SATED: #3 in the Fit Trilogy Read online

  Keira followed Armando inside. She appreciated that he cared about her so much, but everything with Daniel was going to be fine. Better than fine. Great.

  ✶

  During another meeting about the Super Bowl, Daniel decided the Christmas party would be the last function he attended at The Club. If he wanted to be with Keira, he couldn’t share his life with all these other people who thought he was nothing but his kinks. He didn’t know how he was going to break the news to Miss Evelyn, or Philip, but he would think of something. After the party.

  ✶

  Keira reached over and took Daniel’s arm. He looked so sexy in his dress shirt and perfectly tailored vest. They were on their way to a party. A fancy, kinkified Christmas party with Daniel’s fancy, kinky friends. And Grant and Armando. They were fancy too, but Keira was interested in meeting the rest of these mysterious people Daniel rarely mentioned. He said something about his mentors owning the place, the way he described them seemed way too clinical to be the truth. You own a freaking kinky club? You have to be an interesting character. Keira couldn’t wait to meet them and the rest of the people they deemed worthy to include on the guest list.

  Still, Keira’s excitement wasn’t enough to distract from the fact that Daniel was acting really strange. He’d been oddly distant the last few days. He told her he was fine a bunch of times, but Keira was picking up all kinds of not-fine vibes. Daniel was an honest man, and pretty straightforward. If something was bugging him she just had to trust he would tell her when he was ready.

  “So when the party’s over, your place or mine?” Keira asked, code for ‘do you want top me tonight or not?’.

  Daniel glanced over at her, a small smile finally touching his lips. “We’ll go to my place. I think it’s finally time we tie you up properly with some rope.”

  Keira’s pussy clenched at the thought. She liked when he bound her with the bondage tape, but the rope would be fun.

  Daniel pulled his SUV down an alley between two warehouses to where a valet stand and velvet rope had been set up at the door. Daniel handed off his key and helped Keira out of the car.

  “Is it okay for me to be nervous?” she asked, as she took his hand.

  “There’s nothing to be nervous about. Come on.” They took a short hall to a freight elevator that took them down one floor. It opened to a small receiving area where a bouncer sat on a stool. The short white guy lit up when he saw Daniel.

  “Hey man! Where have you been? It’s been weeks.” They did that dude hug thing with the slap on the back.

  “Just been busy.”

  “We thought we’d lost you.” As the bouncer spoke he glanced at Keira in a peculiar way. Half way between curious and annoyed. She tried not to frown when he introduced himself as Trent, the club security.

  Trent opened the door for them and Daniel led her inside. The party was already in full swing, people and things filling up the massive space. Christmas music was playing over the sound system and there were Christmas decorations up everywhere. Some people were dressed in regular party attire, like Daniel and herself, but there were a fair bit of people in leather bondage gear, accented with Santa hats of course. Daniel leaned toward her and pointed to a large window that ran along the wall about twenty feet above their heads. It was tinted so you couldn’t see through. “Mast— Philip and Evelyn use the top floor as a home away from home and this functions as the club proper.”

  Keira just nodded, her anxiousness overtaken by sheer curiosity and shock. She looked at the various contraptions around the room. A set of medieval stocks, this large wooden X thing, a giant bird cage that looked big enough to hold three people. There was a stage and two smaller stages with stripper poles. Small tables with chairs filled the middle of the floor, but each little nook and cranny that ran along the outer walls housed a different device and a perfectly positioned leather couch or love seat, for spectators Keira assumed. Nothing was being used though. Everyone was just milling about the space, socializing. There was more, Keira could see as she looked around, but Daniel veered her over to the bar area where Violet and Nailah were standing. They were fully dressed.

  “Where are your boys?” Daniel asked as he and Keira hugged them both hello.

  Nailah rolled her eyes and pointed up toward the window. “They got recruited to be Santa’s elves.”

  “Is it okay if you hang with the ladies for a moment? I have to go talk to Philip.” Daniel asked Keira. Maybe it had to do with whatever was bugging him.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “We’ll take care of her,” Violet said with a smile.

