by Sophie Stern
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Battleship
Anchored
Sophie Stern
Copyright © 2017 by Sophie Stern
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Once a princess
Always a princess
Lily's entire life is a one war after another.
When she's not dealing with dissatisfied parents at the daycare she works at, fighting with her boss over extra hours, or trying to get her landlord to fix ANYTHING, Lily is going crazy struggling to stay afloat.
Life is hard.
Too hard.
And she needs a break.
Then she finds Anchored.
The club is unlike anything she's ever seen before, but is Lily actually submissive? The handsome Dom who's been showing her around seems to think so, but Lily barely has room in her life for sleep. Does she really have room for love?
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
About the Author
Roses in the Dark
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
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Take Your Time
1 Melody
2 Melody
Chapter 1
Lily
“Hey, look! Mommy’s here!” I point to where Christina is waiting for her daughter, Bennett. The little girl jumps up and down when she spots her mother. Then she races over to the divider that keeps the children in the room until their parents come pick them up.
“Hey, sugar!” Christina smiles. I unlock the room divider to let Christina in. She comes inside and picks up Bennett, spinning her around in a circle. “Mommy missed you so much today!”
“I made a painting,” Bennett says, and leads Christina to where the paintings from the day are still drying.
“It should be dry by tomorrow,” I tell Christina. “So you can pick it up then, unless you want to brave taking it home now.”
“Not at all,” Christina shivers, and I know she’s imagining her car covered in paint from her daughter’s work of art. “I think waiting sounds like a great idea.”
She gathers up Bennett’s things and gets ready to leave. Bennett is the last child of the day to be picked up because like me, Christina works at Shining Stars Daycare. Her daughter plays here while she works, and then they go home together once Christina finishes closing up her classroom.
As Bennett’s daycare teacher, I’m supposed to leave by six, but Christina usually shows up a little bit after and I really don’t mind staying with her. She’s a good kid, and her mom is really nice.
I wish all of my daycare parents were as cool as Christina is.
“Hey,” Christina shoots me a glance as she finishes zipping Bennett’s winter coat. We just had the first snow of the year and it’s cold as hell outside. I’m not looking forward to the walk to my car, nor am I looking forward to waiting for the damn thing to actually warm up. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, washing my hands and grabbing my purse. I finished cleaning the room while we waited for Christina. My assistant helped me, but left right at six. “It was just a long day.”
“Parent trouble?”
“Of course.”
“What is it this time? Mackenzie’s parents?”
“You know it,” I roll my eyes. “Their precious daughter can do no wrong, so when she gets a note sent home for poor behavior, it must be my fault. It couldn’t possibly be because they don’t actually discipline or do anything with her at home.”
“They’re the worst,” Christina sympathizes with me. Mackenzie was in her room over the summer and she had just as many problems with her as I’m having now. “I’m really sorry you have to deal with those,” she covers Bennett’s ears. “Assholes.”
“Me too.”
“Are you doing anything to relax this weekend?”
I glance out the window. The snow is coming down harder now, so I’ll be lucky if I actually finish all of my errands before I get home tonight. I have to get gas and groceries and, if I can manage it before they close, I need to stop by the bank.
“I am going to read a book,” I tell her honestly. “I know that’s boring, but it’s all I think I’ve got in me.”
Christina looks at me for a second and seems to be deciding something. Then she nods.
“Look,” she tells me, “I might be completely out of line, but if you want to have some fun this weekend, there’s a club you might like.”
“I’m not really a good dancer,” I tell her honestly. “Once, in college, I tried to go out with some girlfriends, but I ended up tripping in a drink someone spilled, landed on my ass, and somehow twisted my ankle in the process. Now I stay as far away from clubs as I can.”
“It’s not that kind of club.”
“What kind of club is it?”
“The naughty kind,” Christina says, wiggling her eyebrows. “It’s called Anchored.”
“Never heard of it.” I’d be lying if I say I wasn’t curious, though. Anchored? A naughty club? I’m picturing whips and chains, but surely demure Christina couldn’t be into that. She’s way too innocent.
“Most people haven’t. You have to be a member to go or to be the guest of a member.”
“Sounds mysterious.”
It sounds exciting.
It sounds a little dangerous.
It sounds like a place I wouldn’t fit in at all.
But I’m curious.
I’m really, really curious.
“Listen,” Christina says. “I’m going tomorrow with my fiancé, Zack. You’re more than welcome to join us if you want to. Just let me know by noon tomorrow if you can. That way I can get you on the guest list and bring you along with us, okay?”
I already have her phone number because we work together, which means we text each other throughout the day with problems and questions when we don’t have time to just run to the other room.
