Queen (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (119 page)

“Doubtful, he is a man… Don’t worry about it. None of
it’s even about me. It may affect me, but I’m not who people think of first.” The ‘they always think of you first’ goes without saying.

“Regina,” she says with pity, and it pisses me off. I’m standing here to help her out, dammit! -yet again!

“I need you to go into your room, please,” I say strongly so that she knows the conversation has concluded and it will never start back up. “Just do what I say for once, Katya,” I sigh heavily and roll my eyes.

I walk down the hall and grab the rest of my clothes. Marcus scowls at me and I have no fucking clue what I could have done mid-fuck. Whitt’s staring at me like I grew a second head. I wait at my door because I need to make sure Katya goes into that room with her husbands.

Katya’s shocked gasp was answer enough for me. I smile faintly and disappear into my room to shower.

I’ll ask Marcus what his malfunction is after I scrub up and relax under the hot spray.

I cry for no apparent reason. Emotions bleed out of me and swirl around the shower drain, and when I reemerge, I’m refreshed and ready to take on the world.

-
Where are you?
I text Marcus because he isn’t waiting for me on the sofa.

Master of the Universe:
I had work to do.

-Are you running from me?

Master of the Universe:
No, I had work to do. And yet again you run!

-I don’t have a fucking clue what pissed you off. I figured you didn’t want to touch me if I disgusted you so fucking
much! I decided that Katya connecting with her husbands was more important than torturing myself with your mercurial moods.

Master of the Universe:
I see you don’t understand. We will talk later. I really was called into work. I might as well try to do my job before they tear it away from me. I won’t be available
until tomorrow night. I’ll call you as soon as I can. Where are you staying tonight? You should go back to the Brownstone.

-I can’t stay there. I have work to do.

Master of the Universe:
You don’t plan on sleeping, do you?

-Working is better than staying awake all night wondering why you’re so pissed off at me. I don’t have a home right now. My children aren’t with me. Kris and Fate aren’t with me. You aren’t with me. I’m alone at Restraint with nowhere to go
, and you’re giving me shit and I have no clue why!

Master of the Universe:
I said we’d talk- THE TALK!

-Okay.

Master of the Universe:
Just okay. You have nothing else to add to that.

-What do you want me to say? I’m thrilled to hear shit that
will fracture me. But I agree, you need to say your peace. You’ve waited long enough.

Master of the Universe:
What the hell, Regina. What do you think I want to talk about?

-If I said then we’d end up having THE TALK in a text message. I’d rather not have the kiss off in a medium that I’d have to look at over and over again and debate deleting.

Master of the Universe:
I’m sending Whitt to you. I’d come, but I really am working. You blow my fucking mind sometimes. You can be the most irrational being on the planet, and that says a lot considering who I’d married and who my son is. Hell, even compared to the mother of my child- fucking batshit, Regina. I don’t fucking get you.

-Don’t send Whitt. He’s with Dalton
, and he needs to be with him. I won’t be someone’s duty. I only have a couch to sleep on anyway.

Master of the Universe:
I’m going to thoroughly kick your ass tomorrow night!
Not sure how to respond to that, so I don’t. Marc’s confuses the shit out of me sometimes. He finally got what he wanted by making Cortez accept Ezra, then he took me to mark his territory. I’m not stupid, that wasn’t about me. It was about the fact that the one he wants to call lover was on the other side of the door giving the last of himself to his partner. He was marking Cort as his territory by using my body. I guess it made him angry at me. Irrational, illogical, but totally something he’d do.

I curl up on my sofa feeling alone and lost. Tomorrow night we’re having ‘the talk’. Nothing good ever comes from those conversations. I’m used to his shit now. It’s always the same. He gives me a few days and when all hell breaks loose, he leaves me. Yeah, I’ve been running lately because I knew the moment I stopped he’d just walk away again. He lasted less than a week. It was a few days longer than last time.

This is the last time I play this game of his. I’m done.

Every other time he pulled this shit I’d bury myself into my work, swim, and busy myself with my family. I can’t do it this time. Restraint is closed, I have no home, so therefore, no office. My children are at Whittenhower Estates and the ladies are with Syn. I can’t run to Whitt to hold my hand because he is firmly planted between Dalton’s cheeks. 

