Brie Discerns Master's Heart (After Graduation, #6) (5 page)

He sat down and lifted his spoon, waiting for her to do the same. Together they spooned up healthy portions, and he cautioned her to blow on hers. She couldn’t help smiling as they both took a bite.

The stew had the consistency of oatmeal, the bread having soaked up all the stock. The combination of the savory meat with onion and garlic gave the whole dish an Italian profile, but the soaked bread reminded her of a French dip, a favorite comfort food of hers.

She purred after she finished her first bite. “Sir, I understand why this was your father’s favorite meal. It is the best stew I’ve ever tasted. I could eat it morning, noon, and night.”

“I’m pleased you approve,” Sir replied, his eyes sparkling.

The two of them ate the meal in pleasant silence, savoring every morsel. She could almost imagine Alonzo standing beside them, smiling in satisfaction. Brie wondered if Sir could feel it too.

After breakfast was over, he beckoned her into his lap. She gratefully climbed into it and laid her head against his shoulder.

His masculine hands lightly stroked her soft skin. “Brie.”

She smiled and looked up at him. “Yes, Sir?”

He gazed into her eyes and said nothing. Then Sir pressed her head against his chest again. “This was good,” he finally stated.

Brie felt certain he had wanted to say something more, but she readily agreed with him. “Yes, it was the second best way I can imagine waking up.” She glanced at him and blushed when she asked, “Do you think you could teach me how to cook it?”

He chuckled. “You? Hmm…”

She bit his bottom lip playfully.

Sir grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her soundly. “Yes, girl who can’t cook. I will teach you.” He lifted her off his lap and slapped her ass. “But not now. Clean up the kitchen and then ready yourself to visit Master Anderson.”

Brie made quick work of the kitchen. She was thrilled at the prospect of seeing her old trainer again, mainly because she knew that Master Anderson was a good friend of Sir’s. It would be beneficial for Sir to discuss his mother with someone who knew him well. However, she also liked the trainer on a personal level. Master Anderson had always been kind and respectful to Brie, even when he had held a bullwhip in his hand.

They arrived at his home before ten that morning. The trainer was out in the front yard, picking weeds. It was the last thing Brie would have imagined a Dom doing. Of course, he did it with his shirt off so that his thick arm muscles were properly displayed. She scanned the houses nearby and noticed several ladies ‘watering their lawns’. Evidently, Master Anderson was doing his part to beautify the neighborhood.

The impressive trainer stood up and swept the dirt from his hands with an inviting smile on his face. “Well, if it isn’t my old buddy, ex-Headmaster Davis, and his sidekick, Brie.”

He grabbed Sir in a manly hug and slapped his back several times. Sir returned the gesture with more resounding thuds.

“Good to see you, Brad.”

“Likewise.”

Brie blushed when Master Anderson turned to her and graced her with his intense green stare. “May I?” he asked Sir.

“If you must.”

Brie squealed as Master Anderson picked her up and twirled her around in the air several time. He set her back down, grinning. “Young Brie, it’s always a pleasure to see you.”

Sir shrugged. “It’s something he used to do in college, but I thought he had outgrown that juvenile habit.”

Master Anderson smiled charmingly, nodding at the neighbors. “It gives all the married women watching something to daydream about. I don’t have the liberty to touch them, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tease them a little.”

Sir grunted. “Looking to cause trouble, are you?”

“No, I just enjoy bringing a little spark to their lives. You should see how they gather when I practice my bullwhip out back.”

Brie giggled. She could just imagine the stir he caused among the lady-folk.

“You’re going to get yourself hogtied and feathered if you aren’t careful, Brad.”

Master Anderson laughed. “It might surprise you to learn that a few husbands have asked for tips. Seems the woman here have developed a taste for the bite of a whip. Naturally, I steer them towards crops. Safer for everyone that way.”

Brie piped up, “Maybe you should teach a class on the bullwhip. I know Tono’s session on Kinbaku was very well received.”

He smiled down at her. “Maybe I should, young Brie. Point well taken.”

“How did you enjoy being an official trainer at the Center this time around?” Sir asked.

