by Qwillia Rain
“Forty-eight hours is too long. I want to get the ball rolling on this before the weekend is over.” Glancing at the grandfather clock across the room, he countered. “It’s just past four now. Think about it and give me a call by ten tonight.”
“Five hours?” She rose and moved to pace the area between his desk and the seating area. “Still not enough time, Halsey. You’re asking me to make a decision that could affect the next five years of my life. If not more. No”—she shook her head and sat on the rolled arm of a hunter green leather chair—“I need at least thirty-six hours to seriously think this through.”
“Too much time.” He seemed to be thinking something through as he crossed the room toward her, one hand tugging at the earring while the other rested on his hip. “You’re coming out to the Folly tomorrow to go over the details for the King party, correct?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“And you’re probably going to go to your sister’s and talk to her about my proposal, right?”
“More than likely.”
“Okay then.” He settled his hands on the back of the chair. “That gives you eighteen hours to think over my offer. When you come out to the Folly tomorrow afternoon, give me your answer.”
She hesitated to ask but knew it needed to be broached. “What if I decide I can’t agree?”
The green of his eyes darkened. His expression grew blank, as if the amusement he’d found participating in their test of wills had been wiped away. “Then I’ll have to consider tendering my resignation.”
“But—”
He shook his head. “I’ll have to, Lawrence.” The fingers of his left hand cupped her chin, sending tremors of awareness skittering through her, tingling along her nerve endings and pooling in the heated center of her body. “I need someone who knows why my days are taken up with work and my nights as well. Someone who is just as dedicated to making this company more than it is without losing the integrity my namesake built it on. I can’t recall meeting any other woman with those qualities in the last few years. Except you.”
“You’re taking unfair advantage,” she grumbled, knowing he was attempting to manipulate her decision. The fact that her body was in favor of immediately agreeing didn’t make holding off and thinking the matter through any easier.
The grin he gave her was unrepentant. “I’m a businessman, Lawrence. And there’s nothing fair about business.”
* * *
Mattie stared at the entrance to the Diablo Blanco Club. She’d called and canceled dinner with her sister and come here instead. In fact, for the last eight years, when she couldn’t fight her curiosity, she’d drive by and occasionally stop. On those nights, she sat in this same spot, sometimes for hours, sometimes just a few minutes, wondering just how wild things could be inside the infamous Club. On Halloween it was worse, because she knew a single request could produce one of the exclusive invitations to the Midnight Masquerade.
Now chances were she’d never see the inside of the Club. If she accepted Bryce’s proposal, she doubted he’d escort her inside. She didn’t know what frustrated her more, knowing that her own insecurities had kept her trapped from exploring a sexuality that drew her, or the fact that Bryce didn’t feel she was capable of meeting the needs of his Dominant side. His proposal had been direct and clear: a marriage that included sex, but nothing that would create a negative image to the board of directors. Translated, that meant no bondage play, discipline, or trips through the doors she’d dreamed about entering for years.
The tap at the passenger side window had Mattie turning her attention and thoughts from the man connected to the edifice in front of her to the woman shaking her head at her from outside the truck. Pressing the button, she unlocked the door and waited for her older sister to scramble into the seat.
“I thought I’d find you here.” Lyssa twisted sideways in her seat and leaned against the closed door.
“What’s up?”
“You tell me; you were the one to cancel dinner. I was hoping to hear about the date you had last night.” Curling one leg under her, Lyssa pushed the strands of blonde hair that had come loose from her ponytail behind her ears.
“I had some thinking to do.” Mattie grimaced. “And as for the date, don’t remind me.”
“Didn’t go well?” Concern lit her sister’s blue eyes as she waited for an answer.
“Let’s just say his idea of dessert and mine differed.”
“Bastard.” Lyssa turned to glance at the building. “I’ll bet it isn’t as scary as you imagine.”
“Probably not.” Mattie shrugged. Arm propped on the door frame and head resting in her palm, she watched as a couple approached the broad double doors. “But I doubt I’ll ever see it.”
“Why? From what I’ve heard it’s relatively tame in comparison to some of the meat markets in San Diablo and farther north.”
“Because, Lys, I know me. I talk a damn fine game, but when it comes to actually playing, the only person I trust to play with isn’t interested.” She glanced back at the Club. “At least not with me.”
“How do you know?” Lyssa’s fingernails, trimmed short to accommodate her sewing and design work, plucked at the frayed inseam on the leg of her jeans.
“He proposed.” Mattie didn’t turn her attention from the DBC. “It would be strictly business, but there’s little likelihood of divorce.”
Lyssa’s fingers stopped for a moment and then returned to playing with the frayed fabric. “Bryce Halsey really proposed?”
Mattie nodded. “There’s a lot more to it, but essentially we would present an appropriate image to the board of directors so Bryce can take over Jacob’s position when he retires.”
“But I thought he was already going to take over?” Her brow wrinkled in confusion.
“He was until Frieda and her little toads decided they didn’t like the idea. There are other factors involved, but suffice to say, Bryce’s image isn’t the rosy one the board of directors wants presented to the public.” Mattie turned to face her sister. “His father thinks if Bryce marries before the retirement party, we can convince the board to let him assume control.”
