TAMED: #2 in the Fit Trilogy (2 page)

Grant was more of a Dom’s Dominant. He loved loving on submissives. He’d taught Violet a lot about things like orgasm control and obeying some commands. She loved talking back, but it seemed like they’d worked out a pretty good system. She was easing into more and more bondage techniques, but they had yet to try any sort of pain or impact play. That was more Armando’s bag.

He was a consummate sadist. If Violet was up for it, Armando could demonstrate a few things. On another bottom of course. Grant wasn’t willing to share. Armando didn’t blame him. Physically, Armando didn’t have a type, but even if he did, he would’ve still found Violet attractive. Grant was a lucky man.

The three of them waited on a curved leather couch positioned to give the perfect view of another good friend of theirs as he prepared to demonstrate his skills with a good old-fashioned flogger. Daniel Song had lost the lower portion of his right arm in a workplace accident about five years before he and Armando met. Didn’t slow him down much though. He’d simply learned how to wield his implements of pleasure and pain with his left hand and gone about his business.

Armando loved watching Daniel work. He was a true professional. Maybe it helped that he was a Switch, playing the roles of either Dominant or submissive whenever the scene called for it. Daniel knew both sides of the coin so well. When he was in control, he knew how to read his playthings better than most. Whatever his secret was, it worked.

Armando relaxed some more as Daniel led an older white woman named May over to the cross. Violet was asking Grant questions. What was the wooden X thing called? Was it necessary? Was he going to use a whip on that woman? Armando smiled to himself as Grant answered. He missed the days when he was green and learning. There was something to discover with every partner, but he missed the excitement of experiencing the scene for the first time.

And it had been years since he’d played with someone who was on their way in. He thought he didn’t have the patience for it. He liked a woman who knew the limits of her submission, but listening to Grant and Violet talk to each other, knowing what her inexperience did for Grant, how teaching Violet made Grant feel as a Top and a man, made Armando think he’d been limiting himself by sticking to one type of submissive.

Finally, the show started. You couldn’t hear what Daniel said to May, but you
could
see the slight shiver that traveled over her body as he whispered in her ear. Daniel tucked the flogger under his right armpit and ran the fingers of his left hand down May’s back and over her bare ass.

Violet shuddered then settled further into Grant’s lap. May nodded a few times then let Daniel kiss the corner of her mouth. The first blow landed right across May’s ass. Her body tensed for a fraction of a second before she relaxed again. Beside Armando, Violet gasped.

✶

Daniel went at May for a while, until her ass was glowing a bright red. Afterward, he pulled her down from the cross and took her to a nearby sitting area, where he started in with the aftercare. When they were settled, their captive audience finally let out a sigh of a relief. Armando was completely hard, contemplating what his next move would be. Grant had already made up his mind.

He got up from the couch, pulling Violet with him. “We’re gonna take off.”

“Sounds good.” Armando stood and clapped Grant on the back. The night was young, but Armando completely understood. Grant and Violet could stay and make use of Master Philip’s facilities, but why not take the party home to the comfort of their own bed? Armando said his goodbyes to Violet then turned to survey the room.

The real show would start on the main stage in a little while. Still, the place was buzzing with activity. Couples, a few singles, even small clusters, were mingling and thinking of play. A twosome nearby was surveying a bench. A man on his own checked out the set of stocks closer to the beverage area. A small group of ladies gathered around one of the upgraded cage and pole set-ups Philip had added on either side of the main stage. Armando caught the eye of a short black woman standing in front of the cage. She was eyeing him actually, whispering in her friend’s ear. They were new to Philip’s. At least Armando had never seen them before. It would be impolite if he didn’t mosey over and introduce himself.

He made it two steps before Meegan, one of the many pets kept by Master Philip and his wife, intercepted him.

“Mr. Vasquez?”

“Hey, Meegan. What’s up?”

“Master Philip would like to speak with you.”

Armando followed Meegan’s line of vision to the glass window above the main floor. The glass was tinted, but he knew Master Philip stood behind it, looking out over the party, brandy in hand. Armando thanked Meegan, kissed her cheek, then headed toward the hidden exit in the far corner.

