The Words to Bind (The Playgrounds Book 1) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Legal Page

  Book Description

  Dedication

  Trademark Acknowledgements

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Epilogue

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  About the Author

  The Playgrounds

  THE WORDS TO BIND

  P. STORMCROW

  The Words to Bind

  ISBN # 978-1-83943-386-3

  ©Copyright P. Stormcrow 2020

  Cover Art by Louisa Maggio ©Copyright May 2020

  Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

  Totally Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2020 by Totally Bound Publishing, United Kingdom.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.

  Totally Bound Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

  If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book”.

  Book one in The Playgrounds series

  It all started with a munch, a meetup for the kink-minded. How was Luna supposed to know that it would change her life forever?

  A munch.

  A play party.

  A Dom that sets her passion aflame.

  After a string of failed vanilla relationships leaves her feeling unfilled, Luna Weir decides to give the fetish scene one last shot. But with her one and only experience as a submissive leaving much to be desired, she has little hope that the lifestyle is her answer. So when she gives the local scene one final try in the form of a casual meetup for the kink-minded, the last thing she expects is to be pulled back into the world of ropes and commands.

  But that is precisely where she meets Jacob Dakota—Mr. Tall, Dark and entirely Dominant. The experienced Dom commands respect from other Dominants and desire from the subs in the community who frequent The Playgrounds, a local fetish club. And when Jacob takes her under his wing, Luna senses he wants something more beyond the careful words and veiled glances.

  Now she must figure out whether her feelings for Jacob are enough for her to take a leap of faith and relinquish control. Because a simple yes will bind her to him, heart and soul.

  Dedication

  To my families, on- and offline, without whom none of this would be possible.

  Trademark Acknowledgements

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Fifty Shades of Grey: E.L. James

  TASER: Taser International Inc.

  The Cheshire Cat: Disney Enterprises Inc., Lewis Carroll

  Gatorade: Stokely-Van Camp Inc.

  Coke: Coca-Cola Corporation

  Google: Google Inc.

  Wolverine: Marvel Characters Inc.

  X-Men: Marvel Characters Inc.

  Funko Pop: Funko Inc.

  Firefly: Twentieth Television

  Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien

  Sprite: Coca-Cola Corporation

  Hellboy: Lionsgate

  Netflix: Netflix Inc.

  Tony Stark: Marvel Characters Inc.

  Batman: DC Comics General Partnership

  Doctor Who: BBC Studios

  Advil: Wyeth LLC

  Cheshire Cat: Disney Enterprises Inc.

  The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins, Lionsgate

  Starbucks: Starbucks Coffee Company Corporation

  Amazon: Amazon Technologies Inc.

  Lolita: Vladimir Nabokov, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

  Walt Disney World: Disney Enterprises Inc.

  Harry Potter: J.K. Rowling

  Tupperware: Dart Industries Inc. dba Tupperware Home Parties Corporation

  Jeep: FCA US LLC

  Chapter One

  What the hell am I doing here?

  Luna Weir stared at the mirror above the sink, tapping the porcelain rim as she bit her lower lip, studying herself. The woman in the mirror looked almost sickly, her features lost in the pale complexion framed by almost-silver hair. The only spots of color were the startling blue of her eyes and the red lips that were bruised from being chewed raw. Nervousness was making her twitch this way and that.

  She was in no shape to meet new people.

  Outside the public washroom she was in was a group of pure strangers sitting down to have a nice Sunday brunch together. If it were any other networking event, Luna would stride out there with all the confidence of an ambitious newbie in the industry.

  But this was not a professional meetup—and the topic at hand wasn’t what she would call work-safe.

  Eating with strangers… Talking about kinks and fetishes…

  Why am I doing this again? Right… She’d said she would give this one last shot.

  ‘We’re done, Luna. I get you want my opinion, but stop making me make all the decisions. It’s exhausting. You’re just too intense. Look… I wish you luck, but I’m not the guy for you.’

  She winced at the memory. He’d also expressed other choice words, like what he thought about her lack of enthusiasm in bed. It was true. She had a low libido. And yet, she couldn’t reconcile the earlier memories of how turned on she’d been by even the faintest idea of something kinky. That’s why I’m here, right?

  Luna startled as the toilet flushed behind her. A woman emerged from the stall, a bounce of impossible red curls matched with impossible stilettos. She was
stunning, with brilliant hazel eyes lighting up at the sight of…something.

