by Sable Hunter
CHAPTER THREE
Could he have made a bigger mess if he had tried? Deciding not to go back to the bar, he headed out of town. Tonight, Isaac needed to be near his family. Riding toward home, he hit his hand on the handlebars - hard. Was he crazy? He had just walked away from the best sex of his life. But the urge to dominate her had been stronger than he’d ever felt before with other women. Isaac knew if they were ever together again, he would demand her complete submission and he couldn’t do her that way – she would never understand.
Fuck! What a mess he had made! His intention had only been to find her, make sure she was safe and caution her against putting herself in danger by coming into a place like Hardbodies alone. Okay – that wasn’t exactly what he had said. He had essentially told her she wasn’t welcome in his bar. But it wasn’t because he didn’t want her there – it was because he wanted her there too much.
As he headed out on the ranch road, he tried to analyze exactly what had happened. Flashes of the paradise he had just walked away from ate at him like acid. He hadn’t had sex with her, but it was a wonder. What he had done was bad enough, but God it had been good. Carved into his memory was how creamy her little pussy had been as he swirled his fingers around her clit and how tight her cunt had clasped his fingers – and making her cum had been better than cumming himself. Isaac had never felt anything like the thrill of giving her pleasure. Even the fulfillment he gained from dominating hadn’t come close to this heaven. If only Avery could accept him as he really was – she would be his fantasy submissive. But that was asking for far too much, he knew that.
As their encounter played through his mind, detail by erotic detail, he realized he was trying to block out one critical image – Avery’s eyes when he had pushed her away. “Damn!” He had been so intent on protecting her and worrying about his own shortcomings, he hadn’t considered what his actions might have done to her. Isaac forced himself to remember her face and how those big amethyst eyes had filled with tears. He had hurt her. After she had placed herself so sweetly and trustingly in his hands, after she had given him the incredible gift of that erotic kiss – he had hurt her. God, what had he done?
For a moment, he considered turning around, going right back to her, and trying to straighten this mess out. But what would he say? Lord, he needed to think about this. Everything within him said this was huge – momentous – in other words, he couldn’t afford to fuck this up any more than he already had. Hell, he almost missed the turn off to the ranch house. Putting on his blinker, he turned onto Tebow property. It was getting late – hopefully everyone had gone to bed and he wouldn’t have to have a conversation with anyone.
Damn! Somebody was in his regular parking place and he didn’t recognize the car. Then he remembered – Joseph and Cady’s engagement party was in a couple of days and her family would be joining them. It looked like some of them were already here. He wondered who? They had never met Cady’s mother or her grandmother Fontenot, so the rowdy McCoy brothers had to be on their best behavior. Or face the wrath of an angry, hormonal Libby.
At least he could be thankful that for the time being, all was relatively calm in his world. Keszey, the wire-cutting maniac was behind bars. The copycat crazy who had kidnapped Kane’s fiancé had been apprehended. And for now – as far as they knew, no one was out to get them, kidnap or ruin them.
The engagement party was going to be casual, per Joseph’s request. A whole pig would be roasted all day, there would be plenty of BBQ and tequila would flow like a river. Good times. That reminded him – he had to get the booze ready for the party. It was a good thing he ordered extra liquor, the McCoy social schedule was full this month.
As he walked up to the wide front verandah, he was surprised to hear the porch swing squeaking. Someone was outside. Peering through the darkness, Isaac tried to see who it was. Geez! He knew who he hoped it wasn’t! “Come sit by me, Bad-boy.”
“Uh-oh.” Just who he was afraid it would be. This was one of Cady’s favorites, a member of her extended family. “Nana Bogart – have broom will travel,” he whispered.
“I heard that.” There was no way in hell she had heard his whisper. Damn magic. “Turn on the porch light, will you? I want to see you when I talk to you.”
“Yes, mam.” What else could he say? He had to be polite; he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life sitting on some lily pad out in the stock pond. Doing as she asked, he flipped on the switch and faced her. She was propped up in the swing, sipping on a big glass of tea. “It’s good to see you, Nana. How have you been?” He asked nervously.
