by Riley Murphy
The doorbell rang again, but he didn’t move to answer it. Instead he caressed her other breast until it nicely responded. He was inordinately pleased that she didn’t mention the arrival of their guest at the door. He loved the fact that she remained focused on him, which was exactly what he wanted. Always wanted. The only thing better would have been if she’d come downstairs without the scarf. Giving her one last pet, he said, “I better get that.”
Rene swung the door wide. “Come on in.” He stepped aside, saying, “Can I take your coat?”
Michael didn’t say a word. He just stalked into the middle of the entrance way and shrugged out of his black leather bomber jacket. Before Rene had his hand extended however, Alexis rushed forward. “I’ll, ah, get it.”
Rene closed the door and watched their odd exchange out of the corner of his eye. Michael was polite enough to her, but there was something passing between them. The guy was following Alexis intently with his eyes, trying to catch her gaze while Alexis looked everywhere but at him. Even going so far as to dip her head once she took hold of his jacket.
His knew the signs. His wife was worried. Really worried. Rene stood back and let their awkward dance unfold as he took in the telltale clues. It wasn’t long before Michael gave in to his frustration over being ignored. He reached out to put his hand on her arm, but Alexis, as wound up as she was, jerked so fast in an effort to steer clear of him that she dropped his coat at her feet.
“Oh.” Bending, she retrieved it at the same time her scarf came undone. The slippery material slid out of its cowl position and hung in two straight drapes on either side of her. She grabbed hold of the ends and straightened, slinging Michael’s coat over the banister as she took a minute to refashion her neckwear.
But it was too late. Both men had seen the shining silver glinting around her neck. Michael’s head whipped toward him, his assessing gaze latched on to Rene and wouldn’t let go. They stared at one another for a charged moment. Ten seconds of utter clarity that left not one doubt in Rene’s mind that Michael knew exactly what was around his wife’s neck before she was able to hide it…again.
Alexis plucked the jacket off the banister and Rene stepped forward.
“I’ll take this, kitten. Why don’t you go and get our guest a glass of Cabernet. I opened it earlier and left it to breathe on the counter.”
Rene waited until she left, then tossed the coat back onto the curve of the banister and swept an arm indicating the living room. “Shall we?”
“It appears as if you call all the shots. So, whatever you say.”
Rene narrowed his eyes and followed the death-wishing bastard closely. The guy was interested in Alexis all right and possibly for deeper reasons than Rene had originally thought. Had he been trying to get in Alexis’ head all this time? Had he gotten into her head? Was this why she was acting so strangely? Shit. There was an energy between the two of them. A nervous energy like either they’d done something wrong or they wanted to do something wrong.
He examined Michael’s lithe form and silently growled because the guy had more substance now that he looked him over. He also had nerves of iron, not to mention balls of steel, to walk into his boss’s house and try to outplay him.
“I seem to have rubbedyou the wrong way, my man.” He purposely made the MM reference. Hoping to give the arrogant fucker something to think about. “Have I done something to offend you?” Here again, he emphasized. Making sure Michael got the message. And he did.
His hands came to his hips and he demanded, “She told you?”
Rene watched his body language closely. Michael was furious and didn’t give a shit who knew it. So, exactly what was it that Alexis hadn’t told him? He’d already hinted about the caller ID. Was this what Michael was referring to? By the look of him, Rene didn’t think so. Time to go fishing.
Rene crossed his arms over his chest and flayed the guy with heated disapproval. “Yes, she told me.”
That seemed to take a little of the steam out of him. He dropped his arms and his face twisted into a sneer. “So you collared her for it?”
Alexis rushed in.
“Here’s your wine, Michael.” She handed it to him and he took the glass, but otherwise, he didn’t move. He remained with feet planted, attempting to stare Rene down.
“Rene? I brought you some lemon water.”
“Just put it on the coffee table, kitten. Then I’d like you to get dinner ready and served.”
