by Avery Gale
Jax was actually stunned. He and Micah had been friends for most of their lives and he’d never known the man to be emotionally driven. Obviously Gracie was having a positive impact on him and it made him wonder what positive changes others were seeing in him. Brian didn’t respond for so long Jax was beginning to wonder if he planned to. Standing up, Dr. Brian Bennett simply nodded once in understanding and said, “I know Gracie had an appointment scheduled for later this morning, but I’d rather she got some sleep. I was going to stay, but she is so much better I don’t think there is any need to. Just bring her in later in the day and we’ll work her in.” As they watched him drive away, Jax couldn’t help but wonder how he and Kirk would use the information. Only time would tell, but for the first time, Jax felt like Regi might have just been set back on to the right-track.
*****
Jen woke up the instant the jet’s wheels touched down on the runway. She wasn’t surprised to find herself alone in the large bed, but she was surprised at the disappointment she felt. Scrambling to untangle herself from the sheet, she was pleased to see one of the guys had left clothing out for her. Gathering her things together, she darted into the bathroom. By the time the plane stopped moving she’d made herself presentable and reached the bedroom door just as Sam entered. He seemed startled she was up and dressed and it pleased her to surprise him. “Well, good morning, sunshine. You look wonderful. I just checked on you a few minutes ago and you were fast asleep. I’m impressed. My mom swears that all women take hours to get ready. I’m going to enjoy gloating that you have ‘outed her’.”
“Don’t you dare. I don’t want to be in trouble with anybody’s mother. Since I haven’t had one of my own for a very long time, I’m not really very good at that specific dynamic.” She watched as he smiled and she felt as if all the air had suddenly been sucked out of the small room. Oh my God in heaven. His smile was dazzling and coupled with a body that was the definition of sex on a stick, he was the kind of man that made New York ad agencies millions of dollars.
When she realized she was staring, she tried to move past him, but his hand wrapped around her bicep stilling her. “We’re going to talk about that look, pet. You were looking at me like you wanted to eat me alive—and I liked it very much.” She knew her surprise had shown when he grinned at her before leaning down and kissing the tip of her nose. “You are a delight. You’re face broadcasts everything in the most amazing ways.” He gave her another kiss, this one to her forehead before whispering against her ear, “And that calls to a Dom in ways you can’t even begin to imagine, pet.”
The drive to Prairie Winds passed quickly with Sam and Sage updating her on what little they’d discovered while she’d been sleeping. The security footage from her building was routinely recorded over after a week, so anything of value had been lost to that cost-saving measure. Though disappointing, it hadn’t surprised her that much. Sam unfolded a piece of paper and placed in front of her. She studied the sketch of a man with a badly scarred face and looked up at Sam. “Do you recognize this man, pet?”
“No. Where did you get this picture? The sketch is very good.”
“Your sweet neighbor is quite the artist. And despite her advanced age, her training runs bone deep, love. She remembered every nuance of her encounter with this man. She described his mannerism, the inflections in his voice. Tone qualities that indicate he is Hispanic but hails from the Pacific coast of Central America.” Jen just blinked at him trying to bring his words into line with the woman she knew…the one who called her from the local grocers to ask her to shut off her shower because she’d run to the market for shampoo and left the water running. It was hard to imagine the Betty she knew as the focused operative Sam was describing. “I can tell by your deer in the headlights expression you have forgotten that intelligence is rarely generalized. More often than not is quite specific and if you are dealing out of someone’s area of expertise, they can actually be quite average and sometimes they can even appear somewhat dim. But the significance here is that Betty knows her value as an operative so she keeps those skills sharp. Did you know that despite her claims to the contrary she is actually still helping out the agency quite regularly? That is why she doesn’t move closer to her son—because she knows the work she does is important.”
Jen took several seconds to absorb the information and then just leaned her head back and laughed. Letting the humor of the situation move to the front of all challenges of the past week helped her put things in perspective. She could hear her foster mother’s voice ringing through her mind reminding her to not take herself so seriously, “Don’t go thinking you are all that and a bag of chips, Jennifer. Because the Universe has a way of knowing just when you need to be humbled and it is rarely shy about doing it.”
Both Sam and Sage were looking at her with amused curiosity and that just seemed to fuel her giggles. When she was finally able to control herself enough to speak, she explained Millie’s words of warning and shook her head. “I was so proud of my important position at the State Department. I talked to Betty endlessly about all the great things I was working on. And all the time she had all these amazing stories I should have been listening to. She’s seen so much and done so many incredible things and she never said a word about still working. She just praised my measly efforts and let me think I was oh so important.” Her giggled had faded as shame and embarrassment washed over her. “Fuck me! What a self-absorbed ass I’ve been.”
“Stop. Now. Betty pulled me aside and told me to expect this. She also said to tell you that she is very proud of the woman you’ve become. You have no idea how amazing she thinks you are. She also insists that you call her after talking to Kyle and Kent West. They are putting together a team of operatives and well, hell, she knew more about the project that I do—so don’t talk to me about being humbled.” He snorted a laugh and shook his head.
