“It’s a helluva lot nicer than that shit-hole you work in.”
“Exactly. We don’t have to look pretty to get our millionaires through the door. They get that at home.”
“Black Forest is doing extremely well.”
“Must not be doing that well if you have to keep poaching Kingsley’s people.” Nora spun around and attempted to stare Brad down. It would have worked but she had to look too far up to stare him down.
“Kingsley works his people into the ground. No days off. No breaks. No vacations.”
“He’s a sadist.”
“He’s a bad boss.”
“And The Dame is so much better?”
“She is actually.”
“Then I should meet her,” Nora said, heading toward the stairs. “We can talk 401Ks and dental insurance. You get dental, right?”
For a man built like a linebacker, Brad could move with shocking speed. He interposed himself between Nora and the staircase and stared down at her.
“That’s not fair.” Nora flashed him a frown. “If I can’t stare you down you can’t stare me down.”
“You’re on The Dame’s territory. She makes the rules. I enforce them.”
“Great plan. I’d like to talk to her about it.” Nora tried to push her way past Brad and got nothing for her trouble but a few delicious seconds with her hand on his chest.
“No one talks to The Dame.”
“Then I’ll just listen.”
“No one listens to The Dame either.”
“Fantastic boss you have there then. Come on, Brad. Five minutes. All I need is five minutes with her.”
“For what? Are you really thinking of leaving Kingsley for this middle-class Rotary club, as you called it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Let me talk to The Dame. If she makes me an offer I can’t refuse...well, then I won’t refuse it.”
“I do the recruiting for the club.”
“Well then...” Nora took a step back and tapped her chin with the tip of her riding crop. She saw something heated and mischievous gleaming in Brad’s dark eyes. “Maybe you should try to recruit me.”
“I have Mistress Irena now along with four other Dominatrixes plus three male Dominants, including me. We’re not hiring any more Doms.”
“Pity. I have an impressive resume. And a huge client list. Everyone’s on it.”
“Everyone?”
“Your dad’s on it.”
Brad burst out laughing, and Nora only waited, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.
“You should be punished for bringing my father into this discussion,” Brad said, raising a hand to her face. Nora didn’t pull away. He might slap her. He might pinch her nose. He might even kiss her. She wouldn’t have objected to any or all of those possibilities.
But instead of a slap or a pinch or a kiss, he simply caressed her cheek with his thumb. She started at the gentleness, the intimacy of the touch, and took a step back.“What was that for?” she demanded, raising a hand to her face. The caress burned more than a slap would have.
“You’re beautiful.”
“And you’re huge and handsome. You don’t see me going around getting all personal with your face.”
“Would you like to get personal with my face?”
“I...” Nora stopped and swallowed. She needed to get back into control of this situation. She could handle Brad. She could handle any man. Well, except for one... “You’re trying to top me, aren’t you?”
“I told you. We’re all stocked up on Dominatrixes. What we really need are a few good subs.”
Nora’s spine stiffened.
“I don’t sub.”
“Not anymore, right?”
Nora glared at him.
“Come on, Nora. Everyone knows who you used to belong to. It’s not a secret.”
“Not a secret, no. But not anything I want to talk about.”
“Was it all that bad, being a sub for him?”
Nora let her most dangerous smile spread across her face.
“No. It was that good.”
“Then you should enjoy doing it again.”
“You’re a big man, Brad, but not even you could fill his shoes.”
“Worth a shot, isn’t it? You want to meet The Dame, then you have to get through me.”
“Through you? Or under you?”
“Both.”
Nora fell silent and considered the offer. Wasn’t like she’d never subbed before. She’d been a sub longer than she’d been a Dominatrix—ten years she’d spent in a collar. Ten beautiful years. But she couldn’t do that again. Could she?
“No collar,” she said with finality. “One hour of you on top. I’ll sub. Then I get my five minutes with The Dame.”
Brad leaned against the stair railing and studied her with his pale blue eyes.
“Nora...we both know you’re not going to leave King for Black Forest. Why are you so interested in talking to The Dame?”
“I have my reasons.”
“Are you going to tell me your reasons?”
“Nope.”
“Of course, if you submit to me, I suppose I could order you to tell me your reasons.”
At the utterance of the words “submit to me” Nora’s heart started to race a little faster, her breath quickened.
She licked her bottom lip in nervous anticipation.