I’m full of ‘self’ tonight: Self-comforting, self-conscious, and filled with self-reliance. I pretend that self-doubt isn’t suffocating me.

My name is Regina, and I can take care of myself- thank you very much…

Chapter Fifty-Two

My mouth hangs open as if the hinge of my jaw gave up the good fight. I’m not the only one suffering loss of muscle control either. We all stare at the empty doorway that Whitt just carried Dalton through with dumbfounded expressions on our faces. My husband just stood up and announced he was gay, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.

In the absence of sound isn’t silence. My ears ring as Dalton words rattle around in my head. He confessed his sins and declared his independence. It made me want to stand up and high-five him, and shout
Fuck Yeah!

Whitt and Dalton’s gay revelation isn’t what dropped my jaw. Obviously I already knew, I just never thought they’d claw their way out of the closet, and scream it at the top of their lungs. It’s the fury on Olivia’s face as she watched her son being carried out of the training room by his knight in shining armor that shocked me to my core.

Her hiss sounds even more menacing in a French accent. Her talons curl into fists, and the bones of her jaw grind her teeth. I wait for flames to erupt on her skin, or for her fangs to drop. I used to think that she was a vampire, but I’m a firm believer of demon. I bet there is a tail under her dress, and tiny horns hidden in her inky hair- maybe she even has cloven hooves inside her stilettos.

Olivia’s alien-green eyes stare at Dalton’s discarded clothing like she hopes to ignite them with her glare. All of the sudden, she tips her head back and howls. The furious sound sends chills down my spine and causes goosebumps to bead on my flesh. A split-second later she bolts from the room.

We all look around the room at each other. The minors are here again- Niel, Ava, and Spyder. I wouldn’t allow Ella to step foot into Restraint even though she is a month older then Ava. Olivia requested them all, but I told her to fuck off by leaving my daughter at home. No fucking way in hell is my daughter entering this establishment until she is over twenty-one. Fifteen is way off from that age.

I look at my son, and he immediately comes to my side. He’s full-grown and almost eighteen, but those sessions with Roman have been invaluable. His order of priority is Ella, his parents, the girls, and then Ava.

We share a look of
Holy shit, did that just happen
and start to laugh. I’ve never seen Whitt lose his shit like that before. Remnants of the broken school desk litter the floor. Niel toes a piece and grins at me.

“Well, I guess he’s embraced his true nature,” I chuckle, and Niel looks at me with glittering green eyes. I hear a few relieved laughs. I don’t know if we’re relieved that Dalton no longer has to play the douchebag asshole or because the guys came out, but my gut-instinct says it’s because Olivia fled the room.

Marcus walks up behind Niel and squeezes his shoulders in a fatherly touch of affection. My boy is almost as tall as Marc, but nearly twice as broad. He’s a big bruiser of a kid, just like my father was.

“Well… that was unexpected,” Marc huskily rumbles from deep inside his chest, and I shudder. He notices the affect he has on me and grins. “Will you go join my family for a moment, Daniel? I need to speak with your mother.”

I cast my eyes down to my clasped hands. I’ve avoided Marcus all night because I didn’t want him to institute ‘the talk’. Niel grabs my hand and I look up to his concerned eyes. He won’t leave unless I want him to. Marcus is his Master, but I’m his mother. I’m glad mother trumps all.

“It’s all good,” I say with a smile playing on my lips. “Go give Katya a few gray hairs,” I tease and a mischievous light brightens his eyes- the Grant look.  Jamie doesn’t give that look anymore; I’ve missed it.

My eyes follow my son as his cocky swagger takes him across the room. My eyes bulge and bubbles of laugher spills from my lips when he grabs the nape of Ava’s neck and kisses her cheek. 

Ava’s pale skin turns bright red from the attention and his sudden display of dominance. He makes his mama proud by kissing her other cheek and then her neck. Katya and Ezra look horrified, but Cort gazes at me and chuckles.

