“Lydia!” Alain called their guest from inside his den and watched the mop-headed urchin head his way. He knew she was alone. Meri had headed to her studio when after dinner Lydia said she wanted to make a few phone calls in her room.
“You wanted something?” she poked her head inside the den.
“Yes, a word with you, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, Cap’n,” she said with a saucy smile. She moved right in and plopped down in Alain’s overstuffed easy chair, sighing big.
“So, tell me about yourself?” He sat down on the couch opposite, leaning forward, casually nursing the last of his Scotch.
She looked at him suspiciously. “Like tell you what?”
“You seem to pop into Meri’s life off and on, I’m just curious.”
“This some kind of interrogation?”
“Just a friendly chat.” He even smiled.
“Yeah, sure.” She had every reason not to be convinced by his easygoing candor that this was just a ‘friendly chat’, but she had little choice when it came to answering the man’s questions. “I took off with a guy for a few months…think that was after you two hooked up. The guy got wasted too much so I spent some weeks with Stanley. He’s an old pal from my dungeon days.”
“Your dungeon days?”
“Yeah, that gets people when I say that,” she laughed, like it was a big joke. “But I guess not a man like you.” He stared at her blankly. “I worked in the dungeon, like it was a real job. Scrubbing floors, collecting cash at the door and washing out the toilets. Oh, sure I’d get snagged for a little sub duty once in a while, but I’m not much of a sub. A good masochist, maybe, but just not much of a sub.”
“Yes, I can see that.”
She smiled, eyes lit like the devil’s.
“So, is that where you met Jimmy Peralta?” Alain asked.
“Jimmy?” She sat up a little straighter and looked at him warily.
“Meri mentioned his name, said he was an old boyfriend.”
“You sure this isn’t some interrogation?” She cocked her head quizzically.
“Very sure. Just curious. I’m a police captain, you’re friends with my wife, and suddenly after months god knows where, you show up on our doorstep. It begs for a good explanation.”
She peered at him slyly, her eyes just narrow slits. “’Specially cause I was once sleeping with a thug like Jimmy Peralta?”
“Makes sense to me. Why don’t you tell me about Jimmy?”
“You hunting for him or something?”
“Someone’s always hunting for Jimmy Peralta.”
She pulled up even straighter. “What can I say? He was a thug, and really nasty in the dungeon, which wasn’t half bad for a slut like me, but what he did on the street scared me, especially when he was pulling out switchblades and a gun. I split, I swear. I left him hanging and haven’t seen him since. That was months ago. I’m sure he didn’t care I was gone; there was always some dimwit bitch who was happy to share his bed.”
“And you haven’t seen him in what? A month or two?”
“Oh, hell, it’s been over eight months at least, Cap’n.”
Alain quietly mulled the information, while Lydia grew increasingly uncomfortable and was soon squirming nervously in the chair. The sound of the creaking leather seemed to fill the air.
“Hey, I’m not gonna get Meri into anything, I swear.”
“But you had her in a dungeon today, which is where I don’t want my wife without me.”
This was a surprise. “You mean she actually told you we were there?”
“She did.”
“I guess that’s good. I’m sorry about the whole thing. It wasn’t anything, really. Hugo was being an asshole; he likes to show his swagger to his underlings, but nothing happened to Meri. I wouldn’t have let it. I swear.”
“That’s good to know.” The congenial Alain suddenly vanished and he took on a most Dommish manner as he spoke next. “Because if you take my wife anywhere she doesn’t belong, you pull her down to the places you like to go…you’ll be out of here so fast you won’t know what hit you.”
Lydia shivered with that strong talk shaking her to the bone. “Ooo, you are good,” she said with a nervous laugh. “You really do have the Dom thing down. I can see where Meri would get mesmerized by that voice and those eyes and your crisp air of command.”
