She leaned in to him and whispered, “What kind of sex club? Like a swingers’ club?”
He liked that she wasn’t horrified by the idea. In fact, Ella’s face flushed and her eyes widened in curiosity. Perfect. Also, not a surprise to him; he doubted he’d be so entranced with a woman who wasn’t matched for him in this regard. “Do you know what BDSM is?”
She hesitated, a flash of awareness crossing her features. “Bondage, submission, and such.”
“Yes, exactly.” He caressed her warm cheek, wondering over the interest in her gaze. Perhaps she’d been piecing it all together. Maybe now he made a lot more sense to her. “So, I ask you, Ella, if you were offered the chance to go to an exclusive club where people live out their darkest desires, would you be brave enough to do it? How far are you willing to go with your dare to yourself before you say no?”
She held his gaze. “I promised myself I wouldn’t say no.”
An opportunity presented itself to Kyler. He wouldn’t let it pass by him. Not with this woman. “Then dare yourself to come with me tonight. To stop doing silly things like ordering terrible food to gain new adventures. Do something that the old you would never have done.”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Put that way, how can I say no to such a challenge?”
He dropped his touch and firmed his voice. “That is not a good enough answer.”
Heat stole the twinkle in her eyes. He loved how she reacted to his verbal commands. Her cheeks flushed bright red and she squirmed against her seat before she controlled her reaction with a lift of her chin. When her foot connected with his leg under the table, he groaned, as she ran her bare toe up his calf. Her smile turned devilish. “Yes, Kyler, I’ll go with you tonight.”
A wicked burning coursed through his veins, settling like wildfire in his groin. His cock hardened, and his breath snagged under her sensual touches. Rising from his chair, he erased the distance. “I’m starting to believe, Ella”—he brushed his mouth across hers and dragged his lips over her cheek to whisper in her ear—“this challenge of yours is going to be fun.”
When he moved away, her breath was raspy, and her eyes were dark with desire. “I’m starting to believe you.”
Chapter Ten
Dusk had settled on the drive over to the club, bathing the sky in a soft orange hue. Sitting in the passenger seat of Kyler’s black Dodge Ram, Ella’s gaze locked on the Georgian-style mansion as he drove through an iron gate and up the cobblestone driveway.
Resting on a large lot and set back from the road, the grand house had red brick, with black shutters and white pillars. Trees and flowers decorated every square inch, and she stared at the house with excitement. Of all the places she’d been imagining as the location of a BDSM club, this certainly wasn’t it.
She turned to Kyler. “You’re kidding me. This is a sex club?”
“This is Club Sin.” The side of his mouth arched. “Impressive, isn’t it?”
“It’s beautiful.” Her gaze swept to the mansion, which had a five-car garage off to the side and a circular driveway out front, which also happened to be lined with cars. Apparently, the club was popular.
When Kyler stopped the truck next to a Toyota Corolla, a sense of relief washed over her. At least some of the people inside had middle-class incomes, and they weren’t all stinkin’ rich. No need to ramp up the fact that she was already uncomfortable.
She’d never been to a sex or BDSM club, or anything like it, in her life. Nor could she have imagined herself attending such a place. But Kyler hadn’t been wrong; doing something this crazy was exactly the type of adventure she’d been out to find. She was no prude; she loved sex, and naughty sex at that. Besides, her challenge had led her there.
So far, with her new challenge, fate hadn’t led her in a wrong direction. Life brought her to Club Sin. She would walk through those doors.
Simple.
Or so I hope.
Once Kyler cut the engine, he asked with a mischievous grin, “Ready?”
Ready to meet with Club Sin’s owner, Dmitri Pratt, was what she thought he meant. Kyler had already explained some of the inner workings of the club. How men sexually dominated women, and those women willingly submitted to their Doms. He told her about the privacy agreement and that she’d need to sign documentation to go into what he called a dungeon. Not that she worried about telling anyone—who did she have to tell? She suspected she’d have a hard time believing it herself, anyway. “Yep. Ready.”
