Anastasja moves to a new city and decides to visit the local BDSM club. On her first visit, she catches the eye of DM and gorgeous Dom Ace Jackson. When circumstances throw them together, he asks her to scene with him. But neither of them expect their explosive chemistry…
Age Rating: 18+ (Content Warning: BDSM)
A Love Like This by Laila Callaway is now available to read on the Galatea app! Read the first two chapters below, or download Galatea for the full experience.
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1
Anastasja moves to a new city and decides to visit the local BDSM club. On her first visit, she catches the eye of DM and gorgeous Dom Ace Jackson. When circumstances throw them together, he asks her to scene with him. But neither of them expect their explosive chemistry…
Age Rating: 18+ (Content Warning: BDSM)
Original Author: Laila Callaway
Despite her wide eyes taking in every inch of the bustling club, Anastazja Gajeski doesn’t notice the heated gazes that land on her.
Her heart is beating too fast, her breaths too uneven, for her to acknowledge their interest.
She bites down on her bottom lip and heads straight for the bar. She has a ticket, allowing her only one drink at the bar, and apparently, it’s going to have to be used now.
As she takes a long sip from the pornstar martini, she wonders if this was a mistake.
There’s a band on her wrist that says ‘Taken.’ It’s protecting her from the advances of any Doms in the area and she’s grateful for that.
Ordinarily, she’d love their attention. But this is her first night at this club.
It has taken her three months of living in this city for her to seek out a club to sate her BDSM needs.
It’s not the first time she’s been to a club like this. She used to visit the one in her hometown before she moved here.
She even scened a couple of times, but without finding the right Dom for her, she mostly stuck to voyeurism.
It’s harder than you think to find the right pairing. Some Doms expect too much of her, others cannot meet her own expectations.
She is the first to admit that she has a specific set of requirements and that she isn’t the perfect sub.
She doesn’t like playing with a lot of different Doms, she’s looking for a long-term relationship, one that can be had outside of the club, too. Not all Doms want that.
She told herself that she’d come tonight to check it out. She chose a ‘taken’ band to take herself off the market and allow her to look around without distractions.
Anastazja takes another sip of her cocktail and drags her gaze around the room again. It’s your typical BDSM club, similar to her old one, except with slightly more tasteful décor.
People are in all sorts of different outfits. She chose a modest, short black dress tonight, not wanting to attract attention.
Little does the blonde bombshell realize, not attracting attention is impossible with her beauty.
Her arrival piqued the curiosity of many members when she entered. Her dead-straight, blonde hair falls down to her waist.
Her eyes are hypnotic, icy blue to the point that many people ask if she’s wearing colored contacts. Her skin is pale and creamy, her features angular yet attractive.
She is noticeably of Eastern European descent, which only adds to her beauty.
Anastazja finishes her drink and quickly pulls out her phone to message her sister. She sends a brief text, cursing her for pushing her into doing this.
She takes deep, calming breaths and tells herself it will be easier the next time she comes. She’s only this nervous because it is her first time.
Anastazja slides off the stool and decides to watch some demonstrations. They will take her mind off how new and nervous she feels.
A couple of Doms nod hello at her as she wanders around the room. She smiles politely back but makes no other moves to show interest.
There are a couple of demonstrations on. A man is flogging his male sub, who seems to be enjoying the ‘punishment’ far too much.
With an enormous dildo stuck up his arse, Anastazja can see why the sub is enjoying himself.
She subtly giggles at his predicament and moves on to the next demo. As she loses herself in the performance of two Doms teasing an obedient sub, she is unaware of a fresh set of eyes on her.
Ace Jackson thought this would just be another shift. As a dungeon monitor, it is his job to protect the clients of the club and ensure that everyone is scening safely.
There are eight DMs on the lower floor and another five upstairs. They take it in turns to observe the different areas.
Currently, he’s got the easiest job. He’s to stand near the demonstrations and ensure they are running smoothly. In half an hour, the DMs will switch, and he will move outside to the patio.
Ace watches the demo more closely than he needs to. He is meant to step in if things go wrong, or if he senses a sub is at risk of harm they did not consent to.
However, he listens to what the Doms are saying, enjoying their interactions with their subs.
He misses scening. It’s been a long time since he last scened. Too long.
He first developed an interest in BDSM in high school. He experimented with his girlfriend, and they enjoyed their scenes together for four years.
Until she decided that it was fun to experiment at college, but now they had graduated, she wanted a vanilla relationship.
Ace found that he couldn’t do that. Although he enjoyed vanilla aspects, he couldn’t live his life without an element of BDSM. It offers the control that he needs to function.
Once single and at the club, things got out of hand. Subs were throwing themselves at him, desperate to scene with the man that had been off the market for the two years he’d been a member.
