She gave him a reserved smile and walked past him into the room. He pivoted and began the introductions as he followed behind her.
"Detective, this is Mr. Ian Breckenridge. He owns Breckenridge Security and contracts with us on the weekend to add to our team. Ian, this is Detective Jessica Lawson," he said, completing the introduction as she reached the seating area.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Breckenridge," Jessica said and reached out her hand.
"You've been quite the topic of conversation, Detective Lawson," Ian said and smiled at her.
"Interesting," she replied and looked over at Kade.
"Ian has some theories about the knife, and I've cued up the security tapes," he said, trying to move her focus away from Ian's comment.
"If that's how you want to play it, Mr. Kinkaid, please proceed, but we're coming back to how I was the topic of conversation."
Ian chuckled and drew her attention. Kade glared at him.
"Payback sucks, my friend," he tossed back at Kade.
He watched Jessica take over his chair, but this time she perched right on the edge of it rather than leaning back. The movements were stiff and careful as she settled, crossing her feet at the ankles. She leaned her body until her weight shifted to her right arm propped on the armrest as her left hand flipped the button of her jacket open. Kade's heart nearly stopped at the sight of the corset peeking out between the sides of her jacket.
"Nice outfit," Ian said as he admired her from across the conversation area.
"You were going to tell me about the situation at hand. There's far more to it than a harassing knife in the door," she continued without acknowledgement.
Ian looked up at him, but Kade had lost most of his communication ability. He knew Ian would tease him mercilessly for it later, but right now he had to get through this meeting.
"Prior to the knife in the door, there were a few incidents on the grounds. A couple of security breaches, a member who overstepped his boundaries and such, but most of them didn't add up too much," Ian started.
"These types of situations aren't run of the mill, but they aren't unusual either," Kade said, catching up with the conversation and sitting down beside Jessica. "Periodic breaches, members pushing boundaries with the staff or other members are part of this business."
"Okay. What changed?"
"Direct, I like that," Ian said and nodded toward Kade.
"The knife escalated the situation," Kade responded to the detective's question.
"How has Alexandra handled these escalations at her club?" she asked.
Kade looked at Ian to communicate his concern, but Ian shook his head.
"She's letting her security team handle it because it is our job," he said with finality.
He watched her head jerk up and look at him. It took every ounce of control to sit still under her scrutiny. The intensity of her gaze made him think she could read everything he wasn't saying, but trust was built and earned. While his emotions might scream to tell her everything and ask for help, his head told him there was nothing more dangerous.
"Does your crack security team know why there was a knife in the door?" she asked with a slight drawl.
This time he returned her gaze, challenging her to take control or be part of the team.
"We have a good idea, but we wanted your take on the situation," he said without looking away.
Across the room, Ian cleared his throat and hit the remote to click on the monitor set up on a moveable cart at the other end of the office. A grainy image of the front of the club played out in front of them, then a sudden streak of long hair and a piece of paper fluttered into view. A second or two later, the same fuzzy image passed back in front of the camera. After the video played, a still image of the retreating shape appeared.
"How tall is the front door?" Jessica asked without taking her eyes off the image.
"Seven feet six inches," Kade responded.
"Female, long hair, over five seven but under six feet tall, size nine shoe," she stated with certainty.
Kade stared at her in wonderment.
"Basis of conclusion?" Ian inquired.
"Her hair is well past her shoulder, which doesn't tell us anything. Her build is slight, but there's a curve in her waist, and the police found the footprint of a woman just off the paving stones during the investigation," she said.
"Show-off," Ian quipped.
Jessica smirked.
"Utilization of all resources," she said with a laugh. "Is this the best video you've got? I would have thought with the cost of membership and the type of people walking through those doors, you'd have better surveillance."
"We do," Kade said defensively.
"What he means is there are a number of better quality cameras surveilling the area but someone knocked them out with a magnetic device and others were hacked. Most members can see the large pan and tilt cameras, but there are a couple of places where the cameras are built into the structure and on a different network as a backup," Ian said, throwing Kade a get it together look.
"You think this was a professional job?"
"Professional-no. Professional equipment? State-of-the art," Kade said.
"Normally that would be a defining situation, but around here everyone has more money than God," Jessica quipped. "Speaking of, what do you know about Edmund Hurter?"
A knot formed in Kade's stomach. The mention of the one man who'd upended Alexandra's world and as a result, a whole host of other people, was a name he hated to hear. With no proof of wrongdoing, he'd remained a member of the club. Alexandra's secret-keeping did not help the situation and eventually forced her to run because she hadn't trusted him to keep her safe. Not that he'd blame her. He had blood on his hands from not being able to keep a charge safe in the past. This was just another reminder of his failures.
"He's a member here," he stated calmly.
"With all due respect, I'd already ascertained that much. What is his relationship with either Atlas or Alexandra?"
"Why do you ask, Detective?"
This time it was Ian's turn to volley the question. Kade glanced over at his friend, who was now sitting forward on the couch.
