Except for Sam. He’d been willing to take care of Sam since he’d felt the lash earlier, but Sam being Sam, had fallen asleep and wasn’t having anyone interrupt that. He’d grunted and pulled a pillow over his head when Jack had offered.
“You’re really good at this, Jack,” she groaned as he ran his thumbs under her shoulder blades.
“I’ve had practice.” He loved the creamy perfection of her skin and how it contrasted with his own. She was a pale, gorgeous ivory, and he was a man who worked in the sun.
“At The Club?” she asked hesitantly.
Jack’s hands paused before moving up to her neck. “Where did you hear about The Club?”
“Sam mentioned it. Was it there that you found out you were a Dom?”
He sighed and made the decision. She had the right to know everything about him. In the beginning, he’d been worried that his past could come between them, but knowing her as he did now, he doubted it. Still… “If I tell you the story, I should warn you, I might not come out looking like your knight in shining armor.”
“I want to hear it,” she said quietly. “I want to know everything about you.”
“All right.” He continued to move his hands over her skin, stroking her as he told his story. “I was involved with a woman shortly after I aged out of foster care. I was basically homeless, and Sam was three months from joining me. I had very little time to figure out how I was going to take care of us. I was responsible for him, you see. At first, I spent my nights trying to make cash playing pool. Despite the fact that I was eighteen, I looked older and could get into most bars. I met this woman at one. She took me home with her and she taught me what she liked. She liked to be dominated, and I enjoyed doing it. She was impressed with my control. Apparently, some men play at being a Dom when what they really want is to abuse a woman. The trust a submissive places in a Dom is a gift. It should be treasured. I was careful with her. She introduced me to a man named Julian Lodge. He owned an underground club in Dallas that catered to men and women in the lifestyle. It still does. I lived at The Club for several years. I made a living there.”
Abigail’s head came up, and he waited for her judgment. He should have known better, because there was just a wicked smile on her face. “Really? People paid you to spank them?”
There wasn’t a bit of condemnation in her big hazel eyes, and he relaxed. That was his woman. She would be far more interested in hearing stories about his time at The Club than she would waste worrying how it affected her.
“Yes,” Jack said, returning her grin. “I worked for clients. I acted out scenes and scenarios with them. You have to understand that what I did mostly involved discipline. I got a lot of clients off, but I didn’t have sex with them, not the way you would think. I only had sex outside of work. I wanted to keep it separate.”
She frowned and looked like a disappointed kitten. “They don’t have sex at The Club? That kills a lot of fantasies.”
He leaned over and kissed her, a light joy lifting his heart. She was beyond perfect. “They have plenty of sex at The Club, baby. Not all Doms work the way I did. I preferred to keep sex private and off the clock. It seemed too much like prostitution the other way.”
“What did Sam do while you spanked the regulars?”
“Sam tended bar,” he explained. She’d turned over and he walked down to the end of the bench and took one of her pretty feet in his hands. He kissed the arch and started to work it over with his thumbs. He was satisfied by the happy purr that came out of his sweet sex kitten. “We worked there until we were ready to buy the ranch.”
Her eyes narrowed curiously again. “You made enough money at The Club to buy this spread?”
She didn’t sound like she believed it, and it wasn’t true. He decided to lay all his cards on the table. She would find out sooner or later. Sam had a big mouth and no ability to keep it shut. “No. I got that money the old-fashioned way.”
“You stole it?” The question came out on a gasp, as though he’d finally managed to shock her.
Lucky for him, that wasn’t the truth. “I blackmailed my politician father for it. Over the years, I became close to my boss at The Club. Julian was only a couple of years older than me, but he had so much more experience that he became a bit of a mentor to me. Julian believes in doing deep background checks on all of his employees and clients. He considers it essential to covering his ass. When he checked into my background, he found out some things I didn’t even know about my past. I’d always assumed my father was some guy my mom hooked up with who fled the scene. My mom was sweet and she loved me, but she wasn’t smart when it came to men. She was working as an assistant to a politician when she became pregnant with me. Shortly after, she left the job and she didn’t work again. Julian found it odd that she managed to raise me with no visible means of support.”
“She had an affair with that politician, and he paid her hush money,” she surmised. “I’ve read enough tabloids to know how that story goes.”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “My biological father took care of her financially until she died, and then it was easy to let me go into foster care. She was alone in the world. No one would have known or cared what happened to me.”
“Bastard.” Her hands had fisted at her sides. She was a ferocious one.
“After Julian confirmed I was, indeed, his biological son, we cooked up a plan. I went to him and explained the situation and offered my complete silence in exchange for five million dollars,” Jack stated. “Baby, you should know my biological father is Senator Allen Cameron, but I’ve signed a bunch of documents claiming it isn’t true.”
“Holy shit. He’s talking about running for the presidency.”
He nodded. “Yes. So you can imagine how having a love child who worked at an underground sex club could have put a wrench into his aspirations. He was more than happy to pay me off and get me out of his house. Funny thing is, now the bastard’s people call me trying to get me to contribute to his campaign.” He put her foot down and held his hand out to pull her to him. “So, you’re marrying a bastard son who used to work in a profession most people would consider prostitution. You still all right with marrying me?”