“Just fine. How bout yourself?” she patted the cushion next to her.
“I can’t complain.” At least they were meeting under more pleasant circumstances. The last time she and her family were here, Joseph had been paralyzed from the waist down. Of course, the Bogart witches had helped Cady perform a miracle. He still didn’t understand how they had done it – but knowing Joseph was walking and running and having sex again was worth any amount of discomfort he felt sitting down with a woman that he was just a mite afraid of.
“Just a mite?” she laughed. “I’ll have to work on my scare tactics.”
“How do you do that?” he asked with all intentions of trying to keep his mind blank.
“Oh baby,” she patted his knee. “You’re easy to read. The thoughts coming from your brain shine like a message on a neon sign.”
“Great.” Isaac could just envision what she was picking up from him. “That can’t be good.”
The old lady chuckled as she sipped her tea, one foot pushing the swing back and forth. “You have been a rambunctious rascal today, haven’t you?”
Isaac leaned forward and put his head in his hands. “God, take me now.” Some Dom Badass he was - a chubby little woman with better than average radar had him nervous as a whore in church.
Nana made a harrumph sound. “Chubby?”
“Shit!”
Nana let loose a gale of laughter. “It’s all right, babe. I’m just messin’ with you. What I wanted to talk to you about was more important than mind reading games.” She sat forward and patted his knee. “First, I know you don’t realize this – but you are the strong one in this family.”
Being the fourth brother, he had always relied on Aron, Jacob and Joseph – and no way did he consider himself to be stronger in mind, body or will than those three. They were the Rocks of Gibraltar in his life. “I don’t think so.” He didn’t know what he would have done without them – especially when they lost their parents in the flashflood.
“Oh yes, you are,” she insisted. “That Dom nature of yours comes from a wellspring of strength.” When he turned to look at her – she laughed. “I won’t tell. Don’t worry.”
“Okay – so I’m strong. What are you getting at?” Surely, their troubles from varied psychos were over.
“You have the mistaken opinion that your value as a man is not as much as the others.” At his look of protest, she whacked him on the back of the head. When his eyes widened in surprise, she roared in laughter. “Don’t look like you want to backtalk me. Just because you have chosen a different path doesn’t make you any less of a good man.” She patted him on the back. “We’re all different, Isaac. And you are one of the good ones despite what you believe in your head.”
Isaac realized she wasn’t saying all she knew – and God, he wished he could believe what she said. “My lifestyle is not understood by many, and accepted by even less.” He was surprised that this well-dressed Southern lady was sitting here discussing his BDSM desires – but then – she was a witch. “Have you experienced much prejudice over your beliefs and practices?” He looked at her facial expression as he asked. She thought for a moment and a look of sadness briefly passed across her face.
Her hand on his back began to soothe him, rubbing up and down like his mama used to do when he was a boy. “You wouldn’t believe what my family has withstood over the years. People judge those who are diff
erent and they fear what they don’t understand. It’s the same as with you.” She gave him a quick hug. “What I’m telling you is that your penchant for being in control, especially with a partner who craves to submit – is no shame at all. No more so than those who prefer to drive a foreign car over a domestic.” He knew she preferred foreign cars, herself. “People are different, no harm no foul.”
“Thank you, Nana.” Isaac wanted to ask her other questions, but he sensed she had something more to tell him. Was he getting psychic?
“And one other thing,” she began and Isaac wanted to say ‘Whooo – ooo – ooo,’ that ‘I told-you-so’ spooky sound. “It’s just a feeling I have, but I’m rarely wrong.”
“Self-confident, much?” He winked at the older lady, and she chuckled. Growing serious, he leaned back on the swing by her and helped her push them as they swung. “What can you tell me?”
“All right, handsome, there’s something you need to hear.” As they sat, the crickets were chirping and in the distance a coyote howled. It was a perfect early October evening. “You are going to be tested, but don’t let it get you down. You and the family will emerge stronger than ever before. Your strength of mind and character will be the key.”
