“Sir?” She struggled to sit up, to explain, to apologize.

“Rest now, sugar. We will discuss your idiotic behavior later.” And the hint of laughter in his voice was like a warm spring shower on a parched garden.

The little rabbit quivered in his arms for quite a while before succumbing to sleep. Made Nolan feel good that she could relax enough to sleep in his arms. Twice now. They’d made progress, after all.

That or he just bored her senseless. As she snoozed, he watched Z’s cleaning lady disinfect the bench and area before removing the RESERVED sign.

A married couple and their sub used the station next, the male sub receiving a well-administered caning with marks carefully placed up his thighs and onto his buttocks. A bit obsessive, that husband with the evenness, but the force was well calculated, sending the sub to a good place. After a bit, the wife took the sub’s place and also got caned. Then she was double-teamed by both the husband and sub to everyone’s delight. The wife was quite a screamer.

In his arms, Beth stirred at the noise, her muscles stiffening, but this time she didn’t do a dive off his lap. Another sign of progress. She lifted her head, blinked sleepy, blue-green eyes, and stared at the scene area where the husband was unfastening his wife.

“You were asleep,” Nolan said helpfully.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I didn’t mean to…to use you…ah—”

“For a pillow? Guess you owe me then.” Nolan grasped her hair, tilted her head back, and took his payment, a long, soft kiss from a sleepy woman. Been a while since he’d shared his bed, and he’d missed that small pleasure. He took it deeper, using his expertise to rouse her, even as he played with her breasts. Beneath her dress, her nipples bunched to points. When he drew back, she was definitely wide awake, and a flush of excitement pinkened her cheeks.

Nolan spotted the trainee and jerked his head. The young man headed over, his big brown eyes filled with desire to please. He started to kneel, and Nolan growled, freezing him in place. “Stand up, sub.”

Austin rose and waited for instructions, a pulse beating fast in his throat.

“Bring me a screwdriver from the bar.”

Austin started, “This one—”

Nolan gave him a cold look.

“Yes, Sir!” The young man left much faster than he’d arrived.

“You enjoy terrifying everyone around you?” Beth asked and stiffened. “I’m sorry, Sir.”

“I’m just surrounded by timid people,” he said, ignoring her apology. He rubbed his knuckles over her nipples. Her little breasts with correspondingly small nipples were more fun to play with than he’d thought. He’d gotten into a rut, taking only well-endowed women. He tugged on the knot at the top of her dress, pleased that the ties went from the neckline to the hem. With one hand, he undid the lacing she’d worked so patiently on earlier. He pulled the ties through the grommets, one by one, until her dress flapped open. Sliding his hand through the opening, he cupped a breast and felt the nipple gather even tighter.

Austin appeared with her drink, and Nolan set it into her hand with a nod of thanks for the sub. She frowned at the glass.

He gave her a steady gaze until she took a sip. He agreed with the Shadowland’s two drink limit, but one drink wouldn’t hurt her, and if anyone needed to mellow out, it would be this woman. He continued playing with her body, tracing the indentations of her ribs, circling her cute bellybutton, stroking the hollow above her collarbone. She sipped her drink so slowly that she’d started to squirm under his attentions before she finished.

Good. Her punishment would go easier if she was aroused, and punishment there would be. “Now, let’s discuss what happened earlier.”

Her eyes widened.

“Did you think I had forgotten?”

Her breath stopped.

“I believe we had an agreement, and you deliberately found someone else to top you. I am angry both about the broken agreement and, even more, that you didn’t have the courtesy to speak to me first.”

Her head dropped, her hands twining together on her lap. “You’re right. What I did was rude.”

“Why, sugar? Tell me why.” Cupping her chin in his hand, he forced her to meet his gaze.

Beth didn’t want to look at him, wanted to look anywhere but at him, but he didn’t let her move. “I thought I’d be okay, that the block was gone.”

“That doesn’t explain why you wanted to change Doms.”

“I was scared,” she managed. “You scare me. I can’t think when you touch me, and I have no control, and it’s too much like what happened…before.”

“You trusted him, and he betrayed you. Now you aren’t sure if you can trust anyone.”

