Chapter Twenty Three
Sometimes, you had to see somewhere, or someone, through different eyes to understand what made it so fascinating. I’d only been to the club as a customer a handful of times, and on each occasion, I’d had a strange feeling that something was… I dunno, up. Like, the energy of the place was vibrant and buzzing, there was no doubt about that. But an undercurrent of unspoken energy had always put me on edge. Now I knew why.
“Would you expect me to become part of the society?” I asked as Joseph locked the club entrance door.
He sniffed as he turned to me, a frown forming two lines between his eyebrows. “Historically, the men can bring their partners to the club, but they’re never allowed to become part of the society. ”
“Why not?” I pushed, following him to the main club hall and waiting for him to lead me across the dancefloor to the secret panel.
Looking over his shoulder, he gave me a frustrated stare. “Because, my inquisitive one,” he began, “as archaic as it is, it’s for men only.”
Of course it was. Why wasn't I surprised?
“I can feel your glare burning into the back of my head,” he said, approaching the panel and pressing his hand flat against the wall.
A small click was followed by the creak of the door as it opened, revealing the secret room. We both stepped inside and waited for the door to close again. The silence was eerie as we wandered down the walkway that had booths on either side and towards the stage.
My gaze traced the circular stage around to where it led off onto a strip, not unlike a catwalk. The curtain that fell over the older part of the stage was black velvet, similar to the red ones out at the front.
Two metal cages hung high above us, swinging ever so slightly. Inside them, leather straps hung from the bars, the silver hook and eyes glistening in the light from the huge chandelier, which sat in the circular groove of the roof. The sparks of light that were flung over the ceiling highlighted the mural painting that I hadn't noticed when I'd previously visited the room.
“I heard your friend talking to a man when I snuck in here,” I blurted, realising that it was my turn to confess. “He spoke about the charity work you do and the offerings that were expected from members. Can you explain more?”
Indicating that I sit, he lifted himself up onto the stage and paced around it in front of me. “It's like this,” he said, crouching in front of me and reaching to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “The men who join our club know rich elite men who are aware of us. We're in business with so many people, we make friends everywhere we go. However, Chase keeps an eye out for those who have a deeper cause.”
“A deeper cause?” I said, frowning at his simple explanation.
Looking away, Joe chewed on his bottom lip. “It started with four of us who had been through shit in the past. Chase was always upfront and honest about how fucked up he was because of the neglect from his rich parents. A couple of our male friends in university related, so a kind of men's circle was formed.” His gaze came back to me and his head tilted to the side. “Sex didn't come into it until Chase's new girlfriend introduced him to BDSM. Again, we couldn't shut him up, and when he explained the thrill of sexually controlling the young woman, we all discussed it as if it were football or car racing. We were a band of broken young men, looking for the next exciting challenge. That's when we decided to find our own damsel in distress to rescue.”
“Or control?” I said, trying to stifle my smile.
Okay, so I had known male teenagers growing up and it wasn’t a surprise that Joe and his friends had decided to start a BDSM men's club. I'd heard of a lot worse in the past.
“Yes.” He smirked as he shrugged. “We decided to experiment with women we found attractive.”
“So it just... kinda grew from there?” I murmured, leaning forward so I could stroke his bare ankle where his trousers had risen up.
He nodded and stared off into the distance again. “We all had our own little kinks and every time someone hurt a female, either in the news or in our lodgings, we found ourselves drawn to that person, wanting to protect them. We quickly realised that we were sexually aroused by the idea of being the one to take care of them. It wasn't our main motivation; it was a by-product of all that was going on.”
“I don't know whether to be freaked out or okay with the weirdness. ”
“Darkness, you mean,” he said, capturing my wrist and stroking it with his thumb. “Sometimes you have to dive into the shadows to find the light. That's my personal take on it.”
Licking my lips, I swallowed. “Have you found your light, yet?”
“I've been searching,” he said, taking hold of my arm and helping me up onto the stage, “but I'm only now just seeing a glimmer.”
