Chapter 8 #2
I just can’t risk putting her in danger, so until the stalker is caught, she’ll go nowhere without security.
We discuss how to handle Griffin if he wants to make a deal tonight, then it’s time to greet guests and kick off an evening of debauchery.
Grace is engaged in friendly conversation with Memphis Foster and his wife Rylee when I return to my play area, and she beams at me when I walk past and squeeze her ass.
“Let me know if my butterfly provides anything less than perfect service tonight,” I say to Memphis. “I need an excuse to make her cry for me.”
Grace laughs and picks up my hand. “You need no other excuse than it’s what you desire of me, Master. I’ll give you my tears and my suffering and still make you proud of my service.”
My heart twists. I’m convinced she’s an angel from another planet, for how perfect she is sometimes.
Memphis squeezes Grace’s shoulder. “I can already tell you’re going to make sure we have a lovely time. And Victor is enough of a sadist that he doesn’t need my help making things worse for you.”
Grace giggles. “That’s very true Master Memphis.”
“Sir is fine if you must use an honorific, Grace.”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you. May I reserve a play space for you or fetch either of you a drink from the bar?”
I kiss Grace’s cheek and move on as Memphis requests two drinks and a place to sit and watch the room.
At the front of the room, Harper is standing with Lili and appears to be sulking.
“Is everything OK?” I ask.
Lili puts a hand on my shoulder. “Yes, Sir. Grace inspected Harper’s work. Tell Master Victor what Grace said.”
Harper glares at Lili before shifting her ire to me. “She just doesn’t like me.”
“What did she say, Harper?”
“That all the stations I stocked tonight are sloppy.”
I move to one I know she stocked and motion for her to join me.
Lili stays back, and I wonder if Grace told Harper to wait with Lili until I returned.
But that’s a question I’ll have to ask later.
I pull open the small drawers on the table and find that Grace is right.
Condoms, wipes, and other supplies are haphazardly stuffed inside instead of being neatly arranged.
“Fix them. My companion for the evening will oversee your work. I don’t have time to punish you right now, so when you’re done, kneel along the wall there and I’ll fetch you when I do.”
Harper huffs and I stop her with a hand on her shoulder. “Is there a problem, Harper? You don’t seem to be enjoying your role as a High Card submissive. I just want to remind you that you’re in this position of your own free will and may turn in your pin at any time.”
Her eyes go wide, and she shakes her head. “No, Master Victor. That won’t be necessary. Forgive me. I’m just having a rough time with some personal things.”
I squeeze her shoulder and point to the drawer. “Then take your mind off of whatever those things are with some mindless organization.”
“Yes, Master Victor. Thank you.”
Back at Lili’s side, I kiss her cheek and apologize. “I’m sorry you had to be part of that. Did Grace ask you to watch her, or did you offer?”
Lili drops her gaze, and my shoulders tense as I look back at Harper and then Grace who is just returning with drinks for her guests.
“What aren’t you telling me, Liliana? It doesn’t do Grace any good to have you keep things from me.”
She sighs. “Harper was just a complete bitch to Grace. I happened to overhear it, and my protective side kicked in, so I intervened. Hopefully, that won’t cause too many headaches for you.”
“What kind of bitch was she being?”
Lili sighs. “Maybe Grace should tell you.”
“Grace will tell me. Right now, I’m asking you.”
“She called her a power-hungry unicorn and suggested the only reason you left Grace in charge of inspecting her work is because of her skill at sucking cock and eating pussy. It was oddly specific.”
I want to march over to Harper and fire her on the spot, but club bylaws dictate that there is a process for removing problematic members and staff, and that process doesn’t include flying into a blind rage.
“Thank you for telling me. We’ll get through this night, and then I’ll deal with Harper and make sure Grace is OK.”
“Grace handled it well. Never even flinched.”
“Good girl,” I murmur to myself as I search the room for my butterfly.
I find her laughing with Rylee while Memphis unpacks his toy bag beneath a suspension frame, and I wink at her when she catches me staring.
My earpiece crackles with Bellamy’s voice. “Master Victor, Master Matteo, if you’re listening, Griffin Price is here. Shall I escort him to one of you, or would you like to come fetch him yourself?”