“Tested? What do you mean? I don’t like tests.” And then as if it had just registered about him being the key, he responded to that odd assertion. “The key? Yea, right. I don’t think so.” If there was an outsider in the family – a misfit – it was him.
“You are, and I plan on scrying for you on All Hallow’s Eve. I can feel things on the wind; this family is still in for big changes. Some will bring great joy and others, well – I can’t see anything specific, not yet. But if I scry, maybe I’ll be able to give you a little more guidance.”
“Is scrying like looking into your crystal ball?”
“You just can’t resist being a jackass can you?” She elbowed him and he laughed.
“Halloween is my birthday. You wanna come back for my party? I’m plan on giving myself a shindig, here at the ranch.”
“I knew there was some reason I liked you. Did you ever consider taking up magick?”
“I think I have enough trouble juggling all aspects of my personality as it is - cowboy, biker, Dom.”
“Badass,” Nana added dryly.
“Yea,” he didn’t argue with her. “I will be interested in knowing anything you might be able to tell me. Hell, I sure don’t want anything to happen to my brothers, Libby, Jessie, Cady or the babies. And you probably already know this, but I have something going on in my life and its weighing heavy on my heart. I’m struggling with it.”
“Yes, you do. And she’s almost more than you can handle – isn’t she, Mr. Dom?”
“You’re damn right about that, Witchy Woman.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m heading in – are you gonna stay out here and change into a black cat or something?”
As he stood up, she swatted him on the butt. “It’s a bat, bad-boy. Ask Cady, she’s always told me I’m part vampire.” As Isaac headed toward the door, he couldn’t help looking back – just to make sure she hadn’t flown off into the night.
****
Glancing at his phone, he checked for messages. There was one from Levi. Isaac decided to check in with his employee. “Hey, did you get everything cleaned up?” Isaac asked as he climbed the stairs to his suite of rooms.
“Boss! Did you find Avery?”
Sometimes, Levi had a one-track mind. Isaac liked him for that. “Yea, I found her. And that’s all I have to say about that – for now. How’s my bar? Is it still standing?”
Isaac could hear the jangle of glass as Levi dumped the dustpan in the garbage.
“Almost like new, Crowbar helped me put everything back together – oh, and Madelyn left satisfied and happy.”
“Good, that’s good.” If he closed his eyes, he could still hear Avery’s moans of fulfillment. “Any more trouble after I left?”
“Nope, not a bit. Hold on, I’m setting the burglar alarm.” The sounds of beeping could be heard clearly over the phone. “Isaac, I forgot to tell you earlier, I’m missing that collar I got back from my last girl. Keep your eye open for it – it cost me a pretty penny. I might have left it in your truck. Also, I got those flyers out and everything’s a go for the dance contest tomorrow night.”
“I’ll watch for the collar. By the way, I have to hand it to you; you’ve come up with some good promotional events, Levi. You’re bucking for a promotion, bud.” Laughter floated down the hall and Isaac couldn’t resist going to see what the joyful racket was about. There was always something happening at Tebow.
“I don’t need a promotion, but I’ll sure take a raise.” Levi didn’t beat around the bush.
“If that dance contest packs them in tomorrow night, we’ll talk about it. Okay?”
“Deal.” Isaac closed his phone and put in his pocket just as Cady came running down the hall with Joseph hot on her heels. There was no doubt about it – seeing Joseph running and having a good time did his heart good. If anybody deserved happiness, it was these two. Just weeks ago, Cady had been electrocuted saving Joseph – now, she was giggling like a schoolgirl. She found out she was pregnant during the chaos as well. Joseph was back in fine form, healthy, happy, head over heels in love and anxious to be a father. No one who saw him now, would think he had ever been paralyzed and ready to give up on life. “Hey! Hey! What is wrong with you two? People are trying to sleep in this house.”
