by P Nelson
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Gaige was sitting at the kitchen counter in front of his computer trying to get some much-needed work done but couldn’t keep his mind off thinking of ways he could torture his sub when the doorbell rang. Frowning, he stood up and padded across the floor in bare feet to his front entrance and looked outside. It was Flynn standing in the weak sunlight looking as if he hadn’t slept in days. He pulled the door open, and his friend’s face jerked sharply to stare at him.
“Flynn, what are you doing here?” Gaige asked and decided he was being rude. “Why don’t you come in?” He stepped out of the way so his friend could come inside.
“Yeah, thanks.” Flynn didn’t look like his usual put-together self. His chin was unshaved, his shirt was wrinkled, and Gaige was certain his dress pants were on day two.
“Can you I make you a cup of coffee?” Gaige asked as he shut and locked the door before following Flynn into the kitchen. He didn’t wait for an answer; he pulled his coffee beans out of the cupboard and started his espresso machine.
“Sorry, are you busy? I can see you tonight at the club.” Flynn looked at the open laptop.
“No just catching up on a few things, we’re planning on launching a new app that tells you where to find the nearest store selling your favourite breakfast cereal.” Gaige stopped himself from shaking his head. “Apparently, it’s going to be the next big thing in the market, and we’ll be the first ones to have it.” He started up the espresso machine, the white noise drifting through the main floor of his house.
“Why can’t people just pick their second favourite breakfast cereal, like the rest of us do?” Flynn eased his large frame into the seat next to where the laptop was sitting. Gaige pushed the Americano in his friend’s direction.
“Because then I wouldn’t make any money, Flynn.” Gaige chuckled at his friend’s look of disgust. “We don’t all come from old money.”
“You mean cursed, right?” Flynn commented under his breath before he took a sip of the hot coffee. He sighed in appreciation. “If your team ever runs out of useless gadgets and apps to sell millennials, you can always make your living as a barista.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.” Gaige replied and leaned back on the counter next to the espresso machine and surveyed his friend. He had come here for a reason, but it was lesson one in the guy code to remain silent until the guy with the problem finally came out with what was wrong. Gaige had waited for minutes, and even hours, over video games for the silence to end. The point of the silence was to give the other man the opportunity to come to the conversation on his own.
“I’m a shitty Dom,” Flynn said to the room at large. “You were right last night when you accused me of abandoning Calla.”
Gaige was taken aback by the vehemence in his friend’s tone. “You’re not a shitty Dom, Flynn. We both know what shitty Doms look like, and you’re not one of them.” Gaige gave his friend a mock shudder. “Just head down to one of the public clubs downtown on any given Friday night, and you’ll get an eyeful of posers and wannabes with a couple of actual Doms, like ourselves.”
“Remember when I took you to your first club?” Flynn wore a ghost of a smile as he looked into the past.
“Changed my life,” Gaige admitted. “I don’t think either one of us would be the men we are today if we hadn’t started going to clubs and topping subs. Honestly, the only thing I regret is that it’s taken me so long to make an actual connection.” Gaige thought of Lilith. He wanted to text her this morning, but he had given her some space. The last few days had been an emotional turning point for her. Gaige had broken her open like a melon and now all her pent-up emotions were free to escape into the world.
“I was so pissed last night.” Flynn’s jaw tightened. “When I saw her up on stage with Dillon and that newbie Mason. They kissed her, and she fucking looked like she enjoyed it. She let them light her the fuck on fire, and she loved it.”
Gaige knew he was teetering on a very slippery slope. Last night, Flynn had been unreasonable about his warning about not letting Calla go. He needed to pick his words carefully. “You can still have a chance. That whole scene had Dillon’s I’m a porn star so I know people and like to play porn-cupid written all over it. You know he does shit like that to help subs. He probably thought that was the best way to get your attention.”
