One by one he looked at the files trying to figure out why they were worthy of keeping. The scenes and play weren’t vastly different than anything he’d seen when he was there. He recognized a few seasoned regulars but he had no idea who most of the other people were. Processing it all, it became apparent what she’d done. She’d kept these recordings because of who the people were, not necessarily what they were doing.
Advancing to the next video, he recognized the striking Dominatrix even with her face partially covered. He’d seen her work before and found her technique skillful and erotic—a rare combination. But he had no idea who she was. As he watched, he couldn’t shake the feeling there was something off about the images. He closed his eyes, thinking about the last time he was in the loft watching others in the dungeons. And then it hit him. The views were too clear. Lights from the dance floor weren’t flickering overhead, the haze of blue lights and wafting cigarette smoke were gone.
Looking at the time code, he paused the video to reference it against the member logs. He soon discovered they didn’t match up. In fact there were no records of anyone being in the club on that date. Pulling up his desktop calendar, he searched the back dates just to be certain. Sure enough, the code and calendar confirmed the event took place on a night the club was supposed to be closed.
Loading another file, he watched a few minutes comparing the dates to logs again. Still no matches. Carefully reviewing them, the pattern became clear. Every two months Spectra was hosting private parties. He was disturbed there were no financial transactions to match them. That alone could be problematic. In years past when he attended invitation-only meet ups there was always a fee and his card was scanned. It was highly suspicious nonetheless, but Spectra was shrewd and could argue she was hosting friends.
His concentration was broken by Lacy’s tapping on his doorframe.
“Hey. Did you get a chance to sign those checks I left for you?”
“What?”
She walked up to his desk and picked up a folder. “These. I left these for you to sign but I see you didn’t do it.”
“Sorry. I got wrapped up in something else.”
“Since you’re going to be out the next few days, just sign them before you go, okay. You can leave them on my desk.”
“Sure thing.”
“Do you need anything before I go?”
Glancing at the clock, he was stunned by how late it had gotten. It was already after seven and he promised Janine he’d be home.
“No. Thanks, though.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“You know I can help you with that.”
“It’s sensitive.”
“All of our cases are in one form or another. So what if this one deals with kinky sex. I’m a Jersey girl so I’m no shrinking violet. Let me help. It’ll go a hell of a lot faster. The trial’s in a few weeks. You’re going to be out taking care of Janine so I can at least help keep things on track.”
“I’m not even sure what I’m looking for.”
“Let me grab my laptop and let’s figure it out. I’ll call Dan, you call Janine and then you can catch me up on what you’re doing. I’ll order some food for delivery.”
Looking at the number of disks he hadn’t viewed, he realized she was right. There was no way he could get through them all.
CHAPTER 25
They had to be at the hospital at seven-thirty but Janine let him linger in bed while she got ready. The night before he’d come home close to eleven, exhausted but wired. She tried to encourage him to sleep, but he wanted to make love instead. It was gentle, slow and sweet. Then he fell asleep.
When she came back into the bedroom after showering and dressing, he finally began stirring from his slumber. Moving as quietly as she could, she watched him lovingly as she brushed her hair, pulling it back into a little puff on the top of her head. Next she carefully took off the necklace, placing it in her jewelry box. In the mirror reflection she saw him gazing at her. She simply smiled before coming to his side and sitting on the edge of the bed.
“What time is it?” he asked.
“Six-thirty.”
He sat up patting her leg. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”
“Okay.”
“How are you feeling?”
“A little nervous…and hungry.”
“It’s going to be fine. And when you’re ready, I’ll cook your favorites.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet! You’re going to make me some barbequed pig feet?” she asked with a mischievous grin.
“Um, no.”
She burst into laughter as he swatted her on the thigh before heading to the shower.
At the hospital, they filled out what felt like reams of paperwork including various consent forms naming Michael her next of kin and emergency contact. Once it was all done, she was finally assigned to a Pre-Op room. Clad in the hospital gown, she laid on the bed with him by her side waiting for the doctor and anesthesiologist.
“Good morning, Ms. Powell!” The doctor was very cheerful given the early hour. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’m going to be. This is my husband, Michael.”
“Mr. Powell, nice to meet you.”
Michael quickly but gently corrected him. “It’s Josey actually. She’s Ms. Powell and Mrs. Josey.”
“Oh. My apologies.”
“No problem, it happens.”
“I should know better. My wife uses her maiden name professionally too.”
“So, how long do you think it will take?” Janine asked.
“Probably less than an hour depending on what I find. Anything unusual may be corrected during the procedure. As an additional precaution, I’ll take a small tissue sample for a biopsy. After that you’ll be in Post-Op for a few hours.”
“Then I can go home?”
“Assuming everything is fine, yes.”
“When can we expect the results of all of this?” Janine asked.
“We’re scheduled for the follow up appointment and consultation in a few of weeks at my office. I’ll go over everything in detail with you then.”
