by Avery Gale
The more he learned about Gracie, the more he respected the little hellion buried deep inside of her. That Gracie had fire burning in her eyes as she’d shaken her finger in his face the first night he’d met her, but those same eyes were filled with fear and resignation now. The fear he had the power to change, but it was the resignation and sadness that seemed to bring all of his protective urges roaring to the surface.
Micah admitted a weakness for helping women in need, but comforting the damsels in distress had always been more Jax’s forte. Micah could already see the deep affection and desire to shelter Gracie reflecting clearly in Jax’s eyes. Micah’s gut told him that things were going to get a lot more complicated before they evened out, and with Jax’s focus centered on Gracie’s personal needs, Micah was going to have to tamp down his own knight in shining armor feelings so he could focus on keeping her safe.
Micah knew he’d have to bring in the rest of the security team and he wasn’t entirely sure how Gracie was going to react to that. Admittedly it was a given that there was always increased risk when more people were brought on board, but she was too important to gamble with her safety. Micah had trusted Ash Moore and Dex Raines with his life more times than he could count and he knew she’d be as safe with any member of his team as she’d be with either he or Jax. He’d speak with them quickly before tonight’s events and then bring them fully up-to-speed at tomorrow’s staff meeting.
Glancing at the clock, Micah was surprised to see how much time had passed and understood why she was concerned about getting back to her place. Jax set her on her feet and took her hand. “Come on, Cariña, I’ll walk you to your cabin and wait while you change. Plus, one of us will be with you all evening, we’ll rotate so it isn’t obvious to everyone that we’re standing guard.”
As they passed him, Micah caught her wrist and pulled her back to face him, “Please don’t leave an area without one of us accompanying you. Also, we’ll be meeting with Kent and Kyle first thing in the morning.” Micah pressed a quick kiss to her lips before sending her off with Jax. Heading toward the Forum Shops, he fell into step with Ash and Dex.
As they walked the short distance, Micah updated the two former Navy SEALs and saw their reactions to the information reflected in their body language, despite the fact their facial expressions hadn’t given away a thing. Stopping at the edge of the courtyard, he turned to them, “I don’t think I have to tell you that this is personal for both Jax and I. We haven’t made any secret out of our interest in Gracie and this doesn’t change that.”
When they both men nodded, he returned the gesture and turned to walk away. Dex’s voice stopped him, “Micah?” When he turned, both men were looking at him intently. Dex’s words were short, but powerful, “We’ve got this.” Micah nodded in acknowledgment and smiled to himself as he entered the courtyard and headed toward where the Wests were standing. He’d appreciated Dex’s reassurance. Just hearing the words let him take a deep breath for the first time since Gracie had shared her story. He knew her safety was in some of the most capable hands in the entire world—he just prayed it would be enough.
Chapter Four
Tobi West leaned back against a glass display case and took in all the activity surrounding her. She’d been watching things unfold during the entire evening and she couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was going on. It had only taken her a few minutes after entering The Forum Shops to know something was definitely up. Her husbands were both acting like cats dancing on a hot tin roof. She didn’t know why they seemed to be suddenly “on alert” but she’d noticed a change in them after their late afternoon meeting with some Costa Rican playboy. Before they’d given him a tour of Prairie Winds they’d been totally relaxed and jazzed about the Grand Opening.
There were several more people working security than they’d originally scheduled and neither Kent nor Kyle had left her side since they’d come downstairs from their living quarters above the club. Hell, they’d even followed her to the restroom. Tobi could see that her friend, Gracie, was beyond flustered, even though most people would probably never notice the small tells that indicated how truly “rattled” the ultra-efficient woman was. But she and Gracie had been friends for a couple of years now, and those subtle changes were easy for Tobi to spot.
Each time she’d ask Kent or Kyle what was up, they’d all but patted her on top of the head and told her not to worry. Yeah, like that’s gonna be effective. Sometimes having two Doms for husbands is a serious pain in my ass. Treat me like I’m a dim-witted three year old…that just frosts my fanny. If there was one thing she didn’t tolerate well, it was being treated like an incompetent child. Maybe it’s time to pull out the big guns. Scanning the crowded space, Tobi looked for Lilly. Her mother-in-law was quickly proving to be her biggest ally and staunchest supporter, and Tobi had no qualms at all about recruiting her. When she spotted her secret weapon on the other side of the courtyard she was mid-stride when a sharp swat on her ass brought her to a dead stop. Kyle pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arm around her in a move that was clearly meant to anchor her close, and darn if it didn’t send a flood of moisture to her mutinous pussy. His arm pressed her breasts up until Tobi was worried they might actually pop out of the corset top she was wearing. He leaned down and spoke right against her ear using a voice that was pure sin set to sound.
“Where do you think you are going, kitten?” Drown me, he knows that turns my knees to jelly and makes me wet. He also knew she was completely bare under the short skirt she was wearing since he’d been the one to relieve her of the new panties she’d bought for this evening’s opening. He had turned her over his knee and spanked her soundly for wearing them too. Although the orgasm he’d given her hadn’t done much for ensuring the spanking could actually be viewed as a punishment.
