Red Hots

by Hines, Yvette

  Red Hots

  Yvette Hines

  Copyright © 2013 Yvette Hines

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 978-1492295396

  ISBN-10: 1492295396

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission by the author.

  Red Hots

  Copyright © 2013, Yvette Hines

  Cover Artist: Estrella Cover Art (http://estrellacoverart.com)

  Line Editor: Andrea Jackson

  Proofer: Bernadette Schane

  Copy Editor: Liza Kazee

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to bookstore and purchase your own copy. It is illegal to upload books without the publisher’s permission to share sites. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  DEDICATION

  To my husband, my calming center. You put up with a lot of mess when I’m on deadline. I thank you for always being supportive and just hugging me when I need it. For all the “research” I’m truly bound to you. To Aliyah and Di… ladies I can’t count how many times I was going crazy and you let me call you at 5 a.m. or talk until midnight. Thank you.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  To Dawn who had the great idea about a candy shop and when we said “Can it be two brothers that own it and they are Doms?” you said, “‘Hell, yeah!’” Much appreciation for your confidence in us.

  To Bridget Midway (author of Licorice Whips) my co-storyteller and candy shop owner. It always amazes me how we can take a crazy idea and bring it to life. Here’s to our Dom brothers!

  Never forgetting those on Team Yvette Hines, my editing and cover art peeps. You all make what I dream about and dare to put out to the masses look damn good. You all are the top shelf, perfectly-aged SHIT!

  Finally and most importantly to my readers. The way you all stick with me and all of my genres, you support me, not only by buying the books, posting reviews, and shouting it out to all who will listen, but because even on my #1kaday you let me know you are there and waiting…not so patiently. J

  CHAPTER One

  “Knock, knock.”

  At the sound of someone calling from his door, Masaun glanced up from the production reports he was reviewing of the store’s last six months. He was sure it was one of the two employees that worked for him and his brother. Swithin, his younger brother and co-owner of Decadent Treats, would not have knocked on the office door. He and Swithin, who had been called ‘Sweet’ since they were children, had started the candy shop five years ago in the heart of downtown Virginia Beach. It worked in this semi-upscale area where people could afford the treats they offered and the confectionery creations his brother provided. It was finally growing to a profitable business, not greatly profitable but enough for them to start building a liquid cushion.

  Leaning back in his chair, Masaun Hawkes stared at the solid door. It wasn’t sealed, but partially open the way he kept it. However, he’d ensured that his staff knew that his ‘open’ door policy meant they were still expected to knock and wait until he gave them permission to enter. Control. He had to have control in his life, even over the smallest things.

  “Enter,” he called out.

  The door pushed wider as Hanson stuck his head through the opening. The thin face of the lanky black man was pulled into a wide smile. “Boss, I have that Sheldon party delivery package ready for pick up. Connie is working with a family out front—”

  “I’m on my way.” Masaun placed the papers into a new folder and labeled it for the months he had been reviewing.

  “Thanks.” With a sharp nod, Hanson left.

  Rising, Masaun straightened his black tie that had the company logo at the bottom of it—a diamond with four sections, each one having a different kind of candy in it. At the store, he was the only one who wore a tie, or even anything business style for that matter. He did it out of habit. After so many years in the business world and always in a suit, he felt more comfortable in the work environment dressed in such a way.

  Their two employees wore slacks and various polo-style shirts with the logo in the upper corner and the name stitched below it; Sweet wore jeans with his. His brother was not the slacks wearing type.

  Masaun rounded the desk and went out the door, closing it behind him. The smell of chocolate and other sugary treats greeted him as he walked the short hall that led away from his office to the kitchen where Sweet spent most of his time when he came down from the apartment above the store to work.

  The aisles were stocked deep with candies, both new and old-fashioned, and the interior of the store was painted with just as many vibrant colors as the outside, which appeared like something out of a children’s fairytale. That was Sweet’s doing, his brother’s vision…something from his youth. He wanted his brother happy, at peace; so he was willing to do whatever that would take, within reason.

  Connie stood beside the fresh-made chocolate case, talking with the family, and glanced over and smiled at him. He nodded at her, impressed that she could remain calm around the parents with the four children who were all babbling about what candy they wanted and how many of each. The parents even looked frazzled and overwhelmed as if they wished they had not decided to come in with the kids. However, Connie, a grandmother of two boys, just continued to speak in soft tones with a grin. They’d made the correct decision to hire her. She was just what the store needed.

  It hadn’t escaped Masaun’s notice that Connie recalled all the first names of their many repeat customers and what they liked. Things like that made customers smile and feel their business was appreciated. She was a value to have around.

  Stepping to one of the shelves to straighten up one of the displays, the ringing of the chime over the door drew his attention. Seeing a familiar face coming in, he moved over to greet her.

