Kayla grabbed Greg’s wrist and dragged him to the edge of the property between his townhouse and his neighbor’s residence. She rounded on him like a tornado. “Why are you lying about the knife?”
He stood in front of her, mute. He’d never lied to Kayla before. Well, not often. “This is why you dragged me out here?”
She rubbed a fisted hand with her other as if she considered hitting him. “Did you lose the knife or was it taken?”
“Fuck, I hate you sometimes.”
“You son-of-a-bitch! Tell me.”
The rest of their conversation flared into .
She stepped into his space, anger boiling in her eyes. “Where did you lose the knife?”
He turned his back on her, regret flaring to life. During their years together it hadn’t been all lust and roses. They’d fought. Always with words, but it had been brutal at times.
Kayla faced off with him again. “Where, Greg?”
“At a club, okay?”
“What kind of club?”
He pushed his fingers through his hair. “Does it matter?”
“Yes,” she fired back. “It matters. Of course, it matters.”
“Do you need to know every corner and crease of my life?”
She gritted her teeth and said, “I thought I was every corner of your life, but maybe I wasn’t. What are you hiding from me?”
He wound his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her closer. “The place I used to vent my emotions. Don’t ask any more questions.”
“What are you talking about?” She wasn’t backing down, she was getting angrier.
“I went to a club after Diana broke up with me.”
Kayla sneered like he was a low life. “What type of club? A strip bar? Seriously? That’s so tacky.”
Mattie appeared from behind a rhododendron with Austen close behind. “Sorry, the Admiral was translating for me. Greg, you can’t hide a key piece of evidence. Diana was murdered with that knife. Where exactly did you lose it?”
He threw his hands in the air and glared at Kayla. “My fucking sex life is none of your business anymore.”
He only got a couple steps away when she gripped his arm. “Don’t you dare walk away from me. Your life is my business.” She stabbed him in the chest. “So you got drunk and watched strippers. Big deal, Greg. Guys do that. I’m not a Puritan. I get it.”
Austen cleared his throat loud enough to stop everyone. “Don’t think it was a strip club.”
“What?” Kayla spouted. “What else is there?”
He glared at Austen, daring him to say another word. They may have mended some fences, but the SEAL was treading in dark waters.
Austen started to chuckle and then rolled into out and out laughter. “You better tell her and be done with it. You know how she is, she’ll sit on top of you until you do.”
She looked between them. Then over at Mattie. “Do you understand this? Because I sure as hell don’t.”
Mattie shook her head. “No.” Her brows came together. “A club,” she repeated. “So you went to a club. But why did you have your knife with you? I thought you said it was in this Go Bag.”
Greg let out a chest full of air and scrubbed his face. Austen watched him with a smug look. Greg wasn’t going down alone. He’d take that smug fucker Austen down with him. “Don’t fucking tell me you’ve never been to one?”
Austen stopped laughing immediately. “I didn’t say that, and besides you’re on the hangman’s platform not me.”
“Stop it, you two. You’re being stupid,” Kayla barked.
The Admiral groaned as if he’d suddenly been hit with an epiphany. “It would make sense, wouldn’t it?” he said to Greg. “We spoke of it before. The women could have been kept there.”
“Where, there?” she demanded and clenched her hands.
Greg slowly turned his gaze on her. Swallowed thickly, then said, “A BDSM club.”
As usual, she was about to say something when her mouth opened but nothing came out. She jerked her head. “A what?”
“Dog and Tasker frequent the club. They have for years. A long time ago, they brought me as a guest.”
“Those fucking assholes.” She looked like she was about to spit up a lung.
He lifted his hand to stop her from going into a rant. “Kayla, it isn’t as uncommon as you think. Especially for men like us.”
Kayla whirled around and gawked at her husband.
“Listen, sweetheart. Men—” Austen attempted to fend off with an excuse.
“Ohhhh,” she shouted. “Men what? Don’t give me men stuff.” She whirled around and punched Greg in the arm. “You hurt women? I can’t believe you. I can…not…believe this. No, I will not accept this.”
Greg slapped a hand to his forehead. “Would you fucking calm down?”
She hauled off and hit him again. Course it didn’t hurt. Mattie stood beside Austen looking like she wanted to spit out something distasteful from her mouth.
Greg stared at the woman he’d cared for and betrayed for so many years. But he’d done it for her. To save her. “Both of you just take a step back and calm down.”
Kayla’s eyes were sparking with anger. “How…how could you go to a place like that knowing Daniel beat the crap out of me?”
He gripped her shoulders. “That’s not what it’s about. Help me out here,” he said to Austen.
Austen had his hand over his mouth and rippled his brows. “I kinda like seeing that halo tossed off your head.”
