by Talon P. S.
She was so exhausted that once in his arms she felt sleep coming for her; she wasn’t going to be able to fight it back this time.
Diesel came back in after talking with Trenton’s doctors, he stilled at the door a moment seeing Katianna curled up next to Trenton, who was nearly purring to have her in his arms.
“She asleep?” He asked seeing how Trenton was not.
“Yeah.” He whispered.
“Good—saves me some trouble.” And he walked around the bed coming up behind Katianna. He pulled her shirt up tucked the waist belt of her pants down and pricked her in the hip with a syringe and injected a small amount of fluids into her. She was so deep in sleep she barely flinched from the needle.
“What’d you just give her?” Trenton eyed Diesel curiously as he dropped the used hypo in the red sharps box on the wall.
“Doctors whipped up a Diazepam and Valium cocktail for her.”
“That bad huh?” Trenton tucked his chin and kissed the top of her head.
“Worse. She hasn’t eaten and the only sleep she’s had was from nodding out while she waited here. I can’t get her to leave and trying to force her is a lot like trying to drag a cat into the water.” Diesel scratched his head a bit with a sheepish smile, “Which under different circumstances would have been a lot of fun.” It was no secret Diesel had a liking for Imps and Brats more than he did for Subs.
“What day is it?” Trenton shifted the subject on what had taken place. He was still out of sorts and needed to get his bearings straight.
“Sunday.”
“Shit I’ve been out for two days?”
Diesel nodded and started to roll Katianna over in his arms. Trenton’s arms tightened around her refusing to give her up so quickly.
“No. Let me keep her awhile.”
“She needs sleep. And so do you.”
“Ah come on. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had her in my arms like this? Let her stay awhile.”
“Yeah three days ago, when she crawled in bed with you at the hotel then too.”
Trenton grinned at that. That had been a damn good night; he even woke up with her still in his arms. He recalled how he had rolled over on his side taking her with him. She was still sound asleep when he woke and he was able to just lie there and watch her sleeping. Enjoying a deeper sense of what it was going to be like having her in his life. That each morning he would wake up with her blissfully sleeping in his arms. It was beautiful.
Diesel tried to pry Trenton’s arm off her, but he only tightened his hold, his arms snaking around the sleeping Katianna. He kissed her forehead while his eyes darted up at Diesel, “Just a little longer.”
“You know you’re starting to even pout like her.” But then Diesel’s face distorted with some deeper anguished pain.
“What is it?”
“It should have been me that took those bullets. Not you.”
“First you wanna take my girl now you’re jealous over my bullets too.” Trenton stifled back a cough when he was going to laugh, both hurting inside his gut.
Diesel shot him a glared look. He was really hurting from it and didn’t take kindly to Trenton’s attempt to laugh it off as if it was okay.
“Diesel, don’t do this to yourself. We can’t predict when people decide to strike or who takes the hit. What matters is I’m okay… you’re okay, Amelia is safe and so is Kat.” But he could see Diesel wasn’t going to be consoled easily, “Do you think I would want you to take the hit? It’s not your job to do so. You’re good at what you do and you’re my brother so I’m grateful you help when I need you. That I can always rely on you to be there. But I can’t have you getting shot up. I won’t stand for it.” Trenton watched him a long moment. He looked as exhausted as Kat did and probably the only reason why Diesel wasn’t arguing further on it, “Besides Patrice would never forgive me.”
He knew what Diesel was grieving over. The five shots the gunman had managed to fire off before they’d brought him down had been aimed in the direction of Diesel and Katianna and Trenton had made sure he was blocking them both. That he had taken a bullet for him was more than Diesel could bear.
“I go with you, because you place yourself in the epicenter of the worse danger and you need me to watch your back. You’d take all the risks to yourself if I didn’t.”
Trenton huffed, “You go so you can get out of the shop before you go stark raving mad.” He tried not to laugh, but it didn’t work when Diesel finally gave into his own smiles.
