Leah Braemel - Personal Protection

The elevator door opened, but no one moved to get into it and the door quietly swished closed.

“Sam…” Thalia stroked his cheek and smiled, “…Rosie is most likely an alpha submissive, which is what you require. She may even be a switch. You should train her to handle a flogger so she can whip you one day.”

If she’d gotten out of her chair and walked, he couldn’t have been more shocked. “I beg your pardon? I’m the Dominant in the relationship, remember?”

“Around any other woman, you are definitely a Dominant, but when it comes to your Rosie, I think you would willingly get on your knees and crawl across broken glass if she ordered you to.”

“I-I would do no-” He’d crawl across broken glass to save her life, but just because she ordered him to? Not bloody likely.

“Sam,” she interrupted, brooking no dispute. “Close your eyes.”

She had to clear her throat before he obeyed her, a precursor to punishment from his training days. “Now, imagine yourself strung up between those two lovely posts in your suite and Rosie behind you holding a flogger.”

Oh, Christ, his cock instantly got hard at the image. “Are you telling me I’m a goddamned switch?”

Thalia’s chuckle had him opening his eyes. “No, my dear friend, you are not a switch. But there are times an alpha submissive can step out of their role and take care of their Dom. I also remember you very much enjoyed yourself when I wielded the whip on you. Or was that not come shooting out of your magnificent erection during our training sessions?”

“Sonuva-” he bit out.

“Reveal your true self to Rosie, Sam. Trust her. If she does not understand, if she walks away, she’s not the right woman for you and it will be for the best for both of you if she leaves.” She signaled to Spencer who quickly returned. “But I think she’ll surprise you.”

Sam pushed himself to stand and pressed the elevator button again. “I’ll think about it.”

“Bring her to the club tomorrow morning. I’ll answer any questions she has and then she can look through the files. And don’t forget, Samuel. Reveal your true nature to her tonight. Before someone else has the chance.”

Rosie stomped in front of the elevator on the ground floor like a guard dog on patrol. “Tell me about that car again.”

Kris leaned one shoulder against the wall and shook his head. “I saw it pull out from the building opposite Sam’s and it followed us about half the way. When I mentioned to Andy that I thought it might be following us, he didn’t think so. To prove it, he took the next turn and it didn’t follow.”

“But you said you thought you saw it again when we were pulling up here.”

“There was a car that looked similar, yes.”

“Kris, how many blue 1964 Shelby Cobras with a white stripe do you think there are in this town?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a couple.”

She’d bet one. “Why didn’t either of you tell me someone might have been following us when we got here?”

“Andy told Sam and he said it wasn’t something to worry about. Look, I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Just forget it.”

Like hell she’d forget it. She and Andy were going to go a few rounds on this one. She headed for the elevator and punched the button. “I’m going up.”

“Aw, come on, Rosie. Andy’s up there to make sure Sam’s okay. Or don’t you trust him to keep Sam safe?”

“I should be the one up there guarding him.”

“They’ll just kick you out. You might as well wait here.”

He was right, they would. Andy would have to keep him safe. But once they got home… As she waited for Sam to finish up, a familiar, and unfriendly, face approached. Ay ay ay, the woman who had bid against her at the charity auction and driven the final price up to seventy thousand dollars. What was her name again? Lee-Anne Bennett. Not a threat to Sam other than those claws she sprouted last time they’d met.

“I must admit that I am surprised Sam brought you to our private munch when you clearly have not mastered the art of submission. Now I understand why he is not sponsoring your initiation this year.”

Art of submission? What the heck was the woman talking about?

“As head of Mr. Watson’s protection team, I am responsible for his safety-including occasionally going against what he wants if I deem him to be in possible danger.”

Lee-Anne’s lips thinned as she pressed them together. “While I’m sure you expect me to commend you for your vigilance, be warned, should Sam ever bring you to the Rouge and I give you a command, I will expect it to be obeyed to the fullest. Immediately. You’ll not find me so forgiving.”

Who’d crowned this bitch the queen of the world?

“I am not planning on being a member of your little club, Miss Bennett.” If this broad ever tried something on her, she’d kick her ass from here all the way to California.

“Anyway, since it’s obvious that you and Sam are involved, I wanted to ensure that you’ve had a medical recently and your files are on record at the club. Especially since Sam will be our third at the Gala.”

Third? Third what? “I beg your pardon? Wait a minute. He’s going to the Gala? He’s not going, he cancelled.”

Lee-Anne’s unbotoxed forehead crinkled then relaxed. “I’m sure that’s what he’s told you. But I cannot imagine a founding member-especially Sam-not attending the biggest event of the year. Besides why else would he be here tonight if he wasn’t planning to attend?”

Rosie rubbed her arms, trying to stop persistent tingle of the creepy crawlies under her skin. There was no damned way she was going to explain anything to this bitch, not that she waited for an answer.

“Since I’ve asked Sam to have a mйnage with Greg and I as part of Greg’s initiation, I want to make sure I’m not going to be subjected to some…” her lip raised in a sneer as her gaze raked down Rosie, “…social disease.”

Icy talons squeezed her chest until it was hard to breath. “A mйnage?” As part of an initiation? What the hell was this club? Surely Chad wouldn’t let Sam be a member in a sex club, especially after the scandal that had destroyed Chad’s career. Even though she’d lived in New York and had been in college at the time, Chad’s decision to involve the FBI in protecting members of a BDSM club without approval had been headlines in the papers for weeks. Surely he’d learned…surely Sam couldn’t have been…but Lee-Anne was nodding her head.

“Yes, a mйnage a trois. A threesome. You know, two cocks, one cunt?”

And then it hit her. Sam was planning on having sex with the Ice Bitch-after he’d told her they’d be exclusive. Rosie’s mouth opened and closed several times, matching her fists.

“Sam is the premiere choice amongst the club members for threesomes. Having a founding member take part in the rites will add a certain cachet to Greg’s membership. So when I decided upon what to demand for Greg’s initiation, I couldn’t think of anyone better for our little games that night. And that magnificent cock of Sam’s.” Lee-Anne dramatically fanned herself. “That’s why I was so intent upon winning him at the auction. Besides what woman could resist?”

That sonuvabitch had not only lied to her about not attending this place, but he’d lied to her about being the only one. What else had he lied to her about?

Lee-Anne tapped one French-manicured fingernail against her upper lip, her light blue eyes coldly assessing. “You haven’t answered my question. All club members and their partners have to regularly submit to a medical screening to ensure they’re not carriers of any STDs. That way any other partnerships are not put at risk. And since you’re Sam’s dalliance of the day I need to know when you had your last physical. Sam’s usually such a stickler about those details, I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t have filed your report with Thalia already.”