Page 1 of Savage

CHAPTER 1

SAVANNAH

Savannah's fingers trembled as she gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white against the worn leather. She pulled into the parking lot in front of the nondescript building that hosted the BDSM club, The Citadel. She took a deep, shaky breath, willing her racing heart to slow.

"You can do this," she whispered, her voice barely audible. What other choice did she have? She couldn't think about what brought her to this moment, or she'd start crying, ruining her carefully applied makeup. No, she had to do this. Pay her penance for her crimes.

Stepping out of her car, Savannah smoothed down her pastel pink dress. Wearing a dress felt foreign to her; it had been a long time since she'd put on anything this feminine. She worked as a housekeeper at a high-end ski resort, cleaning up other people's messes. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a job. They provided a uniform: lightweight scrub material that was far from becoming. When she wasn't working, she wore a pair of black leggings and an oversized t-shirt, lounging around her mom's tiny house. She'd had to go to three separate thrift stores before she had enough outfits for this job.

That’s what she decided to think of it as. Not blackmail, but a job. Just another job. She’d do the work, get paid in having her debt wiped clean and move on with her life.

Her phone buzzed in her purse, and she fished it out with trembling hands. The message glowed ominously on the screen.

Zeb: Don't forget what's at stake. Get the info, or else.

Savannah swallowed hard; her throat dry. She knew exactly what was at risk. Her sister and niece were the only family she had left. "I won't let you down, sis," she murmured, thinking of her niece's innocent face.

At the entrance, a stern-faced woman eyed Savannah's membership card. "First time?" she asked, her voice gruff. She flipped the card over and glanced at it.

Savannah nodded, trying to look excited rather than terrified. "Yes, ma'am. I'm here for the Little's Playdate."

The woman smiled. "You must have been in the latest group who came through orientation last month. My name is Shar. If you need anything at all, come find me."

Savannah gave her a small smile before Shar waved her through. "Have fun, kid."

As Savannah stepped inside, her eyes widened in surprise. Gone were the dark, intimidating dungeon scenarios she'd imagined. Instead, the club was transformed into a vibrant playground. Colorful mats covered the floor, dotted with stations for coloring, Play-Doh, and LEGO bricks, among other things.

Her gaze darted around the room, taking in the scene. Men of all sizes leaned against the walls and sat in chairs talking and laughing, their gazes focused on the littles playing. She noticed several large men wearing black leather jackets leaning againstone wall, their muscled arms crossed as they watched over their partners. Women of all shapes and sizes giggled and chattered, several coloring with intense focus, others building elaborate LEGO structures. Some even wore diapers and bibs. She tried to keep from gawking. Although she'd done a ton of research before coming tonight, research didn't quite prepare her for seeing it all in person.

Savannah's heart pounded in her chest as she glanced around the room.How am I supposed to find information about the Spartan Watchmen here?She noticed several of the club members spread out, the patches on their cuts denoting who they were.

A petite blonde in pigtails bounced up to her, grinning widely. "Hi! I'm Lily. Wanna color with me?"

Savannah forced a smile, her cheeks aching with the effort. "Sure, I'd love to," she replied, her voice higher than usual. As she followed Lily to a coloring station, she blinked back tears and tried to force a smile. She gave herself a pep talk and put one foot in front of the other.

I'm way out of my depth here. But I have to do this. For my sister. For my niece. No matter what it takes.

Sitting down in the chair next to Lily, Savannah's fingers trembled as she reached for a pink crayon, her other hand unconsciously tugging at the hem of her dress. She took a deep breath, remembering the countless DDLG romance novels she had devoured in preparation for this moment. In the novels, the littles were incredibly nice. Their Daddies were all protective and kind, although some could be firmer than others. If the novels were a representation of real life, she should be okay here.

"You, okay?" Lily asked, her brow furrowing with concern.

Savannah nodded, forcing a smile. "Just a little nervous. It's my first time here."

"We all know what that's like," the woman sitting next to Lily said. "Hi! I'm Makenzie, but you can call me Mak."

"Hi, Mak," Savannah said softly.

"And she's Emilee," Mak continued, pointing to the woman on the other side of her.

"I am!" Emilee said, all but bouncing in her seat. "Nice to meet you, Savannah."

As she colored with the girls, her mind wandered to the stories she had read, tales of vulnerability, trust, and unexpected passion. Despite her initial reluctance, she had found herself drawn in, her body responding in ways she hadn't expected. Now, surrounded by the reality of it all, she felt a confusing mix of anxiety and excitement.

"You're doing great," Lily chirped, patting Savannah's arm. "Everyone's nervous for the first time."

"Don't worry about a thing. Our Daddies would never let anything bad happen in here," Makenzie said. "The one right there with the big arm muscles is my Daddy, Irish. He's the best Daddy in the whole wide world. If you stay close to us, you will be super-duper safe."

Savannah's gaze drifted across the room to the man Makenzie had pointed out. He was definitely a larger dude, and based on his looks, the nickname fit. The sound of a glass breaking caught her attention, and she turned toward the bar. That was when she spotted him—Tim, standing behind the bar, his easy smile belying the gravity of their situation. Their eyes locked, and a silent understanding passed between them. His brother was the new leader of The Rejects. No one here knew that, though. They kept their relationship hidden for a reason. Tim looked nothing like his big brother, and they used the differences to their benefit.

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