“Are there any other precautions I need to know about when I take her home?” Michael asked.
“The nurse will go over all that with you when she’s awake and ready for release. The anesthesiologist will be here shortly.”
As the doctor left, Janine let out a long sigh as her nervousness mounted.
Kissing her forehead Michael said, “It’s going to be fine. You act like you’ve never been put under before.”
“I haven’t.”
“Not even for a dentist?”
“No. I’ve always had locals.”
“Lucky you!”
He rubbed and lightly squeezed her hand to comfort her. The nurse came in for one last check of her vitals before inserting the IV. The anesthesiologist soon joined her. Within minutes, Janine was out. They wheeled her down the hall to the surgical suite. Making his way towards the waiting area, Michael noticed it was full of people; some pacing, some chatting, but all concerned for loved ones undergoing one surgery or another. In the corner near the volunteer desk a large monitor listed the last names and status of patients. He watched as J. Powell appeared on the board.
As much as he tried to focus on his reading, he found himself glancing every few minutes at the monitor. He watched as doctors came out to speak with family members before leading them back to recovery. Although he knew she’d be fine, it was nerve-racking. Tempted to check in with Lacy, he refrained having promised himself he wouldn’t deal with work at all. Lacy assured him that if she found anything noteworthy in the files or disks, she’d call Jack. Otherwise, whatever it was could hold until Monday.
Glancing at his watch and the monitor once more, he saw her name removed. It had been about just under an hour. He assumed everything went well. But it took another twenty minutes before the doctor came out to speak with him.
“She came through the procedure w
ell. She’ll be in Recovery for a while before they move her to Post-Op. Then you’ll be able to see her.”
“That’s great. Did you find anything?”
“There was an anomaly, but easily taken care of. Everything else looked good. She can resume normal activities when she’s ready. I’ll go over things in more detail once the biopsy is back during our appointment.”
The nurse escorted him to the area where Janine was resting peacefully. Taking her hand, he sat in the chair next to her.
“How long will she be out?”
“Not long.” Checking vitals, and recording information on an electronic tablet, she continued, “I’m going wake her, but she’ll definitely fade in and out. She’ll probably sleep a good part of the day.”
“I figured as much.”
“There may be some slight spotting or bleeding, but nothing severe. If she develops a fever or experiences any heavy bleeding, nausea or confusion, take her to Emergency right away.”
“Understood.”
The nurse then leaned over patting her other hand. “Ms. Powell? Ms. Powell? Can you hear me? I need you to wake up now.”
Groggily opening her eyes, she closed them again mumbling incoherently
Michael gently kissed her cheek. Whispering in her ear, “Baby, wake up.”
Turning to face him, she smiled though her eyes remained closed.
“Ms. Powell, I need you to open your eyes for me okay?”
Asking short questions designed to make sure her cognition was still in tact, she seemed pleased with Janine’s slurred responses.
The final question was, “Who is this sitting with you?”
Janine smiled then giggled clearly still experiencing the effects of her sedation. “My Sir.”
“Excuse me?”
It was difficult for him to contain his amusement. “Baby, you need to focus.”
“My husband…Michael.”
“The doctor wants her to stay for another two hours. She’s clearly still a bit loopy.”
“Understood.”
Although it was closer to three hours, he’d been given further instructions for her discharge. Once home, he dressed her in loungewear and got her comfortably into bed. She was far more alert as she stretched out.
“I’m hungry.”
“I’ll get you some soup in about an hour.”
“Did it go okay?”
“The doctor said there was some kind of anomaly, but he took care of it. We’ll know more when we see him. Just rest.”
She lightly touched the bandaged area on her abdomen. “It doesn’t hurt that much.”
“You still have pain meds in your system. It might feel worse later.”
“Why is it so puffy?”
“Slight swelling. They also pumped gas in there. It’ll pass.”
Raising her brow, “Now why doesn’t that sound pleasant?” As she finished her statement she let out a burp. “Great.”
“Get some rest,” he laughed heading towards the door. “I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the pharmacy to get your prescriptions. Do you want anything else while I’m out?”
“Am I allowed to have some potato chips?”
“If you manage to keep the soup down, you can have anything you want.”
“Anything?” she smirked.
“I’m not touching you…at least for twenty-four hours. Doctor’s orders.”
“Aw come on!”
“And don’t touch yourself!”
The truth was, he preferred to stay with her, but they agreed to keep this between them and not involve their parents. Neither of them wanted to raise their anxiety over what could be nothing. If things turned out differently, they’d tell them when they knew more. It didn’t take long to run his errands and get back home where he found her fast asleep. Settling on the bed next to her, he read while she slept.
When she awoke two hours later, she was definitely ready to eat. He prepared a noodle soup with toasted French bread. Moving gingerly she came downstairs to eat in the kitchen. She ate a lot more than he expected, but when she finished, they went to the den to watch TV.
