Under His Protection

by Doris O'Connor

  “By all means, carry on then. Hello there, little dove. I sure wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Somehow he managed to sound bored as he said that.

  Jacqui’s reaction was all he could have hoped it to be, because she startled, blushed the most endearing shade of red, and the sheer panic in her blue eyes made his inner Dom grin. He did like to rattle his subs and keep them guessing.

  Jake frowned looking between him and her. He raised an eyebrow in query, and Lukas shrugged, while tapping the large paddle in his hand against his thigh. Jacqui jumped anew, and he did it again, just to see her reaction.

  Interesting for sure, because she didn’t seem able to drag her gaze away from the movement of the oblong object, which meant Lukas had to cross the distance to the table to satisfy his curiosity. He picked up her limit list and scanned down it. Well, that explained it, for sure. Little Miss Goody Two-shoes had a naughty side it seemed. And thank fuck for that, because this close to her the subtle scent she’d chosen to wear tonight wrapped itself around him. Fuck, he wanted her something bad, which meant he should probably take a step back and hand her over to someone else. However, the mere thought of any other Dom’s hands on the acres of creamy skin she was putting on show tonight made him want to punch something.

  God only knew where that possessive streak had come from. Women like her usually made him run a mile. She was the type who dreamt of happy ever after, and that was so not him. Still, she was here, looking for some adventure, it seemed, and he could certainly provide her with that.

  “Lukas, do you know my pet’s friend?”

  Jake’s question brought his attention back to him, and he schooled his expression into one of careful neutrality.

  “We’ve met. She’s my neighbor.”

  Lukas knew the minute the penny dropped, because amusement flared briefly in the older man’s eyes.

  “That neighbor?”

  Damn that Jake. He’s enjoying this far too much.

  “Yeah, that one.” His grunted acknowledgment meant that he found himself at the receiving end of several wide-eyed female stares. Lauren, Mimi, and most importantly Jacqui were all looking at him as though he held the answers to the location of the freaking Holy Grail or something.

  Mimi in particular narrowed her eyes, and he could almost see the wheels turning in her brain. To be fair, Mimi knew him better than most. They’d scened together more than once, and he liked her well enough, not least, because she never expected more than he’d been willing to give. Lukas had never wanted his own submissive, at least not until Jake had settled down with Lauren.

  Jake gave a short laugh, which shook Lukas out of those maudlin thoughts. Really, though, what was wrong with him today? First the altercation with Rosalee, who wouldn’t take no for an answer—another reason why he should run the other way and not even entertain the idea of taking Jacqui under his wing—even if it was just for tonight. After all, Rosalee had been the last newbie he’d agreed to train, and the damn woman couldn’t accept that once training was over and done with, she wasn’t going to be collared by him. The mere thought made him break out in a cold sweat.

  He sure as fuck didn’t want that commitment on his hands.

  “Did you know about this?” Jake addressed a dumbstruck Lauren, and her blonde hair whipped around her face with the force of her denial.

  “No, Sir I swear, I didn’t. I just meant to give her a shake-up, so I arranged this as a surprise. It’s her birthday, after all, and…” Her voice trailed off, and she anxiously bit her lip, when Jake shook his head at her.

  “I’m disappointed in you, pet. You told me this was all arranged and that your friend expressed an interest in being at the club. Were you lying to me?”

  Lauren’s expressive eyes filled with tears. Lukas was half expecting her to deny the accusation, but she nodded instead.

  “I’m sorry, Sir.”

  Jake’s heavy sigh spoke volumes and Lukas pinched the bridge of his nose. This, right here, was why he didn’t do relationships.

  “Why?” Jake asked, and Lauren flinched.

  “I don’t know. I should have told you, but I thought you might not agree to sponsor her had you known, and I guess, I thought she would say no, if I gave her an out, and I’m sorry.”

  “I see. Too bad, you’ll never know if I would have agreed to it, will you now, Lauren?”

