by Amy Cecil
She nods.
“The kids will be in the toaster for a while longer, until their lungs and heart are fully developed, so we want the wedding to happen before the kids come home and Emma is too busy with them. Doc guesses it’ll be a couple months.”
“We got this,” Honey assures me. She turns toward the girls. “We need to find a place first and foremost. So let’s start searching venues and get on the phone.”
Both girls leave and get to work.
Honey turns toward me. “Have I told you lately how awesome you are?”
“Not in the last thirty minutes,” I tease. She leans, not saying a word, and kisses me full on the mouth. God, I love this woman!
When she breaks the kiss, I say, “We need to get down to Tranquil Gardens and clean house.”
“Clean?”
“Talk to the staff, decide who we’re keeping and who’s going.”
“Oh. And I noticed you referred to the spa as Serenity Knights and the club as Silent Knights? Are you changing the name?”
“Yes, we want a whole new image. We wanted to give them names that were related but ones that will also keep them each as their individual identity. The spa will remain the upscale day spa that it is, with new staff of course. And the club is going to get a major overhaul. We are hiring new staff and creating an exclusive membership into the club.”
“I like it!” Honey says. “I can’t wait to get started.”
“You’re gonna love it, baby. This is exactly what you needed and you’re gonna shine.”
“I know you had something to do with this, Sainte. Thank you.”
“I may have dropped a hint or two, but Ice came up with it all on his own. Despite what you may think, he thinks very highly of you.”
“That means so much. Thank you.”
“Now get ready to go, and we’ll get started on our new venture together.”
She smiles and turns to run up the stairs. A few minutes later, she comes down with her purse and walks to me. “I’m ready.”
“Oh, one more thing before I forget.” I take her phone and keys from my pocket. “I think it’s about time I return these to you.”
She beams. “Thank you, Sainte.” Taking them and placing them in her purse, she says, “I won’t let you down.”
We leave, get on my bike, and head out.
We spend the next several hours talking with the staff. We decide to keep some of the existing employees, while others must go. I notice that the hostess who checked us in the other night and the Master are gone. They must have been Santino’s people. I have to say it is a comforting feeling knowing that the trafficking portion of this establishment is long gone.
Through the years I worked with the Vitalis, we came across many organizations that were heavy in human trafficking. They would spend thousands and make millions. Girls would be abducted from just about anywhere they went alone: grocery stores, gyms, massage parlors, etc. They would be trained, conditioned, and sold into slavery. It makes my stomach turn when I think of the money people make from this illegal shit with no consideration to what they’re doing to another human being. Well, I’m glad they’re out of Edinboro.
When we finish, I ask Honey, “You happy?”
“I am.” She puts some papers away she had on her desk and then says, “I think we have a good promising staff here and can see great things to come.”
“I do too. We’re gonna need to find a new Master for the inexperienced.”
“Yeah, I know. We’ll need to look around. I’m sure the right guy is out there. I’ll just have to test them out,” she says.
What? I grab her arm and pull her close. “Ain’t no other man touches what’s mine!”
She laughs. “Well how will we know?”
I know she is teasing just to get a rise out of me. After all, she learned from the best. She loves my dominant possessive side, and she knows exactly how to bring it out.
“You’ll know. You don’t need to experiment.”
She laughs again. “Come on, big guy. We need to get back to the clubhouse and help Brianne. She’s got some pretty big shoes to fill.”
I love this confident and radiant woman before me. Her teasing nature is her best quality, and it is so good to see. I knew she had it in her. It’s why I never gave up. But what she has revealed is so much better than I expected.
We put everything away and make our way out. When we get to the door, a guy is approaching.
“Can we help you?” I ask.
“Ah yes, I was looking for work.”
“Are you a masseuse?” Honey asks.
“Ah, no, but I heard the club is under new management.” How the fuck did word get out so fast? I swear, nothing is sacred anymore. “I was hoping to work in the club.”
“And what do you do, uh, Mister…?”
“Lennox.” He holds out his hand toward Honey. “Jensen Lennox.”
“Well, Mr. Lennox, you realize this club is owned by the Knights of Silence MC?”
“I do.” He extends his hand toward me. I shake it, eyeing him warily.
“And you don’t have a problem working for bikers?”
“No, ma’am.”
“So back to my original question. What do you specialize in?”
He holds his head up high and says, “Sex.”
Honey takes a step back, and I swear she blushes. Then she says, “Come back tomorrow at ten and we can talk.”
“I will, thank you,” he says and turns to leave.
She puts her helmet on as I sit on the bike. “You were right.”
“About what?” I ask.
“I know.” She giggles, and I growl. Suddenly, I’m not so sure I want her spending a lot of time at the club.
I feel her hands around my waist as we pull out of the parking lot, and I think to myself, Life with this girl is never gonna be dull.
Chapter 27
Honey
Emma comes home today. I’m so excited to see her. I haven’t been to the hospital to see the babies yet; I still can’t believe she ended up having twins. It’s a good thing they have Tara to help. They had originally asked me, but Tara is a much better fit to help out, and besides, Sainte and I have the club. I’m so excited.
