by Jane Jamison
“Did you hear what Paul was saying, Ryce?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?” Yet his shit-eating grin said otherwise.
He’d have to fill his brother in on the details later. Owen scanned the main room. Why would any member want to expose them to the world? Or was it one of the employees? But why? Members wouldn’t want to ruin their club. And the staff? They made great money with both their regular salary and tips. Why would they want to jeopardize their livelihood?
Then he saw her and, like every time before, she took his breath away. She was more beautiful than ever.
Jewel Jackson had been given the perfect name. She was a jewel of a woman. While other women might adorn themselves with diamonds, she didn’t need anything to enhance her beauty. Her long, blonde hair flowed down her back like a cascade of liquid gold. Her body curved in all the right places and the girl had a booty he yearned to bite. He’d only talked to her once since Paul had introduced them, but he remembered the musical sound of her voice that contradicted the frankness in her ocean-blue eyes. She was taller than the average woman, which was okay by him. Her height just made the rest of her stretch on forever, including legs he ached to have wrapped around him.
“Yo, Owen.” Ryce snapped his fingers in front of Owen’s face. “Where’d you go, man?”
He turned away from Jewel, but not before Ryce had seen who he’d been watching.
“Fuckin’ A, but her tits make my cock go from zero to ninety in under ten seconds.”
“Knock it off.” He wasn’t sure where it had come from, but Ryce talking about Jewel in a crass way didn’t sit well with him.
“Okay, okay. Don’t go getting your panties in a bunch.”
“Anyway,” warned Paul, “if you two can take your attention off Jewel for a minute, I need to ask a favor.”
Owen didn’t have to think about it. Paul was more than just the owner of the ranch and the club. He was their friend, a friend who’d stuck with them during times when they hadn’t had two dimes to rub together. “Name it.”
“I want you two to be my eyes and ears in the club. Whoever’s doing this is going to be watching Destin and me. But you two are fairly new as Doms and haven’t taken a permanent submissive yet. You’re still checking everyone out.”
He looked at Jewel. They’d played around, but that was before her arrival. Since then, other than Ryce flirting, they’d kept their cocks in their jeans, zipped up tight as though waiting for the perfect woman. He couldn’t help but think Jewel was that woman. Tearing his gaze away from her got harder every day.
“And you want us to figure out who it could be, right?” Ryce was finally giving Paul his full attention.
“That’s it.”
Owen didn’t like the idea much. It felt a lot like spying on his friends and neighbors. But for Paul, he’d do just about anything. “Got any ideas who it could be? Narrowing down the field would help.”
Paul shook his head while searching the room. “I don’t have a clue. It could be a member who got slighted in some way. Or maybe they’re doing it for the money.”
“Maybe it’s the new girl. The redhead,” offered Ryce. “Danni, right?”
“Right. And it could be.” Paul’s sly grin was enough of a warning. “I noticed you didn’t mention the other new hire, Jewel.”
Owen figured he’d stared at Jewel enough times for Paul to realize how much he wanted her. So why deny it? “I hate to say it, but we have to consider her a suspect, Ryce. Just because she’s caught our eye doesn’t mean we can give her a pass.”
“She’s too nice to do something so low.”
“I hate to burst your bubble, Ryce.” Paul wasn’t one to hold back. “But Jewel’s at the top of my list right now.”
“Why? Did you see her doing something strange?” He agreed with Ryce. The last person he wanted to suspect was the gorgeous blonde they had their eye on. As far as he’d heard, she was nice and kept to herself. She didn’t strike him as the type of person who’d hurt others in any way.
“Not so much that it would pin her down. Just little things like saying we’re out of olives when there are several large jars in the supply room.”
Owen couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re shitting me. Olives? That’s your big clue? Granted, you have a reason to be paranoid, but come on.” His eyes narrowed and he pointed an accusing finger at Paul. “Hey, wait a sec. Now that I think about it, didn’t you just get a new cell phone? Maybe you’re the one taking pics.”
