To my girl.

You started this

crazy journey, and for that I thank
you.
 ONE
“More,” she begs, as I bring the cane down on her already-red ass.
I drop the long thin piece of bamboo; it makes a sound as it hits the
concrete floor of my playroom. “I didn’t give you permission to speak,
Petal,” I say to Penny. My voice is low, angry, though controlled.
“Please, Sir. Harder,” she begs.
Her body is covered with marks, her alabaster skin no longer white.
It’s a perfect hue of flaming crimson. Welts have developed from every one
of the toys I’ve used on her. I’ve spanked her, flogged her, paddled her and
caned her. And yet with everything I’ve done, she still wants more.
I’ve noticed since Matthew and Ella’s wedding, Penny’s pain
tolerance has increased significantly. She’s always begging for more,
desperate to bring pain in her life at every opportunity.
And she’s tried to top me many times, just like she’s doing now.
“Did I give you permission to talk?” I ask again.
I stand behind her, her legs open, her glistening pussy on display for
me, just like her glorious ass. Her blonde hair is falling out of her ponytail,
and the strands are a stark contrast against the rich brown leather of the
spanking bench. She’s up on her knees, her wrists secured to the front legs
of the bench.
“So-sorry, Master,” she stutters.
I fucking hate it. She’s called me Master the last few times, and I
know that’s what she wants from me. But I don’t want a slave. I want a
submissive.
Standing back, my eyes travel the length of her body. From her upper
back, all the way down to her ankles, she’s marked. The heavier marks are
around her upper thighs and butt. Her mid-section only has slight color,
because hitting with a heavy hand around the kidneys isn’t in any way
pleasurable. It’s flat out pain, and it can do permanent damage.
Penny’s been wanting more pain and I’m not ready to take her there.
Nor, rationally, should she want to enter into such dangerous territory.
 My playroom was designed with Penny in mind. Before she came into
my life, before she became my submissive, I fucked every woman I could.
On my first night with her, I knew she was different. I knew she’d bring out
both my absolute best – and my sheer worst.
She pushed me to be the best Dom I could be for her. She showed me
the control I needed to have when we’re Dom/sub. And I’ve shown her the
power of freedom she has through her surrender.
“Master,” she whimpers, as she moves against the shackles attached to
the thick D-rings on the bench. Her blindfold keeps her from seeing
anything, but it makes her greedy with anticipation.
Right now though, I’m fucking gutted and I’m glad she can’t see the
reaction I feel toward her.
“Not now, Petal,” I answer her, but my voice isn’t that lower pitch,
nor does it hold the strength I usually show her. Because in this moment, I
know with certainty I can’t give her what she wants. She’ll never be
satisfied; she’ll always want more, and I can’t give it to her.
The room feels cold. All the love I have for her has been drained out
with the realization I can’t keep going, because I’ve already lost her. She’s
no longer mine.
I move to stand beside her and appreciate her for what I fear will be
one last time. “Brandon?” she calls as she moves her head to the side
toward me.
Carefully, I unshackle her and take her blindfold off.
I feel it. And I’m sure she does, too. Her thick eyelashes are lowered,
and tears fall down her face as I help her up. Once she’s standing, she
silently hugs me. Her arms tight around my waist, her saltwater drenching
the thin, dark t-shirt I’m wearing.
We stand together in total silence for moments, though they aren’t
peaceful minutes. We may not be saying anything, but our internal turmoil
screams loudly from both of us.
“I’m sorry, Brandon.” Penny finally breaks our silence.
I smile at her, but I know it’s a sad smile that doesn’t reach my eyes.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” How can she be sorry for who she is?
We’re not on the same wavelength.
“I need more,” she whispers through her heavy tears.
“I know.”
“You can’t give it to me, and I need it. There’s an emptiness inside me
that tells me I need more. When you’re caning me, I want it to hurt. I need
the pain. I crave the high, I…” She heaves in a heavy breath and leans her
entire weight on me.
“Don’t say anymore.”
She takes a step back, and wipes the fat tears from her cheeks. “I’ll
leave.”
“Don’t go, not like this. I’ll find you a Master, someone to take care
of you.”
Penny shakes her head and controls her ragged breathing. “I don’t
want you to. I need to do this on my own.”
“I’m going to help.” I step forward and embrace her. She needs to
know I care.
“Please,” she begs as her eyes look away from mine. “This is going to
be hard enough as it is; I don’t want your help. I’ll do it on my own.”
This is the hardest thing I’ll ever do, letting her go, not knowing
where she’s going, or who she’s going to. “At least let Matthew help you.
He’ll find someone who will look after you.”
“I can do this by myself. I’ll find the right Master for me.”
She steps further away from me, and turns toward the playroom door.
“Penny,” I say once more, desperately trying not to lose her.
She puts her head down and walks out of my playroom.
And right out of my fucking life.
 TWO
“Hey, what’s happening with you?” Matthew asks, as he comes into
my office and sits in the chair opposite my desk.
“Nothing.”
“Yeah, that right there, man – that’s bullshit.”
“Fuck off. I’m fine.”
“Then why did Ella tell me last night you bit her head off when you
couldn’t find a report you printed with last month’s figures?”
“I didn’t,” I answer, although I know I did.
It’s been four days since Penny left, and it’s ripped me apart. I can’t
sleep, I can’t eat, and I can’t concentrate. The only thing keeping me sane is
the Onyx Club. When I’m here, I have something else to concentrate on
other than Penny, or where she might be.
“I’m not fucking going until you tell me what the hell is going on with
you.” Matthew sits back in the chair, leans his elbows on the arms, weaves
his fingers together, and starts circling his thumbs.
“Nothing.”
“Now you sound like a fucking woman. I have to put up with that shit
from Ella. I’m not going to put up with it from you, too.” Like the hardass
he is, he sits back and settles right in.
“I said, nothing. You should respect what I say.”
“Fuck off. Respect…you have no idea what that word means, clearly.
I know you’ve been a prick for the last few days. And you haven’t given me
the common courtesy of telling me what the fuck is going on. Have you
knocked up Penny? Is that the problem?”
“Don’t,” I warn him. “Don’t say shit about her.” There’s an ache in
my chest that won’t go away.
“I’m not. But it’s obvious to me you’re becoming a cunt because of
something to do with her.”
 “Don’t,” I warn him again. I can feel the anger slowly building in my
body.
“What’s she done? Tried to top you?” He chuckles. “Wouldn’t suck
your cock?” He pushes me.
“Fucking don’t.” I shake my head and my hands on the desk tighten
into fists.
“Is that it? She won’t fuck you?”
I can’t help myself. I fly over the desk, my chair toppling over
backward, and knocking my laptop off the surface to land on the floor. I
knock Matthew out of his chair and land a punch on his chin. But in the
next moment, Matthew’s got us flipped and is landing his own punches to
my gut. I don’t even try to protect myself.
He jumps off me and takes a couple of steps back, leaving me,
breathing heavily, lying on the floor in my office.
“Now that you’ve gotten that out of your system,” he says, wiping a
drop of blood away from his mouth with his thumb, “when did she leave
you?” He leans against my desk.
I lay my head back against the plush carpet on my office floor and let
my body collapse. I should’ve known Matthew would figure it out. He’s
overly perceptive of everything going on around him.
“Four days ago,” I answer as I look up at the florescent light fixtures
in the ceiling. “She walked out and it’s fucking ripped me apart.”
“Have you called her?” He comes to stand beside me, offering his
hand to help me up. I shoo it away and get to my feet. My desk is a mess.
Matthew bends to retrieve my laptop. It’s now destroyed, thanks to the
force of its impact on the floor.
“Every fucking day, but she won’t answer.” I feel my stomach tighten
where Matthew connected his two or three punches.
“Have you gone to her house?” He bends to pick up the papers.
“Every fucking day, but she’s not there. Her car isn’t there, the lights
are off and there’s no sign of anyone in her apartment. Fuck man, last night
I camped out waiting for her to get home so we could talk.”
“Work?”
 “They tell me she’ll call me back, and she never does.”
Matthew leans against the desk after he’s picked all the papers up
from the floor. “My friend, it sounds like she wants nothing more to do with
you.”
“Can you try and call her?” I ask as I right the fallen chair.
“No.”
“Fuck man, come on. Call her, just to see if she’s alright.”
“It’s not my place. If you want to talk to her, you keep trying. If she
needs something, she knows she can come to me.”
“I don’t think she does. I tried to get her to come to you so you could
find her someone else and she said ‘no.’ How does she fucking know she
can come to you?”
“Have you ever listened to what the girls talk about when they’re
together? Have you ever heard me tell the girls they can come to me for
anything if you or Nathan aren’t around?”
“You say it every time we’re all together.”
“Then she knows. I’m not going to push her. If and when she’s ready,
she’ll call me.”
“What if…”
Matthew cuts me off and says, “You need to respect her decision,
Brandon. If she walked out, it’s for a reason. Tell me what happened.”
Matthew takes his phone out of his pocket, sends a text, then sits in
the chair.
“She wants a Master,” I start.
“She does?”
“She wants the lifestyle 24/7, she’s trying to commit to being a slave.
And I don’t want that.” I shrug my shoulders.
“Then there’s nothing more for you to do. She’s made her decision,
and clearly, you’ve made yours.” Matthew’s interrupted by a knock on my
door.
“Yeah,” I yell as I sit back in my office chair.
 Ella walks in carrying a tray with three drinks on it. “Kitten, right on
cue,” Matthew says, as she puts the tray on my desk and hands a beer to me,
a scotch for Matthew and something clear for herself.
“What happened?” Ella asks as she looks around my office, then she
turns to look at Matthew. “Oh my God!” she cries when she sees Matthew’s
split lip. Immediately Ella flies into his lap and cradles Matthew’s face
between her hands. “What’s going on?”
“Brandon and I just had to clear the air, I’m fine.” He rubs his hand up
and down Ella’s back in a comforting way.
Ella turns to me, her eyebrows drawn together and her lips pursed into
a thin line. “Are you okay?” she asks me.
“I’m fine.”
She nods and gives Matthew his tumbler of scotch and picks up her
own glass.
“Saturday night, we’re going to the Velvet Room,” Matthew
announces.
“We are?” Ella asks.
“Yes, all of us.” He pointedly looks at me.
“I’m not going.” Why the fuck would I want to go?
“Yes, all of us,” Matthew repeats himself.
“Isn’t the Velvet Room a BDSM club?” Ella asks.
“Yes. And you’ll be going as my submissive.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Just like when we’re at home.”
A flush touches Ella’s cheeks and she looks away from me, her eyes
going to her glass.
“No need to hide. I enjoy seeing you like this,” Matthew says to her.
This catapults my thoughts back to Penny.
“Yes, Sir,” Ella says and turns to look at Matthew.
“Kitten, go back downstairs now.”
 “Yes, Sir.” She stands from his lap, takes her tray and her glass and
goes down to the club.
Matthew and I own a burlesque club called the Onyx Club. We bought
it years ago when we decided to try our hand at business. We didn’t want a
strip joint because both of us know the reputation which comes with saying
the words ‘strip club’. We’re in the seediest part of town, however our club
is far from dodgy. We drug test the staff regularly and make sure all our
staff uphold the name of the Onyx Club whenever they’re in uniform, in
and out of work. Nothing unsavory is allowed in our club.
Ella leaves and the door shuts with a soft click behind her.
“I’m not going to the Velvet Room,” I say, as Matthew picks up his
tumbler and finishes the scotch.
“You’re a dickhead. You are coming with us. I’ve already sent a
message to Nathan, and he and Bianca will be there. You need to find an
available sub for the night. Just give her what she wants and take what you
need.”
He’s right, this is what I need. Penny walked out on me, and doesn’t
seem likely to change her mind.
Time to get my life back on track.
 THREE
Ella follows Matthew into the club, like the good submissive she is.
Her eyes are lowered, her back beautifully straight, and her shoulders
slightly back. She’s following her leader, and doing so with such finesse.
She’s come a long way since she started working for us. She’s also my right
hand when I need help with anything financial. We’re putting her through
college to become an accountant. And because she’s so thirsty for
knowledge, she’s thriving.
Bianca follows two steps behind Nathan, a beautiful, thick collar
around her neck with a D-ring on the front of it.
Once we’re inside, Matthew slides Ella’s coat off. She’s wearing a
black leather corset with red, barely-there panties. Nathan takes Bianca’s
coat, and she’s wearing a see-through black baby doll with no panties.
I walk over to an available sofa to sit and watch my surroundings as I
look around the club.
Matthew and Nathan follow, as do the two girls. Matthew sits
opposite me, Nathan beside me. The girls kneel before them and Matthew
and Nathan pet them lovingly.
“Gentlemen, my name is Star and I’ll be your waitress tonight. Would
you care to start with a drink?” says a young lady wearing nothing more
than panties, a bra and black high heels. She’s cute, with long, dark hair, big
tits and no hips at all – but way too young for me.
“Two fingers of Ardbeg Scotch straight. And a soda,” Matthew starts,
as he continues to pet Ella’s hair.
“Budweiser and a soda,” Nathan says, then looks down to his slave.
“Water for me,” I say as the waitress looks to me last.
She nods her head, shoots me a small smile, and leaves.
The last time I came to the Velvet Room, the atmosphere was
different. That was years ago, but I can tell the club is now in distress.
There are small things others wouldn’t notice, but being a club owner
myself, I see them.
 The carpet beside me is torn and is lifting. The bar’s footrest is
missing. Some of the waitresses walking around, look bored and less than
impressed with the small turnout. On the main stage, there’s a whipping
bench, a small round table behind the bench, and spotlights pointing down
on it. However one of the overhead lights has blown.
“What the fuck happened to this place?” I ask Matthew.
“I did hear it was bought out maybe ten months back or so. It looks
like it’s diving fast.” He turns away from me and taps Ella on the chin. “I
want to play, little kitten,” he says when she looks up at him.
“Thank you, Sir,” she eagerly replies.
The waitress brings our drinks over to us, places them on the small
table and waits to be paid. “We’ll start a tab,” I say to her, holding out my
credit card.
“Sorry, Sir, we no longer allow tabs,” she says, looking down at my
card.
I take out a fifty from my wallet and hand it to her, she turns to leave
and that’s when I see her.
Penny.
She’s kneeling in front a guy who’s talking animatedly with someone
else while she’s sucking him off.
Immediately my blood boils. I want to go over there and fucking
punch the bastard out for treating her like she’s a fuck toy. But, if that’s how
she wants to be treated…I need to calm down and accept it, the fucker is
doing what she wants.
“Calm down,” Matthew says from beside me. I never sensed him
move. “This is what she wants; you can’t be angry about it.” He takes his
tumbler from where the waitress placed it on the table and takes a drink.
Matthew screws his face up and looks at the glass. “Fuck, they’ve watered
it down and it’s not even Ardbeg.”
My eyes go straight back to Penny and watch her as she bobs her head
and takes him further in her mouth. In that moment, she looks my way and
at first doesn’t notice me. She gazes away, then quickly looks back to me.
 Then the guy she’s with, slides his fingers into her hair and tugs it so
hard her body falls back. But her eyes remain glued to mine.
This is what she wants, Brandon – calm down.
He stands, tucks his cock away then pulls her by her hair toward the
main stage.
“Brother, you alright?” Nathan asks.
“Yeah, I’m alright.” I sit back and watch as he leads her to the main
stage by her hair. He strips her down until she’s completely bare, then helps
her onto the whipping bench. The lights in the club change, a single white
beam on her and only red strips of fluorescent lighting to guide a patron up
the few steps to the stage.
Penny’s fastened to the whipping bench, her wrists and ankles secured
by thick leather straps. The Dominant goes to where her head is hanging,
squats down and speaks to her. She nods once and tries to maneuver to look
up at her Dom.
He stands, pulls his hand back and slaps her across the face, open-
handed. I feel my hands clench into fists. He doesn’t walk around and check
the tightness of the restraints. He simply hits her and walks off to the side of
the stage. My eyes are focused on Penny. I look for any small sign of her
not wanting to be there. Just one sign and I’ll rip her out of those bonds and
take her back home.
“Easy, Brandon. She’s not yours anymore,” Matthew murmurs while
keeping his eyes forward. “Nathan, the girls need to go to the ladies’ room.”
“Slave, go with Ella. And stay there until I come and get you. You
know the rules, you can only speak with Ella and no one else,” Nathan says
as he grabs her by the jaw and moves her head to look at him.
“Yes, Master,” she says as she fluidly stands to her feet. The girls link
hands and go search for the bathroom. Matthew watches the girls, and I
watch as the Dom comes back on stage carrying a paddle, a cane, and a
whip. He places the cane and the whip on the small table, keeping the
paddle.
He walks around stopping by her head. He lowers the paddle to within
eye sight and shows Penny the first thing he’s going to do to her. Her butt is
perfectly white, not a single mark on it. I can see she’s anticipating the
thwack of a paddle, she’s doing what she always does. Grinding her hips,
trying to get some friction between her legs before the scene even starts.
Her Dom walks behind her, lifts his arm over his head and brings the
paddle down with full force.
“Fuck me!” I say as I flinch.
Penny cries out, and he brings the paddle down again. No warm up
spanks with his hand, no softer paddling, nothing like that. He brings the
paddle down three more times. Each time on the same spot on her right ass
cheek. He’s not even alternating, he’s concentrating on the same spot.
“I’ve got to stop this,” I say to Matthew, who’s already looking
around him to try and find a dungeon monitor.
I stand and walk to the bar looking for a monitor. “Can I help you,
sir?” the bartender asks.
“Dungeon monitors, where are they?” The barman looks at me, he
squints his eyes together as he draws his eyebrows in. Fuck me, that look
tells me they don’t even have dungeon monitors.
Turning to leave, I hear Penny scream out again, my back becomes
rigid and I count to ten in my head before I do something I may regret.
I walk over and sit back down, looking at Matthew and Nathan.
Matthew’s already up and standing beside the stage, and Nathan is walking
toward the ladies’ bathrooms.
The Dom brings the paddle down once more before dropping it on the
stage. He quickly picks up the cane and starts to smack her upper thighs.
Penny struggles against the restraints, and I continue to watch. Both
Matthew and I are ready to jump in but, I can’t deny it, her arousal coats the
insides of her legs, and she’s trying desperately to grind her pussy against
the bench to get some relief. I can’t interfere, no matter how wrong I think
this is for her. She obviously wants it, and I need to respect that.
But there’s no way I can stay here and watch him play with her so
violently. He brings the cane down around the tops of her thighs again; she
shrieks. With his free hand, he plunges into her pussy and she cries out
again. This time in her ‘desperate to come’ tone. The one that tells me she’s
enjoying this far more than she’s enjoyed anything I’ve ever done to her.
I stand from where I’m sitting and Matthew sees me. He walks to me,
blocking the stage with his body so I can’t see. But I can hear her moaning,
wanting more, wordlessly begging her Dom to hurt her. I can hear the sharp
sound the cane makes as it comes down on her skin again.
“I’m gonna head out,” I say to Matthew.
“Nathan’s going to get the girls.”
“I’m out of here, I’ll see you at the club on Monday.”
I turn to see Nathan, flick my chin up and walk out of that fucking
club. I get in my car and take off as quickly as I can.
Where do I go?
One of the strip joints down the road from the Onyx Club.
I need pussy.
And I need alcohol.
And I don’t care in what order I get them, either.
 

