Midnight Masquerade: Dungeon Singles Night

By Anya Summers

Sophia is in trouble. Again.

 

Maybe it's the masks. Maybe she needs to feel something other than regret.

Whatever the reason, she is either daring… or foolish… when she trades places with another submissive, and ends up spending the night in her mysterious boss's bed.

 

He doesn't recognize her, but now she's had him, she knows one taste of his dark love will never be enough.

 

Gabriel Ryan has one firm rule: don't sleep with employees.

 

Even though he's infuriated beyond measure to discover Sophia in his bed after a night of mind-blowing pleasure, she is now in his blood. He craves her. Needs her. Yearns for her surrender.

 

But she is forbidden. He will break her with his dark desires.

 

When Sophia's dangerous past waltzes into his club, Gabriel must protect her. He must claim her. And break every single one of his rules to keep her safe.

 

"Heat, humor, life or death adventure, and a perfectly imperfect leading man- Anya Summers puts it all together in this delightful first book in the Dungeon Singles Night series, Midnight Masquerade."

- USA Today bestselling author Renee Rose

• Language: English
• Publisher: S & G Books, LLC
• Release date: Mar 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781735639864

Book preview

1

Ten months later

---

Son of a bitch!

She’d pulled it off again.

Gabriel Ryan surveyed the crowded scene at Eternal Eros, amazed by the transformation of his club. Tonight, it was decorated for the feast of May Day, with May Day poles stationed throughout the club. Great wreaths, and streamers bursting with colorful flowers were draped along balconies and overhead, transforming the black floors and walls into something bordering on ethereal. The patrons in attendance were fully invested, dressed in all manner of costumes from elegant to bawdy, with the added touch of masks, shielding their real personas, allowing them to transform themselves for the Masquerade Ball. In a few short months, his event coordinator, Sophia, had taken his club from great to the crème de la crème of nightclubs in Denver, catapulting it into the top hot spot in the city.

His bank account wept with joy.

There wasn’t much Gabe relished more than adding to his company’s sizable funds, the exception being finding a sub for the night, and losing himself in the pleasures of the flesh. Not that there had been much of that lately. There always seemed to be one task or another vying for his attention. Eternal Eros was one of many companies under the umbrella of RMD Industries, his family’s conglomerate enterprise that was the parent company for a plethora of businesses—including this club.

Thinking of his event coordinator, he smiled. The ballsy woman was half his size, smart as a whip, immensely creative, and didn’t back away from a fight, not to mention she was a stunning beauty, with one of the purest souls he had ever met.

It really was a shame she worked for him, because she stirred him with her direct gaze and take no prisoners attitude. But since she did, she was in the off-limits category. Gabe prided himself on his control. It was part and parcel of being a Master. In his opinion, a Dom who couldn’t manage his lust and baser instincts, was a piss poor excuse for a Dominant. It was why he followed a set of self-imposed rules he had established years ago.

Rule number one: he didn’t fuck his employees. Ever.

Mixing business with pleasure was simply bad business.

Rule number two: no falling in love. Gabe kept his heart to himself, no matter the scene or the submissive. Nothing good ever came from allowing your emotions to get in the way. It was why he kept his interactions with the opposite sex to the club or the private playroom in his penthouse, but he never allowed the women to spend the night, and didn’t permit them anywhere near his bedroom.

And rule number three: never lose control. A Master who couldn’t control himself and his responses in all things was a sad excuse for a Dom.

After a turn around the first floor of Eternal Eros, Gabe was pleased at how smoothly the event was functioning as he noted more of the decorative touches. He shook his head at the elaborate costumes on display, at the female bounty in skintight dresses, and the masks covering all the faces—including his own—adding an air of mystery to the sold out event.

When he was satisfied by his perusal, and reassured the managers in charge of Eternal Eros had the event well in hand, he strode to the elevator to head down to The Eros Pit.

Clapping Jimmy the bouncer on the shoulder as he passed, Gabe said, Big crowd tonight.

That it is, boss. Jimmy nodded his head. His face resembled that of a bulldog; his beefy chest and arms strained the confines of his black shirt with the club logo.

