Brand (The Donovan Dynasty)

by Sierra Cartwright

  Focusing on someone else’s problems was a balm to Sofia’s soul, and she listened to her sister for another hour before asking the obvious question. “What happened to Marcel?”

  “He works so many hours. He’s never really available”

  “So what are the things that matter to you in a man, in a relationship?”

  Zoe rambled, and even though she glanced at her phone when it lit up, she was strong enough to avoid Todd’s first few text apologies.

  “So, someone more like our father or more like a John McBride?”

  “Way to go straight for the jugular, sis.”

  “Unless you’re just having fun, these things matter. If you’re having fun, recognize it, own it, enjoy it. But if you’re looking for something long-term, choose a man who deserves you. One who will get up in the middle of the night with the kids or drive the catering van.”

  After the ice cream, Zoe was an entirely new woman. She blocked Todd’s number and deleted all the messages in her phone. She even went so as far as to trashcan his pictures.

  Maybe Sofia had been hasty in avoiding the ice cream.

  “Have you ever been really in love?” Zoe asked, licking the front of the spoon to capture the very last bit of heavy-cream heaven.

  To cover her non-answer, Sofia picked up the carton and took the spoon from her sister.

  Zoe got up and followed her to the kitchen. “Come on.”

  “You lived with me. How much time do I spend dating?”

  “OMG.”

  “What?”

  “It’s Cade Donovan! Ha! I knew it.”

  She shook her head and tried not to let heat chase up her cheeks to give her away. “It’s not,” Sofia said firmly.

  “It’s not?”

  “No.” It wasn’t a lie, but damn, she wished it were.

  “You spent the night there.”

  “He has fourteen bedrooms.” Again, not a lie.

  Zoe frowned with sisterly skepticism.

  Sofia picked up a dishtowel and tossed it at Zoe’s head. Sofia hadn’t slept for more than a few hours at a time since she’d left the ranch, and the exhaustion was beginning to wear at the edges of her energy and focus.

  She prided herself on the ability to work through anything, but that had been until Cade. She imagined his scent everywhere, something probably not helped by the fact she still had his unwashed T-shirt in her closet. Every time she caught a glimpse of a rugged cowboy in a hat, her heart would momentarily be paralyzed.

  Even now, she didn’t question her decision to flee. Escape had been her only hope of survival.

  Tonight, she’d had the right words for Zoe, mainly because she’d repeated them to herself like a mantra over the last few days.

  She knew herself well enough to realize that she did want to fix him, wanted to soothe the beast inside him, hold up a bayonet to keep his demons at bay. He’d been right about everything. Everything. She couldn’t know that kind of pain, anguish, loss. Being responsible for the death of someone she loved…? She wasn’t sure she’d ever recover from that.

  Sofia had realized that only Cade could save Cade, and she had no idea if he was even interested in trying. If she had stayed, he’d have destroyed her along with him.

  At least she could be as strong as Zoe.

  “Can I crash here?” Zoe asked.

  “As long as I can, too,” Sofia replied wryly.

  “I know, I know.”

  “Go get the linens and make up the couch.” With a laugh that she needed, she hugged her sister before going to her bedroom

  * * * *

  Maybe because Sofia was thinking about Cade, she dreamed of him.

  She woke up in the darkest of the night hours, aroused as she would be if Cade were in bed next to her. Though she hadn’t touched herself since she’d left the Running Wind, she closed her eyes and lay on her back.

  Sofia worked her hand inside her panties and ran a finger over her clit.

  Images of Cade flitted through her mind. And the one that took form was the over-the-knee spanking he’d given her, teasing her, smacking her. The touch had blazed, and yet it had been so incredibly sexy.

  Pretending he was directing her motions, she moved her hand faster, plunging a finger inside her pussy, then another. She jerked her hips, then smacked her pussy hard. The sting took her to even greater heights, and it was enough to push her toward an orgasm, but not enough to shove her over the edge.

