The Dom Next Door

[Veroe]

((Closed for myself and Cbelle02))​

IC: Reed Wintermain

For Reed Yoga was more than just physical exercise. There was a meditative and spiritual element to it that centered and grounded him for the day ahead. He went through this exercise every-day both because he was a man of habit and ritual and secondly, Morena, his late wife had taught him the benefits of yoga and it was a way to remember her and thank her spirit for lighting up his life for as long as he had known her.

Nearly finished the routine and sat cross-legged on his mat facing out the balcony of his house on the Hollywood hills overlooking the bustling towers of Los Angeles at daybreak, but all that was outside his concern at the moment. Here within his morning Yoga ritual he was in the moment. Hands met over his heart as he listened to it and felt the breath he took in and pushed out of his lungs. After years of practice he could spend this moment without thinking, but reaching a meditative state Morena would be proud of.

He sat there just being for several more minutes but eventually opened his eyes ready to face the day. He got back up to walk into his bedroom and his jogging pants. Reed took them and faced the mirror as he began to change into them.

Looking at his reflection he saw a man who had reached the beginning of middle-age. He had steel grey eyes that still sparkled with a quiet intensity, dark feathery-hair salted more and more with grey hairs with each passing year now. His face was strong with clefted chin and stern cheekbones subtly wrinkled from the experience of his forty-two years of life. That was where the concessions to age stopped however. Due to eating well and habitual exercise his shoulders and chest were broad and his flat stomach and sporting rolling hillocks of muscles narrowing down to strong hips and thighs.

He pulled on his jogging pants and Lakers T-shirt and left his house for his morning jog, but first he made a detour to the house next door. He had known Joyce Cross ever since he and Morena had moved into the neighborhood. He had befriended her and her then husband Tony over the years, and was Joyce's shoulder to cry on as Tony's infidelity caused the self-destruction of their marriage. Since then he'd been the surrogate man of the house for her and her young daughter.

Joyce had been a local broadcast TV star in LA, and suffered the curse of many beautiful women of vanity and insecurity. He still remembered the night she had drunkenly all but thrown herself at him. He had not taken advantage of his friend that night. Not because he did not recognize her desirability, but because he knew he'd be taking advantage of her in an emotional time, and because he knew Joyce was not of the temperament to handle his particular tastes.

Reed was the proud owner of The Zone on the corner of Ramona and Belkshire downtown. One of the premier BDSM and fetish clubs in southern California. His late wife, Morena, had been his submissive for many years up until the car-crash that had taken his most prized possession out of his life. However she had taught in a yoga studio and believed in the principles of karma. So after three years struggle he had learned to let go of the pain of her loss and focus on the wonderful joy her submission to him had brought him while alive.

He walked up to Joyce's front door and pulled out the key she had given him. Once opened he strolled inside. Joyce had developed an aggressive case of breast cancer a year ago and had just had an operation that removed her left breast. Between that and recovering from the weight and hairloss from the chemo Joyce was taking it rather hard.

Reed visited her every morning on his jog just to check in on her, and to see if she needed anything around the house fixed for her. Last week he'd fixed a loose door knob in the upstairs bathroom.

He saw she was sitting out on the balcony watching the morning progress over the city she'd spent a career saying good morning to. She was bundled up in a bathrobe and a scarf tied around her head to conceal her baldness. She had a cane leaning against the side of her chair.

"Hello, Joyce," He said walking around to look at her. Because of the months of chemo she had gotten so frail and gaunt-it was startling that this was the same woman men would watch and desire when she walked into the room. What he found unsettling was the dull beaten-down look in her eyes. She wasn't taking her fate as well as one would hope. "Hope you're finding the morning well today."

Then he heard someone walk up from the kitchen. He turned to see someone he hadn't seen in four years, not since she left for school on the east coast after her highschool graduation.

Olivia was dressed in her pajamas much like he had seen her wear as a gawky and uncertain teenager. Now here she was her pretty girlish looks matured to that of a beautiful young woman her flirty sleepwear couldn't diminish.

He stood there staring at her, for the first time seeing little Olivia as a desirable woman and not the young girl he had driven home from her senior prom because her date had attempted a little too much and had gotten a black eye from her for it.

"Olivia," he said as she hugged him tight those now fully developed breasts he was becoming increasingly aware of pressing into the front of his body, "You got home last night?"

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia Cross stood in the kitchen, preparing a hot breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon for her mother. She knew the frail woman would probably eat less than 2 bites, but she cooked it anyway. She didn't like how pale and weak her once beautiful and confident mother now appeared. Even though the surgery had been successful in removing the cancer, the battle had been tough and left her beaten down and weary. Olivia hated seeing her like this. It'd been months since she'd visited and her mother hadn't seemed to improve any. Before the cancer, her mother's hair was long and luxurious. Now she wore a plain pink scarf around her bald head. Her face was sunken in and lines of pain and worry etched through her skin. She was only 50 years old but appeared to be much older.

Olivia sighed and threw a few strips of bacon into a pan on the stove. So here she was. She'd graduated in May with a degree in Astronomy. She'd wanted to continue on to obtain a Master's and maybe eventually a doctorate. She had dreams of becoming an astrophysicist, maybe working for NASA. Due to her mother's illness, however, she'd gotten a teaching job at the local high school, so that she could move back in and help care for her. She would never let on to her mother that she wasn't happy with her plight, but she definitely wanted more.

The smell of the bacon filled the room as it sizzled in the pan. Almost done. Olivia sighed and flipped the eggs. She'd worked a few semesters in one of the on campus dining halls while at college, where she became an expert and flipping eggs and making omelets. The sight of them nearly made her sick now, but it was one of the few things her mother could still stomach the taste of.

After 4 years of college, Olivia had grown up quite a bit. She'd had her fun, made great friends, partied, the usual. She'd had her first real boyfriend. Then a couple more. The last one had been a real idiot, verbally abusive, degrading her, then threatening to kill himself when she tried to break it off. She fell for it and stayed every time. Finally, she ended it when he damn near broke her arm after a fight. After a month of stalking, she got a protection and restraining order and never heard from him again. But it pretty much fucked her up and she hadn't been on a single date in the year since.

It wasn't because she hadn't gotten hit on or asked out plenty of times. Olivia, though she was modest and humble enough not to think much about it, had inherited her mother's beauty. She was a bit awkward as a teenager, but she'd blossomed into a stunning young woman. She had the same golden brown hair as her mother, the same sparkling deep ocean blue eyes, and a petite button nose. Her face was heart shaped, and her once acne riddled skin was fresh and flawless now. Her ears were pierced twice with a silver industrial rod at the top of her right ear. Other than that, she had no other body adornments except for the nerdy tattoo of a constellation on her left calf. She hadn't grown in height since she left home, standing at the same 5'4 as always. She was petite but lean and stronger than she looked. She'd kept herself in shape at her school's gym. And luckily her once small breasts had blossomed into healthy, full D cups over the past four years. Thankfully, she happened to be a bit of a late bloomer and not stuck with nothing the rest of her life. So no, she didn't lack for male attention. And she'd been attempted to accept dates from some of the nicer guys that seemed to like her mind as well as her body. But Jake had seemed nice at first, so how could she know she wouldn't get fooled again?

Grabbing a plate from the cabinet, Olivia plopped a piece of toast, an egg, and 2 strips of bacon on it. She shuffled out to the balcony where her mother sat. The morning sun always seemed to cheer her for a while. She noticed the man standing by her mother.

Reed Wintermain. She hadn't seen him in years. He looked the same, maybe a few more gray hairs, but as handsome as ever. She'd always thought of him as good-looking, but in an old person kind of way. Now she saw him as just plain good looking.

A grin spread across her face as she walked out onto the balcony. "Mr. Wintermain!" She uttered happily. She sat her mother's breakfast down on a table next to her chair and kissed her cheek. Then she wrapped her arms around the man in a long hug. He'd been like an uncle to her and she was so thankful for the help he'd been giving her mother. But now, she could feel the muscles of his back as her smaller arms wrapped around him, his hard chest pressed against hers.

"I just got in last night, yes." She told him after she'd kissed his cheek and pulled back. "Mom told me you'd been helping out around here a lot. We both appreciate that so much. How have you been?" He towered over her smaller, shorter frame so she had to look up to him. The man radiated confidence and power and to those who knew little of him, he could seem intimidating. But Olivia had always been fond of him.

She leaned against the railing of the balcony, watching him while her mother picked at her food. "Oh, hell, I'm being so rude. Would you like some breakfast as well?"

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

"Mr. Wintermain!"

Then he heard someone walk up from the kitchen. He turned to see someone he hadn't seen in four years, not since she left for school on the east coast after her highschool graduation

He stood there staring at her, for the first time seeing little Olivia as a desirable woman and not the young girl he had driven home from her senior prom because her date had attempted a little too much and had gotten a black eye from her for it.

"Olivia," he said as she hugged him tight those now fully developed breasts he was becoming increasingly aware of pressing into the front of his body, "You got home last night?"

