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  She frowned, those large hazel eyes growing distant as a troubling thought stole her concentration. If he had to guess, he’d say he hit the nail on the head with his observation.

  “That aside, if I allow you to leave now, the man you just had a run in with is likely to follow you out. He may even follow you home.”

  The girl stiffened, renewed anxiety prompting her to look back towards the man they’d left behind.

  He stopped her progress when he caught her jaw between a thumb and forefinger, forcing her focus back to him.

  “You will stay, and when it’s safe, I’ll see to it you arrive home safely.” He allowed the low rumble of a purr to ease free of his chest, coaxing the tension from her shoulders with a rapidness she couldn’t fight. “In the meantime, you’ll continue to act as my guest.”

  The girl balked, taking an unconscious step back. Judging by the look on her face, it wasn’t only indignation at his commanding tone that had her seeking to put distance between them. The faintest trace of fear had returned to the air.

  “I didn’t know, I mean. I wouldn’t have come if…”

  “If you knew what sort of club it was,” Daniel supplied.

  Her cheeks flushed with humiliation, a reluctant nod cementing what he’d already suspected. Written all over that pretty face were the hurt feelings spawned by the knowledge that she’d been a pawn in someone else's game.

  He itched to draw her against his chest, stroking and petting until she forgot the insult. Daniel thought it doubtful that she would appreciate the sentiment. So, instead, he offered words.

  “Being taken advantage of is nothing for you to be ashamed of. The person who brought you here without explaining is the one who should be ashamed.” He cleared his throat, shifting his position so he might settle a hand between her shoulders and urge her forward. “I need to make an appearance downstairs. You’ll accompany me.”

  He knew it was selfish, but the idea of watching the little Omega take in the sights and sounds below excited him. He was curious just how innocent she was, and her response to the lower level was likely to reveal more about that part of her nature than she herself ever would.

  “I won’t make you participate. In fact, if anyone asks, we’ll say your punishment for wandering away is that you are not allowed to engage.” He slid a coy smirk her way, amused by the suspicion he saw in her expression. “No one will question an Alpha enacting that kind of discipline, and I expect you can handle sitting by idly for a while.”

  Chapter Three

  Reluctant and a little overwhelmed, Meghan allowed him to lead her down the stairs into another section of the club. It was darker here, and the air was thick with pheromones and the smell of sex. The scent of Alpha seed was so overwhelming that it forced her to take shallow breaths to avoid the head-spinning reaction it often inspired in Omegas.

  At first glance, it wasn’t obvious. There were patrons dancing, drinking in plush booths, or standing around in small groups talking. As they progressed, she began to catch glimpses of the more clandestine activities that were taking place.

  A man near the bar was getting head from a woman on her knees. In one of the corner booths, a woman on her hands and knees was being spit roasted by two very eager partners. Had there been no music, the moans and screams of people having sex would no doubt take its place.

  The further into the space they went, the more obvious it became. Towards the back of the room, the setup allowed for a more formal display. A padded sawhorse, a seat less chair, a classic BDSM cross; All occupied by bound people being tended by their larger Alpha counterparts with spectators gathered around to watch. Meghan averted her eyes, her cheeks darkening for a second time as the Alpha led her towards a seating area nearby.

  In front of a plush leather chair, the male paused, one hand coming to rest against her nape as he turned to face her and leaned in close. “This is my regular seat. As a founding member, I’m expected to make an appearance, even if it’s only a short one. Please turn around and sit down on the floor between my knees.”

  In contrast to the near sympathetic tone he’d used upstairs, there was now an air of authority to his words that made her stomach flutter and clench. Her skin prickled as the heat of his breath washed across the shell of her ear, and she gave a little shiver when he lowered his hands to her waist and urged her to turn.

  She went easily enough, surprised at her willingness to obey a complete stranger. The downward press of his hands against her hips had her knees bending in reflex. When her shoes made her wobble with the effort of lowering herself to the floor, the male’s hands appeared beneath her elbows, bracing her descent until she was on her knees. The heat of him vanished as he sat down but returned when the man’s knees came into view on either side of her current position. Contrary to how she expected to feel framed in by the thick, powerful thighs of a stranger, Meghan felt safe from the happenings around them.

  For a while they sat in silence, with Meghan’s eyes directed at the floor in a studious attempt to avoid the indecent show happening before them. The longer they sat, the harder it was to ignore. The environment made it even more challenging. The heat of a male at her back and the scent of who knew how many aroused Alphas was wreaking havoc on her system.

  Perhaps that was why she was unable to stop herself from peeking. Once, twice. Eventually she gave way staring. The scents and sounds were intoxicating, and the filthy show the patrons were making of their intimacy was entrancing.

  When she felt the bubbling of arousal heat her panties, Meghan became distracted from her voyeurism. She cleared her throat, grateful for the dim lighting of the club which disguised the shameful blush that flooded her cheeks when she realized she was enjoying what should have offended her sensibilities.

