Club X

After picking up her panties, Heath handed them to Lila, along with her robe, and once she'd covered herself, he bent and picked up the leash handle. Shaking his head in disgust he led her from the room, telling her quietly as they left that she'd have to follow behind him at a respectable distance with her head bowed, in order to keep up the appearance of an obedient sub with her Dom.

Now they

really

were being forced to play the part of a Dom with his sub. And it fucking sucked.

Once they'd gotten to the room, after what he'd just done to her, whipping her with a bull whip for cripe's sake, Heath's hands were shaking so badly he could barely unfasten her collar. Finally Lila covered her hands with his, and made him stop to look at her. "Heath, it's okay, I understand, and it's not your fault. I realize you're just trying to keep me from being given to Lars. I know why you had to go all Dom on me and make me wear a collar. I was right there, I heard every word The Den Keeper said, remember?"

Rolling his eyes at what she'd said, finally his fingers seemed to work, and Heath managed to get the collar off her slender neck, and when he did, he hurled it against the wall with all his might. Then he turned on her. "Do you even hear what you're saying, Lila? In what kind of a world are people bought and sold, especially to be used as sex slaves. Last time I checked slavery had been abolished pretty well around the world, and yet you're standing here saying you understand why I had to put a collar on you, and treat you like a fucking dog, walking you around on a leash in order to protect you from being claimed by that twisted prick Lars? We both know that none of this is normal. The way this club is run is not even legal. The real BDSM community preaches that everything practiced should be safe, sane and consensual, and that's sure as hell not how it works in here. Everyone in here is supposed to have consented to what's being done to them, and that's sure as fuck's not true. And I swear it's going to stop tonight." The muscle in his jaw ticking, he pointed a finger at her. "You are going to get dressed and I am taking you home. You can't stay here with me anymore. It's just not safe in here for you."

Lila carefully approached him and placed her hand over his, doing her best to calm him down, she said quietly, "I know, you're right. But I just can't go yet, Heath, not until the weeks over."

Heath looked at her confused. "You think I give a shit about the bid I won. Can't you see that none of that matters? I don't care what I paid or how long you were meant to stay with me. I'll help you get out of here, and if anyone asks, I'll just say you had a change of heart, and that you realized you're not into the lifestyle and you wanted out - and that I agreed to let you go."

Lila knew she couldn't tell him the truth, the consequences would be too great, but she also knew there was no way she could leave until the week was up. So she said the only thing she could think of, "But what if I said I want to stay?"

His eyes shot open. "And risk winding up with Lars?" Heath took her by the shoulders. "Baby, if that guy ever got his hands on you, he'd fuckin' eat you alive. This has gone far enough. I don't know what you're really doing here. But you are not staying here another night. So get dressed and I'll make sure you get out of here, and get home safe."

Letting out a breath, Lila finally looked in his eyes and said, "I can't go, Heath, not yet, not till the weeks up, no matter if I want to or not."

Studying her face, Heath asked, "Why not? I told you that I don't care about the auction, or the damn money."

Sinking onto the bed, turning her gaze up to his, she said, "Okay, you want to tell me why

you're

really here, then?"

Dropping down beside her, he swiped a hand over his face, trying to decide if he should just tell her the truth, and hoped his instincts were right, and that she wasn't

one of them

. Finally he looked over at her and told her, "I think my kid sister died in here."

Lila's eyes widened as she let out a gasp. "Oh, Heath, that's awful. I'm so sorry." Reaching out she covered his hand with hers. "How did she die, what happened to her?"

Although he hated to say it, he told her the truth. "The authorities think it might have been a drug overdose. But I believe she was sold at an auction and the person who bought her might have had a hand in her death."

Lila stared at him stunned, finally asking, "And do you have any idea who might have bought her?"

Heath nodded and forced himself to say the bastard's name. "Lars." He didn't want to tell her too much, but he thought she needed to know exactly how dangerous the asshole really was.

Her hands twisting in her lap, she shivered. No wonder Lars seemed so terrifying. Looking at him again, she asked, "How did you find out it was him?"

