Calling the Shots

by Christine d'Abo

  The walk to Mavericks was silent. Kingston stayed a pace or two behind and to the side of him. The feeling of being studied was unmistakable and set Josh on edge. He wanted to get Kingston in and out. There was no reason not to trust the lawyer, which meant Josh was either reading far more into things than he should be, or Kingston was holding something else back. Either way, Josh needed to figure out what was going on.

  Josh deactivated the alarm. “Like I said, we’ve had to do some cleanup, repainting and such. Be careful of the drop cloths and cans.”

  “Don’t worry, Josh. I won’t sue you for a stubbed toe.”

  “If you can’t handle something small like that, then Mavericks certainly isn’t the place for you.”

  Kingston chuckled. “I suspect I’m more into giving than receiving.”

  Ah, that made sense. It was easy to sympathize with a man so used to being in control that the mere thought of asking for help was a weakness. It explained the lawyer’s unease and strange reactions. Josh relaxed as he flicked on the lights and led the way in.

  “You’ve been to the main area, but I’m not sure how much you were able to see last time.” Josh moved to stand in front of the St. Andrew’s Cross, which still needed to be returned to its previous glory. “Down here we like to keep things relaxed. For the most part.”

  “You serve alcohol. I have to say I’m surprised, given the types of activities that Allison informed me go on here. I would think you’d want people clear-headed.”

  “I know a lot of clubs that don’t. But Mavericks isn’t just about or for people into BDSM or kink. I cater to sex fantasies of all kinds. In some cases people want to watch and not participate. They like a drink to go along with their show.”

  “Things can get out of control. People lose their focus.”

  “My staff keeps an eye on everyone.” Beth and Oliver diligently making sure everyone was safe. Josh turned to face Kingston. “There’s no liquor allowed in any of the playrooms. I hold the keys to all the rooms and personally vet everyone who uses them. If I feel they’ve had too much, they’re put in a cab rather than cuffs.”

  “And if they refuse to go? Or are able to trick you?”

  “I know my members, Mr. Kingston. They all want to have a safe place to explore their sexuality.”

  “Is that what goes on here? Exploration?” The way Kingston spat out the word gave Josh the impression the other man had swallowed something foul. “Women learning how to be sluts? Men whoring them out?”

  The strength of his shock had Josh’s stomach souring. “What?”

  Kingston jumped onto the platform, reaching up to wrap his hand around the leather cuff dangling from the chain closest to him. “Do you like to watch, Josh? How does it make you feel when you see them tied up? Do you make them beg? Make them fuck you?”

  “If you understand anything about what goes on here, you know it’s not like that. People are clear on their boundaries. No one is forced to do anything they’re not comfortable with.”

  Josh followed Kingston as he circled around the cross, using the chain and his momentum to swing his body around. The way the lawyer was moving was almost childlike, in a strange, perverted sort of way. In the background Josh registered the sound of his cell phone ringing up in his office, but there was no way he would leave Kingston alone to answer it.

  Edging closer to the platform, Josh fought off another wave of wooziness. His brain was muddled and it took effort to blink. “I take it you’re not in a relationship at the moment.”

  Kingston grinned. “Not now. We broke up a while ago. But you see I’m beginning to understand her better now. I’ve been learning for years how I can please her. What she needed me to be so she could stop whoring herself out to anything with a cock.”

  “I would prefer if you don’t use that word.” Josh tried to relax his clenched jaw. “We have a code of conduct at Mavericks.”

  “But you’re not open, Josh.” Kingston grinned. Letting go of the chain, he spun around, lifting his hands up in a twisted version of a finishing move. “We’re all alone here, just you and me. Two men chatting about fucking and whores. You like fucking or else you wouldn’t own a club like this. Are you also a whore? Or are your two little friends the ones who spread their legs?”

  Josh jumped to the platform, his hands balled into fists as he crowded into Kingston’s personal space. “That’s enough.”

  “No.” Kingston cocked his head to the side. “I don’t think it is.”

