Gently easing off of him, she lay beside him snuggling in close being quite pleased.
“Good night,” she said gently kissing his cheek.
He turned to face her. “Oh Baby, we’re not done. You think you can do that to me and we’d be finished?”
“You’re kidding,” she said smirking and rolling on her side away from him.
“Wrong answer.” He smacked her ass with tremendous force.
“Ow!” She yelled before slowly rolling onto her belly lifting her hips and giggling, “I’m sorry, Sir.”
“Better.”
He came in behind her and spanked her ass again. Her response was almost Pavlovian. Whenever their play turned to discipline, her pussy drooled for more knowing exactly what followed. Gentle kisses and licks that teased her pussy and anus only escalated her desires. He climbed off the bed and went to the dresser to retrieve the key to unlock the bureau. She watched as he reached for the leather binding straps, ball gag and crop. Glancing at him, she was surprised to see just how rigid his penis was again.
Without a word, he motioned for her to come to the edge of the bed. Quickly tying the gag to her mouth, he placed the straps across her shoulders binding her arms and hands behind her. She leaned forward placing her forehead on the bed, spreading her legs slightly with her feet planted firmly on the floor. Without warning he struck her ass with the crop before lightly tapping each cheek. All she could do was grunt with each powerful strike interspersed with the light taps. The stinging was intense and her ass felt hot as the warmth radiated up her spine. Then he began slowly licking. The soft, coolness of his tongue felt divine as they comingled with the heat she still experienced.
He lifted her upper body by her bound elbows and forearms before sliding his penis inside her eager pussy. Slow at first, he got faster and harder as he held her arms. The sound of his body slapping against hers seemed to mask her moans and his deep breathing. It was growing harder for her to stand firm as she felt the ripples of her orgasm building. To slow them, she squeezed her vaginal muscles around him. “Shit!” He groaned before spanking her. In the moment she wasn’t sure if it was done to punish or reward her, so she did it again. He immediately pulled out and spanked her again saying, “Not yet, Baby.”
He ran his strong nimble fingers across her back, massaging her shoulders. Taking hold again, he slid into her ass resuming his pace. It didn’t take long before her desires were peaking again. But so were his. She could feel subtle pulsations as he moved in and out of her. Even though she’d experienced it many times before, his stamina still surprised her as he pumped in and out with speed and force. This time there was no holding back, no asking for permission, it just happened. Her entire body shook just as he withdrew and came on her back.
They were both sweaty and exhausted. Her vagina and anus tingled from their feverish lovemaking and her shoulders ached but she felt alive basking in ecstasy. Gently lifting her to a standing position, he softly kissed her neck and ears. One hand moved to her breasts stroking and pinching at her nipples. The other went to her belly and lower teasing her clit. He then removed the gag.
Holding her close he asked, “Who are you?”
“Yours.”
“Who am I?”
“Mine, Sir.”
His breathing still heavy, he began methodically moving his tongue over her skin. Concentrating his licks where the bindings and her flesh met. As tired as she was, his touches only heightened lingering sensations. With both hands now between her legs, he rubbed and tickled her clit while the other fingers probed her. Not sure how much more she could take, she came again collapsing into him. Placing her on the bed, he carefully removed the bindings, rubbing her shoulders and arms along the way. After placing the straps and crop back in the bureau, he turned out the lamp and joined her on the bed.
Glancing at the clock, it was almost five in the morning. She groaned.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m supposed to pick up Mom at ten. Our first bridal shop appointment is at ten-thirty.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“What’s your day like?”
“I have no idea. I’ll touch base with Jack later and figure out what the hell is going on with Spectra. But we could all be caught in the crosshairs.”
“What does that mean?” His use of “we” was no slip of the tongue. She’d only been once, and as far as she knew there was no record of her ever being there. But Michael was another matter. As a member he visited the club frequently, especially prior to resuming their relationship. She was worried not only because Spectra was his client, but this situation had the potential to out him and destroy what he had spent years building.
“I don’t know yet and I really don’t want to talk about this right now.”
“Are you sure?”
“I just need to sleep.”
CHAPTER 12
After traveling to two different shops, Janine was feeling exasperated. None of the gowns she’d seen so far came close to what she wanted. Against Kelly’s and her mother’s advice, she hadn’t taken time to peruse bridal magazines to get a sense of the types of gowns she wanted. It was already after one and she was getting tired and hungry but desperate not to become cranky. She wanted dress shopping with her mother to be pleasant and memorable for them both. With one more shop to go, she was hopeful she’d find something.
When they arrived, the clerk was pleasant and walked them through aisle after aisle of designer gowns. There were so many, she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Sensing the anxiety, her mother selected a few and encouraged her to try them on. Admittedly, they were lovely, but not quite what she was hoping for.
“Oh my goodness! Look at you! Janine, I think that’s the prettiest one so far!”
“I don’t know, Mom. It’s kind of…I don’t know. It’s pretty, but I really don’t like the way it fits in the hips.”
