The Auction: A Dark Romance (Club Indulgence Duet Book 1)

My pet’s anger blazes off her, searing into me. Her lips quiver, and she keeps her glare pinned on me.

Her reaction doesn’t shock me. I’d be disappointed if she didn’t react this way. I know how she feels about involving others in our relationship. I intentionally had Aria dye her hair and wear the outfit to match Blakely’s. It’s all part of drawing out my pet’s insubordination.

She lowers her voice and seethes, ‘I told you no other women.’

Arrogance explodes inside me. I couldn’t have predicted this any better. I keep my gaze on Blakely and boom, ‘Who’s in charge, Flower?’

Blakely’s hatred grows in her expression, her cheeks turning redder.

Aria answers, ‘You are, Sir.’

I question, ‘Who decides what happens and with whom at all times?’

‘You, Sir.’

‘Why would I bring someone else into my relationship?’ I question, continuing not to flinch under Blakely’s death glare.

Aria replies, ‘For the well-being of your sub, Sir.’

‘Because…?’

She adds, ‘They need it, Sir.’

I step closer to Blakely and ask Aria, ‘Am I a Dom who plays around?’

Aria says, ‘No, Sir.’

I continue, ‘Who is my focus on?’

She answers, ‘Your current sub.’

Blakely’s lips tremble harder. She blinks fast, trying to control her emotions, but never tears her gaze off mine.

‘Flower, are you my current sub?’ I ask.

‘No, Sir.’

‘Who’s my current sub?’

‘Blakely,’ Aria answers.

‘That’s right. So who is my focus on?’

‘Blakely.’

‘And why are you here?’

Aria claims, ‘To help train Blakely.’

I slide my thumb over my pet’s trembling lips, asking Aria, ‘Why?’

‘So rule fourteen doesn’t get enforced,’ Aria declares.

Blakely shuts her eyes. A tear escapes, and I watch it roll down her cheek. I swipe over her jaw, wiping it away, and she opens her eyelids.

I lean into her ear and murmur, ‘You need to learn. I want you with me for the year. Do you still want that?’ I retreat and study her.

Her defiance swirls with her desire to stay with me. She stays quiet.

I warn, ‘There’s only one answer here, pet. There are no do-overs. Now, I asked you a question, don’t make me repeat it.’

She takes two short breaths, her nostrils flare, as she manages to get out, ‘Yes. I want to stay with you.’

‘Yes, who?’

Her glare returns to hatred.

I wait.

She spews, ‘Yes, Sir.’

I put my hand on her cheek, wait a few moments for her to calm down, then spin her so her back is against my chest. I slide my hand on her stomach and demand, ‘Do you see how she kneels?’

Blakely nods.

‘Answer me with words at all times,’ I instruct.

She swallows hard, then exhales loudly. ‘Yes, Sir.’

I hold her closer to me, move her hair over her shoulder, and kiss the curve of her neck. She grips my thigh with her palm. I move it to her stomach and murmur, ‘Rule seven, pet.’

Her body stiffens.

I kiss her neck again, then tug her hair until she faces the ceiling. My lips brush the side of hers as I remind her, ‘There are rewards and punishments. It’s up to you what you get. Now, go kneel next to Aria.’ I kiss her on the cheek, squeeze her ass, then release her.

She hesitates, pinning her hatred-filled glare on Aria.

‘Now,’ I reiterate.

She finally caves and takes her position, replicating Aria.

My erection twitches. It’s almost like having two Blakelys, even though I know it’s not. And I’m aware that once Aria looks up, the resemblance will be gone.

I drop my pants, step out of them, but keep my boxers on. Then I remove my shirt. I add my clothes to the pile where Blakely’s are, then take a few extra moments to stare at the women kneeling in front of me, heads bowed, waiting for my commands.

I crouch in front of Aria and decide there’s no point in easing Blakely into this. She’s too defiant and has a long way to go to be ready for the club. I tilt Aria’s chin, and the resemblance to my pet disappears just like I knew would happen. My cock softens. It makes me wonder how I used to keep it so hard for all the months I was with Aria, but nothing compares to my pet. Having the two so close together, there’s no fooling my cock. I ask, ‘What do you want for your reward tonight, Flower?’

Blakely’s head snaps toward me.

I don’t look at her but can see from my peripheral vision. I say to Aria, ‘Excuse me. I need to deal with disobedience.’

The wild look in her eyes grows deeper. I’ve seen it too many times not to recognize it, and it worries me. She’s been away from the lifestyle too long, doing whatever she’s doing with this guy she’s seeing. I make a mental note to talk to her about letting me train him. I know almost everything there is to know about Aria, and her need to submit isn’t a thing she does for fun. It’s part of who she is and trying to go backward will only destroy her.

I know from personal experience. Once you’ve sunk your toes into this lifestyle, there’s no returning to a vanilla world.

