From Sanctum with Love ARe

by Lexi Blake

  It had actually felt good to tell him. It made it easier for her to tell him other things. “I knew your brother in Los Angeles. I worked for a production company before I came out here. Strictly professional. I didn’t date him or anything.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. Maybe it makes me a bad guy, but I’m glad you didn’t date him. My brother and I have history when it comes to the women in our lives. I think I push away women I could care about because he slept with my fiancée. I thought I’d gotten over it, but now I have to wonder. I wish he hadn’t come here.”

  He was not practicing what he preached. “Hey, you’re the one who always says you have to face your issues. I think Jared is one big issue for you.”

  His chest moved as he chuckled. “But if I’d faced him tonight, I would be arguing with him instead of being warm and in bed with you, so in this case deflection works in my favor. Go to sleep. We’ll deal with all of this in the morning. It’s going to be all right. We’re going to be all right. You’ll see.”

  Nothing had to change except she got to cuddle up with the most beautiful man she’d ever met.

  One day he would meet the right sub. One day he wouldn’t need her anymore and he would want to be with someone who could fulfill all his needs, every one of his sick and glorious desires.

  But for now she could find some peace with him. She moved her leg up, putting her thigh over his…what the hell was that? She’d touched something hard and thick and impossibly long.

  “Kai?”

  “Yeah, that’s my penis. He’s not going to attack. He’s just…reacting. He needs some time to calm down. Go to sleep. He’ll still be there in the morning. You do have a cold shower, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Excellent.” He shifted so his cock wasn’t right up against her anymore.

  His really big, really erect cock.

  It was the longest time before she got to sleep.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Kai neatly flipped the omelet. One of the helpful things about being the son of a mom who had worked two, sometimes three jobs at times was the fact that he’d learned to cook at a very young age. He stared down at the ham and cheese and spinach omelet and a memory came rushing in. He’d been eight and trying to cook eggs for Jared and they’d burned because…he was flipping eight years old. Jared had sat at the table and eaten every bite, insisting they were awesome even though Kai knew they sucked. He’d told Jared he had to eat them anyway because it was all the food they had. Jared could have been a brat, but he’d smiled through the whole thing.

  “You should stay over more often.” Sarah grinned at him from her chair at the bar. There was a plate in front of her waiting for that omelet he was working on. “Kori can’t cook for shit. Well, she cooks but it’s all vegetables and nasty stuff.”

  He was grateful for the distraction. He flipped the omelet one last time before easing it on to her plate. “Kori’s a vegetarian. I always thought that was a health thing until I saw the pictures of her dogs last night.”

  Being inside Kori’s bedroom had answered a whole lot of questions for him. Of course it had brought up a whole bunch more. She didn’t talk about her past. He’d thought she was embarrassed by her sister and an underprivileged childhood—he could understand that. Now he wondered if it was something more. He knew he would have to play dirty to get under her armor.

  He’d started last night. He’d walked in thinking he would basically tell her that now they were a couple and they would work things out. One look at the fear in her eyes had made him completely change his plan. He needed a mix of hard and soft play with her. Sure she enjoyed a rough hand on her backside, but she craved someone who cared enough to be gentle with her, too. Not that she would say that. She likely didn’t recognize the need in herself, but then she wasn’t the most self-aware woman he’d ever met. It was all right because he was honest enough for both of them.

  “Ooo, breakfast.” Mia hopped onto the seat beside Sarah and clapped her hands together. “Is this made to order or should I accept anything you put in front of me? Because I can do either. I am not picky when it comes to men feeding me.”

  He could use this time to get to know the mysterious Mia better. “I’m here to serve Kori’s friends whatever they would like. Unless you want a meal that requires anything more than eggs, cheese, ham, and a surprisingly healthy amount of veggies.”

  “I will take what Sarah’s having. Yum.” Mia smiled brightly, belying any hangover she might have. “You’re up bright and early this morning. I thought the two of you might sleep in.”

