Devoted: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Lexi Blake

  She had a very lovely apartment close to her sister’s building, but she’d had to downsize. She’d put a lot of her money back into Slaten, trying to buy up stock so she had a firmer hold on her own damn company.

  Fighting the board was beginning to make her weary. They all wanted something from her. Most of all they wanted to tell her how much better things had been when her father had been in charge.

  They didn’t give a crap that he’d been ready to sell them all out. They only knew they weren’t making as much cash as they had when her father had been there cheating every employee and cooking the books.

  Flynn held the elevator door open for her. “You were in an accident. You need someone to watch you.”

  The ER doctor had been overly protective. Very likely because her sister was married to the head of Neurosurgery. “I had every test known to man run on me. They all came back fine. It was a little fender bender. Nothing more.”

  “Not according to the cops. That asshole hit you from behind and you ended up in the oncoming lane. You could have died.”

  “Well, that dumbass was texting his girlfriend, not trying to kill me. I’m fine.” It had been a hell of a horrible day. She’d been sitting there minding her own business and waiting for the light to turn green when teenaged nitwit had rear-ended her so hard she’d drifted into the oncoming lane. “You’re really doing far too much. I called because my cell was wrecked and unfortunately the police officer didn’t know my sister’s number.”

  When he’d asked she’d realized she relied far too much on speed dial. She’d looked down at the phone and there had been no Bridget page.

  She couldn’t remember her own sister’s cell but she’d known Flynn’s. She’d stared at his stupid number on her phone after he’d given it to her and somehow it had imprinted on her brain. He’d been the only number she could remember. She’d felt so dumb when she’d called him, but he’d been a trooper.

  His eyes narrowed as he led her inside. “Yes, we’ll have a talk about that in the morning.”

  “Talk about what? Oh, is this a Dom thing? You’re using your Dom voice on me.” It was a deep, rich voice that he only seemed to find when they were at the club or when she made the mistake of opening her own car door. That was a no-no for Flynn.

  “Yes, it’s a Dom thing. We have a contract. Do you remember what that contract states very plainly?”

  She searched her memory. They’d gone over contracts on the first night and then the second class, she and Flynn had negotiated one of their own. It had been super fun. Just watching the man try to figure out how to ask about water sports had been more than enough reason to do the entire class. He’d seemed relieved that she wasn’t into getting peed on as an aphrodisiac. She’d thought about drawing it out but decided it would be best to be honest. So what was he upset about tonight?

  He’d been a perfect gentleman. He’d shown up at the ER and taken care of absolutely everything. He’d talked to her sister—after calling around and figuring out what her number was. Then he’d dealt with her brother-in-law, who had shown up in scrubs and intimidated all his ER peeps. Will had called Flynn out to the hallway where they’d seemed to have some Dom to Dom discussion about her care that had ended up with her here.

  At least now she understood how Flynn was connected to Sanctum. He was Mitch Bradford’s half brother. Mitch had been the lawyer who made sure the vote on the night of her wedding had been by the books. He’d been so different from Flynn. When Flynn wasn’t a jealous ass, he was ridiculously sweet and attentive.

  Now, though, he looked very stern. Unfortunately, it looked damn fine on him. He was all dominant and masculine. Very authoritative. He would make a stern teacher to play schoolgirl with.

  Mr. Flynn, I seem to have forgotten my homework. And my underwear.

  “Yes, it’s a Dom thing. Our contract states plainly that you are to call me if you find yourself in need or in trouble. You are to ensure that you’re out of danger. If you need to call the police, you can do that first, but after the immediate threat is over, I’m the first person you contact.”

  “I thought that was if I was like being stalked or got mugged or something. The text dude wasn’t threatening after the accident. I think he peed his pants a little.”

  There were times when it was obvious he didn’t find her sarcasm charming. “You could have been killed. So we’re going to have a serious discussion about that infraction, but not tonight. Tonight, you’re going to go and take a shower and I’m going to order Chinese food, and then we’re going to sit on the couch and watch TV and I’m going to calm down. Stay here and I’ll get things started for you.”

  He stalked toward the back of the condo.

  He might be more upset than she was. She’d been scared when she’d realized she was out of control, but then she’d been okay. She’d talked to the driver of the other vehicle and made sure everything was all right with him. She’d done what she normally did. She’d taken control of the situation in a calm and reasonable fashion.

  Flynn had shown up and taken care of her when she’d been hurting and scared. He’d rushed into her ER room and he’d taken her hand in his and she’d known she could relax.

  It had been a rough week, but when she’d needed him, he’d been there.

  Maybe it was time to reassess their situation. Since the first night he’d shown absolutely no signs of being a nasty prick. Had he been honest with her? Had she thrown him off balance?

  The truth was she had so little time with him when she thought about it. The class lasted six weeks and they were done with one of them. If he hadn’t been such a jerk that first night she probably would already be sleeping with him.

  What had he been through? Who’d hurt him? He was in his thirties so it was likely that someone along the way had broken his heart. They’d kept things casual during their meetings.

  Dates. They were a lot like dates. Not the classes, but afterward he would take her to dinner and he always paid even when she offered. He would give her that look and she would find her hand moving away from the check. He picked her up before class—that was in their contract—and made sure to walk her to her door after dinner.