He stared at her coldly. “This isn’t about Masters and slaves, dungeons and submission. Meredith is my wife. I’m a high profile cop. I watch where she goes. I want to be sure that you and I have that understanding. You do anything to compromise her in any way and you’ll find that my reach is long and deep.”
She cocked her head as his words registered. “That’s a threat, isn’t it?”
“Take it any way you like.”
“Well, consider your message delivered.” She started to rise from her seat.
“Sit down, Ms. Morrow. There’s one more thing.”
“Ooo, yes, sir!” she smirked sassily and sat back down.
“I am the master in this house. You stay here, you keep your nose clean. I’m not above taking any female to task who dares defy me. Considering that you have a familiarity with lifestyle practices, what I mean should be plainly clear.”
“Hey, you don’t have to talk in euphemisms, Cap’n. Just say you’ll beat my ass. That I get.”
“Appears I don’t need to say anything. You know exactly what I mean.”
She waited a moment then finally said. “So, you think I could be dismissed now?” She turned the phrase with a fresh dose of scorn. She’d gotten cocky now; a purely defensive move. But she was also shaken. Maybe surprised more than anything. She rarely crossed paths with men like Alain Danvers.
“As long as we understand each other.”
“I understand perfectly.”
Lydia stepped into the hallway only to find Meri standing there as if she’d been waiting for her.
“You were talking with Alain?”
“Yeah, just shooting the breeze.”
“About what?”
“Aw, he just asked me a few questions, like where I’ve been lately. How come I haven’t been taking you out to tea and the theatre.” She laughed, a flippant gleam in her eye. Then she cheerfully dashed up the stairs, leaving Meri to wonder what that was all about.
***
At the police station the following morning, Alain brought Robbie and his assistant Joe into his office.
“I’m not sure if she was telling the truth or putting me on.”
“But she’s Jimmy Peralta’s ex?” Robbie chimed in. “A man who has a long rap sheet, a named ‘person of interest’ in the thorniest investigation we’ve got going. Suddenly, she appears on your doorstep with all the shit going down, the threats and warnings, Alain. I’d be worried. You want us to bring her in?”
“No, I don’t think she’ll tell us anything that hasn’t already been said. If we leave her be, she might just lead us someplace useful.”
“What if she’s a plant?” Joe added.
“I thought of that. The timing is pretty strange. I want a complete background check.”
“And we tail her?”
“Closely,” Alain added. “And check on a man named Hugo. He can probably be found at an S&M dungeon in the old north district.
“I think I know the one you mean,” Robbie said. “I thought that went out of business.”
“Meri was there yesterday.”
Robbie’s eyebrows lifted.
“My wife can sometimes be easily led, in case you didn’t know.”
“Well, it’s a good thing she’s got you.”
Alain turned to Joe. “So, you know what you have to do?”
“Got it, sir.” He was about to leave.
“And one more thing?” Alain called him back.
Joe stopped at the door. “What’s that?”
“My wife. You’d better keep an eye on her too. But keep it subtle. I don’t want her to know.”
He nodded.
When Joe left, Robbie sat down, dropping the official distance that separated the two men. They were just friends now.
“If I were you, I’d get her out of here for a few weeks, Alain. This isn’t sounding good, especially with what the guys in the field are saying about Peralta and the man who’s jerking his strings.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. I don’t want to alarm Meri, but I have to protect her at the same time. I may make a few calls. I need a safe place, somewhere no one can track her.”
“Maybe it’s time to call in a few old favors,” Robbie suggested.
“Yes, maybe it is.”
Chapter Ten
Interrogations
Lydia left early the following morning, taking a taxi, saying only that she’d be back later in the afternoon. Alain was already at the office. With the house virtually empty, Meri worked in her studio; she had plans for framing several paintings she’d just finished for the gallery showing later in the month.
Late in the afternoon her cell phone rang. Lydia was on the caller ID.
“Hi there! Coming home soon?” Meri asked.
“Hey, I need a ride, can you come get me?” Lydia said.
