The Keyholder (17 page)

Jack controlled his temper and forced himself to speak calmly. “No offense to Nora or you, but I’m the one who’s been living with Eva 24/7 for the past month, not you guys. I’m the one who watches her stare out the window when she doesn’t know I’m there. The expression on her face is enough to break your heart, Charles. I’m the one who comforts her in the night when she wakes up screaming and terrified from a nightmare. She can put up all the brave fronts she wants, but I know the truth.”

Charles started to speak but Jack silenced him with a hand. “No, let me finish. Eva may
think
she’s ready for this, but she isn’t. Who the fuck is this guy, anyway, do you even
know
him?”

“Yes,” Charles said evenly. “We know him quite well, as a matter of fact. He’s experienced and completely trustworthy. They aren’t entering a Master/slave relationship, Jack. They’re just going to enjoy a scene—something easy to start with. I heard them discussing a full body flogging, which is something Eva apparently craves right now. She needs the physical contact. She needs the erotic pain. She refuses to be defined as a victim any longer. Don’t you get that? She’s a mature woman and a sexual being who’s hardwired for what Sir Gordon can offer her. She’d rather be with
you
, Jack, but you’re too blinded by your own fear to give her what she needs.”

Jack shook his head. “No, no, you’re wrong. Jesus, Charles, don’t you think I want her? I want her more than I’ve ever wanted another woman. But she’s been brutalized and broken. She needs more time to heal. What that bastard did to her—”

“No!” Charles interrupted, anger flashing in his eyes. “She’s been hurt, yes. But she’s
not
broken, Jack. She’s strong, and she’s fighting back by attempting to reclaim her life. You’re not doing her any favors by continuing to treat her like some crushed flower.”

Stung by Charles’ words, Jack said hoarsely, “Where is she?”

Charles pointed toward a set of double doors on a side wall. The doors were ajar. “They’re back there. They might be in one of the private scene rooms, in which case, you’ll have to wait until they’re done. But if they’re out in the open, other guests are allowed to watch.”

Charles smiled, patting Jack’s arm. “I need to tend to Nora right now. But it’s okay, Jack. Really, it is. We wouldn’t have invited Eva to join us if we didn’t think she could handle it. Trust Eva. Trust yourself. Go see what can be yours, if you can find the courage to claim it.”

Jack blew out a breath and nodded. “Thanks.”

He headed toward the back room, his heart pounding. He pushed through the doors, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light, which was dimmer than the main play area, provided only by wall sconces that mimicked flickering candlelight. There were considerably fewer people in this smaller space, and the room was quiet, save for the sound of leather striking skin, and the moans and soft cries of those on the receiving end.

There she was.

Eva.

Jack moved closer to a small station in a corner of the room. A couple of men stood nearby, watching with hungry expressions. Jack joined them, his heart aching, his cock leaping to immediate attention at the sight of her.

She was dressed in a white silk gown that clung to her curves and hugged her high, perfect breasts. Her only adornment was a black leather collar around her neck, an O ring at its center. She stood in profile, her wrists bound together with rope, her arms pulled taut overhead and attached to a single chain. The back of the gown was cut very low, giving the man behind her full access to her back and the upper half of her ass. Her eyes were covered with a silk blindfold. Her head was tilted back, her lips parted in the classic pose of a sub who had entered submissive headspace.

Jack moved closer, aware he might be invading the scene space, but unable to help himself. Did this Sir Gordon guy know what Eva had been through? What did he think of that newly healed scar across her right shoulder blade? Did he know it was from a particularly brutal caning perpetrated by that monster?

The Dom was using a suede flogger, and Jack had to grudgingly admit he appeared to know what he was doing. He used even, firm strokes, focusing primarily on her ass, though from her reddened skin, it was clear he was covering the area from shoulder to ass.

Eva was perfectly still, her breathing deep and even, the bliss fairly radiating from her like an aura. Jack’s hands itched with the need to wield that flogger.
He
should be the one giving this to Eva, not some stranger.

