by Jenna Jacob
Of the women who responded, Natalie seemed mature enough and pragmatic enough to take part in his unorthodox invitation. She also didn’t have any qualms about signing the contract and nondisclosure agreement he’d drawn up. In exchange for an apartment and a monthly stipend, Natalie agreed to supply an outlet for Kellan’s sexual release.
Right now, he needed that outlet.
As he reached Lake Bluff, shades of calmness began to color his soul, and order and control aligned within before he reached Natalie’s apartment.
The late thirty-something brunette with a toned body and dark eyes met him at the door. Kellan stormed in, tugging his tie. After she closed the door behind him, Natalie turned and walked down the hall toward the bedroom. He dropped his gaze to the gentle roll of her hips. Turning off his emotions, Kellan let his primal psyche take over.
By the time he’d reached the bedroom, Natalie lay naked in the center of the mattress, willing and ready. Kellan shucked off his clothes as his cock swelled with blood. He pulled open the bedside table and palmed a condom. Tearing open the foil packet with his teeth, he rolled the latex over himself and crawled onto the bed.
He hovered over her for a long minute. “I’m sorry I was short on the phone…”
“It’s okay. Let’s make each other feel good.”
With a grunt, he drove inside her. Natalie arched and softly moaned. Kellan closed his eyes. He plunged in and out of her snug, hot walls as images of Mercy clutching at his cock filled his mind. A shiver of panic danced up his spine and Kellan quickly opened his eyes. He stared at the pillow beneath Natalie’s head and focused on the growing friction engulfing his dick. She wedged a hand between them and strummed her clit until they both orgasmed. A familiar flush lay on her cheeks, and she sent him a soft smile of gratitude.
Natalie’s self-esteem had taken a mortal blow when her husband left her for another man some ten plus years ago. Like Kellan, she’d vowed to never love again.
“I’ll call you soon,” he said over his shoulder as he straightened his tie in the mirror.
“Sounds good,” Natalie replied. She rolled out of bed, slid on her robe and tied the sash. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
Their good-bye was cordial…as usual, just like the recurring emptiness settling deep in his chest as he drove home.
Kellan lessened the void by trying to convince himself that he’d get by with the relief Natalie provided. But he wasn’t fooling anyone, not even himself. She was nothing but a stopgap measure…a Band-Aid he kept applying to a gaping, lethal wound that would never heal.
You could have it all with Mercy.
“No,” he growled, quickly dismissing the cajoling voice in his head.
He’d already lost his mind around the provocative sub. He couldn’t afford to lose his heart to her as well, though in reality, Kellan suspected he already had.
But acting on those feelings was completely out of the question.
CHAPTER THREE
Mercy patiently stood in the foyer of Club Genesis, chatting with her friends Woody and Maple. As the trio waited to be checked in by Dark Desire and his Mistress, Lady Ivory, Mercy kept a tight lid on how she’d passed out in Kellan’s arms. There were strict rules about anonymity, so she bit her tongue to protect Sir Justice’s true identity. Mercy focused on relaying the disappointing outcome of the trial instead.
“I think Mistress Monique plans to scene with me tonight,” Woody announced with glee.
“Really?” Maple smiled. “Are you scared?”
“No. But nervous as hell,” he replied quietly. “I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“Stop. Right. There.” Mercy held up her hand. “I didn’t want to disappoint Kerr, either, and look what that got me. Be yourself, Woody. If you don’t like something she’s doing, tell her.”
“Listen to her, boy,” Master Lewis—a Dom who’d been hounding Mercy to scene with him since she’d joined the club—chimed in. “She’s right. Open, honest communication is a must in the lifestyle.”
“Yes, Sir.” Woody nodded.
“Good boy.” Lewis turned an expectant smile Mercy’s way. “And what about you, sexy Symoné? Are you ready to communicate and negotiate a scene with me yet?”
