Zane nodded. “He was also the first officer on the scene when our parents died in that car wreck right outside of Long Valley.”
“That’s right, but what you don’t know is that we now have evidence that Earl Baume deliberately ran our parents off the road. Of all these men, only Miller, Charles Dolman, and Mendez are still alive. Dolman is in jail, Mendez is in Colombia, and Miller was apprehended last week when he tried to kidnap Cassie again. He’s being interrogated by Thor’s people at this time.”
Ravyn glanced at Cassie then leaned toward Cade and Thor. “Did my ex-husband kidnap Cassie eight years ago?” She asked the question even though she was afraid she already knew the answer.
Thor joined Cade by the monitor. “We think either your father or ex-husband kidnapped Cassie. They both match the description she’s given us. Medium height, slightly overweight, Boston accent.”
Zane grasped Ravyn’s shoulder and shook it to get her attention. “Don’t say anything in front of me, Ravyn. Not one word. Do you understand?”
Ravyn nodded, then clenched her hands on her lap.
Cade turned off the video. “We believe either your father or Dolman began moving drugs and laundering money for Carlos Mendez around fifteen years ago, Ravyn. After your father’s death seven years ago, the activity continued. We’re trying to prove now that your father wasn’t involved and that it was Dolman who had the agreement with Mendez.”
“Dolman claims Ravyn’s father began the partnership and Ravyn continued it,” Zane said. “Can you prove she wasn’t involved?”
Cade shook his head. “No. The flash drive has information on it going back nine years. Names of contacts and women who were taken and held, dates of drug deliveries, and bank accounts, but it doesn’t indicate who kept the records. We think Dolman began keeping the records as insurance in case Mendez turned on him.”
“Or, Ravyn’s father began keeping the records for the same reason,” Zane said. “Dolman claims that seven years ago, after Benson’s death, Ravyn took over her father’s illegal activities. Eight months ago, he realized she was trying to frame him and had already made arrangements for him to be killed. He claims the reason he didn’t go to the police is because she has friends in the local, state, and federal agencies. He claims his only choice was to try to kill her first.”
Ravyn jumped up and turned to Zane, her hands on her hips. “You damn bastard. You want to believe I’m guilty so you don’t have to deal with our relationship.” She swiveled on her four-inch stilettos and walked toward the door. “Sorry, Addison. I appreciate the invitation, but I can’t stay here.”
“Ravyn, if you walk through that door, you’ll be sorry,” Zane said.
Ravyn turned around and smiled as she backed toward the door, then sent him a one-finger wave as she disappeared into the hall.
Feminine giggles swept around the room as the men cleared their throats and sent him what-are-you-going-to-do-now looks.
Zane began rolling up his sleeves as he stood up and walked toward the door. “We’ll be right back.”
Ravyn heard his footsteps behind her as she hurried toward the front door. When he grabbed her arm and pulled her around, she shoved him back and then ran for the front door. He caught up to her and wrapped his right arm around her waist, then hoisted her onto his hip and carried her, kicking and screaming, into the dining room. He hooked a chair with his foot, pulled it out, then sat down and pulled her over his lap.
“Don’t you dare, you bastard.” Ravyn reached back and tried to cover her butt.
In seconds, he had her skirt shoved up around her waist. “You’ve been begging for this for months.” Zane ran his hand over her plump ass, then snapped the strap of the thong that separated her rounded cheeks and laughed when she screamed with rage.
“I have not.” She kicked her legs and felt him shove her shoes from her feet before he swept her panties down her legs.
“Yes, you have, and I’m going to give you a taste of what you think you want.” He tangled her panties around her ankles, then stroked his hand up the back of her legs to her butt.
Ravyn grabbed the leg of the chair and lifted her torso. Zane hooked one leg over hers, then held her in place by pressing his hand against the small of her back. He stroked his hand over her ass, then squeezed each cheek.
“Be still, pet.”
“I’m supposed to have a safe word and a list of limits.”
