by Sienna Parks
“Sure. Hang on.” He disappears, but I can hear his low, strong rolling brogue from here. “Get yer arses out here, lads. Logan’s wantin’ to talk shop. This ain’t a free ride, ya losers!”
They all come tumbling into the kitchen and I take a moment to look them over. Every teenage girl in America is going to swoon over these guys. They’re all so different, in personality and appearance, but each has a charm and sex appeal that is a prerequisite if you want to be successful in the music business these days. It’s a sad fact, but it’s not all about your talent, which these boys also have in spades.
Campbell’s songwriting skills blew me away the first time I saw them in action, and his voice is… haunting. His low rasp loses the harsh accent, and transforms into something truly spectacular. He is an artist in his own right, but he would never sellout his friends for a solo deal, even if it meant never getting to live out his dream. The band as a whole, have a great energy on stage, and they have a strong indie following already, including Lily!
When I arranged for the boys to perform in London so Xander and Lily could see them perform, Xander called me the next day, completely blown away by how good they were. I knew then that I was onto a game changer for my label. He was eager to help bring them to the U.S. and endorse their first album. He’s been a great help with the business side of things, and I’m certain that I can use my experience to take them to the next level.
“How the fuck are you, Logan!? Thought you were goin’ tae party wi’ us last night, brother!” The other boys seem to speak in unison, and it makes me laugh. “It was fuckin’ epic.”
“I had… a prior engagement. I’m not here to get drunk with you, I’m here to turn you into rock stars. You ready for that?”
As one, all five guys shout, “HELL FUCKIN’ YAS!”
“First thing’s first, calm down the cursing boys! I can’t market you to the screaming high school girls of America with every second word out of your mouth being ‘FUCK.’”
Campbell is the natural leader of the group being the front man, and he takes that roll seriously.
“Sorry, Logan. We’ll keep the swearin’ tae a minimum, at least in public. This actually is the lads holdin’ back. You should try holdin’ a conversation wi’ any one o’ their da’s. They’d make a sailor blush.”
“I’m not saying cut it out, girls love a bad boy, just rein it in a little for the press and when you’re working with people. You want to put your best foot forward, and make people want to work with you. I have you scheduled to start laying down tracks in the studio in two days. I want you to get some rest; some actual sleep. Sober up at least a little, and be ready for the car to pick you up at 10 a.m. on Monday.”
“I’m ready, man. I was born ready for this shit! I promise we won’t let you down.”
“I know you won’t. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t think you could cut it. Just try to keep each other grounded, and don’t get carried away with all the trappings. It’s about the music, and if you stay true to that, everything else will follow. I’ll make sure of that.”
“We cannae thank you enough. Seriously. None of us thought for a second, that we would ever get out o’ Glasgow. Meeting wi’ you in Edinburgh was a reprieve from our sad fuckin’ lives. This… this is… I dinnae even have the words tae thank you enough.”
I stand from the table and give him a slap on the shoulder. “Don’t thank me yet. You have a long road ahead of you, but you deserve this, Campbell. You’re a talented son of a bitch. Now, I have to go to the office and make sure everything’s in place for Monday.”
All of the guys are shouting goodbye as I make my way out to the lobby. Campbell follows me out.
“You okay, big man? You seem a bit off today. Everything okay wi’ the deal?”
“It’s all good, Cam. Personal stuff. You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you!”
“Woman trouble?”
“Isn’t it always?” He’s a perceptive guy. Wise beyond his years. “I’ll see you Monday.”
“Later, man.”
I close the door behind me, and head to my office. A reprieve before heading back to Vittoria’s apartment. I could do what I need to get done on my laptop, but I need some time to clear my head, to grasp the gravity of what I have agreed to with her.
As I sit in my office, quiet and deserted, I contemplate my afternoon - Vittoria, Carter, what this all means. Their parents have practically adopted me as one of their own over the past nine years. Losing them would be hard, and as if he knows I’m thinking about him, my phone lights up with a message from Carter.
Carter: Drinks? Cube 8 p.m.
Me: Can’t tonight, bro.
Carter: Stop banging your latest sex slave and come have a drink with me and Xander.
Me: You’re a dick. Working. Maybe this week sometime?
Carter: I have a HUGE dick! You’re a loser. Will text you this week. Blow me off again and I’ll beat the shit out of you.
Me: You wish! Fuck off! Tell Xander I said hi.
I hate lying to him, even if it’s in a text. This is exactly what I told Vittoria I didn’t want to happen. If I’m going to make it work with her, I need to be honest with him. The reality is that he’s going to freak out and try to kill me rather than let me date her. We’ve been down this road once before, and it didn’t end well for us.
I think my days as his friend are numbered, but she’s worth it.
The past three weeks have been amazing and torturous at the same time. I’ve spent most nights with Vittoria at her apartment, sleeping next to her, but not with her. I had planned on staying in the guest room, but I’m too drawn to her, and when we realized that her nightmares stop when I’m beside her, I couldn’t refuse her request as her Dom. It’s what’s best for her right now, even though it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My level of self-control has been tested to its limit. Night after night with her curled up in my arms, her breasts pressed against my chest, her leg thrown over my thighs. It’s a beautiful kind of agony. Every minute of every day, I ache to be inside her.
