Chapter 6
“Where’s Jolie?” Brand demanded as soon as he saw Derek Hawkins approach him in the reception area of the Ranch.
He’d just checked in and been given his key card. A quiet, older man called Moses had grabbed his bag for him. Brand guessed he was taking it to his room. He didn’t know and didn’t much care. The other guy could steal his stuff and he wouldn’t give a crap.
All he wanted was to check on Jolie.
Derek stilled, his eyebrows raising.
Yeah, Brand was being a rude jerk.
No, he didn’t much care.
“Look, man. I appreciate the invitation to sing at the picnic or celebration or whatever. And the fact that you let me come stay early. But we both know the real reason I’m here, and it’s not about some free accommodation and a Fourth of July celebration.”
“I know that. But we have some rules here on the Ranch. Come into my office for a moment.”
Brand barely bit back an impatient sigh. Derek waved his hand at a chair and Brand sat, his foot jiggling.
“You don’t look like you got much sleep,” Derek observed.
More like none at all.
That’s why he’d had four coffees already this morning.
“Did you get a chance to read the information that Erika sent you about Rawhide Ranch?”
“Yeah.” It had made for some interesting reading. He hadn’t been aware that places like this one actually existed.
“Then you know our aim is to provide a safe place for Littles and submissives. A place where they can be cared for and protected?”
“Yeah,” he replied. He didn’t like that people needed a place like this, but it was good to know it existed.
It did make him wonder what brought Jolie here. Was she a sub? A Little?
She had to be, right? He couldn’t see her as a Domme. Nah, that didn’t feel right at all.
He’d known he was a Dominant ever since his uncle took him to his first BDSM club back when he was in his early twenties. He was confident he could meet Jolie’s needs if she were a sub.
And what if she’s a Little?
He frowned. He’d give Jolie whatever she needed. Whatever she wanted. If she was a Little, would she be fully reliant on him? Would she want him to make all of the decisions? To choose what she wore and ate and did?
He had to admit, part of him craved control like that.
A lot.
“Have you spent any time with Littles? Have you ever wanted to?” Derek asked.
“One of my best friends is a Daddy Dom. His wife is his Little. I used to get jealous sometimes, watching them together. Not because I wanted Lydia, but of their closeness. The way he took care of her. That bond.” He frowned. “I don’t really have much time in my life for a relationship. Being on the road makes it hard… and you’re really easy to talk to.”
Derek just smiled. “Did you fill out the forms that Erika sent you last night?”
“Yep.” He’d had to get them printed off at the business suite of the hotel he’d been staying in. But it’s not like he’d had anything else to do other than worry about Jolie.
He drew them out of his back pocket. They’d been folded several times and were crinkled, but still readable. “I filled in the NDA too.” He was glad for the NDA. The last thing he wanted was anyone gossiping about him being here. Or seeing him and Jolie together.
People seemed overly interested in his personal life, and he got it. That didn’t mean he was ready to share anything with them.
Derek passed his gaze over the papers that listed his likes and dislikes, then the sheet that listed the rules and his agreement to follow them. Again, Brand was grateful for the no photos or videos rule.
That meant he might skate through this without anything leaking to the press. Although he wasn’t holding his breath.
And if it happened, then it happened.
His family knew he was a Dominant. And at the end of the day, they were the only ones whose opinions mattered. It wasn’t like he was tying up unwilling partners and torturing them. That didn’t mean the press wouldn’t try to twist it to sound like that.
“You should get a report from my doctor’s office with all of my tests. But I’m clean. Now, where is Jolie?”
Derek looked at his watch. “Doctor Nelson should be finished with her.”
“How sick is she? Are you sure she doesn’t need a hospital?” Fuck. Maybe he should have gotten pushier last night about seeing her.
“I can’t tell you what’s wrong with her. That’s up to Jolie. But we kept her in the infirmary as a precaution since she didn’t have anyone to take care of her.”
“She’s got me now.”
“I thought you might say that. Follow me.”
Brand followed the big man through the building. It was an impressive place, a lot bigger than Brand had thought.
“I’ll give you a quick rundown of where everything is. The lower level holds the Dungeon, indoor playground and arcade, as well as a gym, pool, and private-themed playrooms.”
Interesting.
“On the second level, you can find the ageplay-themed playrooms.” Derek gave him a pointed look.
“The third level holds the Little dorms. No guest is allowed up there unescorted.”
Brand nodded impatiently. He had no interest in going there or anywhere else.
Except for where Jolie was.
“This level has the guest suites where you’ll be staying. A shop, café, restaurants, library, offices, the infirmary, and the Littles’ Wing where both Littles who live here or are guests can enroll in the programs we offer.”
“Okay, cool,” he said impatiently. “So where is the infirmary?”
“This way.” He pointed to his right, before walking off.
Brand followed him.
“More information about everything can be found in your room if you want to do any of the activities we have.”
“Okay, sure.”
They reached a door with Infirmary written on it.
“We’ll just wait—” Derek broke off as Brand stepped forward and opened the door, walking in. “Or we won’t. There could have been other people in here.”
Yeah, Brand hadn’t thought of that until he’d walked in.
Oops.
“Yeah, sorry,” he muttered, looking around.
There she was in a bed. There was an older man and woman talking to her.
Brand strode over with Derek following behind him. The man frowned at him, although his face cleared of annoyance when he saw Derek behind him.
