Page 28 of Pressure

Austin laughed. “I guess technically now that I’m married to Patrick. But all the board members put in hours. Before I joined the board, I was a house sub. I enjoy being behind the bar and Mitch, our lead bartender, deserves time off. What can I get you two?”

“I’ll have a Sam Adams, Austin. And let’s see if I still remember what Marissa likes. Old fashioned?” He questioned with a grin.

She lifted an eyebrow. “Very impressive. That is still my drink of choice.”

Austin looked between them and Marissa couldn’t help but notice the smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

“Have a preference for whiskey?”

Lance gave a staccato laugh. “The first time I bought this girl an old fashioned she told the bartender to use well whiskey. It took me a while to convince her that the good stuff didn’t just cost more because it comes in a fancy bottle.”

Marissa punched him on the arm. “No preference,” she said to Austin with a grin.

As Austin set Lance’s beer bottle in front of him and began making her cocktail, Lance draped an arm over her shoulder and leaned in close. “You’re lucky nobody was around just then, Kitten. Hitting a house Dom is a big no-no. Would be a shame for me to have to punish you.”

She glared at him as she reached for the glass Austin handed her. “I thought you weren’t going to try and ramp me up.”

He smirked. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

After a pause, he squeezed her shoulder and lifted his beer to her. “To an interesting weekend.”

She clinked her glass against the dark brown bottle. “To old memories and new adventures.”

A couple she didn’t recognize approached them and Lance kissed the girl on the cheek. Was this Jodie?

“Hey Cassie. How are you and Will tonight?”

“I’m good, Master Lance. I heard you had a new sub. I thought I would come introduce myself and share all the dirt on you.” She winked and Marissa realized she must be looking at one of his former subs. That wasn’t awkward at all.

The girl stuck her hand out to Marissa. “I’m Cassie. I was one of Master Lance’s trainees in the house sub program before I met Will.”

Hmm, so maybe not an ex. She accepted Cassie’s hand and raised her glass in the girl’s direction. “Nice to meet you, Cassie. I’ll take any juicy secrets you have about La… Master Lance.”

Lance scowled at her over Cassie’s head, but Marissa ignored it as Cassie grinned at her. “If he lets you out of his sight, come find me later. We’ll talk.”

Will, the man who’d approached with Cassie, gave her a sharp swat on the ass. She yelped and grabbed her butt.

“I’m just trying to be helpful, Sir,” Cassie said, turning to bat her eyelashes at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her, but Marissa didn’t miss the twinkle in them.

“We should stop bothering them now, Cassie. I have plans for you in the dungeon.”

Cassie clapped her hands with a grin. “Goodie.”

They waved and Marissa watched as they disappeared into what she presumed was the primary play space.

“This is a pretty nice place you’ve built here,” she said when they were alone again.

“I had little to do with it. I was just lucky enough to know the right people and get an invitation to the table.”

Marissa patted him on the shoulder. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. I can tell you feel a lot of pressure to keep this place and these people safe. You clearly care about them.”

He gave her a pained smile and tipped his beer back. “Thanks, Kitten.”

Marissa tried not to react to his pet name for her, but it was difficult.

“Come on,” he said as she swallowed the last of her drink. “Let’s check out the dungeon. Are you still a voyeur?”

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