Passion's Hope (The Doms of Passion Lake Book 3) (25 page)

“Okay,” Mitch said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Let’s think this through. Approach it like we would any other op. If we do it right, this can be a real show-stopper. We’ve got the rock band down already. And if all ten of us do this instead of the usual five or six, the sound will be awesome. All we need is some violins.”

“Hello.” Caleb Rafferty held up his violin.

“We need a fuller sound than just one. Three, maybe. And a cello.”

“Julian plays the cello.”

“Not surprising,” Mitch remarked. “Julian plays anything with strings.

“Sam Walker plays the violin,” Ethan said.

“Sam Walker plays the
fiddle
,” Mitch corrected. “Strictly country and bluegrass. I don’t know if he even knows
how
to play it as a violin.”

“Doesn’t Aaron play the violin?”

Instead of turning the project down, saying the logistics were impossible, they went into a huddle around Ethan’s iPad, watching the video several more times, talking about it, dissecting every element, deciding who would play what instrument, where each person would be on the stage, working together to figure out how they could add this song to their repertoire. When Charlie told them to just forget it, it was much too complicated, they just went, “Please. We’re SEALs. This is a mission. We never wimp out on a mission.”

When they were satisfied that the details had all been ironed out, Mitch said, “Okay, Charlie. We think we’ve got it, but I think we need to do a full dress rehearsal with all ten members of the band, especially for this song. How does next Saturday morning sound to you? That’s a week from tomorrow.” He looked at Nik. “I’m assumin’ she’ll be makin’ her debut next Saturday night and not tomorrow, right?”

Nik nodded. “Yes. Next week. Where do you want to rehearse? Here?”

Mitch grimaced. “Not enough room here—not for ten of us And we don’t want to do it upstairs because customers will be eating in the restaurant and we want this song to be a total surprise. Raven has a huge equipment barn on his horse ranch. How about there? Nine A.M.”

Nik nodded. “Okay. We’ll be there.”

“Great. Let’s go through the song right now without the strings so we can get the feel of it. That okay with you?”

“Sure.”

She turned to Ethan. “Ready?”

He nodded and began the piano intro. Charlie began to sing, the raw achiness in her voice a perfect match for the wrenching loneliness of the words. When her voice blended with Ethan’s in the soaring harmony, the melancholy they were expressing was recognized and felt by every person in that room.

When they finished, Mitch said in a voice filled with admiration. “Jesus, Charlie, you are amazin’. You joinin’ us for rock and roll Fridays next week as well? Please say yes.”

“Maybe in a couple of weeks,” Nik stepped up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, a gesture of ownership recognized by every Dom in the room. “Charlotte has been ill and we want her to be fully recovered before she takes on any responsibilities that might tax her strength.”

“Gotcha.” Mitch looked back at Charlie. “We’ll start you out slow. How about next Saturday we have you do three songs at the beginnin’ of the first set,
Bartender
,
How do I Live, and Break Down Here.
Then we’ll bring you back at the end of the second set with you doin’
Need You Now,
closin’ us out with
Lost in Paradise.
That way we’ll only have to change the stage set-up once.”

“Change the set-up?”

He shrugged. “You know. Add the chairs for the strings, change out our guitars for electric ones, and add a drum or two to Jake’s set-up.”

Charlie nodded. “Right. Gotcha.”

“And I’m tellin’ you right now, you’re gonna have to sing
Lost
twice, because that’s how much the audience is gonna love you.”

“Wow,” Charlie said. “I can’t even imagine such a thing. Up to now, I’ve only sung with my foster brother’s band, mostly in biker bars and pool halls. At one gig there were only about six people in the audience. Five of them were stinking drunk and the sixth one was dead.”

The guys laughed. “Baby, you are in for a real treat. An audience who appreciates good music. And you do good music.”

Ash Rafferty came forward and handed her a card. ‘I’m a professional photographer, Charlie. I’d like to add your photo to the band’s posters. How about comin’ over to the studio tomorrow mornin’ for a quick shoot? That’ll give you a chance to meet our other brother, Simon, and our wife, Kylie. I think you two would hit it off great.”

