Dani eased out of the shower, grabbing the towel Mitchell had left for her. While she could tell he’d wanted nothing more than to join her, he seemed to be able to understand she needed space. She wrapped the thick terry just under her arms and padded toward the counter, wincing as the material scraped against her backside.

You are the one.

She wasn’t entirely certain what he’d meant, but the words were stilling. Grinning, she looked over her shoulder as she lifted the towel. He certainly hadn’t whipped her with any vehemence, but she would have marks for a day or two. She exhaled and gazed at the steam covering the mirror. She swiped her hand in an arc and studied her reflection. “You’re out of your mind.” Perhaps, but she’d loved every second of the time by the stream. The moment had been so unexpected. Mitchell wasn’t the arrogant prick she thought him to be.

Rolling her eyes, she gripped the counter. The sex had been amazing. What now? The answer remained a concern, but she was determined to enjoy the time they had together. As she searched for a brush, a comb, anything to help her tangled mass of hair, she inhaled. He was cooking? The man was a business mogul, was incredible in bed and was exactly the kind of disciplinarian she craved and he could cook?

“Whew,” she said under her breath. She debated donning her jeans then an idea struck her. She eased out into his bedroom, heading for his dresser. She found exactly what she was looking for, an oversized tee-shirt. This would do for dinner. Teasing would be involved. After all, he deserved no less.

When she walked into the kitchen, he was standing in front of the oversized window, palming the glass. Then she realized he was on the phone. Noticing the open bottle of wine, she tiptoed to the island and poured a glass. Mitchell had already started without her, his glass half empty.

“Are you certain?” Mitchell asked as his shoulders slumped.

She took her wine and inched closer.

“No. I understand. Thank you for letting me know.” He noticed her presence and turned, the look on his face pensive.

Narrowing her eyes, she knew by his expression this had to be about the Steele site. She only wished she had the results back from her independent tests.

“Thank you very much and I’ll look for the email.” Ending the call, he exhaled. “Damn it!” Tossing his phone down on the kitchen table, he dropped his head and paced the floor. “God fucking damn it.”

“Bad news?”

“Same shit. The three wells are tarnished, unusable.”

“With what?” she asked as she moved closer.

“An unknown contaminant. They haven’t been able to identify yet. That’s why the tests took so fucking long. What the hell am I going to do?”

She wrapped her hand around his arm, concerned when he bristled. “We’ll figure something out. Maybe my guys can identify it and find a way of eradicating it.”

“Yeah? Too many maybes.” Mitchell pulled away and headed for his wine. “I’ll be ruined. Everything I’ve worked for down the drain. I’ll lose everything. After I do, I’ll be without a job and crucified in the papers.”

“Wait a minute. You have other sites, a half dozen if I remember correctly.”

Snorting, he took a gulp of wine. “I do and three of them are drying up. Two are showing signs. I can’t run a multi-million-dollar business this way. Plus, my Board of Directors will force a takeover. They’ll have to. Christ. A solid half of them have been waiting to oust me as the CEO.”

“What do you mean? Why would they do that? You had no idea this was going to happen. You have the tests to prove you did due diligence before purchasing the Steele site.” While Dani was no expert on the methods of running a corporation, the man had to have an iron clad contract.

“There are aspects about the company you don’t know about.”

“Tell me.”

He shook his head before turning to face her. “I have other endeavors, ones that cost millions of dollars. I waged a gamble on the Steele site to purchase a building, a complex. I wagered a deal with investors in order to do so. The ugly news will force the Board’s hand. In order to save face, they will immediately find another CEO, forcing me to step down.”

She groaned. “Christ. Cut throat. Can you get out of the other purchase?’

“I can. The deal isn’t signed, but the promise was made. If I pull out, that will only fuel the fire. The press will be all over the situation. Shit, the damn police will come back, certain I had something to do with the demise of the company. The company’s stock is already dropping in light of the earlier concerns. Once confirmed, you can say goodbye to Rush Enterprises as we know it.”

