Faye Turner glanced at the time in the corner of her computer screen. Panic went through her when she saw it was 4:45; meaning she only had fifteen minutes to finish editing the draft at hand. Today had been a long, stressful day. The morning had started out quiet, but as soon as twelve o'clock came around she was swarmed with work. She was given six drafts to proof read and revise by five o'clock. It had taken her all day, even having to skip lunch, in order to meet her deadline. The first five drafts had very minimal and easy mistakes, it was a quick read through; but she wasn't so lucky with the last draft. Faye found herself practically rewriting the entire thing, making her stress about finishing it on time. She could hear heels clicking down the aisle between the cubicles and she knew exactly who it was.

"Faye," her voice came from the entrance to the cubicle.

Faye looked turned to see her boss standing there. Regina Adams. Her red hair was pinned in a tight bun; her lips pursed tightly making the wrinkles around her mouth stand out. Faye was sure that her eyebrows were permanently fused into a stress ridden scowl. She didn't look up from her Blackberry as she spoke to Faye.

"Do you have those drafts done?"

"Almost; I'm working on the last draft now."

Regina looked up from her Blackberry, giving Faye an unhappy look before looking at the watch on her wrist.

"Five o'clock is the deadline. Hurry up." She went back to her Blackberry as she spun on her heel and walked away.

"Yes ma'am," Faye said as she left.

Once she was gone, Faye let out the breath she was holding in. Regina intimidated her beyond belief. Faye was positive Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada was inspired by Regina Adams. Faye, and everyone else at Lion Head Publishing, walked on eggshells when it came to Regina. Faye had seen her fire people on the spot because their work was not up to her standards. Regina was very intimidating and very critical, but maybe that was why she was so successful.

Faye finished the editing of the last draft and sent it, feeling a huge wave of relief when she saw it was only 4:53. She began cleaning her desk, it was Friday and she was more than ready for the weekend. At five o'clock, Faye had her bags in her hand and was out the door. She had just made it out of the building when her phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"Jesus Christ," her best friend Lili's voice came through the phone. "I am so fucking ready for a drink."

"Me too," Faye agreed. "I'm getting into my car now."

"Okay, I'll meet you at The Red Rock."

The friends said goodbye and Faye pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the local bar. She got caught in rush hour traffic, but decided not to let it get to her. She turned up her radio and softly sang along with the music. She was finally at the light, waiting for it to turn green so she could go through the intersection, when her phone rang again.

"I'm stuck in traffic; I'll be there in ten," she said, thinking it was Lili calling her.

"Where is 'there'?" a deep voice came through the phone.

"Oh, Matt," she was surprised to hear his voice. "I'm on my way to The Red Rock to meet Lili for some drinks."

"How long will you be there?"

"I don't know; a while."

There was a bit of a pause before he spoke again.

"I'll be at your apartment at nine thirty. Be ready; you know I don't like to be kept waiting."

Without a goodbye, he hung up. Faye wondered what he had planned. They never went out in public together. Usually they stayed at her place; very rarely they would go to his house. Faye decided to not worry about it; she trusted him and wasn't going to stress herself out.

After battling traffic, Faye finally arrived at The Red Rock. She found Lili's car and parked next to it. The bar was at its usual pace for early Friday night. She spotted Lili inside sitting at a booth and made her way over.

"Hey," Lili stood to greet her friend with a hug. She was wearing her usual work attire; black pants, black shirt, and black shoes. Her hair was a bright pink this week and her makeup was done flawlessly. Faye was always envious of Lili's makeup abilities; cosmetology was a very fitting career for her. "How was the drive?"

"Got stuck in traffic," Faye said as she slid into the booth. "But other than that, fine."

"How was work?"

Faye rolled her eyes. "So stressful. I'm so glad it's over and I can have a drink to begin my weekend." She grabbed the beer Lili already had ordered for her and took a drink. The amber liquid was bitter, but it was just what she needed.

"Was Hitler harassing you?"

"No, thank God."

"I still can't believe she doesn't know you have sleeves," Lili said, referring to Faye's tattooed arms.