The whole situation was getting ridiculous in a funny kind of way, until Kayla said, “Did Daniel go to this club?”
The world came to a shuddering halt. She didn’t belt him again, she stepped away as if he was poison.
“Greg.” She looked horrified. “Did he?” Her hands covered her mouth to stop a scream. “He, he didn’t only hit me. He… he cheated on me and hurt other women for pleasure?”
Oh God in heaven. What point was there for her to dig into this?
Kayla’s face crumpled like an accordion. Her arms draped by her sides, her shoulders sagged. “Daniel accused you and I, Greg, of being unfaithful.”
He gave a small nod. “I know.”
“We weren’t.”
“I know.”
“How long was he unfaithful to me?”
He desperately wished they didn’t have an audience but Austen would be the man to pick her up after she knew the truth.
And Mattie…he didn’t know what Mattie could possibly think, being witness to all this, but the chances were pretty good she’d hate him. When she’d told him about Stuart being involved in the alternative lifestyle, she seemed sickened by the thought.
“Angel Face.” Greg’s heart hammered in his chest seeing the tears of angst well in her eyes. “I thought after the guys introduced me to the lifestyle that maybe Daniel would stop hurting you if he could direct his anger. Control it by accepting what it means to be a Dom. His PTSD changed everything.”
“You. You…” She swallowed and lowered her head. “You suggested he should be unfaithful to me?”
He didn’t have any answer for that. Not one he wanted to voice, but Austen did it for him as he stepped behind Kayla and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m guessing he did it because he wanted Daniel to leave you.”
She took a stuttering breath but wouldn’t take her burning gaze off of him.
“Sweetheart.” Austen bent and tucked his head next to his wife. “Kayla, I think he did it to save your life because he loved you, not because he wanted to hurt you. You wouldn’t leave Daniel. He kept hurting you, but you remained loyal to him. If Greg couldn’t convince you to leave, I think he did this hoping Daniel would.” He embraced her. “Can you understand?”
“I do. And it’s wrong.” Her voice cracked. “Why did you do this? Why did you hurt women?”
“That’s not what—”
“Bullshit!” She yelled loud enough tourists on the Victoria waterfront could hear. Her brow crushed with pain. “Bullshit, Greg. Your father abused your mother. How could you ever lay a hand on a woman and not see the dangerous waters you’re walking into?”
“It’s not. I…I…” He closed his eyes for a moment. Not able to explain himself. Praying the past would evaporate. All of it. Including his choices. Every wrong decision he’d made.
Kayla struggled against her husband and he let her go. “Don’t. Don’t you fucking dare try and tell me there is anything right with dominating another human being. And I’m disgusted to know you did this too, Thane. You did, didn’t you?”
Austen swallowed and stood to his full height. He ran his hand across the back of his neck and set a chilling look on his wife. “Before we met. Yes.”
Kayla stormed across the lawn. “Let’s go, Mattie.”
Mattie gave Greg a look over her shoulder. “She’s right. It’s fucking stupid to hurt someone else.”
Greg closed his eyes and sighed. “It was consensual.”
“Thanks to you, we’re both in the shit now.” Austen wandered toward him.
“How the hell did that happen? I meant to take that to the grave.”
“Because my wife has the instincts of a wolf. Besides that, at least now we know that the killer must have visited the BDSM club. What’s it called?”
“Dark Angel. It’s an elite club here in Victoria. Only one of its kind.”
“Then we’re going.”
The wind off the ocean wrapped around them with icy fingers. “Are you fucking crazy? Bad enough I just cut her open and made her bleed with something she never should have known. I’m not taking you there.”
“Yes, you are. We have to find a familiar face. One that belongs to a murderer.”
“Are you going to tell Kayla?”
“Have you lost it, JTF? Of course I’m not. She’d fucking skin me alive, even if it’s for recon.”
“How long should we let them cool down?” he asked, sitting on the bench by the back door. Lowering his head, he grabbed the back of his neck with both hands.
Austen chuckled. “Eventually, she’ll get over her desire to drown you in the harbour and then give you the bawling out of your life. Not sure what Mattie’s thinking, but I don’t suspect you earned any brownie points with her. She’s not too happy about it either.” He paused. “Look at the bright side, JTF. Better you know now, than trying to tie her wrists to the bed post and she kicks you in the nuts.”
Greg sat back and started to laugh at the image. Austen was right. “How many of us do you think keep this from the women we fall in love with?”
He pondered on the fact he’d done it for years. Always after deployment or a hard mission. He’d gone to the club for a good reason.
Austen shrugged. “Probably more than what we talk about. The clubs are hopping in San Diego.” He leaned back and crossed his arms. “I’m not going to judge you. I was right about why you brought Daniel into the lifestyle, wasn’t I?”
