He came back to her and tipped up her chin to kiss her lips and graze her hair away from her cheeks. ‘You think about my dick, babygirl. Just keep thinking about it, about how bad you want it rammed up inside that snatch I put my brand on. You think of that and nothing else, you’ll do just fine.’

He kissed her again then left, still wearing that smug smile on his face. But she couldn’t be angry. The distraction would be enough to make her forget her concern about what Dax was walking into, at least for a while. But if he thought she was going to sit here in this state and delay her own gratification then he was mistaken.

The front door banged shut and she closed her eyes, thinking of exactly what he’d told her to. Then when she was panting and ready to explore she left the closet and went into the shower. Dax hadn’t told her to wait for him and pleasuring herself now didn’t mean she wouldn’t be up for some collaborative fun when he got back. She needed the distraction, she just wished that he was here to deliver it to her in person.

Dax tried to focus on the image of his wife undone, hanging on that shelving unit like she might melt to the floor if she even considered taking her own weight. But he couldn’t think about that bliss forever, he needed to get his game face on. Talking to Maurice was going to be tough and he hoped they’d talk alone instead of with Brad or Bruno present. No matter how it worked out, the time was here. Now he had to confess all because there was no going back.

Trystan couldn’t marry Ivy because she was already married. But Dax knew that Trystan wouldn’t take kindly to that news, not at all. It would be better if the brat was still an ocean away, in Europe, because then Dax could deal with one problem at a time. But Trystan would be back today and if he didn’t know already that his apparent bride was AWOL then he would very soon.

Dax didn’t fear Trystan and he would bet that the squirt wouldn’t take the chance of raising his fists to him. Everyone in their circles knew about Dax’s hobby, and how long he’d been doing it. If Trystan wanted to challenge him to a dual then Dax would accept, that would be one fight he might just let his female tag along to.

Usually he went everywhere on his motorcycle, so driving up to the mansion was a novelty in itself. But as he pulled up close to the back entrance he knew that he’d have to get used to using the car now that he had Ivy in permanent tow.

Marrying her had been the only thing that made sense to him and the minute he’d had the idea, nothing would have deterred him from following through. What he’d said to her about there being no tradition, or white picket-fence in their future was true, but he knew that Ivy wasn’t interested in that. Yes, things were going to be bumpy but they would find their rhythm, as long as he could get Mauri to accept the situation, if he didn’t… Dax had no idea what would come next.

No one stopped him from entering the mansion, though he only saw newer members of staff and none of them would be privy to the inner secrets of the family, and what had happened with Ivy would definitely be classified as a secret.

Heading straight for Mauri’s office, Dax knew better than to seek out Trystan. The guy was too highly strung to see reason and while Dax had to apologise for what had happened he would never regret it. Bruno was the only one in Mauri’s office when Dax entered. He paused and the two of them just stared at each other.

‘You’re some dumb prick, you know that?’ Bruno said eventually, swinging out of his seat at the side of Mauri’s unoccupied desk. ‘You let her go free, didn’t you? Sent her off somewhere to—‘

‘I know where she is,’ Dax said. ‘I came in to talk to Mauri.’

‘I’ll bet you did, but I gotta tell you. He’s not a happy guy. For you to shit on this family after all they’ve done for you. You’re one ungrateful fuck—‘

‘I didn’t shit on no one. You don’t know what the fuck went on.’

‘The hell I don’t,’ Bruno said, raising his voice and storming in closer. ‘I was there, every damn day in that house. You were supposed to be whipping her into shape and you let yourself get led around by your cock. You’re a fucking pussy, I knew it the minute I saw you, dumb squirt of a little kid. I knew you’d cause trouble, knew you weren’t worth nothing. I told Mauri, told him to leave you, that’s what we should’ve done.’

‘You hid your contempt so well,’ Dax retorted, subtly widening his stance to absorb any blow the other man might deliver. Getting into a full-blown fight, here in Mauri’s office, wouldn’t be smart. If Bruno lashed out, the only option Dax had was to take the hit then get Bruno down, on his back, to pin him until he calmed down.

Because he was in the wrong Dax would let Bruno vent his anger, but he wouldn’t let the guy act as though he was some kind of saint. Dax wasn’t fool enough to believe that he, himself, was at his best right now, Ivy might have been right in ordering him to bed though something else was on her mind when she said it.

‘You’ve fucked this up royally, that fucking bitch is going to pay for causing this shit—‘

The crimson rage didn’t register, Dax just acted, he got Bruno by the throat, across the room, and bent backwards over the desk before the cunt knew he’d spoken out of turn. They’d moved halfway across the room and the impotent bastard was trying to kick out while clawing at Dax’s wrist. The red over Dax’s vision remained in place and he couldn’t bring himself to loosen his grip.

‘You don’t ever speak of her that way. You show my wife some respect or respect is the last thing I’ll show you.’

He hadn’t meant to declare his union with Ivy in quite that way, but the minute he did Bruno’s eyes got wider and he relaxed, not in a battle with consciousness but in deference to disbelief.

The back door of the office opened and Brad came in, Dax released Bruno and backed away. Bruno coughed and rubbed his neck making Brad immediately aware of Dax’s erratic behaviour, but Brad wouldn’t be bothered about something like that. Around here men had to be able to handle themselves and they handled things as Mauri believed men should.

At least the others did, few challenged Dax anymore. After fighting his way through most of his teens he’d taught the staff children how to defend themselves and that was something that had carried right on through to the ranks of Mauri’s workers. Everyone knew that Dax could handle himself and that he trained most days, so the chances of anyone else winning a fight against Dax were zero.

‘Dad’s on his way,’ Brad said, remaining by the open door with his hands in his pockets. ‘Where is she?’

‘That doesn’t matter,’ Dax said.

Brad had always been hard to read and Dax hated that about him. Sometimes Brad could surprise an enemy by showing them mercy, or he could shock a friend by turning on them. That kind of erratic behaviour left a person unsure where they stood, which was exactly what Brad wanted.

‘He married her! He fucking married her!’ Bruno declared marching past Dax toward Brad.

A stunned look of incredulity flashed on Brad’s face and his focus moved back to Dax. ‘Did you?’

Dax nodded once because he wasn’t going to lie. He came here to tell Mauri the truth, which meant everyone in their circle would know it by the end of the day.

Ivy’s declaration that his intention was to apologise to Mauri for falling in love with her stung him deep. She wasn’t the type to be easily hurt or to wilt for the purposes of drama, so the idea that she could think he was ashamed of loving her… Except he could understand exactly how she got that idea, she got it from him. From the way that he had acted toward her and his feelings for her. It wasn’t a bombshell that she believed he was ashamed of her… of them.

‘Yeah, I did,’ Dax said, giving voice to the truth while looking Brad in the eye.