Bound to be Tamed: Emergence, Book 2 Page 24

  Besides, Lori was in a committed relationship with her sub, Margaret. Not likely she was also doing the club owner.

  “Stephanie, I think that’s enough. Come here.” Aiden’s voice broke into her thoughts.

  He’s calling me to him. It took her a second to register the punishment was over. And it took several more seconds to peel herself off the wall and stand up straight.

  “Oh, baby,” Dane said as she approached, chin down, eyes cast low, trembling from the effort to move her muscles. “You have red marks all over from leaning into the wall. I bet that hurts.”

  It didn’t. Not really. It wasn’t any more than the creases a person would get from sleeping funny against a pillow. “No, Sir,” she muttered. “I’m fine.”

  “Kneel between us, little sub.” Aiden’s voice was firm, but gentle at the same time.

  She did as he instructed, lowering herself to the rug in the small space that separated the men. She automatically assumed the first position, spreading her knees and clasping her hands at her lower back.

  She was grateful Lori was behind her so she didn’t have to face the woman yet.

  Dane spoke again. “Do you understand why you were punished?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Explain,” Aiden prompted.

  “I questioned your choices. I’m terribly sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  Dane chuckled. “Oh it will, baby. That’s part of the life. Sometimes you will be bratty even unintentionally. Sometimes you will open your mouth before you think and the wrong words will spill out.” He paused. “Aiden and I have been studying this lifestyle for months, Steph. We know what we want and what we won’t tolerate. And we won’t stand for bratty behavior. Not ever.

  “Some Doms like bratty little girls. Some submissives like to be treated that way. We don’t want a little girl. We want a grown, sexy woman. If you think at any point it might be cute to act like a child, you’ll find yourself mistaken. It won’t get you anywhere with us. Not sexually at least.”

  Aiden resumed after a slight pause. “If you act like a brat, you will find yourself in that corner being treated like one and you won’t get a reward for it either. The only way to keep a submissive from using bad behavior in her favor is to squelch it immediately with no reward. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Sir.” She swallowed around the lump in her throat.

  “Who decides what you wear in this house, sub?” Dane asked.

  “You do, Sir.”

  “Have we ever given you permission to argue or question our judgment on anything?” Aiden added.

  “No, Sir.”

  “Is it unreasonable for us to keep you naked in our home?” Aiden continued.

  “No, Sir.” She shrunk, hating that she had caused this.

  “We’re trying, intentionally I might add, to help you over your fear of nudity in the D/s scene. We do recognize it’s an issue for you and we need you to trust our judgment as we help you work through this need to hide under material.” This from Dane.

  And then Aiden again. “Did you have enough time to think about what you did?”

  “Yes, Sir. I was wrong to question you, Sir.”

  “Should we expect this sort of behavior often?” Aiden asked.

  “No, Sir. I will do my best to obey your commands.” She squirmed as she spoke. For the first time since she officially became their sub they had used a punishment she found distasteful. They expected her to obey them. And they weren’t going to tolerate insolence.

  All the while she was cognizant of the fact Lori was watching from her backside.

  “I think we’ve made ourselves clear,” Aiden said.

  A shudder wracked Stephanie’s body.

  “It’s over. We won’t mention it again. We won’t continue to discuss this. We won’t harp on you or bring it up. You’ve served your time. You’re cherished and cared for by both of us.” Dane leaned toward her as he spoke. He lifted her chin. “We adore you. We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure you are your best you. We’re going to get changed, leave you with Lori now and see you later this afternoon.”

  Both men stood.

  Aiden spoke as they left the room. “Steph, before we head to the club tonight, we’ll be stopping at the fetish shop to pick up some things for you to wear. You’re going to be smokin’ hot for your debut night.” His voice was jovial as though the last hour hadn’t existed.

  Shit. They weren’t kidding. When Dane said the punishment was over and done, he meant it.

  When the men had retreated to the bedroom to get dressed, her knees still shook.