He smirked when I raised my eyebrows and smiled. “You're smooth.”
“Not always,” he quipped, grabbing my arse and squeezing hard. “I like to be rough most of the time.”
A gasp escaped me as he took my hair in his hand and pulled my head back so he could lower his head to my neck. His tongue flicked out and traced my collarbone, giving me the shivers.
“Are you ready to go to my office?” he rasped, running his hand up my side.
Nodding, I held his head to me, releasing him only when he stepped back and out of my reach. His eyes were hooded as he watched me, and I couldn't help but drop my gaze to his crotch where a bulge was obvious beneath the expensive cut of his suit trousers.
“I'm ready for my examination,” I said, giggling when he frowned.
Stepping forward, he spun me around by my shoulders and slapped my arse. Hard. A yelp echoed from me and I tried to turn my head back towards him, ready to berate the bastard. He grabbed mywaist and held firm, not allowing me to move. Ah, okay, so we were playing the game now. I had a lot to learn and his love language was new to me. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. Frozen, I breathed slowly, filtering the air into my nose and out through my mouth.
“I don't know what to do,” I whispered.
The hiss of his breath made me tense until one of his hands snaked around my waist as the other slunk down the globe of my butt cheek, tucking between my legs. The press of his fingers made me arch back against him. His mouth came to the spot just behind my ear, breathing heavily onto the lobe. A shudder moved me and he shifted, picking me up and cradling me against his chest.
“I'll teach you.” He looked down at me as he took us off the stage and back towards the door.”As long as you’re ready.”
Smiling, I slipped my hand up his chest and undid one of his shirt buttons. “Oh, I’m ready.”
His face stayed soft but brooding as he walked us to the office and closed the door behind him. It was early and no one would be in for an hour or so, which meant we had the place to ourselves.
As he lowered me to the floor, I reached up and placed a hand over his heart, feeling the steady beat of it through his chest. He had so much to give and so much wisdom, I didn't feel worthy of being in front of him, ready to bare everything.
“That's the look.” He growled and lowered his head, pressing his lips to mine tenderly. “It makes me want to keep you safe, always. Those big eyes, so trusting... I've never felt more invested in making you feel safe.”
“And you have to break me?” I muttered, glancing over my shoulder at the curtain that held his secret sexy space.
A flush of heat crept up my neck, caressing my skin on the way up. I had no idea what to expect, but I was ready to play. I might have been a little apprehensive about the breaking part, I wasn't going to lie, but he was right, I did trust him.
Holding my jaw in his big hands, he brought his eyes down to my level. “It won't feel like I'm breaking you, at first. And if there's ever a point when you're not happy or you're uncomfortable, you just tell me to stop and I will.”
Humming an agreement, I swallowed and smacked my dry mouth. Embers were sizzling in the pit of my stomach, the delicious tendrils of warmth pooling in my pussy and making me wet. It was time to give myself over to the one who was meant to bring out the best in everyone. “I might be a little nervous,” I muttered, “but I'm excited at the same time.”
His eyes widened, flashing with heat as he stood straight and released me. “It's time to begin. Go over to the couch and stand in front of it, facing me.”
My hands shook as I did as he said, slipping behind the curtain. The blank TV screen caught my eye, as did the whips and handcuffs on the wall. Would he use them on me?
I couldn't contain my shudder as I reached the couch and stared at the manacles attached to the wall above it. I would've loved to be all powerful and ready for him, but I... wait, what was keeping me from being excited instead of afraid? I'd been through too much to let my fear control me. I wanted to be thoroughly seen to. I needed someone to take care of me.
“Go on,” he urged, undoing his jacket and shrugging it off.
Watching as he placed it on a chair, I turned to face him as he drew closer. The sexy broodiness that rolled from him mixed with the gorgeousness of his stoic features. He was all man, coming for his prey, and I was frozen to the spot, unable to resist his approach.
