Rafe led her through the door on the opposite side of the room. It was quiet for a Friday night. But, it was early still. Things didn’t pick up inside Extreme until about midnight most weekends.
Katy held his hand tighter. He knew she was concerned. And she had every right to be. He couldn’t think of the words to explain this side of his life. The easiest way to introduce her was to show her firsthand.
Rafe threaded his fingers with Katy’s and headed for the main room where Doms and subs would be talking and catching up on the past week. Extreme was only open on weekends, so many of its members only spoke when they came to the club.
He tried to see things through Katy’s eyes as he stepped into the larger room. His demeanor shifted almost immediately and he had to remind himself not to start treating her like a submissive. She had no idea. His chest pounded as he merged two lives into one without warning. It left him feeling a bit awkward and out of sorts.
Women he interacted with at Extreme were submissives. He was a Dom. Every long-time member knew that. And anyone who didn’t know him would normally figure that out in about two seconds.
Katy grabbed his arm with her other hand and stopped walking.
He tipped his head down to watch her expression.
She stared around wide-eyed, her lips parting as she took it all in. This was nothing. The real scenes would be occurring down the long hall behind the bar. But the attire alone would have given Katy an eyeful.
“You’re a Dom,” she mumbled.
Her first words took him by surprise. She was quick. “I am.” How did she figure that out so fast?
She straightened her spine. He was so proud of her for still standing next to him, he wanted to kiss her. But that wouldn’t be appropriate.
“I’ve read about these clubs.”
“Good. Then I’m not tossing you to the wolves precisely.”
“Never been to one.”
He nodded. “I didn’t imagine you had.”
“So what does this mean?” She lifted her gaze to his.
“It means I dominate my partners. I enjoy being in control and taking my women to a sexual level that can only be attained through submission.”
She stared at him for a moment. That was okay. “And you want to do this with me?”
“Yes.”
“What if I say no?” She knew the answer to that question. He could see it in her eyes as she blinked and narrowed her gaze.
“I’m not asking you to make any life decisions tonight. I want you to look around. Open your mind. Take it all in. You can ponder it afterward. No rush. I’m not going to pressure you. This is a huge decision. Submitting to a partner isn’t something to be taken lightly.
“I’m hoping you might consider giving it a try eventually. Being a Dom isn’t a passing amusement for me. It’s a way of life. I can’t turn it off. I fell for you. Hard and fast. But this is who I am. Even when I’m not here at the club, I’m still a Dom. I can tamp it down for a while, and I have. Rather successfully I believe. But, in the long run, I can’t deny my instinct.
“All I ask is that you watch and learn and then take some time to research the lifestyle and consider it. If in the end you decide it’s not for you, we part ways. No harm done.”
“Except to my heart.”
“Well, yes. And mine.” He bent his knees to meet her gaze more levelly. “I mean that.”
She nodded. “Show me around.” Her voice was firm.
Rafe nearly swallowed his tongue. He couldn’t have asked for a better reaction than that.
Give the woman a tour
.
•●•
Katy’s entire body shook. Whatever the hell long list of possibilities she’d dreamed up for Rafe’s secret side life, this hadn’t been on the short or the long list. He had indeed managed to present himself as a normal regular everyday guy for the weeks she had known him.
Now she realized why he hadn’t taken her to bed. And how hard this entire relationship must have been for him. He really liked her. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble to introduce her to a lifestyle she knew absolutely nothing about.
Beyond what she’d seen on the internet or read in books, she was as ignorant about BDSM as they came.
She glanced around the main room. Every sort of individual filled the space and more people arrived every minute. She imagined this place must really be hopping in the middle of the night.
Many of the men were clearly Doms. A few were in a more submissive role under the direction of another man or a woman. What did they call the women? Dommes? She’d have to look that up.
Many of the women in Extreme were dressed in very scanty sexy attire and others were naked. The outfit Katy had considered risqué before she’d left the house now seemed like a joke. She’d put it on to entice Rafe to sleep with her. Clearly the man preferred leather and lace and very little of both.
