For the Sub

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

With interest, Niles watched a dozen different reactions dance across her face.

When he’d offered the box, she’d kept her hand at her side, making a fist.

Obviously, she wasn’t sure what to expect.

When he’d purchased the necklace and had it wrapped, he’d hoped she’d smile with delight or joy.

Instead, she’d studied him, tipping her head to one side suspiciously.

That was the one reaction he hadn’t been prepared for, though maybe he should have been.

In her life, with men—and Doms—she’d been through a lot.

Then when she’d seen the necklace, she’d started to smile, but the expression had faded as she’d taken in its shape.

When he’d entered the jewelry store, he’d been uncertain what he was looking for, just something suitable to go with the dress. When he’d seen that particular necklace, he’d stopped looking.

He had to have it.

Niles Malloy was a Dom.

Nothing would change that.

Call it passion or possession. She was with him tonight, and he wanted to be sure everyone knew it.

Although the piece wasn’t a collar—after all, he’d never collar a sub again—it did have multiple meanings.

He waited, sudden nerves in his stomach.

Her response mattered more than he’d thought it might.

She traced the circle then she looked up at him, her finger still on the silver. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

Ridiculously pleased, he exhaled and picked it up.

This part, he had imagined.

All week, he’d thought of little else except seeing her again, fucking, dominating her.

If this event hadn’t been on his calendar, he would have invented a reason to see her.

Even if she wasn’t an amazingly skilled web designer, he might have hired her as a reason to stay in contact.

He’d returned to Denver a few days before but even when he’d been at the cabin, he’d recognized that the walls echoed with loneliness, while her house was a crazy mess of noise and activity.

Part of him yearned for the sense of home that she created.

Numerous times, he’d intentionally shoved that realization aside.

He’d chosen his life, and he liked it.

But fuck if he could make himself believe that.

“Would you like to put it on me, Sir?”

Her soft question brought him back to the present, and he shook his head to clear the memories.

They had tonight and the rest of the weekend.

And he was going to enjoy every moment, taking her in the most creative ways possible.

If she could walk or sit down comfortably at the end of their time together, he’d consider himself a failure.

She lifted her hair, and turned her back to him, giving him a view, once more, of her delectable derriere.

Damn.

She was beautiful in every way.

“Sir?”

“Enjoying the sight of your ass and considering stuffing a butt plug up there.”

Gasping, she glanced back toward him. “You’re not serious, Sir!”

“I brought a couple. Large ones. At least as big as my dick.”

His beautiful Brandy shifted her weight from foot to foot.

“The idea of you walking a little awkwardly and needing to wiggle around when you sit makes my cock hard.”

But the thoughts had to suffice.

He was well aware of her need to be seen as his partner this evening, and not his submissive. “Tomorrow, I’ll fill you up.”

Her shoulders fell and her lips parted. “Thank you, Sir.” Gratitude filled her voice.

She was perfect in every way, willing to comply with his wishes, even if it wasn’t in her best interest.

He needed to be careful with her.

After fastening the clasp, he took hold of her and turned her back to face him. “It’s gorgeous on you.”

He drew her toward a mirror and stood behind her so that she could see it and his reaction at the same time. “Better than I imagined. And I imagined plenty.”

She fingered the piece, tracing each symbol. “It really is pretty, Sir.”

And the silver looked stunning against her alabaster skin.

With a sense of pride, he offered his arm, and they rode the elevator to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

The ma?tre d’ greeted him by name, then introduced himself to Brandy and welcomed them both to the restaurant.

“Your aunt has not arrived yet, Mr. Malloy. May I show you to your table or the bar?”

As if on cue, the elevator dinged again, and the doors parted to reveal his aunt, wearing a long, sequined gown and dripping with jewelry.

“Incoming,” he warned against Brandy’s ear. “Fair warning, she’s a bit like you, in that she speaks what’s on her mind.”

“I adore her already,” Brandy teased.

He laughed. “I was afraid of that.”

Tall, and thin to the point of being gaunt, Aunt Mame bore down on them, shimmering and shining, and of course teetering on what had to be at least four-inch heels.

Her short silver hair was spiked and held in place by some gravity-defying feat.

After sparing him a glance, she had eyes only for Brandy, and her bright red lips were parted in a genuine smile.