The first week, I kissed her, licked her, made her come with my fingers, but I never let her touch me. Even then, it was too difficult. Trying to train her without being able to really take her, is new territory for me. I may be a Master, but I usually have all my… skills, at my disposal. Sex is a powerful incentive, and a strong bonding mechanism between a Dom and his sub. Taking that deepest of connections out of the equation has forced me to employ other tactics.
After that first week, I had to stop even the foreplay, it was too confusing for her. She kept expecting more, and when I didn’t give it to her, she got frustrated and lashed out at me. It made her insecure, questioning my attraction to her. I felt like I was punishing her for my own shortcomings. In the end, I discussed it with her and told her that until the four weeks were up, there would be no orgasms, other than the ones I allow her to give herself while I watch. No kissing. She pleaded with me, begging me to touch her, but that just showed me that she needs the training more than ever. She needs to respect my decisions and trust that I know what to do for the best. She doesn’t understand that it’s just as difficult for me. Every inch of her body was made for me, calling to me like a siren; whether she’s sitting across from me at the dinner table, watching TV on the couch with her legs in my lap, or tucked against my side in her sleep. I want her.
She still won’t talk to me about what terrorizes her during the night, but I think she’s beginning to trust me more. She seems more rested and happier in herself these days, and I would like to think that our burgeoning relationship has something to do with that. The fact that I can see a difference in her at night, is what I cling to. It’s what’s keeping me sane.
I feel like I’m slowly losing my mind. I’ve always been a very sexually aware kind of guy, but this is getting ridiculous. I can barely function! When I’m at the studio with the band, I find myself getting lost in fantasies of having Vittoria in my p
layroom; the things I plan to do to her. I think I spend more than half my time trying to hide a semi.
Punishment has been almost a daily occurrence. She has such a fiery personality. I like to change things up, and I now know that the best way to punish her, is to deny her. Last week, I cuffed her to the dining chair and made her watch as I pleasured myself. She couldn’t touch herself, and her legs were also cuffed, so she couldn’t even press her legs together to alleviate the pressure. By the time I came all over her pretty blue skirt, she was promising me anything I asked if I would just let her come. I didn’t. That was hell for me, as well as her. I wanted to drop to my knees and lap at her glistening folds, to feel her come apart beneath the flick of my tongue.
Thankfully, I think we’re getting somewhere now. It’s a fine line training her to submit, without breaking the spirit in her that I fell in love with. As a Master, I must learn the limits of my sub. People have preconceived ideas about BDSM. They think it’s a purely sexual thing, but it goes so much deeper than that. My main concern is always for her wellbeing. That pertains to every aspect of her life, not just her orgasms. I need to know that I am doing everything in my power to make sure she is safe, happy and healthy.
Our situation has been further complicated by the fact that we have known each other for such a long time, and the intense emotion between us has been there from the start. Usually that depth of feeling grows over time. In reality, I have never felt that way about any of my subs. These are unchartered waters for me.
Vittoria’s injury is getting better every day. I’ve been careful not to let her push herself back to dancing too soon, because I know that she misses it, and that’s precisely why she needs to take her time, to avoid any long-term damage. She’s off her crutches, with a light bandage still in place, and her pain meds are down to a minimum.
Last week we were invited to Verona’s first birthday party, which was interesting. Vittoria made me promise not to speak to Carter about us because she was worried he would react badly, and unintentionally ruin his little girl’s birthday. It didn’t sit well with me, but I respected her wishes. To be honest, I’ve been avoiding Carter, and even at the party, I kept my interaction with him to a minimum. A lie of omission still feels like a lie, and until I knew for sure that she really wants this, I didn’t want to cause another family feud, but D-Day has arrived.
My thoughts are interrupted by Vittoria at my back. She wraps her arms around my neck. “What’s got that frown line working overtime on your forehead?”
I take her hands in mine, lacing our fingers. “I need to talk to Carter. I need to tell him that we’re seeing each other.”
“I thought you wanted to wait until the four weeks are up? Until you decide where we go from here?”
“I think we both know where this is headed, don’t you? I need to be honest with him before we move forward.”
She practically chokes me to death trying to hug me. “Does that mean we don’t have to wait until next week for the sex?”
“No. It means that when next week comes around, and we reach the date I set, I am going to split you in two. You won’t be able to walk properly for days when I’m done with you.”
“Promises, promises, Master Fitzgerald.”
I pull her down over my shoulder, lift her skirt, and give her a sharp spank. “Keep that up and I’ll make you wait another week.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Wouldn’t I?”
“Aren’t you even a little frustrated?” Frustrated does not even come close to describing how badly I want to be inside her.
“That’s not your concern. Let’s just get through this week.”
