TWO

THE CHIEF NEGLECTED TO TELL me one very important thing. Or maybe he didn’t know about the auctions. Either way, I was in way too deep, about to be bought by someone in the crowd. Luckily it was someone I knew. Unluckily it was the man who’d told me I owed him a favour and I had no doubt he was about to call it in.

I knew him in the sense that I’d met him on the way to the club. I’d chosen to walk there, wanting to get a sense of the approach to the place, something you just couldn’t get by car. I had chosen my outfit carefully, opting for a tight black dress, no bra, thong to reduce VPL. It was exciting just to put the thing on and look at myself in the mirror. I had to remind myself why I was doing this, slapping myself in the face as I looked at my reflection. “You’re there to find the girls,” I said, pointing a finger. “Nothing else.”

But my nipples ignored my command, remaining so sensitive, they tingled with each movement of the dress as I gathered up my jacket and headed for the door. I had gone for heels. Flats would have been better to run in but they would have stood out like a...well like an undercover detective in a bondage club.

It was a warm night but I kept my jacket on, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself this close to home. It would take half an hour to walk to the club according to the internet and within ten minutes, my feet were already aching. I was not used to walking any great distance in heels. At least I hadn’t gone for the stilettos, I’d have been crippled before I even got there.

I was just turning onto Wentworth Street when I was spotted from across the street. I had already clocked them as potential trouble. If I’d been in uniform, I might have gone over but I had a job to do. I kept walking, ignoring their taunts.

It was clear as day what had happened. Three men who’d had too many early in the day and been either thrown out or refused entry to the Ice Bar behind them. Refused entry seemed more likely as they were angry, taking it out on the doormen before they saw me.

I picked up the pace, unhappy to hear their footsteps getting closer behind me as they crossed the road, still calling after me.

“What’s the hurry, darling?”

“Want some company?”

“Nice legs, what time do they open?”

I kept going. I couldn’t break cover, not now. They weren’t the type to abduct girls, that much was obvious, just chancing their arm in drink before ending the night in the cells. Tomorrow they’d be back at the office they worked in, laughing about that slut they saw. That slut was me. My fists slowly clenched and unclenched. Relax, don’t get distracted. You’ve a job to do.

“Oi!” The voice was much closer and there was a thud of feet before the first man angled round me, stopping dead in the middle of the pavement, pointing a wobbling finger at me. “I’m talking to you.”

“I’m not interested,” I said, not making eye contact. “Excuse me.”

I went to step round him but the other two had caught up and I was trapped in the middle of them all. Perfect. What was I supposed to do? Knock them all out and run for it? Arrest them and blow my cover?

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” the leader asked, grinning at his two acolytes for approval. “Don’t like the look of a real man?”

“If I see one, I’ll let you know,” I said, going to push past him. They closed ranks, getting too close to me. I clenched my fists again, looking for the weakest leg to sweep. Then I heard the sound of car tyres screeching to a halt on the road next to us. A man’s voice called out, “Good evening gentlemen.”

I looked past acolyte two to see a man in a black suit stepping out of the back seat of the car. He brushed his tie down as he strolled over like he was walking through a park in the middle of summer.

“Who the fuck are you?” the leader asked, turning away from me and staggering over to Mr Suit. “Why don’t you fuck the fuck off?”

“An erudite suggestion,” Mr Suit replied. “To which I gather the appropriate retort is, why don’t you make me?”

The leader nodded to his acolytes who approached warily, not used to seeing a face unafraid of them. Mr Suit smiled, took a step forwards and then leaned in close, whispering something to the two of them. Their faces went white, all the colour draining out of them before they walked hurriedly off together, glancing behind them as they headed up the street.

“Oi,” the leader said, shouting after them. “Where are you going?” He turned back to Mr Suit. “What did you say to them? Threaten to bum them, did you?”

“Precisely that,” Mr Suit said. “Up for it?”

“You’re fucking mental.”

“Off you pop,” Mr Suit said, waving him away. “Your colleagues will be wondering where you are.”

“You want a fight?”

“Oh, you’re just a walking cliché aren’t you? Do I want a fight? My Dad’s bigger than your Dad. Who hurt you as a child, hmm? Come on, you can tell Rex.”

“You chicken or something? I’ll fucking have you.” He started marching over but Mr Suit stood his ground.

“You get one shot,” Mr Suit said, not moving an inch. “Make it count.”

The leader looked confused for a moment before throwing his arm back and then bringing it forwards at speed, aiming for Mr Suit’s chin.

He missed. Mr Suit leaned back just far enough for the arm to continue swinging through empty air. The momentum made the leader’s body turn and as it did so, Mr Suit caught hold of his shoulder, giving it the gentlest push, sending him tumbling to the ground.

“Can I offer you a lift?” Mr Suit said, looking at me for the first time. “I’m friendlier than he is.”

“That’s what worries me,” I replied as the leader struggled back to his feet, looking from one of us to the other, his eyes bleary. He went to say something but then cut his losses, staggering off down the street without looking back.

“Where you headed?” Mr Suit asked.

“I’m fine, thanks,” I replied, turning and starting to walk before stopping a second later. I looked back, seeing Mr Suit climbing back into the car. “You often out this way?” I asked.

“Every now and then.”

“Go to the clubs round here?”

“Perhaps, why?”

“No reason. Can I still have that lift?”

“Sure. Where you headed?”

“You heard of the Restraint Club?”

A smile spread across his lips. “That’s a coincidence. I was just going there myself.”

If it’s one thing I’d learned in my time in training, it’s to concentrate on coincidence. It was far too convenient that he happened to stop by a damsel in distress and that he happened to be headed to the very same club as me.

He didn’t know I wasn’t in distress. He didn’t know why I was going to the club. But I knew about him already. I knew he could handle himself. I knew he was a smug son of a bitch with a smirk that spoke of inbuilt arrogance. I knew there was a chance he had something to do with the disappearance of the three girls and he might have me lined up as the fourth.

I also knew he was the most handsome man I’d ever met. Chiselled jaw, strong chin, deep blue eyes, well fitting suit, deep voice that made my insides melt.

Professional, I told myself. My nipples stiffened again as I climbed in to sit next to him on the back seat, his arm brushing against mine.

“I saved you,” he said, reinforcing what I thought about his arrogance. “You owe me a favour.”

You’re a professional, I thought silently. Ignore how much you’d like to tear off that suit and fuck him. He’s clearly a bad guy, he might even be a killer. Don’t even think about fucking him. Which worked fine, until he bought me at the auction.