Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Maestro winced. He didn’t spill his guts to anyone, let alone a woman. He wanted her to follow him blindly. “Don’t know if I can do that,” he admitted.
Savage shrugged. “I wouldn’t have been able to talk to another woman the way I do her. I realized almost from the first time that I met her that Seychelle was the one woman I wanted, even needed, in my life. I was willing to do whatever it took to keep her with me. I fucked up several times and was lucky enough that she stuck it out. If you aren’t willing to give her everything, she isn’t the one for you, Maestro.”
Maestro continued to sit on his Harley, the familiar leather seat creaking when he shifted his weight. Of everyone in the club, Savage was most like him. He needed control to survive and to keep everyone around him safe. Not only had Seychelle accepted that control, but she seemed to thrive in the relationship. There was no doubt that she loved Savage. It was in everything she said and did as well as in the expression on her face. She didn’t try to hide the way she felt about her man.
“I want Azelie,” Maestro declared. “It’s difficult to believe we stand a chance, but I know if there’s one woman I want to be with, it’s her. I keep looking for something wrong, waiting for the betrayal. I’ll always be testing her. Controlling every move in our relationship. What woman can live with that?”
Savage gave him a humorless smile. “Don’t you think I asked myself the same thing a million times? Before I met her, I’d already been preparing to take a ride over the cliff. I knew eventually I’d hurt someone. I have cycles—you’ve seen them. When I’m bad, I need Seychelle to ride those out with me. Trust me, Maestro, the things I do to her aren’t for the faint of heart. Fortunately, I’m able to work with her so she gets off on it—eventually. Whatever you’re asking of Azelie is not ever going to be as bad as what I’ve asked of Seychelle.”
Maestro knew Savage told the strict truth about his sexual needs. He was aware of the things Savage needed in a relationship. Maestro was a natural dominant, and he enjoyed various kinks when it came to sex, but hurting his partner wasn’t something he needed to get off. He might use a flogger or a whip, but again, it was more of a control issue, asking his woman to do something she would be uncomfortable with just to please him. How fucked up was that? Still, even knowing it was wrong, he was aware he would demand and enjoy it if his woman was willing to please him when he asked for bondage. He would need confirmation of her devotion on a daily basis. Was that any better than the things Savage needed?
“You have to make up your mind if you want her, Maestro,” Savage reiterated. “If you do, you not only have to walk a fine line with this mission, but you’ll have to talk to her. Open up about your past and let her know why you’re so fucked up.”
Yeah, that was the one thing he wasn’t certain he could do. Yet Savage had. Absinthe, one of his Torpedo Ink brothers, had to ask his woman to play roles; kitten, librarian, all sorts of fucked-up things, and she did it for him because he’d told her the worst of his childhood. Ice was an exhibitionist. Storm got off on being a voyeur. Ice was married to a wonderful woman. Maestro was certain Ice had told her what he’d been through. Storm was still single, but Reaper, Savage’s birth brother, had Anya. It had been a real shit-storm with Reaper making mistakes, thanks to the rest of them giving him very poor direction.
Maestro was guilty of giving poor counsel to Savage. He probably had given the worst advice of all of them. He had even given Steele crap advice, and Breezy was as sweet and accommodating as any woman could be. Maestro tended to view all women as egotistical rebels, unable to obey when their safety was a concern just because they wanted to prove that they were equal to a man. Protecting his woman shouldn’t mean he didn’t see her as an equal. They had different strengths. Everyone had different strengths.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he admitted. “I do know I want her in my life. I’m going to think about the things you’ve said, Savage, before I contact her. I blew it with her last night. Everything was so perfect, too perfect. I kept waiting for the stab in the back. When she tried to give back the earrings, I panicked. I swear, I can face bullets any fucking day of the week, but looking at her earnest expression and hearing her say she didn’t care about things, she just wanted to spend time with me, I lost it.”