The entire ride to the club, all forty-five long minutes of it, had been in stressful silence and her nerves were drawn tight. Her heart beat damn near out of her chest as Joe opened and held the door for her.

Liz, the club receptionist, made small talk as she processed their membership cards. Sandy hoped she had smiled appropriately. Though she tried, she really hadn’t listened to a word she’d said.

Her emotions were a tumbled mess. She’d managed to turn what should have been an exciting night out into a major disappointment for Joe.  There was so much going on in their lives that it was hard to switch gears. She’d wanted to stay home and work on some of her chore list. They had family coming into town and their to-do list seemed several miles long.

Joe was having none of it. He was determined to get their D/s back on track and to hell with anything else. Her naughty parts cheered, but her head was filled to capacity with daily minutia. She just couldn’t clear her mind enough to focus on submission. As crazy as it may sound, submission came from a place of strength and lately she hadn’t had any.

Nothing seemed easy any more. As soon as she checked one thing off their ‘to-do’ list, four more were added. They’d never get ahead and taking precious hours to drive to the club for a scene just seemed… Frivolous. It felt like a giant stop watch was forever ticking in her head. She’d told him all those things, but he insisted they come anyway.

As she started toward the ladies changing room, Joe caught her arm. “Pet, we’re you listening? They’re remodeling and getting away from gender specific areas. The restrooms and locker area is this way.”

Sandy nodded stiffly. She was more out of it than she’d realized. “Sorry. I was lost in my head.”

Joe moved his grip to the nape of her neck and stopped them in the middle of the hallway. “Try that again.”

What? Oh, shit. She’d forgotten where they were. “Sorry, Master.” Heat infused her cheeks.

Sometimes she felt like a fraud. They didn’t live in a strict protocol, 24/7, lifestyle. It was always there in the background, but the rules were relaxed unless they were in a scene-or at the club.

He stared at her long and hard. “Not good enough. Nose to the wall.”

Here? In the middle of the hallway? Tears sprang to her eyes as she reluctantly turned to the wall. She heard rustling and wondered what he was doing. Was she going to be punished further?

“Master Joe! Good to see you.” Sean, the owner of the club, said from somewhere close behind Sandy.

Embarrassed further by friends seeing her in trouble, her stomach dropped. Even her ears felt hot. She knew her face was crimson with shame. Damn, Joe. He was taking this way too seriously. She’d only forgotten to use his title. It wasn’t that big of an infraction. Her hands balled into fists.

“I see you’re busy. We’ll catch up later.”

Joe tsked. “You’re not going to make this easy on yourself, now are you?”

Sandy barely heard the rush of air before the knuckles on her left hand were struck. So surprised and startled, she pulled her hand to her chest and turned to face Joe. Her hand throbbed like a son of a bitch.

“Did I tell you, you could move?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him he was being an asshole and walk back out to the car, but that wasn’t their way.

“No, Master.” She rubbed her stinging hand briefly and returned to face the wall.

“Someone’s been bad girl,” said a high pitched, sing-songy voice followed by a volley of giggles.

“Get out of here, Marla,” Joe said, sternly.

Sandy’s spine stiffened and a roaring settled in her ears. Marla, the twenty-something that might weight 110 pounds and most of that was the silicone surgically implanted in her breasts and ass? Marla, the flirty twat, that has offered to sub for Joe anytime he wanted to try a third?

She started to ball her fist again, but the sting reminded her that was a bad idea.

“Open wide,” Joe whispered.

Reluctantly, she obeyed. Why couldn’t he just swat her ass or something else that wouldn’t announce to the entire club – SANDY IS BEING PUNISHED like the bright red ball gag. She closed her eyes as Joe pulled it so tightly that even after he removed it, she’d be sporting marks along her cheeks from the straps.

“Brace your hands on the wall,” he ordered, a moment before he walloped her ass with a paddle five times in quick succession.