FOUR
“Hey, I want a private lap dance,” I say to the cute brunette as she
serves me a drink.
“They’re two hundred, cash only,” she responds in a bored way, as she
puts my fifth, or maybe sixth scotch in front of me. Matthew always drinks
Adberg’s Scotch so I may as well join him, seeing as all I want to do is get
wasted tonight.
I took my car to the Onyx Club and left it there, walking half a block
down to ‘Duchess by Night’, one of the better, though still sleazy, strip
clubs in the ‘hood.
I take out my wallet and grab a handful of bills. “Here,” I say,
throwing them on the table. I’m not even sure how much I’ve given her; I
just need to get drunk, get my cock sucked and forget about Penny.
 She picks the wad up, looks at me, and sits beside me on the used
sofa. “Sugar, for this you can fuck her, too.”
My mind’s becoming clouded, the effects of the alcohol finally
beginning to work.
Penny walked out. She’s with someone else now, which means I’m
free to do who I want as well.
“This way, sugar.” The waitress stands, grabs my hand and starts
pulling me toward the dimly lit hallway. She opens a door, pulls me inside
then pushes me to sit on a faded red sofa. “Your girl will be here in a few
minutes. Here are the rules. No exchange of bodily fluid. If she gives you a
blow job you need to wear a rubber. If she fucks you, you need to wear a
rubber. She’ll tell you what you can fuck. Some like being fucked in the ass,
some don’t. There’s a security camera up there, and security will be
watching, in case you do anything you haven’t paid for. No smacking her,
no bruises, no biting, no pissing or shitting on her. No tying her up, and if
she says ‘no’ to anything, you can’t do it.” she stops talking and looks at
me. “You got the rules, sugar?” She stands by the door, waiting for my
response.
“Yeah,” I slur. The last scotch is starting to seep into my bloodstream
and really slowing my reflexes down.
She looks me up and down, and she half grins at me. “I’ll be surprised
if you can even get it up,” she mumbles on her way out of the door.
Sitting back in the worn sofa, I look around the room. My head is
swimming, but if she can fuck someone else, so can I.
A redhead comes into the room wearing nothing more than a tiny
black thong. Her tits are plastic, sitting quite high and not moving at all as
she closes the door and walks toward me. She’s young, maybe early
twenties. Not an ounce of fat on her body, skinny as they can be. I can even
count her ribs.
“How old are you?” I ask as I swing my arm over the back of the sofa.
“I can be any age you want me to be, cutie.” Her hips swing as she
takes a few more steps toward me. She lowers her eyes, and brings her
finger up to run it over her lips. She’s doing nothing for my cock. Her
posture is all wrong. Her shoulders are too high, her back too straight. She
flutters her fucking eyelashes at me, attempting to be sexy.
“How old are you?” I ask again, my tone dropping as I lower my chin
and look at her the way that sends Penny straight into submissive
headspace.
“I told you, I can be sixteen,” she pauses and gives me a fucking
giggle. Who the fuck giggles? “Or I can be thirty.” She lifts an eyebrow at
me and puckers her lips. She looks like a duck’s ass, about to take a crap.
“I want neither of those, just the truth. Unless you’re fucking
incapable of knowing the difference.”
“Look, do you want me to suck your cock or not?” she asks as she
stops trying to seduce me with her immature look.
“You can give me a fucking lap dance, and if you’re lucky I’ll let you
take my cock in your mouth.”
She rolls her eyes, walks over to the outdated sound system, hits a
button and goes to the pole in the room. Wrapping her leg around the pole,
she hoists herself up and begins her ‘seduction’ routine. Her tits are defying
gravity even as she’s upside down. Her hair is flopping around her face and
she’s trying her hardest to get me to look at her pussy as she keeps opening
her legs in front of my face. The thin piece of material does nothing to
cover her smooth slit, and it’s obvious that’s her intention.
I lean down to the small wooden table beside the sofa to pick my
scotch up, but I’ve already thrown it back and have nothing left.
“Get me a drink,” I say to her as she slides down the pole.
She huffs and screws her mouth up at me. “What do you want?”
“Scotch, bring me two.”
She hits pause on the sound system and leaves the small, airless room
to get my drinks.
What the fuck am I doing with her? I rub my hand over my face and
pinch the bridge of my nose. I need alcohol. That’s what I need. To watch
her dance, get me hard, and drink.
She comes back in, carrying the two tumblers. She places them on the
table beside me, and pushes her tits out so I focus on them. Picking up the
glass tumbler I take a drink, and fuck me, it’s watered down. She hits the
play button again, but this time comes and kneels in front of me.
“May I suck your cock?” she asks looking up at me from beneath her
lashes.
I don’t know what happened from her leaving this room, to coming
back in, but right now she looks fucking hot. I nod once and shift in the seat
so she can unzip my pants and take my cock out.
She does, but I’m not hard yet. “You’re huge,” she says in a
rehearsed, deadpan voice. Obviously what she says to everyone.
I chuckle and look at her. I’m above average but definitely not huge.
“I don’t want to hear your bullshit, little girl. Just wrap those well-used lips
around my cock and suck me.” She grabs a condom and looks at my cock
then at me, clearly not wanting to try and put it on my soft dick. “Give me a
lap dance. That should make me hard.”
She stands and starts swaying to the music, her hips swinging side to
side. She’s grabbing and pinching her nipples. And still, she’s doing nothing
for me.
Not a single fucking thing. I throw back my drink, the diluted sting a
welcome distraction from this pathetic girl trying to make me hard. I lean
my head back and close my eyes.
And then I feel her, her ass grinding against my dick. Her warm skin
wriggles against me, and my cock begins to spark to life, given attention by
the warmth pressing against it.
“You like that?” she says. But all I can hear is Penny’s voice. Her skin
so soft, her blonde hair swinging from side to side, as she looks over her
shoulder at me. “Sir, your cock is digging into my ass,” she says as she
smiles, raises an eyebrow at me, giving me that dangerous smirk.
“It is, I’ll have to use it. Maybe I should bend you over and fuck you
from behind as you finger your pussy.”
“I’d like that, Sir.”
“Or maybe I should lay you down, hook your legs over my shoulders
and fuck this hot little ass of yours.”
“I’d like that too, Sir.”
 “Or should I just eat you out?”
“Yes please, Sir.”
Christ, she feels so good on me. I’ve always loved it when she rubs
her cunt on my cock. Her juices coat me, getting my cock ready to thrust
deep inside her. “On your knees, Petal. You’ve been such a good girl lately,
you can have my cock as a reward.”
“What?” Penny’s voice morphs, from the sweet sound to an annoying
pitch I hadn’t picked up on before.
My eyes fly open and I see the stripper standing in front of me with a
look I can only describe as questioning.
In my own fantasy of Penny, I was reacting to her, the stripper was
merely Penny’s proxy in our paid exchange. “You need a hand there,
cutie?” she asks, but I can tell she’s not really keen on it. And truth be told,
I don’t want her anywhere near my cock.
I let go of my now hard cock, and grab the second tumbler from the
small table. I throw the contents back in one go while I keep an eye on the
redhead. She looks at me, and decides to get on with giving me head.
The issue is, my cock is hard for Penny, not this chick. She kneels
between my open legs, slides the condom on and lowers her mouth on my
cock. I feel nothing for her wet mouth around the head of my dick, any
sensations to be had, blunted by the latex. Her tongue twirls, her red head
bobs up and down as she grabs my balls and massages them.
She’s doing it all wrong. I lace my fingers in her hair, and she lets out
a moan. Her body tells me she’s not into it. Her enthusiasm is all plastic,
rehearsed. She’s giving me what she gives every guy she blows.
“That’s enough,” I say as I pull her off my cock.
“You don’t like me?” she asks as she sits back on her heels.
I remove the condom and tuck my cock away, leaning back on the
sofa. “How many guys do you blow a night?”
“I’ve never done anything like this before. They offered me fifty
bucks to give you a blow job.” Again she’s rehearsed this and has probably
recited it many times before. She’s probably been told guys wanna hear it.
 “Since the moment you brought yourself in here, everything you’ve
said or done is as real as your tits; Plastic and fake. I can read everything
about you. Now, how many guys do you blow a night?” I ask again.
Her shoulders slump slightly forward and her jaw relaxes. Finally, I’m
going to get the truth out of her. “A few. Anywhere between three and six.”
“You enjoy it?”
She shrugs and lifts one side of her mouth. “It pays the bills, the rent,
and keeps my son fed.” She says as she looks at the floor.
“Why don’t you find another job then?”
“Because there are some nights I can earn enough to pay the rent for
two weeks. And then there’s other nights, I make just enough to pay for
groceries.”
“Your partner?”
She throws her head back and laughs bitterly. “Fucking wiped me out
of every cent I had saved, took off with some eighteen-year-old girl, and left
me and our son with nothing more than my son’s bed. He even took my
clothes for his new girlfriend.”
Why the fuck do I have this overwhelming need to fix her?
Because I’m a God-damned Dominant, and I can’t get past a lady in
fucking distress.
Just like Diamond. I stumbled upon Diamond, quite literally, sleeping
in the parking area for Onyx Club guests and employees. She was curled up
beside my car, sleeping under a veil of newspaper with nothing more than a
thin layer of barely there clothing. I took her into the club, called Matthew
in and we talked to her.
She’d gotten away from a brothel, which kept her locked in a room
and working up to twenty hours a day, fucking one guy after another. They
also had her addicted to drugs. It was a whore-mill.
Matthew and I put her through rehab, got her dance lessons and hired
her as a burlesque dancer at our club. She was with us for four years, and
loyal as they come. It was us who had to fire her. Not because we didn’t
want her, but because she was offered a job to dance in music videos. She
wouldn’t take it, her loyalty to us unwavering.
 But we cut her loose, for her own good. It was the natural progression
for her. We bought her a one-way ticket, took her to the airport and sent her
on her way. She’s emailed a few times, called us and invited us to the party
for her first music video.
Matthew used his connections, and got that brothel shut down. And
now, I’m about to bring another stray into the club.
“Do you do drugs?” I ask the redhead.
“No.” She frowns at me.
“There’s no track marks on your arms, but it doesn’t mean you don’t
stick shit up your nose or smoke it through a glass pipe.”
“I don’t do drugs,” she says. And this I believe entirely. She sits on
her ass and wraps her arms around her tits. She must be feeling exposed or
perhaps ashamed.
I sit and watch her, not saying a word for a long moment.
Suddenly our cold silence is interrupted by a banging on the door. She
jumps and looks at it then back to me. “Look, I have to get you off or I
won’t get that fifty, and I really need it tonight. My son has a field trip and
it’s going to cost me two hundred.” She gets up on her knees to move into
position to suck me.
“Quit,” I say.
“Yeah, right. Ride off on your white horse and live happily ever after?
Sure, cutie, after I get you off.” I can tell she doesn’t believe me.
“I’ll pay you the two hundred for your son’s field trip. You quit right
now, and tomorrow night you’ll come work for me.”
“Sure,” she says again, rolling her eyes.
“Do you know who I am?” I’m suddenly sober, the alcohol no longer
impeding my senses but still running through my veins.
“Look, you’re a nice guy who asks too many questions. Can I just get
you off, please?” she begs as she huffs.
“Brandon Edwards,” I say as I stand.
“Oh fuck! I know who you are,” she responds with a quick intake of
air as she stands.
 “Good, you know me. I’m going to walk out of here, and I’m going to
wait for you by the front door. You have three minutes to throw some
clothes on, get your things and meet me.” Not really giving her an option to
stay or leave.
“I need to tell them I’m leaving.” She scrambles in the small room.
“I’ll take care of it.” I button my shirt sleeves, straighten myself and
become the Dom I am. Walking out to the front I’m met by some ugly, bald
guy sitting by the door. “Are you the owner?” I ask him.
“Yeah. How was Daisy? Was she what you wanted?”
“No. She wasn’t. But she no longer works here. She just quit.”
“What? She’s one of my best earners, she ain’t quittin’,” he says as he
stands from his stool to go looking for her.
“She just did.”
“What the fuck did you do, Daisy?” he screams at her as she comes
out in jeans, a t-shirt, sneakers, and carrying her purse and a jacket slung
over her arm.
“I di…”
“You speak to me, not her. I told you, she’s no longer working here.” I
step in front of the redhead, shielding her from the dick who’s apparently
her boss.
“Daisy!” he yells at her as I move her past him, out the front door.
“You fucking leave and you’re never to step a damn foot back in here. I
swear to God, I will fuck you up if you go,” he continues to yell.
“I told you, you no longer speak to her.”
He comes to stand toe to toe with me. He’s half a head shorter than
me, and has a good forty pounds on me.
But I’ve had my fair share of punches, especially when my dad would
come home so drunk he’d beat whoever was in his way. First it was Mom,
next my older brother Simon, and then it became me. When he tried to
move to Justin, I stood up to him. I’d cop the beatings so he’d leave Justin
alone. Justin was no older than ten when Dad started in on him. Simon and I
were older and we could handle it. Simon would take a beating to protect
Mom, and I’d take one to protect Justin.
 Until one day, the beatings stopped. Not because Dad chose to
change, but because Simon and I banded together and finally took care of
our father.
“You have a problem with me taking her, then you speak to me, not
her.” I stand to my full height and plant my feet hips-width apart. An icy-
cold shiver of authority rips through me. I want him to throw a punch,
because I suddenly have an urge to pound into the useless ogre, and take all
my frustrations out on him.
I step forward, showing him no weakness. With my step forward, he
retreats.
He throws his hands up in defeat and says, “You can have her. I was
going to get rid of the bitch anyway.”
I smile and walk away. He’s not worth my energy.
The redhead is waiting by her car, a beat up old piece of shit. “Open
the doors, you’re taking me back to the club,” I say as I walk around to the
passenger side.
She opens the doors and gets in. She tries starting the heap of shit
twice before it actually takes. We drive the half a block to the Onyx Club
and she parks in the lot.
As I get out, I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Matthew’s
number. He picks up on the third ring and he sounds half asleep. “Did I
wake you?” I ask as I turn to gesture to the redhead as we walk into the
club.
“Ella’s giving me head. What the fuck do you want?”
“I’ve picked up another Diamond.”
“Fuck, little kitten, your mouth feels so good. Take me deep, all the
way down.” He pauses, “Another Diamond. Gotchya, do you need me
now?”
I shake my head. “I’ll see you tomorrow, enjoy your girl.”
He hangs up without even saying anything. Dick.
Leading the redhead past Mike, our doorman, I guide her toward the
door that leads upstairs to our offices. “What’s your name?” I finally ask
her.
 “It’s Daisy,” she says, as she watches the tail-end of the show the girls
are performing on stage.
“Welcome to the Onyx Club.”
 FIVE
Daisy and I went upstairs to my office, where I had her fill out all the
relevant paperwork. We also talked about her eight-year-old son, Jackson.
Jackson, from what Daisy says, should be in a class for gifted
children. His IQ is extremely high, but he has trouble adjusting to school
and the other kids. I also found out he’s being left behind because Daisy
simply doesn’t have the cash to send him to a school which has an
accelerated learning program.
It was the early hours, around four when we left the club to go home.
Knowing I’d been drinking, I had no intentions on driving home.
“Can you drive me home or do you need to get back to Jackson right
away?” I ask as I set the alarm and lock the club’s doors.
“The sitter is usually there until six. I can take you home.”
We both go to her car, and she tries to start it, but it won’t take. She
tries three times, and it’s making a ticking sound as she turns the key. Right
away I know it’s the alternator and it’ll need replacing. However, I suspect
she doesn’t have the cash for it, and even if she did, the car isn’t worth
fixing. 
I get out of the car and take my phone out of my pocket. Daisy
follows and I hear her slamming the door of her car, “Piece of shit, I
fucking hate you!” she yells at her car as she kicks the door.
“It’s not the car’s fault. It’s old,” I say as I dial Matthew’s number.
“It’s my fucking ex’s fault,” she says bitterly.
“For fuck sake, can you not go an hour without calling me? You so
desperate to hear my voice?” Matthew says in a groggy, sleepy voice.
“Fuck off. Come pick me and Daisy up.”
“Who the fuck is Daisy?”
“The new girl.”
“You serious? What am I, your pimp? Catch a cab and leave me the
fuck alone.”
 I kick at the dirt and turn to make sure Daisy’s out of hearing shot.
“Just get your ass down here, and I’m not interested in fucking her.” My
tone is low so she can’t hear me, but enough to let Matthew know I need
him down here.
He groans into the phone. I can imagine the shit he’s going to give me
once he drops Daisy off at home. “Kitten,” he says softly to Ella. “Kitten,”
he says again. I hear a soft moan in the background. “I’m going to get
Brandon, I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay, love you,” I barely hear her say.
“I love you too.” The line goes quiet for a few seconds until Matthew
says, “You owe me.”
“Whatever.” I know he doesn’t mean it, but he hates being away from
Ella so I’ll take a ribbing for it.
He hangs up, and I walk over to Daisy, who’s got her head in her
hands, sitting on the side of the road, crying. Sitting beside her, I let her cry.
Something I learned early as a Dominant is sometimes women just
need to cry. The tears I usually see are after a scene, a moment when
everything is stripped back to its rawest and most natural form. It’s when
the woman feels most vulnerable, though paradoxically, it’s also the
strongest she’s ever been. It’s when she’s at her most exposed, when she can
just let go of everything – her worries, any problems her mind or body has
grasped onto, to keep her hostage.
Daisy’s shoulders are shaking. I can tell by how her breathing is deep
and intense, she’s crumbling. And right now, she doesn’t needs a firm hand,
but a soft shoulder.
It’s not about a sexual connection, because I simply don’t have that
with her. What I do know is she’s hurting and she needs someone to lean
on, even if it’s only while the tears roll down her cheeks.
I close the space between us, and Daisy automatically turns to lean
into me. I wrap my left arm around the top of her shoulders and circle my
right arm around her, pulling her into me.
“This is fucked,” she says through ragged breaths.
 “I know.” No use in lying. Her life is fucked up. She’s struggling, and
right now she doesn’t need the falseness of ‘it’ll be fine’. “It’s going to be a
difficult road, but Matthew and I will help.”
A few moments pass with her in my arms, and her crying becomes
more of a controlled sob. “Why do you want to help me?” she asks, as she
moves her butt away from me and leans back, breaking my hold around her
shoulders.
Just by this simple act, her breaking away from me and not staying
buried under my protection, she’s showing her strength.
“It’s who we are.”
Daisy knits her eyebrows together, and averts her eyes to her shoes
then back to me. “You’re a Dom, aren’t you?” she asks.
“Yes.”
“I thought so. I’m not into that,” she says quite seriously.
I let out a laugh and stand from the dirty curb. I offer her my hand and
she willingly takes it. “And that’s your decision to make.”
“I saw them come into the club sometimes, or I should say, I saw the
fake ones come in. They’d be all, ’Call me Sir,’ and, ’You will do as I say,’
but I knew they were dicks, not Doms. I’ve never met a real one before,
well, not that I know of.” She dusts her butt off then crosses her arms over
her chest in a protective manner.
“A genuine Dom doesn’t need to tell you to call him Sir. And a real
submissive understands that. What I saw back at the club, I saw hints of
submission in you.”
“We’re told to be cute, ‘cause that’s what guys want.” She eyes me
from beneath her eye lashes then quickly averts her gaze to her feet. Her
posture changes too. Her shoulders slightly back, her back in a beautiful,
straight line.
Yes, she’s a submissive. She just doesn’t realize it.
Matthew’s BMW pulls up along the curb and I open the back door for
Daisy. She slides in and I get in the front. “Matthew, Daisy. Daisy, this is
Matthew.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Daisy,” Matthew says.
 “You too,” she replies, and puts her seat belt on.
“Where do you live?” Matthew asks her.
“Six blocks back the way you came.”
Matthew looks at me sideways; I know that look. Already he doesn’t
like the area she lives in.
“Daisy’s car broke down, and I’ve been drinking,” I tell Matthew, as
he makes a u-turn and goes back in the direction he came.
“Brandon told me you’re going to be working for us,” Matthew says
as he looks in the rear-view mirror at Daisy.
“Yep, and I can’t fucking thank you two enough. I have to say, Matt,
Brandon’s already been very good to me.”
I should’ve warned her. “First off, my name is Matthew and no other
variation of it. And second, the next time you swear, I’ll pink-slip you.
You’re an Onyx Club employee now, therefore, you’ll be representing us
everywhere you go. Your mouth is not to use language that can and will
embarrass us.”
“Yes, Sir,” she mumbles from the back seat.
Matthew turns to look at me for a quick second. “She doesn’t listen
really well, does she?” I smile and shake my head. “Matthew, not anything
else,” he says again.
“Sorry,” she pauses and then adds, “Matthew.”
“Great, now we have those two very easy rules established. Direct me
to where you live.”
Daisy sits in the back and only speaks to tell Matthew where to turn.
When we reach her house, Matthew looks at me again. His knuckles tighten
around the steering wheel and his jaw jumps.
“Thank you, I’ll see you both at work tomorrow. I’m not sure when
I’ll be able to get my car from the parking lot, but I’ll try to do it within the
next couple of days.”
“Goodnight, Daisy,” Matthew says.
“Hang on,” I say to Matthew as I get out of the car and walk her to her
door. “Here,” I say to Daisy. Taking out my wallet I take two-hundred out
and hand it to her. “For Jackson’s field trip.”
She looks at the money, and looks at me. It’s obvious she’s
embarrassed and doesn’t want to accept it, but clearly she needs to take it if
she wants to send her son on his trip. She lifts her hand slowly, but lets it
fall beside her body.
“I can’t,” she says.
I pick her hand up and put it in her palm. “I’ll deduct it from your
pay.” I won’t, but just hearing me say I will has automatically calmed her
enough to take it.
“Thank you,” she says, her face turning a soft red from humiliation.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I turn and leave.
When I get in the car, Matthew looks at me then pulls out of the
driveway. “This neighborhood is shit. When was the last time her lawn was
mowed, or anyone checked the locks on her doors and windows? And
where the fuck did you find her?”
I tell Matthew what happened, from the time I left Velvet Room until
we got in his car.
“You’re telling me she’s got a kid and lives there?”
“Yeah.”
“And her ex just wiped her out?”
“Yeah.”
“But her tits are fake. How the hell did she afford them?”
“You noticed, eh? I did ask her while she was filling out the
paperwork, and she said her ex made her get them. He said she’d be able to
dance at better clubs and earn more money.”
“How old is she?”
“She’s twenty-seven.”
“And her kid?”
“He’s eight.”
Matthew keeps driving toward my house. I live around fifteen
minutes from Matthew and Ella’s penthouse. My house is an old Victorian,
which I remodeled to convert my den into a playroom. “Now I know why
you picked her up.”
“Yeah,” I answer. “It’s a pretty fucked-up situation.”
“And you’re not going to screw her?” He sounds surprised.
“Trust me, I tried. But I can’t get Penny out of my fucking head.”
“You know you’re truly pussy-whipped, right?” Matthew chuckles.
“It’s alright, brother. I know the feeling,” he adds. As we drive the rest of
the way in silence, I can’t help thinking about Penny and the guy she was
with at the club. Matthew pulls up in front of my place. I get out and turn to
him. “Don’t man, don’t fucking torture yourself like this. Let it go. She has,
now you need to.”
I nod my head, knowing he’s right. I’ve got to move on and forget her.
By the time I walk into my house, it’s nearly five-thirty in the
morning. I pull my phone out, scroll through the list of numbers and call
Mario, my mechanic.
“It’s not even six and you’re calling me with a car emergency? ‘Cause
I know my rent is paid in advance.” He’s not only my mechanic, but he also
rents one of the apartments I own.
“I need you down at the club within the next half hour.”
“I can’t imagine any of your cars needing anything fixed so urgently,”
he says with a growly, ‘just woke up’ voice.
“There’s a car in the parking lot; it’s an old piece of shit. It needs the
alternator changed, and God knows what else.”
“When do you need it fixed by?”
“Yesterday.”
“That gives me a lot of time.” He laughs, half asleep.
I walk down the hall of my home to the kitchen to grab a bottle of
water from the fridge. “You have until three to get it fixed and delivered to
her house.”
He groans, “What’s her address?”
I smile and give him Daisy’s address, knowing her car may be a piece
of shit, but at least it’ll be safe for her to drive once Mario’s through with it.
 
 SIX
“Hey,” I say to Matthew, as I walk into his office and sit in his chair. “I’m
going to need Ella a couple of extra days this week.”
“Why? It’s not end of month. Between class and downstairs, she’s barely
got enough time as it is.” Matthew looks up from his laptop and leans back in
his seat.
We sent Ella to accounting courses, we found she had an absolute love for
numbers. I’ve trained her in bookkeeping and payroll to help me when I need it.
Since we expanded the club, our clientele has increased, requiring more staff.
We’ve been booking solid two months ahead for close to a year now.
“I need her for a few days, I’ve got another building I’m looking at
buying. But it’s out of state and it’s the only time I can get there. So I need her
to cover in the office.”
Matthew raises an eyebrow at me. “I’ll shuffle the staff around and you
can have her. Also, I got a report on how Daisy’s doing in the burlesque lessons
we’re sending her to.”
“How’s it going?”
“Rachel said she’s picking it up quickly. She should be ready to work with
Tony, to get her ready for the stage in a couple more weeks.” Tony is the
choreographer who creates all the dance routines for our girls.
“If anyone can get her ready, it’s Rachel.” Rachel being the dance teacher
for all our girls, she knows what we want and molds the dancers to our
specifications.
It’s been a week since we hired Daisy. During the day, when her son is at
school, she’s doing three-hour dance lessons with Rachel. She also works as a
waitress here from the time we open until we close. She’s still home earlier than
she was working in the strip club, and she doesn’t have to suck cock for a shitty
fifty bucks.
“Do you have intentions of sitting here all night?” Matthew asks as he
goes back to his laptop. Dickhead. Just as I stand and go to the door to leave,
there’s a knock. “Come in,” Matthew yells, agitated someone’s interrupted him.
Again.
 Daisy flings the door open, and she looks like she’s about to be sick. “I
have to go,” she half yells at us. “I have to go,” she says again looking between
Matthew and myself.
“What the hell is going on, Daisy?” I ask as I grab her by the upper arm
and pull her into the office.
“I just had to let you know. I’ve got to go.”
I tighten my fingers around her arm and don’t let go. “You’re not going
anywhere the way you are.”
“Jackson was running, fell, and landed on his arm. Jasmine heard a crack,
she thinks it’s broken. She’s called an ambulance and he’s been taken to the
hospital,” she says as tears streak her cheeks.
“I’ll take you,” I say as I grab my keys out of my pocket.
“It’s okay, I can go by myself,” she says as she looks even more flustered.
“For Christ’s sake, woman,” I snap at her, bringing her back to the present
and not the headspace she’s lost in. “Get your bag, I’ll take you.” I don’t give
her an option.
“Thank you,” she responds, then runs down the stairs taking them two at a
time.
“Hey,” Matthew calls me from beside his huge desk.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll get her shifts covered for the next couple of days. She can stay with
her son.”
I nod once and leave to find Daisy and take her to the hospital.

By the time we get to the hospital, Daisy’s hysterical and can hardly speak
through the tears.
“Daisy Clarke here to see her son, Jackson Clarke,” I say to the triage
nurse as I step forward and talk for a blubbering Daisy.
“Is he okay? Can I see him? What’s happening?” she fires at the nurse,
who looks bored and slightly agitated.
“Daisy, I’ll handle it. Just go sit down for a moment,” I say as I run my
hands down her arms, comforting her. Daisy lets out a huff, her eyes red and
puffy from crying and nods once. “Go catch your breath, I’ll handle it.”
Daisy walks a few steps away from me, and I talk to the nurse.
Within moments I discover Jackson’s awaiting surgery. The nurse
explains to me what’s happening with Jackson and his arm.
I walk over and sit beside Daisy, who’s a wreck. “Hey,” I say trying to
calm her. “It’s not as bad as you think, come on, they’re going to show us where
he is.” I stand and offer her my hand.
Daisy takes it and looks up at me. “It’s not?” she asks, and we begin to
walk toward the entry where the triage nurse is waiting for us.
“No, it’s a broken ulna. One of the two bones in the forearm. The break is
near the wrist. They need to insert a metal pin to help it heal. Straightforward
and apparently common in active kids.”
The nurse walks ahead of us and shows us to Jackson’s bed.
There’s a woman sitting beside him, I assume she’s Jasmine, and
Jackson’s on the bed with an I.V cannula in his arm looking all drugged out.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I should’ve been paying better attention. I’m
so, so sorry,” the brunette says to Daisy.
Daisy throws her arms around Jasmine, giving her a hug, and I take
another step back to avoid interfering with the women. If there’s one thing I’ve
learned, it’s once women bond together, they’re a force to be reckoned with.
I’ve seen it many times with Penny, Ella, and Bianca.
Daisy lets go of her friend and sits on the bed beside Jackson. Her friend
eyes me up and down, and walks over to me.
“You’re the boss?” she asks, so full of confidence.
“I am,” I answer as I put my hands in the pockets of my suit pants.
“You’re the guy at the strip joint.”
“Again, I am.”
“She’s good people, you know. She’d do anything for her boy. Anything.”
I look at her and nod. “I know. Which is why she’s working for me now.”
“Do you wanna fuck her?” She’s brazen, I’ll give her that. But I can see
she’s just trying to protect her friend and the boy.
“No.”
 “Good, ‘cause she’s not interested in you that way, either.” I chuckle and
take a step back, so as not to interrupt Daisy talking to her half drugged-out son.
“Don’t laugh. I won’t let you walk in here with your expensive suit, light brown
hair and big brown eyes to fuck her and leave her. She doesn’t need any more
of that shit in her life. You hear me?”
I chuckle at her again, take my right arm out of my pocket and gesture for
us to take this into the corridor, where Daisy and her son can’t hear us. Jasmine
crosses her arms, and walks in front of me, back straight, chin up. I turn to her
in the corridor and say, “Pleased to meet you. Brandon Edwards.” I hold my
hand out to her to shake it.
Hesitantly, she looks at my hand, then to my eyes before she puts her
small hand in mine. “Jasmine Foster,” she says.
“I can assure you, Miss Foster, I have no interest in Daisy. She’s a lovely
young lady, but there is someone else I’m interested in. She’s merely an
employee at my club.”
“She told me what you did for her. Hiring her, giving her the money for
Jackson’s trip, and fixing her car.”
“Yes.”
“She’s been screwed around by so many people in her life. She just needs
some stability.”
“I agree.”
“Has she told you about her past?”
“Not everything, and nor do I care to hear it. All I need is for her to work
hard for me, show me loyalty and I’ll ensure she and her son are cared for.”
“Just don’t fuck with her. She wouldn’t survive another prick fucking her
over.” I laugh at her statement, basically calling me a prick. “Oh shit, I didn’t
mean you. Oh crap.” She looks away, worried about what she said.
“Can I buy you a coffee?” I offer, as I keep laughing at how over-
protective she is of her friend.
“You can’t fuck me either,” she blurts and her mouth quickly drops open,
clearly horrified at her own outburst. “I’m sorry, you just finished saying you’re
not interested in her and you have someone. I was rude.”
“You were, incredibly rude, though you took responsibility and admitted
you were wrong. It’s a good trait to have, very admirable, as is protecting your
friend from dickheads who just want to fuck her for a night or two.”
“You get it,” she says and takes a deep breath.
“I do.” I lead her toward the cafeteria so we can get a coffee. “First, I just
need to stop off at the nurse’s station.”
“What for?”
I smile at her, and talk with a nurse about Jackson’s medical bill. I make
arrangements for them not to talk to Daisy about it at all. I’ll take care of it.
When I finish, we start toward the cafeteria again. “Why would you do
that? You don’t know her. You don’t know Jackson. No one would do
something like that if they don’t have an ulterior motive. No one. Not even
family members would do what you just did.” I just smile at her.
As we enter the cafeteria, there are a few people milling around. “Do you
want anything to eat?” I ask Jasmine.
“No. What I would like is an explanation. You trying to be all suave so
she falls for you? What is it?” I pay for the coffees, take them to a nearby table,
pull out her chair and wait for her to sit. “You’re way too much, no way do you
really exist. You’re an alien species, right?”
I sit opposite her and have a sip of the God-awful black coffee. “Not all
men are created equal.”
“You can say that again.”
“I’m helping her because that is what Matthew and I do.”
“Matthew’s the one who blew up at her for calling him Matt, right?”
“He didn’t blow up at her. He simply stated what he expects of her.”
“You know, the night you gave her a job, she came home and told me
everything that happened. She told me about you, and Matthew. What he said to
her.”
“Good.”
Jasmine sips her coffee and sits forward in her chair. “She told me
everything,” she whispers as she looks over her shoulder.
“If you’re trying to save me from embarrassment by whispering, then
you’re wasting your time. She told you about the almost blow job, and I’m sure
she told you I believe she’s submissive. But again, she doesn’t interest me.”
“You know…” She’s interrupted by my phone ringing.
 I hold a finger up to her, get it out of my jacket pocket and see it’s Nathan
calling. “Nathan,” I say as I answer the call.
I can hear a lot of commotion in the background, people talking, and the
tell-tale signs Nathan’s at work because of the sirens closing in. “Where are
you?” he asks with a lot of urgency in his words. Just the sheer tone of his voice
tells me something’s not right.
“I’ve brought Daisy to the hospital where her son’s being treated for a
broken arm.”
“Good, don’t leave.”
“What the hell’s going on, Nathan?”
“Penny’s been in an accident. Her car rolled, and she’s in bad shape.
Paramedics are here and just trying to cut her out of her seat belt.”
“What the fuck?” I stand to my feet and start running toward where my
car’s parked.
“Stay where you are, she’s going to be coming to the hospital once she’s
out. But Brandon,” he pauses. I can tell there’s something he’s not telling me.
“What is it?” I stop in the corridor, straighten my back. I become every bit
the Dominant I am.
“I have to tell you, she’s banged up pretty bad.”
“If her car rolled, of course she’d be bruised.”
“There are also older bruises on her face, some yellowing. Bruises that
aren’t consistent with the accident she’s been in.”
Every hair on the back of my neck stands. An icy cold feeling of rage
slowly snakes its way through my veins.
Being a Dom means I need to be completely in control, refined and
disciplined in my own actions.
But if I find out anyone has put their filthy hands on her, with the intent of
causing unwanted hurt, I will destroy him. 
 SEVEN
I’ve been sitting in this damned hospital chair waiting to hear
something, anything, about Penny. I’m sending Nathan messages, and I can
see he’s read them, but clearly he can’t respond or he would have. I called
Matthew and told him, and just like the man he is, he insisted on coming
down here.
I stand from the chair, and go over to the triage nurse. Again asking if
Penny’s been admitted yet. The answer is always the same, “I’ll let you
know the moment I can.” What the fuck does that even mean? ‘The
moment she can?’ – does she mean Penny’s back there but she can’t say
anything? What the fuck?!
The door opens, Matthew and Ella walk in hand in hand.
“Brandon,” Ella says as she throws her arms around me in a hug.
“You holding up alright?” Matthew asks.
Ella lets go of me and goes to stand beside Matthew. “I don’t have any
fucking idea what’s going on. I’m so fucking…” I don’t even know what to
say. “Nathan’s not responding to my messages, so other than his initial call,
there’s nothing else I can tell you.”
“You told me Nathan said some of her injuries don’t match up to the
car accident. How would he know? Especially considering he said her car
rolled,” Matthew asks.
“What he said was, ’they’re not consistent with the accident.’ He said
she has bruises on her face. If that cunt at Velvet Room beat her, I’ll fucking
ruin him,” I say as I run a hand over my face and through my hair.
“Ella, kitten, can you go get us all coffees?” Matthew hands her
twenty dollars, and Ella takes it, kisses him, and leaves.
“What the hell is wrong with you? We don’t talk about anything like
that in front of the girls.” Matthew says.
He’s right, of course, we don’t. Matthew killed a man for Ella, but no
one knows other than Nathan and me. The girls don’t know because we’ve
never mentioned it in front of them. “Sorry, my head’s not on right. I’m just
worried.”
“I know, and if we find out who hurt her, we’ll deal it with it.” I sit
and Matthew sits beside me, clapping a hand on my back.
Matthew and I sit in silence. There’s not much to be said. I know he’s
got my back. A few moments pass and Ella returns carrying two coffees and
a bottle of water tucked under her arm.
“Have you heard anything yet?” she asks. I just shake my head and
take the offered coffee from her.
Ella sits beside Matthew and opens her water. “Has Penny called you
lately?” I ask.
“Matt told me you two broke it off, and since then I haven’t heard
from her. I tried calling her to see if she’s okay, but she never answered any
of my calls or texts. First time I saw her was at Velvet Room.”
“Thanks, Ella.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiles.
Half an hour passes and I’m going out of my fucking mind.
Matthew’s been on the phone trying to find out what he can about the
accident, and Ella’s sitting beside me in silence. I know what she’s doing
though. She’s watching me and making sure I’m okay. It’s in her nature to
care. Matthew told me when they were first together, she was just as
protective of him as he was of her. She was willing to sacrifice herself and
go back to the treacherous lowlifes who controlled her, just to protect
Matthew.
And now, she’s sitting beside me, keeping an eye on me, willing to
protect me, too. I bring my elbows to my knees and drop my head in my
hands. Today has been one huge clusterfuck. First Daisy’s son and now
Penny.
“Nathan,” Ella says, just as I feel a tap on my shoulder.
I stand immediately and look at Nathan. “What the fuck’s
happening?” I ask. I’m frustrated and it’s obvious in the agitated way I
delivered the question.
 “We got a call about a car that had rolled. There was a woman trapped
and people were trying to get her out. When the name of the owner came
over the radio, I got there as fast as I could. Paramedics were already on
their way too. I got to the car, and...” Nathan shakes his head.
“What?” Matthew asks as he comes back from wherever he was.
“She was unconscious when I got there. She was hanging upside
down. We cleared the ‘helpers’ and waited ‘til the paramedics got there. We
couldn’t do anything because we didn’t know what injuries she had
suffered.”
“But you said some of her bruising isn’t consistent with the accident,”
I say.
“She has bruising around one of her eyes, around her throat, and there
were a few cuts on her arms which had started healing over. She looks bad,
but not all of the injuries look like they came from the accident.”
I simply nod, and Ella rubs her hand on my back. “Did she come to at
all?” I ask.
“She did, only briefly. She looked at me in a haze, but when she
recognized me, she asked for you. She fell back under again the moment
she said your name. She’s still out of it, has been ever since.”
“Okay,” I say, my voice clearly stressed. Nathan’s told me everything
he knows, so now all I can do is wait.
It doesn’t take long before I’m called by the nurse.
“The doctor would like to see you,” she says as she leads me to where
the doctor’s waiting for me, just outside a room where Penny’s laying in a
bed. The sight of her broken body knocks all the wind out of me. Her
blonde hair is all matted and bloody, her face has bandages on it. Her right
eye is completely swollen shut, her mouth has ballooned to look
unrecognizable.
“Mr. Edwards, you’re listed as Penny’s next of kin on her medical
records.”
“Yes,” I respond, my eyes unable to look away from the mess that is
the woman I love.
 “She needs surgery. Her pelvis has been shattered and I’m sorry to tell
you, but she lost the baby.”
My eyes snap to him. The baby? What fucking baby? “What?” I ask
as I feel a cold chill settle over me.
“She was ten weeks pregnant.”
Fucking what? Ten weeks pregnant. We were pregnant? “She was
pregnant?” I say in more of a whisper then in certainty.
“I’m sorry, I thought you knew.” I shake my head at him. “I need your
approval to operate on her. She was lucky she was wearing her seat belt or
it could’ve been much worse than it is. But I’m concerned about
something.”
“What is it?”
“Here, look at these.” He clips an X-ray on a light-board and points
out some cracks. “See here?” He shows me a crack.
“Yeah.”
“This is a broken rib. Looks like it happened in the accident.”
“Okay.”
“And this here,” he points to another, but it looks different. “This here
is a hairline fracture, you can see the tissue around it, which means it had
already started healing. Had she hurt herself recently?”
“I...what?”
“Has she hurt herself recently?”
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. But if she has a small fracture, it
would probably be at the hands of an inexperienced Dom.
“Either way, we need to reconstruct her pelvis.”
“Go ahead and do it.”
“I’ll go ahead and get her into surgery. The nurse will be out to speak
to you about everything you’ll need to take care of her when she gets
home.”
“Before you go, how long will the surgery take?”
“It’ll be a few hours if there are no complications.”
 I can’t help it, I need to know she’s in good hands. “Are you the best
surgeon in this hospital?”
His eyebrows fly up and he looks at me as if I’m a prick. And I don’t
give a fuck. “I can assure you, I’m very good.”
“Very good and the best is not the same.”
“I’ll look after her,” he says snidely.
“You’re not to touch her until I find out how good you are.” Without
stopping I turn and run out to where Nathan is. “The doctor who looked
after Ella, his name is Richard, right?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
“Get him on the phone and find out everything you can about the
doctor who’s going to operate on Penny.”
“On it,” he says as he walks away, digging his phone out of his
pocket.
“I’ll make a call too. I’m owed a favor,” Matthew says as he pulls his
phone out.
Ella stays beside me and smiles warmly at me. “Did you see her,
Brandon?”
“Yeah I did. She doesn’t look good.”
“It’ll be okay. She has you protecting her, she’ll be alright.”
“Did you know, Ella?” I ask her, referring to the baby.
“Know what?” She looks at me with her big eyes. I can tell she
genuinely didn’t know.
“It’s okay.”
“Richard made a call, the doctor looking after her is good. Quite well-
respected, but there’s a female doctor who’s considered one of the best,”
Nathan says as he comes back in a few moments later.
Just as he finishes his sentence, Matthew appears too. “I got in contact
with the Hospital Administrator. He wasn’t too impressed I got his number,
but I don’t give a fuck. He’s sending his best surgeon to operate. The
doctor’s name is Simone Chambers and she’s one of the best in the state.
She’s already on shift.”
 I turn and run back to Penny’s room. The doctor who spoke to me is
in her room not looking particularly impressed.
“Doctor Chambers just called me. She’s scrubbing in and I’ll be
assisting her,” he says stiffly, as the orderlies and nurses begin to wheel
Penny away.
“Thank you,” I say to him, “it’s not personal. But I won’t let someone
other than the absolute best touch her.”
Penny’s wheeled away and I’m left in a starkly cold room.
While Penny’s gone, I go out to wait with the others. I don’t really
want them around, but I know there’s no chance in hell they’ll leave me
alone, either.
When Ella sees me, she immediately comes to me and hugs me again.
“You holding up okay?”
“Thank you, I am.” I walk over to Matthew and Nathan. “She was
pregnant,” I say to the three of them. “She lost the baby.”
Ella clasps a hand to her mouth and starts crying. Matthew’s shoulders
slump as he mutters a curse, and Nathan just stares at me.
“Oh no,” Ella says as the tears run down her face and she wraps her
arms around Matthew. Matthew pulls her closer and kisses her forehead.
I watch the interaction between them. It’s spontaneous, extremely
sincere. It’s intensely protective and absolutely perfect.
And I make my mind up right now. Penny’s never leaving my side
again.
 EIGHT
It took just short of four hours before the nurse came out to tell me the
operation was over and Doctor Chambers would come to talk to me as soon as
she’d settled Penny in recovery.
I received a text from Matthew telling me Jackson’s operation went well.
I knew she was going to be alright, but the sickening feeling of her having been
at the hands of an abuser for two weeks kept my blood boiling. I paced, I sat, I
drank God-awful coffee and I plotted.
To find the so-called-man who touched her is my second priority. The
need to destroy him, reduce him to rubble and make him suffer, is in the front
of my mind.
Matthew, Nathan and I have the same values. Women – more specifically
our women – are to be nurtured, encouraged, and worshipped. When inside the
bedroom, they’re to be dominated and fucked. They’re designed to be treated
beautifully, to have us fall at their feet, utterly devoted to them. To take them,
use them, break down the barriers their minds put up, and to rebuild them until
they’re the women they should be. But most of all, we cherish and love them.
“Mr. Edwards?”
I turn to see a lady, mid to late fifties, dressed in hospital scrubs.
“Yes.”
“I’m Doctor Chambers, I was the doctor who operated on Penny.” She
indicates for me to sit and she sits beside me. “She woke just before we were
going to put her under, and she asked for you as soon as her eyes opened. We
explained to her the course of events as we knew them, and told her we were
taking her into surgery and the procedures we are going to do. She was relieved
when she knew you had given the go-ahead for the surgery. Now, about the
surgery. It all went well, we had no complications. She’s in recovery now, and
as soon as she’s a little less groggy, a nurse will come to get you so you can see
her,” Doctor Chambers says as she stands.
“Thank you,” I say exhaling a breath of relief. I extend my hand, and she
takes it as I thank her once more.
Once Doctor Chambers has gone, I go over to Matthew, Ella and Nathan.
“How did it go?” Matthew asks.
 “It all went well, she woke just before they put her under and they
explained to her all about what they needed to do. A nurse will come get me
when I can see her.” I take a deep breath and just let the shit of today wash over
me. “Look,” I start saying, “I’m going to go and make arrangements for her
hospital stay and I’ll wait for her in her room. You guys take off. Thanks for
being here with me.” I shake Nathan’s hand, and then Matthew’s. Ella doesn’t
wait, she throws her arms around me and hugs me.
“If you need anything, just let me know,” Nathan says as he starts walking
out.
“Don’t worry about the club. Ella knows what she needs to do. We’ll take
care of it,” Matthew says as he claps a hand to my back and begins to walk
away. “She’ll be alright, go look after your girl.”

