Dungeon Games (Masters and Mercenaries #6.5)(33)

The slight grin went crazy, sexy brilliant. God, he loved it when she smiled his way. “You would think that, Monk.”

She liked to tease him about his very normal and hygienic need to be bacteria free. “I will continue to think that and I will also use my personal kit. Did I see a wall of public toys? Because that made me a little sick.”

“This is one of those places that went up pretty much overnight. It’s a tourist place, which is why I was surprised to meet Master Will. There are a couple of well-meaning people, but most of them are strictly tourists. I’ve even caught a couple of gawkers but as long as they pay the fee, the management doesn’t seem to care. This place only says it’s private to get around a couple of laws. They pretty much accept anyone who can afford it.”

Unlike Sanctum. Big Tag carefully controlled the Doms and subs he allowed access to Sanctum. Most clubs came about as very private play places for friends. From what Derek could tell, most of these people didn’t know each other. It was a dangerous way to play. “What kind of security do they have?”

“Well, now they have Li,” Karina offered.

He felt his blood pressure tick up. “No security. No real dungeon monitors from what I can tell.” He saw her start to perk up but shut that shit down quickly. “No. Liam doesn’t count. He just started. Was there a dungeon monitor while you were working here alone?”

Her nose scrunched up. “There was this one guy named Matt, but he apparently only showed up when he was sober. You’ll find they also don’t have a two-drink maximum.”

She was killing him. “I don’t want to know what you’ve had to put up with, do I?”

The little shrug she gave him didn’t up his confidence in her ability to make smart choices. “I handled it.”

He was just about to launch into a lecture about how she would “handle” things from now on. He’d been perfecting his list of rules which absolutely included never ever being in a club like this alone again and walking around in a thong among drunk *s. It would happen over his dead body. Unfortunately, Master Will took that moment to catch sight of Karina, and he took his sub’s hand and made a beeline for them. He caught sight of Starr.

On the surface she was everything he loved about women. Not a hair out of place. She was dressed in an angelic white corset and a tiny thong that showed off a set of legs that seemed to go on for miles. She was perfectly tanned, her breasts a nice size and likely extremely firm because he was pretty sure they were like the rest of Starr—utterly fake.

She showed no expression as her Master led her along. She simply obeyed and when Master Will stopped in front of them, she sank with perfection to her knees beside him, her eyes cast down.

Perfect nails. Perfect body. Perfect submission.

Why did she leave him cold?

“Karina, have you heard the news?” Master Will’s eyes had softened, his voice going low as though he handled all the subs with the most delicate of hands.

Karina stopped and he could tell from the sudden flush of her skin that she’d gotten emotional. About Amanda. He wasn’t sure what she’d told anyone about her connection to Amanda so he kept his mouth shut, merely standing behind her and placing his hands on her shoulder in a show of support—and a caveman-like “girl is mine” gesture. Yeah, that was in there, too. Master Will looked to be in his early thirties, fit, and not unattractive. Hell, the subs at Sanctum would likely be all over the guy. But Karina wasn’t going to be.

“News?” While her skin had flushed slightly, her voice was cool and composed.

Yes, she could definitely handle herself and he wasn’t going to play poker with her anytime soon.

“Sweetheart, you need to watch yourself. I think someone’s working the club circuit. According to some of my cop friends, there have been several females killed in the last couple of months who attended clubs like this one.” The big Dom put a hand on his sub’s head as though trying to comfort her. As far as Derek could tell, Starr didn’t need comfort. Her expression never changed. She simply stared down at the floor. “I’ve talked to some of the Doms here and we want to institute new rules. The management here sucks and we all know it so the new bartender and I decided we should make sure the subs all have an escort into and out of the club, and then you should have a Dom you can call when you make it home all right.”

Sean was the new bartender, and he’d just instituted one of Sanctum’s most rigidly followed rules.

He didn’t even like to think about what happened if a sub didn’t follow the rules at Sanctum. That would not be an erotic spanking. Despite Sean’s best intentions, it might be harder to implement here.

O’Donnell and the Brit split duties escorting Karina when she was playing at Sanctum. What would it feel like when their contract was done and he wasn’t the guy taking care of her?

“That sounds like a good idea.” There was a smile in her voice. She would be encouraging the poor kid. Who hadn’t thought of a couple of problems with the scenario.

“How well do you know the other Doms?” Derek asked.

Will frowned. “They seem like great guys.”

Amateur. “So did Ted Bundy. As for that, I don’t actually know you so I don’t think I’ll have you escorting anyone. How do I know this isn’t a ploy to get a sub alone? The parking lot out there doesn’t even have security lights. You could get a sub in the dark and do what you like with her and all in the name of protecting her.”