I lead Beatrice and Zack past the lobby and into the bar area. According to Tobias, Zack practically founded the place with him and Seth. “Drinks are served at the bar, and members must agree to limits set by the Dungeon Monitors or bartenders if need be,” I say, before introducing Zack to the people I know around me “Down the hall we have a party room and private guest rooms for long-term members.” It amuses her to pretend Zack has never been here before.

“Very good,” he says, not at all amused. His gaze scans the room. Beatrice, however, is all wide-eyed and impressed.

“Wow,” she breathes. The recessed colored lighting opposite the bar near the dance floor is freaking phenomenal, and I now know from personal experience the furniture, though functional, is super comfortable and kept immaculately clean.

“Yeah, it’s a really nice place.”

“Now I know why you want to hang here so much,” she says with a laugh. “You give your babysitter the name and number to reach you here?” she winks.

“Mandy has my cell number,” I tell her, with narrowed eyes. “And that’s all she needs.”

A heated conversation at the bar gets our attention. Brax has pushed himself to standing, and Travis stands with his arms crossed on his chest. Travis’ eyes lock on Zack’s.

“Zack?” he calls, his voice barely controlled, his eyes flashing.

Zack stands, immediately stiffening. “Yeah?”

“C’mere a sec?”

Zack heads to the bar, leans up against it, and Beatrice and I follow. Travis leans over toward Zack and speaks in a low voice. “Guest has just gone to the back exit. Says she needed some fresh air after a scene, and she saw some shit out back that indicated a struggle.” Beatrice tightens next to me.

“Who saw this?”

Travis points to Marla, the bookstore owner, whose eyes are wide. “Get Tobias in here, now,” Zack orders to Brax, who takes out his phone and pushes a button with lightning speed, his eyes narrowed to slits beneath furrowed brows. A low buzz of curiosity follows us as Zack takes Marla toward the back. We try to follow him, but he turns around and gives us both a severe look.

“You do not follow,” he says. “Get the hell back in there where it’s safe.”

“But I—” Beatrice starts.

“Now, Beatrice.” She closes her mouth and her eyes widen, but she stands riveted to the spot as Zack and Marla go out the back.

“What the fuck,” I mutter, annoyed. “I want to see what’s going on.”

“You? That’s my man!”

I give her a curious look. “Seriously?”

Beatrice nods eagerly. “Yep. He’s… I just…well I…” she stammers.

“I have legit, never in my life seen you speechless,” I say.

“Oh, shut up.” But Beatrice’s smile is pleased, her cheeks lightly tinged pink, when the back door opens with a bang and Zack comes back in, his phone to his ear as Tobias enters from the hallway.

“You girls go back to the bar,” Tobias orders.

“Jesus, are they all the same?” Beatrice asks with chagrin, but I know that hard look in his eyes, and I know I’ll regret anything short of total obedience.

“Let’s go,” I say, but then we hear Zack, and what he says makes us freeze.

“Barrel turned over, torn clothing on the ground, and a pink heel abandoned,” Zack says. “Spilled purse to the right of the dumpster Marla saw, looks like it must’ve been out of sight.” Brax and Travis enter the hallway. “Submissive at the bar says she came with a friend, thought she left to use the bathroom an hour ago, never came back. Tried her cell, went to voicemail.”

“Pink shoe,” I whisper. “That woman earlier who was talking to you…” my voice trails off as my eyes go to Tobias. “She was talking to you.”

“The blonde?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

Tobias turns to Zack. “According to her friend, what were the girl’s specs?”

“Blonde hair, red lipstick, tattooed collar,” Brax returns. “Claudia Bowen.”

Tobias closes his eyes briefly. “That was her,” he says. “Saw her about an hour ago. Refused to scene, explained I was with someone, and she took it nicely, but she seemed upset, embarrassed. Second time I’ve refused to scene with her, and she didn’t take it well.”

“Gonna go talk to her friend,” Zack says, “and call in backup.” He pulls out his phone, but before he speaks into it, he gestures to Beatrice. “Come with me. Need to get a read as to whether or not the girl is telling the truth. Need your opinion.” Beatrice trots to keep up with his pace, looking scared but exhilarated. “We’ll go to the dungeon,” he says.

