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  Now in her late thirties, she wasn’t as slender as she had been when she turned thirty, but she could pass as a stereotypical sexy Brazilian-Latina woman, though people usually assumed she dyed her hair.

  It was too bad that wasn’t enough for the man she’d loved since she was twenty. She knew it wasn’t the fifteen pounds she gained that had him ignoring her. She might have been able to deal with that. It was her he didn’t care about, and in a way she didn’t blame him. Because of her they’d suffered, maybe suffered more than any relationship could bear.

  “Rosa to the Library.”

  She’d been so caught up in her dark thoughts that she almost didn’t realize that it was finally her name being called. It didn’t help that she didn’t normally go by Rosa. The nickname had been meant as a sort of alternate identity used only at the club. She’d suggested they use slightly different names when they were here, thinking that would maybe loosen Liam up.

  He’d chosen to go by “Master Bland.”

  Maybe that should have been a sign that this wasn’t going to work, that he wasn’t actually into this lifestyle. She’d hoped the odd nickname was a sign of something good—she’d teased him when they first met by telling them that his last name, Blando, could be translated in Portuguese as “mild” and in English it had sounded enough like Bland that she’d needled him about it incessantly—she’d been attracted to him since the very beginning, and assumed he wouldn’t like her back.

  Back then she’d been unsure of herself—not just because she was overweight, but because she’d been one of the only women at their college in the exclusive Game Development/Comp Sci program, and tentatively exploring her bisexuality. In the middle of all that craziness had been Liam Blando—quiet, steady, and kind. He’d reminded her of the Michigan boys she’d grown up with, the boys she’d been aching to get away from, first on her summers with her parents, then by heading to college in California. Yet, when she’d met him he’d felt familiar. Safe.

  After the third or fourth time she’d teased him, he’d pushed his glasses up, nodded solemnly, and said that mild or bland was a good description for him. He’d then changed his contact name in her phone from “Liam Blando” to “Liam Mild/Bland.”

  Rosalicia tightened her corset in front, moving all the hooks in one, so it was on the tightest setting, put on her shoes, and then walked out of the Subs’ Garden, prepared to face her new partners, and maybe the end of her relationship with Liam.

  Two

  The Library was one of the public rooms of the club, along with the dining room next door. The facility that housed Las Palmas Obscuras—the Dark Palms—had once been a Spanish-style estate used to breed horses—hence the barn. The Library boasted a bar, shelves with sex toys instead of books, and plenty of seating, from small cocktail tables near the bar to couches grouped together either near the arched windows or the massive fireplace that looked over the grounds.

  The room was full—as full as he’d ever seen it. Liam spotted Master Khan easily enough—luckily the packets all came with pictures—but he was busy speaking to two other Doms, an Asian man, and a white guy with dark hair and a fitness-model physique.

  Liam started to reach for his glasses and realized he was wearing contacts. He didn’t want to interrupt whatever Master Khan had going on, so he slid up to the bar. A pretty sub with a pixie cut and a dress made entirely out of rope—and which didn’t cover her breasts—slid over to him.

  “Can I get you something, Sir?”

  “Rum and coke please. Not too strong.”

  She started assembling the drink, moving with quick efficiency that made him think she had at some point been a bartender, which would be refreshingly blue-collar for someone who was a member of this club. The monthly dues were outrageous, the hoops he’d had to jump through to get in ridiculous, and the secrecy the club maintained both intimidating and one of the main selling points.

  The club had a staff who cleaned and helped with some setup, but during the prime weekend hours the members took care of themselves. That meant that the bartender was a member, and probably an entertainment executive, doctor, lawyer, or captain of industry.

  She set his glass down in front of him, and Liam nodded his thanks. Turning so he could watch the room, he kept one elbow on the bar and nursed his drink. He watched as Master Khan’s little group talked, a petite Indian submissive having joined them. When the Asian Dom passed the leash attached to her collar to the dark-haired man, Liam raised a brow. What was going on?

  He watched for a while longer, and when the dark-haired Dom and Indian woman left, Liam figured it was now or never. Setting his half empty glass on the bar, he walked over.

  “Master Khan?” he said.

  The dark-skinned man looked up, smiled, and gestured to the empty space beside him on the couch. “Master Bland? But of course I recognize you. Take a seat.”

  “Thank you.”

  Liam sat, then nodded to the lovely woman who sat on a pillow at Master Khan’s feet, her back against his lower legs. The Asian Dom was, curiously, also kneeling on a pillow, his hands on his thighs, his back straight.

  “This is Luscious.” Master Khan nodded to the woman at his feet, though Liam recognized her from her photo.

  The woman had pale-colored hair that faded to bright purple at the tips. She was voluptuous, with heavy breasts, thick thighs, and a rounded stomach. She was curvier than many of the women here, who maintained the sort of physiques that money could buy, in the form of private chefs and trainers.

  “It’s very nice to meet you.” He jerked his head in a second, more awkward nod and tried to pretend he felt as comfortable as these two clearly did.

  “And you, Master…Bland.” She hesitated over the last word.

  Master Khan picked up a piece of her hair and curled it around his finger. “Is that really your name?”

