An Invitation: Alayna's Training

by Jennifer Cole

  “It's more than obvious,” Dane said. “You didn't participate in her intake interview—”

  “That was your doing,” Logan snarled, pointing a finger at Dane. “You blindsided me by bringing Alayna here and not saying a fucking word to me.”

  “Because she's your match, you ass. And for months you've refused to act on your attraction to her.”

  “You don't know fuck all.”

  “I'm smarter than you're giving me credit for. You're involved in her training, but not hands-on. Or rather, you've seen to it that Rick can't assist her. You insist Alayna sleep in your personal suite, in your bed. The first week you were content with sitting and watching her sleep. But then that wasn't enough. Now you're crawling in beside her after she's fallen asleep.”

  Logan was caught off guard by Dane's statement. “You knew?”

  “Of course I fucking knew. I know everything that goes on around here.”

  “How?” Logan demanded.

  “Shendah smells you in the room when she makes it up. Your cologne is all over the sheets. Stop dicking around, Logan. Take the fucking bull by the horns and go after what you want—”

  “Fuck you,” Logan growled at his best friend of thirty-plus years.

  Logan didn't want to rise to the bait, but memories of Tasha flashed in his mind.

  “Get off the cross, man,” Dane said. “Tasha made her choice. You need to make yours.”

  “I have,” Logan snapped.

  “No.” Dane crossed his arms over his chest. An expression of disgust and pity deepened the lines bracketing his mouth and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. “You've been hiding and avoiding making a real choice for five years.”

  Logan didn't reply. He had failed to keep Tasha safe, and he would live with that for the rest of his life.

  “So, you're going to spend the rest of your life jacking off? Never touch another woman because Tasha couldn't push you to give up your personal ethics? That's fucking lame, Logan.”

  They'd been over this ad nauseam, and Logan wasn't interested in hashing things out yet again.

  “Christ, Logan, you want Alayna. But what I don't understand is if you want her so bad, why don't you claim her, mark her, collar her—something? Why keep her at arm's length?”

  “It's not that simple,” Logan finally said, dropping into the chair behind his desk.

  “Seems pretty fucking simple to me. You're attracted to her and not just for the purposes of taking her as a sub, and damn, she is a natural sub, my friend. She needs that tapped. But there's more to it than that, any fool can see. Hell, if you aren't interested in marking her, maybe I'll add her to my harem.”

  A vicious sound erupted from Logan's throat. “You don't have a harem.”

  Dane shook his head and chuckled. “Maybe I should start one. Hell, the older sister is probably easier to control than the younger one.”

  “Back off, Dane.”

  “You know what, buddy? Sometimes a Dom meets his match in a sub, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. Alayna rocks your control, challenges you. So embrace it. Learn from it. Strengthen your control where your woman is concerned. Alayna isn't Tasha.”

  “I know that,” Logan snarled. “Why can't you just leave it be?”

  Dane threw up his hands in defeat or exasperation; Logan wasn't sure which. “You're right. You know what? Fuck it. Throw away what you could have with Alayna while you wallow in your self-pity and guilt over something that was out of your control. Leave her to me. Yup, that's what I'm going to do for you, my friend,” Dane said, turning toward the door. “I'll take over Alayna's training. Personally. Then your control will remain intact and you'll have nothing to worry about.”

  He closed the door with the same solid thud he'd used to open it.

  Logan picked up the penis paperweight Keegan had given him as a gag gift for his last birthday off his desk and hurled it at the door. Later he'd make Dane pay for that remark. There was no way in hell anyone but Logan would mark Alayna.

  She belonged to him.

  * * *

  That night Logan awoke with a start, drenched in sweat. His breathing was harsh as he gasped to draw air. His body shook. He reached over to touch Alayna, the thought of waking her the furthest thing from his mind. He exhaled a shaky sigh of relief that she was still beside him. She hadn't even stirred.

  Images from the dream that woke him burned fresh as if he were still asleep. It was the dream that had haunted him every night for the past five years. The significant difference this time was the dead woman he held in his arms hadn't been Tasha… It had been his Alayna.

