by K. C. Lynn
However, his cold demeanor quickly changed that and all I felt was the heartbreak from seven years ago when I read his good-bye letter. I understand he was probably caught off guard but he didn’t need to act like such an ass. He called back a few times but I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. It hurts too much and he’s not going to be able to help me. Not when he thinks Kolan did it. I should have known better though. Whatever happened between Kolan and him all those years ago ruined their friendship. I’ve always wondered if it’s because Kolan found out about the night between Nick and I.
The best night of my life.
I never asked Kolan in case I was wrong but it would kill me to know if that’s what ended them. Especially since it’s something I initiated. Kolan has always been crazy protective of me, which is why I hid so many of my relationships from him. There was no hiding Vince though, especially after the marks he left on me…
I shake myself from the memory before it can drag me down.
Shortly after the disastrous phone call with Nick, I found out that Nikki Porter, the bitch accusing Kolan of rape, used to work at Cryptic as a waitress and has ties to Vince. Which is why I’m putting myself through encountering him again. I’m sure Vince will be smug as hell that I’m coming to him for information but I’ll endure it.
Kolan’s life and freedom depends on it.
Gathering my courage, I walk into the empty club and make my way through the extravagant leather and plush red velvet. I spot Paul behind the counter of the bar, cleaning and stacking glasses.
He looks up as he senses my approach, a shocked yet genuine smile lighting his face. “Well holy shit, if it isn’t a blast from the past.”
“Hey, Paul. Long time no see,” I greet back with a smile.
He leans over the bar and gives me his cheek to kiss. “What brings you by, beautiful?”
“Is Vince around?” He watches me for a moment, his eyes cautious and concerned. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t important.”
“Yeah, he’s in his office upstairs.”
“Thanks.”
“Yell if you need me,” he calls to my retreating back.
I flip him a wave behind me then make my way up the stairs. My heart begins beating faster as I knock on the closed door.
“Come in,” the familiar voice barks.
Steeling my nerves I walk in with my head held high and shoulders squared. The shock on Vince’s face is comical, and if I didn’t hate him so much I would laugh.
“Well, well, well,” he muses smugly. “If it isn’t the little vixen from my past.”
“Vince,” I greet for the sake of pleasantries.
His eyes roam down my body, leering at me in a way that makes my stomach recoil. “What do I owe this pleasure?”
“I need to know where I can find Nikki Porter.”
He cocks back in his chair. “Nikki, huh? This wouldn’t happen to be about your rapist of a brother, would it?”
My hands clench at my sides. “Kolan didn’t touch her.”
His smug smile spreads. “I wouldn’t bet on that.”
“What do you know about her?” I ask, not in the mood for his games.
“What’s in it for me if I tell you?” I don’t miss the suggestion in his leering gaze.
“Your business.”
He laughs, not taking me seriously.
“I’m sure you haven’t forgotten who my friends are, Vince. Some of them are people who care about upholding the law. It wouldn’t be good for you or your business if I told them about all the extra dealings you have going on around here.”
His expression turns to stone, a fury I recognize well igniting in his eyes. “Be careful, little girl. Don’t forget what I’m capable of.”
I push aside the fear trying to crawl up my spine. “You don’t scare me. So you can give me the information, or I can make your life difficult and still find the information some other way.”
Silence consumes the room as he glares daggers at me. I’ll take that over the way he was leering at me any day.
“Annihilation,” he says, surprising me.
“What?”
“It’s an underground club where she works. I’m sure it’s where she met your asshole brother since he owns one of the rooms there. From what I hear he’s their highest paying customer,” he adds, his smug smile returning.
I don’t pay mind to his insult, knowing he’s just trying to bait me. “That’s all I needed to know. Thanks, Vince, have a great day,” I mock before turning to leave.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, my little vixen.”
I give him the finger over my shoulder before slamming the door behind me, my face hot from the anger rolling inside of me.
Paul’s watching me carefully as I descend the stairs. “Thought maybe you could use one of these,” he says, pushing a shot glass with some amber liquid in it toward me.
“Tempting, but no. I need to keep a clear head at the moment,” I say. “What can you tell me about Annihilation?”
His brows furrow. “That it’s no place for someone like you.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” I smile.
“I’m serious, Katelyn. Whatever you’re up to, stay away. The people there don’t fuck around. They’ll sniff you out a mile away. Especially dressed like that.”
I look down at my outfit. The black shorts, sandals, and off-the-shoulder shirt is my usual attire for work. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
He smirks. “Nothing… Unless you go down under.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Katelyn
My pulse thrums through my veins and roars in my ears as I step through the entrance of the dark, dank club.
“Hold up, sweetheart.” The monster of a man at the door grabs my bare arm, picking me out among all the other people entering. “I don’t recognize you.” He looks me up and down. “And I would definitely remember you.”
If I didn’t already feel naked with my skimpy outfit, I would now. After Paul’s comment I tried to do a little research before I came. I wasn’t able to find much but I did see a couple of pictures on someone’s Facebook, and the majority of girls in the background were dressed as if they belonged in a brothel. As do the many other girls passing me at the moment.