Sage leaned forward and pulled her hand between his own. “We are close to Prairie Winds and we’ll get settled in the guest house before meeting with Kent and Kyle tomorrow morning. They are having dinner with his parents tonight and then they’ll be working. The club will be open tonight. Would you be interested in walking through and checking it out? We’d be very careful where we take you because you haven’t been interviewed by the Micah or the Wests yet, but they’ve given us the okay to make a quick tour. It would give you a chance to see a few scenes.” Jen felt her face grow hot and suddenly her panties were soaked. Did she want to see all the things she’d read about? Would reality beat her imagination? Could anything beat her imagination? Doubtful. But damn, just thinking about seeing what skin looked like as the leather of a flogger thudded rhythmically against it bringing the blood to the surface and sensitizing each inch as the frequency and intensity of the strikes ramped the sub higher and higher until… “Damn, brother, I wish like hell I knew what was dancing around in the beautiful head of hers. But I’m pretty sure her reaction means she is more than a little bit interested in touring the club.” Uh huh, yep…me over here….color me very interested.
Chapter Fifteen
Sage looked down at Jen as they entered the club’s front entrance just in time to see the small shiver that worked through her like a subtle but deep wave. Sage had always loved watching those ripples move through a sea that appeared calm on the surface but were moving mountains of water just out of sight. It would have been easier to enter through the back, but both he and Sam wanted her to get a feel for the dynamics of the Prairie Winds Club so they’d taken the extra time to make their way around the large main building. Tank and Regi were at their usual posts in the club’s large reception area, both looked up and flashed smiles as the three of them entered. “Welcome back. Masters Kyle and Kent mentioned you might be coming in this evening.” Regi skirted the counter that separated them and wrapped her arms around Jen. “Damn, girl. What a week you’re having, huh? You need to move back to Texas where all these big bad retired soldiers can watch your back. Besides, we really co
uld use another girl on our team, geez, the ratio has gotten completely out of hand.”
Sage shook his head at her silly patter, but appreciated the fact Regi’s easygoing humor had made Jen feel welcome and appeared to have taken the edge off her nervousness. When he and Sam had agreed to join the Prairie Winds staff, Kent and Kyle had explained that Regina Turner had worked for them since they’d opened the club. They’d also said they thought she used humor as a shield. Sage had wondered more than once what kind of trauma she’d experienced and he could only hope that someday she’d let someone close enough to help her find peace. In Sage’s opinion, helping submissives work through issues so their lives were improved was one of the best parts of being a Dom. It was often a daunting task for both the sub and the Dom, but over the years he’d seen lives changed for the better because the people involved hadn’t given up.
Stopping Jen just before they entered the main room, Sage turned her so he could look into her eyes as he spoke, “Baby, I want you to listen very closely. Remember, that visitor’s band on your wrist will only protect you from being punished by another Dom. If you are deliberately rude or disrespectful, another Dom can and probably will request that you are punished in a way he or she feels remedies the problem.” He gave her a few seconds to process his warning and when she gave him a quick nod he kissed her forehead. “I don’t want to frighten you because there are a lot of really great people in the lifestyle. But you are impetuous and accustomed to speaking your mind, and I don’t want to see that come back to bite you in the ass tonight.”
“That’s right, pet. Tonight is about learning and giving you a chance to see what the club is about. We won’t leave you alone and we’ll answer all of your questions, but you need to keep them respectful. Also, speak quietly enough that only we hear what you are asking.”
She looked both of them in the eyes and nodded. “I understand, Sirs. I have done a little bit of reading about protocol. I’m not an expert and I know there is a big difference between studying something and having practical experience, so I appreciate your reminders. I’m hoping Tobi is here tonight, she promised to show me around a bit too.”
Sage smiled at her, “I think she and her Doms will be along in a little while. They were having dinner with the elder Wests but then coming over to the club after that. Now, if you’re ready, let’s see what you think of The Prairie Winds Club, shall we?”
*****
Tobi was thrilled that her in-laws were finally back home. She’d missed Lilly terribly during the past few days. They’d spoken on the phone several times and emailed each other daily, but it wasn’t as good as sitting down face-to-face and just chatting. She loved both of her fathers-in-law as well, but she hadn’t formed the same bond with Dean and Dell that she had with Lilly. Tobi’s friends had teased her about sounding like a sappy greeting card, but Lilly really was the mother she’d missed having for so long. She’d been lost in her thoughts and hadn’t even realized they’d arrived at their destination until she felt the pads of Kyle’s fingers brushing over her cheek. “Kitten, why the sad expression?”
She felt a tear run down her cheek and quickly brushed it aside. “I’m sorry, I don’t really know. I was just thinking about how much I’ve missed your mom.” Damnable pregnancy hormones. I’m a blubbering mess and I hate that.
Kent chuckled behind her, “You aren’t a blubbering mess, but I will agree the pregnancy hormones have made you much more emotional. But they also seem to have you speaking your thoughts out loud again, and I have to tell you I’m enjoying the hell out of that.” Tobi groaned, she’d hoped she had finally broken her habit of giving voice to whatever she was thinking. Looking up, she saw Dean and Dell standing on the porch watching them with indulgent smiles. “Come on, let’s go. I can tell our dads already know what this is about. Hell, we never could surprise them with anything.”