Now that he’d seen Aunt Mame, he was glad he came.

When he’d first lost Eleanor, Mame’s vibrant energy had been hard to take, but now it was infectious.

He expected a hug or for her to present her cheek for a quick kiss, but she continued to ignore him completely in favor of sweeping Brandy into her arms. “Hello, darling! Thank you, thank you.” She stepped back and held Brandy by the upper arms. “I’ve been dying to look at you. Beautiful. My gawd, that hair.”

“Aunt Mame, meet Brandy Hess. She’s a web designer and she—”

“Yes, yes.” She scowled at him. “I’ll get to you in a minute, Niles.”

Immediately, she returned her attention to Brandy, leaving him and the ma?tre d’ just standing there.

“Right now, I have to let Brandy know how much I love her.” She waved her hand, and her jewels danced in the overhead light. “Somehow she got you out of your godforsaken mausoleum of a house and to my party.”

Mausoleum?

“She could be on the police blotter for all I care. In fact, hiding her in the kitchen when the coppers show up could be fun.”

Brandy laughed.

And for one of the first times in his life, he was at a bit of a loss.

Though he’d been married to Eleanor, his aunt had never given her this kind of attention. “Brandy, meet my incorrigible aunt, Mame Malloy.”

Brandy shot him a grin. “We’re involved in a mutual-admiration society, already.” Then she returned her attention to Mame. “In just these few seconds, I think we could be great friends, ma’am.”

“Mame, darling. Please. Don’t make me feel old.”

“As if,” Brandy responded instantly. “You’re young and vibrant.”

“Tell me more, darling. And you’re quite right, we’re going to be very good friends.”

After greeting the ma?tre d’ with a kiss on the cheek, she tucked Brandy’s arm inside hers, leaving Niles suddenly dateless.

With a helpless shrug, he followed the ladies to the table.

While Aunt Mame was seated, he helped Brandy into her chair, and possessively trailed his fingers across her shoulder.

Mame immediately ordered a bottle of champagne, then turned her attention to Brandy. “I want to get to know you.”

“And I you,” Brandy replied.

“You know, Niles, you could go to the bar for a few minutes.”

He blinked.

They were all getting together for dinner, and she was dismissing him? “That’s out of the question,” he replied.

As he’d promised when he invited her, he’d do anything to protect Brandy.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him, placing her fingers on his wrist.

“Just give me a signal or send me a text”—he told Brandy—“and I’ll rescue you from my aunt’s well-meaning, but nosy questions.”

“You could take your champagne glass with you, so you don’t have to order a new drink,” she suggested with a sassy smile.

Along with his aunt, Niles had met his match.

“Run along,” Mame said, in the same tone she might have used when he was ten years old.

The situation had become two-on-one, which meant he had no hope of winning.

Defeated, he held up his hands then stood.

Aware of the conspiracy between the women, he grabbed his glass, then headed for the bar.

“Banished?” the bartender asked.

“Yeah.” He looked toward the table where the ladies had already leaned toward each other to enjoy their conversation.

Since it was still early, the man had no other customers, and he kept Niles occupied chatting about the upcoming football game. “We televise all of them if you’re ever downtown and want to watch it away from the usual sports bars.”

Which immediately made Niles think of Brandy and her short kilt.

At that point, he stopped listening to the man’s ramblings.

A few minutes later, his aunt signaled that he could return.

Since the bartender had been friendly and made him think of Brandy bending over in a short tartan skirt, Niles dropped the man a decent-size tip.

During the meal, he and his aunt caught up, and she skillfully kept Brandy engaged in their discussions.

Then her phone skittered across the white tablecloth, and she stood, the remainder of her meal ignored. “I’ll see you downstairs, darlings.”

She waved goodbye then swept out of the room like a regal princess, leaving him with the bill.

With a wry grin, he shook his head.

Typical Mame.

“She’s a force of nature,” Brandy observed when they were alone.

That was one way to describe his aunt. “Like a hurricane? Or a tornado?”

Brandy smiled. “You’re lucky to have her in your life.”

“She’s been a constant since my parents died.” And she’d been there for him through everything, standing by his side at the funeral, then again at Eleanor’s gravesite.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Ski accident. Both caught in a backcountry avalanche.”

She winced. “That’s awful.”

“It was a long time ago.”

