Master of My Mind BN (32 page)

“What are you talking about?” I asked, totally lost.

“Oh, don’t play dumb with me, bitch. You’ve been trying to
steal my Master for weeks!”

“Ex-Master,” I corrected dryly.

Carnation’s cheeks burned bright red, and her mouth opened
and closed with an indignant snap. “You’ve wanted to fuck Master Stephen ever
since that dusty old Dom of yours kicked the bucket.”

“You’re certifiably insane. You know that? I’m not the least
bit interested in your ex-Master. I think you need to lay off the crack and get
the hell out of my face.” I gave her a dismissive wave of my hand.

“Liar!
You’ve always wanted him.
I’ve seen the way you look at him. I hate you, you fucking bitch!” Carnation
screamed.

Members began turning their attention to the scene she was
creating.

“I’m with Tony, you delusional player.”

“Player?
Player?
You’ve got the nerve to call
me
a player?
You’re the…
br
… brat of the club and… and everybody
knows it.” Sputtering and fuming, Carnation snatched my soda from the bar and
dumped it over my head.

Gasping as the cold liquid spilled down my body, I jumped
off the bar stool, ready to knock her on her ass. My cast hit the wet tile and
promptly slid out from under me. I hit the floor with a bone jarring thud. Pain
streaked from my hip to my knee and back again. Biting back of cry of pain,
Carnation’s ear piercing laughter stabbed through my brain.

“God, you’re such a pathetic attention whore,” she bellowed.

Before I could pick myself up off the floor, Tony crouched
by my side, his gentle hands caressed my shoulder.
“Easy,
sweetheart.
I’ve got you,” he reassured in a calm, steady voice. “Are
you hurt?”

“No, thankfully I landed on my good side and not on my
casts. Get me off this floor, so I can kick her ass,” I hissed.

“You.
Out!”
Drake thundered. I knew immediately he was talking to Carnation.

“But… but,” she sputtered.

“Not another word, or so help me god, I’ll drag you through
this club and throw you out the front door on your ass,” Drake bellowed.

“Everybody back,” James instructed. “Give Tony and Dahlia
some room.”

Great.
It wasn’t bad enough I was on the floor, covered in
cold sticky soda, but a crowd had now gathered around Tony and me.
Inwardly, I cringed.

“Are you sure you’re not hurt, baby?” Tony asked, his
worried voice rising through the commotion.

“Nothing but my pride, honest,” I replied, dreading the look
on the members faces once Tony helped me off the floor.

“I’ve got this Drake, besides Trevor’s still on the cross,”
James reminded the big leather Dom.

“I’ll tend to Trevor for you, Drake Sir, if you’d like?” I
recognized the deep baritone voice of Mistress Ivory’s submissive, Dark Desire.

“Yes. Thank you. Tell him I’ll be right back,” Drake
instructed.

“Come on, angel. Let’s get you off this hard floor.” Tony
tucked his arms around my chest and knees and stood up then gently eased me
onto the bar stool. Using his body to shield me from prying eyes, he cupped his
hands around my cheeks.

“Move.
Now!”
Drake bellowed.

Glancing past Tony, I narrowed my eyes on Carnation.

“It’s not my fault she fell off the bar stool and spilled
her drink all over her. Someone should put her in a padded room, so she doesn’t
hurt herself even more.”

“You
fuc
—”

“
Leagh
!”
Tony’s feral bark stopped me in mid-sentence.

“But she’s lying,” I spat staring into his furious eyes.

“I know. I saw the whole thing,” Tony assured.
“Drake.”

I’d never sensed Tony so close to the edge. His entire body
hummed in fury.

“Relax. I’m taking care of it. Consider it over,” the big
Dom vowed.

Carnation tossed her nose in the air and headed toward the
front of the club. Members watched the nasty cow with scornful expressions.
James and Drake stepped alongside her, guaranteeing she left the premises
without causing any further drama.

“I’m so embarrassed,” I whispered, shooting Tony an anxious
glance.

