Page 20 of Chief

I see the bubble as she’s typing her reply.

Then you can use the house.

I smile to myself.

:) Good girl. Tnk you. Sleep tight. See you tmrw.

The use of the emoji was calculated. Just as I’ve been carefully testing around the edges of Owen’s psyche, so I have with Susa, too. It’s a little easier to do with her, though, considering the circumstances, so I do it far more blatantly.

Yes, Sir.

I smile to myself.Bingo.

A few minutes later, after Owen’s returned from the bathroom and settled in bed, he’s so exhausted from stress that I hear him fall asleep almost immediately.

That leaves me lying there in my bed and replaying the evening in my head. Owen’s not a complicated guy. He likes to serve, he likes to take care of people, and he’s starved for positive reinforcement and love.

He’s starved for basic human touch. He’s got skin hunger.

I plan to give him all of what he needs, and more.

Muchmore.

In my own way, of course.

I wouldn’t be a bastard if I didn’t add that caveat.

Chapter Six

Now

I finally get Owen out of bed—which, admittedly isn’t a place I want to leave, either—and we head for the shower. Susa’s going to shower in the other bathroom, one of the benefits of getting a suite.

Owen eyes me as he soaps up the washcloth. “I want it understood,Sir, that I’mnothappy about this.”

He doesn’t need to clarify what he means. I also know from the way he emphasizedSirthat it’s only my relationship with him that’s making him obey me on this one.

He doesn’t dare say no to me about a direct order, because he’s my very good boy and always has been.

“But think about how epic it’ll be when he realizes how we ratfucked him!” I counter. “If we simply cut him out of interviews today, he’ll attribute it to our rightful grudge against him and his network. Not only do we ratfuck him, but we get his hopes up that we’ve moved on from four years ago.” I grin. “This way, he’ll know without a doubt how we feel, and I’m going to be wearing a smile worthy of the Cheshire cat later when we have the sit-down with him.”

He blows out a long breath and grumbles as I turn so he can scrub my back. This is another cherished ritual we have from the early days, a way to connect with each other even when we don’t have time to “play.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“If you’re a good boy for me today,” I only partly tease, “I’ll let you fuck my ass tonight. Butonlyif you don’t gripe about Kevin Markos all day.”

I’m not expecting it when his arm wraps around my upper body and pulls me tightly against his taller frame. Owen is six-four to my five-ten.

Pleasure ripples through me at the feel of his breath in my ear. “Yousureyou want to do that,Sir?”

I bask in the feeling for a moment before I spin and easily pin him against the shower wall with my left forearm across his throat. But the triumphant gaze he pins me with tells the truth—he knows he had me for the briefest of moments. My boy is definitelynota Top, but every once in a while he enjoys it when I let him get frisky with me like that.

He reaches up, an ingrained response now, and his fingers close around my arm.

I lean in and suck on his lower lip, nipping it. “Kinda ballsy boy this morning, aren’t you? Don’t think I won’t send you out for your sit-downs with a vibrating butt plug up your ass and the controller inmypocket.”

His nostrils flare as his eyes widen.