by Anya Summers
Looking down at the colorful menagerie in the attractive package she’d arranged, she could admit it was some damn fine work on her part. She said, “Thanks. Before you okay them, let these sit for twenty-four hours. Then I want you to look over them again and see if anything stands out that you want to modify. You can email me any changes that you might have, both for pictures and wording. Once I have those, it will just be a matter of my making the adjustments you want and then I will get you a final proof.”
“I doubt I will have much, if anything, that I want to re-organize, but I understand your line of thought,” Jared said, taking a seat and inviting her to do the same.
“Perfect. And after I develop the photos in my dark room at home, and have a full listing of artwork from the island, I will send you a detailed inventory for your records. I think, from what I’ve been able to shoot, I may have a full gallery showing,” she explained. There would be at least one exhibition, if not more. And she was ready to purge the images from her cameras. Once she did that, she could look at her time there more objectively than emotionally.
“That’s great, lass. I cannot wait to see what else you come up with if this is anything to judge by. You’ve done marvelous work and I look forward to seeing a gallery full of the images.”
“You and Naomi will definitely need to come as my guests,” Piper said, checking the time on her watch.
“That would be lovely. And I’m sure Naomi would get a kick out of it.” Jared leaned back in his chair, his face shifting from jovial businessman to an expression of familial concern.
“Now, I hate to ask and even broach the topic, lass, but I need a run through of what occurred at the club the other night.”
And here it was; part of what she had been dreading. Piper didn’t want to remember the horrid scene she’d made, because that led to the break up with Theo. Then she would dissolve into tears or fury, and she just didn’t want to feel anything right now.
“Jared, I’d rather not. I’m sorry that I caused such a stink, especially since the club was celebrating your engagement. I didn’t mean to ruin that for you and Naomi. Please forgive me.”
“Lass, I’m not worried about our engagement celebration but you and your well-being. It’s part of my job as not only the owner of this place, but as your friend. Besides, you are not leaving the island until I’m certain you’re okay and that Theo didn’t physically hurt you to cause such a reaction. If he did, he will be punished. It’s imperative that I know the truth of the matter.”
She closed her eyes. Of course Jared would intervene and make sure nothing untoward had occurred, because he was a damn good Dom, and an even better friend.
“If you’re trying to cover for Theo, don’t. I don’t care whether he’s a Master or not, I’ll not have any sub abused, and he will be dealt with swiftly,” Jared went on.
“Jared, Sir, please it wasn’t like that at all. Master Theo was trying to help me. Unfortunately, there are issues in my past that I don’t know can ever be fully healed.”
Jared asked, “Are these issues the reason why you’ve never scened in the DFC clubs before now?”
Piper was taken aback. It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that the owners monitored people so closely, but it did. She didn’t think anyone knew she avoided engaging in scenes. Sticking with honesty, she admitted, “They are.”
“And you’re certain Theo did not harm you in any way?” Jared pressed, searching her face for signs that she was being less than honest with him.
“Yes, I am,” she replied. Physically she was fine, at least—as for emotionally, well, a broken heart meant she was still alive and could feel something for another human being, right? Just because Theo couldn’t stomach her nightmare in the end didn’t mean he was a bad person or deserved to be disciplined by the club.
Jared contemplated her, his green gaze boring holes in her like he was attempting to read her soul.
“Thank you for telling me. Give yourself time and permission to continue working at it. I know I don’t know what it was that happened to you, but know that even the strongest of us break. And if Theo was helping you out that much, I have a house in London you could stay in for a bit to continue the relationship, if you want.”
Her heart ached and she fought back a fresh bout of tears. She said, “I appreciate the offer, Master J, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. I need to catch the ferry if I’m to make my flight home. Thank you for your hospitality. I will be in touch.”
She stood up from her seat and collected her bag, needing to escape. Jared gave her a big bear hug. “You as well, lass. Don’t be a stranger, you are always welcome on the island.”
