by Sam Crescent
At breakfast, he intended to stake his claim on her.
Stone Valley would accept their relationship. There were a lot more couples sharing than were not. Tessie’s family had been one of the few couples who were actually a ménage couple. Growing up with two dads and one mother made for an interesting life.
“We’ll never know. Why do you have to make bets like that?” Brant asked, climbing into the passenger side.
Checking the time on the dash, Markus saw it was a little after seven. “His club will be open and we can talk to him then.”
“You know Luke, Jon, and Ryan are going to be pissed at us.”
The Willis brothers hated Donald for opening up a BDSM club, especially when the popularity of dominant men seemed to be on the rise. He and Brant were good friends with the brothers and they had grown up together. Luke, Jon, and Ryan didn’t have it easy. Their mother divorced their fathers and moved in with a stepdad. The three boys ended up living with their mother in Stone Valley while their two fathers left for the big city.
“Not if we tell them we’re going to do the reception at the Dancin’ Donkey.” Markus would always choose his friends first. Donald was a good guy, but they weren’t great friends. From what he’d learned through the grapevine, Donald decided on his friends and most of them were Doms inside the club.
Markus didn’t hold it against the other man. Just because he was a Stone didn’t mean everyone had to like him.
“They’ll still be pissed.”
“We need to get a report on what’s happening. Donald will wait for us to go to him, you know that,” Markus said, turning the engine over and putting the truck into gear.
“Why would he do that? He knows we’d want the information as soon as he got it.” Brant’s voice took on a whiny tone.
Glancing over at his brother, Markus shook his head. “He’s a dominant man, Brant. He’s a Dom and likes control. We go to him, he’ll never come to us. Seriously, what did they teach you in college?” he teased.
“Nothing to do with men who like to tie up and spank women, clearly,” Brant retorted back.
Markus moaned at the thought of binding Tessie to their bed. Her body open, accepting their passion, was more than he could stand. He voiced the images to Brant, who moaned in turn.
“Fuck, I never thought I’d get turned on by the thought of bondage. Tessie would look so good spread open for us.”
He couldn’t argue and kept his mouth shut. Markus needed to concentrate on driving, otherwise he’d put them both in a ditch.
They got to the club in quick time. The club was separated on two levels. Level one allowed anyone to come in off the street and have a drink. The VIP section was where most of the action took place, and where Donald would most likely be. Markus had supplied himself a pass several months ago. He never participated in the scenes on display in the private area, but he did like to watch.
There was something about watching a woman come apart that really undid him. He imagined it was why sharing would always be part of his life. Getting off on watching his woman get off was part of his psyche. There was nothing else like it.
Brant had never been to the club and didn’t have a pass. Markus took him through as his guest.
“Don’t even try anything, otherwise I’ll get pissed at you. Sit, watch, and relax. Order a beer or something. I’ll be driving us home.”
There were times Markus hated being the big brother, but that moment, like today, was not one of them.
Taking a seat, he ordered a coffee for himself and a beer for his brother. The waitress was dressed in an open corset, displaying her breasts.
“Is she a…?”
“Submissive? Yes, she is. All the waitresses and waiters are submissive. This is part of their role as well.”
“There are male waiters?” Brant asked.
“Of course.” Markus sat back, waiting for Donald to seek him out. He’d met many men like Donald. They couldn’t help themselves in interfering where they were not wanted. If his instinct was right, Markus imagined he would soon be a father-in-law and Donald would take his role seriously. He wondered how Tessie would handle Donald being her stepdad.
The thought alone made him chuckle.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Donald asked, appearing at their table.
“Besides the obvious, I wanted to know if you got Lillian to agree to go out with you,” Markus said, getting straight to the point.
* * * *
Brant had never considered himself a blue-collared virgin with regards to BDSM or sex, but what he was seeing startled him. He’d heard all the rumors about this place and done the usual research online. Nothing could have prepared him for the actual experience.
Men and women were in different states of undress. The waiters all stared down at the trays, waiting for their orders. Glancing around the room, he saw men and women were sat or knelt on the floor, waiting for attention from their masters.
Shaking his head, Brant felt it was safer to turn to the discussion going on at his table.
Donald leaned against the booth they sat in. His arms were folded, and even in the dark suit, his body was well defined for a man in his fifties.
“You want to know if I finally gained a date with the beautiful Lillian Holland?” Donald asked. His voice was dripping charm. Even Brant could see the appeal of the man in front of him, and he was strictly heterosexual.
“That’s right,” Markus said.
His brother knew how to handle himself and it was at moments like these when Brant really felt the ten-year difference. At twenty-five, he thought there was nothing he hadn’t seen. Looking around the room, he was clearly wrong. Nothing could prepare him for this. He may get turned on by the thought of Tessie being tied to his bed, but that was as far as it went. This was pretty extreme for him.
“We helped get her alone for you. She was waiting for her daughter to save her. We wanted time alone with Tessie. Now, tell us it was for a good cause.”
