On the Edge of Fear Read online

  Taking another minute to get her breathing back to normal, she glanced around. The crowd that had surrounded the gazebo had moved on to other activities so she took a moment to look for a mark. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone standing still like she was. That was such an oddity that she glanced his way. Ice poured through her veins.

  Standing at around six feet, the guy had cold gray eyes and a hard, firm mouth. His eyes were on her. That wasn’t good. Needing to get out of his eyesight, she turned to the left and darted into a shop. Only to want to dart right back out when she came upon rack after rack of chastity belts. What was with these people?

  Afraid the guy was still out there, she tried to act like she was browsing. A man at the counter watched her. “Can I help you?” he asked in a somewhat amused voice.

  “Just looking.” And not touching.

  “If you need sized, let me know.”

  Dear Lord. Heat flooded into her cheeks and she nodded while walking along the lines and lines of belts. Stainless steel, leather, beaded, chainlink… candy? They made them out of all sorts of things. Each one looked incredibly uncomfortable. So why had her core just clenched? It wasn’t about the belts. No. Maybe it was the scent of leather in the air. She’d always enjoyed that smell. Yes. It was the leather. She was not kinky. Besides, she’d only done sex stuff to support herself.

  After what she hoped was a suitable amount of time, she walked out of the shop. Gray Eyes was gone thankfully, but the scare with the cute spanker and then with Gray Eyes reminded her she needed to stay alert. These people were scary. What would they do if they caught a pickpocket?

  A loud thwap came from her left somewhere quickly followed by a wail.

  Bottom line. She was not going to get caught.

  A man in a richly brocaded coat walked by, laughing loudly, with a leash in his hand. The leash was attached to a collar that lay around the throat of a robust woman with frizzy red hair and overdone makeup. Sticking out of his pocket was the green of money. Bingo.

  Casually she walked in a similar direction. The woman the leash was attached to gave her the opportunity she needed when she stopped moving and turned to her left. The man stopped and turned in the same direction. Alexis quickly reached into the opening of his pocket and pulled out the cash sitting there. She didn’t stop but veered to the right so as to not come into his view. A bathroom stood in front of her and she entered it and went into a stall. His money clip was cheap, but he’d brought a lot of cash with him. Her eyes bugged out as she counted five hundred dollars.

  She had her money for the week and then some. After dropping the money clip into the composting toilet, she pulled up her camisole and stuffed the cash into her money belt, which lay flat under her admittedly flat breasts. She was barely an A cup. Five minutes after going in, she walked back out. The man and the woman on the leash were gone, which hopefully meant he hadn’t found that his cash was missing yet. It would be best if he found out far away from her.

  Her stomach gurgled as she walked by a food vendor, but she ignored it. Fair food was astronomically expensive. There was no way she was wasting her money on… Oh. Her eyes fell on a bright white and pink sign above a rounded dark pink building. A Taste of Twink. Images of cupcakes danced on each side of the name. Perhaps she could afford a cupcake.

  She stepped through the door into a small area with a huge display of wonderful looking cupcakes in front of her. Pink icing, green icing, yellow icing. It all looked delicious.

  “Coming,” called a male voice from the back and a tall man with twinkling green eyes and hair as black as hers walked up to the counter. “Hi. Welcome to A Taste of Twink. What sweets are you looking for?” The guy was campy and had a million-dollar smile. Alexis found herself smiling back.

  “They all look good. What are they?”

  He gave her an overview of each of the selections and her stomach rumbled loudly. He laughed. “Sounds like someone’s hungry. Which one do you want, honey?”

  “How much are they?”

  “Five dollars for the small ones. Seven-fifty for the larger.”

  Damn. Five bucks for a tiny cupcake was steep. She rubbed over her money belt. No. She couldn’t indulge that much. “Thanks,” she said, grimacing. “My stomach will just have to grumble.”

  His green eyes turned thoughtful. “Saving for a toy?”

  “Huh? No. It cost a lot to get in. Feeding myself is a bit over my budget,” she said with a shrug.

