by Zara Chase
“Okay,” she said, slipping from the bed. “I’ll shower first.” She grinned over her shoulder at him. “Unlike your set up, the shower here is definitely only big enough for one at a time.”
“Fucking cheapskate plumbing,” he complained.
Her laughter rang in his ears as her cute, rather pink, butt disappeared from view. She didn’t take long, and emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body.
“Your turn,” she said.
It transpired that all Darcy’s clothes easily fit into one suitcase. Her camera equipment took up as much space again. It was easy to see where her priorities lay. Fortunately her laptop was still back at the bar so, apart from her purse, there was nothing else for them to tote. Ross took both bags, leaving Darcy with just her purse, and her hands free to lock the doors behind them. No matter what happened in the future, she wouldn’t be coming back to this dump. Well, she wouldn’t stay in Nevella at all, he supposed. She would have no reason to, once she had her daughter back. Ross tightened his jaw, feeling bereft at the thought. He kept telling himself it would be for the best, but his heart was having none of it.
The snow was falling thicker, the flakes the size of quarters. Most of the revelers appeared to have called it a night, even though it was still early, and the snow ploughs were falling behind in their efforts to keep the highways clear. The track on the sidewalk had been covered over, and they found themselves trudging through snow already six inches deep. It took almost a quarter of an hour for them to make a trip that usual took five minutes. By the time they pushed their way through the side door at Hadleigh’s, they both had frozen faces and cold extremities. Ross dumped her bags in the lounge, they shed their coats and made a beeline for the roaring fire, holding their hands toward the welcoming flames.
“You okay?” Ross asked.
“Yes, it wasn’t me had to carry the bags.”
“Glad to be of service, ma’am. Now, are you hungry?”
“As a matter of fact, I’m starved.”
“Good. We can do something about that. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”
Ross nipped into the restaurant kitchen and had a quick word with Tyrell. Business was slow, for once, given the weather conditions, and Tyrell promised to whip something up for him and Darcy tout de suite. Ross returned to the private lounge, which Darcy still had to herself. She didn’t hear him, and so he stood in the shadows of the doorway and simply looked at her, wishing he knew what she was thinking. Her expression was full of melancholy, filling him with an urgent desire to protect her, and make her smile again. But protection wasn’t something Ross did well, which was all it took for him to dismiss the idea. He cleared his throat, giving her a moment to collect herself before he rejoined her.
“Dinner won’t be long,” he said. “Tyrell’s pulling out all the stops for us.”
“He doesn’t need to do that.”
“Yeah, he does. He likes showing off.” He moved toward the bar. “White wine?”
“Yes, please.”
He poured her a glass, and opened a beer for himself. She took the glass from him with a nod of thanks, and drank down a long swallow. He joined her on the couch, slid an arm around her shoulders, and kissed the top of her head.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Isn’t that what I should be asking you?”
“Honey, you have no idea what you’ve done for me.”
“I was glad I could help. I can’t imagine what it must be like to actually lose a child.” She touched his arm, her eyes flooding with tears. “Not having seen Chloe for a few days is driving me crazy, even though I know she’s being looked after.” She turned her face away. “Well, that’s what I have to believe.”
“Even Garcia wouldn’t hurt a child.”
“Is it because of your son that you got into the BDSM?” she asked. “Does it help in some way?”
“I’ve always had those tendencies, but Chelsea didn’t, so I didn’t get to act on them. When I came here, Leo was just getting the club going. It seemed like a natural progression, and I’ve never looked back. Having said that, there’s no pressure on you. I know you have more important things on your mind, and—”
“But I want to.”
Ross sat bolt upright. “I beg your pardon.”
She reached up and traced the line of his jaw with her forefinger. “I said I want to. I’ve been thinking about it, remembering how turned on I was by what I saw. Remembering what Tanya told me about how it makes her feel, and…well, I know it means a lot to you, so why not give it a go?”
He sent her a killer smile. “You sure, babe?”
