The Doms of Club Mystique 5
Nate’s Naughty Nymph
Nate McLeod does everything in his power to keep his sons alive, even if it means letting them believe he's dead. While they're safe with his cousin, he goes after the man who tried to kill him and harm them. Focused on his mission, he doesn’t have time for relationships until DEA agent Nymph Lachlan walks back into his life.
Free-spirited Nymph believes in going after what she wants and that means Nate. When she tells him she's not interested in marriage then offers him a D/s relationship, it's a proposal he can't refuse. She’ll submit in the bedroom but be his equal partner in their pursuit of the Mendez drug cartel.
When their mission leads them to Rendezvous, Texas, Nate is forced to reveal his identity to his sons. Now he and Nymph have two battles on their hands—stop Mendez and get the Ramsey brothers to let him be a part of their lives.
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 54,291 words
NATE’S NAUGHTY NYMPH
The Doms of Club Mystique 5
Mardi Maxwell
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
NATE’S NAUGHTY NYMPH
Copyright © 2015 by Mardi Maxwell
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-988-0
First E-book Publication: February 2015
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
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www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
For my street team ladies at Mardi’s Merry Muses. I couldn’t do this without you.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
About the Author
NATE’S NAUGHTY NYMPH
The Doms of Club Mystique 5
MARDI MAXWELL
Copyright © 2015
Prologue
Present day
Nate mumbled a curse when he realized the situation had him so rattled he couldn’t remember Nymph’s undercover name. She sent him a questioning look as a bead of sweat slid down his temple and into his right eye. He blinked the sting away, then forced himself to accept that time had run out. With acceptance came remembrance. At this moment she was his work partner, Isabella, not his sub and fiancée Nymph. He bought a few more seconds of time by studying the den and the five Ramsey brothers. Next to him, Nymph whispered his name. He shook his head, hoping for a reprieve. “Isabella, not now.”
“Yes, Nate, now. You promised.” Nymph waved her hand toward the Ramsey brothers. “They deserve to know the truth.”
He hushed her but it was too late. Zane Ramsey had heard her and was standing up with his arm around his fiancée Ravyn Templeton’s waist. The other four brothers, Cade, Jackson, Luc, and Logan, rose to their feet as well with their women beside them.
“Zane, what’s wrong?” Ravyn asked.
“It’s okay. Trust me,” Zane said.
Nate swallowed, his throat tightening as Isabella slid her hand into his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Go on, Nate. Tell them.”
He focused on the Ramsey brothers, ignoring their friends, Thor Larkin, Marisol Rios, and the six McCabe brothers. Jake Ramsey and his wife, Katherine, had done a great job raising his sons. A better job than he and their mother Joan could have done. He forced himself to meet Cade’s eyes and a surge of unbearable guilt engulfed him. Of all of his sons he’d failed him in the worst way possible.
Next to him a soft moan of pain sounded and he realized he was nearly crushing Nymph’s hand. He loosened his grip as another bead of sweat slid down his temple. She wanted him to tell them the truth. He found it sadly ironic that the truth would destroy the camaraderie he’d shared with them during the last few weeks. Once they knew who he was, they‘d demand that he leave the ranch. Something he wouldn’t do until he knew they were safe from Carlos Mendez and his cartel. Recalling his purpose for being there, he forced himself to remember his training. This was no time to let his past regrets influence his actions. His future with his sons would take care of itself. He drew in a deep breath and focused on Cade. “I go by Nate Grant, but my name is Jonathan Grant McLeod. I’m your father.”
He released Nymph’s hand and gently moved her behind him as Cade stepped around his wife, Addison. His face was a frozen mask of rage. His hands fisted as he walked toward him. Nate kept his hands open and down by his side. He braced himself for the punch he expected to receive. Instead, Cade stopped a couple feet from him, stared at him for an eternity, shook his head then backed away.
“You let
us believe all these years that you were dead.” Cade slid his arm around Addison’s waist and pulled her against him.
Jackson snorted. “Fuck.” His fiancée Jenna Parnelle grabbed his hand and leaned against him.
Luc and Logan appeared stunned. Their fiancée Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Edward had her arms around their waists.
