Chapter 1
RYDER
My adrenaline is pumping as I walk the few blocks from my restaurant to Venom, ready to unwind with some fucked-up sex—just the way I like it.
Pulling out my phone, I shoot a quick text to my sub, telling her to be in the position and ready for me in thirty minutes.
She’s already there, I can see on the Find my Phone app.
I always have my subs share their location in case of an emergency.
The bar is packed, and all the usual suspects are drinking at our favorite table with their subs sitting on their laps or by their feet, all appropriately covered.
Flex is the only one who flagrantly breaks the rules, but he’s one of the owners.
His wife is one of my favorite submissives to watch on the voyeur floor.
Fuck, I’m man enough to say I enjoy watching him up there with her.
Their chemistry is palpable when they’re in the grand hall area.
Add in Pierce and Freya, and it’s a perfect night up there.
The great thing about my friends—they don’t kink shame.
We’re all into some messed-up stuff, and in that way, it’s not messed up at all.
In an age where everything you say is controversial, I don’t really give a fuck.
I’m not a sadomasochist. BDSM was the gateway drug for me, but it doesn’t encompass my view of sex and who I choose to have sex with.
“Don’t any of you ever go to work?”
Flex seems to be amused. “Why do you think we own a kink club? Got to think smarter, not harder, bro. I’ve offered you the keys to the kingdom. All you have to do is take them.”
“What are we talking about?” Dalton chimes in.
“Shit. I forgot to tell you,” Flex confesses. “To be fair, I’ve had some stuff going on recently. I spoke to Ry before everything went down.”
We all give an uneasy chuckle, everyone still reeling from Flex and Helena’s brush with death.
“About what?” Dalton turns his attention to me.
“Flex suggested I open a rooftop restaurant for Venom. I was thinking about opening a second location and—” He cuts me off.
“Hell yes.” Not the reaction I was expecting.
“Really?”
Flex sits back with a smug grin. “I’m a genius. What would y’all do without me?”
“Ask Gracie for her opinion.” Everyone smiles. When Flex and Helena were in the hospital, our Venom family took it upon ourselves to help with their daughter, Gracie. She’s a smart little thing and has all of us wrapped around her finger.
“My little bear is very intelligent. She could probably give us some sound career advice.” His chest puffs, every inch the proud daddy. I look to Helena, sitting on her heels at his side, a delicate leash around her neck. Her gaze is stunning as she watches Flex discuss their girl.
I pull up a chair between Dalton and Flex, spying Dalton’s wife, Nadia, in the same position as Helena, sitting at her Master’s feet.
“I’d like to sit down with you both this week and have Carter there too. I’ve been contemplating it since you first suggested it, Flex. It’s a stellar idea. Ninety percent of our patrons have money to burn and high-end taste.”
“Exactly.”
“Many members already dine at Dulip before coming here, so I wouldn’t be losing any clientele. It’s a win-win.”
“I’m excited about this idea.” Dalton Callaghan doesn’t mess around when it comes to business. Venom is a drop in the ocean of his empire. If he’s pumped about this idea, I’d be an idiot to pass it up.
“Great. I’m going to put together some of my ideas before we meet, so we can hit the ground running.”
“Is that a yes, then? We’re doing this?” Flex asks, giddy at the prospect.
“Yes.”
“Then we need to toast our new venture.” He signals Eli to bring some champagne and glasses.
“Come sit on my lap, pet. We’re celebrating.” Helena is quick to take him up on the offer, pressing her lips to his in a fervent kiss before turning her attention to the rest of us.
Dalton then permits Nadia to do the same, and just like that, we’ve got a party on our hands. It really has me hyped to get going on this project.
“Where’s your sub tonight, Ry?”
“She should be in my playroom right now, naked and frustrated.”
“Nice. Now I know who’s catering the training suite grand opening,” Flex suggests. “I thought I was going to come back to a fully functioning level three, and you guys just couldn’t survive without me.”
“It’s your brainchild. There’s no way any of us would’ve agreed to that.”
“You’re going to make me cry, Ry.”
“Yeah, when I peg you with my massive cock.” Dalton and Matteo descend into a fit of laughter.
“We all know I’ve got the biggest cock here. Even with zero blood pumping in my veins, I could’ve gotten it up if necessary,” Flex quips.
“That’s called rigor mortis.” We always make fun of each other, but I see the way Helena shifts on his lap.
“Emerald,” she whispers in his ear. Dom’s can read a submissive’s body language in seconds, even when she’s not ours.
“All right, gentleman, on that note, I’m going to take my devastatingly gorgeous wife to our playroom for a while before we call it a night.”
