Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Ciaran
Just twenty-four hours ago, I thought I’d lost Annie forever. Her refusal to speak to me had cut to the core, but I did what was right and backed away to give her some space. I was aware my siblings were going to bat for me, telling her about my redeeming qualities. I was grateful to them for that, but I knew nobody would talk her into giving me a second chance. It had to be her decision to move forward.
Now that she was sitting across from me, enjoying dinner in the restaurant at Dominion, I couldn’t fuck it up again. I brought her to the club so I could show her the possibilities for our relationship. From the way she responded when I spanked her, I knew she enjoyed being disciplined. Her responses to my commands showed me she craved dominance. There was so much pleasure I could offer her, and I wanted to give her a taste. If she was willing, of course. I had no intention of pushing her into anything she wasn’t comfortable with. If it came to it, I would surrender my membership of the club before I ever gave up this woman.
Annie looked different tonight. Her hair was slicked back into a high ponytail. Her makeup was a touch heavier than usual, smokier around the eye and redder on her lips. The slinky black dress she wore hugged her hips and ass in a way none of her other clothes did. The low V of the neckline revealed the swell of her gorgeous breasts. I got the feeling she’d chosen this sexy new style to match what she imagined other women at the club would wear.
In reality, all types of people frequented my brother’s club. Although Sean enforced a dress code prohibiting casual clothing, there would be a range of styles on display. We were just as likely to encounter feminine florals and delicate silks as hardcore leather. Annie’s outfit fell somewhere in the middle, but the woman herself would fit in because it wasn’t about how she looked, it was about who she was beneath the facade she presented to society.
“Are you sure you don’t want something else to eat?” I hated that she was picking at a salad while I enjoyed the most incredible Wagyu ribeye.
“No, I don’t want to eat anything too heavy.” Her voice betrayed her nervousness, and I understood. She was afraid she might get sick.
I set down my fork and reached across the table to grab her hand. “Hey, we don’t need to do this if you’re not up for it.”
“Oh, I’m up for it.” The wicked gleam in her eye revealed the truth of that statement. “It’s just that the forms made it all a bit daunting. I mean, I had to say no to almost everything.”
Although he was the one who gave her the consent forms to complete, I couldn’t blame my brother for her discomfort. Having her read the regulations and list her limits was a necessity. The safety of the members was paramount, and everything needed to be laid out in black and white in case disputes arose. Thanks to the robust security Sean had in place, there were rarely issues but occasionally someone screwed up.
“You didn’t say no to everything, sweetheart. We can still have plenty of fun.”
“But wouldn’t you better off with someone who’s open to….” She pulled her hand away from mine and waved it around as she searched for an example of what I might enjoy. “Piss play?”
I almost choked on the piece of steak I’d just popped into my mouth. “Not my thing, sweetheart. For the record, I don’t enjoy anything that involves blood, either.”
“But don’t you want someone more adventurous?”
“You’ll probably get more adventurous with time.” I grabbed her hand once more and squeezed it reassuringly. “And even if you only ever wanted missionary position with the lights turned off, you’d be the only one for me.”
“Hmm, I think we can be a bit more interesting than that.”
I let go of her hand, and we finished our meal. “Would you like dessert?” I asked, hoping she would say no because I was ready to show her around the club.
“Don’t we need to go upstairs for that?” Annie said shyly, peering coyly at me from beneath her eyelashes while making it clear we were on the same wavelength.
“Yes, we do.”
Rising from my seat, I dropped a hundred dollars as a tip. I’d get a bill for all the food and drink we consumed later. Sean and I might be brothers, but he still sent me an account to settle at the end of each month and I always paid it. With our legitimate businesses, we did everything above board. No favors for friends or family.
I took Annie’s hand and led her to the elevator. Dominion was split over three levels. On the first floor was the restaurant where anyone who could afford the premium prices could eat. The second floor housed the communal area of the club with a stage where some of the more experienced Doms gave demonstrations and people mingled, getting to know each other. There were some more intimate spaces off the main area, but the third floor was where the private rooms were situated.
We headed for the second floor. I wanted Annie to get a feel for the club before we went to the room I’d asked Sean to book for me. We stepped out of the elevator into the reception area, where Kitty was perched on a stool behind the desk. A longtime member of staff who’d earned Sean’s trust, she ensured that everyone entering the club handed over their electronic devices.
“Mr. Reilly.” She smiled as she greeted us. “Please hand over your cellphones and any other recording devices you have.”
I put my cellphone on the desk, and Annie did the same. Kitty took them and placed them in a locked box in a room behind her desk. She made an entry on her laptop.
“Your phones are in box ninety-five. Do you know which wristbands you require?”
“Black, please.” That signaled that Annie and I were both spoken for tonight.
Kitty handed me two leather wristbands. I put Annie’s on and then my own. They were broad enough that people would see them easily, but they wouldn’t get in the way if we wanted to use shackles of any kind.
