Page 30 of Dominant

“What kind of initiate,” he asked right off the bat, “gets chauffeured around by the Master’s private driver? Off the property, no less?”

“You have every right to be upset and concerned, Sir Vicious,” I said, placatingly. “I’m afraid there’s been a small breach of security. This woman is not an initiate, as you’ve probably guessed by now. But, as you can see by her presence here today, she is very willing to right any wrong that she has caused. I’ve had an NDA drafted for her, and she’s agreed to sign it in your presence.”

“A small breach of security, eh?” said Merriman, pursing his lips sourly. A servant returned with his Bloody Mary, and he took a sip, eyeing Jordan over the rim of his glass. “And how did you find out about this club, little girl?”

I answered before Jordan could speak. “Number Four snuck her in.”

He ignored me, leaning in closer to Jordan - trying to intimidate her, I supposed. “Do you even know what you’ve gotten yourself involved in?” She held his eyes without moving or looking away but said nothing.

Good girl.

“She knows. And she’d like to apologize to you.”

“Would she?” He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “Then let’s hear it. You can speak, can’t you? Lord knows you certainly could last night.”

“I’m sorry,” Jordan spoke up - dutifully, if a touch defiantly. “I was out of line. I didn’t know the rules of your space and I apologize for entering uninvited and breaking them.” She spoke as if reading lines off a script… which was exactly what she was doing. I’d made her repeat the words over and over in the car.

“What’s your name, girl?”

Jordan hesitated and looked at me. I gave her a small shrug. Initiates didn’t use names… but she wasn’t an initiate. Besides, he would see her legal name on the NDA.

“Jordan,” she answered.

He gave her a sinister smile. “And how’s your ass feeling today, Jordan?”

She lifted her chin. “Fine.”

He snorted. “Impertinent. I bet it hurts. You know what hurts more, though? Having your privacy violated, having the terms of your contract violated, being mistreated by a club you pay a hefty fee to belong to. A fee that helps pay for…” he waved his hand through the air, indicating the house in general, “... all of this.” He looked pointedly at me. “That hurts.”

“We will of course waive your membership fee this year,” I spontaneously offered. It was a lot, but with his clout and influence, Merriman had the power to cost us a lot more if he was dissatisfied.

“No, no,” he gave a sinister smile. “I don’t think that’s necessary, Sir X. I have a much better idea. I think, if Jordan’s so interested in what we do here, we should welcome her in. Give her a real taste of what it’s like to be an initiate. I think she owes us her… pound of flesh.” He drew the words out lecherously. “I, for one, would very much like to try it. What do you say, sweetheart? How would you like to belong to a club like this? To be played with and admired by many rich and powerful men?”

“No,” I answered sharply. Merriman’s eyes darted to me with sudden interest. But before he could say anything, Jordan spoke up.

“What’s involved in becoming an initiate?”

“No, Jordan,” I turned towards her. I knew I shouldn’t be saying anything. Merriman would wonder why I cared and I didn’t want him to know that I knew her, or link our security breach back to me - it would lead to questions about how his information was being protected. But I couldn’t let Jordan sign up for an initiate’s life. She came from a different world, and she had no idea what she was getting into.

“Ah, but, she’s interested!” said Merriman smugly, leaning back and steepling his hands over his fat belly. “My dear, you will love it. Sir X, why don’t you let the young lady speak for herself?”

“No, Jordan,” I said again. “You don’t know enough about it. Initiates are in sexual… servitude. Do you understand what I’m saying? They allow our guests to live out all of their sexual fantasies.”

Jordan’s face betrayed nothing. “How often do they come to the club?”

“They live at the club,” I said, with growing irritation. “In the house next door. Initiates make a full-time commitment to the club.”

Sir Vicious laughed. “Oh, don’t try to talk her out of it. She wants to try it. It can’t be that bad, can it, Sir X, if you do it too?”

Jordan raised an eyebrow at me - a so-what kind of look that made me think she wasn’t taking this very seriously.

I leaned in closer, speaking more urgently. “Initiates make a minimum three-month commitment to live in the House of Initiates and serve the club members, any club member, in any fashion, at any time. Surely you have a home or a job you would have to consider?”

She took a deep breath and lifted her chin, a look I’d come to recognize as the precursor to stubborn determination.

“What about a shorter time commitment?” she asked. “My job does mean a lot to me,” she said, directly to me, “and I wouldn’t want to lose it.”

“Aha!” Sir Vicious rubbed his hands together. “Now we’re getting somewhere! What do you say, X, a modified contract for our first interloper?”

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