Chapter One
Jake Smith stayed away from the other Doms at Extreme, knowing they wouldn’t want anything to do with him. He’d fucked up big with Jesse and Ryan’s relationship. The couple was doing much better without his or her parents’ involvement. Whenever he saw her, there was always a smile on her face.
He couldn’t have asked for a better guy for her. The love between the two was clear to see to anyone looking at them.
Running his fingers through his hair, he glanced around the club to see if anyone needed his help. He’d been banned from the dungeon and the BDSM part of the club. This section was strictly for dancing and drawing in more couples of the lifestyle. He leaned against the wall in the far corner and watched the room, wishing for a better way to entertain himself on a Friday night. Couples who entered the front immediately made their way for the far door to enter the elevator to take them down to the playrooms.
You fucked up and you can’t even get play with a willing sub.
There were always men and women available for every Dom to service. For the last few months, since telling Jesse’s father, he’d been banned from being inside the club. His Dom status still remained but he couldn’t do anything other than monitor the dance club.
Two months of nothing and he was getting ready to burst from the pressure.
“Are you okay, man?” Nick Clark asked.
He glanced toward the only person willing to talk to him. To him, it felt like he no longer possessed any friends. No one trusted him, which he couldn’t blame anyone but himself.
“I’m fine. Watching a bunch of kids grind against themselves is not my idea of fun.” Looking out on the dance floor, he saw a blonde dancing between two men.
“Why did you go tattling? It was fucked up.?
? Nick stood beside him so they were both facing the floor.
“I got caught up in it all. I’ve been taking care of Jesse for so long and then I got worried. Her father started asking questions and before I knew it I told him.” Shaking his head, Jake turned to glance at his friend. “I fucked up bad. Now, I’m paying the price.”
“You’re going to have to earn back all of the other Doms’ trust. The club succeeds only if they can trust us for discretion.”
“I know and I messed up. I expect Ryan’s going to call me in the office and send me my marching orders.” Jake hoped it didn’t come to that. He loved working at Extreme. The last thing he needed was to lose the one job that meant everything to him. Nick stayed with him for a few minutes more but then headed to do his own job.
The night went by without any problems. By the end of the shift, he still felt like shit.
Ryan had requested his presence within the office before he left for home. He knocked on his door, waiting to be allowed access into the room.
“Enter,” Ryan said.
Muffled giggles came from the room.
Opening the door, he saw Jesse sitting on Ryan’s lap. She looked so happy from the quick glance he gave her.
“Wait for me outside, baby.”
Jesse got to her feet, giving him a quick smile as she passed.
The door closed behind her.
Jake’s palms were sweaty. Staring at his boss, he wondered if tonight would be his last night in Extreme.
“I know you regret what you did,” Ryan said, giving him a pointed look.
“Is this where you fire me?”
“Normally, I would fire you. However, I see why you needed to do what you did. Jesse means everything to me. You crossed the line and you fucking pissed me off. The other men are pissed off with you. They liked the way you worked. The subs adore and miss you. None of us want you to leave but the trust has gone.” Ryan leaned forward with his hands pressed down on the table.
Jake took a seat, wishing there was something to say to prove to Ryan he wouldn’t hurt their trust again. “I’ll do anything.”
“I’ve spoken with the other men and they cannot think of a way for you to earn back the trust. I’m afraid, Jake, this is going to take time. Time for you to prove yourself and time for the men to realize you messed up but it will not happen again.”
“You’re not firing me?” Jake asked, when Ryan still hadn’t spoken the words.
“No, I’m not firing you. I’ve got no desire to fire you.”
Relief flooded Jake. “Thank you.”
“Also, the men wanted you to know that even though you’re not allowed within the BDSM part of the club, you can still play with subs outside on your own time. But not with the women who come to Extreme though. They cannot be associated here. You must keep your extra activities to yourself,” Ryan said.
“There’s no one else. I’ll wait until I’m allowed back. I will continue my training at home. Thank you for this opportunity,” Jake said.
“You’re welcome. Now get out of here before I change my mind.” Ryan dismissed him with a flick of the hand.
He passed Jesse and gave her a nod before leaving the club. Extreme gave him a home in more ways than he realized.
Heading out into the cold winter’s night, he made his way to his city apartment. His family was wealthy and he never worried about making an income as he possessed his own inheritance to keep him going.
Parking up in the secure garage supplied by the building, he nodded at the guard on duty before making his way up to the top floor. He loved gazing out over the city, seeing the place alight in the dark.
Jake threw his keys on the nearest counter as he entered, closing the door behind him.
On his answering machine, he saw one message and clicked to listen. He grabbed a beer from his fridge, sitting down on the sofa while Chris’s voice filled the room. Jesse’s brother happened to be his best friend and the main reason he broke the code to tell her father about her involvement with Ryan.