Sitting outside her assigned room is not doing anything for my nerves. I
need to see her and make sure she’s okay. But mostly, I need to know what the
hell happened. Was there a mechanical issue with her car? It was just recently
serviced by Mario, and he’s never missed anything which could cause an
accident. Besides, Penny’s car is only two years old. I bought it for her shortly
after we became serious.
But mostly, I need to know who gave her those bruises. Was it her new
Dom? If so, were they intentional? But I really don’t care if she wanted them or
not, she’s mine to protect. These past thirteen days without Penny has made me
see exactly what she means to me.
I’ll have to do some research and take the next step to give Penny what
she desperately needs, what she’s willingly walked away for. If pain is what she
needs, she’s not going to get it from some fucking wanna-be Dom on a power
trip who doesn’t know what he’s doing.
The minutes burn, the hours passing in a blur. It’s early evening before the
nurse comes and taps me on the shoulder.
“Sir, we’ll be bringing Ms. Thompson back to her room now,” she says
with a gentle smile.
“Thank you,” I reply as I stand and wait for Penny to come to me.
A moment turns into ten. Then I see a bed coming toward me, being
pushed by a male in scrubs.
 I stand to the side while he manoeuvers Penny’s bed into her room.
One eye is swollen completely shut, but she looks peaceful as she lies
sleeping in the bed.
The guy does what he has to do, closing the door behind him as he leaves.
I drag a chair over to the side of the bed, and untuck the hospital blanket to get
to her hand. Her skin feels cold and clammy as I stroke the soft top of her hand.
I sit and watch my girl, the contact calming me, and I observe her for any
sign of discomfort. But she merely sleeps, calm for now.
Laying my head on the bed, exhaustion finally takes over and I close my
eyes.
“Brandon,” Penny’s croaking voice murmurs.
I open my eyes and sit up, slightly disorientated from the measly few
moments of shut-eye. “Hey,” I say as I take her hand in both of mine.
“You’re here,” she says with difficulty through her swollen lips.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” I stand and lean over to kiss her forehead.
“I’m sorry,” she starts to sob. “I’m so sorry for everything.”
“Shhh, as long as your safe. That’s all I want for you.”
“I’m sorry, Brandon. I walked out on you and thought I wanted more.
But…”
“I have to respect what you want, Penny. But I also need something else
from you.”
“What?” she asks through her tears rolling down her bruised and
bandaged face.
“The bruises, who caused them?”
She closes her one good eye and purses her swollen lips. “I was an idiot,
Brandon. A stupid, fucking idiot. I shouldn’t have left.”
“You’re right there, you shouldn’t have left. But that’s not what I’m
asking.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Clearly it does or I wouldn’t be asking.” She shakes her head and her
eyes are still firmly closed. “Was it the guy from the Velvet Room?” She’s still
shaking her head. “Penny,” I drop my tone. My voice is one she’s heard many
times before. Every single time she’s been disobedient and taken being a brat
too far.
Penny stops shaking her head, her crying graduating to sobs. “My head’s
spinning around, Brandon. I just need to rest.”
“Petal,” I use her play name.
“Yes, Sir,” she automatically responds.
“Who caused the bruises?”
“Sir…” she pauses, breathing heavy for the longest of times. “Red,” she
whispers with visible mental agony.
The most extreme of the simple traffic light system of safewords we used
falls from her lips. I can see just by how her body reacts, she’s struggling with
saying the one color which stops everything. Just like the other handful of times
she’s called ‘red’, she fights doing so. But that’s why safewords have been
established in our lifestyle. Not for the submissive to struggle and be unsure of
herself for using it, but for the Dom to know her limits have been reached to the
point where she no longer feels safe. Pushing her past this point, especially
right now, will have an absolutely detrimental effect on our relationship and in
the confidence she has in herself. Which I’m sure has already ruptured
considerably.
“Okay,” I say, standing to give her another kiss on the forehead.
A Dom may choose to push, or may even choose to be angry at this point.
And if that’s the case, they aren’t a true Dom. They’re an abuser.
 NINE
The first twenty-four hours have been hell, for both Penny and me.
She’s in significant pain, and I’m useless at this point in her recovery for
anything other than moral support. I hold her hand, brush the hair away
from her sweaty forehead and just wait it out with her. The nurses have
orders from the doctors, and they give her as much pain medication as
they’ve been instructed to give her.
And when the painkillers kick in, she breathes a deep sigh and closes
her eyes.
She finally finds relief, which means my blood pressure falls and I
begin to relax. That is, until her pained moans start up again.
The following evening, Penny sips on the clear broth I’m feeding her.
She’s still in pain, and will be for a while, but she also needs to eat to build
her strength up.
“I’m sorry,” Penny says as she opens her mouth to take some broth.
“For what?” I ask.
“For getting myself into this situation. I never wanted this to happen. I
didn’t want you to have to worry about me or have to be here taking care of
me. I’m so ashamed.”
I can tell the sadness is beginning to set in for her, the reality of the
situation hitting her hard.
“Sometimes we need to take steps to discover ourselves.” There’s not
much I can say at such a raw point, so soon after her accident and
miscarriage. “You were doing what you thought you needed to do.”
“I’m so selfish, and truthfully, I’m amazed you’re here with me,” she
whispers in her soft, broken voice.
My mind clouds with the response I want to give her. She’s
vulnerable, she’s hurt, and she needs my reassurance. Just as I lift the spoon
to feed her, there’s a knock on her door and I’m interrupted before I can say
anything else to Penny.
“Come in,” I call, expecting it to be Ella or Bianca coming to visit her.
 The door opens and Daisy comes in. “Hi, um, I’m sorry to interrupt
you,” she says as her eyes go to Penny, then back to me.
“Not at all, come in,” I say as I scoop some more of the clear broth up
and bring it to Penny’s lips. Penny opens her mouth to take it, but her half-
drugged eyes don’t leave Daisy.
“Hi, I’m Daisy. I work for Brandon and Matthew at the Onyx Club,”
she says, introducing herself to Penny as she takes a step closer to the bed.
“Daisy, this is my girlfriend Penny. Penny, this is Daisy,” I say,
introducing the two. I see Penny’s facial features soften slightly, however I
notice her chin jut slightly forward, a tell she has when she’s angry or
resents something I’ve said.
“Hi,” Penny says, though now I know just by her reaction, she’s not
entirely pleased with Daisy being here.
“I just stopped by to say thank you, Brandon. Jackson had his
operation, and they said his arm should heal well. They’re keeping him for
a couple more nights to makes sure he’s okay. I called Matthew looking for
you, he said you were here with your girl and he also told me to take the
week off.” She pauses, taking a breath and letting her eyes fall to the floor.
“Thank you,” she says and when she looks at me, she has tears in her eyes.
For fuck sake, tears, again?
They annoy me. Sometimes it’s fine and I don’t mind them because
they can be cathartic for a woman, but all she’s saying is thank you. No
need for the fucking water works.
“You’re welcome,” I say as I continue feeding Penny.
“It means so much to me, for everything you’ve done. I really
can’t…”
“Then don’t. What I want from you is simple, Daisy. Work hard for
us, show us your appreciation by being the best you can be.”
Her tears stop, and she looks at me. “Thank you,” she says again, her
shoulders straightening.
About time she realized her strength. Tears will get her nowhere.
“You’re welcome,” I answer her.
 Daisy turns to leave, but I instantly sense her complete uncertainty in
herself. She disappears out the door, and I know I can’t let her leave here
like that. The confidence of straightening her shoulders was all an illusion
to put me off what she’s actually feeling.
However, I’m not an idiot. I’ve been reading people a long time, and
women are simpler than they think they are. Their “I’m okay” actually
means “I’m so far from okay I don’t even know how to deal with
everything that’s going on”.
“I’ll be back in a moment,” I say to Penny as I put the soup on the
table and go to Daisy.
“Yes, Sir,” she says through gritted teeth. Penny needs reassurance,
too, and I’ll speak to her in a few moments.
“Daisy,” I call to her.
She’s only a few feet down the corridor. She stops, turns, and looks at
me. I beckon for her to come back with my finger.
“Is everything okay, Brandon?” she asks.
“With me, yes. But clearly not with you.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she tries to say while looking over my
shoulder to a spot behind me. Another tell-tale sign she’s avoiding the truth.
“You don’t have to thank me, Daisy. And you don’t need to turn the
tears on. You know why?” She shakes her head. “Because you have
strength. Strength you haven’t honed in on yet. You’ve been through a
fucked-up past and you still continue to do the best you can. The only
gratitude you owe Matthew and me, is to do the best you can for us.”
“I will, I promise.”
“We know you will. But doing the best you can for us also means
doing the best you can for your boy.” I point down the corridor, indicating
her son. “Strength comes from within. We aren’t shown it; we aren’t taught
it. Some of us seek it, some of us need it, but all of us have it. And it’s times
like this that make you dig deep for your own strength.”
“I know,” she says and wipes at a stray tear as it falls from her face.
“You aren’t alone any longer. And neither is Jackson.” I pull her in to
give her a hug. The most basic of human touches. Now this is something
every woman needs.
“Thank you, and you’re right. I am stronger than I give myself credit
for. I’ll make you and Matthew proud of me, and glad you hired me.”
“We already are. Now, go to your son. He needs you.”
“Thank you, Brandon.” She gives me one last hug and steps back,
looking at me, with no tears but a huge smile.
“I’ll see you at work,” I say as I turn to leave.
Before I go back to Penny, I call Michael, my real estate agent.
“Brandon, are you calling to confirm your appointment for the
house?”
“No, I’m calling you to tell you to cancel it. I don’t want it.”
“Um.”
I can hear the disappointment in his voice, most likely because he’s
going to lose the commission. “But I want you to look out for an apartment
building. Close to the club, on the outskirts of town.”
“Which side?”
“East. And I want it by month’s end.”
“Are you kidding me, that’s only…” he stops talking.
“If you want the commission you’ll get me something to look at. If
not, I have another agent who can.”
“NO!” he screams into the phone. This will be worth a huge
commission for him, I’m looking for the entire building, not one or two
apartments. “I’ll get it done.”
“Good, I expect a phone call within the next forty-eight hours.” I hang
up, and go into Penny.
 TEN
Penny’s been in the hospital for three days now, and we have yet to
actually discuss the entire incident. I’ve gotten some information out of her,
but I’ve chosen to allow her to heal and not put more stress on her body.
However, this doesn’t mean I’m willing to let this go, either.
Penny’s just had a nurse helping her shower in one of those special
chairs while I went to the cafeteria to get a coffee and some breakfast.
When I return, Penny’s back in bed, and her face is looking better. Not
as dark under the eyes or in as much visible pain.
“How was the shower?” I ask as I sit in the chair and put my coffee
cup on the portable table.
“I feel better, but I still hurt. The nurse was saying it’ll be a good six
weeks, if not longer before my pelvis starts feeling less pain. Because of
how badly it was shattered, it could take anywhere up to a year to heal
completely. My saving grace is I’m healthy and fairly thin, so at least those
two things are positive factors in the recovery of my pelvis.”
I listen and nod, but now I need to know. “Did you know you were
pregnant?” I ask.
Observing Penny’s reaction confirms it. She had no idea. Her hands
come up and she buries her face in her hands. Her shoulders violently
tremble as she shakes her head. “I had no idea until I woke up from the
operation and the doctor told me what she had to do. I’m sorry, Brandon, I
really didn’t know.” She looks up from her hands, and I can see the shame
and intense guilt in her eyes.
“Hey,” I say as I gingerly move to sit on the bed with her, doing the
best I can not to cause her any more pain than she’s already in. I wrap my
arms around her shoulders and gently guide her toward me. “You didn’t
know.” I smooth her hair and kiss her forehead.
“I should’ve known something was happening, because I’d been
feeling sick for about a week, and thought I was getting the flu. But…” she
stops talking, not wanting to say the words. “I’m sorry, Brandon, so sorry. I
didn’t mean to…”
I know the word she’s just about to say, and I stop her before she can
say it. “Shhh. It was an accident.”
Her sobs continue, and I know this is a time a woman needs to cry.
These aren’t the fake “I’m going to cry to get my way” tears, some women
conjure when caught in a lie or when they’re trying to manipulate. These
tears are from her soul. They’re showing me just how raw and exposed she
is. And just how much pain her soul is in.
As I hold Penny and she sobs into my chest, I continue to stroke her
hair and kiss her forehead. She needs strength right now, and I’m her
strength.
Moments pass, and Penny’s sobs grow softer.
There’s a knock on the door, and Penny manages to manoeuver so
she’s sitting with her back against the raised section of the bed.
Her face is horrendously bruised and battered, but even with all the
tears and stress etched so deeply, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve
ever laid eyes on. And now, as she’s lying on the bed, broken and exposed, I
see all her strength and power.
“Come in,” I say as I continue to watch Penny’s features gain stability
as she pulls herself together.
The door opens and Doctor Chambers enters. She comes into the
room with a tense look on her face. “How are you today, Penny?” she asks
as she picks up Penny’s chart and peruses the information recorded there.
“Better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow,” Penny answers with
a smile.
“Good, good, good.” She lowers the glasses perched on her head and
flicks to the start of the charts. “You’ll be in here for another week, and then
if all’s good, I’ll be discharging you. Your pelvis suffered what’s commonly
known as an ‘open book’ injury. The left and right of the pelvis separated,
the front opening more than the rear. Because of this, and the fact the pelvis
was fractured, it’ll take a while longer to repair.”
“I know,” Penny says almost in a whisper.
 “You have to know the effects of the car accident, but more
specifically, the operation on your pelvis.”
“Okay,” both Penny and I answer in unison.
“The healing process can take up to a year.”
“The nurses told me, but they said because I’m healthy and slim, it
may be quicker than that.”
“Yes, that’s correct. However, I consulted with a friend of mine who’s
an OBGYN and we’re both in concurrence there’ll be substantial scar tissue
in your uterus, which makes it very unlikely you’ll ever be able to conceive
and carry a child.”
My eyes go straight to Penny. Her face whitens and her breath hitches
as her hand goes directly to her heart.
“I can’t ever have kids?” she whispers as her tears start to freely fall
again.
“That’s right,” the doctor says. No messing around, just a straight
answer.
“Ever?” Penny asks through heavy sobbing.
“It’s very unlikely. I wish I had better news.”
Penny moves and sobs into my shirt, drenching me with her tears. But
at this stage, I don’t care anymore. She’s been given devastating news, and I
can only imagine what she’s feeling. The door to the hospital room quietly
closes and I know the doctor’s left.
“I’m sorry, Brandon. I knew, I just knew he was bad news.”
What? “Who’s bad news?” I continue to stroke her hair.
“Lucifer. I should’ve known.”
“You’ve lost me, what the hell’s going on?”
“Lucifer… he… he…” She cries even harder.
Who the fuck is this Lucifer? And what the hell did he do to her? I’ll
fucking destroy him.
“He’s the guy from the club. He… he…” She’s hysterical now, and
she can’t finish saying whatever she’s trying to say.
 “He what, Penny?” I ask gently, mindful of Penny’s condition. I count
to ten in my head, calming myself before I lose it. He fucking what?
“It was because of him I had the accident, and I lost the baby because
of the accident.”
What. The. Fuck? “What did he do?” My voice lowers; goosebumps
cover my entire body. The hair on my neck stands, and I feel my jaw clench
tightly together.
“He hit me, and he beat me, to the point that when I left his house I
wasn’t feeling well. I thought I’d be able to get home, but…” She sobs as
she clutches my shirt.
“Keep going. I need to know what happened.” I can’t help her if I
don’t know what’s happened. And I can’t hurt him if I don’t know who he is.
“I blacked out, Brandon. I knew it was coming, but I couldn’t hold on,
and I passed out at the wheel.”
My knee jerks. My forearms strain. And the only color I see is red.
Blood red.
“It’s okay,” I say in the calmest voice I can muster.
“It’s not. I went looking for something more, and all I got was a try-
hard who sold himself as a sadomasochist. But he’s not, he’s an abuser.”
There’s a huge difference between the two. Lately, there’s been an
increase in wannabe Doms, claiming to be one thing, with absolutely no
research or training. Their main purpose is self-satisfaction and power over
women. And unfortunately, women are falling for it, especially if the
abusers know enough to fool a submissive.
But this stops now.
 ELEVEN
“Nathan,” I say as he answers the phone.
“Yeah, what do you need?”
“Can you find out what you can about the Velvet Room? Whatever
information you can. The guy Penny was with beat her and she blacked out,
which is how she got into the accident. If you can get me some information
on the owner, I’ll try to talk to him and find out who this guy she was
seeing is. Maybe the owner knows him, or maybe he’s a regular,” I say as I
pace the hallway outside Penny’s room.
“Sure, it’ll take me a few days, but I’ll see what I can get.”
“Thank you, brother.”
“How’s she doing?”
“When she had the surgery last week, she was in a lot of pain, but
that’s easing a bit now. However, the doctor came in a few days ago and
delivered some really fucked-up news.”
“What?”
“Doc said no way is she going to have kids.”
“No way! As in absolutely?” he asks.
“She said she has a low chance¸ actually I think her words were ‘an
incredibly low chance of ever being able to conceive and carry a child.’
And since those words left the doc’s mouth, Penny’s just gone backward.”
“Fuck, man. How do you feel about it?”
“Kids weren’t anything I was overly keen on, but if there’s anyone I’d
want to have them with, it would be Penny.”
“Seriously fucked-up situation, man. Look, I’ll ask some questions
and get the information you need.”
“Thanks. I’m going to call in reinforcements for Penny. Can you send
Bianca over tomorrow? I’ll get Matthew to send Ella. Penny needs those
two, especially now.”
 “Yeah, I’ll put it in her schedule for tomorrow.” Nathan’s girl, Bianca
is his slave. Nathan’s not like Matthew and I. Well he is, but he’s a Master
and not a Dominant.
Nathan’s told Matthew and me some horrific things about Bianca’s
traumatic childhood and why she now craves the stability and routine of a
Master/slave relationship, so he stepped up, researched what it took, was
trained and is now her Master.
“Thanks. Keep in touch about what you find.”
We hang up and I keep pacing the hospital hallway. Not because I
don’t want to go back into Penny’s room, but because I need to figure out
what the hell I can do to get her past this major fucking blockade.
I dial Matthew’s number.
“Hey, how’s Penny today?”
“Not great, so I’m thinking, can Ella come over here tomorrow?
Bianca’s coming, and if I can get the three of them here, I’m going to
arrange for a hairdresser to come in and do their hair. And I’m going to get
them some cakes and those dainty little pissy finger sandwiches women
like.”
“Fucking cake?”
“Yeah, you know all that crap women like. Chocolate cake, shit like
that.”
“You know, you’re so screwed when it comes to Penny.”
I run a hand through my hair as I stop pacing. He’s right, I’m totally
fucking screwed. “Shut up, butthead,” I say.
Matthew chuckles, because we know either of us would do anything
for our girls. “What time?”
“I’ll message you when I book the hairdresser and the food people.”
“How the hell do you think you’ll be able to get food inside the
hospital?”
“What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Seriously, brother, you better do something about that before your
cock falls off.” He’s ribbing me about the lengths I’m going to for my girl.
Fucker.
I hang up, damn well not wanting to hear any more of his shit, and get
to work calling in a few favors.
My girl feels like shit, her whole world has been turned on its axis.
And although I can’t give her a baby, I can sure as hell help her cope with
losing one.
 TWELVE
Penny
Brandon’s been elusive.
He hasn’t left my side for one moment since I’ve been in here and
yesterday he was taking and making calls outside for a few hours.
Today I feel worse than I did yesterday. I lie in this God-forsaken
uncomfortable bed and stare out the window. It’s been raining, not unusual
for this time of the year. I watch the water cling to the glass and roll down.
The sky outside is dark, filled with gray clouds and reflecting my pain.
Exactly how I feel.
How the hell did I get into this damned situation?
I grew up in a family filled with love, acceptance, and discipline.
There was no abuse, no drugs or alcohol, or even extreme religion. We were
a middle-class family, which consisted of loving parents and me, their only
daughter. There was nothing I wanted that I didn’t get.
Dad loved me, and so did Mom, but both passed away within a year
of each other, Dad when I was nineteen and Mom when I was twenty.
I’m convinced Mom died from a broken heart, although the doctors
said it was a heart attack. 
I knew I was different when I was almost thirteen. Not different as in
physically, but different as in mentally. I stole a cigarette from my dad’s
packet and smoked it right down in the corner of the backyard, where I
thought no one could see. I wanted to be cool, and I thought smoking was it
because I saw how some of the older girls at school would sneak out of the
schoolyard to go and have a smoke. I wanted to be cool like them.
My body was going through changes, and Mom had to talk to me
about periods when I first bled. I screamed the house down, thinking I was
dying because I was bleeding out of my vagina. Mom told me about them,
and explained what would happen, but the first time I got one there was so
much blood I thought every drop had been drained out of me.
 And I had started to develop breasts, enough to wear one of those
training bras girls wear when they’re young. And the boys – suddenly I was
seeing them and they weren’t all horrible. Some of them were even cute.
I desperately wanted to be cool and grown up, so I stole a smoke and
went to smoke it. The whole time I felt like an adult. Like I was invincible
and I knew everything.
Of course that was the first and last time I ever touched a cigarette.
Mom must’ve seen me from the kitchen window, and when I came
inside the house I thought I had her fooled.
Mom told Dad, and Dad got angry. He grounded me and did
something he’d not done in a long time. He put me over his knee and
smacked my bottom, more than once. And although it hurt, it did something
else to me too. I didn’t know what it was. I couldn’t quite figure it out. All I
knew was I enjoyed what had happened. I didn’t have the maturity to know
what it meant, or what exactly it made me feel.
It took me years to discover who I was and what I wanted.
And many failed relationships.
When I was seventeen, I had sex for the first time with a boy from the
football team. Cliché? Yes, in every sense of the word.
He was sweet, and careful and came within three seconds of having
his cock inside me. A boy, an inexperienced boy. We lasted as a couple for
about six months, until I finally found the courage to ask him to pull my
hair.
He was horrified, told me I was sick and he wasn’t interested in doing
anything that could inflict pain on me. The sheer thought of pain excited
me. And the next time we had sex, I got off on the images running wild
through my head. Him lacing his fingers in my hair and tugging at it until
the pain turned into pleasure.
We broke up that night, and the next weekend I had my first one-night
stand.
The guy was rough with me. I didn’t need to ask, he simply took. He
bent me over the side of the bed, spanked me with his hand until it hurt him,
then he picked up a paperback book and spanked me with that. I came so
hard, before he even fucked me.
When he fucked me, he owned me. He bit me, pulled my hair, and
spanked my pussy and breasts. And I loved every single moment. At one
point, we were having sex doggy-style when he pulled out, spanked my
already red and tender ass with his hand before plunging his cock back into
me and pulling my hair so hard I thought he ripped some out. That night
was the first time I experienced what’s known as subspace. The pain
awakened every cell, every drop of blood and every pore in my body.
I drifted off and stayed under a cloud of deliciousness. My body was
spent as my mind was completely shredded by the intoxicating need to have
that feeling again and again.
I don’t remember drifting off to sleep that night. Just that I woke in a
hotel room completely and utterly screwed. My body ached, and I had the
biggest smile on my face. I did remember him calling me his “dirty little
slut”, and he also asked me to “submit” by kneeling by his feet. I had no
idea what that meant. But I did it and it felt weirdly right.
When I left the hotel, I went home, jumped on the internet and typed
“submission” into the search engine. What I got was a lot of shit, but once I
sifted through it, I began to find an on-line community about BDSM. There
was a whole other lifestyle out there and I had no idea about it.
I did the one thing I could do. I researched it and found out what I
could. I became a submissive to my first Dom when I nineteen. We worked
well together, however he didn’t take the pain to the level I needed. And
much like what I did to Brandon, I left him when I was twenty-one.
I played casually for the next two years, until I found a true
sadomasochist…or so I thought.
The first few sessions with him had me chasing subspace. However, it
all quickly changed early on when I called my safeword, and he disregarded
it. It was then I realized he wasn’t a sadomasochist, he was a sadist. The
pain he gave me was good, but the pain I’m sure he would’ve given me
later on scared me. And so I left. Not because I was scared of the pain, but I
was frightened he’d disregard my safeword again if it got too much for me,
much like he’d already done.
 I played some more, just holding onto the hope of finding a
sadomasochist who could give me what I wanted.
When I met Brandon, I knew he was a Dom. His light brown hair was
spiked up on end, his brown eyes just looked through me. From the first
time his tall frame stood protectively over me, he made me feel safe.
Brandon’s a gentleman first. He and Matthew are both so similar in the way
they treat Ella and myself. I fell in love with Brandon even though he
couldn’t give me what I needed most. I thought what he could give me
would be enough. I thought the spankings he gave me, the cane, the paddle,
and the belt would keep the hunger fed. But I needed more. And I left him
to find it.
That’s when I went on-line and met Lucifer.
He was charming, knew what he was talking about, and seemed to
understand my deep need for pain. The first time we played was at his
house, and it was three nights after I left Brandon. I needed a release. He
was everything I needed.
I safeworded the first night and he immediately stopped all play.
Because of that, I thought he was the real deal. Now I know better.
In the days that followed, he wanted to try asphyxiation. I lost
consciousness and when I came to he was holding me and telling me he was
sorry. The bruises on my neck didn’t seem right, but I forgave him because
I thought he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.
Two days later, I was kneeling beside him as he ate and he dropped
his fork on the ground beside me. As I looked up to give it to him, his
elbow came down and hit my eye. He apologized saying it was an accident.
And again, I believed him. That night at play, we were playing out a rape
fantasy when he picked me up and threw me against the whipping bench in
his dungeon. The way I landed I knew I hurt my ribs because I was in
complete agony. He called off the scene and cared for me, the way a Dom
should do.
The morning of my accident, he summoned me to his dungeon. He
strapped me onto his St. Andrew’s cross, and began to play with me. My
ribcage still hurt, and I told Lucifer I wasn’t completely comfortable on the
cross.
 “Let me check your restraints, slut,” he said as he walked over to the
cross.
But instead of checking them, he tightened them. “Sir?” I questioned,
feeling my heart rate pick up.
“My slut will take what I give her,” he said and began to cane me. No
warm-up spanking with his hand, or a flogger. He’d done that to me at the
club we’d been at when I saw Brandon, and I loved it. So I thought that’s
what he was doing now, too.
But it turned out, he was angry at me. For what, he never said. I was
restricted to the cross, and I couldn’t move. He shoved a cloth in my mouth
so I couldn’t safeword, and he proceeded to beat me.
The abuse lasted for I don’t know how long. He finally let me down
from the cross, helped me dress and sent me home.
I wasn’t sure what happened. I wasn’t able to think clearly or
concentrate. I simply got in my car and left.
The next thing I remember was a dark curtain of black slowly falling
over me. And then Nathan asking me if I remember anything.
There’s a knock on my door, and it completely snaps me out of the
heaviness enveloping me.
“Come in,” I say, as I wipe away the tears clinging to my cheeks.
“There’s our girl,” Ella says as she comes in with Bianca following
her. Both the girls come and sit on my bed and hug me. The three of us stay
wrapped in our embrace for a long time. I can’t help but cry.
When I left Brandon, both the girls called and I ignored them because
it hurt too much to talk to them, and I didn’t want to tell them about Lucifer.
Because even though he kept apologizing, there was still the niggling
sensation that something was wrong. And I was humiliated I’d left a good
man to pursue a need that turned out to be venomous. A dangerous desire.
“How are you feeling?” Ella asks as she kisses my cheek and strokes
my hair.
I take a deep breath and spend the next twenty minutes telling the
girls what happened and how I ended up in here.
“Damn,” Bianca says once I’ve finished.
 “I know,” I say nodding my head.
“You can’t ever have kids?” Ella confirms.
“The doctor said it was highly unlikely.” Just as Ella stands from the
bed, there’s another knock on the door. “Come in,” I say loud enough for
whoever it is to enter.
The door opens and in walks a guy, maybe mid-twenties and a girl
carrying two silver beauty cases. “Oh daaarrling,” he says in a very
feminine voice. “You must be Penny. And you…” he stops talking and
glides over to Ella, “You my cute thing, you must be Ella.” He does the
double air-kiss thing.
I’m looking at Ella, who’s got her own ‘what the hell’ look going on,
then to Bianca. “Um, who are you?” Bianca asks.
“Oh and you, girlfriend, you so have to be Bianca. Look at that red
mane you have.”
He walks over to double air-kiss her too, but Bianca turns her head
completely away from him. “Oh yeah, that’s right. You’re the slave. Call
your Master, he knows what’s going on.”
“Well I don’t know what’s happening,” I say.
Bianca takes her phone out of her bag, and locks herself in my
bathroom.
“Brandon asked me to come and give you all a day of beauty. Oh
darling, how rude of me. I’m James and this is my assistant Sunny. She’ll
be painting your nails and making you feel like the beautiful women you
are.”
“Brandon did this?” I ask.
“Oh yes, sugar. He certainly did,” James says as he sticks his hip out
and rests his hand on it.
Before I know it, the afternoon is gone. Brandon had a catering
company come and feed us a light lunch, which happened to include my
favorite dessert…chocolate cake.
And I started feeling better.
The five of us laughed, talked, and just enjoyed the day.
 I felt more human than I had since the day I walked out on Brandon.
It confirmed to me how much I love and adore Brandon. And I’ll
spend the rest of my life worshipping him for being the man he is.
 THIRTEEN
“Thank you for what you did for me yesterday,” Penny says before she
takes a bite from her lunch tray.
“It’s my absolute pleasure, Petal.”
I see her lips curl up into a huge-ass smile when I call her by her ‘play’
name. “I’ve missed you,” she mumbles quietly.
“I’ve missed you, too.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“You can, and I might even give you an answer,” I tease.
“How disgusted are you with me? I left you because I thought there was
someone who could give me what I needed and I only ended up falling prey to
an abuser. Are you disappointed in me?”
I put my salad wrap down on the brown paper bag it came in, and I dust
my hands down my jeans. “I’m incredibly disappointed. I’m downright angry,
and if I could I’d go back in time and rectify the situation, I would.”
“I thought so,” Penny says as a tear slips from her eye, and she looks
down at her knitted hands.
“But everything I’m feeling is not directed at you. You told me you
needed more, and I said no. I chose to not listen, to not ask questions, and to not
give you what you need. So my anger and disappointment is not with you, but
with myself.”
“No…” she says as she looks up at me. “I was trying to force you to be
something you’re not. I accept that now, and I’ve made the decision to be happy
with what you give me.”
“That’s not good enough, Penny, to ‘just be happy’ with our relationship,
because that’s not going to last. You’re going to end up hating me and wishing
you had more, and I’m going to end up miserable because I can’t give you what
you need.”
“What are you saying?” Her eyebrows knit together, and her already red
eyes have tears streaming from them.
“I’m saying, I’m not a very good Dom if I can’t give my submissive what
she needs. And I’m not a very good Dominant if I can’t learn to give my
submissive what she desires. And I’m certainly not a very good Dom if I’m not
prepared to listen and learn.”
Penny looks away, “You’re going to learn for me?” she asks, but keeps
her gaze averted.
“Look at me,” I say. My tone the one I use when we’re scening. But she
defies my command, and keeps her eyes focused on whatever spot she’s
looking at. “Petal.” The way I say it, slow, and very low in tone, is her warning.
“Yes, Sir,” she says. Her shoulders visibly shudder and she takes in a deep
breath.
If I touched her pussy right now, she’d be soaking wet. She’d be aching
for me to take her, hurt her, and make her come. “Look at me,” I say once more
as I stand beside her bed. Being in the condition she’s in, she can’t kneel before
me, so I’ll have to give her an alternative to kneeling until she’s back to it.
“Until you’re able to take you place at my feet, you’ll sit in a chair and I’ll
stand before you.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Lower your gaze now, Petal.” She does so. “Hands in position.” Her
hands go to her thighs, palm side up, offering herself to me.
“Who do you belong to?”
“I’m yours, Sir.”
“And what will I do with you?”
“Whatever Sir chooses.”
“When will I play with this cunt of mine?”
“Whenever Sir wants.” Her breath is raspy and the way her words get
caught in the back of her throat makes my cock go hard.
What I’d give for her wet, pouty lips on my cock right now. To have Petal
on her knees, fingers laced behind her back as I take her mouth with my cock.
Weaving my hands in her long blonde hair, and fucking her mouth, as hard as I
want to thrust into her. Giving her exactly what her body craves, what it’s so
desperate for. To be used. To be fucked. To be treated like a slut, but to be loved
as a woman. Saliva dripping from her mouth, her eyes to be open and watching
me. My cum spilling out of the sides of her mouth to dribble down her chin.
Marking her, telling her she’s mine, and shouting it to the world.
“And what pain will you take?”
 “Oh please.” She wiggles slightly, but her face tells me what I need to
know. “Please, Sir,” she hungrily pleads.
“What does my submissive need?” I ask as I gently cup her face in my
hand. She turns slightly and kisses my palm.
“I’m so desperate, Sir. I can’t wait until you play with your slut.”
She’s nowhere near ready to have sex again. And most certainly not even
remotely ready to be dominated or experience any type of discomfort.
I lean down and kiss her. It’s the first real kiss I’ve shared with her since
she walked out. My tongue traces the curve of her lip, silently claiming her.
When she parts her bruised lips, she takes a deep breath and lets a small moan
slip out. I drink her in, my hands never leaving the softness of her cheeks. As if
she’s intoxicated with the small amount of pleasure I’m giving her, she slightly
arches into my touch.
Wetness touches my mouth as I continue to claim her, and I know she’s
crying. When I pull back, I look into her hazel eyes and see the absolute pain
and humiliation she must be feeling. She wipes at the tears and looks away.
With just my finger, I tilt her head toward me. Her look is nothing short of
miserable, her eyes completely clouded with self-loathing. “I’m so sorry,” she
whispers.
“You can’t be sorry for wanting more.”
“I should never have left.”
“And I shouldn’t have denied you your most basic needs.”
“I love you, Brandon.”
She’s told me she loved me before. But this time, the way I can see inside
to her soul, I know those words mean more to her than anything else in this
world.
“And I love you.”

