It’s nice to know we make a difference in a good way.
Chapter Seven
Gabe eagerly looked forward to the party. With their jobs, she and Bill didn’t get out to the club as often as they wished they could. And sometimes, investigations interfered with their personal plans to attend private parties. Everyone in their group of friends knew they were always a last-minute cancellation possibility. Fortunately, everyone understood how it was the nature of their jobs and didn’t begrudge it when they had to cancel.
Bill was still a detective with the Charlotte County sheriff’s department, and Gabe worked as an investigator for the FDLE, stationed at their Sarasota office.
Not exactly careers that lent themselves to spending a lot of time in public at a BDSM club. Although Gabe’s former supervisor from Miami was, surprisingly enough, a member of Venture. That interesting little factoid had come to light after she revealed to him she was applying for a transfer due to her relationship with Bill.
Which became their marriage.
At least the private parties they attended afforded them the ability to relax with their friends and be themselves without feeling self-conscious.
Well, Gabe was the self-conscious one, although not as bad as she had been. Bill didn’t give two hoots what anyone else thought of him, or her, or their dynamic. He never tried to force Gabe to do stuff she wasn’t comfortable with even though he had gently tested and expanded her boundaries over their time together.
And because she loved and trusted him, it was easy for her to let go to him, to let him lead her places she never thought she’d go.
Knowing he would always be there for her, holding her hand, leading her forward.
Now when she looked back at her past, she didn’t recognize the woman she’d been even a couple of years ago. It felt like a lifetime away. Bill’s patient, loving persistence had easily shattered her emotional walls.
Gabe even had a growing Hello Kitty collection in her office, and she didn’t care if anyone teased her about it.
That, alone, was one of the most freeing feelings.
After arriving, they rang the front bell and Leah came to let them in, hugging them both. “Glad you could make it! Rule number one at one of our private parties, you never have to ring the bell. Just walk in. You’re family.”
She showed them where to put their side dish they’d brought, where they could stash their things, and led them out to the back lanai where others were gathered and talking.
Someone had put music on, a modern, jazzy number, just loud enough to provide ambiance and help cover their voices in case any of the neighbors could hear.
Gabe felt slightly naked despite her tunic and leggings. Bill had gently talked her into locking her sidearm in the trunk of his car. She’d thought he would put his foot down and tell her to leave it home, but he’d pleasantly surprised her. His was also locked in there, even though he’d had it in the car with them for the relatively short drive up to Leah and Seth’s.
Bill curled an arm around her waist, leaned in, and gently nibbled the side of her neck. Her eyes fell shut as his hand slowly rose up her back, until he twined his fingers in her hair and lightly tugged.
“Shut off your brain,” he whispered against her flesh, just behind her ear. “Tonight and tomorrow, you’re all mine. You’re blocked out on PTO today and tomorrow.”
“You’re still on ca—”
He tugged a little harder while nipping the shell of her ear.
“Not until tomorrow afternoon. Tonight I’m not on call. Shutty offy the brainy.” The grip on her hair grew tighter. “Who’s my good girl?”
“I am, Daddy.” The words fell from her lips without hesitation.
He was her safety, her dead-certain anchor in a world of ugly chaos. They didn’t do age play, but their dynamic was based more on comfort and nurturing and sensual play than on sadism. He was her higher power, the only thing in the world that could make her forget the brutal realities of her job for a few blessed moments.
“Yes, you are.” He brought his other hand up and turned her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Tonight, you belong only to me. The State of Florida has no claims on your time or attention. Understand?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered.
Subspace set in as the tension melted from her, a physical sensation, like water rushing down a drain. He’d also made her leave her work phone in the car. He carried her personal cell in his pocket, which her office would call if there was an emergency and they really needed her.
“Such a good girl for me.” His hazel eyes picked up the multicolored lights decorating the yard outside the lanai, filled with love and cheer and sexy promises of a night of fun.
Her submission to him had finally given her the freedom she’d yearned for all her adult life, the freedom she’d unsuccessfully sought and mistakenly thought she’d had.
The freedom to be herself, to nurture herself, to open herself to being loved and cared for.
As he loosened his grip on her hair and slid his arm around her waist again, the world slowly came back into focus. Their friends, the music, everything else had faded out as she’d stared into his eyes.
He smiled down at her. “Tonight we have fun and enjoy ourselves. Got it?”
She returned his smile. “Yes, Daddy.”
* * * *
Bill knew all too well how hard it was for Gabe to let go of work and just be for a few hours. All the way up until it was time to leave for the party, he prayed he wouldn’t get a call from work asking him to catch a case.
Gabe needed this downtime and, frankly, so did he. Tonight was a test run for her, a taste of what was soon to come. They were taking ten days off from Christmas till just past New Year’s, a cruise to Mexico. There, Gabe wouldn’t have any choice but to fully let go of the outside world. They wouldn’t be able to be reached by phone, and if he had to change the password on her laptop to keep her from trying to get onto the Internet and access her work e-mail, he damn well would.
