by Willow, Jo
“Does she do laundry? Shopping?”
“No. Cleaning only and she does a thorough job.”
“So who shops for you?”
“I have a personal shopper that takes care of my clothing. He knows my taste and sizes and he has things delivered. I call the grocery store and have food delivered, but only staples. I eat out a lot.”
She looked over at me as I was finishing the last of my omelette with a satisfied look on my face.
“That stops now. I have to be able to touch the produce and look at the meat before it’s bought. I don’t want someone else choosing what we’ll be eating, I’ll do it. I’ll leave a steno book on the counter with a pen. If there’s something specific you want me to pick up, write it down and I’ll grab it while I’m out. I’ll shop twice a week, that way certain things are fresh. Dinner will be on the table at seven every night, unless you call and tell me otherwise. Does that work?”
Wow. Just...just...Wow.
I was nodding frantically before I answered her.
“Yeah. Even if I get caught up at work, I’m usually home by seven. That would be great. Thank-you Ayla.”
She waved off the thanks and poured me another cup of coffee.
“Like I said, I need to pull my weight. Shopping and cooking is nothing. I’ll also take care of the laundry. That will be done once a week on Saturday mornings. Leave your washables in the hamper I’ll leave inside the closet. Things you want dry-cleaned? Drape them over the chair in the bedroom. I’ll drop them off on my way to work on Monday’s. My dry cleaner is three doors down from Melody’s and I pass it on my way in. It’s no bother. Do we have a deal?”
I was torn between wanting to ask her when she got so damned bossy, and wanting to propose while sliding a twist tie onto her finger until I could hit a jeweler. I did the next best thing and the one I knew for a fact she wouldn’t be expecting.
I made solid eye contact and held her gaze. When I leaned toward her, she tilted her head and closed her eyes.
She was almost the perfect submissive. If it wasn’t for the fact that she’d just dictated to me exactly how my household would now be run, I would’ve said she was ideal. I’d need to press upon her AGAIN, that I was the decision making Dominant, not HER, but that could wait. I wanted a kiss. Now.
I pressed my lips to hers and we fit like magic. Like a lightning bolt comes out of the sky and lights up your naughty bits kind of fit. I like women and I’ve had some that made me squirm with anticipation. But Ayla made me nervous. She made me think about long term things and shared meals at home in our pajamas. She smelled like lavender and some musky kind of incense that made me want to snuggle closer and sniff her. And right now, she tasted like eggs and juice and a lazy day full of more of this and naps.
I don’t nap. I am not a “napper”. I have too much to do and too many people relying on me to get it done. There are not enough hours in my work day and I don’t expect the people that work for me to give up their home lives to stay with me at work, late into the night. That wouldn’t be fair. So I take it home with me. Typically, I get up early on Saturdays, work until noon and the rest of the weekend is mine. It’s worked for me forever, but not today.
Today, I’m kissing Ayla and I don’t want to stop.
Ayla broke the kiss just as I thought she was beginning to feel the same way I was feeling. What she did next, blew me out of the water. She looked me dead in the eye and I could see that her pupils were dilated. This turned me on even more, although I would have thought that was impossible.
I’ve never had kitchen sex. Or dining room sex. Or even living room sex if I’m honest. In the world of Pierce Sloan, everything has a time and a place. This was definitely the time, but the place was down the hall and I was ready to revisit that place. Quite possibly for the rest of the day.
That’s when Ayla fell to her knees. She took the classic submissive pose, on her knees in front of me, her palms on her thighs, her gaze towards the floor. And there I stood in a state of shock.
This is the first time we’ll discuss “weird”, although I’m certain the word will come up often in our little story. I’ve never had to closely examine my lifestyle. I don’t do long term relationships because in my world, they don’t exist. Oh I date, but my sexual experience is limited to one night stands. There have been a few instances where the “one night” extended into a week or two, but emotional attachment? Negative. Once the business took off and we started making the kind of money that allowed custom made suits and flash cars, women started viewing me as a prize. That’s when I started viewing honesty as the holy grail. It was the kind of thing that you knew existed at one time, but was out of reach in my world.
So let’s get back to the weird. Weird is sleeping with someone you’re physically attracted to and not touching her. In a bed where you’ve always slept alone. Weird is actually debating on whether or not you want a relationship with this person - even though you’ve known her long enough to know she’s the real deal. Ayla has never had dollar signs in her eyes when she looks at me. Not once, ever. I’d know, believe me. She started out tentative, viewing me as Deacon’s younger brother. She knew at a glance (somehow) that I was a sexual Dominant, but it didn’t scare her off. If anything, it fueled the attraction. An innocent enough start? Perhaps.
Weird happened when she started doing everything I told her to do without giving it a whole lot of thought, even though she didn’t know me well. Even though we both knew from the start that she’s definitely not a “one night stand” kind of girl. Even though I never made a solid move in her direction. That, my friends, is weird. Why would anyone do that?
Know what else is weird? Weird is all of the above culminating in her on the floor at that moment, waiting for my further instruction and me not having a clue what to do next.
