Page 16 of Wickedly Played (Checkmate #1)

Chapter Fourteen

SERENA

I have done my best to avoid him. I have done everything in my power to prevent needing him at all. It seems as if Max hasn’t gotten the memo to quit, so Jim can realize how much he sucks at picking out bodyguards.

That was until Max announced he had to leave for a few hours, and my replacement arrived.

“Serena, I have an appointment today.” Max is standing next to the door with a younger man beside him. “This is Joey. He’s going to be your guard until I get back.”

Joey is in his early to mid-twenties with a thick head of hair. He’s not bad looking, but he looks every bit the innocent his age allows him to be. I glance at Joey, then at Max. Max’s jaw is tight, almost ticking from frustration.

I strut to Joey with my hand out to properly greet the new man. I almost miss the slight growl of disapproval from Max once Joey has my hand in his and is raising it to his lips. “Nice to meet you, Joey. I’m Serena.”

Joey’s lips curve in a seductive smile. I’m going to go out on a limb and say he knows what I do for a living. He’s probably one of my clients who watches my cams. I know I have never dominated him at The Checkmate Club.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” he coos. I feel his eyes rake over my body and then to my eyes. He looks like he is sizing me up for his gain. “Max gave me everything I needed to know for today. Are you going to be ready to go to the club tonight?”

I have a few clients I’m seeing at Alpha, one of the clubs we use as a change of venue. It is one of my favorite venues, as I love the rooms and their design.

“Of course. Let me get my bag,” I wink before trotting up the stairs.

“You better fucking keep your eyes on her at all times,” Max bites out. His words are almost too quiet, but I hear the indignation in them.

“Dude, what is your problem?” Joey’s immature tone filters up the stairs.

I’m giggling after grabbing my bag. I turn to walk out the door when my bodyguard stops me. His body is blocking me from leaving my room. “Sweetness,” he breathes out.

“What?” I snap back at him. I’m not happy with the tension he has thrown into our relationship. I’m also not happy with how much I still want him despite knowing this is a recipe for disaster.

“Fuck,” he mutters. His hand tightens around my elbow to hold me close to him. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for yesterday. I’m the one who’s messed up. Not you. Shit, sweetness, you’re perfect.”

I shake him off me. With a saccharine smile on my lips, I tell one of the biggest lies I have ever told. “I’m fine, Max. Go and enjoy your time away. I’ll see you later.”

Max looks as if he’s trying to weigh out the options here. He’s been working nonstop for weeks, and I’m sure he has other appointments to attend to. What if he’s going to see a woman?

“I’ll see you at the club,” he swears.

“Yeah, sure,” I reply. Even though I pretend none of this is bothering me, I would be lying to myself if I didn’t admit it to myself. I’m hurt. I’m hurt he’s leaving. I’m hurt by what he said, and I’m hurt because I still want him.

Joey’s waiting for me at the door and takes the bag from Max’s hand. “Text me when you’re outside of Alpha,” Joey requests of Max.

“Sure,” his word sounds light, but the implication is there. He’s not happy that he has to leave.

Joey helps me get into the Escalade while Max speeds off in his big ass truck.

My heart hammers in my chest at seeing him leave without me, despite knowing how mean he has been to me.

He’s been a complete douche to me. I can’t believe I feel like part of me is missing when I see his taillights flooding the front yard.

We make small talk on our way to the club. Joey is pretty sweet for the most part. I think it is cute how awestruck he is when it comes to me. I knew he was a fan, judging by his eyes cataloging me.

But it is the way he’s asking questions about getting involved in the club, that makes me pause.

“Max briefed me on what is expected of me here,” Joey informs me once we pull up. “Is there anything else I should know?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so. You can be outside of the rooms tonight, but I don’t need you in them.

There are cameras attached to the monitors outside the room where I will be.

The guards inside should be able to help you get the feeds into your phone if you don’t want to sit at the command center. ”

I’m opening the door and sliding out of the front seat when I see one of my clients waiting for me. “Good evening, pet,” I greet Caden.

Caden is in his early thirties and is in a loveless marriage.

He’s been one of my clients for over a year and is good at being a brat because he loves being punished.

He comes to see me whenever he needs to take the edge off from work, and his wife is at home.

I asked once if his wife knew what he was doing with me, and he swore she did.

Whether that is true or not, it isn’t my place to judge. What we do here is consensual.

“Mistress Aphrodite,” he greets me with his head down.

Caden is a good-looking man, but he’s too clean-cut for me.

He dresses well, and it is clear he takes care of his fitness.

He’s also an excellent tipper when it's the end of our sessions. I’ve never slept with him in the physical sense, but we do have an emotional connection.

