by Chloe Lang
“Hun, please call me Maude.”
“I’d be happy to. Thank you.”
Just then, a strong gust of wind blew through the open door into the lobby, causing Maude to lose her hold on the folders. They fell to the floor, their paper contents spilling as another sudden blast carried sheets far and wide through the space.
“Damn,” the woman stated flatly, shutting the Cactus’s front door. “What a mess.”
“Let me help you, Mrs.…I mean Maude.”
The Strongs’ mother winked. “You got a deal, Charly.”
It took them fifteen minutes to gather up all the paper, leaving her only five to meet Dax’s deadline.
“I think we got them all, hun.” Maude sat down on the sofa in the lobby and patted the empty spot beside her. “Come talk to me for a minute. I’m just not ready to sort all those papers back into the correct folders.”
Norma’s was right across the street, so she could sit for a minute or two.
Charly sat next to Maude. “I’d be happy to come back and help you with that task, Maude.”
“Would you?” She sounded relieved. “I’ll pay you if you do.”
Pay? Charly flinched at the idea. Why did everything come down to money her whole life? Her anxiety shot up at the thought of how little of the green stuff she had left. But taking Maude’s money would be more like taking a handout than getting a paycheck. She would never be like her father—ever.
“It would be my pleasure to help you out, Maude.”
The door opened, and two men and a woman walked in with a bunch of suitcases in tow.
Maude looked at the reception desk. “Where the hell is Kyle?” She turned to Charly. “Hold on a sec, hun.”
Suddenly, Charly thought about her own hotel stay. Sure, her cousin’s husbands had taken care of that for her for being in their wedding. But the wedding was five days ago. Now the bill was most certainly hers.
Maude stood up and greeted the group. “Welcome to the Hotel Cactus.”
“Thank you,” the three said in unison.
The woman giggled. “I can’t believe we’re actually here.”
“You mean Wilde, hun?” Maude asked.
“Yes.” The woman scanned the room as if looking for some enemy, and then in a hushed tone asked, “Is it true?”
Maude laughed. “You don’t have to whisper in Wilde, kiddo. It’s true. Just ask my two husbands.”
“I told you, Charlotte.” The guy closest to the girl smiled.
“Yes, you did, Carl.” The woman looked straight at Maude. “This is our fifth anniversary, ma’am. The three of us, I mean.”
“Well, that’s wonderful, hun.”
“We’re from Tulsa,” Charlotte rattled off. “Carl’s an attorney. Ted works for the city. I’m a surgical nurse. We keep a very low profile at home.”
“I bet,” Charly chimed in. She wondered how many people in plural marriages were living in secret around the country.
Kyle appeared from the door behind the counter. “I’ll check them in, Maude.”
“Good deal. Put them in the Rita Hayworth suite.” Maude turned back to the newlyweds. “Kyle will be happy to help you.”
As the trio stepped up to the counter to check in, Maude sat back down. “Now, let’s have a chat.”
Charly looked at the time on her cell. “Can I get a rain check on that, Maude? I’m meeting your son at Norma’s, and if I don’t go now, I’ll be late.”
“Which son?”
“Dax.”
“Good choice, Charly, though I might’ve picked my older boys for you if I got to do the choosing. Hold on a second, hun.”
Charly’s first thought was to tell Maude to mind her own business, but she realized that Maude knew the ways of Wilde and she did not. And Charly already felt terrible about the problems she’d caused between Drake and Heath. Maybe Maude had some insight into their underlying problem that she could share.
Maude pulled out a cell phone from her purse. She hit a number in her contact list. “Dax. This is your mom. I’ve got Charly with me. Yes, I know. She’ll be over shortly. No. This is girl talk. Son, don’t push me. I’ll send her over in ten minutes or less, I promise. Love you, too.” She clicked the phone off. “Now, where were we?”
“You’re too much, Maude.” A chat with the Strong matriarch might be just what Charly needed to clear her head. Besides, she really liked the woman’s odd charm.
