by Lora Ann
As Alex and I walked to our cars, he affirmed, “When you’re ready to talk about whoever she is, E, I’ll be here to listen.”
“Fuck you,” I said without heat as I climbed into my Veyron Bugatti.
He grinned and smacked the roof of my car before I drove off.
I had no idea how to get the woman out of my system, but I had no intentions of giving in—yet. I found myself at my club in downtown San Fran. Yeah, maybe what I needed was to get laid. With that, I strode with purpose into the club bypassing the main floor. Nah, I needed something rough and knew just who could satisfy all of my power hungry demands.
I rapped on the door twice before it opened. She hit her knees instantly and stared at the floor. When I stroked her head, she purred, “I’ve missed you, Master.” I back kicked the door closed as I grabbed her hair in my fist and yanked so her eyes met mine. “I’m glad to hear that. This will be a night you won’t forget any time soon.”
Chapter One
Lacey
With no clue on how to accomplish my agenda, I went with what I knew, dancing. After walking away from a full scholarship at UC Berkeley to find my wayward sister, I found myself up in Lake Tahoe working at a top-notch night club. This had been the last area my twin, Keeley, was spotted in. Didn’t surprise me, with the drug traffic up here in the Sierras she would absolutely be casing the area for her next high and sugar daddy to keep her supplied. No, she wasn’t my responsibility; nonetheless I felt responsible for her—always had, actually. Since our parents had put their proverbial foot down and came to the conclusion “tough love”—more like no love—was the answer to Keeley’s alcohol and drug abuse, I had been desperately searching for her. My hope was she hadn’t gone and done something totally stupid, like get herself thrown in jail, or, worse, contract a disease that would slowly eat away at her from the inside out. Last time I’d seen her she hadn’t fallen too far, yet. The fear she would slip completely out of my grasp was always with me. Partly because I knew not all of it was her fault. No, that was neither an excuse for her behavior nor her choices. Though it did help put pieces together of how she got here. The unfortunate truth was, only I knew. Well, the asshole who brought on the trauma was aware of what he had done to her, but not how that incident had sent her spiraling out of control. So now it was up to me: find her, get her clean, acquire help for her, and to do everything in my power to save my sister from herself. Tall order, indeed.
For all intents and purposes, Keeley had stayed in the upper-class circles of trouble. Rich kids bored out of their flippin’ mind chasing the next newest and greatest because they could. Yes, we came from an affluent family. Our father, a commercial real estate developer—which made him a multi-millionaire—sat on city council and the board for a mega-church in Southern California, alongside our mother, a trust fund heiress. As you can imagine, having a daughter with a drug addiction didn’t go over very well at home. Understatement of the century! How did a good girl fall? How did anyone? We were all more than capable of royally screwing up. Matter of fact, most did on a daily basis. See, there lay my problem with Mom and Dad. They refused to listen or try to understand just what had happened to Keeley. Instead…they accused, pointed fingers, and kicked her out. While I’m an advocate for drawing a line in the sand, there was too much behind the scenes to ignore. Not that I blamed them, how could they help if they weren’t aware in the first place. Definitely a rock and a hard place. That was why I began my mission to find her. Keeley needed help, and quickly, before the bottom fell out from under her and we couldn’t get her back.
Somehow I had been able to track her for the last six months. But her trail ran cold once I arrived at the lake. Truth, I was out of options and had nowhere else to turn. After the first month, I quit updating our parents. Far too painful for everyone, especially me. I couldn’t handle the sternness behind my father’s words or the heartbreak in my mother’s voice. It was too much. Besides, my focus had to be on Keeley. I couldn’t afford to miss one clue. This was a race for her life, and I had no intentions of losing her—ever.
*****
The club I worked in was high-class to the extreme. Although I hated to admit it, she was nowhere around this kind of money. It was the kind of place she started hanging out in, but not any longer. I had known that a couple of months ago. Her standards were falling as quickly as she was. Before too long she would be on the streets, if she wasn’t already. Crap, I had hit a dead end and didn’t know where else to go. So I stayed on here as one of their dancers, hoping, beyond hope, I would get a lead. No such luck.