He chuckled softly as he exited the truck. She drew in a long breath and followed him. Once he reached her side of the truck, he took her hand and led her toward the mansion. She couldn’t begin to wonder what would happen once she walked through the doors, because she had nothing to base it on.
Would women be wearing collars?
Did they wear leather?
Wasn’t that what people involved in BDSM did?
She took each step in curiosity and wonderment. Kyler had reassured her that she couldn’t take part, even if she wanted to, and that brought relief. No one will touch you or approach you in a sexual manner, he had told her. To sit and watch at a sex club wasn’t all that worrisome.
Taking part in it, that was another story.
When Kyler reached the dark hardwood front door, he opened it with no hesitation. Ella figured he had to come here often if he didn’t knock. But her thoughts stuttered the moment the door whisked open and she discovered two people she’d seen at the wedding.
Aidan’s best man and the woman she suspected was his girlfriend, since she’d seen them kissing, smiled at her. That point became moot when Ella fought against gawking. The woman was dressed in black lace lingerie with dark purple accents, and nothing else but shiny black heels.
“Hello, Ella,” the man with the crystal-blue eyes said. “I’m Dmitri Pratt.” He had a presence Ella had seen many times in lawyers. Proud and powerful. Though his gaze was gentle when he gestured to the woman. “This is Presley Flynn.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Ella’s smile felt awkward as she attempted not to look at the woman in her underwear.
Presley’s emerald eyes twinkled as she flicked her long blond locks that curled at the ends over her shoulder. “I’d hug you, but that might make you feel weird, since I’m not wearing any clothes. So, we’ll save the hugs for another day.”
The men laughed around her, as did Ella, and she replied, “True. Maybe a bit weird.”
Kyler squeezed her hand, and she noticed she had his hand in a death grip. Smiling at him, she loosened her fingers twined with his. As his woodsy scent dragged through her nostrils, his strong gaze held hers. The flicker of warmth in their depths settled her worries. He was there with her. For the oddest reason, that made her feel better.
Dmitri turned to Presley. “All right, doll, go down to the dungeon. I’ll join you shortly.”
Presley nodded at him before she smiled at Ella. “It’s great to have another woman around here. Testosterone oozes in this house. Come find me later, so we can talk a bit more.”
“Okay, I will. Thanks.” Ella didn’t know what it was about Presley that comforted her, but Ella had the feeling that it wouldn’t be so bad to get to know her. Presley seemed like one of those people you couldn’t help but love.
Though, now in the presence of two powerful men, she happened to agree with Presley. The more women the better, since the air seemed too thick with the men around. She watched as Presley headed down the long hallway, which led to a set of stairs she assumed went to the dungeon.
As Presley disappeared, Ella took in her surroundings. A huge balcony curved around the entire upper floor, leading to a grand wooden staircase. Geesh, Dmitri Pratt had to be a millionaire.
She leaned in to Kyler, and he wrapped an arm around her. She liked that Kyler wasn’t super-rich. That he had a job that put him in the same tax bracket as her. Not that she thought the wealthy were any different than her, but she was almost afraid to touch anything. Everything looked expe
nsive, from the art on the walls, to the decorative sculptures, to the fancy-looking carpet.
“Please follow me,” Dmitri said, heading down the hallway.
Fingers brushed against her jaw, lifting her chin. Kyler smiled. “Breathe, Ella.”
She forced the air from her lungs. “Sorry, this is—”
“Shocking, I know.” He tugged her forward. “I suspect you’ll only become more surprised as the night continues, so keep breathing.” He winked. “I don’t want you passing out on me.”
She chuckled away the nervous energy bouncing inside her. “Right. Breathing is probably a good thing.” Looking in front of her, she noticed Dmitri disappear into a room on the left.
When they followed him into an office, she noted a black leather couch and a wooden desk in front of a bookshelf. Dmitri motioned for Ella to sit on the couch before he turned to the desk, grasping a clipboard. “I assume Kyler told you about what you would be signing?”
Kyler dropped down onto the couch, all too casually.