Normally if I’m going to play, the first order of business is her signature on a non-disclosure agreement. An NDA is first and foremost in my mind and it has to be. If one of my playmates decided to spill the beans to a tabloid, the fallout would be horrendous. I protect my family at all costs and always have.
The thing is, I’ve yet to even discuss the NDA with Ayla. She hasn’t asked and I haven’t offered. Yet here we are.
There’s one more “weird” I should point out because it’s perhaps the weirdest thing of all. The minute she hit the floor, all thoughts of a sexual tryst went out the window. Something about the sight of her in a submissive pose bothered me. I’m a Dom. Tell me that’s not weird.
“Ayla, get up please.”
She got to her feet immediately, like the good little Sub she was. This confused me further. When she looked up at me, I could see that I wasn’t the only one that was confused.
“Sir, if I’m doing it wrong, I expect correction. That’s the only way I’ll get it right.”
I turned from her in frustration and ran my hands through my hair and down my face. I had to tread lightly. Hurting her feelings was neither a goal or an option.
“Ayla, I’m going to ask you a question and I expect honesty.”
“Always Sir.”
“Please Ayla, for the love of god, call me Pierce. Okay?”
“Yes Sir... uhm... Pierce.”
I nodded once and placed my hands on her shoulders.
“Do you enjoy being a Sub? I mean deep down, when you think about it. While it’s going on and once it’s over, do you get satisfaction from it?”
She began to fidget and I saw doubt in her eyes. She was worried her answer was going to anger me so I needed to clarify.
“You can tell me the truth you know. We are friends. Right?”
I saw a ghost of a smile at that. Good. We were making headway.
“Yes Pierce. We’re friends.”
I smiled in return. We were getting somewhere.
“So friend to friend. Forget I’m a Dom, forget everything you think you know about me and answer the question. Do you actually enjoy being submissive?”
She shrugged and blushed.
Her eyes darted away while she was deciding something. I had a feeling that what she was about to reveal was huge, so I stayed quiet and let her think. When her eyes came back to mine, what I saw made me nervous. She had the look of a scared child.
“It’s the only thing I’ve ever known Pierce. I’ve only ever been with Tony and he was a Dom. I wouldn’t know how to behave any other way.”
Okay so we just ramped “weird” up a notch. People, I ask you. What in the hell was I supposed to say to that? I heard the stories and I know the details. The guy might have been a Dom, but more than that, he was a fucking sadist. The things he did to her far surpassed anything in my repertoire or wildest consideration. Is this what she expected now from any man that touched her? On a deeper note, was she asking for this from me? I had so much thinking to do, I needed a locked room and a bottle of single malt just to approach the subject.
I took her hand and led her to the sofa. Once she was settled, I sat down close to her and took her hand. I was so far out of my comfort zone, I was looking for an exit from my own life at the moment.
Her eyes never left me and I was conscious of that fact. I had to plow on through and hope I got this right.
“Ayla, do you think I’m like him?”
She never hesitated.
“I don’t know. He’s perfectly pleasant in public as well. I’ve never seen you in action.”
And you never will if that’s what you expect...
“Do you need that level of... domination?”
She scrunched her brow.
“There are levels?”
Oh shit. Is this the conversation I needed bright and early on a Saturday morning? No my friends. It’s not.
“In my experience, yes. There are. Tony was extreme and cruel. He did things to you that I would never consider doing to anyone under any circumstance.”
I let that sink in and I saw her eyes fill with tears as I waited for that to sink in.
“Pierce, am I a bad person for allowing that to go on for as long as it did?”
Fuck me. How in the world do I answer that question and still come off as the confident Dom? Melody already laughed at me behind my back, I didn’t need Ayla fueling the fire.
The minute I saw the first teardrop fall, I was screwed. I’ll admit it here and now. My life changed in that moment. I pulled her into my arms and accepted my fate. I was firmly in a relationship. There would be no NDA, but there would have to be rules. I couldn’t give up complete control and I could and would control this relationship. There. Now I felt better.
I stroked her hair and let her cry while I answered the question.
“You’re never a bad person for loving someone enough to trust them Ayla. He was the bad person for abusing that trust. Don’t question your response, question his motives. Be proud that you got out when you did. Be proud that you refused to accept his cruelty as a life sentence.”
She pulled back and looked into my eyes, searching for something that I believe she found.
“You mean that, don’t you?”
“I do. A Dom’s first thought should always be to look after the health and mental well being of his Sub. He should have seen that you were unhappy and frightened and taken immediate steps to correct it. If he was unable or unwilling to bend to your needs, then he should have let you go. What he did was unconscionable.”
She wrapped her arms around me and I held her tighter. When she whispered something against my chest, I know she thought I didn’t hear it, but god help me, I did. And it would change everything.
She held me close and whispered, “Why couldn’t I have fallen in love with you before him?”
Chapter Four
The next several weeks went by quickly. There was the fashion show and Melody proved once again that she had the best team in the fashion industry. Designers that employed three times the staff came out looking half as polished. We kept Ayla away in case Tony was prowling around waiting to pounce. It was beginning to get on everyone’s nerves.
