing she needs to help her decide to let you show her what it can be. More on a training level. Plus there will be three unattached Doms at the party.”
I know what Anthony meant, but it just sounded funny. Like I was bringing her in for the unattached Doms to see if they liked her. That wasn’t the case. However, I decided it’d be a good idea to talk to them before the party to fill them in on Sydney. I don’t want her overwhelmed or scared off. Once I got up to my office I placed calls to the three Doms; Seth, Evan and Will. We arranged to go to lunch tomorrow so I could talk to them about Sydney. Matt and Anthony were going to be there too.
I’d also talk to Sydney about the people that I was having over. I wasn’t going to have her going into this blind. Honesty was the only way to go.
Chapter 16
Tuesday, October 15th
Colin
“Colin, Anthony, it’s good to see you boys,” Vito said as Anthony and I approached the podium.
I shook Vito’s outstretched hand and let him know that there were three other gentlemen meeting Anthony, Matt and I today for lunch. I asked him for a quiet table out on the patio. Vito took us to our table and sent our waiter over right away with ice waters and a bread basket.
Matt arrived next, followed by Will and Evan and then Seth. As Will, Evan and Seth each approached the table, I began to picture what Sydney would look like at each of their sides.
Will and Evan were both attorneys at the same firm downtown and were good Doms. Will was forty-seven and Evan was forty-four. Both had been member of Irons before Anthony, Matt and I were members and they were at the club a number of times a week.
Seth was forty-three and was a director at a hotel and casino in the sports book. He was probably the tamer with his kink preferences than Will or Evan were.
Over lunch I explained a little bit about Sydney and what I was hoping to accomplish with her. I had hoped the party would serve as an educational, trust and confidence booster for her. They were all very receptive and willing to help out and each had tons of questions about her and if I knew what her level of experience was.
“Like I said, I don’t know exactly what experience she has had. I’m working on findi
ng that out. But look, she’s very skittish and easily overwhelmed. I don't want her to get upset Saturday. If nothing else, I just want her to have a nice evening. I get the impression she doesn’t get out much.”
I felt it necessary to elaborate more on why she might get overwhelmed and about the panic attack. I explained the wrist incident and how questions of that led to the panic attack. The guys all agreed that she must have some bad experience setting her back. I told them that if she allowed me to work with her that I’d work through all of that.
“Where has she been playing?” Seth asked.
I told them all that I knew, which wasn’t much. Sydney just needed to be in a safe environment with like-minded people. She could ask questions if she wants and not be judged. I want her to know that she isn’t weird or bad for having kinky desires or interests. And I so wanted to know what her kinks were. If she lets me work with her, I’d find those out eventually. Anthony and I still thought that the “sm” portion of her email stood for sado masochist. Maybe the wrist injury was from consensual rough play and she was just embarrassed or ashamed about it.
Right now there were three great Doms that couldn’t wait to see what I’d be able to accomplish with Sydney. There were all on the market for “the one” but none had found her yet. I had a very good reputation regarding my work with subs and being able to pull out their potential. But if the chemistry wasn’t there, then it wasn’t going to happen. While the mere thought of me turning Sydney over to someone else to scene with nearly gutted me, I would at least feel better knowing that she’d be taken care of by one of these guys potentially.
At the end of lunch they all agreed to help out and to answer any questions that she may have. I reminded them again about not bombarding her Saturday as just her being there will be enough of an adjustment let alone the company she’ll be in.
Anthony and I drove back to work and talked about the guys and the possibility of one of them scening with Sydney.
“Anth, will you help me keep an eye on her at the party? A close eye. I want to use that time with her away from work and in a social setting to see what makes her tick and do some initial observations.”
“Of course I’ll help. Just let me know what you need me to do exactly.”
“Thanks man, I know I can always count on you.”
Anthony and Matt were always in my corner and I knew they’d help me with Sydney.
Chapter 17
Friday, October 18th
Colin
The rest of the week went by slowly and I had wanted to have an opportunity to chat with Sydney face to face about the party Saturday. I wanted her to be comfortable. We had exchanged some flirty smiles all week and a few texts or emails in the evenings and Anthony and I delivered a bag of M&M’s to her desk each morning before she arrived. Today was Friday and I needed to have a face-to-face conversation with her.
When she arrived to the office this morning I went over to invite her to lunch so we could talk. After I greeted all the smiling faces in reception, I turned to face Sydney.
“Good morning, Miss Burke. Do you have lunch plans today?” She stared at me with those big blue eyes and shook her head. “Perfect. I’m taking you to lunch today. I’ll be down at 11:30 a.m. on the dot.”
She nodded and I headed towards my office with a little spring in my step and a smile that I couldn’t wipe from my face. Anthony, Mitch and I went over some financial reports this morning but my head wasn’t in it. I was counting the minutes down to lunch.
Anthony walked towards the elevator with me and told me to enjoy my lunch with our fragile kitten. Sydney stood and gathered her purse when she saw me approach. I tried to push my smile down but couldn’t. Something about this girl just made me smile. She looked excited to be going out to lunch. Which made me think back to her brown bag and small lunch. She and I had a lot to discuss but we needed to get over the party first.
