Independence: #4 Hayley (28 page)

“It is the season,” Dane said carefully.

Hayley looked from one to the other very slowly before opening the small purse on her hip and pulling out a familiar, popular rectangle. She handed it to Gabe.

“I have Christmas songs on there. One thousand and sixty-two songs, actually,” she told him proudly.

Gabe stared, his hand rising cautiously. “You’re serious?”

“Yes, Sir,” she answered instantly. “I think Trans-Siberian Orchestra might suit the club.”

“A thousand…”

“And sixty-two,” she said proudly. “And I know Bailey could hook it into your system.”

“I didn’t know there were that many fucking Christmas…”

“Please?” Bailey had stopped pacing, her feet prancing and palms itching at her sides.

“And Trans-Siberian made Christmas music?”

“Yes, Sir, it’s quite good. There’s even several orchestral, choral styles that would suit the club,” Hayley swallowed, relieved when he took the small player.

“Low and not crazy wild music, pet,” Gabe handed the player to his sub. He watched her head shake and then nod in comprehension.

“Sir…” Bailey held the small device in one hand, her other up and touching the side of his face when he met her look, waiting patiently. “I love you.”

“Go,” he said with a laugh, his head shaking as he watched her run off toward the stairs, tiny tinkling bells that hung from her hips fading as she left.

“Why do I get the feeling that a perky little sub has managed to undermine your control?” Jack asked with a low chuckle.

“Speak for yourself,” Gabe tossed back with one severely arched brow. “It’s not something I’d ever thought possible…until I saw and felt it for myself.”

“Agreed,” Dane replied. “Would you mind a bit of a bar ornament for a few minutes while we prepare the scene?”

Before Hayley could respond, Dane nodded and Jack lifted her to sit on the edge of the bar. Her hands flailed a bit and landed on the chilled brass bar with a yelp.

“Breathe, pet,” Jack ordered firmly, taking the special collar from Dane and fastening it around her neck. “We’ll be back in a few minutes. Head up, shoulders back and eyes lowered.”

“Very nice,” Dane commented, striding off with Jack toward the open spaces to the left.

“Are you all right, Hayley?” Gabe shifted slightly, watching the new sub closely. He hadn’t been all that sure of hooking a new sub up with two practiced Dominants.

“I…well…I’m not accustomed to sitting on a bar, Sir,” Hayley answered cautiously, her hands gripping the edge. “But it’s not bad.”

“I’m relieved you’re not traumatized at being an ornament, Hayley,” Gabe rubbed the bridge of his nose. Evidently his humor showed in through in his voice because she looked up at him and very quickly lowered her gaze to the floor again. “But I was asking if winning the auction was working for the three of you. I’m sorry I wasn’t more clear.”

“Oh…Sir, sorry…I…” her head tipped slightly and she raised her eyes from the floor. “I didn’t know it would work out so well,” she said after a long pause, her voice shaking a little. “They’re…it’s as if they’re one person most of the time. They’re sweet and funny and considerate…and each one of them is so different yet…thank you for asking, Sir.”

“I’ve known them for a few years. Not all women are strong enough to be able to make the kind of assessment you’ve just outlined for me, Hayley.”

“I don’t feel strong sometimes,” she answered very softly.

“Maybe that will change over time with them,” he glanced toward Bailey where she stood chatting with a couple of the free subs who frequented the club. “I never believed I’d find someone who would make me feel alive…and grateful to be so. It’s the people we permit into our lives that enrich it.”

“They told you, didn’t they?” She continued to meet his gaze, swallowing hard. “About Neptune’s Dungeon…and my friend.”

“You can’t be part of their life without them being concerned about motivation, Hayley. I gave them the information I had,” he shrugged. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t much. I don’t know the name they gave me, either of your friend or the Dom she was involved with. But the clientele we attract is slightly different than what the Dungeon would attract. I believe in safe and sane and especially consensual. I expect the same from our members. I know there are places where the edges of those things is not only blurred, but flat out ignored.”