She raised up on her tip toes and her breasts shifted up his chest giving him the distinct impression under the bra old Santa Monica observatory in Griffith Park souvenir T-shirt was straining to contain them. She had always loved that observatory. It was after all the place that had awakened her love of the stars at an early age. The kiss she gave him was at first the familiar one a surrogate neice would give but then it lasted a heartbeat too long and thoughts and conclusions began to enter into his mind. Reed began to wonder how she'd look naked and only wearing his collar kneeling at his feet.

She would be young and energetic and it would be a pleasure bringing her his kind of discipline.

"I just got in last night, yes." her answer dragged him out of his ridiculous ruminations. Old age-that was what it had to be. The sort of wistful fantasy that led to a midlife crises. Next thing he'd know he'd be purchasing a ridiculously expensive Italian supercar and burning up Sunset Boulevard.

She pulled away from the hug and looked up to him, "Mom told me you'd been helping out around here a lot."

"I was just doing what I could to help a friend," he shrugged at the simple statement of truth. Reed had few friends not within the lifestyle and Joyce and the handful of others served to balance his reality when it came to a lot of the drama owning his club and the members that frequented brought to his life.

"We both appreciate that so much," She replied, "How have you been?"

"Well enough," He answered, "Some assholes in city hall are trying yet again to close down my club, but they won't get any traction again."

She leaned back against the railing of the balcony looking up at him. She had grown up since he'd last seen her. How many parties, and how many frat boys had she gone through since then? College was a time to make regrets. He wondered how many she had collected these four years.

"Oh, hell, I'm being so rude," She said jumping up from the railing, "Would you like some breakfast as well?"

"No, just some coffee. Do you remember how I like it," He said watching her walk back into the kitchen. Those short shorts she wore as pajamas weren't nearly as girly as he remembered now. He couldn't help but watch the swaying back in forth of ass underneath the motion of the bare legs below it. She flirted her hair back over her shoulder and Reed wondered what it would feel like between his fingers as they close into a fist and pull her head back while...

...Whoa there...talk about a midlife crisis. He was no cradle-robber. He had to remember that.

"Actually I was going on my morning jog," He said to her, "Care to join me like you used to?"

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia watched the man as he spoke. He hadn't changed much in the years she'd been gone. Yet, now, she found herself seeing him differently. He kept himself in shape and she admired the way the muscles in his arms flexed even with subtle movements. He didn't look nearly the age that he was.

"Some assholes in city hall are trying yet again to close down my club, but they won't get any traction again."

She glanced up to meet his eyes again, hoping no one noticed that her own eyes stray.
"That's terrible." She told him, frowning slightly. "I know you were having some trouble with that before. But the club is pretty successful, right? I doubt anyone would stand for it shutting down. Good luck."

She knew he owned a club downtown, though she'd never been. In fact, before going away, she'd never been to any club or bar. She had been a bit of a loner until she went away from home.

In college, the story was different. It didn't take her long to break out of her shell, start going out, having fun, making a few stupid decisions. Maybe she'd ask to check it out sometime. Knowing the owner had to have some perks, right?

After he'd declined her offer of breakfast and requested the coffee, she jumped up and started into the house. "Of course, I remember, I'll be back in a sec." Olivia gave him a small smile and briefly touched his forearm before she walked away.

She poured a cup of coffee, preparing it to his specification, careful to be exact on the amount of sugars and creamer he liked. She wanted to make sure he enjoyed the beverage. Carefully placing the cup on a small dish, she carried it out to Reed.

"Here you go, sir." She said, playfully. "I hope it is to your liking." She offered the coffee demurely then stepped back as he took a sip, suddenly eager for his approval.

Her mind briefly flitted to images of what it would be like to have the hands that wrapped around that coffee cup, touching her, holding her, his strong arms wrapped around her smaller body...where the hell was this coming from? She cleared her throat, realizing he was speaking again.

"Actually I was going on my morning jog. Care to join me like you used to?"

She nodded quickly. He shared her love of a refreshing jog in the crisp morning air. There was nothing like it to open the lungs and bring energy for the day ahead. They often shared their jogs. Sometimes they ran in peaceful quietude, and sometimes chatting about whatever was going on in their lives. She was certain he didn't care about her adolescent problems, but he'd listened and given advice anyway.

"I would love to! I was actually just thinking about taking in the old route. I'll just need to change, though." Running was cathartic for her and she was excited to share that with Reed again. If she could just tell her brain to crease the inappropriate thoughts...

"Ok, just give me a few minutes and I'll be ready." She kissed her mother's cheek and walked back into the house. Quickly, she rifled though her clothes. Normally, she'd just throw on a pair of jogging pants or shorts and a tshirt and go, but now, she found herself carefully selecting her outfit.

You are being ridiculous. She told herself, the man is nearly twice your age, he isn't gonna care what you're wearing.

Still, she found a pair of black running shorts that she thought fit her ass especially well and a crossback red sports bra. She adjusted the bra in the mirror. It was fairly modest in coverage and boasted the maximum in support, yet still brought out the fullness and shape of her breasts.

Turning around, she gave herself another once-over. Satisfied, she threw on her sneakers and brushed her hair into a ponytail.

Reed was chatting with her mother when she returned. "Hey, I'm ready when you are, Mr. Wintermain."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

"Actually I was going on my morning jog," He said to her, "Care to join me like you used to?"

"I would love to," She nodded enthusiastically, "I was actually just thinking about taking in the old route."

He blew on and then took a sip from the coffee mug she had handed him. He nodded to her acknowledging that she had indeed remembered how he liked his coffee: two sugars and one cream with an ice cube so he'd be able to take a sip of it right away.

"Good girl," The automatic response left his lips before he could stop himself.

He paused and set the mug down. He had nights with a few different submissives in the club since Morena had died, but none more than just a casual fling or to instruct one of his employees in the art of dominance over another. But he had never had anyone from outside the lifestyle...Morena had already been an accomplished submissive when he met her. His few vanilla friends in his life, of whom Joyce and Olivia were both members of, were precious to him. His thoughts towards Olivia, his reactions to her, were something he was really not prepared for.

He couldn't escape the image of her kneeling at his feet. That young and lithe body in only his collar...

Thankfully her next words pulled him out of his momentary reverie. "I'll just need to change, though."

He raised the mug back to his lips. "You have until I finish my coffee," He smiled deviously to her, "Or else you'll be playing catch up to an old man."

"Ok, just give me a few minutes and I'll be ready," Olivia said hurriedly kissing Joyce's cheek and rushing up the stairs to change.

He leaned against the railing and sipped his coffee.

"You never looked at me like that," Joyce's voice was soft and weak like tissue paper, but in the quiet of the moment her words shook him as if she were using a bullhorn.

"Joyce, I-"

"-Olivia is young and beautiful," She cut him off. Her tone was so cold, detached. Shouldn't she feel some emotion with a man having impure thoughts towards her daughter right in front of her. "And you are a man. And we both know you are no saint, but you are an honorable man, Reed."

He watched her push food around on her plate but never take a bite. Joyce had learned what kind of club he owned a few years ago. It had put some strain on their friendship especially with how much time he had spent with her teenaged daughter.

"I will not take advantage of her," He assured her, "Trust me."

"You never looked at me like you did for her just now." She repeated again in that same detached tone and turning to look out across the downtown Los Angeles skyline.

"Joyce you are beautiful and you are still beautiful," He reassured her, "The reason I did not look at you like that was because I valued our friendship with you so much."

"Go," She dismissed him while not looking to him, "Enjoy your jog with my daughter."

"Joyce-"

Then Olivia having finished changing came back down the stairs. He paused watching her flow down the steps. She was wearing a red sportsbra that supported her breasts but with her recent growth spurt in cup size showed a rather tantalizing amount of the curve and shape of her breasts. Also wearing a pair of black running shorts that molded to the contours of her shapely ass.

"Hey, I'm ready when you are, Mr. Wintermain," She said unaware of the conversation she just interrupted.

"Alright let's get going then," Reed replied to her looking back to Joyce a little sadly. She wasn't taking this well, and he wished there would be some way to make her feel better about herself now.

They left and began jogging down the street at a brisk pace. Reed tried to keep his eyes and mind ahead of him on the jog alone. Normally he lost himself in the activity, finding a center within himself. Morena had called it a form of active meditation. However his imagination kept drifting to the distraction of the young and sexy woman keeping up beside him.

"Have you found a job in the city," He asked just to break the silence and occupy himself on a safer topic, "I thought you wanted to be an astrophysicist?"

 

[cbelle02]

OOC: I apologize immensely for the delay in my reply. I, apparently, am an idiot and didn't realize you had posted, or that I hadn't responded. I'll try to keep better on top of things. Or maybe being top isn't my forte

IC:

"Good girl," Reed said, verbally applauding her for remembering. Olivia grinned, blushing lightly, flattered at his words and proud of her accomplishment, even thought it was so simple. She liked the words, and she had an odd yearning to please him in a manner so that she could hear them again. His reply was more than just a generic thank you, it was an acknowledgement and compliment specifically to her and her actions.

She couldn't explain the way she felt. Seeing him today was a whole lot...different...than when she'd last been in his company. Sure, he was attractive. Very much so. But more than that, she liked that her actions pleased him. That desire wasn't sexual. It was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She'd always been a people pleaser but this felt...more intense.

