Michelle: The Ties That Bind (Auction Night Book 3)

by Ellie Masters

  No.

  This feeling is something else and I can't define it.

  "I'll let Katy know," he says. "Do you still want to go to the gala?"

  "Katy would kill me if I'm not there to set up and I really don't want to disappoint her."

  Tank finally spins me around. We're chest to chest, hip to hip, and if he leans down we'll be lip to lip. I can feel the kiss hovering in the air between us.

  "Good. I feel the same. I'm looking forward to it, actually. I want to see what Eric and Thomas decide."

  I can't help but giggle. "You mean with Penny?"

  "Yeah. Thomas came home to attend tonight."

  "I think I saw him and Penny at the spa. I have to say it was a little surprising. I don't think of Thomas as a man to put on a fluffy white robe."

  Tank gives a chuckle. "Thanks for telling me that. Now I can rib him about it all night."

  I place my hand on his chest and lift on tiptoe. "If you don't kiss me, I think I'm going to go insane."

  "If I kiss you, you'll find yourself up against that wall with my dick shoved in your pussy."

  "Good thing I'm not wearing panties." There's a smirk on my face.

  His chest swells and a low growl rumbles out. I give a little squeak as he lifts me up, hooks my legs around his hips and slams me up against the window.

  I guess the wall was too many steps away. I reach between us, unfastening his pants. Tank barely lets me free his cock before he lifts up and plunges deep inside of me.

  People think getting fucked against the wall is sexy as hell. I'm here to tell you it's not. It's hard and uncomfortable. And can we say something about having your head bang against the wall with each thrust. I'm not even going to mention the sheer terror of thinking the glass will break. The last thing I need is to be tumbling through space and landing flat on my back with Tank on top of me with his dick impaled in my pussy.

  Despite my overly active imagination, I do not plummet to my death. The sturdy glass holds up to the force of Tank's thrusts and before I know it, I'm seeing stars. I scream a little too, and I don't give one fuck if his entire office hears us.

  Tank comes with a roar and violent jerk of his hips, then I'm back on my feet. We're out of breath and I'm a little flushed. Next to our nooners, I kind of love our quickies, too.

  He tucks himself back into his pants. "I'm going to call James." He glances at his watch. "I think you have just enough time to head home, get showered, and to the club."

  "Aren't you coming with me?"

  The corner of his mouth tilts upward. "I rescheduled my meetings for later in the day. I'll meet you at the club, but I probably won't be there until closer to eight."

  A quick search of his office and I locate my panties. I help him put everything back in place, wipe down the couch and I run some glass cleaner over the mess we made of the window. Tank watches me with a lusty gaze. My man is never satisfied.

  I have an overwhelming urge to kneel before him. I do it often enough, but this feels somehow different. Before I have a chance to act on the impulse, the intercom on his desk squawks to life.

  Chapter 10

  Tank ushers me out of his office. He delayed two of his clients to be with me. James meets me downstairs and drives me home where I shower, dress, and grab my bag with my costume for the auction.

  A costume I no longer need.

  I have a moment of hesitation. Tank is going to call Katy and pull me out of the auction, but I'm wondering if that's what I want.

  Isn't this exactly what I've been asking for?

  You'd think there wouldn't be any hesitation. My answer should be Yes. Instead, I can't stop thinking about the whole thing.

  I'm officially one of those wishy-washy girls who can't make up her mind. I'm contributing to global male confusion over the entire female gender.

  I would spend more time thinking about it, except I'm running late. With no questions answered, I pack my bag, genie costume inside, and head back downstairs where James waits to shuttle me to my next destination.

  Before I know it, I'm at The Ties that Bind.

  James drops me at the front entrance—a very nondescript door—and heads off. I think he's going to grab dinner before picking Tank up at his office. I have three hours before Tank arrives. The gala doesn't start until seven this evening. With all the fashionably late arrivals, it won't really take off until eight.

  We have a social and an auction to set up in the main hall. Not the one I'm supposed to be in. That comes later. This auction is for items donated by our club members. There are all kinds of things which have come in for tonight and it's my job to catalog, organize, and set everything up. In addition, I need to ensure the bidding app we're using is functioning properly.

  "Michelle!" Katy sees me immediately and runs to me. I'm captured in her hug before I can blink. "You're here."

  I bite my lower lip. "Where else am I supposed to be?"

  "Well, I wasn't sure if you'd come. After you left me at the spa…" She doesn't finish her thought, but the question she's dying to ask lingers between us.

  "Tank and I had a good talk." I grip her hands. "We're good."

  "Are you?"

  I give a nod. "Yeah, actually we're pretty damn perfect."

  It's not a lie. Despite everything, I'm grounded in how perfect we are. His love is unquestionable. His dedication to me…unwavering. I'm probably the luckiest woman on the planet to have a man completely devoted to me and my happiness.

  "Good." She gives a sigh. "I was a little worried. You looked stressed."

  "I'm not anymore." Only after I say it do I realize it's the truth.

