She didn’t give any of them time to argue as she followed Pax out the dining room door, shutting it firmly behind her.
As soon as they were alone in the hallway, Pax turned on her suspiciously.
“What was that about? I don’t need your help. This is just the usual pre-opening chaos mumbo jumbo and frankly, I’m pissed that I’m being called out of dinner for this. Go inside and eat. It’s Ruby’s birthday weekend. Go spend it with her. That’s what she’s here for.”
Diamond just laughed, gaping at her clueless husband. “Trust me, that is not what she’s here for. At least not right now. That girl is hanging off Jase’s every word and has been since he got here.”
Pax growled, grabbing her wrist as he pulled her close to him, tilting her chin so her gaze met his. “That’s precisely why you need to go back inside. Jase is not what your sister needs right now.”
Diamond shivered. His tone bade no room for argument, but that was exactly what she was going to do—a fact which could only mean one thing. This night would not end well for her backside. Still, she was not one to let a spanking stop her from getting what she wanted, and right now, what she wanted was Jase for her sister.
“I disagree. Ruby is here not just to see me, or to get away from Trevor, and if you believe that for a second, you’re fooling yourself. She’s here to play, Pax. She wants experiences. Ruby has been with the same boring man for almost half her life, and as a result, she’s very sheltered. She deserves a chance to go after her fantasies in a safe environment. And this is about as safe as it gets.”
She had him wavering a bit with her little speech, and she wondered if her ass would be safe tonight after all.
“Fine,” he agreed grudgingly. “But not with Jase. That’s a bad idea.”
It took every ounce of her resolve not to roll her eyes, or come back with a smartass remark. Instead she just leaned up on her tip-toes and brushed a kiss on his lips. “Once upon a time, people would have said that you and I were a bad idea.”
“And they would have been right. On the surface, what I did, and what you agreed to, was a bad idea.”
“Well, then sometimes bad ideas work out for the best, I guess.”
Pax was a dominant man, but he was also a doting one, and he knew when he was fighting a losing battle especially when it came to her family. His jaw worked from side to side as he reluctantly gave in. “Fine. I guess if she wants to play this weekend, Jase is as safe a bet as we could hope for.”
Diamond bounced up and down on her heels with excitement. “Jase is a good guy, Pax. He’s your best friend, and she’s my sister. He won’t do anything to hurt her.”
“Damn straight he won’t. I’m going to have a little talk with him, and make damn sure of it.” Pax turned on his heels, and began to stride off, but he turned quickly and frowned at her. “I take it this means you’re not planning to go back in there?”
“No, Sir, I wasn’t. I’ve had enough to eat and something tells me they are doing just fine without us.”
“Fine. I shouldn’t be long. I expect you to be waiting for me. We’re going to have a little talk about shenanigans when I return.” The smile he shot her was devilish, sending pulsing pains of need straight to her pussy while simultaneously making her bottom tingle with the implication of his promise.
She watched as he walked away, and then turned, removed her shoes, and took off in the opposite direction towards their suite. She would be ready for him. And whatever he did, knowing that her sister’s twenty-fifth birthday would be the weekend of her dreams was totally worth any repercussions the arrangements would have on her ass.
“I don’t think they’re coming back.” Ruby’s voice trembled as she stared at the closed door.
“It doesn’t appear that way. The food is almost gone anyway.” Jase’s smile was captivating as he plucked a piece of nigri from a spot just below the model’s left breast and brought it to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Are you excited for the opening tomorrow? I assume you’re going to be at the club?”
She felt her face flush instantly, and silently cursed her red hair for the millionth time that night.
“I’m going. I don’t think not going is an option, tempting as it may be.” She jerked her eyes from his, and blushed harder when they landed on the male model’s package once more. There was no safe place to look tonight it seemed.
To her absolute horror and excitement, Jase stood, and walked around the table, taking the seat Diamond had occupied, turning to face her. “Is the club scene not your thing?”
