Master of Submission [Masters of Submission 1] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (3 page)

He burst out laughing, and walked across to her. She felt like a small child sitting at her desk waiting for the teacher to admonish her. He leaned down and whispered close to her ear, “No need to be scared.” She felt his hot breath tracing across her skin. “It’s only a drink.” He tenderly tilted her chin and turned her to look at him. His fingers glanced across her skin, sending molten heat surging through her veins. What the hell was wrong with her? She was a qualified lawyer, for Christ’s sake. She could drop the most hardened criminal to his knees with just a few choice words. When she raised her eyes to his, he seemed to overwhelm her. “We’ll talk later, when you’re a little more relaxed.”

Unable to speak, Emma nodded dumbly. She needed to pull herself together. He was just a man, nothing more. As a lawyer, she needed to remain objective at all times. It was the only way she could amass the evidence that might lead her to Chloe. It would be foolish to turn down his friendly invitation. Besides, Master Zane was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. “Okay,” she finally managed to blurt out.

“Excellent, until then, I’ll leave you in Jessica’s capable hands.” He turned and strode away, heading for a door that lead to who knew where.

Jessica sighed. “Oh, he’s so adorable when he’s being nice.”

“Meaning?”

“You really are a naïve little thing, aren’t you, sweetie? He can be extremely loving, but he can also administer corrective punishment as and when required.”

Although she was well aware that Submission was a BDSM club, she still felt a little shocked by Jessica’s casual comments. “And has he punished you?”

“Sure he has, sweetie. All the Masters have.” Jessica looked proud of herself as she explained, “Sometimes I act like a spoilt brat just to catch the Master’s eye.” She hugged her arms around herself. “Umm, it’s so sexy. There’s nothing quite like having their attention focused solely on you, be it punishment or praise. I just adore being flogged naked by a sexy Dom. It’s why I come here. How about you? What’s your kink?”

“Kink?” Emma swallowed hard. If she’d been taking a sip of her drink, she’d have choked on it. “I don’t have a kink. A girlfriend of mine recommended I came here. She said I’d enjoy it.”
That’s it, play it cool. I knew I’d eventually get around to bringing up the subject of Chloe.

“What’s your friend’s name? I probably know her if she’s a regular here.”

“Chloe, Chloe Watts.”

Jessica frowned, and shook her head. “No, sorry. I don’t know any Chloe. If she comes here, she may use a scene name. Many people do. What does she look like? Describe her to me.”

Before Emma had a chance to respond, Jessica waved enthusiastically at someone across the room. She squeezed her hand. “Gotta go, sweetie. Master Cole needs me, he’s just arrived and won’t tolerate being ignored.”

Left alone, Emma had far more questions than answers. She thought for a moment. In the messages, Orion had referred to Chloe by name. He had her e-mail address. She obviously trusted him.

Totally lost in thought, it took her a while to realize that someone had sat down next to her. When she turned, it wasn’t Jessica’s smiling face she saw, but a man she’d yet to be introduced to. His chin wore a five-o’clock shadow, and his ruddy complexion led her to believe he’d been drinking heavily before he arrived. Club Submission only served alcohol on certain evenings, such as special events and private parties, and tonight was not one of them.

He casually tossed a handful of peanuts into his mouth as he stared intently at her. “I’m Aiden.”

His poor manners didn’t endear him to her. “Should I be impressed by that?”

“Care to join me in the Hot Zone?”

Emma shook her head. She felt her body turn rigid when she smelt the stench of alcohol on his breath. “I’m happy here.”
In blissful, unenlightened ignorance
.

“That’s not very friendly now, is it?” His hand snaked around her wrist. “I don’t take no for an answer, lady. You and I are gonna get better acquainted. Makes no difference to me whether you like me or not.” He began pulling her from her seat.

Events were starting to get out of hand. Panic began to creep into the corners of her mind. Could this obnoxious, drunken man really be Orion? How the hell had she got herself into this situation?

When Zane heard a feminine scream coming from the bar area, he knew without doubt that Emma was in trouble. He sprinted across to her. With no time to waste he locked his arm around Aiden’s neck. Using his other hand, he released Aiden’s hold from Emma, twisting his arm hard behind his back until the big guy cried out in pain. He’d never really liked Aiden. He’d always thought he was an abusive prick. The guy simply had no understanding of women. They steered clear of him as best they could.

