Sanctum (Masters and Mercenaries #4.5)(6)

Joe shrugged. “I don’t know much about business, but I know this is his only job now, so something must have gone wrong. What happened between the two of you?”

“It wasn’t a grand love affair. We met at a play party. I was a sub. He was a Dom. We signed a contract and after a year, he wanted out. No harm. No foul.” Except that he’d tried to give her away to his friend. She might have been able to handle things if he hadn’t attempted to pawn her off like she was a used book he could trade in.

“I don’t know about that,” Joe said with a shake of his head. “I can still feel the tension between you two. He shuts down when you walk in a room, and you suddenly seem interested in looking anywhere he isn’t.”

“There’s nothing between us.”

“You want to put a little bet on that? I happen to know how Dom Kindergarten goes. I’ve watched it the last three times Ryan has taught the class. In about ten minutes, we’ll get to the Spanking 101 segment of the day, and I know at least one of those Doms doesn’t have a partner. I have a plan. I just need to talk to Adam when they have a break. Are you in?”

It was a bad idea. She didn’t need to push Ryan. She just needed to stay out of his way. So why did she lean over and nod? Why did she listen to Joe’s plan?

“Yeah, I’m in.” She was in on the plan and completely out of her mind.



Adam Miles was a never-ending pain in Ryan’s ass. He was supposedly some computer guru and communications expert with a former black ops background. The rumor was he’d gotten forced out of the Army because he’d run afoul of his CO. Ryan rather thought Adam’s former CO got sick of his sarcasm. Unfortunately, Ryan had to put up with him because he was Ian Taggart’s employee and one of the founders of this club. Though Sanctum had originally been started by Ian Taggart and Alex McKay, it was universally acknowledged that Jake Dean, Adam Miles, Eve St. James, and Sean Taggart had rights to the club no one else had.

The one right Miles didn’t have was Master’s Rights because he was too lazy and had never taken the class. Now Ryan got to deal with him twice a week for two months, three hours each session. Lucky f*cking him.

Adam was the most experienced of all the students, and he was also the only one without a sub at his feet. The other five Doms all had subs—three women and two men. He oddly felt more comfortable dealing with the gay couples. They didn’t remind him of everything he’d lost.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed that she was standing not twenty feet away, talking to Joe and doing her careful inventory. He was surprised at just how competent she was. She’d never shown any interest in work at all when they had been together. It was a different side of her. It made him wonder just how many sides he’d missed because he’d been captured so thoroughly by the submissive side.

But he had a class to teach.

“Does anyone have questions about contracts?” Ryan asked.

“Yes, why are they so freaking boring?” Adam asked. “I get it. Make sure your sweetheart signs on the bottom line before you plug her ass. Did Ian make this class exceptionally boring to punish me? Because it’s working.”

“The door is right back there, Mr. Miles. Feel free to use it.”

Miles sat up, a frown on his face. “I can’t. Come on, Ryan. Do me a solid. I’ll take any tests you like, and you can just sign me right on through. You know I know this shit. Ian is just being a bastard.”

“I’m the Dom in Residence here, Mr. Miles, and I have no idea what your training is. I’m not certifying anyone until they’ve completed my course. If you want Master rights here at Sanctum, you’re going to go through me.”

Miles groaned. “I’m like Billy Madison, stuck in kindergarten.”

“You’re IQ seems to be in the same place,” another Dom muttered. Ryan seemed to remember his name was Jeff. He was a police officer just beginning to investigate the lifestyle.

Miles rolled his eyes. “Imagine if you had to go back to the police academy and deal with pimple-faced recruits. No offense, man.”

Jeff replied with his happy middle finger. The red-haired sub at his feet laid her head in his lap as though she knew what it took to calm her Master. He immediately began stroking her head, his anger tempered.

Jillian had been able to do that for him. Now he had to manage his own rage.

At least he could move on with the class. “Do your homework on contracts. There’s a standard contract in your packet, but you need to fill in the blanks. Be sure to go over safe words and hard and soft limits. Don’t leave things blurry. These contracts should make everything plain, including the rights and responsibilities of each party.”

It is the Dominant’s right and responsibility to offer safety and comfort to the submissive. Comfort will be in all forms including emotional, physical, and financial support.

Yeah, the financial support was what had tripped him up. His eyes strayed toward Jillian, but he refocused on his class. “Let’s move on to light discipline. Today we’re going to practice some spanking techniques.”

“Thank God.” Miles sat up straight. “I’m interested in this. Let’s spank some subs!”

If only there was a Domme in the room who could spank Miles. “First off, the ritual is important, and it’s also necessary to know if you’re spanking for pure discipline or if your intent is more erotic. I’d like to watch your techniques, and we’ll go from there.”