Page 9 of Betrayed

She smiled, becoming more animated as she warmed to the topic. “It’s been a club tradition for well over a year now. Every Wednesday, the subs come dressed in their sexiest little black dresses. Those that can partake enjoy my show and the free-flowing margaritas in the lounge. It’s a kind of a girls’, or rather, a submissives’ night out. Some of the male subs have joined us lately. A few come dressed up, obviously looking for a top, but the others are there solely to let their hair down, have a few drinks with friends, and for the music and dancing.”

“It’s great for the bar end of business,” Dex explained with a frown, “but the dungeon goes woefully neglected. The LBD participants often can’t stop at the two-drink minimum and aren’t allowed to play afterward.”

“Yes, and Thursday has turned into de facto RHR day as a result.”

Arturo grinned, guessing but still asking for clarification. “RHR?”

She returned his smile. “It stands for regrets, hangovers, and resolutions, for those who overindulged, but depending on who you ask, it can also mean red hot rump day. The latter, courtesy of the subs’ masters who came to play on Wednesday night after the show, and more often than not left disappointed. It has become a trend, you see.”

His speculative gaze turned back to Marilee who was nodding at something the DM was saying as she left the cordoned-off area.

“I think I’ll see what that’s about,” Dex murmured as he set Elena on the couch beside him. “Are you recovered enough to stay here and wait for me, little one?”

“Yes, master. Or I could try to talk to Mari.”

“Nope, it’s the master dom’s duty to see to the members.” He leaned in and kissed her firmly. “You rest. It’s early and we have the Sultan’s Chamber reserved at midnight. You’ll need your strength if you’re to please the Sultan. I believe in three hours’ time, he’ll be in a very demanding mood.”

Arturo turned to face the stations, giving the couple a bit of privacy while he mulled over the situation with the mysterious widow.

Chapter 5

BAREFOOT AND STRAININGon tiptoe to see over the crowd, she scanned the room once again for Reyn. She’d chosen the spot near the short flight of stairs by the main dungeon doors because it offered the best vantage point of the playroom floor, as well as everyone coming and going. Although her five-feet-seven-inch frame wasn’t enough to see over several of the taller doms.

Was it a requirement that Decadence dominants be a minimum of six feet tall? She also wondered if drop-dead gorgeous was a prerequisite to apply. Case in point, the towering, dark-haired, swarthy Adonis who had a curvy, blonde submissive slung over his shoulder as he strode across the floor to the rear staircase. Mari watched as his huge, paw-like hand came down crisply on her upturned behind, effectively stopping her squirming. She recognized him as an owner, of which there were many, but she wasn’t sure which one.

When he took the steps two at a time to the second-floor loft, her heart wrenched at the wistful look on his sub’s face. She didn’t seem to mind the caveman treatment in the least.

Mari sighed softly. The younger woman appeared happy, playful with her master, and in love, like she had been once. She deliberately directed her gaze elsewhere as longing, and a good dose of envy, stabbed through her chest. Dropping flat-footed, she stared dazedly into the crowd as memories of her and Derek flooded in.

It had been three years. She’d heard all the platitudes. Time heals all wounds the predominant one. Not this wound. At least not yet. Would it ever get better?

For the millionth time, she asked herself why she had come.

It wasn’t to socialize in the bar or the lounge with like-minded people, as many other members did. She preferred not to linger. She told herself and the others who invited her to stay, most often the dom, she had a long commute home. It wasn’t a lie, but she used it as a crutch, a lame excuse to keep them at arms’ distance, and it didn’t fool anyone, most especially herself.

She blinked as someone bumped into her. The tall man in black leather apologized, but his nudge brought her back to the present, reminding her what she was supposed to be doing at the moment. A scene. Her brows gathered as she wondered what had happened to Reyn, her long-overdue dom.

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