Page 13 of Rediscovering Rubi

As they strode back toward the main lodge, Logan looked over his shoulder, but Rubi was busy chatting with Reese, looking happier than she had in a while. She was a big animal lover, so today should be good for her. Which was important because he wanted her as relaxed as possible for their night ahead.

“I hope you’ll find everything you need here. Our themed Dungeon rooms change from time to time, and hopefully there’s a room that fits your needs. If not, just let a staff member know what you’d like and they’ll do their best to make it happen,”Derek said as they stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the lower level.

“It looked pretty spectacular from what I saw on the website. We’ve been to a few clubs when we were younger, and they were mostly a bunch of nice equipment in old warehouse spaces—pretty bare-bones—so this place has already impressed the heck out of me.”

“Great. Right this way,” Derek said as the door slid open. “There’s no one down here right now, although we do offer daytime play hours. But January and early February up until around Valentine’s Day can be a little quieter than the rest of the year—which means you’d probably have the main Dungeon area to yourselves if you’re inclined to use it. And here we are,” he said, making a sweeping gesture with his hand.

The main Dungeon was even more impressive in person, with multiple play stations, and every piece of equipment Logan could imagine: spanking benches, St. Andrew’s Crosses, what looked like fancy padded kennel cages for pet play, vinyl-covered tables, and even one that hung from the ceiling with long chains that allowed the table to swing. There were also large armoires placed against the walls at each station, holding every implement imaginable and bundles of rope in different colors, plus sofas and large chairs set all around the perimeter, as well as throw blankets, and first aid and water stations. Everything was spotless and in pristine condition.

“This place is incredible,” Logan murmured, gazing around the big room.

“We have music playing when the Dungeon is in use, and we can change the lights to fit the mood or the event. Gold and purple for Mardi Gras weekend, all green for St. Patrick’s Day, and of course red and pink for Valentine’s Day. And you should see the place at Christmas!”

“This space is fancier than anything we’re used to—or, used to be, anyway. But I’m pretty sure she’s going to want to stick to the private rooms. We haven’t played for years, so this is sort of a starting over point for us in a lot of ways.”

Derek nodded. “I imagine with your military career it was hard to keep up on private time.”

“That, and the kids. I had to be overseas so often, I really wanted to engage with my children as much as possible when I was home. Private time was pretty rare for Rubi and me.”

Logan paused, thinking back over the years of missed sporting events and dance recitals. He’d even missed Gabe’s high school graduation. And he and Rubi had put their relationship on the back burner in order to prioritize the kids, rarely even having a night out to dinner alone.

He remembered those times they went to the kink clubs before they’d had kids, though, and the times they’d played at home. They’d been so intensely bonded when they were in the Dom and sub roles, and well after a play night, too. They had to get back to that.Had to.

“Yeah, not nearly enough private time,” he said, “for too many years. And as proud as I was to serve my country, as important as I felt being in the military was—and I still believe in the work I did, in my service—I have some regrets when it comes to my marriage.” He paused to glance at Derek, who was quietly watching him, his brows drawn together. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get so personal.”

Derek clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s fine. It’s what we do here. A lot of people come here to heal themselves or their relationships, and we’re always glad to help. If talking helps, we have wonderful therapists on site and, well, I’m here if you just want to chat.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. It’s just that… back in the day, when we played, we were so in tune with each other. And she was sodamn beautiful. She always has been, and still is, but in those moments of submission, she just took my breath away. And the bond we shared, the bond we created through kink, it was so powerful. I felt like we were unbreakable.”

“But you’re not as certain about that now, is that it? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

Logan shook his head. “No, it’s really good to talk to someone about all this. It’s not a conversation I can have with anyone else. We don’t have a kink community anymore, and this isn’t the kind of topic I can bring up with my Air Force buddies. I mean, the guys and I have talked about things like having to leave our families and all the feelings of stress and guilt that comes with that, but I doubt any of them would want to havethisconversation.”

Derek gave a low chuckle. “You never know, Logan. It’s so much more common than most people would think. Look at the Ranch. It was designed to be a safe place for Littles and their caregivers, and we’re full-up pretty much all year round. We have to keep expanding and hiring more staff. Imagine how many more kinky folks there must be that we never meet.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right about that. Anyway, I appreciate you talking to me about this stuff.”

“Always happy to help. On that note, I sensed from Rubi that she’s nervous about this.”

“She is. It’s been a long time, like I said. The underlying dynamic is definitely still there, but there are also a lot of unknowns. We’ve changed so much over the years; both of us. The military can make you sort of rigid in your thinking, and it’s something I’m going to have to remind myself of, pretty sure.”

“I have a good feeling about you, Logan. You’re someone who exudes a natural dominance. You need to trust your instincts. I feel like your wife is a lot more hesitant.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” Logan agreed. “She has a lot of self-image concerns, and I think she’s pretty freaked out about turning fifty in a few months.”

Derek shrugged. “That’s natural—and very common—for everyone as we age, but I think it hits women even harder. There are so many societal expectations around how women are supposed to look. It’s something a lot of our Littles deal with when they’re facing wearing the cute Little outfits they’ve always wanted to wear—that going against societal expectations thing. But your wife’s a gorgeous woman, if you don’t mind me saying so. I think if you give her enough reassurance, she’ll eventually believe you enough to move past being self-conscious. Kink is a very effective way to do that. The beauty in submission itself, like you mentioned.”

Logan nodded. “Yeah, it’s true. It’s all about the energy, the power exchange, and it’s like the entire world narrows down to what’s happening in those moments, and nothing else matters. I guess we need to have those experiences again, where we’re the center of each other’s universe.”

“You’ve got this, Logan.”

He took a deep breath, then blew it out. “I hope so. Thanks for the pep talk.”

Derek gave him another friendly clap on the back. “Anytime. I mean that. Now let’s go take a look at the private rooms.”

Rubi watched Logan walk off with Master Derek, sensing he’d found someone he could really talk to. Not that he didn’t have friends back home, but there was something about Master Derek that felt familiar and comfortable to her, and she’d bet Logan felt the same way. From what she could tell, the two men were prettymuch cut from the same cloth. And she and Logan had lost touch with their old kink community; having someone like Master Derek to talk to would be good for her husband, especially after his retirement and losing daily access to his military community, too.

“Come on, Rubi,” Reese said. “Let’s go meet some animals. Just watch your step if any of the turkeys are around. It can be like walking through a minefield, and turkey poop is no joke.”

---