by Dakota Trace
“Since I lived in Slidell, the normal bridge I used to go into the city was the I-10 Twin Span Bridge. It had collapsed and I had to be rerouted. When I got near St. Bernard, the Reservists informed me that the entire Parrish had been evacuated to the Super Dome. By the time I got there, they weren’t letting anyone leave. I searched high and low for my family but they never made it. Later, once the flood waters receded, they found their bodies in a car which had been caught in the path of the surge wave which took down the levee near St Bernard. They never had a chance. ”
The other man stopped. “Jesus fucking Christ! I’m so sorry…”
A shrill scream from the hallway cut Josh off. Both men froze. Kalinda!
Chapter Thirteen
Struggling against the hold the man had on her, Kalinda stumbled down the stairs leading from Caelan’s house. She prayed that her Masters had heard her scream before the man had shoved the cloth in her mouth. It was hard to believe that the man who’d threatened her would be so bold as to grab her coming out of her own home - especially when it was certain that there the men would be at their most alert.
“Stop it! Before I cut you.” The feel of the sharp blade pressing against her side, had her stilling. She didn’t recognize the voice in her ear, but from his size she figured he was one of the three men who’d broken into Caelan’s two days ago. “That’s right, little girl. You come nice and ‘docile like’ with old Bertie, and I’ll make sure nothin’ too bad happens to ya. Boss has a beef with your Master - not you.” His breath pounded against her ear. “In fact, Boss says I can have you after Raphael gets done poundin’ on your luscious little body - well that’s if there is anything left to have. But being the pain slut you are, I’m sure you’ll get off on it. I know I plan on it. Nothing better than fucking a cunt that’s delirious with pain.”
Fear was a living breathing thing inside her. More than anything she wanted to struggle against the man, but knew if she did the likelihood of her getting badly cut was high. With the location of the knife under her lowest rib in her kidney area, she didn’t think she would bleed out, but it would be a painful way to go if Master and Sir didn’t find her in time. Her eyes went wide when she saw the dark sedan he was hauling her towards. It looked like a million other cars that drove around Chicago. There was nothing distinguishing about it at all. She was so fucking screwed if the man got her in it.
Behind her she heard the slamming of the front door followed by the sweetest sound she’d ever heard - Josh’s and Dominic’s raised voices. It was hard to believe just minutes ago the raised sound of them had her fleeing. Now relief surged through her. Yes, they’d heard her. She whimpered when the man pressed the knife even harder against her ribs.
“None of that, girlie. Get your ass in the car.” Over his shoulder he called out. “Grab them!”
She had a brief glimpse of several men surrounding the front door of Caelan’s home. Her eyes welled with tears when she saw the gleam off the guns. Within moments, the door slammed shut as the retort of a gun filled the night air. Her muffled scream made the man sitting across from her laugh. “Don’t you worry none - my men have orders to take them alive. Boss isn’t done with them yet.”
She fell back against the dark leather seat in relief. At least the men were still alive, which meant they still had a chance.
“I bet you’d love to know what this is all about huh? Or perhaps even who I might be?”
She glared at him before closing her eyes. She didn’t need to know who had taken her to know he was a dead man, or was gonna wish he was dead by the time that Dominic and Josh got done with him.
“Open your eyes, bitch. No woman ignores me.”
She jumped when his open palm found her cheek. Pain blossomed before radiating down her neck. Tears of anger welled in her eyes. Screw letting the men kill him, when she got free she would do it herself!
* * * *
In the other car, Dominic grunted when another well placed blow landed on his ribs. After tossing Josh into the trunk of the car, the men had shoved him face first onto the floorboard of the limo. He’d barely got the glimpse of a man in the darkened corner before two of the men followed him in and proceeded to start kicking the living hell out of him. He prayed that Josh still had his phone with him and that the men hadn’t confiscated it.
“Enough. I want him coherent enough to understand what is happening to his slave.” The cool sound of the voice brought temporary relief until one of the men dragged him off the floor of the limo to roughly hurl him against the opposing seat.