  “Hello, Dom—“ She lowered her gaze from his face. “Um, Mr.—” Seeming to consider herself and where she was, she lifted them again, but instead of looking in his eyes, she locked them on something over his shoulder. “Mr.—”

  “Masaun,” he supplied, seeing her struggle with what to call him. She knew him as Dom Hawk, but that wasn’t appropriate for her to use now. He killed the urge to glance over his shoulder and see if the customers already in the store had heard her slip. That was a part of his life, was his life. He wasn’t ashamed of what he and his younger brother, Sweet, were into, that deeper, darker side. However, neither was he planning to take out a billboard and advertise it. That was a constant bone of contention between he and his brother.

  “Yes, right, Sir…Masaun.”

  Taking in the leggy white woman’s apparel, cream knee-length skirt and dark green top with a black thick belt cinching her waist in, he noted the difference in her normal appearance. At The Dollhouse where he had trained Lolli six months ago, before she’d met her current Dominant, Razor, she was often in a school girl’s plaid skirt, a red collar and nothing else.

  Desiring to get away from the topic of his name, he said, “Welcome to Decadent Treats. What can I help you with, Lolli?”

  Lifting her chin, she seemed to exude a little more confidence. He assumed she w
as leaning on her normal professional skills instead of that of a submissive. If they were currently at The Dollhouse or any other BDSM establishment, she wouldn’t have approached him at all without her Dom.

  “I need to order a basket for someone. A good friend of mine.”

  “Are you aware of the various types of packages and specials we offer?” He guided her toward the end of the counter that held a binder with pictures similar to the ones they used for the website to show what came in them as well as how they were packaged. Connie was at the other end behind the register now ringing up the family’s purchase.

  “Yes, I’m familiar with some of the things you offer. My…boyfriend…” Lolli glanced over at the family.

  Masaun noticed that the mother was trying to appear not to be eavesdropping as the father handed Connie a credit card, but he saw the mother shift her gaze down toward the kids at the last minute.

  “My boyfriend has ordered a few packages and arranged to have them sent to my job. The other owner…”

  “My brother.”

  “Yes. He delivered them, and they were always just what I needed to let go of the stress of the day.”

  “Good to know. So, now you want to extend the same courtesy to a friend.” Opening the binder, he pushed it across the counter toward her.

  “Yes, Sir, that’s correct.” She began flipping through the book as she spoke. “My friend is under so much pressure at work right now with a tough case.”

  Watching her turn the pages fast as if looking for something specific, he inquired, “Does your friend like candy?” He wasn’t a fan of a lot of sweets like his brother, which worked well for the creative side of their business. However, if Lolli was looking past the smaller, simple sampler baskets and into the more grand, he assumed her friend must be a junk food addict.

  Shaking her head and making the auburn cloud of curls bounce around her head, she said, “Not really. To be honest, I know that indulgence as well as simple food have become a thing of the past since this case fell on the plate. However, Kin has always been a sucker for nostalgic candy.” Slapping her finger down on top of a glossy image of their largest basket of classic candy, she glanced up and smiled. “This one is perfect.”

  He swung the book back around to him as he pulled out a prepared clipboard from under the counter. Jotting down the code and name of the basket onto the form secured to the board, he said, “This will be no problem for us to fill. When would you like it delivered?”

  “Today, please.”

  Standing to his full height, he pierced her with a look. Now that the family was on their way out of the store, he allowed the intensity he usually reserved for The Dollhouse to come forth. “This isn’t a pizza place. There’s a reason we require at least twenty-four to forty-eight hours’ notice before a delivery.”

  Lolli picked up on it instantly. Her grin and eyes dropped at the same time. He was impressed she didn’t hit the floor on her knees also.

  “Um…Sir, I know it is last minute. However, today is Kin’s birthday, and more importantly, juror selection on that case I mentioned starts in the morning. I just want to send a little support, something that will put a smile back on my friend’s face, even if just for a moment.”

  Regardless of the reason Lolli had given, he was a stickler for policy. Rules were set for a reason. Hanson was currently working on a big delivery for a party, and they had been shorthanded this morning, and would be until Sweet arrived later.

  “I think that’s just one of the sweetest things ever to do for a friend.” Connie put her hand on her heart as she stepped over and practically cooed.

  Lolli glanced up at the older woman, a small glimmer of light—hope—brightening her gaze.

  “Regardless.” He attempted to curb both ladies’ excitement before it went too far. “Hanson is already occupied with something else.”

  “I could build the basket on the back counter in between customers. I love doing them.” Connie’s smile stretched across her coral-painted lips. “It’s for someone’s birthday…there should always be exceptions for things like that.”