  Sarah shook her head. “I’m telling you they didn’t do the nasty. I heard absolutely nothing.” She blushed. “Not that I was trying to, but the walls are thin.”

  “We were tired last night. It had been a long day.” He wasn’t about to tell them that he’d actually planned on trying to seduce her, but he’d decided she needed comfort and security more than another orgasm. He started cooking the ham and spinach. It was a trick Sean had taught him. Cook the ingredients first and then add the eggs around them. Back when he was a kid, he’d simply thrown a bunch of stuff into a pan and prayed it didn’t catch fire.

  You make the best grilled cheese, Kai. Jared would stand beside him, his eyes wide because the kid had always, always been hungry. He’d been a bottomless pit.

  Take care of your brother, Kai. He needs you more than you know. You’ve been his father his whole life.

  He forced his mother’s dying words out of his head. She hadn’t known exactly how well her youngest son could take care of himself.

  And there it was. There was that nasty kernel of anger. He thought it had gone away, thought time and distance had healed the wound, but the flame had merely been banked.

  There was a knock on the door, pulling Kai back from his thoughts. That was happening a lot this morning. He’d thought about staying in bed, but he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop himself from kissing her and he had plans for that later on today.

  Kori was going to find out what being his sub meant.

  Because he damn straight wasn’t about to be her “play partner,” whatever that meant. He was fairly certain “play partners” got no kisses.

  He wanted some kisses. Like stupidly wanted them from her. It seemed wrong to him that he’d touched her pussy, brought her to orgasm, and hadn’t kissed her yet.

  “I’ll go and see who’s here at a ridiculously early hour.” Sarah hopped off her chair.

  “I should go.” He was the guy here. The neighborhood was safe enough, but bad things still happened.

  “No, breakfast boy, you’re needed here. Trust me. I’ve opened the door many times.” Sarah flounced off. He wondered if she wore a full-length satin gown and robe with fluffy feathers and kitten-heeled slippers every morning. Sarah looked like she’d rolled out of a 1950s pinup girl’s bed. If said pinup girl wore full makeup and had perfect hair every morning.

  “So you and Kori are an item now, huh?” Mia was wearing what she’d had on the night before. When he’d woken up earlier, she’d been using Sarah’s shower, the blankets and pillows neatly folded up.

  He wished he could have gotten into her purse, but then again, he wasn’t an investigator. That didn’t mean he couldn’t help the cause. “I don’t think she would put a label on it.”

  Mia smiled and nodded. “Ah, so you’re playing around. I guess I didn’t think you were the playboy type.”

  So she was protective. That was interesting. Or she simply didn’t like men who weren’t committed. He shrugged. “I definitely wouldn’t call myself the playboy type. I kind of hate that type. Rich. Privileged. I’ve known a few. They’re practically their own stereotype. You know what I’m talking about, right? The young billionaire who thinks he owns the world because he thought up some silly app. Yeah, I’m definitely not like that.”

  Her brother was though. From what he’d read, her brother had gone from foster care to the richest man in Austin in a short period of year
s. Of course he’d also found out that her father had killed himself and Mia’s mother in a murder/suicide. That kind of childhood trauma could fuck a person up.

  Her mouth turned down. “They’re not all that way. Some of those developers work hard. Some of them use that money to pull their families out of poverty. You can’t always judge a book by its cover, you know.”

  Definitely protective. But definitely not honest. “I don’t know. I only know what I see in the media.”

  “The media often paints people in a bad light,” she said primly. “It depends on what they think will sell. They’re all about making money these days. No one seems interested in real journalism.”

  “How’s the job going?”

  According to her paperwork, she was a receptionist at a dental office. He, of course, knew her status as a freelance reporter. He had to wonder about that. He thought Big Tag and Case were too quick to think she was a Collective plant. Their own tragedy might be clouding their judgment in this case.

