Master Heimdall (Masters of Midgard Book 3)

Chapter 1

The plastic of the cell phone holder creaked as I punched the end-call button. What I wanted to do was slam the phone into the dash of my car. But no matter how pissed I was, I had to rein it in. There was no way I was going to have to explain to my assistant that I needed a new phone for the third time this month.

Booking a flight to Greece to strangle my now ex-employee was out of the question as well because I was too damn busy. It was as if the universe had decided to toss as much shit into my lap as it could and then laugh about it. I should’ve been turning the car around and heading back to the office to clean up the newest mess, but no, tonight was about time with my best friends. I turned my phone off and got out of my vehicle.

The parking lot below Erik’s waterfront building was only half full as I stepped out and took a deep breath. It was time to shut off business and have some fun. We all had insanely busy lives, so when we could all get together, it was important to at least try to shut off all the things that had been stressing me out.

There were eight of us who’d met in college. Seven men and one woman, but we were far from Snow White and the seven dwarves, though Marissa had managed to blackmail us into dressing up like them one Halloween. You would think that with seven alpha males around, Mari would be a protected gentle flower, but like the rest of us, she was dominant and bowed to no man.

I stepped into the elevator and used my pass card to activate it and entered the security code to access the top floor. From my quick perusal of the cars I’d seen parked in the lot, I was the last of us to arrive.

I appreciated the level of security that Erik had my company install after his woman, Raia, almost got kidnapped, in that very lot, but it did slow things down. However, any delay was worth it to make sure they were safe.

“Gabriel!” several voices thundered when the doors of the elevator opened and I stepped out.

Erik’s place was a world of opulence and wonder, with a marbled foyer adorned with rich wooden beams and posts that created an air of timeless elegance. His living room was something stolen out of a fantasy novel. Plexiglass flanked the stone path, revealing a surreal underwater paradise. Fish gracefully wove through mature vegetation, creating a spectacle that defied the conventional boundaries of interior design.

The sliding glass doors opened to a vast deck, where I could see Jared and Lincoln in conversation, against the backdrop of the city”s sparkling lights and the Delaware River. It was like a crossroads between an ancient Scandinavian aesthetic and an otherworldly aquatic haven. A gigantic double-sided fireplace dominated one wall, casting a warm and inviting glow across the room. A few of my friends were lazing on the cozy furniture in the sunken portion of the room.

On the other side of this luxurious penthouse, in the dining room, Erik and Noah sat at the solid and imposing hand-carved table, their submissives on their laps. The intricately designed chairs featured engraved ravens perched on the wide backs. Down the center of the table stood three antique vases with elaborate flower arrangements.

Noah and Shelby, the Daddy and Middle of our group, exuded a carefree energy, their laughter blending seamlessly as they exchanged playful glances. She leaned in to whisper something, her eyes sparkling with affection. Their connection was evident, and the genuine warmth between them tugged at my heart. Erik and Raia, on the other hand, had a contentment that radiated from them. Her fingers entwined with his as if they existed in a world of their own. Their togetherness was a stark reminder of the companionship I yearned for and still didn’t have.

It was hard not to show the jealousy that roiled my stomach as the two couples smiled at me. They were too damn perfect! Without even trying, they forced me to take a hard look at myself. Ending up alone had never been my plan, but time had slipped by me. At least I wasn’t the only bachelor in the group. In fact, five of us as well as one bachelorette were single, but it still rankled that the two most unlikely candidates to pair up were now in committed relationships.

Marissa sat near the couples drinking a beer. A stranger wouldn’t have been able to tell she was uncomfortable, but we’d known each other too long for me to miss the tight muscles and tired eyes. The happy couples were oblivious to her state of mind, caught up as they were in their bubbles of love. I had to fight the temptation to say something to make them stop being so lost in one another. Not only would it not serve the purpose I intended, but it would also bring my discontent to the forefront, something I didn’t wish to do. I just wanted to sit back with my adopted family, have a few drinks, laugh a bit and eat the amazing food that Erik always served. Now I wondered if maybe it would have been better for me to skip tonight.

“Here, brother.” Colin handed me a double Lagavulin, our resident drink, before joining Declan in the billiards room.

Marissa raised an eyebrow at me. I nodded, and she rose to join me. We moved away from prying ears to the pool outside.

“You seem stressed, Gabe. What’s going on?”

“What isn’t?” I said with a sigh, stretching out on the chaise lounge, and almost groaning with pleasure when my body sank into the soft cushions. It wasn’t often I could relax with my feet up, and I took a moment to enjoy the sensation. Mari laughed and joined me. She cuddled close.

It wasn’t anything sexual, the two of us more like siblings than anything else. I always forgot how small she was until she did something like this. Her attitude and dominance always made her seem larger. We enjoyed a few moments of comfort snuggled together.

“Tell Mistress Mari all your problems.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Not looking for a mistress, brat.”

