Release Me

Part 19

The club had become a perplexing amalgamation of my sanctuary and my torment. Each day, irresistibly lured, akin to a moth to a tantalizing flame, I found myself ensnared within its burgeoning confines, my dreams metamorphosing from simple sketches on crisp paper into the tangible touch of hardened concrete and cool steel that arose around me. At night, I sought refuge in Samantha's apartment, yet there, an eerie silence prevailed, a relentless specter, its cold tendrils wrapping around me, constricting any attempted dialogues and deepening my suffering under its weight.

No amount of pleading or reasoning seemed to pull her out of her self-imposed silence. All I wanted was for things to go back to the way they once were, but the more I moved forward with my new project, juggling clients between construction appointments, the less I remembered the structure of it.

In one sphere of my life, my authority and proven capabilities commanded respect from those around me. Yet, those whom I had counted on to stand by me, had retreated, struggling to process the aftershocks of my decisions on their lives.

With a heave, I pushed open the main door of the club's grand entrance. A gasp escaped my lips, its echo bouncing off the vast marble expanse. It was like walking into a scene from an opulent fairytale. The elegant luxury surrounded me in every detail of the space. There was a personal satisfaction as we moved closer to opening day.

Just beyond, the bar hummed with a symphony of industrious activity as the artisans and craftsmen were adding the final, masterful touches to its sprawling expanse. Daily, like clockwork, shipments of sundry supplies announced their arrival with the cacophonous clattering of crates and boxes, filling the air with the musty scent of fresh wood and the faint metallic tang of newly minted equipment, each component eager to find its designated place as we prepared for the imminent soft opening.

A few staff positions still needed to be filled, and while I had been putting off some of these decisions, overall, things finally seemed to be coming together. Though the attitude of my staff took on an air of strained respect. Not everyone was thrilled with every decision, nor thought I was experienced enough to run such a large endeavor, but with each success or failure I learned where to push and where to let go.

Yesterday that was picking out the uniforms for the most of the service areas and administrative staff. No one wanted to force the staff to wear the choices I presented, but after much discussion, I'd won my growing staff over when I explained the ease of them on the employees and the effortlessness of a consistent look, which the management was required to maintain. From the spa to the cigar lounge, the restaurant to the bar, everyone was given a sample of uniforms, and in a flurry of meetings, I'd approved them all.

"Alexandra." My name unfurled from his lips, a resonating murmur that reverberated through the grandeur of the room. Each syllable of my name, spoken in his deep timbre, sent a familiar shiver down my spine, its echo creating an unsettling symphony against the marble expanse.

I spun on my heels, catching sight of Kade leaning nonchalantly against the far entrance that connected the club with the adjoining office building.

"Mr. Kinkaid, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The southern tone dripped with the undertone of pleasant aggression as I cross my arms over my chest and shifted my weight to one leg, jutting out my hip.

"We need to talk." He tapped a folder against the hardness of his jeans covered thigh, but I refused to give in to the avalanche of emotions his unexpected appearance threatened to unravel.

"Do we? I was under the impression most submissives who respected the position of their dominants answered telephonic queries, except you seem to believe either I am not your dominant or I do not deserve such respect. Either way, I'm unsure of what more we need to discuss. Your actions, or lack therein, spoke volumes on your behalf." I pivoted until my back faced him and moved down the hall toward my office in the club.