Don’t have too much fun, Gabe teased.

Jimmy smiled and wiggled his brows. Maybe only with one or two tonight.

Gabe chuckled and nodded. That’s the spirit.

By the time he ventured down into the Eros Pit, his exclusive, members only BDSM club hidden a floor beneath Eternal Eros, he was in no mood to play. It had been a spectacularly long day at the office. Shame, really, that his mind and body weren’t on board, given the submissive bounty in his club.

But tonight, he would participate in the event, under threats and orders by Sophia. He sighed over the fact that he could deny the woman little. And she had badgered him from the start about joining in the events each month, until he finally yielded.

Granted, that might have had something to do with the way she had stood in his office earlier today, her hands on her lush hips, a fierce scowl on her face and a glimmer in her eyes that told him that she would forcibly escort him if needed.

He’d folded like a house of cards while ignoring what the sight of her in his office did to him and his libido. Gabe refused to let his dick do his thinking for him, no matter how much Sophia stirred him.

In the elevator, he adjusted the black mask covering his face. He’d not changed into a costume, as much as his event coordinator had pestered him to wear one. The woman had gone so far as to have a costume made for him. But he couldn’t see himself prancing around in the dandy seventeenth century garb, not even to make her happy. Instead, he had stuck with his black suit and navy-blue tie. His one concession, besides his willingness to participate tonight, was the mask covering the top half of his face.

And the mask was all Sophia would get out of him.

The mood in the Eros Pit most nights tended to be more subdued—with the extra added elements of scenes in progress and muted music—than the club upstairs. That was by design on his part. At least, it usually was more laid back, with scenes at various stations and the occasional high-pitched moans from submissives. But tonight, with the masquerade event, the air in the Eros Pit held a thrill of excitement. Submissives in their exotic costumes were grouped together, talking excitedly, wondering who they would end up with for the night.

All participating Doms had been given a station in one of the scene areas or private rooms a floor down. Then the submissives, in their erotic ball wear, selected from a bowl a marker with the scene area and Dom listed. The submissive would head to the scene area or private room upon selection, and then the Dom would join them once all the selections were made.

It was a rather brilliant strategy and way of introducing unattached Doms and submissives to one another. In participating, they were agreeing to scene with another for the night—and possibly more, depending on the connection.

And the place was packed to the gills tonight.

Scanning the crowd, Gabe discovered that even his rapscallion brothers were in attendance—and had gotten into the spirit of the event, given their costumes, or most of them had, anyhow. Dean was a no show, but that had been the norm the last few months.

The submissive selection process was already in progress, with peals of laughter and squeals of delight from the women. It was arranged so that by midnight, all the submissives would be at their stations. With time to kill before he went to his private room, Gabe made his way through the throng to his private section of the club. Most nights there were available subs standing near the black velvet rope separating his section of the club, or sitting at one of the booths or tables nearby with the hope that either he or one of his brothers would give them a nod and join them. Yet, this evening, all those subs were dressed in costume and waiting in line to select their Dom.

Gabe sat and nursed a whiskey while he waited, keeping an eye on the festivities, and even grinning at some of the reactions from submissives over their chosen Dom for the night. He’d have to compliment Dean on the latest supply of whiskey from Meath Irish Distillery, another one of the family businesses. The dark copper spirit was top notch, and smooth as melted butter.

When a bell sounded in the club, he swallowed the last finger of whiskey and rose from his seat. Time to get this show on the road. Sophia had assigned him one of his favorite private rooms for the night.

He didn’t spy the woman anywhere as he trod toward the elevator with a group of Doms all heading down a floor to the private rooms. But Sophia tended to flit about and move like a hummingbird from one place to the next at these events. On Monday, he would have to commend her for a job well done. And he really needed to consider giving the woman a sizable raise for all her efforts.

She’d be surprised at how closely he watched her—not that he would ever tell her.

At first, he had watched her to see if she would fuck up, because then he would have to toss her out on her ass. He didn’t suffer fools lightly, especially when it came to his business. But then he had watched her in pure amazement over her ability to transform the two clubs into something magical each month, and make him a hefty profit in the bargain.

