by Livia Grant
Dani pushed on a smile, smoothed her skirt, and walked into the crowd. She’d seen a bar. A drink sounded good.
The crowd milled around the lounge, making her squeeze past people and apologize to several for stepping on a toe or hitting an elbow. Finally, she made it to the bar. The entire club played the Black Light portion of their name to a T, right up to the black light used on the membership cards to illuminate the hidden writing and with the lighting inside the club.
“Hi, what can I get you?” a pretty woman with her hair strung up in pigtails asked.
“White wine. Anything is fine.” Realizing she’d left her wallet in her cubby, Dani held her hand up to stop the bartender from pouring, only to have it yanked down and used to spin her around.
“What the fuck?” she yelled at her attacker.
Gray. An intensely angry Gray glared at her. She’d seen him irritated before. Hell, most of what she did irritated him, but his previous disapproval didn’t hold a candle to any of that.
“Exactly what the fuck are you doing here, Dani?” He didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t need to. His tone sent a chill down her spine all the same.
“Probably the same as you.” She yanked her arm out of his grip. Behind him, she found Scott, his arms folded over his broad chest, a crooked smile on his face.
“I thought we talked about this. Maybe I didn’t make myself clear.” Gray stepped closer to her.
“You did. You said you didn’t like when I went to clubs alone.” She remembered vividly the little vein in the side of his neck throbbing during the discussion. She also recalled her urge to lick the pulsating spot. After the jolt she got from the thought, she hadn’t heard much else he might have said.
“It’s like you’re hell-bent on finding trouble for yourself.”
“I’m an adult, Gray. I can play wherever and with whomever I want.” God, he made her sound like some naughty kid!
The bartender slid her wine toward her on the bar and announced the amount due.
Dani looked up at Gray. “Buy a lady a drink?”
Gray’s eyes darkened.
“No? Fine, I can get it,” Dani said.
“No.” Gray pulled his wallet from his pocket and took care of the bill. “You’re playing with a stranger, in a strange place, and you’re drinking.”
Dani narrowed her eyes at Scott. “Are you enjoying yourself over there?”
Scott stepped up, pulling Gray back a step. “She’s right. She’s an adult, and she can play wherever. This is probably the safest dungeon she’s played at. Leave it be.” Scott slapped a hand on Gray’s shoulder and ordered a soda.
“You’re not my father, Gray,” she said, unable to meet his gaze. Both men were attractive by anyone’s standards. Ex-military, they both kept to their PT routines, and their bodies showed it. But something about Gray made him different. With Scott, she felt a friendship, a sisterly bond. But with Gray, especially when he appeared ready to bend her over and spank her, all the wrong parts of her body tingled. Why couldn’t she feel the same sisterly affection for him as she did Scott? It would make it much easier on her to be dismissed by him so damn often.
Gray scrubbed his hand over his face the way he always did when she pissed him off. And anything having to do with her finding a playmate or a romantic involvement pissed him off.
“Fine.” His dark eyes snapped to meet hers. “I won’t haul your ass out of here on one condition.”
“I wouldn’t let you haul my ass anywhere, but okay, what’s your little rule?” She sipped her wine, only to lose the glass to Gray who put it on the bar.
“If either Scott or I roll your name, you accept a punishment—a real punishment from me.”
Her heart nearly stopped. He couldn’t be serious.
“What? Why?”
“Because you went behind our backs to apply for this game. Because you keep diving into things without looking first. Because I’ve wanted to tan that ass of yours for a long time.” If his pupils weren’t dilating as he spoke, she might have actually believed he was that pissed at her.
“If Scott rolls me, and it’s not likely either of you will, why wouldn’t he get the honors?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Scott poked his head between them. “Because, sweet girl, he’s wanted to get his hands on you for years. Maybe he’s finally starting to realize the distance he tries to put between you isn’t working.” He slapped Gray’s shoulder.
“He’s crazy,” Dani huffed, searching Gray’s expression for a hint of truth. He remained focused on glaring at her.
“If either of us rolls your name, you’ll take a dozen with my belt before playtime.”
She forced a laugh. The situation was getting a little too surreal even for her. “Okay, fine.”
“Shit.” Scott put his drink down. “I think I see my partner,” he hissed. “What the hell is she doing here?” His tone, a mixture of authority and irritation, sounded a bit familiar, but she didn’t comment on it. Mostly because Scott had already dashed off into the crowd. Dani recognized Sophie, the newest detective Scott had been paired with recently, and understood the tone. She made a mental note to give him hell later.
“Grayson!” A woman six inches taller than Dani wormed her way between them, placing her hand on his arm. “I was hoping you’d be playing tonight. You are playing, right?” she asked, throwing her bottle-blonde hair over her shoulder, nearly hitting Dani with it.
Dani, not unused to women fawning over Gray, rolled her eyes and took the opportunity to grab her wine and down the glass.
“I am playing,” he said. Dani recognized the casual grin he donned when they ran into clients of his financial firm at a restaurant. He wasn’t in his suit and tie now, though. He had dressed the part for the evening: a pair of jeans that hugged him in the exact right places and a dark-blue button-down shirt. His sleeves rolled to the elbow displayed the USMC tattoo she’d inked on his forearm last summer.