He wheezed, trying to ignore the pain in his ribs. He had feeling that one or more of them were broken. It’d felt like the bastards had worn steel toed boots. Pressing his hand against the worse of his aching ribs, he tried to ignore the pain. “Who the hell are you?”
“You may call me, Mr. Brown, Mr. LaFontane…or may I call you, Dominic? I do like being cordial despite the trying circumstances we find ourselves in. I was hired to do a job…one that I’m extremely good at. So you and I are going to have a…shall we say “discussion” before we attend what I believe in your world is called a “play party?’ Rather interesting monikers you have in your world. Now let’s begin, shall we?” The well modulated voice was pleasant as if he was merely inquiring about the weather. A light flared as the man lit a thin cigarillo. For a brief moment, Dominic caught a glimpse of blond hair, steel colored eyes, and a thin but athletic body. “Time is of the essence, Dominic - so let’s 'discuss' this situation you find yourself in.”
“Va te faire voir!”
“Such language, Dominic. William?”
Dominic never saw the blow coming until it was too late to avoid it. He spat out blood from his busted lip. Perhaps telling the man to kiss his ass hadn’t been his best move, but it didn’t stop him from calling the man an asshole. “Trou du cul.”
“Tsk-tsk. You are a slower learner aren’t you, Mr. LaFontane?” The man leaned forward and into the passing lights of city streets. “Unfortunately I don’t have time to teach you properly about foul language. So I will make this simple. The next time you curse at me, Dominic I will take it out on Ms. Doherty’s flesh. From my understanding your little submissive has a taste for the flogger, so she may love what my man’s cat o’nine tails is capable of.”
Dominic swallowed his curse. “You realize that once I get free you will pay dearly for dragging my slave into this matter, don’t you?”
The man smiled at him. “Bravo, Mr. LaFontane. You managed to threaten me without cursing. Perhaps you can be taught.” The end of the cigarillo flared before a ring of smoke filled the interior of the car. “Now, as I said I’ve been procured by a very upset individual. It seems you made a few enemies before you left Los Angeles, Dominic. Ones that are willing to pay my very steep price to have you dealt with.”
“Glad to know that whoever hired you thought I warranted this kind of attention. Why don’t you let my slave and the other man go? You don’t need them now.”
The man chuckled. “I’m sorry, Dominic, that isn’t what I was paid to do. The other man was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time. Collateral damage you might say. He should’ve picked better acquaintances than you and Ms. Doherty. You and your lovely slave, on the other hand, have been my intended targets from the beginning.”
Dominic had to fight to control his anger as a thought struck him. “So you were behind the robbery at my storage unit?”
“But of course. It’s amazing what a hundred dollars will procure. I needed you out of town when your slave was picked up.”
“Too bad you didn’t realize what you were getting into when you broke into Caelan’s house.”
A heavy sigh came from the shadows. “Yes, indeed. It was rather unfortunate. I expected better quality out of the gentlemen I hired, but alas it is hard to find good help these days. Not to worry they won’t repeat their mistakes. A 32 caliber bullet is quite remarkable as a teaching tool…well at least to others. Not many men want
to fail me because I won’t hesitate to kill them.”
Dominic groaned inwardly. Whoever this Mr. Brown was - he meant business.
“Now, as for what is on the agenda for the rest of your short evening? Well I’ll leave that as a surprise. I do quite honestly never know exactly what my Raphael has planned. He is quite creative with that whip of his. All you need to know is that you pissed off the wrong people with your crusade in Los Angeles to shut down the Gilded Lily. The higher ups didn’t appreciate you trying to ostracize them within the BDSM community. Honestly though, I do find their “trade” quite uncouth.”
“Yet you took a job from them.”
“Of course, Mr. LaFontane. Their money is green and spends just as well as an honorable man’s…easier in fact.” The man leaned back. “Now since we have some time to kill while Raphael sets the scene for us, why don’t you relax?
