UnSub
Page 16
She was right, of course. But he did worry, and he would continue to until this craziness came to an end and he had her back safely in his arms. And, there he was again, thinking about not saying goodbye to her after their time together ended.
* * *
Alyx rubbed her hair vigorously with a hand towel to remove the excess moisture. She still couldn’t believe she’d dropped the L bomb on him and that he’d so graciously allowed her to escape total embarrassment. But she wondered at her words. Could she really be falling for him? Somehow, he made her feel— She wrinkled her brow, struggling to find the word. And then it came to her. Free. He’d freed her not only from her clothing, but from the fear of embarrassment, shame, the freedom to voice her release when an orgasm ripped through her. She’d never felt more alive. Never felt so vulnerable and yet, so damn safe.
“Here,” Daniel said, startling her. He strolled into the green bedroom unannounced, like always, and handed her a shiny black shopping bag. “I had Jack send over something for you to wear tonight from the fetish shop at the club.” Alyx threw the towel on the bedside chair and tugged the tie on Daniel’s robe around her tighter, she wasn’t sure why, it’s not like Daniel wouldn’t take if off her this very minute if he felt like it. It seemed like he always felt like seeing her naked. She accepted the bag with a sense of dread chilling her body. She’d seen this stuff online and it freaked her out, trashy clothing with cutouts in the most inappropriate places.
“I’m afraid to look,” she said derisively.
“I think you’ll find it acceptable,” Daniel said, flashing her a devilish wink. “If not, well, too bad. I want. You do.”
She placed the bag on the bed and tentatively unfolded the silver tissue paper imprinted with images of handcuffs and floggers. “Cute,” she commented, lifting the skimpy black item from the bag, a black bustier with red laces up the front. “I hope there’s more.” Reaching into the bag, she pulled out a matching mini skirt. She sighed. “Well, not much as it turns out.” She rolled her eyes. The thought of wearing such skimpy clothing out in public unnerved her, however she didn’t have much of a choice. Reaching inside the bag again, she rooted around. Empty. She flashed him an incredulous expression. “No underwear?”
“Nope. Consider yourself lucky, most subs are kept totally naked at the club. I’m letting you off easy.” He headed for the door, then turned, his hand on the knob. “I’ll leave you to get ready. We need to be at the club by eight.”
Alyx blew out her hair so it fell in soft waves over her shoulders, figuring it would act like protection over the skimpy outfit. She applied more makeup than usual, shading her eyes with smoky dark shadow and some serious Cleopatra-style eyeliner. She kept her lips light, which hopefully would offset the dark eye makeup. Slipping on the black stilettos Daniel had bought her to wear to the fundraiser, she surveyed herself in the mirror. The reflection portrayed a woman she didn’t know. Maybe good? She was playing a part and this was merely her costume. Pretending to be someone else might save her sanity.
Daniel knocked on her bedroom door and then entered, again without permission. His eyes lit up. “Wow,” he blurted. “You look hot.”
Alyx huffed. She didn’t think she looked so horrible the other way. “Thanks.” She could easily return the compliment. He wore dark jeans and a black leather blazer over a charcoal gray tailored shirt. She liked him in clothes, although she liked him more without. Jesus, she had to stop thinking like that.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, Daniel pulled out a folded piece of paper. “You’ll need to bring your medical form to show you’re disease free. Put it in your purse. They’ll ask for it.” Alyx stowed the report as directed. “Ready?” He extended his hand.
“As I’ll ever be.” He held her hand firmly as he escorted her down the winding staircase and into the foyer.
“Mason will drive you. I’ll leave first and he’ll follow a few minutes behind. Zach, the security guard at the door, is expecting you. Do whatever he says. Jack will meet you inside and you’ll go through the usual routine for interviewing a prospective member. I’ll be at the bar and Jack will introduce us, then you let me take it from there. Understand?”
Alyx hesitated as she contemplated what tonight would bring. She wouldn’t have to perform until Saturday, so tonight shouldn’t be too terrible. “Yes, Sir,” she finally said. “I’ve got this.”