It was why he had given her free rein with the Donovan wedding later this month—the first of its kind at his club.

At the door to his private club room, he released a sigh. He didn’t know why he wasn’t more excited at the prospect of a scene with an unknown submissive, but he wasn’t. Although, he hoped that he could provide the submissive awaiting him with what she needed tonight.

Pushing the door open, he strode inside and was brought up short.

A petite blonde knelt at the foot of the bed, her head bowed, knees parted, and palms up on her thighs. She wore a golden corset around her slim torso, that shimmered in the low lighting. The erotic lingerie elevated her already generous breasts up into pillowy mounds and made them appear like an offering.

The indent of her waist made him wonder if he could circle it with his hands.

But then her hips swelled out in a smooth curve that had his gut tightening and, surprisingly, his dick sprang to life. Granted, it could be the fact that she wore golden crotchless panties. With her thighs spread, he could see the pretty pale pink lips of her labia and smooth bare pussy.

Bloody hell.

Excitement hummed in his blood. Need thrummed in his veins. And his dick swelled painfully against the confines of his slacks. Perhaps Sophia had been correct, and he needed to be here tonight.

And who are you supposed to be, beauty? he murmured darkly, referring to her costume. He approached, rather entranced by the pretty picture she made, and the punch of desire suffusing him.

Gabe might have resisted, but in this moment, he was all aboard with the festivities, and eagerly anticipating the night ahead.

2

The enchanting submissive kept her head bowed as she replied, Queen Titania of the Fairies, Sir.

He smiled at her breathy, low response, not recognizing the voice, and more intrigued than he cared to admit. And do you have any hard limits I should know about?

Blood, golden showers, needles and knives are all hard limits, Sir, she replied sweetly, but with apprehension lacing her words.

He wasn’t a fan of blood or golden showers himself, but knives? He never used them to hurt a submissive, only to mindfuck them on occasion. Why don’t you like knives?

Tension filled her slight frame. I had a Dom intentionally cut me without my permission, and want nothing to do with them in a scene ever again.

A Dom here did that? State laws prohibited knives from being used on the premises. He’d need to send an email out to all the club Doms, warning them. And if he discovered someone was using them, they would be banned from the club.

No, not a Dom here, Sir.

That was something, at least. I can promise you there will be no knives. And I’m not big on medical play or any of the other things you have hard limits on, so you don’t have to worry about that, either. How are you with pain?

A little smile played over her lush lips. Good, Sir. It’s been a while since I’ve been flogged or paddled. The crop is one of my favorites.

It was one of his as well.

He held out his hand. Then rise, beauty. I’ve been needing a good scene with a crop, and can’t imagine not seeing your delectable ass turn bright red for me.

A shiver went through her. She placed her delicate hand in his. Energy zapped through him at the innocent touch, and he helped her to her feet. Her golden goddess ensemble was sexy as hell, from the corset, the matching crotchless panties, the garter belt, and stockings, right down to the golden stilettos that made her toned, svelte legs look fucking amazing.

Studying the lines of her face, he tried to figure out if he had seen her at the club before. But her mask obscured a decent portion of her face, leaving him only with an impression of big, soulful brown eyes and a lush, kewpie doll mouth painted bright red. He imagined having it wrapped around his cock.

As attractive as it is, lose the corset, but leave everything else on. Then stand in presentation at the foot of the bed while I get everything ready.

Yes, Sir, she replied, and he wished like hell he could place her voice.

After stripping off his sport coat, tie, and dress shirt, he headed over to the goody chest at the wall and withdrew a riding crop. It wasn’t from his personal collection—he kept that up in his private dungeon. He tested the give on his palm a few times, liking the strength and bend in the implement.

All the private rooms were equipped with an armoire stocked with everything from condoms to butt plugs to floggers and dildos, and everything in between. Each room was outfitted with a king-sized four-poster bed and some manner of BDSM furniture. The beds were outfitted with silver loops along the four posts. And each room had a private bathroom with a shower.

Ready to get the scene started, Gabe turned on his heel and sucked in a breath.

