Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Iris
Things were going far better than she could have hoped.
Everyone was seated in the main room around the food and getting along well.
She hadn’t talked much about Noelle to the others, and so far, her roommate was on her best behavior and definitely working to impress them, which was a relief.
Part of her had been worried Noelle would try to antagonize them since she’d been so annoyed about Iris spending time with them.
“So, the next thing I know, she has me as Mirabel, Mitch as Isabella, and herself as Luisa.” Domi cackled as she recounted her six-year-old daughter’s latest antics. “I’m pretty sure I know what she’ll want to be for Halloween.”
“Why didn’t Mitch get to be Camilo?” Iris asked, amused as she sat back down after handing Avery another glass of water. She’d gotten up to get herself a drink and had offered to grab a refill for anyone else who needed it.
“It was more important we have the three sisters, of course.” Domi’s headshake made her curls dance, and Iris could have sighed with envy.
With her long, straight hair, she’d make a good Isabella, but sometimes, she wished for curls.
Domi was Puerto Rican, and her hair literally spiraled. She was perfect for Mirabel.
“No surprise she wanted to be the strong one,” Rae said, grinning. “The girl is smart.”
“She sounds adorable. I bet she makes the perfect Luisa,” Noelle enthused, which was kind of funny because Iris knew Noelle only had a vague idea of what they were talking about.
She hadn’t been interested in watching Encanto when Iris had suggested it.
It showed how hard she was trying, and Iris wouldn’t take that away from her.
“She does.” Domi grinned. There was no faster way to her heart than complimenting her daughter. “And watching Mitch with her always melts my heart.”
“And your panties,” Rae muttered, then squawked when Domi launched a throw pillow at her, making the rest of them laugh as she batted it away.
“I’m just saying! Any time Mitch is playing with Ana, you get little hearts dancing around your head, then as soon as she’s asleep or gone, you drag him off to the bedroom. There’s a connection between the two.”
“A man who is good with kids is hot,” Avery agreed, looking a little dreamy-eyed.
“Uh oh, someone has baby fever,” Rae teased.
Avery made a face, shaking off the dreamy expression.
“Not yet… definitely not yet, but I can still appreciate how sexy it is.”
Was Law good with kids? Iris wasn’t sure she wanted to have kids. On the other hand, even if she didn’t want kids, she had a feeling she’d find it hot if he was good with kids. Maybe it was a biological thing.
She shouldn’t think about that yet. He was barely open to the possibility of dating.
Maybe she was setting herself up for heartbreak.
“Iris? You okay over there?” Avery asked.
Iris realized the conversation had kept going on around her, and she hadn’t been paying attention. Oops.
“Oh, she spaces out like that all the time.” Noelle flipped her hand. “Off in her own little world, don’t mind her.”
“Sorry. I was just thinking that I am nowhere near thinking about that with Law.” Iris blushed. Even saying it out loud felt weird. It was way too soon.
“Not necessarily. At a certain point, you gotta figure out if you’re looking for something long-term, in which case why waste time with someone who won’t suit you, or if you’re still enjoying yourself without having to worry about the long-term.”
“Oh, she’s definitely not looking for long-term,” Noelle said, shooting an amused glance at Iris as though she was sharing an inside joke. While it was true, Noelle had always been more interested in serious relationships than Iris, that didn’t mean it was still true.
“I don’t know that I’m not.” Iris crossed her arms over her chest. She knew she sounded defensive, but… well, she was feeling defensive. “I told Law I didn’t want to keep doing anything with him unless there was at least a possibility of eventually becoming serious.”
“That’s smart. That way, you can let it develop naturally or not,” Domi jumped in. Noelle closed her mouth on whatever she’d been about to say, frowning at Iris.
“Here’s hoping, although he did say he’s not really a go with the flow kind of guy.” Iris wouldn’t tell them everything he’d told her, but she figured that much was okay. It wasn’t as though anyone who had met him would think otherwise. As if to prove that thought, Domi, Rae, and Avery snickered.
“That’s an understatement.” Rae giggled, tossing several lengths of her long braids back over her shoulder.
