by Erin R Flynn
“You agree?” Commander Hall checked with me.
“Yes, sir.” I pulled out my PI ID and slid it over to him. “We left it as he was going to come up with a plan and would call me. I promised to listen, nothing more, but if he thought about screwing with my cover or pushing into my other investigation, I would not be thrilled.” I shrugged when he gave me a look he doubted I said that. “I said I would get my attorneys involved, and I did.”
I didn’t mention the threat to fuck him up. That wasn’t needed.
“These four were sitting at the club when I finished at the main stage.” I pointed to the asshole lead on the murder case who I still didn’t know the name of. “In front of everyone he flagged me for a lap dance and then refused to pay. Why doesn’t he just invite people to fuck with the new girl then? That’s just shit for professional courtesy and stupid when he wants something from me.”
Mindy held up her hand and cut him off. “We have your threats on tape.” She pulled out her phone and hit the play button.
It was hard not to laugh when the crystal clear audio played of exactly what had happened. I happily ate a few chalupas and sipped my pop.
“So I called the police,” I told the commander when it was done. “I was accurate in what I told dispatch. I alluded to more with the owner, and I only did that to block them from pulling their threat. I agreed to hear out Badin in good faith because there might be crossover and I’m fine with maybe helping. But I’m not getting a paycheck from Denver PD unless I missed it, and I’m not here to do their job.”
“Agreed,” he interjected, looking at the four like he wanted to chew them for breakfast. “And why was everyone yelling when I walked up?”
“He put his hands on me, and when my attorney called him on it, he said I was a stripper so it was fine,” I answered him. I narrowed my eyes at the other guy. “And if you tell me you saw anyone touching me, I’ll get the video to prove you’re a liar. I’m very clear—as I was with you—that it’s not allowed. Looking down at me because I’m undercover as a stripper is disturbing when you’re lead on the murders.”
“No one will talk to you with that attitude,” Mindy clarified. “How will you get any information from anyone if that’s how you treat strippers and hookers? My client isn’t even one and you treated her as beneath you. I believe those already dead and in danger deserve better than that from the lead on the case.”
“Agreed,” Commander Hall muttered, shaking his head. “I’ll be discussing all of this with IA. I’m assigning someone else your cases.”
“Now hang on a minute,” he started but snapped his mouth shut when the commander gave him a look. “Yes, sir.”
Badin took over to get us back on track. “Sir, Ms. Collins brought up a good point when we spoke about there might be some overlap in her work and what we’re doing. The murders might be the work of a pimp marking territory or making a move.”
I nodded, wiping my mouth with a napkin. “I’m not against helping, but just because you don’t have a female on vice able to do what I can doesn’t mean I’m obligated to do their job. I have my own cases and covers, and I can’t come testify whenever a DA does whatever or want myself on video.” I held up my hand when a few of the cops looked ready to object. “I help people too. And I’m not giving you shit on that club. Don’t ask.”
“Your case involves that place,” the commander pushed, studying me carefully as I went back to eating, not saying a word.
“With all due respect, Commander Hall, my client’s cases or clients aren’t any of the police’s business. Sergeant Badin caught her in his net and him in hers, and beyond that, licensed private investigators do not answer to the police, nor only work if the police allow it,” Mindy cut in, giving that jerk a hard look. “And if the matter is pushed and unjustified noses stuck in her case, trying to find out her employer, we are just the start of your problems.”
Commander Hall bobbed his head. “Meaning it’s a big enough name to finish any shit we start and mess with whatever’s going on. Got it.” He waited until Mindy nodded before looking back at me. “Are you willing to bring in lures to a wired room? Do exactly what you did with Badin but bring the Johns back to that room that we’ve got the setup? We can give you help going around looking for you.”
“Which makes her a target for pimps,” Mindy cut in.
“That’s not a bad thing,” I reminded her.
