Justin didn’t appear to be fazed by whatever was going on in the room. “Grace, I’d like you to meet Cooper. He’s one of the club’s dungeon monitors.” To Cooper he said, “Grace is a new member.”
The man had half turned as they approached to give her a once-over before returning his attention back to the room.
Justin looked into the playroom and she followed his gaze. A woman was lying spread-eagled on a bed. She had a dildo between her legs while the man stood above her, a flogger in one hand and a magic wand in the other. The woman’s eyes were closed, her head thrown back in what looked to be pleasure. Again, Grace’s body reacted.
“He’s brought her to the edge a half dozen times.” Cooper’s voice was even, businesslike, but Grace didn’t miss the bulge in his jeans.
“I wonder how long she’ll last.”
It was more of a rhetorical question, but Cooper answered Justin anyway. “If the sounds coming out of her are any indication, not long.”
Another loud moan tore from the woman’s throat as the man pressed the magic wand against her clit. She arched her back off the bed, her breath coming in rapid pants. It was completely mesmerizing and Grace found that she couldn’t look away.
The man bent down, not removing the magic wand, and whispered something in the woman’s ear. Every muscle in Grace’s body clenched a split second before a long cry erupted from the woman as finally she was allowed to orgasm. Grace remembered that feeling. The feeling of finally being granted release.
A mixture of longing and sadness rushed over her. She missed that. She wanted that. But at the same time, Grace knew she’d no longer be able to experience it with her husband, the man she’d loved and served for most of her adult life.
When she finally tore her gaze away from the scene, Grace realized both Justin and Cooper were staring at her. She couldn’t read the expression on Justin’s face, but there was no mistaking the one on Cooper’s. He knew what watching the end of that scene had done to her.
Grace felt the heat rise to her cheeks and lowered her gaze to the floor. As much as she craved to submit again, she didn’t think she could handle a scene as intense as the one she’d just witnessed. She wasn’t even sure she was ready to submit to another Dom at all.
Movement inside the room caught her attention again. The man had released the woman and climbed up on the bed with her. He held her against his side while he stroked and kissed her. The sight caused a knot to form in the pit of her stomach. Would she ever experience that deep connection with a man again?
She barely noticed as another couple walked past the three of them down the hall. Or when Cooper excused himself to go help the other couple.
Justin was patient with Grace. He let her stand there immersed in what was going on in her head without comment. It made her wonder how much Katrina had told him.
She had no idea how much time had ticked by before she met Justin’s gaze.
“We should head back downstairs. Give them some privacy.” Justin didn’t wait for her agreement. He placed a hand on her lower back and guided her toward the staircase.
They were halfway down the stairs when Grace gasped.
Justin noticed right away and turned to see if she was okay. “Do you need to sit down?”
No. She didn’t need to sit down. She didn’t know what she needed.
All the air left her lungs as she saw Alexander lower himself onto a couch about thirty feet away.
She needed to get out of there. She needed to leave. Now. Before he...
It was as if some cruel turn of fate caused Alexander to look in her direction. His gaze settled on her and his eyes went wide. So much for running away.
***
Alexander couldn’t believe his eyes. All afternoon he’d wanted to go check on her, but he’d stopped himself, opting for a phone call instead. Grace had come out of her shell quite a bit since their first meeting, but he hadn’t wanted to crowd her. There were times he still saw the sadness in her eyes. He hated seeing it, but he also knew she needed the time to grieve.
It was because of that he was sitting there staring at her in shock. The expression on her face said she was as surprised to see him as he was to see her.
The urge to cross the room was almost overwhelming, but he resisted. She was with Justin. Alexander didn’t know him well, but he was one of the club’s Doms and often acted as a protector to new subs. He didn’t have a sub of his own and he’d been in the lifestyle for several years, from what Alexander had heard. The subs at Serpent’s Kiss, and more importantly, Katrina, trusted him. That didn’t, however, change the irritation Alexander felt seeing him hovering over Grace.
“Everything all right?” Daniel’s question jarred Alexander back to the present, but he didn’t take his gaze off Grace. She’d frozen in place halfway down the staircase. Justin was saying something to her and she shook her head.
“Not sure,” Alexander said to his friend.
Grace tore her gaze from Alexander’s and turned to Justin. She said something, lowered her head, and rushed the rest of the way down the stairs, Justin keeping pace with her as she made a beeline for the door.
Alexander stood and took an automatic step to intercept her. Then stopped. If he pushed himself, he’d be able to catch her, but to what end? They needed to talk and this wasn’t the place for it.