“I thought you were taking a taxi?”
“Sorry, I ran out of money.”
“You sound weird, Liddy.”
“I’m fine. I just need a lift. 206 West Concord. It can’t be more than a half hour away. I’ll be waiting for you outside. It’s a business office, Meri. No dungeon in sight,” she gave up a terse laugh
“I’ll be there soon as I can.”
Meri had to look up the address in the phone book. She didn’t recall West Concord, however she discovered that the area was not far from Hugo’s dungeon. This really didn’t feel good, but still she set off. What could be so bad if Liddy was waiting for her outside?
It was already getting dark by the time she was crawling through the unfamiliar area of town trying to find the right address. Amongst a few rundown warehouses and 1960’s looking office buildings, there were converted loft apartments, a coffee house and a building that housed art galleries for struggling artists. All this signaled an ongoing renaissance in an area that had once been just another decaying part of the city. But despite the recent changes, the place still gave Meri the creeps.
She drove slowly, hoping she’d see her friend, but there was no Lydia anywhere. She combed the 200 block of West Concord for fifteen minutes, studying addresses carefully, finally spotting what appeared to be an office building still in use that had to be number 206, although it wasn’t specifically marked. She tried Liddy twice on her cell phone, no answer. Should she go inside? She was often so naïve to possible danger, that it just passed right by her internal radar. But this time was different. Maybe it was that dungeon trip from the day before still bugging her.
She sat double-parked in front of the building for several minutes unable to make a decision. Her feet felt like jelly and she wasn’t even sure she could walk. While her stomach did flip-flops, every warning bell in her brain was going off. She even had the sinking feeling that someone was tailing her car. She didn’t dare get out, but she had no idea what to do.
“Damn it, Lydia, please!” she pounded the wheel, trying to compose herself and figure out what to do next. Just when she decided to head for home, her cell phone rang, scaring her witless.
“Meri? You here yet?” she heard Liddy’s familiar voice.
“I think so. I’m outside, where are you?”
“I’m going to be a minute, just come inside.”
“I’d rather wait here.”
“Dammit, Meredith, you are so exasperating,” she came back, obviously annoyed. “Just get your butt up here.”
“Okay, sure. I guess I’m just spooked from yesterday.”
“Well, this isn’t yesterday and it isn’t Hugo’s dungeon.” Her irritation seemed a little irrational, since she was doing her friend a favor, but it wasn’t unusual for Lydia.
“Okay, I’ll be there. I just need to park.”
“It’s on the second floor, suite 210.”
“I’ll be right up.” Meri found the closest parking place, and pulled her car up to the curb.
As she opened the door, a fresh gust of spring air rushed in with the smell of something sweet. Buoyed by the feeling, it seemed to replace her jitters, if only momentarily.
She didn’t like the looks of the building; its squared off lines were cold and uninviting, but she could see that there had been recent renovations and it was now well-kept and clean. The company names listed in the small lobby sounded legitimate. She began to wonder why she had been so scared. Then again, Lydia had never actually explained why she’d gone there in the first place.
Taking the stairs to the second floor, she found suite 210, knocked on the door, then stepped back and waited for someone to answer.
A minute passed and she was about to knock again when the door swung wide open.
Hugo’s huge face greeted her. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the cute little thing from yesterday. Why don’t you just come right in?” He didn’t wait for Meri to move, he pulled her into the room and spun her around, his large body looming over her like a great behemoth. He seemed to have cleaned up some from the previous day, but his aura was just as sleazy and forbidding and eerily titillating. Meri trembled but she did her best to hold her ground and not let the man upset her.
“I’m here for Lydia. Where is she?”
“She’ll be along shortly, we just wanted to get to know you better.” He smiled darkly and placed his large hand against her pubic mound. Meri instantly cringed and backed up, but another man was at her back.
“No! Please! Where’s Lydia. I have to go!” She tried to escape their grasp, but Hugo was much too big for her to overpower, and whoever was behind her was solid as a brick wall.
