by AJ Adams
When we pulled up, it was well past dark o’clock. Unlike the dark country roads, the place was lit up with laser lights. The house was a massive pile of a place, two wings of triple storied mansion complete with medieval turrets and imposing Greek columns.
Perdition was the real deal, all right. A proper English stately home, the kind you see on telly in dramas like Downton Abbey. Except that smart old bat, Dowager Countess Violet, would have had palpitations at the sight of the field packed with Harleys, Busas, and other bikes.
As for the dozen leather-clad heavies at the gate, they’d been pulled straight out of a medieval horror tale. Broad as bulls, they’d give a troop of mercenaries a seriously bad time. A part of me said I should stay well clear but the sensible rest of me maintained this lot would clear Jason and his buds away faster than Mr. Muscle banishes grease.
The driver looked at them, glanced back at me, and asked, “Are you sure you want to be here?”
I heard myself say, “I’ll be fine” but between you and me, that outer confidence was laced with a bit of nervous squeak. Unlike Velvet and other clubs, I wouldn’t be protected by CCTV and bouncers looking to prevent trouble.
Still, there was no point in turning tail, not after hiking all the way out there. So I got out of the taxi, and thankfully a blast of music wafted over. ‘Bad To The Bone’ has always one of my favourites, and I was walking tall and sassy as I announced, “Hello boys, I’m here to see Rex.”
A dozen pairs of pale eyes looked me over. As the taxi u-turned and vanished, I had the awful feeling that I’d misjudged the situation. These weren’t bulls; they were wolves, and by their silence, they were considering whether to eat me or not.
“Is Rex expecting you?” He had long blonde hair and a cut emblazoned with the name, Poison. While the bulge in his jeans told me he liked what he was seeing, it was also dead clear that I wasn’t getting in. “He left no word.”
I eyed the gate, the metal detector behind it, and the fact that at least three of the guards had telltale lumps under their jackets. This wasn’t some village gig; these were hardcore security professionals.
Luckily I’m pretty and very sharp at getting into places where I’ve no right to be. “Rex and I met earlier today,” I cast back. Then, standing hipshot and shaking my tits, “I was with Serene and Paisley. He said to drop by.”
It was growls and bulges all round, but none of them was budging. Then a lean, dark-haired bloke exclaimed, “I know you! You’re Lacy Desire!”
Told you I have fans. I gave him my best beam. “You’ve seen my work?”
“Fuck, yeah! I’m Viper. I’m your biggest fan.” He surged forward, grinning like a bastard. “You did the cover for The Degas Girl. And didn’t you do the Rigged Out special for Spanked?”
“Both mine.” Seeing the others relax a little, I got my courage up. “Hey, Viper, can you help me out?” I tried to look helpless and appealing. “I seem to be kind of stranded here.”
Viper was already on it. “Sure thing. Lucky bloody Rex for meeting you! You’re friends with Serene and Paisley? They never mentioned you.”
“We met in lock-up.” I gave him my best smile. “I met Rex when he came to the rescue.”
“Lucky bastard,” he sighed again.
You’d think being escorted by a Disciple would get you an easy in, right? But they put me through the metal detector, and when my overnight bag beeped, they were all over it.
“We have a no knives policy,” Poison announced. But then he was laughing and holding up my cuffs, “Oh yeah, ready for action?”
I tried to look dignified as I took them off him. “Those are personal items, thank you very much.”
“Fuck me, I would think so!” Poison pawing over my ball gag, vibrator and butt plug. “You’re better than the Boy Scouts, always prepared.”
I took the bag off him. “You’d better believe it.”
Finally, we were leaving testosterone central and walking up the driveway. As we hiked along, I saw the driver had been spot on. The grounds were littered with bikers and their girls: the ones who weren’t lying about in a drunken stupor were fucking or slugging each other. Perdition was Valhalla crossed with Fight Club.
As we moved around the heaving bodies, with me evading grasping hands and invitations, Viper was roaring over the music, “Is that your professional kit?”