“Anything in particular you want to watch?” she asked.
“Not really.”
“Daytime TV sucks…trust me. How about a movie?”
“That’s fine.”
She pulled up the streaming service and began scrolling through titles when his cell phone rang.
“Hey Dad.”
His father rarely called and when he did, it was usually business related. His mother generally initiated any social or family calls then she’d eventually pass the phone to his father.
“Hi, Son. How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“And Janine?”
“She’s fine.”
Janine whispered to him, “Tell him I said hello.”
“Janine says hello.”
“Oh. Tell her hello. She’s at the office with you?”
“No, we, um…took the afternoon off for a long weekend.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt. Should I call you Monday?”
“No, this is fine. Go ahead.”
“Have you been following the markets today?”
“No, why?”
“The SCC approved plans for a major buyout by KleinJones for Westlink Tech.”
WestLink Tech was the firm that purchased his father’s companies. They each received substantial cash and acquired shares in the new company. Rick was the only one who opted to sell his stake and Michael bought them. Having reinvested the dividends, he now had over one hundred thousand shares.
“Have they announced the terms?”
“Yes, it’s being reported now.”
“I don’t remember getting a proxy on this. Did you get one?”
“Yes, it’s a good deal. The shareholder offer is three-fifty per share. Market projections think it can go higher, especially with a stock split in the works.”
“Are you going to take it?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Your mother and I will figure out what to do with it later because we clearly don’t need the money. The grands are taken care of—even yours. But we’re considering starting a new trust for our alma maters.”
His parents set up trust funds almost thirty years before to provide for the next generation of Joseys. Rick’s children already had access to theirs and Mya’s would have access when they turned eighteen. Being childless, the one established for Michael’s heirs continued to grow. In truth he had no idea its value because his parents maintained control over it. During discussions about finances with Janine, he’d never mentioned the trust’s existence. There’d be plenty of time for that conversation.
“Thanks for the heads up. I’ll give it some thought. Let’s talk again Monday?”
“Sure thing. Enjoy your weekend.”
“I will, and give Mom my love.”
CHAPTER 26
Fortunately, Janine was recovering well without any complications. While she rested, he prepared their meals. He genuinely loved cooking and was very good at it. But since they got married, he rarely did it because Janine insisted on fixing most of their meals. Other household chores were more equitable, but there was something about cooking that made her feel she was meeting her “wifin’ duties.” Rather than argue about it, he indulged her.
By Monday morning, she was feeling fairly normal. In fact, she was energized and frisky. With the alarm sounding, she turned it off snuggling in close before rolling on top of him.
“What are you doing?” he whispered as he put his hands behind his head.
“Oh, I think you know,” she answered while slowly grinding her mound against him.
“Last night wasn’t enough?” he teased.
“Seriously?”
Placing his hands on her behind, he squeezed it. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re becoming insatiable…and watch the tone, B
aby.”
“Make me,” she grinned mischievously.
“You really are asking for it,” he grinned.
“Then give it to me.”
“When you’re really back to normal, you realize I’m going to tear that ass up, right?”
“Promises, promises!” she chuckled.
It was definitely too soon for anything as rigorous as being insinuated. They both knew that, but the banter was enticing and his penis twitched in response. Lifting her hips, she slid down on him as he held her tightly. Certainly not as careful as the night before, their lovemaking quickly turned into a good raw fuck.
While he got ready for work, Janine started the coffee. Physically feeling up to work, she simply didn’t want to go in opting to take the extra day. After a few short months, she’d already resolved that McKenzie Clark wasn’t the best fit for her. Most days she was bored plowing through her work with ease. She doubted it would be much different with any other law firm. Exploring opportunities in D.C.’s philanthropic community was the best thing she could do. Using the day, she’d make a few calls to see what might be available. He implored her to take it easy as he kissed her goodbye.
He hadn’t booked any appointments for the day expecting he’d be home looking after her. The empty schedule gave him the chance to finish reviewing Spectra’s files. Settling at his desk, there was a sealed envelope with Lacy’s handwriting on it. Opening it, he found a disk with a note attached that simply read “Watch this.” Popping it in his computer he pulled up the files.
Unlike the others, this video was recorded in Spectra’s chamber. The striking woman whose skills he’d admired before came to the center and stood. Holding a cat-of-nine tails in her hands, she began swinging it back and forth. An older man and woman—both blindfolded-crawled across the floor clearly following the Dom’s voice. She reached down helping the woman stand. Next, she instructed her to extend her arms as cuffs were securely placed around her wrists. Lifting her arms overhead, she attached them to the suspension hook and began raising her off the floor. Flogging the man into place beneath her, she had the suspended woman stand on his back in her spiked heels while he remained on all fours.
Their Now and Forever (Book III) (The Allen Trilogy 3) Page 18