Sandy struggled not to cry out. Searing heat radiated from her ass and she silently begged Joe to caress the pain away, but punishments didn’t work that way. Her legs felt wobbly as Joe slid the wooden paddle into his bag.

He grabbed her around the bicep and turned toward the privacy rooms. Their normal routine was to meet at the sitting area near the bar and chat for a few minutes. She’d sit on his lap or kneel at his feet. There’d be a few minutes to wind down or wind up as the case may be, but not this time. She felt off kilter at the change.

He led her into a room that had way more glass than she was used to. Normally they played in rooms that only had a small piece of glass in the door. This one was more open than private. It also had a giant clock on the wall that made enough noise it could be heard over the music of the club. What was up with that? How distracting! What was Sean thinking putting that thing in here?

“Strip,” Joe ordered, as soon as he closed the door.

She wanted to argue. Yes, the room was near the end of the hallway, but she’d be on total display. Since she was ball gagged, she turned and pointed to the open view- only to notice it was one way glass. Anyone could see in, but they couldn’t see who was watching. Her stomach did a nasty flip.

Joe raised an eyebrow. “Clearly you need an extended lesson on obedience. Now stand here.” He pulled her directly in front of the glass. “Submission is more than hot kinky scenes. It isn’t always easy and it shouldn’t be. That’s boring. You want me to take control and push you out of your comfort zone. To enforce my will.”

Yes, but not like this – she wanted to argue.

“Time is ticking, Sandy. The longer you stall the worse it’s going to be.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

Damn it. Just damn it. Fine. She closed her eyes and began undressing.

A sharp smack lit up her cheek and Sandy spotted the damn crop poised in Joe’s hand. “You’re not hiding in your head tonight, angel. You’re probably not going to enjoy this evening, but you need it. We need it. You’re going to keep your gaze directly on our audience, unless I tell you otherwise.”

She’d never wanted to close her eyes so much in her life. He was right – submission wasn’t always easy. Sandy stared at the mirror finish, grateful she couldn’t see who was watching.

“That’s better. Now strip,” Joe ordered, in an unyielding voice.

Usually during scenes his tone was intimate. He was firm, but there was an undercurrent of warmth. Not this time. She felt on edge and completely at his mercy – like he wasn’t taking her desires into consideration at all.

Her hands shook as she untied her corset and let it slide down her body. She stepped out of it and took a step toward the counter. Joe grabbed her arm.

“You were told to stand here and strip. I didn’t give you permission to move.”

She looked at him in surprise. He’d never been so strict.

“Eyes. On. Our. Audience.”

She forced her gaze back to the mirror. He had to quit saying that. She didn’t want to think about people seeing her. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly trying to get a handle on her emotions.

Joe took the corset from her and waited as she removed her shoes and leather mini.

She watched in the reflective glass as he placed them on a blanket in the corner of the room.  It dawned on her the room wasn’t well equipped. It had a whipping post and a set of stocks. No bed. In fact it didn’t have a single flat surface except for the tiny counter surrounding a small sink.

“You told me, you couldn’t relax. That you couldn’t get in the zone because there was a stopwatch in your head that refused to let you alone. Is that right?”

She nodded, slowly. She glanced at the reflection of the big clock on the wall and it began to make sense. Joe had asked Sean to put it there. Oh, this wouldn’t be good.

“That doesn’t work for me, angel. I’m your Dominant – period. It doesn’t matter if life is a breeze or if it’s in the toilet. I’m still your Dominant. That doesn’t change. And you’re my submissive. You don’t get days off. You don’t get to flip a switch and decide to shut me out. That’s not the way it works. Is it?”

Sandy shook her head.

Joe strolled over to his bag and pulled out a hair clip then handed it to her. “Put your hair up. You’re not going to hide your body from me in any way tonight.”

As she twirled her hair into a make shift bun, she tried to figure out what was happening. Joe was different tonight. The room he’d chosen was different. The protocols he expected were different. Part of her wanted to rip out the ball gag and ask what the hell he wanted from her, another part wanted to rush into his arms and be held and yet another wanted to curl into a ball and cry.

