In Sir's Arms

  Brie fell back into her role and asked for more clarification. “What promise did you break, Sir?”

  “I failed to be completely open with you. My desire to protect you is not a valid reason for breaking that vow.”

  Brie’s expression changed, becoming more somber. “We cannot let anything stand between us—even silence.”

  Thane placed his hand on her stomach and looked at her with tender concern. “Agreed. We have too much at stake.”

  Brie kissed him on the lips. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

  He was determined to honor her simple request. Considering the damage he’d unintentionally caused by keeping Lilly’s threat from her, Thane appreciated that he was getting off relatively easy.

  However, this punishment would be a challenge for him.

  Thankfully, Brie only asked him to dress in a simple business suit—without the trademark ears—stating, “I want you to be humbled, Sir, nothing more.”

  “I appreciate that, Mrs. Davis,”

  As she helped slip his jacket on, Thane took her hand and pulled her closer. “I’m highly tempted to bend you over my knee and spank that sexy bottom of yours purely for the enjoyment of it.”

  “That is a distinct possibility, Sir,” she purred as she pulled away, quickly adding, “But only after your punishment.”

  It was enjoyable to watch Brie try to fulfill her role as the top in this situation, yet still fight the urge to please him as his submissive. It made her all that much more attractive.

  “Your satisfaction is my primary goal tonight, téa.”

  Brie blushed in response to his declaration, kindling his Dominant desires further.

  For her sake, Thane swallowed down the humiliation of having to be wheeled through the park by one of the Disney staff members as Brie walked beside him. He was used to being in a position of power, and everything about being in a wheelchair grated against his sensibilities.

  Thane bore the indignity of children’s curious stares, and the sympathetic glances of adults who recognized him as the crash victim/hero from the news, as they slowly made their way to the restaurant inside the park.

  Looking at Brie, however, Thane was moved by how radiant she looked. Brie wore a set of Minnie Mouse ears with a red bow, her hair done up in pigtails. She even wore a flirtatious polka-dot dress reminiscent of the one she’d worn that day they’d met at the diner. Brie had done a magnificent job of capturing the look of his memory.

  Knowing his duty was to take his punishment graciously made it slightly easier to bear when Brie took a seat, and the waiter pushed her chair in. That was his job as her Master.

  Instead of being in control, Thane had to endure being pushed up to the table like a child. The man even laid his napkin on his lap, saying, “There you go, Mr. Davis. Enjoy your meal.”

  Thane nodded to the man, but felt the eyes of others on him, and had to shake the feeling of mortification it inspired. This was not about him, or his inabilities, but the beautiful woman sitting across the table—and rectifying his mistake.

  “Do you like it, Sir?” Brie asked excitedly, staring at the manmade river lazily flowing beside the restaurant.

  The establishment itself was dark, as if they were sitting outside on a veranda. The sound of crickets and frogs playing in the background blended with a night sky illuminated above them.

  “It’s quite unique,” he answered truthfully, impressed by the re-creation.

  The waiter returned with a basket of rolls. Turning to Thane, he asked, “What would you like to drink?”

  Brie piped up, “Sir, I googled this place and thoroughly studied the menu.”

  Thane smiled. “Of course you did, my dear. Why don’t you order drinks for both of us?”

  When the man returned with their drinks, Brie squealed in delight. “Look, the ice cubes really do glow in the dark.”

  Thane held up his mint julep and stared at it with an amused smirk. “I can’t say I’ve ever had a drink that glowed.”

  Brie suddenly set her glass down as an adorable look came over her face and Thane was reminded of that little girl years ago. Brie cried out, “Look, Sir. It’s our first boat!”

  She started waving wildly at the people on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

  A few boat riders waved back hesitantly. Thane looked around the restaurant and noticed Brie was the only diner waving. Understanding his role tonight, he lifted his hand and smiled as he joined Brie in waving at the people.

  Even more boat riders responded, causing Brie to giggle in delight.

