“Mr. Baker, your turn.”
“Master Edge, may I identify my Master?”
“You may.”
Drew Baker, twenty-two and eager, stepped forward, making a beeline for Mistress D. The handsome young man leaned in, inhaled her briefly, then stepped back. He did the same with Mistress X before walking down the line to Mistress Cameron. When he lowered himself before Mistress Cameron, she didn’t move.
I addressed him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Baker. That’s incorrect. Your punishment will be determined and applied after everyone’s completed their turn.”
Appearing rather disappointed in himself, Drew marched over to the opposite side of the room. Cambria placed his blindfold over his eyes, then had him kneel on the floor.
I ran through the line, allowing Raine and Yazmin to go next. They identified Master Kaylen and Mistress D, respectively. I had them move to stand with Kelly since they’d identified them correctly.
Next in line was Jamie. When Jane removed her blindfold, I watched as she squinted to adjust to the light.
“Miss Lautner, it’s your turn.”
Without looking my way, Jamie gave a nod. “Master Edge, may I please have permission to identify my Master?”
There were two things in that statement that turned my stomach. First was her calling me Master Edge. I much preferred her calling me Professor. It was far more intimate. Second was her asking to identify her Master, who I knew was not myself.
“You may,” I managed.
“Thank you, Master Edge.” She strolled over to the line, starting with Cav, who was at the beginning of the line. She moved past him quickly, skipping over the two Mistresses with a polite smile. She paused at the next trainer but didn’t stop. She offered him an impish grin, then stopped in front of Timothy Triton, a.k.a. Master Chaos.
Jamie touched his face briefly, then moved down the line, taking a moment with Ransom, Kaylen, and Nash. She returned to Master Chaos before lowering herself to her knees before him. He gently placed his hand on her head, accepting her as his for training.
If you were smart, you’d put an end to this nonsense now.
I fought the urge to look at Cav, not wanting to see his expression.
I had Jamie move over to the others, then called on Miles Holloway.
“May I select my Master, Master Edge?” he asked, his tone curt, lacking even an ounce of respect.
I didn’t like his tone, nor the phrasing of the request, but technically it was appropriate, so I gave him my permission.
He walked right up to Mistress X and placed his hands on her neck. “I would like to select you as my Mistress for training.”
Considering his Master was male, there was no mistaking his error. Then again, I didn’t think it was an error. It had been his intention.
Mistress X was shooting daggers from those near-black eyes. “Remove your hands, sub.”
Miles dropped his hands but didn’t move and the smirk on his face was not going to be tolerated.
“Mr. Holloway, please move to the other side of the room. Immediately.”
Without making eye contact, he marched toward the door. “No, I think I’ll make the decision. No way will I let some man put his hands on me. I didn’t sign up for that, so I’m out.”
Cambria, who was standing beside the door, stepped aside, then followed him out of the training room. She would be calling one of the available Masters to escort him out of the club. He would not be returning.
In an attempt to keep the class on track, I motioned for the last submissive.
“Miss Wheeler, it’s your turn.”
Maeve peered over at me. “May I please have permission to step forward and identify my Mistress, Master Edge?”
“You may.”
It took Maeve less than a minute to correctly identify Mistress Cameron. Once she had moved to the side of the room with the others, I had Cambria assist Drew back in line with Jenny. I offered Jenny an opportunity to select her Master, but she did so incorrectly.
Which meant, there were two submissives who would receive punishment, one of which I didn’t expect to make it through the week.
Not too bad for the first day.
Jamie
FROM THE FIRST SECOND I TOUCHED THE Dom who would be training me, I knew it was not Edge or Cav. Although I couldn’t stop the disappointment, I thought I did a relatively good job at disguising it.
Why I’d thought one of them would be dominating me during this training, I wasn’t sure. Neither of them had ever said they would, but considering how far we’d come…
Yeah. I was an idiot.
