Someone had given it to her as a present, but she hadn’t been comfortable enough to wear it. Unease still skated up her spine as she tugged it on, settling the cashmere material in place. She was tired of hiding. It wasn’t a huge step; she wasn’t parading down Main Street bare-chested with a sign that said, “Yep, I bought ’em. The real ones tried to kill me.” But it was a step. One she couldn’t have taken two weeks before.
She put on a tiny bit of makeup in the bathroom. Some eyeliner and lip gloss. Then she wrapped her hair up in a chignon. A style she’d loved but had avoided due to her increasing need to hide. She adored her long hair, but she knew she’d been hiding in it.
Her watch lay on the counter and she slipped it over her wrist, noticing she didn’t have much time before Kyle came to get her.
“Haleigh, we’re going out with the—” Her mother stood in the doorway, staring at her. She lingered on her hair in the mirror then focused on her bare left shoulder. The sweater hung midway along her bicep, showing two scars above the cami.
Haleigh fought the urge to cover them, fisting her hands by her sides. She faced her mother, letting her get a good look.
“Do you have a date?”
The incredulousness soaking her mother’s words made her laugh. Amazingly, it didn’t hurt so badly. “Yes.”
“Anyone we know?” she asked skeptically. As if she might be dating an alien.
“Actually, you do. It’s Kyle Muse. Remember him from high school?”
Her mother’s nose lifted into the air and she sniffed haughtily. “I heard he wasn’t someone you need to associate with. He disappeared for years, doing God knows what. I also heard he’s…”
She waited until her mom choked on the word.
Haleigh brushed past her and went into her closet again. She tucked her feet into sparkly silver high heels and slipped dangly pearl earrings in. She glanced in the mirror one more time, catching her mother’s reflection in the glass. She stood in the doorway, like a fish out of water. Her gaze darted from the mirror to her bare shoulder.
“But he’s…”
“What, gay? Don’t worry, Mother. It turns out he isn’t completely gay. Who knew?”
“Watch your tone of voice with me, and how do you know he’s not… What have you done?”
You could practically see the angry hamster in her cage running a mini marathon as she added things up.
Haleigh stepped out into the hall and headed down the stairs. Her mother nipped at her heels like a terrier. Sounded about like one, too.
“Don’t go sullying yourself with the likes of men like him. After your next surgery, everything will be back to norma—”
Haleigh halted in the middle of the stairs. Her mother barely stopped in enough time to keep from bowling both of them over. She peered up at her, wondering why she’d tried to make her happy for so long. “There will be no more surgeries.” Haleigh’s temper rose and she counted to ten. “And I will never be normal again. Not what you think I should be, anyway. I earned my scars and I’ve decided to keep them, and be proud of them.”
“I never said you—”
“No, you never said anything except they could be fixed. That I’ll never be perfect again, and you know what? I’m okay with that. I’m sorry if it’s not good enough for you or Father. I haven’t asked for much, but love and acceptance were two things I never should have had to request.”
She descended the rest of the stairs, pivoting toward the front door. “It’s high time I got a place of my own and…I’m thinking about opening up my own photography studio.”
The gasp from her mom was comical. You’d assume Haleigh had gotten arrested for wearing her underwear in public to paintball the Pope.
“Maybe you could consider being happy for me since I’ve found something I love. Plus, it turns out I’m pretty good at it.”
She grabbed her purse and opened the front door. Kyle stood there with his fist raised, ready to knock. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him full on the mouth. It only took him a heartbeat worth of time to get with the program before he lifted her to her tiptoes and took over the kiss.
He tasted her, moving his growing erection against her belly. He gripped her bare throat, angling her head so he could lick inside her mouth. She moaned before he released her. He touched her lips one last time, humming against her mouth. “Guess I don’t need to ask if you’re ready to go.”
“Nope. I’m more than ready.”
“But…” came from inside the house.
They glanced through the entryway.
