week. She’s coped remarkably well since this nightmare kicked off three months ago. Looking after the house, taking care of me in hospital and again at home. It’s been harder on her, I think, than it has on me. The woman hasn’t faltered in her devotion, Braun.” The love and wonder in the older man’s voice was humbling. Romance novel, indeed. “I was hoping you might consider doing me a favor.”
Braun frowned. “If I can help, Mike, you know I will.”
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but would you be willing to hire me Avalon either this Saturday night or next? Money isn’t an issue. I’d like to throw Kathleen a birthday party, something special as both a gift and a thank you for everything she’s done. God knows I wouldn’t still be on this earth if not for her,” Michael muttered before clearing his throat sharply. “She loves Avalon and the people in it. I can’t think of a better place, or people we like more, to celebrate sixty years of her life with.”
Good job he was sitting down, Braun thought as the request hit him in the gut. He knew he’d built a community here, brought people from every kink of life together as a family unit, but sometimes reminders like this forced him to see just how true that was to some members. It humbled him to think Michael and Kathleen thought so much of the place and the people.
Now it was his turn to clear his throat, emotion deepening his voice by an octave. “Well, that’s some favor, Mike. One I’d be honored to help you with, of course.” He pulled up the calendar, the scheduling. “I’ve got a series of demonstrations booked for this Saturday, but the one after is free.”
“Excellent. You’ll let me know a figure?”
“No, no charge, Mike. We’ll call it a birthday present to the lucky sub.”
There was silence for a few seconds. “I can’t let you do that, Braun.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Kathleen’s a club favorite and a valued member of the community, as are you. It’s my pleasure to be able to give her something so simple to make her happy after everything you’ve both been through lately. Just tell me what you need me to do and I’ll get it done. I’m sure the Masters and Mistresses will be happy to help set everything up.”
“If you’re sure, Braun, I appreciate it more than you know.”
“I’m absolutely positive. Let’s get the details down so I can make a headstart on things.” Braun opened a new document and set his fingers on the keyboard, propping the phone between his shoulder and his ear. “Ready when you are.”
*
This was such a stupid idea.
Bodie huffed loudly and shook out her hand, annoyed at the cramp in her wrist and the one building in her fingers from gripping the pen. She was on her third sheet of paper, and with every line she wrote, her handwriting deteriorated a bit more.
If Master Braun gives me an order, I will obey it.
That one sentence circled around and around in her head until her lips formed the words as she scratched ink onto paper. It was seeping into her blood, tattooed into the ache of her muscles. The more she repeated it, the less...adverse she became to heeding it.
Why oh why had she offered to do this?
Because he hadn’t demanded it.
Damn him, if he’d acted like a prick the way she’d anticipated and tried to force her to conform to the rules of the club, she would have balked. She’d learned long ago to dig her heels in when pressured into doing something she didn’t want to do—even if it meant a black eye.
For years she’d rebelled against her parents...until their threats were no longer threats but reality.
But Braun hadn’t threatened her, hadn’t coerced her. He’d simply laid down the facts without demanding anything from her, and her own guilt at disobeying him had done the rest.
She hated displeasing him.
God, she was so confused. Used to bullies, she could deal with them. Her family was something else entirely, a force so vicious she couldn’t stand against them, so yes, she gave them what they demanded so that they’d leave her alone for a few months. That was self-preservation, wasn’t it?
Braun...he made her yearn to say and do the right thing to make him happy. The stroke of his voice, of a gentle good girl, was more exhilarating than finally achieving a perfect grand jeté after months of