Needless to say, I was feeling shunned. They could’ve at least given me a heads-up. All day, I’d been looking forward to tonight, unable to concentrate. I’d chatted with Cav via text earlier in the day, but even then, he hadn’t mentioned what I would be walking into tonight.
Granted, I’d also told them I didn’t want any special treatment, so perhaps my panties were in a twist for no good reason. As far as I could tell, there was no favoritism in the class. That was easily discernible based on the fact Miles had stormed out, obviously discontent that he’d been paired with a Master and not a Mistress.
The only person who seemed happy about the pairings was Maeve. I’d heard her mention in the locker room that she hoped she would have the opportunity to work with one of the Sadists, which Mistress Cameron apparently was. When my new submissive friends had tried to chat me up, I’d interacted politely, never once mentioning that I was here with Edge and Cav. So when Jenny had gleefully explained how she was in love with Master Edge and hoped that he would pick her, I’d had to bite my tongue.
Yeah. I was jealous. So what?
Not that it mattered how I felt. Disappointment be damned, I was here for the long haul, which meant I needed to offer my new Master the appropriate respect.
So here I was. After watching as Jenny and Drew endured their punishment, then being told who their Masters were, we’d been herded together so Cambria could provide us with a tour of the club. Oddly enough, it hadn’t been as bad as I’d thought. She provided a significant amount of information regarding the various zones, covering emergency protocols, identifying the floor monitors, showing us the aftercare rooms, and then explaining the rules for the class before returning us to the training room.
“Submissives, please join your Master,” Master Edge instructed when we stepped into the room.
I did.
Since I had no idea how I was supposed to approach a Dom, I took my cues from Kelly, who seemed rather knowledgeable on protocol.
“Master Chaos, would you like me to kneel at your feet?” I asked politely.
He smiled, a sexy smirk that I figured had turned quite a few submissives’ heads over the years.
Master Chaos, whose name I knew to be Timothy Triton, was probably in his mid- to late-thirties. His eyes were a soft green, his hair almost black, which was board-straight and hung loose around his face, resting on his shoulders. His lashes were incredibly long and thick, his lips full. And that jawline…
It had actually been his strong jawline that I’d identified during the previous assignment. I had brushed my cheek against his, noting the way his jaw flexed slightly when I had.
“Thank you for asking, Miss Lautner. I would prefer you to stand for now.”
“Yes, Sir.” I remained where I was, awaiting his instruction.
“Class,” Master Edge began, “I’d like to introduce you to the training panel. Along with myself, you’ll be reviewed by Master Cav, Master Harris, and Mistress Jane. If at any time you have questions and your Master is unavailable, feel free to reach out to one of us. For the next four weeks, we’ll be updated on your progress by your Master, which will allow us to determine any additional training you may need. Our objective is to help you successfully complete this class in the allotted time.
“Each week you’ll be assigned two different Masters or Mistresses, alternating between them through that week, ensuring you have
the opportunity to get to know each of them, understand their practices, and so forth. Keep in mind, they are very different in their practices. So, something that might be all right for one could be a serious offense for another. Punishment will be dealt with by your assigned Master, with one of the panel members overseeing. You are not, under any circumstance, to meet with any of the training Masters outside of the club. If your Master decides to give you a means of communication—text, email, whatnot—then you may utilize it. However, your communication should be kept professional at all times. Should you overstep, that is grounds for immediate termination from the class roster and Dichotomy. Understand?”
“Yes, Master Edge,” we all agreed.
“Good. Now your Master will go over his or her expectations for the week.”
I turned my attention back to Master Chaos.
“Thursday night,” he began, “you’ll join me in this room at eight o’clock sharp. Your clothing will be selected for you and placed in your locker. For your safety, I’ll expect your hair to be pulled up in a ponytail.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Trainees are required to sit at a desk while in the classroom during the training sessions. When we’re out on the floor, I expect to you walk in front of me. I will guide you where I expect you to go. Do not leave my side for any reason. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You may refer to me as Master Chaos or Sir while we’re working one-on-one. Either is appropriate. However, when I’m conducting the class and I call upon you, I expect to be referred to as Master Chaos.”