“She’s the one that should be embarrassed. What the hell
happened?”

“I was sitting at the bar, and Master Stephen came over. We
talked all of two seconds and the next thing I know, Carnation is up in my face
accusing me of stealing Stephen from her. I have no clue what crawled up her
butt to think such a thing.”

“She had to blame someone other than herself, I imagine.”
Tony frowned.

“Can I please go back to our room?”

“In a minute, I want to check you out first.”

“Here?” I moaned.

“Yes. Here. Among your friends and the people who love you,”
Tony emphasized with a grin.

“You know I don’t do humiliation well, Sir,” I grumbled.

“But you’ll do it for me. For my piece of mind, won’t you,
angel?” he cajoled.

“Yes, Sir,” I replied with a soft nod.

“I’ve never wanted to whip someone’s ass for vengeance
before in my life. But I’d gladly make an exception for that little bitch.”

“She’s not worth it, Sir.”

“Worth what?”
Tony asked as he
grabbed a handful of napkins and dabbed my cheeks.

“
You losing
your Dominant reputation
over.”

“Are you alright, sugar?” Sammie asked. Her pale blue eyes
filled with concern.

“Yes, Ma’am.”
I nodded.

“I’m sorry Dahlia. I was at the other end of the bar. If I’d
have known she was up in your face, I’d have put a stop to it, immediately,” Sammie
apologized, adding to the pile of napkins on the bar.

I grabbed a handful and started wiping the soda from my hand
and hair. “It’s okay. She’s got…issues,” I said with a frown.

“She’s a hot mess of trouble is what she is,” Sammie
grumbled under her breath before stomping away.

While I cleaned myself up, Tony poked and prodded, bending
my limbs and asking a dozen times if anything hurt. Thankfully, the members
gravitated back to their places once the commotion was over. I watched Dark
Desire smoothing his hand over Trevor’s head as he whispered into the young
sub’s ear.

It wasn’t long before Drake reappeared. His big frame taut
with tension, and anger etched on his face. Shooting an inquiring glance my
way, I flashed him a smile and gave him the thumbs up sign. Still wearing a
ferocious scowl, Drake issued a curt nod and stormed back to the cross where
Trevor patiently waited. Dark Desire stepped away, leaving Trevor in the
capable hands of his Master.

Drake paused for a moment, as if to gather his wits, before
he stepped up behind his sub. Trevor turned his head and smiled. Meshing his
burly body against the man, Drake whispered something in Trevor’s ear. Closing
his eyes, the young sub opened his mouth, willing and pliant. I could almost
see the ire leaving Drake’s body. After a long poignant kiss, the big Dom
stepped back, picked up his whip, and began where he’d left off.

James approached Tony and me wearing a look of bewilderment.
“Do you want to file charges?”

“No,” I replied, adamantly shaking my head.

“Are you sure, angel?” Tony asked.

“Positive,” I reaffirmed, darting a glance at the two
scowling
Doms
.

“Okay. I have just one more question. Does trouble follow
you everywhere you go?” James asked with a chuckle.

“Not anymore,” I quipped with a saucy smile and stole a
quick kiss from Tony’s lips.

Bright and early the next morning, Tony and I sat in Dr.
Coleman’s exam room anxiously awaiting the results from the x-rays he’d taken
when we first arrived.

“So what is the first thing you want to do when you get your
casts off, angel?” Tony asked.

I flashed him an impish grin. “First, I want to take a hot
shower. Lather my whole body in citrus gel, and let the water beat down on me
for hours.”

“A shower, huh?
Alone or with someone?”
Tony’s voice dipped low and sensual. I tried not to squirm.

“Someone very special, but first I’ll need to ask him if
he’d be kind enough to join me.”

“I’m sure if you ask properly, he will. He might even show
you his special shower talents.”

I swallowed tightly. “You mean there’s more you haven’t
shown me?”

