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pretty good idea what use meant. Dear God. Kari stepped back. She really didn’t know this man at all.
    Her hands were still cuffed, she realized with a jolt of fear.

    24 Cherise Sinclair
    “Dan—oops—Master Dan, I mean.” A pretty blonde in tight jeans and an emerald green, low-cut blouse hurried up. “Z wants you to join him for a few minutes, if you could. Something about a club membership.”
    “Of course.” Master Dan turned to Kari, and she took another step back. His eyes narrowed before he turned to the blonde. “Jessica, I disciplined Sally for mouthing off, and now Kari’s terrified. She’s probably convinced I’m a white slave trader. Can you stay with her and reassure her while I’m gone?”
    “Only if you’ll agree to join us for supper next Friday.”
    “Works for me. Sure.” Pinning Kari in place with a hard look, he closed the distance between them. He stroked a finger down her cheek, sending a thrill through her.
    She swallowed hard, unable to look away from his penetrating gaze. The man had just scared her spitless, so why did his touch still make her all quivery inside?
    He smiled, as if he could feel her response. After unhooking her hands from behind her back, he strode off toward the front of the room. Tall, straight shouldered, gorgeous—and more frightening than Hannibal Lector. She was in way over her head here.
    “Ready for some female company?” the blonde asked, following her gaze.
    “I would be very grateful.” Kari stuck a hand out. “I’m Kari, and what you’d call a newbie, I guess.”
    The woman took her hand, gave a strong squeeze. Like Sally, she wore leather cuffs. Fur-lined, but lacking any ribbons. “I’m Jessica, and I’m past newbie status, but I haven’t been in the scene very long. Let’s have a drink and talk.”
    The circular bar was nearly deserted with only two beginners hovering at one end, and three dungeon monitors at the other. Kari slid onto a wooden stool beside Jessica.
    In the center, the giant bartender concocted a fancy drink, humming to the soft music of Pachelbel’s “Canon.” In dark brown leathers that matched his thick hair, he had a rough face of blunt angles and a solid jaw. After delivering the drink to a newbie, he sauntered over to Kari and Jessica.
    Leaning a big arm on the bar top, he gave Kari a long, slow look that made heat rise in her cheeks. “Little subbie, do you want another rum and Diet Coke?”
    Would speaking get her in the same kind of trouble as Sally? What were the darned rules in this place? “Just Coke, please.”
    He didn’t yell at her. Instead, he turned to Jessica. “Margarita?”
    “Yes, thank you, Master Cullen.”
    His laugh boomed through the bar. “So formal. Setting a good example for your friend?”
    Jessica grinned.
    Master Cullen set the drinks in front of them, gave Kari another of those looks , and left to take another order. Her face heated. Jeez. With a rueful smile, she glanced at Masters of the Shadowlands: Dark Citadel

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    Jessica. “I swear, I’ve spent most of my time here blushing. And sometimes I’m not even sure why.”
    Jessica laughed. “If you mean Cullen, some of the more powerful Doms can make you turn red just by looking at you.”
    “Well, no wonder then.” This place was obviously littered with strong Doms. Her mind turned back to what had caused the worry gnawing away in her stomach. “Tell me about Sally. When she messed up, Master Dan gave her to some Dom—any Dom—
    to use . That seems like almost rape.”
    “But it’s not.” Jessica held up her wrist. “Did you see the ribbons on her cuffs?”
    Kari nodded.
    “They show what kind of activities a trainee is into. Red for serious sadomasochism, yellow for milder pain like spankings, blue for bondage, and green for sex. If she had a green ribbon, she was all right with being given to any Dom here.”
    “Oh.” Wow. What would that be like, to be just handed over to someone? Kari took a hefty gulp of her