Treats for Lucia

 

Prologue

“I can’t believe you brought me here, Serena. And for a pagan celebration, no less.”

Serena rolled her eyes. Of all the people with whom she could have shared her favorite holiday, Gabriel didn’t make the top hundred. Lucifer would have been a much better escort for Saints and Sinners’ annual Halloween Masquerade, but he wasn’t talking to her at the moment.

One of these days, he’d figure out not everyone would kneel to him just because he was the devil. Although he was an excellent conversationalist and his naughty smiles made her lady bits flutter, it would be a cold day in…well, Hell before she bent a knee for an arrogant fallen angel with a superiority complex.

“Lighten up. It’s a party,” she finally said. “I told you I’d be taking guardianship of Lucia. You’re the one who decided to come along to make sure I did it right.”

As if she hadn’t been a guardian of sorts for most of her adult life. Asshole.

Straightening his robe, Gabriel snorted and averted his gaze from a young lady trussed in a suspension harness. Her blissed-out expression made Serena smile. Irritating archangel in tow, she made her way across the dungeon to the dais where Lucia reigned over the celebration.

Sparkling with crystals, a Venetian mask covered Lucia’s gorgeous eyes, and her red-painted lips were flat and unsmiling. Her white leather corset dress was the perfect adornment for her lush figure, and curly sable hair trailed in spirals to her waist. On her graceful feet, she wore the black Louboutin stilettos Serena had given her for their last Christmas together.

“Still so beautiful,” she murmured. “You shouldn’t be sad anymore, baby doll.”

“Come to a decision and pick someone for her,” Gabriel snapped. “This is a den of iniquity, and if the other angels hear I came to this place—”

“Hush and open your eyes. Do you see people hurting each other? Are they unkind? Are they committing cardinal sins?”

“They’re all hurting each other. That man is whipping another.”

“And he loves every minute of it.” Serena focused on Ryan Sarver, one of her toys from before, and pursed her lips in thought. He and his best friend Mitchell Sakurai usually played together, but Mitchell was in California on fire watch. An itch of premonition tickled the base of her spine, and she made a note to check on him. For now, Lucia needed her attention.

Still busy with his sub, Ryan’s mask and jacket laid on a bench off to the side and his tie hung loosely around his neck. His dark hair was disheveled, making him look like a very sexy rogue. The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up to reveal thick forearms, corded with exertion as he stroked the man with a single-tail whip. Serena nodded in approval. He’d been practicing.

Le sigh. Her baby boy was all grown up and doing demo scenes of his own. If she hadn’t kicked off this mortal coil so abruptly, she could have watched Ryan and Mitchell both find submissives. They reminded her so much of Kaden and Tennyson, both of whom were rusticating in Vermont with their new wives. Tennyson was even a father to two of the most adorable baby girls now.

“This place is filled with drugs and alcohol,” Gabriel retorted, interrupting her reverie. “Look at that woman. She can barely walk.”

Bullshit. No intoxicating substances of any kind were permitted in Saints and Sinners. Just having it in the building was enough for a member to earn a lifetime ban. Narrowing her eyes, Serena followed Gabriel’s accusing finger, then relaxed.

“The lucky girl is floating through subspace. She’ll be…” The woman’s dom wrapped her trembling body in a blanket and carried her to a couch. A club submissive brought water and a tray of snacks, then hurried away, leaving them alone. “She’ll be perfectly fine.”

“Sounds dangerous,” Gabriel muttered. “She’s on something.”

“Just the endorphins your god gave her to make her feel good. Stop being such a judgmental ass and look at them.”

Thankfully, he lapsed into a huffy silence and obeyed, his eyes turning thoughtful when the dom hummed a soft lullaby to his drowsy lady. She didn’t have long to wait for the inevitable questions.

“Why is he coddling her after she displeased him?”

Gabriel truly didn’t get it and Serena wondered why she cared. “What makes you think she did something wrong?”

