A Dead Man's Pulse

by Samantha A. Cole

  The place was pretty packed tonight, which was a help and a hindrance at the same time. It gave them the cover to blend in, while also making the search for a killer who might be selecting his next target more difficult. There hadn’t been any evidence at the utility shed where Georgia Branneth had been held that could give them the killer’s identity, but with multiple samples of blood belonging to different people, it was a sure bet they’d come back as DNA matches to his victims. It might help them identify any victims they weren’t aware of yet when compared to missing persons.

  She was still pissed as hell at Logan, but now wasn’t the time to show it. Scanning the crowd, she looked for anyone who seemed out of place or was too focused on a female submissive. It was like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. If only Georgia woke up and told them she’d recognized her kidnapper, otherwise no one knew how this bastard would respond to losing her. Would he step up his game? Or would they get lucky and he’d make a mistake . . . one that would cost him instead of someone else?

  It was difficult to tell in this crowd who belonged and who didn’t.

  “Eight o’clock, black vest, silver buttons,” Logan whispered in Dakota’s ear, and she silently cursed the shiver she felt run down her spine to her core.

  Turning into his arm, she glanced in the direction he’d indicated, which had originally been over her left shoulder. In this position, it appeared she was hugging her Dom while giving her a direct line of sight at the person he’d wanted her to check out. A male, about twenty-five years old, was standing alone while staring at a group of three female submissives. Tucked into his waistband was a bull whip, which in itself wasn’t unusual in this setting, What had sent Logan’s hackles up, and then hers, was the way he was practically drooling at the scantily-dressed women. While he was younger than the profile Dr. Suki Ralston had come up with for their killer, they still had to rule him out. Pivoting a little further, she pointed her chest at the man, which gave the agents in a van outside a good look at him through the camera hidden among the silver adornments on her corset. She didn’t need to repeat who they were singling out since the microphones they were both wearing had picked up Logan’s earlier description. They had a club staff member with them, identifying anyone they needed information on.

  A male voice came through her ear piece she was wearing. “Got it. Hang on.”

  Seconds passed and Dakota stiffened as the target approached the group of women, clearly having made his selection—a dark-haired submissive wearing a royal blue corset, matching panties, and nothing else. “C’mon, Davis,” Dakota murmured into her microphone. “Hurry up.”

  “Cool your engines, Swift. The manager just ID’d him as Joe Kowalski—a new Dom, but not our guy. He was in the county lock-up for three of the murders. Larceny with no violent priors.”

  “Shit. What the fuck is he doing with a whip if he’s a newbie?”

  “He carries it for show, apparently, nothing else.”

  Dakota rolled her eyes. It was assholes like that who helped give the lifestyle a bad name.

  The rest of the evening was more of the same. They’d spot someone who sent their radars blasting, before their backup agents shot down any possibles. By the time their shift was over, eight men had been eliminated as their killer, including another one who had been hanging out in a vehicle in the parking lot. That one had been a private investigator on a divorce case, waiting to get pictures of the cheating wife when she came out of the club with her new Dom.

  Logan drove her to the condo in silence. Now that they were alone again, she couldn’t stop her anger from boiling over once more. If he thought he could talk his way back into her bed tonight, he was sorely mistaken. When he parked the SUV, she didn’t wait for him to climb out and come around to open her door. She was out and halfway to her unit before he’d turned the engine off. The driver’s door slammed shut and she heard him muttering under his breath as he followed her. Keys in hand, she unlocked the door and stepped inside the condo, but his hand and foot prevented her from closing it again. “Damn it, Koko. Enough of this bullshit. What the fuck is up your ass tonight?”

  He pushed his way into the condo, then shut the door. Turning on her heel, she tossed the keys and her small purse on the couch. A glance in the direction of the bedrooms told her that her roommate wasn’t home yet. Perfect, because otherwise the woman would have gotten an earful. Spinning around, she pinned Logan with a glare that made many a criminal worry about getting their ass kicked. “Fine! You want to know what my problem is? It’s you and your wandering eyes and dick.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hip to the side. “Don’t play dumb with me, asshole. I know all about your fling on the side. Or am I the fling and she’s your main squeeze?”

