BDSM Checklist: A, B, C

They were only a few feet apart, but it felt farther. They hadn’t explicitly acknowledged that they wanted this relationship to continue. That was the issue they were skirting as they talked about all the reasons it couldn’t work.

“Why?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

Mae’s hand itched to slap him again. Each word was like the jab of a knife telling her that she wanted him more than he wanted her.

“No, you don’t, Master Xavier.” She made sure her tone was completely neutral, the words flat.

“Don’t do that, Red. Don’t hide from me.” There was pain in his voice.

She wanted to comfort him, she wanted to scream at him for making her feel this way only to turn around and tell her that he wouldn’t be her Master in the truest sense of the word.

“I can’t be the only one who’s vulnerable.”

At that he looked up, eyes stark behind the mask. He held her gaze just long enough for her to detect a hint of resignation.

Pushing away from the wall, Xavier turned his back to her. In the candlelight he was all smooth gold muscles that she longed to touch, to mark with her nails the way he’d marked her with a whip.

He reached up, and Mae sucked in a breath as he began to undo the hidden zipper along the back of the mask. Inch by inch the leather parted, until he’d opened it all the way to the crown of his head. With his back still to her, Master Xavier pulled the mask off.

His hair was plastered to his head, but a few combs with his fingers loosened it. At first she thought it was blond, but he shifted slightly and she realized it was more silver than gold. For a moment she wondered if he was far older than she realized, and he’d gone gray.

Xavier turned to the left, just enough so she could see his profile and Mae sucked in a breath. He was gorgeous with a classically handsome profile—arched nose, high cheekbones, and strong jaw. There was a faint line along his cheek where the edge of the mask had pressed against him.

“You’re the only one I would break that rule for.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke.

“Why do you wear the mask?” He was being so deliberate about not facing her, not letting her see him, that Mae began to wonder.

because I prefer it. I am

his handsome face. “Are you

his surprise almost turning toward her before he caught himself. “Why would you ask

identity. That makes me think movie star. Or

smile or laugh.

examined his profile again, wondering why he was

turned to face

was that he looked like a Disney prince with his classic features. He was younger than his graying hair led her to believe. There were faint lines around his eyes

picked out what was wrong with the picture. Mae scrambled off the

his right temple all the way down the side of his cheek to his neck. His ear was mangled, the lobe missing. He pushed his hair up, showing

She raised trembling fingers, but didn’t touch. “Does it

It’s been a

say, but they could wait. Mae gingerly placed a palm on each of his

he came alive. Between one heartbeat and the next they went from standing to lying on the bed with Xavier’s big body over hers. Mae spread her legs, cradling his hips. He covered her jaw and neck with hot open mouthed kisses as she reached between them to fumble with his pants. Together they got them off, shoving them down to his knees.

it was familiar. She looked

a dream you fucked me,” she

“It wasn’t a dream.”

She had to stop as one particularly strong thrust hit her G spot, distracting her.

lip. “No one comes that hard

to be Master and submissive. It was just two people, looking for something, someone, to help them

one shining moment they found that peace

* * *

Day of

a club-wide sex game was the last thing he’d imagined they’d announce. Each Dom, Master, Owner, submissive, and slave was assigned a letter of the alphabet and everything that went with it. They had to work though each kink, toy, and fetish on the BDSM checklist, which all members filled out when they joined. It was a rather intriguing idea, made all the more interesting because the Doms didn’t get to choose subs—the overseers had assigned everyone

with many of the uncollared subs in the club. He liked his BDSM play pleasure-focused and never engaged in scenes that lasted too long, or took either player too deep

Xavier, a Master with a reputation for brutal