He turned a look at Austen. “Yes, but it didn’t work. Even though my brother beat his wife, he loved her. In that twisted mind of his, he loved her, even though he hurt her.”
Austen’s brows drew together, and then he blinked.
“What?”
Austen stood up and cocked a look over his shoulder. “So does the Ripper. He loves them, but then…what? He’s looking to replace someone.”
“Who?”
“We need to find him to ask him that question. You ever seen Sergeant Montgomery at the club?”
“I don’t even know what he looks like. But….”
“But what?” Austen narrowed an eye. “But you recognize one of the women, don’t you?”
He nodded and let out a breath. “The first victim. Aimee. I saw her at the club once. Least I think it was her.”
The Admiral grinned. “We’re on the right track. The Ripper took your weapon and used it on his victims. The question is whether or not he’s a friggin’ cop.”
After ten minutes, they wandered inside, but there was no sign of the women or the kids.
“Kayla!” Greg shouted. He shot a look at the key plaque on his wall then walked into the garage and saw his car was gone.
“She stole my car.”
“They’ll be all right. I’ve got the rental. Kayla needs to cool off.”
“Do you think she’ll forgive me?”
Austen pulled his jacket from the closest and threw his arms into the sleeves. “It’s Kayla, of course she will, but you’re gonna get one helluva lecture when she’s ready.”
“I won’t be alone.”
Austen rolled his eyes. “Come on, I’ll buy ya dinner and a Dark Matter, and then we’ll head to the club.”
Greg shrugged his coat over his shoulders. “You really got a love affair going on with that beer, don’t ya?”
Austen held open the door and grinned. “When I fall in love with something, I keep it forever.”
Greg rolled his eyes. “I have no idea what she sees in you. You’re a fucking dick.”
Austen broke into a gruff chuckle as Greg locked the front door.
* * * *
Kayla put a heavy foot on the gas pedal as she drove past the Parliament Buildings. Christmas lights had been strung from peak to pinnacle along its regal architecture. Fountains flowed with alternating colors of red and green on the front lawn. There weren’t many people on the road with the drizzle layering the city in a wet sheet.
“Sure you don’t want me to drive?” Mattie asked. Sloane and Adam were strapped in their car seats in the back. Kayla’s foot relaxed a little on the gas, and so did she. “Why don’t we go to my place?”
Kayla gripped the wheel with both hands. “Because somebody left a body part in your fridge.”
“Okay, then where?”
“Nina’s parents. They’re going to babysit.”
“Nina?” She held onto the arm rest when Kayla hung a right onto Royal Oak from the highway, then a left onto Lockside Drive.
“She followed me to San Diego. We worked together for many years.”
“She’s in the Navy?”
Kayla nodded. “She married Mace. He’s a Navy SEAL.”
“Is it true what they say about the SEALs and the JTF guys?”
Kayla’s eyes narrowed. “That they’re assholes?”
Mattie shoulder checked the back seat. Both Sloane and Adam sat quietly as if they knew their mom was upset and they shouldn’t fuss. Kayla didn’t seem the type of woman who’d run away, but sometimes you needed space to keep your sanity. She’d cool down and everything would be fine.
Mattie watched the traffic lights flash by. “I’m not the type of person to judge someone’s choices, but do you think that lifestyle is what Greg needs?”
“He needs a two by four across the back of his head.” Kayla blew out a breath and relaxed a little in the driver’s seat. She flashed a look at Mattie. “Listen, I can’t condone the lifestyle. Not with what I lived through. I don’t know why anyone would seek pain. It’s nuts. And from where I stand, I’ll be as judgmental as I damn well please after having the crap kicked out of me by the man who was supposed to love me.”
She sat stiffly beside Kayla, not knowing what to say. Her roommate, Mary, would know what to do. She worked crisis cases all the time. “When Stuart asked me for a date, he admitted he was into BDSM. I told him I wasn’t.”
“Obviously, you’re an intelligent woman.”
All the homes in the area were worth millions of dollars. Living in this community meant Nina’s parents were well-to-do. Kayla slowed and turned into a driveway with a ten foot high wrought iron gate across the entrance.
“Mattie, I know what Greg will say. And it’s the same for all of them. When men like Thane, Greg, the guys on the teams come home, it’s hard for them to adjust to civilian life. They’ve been running on high adrenaline sometimes for months. Live or die. Jacked-up on the mission, and for whatever twisted reason, they go to the clubs and use it as a stepping stone to come down off their deployments.” She turned in her seat and ran her hand through Sloane’s silky curls. “Thane may have gone to the clubs out of curiosity, but he’d never do it now. And I know why Greg does it.”
“You do?”