Allowing the information to sink in, Dani sipped her wine and tried to find the right words. What could you say to a man who had his balls in a vice? “There has to be a way.”

“I don’t know what that is. Even if we are able to find a method to clean the wells, there’s a chance, at least according to the firm in Houston, that the others are also contaminated. That would mean millions of dollars spent to bring the Steele site back to any usable concept. Forget crude oil. I’d be lucky to be able to sell the shit for any kind of fuel. Fuck!”

“Mitchell, you’re not a quitter. We’ll find a way.”

“How? You don’t know enough to be able to give me advice. God knows I pay a pretty penny for a group of engineers that didn’t see the possibility coming.” Mitchell gulped the rest of his wine and poured another full glass.

“This just doesn’t add up. I swear to you, nothing is wrong with those wells.”

“We had independent tests, Dani. There is no way both sources could be wrong.”

“They could if someone paid them for altering the test results.”

Mitchell shot her a look, his expression conflicted. “True. The right amount of money does buy silence as well as men and women who have no issue looking the other way. It would take some planning.”

“I have no doubt about that. This could have been in the works for months.”

He nodded and closed his eyes. “Distinct possibility.”

Dani had a gut instinct she was right. Even Nash’s behavior had seemed odd, as if the man was hiding something. “Did you find out anything about Mr. Waters?”

“Nothing to indicate he’s behind this. Yes, he took a significant pay cut to stay on with us, but I don’t think he had a lot of other offers. Besides, it would take a hell of a lot of planning and knowing the right people to pull something like this off.”

“Then who could do this. There has to be someone. I don’t think the sons are involved from what I learned.”

“You do care.”

“I do. I don’t like seeing anyone getting the shaft, especially when you try and do so much for your employees.”

Mitchell closed his eyes. “I’ve scoured the roster of my employees, checked on my enemies and I’m even having a friend of mine check with spiritual advisors. I don’t know what more I can do.”

She remained quiet, allowing him to process his list. “Don’t tell anyone yet. Did you find out if anyone died?’

“Not yet. I should hear something this weekend.” He paced and gulped.

“Mitchell, who will be in charge if the Board or your investors force you to resign?”

Shrugging, he stopped and gave her a look. “My honest guess is they’ll bring in someone from the outside. Camden is next in line, but given we’re friends, I doubt the Board of Directors will allow him to take control.”

“Huh.” She swirled the wine, her thoughts rambling. “What will happen to you?”

“I honestly have no idea other than being pushed out. What little I’d have left in stock, there is no doubt they’d make a deal to buy me out.”

“You don’t have an exit package?”

He raised his eyebrows. “You do understand business. This is my company and I have certain stipulations if I’m forced out that will allow me to keep certain attributes, but if they aren’t worth anything, what does that matter?”

“You’ll have the house, your ranch.”

“True, but I leveraged both in an effort to purchase the new project. I would be spending close to four million dollars of my own money. The implied deal will be almost as difficult to get out of. Granted, I’m certain the sellers will race away, but then again, they may try and force my hand. I just don’t know.”

“Then sign the papers,” she suggested. She knew enough about tough business practices to realize he had to play hard ball.

“I think we need more wine for this conversation. What are you suggesting?”

“If you sign the papers, acquiring the new business, this will help your stock climb. Correct?”

Mitchell seemed to be thinking about her comment as he poured them both more wine. “True, but if I sign knowing that my business is going to fail, thereby not able to hand over the required dollars for the sale, then that’s fraud. Let alone the Board is on edge, no doubt searching for a way to oust me.”

“That won’t happen if you’re careful with the timing.” She gave him a heated look as he handed her the glass. “If someone is playing a game with you, as I suspect they are, you have to pretend like you don’t have a care in the world. Buy the company, go out to a fancy dinner, talk to the press. Make certain everyone believes you can get through this crisis unscathed. Your enemy will have no idea what to do and may show their hand.”

