Page 180 of Master of My Heart

“She’s a sexual creature, Chase. You were just telling me how you could see she was struggling because she hadn’t had sex in a while.”

“You want to be her go-to guy when she needs it?” he snapped, spinning around.

Richard growled and stood, pounding a clenched fist on his desk. “Would you have rather I let her be taken? Should I have stood by and let her go? Is that what you wanted me to do? I suppose she would have gone safely to the Immortal lands and we wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore.” He set his jaw as he looked evenly at Chase, though his voice softened. “As it is, she is still here. She is safe and is starting to accept us.”

Chase crossed his arms over his chest and glared. Of course, that wasn’t what he wanted to have happened. “Us as in you, or us as in me?”

“Us as in the Brotherhood. She felt the peace accepting her place would bring. I saw it in her mind. She’s understanding that we’re different. That needed to happen before we could move forward with whatever choice she makes.”

Chase looked up at the ceiling. He knew Richard was right. But he was jealous. He didn’t like the idea of Richard being with her before he was. Then again, it was bound to happen when she went to a Gathering, which needed to happen. His anger began to deflate and he was left with the depression that followed intense emotions.

“I understand,” he said in a quiet voice.

Richard sat back down. “She loves you, Chase. The memory of you carried her through her darkest days when she was with those horrible people.”

Chase looked up, confused.

“I can understand her better now,” Richard said with a small shrug. “It was fate that you two met when she was here the first time. If you hadn’t...” He shook his head. “She would have been lost. Her memories of you from that night on the yacht kept her grounded.”

“How?” Chase asked, his voice choked.

Richard smiled. “I don’t know. But I know that it’s true.”

Chase tapped his fist on his mouth, thinking about what Richard said.

“I will keep her safe, Chase, but I will not use her unless she decides to come to me. She is still her own person, free to make her own choices. She’s ashamed of who and what she is. Maybe you need to have a talk with her about the sexual nature of what goes on in our world. Tell her what you like and that you’d like to share them with her. I think that would help her accept herself.”

Chase groaned. “Tell her that I like watching women enjoy themselves? That I like being with men as much as women?”

Richard laughed. “Well, she enjoys sex, when she’s not feeling ashamed for liking it. And I’m sure you could find some men who wouldn’t mind you sharing her with them. Does she know about your past with Ethan and Jayson?”

Chase frowned. “No one does, except you.”

“The Brotherhood is a strange and kinky place,” Richard said, leaning back in his chair. “You two have to learn to trust each other with your secrets. That’s how a marriage grows and stays strong. Secrets will tear you apart.” Richard smiled. “You might find you have more in common than you think.”

Chapter Fifty-Seven

The next morning, Sabrina went through her warm-ups, feeling lighter than she had in a while. She still had the ache in her heart of missing Chase, but somehow, what had happened between her, Richard, and Tom had lightened her spirit. She felt more at peace than she ever had. She felt as if she had a place in the world. She felt safe and protected.

Chase called at lunch and asked if he could pick her up from rehearsal. She agreed nervously, wondering if he knew what had happened. If so, was he angry about it?

But even her nervousness couldn’t dispel her peace with her new situation. Something inside said she shouldn’t be at peace, though. She shouldn’t like having Richard and Tom as her Masters. But she did.

She threw herself into the afternoon rehearsal, trying to keep her mind occupied so she didn’t dwell on her worries. When it was time to leave, she looked over and saw Ethan standing by the door. He smiled when they made eye contact.

She hurried over, stuffing her pointe shoes into her bag. “Is Chase here?”

“In the car. He didn’t want to disturb you.”

Her heart leapt in her chest at the thought of seeing him again. “Is he angry?” she asked as they started walking toward the exit.

“At what?”

“Me. For what happened.”

“I don’t think so. He was pretty miserable after he dropped you off. He just sat in front of the fireplace all night. Didn’t talk. Didn’t move.”

Ethan pushed open the studio door. She saw Chase’s dark Land Rover out front with him leaning against it. He looked so handsome in dress slacks and a long-sleeved light-blue polo shirt.

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