Be Leigh.
“She doesn’t play games, Stellan,” Olly continued. “It’s all out there. No matter who you are in Leigh’s life, if she’s feeling you, you know it.”
“Sixx is not under any impression she doesn’t matter to me.”
“Yeah. Today. But you built a gladiator pit for her, Stellan,” Olly said quietly. “And I’ve been watching your dance. You’ve barely looked at her in months. And we didn’t know why you did it until today, but you built a fuckin’ sex show for her that, according to Leigh, is raking in the green. You’re trying to tell me you’re not playing games?” He shook his head. “You got any clue how much she watches you?”
Stellan looked back to Simone by the pool with Talia, Mira, Belle and Leigh, talking.
She was smiling her cat’s smile that, when she was playing Mistress, would make any male sub or Dom instantly go hard.
Out by his pool with her friends, it was different—no less appealing, just pretty.
And sweet.
But she still seemed removed.
Protecting herself.
Protecting herself from people who care about her.
Which she would do.
Because instinctually, since she’d never had that kind of bounty, she’d still know it was the worst kind of thing to lose.
“How much does she watch me?” he whispered.
“Any time you aren’t lookin’, man.”
He knew she watched him.
But not that much.
That felt very good.
And could go very badly.
Right there, before his eyes, protecting herself from people who care about her.
Yes, it could go very badly.
“I never said it, and I’ll say it now,” Olly went on, changing the subject because he was a decent man and good at being a friend, and Stellan looked back to him. “I was outta line in the halls that night, gettin’ in your face. Should have shown you respect.”
“You’re just being Olly now,” Stellan said slowly, not losing eye contact. “We both know who was out of line that night, and it wasn’t you.”
Olly grinned at him.
It didn’t take long before that grin faded.
“Winning feels good until you look over at the loser. Makes you feel better when you see him get his win. Don’t fuck up your win, Stellan. And just sayin’, you got good from Leigh. But if you ever need me, bud, you got the same from me, and you know how to find me.”
“Christ, next thing I know, you’re going to invite me for beers with you and Dillinger and your friend. The owner of the Bolt.”
The grin came back.
“Barclay,” he shared. “And we could use a Dom in our party. Get Aryas to pitch up. Start evening out our numbers. You guys could add the class.”
Stellan did not return the smile. “You’re standing there for me, but you’re also standing there for her, and you should know it’s not unappreciated. You should also know, it’s unlikely I’ll take you up on your offer to find you should I need to talk to somebody. But that’s not unappreciated either. Last, you should know, I don’t drink beer. I don’t hang with the guys. I make money. I spend money. I travel. I read. I drink wine, Scotch and vodka martinis. I eat good food. And I fuck. But again, the offer is not unappreciated.”
Olly burst out laughing.
Not finished doing it, he said, “I eat good food too.”
Stellan shook his head, turned it, and stilled when he saw they had five pairs of feminine eyes on them.
Leigh’s looked soft and happy, her man and her friend who’d had a rough start standing together, talking, laughing.
Simone’s looked guarded, like she thought what she was experiencing was happy, and she didn’t quite understand the feeling.
“How about I round up all these lingering assholes who won’t get with the program and leave you alone with your woman so you can get some alone time with your woman?” Olly suggested, and Stellan looked back at him.
“If you do that, I’ll buy you a yacht.”
Olly again started chuckling. “Spread you put on today, Stellan, least I can do. Good party. Thanks for asking us.”
“My pleasure,” Stellan murmured.
Olly got close and clapped him on the back.
Stellan didn’t share he was a handshake man. He just lifted up his chin.
Olly strolled out.
Stellan watched him go.
“Lange, outta here. Say goodbye to her for me?”
Stellan looked again to his side to see Ami, who Simone had wanted to stay for dinner, so he’d showered and put on clothes and stayed for dinner. He was standing there also in jeans, but he was wearing a lightweight, short-sleeved, pattern-on-white, cotton button-up.
“You’re not on, Ami, and she’s right there. You’re welcome to say goodbye to her yourself.”
“That’s not gonna happen.”
Stellan’s attention on the man focused.
Fuck.
“You’re out,” Stellan noted.
“I’ll fight for her in the pit. But unless I’m invited to sit at your table like tonight, gotta ask you not to call me. Can’t do another scene with Sixx.”
Stellan nodded. “I understand that.”
“Not that it wasn’t good,” he assured. “It’s because it was too—”
Today, quick thaw. It was all about heat.
Stellan fought his teeth clenching.
“As I said, Ami, I understand.”
“Don’t know how you can watch, friend,” Ami muttered.
Because she’s not allowed to touch anyone but me, he thought.
“Because it makes her happy,” he said.
Ami studied him intently.
Then he jerked up his chin in understanding. “Yeah.”
“I can also understand you leaving without speaking with her, but she might not.”
Ami took a moment to think things over.
Then he said, “If it takes time for you to find someone who can hack it without getting in too deep, I’m on call. I’ll keep my shit tight. But can’t do it too often, Lange. She’s yours. You get to keep that. I’m the one walking away. And I’m not so down with watching.”
“I understand that too.”
Ami’s head swung toward Simone, and he murmured, “Guess I’ll say goodnight.”
That set Stellan again to fighting his teeth clenching.
“Goodnight, Ami.”
“Later, Lange.”
Stellan watched Ami move toward the huddle of females that Olly was disbursing, and he kept tight hold on a variety of reactions when he saw the warmth in Simone’s face when she noticed Ami approaching.
Fortunately, Olly recruited Leigh in the act of getting everyone to leave, and therefore this process didn’t take very long.
Indeed, within twenty minutes, he was standing at his front door saying farewell to Belle, Tiffany, Penn and Shane, the last to leave.
However, during this process, he noted that although Simone said her goodbyes and be safe driving homes with smiles, she didn’t stand at his side where she belonged while he did the same.
The next time he’d be certain to share that instruction.
He also noted that once she returned from standing by the pool, often her gaze would go to the staff Margarita had hired to come in late that afternoon to clear away the food, finish cooking the dinner Margarita had prepared, set the table, serve, clear away and tidy up.
In fact, Stellan saw one of the two who’d arrived go to Simone and say something to which Simone nodded, and her gaze slid to Stellan before she disappeared with the woman only to return not long later to stand removed while Stellan watched the last partygoers away.
When he shut the door, he started right to her.
“You all right?” he asked.
“Yeah. Your … uh, catering people or whatever got everything sorted. Did a sweep of the pool area and all. They were ready to go, it’s late, I didn’t want to disturb you, so I gave them both a fifty dollar tip so they could head home.”
This did not make Stellan happy.
Therefore he frowned down at her when he stopped in front of her.
“You should have disturbed me,” he said.
“It’s all good.”
“I’ll give you the cash later.”
“It’s all good, Stellan.”
There was no reason discussing it. They had other more important things to discuss—then do.
He would simply give her the cash later.
“Would you like another drink?” he asked.
“Are we negotiating this deal you’ve been talking about now?” she asked back.