Unconditional (Masters and Mercenaries #5.5)(22)

“And we’re talking about Keith?”

She grabbed all of her patience. “Yes, we’re talking about Keith, and I know exactly who he is to you. He’s the man Ryan turned you over to when he decided to become Dom Douchebag. He’s also the Keith who made sure you got home. He’s the Keith who would never have touched you because you were his friend’s. So I am talking about that Keith. I’m also talking about the Keith who has been very patient with me, who walks me to my car every night and then makes me call him to be sure I made it home all right. He’s the same Keith who nearly spanked me when he realized I had that light thingee on in my car and have had it for a good six months because I haven’t had the money to change the oil. So guess who met me before my psych class and took my car down and got it completely maintenanced? Yes, Keith again.”

She didn’t like to be reminded that Jillian had once been given the choice of belonging to Ashley’s Dom.

“Oh, shit. You’re already falling for him.”

“No,” she lied. “I like him a lot.” Outside of taking care of her car, he didn’t seem to want to see her in the real world. Or he could just be very busy. He worked a lot. “I’m taking our contract seriously. We’re just playing together. I’m trying to see what a relationship like this would feel like. I can watch you and Ryan all day, but I wouldn’t know what it really meant to be involved in a D/s relationship. So far, it’s been very helpful to me.”

It involved far more than sex. It was an exchange of responsibilities and she wanted more. More responsibility. More connection to the man who was rapidly changing her life.

Jill reached out and touched her knee, her face softening the way it used to. She might not have had a great mother, but she’d been blessed with the best sister anyone could have. “All right. I’ll deal with Ryan because if you think he’s just going to back off, you don’t know him well yet. And I’ll give you some tips on how to get Keith to give you what you want. And Ash, if he breaks your heart, I’ll be here for that, too, honey.”

She held her sister’s hand. She might be finding a new family among the people at Sanctum, but she was so grateful for the one she’d always had.



Three hours later, she looked into her rearview mirror as she pulled out of the parking lot of the school. Her test scores had come back and hallelujah, she was going to pull an A in her hardest class thanks to Master Keith’s new discipline program. Her studying prior to the threat of spanking had lacked a certain intensity. She’d allowed everything to disrupt her concentration.

Because she’d placed herself last. She understood that now. A tiny part of her still rebelled. She’d been taught to put her own needs last, but this wasn’t just for her. Getting through college would make a better life for Em.

It wasn’t the spanking that really spurred her, either. It was disappointing Keith.

Her cell trilled and she pushed the button that brought the signal through the car speakers. Her brother-in-law had installed the system himself so she wouldn’t try to drive while holding a phone.

She had to admit it was kind of nice to have people who looked out for her. “Hello, Sir.”

There was a deep chuckle that came over the line. It did crazy things to her girl parts. “Hello, my sweet little sub. How did your test come out?”

Keith didn’t forget things. He remembered damn near everything she ever told him and asked about the details later. It made her feel special, like someone was really interested in her. She pulled to the stop sign in front of her feeling a smile on her face. “I made a ninety-six.”

“Oh, Ashley, I’m very proud of you. I told you you could do it if you concentrated.”

It was stupid to get so glowy over a man who was basically serving as a really pervy mentor, but she didn’t even try to stop. No teacher she’d ever had before looked like Keith. And none had ever been so good at oral. She giggled, feeling younger than she had in forever. “Does that mean I get a treat?”

She turned down the street that would take her to the highway.

“I do remember I promised you something sweet.”

She glanced in the rearview mirror. Worry hit her again. There it was. A black SUV had been following her for days. Not that there weren’t plenty of black SUVs in Dallas. There were tons, but this one had a small dent in the front bumper. At first she’d thought it was just another student, but she didn’t see a student or faculty parking sticker in the front window. And then she’d seen the same car at the grocery store and Emily’s day care.

“You don’t want something sweet? Perhaps you would prefer something with a little bite.”

She forced herself back to the conversation at hand. “Actually, I’d like to talk to you about that.”

She pulled into the nearest parking lot. Maybe she was just seeing things. The SUV drove right by.

“I’m listening.”

“I want to do the stuff you do to me to you.” God, that sounded dorky.

There was a long pause on the line. “I do a lot of things to you, pet. Several of them are going to be completely off the table. Subs don’t spank Doms. It would ruin my reputation.”

“I wasn’t talking about spanking. I was talking about the other stuff.”

“Other stuff?”