“What about the seven deadly sins? People could come dressed as their own interpretation of one of those sins. Invitations could even list the sins for guest convenience,” I managed to say.
“Brilliant!” Heath beamed at me. “I adore that idea. Lady Delilah, you have certainly picked yourself quite the complement of a sub.”
My cheeks heated at the praise. “Thank you, sir.”
Delilah sipped her drink and I could see the wheels turning in her head. “I think the idea is a wonderful. Let’s run it by Kyle and see what he thinks.”
“I’ll go do that now.” Heath bowed to us both, then left.
“Mistress? Why is a second club opening up? This one is busy, sure...but there’s hardly a line waiting at the door.” I chewed on my bottom lip, hoping I hadn’t offended with my question.
She smiled at me, and no evidence of displeasure revealed itself in either her features, or her tone. “This club is great, but there are a few higher end clients who would prefer a much more intimate setting. One where the membership is so exclusive, they are willing to pay membership fees. It’ll focus more on very involved rooms with play areas for scenes. Things that they might not be able to have room for at home.”
“I suppose that makes sense,” I admitted.
We drank silently for a time, watching the other couples in the room interact with each other. Well, I busied myself with that, at least. When I snuck glances at Delilah’s face, I couldn’t tell if she actually watched the other people, or if her thoughts were far away. At one point I noticed her attention directed toward the sub she’d performed the demo on sensation play with and jealousy reared its ugly head.
“Did you used to be in a relationship with her?” I asked, hoping my tone didn’t betray my emotions.
“Who?” She blinked as if coming out of a daydream and it only caused my emotions to sour further. “Megan?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything.
“For a time. A very short time. She taught me how to be a Domme.”
“What!” It was my turn to blink in surprise. “You were a sub? But then... I don’t understand.” I rubbed at my temples as I tried to make sense of it all.
“I told you once that I’m willing to be a switch for the right woman. Megan is also a switch and she’s bisexual. She was a wonderful teacher. Very caring and reliable. But she prefers to be a sub, and I prefer to be a Domme. So when the time came for us to switch to our preferred roles, we didn’t play so well. Call it clash of the titans, if you will.” Delilah issued a soft sigh. “We’ve both come a long way since then, but I’ll always be grateful to her. She’s one of the few people I trust implicitly.”
“I never knew what a switch meant. So it’s someone who can fill either role?”
“Exactly.” She stared for a few minutes longer, as if taking a waltz down memory lane. With a firm shake of her head, she grabbed my almost-empty soda can from my hand and placed it and her half-full cup on a small table, then laced her fingers with mine. “Come on.”
“Where are we going...Mistress,” I added at her admonishing look.
“Upstairs.”
My stomach immediately starting performing somersaults so intense it would have made a circus acrobat envious. I dug in my heels, causing both of us to come to a standstill. Not an ounce of desire or curiosity inhabited my mind or body after the last time I’d went up there.
“Paige...” Her tone didn’t convey a warning so much as an invitation. As if, by saying my name, she was asking me to explain so she could fix my issues. This was an issue I didn’t want to fix.
“Don’t wanna.” Seriously? Is that the best you can do? You sound like a whiny two year old.
“Why?” Delilah pulled me closer, locking her arms around my waist. “What’s wrong? Talk it out with me.”
I swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat and tried to convince my stomach not to show me how soda tasted a second time around. “Last time I went up there... Teresa and Bryce were...” The images of her riding him and the arrogant smile on his face filled my mind and I squeezed my eyes shut. It didn’t help one bit.
“Then it’s high time to replace that memory with a newer, better one,” she said. “Paige, listen to me. They left already. There’s absolutely no chance we’ll find them upstairs so you aren’t going to be put through that again. I would really like for us to go, but I’d like it better if you trusted me to take you up there. We won’t do a scene. I just want to wander through and see if there’s any we’d like to watch. If nothing catches your interest, we’ll leave. But you need to at least give us the chance to go try. Can you do that for me?”
