The Braille Club (The Braille Club #1)

by J. A. Kerr

  Nick had sole responsibility for the lease at their London home. He did what a thousand angry husbands have done before him and employed a private detective to gather information on his wife. Siena’s lawyers had cleverly included time deadlines in the small print, making delaying tactics impossible. If Nick Waters did not sign the relevant documents on time, he would forfeit the entire settlement. He began to sense the walls closing in. His PI found nothing. Everything pointed to Siena being a loyal wife. It was Nick’s own behaviour that came under scrutiny after the PI collated his report. Their friends painted a very different picture to Nick’s; they assumed Siena had finally come to her senses, wondering how she had put up with the marriage for so long. They highlighted Nick’s unreasonable possessiveness and need for control, witnessed and confirmed by all of their friends.

  Finally on the ropes and boxed into a corner, he reluctantly signed the papers that would end his marriage, while secretly harbouring hopes of a reconciliation. If only he could see Siena, but the whole process was conducted through their lawyers. Waking up that day and realising they had all checked out, he’d been incredulous. Heading home angry and hung over, he was stunned to find Siena wasn’t there and, panicking, he had left numerous messages on her cell phone as well as his in-laws’. As the hours had dragged on and his anxiety rose, he poured himself a stiff drink and it helped to clear his mind at first, before he eventually blacked out.

  He had suspected something was wrong, but nothing prepared him for the bombshell Siena dropped on him. He had even gone round to that bastard Harrison’s office. Had in fact, seen him arrive with the same girl he’d been with the night of the party, and yet it bothered him.

  He had called several times on some pretext or another to speak with Harrison, but he was unavailable. His secretary had taken his number and he did call him back, but Nick let it go to voicemail, where he heard him leave a brief message. His gut told him Harrison was involved in some way, but he couldn’t connect him to Siena.

  Siena hadn’t spoken to him directly since that call. She’d completely cut him out of her life and he wobbled in those first few weeks with only the clinic saving his sanity; it was all he had left. With a large sum of money invested in it and without the buffer of a rich spouse, he felt acutely vulnerable. He knew it would fail if he didn’t give it his full attention, and since he had nothing to go home to, he did.

  Thoughts of flying to the States to try to reason with Siena were dismissed; he knew he’d never get past his father-in-law’s security. He was very angry; with Siena, with himself, and the whole world in general.

  ***

  Benedict

  Benedict knew Siena returned to her parents’ home and hoped she had relaxed a little after the initial divorce proceedings had been set in motion. He told her not to dwell on the huge risk she was taking. A condition of Summary Dissolution was she and Nick had no children together, born or adopted before or during the marriage, and that she was not expecting a child now. Her lawyers were not aware she was pregnant. She was willing to take this risk, she told him, just to be free of Nick, it’s what she longed for…that and Benedict.

  Her words were like a balm, reassuring his doubts, as they would be separated for six months until the legal details were finalised. It’s what they agreed, in order for the divorce to go smoothly. He missed her so much; she was as essential to him as oxygen. He needed her to live and couldn’t wait until they spoke.

  Benedict’s office was almost empty when he stepped through its doors. Trish put her hand over her mouth, looking utterly aghast as he nodded a welcome, walking past her into his office. There sitting in his chair as he had arranged, was his brother Alexander. On seeing Benedict, he leapt up, and they embraced warmly, the hostile years just falling away. Alexander’s eyes were as bright as Benedict’s. The discreet cough pulled them apart, and Benedict turned to see Ava.

  Her beautiful face seemed angry, and Benedict braced himself for the bawling out he deserved.

  “Well, you certainly know how to treat a lady,” she said coolly. “I must have had your attention for all of a second before I realised you were a lost cause. Who’s the lucky girl?” Benedict squirmed under her gaze but said nothing. “Aw, you’re protecting your love, how gallant. Shame you didn’t act like that with me.”

  “Ava, forgive me,” he said, his face sincere.

  “If you hadn’t looked so handsome in your black tie, I would have left. You were so bloody rude,” she scolded.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, looking shamefaced. He had used Ava and felt terrible about it and prepared himself for more criticism.

  Instead, she burst out laughing. “I can’t keep it up.” She giggled, going to Alexander.

  Benedict glanced from one to the other in confusion.

  “I wanted Ava to wind you up, get all angry and give you a hard time,” said Alexander sheepishly.

  “Well, Ava, I did owe you an apology. It was unforgivable of me to dupe you and I hope you can forgive me,” said Benedict humbly.

  She looked stern for a few seconds before saying, “You’re forgiven…only because you have a devastatingly handsome brother.”

  Benedict stared at them more closely now, and it was as plain as the nose on his face, they were an item!

  Trish, having recovered from the shock, came into the office where Benedict did the introductions but she was still unnerved to see the twins standing side by side. She bristled that they had fooled her and glared at Ava pointedly before turning to shake Alexander’s hand.

