Submission to Desire [Desire, Oklahoma 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Leah Brooke

  She purposely spoke in a monotone in an attempt to keep the horror of that night from her voice.

  Hearing the door open, Brenna spun, her jaw dropping to see the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen in her life come into the room, closing the door behind him. If his looks hadn’t been enough, the power in his eyes and in his graceful walk made it impossible not to stare. Realizing her mouth had dropped open, she snapped it shut, struggling to appear unaffected.

  He looked to be about the same height as King, but the similarities ended there.

  Instead of being heavily muscled, he was whipcord lean. Instead of the hard, almost primitive presence of King, this man oozed sex and sophistication—every movement filled with grace and seduction. His hair, black as midnight, hung well past his shoulders in curls she never would have considered sexy on a man until now.

  His smile, all white teeth and charm, and green eyes sparkling with male interest as they raked over her, made her weak in the knees.

  “Well, hello.” He glanced at King, frowning when he looked back at her, his eyes narrowing.

  “What’s going on? Sebastian said there might be trouble.”

  King never took his eyes from her, his expression thoughtful. With his arms crossed over his massive chest, he lowered himself onto the arm of a nearby chair, eyeing her in concern. Anger still swirled in his eyes, along with something else she couldn’t quite identify.

  “This is Brenna Nelson. She’s the woman that Eugene Donner was fixated on. She came by to tell us what bastards we are by condoning his behavior. Red, this is Royce Harley, another one of the owners of Club Desire.”

  To her shock, Royce rushed over to her and took her hands in his. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you? We knew he was obsessed with a woman, but didn’t know who.”

  Alarmed at the wave of heat that raced up her arms, Brenna yanked her hands out of his grasp and took several steps back.

  “I’m fine now, no thanks to you people.” She eyed them both scornfully. “I hope you take this seriously now and close this place down. It’s nothing but trouble. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going.”

  She didn’t care for the fact that their concern had her softening toward them, not when she’d carried her rage for so long. Finding herself drawn to them hadn’t been in her plans at all. The need to get out of here as quickly as possible had her scrambling for the door.

  “Please don’t ever make another woman deal with what I had to deal with.”

  King came to his feet and blocked her, his eyes unreadable.

  “I’m sorry for what you had to go through, but you’ve got us all wrong. You’ve had your say, and now I’d like to tell you our side. I’d like to explain some things to you.”

  With both men moving closer and eyeing her in the strangest way, she sidestepped King and moved toward the door.

  “I really don’t want to hear anything you have to say. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve done enough!”

  Royce scowled and took a seat at one end of the sofa.

  “Our sheriff is the one who caught him. We’ve been looking for that son of a bitch for months. He’s been causing trouble here, too, and hurt a couple of women. He told the sheriff that he was mad as hell at the people in this town because a woman he wanted rejected him. He resented the people who live the kind of life here he thought he wanted. It turns out he didn’t understand us at all. He saw what he wanted to see and that’s it.”

  He smiled coldly, his brow lifted in challenge. “It seems you and he have a lot in common after all.”

  Knowing damned well that she was being manipulated didn’t take the sting out of his words.

  Storming back across the room, her hands fisted at her sides, she railed at him.

  “I’m nothing like him! I’m the victim here, remember, not you. Don’t try to make it my fault that those other women got hurt. Blame yourselves for creating a monster.”

  Damn it, as much as she knew it hadn’t been her fault at all, she felt terrible that other women had been hurt because of Donner’s anger with her. Blowing out a breath, she turned to find King staring at her.

  “How badly were they hurt?”

  King gestured toward the other end of the sofa from where Royce sat, a strong hand at her back guiding her to it.

  “Considering that he hit the sheriff’s wife with his truck and threw a Molotov cocktail through the window of the women’s club when they were having a demonstration, not bad. We were very lucky. Thank God. Still, they were hurt, not something we take lightly in Desire.”

  Stunned at how much trouble her stalker had caused, Brenna dropped onto the sofa, holding herself stiffly as King took a seat in a leather chair across from her.

  “He was deranged.”

  King inclined his head, fisting his hands at his sides.

  “Yes, he was. We knew he was dangerous, and that’s why we kept him on.”

  Brenna frowned, disappointed in them just when she’d begun to think they really cared about the damage Donner had done.

  “So, you liked the fact that he wanted to hurt women. I knew it. Any men who would own a place like this must really hate women. I’m sure he fit right in. You people make me sick.”

  She shot to her feet with the intention of getting the hell out of here before she threw something at their heads, but King moved fast for such a large man and caught her before she could even take a step.

  With fire in his eyes, he gripped her upper arms.

  “I don’t appreciate being judged by a woman who doesn’t know the first thing about me.”

  Royce came to his feet, no longer smiling. “Or what we do here. We kept Donner close to watch him. We all talked to him over and over about the way to treat women, and Blade, our partner, even went out to meet with him. We were afraid that he would be a danger to women in the club in Virginia, and even went so far as to warn the owners there.”

