Ashley's Bend (14 page)

I stormed my way into my office and slammed the door before collapsing on the green leather sofa. Staring at the ceiling, I ran frustrated hands through my hair, pulling at the roots and welcoming the pain.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I should have known better than to involve myself in the training. My head was not in the right place to begin with the anniversary of
her
death being tomorrow. Every year around the anniversary, I was transported back to a black hole of emotions as I relived that day over and over in my mind. My demons were too dark and I feared that they would annihilate anyone in their path, and right then Ashley was in a head on collision course with them. The only outcome would be a crash and burn. It was because of
her
death that I pushed away any and all feelings when it came to women. I used sex for pleasure, yes, but also as a way to mask the pain I kept bottled inside of me.

I didn’t even look at Knox as he stormed into my office. I could tell by his demeanor that he was pissed off at me and with rightful reason. I should not have walked out of the training session the way I did, but fuck, I needed to get away.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Nic? How the hell can you just storm out of a training session like that?” Knox reprimanded me.

I was silent. What the fuck was I supposed to say to him? I couldn’t tell him that the chick had gotten me so twisted up inside that I felt like I would implode. That the anniversary of
her
death had me fucked up inside too.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to handle it, Nic. How the fuck could you act like that in front of the trainees?”

“I...
fuck
, I don’t know man. I panicked,” I finally replied.

“Panicked about what? Nic, I have never seen you lose your shit like that. Ever. Does this have anything to do with the girl?”

I sat up straight on the couch and held my head in my hands as I stared at the floor not able to meet the eyes of my friend. How could I explain that I was confused about feelings I was experiencing toward a woman? Feelings and thoughts that I had promised myself that I would never feel after seeing what
she
went through.

“Nic, it is ok to let yourself feel. I have seen you obsess over this girl the last few weeks. I know you have issues with relationships, but dammit this shit needs to stop.”

“I don’t want to fucking feel Knox! I am
not her
! I will never allow myself to go through what I saw
her
go through. To be all consumed by someone? To allow them to eat your soul from the inside out only to break it and you? No fucking thanks.”

I got up from my perch on the couch and walked over to the liquor cabinet. I reached for the bottle of Jack Daniels and didn’t even bother with a glass as I took a swig straight from the bottle.

Knox sighed heavily. “Look, if you want to go into self-destruction mode again, then fine that is your prerogative, but I think you need to let someone else take your place in Ashley’s training.”

My stomach lurched at the thought of another person training her as a submissive. The bile rose up in my throat at the unwelcome feeling it gave me that I even felt that way in the first place.

“No. I will get it together. I let shit get to me tonight, it will be different tomorrow,” I replied. I took two more large gulps of the whiskey before putting it back in the cabinet. As the burn traveled down my throat and warmed me from the inside out, I could feel my control start to return.

“I’m going back downstairs to supervise the trainees. I have them working the floor tonight. Are you doing the lesson tonight, or should I?” I knew Knox was still frustrated with me by the tone in his voice, but I didn’t need to stand there and have him chastise me all night for the fuck up I already knew I committed.

“I’ll be down in a few,” I said dismissing him. He looked at me sardonically then nodded before walking out of the office leaving me in my silent tug of war.

Pull your shit together Nic.
I lectured myself as I slipped my mask in place and made my way down to the Common Room.

I was shocked and confused when Dominic removed my blindfold and I saw him standing there before me as my trainer. The memory of my recent orgasm came to mind as I delivered drinks to the members of the club seated in the
Common
Room
. Knox said this part of our training helped us learn obedience, but all I could concentrate on was how I felt when Dominic’s fingers were inside of me. What happened for him to leave so abruptly? I could tell he was just as turned on as I was by the evident bulge in his pants, so why did he run?

I was broken from my reprieve as one of the customers grabbed my attention. “Hey doll, I need another glass of scotch.” He said as he flashed a toothy grin at me. I had to suppress a shudder that tried to course through my body at his stare. Something about the way this man was staring at me had me feeling uneasy. I gave him a nod as Knox had instructed us not to speak to the members unless it was to ask a question about their order. I turned to make my way to the bar when I felt a hand clamp around my bicep and I turned around to find creepy guy with his hand clamped firmly around my arm. The strength in his grip had me feeling even more uneasy as his fingers bit into my flesh.

“I did not hear a
Sir
from you. You are to address me as
Sir
,” he snarled and I could smell the pungent stench of alcohol on his breath. I had to hold my own breath trapped in my lungs to keep from revolting from the displeasing odor that filtered across my face as he spoke. His gaze drifted to my cleavage sticking out from the shirt of the uniforms we were provided to wear. I saw his eyes focus on my necklace and his gnarly grin returned.