Dominic fell silent as the limo glided through the night. Please God, let Josh still have his phone with him.
* * * *
Caelan cursed when his call to Josh went straight through to the other man’s voice mail. “Why in the hell aren’t you picking up, you stubborn Englishman?” All of the men, including Jude, had agreed earlier in the evening that until his company got all of the cameras up and running to call in every four hours. When Josh had missed his call in, Caelan had begun to worry. Especially when he called upstairs to Kalinda’s landline and had the same negative results. What relaxation he’d achieved the past hour in the playroom with Nisey was gone.
Pacing back down the hall towards his bedroom, he tried to calm himself down. After realizing the pointlessness of trying to reach Josh again, he hung up his phone before dialing the direct number which Jude had given him. The man answered on the second ring.
“Yeah?”
If he hadn’t been so worried, he’d have taken offense at the man’s brisk tone.
“We’ve got an issue. Josh didn’t make his call in nor will he pick up when I call.” Caelan kept his voice pitched low since Nisey was still sleeping in their rumpled bed mere feet away.
“Well it is nearly ten at night, Caelan. Did you perhaps think that he might be sleeping or busy with his slave?” Jude’s voice seemed hostile.
Caelan stilled. Something had happened with Jude. He’d been very cordial and accepting of the lifestyle when he’d been over earlier to discuss his specific installation. It royally irked him to hear it now when Jude was far from their home. It was one thing to run up against prejudice from those outside the lifestyle, but another to take it from someone who was involved in it, even if the man was just on the fringes.
“I don’t know what the hell your problem is, pet, but both Dominic and Josh love Kalinda. The last thing they’d do is endanger her or not follow through with what they agreed to - especially when it comes to her safety. Now get your ass over here. There is no answer at her apartment phone either. The last thing I want to do is enter Kalinda’s apartment without back-up. Nor do I want to leave my own slave unprotected.”
“Fuck! I’ll be there in ten minutes.” The click in his ear had him closing his phone only to meet Nisey’s frightened eyes. The look she gave him, told him she’d heard his side of the conversation with Jude.
“Something’s happened hasn’t it?” She moved to leave their bed.
“I don’t know, grá, but it’d probably be a good thing if you started a pot of coffee. Jude will be here shortly.”
She nodded before sliding off the bed, not a bit self-conscious about her nudity. When she passed him to head to the kitchen, he tugged her into his arms. “It’ll be okay, Nisey. If she’s gone, we’ll find her.” Even though he knew he didn’t need to reassure her, it felt good nonetheless. Squeezing her bare ass, he groaned when his cock hardened when she rubbed against him shamelessly. His unruly body didn’t care that he needed to find his sister and her Doms. “God, you are such a tease, Nisey.” He pulled back before smacking her ass. “Now go put some clothes on and start the coffee.” She giggled before scurrying into their walk-in closet to get dressed.
Less than ten minutes later, there was a knock on his front door. Cautiously opening it, he found a disheveled Jude standing impatiently in front of him with a laptop case slung over one shoulder and another dark bag on his opposite one. While he had the look of preparedness, Caelan had expected from a man of his profession, there was a different aura about him. Caelan idly wondered if the man had another run it with Olivia. Jude had the same look in his eyes that he’d had earlier after dealing with her. If there was ever a man who was confused about his need to submit to a woman, it was this man.
“So are you going to let me in, or just stand there staring at me?” Jude’s snarl had him stepping to the side.
Within moments, Jude was sitting at the table with his laptop open. As his fingers flew over the keyboard with familiar ease, Nisey placed a cup of coffee within easy reach before she returned to Caelan’s side.
“So what are you doing?” Nisey asked as the silence lengthened.
“Using the SIM card on Josh’s phone to triangulate where his phone is. Before we go busting into Kalinda’s apartment, let’s make sure that we have a reason to worry first.”
A curse erupted from Jude when the screen flashed. “Damnit! I was hoping that he was too busy to answer the phone. But it’s going south on Lake Shore Drive towards the Near North. It looks like they’re exiting at North Avenue.”
