by Avery Gale
“Why on earth would you want to know about my little aches and pains? Goodness, you’re too busy for that sort of thing. And I’ve always managed pretty well in my opinion, so I’m certain I can continue that without burdening either of you.” And there it was, some of that spirit that he’d known was buried under all that sweetness. Gage didn’t know about Jace, but he certainly hadn’t expected to see it surface so soon, but he was sure pleased with the opportunity to address this issue right out of the gate.
“Well, sweetheart, that is where you are wrong, because of your agreement to find out where your interest in BDSM leads, you have given over care of this lovely body to Master Jace and myself. A very large part of our training of your mind involves caring for your body as well, so it is imperative that we know when things hurt, tingle, are numb, etc. Your safety and well-being are, and will always be, our chief concern. And while you are in our care, we’ll take that responsibility very seriously. So, do you think you can avoid whoever has been selling you a bill of goods for a few weeks and keep us in the loop about your health concerns?”
* * * *
Holly knew she wasn’t due to see her parents for at least a month, so avoiding them and their friends ought to be a piece of cake. Seeing nothing to lose by her compliance, she agreed. They helped her slip back into her heels with an admonishment to not wear them for extended periods of time again, and then walked alongside her as they moved back to the McGregor’s party. The party was in full swing and appeared to be a resounding success. The music was lively, but playing quietly enough that it didn’t impede conversations. Holly found herself relaxing and enjoying the conversations around her and relishing the fact that either Jace or Gage was touching her at all times. Just that small gesture made her feel special and it was a feeling she was sure she could get used to in a hurry.
Finishing her second glass of wine, Holly was starting to regret skipping breakfast and well, now that she thought about it she hadn’t taken time to eat anything all day. When she tried to study the monstrous clock that hung over the bar to see exactly how long it had been since she last ate anything substantial, she frowned because the damned thing looked like it was underwater. What the hell? Just as she was about to ask what was wrong with the clock, she heard a voice that made her blood run cold.
Chapter 10
“Wyatt darling, get your Mistress another drink before I ask Master Ian to break out the St. Andrew’s cross so I can give you a few lashes. Ignoring me is not in your best interest, you know.” Holly would have recognized the screechy voice of Madeline Holmes anywhere. Hell, the witch had been her mother’s best friend for as long as Holly could remember. Even though the voice was all too familiar, the words she spoke sounded totally foreign coming out of the mouth of a woman who was the epitome of stick-up-the-ass snooty prim and proper.
Madeline Holmes was a regular on every social page in the city. Holly had often referred to both Madeline and her own mother as one of the “wicked wonders” of New York society. Both women’s parties were among the most highly coveted invitations in the city and their inner circle was tight and filled with only those considered to be of equal social standing. The idea that Madeline and her husband were attending a party in a BDSM club was enough to make Holly’s head swim. Gage was the closest to her and he had evidently picked up on the change in her because he leaned down and spoke against her ear, “What’s wrong, sweetheart? And don’t you dare try to lie to me.”
“Could you step directly behind me please?” Holly knew her request might sound odd, but she wanted to be shielded from Madeline’s view if possible. She was relieved when he didn’t question her, but smoothly moved so that he was standing behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned back down, kissing her temple before sliding his lips down to her ear. Anyone watching would have only seen a man romancing a woman, not a woman hiding from the only woman who could guarantee Holly would have to break the promise she’d just made to Gage and Jace. Because if Madeline saw her, she would unleash the hounds of hell in the form of Celeste Mills-Forsthye, her mother.
“Sweetness, as much as I relish this position, the tension is coming off you in waves and I want to know who or what has caused it. Talk to me.”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly hoping it would calm her panic enough that her answers would make sense. “I promised you I would stay away from the person who always tells me I’m not good enough and that’s my mother.” She was sure they could have probably guessed as much, but at least now it was out there.
“Are you trying to tell me that your mother is here?” Gage’s question reflected his surprise, and she nearly laughed at the absurdity of her mother ever being caught in a BDSM club. But then again, Holly would have told you the Pope would become a Southern Baptist before Madeline Holmes would be in a sex club also, so what did she know?
Holly tried to contain the hysterical giggle that threatened to surface and she felt Gage’s arms tighten around her. “No…not my mother, but her best friend. Her voice is…um, well, distinctive is the most polite way to put it. Madeline Holmes is my mother’s best friend and if she sees me here, word will reach my mother at the speed of light, I assure you.” She knew she had spoken all the words without so much as a single pause, but she was truly rattled to her core. Not only was she in a sex club, she had been drinking in public, was in the company of two men, and had heard Madeline’s words to her sweet husband. Each of those things would be a strike against her and she could feel herself sinking like the Titanic.
“Mistress Madeline is a friend of your mother? Seriously? She is one bad-ass Domme. I wouldn’t have figured her for the best-friend type. Interesting.” Gage’s voice didn’t do anything to hide his amusement, but for some reason it didn’t calm her at all. He’d obviously noted she was still holding herself completely rigid in his embrace, because he pressed butterfly kisses over that sensitive place just below her ear and then whispered, “I’m sorry, sweetness. I wasn’t trying to make light of your problem—you surprised me though, hell, I’d have never seen this one coming.”
