Gale, Avery - Rissa's Recovery [The Shadowdance Club 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (2 page)

Rissa had been shot in the shoulder when she’d stumbled upon a clusterfuck unfolding behind the ShadowDance Club a few nights before. While the mess hadn’t directly involved her, in her haste to leave the BDSM club owned by her friends, Alex and Zach Lamont, and that housed her spa, she had wandered in to another operation that involved a woman she had obviously recognized and tried to assist.

The undercover DEA agent who had saved Rissa’s life had been shot also, but it was the head injuries they had both suffered, from their fall to a concrete surface several feet below, that had really been the larger issue. Damn it all the hell, she needed to wake up soon because the longer she was unconscious, the more grim the outlook.

Mitch didn’t want Bryant to know how truly worried he was. Keeping his tone light, he said, “Hang on…She’s going to be fine. Even though the bullet is out, she’ll have to do some rehab on her shoulder, but we’ll have fun helping with that and the massages afterward.” Smiling down at Rissa, he was struck by how small she really looked lying there. Her personality was always so large that it was easy to forget how truly tiny she was. He knew some of the staff referred to her as Tink, short for Tinkerbell, it was an appropriate nickname.

“I have to tell you though, when she is all healed up, we’ll be having a serious session with her ass nicely peaked over a spanking bench, she’s racked up some rather significant punishments.” His soft expression and warm voice were a contrast to his words. Oh, he’d make her pay all right, but it wasn’t going to be as much about punishment as it was about getting his hands on her sweet body.

Leaning down right near Rissa’s ear, Mitch’s voice was pitched low and full of authority. “Clarissa, you need to wake up and face the music, baby. You have some serious explaining to do. Master Bryant and I are waiting to hear what you have to say. Alex and Zach are also waiting for your explanation. If you don’t come back soon, I’m going to let Katarina in here, and you don’t want that do you?” Smiling up at Bryant, he said, “You haven’t met Alex and Zach’s pregnant tornado yet have you? She’s their wife and sub, well, at least she lets them think she’s a sub.” He chuckled to himself, and then his eyes widened and his grin spread clear across his face as he watched Rissa’s grass green eyes flutter open and her mouth twitch into a smile.

Her mouth felt like she’d eaten all the stuffing out of a good-sized sofa, blah! She blinked at the bright rays of the setting sun that were streaming in through the window of her room. Bryant immediately closed the shades and dimmed the room lights so the bright light wouldn’t aggravate the headache he was sure she’d have after that nasty fall. The goose egg on the back of her head had been so bad old Doc Woods had brought in a donut pillow for her.

Relief flooded Mitch as he spoke softly to her. “Ahh, sweetheart, welcome back. We’ve been mighty worried about you.” He was speaking to her so sweetly, and his knuckles softly caressing her cheek were the most soothing thing she thought she’d ever felt.

“C–can I have a d–drink? My mouth is so dry, and my throat hurts.” She felt tears stinging her eyes, damn her throat was so sore, and her head was throbbing. “What happened? Where am I?” She turned her head just slightly, and when she made eye contact with Bryant, she gasped in surprise. Bryant just stood perfectly still and watched as her mouth formed an O, and then her face flushed bright red.
Oh yeah, babe, you know exactly who I am and that you are in big trouble. Oh, little one, this is gonna be a mighty fine ride, indeed.

Bryant answered her questions while Mitch filled her cup and moved the straw to her lips. “You are in the hospital in Climax. You were shot in the shoulder and then fell off the retaining wall in to the parking area.” Bryant watched her eyes dilate at his words and then spark with understanding. “Sweetness, had you stayed close to The Club like you promised me you were going to do, you would not be here now.” He sighed softly before he continued, “We’ll be talking about that at great length later, I assure you.” Bryant paused while she sipped the water, smiling when her attention returned to his face. “You have given us all a very bad scare you know. We’re going to be spending some time making sure you are recovered and then…”

Mitch Grayson’s soft voice brushed her ear, completing Bryant’s sentence. “And then, we’re going to be talking about all the punishments you’ve been racking up, Tinkerbell…” He smiled at her gasp. Just as he was getting ready to speak again, a commotion in the hall had them all turning to the door as it was flung open by a pregnant dynamo whose squeal had Rissa cringing at the pain lancing through her brain.