  Lori finally spoke, her voice gentle, soothing, kind. “Sit. Lean against the couch for a minute. Take deep breaths until you get your bearings.”

  She followed Lori’s instructions, sucking in shaky lungfuls of air and releasing.

  “I find it helps if you set your head on your knees for a minute. You’re okay. It’s all over.”

  Thank God for Lori’s instructions.

  “Breathe…”

  Stephanie stared at the rug between her feet and concentrated on the strands of fibers.

  Deep breaths.

  “See you two later.” Dane’s voice. And then the front door. And then silence.

  Moments passed.

  Finally, Lori spoke again. “You okay?”

  She nodded. Tears fell.

  Lori knelt down and then crawled over to take a spot next to Stephanie. She rubbed the back of her head with a gentle hand as Stephanie heaved in oxygen and then sobbed.

  “Good. Let it out. It’s okay…”

  Several minutes went by. Stephanie let the tears fall. She felt much better after releasing all the pent-up stress from her punishment.

  Lori left her for a few minutes and returned with a box of tissues. Bless her.

  “Do you want to sit on the couch? Get more comfortable?” Lori asked.

  “No. I think I’ll stay here,” Stephanie muttered. She didn’t want to sit on any furniture. She still felt a bit chastised and the guys didn’t like her on the furniture anyway. Maybe they would be even more forgiving if she showed her loyalty to the relationship by remaining on the floor.

  Plus, she felt more secure there. With the sofa behind her back, the chair to her left and the coffee table in front of her, she had the feeling of being halfway covered. Not so naked.

  Lori spoke again. “They really are over it, Steph. I know Aiden and Dane. They won’t mention this again. It’s done.”

  Stephanie nodded. She knew Lori was right on an intellectual level, but she also didn’t want to risk further discipline. “Do you think they were really mad?” She lifted her gaze. Her eyes burned from crying.

  Lori smiled. “Not at all, just exercising their power and dominance.”

  “I’m scared.”

  “Of what?” Lori asked.

  “Of losing myself in the vortex of this lifestyle.”

  “And who are you?”

  “I’m not sure anymore.” Stephanie lifted her gaze to Lori, who’d resumed her spot on the floor next to her. “I was…hell, I was nobody. I didn’t know who I was. Just a girl trying to ensure financial security for my future.”

  “Is that all you did? Just worked to make money?”

  “Basically.”

  “And then Aiden and Dane came along…”

  “And now I’m not even working.” Stephanie leaned her head back against the couch cushion and stared at the ceiling.

  “Aren’t you working for the guys?”

  “Yes, but it doesn’t seem the same. I mean, this isn’t a sure thing. What if we break up? What if this doesn’t work out? I’ll be jobless and…” She didn’t know what to add.

  “And what? Let’s look at it this way. You were working for some company for two assholes who offered to buy you. You were lucky enough to find out that was the kind of men they were before anything truly horrific happened. So you quit that job, which you had no choice about really.

&
nbsp; “Now you’ve moved in with two men who adore you and make you feel good. No matter what happens between the three of you, you’ve lost nothing really. Right?”

  “Yeah, true.” Stephanie sighed. There was no denying the old saying “nothing ventured, nothing gained”.

  “So, you’re going to get dolled up and head to Emergence tonight, which I can assure you will be way better than last Friday’s experience, and then you will get a better picture of what this lifestyle is all about. Most importantly, you will see how many people enjoy BDSM and its rewards. Trust me, you will love it.”

  “I’m sure I will. And that’s the scariest part of all.” Stephanie rolled her head on the cushion toward Lori. “I feel like I’m on this monumental edge, like the point of some huge rock sticking out over a giant ravine. I’m so high off the ground I can barely see the specks of individuals down below.

  “There are no fences surrounding me and the slightest breeze will blow me off the edge.”

  “And the best part,” Lori added, “is that you can’t lean over far enough to see the safety net, but it’s there. If you fall or even jump, the net will catch you and then you can relax and just swing in it in the wind.”

