Her pulse raced in her veins, and she touched her ‘x’ pendant at her throat. Even though Xander disapproved of what she was doing, he still made sure she was safe.
Harper had been wondering how to get home because no one knew she lived on the Montague’s estate. She wished she could be as carefree as her friends Gardenia and Kayleigh, but her past didn’t let her have that freedom.
That was what attracted her to BDSM, the freedom it embodied. After a couple of years of living with them, one night she had been walking near the wine cellar and passed a door that was slightly ajar. She’d peeked in and discovered the dungeon. The chains and whipping posts had scared her. If Ares hadn’t been coming down to grab a bottle of his favourite chardonnay at that moment, she would have packed her bags that night.
Ares gave her a very boring book about BDSM, answered all her questions, and stressed that nothing happened without consent. Harper couldn’t imagine agreeing to be hurt, agreeing to be tied up in the name of fun, and the book didn’t answer all her questions. Wanting to learn more, she’d slipped out with no one knowing and gone to a club downtown, the Rude Bar.
It was an old, converted warehouse; the music was too loud; the floor was sticky, and the volume of people was overwhelming. But everywhere she looked, people had this air of freedom around them.
Then a creepy guy had hit on her, and she’d gotten out of there as fast as she could, running right into Ares. Because of course, they knew she had gone out.
“Love, what the hell are you doing in this place?” Ares asked, his face filled with worry and concern.
“I wanted to see what it was like,” she said.
Ares took her by the arm and brought her into the car where Xander was waiting.
“What were you thinking?” Xander thundered.
“I was just curious.”
“Angel, there are better places to explore thanthatpoor excuse for a club,” Xander said.
“How did you find me?”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Locator on your phone.”
She wouldn’t have expected anything else but at this time, the distance between her and her past had lengthened, and she felt cooped up. She had Xander remove the locator and he did on the condition that she would always let him or one of their bodyguards know where she was.
The next week, Ares took her to Club Bandit and introduced her to the owners, Zee and Ella Riddell. Xander and Ares knew the Riddells, from a charity poker game.
Ella had started monthly submissive nights, where subs would get together to talk, and then afterward, there would be demonstrations on everything from bondage to high protocol. It opened Harper’s eyes, and her curiosity grew. The more she learnt about kink, the more she wanted it, and she started going to a few public demonstrations. When Doms started to ask her to play, it became too much. Xander presented her with his protection collar, and word quickly got around that she was untouchable even if they didn’t know which Dom it was that put that x on her throat. The Bandit Brothers did know, though, and it was an extra layer of protection that the guys made sure no other Dom came near her.
As she watched people play, the freedom they experienced reminded her of how she felt when she danced, free and unencumbered. She wanted to experience it for herself, but other than attending workshops, she hadn’t played with anyone.
Her stomach was a twisted ball of knots when her phone chimed with a text. Logan was here. Smoothing her hair one last time, Harper locked the office and found him in the hallway.
“Hello, Kitten.” Logan kissed her cheek. “That outfit hugs your just right. Beautiful.”
He looked like an advertisement for a kink club. A leather vest over a silk black T-shirt showed off his tight abs, leather pants hugging his sculpted muscular legs. He smelled like leather. His height and breadth swallowed her up, but Harper felt safe with Logan.
“Thanks,” Harper said.
“I’m happy to have you on my arm tonight. Let’s go,” Logan said, extending his arm.
As they took the elevator down to the parking garage, Harper’s pulse raced.You’re okay, she told herself.You’ve wanted this for years.
But now that it was happening, she wondered if she could handle it. Logan held the door of his Range Rover open. After she settled herself on the seat, he buckled her in.
On the drive over to Club Bandit, Logan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, in time to the bass beat of the rock music. Logan Marrock, Harper had noticed, was almost always in motion.
“Founders Night is only open to the founding members of Club Bandit and their guests. We won’t do anything you don’t want to, and we’ll take it slow. Are you excited?” Logan put a hand on her thigh.
Harper smiled. “Yes.” The warmth of his hand sent a current through her, making her squirm.
“Good.” He flashed her a grin of perfect white teeth, and they drove through the open black iron gates onto the private property. Behind gates, that’s how she spent her life.
To her surprise, he parked around the back of the mansion. Harper tried to see Janette’s car but couldn’t spot anyone behind them.
