Sir stopped the video when she looked back at the camera and smiled. “This is the exact moment you stole my heart. That open smile in the middle of a sexual scene.” He shook his head, his eyes warm with affection. “It was perfect.”
He hit play, and Brie had to suffer the embarrassment of watching herself coat the tiny phallus with far too much lubricant and then tell herself out loud to relax as she tried to push it inside her anus without success.
“I thought you were done here—we all did—but then you…”
Brie blushed as she watched herself get on all fours, now facing the camera. She knew what was coming and buried her head in his shoulder again.
“Watch,” he commanded gently.
Brie looked back at the computer just as the toy slipped inside, and she heard herself gasp.
Sir stopped the video again. “That tiny gasp and the surprised look on your face sealed my fate.”
Brie covered her eyes, humiliated by the humorous expression captured on the screen. Sir pulled her hand away and forced her to look at herself. “It was your reaction right after this that convinced us all you had real potential. You closed your eyes, deciding if you wanted to continue.” Sir smiled tenderly at her. “Despite your fears and inexperience, you chose to go on. You weren’t playing for the camera. You weren’t forcing yourself to do something you didn’t want to do. No, you were being true to your nature and we all recognized that strength in you.”
“I remember it like it was yesterday, Sir. I was scared to introduce a foreign object into my body, but all I had to do was imagine that it was you. I wanted to know what it felt like to have you deep inside that forbidden place.”
Sir placed his hand on her upper thigh. “That desire came across loud and clear in your video.”
She giggled. “To think I have Ms. Clark to thank for my acceptance into the program…” Remembering back to those beginning sessions, Brie stated, “I do remember that she was complimentary in her critiques the first couple of days, before she grew to hate me.”
“It wasn’t until my claiming of you that I noticed her claws come out. She felt very protective of me, although there was no reason for it.”
“How did she find out when it was done in private?”
“The Center has cameras in every room, Brie. I fully expected the trainers would see it. However, I’m a man who knows what he wants and refuses to play the coward by hiding his actions. I wanted you, so I claimed you before anyone else could fuck that fine ass of yours.” Sir lightly caressed her buttocks with his hands before grabbing them possessively.
“That was all I wanted, Sir. In fact, I was upset when the class ended that second night and I thought you weren’t going to keep your promise to me.”
“Ah, but I wasn’t about to ruin our intimate moment by inviting a live audience.” He pressed her body against his. “No, I wanted our first time to be as private as possible.”
“Even at the cost of losing your position at the Center…which eventually did happen, Sir.” Brie let out a heavy sigh. “I hate that you had to give up your job to collar me.”
“Some things are worth the sacrifice.” Sir kissed her on the lips as he slipped his fingers between her legs…
His cell phone rang, and Sir’s hand instantly froze. “That is Thompson’s ringtone,” he explained as he disengaged to reach for the phone.
Brie watched his expression carefully as Sir talked to his lawyer. Although his voice remained calm, she noticed his lips twitch several times during the conversation.
“Interesting… I suggest you set up a meeting at your office if that’s the case.” He paused for a moment, then replied, “Fine, I’ll pay for the flight. Thursday will work for me. We’ll speak then.”
Sir stared at Brie after he hung up, looking a bit stunned. “The test results came back positive. It appears I have a half-sister.”
Brie wasn’t sure how she felt about the news, but forced herself to reply optimistically. “That’s amazing, Sir.”
He shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. “To think I have a sibling I never knew about…”
“I take it you’re meeting her this week, based on the part of the conversation I heard.”
Sir took Brie’s hands in his. “We’re meeting her this week.”
“How strange it will be to meet her in person. Oh, my gosh, I wonder if she looks like you.”
Sir surprised her by growling under his breath, “I hope for her sake Lilly looks nothing like her father. I don’t think I could handle it, given the part he played in my father’s death. In fact, the idea of meeting her brings back memories I’d rather not deal with.”
“But we’ll face them together, Sir,” Brie vowed, putting her hands on his chest. “This is a positive step forward for you.”
He shook his head slowly as he gazed at the lock of her brown hair he was rolling between his fingers. “Although I’m curious about this girl, there are still so many questions that have yet to be answered.”
Lilly
Meeting Lilly at Thompson’s law office reminded Brie of the last meeting Sir had had with his mother. She sincerely hoped it would be the only similarity.
“I don’t care if it seems odd or cold to her,” Sir stated as they rode up on the elevator. “I still have my reservations, and a professional environment will help to remove emotion from the equation if this goes poorly.”
“I understand your caution, Sir, given what you’ve been through.”
Sir hesitated with his hand on the doorknob to the meeting room. “Why do I have the unsettling feeling this is going to change my life in ways I can’t imagine?”
Brie put her hand on his. “Because it will. You have family again.”
Together, they opened the door and walked inside. Sir immediately stopped and stood silent as he glared at Lilly.
The girl stood up to greet him, a pleasant smile on her face—an eerily familiar smile.
“I can’t believe it!” she cried, running up to Sir with her arms open wide. To Brie’s horror, the girl was a perfect replica of Sir’s mother.
