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Jenica stared down at me for a beat, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

I leaned forward and held out a hand.

“Here, you can use me for balance while you learn,” I told her, aware that she’d probably never attempted to kneel in this manner before.

Jax arched a brow behind her, surprised by my offering. It wasn’t like me, but I also didn’t normally take new subs to bed. The women I fucked knew what they wanted. They were experienced. They could detail their limits and make arrangements in minutes.

Not Jenica.

She had no idea what she was doing, and it showed in the tremble working its way through her body.

“I can demonstrate,” Adalyn offered, standing and almost immediately going into the appropriate position beside us.

Her form was exquisite.

She didn’t falter at all, her knees bending beautifully as her head bowed in sweet reverence.

Jenica watched her from the corner of her eye and swallowed again.

Then she ignored my hand and lowered herself to the floor with perfect balance. Her movements weren’t as practiced or as graceful as Adalyn’s, but they were certainly natural. She sat back on her heels just like Adalyn had done, clasped her hands in front of her on her lap, and bowed her head.

Which allowed all that silky hair to hide her face again.

Having her between my legs allowed me to shadow her arms, which made her lacy gloves almost appear black.

There wasn’t a single marker on her that Jax would recognize.

Unless he saw her face.

I ran my fingers through her hair, ensuring it fell right where it needed to as I said, “Very good, sweetheart.” It was a voice I’d never used with her before, at least not outside of my dreams and fantasies.

She shivered in response, goose bumps pebbling down her arm in a manner I recognized. Mutual interest.

Because of the tone? Because of this club? I wasn’t sure. But it was an interest I wanted to explore, one that captivated me enough to almost forget her brother’s presence.

When I went into a scene, all my focus went to the sub.

And having her kneeling before me almost put me immediately in that place, my desire to see to her every need a calling I had to fight to ignore.

I ran my fingers through her hair again, my touch lingering near her jaw. “You can join me again on the couch, Adalyn,” I said as I caressed Jenica’s neck and then her shoulders before drifting back up to her hair.

Some Doms left their subs to kneel, the general air of dismissive dominance a turn-on for both parties.

But I preferred to pet my females—something Jax knew, as he’d observed it countless times before.

So I allowed my fingers to explore lightly, touching Jenica’s collarbone, her upper arm, her throat. I kept it gentle and coaxing, avoiding all the intimate areas on purpose. It was the sort of thing a man in my position would do to tease his intended conquest.

In this case, I meant it to be polite and to not cross a boundary.

However, the subtle hitch in Jenica’s breath had me acutely focused on her reactions. She liked this. I could see it in the way her body reacted to mine.

Fuck, even her nipples were hard.

They were pointy little invitations beneath her dress, begging to be explored.

And the skin above her neckline was flushed with arousal.

Or maybe embarrassment.

Perhaps a bit of both.

But she seemed to be leaning into my touch now, seeking my warmth and affection as though she needed it to remain calm.

I gave it to her, only barely aware of Adalyn returning to the couch beside me.

Jax took the chair adjacent to the couch, placing himself closer to Adalyn. He handed her a glass of water. “Can you give that to my friend, please?”

“Of course, Sir,” she said, passing it to me.

“Thank you.” He picked up the one for her. “This one is for you.”

“Thank you, Sir.” She sipped it eagerly, whether it was a result of wanting to please us or because she needed the refreshment, I wasn’t sure.

I pressed my palm to Jenica’s cheek over her hair, ensuring it hid the side of her face that Jax would be able to see from his angle, and brought the glass to her lips.

“Drink,” I said, tipping her head back enough with my hand to allow her to accept the command. Her eyes flashed up to mine as her throat worked, my hand keeping her profile hidden from her brother. A note of gratitude glimmered in her gaze, the look one I rather enjoyed.

Even though it was fucking wrong to do this with her while her brother sat only five feet away.

I should turn her head to reveal her presence.

But I couldn’t do it.

Some sick and twisted part of me actually liked the way this felt—forbidden and secret. It added a decadent layer to the scene that made me even harder.

Not a scene, I reminded myself.

Only it sure as shit felt like one.

Especially with the way her throat worked to swallow more of the water as I tipped the glass again.

I could imagine her drinking down my cock in a similar manner with those full lips wrapped around me as she sucked me dry.

I’m so fucked.

“Have they shared their names?” Jax asked, reminding me of his presence once more.

He usually deferred to me when we visited Ecstasy in New York City, allowing me to take the lead. I wasn’t surprised that he repeated the behavior here.

Jax was as Dominant as I was in the bedroom.

But this was my playground.

Therefore, he followed my lead.

I glanced at him and he gave me a knowing look, one that said he knew I wanted the woman kneeling between my thighs. He usually gave me a signal when he wanted to share a sub.

Thankfully, he didn’t do that now.

If he had, I might not have been able to stop myself from reacting.

It would just be too fucking wrong.

“This is Adalyn,” I told him, giving him a warning look I knew he would understand.

He didn’t know about the Elite Bride program, as that was a members-only detail. However, I’d explained to him that some submissives were off-limits.

Which was confusing because her mask suggested she wanted to play, but that didn’t mean she was allowed to play.

He gave a subtle nod to say he’d received the message.

