Aaron quirked an eyebrow. “You’ll buy it? Won’t you miss the point of the auction? Using the toys with a Dom?”
Tatum went from pink to bright red, shrugging carelessly. “It’s, you know, for a good cause.”
Aubrey nudged Aaron when he looked like he was going to question Tatum further. He didn’t need to know the dirty details. He just needed to sell Tatum the basket.
“Well, that’s very charitable of you. How about twenty dollars?”
Tatum nodded. “That sounds fair.”
“I’ll put it on your account, if that’s okay?” Tatum’s purse, like Aubrey’s, was in the ladies’ locker room.
“Sounds good. Um, thank you.”
“Should I hold it back here for you?” Aaron started to stow the basket behind the counter.
Tatum shook her head. “No, I’ll take it with me now.”
Aubrey couldn’t stop the smile curving her lips. “You’re leaving? Already?”
“W–well,” Tatum stammered. “I just remembered I need to do something.”
Aaron had walked behind the counter and was deep in conversation with Tina.
“Or now you realize Josh and Will aren’t coming, you might as well go home?”
Tatum’s lips pressed together in a mutinous line. “That’s not it at all. If you must know, I don’t see any Doms here I want to play with tonight.”
Aubrey giggled. “Funny, you never do.” Aubrey leaned forward and hugged Tatum. “I’ll stop giving you a hard time. Drive safely, okay? I’ll talk to you Monday. Save me a seat in the lunchroom?”
Tatum slipped out of the club as quickly as she had slipped in. Aubrey sipped at her soda and watched the crowd milling by. It felt strange to be here alone. It had been a mistake to come. Aaron had pretty much given her permission to leave. She might as well take it. She turned and froze. Riley and Noah were heading straight for her. A sizzle of electricity went through her as it always did when she saw them.
Noah was the younger brother by a year but always seemed the more mature one. His dark hair was clipped short and his blue eyes were mesmerizing. In fact, all the McLeans had those sapphire-blue eyes. Noah was wearing dark blue jeans and a leather vest that clearly showed off his God-given assets honed to perfection by hard ranch work.
She licked her lips as her gaze was drawn to Riley. He was as blond as Noah was dark, with the same blue eyes and the same muscular physique that left women panting in their wake. He sported the same blue jeans and black vest that Noah was wearing. They might resemble one another physically, but there the similarities ended.
While Noah was quiet and thoughtful, Riley was loud and boisterous, full of bravado. He liked to bait her red-haired temper, making her angry and frustrated. Noah was usually the one who played peacemaker, making Riley apologize and coaxing Aubrey to forgive his brother.
There would be no forgiveness tonight. She straightened her shoulders and prepared for battle. Her boys would learn she was no pushover.
* * * *
Noah’s woman didn’t look too damn happy. Aubrey’s back was ramrod straight, her chin lifted in challenge. Even her normally soft brown eyes were sparkling with anger. The worst thing was she had good reason to be mad. He and his older brother Riley hadn’t been the best boyfriends. In fact, they would vie for the worst. They hadn’t been treating Aubrey with respect. Noah had been warning his brother for months now, but Riley hadn’t thought the day would ever come. It was here now, and he wasn’t sure how to get on her good side. They had a lot of sucking up to do.
He grabbed Riley’s arm and stopped him before they reached her. “Listen, let me do the talking. Your mouth is going to get us into trouble. Again. We need to apologize and get her to forgive us. No arguing tonight just because it makes you horny.”
Aubrey was a true redhead with a temper to match. There was nothing Riley loved more than pushing all of Aubrey’s buttons and royally pissing her off then taking her to bed for some fiery sex. Chances were high they wouldn’t be having sex tonight. Aubrey had finally had enough of their shit.
Riley looked frustrated, but Noah didn’t give a rat’s ass. Noah wasn’t an angel himself, but Riley was a big reason they were in trouble to begin with.
“Fine. I know we need to make up with her. Why is she being so stubborn anyway? We sent flowers. A bunch of them.”
“Because we’ve behaved like such assholes there aren’t enough flowers on the planet to make this okay. It’s time we grew up. Aubrey isn’t going to accept anything less.”
