“You’ll be okay,” he said in that soft, firm voice. “Do you trust me?”

She nodded.

“Do you? Really? You didn’t trust me for the longest time.”

Sully had given her every reason to trust him. “Yes,” she whispered. “I trust you.”

“Do you love me? Honestly?”

“Do you love me?”

He smiled. “Answer my question.”

“Answer mine first.”

His face softened, looked sad. “I love you very much. I would die for you, sweetheart. I would do anything to make you happy, to keep you safe, to protect you. Now you answer my question. Honestly.”

She draped her arms around his neck, her heart racing. “I love you very much.”

“You understand what I’m asking of you?”

She took a deep breath. “I understand, Master.”

She didn’t miss the surprise in his face, although he tried to mask it. He kissed her, long and deep, passionately, possessively, nothing like his other kisses had felt. She closed her eyes and savored it, enjoyed the feel of his body molded against hers, something to finally take her mind off the panic threatening to wash over her.

She gave him all control, his lips first pressing, then his tongue carefully insisting she give up all resistance.

Sully slowly tasted and explored her, gently nibbling and nipping and giving her more than a glimpse of what the future held in store.

He eventually broke their kiss, still holding her close. He cupped his hand around the back of her neck, much the way he had Mac’s at the airport. “We’ll talk once we’re all safely home,” he said. “Nothing changes for now, okay? If you still feel like this then—and I hope you do—we’ll discuss what comes next.” Then he stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. “I love you, sweetheart. I really do. I think I fell in love with you when I first met you.”

She wanted to cry, only happy tears this time. “I love you, too.”

“Obey Mac as if he’s me. Don’t worry about titles. Let him take care of you. That’s his job.”

“Yes, Master.”

His low chuckle warmed her. For a moment it was easy to forget she felt scared witless in a hotel room in Columbus with her psycho ex-boyfriend wanting to do much more than rip a strip out of her hide.

“That’s a good girl,” he whispered. “You’re my good girl, aren’t you?”

She pleasantly shivered as his arms firmly held her, his fingers tightening against the back of her neck. “Yes, Master.”

She heard his breath catch, and he pressed another kiss to the top of her head. “Lean on Mac if you need to. Don’t let fear eat you alive, pet.” He chuckled and tipped her face to his. “My pet.” His eyes searched her face. “I think that will be my name for you. My pet.”

Clarisse shivered again. The deep, possessive tone in his voice branded her heart.

She was his.

She knew that she loved Mac too, but she also understood that from this moment on, she would belong to Sully first and foremost.

In any way he desired.

She also knew Mac would insist on it being that way.

He released her and stepped back. Bart whined and wagged his tail. Sully sat on the bed and held the little dog at eye level. “Listen to me. You help Mac take care of her, okay?”

Clarisse didn’t know whether to laugh or cry with relief.

Bart squirmed with pleasure as Sully cradled him against his chest and scratched the back of his head. As Mac emerged from the bathroom, Sully winked at Clarisse.

She couldn’t help but smile as a bolt of heat shot straight through her core.

“We ready to go?” Mac asked.

“Yeah. She’s all packed.”

Sully’s eyes held her, captivating her.

Mac glanced at Clarisse, then Sully. A knowing smile crept across his face. “Everything okay, Master?”

Sully smirked as he handed Bart back to Clarisse. “Everything’s fine, slave.” He stood and crooked his finger at Mac, then pointed at the floor in front of him.

Without hesitation, Mac knelt in front of Sully and bowed his head. Sully placed his hand on Mac’s head and tightly knotted his fingers in the man’s hair. Clarisse suspected it had to hurt, but Mac never even winced. “Slave, I’m charging you with taking care of my pet. And I don’t mean Bart.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Bring her home safely for me. I hold you personally responsible for her safety and well-being. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

Sully’s fingers relaxed in Mac’s hair. He lovingly smoothed Mac’s hair back into place and gently trailed his fingers down the other man’s cheek, over his ear.

Mac clasped Sully’s hand, kissed it, nuzzled it against his face.

“Please have a safe trip, Master. I love you.”

Clarisse wanted to drop to her knees in front of Sully, too.

“I love you too, slave.”

Clarisse needed one more bathroom trip before they left. When she returned, both men were smiling. Mac handed Bart to her and kissed Sully good-bye. Then Sully kissed her good-bye, another passionate kiss that curled her toes. He helped her climb into the truck cab and handed Bart to her.

Before he closed her door, he winked at her. “Be safe, pet. Obey slave.”

She smiled. “I will, Master.”

* * *

Before dark, they arrived at a small motel in Memphis. Despite leaving Ohio on an up-note, she’d barely spoken to Mac during their drive because of her nerves. Sully had specifically instructed Mac to take it easy, take his time, and pay close attention to any vehicles that appeared to be following them. Even to take exits in populated areas and to drive around for a minute before getting on the interstate again if he had to.

Overkill, sure, but the men wouldn’t risk her safety.

Clarisse was surprised to see the room only had one bed, not that she was complaining. Mac set up Bart’s crate. “Master said a couple of rules could lapse.” He looked at her. “Unless you want me to get a room with two beds?”

She shook her head.

