by Amber Kell
He tried to focus on the invoices he’d left to do tonight. The orders tallied up properly and he emailed the mess to his accountant to sort out. A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts.
“Come in.”
Billy, one of his new employees, entered; his skin had an unnatural pallor. “You’ve got a visitor boss. A cop wants to talk to you. He says his name is Dalrey.”
From Billy’s expression Greg doubted he’d enjoy the visit. “Send him in.”
Billy nodded. He returned in a minute escorting a uniformed policeman. The cop’s flat brown gaze swept the office as if searching for illegal substances in the pristine room.
Greg stood, not willing to be seated while the cop towered over him. “How can I help you?”
“I’m Lieutenant Dalrey from Narcotics, I’m looking for Rainier Lemmon. Have you seen him?”
“Not recently,” Greg had no problem lying to the man. The detective gave off a bad vibe. If Rain had done something wrong Greg would find out. He let none of that show in his expression. “Can I ask what this is about?”
“No. If you see him call me.” Dalrey handed over his card. “If I find out you knew where he is and didn’t tell me I will come down on your ass so hard you’ll wish you were hiding drugs in your filthy club.”
“I see. Would you like me to call your Chief of Police and tell him that? He’s a golfing buddy of mine.”
Dalrey sneered. “I just bet he is.”
Greg had seen the flash of fear in the cop’s eyes. Whatever Rain had done it wasn’t anything this guy would accuse him of. Greg recognized a bully when he saw one and Dalrey was the worst sort, the kind with a badge. “I’ll be sure to let you know if I see Rainier.”
Dalrey nodded. “You do that.”
The chill in Greg’s bones didn’t leave until Dalrey had exited and he watched him leave the club across his camera feeds. A cop looking for a criminal didn’t come by himself. Something didn’t add up here. He had a feeling Rain had come to him not so much because of his winning charm but for safety. Rain was hiding and he didn’t trust Greg enough to tell him.
Crap.
Greg ran a hand through his hair, rumpling his already messy locks. Anger surged through him. He didn’t like being used. Rain could have his secrets but Greg would make sure he paid. When he was finished with the sub Rain wouldn’t even think about leaving Greg’s side without written permission and his ass would be so red it glowed in the dark when Greg finished with it.
He didn’t make any phone calls in case the cop had tapped Greg’s phone. Dalrey didn’t seem like the type to go through proper channels before running a wiretap. Instead, Greg turned off his phone so Rain couldn’t make any incoming calls that Dalrey could trace.
Despite knowing the Chief of Police Greg didn’t want to call in any favors until he knew what he was facing. He brushed away his first instinct to run to Rain’s side and find out the truth. If he left early it would only trigger the cop’s suspicion that Greg knew Rain’s location.
Shoving his worries to the back of his mind, Greg focused on his paperwork, walked through the club for his usual meet and greet and when it was time to go home he stopped by the grocery store to get food.
Exiting the car, a tingle went up Greg’s spine and lifted the tiny hairs on the back of his neck. Someone had followed him. He didn’t need to be a genius to know when he was being watched.
Greg cast a quick look around trying to find the source of his unease. He didn’t spot anyone. Weird. Either Dalrey had mad ninja skills or Greg had imagined eyes watching him.
He grabbed a basket then headed down the vegetable aisle to check out what was in season. He’d taken up cooking lately as a way to de-stress and eat better. He’d started putting on a bit of weight at the club with his diet consisting of fried foods and few fresh veggies.
After several trips up and down the aisles he settled on a basket full of bright vegetables and lean meats. He threw a bag of brown rice among the lot at the last minute then went to checkout. Still not convinced he’d escaped unnoticed, Greg took the long way home on the off chance his stalker hadn’t given up. Someone had told Dalrey that Greg knew Rain and the cop wouldn’t just leave at Greg’s say so.
He pulled up in front of his townhouse and stared at it a moment. Nothing looked different. He exited the car then grabbed the two bags of groceries in one hand so he could unlock the front door with the other.
Greg needn’t have bothered. The entrance swung open as he approached.