“I think you just gave Ezra a head full of gray,” Marcus groans and narrows his eyes at me.

“Eh- he’s blond anyway. No one w
ill notice,” I say flippantly.

“I guess your word trumps my no kissing rule?” He arches a brow and bites his lip.

“You guessed right. I changed it to lips and naughty parts,” I giggle.

Marc tries to glower, but fails. He bursts out laughing and I shudder from the sound. His eyes heat with lust when he notices my reaction. The look he gives me does very bad things to my insides. It’s more devas
tating than that damned laugh.

“Regina,” he begins and
I freeze.

I thaw when I’m saved by a banshee scream. Everyone else freezes in surprise as Olivia screams at the top of her lungs and I thaw in relief. I slide my tall body out of the school desk and make my way up to Dalton’s apartment. It’s not difficult to locate Olivia, Whitt, and Dalton since she leaves a breadcrumb trail of shrieks and fists pounding on a locked door. Devlin’s longer stride gets him to the scene of destruction a second before me.

“Open this fucking door before I break it down,” Olivia Fontaine screams at the top of her lungs. Her curvy body sways as her fists pounds a punishing rhythm on the door, and she shrieks the entire time.

“Go the fuck away,” Whitt shouts back. I can hear the possessiveness in his voice and his politeness goes to shit. He’ll fight the mother for the son- Dalton is his partner and he’s keeping him.

“Listen up you little shitheaded Whittenhower, don’t make me go to your Daddy and tell him that huge secret you have. I’m not talking about your fondness for my son’s cock. He already knows you’re queer. I’m talking about the coup you have planned for your birthday,” she seethes through the door.

I charge forward to finally kill the bitch, my body thrumming with nervous energy. She will not ruin our futures. Strong hands grab me in an ir
on grip and I cease my attack.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Niel murmurs in my ear and holds me firmly in the cage of his embrace. I wouldn’t allow anyone but him to restrain me. Plus the kid is stronger than me. When in the hell did that happen
?

“You know shit, you crazy bitch. Dalton’s his own man now, so back the fuck off. You can’t abuse him anymore.” Whitt shouts right back at her, and I share a grin with Niel. What sailor taught him how to swear like that? Oh- me! 

The upper hallway becomes suffocatingly crowded as all the members come up to witness the freak out.

“He’ll always be mine. I created him. I’ll scream your secret out here, so help me God. If you don’t open that door in the next five seconds, I’ll do it,” she screams and jumps up in the air like a crazy person. She has a few feet around her that she throws a tantrum in, like no one has the balls t
o enter her protective bubble.

“I’ll take m
y chances,” Whitt shouts back.

“Your wife’s out here,” she taunts and I freeze like an animal in car lights. “She looks like she’s going to explode,” Olivia taunts me, and I pull Niel a good foot before Marc
us and the boys drag me back. 

“How is that his secret? I know Bianca’s out there with you,
” Dalton replies in confusion.

“I didn’t say your wife, Dalton,” Olivia stresses and scowls at me.

Whitt’s at the door in a second, and he opens it buck-assed naked. His eyes meet mine, and then our son’s, before they dart to Olivia.

“Madame Fontaine, please come in. I’ll just be out in the hallway with everyone else- listenin
g,” he says in polite warning.

We all watch in fascination from the hallway as Dalton deliberates what underwear to toss Whitt. He picks up a pair of bikini briefs and blushes in embarrassment. I know they have to be Whitt’s since no way would that Emo
kid wear them. He finally tosses him a pair of boxers instead. Whitt pulls them on and gives Dalton the sweetest look I’ve ever seen. It melts my heart and breaks it at the same time- bittersweet.

Whitt joins us in the hallway, and we move as a flood as soon as the door closes. We crowd the small space, and a few of us press our ears to the door. We all part so Whitt can have space to listen. I interlace my fingers with his and grip him tightly. I worry about what Olivia has to say and how it will impact Dalton. 

“Why?” Dalton’s voice breaks and I hate the sound. “Why would you go to Adelaide to get control over me?”

“Is that what you think? You’re a fool. Your father was an idiot, too. I did a better job picking out Spyder’s sp
erm donor,” Olivia taunts. 

