“He’s upstairs, actually.”

Shock slams into me. “He’s here?”

“Uh . . .”

I’ve never see Reece speechless before, but several minutes of awkward silence follow before he manages a response.

“Shit. I shouldn’t have assumed you knew about his membership here.”

“He’s a member?” I can’t even. My straitlaced attorney of a brother is into BDSM? What in the actual fuck?

“Dammit.” Reece curses under his breath before signaling the big-breasted bartender for another. “Yeah. Sorry to burst your innocence bubble.”

I take a deep, calming breath, realizing I’ve been staring at him with wide eyes and a look of shock frozen on my face. “Actually, that’s what I’m hoping you’ll help me with.”

“What’s that?”

With my pulse pounding and my hands trembling, I pull back my shoulders and look straight into his eyes. “Six years ago, you stopped things before we got to the main event.”

He licks his lips. Lips that are full and demanding, yet soft. Lips that once did wicked things to my body. “It was the right thing to do.”

Although I disagree, I don’t argue because I’m thinking over my strategy. I’m no quitter. I’ve lusted after Reece Jackson for at least a decade, and now I’m single and living in the same city as him again. After the hell Tony put me through, it’s time to have some fun. I didn’t expect to learn Reece owned a BDSM club, but if I’m honest, I have to admit it only makes me more curious. When in Rome . . .

He’s always been that unobtainable older guy—my brother’s best friend—and now the knowledge that he knows his way around a toy box only has my body humming that much more. The memories of our years together haunt me; we still have unfinished business.

I set out to prove to him that I would make something of myself after he cast me aside. But all roads led right back to where I started. Reece. I can’t help but remember the night I almost lost my virginity—or rather, my failed attempt at it.

Him with a large bulge in his pants. Me with my panties pulled to the side while I fingered myself, trying to tempt him. The pained expression on his face as he watched.

I ache just thinking about it. I felt rejected and ridiculous. Shit, I still do. All of it rushes back through me like it was just yesterday. It’s time to let go of the past and make some new memories.

Glancing around the club, I take in its secretive, sexual allure, and the desire to be a bit reckless nudges at me. I meet Reece’s eyes as the familiar powerful chemistry crackles between us. “I’m here because I want to experience this.”

“What exactly do you want to experience?” he asks, his eyes narrowing.

“You tell me, you’re the Dom.” I fight off a sassy smile, trying not to taunt him. “I told you. I’ve just come out of a less-than-ideal situation, and all I want is sex—no, good sex—and a few orgasms to forget my own damn name.”

“And how does this involve me, Macey?”

My heart sinks a little. I’ll admit, this is random. I get that. I haven’t seen or spoken to Reece in years. But he owns a sex club. Clearly there’s no better man for the job.

“You own a sex club, for fuck’s sake. Are you really going to be a prude about this?”

He stiffens and leans back a little. “Excuse me if I’m a little fucking thrown off, Pancake. I haven’t seen you in what, six years? And now you just expect me to whip out my flogger and spank you?”

I chew on my lip. Now we’re talking. “Or your cock,” I suggest helpfully.

“I need to talk to Hale.”

My eyes widen, and I snort out a nervous laugh. “You’re going to discuss this with my brother? Are you insane?” He’s always called Cameron by our last name. Most of his close friends do, in fact. But discussing this with my brother is not a fucking good idea.

He smirks, and damn if it isn’t sexy. “Probably a little, but we’re doing things different this time.”

Why is it that any reference to our history sends a little stabbing pain through my chest? That needs to stop. “Different how?”

“We’re playing by my rules.” His fist tightens at his side, making the veins stand out on his tattooed forearm.

As I study him, taking in the stiffness to his shoulders and the hard set of his jaw, I realize this Reece is a different man from the one I remember. He’s forceful and edgier with a new intensity simmering just under the surface. It makes me want to peel back each and every layer, and discover all I’ve been missing.

To be fair, I’ve changed a lot too. I’ve learned a lot these past few years while building a career and making a name for myself. Mostly, I learned that confidence is the key to getting what you want. I’d used the mantra fake it ’til you make it more than once at my job back in Miami. And now it seems I need to use it to land Reece too.

This time around I’m going to be the one taking what I want. No cheating ex or crappy job is going to tell me good-bye. I’m going to take my pleasure and ride the wave of my naughtiest adventure all the way to Screaming Orgasmville. First stop: How to Become a Submissive 101.

Reece interrupts my thoughts, softening his voice. “How about a tour of the club?” He tips his head toward the lounge. “If you’re still interested after you know what you’d be getting into, then we’ll talk.”

Given that I’ve only seen the entrance and now the bar, of course I’m curious about this place I’ve found myself in. “Sure.”

Taking one last swig of my drink, I leave the glass at the bar and follow his lead.

His hand comes to rest against my lower back, just above my butt, sending tingles zipping up and down my spine. In my skinny jeans and simple cotton tunic, I’m way underdressed compared to the other women here. From another perspective, I may be overdressed given that most of the women are parading around in body-hugging cocktail dresses or skimpy lingerie, leaving little to the imagination. But having the undivided attention of the best-looking man in the place makes me feel like a goddess.

Reece guides me away from the bar and toward a staircase. As we climb the stairs to the second floor, my belly dances with nerves. Maybe he’s right; maybe I won’t like what I see here and I’ll run away. Part of me thinks that’s exactly what he wants. I can’t let that happen.

Upstairs is a long hallway with several rooms on either side. Reece walks slowly in front of me and I follow, hating how my gaze keeps dropping to his incredibly tight butt. Focus, Macey.

A peek inside the first room only serves as a reminder that I shouldn’t have left my whiskey at the bar. Because, holy shit, there’s a naked woman strapped to a table. A man and a woman are leaned over her, each sucking on a breast while another man uses a large handheld massager on her fun bits as he strokes himself.

Fucking A! I didn’t know clubs like this really existed, that people like this really existed. I spend most Saturday nights with a pizza and my remote—thank you, Netflix—and apparently I am really freaking sheltered.

“You okay?” Reece’s voice is low and calm, as if he’s completely unaffected by the orgy happening just three feet from us.

The scent of sex in the air makes me dizzy, and I can practically feel the hum of the vibrator, as though it’s being used on me. Straightening my shoulders, I fix my best sultry expression on my face. “Absolutely fine.”

Pretending that I’m not completely thrown off, and geez, kind of horny, I follow him farther down the hall, wondering what else is in store for me.

Next up is a medical exam room where a woman is probing a man who’s lying on the table, his feet in the stirrups. I probably didn’t need to see that. Quite a role reversal, though, and I appreciate that. Ten points for creativity. Next we watch two women who role-play a scene that involves spanking with a little whip thingy. My breath catches in my throat.