She lifted her eyes. Fear consumed her.
“As your Dom for the week, I’ll expect you to obey me implicitly without question when it comes to my demands on your body. In addition, I’ll ask you questions throughout the week in attempt to get to know you better. You reserve the right to answer them or not. I’ll permit you to hold on to your privacy on any subject you want for the entire week.
“You may also question me about my personal life. I’ll answer you as often as I can unless your question seems counterintuitive to my objectives.”
“What are your objectives, Sir?” Her eyes were wide, the deep blue orbs baring more of her soul than she would probably like.
“To guide you back to your authentic self. You’ve told me very little, but I know from watching you the past few weeks and from the way you responded to me tonight that you’ve been under the care of a strong Dom before. You know too much. I can’t imagine what happened to break that bond, but it destroyed you on a level you’ve been unwilling to face.
“You’ve been dabbling as a switch, trying to make it as a Domme in order to fulfill at least a fraction of what you truly crave. It provides some relief, but it leaves you unfulfilled. Your eyes remain sad. At least do me the favor of admitting all of this is true before we proceed.”
She stared into his eyes for so long he thought he might have totally missed the mark. But then a tear slid down her cheek, and she licked her sweet lips. “Yes.”
She didn’t add Sir. It was difficult for her to utter even that one small word. He wouldn’t point out the omission. He pulled her back against his chest, tucking her head under his chin. “Good girl. I’m proud of you. We’ll work on the rest gradually.”
“Yes, Sir.” Her voice was stronger.
“How did you get here tonight?”
“Uber, Sir. Sometimes I’m too drained to drive home,” she told his chest.
He chuckled. “I can imagine. Tonight more than others.”
“Yes, Sir.” Her breath hitched. She had something else to say.
“What is it, sweet girl?”
“Could we keep this between us…for now? I mean, I don’t mind if Sasha knows or Lincoln or whatever, but maybe not the entire club.”
“Of course. Done.” Oh yeah, Faith was hiding. From herself? He didn’t need to make more out of her request than the obvious. People in the club knew her as a Domme. It was up to her to reveal what she wanted them to know—on her own timetable. If she ever wanted them to know. Whatever she was hiding from could be insurmountable—for her or for him.
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Let’s get you dressed. I’m going to take you home. When we get there, I’ll give you some instructions. I’ll start easy and add to my requests during the week.”
She leaned back. “I can just take Uber home, Sir.”
He stared at her a moment. Half of him thought it might be best to let her have her way on this topic, but the other half reminded him she was defying him already. He narrowed his gaze. “I don’t believe I was making a suggestion.”
She lowered her gaze and her voice. “Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.”
He patted her perfect bottom. “You owe me two swats of my hand for hesitating when I gave you an order and lifting onto your toes when I told you to remain still.” He needed to make sure she understood he didn’t forget any infraction and wouldn’t hesitate to discipline her. In addition, he needed to assess how she would react to his statement.
She pushed herself to sitting, straightening her spine, her head tipped toward her lap. “I’m ready, Sir.”
Fuck. Me.
She was amazing. If his cock wasn’t already stiff to the point of exploding, it would have pushed right out of his jeans at her words. Ignoring his plight, he lifted her by her waist to standing. The blanket that had pooled in her lap fell to the floor as he scooted forward a few inches and guided her to the side of his thigh.
Without a word, he angled her over his lap, clasped both her wrists at the small of her back, and set his palm on her bottom. “Why am I going to spank you, Faith?”
Her voice wobbled slightly as she responded. “Because I hesitated when you gave me an order and then moved when you told me to remain still, Sir.”
“I have a good memory, Faith. It would serve you well to keep that in mind. Two swats of my palm to your bottom. I’ll be quick. It will hurt.” He lifted his hand, flattened his palm, and spanked her twice in rapid succession low on her cheeks. Normally he reserved that spot for pleasure, but since she was only going to get two swats, he relished the idea of possibly leaving her slightly needy.
She only flinched briefly between each slap, and then she relaxed when it was over as he palmed her bottom, massaging the pinkened skin.
“That’s a good girl. I’m proud of you.” When he thought she was okay to stand, he released her wrists and helped her up. He guided her to stand in front of him between his legs, clasping her hands and gripping them at her sides. “Look at me.”
She met his gaze, her eyes slightly watery, her face a deep pink.
“You’re not a fan of punishment.”
“No, Sir.” Her words were barely audible.
“I can tell. Then you won’t disobey me often, will you?”
“No, Sir.” Her lips were slightly swollen as if she’d been kissed senseless when he hadn’t even tasted them yet. He intentionally forced himself not to kiss her for fear he would lose control and take this thing too far. Their puffiness indicated she had been holding them between her teeth.
“I’m not an unreasonable Dom. You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll never ask you to do anything I don’t believe you can handle. However, on the flip side, I expect you to obey me without question in all things.”
“Yes, Sir.” This woman, standing before him, head bowed, naked, nipples puckered, pussy wet, a slight tremble—she was the hottest submissive he’d ever seen. It was time to get out of his office before he did something he might regret.
