FAZER LOGIN“What?” Ben asked wearily.“Are you pissed that I told them?”I’m more pissed about the shitty things you said to me regarding the land deal. “I’ll get over it. Eventually.”“Well, that’s…good, I guess. I’ll see you around.” Dalton practically ran out.Ben sort of felt sorry for him. Sort of.Quinn stepped behind the bar. Ben sat on the barstool between Gavin and Chase. Which was strange because Ben usually kept the bar as a buffer between himself and those he served.Maybe that’s an indication of how you view the world.“Drinks all around, boys,” Quinn said lining up four shot glasses and filling them with Scotch. He raised his glass. Paused. “What the hell are we drinking to?”“To Dalton bein’ a dumbass,” Chase drawled.They laughed and clinked their glasses together.Gavin motioned for Quinn to set ’em up again. “As much as you won’t apologize for the lifestyle you lead behind closed doors, I won’t apologize for buying Rielle’s place. So if you want to berate me, go ahead. But I do
He’d be touched by Dalton’s concern if he wasn’t so f**king mad. If he wasn’t so f**king mortified he’d have to look his brothers in the eye and admit, yes, part of what Dalton said was true.Ben expected silence as his brothers tried to process Dalton’ accusations.But Quinn started to laugh. His older brother, who defined restrained, laughed so hysterically tears rolled down his face. He laughed so hard he doubled over on the couch. He’d look up at Dalton, then at Ben, and cackle, giggle and wheeze with laughter.Not the reaction Ben had predicted.Finally, Quinn calmed down. He wiped his eyes. He addressed Dalton, who’d taken a seat during Quinn’s laughing fit. “I understand your concern, okay? I don’t know how I would’ve reacted seein’ Ben in that situation. But you’ve taken it totally out of context.”“Bullshit.”“So you ever been to a bar or a club in a big city like what you seen in Gillette?”“That don’t matter. This ain’t about me.”“You’re laying all Ben’s secrets bare. I’m
“Your hand is fine.”“You sure?” A loud mechanical buzz sounded next to her ear. “Because I found this on your nightstand.”“I didn’t plan to use it. I swear.”“Such a liar.” He nibbled on the back of her neck, sending a shudder through her. “I think you planned to give yourself a little treat before you fell asleep.”“No.”“Let’s see how this works.” He’d lubed up her rabbit vibrator; the cool silicone easily slipped inside her. He turned on all the moving parts at once—a total blitz on her senses. She’d already teetered on that elusive point and this would kick her right over the edge.When he started pinching the tender skin on the inside of her thighs, she tried to close her legs against the intense pleasure.He hissed, “Don’t deny yourself this. Don’t lie to yourself that you don’t like what I’m doin’ to you.”Why did that feel so good? Was she a masochist for craving more of that pain?Light pinches on her thicker folds of skin gave way to smaller, faster pinches. As she spirale
There was the game-ending blow. It’d been ages since he’d felt such a wash of shame. Since he’d felt like an outcast. And then he topped off those failings with the fear that no decent woman—like Ainsley—would ever love him because of his tendencies. Hidden fears that smacked him in the face today from his cousin’s accusations.Ben remained in the room a long time, emotions warring. He fingered the beautifully made whip. Device of torture? Instrument of pleasure? His supposed expertise gnawed at him. He’d honed his skills on cattle. What would his family say if they knew he regularly used it on people? On women? Would they be ashamed? Should he be ashamed?So Dalton hadn’t been totally off base.Ben felt raw. Used. Confused. Lonely. As much as he’d broadened Ainsley’s horizon, she’d broadened his too. He glanced around the room. He felt nothing. No pride, or excitement or anger. No anticipation for what might be in store for him for future nights with future subs. He just wanted to go
“You oughten be watchin’ me, Zoe. You oughta be focused on how you’re gonna breathe through the first blow. ’Cause I guarantee it’s gonna hurt.”The crowd murmured behind them.“Blindfold her.”Zoe gasped and turned to glare at Ben. “What? No, you can’t—”Ben grabbed her jaw, tilting her face up. “I most certainly can, because you’re the one trussed up in chains, not me. And if you don’t show me respect, since this is now my scene? When I’ve deemed that you are done with the pain portion? I won’t let Brian touch you. At all. All you’ll feel is pain. Nothin’ else. So choose.”She lowered her eyes. “I apologize for my behavior, Sir.”Brian tied on the blindfold.At the first whip crack, the crowd moved back.“Brian. Distract her.”As soon as Brian’s lips touched hers, Zoe relaxed. She arched into him, making soft noises as he broke the kiss.“Count. Starting from one.” Ben placed the first blow on the fleshy part of Zoe’s right shoulder.“One. Thank you, Sir.”Ben kept moving, walking c
“Anything we can help with?”Ben looked from Cliff to Mary Jane. Maybe it was fated they ended up at his table tonight, given the last couple days. He knew Mary Jane had a high-powered job as an oil company executive, so maybe she could shed light on what’d happened with Ainsley. “Would you allow me to speak freely to your sub, Cliff?”“Mary Jane? You have permission to speak to Bennett.”“Thank you, Sir.” Mary Jane raised her eyes to Ben’s. “What may I help you with?”“This might sound like a strange question, but would your job be affected if anyone you worked with discovered you were a sexual submissive?”“In my job right now? Probably not.”See? Ainsley was just making up excuses not to be with you.“But bear in mind I’m five years from retirement. If I was a young woman just starting out? Especially in a male-dominated industry? That would be the kiss of death for my career.”Ben froze.“Also remember I’m a sexual submissive to my husband of three decades. I’m not a single woman
“You must travel a lot, then.”“Yep. It’s fun at first. Rodeo folks are the best in the world. It’s like a big ol’ family reunion. Then about halfway through the summer season we just wanna get back home, have a normal life, if that’s possible with a kid and a ranch to run.”“Where are you from?”“Buff
He smiled tightly. “Sure. As long as we don’t have to wait around for them because I’m starvin’.”“I’m pretty hungry, too.”His gaze landed on the parcel centered on the mattress in the sleeping compartment. “Close your eyes, and hold out your hands—I’ve got a surprise for you.”For a second it seemed
Edward scowled at that, his face growing as dark as a thundercloud.“They crowed over the fact that they had managed to capture both your son and wife.”Edward leaned forward, his eyes intense. “Did they say anything else? Did they identify themselves? Did you recognize their crest?”Slowly she shook h
“There you go again, Keeley,” she mumbled. Her flights of fancy often veered dramatically to the absurd. The tales she spun in her head would make a bard look boring.His colors were unfamiliar to her, but then she had never been farther than McDonald land in her life.She had no hope of getting him t







