My Addiction (Club Desire, #2)
Cassie Ryan
Chapter 1
Thanks to Los Angeles rush hour traffic, Kate Fretwell walked into The Dungeon almost an hour after leaving home. She nearly lost her footing as she ran into Senator Balkins when he stepped into her path. He reached out to steady her, his fingers brushing the side of her breast in a clumsy and badly concealed “accident.”
She swept her gaze over her surroundings, hoping to find an easy escape. She and Balkins stood just inside the large front doors in the lavish greeting area, filled with plush couches and people waiting to meet with the owner, Ed Ralston, or one of his assistants.
“Kate. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.” Balkins’s voice reminded her of a used car salesman and made her want to cringe.
She scowled at his use of her name, as if they were longtime acquaintances, or even lovers. He had inferred and even asked her straight out several times to play. She’d started by demurring politely and moved on to flat-out refusing when he remained persistent. She didn’t know the man personally, and had no desire to.
Her gut screamed for her to stay clear.
Other than his continued unwelcome interest, she knew who Balkins was because of his voting record for bills that favored the super-rich—men like her father. According to scuttlebutt from the other subs, instead of being called “Master” during play, he liked to be addressed as “Senator.”
When his hands lingered on her shoulders, she took a firm step back, annoyed when he didn’t relinquish his grip. “I’m sorry, Senator. I have somewhere I need to be.”
He smiled, and the description that came to mind was “feral.” He was a few inches shorter than her five foot nine but attempted to look down his nose at her. She supposed it was in a vain effort to mitigate the difference in their heights. She wondered if he used that tactic in the Senate. If so, it was a wonder he had been reelected twice. Although that probably had more to do with money, and his willingness to bend to special interests, than anything else.
She sure as hell hadn’t voted for him.
He licked his lips, and the action made her cringe. “We have important business to discuss, Kate, and I’m afraid I must be leaving soon for a prior arrangement.”
She frowned at his odd wording. Prior arrangement? He had a hard edge to his voice that reminded her of conversations with her father.
Both men’s behaviors reeked of self-entitlement, and it made her wonder if it was just a wealthy generational thing—rich males of their era behaving in a certain manner. But she’d met other men of that age and socioeconomic status who acted nothing like either of them.
She raised her chin and met Balkins’s gaze in what she hoped was a haughty manner. “I don’t know of any business we might have, Senator, and I have a prior engagement.” She emphasized the word slightly, but his bland expression showed he totally missed her reference.
She tried to turn and duck away from his tight grip on her shoulders, but he surprised her and grabbed her upper arm with one hand, while he wrapped his other arm around her stomach and pulled her back tight against him.
He was stronger than he looked.
Anger pumped through her veins as she saw members and visitors watching them and doing nothing. Of course, there were strict rules against any touching without the other person’s permission. But here in The Dungeon they would assume this was nothing more than some rough play any woman would welcome from Balkins.
I’m not any woman!
Since most of her Doms were part of either the political or Hollywood A-list, likely no one thought it an odd pairing.
“Relax, Kate,” he whispered against her hair. “You’re my gift for the night, and I intend to give you pleasures beyond your wildest dreams.”
She stilled for a moment as his words crystalized inside her mind. “A gift from whom?” She pushed the words out through gritted teeth. She stood stiff and unrelenting in his firm grip as she waited for her suspicions to be confirmed.
His hot breath feathered against her nape, and she shuddered. “Mr. Stanton was kind enough to give you to me for the evening. As I said, I must be going soon, but I’ll be back in a few hours, and we can pick up where we left off.”
Her stomach clenched, and she balled her fingers into fists as she pictured punching Mark Stanton square in the family jewels. He was one of the richest men in the nation, and a popular Dom, more for the lavish gifts he gave his subs after play rather than during. But that didn’t impress Kate. No one owned her, and she would make sure Stanton knew that when she saw him next.
After he finished rolling on the ground, cradling his injured balls.