“So I’ve been told many times. So what do you think of my boys, Charly?”
Charly believed Maude, being the six cowboys’ mother, might know more about them than anyone else. “Well, I’ve spent some time with all of them, actually three more than the others.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Which three, hun?”
“Drake, Dax, and Heath.”
Maude sighed. “That’s too bad. Choosing is going to be hard for you, I bet.”
“Oh no. I’m not interested in any of them as a boyfriend.” Charly shook her head to support the lie. “Don’t get me wrong, they’re great. There’s just no future for me in Wilde.”
“I’m not so sure about that, hun.” Maude grabbed her hand. “If you change your mind and decide to stay, you may only choose three of my boys for something permanent. That’s how it works here.”
“I’ve heard. Jessie and her guys are the only exception to the rule.”
“Right. It’s hard enough for me with two. I can’t imagine how she’s going to do it with five.” Maude’s tone softened. “You might be falling for Heath and the twins, but that’s not going to work out either.”
Charly sighed. “For the sake of argument, let’s say I was wanting to pursue something more with those three. Why can’t that be?” But she already had a good idea about that.
“There’s several reasons, hun. One, we’ve set up the division of our land holdings into two sets, with our three older boys getting one of them, and the younger boys getting the other.”
“Wills can be changed, Maude.”
“True. Still, they’ve been raised since they were old enough to know how we expected them to divide up. The twins and Seth will share a wife, and so will Nate, Heath, and Tobias. I know that must sound strange to you, not being from here.”
“Yes, it does. Why can’t they make up their own mind how to divide up into three?” Charly let herself relish in the possibility of Drake, Dax, and Heath forming a new Strong team—Team “Charly’s heart belongs to these guys.”
“I suppose that might work under different circumstances. But it won’t with my boys. The biggest obstacle for such a thing to happen is a mystery to my husbands and me. Though they try to hide their dislike for one another, we know. It kills us as parents to see them like that. Thankfully, the younger three have each other to rely on, and likewise the older three, too.”
“Do you have any clue what caused this rift?”
“None of my boys have ever confessed what drove them apart, but I suspect it was over a woman. I think you’re terrific, hun, but I couldn’t bear seeing my boys grow even further apart. Do you understand what I’m saying here?”
“Clear as day, Maude.” Charly couldn’t blame the woman for being so open. Like her, she’d seen how Drake and Heath had reacted to each other. “Seriously, I’m not interested in your sons.”
“I’m sorry, Charly. I know I’ve overstepped here, but I just didn’t want you to get hurt.”
She liked Maude, very much. The woman was one of the most genuine people she’d ever met. “I know and I thank you for your honesty.” She stood. “I’ll be back to help you with the filing, I promise. I also have a few questions for you.”
Charly wasn’t about to talk about her bill now, but later she would have to.
“Sure, hun. Take your time and enjoy your breakfast with Dax.”
“I will.” Charly headed out the door.
When the door to the Cactus closed, she stopped. First, she would have to set Dax straight about there being no future together. Then Drake, followed by Hea
th. Those thoughts swirled in her head like bats on a cloudy night. She’d never felt such utter sadness in her whole life. No tears fell. She was all cried out, though if she’d had even one drop left inside her, it would have sent her into a sobbing fit right there on the street.
Charly sighed and headed for the cowboy waiting for her.
Her financial worries weren’t the only things at the bottom of the hole she’d fallen into. Her crushed heart was there, too.
* * * *
Dax sat alone in the empty cafe. The new girl and a cook were in the back, chatting away. The place had thinned out quickly, as most of the customers had been miners grabbing a bite before heading off to their shift down the big hole.
Despite his mother’s instructions, Dax was on his feet about to storm over to the Cactus when Charly walked through the front door of Norma’s.
“Over here, Charly.” He waved at her.
She nodded and headed to him. “Hey, Dax.”
