by Jenna Jacob
After earning his bachelor degree in science, Dayne landed his dream job, at a private boy’s school. He was over the moon. A few months later, he found an apartment of his own. Though I was proud and thrilled for him, I felt melancholy when Dayne moved out. I’d done my best for him, and he’d survived…at least once in his precious, short life.
“Liz,” Trevor asked on a sad whisper. “Why are you crying?”
Jerking my head up, I didn’t know he’d awakened, or that I’d been crying. Wiping my tears I forced a weak smile.
“You’re thinking about your brother, right? Daddy told me.”
I nodded and sniffed. “Yes. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lose it. You… There’s something about you that reminds me of him.”
Trevor frowned for a moment, then a slow smile tugged the corners of his mouth. “So he was a hot, sexy beast like me, huh?”
I snorted then laughed. Happy tears sprung from my eyes. Trevor clutched both his mouth and stomach, groaning as he laughed with me.
Just then, Drake and James stepped into the room.
“What the hell is going on here?” Drake thundered. “What’s so damn funny?”
Trevor and I struggled to stop laughing. Finally, he sucked in a deep breath. With a somber expression, he looked Drake straight in the eye. “Liz wants me to father her children.”
“What?” I shrieked, stunned by his words.
Drake and James blinked in total shock. Our stunned expressions made Trevor laugh harder as he clutched his belly. His giggles were so infectious I couldn’t help but join him.
“What am I?” James asked incredulously. “Chopped liver? If you need a sperm donor, I’ll be more than happy to help you out, Liz. But just so you know, I won’t be jacking off into some damn plastic cup.”
His offer made us laugh even harder. My cheeks hurt and my stomach ached, but neither Trevor nor I could stop.
“You’re going to tear open your stitches, boy. Quit laughing this instant.”
Drake’s potent command stopped us in mid-giggle. A sliver of heated desire danced through Trevor’s eyes. His lover’s tone had excited him. A short second later, he forced his swollen bottom lip out and flashed Drake the saddest puppy dog expression I’d ever seen.
With an apology poised on the tip of my tongue for upsetting Drake, I rose from the bed and stepped back.
“Aw, dammit, boy,” the big man groused with a watery smile as he leaned over the bed. “It’s so fucking good to hear you laugh again.”
Trevor reached up and softly caressed his face. “Don’t worry, my sweet Daddy. They’ll never have the power to change me or change what we have together. I love you, Daddy. You’re all I’ll ever want and need.”
Trevor had gone from laughter to sobbing in the blink of an eye. I forced a lump of emotion down from my throat as I watched Drake wrap Trevor in his arms, cradling him ever so gently, and both men sobbed.
Swiping a tear from my eye before it could spill down my cheek, I darted a glance over my shoulder at James. A bittersweet smile lay on his lips, and he nodded toward the door. Without a word, we crept out of the room, giving Drake and Trevor the privacy they deserved.
Back in the waiting room, the crowd had thinned, but plenty of worried friends still lingered.
“How’s Trevor doing?” Leagh asked. Her big, green eyes were filled with worry.
“He’s doing better than Drake,” James replied grimly. “He’s a hot mess.”
“He will be for a while,” Mika added with a frown. “We’re all keeping a close eye on him.”
“Good. FYI, you guys might want to give them a few minutes before you go back,” James suggested. “Emotions are running high right now. It’s tough to watch Drake fall apart the way he is.”
Tony exhaled a deep sigh. “No doubt, but releasing his grief is good. Cathartic. Frankly, I’m glad that his rage isn’t inhibiting his ability to mourn with Trev.”
For someone who resembled a body builder, Tony possessed a profound sense of psychological insight.
“Don’t go pulling out your scalpel and start rooting around in Drake’s brain,” Leagh warned with an impish grin, as she squeezed Tony’s sculpted bicep.
“You’re a surgeon?” I asked, cringing at my incredulous tone.
“No,” Tony replied with a hint of indignation. “I’m a psychologist.”
That’s what you get for judging a book by its cover.