“Probably. Because he grew up in the same house as his brother. Saw what he saw. He was a victim as well, but he channeled his rage, and I’m guessing that’s where he lets it go.”
“I see.” Mattie stared out the side window, her heart sinking. Greg hadn’t hurt her at all when they’d been together. Could he turn into his brother one day? Become violent?
“I know what you’re thinking.” Kayla rested a hand over hers. “Greg is not like his brother. He never was.”
Mattie blinked and faced her. “If you could do things all over again…would you? Would you pick Greg?”
Kayla gazed out the window. “I asked myself that question a million times.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t answer it until I met Thane. I never would have left Canada if it wasn’t for Daniel. I would have never met Thane. I would never want to live through those years again that I spent with Daniel, but because I did, that bold, brazen Navy SEAL I married changed my life. Gave me life,” she said and checked on the kids. “After all these years, I guess my answer would have to be no.” Kayla hopped out of the car and pressed a button on a box attached to a soaring brick pillar.
“Tonya, it’s Kayla.”
“Oh my God, Kayla, what a surprise! Come in,” the voice returned from the call box.
The stylish gates began to open and Kayla got back in the car. “The kids will be safe here.”
“And what about us? We’re not staying?” Mattie asked, as they slowly drove down a weaving park-like drive toward a mansion.
“No. We’ll say hello but we’re going to do some research of our own.” Kayla circled a massive oval garden and stopped in front of two looming front doors.
“Where?”
“The club Greg was talking about.”
Mattie gulped, her throat restricting in fear. “What? I don’t want to go to one of those places.”
“Neither do I, but there’s a killer there and he’s using the place to vent his angst between murders.”
“How do you know that?”
Kayla threw the car into park and shut off the ignition. One of the massive front doors swung open and a bright light shone from inside. A woman in her late fifties stepped onto the landing.
“Because that lifestyle draws you in and never lets you go.”
“I don’t think they’re all bad people,” Mattie argued. “Stuart, he isn’t…wasn’t bad.”
“I don’t think they are either, but one in particular has gone off the rails.”
She wanted to dissuade Kayla from the idea, but didn’t think she’d have a chance. They got out and met Nina’s mother, who instantly took Sloane and Adam and hugged them fiercely, then invited Kayla and Mattie inside.
The house was amazing. Nina’s father, Lloyd, wasn’t home yet. Kayla had explained he was a surgeon with a busy practice.
Kayla visited for an hour and Mattie was extremely impressed because she could talk without showing one drop of the anxiety. She also got the idea that Nina’s mom was like a second mother to her. They talked openly and easily together. They must have known each other for years. Tonya didn’t bat an eye when Kayla explained she was here visiting Greg. They all must have known each other.
“Mattie, how do you know Kayla? I recognize you, by the way, from your column in the newspaper,” Tonya said.
In the last month, she’d found out the hard way, she apparently couldn’t hide her inner thoughts from people. Channeling an easy going aura, she said, “We met through Greg.” Which was the truth.
Tonya’s expression lit with a smile. “Are you saying you and Greg are seeing each other?”
“Not exactly.”
Kayla’s gaze drifted to her, and a slight rise of her brow made her revise her statement.
“We met recently. We really haven’t spent a lot of time together because of my work.”
Nina’s mom didn’t buy it for a second. “Kayla,” she said with a motherly tinge to her name. “The reason you’re here has nothing to do with the Victoria Ripper, does it?”
Kayla gave her a cheeky smile. “What would make you say that?”
Tonya tilted her head. “Because Greg’s last girlfriend was murdered and he was held for questioning.”
Crap. Jig was up.
“All a misunderstanding,” Kayla said without missing a beat.
“I suppose I get to babysit these beautiful children.” Tonya hugged Sloane who sat in her lap.
“Would you mind?”
“Just so happens we have a spare room for children. I’ll feed them and put them to bed.”
“Sure ya will. They’ll be sleeping in yours, I bet.”
She chuckled and lifted Sloane, who sucked her thumb happily. “Probably, but I love when my grandchildren visit and my adopted grandchildren as well.”
Kayla rose and kissed Tonya on the cheek. “We better get going.”
“Love you, Kayla, dear.”
“Love you too, Tonya. I don’t know what I would have done without you over the years.”
Tonya waved to them as they got in the car.
“She’s sweet,” Mattie said.
“She’s an amazing lady, really. Then again, her daughter is my best friend.”
“Kayla, I’m not sure we should go to this club. I don’t want to sound like a tight-ass, but people know me in this town. I don’t want to be associated with some BDSM club.”
“I’m sure you don’t. I think these places have a strict policy about privacy, and I’m not even sure I can get us in.”
Mattie doubted that big time and clutched her purse to her chest while her leg jiggled like a jackhammer on speed. “How do you even know where to go?”
