by Measha Stone
Alex would be spending the next several days pouring over numbers and receipts. He could have asked the bookkeeper to do it, but he wasn't entirely sure how trustworthy he was given the fact that John hired him, and it wasn't until Bradley questioned a line on the profit and loss sheet that the expenses were brought to light.
"Hey." Bradley walked through his door just as he'd taken a seat behind his desk. "Wasn't sure if you would be in tonight." Bradley carried a few folders.
"Me either." Alex sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You want to help dig through these receipts?" He waved his hand over the pile of papers sitting on his desk.
Bradley laughed. "Hell no. I found the mess; it’s your turn to take a crack at it. Speaking of which, I need your okay for the company's donation to the auction this weekend. Ten grand."
Alex let out a low whistle. "That's a pretty hefty donation."
"We'll take in at least that much with the extra door fees from the outside members coming in for the auction and the slaves entrance fees."
"What is the fee? I've been so wrapped up in my dad and the ad firm."
"And Alyssa." Bradley cut in with a knowing grin that, had Alex not known him for several years, would have made him want to punch him.
Instead, he merely gave him an irritated look. "Yes, and Alyssa, but I've been so wrapped up I haven't been paying attention around here."
"You've done more here than John and Travis. Hell, I wish we would just buy their asses out and take this place over." Bradley rubbed his chin.
"Why don't we? I mean, can you? Do you have the funding?"
"Fuck yeah, the funds weren't the issue it was the risk. But now that I know this place is solid and the other two floors are doing damn well, too I wouldn't mind going all in. The thing is getting those two assholes to sell. This isn't just an investment, it's their playground."
"Well, we can sweeten the deal. Give the both lifetime memberships with free access to the party room once a month. They can get a steep discount on the food and drinks, but no charge for the room and staff." Alex studied Bradley's expression. He'd known the man for several years from a local group that he used to frequent when he first put a name to his cravings. He could be trusted, of that Alex held no doubt, but he wasn't sure of his want. Bradley, as far as he knew, didn't hold an ordinary day job like himself. He'd come into his money from his family, and he'd made several wise investments early on, which grew his small fortune into a larger one. But owning fifty percent of a club was much different than only a quarter of one.
"That sounds fair. You want your attorney or mine to write up a proposal?"
"Should we get one that's on a club retainer?" Alex thought out loud. The four investors had all used their own attorney's making their deals, and it had been a bit messier than Alex liked.
"That would work. So, which attorney?" Bradley asked with a grin.
Alex fought back the growl forming in his chest. "I don't care at this point. Have yours write up the buyout proposal and we can figure out a better plan after the auction." Alex rubbed his eyes. The day was wearing him down. All the arguing he did with Alyssa about working two jobs being too much and here he was exhausted from doing the same damn thing. "Is everything set for the auction? I know I've left you to all the heavy lifting."
"All ready to go. Should be a good turnout. Invites to D-G worked to our favor, more door fees, more slaves to auction off, and they've donated the use of two of their crosses and three spanking benches. The party room is being converted to another playroom. Kendrick is putting extra staff on that night to work the private rooms, so security will be tight."
Bradley eyed him with concern. “Man, don’t worry about that right now. Kendrick will figure something out if you really don’t want his girl here. For now, go home. You look beat to hell.
"We need to deal with the manager position." Alex looked at his watch.
"After the auction. Here these are the checks that need your Hancock."
"I'll look at them tomorrow." Alex stood from his desk. "I need a drink, and to find Alyssa."
"She's not here yet." Bradley commented as Alex rounded his desk. "Brandon got a call from her that she'd be late. About ten she said."
Alex pulled his phone from his back pocket. No calls or messages. He hadn't told her he'd be in the club, maybe she ran into traffic on her way back from Elgin. "It's nine. I'll get started on this pile of crap then." He retook his seat.