No. Not a chance in hell. Take me back to the guest apartment so I can go back to my life.
As if sensing my thoughts, she placed a kiss on my forehead. If the kiss had been anywhere else, I think I could have held my resolve and said no. But the complete innocence of the kiss crumbled my walls. I sighed heavily and leaned my forehead against hers.
“With all due respect, Mistress, you suck.”
She chuckled, then threaded our fingers together and we made our way to the stairs. My stomach twisted itself into knots every single step of the way.
Chapter thirteen
The sound of moaning reached me before we finished climbing the stairs. I didn’t want to see, and yet a part of me wanted to know. There was still so much to learn about this world, and I’d only just started to dip my toes in and test the waters. Other than the hearing sensation play Delilah used the night she had me abducted—at least I thought that was the method she used—we’d done nothing sexual. I hardly counted a chaste kiss on the forehead.
We approached the first room with the St. Andrew’s cross and the man on the cross moaned loudly. A woman held a cup and ran something down his back. I frowned, trying to figure out what she had.
“Ice cubes,” Delilah whispered in my ear. “She’s using the cold to sensitize his skin. It’s touch sensation play.”
Oh . I’d used ice cubes on Teresa once. It never occurred to me that what I’d done was in anyway BDSM level kinky. At the time, it simply seemed like a fun way to give her a little extra stimulation and torture. I wonder if licking whipped cream off Delilah’s nipples would count as sensation play too.
We watched for a few more minutes, then she guided me to the next room. There were a few people up that littered the hallway, watching the various scenes. The floor thumped in time with the music from the DJ below, but the music remained indiscernible. My stomach continued to flutter, though the sensation came through as equal parts fear and excitement now.
The next room sat empty and so we passed it by. The room after that contained two men. I automatically scanned their faces to see if one was Heath, but neither were. One man lounged on a large chair that looked very much like a throne. The other knelt on a pillow at his feet. His features were drawn tight in bliss as he stroked himself.
“Master, please...” His voice sounded so tortured that I studied him, trying to find the source of his discomfort.
“Not yet. You were a naughty boy.”
The man whimpered and he slowed the speed at which he ran his hand up and down his length. His body trembled. I shot Delilah a questioning look, hoping she’d understand what I was asking.
She wrapped an arm around my waist and drew me closer. Her breath tickled my ear as she spoke. “Orgasm delay. He’s not allowing his sub to come.”
“Isn’t that cruel?” I whispered back.
Her shoulders shook in silent laughter and I bit my lip, fighting back the blush that heated my cheeks.
“When done correctly, it can be a great cruelty. It makes a wonderful punishment for subs who need to learn a lesson. However, it can also grant an orgasm so intense it’ll make you see stars. It’s similar to orgasm denial, except you do eventually let the sub reach orgasm.”
“Now! Come now, Adam,” the man on the chair commanded.
The sub tensed and a guttural c
ry tore from his throat. The orgasm seemed to take hold of him completely as he yelled out in the moment of his completion. After a moment, he slumped forward, panting. “Thank you, Master.” His voice sounded like it bordered on a sob. “That was so fucking good. Thank you.”
“Let’s leave them to their moment,” Delilah said. “I always feel like after care should be the most private moment between a Dom and sub.”
We stepped away, and I could hear the man praising Adam. It reminded of the praise Delilah lavished on me when I had my breakdown the first night. I wanted to hear those words from her again. Wanted her to take care of me and hold me again. The only worries I had was I didn’t want to go through admitting my rape and the crying afterward. I craved what I’d just seen. After care in the aftermath of an orgasm.
Most of the rest of the rooms were empty. My steps slowed as we approached the last room. The one where I’d found Teresa in the midst of her betrayal. I could hear a woman’s voice, and the familiar voice set me on edge.
“There. Right there, Master!”