Softly, she asked, “The years don’t make it easier, though, do they?”

“Not in the least.”

“Any siblings?”

“None.” He considered her. For someone with such a large heart and a handful of pets, she never talked about her family. “How about your parents?”

“I lost my mother when I was young.” She shrugged. “I barely remember her. But my dad…”

He waited, indicating to their server that they’d enjoy a few minutes of privacy.

“Even though his heart was broken and he never really got over it, Dad did everything he could to try to make up for the loss of Mom. Spent every evening and weekend pouring his love into my brother and me. Sports, school clubs, activities…” She took a small sip of her champagne, as if for fortification. “He was everything to me.”

“Was?”

“Died of cancer about two years ago. About the time I broke up with Reyes.”

He winced.

“Our lives have never quite been the same.”

“You’re in touch with your brother?”

“As much as possible. He moved to Alaska, and he lives off the grid.”

“Really?”

“Dad took us camping and fishing a lot. When I got older, he let me stay home, as long as I spent the weekends with friends, and he knew exactly where I was.”

Niles nodded.

“But he and Jamie—that’s my brother—would still go away. Dad always talked about building a cabin in the woods, a place we could continue to gather as a family, somewhere the next generation could return to.” She shrugged. “Like his legacy.”

Niles didn’t recall his parents ever talking in those terms.

They’d been happy to send him to boarding schools so they could get back to their own lives.

They’d missed his graduations, and they’d put in a token appearance at his wedding.

His mom had had little interest in becoming a grandparent, after all, she didn’t want anyone to think she was that old.

“Anyway, Jamie continued our dad’s vision, but he’s a little more extreme. He homesteads.”

“Subsistence living?” he asked.

“Yes. Fishing, trapping, raising reindeer.”

“Seriously?”

She nodded. “He’s become a bit of a loner.”

Brandy had given him her body and her kindness. And now she was gifting him with a glimpse of her most vulnerable memories.

“Have you been to see him?”

“Not yet.” She shook her head. “I’d like to. But I can only get there a few months of the year, and it’s a heck of a long trip. The logistics are a nightmare.” She looked down for a moment. “And it’s a lot of money.”

They finished their beverages, and when the server returned with the wheeled dessert cart, Brandy shook her head. “I’m sure your aunt is wondering what’s keeping us.”

Not that Niles cared whether or not they attended the auction.

“Coffee?” the server asked. “Aperitif?”

“I’m fine,” Brandy assured Niles. “Thank you. And I think I’ve had enough champagne to last a lifetime.”

“Just the check, please,” he said to the server.

In less than five minutes, they arrived in the lobby.

The hotel didn’t have a specific ballroom.

Instead, the mezzanine area served as the party space. There were plenty of alcoves for silent auction items and a large, open area for mingling.

A band was warming up in what was generally the bar, and a space had been cleared for dancing.

The tables were triangular in shape, rather than round. Chairbacks were short. Tall glass vases filled with flowers sat next to shorter, squattier ones.

“This is a visual feast, isn’t it?” Brandy asked, glancing around. “The colors, the contrasts in sizes and shapes. It’s…”

He waited.

“Not at all what I expected,” she finished.

He’d seen to it that the Northrups were not on the guest list. And in future, they’d find their names excluded from many more events.

No one fucked with Brandy on his watch.

“I apologize for what I said when you invited me. This truly is fabulous. Exactly my style.”

“Which is… What? Quirky?”

As if contemplating his questions, she wrinkled her nose.

“Bold?”

“Yes.”

“And fun?” he suggested.

“All of that,” she responded with a laugh. She leaned into him and pressed her palm against his chest, on his heart. “I’m glad I came.”

“You’re comfortable enough?”

“Mame helped a lot with that. If anyone was an asshole to me, I’m sure she’d have something to say about it.”

“And I’d fucking kill them.”

At his harsh emotional words, delivered without any hesitation, she blinked.

“You’re mine, Brandy. No one will be allowed to make you feel less than the princess you are.”

“I…” She blew out a breath from between her closed lips. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Let’s enjoy ourselves, bid on a few things, and then”—he swept his gaze over her—“go back to the room.”

“The sooner the better, Sir.” She stood on tiptoes and pretended to adjust his tie while whispering, “You’re a more-than-generous lover, but I still want you inside me again.”