“It got my attention, all right.” Flynn passed a hand over his haggard face. “It got my attention so much, I ran into the back and watched as they took her into Dillon’s private room. I wanted to watch her finally get over me, but I couldn’t.” He shook his head. “I had to leave. The thought of those fuckers putting their hands and cocks all over her made me want to rip their heads off.”
“This from the man who got a very public blow job from one of the pain sluts the night before.” Gaige wasn’t trying to stick the knife in, but he wanted Flynn to get a grasp on what was happening around him. “You should know that Stephanie told everyone within earshot how fucking great you are in bed and how many orgasms you gave her.”
“Fuck,” Flynn swore and looked at Gaige.
“If you wanted to be discreet, you picked the wrong sub.” Gaige stepped forward and took Flynn’s empty mug. “You probably shouldn’t have had her suck your dick in front of everyone, either.”
“I wanted to show Calla I had moved on; she wasn’t letting go of her feelings for me.” Flynn struck the countertop with his fist in an uncharacteristic show of violence. “It was a mistake to be so brutal, but it’s done now.” His voice held reluctant resolve.
“Then, why are you here?” Gaige asked quietly.
“Just because I’ve done what is best doesn’t mean that I don’t feel like shit about it,” Flynn stated bluntly. “You know what happened with Melanie. She was the perfect sub, and I was utterly devoted to her. I married her, and she changed from being submissive to being an utter prude. She never wanted to play or even have vanilla sex. All she wanted was my credit cards.”
“Melanie was never a sub, Flynn.” Gaige crossed his arms over his chest. “I told you that when you met her. In fact, if she were to have a psych profile done on her for a membership at the club, she’d be turned down.”
“Because Calla does the profiles,” Flynn replied grimly.
“No, because she’s not invested in the lifestyle, and she never was. You met her at an event out in kink world, and she set her sights on you. Once she found out you had the biggest wallet in the place, she was your perfect sub.” Gaige shook his head. “She used your kink to hook you, and once she married you, she claimed your lifestyle was abusive.” Gaige was quiet for a moment. “Don’t ever think that girl didn’t willingly go into every one of those scenes with you because she actually wanted to submit to you. She did it for the money. I don’t have to tell you that there’s nothing wrong with being a pervert, right? You’re not ten getting caught with your mum’s Victoria’s Secret catalogue.”
Flynn barked out a laugh, and Gaige breathed deep. He had stood by his friend in some of both of their darkest times, but whatever demons Flynn was fighting now, Gaige couldn’t help him.
“It was my sister’s catalogue.” Flynn laughed a bit more before growing serious. “You like this girl, Lilith?”
“Yes.” Gaige wasn’t about to start talking about rainbows and flowers with his best friend. “I feel the connection with her. It’s not just about her submission, everything about her mind, body, and soul has fucking got my attention.”
“Don’t fuck it up, or you’ll be sitting in my kitchen wishing you had a time machine.” Flynn made to stand up. “I should get going, Thea wants to speak to me about some of the scenes for tonight. I’ll see you at The Cage?”
“Yeah, I’ve got a public scene planned for Lilith, but it’s a surprise.” Gaige walked his friend to the door. He opened it as he spoke. “You don’t need a time machine, Flynn. All you have to do is walk up to Calla and tell her to get on her knees. She has been dying to submit to you again, and I assure you
she still will even after last night.”
“Maybe.” Flynn was noncommittal as he walked out into the cool afternoon.
Chapter 10
For the first time since she started coming to The Cage, Lilith got ready for her evening without Calla. Not that she was alone. The women’s changing room was packed full of ladies getting ready for their evening of kink. Some Lilith recognised as subs like herself. They generally wore corsets or other skimpy lingerie that their Masters had chosen for them. They were also generally the only ones in bare feet. Some Masters allowed their subs to wear stilettos, but Gaige had yet to provide a pair for her, so she went barefoot. The Dommes were easy to spot. They seemed to prefer to wear cat suits and costumes that made them look like straight out of a steampunk novel.