“She has to know how sorry I am. I love her. She’s everything to me.”
Riley was sincere, but words weren’t going to be enough any longer. “You haven’t been acting like it, bro. Neither have I. We need to straighten up quick if we’re going to save this.”
Riley actually looked a little scared. He acted all macho, but deep down Riley was a softie. He loved Aubrey deeply but loved to party and hang out with his friends, too. Growing up was not high on his to-do list. If anything, Riley was terrified of taking on mature responsibilities. It had something to do with an old friend, but the why wasn’t important. Letting Aubrey know she was the love of their lives was paramount.
“I get it. I want Aubrey in my life. It’s just…shit, being in a relationship shouldn’t mean the end of having fun.”
“We have fun with Aubrey. If she thinks you think she isn’t fun, we’re dead in the water.”
Riley hung his head. “I know we do. She gets so frustrated with us. She doesn’t like our friends, and she likes the Baldwins. What the fuck is up with that?”
Noah wanted to punch his brother. “Hell, sometimes I don’t like our friends. They’re a bunch of wild ass cowboys who drink too much, play poker too much, and make too much noise. Can we expect her to like them? We’ve been disrespectful. It stops now. We need to start treating Aubrey like she’s the most important thing in the world to us. The first step is groveling.”
Riley nodded in agreement, and Noah sighed in relief. He had been half afraid of dragging a recalcitrant brother to apologize. They both approached Aubrey carefully, not wanting to spook her. She was as skittish as a wild mustang right now, and they needed to tread lightly.
Noah grabbed her hand. “Hey, sweetheart. We’ve missed you these last few days.”
She pulled her hand away and tucked it behind her back. She was looking at them like they were navel lint. “I haven’t missed you. Not that I would have seen you all that much anyway. You would have been busy watching sports with your buddies, or playing poker with your buddies, or starting fights with the Baldwins…with your buddies. Just another fun-filled day with the McLean boys.”
Noah felt his neck get warm. Riley started to move, and Noah grabbed his forearm and pulled him back. Riley and Aubrey got into each other’s faces quicker than any two people he’d ever seen.
“Well, we missed you. Listen, honey, we know we’ve screwed up and we want to make it up to you. No more breaking dates, no more showing up late stinking like a bar, no more starting fights. We mean it. We love you, baby. The forever kind of love. Please give us another chance. You won’t regret it. We promise.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her toe on the concrete floor. She was clearly pissed as hell. “Forever, huh? That’s what it’s felt like. Forever. Waiting for you two to grow the fuck up. Forever, waiting for you to show up for dates. Fuck, I don’t even take a shower and start getting ready anymore until you show up at the door. That’s how many times you’ve stood me up or been hours late.” She was pointing her finger into his chest now, her eyes narrowed in anger. “Promises.” She almost spat out the word. “I’ve heard all of your promises. Nothing will be different. It never is. You never are. I’m going to make something different. I’m going to change. I’ve had enough.”
Her face was red, and she looked ready to cry. Noah’s heart twisted in his chest, knowing they were the reason. He felt like ten kinds of shit hurting her the way they had. He didn’t want to hurt
her anymore. He was ready to act like a man.
“I know we’ve never given you reason to believe us. We’ve made empty promises before, but this time we’ve changed. We’re ready to become the men you’ve waited for us to be. We know we’ve made you wait and we’re sorry.”
Aubrey turned on her heel, her eyes bright with unshed tears, and started to walk away but Riley caught her arm before she could flee.
“I love you, honey. More than you can possibly imagine. I know I’ve been selfish and hurtful. You’ve got a right to make me pay for that. I’m here to grovel and I’m here to make amends. I’m ready to act like a grown-up. Losing you is not an option. You’re my life, my anchor.”
Aubrey’s eyes were wide, taking in the sincerity of his brother’s declaration. A lone, silvery tear slipped down her creamy cheek, breaking his heart. From the way Riley swallowed hard, Noah knew his brother was shaking in fear it was too late.
Riley dropped her arm. “Do you want me to beg? I will if you want. I’ll get down on my knees right now. You can tie my ass to a spanking bench and take my own crop and beat the ever-loving shit out of me in front of all these people. I love you that much. I’ve been stupid, and I’ve been an ass, but have I been unforgivable?”