Aiden cried out as he dragged him off Emma, “You’re breaking my fucking arm, Zane. Get the fuck off me.”

“No chance, Aiden. What the hell is going on? Has this prick hurt you, Emma?” he demanded as Matthew and Ethan quickly joined them. Emma looked a little shocked, but otherwise okay.

Unable to speak, she just shook her head. Her hand repeatedly patted her throat as she fought for breath. “No…I think…I’m okay,” she finally managed to say in a strangled voice.

Ethan spoke, his eyes blazing angrily. “I’ve warned you before about this sort of thing, Aiden. You’re banned.”

They all knew Aiden’s wife had left him and his two kids, to shack up with a female Domme. He felt sure he was feeling pretty bruised and battered emotionally, but there was no excuse for his behavior. Safety of club members was of paramount importance, especially new members and subs. If they didn’t feel they were in a safe environment, then they wouldn’t come back. Of course, that knowledge didn’t help Emma. He saw her visibly shaking.

Matthew had obviously taken in the situation, too, because he said, “Emma, as the newest member of our club, please accept our apologies. This isn’t typical of what happens at Club Submission.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” she answered breathlessly.

“Zane, take Emma to the Chill-out Zone. Ethan and I will deal with Aiden.” Grabbing an arm each, they both roughly hauled him away.

“Guys, I’m no threat to nobody.” Aiden protested as the club-owning brothers dragged him unceremoniously outside. Matthew and Ethan had become good friends with Zane over the years. There was a mutual respect between them all. They treated everyone fairly, although they clearly wouldn’t take any shit when club members disrespected the rules. He knew Aiden wouldn’t be allowed in the club again. Good. He was a sad, pathetic prick at the best of times.

He heard Matthew speak in a strong, angry voice. “Aiden, fuck off and don’t come back. You’re not welcome here any longer.”

Zane turned his attention to Emma. He noticed her shivering. He put his arm around her shoulder and guided her toward the Chill-out Zone. It was a small, enclosed area of around three hundred square feet, which provided comfortable seating and soft, intimate lighting. It was the perfect place to get to know her better. After a few steps, she stiffened beneath his fingertips.

“No, wait. Stop. Where are you taking me? I’m not comfortable with this.”

“It’s okay, Emma. I’m taking you to the Chill-out Zone. You’ll be perfectly safe with me. Trust me, I won’t let anything or anyone harm you.”

“I thought I was safe by the bar.”

He detected a hint of sarcasm and smiled down at her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her pretty lips parted. Her innocent charm aroused him. He made a promise to himself that he would claim that beautiful, sensual mouth before the night ended. “The Chill-out Zone is an area you can relax in. No one will bother you there.” He pointed to several inviting sofas and armchairs, in a roped off area. “When you’re sitting here, everyone knows you want to be left alone. They will respect your wishes. If they don’t, they will never see the inside of the club again. Matthew and Ethan will see to that. You can just sit here and observe, until you feel ready to rejoin the scene.”

“Okay, Zane. I’m going to trust you, until you give me a reason not to.”

Her perfect enunciation intrigued him. When they were finally seated together on a large, brown leather sofa, he asked, “That accent. You’re not from Boston or anywhere else in the States, are you?”

She smiled sweetly, showing perfect white teeth. “Is it that obvious? I’m from England. I was born and grew up in Oxfordshire.” Now that she didn’t perceive him as a threat, it was amazing how relaxed she became. Emma leaned back and let her hands rest openly in her lap. The short leather skirt she wore barely covered her thighs, revealing plenty of soft, feminine flesh. Flesh he wanted to explore slowly, inch by inch, with his fingers and lips. He wanted this woman. At this precise moment he wanted her more than anything else in the world. He longed to run his tongue along her feminine slit and taste her sweet, wet cunt.

“So you’re an Englishwoman.” The idea amused him, and truth be known it turned him on, too. He couldn’t stop a smile forming on his face.

She held his gaze. “And just what exactly is wrong with being English?” She was almost teasing him.