“Yes, Master Chaos.”
“You’ll only be in my care for two nights. I’m not sure that will allow you much time to get to know me all that well. I can tell you, I’m not a hard-ass. I don’t have any rigid rules or instructions. Any punishment you receive from me will be geared toward humiliation, not pain. Not from my hand at least.”
That was interesting. I wanted to ask him why not, but I kept my mouth shut and nodded.
“Have you turned in your limits list as requested?”
“No, Sir.” I never looked away from him. “But I promise to complete it before I leave tonight.”
“Very well, Miss Lautner. For this week, I look forward to being your Master.” He offered a brief smile.
“Thank you, Master Chaos.”
“If you’ve finished your discussions with your Master and you’ve turned in your paperwork, including the limits list, you’re free to go for the evening. Class will begin promptly at eight tomorrow night. I expect to see you on time and prepared.”
When Master Chaos left the room, I went over and retrieved the manila folder with my name on it. I pulled out a chair at the long table and took a seat. It didn’t take long for me to complete the necessary paperwork, including the nondisclosure agreement as well as my limit list. When I was finished, I placed it in the stack and made a beeline for the door. I didn’t look back as I double-timed it to the locker room, where I quickly changed into my street clothes. And before I risked running into Edge or Cav, I discreetly made my way through the club and out into the night.
I didn’t breathe easy until I was pulling into my apartment, and by then, easy wasn’t the word I’d use to describe my mood. There was a tightness in my chest I could only attribute to the disappointment I felt at the way the night had gone.
If I didn’t know better, I would’ve sworn my heart was broken.
“Stupid,” I admonished as I stripped out of my clothes and pulled on my pajamas.
I had some studying to do for my early class tomorrow and though I would’ve preferred to hide under my covers and cry, I decided it was the distraction I needed.
And when my phone chirped with a text message, I didn’t bother to look. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I needed some time for my own pity party. Thursday night I would return to the training class and I would follow Master Chaos’s instructions. And I would do the same with whoever was assigned to me for the next four weeks.
After all, I was the one who’d agreed to this class. Edge and Cav owed me nothing.
Too bad my expectations had been so high before tonight.
Had they not been, perhaps I wouldn’t be wiping away a stray tear right now.
CAV
“DID YOU SEE JAMIE LEAVE?” I ASKED Edge as he was closing down the club.
I’d stayed back, chatting with the others, discussing the outline for the training class and the submissives who were participating while Edge and Cambria had talked to the submissives who had questions and followed up to ensure they had all the necessary paperwork.
“Did you not talk to her?” he asked as he flipped through a notebook on his desk.
“No. I saw her head to the locker room but never saw her after that.”
“I saw her head downstairs,” he said, his tone clipped. “She looked determined to leave, so I let her go.”
I frowned. “Without saying anything?”
“Yeah.”
Well, fuck.
I had been hoping to talk to her before she left, explain what she could expect for the training class, and reassure her that we were in no way brushing her off, merely ensuring she had the same opportunity as the other submissives. Considering she hadn’t looked at me once during the training class, she had needed that reassurance.
Only she had disappeared.
Edge turned to look at me. “You ready?”
“I guess.”
I followed him as he wandered through the club, peering into every room before clicking off the lights as he went. Rather than go down to the dungeon, I had waited on the main floor while he took care of shutting it down. When he returned, I was skimming through my phone, hoping to find a message from Jamie.
Nothing.
“You ever figure out what you’re going to do about living arrangements?” he asked, drawing my attention away from my text messages.
I shook my head, shoved my phone in my pocket. “Not sure yet. Called a Realtor yesterday.”
“Buying a house?”
