“Not on my behalf,” four voices said instantly.
Coll’s wasn’t one of them. She looked up at him. The word, Sir?, hovered on her lips, but somehow with the others around it was hard to say. Which considering who they were was stupid. However, she couldn’t help how she felt.
“Go and dress, kitten.” It seemed he had no trouble saying how important she was to him. “We’ll wait until you get back. I’ll feed them, and their mouths will be too full to talk.”
All of a sudden Finn’s doubts vanished.
“Yes, Sir.”
Jeff nodded, seemingly in satisfaction, and Jess high-fived her behind her own Sir’s back.
“I saw that,” David said calmly. “What did we decide about OTT gestures?”
“You couldn’t have,” Jess said indignantly. “Unless you’ve got eyes in the back of your head.”
“I have a Dom’s sense.”
Jess rolled her eyes. “True. But I’m happy for them, that’s all. We should have a party.”
Coll looked toward Finn. “Up to you, kitten?”
Finn tried to unscramble her thoughts. Things were moving a lot faster than she’d anticipated. “Let me get changed first, then I’ll think about it.”
Chapter Eleven
Finn dressed in record time and ran a brush though her hair. She understood that until this business about sheep going missing and whatever else was sorted out, she wouldn’t have time to think much about her own life outside work. She guessed the others must feel the same because as she left the room, she heard someone—she thought it was Jeff—say ‘Business first, play after’ and she agreed. There was no way she could plan a party or anything else whilst she spent half her day looking over her shoulder for bogie men—or rustlers.
She returned to the kitchen just as Coll wiped the last plate. He turned and smiled. “We’ll go into the lounge to talk. Can you bring the coffeepot, please, kitten?”
“I’ll get the mugs,” Kath said.
“I’ll get the milk,” Jess added.
“And you’ll come into the lounge now, not after you’ve spent ten minutes chatting,” Jeff said. “We’ve all got places to go and things to do.”
“My lord and master has spoken,” Kath said as the men left the room. “But he’s right and there’s only so long I can leave the terrors with Gemma, my gorgeous child minder, today. This is a favor, she’s off into town later.” She picked up a tray of mugs and disappeared into the other room. Jess followed and with a wry grin, Finn bought up the rear. Life seemed as if it was about to get even more interesting.
She wasn’t wrong.
“So, what you’re saying is some fucker, and yes, I do mean that and no, I’m not going to wash my mouth out, has covered my door in graffiti, poured glue into the lock and put a dozen sheep into my veg plot? What the hell for?” Finn spoke through gritted teeth. It was that or scream at the top of her voice. “Why me? Why now and what the fuck? And I don’t give a tinker’s damn about my language.”
No one seemed at all surprised by her outburst. Coll had a face like thunder, David was unmoving and Jeff paced like a tiger as he told her what they’d discovered on their early-morning patrol.
“This is personal,” Finn said. Her stomach churned and she fought off the nausea that threatened to engulf her. “It’s not just directed at the estate now, is it?”
Jeff shook his head. “Dave Pearson was on watch. A guy approached him and said he’d knocked down a sheep in the lane and it was still alive. Of course when they went back, no sheep. The guy apologized and drove off. Dave couldn’t see the number, all he knew was it was a new model of Beamer, he thought a five series, maybe blue or gray.”
Finn nodded. “Well, at least it wasn’t a white van.” Although that might have been easier to stomach. How many people were in on the ‘get Finn’ campaign?
“I’m sorry, Finn. For some reason it now seems to be directed at you. You’ve obviously set off a series of events that’s rattled some cages. We’ll get to the bottom of it, I promise,” Jeff said sincerely.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Finn said. “None of us seem to have done any good so far.”
“I’ll keep it,” Jeff said darkly. “But for now, I’m glad you’re here and Lachy says you’ll not be alone during working hours.”
“He can’t say that,” Finn protested. “It’s hard enough as it is with D… Well, it’s hard,” she finished somewhat lamely.
