by Anthology
With a wry grin at her thought processes, she did her best to comply with the myriad of paper work, and was chewing over the long list of hard and soft limits, when Master Jake finally shouted his completion. She didn’t dare look up, not even when his polished boots appeared back in her vision, and his large hand landed on her shoulder.
“How are you doing there, little one?” Jacqui instinctively pulled back as he leaned in, and the flash of annoyance that crossed his features made her stomach turn over. She hastily dropped her gaze and resisted the sudden urge to shrug his hand off her shoulder. She got the distinct impression that wouldn’t be the best move right now. Sure enough his hold on her tightened, as he scanned over her limits.
“Hmm, you do surprise me. I wouldn’t have expected someone as new as my pet suggested you are to be quite so open to experimentation.”
Jacqui wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by that, so she chose to keep quiet. Looking over to Lauren proved no help, because she was back on her knees wearing a rather satisfied grin on her face.
She settled for watching Master Jake’s long index finger run along the list of her limits. Perhaps he was right to be surprised. Her only definite no, never in a million years, and thus underlined were, blood, knife, water play, and humiliation. He smiled when he tapped that one, because she’d underlined it three times just to be sure.
“I see you’re up for sexual contact, and would particularly like to experience impact play. You do surprise me.”
Jacqui squirmed on her seat as his full attention settled on her. Right now she knew what a bug felt like under a microscope. The desperate urge to look toward Lauren for reassurance took hold, but she didn’t dare move. Master Jake had her pinned in his stare as effectively as though he’d restrained her, and that thought made her insides clench in need.
“Why?” he asked after studying her for what felt like ages, but could have been only seconds. Who knew, though? Time seemed to have lost all meaning since she stepped through that door and into what felt like shark infested waters, and she hadn’t even set foot in the main play area yet.
Lauren had explained the set up on the way over, so Jacqui knew that on the other side of that door, through which the techno beat of heavy music could be heard, was an open area where most folks played. Upstairs were some rooms for those who preferred privacy, as well as a voyeur room, and Lauren fully expected to use it. Apparently Master Jake and she liked to be watched, while under the illusion of privacy.
“I expect an answer when I ask a question, young lady. You really do not want your first experience of impact play to be a punishment.”
That slightly amused voice held an edge of steel nonetheless, and she scrambled for an answer.
“Why not?”
Lauren and Mimi both gasped, and Jacqui swallowed hard when Master Jake crossed his arms over his chest and sat down on the edge of the table.
“I give you fair warning, and this is the only one you are going to get: A sub who answers a question with another question….well, my dear, that is the equivalent of a red flag to any Dom. If you’re serious about this, and my pet assured me you were, then I would strongly suggest you are honest in your responses. Otherwise there is no point in continuing this, and I will gladly call you a taxi to make sure you get home safely.”
“Sir, please—”
Master Jake held up a hand to stop whatever Lauren was going to say, and if that was possible his gaze intensified even more as he studied Jacqui.
Unable to hold his stare, she dropped her focus to his collarbone and murmured her response. “I’m sorry, Sir, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I don’t know what you want me to say to that.”
“The truth; that’s all.”
Jacqui barely suppressed a sigh. As if it was that simple. Clearly Lauren hadn’t told her Master that she had railroaded her into this, and if she told him that, then no doubt her friend would get into trouble. She didn’t want to be responsible for that. On the other hand, if she didn’t give him an answer, and she instinctively knew that he would be able to tell if she was lying, then she would be bundled into a taxi.
She didn’t want that either, because, now that she was here, she really wanted to experience this for herself. Jacqui was positively burning up with curiosity to see what went on behind that door, and she might never get another chance to do so if she backed out now.
As it happens Lauren saved her from making that decision.
“Sir, please forgive me, but this is my fault.”
Master Jake’s attention shifted from her to his sub, and Jacqui breathed a little easier.
“How so, pet? Did you drag your friend here against her will?”
Jacqui flinched at the icy undertones in those words, and she didn’t dare look up, not even when the door opened, and an all too familiar voice froze her in place.
“What the fuck?”
3
Lukas had to be seeing things, and he hadn’t even had a drop of alcohol yet. He never drank and played, and something told him he would need his wits about him tonight. Newbie night was always fraught when you were one of the monitors for the evening, and that was without the added complication of having been already assigned one of those newbies to baby sit.
A very familiar newbie, whose eyes widened in seeming shock when he couldn’t help but utter that exclamation the minute he walked through the door.
Seeing Jake’s subbie already in trouble, if his friend’s closed off expression was anything to go by, came as no real surprise. Lauren was as bratty as they came, something that Jake encouraged, as it gave him ample opportunity to think up inventive punishments that Lauren lapped up. It took a lot to get Jake’s sub out of her head at times, and considering what Jake had planned for her tonight…. Lukas smirked and cleared his head.
One long blink later confirmed what he already knew. The newbie dressed like any Dom’s wet dream and his responsibility for the evening was none other than his Miss Goody Two-shoes neighbor. The damn woman had been on his mind ever since their earlier encounter. Dressed in that hideous onesie, which had made his fingers itch with the need to strip it off her to see what she was hiding underneath, her face bare of any make-up and her hair in delightful disarray, her untutored responses to him had left him with a boner that he’d needed to take care of in the shower.