“Evening, Lilith, good to see you again,” Delaney otherwise known as the filling greeted her cheerfully. “It’s always busy on Saturday nights, because the club is closed tomorrow through Tuesday.” She opened her locker and began to rummage inside. Lilith was still blushing when Delaney emerged from the locker holding up a lace full-body leotard. “I know, but Martin has this thing for ladies’ stockings. I’ve stopped wearing them altogether because he loves to cut them off me.”
“Oh, it’s not the stocking, although I’m glad it’s you and not me,” Lilith looked down at her curves and shuddered at the thought of what she would look like only covered in the tight, slightly shimmering material. “What’s it like to, you know, with two guys.”
“The ménage thing?” Delaney laughed and began to undress. “I can’t really describe it. The sex is amazing, but the connection all of us have is even better.” Delaney began to scrunch up the hose at the toes so she could slip into it. “We’re not a ménage in the mundane world. Linkin and Martin are in a relationship, though; they both like a pair of tits and a vagina to spice things up in the bedroom. I like the attention of both of them here in the kink world, but I like my mundane life the way it is. So, it works for all of us.” Lilith nodded her head trying to understand the dynamics of the kink world and realised she had a lot to learn.
“But, really, she just likes the double penetration,” a woman Lilith had never seen before shut her locker on the other side of the row of benches.
“Nice to see you too, Jasmine,” Delaney said drily and nodded at Lilith. “Jasmine, this is Lilith, Lilith, this is Jasmine.” Lilith took in the towering goddess with the perfect make-up and gorgeous black hair and winced a little at her own shabby appearance. She should have spent her morning getting a mani-pedi instead of driving out to Burnaby on some fool’s errand. Delaney stood up and let out a little huff as she attempted to get the full body stocking over her hips. “Lilith is Master Gaige’s new training sub.” Lilith wished she had more of a hold on Gaige in that moment. The thought of him doing all the naughty things he had done with her to this goddess of a woman made her feel really small.
“I know who she is, Delaney.” Jasmine sashayed over to where Lilith was standing. That was the only way to describe how the woman could sway her hips on those killer fuck-me heels she was wearing. “But does Lilith know who I am?”
Delaney snorted. “I don’t think anyone has gone through the list of regular pain sluts here at The Cage, Jasmine.”
“I was Master Gaige’s last full-time sub.” Jasmine’s voice was silky and with those words, and Lilith’s heart plummeted into her stomach.
“And he ditched your ass because you shit all over the contract you had with him and played at other clubs.” Delaney stood with her stocking half on and her upper body completely exposed as she took Jasmine to task. “You haven’t been around in a while, waiting for the medical check to come through and say you’re clean so you can play here again?”
Jasmine hissed at the insinuation. “At least, I don’t look like a fucking overstuffed sausage,” she hissed. “Mind your own business.”
“You should take your own advice, Jasmine.” Delaney didn’t back down an inch. “I’ve seen Master Gaige with her, and they have a connection, something you never shared with him.”
Jasmine sniffed at Delaney’s comment before turning to Lilith. “He was mine once, and I intend to get him back, Lilith.” She said Lilith’s name like a curse. “Master Gaige is the best Dom in this city, and he’s wasted on a little girl like you.”
Lilith’s back went up at the insult. That she wasn’t woman enough to keep Gaige. Even though a part of her was shouting that she hadn’t been woman enough to keep Kevin. She swallowed hard, “You can try, lady, but he’s mine for now, and I intend on keeping him.”
“Touché, Jasmine,” Delaney’s voice held a hint of delight at Lilith’s defiance.
“I’ve been playing for years, and I’ve had so many scenes with Master Gaige, he will welcome me back with open arms.” Jasmine was smug as she turned on her ridiculously high heels. “We were meant to be together, all I need to do is remind him.” She stalked out of the locker room, and Lilith felt a wash of insecurities rush through her.
