“You agreed to the club rules, though, didn’t you? And if you breach them, you accept punishment from one of the monitors or owners. Or your membership is revoked.”

“That’s true. But you’re not a monitor or owner.”

“Hmm. No. That’s true. But there’s one just over there.” Her gaze moved over to the monitor standing in the corner of the room.

“I didn’t think lying was against club rules,” she said.

“It is if it affects your safety.”

“What did I lie about that affects my safety?”

“You haven’t been to a club before, have you?” he asked.

She blinked. “I have. But I never played, I just watched. And there were subs who walked around in bare feet.”

All right. He felt better now that he knew she had some experience.

“You seemed shocked over the sub in the cage,” he pointed out.

She cleared her throat. “I guess I did. I’ve never, um, felt a reaction toward anything I’ve seen before like I did that.”

Interesting.

“What is the part which intrigued you?” he asked. “The part where she was on display and he was letting other people touch her? Or was it the pet play aspect?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think I want strangers touching me.” She shuddered. “Nope. And I don’t like the idea of a cage. I’m also not sure I like the idea of wearing cat ears. So weirdly, I don’t think I liked any part, but put it together . . .”

“Perhaps you liked the part where he had complete control over her and she had no say. Apart from saying her safeword.”

She licked her luscious lips. “Maybe I did.”

His interest was stirred. “Do you know the club safeword?”

“Yes, it’s red,” she said huskily.

“Would you like to?—”

“Ahh, there you are.”

He looked up in irritation to find Quaid Ashworth standing there. He was part-owner of the club and not a man you wanted to cross.

“We’ve been looking for you,” he said to the girl. “You were supposed to stay with your monitor.”

“I wondered why she was on her own,” Salem said.

Quaid frowned. “Yeah, it was a mistake that will be rectified.”

Probably on this naughty sub’s butt.

Although she didn’t seem to realize that.

“I’m fine,” she said, waving a hand through the air.

“Sub, you will not speak to me like that,” Quaid said. “You will get up and come with me to accept your punishment.”

She narrowed her gaze at him, then turned to Salem as though she expected him to save her.

“I’m afraid you either come with me or you leave the club. Those are your two options,” Quaid explained.