Jude sighed. “I see that, Carmen. But the bigger question is how many times do I have to ask you to use the intercom?”
She smirked at him. “I don’t know. How many times have you already asked?”
“At least a thousand.” Jackson chortled.
“Well then, add a few more hundred thousand, and maybe I’ll consider your request.” She winked at Hark. “These men just don’t seem to realize I know every little detail of what goes on in their offices at any given time.” Then she leaned in and spoke in a loud whisper. “Even how often they boff their ladies across their desks.”
“Carmen!”
Hark couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard the two men speak in unison as they scolded her.
Once the woman shut the door behind him, he joined the men. “She’s incorrigible. I still think someone needs to strap her to the nearest spanking bench and warm her ass.” He settled into the chair across from Jude’s desk. “Thanks for seeing me under such short notice.”
Jude tipped his chair back. “For our favorite part-time employee? Not an issue.”
Jackson tapped the file he was holding against his thigh. “We did some digging into your investigator's background as well as the uncle’s like you asked.”
Hark crossed his leg over his opposite knee and tried to get comfortable in the smaller than average chair. “And?”
Jackson made a face. “According to the uncle’s financials, he seems like he’s on the up and up. No outstanding debt, other than a small credit card bill. His house is paid for and he donates a hefty sum to the Boys and Girls Club each year. On a personal note, he has a girl he sees on a regular basis — a Domme at one of the local clubs. Other than that he pays his bills on time and has a membership at one of the local golf courses. He’s clean, unless the sabotage is personal in nature.
“Okay.” Hark leaned back in the chair. “It doesn’t completely rule him out, but it’s good to know he’s not screwing over Sterling Foods for money. What about the investigator?”
Jude sighed. “He’s a different story. I don’t know whether to be pissed off that he dares to call himself an investigator, or laugh at the fool.”
Hark frowned. “Then why the hell did the board hire him over Larson Securities?”
Jude shrugged. “I have no idea. I spoke with Bryan briefly after the first act of sabotage. He told me he'd take our suggestions to the board and get back to us. He never did.”
Hark's eyes drifted shut. “Fuck. Looks like I'm going to have to go ask Bryan what happened. So much for hoping I could deal with this quietly without dragging him into it.”
Jackson handed him the file. “Here's everything I could find on him in the hour you gave me. The man's a joke to the investigation field.”
Hark accepted the file and opened it. Skimming the file, he began to read aloud. “Height six foot one, brown hair and eyes. Got his P.I. license with the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation nearly eighteen months ago after completing the basic firearm course and knowledge test. Damn, I swear since the stupid realty show started airing, every cretin with an adrenalin addiction wants to be like Dog the Bounty Hunter.”
“Yeah, and it doesn’t help that IDFPR will let you take the test online.” Jude squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Which wouldn’t necessarily a bad thing if the person testing is actually the one doing the test.”
“Yeah, unbelievable.” Hark continued to read. “Okay, here it is. Girlfriend, one Shar Williams.” He flipped through the file. “Did you find a home address for her, or possibly a phone number?”
Jude shot him a 'what do you think' look before reading it off a pad at his elbow. His fingers tightened around the file at the familiar address. “Say again?”
Jackson smirked. “What are you getting forgetful in your old age, Akula?”
“No. But that sounds like the address I sent flowers to last week.”
Jude frowned. “You're seeing women again? I thought Mistress said Diachi claimed you last night.”
“My sex life has nothing to do with this. Bryan and I sent flowers to his assistant.” He dug through the file. “It could be coincidence, but it would be a rather wild one. You didn't by chance manage to find a picture of the lady friend did you?”
“We're good, but not that good.” Jude’s chair creaked alarmingly as he leaned back. “We need more time than sixty minutes to give you such an in-depth report on a mark's girlfriend.”
Hark read the name again. Shar? Could it be short for Sharonda? “Fuck. Please let it just be a coincidence.” He dug his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Bryan's private number. The sound of his sub’s voice did little to sooth the rising trepidation in his gut. “Hey, sweetheart. Are you alone?”
