21. Come Into My Parlor…

"It's like an adult amusement park," she whispered as she watched a flogging scene in the pit. The woman held a black suede flogger in each hand, and they blurred as she painted her submissive's bare back with faint pink stripes. The submissive wasn't even bound. Instead, she held leather cuffs mounted to the top crosspieces of the St. Andrew's cross. Perspiration gleamed on her body, and her head fell back as she moaned in pleasure.

"That's Mistress Rogue." Careful not to disturb the scene, Shane replied in an equally soft voice. "She's incredibly talented with impact play, and especially with those floggers. I swear, she's made more submissives come from a flogging than anyone else in the club."

Judging by the number of people watching, Tania could believe it. She'd had no idea Club BDE was so popular, but it was almost as crowded as the nightclubs around campus.

People of all ages, shapes, ethnicities, and genders roamed the club, dressed in a mix of casual street clothes, formalwear, and leather. Music with a thumping beat was loud enough to hear, but not intrusive enough to disrupt conversation or the ongoing scenes. The scents of perfume and leather tickled her nose, and she inhaled the pleasant fragrances deep into her lungs.

Mistress Rogue's blows softened and finally slowed. After trading her floggers for a soft blanket, she went to her submissive and covered her, then led her from the pit.

"Wow. I think I might need to try that."

In fact, she couldn't wait. Instead of one person with two floggers, she'd have Desmond and Bastian. Arousal sparked in her core and her breathing quickened as she imagined herself up on the cross instead of Mistress Rogue's submissive. Everyone would watch them and…

She squeezed her eyes shut in a desperate attempt to quell her desire before she hunted them down. Her Daddies were busy, and she wouldn't disturb them while they were helping other people, but damn, they looked hot in those tuxedos.

"Lucky thing." Shane led her from the pit and toward the corridor where Desmond and Bastian had gone. "Desmond and Bastian are almost as good as Mistress Rogue. I think it goes without saying they'll be happy to help you with whatever you want to explore."

"I kind of want to try it all," she confessed. "I don't even know where to start."

"Perhaps I can assist," a faintly accented male voice said from behind them.

Shane paled and turned slowly, then inclined his head. "Master O."

Dressed in a well-tailored three-piece suit and a crisp white shirt with diamond cufflinks, Master O was gorgeous with thick black hair and a neatly trimmed beard touched with a bit of silver. He also looked vaguely familiar, but Tania couldn't place where she'd seen him.

"Be a good boy and run along, Shane." He took Tania's hand and tucked it in the crook of his elbow. "I'll be taking over Ms. Andersen's tour. You will give us at least fifteen minutes before you tattle to Desmond and Sebastian. Also, bring a bottle of my preferred whisky and two glasses to my usual table, please."

Ooh-kay.

The autocratic bullshit wasn't working for her, but when she tried to free her hand from his firm hold, he wouldn't let go. She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should force the issue, but he wasn't hurting her, and she didn't want to do anything that might embarrass her Daddies.

"I…" Shane swallowed and nodded quickly. "Yes, Master O."

"Good. Be quick with our drinks."

"Sir, I don't know you." Tania tried once more to free her hand from his arm.

"I hope to rectify that shortly." Master O led her from the corridor to a secluded table in a darkened corner. Although several women gave him longing looks, no one approached to rescue her, meaning she was on her own. Shane appeared with a bottle and two glasses almost before they reached the table, then seemed to levitate as he made his escape.

Her nerves sparking with disquiet, she jerked her hand and nearly stumbled backward when he let her go. "Excuse me. I'm going to find Desmond and Bastian."

"No." His eyes glittered as he claimed the chair facing the pit, putting his back toward the wall. "I don't believe I will excuse you. Sit down, please."

The force of his voice was almost physical and seemed to press down on her shoulders. Although her knees shook, she held her ground. "I'd rather stand."

Thankfully, her voice didn't shake as much as her knees did as her brain set up a clamor for her to find her Daddies. Club BDE was supposed to be safe, and she'd been assured of that more than once, despite her first experience with Dr. Pappas. Master O might scare the stuffing out of her, but the Elliott brothers wouldn't have allowed him in if he was dangerous.

Master O laughed quietly, and his gaze softened. "You're so much like your father, little one. Did you know that?"

"He's dead," Tania snapped. "What do you want?"

Damn. It was getting harder and harder to remember the club rules. Of course, if he kept being a total dick, she'd ignore them altogether. If Bastian and Desmond decided to punish her for it, they were welcome, but she wasn't going to let Master O's behavior slide.

"And like Victor, your temper is short." He poured a few fingers of whisky into a glass and slid it toward her. "I'd love to get to know you better. I find you quite… fascinating."

"I'm not sure I can say the same about you," Tania countered, still trying to control her nerves. "And I certainly don't know you."

"Ah, of course." He stood and bowed over her hand. "Killian O'Rourke, at your service."

The name clicked for her, and she bit back a gasp. Although he'd never been convicted, Killian O'Rourke was associated with organized crime all over the eastern seaboard. For him to be at Club BDE meant that maybe the Elliott brothers weren't as careful about vetting their members as they should have been.

She almost asked how he was connected to Victor, but decided she probably didn't want to know. Some things were best left hidden, and if her father had been dirty…

That definitely wasn't something she had the nerve to ask about, and thinking of it made her heart hurt. It also made her think harder about her relationship with Bastian and Desmond. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but she couldn't help wondering.

If Victor was a dirty cop, did that mean Desmond and Bastian were too?

Before she could reply, he added, "I see that name means something to you."

"I might be an engineering student, but I don't live in a vacuum, Mr. O'Rourke. I wonder how you managed to get a membership here."

"Aye. My entrance caused quite the disagreement between the Elliott brothers, but as I'm a very safe dominant, they have no complaints." He grinned boyishly and shrugged. "In fact, you would have no complaints either, Ms. Andersen. They call me Master O for a reason."

Wow. Arrogant much?

Maybe the salacious nickname was deserved, but he left her cold.

"Aside from your last name?"

"Indeed." He poured whisky into the second glass but didn't react when she left hers untouched. "I considered offering you employment following graduation."

"You can't afford me."

"Are you sure? My pockets… among other things, are quite generous."

"Not interested." She pushed the untouched whisky across the table. "Excuse me."

"What if I don't want to excuse you?"

She studied him for a moment, wondering if he'd force her to stay, then straightened her spine and smiled when she remembered the rules she'd studied.

He couldn't touch her without her consent. And if he did…

Tania almost hoped he would, just to have the chance to get his smarmy ass banned.

"Aw, bless your heart." Giving him her best fuck around and find out smile, she said, "This is Club BDE, Mr. O'Rourke. You don't get to take away my choices unless I let you, and frankly, you give me the creeps. Enjoy your evening."

She decided not to think about how strange it was to be able to stand up to a known mob boss when she couldn't do the same to Dr. Pappas.

Instead of trying to break land-speed records as Shane had done, she kept her steps slow and easy as she crossed the club to the staircase leading up to the restaurant. Killian's gaze on her as she walked away sent chills down her spine.

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