Edge (Parker Reed #2)

by J. M. Walker

  “You’ll see. I met him on my last business trip.” Parker grabbed my hand, leading me up the steps.

  “Is he nice?” The closer we got to the inside of the house, the faster my heart raced. I had no idea why, but this place really bothered me in a way that I couldn’t understand.

  “Parker Reed.” The deepest voice I had ever heard came from a tall man now standing at the entrance to the doorway.

  “Vade Moreau.” Parker greeted him, shaking his hand before turning to me. He cupped my nape and kissed my head. “Keely, this is Vade. Under different circumstances, you’d be required to call him Master.”

  “What kind of circumstances?” I asked, my voice small.

  Parker grinned. “If you were alone or didn’t know any better. Vade, meet Keely Price.”

  Vade looked down at me. His amber eyes bore into my soul like he was seeing all of my deepest, darkest secrets. His jet-black hair was longer in the front but gelled back in a fancy style. He looked like any normal man dressed in black dress pants with a burgundy dress shirt. The only thing odd that I noticed was the intricate design of a tattoo on the side of his neck.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Keely.” His deep voice jarred me from my thoughts, distracting me from the tattoo that marked his skin.

  “It’s nice to meet you too, Sir,” I said softly.

  His eyes flashed with warmth. “Everything is all ready for you,” he told Parker, stepping aside to make room for us to enter the beautiful home.

  “This is the first step of your training,” Parker whispered in my ear. “Don’t embarrass me, pet.”

  I fought back a smart retort and nodded. “I won’t.”

  “Good girl.” Parker brushed his thumb over my bottom lip and placed a soft peck on the swollen tender part. “Even though I know that you’re thinking about.”

  I laughed, my cheeks heating. “You know me well.”

  He tapped my rear. “Remember what I can do when your mouth gets out of line. I don’t think your ass can take another round quite yet.”

  My muscles clenched, a slight burn spreading over my skin. Memories of Parker consuming my body in ways that I never thought was possible reigned in my mind. As delicious and tempting as it sounded, he was right.

  “You guys have a rough night?” Vade asked, closing the door behind us.

  “You could say that.” Parker held onto my hand tight. Things had been tense between us until we were alone on the plane. It was like we had both been holding our breath until we were finally away from everyone and everything. I had taken care of his cuts, wrapped his waist in gauze, and kissed away his pain. It would be a slow process, but we would both eventually heal.

  “Well, allow me to take your mind off of things.” Vade grinned.

  “Should I be nervous?” I asked Parker softly.

  He winked. “Just do as instructed and everything will go as planned.”

  “Planned?” I looked around. “What do you mean?”

  “Trust me.” He brushed the back of his hand down the side of my face. “You worry too much, angel.”

  I bit back a scoff. I had many reasons to worry too much but it was over. Or over enough that it wouldn’t affect us anymore.

  “So, what made you decide to come to Germany on such short notice?” Vade asked, snapping his fingers.

  An older man dressed in a black suit approached us and picked up our bags.

  “I can do that,” I said, reaching out for them.

  “No, miss. It would be my pleasure.” He smiled, the wrinkles in his old, withered face softening. His dark eyes pierced into me and all I could do was nod.

  “Okay.”

  He smiled again and carried the bags down the hall.

  I turned back to Parker and Vade and found them staring at me. Clearing my throat, I looked down. I’m sure I had broken some silent rule but I felt weird having other people do things for me when I was perfectly fine to do them myself.

  A warm finger pinched my chin, tilting my head to meet Parker’s gaze. “Every day I wake up thinking I couldn’t love you anymore and then you surprise me.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “I only wanted to help.”

  He kissed my nose. “It’s his job and he loves it.”

  “He probably appreciates people like you more than some asshole like me.” Vade chuckled, his accent rolling over his words like silk.

  “To answer your question, we needed to get away,” Parker stated matter-of-factly. “And I needed to take Keely to a place where she didn’t know anyone. Some place where I could focus mainly on her.”

  “So it wouldn’t distract her in her training,” Vade added.

  “Exactly.”

  I looked between the two of them.

  Vade laughed. “I think we’ve confused her. Ask your question, tiny one.”

  “Um…well…how did you know that Parker is a…that he’s training me?” We tried to keep that part of our lives private. The only people who knew were a select few.

  “Well you see, Parker contacted me a couple days ago, looking for advice.” Vade started walking down the hallway. “And I could never turn him away.”

  We followed him down the lengthy corridor, hand in hand.

  “Neither could I,” I said, more to myself. If Parker hadn’t been persistent in the beginning, would I have ended up with him? I found myself second-guessing my own actions. Did I jump into things too soon? Was I too trusting given the nasty history I had with men? I wasn’t sure. But I felt that God was giving me a second chance.

  My gaze traveled over the interior design of the long hall, taking everything in. Gold sconces were the only form of light as they cast a dim glow onto the red carpet. Painting after painting, all with older men, stared back at me when I caught sight of an empty frame.

  “That frame is a reminder of where I’ll be in thirty or so years.” Vade came up beside me. “Do you paint, Keely?”

