Bunny and the Beast [Divine Creek Ranch 22] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Heather Rainier

  Joseph squeezed her shoulder. “Come, Bunny, let’s go introduce you.”

  She rose from the cushion she’d been kneeling on, another sweet concession she never would’ve dreamed she’d appreciate, but did. She went with him, lollipop in hand.

  Here goes nothin’.

  She followed slightly behind Joseph, studying them as he walked to the entry. Hector’s face lit up when he saw Joseph, and Bunny got an idea of just how huge he was as he held his long arms out and grinned at his one-time protégé. His short hair was black but tipped heavily with silver at the temples. His close-trimmed beard was a mixture of black and gray, shot through with silver at both sides of his chin, giving him a compelling regal air.

  “Joseph Priestly Hazelle, so damned glad to be back in your club.”

  The men came together and clapped each other’s backs hard enough that she wondered if they’d bruised each other. Parting, they grasped each other’s shoulders with matching grins, and Joseph said, “Welcome, Hector.” Bunny edged to the side so she could see around him as he turned to the woman, and his expression changed to one of great tenderness. “Juno, you look ravishing. Did you have a good rest?”

  The woman blushed, caressing her abdomen, and embraced Joseph and kissed his cheek. “I’m fine. You know how this big, protective bear is, worrying about me and the baby.”

  Her voice had a soft accent to it, one that Bunny couldn’t place, and the affection shining in her eyes was genuine. The dress Juno wore was made from a lovely iridescent and transparent silky fabric flowing sexily over her voluptuous, pregnant curves. And she was wearing high heels.

  I shoulda gone for the heels.

  A large warm hand cupped Bunny’s shoulder gently, and she looked up at Samson. He gave her a reassuring smile and a wink as the greeting between Joseph and Hector and Juno concluded.

  “Hector, you remember Samson Cutter, my right hand.” While Samson and Hector greeted each other, Joseph turned his head and spotted her behind him, gave her a slight smile, and tugged her forward when she would’ve been just as happy to grin and wave “hey” from behind him. Of course, he wouldn’t allow that. “I also have someone very special I’d like to introduce you to. This is Bunny Carrigan. She is new to Hazelle House and just learning about the lifestyle.”

  Hector’s silver eyes, rimmed with dark gray, settled on her, and she froze like the scared rabbit she was. His dark eyebrows were naturally arched, and one rose just a hair as he studied her with his intimidating gaze. She felt herself shrink until Juno leaned toward him and whispered in his ear while stroking his bearded jaw. Only then did he smile and hold out his hand to her.

  “Bunny, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He glanced at Joseph, who nodded, and then he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. “Joseph never ceases to surprise me. You are a lovely addition to the Hazelle House submissives, aren’t you?” His gaze studied her, awaiting a response.

  “Hello, Sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.” She so wanted to say more, but she valued her ass too much. The need to correct his assumption was strong, but no one could say she wasn’t a quick learner. As if he approved, Joseph stroked her sweaty palm soothingly, and she felt his light caress on her spine.

  Hector twined his fingers with the woman at his side and said, “Little one, this is my submissive, Juno.”

  Bunny smiled up at her, and when Juno greeted her and held out her hand, Bunny shook it. “I’m happy to meet you, Juno. How are you this evening?”

  “Well, I think these heels were a really bad idea, to be honest, and I need to leave the men to their conversations for a minute. Could you by chance show me to the ladies’ room? Perhaps we can chat and get to know one another on the way.”

  The other woman interrupted, grasping Juno’s forearm. “I’ll come with you. We can find it together.” The woman’s eyes lingered on Joseph, assessing his physique, clad in his dark suit, before averting them when his gaze turned her way.

  Hector cleared his throat, a deep growly sound, and then gestured to the woman. “Joseph, Samson, I’d like you to meet submissive Jillian. Thank you for receiving her as a guest tonight.”

  Jillian smiled invitingly at Joseph and nodded at Samson, and as the men’s conversations continued, she shifted her cold eyes to Bunny and flicked a glance at Bunny’s attire and smirked. Jillian was clad in a sheer champagne-colored latex dress that, combined with her olive skin, might as well have been invisible, and her five-inch heels brought her nearly eye to eye with Joseph.

