Page 28 of Theirs to Desire (Club M: Boxed Set)

ADRIAN

H er fear when she was on the Saint Andrew’s Cross had hit me like a punch in the gut.

We need to talk to her. Sort out what’s going on.

She’d been nervous earlier when the couple was playing on the club floor. I should have realized why. She reacts badly to being restrained, and it’s all I can do to keep from punching something.

Or someone. With my anger this close to the surface, I better not run into Downing, because I’m not sure I have enough self-control to keep myself from smashing his nose.

I don’t care that Brody thinks that I’m playing savior again. I don’t care that he thinks I’m just doing this to make up for my past failures. That plays a part, but it’s not the whole reason.

I’ve caught glimpses of the real Fiona Clarke. In her brief, unguarded moments, she’s lovely. She smiles easily. She’s enthusiastic. Even her flash of possessiveness earlier on the club floor was pretty damn flattering.

I want to get to know her. Not just in the club, and not just in a BDSM context. I want to find out what she likes to eat for breakfast. Where she wants to go on vacation. What she’s always dreamed of doing. I want to know everything.

Getting a little ahead of yourself, Lockhart.

Brody gets up to wash in the adjoining bathroom. Nothing but the best for Xavier Leforte. Every playroom has a toilet and a sink attached to it, so you don’t have to trek through the club to pee. It’s just one of the touches that makes Club M the best damn private club in this part of the country.

I put my arms around Fiona, and draw her into my body. I undo the collar and the wrist cuffs, and then hold her close, kissing her forehead. “You didn’t come,” she whispers, reaching for my cock.

“Leave that for a bit. Tell me how you’re doing. Does anything hurt?”

“No.”

“Anything you want us to do differently next time?” Don’t tie her up, for starters. But I want to hear it from Fiona.

“Nope.” She smiles at me brightly. Brody comes out of the adjacent washroom, and she turns her smile on him. “Thank you, that was lovely.”

Thank you, that was lovely? What the fuck?

“You’re sure?” Brody asks her, his eyebrow raised.

“Absolutely.” She jumps to her feet and reaches for her clothing. “Give me a couple of minutes to use the facilities and get dressed?”

“Of course.”

I wait for her to get out of earshot. When she closes the bathroom door, I turn to Brody. “What the fuck just happened?”

He sits down and runs his fingers through his hair, making it even more of a spiky mess than it usually is. “I have no idea,” he says heavily. “She does not like being tied up.”

“Among other things.” I shake my head. “She’s in total denial. I don’t even think she’s prepared to admit to herself that something’s not right.”

He nods heavily. “Yeah, I know.”

Shit. As concerned as I’ve been about Fiona, I never thought about how this must be hitting every single one of Brody’s buttons. “If you want out, I understand.”

“It’s too late.” He stares at the wall. “When she clenched up in fear…” His voice trails off. “I’m involved, Adrian. I can’t leave her like this. I can’t fix Willa Mae’s trauma, and I can’t make Callie Weiss call the cops, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to walk away from this situation.”

I nod. “Fucking Xavier. What the hell was he thinking? He should have never pulled her into the club.”

Brody grimaces. “The castle is too intense,” he says. “Let’s get Henri to move us to the other section, out of sight of the main building.”

A little over an hour ago, I’d been grateful to stay in the castle, but I agree with Brody. Fiona needs to be as far from here as possible. Hell, if it were in my hands, I’d take her away until I was sure she was ready for Club M.

The bathroom door opens, and Fiona comes out, fully dressed. “Thank you again,” she says. Her voice is cheerful, but she doesn’t meet our eyes. “I don’t know what you guys want to do now, but I’d like to hang out on the floor for a little while longer.”

Watch Colin and Stuart tie a submissive up so thoroughly that she can’t twitch a finger unless they intend it? Hell no. For some reason, being restrained terrifies her, and I have no desire to see her afraid again.

“Come up to our room first,” I tell her. “Have a drink with us, then we’ll walk back to the club with you.”

I’m prepared for her to argue, but she nods readily. “Okay.”

But when we walk out of the playroom, the first person we run into is Raymond Downing.

He catches sight of Fiona. “Well, well,” he drawls, his eyes sparkling with malice. “Talk about slipping standards. Leforte is really letting anyone join the club nowadays, isn’t he?”

I clench my hands into fists. “Don’t talk to Fiona,” I say through gritted teeth.

He finally notices Brody and me. Rather than backing away, he doubles down. “Why not? She isn't collared.” His voice turns insolent as he turns to Fiona. “Both of them?” He snorts. “You couldn’t keep one dominant happy. What makes you think you can please two?”

“One more word and I promise you, I’ll beat you to a pulp.” Brody’s voice is ice. “Just one. Please. Make my day. ”

Downing starts to open his mouth, and then thinks better of it. Without another word, he spins on his heel and walks away.

“Don’t worry, that asshole won’t come anywhere near you, Fiona,” I start to say, and then I catch sight of her face, pale and staring.

My heart stops. Her hand is cold and clammy. Her breathing is shallow, and she sways on her feet. She’s in shock.

I want to kill Downing. And then, when I’m done with him, I want to beat the crap out of Xavier Leforte for putting Fiona through this. I pull out my phone and call the valet. “Bring my car around now,” I bark into the phone.

She’s not my submissive, and technically, this isn’t my call to make. I don’t care. We’re getting the hell out of here.