She brushed the thoughts aside as she ran upstairs to change. Moments later, she returned. "Hey, I'm ready when you are, Mr. Wintermain. Glad to see I didn't have to chase after you." She said, when she saw he was still sipping his coffee and talking with her mother.

"Alright, let's get going then," he replied. But there was a sigh in his voice and what looked like a bit of sadness in his eyes as he nodded goodbye to her mother. She wondered what it was about, but brushed it off. Her mother did look a poor sight and she figured he just felt sorry for her.

She hugged her mother and promised to be back soon. Her mother just nodded. "I love you, girl." She said, her voice devoid of emotion. "You watch yourself." The last sentence was spoken to her, but her mother's eyes were on Reed.

Olivia nodded. "Of course. I love you, too." She wondered what prompted the sudden coldness in her mother's voice, but then she had been having strange moods with her illness and medication. She kissed her cheek again and set out with Reed.

She'd ran track and cross country in high school and though she didn't take up any official sports at college, she'd kept up her running routine while away at school so had no trouble matching the older man's pace, despite his much longer legs. Even when she was younger, he'd never slowed his pace for her. In fact, their frequent runs probably helped her succeed as a runner, winning several races. She still had the trophies in her old room.

They ran in silence for a few moments. She thought she'd caught him glancing over at her, maybe even checking her out. She couldn't be sure, but the idea of it made her flattered her, anyway.

"Have you found a job in the city," He asked finally, "I thought you wanted to be an astrophysicist?"

She nodded. "I do. I mean, that's my ultimate dream. But for now, I'll just be teaching. I got a job at my old high school. I want to go to grad school, maybe in Arizona, or Florida. They have good programs there. But, until mom improves, I need to be close to her, to help her out." She looked down at the ground as she ran, focusing for a moment on the sound of their feet hitting the pavement in unison for a few moments.

They ran side by side and occasionally their arms or hands would brush. It was nothing out of the ordinary but she was more keenly aware of the brief touches than she had ever been before.

"But, it'll happen one day. At least I can still study as an amateur and teach elementary astronomy and science." She shrugged. It would work in the interim, but the truth was, she wished she didn't have to wait. She didn't want to say she resented her mother. She loved her dearly. She just wished circumstances were different.

"So, what about you? What are you up to these days?" She asked, looking up at him.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

"Have you found a job in the city," He asked just to break the silence and occupy himself on a safer topic, "I thought you wanted to be an astrophysicist?"

"I do," Olivia nodded, "I mean, that's my ultimate dream."

They had reached the half way mark on their traditional route. A tree on the slope of the hill to one side of the road. It gave a magnificent view of downtown LA and the Hollywood sign. When they jogged before they'd often stop there and take in the view while catching their breaths before heading back to their houses just as hard.

Reed leaned his arm against the tree trunk panting to catch his second wind. Either he was getting out of shape or his age was catching up to him. He didn't remember even getting so winded reaching this tree.

"But now..." He asked her leadingly between pants.

"But for now, I'll just be teaching." She concluded, "I got a job at my old high school."

"So no more schooling for you then?"

"I want to go to grad school, maybe in Arizona, or Florida. They have good programs there. But, until mom improves. I need to be close to her, to help her out."

"It's good you're looking after Joyce," He said lifting up straight from the tree and looking over to her. She had grown so much, matured, and not just physically. "But you shouldn't put your own life on hold for too long either."

Now that they had gotten their wind back they began running back up the road leading to their houses. Occassionally his hand brushed over her arm making him remember his attraction towards her.

To distract himself from watching the way those breasts jiggled in that tight sports bra he asked, "So you're delaying your dream to be a astronomer."

"But, it'll happen one day," She confirmed, "At least I can still study as an amateur and teach elementary astronomy and science."

"Well I'm proud of you, Olivia," He told her, "It can't be easy delaying your dream for someone else."

They had come back to the driveway of Olivia's house when she asked, "So, what about you? What are you up to these days?"

"Oh the same ol' same ol' with running my club." He shrugged, "Morena died in a car crash a few months after you left for college. I got the card you sent me. Thank you for the condolences by the way. It really helped me deal with the loss of my wife."

He glanced towards her house and an awkward moment passed between them. He did not want to leave her, "So this is it....It was great to see you again...so have a good day today."

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia appreciated taking in the views at their resting point. She hadn't really needed the rest today. She was full of energy. She needed the run and doing so with Reed made it more enjoyable. While they talked though, she jogged lightly in place before they set out again.

"I'm proud of you, Olivia," he'd said, bringing a smile to her face. To hear someone say they were proud of her, genuinely, made her happy.

Her mother had been so caught up in her own illness and her own needs, she hadn't once said anything of the sort to Olivia. She didn't doubt her mother was proud and she knew she'd been through a lot, but it was difficult seeing her take things so hard. She had beat the cancer, she was in remission now, and Olivia wished she could just be happy about that instead of feeling sorry for herself. She hated having thoughts like that and would never say it to her mother. The frail woman had been strong enough to beat the cancer, but not the after effects.

"It can't be easy delaying your dream for someone else." He continued and she nodded.

"Tell me about it. I sometimes feel resentful but I know that's horrible. I love my mom, I just wish she could get past this. You know?" She sighed and slowed to a walk as they neared her house. "But it is good to be back." She decided a subject change was in order and quickly turned the same question back to him.

He talked about his club briefly. "Yeah. " She said, "You mentioned the BS earlier about some folks trying to shut it down. I think that's ridiculous. Hey, I should come check it out, now that I'm actually well of age." She laughed lightly.

Her smile faded when he mentioned his wife passing. "Morena died in a car crash a few months after you left for college."

Olivia remembered when her mother told her about Morena's passing. She'd loved Morena. The woman had been almost like an aunt to her. She'd been deeply saddened and regretted being unable to attend the funeral.

"I'm sorry. I wish I'd been able to come back for the funeral. She was always so kind to me. You both were. I hope you got the card I sent. I know it wasn't much but..."

"I got the card you sent me." He assured her. "Thank you for the condolences by the way. It really helped me deal with the loss of my wife."

Olivia nodded. "I want to thank you again for caring for my mother. I know it must have been difficult so soon after Morena's passing."

They finally reached the driveway of her house and they walked on to the fence dividing their properties. Olivia looked up and saw that her mother was no longer on the balcony.

There was a momentary silence and he finally spoke. "So this is it....It was great to see you again."

"It was really great to see you again too, Mr. Wintermain. We should make this a regular habit, again. If you'd like." She said, referring to the run. "I guess...I'll see you around then."

She hesitated, then lifted up on her toes to hug him again. His heart was still racing from their run and she could feel it against her own. She held the hug longer than necessary, enjoying his strong arms enveloping her. Finally, she pulled away and kissed his cheek.

"Have a good day today." He said, as they parted.

"You too." She smiled and turned up her driveway. Halfway there, she turned back. "Actually, Mr. Wintermain...do you maybe want to come over for dinner tonight? I'm cooking anyway, I can always cook a little more..." She offered, hoping he'd accept.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

He glanced towards her house and an awkward moment passed between them. He did not want to leave her, "So this is it....It was great to see you again...so have a good day today."

"You too." She smiled and turned up her driveway.

He watched after her unwilling to turn away from the connection of seeing her.

Then she turned to look back to him. "Actually, Mr. Wintermain...do you maybe want to come over for dinner tonight? I'm cooking anyway, I can always cook a little more..."

"Actually, sorry but no," He shook his head, "It's Friday night our busiest night, and my floor manager's been on maternity leave for the past three weeks. I'll be needed to help fill in for her at the club tonight."

He shrugged, "We'll have to have dinner some other night." He bade her goodbye and turned towards his own house. Showered and left for the club.

The Zone was an example of a building in the classic Spanish missionary style that was ubiquitous throughout Southern California. It sat in a relatively quiet nook of downtown LA between Glendale and West Hollywood on the corner of Ramona and Belkshire boulevard. It had a towering cupola above and high arched windows tightly shuttered to let light in but deny any peeping toms a view of the goings-on inside. Other clubs had flashing neon signs The Zone had a simple sign beside the door and that was it. Other clubs advertised while The Zone's business was strictly word-of-mouth based on its reputation. Those visiting the Zone were considered already in the know. Despite the secretiveness business was booming especially on weekend nights like tonight.

Now as the sun set over the pacific LA's nightlife awoke and prepared to play in reindeer games of a much darker shade than any porn studio in the valley could get away with on camera. Here within the walls of the zone Reed had made a paradise for the wicked in the city of angels-fallen angels. Once inside members came to a locked door and a coat check desk. There they cast off the costumes and disguises of their mundane lives to reveal their true selves: dominant, submissive, switch, all around kinky...etc.

Once appropriately attired all members wore color-coded bracelets advertising their individual leanings: black for dominant, green for submissive, white for no touching allowed-just here to watch..etc. Then they inserted a membership card into a slot and a locked door would swing open granting entrance to the interior of the Zone.