His voice was smooth and almost electric in the way that she seemed to be drawn to look at him when she answered. “I don’t know. I’ve never been. It seemed like a good idea when I got in my car and drove down here, but the closer it gets, the more I question my decision.”
“Cold feet. It happens.” He scooted closer to her, and nonchalantly grabbed another piece of sushi, this time from the male model’s thigh, and held it up to her lips.
“BDSM is all about trust. You just need a play buddy you trust.” His fingers grazed her lips, as he held out the ball of rice and cold fish. Not knowing what else to do, she opened her mouth, and accepted the offer. The salmon melted in her mouth like butter, and the jasmine rice was nearly erotic in its taste, and cooked to perfection. She chewed slowly, savoring the fresh tastes as they mixed together in her mouth—all the while staring into Jase’s cool blue eyes.
“The club, in all its full glory like it will be tomorrow, can be a little overwhelming,” Jase admitted.
“Especially if all you’ve ever done is look at pictures and read books,” Ruby muttered, instantly embarrassed at the statement that left no doubt as to how inexperienced she really was. Forcing herself to meet Jase’s eyes, she expected to see some mixture of disgust and amusement, but what she saw was something else entirely.
Jase’s face was soft, a mix between concern and amusement, and his eyes were cast over her head, across the room as if remembering something in the distant past. “First times can be a little much,” he mused bringing his gaze back to hers.
“You’re not making me feel better,” Ruby scoffed, not really joking as she tried to ignore the knot forming in her stomach.
“Sorry.” Jase gave a small mischievous smile, and took her free hand in his. “I have only one question. Is this something you really want to do? At the end of your trip, if all you’ve done is go and enjoy the scenery, will you be happy with that? Will it be enough for you?”
She wanted to say yes. Yes would be safe. It would be easy. It would be… false. “I want to play.” Her voice was quiet, yet forceful, and surprised even her with its soft resolve. Her bravery only lasted a minute. “I’m just not sure I can play with a stranger. BDSM is all about trust, you just said it yourself. How can I have that much trust with someone I’ve just met? And what do I do? Do I just walk up to some random guy who appears to be a Dom and ask him to play? And what if everyone who comes is already with someone?” The more she spoke, the more questions she had, and the more worked up she got until her eyes were wide and frantic, and her voice had escalated to a shrill timbre.
“Ruby.” Jase’s voice was hard and serious, commanding attention, just as she imagined a Dom’s would be. “Stop. You’re working yourself into a panic. Relax, and take a deep breath.”
Locking her eyes on his, she nodded, and forced herself to breathe.
“Now, I know we’ve only met a few times, so I need you to think carefully before you answer the question I’m about to ask.”
Ruby nodded, waiting to see what he would say next.
“Do you trust me?” The question was so simple, so vulnerable, and so unexpected that it stopped her in her escalating panic. She wanted to answer automatically, to give the polite answer that she thought would please him, but that’s not what he had asked her to do. And so she thought about it. Searching his face with her eyes, she took in his earnest expression, remembering everything
Diamond had ever told her about the man in front of her. There was more than she had realized. Then she looked down at her lap, where her own small hand still rested in his large one. It didn’t feel awkward at all.
“Yes. Yes, Jase, I think I do.”
“Good. Follow me.” He pulled her up, waiting patiently as she stood and gathered her things, allowing herself to be pulled behind him out the door of the private dining room, down the hall, and into the main foyer where he nodded to Hirosha, giving her instructions to send the leftover sushi up to Diamond’s room for her breakfast sushi she was so fond of, and then they were gone again. Out the door to the restaurant and down the escalator, and through the halls. It didn’t look like the way they had come. Finally, she stopped short, pulling them both to a halt.
“Where are we going?”
As quickly as she could ask, Jase crossed the space between them, until she could feel his breath on hers. His finger grazed her lips, quieting her. “And again. Do you trust me?”
