Submission Under the Mistletoe (5 page)

Mike chuckled. “No. Nothing like that. We normally
open up our play room upstairs for any guests that would like to
use it with their subs during the evening or for a demonstration,
but we’ve already let our friends know that will not be the
case.”

“
Okay. That’s good, I don’t think
Brian would be able to handle all of that.” Brad continued his job
as he asked, “So, anyone that I met the night before
coming?”

Mike pulled some lawn hooks out of his tool belt and
began securing the figures to the grass. “Uh, don’t think so. I
don’t recall any of them being there when we went the last time.
You might recall me talking about a guy name Ridge Nicholaus when
we were in college.”

Brad thought for a moment. “You all did an intern
with him one summer?”

“
That’s the one.”

“
Does he know about your
lifestyle?”

Giving him a wide smile, Mike said, “Master Steel’s
in the community too. He’ll bring wife/sub Swan. No, I didn’t get
him into it. He was already starting to flex his whip by the time
we met.”

“
Got it.”

“
Master Ursus.”

Brad watched his sister walk out from the door that
led to the mudroom in the house and move through the garage.

Mike stood up from what he was doing and waited.
When Alesha got before him she dropped to her knees with a graceful
skill. Keeping her head bowed she stayed that way until Mike
acknowledge her.

“
Yes, Butterfly.”

Tilting her head back, she gazed at the big man
before her with such love and trust that Brad almost felt as if he
were invading on their privacy. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen
his sister in such a position, when they were at their house she
did it often. When they were in the family room, Alesha usually
chose to sit on a pillow between both of her Doms at the feet.

However, now he felt like he was seeing it with a
different set of eyes.

“
May I have permission to leave
now and take the cookies to the homeless shelters downtown,
Sir?”

Holding his hand out to her, he waited until she
slipped her hand in his then Mike aided her to her feet. “Yes,
please be safe. Do you want me or Master Mustang to go with
you?”

“
No, Sir. I was planning to take
one of my brothers with me so I could spend time with
them.”

Cupping her face, he kissed her. Leaning away, Mike
said, “Good idea. I love you.”

She smiled and reached up to caress Mikes lips. “I
love you, too.”

“
Take care of my baby.”

“
You know I will.” Alesha winked
at him.

“
You may take your leave to speak
with Mustang.” Mike gave her another kiss on the cheek before he
released her.

Alesha moved to Josh and performed the same respect.
However, she didn’t ask permission she informed him that Mike had
given her permission to leave. Josh, helped her up, kissed her and
gave her the same loving profession and order to care for his
baby.

It amazed Brad how comfortable both men were with
not knowing which one of them had actually fathered the child
Alesha carried. They both acted like expectant fathers and believed
the baby belonged to all three of them.

Brad also did not miss that Brian kept his head
down, changing out bulbs and appeared uncomfortable by the Dom/sub
display of their sister and her men.

“
Come help me with the cookie
boxes.” Mike called out as he headed back into the
house.

Jogging behind his friend, Brad reminded himself
that the Dominant and submissive relationship did not entail his
sister doing a bunch of manual labor while the men sat around—it
was built on respect. Even before Alesha was pregnant the men
around her did the same duties that other boyfriends and spouses
did, they moved heavy objects and took out the trash and helped her
do the dishes after meals. Thankfully, it didn’t appear that his
sister was anyone’s servant.

He and Mike got the boxes loaded into the back seat
of the sedan.

“
Brad you don’t mind coming with
me do you? Brian is neck deep in the lights already.” Alesha’s dark
brown eyes were filled with joy and something else he could not
place his finger on.

chapter four

“
Not at all.” Brad caught the keys
his sister tossed at him.

Mike escorted her around to the passenger side and
helped her in. “Take your time. I’ll call in an order at Picasso’s
if you and Brad can pick it up on the way home.”

“
Yes, Sir, we will,” Alesha
confirmed.

Mike kissed her one last time then backed away as
Brad put the car in drive and pulled off.

Brad pulled onto the interstate three miles down
from the house when his sister began questioning him.

“
So, how are you enjoying your
vacation?”

Glancing from the road to her briefly, he said,
“Good. Seeing that my baby sister is still happy makes this holiday
great. You are happy, right?”

“
Completely. As you see my men
take care of me very well. The business is growing and now we have
this little girl on the way.” She rubbed her stomach.

“
You know it’s a girl?”

She shook her head. “Not by a doctor’s report, the
men want to be surprised, but I feel like it’s a girl.”

“
Well, you’re carrying her, I
guess you should know.” After years of being a physician’s
assistant, he never doubted a woman’s intuition. Outside of his
profession, he was so out of his realm in this conversation, he’d
never even had a girl friend pregnant before.

“
That’s right.”

Alesha directed him to the exit to the men’s shelter
and they chatted about what she’d gotten the men for Christmas.

The shelter was not in the nicest of areas and Brad
was happy he’d traveled with his sister. “Please, tell me you don’t
come out here alone.”

“
Absolutely not. My men would have
a fit. Even though most of the people in the shelter are down on
their luck, there are a few of them who are drug users and can get
pretty desperate at times.”

Brad took out one of the boxes and followed his
sister into the back door of the shelter into the kitchen.

The older gentleman that ran the kitchen was happy
to see Alesha and get her cookies. She introduced Mr. Jones to him
and he shook hands with the man that had nothing but praise about
Alesha.

Soon he and his sister were back in the car and
headed three streets over to the women’s shelter. That place
appeared less threatening to his sisters safety as the men’s
shelter, but he still cautioned her about being their without an
escort.

