by Dakota Trace
Unable to bear the raw intensity in his gaze, she lowered her eyes. “I agree, but in the end, it doesn’t excuse you for turning on me the moment things got rough. I thought we had more than mere sex. Or at least I hoped.”
“You ran, what was I suppose to think?” His voice was gruff, but his grip never tightened.
She shrugged. “I needed to escape, and didn’t worry about what you’d think when you found me gone.” She looked up at him. “But once I calmed down and listened to reason, I came back. I was ready to at least hear you out. It hurt when you shut out all possibilities of there being a neutral ground between us, and cut off all lines of communication.” She took a deep breath and blinked rapidly to force the tears back. “In my experience, if we can’t communicate, what relationship we’d have, whether it be a Dom/sub or even just one of friendship, would be doomed to never work.” A tear spilled over her lid and down her cheek.
He thumbed away her tear. “How did you get so wise, little one?” He lifted her chin and his face swam before her eyes. “I let past wounds affect our relationship, instead of discussing it with you. If I promise the lines of communication will stay open, will you give me a second chance?”
She gave a warbled sigh as she took in the sincerity on his face and in his eyes. Despite all the hurt they’d somehow managed to deal each other during this misunderstanding, there was no clear person who was in the right. They’d both jumped to the wrong conclusions and paid for it. But the question now was: did she want what he was offering more than her anger? Reaching up, she tugged at one of his dreadlocks, and decided she did. “Last time I checked, this is the third time…Sir.”
His eyes flared with hope. “Then give me a third. I can promise I won’t need a fourth.” He cupped her face and touched noses with her. “I love you, Sabella Johnston. If you’ll have me as your Dom, there’ll be no others…for either of us.”
Her heart leapt. “You love me?”
He pulled back just a bit and gave her a crooked smile. “Yeah, you snuck up on my blind side.”
Joy washed over her. “I…I love you too, Sir.”
His eyes closed as he savored the words. Then, when he opened them, there was a mischievous look in them. “So what would you say if I asked you to bend over Davis’s desk, so I could give you the fuck of a lifetime?”
She giggled. “I’d say ‘Yes, Sir.’ And then laugh at the expression on Davis’s face when he realizes we christened his desk.”
His chest expanded. “Over the desk, Sabella, and lose the pants and underwear. I need to be inside you.”
Her breathing grew rapid even as her hands went to the fastening and zipper on her jeans. “Yes, Sir.”
Chapter Thirty
“You know I still don’t find it the least bit funny, Ethan.” Davis groused as they made their way down the cobble stone path leading from the house to the club. It was nearing eight o’clock, and once again it was Subbie Night at New Beginnings. “Do you know how hard it was to deal with the Mayor, when all I could smell was fresh pussy?”
Ethan had to hide his smile at the memory of pounding in and out of his little one, as they made love over his partner’s desk earlier in the week. It had been just as fierce as their make-up had been tender. It had been all about reclaiming each other. Behind his leathers his cock started to fill. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You know how intense make-up sex can be. We couldn’t wait.”
Davis groaned. “I get that, but couldn’t you have taken her into the conference room? Hell, even over Eileen’s desk would’ve been preferable. I had the fuckin’ hard-on from hell all afternoon. That air freshener Eileen sprayed didn’t do a thing, and don’t give that shit she told you to do it.”
“Well, she did. And it’s no one’s fault other than your own that you didn’t take her up on her offer.” Ethan stopped next to the door of the club door.
“I don’t do topping from the bottom, and you damn well know it.” Davis started to enter the code on the security pad next to the door. He stopped. “Were you down here earlier?”
“No. I had appointments all day. I’ve been cooped up in my office dealing with several depressed individuals.”
Davis looked over at him. “Well, someone’s already deactivated the security. Did Bella or Toby say anything about coming in early?” Davis nudged the door open.
