Assumed Master (19 page)

They found Allen standing at the edge of the
patio looking out over the back yard where a rather lewd game of Twister was
going on. Julie laughed at the fact it wasn’t human lawn darts or some such
thing. She was familiar with the rules and felt a bit sorry, albeit it laced
with envy, for the sub currently trying to keep her oily body upright. She had
her right foot on a giant yellow dot while her left big toe barely skimmed a
red dot between her hip and shoulder. One hand touched a blue splotch above her
head and her other arm was stretched beneath her torso where her palm was
touching a green patch. Her Dom had strapped a butterfly between her legs which
was currently humming a tune across her clit making it nearly impossible for
her to stay in position as she huffed for breath, willing her orgasm at bay as
the handsome young man in a snappy pair of leathers stood watching.

"If you come before I tell you to, I’ll
take a crop to your ass," he told her, turning up the speed on the device.
He laughed when she jumped. "Don’t fall. I hate losing."

Julie knew house rules dictated the sub that
fell in the least amount of time lost the game for her Dom and the punishments
usually weren’t pretty.
Although they were almost always
satisfying in the end.

"Did I tell you yet how amazing you look?
Sure you wouldn’t rather bottom for
me
tonight, sweetheart?" Allen asked, turning and looking at Julie. "We
could give them a run for their money I’m sure."

"Not likely, Sir," Julie answered,
walking into his arms and letting him envelope her in a warm embrace that slid
over her soul like honey on a hot biscuit. "Maybe ten years ago, when I
could still contort this body like a pretzel and not pay for it the next
morning."

Since first meeting her and figuring out they
weren’t chemically in tune with each other, Allen had been through two wives
and was currently seeking number three. It seemed no matter how much chemistry
he could create with someone, it was the heart department where he had a hard
time finding a match. And although they'd agreed from the get-go they could
never be anything more than friends, she knew Allen had never let go of the
idea he and Julie could service each other when the mood struck and he'd even teased
Mason relentlessly about it over the years. Now she supposed he felt it his
duty to pass that teasing on to Dante, an inheritance he probably found much
less appealing than ownership of her.

"You always made a perfectly gorgeous
pretzel, though," Allen offered, pulling back and planting a kiss on her
forehead.

"You flatter me, Sir." Julie smiled
and looked around at the bevy of what she assumed were subs on the prowl,
hunting Masters. "Anyone on the marriage radar screen yet?"

Allen merely rolled his eyes, a twinkle
erupting, and Julie knew it was a resounding no and he wasn’t even giving it
serious thought. "I’m vetting. Think any of them can be the queen of my
castle if only for a night and in title only?" He ran a suggestive finger
under Julie’s chin and tilted her head up. "What say you, sweetheart? See
anyone worthy?"

Definitive amusement tugged at Julie. That was
the way it had always been. This was indeed Allen’s castle and he ran it like a
king ran his court. Club parties were merely outlets for which all the subjects
of the kinky kingdom came to entertain and be entertained. Then her heart sank
a bit at the look in his amber colored eyes she couldn’t quite place, but
recognized as something akin to defeat. Alan was nearly old enough to retire,
but he was far from dead. What the hell was going on?

"I think it would take a very strong
woman to stand up to the likes of you, Sir," she answered, trying to
bolster his ego a bit.

"Love, would you like to keep Allen
company
for a while?" Dante offered.

"Could I?"

"Allen, keep an eye on her?" he
asked, giving Allen a look that said
anything
happens to her and you’re a dead man
.

"Of course.
And have no fear, my
friend,
she's perfectly safe with me. Go have a good time. No telling when you’ll be
able to sneak away again."

"Master Allen?" Julie turned toward
him and winked as Dante led Blake down the lanai steps toward the willows
lining the creek bed behind the house. "I’m hungry. Can I get you a plate?"

"I’d love that." Allen turned her
loose and patted her bottom as she left his side, headed for the buffet room.