  ***

  Daniel could tell she’d tried hard not to watch, but it hadn’t lasted. It wasn’t possible for her to resist the lure with so many Alphas clouding the air with their pheromones and lust in close proximity. She’d given way to watching, no doubt transfixed. Her body language betrayed her interest before the faint scent of Omega slick ever reached his nose. She angled forward curiously and shifted her weight, her shoulders rising and falling each time she scented the room.

  He thought her shy, judging by her behavior, but that wasn’t uncommon for her dynamic. She may not have belonged here, but she wasn’t an innocent and didn’t appear to be a prude either. Her arousal told him that much.

  Daniel leaned forward so that his cheek came to rest against the side of her head near her ear. She jerked in surprise, leaning away. Daniel offered the low rumble of his purr as an apology for startling her. “What do you think of the show?”

  She huffed, squirming, a thing he assumed had something to do with the fact that her panties were wet, considering the scent of her arousal had grown stronger. “To each their own, I guess.”

  “Indeed. It’s been so long since I discovered my love for this lifestyle that I almost can’t imagine what it must seem like to you. I confess, I’m curious.”

  “I don’t know,” she muttered, “If it’s what they like, and everyone is willing...” The girl shrugged a shoulder.

  “Yes, but how do you feel about it?” he coaxed, unwilling to let the subject rest. He was far too curious about her. He couldn’t just let it go.

  She leaned away, angling so that she could see him.

  Daniel smiled lazily, careful to keep his expression mild. He knew what she saw when she looked at him. He’d been told more than once what a picture he made. His chestnut colored waves were side parted and smoothed back with care. Green eyes, which were currently focused intently on her, were a shade of emerald so vivid it was likely she hadn’t seen their equal. When one coupled his looks with the white collared button down and pressed slacks he wore, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be compared to a 50s Hollywood leading man sort of handsome. Judging by her expression, she liked what she saw.

  “I mean, it’s not really my kind of thing.�
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  “Is it the fact that it’s in public, or what’s happening in the session that isn’t your kind of thing?”

  “Mostly the first, but also some of the latter,” she confessed sheepishly.

  “Why does it bother you?” he asked curiously. “What specifically?

  “They just seem so… Vulnerable. So exposed.”

  He made a noise of acknowledgement, his attention shifting towards the show before them. “That is certainly true. But you see, that’s the point.” He slid her a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth quirking up when one of the bound women gave a squeal as her dominant partner landed a slap across one side of her ass. “Dominant/submissive relationships are built on trust and respect. The submissive trusts their dominant to protect them and keep them safe. They trust them to see to their pleasure, to test their limits and help them grow and experience things they may never have had the opportunity or bravery to on their own.”

  “Really,” Meghan mused distractedly. “What does the Dom get out of it?”

  Daniel took a deep breath, inhaling the girl’s scent as he continued to watch the happenings before them. She was fighting her interest, but he could sense it, practically taste it on the air. It made his stomach knot and grumble with a type of hunger he hadn’t felt in some time. “The Dominant is blessed with their partners submission and trust. They control the exchange. They guide the experience and their submissive so that both partners have the most pleasurable encounters possible. Anytime someone chooses to willingly give their submission to a Dominant, it’s a monumental gift. It’s something people in the lifestyle cherish. It’s a very singular and freeing experience.”

  “Huh.”

  ***

  The male’s husky purr had her mind wandering, daydreaming briefly about what it might feel like to have an Alpha working her body like those before her were handling their submissive partners. Wet heat gathered between her thighs, the fresh warmth abruptly reminding Meghan of where she was and why she needed to keep it together.

  Eyes were cast down again, as if to save her from the scene stretched out in front of her before it had the opportunity to damage her further. When a pair of shoes came to pause before her, she focused on those instead.

  Black and shiny, impossibly high, her eyes tracked toned legs up and up, further and further until the hem of a too-short dress appeared just in time to save the modesty of its wearer. Still her eyes climbed higher. A dancer’s body, lithe and trim, hands perched tensely on narrow hips, breasts too large for the frame that bore them, barely concealed as they were behind the deep v of the dress’s top. Plump lips painted dark were pressed in a thin line, the heavily shadowed eyes above them narrowed hatefully. Had it not been for the angry expression of the thin brunette before her with the curly hair and sparkling dress, she might have been pretty. But the look on her face made her ugly.

  “What the hell is this?”

  Meghan’s lashes fluttered in surprise. Though the Beta was clearly looking at her, the comment was directed toward the man at her back. Suddenly uncomfortable with her vulnerable position, Meghan shifted, putting a hand to the Alpha’s knee as she attempted to leverage herself up from the floor. Her ass had only just lifted from its place against her heels when the weight of a hand settled against the nape of her neck. His thumb rested over the junction between throat and shoulder, its companions curling along the opposite side of that slender column as the male pressed her down.

