The Red Door (The Door Series Book 1) (10 page)

“Spiced peaches my ass.” I grabbed my purse and left. It wasn’t until I made it out to my car that I realized I left without anyone sounding an alarm. Then again, I wasn’t a prisoner; I was only a sub and not even a wanted one at that. I couldn’t believe how quick I fell in line for the shit they were selling. And all of Alex’s talk of how strong a woman I was.

There was a small flyer under my window wiper, I grabbed it and threw it into my passenger seat and drove out of the parking lot. I decided I needed to make sure I had the space I wanted. That would mean a new hotel because the first place they would look, if they looked, would be this one. Adam knew where I was staying since he had come by and dropped off the papers here. I packed up quickly and used the TV to check out. I knew where I would be going as soon as I left. Once there, I spoke with the night manager and made sure that they would keep all information about me staying there private. I even used my middle name and paid in cash. Yes, I was going a little overboard, but I watched too many cop shows. I might as well put my knowledge to use. I went up to my new room and went right to bed.

I didn’t wake up until two p.m. the next day. It was Saturday, and I was going to see if I could find a few homes for sale by owners. I gave Becca a call, and she told me that she would be off work at seven. We made plans to meet at eight for a girls’ night.

I showered and put on my favorite jeans and snug tee. Grabbing my purse and a light jacket, I hit the door. By five o’clock I had seen three houses, and one I was seriously considering buying. I liked the small three bedroom house. I went to The Harbor for some ice cream while I debated the pros and cons. It seemed busy even for the weekend. There were lots of teens hanging out like I used to do on the weekends before that fateful night. I pushed those thoughts away when I heard my name being called. I turned and saw Mark walking toward me with a huge smile.

Besides Becca, Mark had been my best friend from the time he moved in next door when I was thirteen until I moved away. His parents, Benji and Caroline Williamson, had three kids; Mark, Joey, and Lisa. Mark had been fourteen, Joey eleven, and Lisa had been ten. Mark came over all the time to get away from their pestering. He was like a brother and my parents treated him as such. They would even go out and trust us to stay home alone together. He even snuck through my window to sleep in my bed when it stormed, and slept over after family vacations, his or mine, because he missed spending time with me. He was always protective of me and tried to teach me anything I didn’t know. This usually involved anything outdoors. He went camping with his dad a lot throughout the year so he taught me to set up a tent, build a fire, and filet fish. I helped him with schoolwork and taught him how to cook the basics as I learned. We were fifteen and sixteen when he wanted to be more than friends. Mark would get upset because I would always stop, never letting anything happen under our clothes. I was never ready to go further, and after I turned sixteen, we decided we were better as friends. We still hung out together, and Becca was there, too. We were three peas in a pod.

“Hey, Ari. It’s been a long time. How have you been?” he asked while picking me up and swinging me around in a tight hug.

“Mark.” I let out a surprised laugh. “It has been a long time. I’m good, how about you?” I stepped back and looked him over. He was cute in the boy-next-door kind of way. His blond hair was not as shaggy and looked darker, and his face a little fuller. He looked to have put on a little bit of weight, but since he had a skinny body in high school, I decided it was a good thing. He was still way too good-looking for his own good. And seeing him now made me realize that I missed him. Not him being my boyfriend, but my friend, the guy he was before we started dating. The one who came over and watched football games, went bowling with, always teamed with for paintball, and who smoked my ass in pool. The guy who did his best to teach me how to play video games, and who always had my back even after we broke up.

“I’m doing well. My dad told me he heard you moved back from Mr. James. Said you were looking to buy a house and were looking for a job?” I forgot that Adam knew Mark’s parents.

“Yes, I am. Actually I found a house today and have been doing interviews and have more next week.”

“Wow, you jumped right in. That’s great, Ari. There are a lot of people who missed you around here, not counting me.” He gave me his censored smile and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I would love to get together sometime, anytime when you’re free. You know, catch up and all.” I could tell he really wanted to and thought the best way to keep it on the friend level was to make sure others were included.

“Actually, I’m meeting up with Becca tonight for a girls’ night, but you should come along. I miss you too, and we do need to catch up.”

“Oh, yeah, with Becca? Tonight? Sure, I can do that. I was going to hang with some of the guys, but I do that all the time. When and where?”

“Oh, heck bring the guys. The more the merrier. We are leaving her house at eight p.m. and haven’t decided on a place yet. Any suggestions?”

“We were all going to meet up at The Spur Lounge. Check with Becca and let me know. Here, give me your number.” He handed me his phone, and I used it to call my number so I had his, too. After another tight hug that lasted a little too long, while his hands rubbed up and down my back stopping on the top of my ass, I finished my window shopping.

I put on a new white flouncy one shoulder dress with a wide brown rope belt. I matched this with a pair of brown cowboy boots and went light with my makeup. From sultry slut, I mean sub, to flirty cowgirl in less than twenty-four hours. Yep, that was me, Miss Versatile.

I turned off the lights and drove to pick up Becca from her house, and we headed to The Spur. On the ride, Becca informed me that Mark was a basketball coach at the same school we had attended, and he had been doing that for a couple of years. She told me that he also taught health class, too. I could see him doing that. Since he was coaching here, there would be a lot of alumni backing him. I also noticed while she talked that she sounded as if she was proud of Mark too. I wondered about that, if they had ever dated after I left. Becca had informed me she was far from a saint when she attended college. Then she met Trevor. After they broke up she said she had no desire to date, but I think with the right shove, Mark and Becca could hit it off.