One that was making a rapid re-appearance seeing her curves barely contained in that sinful corset. Her shoulder length brown hair framed her flushed face, and she looked…rattled—delightfully so. The Dom in him roared, even as the rational side of him doubted what he was seeing.
“Ah, Lukas, just the man. This is the new sub I was talking about. She’s all yours just as soon as I get to the bottom of this latest scheme my pet seems to have concocted.”
Lukas opened his mouth to query that, but held his tongue when Jacqui tensed, and Lauren looked guilty. Something was going on here, so crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the wall to observe.
“By all means, carry on then. Hello there, little dove. I sure wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Somehow he managed to sound bored as he said that.
Jacqui’s reaction was all he could have hoped it to be, because she startled, blushed the most endearing shade of red, and the sheer panic in her blue eyes made his inner Dom grin. He did like to rattle his subs, and keep them guessing.
Jake frowned looking between him and her. He raised an eyebrow in query, and Lukas shrugged his shoulders, while tapping the large paddle in his hand against his thigh. Jacqui jumped anew and he did it again, just to see her reaction.
Interesting for sure, because she didn’t seem able to drag her gaze away from the movement of the oblong object, which meant Lukas had to cross the distance to the table to satisfy his curiosity. He picked up her limit list and scanned down it. Well, that explained it, for sure. Little Miss Goody Two-shoes had a naughty side it seemed. And thank fuck for that, because this close to her the subtle scent she’d chosen to
wear tonight wrapped itself around him. Fuck, he wanted her something bad, which meant he should probably take a step back and hand her over to someone else. However, the mere thought of any other Dom’s hands on the acres of creamy skin she was putting on show tonight made him want to punch something.
God only knew where that possessive streak had come from. Women like her usually made him run a mile. She was the type, who dreamt of happy ever after, and that was so not him. Still, she was here, looking for some adventure, it seemed, and he could certainly provide her with that.
“Lukas, do you know my pet’s friend?”
Jake’s question brought his attention back to him, and he schooled his expression into one of careful neutrality.
“We’ve met. She’s my neighbor.”
Lukas knew the minute the penny dropped, because amusement flared briefly in the older man’s eyes.
“That neighbor?”
Damn that Jake. He’s enjoying this far too much.
“Yeah, that one.” His grunted acknowledgment meant that he found himself at the receiving end of several wide-eyed female stares. Lauren, Mimi, and most importantly Jacqui were all looking at him as though he held the answers to the location of the freaking Holy Grail or something.
Mimi in particular narrowed her eyes, and he could almost see the wheels turning in her brain. To be fair, Mimi knew him better than most. They’d scened together more than once, and he liked her well enough, not least, because she never expected more than he’d been willing to give. Lukas had never wanted his own submissive, at least not until Jake had settled down with Lauren.
Jake gave a short laugh, which shook Lukas out of those maudlin thoughts. Really, though, what was wrong with him today? First the altercation with Rosalee, who wouldn’t take no for an answer—another reason why he should run the other way and not even entertain the idea of taking Jacqui under his wing—even if it was just for tonight. After all, Rosalee had been the last newbie he’d agreed to train, and the damn woman couldn’t accept that once training was over and done with, she wasn’t going to be collared by him. The mere thought made him break out in a cold sweat.
He sure as fuck didn’t want that commitment on his hands.
“Did you know about this?” Jake addressed a dumbstruck Lauren, and her blonde hair whipped around her face with the force of her denial.
“No, Sir I swear, I didn’t. I just meant to give her a shake-up, so I arranged this as a surprise. It’s her birthday, after all, and…” Her voice trailed off and she anxiously bit her lip, when Jake shook his head at her.
“I’m disappointed in you, pet. You told me this was all arranged and that your friend expressed an interest in being at the club. Were you lying to me?”
Lauren’s expressive eyes filled with tears. Lukas was half expecting her to deny the accusation, but she nodded instead.
“I’m sorry, Sir.”
Jake’s heavy sigh spoke volumes and Lukas pinched the bridge of his nose. This, right here, was why he didn’t do relationships.
“Why?” Jake asked and Lauren flinched.
“I don’t know. I should have told you, but I thought you might not agree to sponsor her had you known, and I guess, I thought she would say no, if I gave her an out, and I’m sorry.”
“I see. Too bad, you’ll never know if I would have agreed to it, will you now, Lauren?”
Lauren flinched at the use of her name, and Lukas shook his head. That woman would have one hell of a sore ass soon, and not in the good way. Jake was furious. The one thing that his friend couldn’t stand was a liar. After all, his ex-wife had done nothing but lied to him, and unwittingly Lauren had opened up a whole can of whoop ass on her head by her actions. What had the silly woman been thinking?
“I’m so sorry, Sir. I wasn’t thinking. Please punish me as you see fit.”
Jake took a step away from her, and shook his head.
“It is not just me you need to apologize to, is it?”
