He hissed. Cursed. Rose up to kiss her, but she wouldn’t let him yet.
“You remember your safeword?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Good. Because I want to push you to that dirty, desperate place only I can get you to.”
She pitched her hips in a circle again, and Brady groaned. “You’re getting me there, now.”
“Oh, I know,” she said with mock-ridicule. She loved watching him struggle through that mix of discomfort and enjoyment. “My poor pet can’t help himself.”
Brady’s eyes flew open on a growl, but he held himself still. Tethered. Obedient. Waiting for her.
“I was right.” She drove a hand into the curls at the base of his neck and cleaved him to her. “You can’t help yourself. Not when it comes to me.”
“Never could.”
Sam reached for a condom, the urged him up and shimmied herself beneath him.
“I want to feel you,” she said. “All your weight. All of you.”
They both moaned when he pushed inside. It wasn’t slow, but it wasn’t hard either, not until after Sam broke apart, and he knew what she needed without being told—hard. Fast. More. Sam clenched against a surprising rip of sensation when another release tore through her, then allowed Brady his own. When he rested his sweaty cheek to the hollow of her throat, Sam kissed his forehead.
“I love you,” she said.
He looked up, caressed her hair, moving the locks off her face, his eyes the brightest blue she’d ever seen.
“I see you, Sammy,” he said. “Always have. Always will.”
Sam exhaled and held him close.
She wasn’t disappearing. Even when Brady wasn’t looking at her, he saw her.
34
Brady woke up in bed without Sam next to him. Smiling at the heart-shaped Post-it Note she’d left on her pillow, he reached for his shiny new phone.
“Okay, Google. What’s on my agenda today?”
“You have an appointment at the YMCA at ten in the morning,” the electronic voice answered. “Allegra’s birthday party is at two p.m.”
“Right.” The mobile upgrade had been a splurge, especially after paying off the bill with the sex toys on it, but it was worth it, as was the Google Home kit for the house.
He sat up in bed, tucked Sam’s Happy Saturday, Sexy note into his nightstand drawer, then stuck his head in the hallway.
“Hope? You ready for today?”
“Ready!” she hollered back.
Brady grinned and got in the shower. The last two months since Sam accepted that job had included a lot of changes, not the least of which was his plan to renovate this bathroom and finally put in that tub. Jack and Patrick offered to help him, which he’d accepted, knowing he needed the extra hands. It seemed silly, now, to have felt the way he had around them, but his therapist had said it was normal—that a component of ADHD was shame.
He’d finally gotten evaluated and found out he indeed had the same issues as Allegra, plus some difficulties with processing. He’d had to come to terms with the fact that he’d passed this on to her, but instead of feeling shitty, he was finding ways of helping them both deal with it. He’d started a med that was actually helping, and he was learning more about the way their brains worked. They weren’t bad or weak, just needed different tools to succeed in life.
For him, that meant setting reminders at home and downloading an app for grocery shopping, one that included a space for photos so he didn’t worry about incurring Sam’s wrath over the wrong kind of yogurt. She didn’t get angry as much anymore, but that was because she was happier, and because he was putting systems in place for himself. Like Allegra, he didn’t focus when he was faced with something he didn’t want to learn. He hadn’t wanted to learn stuff like the cabinets or the dishwasher, and couldn’t follow Sam’s system of order. They’d reorganized things so he was part of the process, and now he’d learned where everything in the kitchen went the way Neo knew kung fu.
A short time later, he’d piled Hope into the car and fired off a quick text to Sam letting her know they were on their way.
“You excited?” he asked Hope as he drove.
She bopped her head. “You?”
“Hell…ck yeah,” he said, then glanced in the rearview mirror at his daughter. Her grin was as goofy as his. “Don’t tell Mom I said that.”
“I won’t.”
At the Y, there were lots of other kids in the parking lot, Hope’s age and older, running around in the warm weather. Brady went inside with her and up to the front desk.
“I’m here to sign my daughter up for youth flag football,” he said.
It seemed the head injury of this spring hadn’t deterred her, and he couldn’t have been more thrilled when she’d asked if she could learn to play. He’d finally attended a family therapy session with Sam, and the doctor had said they needed to take seriously what Allegra’s disability might be doing to Hope. He was glad to see his younger daughter coming out of her shell and finding her place in the world, a place that allowed him to step more into his role as a father. Not that he couldn’t have done that if she’d chosen another sport or hobby, but football, he knew. He’d even stood back proudly while she’d picked out her own Patriots hat—in hot pink to match everything Allegra owned, of course.
The employee gave Brady the forms. “Anything else I can help you with?”
“Actually, I’m hoping to sign myself up, too. As a coach.”
Another way to step up to the plate as a dad, and find a way back to the sport he loved. He and Hope sat at a table together, and he filled out the paperwork.
“You know,” he said. “Football and coding aren’t so different. With both you have to think quantitatively and be fast on your feet. Make a decision between this or that. See a problem and find a workaround.”
He looked up at her to see if she understood.
“You’re weird, Dad.”
