Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

E vangeline

“Good girl.”

Gage’s words continued playing out in my mind. I couldn’t shake them. Maybe I had to face several truths about myself. Yes, I’d been scared and somewhat disgusted when I’d gone to the club and for good reason according to Gage. What I’d neglected to tell him was that I’d come home and whipped out one of my vibrators.

“Now, I need two volunteers,” the master called from the front of the classroom-style room, currently untying and freeing the submissive he’d tied. He helped her down, doing much like what Gage had done with me in cupping her face.

She looked into her master’s eyes lovingly.

“Good girl.” He made the statement loud enough so that the audience could hear. They clapped in approval.

Meanwhile, I was starting to perspire.

“Breathe,” Gage reminded me.

“The best way to ensure you understand additional training will be needed, but the basics can be learned immediately, is to have two novices.” The master was grinning.

I did my best to hide behind Gage and he was having none of it, pushing me forward by two feet.

“Mr. Royal. Would you like to highlight for your partner that even someone of your stature enjoys learning about new aspects of this artform?”

If I didn’t know better, I’d say this had been arranged. Maybe it had been.

“I think that’s a marvelous idea.”

“No!” I was horrified, spinning around and lightly beating my fists against his chest. “I can’t be naked in front of other people. I just can’t.”

He kissed my forehead, which was just another way of reminding me he was in charge and that I could trust him. “You don’t need to. I’ll be gentle, untying you immediately should you become too uncomfortable. Okay?”

Could I do this? I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to try. If not, the monster had won. “I can and will do this.”

“Good girl.”

This time when he issued the words, I was certain my legs would collapse. He had a way of making me feel entirely different than any man had before. I suddenly wanted to please him and only him.

Was that insane after everything I’d been through? My therapist would call it healing.

Gage took me by the hand, leading me to front and center. The crowd clapped again, providing encouragement.

I couldn’t help but study the faces of the men in the audience. I recognized several, including one politician from my home state, an actor, and a couple of corporate moguls who’d had their pictures in Fortune Magazine recently. No wonder anonymity was required, NDAs signed.

I couldn’t imagine what a reporter or enemy would do with the information. They could spin it any way they wanted.

The master lowered his head toward Gage as we closed the distance. No matter the profession, there was still pomp and circumstance involved. I guess the master knew better than to bite the hand that fed him.

“Master Zane. Allow me to introduce my protégé, the lovely Evangeline.”

Protégé? And why was he introducing me? Wasn’t I a nobody in this… I was in control. I was in control.

“You will be perfect, child. Let’s get you hopped up in the swing. Mr. Royal, you’ve attended more than one of my classes. Simply start with a single column tie so that Evangeline gets used to the feel of having rope around her wrists and the audience can see how simple the technique can be.”

The rope swing was comfortable, the height perfect for me not to feel claustrophobic in the room.

As the master stood back, Gage lifted my right arm gently, keeping his eyes on me for a few seconds before selecting a very short, braided rope. He stood where everyone could see what he was doing and within seconds, a loop was formed, a triple tie twisted around my wrist.

“How does that feel?” Gage asked.

“Good. Sir.” I had a feeling it was required I add the term of respect, even if the rules hadn’t been explained.

I was aware Gage was touching me every few seconds, another comforting gesture that I needed. No longer was my heart racing or my pulse increasing to a dangerously high level. I was content, not threatened in any way.

Over the course of the next several minutes, my ankles were bound, only directly in front of me, not where my naked pussy could possibly be seen. I was certain my arms were next and tension began to rise.

As Gage had done before, he gripped my chin, rubbing his thumb across my bottom lip. When he spoke, he moved in front of me, keeping his voice low enough only I could hear him.

“Relax. That’s it for today.”

I almost choked up, tears even forming in my eyes. It was as if the man had broken a dam by knowing me and my needs better than I knew myself.

“An excellent demonstration, Mr. Royal. There’s a reason you’re called the master.” Master Zane was once again all pomp and circumstance.

As he untied me and led me to the door, I almost gathered a sense of loss. Once outside, Gage brought my wrist to his mouth, kissing my skin.

“Are you ready for more?” he asked with a gleam in his eyes.

“Yes. Oh, yes.”

The simple non-pushy demonstration with me as the subject had awakened something inside, something beautiful and magical. I was now breathless with anticipation of what I’d see next.

Gage didn’t disappoint, moving from room to room, classrooms turning into private sessions, those morphing into what appeared to be a group orgy. Maybe that surprised me the most and I had to admit I didn’t attempt to recognize anyone. If I did, I’d never be able to look them in the eyes again.

His hand firmly wrapped around mine, he led me to an elevator at the end of a corridor. There were at least two dozen rooms and I could only imagine what else was going on behind closed doors.

I was more excited than I’d thought I could be, my breathing labored with anticipation.

As he led me into the elevator, he hesitated before allowing the door to close. “You do realize we cater to all types, all proclivities. Yes?”

“Yes, I knew that early on.”

“In doing so, there are novice members much like yourself who believe in the darker side of the world, the more gothic, old-world charm of darkness and shadows.”

“You mean dungeons.”

I adored his husky laugh, the amusement forming in his eyes. “I can’t get anything past you. Now, can I?”

“Not a thing. Smart as a whip.”

“Whip. I like that word.” As the elevator started to move, I could tell he was kidding.