My insides quivered when he stopped in front of me and reached for my skirt, ripping it down my legs in one swift movement. He crouched low in front of me, lifting my legs so he could whip the garment away. I stood in my sheer lace underwear and shirt, keeping my gaze lowered as he ran his hands up the back of my calves, then my thighs, and slowly, teasingly, over my arse, squeezing gently before gripping the hem of my top.
It came up and over my head, dragging my hair until it fell down my back and tickled the skin just below my bra strap. Joe threw my shirt over his jacket on the chair, where it landed delicately before slipping to the floor. Without a pause, he took my chin between his finger and thumb and turned my face to look up at him. He towered above me, his narrowed gaze staring straight into mine.
“Sit down,” he ordered, his voice gravelly.
Swallowing hard, I lowered myself onto the couch and sat back. I glanced down at my legs, unsure whether to cross them or keep them open. What did one do when about to be sexually tortured? A small smile crossed my lips until Joe bent down and put his face into mine.
“What's so funny?” he said, tilting his head to the side.
The tiny bit of humour I'd found evaporated as his annoyance seeped from him. “How do you want my legs?” I snapped, not quite sure what to reply, but also not quite ready to be Miss little pushover straight away.
“Open.” He stood, took my knees, and wrenched them apart. “So I can get access to you.”
This was a whole new Joe, one who had been hiding underneath the cool and collected guy. Except, he'd never been cool and collected, not really. The simmering heat that had radiated from him since the moment we’d actually seen one another was about to be unleashed, I could feel it.
My pussy pulsed as he reached for my arms and lifted them to the manacles above my head. I gasped when the cold metal clasped around my wrists, trapping me against the wall. Joe stepped back and studied me, his gaze tracing downwards until it hit my bra.
“I need to see your beauty,” he murmured, bending forward and digging my breasts out of the bra cups so they sat on top, bulbous and perky - perkier than they'd been for a while.
He stood again and resumed his appreciation, biting his lower lip as he studied the scars on my thighs. Shit, I'd forgotten about the healed wounds. Would it turn him on, knowing that I'd been vulnerable? The idea of his excitement sent a thrill through me. Wow, who knew what could get a woman's blood rushing?
Dropping into a crouch again, Joe felt under the couch and pulled out a pair of manacles which were attached by a short chain. He carefully placed one around each ankle before running his hands up the front of my legs, over my knees and down the inside of my thighs. I was open to him, unable to reach out to touch him... or to stop him. And fuck, that made it all the more intense.
“I can't get rid of these scars,” he said, lowering his head and kissing them, one at a time. “But I'm going to help you to dig out the pain that still lives in them.”
A pangsquashed my lungs and the air rushed from them, ruffling his hair. The pain that lived deep within me threatened to rear its ugly head, wanting to show itself, to be heard. Joe glanced up at me, his bright blue eyes darkened by the shadows from the dim room. He wanted to be my saviour, to help me to heal, but he had to hurt me in order to do that. Was I ready?
Pulling my legs open as wide as they would go, Joe dropped his head and placed his mouth over my underwear, right on my slit. He huffed warm air onto me, making the material heat and tingle against my core. I shuddered as his tongue pressed tight, melding my underwear into my folds. He gripped my thighs roughly, his fingers digging so deep into my scars, I yelped and tried to pull away.
The shackles around my legs made it impossible so I sat, torn between the pain of his hands and the pleasure of his tongue. He flicked that hard muscle, up and down, around and around, rubbing me with the wet material. The grazing sensation sent tingles sparking from my clit, there, oh and there. Shifting my hips forward, I sat on the edge of the couch so that Joe could get better access. The tips of his fingers, with his blunt nails, pushed even further into my skin, but the sting only added to the pleasure. Looking down, I bit my lip as a groan escaped me. Seeing the dents he made in my thighs turned me on, just as much as his head with its greying brown hair, bobbing between my legs.
“Shit!” I gasped when his tongue flicked up and down continuously.
The build of the orgasm rose and crested, sending cascades of delicious tentacles that forced my back up into an arch. My wrists ached where they pulled against the metal that bound me, but even that only added to the intensity.
