Coveted (Pandora's Playground #1)

by Alannah Lynne

  Mathew wasn’t proud of his behavior, that night or any other back then, but he was so damned grateful he dragged Ian along for the ride. Not because Ian got into trouble, but because God only knew where Mathew would’ve ended up if the Stewarts hadn’t come into his life. It wouldn’t have ended well, and he knew for a fact, without them, his life wouldn’t be as solid as it was today. He had serious doubts he’d even be alive.

  “I’ll never forget the look on Joanne’s face when she got out of Liam’s truck. It was a combination of I’m-so-pissed-I’m-going-to-kill-you and I-love-you-so-damn-much-I’ll-hit-my-knees-tonight-in-thanks-that-you’re-okay. I’d never experienced anything like it, and I was amazed at how calm she remained when I knew, on the inside, she was freaking out.

  “My mother flew off the handle for ridiculous shit no one cared about, never for anything important. But Joanne never raised her voice. Not that night, nor in all the time I’ve known her. She told us to get into the backseat of Liam’s truck and issued a firm order to not move. Then she helped Liam hook up a rope and pulled the Ferrari out.

  “Liam drove the car back to my house, and Joanne drove his truck. When we pulled into the driveway and I started to bolt, Joanne turned around and calmly but firmly told me to sit my ass back down and informed me she wasn’t finished with Ian or me.”

  He rubbed his fist over his chest as he recalled the shock and awe he’d experienced in that moment. She’d been so angry, and though he knew they were in big trouble, she remained calm and firmly in control. He chuckled to himself. Joanne would’ve made a great Domme.

  He always joked that he’d been struck stupid that night, because there wasn’t any other explanation for him staying in the truck and riding home with them. Over the years, however, he’d come to understand he’d craved the love and caring connection he instinctively understood he would have with them.

  “I was shocked when she told me I was grounded for the next six weeks, the same as Ian. But you know what was even more shocking?” He paused as Lili thought it over, then shook her head no. “It was the middle of summer, my vacation from school, but I showed up at their house every morning at the ass crack of dawn, just like she told me to. I loved knowing she cared enough to try and straighten my ass out.”

  Taking a chance, he flipped his gaze to Muriel. There was no censure or disgust at his unintentional attempt to drag Ian down with him. She simply smiled with understanding and complete acceptance, just like Joanne had back then.

  He drew in a ragged breath, then swallowed hard to push down the roiling emotions.

  “We spent weekdays working in their yard until it was perfectly groomed. Then we started on the neighbors’ yards. They had the best-looking neighborhood in town. On weekends, we went to the food bank and helped her serve meals, or we’d go to the crisis center and hang out with the kids while she counseled their moms.”

  That had been Mathew’s first glimpse at how difficult life could be for some and what his life might’ve been like had his birth mother not sold him. The product of an illicit affair, she and her husband decided to make the best of a bad situation—that would be him—and sold him on the black market to his adoptive parents.

  But at least his mother had gone through with the pregnancy, and because of that, he’d met Ian and his family. And thanks to them, he’d been given a shot at building a decent life for himself.

  “I ate dinner with them every night and watched Liam pore over mounds of legal briefs. The paperwork was like giant puzzles that needed to be solved, and that’s how I developed a love of law and why I went on to become an attorney.”

  To say he owed everything to the Stewarts wasn’t an exaggeration, and it all started because Joanne cared enough to bust his ass when he got out of line.

  He stroked his thumb over Lili’s cheek and brushed her hair from her temple. From the corners of his eyes, he saw Muriel jump, as if uncomfortable by the display of affection. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be for her to watch lovers interacting at the club, knowing she’d never have that again with Ian.

  He dropped his hand and sighed. “I care about you, Lili, and that’s why I can’t let this go. This situation also made me realize you need so much more than I can give you. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it before now.”

