The Reluctant Submissive: Courage to Change [The Men of Treasure Cove 14] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “What’s this?” she asked, smiling up at him.

  “A gift for you,” Tristan replied. He said nothing as she unwrapped the small box, or when she looked up at him questioning him. “You bought me a phone?”

  “Yes,” he whispered.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’d like to call you sometime.”

  Violet smiled brightly. “You would?”

  Nodding, he tried not to throw his napkin at Sasha, who was rolling his eyes. Ignoring the man, Tristan simply said, “It would give me great pleasure to talk to you, anytime.”

  “Thank you, Tristan,” she said, picking up the phone. “I love it.”

  Over the next few hours, Tristan had never laughed so much in his life. From the moment they left his penthouse, the smile on his face grew. Violet was a true joy to be around. Being with her, experiencing all the things he’d taken for granted, was humbling. He was experiencing life with new eyes, fresh eyes, innocent eyes. Something he hadn’t been able to do since he was a small child.

  He learned a lot about the woman who captivated him. Her childhood started off like most. When her mother married Violet’s stepfather, according to Violet, life was good for a short while. That was, until her mother got sick. Though her stepfather did what he could, there wasn’t enough money to get her mother the treatment she needed, and Violet’s mother died. As a result, her stepfather did his best by her until she became a teenager. That was when, according to Violet, he changed. She couldn’t explain the change in the man’s demeanor, but according to Violet, one day he came home drunk and stayed that way. Life after that day became hard, until her world shattered completely, when she was sold.

  Tristan still couldn’t believe that someone would be so heartless to sell his own stepdaughter. Sitting in a small café on Broadway, Tristan listened attentively, trying to keep what coffee he’d drank down. It was hard, but he managed, especially when all he wanted was to run to the nearest bathroom.

  “I knew when I came home that day, something bad was going to happen. The front door was open and all my mother’s belongings were gone. I walked into the living room and that’s when I saw him, Master. At first, I didn’t know what to do or say. I asked my father and he said he was unable to care for me anymore and that Master was going to take care of me. I didn’t want to go, but Father had already packed all my things. That was the last time I was ever in that house.”

  “How old were you?”

  “I just turned eighteen. I still had a semester left of high school. I was so worried about going to a new school so late in the year, but Master told me not to worry. That I would still be attending the same school, just living in a different house.”

  “Is that what happened?”

  “No. I never went back to school. While all my friends were attending prom and getting ready for graduation and new beginnings at the college of their choice, I was being trained. The moment I walked into Master’s home, I knew.”

  “Knew what?”

  “That I was never going back. That he owned me. I’d never seen such things before. Such dark, dangerous things. His home was filthy. At first he ordered me to clean it. He said I wasn’t leaving until it was spotless. It took me two weeks to get his house the way he wanted it. I begged him after it was done to let me go back to school. He just told me that the only education I was ever going to need, he would provide for me. From that moment on, I was chained in a room until I understood and accepted that.”

  “Violet, you don’t have to talk about this anymore.”

  “I never said that to anyone. Not even Kelly. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but for some reason, I have to.”

  “I don’t want you to be upset. We’re having such a wonderful day.”

  “I’m not upset.”

  “You’re not?”

  “No. Master can’t hurt me anymore.”

  “But you’re still frightened?”

  “I’ll always be frightened. Nothing anyone can do will take away that fear. I just have to learn to move past it, become stronger, and learn to trust others. Trust isn’t easy for me. It never has been. I trusted my mother to take care of me, but she died. I know it wasn’t her fault that she left, but it didn’t stop me from feeling abandoned. I trusted my stepfather, but he got rid of me, he sold me like some animal for slaughter. For one brief moment, I trusted Master, but he lied, too. Don’t you see, my whole life I’ve trusted all the wrong people. I tried to get away from him, but even the people I was supposed to trust didn’t believe me. They kept sending me back to him until I stopped fighting and Master won.”

  “You trust Gabriel.”

