Zeck (5 page)

She frowned up at me. “What are you saying? What did
last night mean to you?”

I smirked. “You asking a fella to talk about his
feelings?”

Her eyes turned serious. “Yes,
Zeck
.
Shit is about to get real. The media isn’t going to forget about this,
especially if we’re together. You’re going to get labeled a wife beater by the
press.”

Her voice cracked, and I couldn’t take it. I leaned
down and took her lips with mine, kissing her deep until her body melted
against me.

“Sweetheart, the band’s legal team and publicist are
currently working on dealing with it. The lawyers are already getting the
photos pulled down.”

Tears leaked down her cheeks. “You know as well as I
do that once those pictures are out there, there’s no taking it back. Nothing
can truly be deleted from the internet.”

I wiped her tears gently with my thumbs. “Don’t cry,
baby. This will pass. All the major media outlets will pull the photo, and it
hopefully won’t make it to print magazines.”

“But what if it does? How am I meant to find work
after this?”

Cupping her face, I kissed her again. “If anyone is
dumb enough to print it, we sue and then you’ll have enough money you won’t
have to work for a while.”

She leaned in, kissing me back.

“You didn’t answer me. About last night.”

I pulled back enough that I could focus my gaze on
hers.

“Last night was special, and it wasn’t only because it
was the first time I got a real taste of BDSM. When Jas took me into that club
for the first time I couldn’t take my eyes off you. You looked so beautiful
being tied up. Then, last night I got to talk with you, touch you. Baby, it was
instant addiction. I need you.”

The sweetest smile curved her lips, and she allowed
all her weight to lean against me. A shiver ran up my spine when her breasts
pressed against my chest.

“And speaking of BDSM … I do believe you’ve earned
yourself a spanking for running off on me.”

My dick twitched and lengthened when her eyes dilated
and her mouth opened a little as her breathing picked up. Yeah, this Dom stuff
was so my kink.

Chapter Three

Issy

As I sat watching Right Time finish their last song on
stage from a corporate box, I couldn’t believe how my day had progressed. I’d
woken up to a hunk of a man loving on me, but then everything had quickly
turned to hell with those bloody photos. I still couldn’t believe the paparazzi
had found my apartment so fast. Before the taxi could stop I had seen them all
huddled around my building’s entrance. I’d told the driver to keep going. The
only place I could think to go was the club. I’d dialed Brian, and he’d already
heard from Jas so knew what was going on. He’d been totally supportive of me
coming to him.

He’d been waiting for me outside when the taxi pulled
up. He’d paid the driver, then taken me under his arm. Holding me close he’d
silently pushed past the press and gotten me safely inside. I had no romantic
feelings for Brian, never had, but I liked the way he cared and protected any
sub that entered his club. I could finally relax once I entered the club I’d
become so familiar with.

Poor Brian. He was furious and swamped with guilt over
the scandal. I assured him it wasn’t his doing. He did all he could to protect
those in his club. It wasn’t just entertainers that sought out the privacy of
Brian’s club. A lot of politicians came in, too. Not to mention all the
teachers or others who would lose their jobs if it got out they liked BDSM.

Brian had made me a coffee and sat down at a table and
let me relax. He asked a few questions, but let me make the decision about how
to handle the scandal. He’d told me that
Zeck
had
been distraught to discover I’d slipped out on him. A smile curved my lips. If
I hadn’t chosen to stay with
Zeck
, Brian was going to
give me the spanking I’d earned. Apparently putting myself in danger like that
was a hard limit for all
Doms
.

I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the gorgeous
Brit since I’d left, so it had been easy to decide to let him help me through
this crap. I hadn’t been sure how he’d felt about me, but I sure knew now. I
shivered as I recalled how good it had felt when
Zeck
had stripped me down and spanked me before he tied me to the bed and made slow
love to me. I closed my eyes at the memory. He’d been thorough and so gentle
he’d cracked open my heart.
Zeck
held so much passion
inside, and I still couldn’t believe he trusted me enough to unleash it on me.

“What’s that grin for?” Ashlyn scoffed. “Like I need
to ask. You’re thinking of your man aren’t you?”

I chuckled. It was so nice to hang out with another
Australian after so long in France. That and Ashlyn was a hard girl not to
like. Even though she had to be uncomfortable in her final month of pregnancy
she was still friendly and bubbly.

Curiosity had me leaning closer to her. “Those boys
are something, aren’t they? How’d you get caught in their web?”

“You don’t know? I thought the whole world knew about
it.”

