Assumed Master

by Lila Munro

  Julie wore a frown the entire time Blake mostly dragged her to the other end of the mall and through the front door of the only place in town she knew of where one could be in a food coma in less than ten minutes. Everything on the menu was carb loaded and fat laden. Normally this would suit her just fine, but she found herself in such a state a good binge didn’t even sound appealing right now.

  "Can’t we just grab a box of Godiva’s and call it even?" she asked as Blake led her off behind a rather plump hostess to the back of the restaurant and into a private corner like he asked for.

  "We’ll have that for dessert," Blake said, pulling her chair out then helping Shelby with her seat before seating himself.

  And they wondered where the boys got it from.

  "This morning’s special is the pumpkin spice latte with homemade whipped cream. The cream came from our farm. I have to say this is one of my favs," the waitress said, laying menus in front of everyone before pulling a pad from her gingham apron.

  "Yes, dear, we’ll take three of those, extra cream all around," Blake said. "And can you bring a basket of biscuits with lots of that fresh churned butter and a little jar of that delightful boysenberry jam to get us started? Thank you."

  The waitress smiled and disappeared in a whirl, jotting things on her pad.

  "Now, want to get started or wait until you’re good and snockered on sugar, lard, and butter?" Blake said, steepling his fingers beneath his chin. "What exactly was that derogatory thing you referred to yourself as back there? Property, I believe? What the hell does that mean?"

  "Well, I am," Julie argued. "Dante inherited me. I’m nothing more than a pawn for him to do with as he will. I have no real place in the scheme of things."

  "What are you talking about? You’re part of our family, Jules. You’re one of us now."

  "Yeah, well, I was beginning to think so, too. Especially after yesterday," Julie admitted, looking around for anything to focus on aside from the two people drilling her with their eyes. "Then this morning I was reminded of my place. I won’t make the mistake of stepping across that line again."

  "What line? And what happened yesterday?" Shelby asked, leaning back so the waitress could set a steaming basket of biscuits down along with a jar of jam, a crock of butter, and three frothy lattes.

  Julie sat silently eyeing the offerings, her stomach bottoming out and rolling. Her lips turned down and she crinkled her nose.

  "Spill it, sister sunshine," Blake said, breaking apart one of the fluffy breads, slathering it with butter until it dripped off the sides, topping that with a generous dollop of purple sweetness.

  "I fucked your husband," she blurted, immediately feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders then feeling worse again as a cold sweat beaded down her back and her stomach churned again.

  "Yes, I know, pumpkin," Blake said matter-of-factly. "He told me. He was worried about his performance. You know it’s been years since he's serviced a female. So, how was it?"

  "You knew?" Julie accused, spearing him with her eyes. "I’ve been worried all day you’d be hurt that I did it without your permission."

  "When I agreed to you moving in with us, that was permission. Do you think me a fool? I know what party of three means."

  "Well, was it good?" Shelby piped up over a big bite of biscuit. "I’ve always wondered how Dante would be. Do tell, please."

  "You’re not jealous?" Julie asked, ignoring Shelby’s request for details.

  "No, of course not." Blake sounded appalled she would believe otherwise. "I love you, too, Jules. Just because I don’t want to have sex with you doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings for you. You belong with us as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow just like clockwork. I’m glad it finally happened. And like Shelby asked, was it good? Dante was a bit worried about, well, being compared…"

  "He was fine," Julie snapped. "Until he made me feel like it was just that, sex and nothing more. A slave giving her Master what he’s entitled to. He made it perfectly clear that’s where the line is as far as my participation in this…family…if you will, is concerned." Julie waved her hands about for a moment then settled her forehead in them thinking she might start crying. "Gav asked me this morning if he and Luc can call me mom."

  "Oh, honey, that’s great," Shelby said, taking one of her hands and pulling it away from her face. "That’s progress and means they fully accept you being there. This is a good thing."