Since I was home with Ayla, I got the news of Melody’s adventure via Deacon. He phoned while we were putting the finishing touches on a chef’s salad. I smiled at Ayla and answered, expecting another update on the show.
“Pierce, it’s Deke. Please tell me that Ayla is safe and sound with you.”
I looked over at her and she raised her eyebrows. I shrugged.
“She’s dicing cucumbers as we speak. Why? What’s going on?”
“Tony just showed up at Mel’s and she was alone. We’re at the hospital now.”
I leaned heavily against the counter and closed my eyes.
“We’re on our way.”
And so it began.
There was no doubt we were in the right place because Anton’s shouts could be heard from a block away. Ayla moved closer to me and I put my arm around her. I stopped her before we got any closer and tilted her chin up so that she was looking in my eyes.
“Remember when I told you that our relationship would have rules?”
She nodded and waited anxiously.
“Good. Here’s a rule I want you to remember. Anything that asshole Tony does is not your fault. Got it?”
She nodded, but didn’t look convinced.
“Next rule: If my brothers or their spouses are upset, let me do the talking.”
I could tell that she didn’t much care for this one.
“What if it concerns me?”
“Especially if it concerns you. Anton is a hothead and he’ll probably say something he doesn’t mean. He won’t say anything like that to me. Deke can go either way.”
“What if I’m asked a direct question?”
“We’ll take that as it comes. Just obey the rules and we’ll be fine.”
She turned her face away, but not before I saw her roll her eyes. That would have to be another rule for another time.
We found the crowd easily enough, most of them were still dressed to the nines. Anton was in a nurses face and Deacon was pacing with his fists clenched, trying to hold his tongue. Two people were missing, Dorothy and Melody.
“...Since I’m the one that’s gonna be killing the dick that did this to her, I should be back there WITH her. I need to see just how dead this asshole needs to be.”
The logic escaped me, but I wasn’t going to be the one to point out that dead is dead, no matter how messed up Melody was. Deacon had to choose that moment to add his two cents and I watched the nurse take a step back.
“My wife is severely pregnant. I do not want her upset. Her sister upsets her if I’m not present. I need to check on my wife!”
I elbowed my way between my brothers who were bearing down on the nurse that was about to flee. I smiled as I pushed them both back, and she looked at me tentatively.
“I apologize for my brothers. They forget that you are under just as much stress as they are.”
I pointedly looked at both of them and they stepped back to cool down. Ayla grabbed them both and took them to a more secluded area to talk. I wasn’t sure I liked that, but the nurse now had her attention focused on me.
“The man that did this to Melody is stalking my girlfriend.”
I gestured toward Ayla and the nurse’s eyes followed my hand.
“He’s extremely dangerous and we’re all under an immense amount of strain at the moment.”
“Mr. Sloan, you are another Sloan, correct?”
I held out my hand.
“I apologize for my manners. I’m Pierce Sloan. The gorilla with no manners is my brother Anton and the one who thinks pregnancy is a fatal illness is my brother Deacon.”
She smiled then and appeared to relax as she shook my hand.
“Mr. Sloan, I can tell you that she’s fine. She’s in pain, but they’re giving her something for that. As far as the gentleman that did this to her goes, it appears he may be the one that’s worse for wear...”
All sorts of things flew through my mind and I couldn’t help but grin a little.
“Pl
ease explain. I know Melody well and nothing you can tell me would surprise me.”
“It appears that the man in question showed up on her doorstep and angered her.”
“Wait. She was alone?”
“As near as we can tell, yes. She answered the door, words were exchanged, and she proceeded to kick the man in his privates. That’s how she broke the bones in her foot. While he was down, she kicked him in the face, causing further injury. They’re casting her foot and ankle as we speak and she should be released shortly.”
I couldn’t help myself. I started laughing and then I patted her on the shoulder, her eyes going wide.
“Thank-you for that. Of all the people that would end up in a confrontation with him, it had to be Melody. Tell me, how is Dorothy handling this? Deacon is worried out of his mind and rarely lets her out of his sight.”
She smiled and raised her eyebrow.
“Your sister-in-law hasn’t stopped laughing. I’m assuming she’s taking it well.”
A few seconds later, I could hear laughter followed by an angry voice.
“If you don’t stop with the fucking laughter, I’ll kick YOU in the nuts next.”
Then a pause before the double doors opened and I saw Chase pushing Melody in a wheelchair, flanked by Dorothy and Austin. Chase and Austin? Why were they back there?
Melody was looking up at Chase.
“And you, Sherlock, why can’t the cops find a limping asshole covered in his own blood? Huh? He’s hobbling down the streets of Manhattan. This should not be difficult.”
Chase rolled his eyes and stopped her in front of me. I beamed at her and she narrowed her eyes.
“Hiya Gimpy.”
“Fuck-you Teddy Bear. I suppose Anton’s ready to rip me a new one.”
“Oh he’s in line alright. Ready to go home?”
“For how long?”
“Stellar question my dear.”
Then it was my turn to be pushed aside as Deacon pulled Dorothy away, running his hands over her bump and kissing her cheek, while Anton took Melody’s crutches from her lap.