  “Oh, honey. We can’t have that.” He waved at the display. “Which one do you like?”

  “Oh. I can’t—”

  “Shush. I own this place and I can give away a cupcake. Which do you want? I highly suggest the strawberry and lime with the sriracha kick. But if you don’t like severe heat, how about the heated melon?” He pointed toward the soft green icing that had what looked like blushing buttocks on top. “It has lemon cake, sweetened ginger filling, and melon buttercream.”

  “The melon.” It never made sense to her that she could steal from unknown people but the moment someone was nice to her, taking something from them—even if offered—felt wrong. It made her feel as low as she was.

  “Here you go, honey. Enjoy.” He handed her a box with a see-through lid. The buttocks stared right up at her.

  “Thank you,” she managed to say and left quickly. Her stomach growled again and she walked around the building, relieved to find a big opening of nothing with no people. One bite of the heavenly cake and she gobbled it down. It was amazing. She’d probably never have anything that good again.

  Get used to it, Alexis. It’s who you are.

  So why did she sometimes want to be someone else?

  Chapter Four

  “Here you go.” Ryan put the to-go container down on Alec’s counter. “Sorry it’s so late. The spanking booth got busy.”

  Alec, a burly man with short-cropped brown hair, hazel eyes, and a myriad of tattoos that coated his arms and shoulders, grinned. “Good for you. How’s that going?” He opened up the container and began to eat. As it was almost two in the afternoon, Ryan couldn’t blame him for being famished.

  “Good. It was constantly busy for two hours before I took a break to run food. Good thing too.” He flexed his fingers. “My swinging arm was getting tired.” Now that he’d had a couple hours to rest he wanted to get back there. He rather hoped the cute raven-haired girl would ask for a spanking. Or at least come up to him. “Alec?”

  “Hmm?”

  “If you see someone you’re attracted to, and you know you might never see them again if you don’t do something, what do you do?” Ryan was pretty outgoing, but he’d never met someone that attracted him like that. He felt gawky and all of ten-years-old. Of course there was the chance she wouldn’t come by and his nerves were all for naught.

  Alec sat back, a twinkle in his eyes. “Saw someone you’re interested in?”

  Ryan nodded and scuffed his boot against the floor. “She’s really pretty.”

  “Food,” Alec said succinctly. “Invite her for some food. There are tons of eateries. Feed her, find out where she’s from, what her interests are… basically show her you’re interested. And if things go well? Invite her back tomorrow. We all have passes for friends and family if we want to use them. Give her one to bring her back. Ask Luke to cover your food run.”

  The first idea was good. The second, not so much. There was no way his twin would come anywhere near the Faire. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Hey. If James comes past your booth? Tell him what a cute puppy he is. He wants to come to the Faire as a puppy, but he’s scared shitless about it too.”

  “Will do. Well, enjoy your meal. I’m off to spank some more asses.”

  “Enjoy,” Alec called after him.

  When he put his money case under the ledge of the gazebo, he noticed Melanie was back. Her friends weren’t around and she stood fidgeting several feet away. “Hey,” he said with a wide grin. “Come back for more?”


  Heat flooded her cheeks but she nodded. “Can you do the leather one this time?”

  Thrilled that he hadn’t scared her off, he waved toward the bench. “Two bucks. Come on, wench.”

  She laughed, and shoved a ten in his hand.

  “Hold on and I’ll get your change.”

  “No,” she said, her face turning beet red. “I want five. I want to feel it for longer.”

  That he could do. He flipped up her skirt, slightly amused that her panties had changed. No longer of the full-on brief variety, they were a bright fuchsia and would look good next to her paddled skin. Remembering Kendrick’s lessons on keeping a sub off center, he leaned in, letting his breath tickle her ear. “Much better, wench,” he said. “No beautiful woman should wear granny panties. These look much better hugging your ass.”

