“And she fell madly in love with you for saving her?”
“The hell she did! She hated my guts. After the fire, I went to Kalake and she wouldn’t even stay in the same room if I walked in. Harding followed me to the island and she ended up saving our lives. Harding had a gun and Laci knows how to use a whip and I mean she really knows how to use a whip.”
“A whip? Like a real, authentic whip? So, she’s a Domme?”
“I wish you’d stop interrupting. Yes to whip and no to Domme. She used to work on the ranch and an old ranch hand taught her how to use a whip to defend herself. She’s a whip virtuoso. Harding was holding you and me at gunpoint and she snuck in and wrapped the thong and fall around his neck with one flick of her wrist. You grabbed the gun and I turned him over to some people who made sure he got what he deserved.”
“And then she fell madly in love with you for saving her? So romantic.” He motioned with his hands to mimic a beating heart.
“Anyone ever tell you you’re a real pain in my ass? Oh, wait. That must have been me. Can I continue?” Donovan questioned. Victor nodded and Donovan resumed scowling. “Laci’s life was a mess because of Harding and I felt guilty for having any part of it …”
“You felt guilty? You? Master Never-Feels-a Damn Thing? No way.”
“Shut up, Victor. Marion owns that travel magazine in Georgia so I called and asked if she’d hire Laci. My cousin is always looking for good writers and Laci’s the best so we took her to Georgia and she started working for Marion. You and I moved into the main house and Laci was living in the guest house.”
“And that was when she fell madly in love with you for saving her?”
“No,” Donovan sounded resigned, “she still didn’t like me and it took months for her to trust me but there was something special about her and I did everything I could to …”
“Get her into bed?” Victor interrupted.
“Prove myself to her,” Donovan huffed, before sheepishly shrugging, “and then get her into bed. I didn’t think it would ever happen but eventually it did and we started …”
“Whamming and bamming?”
“Victor, are you planning to shut up anytime in this century? And you’re one to talk about whamming and bamming. By this time you and Marion were doing plenty of whamming. You came in when I was tied to the bed and announced you and my cousin were getting married. I was best man at your wedding.”
“Woo Hoo! I end up with the hot cousin! Wait! Say … what? Tied to the bed? You were tied to the bed? Thought you said she wasn’t a Domme.”
Donovan ignored Victor’s reaction. “Then Trent entered the picture.”
“Was he tied to the bed, too? This is gettin’ good. Always said you have the best stories. Go on. What happened after you and Trent were tied to the bed?”
“Trent wasn’t tied to the bed,” Donovan responded through clenched teeth, “he was in town to work on a film and Laci interviewed him and he liked her questions so he took her to Hollywood for a few days …”
“Sure, the old ‘like the questions, let’s go to Hollywood trick’. Works every time.”
The glare was back. “… but she was considering leaving me because she thought she couldn’t be what I needed. When she was gone I realized how much I missed her and how much she meant to me so when she came back we worked things out and a few months after that, I asked her to marry me and she said yes.”
“So I guess she didn’t fall for the ‘let’s go to Hollywood trick’. What happened next?”
“We got married and it’s been incredible. I’ve never been happier in my entire life which is why I want to go to my home and be with my wife and remain happy.”
“So … you’re telling me that you’re married to a woman who isn’t submissive even though you’re a Dominant and it’s working out great? How is that possible?”
“Damned if I know,” Donovan admitted, “but it does. Actually I do know. It’s because of Laci. She’s smart and caring and understands me. She dominates me but she uses love and it’s been a learning experience but she’s patient and it gets better every day.”
“I have to admit, Donovan, it sounds amazing. Too bad it never happened.”
“DON’T SAY THAT!” Donovan shouted. “It did happen and I have to figure this out so it can keep happening. Don’t you see that this is affecting you, too? You’re married to my cousin. You, Marion and Jeremy live next door to me, Laci and our kids. You took care of Matthew and Jeremy from the time they were infants. You still take care of them and you taught me how to take care of my son.”