  She slapped herself three times, then twisted both of her nipples.

  The slight pain combined with the image of him in her mind and she dug her heels into the mattress before she called out his name and careened into an orgasm.

  When the aftershocks retreated, she tried to steady her breathing. But she ended up turning onto her side and hiccupping soft tears from the loneliness, for what never was, for what would never be.

  * * * *

  “Hey, boss?” Vivian knocked on Sofia’s door frame and poked her head inside without waiting for an invitation. “Someone to see you.”

  She exhaled. Ever since Tyrone had started soliciting bids for the expanded warehouse, the site had been filled with salespeople, engineers, contractors. It reminded her of Encore’s earliest days. But it turned out she’d remembered the good parts, the thrill of breaking ground, the satisfaction of watching progress happen, the shared bottle of champagne at the end of the journey.

  Last week, her mother had joked that it was much like childbirth.

  “Okay,” she said. “Send him in.”

  “Uhm…” Vivian did a little jerk with her head.

  “What?” She scowled, feeling silly that she couldn’t figure out what Vivian was trying to convey.

  Then Cade was there, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, his presence vaporizing oxygen from the room.

  She stood. “Thank you, Vivian.” Sofia wasn’t even sure if she’d been coherent.

  “I’ll, ah, be in the break room?”

  “Thanks.”

  Vivian was the only person who knew the story about Cade, how deeply Sofia cared, how devastated she was. Still, he was their biggest client, and she had an obligation to be civil.

  “Excuse me,” Vivian said with a nervous smile.

  Cade moved aside for Vivian. When she was gone, he stepped in and closed the door and the blinds.

  “Cade,” she said. Sitting would give him the advantage, but her legs wouldn’t support her any longer. “Is there a problem?”

  “There is.”

  She reached for a pen and threaded it through her fingers. Anything to keep them from betraying her nerves.

  “Me.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  Without an invitation, he sat.

  “I thought if I was the best at something, maybe my dad would spend more time with me.”

  “Cade.”

  “No. Listen.”

  She nodded, not wanting to hear the ache in his voice.

  “That picture in my bedroom? It was taken maybe an hour before his death. Donovan Worldwide sponsored race cars back then. I wanted to drive one. So he put me in one. It wasn’t on the big professional circuit, but one down, with some other rookie drivers, like me. It was after qualifying, and not in my car, since mine only had one seat, but a car designed for a pro to take a passenger for a once-in-a-lifetime ride along. Someone else wrecked. I had nowhere to go. A tire got cut down, I went into the wall. The angle of impact…” He paused, took off his hat. “It was instant.”

  “I…”

  “I woke up in the hospital hours later. And when the doctor called for my mother when I asked where my dad was, I knew. I knew.”

  “You don’t have to tell me this.”

  “Yeah. I do. I was unconscious that day. And I’ve been that way since. It took your leaving to shake me up enough that I want to live. I owe Nathan for kicking my ass, encouraging me to look at the autopsy report. There was even a video. I’ve watched it six thousand times.”

  Her heart w
as suddenly careening.

  “I don’t deserve you. I’m probably going to be a little fucked up for the rest of my life. There will always be guilt.”

  “I can’t imagine how there wouldn’t be.”

  “Anniversaries of the wreck are always the worst. But if you’re willing to give me another chance, I vow to do my best never to shut you out, to be the man you deserve.”

  “My God…”

  He left the chair, got down on one knee and said, “Sofia McBride, make me the happiest man on earth. Marry me.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a box. He flipped it open to reveal a stunning marquis diamond engagement ring.

  “I’m not sure what to say.”

  “Start with yes. We can do anything from there.”

  “I…”

  He flipped the box closed then slipped it back in his pocket before standing. This close, at his full height, he overwhelmed the space and her. He put his hands on her shoulders and drew her to her feet. “Do you need a little convincing?”

  His face was set in a determined tilt that made her nervous.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked.