“Yes,” I screamed back. A DJ playing ‘Civil War’ at full volume was too loud to yell over, so I didn’t tell him I’m picky about hygiene. Also, everything I have is custom designed. Like my cuffs are leather lined, so I don’t get bruises.
“I thought so,” Viper hollered as he dodged two blokes stumbling about as they were trying to deck each other. “Hey, if you get fed up with Rex, will you spend the night with me?”
Because he was nice, not grabby, and a fan, I bawled, “I’ll give that some thought.”
That got me a thumbs up and then we were walking past the two stages, and into a small courtyard beyond. Rex was standing in the centre. By the glitter in his eyes, he was soused. His mates were there, the ones I’d seen with him at the traffic lights earlier in the day, all in the same condition.
While the bikers were lying about, laughing drunkenly, Rex was about to get into some fisticuffs.
“You stole my girl!” He was huge, bearded and furious. “Fucking bastard.”
“Did not.” Rex declared. “I -”
The beard punched hard and fast. He was definitely martial arts trained.
Rex floated aside, continuing, “- don’t even know who -”
The beard kicked high and punched again. Both strikes missed.
“- she is,” Rex finished.
A hulk came barrelling in, yelling, “What the fuck? Stay away from my brother!”
“I didn’t start this!” Rex protested.
The hulk wasn’t listening. “Screw you! Bastard!”
Then it was two against one. I thought Rex’s mates would step in, but they just stood about, laughing and making bets. It didn’t take a minute to see why. The beard and the hulk kicked and punched but neither connected. It was like a scene from the Matrix; Rex just washed out of the way. Worse, he was laughing like a hyena as they tried to beat him.
Finally, the beard stopped, crying, “You minging bastard! Stand still!”
“If you must.” Rex stood like a rock. “Come on, then.”
The beard rose into the air, scissor kicked, and before he could connect, Rex flowed sideways and punched him in the face. It took a split second, and by the way the beard crumbled, it was game over.
“Clive!” A brunette came out of nowhere, crying, “Ohmigod, you’re hurt!”
“Oh, you meant that girl?” Rex was looking down at the beard. “Sorry, I didn’t realise. But you know, she came on to me.” But the man was out cold.
“You shit!” The hulk punched like Arnie, but Rex ducked lightly and kicked. The hulk went down like a tonne of bricks. Drunk as a skunk Rex fell flat on his face immediately after but he was laughing as he rolled about in the mud.
“Okay, the fight’s over!” His cut announced Crush, and by the sheer size of him, I wasn’t surprised. “Listen up, people, The Rocks start their set in five!”
As the onlookers, the fallen and the brunette flowed out, Rex’s drunken pals were hauling him to his feet and plying him with more beer, definitely intending to carry on partying.
I was congratulating myself on my plan. If Rex could take down two men while plastered, he’d make mincemeat of Jason. But seeing I was going to push him into it, I didn’t want to provoke him into thumping me. While I dithered, Rex clocked me and frowned, “What the fuck are you doing here? I told you to leave town.”
“I did leave town. It’s why I’m here,” I clapped right back at him.
I posed again, hip-shot to let him enjoy all of glorious me but the cerulean eyes were cold. My party outfit wasn’t interesting him at all. “Viper, chuck her out,” he commanded.
My friend wa
s looking shocked. “You know who she is, right?”
“Yes,” Rex snapped back. “She’s a thief.”
“I’m not!” I shouted. “I was set up, you prick!”
Viper was shaking his head. “This is Lacy Desire, Rex. She’s famous, you know. There’s no way she’s stolen anything. It must be a set-up.”
“I don’t give a damn if it was.”
Possibly I’m a twit, but it occurred to me that it was a long way to the front gate, never mind miles away from friendly village lights and folk. Threatening Rex might not be a brilliant idea.
I took a breath decided to try and play nice. “I came to ask for your help. I’m in trouble.”
“Not interested.”
“Oh, come on,” Viper said. “Let her have her say.”
Rex sighed. “Ten seconds. Then she’s out.”
“A photographer I worked with has flipped his lid. He’s after me, and he’s got big, bad, ugly friends. I want you to fix it for me.”
