No Turning Back (Man-Maid) (17 page)

Enjoy the following excerpt for
River’s Redemption:

Knocking. Loud and persistent. It yanked River out of the nightmare, and he shot upward in bed. Sweat soaked his sheets and hair. His heart raced, and he had to force the nausea down. The memories always made him physically ill. Just once he wished he could sleep in peace. He didn’t think one night was too much to ask.

“Christ,” he muttered. Another series of thumps came from the front of his apartment. River sat upright and twisted around so he could read the neon-green display on his alarm clock. Five o’clock on a Friday morning? “What the hell?”

He hoped nothing was wrong. His mother’s smiling face popped into his head, and a jolt of concern had him fully alert in seconds. Several months back, she’d suffered a mild heart attack, and it had scared River the way nothing else could. She’d recovered, though. Even taken up yoga and started eating healthier. She was out of the woods now, right?

Wanda Jennings meant the world to him. She and his adoptive father had taken River and his four brothers from foster care and given them a home to be proud of and the kind of love River had never before known. Two years ago, a massive stroke had taken his dad away. River still missed hearing the sound of his deep voice and his powerful arms wrapping him up in one of his characteristic bear hugs.

He stood and slipped into a pair of black pajama pants and strode from the room. As he approached the front door, River stopped and looked through the peep hole. Reilly, his twin, stood with his hands in the front pockets of his old, worn jeans, a worried look creasing his brow. Reilly and River were mirror images of each other with their pale green eyes, shaggy black hair and six-foot-four frames. The only difference, most folks would say, was River’s constant scowl.

When River saw his brother’s customary smile replaced by a frown, his anxiety level ratcheted up a few notches.

“Open up, bright eyes,” Reilly called out.

River jerked open the door and let Reilly step around him before he muttered, “It’s five in the morning. Something’s wrong.”

“It’s Jeanette,” Reilly said as he shoved a hand through his hair.

The name sent River’s heart into full throttle. Jeanette had been his closest friend since high school, and she was the only woman who managed to put up with his shit. The thought of losing her brought his nausea back tenfold.

River knew Jeanette had it in her head to take their friendship to a more intimate level. She’d had a crush on him for years. He wasn’t blind. And he’d be a lying ass if he didn’t admit to feeling a rush of desire for her whenever her name was mentioned. River had fantasized more than once about that lean body and subtle curves. Her sexy, long, dark hair always made him want to reach out and stroke it. The sweet package was only part of the appeal. Jeanette was gutsy and gave as good as she got.

But she was also too innocent. She deserved someone whole, someone who hadn’t been to hell and back. Touching her would be wrong on every level. He knew it. He’d tried to make her understand how wrong he was for her, but she’d always refused to listen to reason. Still, River knew better than to fuck up the one good relationship he had going in his life.

“What happened?” he asked as he quickly moved to the kitchen to grab his keys and cell phone off the counter. He mentally prepared himself for the worst.

“She was mugged outside of the Dawg Pit,” Reilly replied. “She’s okay, nothing broken. Just got banged up a bit. She’s more angry than anything, to tell the truth.”

“She in the hospital?” River frowned. “And what the hell was she doing at that end of town? There isn’t anything but meth labs and felons out that way.”

“No, she’s at home.” Reilly sighed. “And you aren’t going to like her reason for being at the Dawg Pit any more than I did.”

Reilly and Jeanette had always been close, but lately River had noticed her confiding more and more in Reilly. And it was starting to piss him off. “Spit it out.”

“She’s working there.”

No way could he have heard right. “At the Dawg Pit? What the fuck, Reilly? The place is a dump.”

His brother held out both hands. “Hell, I didn’t know either. I just found out tonight. She said she needs the money for college.” He shook his head. “Can you believe that?”

Jeanette was working on a law degree. When she wasn’t in class, she was studying. It was a tough schedule, and River couldn’t be more proud of her. “Then why didn’t she come to us for money? Or she could’ve worked at the Blackwater if she’d wanted a job. Either is preferable to that shithole.” They would make room for her at the family restaurant they’d all worked so hard to save after their father’s death. Jeanette had only to ask.

“Jeanette has pride in spades,” Reilly replied, bringing River back to the current problem. “No way would she ask for a handout.”

“It’s not a handout,” River grumbled as he headed for the door. “She’s practically family, and she knows it.”

Reilly caught up to him. “If you value your private parts, please don’t tell her you have nothing but brotherly love for her. That’s too cruel, and you know it.”

River ignored him and took hold of the doorknob. Reilly slammed a palm against the wood surface of the door as if to stop him from going to her. He’d have better luck stopping a Mack truck.

“Where are you going?”

“To see Jeanette,” he bit out. “Where else?”

“You can’t.” Reilly’s voice softened. “It’s not even light out yet. Let her sleep before you start lecturing her. She’s had a long night, River.”

River saw red. “And you’ve been right by her side, haven’t you?”

River knew it was guilt that caused his brother to look away. Hell, he knew the look too well. They were twins, after all. “She called me from the police station, needing a ride,” Reilly said. He’d know nothing short of full disclosure would appease River.

The words pierced his heart. “Why didn’t she call me? She can always come to me. She knows that.”

Reilly cleared his throat. “Um, she’s still not over
the
incident
.”

The incident
that Reilly referred to had taken place months ago. Jeanette had walked in on River having sex with…Holly, he thought was the woman’s name. A curvy redhead and the exact opposite of Jeanette. They’d been on the couch, naked. Jeanette had used the key he’d given her years ago and let herself in. When she saw the two of them together, she’d lost it. He was a jerk, she’d shouted. She was through being his friend. At first, River had thought Jeanette would get over it. She could never stay mad at him for long. But this time was different. She was pulling away from him more and more every day. He could feel it. The fact that she’d called Reilly after having been mugged was proof. She’d needed a friend tonight, and she hadn’t chosen him. His gut churned at the thought.

