Chapter 47
I’m in way over my head…
Dallas
Her body gave out from the exhaustion, she was slumped against me as she fought to regain control of her breathing.
My ears were still ringing from her screaming out my name.
Typically, I’d be pissed and ready to punish for being called anything other than Daddy but for some reason, hearing her call me by my name as her body was flushed and she shook in pleasure was exactly how it should have happened. She knew exactly who she belonged to.
Fuck, I’m in way over my head.
She was so worn out from the hours we had already spent together.
I carried her to the bed and laid her on the red velvet blanket.
She rolled from my arms and nestled gently into the pillow.
It wasn’t my plan to stay at the club tonight, in fact I have never slept in this room with anyone – or alone, for that matter, but she was so tired and I didn’t want to disturb her more than I would have already have to.
I went into the bathroom and grabbed a cloth from the cabinet.
Turning the water on to let it run, getting it to the perfect temperature.
I looked in the mirror, my mask still neatly in place.
I contemplated taking it off and saying fuck it, telling Delaney exactly how I felt, and laying it all on the line – but when I thought about Delaney, I also thought about Natalie and the familiar, hollow ache that always forced me to push back any thoughts of happiness would inevitably return.
When I walked out, I found Delaney sitting upright on the bed, hugging her knees.
Her hair was disheveled and her skin was flushed from what we had done together.
Her makeup that was once neat and moderately applied was now smeared.
At that moment, she could not have been any more perfect.
When she noticed me walking toward her, she looked up with those fucking puppy dog eyes that were full of something I couldn’t pinpoint.
I stilled when I got closer and I realized her eyes were red and her cheeks were tear streaked. I looked around, almost hoping to find the culprit for her sadness – but I saw nothing. A pang of guilt jabbed my chest.
Fuck, I was too rough with her.
When I got to the bed she was already trying to hide her tears, swiping at them aggressively, and sniffling.
“What’s wrong sweetheart?” I questioned, though I had the feeling that I knew the answer. I can get a bit carried away sometimes and relying on a new, inexperienced Sub to use their ‘safe word’ to communicate their limits is not the most reliable option for setting clear boundaries.
I should have watched her closer. This was her first time in a scene so intense. I should have recognized the signs. She fucking trusted me and I let her down. I hurt her, and that is all on me.
As I was spiraling, replaying everything in my head, I couldn’t recall a moment when she seemed out of sorts or distressed. When I looked back up from the raging guilt that threatened to over take me, she smiled sweetly.
“I thought you left me.” She said, her voice cracking.
I rushed over to her, realizing she wanted me nearby, and quickly wrapped my arms around her waist, pressing against her body. Even that didn’t feel close enough. I wiped away the last tear to trickle down her cheek.
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.” My assertion was meant for her as a sort of reassurance about tonight, but in that moment, those five words – they felt deeper.
I held her there in my arms for I don’t even know how long. I curiously watched her deep, pensive eyes. When she bit her lip and started to fidget with the blanket, I knew she wanted to say something.
Her tell tell signs are fucking adorable.
“What is it, Delaney?”
She shook her head and sucked in a breath, whatever it was that was keeping her mind busy she was nervous to speak on it.
“Did I hurt you tonight?” She didn’t seem to be hurt physically but it was important that I heard it from her lips. What else could it be that she wouldn’t want to tell me?
Why am I obsessing over this?
She giggled, “No not at all, Dallas. If anything I could say I enjoyed it, more than I want to admit.” She lowered her gaze as her face flushed. Her innocence was so refreshing. She tilted her head, her eyes fixed on my mask as she touched it, knowingly.
“This mask,” she started but then stopped, staring at me like she could see right into my soul. I will never understand how she does that.
“Will I ever get to see you? Will I ever get to see the real you behind this mask?” She spoke with so much hope behind every word.
I opened my mouth to tell her she’s already gotten the real me, raw, genuine, and vulnerable Dallas Kingston. She was the only other person to ever have me this way besides one other.
In our vulnerable moment, the door swung open abruptly, interrupting our intimacy.
“What the fuck!” I screamed, throwing myself on top of Delaney.
“Sir, we need you. Now.” Jacob’s voice boomed. I turned to see him covered in blood.
“Get dressed. Now.” I demanded. I hurried to the couch and grabbed my shirt. Delaney was scared, it was written all over her face, but I didn’t know what was going on or how long we had. I walked over and covered her shoulders in my shirt. With my finger I raised her chin, guiding her gaze to mine.