  “No, Sir. I wish I did.” I was in awe of the artwork. Each piece held their own story and something told me that this house had a story as well.

  “Shame.” He inhaled a deep breath. “I’ve been trying to find the perfect artist but…” He winked at me. “I can’t sit for hours, posing while they paint me.”

  I smiled. “I’m the same way. I always have to be moving, doing something.”

  “Parker, this one,” Vade pointed at me. “Perfect.”

  “Thank you, Sir, but I don’t think I’m perfect.” I giggled, my cheeks heating at the compliment.

  “Well, from what I’ve heard, you are perfect for him.”

  “What have you heard?” I asked, glancing between the two large men.

  “Parker wanted to surprise you but I wasn’t expecting you so soon.” Vade clasped his hands together in front of his chest, a small smile spreading on his hard, rugged face.

  “Way to change the subject,” I mumbled, yelping when a light sting erupted on the cheek of my ass.

  “What did I tell you?” Parker growled in my ear, gripping my arm tight in his hand.

  “You were not supposed to hear that,” I whined, pouting up at him.

  “She reminds me of someone I know.” Vade shook his head. “Damn submissives thinking we all want brats.”

  “She’ll get her punishment later,” he promised, landing a hard swat on my rear.

  I almost looked forward to it but I would never tell him that. “Yes. Sir,” I said in a more defiant tone than I had intended.

  “God, I love it when you challenge me,” he breathed in my ear.

  Pushing back against him playfully, I giggled when he spanked me yet again.

  “We weren’t expecting to arrive so soon either,” Parker wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me back from grinding against him. “But shit went down rather quickly so we had to get out.” The playful banter stopped as Parker brushed his thumb back and forth over my hand, squeezing lightly every so often.

  We continued walking and I listened as Parker and Vade carried on
a conversation about business, the stock market in Germany, and the ever-changing laws. I found out that Vade wasn’t from Germany but moved there when he inherited his grandfather’s estate after he passed away five years before.

  Vade eventually stopped at a door and pulled a gold key from his pants pocket. “Tomorrow is a new day. I will give you a tour then but right now, you both need rest.” He unlocked the door and pushed it open.

  “This place is beautiful,” I blurted. We had only seen some of the hallway but if that was any indication on how the rest of the place would be, I was royally impressed.

  “Thank you and I won’t instruct your Dom to punish you for speaking out of turn since you paid me a compliment. But next time, Keely,” his gazed hardened. “I won’t be so nice.”

  My cheeks heated and I clapped a hand over my mouth. “I’m so sorry.” My heart raced, a moment of trepidation fluttering through me.

  Both men laughed.

  “Nervous, angel?” Parker teased, cupping my nape.

  “Yes,” I said, playfully punching him in the arm.

  “I would never punish someone that isn’t mine.” Vade’s eyes twinkled. “I promise you that.”

  “Why do we make you nervous, Keely?” Parker asked, leaning against the doorframe.

  “You make me nervous all on your own but both of you together…I feel…consumed.” A shiver ran down my spine.

  Vade winked. “I like her.”

  Parker grinned. “So do I.”

  “PARKER, THIS place is amazing,” I said as I walked around the bedroom. The plush red carpet squished under my toes. The dark cherry oak furniture shone like they had only been waxed minutes before. It reminded me of Parker’s cottage. A twinge of unease twisted through my belly. I didn’t want to move but I understood why we had to.

  I brushed a hand down the blanket on the bed, my eyes widening at how soft it was.

  “Egyptian cotton, pet. Only the best for Vade.” Parker pulled off his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair.

  “What does he do?”

  “He comes from old money but don’t ever ask him about it.”

  I shook my head. “Never. I wouldn’t even think of it.”

  “Don’t be scared of him. He’s a good guy.”

  “How long have you known him?” I asked, stepping out onto the terrace that overlooked the grounds leading into the backyard.

  “A couple of years. He’s a friend of Colin’s so I knew that I could trust him.” Parker came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “As beautiful as this place is, something feels off,” I pointed out, leaning my head against his shoulder.

  “I don’t know the story but I do know that this place has a lot of history. Take that statue, for instance.” Parker nodded towards a large concrete piece of art that stood in the far corner of the backyard. It was of a person from what I could see in the moonlight but that was all that I could make of it. “It was given to Vade’s great-great grandfather by a king.”

  I gasped. “A king? Really?”

  “Yes, angel. Royalty has been on these grounds.”

  “Wow. Tell me more,” I said, my heart jumping with excitement.

  He laughed and kissed my nose. “Vade told me once that when he was a child, he was promised the rarest gift known to man. It was a piece so precious, it’s priceless.”

  “What is it?” I asked on a breathless gasp.

  Parker cupped my cheek. “You’ll meet her tomorrow.”

  “Wait.” I frowned. “Her? The gift was a person?”

  “Apparently.” Parker grabbed both of my hands and kissed my knuckles. “He told me that the long line of men in his family were all promised these gifts as they call them. Romance is a big deal in the Moreau history books.”