  The pleading anguish in her eyes cut him to the core, but he couldn’t continue to feed her belief they might have something permanent. When she opened her lips to protest, he put his fingers over them to silence her.

  “I’m not going to abandon you. I’ll help you find someone who will be more attentive and better for you than me.”

  A new stream of tears fell from her eyes and her lips trembled, but she didn’t argue. She simply swallowed a few times and nodded.

  “I’m not angry with you for speaking the truth. I am a bastard. Literally. And most of the time, people throw in a few more adjectives like ruthless and uncaring for good measure.”

  She winced and shook her head, preparing to argue, but he cut her off.

  “I can’t fault you for speaking the truth, but I’m furious you’ve put me in this position by slapping me. Causing pain, or even discomfort, isn’t my thing. In fact, I loathe it. And you know that.” Her gaze dropped to her lap and her lip trembled again. “Because of that, I’m going to make you do most of the work.”

  Her gaze snapped back to his, and he almost smiled at the fear and uncertainty shining in her eyes. He didn’t like inflicting pain, but thoroughly enjoyed mentally fucking with a sub. He’d always enjoyed puzzles and imagined a sub’s mind to be a series of intricate locks and latches and secret hiding places where they kept their innermost thoughts under wraps.

  He loved crawling around the sub’s psyche, popping the locks on the boxes they either didn’t know existed or had been too afraid and ashamed to look into. Bringing those previously untouched thoughts and fantasies into the light was like opening each sub’s personal Pandora’s Box. Ian’s, Lucas’s, and his love for the mindfuck was their inspiration for the club’s name.

  His gaze shifted to Muriel. Were there any unopened boxes in her mind? Or had Ian been blessed enough to unlock all her secrets and fulfill her every fantasy?

  And why in God’s name did he continually torture himself with these types of questions when there was no way in hell he’d ever find the answers?

  Returning his attention to the wide-eyed Lili, where it belonged, he said, “I’m giving you twenty-four hours to think about your actions. And to look forward”—he infused a load of sarcasm into his words and gave her an evil smile—“to the consequences.”

  His lips twitched as her eyes narrowed and tightened, probably fighting the urge to roll them at his choice of words. “If you don’t already have some, stop on the way home and get a tube of muscle cream. Rub it on your ass three times tomorrow: when you get out of the shower in the morning, at lunch, and again around four. Your ass, flashing hot and cold throughout the day, will serve as a constant reminder of what the evening will bring.”

  She bit her lip and sank deeper into the blanket, as if it could shield her from further instructions or from the ultimate results.

  “Bring me four items from home that I can use to spank that pretty ass of yours.”

  From the corner of his eye, he caught Muriel’s flinch and saw her subtly angle away from him. He didn’t think she personally enjoyed pain—another thing to love about her—but she had to understand the need for this. So why did she look like she was trying to crawl away from a monster?

  “Arrive promptly at seven and find Master Lucas. He’ll take you to the dungeon where you can arrange your items on a table for me. Then he’ll secure you to the spanking bench. When I’m ready, I’ll come to you. Do you have any questions?”

  Lili’s lips were rolled in and pressed so tightly together he thought she might need help prying them apart. She was working hard not to cry again as she shook her head and drew in a shallow breath. “No, Sir. No questions.” She drew h
erself out of the slouch and met his gaze head on. “I know this doesn’t change anything, Sir, but I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”

  “You’ll have twenty-four hours to figure it out.” He stood, thought about what she said, and sat back down. “I don’t know what prompted the outburst either, but I agree it’s out of character for you.” He studied her closely, searching for a glimpse as to what was going on behind the hood. “Is there something going on outside the club that’s bothering you or that you need help with?”

  She bit her lip and flicked her gaze to the floor, then shook her head. “No, Sir. I’m fine. But thank you.”

  “All right.” He stood and helped her to her feet. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” Turning to Lucas, who’d been observing from several feet away, he said, “I’m going to make sure Lili gets to her car”—his gaze slipped to Muriel, still on her knees, eyes on the floor—“and then I’ll be ready.”

