Justin rubbed at his arm but aimed serious eyes at her. “Okay. Just be careful, Chloé. That’s all I’m going to say about it. Unless I find out something I don’t like.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say, Like what? But considering all the things he could potentially find out, she was going to cut her losses now.
“I better get back to the kitchen.”
“Mhmm. Père’s already in there. Dad ran to the liquor store. They forgot the vodka in our order.”
“Sounds good. You know, it’s nice having you around here again on the weekends.”
“You think?”
“Nah, just kidding.”
Justin balled up the dishtowel, and she hightailed it to the kitchen, laughing all the way, before he could throw it at her. She was still all grins as she pushed through the stainless-steel doors and found the bustling kitchen of JULIEN in the throes of prepping for the afternoon/evening crowd.
She smiled and waved at everyone as she made her way to the back office she shared with her père, and that was where she found him, sitting behind his desk.
“Bonjour, papounet.”
He looked up from the computer, and an automatic smile hit his lips. “Bonjour, mon ange.” He looked at his watch and chuckled. “I didn’t realize what time it was.”
“So I see.” It was unusual to find her père at a computer as opposed to a stove, and his frown of concentration had her heading over to see if she could help. “What are you looking at?”
“I got a call asking if we’d be available for a catering event.”
“Really? It’s been a long time since we did one of those.”
“I know, but we were recommended, and”—he looked up and shrugged—“it’s really good money.”
She laughed and squeezed his shoulder. “Nothing wrong with that. Who doesn’t like money?”
“Plus, I was thinking that maybe I could finally take your dad and papa to Paris for that vacation we’re forever talking about.”
Chloé gasped. “Oh, that would be amazing. Dad would die.”
“Our princesse does love Paris.”
“Mhmm, and Papa would love some time away with just the two of you. You should totally do it.”
A mischievous twinkle entered her père’s jade-colored eyes. “I think you might be right. Okay, I’ll tell them oui, and book them in. Will you be able to help out?”
“Of course. Anytime I can show off my cooking, I’m there.”
Her père chuckled and got to his feet. “You know, you sound like someone I used to know when you talk like that.”
“Hmm.” Chloé pursed her lips, pretending to think about it. “Couldn’t be a certain chef known to be a bit of a pri—”
“Hush now.” He put his finger to her lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
That was what he’d like her to believe, but his smile said otherwise.
“Whatever you say, papounet. You do what you need to and I’ll get everyone in line out there.”
“You’re an ange.” He kissed her on the cheek, and as she walked out the door, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d still think that if he knew what she’d been up to lately.
“HOW’S IT GOING in here tonight, Bennett?” Zayne said as he and Ethan made their way into the storage room and over to one of their resident doms. “Your little miss behaving herself?”
Bennett landed a nice crack of his whip across the bare-assed woman chained up in front of him, then turned to greet his friends with a wolfish smile.
“She’s been a little mouthy, but I think we’ve finally come to an understanding of sorts.”
Zayne chuckled as Ethan walked up the main aisle of the room to inspect each row, and his dick twitched at the sight of him there in this space.
This was one of Zayne’s favorite rooms of the club. The two of them had spent many nights down here. With its cement walls, fluorescent lights, and five-tiered welded steel storage unit shelves, the storage room had a cold, elemental feel about it.
It was the perfect place to bring a sub, chain them up, and do what you wanted to them—and if an audience was on that list, you could go a little farther up the aisle to where the storage shelves faced one another.
“I don’t doubt it.” Zayne gestured to the leather whip in Bennett’s hand. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all. You know how I feel. What’s mine is always available to you and Ethan. Little miss?”
“Yes, master?”
“Be a good girl for Master Zayne, do you hear?”
“Yes, master.”
Zayne flexed his fingers around the braided handle as he moved into position behind Bennett’s sub. She was standing in an X pose with her wrists restrained by zip ties to the top shelf, and her ankles treated the same on the bottom.
The red marks decorating her soft skin showed that Bennett had had his work cut out for him tonight, and Zayne couldn’t help but admire his handiwork. As he lowered his eyes over her tanned skin, though, he couldn’t help but think of Red’s lovely, pale coloring and just how pretty her back and ass would look with a little…shading to it.
He tightened his fingers around the heavy handle, loving the feel of this particular whip. It was beautiful, the craftmanship topnotch. He flicked his wrist, sending the whip through the air to test its weightiness, and a cracking sound rent the air, sending a rush of adrenaline through his veins.
Little miss shivered, but didn’t make a sound, as Zayne searched for the perfect spot to land his first blow. He didn’t want to mess with a fellow dom’s artwork, so he avoided the obvious choices and zeroed in on the back of her right thigh where there was nothing but open canvas.
He eyed the tender spot and raised the whip and, with a lightning-fast snap of his wrist, the leather made a smacking impact that echoed off the concrete walls like a firecracker.
Fuck yes. This was what he was in the mood for tonight—wielding the whip, having the upper hand—and Zayne understood exactly why Bennett liked playing with this sub. She might start out mouthy, but damn, taming the wild ones was always satisfying.
Which brought to mind a certain little wildcat with hair the color of flames.
“She’s a beauty,” Ethan said, standing beside Bennett.
“She is. Would like a turn? Zayne left you a thigh.”
Ethan’s eyes shifted to the woman tied up, then the hard-on whipping her had given Zayne. “As tempting as that is”—Ethan looked to Bennett—“we’re just doing the rounds tonight. You enjoy her. You put in the hard work.”
“I will, don’t you worry.”
Zayne handed over the whip. “She’s tough. I wasn’t gentle.”
“I wouldn’t want you to be.”
“Have a good night.”
“You too.”
As they headed out of the room, Ethan grabbed him and pulled him into a side alcove, shoving him up against the wall and pinning him with an arm to the sternum.
Jesus, he loved the way Ethan manhandled him.
“Did I say you could play with someone else tonight?”