Cady slid to a stop in front of him. “I’m in trouble, Isaac. Save me.” Joseph made a grab for her and she squealed and got behind Isaac, putting him in between her and her fiancé. “I’m sorry, Joseph. I didn’t mean to insult your grand romantic gesture.” Joseph growled and reached for her, but she dodged and he found himself face to face with his younger, but equally large, macho brother.
“Shall we dance?” Isaac asked with a straight face. When Joseph erupted in a loud guffaw, Isaac thought it was one of the best sounds he had ever heard. “Do you two need a mediator or a referee?”
“Neither – I need to borrow one of your quirts. This little girl needs her ass spanked.”
“My quirt?” What the fuck? Did everybody know his business?
Isaac started to ask Joseph how he knew about the quirts when Cady began to explain. “Listen to this, Isaac. Let me tell you what your silly brother did.” She was still behind him, peeping around his shoulder at her beloved – both laughing so hard that Isaac couldn’t help but smile. “He sent me flowers.”
“Joseph, how could you?” so far, he didn’t see the problem.
“Hey, you said you wanted big flowers – so I sent you big flowers.”
Reaching around him, Joseph pulled a squirming Cady into his arms. She went, nestling up against him and laid her head on his chest. But she was still almost hiccupping from laughter. “Libby gets big flowers from Aron – birds of paradise and Asiatic lilies - you know hunky flowers.”
“Hey, baby – aren’t I hunky enough for you?” he teased her before finishing the tale. “I’ve been giving you flowers every week – roses, carnations, daisies. But you wanted something different,” looking to Isaac for support, he explained. “She asked for big flowers, so I sent them to her.”
“You sent me a funeral arrangement.” She whacked him on the shoulder. “On a stand – with a big sash across it that said – “I love you, Cady.”
Isaac grinned. “What’s wrong with that? You did want big flowers.”
“And it wasn’t a funeral spray – it was on a horseshoe and it was covered, literally covered in orchids. I thought I did a good job.” Joseph looked so satisfied.
“So, you put a lot of thought into that, didn’t you?” Isaac was about to crack up. “Were you serious? You sent your girl a racehorse wreath – you know, like the winner of the Kentucky Derby would wear?” This beat anything he ever heard.
Joseph looked offended. “Well, a horseshoe is sorta western, we have a ranch
and it means good luck. Hell, I thought it was fittin’, since I’m the luckiest man in the world to have Cady.” He kissed her on the cheek, and then nearly choked with laughter as she punched him in the stomach.
“Where is this monstrosity?” Isaac had to see this.
Cady pulled away from Joseph and grabbed Isaac by the hand. “Come see,” she leaned into Isaac’s shoulder. “Actually, it’s beautiful. I just love to give him a hard time.” As they walked, he couldn’t miss Joseph’s eyes on Cady. He thought she was the beauty – not the flowers. And Isaac would have to agree. When Cady came to them, she was convinced she was plain. She had dressed plain, no make-up and no self-confidence. It had taken Joseph a while to see the real Cady, but when he had, she had bloomed. Love had made her beautiful and now she was so lovely, it almost hurt your eyes to look at her.
“Damn right, it’s a masterpiece. I went to that new florist and designed it myself.”
They stepped into Joseph’s sitting room and Isaac had to suppress a cackle. “Well, - uh – that’s the most unique bouquet I’ve ever seen.” Sure enough, just like Cady had said, it was a huge horseshoe covered with orchids sitting on a funeral spray stand. And across the expanse, like a Miss USA state designator, was a sash that proudly proclaimed – I LOVE YOU CADY.” He shook his head; sometimes his brother didn’t have enough sense to come out of the rain. But looking at the couple as they hugged one another close, he was relieved that Joseph had been wise enough to look beyond the unassuming surface to find the real beauty inside.
“I heard you had a wild night at Hardbodies,” Joseph met his gaze over Cady’s head.
“It was interesting.” Word traveled fast in the McCoy clan. “Is there anything I can do to help with the party Saturday night?” It felt safer to change the topic. He wasn’t ready to discuss Avery with the family. “I’ve already got the booze set aside. Do you need help setting up for the band? I could bring some more speakers and monitors.”
