by Becca Van
Lexis glanced at the stage where two men and a woman were playing. The woman was naked and bent over what looked like a padded sawhorse. Her arms were cuffed and tethered to something, and there was some sort of contraption attached to her ankles. There were fluffy looking cuffs around her ankles, and there was a bar between them, which kept her feet spread apart. Her ass was sticking up in the air, and it was red. She knew the reason why when one of the men standing at her side slapped her ass with a hard smack. Instead of screaming with pain and outrage, the woman moaned and tried to lift her ass into the next slap.
Lexis turned back to the front, trying to regulate her rapid pants and racing heartbeat. She couldn’t understand why she was turned on by such a sight, but she was. Her nipples were hard, her pussy was wet, and her clit was engorged and throbbing. She wanted to cross her arms over her chest, but she also didn’t want to draw attention to the way her body was responding to all the erotic sights, sounds, and smells. The musky scent of sex was in the air, and even though she tried to ignore the aroma, it was difficult.
She bumped into Ana, not realizing her friend and her men had stopped walking since her attention was otherwise occupied. “Sorry.”
Ana smiled at her over her shoulder. “No problem.”
Lexis gazed over the top of Ana’s head toward the bar and stopped breathing when her gaze locked with a pair of heated brown eyes. The man they belonged to was so damn handsome and hot, her heart flipped in her chest. Air exploded from her lungs when he and the two men on either side of him stood.
She sucked in another breath as she took the three good-looking muscular men in. The one in the middle looked as if he was a year or so older than his friends. He was also brawnier with broad shoulders, a muscular chest, and long, strong legs, as well as taller. His hair was short and brown, his face was shaved smooth, and his jaw was square. The aura of confidence surrounding him was magnetically attractive, but Lexis wasn’t in the market for a relationship or a fling. She’d learned the only way to keep herself from having her heart broken was to concentrate on her career, which was nonexistent right now. Nonetheless, if she ever changed her mind, she would definitely choose them to break her four-year drought with.
The man on his right also had short brown hair, but instead of brown eyes, his were hazel. He was an inch or so shorter than his friend, and while he was still muscular, he was slightly leaner. Lexis thought he may be younger, too.
The other guy on the left had short sandy-blonde hair, blue eyes, and looked shorter and younger than the other two, but by no means was he vertically challenged. None of the men were. They were all inches over six feet in height.
Ana half turned toward her, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her forward.
Lexis lowered her gaze to the floor when she noticed that she’d been staring, but she wasn’t the only one. All three of the handsome, brawny men had been staring right back at her.
“Lexis, this is Preston Nevin, Adam Carson, and Jonah Morris. Sirs, this is my friend Lexis Thomas.” Thankfully, Ana had pointed at each man as she said their name.
“Pleased to meet you, Lexis.” Preston stepped closer, proffering his hand to her.
“You too,” Lexis replied a little breathlessly as she shook Preston’s hand. As soon as she could without looking rude, she drew her hand from his grasp. When the same reaction coursed through her body as she shook Adam’s and Jonah’s hands, she wanted to leave, but she couldn’t. She’d come with Ana and her men. The only way she was going to make her escape was to call a cab, and she didn’t want to upset Ana by leaving when they’d just arrived, even if she had every right since the venue was a shock to her.
“What would you like to drink, Lexis?” Gaige asked.
Lexis thought about asking for a bottle of water since she wanted to keep her wits about her while in such a strange place, but she also needed a hit of liquid courage to hopefully relax the tension in her shoulders. Deciding one glass couldn’t hurt, she answered, “A glass of white wine, please.”
Devin grasped Ana’s waist, lifting her from her feet and placing her onto one of the stools.
“Take a seat, Lexis,” Jonah said as he patted the seat he’d recently vacated. If it hadn’t been next to Ana, she would have refused, or maybe not. She was too polite, too self-conscious, and didn’t want to make a scene since there were already more than enough of those going on about the huge room. She smiled Jonah’s way, stepped toward the stool, and stepped up before sitting.
Jonah shifted closer and leaned against the bar behind him. He was so close she could feel the heat emanating from his body. She inhaled through her nose, trying to calm her rapid breathing and racing heart and almost ended up groaning when his delectable cologne and spicy manly aroma swept through her nose and lodged into her lungs. Lexis didn’t even notice that she’d closed her eyes until someone said her name.
Her gaze met the intent brown-eyed orbs of Preston, and though she tried to look away, for some reason she couldn’t.
“Are you okay, Lexis?” Preston asked.
“Yes, thanks.”
“Are you sure?” Ana asked.
Lexis nodded, and then she was blushing up a storm. Every eye in the group was on her, and as she glanced from one person to the other, her gaze finally landed on Adam, who was holding out a wine glass to her. She’d been so lost introspection as she tried to quell her raucous nerves and the arousal coursing through her body she hadn’t noticed much of anything. “Sorry and thank you,” she said softly as she took the proffered drink.
“No worries, love.” Adam smiled and winked.
Lexis prayed the others didn’t see how affected she was by him and his friends, but even she couldn’t help but notice how her hand trembled as she lifted the glass to her lips. She took a sip and then another and another, hoping the alcohol would help alleviate the nervous tension running through her body and blood.
