Page 326 of Ashes of Sin and Stardust

Awesome.

Another text came through.If I have to come in there, you’re going to be miserable ALL NIGHT LONG.And he did something out of character... he added a pearl emoji, and an angry demon head.

Yikes. I pursed my lips, wondering what he was going to do to mypearl. The demon head I was okay with. He did not usually use emojis. In fact... I was pretty sure this was the first time he’d ever used them.

I continued to ignore him for another few minutes, hoping for the best – or worst. He did not disappoint.

It was a busy night at The Underground, and Reuben Weston wasn’t exactly an unknown in the community. Not only was he the size of bigfoot and looked meaner than a wooly mammoth, but he also used to be a regular here until he started his own club. Not everyone liked him, but pretty much everyone respected him. So when the volume of the surrounding conversations began to steadily decline, I had a feeling he’d made his entrance. Melissa and Jenny’s eyes widening to the size of silver dollars and then looking away awkwardly was my second clue.

I did the stupidest thing I could think of. Loud enough for my whole friend group to hear, I said, “No, I don’t think I’d consider Sir a hard Dom. He’s really barely even a sadist.”

His huge hand came from behind me and cupped my neck. A combination of fear, excitement, relief, and pure need coursed through my body, and I shivered as I heard him growl. He squeezed.

I lifted my face to look up at him. He was wearing his fancy tailored suit and a pair of aviators, glaring down at me like the grim reaper. I could feel the low growl he let out rumble through my whole body. His top lip lifted slightly in a snarl, and then the manbared his teeth at me.

“Fuck,” I moaned, feeling a gush of wetness and an intense tingle run down my spine.

Without a word, he gripped me under the arm with his other hand and hauled me to standing. Bending over and grabbing my ankle, he slung me over his shoulder like a fucking ragdoll. He turned on his heel and carried me out of the club, ignoring my fighting and shouting, and the hoots and hollers of those who were watching.

It was humiliating and embarrassing. I’d worked hard on my reputation as the “Demon of the Underground,” the untamable brat, the smart-ass masochist who could take whatever people threw at me. I was hanging over his shoulder, my fists pounding against his back and his ass, flushed from the blood rushing to my head and from the embarrassment... but I was the happiest I’d ever been. Because I was owned. Well and truly claimed. I belonged to Reuben Weston.

He all but tossed meinto the back seat where I found a dress hanging on the shirt hook, and a pair of heels. “Change.”

“But what if people see me naked?”

“I don’t careif someone sees you naked. I’ll tie you naked to the roof of the fucking car if you don’t do as I fucking say.” He slammed the door shut and got into the driver’s seat to take us to our date.

I smirked as I took my time changing. He kept checking the rearview mirror to check my progress. At one point he caught me fondling my own tits, cupping them and presenting them to his reflection.

“Damnit Alice, you’re going to get us in a car accident.”

“Guess you should keep your eyes on the road, then, Sir.” I pinched my nipples under my bra and moaned. “God, Sir, the way you snarled at me, and how you choked me, I thought I was going to come right there...Fuck.”

Another peek in the rear view and his eyes widened as he saw me suck on my fingers, and then swirl them over my nipples. Yes, I knew I was going to get in serious trouble for this, but I did it anyway, because there was nothing he could do to stop me.

He took a steadying breath, fixed his eyes forward, and ignored me.

I continued to play and touch myself, but he wasn’t looking or reacting to my moans. I was getting frustrated because it wasn’t fun if he wasn’t reacting. Still, I knew even if he was acting indifferent, he was definitely pissed as hell.

“We are three minutes away. When I get out and park this car, I am dragging you into that restaurant regardless of how much, or little clothing, you are wearing at the time. I suggest you finish changing.”

“Bullshit,” I laughed, calling his bluff. “You will not take me in there naked.”

I watched his reflection in the mirror. He grinned, and it was evil.

Shit. Bluff not called.I knew that look. That was the “wanna bet?” look. Grumbling, I stopped fucking around and finished changing into the dress.

It was hard to get into the dress in the backseat of a car, but when I finally managed it, I stared down at it in shock. He’d told me he’d had a dress made for me for tonight, but I’d expected it to be something classy and black. No, this was not that.

This was a thin sleek dress made of what felt like silk or chiffon. It hung elegantly on my figure, transforming me from a chunky goblin to a mythical creature. The floor-length piece had a slit up to the middle of my thigh, and my fox tattoo was visible. The fabric was orange and yellow near the top and descended into red, then a deep scarlet, then almost black at the bottom. The top was gathered into a single strap over one shoulder, creating the illusion that my snake tattoo was my second strap.

He helped me out of the car. Taking me in with his hungry gaze, he looked me up and down likeIwas on the menu for tonight. I’d pulled my hair into a ponytail earlier that day, but he reached behind me and pulled it down, fluffing it and running his fingers through it, and setting it over my shoulders.

He took my hand in his and kissed my knuckles. Rotating my wrist around, he brought my wrist to his lips, brushing a kiss there too, right on my pulse point. He smiled against my skin, then opened his mouth just a little, letting his teeth sit lightly against my wrist.

I swallowed.

“Ready?”

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