Upstairs, he knocked on his mentor’s door before letting himself in. Just as Armando expected, Master Philip stood by the window that gave him a view of the whole club below.

“The Great and Powerful would like a word?”

Philip smiled as he turned around. He lifted the tumbler in his hand. “Brandy?”

“No, thanks.” Armando didn’t like to drink and play.

“How is Miss Violet doing? I saw her and Grant leave.”

Armando shrugged and offered his own smile. “She seems to be doing all right. Think they just wanted to be alone. I’ll be honest, Grant shocked me with her.”

“Me too, but I believe they have what it takes to last.” Strong words coming from Philip, but Armando had to agree. “That’s not what I wanted to speak with you about.”

“I figured. What’s on your mind?”

“I need a favor. It’s a bit of a situation.”

“Okay…”

“Do you know a trainer by the name of Kalli Norwalk?”

Oh, Armando knew him. The world of high-end trainers was pretty small. He’d run into “Kalli” every few months, listen to him brag about his latest conquest and come away glad as shit that he didn’t have to deal with a douche like that in Grant.

Armando rolled his eyes. “You mean Clarence Normand? Yeah, I know him.”

Philip let out a short laugh. “Personas can make or break your business, I suppose. Well, Clarence has apparently gotten himself into a little trouble with some of his clients and their husbands.”

“About time. He’s not that slick with his side scamming. What does that have to do with me? Or you?”

“He was training the daughter of a colleague.”

“Oh.”

“Yes.
Oh
. My friend, Dr. Shalaby, released Kalli from his role with his daughter. She’s a little sore about him interfering in her personal life. He’s not concerned about them continuing their tryst, but now she needs a new trainer.”

“Oh sure,” Armando said, feeling relieved. “Send her by the gym. We’ll set her up with Keira. She gets along with everyone. Hell, Keira knows Kalli too. Maybe once this girl hears the whole truth about him she’ll be glad her dad butted in.”

“I think the situation is more complicated than that. His daughter wants a male trainer, I suspect so she can continue with her extracurricular exploits, but Dr. Shalaby wants her with someone who won’t give in to her temptations. And honestly, I would rather you looked after her.”

Armando knew he was making a face. “Uh, can I ask why? Do I
want
to get involved in this?”

“There’s a reason I’m coming to you. Dr. Shalaby, while a brilliant surgeon and an extremely kind man, wants to guide the direction of his daughter’s behavior and he wants me to find someone to help him with that guidance.”

Armando was definitely making a face now. “How old is this girl?”

“Twenty-four.”

Young, Armando thought, but still, she was an adult capable of making her own decisions. He blew out a deep breath. There was more to this, but something told him Philip wanted him to figure it out on his own. Philip waited while he considered all the angles. Finally it dawned on him.

“You don’t want me to participate in this at all. You just want her around someone
you
trust.”

Philip nodded a bit and offered a slight smile. “What’s happening between her and her father is between them, but I’m slightly offended that he thought
I
would happily go along with his plan to keep her under his thumb. After all, she’s done nothing wrong.”

Armando had to agree. A young woman’s sex life and her father’s beef with it wasn’t something he wanted to get involved with at all, but if her father needed the peace of mind that she was working with someone who wasn’t trying to fuck her, Armando had no problem with that. Yeah he had a strong sexual appetite, but the business came first. And even if this girl was completely his type, ready and willing, the drama she would be bringing to the table pretty much guaranteed he would keep his hands to himself.

Armando pulled out his phone. “Go ahead. Give me her number.”

Nailah glared at her brother across the half-built kitchen counter. The new property would sell as soon as the renovations were finished, with the aid of Nailah’s immaculate staging, of course. That was, if she decided to help her brother again. She was seriously questioning it after the stunt he’d pulled.

“I can take care of myself, G.”

“Who said you couldn’t?”

“You! Acting like some psycho, showing up at Kalli’s house. Why would you do that?”

“Nailah, listen. I know you’re a big girl. You’re a strong, independent woman—”

“Shut up.”

“But I can’t have a guy like that making a fool out of my little sister.”

