Claimed (Club Sin 1)

Dmitri gave her a long look before he threw his head back with laughter. Her embarrassment quickly turned to anger, and she stood so fast that the water spilled on the floor. “Stop laughing at me! This isn’t funny.”

He slowly looked at her. His eyes had darkened. He rose to his feet with a powerful grace, taking the glass from her hands, and slamming it on the end table with a clunk. “To your knees.”

In a swift move, she dropped to her knees, cringing when she connected with the hardwood floor. The second the pain eased, she realized what he’d asked and what she’d done.

Had she honestly responded to Dmitri without a single thought? Was she seriously kneeling for the man at his feet? And why had he told her to kneel? Because she snapped at him, or maybe she’d glared again? Her mind raced to understand what had happened in the last couple of seconds, but failed miserably.

Dmitri’s shiny black shoes rested in front of her, and his rich masculine scent wrapped around her. He didn’t move, nor did he say a word.

She did the only thing she thought would be appropriate in this extremely awkward moment. She whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Chapter Two

Dmitri stood over Presley and pursed his lips at the blond hair, stunned that she had dropped to her knees without asking the simple question why? Which had been exactly why he’d given her the test; he needed to see how she’d react. But he’d expected some push-back from her, as such a newbie, not her obedience, as if he’d removed the rug from beneath her.

While some Doms desired an obedient sub blindly responding, Dmitri didn’t crave a needy woman who had no guff to stand up to him; nor would he bring a spineless woman into his dungeon. He’d always been considerate of a broken woman, but his members needed to be strong-minded individuals, not the opposite.

Brushing the darker blond locks that curled at the ends over her shoulder, she looked at him, and he discovered eyelids lowered in shame. He glanced down into such a pretty face; her gorgeous emerald eyes opened and stared back at him. Her pouty mouth invited him to take kisses and demand pleasure.

He scanned over her tanned shoulders and along her gentle curves beneath her pink tank top that detailed her round breasts. He smiled when he noticed puckered nipples through her top. Skittish, maybe, but he currently had her revved high. He liked how she didn’t hide her arousal. Her heated reactions showed on her face and in her breath, and that made for a lovely submissive.

Clenching his fist, he fought the sudden urge to discover if her skin felt as soft as it looked. “Why are you sorry?”

“I . . .” Her eyes searched his, then she sighed. “I’m not sure.”

He inclined his head in approval. “That’s an honest answer, Presley.” If she’d given him any other bullshit reason, such as to obey you, he would’ve escorted her out of his house. Any woman who gave that level of submission to a stranger wasn’t a submissive who interested him. He craved a woman’s submission, but because he deserved it and they wanted to give it to him, not because they had no backbone.

It appeared that Presley held a strong desire to please him, since she’d responded, though she didn’t understand why. While she obviously had a few insecurities plaguing her, considering she took his laughter as an offense, she wasn’t an empty woman. Confused, yes. In need of guidance, definitely. But no submissive—especially a new one and at twenty-five years old—would come into the lifestyle without some baggage.

Dmitri took a seat on the couch. “Turn to me.” She scooted on her knees to face him, and he placed his feet beside her legs, caging her into his space.

He liked how she looked at him, with an enchanting innocence that he doubted she knew she possessed. Every little touch he’d made was a gentle way of testing her reactions to him, and she’d passed his assessments.

A vanilla woman didn’t shudder under the hand of a dominant man. Yes, he’d tested her a bit forcefully by sending her to her knees, but the way she heated to his touch interested him more than her response to his verbal commands.

Keeping a strong hold on her chin, he gathered her full attention. “Again, if something I do upsets you, you are to tell me with words, not angry gestures.” Her gaze clouded, going distant, and he squeezed the skin beneath his fingers. “I ordered you to your knees not because I’m upset that you’re irritated; I want you to share with me—or any Dom, for that matter—when something bothers you. But I did so because you’re not telling me why and are instead reacting aggressively.”

She looked at his knees, her brow creasing. “I don’t like being laughed at.”

“I see that.” He softened his voice to ease her apparent stress, and she peeked up at him with those wondrous eyes. “But I won’t tolerate you not simply using your voice to tell me such. Clear?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Releasing her chin, he placed his arms along the back of the couch to give her some breathing room, and he noticed her long exhale. In fact, he quite enjoyed how she looked breathing heavily through her parted lips. “Tell me why my finding amusement in you is so upsetting?”

She nibbled her lip, no doubt contemplating how truthful to be with him, and said, “I’m uncomfortable being here with you, talking about all this, and I guess it’s making me sensitive.” Her cheeks flushed a beautiful deep rose. “It seemed like you were laughing at me because I’m new.”

Dmitri enjoyed how easily she blushed. “Now, isn’t that a much better way to tell someone how you feel rather than glaring at him and spilling water on the floor?”

She laughed softly. “Definitely.”

He liked her sweet smile and found himself smiling with her. Tilting his head, he noticed her squirm under his stare. Without any doubt in his mind, Presley was a good girl, desperate to be wicked.

“I realize you’re quite unsettled. That’s all right. I wouldn’t expect otherwise, but I would never laugh at you to make fun of you. I do, however, find it amusing that you look as if the devil is going to show up because you want to indulge in the lifestyle.” He smiled gently. “So yes, doll, this amuses me. Understand?” The crease in her brow lessened, and this confident woman he found more beautiful than the earlier glaring version. “Now that I’m aware of how you perceive my amusement, I’ll restrain it.”

As he slid his finger over her warm cheek, her pupils dilated. Heat sped through his veins like liquid fire at the sheer purity of her features. Blood rushed to his cock so fast that it hardened to steel. Her blatant reactions to him were impossible to ignore, and he suspected all the Club Sin Doms would appreciate her transparency. Christ, it made him rock-hard. “I cannot read your mind, and I want you to be comfortable. You need to tell me if you’re not.”

She leaned in to his touch, clearly without thought, since she quickly straightened. “Thank you. I’ll try to remember that.”