Chapter 12

Dmitri

At seven sharp, I’m glaring at the security cameras. Where is she? I hope she hasn’t decided to back out of this. Then again, I kind of hope she does.

Finally, Daelyn steps into view of the camera, gracefully gliding up the walkway to the main entrance of the Monarch. She halts at the door and my heart skips a beat when I watch her fluff her dark hair to make it fall on her shoulders in long waves. She squeezes her eyes shut, her hand hovering over the doorknob, and I swear I stop breathing.

Then she opens it.

I keep myself from dashing out to meet her in the lobby. Can’t look too eager, right? Calmly leaving Ryker’s office, I stroll leisurely through the club, knowing Daelyn needs to sign waivers and an NDA before she can get into the heart of the Monarch.

It’s early, so there aren’t many guests here yet.

I've spent the day devising a plan to chip away at Daelyn’s defenses so I can figure her out. If that makes me a manipulative asshole, so be it. My patience only goes so far, and I’ve been at the end of my rope with a lot of things lately.

Part of me knows I’m using Daelyn as a distraction from the horrors in my life and I don’t care. She brings me peace. For me to admit that says I’m more fucked in the head than ever.

This woman is a stranger and a liar. Her showing up in my life like this is also too perfectly timed, which is highly suspicious.

Daelyn’s got a temporary pass at the Monarch, as my special guest, and I’ve waived the fees for her. I didn’t tell Vault yet, so the background checks will wait because I want to deep dive into Daelyn my own motherfucking way.

The first glimpse of her when I reach the lobby has me slowing my roll. She’s arresting. The security feed did not do her justice in that dress. My girl is a motherfucking smoke show.

No. She’s not my girl. She’s my…

What? My distraction, project, toy?

I’ll go with submissive, because if I get my way, that’s exactly what she’ll be from this day forward.

“Daelyn,” I practically purr while making my way towards her. Keeping a warm smile plastered on my face, I drag my gaze down her luscious body. “You look absolutely scrumptious.”

Never mind how that just made me sound like a tool. I mean it. She looks good enough to eat, which is exactly what I plan to do. A meal like her should be savored over several hours and we’ve got all night.

“You’re all set,” Sophie says with a tight smile. “Please stay with your Dom at all times while exploring the Monarch.”

I’d put Sophie on task to greet her, because she’s the only female I truly trust on our staff, and I figured a woman greeting Daelyn may be less intimidating than say Ryker, Vault, Bull, or literally anyone else here at the club.

“You’re my Dom?” Daelyn asks quietly as I escort her deeper into the Monarch.

“Only if you want me to be.” I’ll ignore the kernel of doom growing heavier by the millisecond in my gut. I shouldn’t have sprung this on her. I should have told her my intentions ahead of time. “You said you knew what the Monarch Club was when I asked you about it this morning.”

“And I said yes, because I do know.” Her gaze darts everywhere as I lead her down a wide hallway with doors on each side. “I just didn’t realize you were a Dom here. You said you were in security.”

“As a good Dom should be.” I’m playing games I shouldn’t, dashing around truths like this. “I work security at the Monarch and am also a Dom when the occasion calls for it.”

“I’m an occasion now?”

Yes, one my dick will rise to every time .

“You’re my guest,” I say, opening a door and allowing her to enter a large room with several seating arrangements and a few toys placed on tables. “This is a mingling room.”

“You mean orgy room.”

“A get to know you introduction room,” I counter. “Orgies are upstairs. Usually in one of the VIP suites or the penthouse.”

Her jaw drops and cheeks grow rosy. “Oh my god, you’re serious?”

With an arched brow, I nod. Does she want to see those spaces? I’ll take her. Does she want to participate? I’ll join her.

Later .

“Want to play another game with me, Firefly?”

I don’t bother hiding my wicked smile. It’s a miracle I haven’t rucked her dress up and eaten her pussy in the hallway with how dynamite she looks tonight. Wearing her hair down was a punishment I set on myself. My hands itch to gather it and tug hard enough to make her lose her breath.

Especially while I rail her from behind.

Focus .

“What’s up with you playing games, Dmitri? First, lie for a lie, truth for a truth, and now…”

“A staring contest,” I say casually.

Confusion looks adorable on her. “That’s it?”

“Did you want more?” Because I’ll happily oblige. I find myself eager to give her whatever she craves.

“I…” Daelyn snaps her mouth closed and looks around the room again. “What do I have to do besides stare at you?”

I press my hand against her back, bringing her closer to me so I can whisper in her ear, “ Win .”

Her breath shudders out of her. “Win,” she repeats quietly.

“Keep your eyes on me, Daelyn.” I run my fingers up her rib cage. “While I make you come.”