She sighed as if in disappointment. “Fine. But I am your friend. Let me help.”

Mari traveled all over the world almost constantly, so she might understand my frustration better than anyone. “We’ve got several jobs coming up and I have to figure out the travel and supplies. All before I go to handle that deal at the Japanese tech conference.”

She looked up at me, confused. “What happened to David? I thought he was in charge of travel and logistics.”

My jaw grew tight and I could hear my teeth grinding. Deep breathing was supposed to help control heightened emotions, but it wasn’t doing the trick. David had been barely adequate at his job. The only reason I hadn’t replaced him sooner was the time it would take to find someone new. Someone who wouldn’t flirt with everything with a heartbeat and wouldn’t forget things twenty percent of the time. Damn it, why hadn’t I replaced the asshole?

Truth was David had done me a favor by finding the “love of his life”. It would force me to find someone better. Though giving no notice before quitting was a dick move. I really didn’t care that it was a chance of a lifetime to travel through the Grecian islands, putting it off for two weeks would have been professional.

I had just returned from protecting a spoiled K-pop singer because one of my guys got injured. I needed some downtime before dealing with this shit. But, instead of getting to relax before leaving again, I would have to spend my time doing his job while searching for a replacement.

I shook my head. “He and Martin left to get their rocks off touring Greece. He won’t be back.” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice but didn’t think I succeeded. How long had it been since I’d had the luxury of enjoying myself, getting my rocks off with a willing woman?

Mari tapped her lips as if considering.

“Dinner is ready!” Erik bellowed.

Whatever she was thinking would have to wait. I was starving and couldn’t remember the last time I’d sat down to eat.

“Let’s go before Noah steals all the food.” I stood, scooping up Mari and placing her on her feet.

“Oh, come on, he’s not that bad. He’s too busy making sure Shelby eats to fill his own plate”—she sighed—“they are so adorable.”

I spared a look for Noah and his Middle. He was loading up her plate with dinosaur nuggets and spicy Asian noodles. I shook my head, not able to control my smirk. The two were perfect for each other.

“He really is a doting Daddy, isn’t he?” Mari’s voice held amusement, but I could almost hear an ache hiding in the words. Did she want a Little boy to dote on? As unlikely as that was from what I’d witnessed of her preferences, anything was possible. It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling a little jealous of our friends pairing up with their perfect mates.

Raia was kneeling on a cushion by the head of the table, waiting on Erik to feed her from his plate. I wanted to be happy for them, really I did, but it was hard. I wasn’t into the 24/7 lifestyle like them, but the closeness and connection that practically radiated from the pair was undeniable.

“Two, too many happy couples.” There was a sullenness to my tone. I filled my plate, doing my best to keep my feelings from registering on my face. I was happy for my friends. It was just hard seeing something I wasn’t sure I’d ever find come so easily to them. Before I could take a seat, Mari grabbed my arm.

“You need to get yourself under control. They deserve to be happy.”

“I know.”

I barely tasted the decadent food as my thoughts spiraled through my head. I was happy Erik had found what he was looking for in Raia. Unlike the rest of us, Erik had grown up poor. His family had immigrated to the United States from Norway when he was young, and he’d had to work hard to pay for even the most basic things in college.

If it hadn’t been for him, I’m not sure the eight of us would still be friends. It had been his idea to turn our frat parties into a business and treat them like a club with cover fees and entertainment. God knows how many laws we’d broken in the early days, but the money we’d brought in allowed Erik to quit his side jobs and brought us all closer together.

It was probably the first time I’d used my trust fund for anything important. The guys and I had provided the capital but the work was mostly him. He’d actually managed to break even on the very first party and soon had us making a profit. At the time, we’d tried to tell him he could keep it all, but he was insistent that we were partners and gave us a share.

So when we graduated, it was easy to continue the arrangement, this time with legal permits and much higher stakes. But our faith in him paid off nicely, and now I was part owner in three successful BDSM clubs: Midgard, Valhalla, and Asgard. Erik oversaw them, and to a degree, we all participated in some of the logistics, but mostly we just enjoyed the fruits of his labors.

It was those clubs that led him to meeting Raia. She’d worked as a server at Midgard. Ironically, Noah had also met Shelby at the club. It hadn’t been an easy road for either of the couples, but it had all worked out in the end. Maybe I needed to take a play out of their success books and make time in my schedule to spend relaxing at the club, and with any luck, also find a woman of my own.

Relaxing?

I snorted. Not that I had time for that. While the income from the clubs was nice and padded my accounts, my time was taken up by my own business. GH Security was a passion project that had quickly taken over every moment of my life. I’d started the company with Lincoln and Colin, using our combined military experience to provide security and background checks for the clubs. It quickly morphed and had become one of the best private security firms in the country.