Julie grabbed a plate and got in line behind another
couple, a Domme and her charge. They appeared to be in the twenty-something
range and neither looked entirely comfortable or sure of their roles. This was
probably what was bothering Allen. While they were all getting older and older,
the people coming in to their circle were getting younger and younger. That was
no excuse to give up, however. Had Mason had his way, Julie would have been
atop him in the hospital bed taking orders like a good girl until his last
breath. Funny Allen had waited until almost sixty years to have his mid-life
crisis.

"Excuse me, I don’t mean to be out of
line or pry," a voice prodded from Julie’s right as a female hand landed
on her forearm. "I was wondering. How many of those men share you? Or
maybe they don’t? Not that it matters I suppose…"

"What is your point?" Julie asked,
not knowing whether to be irritated by the girl’s forward personality or give
her kudos for being so sure of herself as to just ask what she wanted to know.
Everyone knew it was rude to pry into the relationships of others unless the
information was put out there for scrutiny or the participating parties brought
it up first. Not to mention, this wasn’t even her circle. Julie didn’t know any
of these people from Adam. "I know I don’t know you and you sure don’t
know me. Maybe I’m the one that should be asking so many questions."

"I’m sorry. I’m a little bit new to all
this. My name’s Nicki."
The black-haired, blue-eyed, no
bigger than a minute woman stuck her hand out.
When Julie didn’t make a
move to accept it, she withdrew it and twisted her mouth up a bit on one side.
"Sorry again.
You must be a Madame and I’ve overstepped
even further."

"How old are you?" Julie asked,
examining Nicki from head to toe. She didn’t look a day over seventeen.

"Twenty-six."

"And who are you here with?"

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, you’re not. I just want to know what
poor excuse for a Dom left you to wander alone." Placing a few bacon
wrapped scallops on her plate, Julie tilted her head toward the side. "Grab
a plate and come with me. You’re thin as a rail. I myself like to eat. I think
it’s unnatural not to."

"I…uh…okay?" Nicki snatched a plate
from the stack and fell in beside Julie as the line moved forward.

"Well, who are you with?"

"Linn Dabney."

"Layne Dabney’s younger brother? I had no
idea he was in Savannah this week. No wonder you’re lost." Julie grabbed a
couple of steak skewers, dunked them in an Asian sauce, and placed them on the
side of her plate before moving forward. "I don’t see anything on your
plate yet."

"Oh, sorry," Nicki mumbled, taking a
couple of shrimp.

"Two shrimp does not a meal make,"
Julie said, picking up a few more and placing them on the girl’s plate. "Eat
like you mean it. Most Doms like a girl that enjoys her food. They also like
the results, a well-padded ass."

"Oh, I’m not a sub."

"You’re not?" She had to stifle a
laugh. "Well, we’ll see about that part. Shelby, that’s Linn’s
sister-in-law, didn’t think she was either. Now, where is your Dom anyway?"

"I don’t know, ma’am."

"I’m not a ma’am. I’m…" Julie
remembered a time she’d have used Marie or Chelsea or Hayden in a pinch. "I’m
just Julie. Julie Seidler."

Nicki gasped and nearly dropped her plate. "You’re
Mason’s wife?"

"You’ve heard of Mason?" Julie knew
her face probably held as much shock as young Nicki’s did.

"Yes, who hasn’t?"

She posed a good point. Mason was well-known
in many circles of the lifestyle. It shouldn’t have surprised Julie a perfect
stranger had heard of him.

"Yes, I was." It came out as a
squeaky whisper then realizing it wasn’t this girl’s fault she wasn’t being
properly trained, she bolstered herself a bit. "We had a lot of good years
together, but as circumstances would have it, I’m moving on."

"I’m sorry. I had no idea. How could I
really?
Right?
The bits I get from Linn don’t always
come with explanations or details. He told me about you getting willed to
someone else, but he failed to point out when he explained who Dante was that
you
were the
one
."