“Fuck off.” As was his style, Paul took the ribbing with ease. “I know it doesn’t sound like anything. Call it more of a gut feeling. It just seems like she’s always darting her gaze away every time I look at her. Like she’s afraid I’m going to see the guilt in her eyes.”
“You’re imagining shit.” At least, Owen hoped he was. Yet if he was in Paul’s position, wouldn’t he think the same thing? After all, Paul was an astute judge of character. What if Paul was right to suspect Jewel?
“I hope so. She seems like a nice girl. And she’s a good worker, too. If she’d loosen up and join in the play, she’d do really well here.”
“Carly Rivers had a tough time getting started. Give her more time, too.”
Truth was, he liked that Jewel had stuck to only waitressing. For now anyway. Once he and Ryce made their move, then it’d be a different matter. By that time, he hoped she’d have gotten used to the things going on at the club and would be open to letting them be her Doms. At least on a temporary basis, or if he had it his way, permanently.
“I’ll give her all the time she needs as long as she’s not involved in this bullshit.”
“But again, what about Danni?” Ryce clammed up as the redhead hurried past them. “We don’t know anything more about her than we do Jewel. Maybe she’s been in the supply room, too.”
Owen smothered back a smile. If they ribbed Paul too much, he’d have them mucking out the stalls instead of watching over the club.
“You two are so funny I can’t laugh.” He, too, shut up as Danni came back again, tossing them a quick smile as she rushed to the bar.
“See? Isn’t it suspicious how she’s getting closer to us? I’ll bet she’s trying to listen in to our conversation.”
Owen punched his younger brother, warning him to stop. “Okay, enough.”
“Don’t go repeating this, but just between us, I don’t think Danni has the brains or the nerve to pull something like this. She’s as sweet as they come, but not the brightest light in the room.” Paul’s gaze slid back to Jewel who was bent over, trying to hear a woman give her order.
Her ass was apple-shaped, nicely rounded, yet firm. The short tight skirt that was part of her uniform teased him, coming just shy of letting him see her pantiless bottom. Every waitress wore the same black halter top and skirt and, according to the club’s dress code, no panties. Owen could easily imagine planting his cock inside her. Pussy or ass, it didn’t matter. Either way, she’d be as tight as a preacher with the Sunday offerings.
“I think you’re right. Which puts us at square one again. Danni’s not bright enough and Jewel’s too nice.”
Ryce was quick to jump on the idea he hadn’t bothering saying out loud. “So, if we’re lucky, it’s someone else.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s one of them or someone else.” Paul pulled out his phone to answer a call, then told the caller to hold on. Only Paul and Destin could carry phones in the club. “It’s a sad day when we can’t trust each other at the club. Get back to me as soon as you think you have something.” He lifted his hand in farewell, then took the call and moved toward the back of the building and his office.
* * * *
“Jewelly, come on over here.”
Aw, hell. Danni again.
Danni was a sweet girl, but not overly bright. The fact that she insisted on calling her Jewelly didn’t help. She’d often called on her to help add up the total amount due for her customers even though she’d been working at the club for over a month. The girl
could barely add two and two, but she was already a favorite with the members mainly because she’d do just about anything they liked. She had the type of bangin’ body many of the men and some of the women loved to enjoy.
“I’ll be right there.” Jewel straightened up after having gotten a woman’s drink order. The woman, a teacher at the local elementary school, was dressed in black, Dominatrix style, and had a naked man at her feet. He was on his hands and knees and he wore a studded collar attached to a leash his mistress had wrapped around the arm of the chair. “So it’s one Virgin Mary and one bowl of milk. Coming right up.”
She was getting used to the strange activities and sexual appetites of the customers. As far as she was concerned, as long as they weren’t hurting anyone—other than those who liked receiving pain—then whatever they did was fine with her. She made it to the bar, gave Wilson their orders, then turned back to help Danni.
