“Fuck you. I’m not getting on that sawhorse. It’s uncomfortable. And what right do you have to put a hand on Lucas?”
The room seemed to go ice cold as all that intimidation turned on Lexi’s petite, curvy body. Master A stared at her for a moment. The room went deadly quiet as though the crowd realized the scene had started without the traditional opening. Everyone was watching as the universally acknowledged problem child of The Club turned her bratty mouth on the new guy.
Even Lexi seemed to realize she’d gone too far, but she held her ground. His girl wouldn’t sweetly apologize. Not to a Dom she hadn’t felt had earned her respect.
“Lucas, I need to know if you’re in or you’re out.” The words rang from the Master’s mouth and seemed to swell in the otherwise silent room.
Master A hadn’t turned to him. Those cold eyes held Lexi in their snare like a cobra waiting to strike at a pretty bird he’d caught in a trap. But he understood. He was the one who was really trapped. He could take his girl and leave this world they had come to love. He and Lexi had played at the edges of this particular ocean, but they’d never waded into deep waters. He could scoop her up and walk away and never know if they could have been happy if they had only learned how to swim.
Or he could do what every switch had to do from time to time. He could gamble and give up control and hope that he found paradise for his trouble. Lucas Cameron might have grown more stable and settled in the past few years, but he hadn’t forgotten what it meant to take a risk.
“I’m in.”
* * * *
Lexi realized she was in serious trouble the minute the words left Lucas’s mouth. Hell, she’d realized she was in trouble the minute she opened her mouth. What was she thinking? She knew damn well how to behave in a dungeon, but something about this Master made her want to push him. Damn it. She’d been this way all of her life. She had to push. She thought about taking a step back, but before she could make her feet move, Master A had her in a fireman’s hold.
“Hey!” She shouted as her world upended. She turned her head up to throw a desperate look Lucas’s way.
Lucas stood there, a stony cold look on his face. In that moment, he was all Dom, and she’d never seen him look hotter. There was a confidence about him she had rarely seen when he was around her. Lucas was utterly in command at work, but his surety faltered when she walked into the room. Even when he performed a scene with her, she knew he worried about her comfort. He didn’t look worried now. He looked ready.
Her heart started to pound as Master A turned, and she lost sight of Lucas.
“I need a chair, Lucas.” The words came out of the Master’s mouth like a judge delivering a sentence.
“Yes, Sir.” Lucas’s words were silky smooth. There was not a hint of hesitation now. She could hear him moving to do Master A’s bidding.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, though she was a bit less hostile now. She’d fucked up. She was glad Julian wasn’t around to witness it, though Leo would probably tell him. Tears pricked her eyes. Damn, she was proving to Leo she couldn’t handle the lifestyle. “Look, Sir, I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to be rude to you, but I was merely pointing out that Lucas and I had a plan for tonight.”
Reason. She could reason with him, surely. It worked on all the men in her life. Of course, usually she was looking at them instead of trying to plead her case to a group of back muscles. The muscles were unbelievably tight, but his skin—oh, his skin had been decimated in his lower back. It was a mess of white, puckered flesh, and she could see both neat, surgical lines, and jagged edges. She reached out to touch the mass of scars, but she was jerked back over his shoulder and set on her feet before she could make it. She wobbled on her heels, but Master A’s big hands held her shoulders.
“I don’t think you understand how this is going to go, sub. I am the Master, and you are the one being punished. I won’t put up with a spoiled princess telling me how her punishment will go. It will go the way I say it will go. First, you will pay for the insult to me, and then we’ll proceed to the sawhorse.”
“I don’t like the sawhorse.” The words came out breathy and small, because she was beginning to understand that this was serious.
Master A didn’t look like he was planning on giving in. And she hated being called a spoiled princess, but a part of her worried that he was right. The last few years, she’d allowed herself to become spoiled and dependent. She’d fled from everything that hurt her. She’d hidden. She’d let her stepfathers and Lucas coddle and provide for her so she didn’t have to face the truth.