  King gestured toward the sofa, leading her back to it. As she sat, he braced a hand on the arm and loomed over her.

  “We knew that there was a woman he was fixated on, but we didn’t know who you were. We’re very sorry that you had to go through that. We do not promote abusing women.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief when King stepped back, and watching the play of muscle as he perched on the arm of the chair across from her, Brenna fisted her hands on her lap.

  “You’re Doms, right?” Even if she didn’t know that they owned this place, she would know that they were. Something about their presence reminded her of the Dominants she’d met back in Virginia. It was in their posture, in their eyes, and in the way they looked at a woman, as though not wanting to miss a single weakness that they could exploit at their leisure.

  The confidence, and arrogance, couldn’t be mistaken.

  King inclined his head. “We are.”

  Expecting that answer, and the cool tone, Brenna nodded. “So, are you going to try to tell me that you don’t use whips on women? You don’t hit them? Hurt them? Isn’t that how you get your kicks?”

  Royce shot to his feet, but King waved him back, the calculating gleam in his eyes sending off all sorts of red flags. “If you’re really curious, I’ll be happy to answer all your questions, but I’m not about to sit here and argue with you when you’ve already made up your closed mind about us and what we do here.”

  The disappointment and censure in his tone made her feel like a heel, but remembering Donner and his cruelty infuriated her all over again.

  “I’m not buying it.” She jumped when Royce came close and squatted down in front of her, stiffening when he ran his fingers over the back of her hands in a caress she assumed should have felt nonthreatening. Alarmed at the rivulets of heat that ran up her arm, she forced herself to remain still, shaken by his intense stare and the cool calculation in his eyes.

  Royce smiled knowingly and ran his fingers up her arm, sharpening the tingling sensation.

  “I’m afraid I’d have to agree with King. If you really
want to understand, we’ll be glad to answer all of your questions.” He lifted a finger when she started to speak.

  “But, we’d like to show you. That’s the only way you’d truly understand. The only way you’ll be able to see the way we live is to experience it for yourself.”

  Brenna pulled her hand away and scooted as far as she could away from him. “Sure. Sign me up and make me pay an exorbitant amount of money for you and all your customers to beat me. I don’t care what you call it, it’s just an excuse to hurt a woman. Even those men in the club carried whips with them. The women thought it was sexy. I didn’t.”

  Hoping he didn’t see the lie in her eyes, she lifted her chin, silently daring him to call her a liar.

  Royce’s gaze sharpened, his eyes becoming the deepest green she’d ever seen.

  “So, you’re a submissive? Do you go to clubs regularly? Do you belong to someone?”

  Bristling at the bite in his tone, she shot to her feet and started forward, only to have King come to his feet and block her again.

  “Belong to someone? What’s with you people and that belonging crap? I don’t belong to anyone and I only went to that club once. And no, I’m not a submissive and I don’t ever plan to be. Frankly, I just don’t get why any woman would want to be.”

  Royce came to his feet and moved in behind her, the fingers he ran up and down her arm making her shiver.

  “Maybe you are. Maybe you’re not. Maybe you don’t want to know for sure because you’re afraid of the answer. You went to that club for a reason.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” She jerked out of his hold and started for the door, both relieved and disappointed when neither man made a move to stop her. “Just because you’re surrounded by women who let you do what you want to them, you think every woman you meet is the same. I’m not. I think you’re all assholes.”

  Proud of her exit line, she turned the knob and yanked, cursing when it didn’t budge. Whirling, she fumed. “Open the fucking door and let me the hell out of here.”

  King took the seat she’d just vacated, leaning back as though he had nothing in the world better to do and lacing his fingers over his flat stomach.

  “I want to say something first, and I have a proposition for you. Once you hear me out, I’ll unlock the door.”

  Looking from one to the other, Brenna shook her head, unsure of her ability to resist any proposition either one of them might make.

  “No. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

  Royce shook his head and shared a look with King. “She sounds just like Donner. Not willing to listen to anyone.”

  Brenna stamped her foot, so furious she could barely speak.

  “How dare you compare me to him? I’m nothing like him. You’re turning this all around.”

  Both men eyed her steadily, neither saying a word. When it became apparent that they would willingly sit there all day, she blew out an angry breath and moved to the chair across from them, plopping into it.

  “Fine. Talk. But then you promise to let me out?”

  King inclined his head. “That’s one of the first things a sub has to learn. Trust. Trust is a fragile, but incredibly strong bond between a Dom and his sub. We won’t ever lie to you and you can trust that we will do whatever we say we’ll do. We don’t make idle threats and we keep our promises.”

  Brenna got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Waving her hand negligently, she looked away. “I’ll take that as a yes. Now, say what you have to say so I can get out of here. I’ve got to find a new place to live and a new job because of all this mess. Everyone knows I went to that club and I’m too embarrassed to go home.”

  The longer she stayed here, the more intrigued she became, something she wanted to avoid at all costs. She wanted to forget her curiosity and desire for something she fantasized about, and go back to normal.

  Their attentiveness unnerved her.