  She squeaked and a large grin crossed her face. Good. All women needed to know how beautiful they were. That was one of Kendrick’s maxims. “Physical beauty is not important, Ryan. Yes, you want to be attracted to the woman you make your girl, but every woman is beautiful and should know it. Show a woman her beauty and she’ll walk taller. Show a woman her beauty and she’ll follow you anywhere.”

  He raised the leather paddle and brought it down hard on her ass. She squeaked and he barely gave her a moment to breathe before he brought it down again. With only five blows, he barely turned her ass pink, but when she stood up, her eyes were bright and she was grinning from ear to ear. “Thank you,” she said in a hushed kind of whisper. “I… I liked it.”

  “Good to hear. Where are you from, Melanie?” Another one of Kendrick’s maxims. Never forget a sub’s name.

  “California. Me and my friends are up here vacationing and heard about this place. It’s wild and… exciting.”

  “It is. Have you ever been involved in kink before?”

  She shook her head. “No. I mean, I’ve read a few romance novels about it, but I didn’t realize people actually did it. How do I…?” Melanie grimaced. “How do I find people at home who do it?”

  He pulled out his phone and showed her websites to find kink clubs in her local area. “Call and ask about newbie nights. And feel free to ask for a mentor. If they’ve been in the lifestyle for a while, they should be more than willing to help. If they ever tell you that you shouldn’t ask questions, or make fun of you for asking questions, run far, far away.” He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Find the right people and I think you’re in for a major life change. Kink changes you for the better. It lets you live life as the real you.”

  They spoke for a couple more minutes and she dashed off to meet her friends. Pleased he’d helped open someone to kink, he turned to clean the bench and spotted the girl from earlier. The raven beauty stood about ten feet away watching him. Excitement raced up his spine and he glanced around to see if anyone was waiting for a spanking. With nobody looking his way, he looked right into her eyes. They were a deep, deep chocolate brown.

  “Hello, again,” he said as he finished cleaning. Ryan took in the fact that she was not dressed for kink. Her tight blue jeans and camisole top made her stand out. Given her demeanor, which told him that she was trying to be part of the backdrop, she’d worn the wrong clothes. “Back for a spanking?” He may have sounded a bit more hopeful than he’d intended.

  Her soft olive skin turned a little pink and she shook her head. She didn’t run away, though, so he casually stepped off the gazebo, walked halfway, and stopped. He didn’t want to spook her. “I’m Ryan.”

  “Lexi.”

  What a sexy name. He could imagine saying it while he played with her. The thought sent excitement rushing to his groin and his cock began to fill. In his pantaloons, the reaction was evident. Her eyes flicked down, widened, and her cheeks turned a deep red.

  Shy. Conservatively dressed. Definitely a newbie to kink.

  “Enjoying the Faire?”

  Her eyes flicked back up to his and amusement danced in their depths. “Well, it’s not what I expected.”

  “Oh?” What had she expected from a kink event?

  “I thought it was a renaissance fair.”

  He laughed, imagining her shock when she realized it was no regular renaissance fair. “What gave us away?” he asked in a teasing voice.

  She giggled and he delighted in each husky note. Lexi took a step forward and shrugged. “It’s been interesting.”

  “And you feel trapped,” he guessed. “Since you can’t leave until five.”

  “Sort of. It’s not been bad. More like I’ve received a massive education.” She fidgeted a little and he searched through his mind, looking for anything to say to keep her from walking away.

  “Have you tried the food yet?”

  “I had a cupcake from A Taste of Twink. It was good.” Her words sounded stilted, though he wasn’t sure why.

  “Oh yeah. Slate’s food is fantastic.” He took a breath, remembering Alec’s suggestion. “I’ve got another couple hours here at the booth but I’d love to talk some more. Would you like to go to dinner afterward? My treat.”

  A small smile curved up the corners of her mouth and she nodded.

  “Awesome. Want to stick around? Or are you off to be shocked more?” He winked and loved it when she laughed. It was huskier than her giggle.

  “I think I’ll walk around a bit, but I’ll be back at four?”

  “Perfect.”