“So, you’ll marry him until he gets to take over, get a quiet annulment—”
Mattie shook her head. “No. No annulment, no separation, no divorce. At least not for a few years.”
“A few years? That’s crazy. He can’t actually expect you to put your life on hold for years.”
“He’ll be doing the same, Lys.” Her head dropped back to rest against the window. “That and more.”
“What are you talking about? What more could he possibly be…?” Lyssa glanced from her sister to the building, then back. “You’re not suggesting?”
Mattie didn’t need to hear the rest of her sister’s question before she nodded. “Yup. He said he’s trying to gain favor with the board. I interpret that to mean he’ll have to curtail his association with the DBC until the board had been suitably won over.”
Lyssa whistled beneath her breath. “That’s hard to believe, Mat. I mean, the man is…” She seemed at a loss for words.
Mattie wasn’t. “He’s a Dominant, Lys. The control practically oozes from every pore, and when he stands a certain way or gets a look in his eye or uses a specific tone, there’s no way you can doubt who’s in charge.”
“And you find dominance sexy?”
“Sexy doesn’t even come close. I told you I’ve had to keep extra panties in my desk because of the times I end up having to change them when he’s around.” Mattie groaned. Sitting up, she shook her head. “It’ll only get worse if I marry him.”
“How so?” Lyssa’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I mean, if he wants it to be a real marriage, like you said he did, then I’m sure he’ll be giving you all the kinky lessons you’ve been dying to learn from him. If he isn’t here at the Club, all his attention will be on you.” She laughed. “You might even be able to talk him into buying some of those toys you’re always ogling
in the catalogs you steal from his house.”
“That’s the problem, Lyssa. There won’t be any kinky lessons,” Mattie snapped. “He says my steady reputation is what the board likes, and they think I’ll have a ‘settling’ effect on him.”
“How does that translate to no kink?”
“Do you really see me inspiring him to play master?” Mattie shook her head. “No, if I agree to marry him, all I’ll ever get is vanilla sex.”
“Vanilla sex?” Lyssa hooted.
Mattie glared at her sister. “You do realize part of this is your fault, right?”
Lyssa choked on her laughter. “What? How is any of this my fault?”
“You’re the one who gave me that book on S and M.” She sat up in her seat. “I mean, sheez, Lys, I’d barely started working for Bryce when you dropped that in my lap.”
“I was keeping you informed, little sister.” Lyssa leaned forward as well. “You come home mooning over your new boss and sighing over the rumors you’d heard about him from one of the other administrative assistants. What was I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know, but learning about the lifestyle certainly didn’t help.”
“How was I to know you’d get all hot and bothered over the idea of Halsey tying you up or spanking you?” Lyssa shook her head. “You were supposed to remember the shit Dad pulled.”
Mattie looked at her sister, confused but curious. “Did you ever read the book? Or do an online search about BDSM?”
Lyssa shrugged. “Not when I first gave it to you, but when you started bringing over those catalogs, I…”
“Got curious?”
Her sister nodded.
“When you learned more about it, did you think of Dad?” Mattie wondered if she was the only one who could see the difference between the abuse meted out by their father and the controlled direction of a Dominant.
“No.”
“Neither did I.” She looked back at the Club. “And now I’ll probably never know what it’s like.”
“Are you seriously thinking about accepting his proposal?” Lyssa seemed worried, her blue eyes uncertain.
Mattie nodded. “I am.” She met her sister’s gaze and tried to explain. “I’m thirty years old, Lyssa. I’ve never had a steady boyfriend. Hell, I’ve never been interested in a man enough to overcome my issues and have sex. With Bryce, I know where I stand. He doesn’t love me, and I don’t love h—”
“Liar.”
“I’m not—”
“Don’t even try to convince me you haven’t been head over heels in love with Bryce Halsey since the first day you met him.” Lyssa crossed her arms over her ample chest.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Mattie attempted to avoid admitting her sister’s suspicions could be correct.
“Don’t lie to me, Mat. And don’t lie to yourself.” Lyssa’s tone gentled.
Mattie groaned. “I don’t want to be some clichéd old maid who pines after her boss like those women in the romance novels.”
“So don’t be.”
“But—”
“If you’d told me about this proposal eight years ago, or even five years ago, I’d have been doing everything in my power to talk you out of it.” She shrugged. “But I’ve watched how you’ve changed, Mat. You aren’t my scared little sister anymore.” Reaching out, Lyssa pushed a loose strand of Mattie’s curly brown hair off her cheek. “Yes, you’re thirty and you’ve never had a lover, but you have a solid relationship with Bryce.”
“As an employee.”
Lyssa shook her head. “No. As a friend. It may have started out as just business, but you’ve developed an understanding with him. You push him to do what you think is the right thing when others would be afraid to.”
“But that isn’t enough.” Mattie motioned back to the building. “That’s the part of himself he’ll be ignoring while he’s married to me.”
“Would you be satisfied if the only sex you have is ‘vanilla’?”
