Brie Discerns Master's Heart (After Graduation, #6)

  “I’m uncertain what brought her to this point, nor do I care.” Sir glanced at Brie with a look of regret. “But now Brie has to deal with the consequences of the unwanted reunion.”

  Master Anderson spoke with the candor of a good friend. “To be blunt, I am glad you have her with you. This is not something you should face alone.” He stood up, walked to the expansive bookshelf lined with liquor bottles and poured both of them glasses of Scotch. “Have you spoken to your uncle about it?”

  Sir shook his head as he answered, “No, not yet. Besides you and Nosaka, no one knows of her return. I think it’s best to keep it that way, but I agree that he should be warned.”

  Brie had forgotten that Mr. Reynolds was related to Sir’s mother. How would he react to the news? She couldn’t imagine the kind old man being brother to such a spiteful woman.

  “Yes—in fact, the sooner the better, Thane. He should not be surprised by her the way you were. You remember how it ended between them.”

  “Yes…” Sir said distractedly, as if he was remembering the event. “Unc felt as if he was to blame for what happened. Foolish on his part.”

  Master Anderson held up his glass. “No more foolish than you.”

  Sir snarled ominously as he took a drink. “Shut up.”

  “You know you came today because you needed someone to be honest.”

  “Don’t be so sure.”

  Master Anderson finished his drink and grabbed Sir’s glass without asking, filling it up with more Scotch.

  When he handed it back, Sir stated, “You should know I don’t care to drink before noon.” Then he looked at Brie. “Would you like some, téa?”

  His question did two things. It acknowledged that he cared about her well-being, but by calling her by her sub name, he was also informing her that she was there to observe and not participate in the conversation unless commanded.

  Brie did not want the liquor to dull her response to him. “No, thank you, Master.”

  Master Anderson sat back down. “I thought a little Scotch was in order. It’s not every day that Ruth Davis comes to call.”

  Sir shot up off the sofa and roared, “Do not use my father’s surname with that woman!”

  Brie was confused for a moment, until she realized that Sir’s mother had even lied about her name. The woman had lied about everything…

  Master Anderson got up and placed his hand on Sir’s shoulder. “A mistake, my friend.”

  Sir exhaled angrily, but sat back down.

  Master Anderson returned to his chair with a calm air about him. “How are you planning to handle it, Thane?”

  “I am siccing my lawyer on her. He’ll find out soon enough what’s really going on.” Sir directed Brie, “Don’t let her get anywhere near you. The woman is toxic in every sense of the word.” He looked back to Master Anderson. “The beast was able to finagle Brie’s business card from her.”

  “I’m sorry, Master,” Brie whispered.

  “Téa, I do not fault you, but it illustrates what lengths to which she will go.”

  Master Anderson assured him, “I will keep my eyes out for the beast. But after so many years, I’m not even sure I’ll recognize her.”

  Sir laughed unkindly. “She probably went bankrupt because of her face. The whore looks the same—it’s unnatural, like looking at the picture of Dorian Gray. She’s made herself into a freak of nature in her frantic attempt to keep the only thing of value she has left—her looks.”

  “I honestly can’t imagine her looking the same after all these years,” Master Anderson mused.

  “The only thing that gives her away is the gray in her hair. Gives her a cougar look, which must be advantageous to her somehow.”

  “I can see the value in keeping some of the gray. Imagine jumping into bed with what you thought was a young chick, but unwrapping an old woman.”

  Both men laughed, but Sir’s expression quickly soured. “I’ve struggled all these years, knowing she was alive but my father was not. The only thing that kept me sane was the assurance I would never see her again.”

  Master Anderson put his glass down and said solemnly, “Thane, you never dealt with it. No matter what the future holds, I believe you will navigate your way through this and be a better man for it, when all is said and done.”

  Sir picked Brie up and pulled her close to him. “My sub seems determined to challenge me in this area, whether it’s intentional or not.”

  Master Anderson picked up his glass again and raised it to them. “Then it’s the perfect match, is it not?”

