by Ivy Nelson
That’s it? What a shitty way to lay off such a sizeable group of people.
It was as if she were on autopilot as she followed a guard to the lockers and pulled her few belongings out. Her phone showed a text from Garrett, but she couldn’t focus on that right now. As she pulled down the pictures of her nieces, her heart constricted. How were they going to survive this? The list of things she needed to do grew in her mind as she put her belongings in a canvas bag she’d stashed in her locker.
There would be job applications to fill out, unemployment to file for, and she would need to figure out which bills they could put off until they had a steady income again. It was overwhelming. Maybe she could talk to Eli at Solitaire about paying her to put in extra hours beyond her house sub duties.
Her mind was working a mile a minute as she crossed the threshold to the payroll office.
“Name,” a stern looking woman said when she approached the counter.
“Isabelle Alvarado.” Her voice shook as she answered. The woman flipped through a box of envelopes and pulled one out.
When she tore it open, she felt a slight amount of relief. She had used none of her vacation time yet this year, so the check contained three extra weeks of pay. That would be enough time to secure another job. With the check stashed in her pocket, she made her way to the exit with the security guards hovering as if she might try to stay. No chance of that. She had no desire to be here any longer than necessary. She’d worked at the warehouse as a teenager and had returned three years ago when she’d quit school to focus on helping her family.
Someone brushed against her, a hand grazing her ass, and she whirled to find Jason Briggs, a member of upper management standing too close.
“So sorry it had to end like this, beautiful. Maybe now you’ll have that dinner with me.”
She wrinkled her nose in disgust. Jason had been a thorn in her side since she came back to work here. She definitely wouldn’t miss him. “No thanks, Jason. My one regret is never reporting your sleazy ass to HR.”
His mouth dropped open and she turned on her heel to leave the building.
Alan approached as she crossed into the parking lot with a worried look on his face.
“What am I going to do, Izzy?”
She looked up at her young cousin and smiled. ‘It will be OK. You’re about to go off to college. You don’t need this job anyway.”
He shook his head. “These last few paychecks were going to cover the final costs that my scholarships haven’t covered.”
Isabelle patted his arm. “We’ll figure it out. You know we’ll help if we can.”
His brow furrowed and he looked like he might cry. “But if Uncle Henry got fired too…”
Isabelle did her best to soothe him. “Don’t worry about this. It’s not for you to worry about, Alan. We’ll figure it out. I had all my vacation time, so my check was good. I’ll be able to find something else quickly. And your mom works at the restaurant, so you know she didn’t get fired today. It’s going to be OK.”
Alan still didn’t seem so sure, but she wanted him to focus on school. So many in her family had been raised to constantly stress about money. College was a luxury, but Alan was smart and going on a nearly full scholarship. There was no way in hell she was going to let him waste the opportunity he’d been given to break the cycle of poverty. Not the way she had wasted hers.
“Let’s just get home, sweetheart. We’ll figure it all out later.”
As they approached her compact car, she tossed Alan the keys. “Drive us home. I’ve got things to do on my phone.”
Alan grinned. His driver’s license was new, and she had a feeling being able to drive home would help take his mind off what had just happened.
With her seatbelt fastened, she pulled out her phone. The text from Garrett was still waiting for her.
What time should I get you for dinner, Doll?
Her heart twisted. Could she really spend a weekend at the luxury BDSM club with this crisis hanging over her family? It didn’t feel right. Then again, if she didn’t go, she wouldn’t have a chance to ask Eli about giving her some work. The club didn’t just rely on submissives to run, they also hired full and part-time staff. There was always next weekend, though. Right now, it felt like she was needed at home.
Not sure I can make it tonight. I’ve had a pretty shit day.
Her phone rang. It was Garrett. Damn it. She swiped to ignore the call and switched over to a web browser, navigating to the unemployment website. His number flashed across her screen again and she knew he wouldn’t give up until she answered. Fine. She stabbed at the green button to answer the call.
“Talk to me, Isabelle. A shit day sounds like a reason to come to the club, not a reason to skip.”
His voice drifted over her like velvet, and she sagged against the passenger seat.
“I know. You’re probably right. I just lost my job, though, and I’m really stressed.”
“Oh, Doll. I’m so sorry. How do I help? I can put some money in your account, help you find something else.”
She blew out a breath. His concern was sweet, but it also made her uncomfortable. “No. Please. I don’t need your money. I just need to focus on looking for another job. I also need to talk with Dad and Uncle Henry and come up with a plan for bills and such.”
Garrett was quiet for a minute. “OK. How about you meet me at the club? We’ll skip dinner. That will give you more time. I just want to see you. I can help you take your mind off this.”
She blew out a breath. She really did want to see him, and tapping into her submissive side, focusing on her tasks as a house sub, would certainly help her relax.
“OK. I’m on my way home right now. I’ll meet you at seven.”
“Isabelle, are you on the phone while you’re driving, young lady?” Her heart skipped a beat as his voice became hard and dominant, but she let out a giggle.
“No. My teenage cousin is driving. I’m just a passenger.”
“Good girl. My subs don’t put themselves in danger, do they, Doll?”