  At least as ready as he could be for a trip to hell.

  Chapter 4

  Muriel’s stomach flipped and rolled and her heart leapt at Mathew’s words… I’ll be ready.

  She had no idea what this new addition was, but if it took them very long to share it with her—meaning she had to spend much more time with Mathew—she would lose her mind.

  Watching him with Lili had been difficult; imagining him with Lili tomorrow night was excruciating. Thank goodness she had a standing Saturday evening, seven o’clock appointment. Working always kept her mind occupied, and by the time her session finished, Mathew’s probably would be too.

  Except for the aftercare.

  She huffed and her shoulders sank even farther toward the ground. She couldn’t think about that. Aftercare had always been her favorite part of play, and imagining Lili curled up on Mathew’s lap as he stroked her hair and whispered sweet words of endearment to her… Nope, not going there.

  Without taking her eyes off the floor, Muriel spoke to Lucas. “May I stand now, Sir?”

  Lucas’s extended hand came into her field of vision. “Of course.”

  After standing and brushing a spot of dirt off her knee, she stretched side to side to work the tension from her neck and shoulders, then turned to face him. “Why did you insist I witness that?”

  The corner of his mouth lifted and he shrugged. “Why not?”

  “Because it was a private moment between Mathew and his submissive.”

  “She’s not his submissive. She’s a submissive he plays with occasionally.” His gaze latched onto Muriel’s and held her in place. “You know there’s a difference.”

  Yes, she knew that. She’d only belonged to Ian, but she’d been around the club and with enough couples to know there was a world of difference in Lili being his versus a casual playmate.

  “Besides, you put yourself in the middle of it.”

  She exhaled and dropped her gaze. “I know, and I’m sorry. I just felt it was prudent to put some distance between them before things further escalated.”

  Head tilted sideways, he studied her for a few beats. “You don’t really think Mathew would hurt a woman, do you?”

  She hesitated before answering, giving herself a minute to search for the truth before she spoke. Deep down, she’d known he wouldn’t, but in the split second she needed to make a decision, she’d experienced a fissure of doubt.

  But after seeing him with Lili, listening to him replay the story of the time he and Ian got into so much trouble… seeing the pain and regret on his face as he told Lili how angry he was that she’d put him in the unenviable position of having to punish her…

  “No, Sir. I know he wouldn’t.”

  She could almost see the gears in Lucas’s head whirling as he continued to study her, but his expression gave away nothing. She knew better than to ask questions or press him for his thoughts. She’d learned long ago Lucas held his cards close to the vest, and he had no tells. Unless you held a full set of aces, it was best to fold from the start and wait to be let in on his secrets, because he would beat you every time.

  “How well do you know Mathew?” he finally asked.

  She blinked a few times, confused by the unusual question. “Considering he was Ian’s oldest friend and I’ve known him most of my adult life, I’d say pretty well.”

  He shook his head and smiled. “I’m not asking if you know about his childhood or what he does for a living or any other superficial details. I’m asking how well you know him. As a man.”

  As a man…

  What an odd way to phrase the question. And given her mental state after spending the past ten minutes on her knees next to his chair, her mind automatically jumped to all the ways she wished she knew him… as a man. Unfortunately, when it came to intimate details, she didn’t know much.

  “His birthday is March twelfth. He’s a highly sought after, high-powered divorce attorney—”

  He put up a hand to cut her off. “Do you know if he wears boxers or briefs?”

  “What?” She choked on the word, then coughed a few times. “Of course not.”

  He laughed and quirked an eyebrow. “You know what I wear.”

  “Yeah, but… that’s different.”

  “In what way?”

  She popped up her hands in an it’s all so obvious gesture. “Because I’ve seen you in them. Hell, I’ve seen you naked. I’ve never seen him in his underwear…” Her voice trailed off and her skin heated as she considered how much she would love to see him in boxers or briefs… or, praise the saints, nothing at all.

