features as best she could, knowing she wasn’t going to be anywhere near I’m totally okay with this, but hoping she wasn’t giving off the Please God let there be a hole in the floor and let me fall right through it vibe either. But as soon as she sat down and Abby looked their way, the smile disappeared from her face and she knew it hadn’t worked. Either the expression on Luke’s face or her own told Abby everything she needed to know.
Meagan cleared her throat. “What can we do for you? I’m a woman, but I don’t identify as a submissive. I’m a switch.”
There was nothing from Luke. No words. No movement. She wasn’t sure he was breathing.
Of course by now, everybody had noticed the tension between her and Luke.
Cole cleared his throat. “Switch works.”
Across the room, Abby looked as though she was bursting to ask what was wrong with Meagan. Instead she turned to Cole. “What are your questions?”
“We were discussing the new club. For the dressing rooms, should we separate by gender or by role?”
“If you do it by role,” Meagan mused, “where does that leave switches?”
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow at Cole. “She makes a good point.”
“So we go by gender,” Cole said. “Do you think everyone would be okay with submissives and Dominants sharing the same room to change in?”
“I’m okay with that,” Abby said. “I’d rather share with a Domme than a man.”
“How would same-sex players feel?” Meagan asked.
The men nodded and Nathaniel replied, “We’ll have to take that into consideration.”
Meagan really hoped that was all the men wanted to know. Normally, she wouldn’t mind discussing a new club, but with Luke right beside her still not moving and still not talking, she wanted only to escape as quickly as possible.
“How is your New York club set up, Luke?” Cole asked.
“The dressing rooms are set up by gender.” Luke’s voice was tight. “But there are separate role-specific rooms as well.”
Meagan knew for a fact there weren’t any rooms designated for switches. Any other time, she would be jumping all over Luke to bring that up. Not today.
“Do you have a room for switches?” Nathaniel asked. Beside her, Luke tensed even more and Abby whispered something into her husband’s ear. Meagan would bet money it was about her, but Nathaniel only nodded and didn’t give any indication as to what his wife had spoken to him about.
Luke responded with, “No.”
“How does that work?” Cole looked at Meagan. “If there’s not a room designated for switches, which one do you use?”
Meagan balled her hands into fists so tight, she knew she’d have nail marks on her palms. She shot Abby a let’s get out of here look. However, Cole had asked her a question. “I know before I get to the club which role I’ll be in for that particular night. I dress appropriately at home, and use the corresponding room when I arrive at the club.”
“Thank you,” said Cole.
“I think we could set up something similar,” said Nathaniel. “Luke?”
“I don’t see why not.”
An uncomfortable silence followed, and she felt as if everybody was watching her even though she knew that wasn’t the case.
Abby gave her husband a kiss on the cheek. “If you guys don’t have any more questions for us, we’ll be on our way.”
“Thank you,” Nathaniel said.
Meagan stood up and followed Abby out of the room. As soon as they were outside of earshot, Abby turned to her. “So, what the hell happened between you and Luke?”
* * *
Luke braced himself for the questions as soon as the ladies left the room and he wasn’t surprised when Nathaniel spoke first.
“Luke? Is everything okay?”
No, he wanted to shout. Everything was not okay. It could not be further from okay. At the moment, though, he wasn’t sure he wanted to explain everything to the gathered men. Especially not to Nathaniel, who had never cared for Meagan and simply put up with her because Abby worked for her and genuinely liked her.
It shouldn’t have made a difference. He shouldn’t care what people thought of Meagan. Yet somehow he did. He cleared his throat. “Meagan and I have been working on a project and it’s over now. In more ways than one.”
Sitting in a chair near Nathaniel, Fritz remained silent. After Meagan had left a couple of days ago—well, after he kicked her out—Fritz had seen how upset he was and didn’t push the issue. He left after telling Luke to call him if he wanted to talk. At the time, talking was the last thing on Luke’s mind. But maybe talking now would be beneficial.
“As you probably know, Meagan and I were together for a short period of time several years ago.” He stopped, trying to decide how much he wanted to share and making sure Meagan wasn’t within earshot. “We’ve been working together on a project of mine, a BDSM-themed, erotic photography book, and we ended up going beyond the original agreement.”
He wasn’t going to tell them about the blackmail. He glanced over to Fritz and the man nodded, his indication that he would play this conversation however Luke wanted.
“The short of it is, we were right all those years ago to end it. We aren’t good together.”
“If you ask me”—Cole watched him carefully—“I say you both looked miserable just now. In fact, I recognize the expression you both had.”
“And what was that?” Luke asked.
“It’s the same look I had when I was trying to convince myself I didn’t need my Sasha.” Cole shook his head, remembering. “I only made us both miserable.”
“I remember,” Nathaniel added. “That night at the New York club, when you said it was too soon for either of you and that anything beyond her training wasn’t in the plan.”
Fritz laughed. “Cole told me the same thing. ‘Fuck the plan,’ I told him.”
Cole pointed at the other Dominant. “You can stop right there, Fritz. You’re a fine one to talk.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, really?” Cole looked as if he was having too much fun teasing his friend. “Do you think it somehow escaped my attention that you have a thing for my ex?”
Fritz didn’t deny anything. “You know I would never do anything to take your slave away from you.”
“Of course I do. But she’s no longer my slave and yet, here you sit, not having made any type of move.”
“The time isn’t right.”
“The time will never be right.” Cole’s eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. “I know. Sasha mentioned hosting another tea party. I can invite you and Kate over.”
“Seriously?” Nathaniel chimed in. “Your collared submissive serving tea to your ex-slave? That takes balls, man.”
Cole thought for a minute. “Yeah, Sasha would probably have my balls. But don’t worry. I’ll think of something.”
Luke was thankful the conversation between Cole and Fritz kept everyone’s attention away from him, but as soon as Cole stopped talking, they all looked at him.
“No. Never,” he said. “Meagan and I are finished. Forever this time.”
* * *
Thankfully, the office Abby led Meagan to was far enough away from the men that they couldn’t hear their conversation. Why did it seem as if every time she visited Abby, he was there?
“I’m so sorry,” Abby said as soon as they were in the office and the door closed. “Did you and Luke split? I didn’t know.”
“It’s much worse than that.” Meagan knew she needed to say the words, but they wouldn’t come.
“He found out.” Abby said them for her.