“I told you we were going to focus on our D/s. I thought if we scened more often, we’d get things back in order fairly quickly. It didn’t happen. Our scenes are great, but the next morning you’re as stressed as ever. Your walls are up as soon as your eyes open each day. I’m not having it angel. Not between us.”

She shifted her weight and struggled to keep her gaze forward.

“That’s why I chose this room. No walls. You’re going to remember this tomorrow. As you wake and your mind starts to replay our evening, you’ll remember standing completely naked into front of the entire club because I told you to. You’re not restrained. You could cover up. You could leave. But you aren’t going to do that. You’re going to submit to me. You’re going to do as I ask because you respect me and choose to submit to me. Even when it’s hard. Even when the clock inside your brain ticks as loud as fuck and urges you to work on other things.”

Tears clouded her eyes. Even when he was being a bastard, his actual objective was to tighten their bond. Why did she always push back? Why couldn’t she shrug off the daily shit?

“Do you hear the ticking of the clock on the wall?” he asked, standing a foot off to the side and staring down at her with his arms crossed over his chest.

She wished he’d move directly in front of her and block her from the damn glass, but no. He was proving a point.

Sandy nodded.

“Listen to it. Let it seep into your pores. It’s going to be your constant companion tonight.”

Oh God.

“You’ve been standing here, on display for six minutes while we chatted. Now, I know that eight is your favorite number so you’re going to stand here patiently for two more. No moving. No fidgeting. No hiding. For one hundred and twenty more ticks of time you’ll going to stand there and let our audience admire your naked body.”

A second, then two ticked by. “Right now, they’re probably staring at your gorgeous breasts and wondering when I’m going to get around to torturing them.” He chuckled. “Stand up straight, angel. There’s no hiding tonight.” He pinched her nipples viciously.

She sucked in a tortured breath and forced her legs to hold her up as the movement of the second hand on the clock seemed as loud as a jack hammer. One hundred and twenty. God, that was an eternity.

“Only forty seconds have passed. Twice that left. I’m sure there’s quite the crowd out there – staring at my beautiful submissive. My beautiful, shy submissive who never likes to be undressed in the club. Yet, here she is. standing completely bare – because I wish it.”

Her stomach knotted. He needed to stop reminding her. It was bad enough to stand in front of what appeared to be a mirror. Looking at her naked body was already an act of submission. He didn’t need to bring anyone else into the equation.

His hand explored her pussy and she knew what he’d find. Heat rushed to her face. As he pulled his hand from between her legs, she saw the wetness reflecting off the lights.

Joe’s smile deepened. “Yes, angel, this is exactly what you needed.” He held his hand beneath her nose. “Do you smell your arousal?”

She closed her eyes and received a sharp swat on her breast..

“No hiding,” he reminded her. He wiped his palm on the ball of the gag and turned it in toward her tongue. “Maybe that will remind you to be an obedient submissive.

He knew she hated tasting her own wetness. Damn him.

“Oh, that look is going to cost you angel.” He dipped one finger, then a second into her pussy. When he pulled out, he slid his wet fingers along her cheeks. “Inhale deeply, pet, and smell how aroused you are.”

She wished she could quit breathing entirely, but that was impossible. Several expletives came to mind.

He gave her breast another stinging swat which forced her to suck in a gulp of air. “You will obey one way or another. The choice is yours.”

“I suspect you’ve forgotten all about the clock.” A moment later he chuckled and she knew her reaction must have given her away. Joe was always good at reading her.

“We can’t have that. Sean went to a lot of trouble to set this up for us tonight.” He took her breast in his hand and began to squeeze her nipple. “I’m going to increase the pressure as the seconds tick by.”

Each time the clock hand moved the bite along her tender flesh increased. It was quickly becoming uncomfortable.

“As my submissive, I’m well aware of how much pain you enjoy and when it shifts from delicious to something more. Now if we were just enjoying a scene, I’d stop about now, but this evening is a lesson in obedience. It’s your first night of remedial training.”

