Unconditional (Masters and Mercenaries #5.5)(10)

Karina frowned the detective’s way. “What? Do you really expect me to get on my knees in front of you?”

A single brow climbed on Derek’s forehead and his eyes narrowed. “I understand you don’t have a lot of respect for me in the real world, but you could show a little decorum in here. I didn’t ask you to submit to me. I simply asked you to show a woman who seems to be your friend how a submissive properly greets her Dom in this club.”

The temperature had dropped about twenty degrees and Ashley absolutely wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. She was staring from Derek to Karina and back, her eyes wide.

Karina turned to Ashley, giving her a wink as though to defuse the very tense situation between herself and the detective. “Okay, so you and Master Keith will want to go over his particular preferences, but when you first greet him, you’ll want to show you give him your submission.”

She gracefully fell to her knees, her legs spreading wide. Her breasts looked lovely as she squared her shoulders and allowed her head to dip submissively down, her hair falling in long, glossy tresses.

And the detective was suddenly very happy to see her, too. Keith quickly averted his eyes. Even in a club, it was kind of rude to stare at another dude’s erection, but the detective had been right. It was hard to miss.

Derek frowned and readjusted his leathers, muttering under his breath. “Hey, you’re not the only one with problems.” He stepped forward. “I prefer your hands on your thighs and knees a bit wider.”

Keith smiled, happy to not be the only one with issues. Karina’s whole body tightened, her anger plain, but she spread her legs wider and her hands moved to her thighs, balancing her neatly.

Despite her calm, it was easy to see that she was one pissed-off sub.

It was suddenly easy to reach out to Ashley. He offered his hand.

Ashley hesitated for a moment and then placed her palm in his. He drew her close, letting his free hand find her waist.

“I don’t know if I’m as flexible as Karina,” Ashley said, her eyes not leaving the other sub. She leaned into him as though affection was her default state.

It wasn’t his. In the twelve years since his divorce, he’d had very little affection. He’d had sex, for sure, but no one had cuddled up to him and rested her cheek against his chest because she was nervous and he was supposed to provide her with support.

“We’ll work on it,” he promised. “I don’t expect perfection ever. I’m far from it.”

Her face turned up, a grin lighting her lips, and he had to catch his breath. “Good, because I’m not real great with perfection.”

His worry was back again because unfortunately, she seemed far too perfect to him.





Chapter Three





Ashley stared at the couple on the stage so she wouldn’t get caught with all of her focus on the man beside her.

Keith was far past beautiful. God, she’d thought he looked good in a suit. He looked ridiculously hot in leather pants and a vest that did little to cover his cut chest. Everything about the man was muscular and lean.

What the hell was he doing with her?

She stared ahead as Simon Weston used a single-tail on Karina.

“Do you see how she relaxed?” Keith whispered in her ear. His arm was around her waist and her skin felt lit up where he touched her.

How long had it been since she’d come alive under a man’s hand?

Had she ever?

“Yes.” She studied Karina. About twenty strokes in, she’d taken a long breath and she’d relaxed on the St. Andrew’s Cross.

But there had been a weird disconnect between her and the Dom working her over. Simon Weston was one of the nicest men Ashley had met since she’d started working at Sanctum. He was always polite and had a ready smile for her. He ordered tea as often as he ordered something with liquor, and when she’d gone out of her way to make sure it had been properly prepared, he’d praised her wholeheartedly. Still, she thought Karina had more of a connection with the detective who seemed to ruffle her every feather.

Even now, Derek Brighton was watching, his face dark as Weston flicked the whip and Karina’s head sagged.

“Do you understand the term subspace?”

She turned to Keith slightly. “I know it sounds like heaven.”

Some subs talked about it the way vanilla people talked about orgasms. It was a place where nothing mattered but the feeling, where safety and pleasure were the only sensations. She was very interested in subspace, even if it was just a way to relax. She never relaxed anymore.

Keith’s low chuckle hummed along her neck. “I’ve heard it’s a little like that. It’s an endorphin rush a sub gets from serving her Master, from pushing herself. I want to help you find that.”

“By spanking my ass.” She was just the tiniest bit sarcastic. It seemed so odd to find pleasure from pain. She’d had so much pain in her life and gotten not an ounce of pleasure from it. It was hard to believe, but she trusted her sister and her sister had flourished in this lifestyle.

“I might have to start now if you decide to get a smart mouth.”

Something about how deep his voice got made her a little hot. More than a little. A lot.

“Step back and let’s have a talk,” he commanded.

She felt his hand tangle with hers and let him lead her back from the front of the stage toward the lounge area.