Dom Wars - Round Four (5 page)

Just the name excited me. It sounded like something back home and I had to fight back a surprisingly intense wave of homesickness. What would it be like to walk down my Main Street with Lucian? Would he be comfortable there? Or would he prefer to be in a big city? My guess was big city. I couldn
't help hoping we might have a chance to explore that question.

The cute hand-painted sign appeared just ahead, suspended above the sidewalk. As Steve drove past, I got a good look at the
café. What seemed to be a rambling Victorian home had been remodeled to a nearly unrecognizable form in its current incarnation. The decorative gingerbread trim and steep, multi-peaked roof remained.

Just past the café, in front of a lawyer
's office in a far smaller Victorian, Steve sighed. "Finally!" He stopped the car, pulled forward a little, checked all the mirrors, then moved ahead a bit more.

"
What are you doing, Steve?" Lucian's tone held a mixture of humor and slight annoyance.

"
Sorry, Sir. I need to park the car." With that said, he watched his mirrors carefully and eased the limo back and to the right.

I had to admire the ease with which he maneuvered the huge car into the parking space. Well, two spaces. Most people could barely manage to parallel park a compact car.

He shut the engine off and opened his door to get out.

"
Wait, Steve." Lucian kept hold of my hand as he sat forward. "Please?"

Steve glanced over his shoulder and closed his door
before peering at Lucian through the rear view mirror. "Is there a problem, Sir?"

"
I just wanted to say sorry for being a jerk earlier. You didn't deserve to be treated that way. You've been a good friend to me, and I appreciate it. So can you drop the Sir thing and get back to normal?"

Steve grinned and turned in his seat.
"It certainly took you long enough! Did Miss Tara have to coach you?"

I nearly melted in relief, glad to have Steve back on our side.

Lucian laughed aloud. "No, I knew I'd been mean. Just had to figure out how to apologize."

"
Well, I'm very glad you figured it out."

All serious, Lucian extended his hand.
"I am too."

Equally solemn, Steve shook Lucian
's hand. "I get it, Lucian. I can't imagine what it's like to face the worst things of your past. Being a little on edge is completely understandable." He smiled again. "Shall we go in?"

Chapter Five

I guided Tara by the arm as t
he hostess lead us across the broad planked wood floor, weaving among tables, speaking to various patrons as she passed by. Finally, she stopped by a round wooden table with three spindle back chairs.

"
Here y'all go." She smiled sweetly and waited for us to sit, then passed out menus. "Sherry will be with y'all directly to take your orders."

I watched Tara out of the corner of my eye. What humiliation would get me the most points
with the least fucking damage? Insulting her body? Intelligence? Definitely not her body. Fuck no. She was too insecure about it already. I refused to prey on that. Mannerisms maybe. She had plenty of those. I loved every fucking one of them. God
dammit.

I raked
a hand through my hair. I could do something that would embarrass her. That was the same as humiliation. Yeah. That could work. But what?

"
This is such a quaint restaurant." Steve chuckled, gazing over the top of his menu at the surprisingly large crowd.

Elderly crowd, mostly. That was a plus. I think.

Maybe I could serenade her.

No. She might find that sweet and enjoy it. I sipped my water, t
rying to think inconspicuously.

An elderly gentleman a few tables down
exploded in loud guffawing laughter.

"
Hmm." Tara tapped her menu. "Maybe you should order whatever he's having, Mr. Broody pants."

I looked at her
, confused for a second. "I'm not brooding."

"
Ah." She didn't meet my gaze while nodding at her menu. "Maybe somebody didn't have a very good time…earlier?"

I froze, realizing how weird I was acting. Yes, she
'd received a sext shortly after I'd gotten the Devil's Text. She'd been ordered to force me to orgasm in five minutes. Which she aced, no problem. Or I aced. We. But we'd finished just before actually entering the town. I hadn't really had much of a happy glow moment with Operation Doom looming in the five foot, five minute vicinity.

Just the thought
that she would think I didn't love it added to my panic. "Are you kidding? It was the best ever!"

"
Shhhhh!" She hit me with a hard glare.

