Dungeon Games (Masters and Mercenaries #6.5)(36)

“Is it wrong that I find it sexy when you clean things?” Her eyes sparkled. She was a flipping jewel in the middle of the trash heap. “So do you get what I mean about Starr?”

“Yeah, every Dom finds a woman like her in the beginning. We mistake submissive behavior for true submission. We think because a woman says she needs a top that she really does.” He’d made the mistake. More than once. It was why he was taking Karina at face value. She played. Her submission didn’t go beyond that and he should always remember.

“He hasn’t been in the lifestyle long, though I would bet he’d always been interested. He’s never been married, but he came out of a long-term relationship and I think that’s the same time he decided to give the lifestyle a go.”

“Are you profiling or do you know that for a fact?” He stared at the stage. They were almost ready. Desire warred with fear as he thought about what he was about to do. He was going to put her on display, show the entire crowd that she belonged to him, that she submitted to him. He would spank her, flog her if he wanted to. She’d checked public sex as one of her wild turn-ons. Of course, she’d also checked that she was experienced in it.

Who had she had public sex with? Not at Sanctum. She kept that to privacy rooms. It must have been her husband. Her husband had been her Dom. Had he been the one to introduce her to the lifestyle? He was so curious and she wouldn’t talk about him. Every time he brought up the subject, she turned the conversation to something else.

“I had a long talk with Will. We went to a late dinner one night and before you get your chest all puffed out, Starr was with us, though apparently she doesn’t eat. I think he was feeling me out for a friend of his.”

“As long as he wasn’t feeling you up.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think to keep them in.

“You are a possessive ape-man, Brighton.” But she kissed him again.

“All this affection isn’t going to save you.” She was getting to him. Every damn time she touched him, he went a little deeper. He’d talked about how dumbass new Doms were, but he felt like one now. Stupid. Curious. So desperate he couldn’t help himself.

“I don’t want to be saved. Didn’t you hear? I’m a masochist. I’ve been coming to this club night after night and I haven’t played once.” She gave him a wink. “And I’ve never really played with you, Brighton. That one time doesn’t count. If you play the way you f*ck, I’m going to die on that stage. Bring your A game.”

She started toward the stage, her hips swaying, and his cock jumped in his leathers. It didn’t care that he was about to make her a target.

It only wanted what he wanted—to be with her. He clutched his kit and followed her onstage.





The job. Think about the job.

Karina couldn’t think about anything but the fact that she was about to do a public scene with Derek Brighton. And Derek Brighton was jealous. Of her.

There had been no way to miss his caveman-like reaction to Master Will. How could she explain that the man was nice but he moved her not an inch? Yes, he was attractive. Yes, he was muscular and dominant, but he wasn’t a grumpy clean freak so he didn’t do it for her.

Industrial music thudded through the club and she took a deep breath, prepping herself for a nice few moments. It didn’t matter that everyone was watching her. It didn’t even matter that the killer could be watching her. She was safe here and she wouldn’t let anyone take that away from her.

“Do you want to know what’s going to happen?” Derek’s voice was low in her ear. They stopped right in front of the stairs.

She shook her head. If she trusted Derek, then she didn’t need to know what was going to happen. There wasn’t a doubt in her head that he remembered her hard and soft limits. He wouldn’t do anything to her that wouldn’t ultimately bring her pleasure or joy.

He towered over her even in her heels. His hand found her hair, gently tugging her face up to meet his. “Thank you, gorgeous. I can’t tell you what your trust means to me. Stay here while I set up. Sean and Li are both watching, but they’re also watching the crowd. If anyone even touches you the wrong way, you scream. And every way is the wrong way.”

She felt her lips tug up. Caveman. “No touching. Got it.”

He kissed her forehead and then strode up the stairs because Derek never just walked. He stomped and marched and stalked. And cleaned. She couldn’t help but smile as he proved he really did carry around a package of antibacterial wipes. He set his kit down and started to work on the bench where he would very likely make her ass red.

She felt someone bump against her and glanced up. Liam didn’t look her way. He merely stared out over the crowd and let her know he was there. She looked around and saw Sean was on the opposite side of the crowd doing the same thing. No one would get past those men. It was all right for her to find her peaceful place, all right to take a few minutes of blissful rest.

Every muscle in her body seemed to melt. So much of her day was spent tense and anxious. She always had to be on watch.

Sometimes she wondered what she would have done if she hadn’t found this space, hadn’t allowed Kevin to take her to a place where she could center and find peace. At first it had seemed freaky and weird, but she’d been so in love with him she would have done anything to keep him. She’d been a kid barely out of rehab, holding on to the only family she’d been able to find. The first time she’d let him tie her up and spank her, she’d shook and cried and somewhere in the middle of it, she’d stopped. Her brain had relaxed, shut down to a place where she could simply feel.