Strictly Yours: Hooded Pleasures, Book 3

by Sheryl Nantus

  She’d built up the scenario in her mind, envisioning Charles’s mugging.

  It didn’t take much to imagine Charles walking through an alleyway, a shortcut to his car. He’d mentioned how much he enjoyed a late-night drink with his buddies.

  The ones who could never know about his desires.

  Charles trotting toward his car, probably whistling one of those annoying tunes she hated. He’d whistle during their sessions on purpose to set her off, give her something to punish him for.

  Had he been hurt because of her?

  She punched the bag as hard as she could, working up a sweat to keep her mind from wandering down the worst of roads.

  Then Nathan called and confirmed the worst.

  It was one thing to say good-bye because Charles had moved on, taking the chance to go to a club and find the right Domme for himself.

  Another to know he’d been pushed out the door, forced away from what he loved by a monster who wanted to deny Charles a basic need.

  After hanging up on Nathan, she ran through the logic, replayed his arguments as she stripped off her hand wraps.

  Nathan’s reasoning is sound.

  You have to do this.

  She paused to rub her face with both palms, trying to work the nerve up to go to the phone.

  This isn’t about you.

  It’s about Charles and Nathan and Wendy and Evan and everyone at HP.

  She had to make this call. It’d be irresponsible for her not to alert the company that one of her clients had been targeted.

  Or she had.

  Either way, they had to know.

  Even if it screwed up her relationship with Nathan.

  Not about you.

  Jen went into the kitchen and drew a glass of water before returning to the living room.

  The cell phone lay on the table, waiting.

  She drained the glass in two long swigs and picked up the phone. Jen tapped in the office number, her heart racing.

  “Yes?” It wasn’t Tracy.

  Jen held back a smile. Woman’s got to sleep sometime.

  “I need to speak to Wendy. It’s an emergency.” There was no other way to start the conversation.

  The operator’s voice was calm and collected. “I understand. Are you in danger right now? Can you speak freely? If not, please say ‘Affirmative’, and I’ll call 911 on your behalf.”

  Always protecting us, Jen thought. Even though she’d read the packet provided to all new Dommes, it was good to see the system in action. There was the possibility she was being held against her will and told what to say.

  Safe-words weren’t only for submissives.

  “Yes I’m fine. I’m at home in my apartment.” She chose her words with care. “I have a situation. One of my subs was attacked in public and told to break off our relationship. He called and canceled his contract with HP. He’s recovering, but I think Wendy and Evan need to know. This may or may not have to do with a man in my past, before I began working for HP.”

  She intentionally left out Nathan’s involvement.

  I’ll tell that to Wendy personally.

  No need to get the entire office atwitter over this.

  “I see.” The smooth reply made her think for a second she hadn’t made herself clear. The sound of typing came over the line. “Do you think you’re safe right now? We can dispatch private security if you need—”

  “No. I can defend myself.” Jen cut her off. She glanced over at her hand wraps and the punching bag.

  She paused to consider her words, remembering Charles’s injuries.

  There was a difference between feeling confident and being foolhardy.

  If Tanner was stalking her, she might not be as lucky as she’d been the first time they’d met.

  The words spilled out before she had a chance to censor them. “I’m going to ask a friend to come over and keep me company.”

  “Good decision. I’m contacting Wendy and Evan right now. Please keep your phone close. Call 911 if you feel you’re in danger. Don’t call us.” She hung up before Jen could reply.

  Jen stared at the phone.

  Damn.

  Colleen was a good friend, but Jen couldn’t pull her into this. If there was even the smallest chance of her getting hurt—

  No.

  But there was someone else she could ask to come over.

  Jen touched the screen and hammered on the tiny keypad, her fingers trembling.

  “Yes?”

  Nathan’s voice was like pouring oil on her troubled waters. “I need you to come over. Right now.”

  “Are you okay?” he demanded.

  “Yes. I called the office and told them about the situation. I’m waiting to hear back from Wendy. She’s probably going to want to see me in person, talk through this. I—I can’t do this alone.” The confession burned her throat, but Jen knew the truth of it.

  I need you here. Now.

  There was no hesitation in his voice. “Okay. Give me your address. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Keep the door locked and the phone nearby. If she wants you to go to the HP office, wait for me. I’ll go with you.”

  She rattled off the instructions and hung up before he could reply.

  From the frying pan—

  The phone rang, startling her.

  Jen picked it up and studied the number before answering.

  Hooded Pleasures.

  There was no turning back now.

  She tapped the button and put it on speakerphone. “Hello?”

  “Wendy is on her way over to your apartment. She should be there within the hour,” the operator said in a low, steady voice. “Previous instructions still stand. Call 911 if you’re in danger.”

  “Thank you,” Jen replied.

  She put the phone back down and tried to steady her nerves.

  Wendy wasn’t going to be happy to see Nathan.

  On the other hand, breaking the rules should be the least of her concerns right now.