“Hey, man. What are you doing? I know my dad fucked up your position at the club but I’m down at Mixers and you’ve got to come and meet me. Come on, have some drinks, get a good woman underneath you. You’ll forget all of your troubles here.”
Commotion in the background, followed by feminine giggles and moans came across the line.
“Man, come on. Stop beating yourself up. Jesse is happy and it’s time for you to move on.”
For the next few seconds, Chris told one of the women to leave him alone as he spoke. Chuckling, Jake tossed the beer aside, grabbed his keys and headed toward his best friend.
* * * *
Isabella Drummond, Bella to everyone who knew her, bit her lip as she looked around Mixers. She didn’t know why she thought it wouldn’t be busy. Friday nights were always busy according to her friend Maya. This had to be the biggest mistake she ever made. At twenty-three years old she was still a virgin and on girls night she’d confessed to her friend she wanted to get rid of the V-card.
Maya, along with Charlotte and Dawn were here to find her a man to lose her virginity to. She held her first margarita in her hand, wishing she was back at home with a hot chocolate and a good book. Socializing had never been her thing. Her three friends loved going out while she rarely did, apart from going to work.
It’s why you’re still a virgin.
Out of all of her friends she still remained intact, which made her the butt of many jokes. The jokes didn’t bother her. She found most of them funny anyway.
“See anyone you like?” Maya asked, sitting beside her.
“No, none.”
The men in the club were all interested in blonde, slender women. She watched them all looking everywhere but at her.
Letting out a sigh, she took a sip of the alcoholic drink in front of her. The taste was okay but it didn’t hold anything against a drink of hot chocolate.
Grow up, Bella.
“I think this is a mistake,” she said, getting to her feet. “I shouldn’t be here.”
“No, you don’t get to do this. You’re always afraid to mingle with others. Do you want to be alone forever?” Maya held onto her arm, stopping her from leaving.
Dawn and Charlotte were out on the dance floor having the time of their lives.
“Don’t worry about me. Go out, have some fun. This just isn’t for me.” She smiled, doing her best to urge her friend to go out and play.
“No.” Maya slammed her foot onto the ground, gripping her arm tighter.
Bella winced at the contact, glancing down at where her friend held her.
“You’re not going to back out of this,” Maya said.
Without another word, Bella was led onto the floor where bodies crushed them together.
“What the hell are you doing?” she yelled.
“We’re partying and at the end of the night you’re going to get laid, if I have to watch you do the deed myself.” Maya smiled at her as a couple of men eyed them.
Grimacing, she started moving one foot to the other. She didn’t dance if she could help it and most of the time Bella used any excuse not to go dancing with her friends.
During the day she worked full time at the city library. She loved working with books even though she owned an e-reader. The older women were always cursing modern technology so Bella wouldn’t be seen using it.
She stepped from one foot to another trying to get into the beat of the music. Nothing happened, Bella didn’t feel part of it. She looked around the floor to see a lot of action going on. The man next to her had his hand up another woman’s skirt as she grinded against him.
Okay, there was only so much flesh she could handle.
“I’m going to, erm, I’m going to get a drink,” she said, leaving her friend to dance. Bella spotted one of the men behind them eyeing up Maya. She wouldn’t get in the way of some loving for her friend.
Standing at the bar, she kept her gaze focused in front of her as she wai
ted to be served.
Several women were trying to get free drinks out of the guy serving.
“Hey, gorgeous, what can I get you?” the barman asked, minutes later.
“A bottle of water, please,” she answered.
“A water? Is that all?” He bent down to grab a bottle from the fridge.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Is there something wrong with my bar?”
Bella frowned as she looked at the man in front of her. He had a ponytail at the back of his neck and he held onto her bottle.
“You own the bar?” she asked.
“Yeah, I do and I’m used to women looking a lot happier about being here.” He leaned against the counter, smiling at her. “The name is Dale, by the way.”
Was he flirting with her?
“Erm, Isabella, but everyone calls me Bella.” She shook his hand, hoping he’d give her her bottled water.
“What can I do to get a date out of you?” Dale asked.
“Back off,” Maya interrupted, coming to her rescue. “You’ve fucked everything that walks already. Find some other woman to screw. Leave my friend alone.”
Bella was led away from the bar. She left the bill on the counter and saw Dale was watching her. Offering a smile, she turned back to her friend.
“Why can’t I talk with him?” Bella asked.
“Dale is not the man you lose your virginity to.”
“What? Why?” She was confused. The one man to show any interest in her and her friend was leading her away. It made no sense to her.
“He’s a Dom, Bella. Not only is he a Dom into spanking and shit but he’s also a scumbag who’ll screw you and spit you back out. I’m not having your first time with him.” Maya was stressed out and Bella decided to drop it.