Our night at The Spur was fun. We ordered some appetizers, and Mark bought a round of shots to toast me being back home. Even though I only knew Mark and Becca, the other three guys joined in and welcomed me home. Two of the guys, Brian and Zack, had girlfriends. Jon wasn’t normally part of the group, but came along with Brian, and he was cute, but quiet, and single. I only had three shots to drink, and being the lightweight, was feeling buzzed. I danced with everyone in our group and a few who were not, threw darts, and had my ass handed to me in pool. Mark had come on strong at first, but finally backed off when I lied and said I was seeing someone. I still couldn’t see him as more than a friend, no matter how good-looking he was.

When we decided to call it a night, Mark casually offered to give Becca a ride since he was on that side of town. I told her to go for it when we said our goodbyes. To say she was a little surprised didn’t even touch it.

I was tired and glad the hotel had valet. I made it to my room and saw the bedside light on. I didn’t think anything of it. I turned right into the bathroom and removed my dress and makeup. Threw on a tank top that was on the counter and brushed my teeth.

I walked out of the bathroom and looked to the bed and saw not one, but two men sitting there, and it scared the crap out of me. I did what any woman would do. I jumped a mile high and screamed.

“Shit! Shitshitshitshit! What were you thinking? You could have said hey, hello, bite my ass, anything instead of scaring me half to death!” I grabbed my chest and bent over trying to catch my breath.

“Funny, Aurora. You could have said bye, see you later, bite my ass, anything instead of scaring us half to death.” This came from Mitch who was sitting on my bed with his back against the headboard. His feet were crossed and his shoes were still on. If all was good between us I would have overlooked the fact that he had his shoes on my clean bed. It didn’t matter that his shoes looked fairly new and clean, it still pissed me off. I then realized that his tone was hard and rough. So different than the smooth one I heard from him last night. Alex was sitting in a chair by the bed but had stood and moved further into the room and away from me as soon as I entered. Mitch wore a seriously pissed off look on his face, but Alex’s face was blank, no emotion. God, I didn’t want to deal with them right now or ever. It was hard enough facing the truth without having to admit to them that I knew.

“Look guys, last night was fun, but I don’t think it’s what I was looking for. Thanks for...well thanks for letting me give it a shot.”

“Give it a shot? Give it a shot? Give what a shot? Dating? Are you done dating?” Mitch asked in the same rough tone.

“No. That’s...”

“Sex? Are you done with sex?”

“N...n...no.”

“Being a sub? Are you done with being a sub, Aurora?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“You don’t know. You don’t know. Well you’re done with something, my Ari. Tell me what exactly you are done with?” At this point Mitch’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it cut through me painfully. His kind brown eyes were nearly all black, and his face was ruthless. Something had happened here. Somehow what happened last night turned into being my fault. Yes, I left, but like they should care. I was just another sub throwing myself at them. What had Becca said about him? That any woman would bow down at his feet. Been there, done that, had a few tender areas to prove it. I was tired, disappointed, and didn’t expect to feel guilty. I looked over at Alex and narrowed my eyes before I looked back at Mitch.

“I don’t know if I am done being a sub or not. I didn’t receive all the information about it. Therefore I decided to take some time and find my answers before I make a decision.” There, that was polite roundabout way of telling them to butt out.

“Well, my Ari, what questions do you have? We told you we would answer any you had. We knew there would be some.” I watched as he spread his hands out. Shit, I didn’t expect him to ask. Well, okay, if I genuinely thought about it I knew he would, but I didn’t want him to.

“Okay, so if I was a sub I would have no contact with anyone inside the club unless given permission. What about outside the club?”

“Was this all about Adam and Holly?” he asked incredulous. “I’m sorry; I didn’t know you were that upset. Ari, we know how you feel about them. We were trying to get you in the mindset that inside the club you can’t do that. There will be times when Holly is in trouble and her punishment is no contact. She can’t touch, speak, or make eye contact. That is one reason why. You already know the other. It’s how we protect you.”

“No, not about Adam or Holly. I get that.” I shook my head trying to figure out how to lead the conversation. “If inside the club we are in a Dom/sub relationship, then outside the club, we are what?”

“Do you mean, how are you to act? We only expect to see you submissive in the club or the bedroom.”

“But we would be in a relationship outside the club?”

“My pet a Dom/sub relationship is that, a relationship, no matter where we are. Yes, you can keep your submissiveness to the club and bedrooms, but you are still in a relationship. And, my Ari, make no mistake, you are in a relationship.”

“A relationship, like any other relationship, with a few kinks thrown in?”

“I guess you can view it like that.” He shrugged.

“So, if I need something sexually I would come to you? Because we are in a relationship?”

“Yes, Ari. We will provide everything you need.” He sounded tired and annoyed.

“Does that work both ways? If you need something, will you come to me?”

“Yes, sweetheart, that’s how a relationship works.” I was watching Mitch’s face for any lies. I couldn’t see any, but he did look a little confused. Undoubtedly these were not the kind of questions he thought I was going to ask.