“Well, he beat her with a leather strap. It must have been punishment.”

“Or maybe it’s part of their dynamic and something they both enjoy,” she countered.

“How do you know?”

“Because I introduced them to each other.” Serena went silent for a moment, then added, “Now, be quiet. I’m working.”

After spending several months studying past guardians, she had a decent grasp of what would be required of her. Keep her charges safe and help them find true love. Much to Gabriel’s disgust, she focused her attention on Edith Barber, the guardian angel who had brought Tennyson and Chelsea together. Edith had a certain savoir vivre she admired—especially since it annoyed Gabriel.

Edith thrived on serendipity and chaos. If two people were in close proximity, she could tell whether they’d suit each other and didn’t waste her time if there wasn’t chemistry.

Serena took another look at Ryan. She might not have Edith’s magic, but she wasn’t blind. Her former toy wasn’t hanging around for his health. Judging by the way his gaze kept returning to Lucia, he was there for her.

That meant her work was done. Serena rubbed her hands together and smirked. Even if Lucia wasn’t quite ready to embrace the idea of finding a partner, she should have happiness. It was no stretch to imagine her with Ryan, and they’d played together under Serena’s guidance in the past. Lucia was always a baby dom’s first. She was sufficiently dominant to make sure they got it right, but was submissive enough to melt even the most dedicated sadist.

Of all the people Serena could have chosen, Ryan would be the best fit for her sad baby doll. He had the right mix of qualities to be just what she needed—as long as Lucia unbent enough to let him.

In fact, he would probably be better at it than Serena had been.

Ignoring Gabriel’s squawks of disapproval, she crossed the dungeon to the dais and resisted the urge to lay a hand on Lucia’s shoulder. She rarely bothered to follow rules unless they were her own, but touch was strictly forbidden. It would make her visible to the human she was assigned to protect. No good would come of that foolishness.

Picking up her glass, Lucia took a deep drink of what looked like cranberry juice over ice. Yet it was pale and watery as if… Creeping closer, Serena inhaled the sharp bite of vodka. Disappointment warred with sadness and she sighed softly. Lucia knew better than to drink in Saints and Sinners. Even a founding member, as Lucia was, wasn’t above the rules. What was she thinking? Thank goodness she wasn’t actually playing tonight. At least she had enough sense to stay seated.

“Oh, baby doll, you’re in for it now,” Serena murmured, waving a hand to switch Lucia’s glass with Ryan’s water. Affecting inanimate objects with angelic power was well within her abilities.

Without looking, he picked it up and took a drink, then put a hand over his mouth and coughed. His eyes narrowing, he turned to face Lucia, pinning her with a glare promising retribution.

Lucia paled and bit her lip, but lifted her chin in defiance and stood to leave. He was on her in a flash and returned her to her seat, smoothly handcuffing her wrist to the chair before he made sure his partner for the scene had sufficient aftercare.

She was in good hands. Serena understood grief, but alcohol wasn’t going to solve Lucia’s problems. Even if things didn’t work out with Ryan, he’d snap her out of those self-destructive behaviors.

“You’ll be happy to know we’re done here,” she finally said to Gabriel, watching Ryan escort Lucia from the club.

“You didn’t do anything. You should follow—”

“I did enough,” she retorted. “It’s not my job to hold their hands. You said yourself I can only guide people, and that’s just what I did.”

Grunting, he gave her a suspicious look. “How? You can’t possibly expect switching their glasses to work. What if he whips her like he did to that man?”

“She’d have it coming for bringing alcohol into Saints and Sinners.” When Gabriel sputtered, Serena held up a hand. “Not one word. You don’t get to impose your judgment on my charges. We’ve already had this discussion and I don’t care to repeat myself.”

“You’re worse than Edith,” he muttered, scowling.

“Thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see Lucifer. He’s better company than you are.”

With luck, she’d be able to tease him into talking to her again. Otherwise, life as an angel was going to be deadly boring.