I like to make sure he’s my last client of the day so I can give him more affection.

Joey and I walk through the front doors into the club, and he leads me to the locker room area. My first client of the night is Becca, and I have been involved in the D/s relationship for a couple of years. She has made it known that her feelings for me are deeper than those of my usual clients.

Becca is already waiting for me in the Sky Room, which is my favorite room. I love how it is decorated with moody lighting and dark, rich furniture schemes. Becca is on her knees for me when I come into the room and she smiles down at her clutched hands in front of her.

“My pet. I’ve missed you,” I greet her while shucking off my robe. I lay it on the bed across from her. “Have you missed me?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Show me how much you missed me,” I command her. Becca is a beautiful woman in her late thirties. I love how dark her mocha skin is, and her bright smile when she looks at me. Her eyes are a deep honeyed brown color that sparkle when she’s excited.

She crawls over, stopping at my feet. She looks up at me with a devious smile on her face. “Mistress, may I kiss your shoes?”

“You may.”

Ten minutes later, I have her rigged to the cross on the wall. Her beautiful body is wrapped in my ropes, waiting for me to command her to come. I love how gorgeous she is when she’s like this.

“You look beautiful, my good girl,” I praise her. “Would you like my paddle, flogger, or my hand to turn your ass that beautiful pink color you know I love?”

“Whatever my mistress desires,” Becca answers.

“Very well.” I begin to spank her with my open hand several times in rapid succession. Like the pro she is, she knows to count and thank me for each slap. On my tenth one, I check in on her. “Could I get a color, pet?”

“Green,” she breathes.

“The ropes aren’t too tight?”

“No, Mistress. Thank you.”

I work her body over until she’s begging to come. Becca’s body is tense as I rub my hands down her back until I reach the swell of her ass. She keens as her body tries to meet mine in the middle. “Your ass is a beautiful shade of rosy pink. Pet, you have pleased me greatly.”

She moans in the back of her throat. “Mistress, thank you for letting me please you.”

“Do you think you deserve for me to make you come?” I taunt.

“Whatever my mistress would like.” Her voice sounds forced, as if she’s struggling. I know she wants to reach her orgasm.

I smile, grabbing one of the vibrators that are next to the cross. Taking the pink one, I bring it to her lips. “Suck, pet.”

She sucks the toy between her mouth with her eyes looking at me. Becca’s tongue laves over the toy to get it wet. I pinch her nipples between my fingers until she gasps from the pain. I bite down on her right one, flicking my tongue over it to numb the sting.

“My pet is greedy tonight.” I wink at her with my teeth, sinking into her nipple. “You are so hot to the touch, lover. Have you been thinking of me?”

“All the time, Mistress. Please get me off.”

Taking the toy from her lips, I trail it over her nipples, turning the vibrations on.

My tongue traces the trek of the tip until it reaches her shaved mound.

My tongue flicks against her clit. Her head flies back at my assault.

It isn’t long before she’s screaming loudly as she charges toward her release.

“Ask my permission before you come, pet,” I remind her with my mouth sucking her clit.

“I’m going to come. Please let me come,” she begs.

I’ve considered giving her an orgasm denial, but Becca is a great submissive. I love the trust we have for each other and how much she enjoys pleasing me. Becca loves to visit me at the club, and she has been my bunny during shows. She’s beautiful as she shoves her pussy into my mouth.

“You may come,” I instruct her. I push her over the edge after three more licks, a nibble, and the toy plunging inside of her. “That’s it. That’s my good girl.”

I begin the process of unraveling her so we can do our aftercare. Becca’s body is limp when she falls on me, and I kiss her lips. “You did magnificent, my pet.” I help her over to the bed, lay her down in the middle, and go to the fridge to get her things.

Laying next to her, I feed her a couple of strawberries and give her sips from a water bottle. She’s resting on my chest with a look of contentment and euphoria. She finishes four strawberries and drinks half of the water bottle before sighing.

“Thank you, Mistress,” she whispers.

“Thank you for serving me.”

“I can come back later, and we can…”

I smile against her neatly braided hair. “I have another client. Thank you, though.”

“Mistress, permission to speak?”

“This is your time, lover,” I encourage her.

“Is every time going to be this intense with you?”

I smirk. “If we are really lucky.”

After helping Becca get dressed, she lingers for another moment. “Yes?” I ask.

“I just want you to know how much you mean to me,” she whispers. She kisses me on the lips before leaving.

This isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last time that one of my clients has confessed to having feelings for me. It means a lot to me that they trust me with their needs enough to care about me. I genuinely care about my clients, with their best interests at heart.