Cameron's Control (Novella #1): The Enthrall Sessions (Volume 4) (20 page)

“Hey,” I said. “How are you?”

“Missing a secretary.”

“That’s why I’m calling.”  

Silence.

“Scarlet’s on it,” I said. “Any requests?”

“This is my sandbox. Find your own toy. Oh wait, you did. Mine.”

“I have tickets for the Lakers.”

“Always did like you.”

“Good. Please inform Ms. Lauren of her transfer.”

He scoffed. “How’s your day going? Interestingly annoying as well by the sound of things?”

“How are you?”

“Why’d you call me?”

“I’m handing the phone over to Ms. Lauren.”

Mia took the phone. “Hello, Richard. We were just discussing me coming back to Enthrall.”

Her frown deepened as she listened. “Can we talk about it?” Her eyes darted to mine.

I circled my finger for her to hurry it up.

She handed the phone back.

The line was dead. Richard had hung up.

“Well?” I said.

“He fired me.”

“Glad we got that squared away.”

She rested her hands on her hips. “What will my duties be?”

“Your secretarial duties will continue. As will your training. Also, your lessons. Your future is my priority.”

She swallowed her nervousness. “Will I be allowed to wear clothes?”

That visual threw me off.

No
, was a tempting answer.

The hum of the printer called my attention. I picked up the fresh version of the non-disclosure Mia had amended and handed it to her. “If you ever tamper with any legal document of mine in the future, there will be consequences, Ms. Lauren.”  

She stared down at the fresh agreement. “But I don’t like it.”

“Irrelevant. This—” I pointed to it—“ensures your financial security, should things not work out between us.”

“You don’t think things will work out?”

“Mia, this is business. Sign it and let’s forget about it.”

She held it up. “Don’t you think we’re telling the universe we’re not going to make it?”

“It also protects me should you ever decide to sell your story—”

“Not after everything you’ve done for me.”

I caressed my brow. “Mia, perhaps talk with Dominic about this? He handles the legalese.”

She moved over toward the shredder and turned it on. “I’m not a business dealing.”

I narrowed my gaze. “Don’t even think about it.”  

The shredder ate the form.

I glared at her. “That was your first mistake, Ms. Lauren.”

She drew her teeth over her bottom lip and sucked it.

That really wasn’t helping.

A step closer. “Perhaps you might be interested to know your second mistake?”

Her subtle nod.

“You have forgotten who I am,” I said darkly.

She neared me and her eyes widened, her lips slightly parted.

I reached out and tipped her chin up. “I will not be defied. By anyone.”

“Yes, sir,” she breathed.

“This world has the potential to destroy your soul. I will not stand by and allow anyone to hurt you. Ever. I will always watch over you.”

Mia twisted her mouth thoughtfully.

“Usually Dominic deals with these details, but I can see you need persuading. Let’s go over this—” with a click of the mouse, I printed off another form —“line by line until you understand its importance.”

“I won’t sign anything that mentions you giving me money,” she said. “So delete that bit and I’ll sign it right now.”

“Mia, it gives me peace of mind to know you’ll be taken care of.”

“I love you for you.”

“Mia, please—”

“Perhaps I’ll go and work for Cole Tea,” she said. “Maybe Henry wasn’t joking about the job offer.”

“The job’s based in San Francisco.”

“I don’t want to leave you.”

I held back on a laugh. “Then don’t.”

“Are you angry?”

“I am considering which discipline best suits your defiance.”

Her face flushed brightly.

“As soon as I get you home,” I said. “There will be no lenience in your punishment.”

Mia dropped to her knees and looked up at me. “Sir.” She reached for my zipper and pulled me out of my pants. “You understand why I say these things, because”— she licked the full length of my shaft from balls to tip –“I care about you, about making you happy.”

Eyes closed, I felt her tongue urging my persuasion. Her lips wrapped tight around the head and sucked pre-cum from me. That sensual sound of her suckling…

A knock at the door startled us.

“Dr. Cole?” came Patricia’s voice. “Your five-thirty is here.”

Otherwise known as an invitation to purgatory.  

“I’ll be right there,” I called out to her.

“I’ll let Dr. Laura know, sir,” she said and walked away.

