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ONE
Dust settles around me,revealing an enraged kitten with their arms waving wildly in the air. I let the deep, throaty timbre of my idling engine drown out whatever nonsense Aspen is attempting to shout at me this morning. Sensing I have no intention of shutting off the noise until they chill the fuck out, Aspen’s mouth closes while they glare at me.
I give them a two-finger wave and a smirk in return.
Oof, those eyes burn with rage. Which can only mean their master, Tomás, is traveling again.
Sighing heavily, I relent, shutting off the engine and dismounting the bike. As much fun as it would be to wind our front desk manager up for a bit, I’m already late. Annoying the lavender kitten is fun, but testing Madam Eve’s patience is dangerous.
I pocket my keys as I approach the main door of The Garden with a guiltless smile. “Hey, Aspen. How has your week been?”
“Don’t you walk over here with all that bad-boy swagger and attempt to get in my good graces, Dean. You’re being disruptive again.”
I pull open the heavy door, pushing past them, and walk into the lobby, Aspen hot on my tail. “I can’t control how the engine sounds, Aspen.”
“I swear you ride that dumb bike here to piss me off.”
Whirling on them, I lean into their face. “Easy, kitten. Just because your Master is away does not give you permission to be rude. Don’t forget Tomás is a friend, and I happen to have his cell phone number.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“I will if you don’t calm down.” I stare into their wide eyes. “The Harley is loud but not purposefully designed to irritate you. Now, apologize so we can get to the meeting. You know Madam won’t tolerate tardiness.”
“I’m sorry, Sir.” Aspen’s eyes drop to the floor.
Aspen’s been a great friend since I moved to the area and found my home away from home: The Garden. Still, it doesn’t give them permission to be disrespectful when they’re having a bad day.
“Better.” Stepping out of their personal space, I lift my hand to pat their head. “I know you hate when Tomás is gone, but let’s not alienate our friends when we’re upset, kitten.”
“Sorry, Dean. I just miss him.”
“I know you do.” I cup Aspen’s cheek to raise their eyes to mine. “Tomás will be home before you know it. Until then, maybe you can meet with a friend to distract you until he returns.”
Aspen blinks at me, a small smile replacing the sullen expression on their face. “That’s a great idea. Thanks, Dean.”
“Any time, kitten. Now let’s get going. Madam has the good coffee here, and I could use a jolt of caffeine.”
Aspen giggles and loops their arm through mine, leading us up the staircase and to the conference room. Aspen drops their hold on me the second we pass the threshold. I grin and shake my head, watching as they run off to Ronnie and immediately start making enthusiastic plans for the weekend. I’m glad to have been able to give them a quick smile when they’re feeling down.
The little burst of energy feels great, but it’s not nearly enough to keep me awake for the rest of the day. Making a beeline for the travel carafe of coffee from the café down the road, I fill the paper cup to the brim. I sip the hot deliciousness as the rest of the goon squad filters into the room, aiming for the box of pastries, bickering over who gets the last cronut.
“Gather ‘round, folks. We have a lot to cover this afternoon.” Madam Eve holds court from the head of the table as we scatter like roaches and take our seats.
Despite the businesslike nature of this meeting, Madam Eve is dressed in skintight latex and holding tight to her pet’s leash. One should expect nothing less within the walls of The Garden, one of Colorado’s best kink clubs.
Once we are more or less settled around the table, Madam Eve lifts her clipboard, tapping the plastic with her pen to draw our attention her way.
The meeting kicks off in standard fashion. Addressing us one by one, she rattles off supply and inventory orders, special requests from our members, and introduces a new supplier she’s been vetting. Half-listening, I scan over everyone in attendance, my mind wondering over the growing number of confidants under Madam’s care.
Aspen catches my wandering gaze and smirks. They are well aware my attention is everywhere but where it should be at the moment.
“Dean?” Madam draws my attention away from Aspen’s knowing eyes. “Can you give us a quick rundown of security?”
I clear my throat and stand. “We’ve had an increase in complaints against one of the Doms on our roster, Bradley Whittier. He’s been a member for around eight months, officially joining us from Club Excess in New York. As of now, he hasn’t broken any official rules…but definitely someone we need to keep an eye on.”
Aspen raises their hand. “I’ve only been made aware of one incident on the main floor requiring DM intervention. Other than that, Bradley seems to be flying under the radar but drawing attention from some of our more protective Doms.”
“I see.” Madam Eve purses her lips. She’s been brought up to speed on Bradley more than once. “Anything else to add, Dean?”
