Take My Hand

by P Nelson

  Lilith felt all the air leave her lungs as she studied Gaige. “You don’t sleep with all your submissives?”

  “I’ll admit to having sex with my fair number of them, but you’ll soon learn that BDSM doesn’t always have to involve sexual intercourse. The submissive might just need a good spanking or whipping to let go of her emotions,” Gaige finished his explanation as the entrees arrived at the table.

  Not sure how to process this new information, Lilith remained quiet as she tasted the lobster risotto. It was utterly luscious, and she felt a little decadent eating it. Going over everything Gaige had said in her head made her realise that she knew very little about how everything worked.

  “Have you ever been married?” Lilith was really curious. BDSM seemed like a way to have sex with multiple partners and not really commit.

  “No, have you ever been married?” Gaige watched in fascination as Lilith moaned over each mouthful of the risotto. She scraped the bowl when it was finished to get the last of the cheesy sauce. Calla had not told him much about her friend so Gaige could form his own opinions about her.

  “Yes.” The light in Lilith’s eyes faded a bit, and she turned her head away to look out at the marina. There were enough lights from the city to make out most of the sailboats. “But we’re divorced.”

  Gaige studied her profile as she looked back at him. If he didn’t know better, he would say she was lying. But why lie about being divorced. Calla would not have introduced Lilith to Gaige for submissive training if she were still married. There were other programs for married couples that wanted to explore the lifestyle together.

  “May I ask why you’re divorced?” Gaige watched as Lilith’s body tensed up, and her shoulders pushed forward. “You’ll find that once we get started on this path, there will be no secrets between us. The key to a meaningful relationship with a Dom and his or her sub is total honesty.” Lilith appeared to be debating her answer.

  “He cheated on me.” The words spilled out, and for a second, it looked as if she wanted to take them back. Instead, she reached for her glass of water and took a sip. “We have been separated for about a year.”

  “So, you decided to try on some BDSM and see if it was your thing?” Gaige prodded, trying to find answers. He felt as if she was telling the truth about the cheating ex, but somehow there was a hole in her story. Gaige just couldn’t put his finger on it.

  “Actually, Calla told me I was going to go to the club,” Lilith admitted as a small smile played around her lips for the first time. It made her appear younger, less bound up emotionally.

  “Calla does have a way of getting what she wants.” Gaige thought about how he had told her he needed a break from training subs, and now he was sitting across the table from his latest project.

  The main course arrived, and it gave time for Lilith to think about her answers to Gaige’s questions. He had reminded her of the importance of being honest, but in her heart, she hadn’t lied. Kevin had cheated on her, and they would have gotten divorced. She wanted to believe that she wasn’t so dependent on her late husband that she would have forgiven him for breaking his marriage vows. Unfortunately, she knew deep down that Kevin had been her world, and there was every possibility she would have forgiven him.

  Lilith was so engrossed in her meal that she hardly noticed that Gaige had subtly steered their conversation away from the club and BDSM to events that had happened around city. As Lilith felt herself unwind with Gaige’s gentle persuasion, she realised she was enjoying his company. Only yesterday she had cursed Calla when she suggested it was time to break out of her shell. There was something about Gaige that made her want to answer his questions; she wanted to please him.

  “I know it’s customary these days to split the bill, but I have this one.” Gaige reached for his wallet sitting on the table and pulled out a credit card. He slipped it into the black folder holding the bill and gave it back to the waitress. “Now that I know this is your first time back in the dating scene.”

  She had admitted that she had not seen any men since her “divorce.” Lilith still felt awkward over the lie, but she would find a way to tell him before Calla accidently revealed her secret.

  “Thank you.” Lilith watched as the waitress came back, and Gaige signed the bill and put his credit card away. “I’ve never been here before; it was a great choice.”

  Gaige stood up from his seat and came around the table to help Lilith up. “And what about your choice, Lilith?” His blue eyes felt as if they were boring into hers, it made her nipples harden and her pussy feel uncomfortably hot. “Do you want to spend the next thirty days exploring your submissive side with me?” His voice had deepened, and it sent shivers of pleasure straight to Lilith’s nipples. She had the insane urge to rub her aching breasts against his hard chest.

