Enthrall Him (Enthrall Sessions Book 3) (19 page)

“If I do agree to provide Enthrall’s name, you’ll honor my rules,” said Cameron.

Lance’s knife sliced through his lamb cutlet. “I’m sure we can promise you that.”

“How are your plans going to run for Congress this year?” asked Shay.

“My team’s ready,” said Lance.

“Love the campaign slogan,” said Cameron. “Very catchy—”

“Vote Merrill or Peril,” said Lance. “Some young pup came up with that in my campaign office. He’d worked with Frederick Baxter during his run in New York. Won him his seat. Very talented young man.”

“Sounds like it,” said Cameron. “Why isn’t he still working for Baxter?”

“He fired him,” said Lance. “Brought in new talent.”

Cameron gave a nod of approval. “So, I’d like to offer you a compromise. I know we reneged on you winning this prime submissive.”

I set my glass down, nervous I’d tip it over and embarrass myself.

“I’m here to collect,” said Lance, his focus settling on me.

Making me squirm.

Cameron’s hand rested on my thigh. “Here’s the deal. I’ve discussed this issue with Richard at length and we’ve come to what we believe is a satisfactory conclusion.”  

“Let’s hear it,” said Lance.

“First, you agree to drop the threat against Richard.”

Lance shrugged. “Sure.”

“And you give me your word my therapeutic techniques are never discussed or questioned again.”

“How long am I getting Mia for?” said Lance.

I raised my chin high, defiant, ready for Cameron to tell Lance where he could stick it.

“One week,” said Cameron calmly. “You get her for one week only.”

Thoughtfully, Lance chewed his lip.

As I bit through mine.

What the fuck!

Cameron stretched back casually. “Returned to me by the stroke of midnight on Sunday.”

A jolt of adrenaline made my hands tremble.

Disbelief.

Was Cameron doing this because of what I’d done to him in The London Tower? Had I pushed him too far? Pushed him away?

“Do you agree to my terms?” asked Cameron.

“You have my word,” said Lance, raising his glass in a toast.

Cameron and Shay raised their glasses too, looking mighty happy with this fucked up agreement.

In the shower, Cameron had rested his forehead against mine.
‘I’ll always watch over you,’
he’d told me
. ‘You know that, don’t you?’
 

Another wave of lightheadedness.

Had every word been a lie?

I tugged on Cameron’s pant leg.

“Mia,” he snapped. “Will you stop doing that.”

I flinched and shot Shay a look of confusion.

Shay rubbed his hand up and down my back. Seriously? Was he really trying to comfort me?

Lance gave a nod. “My wife will approve.”

“Exactly,” said Cameron. “Any longer and wives are prone to jealousy.”

“Unless of course you have a wife like mine,” said Lance. “Her kink makes mine pale.”

“She’s a stunning dominatrix,” said Cameron.

“Why thank you. I’m a lucky man.”

“How is Helete?” asked Cameron, as he signed the check and took his credit card back. He nudged the restaurant’s bill to the edge of the table.

“Very well, thank you,” said Lance. “Sends her regards. She’s back at the hotel getting a massage in our room. You know how business bores her.”

“Where are you staying?” asked Shay casually.

And earned himself a glare from Lance.

“How are the girls?” said Cameron. “Megan’s, what? Twenty-five now?”

“Twenty-six,” said Lance. “Just graduated from UCLA with honors. Arabella’s doing well. ”

“Glad to hear it. Megan will make a fine doctor,” said Cameron.

Lance’s lecherous gaze swept over my chest.

Forcing my best stone faced expression, I pretended none of this was affecting me. If I was going to get out of this, I’d have to stay calm. Focus. Rethink everything I thought I knew. Though with two glasses of wine fogging my brain, remaining elegant was challenging. Crawling under the table and bolting for the door was still in the running.   

Cameron glanced at his watch. “Well, I think we’re done here.”

“Sir?” I poked his side.

He snapped round to look at me.

Right now he was going head to head with Lance on the bastard Richter scale.

“Can I talk to you privately?” I whispered.

“Not right now, no.” Cameron leaned over and played with a strand of my hair. “Honor everything you’ve been taught. Obey every command. Please your new master.”

“Remember what we discussed earlier, Mia,” said Shay, his fingertip trailing my shoulder.

I’d shrugged off Shay’s hand.

His words screamed back into my brain. “
Get with the program,”
he’d told me.
“You’re their plaything.”
 

“I need to go to the restroom,” I said.

Cameron folded his napkin and placed it on the table. “Later.”

“Now.”

“Mia.” Cameron kept his voice low. “We’ve been over this. Firstly, you failed to ask permission to speak. Secondly, your disrespect is unfathomable—”

“What about what I want?”

The kick to my shin came from Shay.

Cameron’s glare softened as he turned back to Lance. “As you can see, you’ll find her disobedient, but in there lies the pleasure. Gag her. I do. Does the trick.”

What the fucking hell?

I reached for my glass, my face flushed with indignation.

“Any other advice you can think of?” said Cameron to Shay. “Before we say goodbye to Mia?”

“A whipping quiets her,” said Shay. “She’s a newbie so she can’t take too much in the way of pain. FYI.”

“Unless of course you’re into screaming,” said Cameron. “Which as far as I recall, Lance, you’re not. You much prefer an amiable sub.” He looked at me with affection. “We’re getting there.”

“I like screaming,” said Lance. “Under the right circumstances.”

We were in danger of seeing those clams I’d eaten.