  The dream was all the proof Logan needed to confirm what he already knew: he couldn't keep her safe.

  Chapter Eleven

  Day Eighteen

  The next morning Alayna once again woke to the heavy scent of Logan's cologne on her skin and on the blankets covering her. But she wasn't complaining. She loved his scent. It made her think of power and dominance and safety. Though lately, waking up every morning to the smell of him had also wreaked havoc with her growing frustration.

  The twenty-four hours Dane had asked for the day before was nearing an end, and Alayna was still coming to grips with the fact that her mission to gain Logan's attentions had failed. She wasn't as cut out to be his submissive as she'd hoped.

  Tossing the sheets back, she removed the blindfold Rick still insisted on placing on her each night, as well as during their sessions, got up from the warmth of the bed, and crossed the room to the bathroom. It was early, just after seven thirty. Deciding to make the most of her last day at the mansion, Alayna pulled on her bathing suit, grabbed a fluffy bath towel from the linen closet, and left the suite.

  Following an hour's worth of laps in the pool, she went back to her room and jumped in the shower. It was for the best that she was returning to Ariel and the café, and as soon as possible. Getting back to her routine would help keep her distracted from the ache she was certain to experience in her heart. Perhaps after their interactions these past two weeks, Logan wouldn't come into the café again. That would be a shame. She didn't want to never see him again; but maybe it was for the best.

  Naked, she walked through the suite and contemplated whether or not she wanted to grab a bite to eat before packing up her things and asking Keegan to take her home. She'd missed breakfast, but she could make herself some toast.

  A knock at the door caught Alayna by surprise. In the time she'd spent at the mansion, no one had come calling before ten in the morning. Pulling on her silk robe and fastening it around her waist, she walked across the room. When she opened it, Rick was standing on the other side, smiling.

  “Ready to go?”

  “I'm sorry? I thought we weren't getting together for another hour. If at all,” she replied, slipping the towel off her head. “Have you not spoken with Dane?”

  “Change of plans today,” he said, reaching for her hand. With a tug, she was in the corridor, and Rick pulled the door closed behind her.

  “Hey, I'm not ready,” she protested, stumbling to keep up with him. “I'm not even dressed, Rick. Where are we going?”

  “Dane has arranged a surprise, and I've been directed to prepare you,” he answered.

  Alayna's pulse raced. What had Dane done? What sort of surprise had he planned? Did this have something to do with their meeting the day before? Her belly somersaulted as she and Rick rounded the corner toward the stairs. They climbed to the second floor and the playrooms lining either side of the hallway.

  Had he assigned her a new master? God, she hoped not. Though she'd come to really like Rick as a friend, her experience in submissive training had been a bust. Now all she wanted to do was go home and get on with her life.

  Rick led her to a room she'd only been in when he'd shown her around and pushed the door open. After allowing Rick to usher her inside, Alayna stopped and gazed around the room. It was as she'd remembered it. A bench of sorts sat in the middle of the room. It was padded for c
omfort, yet the restraints around it appeared a little threatening. The straps were made of leather, and the large metal buckles looked rather unforgiving.

  The shelves were lined with familiar items she'd seen in the other rooms, such as lotions and lubricants of a variety of scents and consistencies. Additional implements like vibrators, dildos, and butt plugs were displayed on other shelves. Paddles and floggers hung from beautiful brass hooks on the walls.

  A familiar musk scented the room, making Alayna's body react in the most indecent of ways. The smell of Logan's cologne had Alayna inhaling, attempting to absorb every airborne molecule of the masculine aroma into her body.

  “I love that smell,” she murmured.

  “I thought it would help with the atmosphere,” Rick said. “Come on, we don't have a lot of time.”

  “What are we doing?”

  Rick's brows were knit in concentration when he turned to look at her. “It really isn't my place to say.” He pulled her toward the bench.

  “Don't hand me that,” she argued. “You'd better spill it, buddy.”