We stepped in the viewing area and I matched up the voice to a face. Amy knelt on a padded mat with vivid blue rope twined across almost every inch of her body. Her arms were bound in front of her, and her ankles were tied together too. A man stood behind her, pulling on the length of rope attached at her wrists that threaded between her thighs.
He wore nothing but tight blue jeans, and his muscles were extremely toned. Tattoos circled each bicep in tribal patterns. As he released the tension on the rope, Amy whimpered softly.
“That’s all for tonight, vixen. You have to get back to work. For the rest of the night, though, you’re going to ache with arousal. If you’re a good girl, I’ll finish what I started when we get home.”
I froze at the sound of his voice, then whirled on Delilah. “Him!”
She blinked at me, but for a brief moment, the corner of her mouth twitched. “Whatever do you mean? You aren’t hoping to play with them, are you?”
I scowled and pointed at Rick. “That’s the man who kidnapped me. I know that voice.”
A masculine chuckle filled the room and I turned to find Amy and her Master staring at me. “Nice deductive skills. That’s right. But you have to give Delilah credit. She left your kidnapping in the hands of an ex-Army Ranger. Can’t do much better than that.”
“Only the best can be sent to hunt little tigresses.” Delilah pet my hair and I leaned into the touch. It soothed me on some deep, ridiculous level in my soul. I imagined myself a great cat, lounging next to her as she ran her fingers over me. Both of us deadly. Both of us capable. Both of us knowing I served because I wanted to, not because I had to.
“We’ll leave you be,” she said, giving them both a curt nod. “We apologize for the interruption.”
Rick waved it off, though amusement continued to dance in his eyes. “My pet and I were finished. I suppose I should probably unbind her, though.” He chuckled and turned back to Amy who still knelt on the floor. “Let’s get you untied and some water in you. I bet your throat is parched, isn’t it, baby?”
Delilah tugged me away and we walked slowly back down the hall. I followed her, but my mind churned as I took a second look at the rooms we passed. None of them had doors. I distinctly remembered Amy saying some of the Masters, including hers, had rooms that were private.
“Everything okay, Paige?” Mistress’s voice held a note of concern that caught my attention.
“Why were they using a public room? Amy said once they have a private one. Not to mention, I don’t see any rooms with doors, and she said those rooms are locked.” I chewed on my bottom lip as I tried to puzzle it out.
She paused, and I could see her thinking. After a few moments, she said, “Would you like to see my room? We don’t have to do anything, but I can show it to you.”
I nodded and excitement pooled in my belly. “Yes. Please, Mistress.” Seeing her room would allow me some insight into the woman I’d contracted to serve. I needed this to give me some idea of what she was into and what she would eventually expect.
Delilah linked our elbows together, as if we were escorting each other, and led me back down the hallway. She didn’t linger as we walked past the openings of the rooms that lay silent and inviting. Her pace seemed more a stroll than anything. As if we were in a mall and merely walking past displays.
We descended the stairs, then made our way through the dancing clients to the opposite side of the main room. She pulled a curtain to the side that hid a staircase just to the left of the door to the kitchen. I’d never noticed it there before. Of course, any time I’d come this way, my mind had been occupied with inventory or carrying dishes.
Carpet decorated the stairs, muffling our footsteps as we climbed them. The thump of the bass from the music became a distant memory, tugging at the edge of my attention. The tone up here seemed different...sacred.
We walked to a door on the far left, and Delilah paused in front of it. “Usually I keep it locked, but I left it unlocked so it could be cleaned over the weekend. I don’t have my key with me tonight. There is a spare in the office, though.”
She turned the handle and I held my breath as I waited for her to step into the room and flick on the light switch. When she did, it was everything I expected from her and more. Purples and reds and black shaded the room, giving it an erotic, dominant ambience. Furniture I didn’t have names for sat around the room, but were arranged in an almost welcoming fashion. It didn’t scream a pleasure dungeon so much as...
“Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly,” I whispered the words and stepped into the room.