“Pick a safe word, then. Something you wouldn’t normally say.”
“Guilty.” Ravyn screeched when he swatted her ass, hard. “Let me up, damn you.”
“You said you wanted to be my sub. Well, I’ve got news for you, princess. In this house, there are rules for subs and you’ve just broken several of them.” He swatted her rounded ass five times as he talked. “And, you don’t air our personal business in front of my family and friends.” Zane swatted her another five times, each swat harder than the last while he ignored her screams. “Subs don’t cuss in this house.” He swatted her five more times. “No disrespecting a Dom in this house, and that goes double for me.” Five more swats landed on her ass.
Ravyn sniffled as her tears mixed with her mascara and burned her eyes. She screamed at him to let her up, then blinked her eyes rapidly to clear the sting from them. Zane ignored her as he squeezed her stinging bottom. “Subs don’t speak without permission in this house, and they don’t give orders. Ever. When they’re given permission to speak, they use the correct title to the Dom.” He swatted her ass five more times, then ran his fingers over her pussy and pinched her labial lips together before wiggling his finger between them and pressing on her clit. He stroked it a couple times then ran his fingers over her mound. “Subs have bare mounds in this house, and you already listed your limits three weeks ago when I was in your bed fucking you silly.”
Ravyn shivered then moaned and couldn’t keep her hips from wiggling. “I hate you.” She felt him lift his hand and quickly added, “Sir.”
Zane laughed. “You hate that you can’t control me.” He rubbed her ass again, then moved his fingers back to her pussy and her swollen clit. He teased her until she shivered again. “Now, apologize and I’ll let you up.”
Ravyn thought about it for a moment. “No. You apologize for believing I did all those horrible things.” She heard Zane’s sigh, then felt his hand slide between her hip and his hard belly. A second later, she realized he was unbuckling his belt. “What are you doing?”
“This is what you said you wanted. Remember? You said you wanted me to take control.” He rubbed her ass again. “This is me taking control.”
Ravyn moaned as she decided she was beginning to regret the night they’d spoken about a D/s relationship and she’d confessed her fantasies to him. She’d been very explicit, even though they shouldn’t have been together at the time. He was right about their affair compromising his position as the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the case against her ex-husband. A feeling of hopelessness swamped her and she slumped over his lap. “I’m sorry, Sir.”
“What are you sorry for?” Zane continued to run his hands over her ass cheeks.
“For coming here. For involving your family. For everything.” She dried her tears with her free hand and felt Zane pull her panties off her feet and smooth the skirt of her dress over her sore bottom. “What are you doing with my panties?”
“Subs don’t wear panties in this house.”
“I’m leaving. We shouldn’t be seeing each other. I’ve put you in danger of losing your job.”
Zane patted her bottom. “First, I’m going to see what else my brothers and Thor know.” He lifted her until she was sitting up on his lap.
“That hurts, Zane,” she said, and he chuckled.
“It’s supposed to hurt.” He slid his hand under her skirt and swiped his finger over her pussy. “It also aroused you.” He slid his lips over hers then smiled into her eyes. “You’re wet and hot, so don’t even try to tell me you don’t want me. Right now
, I’d love to bend you over this table and fuck you until you scream my name and come all over my cock.”
Ravyn shivered with longing then leaned against him and hid her face against his neck. She was so tired of keeping secrets and worrying about what was going to happen. Tired of hiding her tears and being alone. “What I want and what I can have are two different things.”
Zane slid his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face to his before he threaded his fingers into her long mass of raven hair. “Damn you. Even with a red nose, smeared lipstick, and raccoon eyes you’re still beautiful.” He used his thumb to rub the dark trails of mascara from her cheeks, then surrounded her face with his hands and forced her to look at him. “Tell me one of your secrets.”
Ravyn hesitated for a moment as he watched her. If she didn’t speak up now, she would lose him forever, but what could she tell him? She knew her ex-husband had laundered money for Mendez. But she hadn’t known she was living in a house where he’d held and abused women, although she had no doubts that he was capable of doing something like that. Her attention was drawn back to Zane when he sighed and began to lift her from his lap. She panicked and rushed into speech. “I think Charles had my father killed.”