"You’re really rather chatty, aren’t you?"
It irritated her to no end that Linn had such loose lips.

"Is that a problem?"

"I have the same problem when I get
nervous," Julie admitted. Perusing the desserts end, she chose two
mini-cheesecakes for her plate then put one on Nicki’s. "That and I
organize. And cook.
A lot."
She grabbed a napkin
and smiled. "Now come with me, Miss Nicki. You’re done messing with the
likes of Linn Dabney. He's truly an ass of the highest order. I have
back
up on this so no arguments and if he tries to dispute
me, well, he’ll find himself on the wrong end of two scrappy Masters."

Chapter Sixteen

"And who might this be?" Allen asked
as Julie returned with the now quiet young woman in tow.

"This would be Nicki," Julie
answered, handing him a plate full of treats before using his thighs as support
to lower
herself
between his legs then reclaimed their
dinner. "She was with that damn Linn Dabney, but I’ve remedied that. She’s
with us for the rest of the night.
Which reminds me, Sir.
"
She shot him a dazzling smile. "I’d be most grateful if you broke that
news to him."

"Well, I’d say by that course of action
you really are ready to get back in the swing of things," Allen said,
picking up a scallop and ripping the bacon from around it before popping it in
his mouth, the entire time his eyes not on Julie but on the dark haired girl
still standing as if uncertain what to do next. "Sit, Nicki. Since you’re
no longer with that damn Linn Dabney, you may take a seat anywhere. Does that
damn Linn Dabney need to be sent packing from the premises with his ass in his
hand?"

Nicki sat in a chair and settled her plate on
her knees, her eyes darting around the whole time, absorbing everything.

"I believe he’s talking to you," the
man sitting on a bench along the outer edges of the patio offered. "I have
no idea who this damn Linn Dabney is, but if he bothered either of you beauties,
I’ll do the honors myself if need be."

"Me?" Nicki asked, popping a Greek
olive in her mouth. "And what say do I have in it?"

"She has a lot to learn," Julie
said, offering Allen another scallop, wondering who the burly man on the bench
thought he was butting in without invitation.

"Confused is she?" Alan returned,
licking her thumb once he’d sucked the bit of seafood between his lips.

"Quite. I’m thinking we need to find
someone to take her under his wing and teach her."

"And what makes you so sure she’s a sub?"
Allen asked, his eyes once again roaming over the girl who was clearly
overdressed to be a sub, yet had all the right mannerisms.

"Sir, no offense, but I think a sub knows
another when she sees one. Besides, sub, Domme, switch. None of that matters.
She doesn’t need to be around the likes of…"

"That damn Linn Dabney?" the mystery
man interrupted as the corners of his mouth turned up. "Allen, would you
be
so
kind as to introduce me?"

"If she’s so inclined she may introduce
herself if she wishes to know you. You should know, though, she’s under my
protection for a while as a favor to her Master, the man she arrived with,
Dante Larson. We treasure her and anyone that hurts her is a dead man."

"I understand," he replied. "So
are you open to talking to me?" he asked Julie.

For a second her eyes settled on her lap then
she looked up at Allen. It wasn’t as if she were asking permission per say, but
she was definitely looking for direction. In Dante’s absence it was Allen’s job
to offer guidance.

"It’s okay," Allen assured her. "I’ve
known Keegan just a few short weeks, but he seems a very nice man and I think
we understand each other insofar as where the property line is drawn." Allen
smiled at her and motioned for her to turn toward Keegan.

Once she was turned facing him and settled,
Keegan offered a hand. "I’m Keegan D’Amato."

"It’s nice to meet you, Keegan." She
placed her hand in his offered one and Keegan promptly turned it and kissed the
back before looking up and meeting her eyes.

"And you are?" he prompted, his fern
green eyes sparkling with curiosity and heat.