Sandy groaned. It hurt, but his words kept her in the zone. She danced on that fine line between pain and arousal. With each tick she expected it to cross over to real pain, but somehow he kept her hovering right on the edge.

“I was wrong to not take this step earlier.” He sighed and released her nipple.

As the blood rushed back in and the pain ratcheted up, she expected him to rub or kiss the ache away, instead he slapped the side of her breast again.

“Have you wondered why I haven’t swatted your ass?”

She nodded.

“Because you like it.” He chuckled. “Training is to help you be successful at something you struggle with. Well my angel, you struggle with putting us first. You struggle with obeying me when the stopwatch in your head won’t leave you alone. So we’re going to have training sessions every night until obeying your Master is as natural as breathing.”

She heard what he was saying, but she couldn’t quite comprehend the meaning. Training? Every night? What would that entail? Was he serious?

He shook his head. “I see those wheels turning. You’re likely thinking about that ‘to-do’ list of yours and wondering how we’re going to squeeze it in. Well, that’s easy. We aren’t. We’re going to focus on your training and if there’s time for anything else-great. But chores and project lists are no longer a priority,” he decreed. “You think about that while I get ready for your next lesson.”

She watched as he pulled the stocks in front of the two-way glass. Next, he lowered the pillory to about four feet.

“Is your jaw beginning to ache?” he asked.

She hadn’t noticed it before, but since he mentioned it, YES. She nodded, hoping he’d remove the damn thing.

“Good. Maybe it will remind you to stop arguing with me.”

She whimpered, but felt her clit begin to throb.

Joe unlatched the clasp and raised the top section of the pillory. “Assume the position, pet.”

Pet? He almost always called her angel. He was doing it on purpose she decided. He’d barely touched her and normally, he remained in constant contact. Tonight, he was taking away all of her crutches. All of her comforts. He was forcing her to mentally choose submission.

She turned toward the stock and received another searing whack on her breast.

“Did I tell you to turn away from our audience?” he asked, sternly.

She shook her head then pointed toward the stock in hopes he’d understand she was simply following his directive.

“You’re capable to walking backwards. I’ve seen you do it.”

She stared at him incredulously. He couldn’t be serious.

“I foresee a long training session for my dear submissive,” he said, with a sigh.

“Return to your spot.”

Reluctantly, she complied.

“Hold your breasts in your hands like you’re offering them to our audience.”

She didn’t like touching herself. That was his job. It just seemed weird. She wanted to touch him. He knew that, yet he chose this punishment anyway. Because he knew she hated it. A tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She could safeword. She considered it, but his words replayed in her mind. Submission isn’t easy. It’s a choice. Was she his submissive only when it felt good or was she his submissive even when it was hard?

Sandy cupped her breasts and lifted them in offering. Anger simmered below the surface, but she wasn’t sure who she was angry with – Joe for pushing her buttons or with herself for needing his help to find her submissive mindset again.

“Pinch. Hard.”

She shut off her mind and simply obeyed.

“Ease,” he ordered. A tick of the clock went by. “Pinch.” Tick, tick. tick. “Harder.”

She groaned, but obeyed.

“Ease.” Tick, tick. “Make it hurt.” Tick, tick, tick, tick. “Ease.” Tick. “Now milk them for thirty full second in rhythm to the clock.”

Heat infused her cheeks. Wetness dampened her thighs. Humiliated, yet aroused she followed his orders and tried to shut the rest of the world out.

“Good girl. You can stop. Now walk to the stock without disobeying me.”

She used the mirror to know where to step. As she moved into place, she realized the pillory was lower than her shoulders. She’d have to stoop to get into place. God, it was going to kill her back and force her ass into the air.

Just do it. Don’t think about it. Once she was in place, Joe pulled the top section into place. The wood was cold on the back of her neck and a shiver ran down her spine.

“Spread your legs. I’m going to take your ass while our audience watches.”