  Stephanie giggled. “Do you think so?”

  “I’m sure. I’ve spent enough time with you to know you’re going to be fine. Especially after how I watched the way you dealt with today’s hurdles. But I’m not the one who needs to be sure. You are.

  “Learn from everything you see tonight. I think you’ll do great.”

  “Won’t you be there?”

  Lori shook her head. “I have another party to attend.”

  Damn. She was hoping to have at least one friend there, even if Lori was more of an acquaintance.

  Stephanie dipped her head down to stare at the floor again.

  “No worries. You don’t need me. Follow your instincts. Aiden and Dane will take perfect care of you.”

  I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Do you always go to these things so late at night?”

  “Yep.” Dane took her hand as they entered the fetish shop. “Most clubs don’t even open until about ten and really get going after midnight.”

  Stephanie stepped under his arm as he held the door and he had the perfect opportunity to stare at her fantastic backside as she went by. He closed his eyes for a second. The woman managed to keep him tied in knots all day every day and even in the night.

  Her body was fucking fantastic and the way her ass swayed when she walked made his mouth water.

  A beaming voice jerked him from his thoughts. “You’re here. And I see your sub has come a long way since last I saw you.”

  Aiden shook Deidrick’s hand. “She has. She’s a gem.” He set his palm on her lower back and ushered her farther into the shop.

  Stephanie held her gaze lowered and her head at the right angle for a submissive. Her arms were at her sides and she didn’t look half as frightened as she had last time they’d been here—the day he and Aiden had brought her to get an outfit for last week.

  Tonight, they had something much more risqué in mind. She needed to branch out, open up. And she was so sexy she could pull off just about anything. What he and Aiden had in mind would bring the eyes of every Dom in the club toward her.

  “Well, come on into the back then. Let’s get to it. I set aside a few items when you called earlier.” Deidrick ushered them all through the center of the shop.

  To the right were aisles of sex toys, the kind any average person might purchase. Dane had wandered through them with Stephanie last time they’d come in and she’d stiffened at nearly everything she saw. This time, she barely even glanced.

  To the left was the more hardcore toys, many of which even Dane would be hesitant to use.

  As they meandered toward the back, they weaved between a few racks of clothing.

  Aiden guided Stephanie directly to the fitting room and Dane entered behind them.

  “Have your little sub step up on the platform and I’ll grab some items we can try out.” Deidrick left the spacious room, shutting the door behind him with a snick.

  Dane stepped up onto the dais and took Stephanie’s hand.

  She trembled. He loved her innocence and the way she shook when she was unsure about something.

  “Lift your arms, baby.” He stood directly in front of her and reached for the hem of her short sundress as he spoke, tapping her thighs. The material was thin and pale and barely concealed anything. He loved it, but what he was about to have her don he would love even more.

  She lifted her gaze to his as he raised the dress over her bare hips. Her arms stopped in midair. Her lips parted. She struggled against some unknown issue. When her eyes widened and she glanced past him at the door, he realized her dilemma. “But…” She bit her lip. That word slipped out, clearly without her permission.

  Nevertheless it did.

  Aiden spoke from behind her. “Are you balking?”

  Dane dropped the material and it fell back over her ass. “Fine. You do it.” He pointed at the swish of the skirt as she trembled.

  A blush covered her cheeks and her chest. He loved seeing her like that, flustered and unsure. “Is Deidrick going to toss the clothes over the door?”

  “No.” Dane crossed his arms and stared her down. “He’s going to put them on you and check the fit. But, right now he’s going to have to wait, isn’t he?”

  She lowered her chin until it nearly touched her chest, reached for the hem and pulled the soft cotton over her head. It fluttered dramatically as it fell to the floor.

  Dane stepped closer. “Look at me.” When she lifted her gaze, he continued, “The last time we were here Deidrick measured your entire body from top to bottom.”

  “I was wearing a bra and panties.”

