I leaped to my feet. “Richard.”
Cameron didn’t see Richard hurtling towards him until he was right on top of him. Richard’s point struck his chest, the blade flexed, coupled with a muffled grunt from Cameron.
I let out a scream and Jasmine clutched me back.
Cameron compensated for the strike, readjusting his stance, reasserting control. This was a man of skill and Richard’s advantage wouldn’t last long.
Shay leaped out of the way of the two friends sparring backwards and forwards. Richard was amazingly good at this. Someone was about to die.
Shay ducked to avoid Richard’s sword when he tried to help.
“You wait until I’m out of the house and then you bring her here?” Richard pointed at me.
“No.” I ran towards them. “I came here with Jasmine.”
“Shut up,” shouted Richard.
Shay yanked off his mask. “They’re here because of Jasmine.”
Richard lunged at Cameron again, thrusting his sword, and it bounced off Cameron’s shoulder.
“At least get a mask on,” said Shay.
Cameron pulled his off, his glare full of fury.
“You’re out maneuvering me,” said Richard. “I can’t play this game any more.”
“There’s no game,” said Cameron. “At least hear the facts.”
Richard dropped his sword. “Mia calls your name out in her sleep.”
This I did not know.
Cameron’s stare found mine. “That means nothing.”
“It means everything,” said Richard.
“I failed,” said Cameron. “I wanted Mia to be my finest work. I’d convinced myself she was. Instead she’s my biggest disappointment.” He gestured to me. “Take her home. I can’t bear to look at her.” He threw his sword down and it echoed a clang.
Casually, and without looking back, Cameron walked from the room.
Shay gestured to Jasmine. “Time to leave.”
Richard spun round, grabbed my arm, and led me out of the gym. We moved along the hallway and out into the night.
He shoved me into the front seat of his jeep. Jasmine climbed into the back. Loud rock music played all the way back to Malibu.
By the time we got home, Hope had gone to bed. A note left on the kitchen counter thanked me for letting Richard take her to the event.
Sipping from a glass of water, sitting beside Winston in the kitchen, I tried to suppress my tears, sucking back the grief of Cameron’s words and the pain they’d brought.
Shaken by the danger both men had faced, I was full of shame over being the cause.
Richard came into the kitchen and knelt before me, his tie hanging loose, his hair ruffled from the drive back. “How are you doing?” he said softly, that kindness back in his eyes.
“Oh fine.” I forced a smile. “Winston needed a top up.”
“Thank you for taking such good care of him,” he said. “He really is my baby.”
I scratched Winston’s chin. “He’s mine too.”
“I just stabbed my best friend with a sword.” He chuckled. “That’s what you do to me. That’s how much I love you.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “Please call Cameron. Make things okay between you and him.”
“Already have,” he said. “We’re all good. Cameron’s laughing it off, telling me I could do with some lessons. Shay’s offered to improve my flunge.”
“Your what?”
“A hop and a skip past my opponent.” He arched a brow. “Yeah, not gonna to happen.”
“I didn’t know you could play.”
“Apparently I can’t.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Jasmine came here because of that stuff going on with Willem.”
“I know that now. Though it would have been good for that note you left me to have explained that so I didn’t make a complete ass of myself.”
“It was my fault,” I said. “Everyone will know that.”
Richard rose to his feet and held out his hand. “You didn’t know you were living with Errol Flynn, did you?”
“Had no idea,” I said, forcing a smile to hide my terror. “You have quite the moves.”
He pulled me to my feet.
Hand in hand, we wandered into the bedroom.
There, on the ground to the right of our bed, was Jasmine, and she was fast asleep lying on a pallet covered in blankets.
“Why is she in our bedroom?” I whispered.
Richard frowned at me. “Jasmine’s permanently immersed in the scene.”
“But why is she in here?”
“Hope has the other room.”
“How about the living room? The couch?”
“Mia, she’s been through a terrible ordeal tonight. She can’t sleep alone.”
I stared at him in utter astonishment.
Jasmine stirred and rolled over. That blanket covering her nakedness had slipped and revealed her breasts. Her nipples hardened from the sudden chill.
Richard arched a mischievous brow.
No, this wasn’t okay. This was not happening and I wasn’t going to allow it.
“Get ready for bed,” he said. “It’s been a long day.”
“How am I meant to sleep with her in here?” I whispered.
“She’s on my side of the bed.” He strolled over to Jasmine, bent down, and pulled the cover up and over her.
My jaw fell.
Richard rose to his full height and glared at me. “If you don’t want to be lying where she is, with her in the bed instead of you, then I suggest you hurry along.”
CHAPTER 40
IT FELT INCREDIBLE.
A tongue leisurely circled my sex and hair tickled my thighs. That slow, deep thrust of two fingers inside me worked me into a frenzy of shudders. I blinked through this perfect way to wake up.
Mmmm.
I lifted the bedsheet and saw Richard’s head bobbing down there, his muscled forearms taut with the tension of holding his own weight.
“Oh God,” I said, and my head hit the pillow.