“Get some rest I’ll be back with her later.” Diesel reached for Katianna and again Trenton tried to hang on—again.
“Where’s Amelia?”
“She returned home late last night. Now—no more talk. Give her up so I can take her back to the hotel. I need sleep too you know.” And he rolled her off of Trenton and into his arms, “I’ll bring her back this evening after she’s had a shower and some food. I’ll bring you back something too.”
“Fine.” Trenton pulled the covers around him with a pout of his own.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
FRENCH HOSPITAL: ONE WEEK AFTER THE SHOOTING
On the television: International News Network
“…And there’s been a jump in stocks when Ümran Global Endüstrisi announced today they would not be closing their plants located in Istanbul, Turkey and in Carac, Egypt. Vice President Amelia Quinneth of Quinneth Global Managements who over sees the Ümran Global Network spoke up saying her decision was based on new arrangements for alternative management sources. The new plan was put together by board member Rashawn Matisse, son of legendary artist Cardiff Matisse.
Ms. Quinneth says the Board's decision is based on the two year management plan provided by Monsieur Matisse and not influenced by recent attempts on her life.
Quinneth became the target of a disgruntled family member that would have been displaced should Ümran Global be closed down in Istanbul. Quinneth was later quoted having said the incident was tragic.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“Mom I swear, he’s fine, he’s just sleeping that’s all.” Diesel was on the phone with his mother trying to console her over Trenton’s condition, while Trenton and Katianna watched the news and him with some amusement.
“I’m not just saying it to make you feel better—” He paused, listening as she continued to worry herself into a frantic, “Mom—” a pause, “Mom—” a longer pause, “Mom!” Diesel fought to get a word in edge wise, “No it’s not just like in the movies. He’s fine. He’s asleep… no I am not going to wake him up.” He grinned shaking his head at Trenton.
“I will, I promise, now put dad on the phone will yeah?”
A moment passed and he heard Trenton’s dad, Jonas mumbling something to his mom then took the phone, “Deez? What have you done to her?”
“Me? Dad— Trenton is just fine. Doctors say he can go home in a day or two. She just refuses to believe me.”
“That’s because the two of you are bullet magnets. Don't think we don’t know about the time you took a hit four years ago. Patrice and Annette got it in their heads if one of you goes the other is soon to follow. My advice? Stop getting shot at. The girls are driving me nuts over it. Now—” the man settled into a calm reserved state of mind, “How are you doing?”
“Everything’s fine—”
Jonas cut him off; he didn’t want to hear the auto pilot responses. He wanted to hear what was going on inside his boy’s head. “I asked, how are you doing?”
Diesel paused he knew what Jonas was trying to get at. Jonas knew him and Trenton all too well, knew that he would be tearing himself over this. “The bullet should have been mine, dad. Amelia was under my charge.”
“You boys need to stop filling yourselves with such guilt every time one of ya takes a hit. You can’t do that, it impairs your thoughts. You need to watch over him and hold the fort, just as he would if it were you. This is what you boys do. You’re soldiers and you protect others. Sometimes the
last effort is done by taking what threatens to get past you. There is no who should have gotten shot. If there were, then there wouldn’t be any innocent people getting hurt all the time. But bad guys exist and so do desperate ones and they’re the worst, the most unpredictable. Hell half the time they don’t know themselves when or if they’re going to strike out. You did what you could and luckily neither of you had to give your life for it. That’s how you have to see it.”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Damn he sounded just like Trenton.
“Good. Now—we love you. You call us when you’re headin' back state side.”
“Love you too dad. Give mom a kiss, will ya?”
“I do every chance I get.”
“I meant one from me.” Diesel let out a humored gruff.
“Oh—well, I’ll try to fit one in there somewhere.”
Diesel turned his cell off and stuffed it his pocket, “You know it would have been easier if you just got on the phone and talked with them. I couldn’t even get your mom on the phone.
