His boots stopped in front of the line. “I’m the trainer tonight,” he said. His sandpapery voice sent a zing of need down her spine. Darn the man.

“As soon as I—goddammit.”

One quick glance told her exactly whose presence had drawn that growl out of him. Apparently Master Z hadn’t mentioned that she’d joined the trainees.

That darn owner. He could have warned her that Sam would be supervising tonight. Anxiety made quivers in her chest as she stared at the floor. He’d be her trainer. She gripped her thighs to hide the trembling of her fingers.

After an interminable time, he walked around the trainees. He stopped in front of one. “Dara, did Ben approve your boots?”

Linda looked up through her eyelashes. She knew the big security guard decided if a submissive’s footwear was seductive enough. Otherwise the sub had to go barefoot.

“No.” Dara’s voice was resentful. Understandable, since her red and black boots were perfect for her Goth outfit of a shredded red T-shirt, a tiny red vinyl skirt, a studded black belt, black jewelry, and thick black eyeliner. “I just… I need the boots for this look.”

Linda glanced at Ben. The guard’s battered face held only worry.

“Is that your choice to make, girl?” Sam didn’t look angry, just stern. Why did that expression always make her limbs go weak?

Tough Dara actually bowed her head. “No, Sir.” When the trainee had been dressing, Linda had seen she was a female whose happiness depended on wearing the perfect outfit with the right accessories. Was Sam going to ruin her night?

Sam studied her for a minute. “After you apologize to Ben, you have a choice. Take the boots off or take ten from his belt and wear the boots.”

Linda looked down, trying not to grin. For one of the others trainees, Sam’s offer might have been a make-or-break deal. But Dara liked a fair amount of pain.

“The belt, please, Sir.”

Sam nodded toward Ben. Dara scrambled to the guard and knelt. Poor Ben. He looked torn between laughter and embarrassment. The guy was good to everyone, especially the submissives, but he wasn’t into kink at all.

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Dara said with obvious remorse.

“It’s all right, Dara.” He glanced at Sam. “An apology’s good enough for me.”

Dara started to rise.

“Not good enough for me,” Sam growled. “Stay there, girl, pull up your skirt, and present your ass. Ben, give me your belt.”

Both of them looked shocked. Then Ben yanked his belt from his jeans, handed it to Sam, and pushed his chair away. Dara assumed the position.

A couple of Doms stopped at the desk, waiting for Ben to check them off the attendance list…and to enjoy the show.

Without speaking, Sam doubled over the belt and struck. No wrist action, just a flat slap of the leather against Dara’s bottom without any warm-up.

Dara flinched, and her hands clenched as Sam continued. Slap, slap, slap. Linda counted silently. At nine, Dara squeaked. At an even ten, Sam straightened. “Up.”

Dara knelt up, tears in her eyes.

“Do you like getting punished in the entry?” Sam asked.

Dara shook her head.

“You figure Ben enjoyed watching you being hurt?”

Linda’s jaw dropped. Everyone’s attention turned to the guard.

Ben’s face was pale, his jaw tight.

Dara looked horrified. “I’m sorry, Ben.” Her voice shook.

Before Ben could speak, Sam said, “You’re serving drinks first shift, Dara, in the dungeon. You got off easy, girl, because the boots are cute.” His lips quirked before he gave her a flat stare. “Don’t push your luck a second time.” He jerked his chin in the direction of the door, and she fled.

Taking a baby wipe from the basket on Ben’s desk, Sam cleaned off the man’s belt and handed it back. He gave the younger man the same harsh stare. “The trainees are here to hook up with a Dom, Ben. You do them no favors if you let them get away with crap.”

Ben nodded.

Linda realized her hands were wrapped around her waist. The way Sam had punished Dara was frightening; nonetheless…I want that. Wanted it and didn’t. Her stomach felt fluttery, her chest tight. The punishment had been too similar to that of the slavers yet…different. Sam had given Dara a choice, taking into account not only what she owed to Ben, but also her need to wear her cute boots.

His dry sense of humor popped up at the oddest times.

Sam checked over the others, assigned them, and dismissed them, until only Linda was left. Lovely.

He motioned with his fingers for her to stand. She rose, keeping her gaze on the floor.

When he lifted her chin, his calloused hand was warm and familiar, as if the feel of him was lodged in her soul. “I don’t want you to do this, Linda.”

