Double Down Read online

  Double Down

  A Set Up Novella

  By

  Desiree Holt

  Double Down

  A Set Up Novella

  By: Desiree Holt

  Published by Fated Desires Publishing, LLC.

  © 2015 Desiree Holt

  ISBN: 978-1-62322-205-5

  Cover Art by Syneca

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  A Thank You from Fated Desires

  About the Author

  Also from This Author

  DEDICATION

  To all my readers, who have become a part of my family. This journey would be nothing without you.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  To Master Nate and Master Shack and the people at S.A. Lair who so patiently answer all my questions about BDSM and invite me to observe whenever I can. You help me make it real and carry the message.

  Double Down

  Lee Sullivan has really got her life together as the mayor’s publicity chief and the respected Domme, Mistress Star. She doesn’t foresee any bumps in her life until she meets Branch Colby, self-made millionaire and a man who pushes her buttons. She has no idea that he is a full-out Dom who sees women as a challenge and this one more than most.

  When Branch’s friend Max bets him he cannot get Lee to submit to him, Branch agrees to a high-stakes wager. The problem is he never expected to fall for her or what the consequences would be when she learned the details of the bet. He has to find a way to repair the situation and she has to decide whether giving her heart is worth the risk.

  Chapter One

  Lee Sullivan detached herself from the group with whom she’d been chatting and moved easily through the large gathering of people. The annual Colby, Inc. company picnic was in full swing. It was being held, as always, on corporate property, five prime acres just north of the San Antonio city limits. Among other things, the site boasted a jogging track, a baseball diamond, and a park-like area with plenty of large oak trees, as well as an abundance of picnic tables and benches for outdoor lunches. Five years running the company had won the award from the state of Texas for best company to work for.

  Although she represented her boss at a number of functions on a regular basis, this was the first time she’d attended this particular event. As the mayor’s chief public relations officer, she had a lot of high-profile events on her calendar, but the annual Colby, Inc. picnic had never been one of them. Until now. The mayor was angling for a major gift from Colby, Inc. to restore a park and playground.

  “I need you to put in an appearance,” Mayor Vincent had insisted. “I can’t go because a major conflict in my schedule popped up literally overnight. You’ve filled in for me so much lately, Lee, and I know I promised you a free weekend. But the possibility of a major grant from Colby Enterprises is too big to turn down.” He shook his head. “This other event just came up and I have to be there myself. I need you to represent me. You’ve done it before. You’re good at it.”

  “I understand.” And se did. All too well. Being called to sub for His Honor was becoming more and more a regular thing.

  “Take Clay with you,” he’d insisted. “Enjoy yourself for a few hours.”

  Spending a couple of hours with Clay Porter, the city attorney, wouldn’t be too bad. He was an acceptable escort, although not exactly her type. She liked the challenge of the alpha male with the hidden submissive side. She had a feeling Clay would be no challenge at all. They were friends, however, and often caught a late dinner or lunch together.

  Oh, well, she’d told herself. What’s a few hours on a Sunday afternoon, anyway?

  At the center of a group gathered at one of the food stations was the poster boy for it all, Branch Colby, as relaxed as if he was sitting in his own den. His face was certainly familiar enough to her. She’d seen plenty of him in newspaper and magazine shots. On television. At parties for five hundred of his most intimate friends, usually with some excessively gorgeous female hanging on his arm. Seldom the same female twice. But all of them wore exactly the same expression: look who I’m with tonight.

  Today, however, was the first time she’d been close to him in an informal setting. In the flesh, so to speak. She certainly had to admit it was awesome flesh. A soft-collar shirt with his company logo paired with what she was sure were very expensive jeans barely disguised the leashed power of the tall, well-muscled, heavily tanned body. Thick, brown hair shot with streaks of gold was razor-cut in short layers to make it lie smoothly on his head and flat against the nape of his neck. His long legs looked as if they could run a marathon without halting.

  He stood in a relaxed, loose-limbed pose, hands in his pockets, but, even in such a casual posture, everything about him said command. Authority. I’m in charge, his body language shouted. Definitely a man comfortable in his own skin, he looked like nothing less than a jungle predator waiting to pounce on its prey. Confident. Self-assured.

  Arrogant!

  He’d have to be, she thought, to own a company that bore only his name, nothing else to even identify the kind of business it was.

  She’d read in Texas Monthly that he got his start working as a journeyman carpenter in construction, swinging a hammer and wielding a saw. He was a long way from that now, heading his own international land development firm. Every bit of what he had was built from that raw start, and he’d done it with sweat and savvy.

  She watched the female guests, the married ones as well as the single, eye him with sexual avarice plain on their faces. Any one of them would give it all up for him if he just crooked a finger, but she didn’t see that as his style. Branch Colby was the real thing. No doubt about it.