"And she never will." Faye tugged on her blazer. "I was surprised she hired me with my lavender hair."

Regina ran Lion Head Publishing with an iron fist, but the employee's were pretty diverse. Most of the younger employee's, and some of the older ones, had some sort of attention grabbing qualities; most of it being hair colors or wardrobe. Faye was the only one with a wild hair color, her entire head being lavender; but she was afraid if she showed her sleeves Regina would fire her. So in order to prevent that, she wore long sleeves every day.

"Clearly, she could see how awesome you were and knew she wanted you on her team."

"Yes," Faye laughed. "That's exactly how it was. How was your day?"

"I almost killed a bitch," Lili answered. "These fucking sixty year old women came in and wanted me to do their makeup."

"Well, that is your job." Lili was a MAC cosmetologist.

"Yeah well, they already had makeup on, and a lot of it. They fucking looked like Drag Queens, and not pretty ones. They bitched the entire time, and then after dealing with them for almost two fucking hours, they didn't even buy anything!"

"I'm very sorry you had to deal with that," Faye laughed, "but now we can drink and forget our shitty day."

"Yes." They clinked their bottles together and took a few gulps. "So there's a new club opening tonight."

Faye knew what kind of club she was talking about, and it wasn't your usual night club. It was a club for BDSM. Faye and Lili were both involved in the world of BDSM; Lili was the one that introduced Faye to that way of life. It wasn't something they openly talked about with people, so they were both glad that they had each other to confide in.

"Oh?"

"Mhmm. It's called Peau, which is apparently French for skin."

"Are you going?"

"I wish, but I have to work tomorrow morning. You should go."

"Mmm," Faye scrunched her nose.

"Come on," Lili rolled her eyes. "You never go to the clubs anymore."

"I know, but Matt would probably get mad if I went. And besides, I don't want to go by myself."

"Why would he get mad?"

"He's possessive. He doesn't want guys talking to me or anything."

"Yet he can have multiple subs."

"Lili," Faye groaned.

"No, it's bullshit! He keeps you under his thumb, but he can have however many girls he wants and do whatever he wants. It's bullshit."

"I can't make him leave his other subs."

"You can leave him."

"I don't want to, you know that."

"Have you talked to him about collaring you?"

"No," Faye mumbled.

"Why not?"

Faye shrugged. "Haven't had the chance."

Lili shook her head. "I regret introducing you to him."

"Come on, Lili. He's not that bad."

Lili looked at her friend, not wanting to further the argument. "Whatever, let's drop it."

The two friends sat at their favorite bar, drinking and laughing for the next few hours. They paced themselves and didn't drink so much that they wouldn't be able to drive home. They talked about the usual things; gossip, food, sex, what they were going to do this weekend. The friends didn't need to 'catch up' with one another, they spoke every day and saw each other a few times a week. Faye looked at her phone, seeing no missed alerts but realizing that it was almost 8:45.

"I have to get going," Faye told Lili as she brought out her wallet.

"Hot date?"

"Kinda. Matt's picking me up at nine thirty; I don't know where he's taking me."

"Probably out to the woods to kill you then fuck your corpse before he gets rid of your body." Faye shook her head as she tossed some cash on the table.

"You always know how to paint the perfect romantic image for me."

"It's what I do," Lili shrugged, also paying for her drinks. The two headed out of the bar and to their cars.

"Have fun tonight," Lili told Faye. "And I swear to God, if he starts driving into the woods, call 911."

"Oh, shut up," Faye laughed as she hugged her friend.

When they pulled away, Faye fixed her shirt, making the collar move to reveal a nasty rope burn on her neck.

"Jesus Christ!" Lili moved Faye's collar to see the burns. "Did he fucking do that?!"

"We got a little carried away," Faye shrugged her off.

"A little carried away?! Faye, I've fucked with ropes before and I've never gotten burns like that."

"Like I said, we got carried away."

"If he doesn't know how to properly use ropes, then-"

"He does, Lili," Faye was annoyed now. "He would never hurt me."

Lili stared at her friend. She was very concerned about Faye. Lili was no stranger to what could happen in a Dom/Sub relationship; but she feared Matt and Faye's relationship was going too far.

