(Alex's POV – Sun. 2 November 2014)

I'm all tied up and I can't move. At all.

In normal circumstances, I would find it very arousing. Being entirely restrained is a huge turn-on for me, and although I can't really explain why, the idea always makes me hard as rock. Submitting to a Dominant is what I have been dreaming of for a long time now because I know how much I need guidance in my everyday life. Sexually speaking, this reaches a whole new level of expectations. The mere thought of surrendering all powers to a man who would know my body better than I do and who would control my pleasure never fails to arouse me deeply.

Although this is the case here again, it feels like something is off.

Ropes have been wound all around my limbs, tightly constricting my frail body with knots I'd never be able to undo myself. This is uncomfortable and suffocating. Even painful as the cords are biting into my skin. So much so that oppressing feelings are washing over me, and I wish I could safeword out of this situation. The more I writhe and fight against my restraints, the tighter they get!!

Thank goodness, this is when I awake, my screams muffled by my pillow.

Gosh! My sleep must have been badly agitated because I find myself completely entangled in a mess of bed sheets that are wound around my body. It takes me a good two minutes to extricate myself from the twisted fabric and five more to recover from my heavy breathing. I don't remember how this dream started but the end is quite clear in my head. I guess the show I watched last night at the club gnawed at my subconscious, but as a violent shiver runs down my spine, I decide that ropes are definitely not for me.

The scene performed by Master Camden was impressive and I sincerely enjoyed it, but perhaps it would be a little too much for me. I saw how the Sub loved it, and it was beautiful in a way, but I doubt I would have been comfortable in such a scenario. However, as Shannon and Liam explained to me several times, this is one of the reasons why a Dom and a Sub establish a contract: it defines all the aspects of their relationship, including what each of them likes and dislikes. I might set bondage with ropes as a hard limit then.

Despite this stressful wake-up, I am feeling fully rested. It probably has to do with the bedding which is so comfortable. Nothing like the crappy mattress I sleep on at home.

Last evening at the club ended in a much better way than last weekend, so I was quite surprised when Mr. Murray offered for me to sleep over at his place again, but who was I to decline? The truth is that I hope to spend part of the day with Shannon again because I truly enjoy his company, but I also want to have a serious conversation with my boss at some point. I have had enough time to think over my potential application as a member of the Black Diamond, and now I need him to give me answers on how I should proceed. I want to become a Submissive.

To be honest, I was hoping we'd discuss this with his friend Master Aaron yesterday, but the evening just flew by and it didn't happen. On the other hand, I had such a blast! Shannon and Liam are really amazing! They introduced me to a bunch of their friends and everybody accepted me with my shyness. They were all kind, supportive and encouraged me lot.

Liam lent me a pair of leather trousers that I wasn't ready to wear but I must admit I loved them. I don't like my body because I'm far too skinny, and yet I felt sexy as hell! I wonder how it would be if I were to wear those skinny shorts that my friends – and most of the other Subs – had. I guess I'd fit even better among the other members. In any case, I'm determined to do every possible effort to adapt, even it means overcoming my self-consciousness. As much as possible, at least... I would have loved to share the shower stall with my friends last night, but I was too scared of my semi-hard turning into a full erection seeing Shannon naked. Or even Liam, but mostly Shannon. He is so freaking attractive!

The time we spent on the dancefloor was great too, but it did nothing to calm down my arousal. Whenever I go to a nightclub – and although I love being among the crowd – I usually strive to stay away from those who grind and hump because they make me feel uncomfortable, but last night, being sandwiched between Shannon and Liam felt awesome. Far from making me ill-at-ease, I loved it, even when I got to feel Shannon's stiff manhood rubbing against my backside. I should confess that the warmth it spawned in my lower belly turned me on and earned me another erection.

Now that I think about it, guilt washes over me because I shouldn't have such reactions to his touch. I wish I could resist the attraction, but Shannon is such a sexy guy, and his kind attentions don't help. But I'm not supposed to fall for him!

Yet, the conversation we had on Thursday keeps rehearsing in my head, and I might be wrong, but I can't help thinking he was about to offer a threesome with him and Mr. Murray. As if I needed him to creep more naughty thoughts inside my head when I apply myself to suppress them! As if I needed him to think about a threesome with them! It's not like I hadn't briefly thought about it myself... and it scares me!

