She turned to face him, and his mouth went dry. From across the room she was stunning. In front of him she made him want to steal her away from the crowds and keep her for himself.
"Jessica, I'd like you to meet Parker Chase. Parker, this is Jessica. She's been working with the security team for the past few weeks," he explained.
Parker took her hand and brought it to his lips, planting a soft kiss on the edge of her knuckles. A sting of jealousy raced along Kade's nerves, but he held his expression in polite reserve.
"You are stunning, Ms. Jessica. Should you ever want to be made into a masterpiece, please let me know," he said, his breath grazing across her skin.
Kade clenched his jaw. He had an animalistic instinct to growl and tell Parker to fuck off, but he knew the man was being polite. His reaction caught him off-guard and he laid a hand on the small of Jessica's back in an innate act of possession.
When Parker released her hand, Jessica looked up at him, the question clear, but it faded as soon as she turned back to Parker. Her face bloomed into a full smile.
"You flatter me, Parker. The human artwork is stunning. I didn't know the human form could be expressed in so many ways."
"Wait until you see the main hall. It is one of my best showings," he said with pride. "Speaking of, I must attend the final preparations. The doors open in forty minutes and this crowd gets restless when the time approaches. I can't leave my adoring public waiting. It was a pleasure to meet you, Jessica."
He bowed with a flourish, turned, and disappeared into the crowd.
As soon as he was gone, Jessica turned to Kade. "Mr. Kinkaid, if you have no immediate concerns, I'd like to see you in a private room below."
The sternness in her voice sent a thrill and a dread running through him.
"Let me check in with Ian and the team, Ma'am. If everything is going smoothly, I'll meet you in the Sapphire Room, if it pleases you."
Jessica nodded and walked off.
"On your way to an execution?" Ian asked as Kade approached the end of the bar.
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure."
Ian furrowed his brow in disbelief. "I call bullshit, my friend."
"Let's just say, I may have stepped in it with a self-rescuing princess," he said grimly.
"Man, there's your first mistake. Jessica's no princess. That woman's a queen well in control of her kingdom. You'd do well to bend the knee, as they say," Ian said with a snort.
Kade frowned his displeasure.
"Do you have everything covered up here in this madhouse?"
Ian folded his arms over his chest and nodded toward the door.
"Thanks. I owe you one," Kade said, slapping Ian on the shoulder as he walked by.
"Don't thank me yet. You don't know what's in store for you down those stairs."
Ian's words haunted him as he made his way down the stairs. He'd survived bitter realities in hostile war-torn situations. Stared down the most frightening realities of humanity, but the simple walk to a room where a very irritated woman waited for him sent him into cold sweats.
He wanted to delay the inevitable. To slow the walk and hope he could make up an excuse for the reason he’d tarried so long before meeting her, but he knew from experience it was the wrong move. She might not wield a whip, but he didn't know if her sheer disappointment wouldn't cut deeper.
Kade rounded the corner and took a deep breath. In this room was everything he wanted, much of which exhilarated him with just a touch of fear he couldn't explain. His instincts were one thing; his actions would be another. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door, not daring to barge in on her space again.
"Enter."
He pushed the door open and glanced at the control panel on the wall out of habit.
"Everything is off, Mr. Kinkaid. No one will see our interaction," Jessica said with cold assurance.
She stood in the middle of the room, facing the wall of mirrors as he walked in. Not used to being unsure of himself, he fidgeted and waited for her next move.
"It was my understanding you were a well-trained submissive, at least according to the intel I've gathered over the last week."
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied.
"What are your training and instincts telling you to do right now?"
He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one leg to the other.
"Kneel. But I'm sure you'd want me to ask for forgiveness."
Jessica's eyes narrowed in the mirror’s reflection. "The question is why would you ask forgiveness?"
Kade sighed. He guessed at what she wanted him to say. Disappointment slammed through him.
"I presume it would be for my possessive overreaction upstairs."
His answer was clipped. She needed to know he would not step down from a challenge, either from her or anyone else. He wouldn't pretend to be anything other than what he was, and he could be protective, possessive, and loyal to anyone who stepped into this part of his life.
Jessica turned and faced him, and he wondered if she could see into his soul. Everything in him was drawn to her.
"Kade," she breathed. "The real question is why are you so possessive?"
The question stunned Kade, and his head jerked up, his own hard gaze meeting hers.
"Because you're mine," he stated without reservation.
She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side. "Is that so? I could swear it is the Dominant who calls the submissive mine."
Kade took a stalking step toward her. "In actuality, I believe it is an inequitable exchange of equals."
Jessica refused to move. "An interesting perspective. Which means, by your own admittance, you enjoy our little game?"
He took several more steps toward her. When he stopped, he watched her crane her neck up to look at him.
"Yes, Ma'am. I am fond of the game, but I'm far fonder of you. Everything in me wants to earn you in every way possible. I want your body until you are squirming under me in delight, pleasure, and ecstasy. I want to know how you see the world and share adventures with you. I want to be the person to which you entrust your deepest secrets."