My skin tingled, alerting me to eyes on me. I glanced away from my plate to see Jared watching me. His expression was a blank mask that I liked to call his courtroom-lawyer face. Of all my friends, he was a mystery to me. He’d graduated top in his class not only in his four-year degree but also in law school. As far as I knew, he’d never actually worked as a lawyer. In all honesty, I had no idea what he did when he wasn’t with us.

Shelby slid onto Noah’s lap, snuggling her head against his chest. The man didn’t even miss a beat, pulling her close and continuing his conversation with Colin. The woman was usually a tiny fireball. If you had asked me a year ago if my friend would have paired up with someone like her, I would have laughed. But seeing her all cuddly made me understand what drew Noah in. While he’d been attracted to sweet baby girls, Shelby was a Middle who was into wearing leather pants and vintage clothing. I had no doubt she kept my friend on his toes. Noah whispered something in her ear, and I watched as she clenched her thighs, followed up by a huge grin.

“Are you open to a suggestion?” Mari’s question startled me out of my thoughts.

I put my fork down and took a sip of my drink, trying to gather my thoughts. “I’m sorry, what suggestion?”

Mari rolled her eyes and I chuckled. If I didn’t know her better, I would think she was a brat trying to get attention by prodding me into blistering her backside.

“Your work issue. I know someone.”

I grimaced. Mixing work with friends wasn’t usually a good idea. “And you think they would be a good fit?”

“Yes, though I’m thinking you don’t have many options unless you’re going to steal one of them?” She nodded in Raia and Shelby’s direction.

My bark of laughter startled even me. “I don’t think they would be a good fit. Besides, you know I don’t steal from friends, but I do enjoy watching.”

Enjoy was an understatement. Not that I’d had much opportunity lately. Though I usually preferred to watch things a little less PG-13.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you with anyone, I’d almost forgotten your kink.”

She wasn’t the only one. With missing my shifts at the clubs and pouring everything into my company, I hadn’t played with anyone in what seemed like forever. Porn wasn’t the same thing as live entertainment, especially when I could direct and control the scene. My cock thickened at the idea of finding time to watch and show off a willing sub. The last time I’d played with any consistency, had been with my previous play partner, Eloise and that had been… oh shit, eighteen months ago?

“Not a surprise. Tell me about your suggestion, Mari.” Maybe talking about work would help me forget the pathetic state of my sex life.

“I think I know the perfect person, but I want to be sure. Other than booking hotels and transportation, what else is in the job description? I don’t want to waste your time.”

The job description was easy to share but this was a perfect time to express exactly what I preferred. I could be a tough task master, especially when it came to those I leaned on the most. I was a Dom in every sense of the word, my work character didn’t deviate much from my club persona, Heimdall.

“He or she, preferably he, would need to be able to operate quickly under stress with enthusiasm and without complaint. They would be responsible for scheduling, booking travel and accommodations as well as any extras or special requests required for each job. This is not limited to acquiring supplies, ammunition, and outside personnel when needed. This person would have to provide individual itineraries for each guard and be able to shift schedules on a dime if something goes wrong and new plans are required. I don’t need another flaky flower or pampered princess; I need a steel fist in a velvet glove.”

“Picky much?” she replied with an evil grin.

“Hey, no judgment, this is my baby and I can be as picky as I want. Colin and I’ve been interviewing for other back-office positions and you would be shocked at the special snowflakes who have applied.”

“I can only imagine.”

“It’s not the nutjobs who want to bust heads and be the next Jack Ryan that I mind so much, but why the hell would you apply to work at a security company if you are a card-carrying pacifist? We had one woman say she would not speak directly to anyone who willingly carried a gun.”

Mari’s laughter relaxed a little of the tension I’d been carrying. Mrs. Goodwin, Erik’s housekeeper, cleared our plates and laid out a tempting array of desserts and coffee. The chatter continued around us, but to me it was only a buzzing of voices as Mari and I continued our discussion on my vision for the perfect coordinator to handle logistics for GH Security.

Mari sipped her coffee. “I believe the person I’m thinking of would be perfect. Can I send them over to your office tomorrow?”

I eyed her speculatively. Mari wasn’t beyond tricks and I hoped to hell I’d conveyed the seriousness of my situation. “This person better be legitimate, Mari. We’re friends but I’m not in the position to hire someone just because they are your friend. If you send me over one of your broken subby toys, I will take you over my knee. I don’t care if you are a Domme.” She tended to play with men and women who were so needy that I shuddered at the thought of having to work with one of them.

Mari cackled. “Oh, I’m so scared, Master Heimdall. No, this person is not and has never been under my heel. I wouldn’t dream of screwing with your business that way.”

I didn’t like the addition of the words “that way” but I trusted my friend. She batted her eyelashes at me and I nodded, even knowing I was probably getting suckered. I turned back to the dessert plates and grabbed a few treats. Hopefully, I wouldn’t regret agreeing to meet with her friend too much.