  She knew plenty of men like him. In fact, he reminded her of many of her favorite submissives, men who held positions of authority. In the seclusion of Infinity, the private dungeon where she had a membership, she had brought many of them to their knees, quite literally. In the club, she was Mistress Star, a much sought-after Domme. These men bowed willingly to her wishes, aroused by the power shift and the excitement of giving over control to her. Of serving her.

  She often caught some of these men on television or the news blogs, dressed in their custom suits and looking like the forceful titans they were. She’d smile, remembering them naked before her as they gave her pleasure, much as she gave it to them. Plenty of men at this picnic thought they were top of the heap—like Branch Colby. Some of them had even served as her sub at Infinity. There was nothing better than bringing out the inner sub in a powerful man, making him hers for one hour or one evening, then watching him don his cloak of power as he stepped out of the club. Would Branch Colby ever agree to submit to her? She snorted. The entire polar ice cap would melt first.

  Once someone had asked her if she worried that the truth about her se
xual life would come out and affect her position with the mayor. She just grinned and shook her head, knowing the men she played with would have to give up secrets of their own if they gave up hers.

  If anything bothered her at all—and then only in the rare dark moments at night—it was the fact that the novelty of variety was beginning to wear thin. For the first time in her life, she wondered what it would be like to have a permanent situation, to bond with someone and create a life together. She had seen many others do it, but, until lately, she hadn’t thought about it for herself.

  Lee allowed herself a tiny smile as she watched her host move easily on to another group, different people, wearing his charm like a cloak. Sexual magnetism emanated from him like radio waves, crackling in the air. It wasn’t just his good looks or the way he carried himself. It was the whole package, made even more tempting because he wasn’t throwing his power around the way some men did.

  She worked the crowd as she’d learned to do, effortlessly, seamlessly, every point of contact casual and friendly, making sure to speak to the key people in attendance and pass along the mayor’s greetings. Thanking his political supporters and giving them a few extra moments of her attention. Watching for her opportunity to introduce herself to Branch and tell him how sorry Mayor Vincent was he had to miss the picnic. No reporters, thank the lord. Branch had made it a point when he started these picnics that they not be fodder for reporters. This was a private affair in all aspects, and he had the security force in place to back up his mandate.

  When she had completed her circuit of required contacts, she left Clay in an intense discussion with a member of the city council and wandered off past the fringes of the crowd. Time to give herself a little breathing room. She could watch her host from afar, admiring the man’s air of absolute command. Did he ever let go of that tight control? A stray thought crept into her brain, and she idly wondered how he’d react to the demands of a Domme. Unbidden, an image flashed in her mind of the man naked and oiled and stretched out on a St. Andrew’s Cross, waiting for her attention.

  Feeling a hot flush creeping up her cheeks, she fetched a bottle of water from one of the bars set up at the perimeter and carried it to a nearby picnic table. As she lifted the bottle to her lips, she sensed a presence behind her.

  “I must be doing something wrong. You can’t be enjoying yourself too much if you’re hiding over here under a tree all alone.”

  And there he was, as if her thoughts had conjured him up. His voice was like warm syrup, covering her with a thick layer of heat, and an unexpected tremor skittered over her spine. She looked up into eyes, so dark they were almost black, framed by the kind of thick lashes women would kill for. Tiny lines bracketed his mouth and eyes in a face that the word rugged barely did justice to, all painted with a deep tan that spoke of hours spent outdoors. She knew he spent as little time in his office as possible, insisting that, while he had a business, he was not a businessman. He ran the corporation from a high-end laptop and cell phone, preferring instead to visit projects and indulge in outdoor activities. It obviously worked, judging by his rating in Forbes.

  She pulled out her political voice, friendly but cool.

  “On the contrary, I’m doing just fine.”

  This was not a man you gave an opening to. She controlled the urge to check the clips holding her hair away from her face and smooth down her tailored blouse and thin cotton slacks. It wouldn’t do to let this man think she had a personal interest in his opinion of her. She held out her hand.

  “Lee Sullivan. I don’t believe we’ve actually met before.”

  “I know I’d remember it if we had. Besides, I don’t think the mayor’s spin doctor needs an introduction.”

  Tiny lines crinkled at his eyes as his mouth curved in that high-octane smile and his large hand enfolded her smaller one.

  “Branch Colby.”

  The contact was unexpectedly electric. As smoothly as she could, she slipped her hand from his.

  “And I think it would be hard not to know who you are, either, Mr. Colby.”

  “The cost of doing business, but its Branch,” he replied. “Please.”

  One eyebrow lifted. “What’s Lee short for?”