No way did he want to get her tangled up in his investigation, especially since he suspected she had her own demons involving this place, so he said, "It doesn't matter. But I know he was the one who won the bid on her, and he bought her for five grand for a week. And I know according to the people she hung out with, that she was heavily into drugs by then, so there's no way she could have given her consent or probably even understood what was happening to her when he paid for her."

"How old was she?"

Heath was studying the floor, as he said, "Just nineteen. Karen left home a few months before, when she was still only eighteen, right after she finished high school with some clown she thought she was in love with. And from what I've learned the little shit got her hooked on drugs and then took advantage of her, and finally brought her in here to be sold to the highest bidder - probably just for drug money." Then he looked over at her and shook his head. "Just like what happened to you, isn't it? You were put on the auction block, too. Now you want to tell me what you're really doing in here? And please don't try and tell me you were just curious about the lifestyle, because we both know that's a lie."

As much as she trusted him, Lila knew she couldn't tell him the entire truth, not with the threats hanging over her head if she ever let anyone know why she was here. So she finally told him something that she hoped would appease his curiosity. "I got myself mixed up with someone who took off and left me with no choice but to come in here and let myself be auctioned off."

Frowning, he looked at her. "What kind of trouble would make you wind up in here?"

"The worse kind of trouble," she finally admitted.

"So, you're here to pay off a debt?"

Her pulse leapt and she nervously licked her lips as she quickly said, "I never said that." If he shared even the little bit she'd just inadvertently shared with anyone else, she knew the consequences could be disastrous for her and her entire family.

Heath wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her close. "You didn't have to. It wasn't hard to figure out. And now you have to stay for a week to repay the debt?"

When she barely nodded her head, he asked, "How much do you owe?"

Lila stubbornly shook her head. That was something she'd never to tell him. And how could she, after he'd already spent twenty thousand dollars trying to protect her. "It doesn't matter, I only have to stay for a few more days and the debt'll be repaid, and I can leave."

He hated to tell her that it might not be that simple, and she could very well still be on the hook even after her debt was supposedly repaid. He'd heard rumors back when he was still on the police force, of a high profile police chief being blackmailed by the owner of a sex den for giving into his need to be dominated by other men. It seemed they had pictures of him naked and restrained while being flogged by two naked, heavily muscled Doms - which the sex den owners felt sure he would never want shown to the press, or his peers.

This was why he wasn't all together sure that Lila should believe whatever she'd been promised by whomever she owed the money to, once she'd agreed to come to this kinky little chamber of horrors to fulfill her debt.

But at least he knew the real reason she was here. Not that knowing the truth would do anything to protect her from a certain slime-ball, intent on claiming her as his.

Realizing how tense she looked, Heath pulled her onto his lap, and began gently massaging her scalp, running his hand through the silky softness of her hair, he told her, "I still don't like you being here. We both know this is an awful place, and it's definitely not safe, especially for you." After what had happened to his sister, there was no way in hell he'd let any harm come to Lila.

Reaching up and cupping his cheek in her hand, Lila looked into his eyes. "But when I'm with you I feel safe." At least so far, since he'd jumped in to help her whenever she'd felt threatened.

Shaking his head, he heaved a sigh, wondering what he'd done right to find someone as sweet and trusting as she was, especially in such a horrible rotten place as this. Wrapping his arms tight around her, he said, "Then I guess I'm just going to have to do my damndest to be sure nothing happens to you until you're free to go home." But he still wished he could find a way to make her leave.

For the rest of the afternoon, Heath tasked himself with listing all the kinky devices he could think of in the playroom - along with how they were normally used. Then he tried to think of ways to use some of the things that he would make it appear he was really going to town on her, like the Dom he was meant to be, while still managing to keep her safe from any further harm - because he was not going to mark her again.

He'd seen the barely visible welts on her back, and no matter how light they were he hated to think that he'd actually been the one who'd put them there. They still had four more days to keep up the Dom and sub routine, and then she'd be able to go home. And with any luck that would be the end of it for her, and her debt would be repaid, and she could walk out and never look back.

