SinfullyWicked (7 page)

“Yes,” Nikki breathed before she knew she would.

“Excellent,” Mr. S&S said, gesturing for one of the male
performers, another perfect specimen clad only in a leather G-string.

He gave Nikki’s tray to another server, then took Nikki’s
upper arm, leading her toward the platform. Iron Maiden’s
Out of the Shadows
cut off at “surely there is pain”. A female voice came on the sound system.
“We have a winner for tonight’s performance,” she cooed, her pronunciation
Dixie thick and sultry. “Let the punishment begin.”

Every guy who didn’t have liquor, a smoke or his date’s
tongue in his mouth let out a wild cheer. The music came back on, throbbing,
insistent. The male performer ascended the first step of the platform. There
were only four, but to Nikki she might as well have been facing Mt. Everest.
She couldn’t catch her breath. Her heart slammed into her throat.

At her hesitation, the young man turned, pretending to be
dominant even though his whisper was super nice. “Do you want to change your
mind, sugar?”

Yes—no—maybe—then again, maybe not. If Mitch and Connor had
been leading her up to the platform, this would be an easy decision. She
would’ve raced them to the top. Reminding herself how unlikely that was to
happen and that this performance would earn her extra dough, Nikki pulled in as
much air as she could to calm herself. “Let’s do it.”

On the platform, he circled her wrists with the manacles,
snapping them shut, then pulled on the chains until Nikki’s arms were slightly
above her shoulders and held out at both sides. In this position, her breasts
lifted above the cups, offering more of her nudity.

Men surrounded the stage, watching the preparations with the
same fervor they would a hotly contested Super Bowl. Mr. S&S and his friend
were at the front of the crowd, rough grins cutting across their faces.

Nikki’s breath caught at the male performer running his
hands down the insides of her thighs, parting them. Several men lifted their
glasses in a toast of appreciation. Mr. S&S and his buddy studied the
straps and whips on the wall, obviously deciding which one they wanted used on
her.

“That one,” Mr. S&S called out to another server,
pointing to a length of leather that resembled a man’s belt. “It’ll pink up her
ass nicely.”

“And have her begging for more,” his friend commented, then
asked her, “Isn’t that right, hon?”

Closing her eyes, Nikki resisted the urge to tug on her
arms. Her head fell back, exposing her throat. The male performer stepped into
her, the meaty package between his legs brushing her naked ass. Startled, Nikki
rose to her toes. The audience laughed and whooped. The performer clamped his
hand on Nikki’s shoulder, bringing her back down, his body heat making her even
warmer. Beneath the leather bustier, sweat ran down her torso. She heard the
clink of chains as he lifted the collar, prepared to slip it around her throat,
trapping her further. Next, he’d secure her waist, thighs and ankles, pulling
on the chains until she couldn’t move while all the men could.

Would one of them forget the club’s rules and try to touch
or lick her cunt? Would others follow, undeterred by the strap repeatedly
striking her ass?

A rush of desire mixed with a thread of panic raced through
Nikki.

The male performer lifted her hair, moving it out of the way
as he brought the collar closer. She whimpered, then moaned, uncertain of her
reaction.

Mr. S&S shouted above the crowd, “That’s it, baby. We
got you now. Time for you to be spanked good and hard by—hey!”

At his sudden surprise, Nikki’s eyes snapped open. She gaped
at Mitch hauling the guy away from the platform, then climbing the steps,
frowning like he wanted to be the one to punish her.

“Whoa there,” Mr. S&S said, grabbing Mitch’s sleeve.
“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Pick another girl,” Mitch growled.

“Hell no. I like her.”

“She’s not available to you.” He pulled his arm free.

The guy reached out to grab it again. Mitch’s bunched
shoulders and tightened fists stopped him. Dropping his hand, Mr. S&S
backed up several steps, pushing into the crowd. “Easy, man. No need to get
violent. My friend and I did pay to have her punished. We won the bid, and I do
believe it is our right to—”

“Forget it. I own this place and I know what everyone’s
rights are. She’s mine. Understand?”

Nikki stared at him. What was he talking about? She was his?
Since when and to do what with? Discipline her?