  Sir kissed the top of Brie’s head and then let her go, commanding, “Téa, go to the kitchen and whip up something for lunch. I would like to spend time with Master Anderson alone.”

  Brie bowed, thinking, Oh, God. Whipping up ‘something’ for Master Anderson, the gourmet chef? “My pleasure, Master.”

  The men exited out through the back door, leaving Brie all alone in Master Anderson’s house. She wished she could sneak over to the door to hear what they were discussing. Listening to these two Doms converse was fascinating, because with every exchange she learned a little more about Sir.

  She glanced around the impressive kitchen. It was the kind of setup that belonged on a cooking show. Although Sir’s also had marble countertops and stainless steel appliances, Master Anderson had a ton of extra cooking tools that would make a chef’s heart palpitate. However, they just confused Brie.

  She decided to stick to the basics. There was no point in trying to impress either man, for Brie knew she would only end up embarrassing herself. Instead, she concentrated on what Sir liked, and what she could cook semi-decently. Brie checked through Master Anderson’s refrigerator to make sure he had the needed items before she began.

  Brie cooked the bacon in a pan first. It was one thing she was good at, having been given the task by her mother from an early age. Her mother didn’t trust her with much in the kitchen, but bacon was one of Brie’s specialties. She prided herself on getting it to that ‘just crisp but not overcooked’ stage.

  Soon Master Anderson’s house was filled with the delicious smell of bacon. While she let it rest on a paper towel, she set to work on the cheese. Normally she just used American, but Master Anderson did not have ‘fake’ cheese in his kitchen. Instead, she went with Gruyère, fontina, and for a personal touch a little Brie de Meaux. It would be a white grilled cheese, but that made it seem more gourmet to her.

  The kitchen had the kind of grill you would find in a diner. It looked intimidating to operate, but Brie messed with the temperature until it seemed hot enough. She spread butter on the bread and placed the sandwiches on the heated grill. They sizzled pleasantly upon contact. Brie grabbed a spatula and watched the cheese intently as it slowly began to melt.

  In her best cooking show voice, she announced, “You will find that the combination of cheeses will meld together to create the ooziest, most gooey grilled cheese you have ever eaten. Adding the bacon gives it a more savory flair, for those men of yours who need a little meat on their plates.”

  She lifted a corner of one sandwich and smiled. “You want to wait until you get a golden brown color. Too soon, and your grilled cheese will be unpleasantly mushy.” She looked at the pretend camera. “Totally not delish!” She flipped the sandwich over. “If you wait too long, then you get the dreaded barbecued grilled cheese, and we ain’t taking Memphis-style, people.”

  Brie set out three plates, grabbed a sprig of fresh parsley. Then she lovingly placed the sandwiches on the plates and stood back with a proud smile. “And that, my friends, is how you cook a killer grilled cheese!” She bowed gracefully, then turned to the pretend camera and ran her fingers across her throat. “Cut!”

  She hurried to open the back door to let Sir know that lunch was ready, but stopped short when she saw the two men. Master Anderson was instructing Sir how to handle the bullwhip. Her knees almost gave out as she watched Sir swing the whip back and forth before hitting the bottom of th
e post with a loud snap.

  Master Anderson shook his head and repositioned Sir’s arm. This time, Sir stared at the post with intense concentration before swinging again. He lashed the post directly in the middle. It was as if Brie could feel the sting of it on her back, and she almost dropped from the impact.

  Both men looked in her direction. Brie realized she must have made a noise and blushed. To cover it, she announced with a respectful bow, “Lunch is ready, Master.” She hoped it wasn’t obvious how much she was trembling.

  “We’ll join you in a minute, téa.”

  Brie bowed again and shut the door. She made her way back to the kitchen to finish setting the table, but her mind was not on her task. Sir is practicing the bullwhip.

  He knew her feelings about the bullwhip. He had asked her the night she’d scened with Master Anderson at The Haven. It frightened her, the thought of being whipped again…

  Maybe it was simply a way to relieve his stress. Men often bonded over physical activity. Typically it was over a game of basketball, but considering their kinky inclinations, chatting over a bullwhip seemed perfectly natural, right?