“Oh my God, you’re awake…
Finally
! How are you feeling? Did they get you something to drink? Are you hungry? How’s your head? Does your shoulder hurt? Do you need another pillow?” Rissa was certain the only reason Katarina Lamont had stopped her barrage of questions was because her husband placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Pet, you are overwhelming her. That squeal alone has probably set her head pounding. Please, give Clarissa a little space.” Alex Lamont and his twin brother, Zach, were both Kat’s husbands, and even though she was legally married to Alex because he was a whole two minutes older, no one would dare intimate Zach wasn’t equal in her eyes. Even though she was only a few months along, she was already almost as round as she was tall, but considering she was just over five feet tall, there wasn’t much room for a baby to grow any direction but straight out. From the back she didn’t even look pregnant, but oh my, from the front…suffice to say the ShadowDance staff was already placing bets of multiples.

“What? Well, okay, but I think you are being overly dramatic…
again
.” Turning from Alex back to Rissa, she took her friend’s hand in hers and just stood looking at her for the longest time before tears started rolling down her cheeks. “Don’t you ever do that to me again, girlfriend! I was so worried about you. My heart dropped clear to my toes when they finally told me what had happened.” Turning to glare at the men in the room before returning her gaze to Rissa, she said, “You know how they are. They don’t want to tell me a damn thing.”

“Katarina…language.” Alex’s growled words were negated by his soft look at his wife. She knew her cursing always set him off, and it was one of her favorite ways to get his attention. Kat’s wink at Rissa let her know it had been done deliberately to lighten the mood.

Kat rolled her eyes, but they were brimming with mischief. “I’m so glad you’re awake. Now, we just have to find that ornery ole Doc Woods and get you sprung out of here so we can take you home and pamper you properly.”

Doc Woods was just walking through the door and turned to Alex. “Do you always let your woman roll her eyes at you? You are a disgrace to Dominants everywhere. Pathetic, I tell ya. And you, Mrs. Lamont, are supposed to be taking it easy. I’m going to have Mitch here make a blood pressure cuff that you have to wear all the damned time, and it’s going to send me constant readings, and I’m going to be calling your husbands each time it’s too high.” Chuckling to himself, he added, “Yeah, missy, we’ll see how much spare time you have for stirring up trouble then. And that reminds me, why didn’t you come to my office this morning for that sonogram?”

Zach quickly stepped forward. “Sonogram? What sonogram? Kitten, did you forget to mention an appointment?” Even though Zach was the more laid-back of the two brothers, he had a protective streak a mile wide when it concerned his wife, and his body language was almost pulsing with barely leashed frustration.

Rissa couldn’t help herself, she started giggling so hard tears started trailing down her face, and soon the entire room was laughing with her. “Oh my God, you all are the best friends any girl could ever have. I am so lucky. Thank you for being here and just being
you
! I swear if you all had come in here all weepy and sappy, I couldn’t have handled it.” Grinning from ear to ear, she wiped the tears from her cheeks as Doc urged everyone but Mitch and Bryant from the room.

“Now, young lady, why don’t you tell me how you are feeling? I’d run these two out, but they’d just bust back in here, and quite frankly, I’ve gotten tired of replacing doors in this place. Damned men in this town are hell-bent and determined to know every little thing about their women.” Rissa’s eyes widened at the elderly doctor’s words.
Did he just say their women? Oh boy…

Chapter Two

Rissa glanced nervously at both Mitch and Bryant, ducking her chin to her chest, then sighing, she answered, “I’m okay. I’m tired, and my shoulder is starting to throb, but my headache is better. When can I get out of here and go home? I have fish and a cat, well damn, unless Barney got so hungry he ate Wilma and Betty.” Big tears slid down her cheeks when she thought about her pets being left to fend for themselves for so long.