Inside was music, dark throbbing and visceral so you didn't just hear it you felt it in the soles of your feet, your bones, your soul...etc. Here in the first chamber near naked bodies danced and writhed to the primal heartbeat of the music. Lights flashed and strobed showing men and women in cages suspended above, other strapped to the walls. Ringing the room were chairs for the revelers to catch their breaths before throwing themselves back into the fray of the writhing horde.

The next chamber through another locked door led to an old world bar of deep decadently carved mahogany that boasted every form of liquor imaginable. Around it were black lacquered tables with yellow candles dripping wax over the shiny surface. A portion of the bar and a one-way mirror letting the bar's patrons watch the dancing going on in the first chamber as they savored their drinks.

Another locked door led to the private rooms where fully consenting adults committed all manner of deplorable sins to eachother in the sake of pleasure and pain and yes even the rarest of all commodities, even love-a somewhat darker and more twisted shade of love in some cases but in their own way love. At least that was what Reed had intended when he started the Zone.

Throughout were his employees watching and serving as umpires as revelry and private scenes played out. Normally he stood over this, like pharaoh watching the pyramids being built. The Zone was his monument, his effigy, his empire afterall. However because Helena was at home with a gorgeous newborn daughter and Steven her 24/7 submissive husband Reed was refereeing a public flogging.

Dominic was a long-time member, an IT nerd at one of the big studios while his new submissive Janet was a high-powered executive at the same studio. Outside the Zone she was the epitome of the feminist ideal here strong, competent, and just as capable as any man in the world. Within the Zone she knelt naked and blindfolded and raising her arms at Dominic's instruction so he could bind both in cuffs and chains. As a woman in a position of power outside these walls she had issues about this side of her being observed by anyone other than her master. So Reed paid close attention when Dominic pulled off her blindfold forcing to see the crowd of people watching her submit to him here as the flogger struck home onto the meat of her rump. Dominic knew what he was doing. Reed wasn't afraid of the experienced dome taking the flogging too far, he was more concerned with how she'd take it. Dominic was pushing her against one of her fears, what others would think of her if they saw her submissive side, and Reed would step in the moment it looked like it was too much for her.

However Dominic didn't allow that alternating hard and sensual strokes of the flogger with occasional brushes of his fingers over her reddening ass to remind her to trust in him. It was a masterful display of dominance, but as the scene progressed his imagination started drifting. He kept wondering what it would be like to see Olivia in Janet's place placing the whole of herself in the trust she had for him as he brought the flogger down to answer that trust with sharp purifying touches of pain.

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia tried not to show her disappointment when Reed declined her invitation to dinner. She just kept the smiled on her face, albeit forced, and nodded. "Ok, I understand. Some time soon though!" She waved and jogged back into her own house.

She went about the remainder of her day, looking after her mother, shopping, preparing for her teaching job that would start in a couple months. The day dragged on but she couldn't get Reed out of her head.

She was glad to see that her mother came to the table for dinner, instead of sitting in that same old chair she'd been sitting in since she arrived the night before. Was this how her mother spent all her days? Just sitting in that chair, watching tv? Because that is all that Olivia had observed except for the brief moments she was out on the balcony this morning. And that was at her encouragement.

The two of them ate in silence until Olivia finally spoke. "I invited Mr. Wintermain over for dinner tonight." She told her mom, frowning when the woman stopped pushing her food around her plate and stared at her. "But he wasn't able to make it. Some coworker was sick or something and he had to fill in since tonight will be so busy at his club."

Her mother just nodded. So Olivia continued. "I thought maybe I would check it out. His club. I haven't heard much about it, but I figured I'd show him support. My friends and I-"

"Olivia." Her mother cut her off. She was shocked at the sudden strength in her mother's voice. "Stay away from that man. Stay away from that club. You have no business there or with him."

Olivia frowned, puzzled at her mother's reaction. "What?" She asked, looking up to meet the woman's cold stare. "Mom, I've known Mr. Wintermain my whole life. He's been our friend for as long as I can remember. Why are you saying this?"

"There are things you don't know and you're older now and I've seen the way he looks at you." She told her blatantly.

Olivia had noticed too, but she had also realized that ever since she came into herself, she'd get lots of second glances, but that didn't mean there was anything wrong with him!

"Don't be ridiculous mom, he hasn't looked at me in any such way. That's your imagination."

Her mother shook her head. "Olivia, I am telling you. You don't need to be alone with him and you damn sure don't need to be at that club!"

Olivia stood up, pushing her plate back. "Mother." Her voice was filled with frustration. "I am 22 years old, I am not your child anymore! I can make my own decision about where I go and who I hang out with. I'm sorry if I want to live my life instead of being a coward that would rather waste away than take advantage of a second chance!" Her words were harsh and directed angrily at her mother. "You can sit here and feel sorry for yourself all you want! I'm going out!" She marched away from the table, ignoring her mother's calls of her name.

She showered, still fuming at her mother. The outfit she chose would show off both her lean runner's legs and her ample breasts. She wore a short black skirt, heels, and lavender halter top that dipped low in the front. Throwing on a light denim jacket over her top, she grabbed her purse and left the house.

By the time she arrived downtown, she was no longer fuming, but more excited about checking out Reed's club. The sounds of booming music coming from the various bars as she drove by pumped her up. She'd always had fun going out with her friends in college. Though she was by herself tonight, she was still excited about being out again.

She finally found a spot to park and walked the remaining few blocks to the club. She stood outside it. It looked inviting enough and she could hear the music from inside, but couldn't see past the shutters. Taking a deep breath, Olivia opened the door to step inside.

There was a coat check desk and a locked door before her. She watched as a couple in front of her handed over their coats. The woman, whose black hair was pulled into a smooth bun, wore an all black, leather attire, a body suit of sorts with studded boots. She took a black bracelet from the desk. Her partner wore a silver locked collar around his neck with a chain attached, no shirt and tight black shorts. The woman held the end of the chain and chose a green bracelet for him.

Olivia stood back and watched as others came and went, some dressed in a variety of what she'd just seen, some dressed normally. It was all new to her and she didn't quite understand what she was seeing, but she found it intriguing. She watched as they slid cards to get inside.

A peek inside now and then would allow her to see what looked like a relatively normal club scene with a bar and dancing bodies, except for how those bodies were clad. She wasn't really sure what to think, this wasn't really her element at all. But she wanted to see more.

She was about to approach the desk when another guy walked out. He was dressed in jeans but his bare back was covered in deep red lash marks, fresh ones from what she could tell. She gasped as he carefully slid into his jacket. "Hard night tonight?" The man behind the desk asked, and the guy just laughed. "Yeah, but I damn sure needed it." Then he was on his way.

Olivia debated if she should leave. She was confused, and it all seemed a bit much for her. But finally, she walked up to the desk. The tall blonde man stood behind the it. He wore a sharp slate gray suit and looked rather dapper compared to what all she'd seen tonight. "May I take your jacket?" He asked politely. Olivia hesitated. "Um...sure." She said finally and shrugged off her jacket, handing it to the man.

"I, um, this is my first time here. I'm not a member." She told him. "I actually...am a friend of Mr. Wintermain's. Is he here?"

The man smiled politely and nodded. "First time, huh? You sub or dom?" She stared at him blankly and he laughed softly. "Not sure? Alright, since you're a friend of Reed's, I can probably give you a free membership. What's your name?"

"Um..Olivia. Cross." She said, nervously. The man typed into a computer. "You...aren't on his list..." He looked at her curiously. "Ok, tell you what, let me go check with Reed and see what we can do. Just have a seat."

She stepped back when he left behind the desk. A bench was across the opposite wall and she sat, watching in awe at the people she saw come and go while she waited for the man's return.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

Reed watched as Dominic put away the flogger and switched to a tawse using it with the consummate skill of someone he knew had the training to use the tool to inflict pain but not harm. It was difficult to keep his mind on what was happening though. His imagination kept trying to distract him with ridiculous fantasies of Olivia on that platform and in those chains. His arm swinging the tawse making her cry out such sweet music.

He shook himself. What was wrong with him? Olivia was not the type of girl to be into his brand of fun. Also Joyce would never forgive him if he led her daughter to such a sinful lifestyle as his.

The sounds Janet were making as the swings of the tawse came again and again upon her backside dragged him out of his reverie. Guiltily Reed blinked back into the here and now as Janet began to show signs of reaching a submissive's emotional flashpoint He was about to step in and put a hold on things until she leveled off but Dominic beat him to it. Lowering the tawse the skinny dom wrapped Janet in his arms, careful not to press on the welts he'd left on her back and buttocks. She wept on his shoulder as he held her for several minutes.

Sensing their role was done the crowd began to disperse to their own private public interludes. Reed followed them out to find Sebastian one of his employees come up with a walkie talkie in hand.

"Boss," The large black man told him, "The front desk says there's someone asking for you."

Reed's brow furrowed, "Did they say who?"

"Someone named Olivia Cross," He answered.

"What," Reed said a sinking feeling coming in the pit of his stomach, "How did she know where..." He stopped as he wasn't sure if he hadn't mentioned The Zone's address in conversation to her in the past.

"Tell her to stay put," He said rushing off, "I'll come to speak with her. Oh, and help Dominic with aftercare if he requires it."