  Wait… She can’t be looking at me, can she?

  “Hello, sweetie. Luna, right?”

  Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

  Luna mustered a smile, watching as the woman walked up to the sink next to her with a sway of hips and washed her hands. A pang of envy stabbed through her. The woman oozed confidence and swagger in a way she only wished she could emulate.

  “I’m Lani, the hostess for the munch this month.” She smiled, glowing with warmth, and Luna could not help but relax just a smidgen.

  “Yeah, I’m Luna. Nice to meet you.” Always be nice to the hostess.

  “Let me guess… You’ve come up with a case of nerves and that’s why you’re hiding in here?” Lani leaned forward, but before Luna could protest, she added with a lowered whisper, “It’s okay. My first time, I hid in here most of the munch and kept peeking out until the last person had left.” She winked and tilted her head toward Luna, as if sharing a conspiracy.

  She couldn’t imagine the self-assured woman in front of her afraid of anything, but somehow, it made her feel better.

  “Now, if you’re feeling lost, why don’t you come sit with me? I can point out who’s who.”

  Luna stared at the offered arm, beginning to wonder why she had been so scared before. They were just people—people like her. Okay, she was nothing like Lani, the indomitable force, but Luna found her easy manner hard to resist. She looped her arm around the other woman’s and nodded. “All right, I can do this. Lead the way!”

  Lani tossed her head back and laughed. “That’s the spirit!”

  The waiter was just arriving to take people’s orders just as they made their way to the long table in an alcove at the back of the restaurant. As Luna sat, the waiter came around with a friendly smile.

  “And what can I get for you today?”

  It was an easy decision for a sugar fiend like her. “French toast, please, with the whipped cream and strawberries.”

  “Sure.”

  Surprise made her turn with as much discretion as possible to study Lani as she ordered the same. The woman flashed her a quick grin and nodded toward the rest of the table, an invitation to look.

  Luna ventured to observe the people around the group. Seven, including herself, rounded the table—three on each side with Lani at the head. She was seated to Lani’s left, while to her own right was a lanky man with a mop of light brown hair and rimmed glasses. Across from her was another woman about her age, a slim Asian who was built like a ballerina. A couple sat farther down the table across from her, but she could only catch an occasional glimpse of the last person on her side. From what Luna could tell, the three at the other end of the table were deep in discussion about the best flogging techniques. She bit her lower lip, memories surfacing before she clamped down hard on them. A distant echo of a sensation—the pain—and the sheer lack of pleasure.

  “Luna, I’d like you to meet Cassandra and August.”

  Thankful for the distraction, Luna gave a little awkward wave.

  “Oo-o, fresh meat,” the girl across from her squealed.

  “Cassie, stop trying to scare her off. Not everyone’s competition,” August cut right in.

  “Was not!” she protested in return.

  The man ignored her and turned toward Luna instead with a cordial incline of his head. “So, Luna, what brings you to the munch?”

  Although she appreciated the save, wow…biting. To the question he’d directed at her, she answered without hesitation. “Curiosity.” It was the answer she’d prepared before she’d left her apartment.

  Lani’s eyes sharpened with interest and Luna braced herself for more questions. Instead, Lani grinned and clapped her hands together. “Excellent answer.” She lifted a long-stemmed glass of orange liquid to her lips and Luna wished she had ordered a mimosa too. She could use some liquid courage.

  “So, has anyone heard about the private play party Erica and Dominique are throwing in a few weeks?” Lani was quick to open the topic.

  She had heard about these play parties before in her chat room.

  “I heard it was invitation only?” August asked with a lift of his brow.

  Cassandra—or Cassie, as everyone else seemed to call her—grinned like a cat with a large bowl of milk. “Guess who already got an invitation?”

  August ignored her again and instead turned to Lani. “Ma’am, would you happen to know who would be attending?”

  Ma’am. Things snapped into focus. Lani was a Dominant and August was likely submissive. Or did their relationship go deeper than that? Wait… Did they have a relationship of any sort?

  “Well, Jacob and Darryl are both going to be there, I believe, though I think Jacob may be working as a dungeon monitor. Erica mentioned she also invited a shibari master to come to demonstrate.”

  Dungeon monitor, shibari… These were all terms Luna knew, in theory. A voice in her head suggested that she should make a hasty exit right about now. It was one thing to keep things online. Words were easy, sexy. The one time it had spilled to real life… Luna opened her mouth to make her excuse to leave.

