Enthrall Him (Enthrall Sessions Book 3) (48 page)

“He’s used an unusual technique on a client.”

He took a deep breath in. “In what way?”

“It’s a little delicate?”

“He over drugged?”

“No, he…” I searched for the words. “Spanked them and...”

Henry blinked at me. “They probably deserved it.”

“You don’t find it shocking?”

“How well do you know my brother?”

“Pretty well.”

He hesitated. “I’m not discussing this with you. You’re a stranger.”

“I’m Richard Booth’s girlfriend.” I reached into my handbag and pulled out my iPhone.

I ignored the text from Richard asking if I’d arrived in Las Vegas yet and scrolled through the photos. I found the one of me and Richard atop a double-decker bus. “We took it in London,” I told Henry, and handed over my phone. “You know Richard, right?”

Henry peered at it. “You’re dating Cam’s best friend?”

“Yes.”

“And yet you’re infatuated with my brother?”

“What makes you say that?”

Henry shook his head. “He always was popular with the ladies.” He continued to scroll.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for my brother’s number. I’m going to ask him to come get you. He’ll fly up in his fuck mobile and extract you from my home.”

I leaped forwards and grabbed my phone back. “He mustn’t know I’m here.”

“Why not?”

“He’d be upset with me.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve been through so much already. It’s just—”

His eyes widened.  

“How about a nice glass of wine?” I offered.

“Get out.”

“No, please. I’ve come this far. And I nearly got lost.”

“That would have been a tragedy,” he said. “Mia, I’m respectfully asking you to leave.”

“I know your family. I had dinner with them. I met your sister, Willow, and your parents. I love your Aunt Rose.”

“What has this got to do with anything?”

“I know Cameron really well. I was his submissive for a while.”

Henry blinked at me. “Submissive?”

“Yes, you know about that?”

“BDSM?”

“Yes.”

“Hell, why didn’t you say. I have a belt around here somewhere. Bend over and I’ll whip some sense into you.”

My shoulders dropped and I hung my head in exasperation. “I really need your help, Henry.”

“What can I possibly do?”

“Can I cook us up some dinner? I’m starving. Then I’ll tell you everything.”

“Let me guess. You were one of the patients my brother spanked?”

“I was never a patient. He took me through my submissive training. He helped me to unblock a few things.”

“Are you mentally ill?”

“No.”

“Not that you’d admit it.”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Life happens. Things hurt you and you end up—”

“Living in a cabin in the woods?”

“I didn’t mean…”

He flung up his arms. “You’re making me miss my favorite movie.”

“What’s that?”

“Texas Chain Saw Massacre. I really connect with that film for some reason. Love me some Leatherface.”

“Nope, still not scared.”

“For fuck sake.” He stared off, exasperated. “That wine better be worth it.”

“It’s a Cabernet Sauvignon. One of your brother’s favs.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Pour yourself a glass while I get going on dinner?” I said, and hurried over before he changed his mind. “I need a can opener.”

“I’ll pour us both a glass. How about that?”

I motioned to the bottle. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I have to drive to Vegas tonight.”

“I’m not drinking alone,” he said. “After a couple of glasses, you’ll be staying here tonight, Mia.”

“But—”

“These are my terms.” He lowered his gaze. “Choose.”

CHAPTER 43

THE WINE WENT to my head, but I was grateful for this buzz lessening the tension.

Henry had relaxed a little, but he still glanced at me sideways with an air of suspicion.

With classical music playing in the background, I’d settled into cooking with Henry pottering around the house. Now and again he paused to look over at me, as though trying to work out how I’d wrangled being here.

We’d settled on that rustic couch, both of us over stuffed after devouring enough Beef Bolognaise for four.

I leaned back and rubbed my stomach. “That was delicious, even if I say so myself.”

“It was,” he said. “Where do you put it?”  

“Must be all this fresh air up here.” I reached for my handbag and pulled out my phone. “I have to let Bailey know I’m going to be late.”

He watched me text. “She’ll live.”

“She’s my best friend,” I explained. “She and her girlfriend Tara are coming out to Tara’s parents this weekend.”

He arched a brow and I tried to read his reaction, unsure how conservative he was.

“So you’re lending your support?” he said.

“Yes. You know, cheer them on. Whatever they need really.”

“You’re one little Ms. Do-gooder,” he said. “Or do you just revel in other people’s drama?”

“I like to help,” I said defensively.

“What do you do for my brother?”

“I’m his executive assistant at Enthrall.”

“You don’t strike me as a dominatrix?”

“No, I just book appointments and make sure the clients are comfortable. That kind of thing.”

“So what do you know about me?”  

“Cameron respects your privacy,’ I said, looking up from my phone. “I kind of put the pieces of the puzzle together.”

He looked affronted.

“What I meant was there really is very little about you. I know Shay and he kind of…”

“Gardner?”

“Yes.”

“We served in the SEALs together,” he said. “Looks like you know that?”

“I’m sorry about everything you went through.” I raised my hand to reassure him. “I don’t know much, not really, but I know you went through a terrible ordeal.”

He gave a thin smile.

“People can be very cruel,” I said.  

“Pretty girls like you shouldn’t be exposed to the horrors of war.”

