by Sasha White
“A woman helps you run it?” Olivia said before thinking. Geez, what was with her mouth suddenly running away on her? Something about this place dissolved her filter. Or maybe it was the lust still buzzing through her veins.
Eden smirked, and Adam arched a brow at Olivia. “You’re surprised?”
She laughed. What the hell, it was clear no one else in the club was holding back, so why should she? “I shouldn’t be, but yes, I am. I just can’t imagine you handing control over to a woman for anything.”
He laughed, unoffended. “I need someone here for when I can’t be. The club is only open four nights a week, but between it and the gym, and the occasional outside job for Simon, I can’t be here all the time. I have to have someone I trust to look after things when I’m not here, and Eden can do that.”
“Who’s Simon?”
He glanced down at her. “He’s a friend.”
“And another of the trainers here at the club,” Eden said. “Haven’t seen him here yet tonight, but I’ve no doubt when he arrives, he’ll seek you out.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because the boys at the door will tell him about you and the kiss Adam greeted you with, as soon as he gets here.”
She didn’t get it. Why was Adam kissing her such a big deal when there were people having sex on a padded bench not twenty feet away from them?
Her confusion must’ve shown on her face because Eden glanced from Adam to Olivia, eyebrows raised. Adam nodded, and Eden chuckled. “He claimed you, sweetie. And Adam’s never claimed anyone before.”
Olivia blushed, pleasure whipping through her. Claimed? It was so…primitive, and chauvinistic, but it felt so good too.
“You do jobs for him?” she asked, remembering what he just said. “What kind of jobs?”
His lips firmed, and she got the feeling he wasn’t going to answer her when he crossed his arms and stared down at her. But he did. “Simon operates a security company staffed mostly by ex-military types who do everything from bodyguard celebrities to black-ops. Sometimes I help him out when he can’t find the right person for a job.”
She took that in, surprised, but strangely not. It was getting to the point that nothing about Adam surprised her anymore because, every time he revealed something new, it was just like another puzzle piece fitting smoothly into place. Only she didn’t have a reference image to work from, so she really had no idea how many more pieces there were.
“So, besides running your own two companies, you do the occasional job for him?”
He nodded.
“As a bodyguard?” Lord, knows he’d be a good one.
“Sometimes. Sometimes it’s more involved,” he said, meting her gaze dead on. “And often out of country.”
Oookay. Before she could decide how she felt about that, he looked over her shoulder, and nodded. “You’ll be okay for a few minutes on your own? I need to deal with something.”
“Sure.” Shoving any thoughts about this new information aside for later contemplation, she smiled. “I’m just going to wander and watch.”
He pressed a kiss to her cheek and whispered in her ear. “Just watch. Talk to anyone you want, but I better not come back to find you tied up or being touched by anyone. You’re mine, remember that.”
She watched him walk away, his powerful stride cutting through the crowd to the entrance, and wondered at how easily he got to her. She was a grown woman, she’d had many relationships, and in none of them would she have ever let a man get away with calling her his in that tone of voice. But when he did it, her pussy fluttered and her knees weakened.
Damn it. Jazz was going to laugh her ass off.
Adam was almost glad to leave Olivia in the middle of that conversation. Hell, he hadn’t even wanted to have that conversation, but he wouldn’t lie to her. The more time he spent with her, the more he knew she was meant to be his, and as much as his brain told him to protect himself, his gut told him that if he was open and honest, she would be his.
So, he’d told her what he could, and he would see what happened. Moving forward, he greeted the couple, who’d waved him over, and listened to what they had to say, keeping Beauty in his sight line the whole time. She spoke with Eden for a few moments then wandered off to check out the stations.
When Olivia spotted a small crowd in front of one of the stations, she joined them, standing to the side, almost in the shadows, and watched. One man was stripped naked and cuffed, with both wrists to a chain hanging from the ceiling, while a big bruiser of a man wearing a leather kilt stood to the side, digging in a black duffle bag.
When the bruiser stepped back from the bag with a long thick paddle in his hand, she bit back a gasp and glanced around. No one else seemed surprised, so she bit her lip and watched. The Dominant, walked slowly around his sub, speaking softly as he touched the guy freely. He ran a hand over his flanks then up his rib cage. The Dom cupped the guy’s chin in hand and slammed his mouth down over his in an almost brutal-looking kiss.
The naked guy’s cock swelled as he strained toward Bruiser. Olivia’s sex swelled, and she shifted from one foot to the other, squeezing her thighs together.
“They’re pretty fucking hot aren’t they?”
Olivia started, glancing at the woman who stood next to her. It was the tattooed one who’d come into the club at the same time she did. “Yes, they are.”
“I’m Ronnie,” she said softly, holding out a hand.
“Olivia,” she replied, shaking it. “Nice to meet you.”
Both women were silent for a few minutes, watching the scene unfolding in front of them. Bruiser had moved behind his partner, alternately spanking him with the big paddle and stroking his ass with his hand.
“I saw you with Adam earlier,” Ronnie said, turning to face Olivia. “Upstairs.”