  She glanced around and then sort of scuttled away, as though she didn’t want to be seen. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Raucous laughter caught his attention and he spotted Kendrick walking toward him, Becca in tow with a pout on her face. “Ryan,” Kendrick called as he strode forward. He was striking in his white shirt, black pantaloons, and knee-high boots. Every bit their pirate king. “I have a wench in need of a paddling. Might I use your services?”

  “Of course, my lord,” Ryan said, getting back into character. “She looks like she could use one.” Becca stuck her tongue out at him and yiped when Kendrick smacked her ass.

  Kendrick handed him thirty dollars. “Ten smacks with the small wooden one, I think.”

  Becca straddled the bench and Ryan saw the way she lay down, as though protecting herself. He leaned in. “Is she okay?”

  Kendrick gave him an easy smile. “She’s fine, Ry. Make sure and get a hit on her pussy while you’re at it. My wench needs a lesson.”

  While Ryan had practiced spanking on Becca, he still had the feeling something was wrong and wasn’t sure he should be the one doing this. On the other hand, he trusted Kendrick—he would never harm a sub, let alone his own—so Ryan grabbed the thin wooden paddle and flipped up her skirt.

  Ten sharp smacks later, Becca was sobbing softly which was very unlike her after what was a light spanking. When he helped her off the bench, she sunk to her knees. “I’m sorry, my lord,” she whispered to Kendrick.

  “And?” Kendrick said in a hard voice.

  She turned toward Ryan. “I’m sorry, Sir.”

  Ryan wasn’t sure what she had to apologize to him for, so he smiled.

  Becca burst into tears and Kendrick went from strict Dom to loving partner instantly. He knelt next to her and pulled her into his arms. “It’s going to be okay, love. The doctor told you to expect this. Go ahead and cry.”

  Doctor? Ryan took a reflexive step backward. “Is she okay?”

  Kendrick looked up and nodded, his blue eyes twinkling. “She’s pregnant.”

  “Oh.” He glanced between the two of them. “Congratulations.”

  She offered a tremulous smile. “Thanks, Ryan. Sorry. My emotions seem to change by the moment. You did really good with the paddle. You’ve been practicing.”

  “I’ve had a lot of practice today,” he agreed.

  A sob of a laugh erupted from her throat. “By the end of the summer, you’ll be as good as Kendrick.”

  “Come on,” Kendrick said and pulled her gently to her feet. “I think you should relax. Why don’t you go back to the cabin for a couple h
ours? No,” he said quickly when it looked like she might disagree. “Two hours minimum, Rebecca. Then you can rejoin me.” He pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “Take care of you and our baby. Okay?”

  “Yes, my lord,” she said.

  She walked toward the opening to the township and Kendrick watched her go.

  “Pregnant,” Ryan said and shook his head. “You two are going to be fantastic parents.”

  “Hope so. It will definitely be a change. How’s the booth going?” Kendrick turned and leaned against one of the gazebo’s pillars.

  “Good. It was steady before I had to break to get lunches. Becca’s the second spanking I’ve done since I got back.”

  “Speaking of lunches,” Kendrick said, “is that too much? I want you to enjoy yourself, Ryan, not run yourself ragged. There are several people who can take over the food duties if you don’t have the time.”

  “I enjoy it, though.”

  With a laugh, Kendrick smacked his shoulder. “Spoken like an overachiever. You definitely belong with us. Well, let me know. The Peters’s daughter is back from college and is looking for something to do.”

  “It might be nice to have some help,” Ryan admitted. “I didn’t get Alec’s meal to him until two o’clock.”

  “Good enough. I’ll call her.” A beep from Kendrick’s communication unit almost made Ryan jump. Kendrick reached down and pushed a button. “This is Kendrick.”

  “Got a problem in On Your Knees. We could use you.”

  “On my way.” Kendrick winked at him and strode away. It was not surprising that people parted ways as he walked toward them. He had that aura that told anyone and everyone that he was in charge.

  Ryan wondered what kind of Dom he would be once he’d figured everything out. Would he be like Kendrick who radiated power? Or like Alec who came across all easy going unless he was in scene.