Adored: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella (1001 Dark Nights)

by Lexi Blake

  Bridget pulled Laurel in for a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. I see Mitch was kind with the clothes.”

  She was wearing a crop top and tiny miniskirt. No shoes for her. He’d explained that while he liked her heels, he was afraid she would trip in them. She hadn’t stopped wearing them to work, but he ruled here at Sanctum. “He’s afraid a corset would be confining for the baby. I did not even point out that women wore them for many years and they’re adjustable. I’ve found on some things, it’s easier to give in. And I really hope we got all the hideously embarrassing questions out of the way with the first doctor’s visit.”

  Mitch had driven her to Dr. Bates’s office and waited with her. He’d helped her change into her gown and listened intently while the doctor had searched for the heartbeat. While she’d gotten teary at the sound, he’d been stoic. He’d simply nodded and squeezed her hand as though he’d read somewhere that was what the expectant father did when the expectant mother cried. He’d shown no real emotion, but boy had he had some questions for the doc.

  Bridget laughed. “How bad was it? I happen to know your OB. She’s very cool and understands the lifestyle, so I’m sure it’s nothing she hasn’t heard before.”

  “He asked if anal sex was okay for the baby. I’m not kidding you.” It had been horrifying. He’d had a list of questions for Dr. Bates, most of them about sexual things she never thought she would talk to a doctor about.

  “What did she say?” Serena asked. “Because when Jake asked she told us as long as it was my ass he was very gently fucking it would likely be all right, but otherwise he might be in trouble.”

  Dr. Bates seemed to have come from the Big Tag school of bedside manner. “Yes, that seems to be her patent response. Did Mitchell have to go through an entire list of sexual positions and acts?”

  “This is a guy’s way of caring. He’s nervous about it so he has to find some way of taking control,” Serena explained. “Pregnancy can be very difficult for the man. Especially a Dom. He can’t control it so you have to find ways to make him more comfortable with the situation. Let him pamper you even when it’s annoying. Seriously, a foot rub can get boring after three hours, but it soothed Jake to do it. Adam was definitely calmer until we hit the delivery room. That first blood freaked him out. He wasn’t prepared for it to be so bloody and painful.”

  “Hey, ixnay on the ainpay.” Bridget frowned Serena’s way.

  “Oh, because I should tell her that childbirth is a lovely, pain-free, and completely comfortable experience.”

  “I’m going to take all the drugs,” Laurel admitted. “Every one of them. I’m not a Viking woman.”

  The pain part scared the crap out of her. So did all the things that could happen. Mitch didn’t want her to read the childbirth books. He’d told her they would only scare her, but she’d put a couple on her Kindle anyway. One of them had to be ready. He’d asked the doctor a million questions about their sex lives and not one about the actual pregnancy.

  Sometimes she wondered if he’d changed his mind about the baby again. Or was it all about his duty to her and responsibility for the child?

  She’d noticed that after their first night together, they hadn’t spoken of marriage again. She told herself it was good because she didn’t want to have that fight, but she had to wonder if she really wanted to be a single mom.

  “Do you absolutely have to play tonight? It’s hard walking around without looking at things. I’m going to crash into someone’s scene,” a familiar voice said.

  She turned and there was her brother coming up the stairs with Mitchell and Kai. Will’s eyes were firmly planted on the ground.

  Kai gave her a smile. “He’s trying to avoid seeing you half naked.”

  “She’s actually quite covered,” Mitch admitted.

  He looked utterly delicious. No matter what kind of problems they might have, there was no denying the fact that this man got her motor running like no other. Sanctum was filled with gorgeous men, but Mitch seemed to stand above the rest. He was so masculine, with his broad shoulders and cut chest on display. She loved how petite she felt when he held her. He seemed to like to show off how strong he was by carrying her around.

  Will brought his head up, his eyes opening cautiously. He seemed to relax. “All right. I suppose I can handle that. What kind of scene are you two doing tonight?”