She shut her eyes. He couldn’t. Not with her standing up and stuck in stocks.

The crop swatted her tender nipple and caused her to jump.

Fuck that hurt!

“I’ll just lay this here,” he said, as he placed the crop on top of the pillory. “Seems like I’m going to need it.” He rummaged through his bag and pulled out the anal beads. “If I remember correctly, these are your least favorite-which makes them perfect for tonight.”

He squirted lube along the length of the toy and around her ass before he unceremoniously began to push them inside.

“If we were scening I would have prepared you a bit more pet, but that’s a privilege you won’t enjoy during training.” He picked up the crop and began to swat her breasts in time to the clock ticking. “I’m sure our audience likes to watch your tits sway as the nipples harden. I know I do. Can you imagine how tender they will be tomorrow?”

She could and it made her even wetter.

When she feared she couldn’t take another swat, he shoved in another bead.

“You know these last few months, it seems like we take one step forward…” in went another bead, “and two backward.” He pulled on the beads until two slid out of her. “Don’t you agree?” He pushed in three, then pulled out two.

Her ass burned. Her nipples ached. Her clit throbbed. And she ceased to care about the ticking clock.

“Do you know why I have your head downhill?”

Because you’re a sadistic bastard? Good thing she was gagged and she hadn’t be able to actually voice her first response. Instead she simply shook her head.

“So I can watch you drool. You probably can’t see it, but there’s a lovely puddle on the floor.”

Her pussy clenched and her chest tightened making it hard to breathe. Oh, my God. People were watching her drool on the floor. Before she could fully take in the complete humiliation, Joe ripped the beads from her ass.

He unlaced his leathers and slid a condom over his impressive cock. Next, he reapplied lube. As she mentally prepared to have him invade her naughty hole, he turned back to his bag and pulled out a cock ring with a dildo attachment.

Another toy he knew she hated. He was well endowed and had absolute control. The cock ring was simply a way to ensure the dildo moved along with him – filling her to total capacity.

She had no control – outside of using her safeword (or safe gesture as the case may be). Her only option was to submit.

“Eyes on our audience. I want them to see my pet’s face as she takes my cock up her ass and remind her that I own this body. It’s mine to do with as I please.”

Sandy noted the hint of strain in his voice. His cock was huge. Yeah, he was helping her find the right mindset – but he was enjoying himself along the way. And that’s why they were perfect for each other.

She stiffened as the head of his cock pushed past her rim. Thankfully, he held still and allowed her to adjust to his invasion. A few ticks of the clock went by before he adjusted the dildo and slid it inside her pussy. The angle was tough and the fullness bordered on too much.

“Look at you. You’re so beautiful.” He took the crop and gave each nipple a sharp swat. Before the pain subsided, he angled the crop and smacked her clit.

A strangled cry escaped around the gag.

“Oh yes. I like that sound better than a ticking clock. Sing for me, pet.” He set a punishing rhythm. In and out of both her ass and pussy all while he swatted her clit.

As she neared release he paused. “While you’re in training, you won’t find our sessions much to your liking, but I will allow you to come if I think you’ve earned it.”

Slowly, he started moving again. “I bet they can smell your arousal all the way outside. Do you still taste it? Does it still fill every breath you take?”

Sandy groaned. She was so close. Each swat took her a little higher. She felt like she was climbing a mountain by her fingertips.

“Yeah, you earned this pet.” He gave her three direct swats that sent her tumbling into oblivion. The world shattered into a million shimmering gemstones. A few more strokes and she heard Joe’s harsh shouts and his cock pulse deep inside her.

Time was meaningless as she slowly floated back to reality. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? It didn’t matter. Eventually, she noticed she was no longer in the stocks. She was wrapped in a blanket and cradled in Joe’s arms.

“I know I was hard on your tonight, my angel, but it’s needed. We can’t let the stress keep us apart.”

“You’re right. I’m trying, Master. I really am.” She curled deeper into his arms.

He kissed her forehead. “I know, baby. We’ll get you there.”