Which he partially blamed on Meagan and partially on himself. After all, he was the one who’d picked out that damn gown. But it was all her fault she looked so damn good in it.

   He thought about finding a willing submissive and escaping off to a private room. He’d never played at his own club, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t.

   Maybe a nice long, hard session was just what he needed to clear his head. He walked toward the check-in desk, planning to look through the submissive list to see who’d showed up alone tonight, when a soft, seductive laugh had him changing his direction. He knew better, but for some reason it sounded like Meagan.

   In all likelihood, it wasn’t her, but rather his mind conjuring her up because she was so heavily on his mind. The sound was coming from a nearby lounge area. He made his way toward it as quickly as possible and came to a full stop.

   Damn it all to hell and back. It was Meagan.

   She didn’t see him and he almost smiled. He couldn’t wait to make his presence known. But as he grew closer, he saw who she was talking with and froze.

   A man who went by the name “Master V”; a man who was removed from the membership roll. He’d been dishonest to Meagan months ago the night Abby was almost assaulted. Though many things bothered Luke about the man, at the moment two held the top position in his head: why was Meagan talking with that asshole?

   Regret, anger, and jealousy boiled inside him, but they all dimmed in comparison to his second question: What the hell was Master V doing in his club?

   Both Meagan and Master V heard him approach at the same time and turned. Meagan looked surprised, but Master V just looked smug.

   “How did you get in?” Luke asked, seeing no reason for pleasantries.

   The so-called “Master” answered with a confident “I just gave them my name.”

   Luke stepped closer, the just-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it expression on the other guy pissing him off more with every second. “What name would that be?”

   Meagan stepped in between the two men. “Luke, you’re being rude.”

   Luke held up his hand. “Meagan, this is none of your business. Stay out of it.”

   “What do you mean it’s none of my business? It was my conversation you interrupted.”

   Standing slightly behind her, Master V simply snorted in enjoyment. Was he enjoying a scene he had orchestrated?

   “Meagan,” Luke said. “I’m telling you one more time—”

   “Do you need help, Boss?” The head of his security team appeared at his side.

   Luke didn’t move his eyes from the couple in front of him. “Find out what name Master V used to get in tonight.”

   He’d given explicit instructions that the so-called Master V was not to be allowed in his club. He knew for a fact his employees would not let him in. It only made sense the man used a different name to get into the club.

   He was mad at himself now. Somehow there was a loophole in his database that allowed members to be listed more than once, under different names. It was his mistake and he’d own up to it.

   “Excuse me?” Meagan said.

   But before he could fix the security issue, though, he had to deal with Meagan. He turned to his security lead. “I’ll let you take care of him. I’ll handle her.”

   “You’ll handle me? Handle me?” Her voice was filled with ire. “What the—”

   “Enough.” Luke stepped closer to Meagan as Master V was led away by security. Luke took her wrist and held it up, his thumb stroking the red bracelet there. “Unless it’s escaped your attention, you’re here as a submissive tonight and you are being disrespectful to me, not only as a Dom, but also as the club owner. Not for the first time, either, I’ll remind you.”

   She jerked her hand out of his, put both on her hips, and tipped her head. “And?”

   “And since the Dom you were with is no longer here, your discipline falls to me.”

   Understanding swept across her face and she went pale. “I loathe you. I don’t even know why I come here. Every time I show up, you follow me around just waiting for me to mess up. It’s like you’re looking for a reason to get your hands on my ass.”

   “Why do you come here?” he asked. “I can remember at least five times you swore you’d never come back and yet you still show up.”

   “There was nothing on TV tonight.”

   He could almost laugh at her thin attempt at bravado. Almost, but he wouldn’t; he had an image to protect and he didn’t want the other submissives to get any ideas. “You’d think with as much trouble as you’re in, you’d be just a bit more respectful.”

   “I don’t see the point. You’re going to do what you’re going to do anyway. Might as well let you know how I really feel.”

   “Still with the backtalk, sweetheart?” he asked. “It’s like you’re looking for a reason for me to get my hands on your ass.” She opened her mouth to object to his slight restatement of her words, but his next words stopped her from doing more. “And trust me, by the time we’re finished, everyone in here will have no doubt about how you really feel.”

   For the first time he could ever remember, Meagan looked unsure of what to do or say next. No worries, he told himself. For the next however long it took, she didn’t have to concern herself with what to do or say. He would be the one to direct her. And it started with one word.

   He narrowed his eyes at her. “Kneel.”

   * * *

   Meagan kept her eyes on Luke as she went to her knees. She recognized she was in enough trouble without disobeying him more, but she wanted him to see her eyes. To feel her anger.

   Though, truly, she really had only herself to blame. She had been disrespectful to Luke. Many times. And with her display tonight, she’d basically pushed him into a corner until he had no choice other than to do what he did. She did know better, but damn it, it was as though his very presence egged her on.