“True, and we’ll all pitch in where we can. Lachy has a new lad starting on trial today, one of Alexina’s niece’s sons. As he said, and I quote, ‘My side’s crap, I’ll try the other side of the family this time’. I’ve met Gordy, though, and he seems a good ’un. Very quiet and a rugby back. Looks very fierce and you wouldn’t want to rile him, but otherwise he’s as gentle as well, I was going to say a lamb, but seeing some of those toughies we rear, I’m not sure that’s the correct comparison. I reckon he’ll be a good addition. So today he’s with Lachy and tomorrow you teach him all you know.” He coughed, looked at Coll and shrugged in a very innocent way. The mischief in his eyes belied the gesture. “About the estate, of course.”
Coll rolled his eyes. “Just as well you added that bit.”
Jeff stood up and paced. It was something Finn had noticed he did when he needed to think. “So to recap, I’ve set a team onto scrubbing and repairing your door, Finn. The fences are all being strengthened, all the quads will be checked and locked away today, and the shed alarmed. Your cottage is also alarmed, and the police informed. Oh, and the sheep are in the long field so we can watch them easier. And now it’s time we weren’t here. Enjoy your day off.”
She intended to.
With a visit to the club as first thing on the agenda.
Finn got her wish.
Once the room had emptied, Coll looked at her and held out his hand. “Want to have an upfront and personal tour of Diomhair then?”
“Oh yes.” She was eager to see inside the club, and even more curious to discover her feelings at what she saw. She’d enjoyed what she and Coll had experienced so far, but that was very private and personal. She was still somewhat apprehensive about how she’d feel playing in the club, in public. What if she let him down?
And that, Finn realized, was the crux of the matter. She didn’t want to do that.
Coll led her along a long corridor to a locked door, opened it and ushered her through the aperture.
Into another corridor, and ahead of them another locked door. He looked down at her and his lips quirked. “We could call this Fort Knox and be done with it. Security was tightened when someone got into the club via an old secret passage and the white van started causing havoc. Now it’s second nature but I believe when it first came into use, everyone got locked out—or in—on a regular basis. That was before I arrived, although I knew of it, and Jeff of course.” He correctly interpreted her quizzical look. “David and I were at uni together, until I dropped out to carve. Wood, not subs at that time.”
She giggled. “So sub carving is new then? Gah, that sounds gruesome.”
“It so does, let’s say sub scribing.” He shuddered very theatrically. “And that sounds like we’re signing up to on line bingo or something.”
Finn giggled. “Yes, well. I’m rubbish at bingo. The only time I went with my mum, I missed numbers and she ended up shouting for me. We won two hundred quid, but I was a sweating, nervous wreck at the end. I only had four cards and there were people playing twelve.” She shook her head in mock sorrow. “No wonder Mum never asked me to go with her again. The most I’ve managed since is a slot machine that does a bingo card for a jackpot. I was crap at that as well.”
“Then I’ll remember never to subject you to a game of bingo,” Coll said as he shut and locked the door behind them. “We’ll play other things instead. How do you feel about strip-spanking?”
“We…ll, what happens if I win?”
Coll stroked an imaginary mustache. “You won’t.�
��
“You mean”—she did a southern belle stroke over her forehead in a very over the top and extravagant gesture—“you’d cheat?”
“Of course I would.” He patted his heart. “All’s fair in love and strip-spanking.”
There was no answer to that. Finn shook her head in mock exasperation and waited for him to say something.
“No comeback, kitten?” He took hold of her hand and led her into a comfortable lounge area.
“No…oh, am I to Sir you in here? I really need to get to grips with the protocol and stuff we’re going to use.” Finn had wondered about it all for several weeks. The ‘if we do, what do we do and how do I act’ scenario. “I mean, I don’t want to upset anyone by not doing as I should.”
“Kitten, I love you and not just for saying that.” Coll turned her toward him, put his arms around her and squeezed her rear. His fingertips dug into the soft flesh and connected with a bruise.
