Page 1 of Fixing Olivia (Fairford Affairs)

CHAPTER1

Aiden

Thank Christ, she was finally fucking leaving.

Aiden plastered a smile on his face and waved as the Mercedes drove down the driveway. He kept it up until the small white coupe had passed through the open front gates and out of sight. Dropping his arm, he closed his eyes and sighed. That hadnotbeen an easy week, and he was relieved to see the last of Stacey Blackwood.

He really had to stop taking heiresses and the like as guests. People who grew up getting everything they ever wanted didn’t understand what it meant to truly submit to someone. Not in any of the ways that mattered. Though of course they thought they did, and how could they possibly ever be wrong? And he was oh so tired of his lifestyle being treated like some kind of kinky game.

Two days into her weeklong stay, he’d wanted nothing more than to send Stacey packing. But since their business depended almost solely on word of mouth, the others would be furious with him if they found out he’d even considered it.

Giving his shoulders a roll, Aiden forced his eyes to reopen and headed to the house. Vermont in January was no joke, but even the sting of the cold against his skin didn’t inspire him to move quickly. He practically trudged up the steps to the double front doors.

His plan was to head straight upstairs, grab his stuff, and go. He had three whole days off, and he wanted to spend them alone, with no snippy little subs trying to top from the bottom in their nasally, whiny-ass voices.

Okay, he wasreally fucking relievedto have seen the last of Stacey Blackwood.

Maybe they should start doing video applications. If he could look into their eyes and watch how they chose to present themselves, then he’d get a feel for potential guests’ attitude, their bearing, their spirit. He’d know if they were truly submissive by nature, or if they liked to read naughty novels and thought a few playful spankings and a butt plug would be a great way to unwind.

And he’d know if the sound of their voice would be like nails on a chalkboard, torturing him for days on end.

“So. How’d it go.”

It wasn’t really a question, and when Aiden turned toward the front desk, he wasn’t surprised to see Zach smirking at him.

Zach was Fairford Manor’s office manager/concierge/receptionist/marketing expert/bookkeeper/basically everything else under the sun. He may have favored vests and bow ties over camouflage, but that didn’t stop him from running the whole place with military precision.

Aiden didn’t quite understand why the guy wanted to work at a BDSM resort if he never took any guests. Even their chef had allowed a couple sous chefs and one particularly talented pastry chef to submit in his kitchen. But he wasn’t about to complain. Everything ran so much smoother with Zach there, and the guests loved him.

Rolling his eyes at Zach’s smug expression, Aiden said, “Oh, it was great. Best damn week of my life.”

“I could tell.” The younger man was clearly trying hard not to laugh. “Especially the way your left eye started twitching every time she spoke by day three.”

“Video applications.” Aiden gave an exaggerated wink when Zach pretended to gasp. “Genius, right? It’s the new frontier.”

Chuckling, Zach said, “I’m sure that’s exactly what all our potential guests want—videos of them begging to be dominated that might someday show up on the internet.”

Aiden gave him a rueful smile. “There you go with your damn logic again.”

“I know, I know. One of my many faults.”

Some of the tension in Aiden’s shoulders fell away. How did Zach always know how to calm him down or cheer him up when things with the guests went south? He did the same for the subs whenever they needed it. The man was seriously a godsend.

He made a mental note to make Jonathan—who was technically in charge, and had final say on all decisions at the Manor—give him a raise.

“Don’t worry,” Zach said, leaning back in his chair. “I just spoke to your next guest on the phone. Her voice is sexy as hell. You’re gonna love it.”

“Thank God for small miracles,” Aiden said, trying to at leastsoundhappy, even if his heart wasn’t in it.

The words came out with all the excitement you’d hear at a funeral.

Zach’s eyes narrowed. “You okay, man?”

“Never better,” Aiden lied, turning toward the stairs so Zach couldn’t see his face. “I’ll go grab my stuff so I’m not in housekeeping’s way.”

“Off to your cabin for the weekend?”

“You know it,” he called over his shoulder. His cabin was the only place he could let his guard down and relax these days. It was so draining to beonall the time—to constantly be in full-blown Dom mode. How the others managed it without the slightest sign of strain was beyond him.

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