by L. DuBois
“Mr. Raine, this is Miss Hope, one of the teachers in the caterpillar room.”
“Hope?” Alexandre asked.
Normally she’d shake hands, but Hope waved, while mentally chanting Don’t call him Master Raine. Don’t call him Master Raine. “Nice to meet you, Alexandre.”
“Alexandre? You’ve met him before?” Miss Hills looked positively gleeful.
Crap.
The instant the kids were gone for the day, Miss Hills liked to lecture Hope about needing to go out and get laid, to get a boyfriend. The older woman had an unhealthy need to meddle in everyone’s love lives. One of her co-teachers had met her current husband on a blind date Miss Hills had set up.
“Just this past weekend,” Alexandre said smoothly. He was handling this better than she was. “Out in Malibu.”
If there was a god, she would be struck by lightning right now. No, wait, that would traumatize the kids.
“Ah, well, she’s not your daughter’s teacher, so there’s no rule against you two having fun. Mr. Raine is divorced.”
Hope widened her eyes in the most threatening look she dared use and aimed it at Miss Hills.
The older woman grinned, her sweet grandmotherly face at odds with her let’s-throw-a-snake-in-and-see-what-happens approach to meddling.
“Actually, I was never married,” Alexandre said. “To Petunia’s mother.”
“Even better.”
Hope looked at her bare wrist. “Oh, will you look at the time? Better get my class inside.”
“C-h-i-c-k-e-n,” Miss Hills spelled out.
Alexandre blinked at Miss Hills, and then laughed.
That sound brought back all kinds of memories and feelings that she did not want to have while at work.
Hope turned, but stopped, her body refusing to walk away from him. She felt him come closer, knew he was only a foot behind, though that should have been impossible for her to know.
“Does this change anything?” he asked quietly.
“How could it not?” she whispered in reply.
“I expect to see you next weekend.”
Hope hurried away, clapping her hands in the staccato rhythm that signaled it was time to transition activities. Her sweet little caterpillar room kids raced for the door, the child in charge of being line leader that day bustling with self-importance as he helped his classmates line up straight.
Later she would freak out. Later she would panic. Later she would call Master Leo and tell him that the one thing she’d feared—that she’d run into someone from the club out in the real world—had happened.
And then, much later, after everything else, she’d have a good cry and decide if she was going back to Las Palmas.
Chapter 13
Ten days. It had been ten days since he’d seen her at the preschool. He’d been dropping Petunia off early in the morning, when students were in their classrooms instead of on the shared playground, and he hadn’t seen her again.
Hope. Her name was Hope.
And here she called herself Chastity.
This past weekend, his weekend to have Petunia, he’d packed their days full of activities so he wouldn’t have time to think about Chastity.
The hardcore, fetish sub who’d challenged him, pushed him to release his inner brute, was, in reality, a preschool teacher.
“Master Raine.”
Alexandre pushed away from the post he’d been leaning on and turned to Master Leo.
“Master Leo.”
“Are you waiting for someone?” Master Leo glanced from where Alexandre was to the entrance to the Subs’ Garden. If Chastity came, she’d emerge through that arch.
“My checklist game partner.”
“Chastity.”
“Yes.”
“I hear you might be more than just game partners.” Leo reached out and tangled his hand in the hair of Gabriela, his bonded submissive, who was kneeling by his feet.
“Yes. I’ve asked her to be my submissive.”
“And she agreed?”
“She did.”
“And has anything happened to change that?”
Alexandre grunted. “Enough. What do you want, Leo?”
“I introduced Chastity to the club. She is, perhaps, a bit different than our other members. She informed me that you are now aware of her…special circumstances.”
Alexandre folded his arms. Leo was an overseer, which meant he had to know what she did for a living. “I know what she does, and it doesn’t change anything. You, stay out of my business with my submissive.”
“She’s subbed for me also. She isn’t yours.”
“She is,” he snarled. Time to go on the offensive. “She told me how you scened with her. Sounds like you used her to scratch your impact-play itch and saved the real stuff for Gabriela. Go find someone else to use. Chastity is mine.”
Gabriela pursed her lips while in contrast, Master Leo’s disappeared as he pressed them together.
“Are you sure?” Chastity asked.
He’d turned to talk to Leo, putting his back to the Subs’ Garden. Alexandre whirled.
She wore black leather with lots of fishnet and buckles. Boots with at least ten buckles on each, fishnet stockings, tight black leather shorts, a black tank top under a black half-corset, and the sleeve and collar combo garment she’d had on the first night they met. Her hair was once more in the high ponytail that faded to black on the end.