The cornflower eyes were cold. “Hire a lawyer.”
“That won’t help me.”
“And neither will I.”
“Rex, please.”
“I told you, I don’t care.”
“I’d be very grateful.” I jiggled professionally. “All night long.”
The heavenly eyes narrowed with lust, but he shook his head. “Still not interested.”
“Liar. You want me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Don’t be so hasty,” Crush said. “If you don’t want her, I do.”
“Hey, me first,” Viper protested.
“We’ll take turns,” Crush leered.
Looking at Crush and his mates behind him, I was beginning to worry. This lot were drunk and gave off a feral vibe that would give a pack of wolves pause for thought. I didn’t fancy a gangbang.
“For God’s sake, Rex,” I leaned up against him, letting him enjoy lusciously curved me. “You’re a knight, and I’m a damsel in distress. Doesn’t tradition mean anything to you?”
He blinked and swayed a little, distinctly pixelated. Then, to my relief, he put an arm around me as he looked down my dress. “I’m a viscount.”
I fluttered my eyelashes, camping it up. “Then I can count on you?”
“No,” but he didn’t sound mad anymore.
“I’m the best,” I was desperate. “You’re turning down the best night of your life.”
Rex ran a finger down my face. “Well, that is an exciting dress, and I’m in the mood to party.”
A ripple of happy anticipation was fighting with the memory of hearing Reynolds scream.
Rex was fingering my collar. “So, you like games?”
It was all I could do to nod. The rippling muscles and warm scent of musk were working their magic. I forgot he was a killer. All I could think about was how good it would be to have that sleek strength all over me.
“Here and now,” he growled.
That was too much for me. Even at my wildest, I wasn’t going to be a public show. “No way.”
“If you weren’t looking for trouble,” Rex said softly, “you shouldn’t have come.”
There was a definite threat in the air. Sandwiched between him and the pack, I felt tiny and vulnerable. “If I do it, will you help me?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
I shook my head. “Not good enough.”
“Right,” Rex was ice again. “Viper, kick her out.”
I was fucking up. Not only did I have to get out of Perdition in one piece, but Jason would be after me in a flash. Being scared always makes me mad, so I was powering up, standing on tiptoes as I leaned in close and hissed, “Goxhill. I saw you kill Reynolds.”
Rex didn’t say a word, but he stiffened.
“He should have suffered longer,” I breathed. “That’s what you said.” He still wasn’t saying anything, so I pushed him along a bit. “He screamed like a pig when you dosed him with coke.” Still nothing. That’s when I made a mistake. “I wonder what Harding would say if -”
He moved so fast that I didn’t even have a chance to scream. One second I was standing there and the next he was right in my face, snarling, “How fucking dare you threaten me?”
God knows what might have happened next, but then Crush was hanging on his arm. “Rex, for fuck’s sake, not here!”
Viper was hanging on the other, “Rex, no!”
I was gasping. “Kill me, and you’re dead!”
“Not likely!” Rex sneered.
“Everyone saw me walk in here.”
“Disciples saw you.”
Right, if anyone ever came asking questions, that bunch wouldn’t be cooperating.
“I left a message.” I was making it up as I went along, inspired by every thriller I could remember. “If I don’t check in tomorrow morning, an email with a video showing every gory detail goes to Hastings, Scotland Yard, and every single newspaper from the Daily Mail to the Times.”
“You blackmailing little bitch!”
“Disciples don’t give in to blackmailing scum.” Kraken was covered in mermaid tats.
Viper was fuming as well. “That’s not on, Lacy. It’s just not fucking on.”
I knew it wasn’t, but I stood there, pretending it was just business. I had Mia to think of. “I tried nice, but you wouldn’t have it. So now it’s my way or the highway.”
Rex was looking as if he’d wring my neck, but Crush was saying urgently, “Wait,” and then he was whispering. I caught “trouble” and “dream” and “wanker banker.”
But Rex wasn’t persuaded, “I don’t give a stuff.”