I shook my head on a laugh. “I’ve never been one to
read gossip mags, and honestly I’ve never really listened to Right Time other
than when they come on the radio.”

“You know, I was the same. I was holidaying in England
with my friend, Sarah. She’s one of the band’s back up dancers. I met Dillon
through her, and it all kind of steamrolled from there.”

I couldn’t help but grin.

“So Dillon found himself an Aussie in England and
Zeck
found one in France.”

Ashlyn chuckled. “Yeah. It’s a hoot isn’t it? Oh,
damn.”

She clutched her huge belly, and I rushed to her side.

“Are you okay? What’s happening?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Little bean has been doing aerobics
all bloody day today. Phew.”

While
nannying
this last
year I’d been around a few heavily pregnant women, and I was pretty sure that
Ashlyn wouldn’t be wincing like she was from a simple kick.

“How long do the boys normally take after a show
before they get up here?”

“Oh no. They don’t come to us. We have to go to them.
Well, sometimes one of them will dress up in a disguise and risk coming out
from backstage.
Zeck
was the last one to try that,
but the diehard fans are on to it and security had to haul his butt back to
safety.” She shook her head. “You have the craziest one for sure. Can’t quite
wrap my head around him being a Dom though.”

I shrugged as a wave of unease flowed over me. I liked
it better when no one knew what I preferred between the sheets.

“Every Dom is different. Some like to be in control of
everything around them 24/7, but most aren’t that hardcore. A lot of
Doms
like to control things in the bedroom because they
feel out of control in their day to day life. I’ve only been experimenting with
the lifestyle for about six months now, and
Zeck’s
only just discovered it. It doesn’t change who he is as a person, it’s simply
part of him. If you think about it, it makes sense.
Doms
like to protect and take care of those around them.
Zeck’s
told me about a few things he’s done over the years that fit that theme. I’m
sure you’ve seen that side of him since you’ve been with Dillon. He and
Zeck
are best friends, right?”

Ashlyn’s forehead creased as she chewed her lower lip.

“When you put it like that, yeah.
Zeck
is definitely a caretaker. He’s always making sure everyone has what they need.
Umm, feel free to tell me to take a hike, but can I ask why you thought getting
your butt smacked would be nice in the first place?”

I would have told her to take that hike if her tone
hadn’t been filled with honest curiosity. Still, I didn’t know her well enough
to reveal all my inner secrets to the woman.

“I just
kinda
tumbled into
it I guess. The family I was working for had this maid who befriended me and
invited me to join her one night. The first time I was bound in rope I knew I’d
found what works for me. It’s hard to explain how it feels to submit.”

“You ladies ready to head out?”

I’d never been so glad to see a bodyguard. The
conversation was getting too personal.
Zeck
had said
all the right things earlier, but I still wasn’t one hundred percent sure on
where we were heading. While they’d been doing preshow checks and stuff I’d
done some more internet searching. Seems my man was a bit of a ladies’ man. So
many references to
Zeck
and Dillon and how many women
they had. Although Dillon seemed to be over it. He was all about Ashlyn now.
His gaze always sought her out, and if she was in range, he had a hand on her.

With a sigh I followed Ashlyn’s waddling frame from
the box and headed down the hall toward the backstage door along with three
bodyguards.

“Go back home, you stupid sluts!”

“You’re just a perverted freak. Leave
Zeck
alone!”

“Right Time need to stay single!”

“How dare you take our
men!
”

The sneers were yelled out in French, and Ashlyn
ignored them. I wasn’t sure if she didn’t know what they said or if she was
used to it. But I wasn’t. Bile rose in my throat as fans continued to yell out
cruel remarks. They apparently hated everything from our hair color to our
choice in footwear.

“Are they always like this?”

“Well, I don’t speak French, so I’m not sure what
they’re saying. Although the tone
kinda
speaks for
itself. If they’re telling us to leave their men alone and go home, then yeah.
There’s always crazy fans.”

“How do you cope with it? I don’t know if I can do
this.”

My steps slowed, but Ashlyn linked her arm through
mine and hurried me forward.

“They’re not real, if you know what I mean. They have
a distorted view of the men. I know even if
I
didn’t have Dillon, those little psychos wouldn’t have him. The boys might have
been man-whores in the past, but they never went near the crazy fans. Hell,
they’d likely wake up with their hair shaved off and find it selling on eBay!
Just hold your head high and ignore them. You are the one
Zeck
wants. He’s chosen you to be with, not them.” Ashlyn giggled. “Just wait ‘til
you’re pregnant. Nothing sets them off quite like seeing my baby bump. I show
it off just to mess with them some times.”

