Cherise Sinclair - This is who I am

He glanced at them, and she could see him memorizing their faces and names.

She let her gaze wander over the group, then past. Don’t stare . Instead, she caught the gaze of a thin-lipped Dom sitting at the bar, sipping his drink.

With a smile, he tilted his head toward the St. Andrew’s cross in an invitation to play. The idea of doing a scene right now—knowing the slaver was in the room—made her shudder. And…he was the Dom Sally said had slapped her.

After shaking her head to refuse, she turned to Cullen. “Are my drinks ready?”

“On the way.” Cullen patted her hand, his huge one making hers disappear. “You can take a break, you know, love. Master Sam’s strict, but he doesn’t want you trainees dropping from exhaustion.”

Strict . She wanted to be in Master Strict Sam’s arms so badly she shivered. “I’m fine.” She had to keep moving or she’d flee. Had to figure out which of the men was the spotter. Had to keep him from hurting anyone else.

With a trayful of drinks, she headed toward the tables, almost tripping when the lights flickered, disappeared for a second, then resumed. After a slow breath, she was okay. She had only four to watch now, rather than the entire membership. If she circled around them, eventually she’d figure out which man it was.

The next time she looked, she saw Cullen talking to Master Z. Her tension eased. They’d watch those four Doms. Whichever one of them the slaver was, he wouldn’t have a chance to escape. In fact, Z might just line them up for her to talk with. Her stomach went cold.

To her dismay, the group of Doms broke up. Two headed toward the back. One picked up a submissive, and the other asked someone to dance. Most of the stools around the bar were empty now. Probably people wanted to get a chance to play before the power went off.

Oh heavens, now what?

Sam was still in the bullwhip area. Even as he talked to the observers, he looked up and scanned the room. For her, she knew. His gaze hit her like a warm splash of rain, and then his eyes narrowed.

Needing him and his strength more badly than she could bear, she started toward him. A third of the way across the room, she froze as lightning crackled so close she heard the sizzle. The lights flickered and went off. Completely. At least three people screamed, and she heard a shout.

And then the battery-powered, dim emergency lighting came on, marking the doors and along the walls. It didn’t help. She still felt as if she were going to jump out of her skin. Go to Sam.

As she skirted a couch, the thin-lipped man from the bar blocked her path. He was punching buttons on his cell phone, not watching where he was going.

“Excuse me,” she said, looking up into his face.

He grinned. “No. Excuse me , cunt.”

The voice. His voice. God! As she tried to run, he jammed his cell phone against her side.

Agonizing pain blasted through her, spasming every muscle in her body, turning the world black.

The rain hit Linda’s face, cold and harsh. Hurt, hurt, hurt . She tried to move. Her muscles didn’t work. Her head flopped. Her arms were pulled behind her back; her cuffs had been clipped together.

Blinking hard, she realized she was facedown…because she lay over someone’s shoulder. And outside.

The slaver…the slaver had her. Everything in her wanted to panic, but her body wasn’t hers. Limp and stupid.

How had he gotten outside with her? Past the guard?

As rain streamed down her face, she saw that the ground was grass, not concrete. They weren’t in the parking lot. Not in front of the building. She managed to turn her head. Tall hedges, glimpses of a fence. Fountains. They were in the Capture Gardens that Master Z kept closed off except for special times. It was an alarmed fire door. And the alarm…wouldn’t work with the power off. Oh God.

Thunder rumbled across the sky, the flashes of lightning almost constant. Small solar lights lined the paths. She groaned, tried to move. Can’t let him get away. Can’t.

“Waking up, bitch?” The man rolled her off his shoulder, dumping her on the ground.

Everything jolted. Her head throbbed like someone had used a mallet on her skull.

“Fuck, you’re heavy.” He rotated his shoulder, his breathing harsh.

She stared up at him. Not one of the four Doms. This man had been at the bar behind those Doms. Her tongue felt fat, sluggish, and her “Why?” came out sounding like mush.

“Saw you listening. Figured it out.” He smirked. “I like redheads. Oh yeah. And older bitches. We’ll have fun in a minute.” He straightened and turned in a circle. “There’s a gazebo back here somewhere if I can find it. Got time. With the place blacked out, nobody will notice you’re missing until way too late for you. Such a pity.”

A second later, she understood. Because he’d taken her out the side door, no one would realize they were in the Gardens. Panic demolished her thoughts until she could only shake. She tried to move, screaming inside her head at her sluggish body. Try, try! Couldn’t do anything. Closing her eyes against his smug expression, she fought her way free of the fear. Gripped her emotions and held them. She’d lived through this before. Gotten free before.

She forced her hands open. Closed. Again. She had to get her body to work. Pain sizzled through her, too much like the lightning in the sky. The wind whipped the trees overhead. Rain hit her face like hammers, but cold spatter returned a bit of feeling to her body.

“Yeah. The gazebo must be that way.” He yanked her to her feet, held her up when her knees buckled.

She tried to jerk away.

“Give me trouble, and I’ll zap you again,” he said coldly. He patted the cell phone clipped on his belt. “Cute, huh? They make stun guns in all disguises these days.”

The cell phone was a stun gun. She closed her eyes, concentrated on breathing, and getting her strength back.

Humming under his breath, he half carried her down the grassy path, past shadowy nooks, arbors and fountains, a swing. A beautiful place and horrible, horrible right now.

“Gonna rip you to pieces, slut. You’ll bleed so much even the rain won’t wash it away.” He squeezed her breast. “Can’t wait till Davies sees what I leave of you.”

Tears of anger and fear joined the rain on her face. She couldn’t bear this. Not again.

No! No panicking . They’d look for her. Sam was there. He wouldn’t give up. Neither would she.

When the lights went out, Sam ran toward where he’d seen Linda.

“Help!” The high, hysterical scream stopped him. A woman in suspension was panicking and thrashing so hard her Dom couldn’t cut her free. Sam grabbed her and held her still as the man snipped through the ropes. One rope. Two.

“Easy, baby, take it easy,” the Dom was murmuring. Around the room, other submissives were being set loose. Yells and calls for assistance spread through the room.

Sally appeared in the dim light. “Where’s Linda? I can’t find Linda!”

Son of a bitch! He couldn’t just drop the submissive in his arms. “Sally.”

The sub stopped, panting and looking around with terrified eyes.

Fear knotted his gut, and he snapped out, “Find Z and tell him, girl.”

Sally ran.

“Last one,” the Dom said.

The ropes dropped off, and Sam took the weight of the submissive. As she cried, he set her onto a couch. Her Dom dropped down beside her.

Done. When he turned, he spotted Nolan in the shadowy light with Beth tucked under his arm.

Sam motioned him over. “Find Linda.”