  Lauren flinched at the use of her name, and Lukas shook his head. That woman would have one hell of a sore ass soon, and not in the good way. Jake was furious. The one thing that his friend couldn’t stand was a liar. After all, his ex-wife had done nothing but lie to him, and unwittingly Lauren had opened up a whole can of whoop ass on her head by her actions. What had the silly woman been thinking?

  “I’m so sorry, Sir. I wasn’t thinking. Please punish me as you see fit.”

  Jake took a step away from her, and shook his head.

  “It is not just me you need to apologize to, is it?”

  Lauren shook her head, and fixing her tearstained eyes on Lukas murmured another apology.

  “I’m sorry, Master Lukas. I didn’t know you were her neighbor, let alone that one.”

  Jacqui gave a strangled groan, and looked to all intents and purposes as though she wanted the ground to swallow her whole, and he exchanged a glance with Jake. At his infinitesimal nod, Lukas stepped up to Lauren and grasped her chin to ensure she kept looking at him.

  “What do you mean by that neighbor?”

  “She means nothing. Jesus, let her go, will you. This is insane, I—” Jacqui’s words came to an abrupt stop when he let go of her friend and approached her.

  “You what, little dove?” he asked, and she audibly swallowed when he slapped the paddle into his free hand. “If you’d like to explain why you’re here, then please do so.”

  He grinned when she blushed, pulled her shoulders back, and then fixed her expressive eyes just below his collarbone. It confirmed his earlier suspicions. Little Miss Goody Two-shoes was a natural submissive, and that thought made his cock harden further.

  “It’s true she jumped this on me as a surprise, but I wouldn’t have come, had I not … well, I…”

  Lukas dropped the paddle to let it hang off his wrist, and grasping her chin with his free hand, nudged it up until she had no choice but to look at him.

  “Had you not what, little dove?”

  He gentled his hold on her when she started to tremble, and giving into the instinct to sample her soft flesh, he ran his thumb slowly over her plump lips. Her breathing sped up, and her mouth parted slightly under the insistent strokes of his digit.

  “Had I not wanted to come here. It is my birthday, and I’ve always been curious about … well about…” She didn’t seem capable of continuing, and taking pity on her, he smiled.

  “Happy birthday, little dove.”

  She blinked, and pulled a shuddering breath into her lungs when he released her.

  “So, let me guess, you would like a birthday spanking?”

  Her gaze fell to the paddle dangling off his wrist, and she swallowed. Nervous energy was pouring off of her in waves, but also excitement, and a healthy dose of worry for her friend, as confirmed by the glance she threw over to her. Jake had yanked his sub up to standing again, and had a firm grip on her hair, while talking to her quietly. Whatever he said to her reduced his sub to tears, and Jacqui wrung her hands in seeming agitation for her friend

  “I … well, please, he’s not going to do anything nasty to Lauren, is he?” She delivered that question in such a quiet whisper, that Lukas had to lean in to hear her. It gave him a perfect view down her impressive cleavage, and he swallowed a groan as his cock pressed painfully against his jeans. He’d have zipper marks along its length before the evening was out.

  While Jacqui had clearly marked she was up for sexual contact, she was far too skittish for that to actually happen. Besides, he wouldn’t take advantage of her like that. If she consented to come home with him, however… He quickly
squashed that thought before it could take hold. To get involved with her outside of the club would be a disaster in the making.

  So, instead of giving into the instinct to lean in closer still and to claim those lips she was worrying with her teeth again, he stepped back, and shook his head.

  “Depends what you would call nasty, little dove.”

  A frown appeared between her eyebrows, and she startled when Lukas stroked that crease away with his thumb, as well she might. He didn’t seem capable of not touching her.

  “He’s not going to hurt her, is he?” she asked, louder this time, and Jake turned his head to look over at them both.

  Lukas shook his head at him to indicate he had this covered, and with a sharp nod in their direction Jake disappeared through the door, guiding Lauren along by her hair.

  When Jacqui moved to go after them, Lukas grasped her by the shoulders to pull her back against him.

  “No, let me go. This is my fault, damn it. I need to make sure she is okay.”

  “You need to do no such thing. Besides what would you do to stop him? Jake is a well-respected Master at this club. Lauren is his submissive. No one is going to stop him from dishing out a punishment she has earned, unless she screams red, and he ignores her safeword, which he would never do.”