Her mother, who was always put together, who was always polished and had the perfect thing to say, stood a few feet inside the door staring between them. Her mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. Haleigh had finally found a way to make her speechless.
“Hi, Mrs. Grace,” Kyle called through the entry.
“Don’t wait up,” Haleigh added and then shut the door in her face.
Kyle chuckled. “Poking the beehive are we?”
“Just finding my new normal. I must say…it’s feeling pretty good.”
Chapter Ten
“Hey, Jenna, this is Haleigh.”
Haleigh stuck her hand out because that was what custom dictated. Muscle memory was the only thing keeping her together because all she really wanted to do was gawk at the room behind the beautiful brunette who smiled at her.
Kyle had described the submissive prep area on the way over. It was located on the third floor of The Library. The space was filled with clothes Jenna created for the subs, along with…accessories someone might need for a night at The Library.
Everything that went on behind these walls was completely private, and she’d had to sign a contract of nondisclosure before she’d entered the club the previous night.
Jenna, whom she’d met briefly the day before, was responsible for getting her ready for her time with the men. Blood rushed beneath her skin, heating her entire body. The unknown was terrifying, and what lay on the other side of the threshold she stood on would change her forever.
“Haleigh?”
Kyle had probably said something else but she didn’t follow well enough to catch anything but her name.
She finally stopped staring at Jenna and beyond, and focused on Kyle, who already wore his collar. He told her he always wore it if he was within those walls. Her fingers itched to touch her naked throat each time she looked at it. “Yes?”
“Do you have your card?”
She dug in her clutch and pulled out a blood-red card Kyle had given her earlier. It signified her acceptance into the club as a submissive. The club name along with her own was embossed in black on the front.
“Good. Any questions before I go and help Scott and Chris get everything ready?”
“Only about a million.”
Kyle and Jenna both laughed.
“No worries, Kyle. She’s safe. Go play with Scott. I’ll bring her to you guys when she’s ready.”
“We’ll be at the main stage.”
“Got it. Here’s your monitor.” Jenna gave Kyle a handheld screen that was barely bigger than his palm. “I’ll text you the password.” His gaze turned predatory as he wrapped his long fingers around it.
“I’ll be seeing you,” Kyle whispered next to Haleigh’s ear and then he was striding along the hallway back to the elevator.
“Hey, Kyle?” Jenna called after him with a smile. “Did you get your new card?”
He glanced over his shoulder, giving Haleigh a once-over she felt clear through to her toes before answering. “I sure as hell did.”
Jenna laughed and ushered Haleigh inside.
“Why did he need a new card?”
Instead of answering, Jenna asked, “Did he show you how your card works?”
“He showed me where to swipe it to get into the door in the parking garage. Showed me how to use it in the elevator to get everywhere, except the top floor which he said was Jared and Chris’ private residence—�
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“And Cyn’s. That’s their submissive. They’ve had a bit of a shaky start but they’re working it out.”
“Oh. Are they all right?” Haleigh hadn’t met her but Kyle and Scott spoke of her fondly.
“Nobody’s perfect, you know?”
“I’m starting to learn that.”
Jenna squeezed her forearm and brought her farther into the room. “So, Kyle told you what to access with your card. I’m assuming he remembered to give you the after-hours gate code as well.”
“Yes.”
“But did he show you what happens if your card is warmed with body heat?” Jenna plucked the card from her hand and sandwiched it between her palms for half a minute. She passed it over to her and an extra line had appeared on the front.
“A Dungeon for Higher Education.”
On the other side, which had been blank before, it read, “If lost, return property to Master Scott and Owner Kyle.”
“Owner?”
“Yep, on your paperwork Scott is listed as your Dom, but Kyle is your owner. It’s a big deal in our world. To be claimed like that.”
Creamy moisture pooled along Haleigh’s folds. The concept of belonging to him to that degree, it warmed her in places she didn’t realize had been so cold.
“But isn’t Scott Kyle’s Dom, too?”