And promptly slammed to a stop.
Danni was next to one of the booths that gave members more privacy. Standing next to her were Ryce and Owen. At once, her body’s temperature took a flying leap, pushing her internal heating mechanism to the limit. Where the room had seemed the right temperature before, it now felt like a sauna.
Just ignore them. You have a job to do. You can’t get close to anyone. Not even to them.
But ignoring the Killian brothers was like floating in the air. No way, no how would she be able to pull it off.
Danni waved like a crazy woman to get her to come over. Walking toward them was like balancing on a two-edged knife. She wanted to get near them, but at the same time, worried about what might happen. One way or the other, she was bound to get cut.
“Hey, what’s up?” She put on her best smile, gave each man a quick look, then focused her attention on Danni. Not that it helped much. The internal furnace kept getting hotter.
“I was just telling Master Owen and Master Ryce that we’d love to do a scene with them.”
Masters. If any men fit the title, it was them.
“Oh? I thought you two preferred a single sub to share.” She remembered the eye color of the first boy she’d ever loved and how she’d gone on for days talking about his “dreamy” eyes. Now as she fell into Owen’s and Ryce’s eyes, she finally knew what real dreamy eyes looked like. If she could swim in their seductive brown depths and never come back, she would.
“We do. Most of the time.”
If Owen stared at her any harder, she’d melt right at his feet. The man was sex personified. A man’s man who could claim any woman he wanted.
“We were talking to Danni when the idea of doing a scene with you came up. Both of you.”
The glint in his eye said he wasn’t telling the entire truth. Had they really wanted both of them? Ryce’s chin could cut glass, but she had the feeling his kisses could be both hard and soft, changing it up to torment her. If she had the nerve to ask to kiss him, she could find out. But her nerves were always jittery around the Killian men.
“Both of us? That’s really nice of you to offer, but I haven’t done any scenes yet.”
“It was Danni’s idea. Still, don’t you think it’s time you give it a try?” Ryce’s eyes held a spark of humor. “Still, we aren’t pushing you. You know how it is. No one’s ever forced to do anything they don’t want to do.”
Don’t want to do? Having their hands, lips, and tongues skimming over her body? She couldn’t think of anything more she’d want to do. Unless, of course, it was to have their cocks inside her. Yet, she’d seen how playing out a scene could become very emotional for the submissive. If she lost control, she might say the wrong thing and spill the beans about her real reason for working there.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure I’d make a very good sub.”
“I think you’re dead wrong, but how’re you ever going to know unless you try?”
Ryce took her order pad and tossed it on top of the booth’s table. Grabbing her by the hand, he pulled her with him to take a seat. She slid over the leather cushion, staying as close as she dared to Ryce while Owen scooted in after them, closing the gap between them. Danni took the other opening of the couch and sat down.
“Yeah, Jewelly, let’s give it a go. I think it’ll be a lot of fun.”
The gleam in Danni’s eyes said she thought it’d be more than just fun. The girl had a major crush on them.
“How can you be so sure?” She was trapped between two men who didn’t have to touch her to make her squirm. Trapped and enjoying the hell out of it. But did that make her a submissive? Dreaming about having them bind and gag her was one thing, but reality was often a different thing. Did she dare try? Maybe. But in public? She’d never liked the idea of public exhibitionism. Or were they talking about using one of the private rooms?
And with Danni? Other than a few kisses, she’d never tried doing anything with a girl. Plus, if she tried and Danni called her Jewelly right in the middle of everything, she’d get turned off big time.
“You’ll never know until you try. Besides, I can sense it from you.” Ryce’s smile was like a lighthouse beacon to a lost ship. Its warmth drew her closer, daring her to come ashore. “You’re giving off a vibe that says you want us as much as we want you.”
She met those soul-capturing eyes and couldn’t deny it. “Wanting and subbing aren’t always related. Maybe I’m more of the champagne-and-roses kind of girl. And not the spank-me-until-I-scream kind.”