“Does your woman know you’re the ones responsible for the mysterious packages?” Donald asked. There was no rush to Donald.
“How did you know about them?” Brant asked, interrupting.
“I make it my business to know everything about the woman I’m interested in, and that includes the attention her daughter is getting. Tessie may be twenty-five and as independent as little Lillian allows her, but I see her as part of my future.”
“You’re already seeing her as a stepdaughter.” Brant respected the man for it.
“Of course. I rarely fail to get what I want. I want Lillian, and I will have her. She’ll be the perfect submissive woman. I see it in her eyes, unlike her daughter. Tessie is a hellcat. I look forward to the games she’ll play with you two.”
“I think I’ve heard enough about Lillian and submission to last me a lifetime,” Brant said. He took a sip of his beer, hoping to cool himself down. The last thing he wanted to think about was Lillian and Donald together.
Nope, he went there already.
“Yes, I’ve secured a date with Lillian. I fear she’ll find some excuse to cancel, which is why I’m demanding you’ll be taking Tessie to this restaurant at the same time. You’ll be several tables away, but close enough to stop Lillian from trying to escape.” Donald handed his brother a card. He saw it was for a fancy restaurant several miles from town and on the outskirts of the city. It was a high-class Italian place. The food was to die for. Brant had eaten there several times throughout college.
Markus pocketed the card. “Consider it done.”
“There’s a dress code, so make sure to buy Tessie something ideal.” Donald gazed around his club once again before taking a seat. “My guy doesn’t have everything yet, but here is what he does have.” The other man pulled out a brown envelope from his pocket.
Brant tensed. He didn’t like the secrecy in the way they were handling this.
“Have you looked through it?” Markus asked. His brother didn’t seem to ha
ve a problem.
“Yes, and I don’t like it. I’m going to use my date with Lillian to get more out of her.” Donald let out a cough. “My guy thinks whoever killed Frank is still in town. He or she may even be friends with the family. I’m going to be talking with the Sheriff soon enough. I need all the facts first.”
“How do you know all this?” Brant asked.
“Being a Dom is not all I’m capable of, and that’s all you’re getting for now.”
Brant frowned, feeling frustrated. Glancing at Markus, Brant saw he was reading through the paperwork.
Markus handed it to him when he was done. Brant read through the pieces of paper. His business head firmly on, he looked down at the details. The paperwork, considering it wasn’t all there, was thorough. “Frank, prior to his death, was receiving large sums of cash?”
“Yeah, but they were disappearing as fast as they were appearing. Not only that, Frank was getting up to ten calls from the same number every day for the last month before he died.” Donald pointed out the number. “My guy tried the number and it was disconnected. Untraceable.”
Donald went through the paperwork Markus was holding. He pulled out the sheet near the back. “This is the autopsy on Frank’s death. He died of a heart attack, but there was significant blunt force to the chest. Not only that, but his tox screen came back dubious. There was a high amount of insulin in his system. Frank was a type two diabetic. He didn’t need to take extra insulin, and what is shown on the records is a medicated type of insulin.”
“Why wasn’t this investigated?” Marcus asked.
Brant didn’t like where this was going. From the paperwork Donald was showing them, it meant Tessie could be in danger. Frank didn’t just die of a heart attack. The paperwork was insinuating that the man was murdered.
“This was the copy of the autopsy report that got lost. The official one states Frank Holland died of a heart attack. Nothing to insinuate it was anything other than stress. The family’s financial situation helped with that.” Donald pointed at the paperwork. “When you asked me about this, I thought you were being pissy because your gift was taking too long. Now, I’m getting pissed because the person who hurt Frank is still out there. Lillian is my concern. Whoever tried to hurt her or her family hurts me, and, gentlemen, I don’t like being hurt.”
Brant was getting that.
“We need to take this to the Sheriff’s office,” Brant said.
“No, none of this goes there until I have the entire office investigated. I’ve got a team working on their history and everything. I’ll know something by the end of the week,” Donald said.
* * * *
Staring across the bar at the three men in talks, he knew they knew something was off about Frank Holland’s death. He also knew that they thought they knew the person who killed him. Being good at his job, no one had a clue who he was. He’d been picked for his ability to blend into a crowd.
The ranch was the only place he ever went while in Stone Valley. He’d learned at a young age, and to a woman’s detriment, that being known was never safe. He didn’t have any attachments. When the need to fuck came, he took a woman in a darkened alley. Any chance of being in love ended when his true identity did. His real love was out there, alone, but he couldn’t risk the mission by approaching her. Patrick had to stay away to keep her alive.
No attachments, no commitments. The two points were his mantra.
Flipping open the phone, he dialed the number he knew by memory. He was creating a huge risk for himself and the operation by being in the club.
Another of his rules was to never be seen. There were plenty of people who saw him, but he was more concerned for the people behind the scenes. The ones who watched him when he couldn’t watch them.
“Report?” the voice asked down the line.
“They know about Frank Holland. Investigators are on the case.”
“Amateurs?”
“No, the real deal. The ones that make ours look like the amateurs.”