“Oh, I’ve got it.” Rain grabbed the bags out of Greg’s hold and carried them to the kitchen. Greg locked the door behind him before following.
Rain put everything away, careful to fold the grocery bags and tuck them under the sink before facing Greg again. He leaned against the counter and watched Rain. It only took a few minutes before the sub began to twitch.
“Is there something you want to tell me?” Greg raised an eyebrow and waited.
Rain’s nervous smile had Greg’s heart sinking. “Um. It’s nice to see you home, Sir?”
“Good try, boy. Come with me.” Greg headed down the hall, not turning to see if Rain followed. After his brother moved out he’d turned the spare room into a playroom. Stephen wasn’t coming back home; Victor would never allow it. To date, Rain was the only sub ever to see his new setup.
If he hadn’t heard the soft footsteps behind him Greg never would’ve known Rain followed him. The elegant man walked with a dancer’s grace. He resisted taking Rain on the nearest flat surface. They had things to discuss first. Rain should’ve told Greg he was in trouble right away and not let Greg hear it from a stranger. What if he’d told the officer where to find Rain? Most people would want to help out the police. Luckily for Rain this particular cop put off bad vibes by the bucketful.
Still fuming, he opened his playroom door and motioned for Rain to go inside.
“Strip!” He ordered. There wouldn’t be a discussion about this. Rain could safeword if he objected.
“Is there something I’ve done wrong?” Rain followed Greg’s orders but his hands weren’t completely steady while he undressed.
Not unless ripping out my heart is a problem. Greg refused to appear weak in front of Rain. The sub would never know how much his betrayal hurt Greg. He wanted to protect Rain from all the outside forces of the world but Rain didn’t trust Greg in return.
Once naked Rain took a proper stance, shoulders back, feet apart and hands clasped behind his back.
“Go to the cross.” He didn’t offer any of his usual small touches or reassuring smiles. Right now he didn’t have it in him.
Rain flashed Greg a nervous look, but didn’t safeword. “Do you want me facing you or away?”
“Facing me.” He needed to see Rain’s eyes when he answered Greg’s questions.
Rain walked over to the St. Andrew’s cross and positioned his body for strapping in. Greg attached cuffs to Rain’s wrists and ankles. Rain sucked in a breath.
Greg ignored him and went to the cabinet. He would get his answers one way or another. Rain needed a keeper and Greg refused to let anyone else have the job.
Rain almost safeworded. He didn’t know what happened at work but Greg’s eyes held a disappointed expression Rain had hoped to never see in his lover’s gaze. Greg might not be a man of many words but he used his voice to calm Rain whenever they were doing a scene.
This version of Greg didn’t have the same warm smile. “What are we doing, Sir?” He threw in the honorific hoping it would gain him some attention. If he were going to be tied to a St. Andrew’s cross he wanted to be noticed. He’d rather be whipped than ignored.
Greg pulled out a tassel whip with velvety soft leather strands. Rain recognized that evil device. It had almost broken him before.
“Oh, no, no, not that.” Rain struggled against the cuffs as Greg approached. He could take a hard whip, a caning, once he’d even been hung from the ceiling by hooks, but this was his downfall and from t
he Greg’s wicked expression the Dom knew it.
“Are you going to safeword?” Greg asked in a curious tone as if he was indifferent either way.
“No, Sir.” He wasn’t a pussy; he could do this. He took a deep breath, his entire body tense as he waited for the first touch.
Greg slid the soft strands across Rain’s right inner thigh. Rain gritted his teeth.
“I was visited by a policeman this evening. He’s looking for you. Now what could my beautiful sub be doing that would call the attention of the cops, hmm?”
“Nothing, Sir.” He gasped the words out. A fine shiver ran through his body and pimpled his skin. Could he hold out? How had the cop found him so fast?
“Really? How strange that a cop would waste his time searching for a random person. Are you sure you can’t think of a single reason he might be looking for you?” Greg flicked the soft lashes across Rain’s cock. “Oh wait, I forgot something.”
