Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Axle picks up his order and takes the trash out. When he’s gone, Marla turns to me. “Girl, you know Axle’s a dom, right? And a damn good one. I’ve scened with him a few times.”
A flourish of jealousy hits my chest, but I tamp it down, and Viktor’s jaw tightens.
“I know,” I tell her. “I definitely know he’s a dom.”
A smile lights up her face. “Girl, we have some catching up to do.”
I grin. “Tonight at Verge?”
She nods. “It’s a date.”
Viktor frowns at Marla. “Are you planning on going this evening?”
She nods. “Well, yes. I go most evenings.”
He stands with arms folded on his chest. “Did I give you permission?”
Marla’s eyes widen, and she flushes pink. “Um, no,” she stammers, but thankfully Axle walks in at that moment. I’m not sure I like seeing my friend chastised by this guy, and the whole “permission” thing is still new to me.
“Chandra, I need to get going,” Axle says. Standing by the door, he beckons for me to come over to him. I gratefully leave Marla to deal with Viktor and walk to Axle.
“Axle,” I whisper in his ear. “Is it normal for a guy to demand someone to ask for permission when he’s only known her for twenty-four hours?”
Looking over my shoulder, Axle frowns, then he leans in to whisper in my ear. “Babe, it’s normal for a dom to demand his sub ask permission when he’s known her for minutes.”
“That’s when they’re scening,” I hiss.
He holds up a hand. “And you know they’re not?”
I look back over at them. Viktor’s got a grip on Marla’s elbow, and her head is down. I wonder if this is my writer’s imagination or if this is actually okay. I shrug at Axle.
“Keep an eye on things, but stay out of it,” Axle says, and there’s warning in his voice. “Things get complicated when people interfere in other people’s relationships, especially a dom/sub one like this when you definitely don’t know the whole picture.”
I frown at him, my pride prickling. “You were the one who told me to keep an eye on things,” I say, but he gives me a warning look.
“Chandra, enough.”
I close my mouth in surprise. He’s got that stern look in his eyes, and I didn’t expect it. When he has my attention, he raises a finger to me to catch my attention.
“Are you allowed to talk back?”
I don’t actually know what I’m allowed to do, so I answer him honestly. “I don’t know. I mean obviously you’re not a fan.”
He shakes his head, but his eyes are twinkling when he tugs a lock of my hair. “Meet me at Verge tonight, and I’ll clarify things for you. I’d pick you up, but I have to go a lot earlier and you’ll still be here.”
My heart beat thunders and my mouth goes dry. We’ve already talked about this, and still, my mouth goes dry. “Yes, sir,” I say. “I’ll be there. What time?”
“Seven o’clock, and I want you to bring a change of clothes.”
My skin is all prickly with excitement and nerves, my belly is doing crazy flip flops.
“Okay,” I whisper, then nod. I grin at him. “I mean yes, sir.”
The parting kiss he gives me takes my breath away, slow and languid and dominant, taking what’s his and leaving me hoping for more. His fingers tangle in my hair and I anchor my arms on his shoulders. I come up on my toes and lose myself to him, in strength and memories, a part of who I once was resurrecting when I’m in his arms. Too soon, he releases me and tugs a lock of my hair with a lopsided grin.
“Behave,” he says.
“What happened to we don’t kiss?” I ask. What are we doing here?
“That’s at the club,” he reminds me. “No kissing. No fucking.”
My pulse spikes. Then he’s gone.
One day ago, I was going about my life, making my way in this world. I was working and making friends and paying bills and buying groceries, washing my laundry and walking along never knowing how quickly that would all change. That a man would walk into my present straight from my past and bring me to my knees, leaving me longing for the man I loved then and love now. There’s a hole in my heart when he leaves, as if a part of my very self just walked away.
Tonight, then.
I turn back to the store, not entirely sure what’s going on here at all. Marla’s looking at me in stunned silence, her eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. Viktor’s just left, and she’s got the freshly-tousled, just-kissed look about her.
“Well, then,” she whispers. “Time for a coffee break?”
Chapter Eleven
Axle
Tobias takes a long pull from a travel mug of coffee and leans back in his chair. Zack’s just arrived, and Tobias has locked and shut his door, an indication that something’s off, because I’ve never seen him do that. I stare at both of them, needing answers. Two days ago, this was a club filled with people I cared about, my friends, and I’d have done anything to be sure the members were safe.