I crooked my neck to see if Jasmine was awake, though from this angle it was impossible to see.
I also remembered I was on an orgasm ban and it crossed my mind to let one slip in.
Richard’s kisses found my belly and began their way up. He rose above me, and his mouth met mine, kissing me passionately.
Glancing left became a gesture of concern we weren’t alone. Richard lay by my side and hugged me into him.
This too was a wonderful way to wake up.
Though it was tainted by having a supermodel lying close by.
Putting on my best stony faced attitude, I left the bed and waded into the kitchen to get some water, my legs heavy and my heart heavier.
Morning brought with it all the usual activities of getting ready for work and getting to know our houseguests better over breakfast.
Taking a few minutes out for private contemplation, I headed into the bathroom and stared at my stunned reflection, recalling Cameron’s words last night that I was his biggest disappointment.
Why yes, that it a saber sticking out of your chest, Mia, in case you were wondering.
It was impossible to not take those words to heart, and as the day progressed with Jasmine hanging out with us at home and Enthrall, and Hope choosing to stay “Just one more week,” it was hard to think of anything other than getting through the day without breaking down and embarrassing myself as the jealous girlfriend.
No one was going to see my cry, I promised myself.
After a thorough Google search on Jasmine’s current scandal, I read the British news in astonishment. Willem had been vindicated and apparently those slutty photos of Jasmine had been put on his phone by a famous hacker who’d somehow wrangled his way out on bail. The issue really was resolved. Willem’s political career was back on track, and as he’d dealt with the entire spectacle with grace, he was England’s new blue eyed boy. As was his wife.
Jasmine was being co
mpensated, but apparently I wasn’t meant to know that. She’d whispered it to me in a corner of Enthrall, telling me another master was being sought out for her. For Jasmine’s sake, I hoped it wasn’t Senator Deluca.
That afternoon, I’d attended an English class at Chrysalis, and then later I’d snuck into Cameron’s office.
I quickly scribbled a note on Chrysalis embossed paper that I’d found on his desk. I wanted him to know I still cared very much for him, and though I hadn’t quite proven myself a perfect submissive as yet, I promised to make him proud.
It brought a sense of peace.
I left the note on his desk.
A book on the shelf caught my eye and I pulled it down. Cameron had the entire collection of Joseph Campbell’s works and had even gifted me one about goddesses here in this very house, when he’d kept me prisoner. All I could think of during that time was getting out of that dungeon he’d imprisoned me in. Now all I could think of was finding my way back into it.
“You’re still here?” said Cameron.
I dropped the book and stepped back, having not heard him enter and with no idea how long he’d been standing there.
“I left you a note.” I pointed to it.
He came closer.
I handed it to him. “You can read it if you like.”
He peered down at the scribbled envelope addressed to him.
I swallowed hard. “I didn’t mean what I told you at your house.”
I do still love you.
I stared up at him, into those dreamy chestnut eyes.
“How are things at home?” he asked.
“Fine. Hope’s still there. She’s staying a few more days before she goes back to New York.”
“Sounds like Richard’s getting some resolution?”
“Yes, both he and Hope have been talking a lot about Emily.”
“When someone leaves an indelible mark on our lives, this is how we honor them, by talking about them fondly.”
“I’ve gotten to know more about Emily,” I said. “I know I’d have liked her.”
“She’d have loved you too, Mia. Though had she not died…”
Why thank you, Captain Obvious.
“Cameron.”
“Yes.”
Pressing my fingertips to my lips, I tried to find the words to tell him how much I missed him, couldn’t live without him.
“Well I really should be getting on,” he said.
“Yes.”
He gestured to the door.
“I miss you so much,” I blurted.
“Mia.” Cameron measured his words. “I’ve taken on a new submissive.”
Terror had me by the throat.
He glanced at his watch. “In fact she’s tied to a Saint Andrew’s Cross as we speak and awaiting my presence.”
“Same dungeon?” I asked faintly.
“Same.”
My lungs stopped working.
My mouth formed words but failed to speak them.
“It’s for the best,” he said softly.
“Well that’s good,” I said, nodding unconvincingly.
“So if you’ll excuse me.”
I picked up the book. “I’ll put this back.”
He looked tired and drawn, sad even.
“Have a lovely day,” I said.
“The day’s almost over, Mia.” He’d made it sound ominous.
He turned on his heels, and with his hands tucked into his pockets he headed out.
I hugged the book to my chest.
Halfway down the hallway, I realized I was still holding it. I couldn’t go back in there. So I’d return it tomorrow. Or maybe I’d just tell Richard I wasn’t going to do those classes ever again. There wasn’t really any point. Not really.
I stepped outside, but couldn’t see Leo’s car yet.
It was going to be painful to have to make small talk and suppress these tears, nudge away this grief gnawing at my insides. A scream built. Leaning against the wall, I fought this urge to retch.
“Ms. Lauren?” a man’s voice called out.
I’d only been vaguely aware of that SUV parked against the curb. The short, burly looking guy came over. “Mia Lauren?”