  “Yes, I want to explore everything with you,” Lilith answered and a truly wicked grin spread across Gaige’s mouth. “Everything? I think I’ll have to see what your hard limits were again.”

  “Well, I don’t want you to pee on me.” Lilith laughed nervously. “And that puppy play thing sounded weird.”

  Gaige chuckled in response and took her elbow as they navigated the restaurant to leave. At the door, Gaige helped Lilith with her jacket before shrugging into his own.

  “Where are you parked?” Gaige asked as he looked around.

  “Oh, just here, no need to walk me to my car.” Lilith responded as she fished around for her car keys. What she really wanted was for Gaige to kiss her. The thought was so unexpected it made her stop and think for a minute. If she had been drinking, she would have blamed the alcohol.

  “I’m not only a Dom but a gentleman,” Gaige said drily as he followed Lilith a couple of cars down to a small green car.

  “Well, thank you again for a lovely dinner,” Lilith turned her face up hoping that Gaige might take the hint.

  “You have to tell me what you want, baby girl,” Gaige tilted his head and looked down at Lilith. His voice, the heat from his body, and the smell of his cologne all did crazy things to her girl parts. She had never asked anyone to kiss her before or do anything sexual. She had been happy to just let Kevin lead silently, and she followed. Looking up into Gaige’s serious eyes, Lilith knew that remaining silent was not going to be an option any longer.

  “I want you to kiss me.” Lilith was worried he might not have heard her because the words came out on a breathy whisper. His answer was quick, however.

  “Good girls who ask for what they want get rewarded.” Gaige lowered his mouth to Lilith’s.

  She sucked in a breath at the feeling of his warm lips pressed against hers. It was the only part of his body that was touching hers, but Lilith felt him all over. The simple press of lips sent sizzling shards of need through her chest and began to pool in her belly. Lilith’s breathing began to come in quicker gasps as Gaige pushed his tongue through her lips and began exploring every inch of her mouth. Lilith rubbed her own tongue against his own and melted. Unable to stop herself from touching him she reached out and wrapped her arms around his torso. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and she could feel the wall of muscle that met her softer curves.

  This kiss was going to get completely out of control if Gaige did not pull back he thought to himself. Lilith was a little temptress as she softened against him. His dick got harder if that was possible as she made little mewling noises meant to drive a man crazy. Breaking the kiss before he put his hands all over her and broke his control, Gaige watched as Lilith came back to reality with blinking eyes and a soft smile.

  “I want more kisses,” Lilith demanded.

  “Not tonight. Get in your car, and I’ll meet you at The Cage on Wednesday night. When you get to the locker room, there will be an outfit I have selected for you to wear waiting for you,” Gaige used his stern Dom voice.

  “But you said that good girls got rewarded for asking for what they wanted,” Lilith’s voice was a mixture of joking and needling. Lilith look
ed as if she was surprised she could have some fun.

  “Trying to manipulate your Dom into doing what you want is called topping from the bottom, and it will earn you twenty smacks,” Gaige warned. A nice blush entered her cheeks, and her pupils dilated. Gaige knew she was thinking about him smacking her ass, and she liked the thought. “Get in the car.”

  “Good night, then.” Lilith looked disappointed, which was exactly how he wanted her to feel. Give her a taste and let her think about what came next. It was Saturday, and unfortunately, that meant The Cage was closed for the next few days. As Lilith got into her car and drove away, Gaige couldn’t help but feel optimistic for the first time in months. Lilith was an attractive woman, who seemed responsive to his first cautious moves to dominate her. He might have found a candidate for a full-time sub after all.

  Chapter 3

  “Master Gaige has great taste,” Calla happily chatted away behind Lilith, as she pulled on the ribbons of the corset, inching it impossibly tighter.

  “I don’t think he meant for me not to be able to breathe,” Lilith complained and sucked in another lungful of air.