“Already texted Tasker, one of Greg’s team members. He told me where it was. Let’s get a quick bite to eat before we submerse ourselves in the world of submissives.”
“Yeah, food works for me. Maybe I can get you drunk and convince you this is a bad idea.”
Kayla started the car and the headlights shone against the broad-leafed bushes surrounding the drive. She shoved the gear shift into drive and turned a look across her shoulder to Mattie. “Doubt it.”
The cold brushed steel, shaped like a submissive’s collar, stung Greg’s palm when he gripped the door handle to the private club called Dark Angel. A waterfront estate situated on the south side of Victoria, heavily treed for privacy, was a restored mansion looming with grandiose turn-of-the-century architecture.
Before he opened the ornate front door, he said,” Take off your ring.”
Austen blinked. “No fucking way.”
“Take it off, man. We won’t attract anyone with you wearing a wedding band the size of a semi- truck tire rim.”
Austen’s jaw flexed and his expression morphed to uncomfortable as he tugged the ring off his finger and stuffed it in his hip pocket.
“How often do you come here?” Austen asked, following him inside.
A woman greeted them in black lingerie as they entered the lavish dark lobby. She bowed her head and welcomed them as she took their coats.
“I’d come here after deployments mostly, before I’d see Diana.” He paused. “And Kayla.”
Austen gave him a curious look but didn’t ask any more questions, turning a surveying gaze on his surroundings. The Victorian décor with red velvet wallpaper and dark wood panelling announced what was to come inside the club. The place smelled like aftershave, smoke and exotic massage oil.
“Are you a member?” the hostess asked, leading the way to a dark walnut counter.
“Yes, I am, and I’ve brought a guest,” Greg said. “He’s family.” He pulled his membership card from his wallet and slid it onto the marble top.
“Thank you.” She typed his name into a computer then placed a visitor’s questionnaire and pen to fill out the form. “He can sign this disclaimer.”
Austen quickly scribbled his name and checked off the box that said Dom. Greg knew his other options were Sub or Switch. He couldn’t imagine Austen submitting to anyone nor switching roles between a Dom and a Sub.
“Please, help yourself to drinks at the bar. Welcome, Master Greg, Master Thane.”
“Thank you.” Greg turned the corner into the well-appointed lounge.
The overhead lights were dim. Sconces with candles mounted every three feet offered a soft glow to the room. A band on the small stage played a lazy sounding jazz song to set the mood. Greg wandered to the bar and they both ordered a beer, then turned to view their surroundings.
“Do you ever miss being single?” he asked.
Austen coughed, choking on his beer. “You forget who I’m married to?”
“Seriously.”
“I am being serious.” Austen put his gaze on a couch tucked into a shallow alcove where two men were licking a woman in a leisurely build-up to bliss. Her body was perfection, and they apparently thought so too.
Half the tables were occupied by guests; mostly men. Some with a woman kneeling by their side. Other guests watched the band and enjoyed their surroundings and a drink.
“You don’t miss having variety in your life at all?”
“You were with Kayla for a long time. Surprised you’d ask that.”
Greg turned his head. “I wasn’t faithful. She didn’t expect me to be. Her guilt wouldn’t allow it.”
“So you came here thinking you could separate your heart and your lust?”
“Something like that, but you know that’s not the entire reason.”
“If you’re talking about unwinding from a mission, maybe once or twice. But I never wanted another woman after Kayla and I shared the same bed.” Austen rested an elbow on the bar. “Where are you going with this anyway?”
Greg saw two women with a bead on them. “Just want to make sure your loyalty is with Kayla, no matter what happens.”
Austen caught on pretty fast and turned his head. “Oh, fuck,” he muttered.
“We play the part or we leave.”
Austen’s expression hardened. “I get it, LaPierre. But I won’t be breaking any vows to my wife. Keep that in mind.”
Both women instantly kneeled in front of them when they were within a couple feet. They wore see-through silk tops and leather wraps around their waists, leaving little to the imagination.
Austen looked uncomfortable for an instant, and then said, “Rise, ladies.”
They both stood, their heads bowed. The tall redhead spoke first. “Can we show you around the club? You don’t look familiar.”
Greg could appreciate the redhead’s beauty, but she didn’t do much to insight any desire in him. “I’m Greg, and this is Thane.”
The redhead turned her eyes on him. They were rimmed in charcoal black liner and her ruby red plump lips tilted with a smile. “Are you interested in a particular scene?”
“Sensation play,” he answered. “My brother is a Dom and enjoys bondage.”
The blonde standing before Austen lifted her head and hungrily surveyed him. “My name is Sub Maria.”
“I’m a switch,” the redhead greeted. “My name is Claire.”
“Would you ladies like a drink?” Greg asked.