“Maybe you’re both. There’s only one way to find out.”
Ryce was more of the aggressor than Owen. He twisted around, gave her a look that could’ve melted steel, then traveled his finger along her arm. The slight touch was enough to cause her stomach to tighten. If she could’ve crossed her legs and squeezed, she would have.
“Ooh, doesn’t it sound like fun, Jewelly? Don’t you want to have some fun?”
She started to correct Danni, to tell her for the hundredth time not to call her that, but right then she had a whole lot more to deal with. “What are you suggesting?”
“Let’s do a scene together. We’ll keep it easy since it’s your first time.” Owen placed his hand on her leg, then let it graze a trail upward until he was only inches from her mons.
Keep going.
Ignoring her inner call to action, she clasped her hands together and set them firmly on top of the table. If she didn’t, she’d help his hand find its way to her burning clit.
“I’m game.” Danni bounced up and down in her seat, her face lighting up with her excitement.
Now that Danni was raring to go, for her to refuse would seem off. Maybe even suspicious. And yet, she couldn’t go through with it, could she? What if they tied her up and she freaked out? Or worse, what if they knew what she was doing and tried to beat a confession out of her?
Calm down. Don’t go imagining things. Even if they know something, they’d never hurt me. But if they tried to seduce it out of me, then what?
She might just tell them everything she knew. It was better to stay safe all the way round.
“Great. Then let’s do this, ladies.” Owen was on his feet and tugging her out of the booth before she had a chance to think.
“Wait. I don’t—”
He turned back to her, then cupped her cheek. “Don’t stop now, darlin’.”
Damn, but the way he looked at her made her think he could do anything he wanted. And she’d go along as a more than willing accomplice.
“You know you want to. I can see it on your face.”
At that moment, she would’ve done anything for him. Even that. “Okay. But if I need to stop—”
“All you have to do is say the word red.” His thumb skimmed along her cheek. “I promise. You can trust us.”
Oh, I how I wish I could.
What could she do then? To not agree would be like doubting his word. Besides, her skin ached for his touch and her lips pursed just thinking about his mouth on hers. She’d gone from disliking everything about the club to thin
king the sexual explorations were exciting.
It’s safe, sane, and consensual. I couldn’t be in better hands.
“Okay.”
He had her on the stage with Ryce and Danni following them. Once in the middle of the large platform, she dared to lift her head as the sounds of the crowd died out. The enormity of what she’d agreed to do hit her.
Oh, shit. What have I gotten myself into?
“Hi, everyone. Feel free to continue what you were doing. Or feel free to watch. However, I’m going to ask everyone to keep their comments to themselves. As a lot of you already know, Jewel’s new at the club and this is her first time on stage, so bear that in mind.”
A light round of applause and words of support greeted her as she offered everyone a timid smile. She had everyone’s attention and it surprised her to realize that she liked being watched. Of course, she still had on the halter top and short skirt waitress uniform. Would she feel the same way if she was naked?
Naked in front of a crowd. How was this different than what her sister had done? And yet it was completely different. Her sister had been an unknowing victim, without having a chance to give her consent to be watched and videotaped.
Leaving her, Ryce moved to a box that was at the side of the platform. She’d seen many of the members get different sexual tools and toys out of the box. He selected a pair of fur-lined handcuffs, then walked toward her.
She held her breath, trying to steady her jittery nerves, then let out a sigh when he passed her to go to Danni. But was her sigh one of relief? Or of disappointment?
“Are you ready, darlin’?” Owen turned his back on his brother and Danni, then found the hook at the neck of the halter top. His hands paused, along with her breath, but he didn’t undo it. “Are you ready to become a real submissive?”
Saying no wasn’t an option. Not only because she had to stay on at the club to take more pictures, but because she didn’t want to say no. The realization hit her harder than she’d have thought possible, but wasn’t that the way of truth? Sometimes it just snuck up on a person and whacked them in the head.