“Okay,” I tell her. “I’ll, um, I’ll think about it.”
I’m not really sure why Christina is inviting me to this place or why she thinks it’ll be good for me. The truth is that I really am more of a homebody. Going to clubs – whether they’re naughty or nice – isn’t really my thing. It never has been.
But she’s right about one thing: it would be nice to unwind a little. It would be nice to relax and not have to worry about everything in my life.
My boss has been breathing down my neck and as much as I love her, I’m getting tired of everything always being my fault. That’s the thing about working in childcare; the parents are never wrong. Ever. No matter what a kid does, it’s automatically my fault, and I’m exhausted.
“Good,” Christina says. She grabs Bennett’s mitten-covered hand and smiles. Then she turns to head ou
t of the room.
“Hey, Christina?”
“Yeah?” She turns around.
“Thanks for inviting me. I’m not sure if I’ll go. I’ll let you know, but thanks. It’s nice to be included.”
“Anytime, love,” she wiggles her fingers and heads out the door.
For a minute, I just stand there, and then I get moving. I flip off the lights and leave the room. Then I lock up my classroom, clock out at the front desk, and head to my car. As expected, it’s freezing cold and covered in a thin layer of ice. I start the car and grab my scraper, then get to work.
It’s going to be a long weekend.
*
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to be a mom. I loved playing baby dolls when I was a kid, and house, and all those other fun games where you get to take care of kids. After a shitty high school relationship and a couple of terrible college relationships, though, I realized I wasn’t cut out for marriage.
So I became a childcare provider.
And I’ve never been happier.
Sure, the parents basically crap on me emotionally every day. And yeah, my boss calls me in on Saturdays almost every week. And okay, the kids aren’t always the most well-behaved, but I get to be around children, and some of them are really, really sweet.
Some of them are really wonderful.
And sometimes, my job can be incredible.
By the time I get home, though, it’s nearly nine, and I’m exhausted. I step into my house and flip the lights on. I hear a meow and look down to see Owl, my black kitten, rubbing against my legs.
“Hey Owl,” I say, picking up the little guy. I nuzzle him, then carry him into the kitchen to make sure he still has food and water. “Looks like you’re good in the food department, little buddy.” I keep holding Owl as I drop my groceries on the table. Then I sit down in one of the chairs and just pet my kitten.
Instantly, I feel myself relax.
I adopted Owl from a shelter a couple of weeks ago. It was weirdly expensive to adopt a cat, but I knew the minute I saw him that it was meant to be. I’ve always wanted a kitten and I think there’s a part of me that was hoping I’d get one with the man of my dreams.
You know, and 2.5 kids along with the dream guy.
That didn’t happen, and I finally realized I can’t put my life on hold anymore. I’m 26. I’m old enough to have been married and divorced already, and honestly, many of my friends are. Still, I spend four years in undergrad and two years in graduate school. I spent a lot of time studying, a lot of time dating guys who just didn’t care.
Then I found my job and I haven’t dated since. It’s been nearly two years and I haven’t dated anyone in that time. It’s a little crazy, even to me, but I’ve been focusing on doing the things I want to do. I’ve been trying to pursue my own interests instead of holding onto this idea that there’s a guy out there waiting for me.
This isn’t some fairytale romance where one day, I wake up and meet some guy.
That’s not how these things work.
That’s not the reality of life as a twenty-something human.
Not on Earth.
Not in the real world.
Finally, I decide I need to get moving. The night isn’t getting any younger.
I put away my groceries, make myself a turkey sandwich, and head to the living room to eat.
Owl follows me.
I curl up on the couch with my sandwich and my kitty and I watch the latest episode of Doctor Who. Although I’m able to lose myself temporarily in the world of the Doctor and his many adventures, when the episode finishes, I find myself stuck in my own head again.
And I’m wondering if anything is ever going to work out the way that it should.
Finally, I head into my bedroom, close my eyes, and fall into a restless sleep.
Chapter 2
Lily
I sleep longer than I should, and when I finally wake up around eleven, I have two texts from Christina.
Hey! Did you do any thinking about the club tonight? It’s really fun and I promise it’s not as scary as it sounds.
Not to pressure you love, but let me know what you’re thinking! Tonight? You and me? Well, and Zack, of course, but three’s company!!!!
I should tell her no.
It’s what I would normally do.
Clubs are not my thing.
Dealing with strangers is not my thing.
Facing weird, random sexual situations is definitely not my thing.
I get up and head into the kitchen, pour myself a bowl of cereal, and sit down in front of the TV. Owl comes and climbs onto my lap, and then I realize what I’m doing.
