“Come, young Skywalker, and I'll explain.” Sally linked arms with her. “First of all, there won't be an inspection tonight, and we won't be waitressing. Right now, we have to go get our cards.”

“Cards?”

“They'll show what we're offering to auction off.”

As they left the dressing room, Andrea smiled at Ben where he sat behind his desk.

The guard gave her a once-over and grinned, gifting her with a thumbs-up. As he turned away to help the first of the members sign in, Andrea and Sally entered the bar.

Andrea paused just inside the door, pulling in a breath redolent with the fragrance of leather and a hint of the bleach cleaning solution. In another hour, the room would smell of sweat and perfumes and sex. The light from the wall sconces flickered over gleaming brass and polished wood as the harsh electrobeat of Virtual Embrace assaulted her eardrums. Dios, she loved this place.

What would Master Cullen do when he saw her? “Don't call.” She couldn't get those words out of her head. She'd walked halfway across the room before she dared look at the bar. And she stopped dead.

Señor stood in front of his bar, his arms folded across his broad chest, and no expression on his rough-hewn face.

Last week, she'd touched that face, stroked her fingers over the craggy bones, and he'd smiled—that Master Cullen smile—just for her. What if he never gave her that again? He must. Somehow she'd make him see.

She crossed the rest of the way, a miracle considering she couldn't feel her legs. “I…”

His eyebrows rose.

“I-I'm here. I want to… I'll try. I want to try again.” She swallowed against the tightness in her throat.

His expression remained set, and she saw the reserve in his eyes. He didn't believe her. She'd said exactly the same thing before. But how could she ever prove she'd change—really try to change—if he didn't give her a chance?

He tilted his head. “Go join the others, trainee.”

Disappointment squeezed her insides. Had she thought he'd just grab her and kiss her and… She whispered, “Yes, Señor.”

But hope flickered inside her and pushed some of the desolation aside. He hadn't kicked her out. She was still a trainee.

I don't want to be a trainee.

Before she could do something stupid, Sally grabbed her arm and pulled her away. “Geez, did you stare at him long enough? You're going to get yourself in trouble. Come on.” At the far end of the room, the secluded sitting nooks had been merged into one big area, sheltered by the tall planters. “This is our cozy subbie home for tonight.”

Only Kari and Jessica occupied the area. Attired in normal dungeon-wear, they apparently didn't plan to participate in the auction.

When Jessica saw Andrea, she bounced to her feet. “Andrea! You're back.”

By the time she'd collected a hug from the two, Andrea was blinking back tears.

Jessica smiled and patted her shoulder. “Okay, we'll ease up on the emotional stuff. Why don't you guys tell me what you're offering before the hordes arrive?”

Andrea hauled in a breath. “Would someone explain this offering thing?”

“I haven't seen an auction before either, but according to Master Z, you're auctioning off your time and willingness to negotiate a scene—for here only.” Jessica held up a heavy card about 5x5 inches. “I write what you're interested in doing for whoever buys you. It can be anything from waiting on someone by bringing them drinks, to a back or foot massage, and/or flogging and that kind of stuff, and/or blowjobs and sex.”

“Madre de Dios.”

Kari laughed. “That's what I thought. I think it'd be fun, but only if Dan bought me.”

“And you need to remember that,” Sally said. “The Dom who buys you might be one you don't especially like. So what you put on the card needs to be something you're okay giving to anyone.” She shrugged her hair back over her shoulders. “Of course, you will talk with them before scening, and this isn't a club where any dude with the admission price can get in. Master Z screens the members.”

Andrea nodded.

“And the idea that just anyone can buy you…” Sally giggled. “It's a rush, you know?”

“You're such a brat,” Jessica said. “What should I write on your card?”

“Let's say a two-hour time limit. Sex—any kind. Flogging or canes to moderate pain.” Sally tapped a finger on her chin and added, “More than one Dom is okay, or a Dom and his sub.”

Andrea's mouth dropped open.

Sally grinned. “Hey, it's fun, adding in another female. And two guys can be really hot.”

Jesús, María, y José! Andrea pressed a hand to her quivering stomach where a whole raft of uncomfortable sensations had taken residence. Maybe she should get out now while she could. The thought of letting someone other than her Señor touch her made her almost sick.