Ella sat next to him, crossing her legs. “He explained that it’s a privacy agreement to ensure I don’t talk about Club Sin to others.”
Dmitri settled in front of her with a soft gaze. “That’s right.” He offered her the clipboard, which pushed his sleeve up his arm. “Take a good look over it. If anything is confusing, let me know and I can explain it to you.”
Ella stared at Dmitri’s arm, seeing the same dragon tattoo that Kyler had on his arm. What she thought was simply a sexy tattoo now made her wonder if it held meaning in this club.
Something to find out later.
She accepted the clipboard, seriously doubting that she’d be confused. She’d lived and breathed contracts since college. Once she settled the clipboard onto her lap, she read over the document for only a moment before she chuckled.
“Problem?” Kyler asked.
She looked up, and her cheeks warmed under the stare of two extremely manly men. “Aidan drafted this for you, didn’t he?”
Dmitri’s brows rose. “How do you know that?”
“It’s the wording.” She shrugged. “It sounds like him.” Months of reading his technique in how he worded documents now seemed natural. She knew he’d done it himself.
“I’m impressed you could tell that,” Dmitri said, folding his arms. “I’m beginning to understand why Aidan has you working for him—you are good with the details.” He smiled, then gestured to the document. “Please keep reading.”
Ella glanced down to the page and continued reading the standard privacy agreement. Knowing Aidan’s style so well, she skimmed over the page, trusting what was said. He never would have drafted a contract that wasn’t up to par, nor would he put it in front of anyone to sign if it wasn’t in good faith. She hadn’t realized how much she trusted Aidan, but she discovered she absolutely did.
Aidan was likely the closest thing to a friend she had in Vegas, but she really didn’t know much about him. He kept things strictly professional. As she reached the end of the document, Dmitri offered her a pen and she accepted it. Then, with a sudden awareness and putting two and two together, she wondered if Aidan belonged to the dungeon, too.
Did her boss engage in kinky sex?
She pressed the pen against the paper and nearly laughed, not wanting to picture it. She did have to look him in the eye again. Besides, Aidan was on his honeymoon, and that meant he wasn’t there. As long as he didn’t see her at the club, she didn’t care what he did.
What he did in his private life was his business.
She signed and dated the document, then offered the pen and clipboard to Dmitri. He tilted his head, his eyes searching hers. “You signed that awfully quick for a legal assistant.”
“Aidan drafted it,” she replied with a slight shrug. “I trust him, and I’ve read hundreds of privacy contracts. It’s all simple and standard wording, nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Well, then, I’m glad Aidan has given me a good contract,” Dmitri said with a genuine smile. “So, you understand, then, what happens in the club stays in the club?” At her nod, he added, “It goes the same way with you, Ella. No one will speak about you outside of the club. We take privacy very seriously here. All clear?”
“All clear,” she replied.
“Very well.” Dmitri returned to the desk. He put her contract in a folder and then placed it in a filing cabinet.
Yeah, no kidding, you take it all very seriously. You keep a filing cabinet for your kinky club! She restrained her smile.
Kyler rose and offered his hand. “All right, Ella, let’s see to that challenge of yours. I’m sure in a few moments, you’ll be wondering what in the hell you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“Oh, please, I think I can handle this.” She slid her hand into his, loving how he locked his fingers around hers. There was something so special in the way he held her hand. As if his arms wrapped around her and he’d never let her fall.
Dmitri chuckled as he headed to the doorway. “Ah, a brave woman, I see.” He glanced over his shoulder and winked. “Brave women do well at Club Sin, Ella. You’ll fit in just fine.”
She swallowed past her dry throat, as that seemed like a warning of sorts, as if he’d hold her to her bravery. Maybe she wasn’t as brave as she was putting on, but was people having sex that big of a deal? Since she’d become single, she’d watched pornography. Hell, she liked watching those naughty videos and getting herself off.
This couldn’t be much different than that.
Grasping her hand tight, Kyler led her down the hallway behind Dmitri and approached the basement steps. Her heart rate hammered in her ears as she followed, surrounded by stone walls leading to an iron door at the end of the hallway.