Holy shit. That was fucking it.
I leaned forward a little. "Hey baby," I whispered, just a little too loud, "you ever saw that movie, the one with the blonde chick pretending to have an orgasm at the table?"

A tall blonde stopped at our table.
"Hi, my name is Sherry and I'll be your server today. Are you ready to order?" She set small glasses of ice water in front of each of us.

"
Harry Met Sally." Steve whispered. He smiled up at the waitress standing with her pad and pen poised. "I'll have the country steak basket," he said in his graceful baritone, "the country vegetables for a side and the texas toast. And an ice cold glass of tea if you have it?"

He winked and she smiled while writing.
"Got you covered big guy." She turned to Tara. "What about you, darlin'?"

"
Um, I'll take the house special."

"
Veggies or salad."

"
Salad."

"
Dressing?"

"
Uhhh, naked."

She
rry the server eyed her doubtfully and waited for clarification.

"
No dressing. And a cola, whichever kind you have."

"
Naked?" I leaned toward Tara and whispered too loud. "Can I have you naked later?"

Shame
flushed her cheeks and she cleared her throat. "What are you having?"

I sat back and looked at the waitress.
"I'd like the old-fashioned Coney. The one with the… foot long
weiner
?" I winked at Tara and gave a naughty low chuckle before biting my lower lip in hunger. I scoped the diner, relieved to find no kids. Thank God. I finally met Tara's pointedly annoyed gaze.

"
What?" I leaned in with my arms on the table. "It's not my fault you're so goddamn sexy, love." I kept my voice to a normal conversational volume and hoped no one was offended too badly.

"
Shhhhhhhhhh. What are you doing?"

I pretended confusion.
"Paying you a compliment?"

"
Well…shhh."

I leaned in
closer with a secret smile. "You know… she had nothing on you baby."

She gave me a worried look
for several seconds. "Why are you acting weird?"

Again I raised my hands and sat back.
"Just saying. That girl in that movie?" When she only stared at me in discomfort, I whispered loudly, "You know… the one that…" I closed my eyes and began doing my version of that woman's orgasm, just loud enough to be heard by several tables.

She beat on my arm.
"Lucian! Stop it!"

"
What? I know that was a lousy impersonation, and she seriously has nothing on you love."

Tara look
ed around now.

"
I mean baby, when you rode me earlier? You were like," I made the soft moaning sounds she always did, starting slow.

"
Stop it! Fucking stop!" she hissed. "Oh my God."

"
And then you do that sharp cry." I did several of them, nice and loud. "And God, then you move into over-drive."

She got up and
hurried out in the middle of my strangled erotic yodel. "What?" I called after her. "Am I doing it wrong?" I got up and followed her out, so fucking glad that was over with.

I followed her to the car to finish the unwritten
make it authentic
part of the assignment. Biggest challenge yet. "What is your problem? I'm just having a little fun. You said I was being broody!"

She spun on me at the car.
"Fun?! Are you fucking serious?" She covered her face with her hands and I couldn't keep from grinning.

"
But that's how you sound. I think it's beautiful, nothing to be ashamed of." I pulled her into my arms and she shoved away. "Well, I'm not sorry if that's what you want me to be." I pointed at the diner in my defense. "I just made
good
memories in there. You should be… thanking me sweetheart."

"
Good memories?" She choked on incredulity, seeming clueless to my antics. "If you
ever
do that again! Oh my God." She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"
Fine. No more having fun with Miss T-Rex Tara."

She eyed me in anger.

"Miss Bossy Pants."

She put a h
and on her hip and cocked it.

I smiled and stepped close to her, looking down into her frigid gaze.
"Or….Mrs…. Tara… Bane?"

Her anger came crashing down
and a fear so thick, it nearly choked me, followed hard on its heels. She shoved out of my arms. "Stop being stupid."

***

The next text hit not five minutes after we left the diner. I knocked on the window. "Stop at that station." I pointed.

"
Yes sir, boss."

"
Need the bathroom," I told an inquisitive Tara without looking at her.

"
We just…"

"
I don't like using bathrooms at diners."

"
You prefer gas station urinals?"