It seemed she’d come dressed for battle in full armor.
But she’d come.
Alexandre crooked a finger at her and then, taking a big risk, turned and started walking. He held his breath until he heard her booted steps behind him.
The club was hopping this weekend, people still working through their checklist items, or enjoying the new partners and playmates they’d met as a result of the game. He’d tried for another Iron Court room, but hadn’t been able to get one. Instead he’d secured one of the stalls out in the conclave. She followed him along the winding paths through the courtyards of playrooms and to the converted barn. Once they were there, he opened the door and held it for her.
Chastity walked past him, head high.
“Third stall,” he said.
She walked in, glanced around and then took up a position under the dual chains hanging from the ceiling. Alexandre leaned against the open stall door and looked at her.
The longer he looked, the more she fidgeted. When she crossed, uncrossed, and then recrossed her arms, he took pity.
“How—” he didn’t get to finish the question. She, apparently, had just been waiting for him to start talking.
“Can I afford to be a member? I can’t. Master Leo pays for me. Or maybe he got me some sort of kink scholarship. All I know is that I don’t pay to be here.” Her chin notched up. “I don’t have rich parents. I’m not independently wealthy. I’m a preschool teacher. I shouldn’t be here, I know that. I’m not like everyone else.”
He could practically see the words falling out of her mouth, they were so heavy and tangled.
“Are you done?” he asked.
“What is that supposed to mean? Am I done being a member here? If you think I’m going to run away just—”
“Are you done talking?”
Her teeth clicked together.
“I was going to ask how you have long hair when you’re here, and short hair in real life. It’s not a wig, because I pulled on it.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “I clip in extensions.”
“And the eyes?” Her striking dark eyes were at odds with the pretty, pale blue he’s seen that day at the school.
“Brown contacts.”
“This look, all the black, is Chastity?”
“Yes.”
“Nice name, by the way.”
“Thanks, I thought I’d stick with a biblical theme.”
She’d relaxed, one hand on her hip, the other loose and hanging at her side.
“You look good in black, but take it off.”
> “We’re…still playing?”
“Did something change?”
“Well, now you know I’m a poor preschool teacher.”
He shook his head. “That’s Hope. Did Chastity change?”
She looked at him, not quite managing to hide the longing in her gaze. “No.”
“Then strip.”
He ducked out to grab what he wanted out of the tack room. When he came back, she was down to the fishnets, which turned out to be thigh highs that on her came up almost to her crotch.
“Wait, leave those on, I like them.”
Chastity paused in the act of rolling them off and smoothed them back up her thighs.
She looked up at him and a tentative smile curled her mouth. “You still want me, as your sub?”
“Why did you think that would change?”
“Like I said, poor preschool teacher. And I don’t know it…it’s…I mean knowing that has to change how you treat me.”
“It won’t.”
“How could it not?”
“Do you really think that I’ll…what? Treat you badly, ignore your safe word and the rules of our power exchange because I know you’re a preschool teacher?”
She sighed. “No. I trust you.”
“Then you’re mine.” The words came out hard. “Mine.” That felt good to say.
“And you’re mine. My master.”
“Then we’re agreed. When you’re here, you’re mine.”
She nodded.
“And if Alexandre asks Hope out on a date, that’s a totally separate issue.” The words were out before he could stop them. He didn’t do romantic relationships. Maybe he should start changing that though to he didn’t used to do romantic relationships.
Her eyes widened, mouth opened, but he cut her off. “I’m going to picture you in that cute teacher skirt and headband while I fuck your ass.”
The tentative smile turned into a grin. “Promises, promises.”
“And what about you? You still want to submit to me?”
“Yes.”
“Even though I sometimes make dad jokes?”
“Looking back on it now, I know why you made that face when I said it.”
“And you still want to submit knowing I’ll push you? I want to push you.” He stepped into the stall, revealing the long crop he held. With his free hand, he carefully grabbed her by the neck, pulling her forward half a step. “You make me want to be a brute.”
“A brute?”
“My ex may have used that term a few times.”
“Ahh, and that’s why you’re all Master Rules and Protocol.”
“I was. Not am. Wrong verb tense.”
Her gaze slid to the crop. “So do I get to see the brute?”
He released her and slapped it into his palm. “Time for your interrogation.”
If you enjoyed “I” please be sure to check out the rest of the alphabet, sign up for my newsletter, or leave a review.
Thank you for reading!
