Fire in the Hole Read online

  She wasn’t sure Brad was going to let it go, but then he laughed. “Yes, Ma’am.” Then a pause before his tone turned concerned again. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “I’m…physically, I’m fine. Shaken up. Please don’t cut your trip short. I’m serious. Ev and Wy insisted they’re spending the night here with us tonight. We’ll be fine. He won’t be bonding out of jail anytime soon.”

  “Okay. Love you. Go ahead and let me talk to Mark again, please.”

  “Love you, too. I’ll hand you off to Ev.”

  She returned the phone to him and Ev started talking to Brad as he left the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

  She closed the shower curtain and stuck her face under the hot water.

  Holy crap, she’d never in her wildest dreams ever thought she’d go through something like this.

  Especially not at the hands of someone like Steve. The deputies, based on the bottle of booze they’d found in Steve’s car, and the way he’d smelled, guessed he was probably highly intoxicated.

  She didn’t care, but it might have given her the added advantage.

  He’d also ranted to the deputies that he’d tried to go out on three dates, but all of those dates had Googled him, found the restraining order and arrest from before, and then cancelled.

  Basically, he was blaming her for that. Not that she’d accept that blame. It rightfully lay on Steve’s shoulders.

  When she emerged from the bathroom, she’d wrapped her hair in a towel and had pulled on a T-shirt and shorts when someone knocked on the bedroom door.

  “Come in.”

  Ev opened the door.

  In his hand he held a freshly opened beer.

  She held out both hands. “Gimme. Please. Bless you, my man.”

  Smiling, he passed it to her. “I had a feeling you’d want it after your other one tragically gave its life in your defense.”

  She sat on the end of the bed and took a long pull from it. “Did this really happen or am I lying in a hospital bed in a coma or something?”

  “It really happened.” He sat next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple. “Thank god Mark was here. Again. Although maybe Brad should get him into SCA or something, because…dayamn. That boy’s got balls.”

  She laughed. “I know, right? He’s going to be a kick-ass attorney one day.” She took another long swallow. “I kind of fell back on my SCA training, too.”

  “I don’t know if you heard the cops or not, but they were going to transport Steve to the ER first to get his arm and shoulder looked at before they booked him. The paramedics think you broke his collarbone and his upper arm, maybe even a rib or two, but he wasn’t critical enough to transport via ambulance.”

  “Good. Hope he felt every goddamned bump in the driveway and on the ride there.”

  He chuckled. “You beat the crap out of him. I’m so proud of you.”

  Mark knocked on the doorframe. She looked up. “Hey, kiddo.”

  “By the way, sorry I called you ‘ma’am’ earlier. I know you said you preferred I not do that.”

  She started laughing, even as Ev snickered next to her for an entirely different reason. She opened her arms to Mark. “Come here, buddy.”

  He walked in and she hugged him. “No worries. You did good.”

  “Can I ask you something, though?”

  “Sure.” She lifted the bottle to her lips and started to take a large swallow from her beer.

  “Is it really that you don’t want me to call you ‘ma’am’ because Dad calls you ‘ma’am’ for the same reason Wy calls Ev ‘sir’?”

  Ev started pounding on her back as she choked, painfully snorting beer out her nose and mouth and spraying it all over Mark and herself, Ev cackling like a maniac the whole time.

  “Aaand there’s my payback for the salsa out my nose,” Ev said as he got up to bring a towel from the bathroom. “Long time coming, but I’ll take it.”

  * * * *

  After changing her clothes and recovering from forcibly hosing beer through her nostrils, Lara headed out to the kitchen to heat her dinner.

  Yes, she’d told Brad she’d call him, but she owed the kid an answer.

  Especially since he’d saved her life.

  She carried her hot plate of food out to the living room, where Ev was still smirking in Brad’s recliner. Wylie had run home to lock everything up and grab their pillows and stuff for that night.