  Daniel kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Yeah,” Keira said. She hoped their talk fixed things.

  “Everything okay?” Violet asked when he took off across the room.

  “Don’t worry,” Nailah said. “Armando ditched me the first time we came here too. It’s like they don’t know how to act when their worlds collide.” Maybe she was onto something.

  “Yeah, things are cool. I think. I think he’s just having a bad day.”

  “Well just hang with us.”

  “Yeah, he’ll be back.”

  Keira ordered herself a soda and stood by as Nailah and Violet tried to give her the skinny on the people in their line of sight. People they didn’t know, Nailah started making up mean, gossipy stories about. Keira tried not to laugh, but Nailah had a way with words.

  Soon a tall, younger-looking white girl came over to them and offered them raffle tickets. She had on a set of felt reindeer ears and not much else beyond the red paint on the tip of her nose. A red leather body harness wove its way down her torso, but it did nothing to cover her nipples or the glossy slit between her legs. Whoever had dressed her had gotten her nice and wound up. Looking at her made Keira even more excited to get back to Daniel’s place.

  The girl handed her a ticket. “What are these for?” Keira asked.

  “For when Santa arrives,” the girl said cheerfully.

  “Meegan, this Daniel’s girlfriend, Keira.” The second Nailah made the introduction, Meegan’s expression dropped, shock then pain hitting her eyes. “Keira, Meegan belongs to Master Philip and Mistress Evelyn.”

  Meegan swallowed, her eyes darting to the floor. “If you’ll excuse me.” She bolted to the next group of people and kept handing out tickets, looking like she was fighting the urge to cry.

  “What the heck was that all about?” Keira asked.

  Violet glanced at Nailah, but, being less coy and tactful, Nailah just spit out the truth. “Meegan has the hots for Daniel. She probably didn’t think he’d show up with a date, let alone a girlfriend.”

  “But if she belongs to—”

  “It’s not like that. Philip and Evelyn are married. They own Meegan as a pet and a plaything. She’s not allowed to be dominated by anyone but them, but she can date other submissives. I mean get it, but you’d think Daniel would have asked her out by now if he was interested.”

  “Nailah, Jesus.”

  A strange kind of heat flashed over Keira’s body and her stomach started to flip. She looked over to see Violet rubbing her face, annoyed.

  “I’m sorry,” Nailah said. “I’m working on not being so insensitive. Daniel’s here with you. That’s what matters.”

  Keira had no idea why she was so upset, other than the fact that she hated confrontation. Nailah was right. Daniel was here with her. Daniel was her boyfriend, but why did this Meegan girl seemed so shocked to hear it, especially if she and Daniel were any kind of close? Maybe he hadn’t told her yet. Or maybe he wasn’t planning to tell her anything.

  Violet handed Keira a small bottle of ice water. The large gulp she took only made her feel a little better because, really, Daniel wasn’t with her. She couldn’t see him anywhere.

  ✶

  Daniel headed back down to the floor just as conflicted as before. For someone so determined to make up his mind, he was getting nowhere. He loved Keira and he wanted
to be with her for the long haul, but he needed The Club and his kink community too. They were a part of his life and such an integral part of who he had become as a man, and a switch.

  He’d had an interesting talk with Master Philip. Grant and Armando, who had been in the room and done their best to listen and not comment, only added that whatever he decided to do, he better not hurt Keira in the process. That right there was the tricky part. If he took over The Club someday, he would want Keira by his side. If she was by his side, he was going to marry her. If they planned to see this through, if he finally got up the guts to propose to her, she had to become a member of the club. But he had no idea how to approach her about peer counseling and proper training. He had to make her see that he could be involved and still be faithful to her.

  Daniel found Keira right where he’d left her, at the bar chatting with the girls.

  “How’s it going?” he asked, as he pulled Keira into his arms. It didn’t go unnoticed that she was a little stiff.