  “But, you can’t be sure of that, and he looks so angry and… Umph.”

  Lukas shut her up by the expedient method of clamping his hand over her mouth, and after a momentary struggle, his little dove relaxed into his hold. Interesting indeed.

  “Good girl, that’s it. Relax, take a breath, and let those worries go for me.” Lukas automatically dropped his voice, while keeping a firm, yet gentle hold on her, and once her breathing slowed down in tune with his, released her.

  Jacqui sat back down on the chair, and some of the panic had left her eyes when she looked up at him this time. She answered his smile with a tremulous one of her own, which made all his protective instincts scream at him. She ran her tongue over her lips in another nervous gesture that meant he had to reach down and adjust his dick. Her mouth fell open when she noticed, and she hastily wrenched her gaze away and up to his face. Not that she could bring herself to look at him, and he didn’t miss the way she clenched her thighs together.

  Pressing his advantage, Lukas got down to his haunches in front of her, and she jumped when he took her hands in his. “Let’s discuss what you’re really doing here. I still want to know what Lauren meant by that neighbor.”

  He grinned at her reaction, and held fast when she tried to yank her hands out of his.

  “I could ask what Master Jake meant by that comment, too.”

  The unexpected snark was rather delightful, and he threw his head back and laughed. It meant she finally looked at him, and eventually her lips twitched.

  “I fail to see what’s so funny, and I’m still worried about Lauren. You didn’t answer my question if he’s going to hurt her.”

  Lukas sobered, and shook his head.

  “She has earned a punishment, and yes, he will make that hurt.” He paused when Jacqui tugged on his hold again, and made to rise off the chair. “Stop that, little dove, now.”

  He hadn’t meant to put quite so much forceful intonation behind that command, but Jacqui instinctively responded anyway. She kept a wary glance on the door, no doubt imagining untold terrors happening to her friend, and Lukas suppressed a sigh.

  “Good girl. When I say he will make it hurt, it’s just that. It wouldn’t be punishment if he didn’t, but once it’s over and done with the slate is clean. He would never harm her, however, and like I said, everything would stop if she used her safeword, punishment or not. She is perfectly safe. Jake cares about your friend a great deal, as you’ll come to see, if I agree to take you through that door.”

  That got her attention, because she frowned at him.

  “What do you mean, if? I need to see that she’s all right. You can’t stop me from going in there, damn you.”

  “Actually, little dove, I can and I will, if I think you’re not ready or likely to cause a scene. Newbie or not, I need to make sure you’ll follow the rules once we enter the club. And they involve not disturbing a scene in process. Some of what you will see in there, will shock you, might even disgust you, and—”

  “I’m not as sensitive a wallflower as everyone seems to think I am.”

  Mimi gasped at the blatant interruption, and Jacqui looked across to her, as though surprised she was still there. She glared at the other woman and then fixed her expressive eyes on him.

  “Well, I’m not, and yes, I get it. Just take me through there and let me make sure Lauren is okay, and then I’m out of here, okay? I shan’t take up any more of your precious time, and…”

  She stopped speaking when he got up abruptly, and stepping to the side, pulled her up out of the chair.

  “As you wish. I warn you however. If I have to escort you off the premises, you will get more than a little birthday spanking. Are we clear?”

  He rather enjoyed the way her mouth fell open in silent surprise, before she nodded, but he needed to hear her say the words.

  “Speak up, little dove. Rule one of being under my care. Communicate. I’m not a mind reader, and unless I specifically instruct you not to speak, you will tell me what is going on in that pretty head of yours, so again I ask you. Are we clear?”

  “Yes.”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, he raised an eyebrow, and looking confused for a second, she rushed on. “I mean, yes, Sir.”

  Chapter Four

  Lord only knew what made her be so snarky around Lukas. She certainly hadn’t meant for that to come out quite as annoyed, and judging by the renewed gasp from Mimi, Jacqui had fucked up again. Really, though, it was be snarky or resolve into a drool of feminine goo at Lukas’s feet.

