Out of the Storm (9 page)

“I wasn’t supposed to do that was I?”  Tobi’s voice was quiet, but he’d still heard her question and the insecurity behind it.

“Kitten, you surprised him because he isn’t accustomed to that behavior inside the club itself. And if you were already a club member that would have probably earned you a couple of bare-assed swats right then and there.” Kyle grinned over her head at Kent because he knew his brother was thinking the same thing he was—Tobi was going to be a joy to train. Her openness and honesty would be both a gift and a curse at times, but she was completely genuine and Kent couldn’t remember the last time he met a woman he liked as much.

They walked Tobi out to the reception area and introduced her to Regi before making their way around the club.  Kent saw the hesitance in her eyes and smiled when he saw the recognition in Regi’s eyes. “Wow, it’s great to meet you, Tobi. I’m thrilled you are here, I can use some help keeping all the male staff around here in line, damn it’s just too big of a big job for one woman, I’ll tell ya for sure. And Master Kent was right too, that color looks amazing on you.” Kent watched as the stiffness in Tobi’s shoulders seemed to relax as she warmed up to Regi. He honestly thought the two women could easily become good friends because they were actually fairly similar creatures, as his gramps used to say.

They stood back and simply watched Tobi and Regi’s interaction for a few minutes, giving Tobi a chance to relax a bit more before they took her into the more
interesting
portions of the club. Kent noted that Tobi was unfailing polite even in the beginning when she was a bit more standoffish. But as the women got to know one another he could almost see her true personality emerging. He had already noticed that she’d obviously been raised in the south because she was gracious even when she seemed uneasy, but the thing that stood out the most was the fact she seemed to make the person she was talking to feel like they were the sole focus of her undivided attention. She and Regi had bonded in just a few minutes and Tank was standing to the side looking at Tobi as if she’d hung the moon and the stars.

Tank looked over at him and quietly said, “Makes me wish I’d been the one out driving in the storm. Damn, she is smart
and
beautiful. And you know what? I don’t think she has any idea how gorgeous she is, and damned if that doesn’t make her even more beautiful.” Kent and Kyle both nodded because there just wasn’t anything left to add to Tank’s assessment.

Kent reached for her hand and pulled her back flush against his chest.  Kyle smiled to himself as he watched a shiver move up her spine. Kyle wasn’t sure what Kent had said against her ear but she had instantly gone bright crimson and he’d seen the pulse point at the base of her neck beating wildly after his brother’s whispered comment.

Kyle grinned at her, “Kitten, I don’t know what my brother said to you, but I surely do like your reaction to it. Now, say goodbye to your new friends so we can go look around a bit.” Both Tank and Regi pulled Tobi into quick hugs and reminded her that all she had to do was give either of them a shout if she needed anything. 

As they started to leave, Regi caught their attention, “Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you. Some guy named Chris called here a while ago looking for Tobi. I tried to explain that I didn’t know who he was taking about, but he was pretty insistent that I give her a message.” She smiled at them with a devil’s glint in her eyes before continuing, “Of course I didn’t write down his words, because that would imply that I knew she was here, but I did note the number because he sounded kind of nutty. Anyway he was ranting about her losing her job if she doesn’t call him tonight, so if you see her,” Regi rolled her eyes dramatically and then giggled, “please let her know. Okay?”

Kyle reached over and ruffled her hair as if she really was the little sister they thought of her as being.  “Well done, Reg. I’ll take that number and return his call.” Kyle saw Tobi’s mouth come open but his glare registered and she slowly closed it and stayed silent. 

“And Master Kyle, if you would be so kind as to explain to him that calling me a flaming bitch and incompetent c-word for doing my job isn’t the best way to win my cooperation, I’d sure appreciate it.” Regi’s eyes had flashed with anger and Kyle had the sudden urge to send Micah and Tank into Austin to teach the asshole a lesson or two about how to speak to women.