Zane narrowed his eyes at her. “Why would he do that when you claim your father made you marry him?”
“Charles had me but my father wanted my son to inherit the company. He made Charles promise to name our first son Benson after him.”
“You were married for eight years. I don’t see any kids hanging around.”
Ravyn shivered, then buried her face against Zane’s neck. “Charles liked it rough. The more I fought him, the better he liked it.” She looked up at him. “He left me alone when I quit fighting him.” A muscle in Zane’s jaw began to pulse and she reached up and ran her finger over it. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Zane slid her off his lap, then patted her sore bottom, and chuckled when she squeaked with pain. “We better get back in there and see what else they know.”
Ravyn stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Does this mean we’re in a D/s relationship?”
Zane cupped her shoulders, then moved her back a couple inches. “It means you’re going to go home and I’m going to have Thor arrange security for you. You were right—I never should have seduced you.”
“I think we seduced each other.” Ravyn tightened her arms around him and rubbed her cheek against his chest. “You’re leaving me?”
“I can’t see you and do my job at the same time.”
“Because you think I’m guilty?”
“Because I don’t know. Because you’re keeping secrets. Because it’s a conflict of interest for me. Pick one, princess.”
Ravyn held onto him. He rubbed soothing circles on her back, comforting her, even as he told her he was leaving her. She blinked her eyes but couldn’t stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks. “I’ll never be sorry I met you.”
Zane nuzzled her neck and tightened his arms around her, but didn’t say anything.
Ravyn pulled his scent into her lungs, then forced herself to let him go. “I need to wash my face.” She stepped back but kept her eyes lowered.
Zane picked her up and pulled her close to his chest as he carried her from the dining room.
“I can walk.”
“I know, but I want to carry you, so be quiet and let me.”
Ravyn wrapped her arms around his neck, then rested her head on his shoulder. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what. All the important words had been spoken. Zane slid her to her feet and waved her into the half bath.
“The den is through that hall and to the right.” He slid a kiss over her lips. “Take your time.”
She nodded, then stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. There was a stack of washcloths in a large basket on the counter, so she grabbed one and dampened it, then forced herself to face the image in the mirror. She stared at herself for a moment, then scrubbed the black streaks and lipstick from her face. Her eyes were bloodshot, so she rinsed the cloth in cold water and held it over her eyes for a moment while she blanked her expression. When she looked into the mirror again, her eyes were empty. She swallowed, then ran her fingers through her long, wavy hair before she braced herself and returned to the den.
Zane waved her into the chair she’d left earlier and Ravyn settled into it, then blushed when she saw the other occupants of the room staring at her. She looked down and saw her shoes on the floor in front of her, but she also saw the lacy edge of her panties sticking out of Zane’s pocket. She tucked it into his pocket, then smiled at him when he looked down at her. When he didn’t smile back, she lowered her eyes and concentrated on slipping her feet into her shoes.
“What else is on the flash drive that I need to know?” Zane asked. “And keep in mind that I’m the prosecutor on this case and I shouldn’t have access to inside information. You’ve already told me more than I should know.” He turned to Thor. “I want you to put a security team together for Ravyn. Twenty-four-seven. I’ll pay.”
“No, you won’t.” Ravyn stood up and brushed down her skirt. “That would compromise your position as well. Besides, I’m rich. Remember?”
“Rich on blood money,” Zane said.
Without thinking, Ravyn slapped him. Her hand stung from the force of the blow. “My blood.” She pushed against his chest, trying to move him back from her as he stood. “My blood, too, damn you.”
Zane grabbed her by her shoulders and jerked her up against him. A nerve by his lips was pulsing with anger. For a moment, she thought he was going to whip his belt off and take it to her ass. Instead, he gently squeezed her shoulders, then calmly moved her back away from him and released her. “Is there anything else you need to tell me, Cade?” His eyes remained on her the entire time.
