I t felt like I was floating on a cloud as Kelly towed me through the dark hallway, leading us deeper into the bowels of Mint .

After being greeted by security and them checking off our names on a list, we were allowed to enter. There were no signs—nothing indicating that this was indeed Mint, a nightclub, or that it was anything other than a place people came to escape .

The thump of a bass guitar vibrated off the walls. We hadn’t passed a single face since security. It was just Kelly and me, all alone, slowly walking closer to the music I heard playing .

Pushing my mask tight against my face, I was afraid of it slipping down, revealing more than I intended others to see .

Kelly’s hand was firm as I followed his lead. With each step we took, the noises grew louder. The horn of a trumpet blared and I envisioned the club packed with people swinging, dancing, twirling .

Listening to my heels clack against the floor, I wondered if all members entered the club the same way we did. Or perhaps Kelly was the exception since he wasn’t a member, but rather Wes’s guest. Either way, I didn’t ask, deciding it best to go with the flow, knowing I was completely out of my league tonight .

Stopping at the first closed door we came to, I had flashbacks to the place Kelly first introduced me to his contract. The makings of that place were all here. Similar smells of essential oils and incense drifting through the air, the same dim lighting, as well as the maze of hallways seeming to lead nowhere .

Turning around to face me, Kelly ironed his big hands down my arms before lifting one hand to my face. Threading his fingers over my ear Kelly stroked my cheek, looking like something was on his mind .

Not knowing what to say, I listened to my heart thrashing between my ears .

I was ashamed with how embarrassed I was for feeling like I didn’t belong. But that was the truth. I didn’t deserve to be among those special enough to be allowed membership. No matter what Kelly said to make me think otherwise, I wasn’t convinced. And though I had been wanting to experience Mint since the first time I learned about it, now that I was here, within its reach, everything inside me told me to turn around and not get distracted by the hype. Run, before the chance no longer existed .

Instead I said, “This place isn’t what I expected .”

Kelly grinned as he pulled up his sleeve to read the time on his gold watch. “Shit. We’re a couple minutes late.” He lifted his head. “The show already began .”

“Show?”

“When I open this door, Bella, ” Kelly pivoted his feet and pointed to the door behind him, “you’re going to see something you’ve never seen before .”

I rocked on my heels. It wasn’t much. But must have been enough for Kelly to notice. Because next thing I knew he had me latched to his side, guiding me to the door he was now opening .

“I don’t want you to be scared,” he said. “What you’re about to see is art. Two individuals expressing creative freedom in ways that can only be done here.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Safely inside the walls of Mint .”

When Kelly pulled open the door, he had the biggest, most confident smile on his face I had ever seen. The warm air hit my face, a light breeze blowing through my hair. The aromas were still there, but now mixed with alcohol and sex .

Wrapping his arm around my waist, Kelly pulled me further inside. My feet felt heavy as I took a minute to let my eyes take it all in .

The music I heard playing was twice as loud. People were everywhere. Filling the balcony above, sitting at tables, booths, and at the bar. The commotion was endless .

It was a party. A real party .

Naked women danced around poles on the sides. Men watched. Woman stared. And people seemed to be having an all-around good time as they danced and laughed the night away .

Then, suddenly, my attention was stolen by what I saw happening on center stage .

Taking a step forward, I felt my lips part as I openly stared .

I had never seen anything like it before. It was the exact sight Kelly warned me about. But seeing it in person was so much different than the terror I saw inside my mind when imagining it .

Feeling myself get turned on, I watched a large muscular man circle the naked woman lying face down on the floor. I watched him bind her hands behind her back before pulling her up on her knees. He was erect with a face hidden behind a similar mask to the one Kelly was wearing. Fisting her hair, he guided her mouth over his cock .

My hand lifted to my collar as I intently watched .

I had never seen another woman suck off a man before. This was different in so many ways. Strangely, my vagina throbbed and I was wetter than ever .

She worked his length with her tongue before being forced to bob faster over the wide tip .

I felt Kelly fill the empty void next to me. I sensed he was more interested in the expression on my face than he was in what I couldn’t peel my eyes away from. He wanted to know what I thought, how I would react, and if it would be something I was into .

“Kelly—” I whispered just as the man pushed the woman’s head away .

Kelly silenced me and told me to keep watching with his eyes .

Together, we watched as the man on stage wrapped his Sub tight with rope, looping it around each breast, squeezing them purple. Soon she was back on the floor, hog-tied .

The music shifted to a different intensity and the crowd’s murmur dropped lower as we all watched a large hook drop from the ceiling. It lowered slowly and once it was about fifteen feet off the ground, the man tossed another rope around it before threading it through the expert knot he had just tied, the same knot binding the woman’s hands and feet together .

Then, once everything was securely in place, he hoisted her body off the floor .

My shoulders drew together and the muscles in my neck strained .

The pain on her face was unmistakable. Her lines were deep and her wails chilling .

But as I continued watching the show unfold in front of me, I couldn’t help but think how similar it was to my relationship with Kelly. That was us. Him having his way with me. Doing what he wanted. Minus the hundreds of pairs of eyes watching, that was us .

This was Maria .

And maybe Alex and Nash, too .

