“There’s Sean.”
“Believe me, I’m trying to find something out on him. It’s like he’s a ghost.”
“What do you mean?”
“He goes over to Japan, Jakarta…hell, he’s been all over the Far East. But I have no record of what he is doing and when I look into his money, I hit roadblocks. I don’t like that.”
From the determined gleam in Dillon’s gaze, Eli didn’t want the man after him in the future. He was the epitome of the FBI man who always got his man.
“Also, I want to start looking into the finances of your employees. I know Crysta’s clean.”
“Clean?”
Dillon nodded looking over the paperwork. “I looked into her, Eli. I had to. You didn’t have any problems until she came around.”
“What the bloody hell does that mean?”
Dillon leaned back in his chair and studied him for a moment. Eli didn’t like it. It made him uncomfortable. “I didn’t know you were involved.”
“Of course we are. We own the ranch together.”
Another beat of silence. “Okay, let me say this another way. I didn’t know you were sleeping with her.”
“I’m not.”
“I think you need to rethink that answer.”
“Okay, I did. But just once and we agreed that it wasn’t a good idea. Now, though, we have an agreement that we won’t do it again. It’s bad for business.”
“Indeed?” Dillon asked.
His deadpan look did nothing to reassure Eli. “Yes.”
“Okay, but like I said, she looks clean.”
“Because she is.”
“But I need to look at the other people on your ranch as well. Whether you want to believe it or not, you probably have someone on the ranch who sold you out.”
“Yeah. I agree.”
“It will take me a few days. Maybe a week. I have them all on file already, except any new hires.”
“Danny Aiona’s working for me.”
Dillon smiled. “Yeah, I know and that boy couldn’t be devious if someone paid him a million dollars and, of course, he’s clean. But, others, while they might have been clean, might not be anymore.”
“Yeah. I understand. Circumstances change, you have your priorities.”
“Yep. So, I’ll get to work on this. You let me know if you notice anything strange.”
“Going out tonight. Crysta wants to see Rough ‘n Ready.”
Dillon’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? You’re going to take a woman you’ve slept with there and just let her wander around.”
He grimaced. “Micah invited her and those women encouraged her.”
“And you say the whole romance is over?”
“What?”
“Son, you might not want to admit it, but from the expression on your face, it’s not. And, from my background check, she’s a member of a few clubs.”
“Yeah. A submissive.”
Dillon chuckled. “Oh, sorry I’m going to miss that, but Jillian is under a self-imposed deadline for the next book.”
Dillon had married a bestselling erotic romance author about a year earlier and moved to the islands to be with her.
“Okay. Well, let me know if you’re missing any employee records, but they should all be up to date.”
“And you be sure to tell me how it goes tonight; although, I’m pretty sure I’ll hear it from Micah or Evan.”
He just hoped he didn’t make an ass out of himself.
Chapter Sixteen
Eli walked into Crysta’s room that night and came to a stop. She was bending over, straightening her skirt. Well, what there was of the little black, leather skirt she had decided to wear that night. He flexed his hands wanting to have the right to tell her to change. She had the longest legs…and almost every inch of them was showing in that fucking skirt.
She straightened and turned around. Her eyes widened as she gasped.
“Lord, Eli, what the hell are you doing sneaking up on me like that?”
It took a second for him to form words. She was wearing a black, sleeveless shirt tied at the waist. She’d opened it far enough down that just a hint of her breasts were showing.
Her hair was pulled back on the sides. A dangle of red stones danced from her ears.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
He shook his head, trying to get his thoughts back in order. “Yeah. Yeah, sure.”
She smiled. “That’s good because I’m looking forward to tonight.”
Every bit of his Dom wanted to say no. Fuck, he wanted to scream it, then take her back into his bedroom and spank her ass red for suggesting it. He wanted to deny her time in Rough ‘n Ready. He wanted her in his room, on his bed and screaming his name.. He wanted to spank that magnificent ass until it was red and He wanted to fuck her until she couldn’t walk straight. Hell, until he couldn’t walk straight either.
Eli rolled his shoulders trying to ease the tension. It didn’t help much as he watched her step into the four-inch heels. He was so used to seeing her in jeans or casual clothes. Dressed up for a night of submission…that was different.
She grabbed her purse and smiled at him. “Ready?”
In his mind, he saw himself stepping forward, slipping his arm around her waist, and pulling her against him. He wanted that right, wanted to be able to choose to keep her all to himself tonight.
But, she wasn’t his anymore than he was hers. He stepped back and motioned with his hand.
“After you.”
She smiled at him as she walked by. The citrus scent he always associated with her filled the air around him. His head spun, his cock twitched and his body yearned.
Drawing in a deep breath, he called on his legendary control and followed her out the door.
* * * *
Crysta was impressed by Rough ‘n Ready. The club was packed. It wasn’t odd seeing that they were the only club on the island open during the week. She knew there was an offshoot on the side of the island, but it was only open on the weekends. Still, the size of the crowd was impressive. She knew they had a reputation throughout the Pacific for being one of the best clubs in the US.