"
I wasn't thinking about it when we left."

She nodded.
"Well, you may be interested to know that I got a text."

I looked at her.
"What was it?"

She pursed her lips, building my anticipation.
"I'll tell you when you get back," she said when we stopped.

"
What? No, tell me now."

She shooed me out with her fingers.

"Well, is it…something I'll like?"

"
Oh, I think so."

My cock jerked at her tone. I opened the door and put one foot on the ground, unable to tear my gaze from her.
"Does it…have something to do with your ass?"

She angled a scolding gaze at me but I didn
't miss the heat in it. Fuck.

"
Yes?" I'd been praying for one particular thing. I couldn't stand hurting her so I didn't ask for it. But yeah, I'd fantasized about it. Often.

She let out a deep sigh and chewed her thumb nail.

"Is it bad? To you? I mean?"

She shrugged a shoulder.
"Not real sure."

I couldn
't keep from drawing an audibly sharp breath. "We don't….have to."

"
Umm, yes. We kinda do."

"
Is it…"

"
Just
go!
We'll talk about it when you get back."

I sat there, torn.
"Okay, fine. I'll…be right back." I ducked my head back in the car before shutting the door. "You want anything? Drink, food?"

She swiveled an annoyed smile at me.

Right. Just ate.

I hurried to the bathroom and pulled the phone out. Please don
't be stupid.

Anger Tara. No excuses or apologies until after final demon domination.

God, fuck, seriously? Anger Tara? Didn't they realize how bad that was for me? Fucking right they knew.

I paced up and down in the filthy five foot bathroom with the piss drenched floors, walls, and toilet. What exactly were they grading with this? My reaction? Hers? Both? Fuck, not knowing meant better safe than sorry, which meant bad for me.

I needed to talk to Steve. See if he knew anything.

Anger Tara. Anger the T-Rex.
Ruin my progress with her. Just throw it all away. For nothing. No, not nothing. Her Gramma. Fffuuuuuck. Of course I'd do it. I had to help her win so she could save her Gramma. But dammit.

And c
an't explain to her. Until later. I pulled my phone out and dialed Steve.

"
Ummm you okay?" he answered.

"
No. That would be a negative." I got out of the piss box and paced up and down the hall next to it. "I'm getting these texts."

"
Are you supposed to tell me?"

"
It didn't say not to," I whispered, annoyingly unsure. "They want me to-to- do weird things."

Sharp intake of breath.
"Ahhhhh so that's what—"

"
Yes, the diner show. Humiliate Tara, that was my assignment. No details except that I can't tell her until after final demon domination."

He hissed painfully.
"That's not good," he whispered. "Did you get another one?"

"
Yes, anger Tara."

"
Oh dear. Your plan?"

I laughed dryly.
"Very good fucking question."

"
Okay, let's…let's think this through. So, you'll do something small."

"
And probably score low?" Every possibility built the need to vomit

"
Well…how about go in the middle and see how you score."

"
That's
if
they post the scores like they did last time."

"
That's true. It's a tragic risk."

I laughed
dryly. "Tragic indeed Mr… What the hell is your last name Steve? I growled and leaned against the wall. Mother
fuck
I was just making progress with her."

"
Burns. It's Burns. Lucian, this is bad," Steve whispered. "She's getting texts?"

"
Oh yeah, she's getting all the amazing sexts. Which ought to get real interesting when her partner becomes her enemy. She'll rip my balls off!"

"
Then you have to decide," Steve said matter-of-factly, "what is more important. And try to find a happy medium."

I nodded, despera
te for some kind of assurance only to come up with a desperate blank. "Jesus Christ. Okay, I'm coming." Her assignment would have to wait a bit.

****

I watched Lucian walk back to the car, my stomach flipping at the sight of him. The sext I'd gotten was just a tad…scary. Anal was new for me. Him using his finger was one wonderful thing, but how would his….large….

I chewed my thumb nail faster. He
'd be careful. I trusted him.

He got in the car and made a groaning sound.

"What?"

"
I forgot to get some gum." He angled a pleading gaze at me. "You sure you didn't need the bathroom?"