“You’re talking, but I’m not sure I understand what you’re trying to tell me,” James Said

“Have you ever been with subs who top from the bottom? And I don’t mean purposefully manipulative.” Mikael stressed that point.

James was slightly surprised by the question, but nodded. “I have. Though I don’t let them do it for long.”

“Why do they do it? Why do they try to control the play even as they give up control of their body?”

“They’re not ready. They don’t trust the Dom. They don’t know how to let someone else be in command.”

“Possibly, but it’s also a way to make sure their needs are met. It’s human instinct—they’re making sure they get what they desire.”

“That’s fair, though a well negotiated scene should guarantee that everyone’s needs are met.”

“And what if the sub doesn’t negotiate?”

“You mean what if they rely on their checklist alone?”

“No, I mean what if the submissive won’t, or doesn’t, tell the Master what they want?”

James sat back and considered. “Then it is up to the Dom to discover what they really desire and need.”

“Exactly.”

of emotional interrogation is

happened with Xavier and Mae. If you hadn’t talked to Mae, helped her figure out her feelings, would

made it through as

you could

looked at the sideboard.

I ask is that you do the same with this sub. Don’t take her

was Mikael talking about? He thought he knew most of the members of Las Palmas,

“Open it.”

carefully peeled back the flap of the

* * *

He missed California

his ruined face got him—the long looks followed by a quick jerk of the head when they looked away. His appearance was just another tool in his arsenal. When he testified before government bodies, as he was here to do today, he carried not only the weight of his mother’s name, but his own professional accomplishments and the very visible reminder of what he and others like him were fighting

Xavier?” An anxious-looking aide with two cellphones and a clunky

“That’s me.”

wanted me to

do to help maintain or increase funding for

on the panel. When the hearing was done he had lunch with his mother, one of the

* * *

her office a well decorated sauna. She longed for the cool

sexy-cute spin, stood from her desk. The small offices were above the flagship brick and mortar store on a trendy street in Santa Monica. Below, her shoppers browsed the array of Rainbow Bright inspired thigh highs, princess dog collars, frilly panties, and white leather restraints embossed with black hearts. The rapidly growing empire drew a wide variety of buyers, from those steeped in the “Daddy/little” subculture where it had first started to tweens who had no idea why there were steel rings in the “chokers” they bought. They’d recently branched out into Goth attire, adding black to the color palette for the first time, but ensuring that all the Goth-style accessories featured plenty of bows and ribbons. In the spring they’d launch a line of

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