  Mitch moved to her side, his eyes going to the collar around her neck. She could practically feel the satisfaction pouring off him in waves. He might not want her as a wife, but she could tell he was enjoying keeping a submissive. “I’m doing a ropes demonstration, and no, you will not want to watch. We’re up very soon, so you and Bridget should stay on the east side of the dungeon. I hear Weston and his wife are doing an impact play scene.”

  “I’m going to find a pretty little pain slut and get my freak on,” Kai promised. He looked nothing like his normal self. Kai was usually very intellectual looking. Like the professor at college every girl wanted to date. But with his hair down around his shoulders and dressed in leathers and motorcycle boots, the good psychologist looked dangerous. And definitely ready for some fun. Of course, his idea of fun had to do with pain.

  “When are you going to play with Kori?” Mitch nodded to a girl across the room.

  Kori was standing with her friend, Sarah. The two were pretty women. With curves for days, they looked ready for play in their corsets and teeny tiny thongs.

  Kai frowned. “I’m not and I’ve made that clear. She works for me. I’m not going to play with my employee. I’ve so recently seen where that leads.” He patted Mitch on the shoulder. “I’m going to find a compatible woman and work very hard to not get her pregnant. You look lovely, Laurel.”

  “I don’t think that’s a compliment.”

  Kai took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gallantly. “It was meant to be. I wish you all the best. And know that my door is always open.”

  Kai strode away.

  “If I didn’t know he was offering you a counseling session, I might go kick his ass. I think I want to amend our contract. No one gets to kiss you except me. Not any part of you. I didn’t like him kissing your hand.” Mitch could get the tiniest bit jealous, but he looked so cute standing there staring after his friend like he wasn’t sure what to do.

  “Somehow, I think he merely meant it as a friendly gesture. Shall we take a look around? I know all the Doms got to see the place being built, but this is my first time.”

  He took her hand, threading their fingers together. “I suppose that’s why you weren’t waiting for me outside the locker rooms?”

  She winced. He’d been implicit in his instructions, but then Mitch always was. “I wanted to know what I was getting into.”

  “You knew where I wanted you.”

  “Yes, Master.” She’d actually thought she could run up and take a peek and then get back downstairs. Then she’d caught sight of that damn hamster wheel and gotten off track.

  “I like the way that sounds,” he said, satisfaction evident on his face.

  “Master?” She hadn’t called him by his title before. Maybe it would save her. She gave him her more innocent smile. “My Master.”

  He shook his head. “That’s not going to save you, sweet brat. While we’re showing people how to form a rope dress, you’ll also receive twenty swats.”

  Will shuddered. “See, I don’t need to hear that. Ever.”

  Bridget sent Laurel an apologetic glance. “Sorry. He’ll get used to it.”

  “No, I won’t,” Will complained as Bridget led him off.

  Serena went to join her husbands and Laurel was left alone with her Dom.

  “I didn’t like you not being there when I came out. I would have stood there waiting for you had another sub not come out and explained you had already left. Will told me where you would be. Apparently he knows you better than I do.”

  “Living with a person for eighteen years will do that to you.”

&
nbsp; “That’s another five for sarcasm.”

  She should have known he would be more rigid in the club. The play parties they’d attended over the last few weeks hadn’t seemed as formal. She lowered her head in deference to her Dom. “I’m sorry, Master. I was very eager to see the dungeon and Bridget was walking upstairs. I went with her. I meant to get back down after I took a peek. I understand and accept my punishment.”

  His hand came out and he gently lifted her chin up so she saw him again. “I don’t like not knowing where you are. It worries me.”

  Her heart melted a little because he really did worry when she wasn’t with him. “I’m sorry.”

  He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Don’t do it again. I want to be with you when you walk this dungeon. Now, we don’t have much time. Let’s take a walk and then get to our space. Everything’s set up for us so we have a few minutes.”

