Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
On the RACK, Freedom
Robyn
I stare around in amazement at On the RACK, which has been transformed by Everett into a dark, twisted Oz for Saturday’s invite only fetish event. “This is incredible. The whole club has been so transformed that I don’t know where we should explore first.”
I am overwhelmed but in the best way.
Standing in the entrance, the intoxicating scent of absinthe and cool mint floods over me. Fragments of old wooden signs and gingham fabric hang from the walls.
Flickering emerald lights strobe over the dance floor, which is thick with waves of dry ice.
When I tip back my head, I grin at the projections of storm clouds and swirling debris on the ceiling.
Wow, Everett and Cassian have outdone themselves. I am proud of both them and Eden.
Never underestimate the power of books; they’ve brought out the best in my shy friends and lover.
“Dee reminded me, before he left earlier to prepare the private room, which Cassian set aside to be quiet for him,” Shay replies, “to look for a yellow brick road…”
“Should we follow it, huh?” I laugh before I force myself to frown.
I wrap my hand more firmly around the leash and give it a tug.
Shay is dragged closer to me by his collar with a yelp. The collar is a play one with a bell.
We chose the costumes from Everett’s shop. We excitedly picked them out in good time, but Shay still chose the sexy Toto option, despite Everett’s teasing.
Probably because of it.
The moment that Shay saw the sparkling, emerald leather leash and collar with a silver shoe hanging from it, he’d been unable to look away from them.
Shay craved to be his Sir and Ma’am’s Puppy.
Tonight, I am making my first public appearance beside D’Angelo as a Mistress, rather than a sub.
I’ve been nervous all day, but the moment that I stepped through the doors of On the RACK, everything settled inside me.
It felt right.
I need to explore this side of myself.
Tonight is a celebration for all of us — for the wins on the ice, as well as our wins against Anderson, Olivia, the Webbs, and Wilder.
We are survivors. Winners. Ourselves.
Tonight, I want to reclaim part of myself that Wilder crushed.
Tonight, I am Mistress Dorothy.
Dark Dorthy suits the sensation of power that washed over me, as soon as I pulled on the charcoal, distressed gingham dress with leather corset and silver, glittering stilettos. My hair is roughly dragged into bunches by black ribbons.
Shay and I sat together, and as an act of service, he drew on a ruby teardrop underneath my right eye, as well as my ruby lipstick.
I clasped Shay by his hair, before I worked the butt plug attached to his tail into his tight ass. I teased him, while not allowing him to come.
Hyperfocused on Shay, I was desperate both to care for him and tear him apart.
Is this how D’Angelo feels?
On a high, I’d been at ease with being the one in control.
Especially, as Shay has no idea of the secret that’s waiting for him underneath my dress…
I smirk.
Soon, Shay will receive exactly what he needs. Three doms, one sub, and the fantasy, to which we’ve been building.
Shay glances up at me through his thick eyelashes from his position kneeling at my feet.
It feels natural that he should be there.
He looks proud to be.
Then he taps with his gloved paw on the yellow brick road, which has been painted winding its way through the club. “See, the puppy is the smart one.”
“Puppy,” I emphasize. “You should be barking, remember?”
When Shay cocks his head, his black leather ears adorably flop over his eyes.
He is wearing an outfit that made his pupils immediately dilate with desire when Everett pointed it out on the wall: a slim black leather harness with silver rings, black ears and tail, and padded knee pads.
It looked incredible in the shop. It looks even more stunning contrasted to Shay’s ice-white athletic body and blond hair.
Also, I love the way that he is squirming, trying to adjust to the unfairly large tail plug. He needs it to prepare him for what I have planned.
D’Angelo rests his arm around my shoulder and studies Shay, as if we’re a couple out on a walk with our disobedient dog. “Why would a pet of ours obey? We spoil him.”
I glance at D’Angelo, who would end up arrested if we were in fact on a stroll through Freedom, since he’s dressed as an impossibly hot beastly Cowardly Lion.
He is wearing tight bronze trousers with a mesh black top underneath a gold harness that emphasizes his muscles.
His face is hidden underneath a beautiful, ornate lion mask, which ends just above the sensual curve of his lips.
D’Angelo looks primal and deadly.
King of the Forest of Wild Beasts.
“Our Puppy needs more training,” I agree. “And spoiling.”
I hold tightly onto the leash.
Shay barks, as if to show willing, but also with a definite edge of sarcasm.
D’Angelo’s gaze becomes icy. “Our Omega has forgotten his place.”
Shay’s gaze snaps to D’Angelo’s. “Omega?”
I straighten my shoulders, leaning into D’Angelo’s hold. “We’re your Alphas.”
Shay rubs his head against my leg. I struggle not to reward him for how adorable he is.