  At times like this, he hated having to remind himself that he couldn’t control everything or everyone in the store like he did at The Dollhouse, but at that moment, he wished he could utilize his dominant voice on the enthusiastic matron beside him. However, the older woman was an employee, not a submissive.

  “Please, Sir. If you could understand the amount of stress Kin is under. I’m so concerned for my friend that, with so many heavy cases in the last six months, this case, which is against a horribly twisted man, could be the breaking point for Kin.”

  Not persuaded by everything else Lolli or Connie had said, this tugged at something in him. It may have been five years since he’d practiced law, but he remembered the weight, the sleepless nights and the guilt that came along with it, no matter what side of the courtroom a person was on. There was also a hint of something else in Lolli’s voice that pricked his instincts.

  However, with Hanson, who normally handled all the deliveries, occupied, it would mean Masaun would have to do it once Sweet came in. Growling low, he said, “Fine, but it cannot be until late in the day.”

  “That’s fine, Sir. Just perfect.” She didn’t touch him, but laid her hand on the counter close to his and met his gaze briefly. “Thank you.”

  Giving Lolli a sharp nod, he glanced over at Connie who was clapping with glee. “Go start collecting the items you’ll need for this while there’s a lull in the store and I’ll complete this form. I’ll ring her up.”

  “You got it, Masaun.” Moving past him in her soft-soled shoes on her way to the storage area, Connie patted him on the back. “I don’t know why you try and hide that kind heart of yours.”

  Ignoring the comment from the older woman, he spoke to the customer before him. “I’ll need the full name and address of the person you want it presented to. I’ll need your credit card and identification to close this out while you look for a card on the rack to go with your package.”

  Lolli didn’t move or say anything. Instead her gaze followed Connie out of the front of the store. Then she glanced at him again. “Sir, there’s one more thing.”

  “That is?” A tingle started at the top of his spine and his chest tightened.

  “I know what finding myself in our lifestyle has done for me. Being a submissive, allowing someone else to take control in my life in one area, so I could just…be free.”

  “That’s because your role is a part of your nature.” He kept his response short and his voice low; this wasn’t the conversation he wanted to have here, now.

  “Exactly. Kin would never allow a moment to think there might be something else out there.”

  “And?” He wanted her to hurry up with whatever she wanted to say before Connie returned or a customer came in.

  “You’re such a great trainer…perceptive…persuasive in helping subs to trust themselves and their Doms enough to reach their potential emotionally and physically.”

  He gave a sharp nod and waited.

  “When you deliver the basket if you could— Not say anything about the lifestyle, but maybe assess my friend and see if you could offer something…anything. I trust if you can see a way to help Kin before my friend ends up with a stroke at the office. I’m just worried.”

  Allowing his gaze to roam her features, seeing the tightness around her mouth and eyes and the soft lines in her forehead, he knew that emotion was true. He wasn’t a person who brought his lifestyle out in public and he sure would never approach anyone with an invitation to the dungeon without knowing what they were looking for. However, he liked Lolli. She had been a determined sub during her training and showed the same dedication to her Dom. For that, he could at least agree to assess her friend.

  “I can do that. No promises though.”

  “Not a problem. I understand, Sir.” Finally she removed a piece of paper from her purse and handed it to him then removed her wallet, ending the
conversation about their private lifestyle.

  Looking down at the paper, he recognized the address of the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. While he was practicing, he’d met with a few colleagues from the other side of justice there when they were working the same cases.

  “What kind of lawyer is your friend?”

  “Kin Langston is one of the assistants to the Commonwealth Attorney,” Lolli said with friendly pride.

  Things and people changed in the field so the person wasn’t familiar to him, especially after almost six years since the last time he was in a courtroom. He no longer even followed current cases in the media but filled his spare time with financial channels and reports when he wasn’t tending to his obligations at the local dungeon where he was a member.

  Connie returned to the front, carrying a box that he assumed contained all the things she would need to prepare the order. Soon he’d finished with the business side of the order, got the filled out card from Lolli and the customer was headed out of the store. That done, he went to his office to make headway on the work demanding his attention, especially since over an hour of his day would be taken up by playing delivery boy.

  Two hours later that’s where Sweet found him when he came down from the upstairs apartment. That was one of the things about having a business in Virginia Beach. The city allowed residences above businesses and Sweet had made use of it since he’d split with his last submissive. Sweet put on a front that ending things with Melinda hadn’t changed him, but Masaun was good at reading people. That was what made him an excellent trainer in the lifestyle. His brother wasn’t living above the store because he couldn’t afford to have his own house elsewhere, but because Sweet was hiding…burying himself in the company—literally.

  “How are things today, big brother?” There was a relaxed appearance to his’ impassive face, but Sweet’s eyes were shadowed and humorless, lacking joy.