“My sweet girl,” Joe murmured, sitting back on his heels. “That was a wonderful beginning.”
My chest heaved as I liquefied on the couch, enjoying the melting of my flesh as the pulses of orgasm died away.
“Beginning?” I drawled, “Goody, I want more.”
Blinking my eyes open, I sat straight when Joe held up a black leather whip. It was a simple one that often came in bondage sets, and yet, I'd never used one before. Obviously. “What's that for?”
He ran it along his palm, allowing the strips to fall and dangle before doing it again. His gaze was mesmerised by the movement, and I found myself staring at his chin, his ear, his ever so slightly crooked nose. The stubble that smattered across his jaw was sexy as hell, only adding to his gorgeous facial features.
“Tell me what memory burns your mind the most,” he muttered.
“Huh?” I squeaked, taken so aback by his question, I sunk against the couch.
His gaze lifted and bore into mine, hard and serious. “Tell me what memory burns your mind the most.” Coming to kneel in front of me, he traced one of my scars tenderly, almost stroking where it had gone red from the force of his hand. “I want to meet that demon. ”
A rush of fear pushed through me and I shook my head as I tried to tug my arms back down. I had known that there was going to be rough play, and he had mentioned healing, but this? While I was still coming down from an orgasmic high?
“Tell me,” he hissed, pressing the butt of the whip into my thigh, hard.
“M-my foster father.” My blurted reply was shut off as my throat closed, almost heaving as the man’s face, scrunched up and tense, came into my mind.
Joe bared his teeth and clenched his hands around the whip. “What did he do to you?”
The most horrendous event didn't immediately come into my mind, there had been so many. Joe's intensity made me nervous and I shook, trying to find the demon that had taunted me the most in my memories.
“He... the worst thing he did, ironically... is abandon me.” My voice was low as I stretched my fingers out. “He left me in a drug den house after forcing me to pleasure him in front of his friends.”
“Fucking bastard!” Joe shoved himself to his feet and paced in front of me.His jaw was tight and his neck muscles taught. “And how old were you?”
”Fourteen,” I whispered, blinking rapidly to try and stop the tears.
The men had stared at me, each one of them suggesting that I pleasure them now that my foster father was okay. He had laughed and left to go and get more booze, but after an hour, I knew he wasn't coming home. When one of the other men realised too, he came for me, grabbing at my body. He'd been so drunk; I'd managed to slip away from him and escape the house.
“How can men do such things?” Joe bit through his teeth, “How dare they attack you too!”
I sucked in a breath, confused at how he'd heard my thoughts. Or maybe I'd said them aloud, I didn't remember. All I knew was that the nightmares that had taunted me since that day had never left me alone. Not even now.
Heaving as sobs choked me, I tried to sit forward. Joe came over and unclipped the manacles from my feet before releasing my wrists, catching me when my arms dropped. He lifted me and cradled me against his chest, walking slowly towards the far wall. He flicked a switch and a plush bed slowly lowered from a hideaway, its sheets plain white and the pillows puffy. If I hadn't been crying into his chest, I would've berated him for being such a male with his decor.
“It's okay,” he said, kissing the top of my head as he laid me on the bed, “You just need to remember that pain.”
Wiping my eyes, I whimpered. “I don't want to think about it anymore.”
His hand brushed the hair out of my face as he came around to the head of the bed. I looked up as he unbuttoned his suit trousers and dropped them to the floor, followed by his briefs. His erection was semi-flaccid, which shocked me. I thought he'd be raring to go, considering I'd been crying. Except, it would make him all kinds of wrong if he’d got turned on by my actual memories. I had to know where that line was and not let him cross it.
Coming back to the side of the bed, he quickly undid the buttons on his shirt and shrugged it off. He climbed up on the bed beside me and looked down at me. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, instead too busy barely holding on to my composure as the image of the men made me shudder.
“Don't think about what happened now,” he said, stroking the side of my cheek, “but remember that pain. Push the image of those who hurt you away, but hold onto that sorrow.”