I was practicing for that night’s routine, before the club opened, when my eyes met his. I almost stopped then and there. Never had I seen such masculine perfection. His dark Armani suit fit him like a glove. He wore control and power like most men wore aftershave. My head screamed, “Danger!!” But my body wouldn’t listen. Drawn to him like a magnet, I danced for his eyes only. I was lost in his heated gaze as he glided toward the stage. In that moment I knew, I would give him everything he demanded, and more. Which that right there said something about the hold he already had over me, for I was innocent. Never had I wanted a man. I thought desire had skipped over me. Sure, I had kissed a boy or two, and held hands before. Nothing more because I hadn’t ever had the yearning to get involved any further. Until now. Without a touch of his hands on my body or his lips on mine, I needed him inside me. And that scared the ever-loving daylights out of me.
The man controlled me with just a look. What was he capable of if I let him any closer? Those eyes were sin incarnate, silver with a dark blue ring around the irises and lashes that curled up to reach his arched brows. His nose was slightly crooked, as if it had been broken at least once. That kept him from being too perfect, though. He had a wide mouth with luscious lips. And when his pink tongue darted out, there was no mistaking the promise he vowed: I will bring you nothing but pleasure. Yes, please. His light blond—not quite platinum, there was a little gold to it—hair brushed along his square jaw, accentuating a sexy cleft in his chin. As if that weren’t enough, his body was a powerhouse: broad shoulders, narrow hips, long muscled legs on a tall frame. I had never experienced the ecstasy of an orgasm, but this man could make a woman moan in pleasure with his presence alone. A part of me was relieved when the other girls joined me on stage. Another part was downright disappointed. When he strode out the door, I wanted to go after him. What the?! It was for the best he left, because I would’ve given myself to him with no hesitation. He knew it, too. Arrogant ass!
*****
After spending nearly a month in Lake Tahoe, it became clear Keeley’s trail had gone dry. Strange that had never happened before. It was as if she had been taken without a trace. My twin instincts told me she wasn’t dead—ice filled my veins at the possibility—yet I couldn’t seem to find anything or anyone who could tell me where she had gone. She had vanished. Without any more to go on, I slowly realized it might be time to head home. My mind was made up; I would resign after my shift that night and go back down south. Then, I was offered an opportunity I couldn’t resist. Another club owned by the same people—I honestly didn’t know who owned the place—needed some dancers in San Francisco. I took the offer. I needed out of the mountains not just because Keeley was nowhere to be found here, but also due to the fact I couldn’t get that man from a few weeks ago out of my head. My hope was, once I left the area, my desire would leave as well. I thought of him all the time. Woke up hot and wet every morning with a longing that scared me. No one should have such control over another. Yeah, it was time to close this chapter and move on. Besides, I couldn’t afford to get involved in a relationship right now. Nothing could distract me from finding Keeley. And I’m no fool, that man would be all distraction. Plus pleasure. Yeah, like I would know what to do with that!
*****
The city was so beautiful. I figured it was best to check into my extended stay hotel before I went to the club. Once I was settled, I found directions and
headed out. Hopeful that maybe, just maybe, I could find something on Keeley since she had been there once before.
The nightclub was located on a street full of baroque architecture. The theme continued inside with gold and crystal chandeliers and shades of burgundy on the walls and furnishings, giving you a mansion feel instead of an upscale bar. The one up at the lake had been more contemporary. One thing was for sure, whoever owned these places had eclectic taste. After the grand tour—exception had been the lower level, no admittance without a formal invitation from either the owner or a member—I began to learn the routine with the girls I was dancing with that night. Once I had the steps down, I grabbed a quick bite in the dressing room before donning my risqué attire. My father would have a coronary if he ever saw me in such an outfit. Honestly, I felt sexy. Whether it was the atmosphere or the clothes, I wasn’t sure.
