by Mari Carr
She glanced up at his silence, studying his face closely. Sometimes he got the sense Bella could see beneath the façade he showed others.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “That was an incredibly personal question. Forget it.”
She was letting him off the hook. Was it because she didn’t want to know the answer? Or because she already did?
If only she really knew what kind of control he hoped to wield over her.
“Where do you think you fall in this world? Dom or sub?” Ned knew the answer, but he wondered if Bella did.
She shrugged casually. “I don’t think I’m either.”
“I see.”
“Like I said at happy hour, my past experiences have been pretty boring compared to what goes on here. Pretty straightforward sex.”
“Vanilla.”
“Yeah. Lame.”
The sadness in her tone as she revealed more and more of herself shook him to the core. His determination to claim her pounded through his veins. “It’s time for you to learn who you are in the bedroom, Bella. Here. Tonight.”
Bella didn’t accept his offer outright. Ned wasn’t even sure she realized it was one. Instead she looked around the room, scrutinizing everything going on. “I think I’d like to see what goes on in a club like this. I sort of hate being…” She seemed to search for the word.
“Disappointed?” he asked.
“I was going to say bored with sex, but your word fits better. I’ve been thinking lately that maybe I’m the one to blame for my lackluster sex life.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I keep blaming the guys, but it all boils down to something else. I’m the common denominator in all my affairs. I mean…what if I’m just really bad at sex?” She added a soft laugh to the end of her question, attempting to minimize it, to act as if it wasn’t a genuine concern. Ned knew better.
He struggled for control, fought against the urge to push her against the nearest wall and prove to her exactly how wrong she was. “Perhaps it’s time to put that misapprehension to rest.”
Her eyes crinkled when she smiled, a mischievous gleam appearing as she glanced back toward the dance floor. “You might be right. Maybe it’s time to try something a little wilder. And it certainly looks like there are plenty of available men around here willing to indulge me.”
He was pleased by her sudden enthusiasm, not bothering to correct her false impression of how this evening would end. He’d kill any man besides Justin who tried to touch her. She was beautiful and she was going to be his.
“Then we’ll work on expanding your horizons tonight. Why don’t we start simple? Dominant. Submissive. I suspect you have a preference even if you don’t realize what it is right now. Should we test it?”
She didn’t reply at first. He could tell she was tempted, but Bella was his employee. The wheels in her brain were working overtime to figure out if she should answer such a personal question. No doubt she would consider opening up to her boss, telling him so many secrets about herself, foolish and dangerous. Plus her inexperience in this realm was becoming more and more apparent. It could make it difficult for her to accept just how wild and wicked he and Justin hoped to make her tonight.
And every night after.
“How can you test something like that?”
“Unbutton your blouse.”
“What?”
With a dark look, he let her know her question displeased him. Ned had no intention of shielding her from exactly who he was. What he would expect from her. “I don’t ask twice, Bella. Unbutton your blouse.”
She stood motionless. He didn’t pressure her to move faster. She needed time to process exactly what was going on, what was about to happen.
When her fingers began unfastening her buttons, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven.
Justin was standing near the bar, chatting casually with Missy and Tim, but Ned wasn’t fooled for a minute. His partner was watching every single moment of this interlude with Bella.
Once she’d finished unfastening her blouse, she held the material shut in front of her and looked at him with flaming cheeks and heavy eyelids. She was embarrassed. And aroused.
“Open it. Let me see those pretty tits of yours.”
She wanted to refuse, he could see it in her face.
He narrowed his eyes and shook his head, warning her not to say no.
She responded to the look, pulling her blouse apart, letting him look his fill at her lacy black bra and the way it showcased her beautiful breasts. He was going to spend hours tonight playing with those. “Perfect,” he whispered.
She closed her eyes, seeming to recall she was standing in the middle of a public place with her shirt open. She hastily pulled the silk together once more.
Ned reached over and fastened one button. Just one. In the middle. “Leave it like that.”
“But—”
“Just like that, Bella.”
Justin and the others approached them once more. “Should we venture on? It sounds like Missy and Tim would be interested in visiting the Whipping Post.”
Unlike Bella, Missy was certainly not innocent. And Ned would bet a million dollars she wasn’t the submissive in her relationship with Tim. Ned had little doubt which of Bella’s friends would be feeling the end of a whip tonight and who would be administering the blows.
He also noticed that Bella winced at the name of the room. Good. Neither he nor Justin was into extreme pain. While they weren’t averse to a spanking—Justin especially liked that act—whips and chains didn’t interest them much. If Bella wanted it, they would give it to her, but he was glad to see they seemed to be well suited as far as that particular kink was concerned. It was just another clue that proved how perfect Bella was for them.
Ned suspected Justin would enjoy rubbing in that he was right about this for a very long time. However, Ned was too happy to care. His friend deserved the bragging rights.
He reclaimed her hand as Justin led the way deeper into the club. When they entered the room, Bella hesitated by the door. The scene being enacted on center stage was particularly powerful. A Dominatrix had her sub strapped to a St. Andrew’s cross and she was using a bullwhip on him. His bare back was covered in lines, vivid red welts rising under the bright spotlights.
