Cole's Mistake (Haven, Texas 8)

It was early yet as they moved into the bar area. There were a few people mingling and talking, but not many. Across the room, a woman sat on a bar stool. She was dressed in black, shiny pants and a black, loose tank top. She looked gorgeous, her dark hair a stream down her back. A man knelt at her feet. He wore a pair of loose pants with snap buttons up the side and nothing else. Seemed odd fetish wear but what did she know?

She’d had to borrow some clothes from Aspen. She didn’t have anything suitable in her wardrobe. They were around the same size, which surprised Keira. In fact, the dress she’d chosen was actually a little baggy on her. Maybe she should try a little harder to eat.

“Would you both like a drink?” Jardin asked, coming to a stop near the bar. “There’s a one-drink limit before play.”

Julian shook his head. “We’d like to go into the club.” His gaze roamed the room as though trying to categorize every threat.

Jardin sent him a firm look. “And your sub?”

Okay, she didn’t like that. Julian was a good Dom and husband and she didn’t like how Jardin had just implied he wasn’t. She stepped forward, frowning up at the other man. “I’m fine.”

Jardin raised an eyebrow challengingly. They were locked in a tight circle, neither man willing to budge. Finally, Jardin sighed. “I’m not going to lie; I’m worried about you both. Are you sure coming here tonight was a good idea?” Jardin asked, his voice surprisingly soft.

No. No, it wasn’t.

But what did she know? Her intuition was well known to be faulty. So, she kept her mouth closed.

Jardin sighed, looking tired. “I’m failing both of you.”

“You’re not,” Keira protested, hating that he thought that. It was the opposite; they were failing him. They hadn’t let him in. Hadn’t opened up. It was no wonder it wasn’t working.

“All right, let’s go inside the dungeon. See if there’s anything you’d like to do. There’s nothing wrong with just watching tonight.”

She nodded but she noticed how stiff Julian had grown.

Cole knew as soon as he saw them that something was wrong. He’d been at the club for a while, waiting and watching. There weren’t a lot of people in the dungeon yet, but there was an older couple using a spanking bench. A few more couples were sitting in one of the seating areas. One Dom had tied his sub up and was suspending her in the air.

Another Dom had led his younger sub over to the St. Andrews cross. The sub was a thickly-muscled man. Probably in his late twenties. The Dom was older, smaller, but with a powerful air of authority. He’d quickly secured the younger man to the cross and now he was cracking the nine tails. The sound of it reverberated throughout the room.

And each time the whip cracked, Keira grew paler. Shakier.

Shit. He moved from the quiet corner he’d chosen and walked towards her. She was about to lose it. What the hell had Julian and Malone been thinking allowing her to come here tonight?

The whip cracked across the sub’s back and he let out a pain-filled cry.

“No!” Keira screamed.

Fuck.

He started running now. Malone and Julian had turned to her. Julian grabbed hold of her arms.

Get her out of here. Out of here.

She somehow slipped out of his hold and raced towards the whip-wielder. Fuck, he altered his course as she slammed into the Dom. He let out a cry, the whip going wide and nearly hitting one of the other Doms who’d been drawn closer by the scene.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop hurting him! Stop hurting him!” she screamed.

“What the fuck? Who are you? What do you think you’re doing interfering in my scene?” the older Dom roared.

Cole winced at the other man’s furious tone. He knew he had a right to be angry, but it was the wrong thing to do for Keira right then.

She was sobbing, beating her tiny fists against him. “Let him go! Let him go!”

“What the fuck!” The Dom went to shove her off.

“Don’t you dare,” Cole barked at him.

“Don’t you touch her!” Julian thundered coming at him from a different side.