  “Lee.” She swallowed a smile. “What’s Branch short for?”

  He laughed. “Point to you.”

  “I didn’t know we were keeping score.” She looked up at him, into those dark eyes. “I should think you’d have guests a lot more important than me to spend your time with.”

  “You know, the funny thing is they all seem to be doing just fine without me.” He swung easily onto the bench opposite her, his posture totally relaxed. “I thought I’d come over and introduce myself.”

  Lee looked around to see if Clay was anywhere nearby.

  “Your date is in earnest discussion with a member of the city council,” he told her. “I wouldn’t have thought Clay Porter was your type.”

  She quirked an eyebrow. “I didn’t know I had a type. What would that be?”

  He shrugged. “Forceful. Commanding. In charge.”

  Maybe on the outside, like many of her subs who held positions of power. Yes, she liked a man who had great inner strength and power, but one who gave it up willingly in the dungeon or the bedroom. She’d come to realize part of the attraction was the contrast. She would never be happy with a man who was a submissive in all areas of his life.

  “Clay is a very interesting person to be with,” she told him. “We enjoy each other’s company.”

  “You sound like you’re describing an evening with my mother.”

  “Point to you,” she said.

  “This is the first one of these you’ve attended.” He made it a statement, not a question.

  She widened her eyes slightly. “You can remember who attended each one with this mob scene?”

  He winked. “Memory for people is part of my stock in trade. So what brought you today?’

  “The mayor had an engagement he couldn’t change, so we hoped you’d think I was an acceptable substitute.”

  “In that case, shouldn’t you have found an opportunity to drag me aside some time during the day?” His dark eyes were unreadable. “Talk to me about the project he wants me to fund?

  Don’t you want to tell me how important it is? What a great thing I’d be doing?”

  She shrugged. “Not today. This is just a social occasion. If I wanted to make a pitch, I’d be more likely to make an appointment with you to discuss it. Besides, you obviously know how important it is. ”

  “Would we be working together on this project going forward?” he asked, those eyes still locked on to her like twin lasers.

  Her pulse ratcheted up a notch, beating hard between her thighs, and heat flashed through her body. She lifted the water bottle and took a long swallow from it, hoping to cool her blood. She definitely needed to be cool with this man. He wasn’t just about control. He’d invented it. She could just imagine the battle their dominant wills would engage in.

  Everything about Branch Colby screamed danger, but just the light contact of his hand against her sent shivers skittering along her spine and her heart rate escalating If only she could find a way to loosen that control, to have him on his knees, not just wanting her domination but craving it.

  Dream on.

  She had plenty of other powerful men to play with—only that wasn’t quite what she wanted. Branch Colby would be a real challenge, although taking that challenge might be like walking into a fire.

  She stared back at him, never breaking eye contact. She was good at that.

  “Then you’re planning to fund it? The mayor and the city council will be very happy.”

  Her boss would be doing the happy dance around his office.

  “I’m on the verge of being persuaded.” He stroked the tip of one finger over the back of her hand, just a quick touch.

  Lee took her cell phone from her pants pocket and pulled up her reminder list. “Great. Let me arrange a m
eeting with His Honor to—”

  “No.” He touched her hand again, pressing it down to the table. “I want to discuss it with you.”

  Her eyes widened. “Me?” Then she laughed. “That’s very flattering, but I’m not sure my boss would appreciate being left out of this.”

  “He won’t be. You’ll report everything back to him. I’m sure you’re up to speed on the details?”

  More than she wanted to be. She’d practically memorized the damn proposal so she could brief the press and answer questions every time the topic came up. She was also very aware that Avery Vincent, good as he was at his job, had a raging need to be front and center on everything. Only a critical policy meeting had kept him from this picnic today, a venue where he would have taken every advantage to make himself known. Preened, if she was truthful.

  “So?”

  His voice shook her out of her mental wanderings.

  “What will it be, Miss Public Relations?”

  She frowned. “Are you making fun of me?”

  “Not at all. I’m deadly serious.” His hand still rested over hers, pressing down on the cell.

  She eased her hand away. No touching, she told herself. A tactile connection seemed to run between his fingers and her brain, and she didn’t need that nude vision of him blasting back into her mind again.

  “I’ll have to clear it with the mayor.”

  Branch nodded. “Of course.” He took her cell phone from her and programmed in a number. “When you get it cleared, give me a call. We’ll set up a time.”

  He rose, took a long, hard look at her as if he could see clear inside her, then ambled away. In a moment, he had eased himself into a group of people who were only too glad to be gabbing with the Branch Colby.

  Lee sat where she was, immobilized. What had just happened? They had introduced themselves and had a business conversation. Right? Yet, suddenly, the grass beneath her feet felt as if it had turned into quicksand.