Dungeon, indeed.
She wondered if she should have a moment of fear, considering by all appearances they were bringing her into a basement that had an iron door, for cripes’ sake. But as she looked to Kyler’s back, she couldn’t find herself in the flight mode. Considering what had happened with Rory, she thought it odd she could trust him so easily, but it was the way he talked so openly and his overall persona; Kyler was an easy man to trust.
Plus, he was a cop and Aidan’s friend. That helped, too.
Dmitri opened the door, and the second he did, the sounds of pleasure mixed with screams that rang with something that sounded suspiciously like pain brushed Ella’s eardrums. An odd sense of excitement mixed with nervousness engulfed her.
This she had to see.
She entered Club Sin and the sensual noises further engulfed her, kicking up her heart rate to match the beat of the hard-rock song. She must have absentmindedly stopped walking, because Kyler tugged her forward. And she was only too glad that he held her hand, because she surely couldn’t look in the direction she was walking.
She scanned the dungeon, barely taking it all in. The large room was simple enough, with numerous black leather couches that had chandeliers over them. The space wasn’t entirely dark, but the lighting was low and intimate. Sconces hung against the stone walls, giving a soft, romantic glow.
The décor of the club held her focus for only a millisecond, as her gaze landed on a bench where a woman was placed over the top of it. Tied down with ropes on her wrists, legs, and back, she couldn’t move as a man used a black wooden paddle on her bottom.
Ella’s eyes widened and her face flushed. She’d heard of BDSM and the kinky lifestyle during college, so she wasn’t completely clueless to it all. Still, taking all this in was a mental adjustment that she had trouble processing.
When Kyler had told her he belonged to a BDSM club, it actually didn’t surprise her as much as she thought it ought to. In fact, it seemed to fill in the missing pieces that she couldn’t figure out about him. He did have the whole bossy thing going on, and being dominant suited him.
The spanking, his domineering nature, and the dirty talk … yeah, that’s so Kyler.
When he’d told her about Club Sin she had become
aroused, and that’s what led her there tonight. Had she ever imagined coming to a place like Club Sin? No. Could she see herself doing BDSM? Possibly. She was aroused by the idea of it, and that, along with her challenge, meant she needed to act.
Some things were so complicated. Other things were not.
As they strode farther into the dark club, she glanced from the wooden X with a women being flogged, to another woman suspended in the air by ropes. The woman on the X had red marks along her torso. The one suspended in the air was being penetrated by a tall, muscular man. Ella’s body temperature rose like she had a fever.
The sexual acts going on around her didn’t horrify her.
They revved her libido.
Images of her doing such wicked things, being tied up and spanked by Kyler, rushed into her mind, making her lower half achy. She shivered, squeezing her legs tight against her throbbing clit. Then she found herself plowing into a strong back. “Oh, shit.” She gasped.
Before she could tumble over, Kyler grasped her by the arms and chuckled. “A little stunned, are you?”
“It’s …” She blinked, seriously hating how red her face must look. “It’s a lot to take in at once.”
“It is.” He ran his hands down her arms, bringing heat. The twinkle in his eyes declared he enjoyed her ruffled state. He gestured to his left. “I’d like you to meet Porter and Kenzie, both members of Club Sin.”
Ella looked next to her, realizing they had stopped beside a couch. Dressed in a gray T-shirt and jeans, the man with the soft hazel eyes and stylish brown hair grinned at her, as did the strawberry-blond woman with the darker hazel eyes that held a bit of sass. Kenzie wore red lace lingerie, and that’s it. Ella began to feel like a woman seriously overdressed. “Oh, sorry. Hi, I’m Ella.”
“Nice to meet you, Ella,” Porter said with a low, smooth voice.
“You have that whole dazed look going on.” Kenzie smiled. “You must be new to the lifestyle?”
“Um, yes,” Ella replied.
Was she even new to the lifestyle? Hell, she wasn’t sure what she was with it, other than she was there in the club. She glanced to Kyler with raised brows, wondering what to say next.
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