  “Don’t interrupt me.” Dane took a deep breath. He hated punishing her, but she needed to learn the rules. She was being insolent today. If he and Aiden didn’t nip that in the bud they were going nowhere. “We’ve come a long way since last week. You were new. We’re trying to be patient with your issues with nudity. Baby steps.

  “This is Deidrick. He’s the only man here. He’s in the lifestyle. He sees nude women every single day of the week. He’s not some random man off the street. You have got to learn to trust us and follow our rules. Do as we say. We are patient. But your hesitation and impertinence is not going to be tolerated. We want you to learn to hold your tongue and obey without pausing because you know without a doubt we will only push you to the point we know you can handle.

  “Have I made myself clear?”

  “Yes, Sir.” Her eyes watered.

  Dane had to fight to keep from backing down. He and Aiden were the Doms here. Stephanie either had to step up to the plate and accept that or back out. He knew in his heart she could fulfill this role, but it still made his chest ache to have to enforce rigorous discipline to help her along.

  “Come here,” Aiden said from behind.

  When she turned, she tightened her sexy, naked ass.

  Dane itched to pull those cheeks apart and force her to relax. Instead he stood still on the dais as she stepped down.

  Her breasts jiggled as she bounced onto the floor. In the floor-to-ceiling mirror covering the back wall he watched her pad across the carpet.

  Aiden pointed at the corner. “Apparently we didn’t make ourselves clear this morning.”

  She sucked in a quick breath, trembling.

  Dane came to her other side. “Step closer, like this morning. Nose in the corner, nipples on the walls, hands at your back, feet spread.”

  She complied. Her entire frame shook.

  Dane lifted his gaze to Aiden. He nodded. They were on the same page.

  The door opened. “Oh my. Did I miss something?”

  “Our sub is struggling with public nudity,” Dane said.

  Aiden shuffled over to Deidrick. He fingered the material of the first item
the man held. “Lovely. Give us a few minutes, will you? She’s in time out. We’ll keep it brief, but she needs a moment to think.”

  “No problem. There isn’t anyone waiting behind you. I’ll be back.” Deidrick stepped backward to the door. He nodded at both men and then ducked out.

  Dane pulled his hands out of his pockets and sat on a bench along the side wall. He gripped the edges next to his thighs until his fingers hurt from squeezing the wood.

  Aiden paced. He stared at Stephanie’s ass as he walked back and forth. Occasionally he shook his head. He didn’t say anything.

  Five minutes later, Deidrick slipped back into the room. He raised an eyebrow and mouthed, “More time?”

  Dane shook his head. “Stephanie, are you ready?”

  “Yes, Sir,” she murmured as she righted herself.

  “Let’s try again then.” Aiden stepped onto the platform.

  Stephanie followed, her head bowed lower than necessary. She centered herself on the dais, spread her feet apart and clasped her hands behind her back.

  “Good,” Aiden said. He circled her. “Let’s see what you have, Deidrick.”

  Stephanie’s nipples stood at attention. Other than that, Dane couldn’t read her.

  Deidrick unhooked the gorgeous black corset from the hanger and brought it to Stephanie’s front. “Lift your arms away from your sides.”

  The back of the corset was open. Deidrick held the front up to her and nodded at Aiden. “Could you hold this here for me?”

  “Sure.” Aiden splayed his hands across her middle to steady the fitted material.

  Deidrick circled behind and threaded a long strip of narrow leather through the laces. “This fits you perfectly.” As he pulled on the ends of the leather, the satin front hugged Stephanie’s middle.

  Aiden’s hands slid up from her belly and he cupped her breasts. “Fantastic.”

  Dane stood and stepped closer. God almighty Aiden wasn’t kidding. The lacey black satin extended up the lower swell of Stephanie’s perfect tits. Her nipples grazed the top ledge. She moaned when Aiden stroked his thumbs over the distended tips.

  “Jesus, Stephanie. You’re so hot,” Aiden murmured.