Page 71 of A Master's Destiny
“What happened to Jeff?”
“Eh, turns out we weren’t compatible and broke up a few weeks later. Although it didn’t work out, I’ll always be grateful to Jeff for that night.” She lets out a long sigh. “Unfortunately, the club burned down a few years later and now lives solely in my memories.”
“That’s a shame. I would have enjoyed visiting the place,” I tell her as we pull into the parking lot. “I’ll drop you off at the entrance and park the car.”
She smiles at me. “Such a gentleman.”
When I join her inside the restaurant, she informs me, “This is one of my favorite places. It’s a hidden gem that not many people know about, which is rare in LA.”
The host near the door tilts his head to Natalie. “Your table is ready, Ms. Ayers.”
Natalie leans in. “I hope you don’t mind, but I asked for a secluded table.”
“Not at all. I prefer it,” I respond.
The host leads us to a booth in the back. I admire Mistress Blaze’s work and am honored to spend time alone with her.
“I’d ask you how you got started in BDSM, but I already know the answer,” she informs me.
“How’s that?”
“Samantha thinks very highly of you. She speaks about you often.”
I sit back in my chair, looking at her with a profound sense of gratitude. “Thank you for taking Samantha under your wing, Natalie.”
She gazes into my eyes, her smile growing. “You’ve supported her when others would not. I admire that about you, Thane.”
Hearing Natalie call me by my given name throws me off a little, but not in a bad way. It makes the interaction between us feel more…intimate.
A waiter walks up to the table to take our order, interrupting the conversation. After he leaves, Natalie continues, “Samantha is an extraordinary individual. Not many people have the strength to own up to a mistake as severe as hers. Even less have the fortitude to make the corrections necessary.”
I pick up my glass and take a drink of water. “I agree. Samantha is incredibly strong.”
“She’s a natural Dominant. I’m sure you saw that when you began working with her.”
“I did…” I feel my heart constrict painfully and confess, “I should have left it to the professionals to train her.” I look down at the empty plate, unable to look Natalie in the eye. “I’m partially to blame for what happened.”
She chuckles lightly. “Samantha warned me you would say that.”
I look at her curiously. “Say what?”
“That you would take the blame for something that sits squarely on her shoulders.”
I snort. “I not only introduced her to BDSM, but I tried to teach her everything I was learning at the time.”
She reaches over to take my hand. “According to Samantha, you always stressed to her that consent was key. You can’t be held accountable if the person under your instruction makes a poor choice.”
The waiter arrives with our dinner. Natalie squeezes my hand before picking up her napkin. “Let’s take a moment to appreciate this good meal.”
I enjoy Natalie’s easy manner. Despite having years of experience as a Domme, she treats me as if I were her equal.
Midway through the meal, Natalie stops and sets down her fork. “I once had a promising student whom I poured all of my knowledge into. I learned later that he was responsible for sending a submissive to the hospital with third-degree burns. Naturally, I was devastated to hear it.” She pauses a moment, looking at me thoughtfully. “However, I knew I had done my due diligence. Taking responsibility for his actions would have been foolhardy on my part.”
She picks up her fork again. “Now, when I train others, I share what happened. I use that tragedy to stress how dangerous fire is and how quickly a scene can get out of control. In that way, the pain that submissive suffered is not in vain and can act as a warning to others.”
I nod, saying nothing as I continue to eat while I digest her words.
I’m caught off guard when I feel her foot brush up against my leg under the table. I look up to see her gazing at me seductively.
