by S. E. Lund
We passed pedestrians going to and from restaurants and clubs along the street. The weather was cool and the air crisp. It had rained earlier and the raindrops glistened on the streetlights, making them appear like so many diamonds.
We stopped on the street corner, waiting for the light.
"We're so lucky to be here," I said, pulling him closer, my arm around his. "I love Manhattan. I enjoyed San Francisco, but it isn't home."
"No, it isn't."
We kissed, and the kiss was warm and full of affection.
"Oh, I have something special for you," he said and reached into his pocket to pull out a small box. "Here, my love. To the happiest five years of my life. May we have sixty-five more years together. Or more."
I took the box from his hand and covered my mouth. "Drake," I said. "You didn't have to. I thought we agreed that we'd hold off on gifts until we go away to Nassau for our weekend."
I gave him a playful frown, although I was happy to receive a gift from him. I untied the bow and opened the box, to find inside a green gemstone ring, Marquise cut with two large white diamonds on either side. It was magnificent.
"Is it an emerald?"
"No," Drake said and slipped the ring on my finger. "A green diamond."
"Green?" I asked and admired the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly, of course.
"Yes," Drake said and took my hand, kissing my knuckles. "The rarest of rarities for the rarest of women. My perfect match."
I looked deep into his eyes and felt my chest tighten with emotion.
"I love you," I whispered and we embraced.
"I love you," he replied. "So much."
We kissed again and then we were bumped by the passing pedestrians as they made their way down 7th Avenue.
Drake smiled at me and we started walking again, hand in hand.
"The green tint isn't caused by inclusions, like other colored diamonds, but by radiation. I saw it and it made me think of your green eyes, so I had to buy it."
"You are a hopeless romantic," I said with a smile, swinging his arm as we walked.
"I am." He raised my hand to his lips once more to kiss my knuckles.
Of course, it was then that the sky opened up again and the rain began to fall, our brief reprieve over.
"Let's go back and get in the car," Drake said and pulled me back in the direction of the Russian Tea Room, where our car was parked. "I wanted to walk for a while, but Mother Nature apparently has different plans."
"She does," I said and laughed as we ran back to the car, me doing my best to run in my three-inch heels. I saw John wait while we passed, a smile on his face.
We finally arrived at the car and by then, my hair and face was covered in raindrops and Drake's hair was hanging in his eyes in this very sexy way. He opened the door for me and I slipped inside. He went around to the other side and got in, then John got in the driver's side and turned on the car.
"Thanks, John, for letting us indulge ourselves for a little walk," Drake said when the car pulled out of its spot.
"Don't mention it, Dr. Morgan. It's too bad it had to start raining again."
We drove through the busy street and Drake turned to me, leaning in closer so that his mouth was by my ear.
"It's just as well," Drake murmured and took my hand. "I have plans for you when we get home, Katherine," he said, squeezing my hand suggestively.
"You do?" I whispered, smiling. My body warmed immediately.
"Oh, yes," Drake said, his voice low and sexy. "I have very special plans for you tonight. I hope you're not too tired, but even if you are, I promise I'll wake you up."
"I know you will. Just the thought of finding out what you have planned will be sure to keep me awake."
As John drove the rest of the way to the apartment on 8th Avenue, I had no idea what Drake planned but whatever it was, my body ready for him.
Drake
Karen Mills was sitting on the sofa when we arrived home. I took Kate's coat and hung it up while Kate went in to check on Sophie.
"Hey, Drake. You guys are home early."
"We thought we'd be later than this, but Ethan was tired and the kids were getting antsy. Then, we were going to go for a walk, but the rain started, so..."
"Too bad," she said. "But I'm glad you were able to go out and celebrate your anniversary. Let me know when you want to go out again. I'm pretty flexible so even last minute is fine."
"Thanks, Karen," I said, happy we had been able to find such a trustworthy sitter for Sophie. It really made the difference for Kate. "We appreciate your flexibility."
"No problem," she said and stood up, stretching. "I told you that you could stay out late if you wanted. I have tomorrow off, so I could sleep in."
"Maybe next time," I said and helped her with her coat. Kate popped in just before Karen left and thanked her as well.
"How did she do?" Kate asked. "She didn't sleep very long this afternoon."
"She went down no problem. She had a bath and we read some stories. I gave her a bottle and down she went."
"She was tired," Kate said, nodding. "Thanks again."
Then Karen left and Kate and I were alone. I removed my jacket, hanging it on the back of a chair in the entry, and loosened my tie.
"Care for a shot of Anisovaya, Katherine?" I asked, barely able to keep from smiling.
"Yes, Sir," Kate said, this gleam in her eyes.
I knew what that gleam meant. It meant she was more than excited to do a scene. We'd only recently begun including a bit of B&D into our sex life again after a long drought due to the accident and Kate's recovery. Both of us were eager to find our way back to some sense of a new normalcy.
I poured us both a shot and handed her one. She held it up to my shot glass and together, we threw back the vodka. I enjoyed the slight taste of anise and the burn as the alcohol went down my throat, warming my blood once it hit my stomach. I merely had to glance at Kate to know she felt the same excitement that the taste of the vodka elicited. We were Pavlov's dogs, the two of us.