  Seeing both of them greeting the boat riders inspired those around them to do the same. Soon half the diners were waving along with Brie, making those on the boat ride more animated and vocal.

  When Brie glanced at him, her eyes were sparkling. “Sir, I just love this! It’s even more wonderful than I imagined.”

  As the evening wore on, Thane noticed that every time Brie was about to take a bite from her plate, a new boat would float past. She instantly forgot about eating, putting her fork down to wave and say hello to anyone who drifted past.

  Thane did not want his submissive to leave the restaurant hungry, so he fed her small bites between each boat that floated past. Seeing Brie so carefree moved him deeply. Despite all that had happened, she still held the childlike wonder and vitality that had attracted him to her.

  A little boy yelled from a boat, “Throw a roll!”

  Brie looked at Thane, lamenting, “I can’t aim worth anything.”

  “Come on, please…” the kid begged as he slowly drifted past.

  Without hesitation, Thane picked up one of the rolls in the basket, calculated the distance, and threw it into the boy’s open hands.

  “Thank you, mister!” he cried, before taking a big bite.

  Thane smiled and waved at him as if it was a perfectly natural thing to do.

  When he looked back at Brie, Thane found her staring at him with tears in her eyes.

  “What?” he chuckled.

  “I don’t think I could love you more than I do right now.” Brie got up from her seat and walked over to him. She gave him a gentle kiss on the lips, but followed it up with a longer, more passionate one.

  Again, Thane could feel all eyes on them, but this time he didn’t mind. Reaching up, he clasped her behind the neck and gave her a kiss she would not forget.

  She stumbled back to her seat, staring at him amorously from across the table.

  He felt humbled and intensely grateful to be here now. Somehow, by the grace of God, he’d survived the crash so that this moment could be part of his reality. Thane looked upward and mouthed two words, “Thank you.”

  He sat with her and waved for another hour, in no hurry to rush when it was obvious how much she was enjoying herself. Afterward, he paid the waiter a generous tip for the extra time and asked the staff member who had helped him if he would take them to a gift shop on their way out.

  “Are you getting a pair of ears to remember this night?” Brie asked as he studied the wide assortment of mouse ears.

  “Ah, no. I’m actually getting a pair for your father.”

  Brie broke out in a peal of laughter. “You’re really going through with it, huh?”

  “Of course I am. What kind of son would I be if I forgot my parents at a time like this? Tell me, what do you think your mother would like?”

  Brie looked at a glass counter and pointed to a Bambi music box with a butterfly on his tail. “She would love this.”

  Thane looked up at the cashier. “Would you mind adding that, as well? Oh, and that stuffed animal over there.”

  “Which one?” the cashier asked.

  “The yellow dog.”

  “Oh, you mean Pluto?”

  “Yes. I happen to know someone who ‘just loves Pluto’.” He glanced over at Brie and winked at her.

  When the young cashier tried to stuff Pluto into the plastic bag, Brie quickly intervened. “Pluto needs to be carried.”

&
nbsp; The cashier smiled at Thane. “Guess I found your Pluto lover.”

  “Indeed.”

  They were almost out of the store when Thane spotted something on the far wall and asked to return to the cashier.

  “I have one more purchase.”

  “Certainly. What can I get for you?”

  Thane smiled as he pointed at the display on the wall.

  She walked over and picked up a pull-along baby Pluto and complimented him as she rang it up. “Excellent choice, sir.”

  Brie made a cute little squeak beside him.

  Thane told the cashier, “I have a sneaking suspicion our child will be a Pluto fan, as well.”

  Brie suddenly accosted Thane, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him repeatedly. Before she pulled away, she whispered, “I forgive you, Sir.”

  Thane took her hand and kissed it. “Thank you, Mrs. Davis.”

  Once they arrived home, he reasserted his role as her Master—free from the guilt that had plagued him.

