ControllingInterest Read online

  As he all but ran down the stairs, she sighed. Regine hadn’t made this easy…for either of them. He seemed to take every comment she made as a personal insult. This was a business, wasn’t it? Shouldn’t he want to improve it? She bent and picked up the keys. Maybe she was going about this all wrong. For whatever reason, this place was more to him than a business—it was like an extension of himself. So her criticisms of the business were like criticisms of him. And obviously he didn’t like it. Damn. She wished she could start the day all over again, she thought as she began her very quiet, solitary tour of the second floor.

  * * * * *

  Tor slammed his office door shut, feeling highly satisfied at the ringing sound. But damn, he needed to calm down. A Dominant did not lose control like this, but that woman was getting under his skin. And it was even worse than it had been with his mother. When Regine spoke, he could blow her off as old-fashioned. Behind the times. But Mouse was new to the scene.

  And while he was damn sure his mother had primed the pump in some way, he didn’t think Mouse would parrot comments just because Regine told her to. She’d never been like that in all the time he’d known her. The number of times she’d talked back to his mother astounded him. Hell, he’d rarely talked back to his mother. He’d gone the route of avoidance by ignoring her. But when Mouse voiced her opinion, it was because she felt strongly, and usually Mouse had been right. And when she was right, Regine had caved. Mouse had a damn good brain and she used it. So if she was feeding him Regine’s suggestions, it was because she agreed with what his mother had told her. Shit.

  He leaned against his desk. Tor could count on one hand the number of people who could get under his skin enough to make him mad. His mother had always been number one on the list. But Mouse was right up there. The worst part was…he wanted her. He’d wanted her almost from the first time he’d met her after Regine had hired her, and six years was a fucking long time. Not only did he want her, but he liked her too. She was funny and smart. There’d been so many times she’d make some dry comment and have him laughing out loud.

  And God, that had been a gift ever since his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Mouse had been a rock. Always doing and saying exactly the right thing. She’d acted as Regine’s protector—and his—during the darkest days. Mouse had even run interference for him the day his mother died, dealing with the press while he slipped out the back. He couldn’t have faced the jackals that day, and Mouse knew it. He should cut her some slack about all this. She was new to it and she faced a steep learning curve. If only his emotions weren’t involved, it would be easy.

  “Damn,” he groaned, throwing himself into his chair and putting his feet up on the desk.

  His mind drifted back to Saturday night. Now that had been a good evening. Tor sighed, rubbing his face. If he was truly honest with himself, he’d been drawn to Miss Minnie Squeak because she’d reminded him of Mouse. Of the way he wished Mouse was…sexually submissive.

  Tor closed his eyes and let himself remember the way the sub had wiggled on his lap as he spanked her. He pictured Mouse in her place and groaned as his cock rose to attention. He could just imagine pulling that dull brown tweed skirt up to her waist and reddening her ass. Fuck. He set his hand on his cock, rubbing through his pants. Imagining himself buried inside Mouse’s tight, wet cunt while she begged her “Master” for more. Begged him for more.

  He heard the door and opened his eyes. Mouse stood there, her eyes wide and startled as she stared at his crotch.

  “Son of a bitch.” He kicked his feet off the desk and slid under it to hide his erection from her shocked gaze.

  “I… I’m sorry, Tor. Really. I didn’t mean…” She started to back out the door.

  “Get back in here, Mouse.”

  “But…”

  He waved her apology away. Tor was a little embarrassed, but he wasn’t going to apologize for jacking off when he was alone in his office.

  “Come in here and sit down. Now.”

  She did his bidding and looked startled when she sat down without a word of protest. Tor smiled, his cock tingling because of her obedience. It was hot to have her obey him, but… But they had to deal with this thing with his mother and they had to deal with it now. He wasn’t going to fight her disapproval for the next six months.

  “We need to talk about the club, Mouse.”

  “Tor, look, I’m sorry. I meant to ask questions and offer suggestions about the business. I wasn’t questioning you or your management of the place.”

  He leaned back. “The business is me. I’m the business.”

  “This business isn’t you. It isn’t a person. It’s a thing.”

  He shook his head. How could he make her understand? “This was my first business right out of college. I had my parents’ support and mother helped me with the funding, but it was my baby. It rose or fell with my management. My efforts. For you to come in here with nothing but disapproval…”

  “I don’t disapprove of everything.”

  “No? Just what do you approve of?”

  “The location is awesome. I love the way it’s decorated. The contemporary design fits the building. The place seems really cutting edge, you know?”

  He smiled. “Thanks, but you dislike more than you like.”

  “Don’t you want me to be honest?”

  Tor frowned and looked down at his hands. “Yes. Actually I do. There are few enough people I know who’ll be honest with me, even when it hurts.”

  “Well, let me be one of those people.” She leaned forward and reached out to touch his hand. “Just because I ask a question or offer a differing opinion doesn’t mean I think less of you. What I have to say is about the business. Not about you.” She pulled her hand away and he wished she hadn’t. He met her earnest gaze.

  “I get that.”