"I just…worry sometimes," she told Faye.

"I know, but you have nothing to worry about."

Lili stayed quiet for a moment. She wasn't sure if she believed that. She trusted Faye, but she didn't trust Matt. He could be very rough, as the burns on Faye's neck proved. Matt was Faye's first real Dom; she was afraid that her friend might be naïve to things that would normally set off warning signals to others.

"Okay," Lili finally said. "Call me later so I know you're home safe."

"Will do," Faye promised.

The friends parted ways and got into their vehicles, leaving the bar. Faye's journey home was quiet and uneventful; just how she liked it. She arrived at her apartment a little past nine; giving her plenty of time to freshen up before Matt showed. She stripped out of her work clothes, smiling as she admired her colorful arms in the mirror. That smile faded when she looked at the rope burns, not only on her neck, but on her torso as well. The one on her hip wasn't too bad, but the one on her ribs was very painful. Her shirt had rubbed it all day, making it raw.

While she wasn't exactly happy about the burns, she knew she deserved them. A few nights ago, Matt and Faye were doing a rape scene with ropes. She wasn't acting as scared as he would have liked, so as punishment he loosened the ropes ever so slightly so they would rub her skin raw. It had hurt, a lot. The screams and cries she was letting out were real and full of pain. Of course, she could have safeworded, but she didn't. If the pain had really been too much she would have safeworded and Matt would have stopped. But she didn't and she had the burns to remind her of her punishment.

Shaking her head, she went to her closet and grabbed a dress. She slipped it on over her bra and panties, making sure the neckline covered her burn. Her undergarments weren't anything special, just a cute thong and a light pink bra. Matt didn't fuss over lingerie, he'd much rather her be naked. Faye thought about that for a second, smiling as she decided to surprise Matt by not wearing any panties. She slipped off the thong and tossed it aside, going to the bathroom to fix up her hair and makeup.

Faye touched up her blush, lipstick, and around her eyes; making sure her fake eyelashes were securely glued. Her hair was down, but she wanted it up; pinning it in a cute, messy bun. As she was slipping her sandals on, there was a knock at the door. She hurried out of her room to the front door, glancing at the clock and seeing that he was right on time. Pulling the door open, her stomach did flips when she saw him standing there.

He wore his usual attire; dark jeans, black t-shirt, and backwards hat. He didn't smile at her, didn't give her a hug or a kiss; he simply walked past her into the apartment. Faye wasn't hurt by his actions. This is what he did every time; she was used to it. They only kissed when they fucked, and even then it was rare. Kissing and hugging were sensual and passionate, soft even; and Matt was anything but soft.

Matthew Sanders was what most women dreamed of. Six foot two, muscular body, tattooed everywhere, and to top it all off, perfect teeth and hair. He was also a fire fighter, adding to the fantasy women had of him. He had a good career and a good life; he made his parents proud. At thirty one years old, he was a handful of years older than twenty year old Faye; but age wasn't a factor in their relationship.

Their 'relationship' was very unconventional to normal standards. They were in a Dom/Sub relationship; Matt was the dominant and Faye was his submissive. They didn't talk everyday; usually Faye only heard from Matt when he wanted to fuck. Faye knew the basics about Matt. He had a mom and a dad and was the oldest of three boys. Matt knew nothing about Faye's personal life; he just didn't care. They never said 'I love you', or expressed any kinds of feeling towards one another. Faye knew she had some feelings towards Matt, but she didn't think it was love. She knew Matt had to have some sort of feelings towards her or he wouldn't keep her around.

"Ready?" he asked her. His voice was deep and gravely. Along with his hard stare, he was rather intimidating.

"Yes," Faye nodded.

Faye grabbed her bag and they headed out, but not before she locked up. Matt's truck was waiting in the parking lot. He drove the kind of truck people would expect him to; a black Dodge 1500, lifted up with rims to finish it off. Faye was rather content with her Volkswagen Beetle, but it was very obvious that Matt wanted to be noticed.