As he went he looked down and saw he was still dressed in his tight black leather pants and long sleeve black mesh shirt and boots. This was what he normally wore here, and he didn't think Olivia had ever seen him in anything quite so provocative. He wondered what she'd think of it when she saw him come through that door to the lobby up front.

He came out and saw her sitting on the bench. His eyes scanned her in the top and skirt...if you could call them that...he had to take a moment to adjust to her appearance before speaking to her. "Olivia what are you doing here?"

"I thought you were staying home to look after your mother tonight, did something happen?"

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia hadn't intended on going out tonight, nor has she intended on coming to Reed's club. But her mother had gotten under her skin and she needed to get out of the house. She'd found the address online. It wasn't easy to find, but she'd managed to scope it out. She found it odd, as not much info was listed, but Reed owned it so she didn't think much about it. But now, sitting here in the entrance to the place, she thought she might see why.

She looked up as another, bigger black man, came out. "Mr. Wintermain will be out shortly." He told her. Wait...did he say Mister or Master? Olivia nodded. "Thank you."

She didn't know why she felt so vulnerable, so nervous, like she'd done something wrong by being here. She shook the feeling off when she saw Reed come through the doors. Her jaw opened in surprise when she saw him. It was definitely him but he looked so...different. Dressed all in black, his top made of see through mesh, leather pants that hugged his muscular thighs and those boots. It threw her for a bit of a loop, seeing him like that, a complete 180 from his usual attire. It somehow made her feel...small. But at the same time, she felt a stirring in the pit of her stomach that made her bite her lip. He was fucking sexy.

"Mr. Wintermain..." She said as he approached her.

"Olivia what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice low, speaking to her in a tone was surprised but also again making her feel like she'd violated some unspoken rule by coming here.

She forced a smile to her face. "I told you I wanted to check out your club. What better time than now?"

"I thought you were staying home to look after your mother tonight, did something happen?"
He asked, his voice taking on a hint of concern. Olivia shook her head. "Mom and I kind of had a fight. Just an argument really. I just...needed to get out for a bit. Being around her all the time like that gets a little intense..." She trailed off as her eyes wondered again, past Reed, to the two people just walking out.

A tall slim man and a shorter woman were obtaining their coats. The man slapped Reed on the shoulder. "Hey thanks, man. We'll see you next time. Maybe we can arrange that scene we talked about doing together with Janet then?"

Olivia frowned. Scene? Together? She had no idea what he was talking about and just waited patiently for him to finish speaking with the man.

"I'm sorry..." She said quietly when he turned back to her. "I shouldn't have come without your permission."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

He came out and saw her sitting on the bench.

"Mr. Wintermain..." She said as he approached her.

Reed noticed her reaction to the mesh shirt, and leather pants and boots he wore. They were a far cry from the casual clothes she'd seen him wear throughout her life. He caught the widening of her eyes as they scanned up and down again and again as if trying to believe what she was seeing. He noted the open mouth and the sound of her voice as words stopped dead before they left her tongue, and the flush to her cheeks and the biting of her bottom lip told him all he needed to know about seeing how this truer-side to him affected her.

"I told you I wanted to check out your club," she finally answered with a smile forced over her face, "What better time than now?"

He had expected her to ask him, if he had truly expected it at all. "I thought you were staying home to look after your mother tonight," He continued with a note of concern for Joyce's still frail health, "Did something happen?"

She shook her head, "Mom and I kind of had a fight. Just an argument really."

He crossed his arms and looked down on her. "And you decided to crash my club tonight?"

"I just...needed to get out for a bit," She replied.

"Joyce is in a delicate place right now," He told her, "She was already finding being over fifty a little hard to deal with, and then the cancer came at her...the mastectomy left her feeling maimed. She needs the support of her loved ones if she will recover."

"Being around her all the time like that gets a little intense..." She trailed off as the door behind him opened.

Reed turned his head to look at the people she was gaping at. Dominic and Janet had come out and were waiting for Germaine at the coatroom to fetch their jackets. While waiting Dominic came over and slapped him on the shoulder. "Hey thanks, man."

Reed nodded, "Glad we could provide what you needed. You were masterful as always Dominic."

"We'll see you next time," He replied, "Maybe we can arrange that scene we talked about doing together with Janet then?"

Reed nodded again. Dominic meant plans to be used by several members...a different proposition than just being seen by others. "Whenever you think she'd be ready. Just tell me ahead of time so we can safely suspend her and screen the participants," He told him low so Janet who was pulling on her coat gingerly over the welts on her backside would not be privy to her master's plans for her.

Germaine had his coat and Dominic turned back to get it and leading a still shivering Janet out to the door. Reed expected the bedroom and a tender session of lovemaking was in their future once they got to Dominic's apartment.

He turned back to Olivia looking down at her for a moment wondering what was going through her mind. He took a breath and sat down next to her on the bench.

"You're an adult now, and you're smart enough to put two and two together. So I won't bother trying to deceive or keep you from the truth, Olivia," He told her, "The Zone, my club, caters to the BDSM and fetish community here in L.A. It has since before me and my submissive, Morena, moved in next door to your mother and father. Your mother didn't want you growing up with that influencing you, and I respected her wishes, but you are here now."

He took hold of her hand. "So the question you face now is now that you know; what will you do," He asked her, "You can either go home and try to never think about what you've seen here tonight, or you can follow me through that door and see my world for the first time."

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia looked down as Reed spoke to her. His words and tone made her feel ashamed for leaving her mother, like she was some angsty adolescent running away from home. She could feel that part of him was perturbed that she'd "crashed his club." He'd never spoken to her in a way that showed an age or maturity difference, nor had he ever shown any annoyance toward her, until now.

After he'd spoken with the couple, he turned back to her and sat beside her. His thigh brushed hers lightly as he turned toward her. Something about being so close to him, in that outfit, his scent wafting over her, stirred her senses. Then he explained.

"You're an adult now, and you're smart enough to put two and two together. So I won't bother trying to deceive or keep you from the truth, Olivia," He told her, "The Zone, my club, caters to the BDSM and fetish community here in L.A. It has since before me and my submissive, Morena, moved in next door to your mother and father. Your mother didn't want you growing up with that influencing you, and I respected her wishes, but you are here now."

She listened, taking in every word. She'd heard of BDSM vaguely, but didn't know much about it. Still, she was intrigued to learn that Morena had been involved too. They'd always seemed like such a loving, gentle couple. She had no idea. It made sense now, why her mother had ordered her to stay away from this place and from Reed. As overwhelmed as she was already by what little she'd seen, she didn't know quite how she felt about it. But she was curious to know more. A million questions flowed through her mind, but she didn't know where to start.

"I'm sorry." She said, her eyes still cast downward. "I shouldn't have come without your permission. You're right, I should be supporting mom. She was only trying to protect me." But did she want to be protected?

She looked up to meet his eyes as he took her hand, her heart fluttering just a bit at the contact. "So the question you face now is now that you know; what will you do," He asked her, "You can either go home and try to never think about what you've seen here tonight, or you can follow me through that door and see my world for the first time."

Olivia bit her lip. He had been displeased that she'd shown up here, yet he wasn't pushing her out. She had the option to leave and never look back or possibly get first hand more than she bargained for. She doubted she'd ever be able to forget it if she left. Nor would she be able to see Reed the same again. It was all or nothing.

"I-" She hesitated. She had no idea what would come, but she didn't want to back out now. "I want to stay, Reed. I want to see more."

 

[cbelle02]

----posted twice---

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

He took hold of her hand. "So the question you face now is now that you know; what will you do," He asked her, "You can either go home and try to never think about what you've seen here tonight, or you can follow me through that door and see my world for the first time."

Reed was a little upset at her being here unannounced. No, upset was not the right word...disconcerted maybe...perhaps that was it. He would've preferred to have known Olivia was coming to the Zone ahead of time. She had mentioned coming earlier that morning but he had not thought she actually would just show up. He would've preferred to have been better prepared both in the presentation of this side of himself and mentally prepared to deal with the fact that little Olivia he'd watched learn to ride without training wheels at five, cry after that car had hit her puppy when she was seven, and giggle about that boy that had noticed her in Algebra in the seventh grade, she was seeing the dominant world-his world-he'd never shown her before.

It was disconcerting like two worlds colliding. He'd need a moment to feel comfortable with the aftermath.

Reed watched her reactions carefully. He noted the way she avoided looking at him like one of his subs after being chastised, and the way her eyes seemed to glisten like she was on the verge of tears, but hanging on him when she did look at him like his words were the most important thing to her here in this moment. He saw her bite her bottom lip making him want to trace over it with his thumb before slipping something that was an entirely different body part than his thumb between those full lips.

"I-" She said finally stopping after the first word.

Reed let her take her time. This was her decision to make and he wanted her to make it on her own.

"I want to stay, Reed," She said at last, "I want to see more."

He smiled then and gave a small squeeze to her hand. Then he guided her up from the bench and over to the coatcheck desk. "Germaine, one white bracelet for my guest."

He turned to Olivia handing her the bracelet. "Put this on. It will show everyone beyond that door that you're just an observer for the night."