  “Had a pleasant run-in with Meegan,” Nailah said, giving him a look that said there was a sixty percent chance he’d be going home alone tonight. Just then Anthony, a Dominant he’d played with numerous times, came over to say hello. Everything was going fine until…

  “All this time you’ve been away, I hope you and Keira have at least made some new clips. Your adoring public is waiting for new material.” A statement innocent enough, but… “Actually I was hoping you’d recreate the one you made with Pamela. You know, we talked about the quality and the angles. Keira would be perfect for that.”

  Daniel tried to ignore the fact that Anthony glanced at the roundness of Keira’s ass as he made the comment. “No, you’re right, but we haven’t gotten around to that yet.”

  “Oh that’s a shame. Keira, I’m sure you’ve seen Daniel’s handiwork. You have a favourite video yet?”

  She looked over her shoulder at him, so much subtle murder in her eyes. “Um, I’m not sure I’ve seen them all.” She hadn’t seen any.

  “We made some good ones, didn’t we, Dan?” Anthony meant well, but he needed to shut up. Luckily the sound of sleigh bells signified the start of the festivities. Anthony excused himself and found a seat.

  Daniel pulled Keira closer and whispered in her ear. “I promise I’ll explain later.”

  “I bet.”

  Master Philip entered and took center stage with Grant and Armando at his side, each with sacks of unwrapped kink toys to be raffled off and exchanged. Daniel usually put himself into the raffle, but this year he put in a gift certificate for an erotic massage. The effort was lackluster at best, but no one would know it was from him. That was the point.

  Things kicked off all in good fun. Keira’s number was called third and she went to the front of the room to claim a pair furry handcuffs and edible panties from Grant. They shared a good laugh and some words Daniel couldn’t make out from across the room.

  “These are both for you to wear,” Keira said when she made her way back to the bar.

  He took the box of panties out of her hand. “That means you’re going to have to eat them.” He laughed when Keira turned up her nose, and with good reason. He’d eaten those thin pieces of flavored plastic before. Keira stepped back into his arms and continued fiddling with the furry cuffs as they watched the rest of the ridiculous spectacle.

  When Keira settled against his chest, laughing, asking questions, sharing appropriately snarky comments with Violet and Nailah, he figured whatever had happened with Meegan and the awkwardness with Anthony had been forgotten or, at least, tabled for a calm, rational discussion. Yeah everything was going just fine, until Marcos went up to the stage. Just fine, even as Armando handed Marcos a heavy-duty leather flogger. Just fine, even as Marcos turned around and started scanning the room. Just fine, until his gaze fell on Daniel.

  “I’m accepting this gift under one condition,” Marcos called out.

  “And what is that, little boy?” Philip replied in his best Santa voice.

  “I want Daniel Song to flog me with it tonight. He hasn’t been here in over a month and I think he owes me a little something, plus owing you fine people a show.”

  To Daniel’s expected horror, several people around the room joined in with similar complaints and jabs about his absence. He did his best to laugh all their comments off.

  “I’m sorry, Marcos. Not tonight,” he called back.

  “Oh come on. I’m sure Keira will let you play with us. Come on.” And that’s where shit really went south.

  “Oh, so she’s your Mistress now?” Meegan said, loud enough for everyone in the whole place to hear.

  Meegan was quickly admonished by a sharp look from Mistress Evelyn, but the damage was done.

  Keira looked up at him. “You can play with whoever you want. Really, I don’t care.”

  She didn’t mean it, not by a long shot. It was written all over her face, but then was not the time or the place to discuss the real issue at hand.

  Daniel tried to play it cool. “I don’t think so. Maybe one of Santa’s elves wants to help you out.”

  “Um no. I don’t think so.” Everyone laughed at Nailah’s outraged rebuttal. She’d staked clear monogamous claim on Armando the moment she’d joined the club.

  “Don’t worry, my little Marcos. Santa and Mrs. Claus will treat you to something special before we tuck you in,” Mistress Evelyn said, finally ending the debate.