A couple walked by and Rafe nodded at them. In fact, he seemed to know most of the patrons. “Are you a member here or something?”
“Yes. Over half the people you see are members. The others are their guests.”
“What was Harper talking about when he mentioned papers?”
“You have to sign a waiver and agree to the conditions and rules of the club to participate in any scenes. Without signing, you may only observe.”
“People are looking at me strangely. I must stand out like a sore thumb.”
He grinned down at her. “Not at all. People come here all the time to check out the place. The people eyeing us oddly are looking at me. No one has ever seen me out of my role. They’re shocked.”
She swallowed. She did that to him? The weight of the thought made her feel instantly heavier.
“Rafe.” The voice came from behind them, and Katy turned with Rafe to find Mason walking toward them. He stopped and glanced at Katy and then back at Rafe. He appeared out of sorts. Awkward. Not the controlled man she’d seen fighting in the cage earlier. “You made it.”
“Yes. I’m giving Katy a tour. She’s still a bit shell-shocked.”
“Of course.”
That was when Katy realized she was the source of Mason’s discomfiture. He didn’t know how to address her or what to think of her appearance.
Rafe eased his mind. “Katy isn’t in any sort of role. She’s just watching.”
“Okay.” Mason turned to meet her gaze. “Sorry. I…”
“No worries. Don’t let me weird you out.”
“Normally Mason wouldn’t address my submissive without my permission. I’m throwing everyone for a loop tonight.”
“I see.”
Barely
. “I think I need a drink.” She glanced back at the bar.
“I can get you water or soda, but they don’t serve alcohol at BDSM clubs. Everyone is required to be sober to ensure they make consenting choices.”
She raised her eyebrows and exhaled. It was going to be challenging exploring the club without a beer in hand. “Right. That makes sense. Good to know.”
Several women walked by in collars, some with actual leashes attached. Some were alone. Others were with men or other women. Absolutely any combination imaginable was present.
Katy fidgeted at the number of bare breasts she saw. She didn’t consider her own chest quite worthy of such a public display. But then again, that wasn’t really an issue it seemed. Everyone of every body size and shape appeared confident and comfortable in their skin. It was a part of the life.
Anyone who couldn’t get beyond their own imperfections and let loose didn’t belong in this lifestyle.
Rafe led her to the bar and ordered two bottled waters. No money was exchanged she noted. He must pay a monthly membership fee.
“Are you up to seeing a few scenes? It’s early, but several will be starting.”
“Sure.”
As they headed toward the opposite side of the room, Rafe pointed out several things. “Around that corner is a dance floor. It’s dark and quiet in there. The dancing is more like foreplay.” He grinned. Then he pointed the other way. “Down this hall are a series of stages, areas where Doms and subs enact scenes and people watch. It’s very freeing for both parties. I know it might be difficult to understand, but watch a few. Let me know if it gets to be more than you can handle. We can leave at any time or move on.”
“Okay.” She was beyond curious so far. Titillated in fact. Her chest felt tight from watching the way most of the Doms looked at their submissives. She realized she’d caught Rafe looking at her like that in the past few weeks. Every single time she’d been unnerved. He had a way of narrowing his gaze and pinning her to her spot. She hadn’t considered what it meant, but now she understood.
Rafe paused at a scene and leaned against the stretch of wall across from the couple preparing to entertain the growing crowd. He pulled her into the V of his legs and set his chin on her shoulder to whisper in her ear. “People are usually very respectful of someone else’s scene. There is an etiquette to the entire thing. The dance floor and the area around the bar can get noisy, but this area is very quiet.”
She nodded.
“The cross in the middle is called a St. Andrew’s Cross. It’s a very common apparatus. In this case, the submissive is holding on to the upper section of her own accord. Other times you might see the submissive strapped to the cross or chained. They could also be facing out instead of toward the back.” Rafe’s mouth was so close to her ear, she could feel every waft of air as it hit her neck. She fought to keep from shivering.
Katy couldn’t take her eyes off the woman leaning toward the cross. She kept her head bowed low and didn’t speak. Her feet shuffled back and forth until her Dom tapped the insides of both ankles with his shoe and she stepped out. Holy shit that was erotic. They hadn’t done anything yet, and Katy’s pussy tightened.