“Ahh, good. I was just telling Jolie that we can take her off the drip and send her back to her room. But as she’s still unwell, I don’t want her to be completely on her own. Nurse Beverly will be checking in on her throughout the day.”
Jolie turned her head toward them, her eyes widening as she spotted Brand bearing down on her.
“B-brand? You’re… you’re back?”
His gaze ran over her. “Fuck, you look like shit.”
He was pretty certain someone groaned, but he didn’t look up. This was who he was. He was blunt. He didn’t sugarcoat his words. But as he watched Jolie shrink into herself, her gaze dropping, he wished he had held back instead of just blurting out what he thought.
Fuck.
He might need to learn how to filter a bit. At least when it came to Jolie. It seemed that her skin might not be as tough as he’d thought it was.
And he hated the idea that he might hurt her.
“Bumblebee, I didn’t mean anything by that. I’m just… fuck, I’ve been awake all night worrying about you.”
Surprise filled her face. “You have?”
“Yeah, baby, I have.” He ran his gaze over her pale face, the dark marks under her eyes. She looked like she’d lost weight. How was that even possible? It was only a few days since he’d last seen her.
She looked so small in the bed, her dark-blonde hair lank and messy, her nose red from blowing it too often.
His poor girl appeared to be so damn miserable.
A wave of affection and caring caught him by surprise. He wanted to pick her up, cradle her close. Tell her that he would take care of her, wouldn’t let anything or anyone touch her.
When was the last time he’d put someone ahead of himself? Someone who wasn’t a member of his family?
He couldn’t even remember.
Yeah. He’d categorically turned into a selfish asshole.
Time for that to change if he was going to convince her she belonged to him.
“Guess I look like shit, too, huh?” he said with a grin.
Her lips twitched. “It’s not a competition. But I definitely look worse than you.”
“Not possible. I’ve got bags under my eyes to rival a 747.”
“Well, I’ve got a nose that puts Rudolph’s to shame,” she told him.
“I’m more pasty than a snow cone without a flavor.”
“Well, I… have…” she started coughing before she could finish that sentence.
Brand reached over and grabbed the glass of water the nurse had picked up and took it from her. Then he slid one hand behind Jolie’s head while holding the glass up to her mouth. “Drink slowly, baby.”
Fuck. What did he know about taking care of someone who was ill?
Pretty much zilch. But hey, he could always call his mom. She’d taken care of him plenty when he was sick. Or one of his sisters. His nephews always seemed to be coughing or snotty or something.
He had this.
He totally had it.
Jolie drew her head back, staring up at him in amazement. Yeah, he knew he deserved that look. He slid his hand away from the back of her head, laying her back down.
“Do you need some more water?”
She shook her head, then winced as though that had hurt.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he demanded, glaring over at the older man and woman.
“Do you have a headache, Jolie?” the man asked.
“Just a bit of one.”
Which probably meant it was killing her. He’d noticed that when it came to her own comfort and care, she tended to downplay everything.
“She needs painkillers,” he barked.
“Brand, meet Doctor Nelson and Nurse Beverly. They’ve been taking care of Jolie.” There was a note of censure in Derek’s voice.
Okay, then. They’d been looking after his girl, and he should probably be nicer.
Fine. He could play nice. He could even be charming when he needed to be. Most of the time, it was all a show, of course.
Because deep down, he was a surly bastard.
But he smiled at them both. “I’m sorry. You’ll have to forgive me. I’ve been awake all night worrying over Jolie, and it’s made me forget my manners. I’m Brand Starr.” He held out his hand to each of them. They shook it, but they still didn’t look overly impressed.
He didn’t really care as long as they were taking good care of his girl.
“You’re not due for another hour for painkillers, I’m afraid, Jolie,” Nurse Beverly told her.
“That’s all good. I’ll be fine.” Jolie gave the older woman a tired smile. “Can I go back to my room now?”
“You can. We’ll arrange a chair for you,” the doctor said. “Nurse Beverly will be in to check on you several times, all right? And we have your medication all ready as well. She can administer it for you.”
“All right. Thanks. That’s really kind. You’ve all gone above and beyond for me, and I appreciate it. I hope I haven’t been too much of a hassle.”
He frowned at that. Why would she think she was a hassle?
“Of course you haven’t,” the doctor reassured her.
Jolie pushed at the blankets covering her. She was wearing a pair of blue pinstripe pajamas. They looked like men’s pajamas.
He didn’t like that.
A shiver ran through her, and he jumped forward to tug the blankets back up.
“What are you doing? I need those off so I can walk.”
“You’re shivering,” he said. “Keep them on.”
“Brand.” She shot him a look.
“Jolie.” He gave her a far sterner look. “Do as you’re told.”
She huffed out a breath, but it sounded wheezy, and she let go of the blankets.
Yeah. Few people could out-stubborn him. He spotted something he hadn’t noticed before. It must have been hiding under the blankets with Jolie.
A teddy bear?
So she was a Little?
She noticed where he was looking and tucked the teddy bear back under the blankets, her cheeks growing red.
Derek cleared his throat behind him.
“I’ll get the wheelchair,” the nurse said. “And a blanket to keep you warm.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Brand told her. “I’ll be carrying Jolie back to our room. And you don’t need to check up on her. You can give me the instructions for her medicine and whatever else she needs. Although I would appreciate that blanket to wrap around her, I don’t want her getting cold.”