Indulgence

by Liz Crowe

  I felt his breath on my neck as he explained and I shivered. “He knew I was there. I saw it on his face.”

  “If he tries anything, we’ll catch him as quickly as we caught you, as long as you stay where you belong, you’ll be fine.”

  I relaxed, letting my body sink into his. “Are there cameras in your room?”

  “No, only guest rooms and public rooms.”

  “So isn’t it possible that—”

  “Don’t, Silver. Do you know how much trouble he’d have to go through just to get you to a room without a camera?”

  “Is this how you knew I was here?”

  Kirk shook his head. “One of the men with Gabe was supposed to be on duty here, and the guard at the other station was in on it, too. They’ve all been taken off security duty, plus Miles and I can access the feed from our computers. We’re keeping an eye on all of them.”

  They’d actually done some in depth investigation into a single girl being dragged on premises. It proved they wanted to know how and when anyone and anything came and went on the property.

  My eyes scanned the monitors again. “This place is huge.”

  “We manage.”

  The breath on my neck turned to kisses, and I wanted to pull away as it sent waves of tension down to my core. I’d only lasted a week, and now, beyond all rational thought I felt like I’d become obsessed with sex.

  I wanted the few minutes of pleasure to numb my brain to the pain. His acceptance and protection— they were the promise that the pain would go away.

  Kirk stiffened, then leaned around me and tapped a few keys to bring up a different image.

  “Damn it.” Kirk spun toward the door and typed something into his phone. “Stay close to me.”

  Better than getting left behind. He slid his phone back into his pocket and reached back to grab my wrist.

  “Lesson learned, I’m staying with you,” I promised.

  He glanced back with a half-smile and squeezed my arm, then loosened his grip, moving it down to my hand and pulling me into a jog as we crossed the catwalk and reentered the hallway on the other side.

  I was relieved to get away from that damn basement room as quickly as possible, but Kirk didn’t slow down. Instead of the elevator he led me to the stairs, I managed to keep up with him as he jogged to the third floor, but my lungs felt like they’d caught fire.

  The third floor looked like a hotel, and it wasn’t hard to conclude that these were the guest rooms. But I hadn’t gotten a good look at the monitor he was concerned with, so I had no idea where we were going or what the hurry was. The door at the end of the hallway was wide open, with Miles standing just inside.

  I lingered in the hallway as Miles and Kirk confronted the patron and the slave—Kat. I almost wanted to gloat. Three more men came up behind me, and Kirk pushed me against the wall, keeping me right behind him.

  “We weren’t doing anything against the rules,” the patron said, crossing his arms over his chest. Kat crouched down next to him, keeping her eyes on the floor.

  Miles motioned to the other men, “Take him to the security office and search him for drugs.”

  My head jerked up in interest. All of this commotion over some guy with drugs. What kind of criminals were they?

  “I got it on site,” he hissed as two of the men wrestled him toward the door.

  “If so,” Miles said, “we’ll find out.”

  The guy kept hollering as they pulled him down the hallway, then I heard a crack and he went silent.

  “Stand up, Kat,” Kirk said, holding out his hand. I thought for a moment he was offering to help her up, but she rose and kept her hands to her sides.

  “I don’t have anything; you can search me if you want.” She grinned and held up her arms.

  “You were with him when he passed off the drugs in the hallway.”

  “Didn’t see a thing. He never seemed intoxicated.”

  “You do,” Miles said. “You know the rules.”

  Kat scoffed and took a step back. “I haven’t taken anything.” She glared past them to me.

  “You know what happens if we find out that you’re lying.”

  “If I’m lying… I’ve never been in trouble. I don’t know what you saw, but I guess you need someone to take things out of when the favorites can’t pay for their own transgressions.”

  “What are you talking about?” Miles asked, giving Kirk and me a sideways glance.

  “You’re all in here interrogating me, but no one interrogates her.”

  I lifted my eyes and found everyone staring at me.

  “She tries to get out, and—”

  “She got her punishment,” Kirk said.

  “And yet she’s wondering around—”

  Miles growled and grabbed her forearm, pulling her toward the door. “It’s not your place to make empty accusations, Kat.”

  “We’re supposed to tell you everything we know, but not make accusations?”

  Miles swung her around and pinned her to the wall by her throat. I winced at the soft crack of her body, followed by a hiss as she hit the wall. “Do not get smart.”

  I crept closer to Kirk.

  “If you have something to say, keep it simple and make it good,” Miles growled.

  “She’s plotting something. I overheard her talking about a meeting, then she slipped out while we—”

  “Get her out of here, Miles,” Kirk yelled.

  Miles pushed Kat out the door to the third man who had been waiting in the hallway. “Take her up for a blood test then lock her up.” Then, his attention came back to me. “You’re quickly making a lot of enemies.”

  Kirk squeezed my hand. “Kat was looking for a convenient scapegoat. Silver has only been out of my sight a few times and she’s—”

  “I agree, but we should find out who is involved before Ross gets back. I’m not sure he’ll see it our way,” Miles said, rubbing his thumb over his lips. “I’m going up to have a chat with Alley. Pull up what you can on Morton, and get the records of every girl he’s requested.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Scapegoat

  Kirk and I took a detour back to the security room so he could download the data he wanted while Miles headed back to his apartment. I leaned against his shoulder as the elevator set off to return us to the ninth floor. We slowed to a stop on the fourth floor and I straightened, moving to my position just behind him and lowering my head.

