by Vivian Wood
She woke with a start and could tell by the pastel light it was morning. Her phone beeped it’s dying call. Damn, I hadn’t charged it.
A slew of texts from Sean filled the screen. “Sorry, sweetheart. Swamped with meetings all night and the phone died.”
Comfort swelled through her. He wasn’t ignoring me after all.
“Up for a hike today?” That had been his last text, sent just ten minutes ago.
Harper hesitated before she replied. “Sorry I missed you,” she said. “I feel asleep early, busy day. Yes to the hike.”
“Ugh,” she said as she sat up. Her electrolytes were surely fucked up after last night. She examined her face in the mirror. Her eyes were red and her face puffy from purging. Harper dropped in the prescription steroid eyedrops and filled a Nalgene bottle with water to pound.
It was time for some serious fixes before a day of trekking around the hills with Sean.
18
Sean
The Nova growled as Sean angled the car up Franklin Avenue. “You ever hiked Runyon?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “Everyone says it’s so L.A.”
“It kind of is.”
It was early enough in the morning, and a weekday, that there were no other hikers on the narrowly pitched canyon.
Sean noticed her unsteadiness, in stark contrast to her toned legs. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, sure,” she said, and smiled up at him a few feet ahead of her. “Just kind of tired.”
He took the lead to suss out loose steps and turned around every few yards to check on her. It was easier than usual, talking to her like this. Sean spoke into the whistling canyon, and her soft voice answered from behind. No forced eye contact or wondering what to do with his hands. No wishing there was a rope intertwined through my fingers.
At a switchback, Sean heard a slip behind him. “Fuck,” she whispered.
“Alright?” When he turned, he saw that she’d rolled up her shorts from the morning heat. Her upper thighs were peppered with bruises and red marks. “Hey,” he said, and stopped. “You should ice those, it’ll help.”
She blushed. “I don’t mind,” she said quietly.
He continued up the slope. “So … have you always … you know?” she asked from behind.
“What?”
“Liked … what you like. In bed.”
“Being a dominant? I guess so,” he said. “It’s always turned me on. But especially in the last few years.”
“And you’ve … been with other girls? Like me?” she asked.
Careful, he thought. He couldn’t tell if it was jealousy, sheer curiosity, or both. And he didn’t want to turn around to get a clue from her face. Not yet. Don’t ruin it yet.
“No one is quite like you,” he finally said. It was true. “But I have been with other submissives, yes.”
“It’s just … how do you start this lifestyle? You know?” she asked. “I mean, I’ve seen The Secretary—”
Sean laughed. “Actually, in the world of so-called mainstream BDSM movies, that’s not bad. For me, I guess I just had a lot of money. And money buys you access to places like Miss Mary’s. One taste, and I was hooked.”
Harper was quiet behind him, but he heard her steps across the rocky terrain.
Sean stopped at the corner of another switchback and offered her a water. “Have you ever been a sub before?” he asked, though he knew the answer.
Harper turned red and shook her head. “I haven’t really had time to explore … well, much of anything. I feel like I’ve been working forever. Fulfilling my mom’s dreams, and all.”
“Family,” he said, and even he could hear the tinge of disgust in his voice. He took the water hose from her and tucked it back into his CamelBak. “I have to deal with that myself soon. Though it’s not so bad, just my brother.”
“Oh?” she asked, curios. “What’s he like?”
Sean adjusted the backpack and motioned for them to continue. “Picture the opposite of me,” he said. “He was a SEAL for a long time, hasn’t been back from overseas long. Honestly, I don’t really know him. He headed into the military as soon as he turned eighteen. I kind of feel sorry for him.”
“How come?”
“I don’t know. He comes back, this war hero. Has to deal with an alcoholic brother. Our dad’s a total domineering asshole. My mom’s manic depressive and gobbles up Lithium like candy. Nice homecoming, right?”
“Makes sense why he left as soon as he could, with parents like that. But you can’t blame yourself,” she said softly. “You were just a kid when he left.”
“Yeah, well. I’m not a kid anymore. Besides, it’s not just all that. Our dad is … well, well-off would be putting it lightly. And Connor’s the official ‘heir to the throne’ as long as he’s engaged.”
“Oh. Wow. That’s, like, some straight-up Disney stuff,” she said.
“Yeah. Complete with Dad as the villain. And, for Connor? I’m guessing there’s plenty in his past that he can’t un-see or un-do. Hell, for all I know, he’s just as fucked up as I am.”
“You’re not …” Harper began, but she let it trail off.
“My family’s a mess, it’s okay,” he said. “I know it.”
“So, how’s your brother doing with the whole engagement process?”
“That’s another story,” he said with a sigh. “He was engaged to some girl. But he caught her with someone else.”
“Oh, harsh,” she said. “Was he heartbroken? I mean—”
“Not really,” he said with a shrug. “I think he was just going through the motions. There was some serious drama that went down during it, though. Connor up and left Dad’s company and got his own gig as the COO of some big security company back on the east coast. I think he couldn’t admit to our dad that his whole engagement fell apart, especially since Dad discouraged it the whole time.”
“So now what?”