Master A didn’t flinch. “I don’t care. Lucas has done the best he can, but the truth is he wasn’t trained to be a Dom. He might enjoy it from time to time, but he prefers bottoming. You require a firm hand. If you don’t want it, then you’re free to leave. No one is holding you against your will. This is all about consensual play, so you have to make the choice. Do you want the session to continue?”
She hated this part. This was the part that she’d never understood. She had to make the choice, and she couldn’t put it off on anyone else. She wanted for him to simply do it. Then she could blame him later, but that wasn’t what The Club was about. She’d been coming here for over a year, and she finally had to decide to make the choice—stay and put herself in the hands of a stranger, or go and never know what it was like. And then there was the fact that Master A was right. Lucas needed something she couldn’t give him.
She cast her eyes down submissively. How bad could it be? “Yes, Sir.”
“Then strip.”
Lexi’s eyes came up. She was never naked in The Club. Oh, sure, she wore some really skimpy outfits, but she’d never been fully unclothed before.
“You’re beautiful, baby. Show them.” Lucas’s hands were suddenly on her shoulders, a welcome warmth.
With shaking fingers, she started to undo the clasps of her corset. She swallowed, thinking about everyone in the crowd. Suddenly Master A’s hand came out, cupping her cheek, enveloping her. His dark eyes were really brown, not black, and there was a heat in them now that was absent before.
“It’s only us, Lexi. Don’t think about the audience. It’s you and Lucas and your Dom. You don’t trust me yet, but you will. Now take off your clothes and show your Dom that gorgeous body. Lucas wants to show you off.”
There was a husky chuckle, and Lucas’s hands slid around her waist, covering her own. “I do, baby. I’ve always wanted to show you off.”
Lucas undid the next hook, and the rest of the world seemed to fall away. She could feel Lucas’s heat at her back, and Master A’s hot eyes on her body. She felt lovely all of a sudden. Lucas wanted to show her off? It was common in The Club for a Dom to show off his sub, but Lucas had never asked. He was probably afraid to. She let her head fall back against Lucas’s shoulder, giving him free access to undress her. If this was his fantasy, then she would make it a good one.
And was it truly only his fantasy? She knew it was a trick of the imagination, but if she closed her eyes, she could turn Master A’s deep, husky voice more melodic, a slight bit higher. She could make him less muscular, and if his hair was longer and more sun-kissed, he could be Aidan. She could pretend for a moment that Aidan was with them again, and they were complete.
Longing swept across her soul as Lucas slipped the corset off, baring her breasts. Cool air wisped at her nipples, tightening them. She wondered what Master A was seeing. She knew her own body. It was bigger than perfect, more hourglass than was fashionable. Her breasts were large, and she thought they were already sagging a bit. Her hips were far too big, and she didn’t like to think about her ass.
“Touch was allowed in our contract. I’m going to touch you now.” Master A’s voice had gone to a deep, seductive grumble.
Now her nipples peaked, and it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the magnificent man in front of her. He was scarred, but there was no denying his appeal. He exuded mascul
inity, and it called to her. She might have hesitated, but Lucas was behind her, kissing her neck. His hips were moving gently against the small of her back as though he couldn’t help himself.
“That is if Lucas isn’t planning on prematurely ejaculating all over you,” Master A said dryly.
She felt Lucas smile on the nape of her neck. He kissed her one last time and then stepped back. “I make no promises. I’ve waited a long time for her.”
The Master inclined his head politely. “And I’m honored to be a part of it.”
She stood still, expecting his hands to come out and grab for her breasts, but he touched her face. With a single finger he traced the line of her jaw from below her ear to her chin. Lucas’s hands were on her waist. He slid his fingers under the sides of her silky thong and pushed them off her hips. He helped her balance as she stepped out of them and faced the Master without a stitch of clothing on. Master A ran his hand across her cheek and nose and through her hair, like a blind man memorizing the planes of her face, experiencing through touch.
