Training Drew Read online

  Table of Contents

  Dedication & Blurb

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Back Matter

  Copyright

  Dedication

  For my muses

  When Drew Minola signs up for the annual submissive auction at Twisted & Tied – DC’s premier BDSM club – she’s under the impression it’s mostly for show. She doesn’t expect there to be any real competition for her and anticipates a night of slightly kinky sex with her sort-of boyfriend – which would be a vast improvement over the disaster that was her last foray into the Lifestyle. What she ends up with is an overwhelmingly intense, deliciously sexy stranger who isn’t one to take no for an answer – not that she’s saying no. She’s too busy begging – Yes, please, more! But when their night is over, can she do more than dip her toe into the BDSM world and learn to embrace the submissive within?

  Shibari expert Sebastian Falk wants Drew in his arms, in his bed and in his ropes, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen – including buying her submission for the night. But he wants so much more than just one night. More than anything he wants to show her what submitting to a real Dom is like, because the one she’s with is dangerous and reckless. Bas isn’t going to let him ruin any more lives and if that means stealing Drew right out from under the son of a bitch’s nose, then so be it. Great risk for great reward – and she is the greatest prize Bas has ever claimed. She’s no wilting flower, though, and training her is going to test all of his skills as a Dom…but that's nothing compared to the trouble he's going to have when the secrets he's been keeping come back to haunt him - and Drew.

  Chapter One

  Bas leaned back against the wall of the club, eyes locked on the delicate little blonde across the room as he pulled out his cell and dialed his best friend. “Harry, she’s here.”

  “Who’s where?” Harry, on the other end of the phone, sounded distracted.

  “I don’t know her name. I’m at the club.” Twisted & Tied, the premier BDSM club in Washington DC, of which both he and Harry were long time members. Though Harry didn’t frequent the club much anymore, not since he’d fallen head over heels and spent his days and nights worshipping the love of his life, December. “I told you about her a few months ago, when she was here before. She’s with Chad again.”

  From the inhaled breath on the other end, that got Harry’s attention. Chad Gordon was trouble, in more ways than one, and Harry knew that on a more personal level than most anyone. “I remember now. How do you know it’s the same girl?”

  Bas couldn’t help but smile watching her look around curiously, the way she seemed torn between staring at her surroundings and not wanting to get caught doing so. “Oh, believe me, I know it’s her. She’s…there’s something about her, Harry.”

  Harry’s silence spoke volumes. Bas sighed. “Don’t use that tone with me,” he joked. “I’m going to buy her.”

  “You’re what?”

  “You might have forgotten, being as you have your dick on a leash that December holds tight to, but tonight is the annual Sub Auction. She’s got a number pinned on her so she’s been listed. The plan is probably for asshole to buy her, some kind of game they’re playing with each other – a role-play, but I’m going to buy her instead. And I’m going to keep her.”

  “I’ll tell you what you told me once, Bas. She’s not a stray puppy. Be careful. Especially where he’s concerned.” Harry chuckled then. “And by the way, my dick’s not on a leash…right now December is. Gotta go. Let me know what happens.”

  Bas lowered the phone and tucked it away, never looking away from the girl. She looked much the same as she had four months earlier. He’d been drawn to her then, too. With her big dark eyes and wild blonde curls falling to her waist and the sense of insatiable curiosity she gave off. She’d disappeared before Bas could find out so much as her name. Not again. Not tonight. He wasn’t going to watch that sorry excuse for a Dom ruin anyone else’s life.

  She was going to belong to him, signed sealed delivered, before the night was over.

  * * * * *

  Drew Minola side-stepped a pretty young man crawling along behind his Master. Her eyes widened and her cheeks grew hot when the leashed man caught her eye as he passed and gave her a salacious wink.

  Beside her, Chad chuckled and slid his arm around her waist. “Don’t worry, princess, I’ll protect you.”

  Drew wasn’t sure she needed any protection. Everyone seemed very…normal. Besides the whole crawling and collars and people on leashes, anyway. It was exciting, not scary, but Chad seemed to think she was afraid so she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He seemed very invested in being her ‘protector’ tonight. Which she understood after the last time he’d brought her here and she’d basically made an idiot of herself.

  She shook off the memories of that visit to the club, determined to make this a much more successful outing. So she smiled at him. “Thank you. So…you’re sure no one else is going to bid on me? How do you know?” When he’d first mentioned the auction and asked if she’d like to try the club again and participate, Drew thought it’d sounded incredibly exciting. The idea of putting herself up ‘for sale’, maybe a sexy stranger buying her. Having to do whatever they wanted…

  But Chad told her that wasn’t how it worked. That the auctions were mostly show, a game for couples to play and he’d make sure no one but him bought her. Part of her was a teeny bit disappointed, but she still wanted to do it and she’d decided that she was definitely going to let Chad try some of the stuff she’d fantasized about – bondage and spankings and things like that. After her failed attempt at submission a few months back, she’d avoided him for a while, coming to the conclusion that maybe the Lifestyle wasn’t for her. But the curiosity wouldn’t go away and Chad was apologetic and, well, she couldn’t resist the chance to explore all those secret desires. This time had to be better.