“I want you to stay by me, do not leave my side no matter what. Do you understand me?” I looked to the door, seeing panic in Jacob’s eyes.
I knew whatever was happening had to be bad. Jacob isn’t one to be fazed easily. Given his background, he’s seen a lot of nasty shit.
I buttoned the front of my shirt that hung like a dress on Delaney, then reached for her hand, guiding her toward the door that Jacob stood in front of, waiting for us.
* * *
When we walked through the door of the security office on the bottom floor of my club, Delaney stayed tightly pressed against me.
My eyes darted all over the room. Jacob did not want to talk about it on the way over, I thought maybe it was because he was being sensitive to Delaney’s feelings but suddenly, my eye fixed on a woman whose face was almost unrecognizable.
“I tried to get to her, as soon as I saw it on the camera. I… tried,” Jacob said with so much pain in his voice.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t get there in time,” he kneeled in front of who I now recognized as one of my private dancers, Twyla.
Jacob had become sweet on Twyla, he’s usually busy with me but on nights like these when he wasn’t needed with me, I found him volunteering to be her protection, usually pissing off whoever Enzo assigned to her room.
Twyla was a big tipper. She was one of our top dancers and at the end of the night she was no stingy woman, tipping her guard a good portion of her earnings each night.
Jacob claimed it was about the money but what he doesn’t realize is I’m not a cheap man so when the state of the art security cameras revealed each time he turned down her tip and forced her to take it back every time, it became obvious the real reason he wanted to be in that room with her.
Tonight, Jacob wasn’t assigned to her room. Instead I asked that he stay with Enzo to help monitor the cameras. I couldn’t take Lindsey’s warning lightly, despite feeling like she was hiding something – it would be ignorant to just put it aside.
Jacob reached up, pushing strayed hair from the blood that dripped down from her forehead.
I pulled a chair out next to the monitors that covered one wall and gestured for Delaney to sit.
She surprised me when she shrugged off my jacket and walked over to Twyla and laid it over her shoulders.
She kneeled down in front of her and reached for her hand.
Twyla looked up to meet her gaze with tears steadily streaming her cheeks mixing with the dried blood that smeared there.
“What is your name, honey?” Delaney whispered softly.
“Twyla Thatcher,” she responded through shaky breaths.
“Twyla, can I help you? Would it be okay to go get you cleaned up?” Delaney asked, waiting patiently for an answer, not at all coming off as pushy or demanding.
No one in the room spoke as Delaney took the lead in handling Twyla’s situation with so much care that I’m not sure any one of us men would have been able to muster.
Twyla shook her head and slowly started to rise from her seat.
Jacob rushed over from where he stepped back to give Delaney room before, placing his hand on Twyla’s elbow, hoisting her from her seat.
Delaney took her hand and guided her out of the security room.
I gave Jackson, one of my guards, a pointed look and he quickly followed behind Delaney.
Jacob stepped up but I placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Let her go with Delaney. She will take good care of her.”
He lowered his head and took a spot next to me.
“What the fuck happened?” I snapped in Enzo’s direction.
“Well, Twyla’s room was booked out tonight to one man, he was a new name on the roster, but he paid double Twyla’s normal rate and he paid in advance. Of course, with that information, Twyla was thrilled and quick to accept the job.”
“He requested her specifically?” I questioned.
“Yes sir, he said he was referred by another member but was skeptical to give details.” Enzo gave his responses without hesitation, surely expecting my frustration in seeing this violent attack happen in my club.
“Was he approved through Miss Rice?” My anger started to simmer as I picked up on the flaws in our standardized procedure already from my staff.
An important rule is that you never approve a new member to pick their dancer nor are the dancers ever left alone with a new client.
Ever. Clients must earn privacy privileges and only at the discretion of that dancer.
Even then, the guards must remain within earshot and the security room must be notified of the requested privacy for those attendees.
The monitor has one specified guard assigned to it and they are to remain there until that client has paid for the services given by their dancer.
Enzo and Jacob looked at each other.
“So you let some random guy go in that room, alone with Twyla, AND you let him do God knows what to her?!” I yelled the last part, completely engulfed by rage at the lack of proper protocol, but more so because one of my own was badly hurt and we failed to protect her.
“Where is he now?” I asked through gritted teeth, my hands tightly squeezed into fists at my side. I glanced up to where Enzo was pointing at a monitor.