Caelan frowned. “What the hell is he doing? The only reason he’d be headed that direction is he was heading home or going to Olivia’s.”
After clicking a few keys on his laptop, Jude stepped back from the table. “Let’s go upstairs. It looks like someone entered the outer door security code just before nine, but the security system on Kalinda’s door hasn’t been activated.” He headed out of the kitchen.
When Nisey moved to follow, Caelan stopped her. “I want you to stay down here. If you see or hear anything suspicious I want you to go downstairs and lock yourself in the playroom. Understand?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Caelan…”
He brushed a quick kiss across her pouting lips. “Do as I say, grá. I know you don’t like it, but I couldn’t bear to have something happen to you. I need you safe.”
Uncrossing her arms she wrapped them around his neck. “I’ll be careful, Máister. If I hear anything, I’ll go to the playroom, but you better come back to me unharmed - or I’ll take that flogger to your sexy ass after you heal up.”
A low growl rumbled out of Caelan’s throat. He smacked her ass with one hand. “Try it and see what happens, slave.”
“You coming Doherty?” Jude’s call came from the living room.
“Your promise, Nisey?” He stared deep into her eyes. If anything happened to her, he didn’t know what he’d do.”
“Yes, I promise, Máister.” She pressed her head against his chest before releasing him.
* * * *
Jude was beyond pissed. After he and Caelan had confirmed that Kalinda’s apartment was indeed empty with nothing more than a light on over the kitchen sink, they’d come back downstairs. Who’d ever taken her and the men, had done so quietly, while still leaving Kalinda’s and Josh’s cars behind. His fingers pounded on the keyboard as he accessed the mainframe of his firm’s security network. Pulling up their account was easy, but looking for the microscopic electronic footprints within each part of Caelan’s unique system was not as easy. Someone had to have hacked his network to get the master override code for Caelan’s keypad, or it was someone who’d had access to the very confidential information for Caelan’s setup from the beginning.
After dialing Keith’s number only to get his machine, he had a sneaky suspicion it was the latter. The idea that his best technician would betray him in this way had him furious. He’d taken Keith in off the streets, helped him pay for school, then after he graduated offered him a job at his company.
“Is there anyway to trace Josh’s phone?” Nise
y was nearly in tears.
“Yeah. I figured out how they got in without setting off your alarm, but it doesn’t do much good now. Either my system got hacked or Keith gave them the code.” He pressed a few more keys. “Okay, it shows his cell phone location near…aw hell - he’s at Olivia’s.”
Jude glanced over at Caelan. “He didn’t mention taking Kalinda and Josh to the club, did he?”
“No, and from the screaming going on upstairs earlier, I doubt Kalinda was in the mood tonight to submit to either man.” Nisey answered before moving closer to him to look over his shoulder. She frowned. “Why did the screen just go blank?”
Jude cursed. “Let’s go.” Standing back up, he snapped his laptop closed. “His phone was just turned off or disabled. We’re out of time.” He hefted his laptop case and bag back on his shoulder. Both Nisey and Caelan followed him out. “You drive.” Jude tossed his keys to Caelan. “I’ve got some calls to make.”
* * * *
Kalinda swallowed when she felt the car come to a stop. Looking outside the car, she saw a familiar building. Had the idiots actually thought to bring her to Olivia’s? She gave a quick prayer of thanks. The other woman would know within moments of her entering the club that something was seriously amiss.
“Ah, I see you recognize the club. But don’t expect to get a reprieve here. Boss always makes sure things go his way - especially when the client wants the target to be completely and utterly humiliated. Your little Domme friend has already been taken care of. Raphael made sure of that.” He opened the door before climbing out. “Come on.” When she shook her head, he reached back in the car to grab her ponytail. She refused to cry out as her scalp burned. Stumbling from the car, she was tempted to kick, bite and scream at the man until she saw a battered, bleeding Dominic standing next to a well dressed slender blond man who was holding a gun pressed against his side.