Once it was on her wrist he led her to the door and slid his card over the keypad. There came the sound of the bolt on the door's lock releasing as it recognized its owner's card. Before pushing the door open he looked to Olivia.

"You're going to feel like Alice thrown into the middle of wonderland, Olivia. So much so that you may feel overwhelmed by what you may witness on the other side of this door." He told her, "So stay close to me and let me know if you need a minute to deal with what you've seen."

That said he pushed the door open showing the Zone's first and most public chamber. The loud music-or what kids these days referred to as music-assaulting their ears. There was the throng of dancing bodies in the center of the room. The strobing lights made it difficult to see more than the shapes of people and only a general impression of the details the clothing they wore. He led Olivia around the center of the crowd to one of the tables underneath a hanging cage with a woman with a series of leather belts clothing her body cinching in even intervals around her neck as a collar, and down covering the nipples of her breast down her lithe stomach to her pelvis. Those belts were the only thing preserving any modesty for her.

"This is the club floor," He told her shouting so she could hear him over the pounding music, "Many of the members prefer to only use this part of the club rather than the private or open rooms in back."

Directly in front of them there was a blond woman dancing amid the others wearing a skirt and halter similar to what Olivia wore but tighter, and thinner, and more revealing than hers. She was grinding her ass against a guy in tight jeans and polo shirt. She started struggling when the man grabbed her arms and pulled her body tighter against him.

Reed squeezed her by the hand when Olivia began to react to what she was witnessing and nodded for her to keep watching as an Asian woman approached the blond through the reveling crowd. She was dressed in a latex bodysuit. The guy holding the blond growled something to the Asian woman that was lost in the roaring music. She nodded to him and leaned in and kissed the blond with a passion that was returned from the bound woman. The man was saying something into the blond's ear as the kiss continued, and at another command the Asian woman pressed up against the blond but they both could see her hand lower between them and fingers explore between the juncture of her thighs to find the halter top and skirt were the only thing the blond wore. Soon the blond was grinding her ass against the tent in his tight jeans to stimulate her sex around the Asian woman's thrusting fingers.

Reed looked at Olivia's face for her reaction. "The reason for the locked doors and membership cards is that anything goes in here. I have my employees watching just in case someone goes too far, but the members know that what happens between consenting adults is fair game here and they know not to risk that by crossing the wrong boundaries."

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia took a deep breath as Reed led her to the coat check and passed her the white bracelet. She quickly slid it on as he'd told her and turned toward the door. The sound of the bolt releasing seemed extra loud and almost foreboding now that she was about to enter into whatever was on the other side.

"You're going to feel like Alice thrown into the middle of wonderland, Olivia. So much so that you may feel overwhelmed by what you may witness on the other side of this door." Reed told her before opening the door. "So stay close to me and let me know if you need a minute to deal with what you've seen." Olivia merely nodded, waiting anxiously for him to pull the latch on the door. Her heart beat faster, his words of warning only making her anticipate what may lie beyond even more.

Finally, Reed opened the door and their senses were flooded with loud music, flashing lights and gyrating bodies. At first glance, it appeared as any other club would. But as Reed led Olivia around, she saw the woman in the cage, belts pulled tightly along her body. Olivia watched the woman, wide-eyed.

"This is the club floor," Reed explained. "Many of the members prefer to only use this part of the club rather than the private or open rooms in back."

Olivia heard him but was focused on the woman in the cage. "She...likes that?" She asked, only loud enough for him to hear.

Then her attention was turned to the blonde woman grinding back against the guy. She gasped softly when the guy grabbed her roughly, pulling her into him. She squeezed back on Reed's hand, stepping closer to him as the Asian woman approached the couple.

Olivia watched, raptly, as the scene unfolded. She could feel her face flushing red as the Asian woman kissed the blonde, her fingers moving between her thighs. Though she'd struggled, the blonde was clearly enjoying what was happening, and her loud moans could be heard from where they stood, even over the music. Watching them, Olivia felt her pulse quicken, and bit her lip again as she felt a distinct stirring between her legs as the scene escalated. Her face was burning and she hoped that Reed couldn't tell.

Somewhere in the back of Olivia's mind, she was aware that she was standing next to Reed Wintermain, the man she'd considered to be like an uncle growing up, watching these graphic scenes unfold. Everything she was seeing was unlike any she'd seen in real life before and she knew from Reed's warning it would probably only get more intense. But she couldn't process any of that right now. All she could do was take it in. Later, she'd have time to think about what it all meant and understand Reed's role in all this. But for now, it was too overwhelming to deal with.

"The reason for the locked doors and membership cards is that anything goes in here. Reed explained. Olivia tore her eyes from the scene to look up at him. "That's good. But...how do you keep things from getting out of hand?" She asked, glancing back as the man leaned forward to bite into the back of the blonde's neck. "Like...what if that girl was really struggling?"

"I have my employees watching just in case someone goes too far," Reed assured her, "But the members know that what happens between consenting adults is fair game here and they know not to risk that by crossing the wrong boundaries."

"I see, so you can weed your membership to those that have proven to be credible and trustworthy." Olivia could understand what he was saying and what was happening objectively. But subjectively...that might take a little longer.

They walked further around the crowded room, Olivia stayed close to Reed but her eyes kept getting drawn to similar salacious scenes scattering the floor. Another cage in the corner held an older man with salt and pepper hair on his knees, bound by a beautiful pattern of rope work, interwoven across his chest and pelvis, a bit gag in his mouth and a collar around his neck. She wondered briefly what it would be like to be tied like that, unable to move or make a sound. Completely at someone else's will.

She swallowed and raised her eyes back to Reed. "This is... a lot to absorb. Is there more?" She asked, squeezing his hand.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

"But the members know that what happens between consenting adults is fair game here and they know not to risk that by crossing the wrong boundaries."

"I see," She stated, "So you can weed your membership to those that have proven to be credible and trustworthy."

He nodded proud of his baby, "Exactly. Each member goes through a screening process and a probationary period. So everyone knows that the Zone is a safe place to explore their sexuality with whomever they please and in whatever way they wish."

He led her further around the dancefloor. Watching more dancers get bold with their partners. The music was a throbbing techno beat, the lights strobed and pulsed. A redheaded woman had pulled off her dress and was twirling over her head and grinding the crotch of her panties on the thigh of a latino man with a big shit-eating grin on his face. There were two black women slipping their hands underneath the pants of a man to stroke his cock together.

Above and to the sides were hanging cages where one could see living advertisements of what could be found deeper in the Zone. Reed noticed how she paused looking at Arthur bound in a cage in the corner of the room. He saw the wheels start turning behind those eyes imagining what it would be like for her to be in his first and oldest employee's place restrained so entirely by shibari ropes and restricted in speech by a large and obvious gag in her mouth.

Reed raised an eyebrow at that. Perhaps Olivia had more innate kinkiness than her mother had. Perhaps-

No, was he seriously considering her as a potential submissive to him? He hadn't had one since Morena died. He'd taken one occasionally to his private room here in the club, but nothing more than as a night's diversion.

No, this was obviously just another moment of a midlife crisis again. It would pass with the realization that he was far too old to keep a twenty-three year old involved in serving him. Even with the techniques he'd learned over the years he'd would not be able to keep up with Olivia's energy for long. The difference in their ages would be too great. Not to mention the fact that he still thought of Olivia as something like a niece.

"This is... a lot to absorb," She swallowed turning those deep eyes away from Arthur to latch back onto him, "Is there more?"

Reed nodded gesturing to the writhing mob in the room and pounding speakers and flashing lights, "This is just the tip of the iceberg." He pulled her over to another locked door. "Follow me."

After he pressed his card to unlock he led her inside the Mahogany bar inside. Here the pounding music of the first room was blocked and the only sound was the hum of conversations and clink of icecubes in glasses. He chose a table and pulled out a chair for her.

"This is a better place to talk before venturing further into my world," He told her sitting across from her, "I think you have questions for me."

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia knew that her face was flushed bright red from all that she had witnessed so far. The blatant carnal display was unlike anything she'd ever thought she'd observe in person. There was something about the liberty to be one's self, the freedom and openness, that attracted her to this atmosphere. The normal restraints and hold-backs of everyday life didn't seem to apply here, as long as you were respectful to others.

"This is... a lot to absorb. Is there more?" She asked him, her eyes turning back to him. Reed nodded. "This is just the tip of the iceberg." He told her and she shuddered a bit at the thought of what could possibly be beyond this. Reed pulled her along with him to another locked door. "Follow me."

Olivia followed him, stepping to the side to allow a tall, topless woman to pass by them, light brushing against her arm. She uttered an unheard apology and moved behind Reed. The man slid his card and unlocked the door, leading her into a quieter room. The loud music muffled, then blocked as the door shut into place. This was a bar, a very nice one at that. She wondered how much a drink would cost.

Reed led her to a table and sat her down. She wondered why they'd stopped here, instead of showing her more.

"This is a better place to talk before venturing further into my world," He said, as if he'd heard her thoughts. "I think you have questions for me."