“Oh yeah, sweetheart, lots more,” he growled, moving in
close to the paper covered table I sat upon.

Staring up into his eyes, I slowly rolled my tongue over my
bottom lip.
Tempting.
Teasing.
“Don’t you want to know what I want to do after that?”

A playful smile tugged his lips. “What’s the second thing
you want to do when you get your casts off, love?”

I leaned my lips close to his ear. “I want to wrap both my
legs around your waist.”

A labored groan rumbled from deep in his chest. Sliding his
fingers around my nape Tony skimmed them up my scalp and gripped a fistful of
hair. Tilting my head back, he nipped my bottom lip. “I won’t ever make you ask
permission for that, angel.”

My nipples drew tight, and blood rushed beneath my clit. For
a split second, I wondered if there was a lock on the exam room door and if I
could convince Tony that we had time for a quickie.

That’s topping from the
bottom.
A little voice inside my head reminded. I knew that wasn’t going
to get me what I wanted. I’d have to ask.
Right.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Dr. Coleman stepped in.
Tony tensed, released me, and quickly backed away from the table, guilt written
all over his face. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
I tried not to laugh.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt.
I guess
I should have knocked,” Dr. Coleman smirked.

“We were just talking,” I replied innocently. “Please, tell
me you’re not going to make me walk back out of here with these casts on.”

“Okay, I won’t.” The doctor smiled. “But you will have to
wear a splint on your wrist for a couple more weeks. You can take it off to
shower and to sleep, but I want you wearing it ninety-nine percent of the time,
understood?”

The look he shot me was reminiscent of Tony’s unhappy Dom
scowl, and it raised my suspicions that Dr. Coleman harbored a little dominant
kink of his own.

“Yes, Sir,” I replied, fighting a grin as I shot a glance
Tony’s way.

“I’ll make sure she’s a good girl and keeps it on,” he
assured with a twinkle in his eyes.

A strange look passed over Dr. Coleman’s face, and he opened
his mouth to speak but quickly closed it. A few awkward seconds passed before
he began cutting the cast from my leg. As he pulled the heavy plaster away, I
looked down.

“Oh my god, I need to shave.”

Both men laughed. “I’ll get you a new razor, angel,” Tony
assured.

After being fitted with the splint, Tony and I headed back
to Genesis. I felt a hundred pounds lighter. We pulled into the parking lot, and
my cell phone rang. Tony cut the engine as I dug the device from my purse.

“Hello.”

“
Leagh
,
it’s
Reed. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure, Reed.
What’s up?”

“Couple of things, couple of big things,” he replied
cryptically. “Judge Bernard is in the process of being disbarred, and Sloane’s
challenge of George’s will
has
been expunged. I know
I’m asking a lot, but I’d like to set up a meeting with you and Paula next
week.”

“No,” I blurted out in a knee-jerk reaction.

“
Leagh
,” Reed soothed. “We need to
settle his estate. You and Paula are the only surviving beneficiaries named.
I’m working like hell to divide his assets between the two of you, but if I
don’t get this settled, we run the risk of it all ending up in probate.”

Glancing to my left, Tony watched me with concern. He was my
knight in shining armor. Ready and willing to slay dragons and monsters, move
mountains and boulders or anything that blocked the path of my happiness or my
submission—even when the barrier was me and my own stubborn pride.

Suddenly, it all became crystal clear. George had never been
a real Master. He’d never corrected my rebellious streaks, never punished or
praised, just allowed me to act out until
he
submitted to my demands. George wasn’t able or willing to harness his own
dominance, and I had floundered. Having absorbed the potent power exchange at
the club, it had awakened my inner submissive. No wonder it chaffed so bad to
be known as the ‘brat’ of Genesis; topping from the bottom was the only skewed
way I knew to fill what was missing.

Until now.

A smile spread across my mouth, and I knew what I needed to
do.

“I don’t want George’s money, Reed. Give it all to Paula.”

Tony choked, and his mouth fell open in shock. “Wait. Are
you crazy? Put him on speaker, angel.
Now.”

