Where was my damn phone?

  “Kate!”

  I spun around to face Pete. “What!”

  He held out my phone. That’s right. The geek squad had downloaded the audio recording.

  “I’m sorry about Janice. Despite her flaws, she’s an awesome detective. Don’t judge too harshly.”

  “She’s a prude and a bitch.”

  He swallowed hard and stared at the ground. “Listen, I didn’t want to tell you, being that you and Jake…”

  Swiping through a few screens, I sent Jake a quick text. Get me now.

  I knew my old partner well. The biting of his lower lip telegraphed his nervousness.

  Pete took in a breath, bracing to tell me something I didn’t want to hear. “Janice says Jake approached her, and…well, she said things got rough fast.”

  Miss high-and-mighty was a fucking hypocrite. “She has an aversion to kink. She’s a lot like Mrs. Westmoreland in that regard. Some people like to stir up trouble. Jake is the poster child for being safe and obtaining consent. He’d never do that.”

  “Well, who knows where the truth lies. Janice doesn’t take well to being blown off. Add to that the fact that she’s constantly comparing everything she does to you. She’s the first female detective to come in after you were fired. Everything she does is measured against you. It’s hard on her.”

  Hard on her? What about how hard it had been on me? “If she weren’t such a bitch, things might be easier for her.”

  He put a hand on my shoulder. “You of all people know what it’s like as a woman in this job. I’m telling you, she’s good at what she does. I can’t make you like her, but cut her some slack.”

  Maybe I was being too hard on her. I remembered how difficult my first few years had been. The constant need to prove myself, my skills, my gut instinct. I vowed to try and understand her better, which shouldn’t be that challenging, considering we were so very much alike. Still, something didn’t ring true about her story. Jake never played without a safe word.

  The deep-throated rumble of a Harley interrupted our conversation. I turned, and my heart rate spiked, seeing Jake roll up on that bike.

  I couldn’t help the grin settling over me as he pulled into the parking lot. His presence was already soothing my nerves. We were developing a bond. So many questions rattled in my head, but I felt a growing acceptance of this thing between us.

  Leather jacket and riding pants, sexy ass bike, and jet-black helmet? I’m sure he had melted every female heart on the drive over. Maybe we could find a secluded place to pull over like we had last night. He came to a stop and cut the engine.

  “Hey, darling.”

  He removed his helmet, his gaze immediately roving over my yellow dress, lingering on my narrow waist and maybe my boobs, covered as they were.

  “You look gorgeous.” He gave Pete a nod. “Pete.”

  “Jake.”

  “You told me to wear a dress, and you show up on that?” I pointed at his hog. “How do you expect me to ride?”

  A devilish glimmer sparked in his eyes. “With your dress hiked to your ass.” He turned around and grabbed the helmet strapped to the back of his bike. “Put this on.”

  “Great.” I kissed Pete on the cheek. “Guess I’m sitting on the P-pad.”

  Pete scrunched his brows. “What the hell is a P-pad?”

  Jake’s eyes widened, and I filled Pete in. “The back of a hog is called a pussy-pad.”

  Pete threw his head back and laughed hard. When he was finished, he wiped the corner of his eyes. “Leave it to you to know that.”

  “Hey, I was raised by a cop who loved classic cars. He had a passion for Harleys as well.” I shifted my attention to Jake. “Nice ride. Looks better in the light.”

  Jake frowned, looking confused, but then he pivoted, opening up the satchel strapped to the hog. “Here’s some leather with your name on it. Did you bring boots?”

  So, road rash for my legs, but he’d protect my torso with a jacket? Proof positive men didn’t think things all the way through. “I did.”

  “Hop on, and I’ll take you to your car so we can grab them.”

  “They’re in Pete’s car. I rode with him.”

  Pete jerked his thumb. “Come on.”