Of course, it was at that precise moment that my cell rang, interrupting my plans for the rest of the night.
I reached into my pocket with reluctance. Who could be calling this late at night on a Friday?
I checked the call display and saw the name. Lara...
Why would she be calling me during my anniversary celebration? It could only mean one thing. Something had come up in discovery at Lisa's trial that she felt she had to tell me about.
"I have to get this," I said to Kate, whose expression changed the moment she saw the call display and Lara's name.
"The trial?"
I nodded. "I expect so."
I slid my finger across the screen and put the call on speakerphone so Kate could hear.
"Hey, Lara. What's up that's got you calling me at almost ten o'clock on a Friday night -- the night of my wedding anniversary?"
"I'm so sorry, Drake, but I had to call and at least let you know that one of my contacts in the DA's office told me, in total confidence, there is a video of someone the defense claims is you abusing Lisa at Richardson's mansion. I haven't seen it, but he has and he says it's pretty damning. I guess Lisa's defense thinks it may lead to a reduced sentence because it seems to support the defense's allegation that you and Richardson systematically abused Lisa over the course of several years and that Jones was acting in self-defense when he killed Richardson."
"What?" I said, rubbing my forehead. "I never laid a hand on her in any abusive way. I never did more than give her a thorough fucking. They claimed they were into voyeurism and a bit of bondage. Not S&M or I would never have become involved and you know it."
"Of course, I know it. She's claiming that Jones killed Richardson when he found Derek attacking her. So, he killed Richardson to stop him from hurting her."
"That's not at all plausible, if they knew Richardson. He was a voyeur, not a sadist."
"These kinds of nuances are lost on most people in t
he public. They don't know the difference between sadism and dominance or how one can be a Dominant without being a sadist."
"When is the video going to be shown? Do we get the chance to see it and deny that it's me?"
"You're not involved in this, Drake, except as the defense's theory of the case in contrast to the DA's. You and the tape are just evidence to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury. If they believe that you and Derek abused Lisa on a regular basis--"
"I was only with her on three occasions!"
"I know that and you know that, but the defense will claim it was many other occasions and as long as there are several real occasions that you were her sexual partner with Derek, that will be enough to support the theory that she was an abused woman whose new boyfriend tried to protect her from Derek when he became violent. The jury will be more inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt."
"But it's not true. Derek was not a sadist. He didn't abuse her. He watched her have sex with other men and then he had sex with her afterward."
"She claims he punished her afterward and that the sex with other men wasn't about voyeurism at all. It was about hurting her for being a whore -- which he forced her into being with other men."
"She signed contracts."
"You know those contracts are not enforceable. She claims she was threatened into signing."
I sat on the sofa and Kate sat beside me, realizing that the phone call was going to take longer than we imagined. Not to mention that the news killed any arousal either of us felt earlier.
I was silent for a moment, wondering for the first time if I had misjudged Richardson, but I never heard a whisper about him being a sadist. Some men enjoyed watching their lovers have sex with other men. It made them aroused to see their partner enjoying it, acting like a nymphomaniac. Then, they would have sex with the woman and enjoy the fact that their partner was so sexual.
I didn't feel that way. I was possessive and wanted Kate all to myself, although I knew that other men would be lucky to have someone as sexually responsive as her. I'd been a willing partner to the whole voyeurism scene because Derek and I were friends. Both of us were professional men, born into wealth, and having an interest in BDSM, albeit for different kinks.
"Will they show the video in open court?"
"I don't know. There's no reason, other than not wanting it to get on the news, so the judge may rule it can be shown in open court. If that's the case, it will be shown on every network around the world. I'll have to wait and see if there's any way we can refute that it's you, but that may not be until it's already public. By then, the damage will already have been done."
"Great," I said, a sick sensation in my gut. I turned to Kate and brushed her cheek, needing to reconnect with her at that moment. Her face had fallen, her eyes sad. She shook her head as she listened to Lara.
"Can't you argue that if the video can't be proven to be Drake that it shouldn't be allowed as evidence?" Kate asked, frowning. "It's defamatory to put a video out and claim it's Drake if it isn't. It can't help but hurt his professional and personal reputation. He's already paid such a high price for all of this."
"I know, Kate," Lara replied, sighing heavily on the other line. "You're right, of course, but that doesn't mean that the defense won't release the tape by accident anyway so they can discredit the state's argument that Lisa acted with premeditation and killed Derek so she could take his money and escape with Jones. They apparently had plane tickets and were getting ready to go to Mali. Lisa claims that they were trying to escape Derek and went to the cabin to retrieve some personal effects and that's when Derek attacked her and Jones killed him to protect Lisa."
"That's such bullshit," I said, unable to stop myself.