“Women go into combat too.”

“In the SEALs, that’s rare.”

“I’m tougher then you think,” I said. “Cameron showed me that.”

He ran his hand over Dex’s head and his dog settled next to him.

“I survived a traumatic memory too,” I said. “A drug dealer gave the wrong dose of cocaine to my mom. It killed her.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I couldn’t help her because her dealer shot me up with cocaine first.” I tapped my head. “I remember everything now. Even those snakeskin boots he was wearing.”

 “My brother helped you remember that?”

“Yes.”

“Wouldn’t you rather have not remembered?”

“All my life I thought I’d not been there for my mom. That I’d let her die. Alone.”

“Where was your dad?”

“Left to go live in L.A.” I shrugged. “Then he pretended he was dead.”

He gave a frown.

“Your brother’s been amazing in helping me work through all this.”

Henry was still frowning.

“He helps so many people,” I continued. “Cameron says for those of us who have suffered, our highs are so much more profound. Our best days are better.”

“Are you in love with him?”

My gaze fell on Dex. “He’s been good to me.”

Henry stared at me for the longest time. “Degradation. Do you know what that means?”

My stare rose to meet his.

He grimaced. “They make their prisoners eat their own shit.”

I forced myself to hold his gaze and see his pain.  

“That is the kindest thing they do,” he said quietly. “Everything else is way beyond what you’d believe is humanly possible.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Not sure why I’m telling you this. You have this way about you.”

“It’s a surprise any man can come out of it without…”

“Having a nervous breakdown?”

“People have breakdowns anyway and have never faced anything like what you went through.”

His face contorted in fear and he shot to his feet. Dex scurried to stand beside him and peered up.

“What’s wrong?” I said.  

“I have to walk Dex.”

“Can I come with you?”

“I’ll only be a minute.”

I’d triggered a memory. Taken him all the way back into a past he needed to never think of again. I felt terrible.

“Henry,” I burst out. “I’m so sorry. I have no knowledge of these things. I shouldn’t have brought it up. Forgive me.”

“I brought it up,” he said faintly. “Go get your leash.”

Dex scampered into the kitchen.

Henry looked at me. “That’s why they keep me at arm’s length. I lean towards spontaneity. A small embarrassment for the family.”

“Actually your family still want you to run Cole Tea.”

“I doubt that. The shares would plummet if anyone found out I was anywhere near Cole Tea. After six months in the desert, I lost the art of social graces. Or, should I say, the art of giving a fuck.”

“I think that’s a wonderful trait,” I said. “I’m always tiptoeing around everyone, scared I’ll offend or terrified I’ll get into trouble.”

“Maybe we can teach each other something?”

“What could I teach you?”

“You already have,” he said. “Turns out I can be in the room with a woman and not die of boredom.”

“Women aren’t boring.”

“They kind of are.”

“You were with men too long,” I said. “You haven’t found the right woman. Take the dominatrixes at Enthrall. They’re true babes in every sense of the word. They’re smart and funny and sassy and super sexy. Why, I’ll introduce you to one of them, if you like. Not lady Penny, though. She’s married. You might like Mistress Scarlet. She scares the hell out of me, but I think you’d like her.”

His gaze stayed on me for the longest time. “You’re the funniest thing I’ve ever met.”

My shoulders slumped as my ego deflated.

Henry knelt and secured Dex’s leash. “Where did my brother find you?”

“He saw me in a photo and thought I’d be perfect for his best friend to date.”

Henry coughed as though suppressing a laugh.

“Cameron didn’t exactly make his plans known,” I said.

“He’s a sly bastard.” He gestured for me to follow him.

I grabbed my coat, pulled it on, and headed out into the night.

A burst of fresh air hit us on the way out.

Henry turned right and strolled onwards, allowing room on the long leash for Dex to roam ahead.

“Cameron loves you so much,” I said, trying to keep up. “That’s why I’m here.”

Dex froze and his nose burrowed. His tail shot up. To my left spread out the lake and its surface appeared like black glass; beautiful and soothing. An animal cried out from somewhere deep in the forest, followed by a howl.

“You’re not going to lock me out here tonight, are you?” I said.

“Did cross my mind.”  

I tried to ignore that. “There’s going to be a trial. Cameron has to face this board of psychiatrists to prove he’s done nothing wrong.”  

“That should be fun.”

“And your dad is hard on his case,” I said. “He wants Cameron to give up psychiatry and become the CEO of Cole Tea. That is, if you don’t want too.”

“Now that’s what I called karma.”

“Because of what he did to you in the desert?” I said.

Henry stopped walking and turned to me.

“The way he debriefed you,” I muttered. “What happened to you afterwards. He refuses to forgive himself.”

“Dex,” snapped Henry. “We do not eat road kill. We’ve been over this.”  

Dex broke away from sniffing what might have once have been a squirrel.

I couldn’t look at it. “What do you mean karma?”

He turned and began the walk back.

“Henry?”

“My brother’s always controlling other people’s lives because he thinks he’s smarter than everyone else.”

“He’s trying to control his environment,” I said. “To prevent anyone else getting hurt. For those hurt, he wants to heal them.”

“That very insightful.”