  Mark sat on the other end of the sofa from where she settled.

  Best to dive right in.

  “You know how sometimes people who are in a relationship have pet names for each other?” she started.

  Mark nodded.

  “Well, your dad and I have something like that. He calls me ‘Ma’am’ and I call him ‘mister.’” She knew she didn’t need to get into an explanation of the capital and lower-case letters right then.

  “Because you’re in charge?” Mark asked.

  Oh, boy.

  Ev snickered.

  “You’re not helping,” she told him.

  “I’m not here to help, I’m here to watch and enjoy your discomfort.” His grin widened.

  “Yes, your dad and I have a…dynamic where he likes me to take charge, the way Wylie likes Ev to take charge.”

  “To be fair,” Ev said, “she was kind of like that with me, too. But I didn’t call her ‘ma’am.’” He winked at her.

  Okay, so maybe he was helping.

  “You didn’t?” Mark asked.

  “No. Lara is a strong-willed woman. Takes an even stronger man to be with her. Like your dad. You saw her beat up that guy.”

  “That was so cool. I almost didn’t interrupt you, but then I realized if he pulled a gun or something I might not be able to react in time.”

  “Yeah, it was cool. You should have seen her in SCA years ago. She’s got DVDs somewhere of a few of her combats.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  Lara shoveled food into her mouth and let Ev take over, apparently feeling pity for her after her hard evening.

  “And it’s not uncommon in SCA for people to call other people titles, either. Mi’lady, or sir, or lady, or lord. Whatever. It’s a sign of respect.”

  “Dad calls Grandma ‘ma’am.’”

  “Your dad was raised right. I’d probably call her ma’am, too, if I ever meet her.”

  “Oh. So why is it weird if I call you ma’am? Dad told me to call women older than me ‘ma’am.’”

  She cleared her mouth of food. “You know on TV, sometimes in old shows the husband and wife call each other Mother and Father, but the kids call them Mom and Dad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Kind of like that. He doesn’t mean it the way he means it when he says it to someone else. Just like I wouldn’t want you calling me honey or sweetie, even though I call you and Jacob that all the time, and your dad means it a different way if he calls me that than when he calls you guys that.”

  “Oooh. Okay. I get it. You might want to call Dad back soon. He made me promise to remind you.”

  Ev pushed himself up out of his chair. “Where’s your phone? I’ll get it.”

  “In my purse on the table. Thanks.”

  She was still eating—and Ev had brought her another beer because she’d finished what was left of the first—when she called Brad.

  “Hello, Ma’am.” She heard the smirk in his voice.

  “Hello, yourself, mister. I’m sitting here in the living room with Ev and Mark and finally eating my dinner.” She heard the front door open, Wylie announcing it was him. “And Wy just got back.”

  “Good.” She heard a TV running in the background. “I’m back at the room and just watched the video online. The PIO sounded suitably impressed at your self-defense moves.”

  “Yeah, well, Steve’s lucky all I had was a baton and not something bigger. If I’d had a gun on me, I wouldn’t have had time to get a shot off. He was right on top of me.”


  “You still need to let Mark work with you this weekend.”

  “If I can actually move tomorrow, we’ll go to the gun range to practice after we go review our statements with the cops.”

  “Okay. Thank you.” It sounded like changed positions on the bed. “I love you, Lar. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”

  She wished he was there. She wanted to curl up and cry now that the adrenaline rush had faded and she was actually able to have two thoughts to herself. “Love you, too.”

  “I’ll let you finish your dinner. If I need to come home early, I will. Just say the word.”

  “No, I’d rather you get your work done so you’re home-home.”

  Once they ended the call, she dropped her phone onto the couch next to her and looked up to see all three of them smiling at her. “What?”

  “Nothing,” Everett said. “Just glad you’re all right. I knew Steve was a douche that first time we met him at our divorce hearing, but I had no clue he was psychotic. At least I was just gay.” He grinned as both Wylie and Mark laughed.

