“Exactly what I said, Alicia,” Trent said firmly. “I have no further comment.” His eyes lifted and met mine. “No,” he said into the phone. “I don’t care that you fired him. You allowed him to put people’s lives in jeopardy. I’m dealing with a media circus, not to mention people breaking in and trying to dig up details in an effort to get him information. I won’t let it slide. I’m aiming for criminal charges being brought against him, and I’ll make sure the agency is equally liable. My lawyer will be in contact.”
Trent ended the call and set his phone on a table before moving toward me. His eyes met mine. “You all right?”
I was a little shocked that he was concerned about me when it was clear he had more than enough to deal with at the moment.
I nodded my head, but said, “No.”
Trent chuckled as he squatted before me. “Don’t worry about them. I promise, they won’t get anywhere near you.”
“What’s going on?” I’d heard his side of that conversation. Something serious had happened. “Who’s Ken and what did he do?”
“Ken was my agent,” he explained. “And he’s…” Trent sighed. “I have to make a few more phone calls, but I promise to explain everything in a little while. For now, just know you’re safe. In the meantime, if someone confronts you directly, simply tell them you have no comment. But I’ve asked Ransom to increase security for the time being. I’m a little worried this is going to get out of hand.”
Out of hand? God, I didn’t even want to know what that meant. It already was out of hand.
“Wouldn’t it be easier just to tell them what’s going on? I assume this is about me and Troy and our relationship with you. Maybe if you explain, it’ll assuage their curiosity and they’ll move on.”
Trent’s brow lifted. “Well, for one, it’ll only increase their curiosity, and two, I’m a little nervous some of the crazies will come out of the woodwork.”
“But if they find out I’m really nobody, maybe they’ll move on to someone else.”
Trent pinched my chin and turned my head so I was forced to look into his eyes. “First of all, you’re not nobody. You’re very important to me. And secondly, I’m not sure you really want that. For your name and face to be plastered all over the television and every gossip rag in the country? It’s been tame up to this point, Clarissa. Do you even know what you’re asking for?”
I shrugged. “No. I don’t. But if it’ll make things easier for you, it seems like the wise thing to do.”
“I’m not worried about easy, sunshine.” Trent placed his hands on the arms of my chair. “Your safety is far more important to me than my comfort.”
“Well, if it makes a difference, I don’t care if they know who I am. I have nothing to hide.”
“But you do. Once I confirm our relationship, they’re going to dig up everything they can on you and Troy. They’ll rip your past apart.”
Oh. I assumed that meant my financial issues and the problems I had with my previous employer. I considered it for a moment. “I don’t care if they know I was fired or that I was forced to sell my house. It wasn’t like I had to file bankruptcy. I might be having some difficulties, but I still have my pride, Trent.”
He sighed again. “While you have all the facts, they’re going to twist them until you look like a gold digger out for my money.”
“I don’t care,” I blurted. “I just … I just want them to leave you alone.”
Trent stared at me for several long seconds and I wasn’t sure what he was thinking. Probably that I’d lost my mind. Finally, he said, “It’s not just you they’ll go after. Your family won’t be safe. If they have anything hidden in their past, it’s going to come to light.”
“Oh.” That didn’t sound like fun.
“And they’ll confront your family directly,” he added.
I smiled at that. “I’m sure my mother will give them a piece of her mind.” She’d already run them off once. I was sure she would do it again.
“Yeah?” His blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “So you told her about me?”
“Not exactly.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “I mean, she knows we’re friends.”
“Oh, sunshine, we’re so much more than friends.”
“Okay, fine. If you think it’ll help, I can call her and tell her about us.”
Trent seemed shocked by my suggestion. “All three of us? You’re going to tell her about the relationship you have with Troy, too?”
Hmm. For whatever reason, that hadn’t occurred to me.
“Because that is where this is going. I promise, after I make a few calls, I’ll explain what’s going on. And if you seriously want to go public, I’ve got a friend who will sit down with us and do an article. I’m sure she’ll know a way to spin this in the most romantic light possible so anyone who tries to stir up drama will have to deal with the wrath of the public.”
More heat infused my face. I hadn’t expected that. What would happen when this was publicly confirmed? Our relationship. The three of us. What would people think? When they found out I was in a relationship with two men, would they think I was a slut? Me and Trent. Trent and Troy. Me and Troy. There were many variations and Trent was right, I wasn’t sure anyone would understand.
No.
I shook my head to clear my brain.
I didn’t care what people thought. This wasn’t about them. If Trent and Troy were willing to stand up and lay claim to this relationship, then so was I.
This was all new for me, but the one thing I knew with absolute certainty was that I intended to see this through, to give everything to these men.
Trent pushed to his feet and peered down at Troy, who was sitting beside me. “I want you to reach out to McKenna Murphy. She’s a journalist out of Dallas. A good friend of mine. I trust her. Let her know what’s going on and tell her I’d like her to sit down with us for a story. Soon. Tell her I’ll call her tonight when I have more information and we can set up a time.”
