Caught Up In You

“You will, and you better become one fast.” His dad pinned Wyatt with a hard look. “You are supposed to step into my shoes when I retire. But if I dropped dead tomorrow, you’d be woefully unequipped.”

Wyatt could only stare back at him. “Unequipped? What with the doctorate, the decade of experience, and a record that could lap anyone else here?”

“If this business was one hundred percent numbers, no one could even attempt to challenge you. Not even me. You’re brilliant, Wyatt. But half the job of being a CEO is selling yourself, the image of the company, and generating new business. It’s politics. For people to trust you with their money, they have to want to work with you, to like you.”

Wyatt clenched his teeth, having flashbacks from his high school years. He’d won a lot of awards, but the popularity contest was one he’d never had a shot in.

“You need to show me you’re capable with this part of the business. Otherwise, you’re starting to make me wonder if you’re the right person to take over the top spot when I step down.”

Wyatt’s fingers dug into the arms of his chair, cool steel in his voice. “Excuse me?”

That position had been decided since Wyatt’s first IQ test in grade school. Like an Olympic athlete, his whole life had centered around getting groomed and trained for this role, especially after his father had realized that his other son, Jace, had absolutely no interest in taking over the family business.

Wyatt thought of all the things he’d turned down, walked away from, or not tried because he was on this path. Because he was the “good” son, the heir apparent. All the hours and blood and sweat he put into this company. Now that role was up the air?

“My first responsibility is to this company,” his father said curtly. “You know I’ve never given you anything simply because we share DNA. You’ve earned everything you’ve gotten so far. But now you need to earn this. If I don’t think you’re the best candidate, I won’t hesitate to give it to someone else. Eric has been in line for it for years and has as much experience as you do.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Look at my face,” his dad said, using the same words he used to say to Wyatt when he was a child. “Does this look like my kidding face?”

Wyatt made a sound of disgust. “You’re a cold-hearted sonofabitch sometimes.”

“I am. That’s what gives me my edge, son. If I made decisions based on emotions, you’d have grown up in some shithole in the suburbs. This is a weakness of yours, and my future CEO can’t afford weaknesses.”

“I got it,” he snapped, bitterness leaking into his words.

“Good.” His father pulled a paper from the inner pocket of his jacket and laid it on Wyatt’s desk. “That’s a list of people going whose business we want to acquire. Do whatever it takes to get them.”

Wyatt unfolded the paper and scanned the neat list of typed names. Some of the biggest players out there were listed of course. His father always aimed for the outfield. But Wyatt’s gaze snagged on the name at the bottom of the page. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Andrew Carmichael? If you think I’m going to go kiss Andrew’s ass, you have an—”

“He’s the biggest fish on that list now. Ed’s health has been in the shitter lately, and he’s handed over lots of responsibility to Andrew, including this year’s retreat. Retirement is probably inevitable within the year. So you need to work the son. And you two used to be friends. Use that.” His father straightened his coat.

“Friends? That’s quite a revisionist history there, Dad.” The guy had made grade school painful and high school a fucking nightmare.

“Come on. You can’t still be hung up on stuff that happened so long ago. So he liked to pick on you. He was just threatened because you were smarter than him and got more attention.”

Wyatt gritted his teeth. Childhood teasing he could’ve forgiven, but Andrew had upped the ante when they hit high school. When Wyatt had been chosen for a prestigious scholarship over Andrew, the bastard had retaliated by getting Wyatt’s longtime girlfriend tipsy at an after-prom party and then fucking away her virginity on Wyatt’s bed, making sure Wyatt walked in at just the right moment. Wyatt’s one and only fist fight had ended with a naked Andrew knocked out in the middle of the hallway.

“I want him on our roster.”

“There are other big players we can go after. We don’t need him.”

“We do and you’re going to get him.” His father stood and pulled out an envelope. He dropped it onto the desk. “Nancy in travel has already changed mine and your mother’s reservations into your name. You need to let Nancy know who you’re bringing with you.”

Wyatt picked up the envelope and looked at his father. “Who I’m bringing?”

