Owned for Christmas (3 page)

Maybe she’s right?
Kate had always wanted a more affectionate family. She loved her parents, but family holidays and warm, fuzzy moments were not her parents’ specialty. But Gale seemed to pull it off easily. Her entire home overflowed with care and love.

Except for the ominous force across the table from Kate.

Without thinking, she cast a glance over at Grant. She sucked in a deep breath. His dark eyes
were
fixed on her. Every time she looked up, his gaze was on her, staring down to the places deep inside her that he’d found a way to tap into—the parts of her she never wanted to share again.

“You have a lovely home.” Kate dipped her gaze back to her food, focusing on the part of the dinner that didn’t have her wanting to jump out of her own skin.

“Thank you, dear. It’s not a lot but we do what we can.”

Unlike her mother, Kate didn’t see any regret on Gale’s face when she spoke of living without what others had. Instead, she seemed almost proud of what she’d done, how she’d managed to make do with what she had and be happy with it. Kate liked Gale more and more each minute.

“No one ever became a rancher for the money.” Gale laughed.

Her sons chuckled along with her, sharing in an old joke.

“What do you grow on this ranch?” Kate popped a stewed carrot into her mouth, the homey taste comforting, although nothing like the meals she ate at home. The love and kindness this chef put into the food couldn’t be bought.

“Cattle mostly. Cattle ranching is our bread and butter. We breed horses too. Not enough to build a reputation to impress the Richie Riches looking for racing animals. But it helps us make ends meet. And we raise a little corn. Mostly to feed our own animals, and a few neighbors.”

“Wow.” Kate couldn’t help but be impressed.

Gale beamed with pride. “My husband’s family built up quite an operation here. David—God rest his soul—loved this place, just like my boys do.” Gale tapped Grant’s arm.

He nodded and continued eating his meal as if he were a death-row inmate.

“And my grandchildren will too,” Gale lifted an eyebrow toward Daniel, as if in challenge.

Kate focused on taking deep breaths. She’d only known this woman a few hours and Gale was already talking about grandchildren. Gale had no idea what kind of person Kate was. Gale didn’t know how dark and twisted Kate was underneath her innocent exterior, nor did she know the broken, shattered state of Kate’s core.
Yet she’s already cast me in the role of future daughter-in-law and mother of her grandchildren.

Maybe Grant wasn’t the only person she had to worry about at this dinner.

Under the table, Daniel reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Mom, come on.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Gale laughed. “Can’t blame me for planting a seed. We are ranchers after all.”

Grant stared at the woman across the table from him who laughed politely with his mother and brother.
God, she is beautiful.
He’d always thought so.
So sweet and caring.
The kind of woman who would wear lily-white lace underwear and still have a teddy bear on her bed.

Except for that mouth of hers.
He almost groaned as he watched her spoon a mouthful of potatoes between her lips. Her delicate tongue licked the spoon. That mouth had been made for sucking a man’s cock. Her wicked tongue could drive him to the edge and he’d be grateful to be there.

She was a goddamn kindergarten teacher. She was everything good and sweet in the world.
I shouldn’t be having these thoughts about her.
But she’d been the one to come searching for him. She’d shown up at the dungeon that night seeking out a Dom.

She’d looked so scared sitting at the bar, her gaze roaming the room as if she was waiting for someone. Not that he’d cared at that moment. She could have been waiting for the Second Coming and he would have still gone up to talk to her.

She’d worn a skimpy black dress, but from the way she pushed at the straps and hem, he knew she didn’t feel comfortable in it, which only interested him more. He enjoyed a woman who was willing to get a little uncomfortable, who was willing to push her boundaries for what she wanted.

He’d never anticipated how much Kate liked pushing those boundaries.

It was a rare combination to find—sweet and innocent on the outside, wild and crazy underneath. A combination he hadn’t found close to home. Not that he had much time to look—after a hard day on the ranch he was too exhausted to go trolling for women. The need to control burned in his gut, though. After going a year without anyone to take it out on, it threatened to eat him alive. What he wouldn’t give to have Kate bent over his lap right now, his hand on her ass, spanking her until she climaxed.

