“I won’t hurt her,” Xander told Shane now, fury igniting just beneath the skin at the implication.
“Whoa, hold up. I know that. I never thought you would, but seriously, X. She doesn’t look comfortable with this.”
Xander laughed, his anger slipping out on his exhale. “Are you fucking serious right now? When has it ever been about comfort? The whole point is to push them out of their comfort zone.”
“By ‘them’, I assume you’re referring to subs,” Shane stated angrily. “She’s not a sub.”
Xander inhaled deeply.
It was true, he respected Shane. Hell, he even respected the man’s opinion, but he was seconds away from losing his shit.
“If I thought she couldn’t handle this, I wouldn’t have made a deal with her,” Xander finally said, holding on to his control with a tight grip.
“A deal?” Shane asked.
Xander noted the incredulous tone to his friend’s voice.
“Yes. Five days. She’s giving me five days.”
“For what? For you to dominate her. Are you serious?”
“Yes,” Xander answered bluntly.
“Is that all you want from her? To play a fucking game of who can top who first?” Shane asked, his back going ramrod straight.
Xander lowered his voice and looked Shane directly in the eyes. “No, it’s not a goddamn game. Not for me at least. I want every fucking part of her, goddammit. You should fucking know me better than to think otherwise.”
“Son of a bitch.” Shane exhaled, his defensive posture softening. “You lov –”
“Don’t even fucking say it,” Xander bit out. The time for talking was over. He wasn’t one to explain his reasons, but he understood Shane’s need to protect Mercedes, so he was making an exception, but he could only be pushed so far. “This conversation is over. You let me handle this.”
Shane thrust his hand through his blond hair, making it even more unkempt than it already was and still the man looked like it’d been done on purpose. “Fine. Just…” Shane stopped abruptly and glanced behind Xander, his eyes widening.
Xander steeled himself and turned around. “Son of a bitch,” he breathed out heavily.
“My sentiments exactly,” Shane said, a low whistle escaping him.
If Xander had thought for one minute that Mercedes looked hot in that dress she’d had on, well, he clearly didn’t know the definition of hot.
The woman had just managed to steal his breath.
And that was something not many people had the ability to do.
~~*~~*~~
Mercedes felt naked. Well and truly naked.
Granted, she didn’t have much covering her, so it only made sense.
As she made her way across the club, it felt like she had to walk a mile to reach the spot where Xander still stood, and all the while it seemed as though everyone’s attention was on her. Although she knew that wasn’t the case.
Or at least she hoped that wasn’t the case. She didn’t have enough nerve to look around to find out for sure.
With the way Xander’s intense gaze raked over her as she closed the distance between them, she felt like she was standing there without a stitch on. Then again, the outfit he’d asked her to change into had fit into a tiny bag, so it went without saying that she was rather underdressed.
“You look fucking amazing,” Xander breathed out roughly, reaching out and taking her hand as he pulled her close.
She was tempted to curl up in his arms so that he could shield her from the eyes that were boring holes into her much too exposed skin.
The skimpy, purple baby doll nightie was quite impressive. The expensive silk was softer than anything she’d ever felt. Had she been in the comfort of her own home, she probably would’ve admired herself in the mirror, but here, standing in the middle of Devotion, she felt her anger building.
If Xander hadn’t been so involved with his conversation with Shane, he would’ve realized she’d taken more than the ten minutes he’d allotted her to change. In fact, she’d redressed once before finally succumbing to her punishment.
And here she was, dressed in her heels, a barely there thong and a wisp of a top that showcased every one of her assets.
Including the clamps that pulled at her now beaded nipples.
“Excuse us,” Xander said to Shane, never taking his eyes off of her.
Xander studied her blatantly for another moment before linking their fingers together and leading her away from the bar.
Crap.
She followed Xander, knowing full well he intended to take her somewhere so that he could dole out his punishment for her defiance earlier. Part of her was anxious to get on with it because she needed something to take her mind off of the fact that she was practically naked.
They didn’t make it far before they had company.
Logan and Samantha.
Mercedes stopped, doing her best to remain at Xander’s side as he had instructed earlier. From this point on, she was going to make a point to do as he asked. Since she’d already defied him enough to earn a severe punishment, she was hoping to earn back a few brownie points. Even if it killed her.
Had she been her own sub acting out like this, she knew for a fact that she wouldn’t have fared nearly as well. Xander was being way too tolerant. It made her feel good, but that’s only because she felt as though she still had the upper hand. It made her want to push him at the same time.
She’d committed herself to this – no holds barred. And he’d done the same. So why did he seem to be holding back as much as she was?
“I hear this was your suggestion,” Logan said as he approached them, nodding toward the open space, apparently referring to the themed play going on around them.
“It was,” Xander agreed, his fingers tightening around hers, adding a level of comfort she hadn’t realized was missing. “I’m rather impressed with the turnout. Glad you could make it.”