Just as I asked, Sydney was ready right at 11:30 a.m. As we walked to the parking garage I noticed she walked a little closer to me. Smart girl trying to be aware of her surroundings. Can’t fault her for that. It pleased me to know that she trusted me to keep her safe. Trust is the hardest ground work to lay but once it’s down nice and solid, the sky’s the limit. Matt and Gina are perfect examples.
“I’m right over here.”
I pointed to my black BMW and walked around to the passenger side with her. I think she got a little nervous and stepped quickly to the side when I made a move to reach around her to open the door. I held my hands up in defense to show her I meant no harm.
“Relax, Sydney. I’m just opening the door.”
Fuck, has a man never opened a car door for her? She closed her eyes and nodded at me. I think she was willing herself to calm down. I’d have to remember not to make any swift movements around her. I pulled the door open and took a step back while keeping my hands where she could see them. She has a lot of nervous, anxious mannerisms that leads me to believe she was typically on guard and expected the tables to be turned on her. I was going to figure this out because it was deeply concerning to me.
She smiled and apologized to me as she slid her tiny frame into the front seat of my car. I closed the door gently and went around to get in the driver’s side. Our conversation was light on our way to Vito’s. Shit, I hoped she like Italian. I hadn't even asked.
Vito was in the lobby talking to his hostess when we walked in. He smiled brightly as he greeted us.
“Colin, so good to see you and your lady friend. You didn’t bring Matt or Anthony, I see.”
“Not today, Vito. Matt and Anthony are on their own today. This is Sydney. Sydney, this is the owner, Vito.”
“Nice to meet you Vito.” Sydney shook his hand but then fell back to stand next to me.
“Colin, do you want your usual table?”
“Please.”
Once Sydney and I were seated on the patio, ice water and a bread basket was delivered to the table. We sat across from one another and I took the sight of her in through my sunglasses. I held the bread basket towards her so she could select first. Sydney’s eyes were wide as she looked over the various breads. She looked exited to see so many bread choices. It made me laugh some. Just watching Sydney was like a breath of fresh air.
I sat watching her eyes wander over the menu worrying over what she should order. She looked up at me a few times and smiled nervously. So fucking cute. I didn’t say anything but rather just smiled and watched her. The waiter came by and took our orders and she ended up going with a chicken salad. No wonder she’s so tiny. She doesn’t look like she eats much. That menu wasn’t going to last long but I’d let it go today. I had a feeling that after this weekend, I may have a smgirl in my capable hands to help.
She began playing with her fingers and looking out over the Las Vegas Strip. She was nervous and unsure of herself. I could tell that silence bothered her and made her more nervous. She was unsure of what to do or say. That’s one of the things I hear subs say all the time when they get an exclusive Dom. They like how a Dom takes the guesswork out of everything. I think Sydney would blossom over guesswork being taken out of the equation. She seems very worried about making the wrong decisions. I took my sunglasses off and leaned on the table waiting for her to look at me.
“I can help you with that, you know.”
She tilted her head to the side as her eyes wandered over my face while she tried to figure out what I was talking about. In her nervous retreat she brought the straw up to her lips to sip on her water and it about did me in. Lucky straw.
“With all that mess going on in that head of yours. All this worry that you've put into the simplest tasks. I can tell you’re nervous about what to order, what to say, what not to say. Many subs are like that. You just need to redirect your energy and don't sweat the small stuff.”
I put my hand out across the table and set it next to her hand that was on her glass. Her fingers looked pretty torn up. Probably a nail biter too.
I left my hands on the table and gave her a few moments before continuing on.
“Are you afraid of me, Sydney?”
“No, Mr. Everett, not at all.”
I believed her. Our food came and we ate in silence for a few minutes before she started up a conversation.
“So, um, you and Mr. Graves come here a lot?”
“Yep. We eat lunch here a few times a week and then sometimes on Friday nights we meet my other friend Matt and his sub here for dinner.”
I was happy that she felt comfortable enough to start dialog.
“How long have you been curious or interested in the BDSM, Sydney?”
“Um, since college. I had a friend take me to a club close to campus. It was interesting and I enjoyed it. I have spent a fair amount of time reading up on it and that sort of thing. There are a lot of aspects that draw me to it.”
“Good. So you’ve been out exploring a little in the clubs.”
I took another bite of my lunch, happy that our conversation was heading towards her knowledge and interest in the lifestyle.
“Yes, but…”
I looked up at her when her sentence dropped. She stopped talking and her body changed from a relaxed posture to one of being on alert. I gave her a moment to gather herself. This would be something that I’d explore another time.
“But what, Sydney?”
“Um, I haven’t had very many good experiences.”
Bingo. That’s the candid, honest info I wanted out of her. I want her to trust me enough to tell me personal things like this. She obviously trusted me at least a little. I wanted to know what her experiences were. I glanced down at her wrist that was covered by her long sleeve. I stretched my hand out across the table and let it rest on the tablecloth next to hers. I didn’t reach for her or try to touch her. As I expected, it was too close for her comfort and she moved it to pick up her glass. Her eyes were starting to water and I made to change the subject. She was close to telling me something and I think if I had pushed more I would have gotten more out. But I would have upset her and I didn’t want that right now. I wanted to tell her not to worry and that if she gives me that chance, I’ll stop those tears.