Jake Read online

  “Drink.”

  “N—no.” Her voice was hoarse and dry sounding from all her chanting.

  “I said drink.”

  She took a sip, then wrapped a trembling hand around his as she drank thirstily. When he felt she’d had enough, he took the bottle and put it aside. He caressed the side of her soft cheek, and she moved her head slightly, enough that he could run his hand the full length of her face. She shivered, and he held her closer. She lifted her legs, pulling them tightly up and almost burrowed into his body. He let her lie safe within his arms for at least forty minutes until she stirred again. Jake thought this must be the new sub Kaden told him about.

  “Tell me what happened?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Nothing, Sir.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, People don’t freak out like you did over nothing.”

  “It was nothing, Sir.”

  “Don’t lie! Look at me and answer me truthfully now, sub.”

  “I—I got scared.”

  “Why didn’t you use your safeword?”

  “I…” She glanced away.

  “I said look at me,” he growled.

  “I forgot.”

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “No.”

  “Was the cuff too tight?”

  “No.”

  “Then why were you scared?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Don’t know or won’t say?”

  She was babbling now, her words rushing out in a jumbled mess. “Please, Sir, home. Please let me go. I’m sorry, Sir. I want to go home, sorry.”

  Jake searched her face. There was something going on here that he didn’t get. There was more to this than her getting scared, and anyway, who got scared at a BDSM club by merely lying on their back? Nothing at all had happened except for one of her ankles being restrained. Those big, beautiful but sad eyes simply stared at him.

  “You will sit here until I tell you that you can go.”

  She replied, “Yes, Sir.” And he could hear the reluctance in her voice.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Emily, Sir.”

  He smiled at her. He guessed she was in her late forties. Her mid-brown hair, streaked with a little gray, was in a braid dangling down past her waist. She had thick, full, kissable lips. The lush curves, the padding, and the breasts were all pressed against his body and his cock twitched appreciatively. Those very full breasts seemed as if they were fighting to get out of the constriction from the corset. He admired her abundant curves, her generous figure filling his arms in exactly the way he enjoyed. She lay for another ten minutes, and then he felt her stiffen again.

  “Please, Sir, I’m sorry. I’m okay now. May I go please, Sir?”

  “I’ll let you go, but this isn’t finished. I expect you to be honest and tell me what happened next time we speak. Do you understand me?”

  She nodded.

  “I can’t hear you.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He stood her on her feet. She seemed to be about a foot shorter than his six foot-seven, built with all the ample curves and padding he loved in a woman. He stood and looked down at her.

  “Tell me how you really feel now.”

  “Honestly, I’m okay, Sir. I’m really sorry, Sir.”

  “Mm.”

  “Please, Sir, I can go?”

  “Yes, but remember what I said.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  She practically sprinted from the area, the blanket now held tightly around her. Sitting back down, Jake tried to figure out what on earth had happened. The more he thought about it, the more none of it made sense.

  It reaffirmed the fact the Adrian Day was no Dom, and he could understand Simon’s concern. It was time to find Ash and talk to him about the boy.

  Chapter Eight

  Jake got to his feet thoughtfully and began searching for Ash again. Adrian caught up to him.

  “Sir, I’m really sorry, Sir. I honestly don’t know what happened. Please, Sir. One minute she was fine, the next she went crazy.”

  “Adrian, thankfully she seems all right now, but you need to talk seriously to Master Evan. It is essential that at all times you watch your sub carefully. You must always be in complete control. You panicked, and in doing so she got caught in a loop that she couldn’t escape from. Tell Master Evan exactly what happened and ask him what you could have done to prevent it and how you could have handled it better.”

  “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

  “I’ll be talking to Master Evan and Master Ash about you as well.”

  “I understand, Sir.”

  “There will be ramifications from this episode, Adrian. Honestly I don’t know that you have the right temperament to be a Dominant.”

  “I guess you’re right, but thank you, Sir. Thank you for helping her.”

  He ran off, almost like a little puppy, and Jake understood exactly why Simon thought he was more sub than Dom. Tonight had been dangerous. Emily had been trapped in some horror of her own, and the boy had only stood there wringing his hands, letting her sink deeper and deeper, as he panicked. There was no confidence, no strength or power of command in Adrian.

  Jake continued through Silk Rope but couldn’t find Ash anywhere. Perhaps he’d gone back to his office, or home. Jake headed to Ash’s office and knocked on the door. Ash was inside with Alex Brown. Both men stood when he entered.

  “Jake. Come in. Welcome back, my friend,” Alex said.

  Jake shook hands with both and gave Ash a man-hug. “What’s this I hear about one of the subs being frightened?”

  Trust Ash to already know something had happened. Jake looked at the two men before him. They couldn’t have been any more different if they tried. Alex was around six-foot-three, lean, athletic build while Ash stood the same height as Jake and built similarly—muscular, solid, and linebacker material.

  “That’s what I want to talk to you about. She said her name is Emily.”

  “Emily? Emily Miller?”

  Jake could hear the puzzlement in Alex’s question.

  “I don’t know her last name. I was told she’s not played before tonight.”

  “True. Emily hasn’t. So, what happened?”