Dee smiled at her as she led them up the stairs to the office. “I’m so glad you’ve made it in tonight. It’s kind of crazy, but that’s summer.”
She stepped into the office, holding open the door for Eli and Crysta and shutting it behind them. Crysta looked around the spacious office. One side of it was filled with monitors. She could see the entire club from where they were. The door opened on the opposite side revealing Micah. He was wiping his hands on a towel.
“Holy cow, you have a secret room.”
Crysta walked over and Dee followed. “We practically lived here when we first got married, but now, with Lizzy, we stay home more.”
The room was a simple bedroom with a massive bed in the middle of it. The sheets were messed up and it was pretty obvious something had been going on earlier—something other than sleep.
She slid a glance to Dee who was blushing.
“Really? You’re blushing over this?”
Dee rolled her eyes. “I’ll tell you a secret. Micah was my first, so while I’m not ashamed of my sexuality, I’m not like May. It’s still new to me.”
“He was your first Dom?”
She shook her head and looked behind her. When she was apparently sure they were alone, she leaned forward and said, “My first everything.”
“Oh. Ohhhhh. Wow, you picked that to be your first sexual experience? You’re braver than I am, girl.”
Dee laughed. “Yeah, well, you should have seen his reaction when I told him.”
“I would have paid for that. So, where is that sweet baby girl tonight?”
“Uncle Devon is babysitting. He can’t get enough of her. I was hoping it would make him want to be a father, but you’re about the only one he’s shown interest in and believe me, I’ve dangled a lot of women in front of him. For awhile I thought maybe he was gay.”
“You thought your brother was gay?” Crysta asked. “No way.”
“That’s exactly what Micah said. And he has pretty good gaydar. But the truth is, he’s young and he, you know, never gets it on.”
“I have a feeling your brother keeps himself busy with women more than you know.”
“You’re probably right. Truth is, it doesn’t matter because Eli would never let it happen.”
It was her turn to glance toward the door. “I told you, one night.”
Dee smiled. “I’ll reserve judgment on that one. Come on, let me show you our shop.”
* * * *
“Brave man letting that woman walk around dressed like that,” Micah said.
Eli glanced at him, then back to the monitor. “Not my woman.”
Micah stacked his booted feet up on his desk, as he sipped some water. “Yeah, sure. Gonna look for a sub tonight?”
When he didn’t say anything, Micah chuckled. “I didn’t think so.”
“We can’t…the ranch, all that. We just can’t.”
“Understandable. Of course, you shouldn’t have slept with her last night.”
He turned around and frowned at the club owner. “What do you mean by that?”
“You slept together last night, St. John.”
Then, he remembered who Crysta had gone to lunch with. “Damn women.”
“They didn’t say anything to me; although, I am pretty sure you were the subject of much gossip at lunch. No, I could tell.”
“Just by looking at us?” He hated that he was that easily read, but he knew he had been a bit territorial about her since they arrived.
“I work in a club that involves sexual behavior and I teach classes in it. Of course I picked up on it. I’m saying though, if you had gotten her to submit, you wouldn’t be here.”
“We…with the ranch, we just can’t do that right now. With the issues we’ve been having, I would rather not complicate things.”
“Take some friendly advice.”
“Do I have a choice?”
He smiled. “Complicate things. She’s worth it.”
He glanced at the screens and saw the two women walking out of the store. “I guess we better get down there.”
* * * *
As they walked through the club, Crysta couldn’t fault the women who turned their heads to look at Eli. When he had shown up in her room dressed in leather pants, she was ready to sign over her body to him. She had been right. He was gorgeous in leather. In fact, it took all her control not to take a bite out of that perfect ass of his. And she knew what it looked like up close and personal.
Trying to ignore him wasn’t doing any good though. Just being there beside him as they walked through the crowd had her body humming. She wanted to feel his hand on her waist. Hell, she wanted to feel it slip up beneath her mini skirt and she had never been one for public play. At this moment, she wanted to do anything to have his hands on her.
To try and take her mind off it, she looked out over the crowd. They were standing on a platform above most everyone else. It was an eclectic group and she really liked that. She spotted the locals right away. It was funny after only being in Hawaii less than three months, she was starting to identify with them.
“You know, Micah must really like you,” Eli said, his breath feathering against her earlobe. “This place is expensive.”
She didn’t say anything. It was hard to talk to him. To steady her libido, she continued to look out over the crowd. It wouldn’t do for her to beg him to spank her. And that’s just what she wanted. Then, two women moved apart and she saw someone she recognized. It was dark in the club, but she recognized the dimples and the easy smile.
She glanced at Eli. “Isn’t that Sean Kaheaku?”
Eli’s eyes narrowed. “Looks like him. I didn’t know he was a member here.”
“I guess he does have more money than his stepfather.”
“Sam kept him around for awhile, but when his mother died, he disowned him. He allowed him to keep the name, but well…he took all the money that came into the marriage and kept it.”
“What an ass.”
Eli nodded but his attention was still on Sean. “I really had no idea he was a member here.”