He, on the other hand, still had an investigation to conduct. And until he discovered exactly what had led to his sister's death and who might have been involved, he wasn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon.

The next morning after they'd shared breakfast in their room, once Lila was back in the collar and leashed, they left to try and go back to the first playroom they'd used, since it at least had less surveillance equipment.

Approaching the room a tall, pretty brunette in a familiar black silk robe and heels sauntered up to Heath in the hallway, excitedly throwing her arms around his neck, and before he could even stop her, she'd quickly pulled him into a hot open mouth kiss. Once he'd backed away, noticing someone behind him, the woman took a look over his shoulder at Lila being led on the leash, and her eyes lit up as she muttered, "Lucky bitch," with no real venom in her voice, and as though to prove it she even gave Lila a coy little smile and a wink. Then the sultry brunette looked up at Heath, frowning. "Why didn't you ever collar me, Heath? You know I would have loved it." She then attempted to run a long red fingernail around his lips, but he took hold of her by the wrist and gently pulled her hand away.

Lila, standing behind him narrowed her eyes on his broad back. It had occurred to her then she wouldn't have been his first conquest in a place that only existed for sexual experimentation and gratification, but it still hurt to see the other woman fawning over him like she still had some claim to him. Then her eyes shot open and a horrible feeling came over her, when it occurred to her - perhaps she still did, and Lila was the third wheel in this little scenario - and of course in a few days she'd be gone. So the pushy brunette could waltz right back and take up right where they'd left off - before he'd impulsively bought the rights to be with her for a week.

Perhaps realizing that Heath had no intention of reciprocating her affections, the woman stepped around him, appreciatively licking her lips as she drank in the sight of Lila. Walking around her in a slow circle, she asked, "You ever think of offering this one up for a three-way, Heath, then sign me up. I'd love to have a taste of her. She's gorgeous, and I'll bet she'd be a wild ride, too."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Heath took Lila by the hand, and led her away from the pretty brunette, leaving her disappointedly staring after him as he said over his shoulder, "Sorry, Shar, never gonna happen. See you around."

And Lila had no doubt he

would

see her again with the way the other woman's eyes had darkened with desire as they raked over Heath from the top of his dark head to his long bare feet - which also got Lila wondering exactly how many women he'd been with since he'd been coming here, before she wrinkled her nose realizing that she probably really didn't want to know.

Once they got in the playroom, Heath unclipped the leash on her collar at the door, but when he bent his head for a quick kiss, Lila turned her face away. Frowning, he took hold of her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes and asked, "Something wrong?"

When her brow shot up accusingly and she crossed her arms over her chest, he started to grin. "For a woman with such pretty blue eyes, I'd say you're no more immune to the effects of the green-eyed monster than I am."

Keeping her arms defensively crossed right where they were, Lila dropped her gaze refusing to meet his eyes, muttering, "I have no idea what you mean."

Running a finger along her jaw, he said, "Sure you do. You're upset about Shar coming onto me, aren't you?"

Lila finally looked him in the eye. "I imagine there's little point in me being upset about the women you sleep with in a place like this, since they probably number in the hundreds. So, I don't think it's really any of my business who else you're doing, and to be honest, I could really care less."

Smiling into her eyes, he said, "Liar."

Eyes flying open, she said, "Why should I care what you do? You paid for me, and for the next few days I'm yours to do with as you please, and after that I can leave. And I'm sure you'll be staying on and no doubt be hooking up with her and every other woman in here who catches your eye."

Heath was so flattered that she was jealous over him that he could barely wrap his mind around it. Someone as gorgeous as she was could probably have any guy she wanted, and yet she seemed to be into in him. And now that she'd proven it with her little show of jealousy, he couldn't help himself, not really giving a shit where they were, he tugged her into his arms, dropped his head and really laid one on her. Finally, although kicking herself, she gave in and returned his kiss, gradually matching and even surpassing the level of heat, as she wantonly wrapped a slender leg around his hip and pressed her sex to his as he supported her sweet little ass in his hands, lifting her right off the ground.

