Dangerous

by Audrey Alexander

  “I know about you and Sarah. You went to Bonds that night, too,” she said, blurting out the words before she could truly think them through. “That’s against company policy. You could be fired for sleeping with her.”

  Rick Allen raised his eyebrows and stood from his chair, leaning forward with his knuckles on his desk. His voice dropped low, and his eyes narrowed. “You better not be trying to blackmail me, Carrie Simmons.”

  Carrie sucked in a deep breath and kept her gaze steady. She didn’t dare say a word.

  “Nice try.” His lips broke into a cruel smile. “But from what I know, Sarah is your only friend in this world. I’m calling your bluff. You’d never expose her like that. It would ruin her life just as much as yours is being ruined right now.”

  Carrie opened her mouth to argue, fisting her hands by her side. But after a moment of tense silence, all of the fight flew out of her. Rick was right. This wasn’t her. Sarah had been the only constant in her life. A best friend. A sister. Carrie never would have gone through with it, and Rick knew where her loyalties were without a doubt in his mind.

  “That’s what I thought.” He gave a nod to the door. “Clean out your desk. You have an hour to get your things and go.”

  Tears slid down Carrie’s cheeks as she hastily threw her belongings into a tiny cardboard box she’d gotten from the storage room. She had a couple of picture frames holding old memories from back home, and her degree that had hung on the wall. Nothing more. She thought about taking her pens and post-it notes, but decided it wasn’t worth it. She’d probably never need another post-it note in her life.

  A knock sounded on the door, and Carrie glanced up. Sarah gave her a sad smile and crossed the room in two quick strides, gathering Carrie into a tight hug. When she pulled back, she searched Carrie’s face before wiping the tears from her cheeks.

  “I heard what happened,” Sarah said. “I’m so sorry. I tried to talk Rick out of it, but he wouldn’t budge.”

  Carrie sighed and leaned against the desk she’d never see again. The desk where she’d spent many late nights, reading through briefs and researching the law. “I don’t think it was entirely up to him, to be honest.”

  Sarah made a face. “You know he’s put me on Jace’s case now? I told him I wasn’t going to take your job like that, but he actually threatened to fire me, too, if I didn’t go along with it.”

  “Do it, Sarah.” Carrie reached out and took her friends hands. “Please. I need someone to make sure Jace’s father doesn’t force the issue and make him confess to something he didn’t do.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Sarah said in a whisper. “Is there anywhere I should start?”

  “Actually…” Carrie gave a nod and pulled her notepad from the clutter. She scribbled down a few details and shoved the paper into Sarah’s hands. “The owner of Bonds. Dominique Something. I don’t know his last name. I swear he’s behind this whole thing, but it looks like he may have skipped town. Can you find out where he lives? Any details at all that could help us find him.”

  “I am on it, Carrie,” Sarah said with a nod. “Just leave it to me.”

  Jace returned from his office to find Carrie gone. At first, he had the overwhelming urge to fire Jax for letting her leave the hotel alone, but he couldn’t afford to lose another competent assistant. Franklin was still in the wind, and he hadn’t heard a word from the man since he’d disappeared. If he was smart, he’d never come back.

  Jace paced back and forth in his penthouse, only stopping to pour another shot of gin into his glass. Where could she have possibly gone? It wasn’t safe for her to be frolicking around the city by herself. Dominique might have vanished into thin air, but that didn’t stop the fact he was trying to take the both of them down. Carrie had been attacked once already. Her apartment had been broken into and trashed. If something else happened to her, Jace would never forgive himself.

  He shouldn’t have left her alone in his penthouse. She’d probably thought something was wrong when she’d woken up that morning to find his side of the bed empty and cold. And well, there had been. Jace had needed to get outside, to go for a run and clear his head. It had been exactly what his clouded brain needed. As his feet had pounded out his frustrations on the hard sidewalk, Jace had figured out what the two of them needed to do next. And after he’d stopped off at his office to pick a few things up, he’d returned to his penthouse to find Carrie had vanished into thin air. There wasn’t even a note to say when she’d be back.