Unease filled Ethan. “No. I spoke with Sabella earlier when I ate a hurried lunch. Lauren and she had made it to San Francisco. They were going to eat and then hit up some of the leather shops. She said she wanted to get me a surprise for my birthday next month.” He licked his lips. “And I believe Toby said he was going to be late tonight, because of overtime at work.”
“Then we may have a break-in going on.” Davis pulled out his cell and dialed the police. After a few moments of hushed conversation, Davis snapped his phone shut. “The cops said to wait outside for them to show up and not endanger…”
Ice rushed through his veins as a blood-curdling female scream echoed through the club. “Or not.” Both he and Davis rushed into the club. Quickly ducking into the security office, located closest to the entrance they were using, and after grabbing an ear-piece, Ethan shoved it in his ear. “Check the monitors and tell me where they are.” Then he slipped out the door, not giving his partner time to protest. It was one of those things, while Davis was huge as a mountain, he hated physical violence after seeing his sister nearly beaten to death. His friend had nearly killed her attacker, who happened to be her estranged husband. His sister had never forgiven him, and less than a year later she was dead. There were times his friend still mentally beat himself up for not doing more. It had left unseen scars on his whole family. So when it came to physical altercations, Ethan was the one who normally dealt with them. He had no emotional issues to prevent him from doing what was needed, while keeping his cool and objectivity.
Static filled his ear, before Davis’s voice filled it. “Aw, fuck. They’re in your private playroom, Ethan, and it’s Louis. From the position of the camera and the sub herself, I can’t see who he has restrained, but from the way she’s hanging from the St. Andrew’s cross, I think she’s passed out.”
Frustration built in Ethan, but in a way he was glad Louis had broken into and entered the club. “Well, at least now I have a more solid reason to report his ass than a couple of missed appointments.”
“Take care when you go in. He’s got the cat-o-nines. I’m calling the police back and asking them to send the ambulance as well. The sub’s back is a raw bleeding mess from what I can tell, and no movement on her part worries me a lot. She’s going to need medical attention.”
Unfastening the hayanawa from around his waist, Ethan wrapped it swiftly along his hands preparing the thin flexible cord to execute a fast take down of the fool, who’d judged him not to be an threat because of his slender build. Slipping into the room, he waited until Louis had drawn his arm back to strike the bound submissive again, then he swiftly looped the hayanawa around Louis’s wrist. Using the man’s forward momentum against him, Ethan tightened the noose to jerk him off balance, but hadn’t planned on it slipping off Louis’s hand because of the whip. At least he’d fouled up the man’s aim. The cat-o-nine tangled uselessly with his cord before thudding to the floor.
“What the hell!” Louis spun around to face him. His face was florid, his eyes bloodshot, his hair sticking up on end, and the disarray of his clothing the opposite of his normal well-dressed self. “You bastard. You keep fucking up my life. This is the last time I’ll tolerate your interference, you round eye fuck.” The stench of alcohol rolled off him as he tried to swing at Ethan.
Twisting, Ethan managed to avoid the fist rushing his face, allowing the blow to glance off his shoulder. “I’ve done nothing the court hasn’t ordered, Louis. I’ve even let you attend my club. How am I fucking you? Any issues you had in New York and Chicago are of your own making.”
Weaving on his feet, Louis stumbled around him, still punching wildly at t
he air. Some of his blows were not even coming close to Ethan, while others glanced harmlessly off his arms, shoulders, and hips as Ethan moved with the fluid grace resulting from his years of training. This was a lopsided fight if there ever had been one. It was only Ethan’s innate sense of fair play which kept him from brutally hurting the ass. He wanted to make sure there were no marks or bruises on the man when the police arrived.
Louis suddenly stopped throwing punches and glared at him. “Bullshit, you took her from me. She was supposed to still be mine. Instead she laughed at me when I offered to take her back. Said she had found her perfect Master with the Temporary Dom.” He gave a leer towards the cross. “But the bitch isn’t laughing now.”
