Servicing the Target (Masters of the Shadowlands #10)(107)

No one knew she’d be here. Well, aside from Joey. Come to think of it, at one time, he’d been the token male submissive in the Shadowkittens. “Joey called you,” Anne said flatly.

The three exchanged glances, silently electing Jessica as spokesperson.

“Everyone was worried when you disappeared.” As the gusting wind whipped at her clothes, Jessica perched on a chair, her hair gathered in one hand.

Kim said, “Raoul and Cullen are really upset with themselves. Cullen says he stuck his foot in his mouth. Again. He’s trying to think of ways to apologize.”

“No apology necessary.” Anne felt the pang of loss as she added, “I’m not liable to see them anyway.”

“No!” Uzuri pushed past Kim, and suddenly Anne had a submissive kneeling at her feet. “Please, Ma’am, don’t let a quarrel change your life for the worse.”

The memory of Ben kneeling…right there…stabbed into her heart.

“It’s more than a quarrel.” She’d thought she’d moved beyond their betrayal, but…it still hurt. “They thought I was dishonest and cheating on Ben.”

“Anne.” Kim’s soft voice held the sweet stubbornness that Raoul adored. “They were just guys rallying to defend their bro. We women do it all the time. And Raoul realized even before you walked away that Ben wasn’t the only person in your relationship who was hurting.”

Anne blinked. Replayed the conversation. Yes, Cullen had been protective of Ben. And they hadn’t heard any of what she and Joey had said, had just seen her with him, and how Ben had stormed away. They’d jumped to conclusions.

Stupid, true, but hey, males, right? Apparently, they’d bought into the cold-hearted Mistress image she’d created.

The ugly coil of pain in her chest unwound. “They rallied, and I lost my temper.” She helped Uzuri back to her feet.

“Actually, I thought you held it together pretty well,” Jessica said and settled further into the chair as Kim took the one beside her. “I’d say you had just about the worst evening known to womankind. Your job, your family, and then the club.”

True. Anne observed them for a moment. “How do you know about my evening?”

“Oh, girl.” Uzuri sat on the swing. “The Shadowlands is even gossipier than the little town where I grew up. Your brother talked with Ben, who talked with Z who told him what Cullen and Raoul had said.”

“I called Joey,” Kim said, “and he added in the rest.”

Travis had told Ben what had happened? Head spinning, Anne held up her hand. “I got the picture.”

“Ben’s worried about you,” Jessica said.

Would it matter? He cared about people. Just because he’d broken it off with her wouldn’t make him stop caring.

Someone should let him know she was fine. Kind of fine. “Did someone inform him that I was home and all right?”

“No. We wanted to talk with you first.” Jessica gave her a soft smile. “You might be a Mistress, but you’re also in our gang. And a woman needs her posse around her when things go bad.”

Jessica’s affection lapped over and into the empty recesses of Anne’s heart. She had good friends. A look at the other two women showed they felt the same, even before Jessica added, “Everyone wanted to come, but we were afraid you’d feel invaded.”

“When Sally lost out, boy, you should have heard the swearing. And Olivia said she’s going to beat our asses at the club for not letting her come.” Kim’s lips tilted up. “See how much we love you?”

And here she’d been feeling bereft. “Thank you. Thank you all.”

“Right. So—do you have a blender?” Uzuri picked up the brown grocery sack at her feet. “We can’t share disastrous relationship stories without alcohol.”

They’d have to do the drinking for her, but okay. Laughing, Anne rose and led the way inside.





Watching the black clouds cover the sky, Ben pulled his phone out of his rear pocket and answered without checking the display. “Yo.”

“Ben? Travis.”

Ben froze. “News?”

“Yeah. Lights are on at her place.”

“Did you stop by?” Ben asked.

“No, Harrison’s wife noticed and called me. Dad and I are in Tampa and heading there now, so if you want to see her before us, this is your chance.”

Ben smiled. Good man. “Copy that. Thanks.”

“No thanks needed. Just be aware that if you don’t make her happy, I’ll break your neck.”

If he f*cked this up, he’d welcome an early demise.





As Uzuri concocted daiquiris with the fresh strawberries she’d brought, Anne took charge of adding rum to each drink.

A salt-laden, wet wind gusted through the screen of the open deck door to announce the storm’s arrival. A minute later, rain pattered on her deck and grew into a noisy drumming. “You got here just in time,” Anne raised her voice to be heard. “It’s turning into a mess out there.”

Kim wrinkled her nose. “No driving in that until it calms down a bit.” She accepted her glass.

No driving, period. Smiling, Anne handed over the other two rum-heavy drinks. If her friends tried to get behind a wheel after they’d been drinking, they discover what a hardass Domme she really was.