“Eli,” Evan Chambers said as he walked forward. “And of course, Crysta. I understand May was a little rude to you today.”
She laughed and accepted the kiss on the cheek. She thought she heard something from Eli but when she looked him, he was just staring in their direction. When she turned back to Evan, he was smiling.
“May was fine. I taught high school so she only scares me a little. I thought she was going to come by tonight?”
He shook his head. “She was, but she laid down after work and then didn’t move. She gets so tuckered out these days. I only stopped by for a few minutes to talk to Micah.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
“I understand Danny is keeping his nose clean over there,” Evan said to Eli.
“Yes. Hard worker. I’d love to have him full time but I know he won’t stay.”
“Those Aionas are all hard workers. He’s got the drive to be a doctor. I was surprised he took the summer off, but he said he needed a break and wanted to save up some money for med school.”
“He’s definitely earning it.”
“Good. You call me if you have any issues with him. Or Kai. I think he’s more afraid of Kai than anyone.” He gave her a wink. “You let us know if you need anything and I hope to see you soon again.”
Turning, he walked away.
“There’s another Aiona?” Crysta asked as they watched Evan walk away. People stopped him and it took him awhile to make his way out of the club.
“Yeah, Kai Aiona but he’s married and, on top of that, he’s never played.”
She sighed. “I know you apparently think I’m on the hunt for a Dom, but I’m not.”
When he didn’t say anything, she glanced at him. He was studying her as if trying to figure out some great puzzle. He opened his mouth but Micah tapped him on the shoulder.
She was surprised when she saw the frown marring the club owner’s face. Fear slipped through her, chilling her blood. She knew something bad had happened.
“Eli, there was a call from Dillon. You’ve got problems at the ranch.”
Chapter Seventeen
Eli swallowed and tried to ignore the bile that rose up in his throat. From the frenzied packing to their hop back over the island, he had been in constant contact with Jerry.
Now, though, they were on their way to the ranch and he was worried about what had happened. All Jerry could tell him was that cows had been mutilated.
“I hope everyone’s okay.”
She hadn’t said much since the call. He had told her what he knew and she had taken care of her own things, then calmly went into his room and took care of his. It was odd because he’d never had a woman pack his clothes for him. Because she had been so steady, he hadn’t realized until now that she was worried. He glanced at her. The pickup was dark and she was definitely not crying, but she wasn’t as calm as he thought she had been.
“No one was hurt except a few cows, from what Jerry said.”
She nodded. He didn’t know what to say. They just weren’t used to this kind of crime. They had issues with rustlers from time to time, but it was hard to rustle cattle on an island and people not find out about it. So often the culprits were caught. This was different. This was another level of attack he hadn’t expected.
They turned onto the path that led the way to the ranch. Before he could punch in the code, the gate opened for him. As they drove closer to the house, it was easy to see it. Lights blazed and there were men running around. He saw Mitch Smith’s SUV when he drove up. Jerry said he had the cops out on the scene.
He parked the truck but before he could open the door, Jerry was coming out the front door.
Mitch was right behind him.
“That didn’t t
ake very long,” Mitch said as he looked over at Crysta.
“Mitch, this is Crysta Miller who owns the ranch with me now.”
He nodded in her direction. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Miller. Your uncle really had nice things to say about you.”
She nodded but said nothing else. Her anxiety was easy to feel. He didn’t blame her. It was horrendous to him, but for someone like her, in an unfamiliar place, it had to be terrifying.
“Why don’t we go inside,” Jerry said, his grim expression, along with his bleak pallor told Eli it was probably worse than he could imagine. “We’ve got coffee going. It’s going to be a long fucking night.”
Jerry glanced in Crysta’s direction. “Sorry.”
She gave the foreman a tired smile. “Don’t worry. You’re right. It’s going to be a long fucking night.”
* * * *
The recitation of the events left Crysta sick. The fact that someone would mutilate a living animal for enjoyment was beyond anything she had dealt with before.
“So, there’s no footage?” Crysta asked. She had to keep her mind on the investigation rather than the horrible details.
Eli shook his head. “We don’t have cameras around the ranch. There’s no way to do that. It would be a logistical nightmare.”
“And they made sure they picked an area that wasn’t well travelled,” Jerry said.
“That doesn’t matter. If you know anything about ranch life, you can figure out when and where we are working. The Kaheakus know that well enough,” Eli said.
“I have my doubts that Sam could do this. Or Junior,” Mitch said.
She shook her head. “I saw the hate in that man’s eyes. He could do this.”
“What I meant is that this isn’t their kind of thing. Plus, they would hire someone to do it, if they had the money. They don’t.”
“Sean does,” Eli said quietly.
“But he was on Oahu. We saw him,” Crysta said.
“But he has money. From somewhere,” Eli said.
“Oh, good lord, he didn’t do this. I think it’s still connected with Sam.”
“Your uncle is an amazing prick, but I don’t think he would do something like this. This takes planning,” Eli said. “He isn’t that smart.”
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