“Not another damn word, baby,” he warned her, feeling himself at the far edge of his control.
The soft, gravelly tone of his voice sent a rush of shivers and goose bumps from her shoulders to her thighs as her pussy pulsed and creamed, soaking her panties. Attack now, she told herself, as she undid the last button on her vest and let it fall open, revealing that she wasn’t wearing a bra. She locked her eyes on his face, seeing his nostrils flare with lust. “So, let me get this straight,” she said as she ran her fingertips up and down the gap between the gaping edges of the vest. “You were going to the clubs and fucking the subs while I was at home, like the right kind of woman, waiting for you to call me? Is that right?”
“Let it go, now.” He stepped closer to her, preparing to pounce.
“Make me.” Sidling away, feeling safer out of reach of those long arms and huge hands, she thought he would never know how scared she was or how much she wanted to do as he asked. “You were playing with other women, subs, the entire time we were dating?”
Exhausted and wounded from his last assignment and the long tedious trip home to her, he felt his control crash. “After I took you home I would go to a club, choose a sub, and fuck her until I couldn’t stand up. Is that what you wanted to know, Addison? Are you happier now that you know?”
Each word hit her like bullets piercing through a target. Each one accurate, hitting its mark. Leaning heavily against the car she managed to remain upright through sheer determination to get the truth tonight. “The night I saw you with Linda…Logan and Luc were sharing her with you?”
Taking a deep breath, he filled his lungs with air, held it for a moment then released it, letting some of his tension go as the red haze of rage left his vision.
Addison’s blue eyes had darkened, standing out against the paleness of her cheeks as her body swayed against the car, her hands reaching for and not finding anything to grasp onto.
“Why are you doing this, baby?”
Crossing her arms over her stomach, she hugged her waist. “You were doing a scene with them?”
“How do you know what a scene is, Addison?” Hearing her talk about Doms and subs, and now scenes, had his belly clenching and his hands fisting. Who the hell was feeding her all this information?
“Why? Why did you fuck those other women when you could have had me?” She looked at him, her eyes dark as tears tracked over her cheeks. In so many ways he was a stranger to her. Self-conscious that her vest was open in front of him, she began buttoning it, needing the protection of the thin barrier between them. “I have to go home now,” she murmured, patting her jean pocket and wondering what she had done with her keys then remembering she had tossed them on the carseat, as usual.
“I’ll drive you home.”
Shaking her head she slid along the side of her car, being careful not to touch him as she scanned the faces of the people watching them. Her eyes passed over his brothers as she reached the open door. “I don’t know you.”
“Baby, we know each other,” he told her, his voice soft, reassuring.
Unable to look at him now, she stared at the night sky and wondered how many other people were watching their dreams die tonight. “You’ve never had to worry that another man would take me away from you. You’ve always known that I love you. That you’re the only man I’ve ever wanted. I fooled myself into believing you felt the same way about me.” Lightheaded, the warmth of her body falling away from her, she wished she could have let herself go on believing he belonged to her. “Our entire relationship is built on a lie.”
“Baby, don’t cry. Don’t cry. It will be okay. It’s not too late to fix this.”
She scrubbed her hands over her cheeks, her eyes going to his brothers then back to him. “I thought you would be relieved when you came home and found out I knew the truth. I thought we would talk about it and you’d be happy that I wanted to be your sub and your wife.” With one hand on the edge of the car door, she glanced back at him, her eyes guarded and resigned. “You’re wrong, Cade, I can’t undo what I’ve done. I’m no longer the right kind of woman for you, and you’re no longer the only man in my life.”
“Oh, shit,” Jackson spit out.
“What have you done?” Cade charged toward her.
Jackson, Logan, and Luc mobbed him, struggling to hold him back while Zane tried to shove her into her car.
Yelling for her to answer him, Cade shoved his brothers away, fists flying and landing several blows along the way. “Who is he? You tell me right now who you’ve been with, Addison. Right now.”
“You better get out of here, Addison,” Zane told her, his voice urgent as he finally got her into the car. “Don’t go home. I’ve never seen him lose control like this.”
“But, Zane, that’s what I want,” she insisted, a little spark of hope warming her as she tried to get out of the car. “I want him to lose control.”
He pushed her back. “Addison, you don’t want to be with him right now. Not until he cools down.” He glanced behind him in time to see Cade kick Logan away from him then go after Jackson.
“Addison, don’t you dare fucking leave,” Cade rasped, his voice threatening as he cursed, managed to free one arm and swing at Luc, hitting him on the jaw then jerking the other arm from Jackson and punching him in the belly, doubling him over.
“Go, now,” Zane demanded, closing the car door as he moved to block Cade.
Wondering if she should stay and finish this fight, she saw Cade punch Zane. The look on Cade’s face convinced her it was time to take off. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw him running after her, yelling, then turning back and running for his truck. That was her last view of him before she turned out of the parking lot.
Jackson leaned against Cade’s truck door, rubbing his stomach while his lip bled.
“Why the fuck did you do that?” Cade asked him. “I wasn’t going to hurt her. Well, not much,” he told him as he dug in his pocket for his truck keys.