He moved his hands down to her neck and shoulders. He caressed her arms, and his fingers tangled with hers. He turned her palms up and examined her fingers, touching the deep calluses she bore on her right thumb pad and the middle finger beside her nail. The damn finger was grooved because she’d spent so many years holding a pencil, and then a pen. She’d switched to a laptop, but the indention had never gone away. He pulled her writing hand into both of his, and suddenly she felt precious. She was enveloped in his warmth and care. She stood before the man utterly naked, and he was fascinated with her hand. He couldn’t know how that hand was a symbol of everything she was and everything she’d lost.
When he pulled it to his lips, she shuddered as he kissed her skin. It felt, for the briefest of moments, like he was worshipping something infinitely precious and worthy.
He wasn’t anything she’d expected.
She turned her eyes to find Lucas standing at Master A’s side. There was no jealousy on his face, only a slight, indulgent smile.
“She’s beautiful, Lucas,” the Master said, gently allowing her hand to drop.
“She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.” Lucas had said it so many times, but this time, with both their eyes on her, she believed the words.
“I agree,” Master A said, and that glorious dimple made an appearance. “Unfortunately, she’s also a bit of a brat. What do we do to bratty subs in The Club, Lucas?”
Lucas’s smile became distinctly predatory. “All manner of dirty, nasty things, Sir.”
Master A sat down in the chair Lucas had provided. He stretched his long, strong body in that rinky-dink folding chair and patted his lap. “Why don’t we start with the basics? Over my knee, sub. You owe me ten for cursing and another five for questioning me.”
She took a deep breath. She was almost dizzy from the quick change. One minute the men were soft, sweet, and worshipful. Now they were ready to spank her. She suddenly remembered the crowd. Damn. She was in front of fifty people buck naked and about to get a spanking that, if she suspected right, was not going to be anything like Lucas’s. And yet she found herself placing her body over Master A’s lap. She closed her eyes and hoped she would survive the experience.
Chapter Five
Aidan nearly sighed as Lexi placed her soft, sexy body over his knee. His dick was an iron poker pressing against his leathers. He’d been rock hard all day, but his erection reached epic proportions the minute they had walked into the room.
She was shaking slightly as she positioned herself facing down over his lap. Such a sweet bundle of femininity. He’d seen her insecurity when he’d ordered her to strip, but he couldn’t resist. It had been so long since he’d been close to her, his skin against hers. He needed to see her again, all of her. She was as perfect as he’d remembered. Glorious, round breasts tipped with dusky pink nipples. Generous hips he’d loved to grip as he’d fucked into her tight pussy. If they had been alone, he would have ordered her to spread her legs and present her pussy to him. An image of that one perfect night flooded his brain. He’d shoved his cock into her wet pussy and pulled out to offer Lucas a taste. Lucas had bent down to put his mouth on Lexi, but Aidan had stopped him. He’d pressed his cock to Lucas’s mouth and shared the taste of their lover.
Oh, he wanted that again, but he had to prove himself first.
He caressed Lexi’s silky skin. She’d been a perfect brat, thinking she could control her own punishment. Julian was right. She was in dire need of some correction. He brought his hand up and smacked that gorgeous ass.
Lexi yelped, but he was merciless. Her pretty legs kicked, and she clutched his ankles. He spanked her over and over, never losing count. He watched her porcelain skin flush a pretty pink as he struck in a pattern, never hitting the same spot twice. After he reached a count of ten, Lexi seemed to calm, her body softening and hanging over him, limp as a doll. He could hear her crying, and everything in him wanted to pull her up and hold her, but she needed this. She needed the discipline and everything that came after.
He slapped her ass, carefully remembering every bit of his training. The last few months had been a nonstop mixture of getting reacquainted with ranch work and learning how to be a Dom. He’d spent every hour of the week working the herd he’d inherited from his father and the weekends learning what he needed to know to get his loves back.
Julian Lodge and Leo Meyer had made sure his training was thorough. There wasn’t anything, and he meant anything, he could do to Lexi and Lucas that he hadn’t had done to him. He knew that Lexi’s ass was stinging. He brought his hand down one last time, and it was done. Now was the part he’d wanted to get to all along.