  They both watched her closely, their eyes sharp and filled with something that made her heart beat faster. They shifted their weight when she moved in a certain way, their gazes narrowing when she wrapped her arms around herself.

  She’d dated men who didn’t pay as much attention to her.

  It made it difficult to keep the emotional distance from them she needed, each word, each gesture drawing her in. Each time their eyes met, she sucked in a breath at the promise in theirs of something she would never forget.

  The sexual tension in the room could be cut with a knife.

  It was as if they saw something inside her, something private, something she’d tried for years to keep hidden.

  She didn’t want to acknowledge it, but found it harder and harder to keep her poise as her awareness of them continued to grow.

  She pictured herself naked with Royce, and then King, wondering which one of them she would choose if given the chance.

  Startled at her thoughts, she sucked in a breath and focused, unsurprised to find both of them staring at her intently.

  “Well?”

  King smiled. “I was just waiting until I had your attention. That must have been some daydream. Your cheeks are flushed and your eyes went a little unfocused.” Sitting back, he eyed her steadily.

  “We don’t abuse women. As a matter of fact, we take pride in pleasuring women—dominating them.” The emphasis he placed on the word dominating sent a warmth flowing through her, one that seemed to center between her thighs.

  Alarmed that the mental image of kneeling at his feet, she cleared her throat, her smile full of scorn.

  “Sure you do. You just beat them until they do whatever you want them to do.”

  King’s eyes cooled considerably.

  “It’s apparent you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re letting one asshole form your opinion. I’d like to make you a proposition. You said you lost your job because of this guy. Stay here with us. You can send out resumes while you’re here. Your room and board are free, but in return, I want you to give us a chance to show you what we’re talking about. Let us train you.”

  Brenna crossed her arms over her chest to hide her beaded nipples, panic-stricken at the leap of desire that coursed through her veins.

  “I have no desire to be trained as a submissive, thank you very much. Now, unlock the door and let me out of here.”

  King started shaking his head before she’d even finished. “No. I’m not done. I wasn’t talking about training you as a submissive. I’m talking about training you as a Dominant. That way, you can see what we teach and understand that it’s all about pleasure and trust.”

  Intrigued, Brenna tilted her head.

  “I don’t trust you.”

  King inclined his head. “You have no reason to trust me. Trust has to be earned.”

  Forcing back the mental image of turning herself over to him and letting him do what he wished with her, Brenna stood, too restless to sit any longer. “So, if I’m a Dominant, I’ll be doing things to another person. You? Are you going to be my submissive?”

  King smiled coldly. “I don’t bottom. Ever. And you’re not touching another man. Would you like a woman to top?”

  Brenna shook her head, staring out the window. “I’ve never had any desire to touch another woman.” Turning, she smiled. “So, I guess your plan’s out of the question. Now, let me out of here, or I’m calling the sheriff.”

  Royce smiled disarmingly. “I don’t think King’s finished.”

  King eyed her thoughtfully. “No, I’m not. I think the best way to do this is for you to top yourself.”

  Brenna blinked, her anger dissipating more with every wild statement they made, her mind racing in all sorts of directions. “What? How is that even possible?”

  King came to his feet and approached slowly, giving her the feeling of being stalked.

  “We’ll train you on yourself. You don’t even have to worry about us touching you. We won’t touch you anywhere except your hands, unless we have to catch you or help you into a b
etter position.”

  Confused, Brenna glanced at Royce, who stood and approached from the other side.

  “So I’m supposed to whip myself?”

  Royce sighed. “You’re really stuck on the whip, aren’t you? Interesting. Okay, we’ll progress to the whip, but not until you’re ready. By the time we get there, you’ll understand how pain can bring pleasure.”

  Backing away, she shook her head, not stupid enough to believe such an outrageous thing. “Pain can never bring pleasure.”

  King grinned. “Yes, it can. A great deal of pleasure. And we’re willing to show you. No charge, and you get room and board and a chance to look for a job while you’re learning. While you’re here, we’ll see what we can do to convince you that we’re telling the truth about Donner.”

  Royce tucked a strand of hair behind her shoulder.

  “We don’t want you leaving here thinking that Dominants are like him. Sure, there are assholes, just like everywhere else, but beating women is not what this is about. In Desire, especially, any man abusing a woman gets run out of town.”

  Brenna lifted her chin and took another step back.

  “How do I know I can trust you?”

  King reached behind the curtain and pushed a button, and with a small smile, gestured toward the door. “You’re free to go, Red. Like I said, trust has to be earned. Talk to people around here. Talk to the sheriff. Talk to whoever you want to talk to. Just don’t go around telling people that we beat women and teach others to do the same if you don’t have the courage to see what this lifestyle is all about, or to prove that we’re telling the truth.”

  Royce led her to the door, opened it, and ushered her through to the hallway. “You intrigue us. I’d like to have the chance to see more of you and to teach you about our lifestyle. It infuriates me that Donner hurt you and scared you. That’s not what this is all about. Think about it, Brenna. We’ll be waiting in the hotel dining room at seven. We’ll answer any questions you have then.”