Jackson grinned then nodded toward the small crowd of people who had followed them from the club. “I didn’t think you’d want everyone to see you strip that girl down and spank her ass.”
Cade studied the direction Addison had taken. “I was going to spank her ass until she couldn’t walk away from me. Now, I’m going to spank her ass until she tells me who she’s been with and where I can find the son of a bitch.” Clenching his jaw until his teeth ached, he ran his hand through his hair. “She’s been in a club.”
“Addison’s been staying with Jenna in Dallas,” he told Cade, thinking about the tall, slender blonde who had been a thorn in his side almost as long as Addison had been making Cade crazy. “Jenna works with Sherry Carlisle, so if I had to make a guess I would say Club Elysium.”
“Then it looks like I’ll be making a trip to Dallas this week.”
Chapter Four
Gazing through the window of the Carlisle’s limo, Addison searched the distance for her first close-up view of Club Mystique. The lane leading to it was lined on both sides with purple and white flowers, interspersed every now and then with old-fashioned lampposts. They resembled the kind of lights she had seen in old movies with a man who would go around lighting them and calling out “All is well.” The sight of them made her wonder if she had made the right decision to come here tonight.
After the argument with Cade, she had told Jenna and Sherry that they were no longer together. Several days later Mark had called and insisted she go with them to the annual masquerade party at Club Mystique. She had thanked him for the invitation then refused, unwilling to take the risk of seeing Cade with another woman, but Mark had insisted, and even though she had tried to stand firm, she had finally given in and agreed to join them.
As the limo pulled around the circular driveway, she saw that Club Mystique and the attached hotel were modern-day versions of old Wild West saloons. A pathway that was a replica of a wooden boardwalk led to a set of open saloon-type swinging doors that guarded the ent
rance to a discreetly lit courtyard. At the far end was Club Mystique with its ornately carved wooden posts holding up a covered balcony that stretched across the front of the building. She could see several windows and three doors that opened out onto the balcony. The design suited the Ramsey men, she thought, old-fashioned architecture with high-tech materials.
A young man dressed as a poker dealer rushed to open the door when the limo stopped. She took his hand then swiveled around on the seat and stepped onto a plush purple runner that covered the center of the pathway. She and Sherry followed Mark as he led the way to the main entrance. Two huge men dressed all in black with Stetsons pulled down low over their eyes, guarded the entrance. The guns on their hips looked real, she thought, as she adjusted the mask over her kohl-lined eyes then ran her fingers over the short black wig she was wearing.
Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see Sherry holding a white index card out to her. Remembering the sheer hospital gown complete with an opening all the way down the back that Sherry was wearing beneath her trench coat, she smiled again. Mark was dressed in a set of his surgical scrubs complete with stethoscope, and Addison loved that he and Sherry were so playful together. She believed that the reason they had such a strong bond was because of their love for each other and their D/s lifestyle. They had complete trust and honesty between them and she still wanted that for herself. Someday.
“Mark has the documents you signed to get into the club, and he will give them to the receptionist when we check in. Here’s the card with your limits listed on it, Roxie Hart,” Sherry told her with a wink. “Do you remember what your limits are?”
Addison nodded. “Are you sure I should have come tonight, Sherry?”
“You said that you and Cade have split for good so Mark and I definitely believe you should be here tonight.” Sherry examined Addison for a moment then smiled. “I hardly recognized you when you came out to the car in that dress and the black wig. Only your eyes give away your identity. I can hardly wait to see Logan and Luc’s reaction at midnight when you take off your mask and they see you.”
“Actually, the thought of their reaction has me a little anxious,” Addison told her, feeling her cheeks warm with a blush. “You and Sir have done so much for me. I just don’t want to cause trouble for you.”
“We want to see you happy again and we both believe that coming here tonight is a step in the right direction. Now, one more thing and then I’ll stop bugging you. What are your safe words?”
“Green for good, yellow for slow down, and red for stop.”
“Excellent,” Mark told her as he placed one hand around Sherry’s waist and the other on Addison’s lower back and urged them forward. The entrance doors looked heavy and somehow sinister and inviting at the same time. The hinges were huge, hand-beaten black metal, and the handles resembled horseshoes. Seeing the guards watching her, she stepped behind Mark and lowered her eyes. She heard him hand their invitation to the gunslinger on the right and explain to him that she was their guest.
“Welcome to Club Mystique,” he told them, reaching over and shoving the right door open.
Addison followed Mark and Sherry across the threshold but couldn’t resist reaching out and rubbing the horseshoe for luck. “All is well,” she whispered, hoping that was true. If her plans had worked out the way she had wanted them to, then Cade would have been with her tonight. Instead, she was on her own, beginning a new chapter in her life without him.
“Just remember to keep your eyes down, only speak with permission, and wait until you get an offer you can’t refuse,” Sherry reminded her. “And remember you have the right to refuse, so don’t feel like you have to accept the first guy who makes you an offer.”