  Bunny’s hands clenched involuntarily as she recalled that, while she had an agreement with Joseph that no other Dom could touch her without his permission, she had no such agreement with him regarding any other sub he chose to touch, or play with, or fuck, for that matter.

  Bunny backed up into Joseph’s chest. He’d been standing behind her the whole time.

  “Fiammetta, why don’t you show the ladies where the facilities are and meet us in the VIP section when you’re done?”

  “Yes, Sir,” she said stiffly, afraid that if she didn’t make a submissive mistake she’d probably trip over her own bare feet and embarrass herself anyway. Retreat was definitely in order to sort out this new realization. She felt the cool tingle of scrutiny on her bare bottom as they followed her across the room and was afraid to look behind her.

  Suddenly, the socks, garters, and cutesy bows seemed like a super dumb plan.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I think I scared the piss out of your little newbie,” Hector said to Joseph as the three of them took seats in the VIP section and ordered refreshment for themselves and the submissives.

  Joseph smiled while wondering if she was all right. “As my little ‘newbie’ has told me on a regular basis, ‘every man needs a hobby.’”

  Hector laughed boisterously. “Mine is shucking those heels as soon as she comes back. Stubborn little thing insisted she wanted to pull out all the stops for her last club visit for a while.”

  “Did you decide to find out if it was a boy or a girl?” Samson asked.

  Hector’s face glowed as he nodded. “Boy. He went bottoms up for the ultrasound tech, and there was no question.”

  “When is the baby due?” Joseph asked.

  “Six weeks. Doc said this was our last trip away from home until after the baby arrives. Before they come back, I want to ask. Is Bunny yours? She looked ready to swallow her tongue when I suggested she was a club submissive.”

  Joseph smiled at that comment. She’d gone so still, and he’d almost been able to hear the gears grinding in her head, but she’d wisely chosen to let him set the record straight. If his little flame didn’t release some of the pressure she had herself under, she was going to explode. He looked forward to helping her with that.

  “Yes, Hector. She’s mine.”

  Hector nodded and grinned. “I thought as much, considering your rather proprietary hold on her and the way she looked up at you. It appears you have her under your spell.”

  Samson snorted, and Joseph shrugged. “I’m not so sure it isn’t the other way around, sir. She’s a delight.”

  “She hasn’t shown much of it yet tonight, but she’s a total sass-pot,” Samson added with a quiet chuckle.

  Hector’s arched brows rose a fraction. “You’ve never favored impertinent subs before. What happened?”

  “Bunny happened. She has an irrepressible personality, but she’s a natural sub.”

  Samson nodded in agreement.

  “Jillian will be disappointed,” Hector said mildly. “Juno hoped you might like her. She’s your type—or was.”

  Joseph took a sip of the drink the waitress had just delivered, glad for the momentary distraction. He didn’t want to disappoint his mentor, but the tall blonde, with her calculating demeanor and surreptitious cutting glances at his sub, left him cold. Only the knowledge that Juno was a sweetheart and Bunny could handle herself kept him from worrying about her in the restroom with Jillian.

 
“Thank you, Hector. But Bunny and I have an agreement.”

  Hector grinned and persisted. “Jillian was hoping to experience your expertise with a whip firsthand. She has a generous masochistic streak. Surely your little newbie wouldn’t mind that.”

  “I know what you’re up to, old friend,” Joseph said with a chuckle. “No, but Samson might be willing to accommodate her.” Samson gave him a minute nod. He almost felt bad about shuffling the sub onto his friend.

  Moments later, the three subs returned. Hector reached for Juno and helped her into his lap. Joseph enjoyed watching his former mentor coddle and arrange his sub, who was also his wife, into a comfortable position in his arms. Once she nodded and kissed his bearded jaw, he reached over the arm of the chair and gently removed the outrageously high heels she’d been wearing.

  “Sir,” Juno said in a soft voice as she caressed his bearded chin, “I won’t be able to get those back on when it’s time to go upstairs. My feet will swell.”

  “I’ll carry you, little mama. I’d rather you were comfortable. You didn’t have to wear those to make me happy.”