I’d love to teach you if I could, angel, but I can’t. Kellan’s words roared in her head, cutting her to the bone with finality she could no longer deny. The Dom she wanted had rebuffed her. He’d done it gently, but he’d refused her all the same. Mercy had to broaden her horizons…start looking at other Doms or her submission could be in jeopardy. She didn’t want to be one of the hopeless subs, pining for every Dom who walked by, wearing a do me expression.
Lewis didn’t hold a candle to Kellan, but sitting around waiting for a miracle, like Justice to cuff her to the cross, was an unattainable fantasy. It was time she started putting her submissive ass into the game.
“Thank you, Sir. I’d be honored to negotiate a scene with you.”
Or try. Mercy didn’t know the first thing about negotiating a scene.
“Excellent,” he all but shouted happily. “I know what that prick Kerr put you through. Trust me. I’ll be gentle as a lamb and ease you into subspace slowly. We’ll talk more inside the dungeon.”
Lewis stepped up to the podium, then with a wink and an even bigger grin, he pushed past the long velvet curtain and was out of sight.
“Did you do that to me on purpose?” Maple whispered tersely.
“Do what?” Mercy asked as Woody presented his driver’s license to the couple manning the members list.
“I’ve been trying to get Lewis to notice me for months,” Maple hissed.
“You have?” Mercy blinked in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d steal him from me, like you did Kerr.”
A white-hot rage filled Mercy’s veins. “Wait a minute. First of all, I would never steal a Dom from you or any other sub. Secondly, if I’d known you were interested in Lewis, I would have refused his offer. I’ve been turning him down nearly every night since we started coming here. And lastly, Kerr used you as much as he did me.”
“Forget Kerr,” she spat. “You’re telling me that Lewis has been sniffing around you this whole time?” Maple huffed as she moved to the podium.
“It’s not like I ever encouraged him. I’ll fix it.”
“You don’t have to encourage any Dom. They all want you! I don’t need you doing me any favors. Lewis obviously isn’t interested in me. Go on and have fun with him. I’ll find another Dom.” Maple tossed her nose in the air, turned on her heel, and stormed away.
“Welcome to another drama-filled episode of As the Dungeon Turns,” Dark Desire, the buff, shirtless sub wearing leather pants and a wide silver collar at his neck, joked in the voice of a game show host.
“Right?” Mercy huffed and handed him her license. Maple’s jealous words swirled in Mercy’s head. The longer they festered, the more pissed off she became.
“Try to have a good time tonight, Symoné.” Lady Ivory flashed a supportive smile.
“Thank you, Ma’am. I will.”
When Mercy breached the curtain, Lewis was waiting and practically crawled on top of her. He clutched her elbow and led her deeper into the dungeon. He zinged a barrage of eager questions at her so fast it made her head spin.
Anxiety crawled up her spine while regret pumped in her veins. Why had she agreed to scene with this dude? A slick film oozed from her pores the longer he quizzed her. Mercy’s eyes darted over the dungeon, desperately searching for Kellan. She didn’t see him anywhere.
“Well? What do you say, girl?” Lewis asked eagerly. “Come on, don’t be shy.”
“I-I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’m really ready to scene after all,” she stammered.
“Of course you are. You’re just nervous. I give you my word, as a Dom, I will honor your safe word during our scene.” Lewis paused only to inhale before continuing. “What is it? Your safe word, I mean. I’ll
need to know it before we start.”
Why?
Did he plan to beat on her until she screamed the word, like Kerr used to do? An icy foreboding filled her. The thought of Lewis’ hands caressing her flesh or his cock shoving in and out of her pussy while everyone in the dungeon watched, including Kellan, made her stomach pitch and yaw.
There was only one Dom she wanted to give her submission to, and it certainly wasn’t Lewis.
Mercy guided a slightly panicked glance over the dungeon.
Kellan wasn’t anywhere.
Jerking from Lewis’ grasp, she mumbled an apology, then turned and zigzagged through the members as she raced straight into the ladies’ room.