Master Anderson directed both of them towards the house. “It was an experience, Thane. The overall atmosphere has shifted under new leadership. There is no question that the rules are being adhered to, but…it lacks something vital since you left.”

Sir slapped him on the back. “I think you just miss the ribbing we used to give each other after each session.” He chuckled to himself. “I must say, it was agreeable working with you again.”

Master Anderson opened the door for them and ushered them in. “So, Thane, what brings you here so soon after your return to the States?”

Sir did not answer him until they had all taken a seat in Master Anderson’s study. Upon seeing it, Brie was reminded of her last visit here, the night she’d hosted the trainer’s party—a night of many memorable encounters.

She settled down at Sir’s feet, resting her head lightly on his thigh.

“I had an altercation with
her
.”

He held such disdain in his voice that Master Anderson did not need to question to whom he was referring.

“When?”

“The beast befriended Brie while I was gone. I was met with her unpleasant presence upon our reunion.”

“The nerve of the bitch!”

“You would not believe the lengths she went to. It’s not only pathetic, but desperate. So desperate, it’s given me insight into her motives.”

“What could she possibly want? She took everything.”

“I have to assume she is alone and destitute,” he said coolly.

“But why come to you? I thought the woman was skilled at parting men from their money.”

“I’m uncertain what brought her to this point, nor do I care.” Sir glanced at Brie with a look of regret. “But now Brie has to deal with the consequences of the unwanted reunion.”

Master Anderson spoke with the candor of a good friend. “To be blunt, I am glad you have her with you. This is not something you should face alone.” He stood up, walked to the expansive bookshelf lined with liquor bottles and poured both of them glasses of Scotch. “Have you spoken to your uncle about it?”

Sir shook his head as he answered, “No, not yet. Besides you and Nosaka, no one knows of her return. I think it’s best to keep it that way, but I agree that he should be warned.”

Brie had forgotten that Mr. Reynolds was related to Sir’s mother. How would he react to the news? She couldn’t imagine the kind old man being brother to such a spiteful woman.

“Yes—in fact, the sooner the better, Thane. He should not be surprised by her the way you were. You remember how it ended between them.”

“Yes…” Sir said distractedly, as if he was remembering the event. “Unc felt as if he was to blame for what happened. Foolish on his part.”

Master Anderson held up his glass. “No more foolish than you.”

Sir snarled ominously as he took a drink. “Shut up.”

“You know you came today because you needed someone to be honest.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

Master Anderson finished his drink and grabbed Sir’s glass without asking, filling it up with more Scotch.

When he handed it back, Sir stated, “You should know I don’t care to drink before noon.” Then he looked at Brie. “Would you like some, téa?”

His question did two things. It acknowledged that he cared about her well-being, but by calling her by her sub name, he was also informing her that she was there to observe and not participate in the conversation unless commanded.

Brie did not want the liquor to dull her response to him. “No, thank you, Master.”

Master Anderson sat back down. “I thought a little Scotch was in order. It’s not every day that Ruth Davis comes to call.”

Sir shot up off the sofa and roared, “Do
not
use my father’s surname with that woman!”

Brie was confused for a moment, until she realized that Sir’s mother had even lied about her name. The woman had lied about everything…

Master Anderson got up and placed his hand on Sir’s shoulder. “A mistake, my friend.”

Sir exhaled angrily, but sat back down.

Master Anderson returned to his chair with a calm air about him. “How are you planning to handle it, Thane?”

“I am siccing my lawyer on her. He’ll find out soon enough what’s really going on.” Sir directed Brie, “Don’t let her get anywhere near you. The woman is toxic in every sense of the word.” He looked back to Master Anderson. “The beast was able to finagle Brie’s business card from her.”

“I’m sorry, Master,” Brie whispered.

“Téa, I do not fault you, but it illustrates what lengths to which she will go.”

Master Anderson assured him, “I will keep my eyes out for the beast. But after so many years, I’m not even sure I’ll recognize her.”

Sir laughed unkindly. “She probably went bankrupt because of her face. The whore looks the same—it’s unnatural, like looking at the picture of Dorian Gray. She’s made herself into a freak of nature in her frantic attempt to keep the only thing of value she has left—her looks.”

“I honestly can’t imagine her looking the same after all these years,” Master Anderson mused.