 

Chapter 1

Too furious to speak, Ryan kept silent. The sidewalk outside Saints and Sinners was no place to flip up Lucia’s dress and blister her backside for drinking in the club. He needed to calm down before he risked saying a word.

Lucia needed a come to Jesus moment before she imploded. Between missing work and bringing alcohol to the club, she was spiraling down and this was the absolute last thing he was prepared to tolerate.

Everyone missed Serena, and Lucia had been her partner for almost five years. A person didn’t lose someone that close to them without grieving, and Serena’s heart attack had been so sudden and unexpected, nobody had time to prepare. Or to say goodbye.

Tears misted his vision as he frog-marched her to his car, but he blinked them back before they fell. He had to focus on Lucia. No one could wipe away her heartbreak, but she had to realize people cared enough not to let her destroy her life.

“Where are you taking me? I want to go home.”

“That might be the first smart decision you’ve made all night,” he muttered. “I’m taking you home so we can have a little chat.”

“I don’t want to talk.” She yanked her arms free and strode in the opposite direction. “Go away.”

He stepped in front of her, then leaned close. “You have a choice, Lucia. You can let me drive you home, or I’ll go back inside and tell the manager you were drinking.”

Straightening, she tried to look down her nose at him. Quite a feat for a woman almost a foot shorter than his six feet, three inches. “Go ahead. They won’t believe you.”

“You know the rules, little girl. I tasted your drink. It was vodka with enough cranberry juice to give it a little color. Think you’ll pass the breathalyzer?”

Flushing, she held her ground, but Ryan didn’t miss the way her eyes darted around, looking to see if someone heard. “Fine,” she snapped, glaring at him. “What do you want?”

“As I said, I’m taking you home. We’ll discuss what happens after that when we get there.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Make a good choice, honey.” He opened the front passenger door and stepped back so she could get in. “Talk with me or get a lifetime ban from Saints and Sinners.”

“Fine!” She threw up her hands and stalked back, then climbed in, crossing her arms over her chest. Her huffy silence spoke louder than anything she might have said.

He tried not to be distracted by the way her position plumped her breasts up above the cups of her corset. Lucia wasn’t in any danger, but her ass was going to be. He’d never know how he managed to resist the urge to turn her over his knee for the whole twenty-minute drive to her Brooklyn brownstone. Luckily, he managed to snag the unicorn of parking spots less than a block away.

Keeping a firm hold on her arm, Ryan walked her up the stone steps to her front door. He wouldn’t put it past her to attempt an escape. To her credit, she didn’t protest when he took her keys and opened the door, then urged her inside, leaving their coats on the tree in the corner.

Heels clicking on the polished parquet flooring, she walked across the elegant foyer to the sitting room, turning on lights as she went. “You’ve brought me home,” she finally said, retrieving a bottle and glass from the sideboard across from the fireplace. She ignored him when he followed her. “Say what you have to say and get out.”

“That’s not how this works,” he said softly, tugging the bottle from her grasp before she could pour. “How much did you have to drink?”

“Less than I wanted to. I only got a few sips before you took my drink away.” Giving him a push, she reached for the bottle.

Instead of giving it to her, he marched into the kitchen and poured it out, ignoring her screeches. “Lucia, I know you’re a domme in your own right, but you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

“And? What do you care?”

“I care for you too much to allow you to self-destruct, so you’re going to pull up your dress and lay yourself over my lap for a spanking.”

“Or what?” she challenged, furious tears welling in her eyes.

“Or I leave and call the club manager to have you banned. I’m not going to force you, but you will choose one or the other.”

Lucia might be an accomplished domme, but she submitted just as beautifully for the right person. Watching her with Serena during their demos had been gorgeous, and she’d been an amazing submissive. Ryan wasn’t sure he could be what she needed, but he had to make her see the path she was determined to follow wasn’t in her best interest. Then again, Lucia had submitted to him in the past. Regardless of Serena’s wishes, she wouldn’t have done that if he hadn’t had the chops to carry it off.