Her dark eyes sparkled with mirth. “He is the Law!” All of them cracked up at the way she’d deepened her voice to make it sound like she was introducing an episode of Law and Order.
“In the BDSM lifestyle, inexperienced subs are considered especially dangerous. At Club Marquis, Master Law is the dedicated Dom assigned to babysit brats before they are formally expelled. This is his story…”
“Dun-dun,” Domi and Iris gasped between hysterical giggles. Avery was done, holding her hand to her stomach and laughing so hard, she was crying. Tears filled Iris’ eyes, too, realizing she couldn’t stop laughing, and Rae was laughing now. Their eyes met, which just made Iris laugh even harder.
She waved her hand in front of her.
“Don’t look at me… we can’t look at each other… oh God, it hurts…” She pressed her hand over the aching muscles of her stomach.
When they finally managed to stop giggling—which meant avoiding each other’s gaze for about five minutes—Domi cleared her throat and sat up.
“So, does that mean you’ve made plans to see each other again?”
“No. He’ll be at Stronghold tonight as a Dungeon Monitor, so he’s busy.” Iris shrugged. She’d hoped they might make some kind of plan, but she’d been the one to say, ‘go with the flow.’ She’d sensed he needed some time to get used to the idea. At least, she was pretty sure that’s what she’d sensed.
“Does being a Dungeon Monitor mean he can’t talk to you?” Noelle asked, her forehead wrinkling. Iris wasn’t surprised. Noelle wouldn’t like that at all. She expected her boyfriends to be available to her at pretty much all times.
“Not exactly, but it means he can’t talk to me much. I shouldn’t distract him.” Iris could only imagine what her brother would have to say about that. “Besides, Saturdays are Andrew’s night at Stronghold.”
“Yeah, but as long as you stay out of the play areas, you’re fine,” Rae pointed out. “It’s not like much happens at the bar, and I don’t think he and Kate have ever used the dance floor for anything except dancing.”
That was a good point. Iris wanted to see him, but she didn’t want to abandon Noelle.
She looked over at her roommate, who had a slightly pinched expression.
Iris wouldn’t ask, not while the others were around.
Noelle didn’t mean to be judgmental, but she didn’t get the kink scene, and Iris didn’t want to risk her inadvertently insulting the others.
“Did you want to do something tonight?” she asked Noelle. “I just saw him last night. I don’t need to go see him again tonight. Or you could come with us.”
“No, go ahead.” Noelle waved her hands at Iris flippantly. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’ll see if Tyler can hang out. I want to have a talk with him, anyway.”
Iris bit her lip against protesting that she didn’t think Noelle needed a babysitter.
No point. That would lead to a circular argument, and she didn’t feel like getting trapped in one of those right now.
She also wouldn’t ask if Noelle wanted to talk to him about his friends since her opinion was Noelle probably shouldn’t, and she didn’t think Noelle wanted to hear it right now.
“Okay, cool.” Then Iris frowned. “Do you think I should text him and let him know I’m coming?”
“Oh, where’s the fun in that?” Rae asked, her eyes sparkling. “Aren’t surprises more fun?”
“Oh, good, a brat encouraging another brat. That won’t end terribly,” Avery quipped, making them all giggle.
She had a point, but so did Rae.
“I think surprising him sounds fun.” Iris grinned.
“This is one of those times when I wish Stronghold allowed cell phones in the club, so you could take a picture of his face when he sees you there.” Avery shook her head. “I’m sorry I’m going to miss it.”
Law
Since he had the second shift of DM duty, Law kicked his friends out right after dinner, promising he’d see them at Stronghold.
It was Saturday night, so there was no way Asad wouldn’t be there.
Connor had been coming every weekend, even though he hadn’t shown much interest in scening so far, despite Asad’s encouragement.
Law wondered if Connor really hadn’t been interested or if he’d wanted to make sure Law didn’t end up sitting alone while watching over Iris.
He supposed now that his duties with her had ended, he’d find out since he was free to walk the floor. If Connor had been holding back to keep Law company, now he would be free as well.