  I saw two sets of feet enter.

  “Well, if it isn’t Kirk and his feisty whore.”

  I recognized Gabe’s voice and my stomach dropped. Kirk didn’t speak as the men flanked him and the doors closed, but he widened his stance and his body tensed.

  Gabe reached around to touch me, and Kirk knocked away his hand and punched the button for the seventh floor. The other man grabbed Kirk by the throat. The elevator shook then the doors opened. Kirk broke free and kicked Gabe, then shoved me out of the elevator. I twisted around trying to keep my eyes on them and landed on my ass in the middle of the seventh-floor hallway. Before I could get to my feet, the elevator doors closed.

  I ran to the stairs and up to the next floor. Miles’ door opened just as I entered the hallway.

  “I got the call,” he said, still holding a phone to his ear. He pointed inside. “Wait with Alley.”

  I didn’t move, looking back at the elevator.

  “One of them pushed the emergency stop,” He grabbed me and dragged me to the door. “They’re in the control room putting in the override. Wait here.”

  He shoved me through the doorway and tossed a key to Alley. “Keep it locked unless it’s me or Kirk.”

  The door slammed in my face, and Alley slid the key into the double cylinder deadbolt. “They’ll be fine,” she said, but I could see the lack of conviction in her eyes.

  I paced around the room, rubbing my hands over my face then wringing my fingers in frustration. I needed something to do other than standing helplessly in someone’s apartmen
t. My chest tightened and I leaned against the back of the couch then bent over, pressing my hands into my knees.

  “Here,” Alley said, handing me a glass of water. I hadn’t even noticed that she’d gone into the kitchen.

  “I’m fine,” I said, brushing her away.

  “You’re panicking, just take a few sips and calm down.”

  “Why? Did you drug it?” I regretted the words as soon as I saw Alley’s face. I knew she hadn’t, but—

  “Damn the alcohol is strong tonight,” I said, pushing away the glass of reddish liquid.

  “You’re just overly sensitive since you never drink.” Charlene pushed my glass back in my direction. “We’re barely two drinks in, don’t be a pussy during your early birthday celebration. We’re having fun tonight.”

  “And if I drink much more, I’m not going to remember any of it. I think something is off.” I rubbed my forehead and laid my head back.

  Two men came over and sat down next to us. “Evenin’ ladies,” the one who sat next to me said.

  “We have friends coming,” I said, but my tongue felt useless and all of my words were slow. “Oh, god, you drugged us.”

  I slide down the back of the couch to the floor, pressing my forehead against my knees.

  “Silver,” Alley called, shaking my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, sorry. What I said wasn’t really meant for you. I just remembered something.”

  “You were drugged? Gabe?”

  Rubbing my forehead, I shook my head. “I don’t remember seeing him. And the two guys I do remember, I haven’t seen here.”

  There was a thud at the door, and I jumped. Alley peeked through the peephole and unlocked the door. Kirk walked in behind Miles, but his face was red, and his cheekbone and knuckles bloodied.

  I climbed up and ran over to them.

  Miles stepped out of the way, collecting Alley in a hug. He looked like he had the beginnings of a black eye, and his right fist was also bloodied. “Security took Gabe and Drew up to lockup. Go get your Master cleaned up.”

  Kirk leaned against the wall for a moment, closing his eyes.

  “What’s going to happen to them?” I asked.

  “They wanted revenge, they got it,” Miles said. “They’ll stay in lockup until Ross gets back, but he’ll probably release them.”

  “So what can’t they get away with?”

  “Silver,” Kirk snapped, and I pulled back into slave mode.

  “Sorry, Master.”

  Regardless of Kirk’s admonishment, Miles answered my question. “Like everyone here, they stay as long as their value is more than their trouble.”

  I took that as a jab at me as well and nodded. Kirk put his arm over my shoulder and I helped him back to his apartment. He locked the door behind us and pulled off his torn shirt.

  “Shit,” I breathed. “You look worse than I did.”

  “They wanted to play with you.”

  “Well, I at least hope they look equally bad.” I left him on the couch and went to the kitchen, grabbing a few bags of frozen vegetables and wrapping them in dishtowels. Then I filled a bowl with warm water and grabbed a small roll of paper towels.

  I put the icepacks on his chest where the injuries seemed to be the worst then I used a wet paper towel to wipe away the dried blood on his cheek.

  Kirk caught my hand and brought my palm to his mouth and kissed it. “This is quite a switch. And, yes, they look at least as bad as I do.”

  “Good.” I finished cleaning his cheekbone and put one of the smaller icepacks against it, cleaning the rest of the blood from his knuckles while he held it there. “Anything else I can do?”

  “Ibuprofen is in the cabinet above the refrigerator. Bring me that and a glass of water.”