I rise, and she lowers her head. I ask, ‘Aria, would you like to be part of the process?’

She meets my eye and breathily answers, ‘Yes. Please, Sir.’

I smile and stroke the top of her head, nodding. ‘You may take part.’

‘Thank you, Sir,’ she states, as if in relief.

I step in front of Blakely and crouch down. She continues glaring at me, and I ask, ‘Flower, we need to sort something first. Tell me what my pet did wrong.’

On cue, Aria answers, ‘Rule one. She broke her position without your permission, Sir.’

‘And what happens if a sub does that?’ I stroke Blakely’s cheek, which twitches under my touch.

Aria replies, ‘It’s a punishable offense, Sir.’

‘That’s right.’ I rise and reach for Aria, pulling her onto her feet so she’s in front of Blakely. I pat Aria’s ass and order, ‘Go into the playroom.’

She smiles and leaves the room. I stare at her backside, not because I’m more interested in it than Blakely’s but just to make her angrier.

My pet blinks hard and looks away. I hold my hands out, and she refuses to take them.

I command, ‘When I hold my hands out, you take them.’

She stays frozen, except for her quick blinks.

‘Your punishment is increasing,’ I threaten.

She meets my eye with a fresh stream of anger. She whispers, ‘Please don’t do this.’

I crouch down, tilt her head, and drag my knuckles over her cheek. ‘Don’t do what, pet? Don’t train you? Don’t do everything in my power to keep you as mine?’

She closes her eyes.

I lean into her ear and assert, ‘This only works if you trust me. And listen. It’s clear you’ve not heard a word I’ve said since we got together.’

She inhales sharply, puts her hand on my arm, and insists, ‘I have.’

‘Have you?’

‘Yes!’ she cries out.

I shake my head. ‘In the last minute, you’ve broken rules one, two, and seven. And if you trusted me, nothing about this situation would bother you. You’d know that every action I take is carefully constructed for your benefit.’

‘This is cruel,’ she claims.

‘Cruel is what happens if I lose you. And that will be your choice. Now, I’m going to rise. Decide if you’re going to learn or if we should stop everything now. If you want to quit, I’ll turn you over to the club and you’ll remain under their protection until the year is up. You won’t have to worry about your father or his men. You have my word. But I’ll be damned if I take you to the club in a few weeks unprepared,’ I threaten and stand tall.

A moment passes, and I hold my hands out.

She hesitates, then slowly takes them.

‘Good girl,’ I praise and pull her to her feet.

She sniffles.

I wipe her cheeks and question, ‘Do you remember what I asked Aria?’

Blakely pins her eyebrows together as if confused.

‘Let me remind you. I’m not a Dom who plays around, pet. What I do, I do for you because you need it. Now, dig down and find that trust you had for me the night you signed an unread contract after I told you I’d own you.’

She takes a few deep breaths, straightens her shoulders, and lifts her chin.

Pride sweeps through me. She’s perfect in so many ways. Her confidence at this moment, whether she knows she has it or not, is something I’ve rarely seen. ‘Good girl,’ I commend her and give her a peck on the lips.

She tries for more, but I retreat, guiding her down the hall and into the playroom.

She gasps when we step inside.

I freeze, letting her take in the numerous pieces of sex furniture, wall of toys, floggers, paddles, and different restraints, as well as the fourteen-ringed, steel St. Andrew’s Cross. Her eyes grow wider, and a flush creeps into her cheeks until her gaze rests on Aria, who’s in the kneeling position in the middle of the room, head bowed. Blakely’s body tenses again.

I slide my hand on her ass and murmur in her ear, ‘This time, learn from your punishment.’

She looks at me in question.

I grip her waist, turn my head toward Aria, and boom, ‘Go pick a flogger, Flower.’

Aria lifts her head, her green eyes practically glowing, and rises. She walks to the wall and chooses a black flogger, putting it next to her nose and deeply inhaling. The long, full-grain buffalo leather tassels are perfect for inducing different sensations. It doesn’t surprise me she chose it. It’s her favorite. She spins and waits.

I move Blakely behind the St. Andrew’s Cross.

Her eyes widen, and she stares at me.

I command, ‘Spread your legs and arms so they’re in line with the metal.’

She arches her eyebrows.

‘Flower, what are the only two correct answers?’ I question.

‘Yes, Sir. Or, thank you, Sir,’ she states.

‘Let’s try this again, pet. Spread your legs and arms so they’re in line with the metal,’ I repeat.

Blakely’s jaw twitches. She quietly says, ‘Yes, Sir,’ and obeys.

My cock hardens. I stare at the thin gold material across her back and between her ass cheeks. Her pale skin, flush against the metal, is just a bonus. I rip my gaze off her, grab four cuffs, and restrain her to the cross. I move her hair over her right shoulder, drag my knuckles down her spine, then stroke the thin lace over her slit.