Thanks to boudoir pictures I got done a couple of years ago with the girls I had a few things on hand and was able to create the perfect ensemble. With the burgundy corset, tiny black shorts, fishnet stockings¸ and thigh-high leather boots, I thought for sure I would fit right in. I figured no one would notice me among the sea of bodies. By the sharp, assessing eyes of this man it’s clear I was very wrong.
Play it cool, Kate. You got this.
“I’m a friend of Nikki Porter’s. She told me to stop by.”
I hold my breath, praying Vince didn’t send me on a wild-goose chase and this guy knows Nikki.
“Name?” he asks, his expression remaining hard.
Shit!
“Natasha.”
He assesses me before grabbing the mic that’s attached to his shirt and speaking into it. “Boss, you there?”
Oh shit, I’m totally busted.
“Yeah, I gotta girl here saying Nikki sent her.”
Paul’s warning about the dangerous people who run this place rings in my head and has lead settling in my gut. I’m just about to rip out of this guy’s grasp and make a run for it when he steps back, releasing me with a lift to his chin. “Go on in.”
Shock has me staring at him for a good few seconds before I get my butt in gear. “Uh, thanks.”
I release a shaky breath as I hurry away. I have no idea what just happened but I’m thanking my lucky stars.
The music gets louder as I approach a black velvet curtain. “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails blares from the speakers, the loud beat vibrating under my feet. Gathering my composure, I pull aside the black material and enter. The sight I’m met with has me stopping dead in my tracks.
OH. MY. GOD.
>
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Strobe lights flash about the dark room, giving a glimpse of the sinful dungeon as people move about.
People who are not like me.
Girls in leather are being lead around by leashes linked to spiked collars. Most of them walk with their heads down, some have ball gags in their mouths and others have their wrists bound in front of them. One girl that passes me is being pulled by a thin chain attached to nipple clamps, her bare breasts exposed for everyone to see.
Good god, where the hell am I?
I walk in, exploring more of my surroundings, and see a stage in the far back, looking to be prepped for some kind of show. As I move along the walls, taking in the dance floor flooded with bodies, I accidentally bump into something.
Looking down, I jump back with a squeak. “Oh shit. Oh I’m so sorry,” I apologize to the girl who’s on her knees in front of a man. My gaze darts away and I quickly move to the center of the room, making sure to stay away from the dark corners.
I am so out of my element here.
I walk down a long hallway but quickly come to another abrupt halt. Nothing—and I mean nothing—could have prepared me for what I’m seeing now. Glass rooms line each side of me. Rooms where every kind of bondage is being played out, open for everyone’s view. I gape at the girl who is bent over a table with her wrists tied together, screaming in pleasure as she’s spanked with a large paddle.
The memory of Vince telling me Kolan owns one of these rooms stands out in my mind and has me feeling nauseous.
“Can I help you?”
I spin on my heels with a startled yelp and stare up at an attractive man dressed in an expensive suit. My face flames knowing he just caught me staring at the couple in the room. “Hi,” I squeak. “Um, do you work here?”
He stares down at me, his dark eyes amused. “No. Just a member.”
“A member?”
“Yes.”
I have no idea what that entails, and I don’t want to either. “Any chance you know my friend Nikki Porter? She works here.”
“Yeah, I know her. Everybody knows her.”
“Do you know where I can find her?”
He shrugs. “Probably in her room backstage, getting ready for the scene.”
“The scene?”
He nods. “Thursdays are usually her nights. Though with everything that just happened with Slade who knows if she’ll be on tonight.”
I inwardly tense at the mention of Kolan. “Yeah, it’s horrible what he did to her.” The words are bitter on my tongue. “Do you know him?”
“Of course. Everybody knows him. He’s the most successful fighter in the EFC right now…or was until he went and fucked it all up.”
My fists clench at my side as I get the urge to throat punch him but I refrain myself. “Well, I better go see Nikki before the show starts.”
“I figured you were new,” he says, a knowing smirk tilting his lips. “If you’re not careful a sweet girl like you can get eaten alive in a place like this.”
By the look in his eyes I have a feeling that someone might be him. He’s attractive in a highly groomed sort of way. If he hadn’t just put down my brother, and I wanted to be lead around by a leash, and paddled until I screamed, then I would probably consider a date. But…I don’t want that. At all. Which is why I decide to get the hell out of dodge.
“Her room is behind the stage, you said?” I point behind me and start making my way out of the hallway. “This way?”
He nods, highly amused by my very apparent brush-off.
“All right, well thanks for the chat. See ya.”
“Wait!” I turn back to him. “You didn’t tell me your name.”
“Natasha,” I call back, keeping my feet moving.
I watch his lips move as he repeats the name. “It suits you.”
Yeah, I’ll just bet it does.
Turning around, I push my way through the crowd and head toward the stage, my legs not moving fast enough.
Find her, Katelyn, and get the hell out of here.