I sit in the café and order my coffee, waiting for Nathan and Matthew to
arrive.
Nathan called and said he has some news for me, and thought it might be
best to have Matthew there too.
 It means Nathan’s found out some shit and he knows it’s going to take the
three of us to decide how we’re going to handle it.
I hear the roar of Matthew’s engine pull up outside the café, and within a
moment he’s pulling out the chair opposite me. “Hey,” he says as he takes his
suit jacket off and slings it over the back of the chair.
“Hey.”
“Where’s Nathan?”
“Not here yet.”
Matthew signals for the waitress, and she comes over with a huge smile
on her face for him. Fucker, he seems to pick them up where ever he goes. Not
that he wants them. Before Ella, he’d fuck anything that moved, with the
exception of the girls who work for us. Now… he’s a one-woman man.
“Can I help you, Sir,” she purrs uselessly at Matthew. I can’t help but
laugh at her. She pushes her tits out slightly and flutters her eyelashes at him.
“Black coffee,” he says.
“Yes, Sir,” she says again. “Anything else?”
“No, go away.” He flicks his hand at her, turns to me and rolls his eyes.
“You can’t get away from them,” I say as I chuckle.
“It’s like they see the wedding ring and still believe they can approach
me. I don’t understand women.”
I laugh again, because truthfully, no man does.
“Hey,” Nathan says as he walks up and sits beside Matthew. The same
waitress comes over and flutters her eyelashes at him too. Fuck, what is it with
this chick? “Coffee, black. Thank you,” he says, turning back to us and not
giving her any chance whatsoever.
“How’s Penny?” Matthew asks.
“She’s getting better, stronger every day. Her face isn’t as bruised as it
was. And hopefully, in the next couple of days, she’ll be able to leave the
hospital and come home.”
“Do you need help with anything?” Nathan asks.
“No, I’ve got a physiotherapist lined up to help, and I’ve rearranged
everything so it’s easier for her to move around. Everything’s set to go for her.”
 “Here are your coffees,” says the waitress, setting them down in front of
Nathan and Matthew.
“Thank you,” they both say in unison. She gets the hint when neither of
them look at her.
“What is it you’ve found?” I ask Nathan as he brings the coffee up to his
mouth.
“Here.” He takes a small black notebook out of his pocket and flicks
through the pages until he’s found the one he’s looking for. “The owner of the
club is named Lucifer Fredericks. He’s forty-eight years old. Lives alone in a
house left to him by his parents. No siblings, no previous marriages, no
children.”
“Wait…” I stop Nathan. “The owner’s name is Lucifer?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, fuck me,” I say as I sit back in my chair and scrub my hand over
my face.
“What is it?” Matthew asks.
“He was the guy at the Velvet Room that night. He’s also the guy who
beat her so badly she had the accident.”
“Hang on, back up a minute,” Matthew says as both of them sit forward
with elbows on the table.
“He beat her and she passed out while driving, which caused the
accident,” I add.
Matthew’s hands grip the edge of the table, and I see Nathan’s forearms
vibrate as he tenses them. “There’s more,” Nathan says.
“Go on.”
“The Velvet Room is going under fairly quickly. I couldn’t get too much
information on it, but I know he has his house mortgaged and his club
mortgaged. I suspect it’s because of his gambling debt.”
“Gambling debt?” Matthew asks.
“Yeah, he owes to a small time mobster. Trying to make a name for
himself in the area. I couldn’t find out how much he’s in for.”
“Fuck.” I don’t need to say anything because Matthew beats me to it.
“Yeah,” I agree. “Anything else?” I ask Nathan.
 “Only that information. I can keep digging. Or I can get someone to dig
for me if you like.”
I look at Matthew. “What do you think?” I ask him. He knows what I’m
saying.
“Can we afford it?”
“I’ve got the money.”
“I do too, but will it be viable?”
“Maybe not as the Velvet Room. But perhaps we can change the name,
get Justin to work on it.” Matthew taps his hand on the table. His middle finger
playing a slow constant, silent thrumming tune. “I want to destroy him,
Matthew. I want to rip him apart and fucking ruin him.”
“Buying his club won’t do that. It’ll just get him out of debt.”
“Not if we find out how much debt he’s in for, offer enough to cover half
of it, and with the club gone, he’ll have no choice but to run from the thugs.”
“I can find out what he’s in for,” Nathan offers. “But I can’t put in to help
buy the club, not on my salary.”
“We’re not asking you to either,” I say. “You’re a cop.”
“I’ve seen and done worse,” Nathan says, clapping a hand to Matthew’s
back. Matthew chuckles and nods his head silently.
“Find out how much he’s in for, nothing else.”
“Done,” Nathan says and puts his notebook away.
“Let’s have a meeting with this Lucifer guy. See what he thinks about
selling us his club,” I say.
“I like the sound of the Onyx Room. Sister to the Onyx Club,” Matthew
says.
Looks like he’s ready to buy this club.
And I’m ready to rip Lucifer apart.
 FOURTEEN
It’s been over a week since Penny’s come home, and close to a month
since her accident.
I moved Penny in with me, had her apartment vacated completely and
put up for rent. All her belongings went into storage and now she’s living
with me full-time. Penny’s been on crutches but she still tires easily.
My phone rings and I see it’s Michael, my real estate agent.
“Michael,” I greet him as I walk into my kitchen to get Penny water
and her meds for the afternoon.
“I found an apartment building. Exactly what you asked for. It’s more
than the other place you were looking at.”
“How much more?”
“Another two hundred and fifty thousand. But the upside is, there are
two units completely available. One is on the bottom floor, the other on the
top floor. The one on the top has good views and apparently, there’s interest
in it. Good rental return too. The one on the bottom needs work, but it’s one
of the more spacious out of all the apartments in the building, almost on par
to the top level ones.”
“Is the top ready to rent without needing to fix anything?”
“Yeah. I’ve got the proposal here. All of the other units have good
tenants, long term, all without any issues.”
“Set up a meeting. I want to go look at it. Make it by tonight. And
check out the local schools, see if they have programs for gifted kids.”
“You want me to check out the schools?”
“That’s what I asked.”
“Okay, I’ll do that and I’ll text you the address when I get the meeting
time.”
“That’ll be fine.” I hang up, put my phone in my pocket and go to find
Penny. She’s on the sofa, watching some dreadful chick-flick movie while
beginning to doze off. “Sleepyhead,” I call as I sit in the small space beside
her.
“Yeah,” she mumbles as her eyes flicker open, then close again.
“I’ve got your medicine. Here, I’ll help you up.”
“Thank you,” she murmurs, sleepily.
“I’m going to order dinner, what do you feel like tonight?”
“I’m not really hungry. I’m tired. Whatever you want.”
“I feel like Thai.”
Her eyes open wide; I know Thai is one of her favorite foods. “Pad
Thai for me, please,” she says eagerly.
I kiss her forehead and go put our order in, telling them to deliver it in
two hours. I go upstairs into my bathroom, the one off our bedroom and
begin to fill the hot tub. Lighting two small candles, I turn the lights off and
go to the dresser remove my watch and put my cell on charge. I see
Michael’s sent me a text.
Owners can meet you tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
That’s acceptable
Michael then sends me the address. I put the appointment into my
phone and go downstairs to find Penny.
She’s curled up on the sofa, a throw tucked under her chin as she
watches TV. “You ready?” I ask as I pull the throw back from her.
“What for? Is dinner here already?” She cranes her neck to look
behind her. Not that she can see.
“No, you’re having a bath.”
“Do I smell?” Her face is etched with worry.
“No. I want to bathe you.”
She tries to hold in the smile, but she’s terrible at hiding it. I swoop
her up into my arms and carry her upstairs to my bathroom. I carefully set
her on the edge of the tub and check the water temperature, making sure it’s
perfect.
Penny’s hazel eyes are focused on me. And I like the fact I have her
entire attention.
 I kneel down before my girl and lift her left foot, sliding her slipper
off. I place it back on the floor, then lower to kiss her foot. When I
straighten, I lift her right foot and remove the slipper. Again I lower her foot
to the floor, and lean down to kiss the top of her foot.
“You don’t need to do that,” she murmurs. Her voice refutes her
words; she clearly enjoys the attention.
“Let me care for you,” I say as my hand softly strokes her calves.
“I’d like you to, Brandon.”
My eyes snap up to hers and I shake my head with the smallest of
motions. I see the tiny yet obvious intake of breath, and I can imagine her
pulse pounding with yearning. A deep desire to submit, an overwhelming
need to surrender. “Thank you, Sir,” she corrects herself.
My hands travel up her legs, stopping to knead her tender skin as
goose bumps rise beneath my palms. These small signals – her skin
becoming heated, her breath catching in the back of her throat, and her
eyelids fluttering closed all tell me what I need to know about my beautiful,
submissive girl.
Peppering light kisses up her legs, I stop when I get to her thighs.
Penny’s hands reach for my hair, and she scrapes her nails along my scalp,
silently telling me she wants my lips on every part of her.
However, I need to divest her of the sleep shorts she’s wearing. I stop
my mouth from ravaging her any further. I need to get Petal naked.
Standing, I wait until her eyes flicker open. When she sees me standing tall
before her, I feel my mouth draw up in a smile as I see the disappointment
so clearly painted on her face.
I hold my hand out to her and she places her small, warm palm in
mine. With my other hand, I round her waist and steady her as I let go and
run my hands down her body until I get to the drawstring of her shorts.
“Stay still,” I command as I place a small kiss on her lips. Petal’s eyes
immediately lower. “Put your hands on my shoulders to steady yourself
while I remove these cute little shorts.”
“Thank you, Sir,” she moans.
 Gently, I tug at the drawstring, then hooking my thumbs into the sides
of her shorts, I slowly run them down over her legs.
I kneel to take them off her, kissing her bare and incredibly tasty
pussy.
“Oh,” she sighs as her fingers dig deep into my shoulders.
I lift her legs, one at a time and take the shorts off, leaving her lower
half completely ready for me to do as I wish. However, she’s still
overcoming her injuries, and for me to put her in any position for sex,
would be painful for her. And not the pain she’s so desperate for.
But pleasure is something I want to give my Petal.
As I stand, I dart my tongue out and lick her pussy. The exquisite,
hungry sound that leaves her goes straight to my cock.
“Put your left hand on my bicep.” Petal does so and I take her right
arm out of the long sleeved t-shirt she’s wearing. “Put your right hand on
my bicep.” And I slide her left arm out. “Steady yourself.” I wait until she
stops wobbling to grab the edge of the t-shirt and pull it over her head.
She stands before me, completely exposed. Her body is covered with
yellowing bruises, the last from the accident.
“Who do you belong to, Petal?”
“You, Sir,” is her instant response.
“Who does this beautiful cunt belong to?” I slide my hand between
her legs and gently slip a finger inside her wet, ravenous hole. These
questions bear repeating because she needs to understand she’s mine, and
no one else’s. She’ll always be mine to care for and look after. She’s under
my protection.
“Oh God! You, Sir.” Her eyes close and her hands tighten around my
arms.
“What can I do to you?” She needs to know I’m her owner, the man
she’ll always come to for any need she has. I’m her life, as she is mine.
“Anything Sir wishes.”
I lean in and lick the shell of her ear. My warm breath touching her,
promising her, fucking owning her.
 “Exactly, Petal. Anything I want.” I sweep her hair over her shoulder
and kiss her neck. My palm goes to her breast. She presses herself against
my hand, greedily demanding my attention. Her nipples are beautifully
elongated, so perfectly mine. I pull on her nipple and squeeze it. The
pressure I’m applying to her nipple will cause her pain, erotic pain that will
soon bloom into pleasure. Petal’s pussy possessively grips the two fingers I
now have inside her. Her arousal is hot on my hand, her body obviously
hungry to latch onto anything I give her.
My fingers crush her nipple harder.
“Please…please,” she begs.
But I won’t give her the release she’s craving. Because I am her
Dominant. I control her pleasure. I tell her what she wants, what she needs,
what her desires are. She must follow my lead, and she must allow me to
guide her.
Pulling my fingers out of her cunt and letting go of her nipple, I bite
on her neck then lick my tongue slowly over the sensitive area. Her body
lurches forward with a little mewl of pain, wanting more of the treatment
I’m giving her.
I kiss her mouth, my lips meeting hers. Petal willingly gives herself to
me. “Please, Sir,” she begs as I continue to kiss her.
“You can beg all you want, but you’ll get only what I want to give
you, Petal.” I pull back from her. With one arm I support her waist, and my
other hand snakes in the base of her hair line. I tug her head to the side,
being mindful I don’t cause her unnecessary pain. “Whose are you?”
“Sir,” she moans, closing her eyes, allowing her body to feel.
I tighten my grip, reminding her who she belongs to. Her body
trembles, her entire skin covered in a sprinkling of goosebumps, burning
with need. “I asked you a question.” I tug her head further to the side,
convincing her she’s mine.
Petal’s breath darts erratically, she’s teetering on the edge, ready to
fall. “Yours, Mas…Sir,” she quickly corrects.
But Master is what she wants to call me, and I’ve made a promise to
myself to learn to be the best Master I can be for her. “I’ll be here to catch
you if you fall. I’ll be here to hold your hand. I’ll be here to be your
Master.”
Petal expels a breath through her nose, her eyes closed tightly as tears
fall from them. She opens her eyes and looks up at me from beneath her
dark lashes. The hazel of her irises are now clouded with saltwater that
mutes the stunning color.
“You’d do that, for me?” she asks.
I let go of her hair and crush her to my body. “I’d do anything for
you,” I whisper against her forehead as I lay a kiss on it.
“Thank you, Brandon.”
“Infraction one.” I lace my hand through her hair and pull it hard.
“I’m your Master, not your partner.”
The sides of her lips curl up. “I’m sorry, Master.”
Letting go of her hair, I scoop her up in my arms, being careful of her
injuries, and I lower her into the bath. “Are you going?” Petal asks when I
stand and take a step back.
“Never.” I unbutton my shirt and drop it to the ground, then take my
jeans off. Petal’s eyes never leave my body. She’s watching me, taking in
every part of me. I can see her obvious need for me. “Move forward,” I say,
and help her.
She moves forward, and I get in the bath behind her. She sits between
my legs and leans back on my chest. I put my hand up to stop her before
she can nestle into me.
“Master,” she says in a small, broken voice.
“Shhh, Petal. No need for words.” I begin to cup water and pour it on
her long blonde hair. “Put your head back and close your eyes. Let me care
for you.”
A soft, purr-like noise escapes from her mouth as I continue to pour
water on her hair, drenching it as carefully as I can. Once her hair is
completely saturated, I take the shampoo and squirt some on my hand. With
gentle fingers, I work it into her hair. Reaching down to her scalp, I
smoothly massage it.
“That feels so nice,” she says softly.
 I lean forward and kiss her cheek. I go back to worshipping my Petal,
caressing her tenderly and showing her how much I love her.
Once the shampoo is rinsed out of her hair, I put her conditioner in.
She silently takes the gift I give her; the only sound is the sloshing of the
water. The bathroom is dark, illuminated by two vanilla candles. The smell
is so sweet, you could believe you were walking into a pastry store in a
small alley in Paris.
My fingers sensually comb through Petal’s long mane. A feral moan
bursts from her. “Master,” she says as I continue to adore and care for her.
“Yes,” I answer, leaning in to kiss her shoulder.
“There’s no doubt in my mind your protectiveness, your chivalry, and
your strength, will make you a phenomenal Master….,” she pauses. “My
Master,” she adds.
And I intend on being the absolute air she breathes.
 FIFTEEN
“We need to talk about work,” Penny says as she waits for me to bring her
dinner over to her.
“Mine or yours?” I ask, as I sit on the small table a foot away from the
sofa. Penny reaches out to take the bowl from me, but I shake my head and
lower my eyebrows to scowl at her. “I’ll feed you.”
“I can do it,” she protests.
“You won’t make a very good slave if you insist on fighting your Master.
Once you’ve healed more, we’ll revisit the terms of our contract.”
“We’ve never had a contract before. Except our verbal one.”
“Exactly. And now that you’ve come back to me, I don’t want to lose you
again. We need a completely transparent agreement between us, not to keep you
from leaving me, but so I can learn exactly how far you’re willing to go.”
Penny furrows her eyebrows together and purses her lips into a thin line. I
wind some of the noodles around a fork and bring it to her mouth. She opens
and accepts my offering. Her pretty, pink tongue darts out and licks a drop of
sauce caught on her bottom lip, making me hold back the raw, crazed need I
have to grab her and fuck her senseless.
“That’s a reasonable request. But I also want to start getting some work
sent to me.”
“No,” I say, blatantly refusing her wish.
“I do nothing else. If I could get some work, it would give me something
to do, and I could just lay on the sofa and edit.” Penny works as an editor at one
of the smaller publishing companies. Before her accident, she’d be the first at
her desk in the morning, and always the last to leave at night. “Please, don’t ask
me to give it up.”
“I’m not asking you to give up your work, I know how important it is to
you. What I’m saying is that you can’t work from home until you can go a day
without tiring as easily as you do.”
“I get tired because I’m bored.”
“You get tired because your physiotherapy is intense. And you need this
time to rest and allow your body to heal.”
 “My body will heal more quickly if you let me do some work.”
“Your body is not your body. It’s mine. And until I know you can handle
some work without exhausting yourself, the answer is no.” I wind more food
around the fork and bring it to her lips.
She smiles at me, then parts her lips to have another bite of food. “I like
you like this,” she says, once she’s chewed the food.
“Expect more of it,” I warn her.
If a Master is her desire, a Master will be my gift to her.

I get my watch and my phone from the bedside table and go downstairs to
find Penny. “I shouldn’t be too long, maybe two or three hours. Ella’s on her
way, so when she’s here I’ll leave.”
“You don’t need to get me a baby sitter,” Penny protests.
“You do know I’m going to do what’s best for you.” She nods her head
and smiles. “You’ve got water; do you want anything to eat before I leave?”
“We just had dinner. I’m not hungry.” Penny watches me as I put my
watch on. Her eyes go to the silver on my wrist and her supple lips part, as her
pink tongue comes out to sweep her upper lip.
“See something you like?” I tease.
“There’s something about that watch. It’s going to sound crazy, but it
makes me hot.”
A fucking watch makes her hot?
“How so?” I move to sit on the sofa beside her, purposely delaying rolling
down my shirt sleeve so she can fixate on my watch.
“It’s sexy.”
“My watch is sexy?”
“It looks sexy on your arm. The veins slightly protruding from your hand,
your thick, long fingers and the watch all just make me…horny.”
“Good to know,” I say, as I push my hand into the back of her head and
bring her face close to me so I can kiss her lips. “Perhaps I’ll fuck you with just
my watch on.”
 A low hum emanates from her throat, and I know my statement has made
her wet.
We’re interrupted by the front door bell.
I stand from the sofa, and Penny whimpers as I leave to open the door.
“Hello, Ella,” I say as Ella walks in, and kisses me on the cheek.
“Hi, Brandon. How’s the patient today?” she asks.
“Horny.”
Ella looks at me with big eyes and tilts her head to the side. “I can’t really
help her with that one,” she adds.
“I don’t expect you to.” Unless Matthew and I decide we want our girls to
play. But I know Matthew is protective of Ella, and the possibility of the girls
playing is unlikely.
Ella smiles and walks into the family room to find Penny sitting up and
flicking through the channels on TV. “Hey, want a drink?” Penny asks and
flicks her head toward the kitchen.
“I won’t be long, I’m going to look at the apartment building and talk
with the owners. Three hours maximum,” I tell them.
“Matt dropped me off. He said he couldn’t stay because he had something
to do. But he should be here when you get back,” Ella calls from the kitchen.
“Be good, and remember to take your pain medication.” I lean down and
give Penny a kiss.
“Yes, Sir,” she says as she returns my kiss.
“If you need anything, call me or Matthew.”
“Yes, Sir,” Penny adds again.
“I won’t be long, Ella.”
“Bye.”

The meeting with the current owners went much quicker than I expected
it to. The apartment building is exactly what I’m looking for. The apartment on
the ground floor is in need of some cosmetic work, however it’s nothing a week
of labor won’t cover.
 With their real estate agent there, and Michael, we were able to negotiate
the price on the spot. The apartment building should be settled up and ready for
my contractors to go in and fix the apartment to get it ready for Jackson and
Daisy to move into within two months.
Daisy’s unaware of what I’m doing, and seeing as I have some time on
my hands, I intend to swing by her house to let her know.
But first, a pit stop.

“Brandon, is everything okay?” Daisy asks as she answers the door.

