Owned by the Dom: Part One (The Owners) (7 page)

“Do you think Stephen is not going through the same thing?”

“It’s different. He has Ursula.”

Lucas laughed. “There is nothing different. She’s had to give up studying because of the press hounding her at college. Her teachers didn’t want to teach someone associated with him, let alone on the verge of marrying him. Cadeon is part of this mess
, too. Violet is expecting their first child in a few months, and he’s getting stuck at work.”

James listened to everything Lucas had to say
, shocked by the news. He’d thought he’d been in the loop. From what Lucas was saying, he was nowhere close to understanding what was going on. Lucas continued on.

“Then we have the problem with Sean. He’s going off the rails big time. My sister
, Isabella, being back has set him off. Isabella spends most of her time locked away in her room refusing to talk to anyone, least of all me. Then we come to Rebecca. She’s staying at Possession and she is terrified to say one word out of place. The people around you are suffering, James. You’re just not around to see it.”

“Why haven’t you told me? None of you have come to me.”

“Why should we? You lock yourself away here and never give a thought to the pain or damage your friends may be going through. Ravage has become your whole life. You don’t go anywhere. When was the last time you visited Possession to simply have a drink and chat with the men there?”

James
thought about the question. Visiting Possession hadn’t been high on his list of things to do. Unless it was to deal with the shit they’d put themselves in, he’d not been there in over two years.

“Look, I don’t know you like the others
, and I appreciate you taking me on when I don’t have the money to back my name, but I think you need to take a step back and see what we’ve still got.”

Lucas finished his coffee and stood.

“I’ve got to get back to Possession. Think about what I’ve said.”

“Will do.”

He sat there another few minutes before he couldn’t take it anymore. James made his way up from the dungeon and went to his office.

The moment he sat down in his chair to start looking at figures his phone rang.

“James,” he said, picking up the receiver.

“Sir, Veronica’s sister is here again with her friends,” Leo said.

“Where?”

“She’s at the bar while her friends are on the dance floor.”

James put the phone down, cursing. It was Monday night, and she’d been plaguing his thoughts all weekend. He felt like a sick bastard for wanting her. James moved toward the filing cabinet in the corner of his office and pulled out the file on Veronica. He typed her number into his cell phone and rang her.

“Hello,” she said. He hated the way her voice sounded nervous. She knew it was him.

“Your sister is here again. I made you a promise, but I can’t keep throwing out good paying customers.”

“I’m so sorry, James. Did you get my letter?” she asked.

“Yes, I haven’t had chance to open it.”

“Please, open it. It is important to me.”

“I will. What do you want me to do about your sister?”

There was silence on the other line.

“She hates that I interfered with her life. I can’t force you to do anything. Just keep her safe, will you?”

James ground his teeth together. At one time, her words would have cut deep whereas now they
only angered him.

“We’re not monsters, Veronica. Your sister is in good hands here.”

She mumbled something.

His anger rose. “Maybe next time you should bring me your crap yourself
, and that way you won’t be putting your sister in harm’s way.”

Slamming his phone shut he tore up her file, finally feeling closure over his ex.
He wasn’t ashamed of who he was, however Lucas’s words had opened him up.

One year he’d been pulling away. He’d not gotten regular updates
, and he needed to keep in the loop. This wasn’t anyone’s fault. His friends needed his help, and he was going to start by helping them.

First, he needed to get Prudence out of the picture. She was messing with his head
, and he didn’t like it.

****

Another night and she was waiting at the bar for the owner to come down and remove her. She shivered at having James touch her again. Becky and Anya had convinced her to go to the club after work.

She’d wanted to see James again. Her thoughts were constantly veering toward him. He was like a never
-ending wet dream.

Leo stood over her.

“You can go and do your job, you know?”

“I don’t think so. I left you alone last time
, and you escaped.”

“Am I under arrest or something?”

He glared at her, arms folded, and stared towards the far end of the bar. She shrugged her shoulders, sipping the iced water that Jermaine had given her.

“I’m not even going to answer that.”

She sipped on her drink watching her friends on the dance floor. James came and sat in the stool next to her. Leo left to go back on guard duty. Prue refused to look at him. Instead she watched her friends getting all the attention on the floor.

“Do you have another letter to give me?” he asked.

“Nope.” Prue still hadn’t looked at him.

It was easier to answer him when she didn’t have to stare into his eyes.

“Why are you here?” he asked.

She ignored the question watching one of the guys touch her friend’s hips.

“Prudence,” he said.

When no answer came from her, he caught her cheek in his hand and turned her to face him.

“I came because I like being here.”

“
You shouldn’t be here.”

“Why? This is a decent bar. One of the best in the city and I’ve just finished work. I’m blowing off steam. I’m not causing any trouble. I can’t even get alcohol,” she said, holding up her glass. “See, water.”

“I promised your sister.”

The anger rose even further.
She slammed her glass down on the counter and stood.

“I’m tired of that crap. I’m twenty-
three, James. I’m not a child or a teenager. I can make my own decisions.” To prove her point, she moved onto the dance floor with her friends. Anya and Becky grabbed her hands.

“Are you okay?” Anya asked over the blaring of the music.

