“Yes and no.”
Jenna sensed he was about to teach her—yet again—something she didn’t know about the lifestyle. It was amazing how all her research had only taught her so much. With Warren filling in the gaps, her next book would be much more interesting. The more Warren taught her, the more mental notes she made about new plot points she could add.
“Some Doms expect their submissives to bow their heads at all times,” he said. “I’m not like that. You will learn when I want you to bow to me. But, as a general rule, I expect you to hold your head up high. You are my submissive. I consider you an extension of me. You represent me when you’re in the club, whether you are on my arm or not. As such, I expect you to stand up straight and own your actions—mistakes and all—with a show of strength and confidence.”
The elevator arrived with a quiet ding.
“And remember,” he said, guiding her inside, “I am not admonishing you, I’m reminding you.” He tapped the button for the basement. “That’s my job as your Dominant. To remind you when you make a mistake. It’s not personal.” He searched her eyes, then slowly placed a soft, chaste kiss full of promise on her mouth. His lips came away lightly smudged and shimmering from her glossy lipstick. “It’s all part of the game, Jenna. Remember that. My reminders and your defiance are what will make this more fun for both of us.”
“What are you saying? That you want me to disobey you and make mistakes so you can punish me?” That was certainly how it sounded.
He crowded her against the reflective silver wall, caging her between his arms. “Think of it this way. If you never break my rules”—he rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, smearing her red lipstick down her chin, then admired his artwork—“I would never get the pleasure of punishing you. And if I never get to punish you, you will never feel the pleasure of being punished. Because, Jenna”—he lightly brushed the backs of his fingers over her breast—“you will find that my punishments are in and of themselves rewards.” His hand disappeared under the asymmetrical hem of her dress and caressed her between the legs. “If you please me, I’ll make you come.” His fingers brushed forward and back, tantalizing her. “If you displease me, I’ll make you come.” His voice deepened, growing almost as soft as a whisper as he cupped her. “It’s only the manner in which I get you there that will change.” He slowly pulled his hand away, dragging his fingers across her tender flesh one last time, then encircled her waist with both arms, pulling her forward as he brought his mouth around to her ear and whispered, “And I enjoy all the ways, Jenna.”
The elevator crawled to a stop, but Warren pressed the button to keep the doors closed, continuing to hold her close, his face tucked against the side of hers.
“I’m looking forward to showing those ways to you.” Breathless anticipation whispered through his words.
“So am I.”
She felt like Warren was her true north. The point on her compass she could always count on to lead her home. Which was crazy since she still hardly knew him. But sometimes you just knew what was right for you and what wasn’t. And with Warren, she felt so very right.
He held her there for several long, simmering, arousing moments, then slowly backed away, hit the button to open the doors, and guided her—weak knees and all—out of the elevator. He pointed to a door at the end of the hall she assumed was a restroom.
“Go fix your lipstick,” he commanded in his Dom voice. “I’ll wait for you here.”
The devil. He’d messed up her lipstick just so he could order her to clean herself up.
She looked him dead in the eye. “Yes, sir.” She briefly held his gaze, then turned and calmly maneuvered past a half-naked woman who’d just exited the bathroom.
As Jenna pushed open the door, she glanced over her shoulder.
Warren remained where she’d left him, a pleased grin on his face, his eyes glued to her even as the barely dressed woman passed. He didn’t even flinch, his gaze never wavering from hers. It was like the other woman wasn’t even there.
That’s when she knew.
Warren might have said he would break her of her defiance, but he had no intention of doing so. He enjoyed her disobedience too much.
Chapter Nine
Stepping into the main room was like stepping into a nightclub. The newest and most glamorous, exclusive, and hedonistic nightclub in the city.
The lights were dim, and bass-heavy, downtempo music played at a low volume through speakers mounted in the corners. Music to make out to. Strip to. Fuck to. She listened to the same type of music when she was writing sex scenes or masturbating.
Gothic gold-and-crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceilings, and portraits of nude men, women, and couples engaged in a variety of sex acts hung on the crimson walls.
From across the room—which was filled with people in various states of undress unlike how they’d been dressed upstairs—a shirtless man wearing black military-style pants and built like a wide receiver caught Warren’s eye.
“Master Donovan.” The man nodded in greeting.
“Master Conrad,” Warren replied, stopping. “Will we be seeing you and Nadine performing tonight?”
A slender blonde wearing a black, see-through catsuit stood beside him. Nadine, no doubt. She kept her eyes downcast and had a thick silver choker around her neck, which was attached to a leather leash draped over Master Conrad’s hand.
Master Conrad smoothed his palm over Nadine’s platinum blond hair as if he were petting a dog. “Oh, yes, Nadine has been very obstinate this week, haven’t you, Nadine?”
She nodded without looking up. “Yes, Master.”
“She needs to be reminded of her place, don’t you, my pet.”
“Yes, Master.”
Given the flush of color in her cheeks and the way the corners of her mouth lifted ever