  The men walked in, both sweaty from their workout. Brie looked at Sir through hooded eyes as he sat down. He winked at her before looking down at his plate. “I see you went with an American classic, téa.”

  Master Anderson pulled the bread apart to examine it more closely. “But with a uniquely Brie twist to it,” he added with a smirk. He reassembled the sandwich and took a bite, announcing afterwards, “You went with a blend of three creamy cheeses. Good choice. The outside is nice and toasted, the cheese properly melted, but I can’t say I care for the selection of meat. I think a slice of tomato would suffice.”

  Sir took his own bite. His face showed little expression as he chewed. After he had finished, he glanced at Master Anderson as he informed Brie, “Naturally, I disagree with the addition of tomato. I believe by replacing the bacon with pancetta you would have a fine sandwich, téa.”

  Brie wanted to burst with pride. Her first culinary success with Sir! He had eaten what she’d served him ever since she’d become his submissive, but this was her first real triumph. She wanted to squeal with happiness and struggled to keep quiet. It was only a grilled cheese sandwich, after all.

  It seemed that Sir was more relaxed after his practice session with Master Anderson. He was more like himself during the meal, but insisted on leaving shortly after.

  “I thank you for your time, Brad. As always, talking with you gives me a healthy perspective.”

  “Think nothing of it.”

  “Now you can go back to teasing the neighborhood.”

  Master Anderson grinned. “Think of the thrill you would cause if both of you joined me in weeding the front garden. Two bare-chested men and a little sex kitten in a miniskirt. I’m sure we could get the entire neighborhood out for the show.”

  Sir shook his head. “You need to get a permanent sub.”

  “Gardening has a calming effect, Thane. Maybe you should look into it.”

  Sir scoffed and walked out through the front door. “Come, téa.”

  Master Anderson said to Sir as he left, “Don’t forget what I said about Wallace.”

  Sir stopped and turned to address him. “I’ll set up a meeting tomorrow. It will be a relief to Marquis, who has been pushing for it since Brie’s encounter with him at the Training Center. Personally, after yesterday’s trouble I need to tie up those loose ends. The beast alone is enough for me to deal with.”

  “Good luck. Give me a call afterwards. In fact, why don’t you drop by, and you can practice some more?”

  Brie’s eyes widened when Sir agreed. He was serious about learning the bullwhip! That could only mean one thing—he meant to use it on her. A cold chill ran through Brie, but there was an enticing shudder that accompanied it. The knowledge that she was his and that this was an area he was going to push her in was…exhilarating.

  The Wolf Howls

  The meeting with Todd Wallace took place at The Haven. Faelan had refused to have it at the Training Center, stating that it should be on neutral ground.

  Sir had been puzzled by his assertion that it was not neutral ground, but Brie understood. Both she and Faelan had been students at the Center. No matter how much experience they accumulated, they would always be pupils of the school.

  The owner of the club had set aside a quiet room in the back for the meeting, away from the playful chaos. When they arrived, Sir turned to Brie. “At all times, be open and honest with him. If he sees the slightest hesitation, he will read it as you hiding your affections for him. Although Wallace is unusually talented, he remains emotionally stunted.”

  ‘The death of the young man in the car crash…” Brie said softly.

  “Yes, it is the reason for his immaturity, but not an excuse to behave dishonorably.”

  “I will remember that, Sir.”

  “Look him in the eye.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Tension filled the air, but it immediately dissipated the moment Sir touched her, just before he guided her into the room. “You are an exceptional person, Brie. Beyond being a submissive, beyond your film talent, you are a kind soul,” he said, brushing her cheek with his hand. “A true rarity.”

  Brie pressed her cheek against his hand, closing her eyes in contentment. “You make me a better woman.” She opened her eyes and gazed into his. “I love you, Thane.”

  He returned her smile. “I love you.” Sir kissed her then, their connection born of love and admiration.