Kyle was sure Regi knew full well the effect her words were going to have on all three men standing close but Kyle wasn’t sure she had anticipated Tobi’s reaction. “Excuse me? He said
what
? Oh, dear God of all things holy, what on earth was he thinking? Any man who thinks he can talk to a lady that way needs to be…oh never mind, that wouldn’t be nice for me to say in mixed company. But honestly, I don’t know what I should expect out a man who looks like the Mayor of Munchkinland in the
Wizard of Oz
and thinks it’s acceptable to play with his wee-winkie in front of a woman on their first date.” Tobi’s whole body shuddered and then she froze as she realized what she’d said. “Well drown me.” Kyle saw her shoulders sag and she looked up at him and his brother with such a bleak expression he wondered what had put that look in her beautiful green eyes.

She took a deep breath and turned to Regi. “Can you please call me a cab? I’ll just run upstairs, gather my things, and clear out. And I’m really so sorry for all the trouble you all have gone to, but I think it’s pretty obvious this isn’t going to work out.”

To Regi’s credit she didn’t move to make the call, she just stepped up to Tobi and pulled her to the side. Regi’s hands went to her hips in that no nonsense stance each member of their staff had encountered at one point or another and the little imp leaned forward.  “Let me tell you something, sister. That isn’t the way we do business around here. We don’t run and we don’t hide. We back our friends and family, and we don’t draw a line between the two either. So you can just put that self-sacrificing bullshit on the shelf. Suck it up and cope.  Now, tell us how to deal with this asshat.” By the time Regi had ended her little rant, her foot was tapping on the floor at close to ninety beats a minutes and she was almost vibrating with frustration.

Tobi blinked at Regi several times as if she was too shocked to speak before a huge grin spread over her pretty face. The sadness and defeat evaporated from her body language and she pulled Regi into a bone-crushing hug. “Oh you are just the best, you know that? My friend, Gracie, is the only other person who has ever done that.  Nobody else has ever cared if I stayed or went. Thank you.” Kyle saw tears in both women’s eyes when they parted and he didn’t know how he was ever going to repay Regi for the gift she’d just given Tobi, because having a friend that isn’t afraid to call bullshit when it’s needed and who has your back come what may was a gift that couldn’t be replaced.

Chapter Eight

Walking through the club’s largest lounge and scene area, Tobi felt like she’d stepped right into one of the her erotic romance novels she loved to read late at night. The sounds that assailed her senses were almost enough to make her come and the West brothers were barely touching her. The pulsing beat of the music provided the perfect background for the moans that accompanied the slapping of bare flesh against bare flesh. She’d already heard two women screaming and they had only walked about six feet into the room. Tobi knew her eyes were wide open and her mouth was probably gapping as well, but she didn’t know what to do about any of that because she was really having to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other…and breathing. Breathing had suddenly become something that wasn’t automatic any more, nope she was actually having to make an effort to draw oxygen in.

There was just so much to take in and Tobi hated feeling like she was a peeping Tom and spying on people in their most private moments, but she couldn’t make herself look away either.  After thinking it over for all of thirty seconds, she decided that since they had chosen to perform out in the open, they must not mind being watched.  Obviously, modesty wasn’t the word of the day at Prairie Winds. 
Yes indeed.  That is my excuse and I’m going to cling to it until my last gasping breath. 
But mercy, some of these people were just straight up having sex out in the open and Tobi had never actually considered how she’d feel about watching others in the midst of what she’d been raised to consider extremely private.

She hadn’t even realized that she’d stopped walking until Kyle placed his hand against the small of her back and spoke against her ear, “Kitten, come along.  We want to see what interests you.  Don’t worry about watching, but be respectful and don’t speak out.  If you have a question tap on our knees and we’ll lean down so you can ask it quietly.” 
Lean down?  What does that mean?
Obviously her confusion had been clearly written in her expression because he chuckled. “You’ll see soon enough.” 

With gentle pressure against her back he led her toward a small raised platform where a larger woman was tied so she was facing a St. Andrew’s cross.  Tobi wondered why she was facing the cross and also the audience but then she noticed the large circle on the floor and knew the whole thing probably turned like a giant lazy-Susan.  The woman looked like she was probably in her late forties and she certainly wasn’t model thin but she looked entirely comfortable being nude in front of the gathering crowd.  When both Kyle and Kent sat in leather wingback chairs she looked at them blankly for a few seconds before she noticed the large pillow on the floor between them.  Kent’s voice finally penetrated the fog that had taken over her brain, “Kneel, sweetness.” 