“But—”
“Now, Alex.”
She looked at Michael with surprise but didn’t move until Rene snapped, “Now.”
Rene was the first to speak when she left. “You’re awfully familiar with my wife.”
“Funny, I was thinking I wasn’t familiar enough.”
Rene dropped his arms and took a step forward. Michael didn’t blink, only matched him stride for stride as they came face-to-face.
“I forgot to ask. Michael, do you like horseradish? Sometimes I put a bit in the gravy, but if you prefer that I don’t…”
Both men stepped back a pace and Michael answered, “No thanks. I don’t like the stuff.”
“Well, I do. Put the horseradish in as you usually do, kitten.”
“Rene.” Alexis shook her head. “I can make two separate batches. One with and one without. See? Not so hard to get along.”
“Make the gravy, kitten.”
Alexis gasped. Probably because those words, with the intimate pet name for her attached, came from Michael.
“You heard the boy, Alex. Go make the gravy,” Rene ordered. When she was gone the boy spoke up.
“Boy?”
“Apologize.”
Michael made a scoffing sound.
“Now.”
“That may work with her, old man, but it doesn’t work with me.”
Rene looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. He rolled his shoulders and neck before his chin came level and he glared. “I hope you’re enjoying that insolence. It could very well be the last thing you get to enjoy in life.”
“My insolence? What about yours?”
Finally, they were getting somewhere. “What about it?”
“You don’t deserve her.”
Rene shook his head. Even if he didn’t, who was Kavanagh to be telling him this? The guy was a nobody. “And you do?”
“Yes.”
Rene laughed, but he was more stunned than amused because he could tell that Michael actually believed what he was saying. “She wouldn’t have you.”
“I think she will after the piss-poor job you’ve done with her. Do you think making her wear your collar is going to change the past? You may have managed to get it on her, but if she was truly yours, she wouldn’t be hiding it.” Michael shook his head and gave him a chilling smile. “No, you fucked up, Rene. You had your chance with her and you blew it. She needs a man to top her right, and that man just isn’t you anymore.”
Rene digested this, even though it was a bitter pill to swallow. On some level Michael was right. He had made mistakes but he’d endeavored to correct them over the last several months. Had he waited too long to fix things with her? He didn’t want to believe that. He wouldn’t believe it.
“Even if it were true what makes you think she’d turn to you?”
Kavanagh straightened his shoulders and tilted his jaw up as if he’d been waiting all this time since he’d entered the house to say these next words. “She didn’t deny me when I…”
He purposely let the sentence hang and Rene saw red. His whole world was exploding. He swooped in, coming nose to nose with him. “When you what?” The guy remained stoic. “Did you touch her? Did you put your hands on my wife?”
“Yes.”
Rene stepped back, wordlessly shaking his head. He didn’t want to believe it. He…suddenly that Sunday evening came to mind. When he’d told her she was cheating and she’d been so animated in her denial. So jumpy about the subject. Then other words came to him.
I
can’t lose you both.
Rene swallowed and walked to the fireplace. He’d thought Alexis had been talking about him and work when she’d admitted this under pressure. But she’d been talking about Michael.
I accept your silver for the balance of the week.
She’d been careful to stipulate the one-week timeframe and now she was hiding his claim behind a yard of fabric?
“Deal with me on this, Rene. She had nothing to do with it. I caught her by surprise, but you and I both know. She wouldn’t be in that position for me to take what I wanted from her if you weren’t failing her.”
Rene couldn’t deny it. He had failed her. He failed them both. Even though Michael said she had nothing to do with it, it didn’t change the facts. If she’d been upset or turned-off by her coworker’s advances she would have avoided him, not defied her husband’s wishes and gone in to work to help the guy out.
With that truth he went numb inside. Even still he wanted to hear Kavanagh say the words. Maybe if he did it would lessen this blinding pain in his heart.
He kept his back to him and whispered, “Did you…?”