“I…” She started to answer, but his eyebrows lifted and he shook his head ever so slightly, pressing his finger to her lips more insistently. Taking the hint, she nodded.
“Then no questions. Tonight we will play. And in order for you to have the full experience, you will trust, and obey. From this moment on you are my sub, and will behave as such. “
Her eyes widened at the implication and a hundred questions burned as panic bubbled in her throat. Jase’s free arm covered her, rubbing her shoulders as he spoke. “One night. That’s all I ask. I know you have questions, and you will get to ask them, I promise. But you will do so on my time, not yours. It’s part of the experience. Trust me,” he reminded.
The simple plea calmed her, and she nodded her agreement. It was all Jase needed. Before she could even process what was happening, his finger left her lips, his hand came off her shoulder, and they were moving again. This time, Ruby had a fair idea of where they were going as they moved through the main casino and she recognized the path to the club. A million questions assaulted her but she stayed silent, trusting that they would be answered soon enough. She had wanted an experience, and that was exactly what Jase was trying to give her.
Chapter 5
Pax was going to kill him. That was a given, but Jase had never been one to back down from a fight, especially not with his buddy and he wasn’t about to start now. He honestly wasn’t sure what had come over him, but once Ruby had turned to him with her quivering lip, panicked expression and big green eyes, he had been a goner.
Of course it didn’t help that Jase had always had a thing for newbies. It wasn’t for the reasons one would think. Some guys, a lot of guys actually, liked to go to a club and pick out the newbies. It was the only way for them to exert their cruel brand of dominance without question, and often without repercussion. The girls didn’t know the scene well enough to know better. They didn’t yet realize that they had a voice, that in reality, the power belonged to them, until they willingly gave it up. He had seen a lot of girls hurt that way. So Jase also often went for the new girls to keep them from being preyed upon by wannabe Doms on a power trip. Even he knew he couldn’t save them all, and lately, he hadn’t even had the energy or drive to save any of them.
But Ruby, she had awakened something in him he hadn’t felt in a long time. When he looked at her, with her inexperience, and her naiveté, and heard her fears and worries and questions, the need to protect her from a bad experience had consumed him. He couldn’t have stopped himself if he had wanted to. And God help him, he didn’t want to.
They finally reached the door to the club, and he stopped short, withdrawing the master key from a ring in his pocket. Being the owner’s best friend and business partner had its benefits. He dropped Ruby’s hand, and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side as he ushered her in ahead of him, and flicked the lights on.
Ruby gasped as the room flooded with light and pulled free of his grasp, spinning around as she took it all in. “It’s so… so…” The thought was never finished. She was at a loss for words.
“Yeah,” he agreed, knowing how she felt. Rojo, which had once looked like nearly every other nightclub on the strip, with the exception of its clientele, had been completely made-over into a full-fledged BDSM club, and it was glorious. Slate gray walls boasted the finest in BDSM art and equipment. The tables and seating ran the deepest red he had ever seen. The stage had been redone, dark red curtains hiding from view the array of equipment used only for special demonstrations. He watched in amusement as Ruby floated through the room, taking in every single detail from the art to the decorative canes, and the large St Andrew’s cross on the far wall. She ran her hands over the smooth tables, and gasped at the heavy artillery. He wondered as he watched her what her wish would be. He didn’t have to wonder for long. The beautiful hand-crafted spanking bench in a corner of the room caught her attention like nothing else had. The longing was evident on her face as her fingertips grazed the cool leather. Her eyes closed, and her lips parted. A flush crept up her chest and Jase smiled. That was one thing about redheads. They couldn’t hide their arousal.
Finally, she made her way back to where he stood by the bar, her eyes wide. “It’s stunning.”
“Indeed. See anything you like?”
He loved to watch her blush, and blush she did, her eyes quickly cast to the floor as if she suddenly remembered the reason they had come here. She didn’t answer him, but that was okay.