I’m at the club now, waiting for my ten o’clock appointment: Mr. Jensen Lennox, who specializes in sex, or so he says. How delicious is that? The man oozed sex. Handsome, soft-spoken, and a body that would make any woman melt… And, although he was polite and courteous, I could see he is very much the dominant. He earned brownie points with me when I realized he knows the difference between his submissive and his potential boss.
Sainte insisted he be here for the interview, so he currently stands to my right—protectively, I might add. I look up at him and smile. Ice has given me an incredible opportunity, and I swear I’m gonna put this club on the map. People will come from all over to our club.
Brooke steps into my office. “A Mr. Lennox is here to see you.” Brooke is the receptionist from the spa who let Sainte in the day of my massage. When we talked with the staff, I felt she would be more valuable working directly for me and Sainte, so we moved her to the main offices.
“Send him in, please.”
Sainte takes a step forward as he walks in. He’s dressed in black jeans and a black button-down shirt that is just tight enough to show off every ripple in his chest. His dark hair is cut short, and although it’s not a look I generally prefer, it looks smokin’ hot and makes him more polished than he looked yesterday.
“Good morning,” he says, the words flowing smoothly from his mouth. This man, if he is as good as he looks, is gonna have women worshipping at his feet.
Sainte places his hand on my shoulder. He’s staking his claim. He obviously doesn’t know me very well. Yes, I may have kissed him while things were undecided with Hawk, but once my mind is made up, I don’t stray. He will never have to worry about me finding another man. He’s it for me, but I don’t tell him that because, really, th
e uncertainty keeps him on his toes. A bigger ego is something he definitely does not need.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Lennox.”
He sits in the chair across from my desk. “Thank you.”
“So, as you know, the club is under new management. The MC discovered the club had some, shall we say, shady dealings that didn’t sit well with the Knights. They stepped in and purchased the club.” I look up at Sainte. “This is Sainte. He is the club’s SA and co-manager of this club, along with me. My name is Amanda, but my friends call me Honey.”
“And if I get the job, what should I call you?”
Sainte growls softly.
This guy is flirting with me. “Amanda, for now.” I lean back in my chair. “And let’s get something straight. If we hire you, our relationship is strictly business. Understood?”
He nods. “Understood.”
“Now tell me, Mr. Lennox, why do you think you would be a good fit for Silent Knights?”
“Well, I’m a Dom, but you probably already figured that out. I’ve spent a lot of time in some of the big clubs and have quite a reputation.”
“Reputation?”
He smiles. “Let’s just say, Amanda, I’m very good at what I do.”
I nod. “I see.” I fold my hands in my lap. “Go on.”
“Well, like I said, I have spent a lot of time in some of the bigger and well-known clubs. My style and expertise is what put them on the map.”
“So why a small town like Edinboro and a small club like Silent Knights?”
He leans back in the chair and crosses his left leg over his right. I’m guessing he’s a lefty. Not that it really matters, but there is something about this guy that just doesn’t add up. If he is so “well known,” why the fuck is he here? “I’m originally from Edinboro. I haven’t been back in years. I’ve grown tired of the big-city life. I’m getting older now and am looking for a bit of a slower pace.” Older? He can’t be more than thirty-five or thirty-six.
“And what do you see as your role in the club?”
“Well, I know there used to be a Master here.”
“We no longer have that position open,” Sainte snaps.
I look up at him.
“Oh, please, don’t get me wrong. I know what he was doing. That’s not what I’m saying. I believe women and men are intrigued by these type of clubs. They want to experience the Dom/sub life but not fully commit to it.”
“I tend to agree.” I nod, then look up at Sainte. “Sainte?”
He nods.
He takes Sainte’s nod as a cue to continue. “I would like to help these people, teach them, even if it is for a night. Instead of being the master, I can be the instructor.”
“And will you engage, say to give the watchers something to entice them to use your services?”
“Oh, absolutely. I love to be watched,” he says with a grin. This man just screams confidence, sex, and lust. I can see women lining up just for a chance with him, even if they aren’t interested in the Dom/sub lifestyle. They’ll just want a piece of him.
“Is there anything else you want to share with us that might alter our decision?”
“Well…” He looks at Sainte and then me. “Let me be frank. I think you should watch me in action.” Oh, my. I was afraid he was gonna say that. “Amanda, would you like to give it a try?”
“Oh, fuck no!” Sainte steps forward.
“It’s not what you think.” He tries to defend himself to Sainte, who is now taking a menacing step toward him. I try to hold Sainte back, but it’s not working either.
“Sainte!” I yell, and he stops. I look at him. “Please.”
He nods.
I look at Mr. Lennox. “I will not like to give it a try. If you would like to perform for Sainte and me, then you will need to find your own submissive.”
Sainte physically calms before my eyes and steps back to his space behind my chair.
“I honestly meant no disrespect. I think once you see, you’ll understand.”
