The Men with the Golden Cuffs (Masters and Mercenaries #2)(39)

“Really?” Yep. There it was. Humiliation. Adam’s hand crept out, seeking hers, but she ignored it. He’d humiliated her, too.

Storm sighed. “It’s all right, little one. You simply don’t understand. You’re taking a child’s view of the world.”

Serena took a deep breath, trying to banish those hated tears that had gathered again. “So you intend to take control of how I do my job?”

The Dom’s face was a bland blank. “Yes, dear, that’s what a Dom does. I will be in control of your work and your daily life. I already have a schedule planned for you. Your day will be highly regimented. I noticed that you seem a bit disorganized. That will stop. I will inspect your room, the house, and your work station on a daily basis. If they are not up to my standards, you will be punished in whatever manner I see fit. I have a whole contract already written out. I will need you to sign it, and then we can begin our work.”

“You wrote the contract without her input?” Adam asked.

“It’s obvious to me neither of you understands the relationship between a Dominant and his submissive. The submissive will either sign the contract or refuse. I am not going to negotiate.”

“Which is precisely why Ian Taggart refused you a membership to Club Sanctum.” Jake stared straight at the Dom. “I pulled your records when I discovered you were involved with my charge. Sanctum’s counselor wouldn’t clear you. She believed you would potentially abuse the power you took over your subs. I won’t allow Serena to go anywhere with you. You should leave now.”

Gray eyes narrowed and Storm’s mouth turned down in a mulish frown. “I believe that is up to Serena.”

“Convenient,” Adam murmured. “She doesn’t have any say until you need her to agree with you.”

Storm leaned forward. “Those men at Sanctum are dabblers, Serena. They just play at D/s. You need to come with me. I can show you the way. I can free you.”

By taking over her life. Maybe she didn’t understand D/s at all. It had seemed so perfect, but Master Storm’s way just seemed like a selfish thing. It wasn’t what she’d wanted at all. She’d wanted someone who looked out for her. It seemed like Storm merely wanted a slave. Maybe that worked for some, and she wouldn’t deny them their right to enjoy a lifestyle that worked, but once again it seemed there was no place for her.

Her ex-husband thought she was a pervert. The Master didn’t think she was submissive enough. She was never right, and she should just get that through her thick skull. She’d seen BDSM as a place she might be able to fit in, but it was like everything else, she was either too much or not enough.

She stood. “Master Storm, I appreciate all of your patience with me, but I am going to decline to sign a contract with you. I think you’re right. BDSM isn’t for me. I will attempt to stick to writing ménage from now on. I wouldn’t want to embarrass the community.”

He frowned. “But I can teach you, Serena.”

She shook her head and walked to the door. She just wanted to get it all over with. “I don’t think so. Thank you, though.”

He stood and stalked over to her. “I guess I really was right about you. You don’t have what it takes to be my submissive. Good evening.”

He walked off and with him many of her hopes. She hadn’t hoped for him, but he represented what she had hoped for—a place to belong. A little community that accepted her. She watched him walk away. She hadn’t fit into Doyle’s academic world. She’d thought she would fit in with other writers, but it seemed she was either not successful enough or far too successful, depending on the view. Even among erotic romance writers she struggled to find a place. And now this door had closed.

She knew what to do. Sink into her work. The world inside her head was the only place that would ever accept her as she was. She should simply acknowledge and accept it and be done with trying to fit in on the outside. She closed the door and turned around.

Adam and Jake were both standing, waiting.

She sighed. Now she had to deal with them. “I think I’m going to go and work for a while.”

She definitely needed to take a long step back from everything. Especially from them. They had come in and turned her world upside down, but they would leave at the end of this. They would go back to their world where they fit in and had a whole team who cared about them. She would be alone, and she shouldn’t come to depend on them.

“Serena, I should have told you he’d written,” Adam said, his voice tentative. “I’m afraid I didn’t think he was good for you so I told him off. I was in the wrong.”

“No, you weren’t,” Jake replied. “He is wrong for her. We just handled it the wrong way.”

It didn’t matter. She knew now. “It’s fine. Like I said, I need to get some work done.”

Adam crossed his arms over his chest, considering her. “You don’t have much time. You’ve met your word count for the day. Why don’t you go and take a shower? We’re supposed to be at Sanctum in a couple of hours. Let Jake and me take you out to dinner before we show you around the club.”

Wow. She was so not going there. “I changed my mind. I want to stay in. Please thank Mr. Taggart for inviting me, but I’ll stay out of things I don’t understand from now on.”