In the months since Serena’s untimely passing, Lucia had become morose and distant. He’d hoped to cheer her up and make her remember how much fun Saints and Sinners could be, so he selected a young man for a demo scene, knowing Lucia would love watching him work. With luck, she’d have chosen a partner, either a dominant or a submissive, and…

Well, best laid plans and all that.

Instead of enjoying the festivities, she’d risked losing everything for a glass of vodka. He stalked toward her, making her blink and take a step back.

“Make your choice, sweetheart,” he said softly, his voice deepening into the husky growl designed to make even the strongest sub melt into a puddle.

“I don’t consent,” she retorted. “Go fuck yourself.”

“Okay.” Biting back his disappointment, Ryan strode to the foyer for his coat. “Best wishes to you. I’m afraid I won’t be seeing you at Saints and Sinners anymore, but I’m sure you’ll be fine on your own.”

As much as it pained him, he had to make a stand and leave. Without her consent, he wasn’t going to do shit. The worst thing he could do would be to fail in his follow up. Sadly, it would mean letting her go. It went against everything he believed to let a friend suffer by herself, and he couldn’t help but think Serena would have done better. She’d have found the right thing to say.

A cool fall breeze wafted in when he opened the door, and he sighed before putting on his jacket.

“Wait.”

He turned when she laid her hand on his shoulder, but kept his face impassive. “Why? You already said you weren’t willing to talk or take the correction you need, and you’ve asked me to leave.”

She chewed her lower lip, making it plump and swell. “What happens if I say yes?”

“You go over my knee for a sound spanking. After that, I’ll make you some hot chocolate and put you to bed after our talk.”

Resisting the urge to pull her lip from between her teeth, Ryan waited her out. Finally, she nodded.

“All right, but no more than five.”

Arching a brow, he nodded. “Fair enough. Go get your hairbrush. And I don’t mean the one in your bathroom. Get the one from the playroom.”

Her eyes widened. “But you said—”

“I said you’d be getting a spanking. I didn’t say I’d use my hand. You have sixty seconds.”

Shoes flying off her feet, she squeaked and disappeared down the stairs.

Thank fuck.

Belatedly, he remembered to check his watch for the time, but it wasn’t necessary. She raced up the stairs as quickly as she’d gone down, carrying a wide wooden paddle the size and shape of an old-fashioned brush.

He took the paddle, then led her to the couch and sat down. “Over my knee, baby girl.”

“Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

Ryan hid a chuckle. Ballsy to the very end. To her credit, she didn’t try to escape. Gingerly, she knelt on the couch next to him and slowly lowered her torso over his lap.

Repositioning her so her butt was right where he wanted it, he stroked her plump backside, then tugged the leather skirt up, baring surprisingly modest lacy white panties. She’d get to keep those. It wasn’t as if the flimsy silk was any barrier to a wooden paddle.

“You don’t have to count,” he murmured, his voice deeper and huskier than he intended. This was a punishment, so he didn’t bother with a warmup.

Lifting his arm, Ryan brought the paddle down on the lower curve of her ass. She hissed, her feet coming up off the couch. He gave her a moment to settle down, then spanked her in earnest, peppering her bottom with firm slaps of the paddle.

“Ouch! That’s more than five!” She kicked again and he delivered a harder swat to the crease between her buttocks and thighs, making her yell out a curse.

“Careful, baby girl. Do you want me to add to your punishment?”

“You agreed to five!”

“I did,” he replied, spanking her again, catching the other side of her ass. “But you didn’t say what we were counting. I chose five minutes.”

“You son of a…” Gritting her teeth, she spat the words between spanks. “I hate you.”

Ryan tugged her panties down to reveal her nicely reddened backside, then delivered several harder spanks to her tender sit spot, making her howl. When she tried to cover her ass with her hands, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her back.

