by Bowles, Jan
Angry with herself, Kelly shook her head. Her thoughts were random and completely off the wall. She was just clutching at straws. Short straws at best. Deep down she knew Matthew was not involved. He was a good man. She loved him.
Forty minutes later, she arrived at his impressive home. She sounded the horn impatiently several times, banging the steering wheel in frustration with her fist. “Come on, come on, Matthew. Let me in.” After what seemed an eternity, the wrought iron security gates slowly started to open. With barely enough room to pass, she floored the gas pedal and drove through.
Wanting answers in a hurry, she snaked to a stop and parked the Porsche at an awkward angle across his driveway. Grabbing her purse and the brown envelope, she headed for the front door.
Dressed casually in jeans and a white T-shirt, Matthew greeted her on the threshold. His brows immediately drew together as he studied her panicked demeanor. “Whatever’s wrong, princess?”
“As if you didn’t know. This is what’s wrong, mister.” Kelly shook the envelope in his face. “This trash was in my mailbox.” She pushed the brown envelope into his chest, and demanded, “Go on I dare you. Tell me you’re not responsible for this.” Why had she just said that? Was she crazy? Instinctively, she knew Matthew had nothing to do with it, but anger and irrational thinking had replaced the initial shock. She needed someone to vent her rage on, even if that meant alienating the man she loved.
Clearly annoyed by her confrontational manner, Matthew’s mouth firmed into a thin line of disapproval. “Since I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, I can categorically say I had nothing to do with it. Satisfied?” He snatched the envelope from her. “Kelly, you need to calm down, before you say something you might later regret.”
Although she heard the warning in his voice, she couldn’t stop herself from screaming, “Then if it’s not you, it’s that no-good brother of yours. Ethan must have done it.” Emotion overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her face. “It’s someone I know. It has to be. It has to be you or Ethan.”
Matthew took hold of her hand and dragged her inside. “You’ve said enough, lady. Now go sit in the living room, and don’t say another word. I’ll make you a coffee, and check out this envelope that seems to have fucked with your brain.”
Chapter Twenty
Grim-faced, Matthew handed Kelly a steaming hot coffee. Her hands shook as she took it from him.
“Thanks,” she whispered, looking pale and worried. For a brief moment she glanced at him, then squeezed her eyes tightly shut. It was obvious her mind was in complete turmoil. “I’m sorry, Matthew. I know it isn’t you, but I was so shocked and scared, I just needed someone to blame.”
He’d already opened the envelope, and seen for himself the damaging pictures. Whoever sent them had been very thorough. It looked like a professional job to him. The photographs were meant to scare her, and they had. He saw her hand shaking as she lifted the coffee cup to her lips. He moved behind her and began massaging her neck, trying to restore her equilibrium. “Shhh, it’s okay, princess,” he soothed. “After seeing what was in the envelope, I fully understand why you’re so jumpy, so I’ll forgive you for acting so disrespectfully toward me. But only for now.” He leaned forward, and whispered close to her ear, “I’ll find some suitable punishment for your lack of trust later on.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wouldn’t I? Try me. You’re on a warning, my slave. I won’t allow you to disrespect your Master in such a way ever again. Engage your brain before you open your mouth in future.” He walked around and sat beside her. “But first we need to find out what the hell’s going on.” Matthew lifted the troublesome envelope from the coffee table, and slapped it hard against the palm of his other hand. “Have you received anything besides this?”
“No, nothing. It was there waiting for me in the mailbox.” She looked at the envelope in his hand before turning her head away. “I hate that package with a vengeance, Matthew.”
Things just didn’t add up. Whoever was responsible hadn’t asked for a payoff. Kelly was a very wealthy woman. Surely they’d want to benefit financially? Perhaps they simply weren’t interested in money. She was a powerful businesswoman and as such, would have amassed her fair share of enemies over the years. Maybe it was a business rival who held a personal grudge against her. He sighed resignedly. There were some sick fuckers out there, who got their kicks from making decent people squirm.
Matthew tossed the brown envelope back on the coffee table. At present there were no clues to follow up. “Hmm, although there’s no demand for money yet, there may be in the future.”
“Oh, God, no.” Kelly’s hand trembled as she finished the last of her coffee.
Matthew lifted the telephone receiver from its cradle and began dialing.
“Don’t call the police, Matt. I don’t want them involved. What am I gonna say anyway. Here’s some pictures of the head of McCloud Energy inside a BDSM club with no clothes on, getting flogged.”
He could certainly see her point. “The cops and Club Submission don’t mix. We’re like oil and water. They’re the last guys I’d call. They nearly closed us down a while back. I’m calling Ethan. We need to shut down the club until we find every goddamned camera that’s hidden there. You’re angry, but I’m even more pissed than you are. When I find out who’s responsible for this invasion of our privacy, then I’ll—” He clenched his fists. “I’ll rip them a new fucking asshole.”
“You’re not going to show Ethan the photographs are you?”
“I have to, otherwise he won’t know what he’s dealing with. Besides, the photographs give a good indication of where the cameras are hidden.”
