by Julia Sykes
“So,” I asked, my throat slightly scratchy from my lingering hangover. “Where are we going?” I slipped on my sunglasses to shield my sensitive eyes from the bright sunlight that penetrated the tinted windows of Dex’s sedan.
He glanced over at me. “Rough night?”
“You’re the one who called Carina to feed me sugary cocktails,” I countered. “We might have overindulged.”
I might have gulped down a few too many to get over what happened in the training room yesterday.
I shook it off. A little time had helped me see that Dex wasn’t a bad guy. He’d simply had a physical reaction. And when he’d realized I was upset, he’d immediately given me space, and called my friend to check in on me.
I might still be a bit annoyed with him for being so domineering, but it wasn’t like I hated him.
“And thank you,” I added. “For Brighton Beach. I didn’t realize it was dangerous.”
He glanced over at me, surprised. “You’re welcome. I know you weren’t being willfully reckless. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He was silent for a moment. “And I’m sorry for the leash comment. That was out of line.”
Wow. A man who could admit when he was wrong? Maybe everyone had been right. It seemed Dex was a good person.
“Thanks,” I acknowledged.
He cleared his throat, breaking the intense conversation. “As for where I’m taking you, we’re going to Euphoria. It’s a BDSM club.”
“Won’t they be closed now?”
“Yes, but I need to have a private conversation with the owner. I think his patrons are still using Bliss on the premises, and I want to make sure he knows the Bureau won’t tolerate it. I also need to ascertain if the Russians are still leaning on him to allow the dealing to take place in his club. The Bratva shattered when we took out their leadership a few months ago, but there are still vory around who might be looking to take control. Not to mention the Colombians. They might be getting involved, as well.”
I nodded, taking it all in. “Cristian Moreno, right? Sharon mentioned he was working with the Russians to traffic Bliss. What is Bliss, anyway? I’ve never heard of it.”
Dex grimaced. “You probably wouldn’t have. Not yet. It was only just becoming popular Stateside last year. The Russians were importing from Europe. Our friends in MI5 are still trying to get the situation under control in London, but things have died down in New York ever since we destabilized the local faction of the Russian Mafia.”
“So, what’s Bliss like? Heroin? Cocaine?”
His knuckles whitened around the steering wheel. “It’s more like rohypnol, only the user remembers everything that happens to them. Some people take it to enhance their sexual experiences, but it can be used against people.”
Ice formed in the pit of my stomach. “You mean it’s a date rape drug.”
“That’s one way it’s used. I’ve also seen it used in human trafficking. It makes the women more cooperative. The victim responds with arousal, whether she wants to or not.”
The ice spread out to crystalize in my veins. My own violation had been horrible enough when I was trying to fight my husband off. I couldn’t imagine being forced to physically enjoy what he’d done to me.
“I’m sorry,” he said tightly. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“Because it’s classified?”
He shot me an apologetic glance. “Because it upset you.”
I pressed my lips together. I didn’t have a response for that. Thoughts of Neil swirled just beneath the surface, threatening to rise up. I ruthlessly mastered them. I was stronger than what he’d done to me. I’d worked hard to rebuild my confidence, my identity, in the last three years. I wouldn’t allow my dark memories of my ex-husband to jeopardize that.
“We’re here,” Dex announced as he put the car in park. “This is a safe neighborhood. You can stay in the car, if you want. You don’t have to hear any more about this.”
“No. I want to come with you. I want to know more about FBI procedures.”
“Okay. I’ll introduce you as my partner. I don’t want him knowing you’re a reporter. You can listen and observe, but leave the talking to me.”
I nodded my agreement. “Sounds good.”
We both got out of the car, and Dex led the way into an alley. Like at Decadence, the entrance to Euphoria was inconspicuous, giving patrons the privacy they desired.
Dex rang a bell set into the bricks by the gray metal door. A couple minutes later, it swung open to reveal an older, balding man.
“Stewart,” Dex inclined his head in greeting. “This is my partner, Agent Martin. We need to talk.”
“Yes,” Stewart replied, shifting nervously. “Ah, your boss called to let me know you were coming. He wanted to make sure I’d be here.”
“Then this visit doesn’t come as a surprise,” Dex said coolly. “Let us in.”
“Right. Of course.” Stewart stepped back, and Dex muscled his way past him. I followed in his wake, letting him take the lead.
Stewart led us through the eerily quiet club, crossing through the empty dungeon before heading into a surprisingly business-like office space. Dex closed the office door behind us with an ominous click. Stewart licked his dry lips, clearly anxious.
“What did you need to ask me?” he inquired shakily. Sweat beaded on his furrowed brow.
“You’re still letting people use Bliss at Euphoria,” Dex asserted with utter confidence.
“I don’t know what you’re—”
“Yes, you do,” Dex cut him off. “I’ll send in some undercover NYPD officers to put a stop to it. You can expect them tonight. Let them do their jobs, and we won’t have a problem.”
“I won’t cause any trouble. I don’t want it here any more than you do. I’ve told you I didn’t have a choice.”
“Are the Russians still leaning on you?” Dex pressed.