Deep down, I would love it, but would I be able to handle my emotions? The truth is that I'm slowly falling for both Shannon and Mr. Murray, however stupid it may sound. Perhaps it's only because I envy their relationship, but if I dig further into it, I realize that I love Shannon's craziness and care, as well as Mr. Murray's gentleness and dominance. So, if I were to participate into a scene with them, I'm afraid my feelings for them might get even stronger, and I can't have that.

While I try to relax under the warm spray of the shower, I ruminate these thoughts and I can't help picturing myself sharing my boss with his Submissive. I shouldn't allow these hot images in my mind, but they keep flooding my head... Shannon and me on our knees pleasuring the Dominant's cock... Shannon and me on all fours while Mr. Murray pounds into our holes in turns... My fingers end up around my throbbing erection and after only a few strokes, a powerful orgasm makes me explode all over the shower wall and I can barely contain a high-pitched moan.

Damn!! Alex!! Doing this at your boss's place!!

This is a bit shameful indeed, but he won't know as I make sure to carefully clean up my mess.

You need to stop these dirty thoughts, Alex. They. Are. Not. For. You! LEAVE THEM ALONE!!

The apartment sounds rather quiet when I get back to the bedroom and dress up, except for a few noises of pans coming from the kitchen. Once ready, I take a deep breath and push all my naughty thoughts at the back of my head before I head out. In the beautiful kitchen, I find Shannon who is once again struggling with cooking breakfast, sexy as ever with his disheveled hair and in his sweatpants and tee-shirt.

Alex!! He's not for you!!

"Morning, Cutie!!" he cheers when he sees me. "How are you this morning?"

Cutie? How is this supposed to help in my resolve?

"Hey, Shannon... I'm good, and you?"

"Hmm... I'm great, but I'd be even better if you'd help me with breakfast..." he begs with puppy dog eyes.

"Of course!"

"It's becoming a routine after two weeks in a row..." he chuckles as I join him at the counter.

"I don't mind that kind of routine..." I reply shyly, feeling myself blush as I poke my tongue out.

"Me neither..." he then whispers in my ear, which sends a shiver down my spine. "Mark is out for his morning run, so maybe you could bake scones again? He loved them last Sunday! And a man in a good mood is important..." he smirks.

I roll my eyes at the double entendre and immediately set to mix ingredients to bake scones. As if it wasn't enough during our ride back here last night, Shannon and I discuss a bit more about the scene Master Camden played on stage at the Black Diamond. Flushing again, I even tell him about the mess of bed sheets I woke up in this morning, and that makes him laugh.

"I don't think I'd like that sort of bondage, though..." I confess. "I felt like I was suffocating in my dream. That Master Camden looks rather... intense, right?"

"Master Camden is a Sadist, actually," he explains.

"Really? I wouldn't like him as my Dominant, then..." I reply, shuddering at the thought of what sadism means to me.

"Don't worry, you wouldn't," Shannon chuckles. "Master Camden only plays with Masochists, and then with a few regular Subs who are willing to try rougher stuff once in a while."

"Fair enough... Was that his Sub last night?"

"No, Chris is just one of the Masochists he often plays with, but Master Camden doesn't do contracts. He's one of those Doms who doesn't take the lifestyle further than the sex... and that means he doesn't want to get involved into a relationship, even if it's a short one. At least, that's what I've understood..."

"He looks so cold... to be honest, he scares me a bit..." I admit in a low voice, as if I could be heard by someone.

"A lot of Subs think so too, but I'm sure it's mostly some sort of façade," Shannon comments thoughtfully. "He's one of Mark's best friends, so he can't be a bad person... And Mark loves him a lot."

"Mark seems to love everyone," I chuckle. "He's so generous..."

"He is! And he doesn't use rope!" Shannon exclaims in a laughter.

"But you still like... what is it called again...? The suspension positions...?"

"Yeah, I like them, but there are more comfortable accessories like padded fetters and shackles, and the swing too!"

"The swing?"

"That's how we call it, but basically, it's some kind of hammock with slings and stirrups, and it's hanging from the ceiling with chains. You get strapped in it and the Dom can swing you easily while... you know... pounding into your ass..." he smirks.

Holy cow!! It sounds hot!!! I swear we'd better change topics because my mini-me is already trying to swell again!

"It sounds... fun, indeed..."