“What do you want me to do?” Tobias asks.

“Make sure everyone here’s safe,” he says over his shoulder. But as he walks down the hall and Tobias turns to me, it’s like he just realized I’m standing there.

“Go to my office,” he orders. “Wait in there until I come get you.”

“What? No! Tobias, I can help you. This is ridiculous. You can’t just lock me up like—”

He takes firm hold of my arm and marches me to the exit. “The fuck I can’t. You do not push me right now, Diana, or this shit gets very real. Do you understand me?”

I turn to him, tears of frustration in my eyes. “But I can help,” I insist.

“Diana.”

“Tobias! Beatrice is with Zack. Let me help.”

“For God’s sake,” he says, running his hand through his hair. “I will not argue with you. A serial rapist is at large, and preying on members of my fucking club and there’s no fucking way I’m going to let my woman be at risk again. I not only want you to leave the communal areas, I don’t want you set fucking foot in here again until we catch the bastard. Now either march your sweet ass to my office, or I carry you, and if I have to carry you, I swear to God you won’t sit for a week.”

His nostrils flare, his eyes furious.

“Okay, alright,” I finally say, holding my palms up, feeling like a child who’s been denied staying up past her bedtime. It isn’t fair Beatrice gets to help with Zack. My adrenaline surges, my energy levels frenetic, and now I have to go and sit my ass in his office for God-knows-how-long. Alrighty then. Great.

I leave in a huff, conscious of the fact that he watches my every move, and head to his office with him right behind me. He guides me inside the door, then locks and shuts it without so much as a good-bye kiss.

“Déjà vu,” I mutter to myself, picking up my phone and texting Mandy. I sit down, and my shoulders slump, suddenly exhausted.

All okay at home? I might be a little late.

All good, Mrs. McAdams.

I shove my phone in my pocket, and lean on his desk, resting my head on my arms.

So damn tired.

It’s warm in the office. My whole body slumps against his desk, fatigued from the scene and my little spat with Tobias draining the last of my energy. My eyes begin to close after a while. I drift off to sleep.

The door to the office opens with a sudden bang, and I bolt upright, heart slamming against my chest. But it’s just Tobias. His jaw is tight, his eyes clouds of thunder.

“Did you find her?” I whisper.

“Not yet,” he says with a sigh. “But we found more of her belongings. Looks like she was abducted, and we’re trying to get more information as we speak. We’ve got nothing.” He sighs. “May have to close the club down for a little while so we can investigate properly.”

“But you can’t close your doors. This is your bread and butter! How will you survive?”

“We might have to!” he thunders, then stops almost as quickly as he’s started. It’s the angriest I’ve ever seen him. I don’t like it. But he immediately apologizes. “I’m sorry, Diana. Listen, we have no choice. Financially, I’m fine. We have insurance that covers us in this type of event, and it’s enough that it’ll hold us through while we finish what we need to.” He gestures for me to come to him. “Let’s get you home.”

I slide off his chair and go to him, taking him by the front of the shirt and pulling him close to me. “You listen to me, Tobias,” I whisper fiercely. “This will be over soon. We’ll find the man responsible. And once we do, this will all be put to rest.”

He sighs, and the tortured look in his eyes pains me. “We’d better,” he says. “I’ll kill him with my own fucking hands.”

We drive in silence back to my place, Tobias distant and distracted, responding to me with a mutter or grunt, but no real words. Finally, we arrive at home. He parks, comes around, and almost automatically opens the door for me. “C’mon, let’s get you in safely,” he says. He takes me to my apartment and does a walk through, which I feel is unnecessary, but I still appreciate it.

“All clear,” he says. “Gotta get back to the club now.” He waves distractedly to Mandy, then turns and leaves, never really coming fully present at all.

“Bye,” I whisper, just before the door shuts behind him. Though we’ve departed many times before, this time feels different. This time the good-bye seems so… final. I tell myself it’s only my imagination.

When I go to bed, I text him my good-night text. My phone lays silent.