He moved in quickly, grabbing her chin softly and pulling it up so that she was forced to look at him. “I asked you a question.”
She gasped softly, realizing that she had inadvertently been rude to him, the man who was acting as her Dom tonight, and he chuckled softly. They weren’t to that point yet. Almost, but not quite. She didn’t need to know that. He watched with growing satisfaction as she shivered slightly at his words. It was barely noticeable, but he was a details man. “Yes, Sir.” Her whisper was barely audible.
“Good.” He nodded and smiled. Poor thing was a bundle of nerves. He needed to get her to relax. He wasn’t sure it was possible at this point, but he could try. “Can I get you something to drink? Beer? Wine? A shot of whiskey?”
At the mention of whiskey, she perked up, and nodded. “Yes, please. I mean, yes, Sir.”
Jase turned his back to her, busying himself pouring shots so she wouldn’t see his smile. She was so timid, so malleable, and so eager to please. The wrong Dom would have destroyed her.
He turned back, handed her a shot, and without waiting, took his quickly, watching as she did the same. She didn’t look any less on edge, so he grabbed the bottle from the bar, and the shot glasses and plunked them down on a nearby table, pulling out a chair and waiting for her to sit.
She did and he poured two more shots, leaning across the table to hand her hers. “It’s just the two of us. No one else is here. We can do as little or as much as you like. Or, we can do nothing. You’re more than welcome to back out. But,” he added with a cocky smile, “I’ve got to admit, I hope you don’t.”
She offered a shaky smile and downed the shot. “Will I have a safe word?”
“The one we usually use here is Rojo. If you need one, use that one. But, I promise you, with me, you shouldn’t need one. I know what I’m doing, and I’ve played with a lot of newbies. I’m good at going slow and reading signals.”
“Okay.” Her smile was a nervous one. “May I have another shot, please?”
“Last one.” He poured two more, figuring they could both use the liquid courage. It wasn’t like him to be nervous, but it wasn’t like him to play with his best friend’s sister-in-law either. Down they went, and there was a thick moment of silence as they stared at each other.
Finally, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Would you like to see one of the private playrooms?”
It sounded like a question, but it wasn’t one. Not really. “Man up, Jase,” he silently chided himself. “You’re a Dom, and
not a new one either. Try to act like it.”
She followed him to a door off the far corner of the room, and he unlocked it using his master key. That thing really did come in handy.
The play rooms were even more elegant than the club itself, and he watched once more as Ruby went methodically around the room, oohing and ahhing over every detail, from the red walls, to the maple hutch that held a vast array of implements and other supplies, to the rack of canes displayed on the wall. There was a hook attached to the ceiling for suspension play, a St Andrew’s cross on the wall, and what seemed to be her personal favorite, another hand-crafted spanking bench. Watching her delight over the decor and equipment was one thing, but when she opened the hutch and saw the rows and rows of implements and drawers of ropes and cuffs and restraints and gags, the look of aroused horror and excitement on her face was everything. For a moment, he was content to watch her from afar, but when she took out a flogger and started fondling its long strands with a look of joyful awe on her face, his cock hardened instantly and strained against the tight fabric of his slacks, and he could restrain himself no longer. In an instant, he was behind her, pressing his hard body against her soft one.
“Did I say you could touch?” His whisper was husky, and commanding. The kind of whisper meant to wet the panties of submissives everywhere.
The flogger instantly fell to the floor as she turned to him with big eyes. “I’m sorry. I just… I couldn’t help myself. It’s so deliciously surreal to see it all in person.”
“You’re already forgiven, sub. Truthfully, I enjoy seeing your eyes light up as you make these discoveries. And tonight is all about experiences. But from this point on, you do only as I say, and submit yourself to me for the remainder of the evening. I’ll take care of you and make sure you have all the experiences your little heart desires.”
She didn’t respond verbally, and he understood that she physically couldn’t. The look on her face said it all.
Claimed (Vegas Nights Book 2) Page 5