by J. M. Walker
While most people worked out, went for a run, or even did art, I baked. And I baked a lot. But it never amounted to anything more than me just baking for local delis and restaurants. I had been told several times that I could sell my baked goods in grocery stores and mass produce them, but I believed that it would ruin the product. Unless I could teach people to bake like me, there was no way I was selling my goods. Hell, I didn’t even know what half the recipes called for. I just guessed most of the time and if the final product turned out great, then that was an added bonus.
Once I reached the large kitchen, a sense of calm washed over me. This was my happy place. It didn’t matter where the kitchen was. Any and all kitchens just made me…happy. At peace. It was where I belonged. Not in a sexist way either but because I actually wanted to be there.
“You’ll make a man happy one day, kiddo.”
My mom smacked Dad playfully. “Even if she didn’t bake or spend most of her time in the kitchen, she’d make a man happy.”
Dad scowled. “That’s not what I meant, princess.”
I laughed quietly at the memory.
“Meadow.”
I spun around, finding Luna coming toward me. “Hey, girl. How are you?”
“Not too bad. I ran into Clara. Literally.” She rubbed her shoulder. “She’s small but man, that hurt.”
I laughed.
Clara Blanco had been volunteering at the center for a few months. I never really talked to her. Just said hi in passing but she had always been nice to me. It was all I could ask for. Most of the women I had come across, no matter the age, were catty and out for blood. They thought of themselves first and didn’t give a shit who they hurt in the process.
“You good?”
“What?” I shook my head, giving Luna a smile for reassurance. “Oh yeah.”
“Good. Listen…” She paused.
“Hey.” I knew she was going to mention something about Ashton. “Don’t worry about it. It’s what friends are for.”
“Well, I’ve never had a friend sleep with a guy for me.”
I shrugged, pulling some bowls off the top metal shelf. “Like I said, don’t worry about it. I was bored. He was bored. And it got him off your ass, did it not?”
“Yeah.” She sighed, chewing her bottom lip. “I guess.”
“What is it?” I turned to her, leaning my hip against the edge of the table.
“I just don’t want you to get hurt. Ashton isn’t ready to settle down no matter how much he thinks he is. That’s all.”
I laughed harder. “Trust me, Luna. I don’t want a relationship.” Not with him anyway. “So I’m no more ready to settle down than he is.”
“Okay.” Luna gave me a soft smile. “Well then…” She turned toward the bowls I had laid out before me. “What are you working on today?”
“I have some pies to make. I’m thinking of mixing as many fruits as I can together.”
“Whatever you make, it will be amazing. I don’t know how you do it, but I’ve never had watermelon in a pie until you accidentally made it that one time.”
“I was high and bored. I should not be in the kitchen after smoking a fatty.” Although the pie turned out delicious. There had been other times where I mixed veggies and fruit together and that should not have happened. I served it to the twins, and they ate it just to be polite. But Ashton actually loved it.
“Either way, it was still good.”
“Thank you.” A sense of pride washed over me. I wondered if Sunny and Shade would like my baking. I made a mental note to make them something for Thursday. God, I still couldn’t believe I was going to their place for dinner and spending the night. My body heated, remembering the demanding tone when Sunny told me that I would be staying over and that I wouldn’t need any clothes.
“Did you meet someone?” Luna asked.
I jumped, forgetting she was still there. “Uh…”
“Gigi said that you ended up going back to that bar you guys went to and didn’t come home until this morning.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I winked and headed to the large walk-in freezer to grab some baked goods.
“Well, be safe.” Luna laughed, the door shutting behind her a moment later.
I sighed. My friends had never been interested in the guys I slept with before. It was why they never knew about…him.
Shoving those memories to the back of my mind, I grabbed the ingredients I needed and put myself to work. Several hours later, I had five pies, two cakes, six dozen chocolate chip cookies and three dozen cream-filled donuts all spread out before me.
My hands hurt. My back hurt. My everything hurt. But I was proud of the work I had done today and was also happy that this would be going to good use. Although everyone who lived at this center had come from shitty situations, man, could they ever eat. And if they were happy, I was happy.
When I finished cleaning up, I was making my way out of the building when I found Ashton coming toward me. Not too long ago and my body would have lit up but now…nothing. No reaction. At all. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that either.
“Hey, babe.” He gave me his gorgeous smile and wrapped me up in a hug.
“Hey.” I returned the embrace. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”
“Yeah, my mom needed some help. One of the pipes burst in the basement, so my dad sent me to check it out.”
I released him. “Oh, well good luck.” I went to walk past him when he grabbed my upper arm. “Ashton.”
“I know I ended this…” He pulled me back into his arms. He leaned down to my ear, his hot breath washing over the side of my face. “But I’m down for picking this up again.”
My phone took that moment to ring. I pulled it from my bag, my heart stuttering when I saw that it was Sunny calling.
“Who’s that?” Ashton asked, keeping his arms around me.
I pulled from his grip, ignoring his question and answering the phone. “Hey, Sunny.”
“Who the fuck is he?”
My eyes widened, my head whipping around. I scanned the vicinity around me but there was nothing out of the ordinary. “What, are you stalking me now?”