“This is a plus-one trip. Most of the events are for couples, so don’t be the asshole who shows up solo. And for God’s sake, don’t bring that woman you brought to the charity ball. She had about as much personality as a shoehorn. You need someone who isn’t going to be afraid to mingle and flirt. The prettier your date, the more the other guys will be interested in hanging around you two.”

Oh, this was getting better and better. What was he supposed to do, call up the rent-a-girlfriend-for-a-week service? He worked fifteen-hour days and most weekends. Like he’d told Kelsey, dating didn’t exactly fit into that schedule. He’d had a colleagues-with-benefits thing going for a while with a woman who worked in the building next door, but they’d stopped their Saturday night meet-ups a while back when she’d decided she needed more and had laid out an ultimatum for him. He didn’t do ultimatums.

But regardless of his father’s opinion, he would’ve been faced with the issue anyway. Because there was no way he was going to show up to this thing and face Andrew without some knockout on his arm. It was petty, but he didn’t fucking care. “I’ll figure it out.”

“That’s what I want to hear. Get to planning, son. You leave in a week.” And with that, his father headed out of Wyatt’s office, riding that high horse he so loved to be on.

Wyatt leaned his head back on his chair, tipped his glasses up, and ran a hand over his face. Part of him wondered what would happen if he stood up and walked out. Quit. The fact that his father would even consider giving someone else the CEO position was enough to tempt him to do so. He had enough money to live whatever the hell kind of life he wanted. He didn’t need to be here.

But even the thought sent a gash of loss through him. He loved his job and fed on the play of numbers, on the win of making the right decisions, on the high of knowing he had the answers where others couldn’t see them. This was his life.

If he walked away, what would be left? He didn’t even know who he was outside of this place.

No, he needed to figure this shit out. The socializing aspect of business had always been his Achilles’ heel, but it wasn’t an unlearnable skill. At least he hoped it wasn’t. He could figure out how to play the game. And if he had a beautiful woman with him who did have some social finesse, all the better.

And he had just the woman in mind.

That is, if he could fucking find her.

Wyatt picked up his phone and hit the speed dial.

“A call in the middle of a work day from the suit? Is the building on fire? Have zombies taken over the city?” his brother, Jace, asked, grin evident even over the phone.

“Is there such a thing as a work day for you?” Wyatt lobbed back. “Or do you just sit around while your staff waves you with giant fans?”

“Hmm, there’s a thought,” Jace said, something squeaking in the background. “I’m actually working very hard trying to get the lighting right on a display of high-end glass dildos. Important stuff.”

“Clearly.”

Jace chuckled. “So what’s going on? I know you didn’t call to shoot the shit.”

“How do you know that?”

“Come on, Wy.”

Wyatt frowned. Was he really that bad at the social thing? Even with his brother? Probably. Yes. “Remember back when I helped you out with the Diana situation, and you said you owed me?”

“Of course.”

“Well, I’m ready to take you up on that.”

“Name it, brother. If it’s in my power, I’ll do it.”

“I need you to help me find Kelsey LeBreck.”

FOUR

Kelsey stared down at the sweat-glazed back of Hawk Nichols as he sucked in a deep breath, bracing for her next blow. She strolled around to stand in front of his prone form, making sure he heard her boots clicking deliberately along the cement floor of the dungeon room. She’d strapped him down on all fours along a padded spanking bench about half an hour ago, and he was already flying high. Keeping the braided leather cat in her right hand, she touched Hawk’s fingers with her left. They flinched slightly, still warm. Circulation was good.

She had to watch it with this kid. The twenty year old was the star receiver on his college football team, so pain was part of his daily existence. And he craved the edge of being under her hand, the place the pain would bring him. But she couldn’t trust him to call his safe word if she went too far. Once he slipped into subspace, the bulky athlete was as vulnerable as a kitten. She ran a hand over his damp hair, and he nuzzled her palm and moaned—the simple touch her reward to him for taking so much.

“You still with me, sub?”

“Yes, Mistress. Please,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Please.”

