Page 24 of Jackson
CHAPTER ELEVEN
To Paula’s disappointment, James and Laura had left the club, but Henry had moved behind the bar and was talking with a Black woman and Chris. Lincoln was sitting at a barstool with a glass of clear liquid in front of him and smiled in greeting. It was disturbing to see the legal shark in nothing but leather boxers with a harness encasing his torso. She fixed her eyes on his face, determined not to let them wander over his body.
“Permission, Sir?” Lincoln asked Jackson as they approached, and Jackson nodded. What was that about?
Lincoln got up, took her hand and kissed it. “Hello, Paula, so nice to see you here. I’m sorry I didn’t greet you before. When I’m on my knees, my Master takes care of everything,” he explained in his courtroom voice. “What’s your impression of Club Indigo so far?”
She looked over to Jackson, who inclined his head at her. “You may answer him.”
“Sir! Yes, Sir.”
She came to attention but before she could salute, a stinging swat came down on her ass as Jackson turned her toward Lincoln.
“It’s not only the words you use, but your tone of voice as well.” He pulled her close and bit down on her earlobe long enough that she froze. After holding on for another moment, he let go. “You’re allowed to talk with Lincoln. You’re going to answer his questions with either an honest answer or you tell him you’re not comfortable responding. I’m going to sit next to you.” With that, he steered both her and Lincoln back to the barstools.
Lincoln smiled and prompted, “So, what do you think of the club?”
“Er, it’s… different. Interesting. It’s a lot to take in.”
He nodded his understanding.
“It isn’t what I expected. I thought there would be whips and chains. Pain and humiliation. Everyone in black leather. I thought BDSM was about hurting women.” Shame washed over her. Had she been so full of stereotypes she’d ignored the evidence of her own eyes? “I guess I didn’t understand.” She sighed. “I still don’t understand.”
Lincoln patted her hand and gave a genuine smile that made the lines beside his eyes crinkle. “What you need to know is that everything that happens in this club is consensual. Even if something happens that makes your skin crawl, you have to remember the sub has the ultimate power to begin and end a scene.”
That surprised her, and she frowned. “Okay, starting a scene I understand, but isn’t the Dom in charge after that and the one who ends the scene?”
“Oh yes, he—or she—is, but a sub always has a safeword.” Lincoln settled in, his expression serious. “When a safeword is used, the scene ends, whether the Top is ready or not. Even in a 24/7 TPE relationship like Henry and I have, I still have a safeword.”
Before Paula could ask him what he meant, Henry’s voice behind him startled the both. “And he will use it when in mental or physical distress.”
Lincoln turned abruptly toward his Dom and tipped over his glass in the process. Henry shot out his hands, took Lincoln’s nipples between thumb and forefinger, and turned the flat discs until Lincoln went on his tiptoes and their faces were close together.
“Do you think I have a need to clean the bar? Don’t you think I’m busy enough manning the damn thing?” Henry said in a low tone.
“No, Sir. Sorry, Master. I’ll be more careful,” Lincoln squeaked.
Henry let go of his nipples and took Lincoln’s chin in his hand to place a kiss on his mouth. “Thought so.” He used the dishtowel from his shoulder to mop up the mess and gave Lincoln a new glass of water.
Henry smiled at Paula, and she couldn’t hide her scowl. Before she could give him a dressing down for his abuse, he tenderly touched Lincoln’s face. “Did you want to safeword?”
Lincoln was radiant. “Safeword, Master? More like come on the spot.”
Paula’s mouth dropped open. “W—what?”
“I’m a masochist as well as a submissive. I get off on both dominance and pain. I also like a bit of humiliation in the mix. So what you just witnessed was very hot, and if not for the damn chastity cage Master made me wear tonight I could be pounding nails with my dick.”
“Oh, okay.”
Jackson hugged her from behind and placed a kiss on her shoulder. “All people are different and like various things. I can’t wait to discover the things you like.”
She relaxed against him. She liked the physical connection he had established and maintained all evening. His touch wasn’t overtly sexual all the time but nevertheless made her feel sexy and alive.
“Do you have questions you want to ask Lincoln?”
She took a moment to think and remembered what Lincoln had said earlier. “You mentioned something about your relationship before that I didn’t understand. 24/7…” She could not remember the rest.
“24/7 TPE,” Lincoln repeated. “Total Power Exchange. It’s deep D/s dynamics. Some couples still use the Dominant/submissive labels, but most go further. Henry is my Master, and I am his slave.”