She hugged him close to her. “I am going to be so proud to be your wife. I love you. I love Sam.” Her smile was radiant. “Though I still don’t see a ring on my finger.”
He chuckled and held her close. “I will have to do something about that first thing in the morning. I wouldn’t want your finger to be ringless.”
She bit at her bottom lip. He was beginning to see it as a nervous habit. He could always tell when she was worried. “I was kidding about the ring. We can get a band. They don’t cost very much. And you have to take the Benz back. I can make do with a cheaper car. I’m not a princess.”
“You’re my princess.” He’d thought, maybe, she was under a few mistaken impressions, but this confirmed it. It just made him love her more.
“Well, I can be an economical princess,” she stated firmly. “I will not have you hurting the business to dazzle me. I’m dazzled enough. I love you. I want to help out. I realize that every bit of that five million went into building your ranch. It’ll be years before it really starts to pay off, and I’ll help. I can get a job. Nurses make good money.”
“Whoa.” He pushed her hair back, luxuriating in the soft feel. “I’ll take care of you. First, the ranch pays quite nicely. Second, seven years ago we found out that the ranch is built on top of roughly half a billion dollars’ worth of natural gas.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You’re filthy rich, aren’t you?”
“I am intensely dirty, baby,” Jack acknowledged. “I signed half of everything over to Sam. When you marry me, he intends to make you his beneficiary and so do I. If anything happens to us, you’ll be well taken care of.”
Suddenly, there were tears in her eyes. “They can’t hurt you, can they?”
“No.” He kissed her mouth. He would never get enough of this
woman. “They can’t hurt me or Sam, and they can’t hurt you. I can’t promise that they’ll all be kind, but no one can force you out again. I can promise you that Sam and I will be by your side for everything that happens.”
She clutched him to her body.
The door opened. Sam’s eyes were sleepy as he watched them.
“Did she figure out we’re rich and nobody’s going to mess with us?” Sam asked, scratching his naked belly as he yawned.
“Yes, as a matter of fact she did,” he replied with an indulgent smile. “I thought you were asleep.”
He still appeared to be. “Can’t sleep alone. Cold. Lonely. Come to bed.”
He shuffled back through the bathroom, and Jack picked her up to follow. Abigail yawned, too, cuddling against him.
“Jack?” She sounded sleepy and happy.
“Yes, baby?”
“I did tell you I loved you before I found out you were a multimillionaire, right?”
Jack stifled his laugh. “Yes, you did. I believe you told a struggling rancher you loved him and would work hard to make his business successful.”
Abby nuzzled his neck. “I rock.”
He did nothing to contain his amusement this time. “You do, love, you certainly do.”
* * * *
Later, after he’d settled her into bed and Sam was curled against her, Jack rose and got dressed. It wasn’t late. There was still time for what he needed to do. He took the Benz, and it wasn’t even nine o’clock when he rang the doorbell at the stately home that had housed the Echols family for years.
A weary butler opened the door.
“Tell Mrs. Echols that Jack Barnes is here,” he said. “We have something to discuss.”
Chapter Seventeen
Ruby Echols watched as the door closed. Adam was walking out the door once more. It was all happening again. At least she’d had her husband by her side that night twenty years before. She hadn’t been forced to face ensuing tragedy alone. This time she didn’t know where Hal had gotten off to. He should have been here. He could have made Adam listen to reason.
“Ma’am?” The maid’s voice cut through her dark thoughts. “I have your medication.”
She looked up and her eyes focused on the young woman in her black uniform. It was too tight. She would have to say something to the housekeeper about the help she was hiring. They weren’t up to the Echols’s standards. The brunette maid held a glass of water and a familiar bottle of pills. Which one was this? There were so many pills these days.
“I don’t want it,” she snapped. “Get my son.”
The young woman looked slightly confused, but Ruby had long since decided that all young people were confused. The public education system was in shambles. They weren’t even allowed to spank the children anymore. How would they learn anything?
“Ma’am, Walter moved out a couple of days ago. He left a number to call.” The young woman stood by the phone. “Would you like me to call him for you?”
“How can Walter move out?” she asked irritably. “He’s fourteen years old.”
The idiot simply looked at her. Ruby huffed. Good help was impossible to find these days. She pointed out the window where she could hear a door closing and the engine to a car purr to life. “Go and stop Adam from leaving. He just walked out the door. Tell him his brother is missing. That should stop him.”
Yes, she could use that. If Walter was in trouble then Adam would take time out of chasing that tramp to help him. They were brothers. A much stronger connection. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? The stupid girl stood there doing nothing.
“Well, what are you waiting for?”
“Ma’am,” the girl chirped in her irritatingly young voice, “the only person who walked out of here was Jack Barnes. He’s a rancher. He owns the Barnes-Fleetwood Ranch outside town.”
Ruby’s head hurt. She put a hand to her temple to rub the throbbing there. So much pain. It was better when the fog came over her.