Trembling like a leaf, she paced until she was nearly hyperventilating. Mercy bent over the sink and splashed cold water on her face as she swallowed huge gulps of air. The door suddenly swung open and in rushed Samantha—the former Mistress Sammie who’d traded in her Domme whip for Master Max’s submissive collar. She moved in behind Mercy and gently rubbed her back.
“What’s wrong, Symoné? I saw you tear ass in here, pale and shaking like you’d seen a ghost. Kerr hasn’t somehow snuck inside the club, has he?”
“No.” Mercy grabbed a handful of paper towels and wiped her face.
“Good. I was in Mika’s office earlier when Sir Justice came in and filled him in on what happened at the courthouse today. It just burns my ass that stupid judge didn’t lock that animal away.”
“Kellan’s here?”
“Kellan, huh?” Samantha smirked. “Yes, but I haven’t seen Sir Justice come down from Mika’s office yet. He’s probably still up there. Tell me what happened in the dungeon that upset you?”
“Nothing. Something. I don’t know. I probably freaked out for nothing.”
“Come with me.” Samantha gently urged her toward the door.
Mercy dug in her heels and shook her head. “I don’t want to go out there yet.”
“I wasn’t taking you back to the dungeon but to my room for some girl talk.”
“Oh, that would be nice.”
Mercy followed Samantha out the restroom and down the long hall of private rooms. As they reached their destination, a warm body eased in alongside Mercy. She tensed, fearing Lewis didn’t want to give up his quest and had followed her to press her to play again. When she looked over her shoulder, it wasn’t Lewis peering down at her but Kellan. His expression told her he was pissed and ready to spit nails.
Before she could even greet the man, he clutched her elbow and scowled. “What did Lewis say that upset you?”
His touch ignited that heated sexual awakening inside her again. The man was like a walking, talking aphrodisiac.
“Nothing.”
“Do not lie to me, angel. What did he say?”
“He wanted to scene with me, like always. Lewis has been pestering me since I joined the club. When he asked me again tonight in the foyer, I told him I would—”
“So you’re going to let Lewis scene with you?”
Kellan’s tone was dripping with sarcasm…or was it jealousy? Why did he even care? It wasn’t like Sir Justice would cuff her to a cross and play with her.
“I was, but I decided not to.”
Samantha didn’t say a word. She simply darted glances between them before unlocking the door.
“Thank you, Samantha. I’ll take it from here.” Kellan all but dismissed the other sub as he kicked out a foot, keeping the door propped open.
“Stay as long as you’d like, Sir.” A knowing smile tugged the corners of Samantha’s lips. “I’ll be at the bar if either of you need me.”
“Wait. I thought you and I were going to talk.” Mercy hated the tone of panic in her voice.
“This won’t take long,” Kellan drawled.
Samantha nodded. She gave Mercy a supportive wink and walked away.
Kellan led her inside the room and sat down on the bed, dragging Mercy down beside him.
“I take it Lewis berated you for changing your mind.”
“No.”
“All right. What exactly did he say that frightened you?”
“He wanted to know my safe word.”
“And?” Justice pressed, wearing a look of confusion.
“And it scared me. I mean, the only reason he’d need to know that was if he intended to whale me until I had to use it. I may be naïve when it comes to certain aspects of the lifestyle, but I’m not stupid. No way am I going to let some Dom I hardly know strap me to a cross and do as he pleases.”
Kellan issued a soft chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Mercy bristled.
“Nothing. I just adore your spunk.” He quickly sobered. “You shouldn’t let any Dom do as he pleases. That’s what negotiations are for. As for your safe word, never scene with a Dom who doesn’t know what it is. It’s the only way they’ll know if you’re in trouble and need to pause or stop the scene altogether.”
“I didn’t think of it like that.” She dropped her head and let out a long groan.
“What did you think a safe word was for?”
“Kerr told me to use it when I couldn’t take any more pain.”
“I take it you never negotiated your scenes with him.”
She shook her head. “No. He’d just order me to bend over and to shut up until he was done. I don’t even know how to negotiate a scene.”
