Page 12 of For the Sub

Brandy hadn’t been prepared for her reaction to him.

All at once, she’d inhaled his scent, that of power and prestige.

When their gazes met, she’d thought his hazel eyes appeared haunted…by anguish and loss.

Shaking her head, she’d scolded herself for being fanciful.

For the past two years, she’d forced herself to toughen up.

Tonight, she hadn’t been able to shove aside the indelible image of the pain etched in his expression. It had tapped the nurturing instinct that life had taught her to quell, pitting her need for self-preservation against the urge to trail her fingertips across his furrowed brow.

Trying to ignore him, she’d performed her duties, greeting guests, fetching drinks and accepting jackets.

But she’d been unable to banish thoughts of him, and she recalled the way he’d so competently handled the situation on Ladies’ Night.

There’d been no drama as he’d stalked over, grabbed the man who was starting to get rough with her, and escorted him outside. No one had seen what had happened next, but the overenthusiastic newbie Dom had not returned for a second serving of whatever Master Niles had dished out.

Master Damien, Gregorio, or a House Monitor would have stepped in to protect her the moment they realized something was wrong. Fortunately for her, Master Niles had arrived first.

She knew she owed him nothing, but thanking him had seemed polite and an excellent way to open a conversation.

Until tonight, she hadn’t considered sceneing with him. Of course, she would have been delighted to if he had ever requested her services. But to her knowledge, he hadn’t participated in any scenes since his wife had passed.

Brandy had known the beautiful and elegant Eleanor. In addition to being a dutiful sub, she’d enjoyed a prestigious law career.

Still, Brandy was glad she’d gathered the courage to approach him.

Even at the Den, there was a hierarchy amongst Doms.

Master Damien owned the estate and commanded respect as a result. Because of the way he behaved, she had no doubt he was granted that same attention anywhere he went.

Next on the list were long-time Doms who had earned Master Damien’s regard. He invited some of those to serve as House Monitors.

Tonight, as he did on occasion, he hosted an invitation-only party for long-time members and friends.

Master Niles owned and ran a production company. Of course she’d heard that he was a skilled handler and kept things professional. Also according to the scene rumor mill, he didn’t have sex with any of the actresses, even if they offered.

Now that she’d been with him, she didn’t blame them for trying.

His actions, lack of hesitation, no-nonsense tone, and oozing confidence had already exceeded her expectations.

Now, feeling greedy, she licked her lower lip as he crossed to the wall and selected a flogger. The purple leather strands were wide, and she knew she’d feel its impact like a caress.

“Do you like to have your breasts whipped?” he asked when he turned toward her.

“Yes, Sir,” she answered.

Master Niles stood there with a flogger in hand. His white shirtsleeves were turned back, and he wore tailored trousers and stylish wingtip shoes.

With his dark brown hair clipped in precise lines and the stern expression on his face, he was over six feet of pure dominant deliciousness.

Although he’d already given her two orgasms, her pussy throbbed with anticipation. Many times, Doms wanted her to play a role. She might be a maid who’d forgotten to polish a piece of silver, or a schoolgirl who hadn’t done her homework. Because she never knew what to expect, she had a locker at the Den, stuffed with different outfits and shoes.

She had a lot of duties—the uppermost was ensuring guests enjoyed themselves. Doms occasionally asked her to show their subs how to do certain tasks, and sometimes they just wanted to be served.

Mostly, she liked being here. As with any job, there were days that were long or boring, times exhaustion claimed her, and she wanted nothing more than to go home to the comforting craziness that greeted her.

This evening, boredom was the last thing on her mind.

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