by Dakota Trace
He continued to talk as if she hadn’t spoken. “But it didn’t happen. She tied me to the bed and rode me until she came. Then she left. There was no pain from her. All she wanted was to get her rocks off. The pain came from him. She willingly left me alone with a man who didn’t have a problem with using a crop on me, when I safeworded. He ignored it. He wanted to see me bleed before he took my ass.”
Olivia’s heart nearly shattered as fury filled it. The idea that a Mistress would leave a sub alone during a scene was unheard of but to knowingly leave a restrained man with a person she knew would abuse Micah’s trust was heinous.
“After awhile one pain blends to another and your brain shuts down, but as God is my witness I felt every stroke of the crop before he raped me.”
“I’ll kill him.” The words came from Jude and she heard an affirmative sound from behind her. She’d completely forgotten Ethan was still present.
Micah shook his head. “He’s nothing. Even as he threw me away like nothing more than a piece of trash, I cannot entirely blame him.”
Jude stiffened. “What the hell do mean you don’t blame him? The man needs to be taken out behind the woodshed and have his ass kicked.”
Olivia dropped her head to Micah’s knee to hide the tears. She no longer had to wonder why Micah didn’t want her as a Mistress. He no longer trusted women. “No, pet. It’s the woman who deserves your fury. It was she who betrayed his trust and why he can no longer trust me enough to care for his wounds.” She slowly stood. “I’m sorry, mal-chick. If there was something I could do to change this, I would.” Handing the sack to Jude, she rose and left the room without another word.
* * * *
Micah watched helplessly as Olivia fled the room, self-loathing and anger battling for supremacy inside of him. He hated knowing he’d hurt her – she didn’t deserve his wrath but he was angry she hadn’t wanted him enough to keep him with her. If she’d simply asked him to stay, he’d never have left. But she didn’t and now we’re here at an impasse. Even if she wanted me back I’m too fractured to ever be in another relationship.
“I need to go after her, Micah.” The hoarse words didn’t surprise Micah. Everyone knew Jude was devoted to his Mistress’s happiness and right now Olivia was hurting as much – if not more than he was.
“Go. I’ll be fine.” He forced the words past his tight throat. He felt the man stand and moments later the door shut. Once again he was alone. Always alone. The rustle of the sack made him stiffen. “You’re still here, White Hawk?”
“Yep, someone’s gotta clean up your ass.”
The sound of packages being ripped open had him finally looking up. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Getting ready to be the one who’s gonna do it.” Ethan pulled a pair of latex gloves on. “I’m assuming since Olivia bought these, you’re not allergic to them.” He reached into a box of pre-moistened antibacterial wipes. Pulling out two, he opened them. Micah gritted his teeth as the man crawled onto the bed behind him.
“Rather heart-breakin’ story you told there.”
Micah hissed when the cold wipe touched his back. “Yeah, heart-breakin’.”
“But you neglected to mention your part in it.” Ethan continued to dab at the reopened wound.
“What do you mean my part?” It was all Micah could do to sit still.
“It takes two to tango, as my granddaddy always said.” Ethan reached back into the sack for a package of gauze and a small brown bottle. “You did a pretty good job of sending one fine woman on a guilt trip, Micah, but forgot to mention it was your decision to go home with the bitch. You were the one willing to let her use your body.”
The unscrewing of the cap was his only warning before his back lit up with pain. “You sadistic asshole. That shit stings!”
“Yep, good old iodine does at that.” Ethan pressed gauze against the wound. “As I was saying, you made Olivia feel like she was the one who betrayed your trust.”
“She let me leave!” He looked over his shoulder at the smirking idiot.
“And you just left just like…” Ethan snapped his fingers. “….that? With no protest, no begging, not even a simple request to stay?”
Micah’s ears went hot. “I…”
Ethan’s disgusted sound was drowned out by the ripping of medical tape. “Now, I don’t claim to know a lot about the lifestyle you and Dickens live in, but tell me, boy, what kind of man lets the woman he loves go without a fight? Or even a whimper?”
Micah groaned as Ethan used pressure to hold the gauze in place. “One who’s tired of begging for crumbs.”
“From what I’ve seen, Micah….those are some awfully damn big crumbs they’re tossing your way. Whole cakes couldn’t even begin to match them. I’ve never seen a woman or a man go to the lengths they have to protect a man who they aren’t being paid or told to care for as they have for you.” He moved off the bed. “Think about that the next time you decide to lash out at your Mistress, because hurt or not, Dickens is only going to put up with so much of your shit, before he starts dishing it back.”
“She’s not my mistress…” Micah dropped his face into his hands as the door closed behind Ethan. He wanted to kick White Hawk’s ass, but knew Ethan had spoken the truth. Now he didn’t know which was hurting more – his back or the strip of hide the other man had just ripped off his ass.