“Are you trying to talk me out of it, Mr. Lang?”
“Hell, no. If you knew what plans I have for you.”
“But it’s not my place to ask, is it, Master.”
She demurely dropped her gaze, making him roar with laughter. “Damned straight, it’s not, but if you’re a very naughty girl, I just might tell you anyway.”
Tyrell came in, wheeling a trolley covered with crisp white linen, silver domes failing to staunch the delicious aromas emanating from beneath them. Darcy’s stomach growled, causing her to blush. Ross and Tyrell laughed.
“Glad you’re hungry,” Tyrell said, winking at her.
“It seems I am.”
“Hot sex has the same effect on me,” Ross said.
“Thanks for broadcasting our activities,” she said, sounding miffed.
Both guys laughed. “Hot sex is what we do best here,” Tyrell said. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. Now, I’m sure you don’t need me cramping your style, guys, so I’ll leave you to help yourselves. Yell if you need anything else.”
“Thanks, buddy,” Ross said.
“No problems.” Tyrell turned back in the doorway and sent Darcy another wink. “Enjoy.”
Ross lifted the domes and revealed a casserole of local beef cooked in rich red wine sauce. He knew it would melt in the mouth. Tiny potatoes ran in butter, and there were crisp vegetables on the side.
“This cries out for a decent red,” Ross said, heading to the bar and opening a bottle. “Serve the food up for us, babe, and I’ll bring the wine over in a sec. It needs a moment to breathe.”
They sat at the table, eating slowly, watching one another over the rims of their glasses and, in Ross’s case anyway, anticipating the rest of the night. He already knew what he planned to do to her, if she would let him. He hoped she wasn’t in the market for a lot of sleep because he couldn’t see her getting much.
She pushed her empty plate aside, and sighed. “Thanks, that was so good.”
Ross pressed his thigh against hers, took her hand and placed it on his zipper. She gasped, then sent him a stern look.
“You’re insatiable.”
“Blame yourself for that.” He placed a hand heavily on her thigh. “Let it out of its cage, darlin’. It needs to breathe, just like the wine did.”
She laughed, rolled her eyes, then unsnapped his jeans and lowered his zipper, allowing his erection to spring free.
“That’s better.” He pushed his chair farther from the table, fisted his cock at its base and showed her its glistening head. “Now, get down on your knees for me and wrap your sweet lips around this baby.”
She sent him an uncertain look. “What if someone comes in?”
Ross shrugged. “What if they do? It ain’t anything they won’t have seen a thousand times before in Hadleigh’s. Besides, you did say you wanted to show off in the dungeon. Think of this as training.” He hardened his voice. “Do as I ask, darlin’. Don’t keep me waiting.”
“Yes, Sir.”
She slithered gracefully to her knees between his splayed thighs and tantalized the head of his cock with her tongue. Ross sighed as she sucked him deeper, licking him delicately from tip to balls, then letting him slide all the way out of his mouth so she could sip at his arousal. Shit, she knew how to do this! He grabbed the hem of her sweatshirt and pulled
it up. She released him without being told to, lifted her arms above her head, and allowed him to remove the garment. He’d forbidden her to wear a bra and her lovely tits were now all his to play with.
“Back to work,” he said curtly, pinching hard at her nipples as he pulled them away from her body, expanding the skin as far as it would go until it had to be painful. Darcy merely sucked him deeper, and Ross responded by lifting his hips, the undulating motion thrusting his rigid penis deep down her throat.
“That’s it, baby,” he said, throwing his head back and closing his eyes. “Keep going like that, and you’ll make me come for you.” Ross heard a noise behind him. Leo had come into the room, and was watching them. Ross simply grinned at him, and closed his eyes again. “Keep going, darlin’. Yeah, you’ve got it.”
Darcy ran the fingers of one hand down his happy trail, rested it on his aching balls, and squeezed. They pulled tighter, his cock expanded and filled, and Ross knew he was about to come.
