Then he'd delve deeper into who she was.
Devon turned off the light and went to tell Victor he would no longer be needed.
Chapter Five
So not only had she fallen down the rabbit hole, but she'd taken the first train to kinky town.
Renee hurried down the hall, frantic to escape the bouncer who was inverting her world and keeping her hormones on alert. She found a bathroom and slipped inside, needing to get herself under control. Regain her composure.
The cold water she splashed on the inside of her wrists helped.
Maybe this wasn't the best idea.
That thought raced through her head and she gave a semi-hysterical laugh. Of course it wasn't a good idea. It was the only idea she had left. It was ridiculous and a long shot at best, but it was the best she had.
Plus, Lucy's insistence that it'd be fun and exciting had just encouraged her. Fun and exciting weren't exactly the verbs she would've chosen, but in a way Lucy had been right. It was just a different kind of fun and a different kind of exciting.
Strangely, she got kind of hot over watching people get kinky. Also noted was the fact that a stranger could turn her on in just a few seconds flat-though not just any stranger. She'd felt absolutely nothing when Victor had touched her, only when the bouncer had.
Odd.
She shook her head and gripped the marble countertop, staring at herself in the mirror.
"You can do this."
Clearing the doubts from her head, she felt ready to take on her mission with renewed determination. Renee emerged from her retreat and made her way back to the kinky room, where she spotted her escort.
"Victor-"
"I am no longer your escort, ma'am," he said cordially and then continued past her.
"Okay..." She watched him go, a little curious as to why her assigned shadow for the night had suddenly bailed.
Turning her gaze back into the room, she noticed a man leaning against a wall. He watched her through narrowed eyes, his interest clear. He was attractive in a way, with his long hair pulled back into a ponytail and gold hoops in each ear.
Was this him? Devon Murray? Likely it was the image, but he certainly had a pirate aura about him.
He must've realized she was checking him out just as closely, because he shoved away from the wall and approached her with certain deliberation.
"Are you a Dom or a Sub?"
Was it a trick question? And what did that whole Dom Sub thing mean again? Surely she'd heard of it at some point, but right now she was drawing a blank.
She took in his attire, noting it was mostly leather. In his hand he held some kind of paddle thingy.
"I don't know," she answered carefully. "What do you think?"
He smiled, as if what she'd said something funny. "You're a Sub."
"Okay." She winced as he slapped the paddle against his palm.
"Show me your ass."
Renee blinked. "Excuse me?"
He swung the paddle and gave her a solid smack on her butt.
"Ouch!" She leapt away from him. "Hey, you cannot just hit me with that thing."
He hit her on the butt again and she cursed. Son of a bitch that stung!
"I take it back-I'm the Dom, now give me the fucking paddle!"
"Show me your ass." He was like a robot on repeat, and she squeezed her eyes shut as he raised the paddle again.
She braced for the next blow to fall, but it never came. She peaked through one eye to figure out what had happened. The man's arm was restrained mid-swing, held in a painful looking angle by the ever-persistent bouncer.
"This woman is not to be touched." The bouncer's tone was equally as savage as the hard look he gave to the man in leather. "She belongs to me."
"Yeah! Wait, what?" Renee had been ready to applaud his intervention until that last line. She spun on him. "Okay, I'm so over all this bullshit. Now get this-"
"I-I'm sorry," the man in leather stammered, as if she hadn't even spoke. "I didn't realize she was yours, Mr. Murray."
No. Renee blanched and her blood froze.
"Get out of my face," Devon's icy, calm command sent the man in leather scurrying off.
He was Devon Murray. The bouncer who was clearly not a bouncer was Devon Murray.
Fuck. Her. Sideways.
Chapter Six
Renee struggled to look calm, but knew she was doing a piss poor job. He was Devon Murray and he had had his hands all over her-she'd enjoyed those hands. Quite a bit really.
The one man she should have kept up her guard against turned out to be the one man who'd gotten closest to her tonight.
The sudden rush of dizziness had her grabbing the wall for support.
"Are you all right?"
He must have noticed her deer-in-headlights look and her use of the wall as a support mechanism, because he frowned and stepped closer.
"Renee?"
She gave a slow nod, more freaked out now than she had been a minute ago when paddle guy had smacked her.
His gaze was unreadable. "I'm sorry, he was absolutely out of line. He's a little new at this kind of thing. I'll have someone instruct him on the true nature of a Dominant Submissive relationship."
"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" The question was more accusation, fleeing past her lips whether it was a good idea or not. Probably not.
"I enjoyed your ignorance. Anyone invited to this party would know who I am."
Not everyone. Lucy wouldn't have known. Then again, by arriving with Eric Ross she'd probably been introduced fairly quickly. So he had a valid point.
He'd been onto her probably the moment she'd stepped foot on his property.
Stepping closer, her murmured, "Why don't you tell me why you're really here."
"I wanted to try out some fantasies." The lie came out easily enough. "I heard this was the place to do it."
"You wouldn't be that stupid."
Not stupid enough to do that, but clearly stupid enough to try and break in and rob him blind.
"Don't fuck with me, Renee," he continued softly. "If that really is your name-which, I'll find out before this evening is over."
Shit. It was time to cut her losses and run. "I should probably leave."
"Leave?" he mocked and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Our party is just beginning. In fact, let's go somewhere a little more private to...talk. Shall we?"
Devon didn't give her a chance to reply, but took her small hand in his and led them out of the room.
Even though he'd seen the flash of realization and panic in her eyes, she didn't pull away. If anything, she ran to keep up with him as he took brisk strides throughout the house.
"Hello, I'm short," she said tersely. "Meaning my legs are about half as long as yours. Could you please slow down a little?"
He cut his pace in half as they approached the sweeping spiral staircase that led to the second floor.
"Upstairs?" She stumbled.
"I require privacy and a bit more silence." He looked back at her and arched a brow. "Is that a problem? Or should I place a call to the local law enforcement and have them sit in to chaperone?"
She visibly swallowed. "Uh, no. No problem."
Once at the top, he paused, turning to face her again. Surprisingly, she wasn't looking all that panicked, but more excited as her gaze drifted over the rooms on this floor. She was looking for something. Wanted access into one of these rooms.
The intuition that had been prickling in his gut only grew. Whatever her reasons for being here tonight, it wasn't the bullshit excuse she'd tried to feed him about wanting to try out some fantasies.
Though maybe that had been added to her list after arrival.
As if unable to help herself, she turned away from him and moved to look over the railing at the party below. With the door open, they could stare down into the main room, where all the debauchery was ongoing.
"Taking a moment to enjoy the view?" Devon stepped close behind her.
She shivered and leaned back towards him, maybe consciously, maybe not.
Devon slid an arm around her waist and drew her fully back against him.
"The things you saw tonight. They aroused you, did they not?"
Her stomach clenched against his lightly tracing fingers.
"Of course not."
A lie. He could read it easily enough, even if he hadn't been keeping tabs on her.
"Really?" he murmured. "Look down there. Do you see the man and woman just inside the door?"
She didn't reply, but he knew she looked at the erotic sight. The woman stood grasping a table, while the man knelt at her feet pressing his face between her legs.
"Don't close your eyes, Renee."
She gasped. "How did you-"
"Do you see how she grinds herself onto his face?" he asked mildly, sliding a hand upward to cup her breast through the corset.
She didn't protest, but made a startled sigh of pleasure.
"Answer me." He nuzzled her neck, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her.
He'd brought her up here to seduce her, no doubt about it, and afterward to question her. But the longer he held her close-the more he touched her-he forgot any motivation other than to find pleasure.