Page 28 of For Love & Torture
Chapter 14
Isabel
One year later
It’s been a year since Grant denied his love for me. One long as hell year. He’s dabbled with other women in that time, but every night he ends the evening with me, in my office.
I never shun the man, although I probably should. The fact is he’s deeply troubled. He stopped the actions his siblings were taking to have his mother’s grave exhumed. They didn’t have nearly enough money to stop him when he hired lawyers to keep his mother’s remains right where they are.
When I allow myself to think about his life, it always makes my heart ache for the poor tortured soul. I don’t blame Grant for how he is. I don’t blame anyone for that. But God, how I wish he’d let me—or anyone, really—help him.
I’ve dropped various cards in conspicuous areas of his home and offices. Cards for psychiatrists, therapists, doctors of all kinds, and even spiritual advisors and psychics. But he’s never called even one of them.
I should stop trying. I should stop loving him. But I can’t seem to do that. No matter how much it hurts when I hear he’s been with a woman in a private room, doing only God knows what with her, it hurts. But I still love the man.
Maybe it’s me who needs to see a therapist.
I’m sure I need one too. Maybe he’ll agree to go to a therapist if he thinks he’s going for me and not himself.
A knock on my office door jolts me out of my internal thoughts, and I get up to answer it. Pulling the door open, I see a tall, handsome man standing there. His eyes go up and down my body as he ogles me. “Hello, I’m Bartholomew Mason the third. You can call me Bart.”
“Can I?” I step back to allow the newcomer into my office and leave the door open, gesturing to the leather chairs in front of my desk. “You may call me Isabel. And how can I be of help to you this evening Bart?”
Taking a seat, he watches every move I make as I sit back down in my chair. “I’d like to join this fine establishment. How can I go about doing that?”
“I can help you with that. First, you should know that we do a financial background check.” I pull out the sheet he’ll need to fill out and push it across my desk toward him. “Our dues are quite high, and we have to make sure our members have the ability to pay them before we let them do anything else.”
His large hand moves over the paper as he pulls it to him and looks at it, then back at me. “I understand that. And how long does this financial background check take? I’m hungering to get myself a submissive partner to play with. Are you available?” His lips pull up to one side as his dark eyes dance.
Chuckling a bit, I shake my head. “I work here. I’m not allowed to even go out onto the main floor by myself. And I can have that check done by tomorrow at five.”
“Pity.” He gives his attention to the paper, filling it out then pushing it back to me. “There you go.” Propping his elbows on my desktop, he knits his long fingers together and rests his chin on them. “How long have you been here, Isabel?”
“Since the beginning.” I wiggle my finger, the one with the dragon ring on it. “The owners treat me as if I’m one of them. I was an essential part of the planning of this establishment.”
“Do you belong to a Dom already?” His eyes burn into mine and he can’t seem to stop trying to size me up.
He’s not an ugly man, quite the opposite. He’s stunning, but there’s a darkness to him. I’ve seen it in some of our members before. Bart’s features are chiseled, hard, unforgiving.
Everything about the man is dark. His shoulder-length black hair is kept back with a rubber band. His dark beard is kept immaculately, accentuating his high cheekbones. The dark eyes round out his dominating and somewhat evil appearance.
The black tuxedo fits his muscular body perfectly. He looks like the real deal, Bart Mason. And I know he’ll have to be handled carefully by the trainers, as his machismo is on the overwhelming side.
His question rings in my ears. Do I belong to a Dom?
In my heart, I belong to Grant. No matter what he says. But I can’t go around saying that. “No, I don’t belong to anyone.”
His brows arch as he looks surprised. “No one at all? Not even a boyfriend?”
Shaking my head, I put the paper away. I can’t work on the background check until tomorrow. “No, not even that. If you’ll come with me, I can show you around. I just have to let my assistant, Betty, know I won’t be in my office” I get up and move out from behind the desk.
Bart rises and walks a step behind me, his hand touches the small of my back, and it sends a chill through me. Not the good kind, either.
Walking across the hallway, I peek into my assistant’s office. “Oh, hi Isabel.” She jumps up and comes to greet me and her eyes are immediately drawn to Bart. “And who do we have here?”
“This is…”
I have to shut up as Bart’s hand moves up my back and his hand clamps down on my shoulder. “I’ve got this. I’m Bart, Betty. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
