Page 19 of Scarlett Thief (Criminal Underground 2)

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Scarlett

Wolf walked out and left me with Hadrian, whose attention shifted from the now closed front entrance to me. His stance was more relaxed than Wolf's had been, but that only set me on edge. There was a thread of steel behind those dark blue eyes of his. They were hard in a way that I recognized—in the way that most criminals I’d known were. That hardness, though, wasn’t what made my chest tighten. No, it was the glimmer of heat there and the fact that it was directed at me.

"So, are you going to ask me, Scarlett?" he asked when I didn't say anything.

“I’m not sure,” I replied, keeping my voice even though I felt watched and tracked—like prey being stalked by a predator. I crossed my arms over my chest in a subconscious move, making him chuckle.

"You know,” he said casually as he stepped closer, “you should let down those mile high walls of yours every once in a while.”

“They’re necessary,” I shot back, looking up and refusing to step back even when I really wanted to.

“Yeah, I get that—you’re a thief after all.” His gaze scanned my face—searching, but for what I didn’t know. “But like Wolf said—we’re not your marks. We’re your partners.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I chose to remain silent. He chuckled again, the sound a vibration in the air.

“Ask,” he prodded. “Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid,” I snapped, releasing my arms and finally taking that much needed step back.

“Then why won’t you ask me if I’m a sub?”

“Because I know you’re just playing mind games with me,” I spat. “And I don’t appreciate it.”

Hadrian’s eyes closed and he grinned as he shook his head before reopening them. “I’m not a submissive,” he said, answering the unspoken question. “I’m just like Wolf—I’m a Dom.”

I swallowed around a suddenly dry throat. “Okay, what about the rest of it?” I hedged. “Isn’t there more stuff I need to know than whether or not you’re a Dom or a sub?”

Hadrian grinned my way before moving back to the table where he’d set up his equipment. “You’re right.” He took a seat and nodded to the one across from him. “What do you know about BDSM?”

“Not much,” I admitted. “I know it’s an acronym that stands for Bondage/Discipline, Dom/sub, slave/Master, and Sadomasochism. I understand what those are individually, but I’ve never really experienced any of it myself.”

He nodded, leaning forward and bringing his elbows up onto the table as he steepled his fingers together. “That’s a good starting point,” he said. “Each of those things can fall under the BDSM purview. Some have 24-7 relationships where the Dominant partner controls every aspect of their submissive partner’s lives.” I blanched at that, but he unsteepled his fingers and waved a hand through the air. “Don’t worry, I can’t speak for Wolf, but I’m not one of those types and I doubt he is either. For myself, I just enjoy the control and power exchange. The club is a bit different, however.”

I eyed him carefully. “Different how?” I prompted. “What should I expect from this club?"

"Well, there’ll be sex for one,” he replied. “Couples or groups will be openly having sex throughout the club—so you should prepare yourself for that.” His attention turned toward the laptop closest to him and he began typing on it. “When I have my information sent to Incatenato, they’ll send over contracts for both a Dom and submissive. I’ll have you read that and some other information I’ve got on hand. You don’t need to worry about being perfect. We’ll inform management that you’re new.”

“Won’t that be suspicious?” I asked. “A new sub in a club?”

He shook his head. “No, of course not. Everyone has to start somewhere and it’s not like we’re going to be executing a mission in Incatenato—this is purely for information gathering. Sex clubs are notorious for their exclusivity. Wolf’s contact probably feels safer meeting there because no one else would expect it.”

“I see.” I considered that for a moment.

“Another thing you’ll need to understand is that—as a submissive—there will be certain rules for you in the club.”

I narrowed my eyes on him. “What kind of rules?”

“You’ll be coming in as Wolf’s submissive,” he paused before adding, “for now.” Before I could ask what he meant, he continued. “You’ll have to get used to following his commands. He won’t abuse the power exchange—he wouldn’t be accepted into the club if he was that type. But this is about respect. You will respect him. You won’t be allowed to go off on your own.”

“I think I can handle it,” I replied tersely.

He eyed me for a moment before standing up and moving around the table. “Get up,” he ordered.

“Excuse me?” I gaped at him.

One hand landed on my arm and pulled me out of the seat. “See, you can’t even follow directions.”

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