  “Close enough,” Liam answered.

  “And that’s what you want to be known as? Master Bland?”

  “Call me Master Liam.” The words were out before he consciously thought about them. He immediately felt stupid. Rosalicia was the interesting one—he was bland. That was the problem. Calling himself something else wouldn’t change that.

  “Master Liam. Much better. Have you had a chance to look over the letter H?”

  “I did.”

  “Quite a list. And I must tell you, I’ve already started.” Master Khan motioned to the Asian man. “Hachiro will be joining us. Well, joining me, as part of my harem, for the duration of the game.”

  Liam raised a brow. “As a sub?”

  “A switch. He’s given away his own submissive as part of the game.”

  “Given her…away?” Liam shouldn’t have found that shocking, since he and Rosalicia technically had an open relationship, but then again he would never willingly give her away. He was losing her, there was no doubt about that, but it was a slow, painful loss. Like having his heart slowly shredded, the mangled organ still thumping in his chest, and just as in love with Rosalicia as ever.

  Then again, after what they’d been through, he wasn’t sure how much of his heart was left anyway.

  “Yes. As I was telling Master Dowell, this game is going to shake things up.”

  Liam frowned. “So you’re going to take ‘harem’, I guess.”

  “I am. Though of course you’re welcome to have a harem of your own, or perhaps take my harem for a night. I’m a sharing man.”

  “I mean…how do we do this? Do we split the list, each do half?”

  Master Khan tipped his head to one side. “Tell me, where is Rosa?”

  “I assume in the Subs’ garden.”

  “Ah, you haven’t called her yet.”

  “No. Mistress Faith suggested I speak with you first.”

  “Oh? Why?”

  Liam shifted uncomfortably. “I assume because you’re more experienced. Rosa and I haven’t been members for very long.”

  “You’re not bonded?”

  “
No, I was going to save it, make it something romantic, assuming this worked.”

  He planned to get a pretty diamond collar. Maybe store it in the drawer with the engagement rings he’d purchased but had never used to actually propose.

  “Assuming what worked?” Luscious asked from the floor.

  “Naughty thing,” Master Khan’s voice was sharp, but he was smiling. “Over my lap.”

  Luscious rose and slid over Master Khan’s lap. He gave her five quick, hard smacks to the ass, then gently pushed her off his lap and back onto the floor.

  Liam’s mouth was dry. He’d never done that with ’Licia. Oh he’d spanked her, but he’d always been precise with each smack, making sure it landed on an appropriate place on her body, and never hit her too hard. What Master Khan had done was so casual, so…effortless.

  “I should warn you that my submissive has the freedom to speak whenever she wants, but that does not give her the right to question other Doms.” Master Khan grabbed her by the hair, forced her head back so she was looking at Liam. “Apologize, you naughty thing.”

  “I’m sorry, Master Liam.” Luscious didn’t look or sound upset. She seemed…content.

  Khan released her hair and kissed her head. “Good girl.” He turned back to Liam. “Though she has a good point. Assuming what worked?”

  Liam looked out over the crowd in the library. Maybe it was the half of a rum and coke he had, or maybe he was just tired of fucking up, but he said, “Assuming joining this place fixed my relationship with my girlfriend.”

  Master Khan and Luscious exchanged a look. She popped to her feet and headed for the bar. Master Khan laid one arm along the back of the couch. “I think I might know why we’ve been assigned to play together. Tell me everything.”

  Liam was already regretting saying as much as he had. “Er…”

  “It is possible that the game will give you an answer to your question.”

  “I don’t have a question.”

  “You do. You just aren’t asking it. Your sub, Rosa, is your girlfriend outside of here?”

  “Yes.”

  “How long have you been together?”

  “Seventeen years.”

  “Seventeen years?” Luscious yelped. The tray she’d brought back from the bar bobbled. “And she’s still your girlfriend? Not your wife? Your fiancée?”

  “Enough,” Master Khan barked.

  “I’ll take the punishment,” Luscious passed Liam a drink—a rum and coke, so she must have talked to the bartender. “It needed to be said.”

  “You will mind your manners,” Khan snapped.

  “She’s not wrong,” Liam said quietly. “It’s just never worked out right. I’d planned to propose, and then well, some things happened. We had some really hard years. Or there was work. I’d have to leave for a project, or she’d be working non-stop. I have the ring. Actually I have two rings. One cheap one I bought back when we had just moved in together after college. Then another one, a better one—three carat sapphire—that I’ve had for five years.” Liam looked at the dark liquid in the glass, raised it to his lips and downed half of it in one swallow. The rum burned and the carbonation tickled his nose.

  “Then I was right. You have a question, but you’re not asking it.”

  “What question?” Liam asked without looking up from his glass.

  “Is Rosa really the right submissive for me?”

  Liam flinched. He knew the answer to that—no, because he wasn’t the right Dom for her.

  “Master, may I add something?” Luscious asked.

  “Yes, my pet.”

  “Master Liam…is that it, or are you really wondering if you and Rosa are still in love?”

  Liam downed the rest of his drink.

  “Ahhh,” Master Khan said. “Well spotted, my pet.”

  “Thank you, Master.”