  * * * * *

  Jen didn’t know what else to do as she waited so she cleaned. She scurried around her apartment picking up random items of clothing that had escaped her laundry stack, straightening piles of magazines waiting to be read and tidying up around the punching bag.

  It was just before four o’clock in the afternoon when Nathan arrived, the soft knock at the front door sending her into a whole new level of nervousness.

  Stop it, her inner voice yelled. This isn’t a date. He’s not coming to take you out to a movie. He’s here because you don’t want to hang him out to dry when Wendy finds out he did you a favor and broke the rules.

  You also want him to be here to help you feel safe.

  Because if Lucas Tanner is hunting you, there’s no way he’s going to play fair.

  She went to open the door.

  Nathan stood there wearing a leather jacket and jeans, holding out a plastic container. The smell of cinnamon wafted over her, and she couldn’t help grinning.

  “I thought we’d need a little sugar rush.”

  Her mouth watered as she smiled at him.

  Nathan cocked his head to one side, waiting.

  Jen caught herself.

  He’s waiting for your permission.

  “Come in. Come in,” she repeated. “You’re not—” She searched for the words. “We’re not—”

  Nathan nodded and walked past her. He found the kitchen easily and set the container down.

  Jen followed. “Wendy’s on her way over.”

  Nathan stopped. “Does she know I’m going to be here?”

  “No.” Jen shook her head. “But she’s going to want to talk to you anyway.”

  Nathan paused before giving her a nod. “True. Better sooner than later.”

  “I’v
e got coffee ready. Figured we could use the caffeine.” Jen strode to the cupboards and pulled two plates out along with two fresh mugs. “You must be exhausted.”

  “I’m normally asleep by this time on a usual day.” His smile chased away any shadows in the room. “This isn’t a usual day.” He popped the plastic lid off. “Besides, I don’t think I could sleep right now.”

  Jen opened a drawer and extracted forks and knives. She handed them to him along with some dishes from the cupboard and went to fill the mugs as he plated up the delicious-smelling treats.

  She glanced over as he set up the biggest cinnamon buns she’d ever seen.

  He has to feel awkward too.

  Here we are like two regular people, two normal humans chatting away, when the last time we were together, he was naked and on his knees.

  Nathan gave no indication he felt out of sorts, no visible signals he was uncomfortable being there. He wore a light blue dress shirt tucked into jeans that hugged him in all the right places. As she watched, he unbuttoned the long sleeves and rolled them up his arms, evening out both sides with a flick of his fingers.

  Despite the situation, she couldn’t help feeling a thrill tickle her skin at seeing his strong, sturdy muscles at work.

  He chuckled as he licked his fingers clean of the white icing. “Hope you don’t mind a few fingerprints here and there. I sort of went overboard with the topping.”

  Jen felt the tension in her muscles begin to ease as she relaxed, his mere presence comforting and calming her.

  Along with a little frisson of desire.

  A man who liked to cook and was good on his knees.

  Didn’t see that too often.

  She handed him a mug and leaned against the counter with her own, waiting to be served.

  Nathan slid the plate in front of her. The gooey white icing dribbled down the sides of the mammoth bun. “I understand Charles’s reasons for not wanting to take this public, revise his statement and get the police officially involved.” He shook his head. “I don’t agree, but I get where he’s coming from. It’s damned thin to build a case against Tanner or whoever’s behind this.”

  “I think it’s Tanner, but you’re right. We have to keep our options open. Still—damn. If we had the cops on our side, it’d make everything a whole lot easier.” Jen poked at the bun with her fork. “And a whole lot more complicated. I can’t blame him for his decision.” She looked up. “Is he okay?”

  Charles had always been a pleasure to visit. He’d set up a room in his condo for her private visits, much like Nathan had. It took little effort to see it in her mind’s eye.

  The St. Andrew’s cross. The spanking bench. The chained cuffs hanging from the ceiling.

  All the toys lying unused now.

  Unless he got the nerve up to go to a club or to hire another Domme. Until then, he’d deny himself, keep his desires far beneath the surface.

  She didn’t want to think about him cutting out that part of his soul.

  “I said he’s fine.” The rough tone in Nathan’s words shocked her.

  The sudden clarity hit her like a slap across the face.

  It had been painful for him to visit Charles.

  Two subs in the same room, both with her as Domme.

  And neither of them liked to share.

  She’d put Nathan in a bad spot and he’d gone willingly because he wanted to help her at the sake of his own discomfort.

  Because she’d ordered him to, whether or not she’d realized it.

  Jen stared at her cup of coffee trying to find the right words to apologize, to salve his soul from the invisible stripes she’d put on him by her request.

  Nathan finished off his coffee and the roll without saying anything.

  He hadn’t meant to snap at her but—

  Charles.

  It’d been easy to see him as another mugging victim at first, another basic interview.

  Danielle.

  Charles knew her as Danielle.

  Nathan knew her as Jennifer.

  The clash of worlds hadn’t stopped there.

