Shelby - Mandy Harbin Page 0,42
about finding you another Dom.” He didn’t like backing out of their arrangement. It went against his responsibilities as a Dom, but it couldn’t be helped. Losing control was not a mistake he could afford to make.
“No.” Her head snapped up. “You promised.” Her hands fisted beside her. The defiance she displayed toyed with his emotions on so many levels.
“You’re in no position to fight me on this.”
“I don’t want to fight with you at all,” she murmured as she relaxed her hands. “Please don’t stop this. I trust you, and I want to keep going. I wouldn’t be able to do this with anybody else. Not yet. I need you to help me, Master.”
His eyes flared at her addressing him that way. He knew she did it because she was pleading, but he liked it all the same. He should stick to his guns and turn her away, knowing she could fall into the hands of an inexperienced Dom who could hurt her emotionally and physically. Or he could continue on with their scenes and risk being the Dom who would crush her in the end. He couldn’t win either way.
No matter how much he wanted to stop this madness, he knew he couldn’t, not completely, so he’d have to embrace another method.
If Shelby wanted to understand what being a real sub was all about, then it was time he damn well showed her…and hope she relented.
“Okay, Shelby. Be here at seven on Tuesday. Since you don’t have an aversion to dressing up, wear a French maid costume like Emory suggested.”
“Tuesday?” she asked, fidgeting with her hands. He could tell she saw where this conversation was going.
“Yes. The night we’re open to everyone. If you want to continue with your training, the next scene will be public.”
She swallowed, and he stood stock still, waiting, partly hoping she’d refuse, mostly hoping she wouldn’t. Public scenes were common at clubs, and if she wanted to be in the lifestyle, she had to prepare for the possibility. Not that that was his motivation behind the reasoning. Oh no, he’d thrown a gauntlet in his frustration with her, frustration with their situation. Now, he waited.
“I’ll be here Tuesday, Master.”
Jesus. That was not what he wanted her to say. Yes, it is, you prick. “Goodnight, Shelby,” he said, more clipped than necessary, and motioned toward the door. If she didn’t get out now, he couldn’t trust he wouldn’t be groveling at her feet. For what, he wasn’t entirely sure. He did know he’d always had precise control over his emotions and had never spoken to another woman like this. Sure, he punished subs when they were out of line, but this was different.
She picked up her bag and left without another word.
He heard the quiet click of the front door closing behind her, but felt it as if it was the door to his heart slamming shut.
As it should be.
He would do everything in his power to make sure it stayed that way.
Chapter Eleven
In public.
That was what Shelby had thought about since last night, and it was all she could think about as she stared at whatever this file was on her desk.
“Normal people are happy on Fridays,” Viola said as she popped over to Shelby’s desk. Shelby glanced up, but was unable to muster a smile. Her coworker’s face fell as she looked at her. “Did something happen last night?”
“Oh yeah.” Boy did it ever. Before the realization her next scene would happen before everyone’s eyes, she’d had amazing sex with Mason yet again. This time she’d planned on spending the night with him, only to be kicked out like a worthless slut. Then again, she was being paid to sleep with him, so if that was what he’d been going for, he’d nailed it.
“Uh-oh. Is that why Rick called the meeting this morning?” she asked, grabbing her arm. “Are you okay?”
Shelby was far from okay, but she couldn’t go into it now. With the next scene being in public, she had an even bigger obstacle to clear. One she created herself, and one she had to fix immediately.
It was time to bring her team up to speed on everything. Everything. But she didn’t have the strength to spew out all the sordid details more than once, so Viola would have to wait and hear it with everyone else. “Rick has new intel, and I told him I wanted to give an update since he was bringing everybody together.” She picked up her