After Master Merrick handed her the glass of wine, he took his leave.

Shiori sipped her wine. This definitely wasn’t the house special. She looked around and realized she was still getting curious stares. It would be interesting to see who approached her first. When she turned, she realized part of the reason for the attention she’d garnered was the young submissive sitting at her feet. “You may look at me,” she said softly.

He tipped his head back and gazed at her with wonder.

Oh, how she’d missed that. “What’s your name?”

“Justin, Mistress.”

“Well, Justin. Why are you sitting at my feet?”

“Because I want to serve you tonight, Mistress.”

She took another long sip of the luscious red wine and considered him. He was young—twenty-two at the most. He had the blond hair, sharply defined cheekbones, and icy blue eyes she associated with a Nordic gene pool. He wore a tiny pair of black athletic shorts and the green bracelet that identified him as a submissive.

“I can strip so you can decide whether my body pleases you,” he offered.

“Tell me, Justin. Do you have a preference on whether you submit to a Master or a Mistress?”

“No, Mistress, no preference.”

Such a shame. She didn’t waste time with men who went both ways. She smoothed her hand over his soft hair. “I appreciate your honesty. You’re dismissed.”

He lowered his head, and his shoulders slumped. “Thank you, Mistress, for the consideration.”

She wandered over to the bar.

The bartender smiled at her and offered his hand. “I’m Greg.”

She shook his hand, noticing he didn’t wear a bracelet. “Mistress B. I’m new to this club, and I’m not exactly sure what that signifies.” She gestured to the black band around his biceps.

“The black bands are worn by security, although that’s a loose interpretation of what I do. I float between keeping an eye on the rooms to make sure the rules are being followed, to pouring drinks, to providing certain services to submissives as well as Masters and Mistresses.”

“‘Certain services’ sounds ominous.”

He shrugged. “It means sometimes I function as a third player in threesomes. Or mete out discipline. I intervene if a submissive uses their safe word in a scene. Pretty much jack-of-all-trades.”

“So is it like an apprentice level? Before you become a Master?”

“No. Black bands are their own station here. Not everyone aspires to be Dominant. Or submissive. We are the peacekeepers, and we keep the balance in check. We are neutral.”

“It’s the first I’ve heard of that kind of role in a club like this.”

“Merrick doesn’t define the club, except for the privacy policy. So the members run the gamut from hard-core pain sluts, to newly ‘out’ submissives who aren’t sure what aspect of BDSM appeals to them—although that’s usually limited to the Friday night membership—to dabblers in the lifestyle, to Dominants and subs just out for a good time, or on the flip side, Dominants and subs looking for a permanent partner. That means the membership fluctuates.” He grinned. “Which makes my job interesting.”

“I’ll bet. So are there any special events going on tonight?”

“A violet wand demo on the main floor. Besides that, just the usual.” He sipped from a bottle of water. “What specifically are you looking for tonight, Mistress B?”

“Are you asking because I sent Justin on his merry way?”

“I’m asking because maybe I can help you out.”

She smiled at him. “I’m interested only in hetero male subs, if you’re curious about me.”

He grinned back. “Never hurts to ask.”

Shiori finished her wine and slid the empty glass toward him. “Thanks for the info.” She adjusted her vest and headed down the hallway to see what awaited her.

*   *   *

KNOX twisted the handle as he swung, sending the flogger to reconnect with the same section of skin as the last three blows. The man made a loud “uff” of pain and his Master stepped in.

“He’s done.”

“Sir, I can take more,” the man in the chains protested.

Knox didn’t get involved in the argument. While he had a break, he grabbed the towel, mopped his face, and stepped in front of the fan to cool down. He uncapped a bottle of water and drained the entire thing in four long swallows.

Master Rand motioned to him to help unhook his sub from the chains.