She shivers, and her breath hitches. Goose bumps break out on her skin.

I murmur in her ear, ‘Say thank you to Aria for volunteering to help you.’

Her jaw clenches.

I grab the crotch of her thong and tug, ripping them off her.

‘Riggs!’ she screeches, her back arching into my torso.

I grip her chin and turn her head to the side, demanding, ‘Who am I?’

‘Sir!’ she cries out.

I release her and repeat, ‘Say thank you to Aria.’

She takes loud breaths, refusing to obey.

I slide two fingers inside her.

She bucks into my hand, her walls clenching around my digits.

I slowly thrust, taking my other hand and tugging her head back, ordering, ‘Say it.’

Her expression hardens, her chest rises and falls faster, and her cheeks turn redder.

I step to the side of her, keep thrusting my fingers, and slap her ass so loud it echoes in the room.

‘Oh!’ she cries out.

‘Oh, who?’ I shout, add a third finger, and slap her again.

‘Sir!’ she shouts.

I spank her until both her cheeks are red, her arousal drips down my hand, and she’s shaking so hard her knees buckle.

I inhale her sea salt and driftwood scent and rub her ass, sliding my fingers in front of her face, ordering, ‘Suck.’

She glances at me with her watering blues, her lips part, and I shove my digits past her teeth.

‘Suck, my little pet,’ I taunt. ‘Be a good girl and show Flower how much you love the taste of your pussy.’

Her eyes dart toward Aria as if she forgot she was there. She moves her head back as if to escape my fingers, but I’m behind her. There’s nowhere to go, and all she can do is continue to suck.

Aria’s eyes glow like an animal’s in the dark. The flogger shakes in her hand, and her eyes slowly move from Blakely’s mouth to my gaze, silently pleading.

This is why she can’t return to the world of vanilla. I know what Aria needs more than she does. I thought she’d come to accept who she was and what she needed, but I guess she still has some inner work to do.

‘Watch and learn, pet,’ I demand, then pull my fingers out of Blakely’s mouth. I move toward Aria and hold my hand out.

She hands me the flogger.

I order, ‘Take your position.’

Like a good little sub, she chooses the bench in front of the cross. She lies on it so her face is toward Blakely. She puts her hands on the legs, and I cuff them. Then I cuff her ankles to the back ones. I crouch in front of her, tuck her locks of hair behind her ears, and lower my voice so Blakely can’t hear. ‘Remember this when you think of this guy you’re seeing. This isn’t something you can deny anymore.’

She shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath.

‘Flower.’

She locks her tormented gaze on mine.

‘Bring him into the life,’ I state.

She bites her lip and blinks hard.

‘Tell me why I should do this to you,’ I demand.

She looks at me in surprise.

‘I want to hear it, Flower.’

She licks her lips, then her voice cracks. ‘I need it.’

I decide it’s enough for now. I stroke her cheek. ‘Okay, then.’

She lets out a breath, as if she’s releasing some sort of pent-up suffering. But I don’t doubt she has been. I know Aria’s past and what she’s been through. I understand why she can’t escape her submissive or masochistic tendencies.

I rise and step behind her. I glance at Blakely, whose looking at me in horror. I order, ‘Flower, what do good girls get?’

‘Rewards, Sir.’

‘Have you been good?’

‘Yes, Sir.’

‘Would you like your reward?’

‘Please, Sir,’ she begs, her voice laced with pain.

I run my hand over her ass cheeks several times, notice Blakely clench her jaw, and keep my hand there longer than I normally would.

‘Please, Sir,’ Aria whispers so quietly I barely hear her.

It tugs me out of my obsession with Blakely. That’s the issue with working two subs at once. You have to keep both their needs in mind, and it’s easy to get lost in one, which can hurt the other. I step back, raise the flogger in the air, and smack it on Aria’s ass.

‘Ugh…thank you, Sir,’ she says.

Blakely’s eyes widen.

Knowing what Aria needs, I give her ten strong lashes in a row, watching her body language and listening to changes in her voice. I go to the drawers, select a bullet, and stand above her. I lock eyes with Blakely and state, ‘The duality of pain and pleasure morph together more than we know in life, becoming one highly charged emotion. You, Aria, even me, we can’t escape it.’ I turn the vibrating feature on and slide the bullet under Aria’s panties and into her body.

She moans, then adds, ‘Thank you, Sir.’

Emotions flare on Blakely’s face. I’ve never had a sub show so much jealousy over me touching another sub. Yet I also see the curiosity budding, and I know I’ve finally made some progress.

I remind myself Aria’s in a vulnerable position. I return to my role and resume flogging her. After five slaps, I yell out, ‘Don’t you dare come, Flower.’

‘Please, Sir!’ she cries out, which surprises me. She normally can take more before she begs. It tells me that it’s been too long since she had a release.

