returned to being the friendly place Z wanted for the community.
Ghost studied them as they approached, and his lips quirked. “Olivia, if Chelsey pisses herself at the sight of you, you get to mop the floor.”
Aaand that was all it took for Natalia to break down into giggles. “I said about the same thing to the Mistress.”
“Natalia.” Olivia shook her head. “I can’t have you laughing—”
Her normally quiet submissive giggled harder—and Ghost grinned.
Olivia grabbed her hair firmly enough to make her gasp, hard enough heat rose in the liquid brown eyes.
Don’t get diverted by thoughts of sex. With a bit of work, she kept her voice hard. “Girl, are you going to behave or should—”
“She can sit with us, Mistress Olivia,” Gabi called from a nearby conversational area. “She’ll be able to watch without having to be involved.”
Olivia turned to Natalia and raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, please, Mistress.” Laughter gone, Natalia pulled in a breath. “When Chelsey is actually here, it’s not going to be funny at all and…”
And Natalia would probably end up in tears. Olivia pulled her tenderhearted submissive into her arms. Over the past twelve days, they’d done as Ghost asked and discussed consequences for Chelsey. They’d arrived at a plan.
Ghost had agreed, arranged for several other Masters to be here as witnesses, then told Chelsey when to show up. If she wanted to remain a member, she’d be here.
Olivia looked around and realized Ghost was surrounded by Masters: Sam, Anne, Vance, Marcus, Cullen, and Alastair. Their submissives were seated with Gabi.
Olivia gave Natalia a squeeze and murmured, “All right, love, sit with the submissives.”
Natalia turned her face up for a kiss—and got one. Then she hurried over to the submissive group and tucked herself up against Ghost’s Valerie. Gabi moved in closer on the other side.
Olivia smiled. Her love was as buffered against what would come as she could possibly be.
Friends could become closer than family, couldn’t they?
And a lover could be…everything. She drew in a slow breath of happiness.
Cullen moved over. “I’m surprised you didn’t decide to simply kick Chelsey out of the Shadowlands.”
The other Doms halted their conversations, turning to listen.
“We talked about terminating her membership,” Olivia said. “But starting fresh somewhere else wouldn’t force her to deal with her actions.”
“Interesting,” Marcus said. “What’s your reasoning?”
“I’m from an exceedingly small town. Everyone knows everyone—and their history. If you mess up, for years afterward, you’ll have your nose rubbed in what you’ve done. People watching to see if you’ve changed, if you were sorry, if you worked to regain the trust. Peer pressure can be a force for good as well as bad.”
Max nodded. “Our town in Colorado is the same way.”
Olivia’s gaze fell on Natalia. How wonderful it was to have her back.
And they’d been miserable for over two months solely because of the jealous woman who was now walking up to the bar.
Chelsey saw Olivia and stopped dead. After a second, she continued forward until she halted in front of Olivia. “Mistress Olivia.” Her gaze met Olivia’s for barely a second, then she dropped to her knees. “I’m sorry.”
Not nearly sorry enough.
“Chelsey, explain to me—and everyone listening—why you’re here to be disciplined.”
Chelsey gripped her hands together in front of herself. “I…changed a photo and—”
“I cannot hear you, missy,” Sam growled.
The submissive swallowed and spoke louder. “I found a picture of two women together in bed, and I photoshopped Natalia’s head onto one woman’s body. And then I lied to you, Mistress Olivia, and said Natalia was cheating on you.”
“Holy crapping doo-doo,” someone said from farther down the bar.
“Yes. That is what you did. Here are the consequences.” Olivia kept her voice steady and firm. “This incident will be added to your Shadowlands record and visible to whoever wants to play with you.”
Chelsey went pale.
Yes, she’d now get to live with the effects of screwing up in a small community.
What Chelsey wouldn’t know was the record would also contain a suggestion to the Dominants to observe this submissive for lying—and to reward honesty.
“After six months, if the Colonel feels your behavior has improved, he will wipe it from your record. We will all be watching you, Chelsey.” Olivia paused and her voice lowered. “Your lies hurt me and Natalia—and damaged you, as well. Because, at heart, you’re a good person, and I cannot imagine that you haven’t felt ugly inside about this.”
Chelsey burst into tears, confirming Olivia’s belief.
She waited long enough for the young woman to be able to listen, then added, “This is your