“I think so.” But she wasn’t sure. The fantasies she’d indulged in, the books she read, her dreams all carried the element of submitting to Bryce. The sex life he’d alluded to in his proposal was devoid of that aspect, and she doubted she’d stay happy with it for very long.
Her sister’s head tilted to the side and an assessing expression filled her face. “But you don’t think he will? Be satisfied, I mean.”
Mattie nodded. “No, I don’t think he’ll be satisfied.” She sighed just as heavily as she had when Bryce proposed to her. Her head dropped back to the hand she’d leaned on the door frame. “He’s a Dominant by nature and training. If he stifles that part of himself, he’ll never be happy. He’ll never be himself. Our entire marriage would be a sham, and I’m positive the board will see right through it. And it’ll all be for nothing.”
“So make him change his mind.”
“About marrying me?” A sharp pain arrowed through her chest, surprising Mattie and stealing her breath. It dissipated immediately, but she couldn’t deny its meaning. “If I don’t marry him, he’ll resign, and I’ll likely lose my job.”
“Is that the reason you’re thinking about marrying him? To keep your job?”
“No.” Mattie didn’t hesitate in her answer.
“Because, with your MBA, you could have quit years ago.” Lyssa had voiced this opinion often.
“Or taken one of the management positions Bryce offered me,” Mattie agreed.
“Exactly. But what I mean is, make him see you as a submissive.”
She balked, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as she contemplated her sister’s suggestion. “I’m not sure.”
“You haven’t agreed to marry him yet, right?”
“I’m supposed to give him my decision tomorrow.”
“So tell him what you just told me. That you’re worried he won’t be able to maintain a marriage while ignoring his own personality.”
“And then what? Throw myself at his feet?” Mattie shook her head. “I don’t know. Heck, I don’t even know if I could play the role of a submissive.”
“True. In the last few years you’ve gotten so pushy with him, it’s a wonder he hasn’t paddled your butt.”
She had to laugh since her sister’s prediction had actually been a threat voiced by Bryce on a few occasions. “He’s mentioned doing just that.”
Lyssa’s eyebrows bobbed up and down in an amused expression. “Turned you on, didn’t it?”
“Oh yeah.” Mattie chuckled, remembering the scene. Just as it had happened when Bryce made the threat, Mattie’s body reacted, dampening her panties and making her groan with embarrassment and arousal.
Lyssa laughed. “Okay, so we know spanking turns you on. And the toys you’ve shown me in those catalogs definitely have an effect on you, if you’re telling me the truth.” She grinned. “So, that just leaves the actual practice with a Dom.”
“Which I doubt he’d be interested in providing.”
Lyssa watched her and seemed to think over what she’d said. “Did he come right out and tell you that he would no longer be coming here?”
“No, but—”
Her sister held up her hand and continued, “Did he tell you directly that he wasn’t interested in engaging in any Dominant/submissive play with you? Ever?”
Mattie thought back over the conversation before she’d left the office. “No. He never used those specific words.”
“What did he say?”
She couldn’t stop the grimace that twisted her lips. “That my reputation would give the board the impression that I would have a ‘settling’ effect on him and his wild ways.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t convince him to change his mind.”
“What do you mean?”
Instead of explaining, Lyssa popped the door open. “Follow me to my house.” Once out of the car and on the ground, she smiled at her sister. “In fact, why don’t you go grab us some Szechuan takeout, and I’ll tell you my plan when you get there.�
�
Mattie had no time to argue. Lyssa pushed the door closed and moved to her own sedan parked a few cars away.
* * *
The chime security had rigged went off, but Bryce had already heard the hum of the elevator and cursed. “Not another one.” A flashing green light on the black box beside his phone signaled the use of the bypass key card, which had him relaxing back into his chair. Only four people besides himself and the head of his security department had a bypass card for the elevator leading up to his penthouse.
He was pretty sure his father and Mattie were safely in bed at this time of night. Richard had headed out of town immediately following their dinner, and since his friend was diligent about locking his card away in his home safe, Bryce figured that only left his brother.
As the doors slid open, the weary look on Mike’s face made him look years older than thirty. As he stepped off the elevator, the slump of his shoulders had Bryce rising from his seat. He watched as Mike schooled his expression into a cheerful mien the moment he became aware of Bryce’s presence.
“Hey, Bryce, I didn’t realize you were here.” He shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder and gestured behind him at the closed doors. “I’ll just head down to the—”
“No. There’s plenty of room. Unless you’d like to stay at the Folly?” Bryce approached him.
Mike set his duffel bag and camera case on the floor. “Thanks. Here is fine.” He pushed his fingers through his rumpled brown hair and gave a halfhearted grin.
The moment he was in front of him, Bryce gripped the other man’s shoulders and pulled him close. “You need to stick close to home for a while, kid.”
Mike returned the hug, pulling back when Bryce did. “Yeah. I intend to.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
The way he eased onto the sofa had Bryce stifling a curse. Even their dad didn’t move in that down-to-the-bone-tired way. “It should have been me.”
Settling onto the sofa opposite Mike, he waited for his younger brother to continue.