  “And I want to be able to share my opinions honestly. I don’t want to enforce things because I have controlling interest in this club. I want us to discuss things with one another, and if changes get made, we do it together. With consensus.”

  “I’m a Dom. I don’t do consensus. I do command.”

  She laughed. “Well, Mister Dom, it’s time to learn cooperation. Didn’t your mother teach you how to share your toys?”

  “I never share my toys.” Tor grinned wickedly at her, flirting to see how she’d respond.

  “Never?” She blushed, but there was definitely awareness there. Awareness of him.

  “Well, almost never. But when I own something…”

  “Or someone?”

  “Or someone,” he nodded, “then my toy belongs to me. And I don’t share.”

  Color bloomed in her cheeks and he liked it. He liked the way she responded to his teasing and flirting. God, he wanted her, but he wanted Mouse combined with Miss Squeak’s submissiveness. Now that would be the perfect woman for him.

  She cleared her throat. “For the next six months, you have to share the club. So let’s call a truce. For your sanity and mine.”

  “All right. But damn it—what kind of agenda did Mother put in motion?”

  “Agenda?” Her voice squeaked.

  Damn, that was fucking odd. And familiar. But no… He shook his head then turned his gaze on her. “Yes, agenda. What kind of laundry list did she give you?”

  “List? I don’t know anything about a list.” Squeaky again, and he could see by her expression she was lying through her teeth.

  “Mouse, if you want me to trust you, then quit lying to me.”

  She rubbed her hands on her skirt. “Okay.”

  “Okay, what?”

  “She gave me a list. Regine said it was my job to weed out the truths from the lies.”

  He held out his hand. “Hand it over.”

  “I don’t think I should.”

  “Damn it, Mouse, did she forbid you to let me see it?”

  She tilted her head. Why did he have to love that? It was so…cute. And he hated cute. But he didn’t hate Mou
se.

  “No. She didn’t.”

  “So?” He held out his hand. The command worked. With great reluctance, she reached into her purse and tugged out a sheet of peach paper. His mother’s handmade stuff. She held it toward him but then pulled her hand back as he reached for it. “What?”

  “I’m going to let you look at it, but then I want it back. Intact.”

  He smiled. She knew him far better than he liked. Even though his mother had written it and he was feeling sentimental about losing her—shit, he missed her like hell—still, he wanted to tear the damn list into tiny pieces.

  “All right. You get it back in one piece after I read it.”

  She handed it to him. He skimmed the list and realized that he’d heard all of these from his mother at one time or another.

  “So, you’re in favor of all of these changes?”

  “I don’t know yet. I’ve only been in the club for a couple of hours. Regine told me to read through the list and use my brain to decide whether these things are true or not and if I should push for the changes she listed.”

  He looked down at the list one last time before returning it to Mouse. “I’ll consider some of these. But I’m not going to just do what you tell me because you tell me to.”

  “I realize that. Although you know I could force the issue if I saw fit.”

  Tor frowned. “I know that, damn it. Are you going to ram it down my throat?”

  “No. I don’t operate that way.”

  “Even if I do, you mean.”

  “I didn’t say it, but if the shoe fits…”

  “Wear it.”

  She nodded.

  “Right.” He held out his hand to shake. “This is going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride, partner.”

  She took his hand to shake, grinning. “That’s Mistress to you, fella.”

  “We’ll see about that, Mouse.” He smiled. “We’ll see.”

  Chapter Four

  Tor paced in his office while he waited for Mouse to arrive at the club for the evening crowd. Working closely with her all day already had him on edge. She smelled good, and every time she’d accidently brushed against him, he’d had visions of burying himself inside her. He rubbed his hands over his face. Lock it down. Get under control. He needed to keep himself focused for tonight. They had a large private party scheduled in addition to their usual business, and Mondays tended to be busier than most of the other weekday evenings for them anyway.

  It was as if the movers and shakers had a day back at the grind of power so they needed to unwind. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were usually dead and then things picked up Thursday and through Saturday. Or things had picked up on the weekend until Unfettered moved into town. He was sure the novelty would wear off for Erotically Bound’s regulars, but still he worried. Maybe the club really needed some changes. God, what was he thinking?

  He heard the door click and blinked. Mouse looked hot enough to eat. Just a hint of cleavage tantalized him from beneath her black suit jacket. As pulled together as Mouse was, he bet there was a matched set of black lace panties and bra encasing all her lovely flesh. She looked no-nonsense except for the blood-red lips he could imagine wrapped around his cock.

  “You’re late,” Tor growled, trying his best to bring his libido under control.

  “Are you always going to say that to me?”

  “Only when it’s true,” His cock had tightened the minute he’d seen her. Damn, that black suit did amazing things for her. She looked all buttoned-up and he wanted to button her down. Right here, right now.

  “Down, boy. You don’t have to look at me like you wanna kill me, you know?”

  “That’s not the look I’m giving you. Believe me.” He laughed drily. Not unless he killed her by fucking her to death, and if he died too… Well, what a way to go. God. He shifted his shoulders to loosen his tense muscles. “Let’s go check out the crowd.”

  “It was already starting to fill up when I came in.”