She stopped speaking and gripped my arm tighter.

“Little bean isn’t just kicking, is it? That baby
wants out. C’mon, we need to get to the men.” I looked the nearest guard in the
eye. “She’s in labor. We have to get to Dillon fast, then get them to the
hospital. Can you call an ambulance while we’re on the move?”

He nodded and snatched up his radio as we sped up and
finally made it through the door away from the screaming fans.

“Dillon!”

I bellowed down the hallway. Ashlyn nearly snapped my
forearm when the next contraction hit. She couldn’t walk for a couple minutes.

“One of you go get Dillon!”

One of the guards took off down the hall just as
Dillon and the others came running toward them.

“What the hell,
Issy
? I
think they can hear you over the other side of the building.”

I smiled up at the clearly panicked men. “Well, your
wife is in labor and I thought you should hurry the hell up and take my place
by her side. She can have a go at breaking a few of your bones.”

Dillon stumbled a little before
Zeck
grabbed his arm and dragged him forward.

“Has an ambulance been called?”

Zeck
aimed his question at the
guards.

“Yes, sir. ETA ten minutes. We need to get Mrs. Blake
to the rear door where they’ll meet us.”

Dillon stood taller, and with a nod he wrapped an arm
around Ashlyn, taking most of her weight, before he turned them to head to the
location. I could see his jaw moving as he spoke to his wife. They made such a
sweet couple. I sighed and leaned back when
Zeck’s
strong arms wrapped around my middle.

“I am so glad you’re here, baby. You handled that like
a pro. Without you, Ashlyn probably would have had that baby on the floor in
the dressing room.”

I chuckled because that was highly likely. Men freaked
out with childbirth. It was a fact of nature.

“Well, are we all going to follow them to the
hospital?” I wrinkled my nose. “Maybe after you lot have showers. Damn, you
guys stink like a football team.”

They all laughed, and
Zeck
turned me around then cupped my face and took possession of my mouth. Wrapping
my arms around his neck, I sighed into the kiss, ignoring the smell. Damn but
this man could melt me with just the touch of his lips. Within his strong
embrace, all my doubts fled as I gladly fell under his spell.

****

Zeck

It was early morning before we headed for the
hospital’s exit. I was knackered. All I wanted to do was to take
Issy
to bed and sleep curled around her. Dillon and
Ashlyn’s daughter had made her grand entrance safely, and when I’d left the
room little Grace was happily sleeping in her daddy’s arms. That baby girl
already had her father wrapped around her little finger, but I got the feeling
that Dillon didn’t mind in the least.

Tightening my hand around hers, I glanced over at
Issy
. What would she look like swollen with child? She’d be
a great mother. All that
nannying
would mean she
would easily handle anything their kids threw at her.
Whoa.
I mentally shook my head. It was way too soon to be planning
babies with
Issy
. I wasn’t entirely sure she wanted
anything long term with me. She’d fled at the first sign of trouble the
previous morning. Facing forward again, I ran my free hand through my hair.
She’d chosen to run to Brian at the club rather than me, but once there she’d
chosen to return to me for shelter. I was sure Brian would have taken her home
to keep her safe. She’d had options but had picked me. And she hadn’t tried to
leave again. She could have easily left several times, but she hadn’t. Thoughts
of the club reminded me they were meant to be somewhere else tonight.

“What’s the time?”

She flicked her wrist over to see her watch. “It’s
about one AM. Why’s that?”

She looked up at me, and her eyes looked so tired. I
really wished I could simply take her back to the hotel.

“We need to visit the club, baby. Brian wants to sit
down with us to let us know what he’s discovered about the photos.”

She frowned, and my heart melted a little at how
adorable she looked.

“I thought he told you it was Monique. Which is
totally believable, in fact, it’s the most plausible explanation.”

That caught my attention.

“Why do you say that?”

“Monique recognized you the first time you came in.
She was raving on in the change room that you would be hers if you came back
in. Monique isn’t liked at the club. She doesn’t belong there. She plays at
being submissive, but she isn’t really. If anything, she looks down her nose at
the lifestyle. I think she’s looking for a sugar daddy or something.
Unfortunately, it’s all about who you know, and her sister is dating Brian’s
brother. Even without the photos leaking, I knew I couldn’t go back anymore.
She’ll make my life hell. Although, I do need to clean out my locker and hand
in my keycard.”