With all three of them, she had never bonded with them enough to want a true slave and master relationship. The closest she had come was with Shade, which she still missed like hell, but it had always been plain he wasn’t seeking a permanent slave beneath his control. Bliss had tried her damnedest to change his mind, yet like a true Dom, he wouldn’t be budged. Especially once he had met Lily.
Jewell took a quick shower. To save time, she braided her wet hair. Dressing in the bodysuit, she buckled herself into the harness at her waist and thighs, letting the cuffs hang to her side. She went to dresser and pulled out a blue, fuzzy robe that went to her knees. Covered, she showed no hint of what she was wearing underneath.
Grabbing her cell phone, she made her way downstairs, not seeing anyone until she hit the kitchen, where Shade and Lily were still sitting at the table, eating.
Ember and Jesus looked at her as she went down the steps toward the basement. She would have to come up with an explanation to Ember. Her friend would be concerned she was breaking a rule by being with Rory.
Hell, she wasn’t ecstatic about being put in this position. Once Elizabeth was free, she would explain to the other women what had been going on.
Rory’s door was standing wide open. Glancing around, she saw he had placed a camera on a tripod several inches in front of the side wall. He had scooted the couch and chair to the side, too. Next to the camera was a ring light. He had used the dresser to place his laptop connected to a monitor he must have gotten from Shade.
Hearing a sound from the bathroom, she turned her head to see Rory opening the door. Every muscle in her body went taut.
He was wearing black leather pants that clung to him like a second skin. Her mouth went dry when she could discern the outline of his cock behind the dark material.
As he moved toward her, Jewell reluctantly lifted her eyes to take in the black and white dress shirt under the black vest he was wearing, having left it unbuttoned part way down his chest. She could see a medallion hanging from a leather cord.
Managing not to swallow her tongue, Jewell wanted to throw a bitch fit. How was she supposed to remain cool when all she wanted to do was climb him like a fucking tree trunk?
Reality struck her as he placed his suitcase on the bed and started taking out black leather pouches. Once Elizabeth was freed, he would be leaving.
It wouldn’t matter, anyway. He wasn’t a Last Rider.
The iron will that had kept her sane during the darkest years of her life returned in full force. She had never gotten anything she had truly wanted, and Rory wasn’t going to be the exception. Even if by some miracle he did become a Last Rider, Jewell would bet her last dollar another woman would reap the benefit.
Exceptions were made for the good girls, not for the ones who were born to be bad.
Chapter Twelve
Rory pretended to be focused on setting out his equipment on the bed he had made before going upstairs. He was so familiar with his equipment that he could set it out blindfolded. Instead, he used the time to study Jewell.
Everything about her was a contradiction. When she talked to him, she came across as standoffish, confident, and a ball buster. Yet, during the Christmas party yesterday, he had watched the way she had interacted with the children. Her familiarity with them showed a gentler side of her. Chance and Noah had run to her to show off their toys. Shade’s daughter had cuddled against Jewell as Lily had opened her presents. Each child in the room had inevitably found their way to her to get a genuine smile and loving touch.
More than once, children had shown him people’s true character. Jewell’s character exhibited toward the children was a far cry from what he saw when she talked to him, or any of the other adults in the room.
With The Last Riders who were married, she was friendly yet not overly to where anyone could misconstrue their relationship with her as more than platonic. With the male Last Riders who weren’t married, it had been more difficult to discern.
He had caught several side-long glances between her and Nickel, Moon, Puck, and Jesus when they had exchanged presents. There had been no hesitancy between them when they sat on the couch today. He had even seen Nickel place a hand on Jewell’s thigh when she had volunteered, as if he didn’t want her to. Moon had been standing behind her and had placed his hands on her shoulders.