Coral Hearts

by Avery Gale

  Their mom had proceeded to rip Sage into little pieces about his recent “bout of idiocy,” and the way he’d been treating everyone within a hundred miles according to their mom’s morning coffee posse. Evidently Patsy’s friends had been more than happy to regale her with tale after tale of Sage’s recent outbursts, and Mama Morgan was none too pleased with her oldest child. She’d finally wound down enough to actually fall into a chair and lean close. “You listen to me, Sage Morgan. This all about that sweet girl down at the hardware store—I know full well it is, so don’t you be trying any of your smoke and mirrors tricks with me. You either ask that sweet girl out or walk away because you are making everybody miserable and none of us need it, least of all Coral.” With that she’d stood up and marched right back out the door to the claps and whistles of everyone within hearing range. Hell, Colt had cheered as loud as anyone else in the room.

  And now, it looked like the grumpy bear was back in residence. Yippee fucking skippy. Sage waved him over, excusing himself from whoever he’d been speaking with on the phone long enough to direct Colt to the lower level. “Coral is downstairs looking around. Make sure she doesn’t get into trouble.” His brother’s raised brow wasn’t needed, Colt knew exactly what trouble his brother was trying to avoid. Their playroom was downstairs. It wasn’t that any of them were ashamed of the lifestyle they’d chosen, but today wasn’t the day to introduce her to their dungeon.

  When he’d first found her downstairs, Colt leaned against a doorframe watching Coral study each picture with admiration, and something very close to longing in her pretty eyes. He’d read the report Brandt put together on the brunette beauty, and knew nothing in her life had been easy. Colt felt a twinge of guilt when he considered how idyllic his and his brothers’ lives had been while Coral had encountered nothing but rocks, boulders, and detours along life’s path. And just now, when he’d mentioned tattling on her to get her a swat or two he’d been shocked by her reaction. She’d immediately flushed and then zoned out—he didn’t know exactly where she’d gone, but he had a pretty good idea what—or at least who, was playing through her mind. The entire scene had been fascinating to watch, and Colt couldn’t remember a time when he’d wished more for the ability to read someone’s mind. Damn, he’d have loved to able to see whatever Coral had been seeing in her mind’s eye.

  “Tell me, sweetness, until last night—how long had it been since you’d slept a whole night through?” Colt saw her eyes widen before pink painted her cheeks, and he couldn’t hold back his grin. “Don’t be embarrassed, it was a safe bet my brother would make sure you were exhausted enough to sleep, sweetheart. He’s wanted you in his bed for a long time.” She was going to have to get used to the fact none of the Morgan brothers would pull any punches with her—it simply wasn’t the way they were wired. They were all members of at least one kink club, though some of them were definitely more dedicated to their roles as Doms than others.

  Colt watched her take a mental step back—it was written clearly in her body language. Under ordinary circumstances, he would have been forced to allow her attempt to hide because she didn’t belong to him. But, Sage had silently slipped back into the room, standing behind her, he’d nodded his head for Colt to continue. “Again I’ll remind you of the importance of honesty, sweetness. I believe you will find Doms are fairly rigid about that particular rule—and remember, honesty applies to all things for some very good reasons. You’ll learn all the reasons as you learn more about the lifestyle.” He gave her a few seconds to process what he’d said before continuing, “Now, answer my question. How long?”

  She’d met his gaze, but only long enough to convince him she wasn’t planning to lie—she was simply embarrassed to be put on the spot. Likely she wasn’t accustomed to other people looking out for her, even though he knew Charlotte had been mothering her as much as the independent young woman would allow. May as well get it over with, baby. I’m not going anywhere and your Master is losing patience with every breath.

  Taking a deep breath as if stealing herself for his anger, Coral finally sighed, “Several weeks. The thing is, I really like it here, but I haven’t managed to save much money after spending so much to fix my car.” Colt didn’t even want to think about what it had cost her to get the death trap she’d been driving back into working order—probably far more than it had been worth.

