“Be gnarly if my liege was crushing on you, but damn, girl, you’d be insane to hook up with him. I mean, sure, everybody knows he’s awesome at scenes and sex.” He fanned himself. “But he’s not into relationships, so don’t you waltz down that path. You hear what I’m sayin’?”

“Oh, I hear.”

“If you even look like you’re getting a hard-on for him, he’ll kick your ass to the curb.”

“Yeah, well…too late.” Her eyes filled again. I don’t even know what I did wrong.

“What’s the problem here?” A hard hand closed on her shoulder in an unyielding grip, and the unspoken don’t move paralyzed every muscle in her body. Xavier’s voice was cold, turning her bones to ice. “Dixon, what have you done?”

The slender submissive landed on his knees in the smoothest shift she’d ever seen. “My liege, I didn’t…” Dixon glanced at her, and then his chin jutted out in uncharacteristic belligerence. “I didn’t cause her tears.”

Oh, nice. Humiliate me, why don’t you? As the grip on her shoulder tightened painfully, she glared at Dixon, but he didn’t notice. His gaze stayed on Xavier for a long, long moment before dropping to the floor.

The silence from Xavier grew until it filled every molecule of space around the table. “I see.”

I’ve had enough of this. Bursting into tears had reached so high a possibility that it shook her. I want to go home. She tried to push away from the table.

Xavier shifted, his hip keeping the chair from moving. He didn’t release her. “I’ll deal with you in a minute, pet.”

He turned slightly and raised his voice. “Master deVries.”

Dixon gave a horrified squeak like a puppy that had fallen off a step, and dropped his forehead to the floor in abject surrender.

Abby watched the heavy-jawed Dominant approach. He scanned the group with sharp, gray-green eyes and lifted one eyebrow when Dixon didn’t move. “Can I be of assistance here?”

Oh no, what did Xavier want with him? His reputation was…scary. Past scary. A bisexual sadist. She shivered, and his lips curved in a sensual smile as he drank it in.

Xavier set his boot on the back of Dixon’s head, pressing his forehead into the floor. “If you have time to spare, I have an interesting dilemma.”

DeVries’s eyes lit. “I have a bit of time.”

“Dixon was brave enough to be honest with me, but disrespectful in doing so. I’d like him rewarded for his courage and punished for his attitude.”

“Ah.”

The gleam in the man’s eyes made Abby stiffen. “No! He shouldn’t be punished. I won’t—”

Xavier’s wide palm covered her mouth even as he caught her hair in his fist. “Loyalty is a fine thing. Stop while I’m still admiring it.”

She tried to wrench away, and the pull on the strands turned painful.

DeVries chuckled. “Be fun to haul these two up, side by side, and find out who would scream—or come—first.”

No. Oh no.

“Thank you, but I intend to work with this one alone.”

“Pity.”

Xavier lifted his boot. “Dixon, go with Master deVries. Remember to thank him when he’s finished with you.”

“Yes, my liege.” Dixon knelt up. He gave her a glance that showed both fear and excitement before looking at the Enforcer.

“Lose the clothes, boy.”

Dixon stood and pulled off his mesh top and biker shorts.

“Nice fat balls. I have some clamps and spiked chains that should be just right.” He removed the crop hanging from his belt and put the wood between Dixon’s teeth. “Hands and knees. Bad boys don’t walk.” After snapping his fingers, he strolled away.

Dixon shivered once, then dropped and crawled after him.

As the two headed toward the dungeon stairs, Xavier released Abby. He settled into Dixon’s chair, leaned back, and stretched out his legs. The silence grew. His gaze stayed on her. What was he waiting for?

Oh. She dropped to her knees before him, not nearly as gracefully as Dixon had managed. It took an act of will to lower her eyes.

Who knew silence could turn the air thick and sultry? Like a tropical paradise. Like hell.

“I caused the tears?” he asked finally.

“Of course not.” Perhaps it was good that she was staring at the floor. “I simply had a bad day at work.”

A minute passed. What was this, death by silence? Her teeth gritted together.

“Try again.”

Di te perdant. “Excuse me, sir, but we’re not in a relationship, so my feelings belong to me.” A tremor ran through her at the memory of his hand between her legs and his deep voice saying, “Right now, this cunt is my toy to play with as I want.”

When he leaned forward, so powerful and confident, goose bumps rose on her arms. He traced the top of her collar, and the brush of his calloused fingertip flared heat inside her. “What are you wearing, pet?”

