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Chapter 1
Dani Wright secured her long black hair into a ponytail and slipped on the pink and white wristband. She glanced at herself in the mirror and admired the way she looked in the corset and boy shorts. After making sure all her belongings were in the locker, she shut the door and secured it, walked out of the bathroom and to reception. After she finished her shift at the reception desk, she’d head into Wicked Sanctuary proper and maybe play tonight.
“Evening, Ralph.” She smiled at him. Ralph was great to work with.
Ralph turned and grinned at her. “Hey Dani. Looks like we’ll have a full house tonight with the Fourth of July party.”
Dani sat on the padded chair behind the desk. “I figured as much. Wicked Sanctuary parties are always well attended.”
“That they are.”
She logged into the computer and prepared her station as people would start arriving in about ten minutes.
“I’d like to try something different tonight,” Ralph said. “I’ll do the computer checks, then people can sign in with you and go on their way. This way the line will move faster.”
“Whatever works for you.” Ralph had been doing this a lot longer than she had and doing it alone, so she deferred to him. “Sounds like a plan.”
It was going to be hectic for about the first thirty minutes, then things would calm down. Calm down. Dani took a deep breath. Maybe now her life would calm down a little bit.
She’d lived with her grandparents for two months since her grandfather’s heart attack, but her grandmother kept pushing her to get out on her own, insisting she was too young to be stuck in the house with them. She needed to get out of the tiny apartment she’d settled on and into a more secure building, and finally, there was a vacancy in the apartment building she wanted to live in.
Dani signed the lease for the new place before she got to the club tonight, and the apartment manager had told her she could move in right away. Now, she had to pack, get everything out of the old place, and clean it.
Ralph unlocked the door to find people already waiting. Oh yes, they were going to be busy tonight. Good. That would keep her mind off moving and everything she needed to do this weekend and over the next week.
* * * *
Gabriel Quinn stepped out of his SUV and shut the door. The parking lot was packed tonight. It was a good thing Max was expanding it along with the club. In a way, Gabriel wasn’t surprised at the turnout, as this was a members only party.
He sauntered toward the front door, startled to see a small line, but it seemed to be moving quickly. Gabriel didn’t care how fast the line moved. He hadn’t been interested in playing lately, and he knew why.
Dani.
She’d been home a year. An entire year, and he’d only seen her at Kleinman’s book store’s grand opening and at Sweet & Savory. His stomach had been tied in knots ever since. How had she managed to steer clear of him all that time?
He assumed once her grandfather recovered, she’d go back to San Francisco. He was wrong. And it was unexpected how her staying had affected him. Did she even think of him?
Gabriel shook his head. He hadn’t been to Wicked Sanctuary in months. His heart wasn’t in it. Though he’d tried to play with a couple of the club subs, he wanted to play with Dani. College had ended that. He’d introduced her to kink only to have her freak out.
He wondered why she hadn’t returned to her old life by now. It would be better if she did. Still, he hadn’t been able to let go of the frustration. Drawn to Dani like no one else, he’d never be able to play with her, in the club or otherwise. She didn’t like his lifestyle.
Tonight, he needed to stop thinking about her and start thinking about himself again. Get back in the game, and that was exactly why he’d come to this party.
As the line moved, Gabriel stepped in front of Ralph’s station.
“Good evening,” Ralph said. “I’ve got you checked in. Just sign in at the next station, and you’re set.”
“Thanks.” Gabriel stepped in front of the next computer and waited for the woman to glance up. When she did, he froze. “Dani?” What the hell was she doing here? Her eyes grew wide, and she leaned back. A second later, her expression was blank.
“Hello, Sir. If you’d please sign in, you can go through.”
Her voice was calm and steady, and it irked Gabriel she could be that way. What the fuck was she wearing? The deep blue corset enhanced her breasts and showed off her creamy skin. His body was already going from cold to hot and back again. He signed his name on the pad and glared at her. “What are you doing here?”
“Working, Sir.”
Sir? A BDSM club was the last place on earth he expected to see Dani. Gabriel opened his mouth when Ralph interrupted.
“Is there a problem?”
