Chapter Sixteen #2
girlfriend’s father was comfortable with the lifestyle.
“Dad will buy the truck, and it will be new and it will have
all the bells and whistles and cup holders because his precious daughter is
going to be driven around in it,” Olivia vowed, her voice low. “It seems only
right since he was willing to put a good man in jail over a misunderstanding.”
“There was no misunderstanding,” Jack shot back. “You were
drugged and someone tried to kidnap you. But I was wrong about the who. And
yes, I will obviously be providing the truck, which will have all the comforts
my baby girl needs.”
“Mr. Barnes,” Keane began.
Garrett would stop him, but some things had to be learned.
“Now you listen to me, Keane,” Jack said with determination.
“I don’t want to hear about your pride. Pride’s got nothing to do in the face
of family. I know I was a jackass. Believe me, that message has been delivered
by several people tonight. The good news is I don’t have any other children I
can lose my cool over, so this is it. I expect you two to marry her eventually
so I don’t fuck up again. Livie, I’m going to get in that helicopter and head
back to Dallas before Julian tries to bury me on my own land. The house is
yours for another couple of days, but I’m watching. Your men promised to keep
an eye on you. It goes against everything in my body to leave you, but you
trust them and your momma thinks you need some time alone with them.” He leaned
over and kissed his daughter’s forehead. “I love you. Forgive me so I don’t
have to be in the doghouse with my entire family.”
Olivia’s eyes went bright with tears. “You’re forgiven. But
he does need a new truck if he’s going to work here. And we’ll need to fix the
offices as soon as possible because Garrett needs his own office so he doesn’t
have to listen to me and Josh argue all the time.”
“Olivia, I’m only here until your brother gets back,” Keane
said.
“Her brother is fired as the foreman of the ranch,” her dad
announced. “And hired as co-president of Barnes-Fleetwood. I’ll let Lucas know
that since he thinks so highly of you, I’ve decided to hire you on. That should
shut my brother up.”
“I…” Keane began.
Garrett put a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want to be that
far from Olivia? She obviously needs someone to watch her. She gets into a lot
of trouble.”
Jack’s smile brightened. “I hadn’t thought about that. With
two men on her, Sam and I can relax.” He leaned in, eyes narrowing. “But know
if you ever hurt her…”
“They’ll have to deal with me,” Olivia announced. “And my
friends. I happen to know Gigi has been waiting to use her nursing skills in
the field.”
Keane’s shoulders came down from around his ears. “You’ll
keep us in line, won’t you, little brat?”
“And it’s time for me to go.” Jack held out a hand. “Keane,
I’m truly sorry for rushing to judgment. I hope you’ll give me a second
chance.”
Garrett rather thought Jack and Keane would get along real
nice.
Keane shook his hand. “You were looking out for your
daughter, sir.”
Jack nodded and started to walk toward the door that led to
the hall before turning back one last time. “And Keane, you might not have had
a father before, but I hope you’ll view me as one in the future. Loving my
daughter makes you my son. Don’t you forget that. Take care of her. Prove my
faith is not mistaken.”
He turned and walked out.
Keane was still. Olivia immediately softened and moved to
wrap her arms around their Dom.
“He means it. I’m still mad at him, but once he makes a
decision, it’s done,” Olivia said. “He’s going to do his best by you. I know he
can be annoyingly overprotective, but he’s a great dad. He’s a good boss, too.
I hope you’ll give him a chance.”
Keane’s arms enveloped her. “Of course I will. He’s your
dad. I’ll always give him grace. Did I thank you for saving me tonight?”
“I just told you the truth,” she whispered.
Garrett moved around to her other side so they surrounded
her. “I knew you could do it. It’s why I stayed away. I never doubted you for a
second. I knew you wouldn’t reject us.”
“Never.” She kissed Keane and then turned her head and
kissed Garrett, too. Then she moved slightly back. “Keane, do you have
something to say to our partner?”
“Why don’t I show him? I’m better with actions than words.”
Keane stepped in and that big warm hand was around the back of Garrett’s neck
again and he was close. So fucking close. He’d been in bed with Keane a
thousand times with a woman between them, but Olivia was standing to the side,
her lips curled in the sweetest smile.
Was Keane about to?
His first instinct was fear. Not because he didn’t want
Keane. It was exactly what Jack had said. He was afraid they would mess up the
best relationship they ever had.
Or they could add to it. They could let go of fear and
become what they had always wanted to be. A family. Him and Keane and Olivia.
All together. No boundaries. No fences. The three of them. Forever.