They both nodded.
Maria shifted slightly closer to Austen. “You can choose for us.”
“Wine,” Greg said to the bartender waiting for them to order.
Austen’s jaw clenched when Maria’s breast brushed against his bare arm as she leaned in to take her glass. Greg kept the chuckle under wraps. For a guy like Austen, who used to have the reputation he did in San Diego, the SEAL couldn’t hide a completely male response.
“Familiar with this place and all the regulars?” Greg asked Claire.
“Pretty much. I feel very comfortable here.”
Austen normally had calm down in spades. Guess marriage made him soft, because he wasn’t saying a word.
Claire took his hand. “May I lead the way, Master Greg? Until you’ve decided what you wish to participate in?”
“Après vous, mademoiselle.”
Maria smiled at Austen, but he kept his warrior face in place as they were led through the lounge and toward the rooms at the back of the mansion. Taking their first left, they entered a vast space with brocade gold curtains dripping down the walls. Windowless—customers could enjoy their surroundings and activities in private. Circular couches covered in deep red velvets alternating with plush white chairs were situated for visibility. Around the perimeter, ornate chest of drawers sported gels and handcuffs. In the center of the vaulted room, a very large bed held center stage with chains hanging from the ceiling.
“This is the Voyeur Room,” he explained to Austen.
Austen walked beside him. “Similar to the one in San Diego.”
Maria’s fingers wrapped around Austen’s, and he gently removed them to lightly guide her with a hand at her back. Smooth move, Greg thought.
She led them to an empty couch on the right side of the viewing area, smiling at the couples who touched each other and watched the ménage on the bed. The chainmaille belt around her hips clinked as she walked, the barely-there thread of fabric covering her sex meant to lure the man who would be her Dom.
Greg ignored the scene on the bed and looked for a face he might remember. He’d visited the club on his way home the night he arrived from deployment. Why the hell hadn’t he gone home first and dropped off his Go Bag? Diana might still have ended up dead, but he wouldn’t have been dragged into the investigation. The positive side of the coin was that he’d met Mattie because he had been involved.
Maria crossed her long, slender legs and pressed herself against Austen. “Voyeurism can wet the appetite, I find.”
“That it can,” he agreed. He looked down at her, and she gave him a sweet smile.
“I don’t belong to anyone,” she said. “I’m kind of new at this myself, but I find it freeing.” Her nipples peaked beneath the thin sheer of her costume. “I think you could do anything you want with me and I’d enjoy it.”
Austen stood up. “Men’s room?”
“I can show you,” Maria offered.
“Nope, that’s fine. Just point me in the right direction.”
Greg almost busted out laughing.
“Then we’ll wait for you here,” Claire said.
Maria remained silent, but pressed her body lightly against Greg. Claire on his other side, did the same. He had enjoyed the freedom of no strings attached in this club many times, but it was mostly an outlet to get rid of the darkness and the drums of war.
He blinked with shock, realizing he hadn’t heard the drums of his childhood abuse or war since he’d first seen Mattie in the pub.
The rest of the audience watched as two men and one woman enjoyed their scene on the oversized bed. They had her bound, paddled her, licked and pinched her. The moans of ecstasy grew as they lost themselves in their play.
“Maybe it would be better to have a more intimate room?” Maria finally spoke.
“Think my brother would like to see it all.” He saw Austen returning. “Shall we?”
The women showed them different rooms. Some were private and couldn’t be viewed. Others, like the impact play room where they ended the tour, finally gave him a face he recognized. A cop. Not the one who arrested him, but he’d been there when they’d come to his home and slapped cuffs on him then read him his rights.
They inched their way into a group to watch as the cop had a woman tied to a St. George’s cross. His upper body slick with sweat. The woman moaned as he flogged her, then he kissed her tenderly between her legs. Both Claire and Maria became affected by the scene and shifted their feet as if needing release.
“This way.” Claire motioned and strolled toward a dimly lit corridor.
Greg stalled a little and said quietly, “That guy’s a cop. He was there when they arrested me.”
Austen’s trained eye surveyed everything. “If there’s one, there might be more. Question is whether he’s part of the Dream Squad.”
“Picture?”
“Not without getting my ass kicked out of here.”
They followed the women until they reached a door at the end of a hallway. Claire turned the knob and revealed a luxurious room with a large bed. Toys and peg boards with paddles and whips lined the walls. Gold and white finishes, reminiscent of a palace, with rugs laid over hardwood floors added an upper-crust feel to the room. A fire burned brightly in a fireplace with a chunky thick mantle and brick surround. Although large, it stirred intimacy and provided privacy.
Austen entered, but stopped near the door. Both girls slid onto the bed. They removed their sheer tops and dropped them in a fluttery release with their fingers.
