She slowly walked around the perimeter of the house, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that this was, indeed, all that was left of her life with Mrs. Stone. After stepping carefully over boards and piles of ash and debris, she walked down the front walk to the three steps that led to the city-maintained sidewalk. Once there she collapsed in shock as the guilt that Mrs. Stone had died because she had not been there overwhelmed her.
Before she could completely fall apart, a burgundy sedan pulled into the driveway. An older man climbed out and approached.
“Miss Tate?”
“Yes,” Daria said, feeling numb as she pushed to her feet.
“William Birch. Thank you for meeting me here. I’m sure this is difficult, but I have a few questions before I can finish filing your claim.”
“Sure, whatever,” Daria said.
She took several deep breaths to regain the control she had always prided herself on. She would cry later. Right now, there was business to be dealt with.
* * * *
As Roman went through the morning, his attention was divided between the clock on the wall, his task of training two volunteers on proper knot tying when it came to water rescues, and the phone on his belt. He wished he could have brought Daria to work with him today, but the chief was a stickler for rules and protocol. Besides, Daria had things to do, but he wondered it was this was too soon for them to leave her alone.
When his phone rang, he automatically glanced at the readout before pulling it from his belt. “What’s up, baby?”
“Roman? I…um…oh never mind, it’s not important.”
“Daria, don’t you dare hang up,” Roman growled as he walked down the hall into the exercise room for privacy. “Talk to me.”
“You’re probably busy.”
“We’re on lunch break, and as long as we don’t get called out, nothing is more important than you. Now, what’s going on?” Roman sat on the bicycle and began riding.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” she said, her voice sounding watery.
“Sorry for what? Did you buy an ugly black dress?” he said, hoping for a laugh. Instead, she began to sob on the other end of the phone.
It was a couple of minutes before she sniffed and said, “It’s my fault Mrs. Stone is dead. I’m so sorry.”
Before Roman could respond, a beep sounded and the connection was broken. Checking his phone’s display, he found his phone fully charged, so he assumed Daria’s battery had died. They would be having a long talk about that when he got home in the morning. All he could do now was get back to work and hope she came by so he could assure her that she was not at fault.
“Was that Daria?” Gage asked from the doorway.
“Yes, but her phone died before she could tell me what’s wrong.”
“Uh-oh,” Gage said as the two men walked back to the kitchen. “Somebody’s in trouble.”
“You could say that. Especially since she was crying and saying that Mrs. Stone’s death was her fault.”
“What did Brian say?” Gage asked, referring to the department’s arson investigator. “You talked to him, didn’t you?”
“Not yet. He’s been out of the building all morning. But I will as soon as he gets back.”
Chapter 11
By five o’clock, all Daria wanted to do was find a cave and hide from the world. Not one thing she tried to accomplish had gone right. She spent most of the day running from the funeral home to the city office in charge of scheduling park events and back again three times due to a misplaced file and miscommunication. Though she had filled out new paperwork and jumped through all the hoops, she still did not have the necessary clearances needed to hold Mrs. Stone’s funeral at Union Point, which had been the woman’s request ever since her stroke five years before.
In addition, she still had to get permission from someone to scatter the ashes over the Neuse River, which meant figuring out which department she needed to beg, and she did not have it in her to fight anymore. Instead, she went home and found several more containers of food on the front porch with sympathy notes from several of their neighbors.
After carrying the food into the house, she pulled three of the oldest casseroles out of the refrigerator and heated them. Then she put pieces of masking tape on the new dishes and dated them so they would continue to eat the oldest food first. She forgot about her cell phone until she was ready to leave to deliver Roman and Gage their dinner. She found a power cord that fit her phone in the kitchen. She plugged it in, but before she turned it on, the oven timer went off, and she turned to deal with the food.
Pulling into the fire station visitor’s parking lot, Daria saw the trucks all parked in the designated spaces. Her men were in the house. All she had to do was deliver the food, and then she could go home and give in to the deep, dark funk hovering her around her like a cloud.
After several long minutes of deep breathing, Daria climbed from her car, almost hoping she did not see either Roman or Gage while she was delivering dinner. Reaching in the back seat, she pulled out the baskets that held everything she had packed. Nudging the door closed with her hip, she headed through the nearest open bay door, struggling with the two baskets
Of course, three steps into the garage and Roman emerged from one of the doors. Gage followed two steps behind him.
“Are you all right?” Gage asked as he took one of the baskets.
“Yeah, sure,” she said, knowing her tone would not convince a deaf man.
“You haven’t been answering your phone,” Roman said darkly as he relieved her of the other basket.
“I’m sorry. I plugged the phone in about a half hour ago,” she said, turning to go back to her car. “Enjoy your dinner.”
Before she could take a single step, Roman wrapped a hand around her arm. “You’re not leaving until we talk.”
Daria closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. “Please, not now, Roman. I need to—” she managed to choke out before her throat closed off with tears.
She tried to pull her arm free, but he refused to let her go. Instead, he handed his basket off to his lover.
