Slipping a t-shirt over my head, I glanced back to the bed.

Kendra was sleeping soundly and she looked beautifully at peace.

I smiled and headed for the home office. It was early, but I couldn’t sleep any longer. Not with the deadlines approaching and knowing a murderer was still on the loose.

Padding down the hallway, I couldn’t stop thinking about last night. Kendra said she needed it rough, but what she really needed was to be teased. I wasn’t surprised by her request. I had been there before. The initial thrill of eccentric sex was completely addictive. It wasn’t uncommon to want it harder, more intense, knowing that if it was those things, it would bring the electric sensations that would eventually lead to incredible orgasm.

But what Kendra didn’t yet understand was that it was the denial of orgasm she unknowingly craved. As her Dom, I understood that so that was what I gave.

Opening the office door, I stepped inside, keeping it open so I could hear when Kendra woke.

Taking a seat behind the desk, I enjoyed proving her wrong. And the fact that she was still deep asleep, I knew that she’d received what she was after. I’d made sure of it, knowing how important it was for me to give more than I received.

Grabbing my crotch, I could still see her gorgeous face twist with pleasure behind the blindfold. And hearing her moan in the delight was more satisfying than my own release. She was incredible and provided the temporary escape I knew we both needed. But, once it was over, my thoughts quickly drifted back to what she’d confessed before the sex began.

I opened the desk drawer and pulled out a couple of files.

It was entirely possible Sylvia could be working with Madam. Just as Kendra said.

Because if Sylvia knew Maria Greer’s body was originally found at Mint, and Madam knew about it too, then the focus of my investigation had just done a complete circle back to Madam herself. But then the question became, was Madam responsible for Maria’s murder? With the way I blamed her for what happened to Tonya, it wasn’t that farfetched that she could have had a hand in getting Maria killed as well. But why?

My eyes scurried over my notes as my head tried to make sense of past events.

It didn’t make sense for Madam to want to purposely involve Kendra, unless …

Sylvia was using Kendra to dig up dirt on me, knowing it would be a breach in the contract I made Kendra sign.

I opened up the note I had first received after Tonya’s death.

Look what you made me do.

A shiver worked its way down my spine.

It was still unsettling to know that I was being watched. That someone was keeping track of my moves, using it against me to get me to back off my investigation.

Rubbing my hand over my stubbled chin, I didn’t like how close this was getting to Kendra.

Two women were already dead and I feared another was right around the corner.

It was up to me to make sure that didn’t happen. I had to stop it. And it started with me knowing who was behind this note. Whoever it was, was responsible for killing Tonya. That much was certain.

I came across Madam’s handwriting when flipping through my notes. Not thinking that it would match, I tried comparing her handwriting with the notes anyway.

Looking closely, it was just as I thought. Madam wouldn’t make a mistake like that even if it was she who had written it. She was too careful and had too many people working for her to do her dirty work for her.

Leaning back in my chair, I read over my notes from my visit with Parker.

I assumed he was still holed up in his rental condo eating out of to-go boxes, and I was hopeful that Giselle would be able to bring Oscar around to letting us give him Parker’s location in exchange for revisiting Mario’s plea deal. But that would have to involve the judge, and so many other variables outside of our control that I wasn’t sure this was anything but a pipedream.

Then I came across something that I had forgotten.

My eyes squinted as I read my detailed notes for a second time.

Parker said Sylvia was the one to tell him to leave his office immediately after I confronted him. Something big was about to happen. Then, not long after that, Tonya was found dead.

My feet hit the floor and I brought my elbows to the top of my desk, thinking this was enough to bring Sylvia in for questioning. All I needed was to convince Oscar that Sylvia might be a person of interest.

I licked my lips and jotted down my thoughts.

The way I saw it, either Sylvia was tipped off to knowing something was going to happen to Tonya or, like Maria, she was also a key player in ensuring Tonya was killed. Either way, she was guilty of something.

I picked up my desk phone and put a call in to Sylvia.

The line rang.

I didn’t expect much, but I needed to at least know that she was still in town.

When her phone went to voicemail, I hung up and immediately dialed again.

The line rang and my body tensed.

I was so pissed that she’d involved Kendra. This beef was between me and her. And it was getting to the point where she needed to ease the blow of what was coming to her by turning herself in. Because, if she didn’t, it would only get worse from here.

The line continued to ring as I started to give up hope of reaching her.

The stakes had been raised. This was starting to get personal. Especially if she kept finding ways to strike the people closest to me.

When the line clicked over to her voicemail again, I feared that she was already gone.

“Knock knock.” Kendra leaned her body against the doorframe.

I hung up the phone and lifted my head, feeling my smile stretch to my ears. Her beauty took my breath away as I raked her over with my eyes. She was topless, wearing nothing but a thin laced thong—the very same one I had taken off her last night.

Calling her over with my finger, I pushed back from my desk and angled my chair to the side.

She unfolded her arms and pushed off the doorframe before sauntering in my direction.

“You’re walking funny,” I said, patting my thigh for her to take a seat.

She lowered herself to my leg, draping one arm around my neck. Pressing her lips against mine, she said, “Thanks to you.”

My hand smoothed up her thigh as I checked her skin for chaffing. There were marks, mild bruises across her body, but nothing I knew she couldn’t handle.

Opening a desk drawer, I pulled out a bottle of lotion and began massaging it into her skin. She watched me work with curious eyes, appreciating the extra attention I knew she deserved. Her skin was soft, smooth, and hot beneath my fingertips. “Did you enjoy yourself last night?”

“I’ve never orgasmed so hard in my life.” She giggled.

“I’d love to get you to do it again.”

She took my face between her hands and pressed her plump lips firmly against mine. Then she unclasped her hands from around my neck and fell down my body. Sitting on her knees, she reached inside my boxer shorts and pulled out my steeled shaft. “Not before I give you what you deserve.”

She put my dick into her mouth and my eyes rolled to the back of my head.