  “Great. It’s really nice. Keeps me busy.” She leaned forward, her eyes on the pan. “I think the work you do is extraordinary. It’s important to help people. Not many people get that. It’s a calling, I think. People like doctors and therapists and the ones who put themselves on the line to get to the truth. Sorry, I’m still waking up. I’m probably not making a ton of sense. I just wanted you to know I admire you.”

  And she felt guilty about lying to him. He would also bet she felt a kinship with him. It was there in the way she held herself as though she wanted to tell him her secret, thought he perhaps would understand. He added the egg mixture now that the spinach had gotten nice and soft and the ham was warm. “It’s important to help people in more ways than one. We all do our part. I’m sure you’re very good at helping people who are scared. A lot of people hate going to the dentist. You give them the proper facts and then they’re not so scared.”

  She nodded. “Yes. Information is very powerful. I’m glad you get that.”

  “Information can transform the world.” He was definitely getting to her. She was dying to tell someone. He wondered if she’d told Sarah, but he would bet she hadn’t.

  “It can be very important. Sometimes people aren’t what they seem and it takes someone willing to stand up and tell the truth to make justice work the way it should.”

  “What are we really talking about, Mia?”

  She bit her bottom lip, but a light came into her eyes. He knew that light. It was determination, pure and simple. She’d made a decision. She was going to spill.

  “Hey, brother. I thought I’d find you here.” His brother strode in, a smile on his face like he hadn’t been out partying like a rock star into the wee hours of the morning. Hell no. Not Jared Johns. He was practically glowing.

  He was fairly certain his brother used some serious moisturizer. And Kai wanted to punch him in his cosmetically perfect face. He’d almost had Mia talking and now she was shut down. It was right there in the stiffness of her body, the way her arms crossed over her chest as though she needed protection.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be at McKay-Taggart this morning?” He’d made a schedule for his brother, one that kept him busy most of the time and out of Kai’s hair. He’d also thought about the fact that if Jared bugged Ian too much, Big Tag might take care of his problem.

  Jared gestured back toward the living room. “Your friend came looking for you so he gave me a ride here. I’m trying to get into character so I’m avoiding limos like the plague. According to Big Tag, they’re for douchebags.”

  So Ian was already fucking with Jared. That was inevitable. He glanced back and Case Taggart was standing in the doorway, his massive body filling the space.

  “I went to your office to find out if Kori’s all right,” Case said, his eyes going to Mia. “Hello, Mia. I’m surprised to find you here. Shouldn’t you be at work?”

  She slid off her barstool. “I was getting ready to go. Kai, it turns out I don’t have time for breakfast. Thanks, anyway. I have a train to catch.”

  Case didn’t move. “Or I could take you. I’ll drop you off wherever you like.”

  Mia stopped, as though wary. “Really?”

  Case nodded. “Of course. I’m sorry. We got off on the wrong foot. I’ve been sharp with you and I apologize.”

  “You’ve been a complete asshole,” she argued.

  “Then let me make it up to you. Let me give you a ride to work.” Where he would likely follow her to see where she went because Mia didn’t work at the place she said she did. It looked like Case was taking a play from his brothers’ book. Charm. It was so much easier to catch flies with honey or a smile and the promise of pleasure.

  Mia softened, her eyes lighting a bit. “If it’s not out of your way.”

  “Not at all.” Case was working. Kai was certain she could have said she needed to go to Oklahoma and Case would have claimed he was going that way, too.

  Thank god. One less thing for him to deal with. Where the hell was Kori? If she’d slipped out, he was going to spank her.

  He flipped the omelet and then slid it on the plate.

  “It’s raining men in here today,” Sarah said with a smile as she looked over at Jared. “Can I get you some coffee?”

  There was no way to miss how Jared’s eyes slid over Sarah’s curves. “I’ll take anything you have, honey. And I like it strong.”

  He was going to vomit. “Mia, do you want to try to take this with you?”