“And this little angel with the diamond mask is Jen,” I said, setting the water on the end table beside me and running my fingers through her hair again. I allowed him to see her elven chin and nothing more.

He would assume I was being possessive by not showing her off.

Another accurate assessment that wasn’t quite right.

Because yes, I did feel possessive.

But I was hiding her from him for an entirely different reason.

Or maybe I wasn’t.

Maybe I was hiding her for me.

A forbidden pleasure that I craved to indulge in even knowing it was wrong.

Her gaze slid up to mine, her pupils dilated in a way I recognized.

She definitely likes this.

She bowed again, her hair hiding her features once more.

“Are you thinking about introducing Jen to life at Ecstasy?” Jax asked, his lips curling into a knowing grin.

“I am,” I replied, not even bothering to lie. Because maybe a good spanking would teach her never to return here.

It wasn’t safe for her.

She didn’t know this world or the requirements to be involved. She wasn’t even sure of her submissive nature.

Unlike Adalyn, who was the picture of submissive beside me. Even seated on the chair, she possessed an air about her that whispered submission. She enjoyed being dominated.

Although, her reaction to her trainer still confused me.

I’d taunted her with the notion of making a scene, knowing that even if she was punished, she’d still end up enjoying it. All submissives did.

Or they should, anyway.

But her reaction had lacked the undertone of excitement typically found in that situation.

Perhaps it was her gimmick. Without knowing her, I couldn’t read her tells.

Unlike Jenica.

I could absolutely read her reactions.

Which were interesting at the moment, as she appeared to be almost content now, her eyes having closed while I continued to pet her.

If she were a cat, she’d be purring.

Maybe there was a hint of submissiveness in her after all.

Was that why she’d chosen to come here tonight? To explore that side of herself?

I had so many questions that I couldn’t ask with Jax sitting beside us.

“I’ve never trained a new sub before.” I brushed her jaw with my knuckles and skimmed them down her throat, admiring the flush against her pale skin. “Perhaps the university has put me in a teaching mood.”

Her nostrils flared, her breath quickening in response.

“It would be a new experience for you,” Jax offered. “Perhaps it’ll help you get out of whatever mood you’ve been in lately.”

I cut him a look. “I’ve not been in a mood.”

“He’s been in a mood,” he confided to Adalyn, his expression filled with warmth and humor. “Your friend is the first woman he’s paid any attention to since moving back here.”

Jenica’s eyes flashed up to mine, a curious emotion lurking in her gaze.

“I think you should teach her,” Jax continued.

You would not be saying that if you knew this was your sister kneeling between my legs,I thought, fighting the urge to grimace.

“Do you want to learn from him, little angel?” he asked, his voice softening for her.

Jenica held my gaze for a beat, her head still bowed but her eyes looking upward.

She nodded.

And I wasn’t sure if that was because she actually wanted me to teach her or if she thought that was the only way to escape this situation.

Because her expression strongly conveyed the former.

As did the pretty blush painting her collarbone and her stiff nipples beneath the dress.

“?‘Yes, Sir’ is the appropriate response,” Jax murmured. “Verbal consent is important, as is communication.”

Fuck, this was weird.

Jax was teaching his sister how to submit to me.

I palmed her cheek again, mostly because I needed something to ground me before I lost my shit.

“We’ll work on it,” I managed to say, my throat resembling sandpaper.

I needed to offer Jax a distraction before I accidentally outed his sister.

Fuck, not even just that.

Before I accidentally outed myself and the way I felt about his sister.

I cleared my throat, the sound lacking my usual finesse, but I didn’t care. This was too complicated for me to divide my focus between swagger and whatever the fuck this was with Jenica.

“I know I promised you a proper tour of the playroom, but perhaps you want to have a peek while I help the little angel find her voice?”

It was my way of asking him to give me a private moment with her, which I knew he’d accept. Especially since he seemed keen on the idea of my teaching her.

But consent mattered.

And I needed her to be able to speak to acquire it.

Not that I actually planned to teach her. However, he didn’t know that.

My dick didn’t seem to know that either.

These suit pants were getting really uncomfortable.

“I could show him,” Adalyn offered softly. “If it would please you, Sirs.” She spoke to both of us with that use of the plural, making sure we knew she desired to please both of us with her suggestion.

“I would love a tour, Adalyn,” Jax said, grabbing his untouched drink. “You can lead the way, and we’ll come back in a bit to check on our friends.”

Hopefully, by that point, Jenica would be gone. Leaving just me behind as the only friend.

Jax stood and moved behind Jenica, his gaze on her head. “Try your best to please him, little one. He’s earned it.”

My thighs tightened with his words, my fingers longing to curl into fists.

This is so fucked up.

Yet I’m hard as a goddamn brick.

Tonight was not going to end well.

Or maybe it’d be the best night of my life.

I hadn’t yet decided.

“Shall we?” Jax held out his arm in a chivalrous move for Adalyn, his opposite hand still holding his drink.

She stood on sky-high heels and moved toward him with the grace of a well-practiced ballerina.

Jax wouldn’t do anything other than wander around with her, my earlier warning well received.

Which meant he’d definitely be returning to check on me and Jenica.

We had maybe thirty minutes to resolve this before he came back.

And the clock started now.