Cherise Sinclair - Edge of the Enforcer

After locking the cabin, he joined Lindsey on the path. The moonlight shone on her face—and didn’t come close to the glow she radiated.

Fuck, he’d never felt this way about anyone before, and he could almost be grateful to his ex-wife for leaving him. For letting him be free to discover how different love felt if trust was there. If the caring went both ways.

When Lindsey smiled at him, he bent to take another kiss before setting off with her down the path.

Jake’s two-story cabin was well back into the forest behind the lodge. Jake had mentioned that he’d planned to build closer, but he and Kallie had opted for privacy instead.

On the covered porch, deVries tapped on the door.

Kallie opened the door, already dressed in a corset and short red skirt. “Hey, guys. Right on time.” She took their coats and hung them in the entry closet. “So…the rules are pretty much the same as at Dark Haven. The dungeon safeword is red.” She stepped around the massive cat sitting beside the basement door.

“Wow,” Lindsey said. “If people don’t obey the rules, the cat gets them, right?”

DeVries eyed the beast warily. The damn thing looked almost like a bobcat.

“Absolutely. Mufasa has no pity, trust me.” Grinning, Kallie led the way down the flight of stairs. “Jake and Logan are the dungeon monitors—whichever of them isn’t busy at the time.”

The staircase opened up into a basement dungeon, where Nine Inch Nails was playing on the sound system. Was rather nice that the Hunt brothers preferred the old BDSM classics.

Jake had done some good work on the place. The walls were constructed of stone with matching pillars running down the center of the room. The iron wall sconces held candle-shaped lights, and a fire burned in a river-rock fireplace so the lighting was pleasantly ominous.

St. Andrew’s crosses stood at either end of the floor. The low exposed beams boasted heavy bolts with conveniently placed chains. The rest of the equipment included a leather-covered spanking bench and a bondage table.

“It’s exactly the way I’d think a real dungeon would be,” Lindsey whispered, stepping closer to him. “Scary.”

Fuck, she was cute. He slid an arm around her shoulders and whispered, “It’s going to get scarier, pet.”

Her eyes rounded.

Oh yeah, this would be a good night. He intended to drive her out of her head and give her a break from worrying.

Across the room, Jake laid out implements beside the spanking horse while Logan talked to Virgil Masterson, Simon, and Rona.

“Where are Summer and Becca?” Lindsey asked, looking around for the rest of the submissives.

“They’re taking care of Ansel upstairs. Becca will be down soon, and I’ll trade places with Summer later.” Kallie wrinkled her nose at Masterson.

“Damn right you will, little bit,” Masterson said.

DeVries kept his mouth straight with an effort. Since Masterson considered Kallie like a sister, he refused to stay in the same room when Jake was doing a scene with her. Good decision. It’d suck if the linebacker-size cop flattened Jake for making his little sis cry. Might be fun to watch, though. Both men were over six feet, in mountain-country shape, both ex-military. Be a hell of a match.

Over in a corner, Dixon was studying a human-size birdcage. DeVries gave Lindsey a nudge in that direction. “Can you keep Dixon company while I talk to the others for a minute?”

“But—”

At his frown, she quieted immediately. He kept his gaze on her, silently reminding her the evening had begun. The reins were in his hands. “Your task is to follow directions. To hear only my voice,” he told her softly. “Everything else is my job.”

Her gaze dropped, and a flush warmed her cheeks. Even better, the tenseness eased from her face as she gave control over to him.

Watching her relax to his will set up a fire inside him. They hadn’t been in a dungeon since getting back together. This’d test if their new dynamic would work. Damned if he wasn’t going to bust balls to see it did.

“Before you talk to Dixon, strip down.” He pointed to shelves in a corner of the room. “Leave only your thong on.”

Her expression held her protest; she’d be the only person baring so much. Too bad. If he liked seeing her exposed—and he fucking well did—she’d be naked. And after reliving all the crap her husband had put her through, she needed the reinforcement he found her pussy and tits as gorgeous as they were.

“Yes, Sir.” Reluctance in every step, she obeyed.

He smiled. Odd how adorable a submissive was when she complied despite her own inclinations.

Once in the corner, she tugged off her boots and unstrapped the sheathed knife he’d given her. He hadn’t realized she was wearing it, but…hell, he liked her armed, even though it pissed him off that anything, ever, should make her afraid.

When she removed her shirt and bra and glanced at him, he let his enjoyment show. Her hair was tied back, so he had a good view of her round, high, very sweet breasts.

Face flushed, she frowned at him, but after glancing at his crotch, the corners of her lips tipped up. Someday she’d accept how much the sight of her turned him on.

Joining the other men and Rona, he asked Logan, “Is this it for the crew tonight?”

“Yep. We’d expected Ware with a play partner. A pity he ended up having to work.”

Simon added, “The other two Dark Haven couples were unwilling to risk the storm. Last newscast said the blizzard has shifted, and it’ll hit us tomorrow.”

Hearing, Jake looked over his shoulder. “New snow will be fun. If you’re up for it, I’ll take you cross-country skiing after the winds die down.”

“You’re on.” DeVries checked Lindsey. Had the Texan ever skied? He’d enjoy sharing with her. “You’re keeping the lodge open this winter?” The Hunt brothers normally closed Serenity to spend winters in the tropics.

“We didn’t want to take Ansel away from home his first year or two,” Logan said.

“Gives Kallie and me more time to play with him—and start our own.” Jake smiled. “And I can join her winter tours. Been a while since I went ice fishing.”

DeVries glanced at Kallie. Amazing someone so tiny worked as a wilderness guide.

Jake’s gaze settled on his wife, and his expression turned stern. “Tonight we’re going to discuss you making all-male bookings without arranging to have me along.” He dropped a flogger next to the cane.

“Jake,” she said, taking a step back. “This is my job and—”

“Good plan, Hunt, but don’t beat on her too hard. She has to feed the stock tomorrow.” Catching a glare from both Dom and sub, Masterson smirked. “Yep, I’m out of here.” The cop ruffled his cousin’s hair and headed up the stairs.

Kallie’s hands were on her hips as she confronted her husband. “I don’t know why you—”

Jake put his palm over her mouth and calmly accepted the gag Logan handed him. “Gonna be a long night, isn’t it? For you, at least, sprite.”

Amused at the muffled cursing, deVries joined Lindsey and Dixon.

As a concession to the rustic atmosphere, Dixon had foregone his normal flashy fetwear and instead wore a red flannel shirt tied at the waist, red latex shorts, and matching Velcro wrist cuffs. “Sir,” he said with a dip of his head.

“That’s more polite than when you called me a ‘ fucking asshole.’ ” The worry that appeared on the young man’s face was satisfying. Good start to a scene. “I’m in the mood to beat on you. You up for it?”

“Yes, Sir!” Dixon bounced on his toes.

DeVries studied him. The boy was moving easily. Expression open. Since they’d scened together before, negotiation was a snap. “Anything new I should know? Sore spots, triggers, places to avoid? Additional needs or requests?”