She knew what he was begging for. Her flogging hadn’t gone to the intense place he needed yet. He was still hovering on the precipice, waiting to lose himself to it all. “You’ve done well tonight, sub. You know you’ll be rewarded.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” His fists flexed and released, flexed and released, the need quivering off him. His cock hung heavy and hard between his spread thighs despite the boot laces she’d used to bind his scrotum and the base of his penis, and she knew he had to be desperate for relief by now.

She ran her fingers along his spine as she made her way around him. He really was a beautiful guy, though still a little lost. They were only separated by a few years in age, but she felt lifetimes older. Hawk had this unvarnished innocence that she doubted many had seen. Big and intimidating in looks, most people probably gave him wide berth and never looked deeper. But he was as gentle a soul as she’d ever met. A gentle soul who craved a bit of brutality.

His father, of all people, had dragged Hawk into The Ranch a few months ago when he’d discovered his son had been burning himself with candle wax while masturbating. One night, Hawk had used the wrong type of candles and had used them too close to his skin. He’d ended up with second-degree burns in hard-to-explain places, and his father had dragged the information out of him.

Most parents would’ve probably hauled the kid into a therapist, thinking he was sick and self-harming. But Hawk’s father had been part of the scene in his past and, after talking with his son, had recognized Hawk’s behavior for what it was. He’d made the kid promise that if he took him to a place where he could get what he needed that he’d never play like that alone again. The next week he’d brought Hawk to The Ranch and had plunked down the hefty membership and session fees without a blink.

Ever since, Hawk had been a weekly client for Kelsey, and she’d grown quite fond of him. Though, her heart still broke a little each time she saw the guarded look in his eyes. She knew that besides his father knowing, this was a big secret for Hawk. Even his girlfriend, who he seemed to adore, didn’t know. Kelsey knew what it was like to keep those heavy secrets and wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

But she couldn’t fix that for him. She didn’t have that kind of power. But she could at least give him this. She released Hawk’s right hand from the leather cuff and drizzled warmed lubricant into his palm, then she squared herself up behind him, her heart picking up speed beneath the laces of her corset. She reached down and removed the bindings from the base of his cock. “You have permission to touch yourself, sub. But you’re not allowed to come until you’ve taken all ten of my strokes. You understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, his voice now shaking with anticipation.

Kelsey took a steadying breath. This was always the hardest part for her. She enjoyed the power and rush of being a top, but unlike many of her fellow doms, sadism wasn’t in her blood. She didn’t derive pleasure in giving pain for pain’s sake. She administered the pain because it was her job, and her satisfaction came from giving a sub what he or she needed. And for Hawk, seeing him let go for a few moments, getting some catharsis, would make it worth it.

She raised her arm high and then, using all her strength, lashed Hawk’s backside with the cat. The braided leather strips striped along his back and buttocks, the sound of leather meeting flesh filling the cavernous space and mixing with the thudding rock music she’d put on in the background. Hawk tried to rear up, the bench rattling a bit from his brute strength, and he moaned loud and long. His fist slid harshly up and down his cock as she landed the next blow.

She worked him hard over the next few minutes, her arm aching from the exertion and her skin going damp and prickly. Hawk jerked and writhed in his bindings, a caged beast on the verge of losing his fight for control. But the sounds he made were pure ecstasy, the intense pain launching him to that plane of nothingness he craved.

Kelsey landed the last hit and watched in fascination as her sub exploded at the precise moment she’d ordered, his body going stiff, his hips thrusting forward, and his release spilling over his fist as he fucked his hand. A man lost to himself and to the world for a few exquisite seconds. Freedom.

Beautiful.

For some ridiculous reason, she had the urge to cry. She dropped the cat to the floor and sank against the wall, sliding to a sit, exhaustion sapping her. She knew she should stay on her feet, stay in the position of power, but he couldn’t see behind him, so he’d never know. She pulled her knees to her chest, her body throbbing and aching with unmet need, but not for Hawk. She never slept with her clients. She didn’t even allow them to touch her. But seeing the intensity of another reach their sexual bliss often left her craving her own.

And tonight there was something even uglier pressing at her. Jealousy.

