Aries

by WL Knightly

  He was so captivated by her smile and the sheer coincidence that the very woman he’d been looking for, the one with the blue-streaked hair, had walked up to him, making his search much easier, that he hadn’t registered what she said. “I beg your pardon?”

  “For the drink. Thank you.”

  “Ah, I see. You’re welcome.” He looked around, still fairly certain that Bay was working one of his miracles from behind the scenes.

  The woman was a real beauty and everything Edie had said. She definitely had the look of a rebel fantasy heroine with her tight black pants and what was nearly a cape-like tunic that went around her shoulders and buttoned just below her tits, which were practically spilling out of the top of her blouse.

  “It’s not every Saturday a girl sees one of these, but I admit, it’s getting more common.” She took his hand and looked down at his wrist.

  “Yeah, lucky me.” His head turned as another woman walked past, sizing him up like a meal. She gave him a fuck me stare.

  “Lucky indeed.” She held out her hand, palm up as if he might kiss it. “I’m Raven.”

  “Nice to meet you, Raven.” He didn’t bother offering up a name. She’d know who he was soon enough.

  “Well, then. I guess since you’re the one wearing the band, you can just tell me what you have in mind.”

  “Could we go someplace where it’s not so crowded?” He hoped that one of the private rooms would be better for an interrogation. He didn’t want everyone else in the room knowing he was a cop.

  “I take it a voyeur room is out. You don’t seem to like the eyes on you.” She turned her head and met the eyes of some onlookers. Three other women were watching with enough intensity that they seemed to hope that Raven would leave.

  “I’m a private man.”

  Raven smiled, her hand sliding up his arm and around it. “You might be in the wrong place then.”

  She led him down the hall and into one of the private rooms where there weren’t any windows for others’ viewing pleasure and shut the door before turning and sizing him up. “Do you have a name you prefer?” She walked over to join Darek as he took a seat on the padded pleather platform.

  “I’m Darek.”

  “Darek? That sounds like a real name. I’m used to pretentious shit, like Lord, Sir, and sometimes Master, but I have a feeling you’re new at this.” She lowered herself to his lap, and before he could protest, she had his face in her hands and her lips locked to his.

  “Whoa.” Darek placed his hands on hers and pulled away, nearly dumping her from his lap. She was so fucking hot that he could see why Finn had been attracted to her, but now that he had her alone, he had to own up to who he was and why he’d come to find her.

  “Is there a problem?” She got to her feet and glared down at him.

  “No, sorry. It’s just I’d like to talk.” Darek hadn’t expected her to spring on him so quickly.

  “Oh. Is there any particular position you’d like to talk in? I do a pretty good job from my knees or even face down.” She dropped to her knees and closed the distance between them, stopping to rest her chin on his knee.

  The woman was eager, and Darek felt a wave of guilt as his cock stiffened in his pants. “Look, just sit here and let me explain.” He tapped the place next to him, and she walked over and sat with her hands in her lap.

  “Look, if you’re going to explain a bunch of rules and limits, just save your breath. I’m down for anything, as long as its protected and you back off when I say so.” She unbuttoned her jacket, and it fell away from her shoulders taking what he’d thought was a blouse with it until she was left in her tight pants and black bra.

  “I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but I’m a detective. I’m here to ask you about Finn Wheeler.”

  She stood and snatched up her clothing. “I told him I didn’t need this shit.” She shook her head, clearly aggravated by Darek leading her on. “If his wife or girlfriend or whoever that frigid bitch is put you up to this, you can save it. I’m no longer seeing him, and he’s gone back to LA where I’m sure he’s got a family and big dreams.”

  Darek could tell she was about to bail. He got to his feet and grabbed her hand. “No, Raven. That’s not it at all.” He searched her eyes and realized she didn’t know Finn had been found murdered.

