Page 5 of Betrayed

Good heavens. She’d only been there an hour?My, how time drags when you’re not really having fun.But she didn’t say that to him; she’d never be that rude. She explained she was from out of town and had a long commute.

“Stop trying to let me down easy, Mari. It’s obvious you need something that I can’t give you. As you suggested, we’ll end it here.”

She felt awful, feeling the heat of his frown as he moved to release her. It didn’t help that he recalled her name when she didn’t have the same courtesy. As a one-night stand submissive, she just plain sucked.

He moved behind her to remove the spreader bar and wrist cuffs attached to the eyebolts in the floor. While he worked quickly, her eyes rose to the few stragglers at the velvet ropes that cordoned off their station. The crowd they had started with had quickly departed, undoubtedly recognizing the lack of chemistry and the less than satisfying tepid scene.

As her gaze passed over a lone man and a couple standing at the perimeter, the latter probably waiting to use the station next, she halted, doing a double take as she scanned back. It was then that she connected with the most beautiful green eyes she’d ever seen. Framing them were long dark lashes. He also had full, sensuous lips, and a closely trimmed dark beard covering his firm jaw and chin.

Despite never having seen his face, there was instant recognition. It wasn’t the color of his hair or the broad set of his muscular shoulders that told her who he was. Nor was it the black button-up shirt that molded to a defined chest, its open collar revealing a touch of smooth olive skin. Or the black dress pants that molded like a second skin to every bulge and contour of his thighs.

More so, it was the confidence he exuded in his cross-armed, wide-legged stance as he stared back at her. He was the whip master; she’d bet money on it. As magnificent as he was, and the way he aroused her from a distance, even without a whip in his hand, was stupefying.

How long had he been watching? Had he arrived at the bitter end, or had he seen the entire crash and burn scene?

As his eyes slowly tracked down her body, she decided his bearing witness to her lackluster performance was a good thing because wherever his gaze touched, her skin came alive as if he stroked her with his fingers. Desire burst to life in her anew, rivaling the fire that ignited her senses when she’d watched him wield his whip earlier. Her nipples hardened and her pussy became damp as her body instinctively prepared to receive him though her mind said,no way in hell.

Unlike Kelton-Colton, this was an experienced master, skilled and dominant to the extreme. He’d bend her to his will, assuredly claiming her heart in the process.

His gaze, a deep forest green in the low lights of the playroom, finished its perusal and returned to her face. A slight smile curved his lips as he tipped his head in acknowledgement. Then, his mouth tilted up in a devilish grin as his eyes dipped meaningfully to her swollen, hard-tipped breasts.

Heat flooded her face. Had he figured out that what her dom hadn’t been able to do in an hour of focused caresses, bondage, and flogging, his quick look had accomplished in seconds?

She averted her gaze, impatiently waiting for her dom of the hour to set her free. Once he had, she apologized once again and abruptly excused herself without gaining his permission. Looking neither left nor right, she bent and scooped up her pile of discarded fetwear and in a whirl, rushed naked to the locker room. Not once did she turn back, determined to leave the whip-wielding dom to the bolder, braver subs who would be better able to handle his brand of domination and leave with their hearts intact.

Chapter 3

“WE’VE GOT IT COVERED,” the confident voice in her ear reassured her. “I already have a full team, all paired off for efficiency. You would be odd man out, literally. I don’t mean to offend, sugar, but it will go more smoothly without another set of hands in the mix.”

Adriana Dunbar had been her store manager and her best friend for the past five years. Anyone else would have ceded to the boss’s wishes, but she had always been up front with her and told her when she was getting in the way, which was now.

“Seriously, Mari. You don’t need to worry about a thing. Why don’t you stay home and get some rest? Better yet, take the day and head to the beach. You could use a little color, sweetie. You looked pale the last time I saw you.”

Although concern filled Adri’s voice, the patronizing edge of her words stung. It was her shop, dammit. If she wanted to come in and work for a spell, then she would.

“Adri, I—” she began, bristling like an angry porcupine.

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