“Yes.” I tried to look like I was fine.
He handed me an envelope. “You’ve been served.”
Jaw gaping and totally confused, I watched him climb back into his car. He drove away, his back tires leaving a spray of leaves.
Unsure whether I should open it or not, I ran back inside and bumped right into Dominic.
A small miracle, considering he was an attorney and would know what I was meant to do with this and why I’d been given it. I still found Dominic intimidating. The first time I’d met him he’d been wearing a toga at one of Chrysalis’s parties. A perfect outfit for the man who ruled this place with an iron fist on Cameron’s behalf. Dominic oozed authority.
Though today he was overly cheerful and asking me about London, chatting away casually. He really did seem to like me.
I raised the envelope.
Dominic gave a knowing nod. “Ah, we thought you’d get one.”
“What is it?”
“Dr. Cole has a trial pending. It’s a subpoena.”
“What for?”
“The Board of Psychiatry is undertaking a preliminary investigation into Dr. Cole’s practice. Depending on their findings, the trial may or may not progress to a formal trial with a jury.”
“Practice?”
“We think Lance Merrill’s behind it,” he said. “Or his wife. Please don’t worry about this Mia. We’ll go over what you should say. I’ll guide you through it.”
Cameron had just locked another sub away in his dungeon. Maybe caution should be his priority right now.
Dominic took a phone call and walked over to the reception for privacy.
I ripped open the envelope and read the subpoena. I was called to the trial as a witness and this nightmare was a week away. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and I found it hard to swallow.
Medicine was everything to Cameron, and one more personal attack was going to destroy him. That explained why he’d looked so sad.
Not sad, lost.
Maybe it was also the reason he was going to soothe his pain with a session. I couldn’t leave knowing he was going through this. We’d been through too much together. I needed to see him before I left. Surely he’d take a few minutes for me?
Getting past Dominic and heading into the lower chambers of Chrysalis was surprisingly easy.
The chill of the lowest chambers.
Deadly quiet.
I wondered what she’d be like. A blonde like me, or a brunette. She’d be pretty, I knew that. Smart too, and perhaps carrying the kind of pain I’d once had before Cameron saved me. Like I had to save him now.
Braving to witness her look of bliss, as well as Cameron’s devotion that would no doubt be worn on his face, I clutched the door handle.
I’d be saving myself a whole lot of pain if I just walked away and let him deal with this himself. He had Dominic after all. He had the girls. He had Richard.
A surge of emotions. Who was I to make a difference? Who was I to interrupt this intimate session?
Don’t do this to yourself.
My hand pressed against the door and I nudged it open.
In my mind’s eye I saw her naked, taller, slimmer, perfectly toned, her beauty so stunning she’d take a man’s breath away and steal his heart.
Her look of rapture…
The Saint Andrews Cross stood alone.
Silence hung so intense it felt unnatural.
In the center, lying on a long table, was Cameron, and he’d removed his shoes and thrown them across the room. His jacket was off, as was his tie, and his shirt collar fell open. His left hand fell over his eyes.
Tiptoeing towards him, my gaze swept the room, hoping not to catch a glimpse of the elusive sub in waiting. Or any sign she’d been here.
No one else was here
.
Cameron shifted his hand and raised his head.
“I got a subpoena,” I whispered, defending myself for being here.
He gave a nod and reached his hand out to me.
With an easy strength, he pulled me up and onto his chest, positioning me so that I lay along him. I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and breathed him in. Cameron clutched me tightly, holding me close, resting his cheek against my head.
We didn’t need words.
All we needed in this moment was each other.
CHAPTER 41
THAT KISS TO my head had been Cameron’s way of telling me I should go.
And that I didn’t belong here.
I’d slipped off him and left the room as quietly as I’d entered. My heart cracked in two at the thought he was hurting. It was heart-wrenching to see him like this. Half in a daze, I made my way back to his office.
Inside, I rummaged through his files and soon found what I was looking for. I jotted down Henry’s address on a post-it-note and shoved the file back in the cabinet. Then I headed on out without being seen.
Leo was waiting at the curb, ready to take me back to Enthrall.
As this Bel Air landscape faded from view, I let my imagination run off and imagined the kind of jobs the people did to be able to afford living in those sprawling mansions.
All thoughts led back to him.
My phone lit up and Bailey’s number flashed on the screen. We’d missed each other for a few days now and I couldn’t wait to hear her voice. She was my best friend, yet over the last few weeks I’d shouldered everything alone.
“Hello,” I said, sitting back.
“Hello, Mrs. Elusive,” she shot back.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too. Are you doing okay? I’ve been worried about you.”
“I’m doing great.” I swallowed the lie. “How’s work?”
“Awesome. I just got promoted to charge nurse.”
“Bailey, that’s incredible. I knew it wouldn’t be long before you’d be running the place.”
“Hardly. Still, I get an extra dollar an hour. It all helps.”
“It sure does.”
“Oh my God, Mia, I almost forgot. How was London?”
Enthrall Him (Enthrall Sessions Book 3) Page 32
