Remy laughed. "Have you?"

Before I could explain myself, Blake caught my hand and pulled me off the stool. I struggled to my feet, holding onto him for balance. He positioned his body in front of mine a fraction. Instinctively, I turned toward him, my chest against his arm. I knew he was angry with me, but I also knew he wanted to protect me. And right now, I felt an overwhelming and very present need to be protected.

"Landon." Remy straightened as if to shake Blake's hand.

"Stay away from her."

Remy lifted his hands in supposed surrender, leaning casually back against the bar. "No need to be protective."

"No?" Blake shot back. "Since when does that ever happen around here?"

"I was simply keeping the vultures at bay. It was very brave of you to let such a beautiful creature out of your sight. She wandered in here like a lost kitten." He smiled affectionately, his gaze sliding over me as shamelessly as it had before.

Blake tightened his grip, and I sighed, my entire being relieved to have him near, no matter how angry he was. The way I clung to him now left no doubt that I was his and only his. I chanced a look into his eyes. He cast me an emotionless look. I weakened against him, apologizing without words.

"She escaped," he said in a low tone.

"Ah. I see." Remy smiled again. "Seems unlike you to tolerate such disobedience. She's new to all this, no?"

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Perhaps Remy did keep his women in cages, and between the two of them this all made sense. First I was a slave, and now I was a runaway.

"She's none of your concern, Remy." He turned to me. "Let's go. Now."

"No." I tightened my grip on his hand and pulled him back.

His eyes were wild with frustration now, the calm mask gone. "No?"

"I want to stay."

"Let her stay, Landon," Remy chimed in. "Perhaps she will learn something. You know as well as I do, sometimes they need to learn the lessons the hard way. This kitten has sharp claws. She needs training."

Blake shoved a hand through his hair, his gaze passing over the rest of the club. He murmured a string of curses under his breath.

"There's a little booth there waiting for you. Have a drink. Enjoy the show. And each other, of course." Drink in hand, Remy stepped away. Crossing the room, he settled into an unoccupied plush red chair guarded by a petite, half-naked girl kneeling at its base.

"This is where you want to be?"

I opened my mouth to speak, searching for the words. The truth. All I wanted was the truth.

"Do you have any idea how fucking stupid it was for you to come here alone?"

"I'm fine," I insisted, though my body was still riddled with anxiety over the past several minutes here without him.

"This isn't a martini bar, Erica. You walked through these doors and into a world you know nothing about."

"I want to know about it," I said quietly, suddenly embarrassed.

"You don't."

I pulled my hand from his grasp, only to have him band a protective arm around my waist.

"If it's kink you're after, we can go home right now, and I'd be more than happy to get creative. Needless to say, punishment is in order." He paused, his anger seeming to fade somewhat. "This is not the place for you."

My palm found his chest, and I let my forehead fall to his shoulder. His heart beat rapidly beneath his shirt. I breathed in his scent. A familiar scent, bringing me back to what I knew, back to us. "Tell me what this place means to you," I pleaded softly.

He sighed, clutching me tighter. "Beyond wanting to get you the hell out of here, it means nothing."

I looked up, determined to hear the truth from him. "That's not true. If it were, why would Sophia want to send me here?"

He gritted his teeth, his arm flexing around my waist. "Goddamnit."

"You came here together." I wasn't asking, but I decided to start with getting him to admit to the obvious.

"Yes, we came here together. Is that what you wanted to know, or is there more? Maybe we can continue the interrogation at home, without all the prying eyes." The words lashed out at me.

He was furious. I knew he had a right to be, but I couldn't stop.

"I want to know you." I fought the urge to cry. I hated Sophia and every vision my imagination had created of Blake loving her. I despised the fact that she'd had a part of him that I might never know. I pressed my body along his, my cheek against his chest. "I want to know what and who drew you here for so long. I'm one of two relationships you've had in a decade, and this place filled up too many of the nights in between." I took his silence as consideration and it gave me hope. "Don't I have the right to know? All I want is the truth," I whispered.

"Have I ever lied to you?"

I looked up. "No, but you've never told me anything unless you had to. You want more from me...you demand everything. And I'll give it to you, but..."

He caught my face in his hand, his thumb restless against my cheek. I leaned into his touch, oblivious of the people staring at us with lust and envy and passing interest.

"This is the past," he said slowly, but firmly.

"This is now." I touched his cheek, a silent call for the darkness that always simmered below the surface of the man I loved. "Indulge me."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

Blake's jaw bulged, displeasure written across his features. I had pushed him, yet again. I'd likely pay for it, but if he opened up to me, it would be worth it.

He began to walk, pulling me toward him as Remy had before.

"I'm not leaving," I hissed, refusing to go any farther.

"We're not leaving, for fuck's sake. You want to see what goes on in here? Like it or not I'm going to show you. It'll be punishment and education all in one filthy fucking package."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't move until he tugged me toward him once more. This time I went willingly and without argument. Shuffling unsteadily on my heels, I followed him until we slowed in front of the dark, empty booth Remy had offered to us.

Only steps away, the corseted woman from before was now being forced into another compromising position at the hands of the man who I presumed to be her master, at least for the night. He was a thickly built man, his shirtless body on display. He gripped her hair and she gasped, her eyes hazy with lust and whatever intoxicant flooded one's body in these helpless erotic moments.

Blake was behind me now, his hands resting possessively on my hips. "You wanted to come here and taste this life. Maybe I should take Remy's advice, break my own rules, and give you a very public lesson."

I stood stark still at the husky threat. For all the fear that being in Remy's presence had elicited, I could barely breathe anticipating what Blake would actually do to me now.