  He walked back in, looking deliciously yummy in his slacks and open-throated shirt that showed off tan skin. She happened to know that smooth skin covered a lot of muscle.

  Outside, the rain made the lights of Dallas look hazy and a bit surreal.

  She wanted to feel good. It had been so long. Was it wrong to ask him if he wanted to feel good, too?

  He stopped in front of her, his face softening. “Are you all right? Will told me I should call him if you started to feel pain.”

  The accident had been minor. She hadn’t even taken an aspirin.

  But she’d been scared as she’d gone into the oncoming lane and seen a truck coming her way. She’d realized that it sucked to be dying when she hadn’t even lived. She’d spent her whole life trying to please a father who couldn’t love her, living in the shadow of her larger than life rebellious sister, being dutiful, and what had it gotten her? She wasn’t happy. She’d taken over Slaten, but that had been about duty, too.

  Couldn’t she have one thing that was just for her? It wouldn’t last forever, but for a while she could feel free.

  “I feel fine.” That wasn’t being honest. “My body is fine, Flynn.”

  He moved into her space but somehow his height, his overwhelming presence, didn’t intimidate her. It comforted her. “And the rest of you? Sweetheart, you’re crying.”

  She had to chuckle at that. “I don’t do that around anyone but you, damn it.”

  His big hand came up and cupped her cheek, thumb swiping away the tear. “I don’t want you to hide things from me.”

  “What are we doing, Flynn? I know why we’re both in the class, but not everyone goes out afterward. Are we dating? It’s okay if we’re not. If we’re just getting to know each other so we can get through the class, that’s okay.”

>   He stared at her for a moment as though trying to figure out what to say. And then he moved in again, their bodies almost touching. “I’ve been trying to get to know you.”

  “Because I’m your partner?”

  “Because you’re the first woman to move me in a very long time and I want to know if that’s real or something I made up in my head because I’m lonely.” His hand found her hair, smoothing it back.

  She was sure she resembled a drowned rat, but he was looking at her like she was something lovely. There was nothing he could have said that would have moved her more. He could have talked dirty or told her in sweet terms how much he wanted her. He could have told her he wanted to see where it went.

  He was lonely. She was so fucking lonely, and somehow when he was close to her she didn’t feel it.

  “Then I must have made it up, too,” she admitted. “I like being around you, Flynn. I don’t think about how shitty my life is when I’m around you.”

  His gaze threatened to melt her. “What are you asking me for, Amy? Are you asking me to play? I can do that. Anything sexual between us is likely going to include D/s. Or I can simply take care of you. I started a shower. It should be warm by now. I can let you go and get cleaned up and I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”

  She didn’t need a gentleman tonight. “Or you could be my Dom.”

  “Your Dom is going to want more than to rub your feet. I don’t want to take advantage of you. You’ve had a rough day.”

  “And playing would make it so much better, Sir. Please kiss me. Please make this shitty day have something good happen in it. I’m not asking for a collar. I want to spend the next couple of weeks exploring this with you. Maybe it works out. Maybe it doesn’t. We can still be friends if we make the choice at the beginning that if it doesn’t happen for us, that’s how we’ll end it. Hell, maybe we’ll find out we’re not sexually compatible.”

  “Not possible,” he said, his lips looming over hers. “Let me off the leash, Amy. Tell me we’re playing. Our contract allows all manner of sexual play. Let me take control.”

  All she wanted was for this man to kiss her. She’d kissed him the first time. She’d been in control and it had felt magical. What would it feel like when he was the one kissing her? Would he be dominating or soft and tender?

  A thrill went through her system. The last time she’d been kissed it had come out of nowhere from a coworker. The sex that had followed after a couple of dates had been nice, but she hadn’t had this wild anticipation, her heart pounding, blood heating. She’d never wanted a man the way she wanted Flynn. She’d cared about a few men. She’d wanted sex before. But now it was all mashed up in an incredible need that she was pretty sure only he could fill.

  She’d never been dominated by a man before. She typically took charge when it came to sex. She wasn’t sure if it was because she’d mostly found her partners at work and she’d been the boss’s daughter and then the boss. The first time she’d truly felt a spark for a man had been Frankie, who was wildly dominant.

  What would it be like with a man who wanted her sexually? And yes, who she was really starting to like. She’d desired him the minute she’d seen him, but after a few dates, she was rapidly falling for the man.

  Her skin tingled as she looked up into his handsome face. His jawline was perfectly straight and there was the slightest hint of a five-o’clock shadow.

  “Yes, Flynn. Play with me. Take control.”

  His mouth came down on hers. Pure heat flooded her system. Flynn didn’t seem to care that her hair was still damp. His hand fisted in it, drawing her head back to give himself better access. His lips moved over hers in an expert fashion. The man knew how to kiss. His tongue came out, dragging along her lower lip and tempting her to open for him.

  She relaxed against him, allowing his tongue inside to play with hers. She let her hands find his waist. He was lean and muscular, and she was reminded of how long it had been since she’d been held by a man who wasn’t trying to comfort her.

