“Very good, sub,” Mitch said, setting the paddle on a bench before going to her. Giving her a spin, the chain lowered her to the ground and she stood flat-footed once again.
“We’ll be back,” Mitch said.
“When?”
“Are you questioning me, sub?” he asked, moving closer.
“No, Dom, I’m not. I wanted to be here. I’ll wait for you. I know you’ll return for me.”
Rory shot Brock a disconcerting glance and the three of them left the room together. Closing the door behind them, they left Trixie behind in the chamber of complete surrender.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Got somewhere you need to be?” Brock asked, studying Mitch as he looked at his watch for the second time in the last ten seconds.
“We have nine minutes,” he informed them. “I told her fifteen and I want her to know she can trust us.”
“She knows she can trust me and Rory. We’ve been around for the long haul. Remember?”
“How could I forget? You remind me every thirty seconds,” Mitch snapped.
“Is all of this absolutely necessary?” Rory asked. “I mean this is some pretty heavy stuff.”
“Don’t have the stomach for it, pretty boy?” Mitch asked, ribbing him like old times.
Rory directed his question to Brock. “You think this is all right?”
“As long as Trixie is okay with everything, it’s fine. If she acts uncomfortable or frightened, we stop.”
“That’s how Domination and submission works,” Mitch said.
“Yeah,” Brock said, taking a personalized and quite deliberate jab. “Mitch, I hope you remember and play by the rules while you’re training Trixie. I don’t want her to change her mind.”
“I’m sure that’s true,” Mitch said, waggling his brows. “How in the hell did you manage to live with her for all these years without dragging her into the lifestyle?”
“It wasn’t easy.”
“He ain’t lying,” Rory piped in.
Brock and Mitch turned on Rory at the same time.
“How the hell would you know?” Mitch asked. “Have you been holding out on us all these years?”
“No,” Rory replied. He tilted his head at Brock. “But ask him. It’s tough being married to a Cartwell when you’re not involved in the kink club.”
“That’s right. I forgot about the club. Who owns Clink now?”
“Patience McKay and Trixie’s sisters,” Rory replied.
“You say that as if you don’t like the idea.”
“I think they’re too young to be so embedded in the lifestyle,” Rory explained.
“He isn’t telling you all of it,” Brock said.
Mitch jerked. “Well? What’s the problem? If you ask me, the family business is probably lucrative in more ways than one.”
“Yeah, it is.” Rory frowned and Brock practically read his mind before he added, “Patience and Ansley handle themselves all right with the business but Kimberly hasn’t been…well, let’s just say she isn’t exactly kink club owner material.”
“Why not? Is she a prude?”
“We could be so lucky,” Rory said, his concern obvious.
“I thought Ansley was the wild one.”
“It’s the quiet ones you have to watch,” Brock informed him, thumbs toward the door. “I don’t want to ruin Trixie’s day. We’ll talk about this later.”
“It’s none of my business. I barely remember the girl. If she looks anything like her sisters, I’m sure the men around there are in for a real treat.”
“Most of them have already been served and spanked.”
“What?” Mitch asked.
“It’s a long story. Kimberly is messed up with the wrong guy and whenever they break up, she’s all for moving on and then—”
“She’s a tease,” Brock interrupted him.
Mitch laughed. “And her big sister wasn’t?”
“He has a point,” Rory said.
“You act concerned about her, though. Who’s the guy?”
“Really, I don’t want to upset Trixie,” Brock said. “Mention Kimberly’s fellow and the entire Cartwell clan reaches for their boxing gloves.”
“This guy must be a piece of work if the whole family is against him.”
“You might say that,” Brock muttered.
Rory slapped his forehead a second later. “Shit. I can’t believe we’re making small talk. We forgot to tell you about your delusional pal.”
“I didn’t forget,” Brock assured him. “I just hadn’t decided how I wanted to broach the subject.”