“I appreciate it.” She returned his embrace, blinking back the onslaught of tears. It would be some time before she could return to the island. Every place she looked, she saw Theo.
And she wanted to forget.
Piper left Jared’s office, headed to the docks where her luggage had already been delivered, and boarded The Surrender with Master Shep at the helm. The boat got underway soon after she arrived. Piper didn’t look back as the ferry sped away from the docks. There was no point. What was done, was done.
It didn’t matter that she had found and lost her heart, all in the space of one week. Nor that the ever-present loneliness that dogged her everywhere she ventured was more pronounced now than it had ever been, and stretched out further than the unending blue waters of the Atlantic.
Chapter 14
He wiped a hand over his face, hoping to erase the stress of the last few days, and encountered almost two-and-a half weeks of beard growth. The last time he’d shaved was on his first day on Pleasure Island.
Bugger it.
Anytime he thought of Pleasure Island, Theo’s mind veered toward Piper, and his heart squeezed. Time and an ocean lay between them. And Theo, who normally conquered and pursued what he wanted with vigor, stopped himself when it came to Piper. What if he had pushed her so far that she would no longer accept him as her Dom? In his hunger and need for dominance, he’d hurt her, and forgotten that he needed to protect her first and foremost, even from himself and his desires if need be. Theo, for all his knowledge and wisdom, his years spent becoming a Master, had never anticipated a woman like Piper.
There was no way to plan for someone like her, she had upended his paradigm and shaken the foundation of his stodgy, bleak existence.
Jacob shifted and Theo glanced at his son, his heart breaking over the pain he knew Jacob was in.
Since his return to London, Theo had spent his time at the hospital at Jacob’s bedside and private room, staring at the gangly teenager, his leg wrapped in a cast and propped up, his mouth slightly open from his painkiller-induced sleep. His boy had undergone two surgeries on his left leg in the last ten days, and he’d handled them like a champ. As a parent, the worst thing was to see your child suffering and not be able to take it from them. And this wasn’t a skinned knee Theo could bandage and make right with an ice cream cone.
Jacob’s doctor was confident his injuries would fully heal. Although, he’d have to avoid the rugby field for a time. Theo and his mum would keep Jacob away from it, even if he had to lock the kid up in his dungeon to manage that. Theo had never before had such a stressful flight across the Atlantic, wondering if his son had made it out of surgery, not knowing the extent of his injuries. If Jacob’s full recovery meant barring him from playing rugby, Theo would do so. Hell, Diane might even give him her blessing to lock him up in his private dungeon after this mishap.
The kid had a broken femur and torn ACL in his left leg. Both injuries would heal and, eventually, if he attended physiotherapy and completed rehabilitation, Jacob could return to the field. Two nurse technicians strolled in. Jacob gave them a sleepy nod when they explained that the doctor wanted some more X-rays and another series of tests to see how he was healing.
“We’ll be back with him soon, sir.”
“Thank you. I’ll be here waiting for you, Ja
cob,” Theo said.
Left to his own devices, Theo sipped on some tea and decided he’d been offline for far too long. Jacob was fine and finally out of the woods enough that Theo could focus on work a bit. Not that he was leaving his son’s bedside anytime soon—Theo knew the solicitor team had him covered while he was taking care of Jacob.
In fact, Declan had given him a fully paid leave of absence through the end of the month. That way, in his words, “Apex will soldier on without you for the next few weeks. Focus on Jacob, Theo, the job’s not what is important. And let me know if you need anything.”
He could leave it, worry about his workload when he returned, but it was Theo who wanted to sift through the pile he had amassed after ten days in the hospital. Theo didn’t plan to head back into the office until Jacob was on the road to recovery and being more of a nuisance than cause for concern, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t work from home. Besides, it was a nice distraction from worrying about Jacob, and then subsequently worrying about Piper.