I peered down at Mia. “Continue.”  

Obediently, she took me all the way to the back of her throat and I savored this moment, delaying the inevitable torture waiting in the other room. 

My gaze drifted to the wall and lingered on Caravaggio’s 1571 print
The Conversion on the way to Damascus
, the depiction of Paul on his way to persecute Christians in Damascus, though now the subject lay flat on his back, having fallen off his horse after being struck by light and blinded by God. Paul’s stunned expression was overshadowed by his horse, the animal merely a shadow above him. 

Paul lay helpless. 

Caravaggio’s genius was in the way he communicated his subject’s feelings, that we were able to experience their horror when we viewed the painting. 

It was time to wedge shut the door to the past, and I was even prepared to psychologically nuke the situation if needed.

“Up.” I stepped back from Mia and tucked myself away.

She rose to her feet and blinked, as though not sure if she’d pleased me.

Affectionately, I stroked her flushed cheek. “Wait here.”

“Yes, sir.”

I walked over to my satchel and pulled out my laptop. “Access my Chrysalis emails. Answer as many as you can.”

“Yes, sir.”

I needed to keep her occupied.

Setting the laptop down on my desk, I said, “The code to get in is your name.”

Her fingers traced over her lips. Her eyelids were still heavy.

I hated leaving her.

“And while you wait, consider this fact, Ms. Lauren.”   

“Sir?”  

“If you don’t sign that form by the time I return, you’ll never experience my cock again.”  

I left her to think about it. 

CHAPTER 19

ONE THOUGHT OF McKenzie and goodbye erection.

After a knock on Laura’s office door, I was invited in.

Back straight and on guard, I felt ready to face off with whatever Laura had in mind, as well as having to sit in the same room as Zie.

The two women rose to greet me. A waft of Hermes. The scent of sex and war.

What does any good man want? Love, of course. We’re not so different. We fall just as deeply. Afterward, when the fairytale is over and all affection has dissipated and the relationship lost its shine, love’s spark snuffed by cruel words spoken, the desecration of what was once sacred, the no going back monologues spoken with bitterness, endless screamed rants of pain and betrayal leave us lesser men.

We too have to claw our way back.

The woman who’d once been my everything stood before me in a blur of powder blue Chanel, curls of auburn locks, and pale pink lipstick highlighting her heavily outlined eyes. A stunning vision of sensuality.

Even Laura’s gaze lingered on her client, as though awed by Zie’s beauty and just as taken by her commanding aura. I’d endured that sting of Zie’s Scorpio tail too many times to find any pleasure in being here.

Zie stepped forward, nudging my hand away when I offered it.

“Silly, there’s no formality between us.” She hugged me tight, pressing her yoga fit body against mine.

“You look well, Zie.” I pulled out of her hold and moved over to the seat opposite theirs.

“Again I want to reiterate, Dr. Cole,” said Laura as she sat back down. “How much we appreciate you taking the time to explore some issues McKenzie is having. Perhaps with us all on the same page we’ll find a resolution for her.”

“Glad to help in any way I can,” I said.

Mia was on the other side of that wall and it surprised me how much comfort that gave. I hoped she’d signed that form, seen reason. She deserved every cent from having been my lover, should we not work out. I leaned forward to ease the stab to my heart that thought gave me.

Laura rested her iPad on her lap, ready to take notes. “I respect this isn’t easy for you.”

“Must we?” I gestured to the iPad.

“Yes.”

“Thank you for doing this,” said Zie, holding a smile I didn’t recognize on her.

Laura continued to coax Zie from her previous visit, building on her therapeutic alliance and setting the frame of the session. As a fan of Freud, Laura’s questioning assisted Zie to explore her subconscious through free association in an endeavor to reveal the connections that might have lain hidden.

Laura’s unmasking of Zie’s subconscious went as expected.

“Perhaps I do see my father in Cameron,” said Zie. “Dad’s strong, influential, and cold at times. Unobtainable. Did you know he’s on his third wife?”

“No, I didn’t,” I said.

“Perhaps, Cameron, you’re right about a father complex,” said Laura softly. “Let’s examine this further, Zie?”

