Mastered by Malone (Haven Texas Book 6) Page 10

  “Well, maybe not going back to the actual scene, physically. But going back to it in your mind. Hypnosis can help with that.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to do that. I can’t do that.”

  “All right,” Molly told her calmly. “What I’ll do for the moments is get you some more anti-anxiety medication. But I want you to think about what I’ve said. There are exercises you can do. And I’d really like to see you again, Mia.”

  Yeah, she was pretty sure she didn’t want to see Molly again. She felt terrible for thinking that. Molly was here to help her. Just because she had suggestions that sounded like Mia’s worst nightmares, didn’t mean she got to be a bitch to her.

  But her pulse was racing as she thought about having to confront what had happened that night. Having to relive it.

  “Mia, can I take off my professional hat now and ask you something woman to woman?”

  That was unexpected. Mia looked over at her and nodded slowly. “Sure.”

  “How on earth are you resisting the Malone charm?”

  Charm? She guessed Alec had a sort of charm about him. If you found overbearing, dominant men who think they’re always right charming.

  “What do you mean?” she asked

  “It’s well known through this county and into the next that those Malone boys just have to look at a woman and she has an orgasm.”

  She let out a bark of surprised laughter. “Molly!”

  Molly grinned good-naturedly. “What? I’m just telling you the rumor. And I’ve met them.” She fanned herself. “Why do you think I leapt on the chance to come out here? Not only are they a pack of lovable rogues, but there are also completely insane. Coming here is like winning the super bowl for a psychiatrist. I could write papers for the rest of my life on this bunch.”

  Her eyes widened. “They’d let you do that?”

  “Good Lord, no. But it’s still a hell of a lot of fun. Riles Jake up something good though. I’ve stopped telling him when I’m coming out here. Last time, Tanner shot a hole in his hat and he locked him up. Alec was not happy.”

  “I can’t believe Tanner did that. He didn’t shoot at you, did he?” She’d kill him if he had.

  “Oh, no. Although one time they disabled my car and told me they were keeping me. I had a date that night, so I wasn’t very amused.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry about that. If anything like that happens again, you tell me.”

  Molly gave her an interested look. “They don’t scare you at all?”

  “No. They don’t scare you, do they?” she asked Molly.

  “No. But I have a poor sense of self-preservation, as my husband likes to say.”

  “They’re not dangerous. Well, not really. They’re just a bit, um, impetuous. They’re good guys.”

  Molly laughed. “I did wonder when Alec called me what state I was going to find you in. Three weeks out here on your own, I worried I might find you in a fetal position in the corner, slowly losing your sanity.”

  She shook her head. “You make them sound completely feral—”

  Molly laughed. “Feral. That’s exactly the right word. Honey, the whole town thinks they’re feral. They’re the wild Malone boys. They’ve been known to incite bar brawls, riots, they’ve been called the scourge of the state. They live up here, with little regard for things like the law, yet they’re hardly ever held accountable. And do you know why?”

  She shook her head.

  “Because they’re the most charming, gorgeous pack of demons you’ve ever met. That’s why. And you, honey, are the only woman under the age of ninety who seems to be immune to their charms.”

  “I’m not immune to their charms,” she denied.

  “Well, you’re not naked and in one of their beds. What did you do? How are you keeping them at bay?”

  She could feel herself growing red. “Maybe they don’t want me.”

  “I don’t think that’s it. You’re gorgeous. You’re tiny, like a little doll. Hmm, maybe that’s it? Is it because they feel protective of you? They’re helping to guard you.”

  “Really, Molly. I don’t know what you mean. Sure they joke around, but they’re just having fun.”

  “Honey, they are not having fun. Believe me. It’s not a joke. The minute you give them the go ahead, you’ll be in their bed. And when I say their bed, I mean it in the plural sense. Not sure how many of them like to share, the last tally I heard was five, but make no mistake, you will be very, very satisfied.”