“Gage, take these to the kitchen and tell the guys to leave us some. See if you can get a copy of Brian’s report then meet us out back.”
Gage nodded as he took the basket. After entering a code into the keypad attached to a nearby door, he waited for the door to buzz then disappeared through the doorway.
As soon as he was out of sight, Roman headed toward the open back garage door. He did not say a word, nor did he let her go until they were in the large parking lot just behind the firehouse. He then released her arm but slid his hand down her arm to lace their fingers together before she could think about pulling away.
Daria looked around, but there was no one in sight.
“What are you going to do to me?” she asked, her voice quivering with emotion as he led her between two tall trucks.
When they reached a sedan shielded from the firehouse’s view, Roman stopped and leaned against the sedan’s trunk. He bent his right leg and rested his boot on the car’s bumper. Pulling Daria forward, he positioned her over his thigh with her ass sticking out prominently. Then he slapped her left ass cheek painfully hard.
“Do not make a sound,” Roman ordered harshly as his hand landed equally hard on the center of her right cheek a few seconds later. “Gage told you to keep your phone with you and turned on, but you didn’t.”
Smack.
Daria nodded in agreement though she did not know if he saw her head moving. The punishment continued with slow, harsh strokes.
“You didn’t come by when your phone died. Gage and I have been worried out of our minds.”
Smack.
Instead of fighting for her freedom, Daria relaxed and embraced the pain that blossomed across her ass cheeks. She deserved this and so much more for not being there when Mrs. Stone needed her.
“You are not alone in this. You don’t have to do it all yourself.”
Smack.
Daria opened her mouth to say she did not want anyone else to be bothered, but all that emerged was a nearly soundless sob that felt like it came from her toes. When she heard footsteps she stiffened, not wanting a stranger to see this even though she knew all of the men and women who worked with her men.
“Roman! What the hell are you doing?”
Daria relaxed again, waiting, hoping, needing more smacks on her ass. Instead, Roman’s hand settled on her ass and began to rub the skin through her jeans.
“I’m doing my job as Master of the house. Daria let her phone die, and then she didn’t come here to finish our conversation. Then she tried to blow smoke up our asses by telling us she’s fine when it’s more than obvious that she’s not. And you might want to watch your tone, slave, else you’ll be getting a few punishment strokes of your own.”
“I’m sorry, Master,” Gage said, sounding truly contrite.
“That’s better.”
Roman helped her to stand then wrapped his arms around her. He held her head to his chest as she cried. “There, baby girl, all done and forgiven. Next time I won’t go so easy on you.”
Daria tried to pull away, but Roman’s powerful arms held her secure as he continued to murmur assurances in her ear. Her tears finally slowed and stopped, but Daria didn’t move away. It felt so good to be cuddled against Roman that she wished she could stay right where she was for the rest of the month.
“Did you get a copy of Brian’s report?”
“He said he won’t have it finished until tomorrow. But he has classified it as accidental and electrical in nature.”
“Hear that, baby girl? The fire was an accident. There was nothing you could have done. And if you had been home, you might have died trying to save Mrs. Stone.”
Having that bluntly pointed out to her, Daria took a deep breath and fought to pull her tattered control back around her even tighter than before. Once she’d gotten herself back under control, she lifted her head and stepped away from Roman. “Thank you,” she said, not looking in his eyes.
Roman nodded then leaned forward and kissed her deeply. “You’re welcome,” he whispered against her lips.
When he released her, Gage turned her to face him and hugged her as well. “So, what did you do today? Lie around and eat bonbons all day? Or did you spend the day playing with my toys?” Gage said, referring to his large collection of RC cars and trucks.
“Please, don’t make me think of all that I did not get done today. Let’s just say the bureaucracy is alive and well, especially when it comes to Mrs. Stone’s funeral,” Daria said as she wiped her tears away. She then quickly told her men of all the running around she’d done and what had and had not been accomplished.
“Angel, you shouldn’t have to do this alone. We can handle all this tomorrow.”
Daria shook her head as she looked away. “This is my responsibility, and tomorrow is your day off. You should be kicking back and—Ouch,” she yelped when Roman smacked an already tender spot on her left ass cheek.
“I’m going to put you back over my knee if you don’t change your thinking,” Roman growled. “You are not alone. We are a family now. We’ll deal with it together. Now come on, let’s go eat. I’m hungry.”
“For food or our girl?” Gage snarked as they headed back to the station.
“Both,” Roman said with a dark and sexy chuckle that sent a shiver of excitement through Daria to gather in her clit. “For now we’ll deal with the food. Later we’ll deal with the other.”
* * * *
Roman refused to let Daria go home after she had eaten dinner with them. Instead, he talked his way out of a training session and they settled in the television room. He sat on one of the oversized recliners and pulled her to sit across his lap. He held her securely when she tried to get up as others wandered into the room an hour later.
She wasn’t sure if it was because he liked her where she was or if he needed her to hide the erection that pressed into her hip. Knowing she wouldn’t win, she shifted closer and began to tighten her leg and butt muscles to massage the hard-on.