“Reed, can I call you back in a few?” I chuckled,
startng
at Tony’s vehement outburst.

“Sure. Call me back.”

When I hung up from the call, Tony glared at me.

“What?” I asked, wondering why he’d gone from stunned
surprise and was now shooting daggers at me.

“I told you to put him on speaker, not call him back,” Tony
growled.

“I want to talk to you about this, but I’d rather do it
inside. I wasn’t topping from the bottom,” I explained, trying to remain calm.

With a grunt, Tony relented. I filled him in on the details
as we made our way into my room.

“You really need to think about this,
Leagh
,”
Tony began. “This is a once in a lifetime chance at financial freedom. You’ll
never have to work another day in your life. You could live anywhere. You…”

He suddenly stopped and looked away. The palpable wall he
erected scared me.

“What’s wrong?”
 

“I can’t help you with this decision, angel. I’m sorry, but
I can’t. You’re going to need to figure out what you want to do on your own.”

“Wait a minute,” I cried. “You’ve been all up in my shit for
weeks.”

“Language,” Tony warned.

Ignoring him, I continued with my rant. “Now all of the
sudden you don’t care what I do?”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” he replied in a low, even
tone.

“Then what exactly are you saying? It sounds to me that
since Matt’s dead and my casts are off, you’re washing your hands of me.”

His placid expression turned to one of shock.
“Seriously?
What have I ever done to make you think that? Or
are you just projecting the one thing you’re most afraid of… me dumping you?”

“Don’t start analyzing me, Tony.”

“That’s what I do, sweetheart,” he taunted with a crooked
smirk.

“Save it for your patients. Why do you suddenly have no
desire to weigh in on a huge decision that affects my life?” I pressed my fists
onto my hips. Dominant or not, the man forced me to put on my bitch wings.
“Why, all the sudden are you not chomping at the bit to stick your nose in my
business?”

My last comment brought an impish grin to curl on his lips.
“I’d love to throw you down on the bed and stick my nose, mouth, and tongue all
up in your business, angel. But Reed’s expecting your call.”

“Goddammit, Tony! Answer my question,” I cried.

Fire flashed in his dark eyes as a wicked laugh rolled off
his tongue. “You’re going to pay for your filthy mouth…later. And by the way, I
think you’re sexy as hell when you get all riled up.”

I sent him a seething glare. Undaunted, he moved in closer.
I bristled when he caressed my arms before gripping them tight.

“You want something from me, sweetheart? I suggest you do it
the right way, and stop trying to make me lick your heels.” As he leaned his
mouth close to my ear, I trembled. “Ask me from your heart, my love. Not from
your fears.”

Unable to help it, I melted against him.

“Why?” I whispered. “Why are you turning me away?”

“
Awww
, sweetheart, I’d never turn
you away. I’m sorry if I made you feel that way, but I can’t give you an
unbiased opinion on whether or not you should take the money.”

“Can you… will you tell me why, please?”

His cock jerked against my belly, and my pussy fluttered.
Even at odds with one another, our bodies ignored the conflict and tangled in
lustful harmony. It was impossible for me to stay angry with him while
hungering for him at the same time. Both cursing and rejoicing the claim he had
over me.

Brushing the hair from my face with soft fingers, he
lovingly gazed into my eyes. “I want you,
Leagh
.
Today, tomorrow, forever.
Now that your casts are off, I’d
envisioned you coming to live with me. But when I thought of the freedom you
could have with George’s inheritance, I didn’t see you in my future. I didn’t
like it, love.”

My throat constricted, and tears welled in my eyes. I
swallowed tightly, clearing the lump of emotion from my throat. “I don’t care
if I have five cents or a million
dollars,
I want to
be with you, Tony.”

A tiny shudder rippled through him. I physically felt the
ball of tension leave his body. The magnitude of love reflected made my heart
melt all over again.

“Kiss me,” Tony commanded in a thick, raspy tone.