Noah gaped at his brother. He’d never seen him so intense, so serious. Aubrey was their cherished submissive, but Riley was a slave for Aubrey’s love. They both needed her like they needed air to breathe. Riley was going the extra mile to make this right with her.
Her full lips trembled. “Just because I may forgive you, doesn’t mean I want to put myself through it all again. I can’t keep doing this with you. We get together, we break up. Someone has to break the cycle.”
Noah caressed her cheek. “We’re breaking it now. We’re done doing stupid shit. We won’t give you any moment’s worry. Please say you’ll give us another chance.”
She brushed away the tears that were falling down her face. “You scramble my brains, both of you. I need to think about this. We need some time apart. Maybe we should see other people for awhile. Just to see if what we have can stand the test of time.”
He and Riley were both shaking their heads. No man was going to touch their woman. Noah pulled her closer to him, letting her scent envelope and arouse him. She smelled like vanilla and rain, and his dick woke up in his pants and pressed against his zipper. They’d had many issues in their relationship, but sex had never been one. Making love to Aubrey was as close to perfection as anyone could get.
“We’ve already stood more tests than that. We don’t need other women to prove it.” A terrible thought occurred to him. “Is there another guy?”
She looked uncomfortable. “There could be. Just tonight, Tom told me what his basket was going to look like. He’s a nice guy and seems dependable. Unlike you.”
Riley looked ready to spit. “Fuck, no. He’s not touching our sub. If you go near him, I’ll make sure you can’t sit down for a week. Don’t push me, honey.”
It was absolutely the wrong fucking thing to say. Their woman took it as a personal challenge. She gave them a look that would have fell a lesser man, her eyes shooting daggers.
“I’ll do anything I damn well please. In fact, I’m definitely going to bid on his basket tonight. There’s not a damn thing you can do to stop me.”
Before they could stop her, she flounced off, madder than a wet hen. Noah groaned. “Good going. She’s pissed and she’s riled up good. How are we going to stop her from doing something she’s going to regret later?”
Riley grinned and slapped him on the back. “Relax, bro. I’ve got this covered. I know just what we’re going to do. She’s not going to scene with Tom. She’s our sub, our woman. We just need to remind her of it. Trust me.”
Noah followed Riley. “This better be good.”
“It is. I know exactly what to do. She’ll be in our arms by the end of the night.”
* * * *
Aubrey was twisting the small flag they’d given her for the auction between her nervous fingers. She’d lost her temper. Again. Said things she wished she hadn’t. Again.
Riley and Noah were going to be the death of her. Now she was sitting in the audience, waiting for the auction to begin, knowing they were watching her closely. She couldn’t let them see how much they affected her. She’d almost caved earlier. Noah, and especially Riley, had looked so sincere, so damn sorry. Riley had looked as if his heart was broken, which was complete bull, but she hadn’t been able to stop the painful squeeze in her chest when they’d begged for forgiveness.
Dammit, I want to believe them.
Aaron came out on the stage and talked about the importance of the auction and how the funds would be used to buy comfortable chairs and fun games for the waiting rooms in the children’s wing of the hospital. He seemed to be looking right at her when he wrapped up his introduction.
“This auction has one basic rule. Don’t bid on a Dominant’s basket unless you’re willing to scene with him or her tonight. You’re saying you’re willing to submit to them, however, you may lay down the rule of no sexual contact. The only way out of this is if the Dominant is willing to release you from the agreement. Let’s get started.”
A large basket was put up on the table and the contents revealed piece by piece. This one had to belong to Steve Harper, their resident sadist. The basket contained two lengths of single-tail whips, clover clamps, and a large-sized ball gag. The bidding started slowly, but built up momentum quickly. By the time Aaron’s gavel came down, Tisha had paid one hundred fifty dollars for the right to be whipped and tortured. Steve came up and gallantly led her off, and Tisha, more of a masochist than Aubrey was, seemed pleased with her purchase.