  “Is there a reason you hadn’t spoken to Brandt about the problems you were having?”

  This time she took an actual step back, her eyes going wide. “Well, yes, actually there is. If you think about it, I’m a material witness to a murder. Not something most law enforcement personnel feel you should run from.” Colt wanted to laugh out loud because she’d absolutely nailed it. “And your brother doesn’t really appear to be the understanding type, if you know what I mean.” Oh yeah, he certainly understood what she meant.

  “Why not speak to Sage? You had to know he was interested in you.”

  She didn’t answer for so long he wondered if she planned to simply ignore the inquiry. When she finally returned her gaze to his, Colt felt a jolt of electricity pierce his heart at the stark look of longing in her eyes. God in heaven, he hoped someday he’d find a treasure of his own like the one standing in front of him. His brother better pull this off because Coral Williams wore her heart on her sleeve and she was obviously genuine all the way to her soul. “That’s exactly why I didn’t tell him.”

  In many ways, Colt understood Coral’s line of thinking—but it didn’t mean he agreed with her. But just to be sure his brother understood, Colt pushed on. “I’m not sure I understand exactly what that means. So—as Sage would say…clarify.” Colt had the advantage of standing face to face with her. He could see her expressions up close, but Sage was looking over his shoulder. Colt knew Sage was trying to see as much as possible in the mirror on the opposite wall without drawing Coral’s notice.

  Coral took what Colt recognized as a fortifying breath before looking up from where her eyes had dropped. “Sage is a well-respected businessman, Colt. He doesn’t need to be caught up in this mess.” Oh sweetheart you just bought yourself a whole lot of trouble. Colt was barely able to bite back his smile. Holy shit, his brother was about to blow a fuse. Colt hoped Sage didn’t have a stroke before this conversation was over.

  He didn’t respond, Colt simply waited for her to continue. “Geez Louise, you’re gonna play dense, huh?”

  The Dom in Colt surged to the surface. “Careful, sweetness. You’d be well advised to remember Sage isn’t the only Dom in the family.” Her soft gasp assured him she understood exactly what he’d meant.

  “I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but you and I both know exactly what I meant. I don’t know why I have to say it out loud. The reputation of your entire family could be tarnished by this, and I don’t want to be responsible for it. And God forbid something happened to one of you. Your entire family would end up resenting me, and it would break my heart to know I could have kept you safe if I’d just walked away.” She’d spoken the last part so softly Colt wondered if Sage had been able to hear her. Sage’s expression softened, and Colt knew he’d caught every word.

  “Before I turn you over to Sage, I want to make something clear, sweetness. Families don’t back you when everything is easy. Hell, you don’t need a family when the sea ahead of you is smooth sailing. The real strength of this family is in our commitment to each other when things go to hell.”

  Coral’s pretty blue eyes filled with tears as Sage’s arms wrapped around her from behind. Colt watched his brother lean down, his lips so close to Coral’s ear she would feel the words as well as hear them. “Listen to what Colt is telling you, love. My brothers and I will always tell you the truth. Do you really think our family would have the reputation for doing the right thing if we walked away from people who are important to us just because it might get messy?”

  The first tear trailed down her cheek, and Colt felt his heart clinch. “I don’t really know
much about how normal families work. When I was growing up a teacher at school knew my parents. She also knew how embarrassed I was by everything my mom and dad had done to people in our community.” Colt stood perfectly still watching as his brother turned Coral so she faced him. Sage’s expression was one of compassion and interest without an ounce of judgment, and Colt couldn’t remember a time when he’d been more proud of his older brother.

  “Mrs. Fischer told me I didn’t have to follow my parents’ example…that I could build my own reputation. She taught me how a good reputation could be my most valuable possession and it wouldn’t cost me anything. When I found out I could have something of value without being forced to steal money to get it…well, that made a very big impression, you know?”

  “How old were you, baby?” Sage’s voice had an underlying edge Colt hoped Coral hadn’t noticed. Colt knew his brother was skating along the edge of blind rage. Every protective instinct Sage had spent years honing as he dealt with four younger brothers would pale in comparison to what Colt knew Sage would feel for Coral.