How is it possible to remain stern in the face of Shay’s enthusiasm?
“Well, I’m a magical talking Puppy. The brat kind.” Shay gives a sunny grin.
“How about we find Eden, before our pet gets himself into more trouble?” I chuckle, unable to resist leaning down and patting Shay on the head. “I haven’t forgotten the number one D’Angelo rule: Win on the ice. Earn a night off it.”
“We play hard,” D’Angelo recites. “We puck—”
“Even harder.” Shay leans into my touch, and I card my fingers through his hair.
He doesn’t look away from D’Angelo, while I pet him, with a smug puppy who got the cream expression.
“I think you’re the one, principessa, who needs more training,” D’Angelo mutters, squeezing my shoulder.
Shay doesn’t look repentant.
Instead, he asks, “Why are you an Alpha anyway?”
Now it is D’Angelo who appears to be trying to keep a straight face.
I love seeing him playful and relaxed like this. We have all needed this for weeks.
“Don’t you remember that I am not only Master Fire and Ice,” D’Angelo teases, “but also Alpha Icefang?”
“Aren’t you Alpha Lion now?” Shay asks. “So, am I Omega Toto?”
I lean down, pulling Shay’s leash to bare his neck. He beams up at me, as if I’m kissing him. Then I rest my hand over his collar, and he melts.
“You’re ours,” I reply. “Our Omega Toto. I’m Alpha Dorothy, and Eden is—”
“He wants it to be a surprise.” D’Angelo draws back from me. “He knows that we love surprises, even if he doesn’t. He should be ready by now. Let’s follow this yellow brick road. I’ll have to tell Kay how much I appreciate her Kitten putting this much effort into our experience, and Eden’s too.”
“Dee has never had a friend who included him before.” Shay looks down. “Cas has designed this whole event around my brother. Kay will reward him, yeah?”
D’Angelo snorts. “She spends her life treating him.”
“What about Ev?” I remember Everett’s quiet acceptance of his different place in his dynamic to the other two subs, but it’s been haunting me.
Everett has worked hard to support Cassian, despite running his own shop and being in charge of the chores and cooking at home.
I don’t want him to be forgotten.
Shay nods, emphatically. “Yeah, he deserves to be rewarded too.”
D’Angelo glances between us in surprise. “Is there a problem?”
“Kay doesn’t love Ev,” Shay blurts.
The silence is uncomfortable.
D’Angelo’s lips pinch. “That’s not our business. Kay may have collared him but that doesn’t mean she’s romantically involved in the same way that we are. I’m sorry. Did I miss that we need to talk about this?”
Shay and I exchange a glance.
“Next week,” I suggest, “when we have a couple of days before the final begins. My head knows that relationships are different for everyone; my heart just isn’t at the same place yet.”
“Same here, love.” Shay’s expression clears again.
“Also, have I missed,” I scrutinize the little that I can see of D’Angelo’s face underneath the gorgeous mask, “that you’re not feeling up to tonight? Mike gave me his strictest instructions that…even though you’re an Alpha…you’re not allowed to participate in rigorous exercise.”
“That means no fucking,” Shay singsongs.
“It can mean no coming for you, Puppy,” D’Angelo growls.
“Hey, you make a better dog than I do.” Shay laughs. “Why don’t you snarl at me next?”
My nerves sing with anticipation. The air is charged.
What Shay is doing is equivalent to sticking his head in the lion’s mouth and daring it to bite.
Or possibly, sticking his dick in its mouth and asking for a blow job.
D’Angelo’s blue eyes glow like chips of ice behind his mask, as he slowly prowls toward Shay.
Shay suddenly looks panicked, trying to scrabble away. But he chokes, forgetting that he’s caught on my leash, literally.
He raises his hand to this throat, before he relaxes, as if being caught by me means safety.
D’Angelo coolly grabs Shay by the hair, dragging him up onto his knees. “Only one of us is the Puppy here. Beg.”
Shay flushes.
He glances around the room, realizing that we have quite an audience of other guests, who are already watching us.
Shay swallows. “Please…?”
D’Angelo smiles, cruelly. “Dogs don’t beg like that.”
Shay’s cheeks flush darker, but his cock, which is trapped and outlined in a thong, is rock hard.
Quietly, as if he’s a perfectly obedient sub, Shay sits up straighter and raises his gloved hands like paws to beg.
D’Angelo loosens his hold, until he is petting, rather than tugging. “Good boy. But if you challenge me again, then I will make you roll over and present your stomach to me on the middle of the dance floor in front of everyone. Do you understand?”
Shay shivers.
He opens his mouth, as if to say something.
Instead, he barks.
D’Angelo’s eyes spark. “Good boy.”
This time, it sounds genuine.
He shoves Shay back onto all fours. “Now, crawl and follow us.”