“Oh, they can fix that.”
“It’s just not what I had in mind.”
“Well, what kind of dress do you really want, Honey? You’ve tried on five already and I think they’re all very nice.”
“I think I really want something a little more plain. I don’t need all this lace and beading. It’s just not me. And it’ll be really warm in Charlotte in a few weeks. These longs sleeves will have me sweating like a stuffed pig. I’ll be nervous as it is.”
Turning to the sales clerk, Donna asked, “I have no idea what she’s talking about. What do you think?”
The sales clerk smiled. There was little doubt she’d witnessed countless conversations between brides and their mothers. She simply nodded saying, “Everything she’s tried on is very becoming. But Ms. Powell, what dress features have you liked so far?”
Janine was delighted with the clerk’s diplomacy. “A sleeveless, sheath-style for sure. Maybe something in cream or ivory instead of white, please? What do you think, Mom?”
“You can wear white, you know.”
“Technically, I can’t, “ she chuckled.
“Oh, Janine! Stop it!” her mom giggled.
“Which neckline do you like best?” the clerk asked.
“I’d really like to try off the shoulder and something with a V or jewel neckline.”
“I think we may have what you’re looking for. Why don’t you take that one off while I pull a few styles for you?”
“Thank you.”
She went back into the dressing room to take off the dress. As she did, for the first time she noticed faint marks from the binding straps on her shoulder and upper arm. She stepped closer to the mirror to inspect them. While not prominent, they were noticeable to a discerning eye. She didn’t panic, but she did consider dabbing a little makeup over them. The only problem was it would certainly leave stains on the dresses, which could raise suspicions. She decided to simply ignore them since her mother hadn’t seen them given all the dresses she tried had sleeves.
The clerk brought back four more dresses, and took the others
away. Inspecting them, there was one that caught her eye right away. She stepped into it and slipped it over her shoulders. It wasn’t off the shoulder or jewel, but instead an elegant V-neck with built-in cinched waist. It was beautiful and exactly what she wanted. Fluffing her hair slightly, she stepped out to let her mother see it.
“Oh my! That’s just stunning on you!”
“I think this is it, Mom!” She was beaming. She loved it and she knew Michael would too.
“You don’t have to do a thing to that dress. It fits you like a glove.” She got up and walked towards Janine to get a closer look.
Standing facing the mirror, Janine watched as her mother stood beside her and then crinkled her brow. She then looked at her exposed arm.
“Honey, what is that?”
“What?”
“I don’t know. It looks like you got a bra strap mark on you arm. But it’s too wide for that.”
“Oh that? It’s nothing. The remote was under me this morning. I fell asleep with the TV on waiting for Michael to get home last night.”
“You always could sleep like a rock…even as a child. You lucky you don’t have button marks on your arm,” she laughed.
That was it. She didn’t ask any other questions and Janine was relieved. She’d certainly refrained from telling her mother things, but she couldn’t remember lying outright to her in a very long time.
“I’d like to buy this dress, please.”
“Wonderful! Would you like to look at veils or headwear now?”
“Actually, I think I’ll just do an ‘up do’ with gold clips. Mom? What do you think?”
“I think that’ll be so pretty.”
“Would you like to look at shoes?”
“Umm, sure. Let me get out of the dress and we can look at your selection.”
She found a lovely pair of strappy heels that looked fabulous with the dress. Their height made hemming the dress unnecessary. With their task complete, Janine felt relief and excitement. With the wedding less than six weeks away, the rest of her planning seemed to pale in comparison with selecting her dress.
As the clerk rang up the dress and shoes, her mother reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“Paying for your dress.”
“No, you’re not. Put your wallet away. I told you Michael and I are paying for everything.”
“Honey, please let me do this.”
“It’s over three thousand dollars.”
“I know how much it is.”
“Are you sure you can afford this?”
“I may not make as much as you and Michael, but I do all right. I make enough to do this one thing for my daughter who’s always doing for everybody else. I want to pay for your dress. Can I do that?”
The tears welling inside were difficult to contain. Hugging her tightly she whispered, “Thank you so much. I love you!”
They continued their chitchat during the brief drive to the restaurant. Seated immediately, they ordered as their conversation centered on the prior evening with the Josey’s. For the most part, Donna’s impression of them was favorable, even as she admitted their obvious bourgeois tastes and manners. But like Janine, she often tried to look beyond outer trappings and focus on the person underneath. She let Janine know her instincts told her these were good people.
“So I called Pastor this morning to make sure the date was still good for your wedding.”
“And?”
“Everything is fine. But there is one thing.”
“We’re certainly going to pay him.”
“That’s not it. Even though you grew up in Congregational, Pastor wants to meet with you and Michael.”
“When?”
“In the next couple of weeks.”
“I don’t know if we can do that. Why does he want to meet with us?”
“Usually couples getting married in the church are from the congregation. Since you don’t have a current church home, he thought it be a good idea to meet for standard couples’ counseling. It’s just something he does before approving weddings in the church.”