  Juno giggled. “But I love the look in your eyes when I do.”

  Hector looked across at him and shrugged as if to say, What can I say? I’m still a guy.

  Joseph chuckled at their interaction, reached down to stroke Bunny, and found her stiff as a board beneath his hand. He massaged the rigid muscle gently, and when a waitress came to deliver the rest of the drinks, Joseph took the opportunity to lean down to her as she knelt beside him.

  He slid his hand under her hair, cupped the back of her head, and whispered, “Everything okay?”

  She swallowed and looked up at him. “Peachy, Sir.” The set of her lips in a straight line told him he’d been right. He glanced over at the other sub kneeling opposite of Bunny, at the side of the chair Hector sat in. She had positioned herself so she could chat with Juno if allowed. Her gaze, cold and challenging, averted from Bunny but not before he saw it.

  “I see,” he murmured, making a point of stroking the delicate curve of Bunny’s head as he kissed her forehead. “Robert and Shae keep looking over here. Stay with me here a while longer, and then you can visit with them if you’d like. I’m sure they want to know if you’re okay after your encounter with Hunter last weekend.” He no longer gave the man the honor of the title “Master.” He didn’t deserve it.

  “Only if it pleases you, Beastly,” she whispered back as she rubbed the tip of her nose against his.

  “Was everything all right in the ladies’ room?”

  Bunny nuzzled his cheek. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. Just mean-girl drama that’s not even worth mentioning. I’m a big girl. I can handle it. Want a lick?” she added as she held up her red-and-white striped lollipop to him.

  “I’d very much like to have a lick, but not of your lollipop,” he replied, capturing her cherry-flavored lower lip in his and giving it a lick before releasing it with a light pop. Her cheeks grew rosy, and instead of hitting him with another snazzy comeback, she smiled and averted her eyes, a tiny suggestive hum coming from her throat. Wrapping her hand around his calf, she went limp against him. Waiting.

  Warmth swelled in his chest, and when the conversation lagged, he looked up to find they all had their eyes on the two of them. Samson and Juno seemed vastly amused, and Jillian looked as though she’d just taken an extra-large butt plug in the ass.

  “Are we interrupting you and your sweet sub?” Hector asked, his voice vibrating with good humor.

  Juno schooled her expression and laid her head against her Master’s shoulder, her cheeks glowing. Hector patted her shoulder, and Joseph heard her resigned whisper, “Oh well.”

  Bunny smiled up at him and gave her lollipop another long, slow lick. His cock tingled in response as if he was a horny teenager. “Teasing me, fiammetta?”

  “Uh-huh,” she replied over an enticing giggle.

  The sparkle had revived in her bright blue eyes, and she tasted like cherry sweetness when he kissed her. “Sit with me a while longer, and I’ll release you to play with your subbie friends.”

  “Okeedokee, Sir.”

  While he conversed with his friends, he kept a hand on her shoulder, and when she tensed again, he waited, to see how she would handle herself. She frowned behind her lollipop, and while he replied to a question Hector asked about the club, he cast a discreet glance around the group. Jillian was frowning at Bunny and making obvious motions to her, thinking she was out of Hector’s line of sight, demonstrating that Bunny wasn’t sitting according to protocol, at least not her protocol.

  Bunny moved the lollipop ever so slightly and stuck her bright red tongue out at Jillian, and he covered his lips with his hand to hide his grin. Unaware she was being observed, Jillian grimaced at her, an unattractive look on an otherwise pretty face, and motioned that she should be kneeling properly with knees spread wide. Bunny made a face with flapping lips and then went back to licking her lollipop while petting his calf, rubbing her shoulder against him to get closer, as if she were a kitten.

  Juno had been involved in the conversation, in her sweet and submissive fashion, but she looked over and saw the scowl of disapproval on Jillian’s face, noted Bunny’s nonchalance, and then glanced at Joseph with big eyes. Sorry, she mouthed and shrugged her shoulders. He winked at her. When Jillian curled her lip at Bunny and rolled her eyes, he finally said, “Hector, are you one hundred percent certain Jillian is a sub because she seems hell bent on dominating my little submissive.”

  Jillian’s eyes popped wide, and she adopted prefect posture, averted her eyes, and suddenly became very interested in the floor.

