Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
L ike most of our outings, we left the apartment surrounded by four security guards. We weren’t leaving the property, but we would be switching to the next building, and I wanted to take Rayna outside. She’d never seen the Quadrangle at night in all its glory. We rode down to the lobby and through the back exit to one of many employed only passageways between the buildings. There were underground tunnels, too, but the only fresh air my girl had gotten in the last two months was on my pool deck at twenty-four stories in the air.
As we approached the door, Rayna pulled on my hand.
“It’s okay.” I leaned over and kissed the side of her head. “It’s safe.”
We stepped out and Rayna’s eyes grew big as the rise of the three buildings reached the stars.
“Wow.” She stopped and spun around. The little pink and black dress she picked out spun around her and showed a hint of her ruffled boy shorts. It made my dick hard.
“They’re huge.” She skipped to the center of the passageway and craned her neck up. “I can’t even see the top.” She pointed to Quad III. “Is that the apartment?”
I came up behind her and supported her as she leaned against my chest for a better angle. “Yes.” I spun her around. “Randall lives up there.” I pointed to the top of Quad II with its protruding top floor. The building reminded me of the letter T.
“It looks like it’s going to fall off the top.” She stared up at me. “And that’s Quad I, she pointed to the building furthest away.
“Yes.” I took her hand and walked her towards the building next door. “And, this is Quad IV.”
“Why is it so much smaller?” She asked.
“Ask Chandler.” I laughed and pulled her along.
She took another look back as we entered Quad IV. Up a few stairs to the service elevator, I pressed the fourth floor, and the wide steel structure jolted and ambled upwards.
I ran my thumb up and down the side of Rayna’s palm. She was a bundle of energy, twitching and flicking her thumb and index finger back and forth like the day I met her. She’d forgotten about the plug in her ass. I reached behind her and tapped on it.
She gasped under her breath. A little reminder calmed her down. She glared up at me. I laid a quick kiss on her lips. The doors opened, and we exited the elevator. Patrick, on point, walked down the hall. Once it was clear, he waved us forward.
Another gasped from Rayna had me thinking about cutting dinner short. With the tea party at the club, it was going to be a long night, and I owed this to Rayna. Before she left me, I wanted her to see what her life would be like when she returned.
The open room had been redesigned since the last time I was here. The walls were painted a deep purple and the carpet a shag black. A small setting area with a couch and chairs sat in the corner near the floor to ceiling windows. The marble dining table had patterns of starts and swirls, like the night sky. I told Josh to keep it simple, but the table was set for a feast.
Chandler was sprawled on the couch on the phone. A young woman kneeled at his feet with her hands on her thighs, her head bowed. At least she was clothed, mostly. I recognized her as one of the house subs. She was new. A pretty girl dressed in a strapless black dress hugged her slight frame. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.
Rayna noticed her and pulled on my sleeve.
“I got to go.” Chandler got off the phone.
“Rayna.” He stood up and approached us with open arms. I was curious as to what Rayna would do. Chandler had been nice to her, but their interactions had been limited to discussions on how she got here and keeping her safe.
Rayna hid behind me.
“Let’s take it down a notch, Chandler.” I turned to face Rayna. “Don’t worry. Chandler won’t bite.”
“Well, not without consent.” He chuckled.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
He shrugged.
“Rayna.” He held his hand out, and to my surprise, she looked up to me for approval. I nodded. She took his hand. “I’m so glad you could come to my side of the world.”
He walked with Rayna over to the window.
I peaked in on Chef George and his staff. They were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Again, Josh went all out. While Chandler was the ultimate hostess, Josh was the party planner.
As I returned, Chandler and Rayna were standing over the kneeling woman.
“Rayna, this is Lindsey,” Chandler said.
“Hi.” Rayna waved. Lindsey stiffened but didn’t respond.
“Let me explain what Lindsey is doing.” Chandler smirked over at me. “She is a new house sub, and she is training for high protocol. Do you know what that is?”
Rayna shook her head. She stared down at Lindsey.
“A sub in high protocol means they are following a set of predetermined rules in more of a service dynamic.” Chandler patted Rayna’s arm. “Some of our dominants enjoy this type of service during a formal dinners and play parties. She’s not allowed to talk to you or acknowledge anyone except for her Dom.”
“You’re her Dom?” Rayna asked.
“For training purposes, yes.” He kneeled in front of Lindsey but continued to speak to Rayna. “She is trained to be completely in tune with her Dom and his needs. And she will follow instructions without hesitation.”
“But why?”
I smiled. My inquisitive little girl.
“Because she has agreed to.” Chandler petting Lindsey and she melted into his touch. “She is a submissive, and it makes her feel good to submit to a dominant personality. You understand?”
“I think so,” Rayna said, but her head shook no. We’d talk about it more later. She wasn’t na?ve to the Dom/sub dynamic, but the more complicated concepts and how we do things here at Quad IV would be new to her. I couldn’t wait to share all of it with her.
Randall stormed through the front door of the suite. Rayna gasped and scooted behind Chandler. He scanned the room and then made a beeline for the table and lowered himself into the last seat on the left. It dawned on me he’d be sitting on Rayna’s other side.