She said she needs rough sex to find release. I’m on board with that, but it’s likely not the only way she can blast off. I know this because I heard what she wasn’t saying. She shuts down. Numbs out. Detaches herself in situations just to get through them. I’d recognized that look I saw in her eyes the night of the fight when I fucked her against the wall. I also read her body language when I fucked her at her house.

This is a mistake , the angel on my shoulder reminds me for the dozenth time.

This is going to be fun , argues the devil on my other side.

They can both fuck right off because ultimately, the choice is Daelyn’s. What she says, goes. Nothing else matters.

“We don’t have to play, if you’re not interested.” I toss her an easy smile. “I just wanted to have some fun with you.”

“Like I’m a toy you can play with?”

Her tone is aggressive, but the way her cheeks blush leads me to think the idea turns her on. “If you want to be a fucktoy, we can negotiate that, too.”

“Negotiate.” She says it like that’s a foreign concept.

I’m starting to see how very new she is to kink.

“As your Dom, my first and only priority is you and your safety, Daelyn. I need to know all your hard and soft limits. What you like and don’t like. I’ll never coerce you into anything and will stop the instant you tell me your safe word.”

She scoffs like that’s not really how this works. It’s insulting and makes me see red.

“I don’t know how things have gone for you in the past, Daelyn, but here, with me, or any other staff member at the Monarch, for that matter, you’re in charge. You call all the shots.”

“If that’s true, then I’d be the Dom.”

Fuck, she’s too new. I’ll need to tread much more slowly than I anticipated. That’s okay. It’ll give me more time to unravel her and learn about the woman who’s captivated me all too easily.

“A Dom leads and protects. There’s a power exchange between us.” I sit her down on one of the chaise lounges. “Everything we do must be consensual. I can guide, encourage, and teach you about yourself through sex, but first we must be one hundred percent honest with each other.”

Some of the color drains from her face.

I don’t mean to scare her, but this is important. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to think that all because she was brought to me that night of the fight, and that she said she was aware of the Monarch Club, that it also meant she’s a part of my world already.

Red flag .

“You like rough sex,” I say calmly, knowing that much already. I’d also quickly peeked at her paperwork as she signed the bottom of it and handed it to Sophie. “And anal.”

Her cheeks blaze scarlet.

“What else?” I lean back, patiently waiting for her response.

“I…” Daelyn breaks eye contact with me. “I like being choked a little. And…spanking is okay.”

“That’s good to know,” I say, encouraging her. “What’s something you absolutely do not like?”

The vein in her neck stands out, pulsing rapidly. Her eyes dart away for a second. “I don’t like to be gang-banged.”

“Okay.” I somehow manage to keep my voice even, but my instincts flare with fury because what the fuck has happened to her in the past? Was she assaulted or coercively forced to endure something she didn’t want? Maybe I’m reading into things too much. Time to back it up. “Is there anything you’ve wanted to try and haven’t yet?”

She stares at the carpet, thinking. “I’m not sure.”

“That’s okay.” I gently place my hand on her leg, making her flinch a little. Shit, she’s jumpy. I’m botching this fun night up before it’s even started, which isn’t like me at all. Then again, neither is bringing a guest to the Monarch. Or breaking into women’s houses.

Daelyn’s got me out of fucking character.

Red flag .

I keep my body relaxed so I don’t come off too intimidating. “How about a safe word?”

“Crocodile,” she says immediately.

I like it.

“Good girl.” Kissing the top of her head gives me a chance to smell her shampoo. I have no clue what this woman washes with, but she smells incredible all the time. She’s like a field of flowers mixed with arousal. “Tonight, we’re just going to get to know each other, okay?”

She nods.

“And you must be honest with me. Always.” I cannot stress that enough, and the way she tenses in tiny ways every time I bring it up makes me wary. “If I don’t know what’s going on, I could end up damaging you and that is the last thing I want to have happen.”

“I’m already damaged,” she says under her breath.

My rage comes back, full force. “Hey.” I grip her chin and make her look at me. “No, you’re not. Don’t say that about yourself, Daelyn, ever .”

She knocks my hand away, unfazed. “You don’t know me, D.”

I like that she’s called me D instead of Dmitri. I shouldn’t, because that’s what only my closest friends call me, but hearing it come from her lips makes the hot rage flowing through my veins cool off a little.

“That’s why we’re here, Firefly. To get to know each other.”

“With a staring contest?”

I shrug and pull out another smile. “I mean, we already discussed beaches, orgasms, and murder. It’s time to bring our relationship to the next level. Besides, staring contests are fun.”

That earns me a nervous giggle. “I just have to stare at you while I come.”

I nod.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” It’s harder than it seems, which she’ll find out if she agrees to the game.

Her eyes narrow. “What do you get out of it?”