Fuck, she had gorgeous tits; perfect, high, round globes, with dusky rose areolas that protruded in hard points and begged to be sucked on. Setting the crop beneath one arm, he drew down the Velcro restraints tied to the footboard posts above their heads.

I want you to face the bed. Then give me your hands, beauty, he commanded, and was immensely pleased when she obeyed without question.

Slipping the black material about her wrists, he secured her arms so they were raised above her head in a Y formation. The act lifted her impressive chest. It thrust her nipples out and left him hungering for a taste of the ripe buds.

Good. And now, what is your safeword? He drew the tip of the crop over the line of her slim spine.

She had a gorgeous tattoo covering most of the left side of her back. The ink trailed down to her indented waist, and was drawn in the form of a blue, flaming Phoenix. In the low, golden mood lighting in the room, the multitude of blue colors seemed to pulse with vibrant life. He wasn’t normally a man who found a woman with tattoos desirable but for this sub, he would make an exception. Because on her, it was sexy as hell.

"It’s river, Sir."

River. That’s fairly easy to remember. Now, I will start slowly, at a mild strength with the lashes as we become acquainted, and then increase in strength and speed. Use your safeword if you need it, and we will readjust, he ordered.

Yes, Sir. She lowered her head with a slight nod of respect.

Her obedience and desire to submit filled him with power. The air stilled in the room as he gathered his energy and entered the calm, cool, collected headspace of domination. It was the one place where the darkness inside him subsided while at the same time providing him with what he craved most. The worries and cares from his day slid away as he observed the submissive. Caressing her flesh with the crop’s leather tip, he roved over her stunning body, drawing it over those nipples that just begged for his lips, down the smooth line of her belly and over the flare of her hips, to her pretty cunt that he would avail himself of before the night was done.

She hadn’t agreed to extend the scene to include sex. But she would by the time he was done, and had sent her body headlong into subspace. He would make sure of it.

Gabe continued the light caresses along her back, watching her for cues, for any signs of fear or distress. Her delicate sighs, and the way she leaned into the strokes like a cat enjoying being petted, filled him with satisfaction. Then he pulled the crop back and swatted her heart-shaped butt, pleased with the firm slapping sound of the crop smacking against her delicate flesh.

At her soft moan, he settled in and let himself slide into the scene. He struck with precision, always conscious of the state she was in, but filled with pride as she handed over her power. He greedily accepted it, becoming almost drunk on it, and helped her descend into the realm of subspace as he turned her bare bottom ruby red.

It was a heady experience.

And it filled him with both satisfaction and desire.

He swatted her bare bottom, loving the way her milky skin puckered and reddened. He used the crop against those pert, thrusting nipples, thrilled at the bliss-filled mewls spilling from her mouth. He swatted the outer lips of her pussy. She jerked, and issued a wail infused with mindless pleasure. His cock jerked in his trousers.

Fuck. She was bloody magnificent.

When her head lolled against her shoulders, he set the crop aside and ran his hands over her body, dipping between her thighs. He issued a low groan at finding her cunt drenched. Lifting his hand to his mouth, he sucked on the fingers coated with her dew, and reveled in her musky flavor.

You’re dripping, beauty. And you did so well. I’m proud of you, he crooned, and gave in to his dark needs. He finally cupped her tits in his hands, and it was his turn to issue a low moan at the way they overflowed his hands.

Sir, I need… She licked her lips.

Would you let me have you tonight, beauty? If so, I will take care of your aches and bring you only pleasure for the rest of the night as your reward.

Yes, Sir, please. She whispered her plea.

A seductive smile spread over his lips. He unlatched her wrists from the Velcro restraints. But before he could reach for her, to lift her up into his arms and deposit her on the bed, she slid down onto her knees before him. Her hands went to the waistband of his pants and she gazed up at him. Hunger filled the chocolate depths of her gaze. Her lush, red mouth was open as she panted and stared at him.

Please, Sir, let me, she implored him, awaiting his permission, her fingers toying with the button of his slacks.

With a nod of approval, he murmured, I’m at your mercy, beauty.

He gave her the reins but kept his gaze intent on her as she undid his trousers and freed his swollen dick. With her eyes steadily on his, she gripped his shaft and laved her tongue over