I’m turning myself into a spinster.
The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I come home right after work every day and hang out with my cat. I have a schedule of my favorite shows and I don’t even DVR them: I watch them when they’re on, commercials and everything. I don’t have a social life. I don’t drink. I don’t party.
The wildest I get is one-clicking a new Kindle book without reading the sample.
Shit.
I grab my phone and text Christina back. It’s 11:45.
Sorry, I overslept. I’m in.
I hit “send” before I have the chance to back out. There’s no take-backs when it comes to texting.
Christina messages me back immediately.
Yes!!! This is going to be amazing! Come over at 8, okay? We’ll get you something sexxxxxy to wear.
Something sexy?
Of course, it’s not a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant: it’s a sex club. Of course I’m going to need something to wear. I hadn’t even thought about the clothing people wear at these sorts of places, and honestly, it’s a good thing because now I can’t freak out.
Now I have to be normal.
I have to be calm.
And I can do this.
Sounds good. I’ll be there. Text me your addy when you get a chance.
Christina and I chat for a few more minutes. Then I take a shower, blow-dry my hair, and slip on a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. It’s not sexy, by any means, but she’s going to be dressing me up, and I’d rather be warm on my way over.
It is December, after all.
The rest of the afternoon I spend reading. When my phone alarm goes off at 7:15, I brush my teeth, feed Owl, and head for my car.
It’s time.
I can do this.
The drive to Christina’s house only takes a few minutes. We both live close to work and, consequently, close to each other. I park on the street in front of her house and head up to the door. I ring the bell and a sexy-as-fuck man in a dark suit opens the door.
I blink up at him, craning my neck. I’m not that short, but it still takes effort me to meet his gaze.
“You must be Lily,” he says.
“Yes,” I say, suddenly feeling totally out of my element.
Holy.
Fucking.
Dragons.
How the hell did Christina meet a guy like this? And where? And what’s he like in bed?
I feel my cheeks blush eight shades of red even as the thought floats through my mind. Mr. Sexy must be a mind-reader because he just chuckles and steps aside.
“I’m Zack,” he says. “Welcome to our home.”
“You live here together?” I ask, stepping inside. I’ve heard Christina talk about Zack plenty of times, but I didn’t realize they were living together.
“It’s recent,” Christina says, coming out of the kitchen. “But we’re going to be getting married really soon, so we figured we might as well move in now.”
“Congratulations,” I tell her. “When’s the big day?”
“February,” they both say in unison. Zack smiles at Christina and takes her hand. Then he plants the sweetest, softest, gentlest kiss on her forehead and a surge of jealousy shoots through me. I want that, I realize. No matter how many times I tell myself that I’m fine without it, I’m not.
> I want what they have.
I want the passion, the sweetness, the tender moments.
I want all of that.
“It’ll be small,” Christina says. “But perfect.”
“Bennett must be totally excited. Speaking of which,” I look around, but don’t spot a babysitter. “Where’s the little monkey tonight?”
“My friend has her tonight,” Christina says. “I take her daughter on Fridays and she takes Bennett on Saturdays.”
“That’s amazing. Talk about a dream arrangement.” Considering the going rate of overnight babysitters these days, I’d say Christina hit the jackpot with her friend.
“We’re very lucky,” Zack agrees. “Now,” he looks from Christina to me and back again. “Why don’t I pour us a couple of drinks before you ladies start getting ready?”
“Yes, please,” I slip my jacket off and hang it on the coat rack by the door. My boots go below the coat. Then I follow them into the kitchen.
“What’s your pleasure?” Zack asks.
“Rum and Coke,” I tell him easily.
“Nice choice.”
“I try my best.”
“Are you nervous about tonight?” Zack speaks smoothly, easily. He speaks with a certain grace I don’t think most men possess.
“I’m not really sure what to expect.”
“I was nervous my first time, too,” Christina says. “But I think it’s incredible now.”
“Did Christina tell you we met at the club?”
“No,” I shoot her a sideways glance, like what else don’t I know about my colleague? Christina just smiles, though, and nods.
“It’s true,” Zack hands me my drink and I take a sip. Instantly, I start to relax, and he smiles. “You can drink while we’re there,” he says. “Since you aren’t a member of the club, you won’t be able to play.”
“Play?” My voice comes out high-pitched and squeaky.
“That’s the word used to describe what happens at the club. Basically, Anchored is a sexy sort of club. Some people are into hardcore BDSM, but there’s a lot of light play, as well. So you might see someone tied up and being whipped, but you might just see people having sex in public. ‘Play’ is the word that encompasses all of that.”
