Page 18 of The Reluctant Siren
“Yeah, we’re going to talk about rolling your eyes at mewhen we’re in this place.” He leaned in, his voice going low. “I want you tokeep doing it because I’ll spank that gorgeous ass of yours every single time.”
The thought sent a thrill down her spine. Damn it. Her longdead libido was starting to come back to life, and she did not want to stop it.“I’ll be quick, Sir. Are we taking my car or yours?”
“Oh, I’m driving. It’s a piece of crap but I love thatjunker. I’ll be waiting right here.”
She hurried along.
An hour later Harlow was fairly certain this man had figuredout the way to her heart.
French fries.
“So you had private tutors because no school wanted to dealwith your dad?”
He seemed amused with her stories of Deranged Dad. “Notreally, but hewasa pain in the ass. My dad is a genius. I mean he’sso smart his brain doesn’t function on the normal level, and that includesbeing able to handle things in a reasonable fashion. He has an eidetic memory.”
“Is that where he remembers everything?”
Harlow nodded. “Everything. It’s annoying, and he loves toargue. But it wasn’t his fault we ended up with private tutors. My sistercaught a lot of hell because of how odd our family was. There was a lot ofteasing, and she was kind of an outcast.”
“I’m sure that was hard, but it would have been hard on you,too.”
She shook her head. “Not the same way. Greer always wantedto fit in. Don’t get me wrong. She loves our parents. She would never be upsetat our parents, but it had an effect on her when some mean girls put shit onsocial media about us. There were a lot of gang bang jokes and some guys whothought maybe if Greer’s mom didn’t mind a couple of guys, she wouldn’teither.”
His face flushed with obvious anger. “Tell me your dadfucked them up.”
“Yeah, one of the girl’s fathers was involved in somebusiness with my father’s friends. They have this investment group. The MastersFund. The fund decided to sell their shares in her dad’s company, and they werebought in a hostile takeover shortly thereafter. They pretty much losteverything. He was kinder to the parents who were embarrassed. A couple of theparents apologized profusely. I took care of the kids, though. Their parentsshouldn’t suffer, but they needed to pay.”
“Damn, but you are fierce, princess.” He stared down at herlike he was utterly fascinated. Not like her vengeance was something that wasgoing to scare him away. “But it had to bother you, too. I know you don’t carewhat other people think, but you were a teenager. I think your sister is softerthan you are so you shoved your feelings down and concentrated on your sister.Was it hard to change your life so much?”
She nodded. “I had to leave some friends, but I joined someothers. We shared a tutor with the Lodges, and with our friends Aria and DaneRoberts. So we were our own class, I suppose. Sometimes we would spend a coupleof weeks out at Aunt Dani’s spa. Most of the people who worked there were inthe lifestyle, and they had a school. We would go for special classes. It wasnice, but I always knew we weren’t normal.” She sniffled. It felt good to getemotional. It had been a long time. “You are a very therapy-forward Dom.”
He smiled and stroked her hair. “I’ve learned that the hardway. First thing the board did when they were considering my application wassend me to a psychologist. He offered some sessions. I still see him twice amonth.”
“Did they make you see my Uncle Leo or one of the therapistsfrom the Ferguson Clinic?” They both did work with the different clubs, vettingnew members.
“Ash Rycroft at the Ferguson Clinic. I think they’re sendingeveryone my age his way. He’s good at working with PTSD and complex familyrelationships,” Niall admitted. “I like talking with him. I’m about to be outof my board-mandated sessions, but I think I’ll stick with him for a while.I’ve got some things to work out. My father was abusive, to say the least. I’mno contact with him.”
Her heart ached for him. They were sitting on his couch,which might also be his bed. She wasn’t sure. There was a door and it mightlead to a bedroom, but she hadn’t asked. She moved closer to him, putting ahand on his knee. “And your mom?”
“Same.” Niall huffed out a laugh. “My family was prettytoxic.” His gorgeous face went soft. “I did not mean for this to turn into atherapy session.”
Oh, but wasn’t it always? “I feel connected to you. You haveno idea how much I appreciate you being open to me. The last relationship I wasin… It was passionate, but there wasn’t a ton of connection on an emotionallevel. It felt good at the time, but this feels better.”
“Don’t discount passion, Harlow.” His eyes heated. “I thinkyou need both, and sometimes you have to go to odd lengths to get it. Like yourparents. But that’s a discussion for another time. When are we going in? I’mtalking job wise. Where are we going in to?”
“It’s a lifestyle club, but it’s more like a bar with BDSMelements, I think. I haven’t gone. Normally I would go in myself or with Rubyand do some recon, but I think I should go in with a partner.”
“Into a tourist lifestyle club when some Dom might getaggressive with you? Yes.” He stroked his hand over hers. “I know you can takecare of yourself, but a gorgeous, single submissive is going to attract moreattention than you want.”
He was so good at handling her. If he’d acted jealous orlike she couldn’t take care of herself, she could get offended. But he was onehundred percent right.
So unlike Jensen, who plowed through without giving thoughtto how to phrase things.
She had to stop thinking about him because Niall was turningout to be perfect. Almost too perfect.
“Yes, hence me asking you. I considered asking one of thespy boys, but they’re mostly paired off now, and they could get a call in themiddle of my op and have to leave to go save the world or something. TheMcKay-Taggart bodyguards would likely reach out to my dad and let him knowwhat’s going on.”
“I do not have your father’s phone number,” Niall pointedout.