  "Okay, well you have your assignment. All the donations are in that room." She points to one of the side rooms used for various classes and club meetings. "The guys are setting up the tables around the room. They're almost done."

  She's roped several of the Dom's and Masters into helping her with the heavy lifting. They've rearranged the main hall. About two thirds of the furniture is gone. What's left is arranged into tight clusters in the center of the room. There's enough space for people to gather, move about, and I can see the flow is really well thought out.

  Around the edges several tables have been set out. A couple of men are working on setting up the last few tables. We still need to put the tablecloths on top and decorate the place, but that's not my job. Katy's event planner will take care of that.

  And from the commotion at the door, it looks like the event planner and an army of assistants just arrived.

  "Oh good!" Katy claps her hands. "Right on time. Do you need any help?" She spares one last glance at me, but she's already walking away.

  I smile at she leaves me to my task. She hugs the event planner and begins to point around the room telling the planner what she wants. I don't see signs of the caterer, but I would think they would arrive in another hour or two.

  The Ties that Bind is a building almost a block long. The main floor is a massive social gathering place with a bar where people can grab a quick bite. The upper levels are divided into public play spaces and private rooms. There are administrative offices at the very top and then there's the basement.

  I've never visited as a player, but I have been down there to help set various things up. The dungeon is a special place set aside for those into the extremes of power exchange. Like the upper floors, there's a public play space with lounges for socializing. In the back, are rooms for private play. It's where Tank would have taken me after the auction; our first time downstairs as a couple.

  Is it strange to feel a little pang of regret? I think so, but how can that be?

  In a moment, I'll head down there and post the placards for those who reserved private rooms for the night.

  Right now, I'm admiring an extensive collection of jewelry. There are necklaces and rings, normal things, earrings and bracelets, and then there are nipple rings and slave collars. I rub at my neck wondering if Tank planned on putting a collar around my neck. />
  It would be his right, for whatever time he wins at auction, but then I'm not in the auction anymore. My shoulders slump and I finish placing the description cards by all the pretty jewelry. I move on to gift baskets stuffed with all manner of treats. There are wine baskets, whiskey collections, dinner vouchers to the most upscale restaurants in town, and several vacation packages.

  I'm nearly done when Katy comes up to me.

  "I just got a call from Tank."

  My shoulders slump. "Yeah."

  "He says you're not going to be in the auction?" Her face pinches with confusion and she cocks her head to the side. My friend is concerned, but she understands this is hard for me.

  "Yeah. I probably should have told you."

  I actually feel a little guilty not mentioning it earlier, but she's too busy getting everything ready. The last thing she needed was me and the mess of my love life.

  "Is that what you want?" She places her hand on my arm. "What happened?"

  "Nothing really. We're perfect."

  We're absolutely fucking perfect. Is that a problem people can have?

  "Doesn't sound perfect."

  "No, actually we're really good. We talked this afternoon…" After he fucked my brains out. "He decided it wasn't the right time for us."

  "And what do you think of that?"

  "I guess it's okay."

  "You guess?" She kind of snickers. "Honestly, that's funny."

  "What's funny about it?"

  "You realize you sound like you lost your best friend."

  "No I don't."

  "Yes, you do." Her smile is radiant and her eyes light up. "You don't have to pull out…if that's what you want."

  "He wants it…so we're out."

  "You know, one thing I've learned about men is that they don't always know what they want. Tank loves you. Everybody knows that. But imagine his surprise when he sees you on that stage? Imagine the thrill when he knows you're willing to try."

  "Am I?"

  "Look, I've been at this a very long time. I kind of have a sixth sense about it. You and Tank…the two of you have been heading to an M/s dynamic for years. I don't think you really appreciate how much of it you already embrace. He practically takes care of every facet of your life and you're happy to let him. All that's missing is a formal acknowledgment of it and a collaring ceremony to make it official."

  "That's not true." The denial comes easily, but it feels like a lie.

  Her left eyebrow lifts and she places her hands on her hips. "If that's what you want to think, but if you're going to think about it, why not really take a hard look at your dynamic? And I think you owe it to Tank to be honest with yourself."

  "What are you suggesting?"

  "I'm suggesting you're practically his slave now, and I know you want to experience what it means to actually be his slave. I think you're more interested than you're able to admit, but I think there's something inside of you which still thinks there's something wrong about embracing that side of yourself."

  "I don't think it's wrong—"

  "For others." She gives a sharp shake of her head. "You don't think it's wrong for others. You have no problem with Penny being Daniel's slave, or even me being Andy's, God rest his soul, but make it personal and there's something inside of you that's not ready to accept it's okay. Step out of your comfort zone and get out of your head."

  Sometimes, Katy can be a little too direct.

  "Funny, Tank said about the same thing."

  She crossed her arms and stared at me. "Hmm, I wonder what that might mean?"

  "What if he's angry I'm disobeying him?"

  "What if he's not?" She hands me a stack of cards. "He reserved a room downstairs. I guess you need to decide if you're going to post it to the room or toss it in the trash."

  The cards are the reservations for the private rooms down in the dungeon. I flip through them, and glance up at Katy with surprise.