  “Oh fine. Dane's going to kill me for this,” he said, shaking his head in defeat. “Come on, time's ticking. Give me your robe, and lie down on the bench. I'll talk while I strap you down.”

  Alayna stood in place, set a hand on her hip, and raised a brow. It took a handful of seconds to pass for Rick to realize she hadn't moved.

  “Come on,” he growled with a hint of irritation in the tone. “I don't want to be here when Logan walks in.”

  “Logan? W-what does he have to do with this?”

  “He's your surprise. Or at least that's Dane's plan,” Rick replied. “So move your ass, babe.”

  In an instant Alayna dropped the silk robe to the floor and bolted toward the bench. “On my back?” she asked.

  “Yup. Arms above your head. Legs together for now.”

  “Okay, stop tormenting me. What's going on?”

  Rick walked around the bench to where her hands were and began fastening the thick leather straps around her wrists.

  “Logan is the reason we've had a tough time.”

  Alayna narrowed her eyes and glanced up at Rick. “But why?”

  “When Dane announced I'd be working with you, Logan pulled me aside and threatened to castrate me without anesthetic if I touched you.”

  “Why?”

  “Hadn't a clue at the time. But Sheila and I have sort of grown attached to my balls, so I made certain there was no physical contact between you and me. Or at least very little.”

  “I don't understand. He's made it abundantly clear he doesn't want me for himself, so why would he care if you helped me?”

  “Oh but he does, my pretty pet.”

  “What?” Alayna's heart raced.

  “All Dane said was Logan was struggling with something from his past, and he'd been denying himself what he enjoys in the lifestyle ever since.”

  It didn't take much for Alayna to put two and two together. She wasn't sure if she was pissed or somewhat turned on. For the moment she decided to go with pissed. “The bastard.”

  Rick moved to the foot of the bench and gave her ankles the same treatment as her wrists.

  “I'm being sacrificed as a pawn. The sons of bitches. Untie me,” she demanded and began to struggle against the restraints. But they successfully carried out their purpose; she couldn't move.

  “Rick,” she growled a warning as he began pushing her legs apart after fastening a separate strap across each thigh.

  “Forget it,” he answered. “There's no time.”

  “But they're using me,” she told him in a raised voice. “That's not part of the game.”

  “Sweetheart,” Rick said as he locked the leg sections in place, leaving her splayed wide. “I see how your eyes light up at the mere mention of Logan's name.”

  “They do not.”

  “Yeah, right.” Rick gave her an unconvinced glare. “Logan,” he snapped and then grinned. “Now look at your nipples.”

  She didn't need to. They were hard, erect little buds.

  “They never perked up for me.”

  “You sound jealous.”

  “Maybe a little.”

  “You're an ass.”

  “I've been told that before.” He grinned wide, and then he scanned the room. “Now where is that blindfold? Ah, there you are,” he said when his eyes settled on something across the room.

  Alayna watched him walk toward a dresser along one wall and pluck something off the surface of it. “So I've got a thing for Logan, big deal. That still doesn't mean I'm interested in being used.” She tried to bluff.

  “Dane said to tell you, this is the second thing. Said you'd know what it meant.”

  Alayna's mind raced. Without a word, Rick slid the blindfold over her head and covered her eyes.

  “Hey! Wait a minute. I don't understand what that means.”

  “I gotta go,” Rick said.

  Alayna knew he wasn't beside her anymore, but it took a few seconds for her to realize he'd moved to the door.

  “Wait!” she called to him.

  “I can't. He'll be here any minute, and he'll castrate me if he finds me.”

  “I'll castrate you when I get out of here, you ass,” she threatened through gritted teeth. “And I'll use my bare hands.”

  “Okay, sure, no problem. We'll pick this up later then.”

  And with that, the door clicked closed.

  “Men!” Alayna's breath came quickly and in harsh pants, she was so furious.

  What the hell was going on? Damn it, she wanted answers. She was going to kill Dane and Rick. When she got loose, they were dead. She contemplated calling out for help but realized it would be pointless to do so. The rooms were soundproof.