His cock thickened.

Shit.

He needed to hide that before anyone saw him. “If you know what’s good for you, beautiful Brandy, you’ll need to keep your hands to yourself and leave your words unspoken.”

“A threat, Sir?” she asked, wide-eyed with mock terror.

“Or something else, sub.”

She shuddered a little. From anticipation, he knew.

“Just tell me when you’re ready to leave, Sir. You’re the only reason I’m here.”

Did she ever say the wrong thing?

“You wanted to place a few bids?” she asked, dragging him back from his mental wanderings, returning him to the event where people were mingling near them.

Thank God one of them was capable of thinking rationally. “Yeah. If you see something that interests you, let me know.”

“Basketball tickets, if they have them.”

“You’re a fan?” He couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d asked for tickets to outer space.

“Isn’t everyone who lives in the state?”

“No. In fact, some people can’t stand it.”

She laughed. “Including you, Sir?”

“Indeed.”

“No problem at all. If we win them, I’ll take Margot to the game.” She grinned.

“On second thought, I like basketball just fine.”

“I thought you might.” She gave him a cheeky smile. “Just be aware that I take those massive green foam hands with me. You know the ones? With a finger sticking up saying our team is number one.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Not at all. I’m a fan, and I like to show it.”

“I’m horrified.”

“Oh, and I’d love a signed jersey, if we can find one.”

Together, they looked over all the items, chatted with a few people, and he added his name to a jersey signed by the team’s leading power forward.

“Thank you,” she said, wearing the biggest grin imaginable.

“There’s no guarantee we’ll win,” he warned.

“I understand that.”

But he’d make damn sure she got anything she wanted, no matter the cost.

Waitstaff made their way through the guests, carrying trays of champagne and canapés.

Despite the fact that they’d recently eaten dinner, Brandy accepted a crab and cheese wonton.

“I never get these, and I love them,” she explained. Then she shrugged, as if needing to justify herself. “And we skipped dessert.”

“You know you don’t have to have a reason to enjoy yourself.” He narrowed his gaze. “And as I’ve said before, never worry about calories because you’ll burn off every one of them.”

“In that case, Sir…” With great gusto, she bit the delicacy in half.

That was another thing he liked about her. The way she enjoyed even the littlest things…

She approached everything with enthusiasm.

Her sunny outlook gave him a renewed appreciation for life.

“Oh my gosh, no!”

At her exclamation, he followed the direction of her gaze.

“Someone’s bidding on that indulgent bath package that I wanted.” She frowned.

“Better go place another bid.”

“I think I will.” After wiping her hands on a napkin and placing that and her plate on a server’s tray, she made a beeline for the table.

He grinned.

Now that she was into the spirit of the fundraiser, there was no stopping her.

All her doubts about fitting in seemed to have vanished.

Seeing her confidence delighted him.

His attention was claimed by an associate, and he saw Brandy out of the corner of his eye, chatting with a couple who used to be friends with Eleanor.

She seemed relaxed, interested in the conversation.

It struck him how different it was being here with Brandy.

He was relaxed, having fun.

When Eleanor was alive, they had a divide and conquer strategy for every event they attended.

They’d each decide who they were going to talk to and about what.

She wanted him to grow his consulting business, and she wanted to land new clients for her law firm.

Periodically through each event, they’d check in to be sure they were on track.

He’d been exclusively focused on business, not on getting her back to the room and fucking her in the picture window.

But with Brandy, the only thing he could think about was being buried in her sweet softness.

Throughout the evening, when they were apart, he saw her touching her necklace, and every time, he had a visceral response.

What would it be like if you belonged to me?

Though he’d sworn never to fall in love again, that didn’t stop his baser nature from imagining that very thing.

The band struck up a love song, providing him with the perfect opportunity to hold her.

He went in search of her, and he saw her across the room, chatting with a tall, broad man. She was leaning toward him, obviously engaged in a discussion.

The knife-edge of jealousy blazed through him, and he clenched his fists, harnessing the lethal energy.

She’s not Eleanor.

But in this moment, he couldn’t convince his rational mind of a goddamn thing.

As if sensing his presence, Brandy looked over and dazzled him with a thousand-watt smile.

Her joyful reaction left no doubt she was here with him, soothing him, helping him shove away the past.

Now if he could just keep it there…