  Sage was fighting an internal battle unlike any he’d ever known. A part of him wanted to rage at the injustice of Coral’s childhood. But another part of him wanted to rejoice at the woman she’d become. Her inner strength humbled him, and he found himself admiring her more with each passing minute. Her quiet response shocked him. “Seven. But I’d been forced to grow up pretty quickly. I wasn’t like most kids my age in a lot of ways.” No fucking doubt, sweetheart.

  Colt shook his head in disbelief as he quietly slipped away, leaving Sage alone with the woman he hoped would stay after the danger to her passed. He could only hope after tomorrow night’s party she understood how much he cared for her. He’d assigned each of his family members tasks related to the surprises he had in store for her. Sage had planned to take Coral on a tour of the ranch after lunch, but maybe it was time for a bit of distraction. Switching gears, giving her something else to think about for a while, might be more fun for both of them.

  “I want you to know how incredibly impressed I am, baby. You’ve overcome obstacles that would have caused most people to implode. You’re so much stronger than you realize. I’m proud of you.” A fresh stream of tears made their way down her soft cheeks, but Sage knew these weren’t tears from pent up emotional pain. No, these were tears of emotional grounding, and he was happy to have given her a small taste of what it would be like to have an anchor in the storm. “No matter what happens between us, Coral—I’ll always be in your corner. I don’t want you to ever forget it. We may not always agree—hell, I can promise you we won’t always agree. But I can also promise you I’ll always have your best interest at heart.”

  Leaning down, Sage pressed a kiss to the center of her forehead, and then wrapped his arms around her. Hugging her—just the very simple act of holding her close brought about an unexpected peace. When he felt the tension fade from her petite frame, he wanted to shout out his thanks for the opportunity to finally have her in his home. It was time to lighten the mood and Sage had an idea he hoped would also be a fun way to find out exactly how daring his little sub could be.

  Chapter Eight

  Sage watched Coral’s eyes widen when he stepped back and gave her a look he knew was different from the one she was accustomed to seeing. “I want to change directions, sweetness. You’ve been reading about dominance and submission, so the terminology is familiar to you, isn’t it?” Her wide eyes were fast becoming a deeper shade of green as they dilated letting him know arousal was eclipsing the emotional turmoil she’d been reeling in a few minutes earlier.

  When she finally nodded, he shook his head. “Sweetness, you need to answer with words. And we’ve already begun, so be sure to answer appropriately.”

  Damn she was going to destroy his control—she was so fucking responsive, he wanted to skip all the buildup and push her against the nearest wall and lose himself inside her. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Perfect. You please me more than you know, pet. Now, I’m going to escort you upstairs. I’ve got a small gift to give you before we have lunch. My gift is going to set the stage for what we’ll be doing after we’ve finished eating. But before we go, remove your shoes.” She looked puzzled, but quickly slipped off her shoes and handed them to him. If he had his way her worn out canvas shoes would disappear forever. How on earth she’d managed to make a single pair of cloth shoes last an entire year in Montana was un-fucking-imaginable. “Now, come along. I’m anxious to get started.”

  When they reached the main floor of the house, Sage could hear his brothers in the kitchen. He knew his parents hadn’t made it back from Billings yet, so he stopped Coral at the bottom of the stairs. “Face me, pet.” When she complied, he smiled. “Hand me your shirt and bra.” She gasped, but her eyes sparkled with arousal as she tried to look around him into the kitchen. “If you stall I’ll take you into the kitchen and we’ll start again there.” Her hands quickly found the bottom hem of her shirt pulling it quickly over her head before handing it to him. Her bra’s front closure snapped open revealing taut nipples already turning a deep rose as blood rushed into the pretty peaks.

  “You take my breath away.” Sage trailed his fingers down the slope of first one breast and then the other before giving her nipples each a gentle pinch.

