The Black Dahlia Hotel 5
Pansy’s Passion
Fashion designer Pansy Nicholas and Billie Crockett can’t seem to be in the same room together without fireworks. Pansy is constantly being thrown into the company of smart-ass, annoying Billie Crockett, keyboard man for the Dark Place band. Billie is the sexiest man she’s ever met, and he has wanted to take command of Pansy since the first time he saw her.
Pansy’s Fashion Week debut is jeopardized when a member of the Capriccio crime family tries to muscle into her business. Billie steps up to solve the problem, but refuses to tell Pansy how he worked it out.
After Fashion Week and the band’s six-city tour, Billie and Pansy take a trip to The Black Dahlia BDSM Hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Things are great until Pansy makes a fatal mistake and all hell breaks loose in their relationship. Neither will budge. Their short-lived romance is on the rocks for good. Can this relationship be saved in spite of two stubborn people who love each other?
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 39,380 words
PANSY'S PASSION
The Black Dahlia Hotel 5
Skye Michaels
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic
PANSY'S PASSION
Copyright © 2015 by Skye Michaels
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-008-4
First E-book Publication: February 2015
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
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DEDICATION
For E.B. Sometimes the Universe gives a gift, and you have to have the courage to reach out and take it. Sometimes the Universe takes something precious back, and you have to grieve the loss. Reach out and hold on.
Life is a story. Make your ending a happy one.
With many thanks to my beta readers, Patricia Walker, Jennifer Torlone, Donnette Hawley and Eileen Dix for all their help.
The Black Dahlia Hotel Series:
Mikaela and Dillon’s story in Mikaela’s Debut, Book 1
Vaughn and Paul’s story in Vaughn’s Awakening, Book 2
Melodie and Logan’s story in Melodie’s Song, Book 3
Penelope and Jay’s story in Penelope’s Gift, Book 4
(This story is a stand-alone in The Black Dahlia Hotel series, but it is best read with Melodie’s Song, Book 3.)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
About the Author
PANSY'S PASSION
The Black Dahlia Hotel 5
SKYE MICHAELS
Copyright © 2015
Prologue
The workroom of Pansy’s Frocks, Tribeca section of New York City, New York, Saturday early evening, December 12, 2015
Pansy Nicholas hit “end” on her cell phone. Grrr! That man made her crazy. She had dialed the loft to let Billie Crockett and the rest of the members of Dark Place, Logan Hawk’s band, know what was going on. Logan had his apartment, office, and music studio there, and the band had their rehearsal and recording space. Billie Crockett was Logan’s best friend, and the guys were all like brothers, only closer. Pansy understood that. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. And he makes my panties wet. How aggravating is that? Why? He was so not her type. Tight jeans and black T-shirts were all he seemed to wear, and she was a fashion designer with her own—albeit struggling—label.
Pansy adored Logan Hawk for the difference he had made in her best friend Melodie’s life, and the other guys in the band were great. Big teasers, but great. But Billie Crockett just made her nuts and had from the first time they had met. Billie was the backup vocalist of Dark Place and played keyboard and occasional backup guitar. He was tall and wiry, with a mop of dark curls and soulful brown eyes that he used shamelessly. He was a smart-ass wise-guy who she thought took advantage of Logan’s good nature. And he was cocky in more ways than one. The one time they had danced together at a club, she had felt his hard-on rubbing against her belly through both their jeans. Yes, she knew it was a biological reaction, but still it made her nervous and twitchy. It was crazy but she could feel her pussy contracting and readying itself for Billie whenever he got near her. Not that she would ever let him know she had a physical reaction to his presence. No way. No freaking way. Pansy was no shrinking violet. She held her own in the tough environment of the fashion industry and the New York Garment District, after all. But Billie Crocket…
Pansy pulled the pencil out of her loose and messy light-brown-and-blonde-streaked top-knot and picked up her ever-present sketch pad. She turned the page and did a quick pencil sket
ch of Billie Crockett. What was it about him that got to her, even though she really did not like him?
