Page 228 of Masters of Control

Giving them a little salute, Asad turned and headed into the Lounge area, smiling at all the submissives who perked up as soon as they saw him. It didn’t feel like a real smile, though. It felt fake.

Fake it ‘til you make it.

He was just off kilter because… well, he wasn’t sure why, but he was determined to get back in the saddle again.

Morgan

“We understand, and we’re sorry,” Lexie said contritely. The pixie-sized sub glanced at Master Patrick, who ran his hand over his bald head, also looking contrite. Well, as contrite as he ever did. He was also watching Morgan with sharp eyes, and she wasn’t entirely sure what he was seeing. “I’m especially sorry that Master Brian and I didn’t communicate better about who was going to talk to you and that you got blindsided.”

“Thank you,” Morgan said, pressing her hands together in her lap. She wasn’t feeling panicked exactly, but facing the duo hadn’t been easy. In fact, it had been one of the scariest things she’d done since leaving Master Richard. They owned both Stronghold and Marquis. They could have been upset at her lack of gratitude. They could have been mad that she was scolding them.

They could easily ban her access from kink activities, not just in the area but across the entire network of people they were connected to. Which were all across the country and some international clubs as well.

They didn’t because they were good people, who truly wanted to help her and meant it when they said they wanted her to grow, which was also terrifying in its own way. She felt as if she was stepping into a whole new world all over again, but this time, without anyone to lean on.

That wasn’t true, of course. If she needed someone, Master Patrick and Lexie would be there. Asad would be there. Naomi would be there. The friends she’d made would be there. Of course, there was a part of her afraid she was wrong, but she wanted to believe it. She was working on believing it.

So far, it was proving true.

“You’re doing great, Morgan,” Master Patrick said gently. “I know this wasn’t easy, but I’m glad you came to talk to us.” He smiled ruefully. “Sometimes, even with the best intentions, we make mistakes. I know I have in the past.” He shared a look with Lexie, and his sub smirked at him. They had a total power exchange dynamic, but that didn’t stop Lexie from being a brat when she wanted to. Something about the look they shared made Morgan feel like she was intruding on something private.

“Thank you for listening,” she replied, suddenly antsy. She needed… something to help her spend some of the excess energy that was riding her. A scene maybe?

Master Asad’s face flashed through her mind, but she didn’t even know if he would be at Stronghold tonight.

“Of course. My office is always open to you.” Master Patrick smiled at her. “Now, go back out on the floor and have some fun. I promise we won’t dictate who you scene with. I’m sorry you had to go without last week.”

Despite everyone’s support when she confronted them, she’d still kept it a secret that she and Master Asad had broken the ‘rule.’ It wasn’t entirely her secret, and she didn’t want to go back on what she’d told Asad she would do. Fortunately, she didn’t have to lie. Just like Brian, Master Patrick and Lexie had assumed they’d followed the rules. She let them.

“Thank you. I do think I need a scene.”

Master Patrick nodded, as though she’d confirmed his thoughts. Which, since he thought she hadn’t had a scene the entire week she was with Master Asad, made sense. She felt bad deceiving him, but she was protecting Master Asad, and that felt good. It was a very strange dichotomy.

When she stepped out onto the main floor, she stopped feeling so good.

The first thing she saw was Master Asad, but he wasn’t at the bar. He was in the Lounge area, talking to other submissives. Cassidy, another submissive with a rough past, though she hadn’t needed quite the same kind of rescue as Morgan. She’d been rescued by the Doms and subs of Stronghold when her abusive Dom had ignored her safeword during a scene at the club.

An odd flush of heat went through Morgan. It wasn’t arousal. Her fists clenched at her side, and she sucked in a deep breath as an unhappy feeling twisted her stomach.

She didn’t like seeing Master Asad talking to another submissive. She really didn’t want him scening with another sub. She wanted him scening with her.

Cassidy wasn’t even a masochist.

This must be what everyone had been worried about.

Taking a deep breath, Morgan tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. It was just an aberration. Once she got used to being back, she would be back to not caring who Master Asad—or anyone else—scened with. In the meantime, she needed a scene. That would help get her back on an even keel.

Considering her sudden rush of hurt and jealousy, it was probably better not to scene with Master Asad. If everyone was right, it had been having sex with him while they were on a trip that had caused her emotions to change in the first place. Therefore, having sex with someone else—or at least scening with someone else—should help put her back on an even keel.

Looking around, she didn’t see anyone she particularly felt like scening with. And she didn’t want a particularly painful scene. Not like she had wanted a few moments ago when she’d been thinking about Master Asad… before seeing him talking to Cassidy. She was suddenly feeling a little tender, and she wanted something more… cuddly.

Taking a deep breath, she made a beeline across the room to Master Connor.

He wasn’t a sadist, but he was a very cuddly and comforting Dom. It also made sense if she was struggling with some unexpected feelings for Master Asad, scening with someone who was his exact opposite might help, like a palate cleanser. She’d scened with Master Connor in the past, and it hadn’t been very satisfying, but she thought it might be exactly what she needed right now.

Something different.

“Hello, Master Connor. Hello, Master Law. Hello, Iris.” She greeted each of them in turn. Iris’ dark eyes widened, and she was looking at Morgan curiously as they all said hello back. Despite being friends with some subs who didn’t particularly like Morgan, Iris had never been unfriendly. Right now, she looked very surprised.