  This wasn’t about comfort at all. His mouth seduced her, tempted her. The hand in her hair tightened slightly. A flare of pain lit up her scalp and she could feel her nipples hardening to peaks. She couldn’t help herself. She moved against him, needing to press herself to his warmth.

  His hand left her hair and slid down to her backside, cupping her and hauling her against his body. She could feel exactly how much he wanted to play. His cock was hard. She couldn’t resist rubbing her hips against him.

  He hissed and stepped back. “Go take a shower, Amy.”

  “What?” His words didn’t quite make sense.

  “I said go take a shower. It should be hot by now. Don’t argue with me. You gave me control. You have a safe word we agreed on that first night. Either do as I ask or we’ll be done playing for the night. I’m not going to fuck you over the sofa after you’ve been in an accident. If you don’t give me a minute to calm down, that’s exactly what I’ll do and I’ll regret it. So go.”

  She wasn’t so sure she would regret it, but he seemed determined to treat her like an invalid. He was being a gentleman when she so wanted him to be a nasty boy. Still, he’d explained. According to their contract he didn’t have to do that while they were playing. He was already bending for her, so she nodded and moved away from him.

  “It’s in the back, through my bedroom,” he explained.

  Well, it hadn’t been everything she’d hoped for, but that kiss had proven they were incendiary.

  And that if she was going to get through the night, she needed some relief. She walked through the bedroom, not really seeing it. All she could think about was Flynn’s hands on her. The shower was running, steam coming out of what looked to be a truly spectacular bathroom. There was a massive tub that had probably been built for three and a shower that was big enough to have an orgy in. She shucked her clothes and stepped into the shower with one thought only—finding some relief.

  She moved under the rainfall showerhead and sighed. Naturally he’d gotten it to the perfect temperature. Everything the man did with the exception of that first night was perfect. He even had the perfect excuse to not sleep with her tonight. She couldn’t complain since he was trying to ensure her comfort.

  She would rather have him. He would be the perfect comfort after a shitty, shitty day.

  He was likely out there right now calling in an order for Kung Pao chicken. They would sit in front of that god-awful enormous television of his and when he was certain she wasn’t going to die on him, he would drive her home.

  Damn, but she wished he hadn’t changed his mind. She let her hand drift down, pretending it was his. His hands had been big and callused and they’d felt so right on her skin.

  She could imagine them cupping her breasts, his thumbs flicking over her nipples. He would put his mouth there eventually, but the man seemed to like to take his time.

  Not that she had much of it. He would probably think she’d slipped in the shower if she wasn’t fairly quick.

  She let her hand slide down to her clit. She needed this. She needed him, but he’d changed his mind so this would have to do.

  It wasn’t like she hadn’t handled herself before. This was how she’d dealt with sexual frustration since her marriage. There hadn’t been time for dating after the divorce so it had been her and her happy right hand.

  She envisioned that it was Flynn’s hand running over her clitoris down to her pussy. It was his hand getting her hot and wet.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  She screamed and nearly slipped. She would have fallen had Flynn not been there to catch her. In his very naked arms. Which went with the rest of his naked, muscular body.

  Holy hell.

  He lifted her up with ease and set her back on her feet. His dark eyes were staring down at her. They held her for a moment but then she couldn’t help but look at him. Because he was really there. So there. Beautifully, gorgeously there.

  He
had a big dick. It was hard and damn near reached his navel, which was attached to some spectacularly defined abs. Washboard abs. She’d heard the term, seen them on TV. God, that guy in Dart had gorgeous abs, but this was the first time she’d seen washboard abs up close and personal.

  She kind of wanted to lick them.

  “I asked you a question, Amy. I expect an answer. Eyes up here.”

  She was fairly certain her whole body went a nice shade of pink. “I thought we were done playing. You’re naked.”

  Smart. That was smart, Captain Obvious. His shoulders were so broad. She’d thought they’d looked broad in his shirt. They were even broader without clothes. He shouldn’t ever wear clothes. He looked so yummy without them.

  His hand came out, tilting her chin back up because her eyes seemed determined to roam his body. “I thought it was best since we were going to take a shower. I can see that you’ve made the wise decision to shower undressed as well. However, I think you’re about to find that deciding to masturbate was an unwise choice.”

  She winced. He’d caught her masturbating. Shouldn’t she be way more embarrassed about that than she was? Seeing him naked had thrown her off her shame game. “I thought you were done. I thought you were sending me away and we were through playing.”

  He shoved a hand through his hair, slicking it back. It reached the top of his shoulders and made him look a little savage. Yeah, that was hot, too. “I never said that. I said I needed a moment. I took it. I called in our dinner and it’s an hour away. That’s more than enough time for me to get you cleaned up and comfortable, and the play will last until I drop you off at work in the morning. It will begin again when I pick you up tomorrow afternoon. We’ll have dinner and then go to class and it will continue until such time as your car is replaced and I’m satisfied you’re all right. Do I make myself clear?”

  She’d wondered how she would get to work in the morning. She’d been planning on calling in a rental. It looked like she wouldn’t have that expense. “Yes.”

  A single brow rose over his eyes. “Yes?”