“I’m sorry. The scalpel thing threw me off. I didn’t mean it as an insult.”
Heat rose on my face like a fever, and my palms started to sweat. I felt like a fool. James’ friends must think me a blithering idiot.
“It’s my fault, Liz,” Leagh piped up, rescuing me from my embarrassment. “I’m always busting his ba—”
“Angel,” Tony warned in a stern tone.
Leagh wrinkled her nose. “Busting his chops about probing around in people’s minds,” she confided. “Lord knows he messes with mine every chance he gets.”
“And you love it,” Mika added with a smirk. “Don’t even try to deny it.”
“Well, yes,” she giggled. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
After my awkwardness lessened, I found myself analyzing the strange bond the group of friends shared. They seemed to have no compunction at revealing and discussing nearly every aspect of their personal lives. Such a level of intimacy felt foreign to me.
I never had close friends, aside from Dayne and Cindy. Growing up, I went out of my way to avoid any emotional bonds. Closing myself off to others wasn’t born out of shyness but rather self-preservation. Mommy Dearest had an embarrassing habit of bringing men home after work, lots of men—lots of different men—usually never the same one twice. Either they weren’t skilled enough to earn a repeat performance in Sally’s bed, or they didn’t want one. As a teen, I was humiliated knowing that my mom was the county bicycle, and that every horny man in town who wanted could take a ride. Her actions were confusing, since she’d spent her life drilling into my head the importance of proper sexual behavior. It was only after Sally had dropped the bombshell about Dad that I realized her cock-a-day addiction was some skewed litmus test to prove her desirability—that, or a desperate attempt to restore her tattered ego.
Needing the approval of a man so desperately made my stomach pitch. I studied the submissives poised next to their Doms, so attentive and proper. I began to wonder if the women were as emotionally scarred and in such sad need to confirm their desirability—like my mother—they willingly subjugated themselves. Were they all lacking a basic sense of self-love, or backbone to stand on their own two feet? Or was their decision to submit driven by something else entirely? I needed to do a lot more research.
“Right, Liz?” James asked, wearing a wide grin.
“Huh?” I blinked. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening. What did you say?”
“Are you okay? Is something wrong?” he asked. His dark brows slashed in concern.
“No. I’m fine, just lost in thought. I noticed Trevor’s IV site looked a little red. I’ll talk to his nurse before we leave,” I replied, lying through my teeth. “What was the question?”
“I was just telling Tony and Leagh that we’d planned to grab some dinner, then we could meet up with them at the club.”
“Oh. Yes. Right,” I replied in a hesitant voice.
“You’re not backing out on me, are you?” James asked.
So he expected me to try and wiggle out of going to the club, did he? I flashed him a bright smile, refusing to cause a scene and confront his manipulation.
“Heavens, no.” Digging myself in deeper, I fought the urge to sprint for the elevator and escape.
“You’re going to love it,” Leagh gushed with delight. “Hey, we’re going to Maurizio’s with the rest of the gang. Why don’t you two come along? We’ll save you some seats.”
Oh god. James wouldn’t torture me by making me sit through a meal surrounded by Doms and subs when I had no clue what to say or
how to act, would he?
James turned his head my way. “Do you like Italian food?”
Looks like it.
“Yes. I do.” The words were off my tongue before I could come up with another lie.
‘I promise I’ll be open and honest with you, whether we’re just friends or evolve into lovers. The only thing I ask is that you reciprocate, and are honest with me, too. Will you do that?’
A twinge of guilt prickled. Had I given him my word in a moment of weakness, or had James already brainwashed me? It seemed that before our official date had even begun, I was already in over my head.
“Great. We’ll plan on seeing you guys a little later then.” James smiled.
James slid his arm around my waist before we said our goodbyes. As we stood waiting for the elevator, James strummed his thumb back and forth over my lower spine. Tiny pulses of electricity zinged to my core. I didn’t know whether to sidle away from his touch or wrap him in a scorching lip-lock. The chime of the elevator was a welcome relief as I lowered my head and inhaled a calming breath. As the doors opened, I lunged forward and slammed into Dr. Samuel Brooks as he stepped out. Bouncing off his broad, muscular chest, it felt as if I’d ran head-long into the side of a mountain. Cindy would be ecstatic to discover the man was hard as steel under his baggy white coat.
