The Sanctuary (27 page)

* * * *

Six hours later, we were all patiently waiting for Eero, Val’s younger brother, to arrive.

“Why don’t we start eating? He’s going to be late anyway,” Val stated.

I knew that the only reason he wanted to start was to finish, so he could have his fun tonight.

“We can wait a few more minutes.” I glanced at the clock.

“Don’t hold your breath. He may not show,” Jenni said after taking a swig of beer. “I don’t know why you invited him.”

For the first time, I felt uncomfortable around his family. It was if I was stuck in the middle of a long-running family dispute.

“You know how your brother is.” Maaria kissed Val on the cheek before turning to me. “He’s right. Let’s start. Mikko, come,” Maaria called to her husband, who was watching TV in the living room.

I shook my head and mumbled, “Merry Fucking Christmas.”

Val leaned down into my ear. “It will be later.” He turned and winked as he headed toward the table. I smiled at his comment. For the first time, I was as eager as he was for the night to commence.

Not even five minutes into the meal, the bell rang. His brother had arrived.

Val opened the door for his brother, who stumbled in, reeking of alcohol.

“Merry Christmas!” Eero said, giving Val a pound on the back. “Sorry I’m late. I was at Liisa’s house.” He walked into the living room.

Val breezed past his brother, not saying a word, resuming his position at the table. Eero lingered in the living room, staring at the Christmas tree. “Humph…” he grunted loud enough for everyone to hear.

I looked at Val and mouthed, “What’s going on?”

He shook his head and shrugged. I glanced around the table. It was as if everything was moving in slow motion. There was uneasiness in the air as though we were waiting for a storm to roll in.

Eero flopped down across from me, mirroring the combative position he’d taken when I’d first met him at his mother’s house.

“Nice ring. Pass me the ham.”

“Thank you.” I shot a sideways glance at Val as I passed the ham to Eero.

Jenni tried to break the ice. “When are you two planning on getting married?”

“We’re getting married on New Year’s Eve. We wanted to marry before we left for the States,” I responded.

Jenni shrieked in excitement. “We need to go shopping!”

Maaria agreed. “You should have told me. I would have planned something.”

“We were planning on keeping it low key, Mum. We don’t want it in the papers,” Val mumbled.

“What’s with the tree?” Eero interrupted, completely disregarding our conversation.

Val eyed him warily. “I thought it would be nice for Eve. I surprised her last night with it.”

Eero studied Val in a staredown. “You bend over backward for her. I don’t get you. Don’t you ever learn?”

“Excuse me?” Val stood up, tossing his napkin down.

Eero smirked and remained seated, leaning back in the chair. “She manipulates her way into your home and our family within what, a month’s time? Everything she wants, you give her. She says jump, and you ask how high.”

“You’re treading on thin ice.” Val leaned on the table toward his brother.

“The first time you brought her around, you left in a huff. On your birthday, we
had
to celebrate her Thanksgiving.” Eero stood up, challenging his brother. “Then she whisks you away to New York for the weekend, and she comes home with a ring as big as a rock, a ring that cost you how much? A year’s salary?”

“Get out!” Val shouted, pointing toward the door.

“What’s the matter? You can’t handle the truth? You compete with her constantly and bow to her continually.”

“You don’t know our story.” I glared at him. “Maybe if you came around more, you’d know what was going on.”

“I don’t come around because of
you
.” Eero pointed his finger at me. “You’ve completely changed my brother.”

Jenni interrupted. “Eero, you’re wrong.”

“She’s even manipulated you into believing her.”

Val walked around the table and grabbed his brother by the arm. “How dare you come into my home drunk, accusing my fiancée of such nonsense? Get out!” Val struggled with him, pushing him away from the table.

“Let’s get one thing straight here.” I stared Eero in the eye. “Your brother insisted I move into his home. I don’t ask for anything, and I don’t expect him to give me anything, and that includes the rock on my finger. Our love isn’t a competition, and it’s not a game.”

Eero looked at me then at Val. “You’re right, Eve. It’s not a game.” He shrugged Val off of his arm. “You should train your collars to keep their mouths shut.” He proceeded to walk toward the door. “I’m leaving, but just remember what you turned Kat into.” The door slammed shut.