“How’s work going?” Devin asked.
“Busy,” Jonah said. “There was a pile-up on the freeway, which kept us occupied for hours getting statements, directing traffic, and waiting for cleanup. Then we were out patrolling looking for an escaped convict.”
“You guys do a great job,” Ana said. “I don’t know how you do it facing danger day in, day out, risking your lives to keep the rest of us safe. Thank you all for your service.”
Lexis had already picked up that the three men were in law enforcement of some kind and immediately added her gratitude. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, love, but do you even know what you’re thanking us for?” Jonah asked as he stepped closer.
Lexis inhaled and held her breath when Jonah’s side brushed against her arm. After exhaling slowly and quietly as she nodded, she answered, “You’re police officers.”
“Smart as well as beautiful,” Adam said, drawing her gaze.
When Lexis met his heated hazel-eyed gaze, she quickly lowered her eyes to the floor while trying to stop herself from blushing. Instead of acknowledging his comment, she drained the wine from her glass.
“Are you ready, sub?” Layton asked in a firm voice.
Lexis lifted her head, sighing with relief when she realized that he was talking to Ana and not herself. Now that she was here in the BDSM club, she was intrigued, but there was no way she wanted to watch her new friend and her men being kinky and getting it on. And yet just thinking about watching other people she didn’t know playing and having sex had her squirming in her seat.
She’d had no idea that she had voyeuristic tendencies until right now.
“Are you going to come and watch, Lexis?” Devin asked as he lifted Ana from the stool after she’d finished her drink.
“No,” she replied immediately.
“We’ll take care of Lexis,” Preston said.
Lexis met his gaze, frowning. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Actually, it would be best if you didn’t go off by yourself, Lexis,” Gaige said. “Let Preston, Adam, and Jonah
show you around. You aren’t wearing a collar, and to an unattached Dom, that says you’re free game.”
“What?” Lexis felt all the blood in her face drain away.
“Shit! I didn’t mean to—”
“Let us handle this,” Preston said.
“We’ll make sure she’s safe,” Jonah said.
Before Lexis had a chance to say anything else, Ana, Devin, Layton, and Gaige were striding away.
Adam moved closer and sat on the stool Ana had vacated. With Jonah standing on one side of her, Adam sitting next to her, and Preston standing a couple of feet in front of her, she was hemmed in. Once more her breathing and heart rate sped up, and though she tried to keep her anxiety from showing, she wasn’t sure she succeeded.
“None of the Doms in this club would ever force themselves on a reluctant sub,” Preston said. “Master Turner and his business partners, Barry and Tank, do thorough background checks on every person who wants to become a member. No unsavory characters are allowed to enter through the first set of doors, let alone the second set.”
“I got in with no worries,” Lexis said. Although she wasn’t a bad person, she might have been. As far as she knew she hadn’t been checked out. She hadn’t even known she was going to end up here, let alone anyone else.
“Are you a criminal, Lexis?” Jonah asked.
She shook her head.
“Just remember if a Dom approaches you and you’re not interested, all you have to do is say no. If you are interested in doing a scene with a Dominant, make sure you discuss the terms before you start.”
“I’m not here to…” Lexis waved her hand as she glanced toward the center stage where a different couple were now playing. She cringed when she saw the man had a whip in his hand and winced when the black tail flicked against the woman’s ass, leaving a bright red welt. She was tied to some sort of cross with her back to the room, but she’d moaned when the lash had landed instead of screamed. Lexis had no idea how someone could find that level of pain a turn on, but she wasn’t about to voice that thought.
“‘You’re not here to…’ what, Lexis?” Adam asked in a firm voice.
She met his hazel eyes briefly before looking down toward the floor wishing futilely that her face wasn’t as red as it felt. “I’m not here to play or anything else. I didn’t even know we were going to end up in a…BDSM club.”
“Are you shitting me?” Preston asked incredulously.
Lexis shook her head. “I don’t think Ana’s men knew she hadn’t informed me where we were going. When Gaige found out, he told Ana she’d earned her first punishment.”
“Good,” Jonah growled.
Lexis looked toward him but again lowered her eyes from his startlingly sexy blue-eyed gaze. She was so out of her element she wanted to get up off her stool and run toward the exit, but she also didn’t want to make a fool out of herself by drawing any unwanted attention. When she realized that she could be propositioned by one of the Doms, she’d been terrified. The only reason she was still sitting here was because the three men surrounding her told her she was safe and that no meant no.
They might believe that, but Lexis knew otherwise.
Tears burned her eyes as she thought about her deceased sister. While Alicia had been gone for two years, Lexis still mourned her loss. Alicia had been more than a sister to her. She’d also been a mother figure and her best friend.
Lexis was all alone in the world, and even though she was lonely, she was determined to stay that way.
Getting attached only ended up causing untold heartache.
So why in hell couldn’t she make herself stand and walk away from Preston, Adam, and Jonah?
