“What’s wrong?”
“The car fender and I had a coming together and my knee came off worse.”
He frowned.
“First rules, pet. Open and honest. I asked you if you could assume the position. Your response should have been that due to an injury, it wasn’t possible. Then we make our own rules.”
Oh shoot, messed up already. I should know that. I’ve read enough books where that’s stressed. She decided there was a dumb blonde moment needed.
“I’m excited, scared, flustered and nervous, Sir,” Ailsa said in a quiet voice. It was true, even if she was overemphasizing everything. Never had so many different emotions vied to be uppermost in her. It was as if each one was on a pogo stick in her stomach and bouncing up and down as if their life depended on it. “I wanted to do as you asked, and I didn’t think.”
He put his hands under her arms and helped her to stand up. “I’m glad you wanted that, but you have to remember the rest. How can I be sure what we’re doing is safe, sane and consensual if you aren’t honest? That’s the first thing anyone learns. It worries me that you forgot it.”
She knew the rule. How on earth had she managed to screw up so badly so soon? Ailsa hoped to hell she’d be able to talk her way out of the situation. She didn’t think her boss would be happy if she had to confess how she’d ballsed things up. And as for the rest of the team? The teasing she’d get there wasn’t worth thinking about.
“I know, Sir, I’m sorry, it was an automatic reaction.” She dipped her head and stared at the floor between them. Not only was it respect—she hoped—it also meant he wasn’t staring into her eyes. He seemed to know exactly what was in her mind.
“Good in one way, very bad in another. If I were your Master, you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week after that silliness. How long have you been a sub?”
It was just the question she’d hoped he wouldn’t ask.
Chapter Three
Aidan looked down at her bowed head. Her blonde curls teased the nape of her neck and covered her ears. Not the sort of woman he’d usually go for, so his father had slipped up there. Once he found out what his father was up to, Aidan had no qualms about nipping any budding relationships before they started. It had been a fair while since the last time he’d been in the line of fire and he wondered if this was the next round.
Previously there had never been any real emotions involved on either side, and Aidan had always been canny enough not to admit to either the women or his father that he knew what had been going on. Therefore, since the last time, he’d been waiting for another attack somehow.
The recent phone call confirmed what he thought. His father was on yet another mission to reform his son. Aidan hadn’t thought the occasion would happen quite so soon. He’d bet his parent didn’t know he’d sent a natural sub, though. She might be as innocent as they come, and he doubted she’d know a Shibari rope from a clothes line, but he’d seen the way she looked at him and her inclination to please.
How on earth had she been vetted and admitted to the club beforehand, though? That phone call had only occurred that day, and it had been several months since Aidan had received any other communication from his father. Something didn’t add up. It wasn’t like Ross to not check the door was secure when he left, but here she was inside the castle. Something stank.
Aidan knew he wasn’t going to play with Ailsa that evening. He didn’t know her, there was no one else around as back-up, and he wasn’t setting himself or Diomhair up for any trouble. But he did intend to see what information he could get out of her. He didn’t believe for one minute that she’d just wandered around looking for someone. To snoop, maybe.
The question was how far could he push her and still maintain the upper hand without being liable to any trumped up charges she or his father could manufacture?
“As you’re unable to crawl, pet, we’ll leave that for later.” Her indrawn breath gave him some satisfaction. “Follow me. We need to talk.”
He turned and walked down the corridor toward a large open area where people could gather to chat without waiting to see if she followed him or not. Behind him, he heard her shoes tapping over the parquet. That in itself told him something wasn’t quite right. Any sub who played or socialized at Diomhair knew that their shoes were left in their locker unless specifically requested to be worn by their Dom. Jeff wouldn’t make such a request when he was training.
Aidan walked toward a large, soft armchair with a footstool next to it. In the later part of her pregnancy, Kath had sat on it rather than on the floor next to Jeff when they were together, and watched a scene or chatted to friends. It seemed the obvious choice now. Aidan pointed at it, amused rather than irritated when her eyes flashed before she moved forward.