  As he went to get his third or fourth or fifth drink—Jace couldn’t quite remember how many he’d tipped back by that point—the unmistakable sound of a keycard beep paused him in his tracks. He swung toward the noise, and Carrie popped into the penthouse. She stopped short when she saw him, almost as if she was surprised he was there. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were wet. Something was wrong.

  “Tell me what’s happened.” He strode toward her and swept her into his arms, pressing her cheek against his rumpled shirt. “If someone has hurt you, I need to know now.”

  “I went into the office today,” Carrie said with a sniffle. “It’s a work day, you know.”

  That’s when Jace spotted the cardboard box full of picture frames sitting just beside the door. He hadn’t noticed it when she’d walked in, too distracted by her puffy eyes. Of course. He should have known. Today would have been the day Carrie faced Rick Allen about the scandalous photos leaked the evening before.

  “I take it that it didn’t go well.”

  “I’m fired.” Carrie’s voice caught on the last word. “My career as an attorney is over.”

  “We’ll work something out.” Jace gathered her in his arms again. “I promise you, we will figure this out.”

  “Easy for you to say.” She pushed at his chest and stepped away from him, shaking her head. “Where were you this morning, Jace?”

  “I went for a run to clear my head. When I got back, you were gone.”

  “But you didn’t say goodbye.” She gestured at the empty kitchen. “You didn’t order any breakfast or make any coffee like you usually do.”

  “I had to get out of the apartment,” Jace said, avoiding the subject that must be on her mind. He wasn’t ready to talk about marriage yet. He needed just a little more time to figure out how to handle it without driving her away. “I found out last night that the man who raised me isn’t even my father. I needed to clear my head.”

  Carrie’s face crumpled. “Oh. I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry, Jace.”

  “You don’t need to apologize.” Jace opened his arms, and Carrie stepped inside. He wrapped himself around her and pulled her close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. All they needed was a break from this place, from the city and the people who were only causing them pain. “While I was out, I decided that we should go away together. We can leave tonight.”

  “Go away together?” Carrie gasped and pulled back. “You mean leave New York?”

  “Only for a short trip,” Jace said, brushing the hair back from her face. “Leave the paparazzi and our family behind for a few days. It would be good for both of us.”

  “But where would we go?” she asked.

  “Anywhere you want.” He gave her a wicked smile. “As long as it has a massive bed where I can make you come over and over again all night long.”

  A red warmth spread up Carrie’s neck. “Are you sure this is a good idea? What about the investigation? You can’t leave the city, can you?”

  Jace gave a wave of his hand. “My father, if I can still call him that, took care of all this. It’s not like I’m skipping the trial.”

  “I don’t know, Jace…” Carrie bit her lip and looked around her. “There would be no one here to feed Coco.”

  “Carrie.” Jace groaned and slid his hands up her shoulders, dragging his fingers along her soft skin. “I have a hundred members of staff at my disposal. Anyone can feed your cat. Stop trying to come up with excuses for why we shouldn’t
go. Come away with me. And I will give you the best night of your life.”

  A thrill went through Carrie as she stared down at the disappearing city lights. Jace had called in his private helicopter, and the blades overhead shook her to her very core. She had to admit, there was something exhilarating about being whisked from the city for a quick tryst far away from all the madness.

  Except, in this case, they weren’t going very far. Jace had a summer house in The Hamptons, and even though it was winter, it seemed like the perfect place for them to go. There would be no one to disturb them. No reporters. No family members randomly popping by. Not even a concierge to interrupt them by knocking on the door.

  At first, Carrie hadn’t been sure it was such a good idea. Surely the cops wouldn’t be happy if Jace left Manhattan while he was awaiting trial for murder. But he’d assured her it was fine. And besides, as he’d argued when they’d settled on The Hamptons, it wasn’t as if they were going very far.

