by Jet, M
But how could she do it now, when she was down and out? Would he wonder if she was using him? Was he only asking because he felt sorry for her? Or perhaps it was a question of some macho chip on his shoulder because Zander had sorely failed to provide for his family.
"Mary Jane," he said. "Stop everything you're thinking right now. Don't doubt. Just say yes."
The melodious sound of his happiness and his confidence warmed her heart.
"Yes."
***
The following Saturday afternoon found Mary Jane wringing her hands nervously, standing by the living room window, and watching for Dominique. Exactly on time, his car pulled into the driveway.
Her children joined her at the window when they heard the crunch of his tires on the gravel. They watched as he got out from behind the wheel, while his sons climbed out of the back seat. She studied the little boys who had the same dark good looks as their father. They fell in line behind Dominique and marched quietly to her door.
Once inside, Dominique gave Mary Jane a demure peck on the cheek and then stood aside to invite his sons into the forefront of attention. He introduced Derek and Alex to the Barnaby crowd and then Mary Jane took her turn to showcase her brood.
The Barnaby kids were bouncy and excited to meet Dominique's sons; particularly her twin boys. In fact, it was the first real smiles she'd seen on their faces since Zander passed. It warmed her heart and flooded her with relief. The Flame boys however remained reserved and cool. They acted much older than they were, and seemed hesitant to relax and have fun. She wondered if they were unhappy and immediately began to second guess the drastic plan of having the Barnaby family move in. Maybe his kids didn't like her kids? Maybe they didn't like her? She became consumed with jitters.
Jason and Jonah excitedly asked their guests to come and see their room. The Flame boys peeked up at their father, seeming uncertain. Dominique looked down at them with a serious face and gave them a curt nod. While her kids thundered down the hall like a stampede of elephants, Derek and Alex followed behind with quiet, walking feet.
She turned to Dominique, who pulled her close for a much more heated hello kiss. As soon as she backed away, he saw the worry on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his face falling to frown.
"Do you think Derek and Alex like us? They didn't seem very excited at all!" she fretted.
Dominique chuckled. "Are you kidding me? They're ecstatic."
"Really?" she said incredulously. "That was ecstatic?"
"Well sure, ecstatic with polite manners!"
"Aw, they are very mannerly!" she replied, not stopping to wonder if that meant he thought her own kids with their bubbly youthful excitement were not mannerly.
***
The move happened in a whirlwind. There were only two meetings of the families, before they joined addresses because Mary Jane gave up her house so quickly. By the following weekend, she locked her front door for the last time and then surrendered the keys to the landlord.
Dominique's home was nicer than anyplace she'd ever even imagined living before. It was one of Elwood's historic homes full of history. After the moving truck was finished unloading the Barnaby's meager assortment of possessions, she stood in the foyer and slowly turned in a circle staring all around. The place boasted sparkling wood floors, covered by ornate rugs. Every light fixture was detailed and elegant, from the chandelier suspended high above her head in the front entryway, to the candelabra fixtures in the guest bathroom. There was a grand stairway leading up to a dramatic second story landing, and she had a vision of a teenaged Jessie walking down it in her prom dress. Each room was separated by grand archways and massive sliding doors. Many of the windows were ornate stained glass. The whole feel of the place was masculine; dark, brooding, like Dominique. Despite stacks of unpacked boxes here there and everywhere, the place was immaculate and it amazed her that three males kept such a pristine home. She wondered how in the world a cop afforded such a place. He'd been doing it for a long time; she imagined he made decent money. But surely not that decent.
"I inherited this home years ago," Dominique said, coming up behind her and sliding his arms around her waist. She shivered. It was crazy how he could read her mind like that. "It's been in my family for generations. Since there isn't a payment, it's actually not that expensive to live here. A little upkeep here and there, but nothing too major. It's been a nice place to raise my boys."
She spun slowly around to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. "Thank you," she said emotionally.
He gave her his trademark penetrating stare. "You're welcome," he replied.
***
They spent the day diligently working to unpack, find a place for everything, and place unused things into the basement. The work exhausted Mary Jane, but Dominique was particular about messes, she learned. He informed her he wouldn't be able to sleep with a mess in the house, so she threw all her energy into it. Everything was sorted and organized, and they went about the huge undertaking of setting up the bedrooms for her kids. Everyone had their own bedroom except for Jason and Jonah, who continued to share as they had in the old house.
She enlisted all five children and gave them each jobs to help with the process. She wanted them all to feel included and feel proud of themselves for helping. Derek and Alex were extremely adept at anything she asked of them, while her own children incorporated more playing than actual help. She was impressed by the Flame boys, and glad her kids were having fun. Dominique seemed testy about the constant interruptions from the children and it made her giggle to see what a true perfectionist he was.
Nothing wrong with that, she thought. It was a refreshing change to be with a man who insisted on getting the job done, and seeing the work through until completion.
It was late that evening when the family finally finished. Jessie had long since fallen asleep on the couch, and the four boys wanted to play a board game. None of them were used to being allowed to stay up so late, and they wanted to continue the festive feeling of the day.