There was a sigh over the line. “I think it’s time Tessie Holland was sent more than a message to keep her alive and away from danger. It’s what I promised you.”
He listened to his instructions and glanced over at the men. This was the part he hated and yet it was the one part of his job he was good at.
Chapter Seven
“Are you still angry at me?” Tessie asked, walking into the kitchen on Monday morning. Her mother wasn’t talking to her properly. Lillian had ranted and raved at her all night about leaving her alone with Donald.
“I’m not angry at you,” Lillian said, not looking up from her coffee.
“No? I can see that.” She glanced down at her soggy cereal and knew her mother was punishing her.
When Lillian wasn’t cooking up a storm or making pancakes, she usually set out her breakfast, leaving Tessie to pour the milk when she was ready to eat. Scooping up the slop, Tessie pulled a face.
“You need to eat something and get ready for work. You’ve got a long shift tonight.”
“I know. You’ll pick me up at nine, right?” Tessie asked.
With her mother’s mood, she felt she would be left at work.
“I’ll pick you up.”
She ate her food in silence, watching as her mother did everything she could to avoid her. When she could no longer stand the silence, she slammed her cup down. “Mom, you’re better than this. So you agreed to one little date. What’s the big deal?” Her anger spiked at being treated cruelly. She hated soggy cereal and cold coffee. What she hated more was being ignored by her mother.
“It’s not just one date. I’ll be alone with him, and you know what he is, don’t you?”
“A guy with a crush?” Tessie asked, lost for words.
“No, he’s a dominant man. He owns that club, and we all know that sex clubs are awful things.”
Seeing the blush stain her mother’s cheeks, Tessie couldn’t help but smile.
“Stop laughing at me.” Lillian stormed over to the sink.
She watched her mother throw the coffee down the sink and then start washing dishes. Getting up from her seat, she moved to her side. Wrapping her arms around Lillian’s waist, she rested her head on her shoulder.
Lillian’s shoulders dropped. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can. It’s one date. Donald has been a pretty patient guy, trying to get your attention. You’ve not made it very easy for him to get to know you.”
“I’m not like you kids today. I can’t just let myself be with the first man who shows a bit of attention.”
Tessie frowned. “That’s really harsh, Mom. I’ve never gone with the first guy. I’m still a freaking virgin, for Christ’s sake. If it wasn’t for Brant and Markus, I’d be a freaking virgin for the rest of my life. I’m hoping they’ll change that soon.”
Her mother stroked her arms lovingly. “Honey, I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about me.”
It was Tessie’s turn to get embarrassed.
“I know you find it hard to trust and to love easy. I loved your father. He was my everything. When he died, he left a great, big gaping whole inside my heart and I can’t just let anyone fill that. Your father meant a great deal to me.”
She listened to her mother speak. Her words made sense, but she didn’t dispute them. Tessie waited until she was finished.
“Donald is a great man. He’s sweet and charming and always makes me smile when he sees me in the supermarket. He’s not my Frank, though.”
Tessie let out a sigh. “Mom, I love you so much. I’d never do anything to hurt you and the last thing I want to see is you getting hurt.”
“Then why do I think there’s a ‘but’ coming?” Lillian asked.
“But Dad’s dead, Mom.” Tessie cringed as she said the words. “Frank’s not coming home. Daddy loved you and I know he’d want you to find love like you did with him.”
Lillian’s shoulders shook with emotion.
“I’m
so sorry,” Tessie said.
“You’re too wise for your years. Listening to you talk reminds me of your father.” Her mother turned, kissed her cheek, and turned to leave.
“You’re keeping the date?”
“Yeah, I’ll keep the date, but I’ll be letting Donald know I’m not some easy woman he can charm into bed. Romancing me is going to take time.”
Smiling at her mother, Tessie nodded. “I didn’t doubt it for a second.”
They were on the drive to the diner. Tessie didn’t have anything else to say. Her mother’s anger had dissipated during the morning. She hated being cruel, but it had been necessary. Five years had already passed since her Dad’s death. How much longer was Lillian going to wait to move on? Forty-five was too young to no longer love someone.
Making her way into the diner, she waved at her mother and headed into the kitchen. Her apron and notepad were waiting for her on the counter. Jake was flipping bacon and Bessie was cutting out pastry for the dessert pie.
“If it’s not woman of the hour,” Bessie said. “The woman to finally tame those Stone men.”
“I doubt Markus and Brant will ever be tamed.” She walked through to the main diner and saw her two men sat in her section. Her heart thumped inside her chest at the sight that greeted her. They looked up as she approached.
Taking a quick glance through the diner, she saw it was only a few tourists and most of the customers were locals. Tate patted her on the back as she passed. Approaching their table, she poised the pen over the pad.
“What can I get you?” she asked.
A squeal left her lips as she was pulled onto Markus’s lap. “Is that anyway to treat your boyfriends?”
His lips slammed down on hers. Cheers and catcalls sounded throughout the diner. “It’s about damn time.”