Page 64 of Entering Stronghold

“Has she tried to leave this floor with him yet?”

“No,” Patrick said, sounding both relieved and disappointed at the same time. Probably disappointed because it meant he couldn’t kick Trevor out and relieved because he didn’t have to think about what reasons Lexie might have for such a move. He sighed. “Stay here for a bit, I need to check on something in the office.”

Watching the dance floor was no hardship, especially because his current position also allowed him to watch the front door. There were a lot of couples and as many singles on the dance floor, the lounge area was basically deserted. Adam grinned a little bit as he saw a couple submissives outright flirting with Kris, a shy but competent Dom, on the opposite side of the dance floor. Maybe it was the party atmosphere, but it did seem like people were being more outrageous than usual.

Next to Lexie and Trevor, two female submissives were dancing with a Dom, and putting on a bit of a show for him and everyone else. Touching, snatching an occasional kiss. Every time he caught them touching each other inappropriately they earned a smack on the ass, but every time they managed a kiss—despite his maneuvering—they each received a kiss from him as well. It was a game and one all three of them were obviously enjoying, but Trevor was enjoying watching the two women touch and kiss each other just as much. Lexie was watching as closely, her body swaying in time with the music and her boyfriend.

“Master Adam,” purred a voice to Adam’s left. “I was hoping to see you here this evening.” Laurie, a vivacious and curvy redhead shifted closer to him, almost touching. “Are you playing tonight?”

“I am, but I already have a scene set up, I’m waiting on my partner,” he said, trying to shift away. Unfortunately, because the club was so crowded, he didn’t have very far to go.

Laurie tilted her head as she looked up at him. While she was very attractive and they’d played before, months ago, the invitation didn’t appeal to him at all. And it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with the woman he was waiting on.

“We could play while you wait... or dance.”

Adam scowled down at her. “Shouldn’t you be waiting in the Lounge for someone to come to you?”

“No one’s doing that tonight,” she said, sidling closer and pressing her breasts against his arm. “But if it bothers you, you can always punish me for it.”

“Someone needs to spank you, but it’s not going to be me,” he said. “But if you keep this up, I’ll make sure Patrick uses you for his demonstration.” Laurie’s cheeks paled. She was more than a bit of a brat, but she didn’t have a very high pain tolerance; both of them knew Patrick’s preferences would be way too rough for her.

Looking back over at the entrance of the club, Adam’s breath caught in his throat.

What the hell is she wearing?!

Straps crisscrossed Angel’s body, bright red leather, in the outline of a bathing suit, but there was nothing between the leather straps. Small rectangles covered her nipples and her pussy lips, but otherwise the entire ‘outfit’—if it could be called that—was made up of those thin straps, crossing her creamy skin. Lust and possessive rage boiled through him and it was all he could do to keep from striding across the room and covering her up. Preferably with himself.

Looking up she caught his eye and her face brightened.

Next to him, Laurie sighed loudly. “Is she your partner for the evening?”

“Yes,” he looked down at the attractive little sub and smiled apologetically. “Don’t worry Laurie, there’s going to be plenty of people here tonight.” Breaking his eyes away from Angel had been difficult but necessary.

What was it about the woman that made him feel so out of control? So much like a barbarian? Maybe it was the leather, because his head was dancing with visions of hauling her over his shoulder and carrying her away like a prize. His brother had always joked they were descended from Vikings and right now he was feeling all too much like one. But he had to control his impulses—not only was there Lexie to look out for, but Patrick had specifically asked him to stay on this floor while he attended to whatever it was he needed to in the office.

He had the feeling a couple of minutes next to Angel, trying to keep his hands off of all skin she was showing, and he was going to forget both responsibilities.

Angel

Her fingernails bit into the skin of her palms.

I won’t look over there again. I won’t.

As if the image of the pretty, petite redhead pressing her breasts against Master Adam wasn’t already burned into her brain. When she’d first walked in he’d looked up, seen her, and then turned right back to his conversation with the redhead. Smiling at the obviously flirting submissive. Encouraging her. Not that Angel could blame the woman for trying. Master Adam looked particularly good tonight. Not at all Valentinesy, but she hadn’t expected him to. He was wearing leather pants with his usual button down shirt. Which had been unbuttoned about halfway down. Damn him for looking so casually sexy.

Had she misread his intentions last night?

Okay, so she didn’t expect him to immediately break off mid-conversation just because she’d walked in the door, but she’d been here close to ten minutes now. Surely if he was interested in her, he could have wrapped up the conversation by now. Or did he plan on playing with more than one person tonight? The little ache beneath her chest which had started when she’d first seen him with the other sub was growing larger.

But it wasn’t like she had any real claim on him. Heck, she had no idea what he’d done with himself on the two nights they’d scened together after she’d left. Maybe he’d gone and found himself a pretty redhead.

There was nothing between them, not really, and so no reason for her chest to feel so tight or like she was about to cry. Just because she’d had him in mind when she’d talked herself into wearing this ridiculous contraption.

Maybe it was a ridiculous outfit. Silly and not sexy. Or way too much. She felt silly right now, coming by herself, looking like this. Leigh was calling Michael tonight and had said Angel should go to Stronghold because it could be a long conversation and she didn’t want to have to kick Angel out of her own room for so long. And Mike had a date with a submissive he’d met the week before, although they might show up later. Still, she wouldn’t have come alone tonight, especially not dressed like this, if she didn’t think she and Master Adam were going to do a scene.

“Hey there, beautiful.” The deep familiar voice stopped her and Angel looked up, forcing herself to smile into warm blue eyes. Too bad those blue eyes didn’t set her body tingling the way the ones across the room did.

“Hey Rick.” He’d told her she could call him that, even in the club, rather than having to refer to him as Master Rick. “What’s shaking?”

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