Leaning forward, I say in earnest, “I would never tell anyone what I saw. Even if I hadn’t signed those documents. I told him that.”

    “And I believe you.” He drums his fingers on his desk, as if deep in thought. “But we do have a problem, and that is a conflict of interest. Perception is everything. It looks bad for you. It looks bad for your law firm. It looks bad for me.”

    I have a sick feeling that maybe this isn’t going to be as easy as signing on the dotted line. But damned if I’m going to back down when I’ve finally found something else that might take away my pain. “It looks bad if I’m doing something wrong. But I’m not. As far as I understand it, nothing I do or say can change the facts of the case. And as for perception, I can keep a secret.”

    Master Damien rounds his desk and leans against the edge, arms folded across his chest. “There are other clubs.”

    “But Jack is here. I know him, and I trust him. I’m not saying I want to do a scene with him, but the fact that he picked this club tells me it’s a place where I can explore this side of myself and be safe.” And if Amanda succeeds in shutting down the club—which I know she will do—Club Sin is my best chance at flirting with the dark side without falling too deep.

    “Ah… Master Jack.” He smiles. Lots of teeth. Like the wolf probably smiled at Little Red Riding Hood when he met her in the forest. All predator. No man.

    “He asked me to send you on your way if you showed up again,” he continues. “He’s a good friend and a regular client. I’m afraid I have to abide by his wishes.”

    Bloody hell. I stand and sigh. “Why didn’t you just tell me that up front instead of making me fill out all the forms?”

    “Curiosity.” Master Damien follows me to the door. “I hope this won’t deter you from trying another club.”

    “Honestly, I don’t think I would be able to work up the nerve again or go somewhere I don’t know anyone. Please reconsider.” I pull open the door, look back over my shoulder with my most plaintive look. Master Damien is studying me, his head tilted to the side.

    “Well… I can’t see that anyone would be harmed if we did a scene together, just to give you a taste of what you’re looking for. Maybe then you won’t feel as hesitant to try another club.”

    Scene with Master Damien? “I…uh…”

    He closes the distance between us. “You want to be hurt, don’t you, love?” He cups my jaw in his warm palm and strokes his thumb over my cheek. “You want pain.”

    I swallow a few times, willing the tears back. I’ve never told anyone about the release I get from hurting myself, the relief I get through pain. And yet the shame and embarrassment at what I have to do to cope with my emotional tension freeze my tongue, and all I can do is nod.

    “Do you want to play with me, Penny?”

    My heart gives a little flutter. When I imagined myself in the club, it was Jack behind me, Jack on the other end of the whip, Jack making me scream. But he doesn’t want me to be here, and if I can’t have him, at least I can find out if this is really what I want. Now or never. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

    Redemption or Sin?

    Sin.

    “Yes.” My voice comes out in a whisper.

    “Excellent. My room is free tonight. Last-minute cancellation.” Master Damien pushes open the door to a small room adjacent to his office. With its pristine white walls and stainless steel equipment, it has a cold, clinical feel, much like a doctor’s office.

    “What is this place?”

    “My personal playroom.” Master Damien pulls a wide padded bench away from the wall and positions it in the center of the room. “I was all set to do a doctor–patient scene tonight with one of our regular submissives, but she couldn’t make it.” He pats the bench, clearly wanting me to join him.

    “Um…” I scramble for a reason to delay the scene. “Should I take off my clothes?”

    He undoes the leather straps on the four corners of the bench. “Do you want to take off your clothes?”

    I bite my lip so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t bleed. “I’m not really comfortable going starkers.”

    “Totally up to you. I can work with whatever you want to give me.”

    “Well, then you get me with the skirt and blouse I wore to work.” Taking a deep breath, I join him at the bench.

    “Up here.” Master Damien helps me onto the wide padded bench, positioning me on all fours, my knees and elbows on two ledges and my body resting on what feels like the padded top of a sawhorse. I feel like a jockey, urging a horse on to the finish line, and if I didn’t have my skirt covering my ass, I would feel uncomfortably exposed.

    “Good girl.” He gives my ass a gentle pat, and I fight back the urge to whinny.

    “Um, thank you.” When in doubt and feeling deeply humiliated while crawling onto a spanking bench, always be polite.

    “I’m going to restrain you now.” Master Damien gestures to the leather straps at the front and back of the bench. “Do you remember our safe words from the application form?”

    “Red for stop. Yellow for slow down. Green for go.” I swallow hard, clench my fists. “I’m not going to ask you to stop.”

    A grin splits his face, and he chuckles. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I’d be able to buy this building outright, and no one would be trying to kick us out.” He slides a leather strap around my ankle and buckles it tight. “Of course, no one ever says things like that to Master Jack. They go to him because they know he’ll take them right to the edge, that point where they will beg him to stop.” He cuffs my second ankle, and a violent tremble runs through my body.

    “Shh.” Master Damien buckles a strap around my wrist, and my heart pounds in my chest. This is it. One more strap, and I won’t be able to get away. I check out the room, hoping to distract myself from the panic building inside me, but the shiny silver racks holding an assortment of ropes, handcuffs, whips, chains, crops, and paddles do little to assuage my concerns.