  “Of course, he didn’t mean for you to breathe; otherwise, he wouldn’t have picked this corset for you to wear.” Calla tugged and pulled as she spoke. Lilith glanced around the spacious, clean, and well-lit locker room for the ladies of The Cage. It looked like something she would find at a high-end spa, with private showers, single mirrors, and counters to finish hair and makeup as well as the rows of lockers. Bright flower arrangements broke up the gleaming white surfaces; Lilith had even spied a massage table and a sauna in the back. It looked like the owner of The Cage liked to take care of his submissive guests.

  “There, all finished.” Calla gave one last tug and stepped away from behind Lilith. She walked over to a full-length mirror and stared at the woman who looked back at her. She was wearing a beautiful red corset with black lace covering some of the panels. Her hair was around her shoulders, as per the explicit instructions Gaige left in the box. Lilith couldn’t believe the woman staring back at her was really her.

  “You look sexy as hell,” Calla confirmed.

  “I think you put too much eye make-up on me,” Lilith grumbled for something to complain about.

  “Nope, you look perfect. I can’t wait for Master Gaige to see you.” Calla’s face turned serious. “You have read his limits, and I know he will have gone over yours. If you feel uncomfortable with anything that happens tonight, use your safe word or red, and the scene will stop.”

  “I don’t think we’re playing tonight.” Lilith knew her voice sounded disappointed. She had spent the last few days thinking about the kiss they had shared after dinner. Weren’t normal guys supposed to jump on her when they got an erection like the one she felt in his pants? Pulling at the hem of the miniskirt that Gaige provided, even though it barely covered her bum. She thought it was a tube top someone from the ’80s was missing.

  “Shouldn’t I be wearing underwear?” She knew her ass was hanging out, and she felt really self-conscious about it.

  “No underwear in the box, no underwear. No stilettos in the box, no stilettos,” Calla instructed.

  “She’s right.” A woman breezed into the locker room and set her bag down in front of a nearby locker. “You do not want to learn that lesson the hard way. After Linkin and Martin confiscated mine on the first night, they taught me all about the horrors of orgasm denial. Yup, I’m never wearing panties again and every time I see a pair, I kind of die inside.”

  Calla was laughing as she said, “Lilith, this is Delaney.”

  “Hello,” Lilith said shyly as she reached a hand out to the petite brunette with long brown hair, olive-coloured skin, and green intense eyes.

  “Hello, Lilith. This your first time at The Cage?” Delaney asked as she turned to open her locker and began undressing.

  “Lilith is training with Master Gaige,” Calla said as she adjusted her own corset.

  Delaney let out a long appreciative sigh. “You’re one lucky girl, Lilith. If I wasn’t happy being the filling in a Linkin and Martin sandwich, I would totally scene with Master Gaige.” Lilith frowned at the other woman’s words. It was true she had only been to dinner once with Gaige and all her other contact had been via email while they discussed her training contract, but she was already attached to him. “I’m going to guess by the death stare I’m receiving you really like him,” Delaney said quietly.

  “Yes, I mean no.” Lilith shrugged her shoulders and gave up. “I’m not sure. We haven’t known each other very long.”

  “You’re allowed to be possessive about your master, Lilith. It’s kind of important to form a bond with him.” Delaney reached out and touched Lilith’s arm. “I think you’ll be good for Master Gaige; you seem nice, and he always gets the mean girl subs.”

  “We’re just exploring stuff,” Lilith finished lamely.

  “Come on, Lilith, we need to get going, we can’t be late.” Calla’s voice was a mixture of nerves and excitement.

  “She’s right, normally being late means a red ass.” Delaney winked before her face grew serious. “You look great and trust Master Gaige. He’s one of the good Doms.”

  “Thank you.” Lilith knew they were just words, but they boosted her confidence.

  “We subs have to stick together; otherwise, the Doms think they can get away with anything.” Delaney replied before going back to getting ready for the night.

  “She has to become a sub before she can join your sub revolution, Delaney,” Calla said laughing as she pulled Lilith towards the door.

  “It’s going to happen!” Delaney called after her.