Faye climbed inside, making sure to cover herself so she didn't flash her lady bits to anyone that might be watching. Matt didn't bother opening her door or helping her in; instead he climbed into the driver's side and turned the truck on. He pulled out of the parking lot, surprising Faye when he didn't start driving in the direction of his house.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, Doll."

Doll was what he called her. He had only called her Faye a handful of times, and that was only at the beginning of their relationship. Sometimes Faye wondered if he called her that because he had forgotten her real name. She sat quietly, knowing not to ask any more questions. The ride was silent, only the sound of Iron Maiden filling the cab. She could smell his cologne; it was musky mixed with a delicious spice. She loved the way he smelled. Sometimes he smelled like fire, but that was only if he was called to a fire on duty and didn't have time to shower before going home.

They drove downtown, past all the little cafes and shops until they were in the empty, dingy part. Lili's warning about him murdering her popped in Faye's head, but she quickly dismissed it. Matt would never hurt her. Matt pulled into a side street parking spot and parked. He didn't say anything as he climbed out, leaving Faye confused as she followed. He was waiting on the sidewalk for her; his eyes scanning her body as she walked closer.

"You look nice," he told her.

"Thank you." She was surprised by his compliment. He never told her things like that. She was even more surprised when his hand held hers as they walked down the empty street. They walked silently, hand in hand, until Matt stopped in front of a building.

"Matt, where are-"

She stopped when she looked at the door. The brick building looked to be abandoned from the outside; there was no activity happening. The glass windows and door were blacked out. The only thing giving away the buildings identity was the small, simple script writing on the door. Peau. Faye looked at Matt with wide eyes.

"It's a new club," Matt told her. "I figured we'd go for our one year since we met at a club like this."

"One year?"

"We met one year ago today."

Faye couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. This was by far, the sweetest thing he had ever done or said to her. He had remembered the day they met when even she hadn't remembered it. It hadn't felt like a year, but when she thought about it, it was. They met only a few weeks before her twentieth birthday, and her twenty first was just around the corner. She couldn't help but hug him, and surprisingly he hugged back.

"Let's go in," he gently pulled her off.

Faye nodded and Matt led her into the club. It was dark inside, as most clubs like this were, with spotlights illuminating the different showcases on view. Faye could see that there were rooms you could go in where more private things happened. It had been a year exactly since she had been in a club, so she felt that nervous excitement all over again.

Matt brought her to the bar and ordered them some drinks. He paid the bartender and handed Faye her glass. The two sat silently as they watched people; Matt's arm firmly around her waist. It was his way of claiming her since she had no visible signs of ownership.

"What about her?" Matt said in her ear as he pointed to a red head across the room.

Faye's eyes went to who he was pointing to. The girl looked trashy. Her red hair was curled and she had way too much makeup on. She wore cheap pleather clothes, trying to seduce a Dom. Faye had to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"No."

It annoyed her to no end when Matt asked things like that. He wanted to bring in a third party with them, but that was a hard limit for Faye. She didn't want to share Matt when she had him, and she had no desire to do anything sexual with a woman. Faye already had to share Matt with other Subs, but not at the same time. He had two other Subs that she knew of, and one Sub in 'training'. She didn't like that Matt had multiple Subs, but the only thing she could do to change that would be to leave Matt, and that wasn't something she wanted to do. She found some comfort knowing that she was his favorite. Matt spent most of his time with her, only going to the others when Faye was busy. But that didn't eliminate the desire to be the only one.

"Come on," Matt dragged her from the bar to a spotlight where a crowd was beginning to gather.

The showcase was just starting and Matt and Faye were front and center. Faye's eyes scanned the crowd, envy going through her when she saw every woman with a collar. She wanted a collar more than anything. She didn't want it because it was pretty; she wanted it for what it meant. It showed that she belonged to Matt, that she was his one and only. It showed that she pleased Matt so much that he wanted her collared, that he wanted to own her, possess her. But they had never talked about collaring, and Faye didn't know how to bring it up.