  “Wait . . . what . . . ” It was hard enough to wrap her head around the idea they might actually want her and not just be teasing her, but five?

  “When you say a tally of five, do you mean . . . ”

  “Five Malone brothers, one very lucky woman. Yes, I mean exactly that. It’s happened once that I know of. I have no idea how that woman managed to walk the next day. Mind you, she wouldn’t have had to, would she? They could have just carried her around. Not that they’re known for sticking around. They’re more the love ’em and leave ’em smiling and satisfied type. Hmm, wonder if that’s why they haven’t touched you. Because they’d have to see you the next day, then the next.”

  “Or maybe they’re just joking around and all these rumors are just rumors. They’re flirts, that’s all. They don’t really want me, and I don’t want them.”

  Five of them at once? Yeah, even if she was interested, there was no way she could live up to that.

  “It’s rumored that Maddox once winked at a woman and her panties fell down. Just fell to her ankles, she tripped over them and whacked her face against the pavement.”

  “Oh, come on, you don’t really believe that.”

  Molly grinned. “No, but it’s a fun story. But the Malones aren’t used to following anyone’s rules. Except Alec’s. They’d probably do what he says. Maybe he warned them off you.”

  “Or maybe they’re worried about being cut off from my cooking. So what do they say about Alec? Does he make women’s panties drop?”

  Molly stopped smiling. “Alec is a different story. He only comes into Haven to visit Saxon’s and that’s not very often. I’ve never heard any rumors of him seeing a woman outside of Saxon’s. He tends to stick to the ranch. Guess taking care of this place takes up a lot of his time.”

  “Yeah. I guess.” Why did she feel so depressed to learn that Alec never dated? That he never got involved with anyone who wasn’t a sub?

  Stupid Mia, were you actually hoping for something to develop with him? That kiss was just a mistake. He’s so far out of your league it’s not funny.

  “Molly, do you think we could talk about something else?”

  “I’m sorry.” Molly immediately looked contrite. “They’re one of my favorite topics, and I tend to get a bit carried away.”

  Did she? Mia wasn’t so sure. Molly was a smart lady. She’d no doubt seen how upset Mia had been earlier. And now, she was caught between wanting to laugh and shaking her head in despair. She’d also unwrapped herself from that protective ball and was sitting with her feet down on the floor.

  “It was really nice to meet you, Mia. I’m glad you found your way here. Haven is a pretty special place. The men here are, well, overprotective and dominant and bossy, but they always, always put the women first. The Malones do tend to stick to themselves. But they are still citizens of Haven.”

  “It sounds like an amazing place.”

  “It is. And the people are very open-minded. There’s a lot of different types of relationships here.”

  “Different, how?”

  Molly looked her over then seemed to come to some decision. “Well, a lot of Doms and their subs live in Haven. There’s also a number of ménage relationships.”

  She blinked. “Ménage?”

  “Men or women who are married to more than one partner.”

  She took a moment to wrap her head around that. “That’s not legal, though, right?”

  “No, not technically. The official marriage
is just between two people and they have a ceremony to include the others. Haven is a place for people to be themselves. Everyone has to agree to the rules when they move here.”

  “I didn’t agree to any rules.”

  “No, but yours is a special circumstance. Besides, you’re under Alec’s protection.”

  “That matters?”

  “Around here it does. All women are protected in Haven. But particularly by the men they live with or are related to. If they’re single and alone, well, Jake and his deputies tend to keep a close eye on them as well.”

  “And none of them feel smothered? Controlled?”

  Molly seemed to think that over for a moment. “The men of Haven like to be in control, I’m not going to deny that. But they try to do the best they can for those under their protection. And there’s a difference between control and controlling. Do you know what I mean?”

