“And rips everything to fucking shreds. You think Maddox gives a fuck if we bond? No. It makes his job easier if we don’t get along.” Deacon smirked. “Don’t be surprised if he holds you and Shiori up as an example of how mutual animosity can work.”

“Fuck off.” Their hostility had been supplanted by sexual heat. Not that anyone had noticed the difference.

Maybe because there isn’t a difference.

They’d grappled as usual. Bickered, although not as much. In the past four days Shiori touched him at random times. Just a soft brush of her hand on his neck or shoulder. If he needed to tell her something he spoke directly in her ear, knowing how it affected her.

But they hadn’t been alone together since the night at his place. He’d half hoped they’d spend tonight together, but he hadn’t heard from her all day. Being a new sub, he wasn’t sure on protocol; if he could call her first or if he was supposed to wait for her summons.

You sure this is what you want? Waiting on her to decide if she’ll deign to see you?

“Knox?”

He glanced up to see Deacon scowling at him. “What?”

“Who else we waiting on?”

“Blue and Fisher.”

Deacon raised his eyebrows. “Fisher? He never goes out with us.” He paused. “Ah, hell, does he have some kind of fetish I don’t wanna know about?”

“No clue. I just know he and Ivan have gotten tight.”

Blue and Fisher walked into Diesel together. Blue, as usual, wore a dour look that warned people not to cross him. Or even speak to him. Fisher, on the other hand, was smiling for a change. He’d joined Black Arts as a boxing trainer for the MMA program and had enrolled in classes two years ago, mostly to learn defensive moves in the ring. While boxers did okay in MMA matches, there was a reason it was called mixed martial arts and not mixed boxing styles.

“Fisher, my man. You’re gracing us with your presence tonight?”

Fisher and Deacon did some hand-slapping, fist-bumping, half-man-hug thing. “I’ve been working most Saturdays, and by the time I knock off at dark, I’m too damn tired to do anything. But since I just pushed paperwork today, I thought what the hell. I’ll see if I can find a chick who has a fetish for my cock tonight.”

Knox laughed. “I’ve never been to this club, but I’ve heard it’s more an amateur ‘see and be seen’ wearing weird clothes than a place to explore real fetishes.”

“I went one other time with Ivan, and there are some kinky things going on.”

“Like what?” Fisher asked.

“Now, why would I spoil the surprise, eh?” Blue said.

“Who’s driving?” Deacon asked.

“I’ll drive if you don’t mind sitting on construction plans and tools in my truck.”

Blue took shotgun. Knox and Deacon climbed in the back of the truck’s cab. Deacon and Fisher talked about Fisher’s construction business. Blue chimed in. Knox stared out the window and checked his phone to see if Shiori had messaged him.

Talk about pussy whipped. And you don’t even know if her pussy is worth it.

After they pulled onto the freeway, Deacon poked him on the arm. “What?”

“You’ve been off all week. Did you go to Twisted like I told you?”

“Yeah.”

“You get out of your rut?”

Knox withheld a grin. “Like you wouldn’t imagine.”

“You wishing you’d gone there tonight instead?”

“Nah.” Even if Shiori were there, they’d have to pretend to be coworkers. It sucked they couldn’t be out anywhere. “What about you, D? What fetish you hoping to see?”

“Not a fetish guy. I don’t care what the outside wrapping looks like. I wanna see tits and ass.”

The club was in a sketchy part of Denver. The upside was plenty of free parking. The place looked packed, from what Knox could see as they walked up the sidewalk.

Ivan checked IDs at the door. A beefy ex-football player gave clubgoers the evil eye as they passed through the door. Ivan grinned when he noticed them approaching.

“Looking snappy in that suit,” Deacon drawled. Another round of MMA hand jive and man hugs followed.

“Thanks for coming. My father gave me his VIP table tonight.” He handed out laminated cards. “Flash this at the guard by the balcony.”

“Which table we looking for?”

Ivan groaned. “It’s the one with the birthday balloon taped to it.”

“Your dad is making you work on your birthday?” Fisher asked.