"No," Dominique barked as Jonah brought Operation into the living room. Jonah stopped, his mouth dropping open. Mary Jane studied Dominique. "It's too late for that," Dominique continued, changing his harsh tone only slightly. "You boys all need to head up to bed."
Derek and Alex leapt up from their seats on the floor where they'd been waiting for Jonah, while Jason remained right where he sat, glaring at Dominique. Then he turned his attention to his mom. "We want to play a game, Mommy."
The Flame boys hurried out of the room and she could see them mount the stairs, without so much as a goodnight to anyone, including their father.
She turned her eyes to Dominique. "Couldn't they play one game?" she asked softly. "It's their first night together, and the weekend. Sometimes on Saturday nights I let the kids stay up late so they'll sleep in." She gave him a suggestive look, hoping he'd get the point that she was interested in staying up very late with him, and it would be nice if the kids slept late in the morning.
However, he was unfazed by her bedroom eyes. "No," he insisted. "It's already too late. I don't deal well with grouchy moods, so they all need to go to bed. Now."
She frowned slightly and agreed grudgingly. She gently lifted Jessie's sleeping form into her arms. "Come on boys, I'll tuck you in," Mary Jane said.
After she put Jessie down in her new room, she went to her twins. She could hear Dominique making the rounds saying goodnight to his sons, and then he joined her in the twins' room.
He watched her pass between their beds and kiss their faces before speaking himself. "Goodnight boys, thanks for all your help today," he said. It was a kind statement made in a businesslike tone. Her sons looked at him coldly. He seemed not to care.
Ignoring him, they turned their attention back to her. "Mommy," Jason said. "We're scared. We want to sleep with you."
Again she stole a glance at Dominique, who didn't hesitate to answer for her. "No, no boys. In this house, every
one stays in their own bed." His voice wasn't unkind, but it was firm, something they weren't used to. She had always been too lenient about letting her kids sleep in her bed. She knew they should stay in their own beds and she was glad he was willing to be firm at times she would normally be a pushover. But at the same time, it saddened her. The boys began to cry, and Dominique walked out of the room, leaving her to soothe them alone.
Chapter 12
The first night she spent in her new home was the first time that Dominique handcuffed her.
Once all the children were finally asleep, she asked him if she could grab a quick shower. He snickered. "Mary Jane, this is your home now. You don't have to ask to bathe." Again she failed to read into his statement, though if she'd thought about it she would've wondered if that meant that there were some things that she needed to ask permission for.
She undressed in the opulent master bathroom that adjoined their bedroom and stepped into the claw footed tub under the hot stream of water. It soothed her sore muscles and she could feel the stress of a day of hard work begin to melt away.
When he drew back the shower curtain and stepped in, it nearly scared her to death. She gasped and jumped back.
Dominique gave a low laugh and grinned darkly at her. "Did I scare you?"
Her heart raced, but she immediately stepped back to him, eager to press her wet body against his. "Yes, I didn't know you'd be joining."
He did not apologize for startling her. But he did insert his fingers into her and begin banging her in the shower.
Moments later they tumbled soaking wet and tangled together onto his black silk bedspread. It crossed her mind that she didn't think he'd care for anyone messing up his bed in any other circumstance but this.
Dominique reached for his nightstand as he kissed her. Lost in the moment, she shut her eyes and absorbed all the sensations the man could arouse in her. He dragged her arms above her head and her eyes popped open when she realized the feel of cold metal on her wrists.
Craning her head back, she saw that while she'd been lost in his kiss, he'd deftly handcuffed her to the head board. She turned wide eyes back to him, her heart speeding up even more.
He gave her that small smile that she loved. Questions danced on her lips but she didn't speak. She trusted him. Sexual control was his ecstasy. Pleasing him was hers. She was willing to give him anything. Heat pooled in her abdomen and she squirmed slightly as he began to drift kisses down her body. At her nipples he kissed and licked first. Then he nipped, and finally he bit. Hard enough to make her yelp, and the growing heat within her turned to fire.
Dominique raised his body off of her and then produced a silk scarf from his night stand drawer. Looming over her, he reached down to tie it over her eyes. She suddenly wondered if this had happened to other women in the bed where she was now restrained. She told herself the items in the drawer had been placed there specifically for her.
The blindfold shut out the dim light in the room and everything became blissfully dark. He enjoyed lovemaking with lights on. It made her feel exposed. She thought of the blindfold as him allowing her to have it her way, while he had his way too.
She felt him gently turn her body over so that she was on her belly. She shivered deliciously at the feeling of his hard hands on her, and the sensation of having no idea what he would do next in her blindness. Her imagination began running wild, but she only had to wonder for a few short seconds.
He placed his hands under her, lifting up her hips so that her ass was in the air while she rested on her elbows. She felt him placing some sort of cuff around her ankle and her body quaked. He ran a hand down her back when the tremor ran through her, as if to reassure her.