“Yes, just fed up of my sister and him trying to protect me. I don’t need protecting.” She swayed her hips trying to get lost in the beat of the music.

“I think he likes you more than he lets on.”
Becky whispered against her ear. “He’s staring at you, Prue.”

“Do you still want him, Prue?”

She took a quick glance in his direction. They were right; he was watching her.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s out of bounds for me. I think my sister is still in love with him.”

The song ended, and they moved back to the bar. She grabbed her coat and moved around James, who hadn’t budged from his spot.

“You can’t ignore me, Prudence.”

“It is Prue, and watch me.” She pulled out of his hold moving closer to her friends. Jermaine brought her another iced water, which she drank.

“Your sister is still in love with him? When did that happen?” Anya asked.

“When I asked her and she didn’t answer my question.”

“What happened between them two?”
Becky asked.

“I have no idea. I really liked him. In fact, I more than liked him. I think my sister knew
about how I felt. She never said anything.” Prue rubbed her temples feeling the heat of the bar getting to her.

“I think he likes you.”

Shrugging her shoulders, she sipped her drink. A few guys walked toward them. Her two friends gave them the smiles and the giggles. Prue tried to ignore the guy hanging around her.

“Hey, beautiful. How are
you?” His smooth voice made her cringe. One of his hands landed over her shoulders.

“Fine, thanks.” She pushed his hand off her shoulders.

“Would you like to dance?”

“No, thank you.” Her two friends were chatting away while this other man was trying to grope her.

“Come on, babe. Give a guy a break and dance with me.” He pulled on her hand, which made her fall out of her chair and onto the floor. Her knees hit the tiled floor sending a blast of pain up her body. Shit, she hadn’t seen that one coming.

Prue looked up at the sound of the commotion. In the short time she’d been on her knees, James had grabbed the guy by his collar and slammed him against the bar. She was shocked by the brute force with which he worked.

“When a woman says no, she means no.” He raised his fist. Leo caught him before he landed another blow.

James looked at the guy as if he was scum. Prue winced as she got up from the floor.

“You better get out of my club and not come back.” He picked her up off the floor, one of his hands going under her knees as the other went to keep her back steady. James carried her out of the main bar and down to his office. Her face was red with embarrassment. She hadn’t even looked at her knees yet. They hurt, but her pride hurt more.

The moment the door to his office shut she began to fidget in his arms.

“Put me down, please,” she said.

He didn’t let her down until he placed her on the sofa. James kne
eled in front of her, pulling her leg out in front of her.

“You don’t have to look at it, James. I can go back to the club.”

“Prudence, you banged your knee on my tiled floor. I know how painful they can be. Let me take care of you,” James said.

He eased her pencil skirt up past her knee. She winced from the sudden pain.

“There is no blood. You’ve got a lot of bruising. Your knees took the full force of the floor.”

“Lucky knees.”

Did he know his fingers were caressing her calf muscles? His touch was soothing and his fingers smooth.

She closed her eyes relishing the
slight touch.

“You’re bad for my business. That is the second guy in the matter of four days I’ve had to ban from my club. At this
rate I’ll be out of business by the end of the year.” James joked.

Prue gazed at him.

“You don’t like other men touching me.” She blurted the words out unable to stop them.

He paused on her knee. “No, I don’t.”

The admission did nothing to ease her confusion.

“Why?”

“Because they don’t deserve you, Prudence. I know the type of men who come here, and I don’t trust them.”

She licked her lips. “Because of you being a Dom?”

“What?” He looked up at her surprised. “Did Veronica tell you?”

“No, the news did and an ex-boyfriend who liked to dabble in the lifestyle.” Why was she talking to him? She was angry at him. Mad and wanted him to leave her alone.

The way he was caressing her calf made her feel like falling to sleep.

She saw his other hand tighten on his thigh. The knuckles were white from her words.

“This is wrong,” he said.

“What is?”

“I dated your sister. I’m older than you.”

“We’re just talking, James.”

He glared at her. “Do you think I don’t see the interest in your eyes?”

Prue dropped her gaze at his words.

“I think you should go,” he said.

She eased up off the seat, missing his touch as she did. Her knees hurt
, and she was looking forward to a bath.

“You need to stop sending men away, James,” she said, stretching her hands above her head.

“I saw no interest on your part. I figured they were bothering you.”

“Do you always send unwanted men away with other women in your club?”

He was silent, and her question wasn’t answered. She glared at him, angered by the way he made her feel. It was unfair that she was affected by him while he showed no signs of having any interest in her at all.

“You’re not like other woman, Prudence. I have to protect you,” he said. She heard the determination in his voice, along with something else which she didn’t know
, and it startled her.

She took a step toward him invading his space. A finger poked against his chest.

“I’m not your responsibility, James. I can do whatever the hell I like.”

He grabbed her finger pointing the digit away from his chest. “Don’t start something you cannot finish.”

Prue had no idea what came over her. Maybe it was the iced water or just being in the close proximity of this powerful man. She pressed her body against the front of his. Her nipples hardened at the small contact. Her pussy felt like it was on fire. “Who says I can’t finish? You don’t know everything about me, Mr. Castleden.”