She shot me a look to shut up. “Right, because they’ve been so aboveboard so far. You trust they’ll come in when they should or protect you the stripper like they would a cop? There is a reason there are so few female officers willing to work vice and be constant bait. It’s dangerous and carries over to their lives too much. You’re working other cases here, and what happens when a pimp follows you home and blows the rest of everything?”
“She’s right,” the other attorney muttered. “You’re a smooth operator, Acadia. You pop up where you need to and blend away. That’s not the case here.” He held up his hand to cut me off. “What happens when there’s never a John who drops you back off? They all get locked up, and how fast does it get around that the chick with the rainbow hair is a cop plant and you end up with a bullet?”
I gave a slow nod. “I can do temp dye and color contacts if it’s just audio and I get a ride back.” I glanced at Commander Hall. “You can get a few different cars to rotate, right? People would notice if I was brought back in the same car.”
“We could handle that,” he agreed. “Audio is enough for a plea deal, and we can name you a CI.”
“And we’ll be close and listening so you’re not on your own if someone pulls a gun,” Badin added. “We try it one night and see how it goes.”
I glanced at Mindy, waiting until she nodded. “A few of our guys help, play Johns to be regulars that come back.”
“Yeah, that would help,” Badin agreed.
“I want access to the murder investigation,” I told them, nodding when they winced. “If we’re getting in bed, I want access. I can help. I can go places your guys can’t, and I’ve already got an in. Hell, I have a forensic specialist on retainer that Scotland Yard uses.” No one replied, and I sighed, stuffing my wrappers in the bag. “Let me know when you get approval.”
“It might take a few days,” Badin muttered.
I snickered. “It always does. Remind whoever I’m not going nuclear on the shit you pulled tonight and am still talking about helping.”
He raised an eyebrow as I stood and the others did too. “This wasn’t you going nuclear?”
I smirked at him as a few in my party chuckled. “Not even fucking close.” I winked at him. “You were a good kisser after all.” I threw back my head and laughed when he blushed.
We shook hands with the commander and Badin, the asshole sitting there with a murderous look and the other two seeming split between not wanting to piss him off or seem like they were on his side. I didn’t even know if they were vice or homicide, so I left it alone for the moment.
“This is dangerous, and you know the owner is going to want to bring in more people,” Mindy told me once we were outside.
I nodded. “I already asked Lewis for another me so someone can scope the high end gyms and spas when I’m sleeping. We need more on the range. If it’s high end call girl all the way to the shittiest titty bar stripper, we could use the help of the cops.”
“Yeah, fine, but if you are on their radar, none of anything stays on the computers in your residence,” she said firmly. I nodded, sighing. “Good, I’ll have Lewis handle an offsite location for your setup to be brought to and the scrubber visiting to wipe the portals.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek when I agreed. “Thank you. My job is to protect you, and life is so much easier when you let me.”
“The holidays are coming up,” I teased her, smiling when she did.
I could be flippant or a bit reckless when it was just me, but others were involved now, and that meant I had to keep them safe too.
5
&nbs
p; The next morning I boxed up everything Lewis would arrange to take to wherever they were setting up the offsite spot. Then I took several portals and went through even more glamour changes from previous personas before I arrived at Heavenly Entertainment’s flagship club in Berlin. It was just before seven at night there, and the show would start soon.
After a bit of back and forth, I changed my glamour to Lola since I was seeing Dylan and I didn’t want to throw him too much.
I met up with him backstage, and the moment we locked gazes, he was on me. He kissed me stupid and seemed like he was trying to map every inch of me with his hands.
“Okay, okay, not why I’m here,” I chuckled, pulling away. I gave him a chaste kiss to soften my words. “Hi.”
“Hey, hi, sorry,” he murmured. “I’m just so glad to see you. I’m sorry I called. I got so worried when I heard those douches say they already handled you when they went for the club and no one would tell me anything.”