“Whoa,” Brooks exclaimed on half a laugh, before pivoting out of the way. “Hey, James. Liz. How’s Trevor?”
“Hey, Sam,” James replied nonchalantly. “Doing real good.”
Pinging a suspicious glaze between the two men, my curiosity piqued. The realization they not only knew each other but shared a familiarity with Trevor crashed through me, harder than the good doctor’s chest.
Before I could open my mouth, James half-pushed, half-pulled me into the elevator. And as the doors closed, I glimpsed a guilty and extremely worried expression chiseled itself over Sam’s face.
“So, how do you know Dr. Brooks?” I asked in a controlled, blasé tone.
“Oh, he was here last night.”
“I didn’t know he was scheduled last night. I didn’t see him in the ER.”
“Maybe he came in to check on a patient.”
What happened to Mr. Honesty? I bit back a grin.
“It wasn’t Trevor he came to see, was it?” I asked, purposefully baiting him.
“I think it was someone else, but he did poke his head in to check on Trev. I think Dr. Brooks helped with Trevor’s surgery or something.”
I nodded. That had been almost too easy. James had taken the bait, hook, line, and sinker. I knew at that moment that Cindy’s handsome heartthrob, Dr. Brooks, was a member of Genesis.
Holy shit!
Working hard not to smile, I stared James straight in the eyes. “I doubt that highly. Doctor Brooks is an Ob-gyn surgeon. Unless Trevor needed a hysterectomy there wasn’t a professional reason that doctor needed to…quote: pop his head in.”
James groaned and his shoulders slightly sagged. I felt stupidly victorious.
“You enjoyed yanking my chain, didn’t you?” he asked, as a calculating smirk tugged his lips.
“You bet I did,” I laughed. Delving deeper into his sexy eyes, I slowly licked my lips. James’ stare dropped to my mouth and stayed there. “How do you know Sam?”
“Quid pro quo,” he challenged, still honed in on my mouth. “Tell me what you were thinking about when we were talking to Tony and Leagh.”
“You answer my question, first. Then maybe I’ll answer yours,” I challenged. Pinching my bottom lip between my teeth, I watched his nostrils flare.
James reached out and trailed the tips of his fingers down my cheek as he focused all his energy into one sinfully seductive stare. “Like I said in the truck, honesty is very important to me. In fact, it’s a deal breaker. If I catch someone lying to me, I’ll let her redeem herself, but after that I don’t give second chances. As for Sam? I’m not at liberty to discuss him with you. And that’s the truth.”
“Because at Genesis, you grant total anonymity, right? He’s member of the club, isn’t he?”
“Liz,” James warned as he cupped my chin in his palm. “I’ve answered your question. Now answer mine.”
I pursed my lips in a pout. “I shouldn’t oblige you, since you technically evaded mine. I suppose you can’t give me a denial of the denial either, right?”
“No, I can’t. Not when it comes to Sam,” he replied, latching his gaze to my lips once more. “But I’ll be more than happy to give you something much better than answers.”
Yanking me into his arms, James bound me to his heated body. His irresistible, woodsy scent made my head swim. Staring at the pulse point hammering at the base of his neck, keeping time with my own thundering heart, giving or getting answers seemed the furthest thing from my mind.
Brushing his soft lips over mine, memories of his sweltering kisses and how they’d unraveled me overtook all other thoughts. I could all but taste him on my tongue. Closing my eyes, I parted for him. James groaned and deepened the kiss. An intoxicating rush of power and control flowed from him and straight into me.
Exhaling on a blissful sigh, I melted against his steely chest as we feasted on one another’s tongues. The elevator chimed and the doors opened with a whoosh. Grunting in disappointment, James slowly eased back, leaving me dazed, achy, and famished for more. Gripping his arm to steady my swaying body, he pulled me to his side and led me through the lobby as I internally screamed for his tantalizing kisses and a whole lot more.