“Good girl.” Daniel opened the front door and ushered her out to the SUV, Mason already at the wheel. He buckled her into her seatbelt, then gripped her chin. “You’ll be okay, baby, just follow Jack’s lead.” He planted a quick kiss on her lips and withdrew.
Alyx grabbed his wrist. He turned and their eyes met. “Thanks, Daniel. I mean for coming with me tonight. Knowing you’ll be there eases my anxiety.”
He gave her a wink and squeezed her hand, then bent and put the back of her hand to his lips. He kissed it softly. “You’re welcome.” He shut the door and walked over to his car. He pulled out of the driveway and she watched the red taillights disappear. She tried to slow her breathing and gave herself a pep talk. Get your shit together, Alyx. This is only the dress rehearsal. You can do this.
Mason pulled into the long driveway of the St. Andrews Club. Daniel’s car was parked in the side lot and Alyx relaxed somewhat, reminding herself that Daniel was inside and would keep an eye on her. Her heart was pounding more than she’d expected. She assumed this would be easier.
Opening the door, Mason extended his hand as support in maneuvering the steep step down. She didn’t need to do a face plant in her ridiculously high-heeled shoes. “Good luck, Miss Cameron,” Mason said kindly.
“Thank you, Mason.” But she sincerely hoped luck wouldn’t be required for tonight’s activities.
Big brass hinges and wooden planking, complete with a large round doorknocker, made it seem like she’d arrived at the door of a medieval castle. She gave two raps with the knocker and the door opened. A huge man greeted her, dressed in a simple black suit, white shirt and no tie. He must’ve had a serious case of acne as a youth and he’d definitely had his nose broken once or twice. “Yes? May I help you?”
“I’m Alyx Cameron, I believe Jack is expecting me.”
“Oh, of course, Miss Cameron, nice to meet you.” His intimidating demeanor softened and he extended his hand toward her. “I’m Zach. Come in.”
Zach closed the door behind her and she surveyed the magnificent anteroom. Black and white striped wallpaper decorated the walls and a large mahogany Queen Ann style desk sat in the center of the room. Shiny black ceramic tile covered the floor and recessed lighting cast a romantic glow over the room.
Taking a seat behind the desk, Zach pulled out some papers from a file cabinet to the right. “Do you have your medical form?” Alyx handed him the paper from her purse. “Excellent,” he said. “You need to fill out the appropriate paperwork before I can admit you. Come sit and make sure you read it carefully. The last chick that didn’t read the fine print got herself into some serious shit. There are punishments for breaking the rules and take my word for it, it’s something you want to avoid, especially on your first visit.” Zach handed her a three-page document.
Alyx sat in the black upholstered chair beside Zach’s desk and began to read. Zach was right. If you interfered with a scene in progress they could discipline you right on the spot. The punishment was the Dom’s choice and ranged from spanking, to flogging, to public display without clothing. Yikes! Alyx scribbled her name on the last page and handed the forms back to Zach. He picked up the wall phone behind him and dialed four numbers. “She’s here, boss.” He turned to Alyx. “Master Jack will be out to get you in a minute.”
Master Jack? “Thanks,” she sputtered. Where had her voice gone? Her hands were sweaty and her pulse raced. What had she gotten herself into? Playing with Daniel was one thing, but the thought about what she was about to walk into had her seriously doubting her whole involvement in this crazy assignment.
 
; She reminded herself to keep the focus on the why, the chance to save those poor women from a hideous fate.
A door to the right opened and Jack strode into the room dressed in black leather pants and a black silk shirt. He was a handsome man, his full head of silver hair slicked back and a friendly smile revealing straight white teeth, although he vaguely resembled a gangster she’d once seen in a movie.
“Alyx,” he exclaimed. “So good to see you.” He walked directly to her, seized her hand and laced his fingers through hers. “Ready?”
He held her hand like he was her boyfriend, the same way Daniel did and she began to wonder if all Doms acted like this. “Yes.”
“Good girl. We’ll start in my office and I will explain how the club works, then I’ll give you the fifty-cent tour and introduce you to some of our members.”