“You can hate me all you want,” he said calmly, delivering another flurry of swats to her bottom. “As long as you stop trying to ruin your own life.”

“Please.” Tears thickened her voice and she coughed to clear her throat. “I just…”

She burst into noisy sobs. Finally. Crossing his fingers, he prayed he’d find the right way to help Lucia. He settled her in his lap and held her while she cried her eyes out.

“Good girl,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Liar.” She shivered. “I miss her so much.”

This was a punishment, so Ryan wasn’t going to rub the sting from her backside. Instead, he dropped a kiss on her temple, then dragged a fleece blanked over her. “I do too, baby girl. Serena was one of a kind.”

“What do I do now?” She sat up and I gave her a handkerchief to wipe her face. “I’m just…lost, I guess.”

“You can’t keep trying to self-destruct,” he said gently, biting back the lecture she probably deserved. Lucia didn’t need orders or ultimatums. She needed understanding and time to work through her grief. “I’m your friend, and I want to help you.”

“You were going to leave,” she retorted.

“You told me to. I wasn’t going to stay without your consent.”

A wry smile crossed her lips and she rested her head on his shoulder. “Serena taught you way too well.”

Holding Lucia felt good, and he resisted the urge to kiss her. “But we’re still going to talk. You can’t keep doing this shit. You’ve lost weight, and I’m worried about you.”

She shifted in his arms, then stared at the sideboard. “I’m… Yeah, I was about to say I’m fine, but I’m not. It isn’t your problem.” Wriggling free, she sat up and perched on the edge of the couch. “You need to find a sub of your own instead of worrying about me, but I appreciate the thought.”

Ryan caught her before she could get up, then tucked her back into his lap. “Baby girl, you can do better than that.”

***

Lucia’s head ached from crying and she needed a drink. She’d more than earned a punishment, but her butt still ached. At least Ryan hadn’t ordered corner time. That would have undone her completely, and she’d already let him see too much.

She hadn’t even wanted to go out tonight, but a founding member didn’t bail on the Halloween Masquerade without good reason, and she’d already missed too many events as it was.

Being with Ryan was way too comfortable. He might have been Serena’s student, but he’d developed more than enough dominant presence to make Lucia’s inner sub sit up and take notice. Any woman would be thrilled to be in the arms of one of the hottest doms in New York. What was wrong with her? And why the hell had she let him see her cry? She wished she could have blamed it on booze, but she hadn’t lied about being sober. She hadn’t gotten more than a few sips of vodka before Ryan took the drink away.

Except for planned exercises for baby doms like Ryan and his best friend Mitchell, Lucia hadn’t truly submitted to anyone in years. She wanted to, but… No. it wasn’t worth the risk.

Serena had been safe, and gave Lucia what she needed without making her feel less about herself. They’d never been lovers though, despite what everyone thought. Ryan didn’t know the real Lucia or the true nature of the relationship she and Serena had shared.

He saw the public persona she presented. She kept herself hidden from everyone but Serena. If he knew what she needed… she didn’t delude herself into thinking he’d be willing to spend one more second with her, and he certainly wouldn’t be interested in what she truly craved.

In a valiant attempt to ignore the spare bottle under the sideboard, Lucia gave him her best cheerful smile, hoping it didn’t look like a death rictus. “I’ll be fine,” she said, trying to extricate herself from his octopus arms. “Go home, and I promise we’ll get together for lunch next week.”

Ryan simply stared at her, and God help her, Lucia’s heart fell and soared at the same time. “No, I don’t think so, baby girl,” he said softly, his deep, throaty dom voice making her want to collapse at his feet.

“What do you mean, no?” Serena had always called her baby doll, and it was close enough to make tears well again. Yet at the same time, her core spasmed and clenched with arousal. She wanted to give in so badly, but the cost would be too high.

He stood, towering over her, and held out a hand. “Stand up.”