"Fun and hot... Mark has a wild imagination and always finds exciting things to try..."

"I can imagine..." I breathe out, turning around to hide my new blush.

But this time, it's mostly because I wish I could meet a similar Dominant. The thing is that I'm slowly getting to idolize Mr. Murray and I'm afraid any other Dom might sound... toneless and dull next to him. This is not fair to Shannon, but I almost envy him. Or more precisely, I wish I could belong with them.

"You need to talk to Mark, Alex..." Shannon says a bit later while I am watching on the buns glazing in the oven, causing me to startle. "About your training..."

"Oh, that... Yeah, I know... Maybe today... I need to find out if I should just go to the club and ask Master Aaron for a training," I sigh. "I think Mr. Mur... I mean, Mark was going to discuss this with his friend..."

"He surely did, but I think it's better if Mark tells you himself..." Shannon says awkwardly, blushing a bit.

"I'll try to ask him if I have an opportunity to... I'm just wondering which Dom will accept to train me..."

"Any Dom could do it, like I told you, but just choose the one you feel more comfortable with..." he replies with a mischievous smile.

Can I tell him that I wish Mr. Murray would take care of my training? I'm afraid it would sound wrong. I just can't admit this to said Dominant's lover, right? Anyway, I don't have time to dwell on this as the entrance door opens and slams shut at that moment. Mr. Murray soon shows up in the kitchen completely drenched in sweat and rain, shaking himself and snorting playfully. Damn!! How can he be so freaking sexy?

"Morning, Boys!! Everything okay?" he asks, frowning at us after he has pecked a blushing Shannon's lips. "Did I interrupt an interesting conversation?"

"No, you didn't," Shannon replies, pushing him back. "And you stink, go get a shower before you catch a cold..."

"So nice of you, Babe... As a revenge, I'll make you run for two hours tomorrow!"

"What!? No!!!" Shannon exclaims, but his Dom smirks at him and walks out. "Ugh... I hate running..." Shannon grumbles, making me laugh at his funny expression.

By the time Mr. Murray comes back, freshly showered and dressed in black jeans and a white dress shirt, breakfast is ready and all set in the dining room. We chitchat all along and Shannon keeps making sheep's eyes to his Dom in order to earn his forgiveness, which of course his Master grants him. This ends up in a very light atmosphere, and I surprise myself feeling really comfortable among them. Almost as if I was part of the family...

They're not yours, Alex! Just stop it already!

"Babe, would you mind tidying up the table? I need to speak with Alex before I get to work..." Mr. Murray says when breakfast is over.

My head instantly flicks up in wonder, but an encouraging smile and a wink from Shannon reassure me a bit.

"No problem!" he cheers.

"Thanks, Babe. Alex, let's move to my office," he then instructs me warmly.

With a last glance at Shannon, I follow my boss through the kitchen and into the corridor, and he shows me into a nicely furbished study, only two doors before the guestroom I used. The apartment looks really big and there are more doors in this corridor that I haven't gone through yet. Not that I would need to anyway...

Mr. Murray takes a seat behind his desk and gestures for me to sit down across from him. This is quite business-like, especially when he reclines into his armchair and folds a leg over the other, and I'm beginning to wonder if we are really going to talk about my potential admission to the club. On my side, I sit on the edge of my chair, straight as a pole and my eyes locked on my hands over my lap.

"You don't have to be so tense, Alex..." Mr. Murray chuckles.

"I'm not..." I lie, feeling myself blush again.

"That's not what I can read through your body, so please don't lie," he says a bit more firmly.

"Sorry, Mr. Murray..."

"Alex, look up!" he orders, and as his deep voice reaches my ears, I can't help but obey the command. "This is the second time I'm telling you: please call me Mark when we're not at work," he says, giving the warmest smile I have ever seen. "And outside of the club, of course..."

"I'll... I'll try..."

"Good. Now I think you've had enough time to think over the conversation we had last week, and after your second visit at the club, I need to ask you if you're still willing to become a member of the Black Diamond?"

"Yes, Sir!!" I exclaim, with a bit too much eagerness because it makes him chuckle.

"Right. So I've discussed this with my friends at the club, and especially Aaron obviously, and he's willing to accept you as a member of the club. I'm sure you'll make a perfect Submissive, Alex, and that the lifestyle will be very beneficial for you," he says very softly, though there's an undertone to his voice that I can't pinpoint. "So, you'll have to follow the training first, and about that..." he trails off.