I press the button to speak as Lili opens a drawer that Harper was working on. “Escort him to the bar. I’ll meet you there.”
“Yes, Sir,” Bellamy responds.
I can’t help the smirk as Lili lifts an organizer tray out of the drawer and dumps it on the table. “Fix it again,” she snaps at Harper.
Harper huffs, but does as she’s told, and begins organizing the condoms neatly in the plastic tray.
I arrive at the bar just as Bellamy enters with Griffin at her side. She’s talking animatedly, but Griffin just scowls. Bellamy is a pro at greeting our VIP guests, though, so his scowl doesn’t faze her.
“Master Victor, I believe you’ve met Master Griffin before. Can I get either of you anything?”
“I’ll take care of Master Griffin’s drink, Bellamy. You may return to your other tasks.”
Bellamy smiles and ducks her head respectfully as she backs away.
“So far, it’s an impressive space, Victor,” Griffin praises when she’s gone. “Looks like you’ve got some hot ass here to enjoy.”
His gaze moves to the doorway Bellamy just walked through, and I groan inwardly before placing a hand on his shoulder with a chuckle. “Bellamy is off-limits to anyone but her owner and husband, but there are plenty of lovely submissives here who are willing to engage with new members.”
Griffin grunts his acknowledgment, and I make a mental note to warn Owen and Tobias that our potential new client has wandering eyes, which likely means wandering hands.
We share a drink and discuss possible business arrangements while the club around us fills up with members.
“Her,” Griffin says, staring in the direction of the main entrance. “Please tell me she’s available.”
I search for who he’s referring to and let out a loud laugh. “Only if you like getting your balls crushed. That’s Ami. One of our resident Doms.”
The idea of a female Dom seems to offend Griffin, and I want to keep him away from Lili now, too.
Something in my gut is telling me not to get into business with this man, and I hope the others get the same sense when they meet him later tonight.
We’ll go through the motions of the first meeting, but if we all agree that he’s not a fit and that he rubs us the wrong way, he won’t be invited back, and our business deal will fall through.
I give Griffin a tour of the place and introduce him to two subs who are known to enjoy the kinds of kinks he listed on his membership application.
It’s up to them to negotiate, and our High Card submissives are not required to play with anyone they don’t click with, but we chose the submissives in these positions because they enjoy playing with strangers and new members.
It’s thrilling. And the club is a safe environment for them to enjoy that kink.
When the night is in full swing, I search for Grace and Lili.
I find them in the bar, with Grace perched in Lili’s lap.
She jumps up when she sees me, as if I’ve caught her doing something naughty.
It makes me chuckle. “You don’t need my permission to be intimate with Lili, butterfly. You have it already.”
She chews on a loose curl that fell into her face, and I pull it away from her mouth. “Thank you. I don’t know why it still seems like I’m doing something I shouldn’t be.”
Lili chuckles and pulls Grace back down in her lap. “You’re definitely not doing something you shouldn’t be. My only complaint is that Victor’s cum isn’t dripping onto my lap right now.”
Grace’s face turns bright red, and I laugh.
“Don’t forget about Harper,” Lili says.
Just as I’m about to ask Grace to tell me what happened with her, Bellamy approaches me. “Sorry to interrupt, but Master Owen needs to talk to you. Says it’s urgent.”
I kiss both Lili and Grace on the cheek and jog towards Owen’s office.
He’s looking at his cellphone with a forlorn expression on his face as I close the door behind me.
“I just got off the phone with Hunter Novak. He wants to meet us first thing in the morning, and he sounds fucking pissed. The good news is that Trinity is awake, and her prognosis is good. So maybe we can buy some more time to neutralize Draven.”
I don’t blame the man for being pissed about how things have turned out. His wife is in the hospital with a long journey ahead of her, and we are no closer to catching Draven.
“OK. I guess we’re going to the Strip first thing in the morning. Anything else?”
He sighs. “Sort of. My friend in Chicago got back to me about the phishing email sent to Grace, and the IP address leads back to someone from here at the club.”
“Who?”
Owen flips his monitor around and points to an employee profile.
It’s none other than Harper Cantrell.
God-fucking-damn it.