A brief fantasy of pushing the man aside and wresting the flogger from him played in Jack’s mind, but he wouldn’t give in to it. He had no right. Eva had offered herself first to him, and he’d been too afraid, too unwilling to trust either Eva or himself, to seize what he now understood his heart longed for. He wanted to turn away. To walk, no, to run, out of the room and away from this scene of another man giving such evident pleasure to Eva, but he remained rooted to the spot, unable to look away.

It seemed like an hour passed, but Jack knew in reality it was only a few minutes before the man lowered the flogger. Eva didn’t stir. The man put his arms around her from behind and cupped her breasts. Jack clenched his fists at his sides to keep from slamming them into the guy’s head, and bit his lip to keep from shouting. The man’s hands moved familiarly down the front of Eva’s body as he murmured something in her ear.

Eva shook her head. “No,” she said quietly but resolutely. “I’m not ready for that. I’m sorry.”

To his credit, the man dropped his arms and stepped back. “Next time,” he said.

There won’t be a next time, dickhead,
Jack thought uncharitably. In truth, Sir Gordon was behaving admirably. Another guy in his position might easily have copped another feel of those delicious breasts, or placed his hand between her long, lovely legs, but Sir Gordon did not. Instead, he unwound the rope that held Eva’s wrists bound overhead. Then he untied the blindfold and lifted it from her face.

Jack held his breath as Eva blinked. As if she knew he was there, her head swiveled slowly toward him. As she focused on him, her mouth opened in a small O, her eyes widening. And then her lips lifted into the smile of an angel.

“Jack,” she said.

“Eva.”

Stepping forward, he took her into his arms.

“By all means. Clearly she belongs to you,” Sir Gordon said to Jack.

Eva had to struggle to process the brief conversation that had just taken place between the two men while Jack held her close. Emerging from the haze of post-flogging bliss, combined with the pure joy of being wrapped in Jack’s arms, Eva turned to her scene partner and said with sincerity, “Thank you for the flogging, Sir Gordon. It was wonderful, Sir, truly.”

“Trust me,” he replied, his eyes moving appreciatively over her, “the pleasure was all mine.” His tone became brisker as he continued, “But your Master’s wish to provide the aftercare is my command.” He bowed with an exaggerated wave of his hand toward Jack, but his smile was genuine.

Your
Master
. Though Eva knew this wasn’t yet true, she definitely liked how it sounded, and tried out the words in her mind:
Master Jack
. She glanced at Jack, who appeared grave but pleased, as if Sir Gordon were according him his due.

Jack led Eva to a small side room off the dungeon Sir Gordon had indicated was a recovery room. While the flogging had been intense, Eva’s pain tolerance was quite high, and her emotional investment in Sir Gordon nearly nonexistent. As a result, she didn’t particularly feel the need for aftercare, but the thought of letting Jack soothe and comfort her was a delicious one, and she went willingly with him.

The small room contained a loveseat and a wingback chair, along with large pillows set on the ground against one of the walls. The floor was thickly carpeted, the lighting muted. Soft, ambient music played from a small speaker.

Jack led her to the loveseat and pulled her onto his lap. His legs were muscular beneath her, and he wrapped his arms comfortingly around her from behind. She leaned back against him with a contented sigh.

“Are you thirsty?” Jack’s voice startled Eva from a drifting peace.

She opened her eyes and sat upright. On an end table beside the sofa were several bottles of water, along with hand towels and various tubes and jars Eva guessed contained soothing salves.

“I am, actually. Thanks.”

Jack lifted her gently from his lap and placed her beside him on the sofa. He reached for a bottle and twisted off the cap before handing it to her. Eva drank deeply. When she was done, Jack set the bottle down on the table.

“Turn so I can see your back,” he instructed, and Eva obeyed. His touch was light as he moved his fingers over her skin. “He did a thorough job,” he remarked in what seemed to Eva a carefully neutral tone.

Suddenly she wondered with a sinking heart if he had only come here as a friend. Had she been fooled by her own longing? Yet he hadn’t objected when Sir Gordon had assumed she belonged to him.