Rain clenched his fists, his gaze pinned on the Dom rifling through his cabinet. Greg forgot something? Not likely.
Before the suspense could build up too much, Greg returned. Without a word he fastened a cock ring around Rain’s erection. “There! Much better. Isn’t it?”
Rain swallowed.
“Now, where was I?” Greg slid the soft straps across Rain’s chest then flicked them randomly against his left nipple then his right. “Anything you want to say?”
“It must be a coincidence, sir.” Fuck, he was so screwed.
“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Greg flicked the tassel across Rain’s left thigh, disturbingly close to his testicles.
Rain whimpered.
“I’d like to think you were here because you wanted a relationship between us. I’d hate to think you were here just to hide out.”
There. The hurt in Greg’s voice sank through Rain’s denial. Somehow Greg knew and Rain couldn’t let him think he was being used. He swallowed his pride. “Cheddar,” he whispered.
Greg immediately dropped the whip and unfastened the cuffs, freeing Rain from the cross. “Talk to me, Rain. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Can I get dressed first?” This would be hard enough to discuss without his erection bouncing in front of him.
Greg took off the cock ring. “Go. Get dressed.”
Rain nodded. He didn’t look up when Greg walked away. He should get used to that, the Dom would be throwing him out once Rain confessed what was going on. Only an idiot would keep a loser like him. He’d photographed a fucking murder and didn’t even notice. Who did crap like that? Rain wished it took longer to dress but too soon he finished and headed for the living room. Even after dragging his steps he reached Greg’s side quicker than he would’ve liked.
“Sit!” Greg pointed to the couch.
Rain sat.
“Now tell me about this cop.”
“H-how did you find out?” Various scenarios raced through Rain’s head. Maybe he could make a run for it? If Greg knew someone must’ve told him. The cop must’ve made the connection.
“I had a visitor at the club this evening.” Greg’s expression didn’t imply in any way it was a good visit. “If I’m going to be threatened by the police I want to know why. What have you gotten yourself mixed up with, Rain?”
Rain’s hands shook as he slid them through his hair. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“Really?” Greg folded his arms across his chest. His measuring look pinned Rain in spot more effectively than the cuffs on the cross. Damn. A spurt of sympathy went through him over Stephen. The poor kid must’ve been on the other end of that level stare more than once over the years. He made a mental note to be kinder to Stephen in the future if he made it out this situation alive.
Rain wiggled on the couch, guilt pressed down on him like a two-ton weight.
“You should’ve told me you were in trouble right away,” Greg said.
Rain nodded. He couldn’t deny Greg’s words. If he weren’t such a fucking coward he would’ve confessed as soon as he came over. “You’re right.”
“Tell me.”
Rain would only get one shot at this. If he screwed up Greg would throw him out and he’d lose the possible start of a relationship he hadn’t realized he wanted until that very moment.
Rain tucked his hair behind his ear. “It’s better if I show you. Can I go get my computer?”
“Yes, but come right back here. No stalling.”
Rain blinked back tears. Greg knew his habits. He shouldn’t find that so completely endearing. Rain stood then rushed from the room. He didn’t know how long Greg’s patience would last. At least he was willing to hear what Rain had to say before dismissing him from Greg’s life. Rain stumbled over his feet as he ran. He grabbed the wall before he took a header onto the hardwood floors. Crap, he needed to get it together.
He slowed down his steps when he reached Greg’s bedroom. He pulled his suitcase out of the closet where he’d shoved it out of the way and retrieved his computer. Hands shaking he returned to Greg’s side and set the machine on the coffee table.
“I brought you some water.” Greg pointed at the class sitting on a coaster beside him.
“Thanks.” Rain took a grateful sip of the cold beverage. “You have to understand that when I’m taking pictures I’m completely focused. I don’t pay attention to what’s going on around me.”
He dared to glance over at Greg but only got an impatient look.
“Continue.” Greg waved for him to go on.