I stared ahead. “Did I hear what I think I did?” I questioned as I squeezed my eyes shut. Our sex lives had been exposed in front of his parents. I wanted to die. “Excuse me.” I rose from the table, and Jenni grabbed my arm.

“It’s okay.” She winked as if she understood.

Maaria interjected, “This isn’t something we didn’t know. Val has been open about his lifestyle since he was eighteen.”

Mikko pointed at his wife. “Yes, but the question is if she can handle it. Kat could not.”

“Why is this open for discussion?” I asked angrily. This had turned into a Christmas from hell.

“Relax.” Val gave me a hug. “Sit down. Let’s finish dinner.”

I placed my hands over my eyes. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

Jenni spoke up. “What do you think I do for a living that I can afford such luxury?”

I eyed her. “You said you worked for the newspaper.”

“Writing doesn’t pay the bills. I Domme part-time at Andrei’s club. You know, the one you went to with Val?”

I smiled half-heartedly. Now I understood why they were both so magnetic.

She leaned over and hugged me. “You’re marrying into the right family. We’re all a bit eccentric. Except we’re not too sure where Eero came from. Must be that middle child syndrome. He can’t get a grip on who he is.”

“This is too weird.” I laughed. I couldn’t believe what had just transpired.

“I learned a long time ago that there’s no use in fighting it.” Maaria gestured to her children. “We love and accept them for who they are.”

“Your family is a bit strange. The whole evening was awkward.” I flicked on the television. I needed a mental escape.

Val leaned over the arm of the couch, beer in hand, eyes glowing. “Why? Jenni may as well be my twin, and my mother, well, she’s put up with all of us.”

“It doesn’t bother you that they know what you’re into? Because it bothers me.”

“They’ve known for years. No one besides Eero caused a fuss.” Val circled the couch and sat down on the floor next to me.

“And what is your brother’s issue? He’s the submissive in a family of Doms?”

Val shrugged. “My brother? I don’t know. I think he struggles to find himself in the family.”

“And your mother, why is she accepting of this lifestyle?”

“I guess my parents have their fun too.” Val winked.

I shook my head at the thought of it and turned my attention to the TV.

“You look tired.” Val eyed me.

I sighed. “It’s been a long day.”

“Hmm…” Val finished off his beer. “Do you want anything?” He got up from the floor and headed into the kitchen to fetch another beer. He shook a bottle. “Want one?”

“No, my love affair with alcohol is over.”

He weaved his way from the kitchen, sat down next to me, and grabbed the remote, changing the channel.

“Hey, I was watching that.”

“You know I can’t stand that show.” He popped the top off of the bottle and gave it a swig.

“Then go downstairs and watch TV.” I nudged him with my foot. “Turn it back, Val.”

“The only way I’m going downstairs is if you’re coming with me, and I can tell you’re not in the mood.” He ignored my request to change the channel.

“And that matters?”

“Of course it does. I may want to play, but I’m not going to force myself on you if you don’t want it.” He began flipping through the channels.

“Tonight’s different than last night how?”

“Completely different.” He stopped momentarily to watch a movie I had no interest in.

“How?” I pressed on. He didn’t respond but flipped the channel again. I nudged him again with my foot. “How is tonight different?”

“I wouldn’t be able to get you in the mood or where you need to be mentally. You’re still thinking about today. There would be no point in it.”

I stared at the ceiling. “What happened with Kat?”

“I don’t want to talk about her.”

“Why did she do it?”

“Because she was mentally unstable. I don’t want to talk about it.” He flicked the channel again.

“Did being collared make her unstable?” I continued, pushing his buttons.

“Perhaps.” He flicked the channel again and mumbled, “There is nothing on.”

“Put on porn then.” I eyed him to see his reaction.

He furrowed his brows. “We don’t have porn.”

“Yes we do. It’s past the regular channels.”

He turned. “Why do we have porn on our TV?”

“Because I subscribed to it.”

“You did? I didn’t know you liked porn.”

“I was bored one night when you were away.” I smiled. My mood was staring to improve. “Give me the remote.”