Zie crossed a long, lean leg over another, showing off her well-toned calves and closing down this line of discussion. “I’ve been replaced by a younger woman. How predictable.”

“Are you referring to Cameron’s latest girlfriend?” said Laura.

“I haven’t seen you in years,” I countered.

Zie’s gaze drifted toward my office wall. “Is she still here?”

“She is.”

“Is Mia in therapy too?” Zie threw her head back in a laugh. “Jeez, Cameron, all your women are fucked up.”

“This is about us Zie, about our past,” I said. “What we once had.”

“Dr. Cole, your current girlfriend may reflect your state of mind,” said Laura.

“If you’re referring to my constant state of happiness,” I said, “you might be onto something there, Laura.”

She gave a disapproving glare.

“We were happy.” Zie sounded vulnerable. “Once.”

I regretted my outburst. “How’s work?”

“Very good. I have a gallery showing in New York in a month. Perhaps you’d like to come?”

Her double entendre was lost on Laura.

The games had begun.

There was a strong desire to question Zie on her new relationship, on her infertility treatment, a need to know what she’d done with the years since I’d seen her, but I knew it was better to let Laura continue to lead the session.

“McKenzie,” said Laura. “You wanted to ask Cameron about Willow?”

The hairs prickled on my nape.

“Did you tell your sister to block my calls?”

I shifted in my seat. “Apparently the last time you met with my sister your conversation featured me?”

“She told you that?”

“Yes.”

“I merely wanted to make sure you’re making good decisions.”

“That was kind of you,” I tried to sound convinced. “Did Willow manage to reassure you?”

“She mentioned Mia’s a free spirit,” said Zie. “Willow didn’t go into detail, but from the gist I was surprised you’d settled for such an inexperienced girl.”

I glanced over at Laura. “I was under the impression we were here to talk about Zie?”

“You prefer a submissive personality,” said Zie.

A strike to my bow. Zie knew my BDSM lifestyle was guarded fiercely.

“Irrelevant,” I said.

“I’m more likely to stand up for myself,” said Zie. “Not be bullied.”

“I don’t bully, and Mia’s perfectly capable of standing up to me,” I said. “Trust me, it’s one of the many traits I admire in her.”

Zie sat up straight. “You once told me the only way a relationship has any chance of surviving is if both set of parents approve.”

“That does factor in, yes.”

“Both of our parents approved of us Cameron. They’ve remained good friends.”

“So I hear.”

“Your parents haven’t met Mia’s?”

“Mia’s mother died when she was a teenager.”

“And her father?”

“There’s still time,” I said, refusing to reveal there’d be no introduction of Mia’s Dad to my parents—a fact that still unsettled me. “Zie, where are you going with this?”

“I still care deeply for you,” she said. “There is,” — She glanced over at Laura – “I have faith you’ll come round to see I’m the right woman for you.”

Laura had visibly paled. Her fingers clenched around her iPad, as though mulling over how to deflect this conversation.

“Laura informed me you’re undergoing infertility treatment?” I deflected for her.  

“Yes. Perhaps a baby…”

“Born out of love with parents in a healthy relationship, if you want my advice.”

“Perhaps you might consider donating?” said Zie.

“Donating?”

“Your sperm.”

I scratched my jaw, wondering if Richard might find this conversation just as startling later when I recounted it. Yes, it would be considered breeching confidentially, but I needed to be talked back off the ledge of insanity.  

“Your current partner is infertile?” I asked gently.

“I’m dating a woman.”  

“I see.”

“Perhaps if we explore why you didn’t work out?” Laura said. “Cameron, would you share with McKenzie why those final days ended the way they did?”

I shot a look at Zie.

“You told me you would always love me,” she said.

“Those were hard days for me too.”

“Do you still love me?”

Laura sat forward and rested her hand on Zie’s knee. “You don’t stop loving someone just because you’re no longer together, Zie.”

This was totally out of line.

Laura was off her game, and I wondered if her current relationship was warping her perspective and skewering her analysis.

“Cameron?” Zie said.

“I care for you deeply. That’s why I’m here. I want you to move on. Have the life you want.”

“Mia isn’t right for you. Your parents disapprove.”

“And how would you know that?”