Own Me in the Moonlight

Chapter 1

Rey Johnson stared at the piece of paper in front of her and tapped her fingers on the table. She caught her friend Finn's eye from across the table.

"You sure?" she mouthed at him.

He nodded vigorously, then clapped his hands. "All right, fellow subbies. Who has questions?"

They were in the main room of Club Moonlight, the exclusive kink club that had recently opened in Hanna City, Chandrila. As club co-owner, Finn Storm planned theme nights and parties for members. The club was his dream project, and he'd raised enough capital to purchase and renovate a charming old building, built in a rectangle, with a private garden oasis. Along one wall of the main room perched a huge blonde wooden bar, which was currently empty, since the bartender wasn't on duty yet. To the right of the bar, a scattering of matching chairs and tables sat in clusters, though, at the moment, Finn and those who identified as submissives were seated at two tables pushed together. In the middle of the room, high above, a huge octagonal skylight cast wedges of light and shadow on the floor. During the day, the sun beamed in, but at night, patrons could see stars and, if lucky, the moon overhead.

Today, Rey's sweet bestie was in mission mode. She'd known Finn for five years, ever since they worked together in a clothing store. He had been a clerk in the men's department while Rey made alterations for customers after hours. After a few months of chit-chat and after-hours drinks, Finn invited Rey over for dinner with his husband, Poe. Once she learned of their interest in opening a BDSM club, she'd been eager to hear all the details and fascinated with their description of the Lifestyle. Though she wasn't sure she was ready to fully embrace BDSM, she'd been the club's first paying member when it finally opened. Finn was delighted when Rey discovered she really enjoyed attending the club's seminars and exploring her submissive side.

Never one to take any chances, Finn was currently matchmaking for the upcoming Roaring 20s night. Recently, they'd inducted a new round of people into the club and Finn was determined that everyone have a partner-if they wanted one, of course. The subs shuffled their papers and looked at one another. They all had print-outs in front of them of prospective partners among those who signed up for matchmaking.

"Listen," Finn said. He raised his voice to get their attention. "Speak now or forever hold your peace. All your preferences were put into our matchmaking software and this is what came out."

Rey didn't quite get why she was there for matchmaking, since she'd been finding her own partners among unattached Doms. However, Finn insisted that her profile be placed into the program, and, good buddy that she was, she agreed. He'd told her it would help him analyze how the software worked.

Once again, Rey perused the headshot of the Dom she was paired with. He had thick dark hair, a mustache and goatee framing full lips. His brows tilted downward in a small frown. Something tickled in Rey's brain. She swore she knew this person but couldn't place his face, even though he seemed familiar. But she would have remembered his unusual club name, if she'd met him there. He hadn't been a member for very long, and she wasn't sure she'd seen him in person. Likely because she'd been bored lately, she hadn't attended theme nights or parties.

OVERVIEW

Kylo: Service Dom, sometimes Daddy Dom. Strict, brat-tamer, tuned into a sub's needs, ready to push limits

Specialities: Edging and overstimulation, impact play, sensation play (non-impact), light bondage, some shibari

Required Sub Protocol: Restricted behavior, speech, eye contact, posture, at least partial nudity

Penetration Sex: No genital contact

Orgasms: For subs who wish it; none for me, thanks

Touching: limited skin-to-skin contact, use of vibrator, no kissing or mouth-to-genital contact, unless negotiated ahead of time

Pain level: Low to Moderate

Daddy Dom: limited age play, no infants, reading, rocking, playing, art, snack time, other activities, discipline when warranted

Known for: Marking bratty subs with paddle KYLO

Dislikes: Topping from the bottom, blood, scat, pee, extreme pain, fire or electric play

Aftercare: Yes. Blanket, water, chocolate, protein bar, aloe or arnica cream provided

Those were the highlights of his profile, but there was more in the files Finn brought to the meeting. Rey flipped through the massive BDSM limits checklist with Kylo's name typed at the top. Her own profile and checklist matched well, except for the fact that she preferred softer Doms. This guy seemed interested in controlled behavior, which was not Rey's strong suit. At all. Finn, however, seemed convinced she'd enjoy a Dom with stricter requirements and more punishment. She liked a good spanking as well as the next girl, but she also enjoyed getting away with bratting a Dom.