He’d sat in her chair for three hours on two separate sessions to get the tribute finished. The initials ran from his elbow to wrist with a sword weaving in and out of the letters. He’d also had the names of the fallen soldiers from his team written into the blade. Her brother’s was the first listed.
“Me, too. I think Chase is about to start the announcements! Hope to see you up there!” The blonde wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug he did not return before scurrying off into the crowd.
“You have a fan.” Dani smiled up at him.
He raised his eyebrows and pointed at her empty glass. “That’s an extra three. Now you’re looking at fifteen lashes.”
Dani rolled her eyes and laughed. “Sure, Gray. Anything you say. C’mon. Scott’s over there. I want to be ready when my name is called, so I can meet my top for the night.”
He didn’t say a word to her as they joined Scott on the edge of the gathered players. “Find your partner?” Dani asked.
Scott nodded and pointed to the petite redhead in front of him. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and his eyes were almost as dark as Gray’s could get.
What was with these guys not wanting women having as much fun as they did at the clubs?
“This was a bad idea.” The redhead took a step to the side. The woman standing beside her scowled at being bumped into. “I have to go. I don’t think I can do this.”
Scott reached out to her but it was too late. She crumpled to the floor at Scott’s feet. He was quick to react, getting on his knees and backing everyone off. Between his military and police training, he had plenty of medic experience, but he didn’t push off the dungeon monitors when they made their way through the crowd.
“She fainted.” Scott stated the obvious.
While Scott leaned over her, the redhead’s eyelids fluttered, and she took in a deep breath.
“Let’s get her to the play recovery room. She can lay down there and we can make sure she’s really okay,” a dungeon team member said.
Scott nodded and
scooped her up. Once on his feet, he gave Dani and Gray a nod. “I’m out.”
“Sure thing.”
“Take care of her.” Scott gestured to Dani.
“I’ll take care of me. You just take care of her.” Dani pointed at his somewhat-roused partner leaning against his chest.
“Oh, I plan to,” he stated with a dark cast to his expression and walked off with her in his arms.
Once the crowd settled back into the groove of the night, Chase and Emma wrapped up their announcements and began explaining the rules for the evening. They all then watched as the M/m, F/f and F/m couples were called up to roll for their submissives first.
Then Chase called for all of the other participating Dom’s to join him.
Gray stepped closer to Dani. The nerves in her stomach settled when she got a whiff of his aftershave, musk and spice.
“Behave yourself over here.” Gray gave her a stern look, squeezed her hand and headed on stage, joining the other doms waiting to role for their sub.
A thought struck her.
He was going to be playing with another woman tonight, and she would see it. She would get to see how much more dominant he could be, and it wouldn’t be with her.
She imagined that blonde beneath his hand, or his whip, or his belt and it made her skin too tight. Dani had known the guys would be there, been aware she’d probably see them playing. The idea of watching Scott didn’t cause turmoil in her stomach like when she pictured Gray.
Chase called the first dom up for his spin and then a second couple was chosen.
Teasing him was all fun and games until she found herself thinking of him with another woman. Why did that image twist her guts into such a damn knot? It was Grayson. Gray. A friend.
A third dom was called. What number had Gray drawn? When was his roll? She glanced up at the stage to find him glaring at her while the submissive who had been called spun for the activity of the night.
Once that couple moved off to the side, Chase called out for the next dom.
Would Gray get in the way of her playtime with whoever rolled her? As cute as his irritation may be, she didn’t want to ruin the night for anyone––herself included.
“Grayson!” Chase called, catching Dani’s full attention.
The odds were too large to even entertain her name would get called. That little ball wouldn’t land on her name. It just wouldn’t. As he dropped it, she swallowed the nervous giggle threatening to escape.
The ball clanked from one slot to the next to the next until it didn’t make any sound. She focused on Gray.
“Sophie47!” Chase announced. A whoosh of air filled Dani’s lungs.
Gray leaned over and spoke to Chase while the crowd murmured and starting to look around for Sophie47.
“I’m sorry,” Chase said. “It seems Sophie had a medical emergency and won’t be playing with us this evening. Gray will spin again.”
Dani dug her nails into her palms. Wanting it to be him and the panic that it could be him warred within her. It wouldn’t happen. Not like this. Her first time with Gray couldn’t be when he was so dead set against it.
Huh. As if she’d ever have a first time with Gray. She really needed a reality check, and now she’d have one. She would see him play with some other girl and wish it were herself the entire time.
What a disaster this night was going to be.
The ball finally settled, and she kept her eyes glued on Gray.
The edges of his lips curled up in the wickedest grin she could remember seeing.
“Dani!” Chase called out into the microphone.
“No!” the blonde from earlier cried out somewhere behind her.
Dani didn’t bother with her. She couldn’t. Her eyes were locked on Gray’s, who looked like he’d just been handed the keys to Scrooge McDuck’s money pool. It wasn’t possible. No fucking way. Too convenient after all the threats he’d just been making.