“I’m fine. I was long gone,” I promised, patting his chest. “Things got messed up with my new case and cover, and I didn’t get the buffet I thought I would, but I need one.”
He slowly nodded. “What do you need me to do?”
I internally flinched. I had made it sound like that. “Nothing. I can do what I normally do. If you want to do it instead of someone else, you can, but you need to understand how this works.”
He glanced at the curtain. “Lewis said it’s some sort of scene. You drive up the lust, which you always do, so I’m not sure what’s the difference.”
I smiled at the compliment. “Most lust is varied or unspecific, just all over the place at a strip club. That doesn’t help me. We rig it so we focus them. Kiera knows what to do and will be the director basically. She’ll talk to the audience and ask if they want to see you use the flogger on me. And they will so it focuses the lust and then it’s a buffet.”
His eyes flashed heat. “You want us to do a BDSM scene? In front of an audience?”
I blinked at him a moment, biting back a chuckle. “Did you think it was a Shakespeare scene we were going to do so a lust demon could feed?”
He shot me a look like he wanted to correct me on that but wouldn’t. “Okay, yeah, sure, I’d love to play with you however.” He seemed to think better about that. “If we have dinner after. You have to eat to process it, right?”
“Shut up,” I breathed, as that wasn’t standard demon behavior. He nodded, and I raised my voice back up to normal. “No, I’m just always hungry as any supe is. Yes, we can eat. I have a private room reserved if you want.” I waited until he nodded. “You can’t touch me though. I could feed from you then, and we’re not doing that.”
He nodded but then frowned. “I can’t touch you at all?”
I sighed, wondering if this was a mistake. “Yes, of course you can touch me, but I can’t feed if you are. So don’t use your hand, use the flogger. You’ll use the toys on me. Just listen to Kiera and it will be fine.” He looked hesitant. “Or Kiera can just do it. I thought you’d want to—you acted like you wanted to really know me. Fine, whatever.”
“No, I do, I do,” he promised, grabbing my arms and brushing his lips over mine. “I’m trying to catch up, okay? I can’t call you, but instead I get a call inviting me here and how to get here through portals, which I’ve rarely ever used and most demons don’t share, and now we’re doing BDSM. I’m spinning.”
I frowned, stuck on one part of that. “That’s got to be because you’re ISLE or something. They’re normally all over mixed areas and demons let people use them anytime.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “Okay, so do I get a costume or something?”
I waved someone over and took the skeleton masquerade mask from her with a thanks and gave it to him. “I figured you wouldn’t want it to get around you were in tight with someone here in case someone else from ISLE is here on their off hours.”
He nodded, checking it out. “Yeah, makes sense if you’re always hidden and changing glamours.” He ended up taking off his shirt too, leaving just his jeans and boots, which was a very good look for him.
I took off the dress I was wearing to show the sexy black corset with garters holding up stockings and a tiny thong. I smirked when his mouth fell open. “You rip it off, you replace it.”
“Totally worth it,” he murmured. “Shit, you just melted my brain.”
“Nice.”
Kiera started the intro, and I put on the blindfold, holding out my hand to Dylan so he knew to lead me out.
“The scene tonight is all about making sure you are clear with a new partner,” she told them. “This is the first scene our entertainers are doing together. She has a safe word, as always, but they’ve discussed limits. The point of having this type of fun is to push a bit, not hurt or upset anyone.”
“Cupcake,” I told him before he could even ask. I figured there was no way I’d have a reason to say that. “But you’ll need to gag me.” I handed one over to him.
“Why?”
I snickered. “You’ll see.” I was sort of shocked he didn’t already understand why, having seen how easily I can get overwhelmed, but this was all a bit far out of his wheel house.
“Let’s give them a warm welcome,” Kiera said loudly to wrap up. People clapped, and Dylan led me out from behind the curtain. “Isn’t she lovely?” There were murmurs of agreement. “How many of you wish you were him?”
I bit back a gasp as she focused their lust and it hit me. I wanted to drink it down, but Dylan was still touching me and I would get him too.