“No!” he exclaimed with alarm. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’ve just garnered a bad clientele over the last few months. I’m glad the NYPD will help me get rid of them.”
“You’re lying,” Dex said quietly. “Tell me about the Russians.”
Stewart shook his head wildly, his jowls wobbling. “I’m telling the truth. It’s just people using for fun now.”
“There’s nothing fun about rape,” I said coldly before I could think.
He swallowed hard. I pressed on, driven by righteous anger. As a journalist and an author, I’d learned how to get people to talk to me as part of my research practices. Well, if Stewart was allowing women to be raped, I’d make sure he talked. He was going to tell Dex everything he knew.
“Do you have a wife, Stewart?” I asked, all polite nonchalance. “Sisters?”
His eyes clouded over with confusion. “I… Yeah. I have a sister.”
“How old is she?”
“Thirty-one.”
“So younger than you,” I surmised. “I bet you looked out for her growing up. Were you a protective older brother?”
“Yeah, I guess I was. I mean, we’re ten years apart. Of course I looked out for her. She’s my baby sister.”
“So, how would you feel if someone used Bliss against your baby sister? Would you think that was fun?”
He blanched. “Of course not.”
“What would you do to a man who raped your sister?”
His doughy face hardened. “I’d want to kill him.”
“What if he threatened to kill you instead? Would you just stand by and let him keep abusing your sister?”
“Fuck, no.” His cheeks turned purple, and his fists curled at his sides. “Why are you asking me these questions? Are you threatening my sister?”
“No,” I said, my voice icy calm. “I’m making you see how you’re letting the Russians threaten every one of your patrons. You should care about the people who come to your club. You should protect them like you’d protect your own family.”
His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.
Stewart’s jaw tightened with determination, and he straightened his shoulders. “I’ll tell you whatever you need to know. I just want this shit out of my club.”
I let out a relieved breath, feeling suddenly drained. I hadn’t meant to speak at all, but instinct had taken over. After what Dex had told me about Bliss, I couldn’t just stand back and allow women to be victimized. It was even more sickening that it was happening at a BDSM club, where submissives made themselves vulnerable, trusting Doms to take care of them. The thought that someone would violate that trust made my stomach turn.
I swallowed back the bile in my throat, keeping my lips pressed together while Dex got the information he needed from Stewart. When he was finished, Dex ushered me out of the club and into the sunlight. I soaked in its warmth on my skin, trying to thaw my insides.
He opened the passenger door for me, but he didn’t touch me in any way as I slid into the seat.
“That was very brave of you,” he murmured when we were both situated in the car.
I let out a shaky breath. “I’m just glad you got what you needed.” I looked up into his pale eyes, imploring. “Will you be able to stop them?”
His features firmed with grim determination. “We’ll stop them. Bliss won’t be on the streets of New York for much longer, thanks to you. We got the names we needed. We can arrest the men responsible for taking over the trafficking. Moreno won’t get the foothold he wants, not if we stop the Russians before he can start working with them.”
“Good. That’s good.”
He nodded and didn’t say anything further. I was relieved that he wasn’t questioning me about what I’d said to Stewart. The last thing I wanted was to talk about my personal experience with trauma.
Pushing thoughts of Neil from my mind, I occupied myself with plans for the questions I’d ask Derek at Decadence that night.
Red and gold lights danced across Carina’s concerned face as she regarded me intently. I raised my voice so she could hear me over the pulsing music in Decadence. “Seriously, I’m fine. It was just a long day.”
“You don’t seem fine,” she countered. “Did Dex do something to upset you again? You can talk to me, Chloe. We’re friends.”
I reached out clasped her hand. “Of course we are. I know I can talk to you. But honestly, I’m okay. It was just a long day. Dex didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her delicate features grew heavy with resignation. “You don’t like him.”
“It’s not that I don’t like him; he just gets on my nerves with his whole Dom thing.” I couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d tried to get Kennedy to kick me out. Now that some time had passed, I could see that he only wanted to protect me, but I needed his respect more than his protection.
“You don’t like him because he’s a Dom?”
“It’s not that. I have plenty of friends who are Doms. But none of them try to interfere with my career. They don’t try to Top me all the time.”
She smiled wryly. “I’m sure they try. I just don’t think they succeed.”
I shrugged. “I don’t need a man to tell me what to do.”
“That’s not what BDSM is about, and you know it. What’s gotten into you?”
I blew out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. This whole situation with Dex is… Well, it’s just a lot. He’s a lot.” But he’d been so calm and gentle after our meeting at Euphoria. He hadn’t pushed me or reprimanded me for speaking out of turn. He’d simply given me the time I needed to process what had happened and master my emotions.
She gave me a rueful smile. “He’s a Dom and an FBI agent. That makes him a little overbearing, I’m sure. All he wants is to protect you. I think you should let him.”
I eyed her with suspicion. “Are you still trying to fix me up with him? After all this?”
She tossed her dark copper hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Right,” I drew out the word, making it heavy with my disbelief.