“The only thing that gives her away is the gray in her hair. Gives her a cougar look, which must be advantageous to her somehow.”

“I can see the value in keeping some of the gray. Imagine jumping into bed with what you thought was a young chick, but unwrapping an old woman.”

Both men laughed, but Sir’s expression quickly soured. “I’ve struggled all these years, knowing she was alive but my father was not. The only thing that kept me sane was the assurance I would never see her again.”

Master Anderson put his glass down and said solemnly, “Thane, you never dealt with it. No matter what the future holds, I believe you will navigate your way through this and be a better man for it, when all is said and done.”

Sir picked Brie up and pulled her close to him. “My sub seems determined to challenge me in this area, whether it’s intentional or not.”

Master Anderson picked up his glass again and raised it to them. “Then it’s the perfect match, is it not?”

Sir kissed the top of Brie’s head and then let her go, commanding, “Téa, go to the kitchen and whip up something for lunch. I would like to spend time with Master Anderson alone.”

Brie bowed, thinking,
Oh, God. Whipping up ‘something’ for Master Anderson, the gourmet chef?
“My pleasure, Master.”

The men exited out through the back door, leaving Brie all alone in Master Anderson’s house. She wished she could sneak over to the door to hear what they were discussing. Listening to these two Doms converse was fascinating, because with every exchange she learned a little more about Sir.

She glanced around the impressive kitchen. It was the kind of setup that belonged on a cooking show. Although Sir’s also had marble countertops and stainless steel appliances, Master Anderson had a ton of extra cooking tools that would make a chef’s heart palpitate. However, they just confused Brie.

She decided to stick to the basics. There was no point in trying to impress either man, for Brie knew she would only end up embarrassing herself. Instead, she concentrated on what Sir liked, and what she could cook semi-decently. Brie checked through Master Anderson’s refrigerator to make sure he had the needed items before she began.

Brie cooked the bacon in a pan first. It was one thing she was good at, having been given the task by her mother from an early age. Her mother didn’t trust her with much in the kitchen, but bacon was one of Brie’s specialties. She prided herself on getting it to that ‘just crisp but not overcooked’ stage.

Soon Master Anderson’s house was filled with the delicious smell of bacon. While she let it rest on a paper towel, she set to work on the cheese. Normally she just used American, but Master Anderson did not have ‘fake’ cheese in his kitchen. Instead, she went with Gruyère, fontina, and for a personal touch a little Brie de Meaux. It would be a white grilled cheese, but that made it seem more gourmet to her.

The kitchen had the kind of grill you would find in a diner. It looked intimidating to operate, but Brie messed with the temperature until it seemed hot enough. She spread butter on the bread and placed the sandwiches on the heated grill. They sizzled pleasantly upon contact. Brie grabbed a spatula and watched the cheese intently as it slowly began to melt.

In her best cooking show voice, she announced, “You will find that the combination of cheeses will meld together to create the ooziest, most gooey grilled cheese you have ever eaten. Adding the bacon gives it a more savory flair, for those men of yours who need a little meat on their plates.”

She lifted a corner of one sandwich and smiled. “You want to wait until you get a golden brown color. Too soon, and your grilled cheese will be unpleasantly mushy.” She looked at the pretend camera. “Totally
not
delish!” She flipped the sandwich over. “If you wait too long, then you get the dreaded barbecued grilled cheese, and we ain’t taking Memphis-style, people.”

Brie set out three plates, grabbed a sprig of fresh parsley. Then she lovingly placed the sandwiches on the plates and stood back with a proud smile. “And that, my friends, is how you cook a killer grilled cheese!” She bowed gracefully, then turned to the pretend camera and ran her fingers across her throat. “Cut!”

She hurried to open the back door to let Sir know that lunch was ready, but stopped short when she saw the two men. Master Anderson was instructing Sir how to handle the bullwhip. Her knees almost gave out as she watched Sir swing the whip back and forth before hitting the bottom of the post with a loud snap.

Master Anderson shook his head and repositioned Sir’s arm. This time, Sir stared at the post with intense concentration before swinging again. He lashed the post directly in the middle. It was as if Brie could feel the sting of it on her back, and she almost dropped from the impact.