“Who wants to see her pretty wrists locked up?” she asked next, knowing what I needed. “Oh yes, please lock up her wrists, right?”
“I’m going to cream myself,” Dylan breathed in my ear as he moved my arms overhead and fastened the lined shackles around my wrists.
“Should we turn her around?” she teased them. “Yes, let’s do that and see that fine ass I know she has.”
I heard a few of the table top translators echo what she was saying. Yes, we were in Germany, but English was the third most used language in the world, and given Berlin was such a tourist hotspot, it made sense. Plus, it was what Kiera knew best.
The moment Dylan turned me around and let go, I started feeding. There were at least a hundred people there for the show, and that meant I could get a lot and the excitement would be the blame for the energy I took. It wasn’t like I was going to take as much as I would during sex.
“Now what should he hit that perfect ass with? There are some lovely floggers there. Or we have a soft leather riding crop. Those paddles might be too much.”
“Riding crop,” I moaned, overwhelmed with how much people wanted it. “Please, please, the riding crop.”
“Oh, she begs so well. We should reward her,” Kiera purred. “Let’s count them for her?”
Dylan started light, the crowd counting each slap as I fed off their lust, their desire to see another slap, their longing to be the one in my spot or to hit me.
After twenty he moved closer and kissed me, his hands on my ass to tease them and the way I squirmed now that it was on fire. He drove their desire up, and I begged him for more. Kiera allowed another ten but then called it.
“Who wants to see her pale, pale skin get zapped?”
I almost orgasmed from the desire that flooded me.
“Wait, we’ll get to that,” Kiera said, teasing them and letting them know what was to come. “What should we do next?”
Dylan didn’t wait for an answer, tearing the thong off of me and undoing the corset. He turned me around and massaged my chest as he kissed my neck and ground his hips against my ass… Which meant I had to stop feeding. Fine, I could go in waves, but he seemed to be missing the point.
And with four hands touching me, it was too much to keep straight when I was restrained and blindfolded.
Wait—four?
“I am so glad I didn’t miss this,” Aidan O’Malley murmured in my ear as he nibbled
on it. “You are so perfect.”
I swallowed loudly and forced myself not to react. That would really go bad for a show about communication and not pushing people. Awesome. Just fucking awesome.
Especially because the audience loved it. They were thrilled we threw that surprise in for them. Yeah, them. Kiera and I were just as surprised.
And then O’Malley took over directing.
“Let’s get her over the sawhorse and give her what she needs,” he said loudly. “Is that what you want to see?”
They did.
He unlocked my hands and gave me a heated kiss before leading me over to the padded sawhorse. They spent the next ten minutes teasing and pleasing me while winding up the crowd. I was drowning in desire and begging them to do everything to me, also hoping they gagged me soon as I’d told Dylan to do. It was too much and not what we’d agreed to, plus they kept touching me so I wasn’t able to feed.
Dylan ended up screwing me while I blew O’Malley. The moment they finished, Kiera quickly thanked us for the performance before they could change anything else and came over and released me so I could take a bow.
I did, completely shaken and slapping on a bright smile anyways as I pulled off the blindfold. Someone came from offstage and handed me a robe, which I thanked them for. I headed backstage as Kiera told them there would be a break before the next performance.
“What the fuck was that?” Kiera seethed once we were all behind the curtain. She went to say more, but I shook my head. People might still hear us. She nodded, and we went to the employee area with lockers and showers. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
“What, we did the show?” Dylan asked. “Did I hurt you?” I stepped away when he reached for me, and the tension shot up. “Sweetie, what’s going on?”
I looked at him then and let the tears come now that we were offstage. “Am I just a whore you can invite a friend to join in with?”
His eyes went bug wide. “What? No, no. I thought you—we made a deal if you called that we’d contact the other.”
I nodded my head. “I need to shower. I feel dirty.”