  Josh didn’t have time to react as the other man took the chain in his hand and punched him. Head spinning, Josh stumbled back, losing his footing, and fell off the stage. He didn’t remember hitting his head, but his vision spun and clouded. What the fuck? He shouldn’t be this weak from a simple punch.

  “How’s your head, Joshie? Feeling a little woozy, are you? I wouldn’t bother fighting it. You can, but it’s not going to do a whole lot of good, given how long that shit’s been in your system.”

  Josh tried to push himself back to his feet, but his legs refused to cooperate. “What the hell did you do to me?”

  “Didn’t your mom ever teach you not to accept drinks from strange men?”

  The last thing Josh was aware of was the sound of the bar phone ringing, before it was drowned out by Kingston’s laughter.

  * * *

  “Dammit, he’s not there.” Oliver pitched his phone at Beth’s couch, growling in frustration. “Did you try his cell again?”

  “Yes, and his house.” Beth’s voice shook and he could see unshed tears in her eyes. “Should we try calling the cops?”

  “We don’t know if anything has happened yet. For all we know, they could be at Pulled having a coffee, and Allison is an overreacting nut job.” Not that Oliver believed that for even a second. Josh had an amazing track record when it came to club members. That he’d let Allison join in the first place was enough of an endorsement, no matter what she’d done in the grip of her grief after a few too many.

  “I’m going to call Pulled,” Beth muttered as she dialed. “I’m going to kick his ass if he’s there and his cell battery died.”

  God, if it were only that easy. Oliver stalked to the window to stare out into the dusky orange sky. Josh had to be okay. For once in his life things had to go the way Oliver wanted them to, and Josh would be just fine. Kingston would turn out to be nothing more than some misunderstood ex, slightly crazy like Mallory, someone who had his own side of the story. Because bad shit like this didn’t happen in real life. Certainly not to people like Josh, who were more than able to take care of themselves.

  Closing his eyes, Oliver fought back the overwhelming urge to panic.

  “Hey, are Sadie or Paige in tonight?…Ian? Tell him it’s Beth Norris…Thanks.” Beth let out a huff. “Hey, Ian. Sorry to be a pain in the ass, but Josh isn’t there by chance…Oh, he was?”

  Oliver was by Beth’s side and pressed against her in a heartbeat. He could barely make out Ian on the other end.

  “…left here about forty minutes ago with some dude. I think I heard something about them going to the club. I didn’t realize you were open yet.”

  “We’re not. You didn’t happen to catch the guy’s name?”

  “Bobby, I think he said it was. Wanted to know what Josh’s preferred drink was. Not Josh’s normal type for a date. I assumed it was a business deal. Is everything okay?”

  Oliver glanced her way, and without speaking he knew she was thinking the same thing. Keep things quiet until they found Josh and knew for certain what was going on.

  “I think so. Just had a strange call from a customer and I need to get in touch with Josh. Ian, if you don’t hear from me in about an hour, I want you to call the cops and send them to the club, okay?”

  “That doesn’t sound like things are okay. Sounds like there’s a
pretty big problem.”

  “I could be totally overreacting.”

  “’Cause you do that so much.”

  “Just…give us an hour. If Oliver or I don’t call you by then, send the cavalry.” Beth nodded as Oliver grabbed his keys and jacket. “We’ll be in touch.”

  “Let’s hope this is the biggest misunderstanding in the history of bad breakups.” Oliver held the door open for Beth, waiting for her to pass beneath his arm.

  “I’m going to kill him if it is.”

  “I’ll kill him if it isn’t.”

  Beth turned, stopping Oliver dead in his tracks. “No, if he’s okay I’m going to lock the two of you up in my bedroom for a week, and I won’t let you out of my sight.”

  The tears streamed down her face without warning. There were no giant sobs or hysterics. In typical Beth fashion she freaked out with beauty and grace. Oliver gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before they raced down the hall.

  “If he’s fine, I’ll help you tie him down.”

  When this was over, he was going to have to come face-to-face with the fact he was in love with two people, neither of whom he would be able to live without.

