Victor was gone. She knew that. And he wouldn’t want her to mourn him forever. But deciding to move on was difficult. She missed him. She missed what they had. She also knew it could never be emulated. Their relationship had been one of a kind. And Faith didn’t have the strength to love like that again. It hurt too bad.
Nevertheless, every time she’d seen Rowen he’d done nothing to dispel her wild imaginative musings. She’d turned him into something that was larger than life.
Tonight was no exception. His six-foot frame towered over the man next to him, and his thick brown hair lay in disarray. She wanted to run her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked. It was cropped short on the sides, but the top was just long enough to give him a messy look.
She lowered her gaze to his biceps, thick and tan. He was built. She could feel the power wafting off him from across the darkened room.
With relief, Faith watched as another man came from somewhere else in the room and joined the nail biter. He pulled her finger from her mouth, reprimanded her with a shake of his head, and gripped her hands behind her back.
Faith was mesmerized by the scene, deciding to continue watching. After all, she’d come early for this very chance—to observe without commitment. When the man in coveralls was finished, he grabbed his tools and headed for the doorway that led to the main entrance.
Much to Faith’s surprise, the waiting couple didn’t approach the web together. Instead, the tall slender man who was clearly this woman’s Dom turned his sub to face him, pulled her tight black dress over her head, and patted her bare butt to get her to move closer.
Was Rowen going to dominate this man’s sub on the spider web?
Faith’s mouth grew dry. She licked her lips in the nervous habit she couldn’t seem to break.
The woman was curvy in a way that made Faith jealous. She was taller and had an ass and chest that would be the envy of most women. Her skin was tanned with only the thin lines of a bikini at her waist and the obscenely small white triangular patches around her nipples and her pussy. Wherever she sunbathed, Faith sincerely hoped it was in private. If anyone saw her wearing the bikini that matched those lines, they would fall into the pool and drown.
A deep voice behind Faith made her flinch. “I could get you a time slot on the web later this evening if you want?” She turned around to find Carter smiling at her. “It’s enticing, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“You want me to book you? I could find you a willing submissive easily.” He paused a breath and then continued. “Or a Dom if you prefer.”
She glanced back again. “No. Thanks. I’ll just watch this evening.” It unnerved her the way he’d so blatantly proposed she might want to submit to another on that web, but then again, it was his job. He was only being cautious in not assuming anything specific.
“Let me know if you change your mind. The crowd would be mesmerized watching you.”
As he walked away, she wondered what he meant by that last ambiguous statement. Watching me top someone on it? Or watching me submit to another? Either way, she shuddered.
Crossing her arms against a perceived chill in the room, she leaned against the wall and resumed her perusal as Rowen lifted the woman’s arm above her head and secured her wrist to one corner with a cuff. He did the same to the other wrist.
After whispering something in her ear, Rowen waited until she nodded, and then he bent to secure her ankles spread apart in the same fashion. The effect was not much different from a St. Andrew’s cross. Except everything changed when Rowen stepped to one side and turned a crank that caused the top of the web to slowly lean backward until the woman had no choice but to rest her weight against the chain webbing.
Faith sucked in a breath. The chain would be cold against her skin. It was dispersed enough not to be uncomfortable, but it would leave its marks.
Rowen spoke to the woman again. She said something in response, and he reached to adjust her wrist. He spoke to her once more and then grabbed her discarded dress from the floor and tucked it under her head.
Finally, she nodded, and he stepped back. He didn’t go far, however, just a few feet. The slender man came forward and set his hands on his submissive’s ankles. He proceeded to stroke her skin, his hands inching farther up her legs with every pass.
Faith shifted her gaze to Rowen. Apparently, he wasn’t going to dominate the woman. He’d simply been setting up the scene. He crossed one arm under his chest and rested the other elbow in his palm. He gripped his chin with his free hand. Concentrating. He stood at the perfect angle for Faith to see at least part of his expression without him noticing her.
His gaze darted around the apparatus continually, making sure everything was as it should be. He was meticulous about safety.
It made her so fucking hot, she felt the flush crawling up her chest. The room was cool so her heat stood out, considering she wore a sheer blouse and a very short skirt. She should not be hot.
Rowen never left the scene. He probably rarely blinked. He didn’t interrupt except the few times the Dom motioned him over to adjust something. Otherwise, he was simply there to ensure the woman’s safety.
When the scene was over, Rowen gave a few instructions to the man to teach him how to return the web back to an upright position and then lock it in place to make sure it didn’t tip backward unexpectedly.
By the time Faith backed out of the main room, she noticed it was already almost ten o’clock. She only had a few minutes to prepare for her own scene. She wandered back to the women’s restroom and washed her hands unnecessarily. What she really needed was to look herself in the eye, give herself a pep talk, and get herself in the right frame of mind.
Rowen had put her in a sub mode that was not easy to shake out of. But she had responsibilities, and one of those was to the man she had committed her time to. It wouldn’t be fair to him for her to be anything less than on top of her game.
“You’ve got this, Faith. You’re a great Domme. Deep breaths.” She inhaled slowly, watching herself as she calmed. Rowen Easton was not going to get under her skin. Not tonight. Not ever if she could help it.