“Were you a poker player before you decided to become an engineer?”

Chuckling, she took a sip of wine. “No, but I understand evil, conniving men pretty damn well. Besides, I had a wonderful boss who just happened to be an entrepreneur and he taught me a thing or two about business. ‘Be careful but be bold.’ That was his motto.”

“I think I might like this guy.”

“He was an interesting man.”

“He was the reason you became successful as an engineer. Wasn’t he?”

She hadn’t thought about her brief love affair with the man in years or his training. Training. She laughed as she closed her eyes. “Let’s just say William was like a father figure in many ways to me. He encouraged. He taught. He nurtured. He disciplined.” She knew by his hesitation that he’d have additional questions later. When she looked into his eyes, she noticed nothing but increasing desire.

“Fascinating, just like the woman.” He held up his glass. “I’m so glad I have the opportunity of knowing the real you.”

“I’m complicated.”

“Aren’t we all? Tell you what. Let’s make a deal,” he said as he walked closer. “No more business tonight. Neither of us can do anything about the situation tonight or tomorrow. Let’s enjoy a nice dinner, a bottle or two of wine, and a conversation about anything else.” He grinned, his eyes shifting down from her neck to her polished toes. “Besides, you look good enough to eat.”

She wagged her finger, enjoying the playful side of the man, but there were too many ugly details sticking out in her mind. However, she wasn’t going to tell him about her concerns until she had the other results in her hands. No sense in either getting him upset or perhaps angry for no reason. “I would enjoy a lovely dinner. I’d love to see how and what you can cook.”

“If I haven’t burned everything,” he said as he laughed. “We might be ordering take out Chinese.”

She wasn’t certain she’d mind anything having to do with this man.

* * *

“Answer me a question.” Mitchell’s words were demanding.

“Okay,” Dani eased back in her chair, surprised she’d eaten as much as she had. The man was a consummate cook as well as all of his other talents.

“What do you enjoy about discipline and a commanding man?”

The question hung in the air. She lifted her wine glass, hiding behind the dense crystal as she tried to figure out how to answer him. “I enjoy knowing that a man cares for me enough that he wants to make certain I’m adored, loved in a way most men don’t understand. I’ve always gravitated toward powerful men; perhaps given the way my father was. That’s why I was attracted to my ex. He was demanding in all aspects of his life.”

“Then you follow the practices of domestic discipline?” He fingered his glass, his eyes remaining locked on her.

“I appreciate the lifestyle, although I know very little.” She thought about the radio show, the comments and questions.

“A man as the head of household, making the majority of decisions?”

“Yes, I understand. I think many powerful women long to live in a situation in which they feel comfortable letting go.” She wiggled in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation.

He exhaled and took a sip of wine. “I don’t mean to push any buttons or dig into your psyche. I was just curious.”

“And you?”

“That’s an interesting conversation. I think men are designed to be in charge.”

“Hunters and gatherers?”

Laughing, his eyes twinkled. “Exactly. When you find the right woman, someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, you should protect her at all costs, loving and nurturing no matter the situation or challenge you must face.”

“You’re talking from experience?”

“A little. I haven’t found the right woman, at least as of yet.”

The imploring way he was looking at her, even his body language was far too appealing. She looked away, fearing he’d see right through her. “I haven’t found the right one either.”

“But the man you mentioned before, William, introduced you to the lifestyle?”

She opened her eyes wide and nodded. “Yes. I had no clue what I was doing. I was his employee, hired right out of college. He was larger than life, fascinating and so intelligent. He was also dominating in every aspect of his life. He refused to take any misguided behavior from his friends or his employees. I found that out the hard way.”

“Let me guess, he called you into his office one day, closed the door and issued a spanking for bad behavior?”

Dani knew she was turning red. “He did. At first, I thought he was out of his mind. Then, after we spent time talking about the event, I knew that’s exactly what I craved in my life, a firm hand. We became lovers shortly after that. I adored him, hung on every word and he was a marvelous teacher.”