  Logan’s jaw dropped as he stared at her. His eyes narrowed as he shook his head. “Okay, I repeat, what the fuck are you talking about? I’m not seeing anyone but you.”

  “Liar! You fucking shit! I can’t believe you’re looking me in the eye and denying you’re screwing someone else. That takes balls, Reese, fucking balls.” He opened his mouth, but she cut him off with a slice of her hand through the air in front of her. “I saw you with that dark-haired chick from the hospital. The Asian one with Tiny. I saw you and her getting quite chummy this morning at The Covenant.”

  “What are you talking about? You were at the club this morning? For what? And there’s nothing going on between me and Charlotte.”

  “Bullshit! Oh, my God, Reese! Give it up! You were caught red-handed. Now get out. I’m going to bed—alone!”

  She barely got two steps in the direction of her room before he grabbed her arm and spun her back toward him. Without hesitating, she brought her knee up and dropped him like a stone. Yeah, he wasn’t going to be using his cock and balls anytime soon, but she couldn’t care less.

  “Fuck!” On his knees, he cupped his aching groin, moaning in pain. Wincing, he tried to catch his breath. “Woman—shit—you’re going to regret that . . . when I can move again. Are you . . . out of your fucking mind?”

  “I must have been when I got involved with you . . . I must have been fucking insane.” Tossing her hands in the air, she paced back and forth.

  Logan struggled to his feet, shifting his hips as he stood. His eyes were watering. “Damn it, woman! Shut up and listen to me, will you!” Stopping in her tracks, she glared at him. He lowered his voice, although it was clear he was trying not to raise it again. “I am not having sex with anyone but you.”

  “So why were you and that woman taking things . . .” She made quote marks with her fingers. “‘. . . into one of the playrooms where there’s a bed, love.’”

  “Jesus.” Running a hand down his face, he eased onto the couch. “I’ll explain that in a minute, but you’ll probably knee me in the balls again if I don’t tell you what led up to it. I am not, repeat, not sleeping with Mistress China.” He ignored the shocked expression on her face at the mention of the Domme’s title. “Nor am I sleeping with the other Whip Master, Mistress Roxy, who couldn’t make our appointment this morning. You walked in at the wrong time and misinterpreted everything. They’re helping me with desensitization therapy.” He winced again. “Shit. I’ll tell you everything if you get me some ice for my balls. My mother still has hopes I’ll give her grandchildren someday, and if I freeze the little swimmers right now, I might be able to save some of them.”

  His attempt at humor didn’t draw any laughter from her, but she did relent, striding into the kitchen and retrieving a bag of frozen peas. Tossing them to him, she sat in the recliner. “What do you mean, desensitization therapy?” She knew what it was, but had no clue what he needed desensitized and why he needed it.

  Placing the ice-cold bag on his crotch, Logan moaned. “God, I’m going to spank your ass after you realize I’m telling you the truth.” Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. His gaze wasn’t on her,
but on the ceiling directly above him. “All right. Let’s start at the beginning. I was . . . shit . . . I was a prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Koko. Me and my team. I can’t tell you a lot of it—it’s classified—but my teammates were tortured with a bull whip before they were killed. Their deaths were just as brutal. There was only two of us left by the time another team of Raiders and some SEALs found us.”

  He paused and swallowed hard. Dakota was stunned. She was horrified by both his story and how she’d attacked him while knowing only a small part of the story. “Logan, I’m so—”