  Despite his silence, the command was clear: Stay. Her resistance was subtle, a moment of strain before her muscles gave way beneath the insistent pressure. Rear settled once more against her heels, Meghan returned anxious eyes to the potential threat towering over her.

  “Tuesday is our day! Who the hell is this?” the Beta female demanded shrilly, her shouting loud enough that Meghan could practically feel the eyes of nearby patrons turning to see what the fuss was about.

  “Lower your voice, Sheila.” She heard the Alpha’s rumble clear as day, despite the noise of the club. The instruction was given cleanly, his tone edged with warning. “Tuesday’s haven’t been our day in weeks. Not since your last tantrum, if you’ll recall. She is my guest. That is all you need to know.”

  The other woman huffed, hands balling into fists as she stomped a foot petulantly. “That’s bullshit! Six months, Alpha. Six months you’ve been mine on Tuesdays! You should have at least given notice if you were going to take on some… slut.”

  Meghan winced at the name, recoiling as if she’d been struck. The male’s grip tightened, his thumb rubbing lightly along the side of her throat as he forced her to continue enduring the unpleasantness of the situation. “I am not yours, Sheila,” the Alpha asserted dispassionately. “Nor are you mine. Our arrangement has never been formalized, and I see now that my hesitancy in doing so was well founded. Your behavior is unacceptable. Apologize to my guest. Now.”

  The female balked, fury twisting delicate features as she glared down on Meghan in disbelief. “I will not! You should be apologizing to me! You arrogant piece of shi—”

  “Now, Sheila,” the Alpha repeated, the resonating threat of violence dancing closer to the surface of the male’s mood. “Or I will have you banned.”

  That stopped the brunette’s tirade in its tracks. Eyes wide, she took a step back. “You wouldn’t!” She folded her arms over her chest protectively, as if the male had threatened physical harm.

  Meghan held her breath, the tension radiating between the two parties catching her up in the crosshairs of their disagreement and leaving the sensitive Omega anxious. Alphas weren’t known for controlling their tempers, and even the public setting didn’t promise safety once you stepped over the line. The Alpha at her back wasn’t angry yet, but the change in the air suggested danger.

  “Are you sure about that?”

  The woman hesitated, looking back and forth between Meghan and the man behind her uncertainly. “I thought we had something special….” She pouted, trying a different angle since her first approach hadn’t worked.

  “What we had was temporary, and ultimately forgettable. Apologize.”

  The coldness of the man’s tone served its purpose. The woman before her wilted, wounded feelings clinging to damaged pride as she fidgeted. Meghan dared to look up at her and felt a pang of pity when she saw the telltale shimmer of tears gathering in the woman’s eyes.

  “I-I’m sorry.” The brunette sniffed. “I’m done with this. You can have him!” She turned on her heel, disappearing into the crowd without a backward glance.

  Chapter Four

  Meghan’s shoulders slumped in relief as the woman vanished, her lungs expelling a great whoosh of air she didn’t realize she’d been holding. The little altercation only cemented what she already knew. She didn’t belong here. Realizing that her hand was still on the Alpha’s knee, she gave a push, attempting to lift herself from the floor. She’d gotten no further than the first time she attempted it when the man’s thighs closed around her, holding her in place with the bulk of unmoving muscles.

  “I’m sorry about that.” The heat of his breath teased at her ear, his words rich and his tone rumbling with the faintest hint of a purr. “Don’t mind her. She has a flair for the dramatic.” Meghan shivered.

  “I-I think I should go.”

  His fingertips curled over the top of her shoulder, teasing along her collar bone. She heard him inhale, his cheek rustling her hair lightly. “You were just starting to enjoy yourself, too. It’s a shame. Are you sure you don’t want to stay and watch? I assure you, you’ll be perfectly safe.”

  Her eyes widened, cheeks burning with the mortifying realization that the Alpha must have scented her arousal.

  “N-No. I just… I just want to go home. Please.”

  The male sighed against her, the noise full of mock disappointment. The press of his thighs abated as he rose from his chair, bending forward to offer upturned palms in support.

  Hesitantly, Meghan placed her hands in hi
s, allowing the Alpha to pull her easily to her feet. She swayed unsteadily on the spiked heels, biting her lip when her backside brushed against the heated wall of muscle behind her.

  He held steady, not releasing her hands until her swaying had ceased. Once she seemed sure of her footing, he slid out from behind her to stand at her side. She sent him a covert glance when he offered her his elbow, only to find the corner of his mouth quirked up in a way that drew attention to a sexy dimple in his cheek. Meghan dipped her head as she slipped a tentative arm through his, hoping he couldn’t see how red her cheeks were.

  If he did, the man said nothing of it. He led them back through the crush of club goers and up the stairs to the main level, where the stench of sex wasn’t as strong. In the lobby he turned them away from the main entrance, moving towards an unfamiliar hall on the other end of the room.