Oh, she had plenty of questions. But where to start was eluding her. She bit her bottom lip, looking down at her hands, which she'd clasped on the table in front of her. "I haven't really...been able to fully process what I've seen and what it means." She told him, lifting her eyes back to his.

"On one hand, what I've seen so far is pretty overwhelming. It's much more intense than anything I've seen before. On the other..." She shrugged. "I don't know. There's something so freeing about it, like, those people can be themselves without being judged and do what they want without being censored or condemned. I guess I like that. It's good energy, even if it feels a little bizarre."

Olivia paused, sitting back in her chair, studying Reed for a moment. "I just had no idea. You and Morena...you've always seemed so...normal." She laughed at her choice of words. "I didn't mean that in a bad way. But I guess my question is..." She took a breath "What is it exactly that draws you to something like this? How long have you been doing it? What do those people tied up and gagged in those cages get out of that? What do you do? I mean, what is your place in all of this?"

She knew she was bombarding him with questions and she had lots more, but she grew quiet and awaited his answers.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

"This is a better place to talk before venturing further into my world," He told her sitting across from her, "I think you have questions for me."

Reed was watching her carefully. She was taking this remarkably well. Joyce, her mother, would've freaked out just seeing the dance floor they had come through. Not Olivia however. Her face was beet red, but her eyes sparkled with a fervent curiosity over what she had seen and what she had learned that made Reed quite intrigued to take her further into the Zone.

She bit her bottom lip in a rather cute fashion taking her time to think the certain plethora of questions that must be flooding through her mind before finally saying, "I haven't really...been able to fully process what I've seen and what it means."

"How are you taking it all," He asked her leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. He met her raised eyes without wavering. He was getting more comfortable with having Olivia seeing this side to him. Maybe that was helped by being here in the beating heart of his club, where he felt the most accepting of who he truly was.

"On one hand, what I've seen so far is pretty overwhelming," She answered, "It's much more intense than anything I've seen before. On the other..."

"Go on," He encouraged her when she trailed off.

"I don't know. There's something so freeing about it, like, those people can be themselves without being judged and do what they want without being censored or condemned," She stated.

He nodded, "I strived to promote a place where people can be themselves within these walls. Even if its the only place they can be themselves. It may seem a little strange to others, but here we don't judge anyone. We..." He paused feeling as if he was getting swept away talking about his life's ambition in making the Zone.

" I guess I like that. It's good energy," She affirmed.

"I'm glad," He chuckled looking at her. She was becoming a truly beautiful woman with He was starting to get comfortable seeing Olivia as not just the young woman he'd thought of as something like a niece, but as a grown young woman just beginning to explore her sexual identity. The idea of her kneeling before him as his slave was starting to become not quite so shocking to him, but there were a lot of steps between here and there. Reed would need to concentrate on where he stepped forward from now on little by little without rushing straight for the outcome he wanted her to reach.

Whoa, was he seriously considering propositioning Olivia to become his-

-She had stilled sitting back in her chair regarding him as he worked through all that when she suddenly said, "I just had no idea. You and Morena...you've always seemed so...normal."

He chuckled smokily at her choice of words, "Does it seem so strange to you?"

She chuckled at her words as well, "I didn't mean that in a bad way. But I guess my question is..." She took a breath "What is it exactly that draws you to something like this?"

"By all mean speak your mind. I won't be offended, Olivia. I am secure in the choices I've made in my life," That said he then added, "As for your question...what was it about that man bound in the ropes that drew your attention? It was the same for me and Morena. For me it was imagining having someone I care for so firmly in my possession, so deeply under my power, unable to resist whatever I choose to do to them. For Morena it was picturing herself bound so tightly and held so open to my slightest whim trusting me completely even if I choose to inflict pain upon her."

The barricades had burst now and the onslaught of questions he knew were coming was unleashed now. "How long have you been doing it?"

"Since puberty pretty much," He told her casually now suddenly fully comfortable having her see him in this way, "I've always been a sexual dominant."

"What do those people tied up and gagged in those cages get out of that?"

"In a word...fulfillment," He answered, "I know it doesn't make sense since its hard for you to empathize with what they feel never having any experience anywhere close to it, Olivia, but trust me only those that want to be in those cages are put in those cages."

"I mean, what is your place in all of this?"

"Well," He paused trying to think of how best to put it, and then settled on the best metaphor of the truth. "I am king here, and this place is my kingdom, and these people are all my subjects."

"Anything else you want to know before I take you deeper down the rabbit hole, Alice," He chuckled at the literary allusion to one of her favorite stories as a kid. Though he would not have cared for casting himself as the white rabbit. If anything he would be the Jabberwocky.

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia sat across from Reed, her hands clasped on the table, her legs crossed under it. Only a sliver of her creamy thighs were seen past the end of her skirt. She sat up straight, listening intently to Reed's forthright answers to her deluge of questions. Some of his words hung in her mind even as he finished.

...Here we don't judge anyone...

...having someone I care for so firmly in my possession, so deeply under my power, unable to resist whatever I choose to do to them...

...bound so tightly and held so open to my slightest whim trusting me completely even if I choose to inflict pain upon her...

...fulfillment...

Something about the way he spoke, looking directly into her eyes, the passion with which he talked about this lifestyle and what he strove for in creating the club resonated deeply with her. His words conjured up thoughts of herself in those positions, so bound both figuratively and literally to his trust. It was intriguing but a little scary at the same time. Could she trust someone that much? She trusted Reed a lot. Hell, here she was in the middle of all sorts of debauchery and she had no idea what was coming next. Yet, she knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her here. She'd always felt safe in his company but those things he'd described were a different kind of trust. Weren't they?

"Anything else you want to know before I take you deeper down the rabbit hole, Alice?" He asked with a chuckle, breaking her out of her thoughts.

She smiled at his reference, remembering Reed reading the book to her when she was younger. It'd always been her favorite. Funny how it applied so well in her current situation.

Now she thought of those moments and wondered if he'd gone home to his wife or to the club afterward, and what things they may have done. Yes, Olivia was definitely seeing Reed in a different light, but she was surprised at how easily she accepted it. She didn't feel any less comfortable with him than she'd ever been.

She did have more questions but she was eager to see what else he had to show her, so she'd save them for later. She wanted to know what was beyond the next door.

"Curiouser and Curiouser!" She exclaimed, quoting the novel with a laugh. "I think I'm ready, Mr. Wintermain. Why don't you show me just how deep this rabbit hole goes?"

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

"Anything else you want to know before I take you deeper down the rabbit hole, Alice," He chuckled at the literary allusion to one of her favorite stories as a kid. Though he would not have cared for casting himself as the white rabbit. If anything he would be the Jabberwocky.

He was rewarded with her answering smile to the reference of the story he had read to her that week when she was seven and had the chickenpox and Joyce never having them had to let her stay with him and Morena. That week had made his wife want a child of their own, and they had tried for several years, but miscarriages plagued his beloved submissive wife. They had finally stopped trying after nothing but failures. Morena had been devastated after each one, and Reed could not put her through it anymore. They had inevitably decided that they just weren't destined to have children.

He missed his wife terribly, but he had learned to move on over the past couple of years since her car accident. Even entertained himself with a few of the submissives here, but nothing more than a night's diversion. No one had taken his beautiful and exotic Morena's place in his heart. No one ever would.

Olivia smiled at the reference to the famous Lewis Carroll story. "Curiouser and Curiouser!"

They both laughed at her reference.

"I think I'm ready, Mr. Wintermain," She concluded, "Why don't you show me just how deep this rabbit hole goes?"

He got up from the table and extended his hand out for her to take once more. "Then follow me."

He led her through the bar area to another locked door and keypad. He slid his keycard into the slot. The third and final door swung open.

Beyond was the public display area he had watched over Dominic and Janet earlier. The dais they had stood upon was empty now, but a few people still stood or sat in chairs provided. Often when no one had booked a display this was used by people using the private rooms as an informal communal area to chat and socialize.

He nodded to the few who were there but led her deeper into the hall of masters. Rows of door lined the hallway to a bend where it wove through a labyrinth like in Greek mythology where one could never found a way out before being dragged off by the minotaur. Some found themselves only when they were lost here, others found themselves only when they became the minotaur here. Most of the doors were closed. Some of the rooms were empty. On a weekend night though most were occupied, and the noise of the impact of canes, whips, and floggers on human flesh followed by the cries gasps and grunts of pain from those that received them.

"I envisioned the Zone as BDSM club to end all BDSM clubs, the standard bearer," He told her.

They passed the first open door to one of the rooms. He stopped and let Olivia look inside from the doorway. Inside a young woman lay curled on the floor pleading for mercy. Two masked men more than twice her size grabbed her by the hair and dragged her over to a bed where a third man lay awaiting, directing them all. Her backside was striped with welts from the two rattan canes in the free hands of the two doms dragging her to the man on the bed.

At the look on Olivia's face he tightened his grip on her hand to stop her reaction. "Whoa, there," He said lowly to her as to not ruin the scene going on inside, "Appearances are always deceiving here. That's Alexis, and believe it or not she's having the time of her life."