Kellan closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. His nostrils flared and his lips thinned into a tight line. After several long seconds, he mumbled a curse, then locked on to her with an uncompromising stare.
“I’ll pick you up at seven thirty in the morning so you can attend the sub meeting. We’ll grab breakfast, then come to the club. Understood?”
Mercy nodded. The adamant tone in his instructions slid over her flesh like warm honey. This was the kind of control she ached for him to give her. Her nipples drew up tight and hard, throbbing in time with the growing ache between her legs. The overwhelming need for his Dominance was burning her alive, but it was more than that. She craved this man with a primitive, visceral hunger. Mercy feared that if she couldn’t convince him to put out the submissive wildfire inside her, she’d soon turn to nothing but ash.
What was stopping him? Why wouldn’t he take her out to the dungeon and start teaching her how to please him? Was she not attractive enough? Did he want an experienced sub? Was their age difference too much for him to handle?
All Kellan had told her was that he couldn’t train her. But he hadn’t gone into any detail…hadn’t given her a tangible reason for his refusal. The not knowing why ate at her soul.
Mercy had had enough…enough second-guessing her desirability as a sub and as a woman…enough of filling her head with a plethora of questions. She wanted answers, dammit. And she aimed to get them.
Gathering her courage, she lifted her chin and stared him in the eyes. “Tell me why you can’t you train me. If it’s because you have socks older than me, let me assure you, I’m emotionally mature enough to handle your Dominance.”
His expression softened. “It’s not about age.”
“Then what is it? If I’m not submissive enough, I’ll work harder. I’ll learn anything you want to teach me. If you don’t like my hair, my makeup, my clothes…I’ll change. Just please…give me a chance to show you what’s in my heart.”
Pride be damned, Mercy didn’t care that she was begging. The submissive within ached to beg longer and harder…to stir his Dominance enough that he would take control and light her dark, confusing path.
Kellan tensed. A savage noise, like a strangled roar, rumbled deep in his chest. His expression hardened, twisting with a look of pain, while fire and hunger blazed in his eyes. He urgently cupped her nape and dragged her to his mouth, claiming her in a passionate kiss.
Electricity shot through her, setting fire to every cell in her body.
His lips were warm, firm, and ravenous as he devoured her.
Mercy fell limp in his arms.
/>
She whimpered and kissed him back, striving to return the blissful, palpable hunger he bathed her in.
Her pulse thundered in her ears.
Kellan dragged his tongue over the seam of her lips.
Mercy moaned and opened, welcoming him inside.
His kiss grew raw…urgent.
Their tongues tangled in slick, wet warmth.
His masculine scent made her dizzy.
Mercy’s body pulsed and throbbed beneath tingling skin.
She was lost…lost in the texture and taste of this magnificent man.
Kellan wrapped one broad hand beneath her breast.
Through the corset, the heat of his touch singed her skin.
Her clit throbbed.
Her nipples ached and strained.
She clutched his shoulders. Absorbing the heat rolling off him, she held on for dear life.
Arching into his palm, she ached to feel him glide his thumb over her swollen peaks.
She needed something more…needed Kellan to strum the need away…or rev it higher. At the moment, Mercy didn’t know which…didn’t care.
But Kellan did. He knew exactly what she needed.
He brushed her pebbled tip and swallowed her moan of delight.
Answering her call, he groaned and cupped her breast.
Without warning, he tore from her mouth and jerked his hand back as if she’d burned him with acid.
His eyes widened. Like a kaleidoscope, a million emotions swirled over his face. But it was the blatant look of horror that landed the crushing blow to the bonfire blazing inside her.
Mercy found it even more disenchanting when Kellan vaulted off the bed and rushed to the door.
“I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
Mercy blinked, and he was gone.
She drew her fingers to her mouth.
The door shut with a brutal finality.
The tingle of his kiss still lingered on her lips.
Shock, disappointment, and confusion pinged through her.
Rage trumped them all and soared like a rocket inside her.