He wrapped his arms around her.
“Dax, don’t, please.”
“Kitten, I’ve been away from you for well over an hour. I deserve a kiss.” He leaned in to taste her lips, but she turned her head, offering her cheek instead. “Bullshit.”
“Please, Dax. Here me out,” she choked out.
She was obviously suffering from a pile of unspoken worries. But her inability to trust him was killing him inside. He would earn her trust, whatever it took.
Dax reached up and grabbed a fistful of her hair. “Look at me, Charly.”
“Stop. People will see.”
“Let them.” Though he knew only Mackenzie and one cook were in the back, and were unaware of what he was about to do to Charly, he would’ve done the same thing if the place had been packed. People in Wilde had seen much worse. “I said, ‘look at me.’”
“Yes, Sir.” Her lips trembled, giving him a little hope.
He wanted to turn her around, away from the darkness swirling in her pretty head. “Your bottom is going to be bright red for what you’ve just done.”
“What have I done?” She pursed her lips, making her resemble a petulant schoolgirl to him.
“For starters, you turned your head. Oh, and you didn’t arrive on time.”
She whined, “But your mother called you and told you I’d be late.”
“So?”
“Isn’t that enough for now?” She was strong in so many ways, but he sensed the submissive streak in her.
“What did I tell you when I left you alone?
“I had an hour.”
“That’s right. And you disobeyed me.”
“I–I didn’t mean to, Dax.”
“Until I say otherwise, sub, you call me ‘Sir,’ starting now.”
“B–But—”
He shoved Charly into the booth, moving in next to her, locking her in place with the wall and his body. If she tried to crawl under the table, then his gloves would come off. He doubted she was that bratty.
“No talking. Nod if you understand me, sub.”
She obeyed, and that gave him some hope.
“That’s better. Best for you to start doing what I say, sub, right when I say it.”
She’d been fine when he left her back at the hotel after her mother’s call went to voice mail. Dax had left, believing she was safe and secure. Had her mother said something to upset her? Had his?
Whoever the culprit, he would have his work cut out for him to get her back in the right state of mind. He needed help with this, but Seth was long gone. He thought about calling the Masters twins to meet him at the club, but then he saw Drake walk in. Mackenzie told him to pick a seat, but after he spotted him, his twin marched to his booth.
Drake’s eyebrows shot up when he looked at Charly. “What’s up?”
“She’s not supposed to talk yet. How was your trip?” He was back earlier than Dax expected.
“It was fine. We decided to handle the price negotiations over the phone, so I was able to come back on an early flight this morning. Good thing, too. It looks like things here are moving along. So, you’re running protocols with her now?” Drake asked.
“As much as I can. She’s still untrained, but I’m one helluva a Dom. I know how to reach a sub like her no matter how little she’s been exposed to.”
“I know, bro. I’ve seen you at The Masters’ Chambers before.”
“Speaking of the club, that gives me an idea. You in?”
“Absolutely.”
“Sub, we’re leaving. I know just the place to punish you.”
Charly opened her mouth, clearly to disobey his command and voice her disagreement. But just as fast as it had flown open, she shut it.
He left the booth, grabbed her arm, and jerked her up on her feet.
Drake threw a ten dollar bill on the table, and the three of them headed out of the cafe. “What’s our girl done, Dax?”
“She’s out of her mind with way too much worry. She also turned her head when I tried to kiss her.”
Drake nodded. “Sweetheart, you shouldn’t have done that.”
“No, she shouldn’t have.”
Chapter Seven
Looking at the twin cowboys right in front of her got Charly’s pulse racing.
Drake and Dax were mirror images of each other in every aspect. They’d both removed their shirts, allowing her to see their eight-pack abs. Such male perfection didn’t seem possible in rural Nevada, but here they were with hard cocks outlined by their jeans and lusty eyes gazing at her.
Drake walked up to her and cradled her chin. “Trust me, love. You’re going to love this.”
