Perception (Club Destiny #6)(97)
Author: Nicole Edwards

Actually, it wasn’t even on the list.

However, he had seen that familiar spark in her eyes earlier when they’d left his condo, right after she’d given him strict instruction as to how the night would go. He had complied half-heartedly, hating himself for agreeing to this in the first place.

If the woman thought it went against her nature to submit, she had no fucking clue what it was like for him. Even if it meant he was fulfilling a fantasy of hers – her words exactly – he felt the animal beneath his skin itching to get free.

When they’d arrived at the club, he had allowed the valet to take his Escalade while he walked Mercedes inside, still being the perfect gentleman he was raised to be. But it was the moment they stepped into the club proper that his world tipped on its axis. And not in a good way either.

She’d warned him of her expectations so he’d gone along with it. After all, tomorrow morning – when their time was officially over – would depend on his participation tonight, even he knew that much.

Thankfully, she had allowed him to wear his comfortable attire, which consisted of leather pants, his shit kickers and a plain black t-shirt. She’d handpicked everything from his closet earlier, and he’d been impressed.

But, that’s where his comfort level took a quick nosedive.

It wasn’t that he had a problem being partially naked in public. That didn’t bother him in the least. But removing his shirt so that everyone could see the thick black collar that now wrapped like a noose around his neck wasn’t thrilling him at all.

Shit, at this point, he wasn’t sure he’d even be able to convince his dick that this would be worth his while.

As he reached for the drinks he’d ordered at the bar, he felt the weight of the huge leather cuffs that wrapped around his arms and he fought the urge to groan. Another of Mercedes’s “surprises” for him tonight.

The woman was pushing her luck. Up to this point, he thought he’d been somewhat of a good sport about this. Thank God he’d be the one in control as soon as they made it back to his condo because he was going to tan her ass for putting him through this shit.

He made his way back to where Mercedes was standing, handing her the drink she’d requested. As he stood beside her, he kept his attention focused solely on her. It was that or possibly rip the fucking collar off of his neck and use it to bind her hands behind her back so he could take her nine ways to Sunday right there at the fucking bar.

The look she shot him would’ve had a weaker man cowering. She was going to push her limits tonight; it was written clearly in her beautiful gray eyes.

His attention was drawn to a sound across the room, and Xander looked up to see Shane laughing at something Luke McCoy said.

Just fucking great.

It looked like Mercedes was going to have her work cut out for her tonight because he wasn’t feeling especially submissive. Exactly the opposite. And maybe that’s what she needed. Topping from the bottom was something he despised, but it was also something he could master in the situation he was currently in. Based on the way Mercedes had submitted to him so sweetly over the last few days, he knew it wouldn’t be tough to accomplish either.

He glanced around the room as he waited for to command him to do something, wishing like hell they’d just get on with it. As it was, it seemed everyone who was anyone was there tonight.

Of course, he noticed Sam and Logan were sitting on one of the couches closer to the glass enclosed rooms talking to Sierra and Cole, who looked way too cozy at the moment.

He wondered how long before Mercedes noticed they’d shown up tonight. Or how long it would take for her to interact with them. If it had been him in control, after all that had happened since their first trip to Devotion, he could easily figure out a way to work Sam and Logan into tonight’s festivities.

Shit.

Glancing down, he noticed she was watching them intently, probably trying to mentally will them to see her. Or him. Or both of them.

Fucking hell.

If she had any intention of inviting them to watch, or worse, participate, he was going to lose his shit.

Then again, Mercedes was acting different tonight. Quite frankly, she’d been acting strange since he found her lying in his bed that morning. She’d been lost in thought when he approached, and it hadn’t been until he spoke that she even realized he was in the room.

They’d been apart during the day because work had gotten in the way, but as soon as she walked into his condo that evening, she’d taken the reins and was holding them tight, fully morphing into the Mistress she was known to be.

His only hope would be to get her naked so he could slake his lust inside of her. If that were to happen, he didn’t give a shit who stood by to watch. So, maybe, if he were lucky, he might just get something out of this.