Not one for mingling with the customers, I chose to hang out in the back and observe. None of these girls were strippers or prostitutes, just dancers like me. Problem with that, I needed to be around seedier people if I was going to gather any information on Keeley. Perhaps I could moonlight at a strip club. The thought made me sick to my stomach, but what choice did I really have?
Stella pulled me from my dark musings. “Ready for your big debut, hon?”
I ran my hands over my revealing costume and chortled, “It’s not as if some big wig will be watching us.”
Her lips pursed. “That’s where you’re wrong. The big man himself is in the house.”
My brow arched. “Come again.”
This time she laughed, “The owner, silly. Now…let’s go.” As she walked towards the door, she advised, “Don’t forget to put a little extra sway to that beautiful booty of yours.”
I smiled, “Will do.”
We were dancing to Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” when I felt a heated gaze on my derriere. I peeked over my shoulder and damn near lost my footing. I knew those eyes. Mr. Control sat there watching my every move. With each swing of my hips, his eyes darkened. The look was so scorching I could’ve come if I had been able to hold his regard. Never had I felt so desired. Something inside told me, you will be his by the end of this night. No! I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t. Surprised when he stood abruptly, breaking eye contact, and—like before—exited the establishment with purposeful strides. I had no idea who the man was, but I did know it was in my best interest to steer clear of him. These chance encounters were just that, coincidence. We wouldn’t run into each other again. For whatever reason, the thought made me feel empty inside. So strange. His identity was a mystery to me, and we had never spoken. How could I possibly miss him? Well, I was better off that he had left without a word. While I knew it, I couldn’t quite shake the intuition: He would be back, and I was his to claim.
Chapter Two
E
I sat in the back of the club pouring myself another shot of my favorite vodka, Grey Goose. Sure the dancers were pretty, but then again, they all looked the same to my jaded eyes. I normally didn’t pay them any attention—couldn’t care less, actually, as long as they could dance. The only thing I was a true stickler on was that. I only wanted professionals for any of my clubs. This one was no different than the dozens of others I owned across the country, and I did have four overseas now. Lucrative business I was in. No, they were not strip clubs. Unless that’s what was wanted on a private level, then by all means, she or sometimes he could take it all off. There were even pros in the field who would teach them exactly how to disrobe sensually. Sex paid, and it paid well.
I wasn’t running a prostitution ring, either. Well, I did own a very legal brothel in Nevada. No, what I owned and operated was considered a lot more complex than sex for hire. BDSM was not something one took lightly. It wasn’t a recreational sport. The lifestyle was tight-knit and heavily protected by us all. A Dom/sub relationship was delicate and you didn’t mess with it. Unless you’d come to me, I happily taught both parties how to be successful in whichever role they preferred. Long time ago, I’d established myself as the Master. All these years later, I was still called upon to help create scenes and navigate couples in their ways of play. How to make everything work best for those involved.
Problem I was having at the moment, I no longer enjoyed it. Yes, I still needed control, and I loved the kinkier side of fucking. That was not my issue. After spending time with my oldest brother, Nik, and his gorgeous wife, Aimee, I was coming to realize why I had been so damned edgy for the past year. I wanted something more. Which that right there, thoroughly pissed me off. There was no time for love or lasting relationships in my life—at least not with women. My brothers always came first; we were all we had left of our family.
We were all hyperaware of the danger my new sister-in-law was in. Nik was beside himself with worry. Rightly so. We were all waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. So, no, I didn’t have time for hearts and flowers or anything in between. My engagements took me all over the country. I had learned long ago that I could stay at street level with my proclivities, or I could move up in the world. The rich and powerful paid better and I liked nice things. No brainer.