A knock on the door interrupted Bradley's smart-ass retort and Alex called the intruder forward. Kimberly, another waitress, peeked her head in. "Sorry, Alex, but there's a call from downstairs. Some woman is demanding to see you, but she won't give her name."
"Why not?"
"I don't know, but Conner said she looks pretty upset."
"I'll handle her. You just do your thing." Bradley offered heading toward the door. "Go ahead and let her up, I'll wait for her at the elevators. Probably one of Alex's long lost loves that just can't live another day without him"
"Oh, fuck off," Alex half barked as Bradley shut the door behind him.
Just as Alex sat back in his seat and began to glance over the first month's account ledger, another knock on the door interrupted him. He called for them to enter and in walked Stephen.
"Hey." Stephen gave him a curt nod as he shut the door behind himself and took the five steps toward the desk.
"Hi." Alex kept his tone firm, which wasn't hard to do considering the mere presence of the man tensed every muscle in his body.
"I heard about your dad," he said, his expression soft and malleable. Alex couldn't get a good read on his intentions but Stephen didn't leave him guessing. "Alyssa told me you're thinking of getting him to sell his house and move down here. I think that's a great idea. Easier to help him out if he's closer to you. I know when Alyssa's mom was sick it made it a lot easier for her to be closer to her."
The mention of her mother stiffened Alex's spine. Stephen spoke as though his father and her mother were in the same class of people. Did he even know what hell Alyssa had endured growing up with a neglectful unfit mother?
"Anyway, I wanted to offer any help you may need with the sale. I'm a broker." Stephen pulled a card out of his back pocket and held it out to Alex. He placed it on the desk when Alex made no move to take it from his hand. "I may not know his area very well, but I'm sure I can help, and hey, I'll cut my fee for you."
Alex fought the urge to put his fist through the slime bucket's face. "I'm not sure what is going to happen with my father. Right now we're just getting him healed up before any big decisions are made," Alex found himself saying, against his better intentions. When had Alyssa been talking with Stephen?
"Of course." Stephen turned as though he were going to walk out but then changed his mind. "I know we don't know each other at all except that we both know Alyssa. She's a great girl, beautiful and smart and all that, but there's some deep scars in her. She doesn't get close to many people and those that she does, usually it's still at arm's length, you know? And…" he paused as though he struggled with the decision to continue on. "Well, her mom taught her plenty of tricks, now I'm not saying she's put them on you. She's not really that type of girl. But she grew up learning how to get what she needed from men. Your dad's been a great help to her since she was a kid, and now she has you to take care of her. I think it's great, but still, you know, makes me wonder a bit."
Alex wondered what temperature blood needed to be before it actually boiled and began to cook a person's insides as Stephen continued. His tone may have been laced with concern, but the words were venomous and rotten.
"Makes you wonder what?" Alex's tone wasn't hiding anything, it stated more than his question—it told Stephen to tread lightly with his next words.
"I don't know. Hey, I'm just an old friend. But I remember when she and I were together as a couple. She hated taking orders. She loved the bedroom games but taking it out of the bedroom? No way, couldn't follow a simple command and w
as always fighting for her idea of freedom. And now, I see her with you and she's all soft with you; her submissive side shows. Just weird. Makes me think she has other reasons."
Before Alex could respond to the asinine accusations, the door to his office flew open and Alyssa rushed in. She stopped short when her eyes met Stephen's, then quickly glanced to Alex who gauged her expression. Did he note a flicker of worry in her eyes?
"Stephen. What are you doing here?" she asked with a shake in her voice. Alex watched Stephen's expression soften and a sly grin slide over his lips.
"Just offering my real estate services to Alex. I'm sure it's getting hard driving all the way out to the burbs." He swiftly turned to Alex. "Like I said, just give me a call if there's anything I can do." And with that he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
"He wants to help you find a place for your dad?" Alyssa turned a confused expression to him. "Paul would never live in the city."
