Release Me

Part 5

Kade glanced around the small parking area. Because of the location of the club in the seedier part of the District, he'd insisted I that I took basic self-defense classes. They might help in a basic helpless woman scenario, but I was glad my submissive was part-body guard, though it wasn't something I'd tell Samantha.

"Ready?" I glanced over at her when Kade opened my door.

"No."

I smiled at her and patted her hand again, unsure of the best way to convince her it was less scary than she imagined.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," I offered and stepped out of the car.

She sighed behind me.

"This coming from a woman who throws a whip for fun," she mumbled, and I glared at Kade, who'd spoken freely of some of our time together during the trip to help Samantha settle. Unfortunately, it did the exact opposite.

With a practiced air, I ignored her and stepped out of the car, pausing long enough for Kade to help her out. There wasn't a doubt they'd follow me, and making an entrance was always a bit of fun.

The click of my heels on the asphalt echoed off the surrounding building. It wasn't as elegant as the world I once enjoyed, but there was a casual comfort among people who chose various parts of this lifestyle, integrating it into their day to day, rather than it being their entire world. Even in a city full of politics, the hidden nature of the lifestyle gave it an enigmatic flavor.

I pushed the industrial steel door opened, illuminated with a basic flood light and smiled at the small wooden plaque which was the only sign of what might lie inside.

"Good evening, Alexandra," a woman said with a smile behind a plexiglass reception area. A few seconds later, Kade and Samantha stepped behind me and I nodded to the woman.

"Hello, Abigail. We've brought a guest with us this evening." I handed over the membership cards emblazoned with Kade's name and my alias. She leaned to the right to get a good look at the woman behind me and gave me a wink.

"She's beautiful. I bet they'll fall at her feet in seconds."

"I don't know which way she'll fall." I winked at her and handed over seventy dollars. Abigail punched our cards and handed them back, then placed a red paper wristband around my wrist. "For tonight, put a blue one on her. She's under my care."

She nodded and offered a purple wristband to Kade, signifying our committed relationship in the eyes of the club, and a blue one on Samantha to show she was under the protection of a dominant.

"Have fun," she said, hitting the small button on her desk. A buzzer sounded a couple of seconds before the lock clicked. I pushed the door open, and they followed me inside.

Music pulsated like a heartbeat in the darkened club and I paused long enough for Kade to push my bag into the safety of a small cubby used to store toys before they were needed. We moved in a unit down the small hall, and like a tour guide, I pointed out the bathrooms, shower rooms, coat check, and lounge.

"Let's get a drink," I said, turning to Samantha. "It'll settle your nerves."

She nodded, but her wide-eyed look took in the large open industrial space. On the lower level, large scaffolding created various stations in which to tie people, while other equipment dotted the floor. Up on the small mezzanine, various couples watched the play below while making out.

"Two gin and tonics with lime, and one club soda with lemon," I ordered and settled on a bar stool, turning to face the club. Across the room, a man, who went by the name Master Simon, swung a mop flogger against the back of a lithe male whose body swayed at every impact. There was a calm rhythm that came with a certain level of interaction between the two, and I sighed as I watched them.