  “Well, I don’t know what kind of scandal he’s mixed up in, but everything we’ve done together is perfectly legal and consensual.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it was, but he’s dead, Raven.” He hated to be so harsh, but he couldn’t take any more of her assumptions and was afraid that her temper would escalate. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to think something weird was going on here.”

  Raven stared at the floor as her hands started to tremble. She looked up and wiped her eyes, trying to put on a brave front. “What happened?”

  “I hope you can help me figure that out.”

  Raven walked over and sat beside him, still staring at the floor. “I met him here. We had a good time, a lot of good times, and then his wife caught us.” She let out a long sigh.

  “He wasn’t married, but he did live with her. She’s also pregnant with his child.”

  She covered her mouth, and Darek could imagine the sympathy she had for the other woman by the look in her eyes. “Oh, I see. And how did it happen? A wreck? Suicide?”

  Darek tried to be considerate, but facts were facts and often ugly. “He was shot in the head and dumped in the river.”

  “Holy shit, you don’t think I did it, do you?” She held her hand to her chest, her eyes wide with fear.

  “No, I don’t. If I did, I would have already dragged you out of here in cuffs. But I need to know if you might know who did do it. I have a feeling you spent a lot of time with him during his trip here.”

  “Yeah. Mostly at his hotel. We did come here, though.”

  Darek wondered what and who they’d done. “Could you tell me about that; who you met? Anyone that might have stood out as a friend of his.” He was hoping she’d pinpoint Bay but had a feeling if Bay was responsible, he wouldn’t have led him straight to her.

  “The ones who stuck out to me all had a VIP band like yours. Well, except for their women.”

  “There were many?”

  “Telling you this could get me banned from here.” She wiped her tear-stained cheek and wiped her eyes in a careful way as not to affect her makeup. “I can’t believe this.” She took a deep breath.

  “Just take your time, Raven. I’ve got all night if we need it.”

  “This isn’t the way I wanted to spend the night with you.” She seemed a little embarrassed. “You don’t have a wife and family to get home to?”

  “No, actually I don’t.” He didn’t bother telling her about Lizzy because he wanted to get on with the questioning.

  She angled toward him and took another cleansing breath to calm her tears. “Finn had a band, and— well, I know Bay Collins tries to keep a low profile as the owner, but he was one of Finn’s friends. There was also another man named Seth.”

  “Seth Stone?”

  “I guess. I didn’t ask the last name, but he had a wife named Kari. I had sex with them.”

  Darek’s brows rose. “You did that while Finn watched or something?”

  “Finn was with Bay and his wife.” Raven spoke so matter-of-factly that she seemed startled when Darek belted a laugh.

  A mental image had formed of the three men and their orgy. “Sorry, it’s just, I—never mind. Without making me lose my dinner, is there anything else you can tell me about that? Was anything said before or after?”

  Raven placed her hand on his leg. “Bay and his wife dipped out early, and the four of us finished up together. They invited us to play again. But the other man seemed interested in Finn. He said he wished that Finn could have played that night, but they had to leave.”

  “What do you mean by interested? Like sexually? In Finn?” Darek’s mind was blown, and he eased back against the wall
and wondered what had happened to his world. It was suddenly off its axis.

  “Yeah, he said something about the two of them and a shower story. Something that had happened between them I’m certain. I just don’t know what. But they wanted to show the wife because Seth said it turned her on to hear the old stories. They made plans to get together to do just that.”

  Darek still couldn’t believe it. “Are you shitting me?”

  Raven seemed lost. “You asked me what happened. I’m telling you.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just, I’m having a hard time imagining two men.” He was also certain why Seth had lied to him. He didn’t want to be caught up in any kind of sex scandal with a man, especially a dead one.

  “We could walk down to a voyeur room if you need a visual.”

  “No thanks. I’m good.”

  She moved closer to him. “What turns you on? Surely you have something that’s a little quirky about your sex life.”