“That’s it, baby. I’m gonna fuck your mouth real good. Make me come for you, sweetheart.” He glanced down, saw her cheeks hollow out from the pressure of her suction, and he exploded. “Fuck, I’m gonna cream your throat good.”
Ross bucked into her mouth, sending so much sperm shooting from the end of his cock that she had trouble swallowing it all down.
“Fuck, that was good,” he said, when he finally stopped coming.
He pulled Darcy to her feet, onto his lap, and into his arms. She was still naked from the waist up, but didn’t seem to mind. Instead she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and grinned at him.
“Glad to be of service, Master.”
“Hmm, she’s a quick learner.”
Darcy jerked at the sound of Leo’s voice, and color flooded her face. “How long have you been there?”
“Long enough.”
“Where’s my top?”
“Too late to worry about that,” Ross said, possessively cupping one of her tits.
“You’re beautiful,” Leo said, moving across the room to pour himself a brandy.
Ross noticed he had a raging hard-on, which was hardly surprising, given the show he’d just witnessed. Presumably he would work off his frustrations in the dungeon later on. Leo had a regular sub who knew all the right buttons to press, but was causing Leo problems. Ross didn’t know what those problems were precisely, but could guess. She wanted more than Leo was prepared to give, just as Monique had with Ross. That happened sometimes, and was usually the death knell for a contract.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Ross is a lucky man. I hope he persuades you to join us in the dungeon. I would enjoy watching the two of you fucking one another.”
“Thank you,” she said, not looking at Leo.
“I’m working on getting her to agree,” Ross added.
“I came to tell you I had a long chat with Padron this evening. I told him all about you, Darcy, and what you’d been sent here to do. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy. Oh, don’t worry, his anger wasn’t aimed at you, but at Garcia for playing such a low trick. We talked for some time about what might have made him do it.”
“I was wondering about that myself,” Ross said.
“Padron has heard rumors that Garcia is short of cash,” Leo said. “Seems unlikely, seeing his family is so wealthy, and owns the richest valley in Nevella. But, it seems his son, the father of your child, enjoys the playboy image.”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“He plunged family money into a lot of doomed ventures, just for the kudos of being involved.”
“Like the film I worked on. I know that lost a shedload of money. I was lucky to get paid.”
“That and other things,” Leo agreed.
“So he urgently needs the Russians to invest in Darwin valley so he can recoup his position.” Ross rubbed his jaw. “Now it’s starting to make sense.”
“Padron’s going to see him in person, to get your daughter back.”
Darcy jerked upright on Ross’s lap, no longer seeming to care if Leo got a good look at her naked tits. “Will he succeed, do you think? Shouldn’t I go with him?”
“Yes, and no. He will succeed because the families in Nevella have a strict code of ethics, and using a baby to get his way would definitely cost him a lot of support if it became public knowledge. And no, you can’t go with him. This is strictly between the heads of family.”
“But Chloe might need me.”
“Just trust Padron to bring her back safe.”
“When will he go?” Darcy asked anxiously. “Tomorrow?”
“No, not tomorrow. He will have to wait for the weather to clear.”
“But the road will be kept clear.” There was desperation in Darcy’s tone. “Surely, he can—”
Leo cracked a smile. “These guys like to put on a show. Padron will wait to go by chopper.”
“You’re kidding me, right?” Darcy glared at Leo. “It’s only twenty miles by road.”
“It’s a game the families play, sweetheart.” Leo waved a placating hand. “It’s all a question of image and one-upmanship. Don’t worry, Padron will get your daughter back for you, but you’ll have to be patient.” He chuckled. “I’m sure Ross will think of ways to distract you.”
“Count on it,” Ross replied, tweaking one of her nipples.
“That’s what I thought.” Leo stood up and put his empty glass aside. “May I?” he asked, addressing the question to Ross.
Ross shrugged. “Be my guest.”
Leo leaned over Darcy, placed a gentle kiss on her lips, briefly pushing his tongue into her mouth, and another on one of her nipples. “Welcome to Hadleigh’s,” he said, winking at her as he turned to leave the room.