“What do you think?”

Daelyn looks away from me and shakes her head. “I honestly have no idea.”

With a gentle nudge of my finger to her cheek, I make her face me again. “I get you , Firefly. There’s no greater victory prize than that.”

???

After some prodding questions, Daelyn tells me she likes both praise and degradation, and also has a thing for danger. As if I hadn’t already picked up on that.

No extreme pain but crops and floggers are fine as long as it’s not too hard. No golden showers. Yes, to toys. Biting is encouraged. No fire, but she’s open to melting wax.

“What about you?” she asks.

“Nah, this is all about you, Firefly. My needs will be met just by watching you come undone.”

She rolls her eyes like that’s preposterous. “You like pain,” Daelyn says, as if trying to throw it in my face.

“I do.”

“So I can bite, scratch, and whip you?”

“Like I said, tonight is about your pleasure. Not mine.” Goddamn, the thought of her melting hot wax on my balls is really fucking tempting, though. Before I allow myself the fantasy, I pipe up with, “The club is open already, but guests don’t usually arrive until…” I glance at my watch. “Five minutes ago.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to stay here, or move to a private room?”

“Oh, umm.” Daelyn bites her bottom lip. “I think this first time should be private.”

“I agree.” Lacing our fingers together, I guide Daelyn upstairs to a smaller bedroom. “Would you like the door locked? No one will come in if it’s closed, but I can lock it as an extra security measure if that’ll help you relax more.”

“Yes. Lock it.” Her gaze falls to the floor. “Please… Sir.”

I hate being called Sir, but we haven’t discussed honorifics yet, so she doesn’t know that. “I prefer King.”

Surprise flashes in her eyes. It’s okay. I get that a lot. But here’s the thing—I want to be called King because I treat my subs like a fucking queen.

She’ll learn.

“Is there a preference for your honorific?” I ask.

“Anything but babygirl.”

Yeah, she mentioned that the other day. I’m not asking why because it doesn’t matter for our dynamic. “Is Firefly okay?”

I’ve called her that a few times already, and she didn’t seem to mind.

“Yes. That’s fine.”

“Thank you,” I say, cupping her cheek.

“For what?”

“Trusting me. Coming here. Being with me.” There’s a lot to be grateful for.

She pulls back and bristles. “Umm. So, when does the staring contest begin?”

It’s like that, huh? Okay. I’ll play. “Would you like to be tied down first?”

She glances around the room. “Yes. Maybe.”

“Get on the bed for me.”

Daelyn crawls onto it, giving me a spectacular view of her ass in that short dress, and lies on the pillow like she’s about to have a pelvic examination. It’s hard to keep my laughter buried and the only reason I haven’t cracked up yet is because she’s truly nervous and that’s not funny. “If at any point you want out of the restraints, just say the word. Do not hesitate. Understand me?”

She nods, biting her lip again.

“And if you get confused or feel uneasy, use your safe word, Firefly. The scene ends and we can discuss what worked and what didn’t, so you’re most comfortable with what we’re getting into. Understand?”

She nods again.

“Words, Firefly. Use your words.”

“Say Crocodile and you stop.”

“And?”

“We discuss and regroup.”

“Good girl.” I kiss her forehead before lifting her right arm up and cuffing her wrist to the built-in restraints on the headboard.

Her breath shudders out of her in a nervous rattle.

“Is that okay, or do you want me to release it?”

“Umm.” She looks up at her cuffed wrist. “This is good.”

“What do you do if it’s not good?”

“Say Crocodile.”

“Such a good fucking girl.” I kiss her throat column before fastening her other wrist to the headboard and climb off the bed. Christ, it’s hot in here. Peeling off my suit jacket, I lay it across the footboard and roll my sleeves up.

Daelyn watches me like a hawk. “You’re still overdressed.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Are you going to use your dick, hand, or mouth on me?”

“None of the above.” I pull out a wand, testing the vibration settings. “You okay with this?”

Her cheeks flush. “Yes… King.”

Fuuuuck that sounded good coming from her pretty mouth.

Climbing onto the bed like a massive panther, I crawl towards her and lift her dress up over her hips. The black panties she’s in are already soaked. I can smell her arousal, which sends my dick into feral mode.

As badly as I want to fuck her brains out, I won’t. This is about getting Daelyn to open up to me. It’s about chipping away at her walls and eventually cracking her foundation, so I understand her better. That means my dick is staying hidden and my attention will remain solely on the beauty in my bed.

Hooking my fingers into the waistline of her panties, I slowly drag them down. “Goddamn, you smell good enough to eat.”

Her thighs quiver.

Just before I can press a kiss on her cunt, she slams her legs shut and, in a rush, blurts, “I lied to you.”