Chapter Twelve
Her heart aching, Olivia stared out the window in the living room, not even seeing the beautiful sunset. She wasn’t sure where she was going to go from here. How did she get through to a man who no longer trusted a Domme? She loved him, nearly as much as she did Jude. The idea of living without him wasn’t even an option now. She’d tried the noble path and let Micah go. And look what it fucking got me – an abused sub who can’t trust I won’t let another hurt him. It pissed her off to no end knowing she was going to have to fix another’s Domme’s fuck up, but Micah was worth it. Rubbing the back of her neck, she stared out into the setting darkness, contemplating what she was going to do.
The cell phone at her hip jangled with the light spunky melody indicating it was Jude’s daughter calling. Her fists clenched against the window ledge. She wasn’t sure she could deal with Deborah’s mischievous ways at the moment, but if she didn’t answer, the little imp would call her father and demand to know why her favorite not-mom wasn’t answering her phone. Freeing the phone from its case, she put it up to her ear. “Hey, Imp.”
“Hi, Not-Mom Olivia! Guess what, guess what?” The five year old’s spontaneity tugged a reluctant smile free. Perhaps a dash of Deborah was what she needed to put everything into perspective?
“Hmmm, let me see, Daddy Brandon has locked your mother away again – and there are funny noises coming from the room?” It was a valid question, considering the imp had a tendency to call when her “parents” were otherwise occupied.
“No – not this time. Although Daddy Brandon said something about them needing to visit the basement – that’s where dungeons are kept, right? Kind of weird though cause this house doesn’t have one. Momma is gonna be disappointed. Anyway Momma got that funny look on her face…you know the one where she looks at Daddy Brandon like he has a huge chocolate bar for her? Daddy Brandon promised her later – so maybe he’ll find a basement somewhere else?”
A weary chuckle passed her lips. Dungeon…good Lord. Do I even want to know what she overheard this time? Clearing her throat, she agreed. “Of course she looked at him that way and I’m sure he’ll find his basement. Is there a reason you called, Deborah?”
“Oh, yeah! Momma and Daddy Brandon brought me down to New ORE-land early. Can I see you and Daddy tomorrow? Pretty-pretty please?”
Olivia just could see the little girl bouncing on her feet. She barely jumped when Jude’s hand covered her shoulder. She turned to look at him while continuing to listen to the little girl’s pleas. “Imp, you know I’d love to see you, but something has…”
“Deborah?” Jude as
ked in a low tone as he pulled her into his arms. Olivia nodded as she settled against him. “Do you want me to talk to her?”
She shook her head. The imp had called her for a reason, and even though she was Jude’s daughter, Olivia had fallen for the tyke the first time she’d met her.
“Please, Mistress. I swear I’ll be good.”
Olivia jerked away from Jude while she damn near choked on her tongue. “Ah…excuse me?” The last thing she expected to fly out Deborah’s mouth was a phrase she was used to hearing at the club or from her own subs. How the hell... She had a sneaking suspicion – she’d told Jude her condo walls were too thin for them to play when his daughter visited. “Where did you hear that, Imp?”
There was a long pause. “Well isn’t that what Daddy says when he wants something? I know you’re daddy’s girlfriend, but when you’re together, you kinda sound like Momma and Daddy Brandon but on reverse day.”
Olivia sputtered before stepping away from Jude. She gave him a dirty look. He shrugged his shoulders with a half-assed smirk as if he found the situation funny.
“You know what that is, don’t you, Not-Mom Olivia? It’s that day when everything is backwards? I have that day at school all time. It’s so fun – last time I wore my shirt backwards and even my jeans.” Her voice lowered. “But let me tell you, it’s hard to go potty on reverse day.”
Her brain struggled to keep up with the little girl’s conversation as she explained how important it was to not wait until the last minute to go to the bathroom. After listening until Deborah finally took a breather, Olivia even as she laughed, was ready to strangle her chuckling lover. Jude obviously found the situation hilarious. “Yes, I agree, Imp – waiting is definitely a no-no. Oh, look who just walked in – your Dad, why don’t you tell him about what you heard your momma and Daddy Brandon talking about…”
Jude’s eyes widened, his cheeks flushed and he held up his hands in protest. She held the phone out to Jude. Even as he shook his head and tried to beg off, she didn’t relent. “Take it. She’s your daughter, pet…deal with her!”
When she tried to slip around him, he yanked her close. “Oh, Mistress, you’re gonna pay for that.” He took the phone and pressed it to his ear before greeting his daughter. Evidently she was going to be exposed to another round of Deborah chaos.
* * * *
Tapping away at the keyboard in front of him, Leland remained hunched over his Mistress’s small desk. For the hundredth time he wished she would buy a bigger one. Or let me have my own desk. But that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. She took pleasure in making his back ache without even touching him – especially after a particularly vicious punishment such as the one she’d doled out earlier this morning. His back was still on fire from it. The ping of the computer sent a wave of pleasure through him, nearly obliterating his pain.
