Dexter (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (23 page)

My jaw drops open and my eyes bug-out. Tobias laughs at the gobsmacked expression on my face.

“
You flirting
with me, Monica? I believe you are,” I laugh.

Ding-dong Diinnnggg-dooonnngg

“Somebody’s persistent this morning. Jeez, it’s Saturday. Ya shouldn’t bother a man’s family on the weekend,” I grumble as I shuffle to the front door.

“I’ll keep you to that, pet. I’m hungry,” I laugh as I fling the door open.

“Mr. Hayes or is it Master Hayes,”
a
nasally voice beckons as a microphone is pushed into my face by
a gossip
reporter. Lights flash momentarily blinding me. I curse under my breath for not checking the door before I opened it. Worse yet is that I’m only wearing a pair of pajama pants and nothing else. I’m also at half-mast.

“Leave,” I hiss to the throng crowding my entrance. A news van with a big satellite
on top
sits in my driveway and twenty or so media hounds surround my house. I’m being recorded by audio and video and a photographer is snapping
still-
shots of me and my property. My inner-caveman howls at the
invasion of his haven.

“Dexter Hayes, we have a few questions for you,” a female reporter says as she elbows her way to the front of the pack.

“I’m sure you do,” I say sarcastically and step back to shut my door in their faces.
A heavy booted foot wedges my door by the hinge. It’s not shutting until that foot moves. I growl at the burly fuc
ker how dared to touch my home, but I can’t touch him with the cameras on me. I won’t feed into their need for sensational news.

“Mr. Hayes, what do you have to say about the allegations leveled against your family?” The microphone makes an annoying reappearance.
“What allegations?”
“Is it true that your cousin is engaged in an incestuous affair with his adopted son?”
The microphone is shoved against my mouth and lights flash as the camera man goes nuts snapping photos.
“Total bullshit.
And I’m pretty sure it can’t be incest if you use the term adopted in the same sentence,” I roll my eyes. “Just leave from my property. My assistant has probably already called the police on you,” I warn.

“As an agent for our government do you believe it is appropriate to engage in the hedonist acts at Restraint? Do you believe it is appropriate to live in a polygamist relationship?”
“To each their own. I’m not my cousin’s keeper. He isn’t in a polygamist
relationship;
by the way, that is his son and his spouses.
And they prefer the term Triad.
As for what we do at Restraint, it’s no one’s business and no one gets hurt.”
“We weren’t speaking of Marcus Zeitler. We were referencing your relationship with Tobias Kline and Monica James
. You are an agent of our government. I’m sure tax paying Americans wouldn’t like their finances in the hands of an individual who has no moral compass. Who is to say that you don’t extort or are bribable?” 

“Wow…” I drawl. “I don’t even know why I’m answering this or where this is coming from,” I shake my head sadly. “I’m engaged to be married to Monica James.
I mentor Tobias Kline. He’
s my assistant. I see him as a son and that allegation sickens me. You’re at my home accusing me of polygamy, extortion, and bribery. Yet, you seem to forget who you’re speaking with. I am Dexter Hayes and I haven’t needed to work since I was in the womb. I chose to make my own money instead of spend
ing
the money that’
s rests in
my trust fund. I’ve never touched it with the exception of investments.
If the American people have an issue then it won’t affect my future, but they will lose an honest person who’s on their side.”

“You’re part owner in Restraint, is this correct?” I’m going to break the microphone if it’s jabbed at me one more time. I breathe to calm myself.

“Yes,” I give them a
no shit
look.

“What do you say about the riots and violence that have
erupted at your business? It’
s left many injured and lawsuits are being filed.” 
“I blame you,” I point to the crowd of paparazzi. “This is the shit that brings them to our door. Instead of a clientele who’s looking for a good time, we get undesirables who want five minutes of fame by pulling crap at the club. If you’d stop stalking our homes, businesses, and jobs we could find some peace. Don’
t believe the rumors you hear or
the gossip you read.”

“Should we be worried about the Zeitler children at ShadowHaven Estates?” 
The microphone is jammed into my face so hard it taps my nose and chin.
“Kindly remove your foot from my door,” I hiss at the big man whose boot is wedging my door open.
He looks back at me defiantly and I scream inside. I project a calm aura and stare him down.
I forget that they’re called news hounds for a reason. His job is to push and push someone. He’s not budging until I do something
that’
s news-worthy.

“Are you aware that there is another book coming out by Adelaide Whittenhower, Mistress and Master of Restraint, the collapse?”
I ignore the question and sigh in relief. A black pickup pulls up and drives through my yard rutting up the grass. I don’t get angry, I smile instead. Roarke jumps out and charges the crowd.

“The police will be here momentarily. I suggest you leave before they arrive. I’m sure Mr. Hayes would love to arrest you for trespassing, defamation, and harassment,” he threatens.

The
boot immediately disappears with Roarke’s appearance. The burly police office moonlights as the bouncer at the front door of Restraint. 