A couple joined them for the last half of the epic Western while others went into the kitchen for a snack. When the others said good night and began to head upstairs to the dormitory, Daria knew it was time for her to leave as well.
“Guess I’ll head on home now,” Daria said.
“Not yet.” Roman led her down the hall and out the back door of the building. “You’ve been teasing me all evening, and there is no way I’ll be able to sleep until you deal with this.” Taking hold of her wrist, he pressed her hand against his erection as they walked toward the parking lot.
The feel of his cock twitching behind his uniform sent heat from fingers to nipple and pussy, and suddenly all she wanted was to bend over and beg him to fuck her until they both howled at the crescent moon overhead.
The door they had just come through opened and closed again. She hoped it was Gage coming to join them and not one of the other men going for a walk. Roman did not seem to have such concerns as he led her past the parking lot to a small wooded area on the other side.
She was not surprised to see a picnic table in a small clearing, but the blanket spread out on the grass next to it caught her off guard. Roman did not stop until they stood next to the blanket. Then he looked at her with an expression she recognized as intense sexual hunger.
“Roman?”
“Shhh, baby girl. No talking as you strip.”
“Strip? Naked? Here?”
Chapter 12
Roman glanced around the area as Gage walked up. “Okay, then just from the waist down. Slave, naked from waist to knees, sheath your cock, then lay face up on the blanket.”
Gage nodded and reached for his belt. In seconds, he was laying on the blanket as ordered. Daria toed off her sneakers and then dropped her jeans before kneeling next to the man on the blanket.
She asked, “Roman, may I?” as she stared at Gage’s cock and licking her lips.
“For a few minutes, but keep your ass up so I can put this in it,” he answered, showing her a deep red butt plug.
Daria sucked a breath. “Why?”
“This is to start your training so that soon you’ll be able to take both of us at the same time, Gage in your pussy while I fill your luscious ass,” Roman said as he worked his hand under her shirt and bra so he could tweak a beaded nipple.
“Oooooo,” Daria breathed as her pussy juices overfilled her channel and dampened her thighs.
Kneeling beside Gage, she began kissing her way up his closest thigh. He moaned softly and his hips hitched upward when she finally reached the apex of his legs. Shifting a bit, Daria smiled as she placed a soft kiss on each ball before turning her attention to his long, hard cock. Licking her lips, she extended her tongue and traced the big vein up the underside of his cock, making him moan again.
When she reached the head, she wrapped one hand around the base and lifted the drooling head from where it lay on his belly. She licked across the head, savoring the juices that oozed from his slit. Parting her lips, she took as much of his length into her mouth as she could before closing her lips around the shaft. She had just begun to bob up and down his length when she felt Roman move in behind her.
“Oh, baby girl, your butt is still all pink,” he murmured as he ran fingertips over the hot skin, setting Daria to shivering under his touch.
She hummed around Gage’s cock, which caused him to make yet another moaning sound as one hand wrapped around the back of her neck. He held her in place as Roman slid a wet, slicked up finger down between the globes of her ass to her back door.
“Relax, Daria, I’m going to prepare you,” Roman murmured as the finger pressed through her opening.
Daria froze and sucked harder on Gage as she tried to relax as Roman kissed each ass cheek. His finger slid in then twisted left and right before pulling out again.
When she felt a cold hardness pressing for entr
ance, she froze and stopped breathing as it stretched the muscular rings wider and wider. She didn’t recognize the whining sound came from her until Roman rubbed a hand up her back, pushing her shirt out of his way as he did.
“Shhh, baby, it’s almost in,” he said.
Her muscles fought the intruder though Roman continued to press the plug until the plug narrowed and its base pressed against her perineum. Then a finger slid down between her lower lips until he found her clit. He circled it several times as she continued working Gage’s shaft.
“Master, may I?” she heard Gage whisper.
“Not yet. Daria, release him,” Roman said in his Master voice.
Sliding his hand up under her, he lifted her until she had to release Gage’s cock or pull it off his body. Looking over her shoulder, she frowned at him. “But I wasn’t finished.”
* * * *
She looked so cute as she pouted that Roman had a hard time not letting her continue. But he had something a little different for her.
“Climb on and ride our stud, cowgirl. And if you still need something in your mouth, you can suck on this,” he said as he opened his pants and fished out his erection.
“Mmmm, yes, Roman.” Daria licked her lips as she moved to straddle his slave boy’s hips.
“Take it slow and easy,” Roman instructed as she lifted up and fit the head of Gage’s cock to her open, wet pussy.
When she began to groan as she lowered herself onto Gage’s big cock, Roman turned her head and pressed his cock deep into her mouth to muffle her. She latched on and sucked hard, sending his arousal high so fast he had to catch his breath.
“Relax, baby, or this is going to be over before it ever gets started,” he said as his fingers brushed through her hair.
* * * *
McKenzie, Cooper - Daria's Heroes [Men Out of Uniform 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 8