KING (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (41 page)

Loud conversation and barking fills our home and it makes me pleased. Alt is warm and cozy, everything Misery Castle isn’t.
There are no bad memories here, and we’ve created a lot of wonderful memories to look back on.

“Hey, baby girl,” I call out to Ella. She looks more and more like me every day. I haven’t had much time in the past few weeks to see her. The holidays, preparing Alt for its New
Year’s Eve grand opening, and our paths cross while she’s at Hillbrook and I’m working at Misery Castle. It amazes me how teenagers can change in a blink of an eye. Ella looks taller, thinner, and older. She’s blonde-haired and blue-eyed with the exact same features as Jamie and me, but her voluptuousness is from her mom. She doesn’t have Regina’s height, but still tall at five feet ten inches.

“Hey, Daddy,” Ella
falls into my arms the second she’s within reach.

I’ve lost all the nicknames of my former life. I am Daniel to all. The only exception to this is my core family. Ella calls me Daddy, Regina calls me Sunshine or Daniel, Grandfather and Dad call me Son, and Niel is the only person on this earth that calls me Whitt. If anyone
else calls me Whitt or Pretty Boy, I politely tell them to fuck off. I grew up in that Maze and I’m not reverting back to the person I was.

I give Ella a good long cuddle. I know she has her real dad on a daily basis, but I d
on’t want her to forget that I’ll always be here for her, too. She’s a sensitive kid that has sharp teeth and a forked tongue. Ella will be fine as long as someone she loves doesn’t hurt her.

I snort as soon as I see Niel. He goes everywhere with two dogs in his arms. Even now, he won’t release Missy and Mast until they aren’t underfoot. He’s heading off to Wick
ed and Vixen’s play area. The four dogs have regular playdates that Niel has to supervise. Sometimes he even allows Whitney to touch her own dog. I never thought he’d be this nuts about pets. Some nights I come home from work and he’s in
my
house with
my
dogs.

“Everyone
, snacks are on the bar. Dalton and I made them all. You can eat wherever you want, the maid will clean it up.” Dalton’s groan eclipses the background noise- he’s half the maid service. I’m the other half.

“Son,” Grandfather proudly
acknowledges me. “You look happy.”

“I am happy, very happy,” I answer without hesitation.

“Dalton… he looks healthy.” Grandfather eyes my boyfriend and a sense of pride overwhelms me. I am happy because Dalton’s so happy.

My father joins Grandfather and I. Jamie visits just as often as Niel. I see Jamie, Niel, and Olivia almost on a daily basis.
Dalton’s been bonding with my father as they work at Transcend.

The night of the Maze incident was an eye-opener for me, in more ways than one. To say I was a wreck would be an understatement. A father and his sons grieved over the life they all lost- lost
fifteen years ago and never mourned. We mourned the woman who was only a few rooms down from us, as she mourned the loss of us. Marcus took care of Regina, while Jamie, Niel, and I took care of each other.

“I think normal satisfies us,” I tell my grandfather and father.
“It’s freeing to do everything ourselves. I hadn’t realized how ignorant our lifestyle made me. The grocery store was like a foreign land. I had no idea how to clean or cook. We had to take classes and read books. But now… now I feel real pride to be who I am. And our food is so good that Dalton eats constantly. So yes, I am very happy.”

I spend the majority of my time walking around with a stupid-ass grin on my face and I wear it as a badge of honor. This is what being in love feels like.

“I… I need to…” I trail off, but both men know what I’m getting at. My family is munching on snacks while sitting around the Christmas tree, save one. I haven’t seen her or spoken to her in person since that night. Texting is our only form of communication. It’s just too hard.

I nod my head in the direction of the home office and walk away. I know she follows because I have
an inborn radar that senses when she’s near. It’s drove me to madness for past seven weeks over at the Estate. I stand in the middle of my office, gazing out the window to the street below.

