"Kiss me," she commanded.
His lips brushed over her mouth in a slow caress. There was no rush in the movement as his hand snaked behind her neck to support it, relieving the slightest ache. She let her body relax into his while his movements remained unhurried and gentle.
Jessica melted into Kade's touch and forced her tongue between his lips. Logical thought disintegrated in a cloud of lustful images as Kade's other hand cupped her bound waist and pulled her toward him. The bulge of his cock pressed against her thigh, and she moaned into his mouth. Her body trembled under the onslaught of sensation, and his hand tightened on her waist to steady her.
Thick lust rushed through her as she moaned against his mouth. Her hands slid around his waist unbidden and stroked his skin in time with the parry and thrust of their tongues. Pure need rushed through her like a drowning person on a sinking ship as her mind fought to find purchase in her lusty haze. Kade's head pulled away until the gentle stroke of his tongue seemed like a dream.
"If you continue to kiss me that way and make such beautiful sounds, I am not sure I'll be able to stop myself from pleasuring you until you scream my name," Kade said against her lips, his breath coming in long pants mirroring her own.
The words gave her mind purchase, and she stepped back until they were no longer touching. Need flowed palpably between them, and neither spoke. Between her legs, the thin lacy panties were soaked, and she only hoped the pungent air in the cigar lounge covered the scent of her arousal.
She ran her hands down the front of her pants suit to find center. Then with a slight nod, she lifted her chin to look up into his lust-filled gaze.
"I see our order has arrived. Will you please light my cigar, Mr. Kinkaid," she said in an attempt to show indifference to the previous situation.
"My pleasure to be of service, Detective," he replied, parroting her tone.
Jessica took a seat on the farthest chair and watched as Kade clipped the end of the cigar. Then he carefully roasted the tip before lighting it. Each move was like an elegantly choreographed dance. Each one had a purpose, but it was the execution of them which held her rapt attention. When he blew on the end of the cigar and it glowed an even ring of red, he presented it back to her. With a satisfied smile, she took a long puff, letting the flavorful smoke roll around her mouth before exhaling it in a small cloud which rose above her head.
"Please join me," she said, lifting her chin toward the other cigar lying on the silver salver atop the table.
With the same care, Kade lit his cigar. This time, instead of blowing on the tip of the cigar to light it, he took several long draws until the tip glowed a bright cherry red.
"It looks like you've had quite a bit of practice lighting cigars," Jessica observed.
"My background has given me training in several areas of life. One of my past Mistresses preferred to never light her own cigar," he said without elaborating and took a deep draw on the end of the stick.
"You identify as a submissive?"
"Yes. Though I am unsure why it surprises you."
"My encounters with the rare submissive male in my world have all been very focused on what I could do for them. It was like they felt I was a fetish dispenser because I was female and dominant. There was always a lack of respect in the situation," she said, unable to hide the disgust and irritation.
"People often forget the underlying factors and only want the fun kinky bits," Kade said in agreement, a ring of smoke falling out of his mouth with each word.
"You seem different," she said, cocking her head slightly as if the change in perspective would give her a better understanding.
"We all approach our preferred points of view in a variety of ways. I'm sorry your past experiences were less than desirable."
"How do you see such a dynamic then, Mr. Kinkaid?"
He shrugged before answering the question.
"It's simple. A dynamic relationship is naked honesty wrapped in vulnerability served in devotion and surrender. The lucky ones are based in love."
"If only the world were so simple," Jessica said wistfully.
"When you drop the drawbridge, then someone can help you slay the dragons because we all need help. It's a lesson driven home for me quite recently. When we lock others out in our greatest moment of need, we not only crush ourselves but those around us."
There was a sadness in his voice. She wanted to take it away, but his words struck a dissonance in her own soul that it would be hypocritical to even attempt it.
"True, but the world expects female Dominants to have a cold, aloof persona. One who humiliates and belittles others. Even in my work, I don't find it productive or desirable to treat others in such a way, but far too often I am forced to become one of the guys or a woman they think they can walk all over."
"And what do you desire?"
"To delve into the darkest fantasies and curl up in the most beautiful light," she said wistfully.
Jessica picked up the glass of scotch, suddenly feeling far too vulnerable for her own liking. She took a long sip. The sweet rich scotch played across her tongue like a spicy piece of candy with an aroma that reminded her of a creamy cup of coffee. With a moan she fully enjoyed every indulgent swirl as it worked its way around her mouth.
"That is fantastic," she said when the rich liquid finally snaked down her throat.
Kade smiled in pride and satisfaction. "I'm glad you liked it. Sometimes giving up control gives you far more power to enjoy the experience."
Chapter Thirteen
Kade loved watching her relax for the first time since they'd met. There was a hint of softness under that hard as nails exterior. He wondered what she'd gone through to make her so afraid of men. It was like watching someone run close to something they deemed dangerous, touch it to see if they would survive, and retreat. It had shocked him when she'd commanded him to kiss her. Those lips were so soft he wanted to linger there until he lost himself in her essence and then move on to explore the rest of her luscious body. His cock twitched at the thought, still at attention from their interaction. In this moment he was thankful for the days of chastity and self-discipline he'd endured in his life.
