Bound to be Tamed: Emergence, Book 2 (33 page)

“Is that all you did? Just worked to make money?”

“Basically.”

“And then Aiden and Dane came along…”

“And now I’m not even working.” Stephanie leaned her head back against the couch cushion and stared at the ceiling.

“Aren’t you working for the guys?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t seem the same. I mean, this isn’t a sure thing. What if we break up? What if this doesn’t work out? I’ll be jobless and…” She didn’t know what to add.

“And what? Let’s look at it this way. You were working for some company for two assholes who offered to buy you. You were lucky enough to find out that was the kind of men they were before anything truly horrific happened. So you quit that job, which you had no choice about really.

“Now you’ve moved in with two men who adore you and make you feel good. No matter what happens between the three of you, you’ve lost nothing really. Right?”

“Yeah, true.” Stephanie sighed. There was no denying the old saying “nothing ventured, nothing gained”.

“So, you’re going to get dolled up and head to Emergence tonight, which I can assure you will be way better than last Friday’s experience, and then you will get a better picture of what this lifestyle is all about. Most importantly, you will see how many people enjoy BDSM and its rewards. Trust me, you will love it.”

“I’m sure I will. And that’s the scariest part of all.” Stephanie rolled her head on the cushion toward Lori. “I feel like I’m on this monumental edge, like the point of some huge rock sticking out over a giant ravine. I’m so high off the ground I can barely see the specks of individuals down below.

“There are no fences surrounding me and the slightest breeze will blow me off the edge.”

“And the best part,” Lori added, “is that you can’t lean over far enough to see the safety net, but it’s there. If you fall or even jump, the net will catch you and then you can relax and just swing in it in the wind.”

Stephanie giggled. “Do you think so?”

“I’m sure. I’ve spent enough time with you to know you’re going to be fine. Especially after how I watched the way you dealt with today’s hurdles. But I’m not the one who needs to be sure. You are.

“Learn from everything you see tonight. I think you’ll do great.”

“Won’t you be there?”

Lori shook her head. “I have another party to attend.”

Damn.
She was hoping to have at least one friend there, even if Lori was more of an acquaintance.

Stephanie dipped her head down to stare at the floor again.

“No worries. You don’t need me. Follow your instincts. Aiden and Dane will take perfect care of you.”

I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.

Chapter Nineteen

“Do you always go to these things so late at night?”

“Yep.” Dane took her hand as they entered the fetish shop. “Most clubs don’t even open until about ten and really get going after midnight.”

Stephanie stepped under his arm as he held the door and he had the perfect opportunity to stare at her fantastic backside as she went by. He closed his eyes for a second. The woman managed to keep him tied in knots all day every day and even in the night.

Her body was fucking fantastic and the way her ass swayed when she walked made his mouth water.

A beaming voice jerked him from his thoughts. “You’re here. And I see your sub has come a long way since last I saw you.”

Aiden shook Deidrick’s hand. “She has. She’s a gem.” He set his palm on her lower back and ushered her farther into the shop.

Stephanie held her gaze lowered and her head at the right angle for a submissive. Her arms were at her sides and she didn’t look half as frightened as she had last time they’d been here—the day he and Aiden had brought her to get an outfit for last week.

Tonight, they had something much more risqué in mind. She needed to branch out, open up. And she was so sexy she could pull off just about anything. What he and Aiden had in mind would bring the eyes of every Dom in the club toward her.

“Well, come on into the back then. Let’s get to it. I set aside a few items when you called earlier.” Deidrick ushered them all through the center of the shop.

To the right were aisles of sex toys, the kind any average person might purchase. Dane had wandered through them with Stephanie last time they’d come in and she’d stiffened at nearly everything she saw. This time, she barely even glanced.

To the left was the more hardcore toys, many of which even Dane would be hesitant to use.

As they meandered toward the back, they weaved between a few racks of clothing.

Aiden guided Stephanie directly to the fitting room and Dane entered behind them.

“Have your little sub step up on the platform and I’ll grab some items we can try out.” Deidrick left the spacious room, shutting the door behind him with a snick.

Dane stepped up onto the dais and took Stephanie’s hand.

She trembled. He loved her innocence and the way she shook when she was unsure about something.

“Lift your arms, baby.” He stood directly in front of her and reached for the hem of her short sundress as he spoke, tapping her thighs. The material was thin and pale and barely concealed anything. He loved it, but what he was about to have her don he would love even more.

She lifted her gaze to his as he raised the dress over her bare hips. Her arms stopped in midair. Her lips parted. She struggled against some unknown issue. When her eyes widened and she glanced past him at the door, he realized her dilemma. “But…” She bit her lip. That word slipped out, clearly without her permission.

Nevertheless it did.

Aiden spoke from behind her. “Are you balking?”

Dane dropped the material and it fell back over her ass. “Fine. You do it.” He pointed at the swish of the skirt as she trembled.

A blush covered her cheeks and her chest. He loved seeing her like that, flustered and unsure. “Is Deidrick going to toss the clothes over the door?”

“No.” Dane crossed his arms and stared her down. “He’s going to put them on you and check the fit. But, right now he’s going to have to wait, isn’t he?”

She lowered her chin until it nearly touched her chest, reached for the hem and pulled the soft cotton over her head. It fluttered dramatically as it fell to the floor.

Dane stepped closer. “Look at me.” When she lifted her gaze, he continued, “The last time we were here Deidrick measured your entire body from top to bottom.”

“I was wearing a bra and panties.”

“Don’t interrupt me.” Dane took a deep breath. He hated punishing her, but she needed to learn the rules. She was being insolent today. If he and Aiden didn’t nip that in the bud they were going nowhere. “We’ve come a long way since last week. You were new. We’re trying to be patient with your issues with nudity. Baby steps.