Kade watched the shallow rise and fall of her chest. He wanted to learn every nuance about her so he could lift her world when it got heavy and take the pain away when she gave it up. The next move was hers. They stood on the precipice of something spectacular, if she would take the leap.
"Then kiss me," she said breathlessly.
The words sang through his body like an electrical current. His brain slid in confusion, not sure the words were actual rather than imagined. Kade lifted his hand and traced the outline of her bottom lip. Her shoulders relaxed as the tension drained from them. He slid his hand across her cheek and cupped her head. A fiery intensity flared in her eyes at his touch.
He lowered his head until they breathed the same air. For a long moment, he held the embrace. Then he kissed her. Her warm lips pressed against his. The potency of her answer surprised him. Her mouth probed and commanded him as she took control of the kiss she'd demanded. Her tongue battled his as she pressed into him. Her hands pressed against his chest. Possession, need, and desire poured from her.
Kade's body responded to her aggressiveness with untamed arousal. His cock throbbed, demanding release. Jessica rotated her body into his, and it took every ounce of restraint not to grab her ass and drag her up his body until he held her in his arms.
"Kneel. You're hurting my neck at this angle," she commanded, breaking off the kiss.
Without hesitation, he fell to his knees. Jessica resumed her onslaught, wrapping a hand in his hair until he growled in pain. Her lips landed on his once again. No longer hesitant, her movements were firm and commanding. When she broke off the kiss, both of them gasped for breath.
"I wonder who is possessive of whom, Ma'am," Kade said with a gasp.
Jessica leaned forward until their foreheads touched.
"I believe it is a matter of a mutual consideration of 'mine.'"
She sucked in a long slow breath above him. The scent of arousal hung in the air between them.
"Yes, Ma'am. So it seems."
He could hear her sharp intake of breath, but she didn't move.
"I don't know this game well, but I don't give up control. Most possessive men want control. They've always wanted to 'protect' me under the guise I am weak, smaller, or lacking in intelligence. Every day I must prove I belong in the line of work I've chosen," she confessed.
Everything in Kade stilled. More than once he'd had those exact thoughts, and each time she'd proven to be far tougher than he'd given her credit for. It was a weakness and one she would demand he break.
"I will teach you the steps I know until you find the steps you want to do," he vowed.
Jessica straightened and took a step back. "I believe there's a party to get to, and I've kept you far too long from your duties."
Kade grinned up at her.
"What I hear you saying, Ma'am, is what the hell is fuckable art and can we go see it now that we've got this possessive nonsense out of the way?"
She laughed and signaled him to stand up. "Yeah. How do you make art fuckable? Even Samantha wouldn't tell me that one."
He smiled to let her know he understood the inside joke.
"Let's just say Parker is a perverted artist with a penchant for the more extreme ideas of sex."
Jessica shook her head in frustration. "You're not helping."
Kade offered his arm to her as he turned toward the door.
"It's one of those seeing is believing type things," he said as he led them out of the room.
Chapter Twenty-Two
They stepped out of the room together. Kade paused and let Jessica step into the lead. He fell in, two steps behind her and to her left. She could see him out of her periphery. Without a word, they moved into the throng of the crowd. There was something comforting about his presence. The way he both commanded a room and gave her deference in the same motion. In every story she'd read, they presented only the extremes. The weak woman bowing before a man or the subservient male bowing before an ice queen, but the reality was nuanced...different.
In front of them, a crowd formed at the main hall's double doors. A twitter of anticipation filled the space. What only a few days ago seemed vast in its emptiness now felt confining. Jessica stopped on the edge of the crowd and waited, observing the actions and reactions of the members.
"Well, well, well," a female voice called from her right as the woman approached. "It looks like someone is pretending to be your submissive because you know nothing about being a real Dominant, or you finally got a clue."
Jessica turned to Cassandra and smiled.
"Jealousy isn't a good look on you," she said confidently.
"And you've found teeth. Well done, Mr. Kinkaid. You are a better trainer than I gave you credit for in my lack of finding a good mentor."
Behind her, Kade didn't move.
"I've always had 'teeth,' as you say. I've learned when they serve me best and when to observe my surroundings. Besides, a teacher is only as good as the student chooses to learn."
Cassandra took a melodramatic step back. "Put a corset on you, Detective, and you think you own the place."
Jessica closed her eyes in irritation and sought her own control.
"First-if you'd read the manual you'd know using my outside title, name, or position is forbidden and a clear violation of club rules and privacy. As we are standing directly in front of the head of security for this club, I'd advise you to watch yourself. Second, you may address me as Jessica or Ma'am, and will do so respectfully."
Cassandra gave a scoffing laugh.
"Why would I address you as Ma'am? Because you wear a Dominant pendant given you without the need to go through any of the testing and programming? Some of us aren't screwing the help to get around the rules."
A smile flickered on the edge of Jessica's mouth as she thought about the grueling hours she'd spent the last few days poring over case notes while passing several club tests to earn the pendant around her neck.
