An Unexpected Win

by Jenna Byrnes

  Table of Contents

  Legal Page

  Title Page

  Book Description

  Dedication

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  New Excerpt

  About the Author

  Publisher Page

  A Totally Bound Publication

  An Unexpected Win

  ISBN # 978-1-78430-429-4

  ©Copyright Jenna Byrnes 2015

  Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright January 2015

  Edited by Rebecca Douglas

  Totally Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

  Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

  Warning:

  This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Burning and a Sexometer of 3.

  Rose & Thorn Society

  AN UNEXPECTED WIN

  Jenna Byrnes

  Book four in the Rose & Thorn Society series

  A game of poker sets the stage to change three men’s lives forever.

  Carter Perry is playing the poker hand of his life. The game is no limit Texas hold ’em, and he has a hand that no self-respecting player could toss. Unfortunately, the pot is growing steeper by the minute and Carter’s wallet is nearly empty. He’s had a few drinks and when he runs out of money he decides to offer up the one thing of value he’s got left—his submissive. For one night.

  Trey Mitchell’s been watching the game from his knees, at the side of the table with the other subs. He knew going into the game that the stakes were high, but his Master is a professional poker player and he has never dreamt that the man might lose against a table of amateurs. Tension is thick as the hands are revealed. Carter goes ballistic when he loses, but hands over Trey’s leash to the handsome, hunky Native American who goes by the name of ‘Hawk’.

  Yuma Nighthawk has his eye on Trey all night long and for him, the poker game couldn’t have ended better. Assuring Carter that he’ll take care of his sub in accordance with the rules set out by the Rose & Thorn Society, he instructs his own submissive, Kel, to make sure a drunken Carter gets home safely. He has other plans, which include ravishing Trey and hatching a plot to make the man his own.

  Dedication

  To J. with love.

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  eBay: eBay Inc.

  “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away”: George Lucas, Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company

  Lincoln: Ford Motor Company

  Ram 4x4: Chrysler Group LLC

  Dasani: The Coca-Cola Company

  Tonto: George W. Trendle and Frank Striker

  Life’s Been Good: Joe Walsh

  “Curiouser and curiouser”: Lewis Carroll

  Pepto: Procter & Gamble

  Saving Private Ryan: Paramount Pictures

  Forrest Gump: Paramount Pictures

  Saving Ryan’s Privates: Brent Goldberg, David Wagner

  Forrest Hump: Max Chapman Porn Movies

  Chapter One

  Finally, the cards had turned. Carter Perry eyed the two kings in his hand. The Texas hold ’em dealer had flopped a three…a seven…and another three. Two pair. On the inside, Carter’s heart thumped madly. But he was a professional poker player, once dubbed The Annihilator, so, viewed from the outside, his expression didn’t waver.

  He glanced at the other five players at the amateur table. Two had mucked their cards immediately. Another had tossed his in after the flop. Still in the game was the smooth-talking Nicolas Fontana, a man Carter knew fairly well from spending time at the club together. The other man was more of an enigma. A tall, muscular Native with brown skin and a long black ponytail, a man Carter knew only as ‘Hawk’.

  Carter wasn’t too concerned. The Rose & Thorn Society was the biggest BDSM social club in southern California. They vetted their members very well. This month’s social activity was a no limit Texas hold ’em poker night, with tables set up in each of the various genre dungeons. The game was right up Carter’s alley. The Rose & Thorn didn’t do anything traditional, though. This version had a twist, as evidenced by the six naked men kneeling between the seats. Each player at this table had brought his collared submissive, and the slaves were called upon occasionally to provide ‘services’.

  The first Dom to run out of money and leave the game was given his choice of two subs to provide a dual blow job before he left. Carter was pleased when his own slave, trey, was the first chosen. With his short, spiked blond hair and nearly hairless body, trey appeared much younger than his twenty-five years. His pretty pink lips were a favorite among men and Carter suspected that his sub would be kept busy.

  The Dom left, and another took his place. There was no shortage of Masters and slaves anxious to get into this game. Carter had somehow thought, since these men were amateurs and he was the pro with a tournament bracelet on his wrist to prove it, that he’d run the table. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. He had the fewest amount of chips left, not counting the chubby businessman, Noel, to his left. Hawk and Nick each had impressive stacks of chips, which irritated the hell out of him.

  He downed his fourth gin and tonic and sucked a piece of ice into his mouth, motioning crankily for the waitress to bring him another.

  “Raise.” Nick added a stack of chips to the pot.

  Carter could match them, but just barely. In a tournament he’d go all in at that point, but he was trying to figure out a way to get more money, plus he didn’t want to chase the others off. “Check.” Carter tapped the table.

  “Check,” Hawk repeated.