"A reporter made a comment about stalking after the press conference, so I did a little digging. Based on general information, Atlas Devereaux has been gone on business for several months, as have Alexandra and Edmund. Now, they could all be in different places in the world, but I have a hard time buying such coincidences. So either they are all partners together and they eloped, two of them are partners and the other one is watching, or someone is following someone around. So gentlemen, which one is it?"
The silence in the room was like a blanket. Kade's mind spun, and he watched Ian shake his head.
"Quite the set of conclusions, Detective," Ian said, breaking the silence and ending the statement with a large exhale.
"According to the FAA, Mr. Hurter's plane took off from Dulles headed to St. Kitts four days ago. I hear it's beautiful. The crystal clear waters, the warm weather…" Jessica said calmly.
"Wait, did you say his plane took off four days ago headed for St. Kitts?" Kade interjected.
"Yes, why?"
"Fuck!"
"I'm on it," Ian said jumping up from the couch and reaching for his phone.
Kade ran an anxious hand through his hair.
"Well, Detective, it looks like you may have just given us the lead we needed and hate," Kade said.
"What the hell is going on here?" Jessica growled.
"Was there an NDA in your welcome package?" Kade asked hastily.
"Yes."
"And you signed it?"
"Yes."
He stood and walked over to his desk. Tapping the spacebar, his monitor lit up under the command and he quickly navigated to the club's intake documentation until he found her paperwork. Thankful for Samantha's efficiency, he flipped through the files until he found the non-disclosure agreement with her signature on it. Then he flipped t
o her orientation page-Dominant, knives, wax play, chastity, submission. With a stifled moan, he chastised himself and shut down the page.
"Okay, I see it in the system."
"Wonderful," Jessica replied sarcastically.
"I'm juggling knives here, Detective; I don't need a paper cut," Kade shot back.
"Fair. Now tell me about those knives."
Kade took a deep breath and walked back toward her.
"Mr. Hurter was a client of Alexandra's. She'd been his professional Dominant for several years and it seemed to satisfy his needs until the day he proposed to her. When she refused him, he stalked her and threatened everyone around her. She didn't trust me enough to tell me and ran out of fear. We didn't put the pieces together until fairly recently when Ian had a run-in with him at a restaurant. The man is ruthless in his pursuit and wicked smart. Alexandra's been hiding in St. Kitts with Reece Gabriel. If he's found her, we need to let them know immediately, and four days is a long delay."
His shoulders fell in defeat. He was failing his friend again, and this time it might cost her her life. He placed his head in his hands and tried to think while Ian activated his security team.
"Thomas."
Her voice was a whisper he almost missed, but it was the fact she'd called him by his first name that caught his attention. When he looked up, he was staring into an intense pair of dark blue-gray eyes. They were full of a furious protective strength that mirrored his own.
"She'll be okay. I don't know Ian's team well, but I know you wouldn't trust them if they weren't good at their job," she said, laying her small hand on his massive shoulder and giving it a squeeze.
The world paused for a moment, and he swore the weight of it lifted from his shoulders for the first time in months.
"Isn't there a bar in this place? I think we could both use a drink."
"There's two actually," Ian said as he strode back into the room. "The main bar by the pool and the cigar lounge. There's also a restaurant."
Jessica frowned.
"Samantha held out on me," she said.
"How so?"
"She dragged me to the spa, but I openly refused. Then she gave me the general highlights of the place and the private play-spaces in a whirlwind tour until we ended up in an oversize closet. Where she tortured me with clothes."
Both men laughed at the description.
"That sounds like Samantha," Kade said and gave her a wry grin.
"Ian, does your team have the situation handled?" she asked, looking over at him.
"Yes, Ma'am. We're behind the curve here, but there's nothing more we can do until we hear from them."
"Right answer," she replied.
Ian laughed.
"Now Kade, you'll show me where this cigar lounge is because it's been a long week and I need a finger or two of scotch," she commanded.
"Yes, Ma'am," he said as he rose from the chair, shooting Ian a preemptive go to hell look.
"Now you're catching on."
"Alexandra will love you," Ian said as they passed.
"Won't you join us, Mr. Breckenridge?"
"I'd love to, but I need to be available for updates from the team, and I have other things which require my attention."
"Tell Jillian I said hi," Kade threw at him.
"That's not a good look on you, Kade," Jessica chided.
The words hit him like a ton of bricks. He'd always used cutting sarcasm as a defense mechanism, and never had anyone called him on it. Yet, here was this woman whose approval he craved. Kade wanted to please her in a way he'd never experienced before.
"I deserve it," Ian said, relieving Kade's internal tension a notch.
He tossed Ian a look of gratitude.
"Shall we?" he asked, motioning toward the door.
Jessica nodded.
Not wanting to be in front of her, he laid a hand lightly on her back to offer the directions to their destination. Her warm skin radiated through the material while the thick lacing of the corset reminded him of the glimpse he’d caught earlier. What he wouldn't do to unwrap the package underneath.