* * * *
The Loft, Stranahan Shoe Factory Building, Tribeca Section of New York, New York, Saturday early evening, December 12, 2015
Billie Crockett put the phone down and turned to the other guys in the band. “Karin Sanders grabbed Melodie at the shopping mall this afternoon and took off with her. That sheriff’s detective fiancé of Logan’s friend managed to retrieve her. Karin is in lockdown in the psyche ward of the hospital and is going to be charged with assault and kidnapping and whatever.”
“So, Mel’s okay? Is this shit finally over?” Keith Ransom ran his hands through his short, spiked blond hair and blinked back tears in his hazel eyes. He played second guitar and was of medium height, and muscular. He and Melodie were particularly close. What she had gone through after having her face slashed by a derelict in front of her art gallery a couple of years ago had really touched him, not that all of the guys didn’t adore her like a sister. She was marrying their best friend and the leader of the band, and they were happy for both Logan and Melodie. They had all gone through the agony of the attack with Logan, who had witnessed it and had saved Melodie from bleeding out on the sidewalk while he waited for the ambulance to arrive.
“Yeah. It’s all over, but I’m sure there will have to be a competency hearing or something before they lock her up and throw away the key. At least I hope they throw it away. In any event, Karin’s going to be locked up for a long time. Thank God.”
“Is Pansy all right? When did all this happen?” Tyler Easton was the drummer and multi-instrumentalist, playing xylophone, cymbals, and tambourine. He was tall and well-built with red hair and green eyes, and was intense and the quietest member of the band, despite the racket he made on the drums.
“Pansy is fine. You know she’s pretty tough and no-nonsense.” He frowned. “That woman makes the palm of my hand itch. I’d like to turn her over my knee and spank her nice, round ass.”
Guy Penrod, their bass guitar and sax and trumpet, who was tall, with a cut physique, classically handsome features and blue eyes that drove the girls crazy, glanced down at the front of Billie’s jeans. “Right. Have you ever met a woman you didn’t want to spank?”
“No, but that’s beside the point. Pansy Nicholas makes me nuts.”
“You’re a dog, Crockett,” Guy said.
“Woof, and I want to chase that pussy.”
Guy shook his head and continued. “So, are Logan and Mel coming home now?”
“No. They’ll be back after the cruise to Bermuda aboard that BDSM boat owned by Jamie Devereau, the Le Club guy.”
“Good. I guess they can both use the time to come down and relax after all that shit with Karin.”
* * * *
In the Hawk-Buxton Suite at The Black Dahlia Hotel, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, Saturday evening, December 12, 2015
Logan Hawk grinned at his fiancé, Melodie Buxton. “You did that on purpose. We called Jasper, and we could have called Billie and the rest of the guys ourselves. Those two are like oil and water, and you know it.”
Melodie smiled up at Logan. “I know. They’re perfect for each other. It will never be boring, that’s for sure.”
“I think they’re more like explosives, and we should all take cover. Speaking of taking cover, why don’t we plan a couple of weeks here at The Black Dahlia around Valentine’s Day week? The band will need to decompress after our six-city tour, and your final surgery will be behind us. What do you say?”
“Can Pansy come? I’ll need a gal-pal if I have to spend two weeks with a bunch of rowdy rock ‘n’ roll guys.”
“Sure. That was my plan all along.” Logan reached for Melodie. He was so relieved to have the Karin Sanders nightmare over.
“Maybe I can close the gallery for a couple weeks and Jasper and Max can come, too.”
“Fine with me. You can invite everyone, as long as we’re together.” He brushed her long, glossy dark hair behind her ears and watched as her startling blue eyes closed when he kissed her. He was glad that she had stopped trying to hide her beautiful face with the slightly disturbing scar running from her temple to jawline.
* * * *
Melodie snuggled into Logan. “My hero.”
And he really was her hero. Not only had he probably saved her life on the sidewalk that day, but he’d brought her out of her shell and back to the world since he’d come back into her life. Her beautiful half-Apache, half-Irish warrior was not classically handsome, but he had presence. His craggy Native American face, dark chocolate eyes, and long dark hair worn in a ponytail set him apart. Energy emanated from his body, and as the lead singer and lead guitar of the band, he was electric on stage. Life with Logan Hawk would never be boring, either. She wanted her friend, Pansy, to find the same happiness she had found with Logan, and she had a sneaky suspicion that it just might be with the irrepressible Billie Crockett.