"Please, train me into submission, Sir..." I exclaim, briefly peeking at him before I cast my eyes back down.

How dare I ask this!? My tone is almost begging!! Oh my goodness! I can feel the heat rise from my chest to the hairline of my forehead.

"I mean... I know how busy you are... I could wait until you have more free time... but I would really like you to train me... Sir..." I stutter, daring another glance at him, only to witness his surprised expression as his eyebrows jerk up. "But that's only if you accept, of course... I'd understand if you'd rather not... It can be someone el..."

"I want to do it, Alex," he eventually interrupts me in a comforting tone. "This is what I was about to propose. Indeed, I'm busy, but I'm certain you won't require many sessions. You already know a lot about the lifestyle, so we'll be able to skip most of the theory regarding usual rules, behavior and respect. You'll mostly practice the basic positions, so it should be quite fast. I've seen you dance yesterday evening, and grace seems to be quite natural for you."

Jeez!! All this praise is like a huge tsunami washing over me. It feels like all the sadness and loneliness of the past two years and a half is rushing out of my heart and spooling in my eyes in the form of tears. Tears that I can't hold back unfortunately despite the huge happiness overwhelming me. Mr. Murray... Mark springs from his armchair and rushes to squat in front of me, gathering my icy hands within his warm ones.

"Hey, Alex... What's wrong? Have I said something that hurt you?" he asks with deep concern.

"No, not at all..." I breathe out, chuckling a bit. "I think... I think I'm just a bit overwhelmed by all that has happened since Friday last week. No one has cared for me like you and Shannon have in such a long time. That's silly... I'm sorry for being so emotional... I'm just sincerely happy!"

"Don't be sorry, Alex. Shannon has told me a bit about you obviously, and please don't hold it against him... but let me tell you that you deserve all this attention. Trust Shannon to be a very good... friend for you. As much as you can trust me to help and support you the best I can."

"Thank you so much... I'd never be able to say how grateful I am," I reply, wiping my tears and smiling brightly as he walks back to his armchair.

"You're most welcome, Alex. I have all the documents for you to sign before you start your training. There's a non-disclosure agreement that's very similar to the one you already signed as a guest. There's a bunch of documents you need to read as well, regarding policies and rules at the Black Diamond. And there's an activity sheet that lists all the accessories and things you'll encounter in the lifestyle. You will have to grade each of them from 0 to 4, depending on your likes and dislikes. I believe Shannon would be more than happy to help you fill it, but feel free to ask me if you prefer. This is a mandatory document so that Dominants... you'll want to play with... know your limits..." he stammers a bit awkwardly.

"How long is it going to take before I become a certified member?" I ask, wondering about the weird expression that displayed on his face.

"According to the usual process, once you've achieved your training, you're going to have a short test with Aaron and another Dominant. I might attend too if it helps you. In any case, you shouldn't worry about it because it's mostly to check that you are ready to become a Submissive. And since you probably won't require more than two or three sessions, if we can arrange to meet at the club often enough in the coming days, you might become a member by the end of next week."

"That soon!?" I exclaim.

"Is this a problem? Were you aiming at next year?" he chuckles.

"No... It's fine..." I lie.

To say the truth, it's not all fine. The guys have told me about the membership fee and sadly, I'm not lucky enough to already have a Dominant who will pay it for me, so I need to save money first.

"You must tell me if something's wrong, Alex."

"No, it's all good!" I reply more cheerfully, scared to expose my financial issues.

"Alright. Then what I suggest it to meet tomorrow for two hours since we're both off on Mondays. Shannon would also like to help, so we could also do Tuesday at 1pm. This way, the session will be done by the time he starts his shift, and then I can drive us to the restaurant. And we might do the same on Thursday maybe. What do you think?"

"This is perfect, Sir! Thank you so much for your time!"

"No problem, Alex, my pleasure. I'll call Shannon in so that we can finalize details."

This part doesn't take long. I'm soon pulled into a tight hug within Shannon's arms, and it feels so good! His displays of affection never fail to warm me.

I spend the rest of the morning with my new friend, talking more about my upcoming training, and I'm really glad he doesn't mind that his Dom will be in charge of teaching me submission. On the contrary, Shannon is eerily happy about it. He also helps me to fill the activity sheet and needless to say, I spend these thirty minutes with a heated face as Shan describes all the items on the list. In any case, he's a fun guy who never misses an opportunity to crack jokes, tease me and make funny faces, definitely the opposite to my shy and quiet self.