  "No, it’s not. Dante told me this morning it’s basically none of my business what goes on with the twins." Julie decided maybe a bit of latte would be fortifying. Blake might feel the same way when he heard why. She took as deep a swallow as the singeing heat would allow then wiped a bit of cream from her upper lip. "Gav is thinking about having sex with Danielle. He asked me for help with condoms this morning. Dante overheard and was a bit furious to say the least. He told me it was easy to give advice when the advised wasn’t my responsibility."

  "Oh, dear. I was afraid of this," Blake said. "I saw the way that boy was looking at her yesterday. Thank the stars he’s thinking about protection. So, are we to procure the prophylactics today? Goody, a pharmacy field trip!"

  "You’re not mad that I gave advice out of turn?" Julie grabbed a biscuit, hunger surfacing again now that she knew Blake was okay with everything. True enough she was developing some heady feelings for Dante, but Blake had been her best friend long before Dante came along. It hurt that Dante was mad at her, but for Blake to despise her for anything would simply be the end of her.

  "Out of turn?" Blake ran a hand over his forehead. "Honestly, I’m relieved at not having to give it myself. I’d say Dante’s anger has less to do with you giving advice and more to do with his lack of foresight on the matter. He’s a man. You know ego and all that attaboy shit? I might not understand the attraction to the hoo-hoo, but I get the beating the chest and congratulating your son bit. What kind of pancakes do you think we should get? I’m leaning toward the carrot cake."

  "I want the apple cinnamon," Shelby said, doctoring up another biscuit. "And I still want details about this sex that went on while I had my turkey and dressing yesterday."

  That was it? Dante didn’t want to exclude her as mom to his sons, he simply felt slighted because of some maniacal manly ego business? Julie’s feelings were still bruised. But Blake was right, this required food.

  "Ricotta and mixed berry," she said. "With a side of country ham. I think we need some gravy with the rest of those biscuits, too. Can we still get Godiva's for dessert?"

  Chapter Thirteen

  Dante really didn’t know how he would describe Julie’s attitude over the course of the past couple of weeks. She ran from discontent to what he determined was blue to seemingly okay, but not great. However, no matter what the flavor of the day, he knew damn well what instigated it. His callous reprimand over a situation he had zero control over had sent her skittering back inside her shell with only her head poking out as necessary to ensure he was happy with the basic essentials in life. Food, clean clothes, clean sheets, and a neat and tidy living space. Blake assured him repeatedly they'd talked over what could only be touted as a carb-fest the day after Thanksgiving and she was aware that it was a misunderstanding and all would be well. Of course, Dante had made no move whatsoever to make it up to her as his barbed ego still stung and he just couldn’t seem to bring himself to admit he was wrong. Nothing like compounding one problem with yet another.

  As he sat on his stool at the end of the kitchen island drinking his coffee and reading the paper, he watched her every few seconds from around the edge of the sports page. She was currently stuffing lemon slices under the skin of a fat hen. He smiled knowing within a couple of hours the smell of the luscious creation would permeate the house, making it nearly impossible for him to keep grading the final exams on his desk that had to be completed by the end of the week for semester reports.

  Although she was smiling and humming while she worked, it was more than obvious her
feelings were still hurt. Probably more hurt than his ego was beat up. He still couldn’t figure out why the hell his boys felt they couldn’t come to him with their sex and birth control questions. Not that it mattered now, Julie had made well and good on her promise to Gavril and he was now the proud owner of a box of Trojans, apparently the protection of high school champions. The fact that it was still unopened disturbed him. Yes, he was guilty of snooping through Gav’s sock drawer and wasn’t sure if unopened meant he was exercising control or if he had exercised stupidity and proceeded without one. Julie probably knew.

  Damn it! There it was again. Dante’s enormous ego followed closely by the green-eyed beast that was jealousy. He should be glad the boys welcomed the woman he wanted to stay with them forever with open arms. Instead, he’d made her feel like shit. Like an outsider and yet he couldn’t manage to get past his pissy state of mind long enough to fix the rift that seemed to grow by the day.