“Jesus,” Roarke hisses and leans against my front door. “It’s a shit-storm out there.”
“Are your friends really coming here?” I arch a br
ow and point at my sofa.
I flick
all the locks on my door and engage the security system.
“Na- we’re spread too thin.
What you see out there is nothing compared to what’s at Edge and Restraint, but nothing’s as bad as what’s going down at ShadowHaven and Whittenhower Estates. Somehow they got Queen’s identity this time around and she’s going mama bear on them. The Zeitlers are stuck and so is Whitt so they couldn’t run to the rescue. I just left there after evacuating Regina, Alex and the girls to a safe location. Her
house
isn’t a mansion, but with all of them living together they got as much paparazzi as the Estates.
They were completely surrounded.
I got wind of this because they showed up at my damned house this morning. All of
our identities are listed, along with our places of employment, our addresses and phone numbers. Sorry, Dexter, this shit just got real.” 

“I’m not leaving my house, Roarke.” I gaze at the bar in the corner of my living room. Is ten am too early for a scotch?
Probably.

“What are we going to do?” I ask no one in particular.

“Marcus and I were discussing private security. No more firms. Ironically, we lost our contract with the newest set of security. They said the working conditions weren’t safe enough. What a fucking joke. It’d be safe if they’d show up
and do their jobs by securing
Restraint. Instead only half of what we need shows up and then they blame us for it.
We’re looking into ex-military and cops. We need hardcore honest types that can’t be bought.”
“He didn’t happen to tell you who’s behind this, did he?” I pretend I know what’s going on hoping the cop will spill the details.

“Nope, he said he was taking care of it. That we needed to coordinate better security and that you were looking into who is
leaking information to whoever’
s behind these attacks.”

I nod like I have a clue.

Ting
Ting

I unlock my phone and read the message from Marcus.
All hands on deck: Midnight.
Dungeon.
Be there or don’t come back. -Master

I look up to see Roarke checking the same message. Monica and Tobias are on their phones as well. I guess Marcus isn’t messing around.

Chapter Twenty

“
Damn
,” I clap and laugh as I enter the dungeon. The Zeitler sofas have been removed, but what’s in their place is fan-fucking-tastic. A large section of the dungeon now has seating for the entire membership. Sofas, chairs, and furniture of every style are arranged in a mishmash. There are even large pillows on the floor to sit upon.

“Nice,” I thank my cousin for the big dais that sits in the middle of the dungeon. “Are we getting a stripper pole, too?” I tease.
“Maybe,” he blushes at me from the praise.

I watch Queen with curiosity. She’s fluttering around taping index cards to the seating. I recognize my name on a velvet settee.

“Ah, you bought us personalized seating. How quaint,” I laugh. “Where’s your throne?”

“Jackass,” he pushes my shoulder. “Go sit!”

Our settee only has my name and Tobias. Monica looks forlornly at the floor. No way in hell
am
I making my wife sit at my feet.

Queen walks over and shoves Toby and me in
to
our seats. She tapes a notecard to my chest and smirks. I look down and laugh.
Place Monica here.
“Gitcha ass in my lap, pet,” I command Monica.

I laugh wholeheartedly when I see a throne and Queen is taping her name on
to
it. Next to the throne is a small loveseat. Kristal and Fate chat while watching their Master’s antics with amused smiles. Another throne has the Whittenhower prince’s photo taped to it. I guess Niel won’t be joining us this evening. Eithe
r tonight will bring violence or
sex and the kid isn’t invited.

Alex and Whitt sit on opposite ends of an overstuffed sofa. Kristal runs over and sits between them and attacks her boyfriend’s mouth.

“Move it, Chica. I know you can read,” Queen teases.

Kris sulks
back to her loveseat and it reveals whose seat she had taken-
Dalton. Why in
hell would she put Dalton between Whitt and Alex?

The mood is light as our membership slowly files in and takes their seats. Queen has made sure that everyone is sitting with their nearest and dearest with amusing consequences. The Zeitlers are cuddled up in a double-chaise making it impossible for Cort not to embrace Ezra.
Syn sits in a leather chair, happily all by herself. Our newest member, Greta has the seat next to her crush, our babysitter
,
Devlin.

Aaron has both Kayla and Heidi giggling in delight from the
ir futon mattress on the floor.
Roarke keeps moving closer as his eyes rove over Heidi in interest.

“Attention members of Restraint.” Marcus’ deep voice draws our attentions. “The majority of us are here. I kept our gathering small. With the climate of today’s events I thought it best to not invite those who we aren’t close to.”
Marcus hops onto the dais and turns in a circle taking in his kingdom and his minions.
He smiles at us and sighs.
“I was lying in my lover’s bed this morning discussing how best to approach this situation. We were creating a battle plan. Ironically, I received a call from my family that ShadowHaven was infiltrated with paparazzi. I hurried to dress so I could join them only to find a slew of paparazzi circling the home I was in. I wanted to maim, kill, and panic. Instead a very intelligent female said we need to find the good in this. So this evening is all about us. Restraint will be closed until further notice. We’re lacking adequate security. I’m working on it. It may be a day or a week, but
it will be resolved. Tonight were going back to our original roots. In the beginning this dungeon was for our personal use. Dexter, Ezra, and I would sit in here and bullshit. I think it’s time we do that again. We’re going to play show and tell,” Marcus announces and you can hear that he will not take no for an answer- he never does.

“I’ll start,” he grins.

Marcus starts to strip his clothes off and I instantly close my eyes. I don’t want to watch that. Until the book was released he never came in here without total anonymity. None of us has seen him in the nude.

“Bastard,” I curse under my breath. I thought I got the muscles and he got the height. I was wrong. Marcus stands before us on the dais in his birthday suit. He’s tall and built. I curse the genetic lottery that gave me the middle finger.