See, U.S. Senator Caleb Reynolds was obsessed with my new sister. He had fallen for her back when she was a high-priced call girl. He went from client to boyfriend, and from there tried to be her husband. Yeah, that didn’t work out too well for him. Aimee wanted nothing to do with the prick and put her little foot down, flat out denying him. He, of course, found a way to blackmail her, which theoretically bent her to his will for all of thirty minutes. That was when Nik saved the day. The short version, Nik and Aimee fell in love. Bad thing, Reynolds was still jonesing for Aimee. And this was the reason I now sat in my San Fran club. Nik would be leaving town the next morning. Alex was following some lead that he couldn’t discuss, at the moment, up in Lake Tahoe. Subsequently, I had been assigned Aimee detail. Not that I would ever tell her that. Hell no! My beautiful sis would put her five inch boot up my ass before I could get a head start.
As I contemplated the clusterfuck my family was in with Reynolds, my eyes were drawn to the stage. What the hell. Was the svelte body moving up there the same woman from the lake? Fuck me. I was hard and growing harder with each move she made. That never happened to me. My dick could lay flaccid as I watched couples go at it from all angles up close and personal. Not this time. Every cell in my body wanted to take her right there.
Whoever the woman was, she did things to me no other had done before. She wasn’t shy either, holding my gaze with hers. Holy hell, those sapphire eyes held me captive. I couldn’t move if I wanted to. And I didn’t want to, that was for damn sure.
I was pulled from the image of her tied to my bed when my phone vibrated. Looked as if I was needed downstairs to take care of one of my more prominent members. Shit, I did not need the cops called in here. He better hope to God he hadn’t left any permanent marks, or I was going beat the ever-loving shit out of him. I adjusted myself on the way out the door with the knowledge I would be back. And heaven help that dancer on stage when I returned, because she was mine. At least for tonight.
*****
“What the fuck were you thinking, Nash?” The actor at least had the decency to look abashed as I railed him.
With a shrug he replied, “I don’t know. I got a little carried away, I guess.”
“Y’think?” I roared, “She’s bleeding all over that damn room, and you’ll be lucky if she doesn’t need to go to the hospital!”
His head popped up until I threw him back into submission with my steely glare. Stupid punk! The fact that he was Hollywood’s newest eye candy didn’t mean jack to me. I had trained him in the arts of bloodletting. He knew where to cut and how. This mistake was deadly, not to mention could have my doors closed for good. I warningly growled, “Is she even eighteen, Nash?”
His head bobbed. “Just turned, actually,” he confessed. “This was her birthday celebration of sorts.”
I ran
my hand through my hair, pulling on it. No, it wasn’t the first time an accident had happened in one of my establishments, but, still, I was never happy about any of them. Go ahead, laugh it up. I’m a Dom with a soft spot. Go fig! Let me clear something up…Doms generally loved their subs. The “generally” was stated due to the fact there were those in this lifestyle who didn’t. For the record, I’d loved each one of mine dearly. As for the rest, I just happen to care about the female persuasion a little bit more than most men. If you wanted to psychoanalyze, it was probably because I had been so close to my mother. Whatever. Point: I was never all right with any woman being hurt—unless she had specifically asked for it. Even then, one had to balance pain and pleasure on a knife’s edge. A Dom was given the sterling privilege of a sub’s trust. He or she had to know how far his sub could go. Tricky business, to say the least, and obviously that wasn’t the case here. No, Nash had taken liberties he shouldn’t have. And he damned well knew it. Soft and dangerously, I spoke, “You ever ignore a sub’s safe word again…I will do to you what you’ve done to them, tenfold. Are we clear?”
He waited a beat, and that pissed me off. I jumped up and pinned him to the wall so fast he didn’t have time to blink. “Answer me, asswipe,” I ordered.
He gurgled out, “Y-yes, Mr. Strand.”
The realization I had been squeezing his windpipe too tightly made me loosen my grip, barely. My declaration needed to be heeded with full compliance. When Nash’s eyes began to roll up into his skull, due to lack of oxygen, I released him and watched as he slid to the floor. I took strong, controlled strides towards the door and called out, “Get dressed and get the fuck out of my club.” As I closed the door behind me, I informed, “Your membership has been revoked. Permanently.” There, my punishment was rendered. Nobody fucked up a woman under my watch and got away with it. Ever.