Earlier, she'd said as much to Finn, but he'd rolled his eyes at her. "You know those scenes fall apart when you brat too much and a soft Dom can't handle you. Then, they stop wanting to scene with you."

Rey had made a face at him, even as she acknowledged the truth of his statement. When that happened, she was left completely unfulfilled while her partner stalked off annoyed. She may or may not have been running out of viable scene partners. Hence, her presence at this match-up meeting.

Still, what worried her about this "Kylo" was his interest in pushing limits and being strict. And that paddle thing...

"This profile," she said. Then realized she'd spoken aloud.

"Yeah?" Finn raised his brows.

"This guy..."

"This Master," Finn corrected. "You have Master Kylo, correct?"

"Yeah." Rey chewed her lip. "How strict are we talking?"

Finn folded his hands. "Let me say this. There are subs here who've had his name emblazoned on their butts."

Rey heard an intake of breath around the table.

"He doesn't play," Finn added. "But subs liked scening with him. He comes highly recommended from another club."

She tossed the paper aside. "Fine, then I don't want him."

"Yeah, you do."

Rey glared at Finn. She didn't enjoy being called out in public, not after their private discussion. She raised her chin. "Not especially. I like soft Doms, not the ones that go nuclear over some imagined infraction. I want to enjoy my subspace, thank you."

Finn laughed out loud. "Girl, I've watched you with the so-called soft Doms for the last three months. You're topping from the bottom like nobody's business." He pointed a finger at her. "You don't enjoy it. You say you do, but you don't."

The other submissives around the table stared at Finn, then at Rey. She was annoyed at their shocked expressions, though they probably didn't know her history with the owner.

"How the fuck would you know?" Rey shot back. "I'm barely interested in this whole Lifestyle thing to begin with." She was, of course, lying.

Finn narrowed his eyes. "And that's why you need a stronger Dom." He shuffled the papers in front of him. "Meeting adjourned."

Rey snorted in exasperation. "So not happening."

Finn leaned over. "Rey, I'm done arguing with you. If Master Kylo was here right now, he'd blister your ass with that paddle."

A frisson of arousal slid down Rey's spine. She tamped it down. "Leave me be, Finny. And don't call me Rey here. I'm Kira."

"Gonna nope out... Kira?" Finn's tone was oh-so-casual.

Rey opened her mouth to retort, stopped, and swallowed the snarky statement on the tip of her tongue. This matchmaking process was Finn's baby and she was turning up her nose at it. He raised his eyebrows at her.

Rey wanted to growl but swallowed it at the last second. "No, I'll come and take a look. But I'm not scening with this fucker if he's going to be a bully."

Finn rose and kissed the top of her head. "He's not a bully. He's an excellent master, and he'll be so good for you. Trust me."

Rey narrowed her eyes at her friend and wondered if the software spit out Kylo's name or if Finn had him in mind from the get-go. Probably the latter.

***

On Saturday evening, Rey, AKA Kira, strolled up to the door in an all-silver flapper outfit, complete with headband and feather. As a costume designer and wardrobe mistress for Chandrila University's theater program, she had access to fabric, sewing machines, and the know-how to use them. Her dress, which fell to her knees, ended in a sparkly fringe. She wore dove-gray thigh-high stockings, black suede kitten heels, and long elbow-length white gloves. She'd plastered her hair down into a kind of pseudo marcel with a small bun on the back of her head. Red lipstick and black eyeliner completed the outfit.

At the door, Rey showed her identification, her membership card, and signed the most recent version of the strict non-disclosure agreement as well as noting her time of entrance. Club Moonlight kept good watch over its members. Indeed, the membership process was quite onerous, including physicals, blood tests, NDAs, two contracts, and a short and long playlist of preferences. While gamely filling everything out when she first applied, Rey had been amazed they didn't require a psych evaluation, too. She'd decided not to mention it to Finn or he might add one on.

Pulling on her identifying wristbands (blue for submissive, green for open to play), Rey left the small entryway and walked into a square foyer of parquet floors, mirrors, and lush velvet seating along the walls. A security guard sat at the booth as another layer of protection between the club and the outside world. The woman buzzed Rey into the big double-doors after checking wristbands.