Regina’s soft touch to my shoulder scalds me, burns me alive. Her touch is hell. I’m in love with Dalton and I understand that I have some sick and twisted mommy perversion when it comes to Regina, but it doesn’t stop my body’s
instant reaction to hers. It doesn’t stop my heart from bleeding. Without thinking of the consequences, I turn and engulf her in an embrace.

I shudder from the feel of her body against mine, the scent and warmth of her skin. And she shudders for me. We don’t speak, for there is no need. Our mutual confusion is obvious. Confused that what we want, conflicts with what we need. We stand in the middle of my office, in our own private hell, and hug- hug for an eternity.

“I’ve missed you,” Regina breathes against my cheek and my knees almost give out. She couldn’t have hurt me more if she tried. Those words sliced me deeper that a knife to the heart. She couldn’t have pleased me more if she tried. Those words made me rise higher than the sky from elation. And that is the epitome of our relationship: opposite reactions for every action. Regina makes me feel
up
instead of
left
and
down
instead of
right
. My head is wired wrong when it comes to her.

“I never stop missing you, even when we’re standing like this.” I wish I could take the words back the moment they’re spoken.

“I brought you something that you’d forgotten.” Regina pulls from my embrace, a sly smile on her face. “Here,” she hands me a small bag.

“Uh,” I choke on a gasp. Inside a bag that has happy penguins sled riding
, is my plaque. A brown teddy bear the size of my palm rests inside the bag.

“Are you trying to kill me?” I whimper, never taking my eyes off the bear.

“Not intentionally, no.” Regina sucks in a deep breath and releases a torrent of words, “You said this was so I could find you. I want you to know that I don’t need to find you, because you’re always with me. Even when we’re standing like this, you’re always with me, and yet, I still miss you too. The teddy bear is a contingency plan, in case we grow apart. I don’t ever want to lose you. But if we do grow apart, I always want to find you.”

“Regina,” I sigh.

“Sunshine,” she counters.

“I’m pretty sure you’re trying to emotionally torture me. I’m trying to get over you and here you are… yanking my ass right back in.”

“You can try to get rid of me all you want, but it won’t work. Don’t you get that,” Regina cries in alarm, her fingers gripping my shirt. “You’ve been trying for five months. Well, I’ve been trying for fifteen years. No, Daniel, you can’t rip your soulmate from your soul. It would be easier to rip out your heart and still live and breathe.”

“Regina, what are you getting at here? I can’t go through this again,” I whimper in agony. “I just can’t. I still don’t feel sane since the last time.”

“I’m not saying we become bed partners or go back to how it was. What I’m saying is that I miss you so much it’s killing me inside.” Regina rests her hand over her heart and winces in pain. “Talk to me, see me, share a meal. I don’t give a fuck what it is, just include me in your life. Because avoidance or not, it still hurts like a sonofabitch. We already went eight years apart. Don’t do that to me again.”

I draw Regina
back into my arms and kiss her temple. “I can do that. I want to do that. I need you in my everyday life…” Barely a whisper of a breath, “
Queen.
”
Her strong body jolts and I know she heard the word I promised myself I’d never utter or think again…

~Chapter Thirty-Seven~

I watch my family interact and I’m overwhelmed with
conflicting emotions. I feel apart from them and a part of them at the same time.

Dalton’s joyful laugh
ter as he teases his sister warms my heart. Even Marcus, who hasn’t laughed since mid-summer, joins them. The scene is precious, one that can never be duplicated.

Regina sits with Jamie and Adelaide as if no time has passed. Before, when Jamie was Grant, he and Ade were as close and Niel and me. Since both of their returns, they’ve leaned on each other for mutual support. Their third, the woman who burrowed into their hearts and befriended them, contently sits, conversing with them in only the way a best friend
ever could.

Grandfather and Olivia share a similar connection. Their friendship would be complete if Diane were here with us now. There are no sexual connotations between any of them. Their relationship is based on pure friendship.
Even after all the Masters of the Universe have put them through, they still depend on one another for support and companionship. I know Grandfather loves his wife, but his contentment is obvious the longer he is around Olivia and Diane. They are his foundation in life- they ground him. 