She made her way onto the stage, noting his fingers rubbing together at his sides. He was itching to get that belt off.
“Did you do this on purpose?” she demanded of him as she got closer.
“How the hell would I do this?” he asked, half laughing.
Emma’s brows furrowed. “Everything okay?”
“Yep. Perfect.” Gray grinned. “Go on, Dani, spin.” He took the ball from Chase and handed it to her. “Spin for our activity, well, our second activity.” And then he winked! The bastard had the gall to wink at her. Didn’t he have a clue what sort of cyclone was spinning in her stomach?
Taking the ball from him, she pinched her lips together and held it over the spinning roulette wheel. How the hell had she gotten herself into this mess? She dropped the ball. Right. She wanted to have some fun, play with someone safe, and maybe actually meet a guy worth meeting.
The ball jumped from one slot to the next as the wheel slowed.
No. She’d wanted to be at the same party as Gray. At least she could admit that to herself. She wanted him to see her with someone else. She wanted him to know what it felt like to get a sour twist in his stomach the way she did when she heard him talk about his exploits.
Two more clanks of the ball.
She’d wanted him to get jealous. It hadn’t dawned on her she’d be paired with him. The odds weren’t favorable. Never in her favor.
Clank.
She’d lost her parents.
Clank.
Then her brother.
Clank.
Why would she think the man she’d been crushing on for the past five years would pick her to play at the Roulette game?
Clank
No evidence would suggest that could happen for her!
“Pain play!”
Chapter 3
Dani stiffened beside Gray; he could sense her apprehension. She’d put a brave face on, though. She always did. It wouldn’t matter, though. He’d learned to read her years ago. He knew every mannerism, every fake tone, every block she would put up to keep her fear hidden inside.
“Pain play,” she muttered beside him, as though she were trying out the phrase, chewing on it a bit to see if she liked the flavor.
“Here are the limits for Dani.” Chase handed Gray a piece of paper. Although Gray knew almost everything there was to know about the girl standing beside him, he didn’t know much in the way of her limits. It wasn’t something they openly discussed.
Gray found out that she had interest in the BDSM scene when he caught her coming out of a nightclub two years ago. It was an underground playroom, one he knew to stay clear of, but, apparently, she hadn’t. He’d hauled her ass home to her apartment and lectured her on safety, but he doubted she’d heard a word he said. Her face had been beet red, her fingers so twisted together he’d wondered if she had feeling in them the next day. After he finished, she blew him off, reminding him she was an adult who would do what she wanted and he had no way of stopping her.
And she had been right. He couldn’t stop her. No matter how fucking much he wanted to put an end to her trips to dungeons on her own. She was Sammy’s little sister for fuck’s sake. He’d known her all through her high school years while her brother was stationed with him and Scott. He’d watched her grow from a teen to a woman. He’d made promises, guaranteed Sammy he would watch out for her, make sure she was safe should anything happen to him while deployed. And then something happened. He didn’t come home. And he and Scott had stepped in.
But she was twenty then. An adult by any government standards. She’d moved off base, and used the insurance money to get herself settled outside the city limits. He and Scott kept tabs, inserted themselves into her life, made sure she knew she still had family.
“Just step to the side there with the other couples, and we’ll finish getting everyone paired up,” Chase directed them.
“Just tell him you’re like my brother. He’ll let you roll again,” Dani said as she walked towards the edge of the stage, and he followed.
He could. If he ex
plained the situation, Chase would probably let him roll for someone else. Gray glanced over his shoulder at the roulette wheel and then at the crowd. Rolling for another player would effectively slam the door between them. And maybe he’d never get another shot. Maybe this was their only chance.
“No.” He shook his head.
“Gray—”
He leaned closer to her ear, inhaling the soft scent of her body wash. “I said no. You wanted to play tonight, so we’re going to play.”
Her eyes widened, but she kept her mouth shut.
“Unless you really want to play with someone else tonight?” He let her go and gestured to the roulette wheels. She could wait to be spun again, get another guy to top her for the night, but that’s all they’d be—someone to play with. The guy Dani was searching for, the long-term Dominant, the guy who knew her inside and out, who could handle her bullshit and call her on her crap, that man stood right in front of her. She just needed a little help to see the truth of it. And he needed to take a breath before he started professing undying devotion to his buddy’s kid sister.
He’d waited this long to get a chance. Rushing it would ruin everything, and he couldn’t risk fucking this up.
He searched her eyes for something telling him she didn’t want this. That maybe she really did just see him as a friend, a big brother to replace the one she’d lost.
“No, fine. This is fine.” She moved a step away from him, and he took the opportunity to get a good look at her. He’d been too irritated at finding her at the bar to take inventory of her outfit, but now they had time. Three hours, in fact, and he wasn’t about to waste a single second of it.
She wore a leather vest; he’d seen it before. Bright-colored tattoos covered both her arms, several over her chest as well. None dipped below her neckline, though. As far as he knew, her breasts were a clean canvas.
How many times had he imagined her naked breasts, turning light pink, then darker, then pure crimson beneath a flogger?
Too many.