  “Well, this is a lovely surprise,” Phoenix’s voice sounded from the wide door opening into the family room beside him. Coral yelped in surprise, her hand coming up to cover her breasts.

  “No, don’t hide. You are beautiful. Don’t you dare hide what belongs to me.” He hadn’t planned to push her quite this quickly, but of all his brothers, Phoenix was the best suited to help her get through the next few minutes.

  “Darlin’ we’re all Doms. I promise you, if your Master didn’t want me to enjoy this view or he thought you wouldn’t enjoy this moment—none of us would be standing here.” Sage watched her eyes go from alarmed to full-on arousal in the span of a few seconds. Her breathing sped up and he could see her pulse pounding at the base of her neck as the telltale blush of arousal spread over her chest. Fucking perfect.

  “She’s beautiful isn’t she? But if she doesn’t move those hands back to her sides she’s going to find herself over my knee right here in the front hall.” There were several upholstered benches along the large room’s periphery, finding a spot to follow through on the promise he’d just made would be no problem at all.

  “And I’m sure the sound of the palm of Sage’s hand paddling your bare ass will draw an audience pretty quickly. Baby doll, you might want to move your hands right now.” Sage didn’t even try to hold back his grin when her hands dropped before her mind could have possibly processed Phoenix’s command. She’d responded to his brother’s tone of voice before the order itself had registered. Such a purely submissive response. For the first time since Sage had noticed Phoenix standing to his side, his brother’s eyes found his own, his expression easy to read. Sage agreed, she was fucking perfect.

  Reaching forward, Sage brushed the tips of his fingertips over the very tips of her tightly peaked nipples, smiling when they drew up impossibly tighter. “You really are so very responsive, pet. I can hardly wait to tie you to my bed and explore every inch of you.” He was anxious to introduce her to so many different aspects of the lifestyle, including the joys of having more than one pair of hands providing for her pleasure. And if her reaction to Phoenix’s presence was anything to judge by, she was more than a little interested in the prospect.

  “Tell me brother, what are your plans for your delectable little subbie?” Damn if he didn’t want to turn and give his brother a fucking high five, the man could anticipate during a scene like no other. Phoenix had set him up perfectly.

  “I’m taking her upstairs to decorate her a bit before lunch. Then I think we might take a swim, it’ll give her a chance to relax a bit before tomorrow’s chaos.” Once their parents returned home, Sage knew he’d have to minimize Coral’s risk of exposure. His paren
ts might practice D/s in private, but they’d always been careful to keep all traces of nudity carefully hidden from their sons. Hell, Sage had only discovered their interest in the lifestyle because he’d returned home late one afternoon and found them deeply immersed in a bondage scene downstairs.

  Sage had been terrified when he’d first heard the sound of the single tail whip his father had been using. He’d quickly realized his mother wasn’t screaming in pain from the lashes, the sounds she’d been making were anything but cries for help. Sage remembered being frozen in place for several seconds before having the presence of mind to back up the stairs before he’d been seen. It wasn’t until months later he learned his father had known he was there. And wasn’t that an interesting conversation? Nothing awkward about having your dad chat you up about the importance of letting people know you’re on your way home from college a day early. Christ! Yeah, surprises weren’t all they were cracked up to be in the Morgan household, that was for sure.

  “Might want to get a move on then, lunch is almost ready,” Phoenix’s voice brought Sage back to the present, and he almost cringed when he realized Coral was searching his expression. No doubt she was wondering what she’d done wrong to merit his silence. Sage would thank his brother later for the save. Right now he needed to get her upstairs and naked so he could remind her how much he admired her bravery.

  “Noted. Let’s go, pet. I have plans for you before we enjoy whatever my brothers have come up with for lunch.” As soon as they were at the top of the sweeping staircase, Sage pulled her to a stop. The master suite was at the other end of the long hall, and despite Phoenix’s warning Sage had no desire to rush back downstairs. “Give me the rest of your clothing, baby. I want to watch you walk down the hall naked. I’m going to enjoy the view while I decide exactly how I want to decorate you before lunch.”