“He, uh, well he met someone right after. Sam. They’re engaged now, and Sam’s already pregnant. Surprisingly, the whole shotgun wedding thing isn’t nearly as taboo as I thought it would be. I think our dad’s just happy Connor’s settling down.”
“What’s Sam like?”
“I don’t really know her, but she seems nice. Gorgeous,” he said.
Harper didn’t say anything, but he felt a shift in the mood.
“Connor’s thinking of moving here with her, that’s why he’s coming to visit. Talking about opening a security business and Sam would do the marketing.”
“Really?” Harper asked. He heard her steps halt behind him.
“Yeah, why?” he asked as he turned around. A pair of hikers, the first they’d seen, came down the switchback and squeezed by them with awkward “good mornings.”
“I just … it seemed like your family was kind of off-limits for you.”
“My mom and dad are, but my brother’s a good egg,” he said. Sean looked at her closely. “Do you want to meet him.”
She blinked. “Sure,” she said. He suspected the air of confidence was forced.
Sean took her in. “Okay … but if that happens, I think you should know a little bit more. About my childhood. Water?”
She shook her head.
“Let’s keep going. So, I guess you could probably surmise that neglect was a big part of my childhood. My dad was always working. There were weeks where I didn’t see him at all. My mom was busy keeping up the socialite lifestyle—and was drunk most of the time anyway. Some mornings, I’d get up and find her sloppy drunk before ten, screaming at the morning news hosts.”
“God,” Harper said. “And I thought my mom was tough to handle.”
“I remember one time. I must have been six or seven. Mom was hospitalized for something … I’m not sure what. It might have been a tummy tuck, an overdose, I really don’t know. But when she came back, she was more distant than ever.”
“That must have been hard,” she said.
“It fucking pissed me o
ff,” he said. “I can still remember it. And I—stupid—went to my dad, looking for some kind of guidance. But he hired a series of nannies and disappeared. I remember he came back for Christmas though.”
“They divorced?”
Sean gave a short bark of a laugh. “No. Divorce isn’t an option. But they may as well be. But after that, I don’t know. There was some kind of blackness that spread in me. I tried all kinds of things to fill in that void, but nothing worked until I discovered alcohol. I was about eleven.”
“You started drinking at eleven?”
“It’s not like there was anyone around to stop me. Drinking, it made me feel golden … most of the time. Until it almost killed my best friend.”
Suddenly, they were at the top of the canyon. The Hollywood sign shone bright and white in the distance. “Oh, my God,” Harper said.
“Yeah. It’s amazing the beauty you can find, even in a town as vapid as this.” He took her hand and squeezed it as they gazed at the Capitol Records building and the manicured perfection of WeHo’s grid.
“I’m glad to be here. With you,” she said.
He smiled at her and held her closer. “Me, too, sweetheart.”
19
Harper
Sean dropped her off at home, and Molly was languidly sprawled across the front porch with a cigarette. “Meet you there at six?” he said.
“That’s quite early for you.”
“My brother’s an early bird, what can I say?”
“What, uh … what should I wear?” she asked.
He smiled. “Surprise me.”
Molly watched her approach the house. “Nice car,” she said. “So that’s the mysterious bad boy? And what were you up to today?”
“Hiking at Runyon Canyon,” Harper said as she breezed past. She only had a few hours to prepare to “meet the family”—or what little remained of it.
“Sounds … sweaty,” Molly said.
Harper took a quick shower, amazed at how much red dust and grime poured off of her. However, as she stood in front of her closet, nothing seemed right. She tried on everything, from the designer distressed jeans she’d spent an entire paycheck on to the little cocktail dresses she’d promised herself went with everything. Nothing was right.
She groaned and flipped the vanity mirror around to the magnified side. Harper bared her teeth and examined them closely. Were they more yellow than normal? Fuck. She pulled out a Crest whitestrip and pressed the sticky film to her teeth. The more the acid in the vomit chewed away the enamel, the more yellow they got. Pretty soon, I’ll have to get veneers. At least for the front teeth. That would be a whopper of a bill.
As Harper went through her closet a second time, her phone vibrated on the nightstand. “Hey, ladies!” P had messaged on Facebook. An unfamiliar name, Sophia Miller, was included in the chat. “Just introducing you two. Harper’s my bestie and one of the most fab models in the area. Sophia owns a modeling company in New York and she’s looking for someone similar to Helena to take over operations in Manhattan. Just connecting you two.” P ended it with a string of hearts followed by a high heel and lipstick emoji.
Harper accepted Sophie’s pending friend request and sat on the edge of her bed. “Hi Sophie,” she wrote. “I don’t know anyone like Helena, but I’ll definitely keep my ear to the ground for you if anything pops up.”
She stood up to hold the black leather pants against her once more. Maybe these would work. Harper hated the pants because when they worked, they really worked. But there was no give, so it was always a crapshoot if they’d fit right. And if they don’t, you’re going to feel like shit.
Her phone buzzed again. “Hi Harper! Thanks for the quick response. Actually, you’re who I had in mind. Interested in chatting?”