  The dealer burned a card, setting it aside. He dealt the turn card.

  Carter held his breath. King or a three. King or a three.

  It was a jack. Another round of checking ensued.

  The river was the fifth and final community card played. After the dealer burned a card, he flipped it, aware that all eyes were focused on that spot.

  A king.

  Carter nearly came in his pants. Kings over threes, a full house. He was set, except that he was nearly out of money.

  Nick mucked his cards.

  Hawk shoved his tall stack of chips to the center. “All in.”

  Carter glanced at the dealer. “Do you accept credit cards?”

  “No.” The man shook his head. “Personal check would be fine, though.”

  He muttered under his breath. “Haven’t carried a check book in years.”

  “You could go all in,
” Nick said pleasantly.

  The hair on the back of Carter’s neck bristled. He glanced at the man, his gaze a little blurrier than he’d have liked. “I’m very aware of my options, but thank you for pointing out the obvious.”

  He felt something on his calf and glanced down. His slave, trey, was massaging his leg. Carter could read the submissive’s mind. Calm down. He knew he needed to, but the gall of the other man struck him as ludicrous.

  Hawk studied him evenly. “You do have something of interest to add to the pot.”

  Carter fingered the championship bracelet around his wrist. Valued at several thousand dollars, some he’d seen sold on eBay for ten times that. He wasn’t prepared to part with it in a greenhorn game like this one.

  His sub must have sensed that he was considering it. Carter felt a tug at his pant leg. When he glanced at trey, the sub shook his head ‘no’ very subtly.

  “I’m not interested in parting with my bracelet,” Carter announced. His words slurred a bit, and he forced himself to remain focused.

  Hawk chuckled. “I wasn’t referring to your bracelet.” He ogled trey, who knelt with his own gaze lowered to the floor.

  Carter saw the glance and couldn’t believe the man’s gall. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  The long-haired man continued to smile. “Not for keeps, of course. Just for a while. On loan, so to speak.”

  “On loan?” Still dumbfounded, Carter glanced at trey, whose shoulders had tensed.

  “Interesting proposition,” Nick interjected. “There would need to be a specified amount of time. And the slave would, of course, be treated according to the tenets of the Rose & Thorn Society’s safe, sane and consensual practices. He couldn’t be abused… Unless he wanted that.” The man smiled.

  Carter’s head was spinning, partly from the suggestion but mostly from the four gin and tonics. He rubbed his temple. “I’d need to speak with him about this.”

  Several of the Doms hooted, including Nick. “You need to check with your slave before you make a decision? You’ve got to get his permission, is that right?”

  More laughter all around.

  Hawk was the only man not grinning. “No, I think he has a point. As much as we like to role-play here in the dungeons, we are talking about a person. He may be a submissive, but he’s Mr. Perry’s submissive. He didn’t sign on to be traded to someone else, even temporarily.”

  Nick grabbed his own slave by the chin. “My slaves do what I say, when I say it. I could order this one to suck off the whole room of you and he’d do it willingly, if I requested it. Isn’t that right, adam?”

  Carter watched the handsome younger man with curly blond hair. “Yes, Master.” His head bobbed and he looked at his Dom with an expression of pure love and obedience in his eyes.

  Hawk waved a hand. “Any of our slaves would do that. Going home with a stranger is something different. Mr. Perry, please confer with your boy. If he’s in agreement, we’ll include him in our wager.”

  Still hesitant, Carter couldn’t see another way around it. Sure, he could go all in with his small number of chips, but if he won he’d only double that amount, and still have next to nothing. His hand was a winner, he felt sure of it. He leaned down to whisper in trey’s ear. “I’ve got a winner, babe. I know it. I just don’t have enough chips to make the win worthwhile. I need you, trey. Are you willing?”

  The sub cocked his head the slightest bit and whispered, “You’ve got a winning hand?”

  “I do.” Carter ran his fingers through his handsome slave’s hair. “I know I do.”

  “Then, yes, Master. Do whatever you need to do.” He fell silent again.

  Carter massaged the head for another moment then straightened. “My slave agrees. I’ll offer the use of him—according to the Rose & Thorn tenets—for one night.”

  “One night?” Hawk guffawed. “I have ten thousand dollars in the pot. I was thinking more like two weeks.”

  Carter’s gut lurched—trey was everything to him. He couldn’t imagine being without him for two weeks. I’m not going to lose. He had to remind himself of that. He’d soon be ten thousand dollars richer. “Three nights.”

  “Ten nights,” Hawk countered.

  “One week.”

  Hawk smiled, as if that had been his goal all along. “One week. Agreed.” He flipped his cards over and tossed them on the table. Two threes. Four of a kind.