  Hector growled, and Jillian stopped breathing, and even Juno looked a little put out. He finally said, “If there’s one thing I despise, it’s a woman who pouts when she doesn’t get her way, even worse when it’s a sub. Explain, Jillian.”

  “I’m sorry, Sirs,” she whispered. “I have no explanation.”

  “Chicken,” Bunny murmured under her breath.

  “Oh hell,” Juno said, and then popped her hand over her mouth.

  Hector shook his head. “I bring subs to visit you, and yours causes a minor rebellion.”

  Bunny’s red hair shimmered as she shook her head. “I did not, Sir. She was hateful and insulting in the bathroom, and I haven’t done anything—”

  Not wanting to make it worse, Joseph put his hand over her mouth. “Enough, girl.” Bunny responded by nipping his hand hard with her sharp teeth, and he growled. “I think it’s time to play, gentlemen.”

  Samson’s eyes had a devilish gleam as he sat forward and cracked his knuckles. “A subbie can’t settle sometimes without a proper punishment, little rabbit. Do we need a repeat?”

  Her gasp was muffled under his hand, but her big eyes were adorable as Samson held her gaze, and then her lip pooched out against Joseph’s palm, and her eyes filled with tears. She thought he would actually turn her over to Samson? In his years as a Dom, he’d seen subs turn the waterworks on and off whenever it suited them. Tears on a sub had never created such a painful stitch in his chest.

  Oh, fiammetta, what have you done to me?

  After a nod from Hector, Samson rose from his seat and caught Jillian’s attention with a sharp snap of his fingers. His jaw was set, and he was frowning as he said, “Up, girl. I think you need to release a little tension. Once we come back, you will apologize properly to the group, starting with Master Joseph and his sub.”

  Jillian didn’t look thrilled about that prospect, but to her credit, she didn’t hesitate, probably realizing she was getting off lightly, or hoping she was. Hector’s arms were still full of Juno, and he looked in no mood to deal with Jillian.

  Bunny was muttering to herself behind her lollipop, and Joseph leaned forward to listen. “I don’t want her damned old forced apology.”

  “We never, ever force subs,” Joseph whispered to her, startling her. “Samson will make sure that, when she comes back, her a
pology is completely heartfelt.”

  Bunny watched them leave and actually looked as if she felt sorry for Jillian. She leaned forward and looked up at him. He was pleased she remembered at least some of what he’d told her, and when he turned his ear to listen, she said, “Samson was smiling when he paddled me. If that was bad, how much worse will it be if he whips her? He looked mad.”

  Joseph stroked her cheek. “Samson will not push her past the point she can handle. He would never abuse a woman trusted to his care. But he’ll make sure she is in the proper state of mind to cause no more trouble, and they’ll both be satisfied in the process.”

  She gaped. “Will he—”

  “No, Bunny. Samson doesn’t usually indulge in sex as part of his club activities, certainly not with a sub he’s only just met. Besides the fact she hasn’t earned a right to an orgasm, that would be a gross abuse of his privileges. He will use his whip on her, which is, from my understanding, exactly what she came here for. Worry less about her and more about yourself because your impudent little mouth has gotten you in trouble as well. And that tongue.”

  She made a pfft sound with her lips and cheeks, and she showed him that red-tinged tongue up close and personal. Her eyes went wide as he chuckled evilly.

  “Oh, fiammetta, I’ve been waiting for this moment all night. Get over my knee.”

  “Sir, you told me to be myself tonight!”

  “Yes, I did. And I’m being myself tonight, too. Now behave and get over my knee.”

  “Ooh, you get me so hot when you use that big bad Dom voice!” she said, one hand on her jauntily cocked hip, the other hand lifting the lollipop for another sultry lick.

  There she is!

  He schooled his face when he saw Hector gape and pointed at his lap, inviting her onto it for her spanking.

  She grinned and then turned to see that Hector had adopted a comically stern face and had already fastened a red ball gag between Juno’s lips. In her condition, Joseph was certain that was about the only domination Hector would do with Juno. She looked ready to deliver any day. Even gagged, she looked lovely, merriment making her eyes glow.