Page 100 of Their Famous Dominant (Office Intrigue Duet 4)
Tonight, Troy seemed a little harder to read than Clarissa even if his expressions weren’t nearly as guarded. I could tell he was eager but cautious all the same. My thoughts drifted back to earlier, when I’d fucked his mouth for all I was worth. Troy had been exactly what I’d needed in the moment. So much so, it had left me somewhat shaken myself. Not a normal response, for sure.
I definitely looked forward to more time with both of them. However, I had some business to attend to. After that, they would be all mine for the rest of the evening and I would finally have the opportunity to put us back on an even keel.
While I greeted the members, I continued to sneak glances of Clarissa and Troy. They’d taken a seat as I’d requested but neither of them seemed to be relaxing. Granted, I couldn’t necessarily blame them.
Although Troy was keeping his lips firmly closed, likely holding back a dozen questions, I noticed Clarissa seemed quite content to do only what I told her to. She hadn’t questioned the collar or the leash, both of which I’d merely used as an intimidation tool. As I’d feared, Clarissa had very little reaction at all and that worried me. I could tell she was willing to please me in any way that I saw fit, but I had to wonder why she seemed to be fighting me tooth and nail.
I’d enjoyed spending time with the woman these past few days. Despite the fact she tested my control, I wanted more time with her. I had the overwhelming urge to pull her close, to protect her. However, I sensed she needed something more than that. Her inner submissive had been dormant for so long I was eager to draw it out, to give her the things I knew she craved.
But it was almost like Clarissa the woman and Clarissa the submissive were two different people. I’d recognized that the moment she stepped in the door. It was as though she was merely a body for me to use while she was in my presence. Had I insisted she strip and wander around the club naked, I knew she would’ve done that as well. Not that I was opposed to doing exactly that. I was merely gauging the situation, determining what would work best for the two of them tonight.
But I knew Clarissa well enough to know she had the ability to speak up when she was opposed to something. I had seen her interacting with Xander and Mercedes plenty of times, as well as others at Devotion, so her docile obedience was bothering me. She wasn’t meek and timid by any means, so why she acted as though she was confused me.
As for me, I was still debating on what I wanted to do. While I did enjoy spending time in the dungeon, I had a penchant for bondage and I tended to keep my scenes to rooms that could easily accommodate anything I came up with. Since tonight was Troy’s first time in a club, as well as his first time doing a scene, I figured I would go simple on him to start. A little privacy was best where he was concerned.
As the activities were beginning to pick up, I continued having conversations, making an appearance, greeting the new members. I wanted them to know I was there and available should they need me for anything. That was one of the reasons I enjoyed the clubs I was a part of. It allowed me to be the man, not the award-winning actor, which wasn’t something I was able to do often.
“Things are coming along nicely. More attendance,” Xander said when he appeared at my side. “I saw Christian and Tristan came tonight.”
I reached out a hand to shake his. “It’s been slow, but we’re getting there.”
There were quite a few more warm bodies here than I’d expected. I wasn’t sure how word had gotten out that Zeke would be here, but it appeared to be the case. There were several new faces, some already trotting along behind the Sadist.
“Are you satisfied with the turnout?” Xander asked.
“I’d be lying if I said yes. The Chicago club is doing significantly better. Most nights, certainly on Friday and Saturday, we’re generally at capacity with six hours from open to close.” I glanced around. “I know we’ll get there eventually, but I feel like I’m letting the members down.”
“I assure you, they don’t see it that way. In fact, they appreciate your concern for their privacy. You want my advice?” he asked.
Surprised he hadn’t merely dished it out, I grinned. “Nice of you to offer.”
He chuckled. “I suggest you completely step back from the membership aspect. Let Dylan and Sarah handle it. Have Troy represent you. They can reach out to me and Mercedes or any of the other Masters for help. I know you want to be the front man, but you should save your energy for talking to the members once they’ve been vetted.”