Chapter One
The workroom of Pansy’s Frocks, Tribeca section of New York City, New York, Monday morning, January 4, 2016
Pansy poured herself another cup of coffee. “Are you sure you don’t want a cup? I have some brownies over here as well.”
“No, thanks. Logan and I had breakfast before he headed out for his papers and then to the loft.”
“So, tell me what happened. You must have been so scared. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d known about the kidnapping while it as going on. I would have lost it, being too far away to do anything.”
“Kaylin and I had spent the day at the Galleria Mall picking up some last-minute items for the cruise to Bermuda. The Golden Dolphin, the BDSM ship I told you about, is fabulous, but that’s another story. When we left the mall, Karin jumped me in the garage and shoved me into her car and took off. She hit me on the head, and I was sort of out-of-it and then pretended to be unconscious in the back seat. Kaylin, who is a homicide detective with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, followed us in her car. She caught up with Karin’s car and rescued me just as Logan and his friend, Jack Brown, Kaylin’s fiancé, arrived right behind the Sheriff’s Office cruiser. Karin was restrained and taken in. She ended up in the psyche ward at the county hospital.”
“God, honey. That was hair-raising. She could have killed you.”
“I know. She had another knife, and you know how I feel about knives. She was in the cruiser, still screaming to Logan that they were meant to be together, that they were soul mates. Even after all that, it was still kind of sad. She is nuts.”
“Well, at least it’s over.” Pansy was still having nightmares about Melodie’s ordeal, and she bet Melodie was as well. Pansy smiled. At least Melodie had Logan to snuggle up to now. That couldn’t make Pansy happier.
“Before I forget, mark your calendar for a two-week vacation in Florida at The Black Dahlia Hotel in Fort Lauderdale from Friday, February 12th to Friday, February 26th. Logan is booking several suites for us, the band, Jasper and Max, and you. We’ll have a blast.”
“The band? Does that include Billie?”
“Pansy. Of course it does. You can get along with Billie Crockett for two short weeks at a luxury, top-of-the-line hotel in Florida in February.”
“Of course I can.” Two short weeks? She didn’t think so. “What are you up to, girlfriend? Do you have an ulterior motive here?”
“No. Don’t be ridiculous. I just don’t want to be stuck with five straight Doms and two gay guys for two weeks by myself. We’ll have fun. The guys will want to deep-sea fish and do other stuff. That will give us time to shop and lunch with Kaylin and her girlfriends. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to take some BDSM classes like we talked about. They have a fabulous dungeon on the top floor of the hotel. Besides, you can sketch some designs while we lounge by the pool or on the beach. It will be a blast.”
“Right. A blast. Why don’t I believe you?” Melodie was right about one thing. Two weeks away from the ice and snow an
d the whistling winds blowing down the streets would be wonderful, and she could sketch anywhere.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you? Am I your best friend with only your best interests at heart? Does my fiancé want to include you in an all-expenses-paid winter vacation to Florida? Should you be looking this gift horse in the mouth?”
“Okay, okay. Guilt trip much?”
“Of course. I’m your best friend. It’s what we do.”
* * * *
Melodie loved it when a plan came together. It had been touch-and-go there for a minute or two. Pansy was much too sharp for her own good.
Melodie just knew that after some initial fireworks, Pansy and Billie would make a great couple. He was tall and lanky with a sleekly muscled body that complemented Pansy’s tall and curvy shape. Pansy was a cute and quirky woman with long, brownish-blonde hair usually pulled up in a bun on top of her head with errant wisps that always managed to escape the clip. Her hazel eyes saw everything, and she was sharp as a tack with a bit of an edgy personality. She wore her own designs, which were stylish but sort of out there on the cutting edge in fashion. Her fashion design business was just starting to take off, and she was beginning to gain a loyal following. This was the first year she had managed to secure a place in the Fashion Week lineup. They were both so excited.
Pansy's Passion [The Black Dahlia Hotel 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 1