He was baiting her, trying to get her mind off her troubles and into her submissive headspace before she’d even gotten to the club. She appreciated it.
She coughed, unsure how to answer with her cousin in the car, and Garrett chuckled. “It’s OK. You don’t have to answer. I know you’ll be a good girl.”
They said goodbye, and Isabelle closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted. When they pulled into their apartment complex parking lot a few minutes later, she took the keys from Alan and walked up to her small front porch to unlock the door. Alan waved goodbye and walked three buildings over to the apartment he shared with his mom.
Her dad sat at the kitchen table talking quietly with Uncle Henry. When he motioned for her to sit, she shook her head. “Not now. I just want to lie down.”
Thankfully, the older man didn’t press, and she was able to trudge down the hallway to her room.
In bed, she picked up the photograph of herself with her mom and sister. Her heart hurt every time she looked at it, but she kept it there to remind her of her responsibilities. Her mom had died of cancer almost a decade ago and her sister was currently in jail… again. Isabelle was the mother figure for her two nieces, one a preteen and the other a sophomore in high school.
There was a big age difference between Isabelle and her older sister, but somehow Isabelle was the responsible one. The first time Carmen had been arrested, Isabelle dropped out of college and moved back home to care for the girls, so they didn’t wind up in foster care or with a member of the family they barely knew. Her dad and Uncle Henry helped, but they were better at going to work or fixing a broken sink than they were at dealing with the intricacies of parenting two teenage girls.
Her sister only spent a few months in jail, but Isabelle decided not to return to school and it turned out to be a good thing she hadn’t.
Six months ago, Carmen had been sentenced to four years in prison, and Isabelle was once a
gain in charge of her daughters’ wellbeing.
It took some tossing and turning, but Isabelle managed a brief nap before she got up to get ready for her weekend at the club. She would pack a bag and change there since her family didn’t know where she went on the weekends. They just assumed she had a second job, and she was content to let them think that.
Her watch said her nieces would be home from school any minute. Back in the kitchen, her dad still sat at the table. It was his perch in the house, and you could usually find him there when he wasn’t at work. Thankfully, he didn’t work at the warehouse and was still employed. He was a janitor for the local high school, but on Fridays, he didn’t go in until after school was out.
“Hi, Daddy,” Isabelle said as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “I’m sure Uncle Henry told you what happened.”
Her dad nodded. “We’ll be OK. It will just take some penny pinching until you find new jobs. It’s just a shame this happened so close to Henry’s retirement.”
Isabelle joined him at the table. “Alan and two other cousins got let go too. It was a crap thing they did. At least we still have health benefits for a couple of months. I’ve already started filing for unemployment and I’ll start putting applications in tomorrow.”
Her dad frowned. “Asking the government for help isn’t necessary, Isabelle.”
Isabelle gave his arm a pat. “That’s what we pay taxes for, Daddy.”
The front door opened, and Isabelle heard the voices of her two nieces. “Let’s not talk about this in front of them,” she whispered.
The old man nodded. “I should finish getting ready for work anyway.”
The girls came to the kitchen, with the oldest, Carmen, making a beeline for the fridge. “Hey Aunt Iz. You’re home early,” Catarina said as she pulled things out to make a sandwich.
Sarah, the preteen, came to her side for a hug. “Hey sweetie. How was school?”
Sarah gave a noncommittal shrug. “OK, I guess. I have too much homework.”
“Well, you have the weekend. Why don’t you put it out of your mind until morning?”
Sarah gave her a lopsided grin. “Really? You never let us wait until Saturday to do our homework.”
Isabelle nodded. “Yes, really. Go put your bag away before I change my mind.”
She spent the next hour listening to the girls chatter about their days before it was time to finish getting ready for Solitaire. It would take forty-five minutes to get there from her house.
An hour later, she was showered, dressed, and ready to leave. When she walked into the living room, a familiar face greeted her on the television screen. Uncle Henry was watching the news.
“Greedy fuckin’ bastard,” her uncle muttered.
“Who is?” Isabelle demanded as she continued to stare at the man on the news.
“This asshole, Garrett Oliver.”
Her heart rate when into overdrive. “What makes him an asshole?”
“You got fired today, didn’t you?”
Isabelle sat on the arm of her uncle’s chair. “Yes, but what does that have to do with a man on the news?” She didn’t want her uncle knowing she knew Garrett.
“Sweetheart, Colorado Logistics is one of his properties. He owns the company that fired us today.”
Chapter Three
Garrett leaned against the reception desk in the lobby of Solitaire, chatting with Lance, and some other members of the club. Hunter sat on the couch talking to Austin and Patrick who were just back from their honeymoon. Eli was in his office in the corner, but his door was open. It was just after seven on a Friday night, so few people had arrived, but the lobby still felt full.
He was currently waiting on Isabelle to appear. When she came through the door, he planned to whisk her away to a private corner and help her forget the trouble of her day. He knew she had to be under a tremendous amount of stress.
The door opened, and the subject of his thoughts stepped through the door. She looked tense. Not that he blamed her.