Her lower lip quivered. “But…the ones of us in the Dungeon. Please don’t show him those. I couldn’t bear it”
Matthew leaned forward and squeezed her hand. It felt so small and fragile in his. He made an attempt at a smile. “I won’t show him those. I promise. I’ll check the Dungeon out myself. The hidden cameras are gonna be tiny. That’s the thing with technology these days. They can make ’em so small you can barely see ’em.” Even though he owned a BDSM club, the pictures of Kelly and himself being intimate were for his eyes only. He figured he’d fallen in love with her and didn’t want to share her, or even pictures of her. What they had together was special, a connection and understanding flowed between them, and them alone.
When the call connected, he moved from the sofa and walked across to the window. He leaned his palm against the oak frame and let his gaze fall on the garden outside. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and the early-morning light glanced brilliantly off the leaves fluttering in the breeze. Even though it looked calm and serene, he knew there was a storm brewing. His brother answered on the third ring. “Ethan, we got a problem.”
“Shoot away, Matt.”
“You’re gonna have to shut Club Submission down, at least for this evening.”
“On a Saturday? It’s our biggest night. Takings go through the roof on a weekend. You know that. What the fuck’s going on?”
“Kelly found something unpleasant in her mailbox.”
“Meaning?”
“Some sick bastard has taken a bunch of compromising photos inside the club. They’ve used hidden cameras. There’s gotta be a half dozen, maybe more.”
“Cameras? No fucking way. You’re kidding me, right?”
“I wish I were. Look, I’m coming straight over. I’ll be with you in an hour. I’ll explain everything when I get there. But I can tell you this, little brother, we got real problems. The fucking things are even in the Dungeon.”
“Fucking hell.”
“Yeah, fucking hell is right. Membership has only just returned to normal after that fiasco with the cops last year. I do not want this getting out. We need to contain this, Ethan.”
“You bet. I’m on it, Matt.” The phone went dead, and Matthew guessed Ethan was quite literally on it. He knew his brother would soon be
pulling the place apart, looking for the hidden surveillance equipment.
“Kelly, I have to go. Do you want to come with me or stay here? It’s entirely up to you.”
“Matt, I think I’ll stay here if you don’t mind.”
He returned the phone to the cradle and then sat beside her and pulled her into his arms. “Of course I don’t mind.” He kissed her worried brow. “Just relax and do nothing. Don’t even answer the phone. I’ll make sure the gates are locked so no one can get in.”
Her head lifted sharply. “Do you think they know where you live, too?”
Matthew shrugged. “Princess, I don’t have all the answers, yet, but I can tell you this. I would die before I let anyone harm a hair on that pretty little head of yours. So quit worrying. With the gates closed this place is like a fortress.” He stroked his fingers through her silky raven-black hair, enjoying the way it curled over the back of his hand. A sense of belonging pervaded every part of his being as Kelly desperately clung to him. He loved the way she needed her Master, and boy, did she need her Master right now. He felt the tremors racking through her beautiful body as she finally let go and allowed the tears to flow unchecked. They ran down her cheeks, and he barely had time to wipe them away, before they dripped from her quivering chin. “Shhh, I promise you everything will be fine, just fine. No one fucks with Matthew Strong or his woman.” He banged his fist on the coffee table. “No one.”
* * * *
When Matthew arrived at the club, there was a message pinned to the imposing oak door.
Due to events beyond our control, Club Submission will be closed tonight (Saturday). We unreservedly apologize to all our members and hope to reopen as soon as possible.
Signed, Matthew and Ethan Strong, proprietors.
He let himself in using his key and came face-to-face with Ethan’s efforts of camera detection. The place was in absolute chaos. Cupboards were open, drawers tipped out and their contents scattered everywhere. Erotic art that once graced the walls of Club Submission was now resting on the floor.
“Fuck.” This was going to take forever to clean up.
As he moved further into the club, things thankfully looked a little less chaotic. He eventually found his younger brother operating a small unfamiliar device in the Warm Zone.
“What you got there, Ethan?”
“I found fuck all in reception, so I called Hunter Black and asked his advice on detecting hidden cameras. He recommended this.” He handed the pocket-sized device to Matthew. “That little baby will pick up the digital signal of any wireless transmitter in the immediate area. Apparently, they have a limited range of about two hundred feet, so he also suggested we check out what the CCTV system has recorded outside the club. Most likely the creep that hid the cameras was sitting outside in the parking lot. According to Hunter, the guy would need to be real close to download the live footage from the cameras.”
“Good work, Ethan, we’ll catch this cunt, if it’s the last thing we do. I’ll check out the recordings as soon as we’ve disabled all the hidden cameras.”
Almost on cue, the detector beeped loudly as Ethan scanned a large mural that was part of the redecoration of the club.
He carefully lifted the expensive painting from the wall and checked out the back. “The cunning bastard.” Sure enough, taped to the frame was a tiny camera. It poked through a hole in the canvas no bigger than three millimeters across. “That’s the sixth one, Matt. How’s Kelly taking all this?”
“She’s real upset. Angry, too, and more than a little scared.” Matthew handed the brown envelope to his brother. “Take a look. It’ll make the location of the other cameras easier to find. While you’re doing that, I’ll go check out the Dungeon. I’ve a pretty good idea where the bastard has hidden them in there.” He walked away, leaving Ethan with the photographs.
