“Of course he would. I’d kill for curves like yours.” Sunny gave her an unexpected hug, and Kira could feel all the bones of Sunny’s back. “You are exactly his physical type, so don’t let any doubt enter your mind as far as that is concerned. I’m more worried about your tendency to be a smart-ass getting you in trouble.”
Pulling back, Kira made a note to talk with Hawk to see if Sunny might be anorexic. Now that Kira was looking closely, not so focused on herself and her own fears, she could see that other than Sunny’s naturally full cheeks, the rest of her was terribly thin. While Kira wasn’t good enough of a friend to bring it up, she knew Hawk was.
Sunny gave her an odd look, and Kira forced herself to smile. “So, I’ve picked out my sadist. Now where can I get him gift wrapped?”
“See? You’re going to get your ass beat so often you won’t be able to sit down for months.”
Looping her arm through Sunny’s, Kira began to walk with the woman back toward the public bar area. “Lord Bryan, is he cruel?”
“He’s a sadist.”
“I mean, does he ever, like, hurt anyone when they don’t want to be hurt?”
“No. That’s not his style. All the submissives he’s been with adore him.”
“Has he been with a lot?”
Sunny shrugged. “I’m not sure. I usually don’t come back here. I will say he’s been with Wicked for the last three years, and he has to go through the same rigorous health checks that you did by the club’s doctors. Oh, and he doesn’t always have sex with his subs. Some of them he just beats.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I guess because some women need it and they can go to him without worrying about him wanting sex.”
“Doesn’t he like sex?” The dry look Sunny gave her made Kira laugh. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes. Considering he belongs to a BDSM sex club, I would say the chances he likes sex are pretty high. But just because something is available doesn’t mean you have to take it. He’s picky about who he takes.”
That thought made Kira feel both better and worse. She didn’t like the idea of a guy having banged every woman here, but at the same time she did want an experienced sadist. But shit, Bryan was the kind of guy who could walk into a room and a draft would be caused by all the women dropping their panties at once. The thought that such a sex god would want her with her fucked-up body and would want to help her get over her fucked-up fear of penetration seemed slim to none.
Sunny stumbled, and at first Kira thought it was because the other woman wore killer six-inch heels. Then Sunny leaned against Kira and whispered, “Migraine. Hawk.”
Kira winced. She’d had a migraine once in reaction to some medication for allergies. Everything had hurt. Light, sound, a breath. Everything.
“Okay, Sunny. I understand. You have a migraine, and you need me to get Hawk. Will do. I need to get you someplace where you can sit down.”
Moaning softly, Sunny muttered, “Lounge. Ahead and left.”
A Dominatrix and her hunky boy toy paused as they passed them in the hallway. The tall brunette in a black leather catsuit looked closely at Sunny. “Woman, I swear to God if you didn’t take the medication I prescribed you, I’m going to rip your spine out and beat you with it.”
For a moment Sunny rallied, but tears were pouring down her face. “No drugs.”
Kira hefted Sunny up as she sagged. “You know her?”
The Dominatrix nodded, her whole body vibrating with anger. “I’m her physician, Dr. Pershelle.”
Kira nodded. “She asked me to get Hawk for her.”
Dr. Pershelle nodded to her submissive. “Go run and get Hawk. Tell him we’ll be in the warming room.”
Without another word, the man took off, his extremely toned ass providing an instant of distraction as his loin cloth flew up with his movements.
“Girl, what’s your name?”
“Kira, Ma’am.”
“There is a warming room nearby. We’ll take her there.” Dr. Pershelle got under Sunny’s other arm. “Let’s go.”
In what seemed like record time, they made it into a small, super cozy, and extremely relaxing room. The scent of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon filled the air. Against one wall there was a king-size daybed with mounds of pillows. Kira and Dr. Pershelle set Sunny down, and the woman immediately curled on her side.
Dr. Pershelle pulled a blanket over Sunny and jerked her head at Kira.
Leaving the other woman curled up in a ball, Dr. Pershelle leaned in close to Kira. Dr. Pershelle smelled like expensive perfume and sex. “Are you a friend of Sunny’s?”
“Yes. I know her through Master Hawk.”