Yes, Jack Barnes had come by and threatened her. He’d been calm about it, so she knew he was serious. She understood that a man like Barnes was infinitely more dangerous when he was calm. He’d told her he could ruin her socially and financially and that he’d do it without a second’s remorse if she hurt Abigail Moore again.
He was marrying Abigail Moore on Thursday. He was giving that slut his name and his protection.
Or had it been Adam who said that?
“Ma’am, please take your medication.” The girl’s voice grated on her nerves.
Without thought, she downed the pill and took a drink of the water. She needed to rest. She had to plan. It was obvious Adam wasn’t going to see reason, and neither her husband nor her younger son could see how it all would end. They would tell her she was overreacting, but she would not have that tramp in her family. Sometimes Ruby felt like Cassandra from the old Greek stories. She told them all what would happen, and no one would listen to her.
Ruby heard the door close softly and settled back against the plush cushions of the couch. She had to think, and this time she wasn’t going to bring anyone else into it. That had been her mistake. She let others influence her. She was Adam’s mother, and she was the only one who knew what he needed.
This time would be different. She would take care of that siren and save Adam. Could a mother do any less for her son?
* * * *
Jack growled at the reflection in the mirror. Well, he was really growling at the tie he couldn’t seem to get right. Damn tie.
Sam shook his head and turned him around. There was a slight smile on his face, indulgent and knowing. “You never learn.”
The sound echoed against the walls. The men’s bathroom at the Hamilton County Courthouse was empty save for Sam and Jack. It was a good thing, too. He didn’t need a bunch of men watching him screw up menswear. Damn, but he was nervous. Trying to fix his tie was a nearly impossible task. Sam sighed and took over.
“Well, I don’t have occasion to wear them very often,” Jack admitted.
He allowed Sam to pull the silk tie off and stood quietly as his partner efficiently began to retie the knot.
Sam worked the silk with an easy hand. “You should be glad one of us listened to Julian’s numerous lectures on proper dress. I have to admit, it’s fun to see you so nervous.”
“I’m not nervous,” he lied.
Sam finished and looked over the pristine pinstriped suit Jack was wearing. “You look perfect.”
He felt awkward. It was there between them. He could remember the way Sam felt underneath his hands, his mouth moving. Sam had been submissive and giving.
Sam stepped back, worry lines forming around his eyes. “Is there something wrong? Besides the tie?”
He thought about it for a moment. The truth was Sam had felt good under his hands. It had felt right to have them both under his control in that room.
He put a hand on Sam’s shoulder and gave him a smile. “There is nothing else wrong and everything right.”
The words brought the smile back to Sam’s sunny face.
This new relationship with Sam was something they could explore. The possibilities suddenly seemed endless. But first, he had some formalities to get through.
“Do you think we should have driven into Tyler and gotten her roses?” He looked down at the store-bought bouquet of lilies on the counter. It was wrapped in green tissue paper and covered with plastic.
“No,” Sam replied. “Abby loves lilies. She’ll like the flowers, Jack. They’re the best we can get in Willow Fork. Now, I believe you’ll find that when we get to Hawaii, we’ll have to upgrade. Don’t worry. I planned everything out. We have the best suite, the finest hotel, first-class tickets to everything.”
He nodded. “Good. I want that…for both of you.”
Sam grinned. “Yes, you made that plain when you gave Abby the go-ahead to redecorate. I saw the check you wrote to the contractor. That was a lot of zeroes. I write the next one, okay?” r />
He wanted to argue but shrugged instead. “All right. She’s your wife, too. Well, she will be in twenty minutes.”
Jack turned and looked at himself in the mirror, praying he didn’t look like an idiot. Everything seemed to be in the right place. He needed a haircut, but when he’d mentioned it, Abigail had sweetly pleaded with him not to. She’d told him she liked his hair longer.
Damn. He pushed the thick black stuff back. The things he was willing to do for that woman.
There were, however, some things he was not willing to do. “You talk to Kyle Morgan about what’s wrong with his football players? You tell the coach that it is not my responsibility to give his players work. Ranching is not a part-time business.”
For the last several days, the ranch had been inundated with high school boys looking for part-time work.
“I don’t think they really want to learn the business. Besides, a couple of them offered to mow the lawn or clean the pool…for free.”
“Why the hell would they do that for free?” he asked, letting irritation tinge his tone. “Why are they trying to do me favors?”
Sam shook his head and readjusted his own tie. “I don’t think they give a damn about you. If you haven’t noticed, it’s Abby they ask for.” Sam looked down at his watch. “We have to go. It’s time”
He didn’t really care about the time in that moment. “Are you telling me we’ve got twenty horny high school boys sniffing around our wife?”
“Get used to it.” Sam slapped him on the back. “She’s one hell of a woman. That’s the good news. She loves us. I doubt she’ll be running off with the high school quarterback. He’s the one who offered to wash her Benz.” Sam guided him out of the bathroom and into the corridor that led to the justice of the peace’s office. “The running back has written a few lines of poetry to welcome Abby back into town.”
He heard Sam, but his words didn’t really register. His attention was wholly on the woman in front of him. The rest of the world fell away the minute he caught sight of her.