“Of course. May I come in?”
“Sure, please do.” She steps aside and lets me in, as she tightens the light
jacket around her torso. “Would you like a coffee or a drink?”
“No.”
She leads me down a narrow corridor and into the kitchen, where she has
a card table and two folding chairs. The kitchen is bare. There’s an old
microwave, and three plates stacked on the rack. I look around, taking in her
home.
It’s disgraceful. Not what Daisy has to work with, but the sub-standard
living conditions. I know she’s doing the best she can, but this is appalling and
the quicker I can get her and Jackson out of here, the happier I’ll be.
“Please, sit,” she says offering a folding chair to me.
“This place is disgusting,” I say as I continue to look around.
“I know,” she responds in a small voice, as her eyes look to the ground.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“Where’s Jackson?”
“He’s reading. He should be getting ready for bed, but he always has his
nose buried in a book.”
“Call him.”
“Hang on,” she says as she stands and walks out of the dimly lit kitchen. I
do notice her home is exceptionally clean. There’s not one crumb on the kitchen
counter, the floors are spotless of grime, and everything – although there isn’t
much – is put into its place. “Do you remember Mr. Edwards?” Daisy asks as
she holds Jackson’s hand and brings him into the kitchen.
He shakes his head and steps behind his mother. His arm is still in a cast,
but he looks a lot better than when I saw him at the hospital.
“Hello, Jackson,” I say as I stand and offer him my hand to shake. I want
him to be comfortable around me, to not be intimidated by me. Jackson looks at
my hand and looks at his mom. “Not a big talker? That’s okay with me, because
I’m not a big listener,” I say as I shrug my shoulders.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jackson cracks a smile and takes a
hesitant step forward from around his mom. “What’s in the bags?” he asks as he
eyes the two large white bags I brought in with me.
“These? You wouldn’t be interested.”
“Yeah, I think I would. Maybe if you show me, then we’ll both know.”
He certainly doesn’t speak like an eight year old.
“You sure you want to see?”
“Yes, please Mr. Edwards.”
“You can call me Brandon. Come sit over here.” I gesture to the chair
Daisy had offered me. Jackson sits on the chair, his legs dangling above the
floor. It reminds me just how young he is. “This is for you,” I say, taking out a
baseball glove, a ball and a bat. “I know until your arm mends, you can’t play.
But I was thinking, when you can, I’ll come around and we can play catch.”
Jackson takes the baseball glove in his hand, his eyes full of tears as he
gently strokes the leather. “This is for me?”
“It certainly is. And this is for me, but I’m going to keep it here at your
place, so I can’t ever forget it.”
“You’re giving this to me?” He looks up at me, and he’s crying.
“I am.” I look to Daisy, who’s leaning against the door jamb, her own
tears streaking her face.
Oh, for fuck’s sake! Why the hell are they both crying?
“Are you sure you can afford it, Brandon?” Jackson asks. What a fucking
awesome kid. I don’t know many kids, or any kids actually, but I would assume
if you give an eight year old a gift, they’d be too busy thinking about how
fantastic the gift is. Instead, Jackson asks me if I can afford it.
“Yeah, I can afford it.”
 “Thank you so much. Mom says nothing is ever given to us for free, and
we have to pay for it. So if you want me to wash your car, then as soon as my
cast is off, I’ll wash it for you.”
“No need. What I’d like though, is if you can take these to your room, and
maybe go back to your book. I want to talk to your mom.”
“Sure thing.” I put everything back in the bags and give them to him to
take. “Goodnight, Brandon.”
“Night, Champ.”
When Jackson’s gone to his room, I indicate for Daisy to sit. “I’m not sure
how I’ll pay you back for those. Maybe you can take five dollars a week out of
my pay until it’s paid off?”
“I didn’t buy them for Jackson to force a payment arrangement from
you.”
“Then why?”
“I look after my girls. I told you that already. Which brings me to the next
reason I’m here.”
Daisy looks down at her knotted hands. “I thought you were going to
pink-slip me,” she whispers.
“Have I given you any reason to think your job is in jeopardy?” She
shakes her head and raises her hand to wipe a tear. “Then why would you think
that?”
“Because I can’t believe men like you exist. Everyone, especially men,
want something in return. You haven’t tried anything with me, and now you’re
bringing presents for my son. You’re just…you’re just not real.”
“Well then, the next part of this conversation should be interesting.” I rake
a hand over my face and through my hair. “I’ve recently bought an apartment
building. It’s in a good area, just on the other side of town. There are good
schools nearby, and I had my real estate agent check them out. There are two
that have appropriate programs for gifted kids.”
“I don’t understand,” Daisy says as she shrugs her shoulders and looks at
me with uncertainty.
“I’ll have the paperwork finalized on the apartment building within two to
three months. You and Jackson are moving there.”
“You said it’s over on the opposite side of town?”
 “Yes.”
“I can’t afford to move from here, Brandon. The rent here kills me, so
there’s no way I’ll be able to manage rent in a better part of town.”
“My mistake for not explaining myself properly.” I stand from my chair
and shove my hands in my pockets. “It’s not a request. You’ll pay me the same
rent you pay here, and if it’s needed, I will cover Jackson’s tuition fees.” I begin
to walk to the door. There’s nothing more to discuss. We’re now both on the
same page.
“What? Why?” She runs after me and puts her hand on my shoulder, the
gesture nonaggressive.
“Because you’re a good person who needs the help. And Jackson’s mind
will be wasted staying here. This area isn’t safe, this house isn’t safe, and I have
the means to ensure you and he are taken care of. Don’t get me wrong, you’re
still going to be doing everything you do at the Onyx Club. And when you’re
ready to join the dancers, then your work responsibilities will change, as we’ve
already discussed.” I head to the front door, and open it.
“I’m truly speechless,” she says.
“Clearly not. Have a good night, Daisy.”
“Goodnight, Brandon.”
“Lock the door when I leave.”
“Yes, Sir,” she says with happiness in her voice.
 SIXTEEN
“Hey,” I say as I walk in through my front door.
“Shhh, she just fell asleep,” Ella says in a whisper. Matthew’s in the
kitchen looking through my fridge.
“How long have you been here?” I ask Matthew when I go into the
kitchen.
“Ella, go sit with Penny,” he says, and Ella leaves the kitchen. “I got
here about an hour ago.”
“Ella said you had something to do.”
Matthew smiles at me, and looks over my shoulder to make sure Ella
can’t hear us. “I’m organizing a weekend away. Actually it’s more like a
week away. I’m taking her to France.”
“You’re so fucking pussy-whipped,” I say. “When are you going?”
“We leave in eight weeks. I’m surprising her for her twenty-fifth
birthday. She has no idea.”
“Why Paris?” I grab a water from the fridge and throw it to Matthew,
then get one for myself.
“Because she’s been saying lately how she wants to see the Eiffel
Tower. And while she’s on break from her studies, I’m going to take her.”
“Nice,” I say, as I look over to Penny.
“What’s happening with the Velvet Room? Have you got a meet yet
with this Lucifer bastard?”
“Not yet. I’m waiting for Nathan to get me the figures on what he
owes. Then I’ll approach him for a meeting.”
“I’m in,” he says, and he swigs from the bottled water.
“I know.”
“Where did you go?”
“I had that meeting with Michael and the owners of the apartment
building I told you about. I’m buying it, should have it within two months. I
went and saw Daisy and Jackson, too. I don’t fucking like where they live.
I’m going to push for a quicker transfer, because I want them out of where
they are.”
“Do you need anything?”
I shake my head. “I’ve got it covered. That kid, he’s fucking smart,
brother.”
“We’ll start a college fund for him,” Matthew says.
“I’m paying for his schooling. Anything the kid needs, I’ll take care
of it.”
“She’s going to be like Diamond, never wanting to leave us.”
Matthew chuckles.
“When the time’s right, and we think she needs to move on, then we’ll
push her out just like we did Diamond.”
Just as I finish talking, my phone rings. I look at the screen and see
it’s Nathan.
“Brother, your fucking ears must have been burning. Matthew was
just saying what a cocksucker you are.” I put him on speaker.
“Are you offering to suck me? I’ve never had a guy kneel before me,
but if you want to…” I can hear the asshole laughing. “Got a pretty collar
for you too, it’s pink and fluffy. Bianca doesn’t need it now, she has her
eternity collar.”
“Fuck off. Anyway, what have you got for me?”
“For you a good eight inches and if Matthew wants to join in, I’m
sure I can figure out something for him to do.”
“I’m not rimming you,” Matthew says, and laughs.
“Dickheads,” Nathan says. “I’ve got a figure for you. My sources say
he’s in for a hundred. They also say this Lucifer guy has been creating
issues everywhere he goes. Seems he thinks he’s someone important.
Buying whores, into recreational cocaine, blowing through whatever cash
he does have.”
I look at Matthew and know what I need to do. “Thanks, Nathan.”
“If I find out anything else, I’ll let you know.”
 When I hang up I look at Matthew. “Hundred thousand in debt is
nothing. I’ve got that,” I say.
“Okay, set up a meeting.”
“We’ll offer him seventy, it’s enough to smooth shit over with
whoever he owes. The rest he can deal with on his own.”
Matthew nods. “I’ve been thinking about something,” he adds.
“What?”
“Nathan.”
“I’ve thought the same thing. What do you think is fair?”
“Twenty percent, silent partner.”
“You know he won’t go for it.” I sit on the stool at the kitchen island
as Matthew leans on the counter near the kitchen sink.
“We’ll put it in Bianca’s name,” Matthew says.
“No, we won’t go over his head. That’s not how we work. We’ll talk
to him about it.”
“He’s never going to go for it.”
“Fuck, Matthew. We’ll convince him.”
Matthew cocks an eyebrow and chuckles. “You really are a dick. But
yes, we will. Set up a meeting with this Lucifer prick.” He takes a step
toward the family room where Ella and Penny are.
“Now we have the figure, I will.”
“Ella, we’re going,” he says. I stand and follow him out. “I’m hard,
little kitten.”
“Yes, Sir,” she purrs happily as he winds his arm over her shoulder
and pulls her toward him. “I’ll be glad to take care of you when we get
home,” she whispers, although I can still hear her.
“In the car,” he says, and kisses her forehead.
“You’re going to kill me, Matt.”
“Sir,” he corrects her, moves his hand down and spanks her butt. And
I fucking laugh while I close the door on their backs.
 I walk over to where Penny is still sleeping, gently move the blanket
back and pick her up to take her to bed. She shifts her body weight, her
arms go around my neck and she nuzzles closer into me. “I love you,
Brandon,” she says in her slumber.
When I get her upstairs, I lay her on the bed. Penny stirs and opens
her eyes for a moment to look at me. I begin to undress, taking off my shirt,
my suit pants, my boxer-briefs, and my watch. Penny’s eyes take me in, her
body stretches on the bed and she rubs her hand over her eyes. “You’re so
perfect,” she murmurs, as I stalk toward her and begin to undress her. Her
eyes light up, and I suspect she thinks she’s going to get sex. But until she
gets the all clear from her doctor, I’m not going to risk hurting her any more
than she already is.
Good thing her doctor’s appointment is tomorrow, because I’m not
entirely sure how much longer I can go without burying myself inside her.
It’s been seven weeks since I’ve had my cock in any part of her, and I’m
going out of my mind with want.
There’s an urgency bubbling away under the surface of my blazing
exterior, a hunger no amount of jacking off can satisfy. To be immersed
inside Petal, have her mouth drowning in my cum, her tits pushed up and
offered to me, so I can do what I please with them. I have an insatiable
carnal desire to take her and show her exactly where she belongs in my life.
At her Master’s feet.
Perfectly naked, on her knees, head to the floor, palms facing up,
waiting for her Master’s command. It’s when she’s exposed, so utterly bare,
she feels most centered. She once told me when her body is naked, on
display for me, she feels completely safe. It’s the one time she lets
everything go, her mind, her worries, her body. Because at those moments
her only thoughts are me, my desires, and my pleasures.
Once she’s undressed, I lift the bedclothes, and softly place her under
them. I get in behind her, and move Penny so she’s in my arms. The heat of
her body against mine is soothing. The subtle berry smell of her hair
reminds me of sweet jam spread on warm bread.
I bury my nose in her hair and take in a big breath.
 “God, you smell good,” I say, as I snake my hand over her waist and
up to grab her tit.
“Fuck, Brandon. Please,” she begs as she moves her butt back against
my hardening cock.
Pulling on her nipple, I move my hips so my rock-hard cock is nestled
snuggly between her butt cheeks. I want to fuck her, I want to cherish and
treat her like the good little slut she is, but I need to rein in my control and
wait. No matter how much her insatiable body aches for me, I need to
exercise caution, restraint, and ultimately, control my own body.
“Please,” she moans again. Clearly her blood is simmering to a slow
boil below the surface of her goose-bumped skin, much like my own.
“No,” I whisper while I let go of her tit. Pulling her hair to the side, I
pepper a dusting of kisses over her neck, stopping only to suck and lick the
delicate and sensitive skin beneath her ear.
A small whimper of greed skims past her lips. It’s a sound dripping
with a wanton addiction. She needs me as much as I need her. But I must
control myself, for the safety of my girl. Her doctor hasn’t given us the
green light for sex yet. She can’t be used, she can’t be thoroughly pleasured.
And until I hear the doctor say she’s ready for what I want to do to her, then
I’ll hold back, and keep jacking off to thoughts of laving my tongue over
her nipples, licking her cunt as her legs close around my head. Spanking her
ass until it’s a brilliant crimson red, tying her to the spanking bench and
caning her until those beautiful, raised, straight lines appear.
If a Dom has no control over himself, how is his submissive supposed
to trust him with her surrender?
Petal’s breathing slowly calms and she links her fingers through mine,
trying to pull me closer to her.
“Thank you, Brandon. I know it must be difficult for you, and you’re
only doing this to protect me.”
I kiss her neck once more, and say one simple word, “Sleep.”
A little sigh is expelled, and this time I know, it’s a sign of
contentment. She may not have come, but I’ve given her something much
more powerful than an orgasm. I’ve given her safety.
 SEVENTEEN
Doctor Chambers watches as Penny uses her crutches to go into the
room. I wait for the ladies to go in before me, and close the door behind me.
I sit beside Penny and silently wait as Doctor Chambers looks over her
report.
“How have you been feeling?” she asks without looking up as she
continues to peruse the reports in front of her.
“I’m not in as much pain as I was. However, I still find it challenging
to get around. I get really tired, too. And after the physiotherapy I find I’m
in pain, but feel better the next day.”
Doctor Chambers looks at me, “You’ve got Daniel Lockings doing the
physiotherapy? How did you convince him? He’s got a huge waitlist.”
“I can be quite influential if I need to be,” I say as I cross my right leg
over my left and adjust my shirt cuff.
“Clearly.” She raises her eyebrows and keeps reading the reports.
“Daniel is impressed with your progress, and he wants you to continue. I
want you to stand, and walk from your chair to the door without your
crutches.”
Penny’s lips purse together and her eyebrows draw in. It’s obvious to
me, she’s losing faith in herself and she doesn’t think she can do it. I watch
as she struggles internally with her own insecurities. But I know she can do
it. It may exhaust her, but she needs to stop relying on artificial aids, and
start relying on herself.
“I’m not sure I can without the crutches.” It’s all in her head. If she
lets go of them, then that means she needs to trust herself. And she’s
already doubting herself, because of the situation she got into with Lucifer.
It’s not a case of relying on others; it’s a complete lack of belief in
herself. As a woman, as an alluring submissive, and as a human being.
I stand and take the crutches, which are leaning against the doctor’s
desk. I take the few steps to the door and lean them against the wood. “If
you need them, then come get them.”
 Doctor Chambers looks at me, and I see the faint hint of a smile
appear on her face. Her eyes harden, though, and I can tell, she’s happy I’m
here to push Penny.
“Brandon,” Penny says as she stands to her feet with difficulty.
“You’re stronger than you think.”
“I can’t,” she says as she steadies herself against the desk.
“You can’t, or you don’t want to?” I ask as I step aside and back away
from Penny.
She looks at me from beneath her lashes and grits her jaw tightly
together. “I can’t.”
This isn’t working, her body is too tense, her face harsh with
insecurity. I have to change tactics. I walk over to her, my hands go to her
hips and I lean in, giving her a hug. She latches onto me; in her eyes, I can
see she thinks I’m her lifeline, her savior, and her strength.
But I’m not. She’s got all those things within her; she just has to trust
in herself again. Trust she can make the right decisions, trust if she fails, she
won’t be alone. Trust in us. I kiss her mouth and feel her soften under my
touch.
The kiss isn’t consuming or erotic. It’s a gesture, to let her know I’m
not going anywhere.
“You can do this,” I whisper as I run my hands up and down her arms
to calm her further.
“I can’t,” she says again. Though this time, I’m convinced she’s
merely saying the words to attempt to persuade herself and not me.
I take a small step back, looking into her hazel eyes. “You can.” I let
go of her and drop my hands beside my body.
She looks at me, and pushes off from the desk.
I take another step back, putting distance between us.
If she wants me, she needs to come to me. Penny slowly puts one foot
in front of the other and steadies herself. I step back further.
I can tell she’s struggling, but she’s finding the strength to push
through the pain and focus. She’s learning to trust in herself again, to rely
on herself.
Penny takes another step, her pretty pink tongue poking out of her
mouth as she concentrates on her carefully placed steps. One foot in front of
the other.
My damn heart nearly bursts out of my chest with pride as I watch
her.
She’s taking these steps, not only physically, but mentally overcoming
obstacles she was sure she couldn’t get past.
She takes a few more steps and reaches me, collapsing into my arms. I
kiss her cheek and in a low voice say, “I told you, Petal, I’ll always catch
you. I’m so proud of you.”
She relaxes into me, and I turn us around, helping her back to the
chair.
“Well done. I want you to start using the crutches less and less. Within
a couple of weeks, you should be walking without them,” Doctor Chambers
says.
The doctor talks to us about additional things we can be doing to help
Penny in her recovery, and I take mental note of them all. The biggest thing
is to use the crutches less and keep up with the physiotherapy.
Toward the end of the doctor’s appointment, I ask the question both
Penny and I want to know. “Can Penny resume having sex?” Penny’s face
turns ashen and the doctor smiles.
“Yes, although nothing vigorous. But certainly sex can be enjoyed at
this stage. Be very careful with her, and the positions you use. Don’t elevate
her legs too high, or too widely open. Don’t put too much of your body
weight on her. Penny, be sure to tell him if it’s hurting.”
I look at Penny and I can see how mortified she is. “I’ll take good care
of her,” I say as I squeeze Penny’s thigh.
“I’ll see you again in two weeks, and I’ll check your progress.”
I help Penny up and give her the crutches to walk out.
As we’re walking out, I get a phone call from Michael. “Michael,” I
say as I answer the phone.
 “We’re all set for a two-month turn-around for transfer of ownership.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.” I open the door for Penny to get into
my car.
“And what have you been thinking?”
“I want a quicker transfer. Get the inspections and title search fast-
tracked. I want it within a month.”
“A month? Are you kidding me?”
“You’re lucky I’m not demanding three weeks.”
“For fuck’s sake, you push a hard bargain, Brandon.”
I smile into the phone and close the door once I’ve put Penny’s
crutches into the back seat. “Make it happen. I want it ready to go within a
month.”
Michael groans. “Fine.” He sounds like an antsy woman who answers
‘It’s okay’, or, ‘Don’t worry about it’ when you’re in an argument with her.
“Call me when you have a definite date,” I say as I hang up and slide
into the driver’s seat.
“Who was that?” Penny asks as I start the car and back out of the
parking spot.
“Real estate agent. I bought that apartment building and I’m getting
one of the apartments fixed so Daisy and her son can move into it.”
“Yes, I remember you telling me.” she says, lovingly.
“They live in a shit area, and that kid is super smart. She needs the
help, and I can help her.” I chance a quick look sideways at her and Penny’s
smiling. “What?” I ask.
“You. You have a need to protect. And if you see a redeemable quality
in a woman, then that protective side becomes even stronger,” she pauses
for a moment and looks out the window. “I like that about you, Brandon.
The three of you all have that quality, and it’s something that isn’t seen
often.”
“We’re a rare breed,” I say as I chuckle.
“That, you are.”
 We travel the rest of the way home in silence. My mind ticks about
how to get Penny to let go of the crutches and begin to trust in herself again.
And of course, I form a plan.
And I smile, because I know she’s going to love the plan as much as I
am.
 EIGHTEEN
“Lucifer Fredericks,” he answers, like he’s a hardened Dom who
demands submission from everyone he meets.
“Brandon Edwards here. I’m interested in buying the Velvet Room.”
“Who the fuck are you? And it’s not for sale,” he says abruptly.
“I recently visited your establishment, and believe I can offer you
something which would benefit you.”
“Benefit me? Who the fuck talks like you? You one of those homos?”
“Who I am is of no concern, but I do have an offer for your club.”
“I told you I’m not…”
“A hundred thousand,” I say cutting him off.
“What?”
“A hundred thousand. Cash.”
“Cash?”
“Fast track the title transfer and I’ll throw in another twenty.” So
much for offering him seventy. But I want him gone.
“You haven’t looked at the figures. You know nothing about my
club.”
“I know it’s run down, and it’s losing business. And by look of the
worn carpet, lack of patrons, watered-down drinks, and busted fittings, you
can’t afford to maintain and run the Velvet Room as it should be. Now,
would you like to continue in this pissing contest, or would you like to do
business?”
There’s a few seconds of quiet. I wait for his answer as I can hear the
wheezing of his long drawn-out breath through the phone line.
There’s a clue in the sound of his exhale, one that screams of
insecurities, and the awareness this opportunity may not present itself again.
“A hundred and twenty you say?” He finally breaks the silence. It
wasn’t awkward, because he doesn’t know I’ve got the upper hand.
 “Only if we can fast track the sale.”
“How quickly can you get the money together?” I smile and know
I’ve got him.
“This afternoon. But I want a meeting first.”
“When?”
“Friday,” I say.
“Where?” Now he’s eager.
“At the Velvet Room.”
“I’ll be there at eleven.”
“So will I,” I say, then hang up. Prick. It’s going to take every ounce
of my strength not to rip him apart and fucking kill him.
Still holding my phone, I call Matthew. “Brother,” he says once he
answers the phone.
“Friday at eleven I’ve got a meet with the prick who hurt Penny.”
“Where?” he asks. Matthew’s voice is strained, clearly from
controlling his anger.
“At the Velvet Room. He took the bait, he’s interested. I offered him a
hundred with an additional twenty if agrees to a fast sale.”
“And he went for it?”
“Initially no, but once I made the cash offer he was quick to change
his mind.” I stand from my plush leather office chair and start to pace back
and forth in my study.
“Fact is, he’s interested or he would’ve hung up on you. I’ll swing by
and pick you up at ten.” I know Matthew. For him, it’s important we show a
united front. “Now, fuck off, I’m about to give my little kitten a
punishment. She’s been very naughty, haven’t you, kitten?” I hear a
mumble which sounds like a garble. “My little kitten can’t answer at the
moment, she has a ball gag in her mouth, and she’s just about to be on the
receiving end of my rod.”
I laugh at him. “Have fun,” I say as I hang up and slide my phone into
my pocket.
 Walking over to the window, I stand and watch as the dark night
quickly overtakes the green grounds.
“Brandon,” I hear Penny calling me.
I go find my girl to see what she needs.
My little submissive is laying on my bed in the playroom, completely
naked with her arms above her head and her legs open with everything on
display. “What do I have here?” I ask as I start unbuttoning my shirt.
“I’m sorry, Master,” she says as I see her eyes fill with tears.
In this moment, this is the treatment she needs. Just by that small
statement, it’s obvious to me she’s still not ready to let go of her recent past.
We haven’t approached the subject of her leaving me in its entirety yet, but
I’m not a man who holds onto history. I do know women can’t bring
themselves to let go of things. They keep punishing themselves and holding
their own minds captive to their mistakes.
Women are so much more complex. Their entire mind is consumed
with past regrets and it takes a lot for them to let go of an error and move
forward in their lives. But men aren’t that way. At least, I’m not. The past
deserves to stay in the past; the future is the only thing that matters.
And with that, I know my girl needs to let go of the past in her mind.
She needs to know she can have her desires for pain fulfilled and still be
looked after. One error in judgement doesn’t mean she should suffer a
lifetime of punishment.
I slide my shirt off and watch my girl. For her to call me so
desperately, I know she needs me. But she doesn’t decide when we scene,
or what I do to her. I do. Except for tonight.
I put my left knee on the bed and hover over her beautiful body.
Below the perfect, milky, white skin there are scars and bruises, and I need
to be careful as I handle her.
Her eyes are shadowed with a consuming need. The hazel is almost
invisible, her pupils so dilated, I know her body is beyond excited.
Petal’s breath is rapid, her chest rising and falling quickly. Her lips are
thin as she clenches them together, much like I expect her cunt is doing
right now.
 Leaning down, I poke my tongue out and trace the shell of her ear,
then follow the contour of her cheek down to her chin. “Shhh, Petal. You’re
mine to look after. Just mine. Relax and let me care for you.”
“Mmmm,” she moans as her eyes flutter shut and she arches her back
to bring her tits up off the bed.
“Is my little slut ready to be fucked?” I ask as I angle toward her and
take her earlobe in my mouth. Her hand lifts to run in my hair. “Don’t
fucking move.” She stills her movements and then relaxes her arm above
her head.
“Yes, please Master,” she breathes.
I want to give her the hurt she needs, but I still haven’t done all the
research I require. And she’s not ready yet, the doctor said only light sex.
“Lay still,” I say, as I get off the bed.
Walking over to the one of the cabinets in my playroom, I get a
blindfold, and two sets of leather cuffs. When I get back to the bed, Petal’s
eyes are large and her mouth has the slightest hint of a smile.
“Slide up the bed and grab the posts behind you.” Petal does as I ask,
and I fasten her hands to the posts. I cuff her to the bed, testing them for her
comfort. And when her breath hitches, I adjust them more. There’s still
room when she moves, and they’re the quick release ones in case I need to
get her out of them fast.
I slip the blindfold over her eyes, and stand back to look at her.
Petal’s body sparks alive. She becomes a visual feast, a
mouthwatering body lying on my bed, ready for me to consume.
I take a deep breath myself, watching as her pussy lips glisten with
her arousal. She needs this. As much as, if not more, than I do.
I go to the armoire and open the wooden doors. Inside I take out the
red and black paraffin candles, the black because it’ll look simply
remarkable against her alabaster skin, and the red because it has a slightly
higher melting point.
Taking the two pots and the lighter, I place them on the bench beside
the bed. Then I go to the small refrigerator I have in my playroom, and take
out a container of ice, placing that beside the bed with the wax.
 Petal’s breath is ragged, and she’s trying to move around on the bed.
“Hmmm,” I say as run my hand over the scruff on my jaw. “Looks
like these sheets will be ruined.” Petal moans and drives her hips further
into the mattress.
The last thing I get is the first aid kit and put it beside the bed.
Nothing worse than causing damage to my girl. Hurting her, yes. Breaking
her, no.
“Oh God,” she whimpers. The sound is so small, I’m positive it’s not
meant for me to hear.
But I did. “No talking, Petal. Not a whisper, not a sound, not a plea.
Only when I ask a question may you answer.” I plunge a finger into her
pussy, and I’m rewarded with her sopping wet cunt.
She tries to hold the moan in, but my unexpected violation of her
needy hole causes her to let out a sound. “Now, what did I say?” I push in a
second finger and begin to stretch her. This time Petal relaxes into the
mattress as I continue to finger-fuck her. But I stay away from her clit, and
simply slide my fingers deep inside her, then bring them to her opening and
rim her perfect little hole.
I remove my fingers and can’t help but bring them to my mouth.
Coating my lips with her luscious arousal. God, I can’t wait to fully taste
her, have my mouth smeared with her juices, as I tongue her pussy and
devour her.
Moving over the bed I bend and kiss her. The kiss itself is drowning,
consuming and making her ache for more of me. My tongue demands
access, and she allows me. Drugging Petal with just my mouth, her body
trembles beneath my touch.
As quickly as I take her mouth, I let it go and let her taste herself on
her lips. “Lick your lips, slut,” I say as I watch her fight to get more of her
own unique taste. I take the black candle pot and light the wick. “Do you
know just how magnificent you look, lying on my bed, ready to take what I
choose to give you?”
“No, Master.” She licks her lips again and moves her arms against the
restraints.
 I stand beside the bed and wait until the heat starts to melt the wax.
There’s a technique to using wax, and even to what type of wax to use.
Beeswax burns at a higher temperature and can leave burns, but spa grade
paraffin wax will leave beautiful red marks for a few hours and shouldn’t
burn to the point of scalding.
I move the pot around in my hand and watch as the wax turns to
liquid. Holding it about ten inches above the valley between Petal’s breasts,
I let a small, steady trickle fall to her milky skin. The moment the wax
touches her body, she takes in a sharp breath and a low croak rips from her
throat on the exhale.
Fuck, she’s so perfect. So exquisite, yet so broken. And I love the fact
she’s mine to put back together again.
I tip the wax pot again and follow the line from her sternum all the
way to the top of her pussy lips. A small shudder tears through her. Petal’s
body responds to the heat, she’s desperately craving more.
“You look so beautiful.” I let more wax fall over her bare pussy lips.
“Thank you, Master.” She swallows hard.
I lower the wax pot and let it drip from a shorter distance. It means
there’s more heat to the wax than from higher up. “I love your surrender.”
“Thank you, Master,” she lets out another choked whisper.
“Concentrate, Petal. Clear your mind, and let me guide you.” I put the
black wax pot down and light the red wax.
Petal’s breathing is frenzied, her body on high alert anticipating the
next drop of wax to hit her blistering skin.
She’s mine to pleasure.
I put a cube of ice in my mouth, and crunch it so it’s shattered. I lean
down and engulf her left nipple. Tonguing it and twirling around the erect
and desperate tip.
“Oh my God,” she screams involuntarily.
Her blatant disregard of my instructions, although instinctual, will not