“Do you require a costume tonight?”
“No, thank you.” There was an entire department that provided costumes for members who wanted to roleplay, but that was something for Annie and me to consider another time.
“Very good, Mr. Reilly. Room 14 is booked for you tonight. All equipment has been properly cleaned and sterilized as per club protocols.” She turned to Annie. “Do you have questions or concerns?”
“No, I’m fine.” Annie smiled politely. “Thank you.”
“Then go on through and enjoy your evening.”
I entered the club with Annie by my side. Straight ahead of us was the bar. A partition separated it from the main area, which featured a stage and a variety of places to sit and enjoy a demonstration or relax before going to a private room. Like the restaurant, the whole place was decorated in a traditional style with lots of dark mahogany and red velvet. The lighting was subtle. You could see enough to ensure that nobody was being harassed, but it wasn’t so harsh that it ruined the seductive atmosphere.
As we walked into the bar, we saw Max, Jace, and Sean sitting at a table in the corner. With the security here, this was one of the few places they could relax. Like me, they tended to be on high alert when out in public. It was why I liked Dominion. Not only did it cater to my desires, but it was also relatively safe from attack.
“There’s an unholy trinity if ever I saw one,” Annie quipped.
“We should say hello.”
“Can I join you in a minute? I could use a trip to the ladies’ room.”
I sensed that her need was of an emotional nature rather than a physical one. She wanted a moment to gather her courage.
“Sure, it’s through there.” I pointed to a door beside the bar. “It’s the first on the left.”
I watched her go, trusting that she wouldn’t attempt to leave without me. To get to the main exit, she’d have to walk past me, but there was a fire escape at the end of the corridor she was about to head down. If she tried to get out that way, she wouldn’t get far. My men were covering all exits.
“Ciaran!” Jace was the first to spot me as I made my way over to their table. “Where’s Annie?”
“Ladies’ room.” I pulled out the vacant chair at their table and sat down. “Didn’t think I’d see you here,” I said to Max.
“Needed to blow off steam. It’s been a hell of a day.”
He’d been out with Annie and Emily all day. “How did it go?”
Max rolled his eyes. “Em insisted on going to the damned aquarium again. Fun fact, male seahorses give birth.”
“I thought everyone knew that,” Jace said.
“Oh, I’ve known it for years. It’s one of a hundred facts she feeds me every fucking time we go there.”
My younger sister had a thing for sea life. She must have visited that aquarium a hundred times. She also liked to push Max’s buttons, so I could imagine her bombarding him with useless information just to see if he’d blow up at her. Emily enjoyed provoking him as much as she did my brothers and me.
“What about Annie?” I asked. “How was she?”
Max shrugged. “She seemed to have fun. She didn’t spend much, even with Em egging her on.”
I already knew that. I saw the transactions on my banking app and was surprised by how small a dent she’d made in my balance.
“I booked room 14 for you.” Sean sipped his Scotch and put the glass down on the table. “I don’t need to remind you to take care of her, do I? She is a newbie.”
I suppressed the urge to tell him to go fuck himself. His concern for Annie showed he was ready to welcome her into our family whenever I could persuade her to join.
“I’ll go easy on her.”
“Not too easy,” Max cautioned. “If you want her to submit to you, she needs to understand what that means.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Yes, I know.”
Thankfully, before Jace could jump in with whatever advice he had to offer, Annie joined us. She looked around for a seat and I patted my lap.
“Sit here, sweetheart.”
Without hesitation, she put an arm around my neck and lowered herself onto my knee. She sat a little stiffly, but I was glad she’d done as I asked.
“Can I get you a drink, Annie?” Sean offered.
“No, thanks. I had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner and I don’t want to break the rules.”
“Good girl,” I murmured. She’d remembered the club had a two-drink maximum for anyone who wanted to play.
“There are staff members posted throughout the club,” Sean said. “If you feel uncomfortable or distressed at any time…”
“Fuck’s sake, Sean!” Jace shook his head. “Don’t you trust your brother?”
“Of course I do, but this is Annie’s first time here. I want her to be safe.”
“I’m safe with Ciaran,” Annie assured him. “And I read the club protocols. If I need help, I know how to ask for it.”
“We should go have that tour of the facilities.” I lifted Annie off my lap and set her down on her feet before standing. “Unless Sean wants to demonstrate what the fire alarm sounds like and point out the exits.”
Sean gave me the middle finger.
“Enjoy your evening,” Annie said as I steered her away from the table. I loved that she seemed to get along well with the people closest to me.
We headed through to the main part of the club. A set of medieval-looking stocks were set up on the stage. Thomas, one of the most experienced Doms at the club, and his raven-haired submissive, Chloe, stood at the back. They were deep in conversation, no doubt discussing the show they were about to put on.
“Do you want to stay and watch?” I asked Annie.
She scanned the area. Obviously realizing the only free seats were just a few feet from the stage, she shook her head. “Can we skip it for now?”