  When the helicopter landed only an hour later, Carrie eased onto the grass underneath the whipping blades and looked up at the house before her. She gasped and widened her eyes. It was far more than she’d ever expected. His little summer getaway was a four-story mansion, spreading out before them on a massive lawn. White pillars rose up on the front porch, supporting a curved balcony on the top floor.

  It was breathtaking. And from what Jace had told her on the way, the back of the house jutted out onto a private beach. At night, they’d be able to hear the lapping waves as they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Carrie realized her mouth was hanging open and snapped it shut. She’d known Jace was rich, but she’d never imagined this.

  “Come on,” he said, leaning down to murmur in her ear as the helicopter took flight. “Let me show you around our home for the next few days.”

  Jace grabbed the overnight bag from Carrie’s shoulder and held out a hand. She slid her fingers around his and smiled. Her heart lifted a little as he led her toward the massive oak doors. Things didn’t seem so bad looking at them from here. Time away was exactly what they both needed. It would give them a chance to regroup and figure out a way to tackle their problems back in New York head on.

  Maybe in their absence, Sarah would find a lead on Dominique. And maybe, just maybe, she could talk Rick Allen into giving her the job back once he’d had a chance to cool down.

  But those problems were for later. Right now, all Carrie wanted was to feel Jace Holt’s strong arms wrapped around her hips. She wanted to lose herself to his demands while he took control of every inch of her body.

  Once inside the mansion, Jace led Carrie into the living room where a roaring fireplace was waiting for them, along with two full glasses of wine displayed on a dark oak coffee table. Carrie raised her eyebrows as Jace met her gaze with a wicked smile.

  “What’s all this about?” she asked as she eased onto the plush leather couch. “Looks like someone knew we were coming.”

  Jace joined her, handing her a glass of the luscious wine. “When we decided to come here, I had someone get things prepared for our arrival.”

  “Jace.” Carrie couldn’t help but smile, even though it was all a little too much for her to comprehend. “This is a little overwhelming.”

  “What is?” he asked, watching her sip her wine with a heated gaze. It sent thrills along her skin knowing what that look meant. They hadn’t even been in The Hamptons for ten minutes, and he was already sizing her up like a platter of meat on display.

  “This place.” Carrie gestured at the large expanse of the room. The vaulted ceiling rose high above them, and a chandelier sparkled overhead. Everything was in pristine condition and of the highest quality, including the massive high-def television sunk into the wall like a movie screen. “Everything about it. I had no idea you could afford this kind of thing.”

  “I’ve made a nice fortune.” Jace took a sip of his own wine, but his gaze never left her face. “Property seemed like a wise investment, especially since that’s where I found my success.”

  “Do you ever even come here?” Carrie asked, glancing around. It was all so shiny and new. It was hard to imagine anyone actually living somewhere like this. Carrie glanced down at her wine and then at the clean white carpet. It wasn’t the kind of place you could really relax for fear of leaving a stain.

  “At times in the summer.” Jace took the glass from her hands and placed it on the coffee table along with his own. “Maybe I’ll come here more often now that I have you to enjoy it with. You should see one of the rooms upstairs. There are some interesting toys you might enjoy.”

  Carrie’s eyes widened, and her breath caught. “Toys? You mean…you have some here?”

  “I had some installed when I first bought the place.” Jace slid closer and rubbed his warm hands against her thighs. “It’s unfortunate that they’ve never been used, though I’m sure we can rectify that. Immediately.”

  “Installed?” Carrie swallowed hard and felt her whole face turn as hot as the fire flickering before them. She squirmed, not entirely sure what he could mean about having things installed. It made her think of his playroom at Bonds, at all the whips and chains and benches crowding the tiny space.

  “Come with me,” Jace said, holding out a hand.

  Carrie let him lead her out of the living room and up the stairs into darkness. They moved quietly through the large house, the floorboards creaking underneath their feet. Carrie couldn’t help the nerves that were beginning to rattle through her body and the tempo of her heartbeat as they made hushed steps down the shadowy hallway. When they reached a door at the end, Jace pushed it open and flicked on the light.