It wasn’t an emotion a domme should feel toward her sub. She was supposed to gain her satisfaction from his submission. And Hawk had submitted beautifully tonight. But as she watched Hawk lying there bound, breathing hard, and blissed out, she felt the ugly emotion creep up.

“Lady K?” he whispered after a few quiet minutes, snapping her from her souring state.

“Yes.” She pushed herself to her feet, turned down the music, and started unfastening the rest of his bindings. “You okay?”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” He cleared his throat. “I was just wondering, how long before the marks go away?”

She frowned and ran a gentle hand along the angry red stripes on his back. “You know I wouldn’t leave you with anything long lasting, sweetheart. I’ll never betray the contract we set up at the beginning. Do you need me to stop leaving even temporary ones? There are other things I can do that won’t leave any evidence.”

“No, please don’t stop,” he said quickly. He turned his head to find her, his eyes still a little glazed and his hair flopping over his forehead. “I like seeing the marks. Sometimes … sometimes I jerk off again later after a session while I look at the markings in the mirror.” His face flushed at the admission. “But I’m … I’m going to see my girl tomorrow night.”

Kelsey sighed. “Sit up for me, Hawk.”

He followed her directions, and she handed him a towel to clean himself up and another to drape over himself.

Once he was covered and seemed to be coming back into his head, she asked, “Is this girl important to you?”

He kept his eyes down as he cleaned the evidence of what had just happened off his hand and thigh, shame obviously creeping in. Kelsey hated that, hated that he was still struggling so much with this part of himself, that the beast of guilt was such a relentless one. She wished she could just snap her fingers and take that hurt away from him. But she knew that road was going to be a long one for him.

“Yes, ma’am. I think I love her.”

She sat down on one of the chairs by the wall and braced her forearms on her fishnet-covered thighs. “Look, hon, I know you’re hoping I can beat this out of you, but that’s not how it works. You need to consider that these desires may not go away.”

His head dipped and his blond hair fell farther down his forehead, shielding his eyes.

“And I know there are people who manage to walk both sides of the line.” Like me. “But living a double life is not a fun option. Have you ever considered talking to your girlfriend about this? Feeling her out? You never know, she may be open to it.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Christina is majoring in elementary education and barely even curses. We didn’t sleep together until after we’d dated for six months. She’s sweet and innocent and … she’d be repulsed by me if she knew.”

“Maybe you’re not giving her enough credit,” Kelsey said gently.

He hauled himself to his feet and walked over to the hooks he’d hung his clothes on. He pulled on his boxers and jeans, then gingerly eased his Got Beer? T-shirt over his head, wincing when the material hit his back. “No disrespect, Lady K. But you don’t understand. You live in this world. I don’t. I won’t. I want a normal life with a normal girl.”

Kelsey tried to keep her expression placid, though the implication stung like little pieces of glass in her skin. I don’t want to be a freak like you. “I see.”

Hawk halted, his face falling, then he was crossing the room, getting to his knees at her feet. “I’m so sorry, Mistress. That … that didn’t come out right. I say stupid shit sometimes.” His expression turned earnest. “You know how thankful I am for what you do. I would never—”

“Shh,” she said, caressing his hair. He instinctively lowered his head and gave her invitation to stroke him. She knew Hawk hadn’t meant it to insult her. He was scared. And frankly, he was right. She didn’t have a normal life and never would. This week had been proof positive of that. She couldn’t even maintain an imaginary “normal” relationship without it getting fucked up. “It’s okay. And you’re right, I’m the last person who should be handing out relationship advice. I suck at them.”

Hawk lifted his head, his eyes a little wide. Probably because it was the first piece of personal information she’d ever shared with him—or any client for that matter. She was usually good at keeping the boundaries clear when not in a scene. “Is it because of this? What you do?”

She smiled. If only it were that simple. “No, hon. Not because of this.”

His lips parted as if he was going to ask more questions, but her look must’ve warned him off. He gave a little nod, bent all the way to the floor to kiss the top of her boot, then rose to his feet. “Thank you for tonight, Mistress.”

“My pleasure, Hawk.”