He chuckled, the sound deep and delicious. “Oh, pet. I’m not there. But I have eyes. I have eyes every fucking where.”
“Meadow?”
I glanced back at Ashton.
A deep frown had settled between his brows.
“I’m good,” I told him.
“Answer my question, pet,” Sunny growled.
“Listen, being told what to do while you’re fucking me is hot and all but that’s the only time you get to control me.” I hung up the phone, shoved it back in my bag and started walking toward the sidewalk.
“Where are you going?” Ashton called.
“Home. Alone,” I called out over my shoulder. I needed to bake and get these damn men off my ass. Who the hell did Sunny think he was? Thinking he could control me. In bed, sure. I submitted like the best submissive out there. But when it came to my day-to-day activities and life outside of the bedroom, I was in control. And if he thought any differently, he could fuck right off.
When I reached the sidewalk, I started walking the few blocks home. The afternoon sun was warm to the skin but cool enough that you wouldn’t sweat your balls off.
My phone dinged, rang, dinged again, and rang some more. Everything inside of me told me that it was Sunny. Didn’t matter. Just because the sex was the best I ever had; it didn’t mean shit.
The hair on the back of my neck tingled. I stopped suddenly, glancing around me.
“Follow your gut, kiddo. Your gut is always right.”
My dad told us over and over again how our conscience was in our gut. It was that clenching feeling, almost like you ate a bad plate of tacos. And right now, that feeling was there.
My phone rang again. Fishing it out of my bag, I lifted it to my ear without looking at who was calling.
“Yeah,” I greeted.
“Pet, I—”
“Can you come pick me up?” I asked, thankful that it was Sunny, even though he pissed me off. “Please.”
“You still at The Dove Project?”
“Should I even bother asking how you know where I am?”
“One of our club brothers was in the area and I asked him to check up on you to make sure that you were safe.”
“Really?” My heart swelled that he had cared enough to have someone to watch over me. “Oh, well…thank you. I’m just walking home now and I…I just…” I hated sounding paranoid, but something was off.
“We’re on our way, Meadow. Stay on the phone with me.”
“Okay,” I said, blowing out a breath of relief.
“Are you out in the open?”
“Yeah, there’s not much here though. The compound is big, so our parents had it built outside of town. But I always walk home. It’s good exercise and I’ve never had issues before.” I was rambling. I never rambled. I wasn’t that kind of girl but this unease coursing through me, threw me off.
“Alright, baby girl. I promise we’re coming for you.”
“Okay.” I continued walking, not liking this feeling of being watched.
“Listen.” Sunny cleared his throat. “I’m sorry.”
My heart jumped. “You are?”
“Yeah. I’m an old fucker. Set in my ways and shit. Shade is constantly reminding me to…well…”
“What?”
“Loosen the purse strings I guess you could say.”
“I’ve done this before. Being controlled. I don’t like it, Sunny, and I sure as hell don’t find it sexy. If you want me to do something, just ask me, but don’t get pissed off if I say no.” I paused, wondering where the hell that confession came from.
“Alright, pet. But you have to remember that I’m used to being in control. So, we’ll need to work together on this. Yeah?”
I sighed. I could work with that. “Okay.”
“We’re about two minutes away.”
A vehicle came toward me. “Uh…Sunny, what are you guys driving in?”
“It’s a black ’67 Mustang.” He paused. “Why?”
The vehicle slowed down, coming to a complete stop a few feet away. The windows of the black SUV were tinted, so I couldn’t make out who was actually in the large beast of a vehicle.
The passenger door opened, a large man stepping out of it. He shut the door, looked up to the sky and turned my way.
I swallowed hard. “Sunny, I suggest driving faster.”
“What’s going on, Meadow?”
I gripped the phone tight in my hand.
The man who I recognized from last night, started walking toward me.
“It seems we meet again,” Tanner said, his deep voice sending a sliver of fear racing down my spine.
Once he stood directly in front of me, I had to lean back to look up at him. The guy was tall. Why were all these guys so damn huge?
“Fucking hell,” Sunny growled in my ear. “Shade, drive faster.”
Much to my surprise, Tanner took the phone from me and put it up to his ear. “Sorry, Meadow can’t come to the phone right now.”
I looked around him, seeing two other men leave the SUV and lean against the hood. One lit up a smoke while the other crossed his arms under his chest and kept his gaze locked our way.
I looked back at Tanner. “What do you want?”
“Like your little toy said, I suggest driving faster,” he told Sunny and pressed a button on the phone. Handing it back to me, he nodded toward his guys. “Be a good little girl and nothing will happen. My guys are hungry. They haven’t been fed in a while.”
“What do you want?” I repeated, my stomach twisting at what he was suggesting.
“To chat. But it doesn’t look like we have a lot of time.” He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a small white business card. “Come to my club.”
I laughed. “Yeah, because Sunny will approve of that.” Although I didn’t like being told what to do in any way, when it came to Tanner, I listened.
“I don’t give a shit if he approves or not. I have questions and I know you’re a curious little thing, so I don’t suggest making me wait.” Tanner turned on his heel and started walking away. He stopped, glancing at me over his shoulder. “Also, that little compound fascinates me. Be a good girl, do as I say, and I won’t make an appearance.”