Zane dropped like a stone back into the chair he’d just vacated. Ravyn moved behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.
Cade turned to Thor. “Did you know about this?”
“No,” Thor said. “I’ve known Nate for about six years but I didn’t know he was your father.”
“You?” Cade asked Clint McCabe.
“First I heard about it,” McCabe said.
Nate knew what was coming when Cade turned back to him.
“I want you off the ranch. Today. Within the hour.”
“I can’t do that.” Nate caught Cade’s frown, then watched as he rubbed the scar on the back of his neck. A scar he knew Joan had put on Cade during one of her rages. His gut clenched at the memory of a ten-year-old Cade telling him how he’d gotten the mark and the abuse he’d endured while protecting his brothers. He fought off the regret and focused on the need to protect them now. One by one he looked into their eyes and let them see his determination to stay. “The five of you are going to have to put up with me until this business with Mendez is over.”
Thor stood and pulled Marisol to her feet. “We’re going. We’ll keep in touch.”
Clint McCabe stood and his brothers surrounded him. “We’re going too. Don’t be dumbasses.”
Nate waited until the door closed behind them before he turned back to his sons. “I’m willing to tell you what happened if you’re willing to listen.”
“Fuck man, I can’t believe we didn’t recognize you,” Jackson said.
Nate touched the scars on the right side of his face. “The car wreck and explosion caused a lot of damage. I’ve had a lot of surgeries.”
Luc grunted. “So, is dear old Mom going to show up, too?”
Nate shook his head. “No, she’s dead.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” Luc said.
Nate wasn’t shocked at Luc’s reaction. He knew he carried a few scars of his own that Joan had given him. Across from him Addison caught his eye then smiled.
“You know some of the things you did made me wonder about you,” Addison said. “One day you were walking toward the house and the setting sun was behind you. I thought you were Cade. Another time I saw you put on your hat and it reminded me of Jackson. He adjusts his hat the same way you do.”
“That’s because I learned to do that from him.” Jackson tapped the brim of his hat on his leg then tossed it on the desk.
Nate watched it land. “My old Stetson.”
Jackson didn’t respond, but Logan snorted then asked, “What about you, Isabella? Is that even your real name?”
“Watch your tone,” Nate said. “Her name is Nymph Everlove Isabella Lachlan. She goes by Nymph to family and friends.”
“Then I’ll just keep calling her Isabella,” Logan said. “She’s no friend of mine, and she’s certainly not family.”
Nate stepped in front of Nymph, shielding her. “Let’s get one thing straight here. You can hate me all you want but you do anything to hurt my woman and you’ll be very sorry.” He stared them down then knew he’d made his point when Jackson, Luc, Logan, and Zane gave him a little nod. All he got from Cade was a curse, then an evil grin.
“Dear old Dad is in love again. God help us all,” Cade said. “We still haven’t recovered from the last woman you loved.”
“It wasn’t love that caused our family problems, Cade,” Nate said. “It was my ignorance of the truth. I should have known how she was abusing and neglecting all of you.”
“If you’d stayed home more than a few weeks at a time you’d have known,” Cade shot back.
Nate nodded. “I know I was a lousy father. I take full responsibility for failing to protect you from your mother.” He looked at his other sons. “All of you.”
“You weren’t here when we needed you and we don’t need you now,” Luc said and Logan nodded in agreement.
“You think so, Luc?” Nymph challenged. “You already know if it wasn’t for your father Mendez’s men would have gotten their hands on Cassie several weeks ago.” She turned to Zane. “You would have bled out before you made it to the hospital if your dad hadn’t been there to keep you alive.” She glared at Cade. “And you! You would have died years ago in Colombia but your dad took a bullet for you. The least the five of you can do is listen to him.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Cade asked.
“Like I said, I’ll tell you if you’re willing to listen.” Nate pulled Nymph back to his side.
Cade grunted, then pulled Addison around his desk and sat down with her on his lap. “Okay, let’s hear what you have to say before you pack your things and go.”