He laughed. They handed in the papers, met some of the other kids and practiced throwing a few passes before heading across town to Allegra’s dance studio. His baby girl was turning eleven. Hard to believe she was almost a young woman already. There was even, apparently, a boy here she liked, and when the kid showed up Brady shot him his best don’t mess with my daughter look as he gave Allegra a big embarrassing hug. Sam was bustling around with cake and presents, looking frazzled, and Brady immediately jumped in to help. He didn’t catch every instruction—she had to repeat a few—but it all got set up. When the instructor started some kind of dance game, Sam sat in the audience with Hope on her lap while Brady stood in the back of the room. Lilly quietly came over to him.
They didn’t speak for a minute, just watched Allegra getting jiggy on the stage until Lilly leaned in and whispered, “I’m here if you ever need to talk.”
“That’s gross,” he whispered back.
“Totally gross.”
“Insanely, completely, nasty-ass weird.”
“Yup.”
“But I appreciate it.”
He might never take her up on it, but that was more because he was feeling confident with who he was than any discomfort he had with her. He’d discovered he could feel good as his Mistress’ protector while still being himself.
In the audience, Sam turned around and smiled. Brady smiled back at her. He didn’t have to fit into one or two boxes — football player or geek, boss or father, husband or submissive. He could be more than one thing. He could be all those things.
Just as long as his Sammy was with him.
“So how’s everything going?”
Sam put the finishing touches on her tray of veggies and smiled at Jack. “Work is great. And Allegra is doing well, too.”
It was Memorial Day, two days after Allegra’s dance show, and Sam and Brady had invited their friends over for a summer kick-off barbeque. Loud music was playing in the yard and Allegra was running around. She was a little out of control, but Sam let her be. She’d been fighting agains
t her daughter’s frenzied nature, constantly worried she was messing her up, but it was time to accept who Allegra was. She was different from Sam and Brady but was wildly energetic and creative—her own little brand of awesome—and Sam was incredibly proud of her.
She was proud of all of them.
“And how is everything else?” Jack asked.
Sam felt what he was asking in the calm steadiness of his eyes. They weren’t in-laws now, they were talking Dominant to Dominant. But the sound of a hard smack against siding interrupted them.
“Sorry!” Brady jogged toward the open windows and bent to retrieve the football that had punched against the house. “It’s Nick’s fault. He throws like a girl.”
“Hey,” they heard Nick yell. Sam laughed.
“We’re gonna start cooking soon,” she told him. “Ten minutes.”
Brady pulled his phone from his pocket. “Hey Google, set a countdown for ten minutes.”
He went out to the lawn where Nick, Gabe and Patrick were standing. Sam turned to Jack.
“Everything,” she said, “is going really well.”
The phone was a smart investment they’d made while developing a better understanding for Brady’s issues, and were looking into a similar one for Allegra. The Google Assistant had been a nice replacement for the Post-its, although Sam still had a soft spot for them. Working at home had made Brady take on more, and Sam finally felt like she had a partner. He’d even made an effort to watch his language in front of the kids.
Not today, though. She could hear his curse through the windows when the football sailed over into the neighbor’s yard. Allegra and Hope’s new babysitter ran off to get it.
“Glad to hear it,” Jack said. “If you need to talk, though, about anything…”
Yup, still awkward, talking to your brother-in-law about being his baby brother’s Domme. Nick and Gabe had hooked her up with some people in the lifestyle, impartial people not related to any of them. It felt more comfortable.
“I’ll let you know,” she told Jack. “Promise.”
They went outside. Jack carried a tray of raw meat for the grill. Low fat, of course. Sam placed the veggies on the patio table and stood back for a minute to take it all in. The warm weather, the laughter, the feeling of being surrounded by friends and family. She hugged Cassie and Lilly, these friends who had been there for her even when she hadn’t been ready to see it. She’d taken them both out for drinks after the dust settled and thanked them. Although she’d never mentioned what Hanna had done.
“You ready for your trip?” Cassie asked.
Sam could barely contain her excitement. Next week she’d be heading to DC for the first time. “I can’t wait to get back there. And to show the kids next month.”
They’d planned a family vacation to Washington after school was out coinciding with Sam’s upcoming travel. Two more trips were happening after that: one with Lilly and Jack to see Brady’s parents in Maine, and another at the end of the summer, to Arizona.
She’d had a lot to think about when it came to family and had finally found peace about it. Sometimes you don’t get the life you thought you wanted, and sometimes your kids or parents or partners have challenges life didn’t prepare you for. But that’s when you love them harder. She’d done that for her parents, and now they were healthy and happy someplace else. Their apartment had sold, and that chapter of Sam’s life had closed.
Another chapter had ended. Sam had gotten an email from Hanna, settled now in London along with Aliyah, Imani and her parents. Sam was still a bit wary of Hanna’s decision-making and her own inability to see things clearly, but she didn’t regret the experience they’d had together, and was glad they’d both moved on.
Nick caught Brady’s next throw and put the ball down. “So, we’ve got an announcement,” he said, standing next to Gabe.
Allegra was still dancing. Sam turned down the volume on the Bluetooth speakers. Allegra stopped her routine and folded herself into Sam’s side.