“You’re learning, pet. I’m going to sit on this seat. Sit on that stool and face me. Once you’re seated, bow your head and put your hands on my knees.” Aidan sat down and watched as she did as he asked. The heat of her palms traveled through his trousers and warmed his skin. Almost like a tattoo, he thought, as he imagined her handprint embossed on his leg. The simple gestures gave him a warmth inside himself that he hadn’t experienced for so long he’d forgotten how arousing it was.
“Such a good pet. So if I tell you to strip and stretch out on that table over there, you will of course do it.”
Her head came up so fast it was a wonder she didn’t pull a muscle in her neck.
“Um, what was it we needed to discuss about safe words and stuff?”
Ailsa sounded both hesitant and, he reckoned, not uninterested. He’d wondered when she’d think of that. He waited just long enough for her to let her head fall a little, then spoke.
“You tell me.”
Her head jerked up once more and her eyes were wide as she stared at him. “I don’t know what you mean, Sir.”
He wasn’t letting her get away with that. “Don’t lie, pet. You know and you understand. Blonde hair and blue eyes don’t spell silly or bimbo to me. You can’t disguise the intelligence in your eyes, however much you try. So do us both the courtesy of not attempting to. Now, it’s honesty time, or goodbye time. Cut the crap and tell the truth.” He ended on a harsh note that grated, even on him. “What the hell is going on here?”
She swallowed and as Aidan watched her, a soft sheen of perspiration began to cover the fine hair of her arms. Evidently his suspicions of something untoward were correct.
“If you’ve been playing with Jeff, then you’d have asked me about safe words ages ago,” he said emphatically. “Asked me if I truly knew what I was doing, and why I hadn’t checked what you knew and understood.”
“I was scared.”
Aidan shook his head. “Balls. I think, Miss, whoever you are, there’s a nice dungeon down the corridor where a little punishment play might help you to clear your mind and be honest.”
She gasped and lost every bit of color she had. “Red, Red, and Red. I’m sorry. But I came to learn more about wax play, not to be flogged or whatever. Perhaps I’d best leave now.” She lifted her hands from Aidan’s knees and stood up.
“Sit down, pet.” Aidan rapped the words out and was surprised when she responded instantly and did as he demanded, even to dipping her head and replacing her hands on his knees. “Thank you.” He softened his tone. “So you know your safe swords?”
“Yes, Sir.” Her voice was low.
Aidan stared at the tousled curls that looked as if they were a devil to tame, and decided he loved short, blonde, curly hair. Trying to get to the bottom of the mystery was going to be fun. As long as it didn’t impact badly on the club.
“They are?”
“Red, stop, and you may come back to it later. Yellow, stop and talk, and green is okay… Er, Sir.”
Aidan was glad she couldn’t see his face. He was sure the amusement on it would send her away in a huff, and that was the last thing he wanted. She sounded like a flustered kitten, if there was such a thing. Or should that be a prick
ly cat? One thing was for sure. She was flustered and that had to be good. It might enable him to get some information from her. He intended to push her as far as he could without putting himself up to all sorts of accusations. For one fleeting moment he wished Ross and Connie were around so he could play with her. However, something told him that whatever had occurred previously, if anything, she was nowhere ready to play at the level she was supposed to be expecting.
“You’re green with wax?” Why did he think that statement should really be green as grass? “And look at me now before you answer.”
Aidan waited as she slowly lifted her head and stared at him. He watched the play of the muscles in her throat as she swallowed. His cock hardened. Why on earth something like a swallow should do that, he had no idea, but it seemed it did. Her skin rippled as she swallowed again, and Aidan tingled with tension.
Ailsa straightened her spine and Aidan could sense her determination.
“Yes, Sir.”
It was his turn to sigh with relief, even though he wouldn’t be able to follow through.
“Then one day we will.”
“What?”
