“You and me both,” I agreed.
“Do you know who this guy is?”
“Other than his name, no.” I knew a little more than that, but I wasn’t going to share the details yet.
“I take it you’ll be doin’ some diggin’?”
He knew me well. “That’s the plan.”
Seemingly content with my response, Langston relaxed once more and a smirk lifted his upper lip. “Well. That’s certainly an interesting way to find a qualified candidate.”
I shook my head. “I have no idea if she’s qualified or not, which is why I wanted Luci and Jordan to interview her. She was doing something similar before, so I think it wouldn’t be too farfetched.”
“So why not just offer her the job? Seems like a lot of effort to go through.”
I sighed. “Because I want her to go through the process. We’re not giving handouts here. If she’s qualified, then great. If she’s not…”
I didn’t know what I would do if Luci and Jordan felt Addison wouldn’t be right for the role, but I had no choice but to wait and see how things played out. Sure, I could’ve easily hired her without discussing with them, but I knew Addison would’ve taken it the wrong way. Her pride would insist that she apply and not merely be handed something, despite her survival instinct.
“Are you needing Luci to get any other information?” he asked. “As you know, she’s been seeking someone who’d be a good fit for you and Ben.” His grin widened. “Not merely in a work sense.”
Yes, I was well aware of that fact. It didn’t seem to matter that I’d never told Luci that was a requirement. Admittedly, Ben and I had been looking for someone we could interact with on a different level, but it wasn’t the only deciding factor.
“I’d prefer to get their unbiased opinions and only in regard to the job qualifications,” I told him. “Unlike the others, though, I’ll want them to follow up with me immediately after if they have a problem. Otherwise, they can merely hand her off to me.”
I had yet to meet any of the candidates they’d interviewed this time around. Luci had graciously informed me that none of them had been a good fit for the company. I knew that was likely true for a few. But when it came to Addison, I would make that determination.
Langston nodded. “I’ll let her know.” He studied me for a second. “Does this…? What’s her name?”
“Addison Hayes,” I supplied.
“Does Addison understand what it is you’re really looking for from her? I assume since you met her at the club, you were a little more forthcoming than we were with Luci.”
I couldn’t help but smile. When Luci had walked into this office last October, she’d been sweet, innocent, and completely untainted by our lifestyle. You damn sure wouldn’t know that by looking at her now.
“She does. And she’s agreed to become our submissive.”
Langston’s eyes widened and I thought for a minute his tongue was going to fall out of his mouth. “Submissive?”
I gave a curt nod. “We’re working out a contract with her.”
“Contract? You’ve never been much of a contract man.”
“She insisted.”
“So…is this serious?”
“Not yet it’s not. However, the three of us are interested in seeing where it goes.”
“But you met her last night?”
“We did.” I lifted an eyebrow. “It’s not unusual for an experienced Dom to take on an experienced submissive.”
“No, it’s not. I’m not arguing that point.” His head cocked to the side. “However, it is unusual for you and Ben to take on a submissive.”
That much was true. We often played with submissives at the club, but never anything serious and never outside the club. I put the interactions we’d had with Luci in a different category altogether. Definitely not a D/s situation in the traditional sense. So, this was new for us.
“I take it you and Ben are interested in her?”
“We wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise.” Despite the fact we’d only known her since last night, there was a connection between the three of us that was rare. Perhaps it was my need to protect her or pure and simple lust that fueled my interest. Whatever it was, I was curious to see where it might lead.
“Well, it’ll be interesting, to say the least.”
That it would.
“You remember the first girl we hired…?” Langston smirked. “What was it? Five years ago?”
I groaned. “I remember her. Failed on all counts.” Miserably.
Landon, Langston, and I had met through the BDSM scene roughly twelve years ago. When we realized we were all three in the same business—advertising and public relations—though working for other people, we’d hit it off. Didn’t take long for our dominating personalities to come up with the idea of opening a firm together. Although outrageously successful, I’d been incredibly dissatisfied with the direction my career had taken, so I hadn’t needed much persuasion. The seed had been planted at that point, but it wasn’t until I met Ben a couple of years later that we decided to give it a go.