  He started to lead her around. There was the heavy thud of industrial music playing. It seemed to thump through the entire floor. There were numerous scene spaces. She saw a well-stocked doctor’s office. It looked like Mitch’s friend Keith was giving his wife a very deep examination using his penis.

  “You’re blushing.” Mitch stopped on the outskirts of the scene. “How are you going to get through our scene if this bothers you?”

  She shook her head. “It doesn’t bother me at all. They’re happy, consenting adults. I have no problem with it. It’s very arousing.”

  His lips quirked up. “You’re aroused, are you?”

  She was getting more aroused because he was backing her up, his big body invading her space. She found herself against a wall. “Yes.”

  His hand found her thigh. “I think I’d like to see how aroused you are. Spread your legs for me.”

  There had been no panties left in her locker and she definitely hadn’t been foolish enough to wear the ones she’d entered the building in. She would wear what she wanted outside, but in Sanctum she dressed to please Mitchell. Her Master had tossed out all her old cotton panties and replaced them with gorgeous silk undies, but he’d been plain about not wearing them at all in the club.

  She did as he asked. It was her first time in the club. The play parties hadn’t truly prepped her for how it would feel. Sanctum was so big. It gave her the sense that any moment anyone could walk by and see her. Her heart raced a little. The club was full tonight. There was a big party for the grand opening with a gorgeous buffet downstairs, but suddenly she wasn’t thinking of food. She was thinking of Mitch’s hands on her body. His big palms moved up her thighs, taking the miniscule skirt with them. She felt cool air on her most private part.

  “I don’t want nudity to bother you, Laurel. Certainly not your own. You’re gorgeous and you’re mine. I’m going to love showing off your body. I’m thinking about showing it off right now. What are you thinking about, baby?”

  He slid the skirt to her waist, completely exposing her pussy and backside. Cool air hit her sensitive flesh and she felt the most delicious chill go up her spine.

  “You. Nothing else.” It was the nice thing about the time they spent playing. She could let go of everything else. There was no reason to worry. This was the place where she could live in the moment. Every other moment of her life she suddenly had to worry about the future, but here she could simply be Master Mitchell’s submissive.

  His hand moved between her legs. “Let’s see what happens when you think of me.”

  A finger slide through her labia, parting her pussy and gently curving up. His thumb found her clitoris and pressed down and up and then moved in a sensuous circle.

  Her whole body responded, softening, preparing.

  “Hands above your head,” he commanded in that low growl that always got her motor running.

  She moved her hands over her head, holding her right wrist with her left. It brought the shirt she was wearing up to the point that the bottoms of her breasts were showing.

  He withdrew his hand, much to her dismay. He brought his fingers up, a grin on his face. “I like the way you think about me, Laurel.”

  He sucked his soaked fingers inside his mouth, obviously savoring the taste of her arousal. When he was done, he crowded her again.

  “You’re the only man who could ever get me this hot this fast.” She wanted him to know this crazy piece of her only seemed to be for him. She couldn’t imagine standing here in a crowded room with her legs spread wide for all to see with anyone except him. She’d been perfectly vanilla until she’d met Mitchell Bradford, and she would likely go back into her comfy shell if he left her.

  “I intend to keep it that way.” It was the closest thing he would say about the future. He tugged her skirt down. “Come with me. It’s time to get started.”

  She followed him through the club, well aware that the ache inside, the desperate wanting, was all part of her Dom’s punishment for disobeying him. He’d felt how wet she was and he was going to leave her waiting. It was all part of the scene.

  In the weeks they’d been living together, she’d gotten used to Mitch’s version of play. He was a man of routine. He liked the discipline of holding to a schedule. While that might sound boring to a lot of people, Laurel loved the fact that the man came home every night at six o’clock on the dot without fail. She knew to be undressed and waiting for him, and had never once been left on her knees waiting.

  For a girl who never knew if her mother was going to show up at all, it was comforting.