“Did you enjoy the discipline?”

“Very much so at first. I was at a crossroads in my life, raging against the machine. I had no personal discipline, no organizational skills. He was an excellent mentor and I became a much stronger woman. Then he became possessive, obsessive in a way I wasn’t used to. I was forced to call him Master William, becoming subservient to the point I no longer had a voice. He demanded everything to be his way from my attire to my perfume. I was suffocating.”

“So, you broke it off?” he asked as he leaned forward.

“I did.” She’d never forget the moment, the rainy day that she finally made her decision. “He was so angry, accusing me of sleeping with another man. The situation got very ugly. I even filed a restraining order.” Dani exhaled as she clenched her fist. She’d pushed the ugly memories as far back in her mind as possible.

Easing off the chair, he walked closer, holding out his hand. “All of us involved in the lifestyle aren’t like that. Submission of any kind is a rare and precious gift.”

The words were exactly what she needed to hear. She allowed him to intertwine his fingers with hers, pulling her into a standing position. “Mitchell, I don’t know where this is going.”

Pulling her into the heat of his body, he cupped the back of her head. “Let’s not worry about next week or next month. I want to enjoy the time we’re sharing without trying to place a label. Does that make sense?”

“Yes. I’m not certain I can be that girl any longer. What William did was squelch the woman inside. Every relationship after that was jaded. I was looking for the wrong kind of man and I found every asshole in the book. Just don’t push. Okay?”

“Fair enough.” Lowering his head, he pressed his lips against hers, the kiss intimate yet a gentle reminder he wasn’t going to hurt her in any way.

Dani wrapped her arm around his neck and closed her eyes, erasing the ugliness from the past. This was a chance at a new beginning, setting her free of her personal confines.

As the kiss became a passionate embrace, their tongues entwining, he eased his hand down, kneading her ass and lifting her off her feet.

His throbbing cock pushed against her groin, the sensation dazzling, driving her into a heated frenzy. She slid her leg around his as he swayed them back and forth, the friction driving her mad.

When he broke the kiss, he licked around her mouth, nipping her lower lip, then took a step back, breaking the connection. “Stay with me tonight.”

Hesitating, she knew if she did, this would change the course of their budding relationship, but she was only thinking about tonight. This was right. This was exactly where she wanted to be. “Mitchell, I want to stay with you, but...”

“Trust me. Please, just trust me.”

She hesitated, but in her heart, she knew what she wanted, perhaps for the first time in her life. “Yes. I’ll stay.”

* * *

“Wake up, sleepy head. The day is beautiful.”

Dani stretched and opened her eyes, smiling when she saw Mitchell’s twinkling eyes. “What time is it?”

“A little after nine. I thought we could have some breakfast,” Mitchell said as he eased down on the edge of the bed.

“Wow. I don’t normally sleep that long.”

He cocked his head and with a single finger, lowered the edge of the sheet down her chest, exposing her breasts. “Well,” he whispered as he circled her nipple. “We were a bit busy last night into the wee hours of the morning. I didn’t hear you complain.”

Moaning, she arched her back when he pinched her already hardened bud. “No. I wasn’t complaining about anything.” As a slice of pain rushed into her system, she realized she could wake up this way every day.

“I’m glad to hear it.” He traced a zigzag line over to her other nipple, pinching and twisting until she gasped. “I certainly didn’t want you to think I was a boring date.”

“Is that what we had?” Teasing, she slid the palm of her hand down his bare chest to his lap, flicking her finger up and down his groin. “I thought we were just fucking.”

“Such a naughty girl.” Leaning down, he palmed either side of her shoulders and licked the tip of her nose. “Remember what all bad girls receive, even in the morning.”

A single remembrance of her life before slithered into the back of her mind and she tensed. “I know.”

“Why don’t I pour us a cup of coffee?”