Then I enjoy myself cooking lunch with Mark, which occurs in a more relaxed atmosphere than when we are at Le Marais for obvious reasons. Once again, I have a great time with them. And I hope there'll be more opportunities.

* * *

When I reach the back entrance of the Black Diamond on Monday morning, I am fully pumped despite a short night. Master Aaron welcomes me with a surprising hug that leaves me kind of funny as I wasn't expecting such a tight embrace. And to think I fantasized about him for weeks before that evening I met Shannon and Liam at the Black Moon! He's still very handsome in my eyes, but sadly, he's standing in the shadow of another man...

Mark is already in his friend's office, lounging on a comfortable couch, and after quick greetings, the Master Dom beckons me to his desk for a quick review of all the documents I read and signed last night. He reminds me that the activity sheet I filled is not permanent and that I should never hesitate to amend it according to my likings. He also questions me on my desire to become a submissive member of his club, probably some sort of pre-test to assess my personality, but I believe my determination and docility achieve to convince him.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Mark leads me along the corridors to a double door that bears the inscription Black Satin. This one opens on another hallway with plenty more doors which I know to be private playrooms, and Mark stops by the second one to the left. I know I was there a week ago, but I don't remember much of it – and to be honest, I'd rather forget about the little I do and the silly panic attack I went through that night.

Shannon and Liam have told me a lot about these playrooms where Doms and Subs can play scenes in private, but my heart can't help summersaulting in my chest when Mark shows me inside and I take in my surroundings. I can remember the large bed with the black satin sheets, but I had clearly not paid attention to all the rest the first time I was there. The Saint Andrew's cross, the bench, the rack with floggers, crops and paddles, the grid with chains and the swing Shannon told me about, a beautiful armchair and a black closet... The place is exactly as I always pictured it from the numerous books I read, but seeing it for real is amazing.

In an attempt to make me at ease, Mark decides to first go through all the accessories and pieces of furniture in the room, saying it's important for me to know the use of each and every one of them. As we do so, my face covers in shades of red I didn't know existed, especially when he opens the drawers of plugs, vibrators and cock rings, but thankfully, this part doesn't last long as I already know all the items he shows me.

After the theory comes the practice, and here again, things go very well as the Dominant teaches me some of the basic submissive postures. I must admit that Shannon and Liam's advice have been super helpful, and I may or may not have cheated a bit by practicing at home over the last few days. Indeed, I have discovered how relaxing kneeling at attention or display can be, so I have been training on my own whenever I had time to, loving the peaceful state of mind these positions set me in. In the end, Mark is very pleased with the result and barely has to correct any little flaws in the way I stand or kneel.

I also find myself an innate grace I didn't know I had when it comes to dropping to my knees or rising to my feet, even with my hands tied at the small of my back. Mark's constant praise keeps sending flutters through my whole body and I'm thankful he lets me practice in my clothes as my large jeans hide the boner I'm sporting.

"Please have a seat on the bed, Alex," Mark orders toward the end of our session, and I immediately comply while he puts all the shackles back into the closet. "I have a rather intimate question to ask," he then states when he comes to sit beside me. "This is not ill-fitted curiosity, but I need to know as things might proceed differently pending on your answer. Are you a virgin?"

Of all questions!!! I wasn't expecting this and of course, another deep blush covers my face.

"I'm not a virgin, Sir..." I reply in a small voice, trying to decipher the bizarre expression on his face – is this disappointment? "Why would it matter?"

"Oh, it's just that you'd get a special follow-up with Aaron if it were the case. He'd make sure that the first Dominant you... play with is aware of this specific detail so that he behaves accordingly. Obviously, virgins can't go into a rough scene on their first time."

"Oh, I see..." I reply hesitantly. "Actually... it only happened a couple of times... and it was a long time ago... so... I'm not much different from virgins, I guess..." I eventually confess, lowering my head to hide an umpteenth blush.

"Alex," Mark sighs, raising my chin with a finger. "Consider yourself a virgin if you don't feel comfortable enough. It's important that your first experience remains soft. There's no shame in this, and you shall never hesitate to mention your worries or fears to the Master Dom or me. Communication is one of the most important values in our lifestyle as you'll see."

