Page 66 of The More the Merrier

Blaze reached out and pulled her in for a brotherly hug, complete with light pats on the back. Claire sighed, pulling away, even though he seemed reluctant to let her go.

“Don’t stress, lass, you are in excellent hands, and I’ll be there late tonight. Before the masquerade party is over.”

“I’m sorry, did you say masquerade? I’m not equipped for that, Blaze. Why didn’t you say something so I’d have time to at least find a mask?”

“Because I knew you would freak out, and I also know from past parties that they leave dozens lying about, so there was no need to worry. Now go, your Uber will be downstairs in five minutes.”

Claire stared out the back window of the vehicle until the building she’d called her second home disappeared from sight. As the only world she’d ever known disappeared from sight, she turned around, facing an unknown future and wondering what she’d gotten herself into.

Chapter 4

Atticus

Atticus was the jokester in his inner circle. Those closest to him accepted his good-natured ribbing well. He liked to tease those dearest to him and make them smile. Sadly, this stemmed from a need to have the people he cared about happy, and currently, his best friend was anything but. But what could he do about Gregor? He’d been spiraling since he last dipped his toe into the pool of possibilities with a woman he’d been sure was perfect.

Atticus had known better, but when Gregor had his mind set on something, there was no detracting the man. He was like a brick wall, the same brick wall Atticus depended on in football when they were kids. Without Gregor, the list of injuries from the game could have easily quadrupled. They had hated him back then, not Gregor but the team, until he’d scored that winning touchdown in the last playoff game. Things radically shifted for Atticus after that, and that fall, he became popular in school.

His ready wit and sharp tongue kept the bullies in their place and the girls swooning at his feet. Of course, having the biggest kid as a bestie helped. Atticus navigated the dating game for Gregor. Even back then he’d been a prickly pear, but Atticus had always known the man behind the hard exterior. He was a recipient of the compassion and loyalty that Gregor had in spades. It was because of those traits that Atticus aligned his life goals with Gregor’s.

Football was never in the playbook for him, and when Gregor finished university on his football scholarship, he stayed in Colorado and played for the Broncos until his contract ended. He always said football wasn’t his end game. Creating an empire that was kink friendly, with room for their mates was his vision.

With Susan leaving him high and dry, it was more important than ever to get that man into his happy place, and nothing made Gregor happier than playing in his dungeon with a submissive. Gregor was the ultimate Dom of Doms, a Master through and through, and he ran his business the same way he played with a sub with attunement and incredible attention to detail.

Atticus often wondered why Gregor wasn’t one of those Doms who enjoyed letting go and being a sub in play like many high-powered suits enjoyed. When he asked him about his proclivities, Gregor hadn’t hesitated with his answer.

“The type of control I crave is one between consensual partners, with trust at its foundation. I need to be obeyed without question, and that takes a special woman, a rare submissive, who is in attunement with me. You can train them, Atticus, but it’s not the same as them being a fit. While not impossible, trying to attain that level of relationship through play is difficult, as the players all have an agenda, contracts signed, and limits agreed upon. It makes sense when you want your time to be safe and consensual, but I need more. Remember, you’re the understanding, fun-loving Daddy, and I’m the puppet master.”

A smile curved his lips at the memory. Gregor never saw how much Atticus controlled the scene, but he didn’t correct him. By all means, let thepuppet masterthink he was pulling the strings. The fact he hadn’t noticed that it was Atticus guiding them towards finding the special one, using his experience of being born on the streets of a rough neighborhood where scheming kept you fed, and alive worked to his advantage. He and Gregor couldn’t have been more different, but in their case, it was the differences that made them click.

Atticus closed the door to his office and scrolled through his contact list until he found Madame Cheri’s name. She ran a high-end escort business. Many in the community viewed Cherie as a matchmaker of sorts. It was through her that the two men had met Naomi, who Gregor had thought was their third. Atticus had known she wasn’t the real deal, but his grumpy boss/bestie had needed to learn that for himself. If he’d known how hard Gregor would take the hit, he may have done things differently. He had been way more invested in Naomi than Atticus had been, seeing her clearly as he did and her very subtle manipulations. That was over a year ago, and it was time to get Grumpy back in the saddle.

“Cheri, I need someone,” Atticus said good-humoredly into the receiver.

“Don’t we all, darling,” was her quick response.

“Let me be more specific, I need someone for tomorrow night’s masquerade party, it’s the kick-off for the six-day event and I need my grumpy bosshole’s spirits lifted.”

“So, this is for Gregor.” It wasn’t a question.

“It is, but unlike the last time, it’s a one-off thing, masks mandatory for both parties. No one needs to get personal. I need a curvaceous, sexy, ultimate submissive type for an evening of BDSM and sex. Can you find someone?”

“I have a few in mind, but on such short notice and it being New Year’s Eve, it will cost you, darling.”

“Whatever it takes, he’s driving me nuts and needs to get laid! Have whoever she is at the bar in a cat mask at midnight. That’s when things will be in full swing, and Gregor will arrive.”

“Puurfecct.” Her cat impersonation provoked laughter from Atticus.

“Bill me and I’ll transfer the funds.” Before he had time to hang up, his iPhone pinged with her alert.

“You are very punctual, Cheri.”

“When it comes to money, darling, always. Tootles.”

The line went dead. Atticus hung up the landline and grabbed his mobile to type in the payment. With that done, he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands. Hopefully, tomorrow night would put everything right, and he and the rest of the staff could go back to the way things were, prior to the fiasco with Naomi.

He was about to leave when the system alert went off. “What now?” he muttered. His phone pinged with a weather alert. It was going to be a long night. Atticus rose to join the maintenance crew to ensure their little slice of heaven stayed safe from the snowstorm rolling in.

Chapter 5

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