Bella froze. Ned wrapped a protective arm around her. Justin, also noticing her unease, said something to Missy and Tim. Missy waved to Bella, walking farther into the room with her new beau.
“Do you and Missy need to plan a place to meet up later?” Ned asked.
Bella shook her head. “We already figured that out. She and Tim are going to take a cab back to his place when they’re finished here, so I’ll just drive myself home after the tour.”
Ned was pleased to learn they had Bella all to themselves for the entire evening.
Justin joined them. “Your friends want to stay in this room. The Dominatrix onstage offers lessons after the performance. Missy was very interested in learning.”
Bella shrugged. “I told you she was the wild one.”
Ned studied her face. “I don’t know about that. You didn’t hesitate to unbutton your blouse for me.”
“By the way, you owe me a peek.” Justin gestured for her to open her shirt. Bella didn’t resist, though her eyes were definitely troubled. While he and Justin had come here tonight with an agenda, poor Bella was blindsided. At some point, they’d have to fill her in on all of their intentions.
However, they agreed their unusual proposal might come easier after they’d shown her exactly why this relationship would work. Actions spoke louder than words.
They would teach her everything, open her eyes to a whole new world. While she may be innocent in the ways of BDSM, there was a streak of adventure and a healthy dose of courage inside her. After all, she’d left the security of her hometown to move half a country away to a new city—one known for sin—to accept their job offer.
She’d come to this sex clu
b tonight with very little knowledge of what to expect. She was also beginning to respond more quickly to their commands, her movements telling Ned that while her mind may not be onboard just yet, her body longed for the pleasure he and Justin could introduce her to.
Justin tucked a finger under her chin. “Look at me, Bells.”
She gazed up at him.
“You’re gorgeous.”
She smiled at the compliment. “So are you.”
“Should we get out of this room?” Ned suggested.
Bella took one last look toward the stage. “I can’t believe Missy actually finds this hot. It looks and sounds painful.”
Justin refastened the same button on her shirt, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Some pain is good. Maybe you’ll let us show you that tonight.”
“Us?” she murmured.
Ned shook his head covertly, so Justin didn’t reply to her question. Just left it hovering in the air, unanswered.
She’d discover the truth soon enough.
Chapter Five
Justin led them to the Voyeurs room, anxious to get the evening started. Ned had warned him they needed to take things slowly, but proceeding with caution had never been Justin’s style. When he saw something he wanted, he went for it. The restraint he’d shown the past six months as he’d tiptoed around his newfound attraction for Bella had taken a toll.
Now that they’d laid out a game plan and decided on a course, Justin was all systems go.
Ned was worried about Bella’s conservative upbringing, her sexual inexperience and her need to obey society’s strictures. Entering a Dominant/submissive ménage a trois with her bosses would certainly test every single one of those limits and then some.
Even so, Justin knew they could make this relationship work. And now that they were all here together, there was no way he could hold back his enthusiasm.
The Voyeurs room appeared to be more Bella’s speed. It was a large, dark auditorium with tables and chairs scattered around a stage. Because it was so dimly lit, it encouraged people to not only enjoy the show, but to play in relative privacy as well.
Justin pulled out a chair for Bella, who thanked him as she sat. She was more subdued than usual. The two of them were both rather loud people, who loved to tell stories, drink a little too much and laugh often. Tonight she seemed to be struggling to find her sea legs. He could only imagine what she was thinking. He had to give her credit. For a small-town girl, she was holding her own in a hardcore New Orleans sex club.
Justin suspected she had no idea how lovely she was with her shirt only loosely held together by a single button, her long brown hair hanging down, wavy over her shoulders. He longed to press a kiss to her slim neck, then nibble his way down to her gorgeous tits. He’d only had a peek, but it was enough to make him long for a better view and hours to pay them the attention they deserved.
Instead, he resisted the impulse and claimed the chair to her left, while Ned took the one to her right. They both moved their seats closer to hers.
She looked at Justin, then Ned, acknowledging she was surrounded, caged in. “Okay. I give. What’s going on?”
Justin took a strand of her hair in his hand, enjoying the soft texture of it, the sweet scent of strawberries assaulting his senses. The smell was so Bella. It reminded him of long summer days filled with sunshine and picnics. “We’re playing, Bells. Getting into the spirit of the club. Going with the flow.”
“I thought tonight was just going to be a tour.”
Ned ran his finger along the top of Bella’s open shirt, letting his finger slip lower, stroking her cleavage. “Consider it the grand tour, complete with demonstrations.”
“Demonstrations?”
Justin playfully tugged on her hair. “We want it all, Bells.”
She blinked rapidly, trying to digest what they were saying. Then practical Bella made it to shore. “We?”
“You, me, Ned. A bedroom. A few thousand sex acts—some of them illegal in various states.”
Ned rolled his eyes at Justin’s attempt to lighten the request, but Justin forged on. “You can’t deny you want that too, can you?”