“Come on, Mom, give Kate a break. She just got here.” Daniel’s whiny voice grated on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. “You have all weekend to torture her about the future.”

“Fine, fine,” his mother continued, after swallowing down a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “I’ll try to keep myself in check.”

Kate’s dark hair fell around her face, protecting most of her expression from his view. A rosy pink highlighted the section of cheek he could see. She directed her jewel eyes downward. Grant fisted his hand against his thigh, forcing himself to swallow the envy roaring up his throat. He wanted to be the one his mother was poking fun at, the one who was sitting next to Kate, holding her hand. He wanted to be the one taking her to his room tonight, to his bed.

But he’d left her with hardly a word. He didn’t deserve anything from her. Not that she would have left Dallas for him. He was just her Master, the man who had fed her needs. He wasn’t her boyfriend. They’d never had that kind of relationship.

But with Daniel, the fucking golden boy, she’d given him everything. Everyone was willing to bend over backward for Danny.

Anger boiled in him, hot and heavy, and he couldn’t stuff it down anymore. Not when Kate smiled at Danny as if he was her whole fucking world. Danny hardly knew her. He couldn’t know the part of her that Grant did.

The anger spilled over and he couldn’t control it. He didn’t want to. It didn’t matter whom it burned. Only that it scalded someone else as deeply as it did him.

“So, Kate, how was your flight?”

She glared at him through her thick, dark lashes. He knew he was trying to provoke her—and so did she—but he couldn’t stop himself. She feared flying, though he didn’t know if she’d ever even been on a plane. And as a result, he’d had to leave her behind. She never would have come with him. She’d never leave Dallas. She’d never move a plane ride away from everything and everyone she loved. Not for anyone.

At least, that’s what he’d thought. But she’d come here. She’d gotten on a plane for Danny.

He knew he was hurting her but he couldn’t help it. Maybe if he were able to touch her, stroke his fingers up her milky thighs, hold her hand, stick his tongue in her pussy then he could control himself. But with all his pent-up demand, this barely controlled desire to make her bend to his will, he couldn’t stop himself from lashing out at her.

“It was fine.” Her voice shook as she answered, but she still replied with dignity, her chin raised.

Grant admired her response. It was one of the reasons she made such an excellent sub. She didn’t just take what he threw at her. She fought back, demanded for herself. And there was nothing he loved more than controlling an unruly submissive.

His mother must have noticed the slight paling of Kate’s face at the mention of the plane or the way she gripped her fork so tightly Grant was surprised she didn’t snap it in half.

“Are you afraid of flying, honey?” his mother asked, a forkful of pot roast halfway to her mouth.

Kate nodded, staring down at her plate again.

His stomach twisted. He really was an asshole. He had to go and integrate her. He had to push her. He had to force her to declare what she thought were her faults in front of his family.

Neither his mother nor his brother noticed that he somehow knew this was Kate’s first time outside of Dallas.
Probably for the best.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Gale comforted, patting Kate’s hand. “We all have fears, dear, but you conquered yours. That’s quite impressive.”

Even his mother’s quick touch against Kate’s hand made him jealous. He was really far gone. If he knew what was good for him, he’d go into town, have a whiskey at The Roaring Steer and pick some woman up for the night. It would at least extinguish a little of this need growling in his gut. It wouldn’t be as good as having Kate under him, and that was exactly why he wouldn’t do it. Mediocre sex had never been his thing.

“But she did great. She just sat in her seat and breathed deeply the whole plane ride.”

Danny’s voice rang with pride and Grant wanted to punch him even more, especially since Grant was proud of her too. Proud that she’d had the guts to face her fear and go after what she wanted. He would have loved to have been the one she’d gotten on that steel contraption with.

“And your mother must love having you close by all the time.”

Kate nodded, though the gesture didn’t appear heartfelt. He didn’t know much about her relationship with her mother. He only knew it was strained. Given her expression, it was probably worse than he’d realized. Maybe he should have asked her more about it before. Not that it mattered anymore. Now she was Danny’s problem. Now she was Danny’s to comfort and protect.

