Leashed [Shifter Sanctuary 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 5

  “Before we go any farther, there are some things you need to know about the resort.”

  Chapter Eight

  Laci stared at Tucker. “Du–dungeon?” She looked around at the dim space. She’d heard about places like this, but she’d never been to one. She looked back to Tucker, who was watching her with narrowed eyes, almost as though he were gaging her reaction. She realized that was exactly what he was doing. Did he think she was going to panic and run away? The stubbornness she often battled worked its way up inside her.

  She lifted her chin. “Show me.”

  Tucker raised his eyebrows, and then a grin slid across his face. “Right this way. But let me know if you get uncomfortable and we’ll leave.”

  Laci wasn’t about to let him know that she was already uncomfortable, but it had nothing to do with where they were and everything to do with how close Tucker was to her. She was already on edge from her unexpected—and short—kiss with Colt and her sex drive was in high gear. Tucker’s arm brushed against hers as they walked down the hallway, and every nerve ending lit up at his touch. Her pussy clenched at the innocent contact and she sucked in a breath. She needed to get control of herself or she might jump her boss before this tour was over.

  Tucker led her down the hallway, past numerous closed doors. The doors were made of wood, their dark surfaces polished as smoothly as the floor. She heard faint sounds emanating from behind some of them, but the doors were thick enough that everything was muffled. They continued down the hallway and then turned right. A single door stood at the end of the hall, and Tucker didn’t slow down until they reached it.

  He turned and studied her for a moment. “Ready?”

  She lifted her chin again and met his gaze. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Her stubbornness was going to get her into trouble someday, but she’d come this far and she wasn’t about to back down now. She held his stare until he turned and opened the door. She marched past him into the room and then he followed her and closed the door behind them. She stopped a few feet inside the room and looked around. A mixture of shock and curiosity coursed through her. She wasn’t sure which one would win out.

  “So, um…guests, um, play…in here?” She tried to keep her voice calm, but she heard the shakiness in it.

  “No. Guests do not play in here.” Tucker was so close behind her she could practically feel his breath on her bare shoulders. “This is my private room.”

  His admission sent a shock wave straight through her. The urge to lean back into him almost overwhelmed her. She moved away from him, further into the room, not trusting herself if she stayed so close to him. A four-poster bed dominated one wall of the room. Metal rings were fixed to each post, and a larger ring hung from the ceiling above the center of the bed.

  A large wooden object in the shape of a large X stood against the wall opposite the bed. The wood shone a rich golden color in the flickering light, its surface having been sanded and varnished smooth. It was almost a work of art, and Laci couldn’t help but wonder if Tucker had made it with his own hands. She didn’t know exactly what it was used for, but the leather restraints gave her some ideas. An assortment of crops and whips hung on the wall near the cross, lending support to her assumptions.

  A wooden cabinet took up most of the far wall. Laci couldn’t even imagine what might be hidden inside it. A padded table stood in the center of the room. She turned slowly and found herself facing Tucker. He still studied her as though he were waiting for her to panic. She had to admit there was a part of her that might be on the verge of doing just that, but she’d be damned if she was going to let it get the better of her.

  “So, this is a sex club?” Her pussy clenched at her own words.

  Tucker shook his head. “It’s a haven for our guests. A place where they can practice this lifestyle in a safe environment. Our guests are pre-screened before they’re allowed to become members of the club.” He walked around the room, coming to a stop in front of the cross-like object. He ran his hand over the wood. “And it’s not just about sex. Sometimes it isn’t about sex at all. It’s about control. Or giving up control.” He turned back to face Laci. “But it’s about trust, more than anything.”

  “I don’t understand.” Laci had heard of BDSM before, but she’d never known anyone who was into it, as far as she knew. “Why would someone choose to be controlled?”

  Tucker set his drink down on a small table and then pulled one of the floggers off the wall. He ran the leather strips across his hand, his expression growing thoughtful. “True submission can be a powerful thing, Laci. The submissive has to trust their Dominant enough to hand over control of their body and will, but they have the power to take that control back in an instant. A good Dom has to watch every move his submissive makes, gauge every breath, every shudder, to know if he’s pushing his sub too far or not far enough. And he has to trust his sub to tell him if he’s crossed the line. I’ve found that subs hold the real power and control. The fact that they choose when, and when not, to use it makes them some of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”

  Laci shuddered at his words, the way he spoke them felt like a caress against her skin. The way he talked of the sub having the real power in the relationship drew at something deep inside her. Her gaze flicked to the flogger he still held in his hand. He stroked the leather almost lovingly.

  “Does it hurt?” Her voice sounded strange in her ears and she wasn’t sure is she’d actually asked the question out loud.

  “It can. It often does. But a couple of these floggers are so soft they barely leave a mark.” Tucker hung the flogger back on the wall and then crossed the room toward her. He stopped with little more than a foot between them. “Some subs thrive on it, but it doesn’t have to be about pain. It can be about anticipation or restraint or any number of sensations or personal needs. In the end, it’s all about pleasure.”

  Laci’s mouth went dry. “What are you? Dominant or submissive?” She was sure she already knew the answer.