He was actually shocked she hadn’t burned herself out yet at her job. But she loved what she did, and she hadn’t expressed any desire to quit yet.
That made nights like this even more important. They’d had countless hours of conversations. He felt blessed and terrified at the level of trust she had in him, her way of using him as her mental eraser, so to speak.
Tonight, he wanted to keep her present and focused on them, not on what was going on in the greater world at large, stuff she couldn’t control. He wanted her to relax and remind herself that nothing would fall apart if she was out of contact and not obsessively checking her e-mail on her work phone or her laptop.
Most of their play was wrapped up in their actual dynamic, with sensual play, and sex, an integral part of it. She did enjoy forced orgasm play accompanied by rope bondage, another safe way for her to let go and give herself to his control, but he never took their impact play any more severe than bare-handed smacks, or moderate swats with soft implements. Never any pain.
She’d had enough of that as a child.
What she had in him was trust, and he never wanted to do anything to shatter that. He’d been patient with her in the beginning, understanding that chasing her would only drive her away. He hadn’t been sure at first if she’d come around and come to him, but she had. Showing up unexpectedly one night on his doorstep after she’d had a cathartic visit with her abusive grandmother, the cause of most of her adult issues.
That her grandmother hadn’t even known Gabe, or been able to have a coherent conversation with her due to advanced Alzheimer’s, had finally been the last thing to flip Gabe’s switch and make her realize she had control of her life.
And when her grandmother died three months ago, he’d been so proud of Gabe wanting to go up for the funeral, helping arrange and even paying for it.
She’d literally outlived the demon from her past.
He’d been there every step of the way with her. Even though
they were partners in life and in their relationship, Gabe willingly gave herself to him, let him take her firmly in hand in the bedroom, never for punishment, just in love and fun.
Bill slid his hand down Gabe’s ass, down to her upper thigh, and up again.
She tipped her head onto his shoulder. “I’m not wearing panties, Sir,” she whispered.
“I know. Just checking.” He patted her on the ass. “I think it’s warm enough for someone to lose the leggings, too, isn’t it? Your tunic’s long enough to cover your ass.”
Even in the dim light he knew her cheeks now bore a delicious pink flush. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. Go do it, please.”
She walked back inside, a spring in her step.
Tony stepped over. “Did you bring your rope bag?”
“Oh, yeah. And the Hitachi. She’s going to be a well-cummed girl by the time I drive her home tonight.”
“I’m sure most of the ones here will be. By the way, Seth arranged a birthday cake for Leah. Her birthday’s tomorrow. She didn’t want Ross putting that in the invitation, but Seth’s pulling the Dom card and wants to surprise her with a cake. Quietly pass the word around that there’s a card everyone can sign. Loren will have it when she gets here.”
“Gotcha.”
Tony moved on to talk to someone else.
Of everyone there, Bill knew he himself probably best understood what Leah had been through. Although totally different circumstances, and his wife had lingered only for a month after a stroke during routine gall bladder surgery.
At least Leah had gotten to say a final good-bye to Kaden, and had Seth there to lean on.
He’d had to go it alone.
Trying to shake himself out of his thoughts, he caught sight of Gabe returning, barefoot and sans leggings.
As she sidled up next to him again, he ran his hand down her ass and then up under the hem of her tunic while she stared up at him with those beautiful brown eyes of hers.
“Much better, sweetheart,” he said, patting her on her bare ass.
“Thank you, Sir.” She snuggled against him. The mild night wasn’t predicted to get below seventy-two degrees. Seth and Leah had their house open to the lanai, and the windows opened, too, except for the ones at the front of the house.
No reason to advertise their party to the neighbors. Not that they could easily see, between the long driveway and delightful cacophony of Christmas decorations and lights in the yard.
“Are we playing tonight, Sir?” she asked.
He grinned. “You’ll just have to be a good girl and wait and see, won’t you?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He knew if he slipped his fingers between her legs, he’d find her wet already.
Hell, they’d brought towels with them. Maybe there would be a dip in the hot tub or the pool in their future before the night was over.
The night was young, and there were plenty of opportunities to be had.
Bill caught the glimpse of headlights sweeping past the front window, and Tilly dashed by.
“Can I help?” Gabe asked.
“Nope, thanks, under control,” Tilly said as she flew toward the front door.
“She looks like a woman on a mission,” Bill said. “I sure wouldn’t want to get in her way.”
Chapter Eight
“Tilly’s texted me five times in the last ten minutes, asking where we’re at,” Loren told Ross.
He grunted. “She’s lucky I love her.”
“Well, Sir, I did warn you the tire looked low when we got in the car.”
“Yes, you did.”
Ross didn’t have to look to know Loren wore a playful, knowing grin. “Tell Tilly we’ll be there when we’ll be there,” he said. “Unless she wants to deal with Seth as to why we haven’t picked up the cake.”
After changing the tire himself—a call to AAA reported at least an hour delay before someone could arrive—and running back home to change clothes and wash his hands, they still had to stop by the grocery store and pick up the cake Seth had ordered and paid for.