That afternoon and evening, I spend hours practicing the basic postures Mark taught me once I'm back home. As Shannon advised, I use a pillow to absorb the shocks each time I drop to my knees or when I stay in a kneeling position for longer periods to avoid bruises.

On Tuesday, I meet Shannon and Mark at 12:30pm in front of my building, since Mark sent me a text earlier this morning to say they'd pick me up. I have stopped fighting with him about his gentle attentions and seeing how it's raining buckets, I end up enjoying the ride in a comfortable vehicle much more than if I had had to take different buses. The ride is far from quiet as Shannon presses me with tons of questions regarding the training session I had the day before, which is quite embarrassing as I can feel Mark's stare in the rearview mirror, but Shannon is someone you can hardly resist to.

Upon our arrival at the Black Diamond, I'm introduced to a certain Mike Anderson who is the security manager of the club – and a Dominant apparently – and the gorgeous black man informs us that Master Aaron is currently busy training a new Dom in his own playroom but should be available in about an hour. I don't really get the smirk on his face, but I don't dwell on it as I am led to Mark's private room.

While Mark prepares a few accessories, Shannon gives me a bit more advice on my training before Mark orders him to go and sit in the armchair.

"Strip to your briefs, Alex."

The command surprises me a bit although my friends had warned me it would happen, but I take comfort in Shannon's presence and immediately comply with the Dominant's request, neatly folding my clothes on a chair. In order to contain my self-consciousness, I keep telling myself that boxer briefs are not worse than a bathing suit, that Mark might have seen unappealing bodies like mine in the past and that anyway, he might end up seeing more of me in the future.

Mark sounds almost frustrated when he makes me repeat all the positions we worked on yesterday, but I focus on being as perfect as I can, and not once does he need to correct my postures. I have been kneeling at display for about ten minutes when I suddenly hear whispers before the door opens and someone walks out. My head is lowered, and I am facing away from the armchair where Shannon sat earlier, so I don't know which of the two men left. However, in case it is a test, I resist the urge to look up or turn around and remain in my position.

Soon enough, deep voices echo from the corridor and through the door that wasn't shut.

"Impossible, Mark. He only had one session..."

"I know it's not the usual process, but just go and see for yourself, Ron!" I hear Mark grumble with exasperation.

I slowly inhale a deep breath as the men step in and close the door. They first go to Shannon apparently and I vaguely hear him whisper something about the fact that I haven't moved an inch all this time before he is asked to go out and wait in the corridor. After a few minutes of stressful silence, Master Aaron asks me to stand up and adopt the attention and display positions. He then orders me to kneel down and get up a few times, before I am left kneeling at display for long minutes.

"He's impressive indeed," Master Aaron praises, running a warm finger along my spine.

I can barely suppress my shivers, but I manage to hold my position without moving at all.

"I told you," Mark comments in a smug tone.

"Do you really think he's ready?" the Master Dom then asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mark snorts, and I almost roll my eyes at their conversation.

What the heck? I'm here, you know!

"Yes, he's really perfect," Master Aaron continues. "Please stand up, Alex."

I silently thank Shannon and Liam for warning me against the little traps that the Doms use to test Submissives, but since he addressed me directly, I rise to my feet as gracefully as I can, without turning around since it wasn't part of the order. Not that I mind considering the bulge at the front of my briefs, at least they can't see it while they stand behind me.

Well, I just jinxed myself as they soon walk around me, forcing yet another deep blush as I can feel their stare on my crotch.

"It's okay, Alex," Mark whispers soothingly. "It's totally fine to be aroused, this is a normal reaction."

"You're doing really good, Alex," Master Aaron adds. "You can dress back up."

No need to tell me twice, and a couple of minutes later, I am back in jeans, tee-shirt and old Converse.

"Have a seat on the bed, Alex, and you can look up, Buddy," the Master Dom says warmly, sending another warm wave of pride through my body as I meet the fondness in his chocolate eyes. "I've rarely met Submissives who reach such perfection in so little time, but Mark is right, I think you're ready."

"I don't think I can teach you more at my level, Alex," Mark adds in front of my questioning look. "You are a natural Sub, you're graceful and you behave with such reverence, it's really impressive. You will learn more once you have a Dominant, because each of us have our own specifics, but you already have all the fundamentals."

