Page 52 of Lesson In Honesty
“No, let her speak. I probably deserve this,” Grit admitted. Folding his arms over his chest, mimicking Violet’s position by the door, he nodded once. “Go ahead, rip me a new one.”
“I wish I could. Unfortunately, I don’t think you do deserve it. Tabitha’s a little battered. Her hand’s going to be sore; she ripped it up smashing a mirror, then added some damage using a door as a punching bag.” She slid her gaze over to Liam, taking note of the warning darkness growing in his eyes. “She really is frightened about doing an anal scene.”
Grit’s jaw tensed. “Fucking hell. I mentioned it, that’s all.”
“Yes, well, that’s the root cause of tonight’s drama.” Huffing out a breath, she centered herself, ready to get slapped down if either of the guys thought her idea was stupid or inappropriate. “I suggested a joint scene. All of us, Mack included, working together as a team. Liam and Mack dominating me; you seeing to your sub.”
There, that was tactful.
“Tabitha is…happyisn’t the word, but she’s agreed as long as your hands are the only ones touching her. However, I’d get your thinking caps on and set up an area before she freaks out again. You know her better than I do, Grit. It won’t take much to change her mind.”
“Wait a minute, wait a fucking minute.” The Dom seemed to grow, looming over her as his stance altered. “Are you seriously telling me you convinced Tabby to attempt anal when it’s her number one despised sexual act?”
Sierra blinked. “Yes.”
“In ten minutes?”
She frowned. “I believe it was more than ten minutes, but yes.”
Bewilderment flashed over his face. He stepped forward, reaching for her, then paused and asked, “Permission to kiss your goddamn submissive, Liam?”
Her Daddy heaved a sigh. “Validating poor behavior, whatever next. Yeah, go ahead. She’s obviously done something good even if she went the wrong way about it.”
Strong arms scooped her up, pressing her against a firm chest. Her squeal of surprise was muffled by the hard, hot, decidedly lusty kiss Grit assaulted her mouth with; no tongues, thankfully, but the emotion behind the kiss was powerful.
“Thank you,” he said earnestly as he returned her feet to the floor. “It’s the one phobia we’ve struggled with for months. The mere mention of it sends her into a tailspin; I was starting to believe Dominic might actually win that battle.”
“You have one chance,” she warned.
“I understand. I won’t let her down.” Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Grit stepped back and regarded Liam. “I need your help, brother.”
Liam nodded, snaking his arm around her waist and tugging her into him. Staring down at her, brows furrowed, he growled softly under his breath. “Don’t think your ass won’t be red for this, minx. Good intentions or not, you disobeyed Mack and put yourself in danger, among other things.”
“I’m not apologizing.” She stood firm on that; she’d done what was necessary. As far as she was concerned, doing the right thing regardless of her personal safety merited no apology. “She needed help, not a dogpile of Dommes coming down on her.”
Liam’s lips twitched. “A dogpile of Dommes?”
“You know what I mean, Sir.”
“AddingSirwon’t save you, minx, but our current time constraints might spare you for half an hour. Go to the bar and ask Jonah for the first aid kit if no one’s brought one over yet.Ask Mack to come join Grit and me out here. If you’re sure you want him to be part of this?”
She tilted her head. “We invited him intous, Liam. Excluding him when we feel like it doesn’t really make him feel welcome. Besides, knowing you as well as I do, there’ll undoubtedly be more complex scenes in our future.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Always a smart answer. Go do as you’re told this time. Oh, and Sierra?” When she stepped back, patiently waiting, he tacked on, “For God’s sake, do not let Tabitha out of that bathroom until Grit is standing outside the door.”
“Of course, wise and all-commanding Master.”
She barely ducked her butt in time to miss the swipe of his hand; she felt the brush of his fingers as they skimmed her flank. Spinning to blow him a sassy kiss, feeling lighter than she had in a long time, she pushed through the doors and headed for the bar.
Liam
“Tabitha destroyed a bathroom because you suggested anal?”
The instant Sierra was out of earshot, Liam pounced on Grit like a tiger taking down a gazelle. He’d seen what the woman was capable of during the mission to save Archie, Caera, and Myna after Dominic kidnapped them; Tabitha, in a nutshell, was fucking insane.
Not her fault. He’d never lay blame for who or what she was at her feet. How could he when years of training and torture was responsible? But she was strong, slightly sociopathic, an exceptional killer for hire, and several wires were loose in that pretty head.
Grit grimaced and ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Destroymight be an overstatement.”