Beneath the Scars (Masters of the Shadowlands #13)(14)

Holt blinked. “Jesus, you sound like Z.” Like Z at his most protective, actually. “Why’d I get the impression you weren’t in the lifestyle?”

“Indeed, that is my question as well,” Z said.

Ghost’s face turned unreadable. “I’m a security guard.”

“Oh, you’re more than that.” Anne gave him a thin smile. Upon getting pregnant, she’d abandoned bounty hunting for a job with another Shadowlands Master. She was a wizard at getting information about people.

Holt glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“Ghost was considered one of the finest Doms on the West Coast before he disappeared.”

Now that was interesting. Holt eyed the guard.

Ghost’s face was wiped of any expression.

“Ghost.” Anne took a step forward. “If there’s anything we can—”

“You three are signed in.” Ghost made three checkmarks on the papers in front of him. “Have yourselves a nice night now.”

“You too, buddy.” Ben tugged Anne toward the door.

Holt smothered a smile. It took a brave man to cut the Domme off like that. As they entered the clubroom, he asked Anne, “How’d you find out about Ghost’s rep?”

“Z had a suspicion and asked me to see what I could find.”

“So, Ghost was a…” Holt caught sight of the bar, and his question evaporated. “Josie?”

In her black vest and white button-up shirt, his neighbor was serving drinks. Lights concealed in the low beams over the bar made glints in her short copper hair.

“Who’s behind the bar?” Anne asked.

“Z hired us a real bartender,” Ben said.

“What a lovely idea.” Anne smiled. “I think Cullen’s the only Master who truly enjoys mixing drinks.”

Ben frowned. “I don’t ever remember seeing you back there.”

“She exchanged bartending for dungeon monitoring every chance she could,” Holt said.

She gave her submissive an evil smile. “A choice between catering to idiots or terrorizing idiots—which do you think I chose?”

Ben snorted a laugh and told Holt, “Last week, she watched over a new Dom and made him so nervous, he dropped his flogger.”

Holt grinned. He’d been in the lifestyle well over a decade, and he could still remember the first few times he’d scened in public.

“Oh, sweet Jesus, look. Master Holt is back.” The high squeal was followed by happy sounds from the sitting area where unattached submissives congregated. The space was close to the bar where Doms could look them over and decide with whom to play.

“You’ve been missed, Master Holt,” Anne said in a dry voice.

“You have,” Ben seconded. “But remember, the colonel told you not to play.”

“A colonel?” Holt asked.

“Yeah.” Ben grinned. “We’ve traded a few war stories over beer.”

“What branch of service was—” Oh hell. As the flock of submissives started toward him, Holt froze, unsure if he was equal to this outing.

Anne’s strong hand closed halfway around his upper arm as the very pregnant Mistress lent her silent support.

“Thanks.” What the fuck had happened there? After a second, he figured it out and shook his head ruefully. “I hadn’t realized a minor knifing could turn a guy agoraphobic.”

With an understanding snort, Ben said, “Oh hell, yeah. Any trauma can. Why do you think Z forced me to take a job here?”

Holt blinked. He’d always wondered why the famous photographer worked a security desk. Come to think of it, Ben had served overseas. “Guess I should be glad I got my ass back here before Z assigned me homework or something.”

“No shit.” Ben grinned.

The submissives arrived and swarmed around Holt in a flurry of breathy voices.

“Master Holt, welcome back.”

“We missed you.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Would you like me to bring you something to drink?”

Every inhalation brought him a different perfume. The variety of clothing—from long skirts and corsets to entirely naked—was almost overwhelming. Which said it was past time for him to get out more and to take up his life again. “Thank you all. I appreciate the welcome,” he said gently and patted shoulders, squeezed hands, touched cheeks. Made contact.

After a minute, he took a step back. “Unfortunately, I’m not cleared by my doctor to play tonight.”

Ignoring their disappointment, he added, “I’m just here to touch bases with the other Masters…and make sure Mistress Anne doesn’t have her baby without supervision.”

As the subbies giggled, Anne frowned at him, then patted her stomach. “This baby’s getting born in a nice clean hospital with a nice female obstetrician, thank you very much.”

*

Spotting three new arrivals at her bar, Josie smiled at the young Dom she’d been talking with, patted his hand, and told him, “Next time, it’ll be better.”

His shoulders straightened with resolution, and he gave her a nod. “Yeah. It will.”

As she moved away, she shook her head. Her internet research hadn’t told her how much work being a Dom could be. Or how stuff like floggings could get messed up. That poor guy felt terrible that he’d left welts on the woman in his scene.