“Who says he was making a fool out of me?” Okay, maybe she had been a little foolish, thinking she was the only one of his clients Kalli was fucking, but that was her problem to deal with.

“So you were sleeping with him?”

Nailah’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Whatever. The guy’s a dirtbag and he needs to stay away from you, period. Now, my darling sister, will you please come over here and tell me if this will work as an accent wall?”

“I don’t know how, but I’m going to make you pay for this.”

“I don’t know how either. You got nothing on me, sister.”

“Oh, there’s always Isra.” Nailah was just talking now. She was super close with Garai’s wife, but the two of them were a solid team, one of those annoying couples who were not only lovers but best friends and were constantly reminding everyone within earshot of that fact. Isra would help Nailah trick her husband with a harmless prank, but nothing more. She loved Garai too much.

“Good luck with that,” Garai scoffed. “She thinks Kalli’s a loser too.”

“You told Isra?” Jesus Christ, who didn’t know all her business?

“She’s my wife. She’s my—’

“Yeah, she’s your best friend. You tell her everything. Ugh. I hate you.”

Nailah rounded the counter and looked at the mockup on her brother’s computer screen. Garai had bought a fixer-upper from a couple who had filed for bankruptcy three days after they started their own renovations. They’d shown Garai the plans they’d set in motion, but he wanted Nailah’s opinion on the overall aesthetic.

It took two seconds for Nailah to spot the problem. “Nope. Won’t work.”

“What’s the issue?” Garai asked, just as Nailah’s cell phone started to ring.
 

Nailah reached into the pocket of her blazer and pulled out her iPhone. She didn’t recognize the number on the screen. “This is Nailah Shalaby with NSL Designs. How may I help you?”

“Nailah? This is Armando Vasquez at Melrose Fitness. Your father informed me you were looking for a new trainer. I just wanted to reach out to you and see if you wanted to set up a consultation.”

Nailah groaned nice and loud into the phone. “Ugh, yeah. What was your name again?”

“Armando Vasquez. Is this a bad time?”

“No, no. Now’s fine. We can skip the consultation. I just need to work out. Um, how about Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at nine a.m.?” She’d been meaning to switch her workouts to mornings.

“Yeah, we can do that. So I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Yup, tomorrow.” Nailah got the address to the gym and Armando’s barely helpful suggestions for parking. Then, she hung up. After she finished with her brother, she had three other projects to attend to. She didn’t have time to hang out on the phone.

“Who was that?” Garai asked.

“My new trainer, I guess. Why? You want his home address too?”

Nailah almost growled when her brother burst out laughing. “Not if he can keep his hands to himself.” She didn’t think that would be a problem. As far as she was concerned, there would be no more mixing business with pleasure.

✶

Nailah was running late. Then, of course, Melrose Fitness didn’t have their own parking lot. She had to drive around in circles for five extra minutes until a man, doing his rumpled walk of shame, moved his beat down Altima out of a space right in front of the gym. Even as she stepped out of her car, in her head, she had already moved on with her day. There was work to do at her office, then she had to meet Garai and another client to discuss the hideous condo the woman had just purchased. He’d talked Nailah’s talents up and now the client was ready to pull the trigger on some design work.

Nailah considered having Maura come along so she could take notes and pictures as they walked around the property. That way, Nailah could focus on her client. She sent Maura a text as she backed her way through the front door of the gym. She stopped just on the other side, her thumbs padding out across her screen of her phone.

“Nailah?” Vaguely, she sensed the owner of the voice coming closer to her, but Maura was texting back. She just needed to wrap this up.

“Yeah.”

“Hi. I’m Armando.” This Armando guy was right in front of her. Nailah sensed the height of him towering over her, but Maura was saying that she couldn’t find the camera. Did Nailah have it or had Maura left in her car?

“You ready to get started?” Right. She came there to work out. One last text, just to tell Maura she’d check her trunk. Then, she looked up.

A strange noise came out of her mouth, like a low-grade sort of squawk. Then, she licked her lips as if the sweep of her tongue would recalibrate her brain. “Jesus Christ.”