Reaching for the whip, he brought it towards me, hovering it over my thighs. I held my breath as the emotions boiled and bubbled, twisting inside me. His hand came back and flicked the whip forward so fast, I barely registered it before the pain seared my leg. The straps flew back and forward again, slamming into the skin on my thighs, right on my scars.
“What do you want to do to those who hurt you?” Joe asked me, taking my hand in his and holding tight. “Tell them.”
Gasping as the pain came again, I shut my eyes tight and focused on the tears that dribbled down my cheeks and the anger that surged. “I want to hurt them so badly that they beg for forgiveness!” I shouted. “He's a fucking wanker who deserves to lose everything!”
My roar was almost guttural as Joe whipped me again, a grunt coming from him as he leaned closer. His hard penis pressed into my thigh, igniting a fire in my pussy and turning my thoughts into a confused mess of need.
“How do you feel?” He brought his mouth to my ear and his breath fanned my skin, sending a shudder right through me.
“Worthless,” I hiccupped, “dirty and afraid.”
The sting of my legs made me blink away my tears and look down. A fine line of blood tracked across one of my old wounds and I closed my eyes, not wanting to be reminded of the moment I had hurt myself.
“You're beautiful,” Joe whispered, dropping the whip and running his hands over my thighs, soothing the pain. “And worth everything to me. You're safe with me.”
My tense muscles relaxed as he massaged my thighs, running his hands up and down, until his fingers were brushing into my folds. The underlying fury started to melt my ice-cold heart and the throb of my legs added something to the throb of my heavy vagina.
“Do you feel safe?” Joe said, allowing his hands to wander higher, up over my stomach and onto my breasts, kneading them gently.
Nodding, I bit my lip as I looked up at him and the energy changed. His eyes were hooded and his jaw was tight. His lips were wet where he kept poking his tongue out to moisten them. Fuck, he was sexy as hell.
“I'm going to drive it all away.” Getting up, he went to the end of the bed, took hold of my waist and pulled me until my arse was right on the edge.
My heartbeat resounded in my head as he pressed a button and the bed raised until it was in line with his hips. Keeping hold of my thighs, he pulled them apart and positioned himself between them. My vagina was covered by my underwear and I expected him to just move it to the side. Impatient, I wiggled, going still when he grasped the side of the material and ripped as hard as he could. The tear made me jump as he threw the remaining shreds of my underwear across the room. I stared up at him, studying the thick muscles across his chest. His power, as he held me open to him, rippled down his arms to his fingers, where he dug them into my thighs again.
“Do it,” I urged, reaching towards him.
“Hands above your head!” His barked order made me swallow as I quickly lifted my arms and rested them on the bed.
My trembling was apparent as he raked his gaze up me, appraising every inch of me until his eyes locked with mine. My pussy pulsed and flooded, no doubt soaking the bed beneath us. There was something about the look of possession on his face that made me want to give him every part of me. I had never told anyone about what had happened to me, never in my life. He was the only one who could use that information to harm me... but he wouldn't, I knew that. And yet, that little demon voice berated me, telling me that Joe could never want me now that he knew the truth .
“Please don't hold what I told you against me,” I whispered, shrinking in on myself as the grief washed over me.
He fell forward, one hand grabbing hold of my wrists and pinning them down, while the other held my thigh up high. The thrust of his hips sent his penis deep inside me and I cried out, my muscles clamping around him as he plunged inside me, again and again.
“I told you,” he rasped into my ear, “I'm going to own you and everything you are.”
My head fell back as I surrendered to him, relaxing every muscle in my body as he held me still and plundered me, his gorgeous long penis stroking me from the inside out. I kept my eyes open, watching him as he leaned up and glanced down at where he entered me. I bit my lip and tried to stifle the moan that accompanied the rush of eroticism that enveloped me.
The emotions of my confession swirled with the heat inside of me, pushing me to experience pleasure that I'd never felt before. As he sped up, his movements quicker and his cock harder, he reached one hand around my neck and squeezed gently. I gulped as he pushed as far as he could into me and my pussy grew so tight, an orgasm exploded from me, spreading out from my core to every muscle in my body.