He released her hands. “Get dressed. Slowly. While I watch.” He leaned back against the couch and crossed his legs, mostly because there was no way he could move without wincing at the stiffness of his cock. He needed a few moments to pull his shit together.
Instructing her to tease him while dressing had not been his best-laid plan, however. Watching her pull on her thong and then garter belt made him grit his teeth. She was a professional tease.
He wondered if it came naturally or if she had training stripping and dressing for a Dom. He hoped any instructional assistance she’d been given had been from a seasoned Dom. The thought of her having stripped for an audience at some point in her life made him shudder with a strange protectiveness.
She perched her ass on the coffee table to roll her stockings up her legs. The entire time she kept her thighs parted enough for him to see between them. Teasing him. Not meeting his gaze. Pretending she was simply doing as she’d been told.
He didn’t comment.
When she lifted her lacy white bra and stuck her arms through the straps, he noticed the juxtaposition of her innocent white top half against her naughty black bottom half. Pure white lacy bra. White sheer blouse. Black thong and garter and stockings and skirt and boots. The contrast was stunning.
All too soon she was dressed. She clasped her hands at her back, spread her feet, and faced the floor without a word.
She was nearly perfect.
And until she divulged a bit about herself, she would remain that way.
Part of Rowen wanted her to tell him something horrifying about her past to break the veil of perfection he had draped around her. Instead, he forced himself to stand, headed over to his desk, and grabbed his phone and keys. “Where are your things?” he asked. “I assume you have a purse somewhere.”
“In the women’s room, Sir. I’ll need to change into my street clothes.”
He stepped back to face her and tipped her chin up. “I realize you just showed me a side of you no one in this
club has seen. I respect that. I’m going to release you to go gather your things. Meet me out front. I’ll pull the car up and pick you up. White Toyota 86. Wait inside the door with Carter until I’m there.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
He slid his hand around to her cheek and held her gaze. What he wanted to do was kiss her until her knees buckled. What he did instead was gently set his lips on hers for the briefest second. Just enough to make him want more and hopefully have the same effect on her.
Two minutes later, he was heading toward the entrance, his gaze locked on Carter as he approached.
Carter stepped out of hearing distance from anyone near the entrance. “What’s up?” he whispered. They knew each other well.
“I’m taking Faith home. Gonna pull the car around. Would you see her down the stairs to the door?” The club was located on the second story above a strip mall with a discreet entrance on the first floor. The offices were on the third floor above the club. Most passersby wouldn’t ever realize there was a business above the shops.
“Of course.” Carter’s brow was furrowed, but his lips were lifted slightly in an incongruent grin.
“Carter…”
He shook his head. “Never saw you. Never spoke to you. Never saw Faith leave.”
“Thank you.” Of course, Rowen would tell Lincoln about his chance meeting with Faith later, but he knew his third partner would also remain discreet. What he didn’t want was for the rest of the patrons to know about his encounter with Faith. Or any future encounter either. Unless and until she agreed.
What was he thinking? This was a temporary arrangement. A favor. He was helping another human being find her way back to her true self.
It didn’t hurt that she was sexy as hell and made his dick ache to be inside her, but he would never take advantage of his role. She needed a firm Dom to guide her back to authenticity.
What he didn’t need was to dwell on the possibility that things might actually work out between the two of them. That was so far in the distance it was unfair to ponder. He wouldn’t even let himself hope for something more. The last time he attempted to forge the sort of relationship he craved with a woman had been Rayne. And he’d fallen on his face in the attempt.
The level of commitment he’d wanted from Rayne hadn’t jibed with the level of submission she’d been willing to surrender. He had tried hard not to ask more of her than she was able to give, but in the end it hadn’t been enough. He’d wanted more. He would have been miserable in the long run if he’d settled.
He’d never regretted the decision to throw in the towel, and in fact he was relieved, especially tonight. After a lengthy reminder of what he craved in a submissive, he was even more certain he and Rayne had made the right decision four months ago.
There weren’t a lot of women out there who could give themselves to a Dom as fully as Rowen desired. Very, very few, he reminded himself. He shouldn’t even be thinking of such a thing with Faith after one single evening.
His current goals were clear. He needed to shove the future where it belonged—in the future. To do otherwise would disappoint him. Just because she demonstrated a propensity for a level of submission he craved meant nothing by itself. He couldn’t know she would submit like that again. Nor did he know a damn thing about her other than that she was fucking sexy and had a lot of money.
No, scratch that. Just because someone wore expensive clothes and drove nice cars still didn’t mean they had money. Some people were simply pretentious.
As Rowen turned to head down the stairs, he paused and looked back at Carter. “By the way, Lincoln is with Sasha in his office.”
Carter smirked. “Her mouth get her in trouble again?”
“You could say that.” Rowen smiled as he took the stairs two at a time. His sister was a handful. No way would Rowen ever want to train a submissive like her. Of course, it was his fault—all three of their faults actually—that she was so innocent. Neither Rowen nor his partners had permitted her to join the club. At twenty-two she was eager and green.
She was also apparently perfect for Lincoln who thrived on the challenge.