“I’m considering it.”
“Ben told me you turned him down for the apartment across the hall,” Edge said as we stepped out of the club, into the dark, cold night. The wind had picked up and I hadn’t bothered with a coat.
I hefted my toy bag on my shoulder, then waited while Edge closed and locked the main door.
“Haven’t marked it off completely,” I admitted. “I told him I’d consider it. Not my first choice, though.”
Edge glanced my way, lifting the collar of his coat as we walked to the parking garage. “Why not?”
“Seemed like an invasion of your privacy. You don’t need me lingering next door.”
“What if I wanted you to?”
“Do you?”
Edge stopped, then turned to face me. “To be honest, I’d prefer to have you in my bed, but I figured that would be inappropriate to request.”
“Why?”
“I’m not a presumptuous man, Cav. You of all people know that.”
No, he wasn’t.
“It’s an option,” he said softly. “Always an option.”
I nodded, started walking again.
While the idea of sleeping in his bed wasn’t a bad one, I wasn’t up for living with him. Spending the night on occasion was all good and fine. But I preferred my independence, and until I got a grasp on where my life was headed, I didn’t want to take a leap like that. But I did need to find somewhere other than the hotel. It was a little too stiff and formal for my taste.
Edge grinned. “If I’m the only reason you’re thinking about passing on the apartment, I suggest you take it.”
“I’ll think about it.” I feigned indifference. “But I’m not gonna pass up the chance to check out the real estate.”
“Can’t blame you there,” Edge said, his eyes assessing as they passed over me. “Everything all right?”
No, it wasn’t. Jamie had disappeared tonight without speaking to
me and it didn’t sit well. But I wasn’t in the mood to hash it out with Edge. The man was not in the habit of being honest and forthcoming about his feelings, so I expected him to shrug it off.
“All good,” I lied.
He glanced over at his truck. “I gotta head out. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”
I nodded in response, then stood there, surprised when Edge walked away without looking back.
He seemed to be in a hurry.
With a sigh, I headed toward my truck. Before I backed out of the space, I shot off another text to Jamie, asking if she was all right. She hadn’t answered mine from earlier and I didn’t like the fact that she’d left without saying anything to anyone. Then again, I had tried to convince Edge to give her a heads-up as to the outline for the class beforehand, but he had refused. Said something about how I was right, she deserved to attend the class and go through the motions like any other submissive.
And while I had said that, yes, I didn’t mean it quite like that. I’d been shocked when Edge informed me I would not be one of the training Masters but rather on the panel.
By the time I arrived at my hotel, Jamie hadn’t answered my text and I was getting a little worried. However, it was late, and I figured she was tired. I knew she’d had class that morning and then the club tonight, so it would’ve been a long day for her.
When I got to my room, I tossed my bag on my bed and beelined for the shower, my thoughts on the roster for the training class. I had memorized who Jamie was assigned to. This week, she would be with Master Chaos and Mistress Cameron. Since I knew Timothy well, understood his motivations, I wasn’t worried about him. He would take care with Jamie, as he did with all the submissives he encountered. After losing his wife years ago, the man had never settled down with another submissive and I was starting to wonder if he ever would. As for Mistress Cameron… The sadistic Dominatrix would be good for Jamie to spend some time with. It would help her understand the vast difference between a Sadist and a Dominant.
Next week, she would be paired with Master Kaylen then Mistress D. I didn’t know Kaylen well, so I couldn’t form much of an opinion. Mistress D would likely be a good test for Jamie, not to mention a chance to see a Dominatrix who took no shit from anyone. Following them would be Liam for the first part of week three, then a one-time double pairing with Mistress X and Nash. I knew I would have to keep an eye on Liam. Since Edge and I agreed we would not broadcast our interest in Jamie, I couldn’t say which direction the big Irishman would go, but he was the sort who went through subs like underwear.
Their Naughty Student (Office Intrigue, 6) Page 26