go unpunished. And punishment can be so much fun. So I bite her nipple,
the crushed ice engulfing her tit. At the same time, I sink two fingers
straight into her drenched pussy. Another fevered moan cuts wildly past her
pouty lips.
As my thumb goes to her clit, I feel her teetering on the edge of an
orgasm. But I want this one to mean more than just mere release. This
orgasm is mine; I own it. I’ll give it to her just as I’ll give her everything
else she needs in life.
Just as I’m marking her, she’s marking me. She’s left a piece of her
soul with me. It’s grafted onto mine and now it’s a part of me, just as I’m a
part of her. We’re entwined in the most delicate of strings, enveloped by the
most intricate pulleys.
Small, desperate pleas come from Petal. Her hands tighten into fists as
she grinds her hips against my hand.
“Does my Petal need to come?” I ask as I let the cold of the melting
ice dribble over her perfect breast.
“So close, Master. So close, please…please may I come?”
I quickly take my hand away, and lift from the bed. “No,” I say,
stepping back for a moment to watch as her body slightly begins to calm.
My cock is hard, and is desperate to be buried inside her. Stretching her
mouth, or her pussy or even her ass. Any part I can sink into and be
saturated with her warmth.
I watch and appreciate the range of emotions my girl is going through.
Her breath, hard and raspy soon relaxes to a slight panting. Her body was
shaking with anticipation and is now regaining the control I want. Her
mouth, which was parted as she bit on her top lip, has now eased to a gentle
line.
The red wax pot has got a nice amount of melted wax gathering at the
top. Picking it up, I carefully swirl it around. I remain quiet because I don’t
want Petal to prepare for what I’m going to do.
“Stretch your head back, expose your neck,” I instruct. And Petal does
as I ask.
I lift the pot, and I drip a fine line across her throat. Petal moans and
clenches her legs together, trying to find some friction to give herself
pleasure. “Don’t be a naughty girl,” I warn her, and immediately she opens
her legs, knowing full well what she was doing.
The pot is still in my hand, the wax melting nicely. I drip more from
higher over her left tit, her nipple elegantly elongates as I coat her breast.
“Open your legs as far as you can comfortably go. And you need to tell me
instantly if there’s any pain.”
“Yes, Master.” Petal opens her legs to the most comfortable position.
Her torso has wax on it, not all over, mostly around her breasts, neck
and her pussy. I silently take off all my clothes, and watch as Petal’s cunt
shines wetly with her arousal. And soon, my toy will be filled with my cum
too.
I blow out the flames in both of the wax pots, and put a larger ice cube
in my mouth. Moving to the bed, I climb on and nestle between Petal’s long
legs. I carefully spread her pussy lips open, and I’m met with the most
delicious, plump clit sticking out from beneath its hood. One taste, one
small lick will have her moaning and begging to orgasm.
But I want to bring her to the edge. I lower my face, smelling her
sweet arousal as I skim my nose down to her desperately famished hole. I
push the ice between my teeth, holding it in place as I rim her cunt.
“Fuck me,” she screams as the cold touches her pussy. Although I
can’t yet give her the pain her body eagerly desires, I can tease the ever-
loving hell out of her. I can keep her on the edge, wanting more, but not
giving her the release she’s chasing.
I push the ice cube into her and instantly, I feel her pussy contract
around my tongue. “Ohhh,” she moans while attempting to drive her hips
onto my face.
Ordinarily, I’d clamp my arm over her hips in order for her not to
move them, but under the circumstances, I stop myself from doing it.
I delve my tongue into her and Petal rolls her hips to be closer to me.
Drawing my tongue up and down, inside and out, she continues to softly
buck against my face.
Her own juices flow from her as the ice melts in the intense heat
pulsating through her body. My tongue greedily laps at her arousal, taking
everything I can from her. Petal’s cries are reaching a fever pitch, a wail of
violent desire. Her breathless, gasping, heaving sobs border on animalistic.
I probe further with my tongue, and Petal’s body is ready to spiral out
of control. She’s losing control as her entire frame shakes from holding
everything in. “Please,” she mumbles, though the word sounds jumbled as
she loses her mind.
Stimulating her further, I run my tongue up to her clit. Sucking it into
my mouth and gently biting down on the hardened nub. I hear the metal
rattle against the bed and I know my girl’s trying to use her hands.
Skillfully I continue to tease her clit, tonguing it, nibbling on it,
pulling and licking. “Ahhh,” she yells as her back arches and she closes her
thighs over my head. “I’m going to…” I stop eating her, licking every part
of her and pull away before she loses control and comes.
“You’re such a greedy slut, wanting your cum on my face. I want my
cock inside you.”
“Thank you, Master,” she almost slurs. Drunk with impassioned need.
Calling her a slut is something I know she enjoys. Minor humiliation
is a turn-on for her. She loves it when I call her a slut and a whore, but
pushing her to further humiliation has never been something she’s wanted.
But watching her at the club, the way her body reacted to what Lucifer was
doing to her, I think she has an urge for more. When we discuss our limits,
I’ll be sure to push her on the subject.
I maneuver myself so I’m between her shaking legs. “Tell me if this
hurts,” I say as I move my knees to be touching her butt cheeks and I tilt her
hips up by grabbing her ass and lifting her.
“I’m good, Master.”
Positioning my cock at her pussy, I slide in with one hard thrust. We
both moan as I feel how wet she is around me. Her warmth is hypnotizing.
Closing my eyes, I just feel.
I feel how her body moves beneath mine, and hear how Petal’s
whimpers stick in her throat.
I feel how her cunt closes around my cock, and hear how my balls
slap against her ass.
 It’s unbelievable, and exactly where we belong. To each other – with
each other.
I lean down and take her blindfold off. Tears are freely falling from
her eyes as she blinks to focus on me. I take her mouth. I’m nowhere near
gentle with her. I can’t kiss her softly. She needs to know.
“I fucking own you,” I say against her lips as my hips speed up and I
really start to fuck her.
“Thank you, Master.”
“You’ll never leave me again.” I slam into her harder.
“Never,” she whispers, as her tears keep falling.
“I fucking own every part of you.”
“Only you, Master.” I pin her to the bed with my hips, claiming her
and demanding her surrender. Her silken pussy swallows me. Her body
knows her Master. Her body can never betray her.
I move my hand down to thumb her clit as I keep bucking into her.
Petal’s body is spent. She’s shaking, her eyes haven’t stopped dropping
tears, and she’s wrecked. She’ll be aching and sore for at least a day,
possibly two. Not because of the pain, but because of the sheer intensity of
what we both shared.
She’s letting go of so much. Not just her body, not just her orgasm,
but her shame in what happened. And I’m taking it all from her, just
allowing her to be free.
“Come for your Master,” I growl as I watch the way her body
responds.
Petal shakes and yells out a shrill cry of satisfaction. Her cunt grips
my cock as I feel my balls draw up. The shudder rips through me with such
a severe punch, it takes me by surprise. I spill my cum into her, finally
owning her.
I slow my thrusts and hold my body weight above Penny. I reach up
and unfasten her hands. “Move your fingers and slowly bring your hands
down, Penny.”
She does, and brings her hand to cup my cheek. “I love you, Master,”
she says with sleepy eyes and a tired voice.
 I lean down and kiss her softly. Then I pull out of her, and go get a
wash cloth, wetting it with warm water in the small basin I have in my
playroom. I go over to Penny, and wipe her stunning pussy clean. My cum
is dripping out of her and although I want it in her because it’s mixed with
her own arousal, I know she’d be more comfortable cleaned.
“Next time I fuck you, I’m taking pictures of my cum spilling out of
you.” Penny mumbles her agreement; she’s almost asleep. “Stay awake for
a bit, Petal. I need to peel the wax off.” She mumbles again and her eyelids
flutter open. Slowly, carefully, I peel the wax off. Penny’s not moving
much, except to lick her lips and grind her hips into the bed. Horny slut…
my horny slut.
When I’m done with the wax, I pick Penny up and carry her to my
room, where I lay her on my bed, and cover her with a blanket. I then slide
in behind her and mold my body to hers.
We can worry about a shower tomorrow. Tonight, we tangle ourselves
together. In every possible way.
 NINETEEN
“This Lucifer sounds like a real dick,” Matthew says, as we drive
toward the Velvet Room.
“He’s certainly a piece of work,” I say as I look out the BMW’s
window.
“Keep it together, right? You keep your fucking cool. You don’t want
him near Penny, and the only other option you don’t want to go through
with.”
“I know,” I say, though I’m seriously considering the alternative.
“We get in, we do business, and we leave. You’ve pushed for a quick
transfer, let’s just get this guy out.”
I nod my head, agreeing with Matthew. I have to keep my control
around him. I can’t let him get inside my head, nor can I think about what
he did to Penny. Though that’s so much harder to do. Because now the
images of Penny laying frail on the hospital bed, drifting in and out of
consciousness, is quite vivid in my mind.
“Don’t you fuck this up,” Matthew says, bringing me back to the now.
“Fuck off dickhead, I won’t.”
“Bullshit, brother. I’ve known you most of our lives and I’ve never
seen you so fucking rattled. Don’t let him get in your head.”
“Too late,” I say.
Matthew parks the car outside the Velvet Room and standing by the
curb waiting for us, is Lucifer and two apparent thugs. But neither have
anything on Matthew and myself.
Lucifer looks Matthew’s car over, and lifts an eyebrow. Cocky prick.
“Nice ride.”
Matthew and I get out, and Matthew walks around the front of his car.
We both button up our suit jackets and stand in front of Lucifer. He’s sleazy.
I can tell just by looking at him, he’s nothing more than a prick who preys
on women.
 “Who’s Brandon?” he asks, looking between Matthew and myself. A
toothpick sticking out of the corner of his mouth. I could fucking one-punch
him right now and get rid of him once and for all.
“I am,” I step forward and offer my hand to shake. Slightly turning it
so my hand is more dominant then his.
He squeezes his fingers around mine, trying to show me he runs the
show. My eyes are glued on his, Lucifer stares at me, then looks down at
our joined hands and I notice a slight amount of tension in his jaw. The
toothpicks jumps the smallest amount, and I know just by the way his
features have tightened, he’s threatened by us.
And he should be.
He lets go and turns his back to us, walking toward the entrance of the
Velvet Room.
Mistake number one, fucker.
Matthew claps a hand to my back, and gives me a small nod. He’s
telling me, silently, to control the anger brewing in me. He’s got my back,
and I know he won’t let me fuck this deal, or myself, over.
We head inside and walk through the desolate, stark club. In the
daylight, it’s even worse than what I saw the night we came here. I see it for
what it truly is. It’s almost beyond salvage.
“This way,” Lucifer says, as he goes through an open door and down a
badly lit corridor.
When we reach his office, he sits in an old chair. His desk is
disorganized and filled with stacks of unopened envelopes, papers, and
other useless crap.
Matthew and I sit opposite him. Matthew brings his ankle up to
casually rest on his other knee and I sit back in the chair, watching. The
movements of the thugs are amusing. They stand on either side of him, and
try hard to show us they’re tough. But instead, they look like fucking
monkey-trained pussies.
“Let’s get down to business. You offered one-twenty cash if I fast-
tracked the sale,” he says, as he knits his hands together and places his
elbows on the table to lean in.
 “Yes, that’s right,” I respond.
“That’s not enough. Look around, a business like this is worth at least
three hundred. With fifty percent up front.”
What a dickhead.
Matthew doesn’t move. We both keep looking at Lucifer.
“One-twenty is our only offer,” I say. Fucker wants to renegotiate,
he’ll be lucky if it’s a hundred by the end of this meeting.
“Three hundred is more than reasonable,” he says as he sits straighter
on his chair.
“My offer’s just gone down. It’s now one-ten,” I say not breaking eye
contact.
There’s a delayed silence. The prick is obviously aware I’m not going
to give him what he wants. “I like you. I can do one-ninety, thirty percent
up front.” He’ll be begging for whatever fucking scraps Matthew and I give
him.
I turn to look at Matthew, he gives me the nod. The nod to annihilate
the prick. But I fucking hate this prick. He’s an abuser, not a Master or a
Dom. “Sixty-five thousand,” I say, as both Matthew and I stand. “We’ll give
you until six tonight to give us an answer. If it’s no, then…” I lift my
shoulders and smirk at him.
“Sixty-five? Are you for fucking real?” He stands to his feet in anger.
Both Matthew and I look at him, neither of us care about him.
Matthew and I leave, we get in his car and head toward the Onyx
Club.
“Sixty-five. You fucking make me laugh. I thought we agreed on one-
twenty,” he says as he shakes his head.
“I have a thought.”
“You always do.”
“I’m going to do some research on who owns the building.”
“Property’s always good,” Matthew agrees.
“And we’re going to buy the building.”
 “Of course we are,” he chuckles. “Because that’s what we do,” he
adds sarcastically.
“We’re going to buy the building and increase his rent. The way he
was back there, I don’t want to give him a fucking cent of our money.”
Matthew pulls into the parking area of the Onyx Club. It’s fairly early
and none of the employees have started arriving for their shifts yet.
We go in, and head upstairs to our respective offices.
I take my laptop out of its protective bag, boot up my computer and
go downstairs to get myself a soda from behind one of the bars.
When I get back upstairs, I pull my phone out and call Michael.
“Michael,” I start, when he answers virtually immediately. “How’s the
apartment building coming along?”
“Moving quicker than I thought. You should have ownership within
another twenty days.”
“Good. Now I need you to find out who owns another building.”
“You snapping everything up?” he quips and adds a chuckle.
“Something like that.”
“What’s the address?”
I give him the address to the Velvet Room and tell him I want the
information as soon as he gets it.
“I know, I know. You want a rapid transfer. I know what you’re like
now, Brandon.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
The moment I’ve hung up, I begin to peruse the net trying to find
what I need. Matthew walks in and sits opposite me. “I swear you’ve got a
hard-on for me. Can’t keep away,” I say as I keep searching.
“If we end up buying the building, Ella and I may be in Paris when it
closes.”
“I’ll get it fast-tracked so we have it before.”
“Hmm,” he says as he sits back in the chair opposite me.
 “Do you want anything else, or are you just enjoying my good
looks?” I joke as I look up from the computer screen.
“Nathan did say he’s never had a guy suck his cock. Maybe you want
to try on me first?”
“Fuck off.”
Matthew chuckles. “What are you working on?”
“I’m doing research on contracts for Penny and myself.”
“You don’t have one?”
“We didn’t, but now I know she needs more, I want to find a relevant
contract so we can go through it together.” I go to my fridge, look inside
and hold up a bottle of water to Matthew. “Want one?” I offer.
Matthew shakes his head. “And what if she wants something you
can’t give her? Everything that happened to her is because she wanted more
and went searching for it. What if you can’t give her what she needs?”
Valid questions, and something I’ve been considering. “I want to give
her what she needs, which is why we’ll go through the contract together.
It’ll be black and white for us to know what the other will and won’t do.”
“Dude, you’d never abuse Penny. And the girls, Ella, Bianca and
Penny, they’re all ours. We all look after them and if one needs something
and can’t go to her Dom because he’s not around, they can approach the
other two. They’re ours to care for, to ensure we give them what they need.”
“I know that, man. It’s not like she’s my first submissive.”
“No, you’re right, she’s not your first submissive. But she’s the first
one you’ve loved.”
I look at him and start tapping my foot beneath my desk. He’s right, of
course. “You sound like an old woman,” I say, trying to deflect from what
he said.
He throws his head back and laughs. He knows I’m trying to not
answer him, not that it was a question. “But seriously, what are you going to
do if you can’t give her everything she needs?”
“Nathan. I’m going to talk to him and give her to him when she needs
it. Other than you, there’s no one I trust more with her.”
 “Good choice,” Matthew says. “He’ll look after her, and you can be
there to make sure everything goes well.”
I nod my head.
Matthew stands and walks toward my door. “I’m going downstairs to
start an inventory. We’ve got drug tests this week for all the employees,
too.”
“Yeah, I know. Hey, was thinking of having a barbeque weekend after
next.”
“Ella and I will be there.”
“Going to invite Daisy and Jackson. I want them to get to know
Penny.”
“Looks like you’ve got everything under control.”
“Don’t I always?”
Matthew walks out of my office and heads – well, wherever.
“Nowhere near as controlled as I am,” he half shouts.
I chuckle.
 TWENTY
It’s been three days since I asked Michael to find out what he can about
the building which houses the Velvet Room, and I haven’t heard anything from
him.
I’ve called Nathan to meet me at the Onyx Club and I’m waiting for him
to arrive. Matthew and I head downstairs to the VIP section to watch the show.
“What’s wrong?” Matthew asks as I call Dianne over. The VIP section is
half-filled, and the area we’re seated in is sparsely occupied, ensuring our
privacy.
“Nathan’s coming in.”
“You haven’t asked him yet?”
I shake my head. “I know he’ll look after Penny if I need him to.”
“He’s just providing something she needs and you can’t give her.”
“Mr. Edwards, Mr. Weston, can I get you your usuals?” Dianne asks, with
a huge smirk on her face.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Just a soda for me,” Matthew says.
Dianne walks away to get our drinks. “You’ve cut back your drinking.”
“I have.” His smirk is hiding something. “Trying to get my girl pregnant.”
“You are?” I ask, surprised.
“Yeah, she wants a baby.”
“Do you?”
Dianne brings over the drinks and sets them on the table in front of us.
“I want her. And if she wants a baby, then I’ll do whatever I can to give
her a baby.”
“You’re fucking soft.”
“We’ve had a few false starts. Every month she holds out hoping she
doesn’t get her period, and every month she gets it. She was devastated last
month. Which is another reason I want to take her to Paris. She’s putting too
much pressure on herself.”
 “There’s always shit you can do, like IVF.”
Matthew picks his soda up and takes a drink from it. “Now who sounds
like an old woman?”
“Fuck off.”
“How sweet, two love birds bickering. How cute are you two?” Nathan
says as he walks over and sits on the bench seat. “Do you two hold each other’s
hands, and have sleepovers, too?”
“Drink?” I offer, as I call Dianne over again.
“May I get you something, Mr. Stone?” she asks, as she stands in front of
Nathan.
“Budweiser, please.” Dianne leaves and Nathan turns to me. “What’s
going on? I’m not really into a threeway with you two,” he jibes.
“Nothing like that. I’ve got a favor to ask.”
“Ask away.” Dianne is back with his Budweiser and she leaves to go
check on the other side of the VIP room.
“Penny. You know she’s a masochist.”
“I do.” Nathan picks his beer up and has a swig.
“I’ve printed up a contract, just a generic one, she and I are going to go
through it carefully tonight. I want it completely transparent between us.
Exactly what she needs and exactly what I can give her.”
“Probably should’ve done that ages ago,” Nathan says.
“I know. But it is what it is. I may not be able to give her everything she
needs. I’m willing to learn, but there may be things I can’t or won’t do to her. If
we go over her needs and her limits, and I find I won’t or can’t meet them,
would you be able to look over those limits and see if it’s something you can
either teach me or you can give her?”
Nathan’s nursing his beer and watching the show. “You should’ve come to
me before any of that shit happened with Lucifer.”
“She wouldn’t let me help her.”
“Go over the contract with her, tell me what it is you can’t give her and
the four of us can sit and talk about it.” He’s referring to Penny, myself, him
and Bianca.
“Thanks,” I say, truly grateful for his help.
 “Petal,” I call as I come in through the front door.
“Upstairs,” she responds.
I go up to find Penny soaking in the hot tub. Her hair is piled up on her
head and she’s surrounded by bubbles. “How did you get in?” I ask her.
“It took me a while, but I need to do things for myself.” It pleases me how
she’s trying her hardest and starting to wean herself off the crutches.
“I’ve got some things to talk to you about.”
“Like what?” She looks at the papers in my right hand.
“I’ve printed up a contract. And I want us to go over it together. What we
both want, what we don’t.” Penny looks down at the bubbles, her face turning a
soft pink color, clearly she’s embarrassed. “Hey, we need to be on the same
page. Only then can we be completely functional as a couple. You need the
pain, and it’s up to me to make sure you get what you need.”
Penny smiles and looks back up at me. “You’re such an amazing man to
be doing this for me.”
“It’s because I care for you and I want to make sure you’re happy.”
Penny lets out a small chuckle. “You’ve never questioned me, none of it.
You’ve accepted me and wanted to give me more, when I was too ashamed to
take what you were offering. But there’s something inside me, Brandon,” she
starts saying as her eyes focus on the bubbles in the bath.
A darkness seems to overtake her. Her features turn sad and somber. The
desires that haunt her within, surpass the light and as she centers on her
thoughts, I simply watch.
This is the most raw and vulnerable she’s ever been with me, and this is
where I’m going to discover what her soul craves.
“Go on,” I say, my voice soft and low. I don’t want her to think she can’t
talk to me, because if she closes off now, our relationship is doomed. She needs
to be able to tell me the truth, with no judgement from me.
“Something inside me changes. It starts off as a small flutter, like nervous
butterflies flapping their wings. The first strike…the first hard strike, not the
warm-ups, but when the one that makes my body jolt against the restraints
happens, it’s like an emotion I can’t describe. Everything clenches, everything
tightens and my heart just stops, because I want more. My mind…,” she pauses
talking for a second as she takes in a deep breath. “My mind clouds over and
I’m floating. And all I want is to feel that burn of pain. It’s like a craving, one a
junkie might have…I’m addicted. I know it. But I crave the pain, and I don’t
think I can ever be happy with just some kink. It makes me feel alive, wrong
and right, elated and sad, and everything in between, with each and every
strike.”
“You’re chasing subspace,” I say.
“No.” She looks up at me from beneath her sultry dark eyelashes. “It’s
more than subspace. It’s more than euphoria, it’s…” She shrugs her shoulders
and shakes her head. “More.” The word touches her lips. A visible shiver runs
the length of her back, as she sits forward in the tub.
I just watch her. Watch how her eyes darken, how she licks her lips, how
her breathing now consists of small, rapid pants. Her face has a heated, hungry,
intense gaze. She’s clearly thinking of the pain, and getting turned on by it.
“I’ve been considering something,” I say, snapping her back to the
present.
“What has my Master been thinking?” She smiles at me, and winks. Brat.
“Once we go through this contract and are both perfectly clear about what
we want, if I can’t give you what you need, I’ll allow Nathan to use you.”
Penny draws her eyebrows together and chews on the inside of her cheek.
“Use, how?”
“I’ve already spoken to him, and he said he’ll look over the list of things
you need that I can’t give you, and the four of us can have a discussion.”
“As in he’ll be my Master?” she asks in a concerned, edgy voice.
“No fucking way. He’ll be your Sir. And I’ll be there watching, making
sure my girl is looked after.”
Penny looks down at the water again, then back to me. “You’d do that for
me?” My girl looks so broken.
I move to kneel before her. “Of course. I’d do anything for you,” I say as I
brush a few stray strands stuck on her face away and tuck them behind her ear.
“I love you, more than I could ever imagine.” I lean in and kiss her softly on her
plump lips.
I feel her smile as I continue to kiss her.
 “Thank you,” she murmurs.
She understands I want to give her exactly what she needs. And if I can’t
give it to her, I’ll find the best person who can.
 TWENTY-ONE
“Michael,” I say as I answer the phone call from my real estate agent.
“Man, do I have news for you.” It’s been just over a week since we’ve
spoken, he should have news on the building Lucifer’s club is in. “First, that
apartment building you wanted to buy, all the inspections are good, everything
is looking on track for a closing next week. The other building you wanted me
to look into is owned by an old guy. He’s got a tenant who’s behind on the rent
by almost three months, and he’s looking at evicting him. He did also show
interest, and if offered a fair price, he’d sell it.”
“Can you investigate what’s fair in the area? And who’s the tenant he’s
having issues with?”
“I’ve already sent you an email with comparison buildings in the area and
what they’ve sold for in the last twelve months. In the email is also the figure
I’d suggest we offer him. The tenant has a club called …” I hear the rustling of
paper in the background. “Here it is, it’s called the Velvet Room. Apparently
it’s some kind of sex club or something.”
I smirk at his response, because that statement tells me he has no idea
about my lifestyle, or what the Velvet Room should be. “Is that right? The
tenant is behind on his rent,” I say. A statement, not a question.
“It is. The landlord is about to issue an eviction notice.” Michael answers.
“I’ll have a look at the figure you’ve suggested and get back to you.” I
hang up and look in my email inbox. I get up from behind my desk and go
across the corridor to Matthew’s office. Of course, he’s not there. I head
downstairs to the floor and see Matthew behind the bar talking with Dylan, one
of our most senior and most loyal employees.
Matthew catches sight of me, claps a hand on Dylan’s shoulder and walks
out and over to the VIP area.
“What’s happening?” I ask, as I flick my chin toward Dylan.
“Poor guy, he’s fucking drooling all over Daisy. She won’t give him the
time of day.” He laughs, I can’t help but laugh too. “He’s like a lovesick puppy.
Asked my advice on her and what he should do.”
 “The guy’s a pussy. What words of ‘Matthew wisdom’ did you give him?
Because it’ll be sure to get him kicked in the balls and I wanna make sure our
insurance covers that sort of shit.”
“You’re a prick,” Matthew says as he sits. “What do you want?”
“I just got an email from my real estate agent. Here,” I say as I bring it up
on my phone and hand it over to Matthew. He reads it, and he’s nodding his
head. “What do you think of the offer?”
“Reasonable. I think we should go ahead with the sale.”
“Michael also said Lucifer’s in the red with rent, which works perfectly
for us.”
Matthew looks up from the email and hands my phone over. “Eviction?”
“The landlord has started the process to issue an eviction notice. But, I
was thinking something else.”
“You would be,” Matthew says, as he turns his head toward the show.
“I want us to buy the building, and walk in handing him his eviction
notice ourselves. I’m sure he’s not going to like us there, and I’m sure we can
find enough violations to lock him out.”
“You’re like a fucking pitbull.”
“Only when it comes to him.”
Matthew shakes his head and runs his hand through his hair. “Can we
afford it?”
“We can.”
“How long can we stay closed while we redesign the place?”
“I haven’t done much research. But I can get Justin to start on it before we
step foot inside. Cut down the time, then we just need to go in and start working
on it.”
“Cosmetic changes?”
I look at Matthew and nod. “Unless the inspections come back with major
issues. If so, then fuck buying it, and fuck getting rid of him. Because either
way, he’s screwed.”
“Agreed. I’m happy to put it through.”
“Good, I’ll make the offer.”
 “What about Nathan?” Matthew asks, as he leans against the plush leather
backing.
“I think we still offer him twenty percent. But what about bringing him on
board as the manager of the place? It’s going to take work to get it back to what
it once was, and it’s going to mean the three of us will need to pull together to
restore it.”
“Twenty percent and a wage? He can’t leave being a cop if the money’s
less. And we both know how business works. It can take a year or longer to
rebuild it. By the looks of the club, it’s been nothing more than a cash cow for
Lucifer to draw on. Truthfully, I’m worried about it. Not the building, but the
business.”
I look past Matthew to Dylan and start thinking about Daisy with him. If I
tell Penny, she’ll tell me to invite him to the barbeque we’re going to have. I
may as well just invite him, because I know it’ll make Penny happy.
“What if, once we know we’re buying the building, we start training
staff? That way we’ll be ready to go the moment the club’s open for business?”
“You really think Lucifer is going to go easily?”
“Easily? No. But we need to move ahead with business.”
“This one’s going to be interesting, my friend,” Matthew says as he calls a
waitress over to take our drink order. Dianne has the night off, but Daisy is
working the floor. The care she’s needed to give to Jackson has set her back
with dance lessons, but she’s been working hard to catch up.
“Matthew, Brandon, what can I get you? Your usual?” she asks.
“Just a soda for me,” Matthew says through a tightly clenched jaw.
“Nothing for me, Daisy. Have you and Jackson got plans this Sunday?
Early afternoon, around one?” I ask.
Her eyebrows furrow as her lips press together while she thinks. “No, not
to my knowledge. Do you need me to cover a shift? I can. I just need to ask
Jasmine to look after Jackson. If she can’t then…” I cut her off before she
stresses herself out.
“No. I’m having a small gathering at my house, and wanted to know if
you and Jackson would like to come. Penny asked me to invite you.” She
didn’t, but I know she’d be playing match-maker if she knew of Dylan’s interest
in Daisy.
 “She did? Really?” A huge smile graces her lips.
“She did.” Well, kind of. She would have, if she knew.
“Thank you so much, I’m sure Jackson would love to come. Thank you,”
she says as she smiles again. “Um, I better go get your drink.” She backs away
to get Matthew what he asked for.
“Penny asked?” Matthew says, as he pointedly looks at me.
“You know her, she would have done that whole squealing thing once I
told her Dylan wants Daisy. Incidentally, what did you say to him?”
“Told him the universal secret to all women.”
“Share it with me seeing as you’re the woman whisperer.”
“The secret is easy. You know it, I know it, and Nathan knows it. Now,
Dylan is aware of it too.”
“Really?” I sarcastically ask.
“Women are never wrong, and if they are wrong, then we tell them
they’re right and they’re none the wiser.”
“How Ella hasn’t taken your balls off yet, I have no idea. Seriously.”
Matthew chuckles and when Daisy returns, he takes his drink and shakes
his head. “Thank you,” he says as she walks away.
“I’ve got work to do, unlike you. What is it you do here again? You’re
never in your office,” I say as I stand.
“Without me, there wouldn’t be a club, so go suck your own cock.”
“You have a fascination with my cock. I think Nathan is right, you
secretly want to taste it, don’t you?”
“Fuck off,” he says, as he swings his arm on the back of the seat and turns
to watch the show.
Chuckling, I walk toward the bar and motion for Dylan to come over.
“Everything okay, Mr. Edwards?”
“Sunday afternoon, about one, can you come to my house?”
“Did I do something wrong?” he asks, as he nervously flings the bar towel
over his shoulder.
“Don’t do that, Dylan. It makes you look like a common bartender. No,
you’ve done nothing wrong. I’m having a get-together and I want you there.”
 “Yeah, I’d love to. Thank you.”
“I’ll text you the address.” I walk away and go back up to my office.