Chapter Two
Jonah frowned when he saw Lexis’s face pale and moisture fill her eyes. There was so much pain in her pretty blue eyes, he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and hold her tight, but he remained standing by her side. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen, and though he was physically attracted to her, he wanted to know everything about her more. He had so many questions running around in his mind he wanted to blurt them all out one after the other, but he didn’t want to scare her away by giving her the third degree, either.
“Do you live in Tigard?” Adam asked.
“Yes. I moved here about three months ago.”
“Where did you live before?” Preston asked.
If possible, Lexis face paled even more. Preston took a step closer, a concerned frown on his face, but he stopped when Lexis tensed up. “You have no need to be frightened of us, Lexis. We’d never do anything to hurt you. I’m a police detective, and Jonah and Adam are cops. It’s our duty to protect, not hurt and maim.”
Lexis winced. “Sorry. I’m just a little nervous. I’ve never been anywhere like this before.”
“It’s understandable that you’re skittish, sweetie,” Adam said.
“How about we show you around and explain about the world of Dominance and submission?” Jonah suggested.
“I’m not sure…”
“What have you got to lose?” Preston asked. “You’re already here. Why not take the time to learn about the lifestyle?”
Jonah held his breath hoping that Lexis said yes. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, wanted to know everything about her including what had caused the sadness he could see shadowing the depths of her gorgeous blue eyes. Air rushed from his lungs when she gave a slight nod, and though he wanted to shout with jubilation, he restrained his excitement by swallowing it back down.
Preston held his hand out to her and waited patiently for her to take it.
After what seemed like hours, she tentatively raised a trembling hand and placed it in his. Preston helped her to her feet and gently tugged her to his side. Jonah stepped up to her other side and Adam moved closer to her back.
“The couple up on the center stage has been married for five years, but they’ve been together for ten. Sandra is a doctor, and her Dom is in construction,” Preston explained. “The piece of equipment Sandra is tethered to is called a St. Andrews cross.”
“Why would she let her husband whip her?”
“Because she likes pain with her pleasure,” Jonah said as he clasped Lexis’s other hand. He almost groaned when heated tingles raced up his arm before spreading out to other parts of his body. His cock was hard and aching. If he could have without drawing attention to the fact he was horny, he would have adjusted the fit of his jeans.
“Uh…” Lexis rolled her lips inward.
Jonah had to glance away from her mouth, because it was all too easy to imagine having those lush pink lips wrapped around his cock. His dick throbbed with desire, and he surreptitiously adjusted the fit of his pants, the ache too intense to ignore any longer. Thankfully, Lexis didn’t notice, but Preston and Adam did. He caught Adam smirking at him from the corner of his eye. The corners of Preston’s eyes crinkled with humor, but that was his only tell. Preston was the most dominant and the most controlled out of all three of them, but that didn’t mean Jonah and Adam couldn’t be dominant, too. However, they could both be submissive, as well.
Jonah and Adam were what was known in the BDSM world as switches. They liked being dominated and they liked to dominate. They were happy doing both because in the end all three of them were always satiated from pleasure.
What was concerning him right now, though, was how Lexis would react if and when she found out that the three of them were bisexual and partners.
Would she be repulsed?
Fuck, he hoped not.
Nevertheless, there was only one way to find out, but he wasn’t sure if tonight was the right time. Would they push her away from them if they showed her what they were to each other, or would she be so turned on she wanted to join in?
Jonah hoped it was the latter.
There was only one certainty he and his lovers could be sure of.
Lexis Thomas was submissive to the core, but he didn’t think she had any idea.
He p
ondered over how easygoing Preston had been with her so far tonight. Usually when Preston saw something he wanted, he went after it with a determined doggedness.
How long would his boyfriend and lover be able to remain so neutral when usually he was like a bull charging at a red flag?
It was going to be interesting to see how long he lasted before he started barking out orders.
* * * *
Adam hadn’t been able to remain behind Lexis for long. He’d wanted, needed to see her facial expressions and her reactions to the sights and sounds of the club, and he wasn’t disappointed. She might have initially been shocked when her gaze alighted onto a scene, but once her surprise had passed, her body had started to react. Even though she was trying to hide how everything was affecting her, he, Preston, and Jonah were more than adept at reading nuances of body language.
Every now and then Lexis would shift on her feet, plus, her nipples were hard and poking against the front of her shirt. She licked her lips constantly, and while that could be a nervous habit, he was pretty sure it was also because she was aroused.
“Did you read all the rules of the club?” Preston asked.
Lexis nodded.
Adam bit his tongue to hide his smile when he saw Preston’s eyes narrow. His dominant lover was obviously getting to the end of his patience. He’d thought Preston would have broken sooner, but Adam was glad that he hadn’t pushed her too quickly.
“Answer verbally, Lexis.”
“Yes, Sir,” she said breathily.
And just like that, the air around them was fraught with sexual tension. He looked at Lexis with wide, surprised eyes, but she quickly lowered her gaze to the floor. Preston quirked a brow at him and Jonah, and when they both nodded, they guided their sexy little sub toward the hallway and the specialty rooms. It was time to find out if Lexis was going to fit into their relationship or if they would have to keep looking for that one special woman meant to be theirs.
Please, let her be the one. Please! Please. Please.