Finn gasped and wriggled. “I should say ouch, I’m still ouchy, but you know, Sir, I like it. That hint to remind me how I became yours.” She leaned into him, and both heard and felt his heart beat beneath her cheek. It was reassuring, welcoming and made her feel safe, loved and wanted. “But I still want to know when I need to say Sir.” It was important to her.
“Whenever you want to, love.” Coll tipped her head up so she looked at his face. “If we’re in here with others, yes, please. By ourselves? Unless we’ve made a decision to play, no need, but feel free. Ditto elsewhere. I’m proud to be your Sir.”
The expression in his eyes made her breath hitch. So much love showed. I hope he can see my feelings as well. “I’m proud to be your kitten, Sir. And I love you as well.”
His grip tightened and then he patted her bum. “Good, so let’s get this show on the road. This is the lounge.”
She widened her eyes in mock amazement. “Really?”
He patted her bum again, this time a bit harder. Yes, definitely still nicely ouchy.
“Bratty sub, kitten. I’ll remember.”
She sniggered. “Oh, good.”
Coll shook his head. “What have I unleashed?”
“The real me? Anyway, sorry, Sir, it’s a nice room.”
“And that, kitten, is damning with faint praise, although I’m guessing—hoping—you don’t mean it that way?” She shook her head. “Good. So if we go down here, there’s the general playroom.” He led her along the corridor into a large open area, with all the accoutrements of BDSM play sited within it. “If you don’t recognize anything, just ask.”
She nodded. “Can I touch?”
He was pleased she asked instead of assuming one way or another. “Within reason. Don’t go hauling on any ropes or pulleys. I don’t want to have to scrape you off the ceiling.”
She smiled. “I’d prefer you not to have to as well.”
Coll leaned against the wall and watched as she circled the room, standing still for several seconds by the St. Andrew’s cross and the bar for Shibari work to be hooked on. Finn looked up at the hooks but made no comment and moved on to look at the long table he’d use for scribing. She made her way back to his side.
“The other rooms?”
“Individual dungeons. For more privacy, although some are big enough for spectators and all have security cameras and a dungeon master watches everything from the control room as well as one being in the room with whoever is using it. We take security and safety very seriously. There’s a lot of people who’d love us to be closed down.”
Finn nodded. “I’d heard.”
What did she think? He waited as patiently as he could, as he saw her considering expression. Then she raised her eyebrows in query.
“Do you all do different things? You know, a Dom for all scenes?”
He laughed at those raised eyebrows. It was such an extravagant gesture it looked silly, as no doubt she intended. “Some. Although a lot of things we all do to some degree, some more than others. For instance, as I mentioned, Alex Sunderland, my mentor, is a Master Scribing artist. All I know I learned from him. He’s considered to be the best. Although he’s a not a sadist, he is on the darker side of the spectrum. I’m not. To me, pain isn’t the be all and end all, I guess in some ways to Alex it is. Having said that, there’s no one I’d rather turn to in a crisis. I know I’d get instant backup and encouragement.”
He had to fight not to demand she told him how she felt. It had to be up to his kitten without any prompts or hints, but by God it was hard to hold back his natural reactions.
“Okay,” Finn said slowly. “I get the picture, I think. Can we go back to the flat now, please? I was going to say your home, but is it?”
“For now it is.” However he was pleased she’d understood the difference. “Home is the cottage. Which if you’re willing, I thought we could go and check out. I’d like to see what stage were at.” And hope you tell me what you think of the club.
Her eyes lit up. “I’d love to.”
They began to retrace their steps.
Tell me what you think, for fuck’s sake.
“Could we go check…?”
He put his finger over her lips to stop the question.
“No, we couldn’t. You’re to stay well away from your cottage for now. Let Jeff get all the security stuff in place and then we’ll go and see what’s what.”
“You didn’t know what I was going to say,” Finn said indignantly. “I might have been going to say can we go check out the new coffee shop in the village.”
Coll unlocked the doors and took her back to the corridor outside his flat.
“Yes, I did, and no, you weren’t.”