“Indeed.” Delilah crossed over to a wardrobe and opened it. A variety of toys, floggers, and even some outfits hung inside. She pulled out a feather duster contraption. The multi-hued peacock feathers fluttered as she motioned me over with it. “You’ll find this spider has much to offer. She doesn’t just take without giving back.”
As she spoke, she ran the feathers over one of my arms. The sensation, combined with her words, sent a shiver of arousal through me. I regarded her with half-lidded eyes. As gentle as she’d been with me, this room brought to light just how much of a Domme she could be. No doubt remained in my mind over whether sophisticated Delilah could deal out pleasurable punishment with the best of them.
“Feel free to look around,” she said. Her voice contained a seductive purr, much like it did the first time we met.
I swallowed then nodded and began making my way around the room, exploring as I went. It was a clean room, and very pretty, but somehow the room felt more like a display than an actual functional play area. The furniture remained glossy as if freshly waxed. The steel and silver reflected the light in shining purity. Nothing was out of place, and absolutely none of it looked well-used.
“Do you come in here much?” I asked.
“I tend to take on short-term service subs.” Her answer came out so curt that I paused and stared at her. Delilah turned her gaze away from my attention. “I prefer sensation play. That is a very small part of the whole in the lifestyle of BDSM. Many subs are not satisfied unless harder limits are pushed that I take no pleasure in. It has made finding a long term sub...difficult, to say the least.”
I offered a nod, but turned her words over in my head. When talking about her situation, she’d sounded disappointed. Perhaps a little jaded. Maybe the subs weren’t the only ones whose needs weren’t being met in her previous relationships. It was clear that Brandi was right about one thing—Delilah obviously craved a permanent relationship.
Ours is only temporary though. Once the contract is up, she’ll go on to her next sub and I’ll go on to... To what?
I couldn’t think about that right now. My future was too uncertain and if I faced the hard truth that I had no options, no plan, then it sent me straight down the path to depression. Depression meant a desire for escapism. Escapism meant alcohol. Especially since I couldn’t currently use working as a form of escap
ism.
“Did you see anything tonight that you are interested in trying?”
Her voice broke my thoughts and I blinked as my mind struggled to understand what she meant. “The... The rooms? Watching the people do the things?” I asked, sounding like a complete idiot.
She placed the feathers back into the wardrobe and carefully closed it. “Yes. Did you see anything you might want to try?”
“I’m not sure.” I hesitated then frowned. “I don’t get how the orgasm delay stuff is supposed to work.”
“Then let me show you.”
My body froze at her words and I knew my eyes went wide. “I... I don’t know if I can...” I gulped as the lump of anxiety formed in my throat.
“Paige, shhhh. Listen to me. When a lover touches you, what are you comfortable with?” Her voice came out a low croon. Almost hypnotic as it washed over me.
“Ummm. Kissing. Kissing is good.” I shuffled nervously as she drew near. “Fingering. Some toys. Not anything major. Just like, you know, a vibrator.” Way to go, Paige. Can’t talk none good for the win.
“Kissing? Like this?” Delilah pressed a gentle kiss against my throat and I nearly melted on the spot. “Is there anything you absolutely do not like?”
I moaned softly as I tried to concentrate past the heat gathering between my thighs. “Anal,” I replied. “Pain.”
“Good, Paige. That’s very good. We’re going to do something now. I’m going to kiss you, and I’m going to touch you. Later, if you are okay with it, I might use a vibrator on you. Is that okay?”
“Y-yes.” I licked my lips. “How is this different from just a regular hook up?”
A soft chuckle escaped her throat. “By the time we’re done, you’ll know the answer to that.” She cupped my face and kissed me. It was gentle at first. Teasing. Testing. But as she deepened it, she also tightened her grip on me.
An aching longing possessed every cell of my body. Part of me couldn’t understand how someone as gorgeous as her found me interesting, but the rest thrilled at her attention. I’d wanted Delilah the moment I’d laid eyes on her, and it seemed now I’d finally get her.
The Abduction Agreement (Mistress May I Book 1) Page 11