Over an hour passed and more people streamed in, the majority dressed in very little, some wearing full costumes, others only masks and body paint. The clothes were the opposite to what would be street-appropriate—showing the parts that would normally be the first to be covered in public.
“The patrons like your look,” Lucy chirped with a wink. “The clothes, your gorgeous red hair, and all the muscles.” She wiggled her fingers at his torso. “Can’t wait to see your other outfits.”
“What’s wrong with this one?” Finley asked as he reached for a set of clean shot glasses.
“Nothing in particular, but...” She scrunched her nose. “You don’t expect to wear this five times a week, do you?” A telling look must have passed on Finley’s face to make Lucy throw her hands up in a dramatic gesture. “We’re going to scour LAM this Sunday and you will let Aunt Lucy pick a few pairs of trousers that’ll show off that lovely behind you’ve got there.”
Finley sputtered but grinned, busying himself with pouring vodka into the glasses he’d lined up. “Where?”
“London Alternative Market — where the kink clothes live.” Lucy winked. “I’ll text you the details, sweetie.” She patted Finley’s arm then swivelled on her heel to catch a tall glass a patron turned over. She cursed in what Finley faintly recognised as Arabic, and placed the glass back with grace, chastising the patron so playfully, he blushed all the way down to his chest.
Finley chuckled and served a pint to a woman dressed in a skimpy vampire costume. Even though it was his first day, and a busy one at that, he could sense that he might find himself in this job. The atmosphere of the club spoke to freedom of expression and welcomed those who wanted to forget life beyond the club walls for a while. And Finley definitely needed the escape.
A small crowd gathered near the round stage with more people joining by the second, drawing Finley’s interest. He wiped spillage on the bar with a cloth, keeping an eye out to see what it was the crowd were waiting for.
Lucy elbowed him in the side. “Hey, Finley. While there’s no queue, here’s a friendly tip. You’ll get asked to have a drink with the patrons.” Lucy indicated Finley’s naked torso with a wave. “We don’t have a policy against it, but no one wants to be served by a drunk bartender, so…” She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. “I have a bottle of vodka filled with water for those occasions.” She straightened and reached for a glass bottle of clear liquid, which she poured into two shot glasses. “Cheers.”
“That’s brilliant.” Finley grinned. “Cheers.” He downed the contents in one go, watching Lucy do the same.
As he put the glass down, the chatter of the crowd went quiet. The air crackled with anticipation, the large room filled with only faint whispers, murmurs, and the creaking of leather outfits.
No one spoke, but everyone turned toward the back rooms.
A tall, lean man walked in and the crowd parted before him like waves. He owned the room with his sure, slow gait, his chin up, like a rockstar entering the stage.
Some people gaped or nodded, others held their heads down, looking at their own shoes as if not worthy to lay their eyes upon the man. Mesmerised, Finley couldn’t take his eyes off him.
Chapter Two
Finley
“Who’s that?” Finley elbowed Lucy, his eyes glued to the man, his jaw slack.
“Master Kage. He works as a Dom here. I told you it’s your lucky day. From all the wonderful Doms who come here regularly, Master Kage is one of the club’s favourites.”
“Right. I can see that.” The cloth in his hand squeaked against the spotless glass he was mindlessly cleaning. But his gaze followed the man in low-slung leather trousers and a black shirt so tight the buttons were threatening to pop. Master Kage acknowledged the people around him with a nod, greeting the bouncers and the floor security as he reached the raised platform. On it stood a rolling table and a padded bench screwed to the floor. A woman in a pink corset and a high blonde ponytailwas busy organising items on the table. Master Kage approached her, tilted his head, and inspected the laid-out instruments. With a nod, he thanked her and said something quietly. A blush crept up her cheeks and she cast her gaze down as she replied, then promptly left the stage.
Finley’s only experiences with the BDSM scene were several house parties in his early twenties, but he’d never taken an active part in the kinky stuff. He was aware that every professional came in different shapes and sizes, but he still expected a Dom in a club like this to be a big, snarling bloke with a mean expression on his face.
Master Kage was as far from that schema as possible. The confidence of his movements, coupled with the impeccable respect he showed towards patrons and fellow workers, put him in a league of his own. He dominated the room with class and style, without a hint of arrogance. The way the crowd looked upon him with awe, stepping aside with a smile and bowed heads, showed that he’d earned his reputation.
The most mesmerising thing about this man was his eyes—their shape indicative of his Asian lineage, and with a look so piercing Finley’s skin broke out in goosebumps when Master Kage’s passing glance landed on him from across the room. His expression was serious; nearly business-like as he prepared the stage, checking the leather belts attached to the bench, and rolling the table closer. He reached for a pair of black surgical gloves from a box atop it and snapped them on. His forearm muscles flexed as he folded his sleeves up to his elbow.
A young man ascended the platform, his gaze cast downwards. This shy gesture defied the sure steps he was taking towards the bench. A white corset adorned his waist, and the only other item of clothing he wore was a pair of white knee-high socks.
The music had been discreetly lowered in volume, yet was still loud enough to afford them an illusion of privacy. Although,Finley imagined that might be the last thing on someone’s mind as they were preparing for a scene in the middle of a club. He couldn’t hear what Master Kage was saying, but the young man was blushing all the way to his ears. Without hesitation, he took his Master’s hand and lay back on the bench as instructed. The Dom kept talking to his Sub throughout the process of strapping his ankles to the legs of the bench, then securing his wrists above his head with a rope. He threaded it through one of the steel hoops embedded in the wall. The result was a beautiful display of the Sub’s lean body and the Dom’s gentle manner. Finley didn’t know which aroused him more.
Lucy appeared next to him and he startled, suddenly realising how hypnotised he’d been by what was happening onstage. Fuck. He was at work. Frantically, he swept his gaze over the clientele, only to see no one was queuing.
“Don’t worry,” Lucy said. “When Master Kage is on stage, people don’t think of getting drinks often. Just watch. Enjoy it. I’ll keep an eye on the bar.”
“Thanks.” Finley cleared his throat and reached for a glass of water. Fucking hell, he was parched.
“You need to get used to the sight if you’ll be the floor security too.” Lucy winked at him and swivelled on her heel.
Finley downed half of the glass as he watched Master Kage adjust steel nipple clamps on the Sub. His long fingers teased the dark buds and the young man arched his back, his eyes fluttering closed. The groan Finley heard filled him with embarrassment as he realised it had come from him.
“He’s something special, isn’t he?” Lucy smirked with a knowing look.