“I know I miss my boys like crazy when they’re gone. I hate Danny being a plane ride away.”

His mother smiled over at Danny, and Grant clenched his jaw, his muscles aching with the force. How could she look at him like that? Like she was so proud of him. Proud of him for
leaving
them. Proud of him for staying where he was comfortable. Where he didn’t have to get his hands dirty and had a warm bed to crawl into every night.

“And how about you, little brother?” He couldn’t help asking without sneering. “How are you doing outside the city? Are you managing to survive without all the lights, computers and high-end salons?”

“Grant, don’t start.” His mother glared.

He wished he could stop himself, but the anger billowing up inside him demanded release. The only obvious outlet was his brother.

“What, Ma? Clearly he can’t live without the conveniences of the city. That’s why he didn’t come back to work on the ranch after Dad died.”

“I send money every month,” Danny fired back. “My job in the city helps keep this place afloat.”

Grant slammed his hand on the tabletop. Everyone jumped and the silverware rattled. “Money isn’t everything we need. It certainly wasn’t what mattered when Dad was sick.” When Grant had come racing home to take care of him, leaving Kate behind with barely a note.

“What
more
do you want from me, Grant?” Danny sneered.

All the anger that had been boiling up in him for the last year exploded. All his rage over giving up his life in Dallas, when his brother didn’t have to, surged up from inside him. He couldn’t keep it in. Even if he had wanted to, which he didn’t.

“I’d like you to show the fuck up when we need you.” Grant banged his fists on the table, sending the silverware dancing again. “Like I did. Or do you not give a damn about your family? Or this ranch?”

“Boys, stop it. We have a guest.”

His mother shot daggers at both of them, the hardened, stony stare of a rancher’s wife. The kind that said ‘Don’t cross me, I know where the branding irons are kept’. His mother might be all sweet on the outside, but on the inside she was hard as nails. Even Grant knew better than to cross her without a good reason.

“I don’t want to hear one more word about this for the week. It’s Christmas, for goodness’ sake. Let’s act like it.”

Grant and Daniel both nodded, though Grant doubted either of them truly agreed. Now wasn’t the time and place to get into it. Although there would be a right time and place this weekend, if Grant had anything to say about it.

“So what do you do in Dallas, Kate?” Gale switched the conversation to a safer topic.

Grant and Daniel continued to glare at each other.

“I’m a kindergarten teacher.” Kate’s voice shook as she responded.

“That’s nice.” Gale nodded between bites, focusing on Kate.

Grant had always found it hard not to concentrate completely on Kate. Even in a room full of people, a dungeon full of other subs screaming and crying their pleasure, their Masters groaning with them, Kate was the only person he’d see.

“You should see her, Ma. The kids just love her.” Danny wrapped an arm around Kate’s shoulders.

Grant tightened his grip on his fork. The sudden urge to fling the utensil across the room at his brother shook along his fingers.

“I’m sure they do. Children can always sense a good soul.”

Kate’s soft pink lips turned up in a smile.

She
is
a good person.
Grant relented.
A good soul. Far too good for an asshole like me.

Grant slumped into his seat, shoveling food into his mouth. He needed to get away, fast. Away from Danny. Away from Kate. And away from everything he could never have.

Chapter Three

“You were quiet at dinner tonight.”

“Was I?” Kate looked up at Daniel from where she sat in the middle of the bed, her legs crossed beneath her. She pulled a thick bristled brush through her hair, still wet from the shower. She’d hoped he wouldn’t notice, but she should’ve known that was too much to expect. Daniel
always
noticed her. It was one of the many reasons she loved him. One of the reasons he was so much better for her than Grant.

“You don’t have to worry, sweetheart.” Daniel folded his shirt then placed it in the dresser drawer before he turned to her. He walked over to Kate and her heart nearly broke. He looked at her with so much love, so much devotion. He deserved much better than her—a woman who wasn’t shattered and scarred. Someone without these needs she couldn’t rid herself of.

He kneeled on the mattress beside her. “My mother loves you.”