  “Like that first night at Connor and Lara’s reception, you haven’t kicked me out.”

  “True,” she whispered.

  “You’re still here,” he continued.

  She licked her upper lip.

  His eyes were that ferocious gunmetal color that enchanted her, wouldn’t let her look away.

  Before she knew what he was about, she was over his shoulder, grabbing for his waistband for stability. Even though she was laughing, she kicked. He trapped her legs with an upper arm and gave her buttocks one solid whack. “Let’s go have this conversation somewhere a little more private. Give me an opportunity and I will spend the rest of my life convincing you I’m worth a chance.”

  “I think that’s a lascivious suggestion, Sir.”

  “Sweet Sofia, I haven’t even gotten started.”

  Epilogue

  October

  “Cade, really? We’re going to be late to our own party.”

  He crossed his arms and regarded his wife, the beautiful Mrs. Sofia Donovan. “You shouldn’t have bent over.”

  “For crying out loud, I was just putting on my boots.” She scowled.

  And nice ones they were, turquoise leather, handcrafted by his mother as a wedding present.

  He glanced at the bed then back at Sofia.

  “You’re serious?” she asked.

  “Do you need to be told twice?”

  Even across the distance, he saw the flecks in her eyes darken. It wasn’t just the words, it was the tone of voice, and she recognized it.

  Sofia licked her lower lip. “Someone might hear.”

  Since the centennial celebration would kick off in a little less than two hours, the house was filled with family members and a few close friends. Still, the bedroom he now shared with Sofia was far enough away to give them some privacy. “I have a gag in the closet if you need it.”

  He crossed to the door and turned the lock before targeting her. His boots echoed off the hardwood as he demolished the distance between them, noticing the way her shoulders quickly rose and fell as she responded to him.

  He shrugged out of his Western tuxedo jacket—he was wearing it far too often for his tastes—then hung it on a bedpost. “Lift your dress, Sofia.”

  With perfect obedience, she caught the hem and drew it up over her hips.

  “Stop.” He wanted to look, so he did. Her panties were a wisp of fabric, something he’d picked out for her. “I like you in thongs.” That way he knew her ass was bare, waiting for his handprint. “On the bed. Face down.”

  With exaggerated slowness that edged toward sassiness, she turned away from him and got into position. She squirmed around as she settled herself. No doubt her movements were intentional, to snare his attention. But since the moment he’d first met her, he’d been captivated.

  After moving aside the thong, he nudged her ankles farther apart, already smelling the heat of her arousal. “Tell me what you want.”

  She moved her head to the side so she could meet his gaze. “Fuck me. Claim me. Remind me I’m yours.”

  Over the months, that had become a mantra between them, words that she said to let him know she was ready for him. “I’d like nothing more.” He skimmed his work-roughened fingertips up the outside of her smooth thighs then he pried apart her buttocks.

  She clenched her ass cheeks before sucking in a breath, forcing herself to relax.

  “You’re going to be full for me today.”

  “I…” Sofia pursed her lips then schooled her features. “If it pleases you.”

  “It does.” He left her long enough to grab a bottle of lube and a glass butt plug.

  Her beautiful eyes widened in shock. “What the hell is that?”

  “I assume your question is rhetorical.”

  “Cade, it’s huge.” She grabbed fistfuls of the bedspread.

  He couldn’t hide his grin. “You’ve had my dick up there.”

  “But not for a prolonged period,” she protested.

  “You will tonight.”

  Her mouth parted in shock.

  He waited.

  After several long moments, she sighed. “Yes, Sir.”

  Cade knew it wasn’t possible for his dick to be harder.

  He fingered her pussy, distracting her from the fear. “That’s my perfect, perfect sub,” he said when tension drained from her body. He left her long enough to grab a small vibrator. After turning it on to a medium-high setting, he slipped it inside her.

  “Ah… Cade!”

  “You can come when you want.”

  She jerked her hips in rhythm with the vibrations.