  Benedict gently refused his brother’s offer of dinner, saying he would be at the office for some time catching up. He and Ava could hardly keep their hands off each other; he had no desire to play gooseberry. Their obvious passion made him long for Siena more than ever. Trish offered to stay behind with him, but he told her he would see her in the morning; no arguments, he just wanted to be alone.

  Turning to his computer, he brought up Skype and dialled. She appeared on his screen, and his heart gave a now familiar tug, and when she smiled at him, it melted. She brought him up to date about the lawyers. He was initially against a quickie divorce, but Sienna was adamant. It would be easier with Nick out of their lives after six months than to prolong it over several years. They then spoke of their joint venture and their excitement at its commencement.

  Malibu was eight hours behind London but somehow they made it work, Skype being their lifeline, they spoke several times a day and of course at night, their special games keeping their passion alight. He carried her card with him at all times, never knowing when she would ask him to use it, the anticipation driving him to work harder and longer to keep his mind occupied. She was all he thought about, all he wanted. The building was now unrecognisable as Benedict’s contractors worked to tight budgets and tight deadlines, to transform it into their vision. He filled his time working on the project.

  Chapter 48

  THE BRAILLE CLUB

  Braille Club, London, Present Day: Guy was developing new equipment to keep Key Holders renewing their memberships. New Braille chairs that would involve two people were being trialled in a number of different positions.

  Malibu, 2012

  Siena

  Siena did the same, the design of the Braille element her speciality. The work was all-consuming, like their passion for each other; Siena was into her second trimester and more energised. Although her bump was expanding rapidly, she was still able to conceal it. With the warm climate, she embraced comfortable loose clothing like never before.

  Siena registered with an out of town medical practice where she hoped no one would recognise her. It was a recommendation, and although the practice was new, the area itself was rundown. She was going for her first scan, arranged outside the normal clinic hours so she would have complete privacy. What with all the earlier uncertainty concerning her pregnancy and the divorce to handle, she hadn’t got around to it until now. She followed the advice to the letter of her first obstetrician in B
oston, checking her blood sugars and urine daily, regularly eating and often resting. She had been well but now as her dad drove her she was assailed with doubt. What if something was wrong and she hadn’t gone to the doctor’s quickly enough? She had felt very tired and a little nauseous, but those symptoms had passed, yet still…you never knew. Her mom sensed her fear and panic and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

  “Everything will be fine, I promise,” she said.

  A tired looking receptionist was in charge of the room, and she told them to wait until the doctor called them. Some ten minutes later an impossibly young girl called Siena’s name. She shook Siena’s hand, her warm smile putting her at ease.

  “Dr. Estefan,” she said by way of introduction. “Please follow me,” she paused. “Would you prefer to have your parents with you also?”

  Siena nodded gratefully, signalling to her parents to follow her, and she could see close up the doctor was older than she had initially thought. They walked into a large spacious room and sat down. The doctor took blood and Siena answered lots of questions about her health before lying down for the scan. Dr. Estefan squirted a cold jelly onto her, and they all held their breath as she placed the sensor on her tummy. The noise was instantaneous; the quick staccato beat of a heart, loud and strong, making them all smile at once. She swept the sensor over Siena’s abdomen while looking at the screen then paused, frowning. Fear gripped Siena as the images on the monitor blurred before her eyes.

  “Is there something wrong?” Her voice was thick with terror.

  The doctor shook her head, concentrating on the monitor; she continued to sweep the sensor over Siena’s stomach for several more minutes until she was satisfied.

  “Miss Green.”

  “It’s Siena, please.”

  “Yes, Siena, I was just being thorough, but there is no question. You are expecting twins!”

  A stunned silence filled the room, then tears and lots of rueful laughter.

  “You are a little on the small side, but it’s nothing to worry about. It’s your first pregnancy, and we will of course monitor you very closely, especially with your diabetes.”

  Dr. Estefan wiped the jelly away and gently pulled Siena’s top back down.

  Chapter 49

  THE BRAILLE CLUB

  Braille Club, London, Present Day: Changes within zones are also being considered. One Assignee to two Patrons, small groups of Assignees all sharing interconnecting cuffs; the permutations for Guy were endless.

  London, 2012

  Benedict

  Benedict was still reeling from Siena’s news of twins, and felt a little overwhelmed. A twin himself, it seemed to confirm the babies were his…but the dangers for Siena had doubled. Not wanting history repeating itself, he wanted her to come home. He needed to look after her properly, but most of all he just needed her. They arranged to meet; he was flying into LA and had taken a week off work, the news of the twins giving them the excuse they longed for. The project remained on track, while Siena handled the PR for the club’s opening night. He was impressed; it had its own social media site already, with a countdown to its launch date. The website was cleverly interactive with seductive advertising. Benedict had industry connections, but Siena had covered every possibility. Using thought provoking advertising they flooded the capital with the club’s launch date details.