  Oddly enough, she thought she did. “I had a boyfriend once, in college, I thought he was just protective. That he wanted to know where I was going and what I was doing all the time because he cared. But it got to the point that if I went anywhere without his permission, he’d get mad. He started to tell me who I could talk to and what I could wear, and he didn’t want me going out anywhere without him. In the end, I was actually scared of him.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I tried to break up with him, but he wouldn’t listen. He threatened that if I tried to leave him, things were going to get nasty. I already thought things were nasty. So I went to the only person I knew who would have my back. My cousin Mike. He went over to where he lived in a frat house and had a chat with him. I never heard from him again.”

  “This Mike sounds like a good guy.”

  “Yeah, he is. I think he believes that all Doms are like my ex-boyfriend. Controlling.”

  Molly shrugged. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there. But, personally, getting involved with Jake was the best thing to ever happen to me. I’m happier, more centered, and I always feel safe and loved. Of course, sometimes I don’t sit well depending on how naughty I’ve been.” She grinned.

  Mia couldn’t help but grin back. It was hard not to. It was clear Molly was very much in love. “You don’t sound too worried by that.”

  Molly leaned forward. “Don’t tell Jake, but sometimes I act up just to get punished.”

  Mia’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think a Dom would like that.”

  Molly shrugged. “It’s not a one size fits all kind of a deal. There’re lots of different sorts of Doms and subs. Some who are hard-core, twenty-four-seven. Some are just like a bit of bondage and maybe a spanking or two. Others who don’t like pain at all. Personally, though, I find it can be a damn good way to get rid of some stress. There’s nothing like a spanking or an orgasm to clear your head, to help you have a good cry, to get rid of everything that’s bottled up inside you.”

  “Are you suggesting that I . . . ” She couldn’t even finish that sentence. And she could feel herself blushing bright red.

  “Before I came here, I had a number of patients who were involved in the lifestyle. I’m not saying it’s for everyone. And I wouldn’t suggest it to just anyone. But I don’t think you’re just anyone, Mia. Of course, I wouldn’t just suggest that you turn up at a club and choose just anyone to play with. You’d need someone who knew at least a bit about your past, to be aware of any triggers that might come up. Jake and I would be happy to act as monitors if you wanted to do a scene at Saxon’s.”

  Okay, somehow, she’d ended up in this alternate universe, where her shrink was seriously suggesting that she go to a club, get tied up and spanked, while she and her husband watched.

  Molly stood up. “Okay, I can see I may have shocked you into silence. Just give everything I’ve said a bit of a think. I’ll drop your prescription off at the pharmacy and one of the boys can go and pick it up for you since you’re not leaving the ranch. Might be an idea to get out for a walk every once in a while, though. Exercise is a good way to relieve stress too.”

  She winked and then turned and left. “Nice to meet you, Mia. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Yeah, nice to meet you too.”

  “Molly, wait up.” Alec walked up to Molly where she stood by her car. He wouldn’t admit it, but he’d been waiting around for her to finish with Mia. In fact, he’d now wasted two hours of his day waiting around. He told himself it was just because he was responsible for Mia. He needed to make sure she wasn’t going to freak out and do something crazy. That was all.

  It wasn’t that he actually cared or anything.

  “Hey, Alec. You going to Saxon’s this weekend?”

  It was a slightly odd question since he never interacted with Jake or Molly at the club.

  “Perhaps,” he allowed. “How is she? Everything okay?”

  “You know I can’t talk about what was said in there. Doctor-patient confidentiality.”

  Alec gave her an impatient look. “She is my responsibility, Molly. I need to know if she’s going to do anything stupid.”

  Molly raised her eyebrow, looking unimpressed it his speech. “If you’re asking me if she’s going to hurt herself, then I would tell you it’s highly unlikely.”

  The relief hit pretty hard, but he just gave her a nod. She looked at him thoughtfully. “She’s pretty closed off, wouldn’t talk about much. I think she’s buried it all deep.”

  That didn’t sound healthy. He should know, he was the king of burying shit.

  “This isn’t something you get over easily, certainly not just with one session.”