She twists her body over and down into my lap, her lips just millimeters from my own. It’s been two weeks since I felt those plush lips against my own, since I felt her tongue perform a sensual dance with mine. Her eyes switch between holding my gaze and devouring my lips with her penetrating stare. She darts her tongue out to wet her lips, making them all the more inviting. I want to kiss her so badly, but I know that kissing will turn into touching, and touching will turn into me ripping her clothes off and making love to her right here on my desk. I don’t know how much longer I can hold back. I let myself breathe her in for a brief moment, letting her see the desire in my eyes, before I gently remove her from my lap and sit her on top of the desk.
“You better be prepared for me in seven days’ time.” My voice is laced with promise and a hint of menace. I can see the excitement spark in her eyes, and I know that when I finally take her, I won’t be the one that owns her… she will own me. I will never get enough of her.
Vittoria has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, and she insisted that I go to the office for a while. She thinks I’ve been neglecting my work for her over the past few weeks. She’s not wrong, but she’s my priority, and with that in mind I message her brother.
Me: Got time to meet up? Need to talk.
Carter: Cube, in an hour?
Me: See you there.
I guess it’s now or never.
Cube is eerie during the day. The smell of stale beer from years of people having a good time, night after night, clings to every surface. It’s like a ghost town, except for a few members of staff who are in setting up for the night ahead. One of them nods at me to go to the back office, and I can’t help feeling like I’m walking the green mile as I slowly make my way to the end of the hall.
I knock the door before opening it to find Carter engrossed in some boring looking paperwork.
“Hey, man. Is this a bad time?”
He looks up, somewhat relieved. “This is perfect timing. I need a break from all this shit. I fucking hate the paper trail that comes with running clubs. Even though I hired a manager to oversee everything, I like to come in occasionally and get myself up to speed.”
I take a seat across from him. “How’s the family?”
He sits back with a smug, satisfied grin on his face. “They are fucking amazing. I never thought I would be this guy. Happy as a pig in shit, with an amazing girlfriend and a kid. I fucking love it.”
“I’m really happy for you, bro. You deserve it. You and Xander really hit the jackpot.”
“Yeah. He’ll never let me forget that he’s the reason I met Addison, though. Smug bastard!”
We share a few laughs and catch up. I get shown at least thirty pictures of baby Verona on his phone, but I’m happy to see them. She’s adorable, and she’s a de Rossi woman. I know how irresistible they can be.
Finally, he remembers that I asked to come and talk with him. “So, what’s going on? What do you need to talk about?”
I pause for a moment, wondering how to phrase this; how best to soften the blow, and minimize the fallout that will inevitably follow. In the end, I figure, direct and to the point is all that I can do.
“I’m in love with Vittoria.”
“What the fuck?” I can see his anger building as he stares me down, his hands balling into fists on the table.
“Hear me out.”
“You have exactly five minutes to convince me why I shouldn’t beat the shit out of you right now.”
“Fine. If that’s what you need to do, then so be it. But, it won’t change the fact that I’m in love with her.” I can hear him grinding his teeth, fighting to stay in his seat.
“I wasn’t lying when I came to you last year and told you that I broke it off with her after the dinner at your apartment. I didn’t want to come between the two of you. You know that I consider you family, and your parents feel like my own. I would have been lost all these years without you guys. BUT… and it’s a big but… Vittoria has always been special to me. I’ve been in love with her forever. I stayed away as long as I could, because I never wanted to lose you as a friend, and when I walked away from her last year, it just about killed me. I’ve been fucking miserable without her.”
I watch his face soften ever so slightly, knowing that he’s experienced that level of loss and mise
ry.
“We met by chance on a flight to London last month, and we started talking again. My feelings for her haven’t changed, Carter. If anything, I’m more in love with her than I’ve ever been.”
“So, you’ve been fucking her for a month behind my back? What’s this then, a fucking courtesy call?” And then it dawns on him. “You two were together at Verona’s party last week? You were sneaking around at my daughter’s first fucking birthday party??”
He stands from the table
“Sit the fuck down, Carter. I haven’t ‘fucked’ her, and if you ever speak about her like that again, I will fucking end you.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“Just sit down and shut the fuck up until I’m done.”
He grabs a bottle of Jack from the cabinet behind his desk and pours himself a glass before sitting back down. “Talk, fast.”
“Firstly, yes, we were together last week, but Vittoria didn’t want to take any of the focus away from Verona’s day. She adores that little girl, and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her happiness. Secondly, I’ve never slept with her. Not when we were together a year ago, and not now. Not that it’s any of your fucking business. I’m serious about her. She’s it for me. I wanted to be sure that I could be the man she needs me to be, before we take that step. I know that if I cross that line with her, there will be no going back. If I lost her after that, I would never recover. Surely, you can understand that? After everything that happened when you and Addi were trying to figure things out.”
“Don’t compare this to me and Addi. You want to fuck my sister. MY SISTER!”
“FOR FUCK’S SAKE! I want to be with her, build a life with her, and protect her from anything that could ever hurt her. She’s my fucking world! If I never have sex with her, she’ll still be the fucking ONE!”
“But…”
“No fucking buts. I love her. She loves me back. I want what you and Xander have. Someone to share my life with. I’ve denied myself that for so long, because no one has ever measured up to her.”