She saw the crease between his brows, the tenseness in his face. Oh, he cared, the stubborn, closed-off cretin. “Nobody tells me what I can do. Not now.”

After studying her for a long moment, he repeated, “Not now?”

He really didn’t understand. “When I was younger, if I’d known about any of this, I might have wanted a full-time D/s relationship—maybe—but that changed when I was kidnapped.” His hand smelled of soap with the faintest trace of horses. She wanted to kiss his palm. She forced herself to stand still.

His face had grown cold and remote, the moment of concern gone as if it had never happened, and the loss hurt her.

Her words spilled out. “You look at me now like they did—like I’m not human. God, they probably showed more feeling to their dogs.”

Sam stiffened as if she’d struck him. His hand dropped.

Oh, she hadn’t meant to say that. To attack him. “I’m sorry. That’s how I feel, but that wasn’t what I meant to say.”

“Try again, then,” he said evenly.

She swallowed and chose her words carefully. “You and I talked about this before. It’s about taking orders. The slavers dictated everything—shower, grooming, food, even bathroom times. Knowing we were…programmed…to obey scares me.” She pulled in a breath and met his gaze. “I like being submissive. But I need to choose when I hand over control. And the rest of the time, I have to own myself. Make my own choices. Especially decisions on what risks I’ll take. I’m not merchandise.”

Of course he’d have a problem with seeing her in danger. Had she ever met anyone more protective? His face wasn’t expressionless now; she could actually see his need to keep her safe warring with his desire to give her what she required for herself.

Finally he stepped back. “First shift, you barmaid in the main room. We’ll discuss the second shift when the time comes.”

Her eyes closed briefly in relief, even as her fingers chilled and fear started to rise. “Thank you, Sam.”

His chin lifted toward the door, silently telling her to go.

She headed for the door, forcing her feet forward rather than running back to him, throwing herself into his arms, and begging him to keep her safe.

She didn’t look back. No, not at all. Because if he saw how terrified she was, he’d never let her through the door.

* * *

“You look at me now like they did…showed more feeling to their dogs.” Sam walked through the Shadowlands as Linda’s words swirled through his memory. Painfully.

The club was coming to life. Cullen and Andrea were setting up the bar. At the sound system, Z was choosing the music for the evening.

Sam shook his head. It was a crying shame Z would play country-western music only on the rare western-theme nights.

Sam stepped up to the bar. “Got a water back there?”

Andrea’s whiskey-colored hair blanketed her shoulders as she brought him a bottle. She set it on the bar top. “You don’t look so great. Are you feeling all right?”

Cullen’s sub was almost as observant as her Dom. “Long week. And Z saddled me with the trainees again, damn him.”

Andrea grinned and looked past Sam. “Hear that, Master Z?”

“Oddly enough, the trainees say they enjoy having you as a trainer.” Z moved from behind Sam to take a seat on a bar stool. He gave Sam a long look. “Andrea is right. You don’t look up to par.”

Andrea turned at a call from Cullen and moved away.

“I fear I didn’t get a chance to warn you,” Z said. “I added another trainee to see how she’ll work out.”

Sam gave him a sour look. “I noticed. How’d that happen?”

“Perhaps submissives shouldn’t be allowed to fraternize.”

Sam snorted. “Good luck. What’s that got to do with Linda?”

“They discussed the spotter.”

Sam’s hand tightened on the bottle of water until the plastic crackled. “Jessica talked to them?”

“No. Linda did. Then Sally suggested a trainee position so Linda could meet all the members without being obvious.”

“That’s hogwash.”

“My first reaction. She’s been through too much already.” Z leaned one elbow on the bar, turning toward Sam. “Buchanan and Kouros found it an excellent idea. And she agreed.”

“Why is she so determined?” Sam remembered her panic during the scene last week. She’d scared the crap out of him.

“Mixture of reasons.” Z rubbed his temple as if his head hurt. “A bit of healthy payback motivation. I enjoyed that. Wanting to fight past her fears.” He sighed. “Mostly to protect the others.”

“That damned maternal instinct,” Sam muttered.

“Indeed.” Z stared across the bar at nothing. “Kim once mentioned how important Linda was to her and the other slaves. Apparently she mothered them all.”

Dammit.

“What happened between you two?” Z asked.