The muscles in the man's arms flexed as he made fast work of his leather trousers. Seconds later he was in the woman's mouth. Hands bound, she took his thrusts, letting him make lusty use of her mouth as a means to come.

"Would you like that, Erica? Would you like for me to make an example of you that way?"

I shook my head. No. I didn't want that. I couldn't fathom it, being bound or bent over for anyone's public pleasure. It was horrifying, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away.

"Are you sure? That could be you," Blake whispered, skimming his hands down my dress. "I think they'll finish soon. He won't last long that deep in her mouth. Then I can show the people here what a bad fucking sub you are."

I drew in a breath through my nose, trying to ignore the unwelcome pulse between my legs, but all I could smell was sex. The woman was gagging herself with every attempt to draw the man to the back of her throat. He'd kicked her legs farther apart with the thick toe of his black boot. Her body quivered, need seeming to ripple through her as she pleased him. Then a jolt when the same man whipped her ass from above. She gasped for air, whimpering loud enough for us to hear when he peppered her with a series of hard lashes.

"You wouldn't do that to me." My voice was laced with challenge, but suddenly I was uncertain of how much I could trust Blake in the confines of this establishment.

"Why not? Don't you deserve it?"

I shivered at the fresh edge in his voice. Maybe I did. I couldn't answer, but I sure as hell wasn't going to admit it.

"Do you think he loves her, Erica?"

My heart hurt when he said the words. I turned my head. I couldn't watch anymore. Then I heard the man's groaning pleasure. I couldn't see it, but I was certain he'd come.

"Your turn, boss." Blake circled my body, catching my wrists when I went to move away.

My eyes flew open. "No. I can't."

He hauled me against him, securing me again by the waist. The part of me that wasn't in a full-blown panic reveled in the full contact of his hard body against me. I was frightened, aroused, and completely confused. The only bright spot was the certainty that no one here gave a shit.

"I think you can. You're brave. Look how brave you've been tonight already. Not to mention last night. Thinking about that makes me want to punish you all the more."

"No," I whimpered, hating the cold, teasing tone of his voice.

"No doesn't hold much weight here, Erica. Did you know that when you walked in here?" His voice was softer, almost sympathetic.

I wanted him to take pity on me now. Save me from this chaos, and I'll never do it again, I swear.

"Go ahead," he urged.

"I can't do that in front of everyone," I cried softly. "Please don't ask me to. Please..."

I couldn't breathe. The furious beating of my heart was the only sound in my ears. I was trembling in his arms, the safeword on the tip of my tongue. Fucking on the conference table unbeknownst to Greta a few feet away was one thing. Having sex and taking punishment in public, no matter how much my twisted mind might have fantasized about it, wasn't something I was capable of. Not tonight, and very likely, not ever.

Oh God. What if this is what he wants, what he craves?

"Come here," he said quietly.

"No, please," I begged, but his intense embrace had softened and he was leading us to the booth.

Relief crashed over me that he wasn't forcing me to go through with it. Would he really have? I didn't want to believe that he could have, but how could I know? I didn't know what kind of man he could be here. That's why I had come.

I huddled against him, my enemy and my savior, waiting for my nerves to calm. He hushed me, running his hands over my arms and sides, the way he always did when he needed to take me away from my thoughts and back to the moment, back to him. I opened my eyes finally, peering around the dark club. Through my lashes I caught a glimpse of Remy across the room. He sat in his throne-of-sorts. We were shrouded in darkness but somehow I could feel Remy's eyes on me, his unwelcome touch a memory on my skin.

Blake rested his hand on my thigh. I was still pressed close to him, not sure who or what to be terrified of.

The poor young man from earlier was now being led around the room on all fours, his tortured penis bobbing as he followed Tessa around. She ignored him mostly, engaging in conversation with other patrons. This was a place for fantasies of the darkest variety. If I'd learned anything, I'd learned that.

I swallowed hard, almost too afraid to speak after that close call. "You did...these things?"

"No," Blake answered swiftly.

I looked up, silently questioning him.

"I've always preferred the privacy of a room." He gestured upward with his index finger. "Upstairs."

I looked back to my lap, violently cursing myself for asking. I bit my lip, wanting to puncture the skin with my teeth. Jealousy would make me ugly indeed.

"How does that make you feel?" Blake thumbed my lower lip, freeing it from the tense vise of my teeth.

"Terrible," I admitted bitterly.

"This is the past. You...only you are my future."

I wanted to believe him. But... "Don't you ever think of this place?"

He relaxed his embrace, putting a small distance between us. I allowed it, but I didn't like it.

"Sometimes. Mostly when I'm thinking about you, the things I want to do with you. I won't lie. Places like this can be...inspiring. I was driving over here in a blind rage, and I couldn't help but imagine the things I could do with you here." He tipped my chin up. "What really scared me was the thought that someone else wanted the same thing."

I wanted to look away, shameful and embarrassed, but he didn't let me.

"You're strong and willful. I respect that, and God help me, I love you for it, but do not ever...ever fucking do anything like this again."

I nodded as much as his grip would allow. I'd never set foot in this place again. Certainly not without Blake, and apparently a collar, just to make damn sure men like Remy stayed hands off.

"I won't," I said weakly.

"I don't believe you." His eyes were hard and emotionless.

"I promise-"

"You've made me this promise before. Remember, the one where you agree not to throw yourself in harm's way for the sake of saving me, or in this case, simple curiosity? Is punishment or the threat of it the only way to get your attention, Erica?"

The sense that we were falling into place filled me. He'd been shaken, seeing me here. Despite everything, he seemed almost at ease now. In control. Calm and commanding in his world.

"Answer."