  I had to climb onto the counter next to the fridge to reach the bottle of pills then I jumped down and filled a glass with water. I stared down at it for a second. It hadn’t been that long since he hadn’t even trusted me with a glass, now I was waiting on him.

  He took the pill bottle and sat the glass down on the end table while he dumped three capsules into his palm. He tossed them back and took a swig of water. Placing one of the cushions on the edge of the couch, he moved around to lie across it, and brought me down to sit between his outstretched legs.

  “I should get to work,” he groaned.

  “You just got beat up in an elevator.”

  “And that doesn’t help me figure out who is responsible for the drugs.”

  He kissed my neck and I scooted away so he could get up. “Can I help?”

  “No.”

  I opened my mouth, about to let everything spill that I had remembered while I was in Miles’ apartment, but I thought he had more important things to tend to at the moment.

  Kirk brushed his thumb over my bottom lip then kissed me. “What were you going to say?”

  “It’s not important right now. Go do your job.”

  “Then why are you thinking about it?”

  “I remembered something, right before you and Miles came back—about the night I was brought here.”

  Kirk sat back, “Tell me.”

  “I told you that I was supposed to meet some friends for dinner but that I didn’t remember going. I must’ve gone, because I remembered being there with one of my friends, we were having drinks and I felt strange—especially since we were only on our second drink. Then two men sat down at our table, and that’s all I have right now.”

  “What restaurant?”

  “The Pufferbelly. It’s always a quiet restaurant.”

  He nodded, “I know the place. And your friend’s name?”

  I bit my lip, debating on whether to give it to him.

  “Silver, I’m trying to find out what happened and if your friend is okay.”

  “Charlene Wilson.”

  Brushing his hands through my hair, he kissed me again, slower this time. “I’ll find out what they did to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  He blew out a long breath then stood, holding his side as he moved to the desk. I picked up the ice packs and returned them to the freezer then I laid across the couch.

  *****

  I heard something thud against the desk and sat up to look over the back of the couch.

  “Ross is arranging a flight back to deal with everything,” Kirk explained.

  And if Miles was right, I was in trouble. “He’s fond of Kat, isn’t he?”

  Kirk shrugged, “Kat thinks everyone is fond of her.”

  “Yeah, I got that.”

  He frowned at me.

  “She told me that she was the one… with you the other night.”

  “Of course she did.” He rolled his chair over to the couch and put his hand around the back of my neck. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Not from her or Ross.”

  “Then why is he coming back? And why can Gabe get away with everything?”

  Kirk sat back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. I sucked my lower lip in and gnawed on it, realizing I’d probably overstepped my bounds again.

  “Ross is suspicious of new people, especially when they don’t listen and cause a fuss. It can get bad for business fast. Kat throwing you under the bus won’t help your cause, but Gabe attacking me may help, since it adds credibility to you running because you were scared. Honestly, I knew it was coming, but I was hoping you wouldn’t be with me. He has a vengeful streak, but usually once he gets it out, everything goes back to normal.”

  “Why put up with it in the first place? You said he’s always causing trouble.”

  “He’s paid his dues. He’s been with Ross a long time, a lot longer than I have. He knows the right people, and he knows enough about them, that they know better than to cross him.”

  “And you’re sure he’s not the weasel?”

  “No, but if he is, he needs to screw up big enough for there to be no doubt about it.”

  “You’ve been watching him,” I realized
. “That’s how you found me.”

  Kirk nodded. “And now you know too much.”

  “That mean you’re going to kill me?”

  He smirked and shook his head. “Keep it up, Silver. You almost went too far in front of Miles.”

  “I was distraught.” I sat back on my heels, still facing the back of the couch. “I don’t want to piss you off or get in trouble, I just need an outlet, and you’re kinda the only person I talk to. When you don’t have your scary face on, you’re not horrible company.”

  “I have a scary face?”

  “At the moment, it’s more like pathetically bruised face.”

  He raised an eyebrow into something that more closely resembled scary face and I backed down.

  “I should be putting you in your place, but as long as you’re obeying and not causing trouble, I can deal with you talking. It’s far better than trying to figure out what you’re quietly plotting.” He cocked a finger at me. “Come here.”

  I leaned over the back of the couch. He stood, and before I could duck back, he dragged me over the back of the couch to stand in front of him. Then he sat down and pulled me on top of his lap, straddling his thighs in the computer chair.

  “The chair is going to break,” I said as it creaked under us.

  “I doubt it, but even if it did, I’d take most of the impact. You’d probably have a good laugh.”

  “You’re already half-broken.” I poked near one of the bruises and he grimaced, grabbing my finger and twisting both of my hands behind my back.

  “I’m not half-broken.” He took both of my wrists into one hand, pulling them backward so my back arched and my breasts thrust outward into his face. Then, he pushed my shirt up and rolled my nipple between his fingers.

  The same one Ross had tried to twist off, but his erotic movements overrode the pain, and even though I still wanted to wrestle myself away, I was afraid of the chair giving out, so I held my statue-like pose.

  Faster than I could think, Kirk lifted me up and sat me on my feet. I grabbed the couch to keep my balance and stared at him wide eyed.

  He looked away dismissively. “How about being a good pet and making dinner. Alley and Miles are coming up in an hour.”