Lance’s eyelids lowered, as though he was running these scenarios offered up so willingly. “My wife will be pleased.”

“No,” I told them. “I’m not going.”

“Is she usually like this?” said Lance. “I thought you’d trained her?”

“I’ve got this.” Cameron gestured an apology. “Mia, your silence is requested. As is your obedience.” He handed me my handbag. “Conduct yourself accordingly.”

That threat back in the shower about his reputation hanging on my ability to obey made me seethe.

Tears stung my eyes. “I don’t have my pills,” I whispered, my inner voice screaming you don’t need them.

Cos you’re not fucking going.

Lance frowned. “Pills?”

“Contraception,” said Cameron, waving it off.

So much for effing diplomacy.

“Mia, I’ll have them sent to Lance’s hotel,” said Cameron.

“Claridges,” said Lance, and his eyebrow twitched.

“Lovely hotel,” said Cameron. “Great afternoon tea. Maybe we could meet up this week. Check in on how things are going?”

I just needed to get from here to the door and out into the fresh air. I’d worry about where to go next once I was free from this debacle.

“Ms. Lauren.” Cameron lowered his voice to a whisper. “Of all my fucktoys, you’re my—”

He blinked at me through red wine trickling down his face. Scarlet liquid trailed and soaked his shirt, but the napkin on his lap caught the rest.

Of course this wasn’t the first time I’d spilled wine on him. Though the last time had been an accident. This time not so much. Cameron had acted so calm last time, so kind, even taking the blame for my mishap.

Judging from his flaring nostrils, this time would be different.

He glared at me. “Don’t think I won’t spank you.”

“Just you try.”

“Mia,” snapped Shay. “Apologize.”

“I’ll smash these plates.” I reached for mine.

Shay’s strong fingers wrapped around my wrist and pulled my hand back.

Hushed whispers rose from around us. Only then did I realize Lance had left the table and headed for the door.

“Now something like this,” said Cameron, dabbing his face with his napkin. “Would be totally bad for one’s political career.”

Shay let go. “He’s lucky the wine landed on you then.”

“That really was a bit of luck,” said Cameron, amused.

Shay pulled out his phone and texted: ‘
Claridges. Find out which room.’
 

“Did you just play me?” I said.

“A fine performance, Mia,” said Shay, pushing send.

Cameron licked wine from the corner of his mouth. “1972. Now that was a good year.” He beamed at me. “Let’s take dessert to go.”

CHAPTER 15

WE LEFT ZENGI via the staff door.

Shay and Cameron led me towards the Range Rover idling at the curb.

“I’m not getting in.” I pulled away from him. “Not until you tell me that will never happen again.”

Cameron grabbed my arms. “In you get. Now, please.”

I tried to wiggle free.

Cameron pressed me up against the car and cupped my face with an ironclad grip, kissing me fiercely, his lips forcing my submission. My limbs lost their will to fight, and my legs weakened. The aroma of sauvignon rose from his shirt.

I bit his lip and he shuddered against me, resting his forehead on mine.

He nudged me towards the open door. “In.”

Shay got in the other side.

I was too infuriated to speak, my fingers balling into fists, my lips pursed to hold back my fury. Cameron had taught me to articulate my feelings and ironically it was he who was about to get the brunt of my anger.

Shay smirked. “Oh come on, Mia. That was fun. You saw Lance’s face?”

“You’re both out of your minds.”

“As if I’d ever hand you over just like that,” said Cameron. “You mean too much to me. You know that.”

And as though not covered in wine and having not just fucked with my head, Cameron presented his profile of Lance Merrill to Shay and I like we were his students and he was our professor.

I sat there, mouth gaping at his incredulous lack of empathy for what he’d put me through.

“Lance Merrill’s high wire behavior is a remarkable quirk of the psyche,” Cameron said. “He believes himself to soar above the fray. His subconscious air of invincibility allows him the privilege of dabbling in our lifestyle while at the same time searching out political office.”

And so it went, Cameron back to his intellectual rambling and leaving out any part of how rapt with terror I’d been.

“Classic egomaniac,” said Shay.

“My nerves may never recover,” I muttered.

“Not even after chocolate profiteroles?” Cameron patted the dessert box we’d taken to go. “They’re your favorite.”

“They’re your favorite.”

“Then what’s your favorite?” he said.

I arched a brow. “Crème brulee.”

Boom.

His eyebrows shot up.

Yes, I too could shock and awe, Dr. Cole. The last time I’d had crème brulee I’d been licking it off his cock back in his Beverly Hills home.

The moment was lost on Shay.

I folded my arms. “You do realize you’re meant to set the example on how to treat me.”

“My reputation of being a hard ass is invaluable when dealing with the lions,” said Cameron. “Consider it a valuable flaw.”

“Many other subs would actually be honored to go with Merrill,” Shay said.

“Not this one,” I said, wondering if I’d ever truly earn the title. “Do you think I scared him off?”  

“Hard to tell,” said Shay.

“Profiterole?” Cameron took out a chocolate covered powdered pastry and pressed it to my lips.

I took a bite and chewed with a frown, despite the deliciousness.

Cameron ate the other half. “See, the answer to all life’s questions really is chocolate.”

These two rogues were out of control.

I slumped back. “Why not just threaten his political career?”

“And end up in the desert in an unmarked grave,” said Shay.

A piece of pastry stuck in my throat and I coughed to clear it.

“We must reassure our clients their privacy is respected,” said Cameron. “Any deviance on that promise and all trust is lost.”