“No, I don’t think you have to go at all. Hugo’s not gonna hurt you. I mean what is ‘hurt’ when it’s a little masochist who will appreciate our fun and games?”
“Get away from me! If Lydia isn’t here, I’m going.”
“Well, maybe you think that, but you’re going nowhere, honey,” Hugo purred right in her ear, pressing himself again her.
Meri’s mind spun to dangerous places. Hugo’s hand was in her crotch, fondling her in a way that made her body recoil in panic – that was the first response, but something else was triggered inside her, something primal and very sexual that seemed to rise above her fears. His hand moved deeper between her legs, but Meri was far too scared to fight it off; she knew she wouldn’t win. Tears streaming down her face, she felt Hugo’s invading hand far under her skirt, pushing her panties aside and fingering her slit with an expertise that had her involuntarily spasming. Her own body gave her away. “The little bitch is wet, goddammit, she’s wet!”
“Please don’t do this!” she cried.
“And why not? I mean, we could have some fun here, huh?”
“No, please, sir. I can’t!”
“Ooo, listen up, she called me ‘sir’. The little tart’s been trained.” There were others in the room, but except for that unseen mammoth being behind her, she’d paid scant attention to anything but Hugo since she was pulled inside the office. Suddenly, her mind focused more sharply. Except for one desk lamp burning on the far side of the room, the office was dark, especially at its blurry edges. She could, however, see lurking in the shadows several other men. “If you’re like your friend, Lydia, you like getting your ass beat. Am I right, Mrs. Danvers?”
Dear god, he knew who she was! “Please, let me go.”
“Sure, I’ll let you go, but not until we’ve had a little fun. I know who you are, bitch, which is what makes you such a prize. Nothing could be hotter than to screw the wife of a police captain. Your old man thinks he can bring us down, but he has no idea who he’s dealing with.”
She was feeling faint, her eyes burning with tears and her heart beating so rapidly that
she could feel it pounding in her ears…the nightmare just wouldn’t stop.
“Let’s see if we can give Captain Alain Danvers’ little wife a good time, shall we, boys?”
He waved some man forward, who exchanged places with the looming Hugo and grabbed Meri’s hands, roped them together in about ten seconds, then hoisted them in the air high above her head. Her skirt was yanked down seconds later, then the stocky brute with the smarmy smile and day’s growth of beard came at her with a knife.
“Ohmygod!” She backed up as far as she could go, which was not very far considering that she was bound.
“I suggest you keep your mouth shut, pretty lady. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t say a goddam thing. You got that?”
Obviously too scared to talk, she only mouthed a silent, “Yes…”
For a moment, the man with the knife at her throat scowled, then his lips broke into another disgusting smile. Without those nasty faces, her mind recorded the fact that he was actually quite handsome, young, cocky and full of swaggering ego. He reminded her of an ex-boyfriend…what a time to flashback. Even the smell of him appealed to her; nothing like Hugo’s sweaty stench, but an aftershave she recognized and found pleasing.
For a moment, she thought he might kiss her. What would happen if he tried? Instead, he stepped back and started slashing her blouse and sweater with his knife, piece by piece removing her clothes until she was left in a pale blue bra and panties, writhing before the eyes of at least four men, and maybe others she could not see. Whoever had been directly behind her was no longer there, having disappeared into the dusky obscurity of the room.
Any second she expected that her bra and panties would be ripped away – but not yet.
The hot bit of leather seared her skin, a crop or singletail she couldn’t quite see, leaping out at her from the sidelines.
“Yeah, watch the pretty girl jump,” Hugo’s voice, and likely Hugo delivering the stinging cuts.
Jumping wasn’t all she did. Her body leapt on the sensations in damning ways. By the way her body undulated before them, the voyeuring men knew exactly what she was. They couldn’t help but see how dementedly aroused she had become…with each flick of the instrument her body sang.
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