Mark gave her a reassuring smile. “If at any time you don’t feel safe I expect you to scream ‘red’ loudly, so the closest monitor can assist you. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” Addison said. Looking around the reception area, she saw a petite, curvy receptionist with short, hot-pink hair. She was dressed in a red-and-black saloon girl outfit complete with garter belt, black hose, and four-inch red stilettos. A barefoot woman dressed in a sheer witch’s costume stood next to the receptionist’s desk. Addison watched as the receptionist read the index card the witch had just handed her and then quickly stuck different colored dots onto a wide plastic band. The witch held out her arm and the receptionist gently slapped the band against her wrist. Addison heard a snap as the band curled around the witch’s wrist.
“Don’t lose this, Tonya. Master Logan and Master Luc have announced that it will be open season on any sub caught without a wristband tonight.”
Addison heard the witch’s giggle as she waved at the receptionist then hurried away. Seeing that Mark and Sherry were talking to a man who had entered the club behind them, Addison handed the receptionist her card then held out her wrist.
“Welcome to Club Mystique. I’m Carly. If you need anything just let me know. Have you been to the club before?”
“Hi, Carly. I’m Roxie and this is my first visit to Club Mystique,” Addison said.
“Then you’ll need to read and sign some documents before you can enter the club.”
“Sir Mark has them,” Addison told her, pointing out Mark and Sherry.
“Okay, I recognize them so that’s okay.” Carly read the card then prepared Addison’s band and wrapped it around her wrist. Touching each dot she explained, “Neon pink is for spanking, light blue is for oral, giving and receiving. Orange with white dots is for finger fucking. The dark blue with the white dots means you’re not supposed to leave the main room, but the dark green with the white dots means that’s up for negotiation.” She glanced around then whispered, “Some of the Doms will try to sneak you upstairs pass the monitors, so beware.”
“Thanks for the warning, Carly.”
Carly handed her a slender black leather collar with a round charm hanging from it. The charm was the club’s initials in silver on a black-enameled background. “This snaps around your neck but it has a breakaway link in case someone tries to grab it and jerk you around,” Carly told her. “We’ve never had that happen but it’s a precaution the owners have put in place for safety reasons. By the way, I love your dress. Do you mind if I ask where you got it?”
“Actually, I made it. See, I made the underdress from sheer black fabric,” she told her as she lifted the fringe and showed the fabric beneath it. “Then I sewed on the rows of black and silver fringe. Of course, I cut away a couple of strategic areas,” she whispered, as she shimmied her body and a rosy nipple peaked out through the fringe.
“I just love the roaring twenties. Master Logan and Master Luc have a Roaring Twenties casino night in the winter. It’s so much fun, especially when the Ramsey’s dress like G-men and raid the club.”
“Do you know Cade Ramsey?” Addison asked her, unable to resist asking even though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
“Oh, sure,” Carly told her, leaning forward so nobody could hear her. “He’s really hot. One of the best Doms here, although he’s really intense and demanding. If you’re lucky enough to get an offer from him, say yes. You won’t regret it.” She giggled. “I spent the evening with him a year or so ago. He can really make you happy to be a girl, if you know what I mean?”
Barely capable of nodding her head, Addison gripped the edge of the desk to keep herself from sinking to the floor in a big heap of misery. That would teach her to ask questions, she told herself, feeling sick and trembling with the urge to run away.
“Hey, are you okay? You look sort of pale.”
“I’m fine, just nerves.”
“Ah, first time, huh? I know how that is, but believe me, you’ll be okay and happy you came.” Giggling, she added, “No pun intended.” Then looking worried, she added, “I didn’t mean to scare you. Sir Cade hasn’t played for months. Not since before he got engaged. Although I heard he and his fiancée have broken up. That’s too bad because he seemed reall
y happy.”
Relieved, Addison smiled, then saw that Mark and Sherry were waiting for her. Telling Carly she hoped to see her later, she followed them into the main room of Club Mystique. It was huge, the ceiling at least twenty feet high. An ornately carved rectangular bar sat in the center of the large room. People, some dressed in costumes and some in leathers or jeans, stood or sat around the bar and chatted. Soft lights glowed from beneath the top of the bar, illuminating the area where the bartenders mixed drinks. Everywhere she looked, expensive mahogany gleamed in the discreet lighting.
Mark had told her that the room was arranged around the bar with tables, chairs, and small seating arrangements, including the sub’s area, arranged around it. At the opposite end of the room, she saw the dance floor and a raised stage for the band. A wide, ornate mahogany staircase with silvery-gray carpet outlined with a wide black edge led up to the second floor. She knew the private play rooms were located upstairs, while the dungeon, where the more adventurous scenes took place, was located beneath the private rooms beyond the stairs.
Looking at the staircase, a wave of longing washed over her as she remembered the night she had finally worked up the courage to make Cade an offer she thought he couldn’t refuse. Knowing his brothers would be away from the house, she had waited on the stairs dressed in a scanty emerald-green corset and thong set, with a pair of black stilettos so high she could barely walk in them. He had taken one look at her then told her to get dressed and he would take her home. Even now she cringed with embarrassment when she thought about how he had rejected her that night. It had been just one more rejection among so many, she thought, as she wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself protectively.
“Roxie.” Sherry tugged on her arm to get her attention.
To Love and Obey [The Doms of Club Mystique] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 8