I lean down toward my phone and push the intercom button. “Brooke, could you come in here, please?”
“Of course, Ms. Benson.”
Brooke walks in. “First of all, please call me Amanda.”
She smiles shyly. “Amanda. Sorry.”
“Mr. Lennox here is looking for a young lady to be his sub for…” I look at him.
“An hour?”
I continue. “An hour. He would like to demonstrate to Sainte and me his skills. Would you be interested?”
She looks him over, and a huge smile crosses over her face. “Yes ma’am,” she says eagerly.
“Mr. Lennox, would you care to begin?”
He walks up to Brooke. He’s tall and towers over her short frame. He begins petting her hair. “That’s my good girl,” he says smoothly. He whispers something in her ear, but I can’t make out what he says. “My name is Jensen Lennox, but you will never address me by my name. You will call me Sir. I’m about to show your employers what briefly happens in a Dom/sub experience. You are asked to be an active participant in this little scenario we are about to do, and in the event this gets to be too much for you, you only need to use the safe word. Is there a word you’d like to use?”
“Um, how about red?”
“Okay, red. Red means stop. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
He slaps her behind. “Yes what?” he demands.
“Yes, Sir.”
He pets her hair. “Good girl.” He leans in to her ear again, and I realize he’s not saying anything to her; he’s rewarding her with a kiss. Within seconds, he has turned to her into putty, molding to his every whim.
Sainte leans down and whispers in my ear, “Perhaps you should start calling me sir.” He nuzzles my neck.
I smile with a grin. I love this man.
“Brooke, I would like you to undress down to your bra and panties.”
She looks at him, then at Sainte and me. She’s not comfortable, and I’m about to put a stop to this when he slaps her behind again and she begins to remove her clothes. Holy fuck, he is in total control over her.
Once she is standing before us in just her bra and panties, he says, “Good girl.”
She is now conditioned to his kiss and waits for it eagerly, leaning into him as he comes in for another.
“Kneel,” he says, and without question, she kneels. He pats her head. “Good girl.” He walks around her and orders her to sit tall, shoulders back, hands in her lap.
She does everything without question.
He turns toward me and Sainte. “Shall I continue? Or have you both seen enough?”
“Ah, I think we’ve seen enough.”
He instructs Brooks to stand and dress. When she is finished dressing, he saunters toward her and says, “You are a very good girl.” He pulls her close to him and rewards her with a kiss to the lips. And not a chaste kiss either. This kiss is full-on mouth-and-tongue kiss.
She literally melts into his arms.
When he breaks the kiss, he asks, “Brooke, are you still with me?”
She smiles. “Yes, Sir.”
“Once you leave my presence, will you be able to go back to your daily tasks and function normally?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Very good. You may go now,” he says to her when he breaks away.
She doesn’t even look back at Sainte or me to see if we want her to go. Well, I for one am damn impressed. She was completely under his spell and answered to him and him alone.
“Need I say more?” he asks. He’s a cocky son of a bitch but damned good. He definitely has a gift and a reason to be sure of himself.
“Nope, I think we’ve seen enough.” I stand and hand him an application. “Please fill this out. Be sure to include references, and we’ll be in touch.”
He looks at me surprised but takes the application. I’m guessing he was sure he had the job. He probably does, but he’s not in control over me. I am. I turn back toward Sainte
, and he looks at me surprised as well. I guess he was thinking the same thing. I smile at him and wink.
He grins. He knows.
Chapter 28
Sainte
After Honey and I get our work done at the club, we head to Ice’s house. Emma should be home by now, and I’m anxious to see her. She scared the living hell out of me. We get to Ice’s, and there are several bikes parked out front. I guess several members of the club want to see her.
I park the bike and cut off the engine. We take off our helmets and hang them from the handle bar, then we dismount and go inside. I don’t even bother knocking. It’s apparent there is a party going on here, and everyone knows when you are going to a party, you don’t need to knock. Well, at least in my rule book.
Ice greets us at the door. “Hey! Come on in.” Pride radiates from him. Emma has gotten the all clear, the kids are getting stronger every day, and all is good. He has been through so much lately. He deserves this. He pats me on the back and gives Honey a hug. “How are things going at the club?”
“Good, real good. I think Honey has found her niche.”
He smiles. “That is great to hear.” He turns toward her. “So you like it?”
“I do, Ice, thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. You were the right person for the job.”
She smiles. “I’m gonna go see Emma.” She leans in and kisses me on the cheek and then leaves.
Once she is out of earshot, he asks, “Everything good?”
“Real good. She is in her element at the club.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He takes a sip of his beer. “Wanna beer?”
“I’ll get one in a minute. How are the twins?”
“Oh man, they are getting stronger every day. They are so fucking perfect.”
“Any word on when they can come home?”
“Probably at least another month or so.”
“Ah, that sucks.”
“Hey, I’m good with that as long as they keep getting stronger every day. I’ll wait as long as I have to, to ensure their little tickers and breathers are strong.”