The crowd shifted as two people walked through; a man leading a woman. The man was tall and strong, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans; his hard chest was lightly covered with dark hair. The woman was naked, wearing only a blindfold over her eyes; her blonde hair hanging down her back. The man was leading her through the crowd by a chain clamped onto her nipples. Faye could see how tight the clamps were even from the distance. The man led her to the center of the circle, sitting her on a medieval looking chair. It was metal, with hinges so it could fold in half or spread open to lay flat. There were straps at the top and straps at the bottom, useful for restraining whoever was being tortured.

The man grabbed her hands, bringing them above her head and strapping them in place. He unfolded the chair so she was lying flat, locking it into position. He pushed the chair up so she was standing, but she wasn't tall enough. Her body was being stretched; she was forced onto her tiptoes. He spread her legs wide, strapping her ankles in place. Faye could see some people in the crowd shifting in their places, getting aroused by the sight in front of them. The man removed the blindfold, making the woman squint and blink rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. Even with her body painfully stretched, she was relaxed; her full trust in her Master. He tugged on the chain, pulling on her sensitive nipples and making her let out a low whimper as she tried to squirm.

"Do you like clamps, Slave?" he asked her; his dark eyes boring into hers.

"Yes, Master," she said breathlessly.

"Good." He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a thin, short, metal rod with a tiny clamp on the end. He squeezed it, making the clamp open and close. "Let's see if you like clamps on your pussy."

He attached the clamp to her clit, making her let out a cry of pain and pleasure. Faye knew that feeling. The feeling of something hurting so much it felt good. Once he had it on, he flicked it. The moan that left her mouth was of pure pleasure. Faye began to shift, heat throbbing in her core. The way the Master spoke to his Slave, the way she responded to him, the way they were enthralled with one another; it was the most sensually erotic thing Faye had ever witnessed.

Matt's large hand gripped her hip as he discretely rubbed his arousal against her behind. Faye leaned against his broad chest, savoring the feeling. His free hand moved to her front, going up her dress and to her warmth. Faye didn't worry about what people would think if they saw. The truth was, nobody would even care that Matt was touching her so intimately. She gasped when his fingers touched her wet warmth, forgetting she wasn't wearing underwear.

"No panties?" he growled in her ear.

She tilted her head to the side to look at him. His dark eyes locked with hers, his jaw clenched hard. He was mad. Faye quickly returned to the scene in front of them, feeling rejected when Matt's hand left her as he shifted back so they weren't touching at all. A loud gasp brought her attention back to the couple in front of her. He had flipped the chair so the woman was virtually upside down. He stood over her face; his legs on either side of her head.

"I'm going to fuck your mouth, Slave," he told her. "Open wide."

She immediately did as her Master asked. As soon as her mouth was open, he pushed himself in, not caring that she gagged. His hips moved fast, pushing in and out. Her eyes clenched tightly as she endured the pain of his dick slamming into her throat. Spit and precum began to slide out of her mouth, dripping down her face. Some of the people in the crowd had begun pleasuring themselves or others, but Matt's distance from Faye remained.

The man pushed his full length into her mouth, waiting for her to stop gagging before reaching up and repeatedly flicking the clit clamp. Her screams of pleasure were muffled by the dick in her throat. Her legs began trembling, shaking as her orgasm built. When her legs stilled and a loud, low moan filled the space, everyone knew she had came. The man quickly pulled his dick from her throat, stroking himself as his hot cum squirted all over her face, dripping down as she hung. Once he was done, he flipped her right side up. Her chest heaved as her tired, weak body hung from the restraints. The man turned and faced the audience, for the first time acknowledging the crowd. His dark eyes fell on Faye.

"Care to join, Slut?"

Faye's eyes widened and her mouth hung open to answer, but she couldn't find her words. Matt roughly grabbed her hips and moved her behind him, showing the man and everyone else that Faye was his. The man nodded at Matt and moved on. Matt harshly grabbed Faye's wrist and pulled her through the crowd, not caring that he was getting stares. He didn't let go of her once they were on the street, just kept dragging Faye until they were at his truck. He pulled her forward, pinning her between him and the truck with his arms on either side of her head.

"You are in so much fucking trouble," he seethed. Faye could see the fury in his eyes. "Get in the fucking truck."