“But you’re a member. You have been for years, just like the rest of the family. This is ridiculous!”
“I know Baby, but…it’s important.”
Her mother looked nervous. There was more than just “couples’ counseling” being alluded to. She could feel it. “He knows about Vincent, doesn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Mom! How could you tell him something like that?”
“At the time, I asked him to pray for you and us- to give us strength to get through it. Especially you. Please don’t be mad with me.”
“I’m not. But Michael’s not like him. You know that.”
“Yes, I do. That man loves you something fierce. But if you want to get married at Congregational Baptist, y’all need to do this.”
“Can we do it by phone?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I’m not sure he can get away, especially now.”
“If you can’t, we’ll try to work something out. But if you can, even if it’s just flying down for the day, please do it.”
“I’ll talk to him about it. But I can’t promise anything. His new case is likely to take up a lot of time.”
“I understand.”
The server arrived with their food and together they said grace over it. For the first time there was an uncomfortable silence between them. While Michael could be very accommodating, she also knew how he felt about organized religion in general. He also grew up in a church, but hadn’t attended since college. The exceptions were weddings, funerals or christenings. He wasn’t antagonistic towards them at all. He just found the focus on damnation weary and unnecessary when people really needed hope and guidance.
Breaking the silence, her mother said, “I saw him on the news this morning.”
“Saw who?”
“Michael.”
“He was on the news? Really?”
“Yes he was. He was looking serious too.”
“What was the story about?” Michael hadn’t told her anything about the case. She certainly didn’t have time to watch the news or read the morning paper.
“Something about a Federal raid on a…oh what did they call it?” She paused thinking. “You know one of those places for swingers.” She was almost blushing.
Janine giggled and before she could catch herself said, “It’s not a swingers’ club. It’s a fetish club.”
“A what?”
“A fetish club,” she repeated sheepishly.
“What in the world is that?”
“Never mind, Mom.”
“No, what is it?”
“What did they say on the news?”
“Not much. Michael didn’t say anything, but they showed him going inside and then coming out with this woman—dressed in some kind of shiny leather. She had to be my age! Just disgraceful! Anyway, the other fella—I guess they got two lawyers or something? He kept saying it was a private establishment for consenting adults. No laws were broken.”
“Hmm.”
“So why in the world would Michael have clients like that?”
“It’s a business. Most of his work is with nonprofits, but he does have business clients.”
“And what is a fetish club again?” She wouldn’t let it go.
“It’s a place for people who like…a little spice in their sex lives.”
“Ohhh! You mean folks who like a little spank and tickle. I can’t even imagine.”
“You asked.”
“Lord, have mercy! I won’t even ask how you know about such things.”
“I won’t ask you either…’spank and tickle!’ You’re funny!”
“Well, the police were there for something. Like they say, everything done in the dark will come out in the light…sooner or later.”
“Maybe so, but Michael and his partner are taking care of it. They’re good at what they
do.”
“Are you working on it too?”
“Only if he needs me.”
Something told her things weren’t going to go as smoothly as she made it sound for her mom. If it were, he wouldn’t have been so tense the night before. Finishing their lunch, Janine promised to take her to a few museums before heading back to the condo. Michael planned to cook dinner, allowing them a free day together. Needing to touch base to make sure those plans were still on, she placed a quick call to confirm. Fortunately, he sounded rested and up for the task. She couldn’t help but feel relieved having heard his voice.
CHAPTER 13
It had been two weeks since Club Spectra was served with the search warrant. Depending on the scope of the case and what was found, it could be months or even years before the case was brought before a grand jury, let alone sent to trial. The Feds were noncommittal in terms of letting them know when the computers and equipment would be returned. Paper files were another matter. They likely wouldn’t see those for a while. In the meantime, Jack Ramsey requested a follow up meeting to get more information about exactly what was kept in the files and records seized.
Arriving at the office, Michael found Mrs. Rainey seated in the lobby dressed modestly. She looked worn and tired.
“How are you?” he asked as he sat next to her.
“I’m holding up, I suppose.”
“Is the club still closed?”
“It might as well be. I had less than twenty people a night this past weekend.”
“It’ll take some time, but you’ll bounce back.”
“And what am I supposed to do in the meantime? I’ve had clients cancel speaking engagements, their memberships and training sessions.”
“You’ll be all right. Trust me.”
With over three thousand members paying dues of twenty-five hundred per year, she could weather the storm. Sales of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the club provided additional revenues. In addition, her workshops and speaking engagements could go for up to a thousand dollars or more. As far as he could tell, she grossed at least eight to ten million per year easily but her expenses were relatively light. What was remarkable about all this was the club was only open three nights per week. The rest of her time was spent with related engagements. Even if it took several months, she’d have little trouble making the club viable again. Assuming, of course, no federal charges were filed against her.
Their Now and Forever (Book III) (The Allen Trilogy 3) Page 9