By this time Holly felt Jace’s presence by her side and looked up and saw the concern in his expression. As Gage quickly explained the problem, Holly saw Jace’s eyes scan the room. When she saw his gaze pause, she knew he’d found the Holmeses. “She speaks of you being here and Ian will see to it that she is banned from every club on the eastern seaboard—but that doesn’t fix your problem, pet, so, let’s get you out of here until we can sort this out.”
Jace and Gage stepped back at the same time and since Gage was still holding her, she was forced to step back quickly or fall unceremoniously on her ass…again. Of course that was the exact moment the alcohol decided to course through her system like the swollen rivers she’d rafted during her last trip to the mountains. Her head started to spin and she stumbled giving away the fact she was struggling to keep up.
“Shit. We’re going to have a serious discussion about your footwear, sweetness.” Gage’s words should have sounded harsh, but they didn’t. She felt him steady her and Jace flanked her, his much larger body essentially blocking anyone’s view of her as they casually walked from the large room. Once they’d reached a door she hadn’t even noticed, Jace keyed in a code and the door swung open and they moved through quickly. As the door latched closed behind them, Holly heard the lock engage and nearly sagged as relief swept through her. Gage picked her up and made his way down the brightly lit hallway.
Even though she had visited Club Isola several times in the past few weeks on work related trips, she’d never been further than Ian’s opulent office which was just inside the front entrance. She’d only seen the main room once and that was at nine o’clock in the morning, so its only occupants had been the cleaning crew. She was quickly coming to realize just how little she actually knew about Club Isola.
The corridor they were moving through was wide and lined with ornately carved wooden doors each with a security keypad. She won
dered what all of those doors could be hiding, but her curiosity was quickly put aside when they stopped in front of a door at the very end of the hall and this time it was Jace who tapped in the code. The lighting in the hall had been subdued but not dim, and the stone floor was polished to a brilliant sheen. There were lovely landscape paintings on the walls, and nothing about the passageway reflected the nature of the club.
Holly couldn’t have been more surprised at the beautiful apartment they stepped into. The entire space looked as if it had copied down to the last detail from Architectural Digest. “Holy shit!” The minute the words left her mouth she regretted her outburst. “Oh, crap, I’m sorry. That was terribly rude, I know, but wow…this place is beautiful.”
Gage’s one word reply of thanks left her speechless as he set her gently on her feet and immediately leaned down and slipped her out of her shoes. She sighed with relief and wiggled her bare toes in the plush rug. She wasn’t sure whether she was feeling off kilter because of the wine or because she’d been carried yet again, but she took time getting her bearings before she moved around the room. She took in the beautiful décor noting the ivory and rich browns that were highlighted by dusty blues. The furniture was masculine, but not overtly so. It was obviously designed for someone much taller than she was, but then that took in most of the population over the age of twelve.
Realizing she was rocking back and forth from her heels to the balls of her feet—a move she’d always done when she was nervous and distracted—she suddenly stopped and looked up to find both men watching her intently, amused expressions on their faces. Deciding that silence probably wasn’t her friend in this instance, she asked, “Who lives here? Or is this just like a hotel suite or something?”
“Jace and I share this apartment, although until tonight he had been spending most of his time at Ian’s.” She could see the humor in his eyes and that helped put her at ease. But it turned out to be the calm before the storm. His next words sent her on a quick mental scramble searching for an acceptable way to answer honestly. “What have you eaten today, Holly?” Giving herself a mental head slap for getting so caught up in the preparations that she hadn’t taken time to eat anything, she sighed with resignation. Just as well spit it out and take the tongue lashing that’s sure to follow. Geez, why do people get so bent out of shape if your dietary habits don’t meet their expectation of acceptable. Baffling, I tell you.
Jace cupped her chin with his big hand and smiled down at her, “Not really all that baffling if you think about what I explained to you earlier this evening. Your physical and emotional well-being are our chief concern and our responsibility. But you were right, best to just answer honestly and endure the tongue lashing.” She could tell he was trying hard to hold in his laughter at her unease, and strange as it was, that relaxed her. Heck, how bad can it be if he’s still willing to tease me?
“Well, I didn’t exactly eat anything today. I was just thinking about that earlier, before I heard Hagatha, because I couldn’t figure out why the wine was kicking my ass and I’d only had two small glasses…well, that and the clock thing. But in my defense, I was busy working until the ceremony started and then you…” she waved her hand between them, “well, you distracted me and damn…on a good day I might have been able to twist this around until it was your fault somehow, but I’m just too tired to make the effort to be perfectly honest with you.”
