Page 243 of Masters of Control

Ugh, her brain felt foggy, like her thoughts were coming more slowly than usual.

“Sweetie, you don’t look so good,” Brian said with concern, coming around the side of the counter. He set his mug of coffee down on it as he passed by.

“I’m fine.”

She couldn’t be sick. Not today. It was her one-monthversary, and Asad was taking her to dinner and a show at Marquis. He’d even gotten one of the rooms for them to stay in. She was not going to ruin that for him by being sick.

Brian stepped in front of her, blocking her movement and bringing a hand up to her forehead. Morgan tried to duck, but the movement made her dizzy. He caught her, cursing under his breath, and put his hand on her forehead before making a hissing sound.

“You’re burning up, Morgan. We’re going to the doctor.”

“No!” Morgan stumbled away from him. “I’m not sick. I’m fine. I just need to eat something.” She managed to straighten up and get to the fridge by sheer force of will. She could feel herself swaying, not that she was going to admit it. Nope. She had all day to get better, even if she wasn’t feeling that well.

“Morgan, sit down!” Brian barked out the order, and Morgan’s knees buckled immediately, her butt hitting the floor so fast, she cried out in surprise. “Shit.” A moment later, he was scooping her up and carrying her into the living room.

“You used your Daddy Dom voice on me,” she said accusingly.

“Damn right, I did. Now, you’re going to sit right here and not move an inch.” He put her down sideways on the couch and stood over her, glaring down at her with an expression that meant business. Morgan huffed, an odd feeling curling inside her. She wasn’t sure what she felt, but she was close to bursting into tears.

“I need to eat something.”

“I’m going to make you some soup, and in the meantime I’m going to call Mitch to get over here and check you out. It’s his day off, so I know he’s around.”

Morgan huffed again, but she didn’t protest. Brian had gone into full overprotective Daddy Dom mode. Hopefully, Mitch would be able to check her out and pronounce her as fine. Then Brian would leave for his trip, and she could rest up and be better for Asad this evening. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the back of the couch, her head and knees resting on it, and sighed.

Her throat really did hurt a lot.

She shivered.

A moment later, something heavy and warm covered her, and she opened her eyes to see Brian already walking back to the kitchen after having dropped one of their throw blankets over her. It felt good being curled up under it. Also, strange. She felt she was supposed to be up and doing something, but she could hear pans clattering in the kitchen as he started to get the soup ready, then his phone beeping with incoming texts.

“Mitch will be here soon.”

“Okay.” Morgan sighed, and it turned into a yawn. There was no point arguing with a bossy Daddy Dom once he hit Daddy mode, and she knew it. Mitch wasn’t as strict, even though he was a sadist. He was a lot like Asad in that way. Maybe he could give her something to help her feel better and get through the night.

There was no way she was disappointing Asad.

Asad

Brian: Morgan’s sick—she’s running a fever and she won’t go to the doctor. Mitch is coming over to check her out. I have to leave in an hour for my trip.

Asad stared at the text, his mind completely blank. His thoughts were whirling so fast that none of them made sense. He couldn’t focus on anything but the words on the screen.

“Asad? Everything okay?” Duke, the manager of the company whose project he was currently on, was looking at him with concern.

“Um. Yeah. I mean, no. I… I have to go.”

“Okay.” Duke’s blue eyes looked more concerned than ever.

“I’ll be back tomorrow, but I just… I have to go.”

“Sure, man, take the afternoon. It’s no problem.”

“Thanks.” He managed to nod, his jaw clenched so hard, he could feel his teeth grinding together as he turned and walked out of the plant. Power walked, basically. Everything was going by in a blur as the words beat a mental drum in his head.

Morgan’s sick. Morgan’s sick. Morgan’s sick.

By the time he slid into the front seat of his car, his heart was beating so fast, he could feel it in his throat, and his palms were sweaty enough to slide on his steering wheel. Shit. He had to get himself together. He needed to get home to Morgan, he needed to make sure she was okay, he needed…