Bonds of Trust Read Free Page A

turned to the security screens, his gaze hunting down the mystery woman. A lone blonde sat in Lounge One, her back to the camera, showing her stiff spine and a tumble of curls that moved softly as she swiveled her head to look around the room. Her face was hidden from view and he leaned to the side in an unconscious move to get a glimpse of her features.
    He jerked away when he realized what he was doing. What the fuck?
    Jake tossed the photo on the desk and stood. He flexed his fingers, working out the residual ache left over from his earlier appointment. A regular who enjoyed being spanked after work before she headed home to her boyfriend. Her end-of-the-work-week tension release.
    He chuckled under his breath. Too bad she couldn’t have an honest conversation with her boyfriend about what she desired. But then, the stigma around BDSM prevented a lot of people from openly admitting what they wanted, needed in their lives. It wasn’t just about sex, either.
    Not that most people understood that.
    It wasn’t his problem. Half the draw of The Den was the forbidden aspects of what it offered. Aspects he enjoyed both exploiting and encouraging.
    He ran a hand over what he thought of as his Dom outfit. The expected black leather pants and black shirt that most Doms wore at the club. It was part of the image, another expectation he fulfilled, even though a truly dominant nature did not require specific clothing.
    The facade was just one more thing he was tiring of.
    A tight smile curved over his lips as he left the room, the persona of the Dom settling comfortably on his shoulders.
    It was time to perform.

Chapter Two
    The almost imperceptible click of the door opening echoed in the still room. Cali whipped her head around, her focus anchored to the entrance. Her breath hung in her lungs, her spine stiffened with the tight clenching of her stomach muscles as the moment lapsed into a tense second of expectation.
    This was it.
    A tall, dark-haired man stepped into the room, closed the door and moved with a purposeful stride to stand before her. He had a lean build that showed solid muscle under the tight shirt and form-fitting leather pants. His head-to-toe black clothing only served to emphasize his commanding presence and aura of authority. Without question, he was a Dom.
    His lips thinned. “Ms. Reynolds?” His deep voice tumbled over her, sending a quickly concealed chill down her spine.
    “Yes,” she answered hesitantly, not knowing if she should stand and meet his gaze or kneel and stare at the ground. What was the protocol? Going with what she knew, Cali stood and extended her hand. “I’m Cali Reynolds.”
    The man looked her over in an almost critical fashion before staring pointedly at her extended hand. With a slight curve to his lips that didn’t quite make it into a smile, he clasped her hand in his much larger one. “Ms. Reynolds, I’m Master Jake. Welcome to The Den.”
    His grip tightened, his thumb caressing the back of her hand in a sensual stroke. Instantly, tingles of sensation whispered up her arm straight to her nipples, which stiffened in urgent desire.
    Licking her lips, she once again stifled her response to the intriguing stranger and kept her poker face in place. This immediate attraction she felt had to be due to her prolonged sexual dry spell. But then, that was exactly why she was here.
    Her stomach ached, the anxiety building with each step closer to achieving her goal. Could she really go through with it?
    “Have a seat.” Master Jake released her hand and motioned to the love seat. “I’m one of the owners of The Den, and I’d like to talk to you before you proceed into the club.”
    That didn’t sound good. “Is there a problem?”
    “No.” He took a seat across from her, leaning forward in the chair, arms resting on his legs, hands clasped in an intense, aggressive pose. “Why are you here, Ms. Reynolds?”
    She shifted back into the couch, an unconscious move to put more