Cuff Master

by Frances Stockton

  Alex and Ryan had decorated their penthouse suite with a matching series of black leather furniture, black lacquered side tables and coffee table and an enormous entertainment system complete with a sixty-inch flat-screen television. The speakers were tall and slender.

  A Blu-Ray player, iPod docking station and stereo complemented the array. The walls had a series of paintings depicting the most notable buildings in and around Salem, Peabody and Danvers and an eclectic mix of what looked to be California coastline and photograph of a man surfing a ginormous wave.

  “Wow, that’s an incredible photo,” she observed out loud.

  “That’s my husband,” Alex told her without looking back at the photo.

  “You’re a surfer?” she asked Ryan, again totally taken aback by what she’d learned.

  “Yes. As a matter of fact, I’ve won a few competitions. That photo was taken during a tournament I’d been invited to in Hawaii. I came in second.”

  “That’s incredible. Thank you for the water,” she said, drinking some more and offering water to Ethan.

  Ethan accepted it with the same gratitude. “Thanks, Doc,” he said to Ryan.

  “You’re both welcome. I’ve got to get to the clinic. No problems with the stitches, Morgan?” He gently touched her forehead. She still wore a small round bandage, but it wouldn’t be long before it wasn’t necessary.

  “They’re itchy, but no problems.”

  “It’ll pass. I’m glad you’re okay. Alex and I have been worried about you. We feel responsible for what happened in our castle.”

  “The only person responsible is the one who came at me. Ethan says the cops are close to a break in the case. A witness is coming forward.”

  “A witness, who?” Alex asked, standing now.

  Ethan shook his head. “At this point, the witness wishes to remain anonymous. It’s possible we won’t know anything for days yet. Apparently, someone outside taking a smoke break saw a man walk around the parking lot and enter the building shortly before the alarms went off.”

  “That’s circumstantial though, isn’t it?” Morgan asked. “That’s the entrance for the pub. I’m sure a lot of people come and go.”

  “It also doesn’t mean the guy did anything other than enter the building. No one saw someone enter the bathroom,” Ethan said.

  “I reported one of the busboys found a broken flashlight by the trash outside. A forensic team came and confiscated it for evidence,” Alex added.

  “An AFIS search might take weeks, that’s assuming there’s a fingerprint. I’m anxious to get this case done. Morgan believes the ghost of Jenna Bailey is unable to find peace until Sam and I reopen her case and find the evidence to convict her stepfather for Jenna’s murder.”

  “Do you believe it now, Ethan?” Ryan questioned.

  “Morgan doesn’t lie. If she says Jenna knows who killed her, I believe her. What I can’t do is reopen a case that’s long been considered solved based on that alone. Whatever I do must be completely legit while making sure Terrence Mills’ defense attorney doesn’t try to get one wrongful conviction to overturn the others that he is guilty of.”

  “God, I’d hate for that to happen,” Morgan stated.

  “Can’t agree more,” Ethan replied.

  “Is it possible that Jenna doesn’t understand what happened to her?” Alex asked. “I don’t doubt your ability, Morgan. I’m trying to understand how this ghost stuff works. Remy Sinclair’s team is scheduled to do a lockdown here next month.”

  “When spirits appear to me, I tend to see them as they were when they died. But their perception of the events leading to their deaths can be misconstrued. I don’t think Jenna has a concept of how long it’s been since her murder. While I did smell smoke each time that I’ve seen her, she’s not burnt. My guess is that she died before the fire.”

  “It’s incredible that you can communicate with someone beyond this existence,” Alex said.

  “I wish I could do more for her. She’s worried for her mother and someone else. She absolutely views Ethan as a hero. He is. So is Samantha. They found Jenna. They helped catch Mills and put him away.”

  “We’ll find the answers,” Ethan reassured. “Even if the department doesn’t let Sam and I reopen Jenna’s case, I will find the truth. There’s still the matter of Erica White. She’s been missing for more than a year. Would Jenna know where she is?”

  Morgan thought on it. “I wish I had my EVP recorder. I remember most of my session with Jenna in the ladies room, but my migraine was acute then. I could be the one confused. I’ve the terrible feeling that Erica is dead. Jenna said something to that effect before she disappeared.”

