Cherise Sinclair - Edge of the Enforcer

“Nice isn’t what Dixon needs.” Zander tugged her hair lightly. “The boy won’t submit without some work. Erotic control is a straightforward path there.”

“Stan isn’t even paying attention to him.”

Zander snorted. “You notice the mirrors?”

“Huh?” Lindsey blinked and looked around. Son of a gun, small mirrors were embedded in the rocks here and there…and she saw Stan was checking them without Dixon even realizing.

“The boy’s got a bad habit of using his pretty face to get his way. A Dom who wants more than a quick fuck won’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”

“Oh.” She pursed her lips. “And how many sneaky Dom-manipulative tricks have you used on me? What are my lessons?”

To her surprise, he didn’t shrug off the question. “We’re starting with the basics. Trust. Honesty. Transparency.” He ran his finger over her lower lip and added, “Remember, little Tex, a Dom’s got lessons too. You’re not the only one learning to trust.”

Oh. The sweep of sweetness took her by surprise. “God, I love you. I really, really do.”

“Well.” He tapped her nose. “For that, you get chocolate.”

The next day, Lindsey stepped out of the cabin into a quiet realm filled with glittering falling snow. The untouched white powder carpeted the ground, making the world seem fresh and clean. The air was so cold, her lungs seemed to clench.

After a long stretch, she started down the path to the main cabin. Heck of a night, last night. First the dungeon party, afterward the hot tub.

She still had tender spots—especially her bottom. However, poor Dixon might be even worse off.

Before they’d left the dungeon, Stan had removed all the various devices from Dixon’s body and blindfolded him, stood him in the middle of the room while he went to the fridge. He’d brought back an icy ridged dildo, bent Dixon over, and shoved it up his ass. Dixon had come, screaming as if he was being murdered.

It was a wonder he hadn’t had a heart attack.

After slapping his ass, Stan had hugged him lightly and said the scene was over. “You can join me in the hot tub if you want, boy.” Dixon had spent the entire time staring at the Dom, undoubtedly trying to understand why the man hadn’t even tried to get off. Stan had retired soon afterward, leaving Dixon looking confused—and forlorn.

Poor Dix.

While Lindsey walked, snowflakes tickled her cheeks and hung on her eyelashes. From the looks of it, snow had been falling all morning. And she’d sure slept late, which was Zander’s fault. He’d worn her out.

Around dawn, he’d noticed her new virginal-slut nightgown and woken her up to show his energetic appreciation. God. Three orgasms later… When he finished, he’d gotten dressed, leaving her facedown and boneless in the bed.

As she crossed the clearing to the lodge, the door opened. Jake, one bare foot raised, supported by Simon and Zander, hopped out. “Morning, Lindsey.”

“What happened? Are you okay?”

“I slipped on a fuc—ah, a rock when I was checking the hot tub.”

She frowned at his very swollen, purpling ankle. “Is it broken?”

“Probably not,” Simon said. “We’ll get it X-rayed to be sure.”

“We’re hauling his ass to the clinic in town,” Zander said before his jaw hardened. “I’m keeping Simon’s car and stopping at the police station after. Seems Stanfeld took off to talk with Masterson.”

“Hokay.” Sounded like Stan was going to get a teamwork lecture. Lindsey smiled, amazed at how the mere sight of Zander lifted her heart. Well, aside from the fact a bulky jacket made him look as if he could wrestle grizzly bears. Be still my heart. “Y’all drive safe, okay?”

Jake nodded. Simon winked at her. Zander gave her a macho man snort.

Right. How could she forget that alpha male Enforcers simply laughed at snow?

After watching them navigate the slick ground, she crossed the porch and read the sign posted on the lodge door. LUNCH WILL BE LATE TODAY. BECCA.

Inside, the main room was quiet, with only Logan present. He was sweeping the fireplace hearth, treating the sleeping dog as if Thor were a piece of furniture. “Morning, sugar.”

“Good morning to you. Is Becca around?”

“Nope.” He nodded at the snow plastering the glass window. “It’s getting nasty out there. When the blizzard really hits, we might get over a foot of snow, so Becca drove into town for groceries. She and Ansel should be back soon.”

“Kallie?”

“At the Masterson place. Her cousins haven’t returned from a guide trip, so she’s over there feeding the livestock. Rona and Dixon went along with her to visit Summer.”

“Oh. Right.” Rona had invited her, but Lindsey didn’t know Summer very well. Sometimes old friends needed time to catch up on gossip. “I guess the place is pretty empty. Did your other guests flee in the face of the storm?”

“We’re emptying out. One man and an older couple left early—they didn’t want to chance the road closing. Stanfeld’ll be here another day. He went into town to talk with Virgil Masterson. Got one cabin rented out through Sunday, but I haven’t seen him this morning. Don’t know if he’ll stay or not.”

“Since you’ve been abandoned by your staff, is there anything I can do to help?”

His rare smile was her reward. “If you’d answer the phone while I clean and restock a couple of cabins, I’d appreciate it. Be about an hour or so.”

“Let me grab a cup of coffee, and I’m your girl.”

Time went by in a lovely quiet as she drank her coffee and flipped through old Field & Stream magazines. Outside the lodge, the wind picked up, spattering the windows with snow, covering the world in white. With a sigh, she leaned back in the comfortable chair.

She’d had a harsh few months, but now peace wrapped around her like the warmth from the crackling fire. There was an end in sight. Someday soon, she might have her life back.

Or a better life, even.

He loves me. Smiling, she said it aloud, just to hear the unbelievable words. “He loves me.” She’d never dreamed to hope for that—not with Zander.

Every time she remembered the determination in his voice as he’d argued to keep her from being “used,” her insides fluttered as if she’d swallowed butterflies.

God, she loved him so much her poor heart hurt. She’d sure never felt this way about either of her husbands. She’d thought she loved them. Had thought they were friends. Had enjoyed the sex. But her feelings for them hadn’t made her shiver and hurt and…yearn.

Looking into the future, she knew— knew —she wanted Zander beside her forever. Even if they were dumped in wheelchairs in a nursing home, she’d still reach for his hand—and giggle when he growled at a nurse. Which he would so totally do.

And hey, he’d need her there to keep him from getting his aged bony butt tossed out, right? Really, with his unsociable manners, he needed her far more than she needed him. It was her…duty…to love him and cherish him and keep him out of trouble.

And wear slutty-virginal nightgowns to tempt him, and to tease him, and to—her eyes burned—to love him so, so well he’d never remember that his mother hadn’t.

“My mama will like you, Zander,” she whispered. After she got past how scary he could be. She bit her lip at the surge of longing. Never before had she not been home for Christmas with her family.

Hearing the stomping of boots on the porch, she scrubbed her face with her hands and sat up straight.

A man entered and stopped to brush snow off his head and shoulders. His hair was black, eyes dark under heavy eyebrows. Thick stubble blackened his cheeks and jaw. “Good morning. You are the receptionist?”