“No, I'm not. Master is with me and Sharonda is sitting at her desk. Why?”
Hark’s fingers tightened. “I'm sitting here with Jude and Jackson. Remember how I told you I was going to have them look into the investigator Easton told me about? Well, it might just be coincidence but — just give me a yes or no answer. Does your assistant ever go by the name Shar?”
There was a silence on the other end of the line before Bryan sighed. “Yeah.”
“Fuck.” He covered the mouth piece with his palm. “Can you work your magic, Jude and pull up a financials on a Sharonda Williams? She’s Bryan’s assistant.”
Jude nodded, his fingers flying over the keys of his computer.
“Sir?” The rising concern in Bryan's tone drew him back to the conversation at hand.
“Everything’s okay, Bryan. I'm just going to be with Jude and Jackson for a few more hours. Let me talk to Diachi.”
“But why are you asking about Sharonda?”
Hark wanted to groan. He didn't need Bryan digging in his heels at this moment. “Trust me, little one. I’ve got everything under control. I just need to talk to Master.” He had a sinking feeling they'd been looking in the wrong direction.
A few seconds later Diachi's voice filled the line “Harkahome?”
Keeping it brief, he made the man promise to keep Bryan safe before assuring him he'd soon have the threat to their sub neutralized. After he hung up, he turned back to the matter at hand.
“Let’s hope that’s a promise you don’t have to break,” Jude muttered as he looked up from the computer. “Because your Sharonda Williams has quite the past.”
Ice coursed through his veins. “What do you mean she has a past? Criminal?” He barely managed to choke the word out. If the woman was indeed a criminal, how had she gotten past the security and background checks?
“No, nothing so violent. However, she does have an embezzlement charge in her past that was dismissed, along with a counter-suit for libel.” Jude’s fingers flew over the keys. “It looks like the original charge was brought by Reiner Food Distribution.”
Pulling his pen out, he flipped the folder over. “Do you have a number for them?”
As Jude rattled off the number. A few short seconds later, he dialed it. He’d get to the bottom of this if it was the last thing he did.
* * * *
By the time Hark finally made it home, it was late – nearly midnight and he was dragging. Toeing off his shoes, he idly wondered if Bryan was still awake and if his little one would mind giving him another rub down. The hours with Jude and Jackson had been fruitful and they had a good idea who the culprit was, but his back was twisted in knots again. Or if perhaps Diachi were up, he might brush his hair, like he’d done in the past when Hark had a stressful day. He’d settle for either at this moment.
But when he walked down the short hall, he knew neither would be happening. Either Diachi or Bryan had left on a small lamp between the kitchen and great room to light his way, but the rest of the main level was dark. He sighed. He couldn’t blame the men for going to bed, even after they’d promised to wait up for him. He’d promised to be home nearly an hour ago. He’d just have to be content with crawling into bed w
ith them. Surprisingly enough, the idea of wrapping himself round one or the other was comforting.
The smell of pot roast teased his nose as he passed the kitchen and he stopped. His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn’t had anything since pizza the guys had ordered around five. Following his nose, his heart melted when he saw the covered dish on the table. A huge note card said “Eat Me,” scrawled in Bryan’s hand. He smiled. “Damn, I could get used to this.” Lifting the cover, he dug into the delicious roast, well-seasoned potatoes, and tender baby carrots. By the time his belly was full, he was starting to feel decidedly drowsy, but he forced himself to load his dishes into the dishwasher.
After his little one and Master had made sure he had something warm to eat, he couldn’t very well leave a mess. It only took a few minutes to clean up after himself. Yawning, he took one last glance around to make sure he hadn’t missed anything – and that’s when he spotted it – a manila card propped against the squat flower arrangement in the center of the table. Since he’d sat on the opposite side of the arrangement, he hadn’t seen it. His sleepiness was suddenly gone. With trembling fingers, he reached for it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Master?” Bryan's question distracted Diachi from the noises coming from downstairs. Hark was in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher, if the sound of running water were any indication. He'd escorted Bryan upstairs shortly after Hark had texted him to let him know he was on his way home. A pleasurable contentment had filled him when he’d read the words. Hark was finally coming home. As the water stopped, however, he knew it would only be a short while before his koibito joined them. He was relieved Hark had taken the time to eat. He'd have really hated to have to punish him after such a long day. Especially when all I want to do is show him how much we desire him.