  “Can you reach her today?” Ethan asked. “I have my recorder in the pocket of my jacket.”

  She stayed quiet in order to listen to Druid Creek Castle’s many entities. Unfortunately, the comings and goings of police and firemen not long ago, the daytime staff and the multiple patrons of the B&B had created a whirlwind of confusion for them and they chose to be silent.

  “I can’t today,” Morgan said. “I don’t sense Jenna here. The two times I saw her, she was following her mother. I wish I hadn’t upset Mrs. Bailey.”

  “She spoke up for you when the fire chief hinted that you’d set the trashcan on fire,” Ethan supplied. “She may have been mad, but she’s hurting over the loss of her daughter.”

  “I’d not known the details of Jenna’s case or Erica White’s role in it,” Morgan said. “If I had, I’d have been more discreet. I’m sorry, Ethan.”

  “Don’t apologize,” he said.

  “As fascinating as this is, I need to go,” Ryan told them. He walked over to Alex and kissed his husband goodbye. “Be home after six.”

  “Looking forward to having you home,” Alex returned. “Drive safe.”

  “I will.” Ryan closed in on Ethan and Morgan, keeping his eyes on her face. “You are precious, Morgan. Don’t ever lose sight of how important you are to Ethan.”

  “Thank you, Doc. I love Ethan with everything I am.”

  “Excellent,” Ryan said approvingly. He turned his eyes to Ethan. “Let her go, it’s your mistake. Hurt her, I’ll carve you into a eunuch. I don’t give a fuck what your brothers would do to me as a result.”

  “You won’t have to get the scalpel,” Alex chimed in. “Phalen will do it for you with a tattoo machine.”

  “Can we not threaten my manhood?” Ethan demanded, standing as tall as ever and proving that neither man had intimidated him. “Morgan’s a Maddox now. She’s mine.”

  “Not seeing a ring on her finger, cop,” Ryan observed, his eyes going to Morgan’s left hand. “Or a collar.”

  “To be remedied soon enough,” Ethan stated. “Don’t worry. Your patients are waiting, Doc.”

  “I’m out of here,” Ryan said, taking off for the door.

  Ethan surprised Morgan by following Ryan out into the hallway. She couldn’t hear a thing being said. Ethan returned with a secretive grin.

  “What was that about?” she asked.

  “I needed to talk to Doc about something.”

  “Does it concern me?”

  “It does. Don’t misunderstand, but I’d like to keep this between me and Doc for the time being. You’ll find out when the time’s right.”

  Morgan inclined her head. “Okay, I’ll leave it alone. Have to admit that I never thought any man could be as sexy as you are, Ethan. But Ryan makes me feel sad for the women who will never know what it’s like to be with him.”

  “Hate to break it to any man or woman hoping to get a turn with my stud of a husband, no one’s touching him but me,” Alex stated. “How about I make some coffee and we sit down and talk business.”

  Morgan momentarily struggled with the change from sex talk to business. But the way Alex switched from possessive husband to businessman put her at ease.

  Alex Grant was an important person in her life. She adored him as a friend, as she did Ryan. Nothing would change their
friendship and her love for Ethan was as strong as ever.

  Ethan led her to a dinette table and assisted her into a seat, claiming the one next to her. Alex played host, brewing up a pot of French roast coffee and sitting three mugs, cream and sugar on the table.

  Conversation centered on business and Morgan’s decision to apply to college as they sipped the hot brew. By the time their mugs were empty, Alex had suggested a business plan that would join Enchanted Treasures to the Maddox brothers’ plethora of small companies.

  They would need Phalen and Taran’s cooperation, but Ethan was confident that his brothers would agree. As soon as Phalen and Cassie returned home, they could all sit down and finalize the legalities of joining Enchanted Treasures under the Maddox business umbrella.

  For Morgan, financial security had always been a struggle. While she did make ends meet and had never missed a bill or been in the red, she certainly couldn’t expand or earn a degree in archaeology. With Ethan and his brothers’ help, she’d finally see her dreams come to fruition.

