members. “How many are left?”
“Half a dozen at most. Nearly all the scenes were already drawing to a close when Connie texted to say they were here.” Jasper grinned. “Anarchy’s refusing to serve anyone else, so they won’t hang around for long.”
Braun pinched the bridge of his nose. His inbox might suffer from an influx of angry emails from members come morning. One night of not having a drink after a scene wouldn’t kill them, but he’d have to make amends for those who felt it was their given right. Luckily, they didn’t have many assholes on the membership roster.
“I’d better wake sleeping beauty here and get her dressed. She’s more comfortable with being around people naked, but she gets antsy and stressed if she thinks they’re staring at her scar.”
“A natural reaction. No one likes to think they’re lesser than anyone else, and a scar is a flaw to some people. Close-minded idiots. No one who knows Bodie would dare think anything along those lines. She’ll adjust.”
Yeah, she would. She was strong and feisty. A scar wouldn’t hold her back.
Reluctant to disturb her, Braun shifted her limp weight on his lap and untucked the blanket down to her waist. He managed to get her arm through a shirt sleeve, cursed under his breath as he fought to get it around her back, then wrestled her other arm in.
Thank God he hadn’t tried to put the bra on first.
Jasper just linked his hands behind his head and watched in amusement.
Braun had just finished buttoning up the shirt when the last stragglers came through. Looking satisfied and tired, they headed for the bar, only for Anarchy to firmly but politely point out she was done for the evening and wish them goodnight.
The few people still hovering here and there joined the group leaving, and finally there was blessed silence. Braun heard the front doors close, and a few minutes later, Loki wandered in. Not long after, Atticus came from the other direction.
Almost a full house, Braun thought, suddenly nervous about the surprise delivery Connie would bring at any moment. He was taking a huge gamble, springing this on Bodie, especially now she was soft and sleepy, more open to being emotional.
Emotional Bodie was a train wreck waiting to happen.
“I’m presuming poppet doesn’t know about her surprise?”
“No, she doesn’t. I’m questioning my wisdom.”
“She might not appreciate the gesture,” Jasper mused, glancing at her. “Rather, she might not appreciate it at this moment in time. Are you going to warn her?”
Braun studied her face. For more nights than he could count, he’d watched her as she slept. Wondering how to erase the lines of worry and pain from her features. Not an easy task—the watching or the wondering. He’d started to believe the incident would mark her more thoroughly than he’d prepared for.
Seeing her like this, relaxed and peaceful, was invaluable.
He didn’t want to wake her and bring her back to stark reality where life wasn’t perfect. Not when she slept without distress or discomfort. He kissed her forehead, simply because he could. “Would it make a difference? Bodie wants this, I know she does, but it all stems back to being judged. In this case, she’s judged herself and deemed herself unworthy.”
“Who’s unworthy?” Loki demanded, rounding the pit with a tray of drinks balanced on his fingertips. Motherfucking showoff. “I’ll be the judge of that.”
“Fortunately, your expert opinion won’t be needed, Loki.” Grateful for the interruption, Braun accepted a shot glass from the younger Master. He was too tired to argue the psychology of his sub with Jasper—the damn sadist could outthink even the most evasive of subjects.
Jasper’s cell phone chirped with a text message. Lifting his hip, he retrieved the phone from his back pocket and, after pressing his thumb to the screen, read the message. His lips quirked. “Seems someone is getting antsy,” he muttered to Braun. “Are you ready for this?”
There wasn’t any going back now. Bodie would either love or hate him for whatever transpired next, but he really hoped she saw it as a gift. A steppingstone into the next part of her life.
And if she didn’t...well, she couldn’t hate him forever.
“Now or never,” he said grimly, his stomach knotting as Jasper’s slim pianist’s fingers tapped rapidly over the screen.
With his friends quietly talking among themselves, counting the seconds down in his head, Braun roused Bodie from sleep. Whispering her name, stroking her cheek until those fabulous blue eyes fluttered open delicately, meeting his with slumberous recognition.
Soft,