“Sure, Master. I’ll call her right now.”
Okay then. That was settled.
Although settled didn’t seem like the right word.
Trent
“THANKS, MCKENNA. TELL TAG I’LL catch up with him when I’m back in town. Let me know if you need anything else from us,” I told the reporter who’d become a friend over the years.
“Will do. And Trent, I think it’s a good idea to hire a couple of bodyguards to keep an eye on them. Not only because this is going to make front-page news, but also because of the controversy associated with … well, with your lifestyle. I’m worried the crazies are going to come out.”
“One step ahead of you. I’ve got several in place and a few more as backup in the event they’re needed.”
“Awesome. Thanks for trusting me with this. I won’t let you down. I’m gonna start by putting out a statement that I’ve landed an exclusive interview with you directly. That should get some of the big media off your back for the time being.”
“You know how it works better than I do.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” she said with a laugh. “But I do know how to spin a story and this is likely going to be my biggest yet.”
In my world, I had learned to build alliances, even with those who could be considered my enemy. I’d learned a long time ago it wouldn’t fare well for me to piss off everyone. McKenna was a journalist and though I wasn’t cozy with reporters, I trusted her to do right by me.
“Like I said, we’re in Chicago for the time being. If you need anything, holler. If you can’t reach me, call Troy directly.”
“Will do. You’ll be hearing from me soon.”
After disconnecting the call, I glanced over at Troy and Clarissa.
They looked cozy curled up on the sofa watching television.
Since we landed a few hours ago, I’d hustled them to the apartment with the help of four bodyguards who’d treated our trip as though I was the fucking president. No one even got close enough to grab a pi
cture, so I considered today a success.
Mostly.
I was still processing everything that had happened in the past twelve hours. All the things that had come to light, including Ken’s betrayal.
Christian had followed through as promised and they had made an arrest in both Troy’s and Clarissa’s break-ins. Once they got the suspect into custody, he’d sung like a canary. As it turned out, Ken hadn’t been fond of me firing him or his agency and he’d been after blackmail material. In an effort to get that, he’d hired someone to break into their homes to dig up information. Lucky for me, Troy had kept his iPad with him at all times, so none of my personal details were leaked. The most the guy had gotten was information regarding Clarissa. He’d apparently hacked into her laptop. She had screen shots and backup documentation to prove her previous client had been sexually harassing her. She’d also had details on the company firing her.
Come to find out, that wasn’t the sort of information that would help Ken in blackmailing me. All it did was show that her company had employed a bunch of assholes. They’d turned their back on her when she needed them the most.
However, Ken had spilled plenty of information—all fictitious—about my relationship with Troy. While he knew absolutely nothing, he was a relatively decent storyteller. From what I’d gathered, Ken was against BDSM and all its components, which was the reason he’d made me out to be some sort of monster.
The asshole.
Of course, he’d done all of this while still employed with his agency, and I was in the process of suing them. It wasn’t about the money. It was about the respect for people’s privacy. The information he’d sent out—including the details on many of my business dealings—should’ve never been available to him.
I could only hope that once McKenna did the interview, things would die down. Unfortunately, I had to agree to allow her an inside look into my club. Since Luke McCoy had permitted her to do a story on Club Destiny years ago, I’d agreed. I really did trust this woman.
I knew it would all work out in the end, but it would take time.
On the other hand, I had to deal with Clarissa and Troy. They weren’t keen on the idea of my name being dragged through the mud. At the moment, most of the topics revolved around my involvement in Domination and submission. There were a hell of a lot of theories out there.
I could tell they were both worried more about me than themselves. I appreciated their concern, but it was unnecessary. I’d been in the news since I was first cast in the role as Brad Dillon. They dug up everything they could on me, including the foster homes I’d spent time in through the years. Some people considered me a rags-to-riches type story while others had condemned me for whatever it was they believed I’d done wrong. In this business, you couldn’t please everyone, that was for sure.
Now it appeared they were interested in my unconventional relationships. And since I had every intention of keeping these two people in my life for as long as they would have me, it only made sense that we put it out there now. It seemed surreal, but for the first time in my life, I felt complete. As though everything I’d ever needed was right where I needed it to be.
Since I was only waiting on one more call to be returned, I had a little time to kill before bed. I pushed up from my seat at the bar and moved over to the single chair that faced Clarissa and Troy.
“Pets?”
They both turned to look at me.
“Turn off the TV and come over here.”
As usual, I noticed a bit of uncertainty on Troy’s face as he grabbed the remote and clicked off the television. Initially, I’d thought that was fear. However, I’d recently realized that it was exactly what it appeared to be. Troy didn’t know what to expect and he expressed himself accordingly. He was an open book and I was quickly learning to decipher his thoughts.
Clarissa wasn’t quite so easy to read.
Propping my ankle over the opposite knee, I regarded them for a moment. I wanted them to anticipate my next move. Anticipation was key, as far as I was concerned.
“I’d like for you both to undress. Fold your clothes neatly and place them on the sofa.”