I spot a door to the right just as I pass the stage and assume it’s the one I want since there aren’t any others. I knock a couple of times but no one answers. When I don’t see anyone paying attention, I slowly turn the handle to find it unlocked. I enter the large dressing room to see it’s empty. Closing the door behind me, I snag the opportunity to snoop and start rummaging around in the drawers. Other than scraps of leather and weapons that look like they’re meant to cause some serious bodily harm, I find nothing.
I’m pulled from my search when someone enters the room. I spin around thinking it’s Nikki but see a tall, angry man instead, his hard gaze taking me in.
Oh shit!
“Uh…hey,” I start then clear my throat. “I was just—”
“Well it’s about fucking time you showed up,” he bellows. “Nikki told me you’d be here an hour ago. The scene was supposed to start already.”
Huh?
I startle as he storms toward me and grabs my arm. “Come on, get your hot little ass in gear. We’re already late.” He drags me toward the other end of the room where there’s another door.
I dig my heels in. “Wait. There’s been a mistake.”
“No mistake, sweetheart. I have people waiting on this and time is money.” He swings open the door and shoves me through it. “Nikki filled us in on your limits. Don’t fuck this up. She said you were good. Prove it.” He slams the door, leaving me clueless as to what’s happening. That’s when I notice the music has stopped.
I turn around, freezing in place when I see everyone staring at me as they inch closer to the stage. The guy who I spoke to earlier is front and center; a surprised yet amused expression on his face as he watches me.
My heart thunders in my chest as I try to figure out how I’m going to get out of this. Whatever this is.
A loud crack suddenly fills the air, making me flinch. I turn to see a huge man walking toward me in nothing but a pair of black leather pants and a leather mask wrapped around his face, his broad chest and shoulders look terrifyingly powerful. He holds what looks like a riding crop. As he strides toward me he slaps it against his bare hand once more, creating that spine-stiffening sound.
“Down on your knees, pet,” he orders, and I quickly realize he’s talking to me.
Oh sweet baby jesus, I’m in serious trouble.
My legs begin to tremble beneath me as I clear my throat. “Listen,” I whisper, as he gets closer. “There’s been a mistake. I—”
“Use your safe word or get down on your fucking knees!”
Safe word?
A yelp escapes me as he cracks the leather to the palm of his hand once more. I instantly drop to my knees with my hands in the air. “Okay, okay. I’m down.”
His head tilts, looking as confused as I am terrified. He leans in closer to me. “What are you doing?” he asks in a hushed tone. “You’re fucking up the scene.”
“Please. You got it all wrong. I—”
“Get the fuck away from her!”
I tense at the familiar, angry voice. My head whips to the side and all the air leaves my body as my gaze collides with a pair of hard blue-gray eyes. Eyes that I’d never forget, ones I’ve dreamt about often over the years.
The same ones I haven’t seen in seven long years.
What the hell?
I should be relieved at seeing Nick standing in front of me right now, knowing he will get me out of this mess. However, the furious expression on his face has me thinking I might be better off with leather face.
*
Nick
Rage pumps through my body at the sight before me. Seeing Katelyn down on her knees with her hands in the fucking air, as if the Dom is holding a gun to her head and not a goddamn riding crop, proves she doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing. And thank fuck for that because I swear I’m about to spank her ass for this shit. Never did I think walking in here that I would find the one girl
I haven’t stopped thinking about on her knees, dressed as some seductress that probably has every motherfucker in the place hard as a rock.
Her wide, terrified eyes hold mine, her gaze pleading. I don’t know what the hell she’s doing in this place but I’m about to find out.
“Get up now!” I grind out between my locked jaws.
Her gaze narrows at the order. “Well I would but leather face here is going to spank me like a horse if I get off my knees.”
With an enraged growl I reach out and snag her arm, dragging her to the edge of the stage. She gasps when I lean down and throw her over my shoulder.
“Oh my god. Are you insane?” she screeches, wiggling to get free.
I lay a smack across her ass, making her flinch in surprise. “Stop!”
I push through the stunned crowd, making my way to the exit, my blood running hot. Three bouncers come at me, following one pissed off dude who I’m assuming is Ricky Spencer, the club owner. They all corner me, looking ready to fight. “You fucked with the wrong club, asshole.”
I whip out my badge. “FBI, asshole. Now get the fuck out of my way and forget you ever saw her.”
They don’t stop me as I move around them and head out the door. As soon as the fresh air hits us, Katelyn starts pounding on my back. “Put me down!”
The hell I will.
“Hey! You just passed my car.” She fights harder to get free, thrashing around in a way that’s about to take us both down.
I bring my hand across her ass again. “Settle down, I mean it.”
“Nick, I swear to god, if you spank me one more time I will punch you in the dick!”
I grunt and unlock my rental truck before throwing her in the passenger seat.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She tries to leave the truck and that’s when my patience fucking snaps.
With a hand on her chest I push her back into the seat and get in her face. Her big brown eyes widen in alarm, and I watch her visibly swallow. “Listen up. You stay in this fucking seat or I will carry you back into the club and use that crop on you myself! Got it?”
Her teeth grind but her body stops protesting. “My car is here. I need it for work tomorrow.”