  “That’s what I thought.”

  At Lucas’s murmured words, her gaze, which had wandered to the floor as she lost herself to the daydream, snapped back to Lucas. “What’s what you thought?”

  He smiled smugly and stepped in close. “The second you started thinking about him, in the context of a man, your breathing grew labored and your mouth parted for more air.”

  He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. “A sheen of sweat appeared on your forehead and chest, and the hair at the nape of your neck is damp.” His gaze dropped to her breasts, and his smile grew as he stroked the back of his free hand over the protruding tips.

  Fortunately, and uncharacteristically, he kept his comments about that to himself. But really, did he need to say more? Didn’t her visceral responses speak loudly enough?

  She wanted to pull away and cross her arms as a shield, but he would recognize the defensive move. And what was the use? Acting as nonchalant as possible, she said, “Is there a point to all of this?”

  He kissed her temple before releasing his grip on her neck and taking a step back. “Just making sure I’m right.”

  At that, she gave in to instinct and crossed her arms before taking a step back. “Right about what?”

  His smug smile returned, making her want to use the same violence as Lili and slap it right off him. “You being comfortable playing with Mathew.”

  Dumbfounded, she blinked a few times while continuing to stare at him and waited for him to say, Kidding. But he didn’t. He simply shoved his hands into his pockets and held her gaze while waiting for her reaction.

  Shaking her head, she said, “You’re wrong. I’m not.” She realized her head was still shaking no, no, no and seemed to be gaining momentum, but she couldn’t stop. “I’m not here to play, remember?”

  “I don’t remember discussing that.”

  “Yes, we…” Crap, they hadn’t discussed play specifically. She hadn’t thought there was a need. “I assumed you knew I wasn’t ready.”

  His shoulder slowly lifted in a careless shrug and he sighed with indifference. “How do I know these things if you don’t tell me?”

  She harrumphed with annoyance. “You’re the great Master Lucas. You know every damn thing.”

  His bored indifference turned into a triumphant smile. “I’m glad you agree.”

  “Wait… what? I didn’t agree to anything.” Oooh, she wanted to shriek with frustration and kick
him in the shin. Lucas was the most infuriating man she’d ever met. But whatever he might think, his opinion wasn’t important.

  She glanced away and bit the inside of her cheek. “Whatever I may or may not be ready for doesn’t matter. Mathew would never agree. He can barely tolerate my presence, so I’m sure he has no interest in playing with me.”

  Lucas sighed and… Did he just roll his eyes? “C’mon, Muriel, you’re smarter than that.”

  His comment offended and confused her, which also pissed her off because it gave validity to his statement—or at least made her feel like she should be smart enough to follow this crazy discussion. Throwing her shoulders back and drawing herself up to her full height of five ten, she said, “Quit talking in circles and get to the point.”

  Before he could respond—if he even intended to—the doors opened and Mathew reappeared. As he approached, his gaze volleyed back and forth between Muriel and Lucas, and then he stopped short. “Do you guys need a minute? I’d be more than happy to slip on over to the bar…”

  He’d already angled in that direction and taken a step when Lucas stopped him. “No, we’re good.” He crooked his arm like a gentleman, rather than the infuriating scoundrel who’d just shaken her to the core by suggesting she might have the opportunity to experience a long-held secret fantasy—two men at once—and said, “Let’s go, sweetheart. We have a big surprise waiting for you.”

  Chapter 5

  As they followed Mathew down the corridor between the scene rooms, the ball of nervous energy rolling through Muriel’s system picked up speed and intensity. When they stopped at the end of the hall and he opened the door leading to the back of the stage and the steps going to the raised dungeon, the ball dropped into her stomach with a wild explosion that left her shaking.

  Lucas glanced down at his arm and her fingers, which were deeply embedded into his flesh, and laughed. “Nervous?”