“Yes.”
He spun around. “Yes, what? Say it.”
“Yes, I touched her, Rene.”
“No.”
Raised voices vibrated the walls and Alexis decided to skip thickening the gravy. So what if it was thin, at least Michael would be alive to eat it if she got everything on the table before something bad happened. When she had everything put out she practically ran to get back to the living room. Poor Michael had no idea what he was in for. Rene was no doubt angry with the high-handed way Michael had come into his home. Hadn’t Rene clued him in about the good news aspect of the evening? She doubted it because Michael had marched in and ignored him while he tried to get her attention. What was Michael thinking? Heck, she needed to get back in there and bring up the good news before some bad news was spilled along with blood. And to call her kitten? No wonder Rene was furious.
“Yes, I touched her.”
She heard those words and skidded to a halt so fast she nearly fell over. Her heart leaped in her throat and then spiraled down into her stomach. Sucking in air at a rapid pace, she fought the urge to pass out.
“No.”
That one small word sounded so big. Huge. Torn out of her husband’s mouth, it caused her to quiver. She collapsed against the entrance wall and closed her eyes. She was too late. The bad news was delivered and Rene would never understand. He prized loyalty above all else. She should have told him. She should have— She banged her head against the wall and willed herself to disappear, wishing that she had the strength to run away. She was so ashamed. With her silence she’d turned a nothing-for-her moment into a personal catastrophe.
“It’s true. You failed her, but I won’t.”
Alexis’ eyes popped open and she fought back tears as she silently listened. Breathlessly, she waited for Rene to deny Michael’s words, but he didn’t and then she understood why as Michael spoke.
“I’ve wanted her from the moment you cracked her shell. How could anyone guess that fearless Al was a pussycat? You did and ever since I found out about it I’ve watched and waited. I wasn’t going to interfere if she was happy. She deserves that. At first I thought you might be okay. I hoped you’d step up and be the man she needed. But then it was clear that you weren’t and it all went bad from there. First you ignore her and then you try to trap her? You’re not worthy of her submission.”
Her stomach churned as she realized that Michael knew. He’d known for a long time.
The silence was palpable until Michael intoned, “She’s not happy.”
“Are you sure?”
Alex was glad that Rene sounded strong. Sad, but strong.
“Yes.”
“And you think you have the ability to make her happy, do you?”
“Yes. If she were mine I’d top her cleanly and forever remind her of her place. She’d never be left like she was on the weekend. Alone in a hotel hallway with a man who wants her to be nothing until he gives her permission to be his everything. The fact that she was there with me shows me what kind of Dom you are…or aren’t, as the case may be.”
Alexis blinked away the threatening tears.
“So, tell me. When she told you about our moment together is that when you made her agree to the collar”
Rene refused to be baited. Instead he stuck to the rudiments. “Let’s talk about your moment with her.”
She came away from the wall when she heard Rene’s tone. He’d recovered, thank heavens, and if he didn’t kill Michael she was going to.
“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but she thought so much of your ‘moment’ together that she didn’t even mention it to me.”
“She was probably too frightened to.”
Alexis gasped.
“Frightened? No. Embarrassed. She, my friend, was embarrassed for you putting yourself out there when you didn’t have a hope in hell to succeed with her.”
Now might be a good time to get in there. Get them to the dinner table and get Michael the hell fed and out of here because then she’d have to deal with Rene.
Straightening her shoulders, she walked into the fray. “Okay, guys. Dinner’s ready.”
The walk to the table was like a death march. Silent. She knew the two of them wanted to kill each other and she wanted to kill herself for putting Rene in this awkward position. But then she wanted to die when she realized that Rene wouldn’t look at her. He kept his eyes averted. They began to eat but no matter how much she tried to draw him into a conversation he was quiet. Reserved. And Michael loved it.
She was dying inside.
“Rene?