  “Not really,” Violet whispered. “I know he will never hurt me, but he’s like Master. He does things, things that are scary. Things that Master used to do to me. That’s why I left. I couldn’t stay there anymore. I know Gabriel wants to protect me and I appreciate that, but I can’t live there anymore. Everywhere I turned, all I saw was Master. I knew if I stayed, one day he would walk into the Pleasure Cave and claim me again. I’d rather die that have him touch me again.”

  “He will never touch you again, Violet. I give you my word on that.”

  “That’s sweet, Tristan, but you can’t promise something like that and mean it. One day, Master will get out of jail, and when he does, he will come find me. I just wanted to be gone before that day ever happened.”

  “Can I ask you something personal?”

  “Yes.”

  “If what Gabriel does abhors you so, then why did you agree to come to New York with Sasha and me? You must know we are like Gabriel.”

  “I know,” she whispered, looking at her fingers. “I knew the night of the Mask when I first met Sasha and on the plane when I met you.”

  “But you still came with us, why?”

  “I can’t rightly say. I knew the right thing would have been to have you put me on another plane, but I couldn’t do it. I wanted to say no, but my mouth wouldn’t let me.”

  “Why, Violet?” Tristan pressed.

  “Because a part of me wanted to learn to trust again. I wanted to believe you and Sasha.”

  “Why us?”

  Violet looked up at him and said, “Because you both made me feel alive again.

  His whole life, Tristan was a selfish bastard. He knew that and accepted it. If there was anything he wanted, nothing stopped him from acquiring it. He had an ego a mile wide and made no excuses for it. His greed for more took him to dark places and he never thought twice about it, because in the end, he always got what he wanted. Never in his lifetime had he met someone so innocent or stopped to think about what he was doing to others. He knew his actions had consequences, but he never stopped to think of what those were. It never occurred to him to find out, to see if anyone was harmed or hurt during his pursuits.

  Yet, sitting across the small bistro table, listening to Violet talk of her past and everything she had to endure, to overcome, Tristan knew he wasn’t worthy of her. He’d spent the better part of the day showing her what he wanted her to see. Showing her his favorite parts of New York, and he realized not once did he ask her what she wanted to do, where she wanted to go, or what she wanted to see. He remembered when she saw Radio Music Hall for the first time and the expression of pure merriment that crossed her face. She hadn’t looked like that once on his day of adventuring with her. Oh, she smiled and nodded, but the pure joy wasn’t there. Like everything else in his life, he’d done what he wanted, seen what he liked, at where he wanted to go. He didn’t even bother to ask if she was enjoying herself. He just assumed she was.

  He was just a selfish asshole and he felt horrible.

  “Where would you like to go next?” he asked, wanting her input. He wanted to know what she wanted, what she liked, what interested her. It was the least he could do for ignoring her.

  “I don’t know,” Violet said. “I’ve never been to New York.”

  “This is a pretty big city. There are lots of
things to see. I’ve monopolized your morning with things that I liked. I’d like to take you somewhere you want to go.”

  “Tristan, you haven’t monopolized me. I’ve enjoyed every minute with you.”

  “But they were places I liked. I was showing off. This day was supposed to be about you. What you wanted, what you would like to see. Instead, I’ve made it all about me.”

  “You really want to know where I’d like to go?”

  “Name it.” Tristan smiled.

  “I’d like to see the American Museum of Natural History, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty. I’d like to take a ride on the subway. I’d like to see Central Park and feed the birds. But mainly, I’d like to go visit the library.”

  “The library?”

  “I loved to read when I was in school. When I was done with my homework, I’d read.”

  “What do you like reading?”