  Chapter Nine

  After an unexpectedly erotic morning at Alex and Ryan’s penthouse, the rest of the day was the exact opposite.

  Ethan took Morgan to Cassie and Phalen’s house and they stripped the guest bed, remade it with clean sheets and set about washing their clothes. They ordered pizza for lunch, breaking from cleaning duties to eat, and then went right back to work setting the house to rights.

  It wasn’t that he and Morgan were messy. He tended to be neat. Morgan was conscientious of being a guest in someone else’s home and helped to make sure that dishes were cleaned and put away and dust didn’t linger on furniture.

  The cats seemed to know that their days were numbered as house sitters. Samson tried to pack himself in Morgan’s bag twice. Not at all to Ethan’s surprise, she gently removed the cat and carried him to Delilah.

  Taran was due to arrive after getting out of court. Morgan and Ethan made sure to replenish food and water and gave the kittens new toys that she’d insisted on purchasing on the way back to Phalen and Cassie’s house.

  Ethan didn’t bother objecting. The pet store was right next to a shop that specialized in leather, PVC, sexy lingerie and fetish clothing. While Morgan bought cat toys, he’d gone into the leather shop for some things of his own.

  He tucked his purchases in the trunk of his Acura before Morgan came out with a bag full of goodies. She warned him with a look not to question her purchases. He didn’t dare cross her, not when he had plans for her later.

  He was so fucking proud of how she handled herself in front of Alex and Ryan. Ethan was very much aware that the men had a fetish for voyeurism. He just hadn’t expected to walk in and find Alex giving his husband a blowjob.

  He sure as hell didn’t expect Morgan to get turned-on by it. Not only had she gotten wet, she’d joined right in. Briefly, he’d been worried that she’d be offended by the fact that he’d been as turned-on by Alex and Ryan together as she had.

  Although he’d never fantasized about being with another man or experimented with bisexuality, he had to admit what happened between the four of them was erotic as fuck. Because he trusted Doc and Alex to never engage him and Morgan in something more than watching, Ethan had asked Ryan for a special favor when it came time to collar Morgan.

  He had to do it soon. His plan was during Samhain.

  For tonight, his plans were pure seduction, discipline and bondage. He wouldn’t proceed without Morgan’s agreement and he already knew what actions would trigger her safe word.

  Ethan would prove to her that she’d never have to resort to using the word steak. In his capable hands, Morgan would know nothing but pleasure as he sent her tripping into subspace.

  “You’re quiet over there,” Morgan said.

  “Concentrating, sorry,” Ethan apologized, gripping the steering wheel. It was getting dark and traffic into Boston was its usual hectic rush hour pace…slow.

  “You’re not mad at me?”

  “Why would I be?”

  “Because of what happened this morning with Ryan and Alex. I hope you know that I’d never suggest we do that again. But I won’t regret it. I can’t now.”

  Ethan let go of the wheel and took Morgan’s hand. “I’m not mad. If anything, I’m awed by you. Damn, woman, do you know how sexy it was to have you on your knees, sucking me off while Ryan watched?”

  “He watched?” she echoed. “I mean, yeah, I knew what was going on. His eyes were on my breasts when you were playing with them, but after that, I thought for sure Alex was giving him great head and whatever we were doing ceased to matter.”

  “Ryan was as into you as much as you were into watching him getting sucked. You liked it and it shocked you more than you expected.”

  “Sometimes the unexpected is exciting.”

  “That’s okay. It was part of the fantasy. Don’t worry or wonder how I perceive you now, Morgan. You’re my lover. I’ve no doubt about your feelings for me. I trust you. Don’t you trust me?”

  “I do, Ethan. I’d do anything to prove that to you.”

  Ethan brought her hand to his mouth. “Anything, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can prove that when we get to the house. I hope you like it. It’s kind of a man cave at the moment. With you around, it’s sure to get nicer.”

  “Will there be beer?”

  “I texted Taran last night to make sure the fridge was stocked with what you like.”

  Morgan laughed at that. “Aren’t you a good boyfriend?”

  “I’m an excellent boyfriend, thank you very much,” he replied in what he figured was a really bad imitation of Elvis. Who’d have thought being called Morgan’s boyfriend would make his heart sing with joy?

  Joy? Yep, that’s how he felt. Joyful, grateful, happy and all-around in love, that was the score.

  “Is there a big-screen television?”

  “The house is a man cave. What do you think? There’s a bar, a pool table, a workshop and band equipment in the basement. There’s every conceivable electronic device known to man, remotes in every room and carryout menus are posted in the kitchen.”

  “Knowing you’re a detective with a degree in criminal justice and have an older brother trained as an Army Ranger and a younger one who’s now an attorney, I’m thinking the Maddox brothers keep their house clean and tidy.”

  “I do like to have order over chaos. That doesn’t mean I’m a neat freak. Phalen, on the other hand, is the one whose bed never has a wrinkle when it’s made. If you want to toss your clothes on our bedroom floor, that’s fine. As long as you stay naked until morning, I’m a happy man.”

  “Whether it’s the brownstone or my apartment or Phalen’s studio if he lets us use it when we get a dog, I’ll be happy wherever you are, Ethan. Maybe we should look into getting out of my lease?”

  Ethan kissed her hand, taking one knuckle between his teeth and biting to leave a mark. “That’s my woman. Don’t forget, Taran will be home often.”

  “I’m sure he has ways of disappearing. If I’m right about where your dungeon is, it’ll be soundproof enough that he’ll have no clue.”

  “He’ll know whether he hears us or not. He won’t say anything though. He’s had my back more times than I can count. I bailed him out a few times, got into fights on his behalf. You name it.”

  “He’s your brother. Of course you’d look out for each other. I didn’t have siblings growing up. After my dad died, my mother didn’t try to have more children with Carter, my stepfather.”

  “Honey, you have family now,” Ethan said. “You have me, my brothers, Cassie, Ryan and Alex.”

  “And Remy and his New England Paranormal Investigators team,” she added.

  “See? Even though you aren’t in constant contact with your mother and stepdad, I think you should talk to them and get to know them as they are now. You’re not eighteen anymore.”

  “I agree with you. But if Carter threatens to send in the whit
e coats, I’m out.”

  “Morgan, he cares, I’m sure of it. Let him show it. Don’t you think it hurts him as much as it does you to avoid each other?”

  “I’m sure it does.”

  “I’ll be with you when you talk to your parents.”

  “I appreciate that, thank you,” Morgan said.

  Ethan managed to keep track of the traffic. It cleared enough that they made it into Boston by six o’clock. “Are you up to going out for dinner tonight or would you prefer to stay home?”

  “Stay home. It’s my first all-nighter in the Maddox man cave. I don’t want to miss a thing.”

  “Let’s hope Taran left food as well as Sam Adams, otherwise the pickings will be slim and we’ll have to order in.”

  “A salad would do fine for me or scrambled eggs. I’m still stuffed from the pizza.”

  “Eggs are okay for you?”

  “If they’re organic and not rapid-produced in some chicken mill, I like them for protein. I also like cheese, nuts, organic milk and dairy products, peanut butter, tofu, soybeans, eggplant parmesan and portobello mushroom burgers. I always make sure I take vitamins too.”

  Ethan winced at the mushroom burgers, though he did like mushrooms on his pizza. Maybe her veggie version of an American staple wasn’t so bad.

  “We’ll see what’s in the refrigerator when we get home. Taran’s not a barbarian. He’s a good cook too.”

  “Something I’ll be sure to tell Samantha. I hope we see her tomorrow. You should call her and invite her over.”

  “I was planning on it. I’d like to spend time going over Erica White’s and the Bailey cases. I need to right the wrong done to a fifteen-year-old girl. Jenna needs peace and Alisa Bailey needs closure. When I saw Alisa for the first time since Jenna’s funeral, something was off about her. She looked…broken.”

  “Maybe Alisa knows the truth and can’t face it. It’s horrible to think the man she married could hurt her daughter. Even if Jenna is confused about who killed her, Spencer Bailey is the reason she died even if he didn’t physically do it.”

  “If there’s evidence or a shred of a clue to put him on our radar, Sam and I will find it and nail the bastard.”