Lila
Meet the Masters’ Admiralty
Check out my newest series with Mari Carr, Master’s Admiralty. In this red hot series, an exclusive secret society requires every woman to enter into a marriage with two men. Follow along on these steamy ménage nights with successful moguls and billionaire playboys!
Treachery’s Devotion
Masters’ Admiralty, book one
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A warrior with everything to prove.
Tristan Knight has served the Admiral of England since he was a teenager. As a knight, he has pledged his life to protect the Masters’ Admiralty, and when he’s assigned to escort an archaeologist on a research trip he knows the menial task is punishment for the failure of his last mission.
A woman in a gilded cage.
Sophia Starabba is a brilliant scholar and accomplished law enforcement officer, working for Italy’s cultural heritage protection department. But none of that matters to her family or the other members of the territory of Rome. To them she’s the “Principessa”- daughter of the Admiral.
The man who holds the key.
James Rathmann lives for mysteries. In another life, he would have been a detective, but a love for digging in the dirt made him an archaeologist. Now one of the world’s leading experts on coins, and curator at the British Museum, he’s been called to Rome to examine a recent discovery.
An old enemy back from the dead.
Among the coins they find something alarming—a silver coin bearing the mark of a villain everyone had assumed was long dead. Sophia leads them on the trail to identify the coin’s owner, and possibly discover the identity of the Domino, a killer and anarchist who plagued the Masters’ Admiralty a hundred years ago.
But the Domino isn’t dead, and together James, Sophia and Tristan will fight to stay alive and one step ahead of a killer who will do anything to destroy the Masters’ Admiralty.
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Check out Treachery’s Devotion!
Loyalty’s Betrayal
Masters’ Admiralty, book two
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Head of security for the world’s most powerful secret society isn’t an easy job. Mateo failed in his duties, and people died. When he’s offered a chance to prove himself and unmask a traitor, he accepts without hesitation.
His chance for redemption comes with a condition, a deadline...and an ultimatum. The condition? Mateo won’t be working alone. He’s partnered with Cecilia--a brilliant woman who knows more about the Masters’ Admiralty than anyone, and Dimitri, an arrogant man with a dangerous skill set.
The deadline? He has one week to find the traitor or lose his position as captain of the Spartan Guard. The ultimatum? Cecilia and Dimitri think Mateo is going to be their third in an arranged menage marriage. They can’t know there’s a chance the union will be dissolved if Mateo finds the traitor in time.
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Check out Loyalty’s Betrayal!
About the Author
Lila Dubois is a multi-published, bestselling author of erotic, paranormal and fantasy romance. Her books have been nominated for many awards including RT Book Reviews Erotic Novella for Undone Rebel and the Golden Flogger. Having spent extensive time in France, Egypt, Turkey, Ireland and England Lila speaks five languages, none of them (including English) fluently. Lila lives in California with her own Irish Farm Boy and loves receiving email from readers, though she is slow to respond since she recently created a tiny human. Can books featuring secret baby plots be far behind?
Visit Lila online:
www.liladubois.net
[email protected]
Other books by Lila Dubois
Masters’ Admiralty
Treachery’s Devotion
Loyalty’s Betrayal
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The Trinity Masters
Erotic Ménage Romance written with
New York Times bestselling author Mari Carr
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Elemental Pleasure
Primal Passion
Scorching Desire
After Burn (free short story)
Forbidden Legacy
Hidden Devotion
Elegant Seduction
Secret Scandal
Delicate Ties
Beloved Sacrifice
Masterful Truth
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BDSM Checklist
BDSM Erotic Romance
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A is for…
B is for…
C is for…
D is for…
E is for…
F is for…
G is for…
H is for…
I is for…
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Undone Lovers
BDSM Erotic Romance
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Undone Rebel
Undone Dom
Undone Diva
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Standalone BDSM Erotic Romance
Betrayed by Love
Dangerous Lust
Re
d Ribbon
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The Glenncailty Ghosts
Modern Gothic Romance
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Redemption
Lovers
Ghosts
Bones
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Monsters in Hollywood
Paranormal Romance
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Dial M for Monster
My Fair Monster
Gone with the Monster
Have Monster, Will Travel
A Monster and a Gentleman
The Last of the Monsters
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The Wraith Accords
Paranormal Romance
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Carnal Magic
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Elemental Covens
Paranormal Romance
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Witches in the Weeds
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Standalone Paranormal Romance
Briar Rose
Calling the Wild
Kitsune
Sealed with a Kiss
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Standalone Shifter Romance
His Wolf Heart
Savage Satisfaction
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Zinahs
Fantasy Romance
Forbidden
Savage
Bound