Mitch didn’t wait for his patron’s answer. He reached the
platform, not stopping until he and Nikki were face to face.

Never had she seen him so pissed, not even in school after
all the shit happened. Seldom had she been more aware of her female
vulnerability when faced with such a potent male. Several strands of Mitch’s
dark hair hung over his forehead, dangling above his hooded eyes. His chest
pumped hard with his strained breathing, making his black dress shirt quiver
slightly.

He edged so close, their thighs just about touched. Nikki
went weak with submission. The room grew quiet, even the music seemed tamed.

Searching his face, Nikki saw no tenderness or
understanding, just a hard edge that excited her beyond reason. She expected
him to grab the belt the female server had placed at the edge of the platform,
wrapping one end of the leather around his hand, preparing it for use.

Ignoring everything except her, Mitch cupped the back of her
head in his hand, tilting it to his, claiming her mouth.

Dear sweet God.
His kiss was unrestrained, his lips
as soft as she recalled, his stubble scouring her skin. He seemed unconcerned
about that and the crowd. He fondled her breast, playing with her nipple.
Sparks of delight made her tremble. He answered by settling his other hand on
her ass, his fingers trailing down the furrow between her cheeks, an
indelicate, possessive gesture. She moaned, the sound muffled by his lips and
tongue. He drove it deeper, his hand urging her closer, demanding she press
into his beefy cock.

Sagging into him, Nikki sucked his tongue, imprisoning it
between her lips. He tasted minty clean and smelled even better, all woodsy
with a hint of leather. His body was solid beyond belief. His shaft, ungodly
rigid and thick, strained against his pants. His breathing was as ragged as
hers. It wasn’t enough. She wanted to wreathe her arms around his powerful
shoulders, getting as close as she could.

The chains rattled with her brutal attempts to get free. At
the noise, Mitch pulled his mouth from hers, ending their kiss.

No.
Nikki brushed her lips against his cheek. She
burrowed her face in his collar’s opening, suckling his throat as he unlocked
her shackles. With each of his movements, she caught a hint of his musk,
whimpering in response. The bristly hairs on his jaw urged Nikki nearer. Freed,
she pushed her fingers through his silky hair, using it to anchor him to her
for another kiss.

Not having it, Mitch swept her into his arms, carrying her
down the steps and to the room’s double doors. The women giggled and squealed.
The men were less romantically inclined, complaining loudly that they’d come
here for a damn show.

The hall was cooler, the air less smoky, the patrons looking
at her and Mitch in bewilderment. He carried her to another door Nikki hadn’t
noticed before. It opened onto a back stairway lit by bulbs, not candles. Was
he going to mount her in here? Did he want that as badly as she did? And what
about Connor, where was he?

Mitch lowered Nikki to her feet and grabbed her wrist, using
it to lead her down the stairs.

Not understanding, she held back. “What are you doing? Where
are we going? Was what you just did a part of the perform—”

“Shut up,” he said, stopping abruptly, using his body to
force hers against the wall. “Just shut up.”

He gave her no choice, his tongue was back in her mouth, his
groin grinding against hers with a frenzy she’d received from few men. Heat
poured through her. The world spun. To keep from sagging to her knees, Nikki
slipped her arms around his shoulders.

Mitch grunted, thrusting his tongue even deeper to tame her
uncivilized groan. He wrapped his hands around her wrists, pulling her arms
from him, pinning them to the wall instead.

Wild, appreciative sounds spilled from her that his kiss
couldn’t quiet. They went at it like school kids on a hormone high, neither of
them wanting it to end. His tongue filled her mouth, hers filled his. They
groaned and grunted, each of their bodies growing damp with raw lust fueled by
too much previous heartache and need.

When Mitch was finally as breathless as she was and finished
their kiss, Nikki snuggled her face to his neck, loving the sound of his
pounding heart, how he held her protectively, almost tenderly, his hand
stroking her hair. Her throat tightened with emotion, precluding any words, so
she spoke with her body, rubbing her nipples gently against his chest, wrapping
her leg around his.

That broke the magic. Once more, he grabbed her wrist.

“Wait,” she said.

He didn’t, ignoring her pleas and questions as he pulled her
down the stairway through another door into Shoshana’s office.

