“He does.”
Well, wasn’t that a whole bunch of…crazy?
Master Parker cleared his throat. “We’re looking to hire a secretary and we figured—”
“Both of you?” I slapped my hand over my mouth, embarrassed that I’d interrupted him midsentence. It was rude.
He seemed to think so, too, based on the gleam in his eyes. However, he didn’t reprimand me, merely continued. “Yes. Ben and I work together and we’re looking for one secretary who we’ll share between us.”
Share?
That sounded far too kinky to be normal. Holding my fork like a pointer, I stared at him. “What exactly does your secretary do?”
“We’ll provide you with a full list of requirements at the interview,” Master Parker said with a frustrated sigh. “It’s all legit, Addison. We’re not here to take advantage of you.”
Seemed a little strange that they weren’t willing to discuss it now. “Why wait? If it’s on the up-and-up, why not share the details now?”
“I don’t want to discuss it now,” Master Parker stated, his lips a hard, thin line.
“Got it.” I turned my attention back to my plate. “While I do appreciate the offer, I’m afraid I don’t have anything to wear to an interview. So, I—”
“You will,” Ben interjected, nodding toward my plate. “After you eat and shower, I’ll take you shopping.”
“What?” Yeah, that was me sounding like a nutcase. I tried to calm down, but it didn’t work. “You’re going to take me shopping? Where? Is the Salvation Army having a free sale?” My anger was getting the best of me, but I kept going. “Because at this point in time, that’s about all I can afford.”
Both men silently stared at me and it was evident they were waiting for me to either settle down or to implode. I figured the latter was likely to happen first.
“Can you tell me a better option?” Master Parker prompted.
“Yes, I can.” Actually, no I couldn’t.
He waited.
Shit.
While I wanted to argue, because I wasn’t prone to taking handouts from people, I had this absurd need to…please them. Don’t ask me why, because I had absolutely no fucking idea.
Regardless, there was no way I was allowing these men to buy me clothes. I didn’t want to be indebted to anyone and I already felt a sense of obligation since they’d been kind enough to give me a place to sleep. I certainly wasn’t looking for a handout, too. No, I didn’t have much, but I’d made it this far without taking charity from people like them, and I would get myself out of this jam eventually.
“Finish eating,” Master Parker said, motioning toward my plate with his fork. “Then you can shower.”
I dropped my fork. “I’m not hungry.”
He leaned over. “Either feed yourself or I’ll do it for you.”
I glared back at him, but he didn’t flinch.
“It’s not a request, Addison.”
No matter how strange it all felt, there was something about them that made me want to…do whatever they wanted. I knew submission was my nature, but I’d never felt a pull as strong as this one. No, I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but there was a definite lure.
When I didn’t move, Master Parker picked up my fork and proceeded to stab the scrambled eggs. Before he could put it in my mouth, I grabbed the fork from him.
“I can feed myself.”
“Prove it.”
Knowing it wouldn’t really matter what I said, I decided to give up. This was all strange, but they didn’t seem to be giving me any other options.
And would it really be all that bad? If they wanted to give me a job, was I even in a position to turn them down? Money might not buy happiness, but it would sure as shit buy food and a place to sleep.
Since I had no way to provide myself with either, what was I arguing with them for anyway?
Eight
ADDISON
I FINISHED EATING QUICKLY, THEN headed toward the shower when Master Parker dismissed me. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to call him, so his club name seemed fitting. After all, he had saved me from my own bad decisions there.
Call me crazy, but there was something about the two of them that had me forgetting all about the encounter with Josh, and that the guy had dumped me like a sack of garbage. Moreover, I hardly thought of Josh at all. My brain was overwhelmed by the two Doms and the fact that they were so completely different than any man I’d ever met before.
I shouldn’t have let my mind drift, shouldn’t have allowed the elicit fantasies to take root, but I couldn’t help myself. For so long, I’d yearned for someone who could make me feel as though I belonged, as though I had a place. For whatever reason—probably pure insanity—I felt like myself when I was with them. No fear, no fury, just simple, unadulterated curiosity. Perhaps it made me come across as weak, but the fact that they were giving me direction, telling me how it was going to be…well, that was a comfort I couldn’t deny I needed.
I was in the opulent shower with the tiled walls and multiple heads, letting the warm water beat down on my body, when I heard the door open. Instinct had me covering my nakedness, although modest was the last thing I would attribute to myself. The glass doors were spotlessly clear, but I quickly noticed that it didn’t matter because Ben wasn’t looking at me. His attention was on the counter, where I’d stashed my clothes from yesterday.
“I’m grabbing your clothes,” Ben informed me, still not looking my way. “I’ve placed another T-shirt here. Once I wash your things, you can put them back on. Then we’ll go shopping.”
“Master Snowden?”
“I told you to call me Ben.”
I knew what he’d said, but it didn’t feel right. He was far too domineering for me to merely refer to him by name. It was almost sacrilegious.
“Would you mind if I called you something else?” I asked, my voice far more hopeful than I’d expected.
“Like what?”
