A Little Band of Red

by Lily Freeman

  “This wasn’t her idea, Sir. I made her come. If she left tonight, upset or … I’m sorry. I honestly don’t know if she’ll want to come back. But I’ll try. She’s had a rough time lately and she could do with a distraction.”

  The floor dropped out from under Luke, his heartbeat grinding to a standstill. She didn’t want to be here? He’d never seen someone so perfectly attuned to being submissive. How could she not recognise that? Or was he simply tainting the truth, seeing what he wanted to see? And what did she mean by rough time? If someone had hurt her, he’d fucking—he’d fucking nothing. He was a stranger to her, apparently just a distraction.

  To say he felt cold after that little revelation was an understatement. Empty would have described the feeling more accurately, bereft even. Yes, it was dramatic, but Luke had never denied his emotions, it was just that up until a week ago, he’d never really had any.

  “Thank you, India. I really appreciate it. She was beautiful, she really was and I’d love to see her again. Will you let her know that I’m truly sorry if anything I did upset her? If we could just talk.”

  “I’ll do my best to get her back on Monday, Sir.”

  “Thank you.” Turning before she saw the desolation in his face, Luke headed for Gabe’s office. It wasn’t something he did often, but he really just needed to work this through, clear his head and figure out what the fuck he was going to do to get her back. She was everything he could ever want and he was everything she could ever need. To him, they were a perfect match.

  Chapter 8

  It was a quiet knock that woke PJ, pulling her out of a dream she’d quite happily have stayed in. Instead she climbed out of bed. Muscles that she’d never acknowledged before started screaming in protest. Up her back, down her thighs, her ass. Jesus, her ass was throbbing with a dull ache and her skin felt tight and tender, but it was the subtle twinge inside that had her breath catching. She’d come so hard and so often last night that she’d pulled something, she was sure of it. How fucking embarrassing.

  “PJ, open the door. Now!”

  Ah, India, first thing on a Sunday morning. Despite her current state of emotional chaos, PJ smiled, only for a second because that hurt too.

  “I’m coming.” If she had a dollar for every time she’d said that in the last twelve hours, she’d have an extra four dollars, which didn’t seem much, but fuck, those orgasms had been life changing, for a brief time anyway. As she grabbed her dressing gown, PJ spotted her phone, the battery lying several inches from the case. Had she really been that upset last night? Yes, she had. When her phone had started ringing in the cab she’d turned it off, not even bothering to check who it was. Now with her clearly panicked friend at the door, she realised she may have been a bit hasty.

  A coffee was pressed into PJ’s hand as soon as she got the door open, which she accepted gratefully.

  “Thank fuck. I don’t mean to get stroppy, but bloody hell, PJ, do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? Where’s your phone?”

  Indy grabbed her, hauling her into a hug. As sad as it was, PJ grabbed her back, coffee and all because it had been a long time since she’d had that kind of contact with another person, and this morning, now that her head had cleared and the memories were back, she needed it.

  “I’m sorry. Things just went … really, really wrong. I had to leave.”

  Without unwrapping her arms, Indy led her over to the bed, sitting her down.

  “What happened? What did he do?”

  He, Master Luke, the man who had charmed her into a pair of leather cuffs, seduced her into a spanking and then punished her with the most intense sexual pleasure she was ever likely to experience, all the while lavishing her with compliments and kisses. He had been incredible and then, he hadn’t.

  PJ was by no means a shallow person. She didn’t make preconceived judgements of people and she always looked for the good, but facts were facts. She’d known him for two hours, three at the most. Sasha had known him for years, the other subs too. They knew the real man, the one who was apparently cold and brutal. A shudder ran through her at the thought, her coffee spilling down the side of her cup.

  “It’s not what he did, Indy, it’s what he’s capable of doing.”

  “I heard, Babe. He cornered me in the foyer when you never came back, he was so worried. I really felt for the guy because he looked utterly devastated. So I went back into the club to find Ash and say goodbye when a group of members came over. They’d seen me leave with him and were worried.”

