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Claude didn’t let go of my wrist. I didn’t tell them to, either. I just closed my eyes for a second and tried grounding myself. This was fine. It was just another new experience. Even if I hated it, it wouldn’t have any major consequences.

Tonight was just about going to a new place. A little adventure of a spicier nature, but an adventure nonetheless.

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

“Good.” Claude walked just one step ahead of me, but they kept an eye on me. “You look great, by the way.”

“I do?”

Claude nodded, licking their lips. “Very. I wanna tease you so much, but you’re probably not okay with public exposure yet.”

I paused. “Yet?”

They just winked at me.

I squirmed.

I shouldn’t find that hot, should I? And yet… I was not going to be able to think of anything else all night now.

Great.

Damn.

That was probably Claude’s intention all along. I guessed what they said about Domms knowing better was true.

Well. I wrinkled my nose. Maybe only partially true. Some-of-the-time true. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of someone thinking they knew better just because. No one—Domm or otherwise—should have that kind of ego.

Right?

Anyway, I digressed, and Claude had opened the heavy doors to the club while I was questioning all those things.

I thought there would be more fanfare. In my head, someone greeted us at the door, asked for our referral, and tested us or something. There was someone behind a desk of sorts, but they just greeted Claude after recognizing them, complimented my corset, and asked if we wanted to use the coat rack.

Very underwhelming, to be honest.

The club itself came next. There was metal music playing in the background, soft enough to not be overwhelming, but loud enough to feel the beat of the drums.

Claude had explained the club had two floors, but the second floor was mostly private rooms. I’d agreed to stick to the first floor.

As my eyes zeroed in on the narrow stairs to the side, though, I wondered if it was too late to change my mind.

Or if Claude would be in the mood for it. They didn’t make me think they were when they were describing the club, and I didn’t want to assume. It was too soon, I kept repeating to myself as a mantra. It was better if Claude set the pace. Safer, at least.

I liked safer things.

Curiosity picked at me, regardless.

“Did you want something to drink?” Claude’s lips brushed against my ear.

The wicked grin on their face told me they’d done it on purpose. I wanted to scowl—I tried—but I knew it was a lost battle. I’d never been great at pretending to be irritated, or at dry humor, or any of the things most people around me were.

Maybe that was why they were drawn to me. It was a weird thing to contemplate, though, so I brushed it off.

“Yeah, sure.” I hadn’t had time yet to spot the bar tucked in the corner. A few people were milling around, but it wasn’t crowded. “I didn’t know there would be a bar.”

“And have people dehydrated?” Claude teased. “No Daddy would allow that.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”