  “I still love her,” Liam said softly. “She’s the love of my life. But I don’t know how to be what she wants. How to give her what she wants.”

  “Hmmm, that I might be able to aid you with. I consider myself something of an artist in this area.” Master Khan was smiling. “Do you trust me?”

  “No. I just met you,” Liam said bluntly.

  “A fair point. But still consider carefully what I’m about to say, the idea I have for you.”

  Talking to Master Khan was like talking to a character from a period BBC drama.

  “And what’s your idea?”

  “Place your Rosa in my harem.”

  “No, I won’t give her away.”

  Hachiro made a dismissive noise. “There is no shame in it.”

  Maybe not for that guy, but Liam wanted her closer, not further away. Still, it wouldn’t be polite to say that. “I’m not saying there is but I…I’m trying to hold on to her, not get rid of her.”

  “Perhaps you’re thinking of this too simply. Think of it as…training.” Master Khan took a casual sip of his drink, one hand buried in Luscious’s hair. “You are both newer to the veiled intricacies of the lifestyle. You are, of course, knowledgeable enough to have become members, but this art form demands constant attention. Change. Flexibility. Discovery.”

  Liam closed his eyes. He’d done all those things. He’d tried again and again, and it was never enough. His previous admission left him feeling open and exposed. He had no wish to feel even more exposed than he currently was.

  There were two options—explain that he’d tried. List his attempts to understand and connect with her, and in doing so recount his failures.

  Or he could keep quiet and go along with this doomed plan.

  Liam nodded. “Okay. Honestly I’ll try anything at this point.” What he didn’t add was that he was pretty sure he and ’Licia were over no matter what happened here. The road they’d traveled this far was too cracked and broken.

  “Luscious, go call her.”

  Liam watched as Luscious rose and walked out. In the ten minutes between that and Rosalicia walking through the door, Master Khan outlined the rest of his plan.

  To Liam it seemed harebrained, overly complicated, and designed more for dramatics than anything else, but part of him was relieved that Master Khan was willing to take the lead on the planning. He wasn’t fond of giving up control, but he was tired of disappointing ’Licia.

  Luscious met Rosalicia by the door and led her over to their couch.

  When she saw him, Rosalicia’s eyes flashed with what he thought might be happiness, or relief. That was probably wishful thinking.

  He and Master Khan both stood as the subs rounded the couch. Luscious sank to her knees in front of Master Khan. After a brief hesitation, ’Licia—though he should think of her as Rosa since that was the nickname she’d picked to use at the club—did the same.

  She was so beautiful. He reached out to stroke her hair, letting a lock trail between his fingers.

  She caught her breath, held it, and looked up at him through her lashes. It was wishful thinking, but for a moment he saw love in her eyes. It was a trick of the light, no doubt, but in that moment he felt like he’d tumbled back through time, and he was seeing the Rosalicia he’d first fallen in love with, the girl who’d been so many of his firsts—and who he’d hoped would be his last.

  “Now we’re all here. We can begin.” Master Khan spoke as if this were a party and now the festivities could commence.

  His words broke the spell. Rosa’s lashes lowered and she exhaled. When she looked up again she wasn’t looking at him, but at Master Khan.

  “Begin, Sir? May I ask what our letter is?”

  “Your Master will tell you.”

  Rose looked back at him. Liam straightened his spine. “H. And you’re joining Master Khan’s harem.”

  Rosa looked from Liam to Master Khan to Luscious. “Harem?” she asked incredulously.

  Master Khan made a disapproving noise. “Master Liam, may I?”

  Master Liam? That’s not what he goes by. He goes by Master Bland.

  Liam p
ushed to his feet, avoiding Rosa by pointedly stepping around her. “Of course. I’m going to the bar.”

  Rosalicia closed her eyes for a moment, fighting back tears as he walked away. The shock and hope she’d felt when she saw him waiting for her was quickly replaced by familiar anger and hurt. He hated this lifestyle—and her for wanting it—so much that he’d rather foist her off on someone else than touch her.

  “Put your chest on the couch,” Master Khan said.

  Rosa looked at him uncomprehendingly.

  “For your spanking. While you’re in my harem you will mind your manners. The disrespect in your tone was unacceptable. Also, you failed to address Master Liam properly.”

  “Spanking?” she whispered.

  “Luscious, my pet, help her.”

  Rosa turned towards the other woman, mouth opening to say something, but Luscious was already moving. The other woman with the purple-tipped hair grabbed Rosa and shoved her. She was already on her knees facing the couch, so the shove made her fall forward, her chest thumping onto the seat. The corset kept her back straight and she planted her hands flat against the cushion of the couch. The G-string she wore left her ass completely bare.

  Rosa’s cheek lay against the leather, which was still warm from Liam’s body. She blinked, shocked by how fast this was moving.

  That shock was nothing compared to what was to come.

  Master Khan scooted forward so he was perched on the edge of the couch and raised his right hand. Rosa started to push herself up—self-protective instincts kicking in—but Luscious planted a hand between her shoulder blades and held her down.

  Smack, smack, smack.

  The sound hit her first, followed by the quick bursts of heat and mild pain as Master Khan spanked her.