  Maybe it was the effects of the beer, maybe it was being surrounded by three people she loved and considered family, but she laughed with them.

  Once Mark was off to bed and Wylie had retreated to what had been her bedroom to get their things arranged for the night, Everett moved to sit next to her on the couch, draping an arm around her.

  “You ready to let it out?”

  She nodded and slumped over onto him, the tears now flowing hot and heavy.

  He didn’t say a word, simply sat there with her, one arm comfortingly wrapped around her shoulders, his other hand stroking her hair.

  How many countless tears had she shed just like this over losing Cameron?

  Too damn many.

  And once again, it was Everett to her rescue.

  “If nothing else,” he softly said once the worst of her tears abated, “you know that kid has a heart of a freaking lion. No horrible step-parenting fights to go through with him.”

  That finally made her laugh, which came out more as a snotty snort. He reached over to the coffee table and plucked a couple of tissues from the box there, handing them to her.

  “No,” she finally managed after blowing her nose. “No power struggles. He’s a great kid. Him and Jacob both.”

  Everett helped her sit up. “And he’ll be a big brother, eventually, I’m sure.”

  She slowly nodded. “We’ve talked about it. Me and Brad, I mean. Yeah.”

  Everett cradled her face in his hands, waiting until she met his gaze. “I love you, Lar, and I’m so happy for you. Truly I am. I’m sorry I pulled away from you after I left. I couldn’t deal with my guilt.”

  “I love you, too. I know. It’s okay. I was pretty angry and hurt at first. Thank god Eve was there, though. She’s like a sister to me.”

  “Hey, question, has she mentioned anyone she’s dating?”

  “There went our moment.”

  He kissed her forehead and released her. “I’m serious. I get the feeling she’s dating someone but not saying anything about it. I mean, she mentioned a couple of times going out on a date.”

  “No. Why? Want me to poke around?”

  “Yeah. Just out of curiosity.”

  “I’m surprised Mom and Dad haven’t asked her.”

  “That’s the thing, I don’t think she’s told them.”

  “Huh.”

  “Exactly.”

  After one last hug, they split up and she retired to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

  Everett had made a point of going through the house to ensure all the doors were securely locked.

  As she curled up in bed, she pulled Brad’s pillow over to snuggle with. It smelled like him because she’d held off doing the laundry.

  I wish he was here.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “These are really good,” Lara said. “What are they?”

  Everett shrugged. “I don’t know.” He looked around, finally pointing to a woman dressed in a pink corset and matching skirt. “They were from her tray.”

  Lara flagged her down, waving without getting up.

  The woman smiled and headed their way again. “Yes, ma’am?”

  “What are these? They’re delicious.”

  “Savory pork and cranberry puff pastries.”

  “That’s the sweetness,” Everett said.

  “Did you want more, ma’am, sir?”

  Lara nodded. “Oh, yes, please.”

  The woman leaned in and offered her the tray. Lara plucked two, then a third, from the tray. Everett also added two more to his small appetizer plate.

  “And the pets, ma’am?”

  Lara looked down to where her bare feet were resting against Brad’s back. He knelt on a towel, naked except for his leather play collar, wedding band…

  And the butt plug currently humming away in his ass.

  “Sure, put two down there for him, please. Thank you.”

  “And your pet, sir?”

  Everett laughed. “He can have two also. Don’t want to spoil his appetite. Thanks.”

  The woman skillfully dipped her knees and set the treats on the empty plates in front of the two men. Wylie, similarly attired as Brad except for the addition of leather wrist and ankle cuffs, and a leather leash attached to his collar, also knelt on a towel in front of Everett.

  Brad and Wylie looked up at their respective owners. Lara ran her big toe down Brad’s spine, stopping at the top of his ass crack.

  “Hands behind you, mister,” she said. “Mouth only.”

