by Avery Gale
His soft chuckle put her at ease, “Sweetness, you have a very nasty concussion. I’d be more surprised if you weren’t struggling a bit to keep up. Now, what’s hurting you so much it’s draining the energy right out of you?”
“My head. It feels like it’s going to explode.” She hated how thin her voice sounded. She’d never been one to give in to weakness easily, but damn her head hurt so bad she was worried she might throw up.
Carl picked up a glass of water she hadn’t noticed and positioned the straw to her lips, “Take several small sips. Let’s start by rehydrating you. I’m sure as a physician you well know the connection between hydration and headaches, but it’s awfully easy to forget the basics when you are the patient.” CeCe did know, but just as he’d said, she hadn’t even thought to take a couple drinks of water. When she’d finished he set the glass aside and began massaging her right hand. “You are right handed, correct?” When she nodded he smiled and continued, paying particular attention to the space between her thumb and forefinger. She flinched when he hit a particularly tender spot and he looked up into her eyes, “That’s the spot, now lean back and breathe through this for me.” Before she’d even gotten into position, he pressed firmly on the tender spot he’d identified and held it tightly between his fingers for so long she was almost panting to keep from pulling back. But when he released her hand she was shocked to find her headache wasn’t nearly as severe as it had been just a few minutes earlier.
Like most physicians, she didn’t feel like she knew nearly enough about alternative medical treatments. Medical schools didn’t emphasize those and once doctors reached residency, they were so overwhelmed and exhausted there wasn’t time to add anything else to their plates. Perhaps someday she would be able to scale back her schedule enough to allow her time to study some of the more popular methods because clearly there were things her patients could benefit from. Carl slipped his hands on either side of her neck so the pads of his middle fingers pressed solidly against the spots at the base of her skull she knew were referred to as the "Gates of Consciousness." Her headache had already abated enough that this time she felt an immediate flood of relief and for the first time since she’d opened her eyes she wasn’t worried the nausea was going to overwhelm her.
She hadn’t realized her eyes had closed until she heard Cam’s voice, “Is she alright?”
“Yes, she had a bad headache and I know they won’t give her anything for it because of the concussion, so I was using acupressure to help alleviate some of the pain.” He’d been gently massaging her neck and the tender place where her spine disappeared into her skull—just a few more seconds and I’ll be able to slide back into the oblivion of sleep. “But if I don’t stop now she’d going to go back to sleep and I’d rather the doctor visited with her and we were able to get her out of here. This place is a nightmare to defend, we’ll be far safer at the penthouse.” Fuck me. So close, too.
*****
Carl had watched CeCe start to stir as soon as the door closed behind Cam. He wondered if the man he’d once considered his best friend had any idea what an incredible gift he’d been given when Cecelia agreed to belong to him. She’d instinctively felt safe enough to sleep while he was in the room, but the moment he’d stepped out, she’d become restless. Carl dimmed the lights and moved to the side of her bed knowing it wasn’t going to be long until she awoke in the strange room and he didn’t want her to be frightened. She’d surprised him by fighting through the pain he knew she had to be experiencing. He’d had his share of concussions and knew the headache that followed could be debilitating.
He’d seen soldiers who continued to fight during firefights despite being shot several times, men who were later flattened by the bloody headache that followed a closed head injury. It didn’t surprise him the NFL and other sports organizations were finally being forced to recognize the seriousness of the injuries they’d so often blatantly disregarded. It was obvious CeCe was accustomed to working through discomfort. He watched as she tried to bring her surroundings into focus and he stood perfectly still knowing any movement on his part would likely have her doubled over heaving her heels. When he threaded his fingers through hers, he was surprised to feel her trembling and not in the way a Dom enjoyed. Her face was so pale it was almost translucent and within seconds he saw beads of perspiration form on her forehead. The skin on her tiny hand felt clammy in his much larger one, he knew she was close to losing it.
As Carl watched CeCe struggle with the headache she’d said felt like it was going to make her head explode, he remembered watching a teammate ease a fellow soldier’s pain with touch alone. The kid had been thrown against a concrete wall by the explosive force of a car bomb detonated in the street as their group had been exiting a building. While their team was pinned down the young man’s incoherent ramblings had threatened to give away their position, but he’d been so blinded by the pain no one had been able to reason with him.
Carl remembered watching Taz work while explaining patiently that he’d learned the technique from his Sioux grandmother. He’d explained a lot more about the energy pathways of the body and how interrupting those carrying pain messages could ease a patient’s suffering, but Carl couldn’t remember all the details. But the little bit he had been able to recall had helped CeCe, and that’s all that mattered. He was grateful his Native American friend and teammate had been willing to share the information, seeing the relief in her pretty dark eyes had gone a long way to begin convincing her she was safe in his care.
Thinking about Taz made Carl smile. His name was actually Tashunka Ledek, and it hadn’t taken his fellow SEALs long to find out his first name was a traditional Sioux name meaning horse. The team had teased him relentlessly that it was far too easy to see why his parents had chosen that particular moniker because the man was enormous—all over. At six foot five Taz was intimidating, but when you added his dark coloring and SCARS. skills, he was downright terrifying. Taz had earned his nickname as a deadly street fighter in and around various military bases around the world. When his dad got tired of pulling his son’s ass out of the fire, he enrolled the young man in various martial arts classes.