“Yes, Sir.” He heard her giggle as the tone for a sent message chimed from her phone.
“And that’s five for ranting to Tilly in text about how I didn’t listen to you about the tire,” he grumbled. “Which I know you did.”
Loren outright laughed. “Yes, Sir.”
She didn’t sound worried. Of course, she knew she had no reason to be worried. Yes, he’d give her five hard swats, more for the aggravation than anything, but she’d gladly take them without complaint.
Heck, she’d taken a lot worse than that over the years at his sadistic hands and gleefully asked for more.
“You’re lucky I don’t turn you over to Tilly and let her swat you,” he said.
Another giggle. “Oh, please, Sir. Don’t do thaaat.” More giggling.
“You could have at least tried to sound serious.”
Loren and Tilly weren’t just best friends, but partners in crime. No way would she give Loren hard smacks on the ass unless Loren asked for them.
“I could get Landry to do it,” Ross said. “He’s a sadist.”
Loren snorted. “Yeah, and I’d ask Tilly to tell him no.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
“Damn bratty slaves,” he grumbled, not even a fraction seriously.
Loren eased her hand onto his thigh. “Don’t worry, Sir. I’m sure those five punishment strokes will hurt a lot and be very painful.”
“Now you’re just being sarcastic.”
She squeezed his thigh. “Would Sir like a blow job to make things better?”
“Blow jobs always make things better. You know that. Not until we get there, though. We’re late enough as it is, and I don’t need to add a blow-job-distracted car accident to the list of reasons for Tilly to be irritated at me because we’re running late.”
Loren giggled. “Yes, Sir.”
* * * *
Tilly practically flew out of the front door when they pulled up in the driveway and parked. “Dude, what the hell?” she asked as he opened his door and climbed out.
He pointed at Loren. “It’s her fault.”
Loren’s jaw gaped. “Mine?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “I’m playing the Master card, slave.”
Loren pouted. “Yes, Sir.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
“I don’t give a flying rat’s fart if it’s the fault of aliens,” Tilly said. “Please tell me you got the cake!”
“Yes, we got the cake.” He walked around to the backseat where the sheet cake safely sat in its box. “Where do you want it?”
“I unlocked the side door of the garage. Loren, go on in and distract Leah. Make sure she doesn’t come out to the garage.”
“Gotcha.”
Tilly led Ross around the side of the house, opening the door for him and then opening the door of the refrigerator there in the garage. The middle shelf had been cleared of drinks and was ready for him to slide the box into position.
Tilly let out a sigh of relief as she closed the door, then hugged him. “Thank you. Sorry I’m so wound up.”
“You’re lucky I love you.”
She smiled. “Yeah, yeah.”
“That’s yeah, yeah, Sir, to you, missy.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and shooed him toward the side door. “Go on. I’ll lock it behind you.”
He stepped out, heading back to their car so he could get the rest of their gear.
“Damn, bratty slaves,” he muttered. “You’ve got to love them.”
He also loved these private parties. They weren’t just friends, but adopted family. Years earlier, he’d even served as Tilly’s protector just after Cris left, ensuring she didn’t do something like try to kill herself in the aftermath of the way he’d left.
Had someone told him back then how things would turn out now, he would have told them they were fucking nuts.
I guess we’re all a little fucking nuts.
Ros
s grabbed their bags and headed inside. He knew the plan was for Tilly and Loren to make the rounds with the card on the sly so everyone could sign it for Leah, without Leah knowing it. The past couple of years, with her birthday so close to Christmas—and close to the anniversary of Kaden’s death—she’d begged off any kind of acknowledgement of it.
Last year, she’d let Seth invite a few of them over, the oldest, closest gang, for a not-so-surprise cookout. She’d handled it well, but now, Seth wanted more.
This year, Seth was determined to give her a birthday party, whether she liked it or not. What Leah didn’t know, and Seth had confided in him, was that Scrye actually had Seth’s birthday present for Leah in his bag, along with the X-rated gag gifts Tilly, Loren, and the others had gathered to hand out to the attendees.
Seth had scoured shops and websites until he’d found exactly what he wanted, a matching set of engraved silver bracelets that Leah could wear in any vanilla situation, but that would also serve as day collars for her.
Once Ross got their things into the house, he joined the others out on the lanai and greeted everyone. When shaking Seth’s hand, the other man arched an eyebrow, to which Ross gave him a quick nod, prompting a smile from Seth.
“Glad you finally got here,” Seth said.
“Sorry. Flat tire. Next time, I need to listen to Loren when she tells me a tire looks low.”
Seth smirked. “You’ll never live that one down.”
“Nope. Probably not.”
Ross made the rounds. He already saw a lot of Essie and her guys, when they visited Essie’s mom, who lived directly across the street from him and Loren. But some of their friends he only got to see when they came out for the private parties like this.
It was sure to be a good night, already off to a cheery start despite the initial delay.
If that was the worst thing that happened tonight, he’d still call it a resounding win. The house was already filled with the sounds of laughter and people chatting.