She felt his hands between her thighs then and he spread them, placing her knees far apart on the bed. Impossibly far, almost painful in a delicious way. She felt herself spread wide open and shivered again. Then he was strapping another cuff on her other ankle.
Reflexively she tried to move her legs and realized that whatever he'd attached to her ankles had some sort of bar between it that prevented her from moving. She was spread unbelievably far and she couldn't do a thing about it. She began to tremble. She struggled with embarrassment over what he might be seeing just then. Again, he stroked her back.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered.
"I'm not afraid," she replied in a shaking voice.
He began using both hands to massage her back, then reaching around the front of her, he massaged her breasts. She felt his erection caress her in different erogenous zones as he moved to rub her body and her aching muscles. "You're shaking. That seems like fear to me," he commented quietly as he touched her.
"I'm nervous," she admitted quietly, unable to be anything but honest with Dominique.
He placed several soft kisses down her spine. "Don't be nervous," he said in a sultry deep voice. "All you have to do is come, and come again."
She moaned then as she felt his tongue begin to swirl on her clit.
***
Living with Dominique was a different world entirely than any she'd ever known. He was tidy to a fault, where nothing about her life had ever been organized or neat. He was strict where she was free and easy. His relationship with his sons was cool and reserved while she was emotional and loving to extremes at times with her children. Jessie clung to Dominique, eager to have a fatherly presence in her world, and though Dominique accepted her affection, Mary Jane sometimes thought it made him uncomfortable. Sometimes it seemed as though he was forcing himself to be kind to Jessie. Meanwhile, her sons fought him at every turn and completely opposed all the new changes. Dominique had zero patience with any sign of a lack of respect and a growing level of tension mounted in the home.
She kept telling herself they all just needed time to adjust. It would get better.
Dominique's sexual appetite was demanding as well. Though she enjoyed every moment of their love making, his requirements were so demanding she could scarcely keep up. And she would find herself sore and bruised from their exploits for days on end.
After a month living in the Flame house, one Sunday morning after a particularly vigorous night, Jessie padded into their room before the sun rose. She knew better than to climb into bed, as she had once been welcome to do in another life… But she tip toed to Mary Jane's side of the bed. "Mommy, I had bad dream," she whispered.
Just as Mary Jane opened her eyes and mouth to respond to her daughter, Dominique groaned and lurched from the bed. "Goddamn it," he snarled.
Jessie began to cry on the spot. Mary Jane swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached to pull her little girl onto her lap. She shot Dominique an angry glare.
"Hey, chill out, would you?" she snapped as he stalked angrily toward the bathroom.
He stopped short, and his back straightened rigidly. He wore nothing but black pajama pants and the muscles rippled across his back as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He turned slowly to face her. "Excuse me?" he asked through gritting teeth. He regarded her through narrow eyes.
Mary Jane's heart rate quickened. She immediately regretted her snide tone. "I… Uh, I'm sorry. You just… You scared her, baby," she said much softer.
Dominique stared at her a moment longer then turned to once again approach the bathroom. Once inside, he slammed the door so hard it seemed to shake the whole house.
She took Jessie to her bedroom, laid her down, and climbed in bed with her daughter. "Everybody's still tired sweet pea," Mary Jane cooed, holding Jessie and placing delicate kisses on her eyelids. "Let's just get a little more sleep so everyone can be in happy moods, OK?"
Soon Jessie was fast asleep in her mother's arms.
***
When the house rose that morning, Mary Jane closely observed Dominique with his sons. Closer than she had yet. It had thrilled Mary Jane how easily and well Derek and Alex had accepted her. Almost immediately upon her arrival in the house, they'd begun deferring to her for everything in favor of their fath
er. If there was an option between the two adults for their care, outings, homework, play, or any sort of interaction, they always picked Mary Jane. She'd felt they really loved her and everyone had hit it off grandly.
But after the uncomfortable feeling the morning's tiff had left in her, she started to see it a little differently. Maybe the Flame boys were simply craving love and affection from a new mother. Maybe they wanted someone who wouldn't be so damn hard on them all the time.
Maybe they were seeking protection.
She sipped her coffee at the dining room table, peering into the living room. Dominique didn't allow anyone to drink in the living room. So, she was afforded an excuse to observe from afar without being noticed.
Without her in the room, the boys seemed nervous and on edge. Her own children seemed unhappy as well. All five kids sat extraordinarily quietly in front of a television program that none of them appeared to have much interest in. So why are they watching it, she asked herself.
Being truthful with herself inside the privacy of her own mind, she admitted the answer to her own question. Because they know they'll get in trouble if they're noisy.
Mary Jane sighed. Somehow she hadn't fully or consciously noticed it happening. The changes in her children. They had become so quiet and withdrawn. Worse even than when they'd first learned of their own father's death. She'd allowed herself to chalk it up to other things. But it was because they got in trouble constantly.
They'd become exceptionally mannerly children. In just one short month, their manners and personalities had come to mirror those of the Flame boys. Her twins' grades in school were better than ever before. Though they were only in first grade, their performance was impressive. They all kept their rooms neat and tidy, and back talk had become a thing of the past.