“Yes, Sir. Time to get to work.” She tried to sound enthusiastic. Jack opened the door and tugged her through the mass of twisting flesh on the dance floor. Heavy metal music played over the sound system, luckily not so loud that you couldn’t hear yourself think. The smell of leather and human musk filled the air. Alyx almost felt like she’d landed in Dante’s Inferno. Bodies clad in leather and latex, or nothing at all. Flesh pressed flesh in carnal gyrations. Studded collars attached to leashes around both men’s and women’s necks, and many had piercings in places that made her want to grimace. Oh boy. If she’d seen this stuff the first night she’d arrived she might’ve seriously considered rescinding her agreement to tackle this assignment.
Alyx glanced to the left and noticed that the place was gigantic, with a second floor guarded by a black wrought-iron railing and large lighted display windows on the far wall, but she couldn’t see what was on display. Reaching the other side of the dance floor she spied a bar constructed entirely of glass that ran the length of the room. The motif—a riot of blue, chrome, steel and glass—actually reminded her of her upscale gym. The similarity of the two suddenly struck her: sweat, pain, physical exertion, moans and groans, even screams.
The satisfaction of pushing your body to insane limits.
Gazing at the large man behind the bar, she wondered if that was Steve, the Dom they’d arranged for her to scene with on Saturday. He was attractive and, big, definitely a body builder. His bright, animated eyes tracked her as he talked to someone. Alyx’s heart rate increased as she approached the burly bartender. He waved at her. She guessed he’d been expecting her and that Jack would introduce them shortly. But then she realized he was talking to Daniel, who acted like he didn’t know her.
Jack ushered Alyx into his office. She walked left and stood in front of one of the two cherry-red couches that faced each other, then placed her purse on the black rectangular coffee table.
“Sit,” Jack said. It sounded like an order. “Let’s talk.” Alyx sat, keeping her knees clamped tightly together. Jack settled in next to her. “It’s important for you to understand how the club works so you don’t get yourself into a situation you hadn’t anticipated. I’ll begin by explaining the culture. Doms have all the control. You can expect to be touched without your permission, although no one may touch you intimately without permission. If you are in the company of a Dom for the purpose of scening with him, he has control over who and how you may be touched. Some Dom’s enjoy having other men touch their subs sexually and, basically, you give over control of your body to him. You will negotiate this with him before you agree to scene with him. That means you will clearly state your limits and he will honor those. Daniel outlined your limits and explained the use of safe words, correct?”
She laced her fingers together to keep them still. “Yes, of course.”
“Good. Now, don’t be shocked if a Dom asks you to come home with him for the night or even for the weekend. It’s common practice for submissives to go home with a Dom and then at the end of the night, or the weekend, the interaction is over and there will be someone new next time. Simply say you’re not interested in going home with him and that should be the end of it. To ease your anxiety, please know that we have dungeon monitors who keep their eyes on all activities and who will intervene in the event that something doesn’t look right. They’re effectively our version of bouncers, and they wear black polo shirts with the club crest on the pocket. I’ll point them out as we walk around. If you ever need help or have a question, ask them. They’re all experienced Doms and well respected here and more than willing to help you.
“The last thing you need to remember is that protocol is always in effect at the club. Daniel explained protocol to you, right?”
“He did.”
“Good, as a submissive at the club, if you are not in the company of a Dom, any Dom can ask for the inspection or slave position and you must comply. The surrender position shouldn’t be necessary unless you royally screw up, which I don’t anticipate happening.
“All right, I don’t want to overwhelm you, I’ll explain some of the other nuances of being a submissive as we take the tour. I’ll introduce you to Steve, who’ll be scening with you on Saturday. You’ll also receive a pair of handcuffs that all new submissives in training wear. Daniel explained the coding system we use?”
Alyx answered, “Yes.”
“And you’ve agreed to blue for bondage, green for sex, yellow for mild pain. Is that right?”
“Yes,” she said, but her mouth had gone dry and she struggled to swallow.
“You all right?” Jack said. “Seem a little anxious.”
“Don’t they say butterflies before a performance is a good thing?”