  I changed out of my flats, put on some heavy socks, and laced up my favorite pair of hiking boots. We walked back to where Jake waited and, before I put on the helmet, I leaned in to kiss Jake at the angle of his jaw and so I could whisper into his ear. I wasn’t going to mention last night, but I wanted him to know how I felt about the change in our roles. “I’m very hungry…Master,” I said as I slung my leg over the Harley.

  His lids drew back with surprise. I hoped it was at my use of the title.

  “Master, huh? I like that. Didn’t they feed you in there? I thought it was a lunch meeting. Surely there were doughnuts.”

  I pursed my lips. “Well, Janice was being a bitch, so I left early.”

  He didn’t flinch when I mentioned her name. I had no idea if they did or did not know each other, only that Jake told me he had never met her before.

  “Ah,” he said with a chuckle. “Making another quick exit?”

  I cast my gaze down, a little embarrassed it was the truth. “Yeah, kind of.”

  “So what are you hungry for?”

  “Whatever my Master wishes.”

  He lifted my chin until I was forced to stare into his eyes. “Your Master desires a great many things, but I wonder if you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m good.” I fiddled with the helmet and slipped it on, buckling it under my chin. I gave Pete’s hand a squeeze, saying good-bye. “See you later.”

  Pete squeezed back. “Be good.”

  Wasn’t I always?

  He turned and headed back to work.

  Jake secured his helmet and cranked over the bike, opening up the Harley to let the beast growl and rumble between my thighs. My ass ached a little from Jake’s belt, but I welcomed the soothing burn. We drove out of the parking lot, and I was headed to face my fate at the Edge, a role I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready for. However, now that I knew the power and strength behind Jake’s arm and his willingness to use it against me, I definitely looked forward to a few more “yes, Masters” in my future. Would I get Tender Jake or Hard-ass Jake? More importantly, which one did I want?

  I hugged Jake’s waist as the Harley burst into life on the open road.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jake

  To say I liked to ride my 1200cc Sportster understated every hot-blooded male’s wet dream. I could have just as easily said I liked to breathe. I needed it to live. There was nothing more satisfying than strapping on leathers and turning the key. That low, syncopated Harley growl revved the heat in my veins. It had a soul-stirring rumble that made a man feel alive driving down the blacktop, but it was nothing compared to Kate’s arms wrapped around my waist.

  Her beauty hit me in the gut, tunneled right to my heart, and soothed my soul. Just thinking about her had me aching. I wanted her in my arms. I wanted her on her knees. I needed her in my life.

  My grip loosened on the handlebars, and my jaw unclenched. Kate and I had come so far in one night. Further than I could have ever hoped, and I couldn’t wait to take us even deeper along our path. I wanted to cement our ties as Dom and sub, and eventually Master and slave. Eagerly, I accepted a future with her, but there was still so much work to be done.

  She needed pain with a desperate hunger, and I ached to give it to her, but I forced myself to hold back. Her desires could be destructive if not handled with caution. I wanted her bound to me not through fear and pain, but tied willingly with the gift of her submission and the guidance of my dominance. Our union needed to endure a lifetime, not a few hours of an evening scene.

  Soon, I would have her body singing and her soul flying free under my lash. The pain she received would be a gift and not something she demanded from me. My cock stiffened behind the zipper of my leather pants. Was it possible to need a woman too much?

  The only bright side to my day so far were those two words Kate had whispered when she slung her leg over the back of my bike. She’d said them without prompting and with a smile on her face.

  Yes, Master.

  Two little words held so much power. There were only three other words I wished to hear even more tumble from her lips, but she was not ready to confess her love. If she even felt that way.

  The whisper of my title almost had me forgetting the anger I was still holding toward Kevin. Our early-morning conversation still rattled around in my head.

  It’d been years since he and I had traded punches, but we’d been nose-to-nose and one breath away from tearing each other apart. He knew how I felt about my bike. He’d borrowed it without asking and drained the tank, then denied the whole thing.

