Rule Changer

by Deena Patel

  “I’ll talk to him. Meanwhile, you do your cyberspace mumbo jumbo for now.”

  At that moment, a knock sounded on the door, and I knew it was Thomas.

  “I have to go, Ari. I’ll call you later.”

  Hanging up the phone, I took a deep breath, put on my game face, and opened my office door.

  God, he was beautiful. No, that was too pretty a word for someone so rugged and masculine. His tailored black suit accentuated his large muscular frame. His short hair and five-o’clock shadow gave him a slightly unkempt appearance. However, his hands, rough and calloused from working his family’s ranch, said he was as comfortable working outdoors as in the boardroom.

  “Come in, Thomas. We should get started.”

  Thomas stared at me as if he could see into my soul and slay all my demons. I couldn’t handle his scrutiny, so I stepped back and gestured for him to enter.

  He remained still and continued to examine me.

  “Are you coming in?”

  He tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. “Mi cielito, what’s wrong?” My heaven.

  My breath hitched, and I wanted desperately to lean into his touch, to seek a moment of comfort. Until Thomas, no one had seen past the cold, always-in-control Carmen Dane. I’d never felt as safe or protected as during the short time we were together. In the end, I realized it had all been an illusion.

  “We’ll talk about it in a moment.” I stepped away from him and moved behind my desk. “And please don’t call me that.”

  Thomas frowned. I expected him to say something, but instead, he followed me and took the chair across from mine.

  “It’s a term of endearment. Something anyone would say to a person they cared for.”

  I glared at him, knowing it wasn’t true. “You once told me that your mother said to use that term only with the woman you planned to marry. Since I’m not her, you shouldn’t refer to me that way.”

  He stood, putting his hands on my desk, and leaned forward. His gaze bored into mine, making me lick my lips.

  “You are her.”

  What did he want from me? I couldn’t let him make me believe again.

  I closed my eyes for a brief moment, remembering the freedom and pleasure I felt in his domination of my body, of my heart.

  Pushing down my desires, I spoke. “No, I’m not. You want a submissive. I’m a Domme. I won’t ever submit to anyone ever again.”

  He sat down with a slight smile touching his lips as if he viewed my statement as a challenge.

  “What if I say I’ll willingly submit to you?”

  “Then you’re crazy. There isn’t a submissive bone in your body.”

  “I’m serious, Carm.” His eyes continued boring into mine. “I want you. I never stopped.”

  He’d lost his mind; that was the only explanation. Submission was one thing he couldn’t do. He enjoyed some release of control, but there had never been a time where he relinquished all of it. I ended up feeling as if he’d topped me from the bottom. He wasn’t a submissive; he wasn’t even a true switch.

  I rose from my chair and folded my arms across my chest. I walked around my desk and leaned a hip against it as I glared down at Thomas. “So if I said I wanted to tie you up, to flog you, to whip you, you’d accept?”

  He stood, trying to remind me that he’d always be taller than me. I shook my head inside. That was not the response of a submissive.

  “We’ve done that, remember?”

  Yes, then you’d flip me onto my back and fuck me until I couldn’t see straight.

  “What about fingering your ass or fucking you with a strap-on? You’d submit to that?”

  He swallowed but nodded. “Yes.”

  “Really?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice.

  “Yes.” He continued to hold my gaze. “Are you willing to be my Domme?”

  No matter how much I wanted to say yes, I couldn’t. Thomas was too much of a Dom to be anything else.

  “I don’t believe you. You couldn’t do it.” I broke the standoff and moved back to my chair. “I don’t know why we’re discussing this. It’s not going to happen, so it’s a moot point.”

  “You won’t know unless you agree.”

  I ignored his response and moved to the reason for the meeting. “Do you have any questions about the custody agreement?”

  My stomach knotted. Would he let me raise the boys here in New York?

  “No. Joint custody is the best thing for our sons. And I agree the boys should be with you full-time. No child should grow up without their mother.”