  “What’s she talking about?” Lilith asked in confusion.

  “I’m sure you’ll hear all about it over the next few weeks,” Calla replied and opened the door to the floor of The Cage.

  From the outside of the warehouse, Lilith could only guess what The Cage would look like on the inside. The building set in an industrial area of one of Vancouver’s suburbs looked plain and utilitarian. From how the ladies’ locker room was done up, she should have guessed the inside would have been just as luxurious.

  The women’s locker room led out onto the floor of a massive space. Lilith was surprised to find the interior of the warehouse well-lit without losing the feeling of intimacy. Her gaze took in a circular bar in the middle of the big space. There were a few groups of people sitting at tables or couches chatting. Everyone was wearing fetware, and Lilith stood transfixed for a minute as she watched a woman wearing a full-body leather cat suit rub the head of the man at her feet and feed him a treat.

  Stages and equipment dotted the warehouse’s exterior walls. There were scenes already taking place and Lilith watched in fascination as a Dom used a flogger on a sub tied up to a cross. The woman’s head had rolled forward, and she looked completely at peace while the man behind her brought his arm down again and again. It was such an intimate sight that Lilith had to look away. Glancing up, Lilith noticed a walkway running along the second story of the warehouse. Anyone standing up there would have a good view of everything that happened on the floor.

  “The privacy rooms are upstairs,” Calla whispered in her ear and pushed her to keep her moving. “There are some open for everyone, while a few of the Doms have their own personal spaces. Every room has a camera and is monitored.”

  “Yes, I read that in the manual you gave me,” Lilith murmured, but her mind had already gone a bit fuzzy. Walking towards her was Master Gaige dressed in leather pants with no shirt and cowboy boots. This was not the same urbane man she had met for dinner a few days ago who gallantly walked her to her car. This man was barely civilised and so damn sexy it made her heart pound and her pussy go soft.

  “I can’t do this,” Lilith stepped back but Calla held her in place. All the reasons she had held herself away from the world over the past year came back to her. Letting people into your life made you vulnerable. Hadn’t she learned the hard way?
The one person she thought she could trust betrayed her. Panic swamped her previous feelings of excitement and now she felt like a trapped animal.

  “Breath, you’re having a panic attack,” Calla’s words were calm and soothing as she stepped in front Lilith. “This sometimes happens the first time a newbie comes to The Cage. I want you to remember everything we talked about.”

  “I need to go home.” Lilith wanted to run away and hide in her bed for the rest of her life.

  “No.” Calla was firm, her mouth set in stubborn lines. “You are not running away to hide. You don’t have to do anything here you don’t want, but you are not running away again. I won’t let you.”

  Lilith started shaking her head and tried to get out of Calla’s hold, but suddenly, it wasn’t Calla holding her any longer. Master Gaige’s face swam in front of Lilith right before his big arms went around her.

  “All right, baby girl, you going to tell me what’s wrong?” Master Gaige’s voice was exactly as she remembered, rich and smooth as silk. His big arms, wrapped around her body, helped Lilith to relax after a few breaths, and she buried her face in his chest, breathing in the warm masculine scent of his body.

  Lilith could hear Calla speaking to Master Gaige. “She has been struggling for some time with her husband’s death. I just really thought she was ready to join the world again.” Gaige’s body stiffened slightly as Calla revealed the lie Lilith had told Master Gaige about Kevin, and she winced.

  “She’s ready to be here,” Master Gaige’s voice rumbled in his chest. He pulled away and looked down until Lilith finally raised her eyes to meet his. “You want to do the training.” Lilith nodded in response. “From here on out, you have to give me verbal answers, Lilith. No more nodding or shaking your head.”

  “Yes, Master Gaige,” Lilith said the words quietly.

  “Good girl, now are you ready to start the contract we signed?” Master Gaige asked again.

  “Yes, Master Gaige,” Lilith answered solemnly and wondered if he were angry she had lied to him. Calla and Gaige drummed into her all week the importance of communication and honesty. Now Gaige had found out she had lied to him on her first day of sub training.