“I’ve known Bailey for a while. Tessa…I tried telling her it wasn’t quite right…”

“People…friends…aren’t always prepared to listen to good advice. It isn’t your fault,” he said firmly. “Jack and Dane aren’t like what you saw in the Dungeon. I think a part of you trusts your instincts, Hayley.”

“It’s a little scary,” she whispered. “A funny…good scary…”

“You’re stronger than you believe, Hayley.”

“People keep saying that to me…” her head shook. “But I don’t know who they see…”

“They see you…and what other’s see is always different than what we see of ourselves,” he stopped when his sub came bouncing over to him, her smile broad.

“Master Drew was flogging Adriana to the beat. It was so amazing to watch…” Bailey looked down at the pillow and took her place with a happy sigh, her head against his thigh.

“I’ll see that your iPod is returned to you, Hayley,” Gabe told her, his hand absently stroking through the loose red curls against his leg.

“I have another, Sir. Please, use it through the season. I understand that not all are as crazy about the season as I am…and I do make some uncomfortable,” Hayley sighed as her Dom’s approached from the side, their heads together as they chatted and walked.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Her hand rose slowly when several men and a female Domme walked past. While they looked her up and down, she knew without a doubt she was not only safe, but being approved of. Her shoulders straightened a little more and her gaze remained on her knees. Her fingers brushed over the thick red collar with a silver lock in the center. She’d only caught a brief glance at it when Jack pulled it from an inner pocket on his suit coat. She didn’t know he was even carrying it.

And now, they’d both shed their suit coats and shirt sleeves were rolled to their elbows. She couldn’t even hazard a guess as to what happened to the ties. With those two, they could be used for virtually anything. She shivered at the thought.

But it was a good, slightly anxious shiver. They hadn’t touched her yet she knew anticipation of their play and their touch could easily send her body over the edge.

“Hayley?” Jack had moved to stand in front of her, pressing her knees apart before placing both hands on her face and tipping it up. He stared for a quiet minute, the noise around them fading to a low buzz in her ears when his mouth touched hers.

She saw him. She knows she did. And felt him. His thighs were hard and pressing hers further apart. His fingers speared into the hair at the sides of her face and held on with tightly clenched fists filled with the pale brown thickness.

Her hands had been clenching the edge of the brass railing around the bar and they managed to tighten a bit more during the onslaught of his kiss. Hot and deep, his tongue surged forward; he pulled her not only into play, but far from the many paths her mind had been wandering.

“Don’t move your hands, Hayley,” Jack murmured against her mouth when she started to reach for him. “We’ll tell you when it’s all right for you to touch.”

He stepped back, his hands falling to her waist and lifting her to the floor. Jack dropped to one knee.

“Off with the heels, pet,” Dane told her, watching the heels be removed and dropped into the bag. “Now the dress.”

There was the slightest hesitation before she nodded almost imperceivably before reaching behind her and sliding the zipper down. A delicate shrug of her shoulders and the fabric pooled at her feet. She lifted one foot and then the other, watching Jack take the dress and fold it neatly before slipping it into their bag.

Dane and Jack were staring. It isn’t that they hadn’t seen every inch of her before. And it wasn’t as if they went through the drawers in her bedroom to have an idea of the sort of things she enjoyed buying and wearing on her own. But they hadn’t been prepared for deep, blood red hiding beneath the dress she wore.

The corset nipped her waist in and pushed her breasts up, the slightly darker edge of her nipples barely contained by the stiff edging of lace and satin. The panties matched, but it was the thick strip of lace that circled her hips and held up the old fashioned garters that were attached to the stockings. They were a pale opaque white with a wide lace band attached to the garters and shimmered beneath the sparkling Christmas lights throughout the club.

The interesting part was the occasional sprig of sewn on holly leaves. The satin was a deep green with tiny red berries and scattered along the edges of her corset and garters.