  I probably would have clocked Kevin if Lily hadn’t stepped between us. She’d gone on and on about his million-dollar hands. Yeah, he was a plastic surgeon. That didn’t make him less of a pompous ass when he got caught in a lie.

  I had Kate clutching at my waist. She was gorgeous in her dress. With her tight body pressed against mine, I could forget the argument I’d had with my best friend.

  Stroking her thigh, my rough fingers skimmed her silken legs. I lifted my voice over the roar of the engine. “It’s a two-hour drive to the Edge.” I’d kiss her if it weren’t for this damn helmet.

  She gave a squeeze around my waist.

  I patted her hand, gave it an affectionate squeeze, and eased us into the flow of traffic, already shaking off my anger toward Kevin.

  Once on the open road, she cupped my groin. I groaned while she stroked me. The woman had magic fingers. There was something so damn erotic about her choosing to pleasure me. Her interest ignited something deep inside me, a frenzy of need so powerful it swelled my cock to painful hardness.

  An hour later, I guided my bike off the smooth asphalt and onto gravel. We traveled down the country road for another twenty minutes. This road turned to uneven dirt, and I picked our path with care around the shallow ruts in the road. Dirt turned to cobbles, which announced the outer limits of the property. The rhythmic thwacking of tires over the cobblestones transmitted over the low growl of the Harley’s signature sound.

  Behind me, Kate shifted, twisting back and forth, searching for her first view of the Edge.

  I turned a corner, and the manor rose out of a grassy field. The main house was enormous, and sprinkled around its imposing grounds, outbuildings dotted the fields. Constructed all of stone, the manor rose five stories into the sky, with massive windows as watchful eyes. It dominated the landscape with its heavy presence and scattered among the eaves, dense sculptures of angels and demons locked in erotic embraces. Ten chimneys dotted its roofline, and smaller windows peppered the upper floors in evenly spaced rows. Copper lined the edges of the pitched slate roof. The other buildings were similar if not as grandly built. The entire grounds had been designed to impress an exclusive clientele.

  The windows were of leaded glass, and I could imagine Kate gasping when she saw the house lit up from the inside for the first time, shining in the night. It always rendered me speechless, but then the Edge had the best decoration imaginable.

  Naked females adorned this house as a matter of course.

  I pulled around the circular drive, stopping before the large sculpted stone staircase that led up to the wide porch surrounding the ground floor. Awnings covered each of the glass windows, and gargoyles peered down from every angle. At either side of the staircase, a crouching lion challenged approaching guests as if daring them to pass.

  When the weekend rolled around, the lawn would be filled with expensive cars and Masters looking forward to sex, dominance, and seduction. Today, the lawn stood empty, waiting patiently for the party to come. Turning the key, I silenced my beast.

  Kate climbed off and removed her helmet. “Wow, that ride was amazing.”

  I swung my leg over the bike, pleased she appreciated the Harley. “What do you think of the place?”

  “Definitely built by men. Not a soft touch in sight.”

  With a smirk, I took the helmet from her. “All the soft stuff is in the female flesh we bring with us.”

  She laughed, a radiant expression filling her face. “Touché, Master. And I suppose I’m filling that bill for you now?”

  “Today, we’re here for work, not play.” Although I wished we were not here working on a case.

  The memory of Lizzy being taken from the grounds made my gut heave and dampened the mood.

  A frown darkened her features, but she turned around to survey the grounds. “So, main house behind me, this field in front is for show? Or is it used for anything?”

  “Mostly it’s there to impress, although in the summer we set it up for mud wrestling, pony races, or other outdoor sports.”

  “I bet.” She looked left and pointed to a low cluster of buildings. “And those?”

  “Storage facilities, a barn, and stables are beyond that.” I walked up behind her and nuzzled her neck, kissing lightly, pleased to see the fine hairs on her arms lift from her skin. “Behind the manor are cottages for guests who want private accommodations and don’t wish to stay in the main house. There are a few other buildings we can visit, but first we should go inside and meet Thomas.”