‘No,’ I reply, knowing the longer she fights it, the more intense it’ll be for her. Plus, Blakely needs to see what’s possible…what she has to learn to do.

I flog her three more times, and Aria shrieks, ‘Please, Sir!’ Her tears drip on the wood floor, pooling under the bench. Sweat coats her skin in tiny beads.

Blakely studies it all, her eyes darting between us like she can’t decide where to focus.

‘Pet, watch Flower’s face,’ I demand.

Her jealousy flares again.

‘That’s an order, and I expect a response,’ I bark, my crazed feeling beginning to brew.

Blakely jumps but can’t go very far since she’s still restrained to the cross. She blurts out, ‘Yes, Sir.’

I point to Aria.

Blakely refocuses on Aria.

I hit the button on the remote, so the vibrations intensify, and continue flogging Aria, denying her requests until her ‘Sirs’ are barely audible with her broken voice. I finally crack the leather over her red ass and demand, ‘Come.’

Her body erupts in a spasm, convulsing against the bench, and I rub my hand over her ass cheeks to soothe the sting.

And then it happens. Aria’s whimpers turn to sobs, and I know I made an error. I unlatch her from the bench, tug her into my arms, and stroke her hair. I tell her, ‘Shh. It’ll be okay.’

She becomes hysterical, and I silently curse her. I warned her she couldn’t go back. We’ve had plenty of conversations. This is what happens when you try to deny your needs after getting in tune with them. When she told me she was head over heels for a guy who isn’t in the life, I shouldn’t have had her come here. I should have known she’d be too fragile.

Now, I’ve really messed up.

Aria’s so distraught, there’s no doubt she’s having a breakdown. I leave Blakely on the cross, carrying Aria out of the room.

I take her to the guest bedroom and sit on the bed with her crying on my lap.

She finally calms enough to look up. ‘I-I’m sorry,’ she cries out, and fresh tears fall.

‘Shh. Everything’s fine.’

‘Riggs, I don’t know what I’m doing,’ she chokes out.

I tug her head to my chest, letting her sob until she calms again. In a firm voice, I say, ‘We’ll talk about this tomorrow. But you have to let me speak to him. He needs to come into the life, or you have to let him go.’

‘But I love him,’ she cries out.

‘Shh. We’ll talk tomorrow,’ I order, wait until she’s sniffling, put her on her feet, and pull back the covers.

She slides onto the bed, and I pull the blankets over her. She says, ‘I’m sorry, Riggs.’

I shake my head. ‘No sorry. You did well.’

‘I shouldn’t have—’ I put my fingers over her lips.

‘You were perfect. We’ll talk in the morning. Go to sleep.’ I leave the room, grab my phone out of my pants, and return to the playroom.

‘Is she okay?’ Blakely asks.

My thoughts spin out of control. My worries and fears take hold. I shouldn’t have let so much time pass without checking in on Aria. I should have known something was up when I hadn’t heard from her in a while. But most of all, I’m two steps away from losing my pet. There’s too much to do and not enough time. It’s clear Aria isn’t in any frame of mind to properly train Blakely.

I step closer, stating, ‘What did you learn tonight?’

Horror fills her expression.

She thinks I’m a monster.

Good.

‘I expect answers when I speak to you, or I’ll leave you on this cross all night,’ I threaten.

Blakely’s lips tremble. Her eyes turn to slits.

All I want to do is kiss those trembling lips. The fact I can’t only pisses me off further. I warn, ‘Is that what you want? To stay on this cross all night?’

‘No.’

‘No, who?’

‘No, Sir.’

I repeat, ‘Tell me what you learned. And think before you speak.’

She waits a moment, then says, ‘To follow the rules.’

‘And?’

She swallows hard. ‘Pleasure and pain can morph together.’

‘And how do you know this?’ I ask.

Her face turns red.

‘Well?’ I push.

She takes a deep breath. ‘From what you did to me.’

What I did to her?

Not what I did to Aria but what I did to her.

My cock turns hard again. I try to hide my surprise and ask, ‘And what did you learn from Aria?’

She licks her lips and admits, ‘That I have to wait to come until you permit me.’

Her answers are so perfect I want to kiss her again. It gives me hope that all is not lost. I nod and walk behind her.

I snap several photos of her, bare-assed with my handprints in red, her gold bra still on, and her juices glistening in a streak down her leg. I’m so disoriented about everything that went wrong yet still right that I feel giddy. I almost send it to her father, then remember it’s my personal phone.

I release the restraints and pick Blakely up, carrying her to a bedroom suite. I turn on the shower and order her to get in.

She hesitates, then asks, ‘Aren’t you joining me?’

Every part of my body wants to, but I need to reestablish control.

‘No.’ I turn and leave the room. There’s no more sex with Blakely until she passes the test at the club. I can’t afford any more mistakes.