"We'll have a short interview in a few minutes, because I still need to make sure that you really know about the fundamental theory of the lifestyle, and I'd like to show you what a contract is, but I'm glad to say your training is over, Alex, and that you are now a certified member. Welcome to the Black Diamond!" Master Aaron cheers.

"Cooooooooool!!!!!!" Shannon's squeal echoes from behind the door.

"Ugh! I'm going to teach this little creep not to eavesdrop!!!" Mark grunts as he heads toward the door and abruptly opens it.

"I'm sorry, Master..." Shannon squeaks, lowering his head.

"Go and kneel in the corner! We'll discuss this later, Pet," Mark scolds him, but from his tone, I can tell he's not really angry.

"Just a few more details, Alex," Master Aaron eventually resumes. "When you come for your first official night at the club, you'll have to stop by office so that I can remind you of a few rules and policies. Know that you can reach out to me or Mark at any time if you have concerns or questions. Feel free to speak to all the Subs too, and not only Shannon or Liam. This is what the Subs' room is for and I'm adamant that a peaceful and supportive atmosphere reigns there. Is this clear?"

"Yes, Sir, very clear."

"Regarding what we discussed yesterday morning," Mark continues, "Aaron will make sure you choose the perfect Dominant for your first experience," he explains, which for some reason makes the Master Dom cough.

"Thank you, Master Aaron."

"You're welcome, Buddy. I'll see you in a few minutes in my office, then, and we'll finalize your membership," he says before he turns to Shannon. "Mr. Watts, off to my office, I need to speak with you for a minute!" he then orders, earning a frown from Mark to which he responds with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

These two are so weird sometimes!!

"You did really good, Alex," Mark praises me as he sits down beside me after Master Aaron has left with Shannon. "Are you happy?"

"Yes, definitely, thank you so much for all your help. May I... May I ask a question, Sir?" I say hesitantly, and he nods in answer. "I'm really happy that things went so fast, but... Do I have to finalize my membership so soon?"

"Why would you want to wait? Are you having second thoughts?" he asks with sincere concern.

"No, not at all! It's just that... Well, I can't afford paying the fee at the moment, and... I'd need to wait for another paycheck..." I mumble with embarrassment.

"Oh, Alex..." he sighs, grabbing my hands in his. "You don't need to worry about this. I was just about to tell you, but you spoke faster than I did. Your membership fee has already been paid for."

What!? Who!? When!?

Mark sighs and lets go of my hands as he stands up and starts pacing the room.

"I did," he then concedes, raising his hand as I am about to protest. "Don't even try arguing. I did it because I could, and because I wanted to. And forget about reimbursing or whatever," he adds firmly.

I don't know what gets into me then, but I hurl myself at him, closing my arms around his torso and leaning my face against his strong chest, and babble on and on about how thankful I am. I think I catch him off-guard, but one of his hands reaches for my head, pressing it against him, while the other goes to rub my back in soothing gestures.

Damn! He smells so good and he feels so comfortable! I wish I could stay there forever!

Not yours, Alex...

What I have just done soon hits me and I quickly pull back, mumbling a pathetic apology.

"It's okay, Alex. I'm really glad it makes you happy," he chuckles. "I wish I could do more."

"You've already done so much, Sir... Thank you very much."

Mark gives me a small smile and sighs again. He has been doing this a lot recently, I believe.

"Anyway, if you need anything, you have my number and you can call me," he concludes.

We then head out of his private playroom and as we reach Master Aaron's office, an overexcited Shannon suddenly barges out and lunges himself at his man, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"I'm going to work at the Black Diamond from now on!!!" he squeals, burying his face Mark's chest.

Of course, that reminds me of the awkward move I made just a few minutes ago and I can't help envying Shannon a little bit. Or a big lot. Mark's arms felt so good around my small frame... I felt safe and warm. I love Shannon's energetic hugs too because they are full of affection. In both cases, I love the attention and care emanating from their cuddles, but I just don't understand this desire I have to get both. It's like they'd complete all my needs... Damn! My thoughts are so confused at the moment!

All the same, what strikes me the most in that sweet moment between the Dominant and his Submissive is the weird expression on Mark's face as he slowly turns to scowl at the Master Dom who is standing in the doorway of his office. I guess my boss wasn't expecting such news...

Published on 23 May 2016