Leaning in, I pressed my lips to his, pouring my whole heart
into that one, glorious kiss. He ate at me like a ravenous animal, feral and
uncompromising, and I embraced his dominance, with a surrendering whimper.

Tony tore from my lips with a growl.
“Call
Reed.
Tell him you’ll meet him and Paula next week.”

“Will you come to the meeting with me?”

“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

My heart soared as I picked up my phone and punched in
Reed’s number. I’d surprised him when I announced that I’d be at the meeting.
He gave me the date and time.

“Now that the uncomfortable part is out of the way, there’s
something I need to talk to you about.” There was a strange tension in Reed’s
voice. “Since the news report about the fire, I’d sort of been expecting this.
I was contacted by the FBI. They’re sending an agent here tomorrow. He needs to
talk to you.”

“I’m confused, Reed. Why would the FBI, first, contact you
about the fire, and secondly, want to talk to me?”

“It’s not just about the fire,
Leagh
.
When they started investigating, they found the restraining order that I’d
filed for you.”

“No, that’s not right. George told me that it wasn’t public
record,” I argued.

“
Leagh
, all court documents have
to be recorded,” Reed exhaled loudly. There was a long pause. “I’m sorry he
lied to you.”

“Again, you mean. You’re sorry he lied, again.” I couldn’t
keep the contempt from my tone. “Well, I have nothing to say to the FBI. And
the restraining order is worthless, now. Matt’s dead. He died in a parasailing
accident in Belize.”

“How do you know that?” Reed asked.

“Tony had a friend of his in California do some digging.”

“That’s a relief. I tried to pinpoint exactly what the FBI
wanted to talk to you about, but the bastard wouldn’t give me a crumb. I’m sure
it has something to do with Sloane and the fire, but don’t worry, I’ll be there
with you.”

A strange buzzing in my ears grew loud, and my heart
thundered in my chest. “They can’t implicate me on anything Matt did, can
they?”

“I don’t know. They can try but… look, do your best not to
worry until there’s something to worry about, okay?”

For a split second, I thought I was going to pass out. I
sucked in a deep breath, then another while the phone trembled in my hand.

“What time tomorrow?” My voice quaked.

“Ten o’clock.”

“Okay, I’ll be there. Thanks, Reed.”

When I hung up, Tony reached down and held my hand and gave
me a puzzled look. “What’s going on,
Leagh
?”

I looked at him and issued a weak smile. “I think I need a
drink.”

Sitting at the bar, I nursed a rum and coke as I filled Tony
in on my conversation with Reed about the FBI. Even the liquor didn’t calm my
nerves. My hands continued to tremble.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Tony urged as he took my hand and led
me back to our room.

Once inside he ushered me into the bathroom where he
silently removed my splint, and peeled away my clothes before shucking off his
own. The sight of his strong, naked body calmed me. His turgid shaft—and
knowing what was to come—swapped anxiety to hunger. Turning on the shower, he
adjusted the water temperature before steering me inside with him, and when the
hot spray cascaded down my body, I sighed in contentment.

“This was first on your list, angel. Close your eyes. Let me
bathe you in suds and kisses.”

“
Mmm
,” I groaned, following his
instruction. “Thank you.”

A tiny chuckle resonated in my ears. “I’d like to say the
pleasure’s all mine, but I aim for both of us to enjoy this, sweetheart.”

Tony didn’t seem to be in a rush as he shaved my legs and
washed and conditioned my hair, sliding his slick nimble hands and sudsy
loofah
over every inch of my body. His warm mouth fused
with mine as his fingers toyed with my pussy and clit. Drowning in the smooth
warmth of his skin, Tony
ramped
me up only to ease
back, dragging me away from the cusp of release over and again. I wondered how
many times he’d drive me to the edge before he’d grant me mercy and let me fly.
Leading me in a maddening yet well-choreographed dance of denial seemed to be
Tony’s expertise. It was divine torture.