My blood boiled through me. Fucking fucker. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. Before I could stop myself, I stomped toward him. “You leave those people alone. They’ve been through enough without having you breathing down their necks or doing whatever it is you want to do to them.”
He chuckled but continued walking away from me.
I rushed to him and shoved him forward a step. “What are you even doing here? Isn’t it against some rule that you shouldn’t be in Hell’s Harlem territory?”
He spun on me, forcing me back. “Careful, Meadow. I’m not Sunny or Shade. If I say I’m going to rip you apart, I mean it. And to answer your question, this isn’t Hell’s Harlem territory. I think you’ve seen too many movies.”
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “I know how it works. They would know that you’re here. Wouldn’t that cause more issues for you?”
Tanner’s brows narrowed. “You ask too many questions. Now be a good girl and go play with your Barbies.”
“You don’t scare me,” I said as the sound of a car screeched to a stop behind me.
Tanner cocked his head to the side, a slow grin spreading on his face. “You’re lying.”
I scoffed, waving my hand between us. “You act all big and tough to make up for other shit you’re lacking.” I turned on my heel. “Go crawl back to your hole, Tanner.”
My head snapped up, finding Sunny and Shade coming toward me. Shade’s eyes zeroed in on me while Sunny looked over my head.
“Bring her to the car,” Sunny demanded, his voice rough, as he walked past me.
“Sunny.” I stepped in front of him. “Hey.” I placed my hands on his chest, expecting to feel his heart racing beneath my palm. But when it was calm, a shiver trembled through me.
A deep chuckle sounded from behind us.
“Looks like your little toy calls the shots.”
I glared at Tanner. Just when I was about to storm back up to him, arms wrapped around my middle. They pulled me back against a hard body.
Sunny took a step forward.
“Sunny, don’t,” I said, my voice as firm as I could make it.
Sunny stopped, glancing down at me and then back at Tanner.
Tanner lifted his chin, a slow smirk spreading on his face. “Looks like I’ll be making another stop to see your president tonight,” he said, heading to the passenger side of the SUV.
When all three men were tucked away in the vehicle and drove off, a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding, left me.
Sunny closed the distance between us, grabbed my hand, and pulled me away from Shade. Faster than I thought possible, his hand connected with my ass.
I yelped, the burn of his palm sending a wave of heat rushing through me.
He did it again.
Swat. Swat.
I opened my mouth to object, to scream, to yell, to demand for him to leave me the hell alone but something in his dark gray eyes stopped me. I wasn’t sure what all was going on in his head but what I did notice was that he was scared. For me. For him. For Shade. I wasn’t sure. But the fear that hid behind his eyes made all the words die on my tongue and give in to his punishment.
Sunny
SPANKING MEADOW LIKE THAT was not something I had intended to do. But hearing the fear in her voice when she asked us to come pick her up and then Tanner being there when we arrived, set something inside of me on edge. It was like that beast had been dormant for so damn long, he didn’t know what the hell to do now that he was unleashed. Spanking Meadow seemed to be the only way to put him at ease.
Givi
ng her ass one final slap, I ran my palm over it, easing the sting I was sure she felt.
But she never said anything. No complaints. No pushing me away. Nothing. I was almost expecting her to at least glare at me or demand to know what I was thinking. When she didn’t, I leaned my forehead against hers and blew out a slow breath.
“I’m sorry, pet.”
A heavy hand cupped my nape. Knowing it was Shade, sent my nerves at ease.
Meadow ran her hands inside my leather jacket. “I won’t demand answers now, but you will tell me what that was about.”
“That was for scaring the shit out of us. That was for calling Tanner out when you have no idea who the fuck he is.” I lifted my head. “That was for walking home instead of calling us. I know your dad is alive and well and would probably give you shit for being out here by yourself. I don’t care that you’ve done it so many times, you probably know these roads like the back of your own hand. But times have changed, baby girl. Tanner is only one of many monsters lurking in the dark corners.”
Meadow’s eyes searched my face. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but he pisses me off. I dated a fucker like him. Luckily, I got out rather quickly before it got really bad, but it still messed me up.” Her mouth snapped shut. She pulled away from me but only because I let her. “Anyway. That doesn’t matter. Will you drive me home now?” She headed to the car and slipped into the front seat, not waiting for us to follow.
“Sunny,” Shade said gently.
“Don’t.” I walked past him but not before I saw the confusion in his eyes. Well, welcome to the club. Because I had no idea what the fuck I was doing.
“Sunny.” Shade rushed to my side. “She’s not like the others. You can’t control her because it’s in your nature. You have to work with her.”
“I know that,” I snapped at him.
He flinched.
“Fuck.” Pulling at the collar of my jacket, I started pacing. “She needs to be careful and I want to protect her. I want…” I had never been into the whole Daddy Dom/baby girl thing but with Meadow…I stopped, looking back at the car.
She sat in the passenger seat, her dark eyes locking with mine.
Every fiber of my being called out to her. To protect her. To provide for her. To make her ours.