From the stories that circulated through the teams, Carl knew Taz had practically sailed through the SEALs Special Combat Aggressive Reactionary Systems mixed martial arts training because it utilized skills from all the methods he’d already been using for years. The last time he and Taz had worked together, Taz had mentioned he was studying Trav Magna. The fighting method had been developed for the security services of Israel, its use of leverage made it deadly and effective no matter the fighter’s height. Adding those particular skills to an already fully loaded arsenal of abilities was going to make Taz almost unstoppable in hand-to-hand situations. Carl made a mental note to ask the Wests if they had considered bringing Taz on board their rapidly expanding team.
He’d heard Cam enter the room and had been grateful CeCe’s Master had waited quietly to the side while he’d worked. When he looked up into Cam’s eyes Carl had been surprised to see not only gratitude but a simmering lust as well. Later, as they stood in the hallway while the elderly doctor examined CeCe, Cam asked, “Where did you learn to do that?”
Kent West was standing on Cam’s other side and grinned, “I’d be willing to bet a bundle on Taz Ledek. Honestly, I’ve never met anyone else having as wide and as varied range of skills as he does. I remember our CO swearing Taz leaned a whole new set of professional skills annually just to keep from having to sit still.” Carl laughed to himself because he’d heard the commanding officer make that observation on several occasions, and the bottom line was—it was probably more accurate than any of them knew.
The doctor reluctantly released CeCe into their care, but made it clear he was only doing so because they’d all had medic training during BUD/S. The six-month Basic Underwater Deomolition/SEAL training was among the toughest in the world and the doctor’s concession was a nod to that famously rigorous regime.
It hadn’t taken the men long to return CeCe to the penthouse once she’d been discharged—hell, it had taken longer to get Tobi out of their room after settling their injured woman in bed. Tobi had been in full mommy-mode and fussed over her friend until Kent had simply wrapped his arm around her waist, picked up the petite blonde, and walked from the room. Carl saw CeCe grin just before her eyes slid closed.
Chapter Fourteen
CeCe looked out the tinted window of the black SUV wondering how the men had managed to arrange what she’d considered a small military operation rather than a trip to the airport in just under twenty-four hours. Where had all these people come from anyway? These were the moments she appreciated how little she really understood about Cameron’s background. Seeing him in operative-mode was so different from the Master that she knew and loved. As an operative he was authoritative, but a team player to the bone. She wasn’t accustomed to seeing him compromise and defer to others, and the transformation in his appearance and personality were amazing to watch.
God in heaven, it had been hard to say goodbye to Tobi this morning. They’d promised to do a better job of keeping in touch and Tobi’s men had promised to bring her for a visit as soon as it was safe to do so. CeCe hadn’t realized how much she had missed having a friend close at hand, but the past few days had reminded her of the importance of that connection. I really have to start living my life before I wake up and realize it’s passed by and all I have to show for it is a career that drove me into a state of utter exhaustion.
One of her biggest fears had always been that her baby was going to grow up with Cam and various nannies, but without the influence of the woman who had given birth to her. Just thinking about her baby girl made her heart clench. She’d seen her more on her small tablet screen in the past few days than she had in person for several months, and even though she hadn’t been able to “touch” her, she’d still read her stories and listened to her babble in response. Watching her daughter sleeping in her sister’s arms had warmed Chloe’s heart even as it was breaking from all she was missing.
CeCe felt her safety belt release just as she was pulled into a warm embrace. She hadn’t even realized she’d been crying until Carl turned her face to his and brushed her tears away with the pads of his fingers. “Talk to me.” On a cognitive level, CeCe knew patients suffering closed head trauma were often unpredictably emotional after their injury, but this felt different—even if it wasn’t. She didn’t know how she was going to explain what had brought on her feelings of melancholy.
Cam was sitting in the front passenger’s seat, when he turned and smiled at her, CeCe was relieved he wasn’t angry with her. She’d talked to Tobi and Gracie both for hours about how the men in their lives handled the whole “sharing” thing but she’d never truly believed it could work until she’d seen the West brothers with Tobi these past few days. Even then, she’d assumed their relationship was unique because Kyle and Kent were twins. In her mind, they’d been sharing things since the womb, so it was reasonable to expect them to deal with the obvious challenges with much more ease. But now, seeing Cam’s easy acceptance of Carl’s affection for her, CeCe wondered if it might not be possible to have a similar relationship. What the hell are you thinking? You were just crying because you don’t make time to spend with your baby, and now you’re thinking about taking on two men? Cripes, if she kept this up, men in white jackets were going to meet them at the airport, strap her into a straightjacket, and haul her off to the cracker factory.