I shrugged, realizing I’d dropped my arms and he was now facing me. “What do subs normally call you?”
“At the club, they refer to me as Master Snowden.”
“And outside the club?” It should’ve been weird to carry on a conversation while I was naked in the shower, but oddly, it wasn’t.
“I don’t take submissives outside the club.”
“Oh.” That was disappointing.
“Let me rephrase that.” His voice was deeper, more powerful. “I haven’t taken a sub outside the club up to this point. Not that I’m against it.”
Well, that was promising.
“But if you insist, you can call me Mr. Snowden.”
I liked it. The term gave him an air of authority, which suited him well.
“Thank you, Mr. Snowden.” Taking a deep breath, I tried to remember where I’d been going with this. Oh, right. “I really appreciate how gracious you’re both being, but I honestly don’t want to put you out any more than I already have.”
He locked his eyes with mine through the glass. “Then don’t question the reasons, Addison. Accept the help that’s being offered.”
When he put it that way, said in that rough, don’t-question-my-authority tone, it was hard to argue. Not only that, it was hard for my body not to warm significantly. That voice alone filled me with longing for something I’d been seeking but never found.
“Now finish showering, and when you’re done, meet us in the living room. It’s time we had a chat.”
“Yes, Mr. Snowden.” I felt as though I’d offended him in some way and that was the last thing I wanted to do.
Mr. Snowden slipped out of the bathroom and I finished washing up. I dried off and pulled the charcoal-gray T-shirt on over my head, quite cognizant of the fact that I was naked beneath the soft cotton. I then proceeded to finger-brush my teeth with Master Parker’s toothpaste, then chased it with a mouthwash rinse. Once my teeth no longer felt furry, I tugged the towel from my hair. There wasn’t a hair dryer that I could
find, so I towel-rubbed as much moisture from my hair as possible, then let it hang down my back to air-dry.
When I joined Master Parker and Mr. Snowden in the living room, I found them sitting side by side on the sofa. They looked completely relaxed, but I was nowhere close to feeling the same. My hands fisted in the hem of the shirt as I inched farther into the room.
Mr. Snowden motioned toward the chair across from them. “Please have a seat.”
Was it wrong to wish that he had asked me to kneel?
I shook off the thought.
They eyed me the way some store managers did—like I was going to snatch something and run—but I managed to walk to the chair, keeping the shirt covering my nakedness as I eased down into it.
While their eyes reflected interest, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what they were thinking. They appeared unfazed by my half-dressed state, while I was experiencing a strange buzzing sound in my head. It wasn’t fear; that much I knew for sure.
Finally, Master Parker crossed one ankle over his knee, took a deep breath, and addressed me. “I’m going to ask some personal questions.”
Not a question. A statement.
It didn’t surprise me. He certainly hadn’t asked my permission last night when he’d been probing me at dinner. “Okay.”
“How many Doms have you had?”
“Umm…” Was there a right or wrong answer here?
Master Parker evidently realized I didn’t know how to respond, because he continued. “Since you were old enough to sincerely understand Domination and submission, how many Doms have you had? And I’m not referring to the likes of Josh Tudor.”
“One,” I admitted.
“When did you join your first BDSM club?”
“I was twenty-three.” I didn’t bother to tell them that the first Dom I’d had—although nothing had ever happened between us—was when I was nineteen. I hadn’t had a real Dom of my own even after I’d ventured into the club scene.
“Are you looking for a Dominant, Addison?”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Based on what I witnessed last night, it seems to me you’re looking for something. The question is whether or not you’re looking for a Dominant or if you’re merely looking for someone who can support you.”
I felt as though he’d slapped me. The verbal blow stole my breath and made my chest constrict. Tears—those blasted buggers—threatened and I had no idea why.
“I’m…” I swallowed back the anger that mixed with the hurt. “I’m not looking for anyone to take care of me.”
“Then explain your reasons for staying with a man like Josh.”
Master Parker pulled absolutely no punches.
Glancing over at Mr. Snowden, I noticed he was waiting for my response. I couldn’t help but get defensive. My eyes cut back to Master Parker. “You know absolutely nothing about me,” I snapped.
When I started to get up from my chair, Mr. Snowden shook his head and pointed toward the floor in front of my chair. “Kneel.”
“What?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Although my chest ached because I sensed they thought I was a pitiful excuse for a human being, it was made doubly worse because my body betrayed me as I slid down to the floor onto my knees. Thanks to years of training, I knew the exact position to get into. Butt on my heels, head down, eyes on the floor, my hands resting on my thighs, palms up.
“Thank you, precious,” Mr. Snowden said, his tone approving.
My chest inflated from the praise.
“Should I ask you to kneel,” Master Parker said, “I expect you’ll be naked and you’ll present yourself. Do you understand what it means to present?”
It meant he wanted me to put my hands behind my head, elbows out, chest thrust forward, knees spread wide, as though I was presenting myself for his inspection.
“Yes, Master Parker.” I carefully lifted my gaze to meet his. “Would you like me to do that now?”
“No, because it wasn’t my instruction. I’m merely clarifying.”