“Sweetness, we have been taking care of your pets, please don’t cry.” Bryant’s melodic voice calmed her instantly. Mitch was standing back watching and listening. Mitch Grayson’s empathetic listening skills often allowed him to hear the thoughts of those around him.
How interesting that Rissa calms so quickly just at the sound of Bry’s voice…And who did she “see” before she woke up that she wants to talk to Doc about but is holding back?
“Doc, we’ll be taking Rissa to Pomola while she recuperates. She’ll have round-the-clock care. Any idea when you might spring her?” Bryant purposely ignored her widened stare when he’d mentioned taking her to their cabin, and since it wasn’t up for discussion, he didn’t see any point in acknowledging her confused look.

“Well now, that does make a difference. If she was going home alone, I’d be more inclined to keep her a bit longer, but since I know you two knuckleheads aren’t gonna be lettin’ her outta your sight, I’ll get started on her paperwork, and you should be ready to leave here within the hour.” Turning back to Rissa, he added, “Clarissa Jean, you had a close call. Please listen to what these two tell you. They may be bossy bastards, but they’ll have your best interests at heart, I’m sure about that.”

Rissa smiled sweetly, then reached for his wrinkled hand. “I saw her…She sent you a message…” She knew she didn’t have to tell him who she was talking about, her Granny and Doc Woods had been best friends and the closest of confidants for as long as Rissa could remember. She’d always felt like their relationship was more than it appeared to be, but she’d never known for sure. She saw his eyes mist over before she continued. “She said to tell you not to hurry, she’d wait for you.” Rissa squeezed his hand, and the crusty old man just leaned forward and hugged her. When he finally straightened they could see he was trying to mask the emotion of the moment, but his soft smile betrayed him.

“I’ll be holding you to that, sweetheart. I’ll surely be counting on that, yes indeed.” He turned and quickly shuffled out the door, leaving Mitch and Bryant staring after him.

“What the fuck was that about?” Mitch was the first to speak. “I’ve never seen Doc look even remotely soft. Hell, that was kind of scary to tell you the truth.” He smiled at Rissa then raised an eyebrow in question.

Taking a deep breath before meeting his gaze, she simply said, “It was a message from my Granny.” Then, turning to Bryant, she asked, “Were you serious about taking me to your cabin? What about Barney and Wilma and Betty?” She didn’t have any intention of leaving her pets any longer than she already had. A part of her was hoping that he’d just told Doc that to help her get out faster, but another part of her was drawn to both of these men, and her Granny’s words kept echoing in her head…
Stop hiding…Ask for help…Live out loud…Well, maybe it’s time to think about that…We’ll see…Right now I’m just so tired…

Mitch smiled as he watched Rissa’s eyelids slide down. She was completely exhausted, hell, she hadn’t even stayed away long enough for Bry to answer her question about her pets. “Damn, talk about wearing yourself out. What did you make of her conversation with Doc?” Bryant’s question brought Mitch back to the present.

“While she was unconscious, she saw her deceased grandmother. Her Granny practically raised her, and they had been very close. When she died a few years ago, Rissa went in to a tailspin…I’ll fill you in on what little I know about it later. Right now I’m interested in the messages from her Granny that were rolling around in her head just before she nodded off.” Nodding toward the door, he said, “Let’s step outside, we need to make some calls, and I’ll catch you up.”

Mitch quickly filled Bryant in on what he’d heard, and together they wondered what it might mean and how she might be planning to follow that advice. They made several phone calls getting everything set up for the trip to the cabin, and they’d already sent her cat and fish out to ShadowDance. There were plenty of people there to spoil the cat, and the fish were now enjoying the Kio ponds in the lushly landscaped area behind the Lamont’s mansion and ShadowDance Club known as “The Gardens.” Nobody thought the fish were going to miss that tiny fish bowl, likely they’d outgrow that oversized water glass before Rissa could retrieve them.