  When Brie entered the room, she knew with certainty that not only could she do this, but she could do it with the purity of love Tono had shown her. She noticed that there was only a single table with four chairs in the room. Faelan was seated directly in front of her, with Marquis Gray sitting on the right.

  Faelan stared at her from across the room. Despite the situation and the people involved, she was irresistibly drawn to those deep blue eyes.

  “Welcome,” Marquis Gray said, directing Brie to the chair across from Faelan, and Sir to the one directly opposite him.

  They all sat down in uncomfortable silence. But Brie followed Sir’s orders and looked Faelan directly in the eye, despite her natural inclination to stare at her lap.

  “Well, isn’t this quaint? It’s like I’m in jail. Here we have my lawyer, sitting next to me,” Faelan said, pointing to Marquis Gray, “and there, you have the warden.”

  Brie smiled to herself at the comparison.

  Marquis spoke up. “He has a few things to go over with you, Miss Bennett. Both Sir Davis and I will remain silent unless we can add clarification to the discussion.”

  Faelan looked down at a piece of paper in front of him and snarled. “No!” He swept the paper aside. “I am not going down a list.” He stared at Brie. “You and I are going to have a genuine conversation, with no pretenses.”

  Brie noticed that Marquis discreetly slid the paper back over to him.

  “That’s acceptable to me, Mr. Wallace,” she replied.

  “To begin with, you will not call me Mr. Wallace. That just sounds wrong.”

  Brie looked in Sir’s direction for guidance. He did not speak, but nodded slightly.

  “Okay… Todd.”

  Faelan sat back in his chair and snorted. “That’s only a slight improvement.”

  She wasn’t willing to argue the point, so she forged ahead. “The reason we are here is to—”

  “No, that’s not how this is going to play out,” he stated firmly as he took over. “As you know, I have lived in darkness most of my adult life. The guilt of killing someone has eaten at me like a cancer.”

  Brie replied compassionately, “But it was just an acciden—”

  He held up his hand. “There’s no point in continuing that line of thought, Brie. I’ve talked to a counselor and I’m not about to rehash it with you.”

  She looked down at her lap but immediately looked back up, realizing she
was subconsciously falling into the submissive role with him.

  “That day… The day you fell into my arms I finally saw a spark of hope. You were a light in the suffocating darkness consuming me.” Faelan grinned at her. “I can’t explain why, but there was an instant connection made I’ve never felt before.” He leaned forward and asked her, “What did you feel that day?”

  Brie took a deep breath before she began. Sir had instructed her to be honest, so she kept that her primary goal. “I was grateful that you saved me from a bad fall and I thought you had nice eyes. Honestly, I felt nothing more than that.”

  Faelan sat back and nodded. “When I saw you tied up later, while I was jogging on the beach, I almost lost it. I thought you were being kidnapped and raped.”

  Brie blushed. “That was an awkward moment for both of us.” She looked upon Faelan with empathy. “But I appreciate that you were trying to help.”

  “I will never forget the sight of you, Brie. Knowing that you were naked under that robe when you came to the door. Seeing you caress the collar around your neck… The possessive way the Russian lorded over you.” Faelan paused. “That was the beginning of a new life for me.”

  Brie interjected, “I didn’t feel that way, Todd. In fact, I didn’t realize who you were until the cops were about to leave.”

  “You felt no connection, not even then?”

  She shook her head. “Not even when you formally introduced yourself the next day. All I could think was that you were the last thing I needed.”

  He looked at her intently. “You needed a Dom, that’s why I fell under the radar. As soon as I realized what you were, I understood what you required. Since that day, I have endeavored to become the man you needed.”

  Brie felt a twinge of guilt. “I never asked you to.”

  “You say that, but I know the first time we scened together you felt the connection, Brie. Don’t deny it. Don’t you dare deny it in front of these two men.”

  She gazed into his blue eyes, not shying away from her answer. “Yes, I admit it. You surprised me that day. I was impressed by you, despite my reservations.”