  Indy’s long slender fingers played over her cup, pressing against the plastic lid. “He likes to hurt people, PJ, a lot. He’s known for spending hours torturing his subs. He whips them until they bleed. Apparently he’s the one that all the other sadists look up to, the best in the scene. None of them could believe he’d taken you.”

  PJ raised a brow just as her stomach heaved. “I looked cute in that dress thank you, Miss Ross. You said so yourself.”

  “That’s not what I meant and yes, you looked fucking gorgeous, but from what they said he doesn’t play, and I use that term loosely, with anyone who hasn’t been in the scene for years and who isn’t a hard core masochist. Fuck, PJ, the man sounds like a nutjob. Did he hurt you?”

  PJ fumbled with her cup, lifting the lid to release some of the heat. “No, not really. I mean he spanked me, but it was pretty fucking sexy and then he used a crop which bloody hurt, but only because he was hitting my …” She stopped, taking a second to deal with the flush of mortifying embarrassment that had just swept up her body.

  “Your what?”

  “I’m only going to say this once and there’ll be no question and answer time afterwards, agreed?”

  Indy pouted. “That’s not fair. I’m living vicariously through you right now. I feel like you’re sabotaging my experience.”

  “You want to know or not?”

  Her pout turned into a frown, but it was cute, PJ would give her that.

  “Fine, but you’re a bad friend.”

  “I’m the bad friend? You practically set me up with the devil and then smiled when he dragged me away.”

  “Yeah, okay. You’re not so bad. So what did he do?”

  Taking a breath, PJ felt the heat in her cheeks deepen. “He hit my clit with the crop just as I was coming many, many times and it fucking hurt, but only because it made the sensation so much stronger. I think I’ve pulled several internal muscles.”

  “So he didn’t hurt you … hurt you.”

  “No, he was really, I don’t know … considerate and gentle almost. Every time I got scared he held me and kissed me, told me I was perfect and then he’d start again. I felt safe with him, Indy. I felt like I was important to him.”

  It was a long time before Indy responded and when she did, she was unusually sombre. “He wants you, PJ, for whatever reason, he wants you. He practically begged me to get you to come back to the club on Monday so he can talk to you.”

  “What?!”

  When PJ had climbed into bed last night after downing three aspirin, it had taken her hours to stop trembling. She just couldn’t believe that she’d willingly let a sadist restrain her in a room with the door shut. Every time she closed her eyes she’d seen that other woman bound to the cross, heard her scream. Would anyone have been able to hear her screams if Master Luke had taken to her with a whip or a cane? Would they have cared or would they have simply assumed he was doing what he did best? The idea had left her feeling so nauseated, and stupid of all things, that she’d allowed herself to be seduced into such a dangerous position. But it wouldn’t happen again, not after the facts had been so clearly spelt out to her.

  “There’s no way, Indy. It’s just not for me.”

  “What about Adam? Aren’t you even a little bit curious to see if there’s anything there?”

  Oh, that was low. Indy knew PJ had spent all week dreaming about the ‘what if’s’ of that scenario.

  “No, I’m done and let’s be honest. If
Master Luke wants whatever the hell he wants, do you really think he’s going to sit back and let me get up close and personal with another man? I wouldn’t want to anyway. I’ve said all along, the idea of being passed around makes me feel like a total slut. It’s really not the look I’m going for in my new life.”

  Indy took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I totally get it and I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to have to deal with that man again either. There’s something about him, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s there, just behind his eyes.”

  His eyes, the beautiful blue ones that had watched every little move PJ made. She’d seen something behind them too, a heat, passion, a longing that had matched her own. Perhaps that had been the problem, deep down she was longing for something. It just wasn’t the something that Master Luke could give her.

  Several hours later, PJ sat in her regular booth at Starbucks after spending the afternoon discussing India’s time at Bond Street. Unlike PJ’s evening, Indy had remained in the main bar where she’d met some of the Doms and watched some scenes, all the while avoiding the attention of one particular man. From what PJ could tell, the infallible Miss Ross was starting to feel very uncomfortable around Master Trey, but she’d enjoyed herself and PJ was genuinely happy for her.

