Purgatory Masters(54)

“What about her?” Mason motioned toward the back of the house.

Anger rose sharp. “Don’t.”

“I have to. There’s more at stake than just you and you damn well know it.”

Now he was really getting pissed. “You think I don’t know that?” He kept his tone level, hiding the anger. All he needed was for Maggie to come in and find him and Mason going at it. “I live here every day remember? I know exactly what’s at stake.”

“Maggie’s return is either the worst case of timing or there’s more going on. I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“And you call me paranoid? I doubt Maggie knows anything about what happened. Apparently when she leaves town she leaves everything.” Tucker leaned against the wall and took a slow even breath before he continued. “She’s submissive.” The memory of her sweet responses and easy compliance simmered in his chest. She brought out all the need and longing he’d tried so hard to suppress and so far he got the impression their desires matched up pretty fucking well. “I don’t want to deny who I am anymore. It’s taken a long damn time to get here but I’m finally ready to accept it.”

“So you know about the book she’s writing?”

“What book?” The pit in Tucker’s stomach grew hard. Maggie hadn’t said a word about a book. They’d discussed some of her research but nothing beyond that.

“Christ, Tucker. You’re fucking a woman who was arrested in a BDSM club, was recently one of the top nationwide scandals and she’s supposedly writing some sort of memoir that you know nothing about? And you don’t see anything wrong with this picture?”

Tucker clenched and unclenched his fist. “This is bullshit. Maggie’s only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s something we, of all people, should understand perfectly. To top it off, her story was splashed across the internet for anyone with an electronic device to read.”

Mason shook his head. “I read it.” He began reciting some of the headlines. “Young, female college professor busted in BDSM club. Bondage professor lands in divorce court thanks to her secret life. Scandalized professor steps down from teaching amid public scandal. Oh and my personal favorite. Has Professor Cisco been reading that book?”

Tucker groaned. “If she hears you poking fun at her life, there is going to be hell to pay by both of us.”

“I am not making fun of her, you idiot. Don’t you realize how ridiculous and convenient this sounds? Did you even look past those stupid headlines? She may have come home to lick her wounds, but what has she really been doing these last two months. If she’s writing a tell-all book then you’re about to join her in the spotlight.”

Tucker turned away from his oldest friend. Some of what Mason offered made sense. Except nothing about Maggie set off his radar. She was kind and loving with an eager attitude to explore her submissive side.

“C’mon, Tucker. What is going on? If she knows you own Purgatory what do you think will happen? We can’t afford to get caught up in her desire to capitalize on her scandal.”

“Enough.” He’d had enough. “I’m the one sleeping with her. Not you. If she’s not being honest with her intentions then it will be up to me to deal with it. It wouldn’t be the first time and I doubt it will be the last.”

Mason held up his hands in surrender. “I’d love nothing more than for you to find some happiness here, my friend. But not at the expense of all the others.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

Mason shrugged and headed for the front door. They’d said enough.

At the threshold of the door he turned back and met Tucker’s gaze. “You’re wrong about one thing.”

“What’s that?” He inwardly winced at his sarcasm.

“Someone does care about the son.”



*

A long time after Mason had left, Tucker stood at the window overlooking the lake. He loved his home, but would he ever escape the horror that haunted him?

“Tucker?”

He turned to find Maggie standing in the doorway wearing only one of his shirts tossed over her shoulders with the front still unbuttoned. The rumpled sexy submissive looked fabulous on her.

“Well, well, Professor. All you need is a pair of glasses and I dare say you’d be this student’s wet dream.” He filed that nugget of information away for another day. He did love a good role play scene and she’d look damned sexy in a costume.

“I doubt that.” She pushed her fingers through her hair, trying to comb the wild strands into place and only exceeded in making a bigger mess.