  Marcos jumped off the stage with a “Yippee!” bringing the focus back to the front of the room and away from Daniel. And Keira. She was tense in his arms again. He knew he had to talk to her, but he didn’t know where to start, which fuck up to try to fix first.

  The night went on, more gifts, more absurdity. A performance or two. Daniel continued to introduce Keira around with mixed results. Some, like his good friend Anna and her submissive Caitlin, were kind and gracious, welcoming her to The Club, and others teased her as the wet blanket, keeping Daniel away from them for too long. Keira took it in stride, but Daniel could tell she was growing more and more uncomfortable. He asked her twice if she wanted to leave, but each time she said no, that she was having fun.

  Near midnight, Daniel was ready to go. He made his rounds saying his goodbyes and explaining himself in as few words as possible. He was just another member for Christ’s sake, but he was being treated like some sort of prodigal, as if The Club had stopped functioning in his absence, which he knew was far from the truth. He finally made his way back to Keira as Armando was handing her and Nailah their coats.

  He took Keira’s and helped her into it. Then she turned to him, fluffing out her hair. “I’m actually going to get a ride with Armando and Nailah. You stay. Hang out some more.” The smile she flashed him was sour as hell.

  Daniel glanced up at Armando, who met his gaze with the same type of look. Annoyed. Completely unimpressed. A little pissed. If Daniel wanted to stop Keira leaving with Armando and Nailah, he would have to go through Armando. This was not the time or the place.

  “At least let me walk you out.”

  “Really, you don’t—”

  “Daniel. Let it go,” Armando said.

  Keira stepped between them and put her hand on Daniel’s chest. Her touch did something to him. He wanted to pull her close, and please her for as long as she would let him, but that look was still in her eyes. She was leaving without him. “We’ll talk later.”

  Knowing there was nothing else he could do, Daniel watched Keira walk out of The Club. He just hoped, with everything that had happened during this awkward as shit night, Keira wasn’t walking out of his life.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Keira could hear Armando yelling when she came into the gym. She realized what or who he was talking about when he said a certain someone’s name.

  “Fucking Daniel, man. I don’t know what the fuck he was thinking. I told him to take it easy with her. I told him the club wasn’t her scene and then he brings her in there totally unprepared.”

>   She couldn’t make out what Grant said in response, but she could hear the muffled tone of his voice.

  She walked right into the office, not wanting herself or her non-relationship with a certain someone to be topic of conversation for another minute. They both looked up when she came around the corner.

  “Morning boys.” She almost sounded cheerful, but the anger still radiating off Armando and Grant’s hang-dog expression ruined any chance of her work day starting off on a light note. She’d already cried all weekend. Paced and cried and put away laundry in a huff and complained to Lori on chat. She’d spent more than enough time being upset about what had happened at the party. But Grant and Armando seemed to be just warming up.

  “How you doing, Keir?” Armando said.

  “Ugh, I’m fine.” Keira tossed her bag on the floor and sank against the door jam.

  “You talk to your boy?” Grant asked.

  “No. He’s been calling and stuff, but I only texted him back to let him know I didn’t want to talk.”

  “Keira, listen. This is my fault. You told me you weren’t into BDSM, and I know I didn’t set you guys up, but I know Daniel. I put you in the mix with someone real fucking deep in the game. I knew better. We both did.” She looked from Armando to Grant, who nodded in agreement.

  Keira swallowed as the tears rose in her eyes. This was exactly what she didn’t want. She already felt like an idiot, like an imposter who thought they could waltz right into their world of kinky fun and just adapt. She didn’t need Grant and Armando to tell her that it was obvious to them too, obvious that she had no business at the club that night and even more obvious that she had no business being with Daniel.

  “I’ll be back.” She went right to the ladies’ locker room and sat down against the concrete wall. Daniel was at work, but she knew he would answer her texts. He always did.

  I’m really mad at you.

  Not even ten seconds went by before her phone chimed.