“Well, much as I do not condone your poor eating habits, I do understand that you had a busy day. But, it’s time to get something nutritious in that empty belly of yours so hopefully you’ll be awake long enough to carry on the conversation we’re planning to have with you later. But for now, I want you to lay back on this sofa and rest for a few minutes while we fix us all a snack.” Gage led her over to a sofa that must have been nine feet long and four feet deep. Good God, who besides the Jolly Green Giant needs a sofa this big? But the minute she lay back and snuggled into the most comfortable piece of furniture she’d ever laid on, she decided its size was a nonissue because it was like stretching out on a giant cloud. The pillow he’d placed under her head smelled faintly of the cologne she recognized as Gage’s scent and the soft throw he placed over her was enough to make her wish she could just sleep the night away in that very spot. The last thing she remembered was him kissing her on the forehead and saying they would be back before she knew it.
* * * *
Gage leaned his head back and laughed out loud for the first time in ages when Holly told them that she didn’t have the energy to twist things around so they were responsible for her not eating all day. He’d been livid at first, but his frustration had dissipated quickly as she’d continued speaking—more to herself than to anyone else. God Almighty, the little bit of a woman had curled up on their sofa and was sound asleep before he’d even left the room and she was absolutely perfect for them. She was honest, hard-working, and whip-smart. And it seemed to him that her irreverent sense of humor was probably something she only fully revealed after she’d gotten to know someone fairly well. Hell, when they took her to Texas to meet their families they might have a battle on their hands when they wanted to bring her back with them.
Walking into the kitchen, Gage wasn’t surprised to see Jace already chopping vegetables for omelets. They’d discovered years ago that they both liked a big breakfast and it didn’t matter to either of them what time of day it was served. Falling into their usual routine of teamwork, Gage let the silence between them settle like a comfortable fog on a warm summer night.
After several minutes, Jace broke the quiet, “She’s amazing. Hell, even I’m surprised at how incredible she is and I’ve been watching her for months.” Gage heard his friend let out a sigh and just waited. He’d known Jace Garrett forever and he knew the man wasn’t finished. “Tell me what you think of the mess with that bitch Madeline Holmes. How that vile bitch slipped through our security checks still chaps my ass, but without a solid reason to ban her, we’re stuck with her and her weasel of a husband.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think Holly is in the best position to tell us how much of a threat she is to her. I wish you could have been there when she heard the woman’s shrieking voice—hell every muscle in her little body went on alert. And when I asked her what was wrong and she asked me to step behind her, I knew we had a serious problem.” While it would be common for a submissive to make that kind of a request of her Master or a Dom she’d scened with numerous times, it was a request for protection and that implied a level of trust he was pleased they’d obviously already developed. Apparently having worked together a couple of times coordinating events had set the stage for tonight and he was grateful for that, because she’d certainly needed their help to get out of the room without being seen.
“Christ, I was about burst out laughing when she called the old bat Hagatha. Fucking perfect.” Jace didn’t even try to contain his laughter and Gage understood exactly what he meant. Madeline Holmes was a piece of work by anyone’s standard. She’d browbeat every sub and many of the Doms with her rich-bitch attitude and arrogance. Ian had been about to pull his hair out over how to get rid of her and was pissed as hell when the two of them had shown up tonight. Oddly enough it had been Callie who had convinced Ian that sending them back to the hotel they usually stay in while in D.C. was going to be more trouble than it was worth despite the fact she’d been about eight shades of ugly to Ian’s sweet sub at every opportunity.
“I’m anxious to hear Holly’s story, but I’m not sure it’s going to happen tonight. She was out like a light before I even left the living room. I think we need to try and get some food in her and then take her to bed. I don’t want her trying to get back to the city when she’s this tired, her guard would be down and she wouldn’t be safe.” Gage grimaced to himself—he always prided himself on being honest with others as well as himself, but Holy Mother of God, that was about as lame-assed as it came.
Jace stopped chopping and looked over at him and laughed, “
Jesus, that was pathetic, you wanna try that again, cowboy?” Shit, I am never going to live this one down.
Chapter 11
Jace had heard some lame excuses in his time, but Gage’s attempt to justify keeping Holly with them overnight was surely going to rank as an all-star favorite. Christ, the man didn’t have to make excuses at all in Jace’s opinion. Just saying, “I want to hold her all night” would be all the reason either of them should need.
When they had things mostly set up for a quick dinner, they both went in to wake Holly. Jace was a bit worried when they first started trying to rouse her because she seemed completely unresponsive. Since sleeping light often saved the lives of soldiers, neither he nor Gage would ever be accused of sleeping soundly. Jace had been known to come completely awake if Callie so much as sighed when she’d slept between Ian and himself.
Jace had actually been relieved when her pretty green eyes fluttered open. Her half-lidded, sleepy confusion was adorable. He could tell the minute she realized they’d been trying to wake her and why she was in their apartment to begin with, because her brightly flushed cheeks were a dead giveaway. They sat her up slowly, letting her get her bearings before leading her into the kitchen. Once they’d settled her at the table they began piling food on her plate and he saw her eyes widen in alarm. “What’s wrong, pet? Don’t you like breakfast?”