They talked to Sully on the phone before they walked across the street for dinner. “What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” Mac asked.

“You’ve been quiet all day.”

“Did you talk to Sully before we left Columbus?”

Mac grinned. “Yep. Why do you think he relaxed a few rules?”

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would he relax them instead of making them stricter?”

“Ah, the irony inherent in the lifestyle,” he joked. “Because you’ve seen us strict. You know what that’s like. But will you like us vanilla too?” He winked. “I told you, it’s not all about the kink. That’s just one part of it.”

“A big part of it.”

“Depends on who you ask. Some would call a lot of what we do nothing special. Some would think we’re total pervs. It’s all relative.”

They hit the road before nine the next morning. She’d slept well cuddled against Mac, but nothing sexual happened between them despite the new status of their relationship. Sully called them after he talked with the detective and the state attorney’s office. He also hired an attorney to coordinate things on that end for them. That evening, Sully was in New York and they were south of Atlanta. Mac had taken his time, frequently taking smaller roads.

“Not much longer, sugar,” Mac said. “We’re pushing home from this point.”

It would be good to be home. But the closer they got, the more her nervous tension increased. There was still time to back out, take her words back.

Not that she wanted to, if she was totally honest with herself.

They rolled into their driveway a little before two a.m. the next morning. Mac helped her carry Bart’s things inside and then headed straight for his bedroom. He didn’t close the door, but he didn’t ask her to sleep with him either.

She waited for any hint of an invitation, then went to her own room. Despite how sexually frustrating it had been for her to sleep next to Mac, she’d behaved herself. Although she suspected Sully’s commands to Mac would have kept him honest regardless.

Clarisse went to her bedroom, but she left her door wide open. An invitation if he wanted to take her up on it. Bart spent a few minutes sniffing around their new digs before curling up on his bed in his crate.

Upset and not quite sure why, she crawled beneath the covers and tried to sleep. When the house phone rang a few hours later, she rolled over and answered it without thinking. Sully.

“Did I wake you, pet?”

She glanced at the clock. Almost ten. “That’s okay. Want me to get Mac?”

“No, I wanted to talk to you anyway. I’ll be home in three days.

Have you thought more about what we talked about?”

Sleep evaporated from her system. “Yes.”

“And?”

“I still want to, Master.”

“Very good. Good girl. Tell slave to call me when he wakes up.

Love you.”

She swallowed hard. “I love you, too.”

He hung up. She couldn’t contain her smile.

She also couldn’t go back to sleep. So she made a pot of coffee and took Bart downstairs to the backyard to let him run around. It was a peaceful morning, a few boats in the bayou heading out for the day.

This could be her life forever.

That was a good thing, she realized. Why fight it?

The mental image of Sully playing with Doreen spoiled her perfect picture.

She heard the back sliders open a little later. “You down there, kiddo?”

“Yeah. Sully said to call him.”

“Okay.” He walked back into the house.

She called Bart to her and carried him upstairs. She was hungry.

Mac would probably want something. His bedroom door was closed and she heard him talking, too low for her to hear. She was cooking pancakes for them when he opened the door and walked into the kitchen. He wore shorts, but no shirt. The ID bracelet and necklace were gone, but his locking leather collar was in place. He carried something in his hand.

She couldn’t read his serious expression. Her heart skipped with fear. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I talked with Master. He wants me to work with you before his return. To give you a taste of what life will be like with us.

Are you ready?”

“Yes.” She hesitated. “Master?”

“No. You never call me Master. That title is reserved for him only. For the time being, when I’m topping, you can call me Sir, just like you called him Sir at the party.”

She nodded, too nervous to speak.

“I don’t know what he’s going to have you call me when he’s home and we’re together. For now, he said boat rules until he comes home. Except for one small thing.”

“What?”

He smiled. “I’m not allowed to fuck you. He gets the honor of being first.” He held up what was in his hand. A lightweight, silver chain collar with a small, silver decorative lock, similar to the discreet formal collar Mac wore when out in public with Sully. “But Master gave me the privilege of being the first to collar you. Among other things.”

This made it real. Her pulse thrummed.

He stepped across the kitchen. “Are you sure you want this? You can back out. You can live with us as long as you want without being involved with us, you know that.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off the length of silver chain and the heart-shaped silver lock. “I want it,” she whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too, pet.” His face and voice grew stern again. “You have to abide by the rules I set down for you. Including punishment.

Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

He arched an eyebrow at her.

“Yes, Sir,” she corrected herself.

“Very good, baby. Hold up your hair.” She did while he fastened the collar around her neck. It felt cool at first, then quickly warmed to her skin.

“Strip.”

Her skin flushed. She waited for him to break into a smile or joke or something, but he stood there, watching, waiting.

Blushing, she did as commanded. He held out his hand for her clothes and once she stood totally naked, he carried them to her room.

Not sure what else to do, she continued cooking breakfast. It made her self-conscious, and she felt weird to be totally naked, but she also realized it made her more than a wee bit horny.

He returned a little while later and sat at the table with the paper and started reading. He still wore his shorts and sat where Sully usually sat.

Without any further direction, she fixed him a plate and placed it in front of him before fixing her own.

“Thank you, pet,” he said, but he didn’t look at her.