They sat in companionable silence for a long time, both lost in their own thoughts.
"How did he know where she went?" she asked suddenly.
"I'm not following," Kade said in confusion, lacking the direction of her current thoughts.
"How did Edmund know where Alexandra was located if they didn't plan to meet?"
Kade thought about the question. Edmund had found her in Boston, but they'd been able to whisk her away to the island before he got there. It frustrated him that he hadn't yet reached Dominick, but he never thought to ask how Edmund knew where she'd gone. Now that Jessica posed the question, he didn't know how he’d missed it.
"I don't know," he said honestly.
"What do you know about Edmund?"
"He's a tech genius with a troubled past. Dr. Jillian Hart was his therapist for the past few years, but HIPAA and patient/doctor confidentiality would make it impossible for her to reveal anything about his past. Someone has told me they sealed his records, so even if she could tell us anything it would be pointless. He's worth more money than a small country, so his resources are unfathomable. Throughout this whole situation, he's been a step ahead…" He trailed off.
"A step ahead?" Jessica prompted.
"Alexandra went to Boston to visit a former mentor and he found her there. According to what you found out, he's now traced her to St. Kitts."
"How many people knew her movements?"
"Less than five."
"Do you trust everyone on that list?"
"With my life," he said with confidence.
"I hope so, because Alexandra's life may depend on it."
Kade nodded. A knot of anxiety formed in his stomach.
"Stop beating yourself up, Mr. Kinkaid," Jessica said softly.
"You said it yourself, her life may depend
on the decisions I've made."
"Then she's in good hands. It's everyone else I want to know about," she said.
He watched her take a sip of the sweet scotch and then a long draw on the cigar. The combination was intoxicating. How was it she could make him focus on the most dire circumstances one minute and want to get lost in her in the next?
"There's nothing more we can do about it tonight," Jessica said with an odd finality, draining the last bit of scotch from her glass. "However, I confess, I've only ever indulged in my proclivities in a home setting. I'm afraid I'll embarrass myself this weekend."
Kade leisurely let a billow of smoke float out of his mouth. In his chest his heart pounded at the possibilities.
"How can I help?"
"Can you show me the equipment that will be available at the event this weekend? I want to be able to make small talk about anything going on. There's nothing better than preparation and a grasp of the social situation to make observing others easier," she said as she stood.
There was a shift in her posture. Her body was more relaxed as she stepped from the room into the larger lounge.
"Thank you, Charles," she said as she passed the host's station.
"My pleasure, Ms. Lawson," he replied with a slight bow of the head.
"Mr. Kinkaid," he said with a knowing smile as Kade passed.
They stepped out into the hallway, and Jessica took a confident lead toward the private rooms in the lower level of the club. With each step he saw the club in a new way. The crack of the whip or paddle slap weren't just a noise in a crowded club where he kept an eye over its participants, but a world he rarely indulged in these days.
"You've learned your way around the halls quickly," he said as they walked down the back staircase.
"A mental map of a place is helpful when you're looking for a way out and not sure what lurks around the corner. A good thing to know in my line of work and it was one of the few places Samantha lingered on today's tour," she said, forcing a smile to cross her face.
Kade chuckled and turned to see Jessica raise her eyebrows in response.
"Samantha was probably hoping to catch Parker down in the halls of the playrooms. He's our local 'artist' and she's got a crush on him," Kade said with a shake of his head.
"How many partners does she have?"
"Depends on the day," he said with a shrug. "She has a husband and a Dominant who both attempt to keep her in line, a girlfriend she sees periodically, and play partners who are in her general orbit."
"I don't know if I'm envious or astounded."
"It takes a village with that one. She's brilliant in her work, but there are areas where she needs a lot of support. Tough background. We all find our way through our own issues."
Jessica took in the information with a simple nod as they approached the private rooms.
"Where to, Mr. Kinkaid?"
Kade grabbed his phone and swiped through a couple screens before looking up. "Looks like the Sapphire Room is available."
"Lead the way." She motioned in front of her with a wave of a hand. The move pinched her rib, and she grimaced at the pain.
"How are the cracked ribs?" Kade asked as he entered the security code to the door.
"How'd you..."
"You groaned in your sleep when I carried you to bed. Based on my estimate, you took quite a beating. I estimate two cracked ribs, a twisted ankle since you've walked on it all day, and quite the shiner."
"It could have been worse," she mumbled.
She met his hard, protective gaze and held it with one that mirrored it.
"I hope the victory was worth it," he said as he pushed the door to the private room open.
"No comment on how women should be in a less dangerous job, or how my size makes me weaker or less capable?" she said in a cutting tone.
He led them into a room slightly bigger than a normal living room. There were mirrors lining the far wall while dark sapphire blue damask fabric covered the remaining three. In one corner, a dark mahogany St. Andrew's cross sat at an angle while a spanking bench sat in the opposite one. In the center of the room, a large bondage table hung from four thick support chains. The chrome edges glinted under the light of the room.