Chapter Twenty-One
Well aware she may be wearing a hole in the expensive Berber carpet, Kelly nervously paced the floor of Matthew’s house one final time. When she glanced out of the impressive picture window overlooking the front driveway, she knitted her hands tightly together, trying to quell the anxiety. Six hours and he still hadn’t returned home. Just what was he doing? Why wasn’t he back yet? Had he found the hidden cameras? She felt completely on her own, and the lack of information was tearing her apart. She couldn’t stop herself from resorting to the destructive what-if scenario. What if? What if? What if?
“Stop doing that, Kelly,” she berated herself. “Everything will be fine just like Matthew said.”
An overwhelming sense of paranoia was taking the place of rational thinking. What if there were hidden cameras here, at Matthew’s place, and the man responsible was actually watching her right this minute? She shivered uncontrollably and hugged her arms around herself as she repeatedly paced the length of the hallway. To actually know someone had deliberately recorded their most intimate moments together made her feel physically ill. Those times with Matthew were sacred to her. She felt violated, and exposed. Just whom could she trust? Matthew? Ethan? She would be extremely wary of baring her soul to anyone in the future.
Kelly grimaced and shook her head. In frustration she’d lashed out at Matthew. How crazy was that? Why blame the man I love? Unfortunately, all her anger had been directed at the wrong person. There were other, far more treacherous individuals she could think of. People who would be more than willing to disrupt and ultimately destroy her life. These people would love to see her position compromised. They would love to see her on her knees. For Christ’s sake, she could be describing half the executive board members of McCloud Energy.
Still feeling that her body was coiled tight with tension, she returned to the window. In the distance, through a break in the trees, she just caught a glimpse of the imposing wrought iron gates finally starting to swing open. A sense of relief flooded her mind, and she exhaled a large deep sigh as Matthew’s sleek Jaguar swept onto the driveway.
Feeling so much better for knowing he was home again, Kelly hurried to greet him at the front door. “Thank God you’re back. I’ve been so worried.”
He smiled into her eyes, letting her know that everything was going to be just fine. Matthew wouldn’t let any harm come to her. He held out his arms, and she melted straight into his embrace.
“Matthew, please forgive me. I acted abysmally. I should never have accused you of such a terrible thing.”
He tenderly kissed her forehead, and stroked a stray hair from the corner of her mouth. Then, placing both hands on her shoulders, he set her back from him so he could look into her eyes. “Feeling better, princess?”
“Much.” She hoped he’d forget about the discipline he’d promised. From the look on his face he already had. “Let me get you a drink to make up for my unacceptable behavior.”
“Thanks. I’ll have an ice-cold Bud. There’s plenty in the cooler. I’m gonna check out something in the living room. Bring my beer there.”
“Coming right up, Sir.” Damn, she liked using that word.
Kelly slipped from his protective embrace and walked to the kitchen. She felt far happier and more at ease, now he’d returned home. She took a couple of cold beers from the cooler. She’d have one herself—it might help her to relax a little. Realizing she hadn’t eaten lunch, she scooped up a packet of chips on her way to join Matthew in the living room.
He lounged on the sofa, the remote control pointed at the TV, as he scanned a black-and-white recording of the parking lot at Club Submission. She figured it was taken from the CCTV system that he’d recently installed. As she placed the ice-cold beer in front of him, she noticed a number of small devices scattered on the coffee table.
Curious, she picked one up and studied it. Several wires sprouted from a tiny square object. “I’m guessing this is one of the hidden cameras?”
“You guess right.” Matthew sighed as he continued to fast-forward the images on the television. “Club Submission was riddled with them. No amateur did this. This w
as a job of professionals. Somebody has paid big bucks to hide those little fuckers in my club.”
A shiver ran down her spine as the reality of the situation hit home. “How many did you find?”
“Fourteen so far.”
“Fourteen? Dear God, who could be so interested in me, and why?”
“Fourteen could be just the tip of the iceberg, Kelly. Ethan’s still at the club, weeding them out. They made sure they had every angle covered. They didn’t want to miss a single opportunity of seeing us fucking. Now who would do such a thing? Any ideas yet?”
Kelly slid onto the sofa next to him, and snuggled in close. “One or two, but I’m really not sure.”
With his attention still focused on the CCTV footage, he inquired, “Care to share them?”
“There’s a couple of board members at McCloud Energy who’d love to see the back of me.”
“Why?” Matthew grabbed his beer from the coffee table, wiped the condensation from the bottle and then took a long slug.
“For starters I’m a woman doing a man’s job. At least that’s how these guys see it.”
He paused for a moment, holding the Bud from his lips. “Go on.”
“I have control of the largest oil and gas company on the East Coast. These guys think they can do a better job than a mere woman ever could. They think McCloud Energy would be far more profitable and more efficiently run if a man held the reins.”
“This has to be more than mere corporate jealousy, Kelly.”
Suddenly enthralled by something on the TV screen, he sat bolt upright on the sofa. “Now what have we here?”