“Yes, Master,” Troy said promptly, even as he began working free the buttons on his shirt. He took directions well, which definitely pleased me.
“Hold up,” I said. “I’ve changed my mind. I’d like to see you undress each other.”
Clarissa stalled momentarily.
“Let me put it this way,” I said with an evil grin. “If you’re not undressed in two minutes, you will be going down to the office tomorrow morning without any clothes. While I can guarantee your privacy while we’re here, you know the same won’t be said for there.”
Her eyes widened, and she quickly turned to Troy.
This was what I wanted. To sit back and watch them, to admire every sleek angle of Troy’s body, to caress every one of Clarissa’s delicious curves with my eyes. I had to wonder why I’d never realized before now exactly what I needed. They were truly opposites in every way. Clarissa was distinctly feminine, so sweet, so sexy, while Troy was infinitely male. Oh, sure, his submissive side was prominent, but there was still an underlying masculinity that did it for me in ways I hadn’t expected.
I waited until they were both naked before I ordered Clarissa to kneel between my legs when I dropped my other foot back to the floor. I stared down at her, making a point not to touch her.
“You remember our agreement?”
She nodded. “Yes, Master. I belong to you, and I’m to forget everything I’ve been taught before.”
When it came to Clarissa, I was required to take a hands-on approach. Mercedes had been right when she said I needed to deprogram Clarissa. At some point in time, the sweet submissive had started using all the rules as her way of topping from the bottom. I refused to be topped by anyone and I’d spent the past two weeks reminding her of that at every turn.
“Do you have any questions?”
“Yes, Master. Could you tell me what we’ll be doing?”
“No, pet, I cannot.” I pinched her chin, forcing her to hold my gaze. “The only thing you need to know is that you belong to me. In every way that I desire. You’ll do exactly what I want, when I want, how I want. I’m in complete control. You can rest assured I will take very good care of you. I do not want you attempting to anticipate my every move, either. I expect complete obedience on your part.”
This wasn’t new to her because it was merely a different iteration of everything I’d been repeating over and over again. I didn’t care if I sounded like a broken record, either. Baby steps.
Sure enough, after those words left my mouth, Clarissa’s eyes glazed over. She was right where she wanted to be.
“If you do not obey and you do not use your safe word—if necessary—you will be punished, Clarissa. However I see fit. And if you use your safe word in an effort to top me, you will be punished. I am your Master. You have no control.”
A shiver ran over her, but I knew she wasn’t cold. This woman needed exactly what I was giving her.
“Now, I want you to thank me for taking care of you.”
“Thank you, Master.”
I nodded. “Now come and stand beside me.”
Clarissa got to her feet and stepped around my chair to stand at my side. I peered up at Troy and pointed to the spot she had vacated. “Kneel.”
He went to his knees with a little more grace than he had been. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but if I knew Troy, he was wondering what we’d be doing five minutes from now. That was how his mind worked.
“All I ask is that you give up complete control when I command it, which I will be doing a lot in the coming days. You do not have to wonder whether or not you are pleasing me, because you will be as long as you follow my commands. I want to show you what it truly means to submit. In public and in private. At any time, if you feel uncomfortable, I expect you to speak up. You may use your safe word at any time without repercussions. If you
’re worried about something, talk to me.”
Troy nodded.
“Respond verbally.”
“Yes, Master.”
This wasn’t going to be as easy as I wanted it to be because I had a lot I wanted to get taken care of during the coming days. Along with the surprise I had for them on Friday night, I anticipated long hours in the office, but I knew when it came to Clarissa and Troy, they deserved everything I could give them, which meant I had to give them everything I had.
Everything.
Troy
“NOW THAT WE’RE CLEAR ON the overall objective for the week, I’d like the two of you to go back to the sofa,” Master stated as he motioned for me to stand.
I got to my feet and reached for Clarissa’s hand. Not knowing exactly what Master had in mind, I led her to the couch and took a seat beside her.
I had known the moment the plane touched down in Chicago this morning, we would be immersed in another dimension entirely. That was the way it worked when Master was in the news. I’d been working for him long enough to have experienced it a time or two, and it never got any easier.
Surprisingly, it hadn’t been too bad so far. Other than Master having spent the better part of the afternoon on the phone, we’d had a relaxing day. Well, Clarissa and I had, anyway. I wasn’t sure Master would consider any of this entire ordeal relaxing. There was something to be said about taking time out to relax on the couch with the woman of your dreams in your arms. That was how I’d spent the last couple of hours.
Master, not so much. Until he ordered us to strip just now, he’d been immersed in one phone call after another. I was glad to see he was gearing up to slow down for the day.
Although he always seemed to shrug off the media, I knew it wasn’t easy for him. The man had to endure being hit from every angle, and now that the details of his ex-agent’s underhandedness had come to light, Master was going to have people coming from everywhere. While most people believed otherwise, Master’s job wasn’t an easy one. I figured by the end of the week, he would be looking forward to the downtime he could take at the club.
Their Famous Dominant (Office Intrigue, 4) Page 48