  “I like a little bondage now and then, but I’m not into any heavy lifestyles. I don’t see how people can get off on pain.” He thought about the sex shops he’d been to, the shit they sold and how some of it seemed like torture devices. The sounding rods that men inserted; he cringed just thinking about it.

  “It’s not my favorite, but unless you’ve tried it, I wouldn’t knock it.”

  “Did any of these men use pain or aggression?” He already had all he needed from her, but he hated to rush off, and anything else she could give would only incriminate Seth more. Bay hadn’t wanted to give the man over and was always protecting his precious Zodiacs. Unless Darek was completely wrong, and Bay was using Seth as a scapegoat. Either way, he was sure they were both keeping secrets.

  Raven licked her lips. “Nothing more than hard, deep fucking.” Darek noticed that her eyes were dry, and she had leaned in a lot closer. She couldn’t help but be sexy, the words rolling off her lips like she was unashamed. “It was nice. Have you ever been in an orgy?”

  “No.”

  Her legs scissored, and the air in the room seemed to change between them as she grew more seductive. “Aren’t you the least bit curious? Have you watched one?”

  Darek shrugged. “Every man has watched porn, right? I suppose that makes me curious.”

  “Did you touch yourself as you watched?” Her hand slid down and rubbed between her legs.

  Darek was strangely turned on by her audacity. “Yes.”

  She took his hand and placed it in his lap, flat against his stiff cock. “Did you come?”

  He sucked a breath in between his teeth as her hand encouraged him. Was he going to do this? He sure as fuck wanted to. Lizzy had avoided him all week, and with him calling the shots with his VIP band, he could have it any way he wanted it. Why not take advantage?

  He was just about to excuse himself from the room when Raven smiled big and rose up to her knees. “Finn loved this room. Want to see why?” She got up on her knees and pushed a button on the wall beside them, and all of a sudden, the lights went off in the room. Before he could react, the wall opened up, revealing a foursome on the other side of the glass. “We would watch and play. It was such a turn on.” He felt her hand move against his cock, and through his pants, she stroked him while he watched the men and women fuck next door.

  He had to get the hell out of there, but it was hard to turn away and make it all stop.

  17

  Seth

  The sun shone through the window of Seth’s kitchen as he sipped his juice, but even though the morning was going along pleasantly, as every Sunday morning should, a dark cloud quickly rolled in with one ring from his phone.

  He took a bite of his perfectly buttered toast and glanced up at Kari, who was sitting across from him before answering. “I told you not to rush me, Bay.”

  “Rush you? You’ve got a lot of nerve.” Bay’s laughter didn’t fade in the least and that put Seth on edge. “I just thought you’d want to know I had a visitor in the club last night.”

  “If it was that blue-haired bitch, I don’t care.” His tone was so harsh that Kari looked up from her phone. He pushed his chair out and took the call out the back door where the sun could warm his cheeks and cool his temper.

  “No, but funny you should mention her. Darek seemed impressed. He stayed locked away with her for quite a while, and I’m not sure that all he did was interrogate her, if you know what I mean.”

  “You’re awfully perky this morning. You really do get your jollies off the misery of others, don’t you?”

  “Are you miserable, my friend? I had no idea. But I have a feeling you will be soon enough. I mean, with Darek on the trail to find out what happened to Finn, it’s not going to look too good when Raven tells him all about the little hook up you had together.”

  “For a man who owns a club that survives on discretion, you certainly think you know a lot about what goes on behind closed doors. I shared my wife with the man.”

  “Ha! You shared something with him, and I know what. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Seth, and just like your old man, you like men. I’m sure your friend told Darek all about it. It wouldn’t be good to have something like that hanging over your head.”

  “That’s so absurd. But even if I did, my father was good about hiding his indiscretions, and I will be too.” He had already thought of how anything Bay shared would ruin his reputation as well.

  “I’ll give you half of my original offer, and that’s being generous, considering I don’t have to give you shit.”