  One side of Tucker’s mouth twitched up. “I’m a Dom, Laci. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

  She licked her lips. Her throat suddenly felt like the Sahara. She finally remembered she was still holding a beer. She raised her trembling hand and took a drink, thankful for the cold liquid and the momentary distraction. A question was bubbling up inside her, though, and she was powerless to stop it. “How does someone become…you know, submissive?”

  Tucker’s gaze bore into her. “Some people are just naturally that way. Others are taught. Some even switch back and forth between being the submissive and being the Dominant.”

  Laci’s eyebrows went up. “Really? How?”

  Tucker shrugged. “They usually have both traits in their personality. Sometimes they feel the need for control, but other times they want the freedom that comes with being submissive.”

  “Freedom?” Confusion swept through Laci. Her mother had been plenty submissive to her father, but she’d never considered what her mother had to be freedom. “How does being a submissive mean freedom?”

  “It can be a great release to give up control and turn everything off except feeling. But the key is in knowing that taking the control back is just one word away and in trusting your Dom enough to know your word is all it takes.” His stare had grown more intense and his voice softer. His eyes seemed to grow darker in the dim light.

  Laci stared at Tucker, neither of them speaking. Her mind reeled with the things he’d said. Thoughts she never imagined she’d have swirled through her mind. Her cat was practically howling in her head and her pussy clenched with need. An idea formed in her consciousness and solidified. She tried to ignore it, but it grew and refused to be silenced. She knew she was probably making a mistake, but she couldn’t stop herself.

  “Would you teach me?”

  Tucker’s lips pressed together and his nostrils flared. A mixture of emotions played across his face. Worry coursed through Laci. Had she crossed a line she
shouldn’t have crossed? She chided herself. Of course she had crossed a line. He was her employer!

  Tucker paced away from her and raked his fingers through his hair. Then he turned back to face her. He closed the distance between them again, the struggle apparent on his face. She held her breath, bracing herself for his rejection, but then he reached up and cupped her face in his hand. “I shouldn’t. I’m your boss.” His words echoed Laci’s thoughts. He stroked his thumb across her face. “And Colt would kill me.”

  Heat crept into Laci’s cheeks at the mention of Colt’s name. In spite of standing mere inches from Tucker, she couldn’t stop her body from responding to the thought of Colt. Tucker grinned. “You’re attracted to him, aren’t you?”

  Laci’s cheeks got even hotter and she tore her gaze from Tucker’s in embarrassment. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her gaze back to his.

  “Hey, don’t be ashamed of that. There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to both of us.”

  Laci opened her mouth to protest. “But—”

  Tucker put his finger over her lips. “Sh. We’ll talk about Colt later. Right now, you need to know what it means to be my submissive so you can decide if you really want to go through with it.”

  He dropped his hand from her face and turned his back to her. Shock exploded through Laci, mixed with a sizable dose of fear. Was he really going to agree to this? Was she?

  He walked over to the bed and then turned and leaned back against the bedpost, crossing his arms over his chest. “If I take you as my sub, you will do what I tell you to do, without argument.” His voice had taken a different tone. It had a hard edge to it. Laci wasn’t sure if she was afraid of it or turned on by it. Probably both.

  “You will address me as Sir or Master. You will only speak when asked a question or are told to speak, but if you are unsure of my instructions, you may also ask for clarification. If you disobey me, there will be punishment.”

  Laci let his words sink in. She could hardly believe she was on the verge of agreeing to this. She’d always been so adamant about refusing to relinquish control to anyone, but the way Tucker described submission was intoxicating.

  With a jolt, she realized her cat was no longer pacing impatiently in her mind. Instead, it was sitting quietly, hanging on every word Tucker spoke, waiting for him to give an instruction. Laci was stunned. She could safely say her cat had never reacted that way toward any man. Ever.

  She nodded slowly. Tucker pushed away from the bedpost and circled her. “I didn’t hear you. Was that a yes?”

  Laci licked her lips, her whole body trembling. “Yes.”

  Tucker stopped in front of her and raised one eyebrow. “Yes, what?”

  Laci wanted to kick herself for the mistake. “Yes, Sir.”

  Tucker’s lips turned up. “Good girl.” Both Laci and her cat felt like swaggering at his simple praise. “Is there anything you can think of that you would absolutely not do? Any sex acts or situations that might trigger an extreme emotional reaction?”

  Laci shivered with a mixture of excitement and fear over what things Tucker might ask her to do. “Not that I know of. Sir.” Tucker’s lips twitched, and Laci knew he’d caught the fact that she almost forgot to address him properly. That was really going to take some getting used to.

  Tucker nodded. “We’ll play it by ear, then.” He fell silent and circled her. “I’ll go easy on you this first time, but I’m going to push your limits farther, test your boundaries, each time we’re together. You’ll have a safe word. If you use it, I will stop whatever I’m doing immediately. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Sir.” Laci knew she didn’t really understand, even though she said she did. But she was going to take Tucker at his word that he would stop if she really wanted him to.

  “Now think of a word, Laci. Something you wouldn’t normally say in the heat of the moment, but something you’ll easily remember.”