As if reading her questioning thoughts, Jack, his hands still moving like silk over her shoulders and back, said, “Eva, I’m so sorry about what happened earlier. You are perfect and your offering was pure grace. I was such a jerk.”

Eva turned back to face him, opening her mouth to protest at his characterization of himself, but he stopped her by placing two fingers against her lips. “No,” he said. “It’s true. I behaved badly. I’m lucky Sir Gordon didn’t make you forget all about me, but if he had, I would only have myself to blame.”

“Oh, no, Jack,” Eva replied, a rush of joy moving through her bloodstream like champagne bubbles. “That would never have happened. Sir Gordon is a nice guy, and all, but it was just a scene. I made that very clear from the outset.” She reached for his hand, and to her delight, he lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them.

“Want to know a secret?” she said shyly.

“Sure.”

“While I was waiting for him to let me down, I was wishing with all my heart that he would magically morph into you. I was dreaming that when he removed the blindfold, it would be you standing there, waiting to take me into your arms.” Though she felt herself blushing at this blatant admission, she continued, “And then, there you were!”

Jack put his arm around Eva and pulled her close. She leaned against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. The flogging had been rejuvenating. It was the first real BDSM experience she’d had since before the abduction, and every muscle and nerve ending in her body had reacted with pure, lusty joy. Though she hadn’t been lying to Jack when she said it was just a scene, nevertheless the physical touch of the leather and the caress of Sir Gordon’s dominant words as he flogged her had been like water to a woman dying of thirst. It wasn’t the full banquet of sensation and experience she dreamed of with Jack, but it had definitely reawakened her masochistic and submissive appetites, and left her starving for more.

“Take me to Hawthorne Dungeon,” she said suddenly.

“What?” Jack pulled away from her to regard her. “Now?”

“Yes. Now.” Realizing she must sound awfully bossy, Eva added, “Please, Sir.”

Before he could reply, there was a light tap on the doorframe. Nora and Charles stood in the doorway. “Hey there. You guys okay?” Charles asked. Nora smiled, and Eva understood she already sensed they were fine, just fine.

“Eva wants to go to Hawthorne Dungeon,” Jack said with a frown that made it clear he wasn’t entirely on board with the idea.

The couple stepped fully into the room, and Nora said, “That’s an excellent idea. That’s just exactly what you two should do.”

Charles nodded. “Agreed. It’s late enough. Maybe one of the rooms is free.”

Jack stared from them to Eva, his conflicting feelings showing on his face. Nora moved close and leaned over Jack. “Trust her. Trust yourself,” she said so softly Eva almost didn’t catch the words.

But Jack did. He nodded slowly. “Yes. That’s good advice. I won’t forget it again. Thank you.”

Nora moved to Eva and bent down to kiss the top of her head. “I’m so proud of you, honey,” she said.

Eva beamed. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Nora.”

“Yes, you could have. You would have,” Nora contradicted, but she was smiling.

“Hey,” Eva said, suddenly pondering the delightful possibilities of a joint scene with Charles and Nora. “You guys want to come with us?”

Charles shook his head. “Normally we’d love to, but we agreed to scene with Mistress Adrienne and Jeff later tonight. Soon, though, I promise.”

They said their goodbyes, and Jack and Eva left the club, climbing the stairs and stepping up onto street level. Once they’d found a cab and were ensconced in the back seat, Eva said, “Jack, I don’t just want to visit the second floor. I want to see the attic where he kept me.”

Jack regarded her solemnly, and she stared back at him, letting her eyes linger over the curves and angles of his handsome face, which was alternately in shadow and light as the city lights flashed through the taxi cab’s windows. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Jack stroked her cheek. “I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt any more than you already have been.”

Eva reveled in his touch a moment, but then drew back, intent on making him understand. “Going back is another step in my recovery. Master Phillip”—she caught herself and amended—”Blake Stanton took a wonderful concept of a safe place for serious players in the scene to meet, and he turned it into a backdrop for my nightmares. If I stay away forever because of what he did, then he wins, don’t you see?”

Jack nodded thoughtfully. “I do see, and I understand. I understand that you’re a very brave woman, Eva.”