Club X-Dare (Siren Publishing Allure) (7 page)

He shut the door, firmly believing in the old wives’ tale that if you watch someone until they are out of sight you would never see them again.

Sam called Seal at the end of the flight, and he was there to pick her up. She took him home, using him to sate her anger and fear with sex. Seal was ravenous for her, but on Monday morning when she asked him to leave, he did so without protest.

She drove herself at work, taking case after case and following every lead to exhaustion. Caroline watched her, but whenever she mentioned Brian, Sam seemed to turn to stone.

A month had passed since Sam’s return and Caroline’s hopes that the old Sam would return were slowly fading. She was extremely worried about her friend. “Sam, I’m leaving a little early, do you mind?”

“No.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened? Did he turn on you or something?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Have a good night.”

Caroline headed out to her car and drove directly to X-Dare. She marched inside. “I need to speak with the manager.”

“May I ask what the problem is?”

“No, it’s personal. I need to talk to him right away.”

“I’ll get him for you,” the young man said, picking up the phone.

A few moments later, a man appeared. “My name is Peter Race. Can I help you?”

“Can I speak with you in private?”

“I suppose,” he said, gesturing to a small side door. “This is the room we use for filling out resumes. We can talk in here.”

Caroline stepped inside, waiting until he shut the door. “I need to get in touch with a man from Florida named Brian. He runs or owns an X-Dare. I tried to get the number from information, but there is no listing.”

“The club numbers are private. Why do you need to speak with Brian?”

“Shit. A friend of mine met him, and she won’t call him. I need to let him know how miserable she is without him.”

“I presume you are here because I should I know this woman?”

Caroline hesitated. “She is going to kill me if she finds out about this. Samantha Bell.”

“Dragon Fire,” he said with a thoughtful sigh. “She has been a little off for the last month. Do you know what happened between them?”

“No, she won’t talk to me. We have been friends since elementary school, and I’ve never seen her like this. Ever since she got back from Florida, she’s been acting dead. She obsesses over her work, and if I call her house on the weekends, she doesn’t answer the phone. I’m really worried about her.”

“Well, I can’t give you Brian’s number. It’s private and unlisted. I can, however, call him and give him your message. Sam is strong, and she will snap out of it, even if he doesn’t call her. She has men pining for her, and they jump when she walks in. She will be fine.”

“I don’t think so,” said Caroline. “Please call him.”

* * * *

Sam disappeared on the following Friday night. She snuck out, only telling Linda that she was leaving, before she headed for the club. Under her stark business suit, she wore cutoff leggings and a tight cropped shirt. She changed in the car, slipping her cape overtop before walking into X-Dare. Seal saw her coming, and took a step back. Sam had become ever more hostile and he was getting slightly sick of her. She passed him by, walking directly into the leads lounge. Scarab was waiting. “Go strip and park yourself. I expect to see your hands shackled and your face bagged when I come in. I want to finish my drink.”

“What gives you the right to call and demand I come to you?”

“I felt like it. You came, didn’t you? Obviously you are looking for something to distract you and clear your mind. I can do that, and you know it. Do what you are told or leave. The dungeon is mine, and I’m not giving it to you to play with someone else,” he said, dangling the keys before her.

Sam glared at him for a moment and then snatched the ring, walking away. She needed something to get her mind off Brian, and maybe Scarab was right. A good old-fashion thrashing might just be the thing. She walked into the dungeon, shedding her clothing and grabbing a mask from the case. It would cover her entire face, and once her hands were bound she would be helpless to take it off. She positioned herself on the hanging wall rack, clipping the waist buckle, and then slid the hood on. There was a trigger under her left foot, and if she depressed it, she would be locked into the swinging rack until Scarab decided to release her. Sam hesitated for only a moment and then tapped the trigger with her foot. The bands closed around her wrists and ankles, the table swaying as the floor pin withdrew and set the metal rack free from its restraint. She was in total darkness, the cold metal supports at the outer parts of her body feeling icy as she waited. Every slight movement shifted the rack, the metal clasp at her head grinding slightly in the silence. She heard the door open and then shut with a snap that meant Scarab had locked them inside.

“Oh, how sweet is this, all shackled up and the keys are on the table.”

The voice was oddly deep and muffled, and did not belong to Scarab. “Who is that?”

“You wouldn’t know if I told you, because you never even bothered to look at me. I overheard your conversation in the lounge. Scarab is on his way to the hospital. He got a bit sick from his drink. The dungeon is mine for the next two hours. I said that he gave me the keys.”

Terror raced through Sam’s heart. She was helpless, blind, and locked in the dungeon with a man she couldn’t place. “My hands are going numb, could you let me down?”

She felt the table shift, the upper portion being lowered as she heard the clink of metal. The section at her feet was rising into the air, her body being set horizontal to the floor. He brushed her hip as he pulled the side pin, swinging out the bars under her leg and locking them in place. He did the same with the other leg, leaving her spread for his amusement. The first sizzle of melted wax hit her skin like a flare of agony. Another flash on her stomach, her thigh, her hip as he worked his way upward and then back down, leaving a trail of burning, zigzag droplets on her skin. Each drip was a new experience in terror as her anguish grew to the verge of hysteria. He extinguished the flame with a loud rush of air and then began to peel the hardened wax from her. She could feel his fingernails, no gloves to protect her if his hands were dirty. The ones on her breast brought flashes of pain as if he had been too close to her skin when the wax fell. It could leave a nasty burn if not done from sufficient height. “You know this is against the rules and you could lose your membership for doing this,” she said in a shaky tone.

“I don’t really care. I have cancer and maybe three months to live.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I want to.”

