Page 7

CHAPTER 7

Kayley

“I’m sorry, as your what now?” I asked when I finally regained the power of speech.

Derek picked up a tablet I hadn’t spotted before and handed it to Vic, who handed it to me.

“It’s complicated,” Vic said. “But they have strict rules and you have to agree to them or we won’t be allowed in.”

The words on the screen didn’t even make sense to me because I was still processing what Vic had said on top of the nerve-wracking turns our day had taken.

“So, what happens there?” I asked. “Does this mean I have to agree to let randos take turns doing whatever to?—”

“Whoa, no!” both men said, then Vic yielded the floor.

“Exactly the opposite,” Derek assured me. “There are only two things you have to do while at our resort, and that is obey the rules and be courteous to everyone. One of those rules is that no one touches you in any way—even to shake hands—without your permission. And that goes both ways, obviously. If anyone even speaks to you rudely, you tell us immediately and we’ll deal with it.”

He pointed at the tablet in my hand. I backed away to sit on the bed and read through what looked to be a fairly comprehensive set of rules, as well as a liability waiver and an NDA.

Rules including confidentiality, no phones or pictures in public places, and consent had to be freely given for any… activities undertaken while there.

They even had a dungeon, and rules for using equipment and implements.

We’ve established that I’m no pearl-clutcher. I also knew my brother had a power-exchange dynamic of some sort between him and Elliot and Jordan.

But he was my brother .

Meaning I had absolutely zero desire to ask for deets about it.

Ew .

But…

Yeah. I liked it when Vic took charge in bed. More than I ever thought I would enjoy it. However, considering the fishbowl I now lived in, pursuing something racier than what we did in private in a bedroom had never entered my thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, I returned the tablet to Derek. “So you know who I really am, right?” I asked.

He nodded. “I do because our security requires that. But you will be called Daphine—or whatever name you wish to be addressed by—while you stay with us.”

“It’s an actual resort,” Vic said to me. “Horseback riding, hiking, pools, lots of activities. We wanted to spend time together getting to know each other in a way we usually can’t, at a high-end resort with privacy. No, this isn’t where we expected to do it, but it’s literally one of the few places we can have both the freedom we want to relax without worrying about people spying on us, and we can be ourselves. In complete privacy and safety, outside our room as well as inside it,” he added.

“Normally, we require an extensive questionnaire be filled out before someone stays with us,” Derek said. “And they have to apply. But Vic has assured me you two will not be playing with anyone else during your stay. Considering the circumstances, we can save completing that until tomorrow morning once you’ve both had a chance to rest.” His cell phone buzzed and he pulled it out. “Excuse me.”

He answered. “Lawson? Yeah…. Okay…. All right, thanks.” He hung up. “That was my head of security. He’s cleared you both through an initial background check.”

Fear trilled through me. “I thought you said no one knows who I am here?”

“Most won’t,” Derek said. “He handled the background check personally, and he’s inputting you in the system now as Daphine and Victor Belefonte, a married couple. Like I said, you can choose to be addressed by any name you wish. Although I agree with Vic that you should use something other than your real first name.”

I turned to Vic. “You’re sure this is a safe place?”

He gathered my hands in his. “Absolutely. Hey, Leo cleared it, so you know it’s fine. Once we’re settled in our room, I’ll contact Maxwell and let him know we’re safe and tell him to contact Leo for more deets.”

I gulped. “Does Maxwell know what kind of place this is? I don’t need this getting out because an agent got wind of it and wants to embarrass Elli—eh, my family.”

“Maxwell won’t care, honey. Believe me.”

Derek smiled. “It’s safe to say we have a diverse cross-section of guests, including some who are, shall we say, high-visibility people. All of our employees, residents, and guests are thoroughly vetted. And it behooves everyone to abide by the NDA everyone signs, including you.” His smile faded. “And considering today’s events, I think paparazzi trying to locate you will be on no one’s mind but yours.”

Twenty minutes later, we’d filled out electronic paperwork on the tablet, loaded into the SUV, and followed Derek in his truck through the night.

My nerves were completely shot. I’d stepped onto the chartered jet this morning with hopes of being completely wrecked, drunk, naked, cumdrunk, and draped over Vic in a comfy bed while staring at a gorgeous sunset out over the Pacific Ocean.

Not driving into the middle of nowhere to a kinky resort.

“You won’t be marching me around naked or something, will you?” I snarked.

He laced fingers with me, his thumb stroking my hand. “Sweetheart, I promise I won’t violate your safe word. Even if all we end up doing is spending our time cooped up in the room with room service, then that’s what we’ll do.” He heavily sighed. “Sorry that our plans had to change.”

A laugh barked free from me. “Apology accepted, but not needed. This is in no way your fault. Honestly? I’m pleasantly surprised and impressed you seamlessly pivoted like this.” I had a thought. “Do I even want to ask about your brother and his wife?”

He shrugged, smiling. “I mean, that’s up to you. Do you think it’ll make you more or less comfortable at any future family gatherings we attend where they’re also in attendance?”

I thought about Elliot and Jordan, about the bracelets they wore.

Their devotion to Leo.

That the president of the United States would literally bend a knee to my brother.

And that I really did not want to know more about what the three of them did together.

“Never mind,” I muttered. “I’m good.”

I knew Vic was kinky. I’d intuited that during our first nights together in Yellowstone. It took me time to finally put together that he wanted to be in control outside the bedroom, but that he held himself back for obvious reasons.

Being that he was dominant and not domineering.

And I hadn’t yet admitted to him that his not-so-secret concern that I would chafe and soon rebel under someone trying to run my life was valid.

If Vic wanted the equivalent of an obedient bang-maid, I was not that woman. And no amount of love for him on my part would turn me into one, either.

I didn’t think that’s what he wanted, which was what complicated everything.

Yet another reason I adamantly refused to give up my career. I’d seen too many clients, women who’d given up nearly everything for their partners out of love, just to be discarded and finding themselves starting over worse than from scratch because their identity had become so enmeshed with their partner that they literally had to figure out who they were, what they wanted—hell, sometimes what their actual enjoyments were in life, from music to TV, even to decor and clothes.

This wasn’t merely a test of could I be the partner Vic needed and deserved, but could he be happy being the kind of partner I needed? If he could be happy settling for the limits I required to be happy.

It was something I’d wondered before but, now faced with that reality, I prayed I could stand my ground, not give in just to make him happy, and figure out how much I could honestly give him in return without making us both miserable.

Because I damned sure didn’t want to lose him.