Chapter 30
Caren took hold of Rory’s hand as they exited the office at Whip It. They’d come early to go over the paperwork and give Rory time to settle in.
Kane, the new manager of the BDSM club, had met them there. Apparently, he’d met Rory the other day when she’d arrived. And he seemed to be very interested in her welfare.
Which, she’d noted, hadn’t made Jace all that happy. The other guy had spent most of his time glaring at Kane as he’d talked to Rory.
Kane seemed amused, while Rory didn’t even seem to notice.
She wondered if Rory was aware that Jace had feelings for her. It seemed obvious to Caren. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, every time someone else got close to her, he grew tense, and he insisted on following her around.
Yep. He had it bad.
But tonight wasn’t about Jace’s feelings. It was about Rory. She was already pale and shaking.
Caren squeezed Rory’s hand as they headed toward the main area of the club.
They stopped just outside a large door that she guessed must lead into the club.
“You don’t have to do this tonight, you know.
You’ve only been here a few days. You don’t have to rush into anything.
No one is going to think any worse of you.
This is so brave of you to just be here. ”
“Caren is right. This is too soon,” Jace said from behind them. “You’re going home now.”
Lord. Another bossy Andrews brother.
Caren shot Jace a look. “Actually, that’s up to Rory to decide. I just wanted her to know that we aren’t going to be upset if she decides this is too soon.”
Jace huffed out a sigh. Kane gave Rory a worried look while Travis just sent Caren a wink. She wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but she was guessing he was giving her his approval.
Which actually meant a lot.
“Thanks, Caren,” Rory told her with a shaky smile, glancing over her shoulder to Jace, then Kane.
Very interesting.
“I just . . . I feel like if I leave now then I might not find the courage to return. You know? I don’t think that I want to do anything. I just want to walk around. Is that okay?” Rory asked.
“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” Kane said to her.
“Don’t you have work to do?” Jace demanded.
Caren glanced over at Jace who was scowling at Kane.
“Jace,” Rory said in a surprised voice. “That wasn’t very nice.”
“No, Jace,” Travis added. “Not nice at all.”
Jace just frowned at them all. And then Rory took a deep breath and reached for the door handle.
To Caren’s surprise, Jace stepped past them both and gently nudged Rory to one side. Then he took her free hand in his large one and opened the door.
Hmm.
Travis walked up to Caren, wrapping his arm around her.
“Somehow, I don’t think either of us are needed,” she said to him as they walked into the club behind Rory and Jace.
“I don’t know . . . I think she needs you here in particular. And I promised Gray and Lacey to watch her carefully.”
She nodded, smiling reassuringly as Rory turned to glance back at them. She could see how tense the other woman was.
Maybe Travis was right. Rory did need her here.
The club was still pretty quiet. But it meant that she got a good look around. It was a large space with plenty of different areas set around the room. The lighting was dim in some parts and brighter in others.
She jumped at the sound of a whip cracking and glanced over to find a male sub tied to a St. Andrews cross. The Domme behind him cracked the whip again, not landing it against his skin.
“That’s Lana,” Travis told her. “She’s just warming up. Dan is the sub, he’s a masochist who loves the anticipation of hearing the whip crack.”
Right.
Good to know.
She was aware of a few curious looks as they moved around the room.
“There’s a quiet room off in that direction.” Travis pointed to a set of large double doors. “You can get a drink in there if you want, but there’s a two-drink maximum for everyone. There are also booths in there for talking and negotiating.”
She nodded as they followed Jace and Rory slowly around. She looked back but Kane had stopped to talk to Tyler who waved at her. There were a number of women staring at him and smiling.
“Tyler’s working as a monitor tonight,” Travis told her, glancing back at his brother.
“He seems to have quite the entourage.”
Travis snorted. “Yeah, he’s popular.”
“How many monitors are there?”
“More than there were when Rory was taken.” Travis scowled.