I moved the chair back and took a seat at the head of the table.
“Rayna, come here.” I motioned for her. She dropped Chandler’s hand and shuffled over to me. I guided her onto my lap. “That rude gentleman who stormed in and didn’t say hello is Randall.” He wore a dark black suit and satin black shirt.
“Nice to meet you.” Rayna waved. Randall stared at Rayna and waved back. Josh entered next.
“Everyone here?” He scanned the room and adjusted a fork in one of the place settings.
“Tyler,” Chandler and Randall said in unison.
Rayna’s head swung back to Randall. “You speak.”
“When I have something to say, little one.” Randall winked at Rayna.
She shivered.
I wrapped her hand protectively around her middle. “Don’t scare her in the first five minutes of meeting her.”
Randall chuckled. “I don’t scare you, do I, Rayna?”
“Nope.” She shook her head, and he winked again.
His amused expression pleased me. Randall didn’t take to people often. When he did take a liking to someone, he put all his attention on them. I enjoyed seeing him open. Most of the time, he was stoic and unflappable. Completely closed off to strangers.
“I’m here.” Tyler jogged into the room and stopped in the middle, as if he wasn’t sure which way to go. He took in the room. Lindsey kneeling near the sofa and Rayna in my lap looked wide eyed around the room.
“We have strangers.” Tyler sauntered over to the table and flopped in the chair. “I know Lindsey, but who is this?”
“I’m Rayna.” She sat up straight and crossed her arms over her chest. “And, I’m not a stranger.”
“My apologies Rayna. You’re our little ward.” He emphasized the word little. Rayna bristled. I tapped her bottom, and she relaxed back into me. “So, we're just seeing each other’s faces. I assume no business to discuss if we’re in mixed company.”
“I sent an agenda.” Josh grabbed his phone from his back pocket. “Yep, says right here you received it. Did you read it?”
“Yes.” A drink appeared in front of Tyler, and he downed it and waved for another. “I read it.” Tyler had a whine to his voice on any given day, but it was more pronounced today.
“Is there something going on with you?” I sat Rayna on her feet, stood and pulled out the chair next to me. Randall watched her the whole time. I remained standing and glared at Tyler.
“No, Sir.” He grew quiet and sat up straight. He wasn’t afraid of me, but I did practically raise him. He had the least amount of time with our parents and only knew me as a father figure. Maybe he didn’t like me babying someone else? Although, we never babied him. He was as a part of the success of Grant Enterprises as the rest of us.
“Chandler.” I motioned for him to join us.
He leaned over and kissed the top of Tyler’s head and sat down next to him.
Josh sat on my other side.
“I did want to see your faces.” The wait staff poured wine. They gave Rayna a half pour. She looked up at me. I nodded. I loved the way she sought out my permission and approval. “We missed last month, and I don’t want that to happen again.”
Everyone nodded.
“First, let’s raise our glasses.” I held mine up. “Toast to family and business and new adventures for us all.” I winked at Rayna. She blushed and clinked glasses with me before taking a tentative sip.
I sat back down, and Josh went through the agenda over the first two courses. Rayna listened intently, but didn’t interject or interrupt. She seemed to be fascinated by everything. At times she would forget about the plug in her ass and move funny and let out a gasp or give me those beautiful eyes. I had no clue what I would do if I couldn’t see her gorgeous face every day.
I had been looking for someone special like her since my first little left me. Being around Rayna gave me a sense of purpose. I never thought I would find happiness again, but I did, in the form of a five-foot four sassy little with baby doll eyes, a perfect pouty mouth and an affinity for spy movies and Japanese cartoons.
“Kyler.” I blinked. Rayna watched me.
She reached for my hand. “You okay, Daddy?”
I squeezed it back. “More than okay, little girl.” I leaned in and kissed her. She blushed. “Eat your salad.” I turned back to my brothers. “I don’t want the charity to be a publicity stunt. I want it to be about something real. It’s still a great cause and we will be meeting a need, even if no one knows we are doing it.”
“We are bringing in someone new to run it?” Chandler asked. “Josh, you have enough on your plate as is.”
“Josh and I talked about it and he’s going to transition over to director after the Paris renovations are done.” I nodded at Josh.
“Are you overseeing Europe?” Randall asked. “Who’s going to look after Rayna when you’re gone?”
“Babysit is more like it,” Tyler chimed in with a disrespectful smirk.
“I don’t need a babysitter. Thank you very much.” Rayna frowned. “I’m not the one who’s acting like a brat.” She glared at Tyler.
Tyler opened his mouth.
But Chandler whispered in his ear, and it shut him up. He put his hands in his lap and stared at the lettuce on his plate.
“Let’s keep thinking about it, but put it on the back burner for now, okay?” I nodded.
The guys all nodded in agreement.
I stood up. “If you all will excuse me for a minute.” I turned to Rayna. “Follow me, please.”
Rayna looked around the table and then pushed her chair back and stood up.
I stepped out on the balcony. She followed close behind. It seemed Rayna needed a reminder of the rules.