“Of course.” I buried my disappointment. Seeing an experienced couple in action might have allayed some of her anxieties.
I took her to the elevator leading upstairs. It was separate from the one that brought us up from the restaurant and people had to scan their membership cards to access it. Sean had designed the club that way to ensure there was no direct access from the restaurant to the private rooms.
I strolled along the corridor to give Annie a chance to see what was going on in some of the rooms. In the first, a woman dangled in chains attached to a hook on the ceiling. She was pushed up onto her tiptoes and as her partner wielded a cane, her body jerked and she screamed loudly, startling Annie.
“Are you okay?” I touched her shoulder lightly.
“Yes, fine, but should we be watching this?”
“There are screens on all the windows that can be closed. These people want to be watched and heard. The rooms are soundproofed, but you can choose to turn on a speaker.”
“Oh, wow. I would not like that.”
“Noted.” I had no need for the world to see and hear what Annie and I were up to, so I was fine with keeping things completely private.
Annie moved on to the next window and I followed. This silent scene inside was tame compared with some things I’d witnessed in the club. A naked blonde woman rode one man while another fucked her ass.
The next window had the shades drawn, but the one after that revealed a room that seemed to catch Annie’s interest. She leaned in a little closer. I came to stand next to her and grinned. Inside, a woman was strapped to a medical examination table, her legs spread wide. I recognized her as Misty, a regular at the club. Though I hadn’t played with her, Sean and Jace had spent an evening with her. The man dressed in a white coat, with a stethoscope around his neck, was an associate at the law firm we used for our real estate business.
As he opened a sterile packet to retrieve a speculum, Misty began to struggle. Annie gasped.
“It’s okay,” I assured her. “It’s part of their game. If she wanted him to stop, she’d use her safeword.”
“I’m not worried about her.” Annie turned to me, her eyes glistening and her cheeks red.
“You’re aroused by what you see?”
Annie sunk her teeth into her bottom lip and nodded.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” I assured her.
“I know. It’s just. Well, this is the first time I’ve spoken so openly about what turns me on.”
“Just know you’re safe with me. You can tell me anything. I won’t judge you.”
Grabbing her hand, I led her along to Room 14. As we stepped inside, Annie gasped. At one side of the room was a four-poster bed with strategically placed D-rings to attach shackles to. There was also a St Andrew’s Cross in the corner and a spanking bench at the center of the room.
Annie walked over to the wall where various spanking implements were displayed. She studied them for a moment and then turned to me.
“Did you bring me here tonight because you thought I’d get all horny and forget you acted like a complete asshole?” There was no bite in her tone.
“Perhaps.” I had to admit the thought occurred to me. “Did it work?”
“The getting me horny bit definitely did.” She came closer until she was standing right in front of me. “I won’t forget the being an asshole part, but I have forgiven you for it.”
My heart skipped a beat. I grabbed her hands and gripped them tightly. “Thank you, Annie. I appreciate the chance to put things right.”
Neither of us said anything for almost a minute. Then Annie cleared her throat.
“So, this BDSM thing is just for inside the club, right?”
“Yeah. I come to the club when I want to indulge my desires, but I’m not looking for a full-time submissive.”
“But you like to be in control in the bedroom as well?”
“I do. When we’re in a sexual situation, I want you to submit to me. At other times, I want you to accept my guidance, like if your safety is in question, but I don’t expect blind obedience twenty-four-seven.”
“Thank goodness for that.” Annie pretended to wipe sweat from her brow. “I’m happy to explore my submissive side with you, but I’m not willing to become a mindless doll for you.”
I understood. Annie was an independent woman, used to taking care of herself. She didn’t need me to dictate what she ate, what she wore and how she behaved. I wouldn’t have wanted her if she did.
“So.” I dropped her hands and gestured to the room behind her. “Where would you like to start? What are you comfortable with?”
She looked over her shoulder. “I really want to try the spanking bench.”
“Good call.” It’s where I wanted her. “And would you like to try a paddle, a flogger, a riding crop?”
“Uh…” She bit her lip again. “A flogger?”
“Why?”
“It looks soft.”
“Wielded right, some of them deliver quite a sting,” I warned her. “And I know how to use one.”
“Uh, maybe a paddle then.”
She still didn’t look certain.
“How about I start with my hand and if I decide you can take it, I move on to a paddle?”
Annie nodded. “That sounds good.”
“You remember your safeword?”
“Beetroot.”
I’d have to ask her later why on earth she came up with that.
“Do you want to know my hard limits?” she asked.
“You listed them in the forms you filled out earlier, remember?”
“Oh, yes, of course.”
Her nervousness was clearly on display. I reached out and stroked her cheek in that way I’d learned she liked.
“Remember, sweetheart, you have the power to put a stop to this whenever you want. I will push you, but never past what you can endure. Okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded.
“In that case, I want you to remove your clothes and lay yourself across the bench.”