  "Eric and Thomas reserved a room?"

  "Yes. Don't tell Penny, but they called earlier this afternoon. I don't want to spoil anything for her."

  "And Daniel too? I thought he didn't want to go there with Alexa?"

  Katy gives a shrug. "I guess you never know."

  I see the placard with Tank's name on it and my stomach kind of knots up a little. He's giving up what he wants for me. I bite my lip and stare at the card.

  Katy laughs beside me. "You know, he doesn't have to know."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Only that he knows you're helping me set everything up for the auctions. I need you backstage and he's going to want to hang with the guys. If you want to go ahead with this, that post is still yours."

  Katy refers to one of the seven posts set up for the third and final auction of the night. There are three auctions total. The first is the one I finished setting up with the donated items by our members. The second is an open auction. Submissives interested in putting themselves up to the membership at large will auction themselves off for the night.

  I did that once. It's how I met Tank. You don't know who will bid on you and it's kind of exciting to give up control to a stranger. It takes guts and isn't for the faint of heart. Tank and I spent the night exploring our compatibility. We've been together ever since.

  I took a leap of faith that night.

  None of those submissives will go to private rooms and none of them will head downstairs. There's an entire area set aside in the public play space upstairs for those in the second auction. Again, one of our many safety protocols at play. The club recognizes one night of fun does not involve power exchange on the level of a Master and slave.

  "Why don't you go ahead and post the cards downstairs. If you use the room, you use it. If you don't, Tank will never know you didn't put the card out."

  With Katy's words swirling around in my head, I head upstairs to check on the reserved areas in the public play space. It takes a bit of time because I need to change out the red velvet ropes for black, which designates those areas reserved for auction winners. I make sure everything is ready for the eager couples before heading to the dungeon.

  It's a little past seven by the time I make my way downstairs. The dungeon is closed until after the auction. Normally, it's open from five until midnight and there's always a dungeon monitor posted outside the door to confirm the slave's willingness to enter and go over club safety protocols. For tonight, everything is closed until after the social and all three auctions.

  And it doesn't matter if it's a slave's first time with a Master or she's been in a relationship for years. Each and every time, our dungeon monitors ensure consent is freely given.

  There's no one at the door and I enter the dungeon. I'm alone down here and it's a little awe inspiring. The public area is much like upstairs. There are cordoned off areas with all manner of various structures you'd expect to see. Down here, there are no public play implements. Each Master brings his own equipment. It's a requirement. It looks nearly the same as upstairs, but it sure feels a whole lot different.

  I don't know what it is, but the air vibrates with an otherworldly power. The things that happen down here, they don't happen within a normal life. Or at least, not according to most people's normal. Not all of our Master/slave pairings are in 24/7 relationships. Most only embrace the dynamic within the walls of the club, but there are some, like Katy and Penny for whom it is a lifestyle choice.

  I head to the back to where the private rooms are and begin placing placards in the holders by the door. I place Daniel's, Eric and Thomas', then three Dom's I don't know that well; Randall, Stewart, and Larry. This leaves me with Tank's card in my hand.

  I could walk away.

  I should walk away.

  Tank told me he's pulling me out of the auction.

  But what if I don't?

  What if he's right?

  Chapter 11

  It's a little crazy how fast time flies. Before I know it, it's nearly eight. I'm wandering around the dungeon, doin
g a little soul searching, when I notice a clock on the wall.

  I'm down here with no cellphone—it's in my bag upstairs—and a Dom who will be arriving any minute without a direct line to his sub. There's a little grin on my face as I race up the stairs.

  Tank is a big man, tall, muscular, and imposing. He's not what many would call handsome, not with the damage to his face from too many fights in the ring and shrapnel scars forming a silvery web across that lovable mug. But there is one thing Tank does well.

  He cleans up like a champ and I can't wait to see him in his tux. Business suits are his daily bread and butter, and they fit him like a glove, but Tank in a tux is a force of nature no woman can resist.

  Back on the main floor, I pause at the low buzz of the crowd.

  What a turnout.

  There are easily hundreds filling the main hall. That number will double before the night's end. My heels don't do much to help me see over the crowd. Actually, all I see is a room full of black tuxes and gorgeous gowns. Any of those tuxes could belong to Tank.

  I weave my way through the crowd, or try to. While I'm a frequent flier, there are many here who I haven't seen in months.

  It takes time to make a circuit of the room. I stop and hug my subbie friends and get hugged by their Doms. There are several singles present. I'd say about a third of our membership are not in committed relationships. I hug those subs, but the Doms won't touch me. Not without Tank.

  It's a sign of respect.

  Lifting on tiptoe, I try to see if Tank's arrived, but it's impossible for someone as short as me to see over this crowd. I spy Master Eric. He's with Master Thomas and Master Daniel. These men know me, we're kind of an extended family, and they have no problem pulling me in for a hug.

  "Michelle, you look amazing." Daniel crushes me against his lean form. "Where's Tank?"

  The men pass me between them until I've been hugged by each in turn.