  Please be fine, Josh.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Josh’s tongue felt thick when he tried to swallow. There was an odd taste in his mouth that he couldn’t quite place, and a pounding in the back of his head. Had he hit it? He tried to roll over and open his eyes, but the commands from his brain never reached their destination. Stubbornly, his body remained where it was while his brain crept back to life.

  Someone was moving around him. He recognized the sounds of movement, the scrape and shuffle of shoes on the tile floor. Floor? Josh managed to shift his head until his cheek was pressed flush against the uneven lines of the grout. He was on the floor then. Not promising.

  No, wait, he was being dragged. The sharp bite of wood against the small of his back, the harsh rub on his skin should have hurt more than his brain was allowing for. A cough echoed in the room. The tone of the voice wasn’t familiar, though there was a note of familiarity. He should know who that was. It was important. If only he could get his brain to cooperate.

  The person began to wrap something around his wrists, something even tighter around his neck. He knew it should hurt, but he was simply numb. More muttering from the person…that voice…

  Beth would know. She was a whiz at voices and faces. No matter how done up a person was, it would only take her a few seconds to recall their name, using it in the conversation to help Oliver out when he’d clearly forgotten. Josh could picture the two of them, their heads bent low, together smiling at a shared joke or crazy idea. He always loved to watch the two of them together.

  He was more than a little falling in love with them.

  Both of them.

  Very inconvenient.

  The person, a man from the sound of his steps, shuffled closer. Hands gripped his shoulders, roughly giving him a shake. Josh moaned, but somehow knew he shouldn’t give any indication he was coming to. Something was wrong. He just needed to remember.

  “Bastard,” the man muttered. “Whore.”

  Josh’s stomach rolled at the hate wrapped around that word. No, not again. He couldn’t track where the footsteps went, but he soon knew he was alone. He was pressed against a surface, bound in place and abandoned. If he could manage to open his eyes, he might be able to figure out where he was and what the hell was going on.

  Time passed at an untraceable rate for him. When the front door to the club opened, Josh hadn’t a clue how long he’d been lying there. Voices bounced in the room, but the words were moving too quickly for Josh to grasp what was being said.

  He knew them though. The panic flirting around the edges of his awareness ratcheted skyward as his heart began to pound.

  That was Beth, and there was Oliver. They’d come looking for him and now they were in danger. The man would hurt them and Josh would be powerless to stop it, and that would be the end of everything.

  “Josh?”

  “He’s got to be here.”

  “Josh? Maybe they came and went already—oh my God!”

  The rush of footsteps had Josh fighting to make his body cooperate. He had to warn them about the man. That was it. The man…the…the lawyer. Knight? Prince?

  “Kingston.” He knew he’d spoken from the echo of dual gasps from above his head.

  “Boss-man? I need you to open your eyes and look at me.” Warm masculine hands cupped Josh’s face. Unlike with Kingston, Josh sank with relief at the gentle contact. He could almost do what the man wanted.

  “Ol-ver?”

  “Yeah, it’s me. Beth too.” The pressure around his neck vanished, making it easier to breathe. “We need to get you up and out of here. But I want you to open your eyes first. Can you do that?”

  “I don’t see anyone else here.” Another person—Beth—dropped beside him. “Shit, what happened? Josh?”

  “Drugged,” he managed to get out. With effort, he forced his lids up a crack. Their faces were blurry, but he could tell they were worried. Shit, he was bound to the St. Andrew’s Cross. Not exactly the way he imagined his first time on it would go. “Leave.”

  “Not without you, boss-man. We’ll get you out of here and to Pulled, then call the cops.”

  “Leave.” God, why did they never listen to him?

  “We’re going to free your arms. Then we’ll leave together.”

  The two moved around him, braced his back and shifted him to lean against Oliver’s shoulder as they worked the restraints free. The jostling was enough to jumpstart his brain’s connection to his body. Even as they laid him out on the platform, Josh sucked in a deep breath, struggling against their hold.

  “We have to go.”