  “As far as scening, actually nothing. They hadn’t even begun, and when I got there she was that far out of it. I stepped in and took her. She freaked out but won’t say why, only that she was scared. It wasn’t merely someone frightened, not knowing what was happening. Honestly, Ash, she was terrified. It was as if she was locked in some nightmare inside her mind. Frankly, it worried me. Well, there’s something going on inside her. I guess she’s new to the lifestyle and thought she’d been okay.”

  “No, she isn’t, Jake.” Alex took a breath. “Take a seat, man.”

  Jake folded his tall frame into one of the chairs and wondered what he was about to hear.

  “I got a call maybe about four months back from Bevan Fuller. It would have been a week after you left last time you were back here from that latest job. You know him, the owner of The Lair on the east coast. He asked if we’d accept a transfer. A woman had joined a week or so prior but had to move back here because her mother was seriously ill. She’d asked him if he knew of any clubs in the area that were safe, and he recommended ours, told her he’d enquired if we’d accept her as a transfer. Their rules, their fees and ours are pretty much the same, and, after talking to Ash and Steven, we said she could come here. Told Bevan we were happy to help her.

  “He sent us her paperwork and told the woman to come here once she’d settled in and her mother was out of danger. That woman was Emily Miller, and she arrived about two months back.”

  “Okay. But what’s the catch?”

  “That’s the six-thousand-dollar question. All we, and Bevan, know is she’s been into the lifestyle since her early twenties. She was previously a member of Threshold since she adopted the lifestyle. That was prior to moving into t
he area where The Lair is.”

  “Okay, then obviously she knows it all. Now I’m really confused as to why she freaked. Why on earth would someone who knows the lifestyle freak when one ankle was cuffed?”

  “She’s apparently been seeing a shrink. It’s on her enrolment papers. Bevan said she told him that she’d had an accident a few months before she joined up, and she told me the same thing. Now I have no idea what happened, and neither does Bevan. She never told him. All she said was she’d been in an accident and that she’s been a sub all her adult life.”

  “How long has she been coming here? You said a few months?”

  “Yes, about two. You’ve been away, which means you haven’t seen her. She hasn’t got involved with anyone. She’s spoken with most of the Doms and Masters but always refused their offers to scene. She’s friendly to everyone but never played, until tonight.”

  “Yeah, and she chose the worst person to start playing with—Adrian Day.” Jake heard both men groan as he continued. “Simon collared me on the way in. He’s convinced Adrian is a sub. He’s not Dom material at all, and from what little I saw tonight, I have to agree.”

  Alex shook his head. “Yes, I’ve heard the talk.”

  Ash sighed. “Evan and I have discussed him a few times. I said we’d give Adrian a chance, and Evan has been working with him. But the last few weeks I’ve had a few people speak to me about him, including a couple of subs he’s played with. I’ve watched him a few times in the past week. We can see exactly what people are saying. There’s no control, no authority. Last night I even heard the sub he was playing with give him instructions. I’d arranged to speak with Evan about him when he has some time free tomorrow. We all believe he is submissive. It’s my decision that we must convince him to try submission.”

  Jake nodded his head in agreement. “I told him he had to speak with Evan tonight. Look, Ash, I don’t know what happened up there, but I do know it wasn’t enough to set anyone off. Even a newcomer would have handled it at that stage. He hadn’t even cuffed her wrists, only one ankle. But in saying that, he just stood there like a scared rabbit, leaving her screaming. I thought he was going to start crying or run off. It’s no good, Ash. Someone will get hurt if he continues to panic like that. The poor woman was freaking out, and Adrian not helping her made it a hundred times worse.”

  “Oh yes, Jake. I totally agree. This has brought it to a head. Alex, can you find Evan when we finish talking, please? We have to talk tonight rather than leave it ‘til tomorrow, and then we’ll discuss things with Adrian.”

  “Sure, Ash.”

  “Ash, what gives with the girl? She’s going to have a breakdown if she acts like that every time she plays.”

  “I don’t know. It’s really strange. We need to talk with her, give her support. We’re a family, and we always take care of our own. Might be a good idea to assign someone to work with her.” Ash screwed his face up, thinking hard, then stared at Jake. “Jake, will you take her on? She obviously needs care. I wouldn’t trust her with anyone else. You’re strong, in control, and always in command. Plus, you have the perfect caring streak that she obviously needs.”

  “I. No, I don’t want to get involved with anyone.” Jake shook his head. “No, not me. I can’t help her.”

  “Okay, I see. Well in that case I’ll get Peter Rogers to take her on.”

  “Peter? You can’t give a fragile woman to a sadist like Peter! Anyway, he’s got a sub—his wife.”

  “Renata will be able to support her, too.”

  “Don’t be stupid, Ash, the woman needs one-to-one handling.”

  “You’re right of course. What about Kade?”

  “Look, I love Kade like a brother, but he’s a clown. I doubt she’d cope with his antics. He’d try to joke her out of her funk. Besides he’s not a dominant, and she definitely needs one, a strong one.”

  Alex peered at Ash seriously. “There’s Iain or Finn and a couple of others who’d work.”

