I snicker. “You do realize you recruited a team of crime lord offspring to go after their parents?”
Her grin widens from cheek to cheek. “Yes,” she laughs. “My life’s work. And I’m trusting you to carry the mission across the goal line. You are my fucking quarterback, so assemble your team to catch the goddamned ball and do not drop it.”
“Do you trust Jaid?”
“With my life,” she insists with a bit of remorse. “What happened between us personally has nothing to do with the bigger picture. She’s a damn good rogue. Don’t underestimate how callous she can be. Whatever happens, I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side any more than I would yours. She’s a fucking glass cannon.”
“And Iris?”
“Protect her with your life,” she whispers with a mysterious note. “I have triggered intel in her brain.”
My eyes widen as I know Kaci’s playing with a loaded gun. “… Are you fucking crazy?”
“It’s the medicine,” she says with a wink, passively dismissing her actions. “I needed a place to stash shit. Her brain was open and available.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, Kace.”
“I had to make it worth it for you.”
I lower my head to my hands as I cannot believe she did that. “It’s entrapment.”
Her expression beams with a proudness. “I finally found the perfect match for you.”
“What if I don’t want her?” I challenge, getting up and talking with my hands. “You never bothered to ask me what I want or who I want or even if I want someone after you…”
“You don’t have a choice,” she mutters, pleading with her eyes. “You have to play holy warrior over Iris Kettles, or she dies, and my work goes up in flames.”
“You fucking suck.”
“Thanks,” she snickers. “But you will thank me one day. I’ll be the ghostly matchmaker.”
“… Or the demon haunting me for the rest of my existence.”
Her eyes gaze over my attire, and she smirks. “It’s not like I sentenced you to an unrecoverable virus.”
“No, you gave me baggage and made me terminal.”
“How do you figure?” She quizzes. I’m angry. I need to hit something. I turn and aim for the wall as she commands, “Stop.”
I’m heaving and hot, wanting to rip everything apart or run away as fast as I can. “I no longer have a choice in how my life goes. I’m no better than you are now. I can play soldier over Iris, or I can go home to Daddy. You knew that move would put me in check.”
“Fool’s mate…”
I grip the bridge of my nose and run my hands through my curls as I try and comprehend how she snookered me so fast. The truth is there was nothing fast about any of it. Kaci had been profiling both of us going on six years.
With her medical disability entering the field, Kaci used her mind to do research and strategy. She proposed multiple outcomes with every piece on the board and in the end, she wasn’t a player—but the game itself. She owned it all. And how the twenty-four-year-old Pixie from Corpus Christi managed to have such an impact on the criminal underworld was nothing less than awe-inspiring. She would gain deity status for her work.
“How much knowledge does Iris have of me?”
“None,” she replies hastily. “I wanted you to paint that picture on your own.”
“Thanks, I guess,” I say, feeling humbled and angry in her presence. “I wasn’t your first choice.”
She gives a comforting smile. “You were always my first choice to run the show. You weren’t my first love.”
“That is Jack.”
“No,” she adamantly declares. “That was Jaid, but I couldn’t give her the keys to the kingdom. I needed a dark prince for that. And as for Jack, my inner submissive is in love with his Master.”
Ignoring my personal feelings, I ask, “Do you trust him?”
Her thoughts bring a deep exhale from her lips. “I trust Jack to provide for the team.”
“Could he be bought?”
“I don’t think so…”
“That’s not a yes,” I venture. “So, Jack Kerris is essentially a wild card.”
Her nose twitches as her brow furrows. “More like a joker. Or even an unknown entity. Jack will protect you if it comes down to it.”
“But will he ship me down the river?”
“Nah,” she predicts with the authority of a rulebook. “For one reason, me. And by agreeing to come here tonight, you have earned bucket loads of respect from him. Jack loves me; he won’t toss you under the bus, ship you down a river, or sell you out. I cannot promise he won’t do that to anyone else though. Jack is about as ruthless as they come, but he won’t fuck you over. And his connections to Delarte Cristos are fierce.”
Realizing the exalted one has given me more information than I ever needed, I mutter, “You have been more than generous for one night. You want to do this here?”
“Your three questions turned into a round of twenty.”
“I’m well aware, and you wouldn’t expect any less from me,” I taunt with a snarl. “Got to get my points racked up.”
Biting her lip, she says, “Can you take me home tomorrow, Lucas Salvatore?”
The question sets me off, not only by the way she asks but the underlying meaning of the words. “You want to go back to Houston.”
She offers up a reluctant nod. “I think it is time. I don’t want to die here and taint the air with my crab.”
“I hate to tell you this, but you are already in the fabric,” I calmly say, returning to the bed. “They aren’t going to forget you, ever.”
“It’s your job to help them recover, lead the cavalry.”
I chuckle. “I never asked to be the King of this battalion.”
“You have zero choice in my world.”
How well aware I am of that.
We left our dungeon without remark. I could have evoked the role of Dominant and led our scene, but the reality was, after all the exchange of information, I wasn’t really in the mood to play magician. I kissed Kaci, and we said goodbye to the dungeon I renovated at Juliet.