  “French toast for the ladies.” The waiter set the plates down and Luna snapped her mouth shut, lest drool escape. Okay, maybe after the food.

  Decadent pieces of brioche, dipped and fried in batter, were layered on top of each other, with bright red syrup drizzled over them. Slices of fresh strawberries spilled from the top, held in place by a generous mound of whipped cream, which was topped by a single large strawberry. A light dusting of powdered sugar provided the finishing touch to the delectable dish.

  Heaven on a plate.

  Luna licked her lips, beholding the indulgence set before her. Given the choice of food or sex, she would pick food…every time. Tempted to dig right in but aware that manners dictated that she should wait, she reached for her glass instead, to take a sip of water.

  “Is it just me or does that look like a boob with a red nipple?”

  Oh God. Luna’s eyes watered and she started coughing as liquid went down the wrong way. She turned from the table and bent over, struggling for breath as her face was likely turning red as a tomato, or in this case, the strawberry in the discussion.

  “Cassie!” Lani exclaimed, though she was stifling a giggle. She turned to Luna after realizing she was choking on the comment and the hostess patted her back. “Oh dear. Here. Breathe, sweetie. Drink more water.”

  “What? It’s true!”

  Recovering, Luna sat back up in her chair and eyed her plate. Now she couldn’t unsee it. Her gaze traveled to Cassie, who gave her a quick wink, and she wondered if the woman had made the crass comment on purpose in an attempt to help ease her nerves. Well, that would be what Luna chose to believe.

  As the food arrived for everyone else, Luna took her fork and knife in each hand. Inhaling to summon her humor, she grinned, mischief tugging the corner of her lips upward. “Well then, let’s deconstruct this boob!”

  It earned her a round of laughter and helped silence her nagging doubts for a moment.

  Over the meal, chatter ranged from the mundane to the kinky. Content to just listen, Luna adopted the strategic approach of pacing her eating so that there were no expectations for her to join in on the conversation. Even when Lani moved to the other end of the table as part of her hostess duties to mix, Cassie and August kept her entertained with their antics.

  Before long, people were settling their bills and saying their goodbyes. Satisfied that she had done what she had set out to do, Luna did the same and attempted an inconspicuous exit.

  “Luna!”

  She paused and turned, one hand already at the door. Lani approached, a light coat in one hand, a handbag in the other. “Got any plans after this? Wanna grab a coffee?”

  Coffee? But didn’t we just…? She blinked and tilted her head, only to realize the woman took it as assent.

  “Oh goodie. Come on!” Lani guided Luna ou
tside.

  Coffee turned out to be two tall iced teas and a meander through a nearby park. The early summer sun had warmed the day and sounds of kids laughing as they ran, conversations from couples lounging on the grass and yips and barks from puppies playing all blended together into pleasant background noise.

  “So, what did you think?”

  Oh, so here comes the grilling. But somehow, from Lani, Luna didn’t mind so much. “It was less scary than I imagined,” she admitted.

  “Good.” Lani stopped and settled on a park bench, patting the spot next to her. When Luna sat, she shifted her body to face her. “Are you fairly new to the scene then?”

  Luna took a sip of her tea to buy herself time to formulate the reply. That they had just met and Lani was not far from a stranger hovered on the edge of her consciousness, so Luna took a more conservative route. “Why do you ask?” It came out harsher than she’d intended. She added in a rush. “I mean no disrespect. It’s just—”

  A hand waved her excuses away. Lani’s smile lit up her eyes in amusement. “No, it’s a fair question. We’re a small community here. Most of us know each other—or at least faces are familiar. When a new person shows up at a munch, not just at the club, I always like to do a little debrief and get to know them.”

  “You mean The Playgrounds?” It was the only fetish club close by, complete with a public dungeon and private rooms.

  “Yeah. We get quite a few tourists there—people just out for thrills or couples wanting to spice things up. The munches are where we know someone is more serious about the lifestyle—and we don’t often get new faces.”

  Oh. She had gone to The Playgrounds a few times by herself but it hadn’t given her much to go on. It had been more like a kind of teasing taste without substance. Not that it was a bad place… The music was great, the dancing was hot and people were friendly, but she had felt like another faceless entity in a sea of people. In other words, she’d had no idea what she was doing there.

  After a while, Luna realized that there was only silence and she turned toward Lani. The other woman still had on an indulging smile and was waiting, composed with patience.