  “Where are the woods?” She spun out of my grip, casting her gaze around the grounds. “Elizabeth was taken in the woods. Our investigation should begin there.”

  “They’re behind the manor. We’ll get there, but we need to say hello first.”

  The front door opened, and our host, Thomas, stepped out to greet us. A gruff and wiry man in his early sixties, his gray whiskers twitched with displeasure. As usual, he had his salt-and-pepper hair pulled back at the nape of his neck, tied with a strip of leather. Black leather chaps, with Levi’s underneath, and a leather vest completed his outfit. He may have been in his sixties, but his body still retained its muscle, evidence that he spent his retirement split between the gym, riding his motorcycles, his horses, and his slaves—all with equal vigor. I only hoped to look as good when I reached his age.

  He lifted a hand in greeting. “Hey, Jake.”

  It didn’t slip my attention the way his hawkish gaze turned immediately to Kate. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close, whispering in her ear. “Thomas, owner of the Edge. Keep your eyes down unless he says otherwise, and address him as Master Thomas. All men here are addressed as such, except for the caretakers. You call them ‘Sir.’”

  “I got this. I won’t let you down.”

  I turned her around, picked her up, then kissed her. Leaving her breathless, I placed her back on her feet. “You don’t need to be perfect, just be mine.”

  “So.” Thomas’s gravelly voice boomed toward us as he approached. “This is your Domme turned slave? The infamous Mistress of Pain?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jake

  Kate’s head snapped up at Thomas’s statement. Couldn’t she see he was testing her? We’d be tossed out if she didn’t get her act together. In this world, people guarded their secrets with a predatory intensity, and they didn’t trust people who switched roles. Hell, she should know this.

  My control wasn’t worth crap if my cautionary words couldn’t keep her in line.

  Her hands curled. She shook them out and gripped mine. “Master,” she said, “may I address Master Thomas?” Her gaze narrowly missed looking Thomas in the eye.

  “Yes, Kate.”

  Now her head bowed. “I understand my history will unnerve most, but I assure you, I have hung up my whip.”

  Thomas stared at me, ignoring Kate.

  “I understand you are working a case. I’ve granted access to the grounds and agreed to hand over a list of our members. This is not something I give over easily.”

  She tipped her chin up, her gaze cutting to challenge him. “I appreciate your willingness to help my investigation.”

  I lay a hand on her arm, pulling her back to me. She was very close to stepping over the line with Thomas. Hopefully she would get my subtle hint and stand down.

  “I saw the videos,” continued Thomas. “I’m only helping because what happened to those girls is despicable, and if they were abducted off the grounds here, I feel obligated to assist in any way I can. But don’t misunderstand me. I’m not comfortable lying to the members about a relationship between the two of you.”

  Kate flinched, and I tightened my grip on her waist, cautioning her against saying something inappropriate. I spoke to fill the silence as much as to keep her quiet. “You may have heard Kate was sanctioned by Stripes’ Board? Until I say otherwise, she is my submissive-in-training.”

  Thomas nodded. “Yes, news does travel.” He straightened his stance, rocking back on his heels. “That doesn’t matter around here. You of all people know this.”

  I cleared my throat. “True, but we’ve discovered an affinity for our roles. It’s not an act.”

  “Seems rather convenient.” He arched a brow, not convinced.

  “Master Thomas,” interjected Kate. “This isn’t the first time I’ve served under another.”

  “Slaves who know their place shouldn’t interrupt Masters having a conversation.”

  Her cheeks flushed, but she continued. “I only meant to say I know what it means to be a slave.”

  He inclined his head. “But not how to behave as one. You have much to remember about your role.”

  Last thing we needed was her temper flaring. I prayed she kept a cool head.

  “But I’m not here as a slave.” Her fingers curled into fists. She tried pulling away from me.

  “Behave,” I whispered into her ear.

 

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