That he could understand so well was a gift she didn’t deserve.

His thumb stroked her cheek gently. “Little rabbit, I can understand your worries. And we, you and I, will work through them. But I cannot condone how you avoided talking to me.”

He was going to hurt her. She knew it and didn’t know if she could take it. He wouldn’t be like the Dom earlier. The pain from being paddled had been intense, but this muscular man could do so, so much worse.

“I’ll try to…” She felt her lips quiver, firmed them immediately, and closed her eyes so he wouldn’t see the tears. Crying only made punishments worse.

“Look at me, sugar.” She lifted her eyes, and he wiped away the tear that spilled over. “I could tell you what I do and don’t do, but you wouldn’t believe a word I said. So let’s get this over with.” Still sitting, he pushed her to her feet. “Strip.”

She glanced at the spanking station and saw a Dom fastening his sub onto the bench. “But someone is already—”

“The only words that leave your mouth are, ‘Yes, Sir.’ Am I clear?”

“Yes, Sir.” She’d never stripped in the bar itself, only in a scene area. This felt all wrong. Totally humiliating even if the eyes on her were the same ones that would watch a scene. But it was playacting there, not real. Out here was real.

Master Nolan didn’t speak. Only his fingers tapping the arm of the couch showed that his patience might be limited.

She pressed her lips together to keep from saying anything and peeled off her dress, pathetically glad she hadn’t worn underwear. And there she stood, naked except for the thin black cuffs around her wrists.

His eyes ran up and down her body, and her breasts pebbled under his warm gaze. How could he rouse her with a look when others couldn’t with hands and mouths and cocks?

“You have a nice little body,” he said after far too long a pause. He rose and held out his hand. “Come then.”

Adding to her confusion, he led her away from the stations along the wall. At the end of the long oval bar, he stopped. “Cullen, I have a decoration for your bar. And can you spare a towel?”

The bartender barked out a laugh and tossed him a clean towel. “The scenery here has been boring. Go ahead.”

Bar decoration? Beth’s eyes widened, and her stomach clenched. She took a step back. He wouldn’t.

Flipping the towel open on the bar top, Master Nolan picked her up and set her on the bar.

“Sir. No, this—”

He shot her a cold look, and she bit back further protests, although more and more welled up inside her as she became aware of people watching, of their grins and murmured comments. Her cheeks flushed hot.

Sir stepped back and considered her for a moment. “Close, but not quite right. I’ve always liked the silhouettes on truckers’ mud flaps. Lean back onto your hands.” Setting a hand between her breasts, he pushed her back until her weight was on her arms.

Her breasts jutted upward, and he ran a hand over them. A jolt, then embarrassment ran through her at his casual touch. He treated her like a toy.

“Nolan, I prefer that my decorations face me,” Cullen yelled from down the bar.

Sir grunted. “Well, that’s reasonable. I wouldn’t want to annoy the bartender.” Lifting her slightly, he spun her around. Now her legs, rather than dangling off the end of the bar, lay on the bar top. He bent her knees and set her feet widely apart, exposing her pussy to every person sitting at the bar. She closed her eyes, and a tremor ran through her. She’d almost, almost rather have been whipped.

Master Raoul walked by, slowing to look at her, then Nolan. “I don’t suppose you’re serving appetizers, are you?”

“Sorry. I missed supper, so I’m going to keep this little dish for myself.”

Beth sighed in relief, then choked when Sir lowered his head to suck on the breast closest to him. She started to sit up, and he turned his head, just enough to look at her, his lips an inch from her breast, his breath warm on her wet nipple. “Do not move at all. Not one inch.”

Her fingers curled as she stilled. She kept her body stiff and unmoving as he licked her nipple and circled it with his tongue. Each stroke of his wet tongue sent sensation scorching through her, and moisture trickled down the folds of her pussy. Oh, God.

“Need your second beer, Nolan?” Cullen called as he concocted a drink.

Sir lifted his head. “That would go down well.” He turned and leaned against the bar, his elbow resting lightly on her hip. Almost carelessly, he stroked her inner thigh as he started talking to the man next to him.