  “Think about how much I like watching you.” He lubed a couple of fingers then inserted one in her ass. After he stroked her a few times, he added the second. He took his time parting them, fucking her, opening her up for him.

  “This is…”

  “Tell me.”

  “Incredible. Almost too much.”

  “Good.” When he had her on the verge of an orgasm, he removed both fingers. Out of her sight line, he drizzled lube down the glass.

  He waited until she was on her toes, rubbing herself on the covers before saying, “You’ve got a horny pussy, wife.”

  “I need more,” she whispered, voice hoarse, demanding.

  How could he deny her?

  He set the vibrator a notch higher. When she cried out, he began to force the glass into her tight hole.

  “Damn, damn…” She squeezed her eyes shut.

  This woman. Always, always, she took more than he anticipated she might. “You’re almost there,” he promised, soothed.

  “Just get it in.”

  With a laugh, he continued his relentless, slow pace.

  She began to thrust backward, urging him to give her more, no doubt wanting it to be over.

  He managed to pry her anus apart enough to accommodate the fattest part of the plug’s girth. She cried, and he gave a solid push. The glass settled itself. “Damn, that’s even sexier than I imagined.”

  Sofia sighed. He saw her clench and unclench her buttocks as if trying not to fight against the intrusion.

  Cade brought his hands down, hard. She tossed her head as he blazed spanks across her skin.

  “I love you. I love you!”

  “Not half as much as I love and adore you, Mrs. Donovan.” He leaned forward to kiss the side of her neck. He’d spent a lot of years avoiding emotional entanglements, but now, he wondered why. He liked being married, knowing that Sofia was there for him at the end of the day. No matter how difficult the challenges were, they faced them together. He’d never let this woman go. “I’m going to fuck you.”

  “Now?” Her voice wobbled, from the force of the vibrator and the girth of the plug, he guessed.

  “Yeah.” He unbuckled his belt then lowered his zipper. Cade didn’t even hav
e to stroke his cock to make it hard enough to penetrate her tight cunt. He removed the vibrator and plunged his cock in her.

  The fit was incredible. Her pussy squeezed him, almost dragging out an orgasm before he was root-deep in her.

  He grabbed her hipbones, holding her steady. He realized she hadn’t yet orgasmed. “Waiting for me?”

  “Trying, Sir,” she replied, her voice muffled by the bedding.

  “Good, good girl.” He fisted his hand in her hair. “Come now.” He pistoned into her and she was helpless against him.

  He felt her pussy clamp down on his cock, and Sofia screamed as she orgasmed. Cade gritted his teeth, attempting to hold on for a few seconds longer. As she called his name, he lost the battle, spilling deep inside her.

  Long seconds later, satiated, he pulled out then helped her to turn over and get back on the bed.

  Her eyes were wide, chest rising and falling in keeping with her shallow, panted breaths.

  “You amaze me,” he said.

  Even though he knew she wasn’t cognizant of the world around her, he devoured her with a kiss, showing his love, devotion, commitment.

  Tenderly, he held her, wishing he could stay in bed with her forever.

  “Yours,” she whispered when he ended the kiss.

  “Mine,” he affirmed. “Stay here.” He redressed himself before going to the bathroom for a damp washcloth.

  “How do you feel?” he asked once he’d bathed her pussy and cleaned up the excess lube.

  “Claimed.”

  “Don’t you forget it.”

  “As if I could with this thing up my ass.”

  He grinned.

  Once she was cleansed, he pulled up her panties then offered his hand again.

  She stood and went into the bathroom to tame her hair and repair the damage done to her makeup. As he often did, Cade stood there, shoulder against the doorjamb, transfixed. He watched her, marveling at the changes in his life.

  Once his ring had been on her finger, he’d become impatient. She’d wanted a big wedding after the centennial celebration. With uncharacteristic impatience, he’d refused. Less than a week after he’d stormed into her Corpus Christi offices, he’d offered her two choices, set the date for no more than a month away or they were eloping.