Carl’s soft voice sounded close to her ear and the warmth of his breath against its shell sent a wave of heat through her, “Baby? Why the tears? I know concussions can knock even the strongest people off their feet emotionally, but I’ve got a feeling this is more than that.” He pulled her face to his and kissed the tip of her nose so sweetly she felt a new rush of tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, Sir. I was just having a moment. I’ll be fine.” She wasn’t used to such a show of compassion from a Dom. Even though she loved her Master, he’d never been the type to hold her in his arms just because she’d had a bad day. He was much more likely to take her into his personal playroom at the club or at home, and make her forget everything but how quickly he could send her into subspace. Just this evening before they’d left, Cam had entered the bedroom and seen her staring out the large window. She’d been worrying her lower lip and he’d known immediately she was beginning to drown in worry.
Her Master had promptly moved her into position, bent her over the large bed, pulled up her dress and paddled her ass until she hadn’t be able to hold back the tears any longer. Once she’d vented the frustration, he’d fucked her with long pounding strokes meant to remind her that she was his to care for and the orgasm he’d given her had buckled her knees. She wasn’t sure Cam knew another way to deal with her when she was emotional, but some part of her soul recognized Carl would be much different. In that split second after she’d spoken the lie, she regretted not taking a chance with him.
As if sensing her internal struggle, Carl shifted her on his lap and then grinned at her hiss of discomfort. “Baby, I told you I was as dominant as Cam—we just handle things differently…most of the time. I’m going to give you one chance to amend that lie you just told me.”
For the first time CeCe sensed the inner strength of the man holding her. Oh, he might appear to be carefree, but there was an iron will at his core, that much she knew for certain. Riding in a vehicle with three Doms, following at least two other SUVs with Doms inside, all the while being followed by who knew how many vehicles with Doms in them seemed like a very inopportune moment to test the resolve of the Dom holding her on his lap. She squirmed and froze when she felt his very erect, very large cock pressing against her ass. CeCe hadn’t even realized she wasn’t even breathing until she heard Carl’s voice against her ear, “Better take a breath, baby, before you pass out. And yes, I want you—but I do have enough control over my cock to get through this conversation.” His voice was so calm and laced with such sincerity, CeCe felt herself relax into him. “Now, tell me the truth about what caused those tears.”
CeCe took a deep breath as she laid her head against his shoulder. God the man was hard everywhere, his arms felt like bands of steel wrapped around her as she sat on his muscular thighs. And she wasn’t even going to go there about the enormous iron rod pressing into her hip. “I was thinking about how I’ve gotten myself so caught up in building my practice and clinic that I’ve forgotten why I wanted to be a physician. My Master and daughter are paying for that selfishness in ways I’m just beginning to understand.” She felt a new flood of tears, but she forced herself to take a steadying breath and continue, “The part that scares me is that I’m not even sure how to fix it at this point. The clinic itself has become like some living, breathing, energy-sapping Goliath. Last week I was so buried under administrative paperwork that I was only able to operate twice, and both of those were procedures for patients I hadn’t even met personally.”
This time she didn’t even try to stem the flow of tears, “That is just awful. I never wanted to be one of those doctors who didn’t know their patients. In the beginning I knew them all by name. I knew their parents’ names, their siblings, and the grandparents. I knew what their goals were, and I helped them get there.”
Cam turned in his seat and handed Carl a soft cotton handkerchief, her Master always teased her that he carried them because the gender that needed them the most never seemed to have one handy. When she quietly murmured her thanks, he simply nodded at her but she didn’t miss the look that passed between the two men and she had the strangest feeling they were secretly pleased with her revelation. CeCe mopped up her “leaky” self and laid her head back on Carl’s shoulder, she was exhausted—both physically and emotionally. Promising herself that she would just sleep until they reached the plane was the last thought she had before sliding into blissful slumber.
*****
Carl felt the sweet wo
man in his arms lay her head against his shoulder and nuzzle her face against the side of his neck just before she went limp in his arms. His heart squeezed with the realization that she felt safe in his embrace. Holding her was sweet torture but he had no intention of putting her back in her own seat. He’d known she was petite, but hadn’t really understood how small she was until she’d cuddled against him like an injured kitten seeking the warmth she needed to heal. Even though her words had been spoken quietly against his ear, he knew Cam had heard them all. CeCe evidently hadn’t considered the earbud communication device he was wearing would transmit her confession to the entire team.
Their security detail might be made up of former operatives, but they were still fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons who cared deeply for the women in their lives, so he was sure her pained words had affected each of them. Carl had noticed a long time ago that the most hardened soldiers on the outside were often the most compassionate when you managed to move past their crusty exteriors.
The drive to the airport passed quickly and he’d enjoyed holding the precious armful of woman far more than he probably should have. Carl needed to remember that protecting her had to come first. It wasn’t that he was opposed to exploring a ménage relationship—but until they found out who was threatening her, he needed to keep his priorities straight. Keep telling yourself that, Phillips. And I’m sure you can find a nice seaside resort in western Texas, too.
Carl settled the sleeping angel he’d carried on to the King Air they’d be taking to St. Maarten in one of the soft leather seats. He had to give Jax credit, the jet would probably put most four-star hotels to shame. The only thing missing was the pool and hot tub, and he wouldn’t be surprised to find the later in the back. After reclining her seat and buckling her in, Carl covered her with a cashmere throw Cam handed him. “She’d incredible, isn’t she?” Cam’s voice was almost reverent as he looked down on CeCe.