Chick magnet Niel never has a moment’s peace. He and Whitney sit side by side, holding all four puppies. Spyder sits on his left thigh and Priss on his right. Ella animatedly tells them a tale that has them giggling.

I look at Niel and I can feel his pain. I can see his pain because I understand it. Niel is in love with one of those girls- the one he betrayed his girlfriend with on the night of his eighteenth birthday. There is a tightness around his eyes that wasn’t there before-ever. There is a hesitation to readily laugh, as if it physically hurts Niel to pretend to be happy. It’s obvious in his fake laughter.

The night of the Maze, Niel
and I were never closer. After Jamie fell asleep, we spent the night talking. My heart bleeds for him. I know the immense agony of being in love with someone and knowing it’s wrong. It doesn’t change it- love isn’t logical and it doesn’t care about right.

One other on the sofa is just like me- Whitney, my heiress. She knows all about being a part of and apart from the Whittenhower family. She primly sits in quiet contemplation as those around her experience the here and now. We are kindred spirits, she and I. I’d recognized it long ago and it was one of the reasons I’d chosen her as my heir over my adopted daughter
- my sister, Ella.

Everyone is so involved in their conversations that they don’t hear the knock on the door. Whitney does, she stares in the direction of
the sound, and then resumes petting Wicked’s back.

Their happiness trails me as I walk to answer the door.

“Hello?” bewildered, utterly shocked and confused. I have no idea of what to make of her standing at my threshold. If she’s here for Dalton, she’s not coming in.

“May I speak with you out here?” She gazes over my shoulder at the jovial family Christmas party. “I’d prefer it if no one knew I spoke with you.”

I gesture for Bianca to lead the way. I follow her down the staircase and into the alleyway that borders our garages. I walk and she follows this time. I don’t stop until we’re across Mayhem Street, standing on the edge of the park, facing the three buildings that impact our lives.

Bianca doesn’t say anything, as if she knows I’m lost to silent contemplation. I stare at Restraint, French Kissed Kink, and Alt. Restraint, with all the important people that create
d it and turned it into a family of sorts. French Kissed Kink belongs to the woman that created my favorite person. I could hate her, but I love her for Dalton. And finally, Alt. Alt is my home.

I’ve been lost, thinking my destiny was becoming King of my legacy. Whittenhower Enterprises is a huge undertaking, as is Misery Castle and all of its inhabitants. But my destiny wasn’t that narrow. I was meant to be King of my life, by creating my own destiny.

I’m not King of Misery Castle. I’m Daniel Whittenhower II, and I am King of my destiny.

“Daniel,” Bianca begins. “I don’t hate you, I’m just jealous. I love Dalton and I want what’s best for
him. And that is you. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I want what’s best for you, too. You’ll be very happy together.” Bianca gives me her blessing, but I know that’s not why she’s here.

“
Thank you,” I whisper. “Now, tell me who is your enforcer. Tell me all you knew about the late Jon. It won’t matter if they knew you talked to me or not.” I speak while staring up at my living room window. I can see my family happily interacting as one and I’d do anything to protect that happiness- absolutely anything.

I turn to Bianca and capture her spooked brown gaze. “
You won’t need to worry about your enforcer, Bianca. If you don’t tell me, I will pick you up and carry you to that alley we just exited. I will kill you there and no one would be the wiser. A snapped neck will be quick and painless and easy for me to administer. Your choice, make it quickly. I will not allow my family to be fucked with,” I promise.

Bianca releases a shuddering breath and speaks. “No need for threats
, Daniel. It’s why I am here. I know nothing of Jon. I met him when I married Dalton and I watched him die.” She winces and the gentleman in me reaches over and takes her hand in comforting support. “It was years later that I was approached by my enforcer. It was during my divorce. I’d failed, so therefore, I was punished. A man came to me. He is nondescript. Not too tall or too short. He isn’t thin or heavy. He isn’t muscular or weak. His hair is no color, because in his presence you notice nothing but the words he speaks. His eyes…”