Page 44 of High Class

Now, I’m curious about what she will say no to. I’ve never gotten off on truly pushing a girl’s limits before. Not really. But Zara pushes my buttons, and I’m overwhelmed by the urge to push hers.

She finishes her drink, and I stand, offering her my hand.

Just then, Matteo strolls by, and Zara does a double take when she spies Skylar crawling behind him.

“Well, that’s interesting,” she murmurs. “I’ve watched her perform live. This is a side to her I never thought I would see. She has like three Grammys, doesn’t she?”

I laugh and shrug. “Wouldn’t know. I don’t keep up with that sort of thing. But I do understand what you mean.” I jerk my head towards a couple. A man is kneeling at a woman’s feet, and she has her fingers in his hair, pulling hard and though her foot is hidden, I can tell she’s digging her heel into his crotch. “That man over there? He’s a mercenary. I’ve watched him kill a man with his bare hands. But that stays between us.”

It was wrong for me to spill that little secret. So, so wrong. But I suspect it’s safe with Zara. And since she’s shared a secret or two with me, I hope it will bring us closer.

She bites her lip as if she wants to laugh but keeps her composure. “I don’t condone killing, but I am a fan of finding an outlet. His job is probably very stressful. So good for him.”

We walk hand in hand through the main play space and towards the back until we reach the hallway that leads to the four themed spaces.

Tonight, Owen has brought in a couple of aerial artists, and they’ll be doing a bondage demo that is supposed to be beautiful.

When we walk in, everyone notices us. I like that about having her on my arm. They would have noticed me regardless, but their gazes wouldn’t linger. Not like they are as we wind our way through the small crowd and take a spot at the front that’s been reserved for us. Most of the members are gathered in this room for the show, but a few will be off doing their own thing because the show doesn’t interest them. When I sit in the chair, I nod to the floor in front of me.

To my surprise, she sinks to her knees with grace, and I don’t have to prod. That makes people stare even more. A new submissive at the club always catches attention. A new submissive kneeling with one of the owners? People want details. But she’ll stay a mystery for now. Because that’s the way I want it.

She lays her head on my leg, then sits up to look back at me. “Is that OK?”

I nod and pet her hair. “Of course, little Flower.”

The music starts, and the lights go down. When a single spotlight comes on, it illuminates a handsome couple. The woman is on her knees with her back to the man who stands behind her. As the beat to the song changes, he touches her shoulder, and she looks up at him with an adoring smile.

The lighting changes, and she leans forward and hands him a bundle of rope. From there, the man crouches, and unfurls the rope, and begins to tie. It feels like mere seconds before he has her bound into a chest harness and is helping her to her feet where they seem to dance together as he hooks the rope through a hardpoint above them.

The beat changes again, and he hoists her into the air. I glance down at Zara to see her reaction. She is enthralled, beaming even, as she watches the scene unfold. The couple performs in rope for two songs before taking their bow and exit the temporary stage that’s been set up. Zara bounces on her knees and claps.

Her excitement gets to me, and I fist a hand in her hair, hauling her up into my lap so I can kiss her.

“That was so incredible. I want to talk to that couple. There are so many questions I have.”

Her wheels are turning. Zara sees this as a business opportunity.

“I’ll have Owen introduce you later. Beyond that, what did you think?”

“It was so beautiful. I’ve never seen a connection like that. Are they an actual couple or do they just appear to be madly in love when they perform?”

I chuckle. “They’re partners. Polyamorous, I think but definitely in love.”

She clutches at her chest. “So beautiful. Thank you for sharing that with me. Why did you think I would like it?”

“You’re a performer of sorts yourself. It made sense.”

She lays her head on my shoulder, and I nuzzle my beard against the top of her head.

“This place is incredible, Luke. Sorry, I’m not supposed to call you that here.”

I kiss the top of her head. “It’s fine when it’s only the two of us, Flower. I know you don’t like all the protocol.”

“But you do. I can tell. You enjoy the finer things in life, and that extends to kink as well.”

“I still sometimes feel like I don’t fit. I’ve tried so hard to not be my family, you know? They’re brutal, and rough around the edges, and no amount of money smooths that roughness away. Especially when people still whisper about us and whether we really fit despite our money. Here, no one sees the rough edges. They just see me. And I know that, but I still feel like an impostor sometimes.”

She sits up and touches my beard with tender fingers. “I wondered what possessed you to keep your beard so perfect and why you insist on always being dressed to the nines. You know you can be refined and relaxed at the same time, right?”

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