She heard the echo of footsteps, and she dared another surreptitious look. This time, though, she didn’t look up. She glanced sideways so it wasn’t immediately noticeable that she was deliberately disobeying both Master Trevor and David.
Destiny, the club’s receptionist who seemed to know everything and everyone, and Master Xavier had entered the room.
The club’s enigmatic owner came in without saying anything. He didn’t need to. Master Xavier electrified the air. An alpha among alphas, he was dressed in black trousers and a burgundy vest. His long black hair hung down in back in an oh-so-sexy braid. As if comfortable with his legendary status, he folded his arms across his chest, lord and master of all he surveyed. Everyone knew it; everyone respected his authority.
“Having trouble with your sub?” Master Trevor asked David, looking across the table and inclining his head in her direction.
Oh God. Oh God.
Startled, fearful, she looked at him.
This wasn’t a man to be trifled with. He was as unyielding as his reputation suggested.
David dug his fingers into her hair and forced her head down. For long seconds he kept his hand painfully on her scalp. Her eyes watered, but she kept her mouth shut.
After his experience with Janine, she knew what her disobedience meant to David, especially in front of Master Trevor. More than ever, she wished she could behave better. In her mind, she was a much better sub than in reality.
Silence seemed to drag.
“What do we have here?” Master Xavier asked finally.
“We’re waiting, My Liege,” the dealer said. “It’s Master David’s turn to place his bet.”
True to the club’s theme night, the man looked every bit the part of an Old West poker dealer. He wore a long-sleeved striped shirt with a garter around his biceps. A knotted bow tie, gold brocade vest, jeans, and a hat completed his outfit.
David glanced across the table.
She knew they each saw the same thing. Master Trevor had the resources to call any bet he could make.
Pulling his money clip from his front pocket, David said, “Another thousand dollars in chips.”
Shelby gasped. Another thousand dollars? Was he crazy? He’d be willing to bet that on two potential turns of the cards?
“While the children’s charity will appreciate your thoughtfulness,” Master Xavier said, “the evening has already been a huge success.”
Shelby admired the owner’s tact. He was offering a dom an easy and graceful way to back out of his aggressive wager. No wonder the man was so respected in San Francisco’s BDSM circles.
“A thousand dollars,” David repeated, peeling off bills and tossing them onto the felt-covered table.
Shelby had never known David to be reckless. Suddenly she was questioning everything she knew about him. Surely the experience with Janine had stung, but no way did the woman matter that much to him. So what the hell was he thinking and doing?
As the moments stretched, Shelby concentrated on her breathing and keeping her body still and being a good sub instead of shifting uncomfortably. Her entire body was fatigued, and she wanted this ridiculous display of David’s masculine ego to be over.
Kneeling for several hours while the men played and she was ignored had not been what she was anticipating when she boarded the flight early this morning at Denver International Airport.
“My Liege?” the dealer asked.
Technically, this was against the rules. Chips needed to “purchased” up front, from the club’s receptionist, Destiny. David was behaving more like he was at a casino than at a charity event.
The quiet conversation that had hummed through the poker room abruptly died as people eavesdropped, waiting for Master Xavier’s decision.
“The children’s charity is the beneficiary,” Master Xavier said with a nod.
The dealer exchanged the cash for poker chips and then gave the money to Destiny for safekeeping.
For a minute, David sat there, as if considering his bet. “Five hundred,” he said finally, pushing a pile of chips into the middle of the table.
Someone whistled.
That was an aggressive bet considering his remaining funds.
Master Trevor studied the flop, but he never glanced at his two cards. Then he thumbed back the brim of his hat. He allowed thirty seconds to pass before he said, “Call.” He matched the other man’s bet.
Master Trevor had more than enough funds to raise the bet. It seemed that, since he hadn’t raised, he might be playing a bit of cat-and-mouse. Either that or the flop hadn’t helped him.
The dealer burned the next card. As each player watched intently, the man then flipped up the next one, known as the turn. Ten of spades.
David reached for her and put his hand lightly on the top of her head. He all but petted her. His touch telegraphed confidence. Maybe he did know what he was doing. She hoped he had spades in the hole.
Master Trevor waited for David’s bet.
“One hundred dollars,” he said, adding the chips to the pot.
The bet was at odds with the way he was stroking her. Either his bet was a bluff or his relaxed behavior was.
“Raise,” Master Trevor said. “Four hundred.”
The other dom apparently had a better hand, or he was trying to force David’s hand.
David was almost out of options. If he wanted to raise, he needed more chips. At this point, he had to fold or go all in.
Over the past few seconds, David’s hand had tightened on her scalp. He might have a good hand, but he didn’t have the funds to back it.
He reached for his money clip again.
Was he crazy?
Before peeling off the few remaining bills, he sat back and said, “Let’s make it more interesting.”
Master Xavier raised a brow.
Other doms, with their subs trailing behind, wandered over and formed a circle around the table.
“If I win, Lawton International remodels the Northwest Community law offices.”
Shelby gasped. She’d been thinking this might be about Janine and a grudge. And it had nothing to do with that.
He’d maneuvered this entire evening to manipulate Master Trevor into donating his time to David’s cause?
Master Trevor sat back in his chair. “You’re asking me to put up something close to half a million dollars?”
“I’ll buy materials.”
“Generous,” Master Trevor said.
For long moments he sat there quietly, a study in self-mastery.
Finally, Master Trevor nodded. “If I win, I want the sub.”
Shelby’s heart stopped.
“Wait a fucking—”
“Master David,” Master Xavier admonished quietly. “I’ll thank you to be more respectful in my club.”
Despite the fact David’s fingers were digging into her scalp, she looked directly at Master Trevor.
His gaze was pinned on her, hot, hard, as if he’d been waiting for and anticipating her inability to keep looking at the ground.
“Can’t get your own subs, Trevor?” David demanded.
Master Trevor didn’t respond. Rather, he continued to look at her.
She knew she should look down, show him the respect he demanded, but she didn’t; she couldn’t.
She felt scorched as his gaze trailed from her face, down her body, lingering for a few seconds on her chest. In keeping with the Western-themed night, she’d selected a white shelf bra and a fringed leather vest. She’s spent a week shopping for a beautiful sterling bolo tie. It had cost a lot more money than she wanted to pay, but the way it caught the light when she moved made it worth every penny.
He continued his perusal and paused again at her pelvis. Unlike some of the other subs who were almost completely naked, her mound was covered by a pink thong. Still, she had felt completely exposed to him.