“We’re your children,” Dalton hisses.

“I treated you no differently than my father treated me,” she says in defense.

“Your father was a sociopath who got off on having his partner rape me while he watched, while he made you watch. What the fuck is wrong with you that you’d compare you childrearing skills to his?”

Whitt’s body strings tight from the agony in Dalton’s voice. Niel reaches around me and pulls his brother, the man he calls Dad, into his arms and holds him in comfort. A lump forms in my throat and tears sting my eyes.

“At least your parents didn’
t rape you,” she screams back.

“I killed the bastard for you, so don’t pull that victim bullshit with me. I’m deaf to it from now on. They treated you badly and you didn’t like it, so why would you allow it to
happen to your own children?”

“I kept Spyder from it,” she says dismissively.

“I hate you,” Dalton’s hiss radiates perfectly through the door.

“I know. I feel nothing for you, so were even,” she says flatly and the
crowd winces as a unit.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dalton
grumbles in a confused voice.

“I’m my father’s daughter. We’re more attached to things that people. People can hurt you, you own things and if you take care of them you can have them forever. People try to grow up and become independent. The moment you were married I knew I’d lost you. You were no longer a thing. You’ve been very helpful to me and I feel bad that I’ve lost you, but I don’t love you,” she says in confusion. “Or at least I don’t think I do. I feel bad, but I don’t know why,” she admits.

A moment passes before Dalton replies. “I don’t want to see you ever again,” the hatred in his voice pierces my heart.

“I live here now, Dalton. You’ve made my life extremely complicated. I’ve never seen anyone get a divorce so fast or sign their property over. You’re d
eath does me little good now.”

“What?” He squeaks,
and I start to cry in earnest.

“Shit,” I wince and close my eyes. I catch Devlin’s eye as Marcus and Cort hold him back from charging into the room. I look around until I spot Ezra and nod in Whitt’s direction. He strides over and clasps Whitt’s upper-arms. I fear what he will do when he hears what Olivia has been up to, and Niel won’t be able to hold back an enraged man alone.

My heart drops to my feet when I see the beautiful girl that is the perfect combination of Olivia and Marcus. Spyder has yet to meet her father, and I don’t know where she came from or how she got up here. I don’t want her to hear her brother and mother fight like this. Ava is holding her hand as Dalton’s ex-wife, Bianca, and his submissive, Sebastian look on.

I walk over to the young woman and pull her into my arms. She does
n’t know me yet, but she will.

“I’m Niel and Ella’s mom,” I whisper into the top of her hair, hair that looks and feels just like Marc’s. She rotates in my arms and cries. I give Ava a sad smile over Spyder’s head and she pats her adoptive aunt’s back in comfort.

I feel a gaze on me and look up to meet Marc’s stunned amber eyes. He drinks in his daughter’s form and nods his approval that I’m mothering her. I watch as realization dawns on him. She shouldn’t hear this, but she needs to hear it. As of this second she is officially Marc’s daughter because Olivia will never touch her again. I pull the girl tighter to my chest and cradle her in my arms. I murmur words of comfort- pretty lies- and rock her back and forth.

Olivia’s heavily accented voice radiates into the hallway as she destroys her children’s lives.
“Such a fool like your father. I’d asked Pierre to arrange my marriage to Anthony. I made you on purpose. I needed you as my tool. It was a waiting game. I fostered you to be exactly what I needed. I needed another child to keep you inline. An old friend sent someone my way, and Spyder was conceived as a backup plan. It was foolproof, except you weren’t as foolish as I’d thought.”

Rapid words of French flow from the room. I recognize the majority of them from when I was trying to teach Whitt the language, and he fought me before he settled on Japanese instead. Olivia is swearing up a storm in there.

“I had Pierre set up your marriage with the Greens. It made you even more valuable. You played into my hands perfectly. After twenty-one years of marriage I’d forgotten that Anthony was foolish in all things except money. You were to kill Pierre after he killed your father, and that was flawless. You even took out your competition, creating the largest organized crime syndicate that had money flowing in like water. The only problem was that my father’s body was never recovered.”

