Abby shook her head. “I think you’ll find Jack isn’t so interested in punishment anymore. If you’re worried about a scene, don’t be. I think Jack is discovering the whole marriage thing isn’t for him. I doubt he even knows we’re not at home.”
Julian stood and straightened his suit. The creases fell away immediately, and he resumed his masculine perfection. “All right, then. I thought that might be the case.” He stopped. “I was not referring to Jack being unhappy with either of you, Mrs. Barnes. I was referring to the outrageous scene the two of you are performing. It’s guaranteed to make Jackson’s blood pressure go straight through the roof and force him to confront whatever has him acting out of sorts. I shouldn’t approve. I should go and tell him everything I know. Yet, I find I want to see how this plays out. There’s something wrong with Jackson. I don’t like it. He seems restless.”
There was a short knock on the door. Julian opened it. The young man who pushed in the elegant cart seemed surprised to see his boss.
“Mr. Lodge,” the young man said. Sam noted how he deferentially avoided the older man’s eyes. Sam thought that if he hadn’t been working, the young man would have immediately taken the same position Abigail had just moments before, on his knees, palms up. He was a sub, no doubt about it. However, the submissive young man did look at Sam and Abby. Sam could see him making some very wrong assumptions.
“They are merely my friends, Jeremy,” Julian stated firmly. “Don’t think I don’t know how the gossip mill works. I won’t have you upsetting my subs by telling them I have a couple stashed in the Platinum Suite. And don’t attempt any of your petty revenges on them. You’re almost on your third strike.”
The slender young man lowered his head, but Sam noticed how his lips had thinned in anger. “Of course, sir.”
Julian walked over to the waiter. Sam could clearly see the tension. “Eyes up, Jeremy.”
Jeremy brought his eyes up quickly. “Yes, sir?”
Julian smiled slightly, and his hand moved over the sub’s chin. Jeremy practically vibrated from his master’s caress. “They really are just friends, pet. Don’t get yourself kicked out of your home because you are needlessly jealous. I don’t like jealousy. I find it distasteful. And I don’t want you upsetting Sally, either. She’s been turned down once today.”
Jeremy’s eyes went wide as though he couldn’t quite believe it.
“Yes,” Julian acknowledged. “Mr. Barnes was not pleased with Sally’s offer of comfort. He rather forcefully turned her down.”
“And he lives to see another day,” Abby said fiercely. Sam suppressed a grin. Her face was flush. He could have warned her that Jack would be offered a whole lot of sex the minute he entered The Club. He’d chosen not to for two reasons. The first was that he didn’t want to upset her. The second was his unwavering belief that they could offer all day long, but Jack would just keep turning it down.
“You’re a little spitfire, aren’t you?” Julian glanced her way, his eyes lit with amusement.
“Continue offering my husband cheap sex, and you’ll find out, Mr. Lodge,” Abby said quietly.
Julian turned a very serious face toward her. He did not look pleased with her sauciness. “Again, not my sub to discipline, but I would expect something serious from your husband.”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
“As for you,” Julian turned back to the man Sam was almost certain was his male sub, “remember what I said, pet. If you pull some of the stunts you have in the past, the outcome might be different. Samuel isn’t known for turning the other cheek. He won’t give you any warning, either. Cross Samuel, and his revenge might be painful.”
Sam smiled. “He’s referring to the fact that I like to jump people who piss me off. I tend to do it in dark alleys. See, Jack would do a whole bunch of stuff to ruin you financially and make your life a living hell. Me? I’ll just beat the shit out of you.”
“Sam!” Abby sounded slightly shocked. Her voice got low. “The owner of Delbert’s got sent to the hospital a couple of months ago. They said he got mugged. Was that you?”
The owner of Delbert’s was an asshole who had treated Abby very poorly. He’d humiliated her in front of half the town. Jack was making sure he went out of business. Sam wasn’t satisfied unless there was some severe physical pain involved. He shrugged at his wife. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, darlin’. The police cleared me on that. I was drinking at The Barn that night, all night long.”
Her eyes narrowed, and he was pretty sure they weren’t through, but Julian was laughing.
“You see, Jeremy, you should sheathe your claws around that one.” Julian turned his attention to the plates covered with shiny domes. He elegantly uncovered the first. “Ah, yes, our chef is very good with steaks. The mashed potatoes have a lovely truffle oil in them. The beef is Barnes-Fleetwood, of course.”
“Then I know it’s good.” Sam felt more confident than he had all night. He wasn’t a bartender anymore. He was a rancher, and he believed in his product.
Julian uncovered the second meal. He frowned. “Are you a vegetarian, Mrs. Barnes? I can have the chef come up with something more interesting than a salad.”
“It’s fine.” Abby sounded more than a little defensive. “It’s exactly what I ordered.”
Julian considered her and, for a moment, looked like he would argue further. He sighed and turned his attention to Sam. “If it gets worse, I’m here to help you, Samuel. I know I was Jackson’s mentor, but I was always fond of you. If you and Mrs. Barnes need anything, please let me know. And Samuel, if Jackson calls for public punishment, I will be forced to allow it.”
“Then I’ll take it,” Sam said firmly.
“Yes, I believe you would.” Julian walked out. He snapped his fingers lightly, and Jeremy followed. Sam didn’t miss the sub’s glance back at him. He knew that despite Julian’s warning, he should keep an eye on that one. He might be trouble.
“I don’t know if I like that man.” Abby watched the door and then took her seat, sitting down in front of her salad.
“You might not like him, baby, but he means what he says.” Sam sat down across from her. He dug into his perfectly cooked steak. The Club would be open soon. He would need his strength.
He waited until it rang three times, then Matthew Slater pressed the receive call button on his phone. Slater glanced around his suite before he answered. He would never refuse the Senator’s call, but it looked good to make him wait just a few minutes. He needed to come off as a very busy person. He had found that being too available just led to getting more and more work sent his way.
“Yes, Senator?”
“Matthew, have you seen my son yet?” The Senator’s voice was deep and calm. He rarely yelled and almost never cussed. He would consider it beneath him. He had been raised in a wealthy family, and such language was too common. Still, he knew how to put a hint of malice in almost everything that came out of his mouth.
“No, sir, his flight should be landing soon.” He didn’t mention that Julian would be sending someone to the airport for him.
“I wasn’t talking about Lucas.”
Slater attempted to hide his shock. He kept his voice perfectly smooth. “If you are speaking of Jack Barnes, sir, then yes. I had a meeting with him in Lodge’s office a couple of hours ago. He seemed very concerned.”