“They just like watching me spank the naughty subs.”

“And that, too.”

Chapter Three

Echo

Cuffed. Even the name of the dungeon on my map app sounded like a fun place to go. My list didn’t specify what kind of club, but from what I’d seen online, it was great for beginners and more experienced people alike.

Amber insisted I wear a suit but I hated jackets, especially now as winter gave way to spring. My wolf kept me plenty warm without it anyway. I decided on all black. Black button-down shirt. Black pants. Sleek black shoes I’d only worn to funerals and when I was the best man at Zack’s mating ceremony.

I took an Uber from my place into the city. I lived in a house outside the city limits. The sounds and the lights were sometimes too much for me. The incident had nothing to do with the city or the barrage of lights there, but something about the busy moving parts had me nauseous in seconds.

Even as I gave the driver the address, my stomach flopped. I hid this part of my recovery from my friends, but sometimes, I swore they could tell I wasn’t doing well.

As the driver pulled over right in front of the club, he eyed me in the rearview mirror. “This is the place you wanted to go?”

I scoffed and completed the transaction on my phone, choosing to tip him the bare minimum. “It is. Thank you.”

He looked out the window and back to me. “A cute omega like you doesn’t really belong in a place like this. You know what they do in here?”

Judgy much? I could practically hear the sound of a gavel. “I’ll decide what’s good for me. Have a good night.”

“You want me to wait?” This driver was a statement away from a one-star review.

“No.”

“Suit yourself.”

I got out of the car and smoothed the front of my shirt and my pants with my palms. Gods, I was more nervous about walking into this place than I had been leaping from a plane or even bungee jumping. Going to a sex club was not for the faint of heart.

Approaching the front door, I paused, noticing there was no line to get in. Then again, it was kind of early in the evening. The information online was limited. No pictures of the inside. None of the rules laid out. Not even operating hours.

I did find a discussion where someone said this club was the one place they felt safe to be themselves. That was all I needed to hear.

Once I reached the door, I rattled the handles, but it was locked. I had a vague idea that nightclubs opened late…but how late? Seven? Eight?

The door opened swiftly, making me step back in surprise.

“Deliveries go to the back,” the person said, still in the shadows.

“Oh. I’m not delivering. I’m here for…to come to the club.”

The man came out, and I was instantly hit with his scent. My senses kicked in, smelling the mixture of cigarillo, musk, and bourbon. My knees melted. My body swayed toward the scent. My whole world turned upside down. “I’m Samuel. We are not open this early in the evening.”

I smiled as he leaned against the brick exterior and lit up a thin cigar.

“I see. Well, I suppose I’ll come back later, then.”

The man put one foot on the brick behind him, bending the knee. “Are you a member?”

“A member?” I repeated. I sounded like a fool. Like a club virgin. Oh, wait, I was.

“Yeah. Cuffed is a members-only club. You have to be a member or come with someone who is—as a guest.” The way he saidguestmade me shiver. A simple word…but from his lips… His eyes roamed my form as he blew out a line of smoke through his nose. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “So, are you a member?”

People passed by, chatting and some snickering. “I’m not a member.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Then you can’t come in later. Or at all.”