“What do you mean?” Stephen rubbed his head. He felt the pressure in his head, which would lead to a headache. If he knew there would be problems he’d have avoided Ravage. Already he craved Ursula’s touch. He wanted to take her in his arms and forget about all of his crap.
“A bunch of men grabbed a few of my submissive waitresses before the guards could help them. They took them down the alley out back and roughed them up. I don’t like men who abuse women, Stephen. I’m not a happy man. I want this problem solved. I know you don’t believe in the clubs, and you only dabble, but consider this high on your shit list.”
James was not a man to trifle with. He gave dominant male a whole new meaning. Looking across the desk Stephen saw the anger in James, who clearly saw deeper into the situation than Stephen.
“I’ll look into it.”
“You better, otherwise this if going to hit us in the f**king face and not in a good way.”
“No one can mention the clubs. The clause in the contract states that,” Stephen said.
“Only to the men who are members. This could very well be a turned down member, Stephen. Think about that. Anyway, rumour has it you’ve got yourself a woman?” James smiled and transformed into a fun-loving man.
“Don’t start.”
“I want details. Will you be bringing her to the club?”
Stephen thought about the way she looked last night on her knees before him. Before he met her, he liked to watch the goings-on in both clubs. He thought about other men seeing Ursula, and his hackles rose. No other man would see her glorious flesh but him.
“From the look on your face I know you won’t be requesting a scene room for help.” Out of all of the men, Stephen had known James the longest. James was the same age, and they lived in the same street three houses over. They came from the same background, as James’s parents had shared the possessive feeling. The clubs were united in their need to supply men with similar feelings a place to relax.
“Have you ever felt this possessive need to be the only man in a woman’s life?” Stephen found himself asking before he could stop.
“I run a BDSM club being the main dominant. What do you think?”
“No. I’m being serious. There are women who don’t inspire this feeling and others who do. You can’t tell me that you feel the need to keep every woman you train by your side at all times?” Stephen sat forward thinking about the way Ursula made him heel.
James stared at him, a deathly look on his face. The other man stood walking round the desk and stopping in front of him. “I’m only telling you this because you’re a friend.” Stephen saw the way James ran his hand over his face. “There was a woman once. A waitress who came to work at the bar. She was beautiful and charming. The need to claim her as my own arose.”
Stephen saw how hard it was for James to talk about.
“She didn’t know about who I was or what I did. The club didn’t have a reputation at the time. I pretended to be different. I took her on dates, and we had fun. Two people getting to know each other. Then one night while I was doing a demonstration she snuck in. When she saw me she was in shock. The relationship ended, and she left. I haven’t heard from her since.”
He stopped for a moment, his arms folded across his chest. “I would like to meet your woman, but don’t hide who you are. It will only come back to bite you.”
“And you felt those feelings stir when you were with the waitress?” Stephen asked.
“The time I spent with her I couldn’t imagine another man touching her. She was mine. I’m not designed to be vanilla, Stephen. The woman I have needs to know who I am before I’ll commit.”
Stephen nodded. Twenty minutes later he left the club and went to his own.
Chapter Eight
After college Ursula waited for Stephen, checking her watch every couple of seconds. She didn’t expect him to spend every moment of the day waiting for her. The least he could have done was be on time. She saw a couple of the other students coming towards her. They were not the nicest of students. They were a couple of girls with slim figures and perfect looks. She envied them with their easy ability to be themselves in their own skin. Sometimes she wished she was smaller or thinner. She couldn’t change the woman she was obviously meant to be.
“What are you doing?” Claire asked as they neared.
“I’m just waiting for someone. My boyfriend actually.” She pulled her bag up on her shoulder.
Come on, Stephen.
“Sweety, you can’t call that slob a boyfriend.”
“I’m not talking about him.”
They gave her a disbelieving look. She noticed they sat on the wall a couple of feet away. Ten minutes later Stephen pulled up. Instead of being angry with him for being later she walked to him as he got out of the car. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her.
“Please, kiss me like you can’t wait to get into my pants. Please.” He gave her a funny look. “I’ll make it up to you.”
He swung her up into his arms slamming his lips on hers in the process. In no time at all she was totally devoted to the kiss, with her friends at the back of her mind. He sank his fingers into her hair combing out the locks from the ponytail she wore.
She settled down. “Wow,” she said.
“Wave to your friends for the full effect.”
Ursula did as he asked, then followed him to her side of the car. He helped her in. She saw the other students watching her until they drove away.
“Do you want to tell me what the display was for?” he asked.
“They drive me crazy. Paul made it worse when he turned up one day begging for money. It was awful, and I haven’t been able to live it down. Thank you.”
“You did say you’d make it up to me,” he said.
“I know. I’ve got chicken in your fridge. I’ll tempt your taste buds unlike anything else.” She laughed when he sent her a funny look. “I promised to make it up to you. I didn’t say how I’d repay you.”
He chuckled. When they got home Stephen went to answer the phone while she started on dinner. She couldn’t believe how fast their relationship had escalated in the last twenty-four hours. The undercurrent of sexual tension had always been there from the very moment they met, but she had never thought they would act on it. He came up behind her while she was cooking, his hands circling her waist as he nuzzled her neck. “I’ve got to go out after dinner,” he said.