Chapter Twelve
Jessica's brain spun as Kade navigated them toward the cigar lounge. Life was much simpler when men came on strong and macho. She could easily categorize them, put up the necessary walls, and plow through whatever issues she faced. It was when they showed emotion or vulnerability that was always her undoing, and Mr. Kinkaid had shown both. There was no doubt he adored the club's owner, but it seemed like an older brother situation, possessive and extremely protective. The thoughts running through her were nothing near the same. His firm hand on her back made her want to know what it would be like to have them wrapped around her. To order him to hold her close and make the world go away.
"Why the cigar lounge?"
At the question she lost her focus and tripped over her own foot. Strong hands grabbed both arms before she splayed against the hard marble floor. Embarrassment at her clumsiness radiated through her, warming her skin. When she recovered her footing, Kade placed his hand on her back once again and navigated them forward without a word.
"Because I learned to smoke cigars early and drink scotch when the 'men' were talking. Over time, it became an indulgence I enjoyed when the world became stressful," she admitted.
"What do you prefer to smoke?"
"I often have simple taste. Something easy like a Drew Estate Isla del Sol or a Macanudo with a Connecticut wrapper."
They continued down the hall a couple of steps in comfortable silence. There was no rush to the questions; rather they were answers to their relevant destination.
"Highland or low-land scotch?"
"Highland. There's something about the smooth caramel creaminess I prefer. Though I've had nothing over a ten-year-old, I've heard some of them are better when aged."
Kade smiled down at her.
"I can confirm it to be true sometimes," he said as they approached the lounge.
He opened the door and stepped aside to let her pass before following her inside.
"Good evening, Mr. Kinkaid. It is good to see you."
Kade smiled at the host as they entered.
"Charles, this is Ms. Lawson. Anything she wants, until further notice, is on the house tab at Alexandra's wish."
"Yes, Sir," he responded and typed the information on the screen in front of him.
Jessica started to object but stopped when Kade shook his head. She noticed a small cord with a thin in-line silver pendant around his neck and made a note to ask Kade its meaning.
"How is Alexandra?"
"She's good and hoping to be back soon."
"Most excellent. We've missed her around here."
Kade nodded at the man.
"Would you prefer open seating or a private lounge?"
"A private lounge, please."
With a couple more taps on the screen, he looked up and smiled at them.
"This way please," he said, stepping in front of them and walking toward the back of the lounge.
Jessica was in awe of the obvious expense poured into the lounge. The dark teal blue walls took the edge off the distinctly masculine room. Everywhere she looked, espresso leather furnishing filled the space. It was cooler than the rest of the club, and she shivered slightly as she adjusted to the temperature.
In one corner a woman knelt between the knees of a man. She was clad only in a small skirt which did little to hide any of her body. Her full breasts jutted forward toward the man as he lay a long cigar ash across them. Along the wall, a group laughed as they each held a long hose from an extravagantly ornate hookah as large billows of water vapor surrounded them with each exhale.
Charles opened a door to an enclosed room about the size of a small bedroom. Two large leather chairs sat on either side of an end table, and Kade motioned to them with a wave of his hand.
"Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro Toro, Mr. Kinkaid?"
"Two please, Charles, and two glasses of Glenmorangie Si
gnet," he said.
"Very good, Sir," he said and gave a slight bow before retreating from the room, closing the door with a soft click behind him.
"Do you always order for others?"
"Did it relieve stress from you and give you a true opportunity to relax in a new atmosphere?"
"Do you always answer a question with a question, Mr. Kinkaid?"
"Are you always so stubborn that the smallest gesture of grace and kindness from a man makes you defensive, Detective Lawson?"
She stood staring at him for a long moment, unable to fully process the words coming out of his mouth. They made her nervous, as if he could see right past her entire collection of mazes and walls and straight into her essence. Everything in her demanded she pull herself together before he thought her a bumbling fool who wasn't in control of her world. Her neck ached from staring up at him, but she refused to be the first one to look away. Power was taken, demanded. Every man in her life had taught her that fact, often the hard way.
Kade was nothing like the men she'd encountered before. He was confident and powerful in his own right, but there was something beneath the surface, a beautiful vulnerability and openness. Neither part diminished the other or the whole.
"Yes," she finally said.
He quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Yes, I am always stubborn and defensive at the slightest kind gesture from a man because I know it is a power move. Something to prove I am less than, weaker or dumber—not that my petite stature doesn't assist them with that assessment."
Kade frowned at her honest response.
"You are an amazing woman and deserve so much more," he whispered and reached up to caress her cheek.
Something in her shifted. Maybe it was the strain of the recent situation or the lack of touch she'd experienced for far too long. She clenched her eyes shut as the unbidden wave of emotion threatened to steal her control. A tear escaped and slid down her cheek. Without a word, Kade's warm thumb wiped it away. Time held no meaning. Somewhere in the darkness, as she attempted to collect her thoughts, a small click of the door opened and closed.
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