“Sounds delicious.” She waited until he’d left the room before slipping out of bed, smiling when she noticed her clothes strewn across the room. Her head was fuzzy from the amount of wine, but she remembered every detail about their conversation regarding discipline, submission and engaging in the lifestyle. She’d shared so much with the man, her fears and desires, her wants and needs. He’d listened patiently, never challenging or chastising. He seemed genuinely interested and hadn’t pushed.

As she slid into her clothes, she realized she was falling hard for the man. This wasn’t the best scenario for several reasons, but she had confidence they could work through the obstacles. Her thoughts drifted to the earlier conversation regarding business. Who in the hell was out to get the man and why? She thought back to her discussion with Garcia in El Paso. She’d scribbled his name and contact information down, promising not to call him unless she thought the situation was dire.

This was pretty damn dire. Whether or not Mitchell could place a positive spin on the Steele site was out of her control, but she knew the press wouldn’t be easily fooled. Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair as she walked into the bathroom, turning on the light. Her reflection told no lies. “You look freshly fucked.” Chuckling, she realized her purse remained in her car. Perfect. This was going to have to do.

The moment she opened the bedroom door, she heard a second male voice. Slinking against the wall, she debated waiting until his visitor left. Perhaps this was just a ranch hand, coming to ask questions about his day. Either way, she couldn’t stay locked in his bedroom forever. Besides, her car was parked smack in front of the house. She had work to do, including hounding her contact. They needed the full details prior to Monday morning.

Dani walked toward the kitchen, cringing the moment she inched into the doorway.

“Look, this can wait until tomorrow,” Mitchell said as he rubbed his eyes.

She knew he was angry by whatever Camden had said.

“There’s an emergency meeting tomorrow of the Board of Directors. We need to get our stories straight. I don’t plan on losing everything I’ve worked for and you shouldn’t use this company as bait. Your father built Rush from nothing. Ground zero. We came into the merger knowing there would be obstacles, but damn if this isn’t out of control,” Camden said, his tone full of discord. “Besides, I tried to call you last night.” His gaze shifted in her direction. “But I guess you were otherwise occupied.”

“Our stories?” Mitchell didn’t acknowledge her presence. He remained glaring at Camden. “This isn’t a game or a ruse for that matter. This is a company I’ve worked very hard for over the years to achieve success, my kind of success, not my father’s. He was running the corporation into the ground. The place would have gone bankrupt in a year if I hadn’t taken over, infusing capital and merging our collective ventures. He didn’t have the business savvy or the desire for that matter. He was too busy flying in the jet, spending time with hookers and thieves. I think I can handle myself tomorrow.”

“You mean ‘we’ don’t you? We worked very hard together over the years to make certain Rush could succeed. While the damn business might have your name on the door, I’ve been by your side the entire time. Or did you forget?”

“Damn it, Camden. Yes, we both worked hard. You have as much at stake as I do. I’m terrified of what’s going to happen, but I refuse to allow that to stop me from doing my job and I suggest you do yours.”

She held her breath as Camden’s face grew beet red.

“I don’t know you any longer. You play the part of CEO very well. That much I’ll give you,” Camden retorted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mitchell snapped.

“Gentlemen. This isn’t doing us any good. I suggest we all work together to try and figure out what is really going on,” Dani offered as she walked into the room.

“The new engineer. How enchanting. Tell me, Mitchell, what is really going on?” Camden asked, his eyes remaining locked on Mitchell.

Mitchell held out his arm as she advanced. “Cut her some slack. She’s only trying to help.”

“She knows nothing about this company or about the difficulties we’ve faced over the years. I don’t want this firm destroyed because of a single bad business decision.” Camden huffed and turned away.

Sucking in his breath, Mitchell gave her a half smile as he swaggered forward. “Camden. We’re not going to lose the company. That I can promise you.”

The tension was palpable.

“I’m scared, Mitch, really scared. I love what I do. I’ve enjoyed working by your side, starting from nothing to get where we are.” His voice strangled, Camden looked down.