  I heard the slight pain underlining his statement. His grandfather had raised him after his parents’ deaths, and from what he’d told me, his grandfather loved him but was far from affectionate.

  “What about the terms of visitation?”

  “I see no problem with them.”

  “Is there anything you don’t agree with?”

  He frowned. “Carm, breathe. We don’t have to decide everything today. We’ll figure out how to raise our sons without hurting them.” He reached across the desk and covered my fisted hands, ones I hadn’t realized I was clenching.

  Tears clouded my eyes. He was saying everything I’d wanted him to.

  “I’m not going to lie to you. Ideally, I’d like for them to grow up with you and me as a couple.”

  I tried to pull my hands out from under his, but he held them tight.

  “Thomas, you’ve got to let it go,” I said.

  “Not where my family is concerned. Don’t look at me like that. Whether you want to admit it or not, we are family. Our sons will connect us for the rest of our lives.”

  “I know, Thomas.” I inhaled deep. “But I can’t give you the relationship you want.”

  “When you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.”

  I shook my head. He never gave up.

  “Would you like to come over and meet them? I know you’re going back to California tonight, but we can arrange it for when you get back.”

  Surprise crossed his face, and then a full-on smile that had my heart stopping. “I’ll be back on Friday. Would Saturday morning work?”

  “Sure. Simon and Leo wake up from their naps around eleven.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  We both stood, and I walked him to the door. He leaned in, and I lifted my face toward him in response before we both pulled back.

  My face flushed.

  “It’s going to happen,” he crooned. “You feel it as much as I do.”

  “Goodbye, Thomas.”

  “Goodbye, cielito. I’ll see you next Saturday.”

  I closed the door as Thomas left; and I knew, deep down, I was in trouble.

  CHAPTER NINE

  This is as good as it will ever get,” I announced to no one in particular as I checked my reflection in my compact.

  After my meeting with Thomas, I couldn’t concentrate on my work anymore. There was too much turmoil bubbling inside me. My issues with Thomas were major, but all I could think about was the e-mail from Christof and the fact I’d never gotten around to telling Thomas about it.

  I’d let his statement about me being the woman he wanted to marry throw me. He wasn’t one to say those words easily. Even if what he said was true, I couldn’t be positive he’d put our relationship before his family, and I didn’t want to be the one who separated him from the only father he knew.

  With one last glance at my vanity mirror, I grabbed my clutch and left the penthouse for my waiting car.

  “Hi, James. Thanks for driving me tonight.” I slid into the vehicle.

  The stoic Russian bodyguard inclined his head. “It is my job, Ms. Dane.”

  I raised a brow, which resulted in a glare and him shutting the door. This was anything but a job. He was Arya’s surrogate father, and since she was my sister by marriage and friendship, I was his daughter by default.

  Arya had informed him of the threats from Christof, and he would protect me.

&nbs
p; A shiver ran down my spine as an image of Christof popped into my mind. I needed to call Arya and see if she’d discovered any leads on the reverse virus she’d attached to the files on my computer. Then I would call Thomas. It was better to talk to him with all the information on hand.

  I glanced at my building a second before James pulled into the street, and I held in the urge to go back, cancel my plans for the evening, and spend the night cuddling Leo and Simon.

  I pushed that thought down; tonight’s event was as much about business as enjoyment. Many of the power players in the world of finance and real estate would be at the party, and I was responsible for three new property development project that were currently in escrow and hadn’t closed yet.

  The partition of the limousine lowered. “We’ll arrive in a few moments.”

  “Thanks, James.”

  As we pulled up, I lowered the passenger window and handed my invitation to the waiting attendant. He inspected my credentials and then waved us through the gates.

  The party tonight was an annual event held by a well-known Dom in the area. His private estate was one of the few remaining giant properties owned by a single family in New York. Attending the event hadn’t been on my agenda for the evening, but after receiving a personal phone invitation from the host, I couldn’t refuse.

