A Sneak Peek at Power 3: Dominant

Hey all! I actually scheduled this post, because today I'm driving Mom to Denver so she can fly from there to my sister's. I'll be driving back on Tuesday and will have an installment up late Tuesday night.

I finished the Power short, but will have to finish Planets Weds/Thursday (Hey! At least I finished something new!) Anyway, here's sneak peek at Dominant!


Unedited, of course

Power 3: Dominant
Copyright 2017 Bailey Bradford

A sub cried out and Forest jerked his head around towards the sound. He watched as a Dom spanked the sub with a paddle. A half-dozen or so people were moving closer to observe the pair. Forest assumed there was nothing wrong with him doing so as well. He left his spot against the wall and walked a few steps closer.

“Like what you see?” someone rumbled from behind Forest.

Forest jolted and spun around to find himself nose to chest with a man wearing a lot of black leather. “Uh.”

“Answer me, boy.”

All the articles Forest had read on BDSM, all the advice he’d studied for newcomers, vanished right out of his head.

“You need to learn some manners, boy,” the man said as he reached for Forest. “Bet a whip can teach you those.”

“A-a W-whip?” Forest started to shake, and not with excitement. “I d-don’t—“

“That’s for me to decide—“

“J.D., back off.” The voice that delivered that order sent a shiver down Forest’s spine.

He turned toward the Dom and sub he’d been watching a moment earlier, and found the owner of that magnificent voice staring at him. Oh, dang. He’s handsome! Not model-perfect, but rough-hewn and masculine without being overly much so.

“Quar, I saw him first,” J.D. snapped.

“He’s not a prize, J.D. I’m sure if this gentleman wants your attention, he’ll say so,” Quar—what kind of name is that?—replied. “No terrifying unwilling subs, you know that. If you can’t follow the rules, you also know where the door is.”

“Think your hot shit because you’re one of the owners,” J.D. was muttering. “You ain’t even a cold turd. You don’t control me.”

Forest bit the inside of his cheek and wondered if he should make a run for that door Quar had mentioned. He took a step back so he could keep an eye on both men.

“No, but I do control what happens in my club,” Quar countered. “And if we’re playing a game of I saw him first, what’s he driving?”

J.D. scowled. “What’re you talking about? I’ve been watching him in here.”

“Okay. Then I saw him first. I was in the parking lot when he pulled up. Following your logic, I’d have first dibs.” Quar gestured at Forest. “But again, that would be up to…” He arched an eyebrow at Forest.

“Forest, sir,” Forest mumbled, the ‘sir’ slipping out before he could think about it.

“It’d be up to Forest who he wanted to talk to or do anything else with,” Quar said with a nod to Forest. “I could be wrong, but from observing you, Forest, I would guess this is your first time at a BDSM club?”

“Yes sir, it is,” Forest replied. “Um. I don’t know the rules.” He darted a glance at J.D. then back at Quar. “I just wanted to check it out.”

Quar nodded. “And would you like to have J.D. show you around? I hate to put you on the spot, but you’ll have to be upfront with him.”

“I’m fucking standing right here,” J.D. snarled. “Stop talking like I’m not here!”

Forest hated confrontations. He gulped as he slid a foot away from J.D., which put him closer to Quar. Both men waited on him to answer. An uncomfortable knot born of anxiety and nerves grew in Forest’s gut. He wished Quar would speak up for him. Forest was certain Quar knew his answer.

But Quar only nodded again when Forest dared to look him in the eyes.

Then Forest felt it—a warm touch to his hip. He knew it was Quar, unless J.D. had grown stretchy arms. That press of fingers to his hip gave Forest the strength he needed to speak. “I-I don’t want to hang out with you, J.D.”

J.D.’s expression darkened. “You—“

Quar stepped in around Forest, putting himself in between him and J.D. “The sub has the power, J.D. Respect that or leave and don’t come back.”

J.D. muttered something Forest couldn’t quite make out before stomping away like a giant, pissed-off toddler.

“I’ll have to have one of the other owners speak with him about our rules,” Quar said as he looked at Forest. “I’m Quar, well, Quarry Light, by the way. Odd name, I know, but my parents were quirky. I’ve got two brothers with odd names, too—Slate and Coal. Contrary to what it may seem, our parents do actually love us.”

Forest laughed as that knot in his belly untangled and dissipated. “Forest Tilden. Are they interested in mining or rocks?”

Quar’s smile warmed Forest all the way down to his toes. “Protested mining practices, and yeah, both are geologists. Good call.”