“I’m not leaving the ranch until Mendez is locked up or dead. And, you can take that to the bank.” Nate hesitated for a moment then added, “Son.” Cade sent him a killing stare that he ignored. He settled Nymph in a chair by Cade’s desk before settling in the other one. She scooted her chair closer to his, grasped his hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. He smiled at her and thought about the night he’d nearly died and how he’d met Nymph again, and all they’d sacrificed to protect his sons for the last twenty-one years.
Chapter One
Twenty-one years ago
Nate groaned, the sound low and raspy. The right side of his body was on fire and his arm felt like it was being shredded with a dull knife. He tried to pull away from the pain but his muscles refused to cooperate. He tried to raise his left arm but it was tied down at the wrist. He jerked on it then moaned when an explosion of pain ran down his right side.
“He’s waking up,” a woman said.
“I realize that, but this has to be done now,” a man with a heavy accent and a determined tone insisted.
“Fuck off,” Nate said. The words came out garbled and ended on a groan as something was stabbed into his right arm. He shivered as cold sweat covered his body. When the hell had he been captured and where were his men? Rage filled him at the thought that he’d led them into an ambush. He jerked his left wrist as hard as he could and felt the strap give. His hand slammed into soft cloth. He fisted a handful and jerked downward. Hair brushed his face and a woman screamed for help. The accented man yelled for security.
A moment later the female was jerked away from him and rough hands held him down. Fingers pressed into his right arm, torturing him. A groan of pain left his lips before he could stifle it. He mustered the last of his strength and grit his teeth together, refusing to show weakness to the enemy.
“Be careful, damn it. He’s lost too much blood already,” the man with the accent said. “Don’t touch those open wounds.”
Nate fought the hands holding him down, all the while cursing the pain coursing through his body. Another strap was wrapped around his wrist and tightened, immobilizing his left arm.
“Fucker’s strong. Broke the strap,” a gruff voice said.
“You’re safe, Marine,” the female said.
Nate grunted. Machines buzzed and beeped, and the sound of a heart beating too rapidly reached his ears. It stuttered then sped up again before it began to slow. A voice yelled something about coding and then everything faded away and he was surrounded by darkness.
In the distance a small spark of light appeared and began to grow brighter and larger as it approached him. Its presence gave him a feeling of being at peace. More than anything he wanted to reach out and touch it. Before he could someone yelled, “Clear,” and then he was torn away from the light as a jolt of electricity slammed into his body.
* * * *
“Wake your sorry ass up, Nate,” a gravelly voice said. “You’ve fucking slept long enough. I’ve got a ranch to take care of and horses to fe
ed. Wake up, now.”
“Mr. Ramsey, you really shouldn’t talk to him like that,” a youthful sounding female voice said. “The doctor meant you should talk to him about nice things. Good memories. Things like that.”
“Young lady, did I give you permission to speak?”
“No, sir.”
“Then, be quiet.”
Nate snorted. Only his cousin, Jake Ramsey, would find a submissive in the middle of wherever the fuck they were. He opened his eyes and light stabbed into them. Blinking, he tried to raise his right hand to shield them and realized it was strapped down. Why the fuck was his arm tied down? He jerked on it and a long string of curses left his lips but sounded like one long-drawn-out bitchy moan.
“Take it easy, Nate. I’ve got your back, man.” A hand grasped his shoulder. “Make yourself useful, pet. Dim the lights then go get the doctor.”
A moment later the room darkened and Nate forced his eyes open. Jake leaned over him and grinned. “Welcome back to the living.”
Nate tried to speak but only managed a garbled string of words.
Jake picked up a glass with ice in it, chose a piece, and ran it over Nate’s lips. “You’ve had the doctors worried. They didn’t think you were going to make it.”
Nate licked his lips. “Where?” His voice was a hollow rasp.
“We haven’t got much time before the doc arrives. Someone tried to kill you. You’re in a hospital in Austin.” Nate gave him another sip of water. “You’ve been here for almost three months. I told them your name is Nate Grant. I’ve been paying the hospital bill in cash so they don’t give a shit who you are.” Jake leaned closer to him. “Do you remember what happened?”
Nate's Naughty Nymph [The Doms of Club Mystique 5] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 1