When Keane’s lips pressed against his, Garrett let go. This
was his best friend, his Master, one of his two loves. It was right. The time
was now.
The kiss was soft at first, and then electric as Keane
seemed to let his Dom side flow. After a moment of play his tongue came out,
demanding entry. With a gasp of submission, Garrett let him in and felt his
whole body shift to arousal. Olivia was right there.
“You’re so beautiful together, my Masters,” she whispered.
Keane stepped back, a look of pure lust in his eyes. “Then
we should get home. It was a long day, and I could use a session. But Garrett,
tonight you submit.”
Garrett nodded. “Yes, Master.”
Tonight they began all over again, and he couldn’t wait.
* * * *
Keane opened the door to the main house. It was
basically a construction zone, but the redesign was coming together.
However, the playroom was still untouched. He’d heard Gabe
say he would be working there next week, but it was still theirs for a few
days. He intended to use them.
“You’re sure your dad is okay with this?” Garrett asked.
“My dad is happy I didn’t explode,” Olivia returned. “He’s
fine. He’ll be okay now. I know he seems like a hardass, but he’s honestly one
of the two best dads in the world. And you should know he will mean it when he
calls you son. He treats Aidan like a son and Nicole like a daughter. He adopted
Grim and put him through school. Once my father loves you, it’s the kind of
thing you can depend on.”
“I’m good with your father,” Keane assured her. He hadn’t
had a long talk with Jack Barnes yet, but he knew it was coming and he wasn’t
afraid of it. “I don’t know how good I’ll be at being anyone’s son, but I think
he’ll be patient with me. The man is scared of you.”
It was obvious that Jack Barnes had married a strong woman
and then raised one.
She smiled and locked the door. “He knows what’s good for
him. I think you’ll find the women of my mother’s line are fierce.”
Keane felt a deep thrum of anticipation in his body. It was
like a wave that swept every other emotion out to sea. Every single one except
love and desire.
And maybe for the first time in years, hope.
But damn, lust was in there. Lust for Olivia and her
outrageous curves and softness. Lust for Garrett, with his masculine beauty and
hard lines.
His subs.
Garrett should look exhausted, but there was a restless
energy to him that Keane hoped was anticipation.
That kiss. Finally, that kiss. Opening a door he thought
he’d closed and locked out of fear, but Olivia held the key.
“I’m hiring a criminal defense attorney,” Olivia announced.
“Just on retainer in case we need her, but I’ve got a call in and I want her
aware of what’s happening.”
They were his, and that meant he had to take care of them.
In order to take care of them, he couldn’t give up on himself. And he couldn’t
be stubborn. She was looking at him like the glorious brat she was, like she
was ready to fight him.
He was done fighting the good things in his life. He might
have spent the first thirty years of his life scared and betrayed time and time
again, but no more. He’d found his team. The one he wanted to do life with, to
spend all his years with. “All right. You tell me where you need me and I’ll be
honest about everything.”
Garrett let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the universe. I
thought you were going to be a stubborn asshole again.”
He needed to start setting them up for success by letting
Garrett know he was racking up the punishments. “That’s ten. Don’t insult your
Dom.”
Garrett went silent.
“Just like that?” Olivia looked a little wary.
He nodded and moved into her space. “Just like that. It was
pointed out to me earlier that my subs are smart and beyond capable, and I
should listen to them outside of play like they listen to me inside it.”
“More than inside play,” Olivia insisted. “Master, you
always give good advice. You are always there for us. I know it hasn’t been
long, but I feel safe with you and Garrett. This is a sore spot for you. We all
have them. Let us do our jobs and play to our strengths and you’ll find
everything works out.”
He leaned over and kissed her nose. “Smart sub.” He let his
forehead rest against hers. “Now I need some advice from you. I’ve never told a
man I love him before. I’ve never taken a man I loved. Obviously, it’s not my
first time…”
Her hands came up to cup his cheeks, and her eyes shone in
the low light. “That was not consensual. This is your first time. It’s your
first time with the only man you’ll ever love.”
“Fuck.” Garrett had a hand over his heart. Like it hurt.
Maybe they were going too fast. “Garrett, you control this.
Nothing has to happen that you don’t want. We can stay the way we are. I just
don’t want you to go. If you need me to, I’ll lock this feeling away. It never
has to come out. I can love you other ways.”
Garrett’s eyes came up, softer than before. “Do you have any
idea how long I’ve wanted to feel your hand on my backside? I’m a switch,
Master. A true switch, and I haven’t ever…aside from training…”
He’d never gotten what he needed. All those years. All the