Ethan’s eyes flew to the dark haired sub hanging from the cross. That was his Sabella? The body size was right as was the hair, but something was off. The white-hot fury of the whole situation melted the ice around his reserve and tested his control. If it wasn’t for the calming tones of his partner in his ear telling him that Louis wasn’t worth it, that Sabella needed him to be a free man, and killing the ass in front of him wasn’t a good idea, he’d have flown at the man not stopping until Louis Vayarti was a bloody spot on the floor. “You dared to touch my submissive?”
Louis laughed drunkenly. “Oh, I more than touched her…” He stumbled towards the counter where several heavy weight whips and leather horse crops lay scattered.
Horror filled Ethan. His Sabella wasn’t into heavy impact play. Neither was he, which is why his private room was stocked with nothing heavier than the wooden paddle he’d used during Sabella’s punishment. The thought of Louis bringing these things into his private playroom and using them on her had his stomach rolling.
“When the little bitch wouldn’t quit begging for you, I used a bigger whip.” Louis picked up a single tail whip. “Started out with this one but still she wouldn’t stop. It should’ve been my name she was screaming, and until she does I’m gonna continue. She’ll learn her place.”
“It’s not going to happen, Vayarti. My partner has already called the cops.” As if by magic, the sound of sirens screamed in the distance. They had to be close for the two men to be able to hear them inside of the club. “That’s probably them, heading up the private drive right now.”
Louis laughed. “What are they going to do? Arrest me for giving the little whore what she wanted? You and I both know how well assault charges against a Dom stick. All we have to do is say she asked for it. The law is so easy to predict. Even if they did believe her, the right amount of money can assure all kinds of things will show up, like a name on the Sex Offender Registry, and paying off an artist to do a rendition of a naked submissive.”
“It was you?”
Louis tossed his head back. “Of course it was me.” He boasted. “I paid that ass in New York to slip Sabellla’s name on the registry. Hell, I even paid for the rendition of Sabella that whore of a mother found in her brat’s folder. You see everything is easier when you have money.”
“All the money in the world isn’t going to change the judge’s mind when he views the video tape of your confession…”
“It won’t matter because there’ll be no witnesses.” Louis suddenly lunged for an object on the counter, coming up with a gun Ethan hadn’t been able to see under the mess of whips. In horror, Ethan, who was too far away to stop him, watched as Louis opened fire on the woman restrained to the cross. Red holes bloomed on her back as bullets riddled her body. In his ear he heard Davis screaming, as he launched himself at the other man. Just before he reached him, Louis turned the gun on himself. “Now you get to live with the guilt because you couldn’t save her.” He shoved the barrel of the pistol in his mouth and pulled the trigger. His body fell with a thud to the floor.
Knowing there was no helping the fool, he rushed to the cross, tears running down his face. He was just reaching for the body when the room was flooded with police officers.
“Police! Freeze!”
* * * *
Leaning against the side of one of the police cars surrounding New Beginnings after giving his statement to the officers, Ethan was barely holding it together as Davis dealt with the cleanup. New Beginnings wouldn’t be open tonight and probably not even the rest of the weekend. But for once he didn’t care. His world has just exploded around him. He’d found happiness, and it had only lasted five days. His sweet little Sabella was gone, and Louis was right, he hadn’t protected her. He’d known that danger was stalking her and probably shouldn’t have let her leave town to go shopping with Lauren, but he’d been unable to resist the plea in her eyes. Raking his hands through his dreads, a whimper escaped him, as two uniformed people from the Coroner’s Office rolled out a gurney with a zippered black bag on it.
“I’m sorry, little one, I should’ve done more….” More tears spilled down his cheeks. He didn’t care if grown men weren’t supposed to cry.
“And what exactly could you have done, Sir?” The sweet melodic voice of his Sabella whispered in his ear. For a long moment, he thought perhaps her ghost had chosen to visit him.
“Something….” He pushed away from the cop car, needing to leave to find a place where he could grieve in private. Davis would have to handle this mess.
A very real hand grasped his arm and spun him around. He stared down at Sabella, utter shock rolling over him. She looked so real in the long leather coat he’d bought her just the day before, when he’d realized her old coat wasn’t thick enough. Her dark hair blew in the breeze, and her dark eyes were full of love and concern for him?