Sir kept his arm outstretched, keeping his distance as he shook the woman’s hand in a stiff manner. “There can be no doubt that you are my mother’s daughter.”
Lilly looked up at him, smiling. “And you! No doubt you are the son of a handsome Italian.”
Sir dropped her hand abruptly and turned to shut the door.
Brie understood the emotional jolt he’d suffered, and spoke up to relieve some of the tension in the room. “Hi, I’m Brie Bennett. It’s nice to meet you, Lilly.”
The girl took Brie’s hand, but then enfolded her in a hug. “Yes, I’ve read all about you. I haven’t seen your film yet, but I certainly plan to someday soon.”
Brie was taken aback when Lilly kissed her on the cheek, but she didn’t have time to react, because Lilly was back on Sir, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the table. “There’s so much to talk about!”
Lilly sat down and covered her face with her hands, exclaiming excitedly, “Oh, my God, you’re really my brother. This is so weird…”
Sir was slower to sit down, and pulled out the seat beside him so Brie could join him. “I admit this is a shock for me as well.”
“Why in the world would Momma keep you a secret?”
Sir looked at her solemnly. “I assume you are aware of our past.”
“Well, naturally I’ve looked you up on the internet, but still… I don’t get why she would want to keep you and me apart like that.”
He answered without any emotion, “I’m a part of her past she wanted to forget.”
Lilly shook her head, smiling at Sir. “But I don’t get it. She loved being a mother. I can’t imagine her abandoning you like that.”
“The two of us did not end on good terms.”
Without asking, Lilly grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “You know, I read about the tragic death of your father. Both Mom and you must have been devastated. I’
ve heard unexpected deaths can break families apart.”
“He didn’t die tragically; he killed himself because of her,” Sir stated, pulling his hand away.
But Lilly would have none of it, and grabbed it back. “I can’t believe Momma could be so cruel as to leave you behind, Thane. It was wrong for her to do that.”
Sir looked down at her hand gripping his but, to Brie’s surprise, he didn’t pull away. “I do not know the person you claim her to be. My experience with Ruth has shown her to be a heartless human being, and she proved that to me time and again.”
“Thane…I hope you don’t mind if I call you that,” Lilly said with an infectious grin.
“I’m not opposed to it.”
“Thane, I can’t explain my mother’s actions, but I sincerely hope you and I can become friends and break down the walls she built. Neither of us should be alone in this world.”
Sir glanced at Brie. “I’m not alone.”
Lilly smiled, quickly correcting herself. “No, that’s not what I meant, but surely you’ll agree it’s wrong to be deprived of family.”
“You should talk to your mother about that, but unfortunately she can’t face your justified wrath.”
Lilly patted his hand before withdrawing hers. “I don’t hate her; I just want to understand her reasons for doing this to us. Momma was only loving and kind to me. Whatever she did to you, that was not how she treated me.” She smiled at Sir apologetically. “But we should leave that for another day. Really, all I want to do is get to know you better.”
“Agreed.”
Lilly raised her eyebrows playfully. “So I read that you run your own consulting company and that you used to be headmaster of a school. That’s all fine and good, but what do you do for fun?”
Sir looked at her oddly and did not reply.
“I mean, what are your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?”
“Spare time? What the hell is that?” Sir laughed.
Brie wrapped her arm around his and smiled at Lilly. “The two of us are always on the run. If we aren’t working, we’re…doing things together.” She laid her head on Sir’s shoulder.
“I get that you two are a couple, but seriously, Thane. What do you enjoy doing on your own? Surely a man as independent as you are has other interests.”
Brie felt a twinge of resentment. It felt as if the question was meant to be a jab against her, not asked out of simple curiosity.
“Although we haven’t had the time recently, I do enjoy the opera.”
Lilly’s eyes lit up. “I do too! Have you seen Carmen? It’s my favorite one.”
Sir shook his head. “No, I have not. Its storyline reminds me too much of my mother. I could only wish she had ended like that.”
Tears formed in Lilly’s eyes. “How could you say that? I…”
Sir sighed before reaching over and taking her hand. “I’m sorry. I think both of us must tread lightly when talking about her.”
Lilly dabbed her eyes with a tissue and nodded. “Still, I really think you should see it. I love that opera.”
“I will keep it in mind, Lilly,” Sir said kindly.
“So other than our mutual love of opera, what else do we have in common?”
When Sir failed to answer, Brie chimed in. “He’s a talented cook.”
Sir shook his head. “Talented is a stretch. Let’s just say that I enjoy my time in the kitchen.”
Lilly grinned. “I grew up in the kitchen with Momma. She was always experimenting with new dishes.”
Sir seemed interested in that fact and asked, “What did she cook?”
“Oh, every French dish under the sun. Momma always said the more butter and cream, the better.”
“No Italian then?”
“No, Momma said she hated Itali—” Lilly’s face fell and she immediately apologized. “Oh God, I’m sorry.”
Sir shook it off. “That’s fine. I think we’re done here.”