“This” was a session in a private room at The Masters’ Chambers that Dax had set up just for her punishment. She deserved whatever he had in store for her. Though she’d not been the cause of the turmoil between the younger brothers and older ones, she certainly had added fuel to the fire, having slept with both sets.
“Stop coddling her, bro. Stick to the protocols.” Dax looked totally at ease in the room. He moved around the space, adjusting one thing and then another, until he clearly was satisfied. “She’s got to be punished.”
Dax picked up a mean-looking paddle that gave her cause to worry.
When the three of them had walked into the club, her eyes had felt like saucers. There hadn’t been many people there, likely due to the midmorning hour. Still, there had been enough for her to get an eyeful. On the biggest stage, two men had paddled one woman’s ass without mercy. The scene had gotten tingles firing through her body and her curiosity growing, but she hadn’t been ready to be on display then.
Even now, Charly doubted she would ever step foot on any of the club’s many stages. She needed to get out of Wilde, away from the Strong brothers. But Dax had ordered her to not speak. Why did she obey him so quickly and so utterly? She wasn’t sure, but still she remained silent.
“Let me tell you how this works, since you’ve earned quite the punishment from me. We’re going to raise the stakes, kitten.” Dax place the cuffs at her feet next to the bench on which they would restrain her. A shiver went up her spine, and heat spread to her every nerve ending. Why was her body already responding? Her mind was a storm of a million concerns and doubts.
Drake removed her clothing in a flash, leaving her with only her panties.
The air of the room caused her now-naked flesh to prickle and flame. She was grateful that Dax had locked the door, though knowing there were club patrons just on the other side of it added to her already-rising anxiety.
“Time to release her from silence, bro.” Drake’s gaze made her tremble.
“I agree. Sub, you may speak. But remember to address us as Sir or Master. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Did Dax teach you about safe words, pet?” Drake’s voice was more commanding than she’d ever heard it before, and its deep tone shook her to the core.
Charly shook her head, fearing if she spoke aloud, her voice might actually shake. Heath had taug
ht her about safe words the night they were with Tobias and Nate, but she didn’t think she should mention that.
“Pick one word to let us know we’re pushing you to the very edge of your limits. Do you understand what that means?”
“I think I do, Sir.”
“You got a word in mind?”
She tried to come up with one, but couldn’t. Her brain was too muddled.
“She’s too mixed up for that now, Drake.” Dax cupped her chin, causing her heart to thud in her chest. “Think of a traffic light, kitten. What are the colors on that?”
“Red, yellow, and green, Sir.”
“That’s right. And what does the color green mean on a traffic light?”
“You may go through the intersection, Sir.”
“What about red?”
“Stop.”
“And yellow?”
“Slow down or caution is what it means, I believe, Sir.”
He leaned down and feathered her ear with his lips. “That’s where you learn to trust us, kitten, under your traffic light. You control it. When we are pushing you too hard, just change the light to yellow. If we really screw up, make us hit the brakes and scream red. We’ll stop everything right then. Got it?”
“I think so, Sir.” Those were the same instructions she’d gotten from Tobias.
“What state are you in now, kitten?”
“Green.”
Drake nodded. “If you need to say either red or yellow, sweetheart, do. We’re all learning about each other here. There is no shame for you. Dax and I are responsible for making sure not to push you beyond what you can take. That’s not your job. Understand?”
“Yes.”
His lips turned up at the sides. Then he reached out and pinched her nipples, evoking the first stings but not the last, she was sure. Her tiny bits of flesh throbbed, and the ache in her pussy grew.
“You need to address me as ‘Sir,’ pet, while we’re in the club.”
She chewed on her lip. Had she bitten off more than she could take, not resisting these two? Maybe. But she’d promised to obey the—what had they called it?—protocols. If she said “yellow,” that told them she was reaching her limit, and they would back down. “Red” would stop them completely.