  “I’m sure, don’t worry. I already talked to the guy hosting the auction. He knows you’re mine.”

  Drew didn’t know why she bristled at that. She knew he didn’t mean it like it sounded. They were far too casual an item for that. Not like some of the other people here, who clearly did belong to one another. She was just curious, that’s all. She had no intention of being anyone’s slave, and certainly not Chad’s. But playing at it would be fun, she thought.

  Chad saw someone he knew then, and disappeared with a promise to be back before the auction, and for some reason Drew breathed a little easier once he’d blended into the crowd. Maybe it was just that he was so…intense. She wasn’t really used to men pursuing her so intently, but Chad had been single-minded ever since they’d met at lunch one day at the best Asian fusion taco truck in DC. He was some kind of lawyer and she could see why – he could argue his way past any protests she ever had, including getting her to go out with him that first time.

  So it was nice to be able to just relax and take a look around without any distractions. Unfortunately, she barely got half a foot from where he’d left her before she came face to chest with a walking advertisement for the Nordic gene pool. Well over six foot, eyes like blue ice and cheekbones that could probably cut diamonds. Her heart strangled to a halt in her chest. Oh boy.

  And then she realized he wasn’t waiting for her to get out of his way, he was looking right at her, and his mouth curved in a smile that turned ice ey
es into warm pools and put crinkles around them and dimples in his cheeks. Her mouth went dry.

  “Hello.” It came out as a sort of pitiful squeak and Drew wished the ground would open up. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Hi.” Slightly better.

  Mr. Viking just kept smiling, then took her hand. For a second she worried he was going to drag her off somewhere, then kind of hoped he might. Instead he turned her hand palm-up and his long fingers slid across her wrist. He made a soft, disappointed sound. “A shame.”

  She was far too busy trying to calm the sudden infestation of butterflies in her stomach to understand what he might mean. She blinked up at him. “What?”

  One finger tapped against the tiny blue star stamped on her inner wrist. “It’s blue. I’d hoped for green.”

  It was like he was speaking another language. Either that or her brain was simply being fried by virtue of his absolute hotness. She vaguely recalled the girl at the front desk explaining about the color coded stamps, a star meant guest, blue meant she was there with someone. She didn’t remember what green meant or why this man wished hers was that color. She must have been staring blankly for a bit too long, because his smile turned into a soft, sexy laugh.

  “Blue means you’re taken. Green means I had a shot.”

  A shot. He wanted a shot. Somebody find the man a gun, because Drew would give anything to be his prey. Oh my gosh, what was she even thinking about? She didn’t even know his name. “What’s your name?”

  Oh good, yes, way to just blurt things at him like you have Tourette’s, Drew. Excellent. It was a terrible habit, one she couldn’t seem to break – thoughts just spilled out without anything to slow them down. Her mother called it terminal honesty, while her best friend called it a perpetual lack of a filter.

  But her Nordic God admirer didn’t seem to mind. “Sebastian. Bas.”

  Sebastian. That was nice. Like Bach. Except gorgeous. Her brain was definitely short-circuiting, because she normally didn’t have such silly things spinning through her head. Then his brows lifted – lovely, heavy brows, expressive brows – and she realized she hadn’t responded in kind.

  “Oh! Drew. Drusilla, really, but ew, right? So Drew. Hi. I’m not taken.”

  He smiled. “No?”

  She shook her head, smiling back. “No. My boyfriend told them blue.”

  Bas looked equal parts confused and amused. “Your boyfriend…but you’re not taken?”

  She shook her head. “Oh no. It’s not like that. He’s not even here. I mean he’s here here, but not here right now, clearly so…” She wasn’t making sense. Drew took a breath and smiled, shaking her head. “Sorry. No. He’s not my boyfriend, really. We date sometimes. Tonight, but not every night. He told the lady blue when she asked, so…”

  “I see.” His thumb stroked the little stamp, sending shivers outward from that tiny point of contact. Dear lord, if he could do that with just one finger, what could he do to her with his whole hand? Both hands? His mouth? She stopped there because it was a very real possibility she might need new panties if she imagined any further.

  Drew didn’t know what to say. He was a Dom, he had to be. He was big and strong and all…what was the word? Commanding, maybe? Exactly like she’d always imagined a Dom should be. She wondered what it’d be like to belong to him. Just the thought was enough to make her a little dizzy-headed. She was pretty sure a girl like her wouldn’t ever survive belonging to a man like him. Oh, she’d like to try, though. What a way to go.

  “Are you alright?” His smile had faded, she noticed abruptly, and then realized she must have been staring at him again, wordlessly. He must think she was an idiot. She certainly felt like one right then. Men didn’t usually fluster her so much.

  “Yes. Sorry.” Finally she just decided to be honest and gave him a sheepish smile. “You’re turning my brain to a fisherman’s knot, honestly. Do you do that to all the girls?”

  Thank god, he smiled again, fingers closing around her hand and slowly drawing her closer. “I don’t know. But I’m glad I do it to you.”