“I did? That must’ve been something to see. You can’t do a damned thing for yourself much less take care of a baby. So, if Matthew is your son, who’s Jeremy?”
“He’s your son, Victor,” Donovan sounded weary. “You and Marion adopted him when Matthew was about two months old. Jeremy is just a couple of months older than Matthew and the two of them and the dog-moose are together constantly.”
“The dog-moose? You mentioned him before. Who’s he related to?”
“Laci wanted a dog so we adopted this big, furry creature that, I’m sure, is part dog and part moose. He sure as hell eats like a moose but he’s great with the kids and watches over everything they do. I even miss him.” Donovan resumed staring into the flames. “And what about Laci’s dad? Laci didn’t have the happiest childhood. Her parents split up when she was pretty young and they lost track of her. She was on her own, working at the ranch to support herself, putting herself through school and I was prepared to hate her parents but I knew she needed resolution so I did everything I could to find them for her. Her mom passed away but her dad had been looking for her and he’s a good guy, really regrets what happened and has been making it up to her ever since I got them together. This affects her father, too. Did I get them back together? Is he in Georgia? I don’t even know anymore. How do I get this straightened out?”
It was Victor’s turn to stare but he was staring at his employer. “Donovan, I’m not sure what to believe or how to help you but I know I’ve never seen you like this. The day before yesterday, when you got on your plane, you were a different person. You were just like you always are: cold, business-like, professional, aloof, uncaring about everyone and everything. Nothing mattered to you. Your life was just one, big, endless business transaction. You got up at the same time every morning and went to sleep at the same time every night. In between you worked alone in your office or trained in your training facility. You hardly talked to anyone and you never went anywhere unless you had to. Your life was empty, lonely and dark. Really dark. You didn’t feel things. You didn’t care, even about yourself. You were basically a robot wearing an Armani suit. A couple of hours ago, you got off the same plane and you’re a compassionate and caring man who is actually hurting. You, Donovan Corbett, the Dom who feels nothing, keeps his distance and never gets involved, and you are one big, emotional mess. I don’t get it.”
“I told you, Victor. It’s because of Laci. She’s helped me to see everything about the world differently and she loves me without any conditions. There have been plenty of times when I’ve done something stupid and she gets annoyed but she never stops loving me or accepting me for who I am. My world would still be dark and lonely without her.”
“What about all those other people you were talking about? Where do they fit in?”
“It’s all so complicated but without Laci, everything would be different. Everyone’s life would be different. Don’t you understand? Trent met Sara and fell for her but he thought she wanted to end their relationship until Laci and Marion went to find her and bring her back. Now Trent and Sara are married. I really like Sara. She’s quiet, sweet, cute and normal, except for whatever the hell it is she sees in Trent but she’s good for him. They got married in our garden. It was a beautiful wedding and Laci’s dad, John, met Trent’s mom, Mary, at the wedding so now they’re also together and happy. If Laci hadn’t become friends with Trent, she never woul
d have gone to get Sara and there wouldn’t have been a wedding. His mom wouldn’t have met her dad. A couple of months ago, Sara and Trent had a little girl, Adrienne. If Trent and Sara hadn’t gotten back together, they never would have had the baby.”
“So, let me get this straight.” Victor appeared to be concentrating. “I’m bamming your cousin and we have a kid. Trent is bamming Sara and they have a kid. John is probably bamming Mary when they’re not playing the roles of Grandpa and Grandma. You’re bamming Laci and have two kids and a dog-moose.” He thought for a moment. “So who’s got the weasels? And the unicorn? Donovan? You sure that rock you mentioned isn’t some kinda crack ‘cause that’s the best explanation of what you’ve been tellin’ me. Wait! You said you have two kids? Who’s your other kid? It’s not the unicorn, is it?”
