Sunday Snippet: Submit

It's been a wild week. Between work and other commitments, I've been frazzled. My sleep schedule is all over the map and I'm not enjoying the fits and starts of trying to get rest. But … I'll adjust. Hopefully soon.

Our weather has been all over the place. We had a sixty-degree day followed by snow and thirty-four degrees. The day after Thanksgiving is supposed to be in the upper teens for the high. I'm side-eyeing Mother Nature right now.

Work projects are coming in and I think I'm booked through the end of the year. I'm pleased because December can be a sketchy month sometimes. I don't mind downtime, but I'm definitely not prepared to have limited income this year.

Had a terrible week of viewing. Too many distractions and said lack of sleep kept me from getting much watched.

I did catch an episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and kind of enjoyed it. Some familiar faces as guest stars this week. The mystery was a little lackluster but a good episode nonetheless.

I also caught some marathons of Midsomer Murders. I kind of love the streaming twenty-four hours of one show channels. It's fun to set a favorite and have a go-to comfort watch whenever I want.

I'm also looking at a few new shows but haven't decided which ones I want to pick up. I'm also hoping to get back to my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. My viewing partner will help determine if that's going to happen. So much more fun to watch with someone else who loves the show as much as I do.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Submit, a novella set on Furlough 99.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lena Stoll and Welles Abernate work security on a large space station. While the job pays well, the stress level can quickly skyrocket, but Lena comes up with a great solution—she acts as a dominatrix in her downtime—much to Welles's surprise.

And a sneaky peek…

Welles sat behind the desk after patrolling the sectors Balik assigned to him. "Figures Lena would pick tonight to flake off." Not that he blamed her after pulling the double shifts last week.

He'd been lucky enough to be exempt from pulling overtime because he'd just returned from an undercover stint in the mining colony. He had his mandatory debrief and Balik gave Welles three days to rest and recover from the hard labor he'd endured on the asteroid. He could've come back after two but took the extra time because their CO didn't do anything without a reason.

Welles snorted. "Sucks that Lena had to pick up the slack." Even if she proved more than capable of going full tilt with metaphoric balls to the wall.

He enjoyed working with her because she kept a straight head on when shit went sideways … and it often did on Furlough 99. Ex-enforcers liked to tempt fate by showing up and wreaking havoc. Especially when they could stick Balik with the tab of removing them from the station.

A blip pinged on the holomonitor and Welles swiped the screen. A brief report from an anonymous sender opened. His gut said the guild probably passed the no-name report along. The bounty hunters served a purpose, and Balik gave them free rein as long as they kept their size seventeen boots away from official security issues.

He briefly scanned the limited details and leaned closer to make sure he read the information correctly. "Shit. Definitely didn't see this coming." He slumped back in the chair.

According to the file, an agent happened to be moonlighting in the luxe sector at the Marionette—a very exclusive members-only establishment. Welles would have to investigate to make sure no underhanded dealing took place. The security agents weren't allowed to work other jobs because they could play favorites. If they got caught … they'd be subject to harsh repercussions, namely losing their position in the security force.

He heaved a sigh and got to his feet. "I'll have to check this out." He hoped whoever sent the report had things wrong.

Exiting the sector station, he took the upglide to the main hub of Furlough then grabbed a lift up to the luxe quad. He got off and went up three more levels. The first had shopping, shows, gambling slots and various food stations. The second level had casino gambling, bars like the Den of Iniquity, and dance clubs. The third had a mix of walk-in and by appointment establishments catering to the lovelorn or those looking for a bit of recreational pursuits, including sex. The fourth level had a more discerning clientele. Less crowded, the people frequenting this section got appointments with a higher price tag and could apply for membership-only clubs.

The fifth level and his destination had exclusive membership with a staggering price tag. "And apparently, one of my coworkers engaging in a side gig."

He moved past dark, heavy doors with attendants monitoring access. Anyone trying to get through would be required to scan their member pass card or not gain entry. The attendants were trained to remove interlopers with minimal disruption, which kept Balik happy.

Welles made his way to the Marionette and flashed his creds. The attendant narrowed his gaze, buzzed the matron, and let Welles inside. The matron guided him to a plush office and reviewed the information he presented.

She then directed him through the richly designed halls and stopped before a set of doors. "This is Domina's suite." With a lift of her chin, she backed away and glided back toward her office.

Welles huffed out a breath, wondering who he'd find on the other side.

Having fun with this one. It's a little different from the other two Furlough books and I'm happy to explore this unique dynamic of the station with Lena and Welles.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye