Bailey: Independence #1

by Karen Nichols

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Bailey would never have thought sitting as she was, wearing as little as she was would be a peaceful thing. She listened to the deep male choral voices and the slight hint of metal in the music playing. She leveled her breathing and let herself relax in a way she hadn’t been able to in a long time.

  She heard the voices of the others around her. Mostly the masters, she guessed, talking about mundane things like stocks and government and traffic snarls. She almost laughed. She wasn’t sure what she would have expected them to discuss. But she remembered her quick glance at them. Picturing them in suits and ties and board rooms put a smile on her face.

  Bailey let herself drift, her eyes closing as the warmth of the fire and the low, modulated voices around her seemed to create that serene place for her. She didn’t know why. She should be embarrassed. She should be concerned that she sat there with most of her privates areas exposed but she was just too darn relaxed to care. Besides, she rationalized, there was plenty of nakedness to go around out there.

  No one saw his intent. It was not only frowned upon to touch another Dom’s sub, it was forbidden in most formal establishments.

  Jeremy hadn’t seen it coming and didn’t move before it happened.

  Bailey felt the air suddenly constricting in her throat, her hands up and grasping at the collar that had become far too tight, far too quickly. Bright green eyes bulged, trying to see behind her as she grabbed wildly to relieve the pressure on her throat.

  “Up on your knees, slave! That’s no way to present yourself! Who the hell trained you?”

  Chapter Six

  “Doug, no!” Jeremy was up and going forward when the large man jerked Bailey to her knees and dropped her onto the pillow. “She’s not yours!”

  “She’s a fucking sub and needs to be trained properly!” He growled back, about to swing with his free hand, his other palm shoving against Bailey’s shoulder until the sound of her scream filled the chamber.

  “And you’re too fucking stupid to realize your mistake!” Gabriel growled before his fist plowed into the younger man’s side. He moved quickly, but not enough to spare Bailey the fall again. “Hold him!” He ordered into the air, knowing it would be handled until he was available.

  “Emma, go find out if Dianna is in the club,” Jeremy issued the order to his sub. He didn’t need to look to see her nod and dash off toward the front. He grabbed Doug’s arm, twisting it behind his back until one of the security team arrived and took over.

  Gabriel placed his hands carefully, lifting Bailey from the floor and carrying her to one of the sofas emptied by his friends. He felt his chest ache when she curled into a ball. He saw tears fall but didn’t hear a sound from her. Tough little sub.

  “What happened?” A brusque, doctor-like tone filled the space, a tall blonde all in leather dropped to her knees, her hands on Bailey’s face, gently checking her eyes before looking up at Gabriel.

  “She had an accident as a child and can’t kneel,” Gabriel spit out angrily. “Master Doug thought he should correct her position and dropped her on her knee.”

  “Little sub…look at me,” Dianna met the wide eyes with a soft smile. “It’s okay. Which knee? Show me.” She leaned back and followed Bailey’s hand to the knee. “Alright. Lay back and close your eyes. Focus on the music. Gabriel, sit with her, please.”

  “Get an ice pack out of the first aid kit,” Gabriel ordered with a glance at the waiter who quickly vanished to find the item requested. His staff was well trained and none of them had ever seen the seething Gabriel before them now. “Dianna?”

  “Don’t be impatient, Gabe. Breathe deeply,” she winked at the little smile that brought from the sub. Her fingers moved lightly, feeling and probing. “She has no side support for weight. Walking and flex isn’t a problem, but she can’t put weight on it. This was done a few years ago,” she traced the scars with her fingers, took the ice pack held out to her and snapped it.

  “It’s alright once the pain stops,” Bailey said softly, pushing to sit upright and sweep her palms over her cheeks. “I’m sorry. He surprised me. I didn’t have time to…”

  “This isn’t your fault, Bee. Silence,” Gabriel snapped out without thinking. He saw her instant compliance, her chin up and eyes on him.

  “Gabe…” Dianna looked at him with a slight scowl.

  “Thank you, Mistress,” Bailey swallowed hard and pushed against the sofa to stand.

  “Bee…”

  “Please, Sir,” she whispered when he moved closer. “I don’t want them to think I’ve been improperly trained. Let me return to my spot, please.”

  Gabriel nodded once and stepped back, watching the proud if uneven gait to the thick pillow.

  Dianna watched and turned to look at her friend with an interested arch to her brow. She kept her voice low so only he heard her.

  “Gabriel, you are so fucked.”

  “And you don’t think I know that?” He answered with a sigh. “Thank you for…for making me a little more at ease, at least.”

  “It might swell. The ice will help, but if she’s lived with it a while, she’ll know how to handle it best.”

  “And thank you, Emma and Jeremy,” his voice hardened when he took several steps to where Doug was being detained. “Bee, eyes up and listen. You will decide his fate, since it was you he harmed.” He stopped and drew in a long breath, his gaze shifting to the man he wanted to punish. “Do you realize your mistakes?”

  The arrogance of youth, Gabriel thought, watching the defiance in the younger man’s eyes.

  “She’s a sub and no one was near her. How was I to know…”

  “The point is,” Gabriel stepped closer, his hand closing around the man’s throat and lifting. “You never…and I mean never…touch another Dom’s sub. Have I gotten through to you? She was seated in a group with other masters you could have asked before making such an ignorant move.”

  Bailey watched the younger man nod. She doubted he could speak since it looked like most of his air was being cut off by Gabriel’s fingers.

  The man staggered back when he was released, his palm up and rubbing his throat.

  “Banishment or punishment, Bee,” Gabriel kept his eyes on Doug. Whichever, it wouldn’t be enough and he’d deal with the man another time. Another way.

  “Please, let me have him, Master Gabriel,” Dianna’s purr came out a low, lethal sound that made Bailey shiver. She stepped forward, the riding crop that had been hooked to her leather pants now in her fingers, the end drawn down the side of his face.

  “It’s your choice, pet,” Gabriel met the wide eyes, his voice flat and emotionless.

  Bailey looked over at the other man, one arm held tightly by one of the security people. She hastily lowered her eyes from him, remembering all the instructions floating around in her head.

  “Punishment, please, Sir,” she said, flinching slightly at the outburst from the younger man. “By Mistress Dianna.”

  “Fuck! You can’t…”

  “Punishment or banishment? Our decision is made. If you decline the penalty, then you leave and you’ll never be allowed back inside,” Gabe told him flatly.

  “Punishment,” he pushed the word through his teeth defiantly.

  “You signed the contract when you joined the club,” Gabriel told him coldly. “Be glad it’s Mistress Dianna. I had another in mind for you, but my gracious sub has presented Dianna with a gift: you. He’s yours for two hours, per his agreement with the club when found in violation of safety and protocol rules,” he took a step closer, his face inches from the other man’s ear. “If you ever touch what’s mine again, it will be the last thing that hand touches. Are we clear, Hampton?”

  “Clear,” he ground between his teeth.

  “One more thing,” Gabriel stepped back, his palm moving to stroke gently over Bailey’s head. “Read your rules and guidelines for the club, Hampton. I also recommend you take a refresher course on what it means to be a domin
ant. Nowhere in either place will you find that it’s permissible to abuse a sub,” he gave an imperceivable nod to Dianna and the security staff.

  “Some of the young want to make their own rules,” Jeremy commented, the others slowly retaking their seats and slipping easily back into the previous conversations. “I apologize for not moving faster, Gabriel.”

  Gabriel was about to speak when he caught a flash of green before she hastily lowered her eyes again. He dropped to the chair, tugging on a red curl.

  “You have something you want to say, pet?”

  “Please, Sir,” she kept her gaze lowered. “I don’t want you to blame your friend. That’s all.”

  “I don’t, Bee. I blame the idiot and I hope Dianna has a very good time with her task,” he said coldly, his palm gliding to her throat. His fingers dipped into the space between the collar and her throat, caressing and stroking gently.

  He wanted to beat the bastard into the floor. Part of his brain thought of finding a more fitting collar for her. Something more personal than the slim piece of common leather. The other part of his brain had joined in the conversation about the economy and the various ways businesses could handle things without panicking.

  An hour later, Jeremy listened to the whisper from his sub, Emma and looked at Gabriel.

  “Emma would like to show Bee the restrooms,” he said with a slight grin.

  “Bee?” Gabriel tugged on a curl and met the eyes that answered his question. He leaned closer to her, his lips brushing her ear. “Then I think we’ll play some more.”

  Bailey felt her chest constrict, but she nodded. “Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

  Gabriel resisted the urge to lift her to her feet, watching as she maneuvered with movements that must have become second nature to her after the accident. He watched the two women stride to the stairs and disappear around the curving structure.

  Bailey breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for the suggestion. I’m still a little unsure of some things,” she said as she washed and dried her hands. Gabriel’s words still echoed in her head. Play time. Those simple words sent a delicious shiver through her.

  “No problem. They sometimes forget we need to pee,” Emma was a petite Asian with long black hair and slanted almond shaped deep brown eyes. “I’ve been with Jeremy for almost four years and he still forgets when we travel.”

  “I…I’m going to put something on my throat. It’s a little sore,” she damped down some cloths. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

  “Take your time. That jerk deserves whatever Dianna does to him,” she said vehemently, straightening the scanty costume, she checked her look in the mirror and left the large bathroom.

  Bailey held the cold cloth to her throat, the thin leather collar lying on the counter when the door opened and a tall woman in all leather came in. She had enough of a look at the woman’s face before her eyes dropped to the floor that her heart began pounding erratically. She waited only until the woman selected a door and stepped inside before she fastened the collar again, her fingers shaking. She touched the mask, reassuring herself it was still in place.

  Bailey dropped the cloth into the trash and moved quickly and quietly.

  Maybe she’d come to her senses. Maybe all the events were crashing down on her at once. She wasn’t sure which it was, but she knew she had to leave. She had to find a space without Gabriel in it and get back to normal before someone recognized her.

  Keeping to the shadows with head and eyes lowered, she made it to Marla and quickly asked for her clothing. Modesty was tossed aside as she stripped and handed the black outfit over to Marla.

  “Are you alright? News travels fast,” Marla said when Bailey looked up at her. “Just because someone is a Dom doesn’t mean they’re good people. Some ignore the foundation rules of playing in the club.”

  “I’m alright, thank you. I…I have to work in the morning though.”

  “If it helps….Master Gabriel is one of the good ones.”

  Bailey felt the coin and paper in her small bag and gave Marla a shaky smile.

  “Thank you for that. Good night,” she hastily moved to the other set of stairs she had seen, quickly sliding through the drapes and gathering her cloak before stepping into the cold October night.

  Bailey ignored the cold. That was easy. Ignoring the ache inside her was going to take a lot more effort than she had available right now, she decided, striding quickly past people going into the club. She found the town car and was relieved to see the young man studying and making notes. He collected his books and waited until she was inside, the silver cloak gathered tightly around her.

  “Are you alright, Miss O’Conner?”

  “I’m fine, thank you. It was a very fun party,” she said quietly. “I’m ready for sleep though.”

  “Won’t take us long. Pretty quiet this time of night. Another two hours, and the streets will be crazy with people exiting the closing bars,” he chatted as he started the car and guided them to the streets.

  Bailey was grateful when he stopped talking. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass and closed her eyes. The car moved smoothly along the roads, the cool night around them and the solid windows keeping the sounds far from her thoughts. Bailey wasn’t sure where her mind had gone, but before she knew it, he was opening the door for her and offering his palm. She found a smile somewhere and slipped her hand into his, climbing to her feet with a long breath. She gathered the cloak around her.

  “Thank you so much. Good luck on your test.”

  Maybe it was as simple as sensory overload, she thought as she wandered into her building, the heavy elevators doors closing behind her. It all seemed so…nothing, she thought, closing her door behind her and absently flicking the locks into place.

  Quiet.

  Absolute quiet.

  But not serene.

  She slowly removed all the clothing, folding it neatly and placing it reverently into the box. She laid the note and coin on top before adding the mask and the lid.

  Sitting nude in her living room, she wrapped the red bow back around the box, slim, shaking fingers arranging the ribbon before she carried the box into her bedroom and slid it beneath the bed.

  She was under the blankets before the clock said it was twelve-thirty, her ears still buzzing with all the activity that had filled her senses all night long.

  Chapter Seven

  Marla winced at the palm that slapped down on the counter.

  “I am sorry, Master Gabriel. I…I didn’t know. She said she had to work tomorrow, changed clothes and left.”

  Gabriel managed an apology before he stormed into his office, the door slamming behind him.

  Why did she run? After all the idiots she weathered through the night, she just up and vanishes on him? Not that it was the only problem he had at the moment.

  How the hell had she gotten his coin?

  He threw himself into the desk chair, the lap drawer open after he unlocked it.

  His coin was gone from the slot he’d had it in since he partnered with the two other principles for the club. That was four years ago. He’d never given it to anyone. He’d never taken it from his desk. And yet it was gone. Held captive by the redhead who’d disappeared just after midnight.

  The pounding on his door didn’t help his mood.

  “What?” Came the snarling demand.

  “Got company, boss,” Curt stuck his head around the corner. “Cops.”

  “Since when do cops give a shit about the club?”

  “Since they found a dead body a couple doors down. A redhead dressed in a harem outfit,” Curt managed to straighten up and throw the door wide before Gabriel was across the room.

  “Where?”

  “Politely waiting in the outer office. Boss, slow down. It wasn’t her. The red hair was long and a wig,” Curt almost bounced against the hard body that stopped and turned to stare at him. He managed to look a little embarrassed. It was a close knit group of people working there. T
alk was part of the charm. “Everyone saw you with her, boss. It wasn’t her, but the outfit is close to the same color and style.”

  “Get security and check all the doors and rooms,” Gabriel ordered before turning and striding to the lower office. They’d never had problems with the police or government officials. All their licenses and certificates were kept in top order and their cliental, usually, of the higher standards. It irked him that on the night Bee came to explore, she was accosted not once, but twice by men pretending to play a game.

  “Mr. Garrett?” Natalie Templeton stepped forward, her palm extended and smile polite. “Lieutenant Templeton, homicide. This is my partner. Casey Fields. We won’t bother you or your patrons, but we have some questions.”

  “Lieutenant,” Gabriel took her palm with a firm shake. “Detective. Let’s cut to the quick. I can and will give you a confidential list of names of people who were here tonight and trust you and the city attorney’s won’t abuse it. I’ll expect it shredded afterwards, but I will need a warrant to provide you the list. We have security cameras. Again, with a warrant, I’ll give you copies of anything we might have.”

  “You’re being very co-operative, Mr. Garrett.”

  “Whatever you might believe, Lieutenant, the people who come here don’t murder people,” Gabriel shrugged at the look on her face. “It’s an adult only club and to appreciate it, you’d have to come by some evening. Do you have a picture of the victim?”

  Natalie nodded to her partner, the small phone she held offered with the face of the woman.

  “How did she die?” He shook his head. “So young. She looks barely twenty-five.”

  “She was stabbed three times. She’s a natural brunette but there was a long haired red wig lying next to her,” Natalie watched his reaction. “You don’t know her?”

  “I had a friend here tonight wearing almost the same costume,” he said slowly. “But she was a natural redhead, long, but curly.”