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Chapter One: Fort
I never patronized touristy Manhattan BDSM clubs, especially Underworld, but my friend Devin had ducked inside, so I waited with litter subs flirt with each other in the line
“Waste of tirumbled “None of these chicks are Gallery material”
I turned my head to see if his low voice had been overheard Unlike Underworld, The Gallery was a secret, extremely exclusive BDSM club, and eren’t supposed to spread the word, lest we find our private play space overrun with gawkers, wannabes, and the safety police
A ed Like us, he was dressed in a suit, fresh frorinned, his blue eyes rueful in the diht “Found a hot one, but she’s a Domme”
“Wow,” Milo drawled “Good work, Dev”
“She offered to lock rabbed his crotch with a leer “So we’re not coh”
I nodded toward the door “How are things inside?”
“Stupid Crowded Worst music I’ve ever heard in a BDSM club”
Milo gave him a dark look “That’s e don’t come here”
I rubbedcurl while the two of them bickered This whole scene was bullshit I wanted action, wanted to beat on soa outside Underworld Unfortunately, The Gallery wasn’t open tonight
I wasn’t sure wherehoer sisters I adored Sure, h a wretched divorce when I was a teenager, but I’d been into the idea of pain and passion long before that
I drifted away froainst the corner of the adjacent building Her forehead rested against the brick, her fingers splayed on the wall for support Her face was covered by th hair, but I could see that she wore a collar Maybe that hy I headed toward her Kinky people had to stick together I ht be a sadistic Do, and she was alone and distressed in a not-so-great area of the city
“Hey, Fort, where you going?” Dev called
“There’s a girl over there”
“Yeah, and she’s going tohave you lived here?”
I slohen I got closer, trying to figure out rong with her She was dressed in a short, dark dress with gray over-the-knee socks Beautiful legs Curvy, not too skinny
God, she was shitty-drunk I could smell alcohol on her froe, kohl-rimmed eyes Her dark lipstick was smeared, and one hand clutched her stomach
“Don’t” She extended her other hand shakily in my direction “Don’t mess with me”
“I’ to mess with you Do you need help?”
She turned unsteadily from the wall, her face bunched up with tears “I…need… I’m fucked… Fucked up”
“I see that” I took a step closer, trying not to look threatening despite ht? Howout here?” She was too clean to be a street person, and too unconventional-looking to be a prostitute The dress, the eyeliner, the marled, beribboned socks “It’s not safe to wander around here in the ht,” I told her “Where are your friends?”
“I’er in the air, as if her explanations had to be caught from the space around her “I came here…”
“What’s your name?”
“Je-wels Jewels”
Artsy na chick “Okay, Jewels, o hoet you home?”
She shook her head, suddenly angry “No Not with… I’m done Not him”
“Who’s him?”
“There’s…no him Don’t kno…”
She was sober enough to stay vertical, but not sober enough to make any sense I turned back to my friends “What should I do?”
“She’s cute,” Milo joked, “but you’re not supposed to fuck the drunk ones”
I scowled at him “We need to help her” I lowered my voice “She’s one of us See her collar?”
“I doubt she’s one of us,” said Devin “I’s in there” He pointed to Underworld’s crowded courtyard “Just lead her back inside”
I had a feeling this woman’s situation was ain “Do you have a way home? Do you have money? Identification?”
She patted her pockets, reached over her shoulder for a ghostly bag that was no longer there She turned to look on the ground behind her Jesus, had some lowlife already stolen her shit?
I thought about what to do Call the police? With no ID and little ability to speak, she’d probably end up in the drunk tank Should I take her into Underworld to try to find the person she’d come with?
“Did you coertip over her collar “Do you have a Dominant? A Master somewhere inside there?”
She burst into tears again “He’s bad I hate him”
“Who?”
She didn’t answer, or couldn’t answer She was distraught Her eyes were pools of pain
“Did sons of a struggle
“Really?” Dev said “You’re going to play therapist?”
“Shut the fuck up and look at her She’s a ht have happened to her What if she’s been drugged?”
“What if she took drugs? What if she’s a junkie?”
“She’s drunk, not high,” I snapped
She slid down the building and wrapped her arms around her knees Her shoulde
rs shook with sobs
Milo sighed “What do you plan to do, man? Drop her off at a hospital?”
“No,” said Devin “They’ll turn her over to the police”
“I have to go hole, I could see how blue her eyes were “Have to…get there”
“Home? Where’s your home?” asked Milo
“Blackwall Please”
“The Blackwell” Milo turned and punched my shoulder “You live in the Blackwell, Fort She’s all yours Take her home”
“Do you live in the Blackwell?” I asked, kneeling beside her
She nodded Okay Fuck I tried to catch her wavering gaze “Hey, listen, Jewels Do you want me to take you home? I live in the Blackwell, too”