Page 6 of His to Cherish (Club Wyld #5)

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I kind of got that impression when the guy outside told me I needed a member to come in.”

His fingers tighten on my arms at the mention of the stranger. “He shouldn’t have brought you in here.”

The sting of rejection washes over me again and I try to pull away. Oliver won’t allow it, though. Instead, he tightens his grip even more. “Fine,” he grits through clenched teeth. “You want to know what this is? I’ll tell you.”

I hold my breath as our eyes lock, waiting for him to follow through. Instead, he places a finger under my chin and tilts my head. “Describe that couple to me.”

My forehead wrinkles in confusion. “Um, they’re attractive?” I offer, not having any idea what the point of this is. “They’re both dressed well. From the look of that diamond choker, I’d say they’re pretty wealthy.”

He chuckles in my ear, the sound dark and dangerous. “Look closer at the choker, Lilly.”

I blink a few times, not getting it, and then I see. “Oh my God,” I gasp. Because now I can tell that it’s not just any piece of jewelry. There’s a silver O-ring in the center, surrounded by diamonds, and attached to the O-ring is?—

“Is that a leash?” I blurt out, probably way too loud. Ollie chuckles again, adjusting his grip on me.

“It is. A leash attached to a collar.” He pauses as I continue to stare at the couple.

The man is holding the end of the leash loosely in his hands.

They seem to be deep in conversation. If it wasn’t for that thin leather strap binding them together, I would think they were no different from any other couple on a date.

“Do you know what a collar like that symbolizes?” Ollie whispers, his voice strangely rough.

That’s not how we treat submissives here.

“Yes,” I whisper. “It means he’s her…her Dominant. And she’s his submissive. Right?”

Ollie growls softly into my ear. “How do you know those words, sweet girl?”

I scoff. “Come on, Ollie. Everyone’s heard of Fifty Shades .”

He chuckles again. “I suppose you have a point.”

I finally tear my gaze away from the couple and look up at my best friend. He’s almost unrecognizable, his eyes dark as night. My tummy flips at the expression on his face. “So that’s what this place is?” I whisper. “Some kind of BDSM club?”

He nods, studying my face for a reaction. “Amongst other things.”

“And you…” I swallow. “You’re a member here?”

He nods again, jaw clenching. He looks like he’s in pain.

“So that means that you…like that kind of thing?”

He lets out a low growl of a laugh. “Yes, Lilly. I like that kind of thing very much.”

Holy shit. My best friend—the same guy who has played countless hours of video games with me, the same guy who baked me a tray of rainbow sprinkle cupcakes for my birthday last year—is into BDSM.

Not just into it, but involved in the lifestyle enough that a membership at an exclusive club is necessary.

“That freaks you out,” he says, tone flat.

“No,” I argue quickly. “It doesn’t. I’m just…processing.”

I look around the room again. Now that I know what I’m looking for, other things are starting to stand out to me.

That woman over there is clearly wearing shackles around her wrists.

And that man a few tables over is feeding his date with his fingers.

Another woman’s high fashion cocktail dress is made from leather.

“Wow,” I whisper. “I’m in a sex club.”

Oliver sighs behind me. “Not for long. I think it’s high time I get you back home.”

I twist on his lap to face him, outraged. “You’re not taking me home!”

His eyebrow goes up in a perfect arch. “Is that so?”

I gesture around the room. “I didn’t even know places like this exist in real life! I don’t want to go home yet! I want you to show me around.”

He groans. “That sounds like fucking torture.”

And there’s that rejection again, even sharper than before. He tried to hide this place from me, this part of himself. He doesn’t want me to know. He clearly doesn’t think I belong here.

Which makes sense. Whatever might have happened back at the restaurant, Ollie obviously doesn’t actually see me as a viable sexual being.

“Okay,” I whisper, shifting away and avoiding his gaze.

At least I don’t have to hide tears from him—I’m too numb and hurt to cry.

“You don’t have to drive me, though. My car is here.

” I gesture at the door. “I’ll just go. Then you can stay here and do…

” I have to swallow past a lump in my throat. “Whatever you came here to do.”

Because it’s just dawning on me now—Ollie left me at home so he could come here. To a sex club. Why would he have done that if he wasn’t planning to find a partner?

God, how many times has he left me safe and cozy at my house while he ended his evening here with some nameless sub? The thought has a rush of pain and jealousy flying through me, so sharp I have to clutch my middle.

“Hey,” he barks, gripping my waist. “Stop, Lilly.”

“Just let me go,” I beg, pushing his arm, struggling to get off his lap. “ Please , Ollie.”

“Fuck that,” he mutters. Then he grasps my wrists and pulls them behind my back, holding me there easily with one hand.

Everything seems to slow around us, the very air in the room becoming heavy as tension settles on us. I look up into his face, into those dark eyes, and can’t fight off the whole-body shudder that runs through me.

“Why do I like that?” I whisper, more to myself than to him.

His eyes widen before his fingers clench, tightening on my wrists. “You like that?”

I nod, breathless. Because I do. I like that he’s restraining me. I like that I’m trapped against his bigger, much stronger body. And more than anything, I like the way he’s looking at me like he’ll die if he can’t have me. “Ollie?”

“You want to see what this place is all about?” he whispers, voice rough. “You want me to show you what I like?”

I bite back a moan. “Yes,” I tell him. “I want that so badly.”

He curses, shutting his eyes briefly. When he opens them again, his gaze is somehow even more intense. “Are you sure? Because this goes way past what you read in some silly romance novel. The things you’ll see here…” his eyes flash with warning. “It might be more than you can handle.”

“But you’ll be with me,” I whisper. “And I know you’ll take care of me even if it gets to be too much.”

“Fuck.” The curse is low and anguished. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me, Lilly.”

“Then show me.”

He stares deep into my eyes, clearly trying to come to some kind of decision. Finally, he nods, once, and my heart soars even as my stomach clenches with nerves.

“Okay, sweet girl,” he mutters. “I’ll show you.”