The thud of steps on the stairs had Bryan stilling. “Sir’s coming, isn’t he?” A panicked look crossed his face. “What if I can’t survive having you both at the same time?”
His cock, already hard from listening to the whimpers of his bound submissive, began to ache at the thought. If he were honest with himself, he couldn't wait to have both men under his control – to wallow in their cries of pained ecstasy. The idea had been tormenting him since Hark had moved in with him.
“I have faith in you, hana. You’ll more than survive tonight. You’ll hiss and jerk from the sheer pleasure of it, but in the end you’ll beg for more. But until he and I come to an agreement, I have something else I want you to think about. How this will feel...” He ran the multi-stranded flogger over Bryan's groin, using the soft leather to tease the straining shaft. “…while your Sir slips deep inside you.”
Bryan stilled for a moment before a raw groan ripped free of him. “Oh, God, Master! Please!” His arms pulled hard on the cuffs holding him bound to the padded bench.
Diachi chuckled softly as he continued to tease and torment Bryan’s body. While muscles seemed to dance under the flicking strands, Diahci idly wondered what Hark would think of the scene when he joined them. He could only hope the man would find the sight of Bryan spread across the bench, face up with rope decorating his body to be pure temptation — gods knew he did.
From the top of his head to his toes, their sub was an exquisite masterpiece of toned muscles, tanned skin, and soft hemp. The traditional diamonds of the shibari rope harness was a favorite of his – one he wanted to introduce Hark to. The thought of his koibito’s large body wrapped in such a way was more than enough to make Diachi salivate. And to have them both bound together during my planned scene at the club – nirvana. But now wasn't the time to think about the demonstration that he'd worked so hard with Mistress Olivia to ready Micah for.
As he turned his attention back to Bryan, the door opened behind them. He refused to turn around. Instead he continued to gently flog Bryan. His hana’s sigh as Diachi settled into a steady rhythm didn’t obscure the soft footsteps as Hark came to a stop next to him.
“That's it. Relax into it,” Diachi praised Bryan. Hark needed to know this scene was as just as much for Bryan as it was for him.
“God damn.” The muttered expletive had Diachi inwardly smiling as Hark moved around the bench. Stopping next to Bryan's head, he whistled low in his throat. “Fuck. You look good enough to eat, little one.”
“That he does.” Diachi glanced up at Hark, smiling at the man’s nudity. The fact his koibito had followed his instructions to the letter sent a fissure of pleasure through him. “But before you may partake, you and I have a few things to discuss, Harkahome.”
Surprise flowed over Hark's face. “We do? I am as you requested. Naked and ready to obey.”
Diachi continued to lightly slap at the inside of Bryan's thighs while making eye contact with Hark. “Yes, you are, but first, we have a few new rules to discuss. This won't be exactly like our scene the other night at the club. While I'll insist you submit to my will, I expect you to still be dominant with Bryan.” Diachi set the flogger on the outside of Bryan's hip. Its dark color was a startling contrast to pale gray cushion under Bryan's body. “As a switch, you should have no issue with that, I hope?”
Hark sucked his lower lip into his mouth, but abruptly released it. Diachi narrowed his eyes. The man was learning. “I guess not. I can't remember ever trying to fill both roles at once.” He plucked at the edge of the bench. “With Master George, Teresina and I were always submissive in his company. The only time I was allowed to dominate her was if we were alone, or he demanded I do it.”
Diachi watched him steadily. “So he got off on watching you dominate her, but only as long as he could control it?”
Hark nodded. “Yes, Master. I either submitted to him, or I was only a once-in-a-while kink for his wife.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad. He never abused the power I gave him.”
When Bryan stiffened, Diachi knew an explosion was eminent. “Never abused…what a crock of shit! Using those terms to command your submission is no better than blackmail.”