It’s late and I know Penny will be in bed.

She’s been pushing herself hard and trying to get around as much as she
can without the crutches. She makes me so proud to be her Master.
I strip off and have a quick shower as my girl sleeps cuddled in the middle
of our bed.
When I get in behind her, she moans softly and wiggles her butt against
me. Even in her sleep she recognizes me as her Master. “How was work?” she
says as she slightly turns her head toward me.
I don’t say anything. I kiss her naked shoulder. My left hand trailing down
to her hip. I know the moment she fully wakes because the breath catches in her
throat, and a cry of want trickles out.
“Shhh,” I say, as I move myself closer behind her. Parting her ass cheeks I
nestle my cock to just rest there on her ass.
“Mmm,” she moans, as she tries to push back onto my cock. But I’m not
lubed up yet.
“Shhh,” I say once again as I lay kiss upon kiss all down her neck and
shoulder, and I move so I can lick, and kiss the length of her spine. I get to the
beautiful dip in the small of her back, and I bite the top of her ass cheek.
Sinking my teeth deep into her soft, plush skin.
A small luscious groan reverberates through her entire body. A shiver
overtakes her as a whispered secret falls once again from her full lips.
I bite Petal’s other cheek, harder, allowing her the pain her mind and body
crave. I knead her ass cheeks in my hand as I move further down, biting hard
before lapping at the abused skin. Petal greedily grinds her ass against my face,
wanting the hurt to continue, increase.
She’s still not ready to be used in the way she craves, but pain is what she
needs, so pain is what I’m going to give her. With my teeth and mouth.
My tongue hungrily laps at her taut skin, then I sink my teeth into her
plush globe. Another gasp of air comes from Petal followed quickly by her
cheeks clenching together.
 I move and nibble over her other butt cheek. Small pinching nips
preparing her, warning her the next is going to hurt. Moving my left hand to
find her how slick her tight little cunt is, I bite, with pressure, as I slide two
fingers into her pussy.
She cries out in pain, and quickly follows it with a sob of pleasure.
“More,” she whispers.
I lean over and get the lube from the top drawer of my bedside table.
“Stay still,” I say as get up out of the bed and squirt lube onto my hand, rubbing
it on my achingly hard cock. “Give me your hand,” I say to Petal. She turns and
places her warm hand in mine. “I’m going to help you up, I want you to sit on
me.”
“Yes, Master,” she says, falling into her submission so elegantly.
Holding onto her hips, I sit on the bed and guide her toward my cock.
“Lean back and hold your ass cheeks open for me, show me how much you
want me to fuck this tight little ass.”
“God, yes, Master,” she says. Her fingers grab her cheeks, and she
spreads them as wide as she can. Exposing her perfect little ass to me. Her
puckered hole looks so deliciously tight, and suddenly I find the ravenous part
of me needs to be submerged deep inside her ass.
I guide her, my cock head just rimming her. “Relax,” I say as I kiss her
back. Her ass is divinely red with my teeth marks all over it. I ease the head of
my cock into her ass and Petal tries to push back, “Relax,” I say again, easing
her.
Stilling myself, I wait until I feel her soften, then I guide her further
down, slowly taking me in. I look down to see where we’re joined, my cock in
her ass. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” I say looking at Petal’s perfect ass, red
from my bites.
I start moving her hips, back and forth and slightly up and down.
Tiny, winded breaths are coming from Petal, almost like a soft purr. I let
go of her right hip and snake my hand into the base of her hairline. Pulling her
head to the right I watch as her mouth opens to an O and her tongue darts out to
lick her lips. Her eyes are closed though her forehead is scrunched up as she
concentrates on me fucking her ass.
Damn she feels so good. She’s so warm. And so tight. I kiss up her spine
and she releases a rasp of breath.
 Carefully I stand, holding onto her and turn us around. My cock in its
home, still inside her ass. “Hands on the bed, bend at the waist.” Petal does as I
ask. I tap her leg out, giving me a better stance as I stand behind her. “If it hurts,
you have to tell me.”
“I will, Master. Please use me,” she begs.
I lace my hand back into her hair, and push her head into the mattress. Her
ass is in the air, her head and tits smashed against the bed.
And I move my hips, fucking her. I’m possessed, I’m lost in her fevered,
tight asshole. I pull out and spank her. Hard. My hand print immediately
brightens her ass. I spank her again on the same spot, the sting certain to drive
her to the edge. I spank her a third time, harder again.
“Yessss,” she hisses into the mattress.
I thrust deep into her already stretched and prepared ass. Taking her in
one move. I lean over her body, and whisper, “You’re such a greedy pain slut.”
“Your greedy pain slut,” she says, as I worship her ass as hard as she can
take it.
Pulling out, I spank her other butt cheek. Her skin instantly changes color,
the red such an alluring sight. I spank her harder, the sound echoing in our
room, her cries for more coming out in quick rapid succession. Just my hand
descending on the soft, abused skin.
“Moooore,” she shamelessly begs. “Please, Master, I need more.” I
alternate my target between her two butt cheeks. “Please,” she prays. “Please,
please, Master.”
I spank her again. Her ass is red, tomorrow it’ll have the appetizing light
purple markings of a good spanking. I sink two fingers back into her pussy.
She’s so fucking wet, her arousal not only coating my fingers but also the bed
sheets.
“So greedy,” I say as I move behind her with my fingers driving inside
her.
“Yes, I’m greedy. Please, Master.”
“Quiet, Petal, or I’ll slip a ball gag in your mouth.”
I feel her cunt contract around my fingers with her reaction to my words. I
move my fingers, and she moans as she desperately tries to milk my fingers
with her pussy.
 I spank her ass cheeks again, “Ahhhh,” she screams from the pain. And I
sink my cock back into her ass, which is eagerly awaiting its Master.
Holding onto her hips, I grind against them. My cock plunges fully into
her, completely buried in her starved, tight ass.
I can’t be gentle. I need to own her, to claim her surrender, her gift of pure
trust. I close my eyes and just let myself feel her ass perfect around me.
“Please, Master, may I come?” she asks in a small voice.
My balls draw up, a shiver runs through my body. Raw electricity
charging through me. I’m holding onto my own release. She was ready to
explode moments ago, and now I’m ready to come. “No,” I say, while my cock
slides in and out of her ass. I lean forward, find her clit and pinch it hard.
“Ahhh,” she cries out. I pinch it harder. The pain is what she needs, and
the pain is what I’m giving her. “Come,” I command her.
Petal’s entire body vibrates under my own. The moment she lets go, I gift
her with my cum. I feel myself spurting inside her. I slow my battering on her
ass, and lean my cheek on her back. Petal’s breathing is ragged, her body still
shivering from the orgasm I granted her. “Thank you, Master,” she says.
I straighten and carefully pull away from her ass. As I slowly move my
cock out, a ribbon of cum drips out of her ass. Fucking sexy. Fuck, I love her.
Once I’ve helped Penny clean up and we’re in bed, she conentedly lays in
my arms. Exactly where she’s meant to be.
“Thank you, Brandon. The pain was a perfect filler for what I need.” She
kisses my chest, and lets out a small laugh.
“What?” I say as I smooth her hair and kiss her forehead.
“Your chest hair tickled my nose.” She laughs again, and places another
kiss on my chest.
A moment of silence passes and I kiss her forehead again. “We’re having
a barbecue this Sunday,” I say.
“We are?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not sure I can do too much,” she says, worry thick in her voice.
“You don’t have to do anything. I’m handling everything.”
“Okay…” she pauses. “Who’s coming?”
 “Matthew and Ella, Nathan and Bianca, Daisy and Jackson and Dylan.”
“Dylan from the club?” She snuggles closer to me.
“Yeah. He’s got wood for Daisy. I want him here to see how he is with
Jackson, make sure he’s alright around the kid.”
Penny laughs again, but it soon turns to a sigh. “You’re such a good guy,
Brandon. I can’t ask you to give up having a child, because I can’t give you
one.” Her arm tightens around my waist. It’s like she’s trying to tell me
something without using words.
“If you can’t give me a child, then we’re not meant to have one.” I kiss
her again.
“I don’t want to make you choose.”
“You’re not. I’m voluntarily choosing. And I choose you.”
“Brandon…”
“Don’t try to put thoughts in my head. Don’t try to play this any other
way than what it is. My mind is made up. I only want you.”
She sighs again, her breath warming across my chest. “I was horrible,
leaving you like I did. I don’t deserve you.” I feel wetness on my chest.
“I fucking love you, Penny. And you deserve me as much as I deserve
you.”
“I love you,” she whispers, as she quietly cries.
Maybe she’s crying for the child she’ll never be able to give me, or maybe
she’s crying because she thinks she’s disappointed me.
Either way, I let her tears fall, because in this moment, she needs to cry in
order to heal.
 TWENTY-TWO
I’m working on the accounts in my home office and my cell phone rings.
Looking at the number, I see it’s Justin. Damn it, I forgot to return his call when
he called last week to check on Penny. “Bro,” I say as I answer.
“Fuck man, if it was a life or death emergency I’d be dead ten times
over.”
“Sorry. I’ve been so fucking busy. Actually I was going to call you
anyway.”
“When? When hell freezes over?” he chuckles, and I can’t help but laugh
too.
“Matthew and I are buying another building. We need some design work
on it. Can you do it? Or do I have to find someone who’s actually good?”
He laughs into the phone. “When will you have it?”
“Soon, like within a month or two.”
“The permits I need to get alone can take months, and you want me to do
it in a few weeks?”
“We’re not knocking anything down, just redoing the interior.”
“For fuck’s sake, that’s piss easy.”
“You can do it?”
“In my sleep. Do you have blue-prints or plans on how you want it?”
“I have no blue prints, but I can get them. And we’re looking at
freshening it up.”
“What kind of business is in it now?”
“It’s a BDSM club, but incredibly run-down. It needs to be fixed up, new
fixtures, all that.”
“Are you converting it into another burlesque club?”
“No, we’re leaving it as a BDSM club. We’re changing the name and
making it more upscale.”
“A BDSM club? As in whips, chains all that stuff?” he asks, with a
surprisingly high tone to his voice.
 “Yes. But there’s more to BDSM then just those. And besides, this club
will be a temple to kink and fantasy.”
“Kink and fantasy. I might have to check it out once it’s opened,” his
voice breaks again.
Hmm, my little bro is into kink. I’ve never seen that side of him, or even
gotten any inclination he might be kinky. “You want to tie a girl up, do you?” I
ask.
“Not exactly,” he says in a small voice.
Well fuck me, little bro wants to be tied up and used. Not your business,
Brandon – leave it alone. “Have you got a Domme?” I ask, not leaving it alone.
“What? No!” he yells at me. His voice too enthusiastic. “No, just no,” he
says attempting to convince me he’s not interested. Or possibly trying to
convince himself.
“It’s not my business if you want a Dominatrix, matter of fact, once this
club opens, I’m sure there will be at least one looking for casual play.”
“What? I said no; I’m not into that perverted abuse shit.”
“Perverted abuse? Are you fucking kidding me? Now you and I have a
problem. It’s not perverted or abusive.”
“But, if you tie a girl up and beat her with whips and crap, isn’t that what
it is?”
“Not if I respect her safe word. Not if there’s trust there, and not if it’s
consensual. Don’t judge my lifestyle before you understand it. It’s all well and
fine to point fingers and say shit, but do your research first, then you can judge
it.”
“Whatever, I’m just not into giving up my freedom.”
“Again, you’re being highly judgmental and not understanding what it’s
truly about. The submissive is the one with all the power. It all comes down to
them and what they want. The Dominant is merely a trusted person to let go
with, and experience the surrender a submissive willingly gives,” I say as I grab
my coffee cup and drink the luke-warm beverage.
“The submissive calls the shots?” he asks quietly. I can tell he’s
considering what I’ve said.
“Yes. The submissive can choose to continue or stop. All with the power
of one word, which has been mutually decided upon prior to anything
happening. If it was abuse, then no matter what the submissive is screaming,
the abuser won’t stop. Big difference. Trust is the ultimate.”
“Huh, really?”
“Yes, really. Now, can you do the work or not?” I steer the conversation
away from Dominance and submission. I’ll let him think about it and if he has
questions, he can ask me.
“I can do it. You know I will. And don’t worry about the blue prints, I’ll
get them. Send me through what you want and I’ll have something to you
soon.”
“Thank you. And if you have any questions, about the club or what it is
that will happen inside the club, then just ask.”
“Um, yeah, okay,” he says hesitantly. “See ya.”