Bella didn’t reply immediately. Instead, a crease formed in her brow as she contemplated his offer. In the end, common sense reigned supreme. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I’m pretty sure kinky threesome sex with your bosses ranks right up there as number one on the no-nos for workplace behavior.”
Ned chuckled. “I’m sure it does. But we’re not stopping.”
She frowned at Ned’s easy dismissal of her concern. “Do you two do this often?”
Justin understood the seriousness of her question, but he tried to make light of it. “Seduce employees?”
She bit her lower lip nervously and Justin cursed his wayward tongue. She was obviously terrified about losing her job and that concern was real. While he and Ned knew their intentions were good, in Bella’s mind, she was risking her livelihood, her “dream job,” as she called it.
“No, Bells. We don’t seduce our employees. Ever.” Justin wanted to stress that to her, didn’t want her to think this was just a game they played.
“But you’ve shared women before?”
Justin wouldn’t lie to convince her to stay with them. “We have. Quite often.” However, while he and Ned had participated in threesome sex, that wasn’t all they wanted from Bella. “But it will be different with you.”
She gave him a smirk. “Yeah, right. I bet you say that to all the girls.”
Ned leaned forward. “No. We don’t.”
Bella swallowed heavily, clearly sorry. “I didn’t mean to insinuate that you were playing me.”
Ned didn’t give way. “You weren’t insinuating that at all. You said it very directly.”
“You’re right. I did. I’m sorry. You guys are kind of throwing me for a loop here. If this has something to do with me insulting you at the bar last week…”
Justin laughed. “You did throw down a challenge, Bells.”
She narrowed her eyes, however, he continued speaking, “But that’s not why we’re here tonight.”
They’d come here to capture Bella’s heart, to convince her they wanted a shot at a lifetime with her. Her inexperience with threesomes and BDSM didn’t change that fact at all. If anything, it made tonight even more special. They would be her firsts. Her only. Justin looked at Ned and knew his friend felt the same way. Ned gave him a subtle nod.
“What are you offering?”
Justin ran his finger along her cheek. “We want the chance to prove to you that not all guys are narcissistic bastards. We want to show you what it means to be the center of someone’s universe.”
She laughed, though Justin suspected it was forced. They’d knocked Bella for a loop and she was struggling to keep up. “So break it down for me. I’m full position?”
Justin rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Really? You want to make this about marketing?”
She shrugged. “I’m way out of my element right now. You’ve gotta give me something I can understand.”
Justin ran his hand through her hair. “Fine. Yeah. You’re in prime position. The top dog of all ads. Our eyes are only on you.”
“Why?” she asked.
Ned reached for Bella’s hand. “Because we want you. Badly.”
Justin leaned closer, pressing his lips against Bella’s cheek. “And you want us. It’s in your eyes every time you’ve looked at us this week. Let’s explore that. Give ourselves the chance to indulge in every wicked fantasy the three of us have ever had.”
Temptation was rife in her expression. “You might be surprised how many fantasies I’ve had about this. I’m not sure we could scratch the surface in one night.”
Justin was thrilled by her bravery, her spunk. She’d been tossed off-balance by the newness of the club, their touches, their unusual request, but the real Bella was finally starting to reappear. “I like the sound of that. I don’t see anything wrong with
taking as much time as we need.”
“Oh, no.” Bella shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said that. The truth is I’m not sure even one night is a good idea, but my brain sort of deserted me at the front door. I want what you’re suggesting.”
Justin’s cock twitched, thickened. Christ. How would he be able to control his baser desires enough to be gentle with her? “I’m only going to ask this one time, Bells. Are you sure you want to do this? Because you have to understand, we don’t take turns, hopping in and out of the bed. We’ll both be there with you…the whole time. Mostly at the same time.”
Her expression was clear of doubt, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “If you think that’s going to scare me away, it’s not. I’ve never been surer of anything. But no more than this one night. A whole evening of the wickedest fantasies the French Quarter has ever seen. Then tomorrow, we walk away. No strings attached.”
“No.” Ned started to argue, but Bella held her hand up to stop him.
“Please. Just give me tonight. And then it goes in the vault. We take a vow of silence and come Monday, it’ll be business as usual. Okay? It’s the only way I’ll agree to this.”
Ned scowled and Justin found it difficult to lie. This wasn’t going to end tonight.
Their silence must have drifted on too long because Bella started to stand. “Maybe I should leave. Go home now.”
Damn woman had them over a barrel.
“Fine,” Justin blurted. “One night. Every fantasy we can squeeze in. But we’re reserving the right to try to change your mind.”
She laughed. “You can try. But I won’t.”
Ned clearly wasn’t happy with the bargain they’d struck. “I don’t agree.”
Bella glanced at Ned, confusion and surprise in her features. “I don’t understand. I’ve never known either of you to embark on long-term affairs.”
“You’re not a stranger, Bella. You’re our friend. We care about you. You deserve a hell of a lot more than a one-night stand.”