Nick pulled a photo from his pocket of a fair-skinned baby girl with dark eyes and a shock of black hair. “We’re adopting.”
Lilly squealed and ran over to them, along with Allegra and everyone else.
Sam leaned toward Brady. “I totally called that.”
“How?”
“They’ve been dropping hints for ages. Just took a little observing.”
He looked at her. “You sure you’re not the hacker in the family?”
Hacker. Lawyer. Receptionist. Politician. Who knew what Sam was? What mattered was that she was happy. They congratulated the new parents-to-be, and when Brady put his arm around her, Sam couldn’t help but think maybe her romance novels were right.
Maybe it was possible for everyone to have it all.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked Brady.
“Sure.”
With everyone occupied and plenty of adults to supervise the kids, it was a good time to pull Brady inside. She’d ordered something special for him—the grand gesture she’d never given.
They hugged Nick and Gabe, then excused themselves and went in the house.
“What’s up?” Brady asked. He was wearing a Superman T-shirt, a cobalt gray that offset the color of his eyes. He’d trimmed his beard short for the summer, and they’d started lifting together at her gym. It was nice, to do that as a couple, and to see the stay-at-home moms gawk over her husband’s physique. She wasn’t sharing him with them, though, or anyone else anytime soon.
“I have something for you.”
They went to the bedroom. Sam reached under the bed and unlocked the toy chest.
“There are people outside, you know.”
Sam grinned. “It’s not a dirty gift.”
She handed over the soft cotton bag with a drawstring tie. Brady pulled on the cord. The smell of fresh leather hit Sam’s nose as soon as the bag opened and the custom-made wristband fell into his palm. It was mahogany brown, wide with grooved edging and hand-stitched bands. A silver four-leaf clover was in the middle of it.
“Is this what I think it is?”
She nodded. Instead of a collar, it was a submissive cuff. “Something for you to wear when we play.” And something to solidify their bond. “It’s only for then, though. When you put this on, we’re Dominant and submissive. The rest of the time, we’re equals.”
“I love it.”
Sam took it from him, turned it over and handed it back. “Read the inside.”
He flattened the cuff and looked at the word inscribed on the inside.
“Metamorphosis.” He gave her his signature goofy grin. “Is that in case I forget my safeword again?”
Sam had to laugh. “No.”
“Is it because if I put this on I’ll turn into a giant cockroach?”
“Oh my God.”
She held one end of the cuff, ran her thumb over the word, and thought about the story she’d helped him understand years ago. “Metamorphosis is the process of transformation, of changing from one thing or person into a completely different one.”
Sam closed the snaps, liking the sound of it clicking shut.
She was going to like it even more when it closed with his wrist inside it.
“It’s seeing what happens when people let each other change.” She looked at her husband, at his baby face, at his arms, eyes and smile, at the man who was her pet and her protector all wrapped up in one. “Thank you, for letting me change.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. “We changed together.”
She tucked the cuff back in the bag and pulled the drawstring. “I’m still not sure why you’re so good to me.”
“Simple.” He turned her hand over, rubbed his finger along her wedding band. “I take care of you. You take care of me.”
Sam kissed him and smiled. “End of story.”
THANK YOU!
I hope you enjoyed Their Discovery! Brady and Sam made my heart ache to write at times. I’m so happy they finally get their h
appily ever after.
Maybe you loved them too? Maybe you didn’t? Either way, I want to hear about it!
As you might know, reviews aren’t easy to come by, and you, my darling reader, have the power to get others interested in my books. I’d be super appreciative if you took the time to leave me a review. If you’re so inclined, you can leave one wherever you purchased the book from, and on Goodreads.
PS: Don’t forget! You can find cool book extras like playlists, inspiration and more on my book page:
rebeccagraceallen.com/mybooks/their-discovery.
Acknowledgments
I couldn’t have written this book without the help of an amazing community of people.
Thanks so much to my editor, Jennifer, who dealt calmly with every panicked email from me and every obsessive, nit-picky word change I threw at you. Your support is unparalleled.
To my critique partner, Marie Lark, thank you for seeing the first awful versions of all my books and turning them around into something I could be proud of, especially this one. Crista, thank you for yet another trip to Boston and making every element of this series realistic. Andrew C., thank you for being in DC during the period of time Sam was and giving me countless tidbits of knowledge on what her experience would’ve been like.
To my “legal team,” Annelise, Natacha and Dad, thank you for checking all my facts on copyright, immigration law, embezzlement, fraud and forgery, and for not billing me by the hour!
Kathryn, thanks for your extensive knowledge on Boston University in the nineties, and on children with special needs. Alexis, thank you for your insight into Brady’s issues. Kaitlin, thank you for being my go-to person on all things parenting. Marie Christine, thank you for bringing Hannaleen’s South Africa experience to life. Karen, thank you for whipping the blurb into shape.
A million thanks go out to my beta reader, Matt, for being my cheerleader from day one, and to my family and friends, who have continued to support me on this crazy journey I’m on.
And last, to my readers—thank you for patiently waiting for this series to come to an end. I hope you loved it as much as I did.
Their Discovery (Legally Bound Book 3) Page 32