“Davis told me you did everything you could. There was no saving that woman. You may be my superman, but even you aren’t faster than a speeding bullet. So you’re either going to forgive yourself, or I’m going to go get the paddle.”
“Submissives don’t paddle their Masters.” The trite statement was all he could think of to say.
She smiled up at him. “They do if their Master is too busy wallowing in grief to see what’s right in front of him.” She picked up his hand, slipped it under her shirt, and pressed it over her heart. “Feel that? That’s my heart. It’s beating for you.” She cupped his cheek with her other hand. “I’m very real, very much alive and unhurt, and have no intention of ever leaving you, Sir.”
As the warmth of her body registered, he finally dared to hope. “But I saw…”
“It wasn’t me. I don’t know who the unfortunate woman was. Davis said she was quite similar in build and coloring to me, but when Louis approached Lauren and me at the gas station before we left town, I made it clear in no uncertain terms I was finished with him forever. Then we left town and went shopping in San Francisco. I lost my cell, so it wasn’t until we got back to Lauren’s place, that we heard Davis’s message. I raced over to assure you I’m still very much alive.” She leaned up on tiptoe and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Not only did I lose my phone, but also I visited an interesting shop there and found the most delightful leather corset. But I went way over my budget to buy it. Perhaps you need to spank me?”
Jerking her against him, he growled in her ear. “I know what you’re doing, Sabella. Trying to distract me from the thought of losing you.”
She wiggled against him, rubbing her body all over his. “Well, is it working?”
He speared a hand into her hair and jerked her head back. “I’ll let you know in the morning.” Then tossing her over his shoulder, he headed back up to the house. He had a woman he needed to assure himself in every way possible was very real, very alive, and very much his.
Epilogue
Two months later at the Kinkfest
“Now that my nawa jujun has both the Shinju and Sakura ties firmly in place, both Sabella and I will be taking questions from the crowd at this time.”
Contentment filled Sabella and she raised her eyes to take in her Sir. Standing mere feet from her, he was the epitome of a Dom in his dark leathers with his beautiful dreadlocks pulled back at the base of his neck. And
for once he seemed to be relaxed in his role. Since the death of Ana Charlebois, the girl who looked so similar to her, he’d been over-protective, even when they were at New Beginnings. The glimpse of the Dom who’d won not only her submission but heart as well, had her nipples tightening behind the soft leather bikini she’d worn at her Sir’s request. It’d been so long since she’d seen him, the relaxed and almost playful teaching Dom. Not that I don’t love the Dom he is now.
The investigation into Ana’s death and Louis’s suicide had been rather anti-climactic. The surveillance cameras had picked up everything from Louis breaking in with an electronic key to over-ride the security keypad, to the resulting death of both Louis and Ana after his struggle with Ethan. It even captured Louis’s confession to planting evidence to make Sabella look guilty. Not that the circumstances stopped Davis from threatening a legal suit against Samuel’s mother, who’d gotten off with a slap on the wrist due to the same circumstances. Either way, Sabella had been mournful at the loss of life in her Sir’s playroom. Her only consultation was the girl seemed willing enough and wanted to participate in the punishment Louis had given her at first, before things had gotten so out-of-control. Well, other than the four bullets to the back as a result of Louis’s total psychotic breakdown.
She was jerked out of the unpleasant thoughts when Sir ordered her to come forward, so one of the observers could see the actual weave work of the ropes along her spine. As more questions flew back and forth, most were aimed at Sir, and as usual, he answered them with ease. It still amazed her even after these months together what a wonderful teacher her Dom was. It’d taken some doing, but she’d gotten him to agree to offering kinbaku classes at the club, on top of the more basic shibari ones they already offered. Standing perfectly still at his side, she savored the feel the rope against her skin, even as the questioning died down. She was quiet, only answering questions when they were directed to her by her Sir. She was more than willing to allow people to admire his work.