  As the silence continued around her, she began to think on Dane's message.

  “This is the second thing.” What did that mean? Think, Alayna.

  Taking in a couple of deep breaths, Alayna willed her body to calm down. What was the worst that could happen? Logan wouldn't come, and she'd lay there tied up until someone came back to release her. Both Dane and Rick knew where she was, and she hoped someone was keeping an eye on the door to be sure Logan showed up.

  Why was Dane setting his friend up? And why did he feel the need to use her to do it? There was something in Logan's past, Rick had said. But what did that have to do with her? There was no question she found Logan attractive. Rick was right. All it took was the mention of his name to set her body on fire. When she'd walked into the room a few minutes earlier, his scent had stopped her dead in her tracks.

  “This is the second thing.”

  Did Logan find her attractive? Was that what this was about? Then why hadn't he just overseen her training sessions? Why had he never made anything more than casual conversation when he visited the restaurant? The questions surging through her mind gave her a headache. When someone came for her, she planned on marching into Dane's office and demanding an explanation.

  This was wrong on so many levels, she decided. Being left tied to a bench for a man who'd barely spoken to her. He'd given her the brush-off when their paths did cross. That said something right there. If Dane thought he was doing his friend a favor by leaving a ripe little morsel for him to toy with, he was seriously delusional. The whole situation was fucked up.

  This was the second thing, Dane had told Rick to tell her. Suddenly those words clicked into place in her mind.

  “I have a couple of reasons. One I can share with you now, the other, in time.”

  Dane had said those words the day she arrived for training. With her breath under control and her pulse back to normal, she thought about all of the conversations she and Dane had shared. Something from their meeting the day before flowed to the forefront of her thoughts.

  “I don't think so, Dane. I'm pretty sure it's me. I give off some kind of vibe. I'm cold, frigid. I've been told that before. Hell, Rick doesn't even put his hands on me. What am I supposed to
think?”

  “Alayna, believe me, it's not you—”

  Dane knew. He knew why her sessions had failed. Logan was the key, but she just wasn't sure why or how. Then she replayed what Rick had said moments ago.

  “Logan is the reason we've had a tough time.”

  “But why?”

  “When Dane announced I'd be working with you, Logan pulled me aside and threatened to castrate me without anesthetic if I touched you.”

  “I don't understand. He's made it abundantly clear he doesn't want me for himself, so why would he care if you helped me?”

  “Oh but he does, my pretty pet.”

  If Logan was so opposed to another man touching her, then why hadn't he seen to her training himself? Why did he avoid her? It just didn't make any sense. Did his opposition mean he was attracted to her? That he wanted her? Why did it take Dane setting Logan up to get him to come to her?

  Simply thinking about Logan walking through the door and seeing her like this made Alayna's body sizzle with anticipation. She wasn't certain she'd ever been more aroused in her life. Her nipples had yet to recede since Rick said Logan's name, and the damn buds were becoming painful. A sensation she'd never experienced before was tingling between her legs. She actually felt herself growing wet.

  All it took to bring her to this state of arousal was the thought of Logan Abram. Now all she needed was for the blasted man to come into the damn room and assuage her desires.

  A thought of horror ripped through her. What if he caught wind of Dane's plan and left the mansion? Or worse, what if Logan had watched Rick come to the room with her and leave alone? If he had, Logan would have had the opportunity to grab Rick and follow through on his threat of separating Rick from his beloved balls.

  Alayna was so caught up in her thoughts that the sudden rush of air at the door being forced open and the sound of it banging against the wall made her jump.

  Logan.

  The air in the room changed with his presence. He'd come.

  His crisp, woodsy fresh scent taunted her in combination with the harsh breath she could hear him trying to restrain. In her mind's eye, she imagined his expression as he looked at her nude body, splayed before him on the padded bench. Wrists tied above her head, legs spread wide and bound at the ankles. Her back arched slightly, jutting her breasts skyward. Knowing the first thing he saw when he walked into the room was an unobstructed view of her damp pussy only made her heart beat more erratically.