  “Everything. I just love books. I used to visit the Treasure Cove library all the time, but then it was destroyed. Gabriel and Matthias gave me a Kindle and told me I could order any book I wanted. I appreciated the gesture, but I never really cared for the Kindle. I prefer holding a book in my hands. Opening the cover and smelling the pages. I love the feel of the paper between my fingers when I’d go to turn the page. The weight of the book, the knowledge that whatever book I was reading was read by someone else before me. I’d sit for hours, just thinking of all the people who’d touched the book before me and wondered if they enjoyed it as much as I did. It’s silly, I know.”

  “That’s not silly, Violet. Nothing about you is silly. If you want to go to the library, then that’s what we’ll do,” Tristan replied. And just like that, that smile he saw the day before emerged. Getting to know the real Violet was going to take some time. Time he was willing to invest. But it was all going to be worth it, especially when he was on the receiving end of her merriment. Tristan knew he may be a selfish bastard, but he knew how to keep that smile on her face. It was a small price to pay, but he would do it gladly to see her smile. After paying the check, he took her hand as they walked the few blocks to the New York Public Library.

  * * * *

  Matthias paced the dungeon. He couldn’t stop thinking about where Violet was. It was no secret that Violet Peters was in the hands of one the western seaboard’s most notorious BDSM Masters. Sasha Merrick’s delights were sought after by women all over the world. He was good at what he did and he never disappointed. That was, until a woman wanted more. Sasha Merrick wasn’t a man to stick with one woman for long. His tastes changed weekly and if he were ravenous, he could consume many. The thought of sweet Violet in the hands of such a viper churned his stomach. He didn’t understand why Gabriel wasn’t going after her. If Violet were his sister, he’d be damned sure he’d be on a plane to New York right now. There was no way in hell he’d trust Violet in the hands of a man like Sasha Merrick.

  Violet never did belong in this world. He knew that. He knew that the moment he met her. Yes, she was a true submissive, but thanks to that fucker who destroyed her, Violet would never feel truly comfortable anywhere near the BDSM scene. He tried to tell Gabriel that many times, but the British bastard wouldn’t listen. According to Gabriel, he couldn’t keep his promise if she were somewhere else.

  Instead, Gabriel brought the professionals to her.

  The first psychologist wanted Violet committed for her own safety. That idiot believed that Violet was a danger not only to herself but to the others around her. The second one was no better. Instead of saying Violet was a danger, she insisted that Violet was mentally incapable of making any decisions, that she had the mind of a small child. Like the first, she suggested that Violet be placed in a group home for the mentally ill, that way she could get the care she needed. The third professional never got to see Violet. He refused to help her in the surroundings she was in and demanded that if Gabriel didn’t remove her from this Godless place, he would seek an injunction and take custody of Violet himself. It was later discovered the man was a wife beater. He was currently in jail and his wife, well, Gabriel helped to relocate her and get her the help she needed.

  That was when Kelly offered to help.

  At first, Kelly wasn’t certified yet but volunteered at the community center in Silver Springs, helping the veterans get accustomed to civilian life while she finished up her degree program. She asked Gabriel if she could visit with Violet and the boss-man agreed. So, for over a year, Kelly would come to the Pleasure Cave and visit with Violet for one hour Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. When Kelly got her degree, she continued to help Violet, but in a more professional setting. Everything started looking up when Violet’s therapy secessions took her out of the club and to Kelly’s office over at Doc’s clinic. Gabriel made sure that Violet was protected at all times.

  When Violet started working at the front desk, he made it damn clear that any Dom who made a move or tried to seduce Violet would be fired immediately and banned from the club forever. All seemed to be going well. Violet adjusted and looked as if she were getting better. If she wasn’t at the front desk, she was at therapy or in her apartment, reading. Other than that, she didn’t do anything. That was until the night of the Mask.

  That was when everything changed.

  Matthias was shocked, to say the least, when he got word that Violet Peters would be attending the Mask. Though he thought it was too soon, Kelly assured him that if she didn’t try to get out and start socializing, she wouldn’t ever heal. Matthias agreed, but he didn’t think a BDSM Mask was the first place to start. Hell, he suggested taking her to lunch over at Macie’s Diner, anything but the Mask. When he knew his pleadings were futile, he held an impromptu meeting and informed all the Doms under his employ. Then he did the unthinkable, he stood by and watched as Violet made her first debut, and he did nothing.