  His gaze flashed to hers. “Let me finish, please. You can apologize when I’m done.” She nodded and let him continue. “You know I have PTSD issues and nightmares. Part of the stipulations of my employment with Trident is I have to see a government approved psychologist, experienced with PTSD, on a regular basis. The one I’m seeing is also a doctor The Covenant uses as she did her dissertation on the lifestyle. A little over two weeks ago, I had a freak out at the club while it was closed. I walked in on Roxy and Jake Donovan practicing, and the crack of the whip . . . well, it was bad. I totally checked out. Thank God, I didn’t hurt either of them, because I could have. I wasn’t there . . . I was back in that hell-hole . . . living it all over again and not sure if I’d survive a second time. Donovan had gone through some shit when he was younger, and had used desensitization therapy with the whip to get through it, before becoming a Whip Master. He suggested I try it. He and Trudy, my therapist, thought it was best if I did it with the Dommes since our torturers had been male. I’ve had two sessions where I’ve had my back whipped and they’re also teaching me how to wield it. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do it to another person; I may just stick with the paper targets, but it seems to be working. I’m not cured—probably will never be—but I think I’m dealing with everything a little better now that I have an outlet for my PTSD. Enough that I’m going to continue seeing them. What you heard this morning . . . Roxy couldn’t meet us. I was supposed to be whipped again today, but Charlotte didn’t think I was ready not to have a spotter present to read my reactions, so she suggested I practice instead. But I had a kink in my neck that was bunched into a knot. She offered to massage it out for me . . . that’s what you overheard. Yes, we went into one of the playrooms, but nothing happened in there but her massaging my neck. I swear. Please tell me you believe me.”

  “T-That’s what you meant earlier when you said you’d been a dead man.” When he nodded, Dakota swallowed the thick lump in her throat. She felt like such an ass. Standing, she knelt in front of him and grasped his hands. “I believe you, Logan. I—I’m so sorry I didn’t trust you.” She didn’t wipe away the tears that rolled down, but he pulled one of his hands from hers and did it for her. “It’s hard for me. With my dad and the guys at work, I’ve always had to prove I belong there. Men I’ve dated . . . it’s difficult being a female cop. When they find out what you do for a living, either they’re too intimidated and run for the hills or the first thing out of their mouths is ‘So, do you have your handcuffs on you tonight?’ Yeah, I’ve heard that dozens of times, and it’s still not funny. As for dating a cop, fireman, or medic . . . I can’t do that either, because I’d have to admit my submissiveness . . . it’s who I am . . . and then I’d have to deal with proving myself as a cop all over again. That’s why I like the lifestyle. I can get what I need without all the other stuff that goes along with dating. Until I met you. I told you the truth when I said I’d never even had a one-night-stand with anyone on TPD. You’re the first time I’ve ever wanted someone I worked with more than I wanted to prove my worth.”

  His thumb had been caressing her cheek the entire time she’d been talking. “Oh, Koko. You never have to prove your worth to me. I already know you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve never said this to another woman before . . . I swear on my teammates’ graves . . . I love you, sweetheart. After we catch this bastard, I want to take you out on a date . . . a real date. One with flowers and candlelight and slow dancing. I want—”

  “Say it again.” Her heart had almost stalled when he’d said those three little words she never thought she’d hear from someone she wanted more than her next breath.

  “What? I love you?” He tugged on her hand until she stood. Tossing the peas aside, he pulled her down on top of him so she was straddling his thighs. He cupped her cheeks in his hands, making sure she was looking directly at him. “I’ll say it every minute of every day, if you want me to, until you no longer question the fact that I love you. I. Love. You. Dakota Swift.”

  A sob rose in her throat and she began to cry harder. “I love you too, Logan. I think I fell in love with you when you pulled your white knight routine when those punks were harassing me. I just couldn’t admit it to myself.”

  “Oh, sweetheart. Come here.” He drew her closer until his lips met hers. Taking possession of her mouth, he plunged his tongue inside as she surrendered to him . . . the only man she wanted to surrender to ever again. Logan Reese was the other part of her she’d never thought she’d find.

  Logan kissed her with abandon. His cock was throbbing, but this time it wasn’t from the pain of being kneed. It was from the fact he was now harder than he could ever remember being. He’d once heard that sex with your soul mate was more intense . . . more incredible than anything a guy could experience. At the time, he’d laughed it off, thinking it was a crock of shit that romance authors had come up with—not that he’d say that in front of Devon’s wife, who had made a career out of being a romance author. But right here and now, with the other half of his heart and soul straddling his lap, he knew he’d been so wrong. They were still fully dressed, a fact he was about to remedy, and just having her in his arms was already the most amazing feeling in the world. She loved him—Dakota Swift loved him. And he loved her more than anything or anyone else in the world.