Rowen shuddered at the thought of disciplining and training a woman like his sister.
His mind wandered back to Faith as he folded into his car. She was the exact opposite. Seasoned. Trained. Demure. Obedient. All things he loved in a submissive.
As he pulled up to the entrance, he popped the locks on the passenger door of his car and waited while Faith slid into the seat. He normally would have rounded the hood and helped her inside, but she would have tensed at the idea of stretching out the likelihood they would be seen, and besides, Carter was there to help her into the car and shut the door.
Seconds later they were off.
“Thank you. For the ride, I mean. Sir.” She sat straight. Stiff. Hands in her lap. Facing the window as he sped toward the exit to the parking lot. She had changed into street clothes and carried a bag. No change of clothing would ever convince anyone she was a regular person, however. The white crop pants she wore were pressed and fit her perfectly. The blue blouse tied beneath her breasts and matched her flats. Ordinary enough clothing for some people. But not Faith.
“Of course. My pleasure.” He handed her his cell phone. “Put your address into my GPS. And then add your contact information to my list. Cell and email.”
She did as he instructed, her fingers trembling.
“Relax, sweet girl. Nothing is going to happen. I’m just taking you home.”
“I know. I just… It’s been a while since I’ve brought someone home.”
He set the phone on his thigh and reached for her hand, threading their fingers together and squeezing. “You’re safe.”
She nodded, lowering her gaze to their entwined fingers in her lap. Nerves made her stiff. He recognized the signs. He needed to tread carefully. She obviously needed this. She needed to let go of some past hurt and move on. But it was hard for her. And he had to keep that in mind every step of the way. His suggestion that she submit to him from a distance all week was the best possible arrangement.
It could also backfire. It was possible she would use the distance to dig a wedge between them and lose focus on the objective. Only time would tell.
When he pulled up to a nice apartment complex several miles away in a swanky section of Miami, he was impressed. Not shocked. Impressed.
She pointed at a spot in the street. “You can park there.”
He parallel parked along the side of the street. At least she didn’t insist on jumping out and fleeing him at the door. Smart girl. He gave her hand a final squeeze. “Hang tight. I’ll come help you out.”
As he climbed from the car and rounded the hood, he took a deep breath. The air shifted around him. There was something monumental about this agreement. He could feel it.
Whatever they were about to embark on was going to change both their lives. He just hoped it was for the better. For both of them.
Chapter 7
Faith was shaking as she led Rowen to the elevator and pressed the button for the tenth floor. Every step from the car to the lobby to the elevator and then down her hallway felt increasingly more difficult.
She didn’t bring men to her apartment. Ever. Rowen was the first.
She’d lived here a year now, and she rarely had guests. Never men. And certainly not Doms.
She was nervous as hell and prayed to God she wasn’t making a mistake.
Rowen had shown no signs he meant to accomplish anything except exactly what he’d suggested in his office. He intended to see her home, give her some instructions, and leave her alone for a week. Physically, at least.
Her stomach was in knots at the thought of submitting to him. It unnerved her to so willingly accept his proposal and to allow herself to feel as intensely as she had from the moment he led her to his office.
Perhaps she’d lost her mind, but she steeled herself to go with the flow. It felt good. It felt right. There was no
need to sabotage things by retreating into her head and reminding herself how far south things could go if she let someone into her fortress.
When they reached her door, she pulled her keys out of her purse, but her hands were shaking so badly she fumbled them.
Rowen eased them from her hand and pressed into her from behind, crowding her against the door while he spoke softly into her ear. “Relax, sweet girl.”
“It’s not that simple. I don’t bring men home.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He chuckled lightly. “And you won’t start now either. But tonight, it’s just me.” He slid a hand up her back and tugged on her braid until she tilted her face up.
She forced herself to look at him. His concerned expression gave her strength. “This is my sanctuary.”
“Okay.”
“Will you still honor your earlier promise not to ask questions? Just for tonight.”
He furrowed his brow. “Promise me two things.”
“Maybe.”
“You aren’t married, and you aren’t involved in anything illegal.”
“Swear.”
“Then I won’t ask questions. Not tonight.”
“Thank you…Sir.”
He held her gaze for another moment and then released her to unlock her door. When it swung inward, she led him into her personal space. He shut the door behind him as she took her keys from him and dropped them on the small table next to the door where she also left her bag. For now. She’d put it away later.
He stepped farther into her living room as she leaned against the front door and tried to see things through his eyes. There was no way to hide the fact she had money. Her apartment was upscale, spacious, and modern. It was more than she needed, but she hadn’t chosen it. She flinched at the reminder. Please don’t let him ask.
“You’re tidy to the point of anal.” He turned to smile at her and held out his hands. “Just an observation. Not a question.”
She smiled. He wasn’t wrong. If he delved any deeper, he would find out just how anal she was. Her closet was organized by colors and styles. The irony was that she hadn’t always been this obsessive. It was a new trait she acquired after Victor died. It kept her occupied at times when she thought she might go stark raving mad. After a while, the new habits stuck.
Obeying Rowen: Club Zodiac, Book Two Page 7