“Dex is a good man. If he’s being domineering, its only because he has your best interests at heart. He’s not trying to disrespect your career or threaten your independence. I went through all this with Kennedy, so let me save you the headache: talk to Dex. Be honest with him. If you feel like he’s belittling you, tell him. I’m sure it’s not his intention.”
“So now you’re comparing Dex and me to you and Kennedy? And you really expect me to buy that you’re not trying to fix us up?”
She grinned at me, then turned to glance through the crowd that had amassed around the bar and seating area. “Oh look,” she said cheerily. “There he is. Dex!” she called out, waving him over.
“Carina!” I hissed, grabbing her arm to stop her waving.
But I was too late. The crowd was already parting to make room for Dex’s huge form as he moved toward us.
Why did he always have to prowl like that? Did the man not know how to walk normally? It wasn’t natural that such a massive person could move so gracefully.
“Hello, Chloe,” he greeted.
And why did his voice have to be so impossibly deep when he said my name like that? Couldn’t he just talk like a normal man, in a tone that didn’t rumble across my skin?
“Hi,” I said, my voice soft and oddly shy.
I’m just feeling guilty for being mean to him, I reasoned. Considering how kind he’d been to me after the ordeal at Euphoria today, I’d come to realize that I’d treated him unfairly.
I drew in a breath and steadied myself. When I spoke again, my voice was clear and even. “Listen, Dex. I’m sorry I was so rude yesterday. After Brighton Beach.”
He inclined his head in acceptance of my apology. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I upset you.” The significance he placed on the last let me know he wasn’t referring to dragging me out of the Russian café. He was talking about getting an erection when we sparred.
“You see?” Carina said brightly. “That’s all cleared up. I knew you two would get along.”
My own expression of disbelief was mirrored on Dex’s face. Did Carina really think she was being at all subtle about pushing us together? Or did she simply not care about subtlety?
Thankfully, I realized that Dex’s matching consternation meant he wasn’t interested in me, either. That put me at ease.
I gave Dex a wide, genuine smile. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t be friends.”
He returned my smile. “Friends, then.”
Carina huffed her annoyance.
“Something wrong, little sub?” Kennedy asked, his arm curving around her shoulders as soon as he joined our group. He eyed Dex. “Dexter isn’t upsetting you, is he?”
“You know I hate when you call me that, Ken,” he said, his voice harsher than I’d ever heard it.
“It’s your name, isn’t it?” Kennedy drawled.
God, the man was an ass. Couldn’t he see Dex was upset?
“Kennedy’s just teasing him,” Carina said quickly, reading my indignation on his behalf.
“Well, I don’t appreciate it,” Dex said, his tone still rough with irritation.
“Dex,” I interjected, deciding to come to his rescue. “I’d like to talk to you privately, if you don’t mind.” I tilted my head toward the seating area, indicating that I was giving him an out.
“I’d like that.” He took my hand in his, long fingers enveloping my palm.
I blinked, surprised at the sudden contact, but he led me away before I could react further.
“You two kids have fun!” Carina called after us.
Dex shook his head and continued to tug me along beside him, putting distance between the older couple and us. When we reached an unoccupied plush leather couch, he sat. I lowered myself down beside him. He didn’t really give me a choice to do otherwise, because he hadn’t let go of my hand.
I glanced up at him to find him watching me with unexpected intensity. “I really
am sorry about yesterday,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. My body just reacted. I should have controlled myself better. I want you to know that I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Something deep inside my chest quivered, and my eyes suddenly burned. I blinked quickly, alarmed to realize I was close to tearing up.
“You didn’t hurt me,” I said in the coolest tone I could manage. “I’m fine.”
He straightened his impressive shoulders, and he suddenly seemed to loom over me. “I’m not going to push you or pry. But know that I’m fully aware that you’re not fine. I saw what you did in Euphoria today, and you were very brave to talk to Stewart like that. I know it can’t have been easy for you.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I tried to shrug off the significance of his words.
He kept me fixed in his level gaze. “Don’t try to pull any bullshit with me. If we’re going to be in the field together, I have to be able to trust you.”
I cut my eyes away, unable to bear the weight of his glacial blue stare. Strong fingers curled beneath my chin, redirecting my face to his.
“I don’t need to know your secrets,” he said. “But I do need you to be honest with me. Tell me the truth, Chloe.”
“I’m not fine,” I admitted on a whisper. “But I don’t want to talk about it.”
Keeping his grip on my chin with one hand, he ran his other through my hair, his long fingers brushing a dark lock off my cheek.
“That’s okay,” he soothed. “You don’t really know me. And that’s why I’m not going to push you. Despite what you may think, I do respect you. All I want is for us to be honest with one another. Can you do that? Can I trust you?”
“Yes,” I promised. “You can trust me.”
“I wouldn’t trust her, Dex,” a familiar voice pierced the intensity between us. “Keep trying to Top her, and she’ll probably bite you. Believe me, I would know.”
I turned a saccharine sweet smile on Master Jason. “I did apologize for that,” I reminded him.
He gave me his best cocky half-smile, the one that usually made subs fall to their knees before him. “Only after I flogged your ass red. And even then, you weren’t really sorry, were you?”