River couldn’t figure out why Jeanette was still so pissed off about seeing him with another woman. He’d always been very careful to keep his relationship with Jeanette strictly platonic. And even though she’d always had a crush on him, and he’d had some scorching fantasies about her, Jeanette had seemed content to keep it just friends. Sex would screw everything up; he knew it in his bones. But things were changing between them, and River didn’t like it.

For her sexy Dom, she’ll open up…but only love will take her all the way.

She’s All In

© 2013 Cathryn Cade

Club 3, Book 1

When Daisy joins Big Iron Fitness, it’s to get fit and more comfortable in her skin. But what really makes her sweat is gym owner Dack Humboldt. Watching him pump iron sets off an endorphin rush that has nothing to do with exercise.

Dack isn’t looking for love, and doesn’t usually waste time on vanilla even when it’s packaged in a bombshell blonde. Until he hears Daisy’s been asking questions about the goings-on at his private sex club. He’ll be happy to show her the ropes…on his terms.

Daisy gathers the moxie to ask Dack out on a date, and gets an offer she can’t refuse. The chance to explore some of her most private fantasies and move beyond her fears about her body.

As Dack leads Daisy by the thong into the Dom/sub world, she feels as if she’s finally in her element…until Dack issues a command that brings her up hard against her last emotional barrier. And Dack must decide how far he’ll go to bring his bombshell back into his arms.

Warning: Body builders showing off their physiques, blondes looking to have more fun, and members of a private club sharing more than conversation.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
She’s All In:

“Hey, Dack, what’re you doing chatting up my girl?” It was Mason, appearing at Dack’s elbow, a frosty salted margarita in each hand. He was scowling.

Daisy blinked. His girl? She’d agreed to have a drink with the guy, that was all.

Now Dack was scowling. At her. “Daisy?”

She could only handle one disgruntled male at a time. “I’m not sure why you’re upset,” she said to Mason.

He gave her a what-the-hell look. “Because you accepted my key,” he bit off.

“What? She took my key.” Oh, great, now the blond guy, Kevin, was back at Dack’s other elbow, and he was looking daggers at her as well.

“Hey, I don’t know what all this fuss is about,” she protested, her voice quavering embarrassingly.

“Daisy.” Dack cut her off, his deep voice full of authority. “Explain.”

She wanted to quail before the three alpha males glaring at her. Stiffening her knees, she faced them, glaring back defiantly. “Explain what? I don’t even know what you’re so mad about.”

“Yeah, right.” Kevin shook his head in disgust.

Mason eyed her, his head cocked to one side. “No, hold on. I think she’s telling the truth.”

“Daisy.” She looked at Dack, willing the tears clogging her throat not to fall. She’d finally gotten the courage to follow through on her fantasies, and now her exciting adventure was going to hell for reasons she didn’t even understand.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pretty blonde sitting with her arms crossed, watching. She shook her head as if unable to believe how much trouble Daisy was in.

Dack took her hand in his, lifting it so the key hanging from her arm was displayed. “You don’t know what the keys mean? Rochelle didn’t explain that to you when you came in?”

“No. Wait, she mentioned keys, but she—she wasn’t feeling well.” Daisy didn’t want to get the receptionist in trouble. Seemed like she had enough. “She didn’t finish whatever she was going to say. I thought she was going to faint. She waved me in and ran for the restroom.”

Dack grimaced. “I’ll deal with that in a bit. Now, where are their keys?”

Daisy handed him his sunglasses and dug the other keys from her purse. They lay in her palm.

She tried to hand them to him, but he shook his head, shoving his sunglasses on the top of his head. “Daisy, when someone—a guy or a gal—offers you their key, it means they’re a dom. And they’re asking you to be their partner, to submit to them for the evening.”

Her breath froze in her throat, her tears forgotten. He held her gaze, his quizzical. “And when you take it, you’re agreeing.”

“Oh.” The work came out in a squeak. Holy crap, all three of these guys thought she’d agreed to—to let them do stuff to her, with her?

Dack rose, towering over her. “Now choose. And hurry your ass up about it. I’ll be back in a minute.” He turned and strode away.

Oh God. Daisy watched him go. Was he coming back? Did she even want him to? Well, one thing was for sure, she had to deal with these two guys first.

She turned to Mason and held out his key. “I’m really sorry.”

He nodded, looking as if he were trying not to grin. “’S okay. Put it in my pocket, eh?”

She looked at his tight jeans and blinked at the size of his male package. She was not going there. Instead, she tucked the key in a small pocket of his vest.

“You’re not getting one of my margaritas,” he teased, waving the drinks enticingly.

Daisy smiled back, feeling a twinge of regret. “There’s a blonde behind you who looks like she needs a drink.”

His eyes gleamed. “Good idea.” He turned away.

Daisy turned to Kevin. He gave her a cocky grin as if sure she’d choose him. He was handsome, but he was not someone Daisy would consider actually hooking up with. With an inward shudder, she held out the black key to him. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I, um, hope you have a great night.”

“Oh, I will,” he said, grabbing the key from her. “Hope you can say the same.” He turned his back on her.

Well, okay. So he wouldn’t be forgiving her anytime soon.

She sank onto the sofa, leaned her forehead on her hand. Geez, what a night. Was this going to work for her? She felt like there was a whole secret rulebook someone had forgotten to show her.

The music started again, a bluesy number with lots of saxophone. Daisy leaned her chin on her hand and looked around. Mason was perched on the arm of the blonde’s chair, his back partly turned to Daisy. They were sipping margaritas and smiling at each other. The woman’s eyes were sparkling as if her dreams for the night had come true.