"How did he know my dad was sick and you've been driving out to see him?" Alex's question bit harder than he'd intended but his mind was muddled. He told himself that Stephen was just trying to stir up trouble, that there was no validity to his claims. He reminded himself that Alyssa hadn't done anything to earn his suspicion, yet there it was.
"I don't know." She answered but her eyes averted his. "He's friendly with Bradley, maybe he told him what was going on with Paul." It was a weak explanation, and her expression told him she knew that.
"You haven't been talking with him? He comes into the club often enough. It would be understandable that you two have run into each other. I've never told you who you could and couldn't speak with."
"I never said you did." Her shoulders straightened and her chin thrust upward. They were on a collision course if the conversation continued down the path it was currently headed. "I came in to see if you wanted to talk to Travis. He's up at the bar demanding the party room, but it's booked in thirty minutes. He's not listening to anything Brandon or I have to say."
He stared at her for a moment, letting his temper cool. There was no reason for him to be upset, she hadn't done anything. "I'll be right there. I hadn't realized you were here yet."
"Just got here. The traffic was horrible coming back from Paul's, and I had to swing by my old apartment. The landlord called to let me know I had left behind a few things, which seemed weird given how pissed he was when you wiggled me out of my lease and got my deposit back."
"What was it?"
"Just a book." She shrugged. "I better get back out there. Brandon gets nervous when Travis is in a snit like this."
He waited until the door was closed behind her before he took a ragged breath. There was a nagging feeling eating away at his stomach, but he couldn't place it. Again, he told himself Stephen was a jealous asshole just trying to stir the pot.
But why did he have the feeling everything was about to fall to shit?
Chapter Thirty-one
Alyssa stood in the bathroom on Saturday night staring at herself in the mirror. She'd taken special care with her make-up and hair and dressed in a black mini dress that Alex had insisted on buying for her. The slave auction was set to begin in an hour, so she needed to get going on making sure everything was set, but she took a few more minutes to inspect her appearance.
For the last two days Alex had been withdrawn and quiet when around her. She'd tried inciting his libido the previous night, but he slipped from bed and mumbled an excuse about looking over some reports before going to sleep. Feeling dejected, she lay back on the pillows and worried over his change of heart. Only a week ago, he'd slipped behind her while she was brushing her teeth and yanked down her pajama bottoms, delivered a dozen delicious swats to her ass, and plunged into her deep. Something had changed, but she wasn't sure what it could be. They hadn't had a fight. She hadn't pushed back on any rules, and had finally found a peaceful place within her submission. It seemed that now that he had everything he'd asked for from her, he no longer wanted her.
She'd woken up early on Saturday to find him already in the shower. Before she'd been able to pin him down for a conversation, he'd dressed in his usual suit and tie and ducked out of the apartment, telling her he'd meet her at the auction that night.
Reminding herself that Alex worked a lot and that his jobs were very taxing, she decided to postpone a conversation with him until after the auction. She took another deep breath and went out into the lounge to help Brandon with final preparations.
There was to be a larger crowd than most nights. Most of the tables had been removed from the main lounge area, and had been replaced with cocktail tables. Due to the nature of the auction, it was decided not to sell any alcoholic beverages, but there would be plenty of virgin drinks available. The kitchen was closed down for the event, but a small buffet of appetizers would be available. The entire wait staff was scheduled for the event, but Alyssa doubted they would all be needed. She'd been to a similar auction back home and found that most of the people in attendance had one thing on their mind, and drinks wasn't it.
It was near the time of the beginning of the auction that Alyssa realized that Alex hadn't shown up yet. Worried that she'd missed a text from him, she yanked out her phone. Nothing. What was going on with him?
"Alyssa!" Tammy, a young waitress that had been hired shortly after Alyssa rushed up to her with a panicked look in her eye, a pharmacy bag swinging from her hand.
"Tammy! What is it?" Alyssa held on to the shaking woman's shoulders.
"I think I'm trouble," Tammy whispered, looking around for a witness.