He handed it to me; I flipped on the channel and tossed it back playfully. “Talk to me about Kat, please.”

He sighed. “Collaring made her co-dependent in every way. She lost it when I went on tour. She couldn’t handle the scene around me.”

“And how do you know I’ll be able to handle it?”

“Because you’re confident. You carry yourself differently. You’re secure in who you are. You can separate the two worlds.” He stared at the TV. “This is as boring as regular TV.”

“So change the channel. There’s more.”

He chuckled and flipped the channel again. “This is why I know you will be able to handle it.”

Between last night’s activities and the porn on television, my mind began to wander. I started to feel frisky, but his attitude suggested he was the one not in the mood tonight. I thought of the collar and how tight it felt around my neck, how he dominated me and made me his. I wanted to play again, but I knew I couldn’t suggest it to him; it was against the rules. But there had to be a way to manipulate the situation to my advantage.

I cocked my head to the side. “You’ve never sung for me. I’ve heard you sing around the house, but never just for me.”

He eyed me. “What are you getting at?”

“Sing for me. Go get your guitar from downstairs.” I nudged him again with my foot, commanding him to go.

He took another swig of his beer. “You’ll hear me next week.”

I pouted. “Will it kill you to sing one song? Your voice is so sexy.” I batted my eyelashes.

He rose from the couch and kissed me on the nose. “How can I say no to you?”

“Besides, there’s nothing on TV.”

“One song, that’s it. Are we clear?”

“Uh-huh…crystal. Now go…” I pushed him off of me. My plan worked.

As soon as Val trotted downstairs, I slid off the couch, ran across the floor, and tiptoed down the steps, hoping I could catch him before he made his way back up. I didn’t want to hear him sing. I just wanted a reason to go downstairs with him. No sooner had I taken my last step on the stairs than Val spotted me.

“What are you doing down here?”

“Keeping you company.” I strode to the bed and sat down next to him. “I want to play.”

“You mean you want me to play?”

“Yes, but with me.” I giggled.

He put his guitar down. “You manipulated me downstairs.” His eyes scanned my face for an answer.

“If that’s what you want to call it.” I winked.

He leaned into me and stroked my hair. “What kind of Master would I be if I gave in to your sexual requests?”

“A good one?” I laughed.

He smiled and grabbed my face with both of his hands. “I love you. You are
adorable
. But not tonight.” He kissed me softly on the lips.

I pulled away at his rejection and pouted. I turned. I’d heard noise. “Val, do you hear moaning?”

“It’s the TV upstairs. Don’t you remember?” He smiled. “I’ll go turn it off. I want another beer anyway. Do you want anything?” He began making his way to the first floor.

“My collar.”

He glared over the handrail down at me. “I’m not in the mood, Eve,” he said sternly, letting me know it was time to end the conversation.

“Fine, bring me down water.” I looked at the TV ahead of me. I could watch the program I wanted. I reached into the nightstand; the remote had to be in here somewhere. I began tossing our toys on the bed in hopes of finding what I was searching for. I found the remote and quickly turned the TV on, but my show had already ended. He was right; there was nothing else to watch tonight. I guess porn would do.

I lay on my stomach engrossed in the double-penetration threesome on the screen.

“Are you serious?”

I noticed Val standing at the edge of our bed. “About what?”

He tossed me a bottle of water and shook his head. “About the toys.”

I burst into laughter. I looked ridiculous with our toys strewn around me after he’d just told me no to sex. I quickly explained, “I was searching for the remote.”

He sat down next to me, crossing his legs Indian style, and lit a cigarette. “Would you like that?” He motioned to the screen.

“Being double penetrated? No.”

“What if I invited someone else in the bedroom?”

I shook my head. “One of you is all I could handle.”

He finished his cigarette in silence, watching TV next to me before shifting backward and tossing our toys into the draw, cleaning up.

Without warning, he grabbed me by my hair, pulling my head back, and roared, “If you ever pretend not to be in the mood again, you will face more severe punishment than you could ever imagine.” He quickly wrapped the collar around my neck, securing it to me.

He’d caught me off guard. He’d told me he wouldn’t play, but he tricked me. I chortled; I got my way after all.