The young woman wasn’t inside, but Connor was looking as
infuriated as Mitch had been. What in the hell was happening here? Were they
going to spank her in this office, then fuck her senseless?

Mitch released her wrist and moved away. Connor didn’t come
anywhere near her. Gesturing to the sofa, he said, “Get dressed.”

Nikki’s body went hot, then cold at her blouse and capris on
the furniture. Next to the clothing were her sandals, underwear and purse. She
backed up. The movement caused her bustier’s underwires to dig into her flesh
like the bra from Hell, her face was sweaty beneath the mask and her feet ached
from her four-inch heels, but no way was she going to remove the fucking
costume. “What’s going on? Why am I here?”

“We don’t want you working in the club,” Connor said.

There was absolutely no hesitation or sympathy in his voice.
Nikki blurted, “Why? What did I do wrong? Is this about that guy putting his
arm around me? I stopped him. He behaved. I was nice to him and all the other
customers just like Shoshana said I should be. They seemed to be having a good
time. They seemed to like me.”

Mitch snapped, “That prick and his friend bid on you so
you’d be whipped.”

“So? They won. What’s the problem?”

“What do you think,” Connor growled. “We don’t want anyone
doing that to you, all right?”

Given how he’d acted a few second before, his sudden concern
surprised Nikki. It also confused her. What happened in the club was just
playacting. No one got hurt. Didn’t he get that? Or was there something else
behind this? “You want me to work in the Garden Room or the Virgin Room
instead?”

“No,” Mitch said first. “This was a mistake. We don’t want
you working here at all.”

“Oh hey,” she said, panicked. “You’re firing me? After you
kissed me in the BDSM Room and in the stairwell, after you felt me up like
there was no tomorrow and stuck your tongue halfway down my throat, you’re
going to fire me?”

Connor frowned. “You kissed her in the stairwell?”

“Do you know a better way to shut her up?” Mitch countered,
then turned on her. “I wanted those guys to back off, all right?”

“Bull.” She crossed the room, standing on her toes, pushing
her face toward his. “That kiss and your roaming hands had nothing to do with
keeping me quiet. Tell me something I’ll believe.”

“Fine,” he shot right back. “We don’t want you working in
this club. Take the fucking check I offered earlier. With it and the cash you
already have, you can pay off your parents’ mortgage with enough left over for
you to get back on your feet.”

And for her to never see them again, unless she came up with
the money to pay them back. How was that supposed to happen when she was
essentially unemployable given her arrest and all the bad press? Why in the
hell were they really doing this? Did they want her out of their lives that
badly? Did they dislike her that much despite their obvious attraction?
Fighting tears, Nikki crossed her arms beneath her breasts, not caring how she
plumped them.

Both brothers’ attention fell to her nipples, then her moist
slit. Unmistakable desire flared on their faces. Big deal. Nikki wanted to see
more, a hint of emotion that they’d missed her even a little bit. She thought
back to Mitch’s kiss. There had been lust in it, sure, but also affection,
especially in the way he’d held her so close afterward. That moment of
tenderness gave her the courage she needed. “No, I won’t take it. Let me go
back to my job.”

Mitch caught her arm before Nikki could move past. “You’re
not working here any longer.”

“Then put me in one of the films. I’ll do that.” She spoke
to Connor. “Shoshana told me you use the girls from the club. The pay’s even
better than what you guys offer here.”

Connor looked as if he wanted to spit. Mitch’s fingers
tightened on her arm.

“I’ll take the check if you put me in the films,” she
offered. “That way I can pay you guys back that much sooner.”

Mitch spoke through his teeth. “They’re erotic films, Nikki.
You do know what happens in them, don’t you?”

“Sure.” She shrugged. “I’m still on birth control if that’s
what you’re worried about and I’m as free of disease as the performers you have
working here. What goes on in those movies is no different from what happened
during Ty’s parties. They were filmed too, by the way. The prosecutors had a
great time watching them, then using what went on to nail Ty to the wall.”

“Jesus fuck,” Mitch muttered.

“Let’s get something straight right now,” Connor said to
her. “No way am I filming you having sex with another guy.”