“That fucker should never have been able to take her. There are always six monitors on this floor. Upstairs there are private areas. There are still monitors at the entrance to the stairs to check on everyone going up there and there are panic buttons in each room as well as a monitor who regularly checks audio and visual for each room. But there’s more privacy up there than down here. ”
Good to know.
Rory finally stopped in front of a scene where a sub was suspended by silken ropes. She was completely naked. The Dom, who was a good-looking older man, ran a finger through her lower lips, before holding it up so everyone could see how wet she was. Then he sucked it into his mouth.
Bloody hell that was hot.
Travis moved in behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I’d almost be jealous of that look on your face, but I know it’s not because you you’re attracted to Anders. It’s because you like the idea of being suspended like that, don’t you?”
“Do you know how to do that?” she asked breathlessly.
“Shibari? Yep. I also know how to get you nice and wet.”
He sure did.
Most of the people here tonight were wearing black. Caren hated wearing black so she was wearing a pale pink gown. It clung to her breasts, before falling loosely to the tops of her thighs. She wore a pair of matching lace panties and pink sandals.
She’d worn a large coat over the outfit on their way here.
Rory was dressed more conservatively. She wore a pair of black tights and a corset that covered everything yet was still sexy as hell. On her feet were a pair of red stilettos which Caren thought were fire.
Too bad she couldn’t wear shoes that high. She’d probably trip on something and take her eye out.
“Would you like to try it?” he asked.
“Not tonight. Tonight is about Rory. But . . . maybe another night?”
“You’ve never done it before?” he asked.
“I’ve wanted to, but I’ve never trusted anyone enough.” Which was silly when there had been plenty of Doms at the Twisted Thorn who would have happily suspended her. Doms that she could have trusted.
She just hadn’t been able to bring herself to take that step.
Travis tightened his arm around her waist and kissed her neck, making her shiver with desire.
More. Lord, she wanted more of him.
“I like that,” he told her. “I like being your first.”
So did she.
Fuck it was hard to be in the club with her and not bend her over the nearest bench and fuck her into oblivion.
Especially when she was dressed the way she was.
He hadn’t prepared himself for how hot she would look when she’d walked out of the bedroom wearing this outfit.
When he’d announced that she was coming to stay at his place for the weekend, he’d been kind of surprised that she hadn’t protested. She’d simply packed a bag.
However, convincing her to stay longer than the weekend wouldn’t be so easy. However, he didn’t see why she would want to stay at her place. His was bigger and it had much better security.
Tomorrow, he’d tell her that he wanted her to move in. He was certain she’d see how it made sense.
But, fuck, right now he was finding it hard to concentrate with all the blood rushing to his cock.
And he knew she was just as turned on. He could see her nipples pressing against the lacy material of her gown. And he would bet everything he owned that her panties were wet.
“You are so fucking hot,” he said to her. “As soon as I get you home, I’m going to fuck you against the wall. Or the door. Or on the floor. I’m not even going to make it to the bed.”
A shiver ran through her as he lightly bit her ear.
They were standing near a medical scene.
Two ‘doctors’ had the ‘patient’ strapped down and were performing a number of ‘tests’ which had so far included sliding an anal plug into her ass and bringing her to orgasm with a clit tickler.
Now one of them was clamping her nipples while the other checked her tonsils .
. . by thrusting his cock deep into her mouth.
Rory suddenly swayed in front of them and Jace picked her up, cradling her against his chest.
Travis stepped toward them with Caren.
“Is she all right?” Travis asked in concern.
“Rory? You okay?” Caren asked, placing her hand on the younger woman’s.
“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry,” Rory said, wriggling around. “You can put me down.”
“Stay still,” Jace told her. “I’m not putting you down. You’re exhausted.”
“I’m fine.”
But it was clear she was done in. Her words were almost slurring together.
“I think you better go home to bed,” Caren told her gently. “Do you want me to come stay with you tonight? I don’t know if you should be alone.”
“Hey, is she all right?” Kane rushed up to them with concern on his face.
Jace scowled at the other man.
Hmm. Travis wondered how that was going to go. They both seemed very worried over Rory.
“She’s fine,” Jace said shortly.