“Yes?” he asked without looking at her. He always looked at her. Please look at me.
“How do you like your dinner?”
“It’s good, Alexis. Very nice.”
But the words, the compliment, the tone of his voice were off. As if it were switched off. As if Michael had won and she’d lost the only thing that ever mattered to her.
She looked at Michael. Trying to piece together her careening thoughts to make sense of this mess. Taking a deep breath, she dove right in. “So, Michael, I take it you’re into the lifestyle?” It was a stupid and obvious question to ask him, given what she’d heard.
“Let’s just say I love every flavor of ice cream, Al. Every. Single. One. Every one but vanilla.”
“How did you know this ab-about me?”
His eyes softened and his cheeks looked a little ruddy. Was he embarrassed? “I— It was an accident. On our first business trip out of town. That first night out to dinner. Your skirt rose up as you crossed your legs and I saw his name on you. I’ve known it all this time and I’ve tried to be patient and give him a chance to make things right between you. But six months ago? That was the final straw.”
She swallowed and only got out, “Why would you think you and me—”
“I’d take care of you. I swear. I’d do my best to make you happy. Something you haven’t been for a very long time.”
She shook her head in silent denial. Why wasn’t Rene saying anything? Why didn’t he look at her?
And Michael. Oh she was angry at him for sticking his nose in where it didn’t belong. He and his misguided notions about her marriage. His heart may have been in the right place because it was obvious he cared about her, but he’d crossed a line here and he had to know it.
“Michael, I know you care for me…”
Her eyes widened and she shot a look at Rene. That’s why her husband wasn’t lashing out. Michael obviously had her best interest at heart, so Rene must have believed some of what he’d said tonight. About how Rene wasn’t worthy of her submission. Wait, how could Rene think he was worthy, that she believed he was worthy, if she was hiding the proof of his claim so willfully? In front of the man who was challenging it?
Do or die. In or out.
Was she ready to do this?
; “Alex,” Michael said.
She paid no attention to him. The adrenaline soared inside her.
“Al.”
Her heart pumped to a loud roar in her ears as she came to certain undisputable truths. Rene was who she wanted. Who she needed. He’d told her a long time ago that he desired to be her Master. To care for her and love her that deeply and she’d refused. She’d given him only half of herself and he loved her enough to accept it without protest and now? Now having spent the last few days living with him the way he always intended she knew it was right. It was good. There’d been nothing but a perfect honesty between them and she’d gone and ruined it and there was only one way in her mind to make this right. To fix this and ultimately give Rene the love, devotion and respect he deserved.
“Go home, Michael.”
“No. Alex?”
“Rene? Did you turn the thermostat up? It’s warm in here,” she murmured. She looked at Michael as she began to slowly unwind her scarf.
Michael didn’t let go of her eyes. He put down his fork and whispered, “Don’t do it, Al.”
Her hand stilled on the material while she plucked the napkin off her lap and threw it onto her plate. Gaining a steadying breath and feeling as if the weight of the world was going to be taken off her shoulders, she dug her fingers into the scarf and snapped it off in one clean flick. Without a word she let it flutter to the floor. Liberating. She took a deep breath and shook out her hair behind her shoulders.
Michael glowered at her, but she didn’t care. She turned to her husband.
“Rene?”
He wasn’t looking at her. He did, however, put down his fork so she knew he was aware of what she was doing.
“Rene?”
He stared straight ahead and her heart cracked just a little.
“Look at me. Please.” Michael was forgotten. Dinner was forgotten. All that mattered was Rene. Only Rene.
“Al, you don’t have to do this.”
She didn’t take her eyes off her husband. Instead, she pushed her chair back and got up. She kept her movements slow and precise as she went to him and sank to her knees. “Please look at me.”
He didn’t. Her heart was breaking in two. “Please. I would have told you about the kiss, but it meant nothing to me. Michael’s like a brother to me. He was just confused because I was whining about the state of things with you.”