“We are too,” Logan added, pulling Samantha to his side gently. “I think my brother’s even more impressed. Sounds to me like Sierra has taken a particular interest in some of the equipment.”
Xander grinned as he glanced across the room. Mercedes followed his gaze, noticing he was looking at the Sybian saddle machine. She fought the urge to smile.
Yeah, if Sierra got a taste of that, she could imagine her husbands might just run out and buy her one. The machine was interesting, but she could imagine the look on Luke and Cole’s faces as they watched her on it.
“What about you?” Xander asked, directing his question to Samantha. “Are you here to play tonight?”
She looked embarrassed by the question, but she squared her shoulders and smiled up at Xander, then over to Mercedes.
“If I can talk him into it, yes.”
Mercedes decided that she really liked Sam. The woman embraced her desires, and that was truly refreshing. She knew so many women and men who merely fantasized, never taking the plunge to explore those fantasies. And here, at the club her brother-in-law owned, Mercedes imagined Sam felt safe.
As she should.
“Well, I think you’ll find plenty to keep your attention tonight,” Xander said, glancing down at Sam and then back to Logan.
Mercedes noticed a small amount of disappointment in Sam’s eyes, but she was pretty sure she saw relief mixed with it. Had she been hoping for another scene with them?
For some reason, the idea wasn’t as off-putting as she would’ve thought. Although, tonight, Mercedes wasn’t really looking to have an intimate audience. Especially not now that she’d riled Xander up with her disobedience.
Mercedes held her breath, hoping Xander wouldn’t invite the couple to join them. Not tonight. Please, not tonight.
“I’ll be acting out a scene with Mercedes tonight. If you’re interested in watching, we’ll be one of the main attractions.”
Mercedes noticed Xander’s discreet head tilt in the direction of the glass enclosed rooms that acted as the main
stage for the club as a whole. Ok, so she wasn’t going to get a reprieve tonight.
She could handle being on display. That wasn’t a problem. She didn’t mind being one of the main attractions either. What she feared most was what Xander had planned for her.
“In fact, I think they just got the room ready,” Xander said, drawing Mercedes’s attention.
Oh, God.
She looked back at the third room to see at some point a spanking bench had been delivered. If her heart hadn’t just taken to galloping in her chest, she might’ve admired it for a moment. Instead, she had the urge to throw up.
“We look forward to checking it out later,” Logan told them, glancing between the two of them as he held out his hand to Xander. “I’ll catch up with you both later in the week.”
Mercedes forced a smile, swallowing hard. She looked over at Sam, their eyes meeting briefly, and she saw what looked like admiration peering back at her.
Why in the world would the woman want to be in her shoes at the moment?
“Definitely. We’ll have lunch so we can talk. Good to see you, Sam,” Xander said as a good-bye, smiling tentatively at the pretty blonde while Mercedes clung to his hand like a lifeline.
Yeah, she was seriously going to have to conjure up some level of calm or she was not going to make it through the next few minutes, much less the evening.
Chapter Seventeen
Xander led Mercedes away from Sam and Logan and over to the glass room that he’d reserved prior to arrival. After opening the door with a code, he stepped back and allowed her to go in before him.
Once inside, he closed the door behind them, ensuring that it locked so that they wouldn’t have any uninvited guests. It was one thing for voyeurs to linger as they watched through the twenty foot tall glass walls, but Xander had no interest in any additional participants.
Tonight it was just him and Mercedes in the room.
“What do you think?”
“It’s… interesting,” she said as she glanced around the room. “It’s a little… bright.”
She didn’t sound quite as cool as she was trying to appear. It made his dick hard to know her anticipation level was rising. That was what he expected.
If she pretended this was just another demonstration, she wouldn’t get out of it what he wanted her to. To know that she’d passed the point of being able to distance herself from the situation pleased him.
Xander smiled at her. “I’ll take care of the lighting in a minute. Right now, I want you to climb onto the bench.”
Mercedes looked up at him for the first time since they stepped into the room. Her eyes were wide, her throat working as she swallowed hard. There was a question in her penetrating gaze, but just as he had expected, she didn’t ask it.
Taking her hand, he held it as he led her closer to the bench. She paused momentarily, but he didn’t rush her, merely watching as she mentally worked it out. As much as he wanted to encourage her, to slide his hands over her thighs and coax her into place, he wasn’t willing to do it. This was up to Mercedes.
“Remember, you have a safe word, pet. I expect you to use it if, at any time, you feel the need to stop.”
Mercedes glared up at him, and he fought the urge to laugh. She clearly didn’t like the idea of safe wording out, but she of all people should understand that it wasn’t an admission of defeat.
“Yes, Sir,” she said through clenched teeth.
Xander released her hand when she knelt on the lower padded bench. Sliding his hand over her ass, he only offered his touch briefly before taking a step back.
What Mercedes might not realize was that there were separate controls for the room which would allow as much or as little outside interaction as he wanted. There was no way to seal off the room entirely, but he had the option of limiting visibility by pushing a single button. There was also the option of muting the speakers that allowed anyone to hear them.
