Page 4 of Bad Enough

He took another swallow from his glass, finished his water, and set the empty glass on the bar. He flicked a finger at Ryleigh, his favorite bartender, signaling he needed a refill. Without looking at Tilly, he asked, “Am I what?”

“Having a bad day.”

He nodded at Ryleigh as she pushed his refilled glass toward him.

“No.”

“Oh. Wow. I mean, like I said, you’ve totally got that broody alpha thing going, but you’re looking even more grouchy than usual. Do you wanna dance? Might cheer you up. I’m a really good dancer.”

“No.”

“Oh. Okay. Um… do you wanna go upstairs?” she asked nervously. “Maybe I could make your day better if we did a scene.”

TB stood straight and grabbed his glass from the bar top. “I thought you were exclusive with Cosmos.” He slammed the water in his glass, set the empty glass on the bar, and slid it toward a smirking Ryleigh, who had overheard Tilly’s offer.

She looked properly embarrassed at his rebuke. “I’m sorry, Master Lobo. I thought maybe…” She shrugged. “Everyone’s been talking about how you haven’t been involved in a scene in a while. The subs talk about how they really enjoyed partnering with you. I just was hoping I might get to see for myself, especially since you haven’t been doing scenes with anyone. I figured that meant you were available.” She sighed. “Besides, I think Cosmos is tiring of me.”

Tiring of the chatter, probably.

“Go on, Tilly.”

“Yes, Master Lobo.”

Picking up her drink, she turned and began walking over to her friends at their high table along The Pool. On the way there, she began circumventing the bodies coming off the dance floor. Someone bumped into her hard, spilling her drink on her dress and almost knocking her to the floor. The person helped Tilly right herself, and then the river of people from the dance floor was rushing upon and around them, dividing into two paths to avoid the obstacle, much like salmon swimming upstream to spawn. He tried to follow them, making sure she was okay, but he lost them in the crowd.

TB turned to face the bar as he shook his head and sighed in frustration.

“You can’t blame her, Lobo. But you could have been a little nicer about the put-down.”

“Are you telling me how to handle my business, Rye?”

“Yes.”

“I should put you over my knee.”

“I’m no one’s sub to punish. Just working here to fund my editing costs. BDSM is fun to read, but not really my thing in real life.”

“Everyone’s got their kink, Rye.” TB reached for his wallet and pulled out a twenty. “Even you.” Placing the bill on the bar, he winked at her.

Just before eleven, Fleur, a newer submissive, and Tripoli, a current dungeon master, approached him. TB was talking with another club member, a tall, blond businessman-type named Loki, one-third of a triad that had joined the club last month.

Loki held out his hand to the former Marine. “Tripoli.”

Tripoli grasped his hand. “Loki.” He nodded at TB. “Lobo. Sorry to interrupt, but Fleur was just telling me that Tilly is missing. She thought Tilly was heading over to their table after talking to you, but she never arrived. Did she mention going anywhere when she left you at the bar?”

Lobo frowned and looked at Fleur. “I definitely sent her back to your table. I saw her get bumped into by someone in the crowd, and he was helping her regain her footing when the crowd poured in from the dance floor. Are you sure she’s not at the bar?”

“No, Master Lobo. I looked. She doesn’t seem to be anywhere.”

“Is Cosmos here tonight? They’re on contract for another month yet. Maybe they’re in a scene upstairs?”

“No, Sir. Cosmos is in London until next week on business.”

“Where else did you look?”

“I went to the Dungeon, but she wasn’t there. I checked the locker room, and her locker was locked, all of her things in it. I know her combination and checked it.”

Loki spoke up. “I’ll go check with Frost at the front desk. Maybe she signed out and took a rideshare home. Fleur, why don’t you come with me, and we can have you call Tilly from your phone. If the rideshare doesn’t pan out, maybe she got a ride home from someone.”

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