Dan, perched on the stool next to Grayson, raised one brow, a sardonic look to match his tone as he asked, “Why don’t you boot her out of here? It’s your club, and it’s not like we don’t have a selection of other subs to play with.”
Grayson shrugged. “Others like her, and she’ll soon tire of the game.”
“I suggest you prod her along toward that end,” Connor urged.
“Master Grayson! I’ve been looking for you,” Cassie gushed as she latched onto his arms and dug her nails into his skin.
With a thunderous scowl she ignored, he removed her hands with an admonishment. “You’re interrupting, Cassie, and you know better than that. Go away.”
“Aw, come on, quit being so grouchy,” she cajoled, leaning forward in a blatant move that offered him a peek down her sheer, white blouse at her unfettered breasts. “Am I being a bad girl?” she teased, rubbing her breasts on his arm.
Grayson swore under his breath as a small smile played around her mouth. He knew what she thought as he straightened with a cold, hard look. With a quick nod of agreement from Dan, he was about to show her how wrong she was. Cassie enjoyed pushing Doms into punishing her and got off on the harsher pain, but she didn’t care for the humiliation of a discipline scene. Too bad. She had earned this lesson.
“Bad girls don’t get what they want. Just the opposite, in fact.”
The satisfied glint in her eyes increased as he yanked her over his arm and rucked up her ass hugging skirt to reveal her bare butt. “Master Dan, I suggest you don’t hold back.”
“What?” Outraged that it would be another Dom meting out her punishment stained her face red as she lifted her head to glare up at Grayson. “I want… ahh!” she screeched as Dan blistered her right buttock with a forceful blow. She blubbered again, wriggling against Grayson’s arm until he wrapped his other arm around her back and held her still.
All three men ignored her wails—she would yell the safeword red if she needed or wanted to—as Dan laid into her ass with a volley of fast, pain-inducing smacks that turned her lily-white buttocks crimson. His swats were so effective, he stopped after a mere three minutes, not offering the chastised sub the comfort of a caress over her blazing cheeks or a hug when Grayson lifted her. Despite the pain he knew Dan inflicted, he suspected the tears streaking her face were due more to frustration than the throbbing discomfort. Neither of them had missed the glistening proof of arousal dripping from her pussy.
Before he could warn her of losing club privileges, she stomped her foot and poked him in the gut, stirring his annoyance anew. “You’ve had your fun.” She flipped Dan a cold look before all but demanding Grayson’s personal attention. “You can’t seriously mean to leave me hanging like this? What kind of cruel Dom are you?” Trailing her fingers up his chest, his rigid stance and cool disdain forced her to try a new tactic by turning coy. “I apologize, Master Grayson. There. Now, can we play?” She stroked her fingers up his corded neck to run one around hi
s ear.
Fed up with her, he drawled in a deceptively soft voice, “Play, Cassie? I don’t think so. Come with me.” Snatching her hand, they both heard Connor quip, “Sucks to be her,” as Grayson hauled her over to the corner spanking bench, bent her over and wrapped the center strap around her lower back, pinning her down. “Again,” he whispered in her ear, “I don’t reward disobedience and rudeness.”
Whipping off his belt, he delivered three bruising stripes across her already bright red, tormented ass, her cries loud and long, but revealing no safewords, either the club’s or her own. Returning his belt to his waist, Grayson released her, noting her swollen, damp labia. But if she wanted relief, she would have to look elsewhere. He was done with her.
He held her long enough to ensure she was steady, her eyes clear before releasing her with a final warning. “Find someone else to sink your claws into, Cassie. You knew before we hooked up I wouldn’t commit to anything more than a few scenes.” He spun on his heels, missing the daggers she shot at his back as she yanked her skirt down over her throbbing buttocks.
Grayson was so ready to head home; he just waved to Connor and Dan as he passed by the bar on his way out. Without bothering to don his coat, he walked out to the parking lot just as Caden and Sydney were coming in.
“Leaving already?” his friend asked, cocking his head.
“Yes. Been a long day.”
Caden nodded, took Sydney’s elbow and started around him, tossing out, “We invited Avery to join us tomorrow for a ride. Just so you know.”
With a huff, Grayson climbed into his SUV and slammed the door. Sometimes, having someone know you so well, for so long could be a pain in the ass.
Chapter 8
Avery was just about to leave for the Dunbar Ranch the following afternoon when an unexpected knock landed on the door leading to the outside staircase behind the diner. Since she wasn’t expecting anyone she answered with all the caution ingrained from growing up in the city with the highest murder rate in the country.
Cracking the door only as far as the safety chain allowed, her eyes widened when she saw the sheriff on her doorstep, his sheepskin-lined leather jacket doing little to disguise the breadth of his shoulders, his lowered black Stetson revealing only a gray/green sliver of his eyes. The respectful title of Sir trembled on her lips without conscious thought as she swung the door open in surprise, and she needed a moment to get her jumbled reaction under control.
“Are you ready?” Grayson asked. At her puzzled silence, the corners of that sexy as sin mouth curled. “I’m headed out to the ranch as well. No sense in both of us driving, and you may have trouble finding it.”
Excitement warmed Avery against the chill of standing in the open door without a coat. It wasn’t another invitation to join him at the club, but she wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity to spend time with him in any capacity. Being with Grayson in yet another environment would give her more insight into the type of man she was still debating over how far to trust.
“Okay, thanks, that’s… nice of you,” she replied lamely, flustered and thrilled all at the same time. Pivoting, she reached with a jerky hand for her coat and knocked her purse off the small table next to the hook. “Crap, sorry. Come on in while I…”
Grayson’s large body stooped down next to her as she scrambled to pick up the fallen items out of her bag, his voice rough and close enough she could feel his warm breath on her neck as he said, “Relax, sugar. You should be more at ease with me by now. Is there some reason you’re not?”
You mean other than having to deal with the sexual frustration you’re responsible for along with wondering how far I can trust you to help me return home safely? At least she could answer him this time with complete honesty. “I’m sorry. A bad experience has taught me to take my time getting to know people.”
Grayson handed Avery her purse then they stood at the same time as he replied, “It never hurts to be careful, but don’t let one asshole who has made you so wary negate your chances with someone else. If you do, he wins.”