Rain took another sip of water before blurting out the rest. His stomach gurgled its discontent as he remembered the look in the killer’s eyes. Before he lost his nerve he forced himself to continue. “It isn’t anything I did on purpose, but I accidentally took photos of a cop killing another cop. I’m guessing it was your Officer Dalrey. I don’t know any other reason the police would be looking for me.”
There. Now he’d told Greg everything. His heart rate sped up in his chest and he wiped his sweaty hands on his pants as he waited for Greg’s response. The Dom’s expression didn’t give him any clues, probably one of the reasons he was such a great dominant.
“Show me.” Greg’s hard tone didn’t reassure Rain but he wasn’t in any position to complain. He’d come to Greg for help and either Greg would help or he’d show Rain the door. Hopefully without calling the cops.
After a few minutes of the laptop booting up, Rain retrieved the file and turned the screen so Greg could see his evidence. There hadn’t been any sign of a struggle before the shots. No one could look at those photos and think there had been a mistake. One man had definitely shot the other.
Greg clicked the laptop touchpad a few times going back and forth between pictures.
“Fuck!” Greg glared at the screen before turning his attention to Rain. “That’s Dalrey in the picture all right. Does anyone else know you have these?”
Rain shook his head. “I didn’t know who to trust.”
Greg tilted his head. “How did he know where to find you? It’s a big city and no offense but there are a lot of photographers. How did he pick you out from all the others?”
“I recently took pictures at a cop’s wedding. I recognized Dalrey’s face but I didn’t know his name. It’s pretty common knowledge that I like BDSM. If he asked around he might’ve just been casing possible clubs.” Rain remembered Dalrey drinking to the new bride and groom and hamming it up for pictures. Just went to show people had many facets. Fun man one day, killer the next.
Greg frowned. “Wait, I thought you hated commercial photography.”
“Really? That’s what you got out of my statement?” Rain scowled at Greg. “I like to pay my bills so sometimes I’ll take on commercial gigs. Weddings pay pretty well when I have a steady stream of them. I told you about my plan for your club. I like pictures of people I just don’t want to be one of those photographers who takes shots at sports events or other crap like that.” Rain had some nice referrals by the wedding crowd and although he hated
getting the bridezilla types, a nice couple starting their life together got to him every time. He could usually judge in the first few meetings if he wanted to photograph the wedding. If the bride seemed too high maintenance or the groom came off as an ass, Rain politely declined.
“You can take pictures for an ad for my club then,” Greg said, a victorious smile crossed his face as if he had won the argument.
Rain groaned. “Can we stay on track? You’re forgetting a cop-killing cop is on my tail.” His voice, rising higher and louder with each word had reached a piercing shrill tone by the end of his sentence.
“I haven’t forgotten. I’m thinking over what we need to do. I have to make some phone calls. Although I know the chief your evidence might not be enough to hold the guy unless someone can produce a body,” Greg admitted. “We need someone to watch you until Dalrey is arrested.”
Rain didn’t bring up the fact that Dalrey might not ever see the inside of a jail cell. A good lawyer could probably get Dalrey off unless there was more evidence.
“And by watch you mean get a bodyguard,” Rain said. He didn’t need things sugarcoated he knew how much trouble he’d stumbled into. It just proved his mother had been right when she said he’d get into trouble he couldn’t escape some day. She’d meant his being gay not taking a killer’s picture but that didn’t make her words any less true.
“Yes, I mean a bodyguard.” Greg pulled Rain into his arms, hugging him tight.
Rain could sit there and breathe in Greg’s scent all night. Greg created a calm oasis within his arms as if nothing could hurt Rain as long as Greg stood there. The stress of the day caught up with him and Rain burst into tears. He hid his face against Greg’s shoulder.
Greg cuddled him close. “Did you just come here to escape? Do you have any interest in being my sub at all?”
Rain sniffled but sat up straight. Greg deserved to see him, ugly crying face and all, while they had this conversation. “I’m fucked up, Greg. I want you but I don’t know if you’ll want to keep me. I have huge commitment issues, but for you I want to try.” He wasn’t quite ready to swear undying love but he definitely cared more for Greg than anyone else he’d subbed for.