She remembered the pose they’d taught her earlier and nodded. “Yes, Sir.” She slowly lowered herself to the pillow and positioned herself exactly as they had taught her. It wasn’t particularly uncomfortable, but she sure was open to the view of the Dom on stage.

“That was beautiful, kitten.  We’re very proud of you.  Now, let’s watch Master Albert send his sweet wife, Chloe, over the moon, shall we?”  Kyle’s words had barely registered when the Dom they’d called Master Albert started rolling Chloe’s nipples between his fingers.  Suddenly he pulled clamps out of the pocket of his leather pants and attached the alligator clamps to the peaked tips of her bountiful breasts before tightening them until she squeaked.

“You can take more, my naughty girl.  Don’t you go wimping out on me already.  You know why you’re here and I’m gonna share it with everybody as they watch me put you through your paces.”  Tobi thought the man sounded mean and she was worried about Chloe until he turned toward the audience and his entire face lit up in a grin.  “As some of you know, my Chloe is a judge in Austin.  Well, it seems she was up for a big promotion and she failed to mention that fact to me
until
she was appointed to the position yesterday by our Governor.” The man’s obvious pride in his wife’s accomplishment made her smile and even though she heard applause around the room, she kept her hands in their position.

Kyle leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Oh kitten, that was perfect. You didn’t move and that is going to get you a nice reward later.  And just so you know, Master Albert is none other than Albert Westfall, the owner of Westfall Oil.”  Tobi knew her eyes had probably gone wide but she wisely kept her lips sealed tight.

When the applause died down the man smiled again and Tobi noted that he was probably in his late fifties but it was obvious he took a lot of pride in keeping himself physically fit.  “Thank you on Chloe’s behalf, but I’m going to
torture
her a bit to remind her that these are the kinds of things she is supposed to share immediately with her Master, not months later.”  Tobi failed to fight her smile at how he was so obviously dramatically playing up her “offense” for the purpose of their scene.  She froze when he glanced over at her smile and for just a second Tobi panicked, but when he winked at her, she felt her muscles relax.

Tobi watched as Master Albert moved to the side and rotated a small dial on the wall and the platform began a slow rotation.  He’d stepped back over to Chloe and placed his hand on her shoulder while she was turning and Tobi could see him whispering to her the entire time.  This time Kent was the one who leaned down to speak to her.  “Master Albert knows that sometimes the movement of the stage is disorienting for subs because their senses are being bombarded by so many different stimuli that even the slow movement can cause dizziness.  By touching her shoulder and speaking with her, he is able to distract her attention and prevent that.  Remember, a Dom’s most important task is always the safety of the sub who has entrusted herself to him.”

They continued to watch as Master Albert used a flogger that looked like it was well broken in.  The soft strips of leather left growing patches of color as he methodically moved it over Chloe’s back and ass in perfectly timed movements.  When he started down the insides of her legs Chloe’s groans were finally becoming louder and even Tobi could tell the woman was getting close to orgasm.

“Don’t you come yet, naughty girl, I’ll tell you when you’re allowed to let go.  Your pleasure belongs to me, baby.”  Tobi could hear the strain in the man’s voice and she didn’t doubt that he was fighting his own release as well.

Tobi barely heard Chloe begging, “Please Master, it’s too perfect.  It’s going to take me and I don’t want to misbehave again. 
Please
let me come.” Her voice was so breathy that Tobi had barely heard the words laced in between her panting breaths.  Suddenly Tobi felt her own release start to build.  When she tried to focus on not jumping on the bandwagon barreling through the room, she realized she was holding her breath and starting to weave back and forth as those damned black dots made another appearance.

Tobi felt like she was going to pass out any second but then she felt the warmth and strength from Kyle’s hand on her shoulder and his breath against her ear, “Breath, kitten.  In and out nice and slow.  We don’t want to break Master Albert’s concentration by taking you out of here if we don’t have to. Your responsiveness is absolutely amazing and a total fucking turn on, just so you know.”  Tobi was grateful for his diversion, and after a couple of deep breaths, she felt much better.  She was still worried about coming even though no one had touched her…she didn’t even want to think about how embarrassing
that
would be.