One by one the baskets were auctioned, leaving Aubrey fidgeting in her chair and wondering if she had lost her mind. Bidding on anything was stupid, but she’d backed herself into a corner. She’d seen Tom play, and he was safe and not too rough. She could tell him she didn’t want any sexual contact.
When the basket with the red and blue striped blanket was placed on the stage, her heart was beating a mile a minute. She wasn’t sure she could submit to anyone but Riley and Noah. The blanket was pulled back and the toys displayed one by one.
A deerskin flogger. My favorite.
Tweezer nipple clamps with weighted beads. Another favorite.
A riding crop. I have a love-hate thing going with that.
A large vibrator with a butterfly stimulator for my clit. Holy hell.
She’d had no idea Tom liked to use all her most-loved items. It wouldn’t be all that bad. He would clamp her nipples, flog her, and that would be that. She’d make her donation to the auction and be home by midnight. Aaron opened the bidding at fifty dollars, and she raised her flag. His lips flattened in disapproval. She’d be hearing about this tomorrow. She immediately regretted her action, but since hers had been the opening bid she was sure someone else would outbid her quickly. The bidding had been brisk on the other baskets, and she was sure this one would be no different.
She wouldn’t raise her flag again, someone else would win the basket, and she could at least look her men in the eye and say she’d bid on something but simply hadn’t won. She craned her neck, looking at everyone seated. Not one flag was raised in the air. No one was bidding on this basket except her. Her heart raced and her skin flushed. If someone didn’t bid soon she was going to be the winner.
Aaron looked around grimly. “Do I have sixty? What about fifty-five?”
You could have heard a pin drop. No one moved.
Aaron sighed. “Going once. Going twice. Sold to Aubrey Maxwell!”
When the full horror of what she’d allowed her temper to goad her into hit her she was almost nauseous. She didn’t want anyone but her men. Yeah, they were a handful, and they were more boys than men, but they were hers and she was theirs. She wasn’t sure she could go through with this. She shakily got to her feet and headed back to the office to pay for her basket. She stopped dead
when Riley and Noah were standing there handing cash to Tina the office manager. Noah held up his hand.
“We got this, honey.”
Her mouth fell open. “You’re paying for my bid on Tom’s basket?” Didn’t they love her anymore? Was this their idea of revenge?
Riley had a grin a mile wide. “About that, baby. You see, we couldn’t take any chances. I know how you are when your temper is out of control. I couldn’t let you do something you’d be sorry for later. We switched the blankets on the baskets. Tom’s basket now has a throw with cowboys all over it. You bought our basket. Couldn’t you tell it was ours? It has all the stuff you love in it.”
Noah grinned, too. “Then we put the word out that we were trying to make up for an argument and no one should bid on this basket but you. I doubt anyone would have anyway. We belong to you, honey.”
Her men knew her so well. They’d been paying attention these last few years. She should be madder than hell, but all she felt was relief. She threw herself into their arms, happy to see their faces for the first time tonight. She was overwhelmed by what they had done to make sure she was with them and no one else.
“We’re still not all okay, but I’m glad you know me. We still need to talk about this.”
Riley swept her up in his arms, and Noah grabbed the basket off the counter.
“Fair enough,” Riley answered. “We’ll settle it in the dungeon.”
She poked him in the chest. “I mean it. We need to talk.”
Noah led the way down the hall. “We love you. We’ll talk as much as you want.”
Watching Noah’s tight butt striding ahead of her, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy to keep her mind on their problems. The only thing she could think about was the thing her men never messed up.
Sex. Hot, screaming, sweaty sex.
Chapter Two
They’d stripped her of her clothes and bound Aubrey to a St. Andrew’s cross, her back pressed to the wood, her arms and legs pulled wide. She felt herself sinking into a peaceful, dreamy mindset where all her worries faded away. When she let them take control, her mind didn’t whirl with all the things she needed to think about and do. Her responsibilities to the students she taught at the junior high, her responsibilities to her divorced parents who couldn’t seem to say one civil word to one another, and her responsibilities to these men faded away. She’d lost track of how many times she’d intervened between them and a Baldwin family member to keep the peace.
Sanctuary in Submission [Sanctuary, Montana 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2