Before he could get to her, Austin jumped up from her spot on the couch and ran to hug Isabelle. The two women had become close over the past few months.
He waited, albeit impatiently, for them to finish talking. Isabelle seemed overly tense, even talking to Austin. Poor girl, he definitely needed to get her away from the prying eyes of others so he could get her to open up.
Garrett turned his attention to Patrick and tilted his head in Austin’s direction. Thankfully, Patrick understood what he wanted. “Austin, come here.”
At first, she didn’t move, but when she turned and saw the stern expression her husband and Dom wore, she pecked Isabelle on the cheek and walked to his side. Garrett watched for a moment as Patrick pulled his wife in for a rough kiss.
“Really, Sir? That’s what you called me over here for?”
Patrick gave a low growl and kissed her again. “It’s my prerogative to get a kiss from you whenever I damn well feel like it.”
Garrett wasted no more time watching the newlyweds and crossed the room to Isabelle. She didn’t meet his gaze. “Hey, Doll. You look stressed. Let’s get out of here and go upstairs for a bit.”
Isabelle looked away, and he watched as a tear slid down her cheek.
“What’s wrong, Isabelle?”
She shook her head and dashed a hand across her face. “I’ll be fine. I’m not ready to go upstairs yet.”
“To bad. You don’t have a choice. Upstairs. Now.”
Her eyes blazed as she jerked her head to meet his gaze. “Fuck you,” she bit out.
Garrett’s eyes widened as all conversation in the lobby ceased. Attention was firmly on them now and he had to handle this. Snapping his fingers, he pointed to the floor, a sign that she should kneel. When she refused, he scowled. Something was definitely wrong. “You have about ten seconds to start talking, Doll.”
Her nostrils flared. “Fine. You want to talk? Let’s talk about what a greedy fucking bastard you are for laying off twenty-six people with no God damned severance package.”
Garrett’s heart leapt into his throat. What the hell was she talking about? How did she know about the layoffs? Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Isabelle was a local. Had she been one of the twenty-six people let go?
“You sit there in your fucking penthouses and private jets and just snap your fingers and take away the livelihoods of dozens of people just so you can save a few dollars. It’s despicable. I don’t even know why I came here tonight. You make me fucking sick.”
“That’s enough, Isabelle.” Hunter’s voice was booming and echoed through the lobby as he moved to her side with a glare.
“There are clearly some feelings you need to express to Master Garrett, but you are still a house submissive and you will not behave this way in front of other members.”
Isabelle looked around as if she just now realized she wasn’t alone with Garrett, and he watched as her face turned crimson. Her head dropped. “I’m sorry, Master Hunter,” she whispered.
Garrett noticed Eli had stepped out of his office and leaned against his doorframe to watch. He would expect Garrett to handle this situation appropriately, which meant making sure Isabelle was OK, while not allowing her outburst to go unpunished.
Hunter brushed some wayward hair from Isabelle’s face and gripped her chin. “You and Master Garrett should go into the conference room and finish your conversation there. Another outburst like that, though, and you answer to me. Are we clear?”
Isabelle nodded and trudged toward the conference room. Garrett waited until she was a few feet ahead before he followed.
Hunter stuck his hand out and stopped him. “Any idea what that was about?”
Garrett looked down at his hands. “She lost her job today. I have a sneaking suspicion she might be one of the people I laid off. I had no idea she worked at the fulfillment center.”
Hunter whistled. “Fuck. Good luck cleaning this one up. If you need me to step in, let me know.”
&nbs
p; Garrett knew he was offering to handle punishing the girl. There was no way they could let her outburst go unpunished. Not when it had happened in front of so many members. That was of course if she even wanted to continue her role as a house submissive. It would not surprise him if she asked to be released. He just hoped he could talk her into staying.
In the conference room, Garrett did his best to leave his dominance at the door. That wasn’t what she needed right now, and he needed some answers.
“I’m so sorry, Isabelle. I assume the job you lost today was at the Colorado Logistics fulfillment center?”
She nodded as she lowered herself into one of the office chairs and curled her legs underneath her.
Garrett sat as well and buried his face in his hands. “Doll, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t call me that,” she said harshly.
“Isabelle, I’m not going to try and make excuses, but I swear, greed had nothing to do with my decision to let people go. If I had known you were on the list of employees my people wanted to lay off, I would have stopped them.”
“What about the four other members of my family? Would you have stopped them from being fired too?”
Fuck, five people in one family? Garrett had no idea how the fuck his managers had let this happen, but he knew heads would roll over this mistake.
“Jesus, Isabelle. I’m so sorry. I’ll call tomorrow and get this fixed.”
“Don’t bother. My family is proud. They wouldn’t take anything else from you at this point.”
Garrett swore. “Look. I know you’re pissed at me and clearly you have reason to be, but I need you to answer a question. What did you mean when you said you didn’t get severance pay?”
Her head flew up, her hazel eyes shooting daggers at him. “What kind of business owner are you if you don’t know the ins and outs of your own damn company?”
He sighed and dragged a hand through his hair. “I have to delegate, Isabelle. My company is global. I can’t pay attention to every single detail or I would get nothing done. That’s what I pay executive staff for.”