Despite being flattered at first, he found he was getting sick of the constant requests. Any time that he tried to form a relationship with a sub, they never had any connection outside of the club.
All of the dates he went on failed miserably. There would be chemistry during a scene, but put them in normal clothes, in a restaurant, and the spark would disappear.
He found himself reluctant to put out during a scene. Sex made things messy, feelings got involved and inevitably both Ace and sub were disappointed.
After a year of failed attempts, he gave up on the scening side of things. He occasionally helps out for demos, mostly when another Dom needs guidance or support.
For now, his plan is to find a woman outside of the club and tempt her over to the dark side of BDSM.
The blonde pocket-rocket that saunters up to the demonstration has that plan going out of the window. Ace’s eyes leave the scene, and he slowly treats himself to an eyeful of the delicate sub.
The black stilettos add inches to her height, but he estimates she’s around 5’4/5 without them. Her petite body is hugged by a tight black dress. It’s short enough that it shows a lot of leg and clings to her curvy ass.
Her breasts look just the right size for his hands and Ace involuntarily curls his fingers into fists, in response to needing to touch her.
Her hair makes him want to wrap it around his hands so he can hold her exactly where he wants her. The ends teasingly brush over her round butt as she walks.
Ace notices how the little sub has attracted the attention of nearby Doms. He feels uneasy by the feeling of annoyance that fills him, knowing that other people are looking at her lustfully.
He shakes his head and returns his gaze to the demo. He reprimands himself, reminding himself that he needs to focus. These subs are trusting him to step in if things go too far; he cannot betray that trust.
But try as he might, his eyes trail over to the blonde throughout the demo. Her expressive face shows everything she’s feeling.
Pure desire as she watches the Doms take their sub at the same time, empathy when the sub is paddled and a small smile when the Doms help the sub to stand up on her shaky legs at the end.
Ace has never been one to go for conventional beauty or vain types. He likes women with raw beauty, the kind that is a combination of both looks and personality. He can tell instantly that this sub has both.
She turns to move on and catches his gaze. Time stands still for a brief moment, as for just a few seconds, their eyes lock and their hearts beat at exactly the same time.
Her cheeks warm and the sub breaks her gaze before turning away. She reaches up to brush back her hair from her face and Ace catches sight of the ‘taken’ band on her wrist.
Disappointment rushes through him. It’s like a sucker-punch to the gut.
She’s not available. Typical, she’s too alluring to have not been snapped up already.
He forces his gaze back to the demos and tries to shake the feeling of sadness that grips him.
⋆⋆⋆
For almost an hour, I cannot get my mind off the DM by the demonstrations. Our eyes only met for a second, but that second was hotter than every minute of sexy time I had with my ex-boyfriend.
It was like the sexual attraction fizzled and cracked in the air around me.
I have no idea if the DM felt it too, but the heated look he gave me certainly indicates that he did.
He’s a DM, which is irritating. There’s no chance of scening with him. I wouldn’t tonight anyway, as it’s my first night, but I hope that he comes as a member as well as staff sometimes.
I watch some more demos and find myself frustrated with being unable to get my mind off the hot DM. He’s gorgeous in comparison to everyone else here, but in comparison to the public outside, he’s a god.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so beautiful that it made me stop in my tracks before. His hair is a rich chocolate color. Long enough that it’s tousled but undercut and still short enough that it doesn’t drop into his eyes.
His eyes. Oh, his eyes.
I can see their color a mile off. A mixture of grey and green, like a shade of sage. His face is that of a model or Adonis.
Strong, aristocratic nose pronounced cheekbones and plump lips. His tan, darker than anything I could dream of, sparked jealousy in me instantly.
He is wearing the same outfit as the other DMs, a black shirt and slacks. His shirt must be tailored for him, as it hugs every inch of muscle perfectly.
A white band with ‘DM’ printed on it is wrapped around both biceps.
Cursing myself under my breath, I check my phone. One missed call from Agnieszka, my sister.
Phones are not supposed to be used in the main area; they can make other members uncomfortable; they might think you’re filming them.
I head outside, where there is a phone zone. I press my sister’s number and listen to the dial tone; she picks up after two rings.
In fast-spoken Polish, she excitedly explains how she got the job she interviewed for a week ago. I congratulate her, feeling excitement for her.
She has wanted a new job for so long and we were both worried she hadn’t got it after a week of silence.
I pace up and down the flagstones, listening to her gush with happiness. With the promise of speaking again tomorrow, we say our goodbyes.
“Zadzwonię do ciebie, pa, siostrzyczka.” (I’ll call you, bye sis (younger sister)).