“Yep and that’s why he needed a new card. His status changed to a switch, so the front of his card is black, but the back is red like yours. I knew that boy had it in him.” She winked at her. “Okay, I need a minute to finish a couple things, so feel free to perv the room.”
She didn’t figure Jenna really had anything she needed to do, but she could probably read people well enough to realize when someone needed a minute.
Haleigh was overcome with emotion at the level of her acceptance by not only Kyle but Scott as well. They barely knew each other. Had been together no more than a handful of times. But he understood her. Her body sang for him as it did for Kyle. She’d spent her whole life searching for them, she just didn’t know it until she’d found them.
“Haleigh, can I ask you something?”
Haleigh brushed below her eyes to make sure no tears showed. “Ask away.”
“Do you have sensation in your reconstructed breast? Scott told me a little about what happened to you and I’m glad he did. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
Normally if Haleigh talked about it, she wanted to shrink inside herself. But this time…it wasn’t so hard.
“The area where my nipple should be is mostly numb. Too much nerve damage. Most of the rest of my breast is okay, actually. When Kyle bit me last night… Yeah I totally felt that. My side is the worst of it. The radiation was really extensive. I had cording in my chest and arm after the mastectomy. Physical therapy took care of most of the tightness, and I almost have a hundred percent of my range of motion back.”
Jenna clasped her hand and held it. It wasn’t pity on her face though, just compassion. Haleigh smiled. “So do I have to be naked so you can put a leash on me or something?”
“Ha. I knew I was gonna like you. Not naked. I always think it’s fun to have the interesting bits covered. It’s like opening a present. Guessing what’s inside is half the fun.” She took Haleigh’s purse and put it in a locked cabinet. “Have a seat at the vanity, and remove as much of your clothing as you’re comfortable with.”
“Do you normally give the submissive a choice?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t want one either.” Her words rushed out before she could run scared. Jenna gave her a once-over that sank inside, landing in the pit of her stomach.
Haleigh hadn’t had sexual thoughts about a woman, but Jenna could give a dead man an erection. Her corset highlighted her narrow waist and large breasts, but even in the structured garment her femininity showed through. Her leather pants hugged her legs all the way to her spiky heels.
“I like guys and girls, Haleigh. It’s only fair you know that. The monitor I gave to Kyle before he left is for the cameras in here. They wirelessly transmit to that screen, which is password protected. They’ll be able to see everything I do to you, so be sure this is what you want.”
Everything I do to you…
Playing it safe had gotten her where? She wanted to fall into the rabbit hole and was fully prepared to take the leap. “Do you want my shoes on or off?”
Jenna flashed beautiful white teeth and circled behind her. “Off. Everything off.” Jenna’s words tickled her ear, and she removed her shoes and set them beside her.
Soon, she stood naked in the center of the room with cameras sending video of her to the men she was falling in love with. Kyle would be able to see all of her, and somehow that made the reveal a bit easier.
Jenna helped her up onto a padded table that sat between two doors on the far wall. It was covered with a white sheet that had odd slits. “It’s a modified masseuse’s table, so there’s an opening for your face to be comfortable. Facedown.”
Haleigh got comfortable while Jenna dimmed the lights.
“Are you courting me, Jenna?”
She snickered. “The mood is everything, my pretty…and your little dog too.” Haleigh moaned when Jenna rubbed her back, applying lotion as she went. Her hands were small but they were strong.
Haleigh was limp, unable to tell how much time had passed. Jenna had massaged her entire body and was working her way up again from her toes.
Somewhere along the way Jenna’s touch began to tease and excite her. She rubbed up her thigh, glancing off the sensitive flesh of her sex, but moved away quickly. She squeezed the cheeks of her rear, separating them and sending twinges of yummy pleasure to the untried hole nestled in the middle.
Tendrils of desire shot straight to Haleigh’s sex everywhere Jenna touched.
Jenna murmured in her ear. “Roll over, sexy.”