"If you'd focus on studying rather than lurking around the club all day, I am sure you would find the pendant that best suited you too. It just might not be the one you think you deserve."
She watched Cassandra's mouth open then close. A flicker of irritation shone in her eyes. "Maybe I just need a vacation," she huffed. "I hear St. Kitts is beautiful this time of year."
Before Jessica comprehended her statement, Cassandra turned and faded into the crowd.
She pivoted and faced Kade. His hand was on the microphone button of his radio giving orders she couldn't hear.
Jessica opened her mouth to give her own set of commands, but Kade held up a finger. A scowl marred her face at the dismissive gesture, but she paused and waited for him. A range of emotions played across his face. Periodically his finger pressed on the microphone button, and his mouth moved in words she could not hear over the ever-increasing din of excitement. Around them, the crowd pulsated as it moved forward. Patrons set drinks on nearby trays, and a crush of bodies moved around them like a stream around a boulder. Kade did not move; he didn't even notice. Everything in her wanted to demand a radio, but she was a guest to the security. A consultant on a wider case, and even with the coincidence of the word Cassandra used, there was no hard evidence placing her in any part of the case.
She took a deep breath and thought about the case. In her mind, she twisted and pushed each piece of information, but little of it fit neatly together. All things were pointing to Cassandra, but there was something about her demeanor which bothered Jessica. She'd seen it a handful of times in other suspects. A bravado to cover a lack of self-assuredness—or maybe it was exactly what it appeared, and she was overconfident. Frustration welled up in her. She felt helpless to control or solve anything.
"Ma'am," Kade called, his voice full of concern.
Focusing on his voice, Jessica snapped out of her internal thoughts.
"Yes?"
"There you are. Everything okay?"
"That depends on what your team is doing about Cassandra," she replied with irritation.
Kade nodded in understanding. "They are searching for her. With the amount of video and audio surveillance and the extra manpower supplied by your captain, they'll find her soon enough."
Jessica shook with impatience. "Then we'd better get moving. Two more sets of eyes will make the task go faster. She knows something. We can't let her get away."
In front of her, Kade stood stoically in his place with no sign of movement.
"No, Ma'am," he replied.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sure my response was clear. With the respect due, there's nothing we can offer to the team. They are on duty. You are not. When they find her, and they will, I've given strict instructions to take her to Interrogation Room One."
She wrinkled her brow at his words.
"Did you say Interrogation Room One, as in this place has more than one interrogation room?"
Kade chuckled at her confusion. "You read the manual, right?"
"Of course."
"Good. The question is how did you miss the interrogation rooms? You caught the medical rooms, wet rooms, and spa rooms, the private ones. Right?"
Jessica bit her lip. In reality, she'd skimmed over the highlights of the club itself. Her sole aim was to pass several certifications to prepare for this evening and not to learn the variations of activities within the club.
"Ah. Someone took a shortcut," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"It's been a busy week. I passed all the tests."
"Ma'am, it's not about the test," Kade breathed.
When she heard his words, she looked around the room. The crowd was gone, and only a few stragglers remained.
"Then what is it about?"
"Everything. It's about what makes you think until the emotions carry you into a new realm. Or the place where your body can take the pain unt
il it drains the emotions of their haunting abilities. It is a connection, service, or submission. It is all of those things and none of those things."
Jessica huffed. "Do you always talk in riddles, Mr. Kinkaid?"
"It's not a riddle, Ma'am; it's a path between two or more people." He nodded toward the double doors of the main hall.
"We've got work to do. The art show will wait."
Kade shook his head in fervent disagreement. "No, the team has everything in hand. If they need us, I am reachable. Right now, it is about us, the art and a better understanding... Ma'am."
His big hands engulfed her shoulder and spun her around so fast she closed her eyes to keep her balance. Then his hand ran down her spine and landed at the small of her back. Beside her, he didn't move. His hand did not push, but his desire was clear.
"Do you always top from the bottom?"
"It's a power exchange. We both get input. Besides, Dominants need to learn lessons too."
"You're impossible," she said with a huff.
"Thank you, Ma'am," he said as a slow grin quirked his mouth. "Shall we?"
Jessica nodded her response.
They entered the main hall, and Jessica almost stopped dead, except the insistent pressure on her back propelled her forward. Every part of her was overstimulated. The light in the room was subdued with spotlights on framed pieces lining the walls like an art gallery. In the center of the room, two large installations stood under a full array of lights. Each one was surrounded by a crowd of onlookers who gave their own appreciative sounds.
Kade led her through the crowds until they stood in front of the first exhibit. A large golden birdcage hung from the ceiling. The door hung open as if it was falling forward from the hinge. Inside, a naked man stood, his arms and legs bound in loose chains. Upon closer inspection, Jessica noticed the chains weren't attached to anything. She looked down at the placket in front of the exhibit.
Freedom and Bondage
Below the two words were two buttons. One was labeled Call to Me and the other Torture Me.
Submit to Me Page 15