  He’d tried hard not to think about Charles on his knees in front of her, and it’d backfired on him.

  Now all he could think about was the calm, collected lawyer strung up in front of her for a flogging, his bare back exposed to the whims and desires of his Domme.

  My Domme.

  It’d been a startling reminder that no matter what happened between him and Jen he was just one of her subs. Maybe a bit closer than the others, maybe a bit more special, but still just a client.

  Mine.

  He gritted his teeth together and tried not to stare at Jen as she scooped up the last sweet bits with her fork.

  As soon as she was finished, he collected the plates and put them in the sink to keep his hands busy.

  Wendy was on her way.

  His world was about to change and not necessarily for the better.

  But he’d sworn an oath to protect and serve.

  And that oath included Jennifer and Charles.

  A sound had him swiveling around.

  Jen covered her mouth, stifling a yawn.

  Nathan gestured to the living room. “Go sit down. I’ll clean up here.” He forced a smile. “Keep me busy.”

  “Have you met Wendy before?” Jen asked as she stood.

  He retrieved the empty plate and put it in the sink. “I saw her when I first went to the office. Then I returned to interview Kate.” He chuckled at the memory. “She made quite the impression on me.”

  “I’m sure she did.” She gave him a knowing wink. “It’s meant to make you uncomfortable and easier to interview, easier to assess.”

  Nathan grinned. “I was pissed off. Thought I was coming in to choose my Domme, interview the woman they’d chosen for me.” He snapped his fingers. “Got flipped and twisted sideways. I only figured it out when I got back home and realized I’d been played. I was the one being interviewed.”

  “Kate’s good at that. Was good at that.” Jen corrected herself. “Men come in claiming they’re subs, but often they don’t understand what it means, what it’s all about. Some want to top from the bottom and play at being the submissive when they want to dictate everything.” She took a sip of coffee. “More often than not, it’s a subconscious problem—subs think they’re Doms and vice versa based on the books they’ve read or what they’ve heard about through the grapevine or researched online. The interview helps us figure out what you want. Even if it’s not what you initially thought.”

  “Have you done many…interviews?” The question came out before he could edit it, tuck it back into the recesses of his mind.

  They both knew what he was asking.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jen crossed her arms in front of her and eyed him. “You want my number?”

  Nathan shrugged. “I’m curious. You sort of inherited me from Kate, and I know about Charles so—” He spread his arms, hoping she’d take the hint.

  “No.” The look and tone sent him mentally back to his house and down into his basement. “I’m not telling you that. It’s none of your business.” She wagged a finger at him. “Not happening.”

  “No,” Nathan repeated. “Because of the rules.” The anger surged up and out. “The same rules that say I can’t kiss you or be with you outside of the appointments. The same one we’ve crashed through multiple times over the past few weeks?”

  “Yes.” The one firm word held him in place. “Not because of what’s between us. You and I might have agreed to break the rules, but they didn’t give their permission for me to gossip about them. I owe them their privacy.” She locked eyes with him. “And don’t play the rule card with me. You could have said no. To any and all of this. You had full control over everything.”

  “And do what? Leave you
in danger?” He clenched his fists. “What sort of a man would I be if I did that? What sort of cop would I be?” He drew a staggered breath, the words coming without effort. “What sort of sub lets his Domme go into danger?”

  Her steely glare pulled his anger down a notch.

  “I can take care of myself. I’m not a helpless waif, stumbling around.” She gestured toward the living room. “You want to tie on some boxing gloves and have a go? Or wait until Tanner shows up and you can put on a display?”

  Nathan paused, seeing the wisp of fear in her eyes.

  He berated himself.

  This isn’t about you and your hurt feelings.

  This is about keeping her safe. And others who might get caught in this madman’s path.

  He licked his lips and chose his words with care. “I guess—I guess I didn’t want to think there were others in your life.”

  “I know. And I’m sorry things twisted around like this. But you knew this. It wasn’t a secret,” Jen replied. “I know you had Kate before me.”

  The memory, usually a pleasant one, rubbed on raw nerves. “And you don’t wonder what she was like with me?” He couldn’t hold back the words. “You don’t think about what she did, how I reacted?”

  “No. I don’t.” She stepped forward into his personal space. “That was something that happened between the two of you. I can’t match that, nor do I want to try.” One hand lifted to stroke his cheek. “Your experience, your relationship with her was unique. Like ours is. And I won’t ruin it by making base comparisons.” Her gentle smile almost undid him, dissolving his anger like a drop of water on a grain of salt. “It’d be like trying to choose one precious gem over another.”

  Nathan frowned despite the soothing touch of her fingers. “Rubies aren’t the same as diamonds.”

  “True. But each one is special in its own way. You can’t replace one with the other. Each is perfect where it is, when it is.”

  The soft-spoken words soothed his fears away, and he sighed.

  She smiled, and for a second, Nathan thought she was going to move in and kiss him.

  He resisted the urge to lean in, pull her into his arms. It had to be what she wanted, not what he needed right now.