“Sorry, Helena,” I apologize. She immediately schools her face.
“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m just horny, and I can’t scream my Dominant’s name at home, or I’ll wake our daughter.”
When they disappear down the private hall, I drop my head in my hands. “I’m an idiot.”
Dalton gives me a reassuring slap on the shoulder.
“We’ve all done it. Flex and Helena have very different ways of dealing with trauma.
He has been joking since he woke up from his coma.
Helena is obviously not ready to talk about it, which I think would be true of most people. Flex is a rare breed.”
“I’m going to go and get a drink at the bar.” I excuse myself and head over to Eli.
“Hey, Ry. What can I get you?”
“Scotch neat.”
“You okay?” Eli is everyone’s sounding board. I don’t even want to think about how many secrets that man holds tightly to his chest.
“I just put my foot in it with Helena. I made a totally insensitive joke.”
“I’m sure Flex is making her forget all about it. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“Thanks, Eli. I’ll be fine when my sub takes my mind off it.”
He gives me a knowing grin. “Is everyone’s membership here tantamount to the best therapy sessions ever?”
“In a nutshell. Bad day at work, fuck my submissive. Celebrating anything… the opening of an envelope, fuck my submissive. Make an ass of myself with my closest friends…”
“Fuck your submissive.”
“You’re a quick study.” He sets my drink on the bar, and I down it in one gulp before nodding for another.
“How long have you been with your sub?”
“A year.”
He considers me, his brow etched as he poses his next question. “Do you love her?”
“It could be something long-term. I think there is a possibility in the future. I do love her, just not in a big showy way like Flex or Dalton. Things are good between us, and our kinks are a perfect match.”
“Sorry for asking so many questions.”
“You’re very interested for someone so vanilla.”
“I’m not totally vanilla. You make it sound like I’d be the most boring lay on the planet.”
“You would be for me. You don’t have breasts or a vagina.”
His laugh seems a little too forced, but I let it slide. “Fair enough.”
“Ask away. It’ll take my mind off my lack of sensitivity.”
“How did you find the lifestyle? What happened that you realized you were a Dom?”
“A smoking hot professor who was a submissive cougar. Fucking hell, she taught me some tricks.”
“How did you know you weren’t a submissive?”
“It’s a deep-seated part of your personality. There are some people we would call a ‘switch,’ but those are pretty rare.”
“A switch?”
“They could be a Dom or a sub, depending on the situation. Think of it as your preference for men or women as sexual partners. It is akin to liking both. Who you fall in love with can determine what role you take.”
“Oh.” He’s entirely too interested in kink to be vanilla.
“Why so curious?” He crosses his arms tightly across his chest—a defensive stance. I’ve hit a nerve.
“I…”
“Hello, Sir.” My sub wraps her arms around my neck from behind.
“Hello, Tessa. I thought I was clear. I want you to go to my room and get into the position.”
“Yes, Sir.” She doesn’t even acknowledge Eli and is quite happy to interrupt our conversation. I’m going to have to punish her for that. It was rude.
“Sorry, Eli. You were saying…”
He busies himself drying glasses. “Nothing important. Go and enjoy your night.”
“You sure? I’m happy to talk with you if you have questions.”
“Just passing the time. I’m not into all this stuff. Nope. Not for me.” He doth protest too much.
“Offer is always there, bro. Besides, I have a few minutes to spare right now. She was supposed to be in my room already. Now I have to wait.”
“Why do you leave her waiting on you?”
“Anticipation. The position I request her to wait in is designed to turn her on, so that when I go in there, she’s ready for me.”
“Is the position the same for all subs?”
“No. Every Dom will have a preference. They tend to all be a variation on a kneeling position.”
“So, you reward her for doing that?”
“Not tonight. She’ll be getting punished for interrupting our conversation.”
“Don’t do that on my account. It was fine.” He looks horrified.
“Don’t worry, Eli, I can categorically say, I’m not thinking about you when I fuck. You’re handsome and all, but I don’t swing that way.”
“Very funny. You’d be lucky to get a guy like me.” He chuckles.
“I mean, I’ll watch you get your freak on.” I can’t contain my laughter as his eyes go wide as saucers.
“I’m good, thanks.”
“You need to chill, Eli. Remember where you are. I’m just busting your balls.”
“I know.” He shrugs it off, but his discomfort isn’t coming from a place of revulsion. He’s interested.
“Anyway, I need to talk to you about the wine list for the training floor opening. I’m catering, and I want to make sure the wine choices are just right.”
“Sure. Hit me up whenever you’re free. I can meet you here or come to the restaurant.”