Diachi sighed. As usual, Bryan cut to heart of the matter. “Bryan…”
Bryan glared up at him. “It’s the truth. Submission is freely given, and doesn’t have strings attached to it.”
“I know.” Hark leaned to press a kiss against Bryan’s parted lips. “But enough. It’s in the past now. Just understand at that time in my life I was so desperate, I agreed to his terms. If he hadn’t been there...” He bit his lower lip. “Let’s just say I probably wouldn’t be here. I was at the end of my endurance. I’d just gotten out of the service and wasn’t adjusting to civilian life at all. I drank too much, got into bar fights, and did a number of things that landed me in jail. That’s where I met George. He was my court-appointed attorney. Once my case was over, he offered me a deal. He recognized my need to submit. So I agreed to his rules. Harnessing my dominant side was a small price to pay for my sanity.”
Bryan pouted, but relaxed against the bench. “It still doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Hark agreed. “But just like I can’t dictate your past, you have to accept it is part of what made me what I am today.”
Rather than listen to Bryan argue with Hark, Diachi drew his fingernails down the inside of Bryan’s legs, in an effort to bring their sub off his soap-box.
“Son of a…” Bryan cursed softly, his eyes flying to meet Diachi’s.
“Enough, you two. I can see both sides, and Hark’s correct. It’s in the past. We’re here, now.” He lifted his gaze to meet Hark’s. “Unlike your former master, I see your dominance and submission as two sides of the same coin, and I want to experience both of them.” He nodded toward the flogger. He was more than ready to resume their scene. “Pick it up.”
Hark hesitated and glanced down at Bryan. “Can you handle two of us, little one? Teresina used to claim she couldn't handle two masters at once.”
Bryan scoffed. “I'm not her, Sir. Having you in here with me is a reality I never expected to experience again after what happened w
ith Allen.”
Even as Diachi watched the interaction, he found himself growing impatient. True, it showed Hark's concern for overwhelming their sub, but he was tired of waiting. He had to find out if he could handle sharing Bryan with Hark. It was crunch time. “As commendable as I find your concern for our sub, I'm waiting.”
Hark wrapped his long fingers around the handle of the flogger, while the side of his mouth kicked up into a half-assed smirk. “Well, never let it be said I am not accommodating, Master.” Then he traced Bryan's collarbone with the handle.
All the tension faded from Bryan as Hark ran the hilt of the flogger up one extended arm. A soft moan escaped their sub.
“He's very responsive. I’m barely touching him.”
“Extremely.” Diachi stepped to the side to allow Hark greater access to Bryan's body.
“Good.” A wicked smile lit up Hark’s face. “It's great to find a sub who loves the flogger nearly as much as I do.” Using his free hand, he brushed Bryan's hair back. “Which means, even though I haven't learned all your personal hot spots yet, I am intimately familiar with how to drive a person wild with such a nice toy.”
Bryan's chest rose and fell heavily when Hark flipped the flogger over in his hand to tease the tips of his fingers with the strands. “Fuck me.”
Other than the narrowing of his eyes, Hark continued his torment, sliding the flogger back down Bryan's arm. “Perhaps later. Right now I want to see how long it takes to push you to the edge.”
The sound of the leather hitting skin filled the room. Bryan jerked and drew in a ragged breath when the leather strands found their mark on the tender part of his side directly under his arm. “Damn. A little warning next time, Sir?”
“Now what fun would that be?” Hark lightly swung the flogger again. The impact wasn't as sharp as the first, but as the strands tangled around Bryan's shaft, Diachi was sure Bryan was thankful. “Perhaps we should blindfold him, Master? To keeping him guessing all night?”
Even though the thought was tempting, he decided against it. “No. Tonight is the first time we'll all connect in this way. There’ll be no half measures. No blow jobs or hand jobs. Which brings me to the last new rule. For tonight’s scene I’ll have you while you shall have Bryan.” His cock throbbed against his pants. “It's been too long since I've felt your ass around me, Harkahome.”
Healing Hark (Doms of Chicago) Page 21