Olivia tensed, but didn’t say anything. It was obvious Ronnie had something to say, so she’d just let her say it. When the other woman didn’t speak again, Olivia shifted her stance and turned to face the woman next to her. “And?”
“I’m fairly new here,” she said. “Only been a member for a little over a month, but it only took one night to know Adam was a special kinda man.”
“I agree. He is special.”
“He looks after everyone here. Considers us all his to protect, but that doesn’t mean that no one’s protecting him.”
Pieces clicked into place, and Olivia smiled. “You think you need to protect him from me?”
Ronnie shrugged. “Ian is my man, and he’s known Adam since before the club opened. He said he’s never seen Adam claim a woman the way he claimed you.”
A strange new sense of pride filled Olivia. “Did everyone in the club see him kiss me?” she whispered.
“I don’t know if everyone did, but you’ll learn pretty damn quick that there is little the Doms in this place miss. Unless they’re in a scene.” She nodded toward the two men. “Then they pay no attention to anyone or anything but the sub they’re sceneing with.”
“Sceneing?”
Ronnie tilted her head, speaking quietly. “Playing, sceneing…that’s what we call the…well, the scene between a Dom and sub. Like what’s going on between Bruce and John.”
“Which one is Bruce?” she asked, biting back a smile. It couldn’t be Bruiser. It was just too poetic. When Ronnie confirmed her guess, Olivia snorted, trying desperately not to giggle like a silly schoolgirl.
“What’s so funny?” the other woman asked.
Olivia met her gaze. “I was calling him Bruiser in my head.”
“Bruce the Bruiser,” Ronnie said, her eyes lighting up. “Ohhh, that’s perfect. We’ll have to tell him that.”
“Tell him? No!”
“Why not? He’ll love it. Watch, and you’ll see why.”
The crowd around the scene had grown while the two of them had been whispering, but neither of the men noticed, or cared. Bruce had switched the long wooden paddle for a shorter, slimmer leather one that made
a loud smacking sound with each hit. John, the sub, was up on his toes, leaning forward, using the chains to balance as he stuck his ass out, moaning for more.
Bruce strode forward, throwing the leather tool to the floor and grabbing John by the hair. He pulled his head back, slanting a kiss over his mouth before pressing his body full length against Johns striped and bruised backside. Bruce planted one hand on John’s chest to hold him tight, while the other reached around and jerked John’s cock a couple times, real rough like.
The sub moaned, thrusting into it and keeping his head turned, gazing at his Dom with wide eyes and parted lips. Bruce grinned, talking to John as he stroked and pulled.
The crowd was gone to them. She could tell, just from watching them, that they were the only people in each other’s world. She knew it because it was the way Adam made her feel.
As if called to her side by her thoughts, she felt his heat against her back. “It’s their anniversary,” he whispered in her ear as his arms wrapped around her. He pulled her to him until her butt bumped against his zipper and the erection she felt growing behind it.
Desire rushed forth in Olivia again, tempered by an unexpected sweetness. Her heart pounded, and her knees weakened.
“You see it, don’t you?”
“See what?” she whispered.
“You see the energy between them, how they’re connecting.”
He was right. She did see it. The power of give and take, the energy exchange between partners, because that’s clearly what they were, no matter that one was Dominant and one was submissive. They were partners. If her dream the night before hadnad proven it to her, this did. She belonged there. In that club, in that lifestyle, with the man whose arms held her tight, making her feel safe, secure, and desired.
She wanted to connect with Adam on every level. She wanted to belong to him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Adam leaned against the bar, watching Kalina make drinks and flirt with every person who came up. It didn’t matter if they were a Dom or sub, male or female, the feisty sub had some sort of comment or look that stirred either a blush or a hot look of desire. One of these days, some guy was really gonna have to take her in hand, but it would take a stronger man than him.
He turned and looked over the still full club just in time to see Simon Sharp stride through the doors. Even though Overwatch was Adam’s business, it wasn’t only his place. He had a team of people who’d helped him build it into what it was, and from what he could see, it looked like one of those people was hurting.
Sharp’s movements didn’t have their usual grace when he cut a path through the crowd, heading their way.
Yeah, something was definitely bothering his friend. Not only was he late, he had the laser focus that Adam recognized from his time in Iraq. Tightly controlled emotions and the need to find an outlet for it.
He caught Eden’s eye, and eased away from the small group to intercept his friend, leaving her to keep Veronica and Olivia entertained and distracted.
“Hey, brother,” Adam said, greeting Simon and steering him to an empty spot at the bar. “How you doing?”
The two men stood side by side in silence for a few minutes before Sharp spoke. “Got a new dog last night,” he said. “A rescue.”
Ahhh. That explained it.
Over the years Simon’s crew grew, and he spent less and less time working actual security jobs himself. These days, he spent most of his time assigning them, and training search and rescue, and protection dogs. Every now and then he got a rescue and, like any decent human, seeing an abused animal hit the man hard.
Sharp was more than a friend, he was a brother. Didn’t matter that they’d been in different units, at different times. They’d been in the same hellish war and battled similar demons daily now that they were home.
“You need me, I’m here,” Adam told him. “But right now, I think you need the kind of release I can’t give.”
