Sierra Cartwright - Doms of Dark Haven

The crack of a nose breaking twisted Rona's stomach.

Simon let the moaning man drop to the ground and glanced at the gathered guests. “Logan, would you pack up his bag, please. Jake, drag him out?”

Jake nodded, his face rigid.

“Nice work, buddy,” Logan said.

Ignoring the others, Rona headed for the sub. She unstrapped the ball gag and started on the restraints. A second later Simon joined her, working on the other arm.

Once unbound, the sub collapsed, saved from a nasty fall only by Simon's arm around her waist. She had welts all over her body, and she shook so hard her teeth chattered.

Rona scowled at the chilled skin under her hand. She pointed at a sub in the crowd. “Get me a couple of blankets.”

She targeted another elf. “I need a hot drink. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate—

anything.”

“Yes, ma'am.” That sub ran for the kitchen even as the other returned with a soft afghan. Rona wrapped the sub in the blanket and followed as Simon carried her out to the living room. Still holding her, he looked around and said, “Jake, she needs a warm body.”

One of the rugged brothers had returned. He took the sub and settled onto the couch, cuddling her against him and murmuring in a rumbling voice.

Nice . Rona accepted the hot tea from the sub she'd sent and tested the liquid with a finger. Nice and warm. After sitting beside Jake, she held the cup to the sub's mouth. “Drink, honey.”

The sub didn't even seem to hear her.

Jake's big hand closed around the cup, and his voice deepened, darkened.

“Little sub.”

The sub stiffened in his arms.

“Drink this now.”

Rona almost found herself reaching for the cup to obey the forceful command.

Instead she shook off the effect, rose, and watched the sub drink the tea obediently.

As the young woman's shivers diminished, her head drooped against Jake's shoulder, and he simply snuggled her closer.

Simon draped an additional blanket around the girl, his face still set in hard lines. “I'll speak with her later about safety and choices in doms.”

“I'll take care of it, Simon,” Jake said. “I saw the asshole earlier, and I didn't like him then. I should have watched him more carefully.”

“And I should have checked my guest list more carefully. Let me know if either of you need anything.”

Realizing she was gawking and there was nothing else for her to do, Rona started away. Her insides still quivered at the violence, more from the brutality of the dom than Simon's swift and incredibly graceful attack. She shook her head, remembering the effortless punch. Too tall and dark and smooth to be Chuck Norris, but he surely had the same moves. And that unfailing attitude of protectiveness. Crom, that drew her like a magnet.

Dammit, she just kept getting in deeper.

“Rona.” Simon's resonant baritone, despite all her self-warnings, still sent a thrill through her, as if her body was tuned to its music.

She turned. “Yes, Sir?”

He walked up to her, stopping close enough she could smell his aftershave and tangy soap. Feel his warmth. She stiffened her spine and looked up.

Dark, dark eyes still holding a trace of anger. Then he smiled, and everything in her stilled as if she'd gotten the first whiff of spring after a long winter. “Lass, you did well. Not only recognizing that the girl needed help, but getting it. And helping her.”

She shrugged. “Anyone would have done the same.”

“No, sweetheart. You care, and you act. Effectively. That's a rare combination.”

Dammit, his approval shouldn't please her so. She ignored the warmth glowing in her stomach and changed the subject. “Why didn't you sit with her instead of giving her to Jake? You're…” Comforting. No one could be as comforting and safe as Master Simon.

“Jake is uninvolved.”

“But so are you.”

His eyes crinkled, and he ran a finger down her cheek, his gaze intent. “I am rapidly becoming involved.”

“No!” The loud response burst from her. “I am not getting involved. Not with you or anyone. I will experiment, play, and enjoy all kinds of men. I'm not going to confine myself with just one. Never, ever again.”

She turned quickly to escape his reaction and hurried away.

Simon stared after her, half inclined to put his fist through something. Maybe a wall. Maybe he'd see if that asshole dom was still outside.

“Well, she made that clear enough.” A few feet away, Logan had his arm around his pretty, curvy sub, Rebecca.

“She certainly has no problem with expressing her thoughts,” Simon growled.

Rebecca laughed, started to speak, and caught herself. She glanced up at her dom.

“Go ahead, little rebel.”

“I don't think she'd be so upset if she didn't want you,” Rebecca said. “She reminds me of…well, me. Professional, a little stunned by the BDSM stuff, but liking it.” She grinned. “I've seen how she looks for you and watches you and hates that, but she can't help herself.”

Logan nodded. “She definitely wants you.”

“I know.” Simon frowned at the doorway through which his sub had fled. “But she's liable to disappear rather than face it.” Her ex was an incompetent bastard who had screwed up his marriage with her and kept her there until she saw involvement as a trap. How to get around that?

“She might insist she's looking for other men, but she hasn't accepted any offers all night,” Logan said. “Even Jake struck out. She's yours, my friend. She just won't admit it.”

She thinks she wants a ton of men . Simon rubbed his hand on his jaw.

As Rebecca leaned against her dom, she idly stroked her collar. Simon had been at the club the night Logan collared her. Rebecca had arrived first, wanting to see if other doms had the same effect on her as Logan.

When Simon had touched her, he'd known she responded to the dominant in him, but not the man—because her heart belonged to Logan.

Could he tolerate what it would take to show Rona the same? To watch another man dominate her? And if he set this up, he'd have to watch. Maybe see her leave with another man. The muscles of his stomach contracted as if anticipating a full-contact blow.

Logan frowned. “Whatever you're thinking looks ugly.”

“Painful as hell,” Simon muttered. “Probably not ugly.”

He nodded at Logan and his sub and went to secure the St. Andrew's cross.

This needed to be as public as possible.

Needing a moment to recover, Rona visited the kitchen and downed a glass of wine. On the way out, she spotted Master Simon wiping down the St. Andrew's cross. Obviously he planned to do a scene with one of the subs, and…why that mattered to her… Well, it didn't.

A place deep in her chest started to ache. Probably not a heart attack.

Unfortunately. I really need to go home now.

Once in the powder room, Rona started getting out her street clothes.

The door opened behind her, and Logan's collared sub walked in. The redhead grinned and said, “There you are. I've been looking for you.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Well.” The sub's brows drew together. “Not exactly, but… Come on. I'll show you.” Without waiting for Rona's answer, she shoved Rona's clothing back in the bag and led the way out. For a submissive, she seemed awfully assertive.

“Is it about that poor girl?” Rona hurried to catch up. The redhead moved amazingly fast, through the foyer and into the great room.

At the sight of Master Simon standing by the cross—with no other sub there—

Rona halted and spun to retreat.

“Rona,” Master Simon snapped out.

Her feet stopped dead, her hands grew damp, and her heart did that annoying jump-up-and-down-it's-Master-Simon dance. She turned.