Page 24 of Echoes of Desire
A man, who I’m assuming is Jaxon, walks out in front of me and pulls out his phone. A few seconds later, the music stops, and the dim lights of the dungeon turn bright white, which causes everyone to stop what they’re doing and look in our direction. No safe words were needed.
“I want everyone to listen to me and listen good,” Jaxon says. I know I’ve only known him for a handful of days, but I’ve never heard his voice sound this angry. It’s kind of scary.
Jasper moves his hand to my hip and squeezes gently.
“It’s alright, baby girl,” he whispers.
Jaxon walks over to me, takes my wrist in his giant hand, and lifts it into the air.
Jaxon’s hand tightens slightly around my wrist as he raises it, his voice booming across the now brightly lit dungeon.
“I shouldn’t have to tell you what the color of this band means,” he says far too calmly, though his tone carries a dangerous edge that silences the entire room. “But clearly, a refresher is in order. Black meansNO FUCKING TOUCHING. No excuses, no exceptions. Always check the band before you so much as shake someone’s hand.”
The room is utterly still, the usual hum of whispered conversation and scene sounds replaced with a tense, uncomfortable quiet.
Jaxon’s eyes sweep across the crowd, appearing to land on each person long enough to ensure his message is clear. “If anyone here thinks they’re above these rules, let this be your one and only warning. Break them again, and you won’t just be banned. You’ll deal withme.”
The weight of his words sinks into the air, and I can feel Jasper’s hand on my hip, grounding me as I stand frozen.
Jaxon turns to another man and nods. “Take him to the office. Steel and I will deal with him shortly.”
The man who had grabbed me is dragged away, still sputtering protests that no one pays attention to.
Jaxon turns back to the room, his expression still hard. “Lights down.”
The dungeon plunges back into its moody, dim ambiance, and the usual sounds slowly resume. But I notice the furtive glances people keep throwing my way, and my stomach twists.
Jaxon steps closer, his demeanor shifting as he lowers his voice for only me to hear. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”
“I’m okay,” I try and smile. “I’m used to handsy people. I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
Jaxon’s jaw tightens, and I can see the flicker of something dark in his eyes. Anger, maybe, or frustration. “That doesn’t make it okay,” he says, his voice firm but quiet. “No one here gets to treat you like that. Ever. We have rules put in place for a reason.”
Jasper’s hand on my hip gives a gentle squeeze, his touch steadying me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. “You shouldn’t have to ‘be used to it,’ Pet. This isn’t that kind of place.”
Their protectiveness feels overwhelming, a strange mix of comfort and embarrassment bubbling up in my chest. “I wasn’t trying to make it sound like it’s not a big deal,” I say softly. “It’s just... I’ve handled worse.”
“And you won’t have to handle worse here,” Jaxon replies firmly, his green eyes locking onto mine. “Not while we’re around.”
“Boss lady, someone wants to talk to you.”
“Your Dom’s complain a lot,” I sigh. “They want food, by the way. I guess being bossy works up an appetite.”
“We have food,” Jaxon says.
“You have snacks, Blaze,” someone laughs. “You have the type of snacks Subs need after a scene. I want some greasy wings.”
“Then take your ass to O’Neal’s,” Jaxon says. “You came here to play. Not eat.”
“Well, I do get to eat out quite often while I’m here,” the man, wherever he is, laughs.
“And with that, I’m going to go serve some drinks,” I say before rushing away. When I hear the two jerks laugh, I turn back to glare at them, but their faces are already lost in the crowd. There are several looking my way, and I know two of them are my targets. I’m not sure which two so I stick my tongue out at all of them and get back to work.
Steel
Raven’s words echo in my head as I watch her retreat toward the bar.I’ve handled worse.That admission bothers me more than I’d like to admit.
Blaze leans against the counter beside me, his grin as casual as ever, but I know him too well to miss the flicker of tension in his eyes. “She’s something else, huh?”