“I was going to speak with your mother.” Even she could hear the breathlessness in her voice, so there wasn’t a chance in heaven or hell that he’d miss it.
“Kitten, don’t think I don’t know you’re going there to enlist her help. You’ve already ask both Kent and I several questions about what’s going on, so let me save you the effort, love. Our mom is not ‘in the loop’ as you say, and we’ve already promised to tell you everything later. So, for right now, I suggest you keep your lovely pink ass right here or I’m going to give a little impromptu demonstration on all the ways to discipline a bratty sub outdoors.” Her breath caught and she heard him chuckle. The louse was playing with her. Well, two could play that game. She subtly rubbed her tender ass in a slow figure eight against the hard length of his cock, pressing back just enough to elicit a hiss from him. When she smiled sweetly over her shoulder at him he grasped her chin and caressed her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. His smile was suddenly much more sinister looking and his words were almost growled.
“Oh lovely wife of mine, you are playing with fire.” If she couldn’t go gossip with Lilly, she fully intended to use up a whole box of matches. Oh she knew there would be consequences, but that was part of the fun.
Turning her head even further so she could give him her most seductive look, she winked and let her inner Mae West bubble right to the top. “Count on it, big boy.” The look on his face was absolutely priceless and she’d have given anything to have a picture of the moment. The only other time she’d seen him speechless was the day they’d met in the middle of a highway during one of the worst thunderstorms Tobi could remember. She’d been standing on the center line of the black-topped road after her car had been pushed into the rain flooded ditch by a passing truck. No one had been willing to stop as she’d stood along the road’s edge, so she’d taken a stand where she knew drivers couldn’t ignore her.
When he’d barely missed her and finally come to a screeching halt, she’d charged him like a small but mighty steam engine. He’d been shocked speechless until a crash of lightning that was much too close for comfort jarred him back to his usual Dom self. She’d teased him more than once that
Tobi had been so lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t even realized Kyle had been moving her until she found herself up against a tree along the edge of the walkway. They were on the backside of the large oak so they weren’t immediately visible to their guests, but they certainly weren’t hidden either. Tobi felt the familiar spike in her heart rate and her breathing started coming so fast she was almost panting.
“Big boy? Really, kitten? You thought that was an appropriate way to address your Dom during a club event?” His tone had gone to the pure icy-hot Dom tone that always set her entire body on fire, and even though she’d seen a flicker of a smile pass through his expression, her anticipation still sent a rush of moisture to flood her sex. Glancing around, Tobi looked for Kent, hoping he might be willing to play Sir Lancelot and come to her rescue.
“And if you are looking for your other Master to pull your sassy ass out of the fray, you can give that idea up. He has gone to ask one of our dads to escort your ally and frequent partner-in-crime into one of the shops.” Oh shit. She really was in trouble if they were making sure Lilly didn’t know what they were up to.
*****
“Well, kitten, I’d say judging by that curse word you just muttered you realize you really are in hot water. We’ve been very lenient with you—obviously too lenient. We do own a BDSM club and you should be setting a good example when we are in public, not behaving like a brat. Did you realize that another sub and one of our most respected Doms not only witnessed you grinding your ass into my cock, but they also heard your flippant remark?”
Kyle wasn’t about to tell her the two people he’d mentioned were both Club employees and that she’d actually been setup. Earlier this week they had heard Tobi mention to Gracie that he and Kent had been so busy recently they hadn’t played with her in “forever.” He and Kent had both been stunned, standing stock-still glaring at the monitor and shaking their heads in disbelief. The one piece of advice all three of their parents had given them when they’d married Tobi, had been to guard against becoming so wrapped up in creating their lives that they forgot to live. And less than a month after returning from their honeymoon they’d done exactly that.
*****
“No sir.” Tobi was actually starting to worry now, she already knew that the only time they had really and truly punished her was when she’d made them and herself look bad in front of other club members. When she saw Kent striding back toward them, carrying his club bag, she actually heard herself whimper. She knew that damned bag was full of torture devices of all shapes and sizes. Some of them were just downright devious, and her Masters knew how to use each and every one. Tobi was really starting to panic and the black dots that always plagued her when she was frightened started waltzing at the edges of her vision.
*****
Kent walked up just in time to see Tobi starting to sway. He’d seen her pass out more than once from holding her damned breath when she was frightened, but so far, they hadn’t figured out how to help her break the habit. He wasn’t sure what Kyle had been saying to her, but his damned brother should have been facing their playful little sub because the blood had completely drained from her lovely heart-shaped face. Whatever Kyle had whispered against her ear had terrified her and that wasn’t at all what this was supposed to be about. Kent reached up and pinched both of her nipples right through her dress. “Sweetness, take a breath. Right now.” His barked instruction got the attention of almost everyone around them as well as Tobi’s. Suppressing a smiled, he noted that at least she had gulped in a huge breath of air. When she blinked up at him as if she were trying to get her eyes to focus, he let his smile surface. Looking down at her, he said, “I don’t know what we’re going to do about you holding your breath when you are afraid, but we need to figure it out—soon.”
