Sophie Oak - Siren in Bloom

And it looked like Leo Meyer might be involved.

Holder’s expression didn’t change a whit. “Where does Meyer fit into all this?”

“Leo Meyer is employed by a man named Julian Lodge. Lodge runs a business that caters to men and women with certain proclivities.” Cross tried to put it delicately.

Holder’s eyes flared. “What? He’s a pimp? Meyer runs girls? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“No. It’s a BDSM club.”

Holder sat back. “Bondage and shit. Yeah, I can see that. So what does he do? Spank women for a living?”

Cross didn’t know and wouldn’t give a shit if Meyer didn’t figure into Shelley Hughes’s life. “I don’t know. I have some friends who are members. They say Leo Meyer is the big guy at The Club. According to my sources, Shelley Hughes is working for Julian Lodge and has a past with Meyer.”

“So you want me to look my old buddy up and see what I can find out. I can do that. But, Senator, the next time you treat me like your fucking lackey, I’ll show up at your bedside with a knife to your throat, and no amount of security will keep me out. Don’t think for minute that I’m your employee.” Holder stood up, his ridiculously intimidating six-feet-five-inch body towering over Cross.

He swallowed and then nodded. Fuck, he hated this shit. He never should have taken the Armed Services Committee post. He should have gone for the cushy Veterans’ Affairs job. Then all the soldiers he would have to deal with would be old fuckers in wheelchairs and sad sacks who had gotten their limbs blown off for their country. But, no, he wanted the big job. He forced himself to stay strong. After all, he was the elected official here. He wasn’t without power. “I understand. This is for both of us. We’re both at risk here.”

Holder put two hands on the desk and leaned forward, the scar on his face whitening as his expression tightened. “Yeah, well, I’m not the dipshit who invited the blackmailer’s wife to decorate my office. Now what’s the name of this club?”

“The Club.” There wasn’t a website or a listing in the phone book, but he had an address.

“Seriously? That’s the dumbest name I ever heard.”

“Lodge believes in simplicity.”

Holder straightened up with a derisive snort. “He sounds like an idiot.”

“He’s a rich idiot with a lot of important connections. Meyer has a listed phone number, and I e-mailed you the address of the building The Club is in. I’m going to go to The Club with a colleague of mine in a couple of days. If you can gather whatever intel you can on what Shelley Hughes is doing in that club, what her relationship is with Meyer, and where she’s living, I would be deeply grateful.”

Holder nodded, turning without saying another word. He crossed the office in a few neat strides and opened the door. The door closed behind him, and Mitchell Cross could breathe again. His brain ached and his stomach was in fucking knots. He hadn’t gotten into politics so he would have to deal with the trash of the world. Yet here he was.

And now he had to basically go undercover in a BDSM club. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck. He was supposed to be relaxing, but he had to play bondage games because apparently his former drug dealer’s widow was some kind of a pervert freak.

He put his head in his hands. If he survived this crisis, he was going to get clean.

But until then…he opened his drawer and found his small stash of cocaine. Until then, he really needed a little relief.

“Have you looked over the contract, dear?” Julian asked as he pressed the buttons that would take them to the club level of the building. Julian Lodge owned the entire downtown property, and Shelley had decided weeks ago that it was something like his own private kingdom. Everything Julian could want was in this building. His offices were here. His club was here. He had designated several floors as a luxury hotel for his friends and guests. She’d learned several of his employees also lived in the building. Leo was on the sixteenth floor, just below the penthouse. He shared the floor with the brothers, Ben and Chase Dawson and two part-time Doms named Brandon and Dane.

But they were going to the club section.

To meet her Dom.

“Yes. I read the contract before I signed it.” She’d stared at that three-page document for days. She’d read Anna Karenina in less time than it had taken her to finally get through the contract that would bind her to a man she didn’t know.

“Well, Master Wolf will now want to go over your hard and soft limits. Danielle explained those?” Julian’s voice was soft, his eyes on the numbers overhead, watching as they descended.

He was treating her with kid gloves. Shelley rather thought it was a sign of affection. Julian could be terribly cold when he wasn’t involved. He’d terrified her at first until she’d become close to his wife and his partner. They softened him. “I understand. I’m still probably going to giggle when he asks me about butt plugs.”

Julian turned down to her, his face lighting with a smile. “See, I knew I had chosen well. Many Doms would be insulted, but I believe Master Wolf might just laugh along with you.”

“He seems nice.”

“He reminds me of an overly large Golden Retriever. I’m actually a little worried he won’t be strong enough to truly discipline you, but I have a friend who claims he’s the perfect mix of Dom and mentor.”

“Why doesn’t he have a sub?” He sounded too good to be true.

“He recently left his post in the military. It wasn’t his choice as I understand. He was injured in the line of duty. He’s struggled a bit with that. I suspect he hadn’t thought past his military career. He returned to Colorado and found a job, but when I offered him a position here, he jumped at the chance. I think he’s looking for his place in the world.”

Then they were well matched. Despite her longing for Leo, she felt a little spark of hope. Julian had put some thought into this. “I’m ready.”

The doors opened, and Julian gestured for her to enter in front of him. “I’m glad. I’ve set you up in one of the offices. There’s a two-way mirror. I’ll be watching the whole time.”

“Why?” Shelley asked, a bit disturbed at the thought.

“Because he’s new to me, and I take your safety and happiness seriously. You’ve been a good friend to my wife. I admire your brother. His years at The Club made me very fond of him, and quite frankly, Leo is part of my family. Despite his stubbornness, I know he wouldn’t want you hurt.”

Because he was a good man. “And I wouldn’t want him hurt, either.”

Julian stopped in front of a door. He’d given her a tour of the facilities weeks back when he’d decided to let her redecorate the entire building. She knew that if she turned left, she would be in the hallway that led to The Club. Here in this part of the building, the floor was a very elegant marble, but down the hall it gave way to a decadent rich, burgundy carpet that her shoes had sunk into. She’d wondered what it would have felt like on her bare feet.

If she agreed to sub for Master Wolf, she might know. Some Masters wouldn’t let their submissives wear shoes.

“If you think you would like to try to get through to Leo, perhaps you shouldn’t walk through that door, dear.”

She shook her head. “No. Julian, do you honestly think I haven’t tried? I broke trust with him. I lied to him. I had what felt like a good reason, but it doesn’t matter now. He can’t forgive me, and I need to move on.”

“Trust is important. It’s everything in a relationship like this, but if there’s enough love, sometimes a breach of trust can be overcome. I would have told you that I would dismiss any submissive who broke trust with me. It changes when you truly, deeply love the person. I doubt I could dismiss Danielle and Finn for any reason. I could make their lives miserable, but I couldn’t let them go.”