“Stay with me, my friend. We’ll get through this. Be prepared with facts and figures about the other sites so we have ammunition. All the Board of Directors and our investors want is a profitable business. We have that. Okay?” Mitchell smiled as he patted Camden on the shoulder. “We’ve been through worse.”

“Yeah. I know we have.” Camden exhaled and tipped his head in her direction. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. I wouldn’t have come if I’d known you were here.”

“All thoughts to the contrary.” The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them.

“Dani,” Mitchell said under his breath.

Camden exhaled. “Dani is right.”

“Don’t worry. This is important. I need to leave soon anyway,” Dani said quietly as she studied both men. There were more secrets to tell. Whatever had occurred with Mitchell’s family was an ugly story to tell. The darling of Dallas had a damning past.

“No,” Camden said as he walked toward her. “I’m going to leave. Mitchell is right, we can deal with the crap tomorrow. Enjoy this beautiful day together.” Before anyone had a chance to stop him, he took long strides out of the kitchen.

“Whew.” Mitchell let out an exaggerated breath. “Everyone is tense. I can’t keep doing this. I can’t continue to fight when I don’t know the enemy.”

“You’re the one fighting here, but not the battle you should have. I don’t know what you’ve been through in your past or what hold your father continues to have over you, but you need to make your own decisions based on your needs and those of your employees.” She waited until she heard the front door closing before walking closer.

He rubbed his eyes. “You’re very wise but you don’t know the circumstances.”

“You’re right. I don’t. You can tell me or not tell me, but looking from the outside in, you’re a haunted man. If you don’t find solace with your personal demons, this threat is going to consume you, destroying everything you’ve ever loved. That, I can assure you.”

Exhaling, he glanced into her eyes, a knowing settling in. “You’re right. I need to take some time and figure out how to do that. I have far too many doubts.”

Dani stood quietly. “I’ve always had a shadow of doubt about almost every aspect of my life. Some would say that’s simply me being cautious. Others might call me foolish. Either way, my doubts have kept me from seeking everything I’ve ever desired.”

“What do you want out of life?”

The question had been shoved to the very forefront of her mind. Answering would mean she’d be forced to let go, of her past and of her internal demons – something she wasn’t prepared to do. “I’m still determining.”

Mitchell nodded, his eyes clouding over. “Take a single piece of advice. Don’t wait too long or life will simply pass you by.”

She thought about his words, so full of fear and anxiety. This wasn’t the time for soul searching. She wasn’t prepared. “Camden doesn’t know about this other business venture. Does he?”

“No. Maybe I shouldn’t have kept the decision a secret, but I didn’t think he’d understand.”

“Why? What are you hiding behind those big, beautiful eyes of yours?” She meant the question as a tease, but the moment his eyes flashed, she knew she was right.

Swallowing, he leaned over, kissing her forehead. “That’s for another discussion, my dear. Let’s have some coffee on the veranda.” He turned away, moving toward the cabinet.

Secrets and lies. No one had the capability of hiding from their wretched outcome forever.

* * *

Dani left just before noon, heading out into the bright sunshine.

“I’ll call you later,” Mitchell said after giving her a kiss.

“I’d like that.”

He glanced at his watch. “I have a phone call. Will you be all right getting out of here?”

“Of course. I’m learning Dallas quickly.” She brushed the side of his face and nodded. As he walked toward the house, she leaned against the car. Mitchell had his back against the wall and she now wondered whether whatever decision he was hiding would be exposed, and if so, would that ruin the man as well as the corporation? She made a mental note to find out what she could about his deceased father. What in God’s name had happened, placing such a rift in the family?

She scuffed her toe against the driveway and went over the facts once again. There were too many hanging details, far too many hands involved. When she got back to her place, she was going to pull out Garcia’s phone number. She’d bet on anything that the man had been too afraid to tell her the entire story. She’d get it out of him, one way or another.

