Page 56 of Hooked

“Are you sure you want to go with that?” he challenged, knowing full well it was a lie.

“No.”

“What’s the truth, baby? It’s something because you’re trembling.”

She grimaced. He was too darn perceptive. It was like being with a mind reader.

“Look at me.”

When her lashes swept up, his face was so close she could see the tiny flecks of gold and brown scattered throughout the green of his irises. As he spoke, his minty breath brushed her mouth, his lips a mere whisper away. Passion filled his words as he spoke with searing intensity.

“You’re gorgeous, every square inch of you inside and out. So much so, I want to show you off. I want the members, both new and long-since jaded, to witness the beauty of your submission. It’s in the swelling of your breasts at the sound of my voice, the quiver in your belly as you anticipate my touch, and when you come, the rapturous expression on your face is nothing short of breathtaking. That’s something to revel in. I’m not a full-bore exhibitionist, but I’d like to share the beauty of my submissive occasionally. Can you give me that, pet?”

She sought the truth of his words and found it shining in his eyes as steadfast and clear as the brightest star in the sky. That he believed she was beautiful was all that mattered to her.

“You’ve given me so much. I want to give you that in return, master.”

“And I’m honored by the gift.” Whisper soft, his lips touched hers. “Would a blindfold help?”

“I think it might.”

“I have one in my bag.” Another kiss followed, much too brief but filled with passion. “Be right back.”

He stepped away, bending to his bag on the floor. While she waited, she closed her eyes, blocking out the avid voyeurs and focusing only on what Joseph planned next.

“Gorgeous, albeit a little hefty and long in the tooth.”

Gasps from the crowd followed the outrageously rude comment. Her eyes flew wide. Immediately, she found the speaker in the crowd. His face twisted into a derisive sneer; Vaughn stood only four feet away.

Feelings of inadequacy rushed over her in a torrent of self-doubt. She jerked at her bindings, wanting only to cover herself and hide from his judgements and spiteful criticisms. Overwhelming panic set in and she did the only thing she could think of.

“Red! Joseph. Red!”

In less than a second, he was beside her. “I’m here, pet. You’re safe.”

His reassuring voice and his hand at her waist eased her to a certain degree, but not enough. She wanted Vaughn gone, or to be gone herself.

She felt his eyes on her briefly, then he turned, searching the crowd. The members were all staring at her ex-dom, giving him censorious glares. They also stepped back, giving him a wide berth, so it wasn’t rocket science to figure out who had spoken.

“That’s Steros, isn’t it?” Joseph confirmed needlessly, his voice shaking with barely contained rage.

“Can we go somewhere else, master?”

“What did he do, Livia?”

“He said some most unkind things, Master J,” a familiar, feminine voice stated. It was Mara, standing at the ropes. “I’ll stay with her if you’d like to deal with that pig.”

“Get her down, Mara. This won’t take long.”

What happened next was a sight to see. Joseph hurdled the velvet ropes and, in a flash, had Vaughn by the throat. Having at least six inches in height on the worm, and with far superior strength, his fists in his collar lifted him off the floor then slammed him against the nearest wall.

“What’s this about?” Master Sean demanded, seeming to materialize out of nowhere. At his back was Megan’s husband, Tony. Both wore DM badges on a band around their arms.

“This piece of shit had the gall to talk to my sub while in a scene. He insulted her. He’s also the son of a bitch who abused her. I want him out—permanently.”

“You can’t do that,” Vaugh whined, wheezing when Joseph’s fists tightened. “I merely made an observation.”

“Not true,” someone in the crowd called out. “He was deliberately rude.”

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