Leaning against Michael, tucked under his arm as he teased Angel and Adam alternatively, felt weird but nice. Weird because she’d never allowed this kind of intimacy from another Dom - actually from another man in a really long time - and nice because... well, because his arm felt strong, and secure, and protective. She especially appreciated the last feeling because she was getting a few dirty looks from the Lounge area where the unattached submissives were gathered.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out why they were so pouty - Michael was hot, sweet, and excellent with a whip. A lot of the subbies had crushes on him. A lot of them had had crushes on Andrew too and had somewhat resented she’d been his only regular play partner. That resentment had been ameliorated when nothing more than play came from it, especially after Kate showed up, but now that she was playing with Michael for a second weekend in a row, she wasn’t entirely surprised some of the other submissives were a little disgruntled.

There were others who were cheering for her though. Tori gave her a thumbs up and a wink. They weren’t friends outside the club, but they hung out sometimes at Stronghold, and Tori had always been urging Ellie to do more than just play with the Doms. A few of the other submissives smiled encouragingly at her. So it wasn’t all jealousy and resentment, but she still liked having Michael’s arm around her.

Warm.

Secure.

The last time she’d felt like this...

Ellie stiffened as her breath caught in her throat. Choked her.

Fear and adrenaline surged as her heart jumped, pounding, white noise roaring in her ears as spiders crawled across her skin. Phantom fingers slid through her hair, gripped, and she jerked.

Jerked away.

“Ellie!”

“Step back, let her breathe!”

“Ellie? Honey, are you okay? Ellie?”

“I’m okay,” she said, gasping slightly, blinking rapidly as her sight started to clear.

Notice what’s around you, Ellie. Dr. Amy’s voice in Ellie’s head was calm, grounding, beginning the familiar routine she’d made for herself to help with her anxiety and panic attacks. What do you hear? What do you see? Where are you? Focus on what’s actually happening.

Music was playing.

She was sitting on a barstool, two arms around her back holding her stable, one coming from either side. The hard body of a man on her left, the soft press of female curves on her right. She leaned right, towards safety and the smell of vanilla.

On her left, a hand wrapped around hers, fingers sliding into hers, and Ellie immediately relaxed.

Safe. I’m safe.