Theo responded to emails until the nurses wheeled his sleeping child back into the room. Diane had left the hospital, heading home to take a shower, and meet the delivery van with the medical supplies they would need to bring him home. At least Theo’s ex-wife had never kept Jacob from him. That was something for which he was eternally grateful.
With the panic and stress of the last few days lessening, Theo wondered about Piper. He knew he needed to contact her and explain where he’d been. Had she thought about him? Wondered about him? Missed him?
Christ, every time he thought of her, his heart ached. She visited him in his dreams during fitful bouts of sleep in the chair or the too-small couch in Jacob’s room. When he woke, he reached for her, yearning to feel her in his arms. Who would have thought that, at his age, he would feel like an unschooled youth in love for the first time? And he did love her. She was willful, confident, expressive, and fierce, and every time she sank her claws in, it left him begging, hungering for more.
Would she want his love?
From his briefcase, Theo withdrew his office cell phone and switched the device on for the first time since arriving in London. He had a dozen or so messages, mainly from colleagues offering their aid in his family’s time of crisis. However, there were two numbers that he didn’t recognize and which weren’t programmed into his phone. Theo listened through all his voicemails, and his heart stopped when he reached those two messages. Piper. She’d called him, tried to get hold of him a week ago, but nothing since. She must think he was the worst sort of prick.
Sodding, buggery, shit!
“Bloody hell, Piper,” he snarled to himself, feeling like a caged lion, unable to do anything about the colossal muck-up of their relationship.
“Girl troubles, Dad?” Jacob murmured, his voice groggy and laden with painkillers.
Theo shot Jacob a glance, marveling over how much he’d grown in the last year, looking more like himself every day. He asked, “Why would you say that?”
Jacob, rather high on his pain meds, gave him a cheeky grin and said, “Because you’re normally so stoic and steady, so either it’s a girl or it’s a girl. Really, I’m only fifteen and know women are at the root of most of our troubles. Isn’t that something you should already know, being the crusty old git that you are?”
Theo barked a laugh. Jacob had always been a pistol but with his inhibitions removed, he was hilarious. “And tell me, oh wise one, where this rather sound logic comes from?”
Jacob shrugged and gestured to his broken leg. “Because I wouldn’t be lying here all banged up if I hadn’t been showboating during the match.”
“So that was the way of it then, huh? What’s her name?” Where had the time gone? Not long ago, Jacob would have been asking him to build forts and play ball, and now he was chasing girls. He had some way to go yet, but Theo could already see the man he would be. Jacob, his funny, sweet, determined, headstrong boy, on the cusp of manhood, and he couldn’t be any prouder.
“Kate Winslow, with the most impressive rack and an arse that won’t quit.” Jacob grinned and wiggled his eyebrows as he made an impression of said rack with his hands.
Bleeding hell; like father, like son. Theo wondered how much of his tastes Jacob would inherit.
“And you and this Kate, you’re seeing each other?” he asked. By the time he was fifteen, he’d already shagged his steady girlfriend. Maybe he and Jacob did need to sit down and discuss the finer points of sex education, more so than just ensuring he used protection.
“Not yet, but it will happen. Enough about Kate, what about this Piper woman, Dad? Why were you cursing her?”
Theo wasn’t ready to discuss Piper with anyone, let alone his son. Especially not when he had bungled their relationship so horribly that she may never forgive him. If the shoe were on the other foot, he wasn’t certain that he would forgive her. He said, “Jake, really it’s—”
“None of my business? When are you going to realize you are my business? Dad, in all the years since you and Mum split, you’ve never dated anyone—not to my recollection. At least, never anyone that you mentioned around me. So it stands to reason if you are sitting there cursing her, she must be pretty important.”
Jacob had hit the nail on the head, staring at him with an eyebrow raised, waiting for Theo’s response. He asked his son, “When did you get so wise?”
Jacob shrugged. “It happens. So, when do I get to meet her?”