  With strict instructions to put her phone back together and call if she needed to, PJ left India and wandered home. The light drizzle that had settled in hours earlier was now a torrential downpour, not that she cared, she was heading straight for the bath anyway.

  As she entered the courtyard, sheets of rain cut through the lights outside the pub, but it was the other lights that caught her attention, her neighbor’s lights. The warehouse was lit up like she’d never seen it before. Standing, staring, PJ found herself oddly fascinated by the idea of Mika and his mysterious lover being home. Would she be blonde, brunette? Tall or short? She’d be gorgeous, PJ knew that for a fact because Mika was.

  A shadow moved past the window, causing her to step back. The last thing she wanted before having a chance to meet her new neighbors, was for them to think she was some kind of weird stalker. Technically, standing outside in the dark watching through their window, meant she was. As she turned, about to head for the safety of the pub, something scurried off down the alley. That she could hear it over the endless drone of the rain had her taking a step forward, even as her inner voice screamed that it was a very, very bad idea. As she moved into the darkness, she had to wonder where the fuck those little words of wisdom had been last night.

  Chapter 9

  “Dolcezza. Dolcezza … Elliot?”

  Turning from the window Elliot Savchenko glanced over at his partner. Standing in the kitchen, Mika was staring at him, an amused smirk plastered across his face. “I said she’s done a great job, si?”

  “Yeah.”

  They’d both been surprised when their cab had pulled up to find the exterior of the warehouse looking immaculate with its new pointing and steel balcony. With his curiosity tweaked Mika had headed straight past their door and on to their new neighbor’s, Elliot following reluctantly behind.

  Her door had been open, a light on, but after several loud knocks it was obvious that Miss Lester wasn’t in. Elliot honestly hadn’t known what to expect when they’d returned home. Part of him still resented the thought of sharing their building with someone else, although Mika had been right, they were never going to use the space and at some point it was going to need maintenance and money, lots and lots of money. As he’d stood looking into what had been a cold, damp empty shell, it was clear that’s exactly what had been spent; the room in front of him was spectacular.

  Dirty, crumbling bricks were now smooth walls; rendered and painted a soft muted cream. It was a perfect contrast to the highly polished floors, but it was the other features that had him gazing around with an odd sense of wonder.

  A stunning wooden staircase divided the room directly in front of them; behind it was a gleaming chrome and granite kitchen. Above the kitchen, under the pitched roof that had always intrigued him was a mezzanine floor, cantilevering out over what had to be the lounge. It was breathtaking and it was someone else’s. Grabbing his naturally inquisitive partner before he invaded her privacy any further, they’d headed home, unpacked and had dinner.

  Now as he stood staring out into the night, he was still thinking about the absolutely ingenious design when a woman entered the courtyard, walking slowly before she came to an abrupt stop at end by the alley. Even wrapped in a full-length coat he could see how tiny she was, but that wasn’t what had him leaning forward. No, it was the fact that she was standing dead still, in the pouring rain. There was simply no reason for it, unless—“Is that her?”

  Mika’s warm hand touched Elliot’s back for a second, before he too leaned forward.

  “Yep, that’s her. You want coffee?”

  “Yeah, why not?”

  Pressing a kiss against Elliot’s neck, Mika nuzzled him, stubble scraping back and forth. “You smell like summer, Dolcezza, I should take you home more often.”

  After a sharp nip of teeth and one more kiss, Mika left him to once again stare out the window at their apparently perfect on paper neighbor while she got fucking drenched.

  “Why?” His question was drowned out by the loud hiss of the coffee machine, but the same niggling doubt, the same lingering unease he’d felt when Mika had pushed him to sell the warehouse came storming back.

  “Are you sure she didn’t seem, I don’t know—oh, she’s moving.” Elliot pressed his forehead hard against the glass, he could just see her crouching between the wall and the rubbish skip. “Mental, did she seem mental? What the fuck is she doing?”

