I waited, setting down my wine on the coffee table, giving him my full attention.
He released a slow breath and held up one finger. “One—you don’t improvise in that world. It’s not safe. If you’re actually going to explore this, and yes, with the right connection, itwillquiet those voices in that pretty little head of yours, you need to do it safely. One drink to warm the nerves is fine. Showing up drunk and hoping for the best? Absolutely not. Any Dom worth anything won’t touch you if you’re more than slightly buzzed.”
I nodded.
Dom-short for Dominant.
I’d done some Googling on my lunch break.
“Two—boundaries are everything. You decide what you will and won’t do beforehand. We call them limits. You get a safe word. It’s non-negotiable, and everything stops when you use it. If someone tries to pressure you, guilt you or gaslight you after, that’s not play—that’s abuse.”
“Boundaries, limits, safe words, got it.”
Would it be rude to take notes?
“It’s not uncommon for people to keep their identities private,” Micah added. “We have friends with play partners who don’t know each other outside the club at all.”
“So this isn’t abnormal?”
“There’s so much variety. You can be anyone. Communication is everything.” He shrugged. “Aftercare isn’t optional. Whether he handles it himself or arranges it, you need someone who checks on you and makes sure you’re okay. I’ll check in the day after, but if he ghosts you, kick him to the curb.”
“You make it sound like I have control.”
He smiled softly. “You do. A sub can stop a scene with one word. A good Dom pushes, but never crosses the line.”
“Am I stupid for wanting this?”
He patted my hand. “No. Just be safe. Meet at Sanctum and use one of their rooms. They even have personal alarms. If you want to try it, follow Sanctum’s strict rules. Don’t meet anywhere else.”
I went home late with all the information rolling around my head. The last thing I did before turning off the light on my nightstand was send an email.
Sir,
Today didn’t go as expected. I still have my job, though I’m unsure whether that’s a good thing right now. If I were to accept your offer, what would the rules be? Expectations? What would the next steps be?
-M
My phone dinged not five minutes later with a response. My stomach fluttered—fear or anticipation, I wasn’t sure—as I clicked it open.
Pet,
I like that you are careful, cautious. It’s the only way something like this works.
If you accept my offer, these are my rules.
Safe word-You will choose one, or we will use the traffic light system: yellow and red. When red is spoken everything stops. Immediately. No exceptions.
Location-We will meet only at Sanctum. They have several private rooms I would like to explore with you.
Confidentiality-What happens inside the walls of Sanctum stays there.
Limits-Attached you will find a questionnaire. Fill it out completely and return it to me before we meet. This is not optional.
Hard limitsare non-negotiable. They will not be tested, pressed, or ignored.