  James stopped the car at the entrance to the mansion, and the door immediately opened.

  “Mistress Carmen, welcome.” The butler smiled at me. “Master Travis is very pleased you are here tonight.”

  “Thank you.” I stepped out of the car and adjusted the legs of my white leather bodysuit.

  “Master Travis requested you join him in the parlor.”

  “But isn’t the party in the gardens?”

  The butler squirmed as I stared at him, and he looked down. “Yes. I am only relaying his message.”

  Aha, a submissive.

  “No worries.” I stepped toward the house. “Please attend to the other guests. I will show myself in.”

  He kept his head down but peeked up. “As you wish, Mistress.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and gave him a last smile. He reddened and turned to the arriving cars.

  I surveyed the beautiful mansion. It held the original details of its Victorian history with large chandeliers and staircases, but had clean lines and muted colors, in style with the modern owner.

  I approached the hallway near the parlor.

  I opened the door and found at least ten Doms and Dommes with a handful of submissives socializing.

  As I approached the Doms, who were in a heavy discussion, a beautiful Latina submissive stepped toward me.

  She was dressed in a form-fitting corset dress that accentuated her generous curves. She had a scowl on her face, and I braced myself for whatever she had to say. I’d never met her before, but she knew who I was. Just a few steps before she reached me, a Dom called her name, and she turned in his direction. As she reached her Dom, she glanced over her shoulder, giving me a pointed stare.

  Whatever I’d done to this woman must be a doozy. For a split second, I thought it might be Andrew’s mistress; the woman in the picture was a blonde and a Domme.

  I walked up to Master Travis, shaking off the unusual encounter with the submissive.

  “Mistress Carmen, I apologize for Sophia’s behavior. I’ve never seen her hostile with anyone. Let alone a Domme. Maybe she’s jealous.”

  I frowned. “Why would she be jealous?”

  She wasn’t Andrew’s lover.

  “Because of Master Thomas, of course.”

  I held my breath and hoped my eyes didn’t bug out.

  How did he know about Thomas and me? That meant others must know as well.

  “I’m not sure I catch your meaning. Thomas and I have a business relationship.”

  Most people in the lifestyle knew about Thomas’s partnership with me in his first endeavor into fetish clubs. He was well known for his high-end nightclubs around the world, catering to the twenty-five to forty crowd.

  “I think you’re mistaken, Master Travis,” another Dom interjected. “Only a fool would assume Mistress Carmen would submit to any man.”

  The corner of Travis’s mouth went up in amusement. “My mistake. Can you imagine two Dominants together? They’d kill each other.” His words didn’t match the expression on his face, and I had the distinct feeling he knew more about me than I wanted. Then I remembered Travis and Thomas were close friends, and it hit me. This was a setup.

  The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I watched Travis gaze behind me.

  “Speak of the devil. Here he is,” Travis announced and then leaned down and whispered in my ear, “No more avoiding the inevitable. You’ve settled your custody issues. Now you need to settle the personal.”

  “This isn’t the time or place,” I whispered back.

  I glanced behind me, and Thomas’s eyes caught mine. My breath hitched as he headed straight for me. He strode past Sophia when she tried to get his attention, and ignored any other submissive who greeted him.

  Thomas came up behind me and slid his hand over my stomach. Instead of pushing it away, I gripped it, unsure of what to do.

  “Gentlemen, if you will excuse us, I need to speak with the mother of my children.”

  Before I could respond to his declaration or gauge the response of the other Doms, Thomas had me walking toward the exit with his hand moving to my lower back.

  When I realized what I was doing, I stopped and turned around.

  His eyes darkened with desire as he stared me down, and my pulse jumped. I licked my now-dry lips.

  Dammit. I had no discipline when he looked at me like that. The reason I ended up pregnant was that I’d lost all willpower to remember protection the last time we were together. That was the very night my heart had decided he was the man with whom I’d spend my life.

