Claiming Cleo (Masters Club 2)

“You did snoop where you didn’t belong, didn’t you, sub girl? That was very naughty of you.”

Cleo’s heart skipped a beat, his expression, tone and words transporting her instantly into subspace. “Yes, Sir,” she admitted.

Master Jack got to his feet and extended his hand. “Come on, then. I’m taking you back to the playroom, this time by invitation.” He grinned as she winced at this not-so-subtle rebuke. “There’s a punishment beam there waiting with your name on it.”

Chapter 26

They barely left the flat over the next three days, too enamored of each other and their deepening exploration of their Master/slave relationship to venture out. At first, Master Jack’s phone had buzzed almost constantly, calls and texts from his work, where they apparently couldn’t do a damn thing without involving him. Happily, he’d turned off his phone after that first day.

“Fuck ’em,” he’d said, to her delight. “I’m still on vacation.”

Despite that declaration, Jack had returned to his office once more only the day before, but, happily, just for a few hours. While he was gone, Cleo had cleaned the flat from top to bottom, and done zero snooping. Even so, she continued to feel Annette’s lingering presence. It was as if her ghost still hovered around them, however benevolent and approving it might be.

But when Master Jack came home, Cleo forgot about all that. They were experimenting with intensive breath play, which she found thrilling, her very life in her Master’s hands. She could not get enough of this man she had dreamed about, cried about and done her best to forget.

He was by turns stern and commanding, and tenderly attentive. He offered her the perfect blend of control and romance, every sadistic, erotic torture balanced with sweet kisses and the murmured poetry of love.

Cleo hadn’t been aware such happiness could exist in the world. All her life, those she had loved most had left her—either through death or deceit. While things were still so new with Jack, each step forward they took together felt solid and real. For the first time in her life, she was truly, deeply in love.

Now they lay together in the bed in the late afternoon, drifting pleasantly after extended lovemaking that had included lots of delicious rope and a particularly wicked paddle.

Master Jack was due to return to his job full-time the next day, and the honeymoon, if one could call it that, would be over. He had warned her workdays could sometimes extend late into the evening, if a big deal was at stake.

Though they hadn’t expressly discussed Cleo’s leaving New York and returning to England to live with Master Jack, he was already acting as if it were a done deal. He had suggested they could check with Ellis about her possibly working there as a training assistant or some such, so she wouldn’t be bored waiting for him to come home.

“Or you could always go back to your previous career, if that suited you. We could even set you up with your own salon. Money isn’t an issue. Whatever you want to do is fine with me, as long as you’re home and waiting on your knees when your Master returns.”

In spite of her newfound happiness, Cleo missed New York and her life there a little more each day. Being away had clarified for her how much she valued and enjoyed her work there. She loved taking the new pleasure subs under her wing. She kept thinking about Rowan, that poor girl who’d been dumped off by her Master, and who was clearly out of her comfort zone. She would have liked to have been there for the new trainee, offering a helping hand and a sympathetic ear.

She missed Jess and Brandon. She missed Mistress Dominique and Master Grayson, and all the other regulars at the club she’d come to consider her family. London held nothing for her, save for Master Jack.

Yet, even with the short time they’d been together, she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. But was she ready to give up the life she’d created for herself in New York?

“Penny for your thoughts,” Master Jack said, startling Cleo from her reverie. “You seem kind of lost in your own world. Everything okay?”

She turned to him. “I’m fine, Sir,” she lied automatically. Then she paused, amending, “Well, not exactly fine. I mean, I don’t really know…”

Master Jack frowned. “What is it? Something’s going on with you. Tell me. That’s a direct command, Master to slave.” More gently, he added, “I know this is tough for you, Cleo. You’re not used to putting yourself first. It’s not in your DNA. I can’t speak for other Doms, but for me, whether it’s in the context of BDSM or just two people connecting, communication is paramount. Total honesty in all our dealings, remember?”