She places a warm, assuring hand on my chest, while keeping her feline sharp eyes steady on mine.

“I’ll be fine. I trust you.”

Without waiting for my response, she takes off her long leather coat and throws it over a nearby cage, revealing the black sheer body suit she has on underneath. A black lacy bra and G-string set that fit her like a glove. The outfit doesn’t hide much of the curve of her hips, the globes of her high ass, nor the firmness of her abs.

Damn!

That’s what she’s hiding under that sexy leather coat? I can’t believe my eyes. This is definitely not the Kate Bishop from three years ago. Kate was cute, funny, and smart, maybe a bit green. But Kitty is confident, fearless, and sexy as fuck. I should be protesting harder and defying Fox’s grotesque dare. Instead, I’m entranced by the beautiful view she just uncovered. How can I be drooling at this moment?

Ping! Kitty and I simultaneously turn our head to the laptop.

“I’ve set the auto read,” she explains when I’m about to check it.

An Artificial Intelligence voice reads, “Too easy. Change of dynamic. Kitty, you look like you have a dominatrix streak in you. Let’s test out if our big, tough Toro will submit to your will. Strap him up!”

My internal alarm blares in full steam, shocking me in its intensity. Panic threatens to take over as my heart pumps harderand sweat beads from my pores. The air becomes dank with a smell of piss, blood and sweat. Screams fill my ears while pain slices through my skin.

“You’re changing the game now, Fox?” Kitty’s voice breaks through my panic haze.

As I fight to stay in the present, Kitty has positioned herself in front of me, talking in the general direction of the camera.

Get it together, man!

I thought I’d gotten over this bullshit. This isn’t the time to relive a nightmare, but it looks like I’ll have to.

“Top the timer with an additional fifteen minutes, then we’ll talk about strapping someone up,” Kitty challenges. “It’s in your best interest. Oracle won’t be able to deliver five hundred million in the next five minutes. Don’t you want your money?”

“Miss Kitty, I don’t think you have any leverage to bargain with,” Fox replies.

“You may call me Mistress Kat now.” Kitty cajoles as she strolls to a set of hooks on the wall and selects a riding crop from a selection of whips and other hand-held punishment toys. “You don’t really want the hassle having to identify Wonderland’s clients before you get your money. Fifteen minutes is a fair re-start time, or we can’t play to earn the rest of our time back.

“You don’t want to lose before the actual game really starts, do you? Because if you release even one video, I will track you down.” She walks back into the view of the camera, slapping the end of the crop on her left hand. The coaxing tone deepens into a menacing one as she continues, “There’s not a single crevice in the dark web where you can hide. Then I’ll send Toro after you, and he’ll tear you limb from limb.”

The fine hair on my neck stands on end at Kitty’s words, coupled with her persona as she delivers them. She may have just saved our asses.

The sound of a laughing fox fills the room a few seconds later. “I was right. You have a sadistic streak in you, Mistress Kat. I like you. Your demand is granted.”

Fifteen minutes is added to the timer, giving our current total time to a mere eighteen minutes.

Eighteen minutes to the possibility that I fail to protect Núria.

7

Mistress Kat

I pivot to faceRaul, who still stands unmoving and looks more glorious naked than any Italian marble statue. But his eyes are dark and unreadable.

“I’m sorry,” I mouth to him. Though it’s necessary to buy us the time we need, I wish he wasn’t put in a position he has to protect me from. I’m gonna bet a man like Raul, the big guy who’s used to leading, doesn’t submit to just anyone, especially in this situation. Will he set aside his pride this one time and play a submissive because Núria’s safety is riding on it?

I’ve researched the hell out of this lifestyle before I came here. I find the dynamic between a Dominant and a Submissive fascinating. Before tonight, I would’ve sworn I couldn’t surrender to someone the way Núria did to Knight. But it took me seconds to make the decision to let Raul spank me earlier. It didn’t feel as if I lost control because it was my decision. I still had power over what happened to me. But maybe that’s the key? I trusted Raul to protect me while I was in a vulnerable state. Trust being the operative word.

Will Raul feel the same about me?

Beads of cold sweat make my palms clammy, and I fight my need to rub them on my thighs. Studying the BDSM world doesn’t mean I have any idea what to do. This whole situation orchestrated by Fox feels wrong to me because the first rule I remember is nobody should be pressured to do this.

“Tick-tock, Mistress Kat,” the robotic AI voice of Fox warns.

I slash my crop at the camera in one swift motion with more bravado than I actually feel. “Don’t rush me. This is my scene, and I’ll decide what happens,” I snap.