He and Austen shot a glance at one another. Greg knew what was expected to happen next, and Austen did too.
The meaning in Austen’s polar-blue eyes snapped with intention. I’m going to kill you when this is over.
* * * *
Mattie put her palm on the front door of the Dark Angel before Kayla could open it. “Wait a second.”
“Nothing happens in these places unless you want it to happen. It’s not like they’re gonna drag you kicking and screaming to a cross. Let’s go.”
“How come you’re not scared? I mean, how can you just dive in here and pretend it’s okay? You hate this stuff. You were abused. I don’t get it.”
“I hate the thought of sexual domination and abuse. But the people in here go because it’s their lifestyle, their life, their choice.”
“Well, I hate to tell ya, but your husband seems like an alpha kind of guy.”
“He is. Thane could take a life without blinking an eye, it was his job as a Special Forces operator. Now, he’s a bureaucrat. He hates it, but he did it for me and the children.”
“You mean he’d rather be killing people?”
“The enemy, Mattie. He killed the enemy. And so does Greg. Each of them held up their promise to protect Canada and the US. Only the best make the cut. They are alphas by nature.”
“They still murdered people.”
Kayla sighed. “Listen, I’m not going to argue with a pacifist. If you’ve never lived in a Middle Eastern country and seen what I’ve seen, you won’t understand. I can’t explain it to you.”
“I’m a journalist. I’ve seen it, but I don’t believe in war.”
Kayla leaned closer, her eyes cold and dark. “Then you’ll never understand Greg, and he needs someone to understand him. Someone to trust him, not change him.”
Mattie’s gaze dropped to the gardens lining the walkway, feeling as if she’d been balled out by a big sister.
“Listen, most women can’t resist Greg. If you like him, and I think you do, than you have to know that these men, men like my husband, have two sides. They can turn off what they use to survive when they’re working, but it’s just off. Not gone. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Mattie slowly shook her head. “To be honest. No. I grew up surrounded by the police force, but they’re different.”
“Very,” Kayla agreed. “We’re going inside because we’re following a clue, not handing out flyers to visitors in this club to give up what they think they need from a place like this.”
“What do you expect to find in here?”
“I’m hoping we’re going to catch a murderer.”
Mattie jerked with understanding. “Holy shit, you want to attract the Ripper. You think he’s here.”
“I think he has been here. Whether he’s here tonight is yet to be seen.”
“Oh my God, are you crazy? You have children.”
“I’m also a woman who was beaten for ten years by her husband and too stupid to leave him. You’re here because the women who were murdered deserve to be vindicated. That will only happen if you catch him.”
“How’re we going to do this?”
“We’re going to separate and you’re going to watch for a familiar face, especially one that might belong to the Dream Squad. I don’t know what they look like.”
“Okay. Okay.” She clenched her hands and pretended she’d found a little nerve to go through with this. “We’ll try. One hour. If I don’t recognize anyone, we get out of here. But the first question is, how do we get in?”
Kayla turned on her heel as footsteps came up the walk behind them. Two men in suits, somewhere in their late-thirties, approached.
“Evening, ladies.” They stopped. “Are you going in?”
The blond raked an interested look over Kayla. The other man was dark and dangerous looking. Very tall and domineering. Mattie noticed his eyes. A brilliant green. Not as amazing as Greg’s but very similar. His square jaw and features made her take a second look. His gaze bore into hers and she cleared her throat.
“We’re considering it,” Kayla said and smiled sweetly. “We’ve never been before and we thought we’d come together for a little support.”
The blond’s friend kept watching Mattie. His hair was a little longer in style. The light above the entrance shone down on him, highlighting the silky black strands.
Withering on the spot from his intense survey seemed wrong, but suddenly one side of his full lips tilted in a smile. “You look terrified,” he said, his voice a mix of smoke and gravelly hues.
“No, I…uh. Are you a regular? Visitor?” She offered a toothy smile. “Guess I’m a little nervous.”
His handsome features not hard to look at. “The club likes to have fresh faces.”
“Are…are you a—” She cleared her throat. “A Dom?”
He nodded. “You look familiar for some reason.”
Oh shit. “Who me? No. Just a local girl. You?”
“Visiting. I’m American, but I drop by when I get a chance.” He tilted his head. “Join me.” He held out his crooked elbow and she hesitantly accepted it.
“We can bring a guest,” the blond announced to Kayla.
“I accept,” she said boldly. “I’m Kayla.”
“Alexander,” the blond said opening the door and leading the way.
Mattie felt like a total fish out of water. The lobby, although dark, reminded her of an upscale hotel. A paper was shoved under her nose and she read it. No way she’d write her real name down and made one up, checked off a box asking her preference—and hers was undecided. Thank god for multiple questions.