  “I’m late, but thanks anyway.” Mia was following Case into the living room.

  “Thank god,” Jared said, taking her place at the bar. “I’m starving. All you had at your place was granola and shit. I need some protein. I can start with that, but I’ll probably need two or three of those.”

  Sarah set the coffee mug in front of him. “Because you burn so many calories when you’re doing all that workout stuff. I subscribe to all your YouTube channels. My favorite one is Jared’s Abs of Steel where someone spliced all your Dart workouts together and set it to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On.’ I watch it at least once a day.”

  He was definitely going to vomit. There was a reason he didn’t spend much time on the Internet.

  “So you can give Kori a ride?” Case said as he held the door open for Mia.

  Sarah sat down beside Jared as he dug into Mia’s omelet. Kai was fairly certain he heard her saying something about how perfectly masculine Jared’s eating practices were.

  Kai was confused and not only by his brother’s innate ability to attract fawning women. “I can but why would Kori need a ride?”

  Case looked out the door as though making certain Mia didn’t get away. “You don’t know? I thought that was why you came over here. I was sure when I saw your Jeep in the driveway that she’d called you. Dude, did you and Kori get it on last night? Because I’ve got some money riding on it and it would be better for me if you held off a few weeks.”

  Fucking assholes. “When did this start up?”

  “After that scene last night,” Case admitted.

  “This is excellent, Kai,” Jared said with a nod. “I don’t suppose you could whip up some pancakes. It’s been a long time since I had your pancakes. I’ll run ’em off, if you know what I mean.”

  “I’ll watch you run,” Sarah vowed. “I’ll set up a couple of lawn chairs, make some mimosas, and you can run all around the block.”

  “Shut that shit down, Case.” He wasn’t about to have it get back to Kori that there was a damn betting pool concerning when they were going to sleep together. Still, something was definitely missing in all the chaos his brother had brought with him. “And why were you coming over here to check on Kori? Did you honestly think I would hurt her?”

  Jared shook his head. “No. My brother would never hurt her. All that sadism stuff is strictly for the dungeon, and it looked like she was having fun, Case.”

  “Kori was having fun,” Mia said, her purse over her shoulder as she stepped
back in the doorway. “Case should understand that. I know he’s a baby Dom, but he’s been around Sanctum for a while I would think.”

  “I am not a baby Dom. I hate that term. It makes me sound soft and fluffy.” Case stared Mia’s way.

  “Well, I was told you don’t have Master rights at Sanctum,” Mia returned. “If you’re in a training class you’re a baby Dom.”

  “I think we use that term in the script.” Jared seemed to warm to the conversation. “It’s cute.”

  “And it doesn’t apply because I do have Master rights,” Case argued.

  “I don’t care about baby Doms. I want to know why you thought I would hurt Kori.” It rankled. He would never hurt her.

  “I think he’s talking about her car,” Sarah explained.

  “Some French toast would be good if you don’t want to make pancakes.” Jared was already finished with omelet number one and had reached for one of the muffins Sarah had made earlier. Where the hell did he put all those calories?

  “You should have more respect. They’re Doms in training.” Case was still trying to make his point.

  This was why he lived alone. Chaos. So much of it. “What about Kori’s car?”

  “Someone slashed her tires last night,” Sarah explained, passing Jared another muffin. “The secret ingredient in these is love. Well, and chocolate chips, so you’ll definitely need to lift some weights. I have hand weights in my room. Never been used before.”

  Someone slashed her tires? What the hell? She hadn’t mentioned that. Not once. They’d talked and cuddled and slept together wrapped up all night and she hadn’t once slipped that tidbit of information in.

  They had rules. Oh, they needed new rules, but they had a few rules that had been set down when she’d become his assistant. Try to be on time. Call if you’re late or sick. She had free run of the building, including his living quarters if she needed anything at all. And if she felt herself in danger, she was to call him.

  He hadn’t gotten a fucking call.