  “Strip off those panties, little girl. This college boy is about to pinken that fine ass…”

  Honey

  “I have met the most wonderful nun, comrade!”

  Thane was aware that Durov and Wallace had located a situation. One that they felt could provide the solution they were seeking with Lilly. It was so promising that Durov had even postponed his operation so the two could travel there to assess it personally. After a lengthy trip, they had come back ready to share their findings with Thane.

  But that statement was the last thing Thane ever expected to hear from Durov’s lips. The man was not known to be religious or to have a fetish for nuns. “Really?”

  “Da, Mother Yana is perfection,” Durov exclaimed proudly.

  Knowing the Russian was a jokester, he turned to Wallace. “Is he pulling my leg?”

  “I wouldn’t be here if he was.”

  Thane studied Durov warily, still not convinced.

  “Yana is the most uncompromising woman I have ever met, moy droog. She does not believe in rest or comfort, only service.”

  “Service to whom?”

  “To God, of course, and to the poor among us.”

  Wallace added, “The Reverend Mother is interested in Lilly. Actually, more than just interested. She feels a calling to take Lilly under her care.”

  Thane shot a glance at Durov. “I expected you would find something more punitive for her.”

  Durov grinned. “You have not met the esteemed Mother Yana. Even I am intimidated by the woman.”

  “Forgive my skepticism, but a nunnery?”

  Wallace explained, “The Reverend Mother believes in redemption of the lost. She has built her life around the conviction that hard work and physical sacrifice is the first step on that path. Lilly would rise before dawn every morning, say prayers with the sisters, and work in the garden for the sole purpose of feeding the poor. When not in the garden, she would serve the needs of the abbey until it was time for bed. The Reverend Mother is convinced idle time is the devil’s work.”

  “And if Lilly refuses?” Thane scoffed.

  “There will be swift, physical punishment. The Reverend Mother does not tolerate disobedience. She said that the body must be subdued, and thoughts silenced before a soul can hear God. It has been the focus of the convent for decades to help the condemned souls of their society by providing this path to salvation.”

  Durov laughed. “Since I am convinced the creature has no soul, I foresee her slaving to feed the poor until her dying breath. I will get the punishment I seek, and radost moya will get the assurance that her babe’s future carries no taint, because not only will the creature’s life be spared, but she will be making a positive difference to the world—whether she wants to or not.”

  “But you know how shrewd Lilly is. What’s going to stop her from manipulating this woman?”

  Durov answered, “Mother Yana is uncommonly perceptive, to the point of being unnerving.”

  “Much like Marquis Gray,” Wallace explained. “Both Durov and I were extremely impressed by the Reverend Mother, Sir Davis, as well as her desire to work with the unredeemable.”

  “Do you actually believe she could have an influence over Lilly?”

  Wallace shook his head. “No, not after what happened here. But Lilly will be treated fairly in an environment that will ensure Brie’s continued safety.”

  “How can you be sure of that?”

  “Moy droog,” Durov answered, “this convent is located in a very remote village. So isolated that there are no roads to it. It took us days to get there with help. The creature will come to the convent literally as naked as the day she was born—no passport, no clothes and no means of escape.”

  “Unless she enlists help from an outside source.”

  Durov chuckled. “Nyet, comrade. They mark the unredeemed so that no one will touch them.”

  Thane frowned. “What kind of marking?”

  “The nuns shave their heads.”

  Thane felt a stirring of hope. “That’s perfect for her. A physical reminder for Lilly of what she had done, while also acting as a warning to others.”

  “Da,” Durov agreed with great satisfaction.

  “If this convent is so remote, how did you find out about it?”

  “Titov.”

  Durov spoke the man’s name with great affection. “Even though he no longer works for me, he still proves invaluable. Better still, he has begun his quest for a family.”

  “Starting so soon?” Wallace asked with amusement.

  “Titov is determined like moy droog. I was told his first will be gracing the world in seven months’ time.” He added with a smirk, “I suggested the name Alexei, and should they turn out to have twins, Nikodim for the second.”