Donovan rolled his eyes. “Victor, you need to pay attention if you’re going to be any help. A few months ago, Laci surprised me and announced that she was having another baby. I really thought Matthew was going to be our only child and I was fine with that, but I was thrilled when I found out we were going to have a little girl. She’s just about two months old and her name is Victoria. The training session in Texas was set up almost a year ago and Laci insisted I go even though I hated the idea of leaving. When Matt was born I stopped training for a while so I could be home. I didn’t want to miss one minute with him and I promised Laci that when I got back from Texas, it would be the last session until Victoria was older. I don’t want to miss any time with her either. I’ve already missed almost an entire month of her life and I want to be there to see every smile, hear every giggle, feel every hug, watch her take her first steps. It was incredible to experience all of that with Matthew. I have to get home.”
Victor got up from his seat and started pacing. After a few minutes he stopped and turned to his boss. “Okay, Donovan, I can see how you’d feel like you want to be home, except … you already are home.” When Donovan looked ready to protest, Victor held up his hands. “Before you start arguing, just hear me out. I’ve been working for you for a long time and I do almost everything for you. I know your entire schedule and pretty much everything about you. If you were married and had kids, wouldn’t I know? If I was wham bamming your hot cousin, wouldn’t I know? If that guy Harding was a client of yours, wouldn’t he be in your computer with all your other clients? If Harding set fire to this place, then how come we’re sitting here having this discussion? If you flew in from Texas with toys packed in your bag, then how come they weren’t there when I unpacked the bag and how come your plane flew in from Vancouver? If you know all these other people and they’re all such a big part of your life, then where are they? Wouldn’t I have seen, at least, one or two of them? You have to admit that I’m right.”
Donovan picked up his coffee mug and flung it violently into the fireplace. Victor flinched as it shattered on the hearth. “You’re not right,” Donovan insisted. “YOU. ARE. NOT. RIGHT. You can’t be right. This is my life we’re talking about. My life and my family and you are not right. I won’t let you be right. I won’t.”
“Then where are all these people, Donovan? Where’s Laci?”
“I don’t know.” It was hard to miss the confusion and hopelessness in his voice.
“Look, maybe you need to take some time off. You work constantly and could use a break. This whole other life is probably something you imagined because you don’t have a real life. You don’t live, Donovan. You exist. The only purpose you have in your world is work and maybe you want and need more than that. Maybe this is all what you secretly wish you had and it seems real because you want it to be real. Take some time off. We’ll go to Kalake as soon as I can make the arrangements. Take a few days to get some rest and see if that helps to clear your mind.”
Donovan nodded at Victor. “Yes. Make the arrangements but not for Kalake. Make arrangements for Georgia. I want to leave as soon as possible. Finding Laci is the only thing that’s going to clear my mind. She’s the one who brought me out of the darkness and I’m going to find her. I need the light and I need her. We’re going to find Laci.”
Chapter Six ~ Darkest
Flying on Donovan’s private jet wasn’t a new experience for Victor. He’d traveled all over the world and many miles with his employer but watching his boss bleakly staring out the window at nothing except endless sky and foreboding, dark clouds was a very new experience.
Emotion emanating from his boss wasn’t what Victor would call new; it was totally incomprehensible. Donovan Corbett didn’t have emotions, at least not the kind other people had. The most emotion Donovan ever showed was a curt nod or a scowl of displeasure aimed at one of the submissives or sex slave trainees. So much of Master Donovan’s success came because he didn’t have emotions and those under his tutelage knew winning the slightest iota of his approval was a huge achievement.
Victor would never admit how much he truly admired Donovan. The man was one of the few people Victor had ever met who was worth admiring, even if he was a gigantic contradiction. On one side Donovan made his contribution to the world economy by saving companies that would have folded or fallen into bankruptcy. Under Donovan’s guidance, the businesses involved became strong, solvent and able to employ more people than ever. True, Donovan made an enormous amount of money but that was secondary to having control of the entire enterprise. It was always about control.