Sam felt a feather being brushed against her skin as he began to torment her, occasionally flipping it over to stick her with the barbed tip. She could hear her breathing, a combination of terror and arousal as she came to terms with the fact that he intended to take her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Even if someone was watching, there was no audio, and all the rooms were soundproof. She jumped, the shock of him stabbing her in the stomach startling. He slid the feather downward, pushing her sensitive skin open with his fingers to tease her with wispy caresses. Sam held her breath with fear as she waited to see if he would spear her and send her into sexual agony. He pinched her thigh instead, a painful combination of fingers and nails digging into her flesh as he pushed up inside her with his dick. Sam jerked away from him, straining her wrists and ankles against the metal shackles. She screamed in sudden, real fear as he began to move inside her. “When push comes to shove, I guess being raped doesn’t really turn you on.”

“Brian?” she asked, hearing that the voice had suddenly changed.

He removed her blindfold, and she saw the sound decoder box hanging around his neck. He had used it to disguise his voice so she wouldn’t know it. “You look like shit, Sam.”

“Let me up, you son of a bitch!” she snarled.

“Nope. I have you right where I want you, tied up and unable to walk out on me again. I listened to you in the airport that day and knew you were right. The problem is that my mind and heart know that we were also right. Maybe we can’t live as normal couples do, but what I feel for you is too intense to walk away from. From what I have heard, you feel the same way. You are too skinny, and you look like hell. I have a proposition for you, and I will not take no for an answer this time.”

“Okay. Now please release me. I promise I won’t break your jaw or knee you in the balls.”

He flipped the release lever on the side of the table. All the restraints clicked off, and he grabbed her, drawing her into his body. Sam leaned her head back in relief, her eyes closing with the swelling pleasure in her flesh. “So, what is your proposition?”

Condor pushed her calves around his hips and grasped the cheeks of her ass as he stepped backward. He walked her over to the wide, padded table and set her on the edge. “You feel incredible. Somehow, other women don’t feel as good anymore. I miss you so much, Aino.”

“I missed you, too, I just can’t imagine us being together all the time.”

“We don’t have to be. Stay with me for a while, and then go down and run the southern club for me. We can buy a place to meet in between, maybe on the weekends or something. We won’t be too close, but it won’t take a jet for me to see you. You’ll have your club and your freedom, and I’ll have mine without the distraction of you being there. You can play all you want, just reserve the final climax for me. If you can’t give me any kind of concrete commitment, then don’t. Just be a part of my life. If our love crashes and burns someday, it’s still better than living without you forever.” He removed a chain from around his neck, dangling it before her eyes. The pendant was a gold X with a dark, shimmering emerald in the center. The ultimate charm that said the wearer only had sex with one person no matter who they played with. “Wear it, Aino?”

She considered him for a moment, his high-boned face with the slightly thick nose. His stunning eyes glimmered as if he were holding back tears. A smile lit her face although she tried to restrain it. He was right. She was miserable without him. “Oh, fuck. Life sucks without you. Go ahead, condemn me to monogamy.”

“Sweet way to look at it,” he said with a chuckle, slipping the chain around her neck and closing the clasp. He drew her hips closer, moving slowly, his lips against hers. Condor had said that sex with anyone else no longer stacked up. They were the perfect match. Training had taught them both what the other liked and desired, and they blended together impeccably.

Sam heard a forgotten memory of her mother’s voice in her mind. “I loved you, Samantha, and I am sorry. Always remember that perfection is only found once in a lifetime. Never let it pass by you.”

Aino heard the doorbell ring and cringed. She really didn’t want to be disturbed by another neighbor bearing welcoming gifts. She pushed herself to her feet and opened the door, a pleasant smile painted on her lips. Her entire expression brightened, and she squealed, leaping into Condor’s arms. He dropped the bag in his hand and grabbed for her as she kissed him. “Did you miss me?” he asked with a grin.

“Of course. Why are you here now?”

“Should I go away?”

“No! I just didn’t expect you until the weekend. It is only Wednesday.”

“We did a little rearranging of shifts so I could come down and check out the club. When was the last time you ate? I swear when I’m not around, you starve yourself.”

“I had a salad at lunch and picked up a burrito on the way home. I’m not starving.”

“You feel lighter,” he said, releasing her from his grasp.

“Well, then take me out to dinner.”

“I don’t have to.” Condor leaned over and lifted the bag from the front stoop, walking her backward into the condo with his body. “What are you doing, and where is the furniture?” he asked, gazing past her into the living room.

“There was a snafu at the warehouse, and they sent my blue set to somewhere else. I put up such a stink that they are giving me a free set of tables to match the sofas. It should be here tomorrow or the next day. Come see what I was doing,” she said in a bubbly tone as she bounced across the room and sat down on the floor in front of the lone coffee table.

Condor stepped over the pile of wallpaper books and sat down behind her. “What is this?”

“Well, you know I can’t draw as you can, so I made a showroom out of a box. I have been setting up combinations of wallpaper, paint, beds, colors for things, and accessories in the box. When I get the look I want, I put everything in a single folder so I know what goes together. The decorator loves it.”

“Let me see what you have come up with,” he said, moving up behind her to put his arms around her waist.

Aino turned her head and kissed him again, moaning at the glorious heat of his mouth. “You taste so good.”

“I taste like cinnamon-fire gum and caramel coffee. Show me.”

She puffed her bottom lip out into a pout, and Condor pulled her closer, kissing her neck. “Aino, don’t look at me like that. I came here directly from work, and it’s a long drive down here. I just want to relax and have something to eat. I have not grown tired of you. If you can stand me until Monday, I am going to stay.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I miss having you around. You make me insane, but without you things seem too calm. My bed feels really empty.”