Page 4 of Enticing Kane

She sure as hell wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

Maggie took a deep breath, adjusted the strap of her bag, and stepped inside. The first thing that struck her was the atmosphere—the foyer was gorgeous with marble floors, gorgeous, paneled walls, and an elegance that harkened back to jazz clubs and speakeasies. There was an air of quiet sophistication. It was nothing like the honky-tonk bars she was used to back home. A large reception desk stood in the lobby, staffed by two lovely women who took her name and called Matt to let him know she was here. The people who came and went through the space did so with a kind of deliberate grace, their conversations hushed, their movements purposeful. Some went up the stairs, others took the elevator, and still others were buzzed through the large double doors to what Maggie assumed was the club.

She felt out of place, her curiosity tempered by a growing unease. She was a stranger in a strange land, and it showed.

“Dr. Dillon?” asked one of the receptionists. “Your brother asked me to ask you whether you’d be more comfortable up in the office or if you’d prefer to go into the lounge?”

That little shit, she thought, even though Matt was far taller than she was. He thought she’d chicken out and retreat to the Cerberus office upstairs. Well, she’d show him.

“Any chance a girl can get a drink and something to eat?”

The girl grinned. Maggie had the distinct impression she knew exactly what Matt had tried to do. “Food and drink are both available. I’ll let them know to put it on your brother’s tab.”

Maggie laughed. “Lounge it is.”

She followed the woman through the enormous doors. Inside, there was dim lighting, low music, and an air of quiet sophistication. Not at all what she’d thought a sex club would look like. Oh, her brother might call it a ‘lifestyle club,’ but Maggie wasn’t so unhip that she didn’t know what went on behind these closed doors.

Once inside the lounge, she scanned the area, looking for her brother, but it was the bar that caught her attention first. Not the polished wood or the rows of bottles behind it, but the man standing behind the counter, tall and broad-shouldered, his dark eyes sweeping over the patrons with a cool, detached interest. He didn’t appear to be the bartender per se but was helping himself to a glass of whiskey.

She had no idea who he was, but he had to be the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. She felt her whole erotic system come online. He was dressed in black leather pants and vest—no shirt—showing off his cut chest and sculpted abs. He was ruggedly handsome and had the look of someone who had spent a lot of time in the sun. She’d never had as visceral reaction to a man as she did to him. He was a tall drink of water, and she had a powerful thirst she was pretty sure he could quench.

“That’s Kane,” said the receptionist. “He’s one of our newer members—both at the club and Cerberus—but he’s been a Dom for years, and he’s been certified in some of the more extreme forms of play.”

Maggie wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but she couldn’t deny the pull of curiosity. Kane was magnetic in a way that unsettled her, his presence commanding attention without a word.

As if sensing her gaze, Kane looked up, his eyes locking onto hers. Maggie’s breath caught in her throat, and she quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. But before she could dwell on it, she spotted Matt making his way over to her.

“Hey, Mags,” he greeted her with a warm hug. “Glad you could make it. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to meet in here and grab something to eat or go upstairs and then head out.”

Liar. “Wouldn’t miss it,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “This might not be my usual scene, but the club is beautiful. I can see why you and Pippa like it here.”

Matt chuckled, guiding her to a nearby table, which overlooked the dungeon floor. “Yeah, I figured as much. But I wanted you to see it for yourself before you head out. Thought it might give us a chance to talk.”

Maggie raised an eyebrow. “Talk about what, exactly?”

Matt didn’t answer right away. Instead, he flagged down a server and ordered drinks for them both. Once they were settled, he leaned in, his expression serious. “I’m worried about you, Maggie. Syria’s not a safe place right now. You know that, don’t you?”

Maggie bristled. She’d been expecting this, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “I’m not a child, Matt. I know what I’m getting into.”

“Do you?” Matt’s tone was sharper than she’d ever heard it. “This isn’t just about some academic dig. There are real dangers out there—militias, terrorists, you name it. And you’re going in practically blind.”

“I’m not going in blind,” she argued. “I’ve done my research. I know the risks.”

“Research?” Matt scoffed. “Maggie, this isn’t a paper you can write your way out of. This is real life, and you’re walking into a war zone.”

Maggie opened her mouth to retort, but a sudden commotion at the other end of the room caught her attention. The crowd had shifted and was walking down to the dungeon floor.

“What’s happening?” Maggie asked, her argument with Matt momentarily forgotten.

Matt glanced through the viewing window onto a raised stage that had a spotlight directed to it. “Fire play,” he said. “Kane’s giving a demonstration.”

“Fire play?”

“Yeah, it looks far more dangerous than it is. It is a total mind fuck.”

Kane stood with his back to the crowd, his attention focused on a woman who was strapped down to a padded leather table. The woman was completely naked. She saw a wand-like implement with a mushroom-shaped head.

“Is that some kind of weird vibrator?” she asked.

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