The man was dangerous to her well-being. If she gave him the chance, he could bring her to her knees. She would never give him that chance.
“She takes your breath away, doesn’t she?”
Rowen flinched as he turned his head slightly to find Rayne standing next to him but about a half step behind.
She wasn’t looking at him. She was watching Faith perform. Before he could comment, she spoke again. “I haven’t ever submitted to a woman before, but I’m seriously considering asking Faith to do a scene with me. She’s that good.”
Rowen stared at his ex-girlfriend, half-amused, half-jealous at the idea of her having contact with Faith. He tamped down the absurd thought. “You could ask,” he pointed out.
She nodded slowly, and then she turned her gaze to meet Rowen’s. “You could too, you know.”
Rowen cocked his head to one side. What was up with his coworkers and friends? Even his sister. It seemed like they had planned some sort of gradual intervention to gang up on him about Faith. He decided to deflect, as usual. “I don’t bottom.”
She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”
Granted, Rowen had sensed that Faith was submissive from the first time he’d seen her perform two weeks ago, but it was entirely possible his desire to top her was distorting his ability to see reason.
After all, he’d seen Faith dominate three other people in the last few weeks. Perhaps he was mistaken about her. But then why had Carter, Lincoln, Sasha, and now Rayne stopped to encourage him to scene with Faith?
Could it have anything to do with the fact that you always watch her intently with drool running down your chin?
Rowen couldn’t fully put his finger on his fascination. He hadn’t once seen Faith submit to anyone. He had no proof she even could. He wasn’t about to submit to her. So why the interes
t? Because she’s sexy as hell? Because you suspect she’s living inauthentically?
“She has good taste, that’s for sure,” Rayne added. “I’d have to save for a month to afford those boots. And that skirt… Damn. It’s like someone made it for her.”
Rowen swallowed as he turned back to watch the rest of Faith’s scene. Rayne had just confirmed what he’d already suspected. Faith had money. He really needed to turn around and walk away. Perhaps he was a jackass for automatically assuming she was high-maintenance or a bitch, but he had no interest in messing around with a rich woman.
Lord, dude. Who said she even wants to submit to you. Cocky much? And besides, if he admitted the truth to himself, doing a scene with her would not kill him. If he ever had the opportunity, he knew he would snatch it in a heartbeat. Personal convictions be damned.
Hell, maybe he could flush her right out of his system if he came right out and asked her to submit to him. It wasn’t a bad idea. Lurking around week after week watching her only made his cock harder and his imagination more out of control.
Maybe he was reading her wrong. She was so in control as a Domme it was very possible she would top from the bottom, and he would tolerate that for about half a second before walking away.
Finding his balls and approaching her was a great plan. She would either shoot him down outright or give him the opportunity to prove to himself that looks weren’t everything as he got to know her.
You’re a dick. An egotistical dick. Or maybe jaded from experience.
Rayne shook him out of his pity party when she squeezed his arm and then walked away.
His attention back on Faith, he took in what Rayne had seen. Faith looked spectacular in a tight black skirt much like the one she’d been wearing the first time he saw her. Tonight she had on fishnet hose and thigh-high black leather boots. Instead of the corset he often saw her wearing, she wore a white lacy bra covered by a sheer white blouse that hid nothing.
Mesmerizing.
As usual, Faith took excellent care of her sub when she finished covering his ass, thighs, and shoulder blades with perfect pink stripes from her whip.
She had a lot of training with a whip. That was obvious. And it sent a chill down Rowen’s spine. Why was he spending so much time thinking about this woman? She wasn’t remotely compatible with him.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, he wandered away. He was supposed to be working the floor for the next hour as a dungeon monitor, and then he needed to go upstairs and sequester himself in his office with paperwork so Sasha and Lincoln could play.
An hour later as he climbed the stairs to the third floor where the offices and staff breakroom were located, he heard female voices coming from Lincoln’s office. One voice belonged to Sasha. He wasn’t sure who the other was.
The office door was open, so he headed that direction, mostly to let Sasha know he was done downstairs for the evening. When he leaned around the doorframe, his breath hitched.
Sasha was sitting on the loveseat laughing. The other woman was Faith. Her face was also lit up with mirth. Both women lifted their gazes when he cleared his throat.
“Hey,” Sasha said. “Wow, is it already eleven?” Her back went straight as she crossed her ankles. She was dressed rather demurely for someone intending to play in the club tonight. Then again, that wasn’t unusual. He didn’t know if her choice in clothing was her own doing or if Lincoln selected her outfits for her. He also wasn’t about to ask. TMI.
Tonight she wore a soft blue dress that covered everything important and could easily be worn anywhere in the city.
“Yep.”
“Come on in. Have you met Faith?”
He had to concentrate hard to get his legs to follow walking orders, but somehow he managed to saunter across the floor toward the women. He smiled warmly at Faith as he held out his hand. “Rowen Easton. I’ve seen you perform several times. Impressive. I’m sorry we haven’t had an opportunity to meet. Welcome to Club Zodiac.”