“Thanks, Ash, we’ll be there,” Nik responded before Charlie could say anything. She took the proffered card.

“Say around nine-thirty?” Ash asked.

“Sounds good. There’s beer in the fridge, everybody. Help yourselves.”

“How about a rain check?” Mitch asked. “We don’t wanna tire Charlie out, so we’ll just head on upstairs and get set up. Can’t wait for you to join us on Saturday, Charlie. We’re gonna rock the house!” He gave her one last high five. “I think you’re gonna bring in a lot of new business.”

“And even if you have the opposite effect and drive business away,” Ethan added with a teasing grin, “we’re still looking forward to having you as part of the band.”

They all packed up their instruments and equipment, chatting companionably about nothing in particular, and said good-night to Nik, Jay and Charlie as they headed up the stairs to the Icebox. Even Jake, hefting his biggest drum, gave a nod in their direction and said, “Good night, Charlie. Jay.” He turned his gaze on Nik and his expression grew serious. “Nik, I heard about what happened at the club on Tuesday night. I’m glad you finally realized what you are and what Jay is where you are concerned. You two deserve your happiness. It’s been a long time coming. And Charlie?” he turned to take her in. “You could not find two better men to submit to than Jay and Nik. They will cherish you and guide you and treat you like a precious jewel. We should all be so lucky.” He carried his last drum up the stairs, leaving the three of them alone.

The silence stretched until finally Charlie said, “I don’t understand how this can be, but I’m hungry. After all those ribs I ate at lunch, I figured I’d never want to eat again. Yet I’m so hungry right now, I could eat a horse.”

“I’ll call Miguel and see if that’s on the menu,” Jay teased.

“If not, a cow would be acceptable.”

“Oh, you’ll love our burgers, then,” Nik said. “Eight ounces of pure fresh beef cooked over open flame.”

“Or our steaks,” Jay added. “Rib eye, sirloin, T-bone, filet mignon. Also grilled over an open flame.”

Charlie’s mouth was watering. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

Nik and Jay just laughed and ushered her toward the stairs. “Come,
malchik
,” Nik said. “Our little girl is hungry.”

Less than half an hour later, they were all digging into grilled steaks, loaded baked potatoes, Caesar salads and homemade five-grain bread, still hot from the oven. And Charlie was moaning in appreciation at every bite, making Jay laugh.

“I’m so glad you’re not one of those women who just picks at her food. I like a gal with a healthy appetite.”

“I’m just lucky my metabolism is pretty high, otherwise I’d be one of those women featured on
My 600-Pound Life.”

“What is that?” Nik wanted to know.

“It’s a—never mind,” she finished. “You’re better off not knowing. Trust me, you’re not missing anything.”

They were just finishing up when Nik’s phone evidently vibrated, because he took it out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

“Who is it?” Jay asked.

“It’s Granny Grace.” He pressed Speaker and set the phone on the table. “Mrs. Porter,” he said in a jovial voice. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you, Mr. Rostov.” Her voice turned just a tad icy. “Why are we no longer on a first name basis?”

Nik laughed. “Sorry, Granny Grace. You’re always so proper and I always feel like a naughty schoolboy who’s about to get his knuckles rapped with a ruler when I’m talking to you.”

“Well, if you keep calling me Mrs. Porter, you will be,” she said with a trace of asperity,

“What can I do for you,
Babulya
?” he asked, suitably chastened.

“Much better. And it’s what I can do for you. Those items you ordered—”

He perked right up at her words. “They’re here?”

“They are indeed.”

He grinned. “Excellent. I’ll come pick them up first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Well, be sure to bring your lady. I can’t wait to meet her. Did you get the dress I sent over for her?”

“We did, thank you. She’s wearing it right now as a matter of fact.”

“I hear she’s quite beautiful.”

“She is indeed.” Nik’s eyes softened as they came to rest on Charlie. “And I’m sure she’ll adore you.”