Jack chuckled. “Be assured that everyone will be keeping an eye out for you. I pride myself on screening our members carefully and we rarely have someone act inappropriately. In the event we do, I throw them out and permanently revoke their membership. Doms pay a lot of money for the privilege of playing here and they pay their dues upfront. If I kick them out, they do not get a refund. That’s pretty good incentive to make them play by the rules.
“All right, enough talk for now. I’ll explain more as the need arises. For tonight, you will be my submissive until I release you to Daniel later in the evening. That means no one can touch you without my permission. I will allow some of the Doms I know well to touch you, so that you are believable, including the dungeon monitors because they are my most trusted practitioners and experts in training submissives. Also, for your safety I want them all to know who you are. Daniel explained that they will be the only ones allowed to scene with you for now. You can branch out on your own once you feel comfortable.”
Jack extended his hand again and Alyx walked out the door under his watchful eye. The first stop was the bar. Jack introduced her to Steve who gave her a warm welcome, taking her small hand in his massive grip. Daniel, sipping a drink, sat close enough to hear their conversation.
“Glad to finally meet you, Alyx,” Steve said.
“Likewise,” she replied softly.
“Alyx,” Jack said, giving her a stern glare. “Protocol dictates every Dom be addressed as Master. Please address Steve as Master Steve, or Sir.”
Alyx felt her teeth clench at Jack’s directive. That word still grated on her nerves. “Yes, Sir,” she said, trying to sound compliant. “Sorry, Master Steve.” In her peripheral vision, she swore the corner of Daniel’s mouth quirked up, but she was afraid to make eye contact.
“Good girl,” Jack said. “You will address me as Master Jack and each dungeon monitor I introduce you to will receive the same respect.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“A pair of subbie cuffs, please, Master Steve,” Jack said. Steve reached under the bar and retrieved a pair of fleece-lined black leather handcuffs. Alyx quickly noted the clasps that would allow them to be buckled together.
“Charms?” Steve said.
“Blue, green and yellow,” Jack answered.
Steve attached the appropriate charms to each cuff. “Wrists, please.” She stretched out her arms in Steve’s direction and he swiftly secure
d her wrists inside the soft cuffs. “There you go, little one, officially submissive.” He beamed and Alyx tried to embrace his friendly demeanor, while all she could think about was his enormous dick and whether she’d be having sex with him on Saturday. Oh, brother.
“Alyx,” Steve said, “this is Master Daniel.” Steve pointed toward Daniel who offered his hand in welcome.
“Hello, Alyx. Pleasure,” Daniel said.
“That’s why I’m here, Sir. Mostly.”
“You’re new, I take it?” Daniel said.
“Yes, Sir. I’m here for the introductory tour to see if the club meets my needs,” Alyx said.
“You’re very lovely, hope you find the club to your liking. I’d be pleased to buy you a drink when you’re done with the tour.” Daniel’s genuinely warm expression eased her anxiety somewhat and she fought the urge to throw herself into his arms.
“Excellent idea,” Jack said. “Master Steve, give Alyx a drink and I’ll have the usual.”
“Tell me, darling, what’s your poison?” Steve said, flashing a wicked grin.
“Scotch, lots of ice and a splash of water, Sir.”
“What a coincidence. The same poison Master Daniel drinks.” Alyx struggled to avoid Daniel’s gaze. Even though the three of them knew the game she was playing, she had to stay in character.
Jack led Alyx by the hand, walking deeper into the club, drinks in hand. Alyx recoiled at the number of naked women collared and leashed to their Doms and also a goodly number of men equally engaged with either male or female Doms/Dommes.
Around the dance floor, the majority of space was dedicated to intimate seating areas with black leather couches and chairs separated by large potted plants. Couples were actively engaged in sexual practices and even though the lighting was dim, no doubt existed as to what body parts touched and penetrated. Women and men alike shrieked upon climax, plus plenty of moans and whimpers also made Alyx uncomfortable. Other Doms provided aftercare, something Alyx now recognized and appreciated, as they wrapped their subs in soft blankets and fed them assorted juices and chocolate.