“What are they going to do?” she whispered.
“He’s going to flog her.”
Katy’s eyes widened. She wasn’t completely ignorant. She’d heard of people engaging in this sort of activity. But seeing it up close and personal was entirely different.
She flinched when the first strike landed across the submissive’s back.
Rafe wrapped his arms under Katy’s and held her around the waist.
She watched as a long pink line formed across the sub’s shoulders. “Doesn’t that hurt?”
“It’s a state of mind. Submissives enter into a sort of sub space where they can release tension through spanking or flogging.”
“I’m not sure I understand that.”
“It takes time. No one wakes up one day and suddenly goes hard-core submissive. And I would never ask that of you.”
The woman on the cross moaned and swayed with each rhythmic strike.
“There are rules,” Rafe whispered. “Safe, sane, and consensual are the standard principles of BDSM. He won’t break her skin. And she has a safe word she can use at any time.”
Katy nodded. “Like red.”
“Yes. Red is the universal safe word for any situation.” He nudged her waist. “Come on. Let’s see what else is happening tonight.”
Katy had to drag her gaze away from the scene. She felt like she was in a trance. Or perhaps she’d slipped into another dimension.
The next station was occupied by two women, one clearly dominating the other. “Are they a couple?” she asked Rafe.
“These two are. But not all pairs you see tonight are together. Many times they’re simply enacting a scene together for mutual satisfaction.”
“Is that what you normally do?” She twisted her head around to see his face.
“Sometimes. There are submissives who enjoy the way I handle them and request me to do a scene.”
“Do you sleep with them?” She needed to know, to understand him better.
“I have. Not always, and it’s been a while, but I’ve had a few longer relationships with a few subs.”
“Do you do this outside of the club? Like at home?”
Rafe pursed his lips for a moment before he answered. “I’ve never brought a woman home with me.”
Katy gasped. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Not until I met you.” He lifted his eyebrows. “You have me twisted in knots and acting completely out of character.”
She turned back toward the scene.
Rafe held her hand and lifted it to his cheek. “Ready to move on?”
“Sure.”
They shuffled to the next section of the hall, and Katy froze. Rafe ran into the back of her and had to grab her shoulders to steady them both.
The scene was already underway. A woman was positioned on the floor on her knees. She wore some sort of cuffs on her wrists and ankles. Her ankles were held apart with a bar attached to the cuffs. Her wrists were connected to a chain that hung from the ceiling. They stretched over her head, pulling her breasts up high. Long red hair hung in front of her face, but as Katy watched, her Dom lifted the locks and secured her hair in a ponytail at the nape of her neck.
Her only clothing was a G-string that left little to the imagination. Smooth creamy white skin covered her. She hadn’t been flogged or spanked, at least not yet. Her skin was unblemished so far.
What struck Katy was the sensuous way her Dom was manipulating her body with his touch. She was blindfolded.
The Dom controlling her was slightly older. His hair was graying at the edges of his face. The man was fit and tall and wore only tight leather pants. His feet were bare.
He dragged a feather down his sub’s spine and watched as the woman squirmed under the touch.
Katy held her breath. It was so erotic.
The man leaned down and whispered something in his sub’s ear, and she nodded. He stood, circled around her. Occasionally he touched her in random spots. Her cheek. Her ear. Her shoulder. Finally he tapped a nipple. It beaded in his wake. The woman flinched.
So did Katy. Her heart pounded.
Rafe leaned against the far wall again, snuggling Katy’s back against his front. He held her around the waist with his palms spread on her stomach.
She imagined he could feel her chest heaving. She couldn’t remove her gaze from the scene.
•●•
Rafe worked hard to remain still and not disturb Katy’s obvious mesmerization with the submissive on the floor at her Dom’s feet.
Katy didn’t move, and Rafe alternated between watching the scene and watching Katy’s reaction. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open. And her breasts lifted with each breath she took. He couldn’t resist gently stroking his thumbs against her ribs.