  “Josh, calm down.” Beth kissed his cheek even as she pressed his shoulder to the stage floor.

  “He’s still here.”

  “I looked around quickly. Unless he’s upstairs, I didn’t see him.”

  Loud popping and snapping noises made the three of them freeze. Oliver whispered, “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Leave.” Josh tried one more time, knowing neither of them would listen, but equally certain his body wasn’t fully ready to cooperate. “We’ll come back later.”

  “I’ll check upstairs to make sure.” Oliver ignored Josh’s feeble grasp and bolted up to the second floor.

  “Call the cops now, Beth.” Josh pushed at her arms as he forced himself to sit up.

  “Why?” Thankfully she pulled her cell out and dialed 9-1-1.

  “Kingston is…vandal. Called m’ a whore. Think he’s… responsible.”

  “He’s also Allison’s ex. We think he was the reason Austin left her. It would make sense that he targeted our club if she’s the focus of his attention.”

  There was shouting from above, the tones angry and hateful. It was enough to turn Josh’s stomach. Shit. “Beth, get out of here.”

  “We’ve had this conversation already.”

  He held up his hand, stopping her protests dead. “Do you smell something?”

  The pungent odor of melting plastic filtered down to them. Beth pressed the back of her hand to her nose. “What is that?”

  Josh managed to slide to the floor, finding his feet. He was still shaky but slowly fought his way out from under the effects of whatever Kingston had slipped him. “I need you to go get help. Get Ian, Jeff, someone from Pulled, and get them back here. We don’t have time to wait.”

  Another crash and shout propelled Josh into moving. He made it to the stairs and looked back long enough to see Beth’s moment of indecision pass. She tore for the front door. Help would be here soon enough. Josh just had to make sure Oliver was okay.

  It slowly became easier
to lift his feet and trudge upstairs as a rush of adrenaline surged through his body. Oliver was up there, and while Josh had no doubt that the other man could take care of himself, he knew Kingston was unstable enough to do anything.

  The sounds of a struggle were clear as Josh stumbled and skidded around the corner. At the end of the hall Oliver was locked in a wrestling match with Kingston as gray plumes of smoke rolled over them, increasingly obscuring them from his sight.

  Fire.

  No. Oh no.

  Kingston pulled back and slammed his fist against Oliver’s jaw before Josh could shout a warning. Oliver bashed his head against the wall with a sickening crack that Josh could hear even at this distance over the crackling of the flames. Oliver slumped to the floor, still.

  Josh pulled from every last inch of his energy reserves to bolt forward, throwing himself at Kingston the second he was within reach. The lingering numbness helped dull the shooting pain up his arm as he threw his own punch. It was sloppy, but he connected with the side of Kingston’s head.

  The lawyer stumbled but didn’t fall. He snapped around into a half crouch, his fists up and body rigid. “Fucker. I’ll kill you.”

  A blast of heat and smoke billowed out from the now-flaming playroom, searing Josh’s skin as it sent his panic into overdrive. He had to get Oliver out of here or they were both dead.

  Josh circled around Kingston until he was between the lawyer and Oliver’s prone body. “I’d like to see you try.” Josh’s words were swallowed up by the sound of growing flames behind him.

  Kingston began to cough, stepping back and away from the fire. “I don’t have to try. The fire will do the job for me.”

  Kingston grinned before he bolted down the hallway. Josh forgot about him the second he knew the lawyer wasn’t a threat, and turned to Oliver. A wave of dizziness slammed into him as his chest screamed for oxygen. Dropping to his knees, he didn’t bother to check for a pulse on Oliver. It wouldn’t matter one way or the other if they didn’t get the hell out of there—now.

  Flipping Oliver onto his back, Josh got on all fours and began to drag him as quickly as he could down the hall. Each slide of Oliver’s dead weight was a monumental task for Josh’s weakened muscles. Combined with the choking grip of the smoke on his lungs and throat, Josh quickly began to see spots. He’d managed to get them two-thirds of the way down the hall when his legs gave out on him.