“Thank you, my dear boy. And no more of this Mrs. Porter nonsense.”

“Yes, ma—um,
Babulya
.”

Chuckling, she hung up.

“Now, what kind of wussy Dom,” Jay asked, looking up as if addressing the ceiling, “lets a little ninety-three-year-old woman browbeat him into submission?”

“One who knows what’s good for him,” Nik retorted.

“This is the woman who’s ninety-three?” Charlie asked.

“And weighs less than ninety-three pounds soaking wet.”

Charlie laughed. “She sounds formidable. I can’t wait to meet her.”

Chelsea Greer approached the booth. She was their waitress for the night. “You want dessert, guys? The apple dumplings are to die for.”

“Yeah, box up three of those for us,” Nik said. “We’ll take them downstairs to eat later.”

She reappeared a few minutes later with three boxes and a large Styrofoam cup. “Whipped cream,” she explained at Nik’s arched eyebrow. “Can’t eat apple dumplings without whipped cream.”

“Well, you could,” Jay informed her with a straight face, “but only at the risk of losing your lifetime membership in the Apple Dumpling Appreciation League. Your name would be stricken from the rolls in the official Ceremony of Eternal Shame, plus you’d be permanently banned from receiving all future copies of Dumpling Delicacies, their monthly newsletter. You don’t mess with these people, Chelsea. They get mean.”

“I’ll definitely read up on their by-laws tonight when I get home,” Chelsea acknowledged, reaching in to stack their dinner plates. “Lord knows I don’t have anything better to do.”

“You need to get yourself a man,” Jay grinned.

“Now what would I want with one of those?” she countered. “They’re messy, lazy, noisy, demanding, they hog the remote during the day and the covers at night. They fart, they belch, they snore, and they are completely incapable of mastering even the simplest of household tasks. God forbid they should ever change the toilet paper roll, hang up their towels, or empty the dishwasher. And don’t even get me started on putting the seat down or picking up their dirty underwear.”

“Sounds like she’s already got a man,” Nik said with a grin.

“Had,” Chelsea grinned back. “Kicked him to the curb three nights ago. Now I’m looking forward to curling up with my latest copy of Dumpling Delicacies. I understand it’s delightful reading and, best of all, it doesn’t snore.

They laughed as she carried their dirty plates back to the kitchen.

“Come,
myshka
.” Nik held out his hand to assist Charlie out of the booth. “It’s time for your soak.”

She obediently followed him downstairs, with Jay taking up the rear, moving gingerly because of the enormous plug in his ass. As soon as they entered the apartment, Jay headed for Nik’s bathroom.

“Wait a minute, guys,” Charlie said. “I-I think I might be willing to let you try to apply the medicine without soaking first. I mean—it hasn’t hurt so far, and I know you’ll be gentle…”

Nik took both her hands in both of his. He stood looking down into her eyes. “You’re right about that, little one,” he said, lifting her hands one by one to brush his lips across her knuckles. “We will always be gentle with you…until you beg us not to be. And, believe me, one day you
will
beg us not to be. That will be the day you belong to us completely and Perry Bradford will no longer have a hold on you.”

Geez.
He wasn’t even using dirty words and she was so turned on by what he was saying, the crotch of her panties was soaked.

He stared at her and she knew that he was completely aware of how aroused she was. How unafraid she was at this moment compared with the way she’d been even two days ago. He was always aware of the effect he was having on both her and Jay. That was part of what made him such an effective Dom. And part of what made her feel safe with him.

He released her hands and stepped back. “Both of you, into the bedroom and strip,” he ordered. “When I come in, I want to see you side by side on your hands and knees on the edge of the bed. Asses out.”

Charlie and Jay both scurried across the living room and entered the bedroom. Before Charlie could begin to remove her clothes, Jay grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him for a carnal, rapacious kiss that melted her knees and sent her body sagging into his. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they both pulled back, breathing harshly. Releasing her, he lifted his hands to frame the sides of her face, capturing her gaze with his.