She flipped over but kept her lids squeezed shut. The thought that Kyle and Scott would see what was happening before she did excited her beyond measure. Jenna must have agreed. She covered her eyes with a blindfold, stroking along her inner arm.
“Right hand, please.”
She lifted it, and leather circled her wrist. Jenna buckled a cuff in place, repeating the process on the other side. She circled to the head of the table, wrapping a collar around her throat. That explained the slits in the sheet. She tried to raise her head and couldn’t.
Jenna took her wrists one by one, clipping them to something on the collar. Anxious arousal pounded through Haleigh on each beat of her heart. She licked her lips and bit them to keep from moaning.
“You’re so responsive. I can see why the guys like to play with you. You’re a Dom’s wet dream. In the short time we’ve been together I’ve learned if I touch you here, you’ll arch your spine.” She brushed her hip, and Haleigh strained against the table.
“Let’s see what else we can find out about you.” Jenna moved to her feet, trapping her ankles in cuffs, clicking some kind of metal-on-metal.
She thought it odd until she tried to move them and they were attached to the table. The table moved beneath her, and she thought it was only under her feet. She wanted to ask but couldn’t concentrate past the blood whooshing in her ears.
“Right here should be a good angle. The guys should be able to see everything in HD.” Jenna lifted the sheet beneath Haleigh’s feet. “One little latch is all that’s keeping them, and me, from paradise.”
A metal latch snapped open and to Haleigh it sounded like a gunshot.
Jenna stretched Haleigh’s legs apart until the A/C blew across her wet pussy. Jenna ran her palms up her inner thighs then sucked her clit into her mouth. No teasing, no begging. Just sex—and it emptied her mind. Haleigh sucked in a lungful of air, tugging on the restraints holding her immobile.
Being bound by her, for her. It was something Haleigh never knew would excite her. Adrenaline surged through her limbs. Her feet rotated on their own, and she couldn’t keep her body
still.
“You’re only a few licks away from coming aren’t you?”
“Yesssss…” hissed out past her gritted teeth.
“Well, we can’t have that. I promised the guys I’d get you ready, not get you off. Maybe next time they’ll really let me play.”
She stepped between her legs, crowded in close, brushing her exposed clit as she leaned over. Jenna bit her stomach, not hard, but enough to keep Haleigh’s attention focused exactly where she wanted it. She caressed up her sides, tracing the edges of her ribs and up to the tips of Haleigh’s breasts. Jenna cupped them, teased the sides, and swiped her nipple with something a little bit moist. It smelled like cinnamon.
An insidious tingle started where Jenna touched. “What…did you—”
Before she could finish the question, Jenna spread what she assumed was the same substance on the hood of her clit and the sensitive skin surrounding her core, adding the tiniest amount on the piece of flesh separating her pussy from her back entrance. An imaginary cord went taut between her chest and slit. Haleigh squirmed, trying in vain to get more friction.
“Cinnamon oil. Nice, huh? By the time your men get you naked again you’ll be begging them to fuck you.”
“Please, Jenna.” The plea came out of nowhere and it was all she could concentrate on.
“Nope. Not gonna happen, no matter how much you beg. Let’s get you up and ready. I’ve been dying to put rope on you since Scott wouldn’t let me play with you yesterday. I’ve got some new gray Italian silk I’ve been itching to make a corset out of. You, my dear, have inspired me.”
She unlatched Haleigh’s wrists, connecting them together in front of her.
Jenna helped her off the table, leading her somewhere in the room. Haleigh didn’t care about where. All she could concentrate on was the decadent ache, making her clit twitch in time with her heartbeat.
A soft rope touched her wrists, along with Jenna’s warm fingers, and she tried to relax. All that Zen exited stage left when Haleigh’s arms were jerked above her head. Air rapidly moved in and out of her tight lungs. Though Jenna hadn’t put one piece of rope around her torso, her ribs already felt bound.
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