“It wouldn’t bother you, my bringing a woman home? I know we’ve never discussed this, but I’ve always tried to shield you, and wanted you to have as normal a childhood as possible with your mum and me not being together.” Maybe Theo had gone to extremes, but he’d never wanted to lose Jacob. His son was the most important part of his world, and perhaps he’d wanted to make it up to him for being the one to split their family apart. Guilt has a funny way of making us do things. Theo had used the stipulation Diane had placed upon him regarding keeping his lifestyle choices hidden as a crutch not to get emotionally attached.
“Of course it wouldn’t. Although, if you must know, I don’t want an evil stepmother type, and would tell you right off if she was dodgy in any way, but I want you happy, Dad. What are you going to do with yourself when I go away to university? Continue to grow callouses?”
Jacob was making masturbation jokes now? It made Theo feel old. He was just glad Diane wasn’t in the room. As for Piper, he said to Jacob, “I’m not sure she wants to hear from me. We kind of left it off in a bad spot. Besides, she lives in the US, so it’s not an easy fix.”
“Then stop being a tosser and call her. And where does she live in America? If you and she were to live together, there are a few American colleges I’m interested in attending that I might be able to get into more easily if you were already there.”
“Wait, you want to go to university in America? Does your mum know? I’m not sure I like the thought of you being that far away from home.” And how in the sodding hell was his son old enough and wise enough to give him sound dating advice?
“That’s another talk for another time. I’m quite tired. Call Piper, Dad, and apologize for being a tosser.” Jacob’s eyes drooped as he deflected Theo’s inquiry.
Theo wasn’t certain whether he should feel proud or horrified that at fifteen, Jacob understood the diversion tactic it took seasoned solicitors years to master. As for Piper, he wasn’t convinced.
“You think she’ll forgive me, huh?” Theo asked, uncertainty lacing his voice and his heart.
“Like you have always told me whenever I was hesitant to try something I feared, you will never know unless you try.” Jacob yawned and his eyes slid closed.
Love swamped Theo for this boy—this young man—he had somehow been lucky enough to have as his son. “I love you, Jake. Always and forever.”
“You too, Dad.” And then Jacob’s face went slack-jawed as the painkiller infiltrated his system and he was out cold with the drug.
Jacob was ri
ght. Theo wouldn’t know unless he contacted Piper, laid his cards out on the table, and apologized profusely for being such a daft prick. Piper was his submissive, damnit, and he planned to claim her once and for all.
Theo considered his options, and the different maneuvers he might need to implement with Piper as he watched over Jacob until Diane returned. How much did he want from Piper? He loved her. Could he forgo clubs to be with her? Absolutely, there was no question about that. It wasn’t like he had placed much importance upon attending them frequently anyway. And it wasn’t as if the offerings had enticed him enough to want to play with a submissive more than once. He didn’t want another submissive in his bed, he wanted Piper. The thought of anyone else in his bed stopped him cold.
If she told him to get lost, he would keep going back until she forgave him. Theo wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was the submissive for him, and he was her Dom. He just had to convince her of that.
“How is he?” Diane asked when she returned. She was still a lovely woman, petite, trim, with fine lines near her eyes, which resembled Jacob’s in form and color.
“Good. They did some more X-rays, but he slept for most of the time you were away. Did you get all the medical equipment settled?”
“Yes, Don’s at home getting his room arranged now,” she murmured, never taking her eyes off their son.
“You’re a great mum, Diane, always have been.”
She blushed becomingly and gave him a look. “Thank you, Theo. I know how much you’ve given up for him. He does, too. And I know I didn’t make it easy on you in the beginning and am sorry for that, but you’ve always been there for Jacob. I appreciate everything you’ve always done for him. Why don’t you go get yourself a shower and some sleep? I can take over for a bit.”
“Perhaps. I have a call to make but will be back straight away.”
“Take your time,” she said, sitting in the chair at Jacob’s bedside.