Straight ahead, a large, airy atrium formed the short end of the rectangle, while hallways off to the left created the arms of the figure. Finally, a grouping of offices and storage rooms completed the rectangle at the far end of the halls. As soon as she walked in, Rey heard the muffled sound of 20s jazz from down the hallway closest to the doors. With a quick look, she passed by to check out the atrium itself, where she'd been last week for the matchmaking sub meeting.

That evening, the club's main room was decorated with streamers, tinsel, glitter, and masks. The huge bar, decked out with brightly-colored martini glasses, dominated the space to the left. In the center were the tables where Rey and the other submissives had met with Finn. Clusters of couches and easy chairs sat in the back for aftercare or socializing. The place was packed with all manner of people sporting flapper dresses, feather boas, beads, and Gatsby suits in cream, yellow, and white. Some were dressed in lingerie, some in very little at all.

Rey shot a glance toward the bar. Doms generally gathered there to meet up with subs, while the bartenders handed out non-alcoholic specialty drinks and water. She saw a man with longish dark hair, his back to her, dressed in a plain black suit, nothing particularly special or Roaring 20s about it. Yet, she guessed he was a Dom by the way he stood, straight, very tall, one arm casually leaning against the bar, a large foot resting on the brass rail at the bottom. She was overcome again with the feeling that she should know this person, but she still couldn't place him. As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned slowly toward her. He pinned her with a look and his brows snapped together. He looked fearsome as fuck. His wrist bands identified him as a Dom who wanted to scene.

Rey squeaked and turned away. Of course, he knew who she was. If Finn matched them, he certainly would have given Kylo Rey's information. A small surge of panic swept through her. She turned abruptly and headed down the hall toward the dance floor. The doors were closed to keep the loud music contained, but Rey pushed through them and nearly knocked Finn down.

"Jesus Fucking Christ," he shouted. "Re-I mean, Kira. What the fuck?"

"I'm dancing," she hollered.

"Your Dom is waiting at the bar for you. Didn't you see him?" Finn made a grab for Rey's elbow.

"No." She turned and walked toward the dancers.

"If he has to come and get you, it won't be good," Finn shouted after her. "He left something for you in the changing room."

Rey stopped dead in her tracks. If she hadn't been so busy freaking out, she might have been intrigued. Master Kylo left her something? He wanted to scene tonight, that much she knew, and she'd been okay with that idea. Or so she thought. Since everyone was heavily vetted and volunteer monitors roamed the playrooms, scening was safe, even for couples who had just met. But that frown melted her insides-not to mention that the man was huge. Yeah, she was freaking out.

The dancers pulled Rey into the middle of the floor where they were doing a frenzied Charleston. She joined in, determined to forget about Master Kylo. Maybe she didn't want to scene tonight. Club Moonlight allowed members to back out, or safeword, anytime. No one would make her do anything. She began to breathe easier and enjoy herself with her friend Rosie, who was dancing enthusiastically with a group of submissives. Her own Daddy Dom was nowhere to be seen.

After a couple of dances, Rey made her way through the crush of people toward the edge of the dance floor. Amid the crush, she ran smack into a black suit jacket of an immovable object.

Or person.

She looked up. He was mighty tall, this Kylo guy.

A bottle of water materialized in his hand. Without a word, he handed it to her. Rey's brain clicked in. Service Dom. Daddy Dom. He was taking care of her, even as she rejected him.

"Thanks," she said as loudly as she could.

He nodded.

She cracked open the bottle and drank thirstily. It was frosty, cold, and delicious.

"Kira," he said crisply, his voice penetrating the loud music.

She held the bottle to her lips and raised her eyebrows. "Yeah." She lowered the bottle and fought down a burp.

"Look at me." He deftly took the bottle away from her and set it on a small table along the wall.

Without thinking, Rey looked up into a pair of amber brown eyes, like whiskey in a glass, no ice. The eyes bored into her soul.

"Scene with me." He stared at her, clearly watching her reaction. "Please."

Rey relaxed. He was one of the polite ones. She could deal with that. When a Dom said please, he was usually soft. This guy had service Dom written all over him, even if his eyes and demeanor looked a lot tougher. He would work to please her.

Fantastic.

She gave him a brilliant smile, one that worked so well in the past. "Of course, I was just enjoying the ambiance."