“Oh, Leland boy, you’re so good. Dad, eat your heart out.” His fingers flew over the keyboard as he finally broke into the database for the local phone company in Chicago. It was a tedious process, but he could find out either her cell phone number or her sub’s by tracking all the incoming calls to Olivia’s. Surely the bitch will call back home to check on her business. If there’s nothing else I’ve learned about Dommes, it’s that they’re notorious for not being able to give up control over anything in their lives. I bet it’s driving her nuts knowing she has to be down here while some other idiot is running her club for her.
“Leland!” The yell from another part of the house had him flinching. He could tell by the tone it wasn’t a good yell either. Rapidly his mind ran though the possible scenarios that would get his ass in hot water with his Mistress. He hadn’t left his shoes scattered in her hallway, nor had he forgotten to run the dishwasher after their lunch several hours ago – two of his most common trespasses. So it couldn’t be a household chore he’d neglected.
Did something with his investigation catch his Mistress’s attention? He had been discrete when he’d shown up at Bête à Bon Dieu’s sister club, Lady of the Night, so it couldn’t be that. He’d even properly disposed the body of the male sub he’d lured back to his place where he’d pumped the sobbing fool for information about the bitch Domme. The only information he’d been able to ascertain from the idiot was she ran a club called Olivia’s. The Domme herself was shrouded in mystery. No one knew exactly her origins - and that was all the man had to barter. Too bad it hadn’t been enough. The ‘gators in the bayou had taken care of the evidence just like they had so many times in the past. And my mistress wants answers at any cost. I won’t fail her again.
“Leland!”
“Coming, Mistress.”
Entering a rapid command into the laptop, he executed a program he’d designed to analyze phone records. Hopefully by the time he came back, it would be done and he’d have the number. Pushing back from the desk, he scurried out of the room, walking stiffly. Clad only in a cock cage his Mistress required while he was in attendance at her home, he flinched when he entered the living room. Standing in the center of the room was his father, dressed impeccably as always. His face flushed as he confronted his dad.
Even standing two inches shorter than Leland, his dad still managed to scare the shit out of him. Age hadn’t slower the elder Lacroix at all. Daily yoga and martial arts had kept Russell Lacroix in nearly as good a shape as he’d been as a young man. He still possessed a temper that always seemed close to the surface, which had earned Leland more than one whipping as a young boy. Shrewd steel gray eyes pinned him to the floor and Leland wished a hole would open up and swallow him. He never felt more vulnerable nude in front of his dad than he did fully clothed.
“For God’s sake, puts some god-damned clothes on.” His dad threw one of the folded throws from the couch at him. When it hit him in the chest, he let it fall to the floor, before looking to his Mistress for permission. He was already in deep shit because his dad had showed up. He doubted she’d show him pity, and he wasn’t going to piss her off any more than she was.
“Pick it up and you’ll pay, slave.” Her eyes dared him to disobey.
His shoulders slumped before he faced his father. “I’m comfortable, Father. If you didn’t want to see this, then you shouldn’t have come here. You know how I am.”
Russell’s gaze narrowed and he cast a disgusted look at both of them. “Fine. I’ll make this short. What the fuck happened at Tulane? I got a call from their head of security about their computers being completely wiped?”
Keeping his cool by mere threads, he pasted a dumbfounded look on his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’d heard they crashed yesterday and stopped there to see if I could take a look at them, but the bitch of a secretary ran me off.”
“Really? And who exactly told you they crashed, boy? I took the call directly from White Hawk and he mentioned you’d stopped in shortly before they crashed.” Dread filled Leland. “Do you want to explain why you were at the hospital when those systems weren’t due for another calibration for at least several more weeks?”
“I…”
Russell stepped towards him. “Don’t lie to me, boy. If you do, it’ll be the last time you ever get another dime from me.”
Leland scrambled for a feasible answer. “I wanted to look at the camera feed. A friend of a friend said her ex was stalking her. She works at the hospital – and the ass showed up and caused a ruckus. She just wanted me to talk to him. I don’t know what happened. I was looking for the feed when they just crashed.” His dad looked skeptical, but Leland drew in for the kill, offering the one excuse that his father had always been a sucker for. “To explain to him why it wasn’t such a good idea to continue to harass her, I needed to see the feed so I could identify the guy. According to my friend, he doesn’t have a rap sheet and she destroyed all the pictures of him when they spilt. But I told her it would cost her because of the risk I was taking.”
His dad’s arms uncrossed and a familiar greedy look crossed his face. “How much?”
Leland wet his lips. “Two grand.”
Russell nodded. “I expect to see half it on my desk tomorrow.”
He panicked. “But...she hasn’t paid me yet! I’m supposed to go have the talk with him tonight.” Even as the lame ass excuse tumbled from his lips, he doubted it would change his father’s mind.
“Then perhaps you should lean on her for the money, or even have gotten it before you started the job. Because if I don’t see the grand by tomorrow morning the replacement computers will be coming out of your check – even if it takes five years for you to repay it all back.”
He nodded as his father walked out of the room without saying good-bye to anyone.
“You lie so convincingly, slave. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were telling the truth.”
“Thank you, Mistress.” He bowed his head, waiting for the other shoe to drop.