I hang up and put my phone in my bag. I turn around and freeze in surprise when I see the DM standing on guard by the patio doors.
He’s watching me with desire in his eyes. It’s impossible to miss, even to my insecure ass.
“Um, hi?”
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2
His lips quirk up in a smile at my stupid opening line.
My cheeks flush as I approach him. I have to walk past him to get back inside and I’m very happy about that.
“What language were you speaking?” He asks curiously.
I can barely focus on his question. My brain turned to mush at the sound of his voice.
So deep, so sexy.
I clear my throat and try to dispel my horny thoughts. It’s been too long since I’ve gotten laid.
“Polish,” I reply breathily.
“It’s beautiful,” he comments, making my face warm with his compliment.
“Thank you,” I reply. I hesitate for a moment and decide to introduce myself to this handsome DM. “My name is Anastazja; you can call me Ana.”
I hold out my hand to him.
I wouldn’t normally act this forward around a Dom. This DM is definitely a Dom, no way in hell is he a sub. However, tonight he’s only a DM and I’m taken, so my boldness doesn’t matter.
At least, I don’t think it does, but the heated look in the DM’s eyes might say otherwise.
“Nice to meet you, Ana,” he replies. His large, warm hand encases mine and he gives it a gentle squeeze. “I’m Kasen, but everyone calls me Ace.”
“Nice to meet you,” I mumble on autopilot.
My body is still reeling at his touch and the smell of his musky, insanely heady, cologne.
“You don’t have much of an accent, I take it you grew up here?” He asks conversationally.
He wants to talk to me!
“Yeah, I did. My family is Polish, my parents moved here before I was born,” I explain and Ace nods with interest.
“I wish I knew another language, but I’m afraid I never was very good at them at school,” he says, and I can hear the genuine disappointment in his voice.
People either love my “foreign” background or hate it. Thankfully, this God chose the right one.
“It’s difficult to learn a new one. I’ll admit Polish isn’t the easiest,” I tell him with a laugh.
He smiles, revealing his gorgeous teeth.
Is there anything about this man that isn’t perfect?
“Anyways, I’m going to go now…it was nice meeting you, Ace.”
I internally curse myself.
You’ve already told him it was nice meeting him.
You’re such an idiota, Ana.
“I’ll see you around, Ana; be sure to come back,” he says. He winks at me, and I nearly lose my footing as I step back into the main room.
Get me out of here before I embarrass myself further.
***
Sunday morning is spent at my friend Rowan’s house. She and her husband, Dale, have just moved in and I offered to help them make all their furniture.
“Please tell me why I had to wear makeup and perfume?” I ask Rowan as soon as I step into the house.
Her text, which came through this morning, was completely random:
Rowan giggles and pulls me into the chaotic kitchen. There are boxes on every available surface.
“Dale has asked one of his friends to help today as well. I think you’ll like him. He’s handsome as hell and he’s been single for ages!”
I scowl at her enthusiasm.
“You’re trying to matchmake? Woman, you’ve just moved house; one giant task at a time, please,” I groan and rub my temples.
Rowan scoffs and brushes me off with a dismissive hand wave.
“Honestly Ana, I think he’s perfect for you. Besides, if you don’t want anything more, you can just use him as eye candy today.
“Why else do you think I’ve got Dale putting up the decking?” She says with a wink.
I followed her hungry gaze out of the window and see Dale, shirtless and gleaming with sweat in the garden.
“Wow. You’re such a pervert,” I jokingly admonish her.
She shrugs. “It doesn’t count when it’s your own husband.”
I guess she’s got a point.
The doorbell rings and subtly, I pat down my hair and smooth my sundress over my hips. Maybe this man is attractive, and it’s been so long…I should give him a chance.
Besides, he might take one look at me and not fancy me in the slightest.
I feel giddy and nervous as Rowan answers the door. I remain in the kitchen, twisting my fingers.
“Hey, Ro, how are you?” A very familiar, very sexy voice echoes down the corridor.
No.
Way.
Before I can stop myself, I leave the kitchen and enter the corridor.
Both Rowan and Ace look up at me. The surprise on his face mirrors my own.
“Ana?” He asks with surprise.
Rowan looks between the two of us.
“You know each other?” she says, confusion all over her face.
“Yes,” Ace replies, and then realization dawns on him.
BDSM is usually a private aspect of a person’s life. I can practically hear the thoughts in his mind as he tries to work out whether Rowan knows about me going to the club and how to get out of this.
I panic and answer for us.
“We met in a bar the other night; how crazy that we’re both friends with the Moores, huh?” I quickly state. I give Ace a look that says play along, please.
Rowan does not know about my sinful indulgences in BDSM. We’ve only been friends for two or so months. It’s a new friendship, but we get on like a house on fire.