Kyle spun her around so quickly that Kent had to steady her. “What the hell? Kitten, are you alright?” Kent glared at his brother, but let it go when he saw the guilt in his eyes.
Kent gave her a solid swat and grinned when she yelped. He knew it had to have stung after the spanking she’d gotten before the party and that was perfect as far as he was concerned. “She’s fine—for now. But I do believe our little subbie has earned herself a punishment for her saucy attitude.” He moved so he and Kyle were shoulder to shoulder and gave her a slow perusal. He let his gaze move purposely over her entire body—so she’d feel it as if he’d actually touched her. He had to bite back his grin when she shuddered. “Are you wet, sweetness?” He had deliberately settled his eyes on her skirt.
“Y…yes, Sir.” Now that was the tone he liked to hear, a nice level of uncertainty, but no real fear. This was the place they liked to work from. Her apprehension would feed her arousal and that was exactly what their little sub needed. As they’d pushed her boundaries, they’d discovered Tobi enjoyed a wide variety of scenes, but childhood physical and emotional abuse had left her with some very real triggers. They wanted to help her overcome them, but this wasn’t the time or place. The biggest hurdle they faced was her abject fear of them being truly angry at her. She almost always panicked and held her breath when she thought they were genuinely cross with her. He and Kyle had actually considered speaking with Dan Deal about the situation. Dan was a personal friend and a practicing psychologist in Austin. And as a Dom at Prairie Winds, he’d have a unique understanding of their situation. Kent made a mental note to give him a call next week.
Kent slowly raised his eyes back to her face. He had to hold back his smile when her nipples drew into tight little buds under his gaze. She was so incredibly beautiful and deliciously responsive. They’d searched for the perfect woman to share for years and just when they’d given up finding her, Kyle finds her standing in the middle of a fucking highway in the rain. Unbelievable. But right now, their lovely wife needed some attention from her Doms and they were more than happy to comply.
Chapter Five
Micah led Gracie outside the small shop for a break after Regi offered to fill in for a few minutes. Regi was Prairie Winds whirlwind administrative assistant. They all joked that she was the one who really kept the club running, she was a pixie with an Amazon attitude. She’d been with Kyle and Kent since before they’d even opened the doors and Regi had become a “little sister” of sorts to all of the staff. Micah had taken one of Gracie’s small hands and Jax clutched the other as they moved away from the crowd gathering at the far end of the sidewalk.
“What’s happening up there? Hold up a minute. There wasn’t anything on the schedule for the courtyard.” Micah hid his smile at her inquiry and curious expression.
When Gracie pulled her hands from theirs, turning to start marching up the cobblestone path toward the group, Micah shackled her wrist with his hand and pulled her back. When he smiled down at her she frowned at him, and he nearly growled as the Dom in him started to push forward. Reining himself in, he slowly leaned forward and kissed the furrows between her brows. “Baby, if you were our sub—that frown would have just earned you a few swats—and you’d be getting them right here, right now.” He grinned when her eyes widened and her pupils dilated despite the fire dancing in her eyes at his words. He slid his palm under her hair and grasped her nape to tilt her head back to ensure that all of her attention was focused solely on him. There was a lot of sass in her, but he didn’t think she was ready for them to tackle that full-on just yet. He hoped she’d never be completely “tamed” because he was coming to love the challenge that was Gracie Santos. “As you know, Tobi has been feeling a bit neglected by her Masters lately.” Micah bit back a smile as Grace nodded slowly even though she was obviously mulling over exactly how anyone else knew what her friend had shared in confidence. “And instead of talking to them about it, she spoke with you. So her Masters are reminding their sweet subbie that she belongs to them, and that includes her worries and fears, right along with every delectable inch of her body.”
Micah knew Gracie’s curiosity had finally won out when she asked, “How did you know that? That was confidential information. I don’t want her to think I betrayed her.” She bit her lower lip and he wanted to pull it away with his own teeth and then crush his lips to hers, instead he cupped her chin and pried it loose with his thumb. Tracing over her full lower lip with the calloused pad of his thumb, he simply watched her for several seconds. Her words might have been spirited, but her body language was all but shouting her vulnerability.
“Baby, we weren’t kidding when we said this place is wired for sight and sound. Remember, you are dealing with former Special Forces operatives. And we were damned good at our jobs—because, to be honest, you’re either good or you are dead. I’ve seen some of the best die because somebody else didn’t do their job.” Micah had done Grace’s background check before the Wests hired her. When he discovered that she had aced her citizenship test, he knew how hard she must have studied. Anyone who cared enough to study that hard would appreciate the freedoms soldiers fought for each and every day. Micah had also noticed the softness in her eyes whenever one of them mentioned soldiers, and that tugged at his heart. She clearly had a deep respect for her adopted nation and that upped his respect for her exponentially.
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