  They used a large pair of opaque, ornately finished glass doors with the tag line:

  “Caligo is just a private members club, like a diamond is just a stone.” Opening soon, please register via our website for our guest list launch party; the clock is ticking…

  The guest list wasn’t open yet. Only selected and researched members would be sent a text and they would have one hour to register. The name stumped them for a few weeks, but eventually they decided on simplicity. Caligo, Latin for darkness. It was soon the buzz word around London; ultra-modern, sleek and sexy, it was to become the place to be. They were launching Phase One: Caligo Night Club, and of course to a select few, The Braille Club. The spa, gym and other facilities were Phase Two and the club suites and rooms, Phase Three. The hype about the club started to build with whispers about a select membership. Benedict’s Braille friends were very excited. The small group had grown over the years but even they could not have anticipated the demand.

  A chauffeur collected Benedict from the airport, and he tried not to let his disappointment show. He had no idea where he was going but as he arrived at the hotel, his phone buzzed with a text.

  Siena: 102 xxx

  He felt his body tighten with desire as he entered the lobby. It was busy, filled with crowds of people attending some seminar. With no room key, he worried he wouldn’t be able to access the lifts, but it wasn’t a problem. He stepped out onto the first floor and texted one word.

  Benedict: Outside.

  The door clicked open, and he entered. Her amazing smell enveloped him; candles were flickering all around the darkened room, the seductive scent intensifying as he moved inside. She wasn’t there and again he felt the crush of disappointment. His eyes fell onto the bed, and there lay two black velvet cuffs either side of the black hood with a little label in neat handwriting that said:

  Try Me.

  On the bedside table was a glass of amber liquid with fresh melting ice and a label to the side.

  Drink Me.

  Breathing hard, he put his case down. His eyes travelled around the room, settling on the iPod on the desk with the label in the same neat handwriting.

  Play Me.

  Benedict ran a hand through his hair as weeks of separation and longing threatened to consume him. He just wanted to see her, to touch her but this…he wasn’t sure, until he heard his phone start to ring. His whole body seemed to react as he answered, turning on the speakerphone.

  Her breathing was loud, and it was the most erotic sound he’d ever heard, making the hairs on the back on his neck stand on end. He reached for his drink, draining it in two gulps, welcoming the fire as it travelled down his throat. He desperately wanted another. He leaned back on the bed and slipped the cuffs onto his wrists; they were different than before. He heard her breath quicken as the bells tinkled. His fingers shaking, he slipped the hood over his eyes and let out a long sigh.

  The phone suddenly went dead. Confused, he heard the door click open, Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” started to play and he was back in that room…he groaned.

  “Put your hands above your head.”

  Again the delicious tinkling as he did as he was told; he began to sweat although the room was cool.

  “Are you ready to play?”

  He nodded his head, his whole body tense with anticipation. He could feel the heat of her as she approached. She straddled him and he gasped as he felt the ice against his lips, cold and slippery. Over and over it slid around his mouth while her other hand unbuttoned his shirt and yanked it free. The cool air on his skin was a shock as the ice melted, dripping down his face as it continued down his neck.

  He used all his self-control not to move, but flinched as the ice cube began traveling down his chest, all too aware of her thighs pressing hotly against him. She slowly circled around the nipples on his chest. It was like nothing he had ever experienced and he was transfixed in the moment until the ice travelled down. He pulled his abdomen in sharply as the ice continued over his belly button until it hit the waistband of his jeans and mercifully stopped.

  His breathing was ragged as he felt her hands undoing his belt and slipping it off. She unbuttoned his jeans and moved to the end of the bed, where she tugged them from the ankles as he lifted his body to help her pull them off. Next were his socks, until only his boxer shorts remained. They were both panting, the bell still silent, but Benedict knew he was almost at the end of his endurance. He felt her legs press against him and squirmed as the ice touched the inside of his thigh. She suddenly sat down on him. It was explosive, and Benedict’s arms moved involuntarily, the bells ringing as he sprung up and pulled he
r back against him.

  Siena murmured, “Only touch leaves a memory, Benedict, always remember that.”

  He ripped the cuffs and hood off and pulled her towards him. She had never looked more beautiful; she was glowing, her fuller breasts strained against the confines of her delicate underwear, the swell of her tummy above her tiny lacy panties. Desire pulsed through them both as their mouths connected and their passion ignited.

  They consumed each other, not leaving their suite for two days, finding each other again, making love and discussing Caligo. Siena had chosen the hotel because of the financial seminar, which guaranteed them anonymity amongst the crowds. She was still frightened of Nick Waters, she confided that she felt like she was being watched and had taken every precaution to ensure she hadn’t been followed. This troubled him, and he told Siena to be careful and never to travel alone. She smiled, saying she owed so much to her parents who had been wonderful. She couldn’t believe she would be free in a few months’ time, but they both knew it would feel like an eternity.

  The week passed too quickly, and both returned to work as they struggled to fill the massive hole caused by their separation. But the time did speed by, and Benedict was now on site most days, having delegated his other projects to his young and upcoming team of architects. He approached Matt with a job offer he could not refuse. Although he didn’t have Benedict’s flair, he had a good solid reputation. Benedict needed him to shore up his remaining office projects while he concentrated on Caligo. He knew he would keep a firm hand on the talented staff while getting the best out of them, for both the firm and their clients.