In the darkness, I carried her through the campus to Anna Ford’s residence, Scarlet House. I had a permanent room set up there. Remember, privileges. I was the golden boy of this joint and my clout here and the fetish realm assured one thing—I always had a home by my name alone.
I’m Sal Raniero.
Waking up in my arms, Kaci smiles sleepily. She is so beautiful, smart, and intelligent. Her unmistakable style serves the tiny woman well, and she uses her brilliance, positioning and manipulating the board to her liking. It is enviable, and I only hope I can do her legacy justice. I accept my role as I’m bound to serve her without falter even in death.
She may not have been the first to collar me, but she was absolutely the first to illustrate what the twenty-four/seven meant. Kate was nothing more than a farce, and Serene served my demanding masochist, but my primary Mistress would forever remain, Kaci Hope.
And she would be the last.
Over the duration of our relationship, we have painstakingly been switching our roles. With Kaci's training of me, I’ve escalated to a point she could never attain, and I understand I’m her shining star. And the struggles we have danced around the power shift. She isn’t ready to give up control, and I don’t think I’m ready to take it. But cancer has given us no choice as we both play silent victim to its will.
Her hand grazes over my chest. “Make love to me.”
“Here,” I say, startled by her unexpected request. “In Anna’s house?”
“Mhmm.” She nods as I lift up and wedge between her legs. “This will be the last time I make love at Juliet, and I want it to be here at the heart of it all. Never forget that, Sal. It isn’t about what happens in the confines of a dungeon, but the love shared between souls as we journey forth.”
“I hate you,” I mumble into her neck and kiss the tender flesh of her shoulder. “I hate you so much.”
“Because you hate that I’m right,” she whispers as her fingernails scratch over my back. “You have it all in you to do it. You don’t see it yet. Open your eyes and stop being blind by your own power.”
My formidable frame arches over her small and insignificant one. She is shrinking with each passing day and with her diminishment, I grow and charge with the last pieces of her creation. I become more passionate about achieving her goals the closer she comes to an end. It is excruciatingly painful as I consume the final bits of her life. Of course, I have no choice in the matter as she carefully extracts my heart and mind and replaces it with her own. My soul is at war with the inner conflict as the choices I make will not be my own, but hers. I’ll be the walking talking Kaci robot, but on a much grander scale than she could ever have attained.
I thrust inside of her unannounced but welcome regardless. Her slight legs wrap around my body as we go through the motions. We both know it isn’t right. “You need to figure out who to fuck through this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you recharge your batteries with sex, and I won’t be able to do this much longer.”
My first thought is Jaid, but she is such a volatile subject between us. “Help me decide.”
“I know you like fucking Mierne, but you need someone you can pop with your growing skillset.”
“It sounds like you have already made a decision.”
“I have,” she says with an exhausted smile. “But I want to know who you think would be good. Right now, I’d appreciate it if you would hurry up because I smell the bacon Anna is frying.”
“Sal, please call me when you get to Houston,” Anna says an hour later in the kitchen. “And if you need anything, Kaci, have him call.”
“I will,” I reply, staring at the plate of food. I desperately want to eat every tasty bite, but I can’t. I don’t have it in me. “Watch after Sal.”
“He is going to be fine,” Anna appeases with a sincerity. “You don’t worry about Salvatore; he will be taken care of.”
Drying the last of the dishes, Sal turns to me. His smug look is only adding to his sexy in ripped jeans and my shredded Metallica t-shirt. “Who all are you going to see? You know half of them are going to show up at our doorstep in Houston.”
“I’m quite aware,” I reply with a soft smile. “I’d like to say goodbye to Anna,” I whisper, reaching across the table and squeezing her hand. “And I’d like to see Ella.”
Sal scouts over me with a scrutinizing gaze like Ella Hemsworth is an unexpected choice. The wealthy, model-worthy woman has earned my respect, and I’d like to say farewell. “She’s in the main office. Mierne messaged early this morning that they were meeting for brunch.”
His confession leaves me with a regretful feeling like I should have been more aware and intercepted the affair with Mierne before it ever began. And perhaps it is jealous anger, flooding my system as I must accept my husband does things that I don’t necessarily approve of—kind of like a glitch in his programming. I want to eradicate the error before it fries the whole of his circuitry, but I don’t have time. All I can do now is pray he keeps his head above the water and doesn’t end up on Mierne’s shore.
His fascination with the Brit disturbs me on a feminine level. I don’t particularly care for her because I don’t trust her or her motivations. She had a lucrative offer on the table from Sibyl and turned it down which to me translated to spitting on our entire network of friends and family. The fact she knows us but does not have our symbol of the talete is disconcerting.
Neither am I, but I have an excuse.
In short, I hate how much Sal likes fucking Mierne. He’s an insider; she’s an outsider. And that alone is reason enough to pull the warning sirens and flash the red lights. I don’t believe every puss he sinks into must be an agent, but he damn sure shouldn’t be partaking with a fence sitter with one leg on either side. Her division amongst the teams means we must rely on her oath to us alone. Maybe he’s fucking her to keep her in our army. If so, I did good, but if his motives are personal, I’ve got a reason to be worried.
