Chapter 6: The First Encounter

Master William Steele rarely rushed anything.

Not business.

Not discipline.

Not desire.

Patience was one of the many things that made Him dangerous.

From the private observation balcony overlooking the main dungeon floor, He stood silently beside the smoked glass railing with one hand resting loosely around a crystal tumbler of bourbon. The low amber lighting cast shadows across His sharp features while the sounds of Fantasy drifted upward beneath Him — muffled moans, soft music, the rhythmic crack of impact scenes echoing through His kingdom.

His dark eyes followed movement below with calm precision.

Always observing.

Always assessing.

Which was why He trusted Master Damian’s instincts completely.

Damian never brought unnecessary distractions to Him.

So when Damian had quietly approached Him earlier that evening, arms crossed and blue eyes thoughtful, Steele paid attention immediately.

“There’s a woman downstairs you should notice,” Damian had said casually.

That alone was unusual.

Steele had lifted an eyebrow slightly. “Should I?”

A faint smirk touched Damian’s mouth.

“She’s Olivia’s best friend.”

“And?”

“She’s new. Nervous. Curious. But not in the usual way.”

Steele had taken a slow sip of bourbon, waiting.

Damian leaned one shoulder against the doorway of the office.

“She watches everything,” he continued. “Not with fear. With hunger. She’s trying to understand the dynamics, not just stare at the scenes.” A pause. “And she responds instinctively.”

That caught Steele’s attention more fully.

“Instinctively?”

Damian’s smirk deepened slightly.

“She called me Sir without thinking.”

Interesting.

“And?” Steele asked again calmly.

Damian looked directly at Him then.

“She feels like your type.”

Steele had almost laughed at that.

Almost.

Because very few people presumed to know His type.

Yet Damian knew Him better than most.

“Beautiful?” Steele asked dryly.

Damian folded his arms. “Very.”

Now, nearly an hour later, Steele finally saw her for Himself.

Ruby.

She stood near the edge of the main dungeon beside Olivia, clearly trying to appear composed while quietly absorbing everything around her. But it wasn’t merely her beauty that held His attention.

Though she was undeniably beautiful.

Long dark brown waves cascaded over bare shoulders, soft against the elegant black dress hugging her curvy body perfectly. Her dark eyes carried mystery and intelligence beneath the nervousness while those sultry red lips seemed almost sinful beneath the dim lighting.

And her body…

Christ.

Curved hips.

A lush, round ass that would fit perfectly beneath His hands.

Soft feminine lines that contrasted deliciously against the poised restraint she tried so hard to maintain.

No exaggerated arrogance.

No desperate need for attention.

Just nervous curiosity wrapped in temptation.

Steele felt the first sharp spark of hunger low in His chest.

Unexpected.

Immediate.

Dangerous.

“She’s watching the rope scene,” Damian murmured quietly beside Him now.

Steele noticed.

Ruby’s attention remained fixed on a suspended submissive below, her breathing slightly uneven as she watched the rigger’s calm control. But what interested Him most wasn’t arousal.

It was recognition.

Something deep inside her already understood surrender.

Steele could see it.

The way her thighs pressed together subtly.

The way her breath caught whenever a Dominant gave a quiet command.

The way her eyes softened when she witnessed trust instead of pain.

She wasn’t fascinated by cruelty.

She was fascinated by control.

And that…

Was far rarer.

“She doesn’t know what she’s looking for yet,” Damian said softly.

“No,” Steele agreed quietly. “But she feels it.”

As though sensing His attention, Ruby finally looked upward.

Their eyes met across the club.

The effect was instantaneous.

Ruby froze completely.

Steele watched the sharp intake of breath part her lips as surprise flashed across her face. Heat bloomed visibly beneath her skin while those dark eyes widened for half a heartbeat before she instinctively lowered them again.

Submission.

Natural.

Unrehearsed.

Steele’s jaw tightened slightly.

Interesting indeed.

“Careful,” Damian murmured beside Him, amusement threading his voice. “You’re staring.”

Steele ignored him.

Because Ruby had looked back up again.

This time slower.

Tentative.

And when their eyes locked fully…

The air between them shifted.

Steele descended from the balcony several minutes later with the same composed confidence He carried everywhere. Guests moved instinctively aside as He crossed the dungeon floor, some bowing heads respectfully while others watched Him with open admiration.

Ruby noticed every step.

By the time He stopped in front of her, she looked simultaneously mesmerized and terrified.

Good.

Not fear of Him.

Awareness.

Steele studied her quietly for a moment before speaking.

“First night at Fantasy?”

His voice was smooth whiskey and control.

Ruby swallowed visibly.

“Yes, Sir.”

Another sharp spark hit Him unexpectedly.

Her voice carried softness, sincerity… and something achingly submissive beneath the nerves.

Steele held her gaze steadily.

“And what do you think so far?”

Ruby hesitated, clearly trying to gather coherent thoughts while standing this close to Him.

“It’s…” Her breath caught softly. “Beautiful.”

Not shocking.

Not dirty.

Not frightening.

Beautiful.

God.

Steele felt hunger curl harder through Him.

Because she saw exactly what Fantasy truly was beneath the kink and seduction.

Trust.

Connection.

Power willingly surrendered.

He stepped slightly closer.

Not enough to touch.

Just enough for tension to ignite.

Ruby inhaled sharply again, and Steele noticed the immediate effect His proximity had on her body — the subtle rise of her chest, the way her lips parted, the tiny shift of her thighs beneath her dress as though trying to relieve sudden pressure.

Desire.

Instant.

Unfiltered.

And when His fingers finally brushed lightly against her wrist…

Ruby gasped.

The reaction traveled through her visibly, like electricity racing straight through her body and lower between her thighs before she could hide it. Steele felt it too — that dangerous crackling chemistry neither of them expected to happen so quickly.

Her pulse fluttered wildly beneath His fingertips.

Steele’s control remained perfectly intact outwardly.

Internally…

He already knew Ruby Bennett would become a problem.

Because for the first time in a very long while…

Master William Steele wanted.