Inside they received the same reception from the
kitchen head, Ms. Carlson, as they’d gotten blocks away. The only
difference was that Alesha promised to be back at the beginning of
the year to do a baking session with some of the ladies and help
organize the clothing closet.

“
Where to now?” Brad drove away
from the building.

“
Back onto the interstate headed
south and get off on the third exit.”

Brad followed his sister’s direction and soon they
pulled up before an antique gold building with the window mirrored
so no one could see inside. The sign above it read Leathered
Dragonz. Feeling a sense of foreboding, he got out of the car and
rounded it to open the door for his sister.

“
Where are we, Alesha?”

“
Leathered Dragonz.” She gave him
a cheeky smile as she moved toward the door.

“
You know what I mean.” He
clenched his jaw. Little sisters could be so
exasperating.

“
Come in, I ordered my Master’s a
customized Wabbit Whacker.”

“
What in the hell is a—” His
speech feel away as they entered the shop and he saw all the
leather whips, paddles, cuffs and a lot of other things he couldn’t
name. One thing he was sure of was that all the items in the place
were used for people in the BDSM community.

“
Butterfly!” A tall white man
wearing a red and white stripped leather cowboy hat came from
around the counter and greeted Alesha.

“
Dom K, it is great to see you.”
Alesha gave the man a hug. “You were not here when I placed my
order.”

Ending the hug, the man stepped back some. “Sorry.
My father was ill and I went home for a few days to see about
him.”

“
Hope he is better,” Alesha
commented.

“
Much. So, who’s this guy with
you? I hope your Masters know about him.”

Alesha laughed. “They do. This is one of my
brothers. Brad this is Dom K, the greatest leather equipment maker
in North Carolina.”

“
And South Carolina.” The man
added as he held his hand out to him.

“
Nice to meet you.” Brad received
the man’s firm grasp. “You do all this?”

“
Most of it. I have a staff of
three that are a great help. However, I handle all the custom-made
items.” Dom K grinned with pride as he turned to the thin man
standing behind the counter. “Dancer, get me the black and gold box
on my work desk.”

Brad watched as the man gave a small bow and hustled
away through the thick black curtains behind the counter.

“
So, how long have you been into
making BDSM equipment?”

“
Well, really I’m in the Leather
Community, but for the most part there’s enough crossover that I
can dip in both worlds.”

“
My brother is vanilla. Masters
and I took him to Strong Blends a few nights ago and I think it may
have been a bit much for him.” Leaning closer to the man Alesha
gave a stage whisper. “He lost his shirt.”

A loud uproarious laughter belted out of the shop
owners mouth. “You don’t say. Hmm, interested, I would have liked
to see that.” Dom K looked him from head to toe.

Brad lived to close to DC not to
understand when a man was giving him the eye. “I’m a
straight
vanilla
.”

Dom K shrugged. “Everyone is, big man, until
something inside of them yearns for something more. So, if you ever
decided you want to learn some things…I’m an excellent leather
handler trainer as well.”

Brad frowned, not sure what the man was
implying.

Alesha hid her laugh behind her hand. “He means he
shows people how to use the equipment he makes. It wasn’t an offer
for anything else, Brad.”

“
Speak for yourself.” Dom K got
the box from his assistant and opened it. “What do you think,
Butterfly?”

Reaching into the long box, Alesha removed the item.
To Brad it looked like some kind of long fur covered paddle with a
leather handle. Shockingly enough the fur was dyed bright pink.

“
Oh, Dom K, it looks great. Is
that our initials in the base?” Alesha stared at the round knob at
the end of the handle. “MBU.”

“
Mustang, Butterfly and Ursus. I
thought you would like that touch.” Dom winked at her.

“
I do,” Alesha confirmed as she
stroked the fur.

“
If you said it was for your
Masters, why is it pink?” Brad asked.

“
Because it’s for them to use on
me. I like pink.”

Brad shook his head. “I guess.” Frowning, he asked.
“Will you even fill it with all that fur?”

“
Don’t let the covering fool you.
If a Master knows how to wield it well enough, the sub feels is
just fine, but it will not leave any marks.”

“
Can you have it wrapped up for
me? I don’t want Masters snooping around when I get home, they are
like to big kids at Christmas.”

“
Sure thing. Blitzen!” Dom K
bellowed.

This time a short black man came out of the curtain.
Dom K handed him the box and gave him instructions for it.

“
Are your workers named after
Santa’s reindeer?” Brad asked as the short man walked
away.

“
Yes. It’s my holiday fun.” The
Dom moved through the aisles and signaled Brad to follow. “While we
have a few minutes, let me show you some of the items and explain
what they are for.”

Unable to deny his interest, Brad went with the man
from one stand to another as the older gentleman not only explained
what things were, but also the craftsmanship that went into it.

Brad was easily taken in by the man’s expertise and
enthusiasm for his work.

Fifteen minutes later, Brad was once again in the
car with his sister and on their way to the restaurant to pick up
dinner.

“
When do you plan to tell me why
you went back to the dungeon today?” Alesha shifted in her
passenger seat so that she was facing him more.

With one hand on the steering wheel and leaning
against the door, Brad attempted to give himself a little space
from his sister and her prying. The conversation he had been
dreading since Brian had mentioned where they went was finally
here. Evidently, Alesha had held her tongue for Brian’s sake, and
had orchestrated him to go on the outing with her so that she could
bring it up and he’d have no way of escape.

“
We didn’t go to the dungeon we
went to the coffee shop.”

“
Semantics.” She poked him. “You
know what I meant. So, what gives?”

“
I thought you gave up being nosey
when we were kids.”