Home > Master of Mine

Master of Mine
Author: Raven Dark

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“So, Gwen, when are you getting a real job?”

Gwen nearly choked on her turkey. Why was she even surprised at her father’s remark? This wasn’t the first time anyone in her family had implied her job didn’t measure up, but this was the first time they’d said it at Christmas dinner in the company of guests.

Reactions went through her head, everything from a glare to a carefully honed retort, but the perfect response never came.

She glanced around the table, surrounded by her four older brothers, all waiting for her reply. Especially Ace. Her oldest brother’s big shoulders tensed, his large fist tightening around his silver fork.

The argument in his car on the way over floated up in her mind. Dad’s having one of his military friends over. Don’t embarrass us, Gwen.

Her, embarrass them? Seriously? Gwen glanced over the General Pakis. The grey-haired soldier forked a big bite of turkey into his mouth, looking from father to daughter, curiosity flashing in his eyes.

Something unpleasant tightened in Gwen’s chest. She glanced back to Ace. He gave the smallest shake of his head and picked up his wine glass.

She suppressed a sigh. “Someone pass the cranberry sauce, please.”

Ace sipped his wine, watching her closely. Waiting for her to screw up.

Chad passed her the sauce and gave her a covert sympathetic look. Maybe it was because he was only one year older, much closer to her in age than the others, but Chad seemed to understand her when no one else did.

“You could have done so much more with your life.” Her father swallowed a bite of overly buttered roll. “I don’t understand why you didn’t go to law school or something.”

Because I don’t like law. Why is that such a hard concept to grasp? She shook her head, but said nothing. And her silence wasn’t because of Ace, much as he’d like to think his speech in the car kept her in line.

General Pakis looked between them again. “Jack? You haven’t said much about her. What does your daughter do?”

Gwen stared at her plate, heat spreading over her face. Of course her father hadn’t talked about her. She’d been born a girl and wasn’t worth his praise. Raising two champion karate fighters, one of whom was a cop and the other a Marine, plus a medic and a firefighter, he viewed his boys as heroes, men built and bred to make a difference. To him, Gwen had given up a life of accomplishment to fade into the background in a position of mediocrity.

“Gwen?” Her father looked at her. “Why don’t you tell him?”

Shit. He’d primed the whole table to see her as a failure and now waited for her to confirm it. And he wonders why Mom left him.

She drew in a breath and forced on a big smile she knew looked like she’d been kicked in the gut.

“I’m a personal assistant, General. To Nick Kincaid, a doctor who works here in Haven.”

At the bored looks from her father and his one-time superior, she considered telling them the rest of it. He’s also a Dom, and the owner of The Sanctuary. Yeah. That her boss owned a BDSM club would get their attention.

“Never heard of him.” Pakis turned to her brothers. “Ace. You’re the cop, right?”

“Right.” Ace grinned with pride.

“Which precinct?”

“Second. I’ll make detective soon.”

Pakis clapped him on the shoulder.

Ace nodded to his brother. “Chad’s getting his third degree black belt in a couple of months, General.”

Gwen almost rolled her eyes. Here we go.

“Well. Good for you, boy.” Pakis nodded to Chad.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Ace.” But Chad beamed. “I have to pass the test first.” Then to Pakis, “Master Archer says I should do well, though. You’d like him, sir. He’s impressive.”

Gwen bit the inside of her cheek. Archer. Of course. The fifth son her father wished he’d had instead of a daughter.

She cleared her throat. “Ace, why didn’t you invite Shelly to dinner?”

“Gwen.” Her father. “Don’t interrupt.”

“I didn’t —”

“We aren’t together anymore. I told you.” Ace’s voice was tight.

“No you didn’t. I—”

“Yeah. Thanks for bringing that up.”

The look Chad shot her wasn’t sympathetic this time. “Way to go,” he muttered under his breath.

“Funny.” Ace looked at her. “I don’t see anyone with you, either. Why is that?”

“I didn’t mean it that way—”

“Oh, yeah. You don’t do the dating thing, right?”

She swallowed, her cheeks turning to fire when everyone stared at her. “Ace,” she hissed, “don’t start.”

Ace shrugged and turned to the others. Damn it, he knew how awkward and tongue-tied she was around guys. How hard it was to relax and be herself.

She looked around the table. Her father wore one of his scowls, the kind he gave her when she was about to make a fool of herself. There was nothing she could say without a blowout starting. In front of Pakis…

Gwen considered excusing herself, but she knew what would happen if she did. Her father would make some remark about needing the attention on her. And after dinner when General Pakis was gone, he’d complain about her inability to control herself.

Instead she quietly pushed her chair back from the table and slipped away while everyone was listening to her father tell some war joke. Virtually unnoticed.

Gwen walked into the living room to the window. Snow drifts rose high and white in the night. The snow sparkled as if sprinkled with tiny diamonds under the moonlight.

In the distance, almost invisible against the night sky, shadows of the mountains rose outside the town as if protecting Haven from some unseen force the inhabitants wished to keep out. The highest peek, Mount Seraph, loomed like a sentinel.

People in this town seemed to want to pretend anything they didn’t understand didn’t exist at all.

A draft from somewhere made her shiver and she pulled her sweater closer, folding her arms around herself. Laughter drifted from the other room. Her stomach tightened. She’d hear about her departure later, but what did they expect? Gwen lifted her eyes to the sky, velvet black, scattered with stars. Huge and solitary, Mount Seraph stared at her. Weighing. Judging. A feeling of insignificance washed over her.

I won’t let them tear me down this time. I’ll tell them I don’t need their approval.

Oh, but she knew she wouldn’t. Inevitably the argument would arise, but like always when it came time to say the words, they wouldn’t come. Either she’d be whisked away by Ace before she could get it out, or her brain would freeze. Again.

Gwen pulled out her phone and turned it on. She whistled. Thirty missed calls. Nick’s contacts, probably, looking to make appointments. Hopefully some would be people looking for her to do artwork for them, but no way would she have gotten that many calls from the few paintings she’d sold.

Heaving a sigh, she stepped outside, letting the chill in the air rejuvenate her. She’d always loved winter, the beauty of a new snow, the festivities.

Sighing, she went through the calls. All the same number. A chill passed over her. Shit. He’s back.

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