  Her mind cast around for an appropriate word, something that would stand out in her mind, a word that held all her fears and doubts. Only one word surfaced in her thoughts.

  “Mate. My safe word is mate.”

  Tucker’s features hardened and she realized she’d forgotten to say Sir again, but then his expression softened. He raised his hand and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, his brow creasing as he studied her. “It scares you that much? The thought of mating?”

  A shudder worked its way from the base of Laci’s spine up to the back of her neck. She wanted to deny that a single word held that much power over her, but she couldn’t. The words wouldn’t come.

  Tucker sighed, but concern stayed etched on his face. “Whatever happens in this room will stay in this room, Laci. I am not your employer in here and I will treat you no differently from any other employee outside of this room, regardless of what we do or don’t do while we’re here. And if you decide you don’t want to continue, there won’t be any hard feelings.” He stroked her cheek again. “You’ll be my sub only while we’re in here, unless you decide you want to take it outside. But I will never pressure you to do that, Laci. It has to be your decision.”

  Laci felt a tiny surge of power race through her at his words. It was her decision. She had control. “Let’s, um, keep it in here. For now.” She wasn’t sure what made her add the last two words, but her skin tingled at the grin that broke out across Tucker’s face.

  “Very well. Let’s begin.”

  Chapter Nine

  Tucker turned his back on Laci and walked across the room, more to give himself a minute to think than any other purpose. What the hell was he doing? He had no business taking Laci as his sub, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. All of his self-control and well-honed discipline seemed to take a vacation whenever he got near her. And it wasn’t just her pheromones playing with his mind, although they hung thick and heavy around him. He knew better than to get into this with an employee, let alone one who had serious commitment issues.

  Yet here he was. And as much as he’d tried to deny it, he wanted this. He’d wanted it since the moment Laci had stepped onto his front porch and sauntered through his front door. He’d wanted it every night as he’d sat at the bar and watched her tend to customers. And he wasn’t the only one.

  He let out a tense breath. Colt really was going to kill him if he found out about this, and Tucker had no doubt his partner, beta, and best friend would indeed find out. Tucker’s lip twitched into an involuntary grin. Well, maybe he wouldn’t be pissed. It all depended on how adventurous Laci turned out to be. And if Tucker was really going to be her Master, then it was time for him to start testing her limits.

  He pushed aside his hesitancy and squared his shoulders before walking over to the St. Andrew’s cross. He ran his hand over the smooth wood, remembering the countless hours he had smoothed and honed its surface into a mirror-like finish. He had seen the curiosity in Laci’s eyes as she’d stared at it. Tucker wanted to know how she would react when she learned what it was used for. Would she shy away? Or would she embrace it?

  He pulled the deer-leather flogger from the wall rack and then ran his fingers though the supple tails. This was the softest flogger he owned, and the wide tails wouldn’t even draw a sting. For this first time, he was more interested in learning Laci’s responsiveness to his instructions, her willingness and ability to submit, and her reactions to stimulation than he was in gauging her tolerance for pain.

  As he turned back to face Laci, he slipped into his Dom demeanor as he would a favorite leather jacket, one he’d not worn in far too long. He took his time as he walked back over to her, watching her face carefully as he drew closer to her. Her gaze stayed locked on the flogger in his hands, her face drawn with tension. He raised the flogger and gently stroked her right cheek with it, then her left. She shivered at the barely-there touch and closed her eyes, her breathing fast and shallow.

  “Look at me.” Her eyes snapped open at his command. He dropped his gaze down her body and th
en worked his way back up to her face. The blush was back in her cheeks. He liked that color on her and wanted to see how deep the shade could get. “Strip.”

  Her eyes went wide. Tucker felt a smug satisfaction as a deeper shade of pink spread across her face. She opened her mouth. Tucker waited for the protest he knew would come. She was headstrong, but he’d known that before getting into this. He waited, but the explosion didn’t come. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and snapped her mouth shut. Tucker had the distinct impression that she was weighing him just as much as he was weighing her. He had to fight to keep his own mouth shut when she reached down to the hem of her tank top and lifted it up over her head. The silver top fell to the floor.

  The flickering light reflected off her creamy skin. His gaze slid to her breasts and he fought the urge to caress them. Her fingers worked the button loose on her shorts and then unzipped them. Tucker couldn’t tear his gaze away as she slid the shorts down her legs. She stepped out of the shorts and stood before him wearing nothing but a bright pink thong and high-heeled sandals.

  Tucker struggled to keep his Dom expression plastered to his face. Inside, though, he was feeling anything but calm and collected. He’d had plenty of subs stand naked in front of him, but none of them made him feel as though he was on the verge of losing control. He circled her and then stopped behind her, hoping to give himself a few moments to gather his wits. Looking at her ass, however, was just as unnerving. He tried to focus, but all he could think about was how tight the crotch of his jeans felt. His cat paced across his mind with determined stealth. It growled long and low, its intentions clear. His cat was in far more control than the human side of him was.

  Tucker drew from his cat’s strength and let its strong will flow through him. He took several deep breaths, centering his thoughts. When he opened his eyes again, calmness and control once again flowed through him. Laci still stood with her back to him, waiting.