Determined, she opened her car door and climbed inside. Reaching for her purse and phone, she was surprised she’d knocked the leather clutch onto the floor. She glanced into the rearview mirror as another red flag reared its ugly head. Was someone watching? Had they realized she’d taken another sample? If so, she had no doubt they’d stop at nothing to thwart the truth. After searching the contents of her purse and finding nothing missing, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her job was already getting to her. Whether or not there was some conspiracy wasn’t her concern. She simply needed to do her job to the best of her ability.

She pulled out of the driveway, continuing to monitor the road. There was almost no traffic. The nagging feeling remained. What was she missing?

Ten minutes later she pulled into a convenience store, purchasing water and gassing up. When she was finished, she smiled as she noticed the time. A little afternoon entertainment would be beneficial, if for no other reason than to get her mind off the next few days. She flipped on the radio, turning the dial until she found the correct station for the discipline show, her guilty little pleasure. After opening her water, she rolled out of the parking lot, enjoying the already lively conversation.

“Master Gregory, how do you convince a woman to become your slave?”

“Slave. I don’t like that word, although I realize there are many societies where the term is used in place of submissive. The simple answer is, you can’t convince her. Either she is willing to submit or she isn’t.” Master Gregory’s voice faded in and out given the bad reception.

“Ugh.” She increased the volume.

“We have another caller. Mindy, what can I answer for you?”

“Master Gregory, have you lived with many submissives and what was your experience like?”

“Well, Mindy, I have indeed had the good fortune of living with several submissives. Every relationship is completely different, of course, but I am lucky enough to say that I’ve enjoyed learning and training several women, molding them to become an enhanced version of themselves.”

Dani rolled her eyes. “Are you kidding me? Molding?” While his voice was soothing and seductive, she could tell he was such a player. The man knew his prowess over the airwaves and used his power and influence to find women. The only difference was these women enjoyed living the subservient life. Sighing, her original desire to meet the man had changed.

“My current submissive is bold and brash, very untrained but absolutely willing to do anything to learn. Intelligent women need guidance, as I’ve often said, but they also need to be the one to open their own Pandora’s Box. My submissive is almost at that point. She’s open minded and I adore her spunk, even though she needs strict discipline,” Master Gregory continued.

Arrogance. The man had a hell of a lot. The poor girl probably had no idea he was touting her need for punishment on the airwaves. What a jerk.

“Remember that the lifestyle is about trust and love. Love can come in varying forms, but my belief is that sharing a D/s or DD lifestyle is one of the utmost love two people can have. When the master has the absolute control, anything is possible.”

She wondered if the man was even a Dom or Master. He did manage to say all the right words, no doubt the very reason for his popularity. This is exactly the kind of man you desire. She rolled her eyes, shouting at her inner voice silently. Even if she had the opportunity to meet the man, she guessed he was a toad hiding behind the microphone.

Groaning, her thoughts were interrupted by her cell ringing. She rolled her eyes before grabbing the phone.

“This is Dani.”

“Hey, Dani. This is Mike Trevors from Tech Touch labs in Baltimore. I’m sorry for calling you on a Sunday, but I understand the test results are very important to you.”

Fearful of losing the call, she pulled over on the side of the two-lane road. “You’re absolutely correct. Please tell me this is good news.” Please. Dear God, please.

“Well, interesting news anyway.”

“Now, you have me intrigued.”

“First of all, this is very unusual. Secondly, you have several issues on your hands,” Mike began.

“Fuck!” After the call ended, she sat quietly in her seat mulling over the results. This was interesting to say the least. She cradled the phone, staring at the screen then placed a call to her boss.

When Mitchell didn’t pick up after the fifth ring, she tossed the phone. This was absolute proof that someone was out to get Mitchell. Over her dead ass body. This was definitely not information she wanted to leave on a voice mail. Moments later she pulled out onto the road, the radio show continuing.

Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day.