“Done? But we’ve barely started. I’ll be more careful with my words, Thane. I need to get to know you better. Please don’t brush me off.”
He could not be swayed by her pleas, and informed her, “This is enough for now. We’ve established communication.”
Lilly got up from the table and rushed over, wrapping her arms around him. “I want so much more than that. Please, Thane.”
It was surreal to see a younger version of his mother hugging Sir so tightly. Brie hoped it brought him comfort, because it made her skin crawl.
“I’m staying at the Rayburn hotel for the next couple of days. I would love to get together again. Please say yes.”
Sir broke away from her and stood up, holding out his hand to Brie. “Miss Bennett and I have a busy week ahead, but I’ll consider it.”
“Thanks again for the plane ticket and hotel,” Lilly blurted. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“Don’t give it another thought.”
“Well, I’m sure you heard from your lawyer that I’m a junior accountant in New York and can barely make ends meet even with a roommate.” She laughed. “So getting the chance to come to LA is a dream come true for me, but meeting my long-lost big brother totally blows my mind!”
“It is equally unsettling for me.”
Lilly shook her head, giving him a humorous look. “No, Thane, it’s not unsettling. It’s wonderful!”
He chuckled lightly. “Fine, it’s wonderful.”
The next morning, an envelope arrived for Sir via courier. Inside was a note and a smaller, golden envelope. Sir read it out loud to Brie:
Dear Thane,
Just talking about Carmen got me excited. Imagine my surprise when I found out it’s playing here! It took some doing, but I obtained tickets. Please think of it as a thank you for the travel, and a chance for you and I to get to know each other in a less formal environment.
Love,
Lilly, your little sis
Sir opened the second envelope and pulled out a single ticket. He looked at her apologetically.
Brie smiled as she put her arm around his waist. “It’s for the best, Sir. You should spend time alone together.”
“Unfortunately, it’s on the same night as Mr. Gallant’s party. I had hoped to speak to Miss Wilson there to see how she’s faring. Even though I trust Captain with her care, as her former trainer, I feel responsible and wanted to check in.”
“I’ll talk with her, Sir. I suspect she’ll be more open with me anyway.”
“Keep it civil this time.”
Brie blushed, remembering her last phone call with Mary. “I won’t attack her, no matter how rude she is.”
Sir’s voice took on a softer tone when he asked, “What are your impressions of Lilly, Brie?”
She collected her thoughts before answering, not wanting to put a negative spin on something so personal to Sir. “To be fair, I’ve only met her once.”
“And…”
“I’m unsure.”
“As am I. I’m trying not to be suspicious of Lilly’s intentions, but her look is uncanny and quite disturbing to me.”
“I know what you mean,” Brie confessed, grateful he’d been the one to bring it up. “But it’s unfair to judge a person by their appearance. Although I understand that, it’s hard not to think of your mother whenever I look at her.”
“I was surprised by her financial situation.”
“You mean that she’s living modestly like any normal person her age? I was surprised by that too, Sir. I naturally assumed your mother would have raised a spoiled brat, but maybe she honestly wanted to give Lilly a fair chance in the world.”
“Or maybe Lilly recently lost all her money and has always known about me,” Sir speculated.
Brie hated to even go there. The last thing Sir needed was another Ruth in his life. “Did Mr. Thompson find out anything on her that contradicts her story?”
“No, everything checks out, but…”
Brie was relieved to hear it. “You
just need time, Sir. Time to get to know Lilly so you can see her for the person she really is. That’s all.” She kissed him on the lips. “You’re a good judge of character. Trust your instincts.”
Sir shook his head, growling angrily. “When it comes to my mother and anything associated with her, I find myself assuming only one thing.”
Brie took the ticket from his hand. “Maybe, just this once, you should let down your guard and get to know your sister.”
“Sister…what an odd concept.”
“But your new reality.”
Mary Quite Un-Contrary
Sir left for the opera an hour before Brie was to leave for the party at Mr. Gallant’s. Just before he headed out the door, Sir handed her a red box. “Open it.”
Brie lifted the lid and took out the delicate red mask that was nestled in tissue paper. “It’s beautiful, Sir, but what’s this for?”
“The Gallants are requiring masks for the evening.”
“Really?” She looked it over, suddenly intrigued.
“Yes, his wife thought masks would add to the festivities tonight.”
“Oh, Sir. Now I’m really unhappy you won’t be joining me.”
“I had this shipped from Italy,” he told her, taking the mask and placing it over her eyes. He tied it into place and turned her back around to admire her. “You look stunning, babygirl.”
It was important that he spend time with his sister, Brie knew that, but the chance to see Sir wearing a mask would have been such a rare treat. It was hard not to pout.
Sir kissed her on the lips. “Rest assured, we’ll have our own private mask party.”
Brie purred. “Good, because I want to make love to you in a mask.”
He pinched her butt. “Aren’t you the kinky one?”
She giggled, but the merriment ceased the moment he shut the door on his way out. Going to this gathering without him would be a depressing ordeal, no matter what the reason for it.