On the other side was his secondary interest in training sex slaves. That part of Donovan’s life had taken a little getting used to but Victor had adapted quickly enough. Watching Master Donovan was like watching an artist; the only difference was that the Master used a riding crop instead of a brush. He never lost his temper but his voice was low, deep and chilling as ice when he spoke. The slaves cowered at his words and tone of voice, even when they hadn’t done anything to displease their trainer. Always fair, he explained things once and those being trained knew that once was all they were getting. Defiance and disobedience brought swift and memorable retribution and mistakes made once were never made again. Victor had never seen another Master or Dominant able to command other people the way Donovan did using only an almost imperceptible gesture or a slight and solitary nod of his head. There was no question the Master knew his business and his business was control.
Donovan Corbett lived a comfortable life but he wasn’t extravagant. Master Donovan trained sex slaves for other Masters but not for himself. The concept of control was at the center of Donovan’s being and the man didn’t comprehend the meaning of the word ‘failure’ so it wasn’t easy to watch him falling into a state of confusion at the loss of everything he appeared to value so much, as well as the ability to do anything about it.
Donovan wasn’t the easiest person to deal with. Everything he did was done according to his set routine and schedule. He was almost too smart for his own good so very little impressed him. He could talk for hours about any number of topics but preferred to be solitary and alone. He occasionally became involved with women, both submissive and non-submissive but got bored easily and had never formed anything close to a lasting relationship. Even so, other than being overly fastidious, he was basically a good guy.
But the usually cold and emotionless Donovan Corbett, a loving and devoted husband and father? Yeah. Right. Almost as likely as finding a unicorn in the backyard.
“Hey, Donovan?”
“What now?”
“What does Laci look like?” Victor tried to sound encouraging. “I mean if I’m supposed to be helping to look for her, it would probably work out better if I knew who I was looking for.”
Donovan glanced up suspiciously. It wasn’t often Victor made sense. “She’s beautiful, Victor. She’s not very tall, only comes about up to my shoulder and her hair is long and blonde. It’s really soft, like silk, and it always looks like the wind is blowing through it. She has the biggest and bluest eyes. I used to think they were cornflower blue but that’s not really accurate. They’re more like the color of the sky
at dusk when it reflects on the ocean. When she looks at me with those eyes, nothing else matters.”
Victor shook his head as if not quite sure what he was hearing. First Donovan was all emotional and now he was getting poetic? Maybe the guy sitting in the plane was an imposter. That would explain things. Will the real Donovan Corbett please stand up?
“And,” Donovan continued, “she glows.”
“Huh? Did you say … she glows? You mean like a flashlight?”
“No, Victor,” Donovan responded with impatience, “she glows like sunbeams. When she walks into a room and sees me, she lights up and she has this glow around her.”
“Okaaaay. Blonde hair, blue eyes, kinda short and sorta shiny. Should make it easy to recognize her if I happen to spot her. Anything else?”
“She’s very smart. When I tell her about my business dealings she understands more than most of the people I pay to understand. It’s really hard for me to buy a gift for her because she never wants anything except what she has. She’s the happiest and least demanding person I’ve ever known. She’s extraordinary. Last year, when it was her birthday she took me to see her rock. It was the most amazing day and when it was almost over she surprised me and gave me a horse. Can you believe that? It was her birthday and she gave me a gift because she knew riding was something I missed even though I never told her. Marion told her about a purebred stallion I used to ride and Laci wanted me to have that experience again so she bought me a horse. Laci knows me better than I know myself. She can almost read my mind which is probably good because she knows I don’t mean it when I do something to screw up.”
“You screw up? Not possible.” Victor’s sarcasm was obvious.
“At what point does the helping you’re supposed to be doing get started?” Donovan questioned with his own touch of sarcasm. “Yes. Sometimes I screw up and make an ass of myself but Laci knows the whole relationship and fatherhood thing is new for me and she gives me the chance to figure things out until I get them right. So far, I’ve done very well with that. She even told me once that it’s easy to overlook what I do wrong because I do so many things right. Hearing words like that makes me want to do even more for her. I have a picture of her on my desk. You can see it when we get there.”
The Darker Side of Love (A Dark Erotica Boxed Set) Page 55