  Brad rolled his eyes, but he obediently tucked his hands behind him and leaned forward to reach for the treat.

  When he did, she bumped up the setting on the butt plug and both she and Everett laughed as Brad moaned and struggled not to fall over.

  Wylie now wore a nervous look as he glanced up at Ev. His butt plug, apparently, was the standard, non-vibrating kind.

  Everett wasn’t nearly as sadistic as Lara was finding herself to be in some ways.

  Ways that Brad definitely enjoyed as much as she did.

  “You can use your hands, boy,” Everett told Wylie.

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “But I do like your style, Lar.”

  She giggled. “Oh, he’ll make me pay for it later.”

  “I’m sure he will.”

  Brad was still struggling to upright himself and reach the plate without breaking her command not to orgasm, apparently. Taking some pity on him, she turned the remote control down to the lowest setting.

  That seemed to help, and he finally ate his treats.

  They’d gotten married at their house, with Tilly and company in attendance. Brad’s parents had been able to attend, as well, and Breanna had also been invited.

  It’d been a good day, and while Lara had worn a formal wedding dress, she’d wanted the celebration to be more casual.

  Plus she’d had Mark be her best man, stealing him out from under Brad’s nose before he could ask him.

  Then again, when she’d reminded Brad that Mark had saved her life, he’d smiled and snagged Everett to be his best man.

  Life was good, made better by the fact that Steve had recently been sentenced in a plea deal that meant he’d spend at least fifteen years in prison before he was eligible for parole. They’d agreed to drop the attempted murder charge that could have easily bumped it up to twenty-five years, minimum, with the other charges added in.

  Tonight’s party was at Tilly, Cris, and Landry’s house. It was a semi-formal kinky dinner party. Unlike the one where Everett and Wylie had officially met for the first time, at this one, owners were allowed to have their submissive halves dress however they wanted, including fully naked. Not quite a play party, although that would follow later, there were plenty of predominantly women, and a few men, being put through their paces by their owners.

  The serving staff were all volunteers, mostly single submi
ssives but a few taken ones voluntold by their owners to help out, as well. No one was allowed to touch them or be improper with them, except for their owners, if owned.

  Wylie and Brad weren’t the only guys sitting on the floor, either, although not all of them were naked. There were also plenty of women on the floor, naked and dressed, although some people had opted to let their submissives stand or sit next to them.

  That was the great thing about tonight’s dinner—it was whatever you felt like doing.

  Dinner would be served in less than an hour in a large, air-conditioned tent just off the lanai in back. Before then, Lara would have Brad get dressed—butt plug in—and sit next to her. Once that happened, she’d let him freely speak again.

  Apparently, Wylie was happy sitting naked on the ground for the rest of the night.

  Lara and Brad had talked that morning, and she’d been ready to keep him dressed and wearing a collar the whole night, until Brad asked if they could do a little…more.

  After letting Brad make his suggestions, she’d opted for the arrangement they were now in. She’d nixed the idea of a leash, even though he’d asked for one.

  She preferred her attack pet to willingly stay next to her, although she knew in Wylie and Everett’s case, Wylie liked being leashed, because to him it was a comfort.

  To each his own.

  As far as payback for the butt plug and eating the appetizers without his hands, she knew once they were home and the fucking portion of the night began that Brad would make her come until she was finally the one to safeword.

  Not switching, exactly. He always deferred to her. But it was fun having him literally at her fingertips out of bed, and then being able to switch her brain off when in it.

  Eventually, she turned off the butt plug and ran her bare toe up Brad’s spine. “Go put your clothes on for dinner.”

  He stood and turned, leaning in to kiss her. When she reached out and stroked his hard cock, his head dropped, a soft moan escaping him. After a final squeeze, she released him.

  “Have fun tucking that into your slacks,” she said with an evil grin.

  He looked up, dark passion filling his brown gaze. “Yes, Ma’am,” he said before leaning in to kiss her again.