  Carrie gasped. It was another playroom, almost exactly like the one Jace had rented at Bonds. A large X donned the far wall. It looked like two leather benches crisscrossed with straps on each end. Carrie had noticed the same thing at the club, and she’d been eager to try it out. Maybe Jace was finally going to show her what he liked.

  With deft fingers, Jace slowly unbuttoned Carrie’s blouse before pushing it from her shoulders. He reached around her back and unhooked her bra, and it fell to the soft carpet at their feet. The cool air hit Carrie’s breasts, and her nipples went hard. Already, Carrie wanted Jace to take her over and over. They’d both been through so much in the past twenty-four hours, she wanted to escape from reality the only way she knew how.

  Jace leaned down and brushed his tongue against her nipple. Carrie moaned and reached out to undress him the way he was undressing her. She wanted to see and feel his cock, throbbing as he stiffened underneath her touch. But he caught her wrists and pinned them to her sides, his mouth growing rough on her skin.

  “Tonight, you obey me,” he said in a gruff voice. “You know there’s no touching unless I say.”

  Carrie’s thighs became wet, and her words came out almost breathless. “Are you going to punish me?”

  Jace twisted Carrie around and spanked her hard. Pain flickered through her body, but it only made her excitement grow. As he pulled down her skirt and shoved her shoes from her feet, Carrie’s breath became so rapid she could barely think. A moment later, Jace was naked behind her, and she yearned to turn around and drink in his body with her eyes. But Jace wasn’t in the mood to make love. Not tonight, Carrie could tell. He wanted to take control, punishing her until she could barely stand.

  And Carrie wanted it so bad, her pussy ached between her legs.

  Jace pushed her against the X on the wall and pinned her arms over her head, attaching her wrists to the bonds on each side. His eyes sparked as he stood back to admire her body, and a wicked grin split his lips.

  “Spread your legs,” he commanded.

  Sucking in a ragged breath, Carrie obeyed. She took two large steps out to each side, opening herself up to him. He dropped down to his knees and attached each of her ankles to the X, trapping her against the soft leather. She squirmed as he moved away, able to do nothing but stare after him as he moved around the room. His fingers slid
along a long row of whips hanging on the wall. There were so many different kinds, as if he’d started a private collection to call his own.

  Jace stopped at a whip that had a large thick handle and several long strands. It looked almost like a mop, only sharper and harder as it glinted under the dim light. Jace smiled when he turned back to face Carrie, heat and darkness swirling in his eyes. He slapped the whip against his palm, and each of the strands hit his skin with a loud crack.

  “You say you’re ready to be punished.” He raised his eyebrows. “So, I think it’s time I showed you exactly what true punishment means.”

  Carrie could barely breathe as he moved in close. Jace held out the whip and slipped the long strands along her breasts, making her nipples grow even harder. The rough material slid down her stomach until he pushed it between her spread legs. Desire tore through Carrie’s body as Jace teased her wet sex with the whip. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she pulled against the straps, yearning to feel his touch.

  Jace pulled the whip away, leaving Carrie breathless and panting for more. Her eyelids fluttered open just as he slashed the whip against her stomach. Pain exploded through her body, making her knees go weak. It felt as though every inch of her skin was on fire. Carrie struggled against the bonds, but all she could do was hang there, trying to blink out the red in her eyes.

  “I wonder if that was enough,” Jace mused with a dark gaze, “or if you’re in need of more.”

  Carrie couldn’t speak. The pain still rocketed through her body. Half of her wanted to beg him to stop, and the other half wanted to beg him to never stop. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, for enjoying pain like this so much. But it made her feel so alive and helpless and one hundred percent under Jace’s command.

  Jace raked his eyes over every inch of Carrie’s luscious and curvy body. She hung against the straps of the X-cross, her legs spread open wide for his every taking. He was so hard, he could barely stand not being inside her, but dominating her was washing away every loss of control he’d experienced in the past few days.