  Believing that was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

  I opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off, but before I could utter a word, he placed a finger on my lips and squeezed the hand now on my waist. “Keep moving, Carm. I’m not above making a scene, and we both have reputations to protect. I left your office today because I knew you weren’t ready to listen or accept what I offered. I’m finished waiting. Now move.”

  My cheeks flushed and I swallowed as arousal shot through me. How did Thomas always find a way to catch me off guard?

  There was no point in fighting right now. He was right. The more we lingered, the more others would notice us, and this discussion needed to happen in private.

  Thomas guided me to a private lounge at the far end of the house. We passed many couples and individuals who were too engrossed in the dancers preforming around the mansion to avert their gaze from the show.

  Once we were alone, I planned to give him a piece of my mind. He had to get it through his thick skull that we’d never be a couple again. I couldn’t trust him with that part of me.

  The moment we entered the room, Thomas grabbed me and pushed me against the door.

  “Thom—” I cried out as he sealed my mouth with his and my clutch hit the floor.

  He lifted my legs around him as he deepened our kiss, one filled with anger and desire while pushing his denim-covered cock against my sensitive flesh. I shoved against his chest, knowing it wasn’t a good idea to let it go further, but he tasted so good, the flavor of cognac mixed with his natural sweet essence.

  I’d dreamed of his touch for a year and a half. I’d missed him so much.

  I arched against him and moaned, pulling my face free. “We shouldn’t do this. It will only make things more complicated.”

  Thomas fisted my hair and drew me back to him. “Oh, we definitely should do this.”

  Wetness flooded my pussy, and I knew I was lost. I needed him. I had to get him out of my system.

  Maybe one more time will end this yearning, this desire the scene at the club did nothing to rectify.

  Thomas released his g
rip on my thighs, allowing my feet to slide to the ground. He turned us and then walked me backward toward the sofa.

  “I’m going to show you that you cannot live without your Master.” He cupped my breasts through my bodysuit, causing them to pebble painfully against the fabric.

  Master. The hell?

  He was not getting away with that statement. I wouldn’t ever submit again.

  I laughed and reversed our positions so when we reached the sofa, the back of Thomas’s legs hit the edge. “I don’t think so.” I tumbled him down onto the cushion and climbed on top of him, grabbing his hands and placing them above his head. “I am a Mistress, and I will not yield. You’re the one who wanted to submit, remember?”

  A slight grin touched his lips. “Let me have it, Mistress.”

  I threaded my fingers into his hair and sealed our mouths again. Our tongues dueled, and I rubbed my throbbing core against his straining erection. I kissed down his neck and worked the buttons of his shirt open. As I revealed his chest and abdomen, I nearly moaned. Hours of combat training, working on the ranch, and his natural athletic build created a body worthy of any woman’s fantasies.

  My hands and nails trailed down his pecs, over his six-pack abs, and then grazed his denim-covered cock. A shudder shook him as my fingers traced the tip. I glanced up to see his eyes squeezed shut and his arms twitching to move. I tapped his biceps. “Don’t even think about it. I’m in charge.”

  “Yes, Mistress,” he purred, and his voice triggered goose bumps all over my body.

  I licked my lips and leaned my face into his stomach. His scent tickled my senses, reminding me of how much I enjoyed tasting him and how long it had been.

  I grasped his belt, pulling the leather through the loop, and then unbuttoned his pants. I nuzzled his groin, and he arched his pelvis in response.

  His lids flickered.

  “Keep your eyes closed, or you won’t enjoy the pleasure of my mouth.”

  His fists clenched tight. “Yes, Mistress.”

  Opening his snug pants, I pulled out his beautiful, pulsing cock. I grasped the base and squeezed up to the tip and back down. A drop of precum beaded at the end, and I licked the pearl.

  His earthy musk exploded in my mouth, and a moan escaped my lips.