  Taking a long swallow of the nutty goodness he’d come to near addiction of since Julie and her coffee maker moved in, he determined the longer he waited to make things right, the harder it would be.

  "Remember when I talked about how long it had been since any of us had a vacation?" he started, hoping she didn’t freak out when he revealed his plans.

  "Yes, Sir. I know it’s been a good long while. Maybe you should take Blake and the boys somewhere for Christmas. I could call Amelia and have her open the river house for me." Julie never looked up from what she was doing, the expression on her face that of stone.

  "That’s not at all what I had in mind," he said, slipping off the stool and moving behind her. When he ran his hands down her shoulders, the now familiar reaction of his dick hardening overtook him. That was another thing he hated. No talking equated to no more sex with Julie. A condition which sucked. "The boys want to go skiing with some friends for a few days next week. I was thinking while they’re gone, I’d take you and Blake somewhere. We’ll all be back before Christmas. We can decide where to spend the actual day then. If the river house is where you’d like to be, we can do that."

  "Are you sure I’m capable of making a reasonable decision about that?" Julie barked back. "Does this fall under the realm of my responsibility?"

  Well shit, she wasn’t going to make this easy. Of course, Dante knew he deserved it. He hadn’t fully earned her trust to begin with then he crushed what little of it he’d managed. Trust was a two way street. He couldn’t expect her to turn over hers if he wasn’t willing to reciprocate.

  "Jules, I’m sorry. I truly am. I know I hurt you very badly. Please forgive me?"

  Julie pulled away from his touch and turned to face him, her sticky hands slightly raised as she tried to keep from touching anything with them. "Is this a conversation where I get to say what I really feel?"

  "Yes. The floor’s open. We need to get past this. I miss you."

  "Fine. I was Mason’s for almost twenty years and not one time did he ever make me feel like his property even though he owned me in every conceivable way. The very reason I was afraid to live here was the fact that you might do that very thing. You did it when you made me feel like an outsider by insinuating I had no business discussing anything with Gavril. You hurt me, Dante. Don’t ever do it again."

  "Or what?" A fire started in his chest from her perceived threat and his eyes narrowed to slits.

  "I’ll take this collar off and leave." A cross between anger and pain flashed through her eyes before she shut herself off from Dante. It was something he hated, but she seemed to be able to do at will, and with the highest degree of expertise, he’d discovered.

  "Don’t say that."

  "I am saying it. And I mean it."

  She was serious. Dante took a step back and pondered just how much of the compromising he’d promised Allen he was ready and willing to do he actually prepared to own up to right now. Julie, Blake, and the twins were his responsibility and as much as he didn’t want to make her feel like she was a piece of furniture, at times he would have to make decisions that would be non-negotiable. What would she do when he set his foot down on an issue for the greater good? Claim hurt feelings and run like a child? Oh, he knew she was completely capable of flight. She’d proven that over and over again many years ago by cutting people off left and right and at every turn when they tried to help her. Would she revert to that tactic now to get her way? Taking a steadying breath, he decided it was a chance he had to take or things would never right themselves. Of course, sometimes the wording made all the difference. It did with Blake anyway.

  "I understand." Dante moved forward a few inches, gauging whether she’d let him into her space or not. "I'm sorry and I will never intentionally make you feel like that again. Jules, I don’t ever want to hurt you." He smirked at the thought of revealing the rest of his plan. "At least not like that. I love you."

  Julie’s nostrils flared at the mention of pain. He suspected she’d been thinking about that as of late as well. He’d caught her peeking in on two sessions with Blake at times Dante was being pretty harsh with him. The glazed over look she’d given him when she knew she’d been caught spoke volumes. Now her pulse was jumping in her throat and her mouth visibly worked as she tried to swallow what was obviously a growing desire.

  "I…I wanted to tell you…well, since…that day…" she stuttered. "I love you, Dante," she blurted all at once.