“I’m okay, really,” Rory said. “Just tired. I think I want to go home.”
“Let’s go,” Caren said. “I’ll stay with her tonight.”
Damn it. The last thing he wanted was her staying in Rory’s apartment.
“No need,” Jace said. “I’ll be staying with her.”
“Are you sure?” Caren asked.
“I am,” Jace replied before leading Rory away.
Caren watched after them worriedly.
“Don’t worry about Rory,” Travis told her. “Jace won’t let anything happen to her.”
She let out a deep breath. “I know, I didn’t think he would. I’m just concerned about her state of mind.”
“You’re a good friend to Lacey and to Rory, you know that?” he asked.
Did he know how much those words meant to her? Because she’d never felt like a good friend to Lacey, she’d always felt like a burden. A hassle.
“Thanks,” she said hoarsely.
“Come on, Goldie, I’ll take you home. You look tired.”
She wrinkled her nose. Not what she wanted to hear. “I need to go to the toilet first.”
He nodded and walked her over. “I’ll be waiting outside.”
Heading in, she glanced at herself in the mirror. She did look tired. Drat.
She walked into a stall and sat. The door to the bathroom opened and she heard several women enter. When one of them said Travis’s name she froze, listening in.
“Did you see the sub with Master Travis?” one of them asked.
“Yeah, she’s really cute. I love her hair.”
Oh that was nice.
“And her style,” another said. “But she’s not the type I expected him to go for.”
Caren winced. Not that she could blame them for thinking that. Travis was filet mignon while she was more like Spam in a can.
“I know,” another said. “He went on a date with a friend of mine. You know Jocelyn? She’s tall and gorgeous.
So smart. A lawyer. Anyway, she never heard from him again.
I couldn’t believe it. She was exactly who he’s looking for.
He wants someone who has their life together.
Who is calm and doesn’t add any drama to his life.
I know that because he told some mutual friends of Jocelyn’s that was what he was looking for in a long-term relationship. Someone who isn’t a burden.”
“Wow,” the other one said. “Well, I guess his life is crazy enough. He wants some peace when he gets home.”
They left and she sat there another minute before leaving. When she walked out, Travis studied her for a long moment.
“What happened?” he demanded.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you were in there for ages and when you came out, you looked like you’d seen a ghost. What is it?”
“Um, it doesn’t matter.”
To her surprise, he just took her hand and led her out of the club and into Kane’s office. Picking her up, her set her down on his desk.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he moved between her open legs.
“I’m going to give you one more chance to tell me what’s wrong. And I should warn you that if you lie again and say it’s nothing, I am going to spank your ass until it’s red and sitting becomes a distant memory.”
“Do you want a woman who’s not a hassle?” she blurted out. “Who doesn’t give you any issues or drama? Who has her life together? Because I’m not that person.”
He shook his head and she thought he would deny it. Then he let out a huff of laughter. What was so funny? This wasn’t amusing.
“Not sure how you know that, but since you seemed to find out in the bathroom, I’m going to guess it was some subs with big mouths.”
“Does it matter how I know?”
“No. What matters is that you know this.” He grasped hold of her chin.
“I thought I wanted that. I thought I wanted easy and peaceful. For years, I never wanted to be with anyone because I knew that I would be overprotective and overbearing. Because I know the world can be a dangerous place and that they would be mine to take care of. So I thought that if I did get involved with someone, it would be a woman who led a calm, boring life. Who would never be in danger. But you know what?”
“No,” she said hoarsely, not liking where this was going.
“I would have been bored silly after a week. Because what I want is fun and color. I want a woman who, when she laughs, it’s with her whole body.
I want a woman who isn’t afraid to be who she wants to be.
Who will do whatever is necessary for a friend because she loves fiercely and is loyal to her core.
I want a woman who might come with issues and drama, but she is fucking worth it. That woman is you.”
“Oh.”
That was all she had to say? So eloquent. Then she threw herself at him. “I want you too.”
He chuckled. “I know you do, baby. Come on, we’re heading home.”