  “You coming out here regularly might garner attention.”

  She nodded. “I can do Skype sessions if need be, you can talk to her about that. Do you know what triggered the panic attack?”

  “Triggered it?”

  “Often there’s a trigger. Something that sets them off. Maybe a loud noise or an image of something that reminds the person of their trauma. For some it’s a certain scent.”

  “No. I don’t know.” But he could try and figure it out, prevent it from happening again.

  “I can prescribe drugs to help with the symptoms. And hopefully she’ll continue our sessions. Mia went through something horrific. She needs help to cope with that. To learn to live with it. She’s lonely. She’s scared. She could do with a friend. And considering she’s a sub, she could also use a Dom.”

  “Who says she’s a sub?”

  “Don’t play that game with me. We both know she is.” Molly gave him a look.

  “Don’t you think she has enough going on right now?”

  “Maybe it could help her cope with everything.”

  “She can’t go to the club to play. She’s not leaving the ranch.” And he didn’t like the idea of her going anywhere without him.

  “Hmm, too bad there’s no one around to help her explore her submissive side,” she said.

  He narrowed his gaze. “I don’t teach inexperienced subs.”

  “We all started somewhere. There was a day when you didn’t know anything about being a Dominant. Someone taught you, right? Maybe you could teach her about being a sub.”

  “That’s not my job here.”

  Molly studied him for a moment then nodded. “Fine. I get it.”

  Oh, he doubted it.

  “Just, treat her kindly, all right? She’s strong, that’s clear to see. But she’s dealing with a hell of a lot. Her tendency is to put other people first, and I don’t think she’s very good at asking for what she needs. She could really use someone looking out for her.”

  Before he could say anything else, she got in her car and closed the door. He found himself staring after her as she drove away, her little car banging up and down over the potholes. She was driving too fast and he shook his head. He hoped she got pulled over by one of Jake’s deputies and got her ass reddened by her husband when she got home. But he knew, like with most of the woman in Haven, that wouldn’t deter her from doing what she thought she had to
do.

  The men in this town might think they were in charge, but it was the woman who had the ultimate control.

  He ran his hand over his face, thinking over what she’d said. Hell. Like he didn’t have enough going on in his life to worry about. He wished he’d never waited around to talk to Molly. What the hell was she trying to get him to do? Enter into some kind of BDSM therapy with Mia?

  “Malone?” The low voice came from behind him.

  He turned and saw her standing on the porch. He didn’t really think about it, just raised his hand and cooked a finger at her.

  “Everything okay?” she asked him as she got closer. He noted the way her shoulders had tensed. Molly was right. She was wound up tight. No wonder she couldn’t sleep.

  “Of course it is.”

  She’s lonely.

  And for some reason, he couldn’t stand the idea of her being lonely. Or scared. Or locking everything down in order to protect herself.

  “Did she tell you I’m a basket case?”

  He scowled. “What did you say?”

  Her eyes widened in surprise and she took a few steps back.

  “Freeze.”

  She immediately stilled. Crap. He didn’t want Molly to be right. Not that it was anything he didn’t already know. He knew Mia was submissive. He also knew how delicate she was. He didn’t deal with fragile. He wasn’t a teacher. He didn’t take new subs under his wing. He didn’t heal lost little lambs who looked at him with big, wide eyes like he could fix everything.

  “I don’t want to hear you speaking about yourself like that again, understand me?” The temptation to add an “or else” was right there, but he couldn’t do that unless he intended to follow through. “You went through something traumatic. It’s all right to need help.”

  “Right,” she said disbelievingly. “Got a lot of experience asking for help, have you?”

  “We’re not discussing me. Molly wants to continue your sessions via Skype. Have a think about it and let me know. You look tired. Why don’t you go rest? I have to get to work.”

  He turned away, knowing he was being abrupt. But he had to get out of her presence before the temptation to take her into his arms and kiss that look of confusion and pain on her face became too strong to ignore.