Ace recovers quickly and smiles charmingly.
“That is crazy. Lovely to see you again, Ana. Rowan, where do you want me? What should I do?” He asks, conveniently changing the subject.
Dressed in a white t-shirt and faded jeans, Ace looks fucking hot. His weathered Timberlands only add to his sex appeal. He looks like a sexy builder.
A mischievous look comes over Rowan’s face and I narrow my eyes at her.
I know that look.
“Well, actually, I was thinking you and Ana could put the beds together upstairs? Dale is busy with decking and I’m all thumbs with those fiddly screws, so I’ll cover the kitchen if you two are happy to do that?”
The puppy-dog, please-say-yes look is the nail in the coffin on deciding that Ace and I will be working, alone, upstairs.
Ace looks at me and smiles.
“Sure. Sounds good.”
I give Rowan some subtle side-eye and walk to the stairs. Ace gestures for me to go first, gentleman.
I sway my hips a little on the way up. Might as well give him a treat for his chivalry.
We go into the first bedroom, where a flat-packed bed is waiting in the empty room. Together, we unpack the box and get out all the pieces and parts.
Ace spreads out the instructions and we work together to follow the steps.
Once we’ve sorted out all the screws, bolts, and tools, we start building the frame. Silence falls as we concentrate on our assigned jobs.
I’m tightening a couple of screws when Ace breaks it.
“So, what do you do, Ana?” he asks casually.
He’s taken his shoes off, and his large body is spread out on the ground, near to me.
“I work as a translator. Companies contract me to translate documents for them,” I tell him. “What about you?”
Ace looks over at me and grins.
“Well, you know I work as a DM, but mostly that’s just to keep me busy in the evenings. It’s only twice a week. The rest of the time, I work on my parents' farm.
“Without trying to sound like an ass, I’ve got enough that I don’t really need to work, but I enjoy it.”
We converse some more. I tell him about my sister in Poland, about how my parents moved back there five years ago, and I still hate only seeing them a couple times a year.
“I know, I should go more, really,” I say distractedly as I try to tighten a particularly stiff screw.
“But something always comes up. They have ridiculously busy social lives and when I visit them, more often than not, I end up in the house alone!”
Ace chuckles and shakes his head. “Yeah, that doesn’t seem worth the hassle of catching a two-hour flight.”
“And it’s a two-hour drive from the airport.”
Ace grimaces sympathetically. “Ouch.”
Soon enough, we put together the bed frame.
“I think I saw the mattress in the hallway,” Ace says, and we find it leaning against the wall.
It’s a super king, and super hard to get around the corner of the hallway, past the top of the stairs, and through the doorway.
“Right, I’ll drag from the front, and you push, okay?” Ace orders.
He’s taken charge of the bed and the mattress, but as someone who is naturally submissive, I love his control. It’s what I need.
I need respect, but I also need to know that someone else is calling the shots and I don’t have that pressure or responsibility.
He needs control and I need release.
“Okay.”
I shove my whole body weight against the mattress. Ace’s thick fingers dig into the material, his face becoming sexily focused on the task.
The veins pop in his arms and I’m momentarily distracted by them.
Fuck me.
Please.
“Ana? You all right back there?” Ace calls and I snap out of it.
I realize that we’ve managed to get the mattress around the corner, but now it’s stuck in the doorway. Half of it is in the doorway, the other half is hanging over the staircase.
“Yeah! But I think it’s a bit wedged,” I comment from the top step.
The mattress is diagonal in the doorway and doesn’t appear to be moving anytime soon.
“Let me have a look,” Ace says.
He steps into the gap between the mattress and the doorjamb.
He tries to move the mattress. His biceps flex in his arms and I damn near swoon at the sight.
It shifts slightly forwards. It’s no longer hanging over the stairs and is well and truly filling the doorway. Ace assesses the situation, and he nods.
His hands are holding the mattress in place, stopping it from sliding back down the stairs.
“Okay, let’s swap positions, I’ll push, and you pull,” he suggests.
I go around the back of the mattress, to the side he isn’t on.
“Um, Ace? I can’t squeeze through this way.”
“Okay, come to my side.”
I round the mattress and step near to him. There’s a tiny gap between him and the mattress inside the doorway.
He looks at me, the gap, and then his hands, which are holding the mattress from falling. He gives me a sheepish smile.
“Do you mind squeezing past?” He asks amusedly.
I raise my eyebrows and shrug.
“Okay, breathe in,” I joke.
I lift my left leg and point it through the gap. I find my footing inside the room and my body follows.
But now I am wedged in the doorway, too.
In one doorway, there is Ace, me, and a super-king mattress.
We did not think this through.
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