Arriving at the club, he tried not to scowl when the two submissives at the front desk grinned widely at him. They were likely just being friendly, but of course, his brain insisted they were grinning that way because they’d already heard about him and Iris.
Paranoid much?
Not really, considering the way gossip moved through the club. It seemed arrogant to assume everyone would care, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling.
“Have a good night!” they chorused after checking him in. Unusual? No, yet his instincts were insisting there was more meaning behind it than usual.
As soon as he walked through the door between the lobby and the club, he knew he’d been right to be paranoid. The two submissives had known what he hadn’t—Iris was already here. Law spotted her immediately, seated at one of the bar tables with Mitch, Domi, Rae, and Asad.
Law growled under his breath as he strode toward them. What was Iris doing here tonight? Why hadn’t she let him know she was coming? She’d better not be here to play with someone else tonight.
The only thing that helped cool his temper was she wasn’t in the Lounge area. Submissives in the bar area were there to hang out, while submissives in the Lounge area were there to play. Not all of them, of course, but they tended to use the location to show their intent.
The logical part of his brain said she wouldn’t scene with him one night and say she wanted him to keep an open mind to something more between them, then scene with someone else the next night…
but sometimes it was hard to listen to the logical part of his brain.
Like right now, when he felt blindsided.
He hadn’t been kidding when he said he wasn’t great at going with the flow.
Tonight, he’d expected to come here, serve his Dungeon Monitor shift, then go home and maybe text or call her. He hadn’t expected to find her here, looking far too tempting in a corset, skirt, and fishnets, all set to distract him. This was not how he’d seen his evening going.
Try not to be a dick.
Asad leaned over and said something to Iris, gesturing at Law, and she perked up as her eyes lifted to his.
Their gazes caught, and he could see her reaction at the sight of him, which helped settle his emotions even more.
She was happy and excited to see him. He definitely needed to do his best not to be a dick.
“Hello there, I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” he said as he came up beside her. There, that didn’t sound too accusatory, right? He’d managed to inject some of his pleasure at seeing her into his tone.
Over her head, Asad gave him an approving nod, so he couldn’t have done too badly. Law came to a stop beside her, his arm curling around her waist… then floundered. Was he supposed to lean down and kiss her?
You’re the Dom. Do what you want. She’ll follow your lead.
Too late. Iris had leaned into his side, resting her head against his shoulder in a way that made it impossible for him to kiss her without awkward maneuvering.
“I wasn’t originally planning to come, but Domi and Rae were and invited me along, so…” She shrugged. “Figured I’d surprise you. And as long as I stay out of the play areas, Andrew can’t complain.”
“He’s not here yet, anyway,” Rae interjected, grinning as she spun her straw around her drink.
Law chuckled as he greeted each of them before turning his attention back to Iris.
She was still leaning against him as though she was perfectly happy to be there.
He was also aware of everyone at the nearby tables watching them.
No one was looking directly at him and Iris, but he could tell. The gossip train had left the station.
With her leaning against him, they looked like a couple … and he liked it. Didn’t want her to stop. Catching Asad’s eye, he had to turn away from his smug expression. Law hated it when his friend was right.
“I have to go start making the rounds.” Normally, he was all business on nights when he was a DM, but with Iris there, he realized he was feeling reluctant to get started.
A big part of him wanted to sit down and join them.
“I’m just gonna hang out here with Rae,” Iris responded, grinning up at him.
“I’ll hang out with you, too,” Asad chimed in, ignoring the glare Law sent his way. Great, just what he needed. Connor and Q would likely join them once they arrived.
Usually, it didn’t bother Law that he might be missing out on something while he was doing his rounds. Tonight, it was definitely going to bother him.
On the other hand, there was something satisfying about knowing exactly where Iris was and what she was doing instead of spending the evening wondering what she was up to. He probably needed to take what he could get and be satisfied.
“I’ll stop by when I can.” Throwing all caution to the wind, Law bent down to give Iris a very thorough kiss before taking off. The kiss he’d been craving from the moment he’d wrapped his arm around her.
The kiss that declared to the entire club—mine.