  “True, but Iain works long hours at the hospital. Finn, mm. No. She’d take one look at him and I think he’d scare her off.”

  “You’re right. What about Nico? He doesn’t have a partner, and he’s free. Of course, he works shifts at the station. He wouldn’t always be here, but, at least the nights he was, she’d be cared for. He should be able to help her through whatever it is that is bothering her.”

  “Good idea, Alex. I’ll speak to him. He’s on duty tonight, but he should be here tomorrow. I’ll let Stan know that way when Nico arrives tomorrow, he can send him in to me to discuss Emily.” Ash glanced across to Jake. “Unless you have someone else to suggest, Jake?”

  “Fuck you both! You win. I’ll do it, you fucking bastards,” Jake growled like an angry bear.

  The two of them had tag-teamed him. Ash and Alex exchanged a glance and grinned. Jake knew he’d been outmaneuvered. Furious, he glared at the two men in front of him.

  “Pair of fucking smartasses!”

  Ash couldn’t stop his laughter. When he finally took a breath, he said, “When she comes in next time, I’ll talk to her.”

  “Thanks, Ash,” Jake muttered through gritted teeth.

  “You could sound a little happier, Jake.”

  Jake grunted and stood. He glared at the two men smiling up at him, enjoying their win. “You owe me big time, both of you, you fucking bastards.”

  Angrily, he stormed from the room, to the sound of more laughter from Ash and Alex, slamming the door loudly behind him. Truthfully, Nico could have easily taken her under his wing. He was unattached, a good Master with the right amount of control versus care. The men were right when they said no to Finn. He looked rather scary, almost seven feet tall, with long, messy hair, a beard, tattoos, even though he was one of the gentlest men Jake knew.

  No, the trouble was the little sub had already gotten under Jake’s skin, and he honestly wanted to know more about her. She’d brought out that damn caring streak of his in the short time he’d spent with her.

  Damn them both! This is Ash’s doing!

  He marched into the bar and demanded a scotch on the rocks from Scott, downing it in almost one gulp.

  “That bad, eh?”

  “Don’t ask.”

  “Who is it? Ash or a woman?”

  He gave a rueful laugh at Scott behind the bar and said, “Both.”

  “Oh man, are you in trouble.”

  “Thanks.”

  “What was all the screaming a while back? Sounded like someone was being pushed too far.”

  “The new sub, Emily. Not sure what happened.”

  “You mean she actually played with someone?”

  “Hadn’t even started really. You’ve spoken to her?”

  “Often, comes over for apricot juice and chats. She seems nice, but she’s got this haunted look. Beautiful, too, got to love those curves of hers.” He added with a wave of both hands, sketching out a woman’s shape in the air. “I love me a plus-sized woman.”

  Haunted—yes, that was what he’d seen in her eyes when she’d finally calmed down. Jake wondered what would make a gorgeous woman like her be so tormented. He left Scott and went over to the dining area, speaking with Pierre in the kitchen.

  “Got a black coffee?”

  “Sure.”

  “Thanks.”

  A few minutes later he took his coffee into the lounge area and sat. He understood Ash’s wish to have Emily placed under a Master’s protection, but he wondered why he’d singled out Jake. Normally Ash would let Masters decide amongst themselves who would help new subs. He’d normally call a meeting, and they’d discuss things. There were other Masters who were caring—he could count plenty.

  But then, if he really was truthful to himself, he knew.

  It had been twenty-one years since he’d had his own sub. His friends considered him stupid, and maybe he was. All those years of living without a partner but he had no intention of ever collaring a woman again. Anna had been with him for four years. They’
d lived together for one after he collared her, but then he caught her cheating. He was thirty-four at the time, and it shocked him to the core. He’d taken it for granted she would stay with him. She’d wanted him to marry her, and when it appeared he wasn’t going to ask, she decided to find someone who would—behind Jake’s back.

  It had hurt him deeply when he discovered the truth. For six months she’d been acting different, often telling him she had to work late, and he’d never caught on that she was dating other men. It was a chance encounter with a mutual friend who asked him when he and Anna had broken up. She’d been seen dining with other men on several occasions. When he challenged her about it, the truth came out. She moved out the next day, and he hadn’t seen or heard from her since.

  He hadn’t loved her and had even told her. He had cared for her, but it wasn’t love. He’d never been in love. Never had that rush of feelings he’d been told happens when you see someone you care for more than life. A few years later he realized he’d simply been frightened of growing old alone, and that was probably the reason he’d collared her. He had selfishly thought she would solve his loneliness.

  He put his feet up on the small table in front of him, shrank down in the couch, closed his eyes and sighed.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “Haven’t you done enough?”

  Ash laughed again as Jake opened his eyes. The man exuded power. No wonder he could get them all to do anything he wanted. Jake loved him and couldn’t stay angry with the man.

  Sitting opposite, Ash said, “Came to tell you, I’ve had an interesting conversation with David Gallon.”

  “The owner at Threshold?”

  “Yeah. Seems our Miss Emily is extremely well thought of there. When I told him what had happened he thought I must have been talking about a different Emily.”

  Jake sat up. “How so?”