The door to Club Surrender was like a vacuum seal, the thumping bass of the main floor hitting her the moment she stepped inside. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume, sweat, and something metallic. Lights pulsed in a hypnotic rhythm, turning the moving crowd into a sea of anonymous, writhing bodies.
She found Claudia near the bar, holding court with a small group. She was laughing, her head thrown back, a glass of something amber in her hand. She spotted Sophie and lit up, excusing herself from her friends.
“You survived!” Claudia shouted over the music, pulling Sophie into a tight hug that smelled of gin and hairspray. “I was starting to think they’d locked you in a sex dungeon.”
“Close,” Sophie yelled back, a grin spreading across her face. “They gave me an office instead.”
Claudia’s jaw dropped. “Anoffice?Like, with a desk and a 401k?”
“A desk, definitely. The 401K is still pending.” Sophie laughed as she set the heavy cardboard box on a small, empty table. “Delivery for ‘Brides in Need’.”
“You’re a hero,” Claudia declared, taking a sip of her drink. “Come on, let’s get you something that’ll burn the taste of responsibility out of your mouth.”
They navigated through the throng toward the bar, but stopped short. On a slightly raised platform, cordoned off with a velvet rope, a scene was in progress. A man dressed in a sharp, impeccably tailored suit stood with his hands behind his back, watching as a woman in a stunningly intricate corset performed a slow, deliberate striptease. She wasn’t dancing for him so much as for herself, her movements fluid and confident. She unhooked her stockings with practiced ease, her gaze never leaving the man’s, a silent, intense conversation passing between them.
“See?” Claudia said, nodding toward the platform. “It’s not always about the floggers and chains. Sometimes it’s just… that. The look.” She gestured with her glass. “That’s power. She’s got all of it, and he’s just… getting to watch.”
Sophie watched, mesmerized. It was a different kind of energy than what she’d experienced. The intimacy was subtler, a slow burn instead of a wildfire. She could see the woman’s chest rise and fall with a controlled, deliberate rhythm, the slight tremble in the man’s hands as he fought the urge to reach for her.
“Different kind of storm,” Sophie murmured, mostly to herself.
“Yeah,” Claudia agreed, linking her arm through Sophie’s and steering her the last few feet to the bar. “But the aftermath is probably just as pretty.”
The bartender slid them two glasses of something bright pink and fizzy. “On the house for our local hero,” he said, nodding at the box.
“See?” Claudia grinned, clinking her glass against Sophie’s. “The universe rewards good deeds. Now, for real, spill. Every last detail. Don’t you dare hold out on me this time.”
SEVEN
Aiden
Aiden stepped through the doorway to the apartment. He tossed his keys onto the counter as he headed toward the bar.
He stopped mid-pour and noticed the kneeling figure waiting in front of the couch.
Aiden walked closer and circled the perfectly poised submissive—such a lovely addition to their space.
“Isn't this a nice surprise?” Aiden lifted Sophie's chin. “I could get used to coming home to you.” A flutter ran through his chest at the thought.
She couldn't hide her frustrated frown. “I didn't think you'd be in so late.”
“Are we on a clock?” He looked at his watch then back to Sophie.
“An overwound one.”
He offered his hand and helped Sophie to her feet. Aiden took in her outfit: a long-sleeved V-neck and plum colored skirt. The colors accentuated her beautiful obsidian hair. Aiden’s hands itched to run through the silky strands.
Upon closer inspection, he could see that she was disheveled and in a state of duress. She tugged the hem of her skirt, reminding him of the night they met at Surrender.What did Zack do this time?
“Alright.” He led them to the couch and bundled Sophie in his lap.
“Daddy, please.” She leaned in and brushed her lips against his neck, playfully nipping at his ear.
“Please, what, little one?”
“My pussy’s needy.” He smacked her ass once, moving the metal balls inside the plug Zack had left her with.
“No fair!”
