moved constantly over her back, letting her know he was still listening. That he wasn’t scared off by wrenching sobs and the tears of a strong woman. “There, that’s better. Things are starting to settle now. Deep, slow breaths, darlin’. Relax now, the worst’s over with.”
As the minutes ticked by, the storm abated. Sobs turned into heavy breaths and hard snuffles. Tears dried up. Her tense body went limp, and Braun tightened his arms around her to keep her from slipping down his body.
Still he rocked and murmured to her until the last tremors ceased.
Until she slept on his shoulder like a child.
Chapter Five
Hushed conversation and low, feminine laughter wasn’t so bad to wake up to when she was snuggled inside a warm cocoon of softness, breathing in a familiar scent, with strong arms banded securely around her like a safety net.
Bodie breathed through a moan, her head stuffy and pulsing with a headache. Her throat was too dry, and it hurt to swallow. There was an ache in her chest that told her taking a deep breath would be uncomfortable, and her eyes...ugh, her eyes barely cracked open, they felt so puffy.
“Stay still, darlin’. I’ve got you.”
Braun’s lips brushed her hair, his voice hardly a whisper. The blanket shifted away from her face, and she moaned again as cool plastic touched her lips. Cold, fresh water dribbled onto her tongue, just a splash, but enough to drive her instincts toward drinking. Her hands grabbed the bottle, sloshing the contents all over as she fumbled.
Braun simply covered hers with his own and guided the bottle to her mouth, holding it steady with her so she didn’t drown herself. “Little sips to start, Bodie. No need to rush.”
Easy for him to say when it wasn’t his system desperate for hydration, she thought. She nudged the bottle higher, gulping water until he tutted at her and lowered it again. Her sound of protest was met with a nuzzle of his nose against her hair.
As she drank, her surroundings became clearer bit by bit. Several male voices, including Jasper’s and Liam’s, and a husky female who laughed. A lot. Forcing her eyes to open, Bodie surveyed the situation she found herself in and froze.
In the sunken pit big enough to perch a dozen bottoms on the circular padded seats, she was surrounded by five impressive specimens of humanity, and was more than comfortable on the lap of the sixth.
Heat wormed up her neck into her face, and Bodie squeezed her eyes shut hoping she didn’t appear as ridiculous as she now felt. She tried to shove off Braun’s thighs, but the bastard’s arms were akin to steel beams.
“Relax, little one, they’re friends. I believe you’ve met Master Jasper,” he said quietly, waiting until she reluctantly met the sadist’s amused gaze. “The man next to him is Master Loki.”
Shaggy brown hair, cunning chocolate eyes. The man had the air of a prankster, Bodie thought. One to stay away from—pranks made her antsy.
“Beside Loki is Master Atticus.”
Jesus Christ on a cracker. Mountain Man had obviously lost his sense of direction on his way to rip out a tree with his bare hands. Legs the length and thickness of a tree bough stretched in front of him, muscles straining the material of his black leather pants. His poor shirt was in the same predicament, stretched to capacity over shoulders and biceps that were not meant to be contained.
He wore a full beard, black like his hair but scattered through with flecks of silver. Neatly trimmed, well groomed. His full mouth smiled at her kindly, but his green eyes assessed her with the criticism of a rancher choosing which cow to send to slaughter.
Bodie wrenched her gaze away quickly as ice slithered down her spine. What did she care if he judged her? He didn’t know her, and she had no intentions of getting to know him.
“Atticus might look like someone who hauls heavy machinery around on his shoulders all day, but he’s the biggest softie we’ve got.” Braun’s hand ran up and down her thigh in reassurance. “As long as subbies follow the rules, he’s a gentle giant.”
And if they didn’t follow the rules? What did he become then?
“I don’t need to introduce you to Liam, of course. So that leaves our lovely Mistress Connie.” Braun inclined his head toward the woman reclining regally along the seating. “Connie is like the mother hen of subbies, Bodie. Takes everyone under her wing and guards them. If there’s