That got a rough chuckle out of his friend. “C’mon, be a buddy and take a beating from me.”
Adam smirked. “Don’t you only get pleasure from giving pain to those that enjoy it? I promise you I wouldn’t enjoy it, old man.”
“I’d make an exception for you.”
The two men shared a look, and Adam could see his friend’s muscles loosen up a little.
“Bash is camping out in the store room of the gym,” he said. “You could head into the gym, and I’m sure he’d give you a fight to take the edge off if you want?”
“Nah, I’ll be good.” Simon said. “Don’t worry, brother, I don’t trust myself to play tonight. I’m just here for company and comfort.”
Nothing more was said, and Adam slapped his friend on the shoulder and walked away.
Instead of going back to Olivia right away, he made his way over to the table where a couple of submissives sat chatting. He crooked his finger at Riley, one of the subs who’d been through the same training class as Veronica—or he should say Ronnie as she’d corrected him earlier. Riley jumped up and walked over to him quickly.
“What can I do for you, Sir?” she asked with a sweet smile.
“Have you played yet tonight, Riley?” She bit her lip, looking torn, and he shook his head. “I’m not looking, sweetie. Simon has had a rough day, and I think he could use a bit of a distraction, and a sweet little sub like you can probably find a way to do that without a full-on scene, right?”
Her eyes lit up, and she smiled. “Yes, I can do that.”
He pointed her in Simon’s direction and sent her on her way with a pat on her ass. “Go get him, girl.”
When Simon turned to the sub with a soft smile, Adam knew his friend would be well taken care of. Simon needed to get out of his own head more than he needed anything right then, and there was nothing like an eager-to-please subbie to distract a man form dark thoughts.
Adam went back to the group to find Olivia and Eden deep in a discussion about shoes, while Ian and Conner, one of the club’s newer Doms, talked toys. He stood next to Veronica and smiled down at the tiny firecracker. “How are you, Ronnie?”
She smiled. “I’m awesome. How are you, Adam?”
He fought back a grin. “I’m pretty awesome myself if you really want to know.”
Just then, the distinct cries of a woman coming rose above the sounds of music and conversation, and Olivia’s head whipped around so fast that the others in the small group laughed. She blushed, and Adam put a hand on the small of her back, settling her without shifting his focus from Ronnie.
Her eyes flicked from him to Olivia and back, and her grin widened. “She’s yours, huh?”
“She is.” And how fucking great was it to be able to say that?
“It's nice, isn't it? To have someone to call yours.” She shook her head. “I never really wanted that…."
He quirked a brow at her, urging her to continue.
“I mean, you know I always wanted to belong to someone who would value me, who wanted to call me theirs, but I never really thought about it the other way around until seeing Ian again. He's the one I've always wanted to call him mine.”
“And now you do.”
“And now I do,” she confirmed.
He glanced down at Olivia. Yeah, she was his, and it was time to make sure she understood exactly what that meant.
Olivia was finally feeling comfortable in the club, with all the sex noises and naked people walking around, when Adam reached for her hand.
“Have a good night, everyone,” he said.
She barely had a chance to say good-bye to the laughing faces of her new friends before he was leading her toward the stairs again.
“I guess it’s time to go?” she said when they reached the stairs.
He stopped, eyes burning with such heat that lust immediately flooded her system, and she nodded, answering herself. “Definitely.”
He gestured her up the stairs and through the door at the top where he’d dropped her bag earlier.
“Oh,”
she said when she saw the room wasn’t empty. The wall on the opposite side of the office housed a technical station with four computer screens and a bunch of other stuff she didn’t have clue what they were.
Sitting in front of the wall of screens was a bearded man dressed all in black.
“Olivia, this is Eric, one of our security team. Eric, this is Olivia, my guest.”
Surprise flickered in the guard’s eyes, but it was there and gone so fast she almost missed it. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Ohh, not only was he handsome and polite, but he had a very sexy voice. “What a lovely drawl you have, Eric. Where are you from?”
Adam, hand on her back, moved her forward, and she shuffled closer to Eric, suddenly very conscious of the way her thighs rubbed together with every step she took.
“Born and raised in The Big Easy, ma’am,” he said with a devilish grin.
“Ah, the other L.A.,” she said. “How do you like our L.A?” She listened with half an ear, distracted from what Adam was doing by what she saw in front of her.
When she asked him about the screens, Eric glanced at Adam, getting a nod before he explained.
“Overwatch has cameras and microphones mounted all over so the play can be monitored. The ones over there are the theme rooms.” He pointed to one monitor then the one next to it. “These screens hold the views from the dozen other cameras around the club.”
“Is it legal to monitor private rooms?”
“Theme rooms, not private rooms,” he corrected. “Members are fully aware of the level of surveillance as a waiver is part of the membership package that has to be signed before they’re allowed beyond orientation.”
“It’s for their own safety, babe,” Adam said. “And they know it.”
“But what good does it do to monitor from up here if something happens down there?”
“Everyone on the security team wears a single-wire earpiece that routes through here.” He pointed to the switchboard and mike setup to his right, with a boyish grin that awoke some tingles in her lady parts. “Just like in the movies.”