“Wh–what was that all about?” she asked Ross once they were alone again.
Ross laughed. “Leo’s the boss. He was simply making you welcome.”
“But…” She glanced at the tit he had just kissed. “What he did, he—”
“He’s saying he’d like to play you once you agree to appear in the dungeon.”
“Oh!” Darcy clapped a hand over her mouth. “Can he do that?”
“Only if you want him to. No penetration, of course, but trust me, honey, there’s a ton of other stuff he can do to you that will blow your mind.”
“What about what you want?”
“I’d love to watch, truth to tell.”
“Does he do that to all the subs?”
Ross shrugged. “Not with the contractual ones. He’s had some fun with Tanya, with Ward’s blessing, but she’s the first sub to actually live here.”
“I don’t live here.”
“You do for now.”
“Yes, but—”
“And Tanya loved the attention.” Ross dropped his voice to a persuasive purr. “It’s kinda hard for me, as a guy, to admit to my…err, shortcomings, but Leo leaves all of us feeling inadequate.”
Darcy blinked. “Really?”
Ross stroked her arm. “Do I need to remind you that everything’s consensual here? You won’t be asked to do anything you’re not happy with but, baby, we’re gonna turn you on until you don’t know which way is up.” He kissed the end of her nose. “You have been warned.”
He stood up and tipped her off his lap. “Now come on, I have plans for you, but we need privacy for them. You ain’t ready to do this next thing in public yet.”
Chapter Fifteen
Darcy took Ross’s hand and allowed him to lead her, still half-naked, from the room. She was getting used to the casual attitude to clothing that prevailed in this household, and was starting to accept it. They encountered Jack on the stairs. He took a good look at her, grinned, sent Ross an approving nod, but otherwise didn’t bat an eyelid.
She felt pretty dazed at what had just passed between her and Leo, and Ross’s casual acceptance of it. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it, but had to agree with Ross that it was a huge turn-on just
fantasizing about the possibility of taking it farther. But Darcy had never had sex with any man she didn’t have feelings for, even if they weren’t returned, as was the case with Ross. She got the impression that he was still too fragile to commit, but at least she now understood why. She set the thought aside. Until she had Chloe safely back with her, she couldn’t think beyond that point.
Leo was a fascinating conundrum. She liked him, felt grateful to him, but also found him a tad intimidating. He projected an aura of tough resourcefulness, was clearly a very private, slightly mysterious, definitely gorgeous person, and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. All the guys living here in Hadleigh’s seemed tight with Leo, obligated to him in some way, and she hoped she wasn’t intruding on their territory. Well, Tanya was here, and she didn’t seem to feel that way, so Darcy figured it must be okay.
“Come on, sugar.” Ross opened the door to his rooms and ushered her through it ahead of him. “Now then, shall we get you unpacked?”
She remembered her bags, surprised to see them already in his room. How had that happened?
“I guess.”
“Something else you’d prefer to do?” he asked with an annoyingly innocent hitch of one brow. As though he didn’t know she was still totally turned on.
“I’d like to please you, Master,” she replied, dropping into sub mode.
“Would you now?” He crossed his arms over his torso, and frowned at her. “And there was me thinking you were fantasizing about Leo’s huge cock.”
She felt herself blush. “Perhaps I was.”
“Can’t have you thinking about another man without my permission.”
“But, that’s not fair. You told me—”
“Enough!” Ross’s voice had taken on a hard, authoritative edge. “Take your jeans and panties off and get down on all fours on the rug. I’m gonna have to punish you for your disloyalty.”
Oh goodie! She did as she was told, then chanced a glance up at Ross, who was naked himself and had his back turned toward her. He turned back and she got a close up view of his genitalia from a different, even more impressive angle. She lowered her eyes again a fraction too late, and he caught her staring. A slow, lazy grin spread across his face, and he shook a finger at her.