His expression turned blank, except for a slight narrowing of his eyes. Rey thought the picture of him didn't do him justice. He was darkly handsome, though she couldn't say why, since his nose was a shade too big, his lips too pillowy for a man, and his long face framed by a clipped mustache and goatee. His soft, wavy hair should have been too feminine, but somehow it wasn't. His features combined were beautiful, masculine, luscious-and he was ridiculously tall and filled out a suit like nobody's business.

He escorted her through the door, then turned to hand her the water bottle. "Drink the rest of this, then go to the dressing room. You'll find what to wear there. If you need to use the restroom, please do it. You have five minutes to return to the bar." He didn't wait for her answer but began to walk away.

"Or else what?" Rey could have bitten her tongue off. Why was she baiting him? Somehow she couldn't help herself. She had to see if he could hold his own.

He was in front of her in a second. He never touched her. Instead, his voice did all the work.

"Kneel, sub."

It was the snap in the tone that touched every submissive bone in Rey's body. She sank to the floor. She peeked up at him and then wished she hadn't.

"Eyes down, legs spread, arms behind your back."

His voice was like smooth dark chocolate. She swallowed, wondering if she would wear his mark. That paddle with his name on it. She swallowed again, mouth suddenly dry as dust.

He stepped forward so that Rey could see his feet beside her spread knees.

"You are badly trained, little sub. First, when a Dom speaks to you, you say, 'Yes, Sir' or 'Yes, Master,' depending on your Dom's preference. Say it now."

Rey took a deep breath. "Yes, Sir."

"You will not speak unless spoken to and asked a direct question. Say you understand."

"I understand, Sir,." Her voice sounded reedy. She suppressed a soft moan. One polished black shoe slid between her legs, toe nearly under her dress.

"You will keep your eyes down unless I tell you otherwise. Safeword."

"I use the trad--"

"Just say it, sub." His voice cracked over her like a whip.

"Red."

His toe came closer to her crotch. "Red, what?"

"Red, Sir." Rey was on fire. She wanted that toe to reach her thin, silvery thong. She would rub herself on his foot to ease the ache he'd created inside her.

Someone exited the dance floor. Rey almost looked up.

"Eyes on the floor. No one else exists but you and me."

And his shoe, which inched a little closer. She fancied that she could feel the coolness of the polished leather. He said nothing for a few moments. Rey fought to remain still. Her butt was uncomfortable on the shoes, her feet were falling asleep, and her arms felt awkward behind her. More people had left the dance area. Fortunately, they ignored her. She heard Kylo speak a greeting to someone, and then his shoe slid back to its original position.

"Five minutes."

The shoes disappeared.

Rey slowly rose to her feet. Her legs felt asleep, but she dashed off toward the changing room as fast as she could. She decided she didn't want to find out what would happen if she was late.

Author's Note to add: The floorplan for Club Moonlight is based on a real building that I spent a lot of time in when my son took music lessons. In fact, the real life building was built in two big rectangles, though Moonlight only has one.

Chapter 2

The women's changing room was downright luxurious with marble tile, brushed silver fixtures, and other high-end amenities, such as fluffy white towels and terry cloth robes for members. A series of painted lockers, showers, stalls, and sinks were also provided for the comfort of guests. Rey ducked inside to see where Master Kylo had placed her outfit for the evening. A present, Finn had said. She found the gift hanging from the row of hooks along one wall. There was a card above it that read, "Kira," in unfamiliar handwriting. Slowly, Rey lifted the shiny metal chains off the hook. There were two items: a beautiful necklace-style collar with ruby-encrusted clips hanging from long chains and a bedazzled belt with dangling metal "fringe." That was it.

Rey wondered if she should strip out of her silver dress and replace it with these items or if she was meant to wear them over top. Some Doms required total nudity while others were more flexible. She preferred to keep her clothes on, and since Master Kylo hadn't requested full nudity, she wrapped the belt around her waist and fastened the collar around her neck. She hung up her headband and feather inside her assigned locker, planning to retrieve them following the scene.

Walking out to the bar, Rey relished the feel of the belt and collar swinging against her body. The tinkling of the metal fringe increased when she moved her hips. She passed a friend or two, who saluted her jingling outfit. Out in the atrium, she found Master Kylo resting a hip on the barstool. He looked her up and down, then frowned as the bartender snorted out a loud laugh.