“We don’t play here without a Dungeon Master,” Aidan said. “As you were late, our Dungeon Master left. So, nothing doing tonight. Except maybe we talk.”
He’d never understood the expression ‘her face fell’ until then. It was somewhat satisfying to know she was as disappointed as he was.
“Yes, Sir, but seriously. I’m so sorry I was late. I should have let you know, but it sounds so lame.”
“What does?”
She grinned. The smile lit up her eyes, and the skin at the corners crinkled. “Three stray sheep and no way to get by.”
“You’re right, it does sound lame. However, knowing the area, I won’t dismiss that excuse without a thought. I’ve been held up by an errant pheasant and his harem more than once.” Aidan watched her closely and saw the way she let her breath out in relief. So it was an excuse? The rush of disappointment that filled him surely outweighed the occasion? “While I remember, where’s your transport?”
She blinked and stared at him. He could almost see the cogs in her mind whirring.
“In a lay-by not far from the gate. That’s part of the sheep scenario. I decided it would be quicker to jog through the grounds, rather than try to get past them.”
She’s lying. Oh I don’t doubt the car or whatever is where she says it is, but as for the rest? Not true. Now all he had to do was fathom out what the hell she was playing at. Aidan didn’t doubt for a moment it would be like trying to prize a razor clam open without getting scratched.
“And was it worth it?”
His phone buzzed, and Aidan cussed under his breath. Until he saw who was ringing.
“It’s us.” Ross’ voice came clear over the line. “We changed our mind. Can we come and play?”
Aidan grinned. What a perfect answer. “Sure, if you’ll help me out first. We seem to have a sub who has lost her way. Now she’s found and ready to play. A nice little wax scene, I think.”
He saw her face pale and she bit her lip. Her shoulders shook, and he guessed it took all of her determination not to run.
Gotcha, Miss. Now let’s see what you’re really here for.
Alisa kept her head down and dug her nails into the palms of her hands. Now if only he’d go to the door and let whomever it was inside, maybe she’d get out with her story unchallenged again.
I don’t want to. I need to see if these tingles and shivers translate into something I like. Well, you don’t always get what you want in this life so tough. Work comes first. And the secrecy of the job is paramount. Get out if you can.
Aidan walked to the wall and pressed something on a keypad she hadn’t noticed. So much for thinking she’d get out. Now it didn’t seem like a possibility, Ailsa relaxed. Damn it, she’d play and see if her suspicions about how good it could be were correct. Mind you, wax? That was something she couldn’t decide if it was nightmares or dreams. It might make her wet when she read about it, but reading and reality were poles apart. However, it seemed she might be about to find out.
Voices from outside the room warned her they were soon going to be joined by others.
“Sir?”
Aidan turned and looked at her, with one eyebrow raised in query. “Yes?”
“I can color out?”
The look he gave her shriveled her insides.
“If you have to ask me that now, I’m somewhat concerned,” Aidan said in such a flat tone her pussy muscles contracted. A turn-on it was not.
“Um, Sir…”
He didn’t say a word just continued to look at her in a disinterested manner.
Ailsa lost her temper. She might be blonde and dizzy-looking, but her mum had been a red-haired hothead and Ailsa had inherited the temper, if not the looks. She forgot why she was in the castle, what her remit was, and spoke as a potential sub, not an undercover policewoman.
“Look, Sir.” It wasn’t said in a respectful tone. “If you’re a bloody Dom then act like one. I’m shit scared, you’re not Jeff, and Jess, who is an old school friend, has never mentioned you. For all I know, you could be an imposter, and just a wannabe Dom who has no Dom cred whatsoever.” She’d forgotten it wasn’t her he—or Jeff—had expected. “I have no idea why you’re here, or even if anyone knows of you or can vouch for you. You could be a perv, an ax murderer or…”
Aidan let out a crack of laughter.
“So I could.”