  She should have known he was a Dom, really. It was there in every line of his body. The quiet power and air of authority he carried himself with. The hint of danger. Those were the very same qualities that had made her lust after her neighbor in the first place, and when he raised that eyebrow at her like he was doing now … Jesus… She had to fight the urge to sink to her knees right there and then.

  Which would no doubt please him, but, right now, the urge to make sure Lauren was all right consumed her. Perhaps it was silly to worry over her. After all, as Lukas had pointed out, she was Master Jake’s sub, and thus no doubt used to whatever punishments he dished out. She had no problems imagining her friend being in trouble a lot. She was far too forthright to just bow and accept things without questioning and pushing things. In all honesty, Jacqui still had a hard time accepting that Lauren was a submissive. She would have pegged her for a Domme, which just proved to show what Jacqui knew. Nothing, it seemed.

  “Words, little dove. You’re thinking mighty hard there.”

  Startled, she looked up to find Lukas watching her. There was concern in his cornflower gaze this time, replacing the earlier flare of heated lust. Finding herself at the receiving end of his attention, seeing him adjust the very physical evidence of how much she was affecting him, had further ruined Jacqui’s equilibrium.

  Nothing would ever come of this—she’d seen him with enough women to know she would only ever be a one night stand at best—but, hells bells, it was her birthday, and you only lived once, and all that jazz.

  “I was just wondering if that offer of a birthday spanking still stands.”

  She didn’t dare look at him as she uttered those words, but she’d surprised him, if his sharp intake of breath was anything to go by. His heavy hand settled on her nape as he pulled her closer into his frame, and Jacqui closed her eyes as his spicy musk enveloped her.

  His hot breath ghosted across the sensitive skin under her ear, as he spoke. “If that’s what you need, I shall be most happy to oblige you.”

  He pulled away, and Jacqui instantly missed his warmth. Lukas grinned at her when she opened her eyes, and holding his hand out for her
to take waited.

  “Can we check on Lauren first though?”

  A brief flare of something crossed his features at her question. A shudder went through her when she placed her hand in his. The jolt of connection was immediate and breathtaking. Seeing him frown as though he’d felt that, too, made her feel marginally better. Maybe it was just static electricity arching between them, rather than this overwhelming pull to another person. Maybe it was the ambience of this place, and the fact that her nerves were shot, that seemed to make this moment into something far more significant than it was. When he pulled the white wristband off her arm, however, and replaced it with a black one, her stomach churned.

  Mimi had said it meant you were owned, but…

  “Just for tonight, little dove. I don’t want anyone in there thinking they could try it on with you.”

  Jacqui stared down at the band, and Mimi cleared her throat. “Surely the white will suffice, Sir. I—”

  Mimi slammed her mouth shut, and looked to the floor at Lukas’s unblinking gaze at her, and taking hold of Jacqui’s hand again, he pulled her along.

  “You know I don’t like to share, Mimi.”

  Jacqui had no time to ponder that odd statement, because in the next instant, he’d propelled her through the doorway and into the open plan area that made up the main play area of the club.

  Just like the busy carpark had suggested, the place seemed filled to capacity. Every station was occupied, and even over the heavy beat of the music, whose vibrations traveled up through the soles of her feet, the other sounds reached her ears loud and clear. The slap of leather on skin, the moans, the odd scream, and Lauren’s pain filled cry of twenty.

  It made Jacqui spin round, and she barely suppressed a gasp when she spotted her friend.

  Tied to one of the spanking benches, her pencil skirt torn and the fabric yanked up to her waist, her bare ass and pussy were exposed for all too see. With her legs tied down and spread at an obscene angle, she was secured so effectively that she only seemed to be able to move her head. The angry red welts on her ass cheeks and the back of her thighs really got to Jacqui, however. Before she could do or say anything, Lukas was behind her. One arm around her waist he held her pinned to him. Despite her worry for her friend, Jacqui couldn’t help but notice the long, thick, cock branding her ass. With her heels on she was just the right height, and Jacqui clearly needed her head examined for that to occur to her now.