Aryn's Desire: A BOLD Security Novel (Finding Submission Book 1) (11 page)

“Until after Christmas, then we’re heading to Nashville for the New Year.”
 

“Oh, nice. Will you guys be at the ball?”
 

My ears perk up a little bit. “At The Box?” Dex asks.
 

“Yup.”
 

“As far as I know, it’s what’s on the agenda.”
 

“Perfect. I will be there as well,” she says to Dex but she is watching me as I look through a rack of pants. “Tell me, Beck, are you owned?”
 

Dex snorts. “Um, no. I’m only just learning about all this. I’m interested in Dominant training,” I tell her honestly.
 

She gives me a quizzical look. “Well then, have you partnered with anyone?”
 

“No, ma’am.”
 

“Curious,” she says, but she gives me a very dismissive look and goes back to talking to Dex. I’m suddenly uncomfortable and I abandon the rack of pants and go to stand by the door as the girls exit the dressing room.
 

“Did you decide?” Mistress Sara asks Raine and Cotah.
 

“I’ve decided, but it is up to my Master,” Raine states with a sheepish look in her eyes as she lowers her head.
 

“Surprise me,” Dex tells her and the girls go giggling up the stairs.
 

I find it odd that she keeps all this stuff down here, but the girls go upstairs to pay for it all. Then it dawns on me that she probably locked the door after the people upstairs left.
 

I follow the girls up and Mistress Sara and Dex stay downstairs for a couple of minutes before following me up. The girls wait at the register for Mistress Sara while they talk and giggle about something.
 

It’s very obvious to me that these two are good friends and it is nice to see Raine friendly with someone other than Dex. The only time I ever really see her is with Dex and Addison.
 

No matter, I turn the lock on the door and step outside the boutique and wait for them to finish up with their transaction. While I wait, I watch people as they move about the small town.
 

The shop is across from a park that appears to be the center of town and given the busy nature of the town on a Saturday, it is no surprise that there are people playing in the park.
 

The weather here is nice, chillier than California, but not ice cold either.
 

Finally the door rings behind me and Dex and the girls come out of the shop.
 

“We ready?” I ask.
 

“Yup,” Dex says and I unlock the truck. The girls climb into the back and Dex joins me up front.
 

“What was all that about?” I ask him as I back the car out of the parking spot.
 

“All what?”
 

“Mistress Sara’s dismissal of me.”
 

“Oh, that.” Dex avoids answering me.
 

“Yes, that. Did I do something to offend her?”
 

He shrugs. “Who knows. Sometimes it is easier to read people, Dominants especially, but I have to say that she’s quite the enigma to me. She latched on to me pretty quick.”
 

“Mistress Sara doesn’t like unattached Doms,” Cotah says from the back.
 

“Why would she use that against me?” I ask her while looking in the rearview mirror.
 

“She’s not, but you have to understand that this lifestyle is full of predators and assholes. Unattached and especially new Doms, such as yourself, are often scrutinized by other Tops. Until you’ve proven yourself to them, they tend to shy away from new people.”
 

“I wish I’d known that before,” I tell Cotah and the rest of the truck.
 

“It’s really hard to tell. Some people are a little different. I didn’t get the same kind of treatment you got from Mistress Sara, but I also started off with Derek as my mentor and Raine as my submissive. I didn’t go into the club looking for someone,” Dex shares.
 

“Great, so now my club experience is going to be ruined,” I interrupt him.
 

“I’m not saying that, Beck, relax,” Dex tells me, looking at me. “You have to understand, like Dacotah said, this community is used frequently for the predator types. They hide amongst us preying on women and until you’re vetted by the club, or vetted to other Tops by Derek, then you may get a little bit of a cold shoulder. But I assure you that Derek intends to do that tonight.”
 

I don’t know what to say to that other than, “I’m sorry I got defensive.”
 

He shrugs it off. “Don’t be. Believe me, they all have one thing in mind when it comes to outsiders.”
 

“What’s that?”
 

“Keeping the submissives safe.” His voice is soft as he says it. He looks over his shoulder toward Raine and I understand immediately what he’s saying.
 

“I wouldn’t want it any other way either,” I tell him and he nods.
 

“It’s a pain in the ass, but I assure you, it will all work out in the end. Not to mention you look like a fucking beast with that gun strapped to your thigh.”
 

I roll my eyes and turn onto the mile long driveway toward Derek’s estate.
 

When I park, Dex hops out to open the door for Raine and I turn off the engine. Cotah leans forward between the seats and says, “Don’t worry about tonight. Derek will vet you to those that are here and when he does that, no one will think any differently. Even Mistress Sara. It’s strange the way this community works, and I am still trying to figure it out, but I leave that to Derek to handle.”
 

“Thanks, Cotah.”
 

She leans over and kisses me on the cheek. “No problem. Thanks for taking us.”
 

I smile warmly at her. “You’re welcome.”
 

She climbs down out of the truck and I follow her. One of the guys I saw yesterday comes over to the truck. “Will you need it again, sir?” he asks me.
 

I look at Dex, who shakes his head. “Nope, we’re in for the night,” I tell him and he takes the keys from me.
 

“Very well, sir.”
 

I follow the three of them into the house. Cotah made me feel a little bit better about tonight, but I’m more nervous now than I was before. I’d hate to get off on the wrong foot with this group of people. A group that I imagine I will be seeing again, whether here at Derek’s or at the club in Nashville.
 

Derek greets everyone and they start talking about whatever and I start toward my room. I’m about to slide into the kitchen when Derek stops me. “Beck, can I see you for a minute?”
 

“Sure,” I tell him, turning on my heel and heading back in his direction. He ushers me into what I can only guess is his office.