“Good. Can you please tell him to make sure Sunny takes her pain medications? I know she hates them, but I detest seeing her like this when she doesn’t have to suffer if she’d just take her damn meds. Someone needs to get through to her, and he’s the only one she’ll listen to.”
Kira’s breath hitched. “I…yes, of course. But why Hawk? Why not her family?”
Dr. Pershelle pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Can’t say. What I can say is that Sunny views Hawk as her Master. I know they’ve never done anything sexual together, but she loves that man and will do things for him she wouldn’t do for anyone else. Do you know what I mean?”
Before Kira could say anything, Hawk raced in. He didn’t even look at them, just went to Sunny’s side as quickly as he could. As soon as he reached her, he knelt next to the bed and extended his tanned hand across the silk sheet to Sunny. The other woman put her hand in Hawk’s and drew a shuddering breath. Next to Hawk’s vibrant Native American good looks, Sunny seemed as frail as spun glass.
“I’ll talk to Hawk,” Kira said.
“Good.”
Chapter Two
Lord Bryan Sutherfield reclined on one of the throne-like leather chairs, looking down into the pit at Club Wicked. The entire floor was transparent, so one could sit up here and watch the happenings below in a mellow, subdued atmosphere. The only lighting came from the room beneath his feet, so this space was dimly lit shadows and silence. Dominants often liked to come here to relax and rejuvenate. Watching the scenes at their feet, appreciating the beauty of the submissives, soothed a hole in their hearts.
Below, Bryan was observing a baby Dom letting one of the more experienced submissives top from the bottom. Normally he would have frowned on anyone letting a sub get away with that, but in this case, the submissive was helping the young Dom learn his craft. The guy was probably in his early twenties, and the submissive in her early forties, so it was fascinating to watch the dynamic between the two. The exchange of power and emotion.
That was what he was interested in.
The connection, that brief and elusive kiss of the divine that happened when a Dominant and a submissive truly connected. He’d had it once or twice, but for various reasons, those relationships hadn’t worked out. It had been almost a year since his last relationship ended, and he was feeling irritable, needing that connection.
It kept him grounded and sane.
And right now he was so fucking bored. Nothing excited him like it used to. Everything was just kind of…blah. He’d tried different submissives, even considered a male sub, but everything he’d considered had left him feeling as empty as he did now. Last week he’d had two female subs, and while that had been fun to watch, it didn’t totally engage him like it should have. Maybe he’d go on another long ride up to Canada before autumn hit and brought his motorcycling options north of the border to an end. He should go see the Rocky Mountains and let his soul rejuvenate.
Someone sat next to him. The moment a pair of worn cowboy boots kicked up onto the glass table in front of them, he knew who it was. When two beers clinked on the table, he reached forward and silently took one. He and Jesse Shaw had never been good friends, but over the past month, they’d formed an unusual bond. Dove, Jesse’s submissive, was in Paris, and the man was missing her fiercely. Right now, Jesse was too pathetic to irritate Bryan.
Besides, he understood how the man felt.
Taking a sip of the rich English stout, Bryan sighed, then rubbed at his goatee with his free hand. His nickname at Wicked was “The Devil.” He found it amusing. He guessed he could be seen as somewhat demonic. The submissives certainly enjoyed it. There was nothing like the tremble of a woman right before she felt the kiss of the belt or cane. The only thing better was her relaxation a minute later when she learned your intent was to pleasure her, not beat her.
Jesse cleared his throat. “So you’re in between submissives?”
Arching a brow, he barely turned to look at the other man. “Yes.”
“Huh.”
The other man’s leg twitched, his foot tapping a fast pace against the edge of the table. If Jesse didn’t spit out whatever he was trying to work up the courage to say, Bryan was going to choke him. “For fuck’s sake, man. Say whatever the fuck you came to say and then fuck off.”
Jesse laughed and sat forward, slowly spinning his beer between his hands. “I have a favor to ask you.”
Immediately suspicious but interested because Jesse clearly needed him for something, he waited for the big Texan to continue. They had similar taste in submissives, so there had been some competition between them. Dove had briefly interested Bryan, but he saw right away how those two were gaga over each other. From there on out, Bryan had only flirted with her to irritate Jesse. Dove knew, so she’d play along until Jesse would pick her up and take her somewhere for her “punishment.”