  It was like watching a child ride a bike for the first time, though he didn’t have a kid, but that’s what it felt like. Every move she made, he wanted to run to her and protect her. Everyone who looked at her, he wanted to get in their faces and tell them to look elsewhere, that she was too good for them. Having Violet in the dungeon during a Mask just seemed wrong on so many levels, even though the most of the men and few women working the room were also looking out for her.

  As he watched her, Violet did seem to be enjoying herself. She laughed and drank a little. She did seem shy but warmed up in the company she was with. Of course, having the hell kitten of Treasure Cove, Charlotte Connelly, and Macie Jenkins with her did lighten his worry a bit. Matthias knew that Braxton and Jordan Whitmore-Connelly, along with Matthew and Doc Jenkins, would never allow any harm come to Violet. But even with all her protection, it still didn’t dim the fear that the whole thing was a bad idea. And he was right.

  The moment Violet disappeared, Matthias’s worst fears came true.

  One minute he saw Violet laughing with Charlotte and Kelly and the next she was gone.

  What was supposed to be a night of first and fun turned out to be a nightmare. No one had seen Violet. It was as if she disappeared. Matthias wasted no time having his in-house Doms start a search, but after an hour of looking everywhere, Matthias saw her coming out of tunnel two. Out of all the tunnels Gabriel had running underneath the club, tunnel two was the least worrisome, but when Matthias saw her face, he knew something had happened.

  Though she never said a single word as he escorted her back to her apartment, he knew she had changed. There was something different about her. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but when Gabriel called him the next morning and told him that Violet had resigned her position, Matthias knew. Something happened to Violet in tunnel two.

  Now all he had to do was find out what.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tristan leaned against the doorframe to her bedroom and smiled. “Don’t I get a good night kiss or something? I was a very good boy today.”

  At his words, Violet blushed. “Yes, you were, and thank you for the library, and d
inner, and Radio City Music Hall. I enjoyed myself.”

  “I’m glad,” he replied huskily. “So what do you want to do now?”

  “I haven’t decided.”

  “Maybe I can help,” he offered.

  “I want to try something but I’m not sure yet.”

  “Try what?”

  “Remember that store I went into after we visited the Library?”

  “Yes.” Tristan scowled mulishly like a denied child. “The one you refused to let me buy you something in.”

  “It was because I already bought what I wanted.”

  “And what did you buy yourself, Violet?”

  Violet grinned, reached into her purse and revealed her purchase. Tristan chuckled, crossing over her threshold, closing the door behind him with his foot as he took them from her. “Well, that’s a bit assertive, isn’t it, sweetheart? What do you want to try?”

  She grinned impishly. “I just…thought we could try.”

  He snorted. “Well, lucky for you, I’m willing to try anything with you, but I don’t take orders, Violet. I give them.”

  Violet shivered pleasantly at the aggression in his voice. She knew he’d never really hurt her. The whole day she’d been happy and content. Tristan was playful and loved attention. He was also easy to provoke, and Violet quickly learned she loved provoking his playful side. She loved seeing his mask evaporate to expose the carnal man whose only goal was to single-mindedly possess her. Yes, Tristan Summerfield was that transparent when it came to her. He made no insinuations, he was blunt and to the point. She liked that about him. It was refreshing that a man could be that honest about what he wanted.

  “If you want me to stop, you must say so now. Because if you don’t, you will be mine until morning,” Tristan said clearly, inches from her. Violet couldn’t contain the arousal or excitement that bubbled in her stomach. She’d never been this way before. She generally shied away from strong dominant men, fearing the worst. Yet, since being in New York, it seemed as if her fears fled as she left Treasure Cove. She was becoming a new woman, a stronger woman, a woman who knew what she wanted, and she wanted Tristan.