Zane raised his hands, palm up to placate her. “Believe me, nothing. Nothing at all from where I’m sitting. I just have this idea in my head that all English ladies spend their day sipping tea with the local vicar,” he quipped, knowing full well it wasn’t true. The idea of having a well-spoken English rose with a cut-glass accent as his sub was a real turn-on.

Emma smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I believe you’ve been watching too much Miss Marple on the TV, Zane. We don’t all sit around eating jam and scones.”

“No. I guess not, if you’re here.”

She opened her mouth as though she were going to speak, and then closed it again on a simple sigh.

He prompted. “You were about to say.”

“Nothing really. I was just curious. Is Zane your real name? Or is it a scene name like a number of club members seem to use?”

“No, Zane is my real name.” He didn’t shout from the rooftops that he frequented a BDSM club. He had a business to run, and he needed to keep his personal and private life separate from each other. But he certainly wasn’t ashamed of his involvement with Submission. Far from it.

“Interesting. My friend Chloe suggested I come here tonight.” She stared right at him, her bright blue eyes watching his every move. “You might know her.”

Zane shook his head. “The name doesn’t ring a bell.”

“She’s about five foot five, and weighs around nine stone. She has jet-black hair which she wears short and spiky.”

Zane couldn’t help but laugh. “Nine stone? We work in pounds over here. Submission has more than five hundred members in total, Emma. A lot of women who come here could fit that description. Could be anyone of a dozen or more. Point her out to me when she arrives.”

“I will.” She glanced over his shoulder at the door, which led to the Hot Zone, and then quickly looked away. He knew she wanted to know what lay on the other side. Maybe he’d show her when the time was right.

Emma was an enigma. She appeared confident, yet vulnerable, too. He wondered what she did for a living. It was unusual for people to divulge their private lives at the club. Though if you were perceptive, you could certainly pick up a few clues. Zane let his gaze slide down Emma’s beautiful body. Experience told him he could learn a lot from a woman’s body language.

Her bright mane of blonde hair spun out in a stream of tight curls. He imagined she had trouble keeping it under control. Just the thought of weaving his fingers through it, and tilting her head back as he kissed her for the first time, stiffened his cock into a steel rod.

Zane adjusted his position on the seat to alleviate the ache in his leather jeans. He could already tell Emma would be a hard nut to crack. Yes, she was at a BDSM club, but she didn’t seem in any rush to join in the scene. He realized then, that she might even leave this evening with just her curiosity satisfied.

Diamond studs with heart-shaped droplets dripped expensively from her exquisitely shaped earlobes. They glinted and shimmered every time she moved her head. He’d seen enough diamonds in his business life to know they weren’t fake. Emma—if that was her real name—liked nice things, and could afford them, too.

He let his gaze trail lower. Her breasts, held in a tight leather bra, rose into a tantalizing cleavage. It jiggled sexily every time she breathed. He imagined himself squeezing those breasts together, and hungrily sucking on them, before applying clamps to her taut little nipples. Her bare stomach undulated, and her womanly hips flared seductively. Her hands rested on top of her skimpy leather skirt. There was no wedding band on her finger, though that didn’t preclude her from being married.

Elegant, long, smooth legs gave way to perfect, tiny feet. Each toenail neatly manicured and painted with a bright red polish. The gold sandals she wore had delicate leather straps that circled each ankle. He imagined leather restraints, taking their place as he spread her legs wide for his own personal pleasure.

Zane leaned back in his seat and smiled. It was going to be a long night. His observations led him to conclude that Emma, although a natural sub, would fight against his control. Outside, in the real world, he figured she was her own woman. Most likely she had a high-rolling job, and managed her own destiny. She was successful in her own right. She wouldn’t take kindly to being mastered. Even if that was what she needed to achieve full sexual satisfaction in the bedroom.

He just caught her surreptitious glance over his shoulder again. “You keep looking at the door that leads to the Hot Zone. Would you like to see what’s on the other side?” he asked casually.

“I don’t know, Zane. That depends what’s on the other side.”

He smiled, and gently touched her hand. “Every sexual fantasy you could possibly think of, Emma.” His highly evocative words hung in the electrified air between them.