  But she did miss his passion. He’d found the routine of discipline and he no longer deviated. While he’d put aside the use of withdrawal of affection as a punishment, he still wasn’t exactly chatty. He would listen to her all day but never said a word about his past or their future.

  She walked with him, looking around her at all the happy couples. There were a few women she knew from her training classes. Before subs were ever introduced to Doms, they had to go through classes and pass a psych eval. She waved at a couple of her friends who seemed to be flirting with the new Doms.

  They briefly stopped at one of the odder scene spaces. She’d passed the classroom space, with its school desks and chalkboards where professors spanked wayward subs who didn’t do their homework. This was like a classroom, but an almost medieval one.

  She recognized the “professor” in the scene. Jesse Murdoch was wearing a long, dark robe and standing in front of a series of beakers and cauldrons that had what looked like steam coming out of them.

  “Miss Grant, this potion is atrocious and not befitting of a witch of your caliber,” Jesse said in a dark tone.

  She felt her eyes widen as she realized where the scene was coming from. Phoebe Murdoch stood, her hair flowing and eyes wide. She was wearing a robe too, though hers barely covered her backside and she didn’t seem to be wearing anything underneath it.

  “I suppose you’ll have to punish me, professor. For the good of all the wizarding world,” she said as she presented her ass to him.

  “I don’t think that’s what J.K. Rowling intended wands to do,” she whispered to Mitch.

  He shook his head and continued toward the center of the dungeon and the raised stage. She definitely knew a couple of the people in this crowd, but she couldn’t tell what kind of scene was being performed.

  That was when she saw the rope that had been placed on a table along with what looked to be a ridiculously large anal plug and some lube.

  He was not about to…

  “Come on, baby.” He started to help her to the stairs.

  “This is the main stage.”

  “Yes, and this is a teaching scene. The new Doms are all expected to attend. We wouldn’t want to be late, would we?”

  There were a lot of people and they were about to watch Mitch tie her up. What was she doing? She was pregnant. She was going to be a mom. She shouldn’t be out here.

  “Laurel?”

  She realized she was standing there and everyone was watching them. Mitch was going to be angry.
He’d planned this whole scene and he wouldn’t like her messing it up.

  “Laurel?” He stepped back down and stared at her for a moment. His eyes were cold and she felt frozen in place.

  He was going to give her an ultimatum now. It was what he did. It was how they seemed to work, or rather how he worked. She’d figured out that she had to adapt to him if she wanted to be with him.

  Maybe that wasn’t the best way to live.

  He stepped up close and she waited for him to tell her to get on the stage or accept whatever punishment he was going to give her, and then she would have to make a choice. God, the moment was here and she wasn’t ready for it. She wasn’t ready to leave him, but she also wasn’t sure she wanted to go on that stage.

  His hands sank into her hair, but instead of tugging on it and forcing her to look at him, he pulled her close and settled her against his chest. “Baby, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Shhh. If you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to. We can spend the rest of the night watching scenes and then go down and have a nice dinner. It’s going to be all right.”

  “But you set up the scene.” He didn’t back down. He plowed through. He did what he said he was going to do.

  “And someone can take over.” His hand smoothed down her hair. “Laurel, baby, what are you afraid of? I would never hurt you and I certainly won’t make you do a scene you’re uncomfortable with.”

  He was making everyone wait. He was holding them up so he could comfort her.

  “There are a lot of people here,” she admitted. “And I thought about the fact that I’m pregnant and I’m going to be a mom and god, Mitch, what are we going to do when the baby gets here? What are we going to do?”

  She wasn’t sure why it hit her then and there, but it did. Weeks of holding it together culminated in her shaking and crying and making a complete idiot of herself in front of all the Doms in Sanctum.

  Mitch swept her up into his arms. “Alex, could you take over for me?”

  Now they would have to go home and talk about why she’d ruined the scene. She wasn’t looking forward to going into the locker room alone and having to change back into street clothes. She wasn’t looking forward to an awkward discussion.