She licked her lips as she rose to her feet, which made his cock stiffen. As she set her smaller hand in his, she spoke. “Thank you.” Her voice was far more demure than it had been a moment ago with Sasha. “I’ve enjoyed every visit to your club. The members have been very gracious and welcoming.” She glanced down at Sasha. “Your sister is lovely. We’ve been getting to know each other.”
“Have you now?” Rowen glanced at Sasha, hoping his sister hadn’t said anything to Faith about him, even though she’d suggested to Rowen on three occasions that he should approach Faith.
As he reluctantly released her soft fingers, he waved at the loveseat. “Sit.” He lowered himself into the armchair across from them and crossed his legs, hoping he looked far calmer than he felt. This ridiculous anxiety that made him sweat every time he saw Faith unnerved him.
Faith pressed her knees together and folded her hands in her lap. She swallowed several times and licked her lips again before she spoke. “Sasha tells me you’re an accountant.”
He nodded. “I am. What else has Sasha told you?” He eyed his sister suspiciously.
Sasha might have submissive tendencies, and she definitely yielded control to Lincoln most of the time, but she didn’t ever let Rowen think for a moment she was anything but a bossy younger sister toward him. “Nothing that would get my butt spanked if Lincoln ever found out.” She shot him a fake cocky smile.
Lincoln miraculously stepped into the office on the tail end of Sasha’s assertion. Lincoln was six three, broad shouldered, and formidable. “What’s this about you needing a spanking?” he asked, not an ounce of mirth in his voice.
Sasha sat up straighter. “No, Sir. I was telling my brother that I would never do something to warrant you to flex those fingers of yours.” She stared at Lincoln’s hands as she spoke, her ass squirming on the sofa.
On that note, Rowen pushed to his feet. “That’s my cue to leave. She’s all yours.” Rowen glanced at Lincoln. “Good luck.”
Lincoln was still staring at Sasha, his brows furrowed. Yeah, Sasha probably shouldn’t use that tone of sass. Ever. Even if she was telling the truth. Rowen knew he wouldn’t tolerate it himself. And he knew Lincoln well enough to know Sasha was indeed going to be on the receiving end of some form of discipline in about one minute.
Lincoln didn’t take his gaze off Sasha as he spoke to Rowen. “We won’t be going downstairs tonight. You can have the club if you want to scene with anyone. Would you lock the door on your way out?”
“Of course.” Rowen fought the urge to chuckle. He had no idea why he ever worried about Sasha getting involved in this lifestyle. She was indeed suited for it, and there was also no doubt Lincoln was firm enough to ensure she stayed in line.
Faith jumped to her feet, leaned over to kiss Sasha on the cheek, and then rushed from the room on Rowen’s heels. When they were finally in the hall and Rowen had shut the door, Faith lifted her gaze to his. “Yikes. That was…hot.” She smiled, but her face flushed, and then her expression sobered. “Sorry. That was your sister.”
He smirked. “I’m getting used to it. They’ve been together for about four months now. And they probably should have been together for the last several years.”
“Yeah, Sasha told me some of the story.”
Rowen had no idea what possessed him, but he wrapped his hand loosely around Faith’s biceps and led her to the next door down the hallway—his office. When they entered, he pointed at the brown, leather loveseat under the window along one wall of his corner office. It was dark out, but the blinds were open. He hadn’t taken the time to close them when he’d popped in briefly earlier. Besides, he liked the twinkling of the city lights outside.
He opened the mini-fridge next to his desk and pulled out two bottles of water. And then he joined Faith on the small loveseat as he loosened the cap on one and handed it to her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He took a long drink of his own water and then leaned back, setting his arm along the back
of the sofa and stretching out his legs. “I saw your scene earlier. You really know how to handle a whip.”
“Thank you,” she repeated. She turned her body to face him more fully, but her gaze landed on his chest somewhere.
Unable to stop himself, he eased his hand from the back of the couch to toy with a thick lock of her hair absentmindedly. She wore it down tonight, long thick waves hanging halfway down her back. “Have you always been a Domme?” No sense beating around the bush. He wanted answers.
“No.”
No? That’s all she was going to give him?
“Care to expand?” he urged.
She pursed her lips and inhaled through her nose.
He slid his hand from her hair to her chin, nudging it upward with two fingers. When her gaze met his, her face flushed a gorgeous shade of pink. She licked her lips again as if they were permanently dry.
He set his thumb on the lower one and tugged it downward.
She opened her mouth and tipped her cheek into his palm, her eyelids lowering halfway.
Fuck me. No way in hell was he going to let her know how she affected him. “Talk to me. Tell me about yourself.” He removed his hand, setting it on the back of the loveseat once again, watching how she stopped breathing and followed the retreat of his arm with her gaze.
Yeah. Domme, my ass. She might be capable of topping a variety of people, and she did it better than most Dominants he knew, but she would not be topping him. She would submit to him. She would do it now. Tonight. Right here.
He wished he’d shut the door of the office when they came in. It had seemed presumptuous. And in reality, he wasn’t sure he cared who came into the room.
“Faith,” he stated firmly to get her attention.
She jerked her gaze back to his chest.
“Look at me.” His dick was so hard already it threatened to explode.
Obeying Rowen Page 4
