I knew she’d fit in by the way her breath caught in her lungs and the small shiver that racked her body. I felt no attraction to the girl. I was gay and always had been, but as a Dom, it was still fun to play with submissives no matter their equipment.
Marcus snorted and gave me a chastising look. His response didn’t surprise me. Marcus had never shown any interest in anything BDSM related, which made him both the worst and best employee Foster and I had. The worst because we couldn’t intimidate him into doing what I wanted him to do and the best for that very same reason. I never had to worry about Marcus following some member into the club and leaving his post or being cowed by some Dom who thought they could throw their weight around. Marcus didn’t take shit from anyone, and that was why the lobby was his domain.
Unrepentant, I smiled at him, winked at the girl, and opened the door to my right, entering the club. The place was like a ghost town compared to what it would look like only a few hours later as the night went on. I watched the lone couple slow dance across the empty floor to the soft music and smiled. I would never have paired the two of them together, but it worked. I looked around the edges of the room and noticed a few more couples in booths.
Not too far away from the entrance, Kyle was leaning against the wall as he watched the room. As bouncers and dungeon masters, Kyle and his brother Kane were invaluable to the club. He glanced at me once as I approached and then turned his attention back to the room. He’d always been so serious about his job, and that was how I knew I could always rely on him.
“Any problems?” I asked, propping myself up against the wall next to him.
“Kenneth has returned,” he said, jerking his chin toward a booth in the back.
Sighing, I looked in the direction he’d indicated, and sure enough, there he was. While he hadn’t done anything to deserve a lifetime ban from the club, Kenneth was always pushing the limits, always stopping just a tad shy of going too far.
“Do you know who he’s with?”
Kyle shook his head. “Never seen the kid before, and he’s just radiating newbie vibes.”
“Fuck.”
“Yep,” Kyle replied, popping his lips on the word.
Newbies were notorious for getting in over their heads. They were idealistic, excitable, and eager to prove themselves. Most had no idea how far they could and should go. And the last person anyone wanted teaching a newbie was Kenneth. I could only hope the boy realized it too.
“Watch them,” I commanded, brooking no argument.
“Already on it.”
Trusting Kyle’s judgment on the matter, I left him to it. Pushing away from the wall, I circled the dance floor and entered the looping hallway that led to our private rooms. Approaching the locked door between the library and the medical room, I punched my private code into the electronic panel and waited for the click. Hearing the door unlock, I opened it and stepped through.
Entering the small, back lobby that led to the apartments upstairs, I mounted the steps. Reaching the top floor, I spared a glance toward Foster’s door as I approached my apartment. Opening my door, I glanced at the clock on my stove as I toed off my shoes.
I had about thirty minutes before Lee and company arrived, but knowing how excitable Lee was, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find them waiting in the parking lot if I looked out the window. That pup had always let his excitement control him.
Sighing in exasperation even as I smiled, I passed the kitchen and entered the hallway that led to the rest of the apartment. Skipping the bathroom, I entered my game room.
Approaching my computer, I shook the mouse to wake it up as I reached for the campaign manual. I skimmed the area the party was exploring and made a mental note of the miniatures I’d need for our session as I printed out the various forms and cheat sheets Lee’s friend would need.
Grabbing a sticky note, I slapped it on the stack and reached for a pen. It took me a second to remember his name, but when I did, I scratched it across the note. Lifting the pages, I tapped them against the desk to straighten