Ailsa accepted she was projecting her worries and trying to get rid of the sickness inside and replace it with excited anticipation instead. But there was more than a kernel of truth in her words. She stamped her foot in annoyance and ignored the way he firmed his lips and narrowed his eyes. Tough if he didn’t like it, it was how she felt. How did she know? “How do I know?”
He inclined his head and clapped his hands slowly. The noise was loud in the quiet room. Each clap resonated deep inside her, and echoed the thud of her heart.
“At last. Real, honest emotion. Well, pet. You don’t know, do you? I can say what I want.” He paused. “Just as you can.”
Ailsa bit her lip, as those words brought her back to her predicament with a jolt. She was lying, and had no way of sorting it any time soon.
“So, it all boils down to this,” Aidan said to her. “Are you willing to trust me, and I you?”
The door opened before Ailsa could formulate an answer, and two people entered. She looked up, and swore under her breath. One of them was very well known to her. She glared at the person in question, who after one brief, startled glance looked away.
“Ross, Connie, this is Ailsa. Ailsa, you will address Ross as Sir. Connie is a sub, who will help you get ready. If you want to proceed?”
Ailsa nodded. His voice was all Dom and sent shivers down her spine. If he’d told her to roll on the floor, she’d be hard pressed not to. Something in the tone shouted ‘obey or else’. She couldn’t really do anything but, and apart from which, she wanted to know what the kiss of wax on her skin was really like. She gathered it was so different from accidentally dripping ordinary wax onto yourself. That was an ‘ouch, swear, scratch it off and run your hand or whatever under the tap’ moment. Wax play, according to the books she’d read, was the opposite. If this was her chance to try it, then Ailsa decided she would.
“I do. Sir, thank you.”
Aidan smiled. This time it reached his eyes. The approval on his face unclenched her pussy muscles and let her juices gather.
“Off you go, and listen to Connie. Shower and no lotions, please. And no flowing laces, ribbons or loose ends. If you didn’t bring anything suitable, Connie will find you something.”
“Yes, Sir.” Thank goodness. I don’t think boots and a camouflage jacket is what he means as suitable. She followed Connie out of the room.
No sooner had the door shut behind them than Ailsa grabbed Connie’s arm.
“What the fuck?” Ailsa g
lared at the other woman. Connie shook her head in warning.
“Not here.” Connie mouthed the words. She raised her voice. “I’ll keep you right, don’t worry. Look, this is the subs’ changing room. Feel free to ask questions as we change.”
Ailsa gathered that Connie meant the changing room was private, and no one could overhear them there. She followed her inside a warm and cozy room, which held settees and floor to ceiling cupboards and mirrors.
“Showers and stuff through there.” Connie waved toward a door at the rear of the room. “Any locker with a key in it is available for use. If you want to keep the same one, you arrange it with admin. We’ve got around fifteen minutes, and, ma’am, what the fuck are you doing here?”
Ailsa turned and stared, narrow-eyed, at the policewoman who stood next to her. The last time she’d seen Connie Dores, she’d worked under Ailsa as they had removed a child from a potentially dangerous situation, not long before Ailsa had been seconded to her present unit. Now here she was, and the one person who could blow Ailsa’s cover sky high. So did she try to brazen it out or admit why she was there? Ailsa had to assume Connie was there for pleasure, not work. She hadn’t missed the way Connie had interacted with Aidan or the other man.
Although she would have hoped the relevant information would have been shared to her if any other police departments were interested in Diomhair, Ailsa wasn’t convinced it would necessarily have been the case. There had been plenty of cock-ups, and lack of information sharing over the last few years, for it not to be a reasonable assumption.
“The same as you, I imagine.” Ailsa strove to keep her voice level. “Learning about subbing. And here I’m Ailsa, and don’t mention work outside this room.”
Connie opened a cupboard and took out some clothing and a towel.
“With respect, Ailsa, you’re no more a sub than I’m a police inspector. Your demeanor screams boss. But as long as you’re not here to threaten me, or my friends, I’ll keep my mouth shut about how we know each other. Why are you here?”
Secrets Remembered Page 3