"You mistake me for an overprotective Neanderthal. I'll give you protective, but I draw the line at Neanderthal. I know some very strong women, and every one of them would kick my ass if I tried to pull that crap. However, it makes me wonder what you're trying to prove."
"Men aren't out to prove anything when they carry the badge," she spat. "Police work isn't all bad guys and bruises. It's solving puzzles. Understanding humans. Thinking through situations."
He watched as her mental armor settled around her, preparing to battle with him.
"According to what I hear you're damn good at your job," he said, moving further into the room.
"I take pride in making sure I'm competent, skilled, and in control of everything I do, Mr. Kinkaid," she said with a smirk.
Her words sent a wave of anticipation running through him as he watched her walk toward the cross.
"Tell me about the St. Andrew's cross, Mr. Kinkaid." She pointed to the large x-shaped piece of bondage equipment in the corner.
"It's a piece of bondage equipment which spreads out a bottom into a slightly off-balanced and vulnerable position. A person can either face forward or place their back against the cross," he said as he walked up behind.
"Please demonstrate," she said with an edge of command in her voice.
"Which way would you prefer I face?"
"Toward me. I want to see what you look like stretched out on it."
Jessica stepped aside as Kade moved to the cross and spread his legs more than shoulder width apart and his arms wide above his head, wrapping his fingers around the outer pegs. A predatorial mask glazed her face while she watched him position himself as she’d requested.
She stepped forward and traced her hand down the muscles of his bicep, letting it continue down his chest until she lay her palm against his stomach. Each touch sent an electric current straight to his cock. His muscles tensed and released as her hand slowly worked toward his cock.
"What I wouldn't give for a knife to cut these clothes off," she said breathlessly, stepping close enough that her breasts brushed against his waist.
Kade's body went taut as the image bloomed. He wanted to let go of the equipment and touch her. Run his hands through her hair until the severe style let go in messy tendrils, but he held still under her touch until he thought he would explode. There was something in the intense way she studied him, like she was memorizing his body with each touch, that made his cock throb hard against the confines of his pants.
"Do you prefer the cross or the spanking bench, Mr. Kinkaid?"
"Whatever pleases you to see me on," he said, holding back a groan.
Chapter Fourteen
"I'd rather see you on the hanging bench," she said, crooking her finger at him to follow and walked towards the large hanging table in the middle of the room.
Jessica felt him behind her as she made her way across the room.
It'd been far too long since she'd indulged in anything more than vanilla sex. There was something intimate about playing with someone. Watching their breath hitch as the edge of a knife slid down their skin or a well-placed hand ran across a sensitive area. This room was a perfect blend of sex and fantasy. Each piece of equipment was set so one could move between them or be ensconced in an intimate corner with enough room for others to observe.
"It is often better when you experience the equipment yourself. Then you have a better sense of how the body reacts against it," Kade whispered, his breath drifting across the edge of her ear.
It sent a shiver of need through her body. The big man gave her a place where she felt she could breathe without losing her control or power. Arousal shot through her, and she wondered how far she could push the situation. Maybe if she satisfied her curiosity, then she'd settle into
the environment.
"If I told you to kneel, how would you respond?"
"There's only way to find out," he challenged.
She stepped to the end of the long, suspended table as the edge of it grazed her ass. Her fingers wrapped around the thick chunk of wood and she took a deep breath. It was one thing to play Dominant in the bedroom as a game and a completely different one to issue a command expecting someone to follow it.
"Kneel in front of me, Kade," she said in a husky whisper.
His large frame came into view in front of her, and he gazed intently into her eyes before sinking to his knees. Kade forced his knees wide and lay his palms up turned on his thighs without taking his eyes off hers.
She gasped at the sight. It was an instant turn-on. He'd given her exactly what she'd commanded, but there was a hint of mischief playing across his face. His chest rose and fell in slow, controlled breaths. It made her smile to know the situation was affecting him as much as it was her.
"If I told you to strip bare, would you?" she asked openly, watching his reaction to the question.
"There's only one way to find out," he said with a smirk.
The power shift was palpable. Here, in this room, they were not equal. Still, if she gave him an inch, she'd bet he'd take over. Kade didn't seem like the do me type of male submissive, only in it for his jollies. Nor was there anything weak about him. He offered his power as an exchange. What Jessica wasn't quite sure was what she had to exchange for such intensity and the submission she saw written on his face.
She slid her shoes off and sighed at the softness of the carpet. It felt amazing under her feet as she rotated her sore ankle to relieve some of the pressure. With a careful push, so as not to jostle her sore ribs, she hopped up on the suspended table and looked down at the kneeling form in front of her. For a long moment she thought about her next move. She wanted his hands on her, but there was a line she'd formed in her mind about what was appropriate behavior. Being undercover this weekend easily blurred them. Jessica needed everyone to believe she was an experienced Dominant in a public setting. Her body wanted her to relieve the tension from the past couple weeks. When this was over, she didn't have to see Kade ever again. She could enjoy the experience for everything it was worth and walk away.
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