before Diego had destroyed the life she’d built there.
She caught herself nibbling on her bottom lip—a nervous habit—and put a stop to it. “Master Brent?”
“Hmm?” he said without opening those sensual lips.
“The basement dungeons seem to be a bit higher on the kink scale than the one on the main level—the one where I was watching while waiting for Jake. Is that to ease people in as they adjust to the higher levels of kink?”
He nodded, amusement dancing in his gaze. “The dungeon on the main level is mostly used for Dom training, sub training, people trying out new low-level kinks, or attending a munch to see if they’re interested in the lifestyle. Or if they are interested in joining Club Desire. It’s distinctly different from the other levels. Most of the more edgy kink goes on in Basement 2, and the extreme in Basement 4. My office, where we met, is on level 4, not to be confused with Basement 4.” He grinned. “Also on level 4 are my personal suite of rooms, the public dining areas, and the pool and spa.”
Sandra tried to picture where everything was and frowned as her picture came up with a flaw. “Don’t you have members frequently walking into your office off the elevator? Doesn’t that get distracting?”
His sensual lips curved and he met her gaze. “My office and my personal suite are reached by two separate elevators that aren’t for public use. They require special access, so I have complete privacy in both of those areas if I want it.”
The last four words burned along her skin like an erotic promise. With the timbre of his voice and insinuation of his words, her nipples hardened and the sensitive flesh brushed against the silky material of her bra, which now felt like sandpaper.
“How often do you want it?” She froze, her muscles suddenly tight as her brain registered the words that had poured from her mouth. Embarrassment flared and she had a sudden urge to run, but then common sense caught up, reminding her she was in an elevator and had nowhere to run to, so she locked her knees and purposely raised her gaze to see Master Brent’s reaction.
His eyes flashed fire, and electricity arced between them, tingling along Sandra’s skin, igniting every nerve ending and making her stare down at his straining erection. At the sound of him sucking in a breath she bit her tongue to keep from licking her lips, or shamelessly plastering herself against him.
Master Brent cleared his throat, which only seemed to amp up the electrical current zinging between them, but did help her tear her gaze away from that very hard cock so she could look up into his eyes again.
“It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to…have my privacy invaded. But I might need to rethink that.”
It was Sandra’s turn to suck in a breath as she drowned in the fiery promise blazing in Master Brent’s eyes.
The elevator doors whooshed open on Basement 2, startling Sandra. She raised her chin and clenched her fists, firming her resolve as if she were going into battle. This was the start of her new life here in Phoenix, and it
would
go well. She chanted that silent mantra as she followed Master Brent out onto the brightly lit floor.
Out here she did hear the sound of floggers, paddles, and even flesh hitting flesh, and she couldn’t help but flinch as long-ago memories tried to rise up to haunt her.
When would she be able to get past this? It had been ten years, and even now Sandra could feel the stinging sensation burning across her cheek and the fiery stab of betrayal slicing her heart.
Master Brent took her hand, distracting her and pulling her back from the past. “Why don’t I introduce you around first? The locker room is this way.” His speculative look told her he hadn’t missed her reactions, and that he was concerned.
Damn. She wanted to fit in, not stand out.
Master Brent led her into a large room that looked like a gathering hall rather than a locker room. There were couches,