The sun was setting and a light breeze blew in off the lake, sending a shiver through me as we walked to his truck. I’d been so rattled about our date that I’d forgotten to grab my jacket. Once inside the vehicle, James pulled me next to him and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, infusing me in the heat pouring off his body.
“I’ll keep you warm,” he promised, backing out of the parking space.
Warm, nothing… I wanted him to make me combust.
“I’m waiting,” he said with a tiny smirk.
“Waiting for what?”
“For you to answer the question I asked in the elevator.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “I forgot.”
A suspicious frown deepened his features. “Are you telling me the truth?”
Miffed that he presumed I was lying, I realized he should be ticked off at me since I’d spent most of the day fibbing, even after I’d promised to be honest.
“Yes,” I asserted with a hiss. “It’s all your fault. You kissed me and short-circuited my brain cells.” He wanted the truth? I’d give it to him.
A cocky-satisfied expression crawled across his face. Ugh, the man could be so charming and erotic one minute, then bam… That egotistical mask slid right back into place.
“I’ll have to remember that,” he murmured in that sticky, sweet tone that made me quiver. Raising his chin he sent me a harsh glare. “You’ve got ten seconds.”
His stern expression, coupled with his sharp demand told me stalling wouldn’t be tolerated.
“I was thinking about the submissives in the waiting room.”
“What about them?”
“Are they all co-dependent or something?”
James snorted and shook his head. “Not in this lifetime, or the next. I take it you assume they’re weak. Why? What gives you that impression?”
“That’s the thing. They don’t give that impression and that’s what’s confusing. I’m just trying to wrap my head around why you all do the things you do.”
“The things we do, huh?” A half chuckle accompanied his rhetorical question.
“I don’t mean it in a condescending way, and to set the record straight, I know why you can’t tell me that Sam is a member of the club. I’m not an idiot, I’m curious is all.”
“You are a lot of things, beautiful girl, but an idiot isn’t one of them.”
“Can you at least tell me if he’s a Dom or a sub?”
“No.” His response was adamant. “I
want to know more about your views on submission. We both know you’re intrigued, so don’t lie to me about that again.”
Direct as usual, but in a bizarre, refreshing sort of way. Even though he’d busted me for not being honest, James seemed genuinely interested in my thoughts and feelings. He made me feel special, like my opinions mattered. Ryan only bothered to ask what I wanted for dinner; he didn’t give a shit about my inner thoughts or feelings. I’d spent a chunk of my adult life with a man I barely communicated with. Yet sitting next to James, discussing kink with a stranger, seemed the most natural thing in the world.
“I’m sorry I lied to you. Yes, I do have questions.” I waited to see if he would indeed grant me redemption as he claimed.
“I accept your apology for one of your lies.” The glint in his dark eyes left me struggling to remember the exact number of lies I’d actually told him. “Please, continue.”
“I understand that the Doms make all the rules, and the sub basically caters to his every whim, which makes them pretty damn spineless in my opinion.” James issued a soft chuckle, but I ignored him and continued. “I don’t understand what the subs get out of the deal. It seems pretty one-sided to me. If she’s constantly meeting the Dom’s needs, what about her own? Excuse me if that sounds horribly feminist, but…” I shrugged.
“Your perceptions are very cut and dry, but there’s no need to apologize for that.” A shit-eating grin flashed across his mouth. “You’re wrong about submissive’s being spineless. Also, the Doms aren’t the only ones whose needs are met. The submissives are fulfilled equally, if not more.”
I almost snorted at his claim. “Expand on that for me, would you please?”
“Okay.” James pondered for a moment, then smiled. “When you were a little girl and your mom or dad took your hand before you crossed the street, how did that make you feel?”
“Safe. They wouldn’t let me be mowed down by a speeding car, at least not if they could help it.”
“No, I’m sure they wouldn’t. Did it make you feel protected and secure knowing they’d give their own lives to keep you from being hurt?”