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“Get your questions out of the way before we start.”

Dang, it was like he could read her mind. “Explain the different floors to me, please.”

“As Gabe said, the first floor is green for novices, for those who are starting off exploring the BDSM lifestyle, or simply because they want a private place to have sex.”

“I see.” Jared loosened his hold, and she slipped away. She wanted to explore more of the room while they talked. It would help calm her nerves. “This floor?”

“For the more experienced, much like my playroom.”

“The blue floor?”

“That is for those living the lifestyle and don’t have their own equipment.”

Angie paused at the large bed and trailed her fingers over the soft sheets before going over to the open wooden cabinets. “And the top floor?”

“For those who embrace sadism and masochism. It can be very intense.”

A tremor shook her body. “Have you ever used the top floor?”

“No.” He crossed to her side and, with gentle fingers, lifted her chin up until he could gaze into her eyes. “I’m not into pain. Gabe allows it here because a submissive knows they’re totally safe here.”

“Because there are men like Rico outside the door?” She was still a little nervous about that.

“Yes. Gabe is able to keep his members safe because of monitors like Rico. If the safe word is uttered, he’ll walk into the room to make sure the Dom has heard the word and to make sure the Dom has stopped.”

“So no one is allowed into a room without a monitor?”

“Yes.”

“This might sound crass but Gabe must be worth a fortune.”

Jared laughed. “Gabe made his fortune in the tech world. He bought this place at auction years ago. It was an old hotel and he remodeled it.”

“This is a hobby for him?”

“In a way. He wanted to give people a safe place to enjoy themselves, like at the ranch we wanted to give people a place to learn and play.”

“I see. I interrupted you, I’m sorry.”

“No worries. To continue, all subs must have a safe word to enter the room. Even Doms have them. And you saw the men at the entrance to the stairs.”

“I did.”

“Gabe or any of his managers are the only ones that can escort people to the rooms.”

“Makes sense. Is everyone here a couple?”

“Unlike the ranch, no. Many members are single. They may have a single Dom or sub they play with.”

“Okay.” She could understand that. As a single person, if she was interested in the lifestyle, this would be a way to explore in a safe environment. But she couldn’t see herself being here without Jared. “I have one more question.”

“Go for it.”

“One of the women downstairs was wearing a choker; it looked like it was made of tiny metal hearts. At first, I thought it was just a nice necklace, but the man she was with kept stroking it.”

“It was probably a collar.”

Angie tilted her head. “I don’t understand.”