She sighed. “No, I wasn’t. Mind you, I hate not knowing if my stuff is safe. Yes, okay, most of it’s here, but…” She shrugged. “It still sucks.”
He hugged her tightly, as if by contact he could make everything a right. Of course he couldn’t, but he had to give her his love somehow. Tearing her clothes off and fucking her senseless in the corridor might not be the way to do it.
More’s the pity.
Chapter Twelve
“Well, all I can say is this is fab. It’s so not what I expected when you said cottage and as it has been under scaffolding and tarps ever since I got back, I had no idea it was so big. I love it, every last bit. Even the red Aga and the pale pink walls in the kitchen. It fits.” Finn spun round in a circle and ran her fingers over the cream units. “Your work.” It wasn’t a question. She took several paces across the old quarry tiles that comprised the floor surface. “Where’s the butcher block?”
“Do you want one?” Coll asked in an amused tone.
“Of course I do, it’s the perfect add… Hold on, me?”
His expression immediately turned to wary. “Well, I was hoping you’d be the one to share it with me.”
Finn stopped pacing, stared at him, blinked and a wide grin covered her face as she took a run at him. Coll staggered and caught her as she flung her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist.
“Oh yes, please, oh yes, I do, Sir, my Sir. I do… If you’re sure.”
“Oh, I’m very sure, kitten. What else do you want in here?”
She kissed his neck and leaned back with a speculative look in her eyes. “Well…”
He laughed. “Later, minx. I promise you over time we’ll christen every room and work surface. For now it’s look and see, not look, see and play.”
“Mutter, grumble,” Finn said with a light and breathy edge to her voice. “Okay, Sir. What else do we have to see?”
“There’s a utility room over there behind the Aga chimney. I’m guessing all the white goods will go in there.”
Finn nodded. “Shove the dishwasher in as well as the washing machine and drier. Less noise. If it was up to me, I’d put the fridge and freezer in there as well, so this kitchen diner can be less… Oh, I don’t know noisy, I guess.”
“Memo to me, tell the builders my lady wants it so.” It was so good to say that
. Judging by the beam on Finn’s face, she agreed with his thoughts.
“Now what else,” he continued. “Lounge, dining room, study, an ‘I don’t know what to do with it yet’ room, four bedrooms, all en-suite and…” He paused and mentally took a deep breath. “A large attic room I’d like to make into a dungeon.”
Finn’s face lit up and she slid down his body, a move which interested his so far reasonably quiescent cock, dropped to her knees in front of him and nuzzled him over his jeans.
“Oh, thank goodness for that.”
“Why?” She still hadn’t told him her thoughts on the club and its contents.
Finn’s chest heaved as she took a deep breath and looked up at him. “Because, please, Sir, I so want somewhere just for us.” She gulped and he watched her swallow several times. Coll stretched his arm out and just managed to snag a bottle of water from the work surface. He handed it over with a smile. “It can’t be that bad. Just spit it out.”
“I, oh hell, I hoped I wouldn’t have a need to admit this, but I so do not want to play where anyone else can see. What we do, will do, is, as far as I’m concerned, for us and us alone. I really am not interested in scening in front of people, even if it is just a dungeon master. Not yet anyway. I so don’t want to show either of us up.”
“Kitten, you won’t.” But he was oh so glad to discover why she’d not been as enthusiastic as he’d hoped, and in honestly he couldn’t fault her reasoning. Better to be sure than sorry. Except for one thing. “Kitten, the dungeon master is there for your safety, not as a voyeur.”
“I know but even so,” Finn said in a stubborn voice. “You’ll keep me safe. I trust you.” She grinned. “And anyway, if anything went wrong, your balls would be used for golf. The others would make sure of that.”
That was for sure.
“So, for the moment, I’m saying scening or playing or whatever at the club is red. I’m not sure even seeing anyone else play there is anything else, either. But never say never. Not yet. But no it’s not yellow because it’s more red than that,” she said in a rush. “So here please, not there.”
Secrets Dispelled Page 9