  His hands palmed her ass through the sweat pants she’d changed into before they left Heat, and then he stood, lifting her. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he strode toward her bedroom. He sucked on her tongue and reveled in her moans. Kicking the door shut behind him, he propped her against the wall, using his body to pin her in place as his mouth left hers and nuzzled her neck. “This is no longer sex, sweetheart. I’m going to make love to a woman for the first time in my life . . . I’m going to make love with you.”

  “Yessss.” Squirming to get closer to him, Dakota tilted her head to the side, giving him better access to the sensitive tissue behind her ear. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, spiking his adrenaline and lust.

  Holding her tightly, he stumbled to the bed and followed her down to the mattress. “Undress me, baby,” he ordered as he began to remove her clothing. He’d come to love her submissiveness, and from now on, it was his, and his alone. She would never surrender to any other man again . . . only him. And he would cherish every second of her submission.

  Once they were both completely naked, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him so she was straddling him once more. He cupped her breasts, pushing them together. “Play with those gorgeous nipples, Koko. Pluck and roll them for me.”

  She did as she was told, her head dropping back on her shoulders. Logan trailed his hands down her body, letting one drop to her waiting pussy, the other skimming around to her ass. He was going to have to get a set of anal plugs soon because he wanted to fuck her ass one of these days. Even though it was on her yellow limit list, she’d told him she’d never been taken there. He’d be the first, and hopefully last, man to claim that part of her . . . it belonged to him . . . she belonged to him.

  He ran his fingers over her clit and her soaked labia, gathering up her cream and pushing it backward to where his other set of fingers used it to lubricate her puckered hole. She moaned loudly as he pleasured her. His thumb pressed gently into her, while he eased two fingers into her heated core, making her gasp.

  “Oh, God! Logan!”

  Growling, he lift
ed the hand behind her and smacked her left ass cheek hard, eliciting a yelp from her. “What did you just call me?”

  “Sorry, Master.”

  “Good girl.” Yeah, he definitely loved being her Dom. There was plenty more he needed to learn, and he’d continue his training even after this case was over—if it was ever over—but this power exchange, knowing she trusted him and willingly gave him her submissiveness, was heady stuff. He would do everything in his power to maintain that trust and give her everything she asked for and needed.

  Twisting to his side, he placed her on her back. “Hands above your head, Koko.”

  She lifted her arms and grabbed hold of the comforter. His mouth latched onto one breast as he fucked her faster with his fingers. Sucking, licking, and nibbling on her ripe nipple, he forced her to climb higher and higher. Her writhing, moaning, and begging increased. “Please! Oh God, please, Sir!”

  “Please what, baby?” he whispered against her skin before licking her distended nipple like an ice cream cone. “Tell your Dom what you want . . . what you need.”

  “You, Sir! I need you!”

  He pulled out of her pussy and rolled toward the night stand, grabbing a condom from the new box he’d thrown in there last night. Once he had her protected, he spread her legs and dipped his head down. Running the flat of his tongue over her plump labia, he took a quick taste of her spice. If he wasn’t so damn hard and desperately needed to be inside her, he would have eaten her alive until she couldn’t cum for him anymore. Kissing his way up her body, he settled his hips between her thighs. His mouth took possession of hers again, letting her taste herself on his tongue. Lining his cock up with her slit, he thrust up and in, swallowing her gasp. Her heat enveloped him as he buried his shaft to the root. Pulling almost completely out, he repeated the motions over and over. She was tight as a glove and he knew the moment her orgasm began to take hold as her walls quivered. Logan shifted onto his knees, spreading her wider, changing the angle of his assault, and sending her over the edge. She screamed his name as she climaxed and clenched around him. The pressure was more than he could stand and with two or three more thrusts, he followed her into the abyss.