Page 113 of The Sadist and the Brat

“Sadie just went to the bathroom,” Rebecca called over her shoulder as Nick dragged her away. “She’ll be back in a minute.”

He lifted a hand in acknowledgment then turned in the other direction. He’d use the restroom himself while he had the chance, then find Sadie and have some fun.

He swung through the restroom door, smiling when he saw the man standing at the sink. “Hey, Cade.”

“Jack.” Washing his hands, Cade gave him a head jerk in greeting. “Board meeting over already?”

“Short and sweet.” Jack crossed to the urinal. He took care of business quickly, running his plans for the evening in his head. He wanted a public spot, but not in the center of the room. Knowing Cade often helped James with equipment, he asked, “Do we have a St. Andrew’s cross set up tonight?”

“Two of them.” Cade tore off a strip of paper towel. “Plus the spanking benches, bondage table, and we set up an area for wax play.”

“Nice.” Finished, Jack zipped up and crossed to the sink. “I was going to take the cross, but now I might switch and go for the wax play.”

“You playing with Sadie tonight?” Cade leaned against the wall. “How’s that going?”

“It’s going good,” Jack murmured, thinking back to the look in her eyes after he’d fastened the collar around her neck.

“I see we’ve moved past the ‘it’s too early to say I’m in love with her’ stage,” Cade said, and Jack glanced over to see him smiling.

“Is it that obvious?” Jack asked, the water running while he scrubbed his hands.

“Probably to everyone but her.”

Jack laughed and rinsed his hands. “She’s too busy trying to convince herself she’s not in love with me.”

Cade tore off a paper towel and held it out. “Do you think she is?”

“I’m almost sure of it,” Jack said, taking the towel. “She just hasn’t realized it yet.”

Cade opened his mouth, then turned when the door swung open.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t our resident sadist.”

Jack twisted off the taps and tossed the paper towel in the trash. “Hello, Joel.”

Chapter Seventeen

Sadie came out of the bathroom, purse in hand, and ducked into the cloakroom. She was feeling a lot better than she had an hour ago, her good humor mostly restored by the talk with Rebecca. She still didn’t know what the hell she was doing, but at least now she didn’t feel so alone.

Shivering, she set her purse on the floor below her coat. She should’ve remembered how cold the warehouse could feel when she was planning this outfit and saved it for the smaller party James and Amanda always threw at the holidays. Their house was always kept warm in deference to naked or nearly naked submissives, and though they cranked the heat in the warehouse to try to do the same, twenty-foot ceilings made it a challenge.

She was contemplating putting her coat on over the lights and reimagining herself as a Christmas flasher when Sam walked into the cloakroom.

“There’s my best girl,” he said, and enveloped her in a warm hug. “Jesus, you’re freezing.”

She laughed, returning the hug. “I know. I was just trying to decide if I care more about looking cute or staying warm.”

He eased back, rubbing his hands down her arms. “What’d you decide?”

“Warm,” she decided, reaching for her coat, then drew her hand back. “Hmmm.”

“Change your mind?” he asked, slipping out of his jacket and grabbing a hanger.

“I’m going to wear Jack’s coat. It’s warmer.”

“And sexier.” He hung up his own jacket before slipping the long sweep of camel-colored wool off its hanger. “You can be a Christmas flasher.”

“Sam, you just get me,” she said, sliding her arms into the satin lined sleeves and wrapping the heavy wool around herself. “What do you think?”

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