She should slap his hand away. “A collar. Sir.”

“Whose?”

She started to say the club’s and thought better of it. “Yours.”

“I’d say that’s a type of relationship, wouldn’t you?” Despite his mild tone, anger underlaid the words.

Every cell in her body cringed. She’d made him mad. Any second now he’d yell and scream names at her and… Her breathing turned jerky. What could she say to keep him from getting more upset? “I’m sorry. Whatever I did last week, I didn’t mean to. I’m—”

“Look at me,” he said, his tone without any emotion at all, as if he’d buried his fury in ice.

Her gaze rose to meet his black, unreadable eyes.

Forearms resting on his knees, he studied her intently. “When I left so quickly last week, it hurt you.”

She couldn’t conceal her flinch. Don’t make him mad. Madder. “It was silly of me. There’s nothing between us, after all. We just had sex.”

“Yes, we certainly did.”

She so, so wanted to ask him what had happened, what she’d done, but the words wouldn’t come. More questions would anger him further. Make him yell at her.

His gaze didn’t falter, as if he were trying to read her soul.

“My liege!” A submissive Abby didn’t recognize ran up to the table. Her eyes were wide. “There’s a policeman at the door. He insists on coming in.”

When Xavier released Abby’s gaze, she felt as if she were falling backward. Straightening her shoulders, she hauled in a breath.

Xavier stood, looming over her. “We’ll talk when I get back, Abby.”

Sure, and I’ll hear how you didn’t mean to hurt me, but—blah, blah, blah. She turned her gaze to the floor, waiting until his boots moved out of her sight. Time to cut and run. But what about the research? Torn, she pushed to her feet.

“Abby, I was looking for you.” Simon walked over, his wife beside him. Indifferent to Xavier’s dictates, he wore a suit.

Rona had dressed for the evening, though, in a transparent halter top. Her calf-length black skirt had long rectangles cut from it and exposed her flesh each time she moved. As always, her thick gold choker ringed her neck. When she looked at Abby, her smile died. “Are you all right?”

“Fine. It’s been a long night.”

When Simon’s eyes narrowed, she held her hand up. “Please. Don’t make it a longer one.”

“Clever defense,” he said. “All right.”

Abby managed to curve her lips up. “You were looking for me?”

“Rona and I thought you might enjoy a Fourth of July party at a mountain lodge near Yosemite. You’d meet lifestylers outside the club. This year the Mastersons are having a barbecue with vanilla activities at their place. In the evening, we’ll head up the mountain for the Serenity Lodge’s dungeon party.”

“We’d spend the night in delightful little cabins at the lodge,” Rona said.

Abby glanced toward the door through which Xavier was disappearing. If she saw him all day long, she’d end up hiding under a bush in tears.

Simon followed her gaze and gave her a speculative look. “Although Xavier has a standing invitation, he hasn’t visited Serenity in the last five years or so.”

He wouldn’t be there. The knowledge was almost as dismal. She opened her mouth to refuse and stopped. If she went, she’d have hours to conduct her studies. At an informal party, she could chat and ask questions. Maybe obtain all she needed—in which case, she wouldn’t have to return here.

The thought of never seeing Xavier again stabbed her so hard she couldn’t breathe for a moment, but it passed. Everything always passed. “The hosts wouldn’t mind?”

“Jake and Logan Hunt are used to me inviting a batch of city kinksters to their play parties. For the Mastersons’ barbecue, the invitation is for anyone in the area. The entire town attends.”

“Well, then, thank you. I’d love to go. Is there a map or something?”

“It’s mountain driving, and some of the roads are rough. Is your car up to it?”

Ouch. Her little car bottomed out even on driveways. “Well—”

“I’d like to have her drive up with us, Master,” Rona said softly.

Simon nodded agreement. “We’d enjoy your company, Abby. How about we pick you up in the morning?”

It would keep her from chickening out. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

WHEN XAVIER RETURNED, he was shaking his head in annoyance. The beat cop sent to deal with a street fight had simply assumed the problem was at Dark Haven.

Wrong. As usual the problem was at the redneck bar farther down the street. The bouncers would break up an altercation, throw the drunks out, and they’d continue their battle outside.

Xavier had escorted the officer to the bar. The patrolman was new with a few unfortunate prejudices. Although alcohol was available if people didn’t play, Dark Haven discouraged drinking. If a member wanted to fight, there were usually some others who would happily pull out the mats and get down with rough body play. In BDSM even fighting was consensual.