When they walked into the kitchen Lilly whirled around, her entire face lighting up, “You’re here! Oh my God, I have missed you so much.” She’d taken several steps in Tobi’s direction when she froze in mid-stride. “You’re pregnant!” Tobi was actually surprised the squeal Lilly let out hadn’t shattered the stemware setting on the counter. “Oh don’t looked so surprised, sweetheart, it’s written all over you. And I am so happy I can barely contain myself.”
Tobi glanced over at Kent and Kyle who were both holding up their hands as if to say they hadn’t blabbed but her skeptical expression must have been easy to read because Lilly waved a hand in their direction, “Oh those boys didn’t tell me a thing and they’ll pay for that I promise you.”
“Lilly, my love, maybe you should give Tobi a chance to speak.” Dean’s drawl was always more pronounced when he was trying to rein in his vivacious wife and for some reason it struck Tobi as funny.
Even though she tried to hold back her giggle, it was useless. Looking around her at the surprised expression on all four mens’ faces hadn’t helped at all and now she was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face. But when she’d looked up at Lilly, she’d seen nothing but understanding and that had changed her laughter into sobs. Lilly stepped forward and pulled her into a crushing hug, “Your body is feeding you a mighty powerful hormone cocktail, isn’t it, sweet girl? It’s okay. Just ride it out, it fades…eventually.”
The rest of their dinner had been uneventful, but it was easy to see Lilly was struggling to keep a lid on her excitement. As soon as she’d served dessert she’d asked, “So, how soon until I can tell my gal-pals that I’m going to be a grandmother? I can hardly wait. Several of them have been waving pictures of their grandchildren in front of me for years. It’s time for some serious paybacks.” Tobi couldn’t help but giggle as she quietly did a mental happy dance that her new family was all home.
Chapter Sixteen
The first thing Jen noticed when they stepped into the club’s main room was the smell of leather and the second was the fact that aside from the clothing, or lack of, the room looked a lot like the many other clubs she’d been to and a whole lot like the pictures she’d received. She hadn’t been thrilled about giving up her shoes, but evidently it was some kind of rule that submissives were supposed to be barefoot. Regi had explained that there were certain theme nights where the subs could wear fuck-me shoes, but then she’d rolled her eyes and added, “I don’t bother because I am such a klutz I’d end up with broken bones for sure. Or flashing everybody in the place when I fell.”
Sam and Sage had stopped just inside the large double doors at the entrance giving her a chance to take in the room before she felt Sage’s hand at the small of her back urging her to follow Sam. Jen was amazed at how people seemed to just part and let them walk through. She’d always been small and hated struggling to make her way through crowds. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be able to see over the other people and to have them just move aside so you could pass. She was surprised when Sam ordered her a small margarita after Sage had picked her up and settled her on one of the bar stools. Giving voice to her observation, she said, “I’m surprised they serve alcohol.” Just then the bartender returned with her drink and a wristband, which he quickly secured to her wrist.
Sam leaned down and spoke against her ear in order to be heard over the music, “Be mindful of your manners, pet.”
She knew she must have looked confused, because she was…until it hit her. “Oh…I’m surprised they serve alcohol, Sir.” She didn’t really understand why she felt so validated by Sam’s quick smile and simple nod, but she decided to worry about it later.
He leaned close and answered, “There are very strict guidelines about drinking. There is a two drink maximum and you are not allowed to play after you’ve had anything with alcohol. Since you are a visitor and not allowed to play anyway it isn’t an issue. And hopefully it will help you relax a bit before we look around.” He pressed his lips against the sensitive skin just below her ear and Jen felt goose bumps pebble over her skin.
She’d b
een so busy taking in everything around her, Jen hadn’t realized she’d finished her drink until Sage took the glass from her and set it on the bar. “Come on, baby, let’s see what interests you, shall we?” He and Sam had been standing on either side of her as she’d looked around, but the room was crowded enough that she really hadn’t been able to see much beyond the small sitting area directly in front of them.
The first scene area they approached had a buxom young woman tied to what Jen recognized as a St. Andrew’s Cross. The man who was flipping the leather strands of a flogger over her breasts was totally focused on his task and the woman’s eyes looked like she was free-floating in a daze. Watching as the Dom paused to check her bindings before speaking quietly to her, Jen read the woman’s lips and knew she’d said answered “Green, Sir” to whatever the man had asked her. The Dom was probably six feet tall, but it was the black leather boots, pants, and vest he was wearing rather than his physical size that screamed power. He was a nice looking guy, but she didn’t find him appealing beyond that. And that surprised her because he was exactly the physical type she’d always found appealing before. It suddenly struck her that her taste in men had shifted since meeting the McCall brothers and something about that was a bit unsettling to her.
“What was that thought, doll?”
“Umm, nothing really. I was just watching and well, I noticed…” Jen wasn’t sure she wanted to share everything she’d been thinking, but quickly decided they would know if she lied. And really, she’d learned that trying to present yourself as something you aren’t in order to win a man’s approval always cost her more in the end, so if it turned out to be a problem, then it was theirs and not hers.