I felt as though I was in an alternate universe. One I’d spent more years than I could count dreaming about. This was exactly what I’d longed for but never managed to find.
“And I think you’ve clarified nicely what it is you’re looking for. You’re innately submissive, Addison. That much is clear.”
I didn’t respond because it wasn’t necessary. I was submissive, and I was seeking a Dom who could complete me, help me feel grounded in the ever-growing chaos surrounding me. However, I was not looking for a man to support me. I could take care of myself. I never asked anyone for anything and I wasn’t about to start now. I’d spent my entire life surviving, and at this point, that was my main objective.
“While you were in the shower, Ben and I had a discussion, and we’d like to present you with two options. Keep in mind, one is not dependent on the other.”
Okay, so maybe they were going to make some sense out of all this craziness.
“You’re a member of the club; therefore, we know you’re active in the lifestyle.”
I couldn’t tell if Master Parker was asking a question or merely stating the obvious, but I responded anyway. “Yes…I am. Very much so.”
“I asked Master Edge about you,” he continued. “He informed me that you’ve been a member of Dichotomy since inception, but you haven’t had a Dom until…well, I won’t acknowledge him as a Dom. But you know who I’m referring to.”
“Yes, Master Parker. That’s true.” I swallowed hard, my heart pounding intently against my sternum.
“And he also informed me that you haven’t engaged in sexual activities with the few Doms you’ve played with at the club.”
“No, Master Parker.”
“Is there a reason for that? Are you opposed to having casual sexual encounters?”
I hated the term casual. For one, there was no such thing as casual sex. No, maybe it didn’t equate to love, but it was certainly not something that could be brushed aside.
“No,” I told him. “I’m not opposed to having sex. But for me, submission isn’t solely about sex.” Sure, I wanted that release that came with it, but I wasn’t one to sleep with just anyone to get it.
“Which leads me to believe you’re looking for a Dominant of your own. Is that an accurate assessment?”
“Yes, Master Parker.” He had me pegged precisely.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he regarded me directly. He was wearing the same jeans and T-shirt he’d had on last night, but he didn’t have on shoes. For a brief moment, I found myself staring at his bare feet. They were sexy.
My eyes shot up to his face when he cleared his throat.
“With both options, we’re asking that you interview for a position that we’re actively looking to fill. There is nothing nefarious in our plan. We merely need a secretary, and based on what you’ve told us, you appear to have the qualifications. We’re seeking someone who can handle the technical aspects of the job. It’s not rocket science, but it requires attention to detail as well as a good sense of organization.” He lifted one blond eyebrow. “But everything you’ve possibly learned from working for that…your ex…should go right out the window. Unlike him, our clients are important to us. We put their needs first. We do not push them aside or take their money without giving them what we’ve promised.”
“What is it that you do?” I still had not figured that out.
“We’re in public relations.” He nodded toward Mr. Snowden. “His clients are in the tech industry, mine are in the sex toy industry, and our partners are in publishing.”
I laughed. Right up until I realized he was serious.
“Sex toys, technology, and books. Got it.” That was an eclectic mix.
“Should Luci and Jordan feel you’re right for the position, and if it feels right for you, we hope you’ll take it. That would be your first option, no strings attached.”
Oka
y, so they were offering me a job. I couldn’t deny I needed one.
“And the second option?” Hope fluttered in my chest.
Master Parker regarded me for several seconds.
“Your second option would be to become our submissive,” he stated. “For how long is yet to be seen. And you would still have the opportunity to interview for the job, and should you be offered it, then our worlds would collide on more than a personal basis.”
“And that means…?” I knew there was more to it.
“As I’m sure you’ve figured out, Ben is my submissive. However, he’s a switch. We’ve known for quite some time that we were interested in a submissive we could both top. And our ideal submissive will be someone who’ll interact with us at home as well as in the office.” He waved his hand toward the door. “We work a significant number of hours every week for a company we’ve built from the ground up. It’s our livelihood; therefore, it’s where we spend the majority of our time. Which means it’s more than a job for us, so our submissive would be involved to some degree.
“When you meet Luci, you’ll get a better understanding of what I’m referring to. This is something she’s familiar with. She came to work for us at the end of last year. After months of playing with all four of us, she ended up falling in love with our partners.”
“Four. Of. You? She…played…?”
Holy shit. Was he serious? How in the world could one woman possibly handle four men, much less four…Doms?
“Yes. She’s now their submissive, exclusively. Should you be offered the job and choose to accept, there are some things you might witness within the office from time to time. They aren’t discreet, nor would we be should you accept our second proposition.”
“What if I chose to be your submissive but wasn’t offered the job?”
“Then we’ll handle it accordingly.”
“Like with a contract?” I suggested.
“If that’s what you need, sure.”
“I do,” I admitted. A contract offered structure. It made things clear. “I definitely do.”
“Then we can work on that.”
“And if I only want the job?”
“I’m not going to lie and say that we don’t hope something more might come of this. However, if that’s what you choose, we would respect your decision and become your employers and nothing more.”
Their Rebellious Submissive (Office Intrigue Book 3) Page 8