“Fuckkkkk!!” I cried as my head flung back so hard, it hurt my neck.
My whole body tensed as Joe thrust again, this time holding me tight and not moving as he roared. The orgasm that rippedthrough him made him buck and squeeze me until it hurt. The pain only added to the pleasure.
The sound of our peak echoed and faded away as he collapsed on top of me, cradling me close before looking into my eyes. A blast of emotion expanded my chest, sending tears straight into my eyes. A sob rushed from me, even though I tried to suck it back. He held me tight, not daring to look away as the tears bubbled up and over my lower eyelids.
“I'm broken,” I wailed, clinging to him as he sat up and pulled me into his lap. “So fucking broken.”
The smeared blood on my thighs was a reminder of what we'd just done. Part of me couldn't believe that I'd been whipped, but as he held me, tight against his chest, my heart felt lighter. As if I'd released something along with my orgasm.
“It's okay.” He brushed my hair off my sodden cheek. “I'm here now. I'll always protect you, no matter what. ”
Smiling, I glanced up at him from under my eyelashes. I'd wanted to hide from the shame of what I'd admitted, from the fear of his judgement. But he had given me everything I needed in that moment. And more.
“So...” I muttered. “...I'm officially your sub? And PA?”
Frowning, he clasped my face in his hands. “Not a sub, per se.” He looked away and then back again. “Not in the typical BDSM sense of the word, anyway. I'm more unique than that. Still, you're mine... yes. And a PA for now, until you become a designer or whatever you want to be.”
“And the society?” I asked cautiously, “Will I be included in any way?”
A smile lifted the corners of his cheeks. “There are many layers to the society. No one has to know anything about us if you’d prefer it that way. I promise to keep you informed, though.”
“And let you watch the naked ladies in the sex club?” Raising my eyebrows, I gripped his forearm, digging my fingers in. “Maybe it's time for me to get a little dominant with you.”
His smirk melted my resolve. How could I resist such gorgeousness when I knew the terms of our relationship? He was in control, and I was a kept woman, in all kinds of ways.
He opened his mouth, ready to reply, when his phone bleeped. Instead of getting into a debate about the society, he reached over to his jacket and took out his phone. I wasn't exactly ecstatic about the interruption, but when he opened the message, and I caught sight of the photo attached, a chill slipped down my spine.
“What the fuck?” I spat, ready to reverse off the bed. “Are you playing a fucking joke?”
Dropping the phone, he grabbed hold of my shoulders to stop me from moving. “What is it?”
My mouth gaped open and my breath huffed in and out. I couldn't breathe. Shit, I couldn't breathe.
“It was my friend, Chase,” Joe said, his forehead creased in worry, “it was just a business message.”
“Business?” I snapped, trying to pull away from him. “Have you set me up? For him? So he can do it all again?”
Fire burned every nerve in my body as I squirmed and tried to get out of his grip. They were in on it together, of course they were. No wonder I had recognised the voice of the man who had been talking to Chase in the club. It was him. It had probably been him all along.
“Lola!” Joe grabbed the top of my arms and squeezed hard, forcing me to stop moving. “I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I keep the society completely separate from my design business and from you. I've not been involved for a while, to the point they're questioning my loyalty. Because of you. And this...” He held up his phone. “...I've not even read Chase's message, it's just about a new member, so you’d better explain yourself, woman!”
The sincerity in his strained voice and the expression on his face was plain. He had no idea what I was talking about – which would make sense, considering he wouldn't have risked opening the message on his phone if he'd known.
My insides quivered as I recalled the conversation between Chase and the man at the club.
“That man,” I said, taking the phone from my new protector and showing him the photo, “who is about to join your society... is…is… my foster father. And he's finally found me.”
“Found you?” Joe's jaw tensed. “What do you mean?”
“H-he,” I stuttered, glancing over my shoulder, just out of habit, “wants me dead.”