He smoothed his hand down her spine. “You did very well, Lexi.”
She sniffled but didn’t move under his hand. He took it as his cue to help her up. She was soft, almost boneless in his lap as he arranged her so she sat cuddled in his arms. Lucas walked up behind him and stroked her hair. Tears streaked down her face, but she seemed calmer now. He’d never gotten the whole “getting spanked” thing, but damn if it didn’t work for Lexi. She tilted her head up and those dark blue eyes pulled him right in. She was so fucking gorgeous. All he wanted to do was bend his lips to hers and kiss her. There was a watery smile on her face as he realized she wasn’t looking at him. Lucas bent down and brushed his lips against hers.
“You were great, baby,” Lucas said.
She practically glowed under his praise. Her grin turned slightly devilish. “Thanks, babe. It takes true talent to get your ass whipped.”
“Step back, Lucas.” He nearly winced at the harsh edge of his voice.
Lucas merely winked at Lexi and did as he was told. He took it as the confidence of a man who was certain of his place with a woman. Lucas wasn’t jealous of him, but oh, he was getting jealous of Lucas. And Lexi, now that he thought of it. He was jealous of their ease and comfort with one another. Julian had been right. They needed a Dom. He needed to make sure he was the Dom they wanted.
“Now, we can start things properly.” He shifted her off his lap. No kiss for the man who’d given her the spanking, but he still had a job to do, and Lexi still had some punishment coming. “Find your position, please.”
Lexi sank gracefully to her knees in front of him, and her head was lowered, sending her long, glossy black hair cascading down her body.
He turned slightly to bring Lucas into his line of sight. He cocked a single eyebrow, sending Lucas the question he shouldn’t have been required to ask.
Lucas’s face lit with surprise. “Really?”
Lexi might not be the only one with a red ass. “You signed the contract, sub.”
A light stain crept up Lucas’s neck. Aidan might have worried, but there was a slight smile playing on Lucas’s lips, and there was no mistaking how his cock responded. That big cock was straining against the leather of his pants as Lucas gracefully stepped around him and sank to his knees beside Lexi.
He had to catch his breath. This, this was what he’d longed for. Why had he wasted all that time? They were gorgeous sitting there together, their dark heads bowed in submission. It was a precious gift, one he’d thrown away before. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He stood and placed a hand on each bowed head. Both of his subs had dark hair. Lucas’s was black as night, while Lexi’s seemed like it was threaded with wisps of auburn. They were so alike and yet so very, very different.
He looked up because he had a job to do. The crowd was waiting. Leo stood close to the stage, arms across his chest. He was standing in for Julian because Julian had come to think of Lexi as a daughter. Julian had told Aidan he had zero desire to see his “daughter” naked. Jack Barnes had felt the same way. He wasn’t in the dungeon this evening. So it was Leo he looked to when he went into his punishment protocol.
“Master Leo, this woman belongs to me by right of contract. She has broken the rules of this club and seeks to make reparation. Will you accept?”
Leo’s head nodded. “I speak for Mr. Lodge. We will accept her apology should she make it with an open heart.”
Aidan reached down and drew Lucas up, presenting him to the crowd. “This is my partner. He will aid in her pain and pleasure. Lucas, prepare her.”
He felt Lucas flinch, but then Lucas straightened up, standing tall. His shoulders squared; his jaw firmed. He went from sub to Dom in an instant, a chameleon as always. Lucas was very good at taking on the roles needed to please those around him. One day, Aidan would prove to him that he didn’t need to take on roles. One day, they would all be together, and Lucas could simply be Lucas.
But for now, Lucas played his role to perfection. He had Lexi on her feet and bound to the sawhorse. Her gorgeous ass was in the air. The pink hue of her flesh there called to Aidan. He checked the knots Lucas had tied and found them to be expertly done. Tight, but it wouldn’t cut off her circulation. Lexi rested her head down on the padding of the bench, her eyes closed, her expression beatific.
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