The two masked doms pulled her onto the bed with master as she fought and struggled to prevent it. "She loves getting treated like she's being forced to do this sort of thing. The rougher you are with her, the more she cries and fights it, the happier she is."

He turned to regard her as Alexis was slapped and forced to suck all three men's cocks. "Don't worry. Her husband is one of the most careful and thoughtful doms in the club. He takes such good care of her. This is their wedding anniversary present to eachother."

He pulled her down the hallway further. "Are you ready for more?"

 

[cbelle02]

Olivia followed Reed through the next door of the club. Unsure of what to expect, she never let go of his hand. They entered through and she looked around, taking in the space around her. There didn't appear to be much going on in the public space. People were gathered around but only appeared to be casually talking, despite their outfits. Other than the empty platform and various equipment she didn't understand, Olivia didn't see anything too shocking about the place so far.

But then Reed pulled her along further into a wide hallway with doors all along it that eventually led into a maze of more halls and doors. She would have to trust that he knew his way around the place. Most of the doors were closed and she found herself curious to know what was going on behind them. She could hear the occasional cries, moans, smacks, and sounds she couldn't quite identify.

"I envisioned the Zone as BDSM club to end all BDSM clubs, the standard bearer," Reed was saying as he led her along.

She was about to reply when they came upon an open door and Reed stopped them. At first, Olivia wanted to look away, feeling as if she were invading something deeply private, regardless of the open door. But the cries and begging coming from the room drew her attention. Two large men were dragging the screaming smaller woman by her hair. She looked genuinely panicked and in pain. The bright red streaking marks on her back looked terrifying.

"Reed!" Olivia gasped, her eyes darting up to him. Why wasn't he intervening? Surely this had gone too far!

"Whoa, there," He whispered calmly, squeezing her hand to hold her back. "Appearances are always deceiving here." He explained patiently. "That's Alexis, and believe it or not she's having the time of her life."

Olivia shook her head, but lowered her voice. "But she's crying and she looks like she's really in pain. How can you be sure of that?"

"She loves getting treated like she's being forced to do this sort of thing. The rougher you are with her, the more she cries and fights it, the happier she is." Olivia must have still looked skeptical as she watched the men force their cocks down her throat.

"Don't worry." Reed assured her. "Her husband is one of the most careful and thoughtful doms in the club." Olivia was stunned. "One of those men is her husband?" Reed nodded. "He takes such good care of her. This is their wedding anniversary present to each other."

So far, Olivia could understand, at least objectively, what Reed had showed her and told her. But what she'd just witnessed was almost beyond her comprehension. Actually watching it in action, hearing the strangled cries, sounds of various instruments smacking against skin, seeing the raw pain...was more difficult to fathom than just the conceptual aspect. Yet, she could feel what he was talking about, the energy coming from the room was undeniable. The longer she watched, the more insight she gleaned from the scene in front of her.

She wondered briefly what it would be like to be in that position. To completely yield power to another, to let go of the control she held so tightly and protectively around her life, to feel pain inflicted on her at the will of that person. What kind of ultimate release would that be? To break and strip her free of any barriers and stress. She wondered if Reed could feel her shudder at the notion and blushed at the thought of him reading her mind. It was an intriguing idea, but whether she'd be able to handle it realistically was an entirely different matter.

She couldn't refuse him when he offered to take her further. She wanted to see more, to know more. Olivia tore her eyes away from the room as Reed pulled her further along. "Are you ready for more?" He asked her. "I think so..." She answered.

He'd told her that she could turn back at any time if it got too much for her. Somehow knowing that, along with her fascination, made her push deeper. "Yes." She confirmed again, more confidently. "I'm definitely ready, Mr. Wintermain. Please, show me more."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Reed Wintermain

He barely watched as the two men in masked bent Alexis over and held her so Vincent could shove his cock into her ass. Her scream was loud and full of pain as her husband was none too gentle fucking her up the ass, but the pain-laced whimpers that came with each bed shaking thrust was the sounds of a woman finding fulfillment of a part of herself that could only ever be realized here at the Zone.

He knew that anyone watching if they were to only look at the superficial would quickly denounce what was happening here as rape, but it wasn't...it was a beautiful expression of love between two people.

He knew Vincent had everything under control here. He knew the line, and arranged everything going on with pain-staking detail to fulfill Alexis' rape fantasies without endangering her in the slightest. Even now as he pounded his cock into his ass and squeezing her throat as Darnell face-fucked her he was totally in control taking it to the extreme his wife craved but never beyond that.

So Reed for the most part was watching Olivia's reactions to the scene unfolding before her eyes. There was a great deal of shock of course, but at his prompting she began to look beneath the surface and see the beauty. There was a raw and primal energy radiating out of the four of them. He caught her shiver and knew it wasn't from being cold, and not from fear or revulsion of what she was seeing. No, that was the shiver of excitement, of arousal, of imagining what Alexis must be feeling.

Olivia was a natural, and he would've missed it if she hadn't shown up at his club's door tonight.

Was he seriously considering helping Olivia discover this part of herself?

He pulled her down the hallway further. "Are you ready for more?"

"I think so..." She answered.

"Is that hesitation in your voice, Olivia," He asked, "Are you ready for more?"

"Yes." She confirmed again, more confidently. "I'm definitely ready, Mr. Wintermain. Please, show me more."

The next open door they came to had a young woman near Olivia's age was bound by ropes hanging from the ceiling so only her toes touched the floor. She wore a penis gag over he mouth which was a good thing for she'd probably wake up all of Southern California with the moans and whimpers the gag was muffling. She was writhing convulsing from a harness strapped around her pelvis holding a vibrating dildo, buttplug, and butterfly to her clitoris pussy and ass. The whirring devices could be heard even over her muffled moan.

In the corner sat another woman in a large wingback chair with a skirt and suit jacket but no blouse. She had her legs crossed and the top one swaying idly as the bound woman's gagged moans was reaching a crescendo. The woman raised a remote control and pressed a button on it. The whirring vibrators suddenly stopped and the bound woman moaned and whimpered around the gag. She also shook frantically as much as her bindings allowed her to having been left on the edge of a monstrous climax.

The woman in the chair ignored her submissives plaintive whimpering and calmly looked over to the doorway and nodded towards Reed and Olivia.

"Master Wintermain," She stated, "Would you and your new friend care to join us?"

"Not this time, Selene," He shook his head, "Olivia is only here to observe."

She looked Olivia up and down pausing at the white bracelet around her wrist. "Ah, a virgin."

Reed raised an eyebrow at that, "What makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't mean an actual virgin," Selene told them. She raised the remote when the bound woman had stopped whimpering and pressed another button on it. The music of the vibrators' hum and her muffled moans began anew.

Selene continued this time to Olivia, "The only reason anyone ever wears the white bracelet here is if they're a kink virgin." She reached out and lifted a nipple clamp from a nearby shelf. "So what do you say cutie? Wanna pop your cherry tonight?" To emphasize the point her she opened and closed one of the clamps pointing directly at Olivia like the jaws of an alligator.

 

[cbelle02]

At her confirmation, Reed led her along further down the twisting halls until they came to another open door. A woman was suspended from the ceiling, a gag over her mouth, and multiple vibrating devices between her legs. Olivia watched as she squirmed and moans against her restraints, appearing to be closing in on an orgasm.

As the vibrations stopped, her eyes shifted to the woman in the chair. She appeared to be casually enjoying the torture she was giving the younger girl. Olivia was surprised when she turned toward them and greeted them with a nod, inviting them to join in. She vaguely listened to the conversation that ensued between the woman and Reed, the woman's whimpers drawing her attention.

The vibrations started again and the woman looked back to them, directing her attention to Olivia. "The only reason anyone ever wears the white bracelet here is if they're a kink virgin." She said, and Olivia's eyes followed as she reached for a metal chain near her. Though she'd never seen them in real life, she knew what those clamps on the ends were for. "So what do you say cutie? Wanna pop your cherry tonight?"

Olivia drew back as the woman spoke, opening the clamp toward her for emphasis. She shook her head quickly and held tightly onto Reed's hand. "No...I don't think so...not tonight." She replied, looking a little fearfully at Reed. Surely the woman wasn't serious! The metal jaws of those clamps looked terrifying. Why, then, did she feel her nipples tightening against her top? She suddenly felt like she was in over her head. Sure, she'd entertained the idea, but she'd never really thought it would be a real possibility for her to participate in any of this. What if she'd said yes? Would it really be that easy? No, she wouldn't At least not with a stranger.

The woman just laughed and stood. "Suit yourself, honey. I think you'll come around soon enough. I can make other use of these. You take your time." She winked at Reed. "You get her broken in soon, she looks like fun." Then she took the clamps over to her bound submissive, who, seeing what was coming shook her head frantically. The woman ignored her muffled pleas, pressed a button to increase the speed of the vibrations and when she was just on the edge again, she caught her stiff nipples in the clamps. Just as she was cumming, she pulled on the chain between them, drawing a muffled scream from the younger woman as pain and pleasure mixed together.

As Reed pulled her along the hallway again, she stopped him once they got to a quieter corridor. "Mr. Wintermain, I think...that I should go home now. I've seen a lot and I appreciate you showing me but...I need some time to process all this."