  “That’s…romantic. I think.” Different country. Different culture. I didn’t understand how women or people in general could be used as gifts but maybe that’s how things were done there. It was like the home that I was standing in, was a different world altogether. “Did bad things happen here?” I asked, staring out into the vast expanse of the back yard.

  “You will have to ask Vade that question.”

  “Won’t he be offended?”

  Parker pinched my chin. “Not if you ask for permission to speak. I’m more lenient since this is new for you but we are in his home so we have to follow his rules.”

  “You mean, I have to follow his rules,” I said, pointing at myself.

  “Within reason. He won’t make you do anything that you don’t want to do. Especially since I’m here.”

  “Why did you say that under different circumstances I would have to call him Master Vade?” I asked as Parker led us to a patio couch.

  “Because he is a Master but he isn’t your Master so you calling him Sir works just as well.”

  I knelt at Parker’s feet and wrapped a hand around his ankle. “I didn’t feel right calling him Master.”

  “And he would respect that.” Parker petted my head. The small movement sent a flutter racing through my stomach.

  “Okay. That’s good.” A relief flooded through me and I leaned against his knee. “What else do you know about this place?”

  Parker had told me story after story about the history of the Moreau’s. The mansion had been in the family for hundreds of years. The art on the walls were painted by some of the most famous artists ever and the frames were all handcrafted.

  When we had entered the house, I didn’t get a good look at the intricate detail of the artwork but from what I did see, even the pictures screamed power. It was like the artists placed a story inside the painting from just a stroke of the brush.

  An hour later, Parker had pulled me to my feet and picked me up, cradling me against him. I yawned, snuggling into his warm embrace.

  He placed me on the large four-poster bed and slowly started to undress me. “This trip is all for you, angel.” His voice was low, caressing the deepest part of me with just his words. “I want you to know that what happened,” he grimaced, “doesn’t change anything.” He lowered my pants to my ankles before pulling them off my feet. “I’m still the same man that you fell in love with.”

  At that moment, I sat up and cupped his cheeks. “I know that. Please don’t think that I judge you. I know what you had to do was to protect me. To protect us.” I kissed him hard on the mouth. “I love you. We both have some stuff to get over.”

  “That’s just it,” his voice cracked. “I don’t know if I can get over it.” He pulled on his collar, staring down at his hands in his lap.

  “Then we will try together. Together, my love. Promise me that you will try.”

  He nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

  I smiled. “You were patient with me.”

  He shrugged and looked down at our joined hands. His thumb brushed over my bare ring finger on my left hand. “Do you love me?”

  I frowned. “Of course. I just told—”

  “Good.” He placed a hard kiss on my mouth. “Get dressed.” He jumped from the bed.

  “But I thought we were going to sleep?” I asked, yawning again.

  He smiled and cupped my cheeks. “And we will. I know you’re exhausted but I need to do this right now.”

  “Do what?” I asked when he released me. I pulled my pants back on, wondering what had gotten into him.

  A wicked grin spread on his face, his eyes heating with a love so strong, it made my breath catch. He picked up the phone and winked at me. “We’re doing this now,” he said, his voice firm and hung up. “Come with me, angel.”

  As tired as I was, I was more curious to find out what was going on and what Parker had planned.

  I slid off the bed and slipped my feet back into my shoes before joining Parker at the door. “Where are we going?”

  The door opened, revealing Vade and a beautiful tiny woman standing close to his side. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the
gold floor-length dress she was wearing bringing out the tan in her skin.

  Vade kept his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing his thumb along her pulse point. “Well, this is going to be fun. But first, introductions. Meet my Courtesan and wife, Honey.”

  I went to ask what a Courtesan was when her gaze slowly lifted. I gasped. Her eyes. They were so blue and shining, they glittered like diamonds but the cerulean hue bored into me with warmth.

  She smiled and extended her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you too. I’m Keely Price,” I said, returning her handshake.

  She looked at Parker when Vade whispered something in her ear. She nodded, casting her eyes down. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Sir.”

  “Parker Reed but you can call me, Parker.” Parker held out his hand.

  Honey gave him a soft smile and shook his hand.

  “How long have you been married?” I asked her as we stepped out into the hallway.

  “Almost five years.” She hooked her arm in mine. “I like you.”

  I laughed at the unexpected gesture. “I like you too.”

  Vade shook his head, a huge grin spreading on his face. “My wife is good at reading people. First time she met me, she called me an asshole.”

  “Really? And you got away with it?” I blurted out.

  A light swat landed on my rear.

  I yelped, rubbing the spot soon after. “Sorry. I’m just shocked,” I admitted, glaring up at Parker.

  Vade chuckled and clapped his hands together. “Oh, how I love the training process. Now let’s go and get this done and over with before Keely falls asleep on her feet.”

  As if on cue, I yawned, causing everyone to laugh.

  “Where are we going?” I asked Parker after introductions were made.

  “It’s a surprise.” He grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles, smiling up at me.

  “Actually, it’s a surprise for both of you.” Vade grinned and started walking away, whistling to himself. “I suggest that you all follow me if you want to find out what that surprise is,” he called out over his shoulder.

  “Thank you,” Honey said after a couple minutes of silence had passed.