Finally Heath drew back, huffing out an unsteady breath, already hard as a rock, just from the heat of their kiss. But before they got going today he felt he needed to set a few things straight. Tipping up her chin, holding her gaze, he said, "You know I'm really not as big a dog as you might think. And I hope you know that I would never cheat on you, Lila. It's just not in me." And as for her reminding him that they'd only gotten together because he'd paid for her at the auction, he didn't know what to say to that, because it was true. If he hadn't outbid that waste of life Lars, then they wouldn't be together now. But the fact was, once she left, he couldn't imagine never seeing her again. In the short time they'd been together, it was like she'd become a part of him. He realized he didn't only want her sexually, but in every way imaginable. And right now, more than anything, he wanted to keep her safe, so he knew they should get busy and start

playing

or they'd being arousing not only themselves, but also the management's suspicions.

That little episode with Shar had given Lila a lot to think about. He'd sounded pretty sincere when he'd implied that while she was here they'd be exclusive, and she really did want to believe him. But she couldn't get over the idea of Shar and another woman having a three-way with him. Finally she bit down on her lip and asked him, "Have you really been in a three-way with her before?"

Heath was happy to say that he could honestly say no, since at least with

Shar

, he hadn't. Hugging her tight, he whispered in her ear, "Just so you know, Shar may look pretty, but she's scary as hell in bed. I was only with her once before I discovered that she tends to go nuts in the sack - biting, scratching, kicking, and even letting her fists fly - apparently it's the only way she can get off. Seems she's the type that needs a certain level violence to really enjoy herself. But lucky for her, one day I came across a guy in the coffee shop with the same

little problem

and introduced them, and they seemed to hit it off - literally."

Lila began to grin thrilled to hear he wasn't interested in hooking up with the lusty brunette again. "This really is one crazy place isn't it?"

Heath nodded, although she had no idea. The stuff he'd witnessed since he'd been coming here, never mind all the weird shit he'd only heard about, would probably be enough to curl her hair. It was like Grand Central Station of kink, where likeminded people met to act out everything humanly imaginable, with anyone willing to let them. And he had to admit, he'd be glad when he got what he needed for his investigation, and got the hell out of here, too. This really wasn't him, and he never wanted it to be.

Glad that was over with, Heath led Lila over to another table with various restraining devises and unclipped her leash, leaving the collar in place on her neck. "Strip," he ordered her without preamble. She quickly obeyed aware this would be their new normal whenever they were in a playroom, keenly aware that their

observers

were watching their every move.

Once she'd removed the robe, along with her incredibly sexy midnight blue lace bra and panties, leaving on her heels, she hopped up on the table. "Lie back," he commanded, already feeling himself getting hard, just from the jaw-dropping sight of her naked. Searching around, Heath found a tube in one of the drawers and put a tiny dab of the red gel on his fingertip, then carefully applied it to each of her areolas with a gentle swirling motion, and watched as Lila's eyes flew open wide as the warm tingling sensation shot right through her. "Oh, my God, that feels amazing. What is it?" she asked him.

"I think it's got cinnamon or something in it, but apparently it's harmless." He smiled. "The light burn is pretty arousing though, huh?"

Already digging her fingernails into the table for dear life with her hips shifting frantically from the insanely erotic tingle, she'd sure as hell say so. Her breasts already heaving, she panted, "Oh, yeah, it's arousing all right."

Softly chuckling at her reaction, with his other hand he spread her thighs. "Now let's just put a dab on your pussy to see how you like it." Parting her legs nice and wide, he made sure to rub another little smidgeon on the tight little rosebud between her butt cheeks, too.

And when he did, Lila's hips nearly shot off the table, panting and gripping the edge of the table, she cried out, "Oh, my god, I think I'm coming. And I can't hold back. What the hell, Heath!"

Watching her reaction, suddenly rock hard, Heath fisted his rigid cock in his hand and rubbed a little on the very tip. His eyes instantly slamming shut, as the most amazing rush of heat shot to his balls and then straight up his spine, before setting off what felt like an explosion behind his eyelids.