Scene 3: The Conversation
Candi led him to the plush, shadowy corner of the lounge where her two subs still knelt at her feet, awaiting her attention with the quiet devotion of those who knew their place. She gestured for Nick to sit beside her. The velvet cushions seemed to cradle him, and for a moment, he forgot about the pounding in his chest. The air around her felt different—heavy with the weight of her presence, but not unwelcoming.
“Comfortable?” she asked, eyes flicking over him with that sharp, assessing gaze.
Nick nodded, but his mouth was dry. "Yeah. I—" He paused, running a hand through his hair nervously. He hadn’t expected this. He’d imagined it would be more like the movies—bright lights, busy rooms, people loudly declaring their dominance and submission. But this? This was intimate, private. The music thrummed in the background, but the space felt more like an oasis than a club.
Candi raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his hesitation. “You don’t seem like the type to be shy. What’s really going on in that head of yours?”
The question was direct, but it wasn’t challenging. It was more like an invitation, like she knew there was more behind the nerves. She was used to seeing people like him—curious, uncertain, but willing to explore the edges of something they couldn’t name.
“I guess... I’m just not sure what to expect,” Nick admitted, his voice low. “I’ve read a lot. Watched a lot. But... the idea of actually being here, being part of it, feels different.”
Candi’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “It always does. Theory is easy. Reality? That’s where the true test is.” She paused, watching him carefully. “And you’re still figuring out what part of this you want to claim for yourself, aren’t you?”
Nick exhaled slowly, feeling exposed but strangely at ease in her company. He didn’t want to feel like he was being analyzed, but with her, it was hard to resist. There was no judgment in her voice, only a quiet recognition of the dance he was trying to start.
“I guess I’m trying to figure out what I need,” he said, almost to himself. “What I’m looking for.”
Her eyes sparkled with something that could have been amusement, but there was no mockery in it—only the same sharp insight that had seen through him from the moment she laid eyes on him. “That’s the hardest part, isn't it? Knowing what you need.”
Nick felt the weight of the words settle over him, like a cool breath on his skin. What did he need? He’d been searching for answers for so long, but had he ever really asked himself that question?
His gaze flicked over the two kneeling subs at Candi's feet—one of them, a woman with long brown hair and pale skin, was gazing up at her with absolute adoration. The other, a man, was keeping his head low, his posture stiff but reverent. Neither of them looked uncomfortable, but neither looked free either.
“Do you—” Nick started, then hesitated, unsure if he should even ask. “Do you... need them?”
Candi’s expression softened, but there was still a firmness to her. “We all need something, Nick. Everyone in this room has their own reasons for being here. Some seek freedom, some seek control. Some, like me,” she said, gently tapping the silver riding crop across her lap, “need to feel the weight of power and the freedom that comes with it. Others want to relinquish it.”
He nodded slowly, trying to absorb her words. “So, it’s about balance?”
“Balance?” She considered it for a moment, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Not always. Sometimes it’s about finding what you can’t live without. What makes you feel most alive.”
Nick didn’t know how to respond. She made it sound so simple, yet everything about this world—about them—felt like it was wrapped in layers of complexity, each one he hadn’t even begun to peel back.
“But what if...” His voice trailed off again. “What if I don’t know yet what I want?”
Candi leaned in just a little, her face inches from his, and for a moment, he swore he could feel her presence pressing against him, like the weight of her attention was pulling at him, urging him to speak the truth. “Then take your time,” she said softly. “No one here expects you to have it all figured out in one night. In fact, if they do, they’re in the wrong place.”
Nick’s heart seemed to slow, the pressure in his chest easing as he absorbed her words. It was strange, this sense of being seen—truly seen—by someone who didn’t even need to ask all the questions. She’d already read him. She already knew his fears, his uncertainties, and yet, she wasn’t judging him for them. She was offering him space to breathe, space to be.
“Do you ever get tired of it?” he asked, his voice quieter now, uncertain but more honest. “Of always being the one in control? Don’t you ever want to just... let go?”
For a moment, there was a flicker in her eyes—a brief flash of something raw, something that Nick wasn’t sure he should be seeing. But just as quickly, it was gone.
“Everyone needs to let go sometime,” she said, her voice soft but filled with a quiet authority. “Even me. But that’s not something you offer easily, is it?”
Nick took in the words, letting them sink in. Maybe that’s what had kept him from exploring this life earlier—the fear of giving up control, of surrendering to someone else’s will. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that yet, but here, with her, he felt like he might be one step closer to understanding what it could mean.
“Maybe,” he said, the word lingering between them, “maybe I’m just trying to figure out what I really want to give up.”
Candi smiled again, a glint of something almost predatory in her expression, but there was no malice behind it. “Well, you’ve come to the right place, Nick. This world—my world—will help you find that answer. But you’ll need to be honest with yourself first.”
Nick nodded slowly. For the first time since he’d walked through those doors, he felt like he might be able to keep up. Like maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t as intimidating as he had imagined.
“Let’s take it one step at a time, then,” she said, standing with a grace that made it look effortless, her heels clicking on the floor as she moved. “But first... let me show you how it’s done.”
Her subs stood, one rising with a subtle reverence, the other hesitating just long enough to let Nick feel the weight of the room settle back into place.
Candi turned to him one last time. “Watch. Learn. And when you're ready... you’ll know exactly what you need.”
As she moved, commanding the space with effortless authority, Nick’s heart beat louder. There was so much more to learn. So much more to understand.
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