But if she left, they'd drop her from the trainee program, and she'd never see him again. If she stayed, maybe she could convince him she'd changed. Somehow.

But she'd have to let someone else play with her. Her lips thinned, and her shoulders straightened. Okay. She'd done it before, after all.

“Andrea?” Jessica held up a card. “What goes on yours?”

“Light pain: flogging or canes or a spanking.” She bit her lip and stared at the green ribbon on her cuffs. What about sex?

Jessica added reluctantly, “For you guys—the trainees—Z said he'd be disappointed if you didn't do your part toward making this a success. A lot of the donations the Doms make to earn their fake dollars go to his favorite children's fund.”

“All right. A blowjob.” She didn't consider a blowjob all that intimate.

Jessica wrote that, and then looked up, her pen raised above the card.

Andrea shook her head. “I can't do more.” Maybe she should leave. She took a step back.

Kari curled an arm around her waist. “That's enough. You don't have to do anything else.”

Andrea nodded as Jessica strung a ribbon through the card and hung it over her head like a necklace so the card bounced between her breasts.

Chapter Twenty

She was here. His little sub—no, not his. Striving for control, Cullen worked his way down the bar, handing out drinks and waters, Cokes and iced tea. He tried to keep a mental tally of who had alcohol so he could cut them off after the second drink, but for the first time in his life, his brain had shut down. The only thing he could remember was the look on Andrea's face, the joy in her eyes when she saw him, the husky sound of her voice. The pain when he hadn't responded.

The hurt in her face had almost broken his resolve.

She was here at the Shadowlands. Pleasure surged up in him, and he stomped it down. Dammit, she'd promised to try before and hadn't done it.

He scrubbed his face. He'd walked around the last few days like an amputee. Perhaps he understood her father better now that he knew what it felt like to lose an essential part. His nightmares had gotten worse too. Her accident had hit too close to home, and now he not only dreamed of his mother's death, but Andrea's also.

Every night he'd wake and reach for his little sub and find only emptiness. He'd almost called her a couple of times just to make sure she really was alive. You are so screwed up, buddy.

But she'd returned to the Shadowlands; she wanted to try again. Should he relent? Or would that return them to the same unacceptable habits? He doubted he could walk away from her twice. Fuck, he might not survive once.

What should he do?

Buy her? Between the workshops he'd given and his donations to the local children's fund, he'd earned plenty of fake money.

If he only had a way to know if she meant what she said. “I'll try.” Would she really? Scowling, he looked over at the submissives in their special spot, now crowded with Doms interested in bidding. After reading a card, the Dom would talk to the sub and get an idea of how a scene might work. Every time a Dom picked up Andrea's card, brushing against her bare breasts, Cullen's jaw tightened until he could feel the muscles knotting.

He reached the end of the bar and found Jessica waiting, almost quivering with her need to talk to him.

After handing her a margarita, he lifted an eyebrow.

“She picked blowjobs and light flogging.” Jessica grinned. “Even when I told her what Z had said about trainees doing their duty, she couldn't go further. And she said she didn't belong here anymore.”

“What?”

“No, no, relax. Kari talked her into staying tonight, but she looks pretty unhappy.” Jessica frowned. “I really like her. You be nice to her, or I'll wallop you.”

Z's sub got a lot of leeway, but in the club, threatening a Dom, even as a joke, wasn't permitted. And she hadn't been joking. Cullen leaned a forearm on the bartop and looked down at the short blonde. “Jessica, I don't like your attitude.”

Jessica stiffened as if someone had icicled her spine.

He noticed Z standing nearby. Z nodded.

Cullen reached across the bar, lifted Jessica by her upper arms, and yanked her facedown on the bartop.

She yelped.

He flipped up her skirt and swatted her ass hard enough that the sound of flesh against flesh rang through the room. Then he set her back on her feet.

“How—how dare—”

“Master Cullen.” Z's smooth voice cut off the sub's sputtering. “If my pet gives you any more trouble, you have my permission to tie her up and keep her as a bar ornament.” Z stroked a finger down Jessica's flushed cheek before glancing at Cullen. “You may strip her first if you wish.”