Page 59 of Dance for Me

“If you’re sure. There’s a spare bed in the house if you need it.”

She snorted. “Don’t think Bodie will appreciate sharing a bed with either me or you. I’m good here. Now don’t make me tell you a second time to go get your girl.”

Unwilling to anger an exhausted Mistress, Braun eased out of the room, killing the lights before he shut the door firmly. He hated imposing on her; he knew not all of her clients were the easiest to deal with. Some, like Bodie, were complex, and deciphering the way their minds worked put therapists such as Connie under a great deal of emotional and mental pressure.

Striding down the walkway, Braun’s thoughts turned from inconveniencing his friend, to the woman he desired fervently enough he was willing to forgo his next breath to have her.

Innocent.

It explained so much, he realized now. Everything she said and did, the way she acted sometimes, glimmered with that tint of innocence. He’d smudged it now, with his hands and mouth. Intended to do so much more than just smudge it before he was through.

Expecting to see his subbie waiting at the bar, Braun frowned when he couldn’t spot her. His eyes raked up and down the people seated and standing, gathered alone, in pairs and clusters as Liam tried to serve them all in a timely fashion. The night was winding down, Doms and subbies relaxing after good scenes, enjoying the time to just relax and socialize a little before heading home.

Where the fuck was his sub?

Not where she was supposed to be, that was for sure. Growling under his breath, Braun stomped forward to demand answers from his bartender, then paused when Atticus gestured to him from the foyer doorway. Changing direction slightly, Braun headed toward him with sick dread and rising anger stirring in his gut.

If she’d made a break for it, she would feel his belt across her butt.

“Where is she, Atticus?”

The big man grinned. “Bad habit you’ve got there, boss. Losing your subbie for the second time. If you’re not careful, someone’s liable to lock a collar around that pretty throat and snap a leash on her.”

Braun bared his teeth. “Don’t fuck with me right now, brother. I’m not in the mood, and someone’s liable to have his nose broken if he so much as suggests that again.”

Atticus huffed out a laugh and crossed his arms over the spread of his chest. Sheer intimidation at its finest. Unfortunately for him, Braun’s ire was quickly growing, and intimidation had nothing on the fury in his blood. “And here I thought you’d be the voice of reason compared to the subbie having the mother of meltdowns in the parking lot. Lovers quarrel?”

“No quarrel. She just refuses to stay where she’s told.” Dampening down the angry emotions throttling his control, Braun took a deep breath. “She’s outside? Who’s with her?”

“Jasper and his shadow. He’d just finished with Tiffany when Boadicea shot across the barn like there were demons on her heels. She bulled her way through an exiting group, took a bit of a fall, then sat crying her goddamn heart out in the dirt. Jasper caught up with her, and tears turned into an all-out fight.”

Goddamn it, Jasper better not have his hands on her. Shoving past Atticus, Braun stormed toward the outer door, intent on shredding the sadist into pieces, but a massive hand clamped down on his shoulder and almost hoisted him off his feet. “Atticus, don’t make me break your fingers.”

“Jasper’s got it under control. Before you go marching out there with blood in your eye, just watch. Your little subbie can handle herself just fine, and she’s needed this.”

“They’re still fighting?”

Chuckling, Atticus opened the door and stepped out in front of Braun, keeping that restraining hand in place. From the shadows of the wooden awning, Braun forced himself not to dash over and smash his best friend in the face.

Someone—namely a feisty subbie—had beaten him to it.

With both hands in the air, Jasper dodged the woman swinging at him in the shadows of the security lighting. He jerked his head back, missing what would have been a nasty shot to the face, and caught the other fist she aimed at his belly. “I’ve told you once, lass, and I’ll tell you again—you’re not driving home tonight.”

“I have to go home. Give me my keys back!”

“Not happening, poppet. Last time you ran away, we didn’t see you for a goddamn month aside from when you popped out of your hidey hole to dance.” Jasper released her hand and took a step back, turning to walk back toward the club. “You want to go home, ask your Dom for a ride. That’s what he’s there for.”

There was a bloodcurdling scream of outrage, and Braun jolted when his submissive tackled the sadist with a running leap, landing on his back with an impact that rattled both their bones. Her movements, while still graceful, were sluggish in execution, suggesting she was tiring. “All I want is my fucking car keys!”

Jasper simply reached back and snagged her by a handful of hoody, dropping his shoulder and tumbling her onto the ground with a soft oomph. From the darkest part of the shadows, a tiny figure darted out to comfort the downed woman, only to be silently ordered back by a stern finger.

Anarchy.

“Such bad language from a good girl,” he crooned, grasping Bodie by the hair and tilting her head back. “I know you’re hurting, poppet, which is why I’m content to do this all night. Take all the shots you need; it’s not going to earn you your keys, but the spanking you’re working so hard for will make you feel better.” He let go, patted her on the head, and continued on his journey.

“I’m not a good girl.” Bodie lunged, wrapping her arms around his tailored pants-clad leg and gripping him tightly. She cursed when he just dragged her along behind him. “Please, Master Jasper, just give me my damn keys and let me get away from here.”

“If I believed leaving solved all your problems, I’d drive you home myself. However, you’re exhausted, you’re emotional, and in no fit state to take control of a vehicle. I—ow, goddamn it, Bodie!” Exasperated, Jasper held his cool and simply plucked her off his leg and set her back on her feet. “I don’t condone biting, Boadicea.”

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