The catering company I’ve hired has been at my house since early
morning preparing the food. It’s just before midday when my phone vibrates
from inside my pocket.
“Michael,” I say as I answer it.
“The apartment building will officially be yours tomorrow at 3 p.m.”
“Good to hear,” I answer, as I pick at a salad the catering company is
preparing and pop a piece of lettuce into my mouth.
“And the offer was accepted by the old guy, and he’s asked if you want
the transfer to be done as quickly as possible. All the reports and inspections
have come in, and it’s all good to go.”
“How fast does he want to hand it over?”
“Record speeds. I’m doing what I can, I’ll email you a list of things to do
if you can and if you want it transferred faster into your and Matthew’s names.”
“Excellent, let’s get it done.”
Michael hangs up, and I see Matthew waltz into my house like he fucking
owns it, with Ella behind him.
“Don’t you knock?” I say as I grab a beer and offer it to him.
Matthew shakes his head at the beer. “I’ve known you for how many
years? I’m not about to start knocking now.” Fucker. If Ella wasn’t beside him,
I’d tell him that, too.
“Penny’s outside, Ella. Why don’t you go join her?” I say as she gives me
a kiss on the cheek.
“I think I will. Thank you, Brandon.”
“Kitten,” Matthew calls her back.
“Yes, Sir,” she responds.
“If it gets to be too much, let me know.”
Ella’s face reddens and she smiles. “I will, Sir.” She lowers her eyes and
bites the inside of her cheek. She goes out through the sliding side door.
“What are you doing to her?”
“She’s wearing a vibrating butt plug. She was moving around on the seat
of the car trying to make herself come. So I pulled over, made her suck me, and
left her hanging on the edge. I told her if she’s a good kitten, I’ll use the cane on
her tonight. But I’ll take her into your bathroom and fuck her half-way through
lunch.”
I just laugh. “I just got off the phone from Michael. The old man wants to
make this transfer as quick as possible. The reports have all come back,
everything’s ready to move. Michael sent me an email with what we can do to
assist in a flawless, quick transaction. I haven’t had a chance to look yet.”
“Great, send it on to me, and we’ll work on it tomorrow at the club.”
“Speaking of which, I take ownership of the apartment building tomorrow
too.”
“Congratulations, brother. Time to celebrate.”
There’s a knock on the door and I walk over to find Nathan with Bianca
standing behind him, eyes to the ground.
“My slave has been a brat; she’s on restriction,” Nathan tells me. His
words aren’t filled with malice, it’s just to let us know how we’re to treat
Bianca. “Go and sit in the corner, nose to the wall. Legs crossed, and hands on
knees.”
“Yes, Master,” Bianca says and takes herself to the corner Nathan has
pointed to.
“Beer?” I ask as he follows me outside.
“Yeah.”
 I grab a beer from the outdoor fridge and give him one. Nathan makes the
rounds, swooping in to give each of our girls a kiss on the cheek.
“Where’s Bianca?” Penny asks as she stretches out on the lounger,
soaking up vitamin D.
“She’s inside. She’s in time out,” he answers.
Penny and Ella look at each other and lower their eyes, knowing not to
question Nathan any further.
“How long is she in time out for?” I ask Nathan, because Matthew and I
want to talk to him about the club.
Nathan looks at his watch then back to me, “She’s got five more
minutes.” He takes a swig of his beer.
“We need to talk,” Matthew says, as he comes and stands beside Nathan
and myself with a bottle of water in his hand.
Nathan notices the water and his eyebrows shoot up in question. “Getting
too old to handle your alcohol,” he digs at Matthew.
I can’t help but laugh. Sooner or later the age jokes had to start, now that
Matthew’s turned the big four-oh. My turn is soon, and I can only imagine the
shit Matthew and Nathan will dump on me once it’s my birthday. Fuckers.
“Do you need help with…anything?” Ella asks, her voice breaking on the
last word.
“I want to fuck you,” Matthew says to her, and Ella’s face lights up with
happiness.
“Leave the poor girl alone,” Nathan mumbles only loud enough for
Matthew and me to hear.
“We’re fine. Go and talk with Penny,” I say to Ella, who turns and slowly
walks back to Penny. Very slowly. “One day that girl is going to wake up and
leave you.”
“She can come live with me,” Nathan jokes.
“Screw that, man. She can come live here,” I say.
“Neither of you can have her. Unless I die, then you both need to look
after her, you two are the only ones I trust with her.”
“Now that you’re forty you’re getting all sentimental and shit. Cut it out
before we start hugging,” I say, fully aware of the consequences which I’m sure
will come.
 “Hang on, I’ve got to get Bianca,” Nathan says, disappearing inside.
A moment or two later Nathan comes outside, followed by Bianca. He
leads her to a chair, and sits her on his lap. She’s quietly sobbing into his chest,
and he has her wrapped in his arms.
I go inside and get some dark chocolate and a juice from the fridge and
bring them out to Nathan. I hold them up behind Bianca, so I don’t undermine
his authority with her. Nathan nods to me, and I place them on the table beside
him. Bianca may be experiencing anything from subdrop to just plain bratty
behavior. I’m not sure, and it’s not my business. But if it’s subdrop, the
chocolate and juice will help with replenishing her endorphins.
“Would you like a drink?” I ask Penny. Matthew’s already gotten a soda
for Ella and is giving it to her.
“No, thank you,” she says. I lean down and give her a soft kiss on the lips.
“The doorbell,” Penny mumbles against my lips.
I walk inside and open the door to see Dylan has arrived at the same time
as Daisy and Jackson. “Hi, Brandon,” Jackson excitedly says, as he comes in
and hugs me around the waist.
“Hi Champ, how’s the arm?”
“It’s okay. The doctor said I get my cast off on Friday.”
I look at Daisy and she seems a bit uncomfortable. Dylan is standing
behind Daisy, sheepishly looking at her butt.
“Daisy,” I say gesturing for her to come in, then kissing her on the cheek.
“Dylan.” I hold my hand out for him to shake.
“Thank you for having Jackson and me, Brandon,” Daisy says.
“You’re welcome. If you head out through those sliding doors, you’ll find
everyone else out there.” I put a hand on Dylan’s shoulder, holding him back.
“Don’t fucking stare at her ass. You don’t have the right to check her out like
that. You keep your eyes on her face. If for one moment I think you’re looking
at her like she’s nothing more than meat, I’ll rip your fucking eyes out of your
head.”
“Yes, Mr. Edwards,” he says and looks down, embarrassed.
“I’m just Brandon here. Come, grab a drink.” I lead Dylan outside, and
show him to the fridge.
 Dylan gets a beer and sits beside Jackson, who’s swinging his legs back
and forth because he can’t quite reach the concrete of the patio. Dylan turns to
Jackson and starts talking to him. Jackson nods and says something, and it
looks like those two easily fall into conversation.
“Mr. Edwards, we’re ready to start serving,” one of the wait staff says as
he comes out of the back door.
“Good. That table is fine,” I instruct and point to the extra table. The staff
begin to bring out trays of food. “Ladies, gentlemen, and Champ, plates are this
way.”
Jackson’s first in line to get a plate. “Thanks, Brandon,” he says as I help
him with the food and fill a plate for Penny’s lunch.
“No problem, Champ.”
“How deep is your pool?”
“Really deep. Can you swim?”
“Nah. Mom wanted to send me to learn, but she said she couldn’t afford
it.”
“That’s okay. You can’t swim with that cast on your arm anyway.” I look
down and see it’s been signed by a few people. Most likely the kids from his
school.
“Yeah, I know,” he says in a small voice.
“Has your mom talked to you about moving?” I dish some green-looking
salad thing on his plate. He wrinkles his nose at it.
“Yeah, she said we’re going to a new apartment or something. But that
means I can’t play catch anywhere.”
“Yes, you can, because across the street from the apartment is a park.”
“There is?” he asks with enthusiasm.
“Yep. And you’ll be going to a new school too.”
“Really?” He takes his plate and sits down. I follow him and place
Penny’s plate in front of her.
“Do you need anything, Petal?” I kiss her forehead.
“No, thank you.” She arches her neck and offers me her lips. How can I
deny her? I lean down, and kiss her.
 I go and get a plate for myself, and Matthew and Nathan are already there,
getting food for their girls. I look at Bianca and she’s sitting on the chair
smiling and talking with Ella, Penny, and Daisy. “Everything okay?” I ask
Nathan in a low voice.
“Yeah, it is now.”
“Do you need help with anything?” Matthew offers.
“No, we’re all good. Thanks.”
Matthew and Nathan take the prepared plates to their girls, then come
back and make themselves a dish. We three sit together, opposite our girls. Our
girls are happily talking, laughing, even including Daisy. I look over to Dylan,
and he and Jackson are discussing superheroes. What a screwed-up subject…
superheroes. As if they fucking exist.
Lunch goes over easy. Everyone is having a relaxed time, just enjoying
the day for what it is. The catering company cleans up, and brings out a few
desserts. Penny’s favorite chocolate cake, of course, and some others that look
tempting.
“Ladies, Dylan and Jackson, if you don’t mind excusing Matthew, Nathan
and myself, we have some business to discuss,” I say, as I stand and walk over
to get Penny her dessert before we leave. Matthew and Nathan do the same
thing, getting their girls dessert before the three of us leave to go into my office.
Nathan leans down and whispers to Bianca, and I see her lips move as she says,
“Yes, Master.”
“You’re always so proper in front of the girls,” Nathan says as he closes
the door.
“That’s because he thinks he’s Casanova,” Matthew adds sarcastically.
“Fuckers,” I say as I go and sit in my chair. Matthew and Nathan sit in the
chairs opposite mine.
“Why was I summoned?” Nathan asks.
“We’ve got an offer for you to consider,” I say.
“You want me to take care of your woman, and now what else? You’re
telling me not only does your cock not work, but also what…you’re business
skills suck too?” Nathan’s a prick. But what I do know is Nathan, just like
Matthew, will always have my back.
“Brother, you’re on fire today,” Matthew says, then chuckles.
 “As I was saying before you started thinking with the brain inside your
jeans, Matthew and I have an offer for you. As you know, we’re looking at
buying the building that houses the Velvet Room.”
“I do,” Nathan says looking at me, then Matthew.
“We want to offer you twenty percent as a silent partner,” Matthew says.
“What? I’m not in business with either of you. I have no idea what to do
and I don’t have the money to invest.”
“We’re not asking for money. Matthew and I want to give you twenty
percent.”
“Why?” Nathan asks incredulously.
“Because, that’s just who the three of us are,” Matthew says.
“But there’s more,” I add as I watch Nathan’s shocked face. “When we
take over the club, we’ll be changing the name to the Onyx Room, and
relaunching it as an upscale BDSM club. It’ll take the three of us a lot of work
to earn it the pristine reputation we want for it, but we also need someone to
manage it. And who better than you? You’re already a Master, you have as
much control as Matthew and myself, and we trust no one more.”
“But I’m a cop, what do I know of running a club?”
“Brandon and I will teach you that part of it, and we have Ella who’s
studying to be an accountant. She already knows what to do at the Onyx Club.
The job’s yours if you want it. We’re willing to match what you get as a cop.
Once the business is off the ground, the three of us can look at renegotiating a
better arrangement for you.”
“You guys are serious.” He looks between us.
“Yeah,” both Matthew and I answer.
There’s an extended silence in the room. Matthew and I can see Nathan’s
considering the offer.
“Take some time to consider the offer, talk it over with Bianca ‘cause this
is a huge decision to make,” Matthew says.
“Bianca will do as I say, but I will take the time to think about it. I’ve also
got Bianca’s well-being to consider. But, if I can bring her to the club with me,
it may work out well.”
“Ella works for us. Penny comes to the club when she can. Bianca’s
certainly welcome to be there with you too,” I say as I look to Matthew who
confirms what I’ve said with a nod.
“Your offer is generous and certainly nothing I was expecting. Thank you,
I’ll seriously consider it,” Nathan says, looking both of us in the eye.
“Settled then. But before we head back out there, Penny and I have gone
over the contract, we’ve hashed out what she wants, what I want and the things
I don’t feel I can give her. It’s really only two things she wants I can’t give her.
She wants to try a latex vacuum bed and she said she wants to whipped by a
Gorean Slave Whip. I’ve done some research online, but there’s no way I have
the confidence to experiment on her with either of those.”
“I have a latex vacuum bed. It’s extreme confinement and even Bianca
struggles with it. We don’t use it often, but once she relaxes, she enjoys it. The
Gorean whip, I don’t have that. From my understanding it’s quite severe. I do
have a cat and a couple of others I can use that will give her the biting sting she
needs. If she wants that whip specifically, I can do some research if you like.”
“I’ll buy a bed and the whip she wants, I’ll have them delivered to your
place and you can see if the whip is something you can use.”
“Either way, I’ll teach you how to use them both. She may not even like
the bed, but if she does then you’ll know how to use it.”
“Thank you,” I say and look to Matthew, who’s remaining quiet and
looking between us both.
“I never realized she was so heavily into the pain,” Matthew says.
“I always knew she wanted it, but I didn’t realize the extent either. Great
fucking Dom I am. I’ve been with her for a couple of years, and I’m only now
discovering how deep her need for pain is. I swear, the right guy could take a
bat to her and she’d still beg for more.” I shake my head and shudder to think
what Lucifer did to her.
“Lucky you’re the right guy for her. You need to teach her to protect
herself. Rein that desire in, but also give it to her when she needs it most. And
don’t kid yourself; you’re a good Dom. You were just blinded with wanting to
change her so she didn’t want it. It took an almost-tragedy for both of you to
learn how to communicate,” Matthew says.
“He’s right. Your mistake wasn’t that you couldn’t give her what she
yearns for, your mistake is that you didn’t dig in deep enough to discover it. Her
mistake was hiding it from you for as long as she did. You’re both equally
responsible,” Nathan adds.
 “You know what she said to me while we were going over the contract?”
Both Matthew and Nathan shake their heads. “She said to me, ’I always knew I
wanted pain, but I never knew how much I wanted it until the night I walked
out on you. You’d done so much to me already, and I still wanted more. It was
like the ultimate switch flipped in my brain and told me I had to have more.’”
“Fuck,” Nathan says.
“I know. That’s where it all came undone. I didn’t delve deep enough, and
she didn’t fully know herself how much she needed it.” I nod my head.
“What’s happened is over with now. Move forward, teach her, and let her
teach you. Set the pace so she doesn’t fail herself again,” Matthew declares.
I stretch my arms up and place them behind my head, just thinking about
Penny. Matthew’s words resonate with me. I need to guide her, because when
she’s bordering on subspace, she can’t think clearly while she’s chasing the
ultimate high.
I’m her Dom, her Master.
Just as she owns me, I own her.
 TWENTY-THREE
The last week has gone by in a blink of an eye.
Penny is now walking completely unaided, albeit slowly.
I had the apartment completely freshened up for Daisy and Jackson
and organized movers to come in, pack and move her. Jackson started at his
new school, and already they’ve tested him and put him in an accelerated
learning program. His cast has come off and he’s doing some physiotherapy
to help him regain full use of his arm.
Our offer on the other building was accepted and we’re waiting for
sale to go through. But in the meantime, I’ve employed some underhanded
tactics to ensure the day Matthew and I announce we own the building, we
can get rid of Lucifer instantly, with no fuss. Though I know that’s hopeful,
I suspect it’s not going to happen as easily as I’m hoping for.
I get up from my desk with the information I’ve received and head
into Matthew’s office.
“Hey, I got something,” I say, as I sit and open my laptop to the email
I received.
“Do you enjoy just interrupting? I swear you do it all the time.”
Matthew chuckles.
“Yes, I do like coming in here unannounced, wondering what I’ll find.
Like the time I walked in and you had Ella bent over the table fucking her.
And also the time you had her do a sexy little striptease for you. Those are
the ones I do enjoy, what I don’t enjoy is walking in here and finding you
Skyping with Ella and you’re jacking off. And besides, you have a fucking
lock on your door, use the damn thing.”
Matthew roars a huge laugh and shakes his head. “What do you want?
I’m about to Skype.”
“Keep it in your pants, Romeo. I’ve got some information I think will
be incredibly useful to us.”
“Information? Where was it obtained from?”
 “I paid someone to scope it out and get us some interesting facts.” I
shrug my shoulders.
“Go figure, here I thought I was the only one who does things like
that.” Matthew sits back in his black leather chair and folds his arms in
front of himself. “Hit me.”
“He’s got underaged employees working for him.”
Matthew’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Instantly I see the shift in
his appearance. He heard ‘underage’ and he thinks I’m talking young.
“Really?” he questions as his shoulders tense further.
“Only by a year. They aren’t young schoolkids, but the fact is, we’ve
got cause to throw his ass out because he’s operating the Velvet Room
illegally. And as stated in the contract he signed, he’s not allowed to have
any illegal activities on the premises.”
Matthew lowers his shoulders, relaxing when I tell him the staff aren’t
as underaged as he thought. “I knew we were business partners for a
reason,” he says sarcastically. “Getting him out should be easy. In theory,
that is.”
“Yeah, we never know what else is going to happen, though. But with
this information, hopefully he’ll walk out easily.”
“Right. Anything else?”
“Dylan. He wants to ask Daisy out.”
“I saw how he was with Jackson at your barbecue, he’s a good guy
and he’ll do well for Daisy. I’m okay with him taking her out, if you are,”
Matthew says.
“So am I, I’ll talk to him.”
“Good, now piss off. Ella’s waiting for me.”
I stand and take a step toward the door. “You know, watching Ella is
fun.”
“Get out,” he yells at me.
I chuckle and leave, going back to my office. A beautiful sexual
image of Ella naked doing what Matthew instructs her to do, plagues me.
The image turns into Penny, and I want to ramp her up, all through text
message. To push her outside her comfort zone.
Picking up my phone, I send Penny a message.
Where are you?
Within seconds I receive a text back from her. In our bed, reading.
I want you wet.
I’m always wet for you.
Strip everything.
Yes, Master.
Go to my side of the dresser, and get the vibrator from the top drawer.
The one with the ears. Sit on the bed, legs open, position yourself in front of
the mirror.
As you wish, Master. There’s a pause, then she responds. I’m as you
want me, Master.
Turn the vibe on and run it across your nipples.
Thank you, Master. It feels nice.
Put the phone down beside you. Hold your sweet little pussy lips open
and slide the vibrator into your wet cunt.
There’s no response, but I know she’ll be doing exactly as I asked.
Now move it, hold it on your clit and close your long legs around it,
petal.
Please, this is driving me crazy. I need to come, Master.
That didn’t take long.
You don’t have my permission. Now, open your legs, and keep your
eyes on the mirror watching your pussy as you slide the vibe inside you.
I’m afraid I may disappoint my Master if He doesn’t allow me to
come.
Who knew giving Petal instructions over text messaging would turn
her on so much?
Take the vibe out, and go back to reading.
 I know it’ll frustrate her, not being able to come. But she needs to let
go and trust me to look after her.
As my Master wishes. The text comes a good minute after I’ve given
her instructions.
Sitting at my desk, I begin to go over the accounts for the month to
date.
There’s a knock on my door, dragging me out of my concentration on
the accounts.
“Come in,” I yell, looking toward the door.
“Hi Brandon, um, can I talk to you, please?” Daisy asks as she walks
in.
“What’s on your mind?” I sit back in my chair and lean my elbows on
the desk.
“Um, first I want to say thank you. I don’t think I’ve said it enough. I
really appreciate everything you’ve done for Jackson and me. The
apartment is perfect. Everything’s perfect. Jackson loves his new school,
and the work they’re giving him is unbelievable. He’s thriving. I know he’s
only been there a week, but he comes home so much happier. And he’s
making friends with others who are like him, it really is…” Tears start
falling, and I’m met with a woman crying, again.
“It’s my pleasure.”
“I’ll work really hard, Brandon. I promise I won’t let you down.”
“I know.” I stand, go to my personal bathroom and grab the box of
tissues. “Here,” I say, as I push the box toward her. “As long as you keep
doing what you’re doing.”
“I will, I promise.”
“There’s maybe one thing you can do for me,” I say as I lean my butt
against my desk and cross my feet at my ankles.
Daisy looks at me, and crinkles her forehead. “Anything, what do you
need?”
“Let Dylan take you out on a date.” The corners of Daisy’s mouth
turns up in a smile she’s trying to hold back. “What?”
 “I was going to. I like him, he’s cute, and he treats Jackson really
well. At your house, I was watching him and how he talked to Jackson. I
liked it.”
“Good.” I move from my desk and place my hand around Daisy’s
elbow, guiding to her leave. It’s not that I don’t want her here, but she’s
taking up my time and I want to finish up what I’m doing so I can get home
and fuck Penny.
“Thank you, Brandon.” She stops at the door, reaches up on her toes
and kisses me on the cheek. “For everything.”
“You’re welcome.” I close the door and lock it so I don’t have any
more interruptions and get back to the accounts. I just want to get home to
my girl.
 TWENTY-FOUR
“You ready?” Matthew asks me as I get into his Shelby Cobra. He
once loved this car more than life, but now, he has a new love – Ella.
“I must admit, getting rid of this Lucifer fucker will be the highlight
of my year,” I say as I hold the paperwork in my hands.
We’ve taken ownership of the building and are on our way to evict
Lucifer from the Velvet Room. Justin’s already got all the contractors lined-
up to start renovation on the club the moment we give him the go-ahead.
Because nothing major is happening, it should take no more than three
weeks to have everything done.
“Nathan called me yesterday and told me he’s keeping an eye on
Lucifer. His gambling debt is getting bigger, and I have a feeling he’ll end
up at the bottom of the river if he continues like this.”
“Not our problem,” I say to Matthew. We offered him money, but he
was greedy, and now he’s about to be kicked out with nothing.
We get to the Velvet Room and see one of his henchmen having a
smoke outside the club. It’s during business hours, and we know it’ll be
open because he needs the money. The guy sees us, recognizes us and goes
inside, I assume to let Lucifer know we’re there.
By the time we’re out of the car, Lucifer and his two ‘bodyguards’ are
outside to greet us. “I thought I made myself clear, I’m not accepting your
offer,” he says and crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“Paying patrons,” Matthew says, as he takes a hundred-dollar bill out
of his wallet and shows Lucifer.
Lucifer flicks his chin to the guy guarding the door and he steps aside
to let us in.
We walk in, and go straight to the bar, Lucifer follows and stands
behind us.
“Just a soda,” I say to the bartender.
“Same,” Matthew adds.
 “Sweet ride,” Lucifer says to Matthew. Matthew nods his thanks as
the bartender puts the drinks in front of us. “What do you want?”
“It appears the building has been sold,” I start. Lucifer narrows his
eyes. “To us,” I add.
“You’re here to demand more rent from me?”
“Not at all. But I am here to give you this.” I hand him the envelope
I’ve been carrying. Inside is a list of the birthdates of all his staff, one of
whom is the bartender who just served us. Underage by six months, along
with another eight underage staff.
Lucifer opens the envelope, and as his eyes read over the information,
the smug and cocky look slowly dissipates as his mind deciphers the
information on the paper. “This is bullshit,” he says as he keeps reading.
“Lucky for us, our very good friend, who’s a cop, has invited some of
his cop friends to meet him here within the next five minutes. As a matter
of fact, if you go outside now, you’ll see them pulling up,” I say, now the
smug and cocky one. What businessman wouldn’t do his research on the
staff he hires? An idiot, that’s who.
Lucifer brings his hands down slowly, the papers falling from his
hands to the ground. He steps forward, and his two bodyguards straighten
their backs. Matthew stands, as I do, ready for the confrontation. “I did my
own digging, and I know who you are,” he says, his voice low, trying to
intimidate me. “That sweet little piece of ass, the one who liked to be
choked and beat…she’d better watch that fuckable asshole of hers. Because
one day soon, she’ll find herself being sold to friends of mine who like it
rough.”
The hair stands on my neck, my entire body erupts into goosebumps
and I clench my hands into fists.
“She fucked like the best whore I’ve ever had,” Lucifer says with a
smile.
And with that, I lose it. I lunge at him, grabbing him by the shirt,
fucking smashing his face in. Every blow fueled by anger, and with every
smash I feel his skin become tenderized. I’ll fucking kill him, I’ll fucking
pulverize him into nothing.
 We fall back, and I’m sitting on his chest, pounding my fist into his
face. I can feel someone trying to drag me away, I can hear high pitched
screaming, but I don’t fucking care. I can’t stop. He thinks he can hurt
Penny, but I’ll kill him before he lays one finger on her.
“Brandon!” Matthew yells.
At that one moment I stop the attack on Lucifer and look up to see
Matthew standing beside me. Lucifer’s two bodyguards have disappeared
and are nowhere to be seen. Wimps.
Slowly I get up off a bloody Lucifer. His nose is dripping blood, his
mouth is split and I’ve managed to open a cut in his eyebrow. “Get out,” I
say as I stand beside Matthew. “The club’s closed. Get the fuck out,” I yell
to everyone in here.
“Keep your cool, man,” Matthew whispers. “Keep your cool.” I walk
away from the scene before I take another swing at Lucifer.
“Watch your back,” Lucifer says, as he spits on the faded and
destroyed carpet. Blood and a tooth come out of his mouth. “I’ll fucking
take that girl, and you’ll never see her again.”
“You need to leave before I let him kill you,” Matthew says to
Lucifer. The club now virtually a ghost town.
“I have some things to get from my office,” Lucifer says, in more of a
panic then what it’s worth.
“We’ll mail them to you,” Matthew says, grabbing Lucifer by his
collar.
“I have connections, and all your little sluts better watch themselves.”
Matthew rears his hand back, and punches Lucifer once, hard enough
to make him stumble back a couple of steps. “Now get out,” Matthew says
while flexing his hand. He then grabs Lucifer’s shirt and pulls him out the
door.
I go over to the bar and sit, just trying to calm down. My mind hasn’t
stopped turning, mostly because I’m now worried about all the girls.
Lucifer is a low-level dick whose connections end with his owing them
money. But the threat alone is enough to make me worry. I take my phone
out, and look through my contact list, getting Billy’s number up. Billy is the
head of security at the Onyx Club.
First though, I need to calm down so I can talk rationally to him. I
pick my soda up and drink it slowly, but the turmoil in my mind isn’t
easing.
A few moments pass and Matthew comes back into the club.
“Everything alright?” I ask.
“It is now,” he answers.
“Did you kill him?” I’d never put that past Matthew. Anyone
threatens our girls, and he’d do whatever is in his power to make sure the
threat is never actualized.
“I gave him my car as payment to fuck off. Told him I’d burn the car
with him strapped inside if he ever came near our girls, or even thought
about coming near us. The look on his face, told me he knows I meant
every word I said.”
I’m not sure I heard him right. “You gave him your Shelby Cobra?” I
ask.
“I did.”
“You fucking love that car.”
“Not as much as I love Ella. Or Penny. Or Bianca. I did this for our
girls.” I stand from my seat and walk over to Matthew. “The girls aren’t to
know,” Matthew says.
“Of course not.” He fucking gave up his car. “Let’s get the locks
changed, and see what he was hiding in his office,” I say. I know Matthew
doesn’t want to make a big deal out of what he’s done. He’s not a pompous
asshole who needs the attention or the gratifcation.
He’s a Dom who looks after his friends, his family, and his
possessions.
I grab my phone and dial Billy. “Mr. Edwards, how can I help you?”
Billy answers the phone.
“Who’s not working security tonight?” I ask.
 “Ted’s got three nights off, Kyle had last night and tonight, Cameron
is on vacation until tomorrow and Robert has a split weekend. And the three
new ones you’ve asked me to train for the new club are all off tonight.”
“Get in touch with Ted and Kyle, get them over to the new building
we bought. Tell them they’ll be here all night.”
“Will do, Mr. Edwards. Anything else?”
“No, thanks.” I hang up.
“I got in contact with the locksmith, he’ll be here within the hour,”
Matthew says. He puts his phone in his pocket and we both head toward the
office.
“I’ve got Ted and Kyle coming in. They’ll be here all night.”
We walk into the office Lucifer once had and it’s more of a mess then
when we paid him a visit all those weeks ago. “This place is a fucking
mess, why the hell does he need damn pizza boxes in here for? Fucking
animal. Look at this place.”
I sit in the uncomfortable, old chair and start going through the
drawers of the desk. I open the first drawer and find a black box. Opening
it, I see drug paraphernalia. A rubber tourniquet, a needle, a spoon, a lighter
and a small baggie filled with white powder. “Fucking drugs,” I say to
Matthew holding open the black box and showing him.
“I hate to think what else we’ll find,” Matthew says.
I throw the box in the trash, and open the next drawer. It’s filled with
wrappers, and papers loosely strewn about. “This place is such a mess,” I
say taking the drawer out and emptying it in the trash can. “Thank God we
have our industrial cleaners coming through this place. I’m just going to
throw everything out.” I open the third drawer down and see three white log
books no larger than a sheet of paper. On the front in black pen on the first
one is the letter P, the second has the letters CF and the third says TAX.
I flick through the one with the letters CF, and see the contents are
accounts. Or I should say a pathetic attempt at keeping accounts. I grab the
one with P and notice it too has the same information, the third the same.
However, when I lay them out on the table, I compare the information and
see all three are for the same time period though greatly vary in figures.
 “What’s that?” Matthew asks as I look among them.
“Books, all quite interesting, all very different.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Brandon?”
“Three sets of accounting books, all the same time period, all with
different figures.”
“How does that work out?”
“Clearly, they’re for three different groups of people. This one is
marked with a P, and has the biggest cash flow. This one is marked TAX,
and has the second biggest cash flow, though considerably less than the first
one. And the third, marked CF, has the least amount of cash flow.”
“It’s clear the one which says ‘tax’ is for the IRS. But who the hell are
the other two meant for?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I imagine the one with the ‘P’ is most likely
personal. But I have no idea what the CF means.”
I put the three books aside, keeping them for us in case we need them.
And continue to empty the drawers. I open the last drawer and find a used
condom in it. “Fuck me,” I say.
Matthew chuckles as he steps over some boxes to come look inside
the open drawer. “Disgusting.” He walks away and shudders.
“Do you know what? Let’s leave everything and just get the cleaners
in to do their thing tomorrow. As of tomorrow afternoon, everything’s
getting torn out regardless.”
“No wonder this place is such a dump. I’m going out to the bar to see
what’s going on there,” Matthew says as he leaves.
I grab the three lots of books and step over all the shit carelessly
spread out everywhere and follow him. I don’t bother closing the door, or
doing anything other than walking out.
Matthew’s already checking behind the bar and shaking his head.
“Look at this,” he says, motioning for me to come over. “Tea, already
mixed ready to go.” He holds up a large container with the lid off as he
sniffs it. “When someone is drunk enough, they’d give them tea instead of
scotch and charge them for the alcohol.”
 “For fuck’s sake.”
As Matthew and I look behind the bar the front door opens, Ted and
Kyle walking in. “Mr. Edwards, Mr. Weston,” Ted says as he looks around
the large empty room.
“Gentlemen, thank you for coming in on your nights off. I need you
both to stay until after the cleaners leave in the morning,” I say while
walking out from behind the bar.
“Sure thing,” Ted says and turns to Kyle. They begin to talk about
how they’re going to secure the premises tonight.
The next couple of hours are spent with the locksmith and going over
the place from top to bottom.
It’s a fucking mess.
 TWENTY-FIVE
Three days have passed and the Velvet Room officially no longer
exists. The cleaning crew came in and got rid of everything, gutting the
place and throwing everything out. Matthew arranged for a security system
to be installed in the club and Justin’s already well underway with the
remodeling and decorating.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I take it out, seeing it’s Ted. “Mr.
Edwards, there seems to be a problem down at the Onyx Room. There’s a
gentleman here waiting for his payment.”
“Who is it?” I ask getting up from my chair in my office at the Onyx
Club, grabbing my car keys about to head downstairs.
“Sir, he seems to be here for protection money,” Ted answers in a low
voice.
“Protection money?” I stop at the door, perplexed by what Ted is
saying.
“Yes, Sir. He says his name is Joseph Cabriatti, and the previous
owner owes him money for protection.”
Fuck, I think I know what’s going on. “Tell him to wait, I’ll be there
soon.”
“Yes, Sir.”
I walk over to Matthew’s office and he’s sitting in there, working on
his computer. “We gotta go, there’s a problem.”
Matthew’s on his feet and ready to leave by the time I’ve finished the
sentence. But I jog back into my office and grab the white ledger books I
found. “What’s going on?” Matthew asks as he meets me in the corridor
and we begin down the stairs.
“’CF’ I think is Cabriatti Family. Ted just called, said some guy
named Joseph Cabriatti is waiting at the club for protection money. I have a
feeling, ‘protection money’ is the money Lucifer owed him for gambling.”
“That’s not our problem,” Matthew says as we get in my car and head
toward the Onyx Room.
 “It’s not, but our club is in the middle of it. If we don’t deal with it
now, then we’ll come back to a club on fire.”
“I’ll call Nathan, see what he knows about this guy.”
As I drive toward the club, Matthew calls Nathan and puts him on
speaker.
“What’s happening?” Nathan answers the phone.
“The guy Lucifer owed the money to, was it a Joseph Cabriatti?”
Matthew asks.
“Yeah, small-timer. No real clout, just runs a few drugs, loan shark,
nothing big time. Is there an issue?”
“He’s showed up at the Onyx Room wanting protection money from
Lucifer. Obviously Lucifer is no longer around, so we’re going to deal with
it.”
“I can be there in a few minutes,” Nathan offers.
“No need, I think I may have something else of interest for him,” I
say.
“Do I want to know?” Nathan asks.
“Not while you’re still a cop,” I add with a chuckle.
“Call me if you need me.” Nathan hangs up.
“What have you got in mind?” Matthew asks as we speed toward the
club.
“We’re not thugs; we aren’t going to hire him for protection. But I do
have something I’m sure he’d be interested in.”
“I see. I wonder if it has anything to do with that back page,” Matthew
says with a smile as he continues to look ahead.
We pull up in no time and Ted’s outside with a guy in a leather jacket
and short dark hair. Matthew and I get out and walk over to Ted.
“Joseph?” I say, holding my hand out to shake his.
“Who are you?” he asks, as he cautiously takes my hand, then
Matthews.
“I’m Brandon, this is my business partner Matthew. We now own this
club, but come in so we can talk.”
 “You own the club?” he asks, surprised.
“Please,” I say indicating for him to come inside the shell of the club.
Everything’s been ripped out, and right now there’s only a painting
crew in here and Justin, along with his personal assistant. “Give us ten,
guys,” Matthew says to them all.
We need everyone out so if anything is said no one’s there to hear it.
“As we were saying outside, Matthew and I now own the club.
Lucifer’s no longer around here.”
“Guy owes me money,” Joseph says.
“I’m sure he does,” Matthew says with a snide smile.
“Problem is, I provided protection for this place and because of it,
Fredericks’ owes me money,” Joseph says trying to flex his authority with
us. But Matthew and I know it’s not protection, it’s the gambling debt he’s
owed for.
But to me, and undoubtedly to Matthew, he looks like a bottom feeder.
No one interesting, no one to cause us a problem.
“We can’t help you with that.”
“Do you know who I am?” he asks.
“Joseph Cabriatti. But here’s what we know, Joseph. You’re small-
time, but ambitious, and really want to make it through the ranks. I respect
that, but we’re not interested paying you protection. Because as you can
see, we have our own security.” I gesture around the club and point to the
cameras installed everywhere.
Joseph’s top lip curls slightly and I can see agitation slowly creeping
over him.
“But here’s the thing. I’m sure I can provide something to you to help
you rise through those ranks quicker, if you’d like,” I add.
“How so?” He plants his feet hip width apart and crosses his arms in
front of his chest.
“With these,” I say holding up the ledgers.
“What are those?” he asks, his eyebrows knitting together.
 And now I know I’ve got him. “Books. More specifically I found
three ledgers, all with differing figures. One for the IRS, one that was
Lucifer’s personal ledger, and one with the letters ‘CF’ which I assume is
you. He was giving you dodgy numbers, and these prove it. Now if I was
trying to rise through the ranks and be taken seriously, maybe making
someone an example is what needs to be done. But hey, what do I know?” I
ask Joseph but look at Matthew, shrugging my shoulders.
“Can I have a look at those books?” Joseph asks.
“You can, but just so we’re clear, I have copies of them in a secure
spot. Actually if you turn to the back of the ‘CF’ book, there are some
detailed reports about some activities he saw you involved with. Just out of
curiosity, how’s that guy doing – you know, the one who was in the alley
that night?”
Joseph takes the book and starts flipping through it.
“You know, the dates and times there could be dangerous in the wrong
hands. For example, take that convenience store robbery, where the guy got
shot in the leg. Man, it wouldn’t be good for the police to discover that,”
Matthew says.
“Are you threatening me?” Joseph asks.
“We’re not interested in whatever thug you took down. We don’t give
a damn. But this club, this concerns us, and we want your assurance we can
do business in peace, in exchange for that book.” And there’s my offer.
Walk away, don’t come back, and he can have the book to do with as he
wishes.
“You can turn me in.”
“What need would we have to do that if we never cross paths again?”
Matthew asks.
Joseph smiles and nods his head. Right now a very clear
understanding has been reached.
“Gentlemen, nice doing business with you,” Joseph says. He takes the
books, and leaves.
And hopefully soon, we’ll hear of a certain prick with concrete boots
at the bottom of the river.
 TWENTY-SIX
2 MONTHS LATER
Last week Matthew came into my office and threw a newspaper on
my desk. He sat down quietly, sniggering to himself as he brought his arms
up and rested them on his head.
“What do you want?” I asked him as I picked up the paper.
Matthew’s chin jutted toward the paper and he kept smirking. The
headline read, “Dismembered body found in trash bags skirting river’s
edge.” As I read the article it was clear to me that Joseph Cabriatti was most
certainly using Lucifer as a warning to anyone else who thought to cross
him. 
Lucifer’s body had been hacked, placed in several trash bags, and
dumped in shallow water. It seemed to me Cabriatti had done this to ensure
Lucifer would be found and his demise interpreted as a warning.
When I finished reading the article, Matthew, still smirking, stood as
quietly as he had entered my office, shrugged his shoulders and walked
out…whistling.
That was the highlight of my week. Now though, this is the highlight
of my month.
Petal’s kneeling beside me, wearing a tight, see-thru black dress.
Bianca is kneeling by Nathan in just a collar and her leash, and Ella is
sitting on Matthew’s lap in a thong and bra. Matthew and Ella have delayed
their trip to France, Matthew saying he wanted to be here for the grand
opening of the Onyx Room.
“Mr. Edwards, Mr. Weston, Mr. Stone, can I get you gentlemen a
drink?” Lucy, our head waitress, asks.
We’re sitting in the VIP section of the Onyx Room watching a scene
on the main stage. Tonight’s the grand opening of our BDSM club, and
Nathan already told us we’re going to be at capacity. Doms, Dommes,
Masters and their submissives have all turned out to see the new club. Word
of the Velvet Room being taken over by the owners of the Onyx Club
spread quite quickly.
Doms and Masters wanted to come and have a look at what we’ve
done.
The club is split into a main viewing stage, equipped with everything
a Dom would want or need for a scene. We also have three smaller stages,
surrounded by smaller viewing areas, which can easily be converted to
private rooms. Submissives not owned, have a choice of colored bands they
wear around their wrists, which tell Doms their availability for play. Blue is
for submissives only wanting to watch. Green is new submissives still
learning, and red is for experienced submissives wanting to play.
Being the first night, we have the section set aside for unaccompanied
submissives, filled with eager ladies and men wanting to watch and be
played with.
“I’ll have a Grey Goose and a water,” I say to Lucy.
“Ardbeg Scotch and a soda,” Matthew says, then leans across and
kisses Ella’s forehead.
“Water for us, thank you, Lucy,” Nathan says to her.
Lucy turns and leaves to get us our drinks.
“I thought you were going easy on the alcohol,” I say to Matthew as I
pet Petal’s hair. Petal’s on her knees, her chin down, eyes down. Her hands
are palm side up on her knees, telling me she’s ready to be played with.
“I was, but I’d like to enjoy a drink tonight.” Matthew smiles and
kisses Ella again. “It seems my sperm are good.”
Petal squeals and it takes me a good few seconds to put together
everything Matthew just said.
Nathan’s up in a heartbeat congratulating Matthew, and I follow as
soon as it all registers.
“Can the girls congratulate your girl?” Nathan asks.
Matthew nods. “Petal, did you hear the good news?” I ask.
“Yes, Master. May I speak?”
“Of course.”
 “I’m so happy for Ella, may I please get up and give her a hug?” I
hear her voice break. She may be happy for Ella, but she’s also upset.
“Come here, Petal.” I tug her up by the hair and guide her to sit on my
lap.
On the main stage in front of us, a Domme has her two male subs
handcuffed to each other, back to back. There’s a double-ended dildo in
each of the boy’s asses, and she’s walking around them, using a flogger on
their stiff cocks.
“I’m sorry, Master,” Petal says as she settles on my lap.
Matthew and Nathan have both turned to give Penny and me privacy
to talk.
“What are you sorry for, Petal?” I ask as I smooth her hair away from
her face, and wipe the tears with my thumbs.
“I’m being selfish. Really, with all my heart I’m so happy for them,
but I wish it was me who was pregnant. I can never have a baby, and it kills
me to know I can’t. What upsets me most is when I see you with Jackson, I
can see how great you’d be as a dad and I’ve taken that away from you.”
“You didn’t choose for this to happen. You didn’t want this.” I kiss her
cheek and bring her in tight against me.
“I know, but if I hadn’t left, if I wasn’t so selfish, this wouldn’t have
happened.” Her insecurities are creeping in again. But this is bound to
happen, especially when she’s confronted with her best friends having
babies.
“It’s not on you, Petal. He wasn’t a man. And he certainly wasn’t a
Dom. Dominants are gentlemen first. They must have complete control
over themselves before they can dominate anyone else. You put your trust
in someone who was able to deceive you. He was able to deceive many, so
don’t blame yourself. He was nothing more than a predator.”
“I know you forgive me, but I can’t seem to forgive myself,” she cries
into her hands.
“Do you not trust me?” I ask. This makes her stops crying and look up
at me. Her eyes are red and bloodshot and she looks so upset.
“With everything I am, I trust you.”
 “Then answer me this question, Petal.”
She wipes the tears with the back of her hands and pulls in two large
deep breaths to steady herself. “What is it, Master?”
“How does a blind person walk?” I ask.
Her eyes falls from mine, and she knits her eyebrows together. I watch
as her body tenses, then relaxes as she thinks about the question I’ve asked
her. A few moments go by, with nothing more than the moans of the two
submissive boys on the stage. The sounds of the flogger hitting skin, and
the demands from the boys’ Dominatrix are clearly heard.
“With one foot in front of the other, Master,” Petal says as she looks
up at me.
“A blind person walks with confidence. Trust in yourself, and I’ll lead
you the rest of the way.”
Petal buries her head into my chest, her body telling me she
understands I’m not going anywhere. Her words are repeated, and it’s only
two she keeps murmuring through the tears. “Sorry, Master.”
I hold my girl and I don’t let her go, because finally she understands.
Whether she’s by my feet, in my bed or by my side, Penny and I are
meant to be together.
 TWENTY-SEVEN
EPILOGUE
 
“I’ll check her and make sure she’s okay,” I say to Nathan as I walk
around his St. Andrew’s cross, securing Petal to the restraints.
“Slave, crawl into the cage. Move onto your back. I want you to slide
down so your legs are dangling through the bars, cunt flush to the bars so I
have access to it.”
“Yes, Master,” Bianca says and crawls into the low profile black cage.
I watch as she does exactly as Nathan says, and also check on my girl.
Petal’s wrists and ankles are comfortably restricted. “Color, Petal?”
“Green, Master,” she whispers.
She’s strapped with her back completely exposed. The cross is
freestanding, however it’s securely mounted to the ceiling and the floor.
Essentially it gives us access to all parts of her body.
“Good girl,” I say and kiss her on the mouth. Petal greedily takes my
kiss, her mouth eager to have more of me. “Close your eyes.” She does and
I slip a blindfold on over her eyes.
I walk back to the bag I bought with us, containing all the toys Nathan
and I are going to use on her. I take them out, lining them up in order on the
small table I’ve moved near the cross.
The room is warm, the girls are in place. “This cunt is beautiful,”
Nathan says and I look over to him. He’s got a vibrator teasing his slave’s
pussy. “Still,” he instructs her as he puts the tip inside her then takes it out.
“Do you want to get her started?” Nathan says as he points toward Penny.
Running my hand down Petal’s back, her body shivers beneath my
touch. A soft, exquisite sound passes from her lips as her shoulders shake
with desire.
 I lean in and kiss her on the base of her neck. My mouth takes a slow,
torturous path as I lick then nip at her skin. “How’s my girl?” I ask, though
it’s clear how much she’s enjoying the trace of warmth against her highly
sensitive skin.
“Excellent, Master,” she sighs dreamily.
“You’re perfect like this. Absolutely gorgeous, waiting for your
Master.” I pepper kisses down her spine. Petal’s response is charged with
hunger as she tries to arch into my touch.
I massage her ass, kneading her cheeks one at a time. Gripping them
forcefully, getting her ready for the pain she so desperately wants. The
dangerous desire that overtakes her and holds her hostage until she can no
longer fight the need to relinquish control to it.
I bring my hand down on her ass. It’s not a gentle spank; it’s hard.
And it’ll sting. This is what her mind and body craves. This is the high she
pursues so avidly. Right here, right now, she trusts me and Nathan to give
her the endorphin high she needs.
As I continue to spank her, her ass reddens, and with every strike of
my hand, Petal’s need increases. But we’re nowhere near finished with her.
I sink a finger into her pussy, and like the wanton girl she is, she’s drenched
and ready to take whatever else we want to give her. I take the paddle from
the table, and standing to the side, I bring the paddle down on her prepared
ass.
“Oh,” she groans. The sound is erotic and hot as hell. I bring the
paddle down again on the other cheek. “Ohhh,” she moans again, but this
time longer.
I bring the paddle down again and again. Petal’s writhing against the
restraints, her head has fallen back as she twitches with every strike of the
paddle.
“How’s my girl?” I whisper, taking time to lick her earlobe. I know
she wants more, I can see it with how she’s reacting.
Moaning is heard from where Nathan is fucking his slave with the
vibrator, but all I’m concentrating on is my Petal.
“So good, Master.”
 When Petal answers, I snake my hand forward and pull her nipple.
They’re mouthwateringly long, and ready for me to attach the hair pin
clamps I’ve bought for her. They’ll hurt more than regular nipple clamps,
but if pain is what my girl needs, pain is what I want to give to her.
As I begin to attach the clamps, Petal’s breath becomes ragged as she
tries to haul air into her chest. “Relax,” I say as I lick and nibble at her
nipples to make sure they’re prepared.
Once done, I get my cane from the table. From her ass all the way to
above her knees I cane her. Softer to start, and I increase the pressure until
her squirming tells me she’s ready for the whip.
I look to Nathan and he nods to me. “Move back in the cage, slave.
Watch as I use Sir’s girl.”
“Thank you, Master,” she says as she moves back so her body is
entirely inside the cage.
“I’m going to do what I’ve been teaching you to do. For now, move
over here, and watch how I stand, and how I flick my hand,” Nathan says to
me.
He’s had me over a few times, getting used to the whip and how to
crack it properly. I stand where he’s shown me, and he cracks the whip mid-
air to start.
Petal’s response is instantaneous. She moans as her body yanks
against the restraints. And he hasn’t even caressed her back with the
cowhide.
“Ask her color,” Nathan says softly.
“Color, Petal?”
“Luscious green, Master.” I can’t help but smile at her answer.
I look to Nathan and nod. The first strike of the whip hits on her upper
back.
“Ahhh,” she screams out in ecstasy. Her inner thigh is shiny with her
pussy juice as it starts to run down toward the floor.
“Again,” I say to Nathan.
 He lifts the whip, strikes again and the mark it leaves is instantly
rising and making patterns on her.
“Ahhh,” Petal yelps louder. She’s fighting against the restraints, she’s
wriggling and trying to close her legs to find the orgasm and high she
needs.
I nod again to Nathan. The whip cracks in the middle of her back, the
patterns are overlapping, the fifth is her undoing.
Her sounds are erotic, her cries are filled with fever. She’s desperate
to come. “Please, Master,” she begs. “Please, please, I need to come,” she
cries.
I shake my head at Nathan, and he lowers the whip. Her back is
covered in beautiful red lines, a sprinkle of blood seeping. I don’t want to
give her any more, but she wants it. She needs it.
I walk around the front of her and find her biting her lip as she
anticipates the next strike of the whip. I look around and give Nathan
another nod. The whip cuts through the air, the sound deafening, and the
look Petal is giving is the sexiest I’ve ever seen her face.
The whip makes contact, Petal’s mouth falls open as her entire face
finds peace. She’s teetering on the edge of subspace, she’s nearing her
ultimate high.
“Do you need to come?” I whisper as I raise my hand to indicate to
Nathan to allow the whip to kiss her back once more.
Upon contact she bellows, the tears already staining her pretty face.
“Yes, Master, so badly. I’m beginning to float,” she says, her words long
and drawn out.
I lift my hand once more. The whip cracking brilliantly, the passion so
clear on Petal’s face. “I’ll let you come after you answer me,” I say.
“What, Master?” her voice is soft.
I lift my hand, and as the whip strikes her again, I lean in and whisper,
“Marry me?”
“Yes!” she screams, her body convulsing, then becoming lax. Quickly
I free my girl from the cross, and take her to the bed. Nestling against her, I
kiss her.
She said yes.
Now it’s time for me to care for my Petal.
THE END
CARNAL DESIRE
Coming soon.
 
FILTHY DESIRE
Available now.
 There are a few people I need to thank, who’ve been amazing and
incredibly helpful to me as I embark upon this crazy journey.
Let’s start with a lady who’s been incredibly loyal, so supportive and
has believed in me from the moment she read my first book, Filthy Desire.
Lee Ann, thank you. You’ve done more for me than you could imagine.
To my Sirens: Lee Ann, Diane, Natalie, Marina, Wendy, Aundrea and
Melinda. We’re a small group, however you’ve proved the power we hold
as a united group. Thank you ladies. The cover reveal was out of this world
crazy, and all because of how hard you all worked for it. I appreciate
everything you’ve all put in for me.
Onyx Club Ladies. Thank you, you’ve been fantastic, so supportive
and every time I ask for a favor – each and every one of you has been kind
enough to support me.
To my girls in BBR. Helen, Elizabeth, Kristi, Tracey and Cindy.
Thank you ladies. I don’t think I’ve ever met a better group of ladies
who’ve accepted me and helped me. Thank you.
Jesse Sesselman. What a phenomenal editor. Someone who works
with me, and gets what I’m trying to say. Thank you for all your hard work.
To my beta readers. I won’t name you specifically because I’m greedy
and don’t want anyone stealing you away from me. You know who you are.
You do more for me than you can imagine.
To my proofreader. EV. Thank you.
Book Cover by Design. You seem to understand exactly what I want
in a cover and do a phenomenal job.
And of course thank you, to everyone who’s taken the time to read
Filthy Desire and now Dangerous Desire, I appreciate the support.
Copyright 2015 Sebastian Ex
All rights reserved. This book is copyrighted. Apart from the fair
purpose of private study, research or review as permitted by the Copyright
Act, no part may be reproduced without written permission.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are
the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
 
Connect with me on FaceBook: Author Sebastian Ex
Email: sebastianxauthor@gmail.com
Twitter: @sebastian_ex
ISBN: 978-0-9943547-1-6
ISBN: Paperback 978-0-9943547-2-3