  “Naming other people’s children now?” Thane teased.

  He replied with a grin, “Titov and I have an understanding.”

  Thane knew there were aspects of Durov’s life he would never be privy to. The long and complicated relationship with Titov was one of them. Ever since he’d first met Durov in college, the Russian had been vague about the history the two men shared. Thane knew he was Tatianna’s brother and that Durov had blamed him initially for her capture. The Russian never said why that changed or why Titov felt the need to work with Durov all these years.

  He suspected that something significant had happened between them in Russia the year after the murder of Durov’s mother. Whatever that was, it had had the power to connect them together for life.

  Thane admired the devotion that Durov inspired in people—himself included. The pure passion of the man was infectious, and his courage was undisputable. However, that was not what Thane admired most. He knew the sensitive soul that resided under the gruff exterior that Durov presented to the world. That part he only trusted with a very select few.

  “I digress, comrade. This discussion is not about Titov or his little rebenok. Both Wallace and I feel confident about this choice of Mother Yana. What are your thoughts?”

  The fact that Durov approved, a man who understood Thane’s need to permanently eliminate Lilly as a threat, was extremely important to Thane. With Wallace on board as well, he felt certain that Brie would agree.

  “It’s time to present this to Brie and let her decide.” Thane told them.

  “If she agrees, comrade, we will make the transfer after I have recovered sufficiently from my surgery to travel there.”

  “It can be done without you,” Thane assured him.

  “Nyet. It must be you and me, brother. We need to deliver the creature to her fate.”

  All of Thane’s hard work with physical therapy was beginning to pay off. He was now able to walk with the aid of a cane.

  It meant he could join Brie on normal, everyday activities like a simple trip to the grocery store. He felt a deep sense of pride as he walked upright beside his woman, fully independent. It was a small but meaningful victory.

  While Brie was picking
out apples from the bin, Thane noticed a dark-haired man staring at her. When the man realized he’d been noticed, he nodded to Thane and moved on.

  “It appears you have another admirer, my dear.”

  Brie giggled, clutching her stomach. “When I’m eight months pregnant? I don’t think so.”

  Thane tilted her chin up and kissed her. “You’re beautiful. Of course, men can’t help but notice.”

  Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “That’s hard to believe when I feel like an overweight duck the way I have to waddle these days.”

  Thane fisted her hair and pulled her head back. “You’re my sexy pregnant woman.” He kissed her hard, expressing his adoration with his tongue.

  Brie grabbed onto the cart for balance afterward. “Your kisses…they still make me weak.”

  “I think it would be best if I take you home now,” he growled lustfully. “That kiss has inspired me.”

  As they were leaving the store, Brie stopped in her tracks. “Oh no, I forgot the honey.”

  “Can’t it wait?”

  She smiled up at him amorously, licking her lips. “No, husband. It’s very important. Do you mind if I go back and get it?”

  Her ardent gaze had him intrigued. “Certainly, babygirl. Get it while I load up the car.”

  As Thane was putting the last bag into the trunk, he looked up to see the same man standing by the doors at the entrance, watching Brie as she came out. Brie’s gaze was locked on Thane as she held up her container of honey and grinned at him, completely unaware of the man beside her.

  Thane’s hackles went up and he started walking toward her as quickly as he could, leaning heavily on the cane. “Brie, come here,” he commanded loudly, wanting the man to know he was aware of him. The sound of his voice caused the man to glance in Thane’s direction. As soon as their eyes met, he quickly turned and walked the other way.

  Thane grabbed Brie around the shoulders and guided her to the car.

  “Is everything okay, Sir?” she asked, picking up on his uneasiness.

  Although the man hadn’t made a move toward Brie, the intense way he had stared at her deeply disturbed Thane.

  “I’d like to take a detour to Durov’s,” he replied. “The same man who was watching you in the store was waiting outside when you came out.”