He gave her a shy smile, then before walking out the door he pulled something from his pocket and set it on the table by the door. Money.

A tip.

Even after all that happened this week, the simple gesture gutted her, cut right through her, letting everything spill out. She’d tried to have a real conversation with someone, and he’d paid her for it.

She didn’t know what was more depressing—the blatant reminder that she was only a hired hand or the fact that she couldn’t afford to turn down the cash. She leaned her head against the wall and tapped lightly.

But she wasn’t left alone in her ruminating for long. The door squeaked open a few seconds later and Marc, one of the managers, poked his head in. “Hey, Kelsey. Grant said to send you up when you were done with your session. He set aside a few minutes to talk to you.”

She blew out a breath and nodded. She’d made a request earlier to talk to her boss, but she hadn’t expected him to free up time so quickly. She wasn’t exactly looking forward to the conversation, but hopefully, this would solve her immediate problem. “Thanks. I’ll be right up.”

Kelsey sat in the cozy waiting area outside the office of Grant Waters, owner and operator of The Ranch, and tried to keep her nerves in check. She’d worked part time at the BDSM resort for the last six months and had experienced nothing but great interactions with Grant, but she still couldn’t stop her knee from bumping up and down. The man was downright intimidating, and she knew what she was about to ask was outside the rules.

A few minutes later, the door on the other side of the room opened and filled with the impressive outline of the tall cowboy. His girlfriend, Charli, stepped out from behind him, a little flushed-faced and sending an apologetic smile in Kelsey’s direction before turning back to Grant. She pushed up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. “We’ll finish this … discussion later?”

“Count on it, freckles,” he said, tugging one of her red locks, his adoration for Charli like rays of warmth beaming off him. “Meet me in the barn when you get home from work.”

“You got it, cowboy.” A visible shudder went through Charli, giving Kelsey a good idea of what the barn would entail. Grant wasn’t considered the Master of The Ranch for nothing. He hadn’t played publicly since he’d gotten together with Charli, but Kelsey had heard stories of how intense of a dominant Grant could be.

And though she had a fair dose of jealousy over the couple in love, Kelsey couldn’t help but smile for them. She’d met Charli when Charli had first come to The Ranch and had liked her instantly. And she knew both Charli and Grant had gone through a lot to get to this point.

When Charli turned around, she headed Kelsey’s way and gave her a quick hug. “Hey, gorgeous, haven’t seen you around in a while. We should grab dinner soon.”

Kelsey returned the hug, standing up in the process. “Definitely. Give me a call.”

Charli gave her one last pat on the arm and headed out, leaving Kelsey with Grant. That alone was a testament to how strong of a relationship the two had. How many women would leave their guy alone with a chick in thigh-high boots and a corset?

Grant nodded in Kelsey’s direction. “Come on in, Kelsey. Marc said you wanted to chat.”

“Yes, sir.” She followed Grant into his office, the warm woods and stone of the room matching the rustic feel of the rest of the resort, and sat in the chair across from his desk. “I had a few questions about my position.”

He settled in his large chair and adjusted the blinds behind him so that there wouldn’t be a glare on her face. “Sure. Shoot.”

She clasped her hands in her lap, trying to keep herself from fidgeting. “Some things have come up in town again, and I think the only way out of them is going to be to move away for a while.”

His dark eyebrows lifted. “What kind of trouble, Kelsey? If you’re struggling with your sobriety, there are things …”

“Oh, no, nothing like that,” she said, her words rushing out. “This is old trouble that won’t seem to go away. I think I just need to cut my losses and start over somewhere else. But I need to have more of a nest egg to do that. I thought maybe I could start taking on a few trainees to earn some extra money.”

Grant frowned and leaned back in his chair, considering her in a way that made her want to bow her head. “The requirements for my trainers are very clear. Both sides of training are required. And you haven’t done the submissive part yet. Believe me, I understand why you haven’t been able to do that portion. After what happened to you last year, I can only imagine how frightening that could be. I wouldn’t want anything to trigger those memories for you. But it wouldn’t be fair or safe to make an exception. I need my trainers to understand and experience both sides firsthand.”