Lauren shook her head, and fixing her tearstained eyes on Lukas murmured another apology.
“I’m sorry Master Lukas. I didn’t know you were her neighbor, let alone that one.”
Jacqui gave a strangled groan, and looked to all intents and purposes as though she wanted the ground to swallow her whole, and he exchanged a glance with Jake. At his infinitesimal nod, Lukas stepped up to Lauren and grasped her chin to ensure she kept looking at him.
“What do you mean by that neighbor?”
“She means nothing. Jesus, let her go, will you. This is insane, I—” Jacqui’s words came to an abrupt stop when he let go of her friend and approached her.
“You what, little dove?” he asked, and she audibly swallowed when he slapped the paddle into his free hand. “If you’d like to explain why you’re here, then please do so.”
He grinned when she blushed, pulled her shoulders back, and then fixed her expressive eyes just below his collarbone. It confirmed his earlier suspicions. Little Miss Goody Two-shoes was a natural submissive, and that thought made his cock harden further.
“It’s true she jumped this on me as a surprise, but I wouldn’t have come, had I not…well, I…”
Lukas dropped the paddle to let it hang off his wrist, and grasping her chin with his free hand, nudged it up until she had no choice but to look at him.
“Had you not what, little dove?”
He gentled his hold on her when she started to tremble, and giving into the instinct to sample her soft flesh, he ran his thumb slowly over her plump lips. Her breathing sped up, and her mouth parted slightly under the insistent strokes of his digit.
“Had I not wanted to come here. It is my birthday, and I’ve always been curious about…well about…” She didn’t seem capable of continuing, and taking pity on her, he smiled.
“Happy birthday, little dove.”
She blinked, and pulled a shuddering breath into her lungs when he released her.
“So, let me guess, you would like a birthday spanking?”
Her gaze fell to the paddle dangling off his wrist and she swallowed. Nervous energy was pouring off of her in waves, but also excitement, and a healthy dose of worry for her friend, as confirmed by the glance she threw over to her. Jake had yanked his sub up to standing again, and had a firm grip on her hair, while talking to her quietly. Whatever he said to her reduced his sub to tears, and Jacqui wrung her hands in seeming agitation for her friend
“I…well, please, he’s not going to do anything nasty to Lauren, is he?” She delivered that question in such a quiet whisper, that Lukas had to lean in to hear her. It gave him a perfect view down her impressive cleavage and he swallowed a groan as his cock pressed painfully against his jeans. He’d have zipper marks along its length before the evening was out.
While Jacqui had clearly marked she was up for sexual contact, she was far too skittish for that to actually happen. Besides, he wouldn’t take advantage of her like that. If she consented to come home with him, however… He quickly squashed that thought before it could take hold. To get involved with her outside of the club would be a disaster in the making.
So, instead of giving into the instinct to lean in closer still and to claim those lips she was worrying with her teeth again, he stepped back, and shook his head.
“Depends what you would call nasty, little dove.”
A frown appeared between her eyebrows, and she startled when Lukas stroked that crease away with his thumb, as well she might. He didn’t seem capable of not touching her.
“He’s not going to hurt her, is he?” she asked, louder this time, and Jake turned his head to look over at them both.
Lukas shook his head at him to indicate he had this covered, and with a sharp nod in their direction Jake disappeared through the door, guiding Lauren along by her hair.
When Jacqui moved to go after them, Lukas grasped her by the shoulders to pull her back against him.
“No, let me go. This is my fault, damn it. I need to make sure she is okay.�
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“You need to do no such thing. Besides what would you do to stop him? Jake is a well-respected Master at this club. Lauren is his submissive. No-one is going to stop him from dishing out a punishment she has earned, unless she screams red, and he ignores her safe word, which he would never do.”
“But, you can’t be sure of that, and he looks so angry and… Umph.”
Lukas shut her up by the expedient method of clamping his hand over her mouth, and after a momentary struggle, his little dove relaxed into his hold. Interesting indeed.
“Good girl, that’s it. Relax, take a breath, and let those worries go for me.” Lukas automatically dropped his voice, while keeping a firm, yet gentle hold on her, and once her breathing slowed down in tune with his, released her.
Jacqui sat back down on the chair, and some of the panic had left her eyes when she looked up at him this time. She answered his smile with a tremulous one of her own, that made all his protective instincts scream at him. She ran her tongue over her lips in another nervous gesture that meant he had to reach down and adjust his dick. Her mouth fell open when she noticed, and she hastily wrenched her gaze away and up to his face. Not that she could bring herself to look at him, and he didn’t miss the way she clenched her thighs together.
Pressing his advantage, Lukas got down to his haunches in front of her and she jumped when he took her hands in his. “Let’s discuss what you’re really doing here. I still want to know what Lauren meant by that neighbor.”
He grinned at her reaction, and held fast when she tried to yank her hands out of his.
“I could ask what Master Jake meant by that comment too.”
The unexpected snark was rather delightful, and he threw his head back and laughed. It meant she finally looked at him, and eventually her lips twitched.
“I fail to see what’s so funny, and I’m still worried about Lauren. You didn’t answer my question if he’s going to hurt her.”