  “What the fuck?” Carter jumped up, rattling the table. He could see trey trying to look at the cards without being too obvious.

  The Native folded his arms. “I’m assuming I have the winning hand?”

  Carter’s head and world were both spinning. “I don’t have to show my cards,” he slurred.

  “No you don’t, as long as you concede I’m the winner.”

  He dropped back into his chair and held his head.

  Nick rose and turned Carter’s cards over. “Pocket kings. A full boat. Too bad.”

  “Get your hands off my cards!” Carter snarled. “You can’t do this to me. I’m The Annihilator!” He beat his chest, remembering the nickname the poker announcers had bestowed on him in his heyday.

  “You were The Annihilator,” Nick said smugly. “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.”

  Hawk raked in the pot. “Mr. Perry, seeing as you’re out of money, would you care to choose two slaves to suck you off before you leave?”

  He sprang to his feet, waving his hands wildly. “Why don’t you suck me off, you big Indian fucker!”

  Hawk moved to trey’s side and reached for his leash. “I’ve had enough for tonight, myself. Are you still willing to come with me?”

  “Yes, Sir. But…” His voice faltered.

  “What is it? Speak up, slave.”

  He glanced at his Master.

  Carter was dizzy as hell and almost foaming at the mouth. He couldn’t seem to take control and reel himself in.

  “There’s no way he can get home in that condition,” trey said.

  Hawk smoothed a hand over the slave’s blond hair. “You’re a very caring submissive. I’ll make sure he gets home. Go with my slave, kel, and get dressed. Give kel the keys and address.”

  “Thank you, Sir.” The slave nodded.

  “Go ahead, you two,” Hawk told kel and trey. “Rise and go.”

  Carter could only fall into his chair. “Fuck you!” he mumbled, before the gin knocked him out and he fell, face first, onto the poker table.

  * * * *

  Yuma Nighthawk cashed in his chips and tucked the bills into his wallet. He felt a little guilty cleaning Carter Perry out but the one-hit poker wonder was an arrogant ass who didn’t deserve the faithful and handsome sub he’d somehow ended up with. It had been a fair game, and Perry had been alert for the majority of it. That last drink had hit him hard, but they’d already made their arrangement by then. He’d be true to his word and make sure the man got home okay. He might even let the sub phone Perry the next day to ensure that he remembered what had happened.

  His own sub kel, a burly Native American like him, returned from the other room wearing his street clothes. Perry’s tall but thinner sub walked behind him, kel holding the black leather leash.

  Hawk stepped forward and took the leash from kel. “Did he give you Perry’s keys and address?”

  “Yes, Master. I know the area. I’ll make sure he gets home and tucked in.”

  Hawk cupped his slave’s cheek. “That’s my good slave. Oh and, kel, stay with him tonight, would you please? If Perry wakes up and he’s still inebriated, I wouldn’t want him trying to go out and look for his boy.”

  “Of course, Master.”

  He placed a kiss on kel’s forehead and said softly, “If Perry needs a little fluffing and folding, take care of that, too, would you? Reassure him that he made the best bet he could have under the circumstances. No one in his right mind would have folded a full boat. A couple hours with you might take the sting out a little. It always does for me.”
<
br />   His sub accepted the compliment but never met his eye. “Yes, Master. Thank you, Sir.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned to his new acquisition. “Let’s get Perry into his car and kel will drive him home.”

  “Yes, Sir.” The blond sub directed them to Perry’s Lincoln.

  kel had no trouble hoisting the man up and loading him into the back seat of the vehicle.

  Hawk gave kel an affectionate kiss goodbye. “Call me if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Master.” He entered the Lincoln then fastened his seatbelt and drove off.

  Turning back to his new little friend, Hawk smiled. “My sub will take excellent care of him. But just so you’re at ease, I’ll allow you to phone your Master tomorrow and make sure he’s okay. I’d like to confirm he remembers our arrangement in the cold light of day.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “My truck is this way.” Hawk held the leash loosely as they walked to his cherry red Ram 4x4 truck.

  “Would you like me to drive, Sir?” the sub asked.

  Hawk chuckled. “I don’t think so.” He unlocked the door and the sub started to climb into the second row of seating. Hawk motioned to the front. “Sit up here with me.”

  The sub appeared shocked, but did as instructed.

  Climbing in, he buckled up and glanced sideways. “Seatbelt.”

  “Oh, yes, Sir.” He hurried to oblige.

  Hawk reached a hand out and rested it on the man’s arm. “Look, I understand you don’t know me, but you really have nothing to be afraid of. I’m a big guy, but kel would tell you—if I allowed him to, that is—that I’m very gentle, and very good to my slaves.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  Hawk inhaled and blew out the breath. “What’s your name, kid?”