"It is, to anyone who knew Derek or Lisa in the lifestyle. Lisa was far from a shrinking violet. She was a switch who occasionally liked to top submissive men. She was in it for Derek's money. She became obsessed with Drake and began stalking him. That's the sole reason that she entered medical school -- to live out her fantasy life of you and her becoming lovers and marrying. Classic erotomania combined with sociopathy. A very scary combination. Anyway," Lara said and we heard papers rustling in the background. "I wanted to let you know because I'm afraid that the defense will leak the tape any time now. If it was me acting as Lisa's defense, I would. Anything to muddy the water and raise reasonable doubt."
"What can Drake do?" Kate asked, rubbing my shoulder. "What can you do to stop it? Don't the police have rules about evidence that you could use to stop its release?"
"I'm afraid I'm somewhat constrained in this, because Drake isn't a defendant and we have no standing in the case. Drake's going to be a witness, and testify for the state, and will have the opportunity to deny Lisa's claims. There isn't enough evidence to charge Drake with anything and so the police and DA aren't going down that road, but Lisa's defense can do a lot of damage to his reputation regardless."
"It's so unfair," Kate said, her voice wavering. "Lisa may be going to jail for the rest of her life, but she's ruining Drake's life in the process."
I sighed and rubbed my eyes, frustration with the whole issue overwhelming me. "Well, thanks for calling, Lara, and keeping me informed about what's happening. Not that I can do anything about it but wait for the fallout."
"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's better to know what's coming instead of being blindsided. You should come to my office tomorrow afternoon and we can talk more about our response."
"Okay. Good night."
"Good night and happy anniversary, I guess."
"Yeah, thanks," I said and ended the call. I turned to Kate who was frowning. "Happy anniversary," I said, sourly.
"She could have waited to call until tomorrow..."
"She did what she thought was best in case we wake up to the news that a video purporting to be me is plastered on the television and all over the internet."
"We could have at least had a nice night without this," Kate insisted.
"Ignorance is bliss?" I replied and pulled her onto my lap, her legs sideways across my body. "I don't think so. For me it's more like, 'Better a cruel truth than a comfortable illusion.'"
She laid her head on my shoulder and played with my tie, which was loose. "So much for our scene. I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for more vodka."
"Lots more vodka," I replied.
And so, for the next hour, we toasted each other with vodka and discussed the case. Not what I had imagined for my third wedding anniversary… I had hoped that we'd make love and that I would take control of Kate's mind body and my mind.
Before we went to bed, I pulled her onto my lap, and had her straddle me, her arms slipping around his neck. We were both a bit tipsy, having done several shots each, but despite the alcohol, I was still ready at the touch and the proximity of her soft feminine body.
"I want you," I said, my voice throaty.
"I'm yours. Forever."
I took control and immediately, my body responding to the sound of submission in her voice, my cock swelling. I pushed me down onto the sofa and lay on top of her, her body soft beneath mine. I slid my fingers over her cheek, then touched the scar on her bottom lip.
"You're mine, Katherine," I said. Our eyes met and her expression was so filled with desire, it made me feel even more aroused. A moment passed between us and that bond we had when in scene took over. I became her Dom and she my sub.
I bent down to kiss her. The kiss was intense and despite being a bit drunk, we both responded like Pavlov's Dog to each other. I ran my hand over the curve of one breast, then down her side until I cupped one buttock, pulling her body against mine. I traced the upper curve of her breasts with my tongue, and she responded with a gasp. I squeezed one breast through the fabric of her dress, my finger and thumb finding her nipple and tweaking it.
She moaned, pressing her breast into my hand, her back arching.
I spread her thighs open with a knee, pulling up he
r dress around her hips, my hand pressing against her mound, a finger searching beneath her panties for her clit. She groaned when I found it and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. Finally, when I'd worked her up enough that she was wet and thrusting against my hand, I pulled it away and instead, ground my erection against her.
"Look at me," I commanded. "Into my eyes."
She opened her eyes and stared into mine, her eyes half-lidded and filled with desire. She was more than ready.
Then, I sat up between her thighs and reached for her panties, grasping the waistband and removing them so that she was bare from the waist down.
I pressed her thighs wide open, exposing her to me and the sight of her body, wet and aroused, made me even harder.
"Nice and wet."
I stood and pulled her up as well then turned her around, pulling the shoulders of her dress down from behind. After I pushed her hair out of the way, I began kissing her shoulder, biting it as the dress fell off her body into a puddle on the floor. I slid my hands over her shoulders and around to her breasts, cupping each one briefly, squeezing them through the lacy black fabric of her bra. She leaned back, I pressed my erection hard against her buttocks.
"Spread your thighs."
She did and when my hand moved back to her slit, she couldn't help but press against it.
Finally, I turned her around and unclasped the hook of her bra, freeing her breasts, which spilled out, her nipples instantly hardening in the cool air. I looked at her, my eyes moving over her body.
"You look delicious, I'm going to eat you and lick every inch of you." I knew those words would be enough to make her body clench. "Now, it's your turn to undress me."
She stepped closer, obediently reaching for my shirt, her eyes demure while she removed it and then unbuckled my belt. My erection was pressed against my slacks, straining against the fabric. She unzipped and slid my slacks down until they fell to the floor. Beneath my slacks, I wore a pair of black boxer briefs, which she removed as well, smiling to herself as my erection sprung out, almost striking her face.