Kingdom Come

Griffin appeared at the bottom of the platform and raised a brow. I hadn’t expected to see him after what had happened earlier. Likely he wanted to see if I’d be here or with the blonde. But Griff also enjoyed a little play. I’d never asked him if my brother knew Griffin frequented the club.

“I can take her,” he said.

I couldn’t tell if he was doing me a favor or stabbing me in the back for losing earlier. But damn him, I trusted him.

“What do you think, love?” I asked the woman in my arms. My number one rule was to respect everyone’s wishes. I wouldn’t just pass her off because it was convenient.

She nodded, so I put her in Griff’s arms, knowing she’d be safe with him.

That turned out to be a good thing. Not long after, I was being called to a situation in the back rooms. Through the picture window, the viewer was given a front-seat view of the show in what appeared to be a bedroom. It was for those who wanted semi privacy but still enjoyed being watched.

A woman pinned to the bed was shaking in fear as she yelled no.

“Has she said it?” I asked Dwight, the security team leader standing nearest me. Once a safe word was spoken, it should be respected. My team had video surveillance of everything except my private office.

He nodded, so I went to open the door. That’s when I noticed security was emptying the main hallway.

“He’s blocked it,” Dwight said. “I can send them in if you want.”

“For fuck’s sake.” I hurried around back where a secret hallway had been built behind the rooms. “Let me handle it.”

I unlocked the door that, from the inside, looked seamlessly like the wall. Security had cleared the main hallway because we kept these doors secret on purpose. If members like the asshole in front of me knew about them, he would have blocked this one too.

“Move away,” I said. I heard security file in behind me.

The senator’s son who thought he could do anything he wanted had the woman by the throat. “What the hell?”

“Step away,” I said more forcefully.

His eyes narrowed. “She agreed.”

“Did she say please?”

He hadn’t moved off her, but I waved my security team back.

“I don’t know,” he claimed. “It’s a fucking rape scene. She’s supposed to say no and shit.”

I didn’t judge anyone or their kinks. I’d learned a long time ago that I needed complete and total control in a relationship. Though that was an illusion. My job was always to keep my partner happy, which meant she had me by the balls.

I directed my attention to the woman. “Do you want this to be over, love?”

She nodded as tears continued down her face.

“I fucking paid you, bitch,” the dickhead yelled.

“That’s it.”

I signaled to the team to take him down. It happened fast, soon he was restrained but still raging. The stupid SOB was on something.

It was the second time that night I’d had a woman in my arms. This time at least I hadn’t been the one to make her cry. Not that I made a point to make anyone cry. But it happened—usually when someone wanted emotions I didn’t have to give, no matter what type of relationship I was in.

Waving my second-in-command over, I directed Eliza to get the woman home. My security team would look to see if in fact money had changed hands. We had protocols, and members weren’t allowed to bring anything but themselves into the club. But clothing had pockets. It was possible money traded hands outside of the club. I could revoke her membership as well. But right now, I had to deal with a man who didn’t want to play by the rules.

I walked in the office as he was telling security I had no right to keep him here. He shut up when I stepped in front of him and leaned against my desk as I crossed my arms. “You know there are no second chances, yet here you are, fucking up your second chance.”

I’d made an exception I now regretted.

“She fucking agreed.”

I held up a hand. “You not only broke the number one rule to respect safe words, you traded cash for sex in my club.”

“Her daddy cut her off.”

“This is why there is no paying for sex in my club. You assumed that meant you could do whatever the fuck you wanted. It’s done. You’re out.”

He jumped to his feet. I didn’t move, only arched a brow. Feeling as restless as I did, I itched for him to take a swing at me. Though I didn’t allow the security team access to the video surveillance in my office, I’d already triggered the cameras when I walked in.

“I pay a lot of money for membership.”

“So does she, and you broke the rules. Your dues are forfeit.”