After a quick shower, we say a tearful goodbye to Anna. I know this is the last time I will ever see her. She won’t come to Houston. The pain is too much. “Kacilyn, if you need anything.”
“I know,” I whisper as she plants a kiss on my lips. “You were the best female sub this school has ever seen, and you have given me years of fond memories.”
Letting go of Sal’s hand, I reach inside of my bag and pull out the very first pair of cat ears I ever wore to a party. They are hot pink, enormous, and blinding with silver sequins. I place them on her messy bun of bluish gray hair. “These are from 2004.”
“Your first year here!”
“Yes,” I say with a smile. “I wore these for my first cocktail mingle.”
Sal watches on curiously. “You went off with Ella Hemsworth that night and were forever changed.”
I laugh at the memory. “Yes, Ma’am, Ella showed me the possibilities of a woman in this world.”
“Go,” Anna says, trying to uphold a stoic resolve. “I don’t want you driving after dark.”
I glance at Sal who discreetly rolls his eyes and cocks a half-smirk at me. “I love you,” I say, hugging her once more as Sal opens the door to the Challenger. Tears spill from my eyes as these moments of saying goodbye to the ones you love become so much harder than I ever dreamed. “So much. Take care of your Salvatore.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” she respectfully says.
Picking up on the deferment, I duck inside the vehicle and pour out my heart into a tissue. I peek at Sal and Anna, holding onto one another. He’s crying; she’s crying. And I’m dying. The idea that I won’t be here hits home with a thunderous roar. I’ve known for so long. I’ve expected this. Hell, at times, I’ve begged it to come quicker. But I know I won’t get out of this one. This is it. There is nothing left for them to do. No miracle cure. No underground escape route out. Death is coming for me. He’s aiming to take me out to dance at his macabre little party. I’m not enthused in the least.
I want more time.
I need more time.
I dry my tears to try and reassemble myself before Sal plops into the seat beside me, but that as with all things lately—comes far too soon. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I sniffle as he backs out of the drive and I look up to see Anna, waving goodbye and crying her eyes out. “Stop the car.”
“What?”
“Stop the fucking car,” I say, jumping out and running back for one more embrace. “Anna, do me one favor. I know I have no right to ask, but I need you to do this for me. If for no other reason, do it for Sal. If Iris Kettles ever applies, I beg of you to accept her. Please…”
She leans back from me but keeps me within her grasp. “I will honor your wishes if she applies, but don’t expect me to be easy on her.”
“I would never…”
Her blue eyes blink as she smiles and whispers, “Iris will always have a safe harbor here.”
6. Stranger Than Science Fiction
Monday, December 13
19 days before…
“You know this guy,” I say from our bed in the Houston loft the next morning as I catch sight of her peeking at me. The tablet in my hands shows the subject of my latest fascination—rope bondage. I spend hours studying and longingly gazing at the incredible pictures this Master crafts. “He works with a few girls at a time. He has shot Charlotte before. She said he was different.”
“Hmm…yeah, I met him at a party once. He likes dancers and small-boned girls. I was going to do a shoot with him before I met you, but I was too sick with chemo. She’s pretty,” she points at the girl suspended in a nest. “Innocent. Sexy. Baiting.”
Tell me about it.
My palm on my dick in the shower thinks so, too.
Tossing the iPad aside, I let my fingertips drift over her belly and the many scars. The tattoo of a hummingbird perched on
a vine conceals one of her early surgeries, but the rest – the more recent – offer up red seams to the intrusion on her skin.
“I’m surprised you hugged Mierne.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Kaci says, rubbing my head. “I’m a nice girl.”
“If your version of a nice girl is a master manipulator—sure,” I jest as she giggles.
Her eyes are so golden this morning like a sinking sun in a dark horizon. “Can I earn a diabolical?”
Flicking my brow up, I say, “Depends on how much intel you share.”
Surprisingly, she rolls over on top of me. The somewhat aggressive move causes a hitch in my breath as I’m reminded of what all I’m losing. And even if things do go according to her plan of taking down the bosses, I still lose. There is no victory for me here with Kaci gone, and while I understand that may change with time, I cannot expect that. I’m training and fighting to win the war with evil and have no one to celebrate with at the end—to me, that’s a loss.
Her straddling my body surges forth my erection. She rocks slightly, teasing my cock trapped beneath the sheet. “You cannot be serious?”
“About?” she asks, lifting her long blonde hair up and clipping it. “Fucking you?” My hand soothes up under her shirt before I pull it over her head. “I’m dead serious about that.”
“Not funny,” I reprimand as her hands caress my chest and come to rest upon the crucifix. “No, I mean having a meeting of the minds during sex…”
“Why not?” She rolls up on her knees and tugs the sheet out from between us. “I’m short on time.”
“Will you quit?” I scold, unamused, but smiling anyway. “You’re not funny.”
Her mouth kisses mine as her slender fingers slide between us and navigate my cock to her wetness. “I’m hysterically funny. You are just playing tough and hard to get. I need to multi-task if we are getting everything done that I want to. That includes me fucking your dick and telling you all about Chicago.”
Vote Then Read: Volume II Page 92