  “You’ve gone to fifty grand awfully fast, Bay. I guess you think you have something on me. But dead men tell no tales, and not many people are going to take the word of a slut over mine. I’m a well-respected man, and I can make her look like a money-hungry whore. And you should think a little more of your own reputation.”

  “I thought you’d think that way.” There was a sound of notification through Seth’s phone, and he glanced down to see that Bay had sent a message.

  “What’s that?”

  “Call it insurance on my offer if you want.”

  Seth laughed nervously, his hands shaking. “Are you blackmailing me for a piece of land I care very little about?” He could kick himself for not listening to Lane sooner and making a quick, clean offer.

  “For someone who doesn’t care, you sure do act as if you do. Aren’t you at least curious about what I sent?”

  His curiosity was burning in him, but he didn’t want it to show. “How do you know I haven’t looked and am not fazed.”

  “Oh, you’ll be fazed. I believe the cool kids are calling it triggered these days. Go on, give it a look. There’s a lot more where that came from.” Bay’s tone was enough to make Seth want to punch him in the teeth. He’d always been so fucking smug when they’d go back and forth like this, but this time, there was a sure confidence that had Seth rattled.

  Seth held his phone away and glanced at the text. It was a picture of him and Finn, a still shot of Finn throat deep as Kari watched with a huge grin on her face. His pulse raced, his heart beating so loudly it throbbed in his ears. There had been a camera on them the entire time.

  An image like that, not to mention a sex tape, could ruin more than just his political aspirations before he got them off the ground. He could lose his job, his wife, Gretta, and anything else her father decided to take from him. Bay had him in a corner.

  “I’ll sign the land over to you as soon as I can get the papers drawn up. You win, Bay.”

  Bay’s laughter sent anger pulsing through him. “Is that what you think this is about?”

  Seth’s jaw cracked from clenching his teeth so hard. “What do you want then, Bay?”

  “I told you. I’ll pay you the fifty grand. I’ll even throw Alan his bone as promised, and then we can all go on with our lives.”

  Seth couldn’t believe the fucker had got to him. If Finn weren’t dead, he’d kill him. “Yeah, right. I don’t buy it. You didn’t go through the trouble of showing
me this and telling me about that fucking woman to just let it all go.” Bay always had deeper motives if he showed them or not.

  “Smart man. Of course not. I like having leverage over you, Seth. This way, when I call, I get what I want. With you growing your influence, I’m sure there will come a time when I need your help. This only assures that I get it. As for the why, I never show all of my hand.”

  Seth raked his hand through his hair and turned to see where Kari was. She sat at the table with her head down and her eyes on the phone. By the stiffness of her back and the slight turn of her head, he was sure that she had been listening to his side of the conversation. “What if I don’t want to play your games, Bay? I’m trying to start a family. I was trying to wash my hands of you and your clique so I can have my own life and dreams.”

  “And I sometimes need leverage so I can have mine as well. Look, I’m not going to say a word if you play your cards right. Go on with your happy life, your campaign. The better you do, the more useful you are to me.”

  The phone shook against his face as his hands trembled. “You’re a fucking leech.”

  “Am I? Is that why all the Zodiacs come to me for handouts? I’ve given all I intend to. I’ve got my own family to think about, as you know, and with this fucking lunatic out there threatening our peace, I needed to arrange things in my favor. Now, someone shot poor Finn. You and I were both some of the last to see him. I wasn’t the one fucking him though, so who do you think the police will be more concerned with when that bitch starts talking?”

  Seth wished he could change his past. He felt his breakfast threatening to come up just thinking that he could be a suspect in a murder investigation.

  “I didn’t shoot anyone. I couldn’t hurt a fly.” But just then, he remembered something. Something that was undeniable. “Finn was alive when I left. His time of death will reflect that.”

  “It won’t matter, silly. You’re going to be under suspicion. That is, unless I call Darek off. Tell him that he should let it be. He’s in my control, you know? I know all of his moves, which is how I knew he’d come looking for Raven.”