“Nothing I can tell you at this point without compromising your position further.”
“Then, I’m going back to Dallas.” Zane picked up his jacket and shrugged into it before he stepped around her.
She grabbed his wrist and held onto him, then shivered at the hard, cold look in his eyes. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. The red mark on his cheek drew her attention and she reached up to touch it. Zane blocked her hand, then pried her fingers loose from his wrist. She nodded, then let him go and stepped back. No help there, she thought, as she watched him leave the den through dry eyes.
A few moments later, she heard the sound of his car starting, then driving away. She composed herself then looked up. “I need to get back to Dallas as well.” Her lips trembled as she forced them into a smile. “Thank you for the invitation, Addison, but I think under the circumstances I should leave.” She looked at Cade, then Thor. “Perhaps we could talk about security on Monday. I could meet you at your Dallas office.”
“No, we’ll discuss your needs after dinner.” Thor glanced at Addison. “You did say something about dinner, didn’t you, Addison?”
Addison jumped up from Cade’s lap. “Yes. Right now, actually.”
“I’m starving, baby,” Cade said as he grabbed her hand, then led her toward Ravyn. “It’s late for a woman to be on the road by herself. I suggest you have dinner with us, then spend the night. By tomorrow, we’ll have a team together for you.”
Mac glanced at Thor, then moved toward Ravyn. “Can I be team leader, boss? Please? I promise to sleep in Ravyn’s room and make sure she’s safe at all times.”
Thor tried to bump him out of the way, but Mac held his ground.
“We’ll see, Mac.” Thor smiled at Ravyn as he passed her. “Everything will look better in the morning. It always does.”
The sound of the front door slamming again gave Ravyn a moment of hope as she thought Zane had changed his mind and returned. Her hopes were proven wrong when a furious woman appeared in the doorway.
“Marisol,” Thor said. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Thor, the driver. He is un idiota!�
�� She brushed the dust from her skirt, then held out her boot-covered foot. “I walk—in boots.” She shuddered, then glared at him. “Snakes. The noisy kind.” She shuddered again.
Addison, Jenna, and Cassie surrounded the newest addition to what Ravyn was coming to believe was a three-ring circus, or maybe a four-ring circus, if there was such a thing. She remained where she was with Thor and Mac until Addison reached out and snagged her wrist and pulled her into the giggling circle of noisy feminine chatter.
Addison waved at the newcomer. “This is Thor’s—”
“Prisoner,” the dark-haired beauty said with a heavy Spanish accent.
“You are not my prisoner, Marisol,” Thor said, his voice exasperated, as if they had been over this subject many times in the past.
Marisol sent the blond giant a dirty look, then looked back at Ravyn with a little smile and a wink, letting her know she was screwing with the big guy. Ravyn noted that Addison, Jenna, and Cassie hid their smiles by suddenly finding something on the floor fascinating. She felt an unexpected camaraderie with them and let her stiff shoulders relax. Maybe she was in safe company and could drop her guard for a few hours.
Thor grasped Marisol’s arm and tugged her to his side. “Be good, or there will be consequences.”
Marisol snorted, then laughed in his face and said something in Spanish that was apparently very rude as the men in the room frowned, then sent Thor another one of those Dom looks.
Addison giggled then tugged on Ravyn’s hand. “If you’re going to be one of us you have to side with us at all times.”
“But, I’m not one of you,” Ravyn said as Addison led her from the den and toward the dining room.
Jenna and Cassie laughed.
“Any woman who gets spanked in this house by a Ramsey is one of us,” Jenna said.
Ravyn looked back at Marisol, worried that Zane had been involved with the voluptuous beauty. “Who spanked you, Marisol?”
“Nobody, yet,” Thor said as he followed behind them. Marisol pulled away from him and hurried to Ravyn’s side, chattering about snakes the entire time.
Maxwell, Mardi - Zane's Choice [The Doms of Club Mystique 4] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 2