Wondering if maybe Jesse wanted him for a threesome with his deliciously full-figured submissive, he cleared his throat. “
And
?”
“I have a friend who needs your help.”
Taken off guard, Bryan leaned back in his chair, then looped his leg over the arm in an arrogant manner that never failed to irritate Jesse. It was so much fun fucking with that man’s head. “If she wants financial advice, have her set up an appointment at my office. Oddly enough, I didn’t bring my laptop with me tonight.”
“Not that kind of help.” Jesse actually had a flush to his cheeks, visible in the bright lights shining up through the floor. “She needs a sadist, a good one.”
“Pardon? Was that a compliment?”
“Stop being an asshole for a second. This is serious.” He looked over at Bryan; his gaze was straightforward but weary. “Hear me out before you say anything else.”
Bryan pantomimed zipping his lips, but he was actually intrigued. While Jesse certainly liked to fuck his women rough, he didn’t cross the line into darker things. Bryan lived in those murky shadows, dim places filled with sighs, moans, and crying. Not tears of pain but tears of release. The kind of orgasm that lifted a submissive to a different level of consciousness, a state not easily achieved but so worth the effort.
“I’ve known this woman for the past five years. She’s a friend of Hawk’s, is on a couple charity boards, and one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. And I know rocket scientists, so that’s saying something.”
“She’s ugly, isn’t she?”
“What?”
“Well, you’re going on and on about her attributes, but you’ve failed to mention anything physical about her. So she must be hideous.”
“Don’t be such an asshole.”
“But irritating you is so much fun. Fine, tell me more about this girl with a great personality.”
Jesse took a long drink, looked at Bryan, then took another pull from his beer before setting it down.
Bryan made an impatient motion with his bottle. “So, back to the lovely damsel in distress that needs Lord Pierced Dick to save her.”
“She is also compassionate, funny, and so sarcastic it makes my teeth hurt.” He squinted his eyes at Bryan, then picked his beer back up. “She reminds me of you.”
“Should I be flattered or appalled?”
Jesse took a sip of his beer and flipped Bryan off before continuing. “Keep that thought in mind. My friend used to live out in Hollywood. She left her home here in DC as soon as she graduated college and went in search of fame and fortune. She found both but at a great cost.”
“Drugs?”
“Nope. I don’t think she’s ever done anything heavier than smoked weed. It was her adrenaline-junkie side which took her out. She had a motorcycle—”
“What kind?”
Bryan had nine motorcycles in the ten-bay garage at his home. Riding had been a passion for him since the moment he set foot in the States. Coming from England, he’d been stunned by the size of the country and had bought a top-of-the-line touring bike that day. For the next six months he rode across the US and into Canada, going wherever he wanted. A good deal of that time was spent camping at the national parks and being amazed anew at the world. It had certainly refreshed his soul, and when he decided to make Washington, DC, his home, he felt like for the first time he was someplace where he could be happy.
Now if only he had someone to share that happiness with. A nice, quiet, soft little submissive who would let him take care of her. The kind of woman that would be waiting for him at the end of his work day, naked and begging for his cock.
Jesse shifted, bringing Bryan’s attention back to him. “Some kind of crotch rocket. I think it was pink.”
“Pink?”
“Yep. Baby-doll pink.”
“Sacrilege.”
“Anyways, they were doing another take of one of the scenes for the movie, a chase scene. My friend is a rather well-known actress who did all of her own stunts, and while she was taking a turn at forty miles an hour on a winding California road, the stuntman chasing her lost control of his bike. It clipped her bike, hard enough that she got thrown into the handlebars before flipping over the front. Luckily she landed in a safety barrier or she would have gone down the side of the hill and probably died.”
Bryan sucked in some air through his teeth. Anyone who rode a motorcycle knew the risks. What Jesse was describing must have resulted in some pretty bad injuries. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah. That happened four years ago. She suffered all kinds of problems, but the biggest one, the one that has pretty much ruined her life, was her pelvic injury.” Jesse looked back at his beer. “Ever since the crash she hasn’t been able to have sex, penetration, without pain so intense she couldn’t take more than a few minutes. That’s where you come in. If anyone can help her learn how to find pleasure in her pain, it’s you.”