  “Ah, Christ.” A huge raindrop plunged right down PJ’s neck as she crept further along the wall, following the scuffles that one by one, were confirming what she already suspected. The stray dog she’d been searching for all week was cornered behind the skip. She could hear its short, raspy breaths, huffing out in random bursts. It was clearly petrified, but this was the closest she’d ever gotten and she sure as hell wasn’t about to give up now.

  “Shh doggy, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  She was answered with a growl, low and pathetically small, but it was what followed that had her crawling forward. The whimper coming from the little dog was beyond tragic. “Ahh, Sweetie, please don’t, you’re breaking my heart.”

  Pressing her shoulder hard into the wall, PJ peered around the side until she got her first real glimpse of what was huddled behind it. Wedged tightly in the corner, the dog was watching her, its jaw flat to the ground, its petrified gaze locked on her hand as she edged closer. Her face was right under a leaking pipe. As the drips fell she waited, her heart pounding loudly in her ears, but not loud enough to block out the horrendous rasp of the dog’s whine, and that’s when PJ saw the angle of its mouth, the bottom part veering off to the side.

  Although she had no experience with animals, small children or any accident prone demographic, she had enough intelligence to know that it’s jaw was broken or at least dislocated. Which meant it would die if she didn’t catch it, slowly and alone. But PJ wasn’t going to let that happen, even if she had to spend all night in the rain behind a skip, cooing to the helpless, little creature that had just stolen her heart.

  “Where is she?” Nudging Elliot out of the way, Mika passed him his coffee then maneuvered himself against the window.

  Being several inches taller, Elliot could still see, but the soft dark hair in front of him was a distraction he couldn’t resist.

  “Over there, right under the window beside the skip.” Burying his fingers in the silky strands he tugged gently, just because he could.

  “Hmmm.”

  Mika’s moan shot straight through him. That slight edge of submission tainted with defiance had Elliot’s hand clenching around his coffee cup.

  “Where’s her arm? And why’s her leg—is she trying to climb behind it?”

  Ellio
t leaned closer, caging Mika in. “Maybe she lost something, like her sanity? Who the hell is moving in next door, Dusha?”

  “A very nice woman. Oh, whatever it is, she’s got it.

  “Let’s see.”

  Ducking out of the way, Mika tapped the glass. “There, against the wall.”

  Elliot spotted her, huddled on the ground with her arms wrapped tightly across her chest, slowly rocking back and forth. For a long time as they watched, she stayed that way before she abruptly stood up, visibly unsteady as she stumbled back out of the alley.

  Shoving his cup into Mika’s hand Elliot strode across the lounge, out the door and down the hallway. He didn’t know the woman, had never seen her before tonight, but her actions over the last ten minutes had him seriously concerned. It was for this exact reason he’d fought against selling the warehouse for so long. If the wrong person moved in, they’d be moving not just into the building, but Elliot and Mika’s lives.

  Leaning back against the door he waited, his heart pounding the five beats it would take for her to get to the end of the alley before he grabbed the door handle, and with far more force than necessary, yanked it open.

  She stood just under the security light, her frantic eyes meeting his as water poured down her face. There was hair everywhere, wet, long and impossibly curly, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the warm golden stare that was fixed on him. That was until he noticed her lips, pink and plump, trembling as they parted slowly, her tongue sneaking out to catch a drop that had fallen from her nose. Even from ten feet away he could see the soft flush of her cheeks; her pale skin beautifully clear and smooth under the fine sheen of moisture.

  Time seemed to slow, for Elliot anyway, for her? Probably not as she stood in the rain, her hand reaching up to wipe the steady trickle of water from her eyes. But as one hand moved, so too did the other, fumbling, grabbing, frantically reaching across the front of her coat. Tiny paws appeared, clambering over her arm then as they both watched, whatever little creature she’d caught plummeted to the ground with a piercing yelp.