“What was all that with Patrice?”
“I said you were sleeping and she was going on about how that’s what they—”
“—always say in the movies.” Trenton chimed in with Diesel.
“Stupid writers.” Katianna muttered from her chair with a deep scowl on her face.
Trenton looked at her and he could only laugh. She had the same worrisome personality as Diesel’s mom did and everyone adored that woman including his own dad.
“Come here.” He pulled the covers off to make room for her to crawl in next to him, “I had you in my arms once and then Diesel stole you away. Now I want you back.”
Katianna hopped up and crawled up on the bed next to him as he asked and scooted her back against his chest spooning into his arms, “So your parents live with his parents?” She looked up at Diesel who settled on the edge next to them.
“And sleeps with them, but just my mom now.” Diesel added the additional information with a wry smile.
“But wait you called him dad—does that mean the two of you really are brothers? Like half brothers?”
“No.” Trenton nuzzled against her. He was still feeling the morphine they were giving him and considered it excuse enough and since she was willing, he was eager to take full advantage of it. “Our dad’s grew up together. And they went into the service together and when they got married, well—they shared that too.” He offered a sheepish grin when she wasn’t getting the full jest of it, “They were swingers. When Nelson was killed during a mission overseas, Patrice stayed with my parents. It was how they had always agreed. And my dad adopted Diesel officially.”
Katianna grinned brightly, how adorable she thought it was, “And it worked for them, I mean they’re still together it seems.”
“Happiest three June bugs on the planet.” Diesel grinned.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
~ ~
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
~ ~
FRIDAY ONE WEEK AFTER THEIR RETURN FROM PARIS
Paris Dalqeaute sat in the waiting room of the elaborate and very masculine office building, his gaze floating over to the show room where a restored early 50’s silver Rolls Royce sat, just behind it a Lexus executive, followed by a large SUV that he couldn’t identify without going up for a closer look.
The phone at the front desk buzzed and the woman there answered it. “Five Source Security Complex. How may I direct your call?” A long pause then she continued, “Let me see if he’s in.” She punched a button then another to buzz one of the offices in back. “There’s a Monsieur Boy-me-yah?—on the phone to speak with you. And don’t forget Paris Delceck—whatever his name is, is still waiting to see you.” She rolled her eyes as she transferred the call then glanced up at Paris who was trying to ignore her. “It’ll still be a moment.”
“Fine.” Paris replied turning his attention to his profile folder he’d brought with him. There wasn’t anything in there he needed to review again, but it beat having to acknowledge the woman who went back to staring at him, undressing him with her eyes as she chewed on her pencil.
Paris had been hired to be the Director for the B&D season at the Salientis du Deliciarum Island Resort. He’d never had the hunger or need for such sexual fares, but that you could have sex damn near any place you wanted on the island and not have someone from staff telling you it wasn’t permitted—oh yeah—he had to work there. But it wasn’t long after he started when it was discovered that he’d never experienced any sort of training by a Master and it was company policy that all staff that would be handling or overseeing the slaves and guests had to at some point endure training themselves. The discovery nearly cost him the position before he could start the season, but Paris wasn’t about to give it up without a fight and since the season was so close to starting he parlayed the Board of Directors and they agreed to let him keep the position so long as he fulfilled a minimum of submissive training to fulfill the requirements.
Further instructions came from the Island’s main Director Alan Pridmore; restricting who Paris could go to for the training, that it had to come from an approved Master—and the list was a short one.
Dominus Trenton Leos in New York, Mistress Abigail Lane in San Diego, Gramaire Cardiff Mastiff or Principale Dominare Master Giovanni Terracciano in Bari Italy.
Paris had no intentions of going to Giovanni. Italy would have been scrumptious, but he dug up a photo of Giovanni and discovered the man was a walking gorilla suit and just the thought of a big harry man rubbing up against his body—he shivered at the thought—it made him nauseous.