I’d gambled and lost. Honestly, I wanted to cry. But then, glory be, Harding strolled around the corner. “Good evening, gentlemen.” The inspector was in his blues, putting on an act as the humble copper, but his eyes were hard as nails. “Ms. Desire. Now, what are you doing here?”
Fate hung in the air for a split second, and then Rex put an arm around me. “She’s here to see me, of course.”
A reprieve. I was in with a chance. I put an arm around Rex, smiled and announced, “The two of us go back a long time.” I stared into Rex’s eyes. “We’re an item, aren’t we?”
He didn’t blink. “Absolutely.”
It was a promise. Having the inspector round had given me the edge. I would keep my trap shut, and Rex would help me.
Harding wasn’t impressed by our matiness. “I didn’t sign for your release,” he frowned at me.
I shrugged. “I guess your sergeant knew I’m innocent because he told me to go.”
Harding didn’t believe me, but by the way he was eyeballing the Disciples, he had other fish to fry. “I’ve been here five minutes, and I’ve already clocked underage drinking, disorderly conduct and a score of other offences.”
Kraken instantly put a heavily tattooed arm around Harding. “Come on. We’ll go sort it out straight away.”
Harding didn’t like it, but Crush was holding on to his other arm, saying, “You’ll get mobbed if you try and arrest them, Inspector. Ten thousand against one won’t work.”
“I know that!” Harding bitched. “But some young women are passed out on drink. What if they get raped?”
Frankly, I didn’t think the copper had it in him, and from the way the Disciples blinked, they were taken aback too.
Crush oozed concern. “In that case, we’ll come along and see you right.”
“Damn straight,” Kraken agreed. “Lead on, Inspector.”
They went off, and as the plod vanished from sight, the rest of the Disciples breathed again.
I turned to Rex, determined to get the job done. “Look, it’s not exactly difficult,” I told him. “Jason’s mad at me, but you can reason with him. Tell him that if he drops all this, I’ll come back and finish the shoot. It’s what he wants. If he gets it, he’ll cool down.”
He didn’t like it, but he was resigned to the inevitable. “If I fix it, you fuck off, and we never hear from you again.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
Rex was still thinking. “Okay,” he said eventually, “but there’s one more condition.”
“What?”
“I get you. All night long.”
He was a raving lunatic and a killer, but I didn’t care. “Fix my problem, and I’ll do anything you want.”
Rex took out his phone. “What’s Jason’s number?”
I was already dialling. “Use mine.”
Of course, I thought it was all sorted. It didn’t take a minute for my happy moment to vanish.
“I’m calling for Lacy,” Rex said briskly. “Yes, she’s a bitch.” He paused. “Yes, that too. But if I could -” and then he was staring at the phone. “He hung up on me,” he announced. “He’s completely rat-arsed. There’s no point in calling him back.”
Bugger. But it wasn’t surprising. Jason was pissed most nights. “Try him again in the morning,” I ordered him. “You can call Harding then as well. I want to make sure those charges are dropped.”
Rex was shaking his head, but he didn’t fool me. “Don’t try and pretend calling off the coppers is beyond you. You got your girls out of the nick, no problem.”
He was ready to argue, but his protests were silenced by a blonde, teetering on platform heels and screeching, “Rex! I’ve been looking all over for you!”
She was followed by a redhead with a streaky fake tan, wailing, “Rex is with me!”
Rex hadn’t been bothered by threats, but I saw a distinct shiver. He had his arm around me pronto, “I’m with Lacy.”
We marched along the front of the house, ducked under the Greek columns, down into a kitchen the size of an aircraft hanger, and then up some stairs and into a warren of oak-panelled corridors. I was panting by the time we pulled up in front of a massive hand-carved door.
Once inside, I was open-mouthed. “Wow, this is awesome!” I wasn’t kidding, either. There were silver-framed photos on every surface, clothes were strewn around on every chair, but underneath the human touch, the room was an antiques showcase made of polished oak on the floor and walls, deep bow windows, and a four poster with velvet hangings. “Classy bed!”
“You fit right in.” Rex fingered my collar. “So, you like it rough.”