She was on her feet before she recognized what she was doing. Damn it. In an effort to hide how quickly she’d obeyed, Lucia walked to the fireplace and reached for the switch to turn on the gas logs.

Ryan covered her hand with a massive paw, stopping her. “Are you cold?”

“No, I—”

“Good. Turn around.” His large hands firm on her shoulders, he turned her until her back was to him, then unlaced her corset.

Lucia let out a relieved moan as the tight garment fell open. As much as she liked wearing corsets, taking them off was a pleasure all its own. “Thanks,” she murmured, attempting to step away from his enticing warmth.

“You’re welcome.” He didn’t let her go right away, but eventually dropped his hands to his sides. “Go change. I’ll make some hot chocolate and we’ll talk.”

Thankful for the chance to escape, she nodded and went upstairs. As it had been for months, the door to Lucia’s bedroom remained steadfastly closed. She hadn’t even let the cleaning lady in there.

She went into her own room and sat on her princess bed. Picking up her favorite rainbow kitty, Lucia held the toy to her chest and sniffed back another round of tears. Kitty still smelled faintly of Serena’s perfume. Sighing softly, she put the stuffed animal on her pillow, knowing she should get rid of the canopy bed, the table with her crayons and paints, her dolls, and…

She didn’t get to be little anymore.

Maybe she should remodel the upstairs bedrooms. Or just sell the place and move.

Instead of putting on her unicorn nightgown, Lucia changed into leggings and a battered college sweatshirt. She didn’t sleep well without her uni, but Ryan wouldn’t be around all night. She could wear it after he left.

She liked Ryan. He was sexy as hell, and one of the best doms she knew. But he wasn’t a Daddy. Even if he was, he wouldn’t be hers. Grown-up Lucia wanted to ride him like an amusement park roller coaster. Her little wanted to sit on his lap and cuddle. Actually, that sounded pretty good to adult Lucia too.

Pushing the thought away, Lucia washed up and put her hair into a messy bun, then went back downstairs, hoping she didn’t look like a zombie. She could fake cheerfulness well enough to get him out of her house, then go back to her plans for the evening.

Drink until you cry yourself to sleep? Smart.

Ugh. Lucia’s inner bitch voice sounded exactly like Serena when she scolded her.

Inhaling the scent of warm chocolate with vanilla, she walked into the kitchen, then stopped short. Ryan was…cooking. With a saucepan and the stove.

“What are you doing?”

“Making hot cocoa. You only had dry mix,” he replied, pulling a measuring cup full of melted chocolate from the microwave above the stove. “I dug into your stash of good candy, nicked cream and milk from the fridge, and you had sugar in the pantry.”

Damn, he was hot. His tie hung loose around his neck and his sleeves were rolled up, but his shirt was still tucked in, revealing his tight backside in snug trousers.

She could see herself becoming connected to Ryan very easily, which was also very bad. She was a hot mess, and still grieved her best friend. He’d have no interest in her baggage, and he didn’t deserve to have her dump it on him.

He was right though. Lucia was going off the deep end. She was one missed deadline away from losing her job. She’d risked her membership to Saints and Sinners. She knew all that, but couldn’t seem to stop herself. Everything was just too much to handle without Serena by her side. What she wouldn’t give for one more discussion with her. Of course, it would have ended up with her over Serena’s lap getting her butt blistered with a hairbrush.

Lucia couldn’t even dominate another sub. How could she when she could barely control herself?

Whisking slowly, he dribbled chocolate into the saucepan of hot milk, then added a pinch of salt and more vanilla. It smelled so good. Instead of moaning in pleasure, she got mugs from the cupboard, then remembered she had marshmallows in the pantry. Then again, maybe she’d just pretend they didn’t exist. What grown woman had dinosaur marshmallows in her house?

“Thanks,” he said, taking the mugs from her. Without spilling a drop, he divided the mixture between them, then carried them to the kitchen table. “Have a seat, baby girl. It’s time for our chat.”