Connor leaned forward in his seat. “What the fuck was that with Ria?”
“What?” The bigger man scowled at him.
“She went racing into danger without a thought to her own safety. And you basically smacked the back of her hand and told her not to do it again.”
“What the fuck do you want me to do?”
“Take her into the dungeon, tie her to a spanking bench and take a paddle to her ass until she understands that her safety is priority and taking stupid risks won’t be tolerated.”
A dawning comprehension filled Ajax’s face. “You think she’s a sub.”
“Of course, she’s a sub.” It was perfectly obvious. How could Ajax not see it?
Ajax shook his head. “Well, she’s not. Or at least that’s what she believes. She doesn’t play. She’s never gone into the dungeon apart from when she was shown around during orientation. I don’t have the right to punish her as a sub.”
He raised an eyebrow. “No? So, you pick all your employees up and carry them around like unruly toddlers?”
Ajax growled. “My temper got the best of me.”
Right. Ajax was well known in the community for his calm nature. It’s why Roarke had sent him here.
“That girl watches over everyone else like a mother hen and doesn’t give a shit about her own safety,” Ajax muttered. “You think I don’t want to lay some discipline on her ass? Make her see how important she is?”
Connor could see the torment in the other man’s face. He should have known there was a reason he was holding back. Ajax could be patient, it took a lot to rattle him, but when something needed done, he wasn’t afraid to act.
“So, she always acts like that?” Connor asked him.
Ajax nodded. “From what I’ve seen. Yeah.”
“What’s her background?”
The other man shrugged. “She never talks about her past.”
“Roarke’s last manager hired the bouncer who let those idiots in?”
“Yeah, Jeremiah talked a good talk, but he also turned a blind eye to a lot of things. We lost a lot of membership when he was charge. I’m slowly turning that around but he managed to alienate a lot of people.” Ajax sat back in his chair, which creaked under his not insignificant weight. “I’m not surprised that she raced in to help Sophie. She and Ria are good friends. They were hired at the same time. They’re my only waitresses who don’t work in the dungeon.”
“They sign contracts?”
“Yeah. But only because their employment comes with a membership to the club. If they don’t enter the dungeon, the contract doesn’t go into effect.
Ajax sighed. “Look, as much as I’d like to ensure that Ria doesn’t do that again, there’s not much I can do.”
Maybe he couldn’t. But Connor could. If he were willing to take that step.
“Both women are subs,” he told Ajax.
Ajax nodded. “I agree.”
He thought Ajax would be a good Dom for Sophie, if they ever realized the other one was interested. The big Dom would protect the sweet little sub. Hmm, when he thought about it, Sophie was actually the type of sub he wanted for himself.
Yet he wasn’t attracted to her in the least. Which was just as well since Ajax was.
Still, it was a little unnerving to realize the person who’d caught his attention was pretty much the opposite of what he was looking for.
3
Damn man. Couldn’t he sit somewhere else?