“Take a seat.”
 

“Yes, sir.”
 

I grab a chair on this side of the desk and I think Derek is going to sit down behind it, but he doesn’t, he sits in the chair next to me. “I hear Mistress Sara gave you a hard time.”
 

“I wouldn’t call it that, but something I said kind of put her off me.”
 

“What did you say?”
 

“I just told her that I was interested in being a Dominant, though I think I used different words.”
 

He smiles. “Mistress Sara is our resident skeptic. I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” he tells me as he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Listen, I want to help clear up that stigma of who you are.”
 

“How?” I ask.
 

“Well, I put in for your membership with The Box. I hope you don’t mind.”
 

I turn more toward him. “How did you do that?” I ask him.
 

“Well, Sean, as you’ve maybe guessed by now, is a bit of an information freak. Before you guys came, he’d gotten the information about you that he wanted. Which meant he got your fingerprints, personal information, etcetera.”
 

I shake my head. “I can’t say I’m surprised. He and Mills know each other pretty well.”
 

Derek nods. “That they do, and while Mills is often reluctant to give out information, Sean wouldn’t take no for an answer. So with that information, I submitted an application for you, along with my recommendation and Dex’s.”
 

“I don’t, um, thank you, Derek.”
 

He smiles. “You’re welcome. Though I don’t have the results yet, I was told that they should have them tonight. So along with my personal validation, with any luck, you’ll have club approval. All you’ll need to do is pay the fee.”
 

“Oh, umm…how much is that?” My eyebrows knit together, running a tally of what’s in my checking account at the moment.
 

“That’s private. The Box is an exclusive club, but membership is dependent on several factors. Income is one of them, also your position in the club, top or bottom, attached or unattached. But the fee isn’t due until your first attendance. You’ll be our guest when we are there over New Year’s, so there is no fee, but any time after that, you’ll be required to have paid your dues,” he tells me.
 

“Will they tell me when they accept me as a member what my dues are?”
 

He nods. “You’ll be given a packet with all the information you need, which would be great because it outlines the rules of the club, the hours that the club is open, among other things that you’ll see when we go.”
 

“Okay then.” I smile at him. “Anything else I need to know?”
 

He shakes his head. “The party starts in just over an hour.”
 

I stand up, excusing myself. “Great, see you then.”
 

He nods but doesn’t move and the scene turns a bit awkward. I reach the door and go to turn the knob when he calls, “Oh, one more thing.” I turn toward him.
 

“Anything,” I tell him.
 

“Lose the gun.” He grins.

SIXTEEN

WHEN I WALK out of Derek’s office, the front door is wide open and there is a group of men walking out. I look around the room and my eyes go wide. The room is slowly starting to look like Dex’s playroom.
 

I escape quickly, ducking into the kitchen which is now empty, but there is a mountain of food on the counter and there are warming ovens off to the side that appear to be full of food. The kitchen smells good and Sean wasn’t kidding, no one else will be here tonight. I shake my head and turn down the hallway toward the security team’s room. When I round the corner into the common room, Sean is talking with a group of people. He gives me a smile and goes back to discussing the plan for tonight.
 

Celeste sees me and sends me a coy smile and I give her a small one in return as I duck down the hall toward my room.
 

I shower again, but this time I take my time. I didn’t have time earlier to really take a shower.
 

When I’m done, I shave and throw some gel into my hair and then go rummaging through my suitcases looking for something to wear tonight. I wish Mistress Sara hadn’t put me in her sights at the store because I would have loved to get a pair of leather pants versus wearing a pair of black, loose fitting jeans and my boots. I throw on a black t-shirt and I stow my gun as Derek asked. Though I’d had no intention of wearing it tonight, I’d planned on at least wearing my ankle holster, but I put our fate in the hands of Derek’s security team and lock both weapons up before leaving the room.
 

When I enter the hallway, it is immediately obvious that the group of men and women that were here before are gone. I look at my watch. The party started almost thirty minutes ago, but I didn’t want to be the first one there and I haven’t gotten any texts from Dex, so I am assuming my late arrival is more than okay.
 

This time I have no problem finding my way and when I step into the kitchen, there is a group of four girls standing around loading up trays with various food items. One of them is filling champagne glasses in the corner. A couple of them look up, smile wide and make no secret of looking me up and down. I don’t blame them. I’m doing the same to them in their scantily clad outfits. My dick stirs in my pants as I step into the great room.
 

The lights are dimmed and the fires are flickering at a lower flame and there are several different groups of people standing around. But what throws me off guard are the various submissives that are sitting at the feet of their Tops. All silent, all looking almost sad, but there is a strange glow of satisfaction on their faces. One of the Tops gently pats his submissive’s head and she nuzzles into his leg. Unfortunately I don’t see Derek or Dex and I’m exposed when about a dozen pairs of eyes turn toward me.
 

I finally spot Derek who smiles and announces, “Uh, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to Aryn Becker.” He waves me toward him and somehow I find my feet and walk toward him. “He’s a friend of mine and Sir Dex.” I find his title for Dex odd, and I wonder why he is addressing him as such, but I don’t say anything about it. I vow to ask Dex and I am wishing I had a drink in my hand.
 

I am met with murmurs of hellos from the Tops around the room.
 

“I’m happy to report that Aryn is now the newest member of The Box,” a gentleman I don’t know says and those hellos and murmurs get a little louder, a little more confident. The gentleman who announced my membership steps forward, taking my hand. “I am Master Orik, owner of The Box. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aryn.”
 

I shake his hand. “The pleasure is mine, Master Orik.” I give him a smile and he returns one to me.