  She glanced down at his hand, how big it was, enveloping hers easily. Normally she hated how little she was and wished she had a few more inches – height or bustline, either would do. But currently, with Sebastian’s hand gloving hers, his big, broad body towering over her…she kind of liked it. He made her feel delicate – but not weak. It seemed like every other man wanted to protect her, wrap her in cotton wool or put her on a shelf, but he stood there touching her not like she might break – but like he couldn’t help himself. It was a heady feeling.

  “Are you in the auction?” He nodded to the small pin she’d been given and then attached to her dress, bearing the number three-one-seven.

  Drew blushed. What would he think? But then she peered up at him and – from the look in his eyes – he thought filthy things. Her insides quivered. “Yes.” Then remembered that he wouldn’t be able to bid on her and disappointment filled her. “Oh, but you can’t…”

  “Can’t keep bothering my girl?” Chad appeared at her elbow, arm slinking around her waist, and Drew watched the warmth in Sebastian’s eyes chill until she swore there was a physical drop in temperature.

  She tried to smooth over the obvious tension. “Oh, he wasn’t bothering me. We were just talking…”

  Chad didn’t seem to hear her. Or chose not to. His attention was all on Bas. “Sebastian. Good to see you again.” That was very clearly not true.

  Sebastian didn’t return the falsehood, simply narrowed his eyes. Gosh. Were they mad at each other because of her? This must be what Helen of Troy felt like. Well, minus the millions of people dying thing. Then Sebastian turned his attention back to her and his smile was genuine, lacking the tension and dislike he and Chad were tossing back and forth like a baseball.

  “Drusilla, very nice to meet you.” He reached out and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear, fingertips drifting down her jaw and neck to brush the little pin on her dress strap. “Three hundred and seventeen…my new favorite number. Better check my bank account.” His smile was wicked and then he was gone.

  She found it hard to breathe, unable to focus on Chad as he insisted she tell him what Bas meant by that. Drew wasn’t entirely sure, but…she thought maybe he meant it as a hint he’d be bidding later. Oh, it was such a shame he couldn’t win. She almost wished the auction were real.

  How much would a man like Bas pay for her? And even more intriguing…what would a man like Bas do with her once he owned her? She told herself it didn’t even bear thinking about – yet she couldn’t have stopped the thoughts if her life depended on it.

  * * * * *

  Her heart raced as the host ushered the just-bought submissive off the stage into the arms of her buyer, an elegant-looking woman who gave the girl a light swat on the butt and a kiss on her lips before leading her off. Drew nearly jumped when a staff member lightly touched her arm.

  “Your turn, sweetheart. You alright?” The young man looked a bit concerned, probably because Drew felt more than a little green around the gills suddenly. She must look it, too. She kept telling herself it was just a game, that Chad would buy her and everything would be just like it always was. They’d go back to his place and kiss and things and maybe she’d let him spank her a little, or tie her up when they had sex this time. That was all.

  She tried for a reassuring smile. “Yes, I’m fine.” She took a deep breath, stepping out onto the stage. The lights were very bright at first and the crowd loud as she made her way over near the host.

  She wished she’d worn something sexier, now, having seen what the other subs were wearing. Lycra shorts and pasties and heels so high she didn’t know how they walked – even some of the boys! And there she was in her boring, strappy white dress, the skirt billowing a bit around her thighs. The most risqué thing about it was that she had opted not to wear a bra tonight. She didn’t really need one anyway – her breasts were B-cups on a good day, A’s the rest of the month.<
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  The crowd didn’t seem to mind, though, cheering and hooting, encouraging her to turn for them, show off a little. So she did – or tried to anyway – as the host called out bids and did a really imaginative job of boasting about her assets, such as they were. It took her a few minutes for it to sink in that there were lots of bids. Not just Chad calling out or someone else playfully upping him a couple of times before letting him win.

  No, the men – and women – in the audience were bidding like wildfire and it finally sunk in that perhaps they didn’t know she wasn’t really for sale. Oh dear. Oh no. She looked around frantically, trying to make out faces beyond the bright lights, trying to find Chad in the crowd. Had his voice been one of those calling out? She couldn’t tell, it was all very fast and blurry.

  Then she found him in the crowd. Not Chad. Sebastian. His eyes locked on her and his card raised steadily in the air, outbidding each and every one-up that called out. She couldn’t catch her breath, staring at him in a combination of disbelief and knee-weakening arousal.

  He was going to buy her. Oh god, he really was.

  She couldn’t move, could only stare at him, with him staring right back, as one by one the other bidders dropped out until there was only Bas in the middle of the crowd – and then the auctioneer host called out ‘SOLD!’ and she swayed a little where she stood.

  What had just happened?

  Chapter Two

  The auctioneer led her to the edge of the stage where Sebastian waited. He reached up and took her hand, helping her down, then pulled her closer. “Hey,” he murmured. “Breathe, little one.” Good idea. She didn’t think she’d taken a breath since she’d spotted him in the crowd.

  Drew obediently took several deliberate breaths. Bas used the time to draw her over away from the stage and the crowd. How had this happened? Where was Chad? She struggled to remember the specifics of the waiver she’d signed before being allowed to participate – Bas didn’t really own her now, did he? Was that even legal?