She nearly dropped the phone in shock. Me? Managing models? Harper didn’t think she had nearly the experience. She quickly Googled Sophie Miller and found endless hits. The woman owned one of the most prestigious agencies in Manhattan, specializing in both traditional models and “unique figures and faces.”
“Sure,” she replied. “Just tell me when and where.”
“Providence, Monday at noon okay, sweetheart?”
“I’ll be there,” Harper replied, and plugged it into her calendar. Sophie would change her mind as soon as she saw her, she was sure of it. But networking couldn’t hurt. Hell, nothing could hurt your career any more at this point.
She toyed with the idea of trying on the pants, but chickened out at the last minute. The last thing she needed was a blow to her self-esteem. Instead, she grabbed the staple black halter dress with its low back and plunging neckline. It was safe, sophisticated but sexy.
Harper pulled on her strappy black sandals, grabbed the keys to her trusty Camry, and raced down the hall. “Turning up on a Thursday, huh?” Molly asked.
“Something like that,” she called over her shoulder.
She sprung for valet parking at the Omni, not wanting to test her luck with street parking. Sean was immediately visible in the lobby, a head above everyone else. He looked incredible in the crisp black suit with his hair slicked back.
Harper bit her lip. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi, yourself,” he replied as he eyed her up and down. His gaze lingered at her cleavage.
“Where’s your brother?”
He looked around briefly and pulled her to him, hard and fast. “I can’t wait to get you home, tie you up, and fuck you ‘til you come,” he said in a low growl.
“Sean?” Even if she hadn’t been planning to meet his brother, she could see the resemblance. Although Connor moved faster than Sean, more clipped. The military training was evident. At his side was a stunning brunette with a basketball of a baby bump. The kind of adorable pregnant that most women didn’t manage.
Harper was simultaneously embarrassed and turned on. Sean squeezed her waist as he directed her towards his family. “Harper, this is my brother Connor and his fiancée, Sam,” he said.
“Oh, wow, you’re gorgeous!” Sam said. “Sean said you were a model, but … well, you know it seems like everyone’s a model here. But you’re the real deal.”
“Thanks,” she said, blushing deeper. The only advantage she could see that she had over Sam was height.
“Good to meet the woman, the first woman, who’s been able to handle my brother,” Connor said. He winked at Sean.
“Yeah, well, that’s up for debate,” Harper said.
They laughed as they sat down, and two waiters rushed to pull out the seats for her and Sam.
“So, you’re from here?” Sam asked as she scooted the chair farther back to make room for her belly.
“Kind of. Pasadena.”
Sam smiled. “It’s all the same to me. I’m from the east coast, so as long as it’s southern California, I consider it L.A.”
Harper laughed. “Pretty much. Unless you look at the real estate prices, then that’s where you realize every neighborhood is different. So … when are you due?”
“Three more months,” Sam said. “I’m tired of being pregnant already.”
“Do you know the gender?”
“We could, but decided we’ll keep it a surprise. Old school,” she said.
She noticed both Sean and Connor sat back and let them do most of the talking. That was another similarity, the strong and silent type. Still, they joined in from time to time. Harper was grateful no mention of family drama was brought up. After Sean’s rundown of his family, she’d halfway expected a shit show of a dinner.
Connor ordered lamb arancini for the table, and Sean added on the Hamachi crudo. Decadent entrees came soon after, and the table was covered with braised black cod, cured pork Bolognese, Kurobuta pork chops and seafood bouillabaisse—though Harper pushed aside the bread and nibbled on the low-calorie mussels, clams, crab and shrimp instead.
“Dessert?” the smartly dressed waiter asked. “The Noe specialty is butterscotch pudding with brown sugar brittle and a salted crème fraich
e. Although the carrot cake with dulcey ganache, chocolate praline bar and hand-churned ice cream is also fantastic.”
“I can’t eat another bite,” Harper said.
“I’m good,” Sean agree.
“Sam?” Connor asked.
She looked at the table, flushed. “Would anyone share the butterscotch with me?” she asked, embarrassed. “I can’t help it! The baby has a sweet tooth.”
Connor agreed quickly, and Harper made appeasing sounds. Fortunately, when the waiter arrived with four small spoons, she got away with just the tiniest of bites.
After goodbye hugs and a cheek kiss from Sam that didn’t feel remotely phony, Harper and Sean lingered against his car. “They’re nice,” she said.
“You sound surprised.”
“Well, you didn’t exactly set up your family as the stablest of people,” she said.
“True.”
“I know you didn’t ask my opinion, but they seem really solid. If you, you know, have a chance to work with them once they get their business started here? You should consider it.”
He just smiled at her.
“What?” she asked, self-conscious.
He leaned forward and she felt his breath on her neck. “I’m going to fuck the hell out of you when we get to my place. That’s all.”
Harper felt her face flush.
“Get your car,” he said. “I’ll text you the address.”
20
Sean
He had a twinge of doubt as Harper pulled up behind him. What was she going to think, especially after that night in the penthouse? He’d never felt self-conscious about his home before. But then again, he’d never brought anyone to his little apartment before.
“I didn’t realize you lived above the shop!” she said. “And a pizza place. God, I couldn’t handle the incredible aroma all the time.”