Taking my gaze off the woman for the first time, I began searching the crowd. Faces of all colors hid behind masks, and it was impossible to know if Alex was here tonight or not. Without knowing what she was wearing, there were dozens of couples that looked like they could be her and Nash .

A broad-shouldered man caught my gaze from across the room. My heart flew into my throat as I quickly looked away. Turning my attention back to the show, I could still hear Kelly’s demand ringing between my ears to not look anyone in the eye .

A subtle panic rolled through my bones when thinking of the implications of what I might have just done .

The woman spun high in the air as she dangled from the ropes .

The man lifted his arm and cracked the whip over the small of her back .

She curled her spine and screamed .

The man cracked the whip again, getting me to jump .

Kelly wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his chest. But I couldn’t look away. With each minute that passed, I forgot that I wasn’t alone. I wished that it was me being hung. Wished that I was the one getting whipped. My vagina was aching so badly. I needed it to be touched, needed it to be loved and assaulted. And there was only one man who I wanted to give it to .

Tipping my head up to Kelly, he quickly met my gaze .

I wanted him to put his fingers inside me. He could lead me anywhere—take me back to his car just so that he could fuck me hard enough to clear my head. Because I wasn’t myself. Not with what I was watching. Not with what I was thinking. My sexual urges were completely out of control. And just as I was about to demand Kelly take me away, I heard a familiar voice come from behind .

“I’m glad you made it,” Wes greeted Kelly .

Kelly turned and gave him a man-hug. I smiled, nodded, but made sure to keep my gaze downward, never once looking him in the eye, obeying the rules of my Dom .

Wes had his fiancée Kami at his side. She kept her gaze fixed on me and when I met it, it was friendly, filling me with a sense of comfort in an unfamiliar environment .

Kelly was right. Inside Mint we had to conform to different rules. Doms had the freedom to speak, while their Subs just stood by and watched. No matter the title they held in the outside world, a new power structure reigned inside these walls—one that would take some getting used to .

“I have a table waiting upstairs.” Wes smiled .

Squeezing Kelly’s hand, he leaned his ear close to my mouth. “I’d like to freshen up first .”

Nodding, he directed me to the ladies’ room, reminding me to keep my gaze from wandering. But as I weaved my way across the expansive floor and down the steps, it felt like everyone was staring at me .

It was like I was wearing a sign that alerted people to telling them it was my first time. They could smell the virgin on me despite my collar and they wanted to draw blood .

Weaving through several tables, conversations I passed quickly played tricks on me. First it was my name being called. Then it was Kelly’s, and then Alex’s before swearing to myself I heard Madam telling me that I shouldn’t be here .

My head spun .

And I knew that none of it was real. My ears were just hearing things .

Picking up my pace, I hurried to the women’s room once I had it within sight .

Extending my arms, I pushed through the wooden bathroom doors quickly, turning to close it so I could shut out the noise. Letting my shoulders fall back against the door, I breathed a sigh of relief and took a minute to let my head clear .

Once I knew that I could breathe again, I stepped in front of the mirror. Checking my makeup, I turned and took the first empty stall I could find .

The loud outside noises rushed in when the bathroom door opened. Pausing, I turned to see who had entered. The woman had a large bust with dark hair that cascaded down her back. And though she hid behind her disguise, I could recognize her in anything .

She held my gaze for a solid second before recognition flashed across her face. Without saying anything, she quickly turned her back and reached for the door handle .

“Alex, wait.” I hurried after her .

Pulling the door open, I jammed it with my foot. Turning to face me, there was fire in her eye. “Kendra, what the hell ?”

“I knew it.” My finger jabbed into her shoulder .

“How did you even get inside?” Her cheeks were red with anger .

I put my face close to hers. “Is Nash here with you ?”

Alex pushed me away. Stumbling backwards, I watched as she managed to escape .

Catching sight of her along the back wall, I quickly caught up to her without drawing unwanted attention to us. Clamping my fingers around her arm, I slowed her to a stop .

Her eyes darted over my face before snapping her elbow free. “Kendra, why are you here ?”

“Why couldn’t you tell me ?”

“You think you would have listened to anything I had to say ?”

“Of course I would have.” The crease between my brows deepened. “I always listen to you .”

She turned her head toward the crowd of people. “It’s about Nash, isn’t it?” She turned back to face me. “Shit. You just won’t let it go, will you ?”

“Alex, you weren’t supposed to be here .”

“What? Why? I’m here. Now live with it .”

“I don’t care that you’re here at Mint .”

She rolled her eyes like she didn’t believe me .

“Look, I’m here, too.” My eyes gleamed. “Think about it, Alex. I’m here, too.” My words rolled off my tongue slow as a snail, wanting her to hear what it was I was saying .

When her gaze fell to my wrists I knew she caught my unspoken meaning. Twisting the bottom of my wrists around to face her, I said, “Kelly did this to me. I didn’t do it.” Then I pulled on my collar. “I asked him to do this to me .”

“But why ?”

“The same reason you’re here .”

She shook her head. “No. You were asking about Nash. We’re not here for the same reasons .”

“Is he here with you? Did you come with him?” My questions came faster than I intended but we didn’t have time .

“Why do you care so damn much?” Her voice cracked .

“Because you being here with Nash means—” I sighed, thinking about Kelly’s theory of how Alex was following in the same footsteps as Maria. “Your life is in danger and you’re next on his list .”