“You're a sub in training, huh? That is
excellent
. I love them naive and inexperienced. It gives me the opportunity to break them in good,” he said as he leaned in and took a whiff of my hair through his nose. I tried to take a step away from him to create distance, but that only caused his grip on me to tighten.

“What do you say we go to The Hall and I will show you how to pleasure a Master?” he said as he pulled me in tighter against him.

“N−no thank you,” I answered as I tried to escape the unrelenting imprisonment he had upon my bicep. I winced in pain as his grip tightened.

“No one turns down, Asher. Now we can do this the easy or hard way, but it will be done my way. I’ll teach you to refuse me.”

I yanked my arm as hard as I could away from him and as I did, I stumbled into a hard body standing on the other side of me. I looked up into the ferocious eyes of Dominic who had Asher pinned with a murderous gaze. His dark eyes were searing and he had his jaw clenched tightly.

“Is there an issue here?” he asked addressing both of us.

“No issue here, Nic. I was just getting−
acquainted
,” Asher replied as he narrowed his eyes at me in warning to not say a word.

“Ashley is in training, Asher. She is not permitted to scene with anyone other than her trainer, which is
me
. Is that understood?” Dominic reiterated to Asher who nodded his head slightly in reply.

“Ashley, get Asher his drink order and then go meet me by the stage. You will be helping me with the lesson tonight.”

His demand left no room for opposition. Something inside me stirred at the thought of being on stage with him again. I did not know what it was about Dominic that made me want to do everything he said. I turned into a wanton creature as if possessed by just the mere force of his presence.

“Yes, Sir”, I said as I made my way to the bar. I smiled at the beautiful girl tending the bar and she smiled in return. Her dark hair was up in a red handkerchief that matched her dark red lips completing that pinup girl look. Her arms were both covered in tattoos and several facial piercings graced her pretty face. I gave her my order and as soon as she made it she approached me at the end of the bar.

“Watch out for that one,” she nodded in Asher’s direction, “I’ve heard rumors that he likes to get too rough with his subs,” she cautioned.

“Thank you, but I’m in training. I’m not looking for a dom,” I explained.

“Somehow, I don’t think that will stop him,” she warned. I nodded and she turned to go assist the other demanding bar patrons. When I returned to Asher’s table, he was busy chatting to some guy in a suit so I slipped his drink onto the table and scurried away before he had the chance to speak to me again. Dominic was already waiting for me by the stage when I approached.

“Go behind the curtain and wait for me in the chair Ashley. Remove your shirt and bra.”

My head snapped up at his instructions. Remove my shirt and bra in front of all those people? I hesitated and Dominic took notice and narrowed his eyes at me.

“
Now
, Ashley, or would you like to receive a punishment on your first night of training? I have no issues making that ass of yours nice and pink, in fact, I would rather enjoy it.”

I gasped. I had never been spanked in my entire life. Not by my parents, or anyone for that matter. I must admit that I was fearful of what that outcome would be. How would I feel if he were to strike me to inflict pain? Dominic crossed his arms across his chest daring me to defy him. His posture gave me warning that he was not joking when he said he would enjoy punishing me. I flushed.

Before I knew it, I was walking up the steps on to the stage and slipped behind the jade velvet curtain that hid the stage from the people who were gathered in the
Common
Room
. In the center of the stage was the same wooden chair I sat in the first night I came to the club. Memories instantly flooded my thoughts of Dominic’s hands on me as he tied the rope around my body and I was almost giddy with anticipation knowing that they would soon be there again. Heat began to come soaring into my body from the soles of my feet through the crown of my head. Not one part on my body was unaffected by the thought of Dominic putting his hands on me again.

Silk’s Freak Me started to play on the sound system and the curtains opened exposing me and my topless body to the crowd. I lifted my hands instinctively to cover my breasts and glanced over to see Dominic shake his head at me in warning. His eyes raked over my topless form on the stage and his eyes grew dark and dangerous. My body was on fire as we were locked in a stare down, that only briefly made me forget that my breasts were now exposed to the entire audience before me.

I looked out into the crowd and soon my eyes landed on Kelly who was chatting with Knox. I felt better knowing that she was here. She glanced up and noticed me topless on stage and her eyes grew wide before she offered me a reassuring smile before her focus returned back to Knox.

Dominic made his way onto the stage where I was seated and I flushed again under the heated gaze in his eyes. I swear I saw a hint of want in his molten pools before he shook his head and a mask soon replaced his expression, wiping away any evidence of his want.

“Good evening Masters, Madams, and subs. Welcome back to The Celtic Knot. Tonight, I am joined on stage by the beautiful Ashley as we will demonstrate the proper use of nipple clamps.”