As for Cardiff? He’d already been in his bed with no intentions of going back to him and no way in hell was he going to let a woman touch him let alone dom over him. That left Trenton Leos. Problem there was Trenton didn’t dom men as he understood it. He tried to find a photo and only came up with a partial view, a journalist shot on the internet at a crime scene. He was tall, with dark maybe black hair like his own and a well groomed shadow of hair on his face, one of those ten day groomed beard. Muscles, but not as thick like himself.
Paris couldn’t make out Trenton’s face, but there wasn’t a chance the man could turn out as hideous as Giovanni was. On top of the growing appeal, it had been hinted that Trenton Leos was a silent investor of the Island. Paris had been privy to that information as becoming the Director, very few others were. He also knew Trenton was on the Board of Directors and after reading over Trenton’s profile he would not be surprised if the BD season was in part his doing. He was also regarded a highly respected Master around the globe—but Paris found little else about the private man. Only that he was a man of considerable power. Paris licked his lips as the lust in him developed for the man who was about to become a focal point in his plans. Yes—Trenton Leos would definitely do well for his appetite.
Now sitting here in the lobby waiting to meet with him, he only hoped Trenton would agree to give him the training. Since he was on the board, the very one that had voted to allow him to fulfill the requirements before the season started. Perhaps by his coming to him, Mr. Leos would feel obligated to work with him in this. Or so he hoped. He might even be able to show the Dominus how good the flavors of some men were. Mainly himself. The Dominus would not be disappointed, no lover of his ever was.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“This could not have come at a worse time, Paris. I am thoroughly pissed with your lack of timing and it will certainly be reflected in your training.” Trenton tossed back in his desk chair propping his fingers together like a cage over his lap as he stared across his desk at him.
“Does this mean you will oversee my training so I can fulfill the requirements?” Paris hadn’t stopped drooling since he walked in. Trenton had exceeded his expectation for a handsome lover. Fuckin hot as hell he was and Paris couldn’t wait till play time came about. Now if only the man would chill a bit. He seemed so intense. But? Intense was good—in bed.
“It s
tarts now.”
Yes.—where’s the bed? Let’s get started. “My safe word?”
“You’re not going to have a safe word Paris. Part of the crunch training.” He paused for a moment contemplating a needed agenda, “And it will be for forty-five days not thirty.
“Forty-five? Sir? Why forty-five? The board approved thirty.” Okay change of plans—
“Paris the more I have to explain the longer it takes to do things and if I have to explain why you are here then we should just forego wasting my time.” Trenton sat up, leaning over his desk and pointed a finger at the door. “There’s the door.” And he waited.
Paris didn’t move—rather he froze. Shit. Not good. He hadn’t expected it to go this way, but rather had it in his head that this was all a formality. A let’s not and say we did kind of thing. He’d hang around for awhile have some mind blowing sex then on his way back to business as Director of BD Season at Salientis. Or so he hoped. While he had weighted out his choices as to who he would allow to dom over him, it really hadn’t kicked in that he would actually have to act like a slave.
Paris swallowed, gathering his thoughts. Business ones, not romping in the sack ones. No way in hell was he walking out on this. “I’m here to fulfill the requirements of my position not waste your time, Sir.” Paris submitted that much for now.
Trenton only looked at the extravagantly groomed man for a long moment. Paris didn’t have a clue why he was here and that in itself was a problem. A major mistake to think this was just some anomaly of training requirement for the job. And it would not suffice; Paris needed to understand why some people became slaves in the first place. Why they connected with the servitude, bodily and emotionally. And why a Master needed to be in tune with their Slave. To understand their Slave’s needs and limits and how to push them carefully past those limits. But Trenton could see it in Paris’ face; he was determined to keep his position and would see this through even if he never embraced it. It was only now that he was coming to terms of what he was about to be put through. But the part of why would have to be rectified, but first thing was first and that was the stripping of his control.