“Don’t listen to her, Lilith,” Delaney said quietly as she struggled to get her arms into the full body suit. “Just because she passed the psych test doesn’t mean she’s not a total bitch.”
“Is it true about what she said about her and Master Gaige?” Lilith asked not really wanting to know the answer.
“I don’t know, Lilith.” Delaney huffed a few times and Lilith looked over to see that she had finally gotten the full body stocking on and was looking at herself critically in one of the full-sized mirrors. “They didn’t look as connected as the two of you. In saying that, nobody but the two people inside the relationship really know what’s happening, and even then, they both have their own ideas of what’s actually happening. In the end, a relationship is organic, made between the two people, but they have no control over it. All they can do is treat each other with a bit of kindness and hope for the best.”
Lilith thought over Delaney’s words. Had her relationship with Kevin gotten to the point where neither of them had any control over the outcome? Had they been forced to move continually forward without having any say in the direction they were headed? How would that have felt to Kevin? Trapped? Was that why he had cheated? Lilith took a deep breath and thought about her own feelings. She had never questioned that Kevin would be in her life. Their relationship had been a given; when they turned from kids to teenagers it had felt natural to start dating. When Kevin had returned from university, it had felt right to say yes when he asked her to marry him. She never questioned whether it was something that she truly wanted and now looking back, she could see the holes in the foundation they had built together.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you think so hard.” Delaney touched Lilith’s hand startling her out of her head.
“No, what you said was true. I just have some things I need to work through, I guess.” Lilith tried to smile.
“That’s why we’re here, right?” Delaney grinned at her before shutting the door of her locker. “To work out our problems through a little pain and a lot of pleasure. Remember this is a safe place, but respect is earned and Jasmine hasn’t earned the respect of many of the Doms.”
“Thanks.” Lilith felt a little better knowing that. “I should get out there before Gaige starts counting smacks for every minute I’m late.”
Delaney slipped her arm around Lilith and gave her a saucy wink. “Or we could stay in here for another ten minutes and make this evening really interesting.”
“You’re terrible!” Lilith said pulling her friend towards the door leading to the dungeon.
“I’m an incorrigible brat, and my Masters wouldn’t have me any other way,” Delaney announced and Lilith fell into a fit of giggles as they spilled onto the dungeon floor.
Lilith stood still as she looked directly to where Gaige was standing alongside Master Flynn and Master Dillon. Jasmine was rising from slave pose in a graceful arc that made Lilith green with envy. She was still clumsy getting in and out of
the position. It hadn’t bothered her before, but now her lack of training bothered her a lot.
She watched as Jasmine took little steps towards Gaige and all but fell at his feet. Lilith stepped forward unconsciously attracted to the scene playing out before her, wanting to know what the other woman was saying. Hoping to hear Gaige set the woman aside and choose Lilith.
“Please Master, your sub needs you. You’re the only one who can send her into subspace.” Jasmine rubbed her face on Gaige’s thigh.
Gaige stood still looking down at Jasmine. He hadn’t seen her in months and thought she had decided that playing the other clubs in town suited her better than The Cage. He reached out a hand to pat her head, more out of an effort to keep her away from his cock than any form of comfort. He knew Lilith was watching the exchange.
“Jasmine, it’s good to see you’ve decided to return to The Cage,” Gaige said, and he meant the words. The kink world could be a dangerous place. Assholes preyed on woman who wanted to give their submission to a worthy Dom. There were horror stories over all the lifestyle of women who had been assaulted and abused attempting to find the right Master. “But you have to know that I terminated our contract, and I told you several times there would be no renewal.”
It was the most blunt Gaige was willing to be with her. The rules of The Cage forbid him from being cruel to an ex-sub, hell, to any sub. Looking down on the woman’s dark head, her eyes pleading with him. He wondered what he had ever seen in Jasmine. Lilith gave Gaige her true submission. She was taking the steps needed to bring forward her authentic self, and he was earning her trust. What he had with Jasmine was a parody of the truth he had with Lilith.