  Dante thought maybe he’d heard wrong. "Say it again."

  "I said I love you. I figure it must be love or else it wouldn’t have hurt so much when you shunned me. Although it’s not the hit me like a brick kind, it sort of sneaked up on me."

  His heart swelled. She loved him. He had to temper the initial urge to dance a jig given he knew love didn’t always come with complete trust. He had a bit of work to do in that department.

  Reaching behind her, he turned on the hot water and offered the bottle of antibacterial soap. Once her hands were free of germs, Dante took her in his arms and laid his chin on the top of her head, her hair clutched in one hand, his other possessively laid on her lower back.

  "I don’t care how it came upon you, Jules. I’m just glad to know it did." He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I never had that talk with the boys, but expect for them to start calling you mom. I can’t think of a woman I’d rather have for the job than you, love. I’m so sorry I fucked up the moment for you."

  "It’s okay. Maybe I’m not fit. After all, God didn’t think I was deserving of my own kids, why would you think I deserve yours?" Julie managed to get the words out over a hitch in her voice.

  "Shit. I’m such an insensitive bastard. I swear to you those things never entered my mind and I never…Jesus, Jules." Dante took her face in his hands and swiped the tears away with his thumbs as fast as they fell. "It never occurred to me you might take it that way. I was jealous. And felt like my control was slipping. And I took it out on you when I should have been grateful. Baby, you're more than fit to be a parent. In fact, you might be better at it than I am."

  Julie sniffled and nodded then wrapped her hands around his wrists.

  "Does this mean we’re going to be okay?" Dante asked.

  "Yes," she whispered.

  Relief that they’d made it through their first real conflict swept over Dante as he kissed her cheeks, the end of her nose, and finally landed on her lips, licking the seam free of salty residue before prying them apart and tasting her. Her response was to press back, fully giving him what he sought.

  "Can the chicken wait?" he mumbled, running one hand down to cup her breast, feathering the pad of his thumb across the clearly peaked nipple. "I’ve missed you."

  Evidently it could. Julie pulled away from him and darted down the hall headed for the bedroom. Apparently she’d missed him as well.

  Dante took his time making his way down the hall, thankful the boys had two more days of school before their break started and Blake was out tying up some loose ends at his office before the start of winter vacation. Wh
en he stopped in the bedroom door way, he put one hand on the frame and just stood in awe. Julie was naked save her collar, on her knees head down beside the bed, waiting patiently for him. His heart lurched. It was the first time she’d offered herself to him this way and it literally stopped his breath. God if she wasn't beautiful in submission which only sealed his resolve to do what he must next week in Savannah.

  Before their getaway was up, Dante intended to not just own Julie, but possess her. His way.

  "What would Master have me do?" she asked, never moving, holding perfect posture.

  Master. More than he deserved, but he’d take it nonetheless. Coming back to his senses, Dante walked over to her, leaned down and stroked her jaw with his thumb. He tugged her head up and searched her eyes, confirming this was real.

  "What I want can be done on the bed. I don’t want your knees to be in the shape Blake’s are. This pleases me very much, but I don’t expect this all the time. At attention on your feet is fine, love. Understood?"

  "Yes, Master," she complied as he helped her to her feet and backed her to the edge of the bed where he forced her to sit.

  He pulled his tee over his head and tossed it to the side then unbuttoned his jeans, one button at a time, all the while watching her reaction. She had to know what his intentions were as she darted her pretty pink tongue out and traced it along her bottom lip as if she craved this as much as he did.

  Dante tugged his jeans and boxers to just hanging on his hips, not bothering to completely remove them and his cock sprang free. Although her head was still down, he could see Julie studying him as he bobbed mere inches from those pouty lips. She took her bottom one between her teeth and worried it, taking a deep breath through her nose as if memorizing his scent. When she released it, it tickled his rapidly heating flesh and he sucked in a breath of his own.