  “Good. We could use the business.”

  “Unfettered causing problems?”

  Tor frowned. “It’s been quiet here lately, that’s all.”

  “And you haven’t been worrying about what might happen when membership renewal comes up?”

  He glared at her. “No, I have not.”

  “Liar.” She opened the door. “Let’s emerge to greet our guests, mon cher.”

  “If you’re not channeling mother, we might need to check for possession.”

  Mouse grinned. “No worries. I’m not Regine. I could never pull it off.”

  “You might be surprised, sweetheart.”

  He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm before leading her out of the office and staff area at the back of the club to where the evening activities were already taking place in the public play area.

  He loved the way her eyes widened as they strolled through the club. Tor introduced her to long-time members who relaxed in the main seating area near the front entrance. She sat down with them and began asking them about why they were members. What drew them. At first, several were put off.

  “Tell me, young lady, why should I explain anything to you?” Master Marcus, who had held membership since the club opened, asked as he petted the soft hair of the submissive kneeling at his feet.

  “Because I’m new to this world and I want to learn. Isn’t that the point?”

  “No vulgar curiosity?”

  “No Sir. When Regine left me her shares in this club, she also tasked me with learning, not judging. That’s what I want to do. I want to know what draws people to this life, yes. But even more, I want to know the draw for you of this club. Why here instead of another place?”

  Master Marcus smiled slightly, surveying her from head to foot as she leaned forward earnestly. The older man glanced at Tor and raised his brows. Mouse looked between them and saw the way Marcus seemed to ask permission. She pressed her lips together and glared. Despite what Mouse thought, Marcus wasn’t asking permission to speak freely about the club. No, Marcus was asking if Mouse was taken.

  Though he knew he should shake his head, he couldn’t help but nod to indicate she was claimed. Marcus sighed and returned his gaze to Mouse.

  “Very well, my dear. What would you like to know?”

  Tor left them knowing Master Marcus would quietly pass the word to the other Dominants not to approach Mouse with the intent of playing with her. If she played with another Dom or Domme, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle it. Six years was a long time to wait for someone, but he’d waited. Not patiently, but he’d waited. Oh, he hadn’t been celibate by any means, but his few relationships had been light. No commitment right from the start. He glanced over at Mouse and watched as she laughed at something Marcus told her. Shit. Obsession was a bitch.

  Tor went to talk to Wade so he could get his mind off Mouse, even if it was only for a little while. He kept his eye on her as Marcus introduced her to other members and she questioned several submissives. A couple of submissives were here solo and she spent a lot of time chatting with them. He watched with pride as she politely asked the permission of the Dominant before questioning a collared submissive. She was learning fast.

  “So, Tor, how is Regine’s little protégée doing?”

  Tor grinned as he turned to face Mistress Zarah. “Very well. I think we might survive the next six months without killing each other.”

  “In other words, she’s remaining mute and letting you do what you want?”

  “Hell no.” Tor laughed. “She’s a fucking pain in the ass.”

  Zarah raised her brows. “Since when do you enjoy sassy subs?”

  “What makes you think she’s a sub?”

  “The way your mother described her, darling. The perfect assistant. Almost psychic about knowing what Regine needed before she needed it.” Zarah turned to look around the room. “If your mother had been the least bi or lesbian, she would have probably taken the girl as a lover.”
r />   Tor’s gut tightened. “What makes you say that?”

  Zarah returned her gaze to his. “Because she adored Mouse.”

  “Are you sure you’re talking about my mother?”

  “Such a skeptic. Your mother was the most soft-hearted woman on the planet and you know it, Torin Stuart.”

  Tor grinned at Zarah. Yup, this woman really had known his mother well. Regine had looked like the hardest, toughest bitch ever, but inside she was a marshmallow. Soft and sweet. But someone had to crack the shell to get to the sticky-sweet middle. He wondered if Mouse had ever managed it. Probably…

  Tor glanced over, noticing Mouse as she stared, open-mouthed at Master Drago at play. Drago was a law unto himself, but one of the best Dominants Tor had ever seen. He played rough, especially if that’s what a sub wanted. And his current playmate liked pain…a lot.

  Mouse continued to watch the scene as the sub screamed with the pain being delivered from solid, repeated strikes from a cane. Tor studied Mouse. This wasn’t good. Something about the situation upset her. She looked repeatedly at the dungeon monitors as if expecting them to intervene, but there was no reason to. The sub wasn’t calling out a safe word, and Drago was laser focused on what the submissive could take. Even so, Mouse’s body language screamed at him. Then when she clenched her hands, he knew he needed to act.

  “Tor, are you ignoring me?”

  “I’m sorry, Zarah. I need to avert disaster.”

  He was hurting her and no one did anything. No one.

  “No! Oh God, no!” the bound submissive screamed. Mouse flinched as the cane struck against the submissive’s quivering buttocks. Where were the monitors? Why weren’t they stopping this? Damn it, this is why they were here!

  Mouse looked at the nearest big guy dressed in a black t-shirt and black jeans. He had a red scarf tied around his huge biceps to indicate his role as guardian. Some guardian. Utterly useless.