They joined the men at a table in a large room that blew her mind. It looked Victorian, muted reds and couches everywhere, where customers were doing things on them. Very sexual things. Women kneeled in front of men, some of them wearing collars. Hell, no way. If somebody tried to lock a collar on her, she’d knock them out cold. Some of the guests wore clothes, some scantily clad.
Her escort, who’d introduced himself as Brett, expected her name in return. She gave him a false one when he placed a cranberry martini in front of her.
“So, Suzanne, what are you expecting from this experience?”
Kayla was totally into her role. Asking Alexander questions. Looking eager. Mattie needed some valium to calm her nerves.
“I don’t know, Brett. Why don’t you show me around?” She chugged back her martini in one swallow, and he broke into a warm laugh.
“Little nervous, huh? That’s sweet.”
“Yeah, sweet. Think we could have another one for the road?”
He laughed again. “Sure, follow me.”
She did, and wondered if following his instructions was her first step on a slippery slope into becoming a Sub. Mattie gladly accepted the second drink and intended on taking it easier this time.
Her drink gone in two gulps, she asked, “Do you live in Washington State?”
His intense gaze made her shift closer. A woman could easily place her trust in his muscled physique. But more than that, there was a sense of immediate ownership when he looked at her.
“I’ve lived in a lot of places. But Washington is my home for now.”
“A traveller?”
“Captain.”
Mattie lowered her glass to the counter of the bar. “What kind? Are you in the military?”
“Started there, but I switched to the Merchant Marine industry. Found I was better giving orders than taking them.” Brett paused and raised his finger toward the bartender for another drink. “And you?”
She shrugged. “Nothing spectacular. An admin assistant for a lawyer,” she lied.
“And your friend talked you into coming here tonight.”
He gently turned her in the rotating stool. The alcohol helped to ward off her jitters under his scrutiny and penetrating gaze. “That obvious?”
Brett leaned forward, and she stilled like a nervous deer. He slid his hand to the back of Mattie’s head and released her ponytail, loosening her hair to lay across her shoulder. “No one will lay a hand on you here without your consent. Not only is it against house rules, but especially with me by your side.” He slowly pinched each stem of her eyeglasses and removed them from her face. She stuffed them in a holder and into her purse. “I’m intrigued. You have a raw seductive air about you.”
“Thank you, I think, but I’m not sure this lifestyle is for me.” She turned her head to gaze over the room. His finger pressed on her chin, guiding her attention back to him.
“It’s not a lifestyle. It’s trust,” he said, his voice warm and gravelly, like syrup drizzled over pancakes. “It grows as we become more familiar with each other.”
After adding a third drink in her belly, she couldn’t believe her mouth was so dry. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
He put his hand to the hollow of her back. “This way. If anything intrigues you,” he gently swiped her hair from her shoulder, fingers sliding down her arm sending goosebumps to the surface, “feel free to stop and tell me.”
She saw it all. No doubt about it. Men with men. Women with women. Ménages. Women tied up, trussed up, coiled up. She tried to systematically view every man. Looking for someone she knew from the task force.
“What’s down that hallway?” Mattie asked.
“Those are private rooms for intimate scenes.”
“So we can’t look?”
Brett grinned. “I’m starting to think you like the idea of voyeurism.” His arm curled around her waist. “If you want to play, we can start you off slowly.” His heated gaze nearly scorched her skin.
“Wooo, umm, I’d like to check on my friend.”
“She might already be engaged.”
“Maybe.” Not likely Mattie thought to herself.
“I’ll meet you back here in a few. I’ll see if any of the rooms are free.”
“Okay, sure. Do that.”
As soon as he was gone, Mattie darted for the corridor they hadn’t investigated. She peered inside every room she could through a small window. Sometimes it took a second before the guy would turn around.
She quickly made her way to the end of the hall and peered inside. Two women kneeled on a bed. Naked except for some shiny bling around their hips. Their heads were bowed. Mattie stretched her neck to the left and right but couldn’t see any men. Maybe this was just a girl thing.
Then her pulse roared.
A man stepped in front of her view. She knew his muscular frame. Greg! He still had his clothes on. She suddenly wasn’t sure if she wanted to see him naked or dressed, but she’d lean toward naked if he was leaning over her.
A hand covered her mouth and jerked her backwards. Mattie kicked and squirmed. Using her fingernails, she scratched his arms, fighting for freedom against his strength.
He half-carried her down the hall, opened one of the doors and thrust her inside. She tripped and landed on all fours, but quickly scrambled to her feet when the door closed with a thunk and the lock snicked shut.
A cold sweat coated her skin when she looked up to see Sergeant Raine Montgomery standing in the same room as her.