After a few tense moments she continues, “It takes three fucking years. Three years for a missing person to be declared deceased. Finally I had his death certificate and I went to collect my inheritance, but there wasn’t one. While I was playing him, he was playing me. It seems that my son was the sole heir to my father’s holdings; meaning my son owns Kink. So I devise a plan to remove you.
Bruno, and Bianca’s father are very good at protecting you from the countless hits I placed on your life. It had to be an accident. I wanted my club back. If you died I would gain the Fontaine, Marconi, and Green holdings. I would’ve been set for life and thereafter. As I said before, I want property, not people.”

“You want me dead, and you just admitted it like you’re ordering a coffee. I’m your son. You carried me for nine months in your womb. You’re insane,” Dalton sharply hisses.

“I’ve never said I loved you and meant it, have I? What I love is Kink. It is my legacy,” she screams arrogantly.

“Then why are you here?” Dalton’s voice is broken- ruined. I pull his sister closer to me and bury my face in her hair. She quivers i
n my arms and hiccups on sobs.

“Why do you think? That bastard child of your father’s kicked me out. The minute the death certificate was legal Bruno was on me and he took everything that was rightfully yours. He brought that whore, Sandy, back to town to run Kink. I have no money, no club, and no need to be in Vegas. I came here to get my property back, but you divorced Bianca in a heartbeat. I was okay with that because I didn’t need her father’s holdings. Then I find out that you gave your brother everything. You gave that bastard Marconi
spawn my club,” she screams in fury.

“I can’t hear anymore,” Dalt
on weakly begs.

Five minutes pass without a sound. No movement comes from inside the apartment. Everyone in the hallway starts to fidget uncomfortably. Marcus slowly walks over as if scared he will spook us, but Spyder doesn’t see him with her face pressed to my breast. She such a tiny, beautiful creature and I want to protect her.

“Hey now…” Marcus murmurs and kisses my lips just as Spyder looks up. Her face pinches in confusion and she purses her ruby-red lips.

“I’m sorry,” Marcus whispers and chokes up. “I’m sorry we’re meeting under these circumstances, and that you have to see your mother in her true form. You’re not her,” he says strongly and she breaks out in sobs.

“Ready to meet your dad?” I whisper in her ear and she shakes her head against my chest.

“Hi,” she sniffles. “It’s nice to meet you.” She gives a faint little smile but doesn’t leave my arms to enter her father’s.

Marcus looks at Ava, Spyder, and me in a soft, affectionate way, and gives us a sad smile. “Welcome home and you’re never leaving my side again,” he warns, and I don’t know which one of us he’s talking to. I don’t get a chance to find out since movement from inside Dalton’s apartment draws our attentions.

“Why are you still here,” Dalton wheezes.

“Are you finished with your theatrics? May I continue?” She says grandly.

“Why not, I’m sure it can’t be any worse than admitting that you ordered hits on your                  first born,” he says sarcastically. “Why have
me do this stuff at Restraint?”

“For an old friend.
Loyalty is important,” she says.

“That tells m
e nothing, Mother,” he groans.

“I considered killing Marcus so that Spyder would inherit his fortune, but that wouldn’t work. No one knew she was his except for him and I. Plus I’d have to kill all the Zeitlers. It was just too much wet work. I never do the wet work. And I’ve become fond of my daughter. I wouldn’t want to take her life for monetary gain. Besides, his wife should
inherit the bastard’s money.”

“You’re a fucking lunatic,” he says in mystification. “You need to be at WinterCres
t with Adelaide Whittenhower.”

“Prove it. You’re my son and you can try to commit me, but you’d have to prove it first,” she taunts. “My plan at Restraint was perfect,” she praises herself. “It was my friend’s idea, really. The hits weren’t working so I tried a new idea. You were to create havoc and make them hate you so that when I needed your life to end it would look like an accident or assault. It would benefit my friend because how could Restraint stay open after a murder occurred in its dungeon, especially with all those pesky riots. It’s such a shame that Dexter Hayes is so moral. Pity,” she sa
ys heavily accented in French.