The glass walls were made of a switchable privacy glass. They could go from clear to frosted, limiting those who were outside of the room to see only shadows, rather than a full view. For right now, he was going to leave the walls clear. And the speakers on.
Despite Mercedes’s hesitancy, Xander knew for a fact that she had no issues with being watched. He had no preference. He allowed his subs to dictate how much privacy they had, and it often depended upon their actions, whether they were obeying him or acting out. Being members of a sex club though, usually meant that one was intimately acquainted with public exhibitionism. Otherwise, if you weren’t interested in the audience, all of this could be done from the privacy of your own home.
Once Mercedes was in place on the bench, her abdomen resting comfortably over the narrow, horizontal padded bench, he moved closer. Her breasts were unbidden, her rib cage resting on the bench while her chest hung slightly over. He couldn’t wait to free her breasts from the silk that was currently clinging to them. On this particular bench, there was an armrest where her elbows rested. And to reduce the strain on her neck, she would be able to lay her forehead on a narrow padded bar that connected between the ends of the armrest.
Thanks to the design, he had the option of strapping her down, her thighs and her forearms. Just the thought of restraining her had his cock lengthening.
He would get to that. In a minute.
“You look incredible in that position,” he told her, his tone low and soothing.
She didn’t move.
He paused, not moving closer.
“Thank you, Sir,” she said.
Clearly an afterthought.
They’d be working on that shortly.
“You’re welcome, pet.”
Stepping up behind her, he placed his hands on her low back, slowly pushing the silk top upward, exposing her creamy skin. “I’m going to remove this now. We’ve gathered quite a bit of an audience, and I’d very much like them to see as much of you as possible.”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered, her voice a little rougher than before.
She was getting turned on. Exactly what he had hoped for.
Keeping his pace slow, he pushed the nightgown higher until he could easily slip it over her head, her long, silky hair falling over her left shoulder as he did. She didn’t move when the silk pooled in the crook of her arms, and he again praised her for it.
Leaning over her from behind, because he couldn’t resist, he placed his forearms on the remaining space on the bench that was exposed at her sides. He tucked his arms against her, sandwiching her between his chest and the bench, but making sure not to put his weight on her. Reaching beneath her arms, Xander fingered the chain that was hanging down, the one connected to the clamps on her nipples.
Mercedes moaned when he tugged, causing the clamps to pull.
“You look so fucking pretty right now. Bent over, your ass and pussy at my mercy. You make my dick hard, pet. So damn hard.”
Mercedes’s breath hitched and the harder he tugged on the chain, the more she moaned. But she didn’t respond otherwise which was what bothered him.
He couldn’t help but wonder whether she was testing him again.
“You’re going to look even prettier when your ass is red, won’t you?”
“Yes, Mas – Sir.”
Xander caught Mercedes’s slip and an emotion he wasn’t familiar with ripped through him. She’d purposely refused to call him Master. He had no idea why that hurt him so much, but it was like a knife through his chest.
Rather than dwell on it, he shoved it away, refusing to let it get to him. It wasn’t a requirement and what he needed to focus his attention on was getting her off.
That’s the punishment she would receive from him tonight. He fully intended to make her soar, bring her to orgasm as many times as he possibly could until she was pleading for him to stop.
~~*~~*~~
Mercedes remained as still as possible, her breath slamming in and out of her lungs in perfect rhythm with the pulsing beat of the music playing overhe
ad. She was trying not to break down before things had even got started, but her nerves were getting the better of her.
She continued to remind herself that this was Xander, a man she trusted with her life. There was no fear of him hurting her physically, she knew that. It wasn’t what she was worried about.
The problem she had was letting go. Handing him the reins, letting him control her pleasure.
Last night had been different. It hadn’t been intentional.
The scene they’d done together had been mutual. She had been playing a part. That was a far cry from what she was doing now because playing the part of his submissive and being his submissive were on opposite ends of the spectrum.
She didn’t want to disappoint him. Yet she already had.
Mercedes didn’t flinch, did her best not to react at all as Xander’s hand trailed over her skin once again. He worked his way over her butt, caressing her thigh with his warm hands. She knew what he was doing, but she tried not to think about it.
While he worked the buckles that would hook around her thigh, expertly restraining her to the bench, she remembered the way he’d tensed a moment ago. She had nearly called him Master, but for some reason, at the very last minute, she opted to go with the more impersonal Sir.
It had been a cheap shot; she knew that much. One that she would’ve noticed as a Domme as well. For his sub to refer to him as Master X, or simply Master, was one of the highest honors he could receive as a Dom. At least according to Xander.
It meant acceptance.
She’d purposely changed her tactic although she had wanted to call him Master, for reasons she couldn’t even fathom at this point. And he had obviously noticed, just as she expected.
Xander worked the buckles on her forearms, and she kept her head down, her eyes on the concrete floor beneath her. She wouldn’t be able to look at him. Not at this point.
Perception Page 15