"Okay. Here, let's go in Alex's office. He's not here yet." She pulled the trembling woman behind her into his office and locked the door. "Okay, what's wrong? What kind of trouble?"
"I'm late." Tears began to pool in her eyes as she held up the pharmacy bag. Alyssa took the bag from her and opened it. A pregnancy test sat inside and she took a deep breath. "What am I going to do?" Tammy took a ragged breath. Alyssa could see that it was taking all Tammy could muster to keep from breaking down.
"Well. First we are going to find out if you are. Then we will worry about what to do. How late are you?"
"Ten days," Tammy groaned and Alyssa did her best to keep her shoulders from sagging. Not a great sign.
"Okay. Well first things first. Alex has a private bathroom through that door, go on take the test. I'll wait out here for you, and we can wait it out together. Okay?"
Tammy sniffled. "I can't believe I was so fucking stupid." Tammy murmured to herself as she walked to the bathroom. "Stephen is never going to take care of me and the baby."
"Wait. Did you say Stephen?" Alyssa's blood went cold. Stephen never wanted kids; he hated the very idea of children.
"Yeah. We had a play date when he first came to town. It wasn't supposed to turn into sex but things got carried away. He didn't have a condom, but I must have missed my pill or something." Distraught, Tammy disappeared into the bathroom while Alyssa plunked herself down in the armchair and seethed. Stephen knew better than to have unprotected sex. But so did Tammy.
The minutes ticked away excruciatingly slowly. Alyssa had expected Tammy to come out of the bathroom to wait with her, but figured she must have decided to stare at the stick the whole time. Not wanting to make the crappy situation worse, Alyssa waited in the office until the door swung open and Tammy flew out with a beaming smile.
"Negative!" She danced around the room making Alyssa laugh. "Oh, thank god. What would I have done?" Tammy finally stopped her spinning to hug her middle. "That was way too close for me."
"I'm glad it worked out okay, but why are you ten days late then?" Alyssa pushed off the chair.
"Probably stress. This auction has had me in knots for weeks. I signed up to be auctioned off, I'm in the last round of slaves." Tammy took a deep breath. "I'm tired of being alone. I guess I'm putting more pressure on this auction than I should. You are so lucky to have Alex."
Alyssa's heart twisted at the sentiment.
Did she have Alex anymore? Things felt so strained between them she wasn't positive how he felt. Her feelings hadn't changed, but it felt as though his had.
"You'll find him. Promise," Alyssa replied. Tammy gave her a curious look but didn't press further. "We better get out there. Bradley's office has been converted to the slave's ready room; let's go check to see if anything is needed. When is your slot?"
"Not until toward the end. Bradley said I could work until ten, then get ready for my slot."
Alyssa nodded and walked out of Alex's office, heading toward Bradley's when she paused at her name being called out. Tammy went on without her and Alyssa turned to the shout.
Twenty feet away stood Kelly, Kendrick, Jessica and Royce. Kelly wore a canary-eating grin. Alyssa felt her stomach drop. She looked around quickly for Alex who appeared to still not have made an entrance and stalked the group of friends.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded from Kelly who gave a petite shrug.
"You said you told her we were all coming." Jessica chastised Kelly who again gave a shrug.
"Kelly." Kendrick's deep voice managed to get the grin to drop if only slightly.
"Okay. I didn't tell her. She would have just told us not to come." Kelly gave Alyssa a soft smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you by just popping in, but I really wanted to come, and Alex really needs to just calm down. We are all literally in the same boat here, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
"He's not ashamed. He's private," Alyssa corrected, "and he's going to kill me." The crowd had begun to arrive and the lounge was quickly filling for the first round of auctioned slaves to be presented.
"Well, either way, he needs to calm down." Kelly gave a curt shake of her head. "Oh, I have to go." Kelly managed to get out of Kendrick's grip. "I'm in the first round." With an evil grin, she gave the group a wink and headed off toward Bradley's office.