“I think I just heard Dom brain-fry,” came the deep voice from the side, long midnight hair pulled into a taut braid down his back. His hand was settled comfortably on the waist of his blonde.

“Evening, Shane,” Jack said without taking his eyes from the long stretch of leg before him. He rose slowly to his feet and inhaled very slowly. “Yeah…brain-fry. We caught ourselves a Christmas sub…”

“Merry Christmas, Shane,” Dane said, offering his palm. “You’re looking actually…jovial…”

The sarcasm was light but the blonde at his side quickly smothered a giggle and stared down at the floor. A mistake because she met Bailey’s glance and both of them suddenly began coughing.

“Go off with Claire, Bailey and get something for that cough,” Gabe ordered through his laugh, a much deeper, warmer sound than the feminine giggles.

“Hayley,” Jack waited until she met his gaze. “You can go off with them. Find some cold water bottles and we’ll find you in a few minutes.”

“Yes, Sirs,” she answered instantly, her hand caught by Bailey as they went off toward the small cantina packed with snacks, juice and very cold water.

“When am I not jovial?” Shane asked, raising a hand at the bartender at the far end. “Orange juice, Mike, please.”

All three of the other men laughed, their heads shaking.

“Maybe it’s the sub,” Jack teased, taking one of the glasses brought forward for them. “Thanks, Mike. We have a special night planned for our new sub.”

“They do seem to have an effect on us,” Gabe said into the companionable silence.

“As legal representative for the club,” intoned a laughing, dry voice. “I really can’t see a downside to happy, contented people.”

Greetings went around along with laughter and Colin grinned at his friends.

“You’re looking all festive,” Gabe remarked, taking in the bright plain red t-shirt and holly green vest.

“I’m a guy of style,” Colin told them, ignoring their chuckles.

“And your festive sub?” Jack asked, taking a long drink of his juice.

“Taking several boxes of treats to Marie in the kitchen. She claims she over baked, but I think she did it on purpose to have extra for the club,” he told them. “So there are some amazing pastries and cookies being set out as we speak.” He met Dane’s gaze. “The auction sub working out for you guys?”

“We’re working on a few things…” Dane responded, thinking back to their evening. “We met some of her relatives at the recital tonight,” he said when silence fell on the small group.

“Then you’re serious,” Gabe finished the juice and set the glass down. “I wondered what would happen if you ever met the right sub.”

“We know it’s not…fuck…I hate the word normal…” Jack drained his juice and slid the glass along the bar surface to the man watching for it.

“Mainstream,” Colin offered with a slight nod. “No…but then since when were any of us part of mainstream and content to settle for just that? Let alone happy…and whether the rest of the world gets it or not…” his comment fell off when the perky dark haired woman came around the corner and spotted him. The warmth and love in her smile was enough to short circuit his brain for a brief time.

“Elf season,” Shane commented, one brow arched when Angel walked toward them. She wore a deep red corset trimmed with white fluff, a garter that showed from beneath the very short red skirt and tiny tinkling bells on the edges of her stockings and backs of her heeled boots.

“Santa would never get any fucking work done if all his elves looked like that,” Gabe announced with a deep laugh. “I’m off to corral my sub. Have a nice night, guys.”

“Again…I am not apologizing for my fantasies…let’s go find a corner, little elf and we’ll talk about whether you’ve been a good elf or a bad elf this year,” Colin said with a low chuckle. The blush tinted her cheeks and sent her gaze immediately to the floor when she realized others had heard him. “Later, gentlemen.”

“I guess that leaves us to find our girls,” Jack said before Colin led Angel away.

“They’re at the snack table, Sirs,” Angel said after a little whisper from Colin.

“That makes it easy then,” Dane headed toward the new area established for the holidays.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

They didn’t have to move far from the snack area, both men stopping to gaze at their corseted sub. Hayley stood with a frosted bell cookie in her hand. She was staring at a scene being put together by Rachel and her boy, Paul.