Or was he?

The doors opened and I sucked in my breath. There was a scent of cinnamon and vanilla, a refreshing surprise. As we walked off, the first thing I noticed was a remarkably darker hallway, the sconces as if made in the seventeen hundreds. The wall on one side was painted crimson, the rich color reminding me of blood but not in a creepy way. I was strangely attracted to the environment.

He seemed upbeat, as if this was his favorite part of the club. “First room.” He was grinning when he opened the door, placing one finger across his lips.

The only way to describe the oversized room with dark paneling and the same sconces was that it appeared to be a medieval-style bedroom. Only this was no ordinary bedroom.

There was a huge canopy bed, wooden and so ornate that I could see myself owning one in a heartbeat. The comforter was crimson in color, of course. Throughout the room were various apparatuses and small cages, two with naked, collared submissives inside. Both were women, but on all fours was a plump older man, a strange, studded leather harness moving down both his back and stomach. Holy shit. It appeared his cock and balls were positioned in…

Oh, my God. I’d heard of cock and ball torture, but really?

Gage noticed my gaze, moving behind me as he’d done before. “It would seem Daniel has been a very bad boy.”

I shuddered hearing how seductive his voice was. Yet at that moment, I couldn’t take my eyes off a raven-haired woman in a leather outfit. She reminded me of Elvira, which I wouldn’t dare say. Her voluptuous breasts and nipples were exposed, the corset she was wearing gorgeous.

She was wearing long, shiny black boots with heels and one was planted on poor Daniel’s back. I guess he had indeed been a bad boy.

The worst thing of all was that it appeared a riding crop was positioned in the dominatrix’s hand. The implement was confirmed when she slapped the two tails dangling from the handle against her hand. When she slapped it again, not only did the man jump and whimper, I did as well.

But I couldn’t take my eyes off the couple as she called him a very bad boy and started to spank his bottom. Gage continued to hold me as if I’d flee. I found the entire situation fascinating. He allowed me to stand watching for a few minutes before guiding me away. I almost objected, but he played the master for the night, swatting my bottom. It was oddly what I needed. Not that I would tell anyone.

Before we left, I noticed there were at least three dozen implements attached to the wall, some of them terrifying looking to me. The room was the actualization of ones I’d seen on the internet a long time ago.

My guess was it’d been designed to suit those in a more gothic mood.

The room next door was equally dark and prison-like, especially with there being a larger cage, one that reminded me of an actual jail cell. The room was empty, the flake candles in the sconces flicking.

“You can explore,” he told me and I was tentative. Nothing inside the room was going to hurt me but my God, I felt so out of my element it was ridiculous. I walked further in, running my hands down the steel bars, even tugging on them. What did I think, that they were breakaway?

The entire room was just as daunting, but I found it interesting that I wasn’t scared or apprehensive. There was still a level of excitement coursing through me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an old-fashioned stockade. The kind where someone’s arms and head were shackled, which allowed perfect access for spanking. I touched it before flicking my gaze in his direction. He was amused.

“You wouldn’t use this. Would you?” My question started out rhetorical, but I found myself uncertain. I just didn’t know Gage that well.

He chuckled and seemed so comfortable in his own skin. “Not my style. Often these are used for private pictures, which doesn’t bother me in the least. There are no identifying markers indicating where we are.”

I nodded and moved to the wood X cross. The wood was worn in several areas, but smooth, and the apparatus was almost inviting. While I could tell the piece was old, the shackles used, the thick leather was almost inviting. “This is used?”

“It is. We keep it cleaned and polished for those who prefer an older apparatus. Also not my style.”

“A modern man. Huh?”

He smiled and walked closer, the heat of our combined bodies explosive. Once he was only a few inches away, I was stunned how the electricity was affecting me this evening. Between the excitement of him showing me his world and that of being with the man, I was tingling all over in such a way, it remained difficult to catch my breath.

At times, the man was gentle, acting as if my emotions and my body were fragile. There was also a strange sadness in his eyes I hadn’t seen before, as if the man was hesitant or remembering something from his own past.

He rubbed my face with his fingers flexed open. “I have a question.”

“Of course.” I grabbed his shirt, fisting it as much as was possible. The material was tight on him, which was sexy as well.

“Do you trust me?”

The oddity to that question was that there was no question about it. “Yes.”

“Good girl. Are you ready to try something less stressful, a taste and nothing more?”

“Maybe.” I was.

“Are you eager to have us drawn closer, which is exactly what this lifestyle does?”

“Are we getting closer?”

“I would like to hope so,” he answered in his gruff voice. Now his eyes were shimmering like pools of lust.

“Then yes. You won’t allow anything or anyone to hurt me, including you.”

“Well, I am going to tap that bottom of yours a few times since you can be a bad girl.” His laugh was genuine and it gave me an entirely new round of shivers. He had a powerful hold over me and it wasn’t like Joseph’s in the least. It wasn’t forced or by the use of coercion or threat. It was simply allowing me to form an opinion, become comfortable, and make my own decision.

Why was it that it seemed this man was trying very hard to make me fall for him?

The truth was that he didn’t need to in the least. His eyes alone had captured a portion of my soul.

I had to wonder if and when he might capture at least a portion of my heart. “I can handle it. You’re right. I am a very bad girl.”