“This is Deidrick. He’s the only man here. He’s in the lifestyle. He sees nude women every single day of the week. He’s not some random man off the street. You have got to learn to trust us and follow our rules. Do as we say. We are patient. But your hesitation and impertinence is not going to be tolerated. We want you to learn to hold your tongue and obey without pausing because you know without a doubt we will only push you to the point we know you can handle.

“Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, Sir.” Her eyes watered.

Dane had to fight to keep from backing down. He and Aiden were the Doms here. Stephanie either had to step up to the plate and accept that or back out. He knew in his heart she could fulfill this role, but it still made his chest ache to have to enforce rigorous discipline to help her along.

“Come here,” Aiden said from behind.

When she turned, she tightened her sexy, naked ass.

Dane itched to pull those cheeks apart and force her to relax. Instead he stood still on the dais as she stepped down.

Her breasts jiggled as she bounced onto the floor. In the floor-to-ceiling mirror covering the back wall he watched her pad across the carpet.

Aiden pointed at the corner. “Apparently we didn’t make ourselves clear this morning.”

She sucked in a quick breath, trembling.

Dane came to her other side. “Step closer, like this morning. Nose in the corner, nipples on the walls, hands at your back, feet spread.”

She complied. Her entire frame shook.

Dane lifted his gaze to Aiden. He nodded. They were on the same page.

The door opened. “Oh my. Did I miss something?”

“Our sub is struggling with public nudity,” Dane said.

Aiden shuffled over to Deidrick. He fingered the material of the first item the man held. “Lovely. Give us a few minutes, will you? She’s in time out. We’ll keep it brief, but she needs a moment to think.”

“No problem. There isn’t anyone waiting behind you. I’ll be back.” Deidrick stepped backward to the door. He nodded at both men and then ducked out.

Dane pulled his hands out of his pockets and sat on a bench along the side wall. He gripped the edges next to his thighs until his fingers hurt from squeezing the wood.

Aiden paced. He stared at Stephanie’s ass as he walked back and forth. Occasionally he shook his head. He didn’t say anything.

Five minutes later, Deidrick slipped back into the room. He raised an eyebrow and mouthed, “More time?”

Dane shook his head. “Stephanie, are you ready?”

“Yes, Sir,” she murmured as she righted herself.

“Let’s try again then.” Aiden stepped onto the platform.

Stephanie followed, her head bowed lower than necessary. She centered herself on the dais, spread her feet apart and clasped her hands behind her back.

“Good,” Aiden said. He circled her. “Let’s see what you have, Deidrick.”

Stephanie’s nipples stood at attention. Other than that, Dane couldn’t read her.

Deidrick unhooked the gorgeous black corset from the hanger and brought it to Stephanie’s front. “Lift your arms away from your sides.”

The back of the corset was open. Deidrick held the front up to her and nodded at Aiden. “Could you hold this here for me?”

“Sure.” Aiden splayed his hands across her middle to steady the fitted material.

Deidrick circled behind and threaded a long strip of narrow leather through the laces. “This fits you perfectly.” As he pulled on the ends of the leather, the satin front hugged Stephanie’s middle.

Aiden’s hands slid up from her belly and he cupped her breasts. “Fantastic.”

Dane stood and stepped closer. God almighty Aiden wasn’t kidding. The lacey black satin extended up the lower swell of Stephanie’s perfect tits. Her nipples grazed the top ledge. She moaned when Aiden stroked his thumbs over the distended tips.

“Jesus, Stephanie. You’re so hot,” Aiden murmured.

“There.” Deidrick released her back. He stepped around to the front and brushed Aiden’s hand away with a chuckle. “Let me adjust.” He tugged the top edge of the satin until her nipples dipped inside. “Perfect. This corset works terrifically on her frame. You can tuck her nipples inside or let them peek out. In fact, without careful strides, they will pop out on their own.

“Let’s see what we can do down here,” he motioned to her pussy as he turned to grab another garment.

Dane was graced with the best view. Stephanie stood stalk still, her arms still raised away from her body. She didn’t lower her gaze. Her bare pussy extended beneath the bottom edge of the satin. A garter belt would look awesome with this outfit, but that wasn’t in tonight’s plans. He and Aiden had discussed something entirely different.

Deidrick turned around holding a black tulle skirt. He wrapped it around Stephanie’s middle and fastened it in the back. “You’re going to drag every eye in the club to your sexy body tonight.” He wandered around her and eyed her up and down from every angle. “Grip your hands behind your back as you normally would so I can check the fit.”

Stephanie let her arms fall to her sides and reached around to settle them at her ass over the black mesh.

Deidrick narrowed his gaze and pursed his lips as he worked, tweaking the top and bottom edges of the corset to his satisfaction. “Yep. That is perfection. What do you guys think?” He stood back and glanced at Aiden and then Dane.

The man wasn’t kidding. When Aiden had called this afternoon and requested an outfit like this, he’d been spot on. Dane swallowed around the lump in his throat and adjusted his cock.

Who cared if everyone in the room saw him? One look at Aiden proved the man to be in the same predicament.

Stephanie said nothing. Of course she also didn’t have permission and she’d just spent several minutes in time out.

“One more thing…” Deidrick snapped his fingers and left the room.

Dane grabbed a box on the edge of the platform and opened it.
Sexy strappy black heels…perfect.
He held them up and handed them to Aiden.

As Aiden knelt in front of Stephanie to strap on the shiny shoes, Dane stepped behind her. Her back was even better. The leather lacing up the corset pulled it together, leaving about two inches of skin up the center. Her ass was covered with the poofy tulle, but only barely. He reached beneath the edge and grazed his fingertips over her butt cheeks, a smile spreading across his face when she clenched.