Provoked

by Riley Murphy

  After that he paid a visit to Wilde. He’d been right to call his place a compound. It was a large brick home in the historical district. There were gates at the front and back of the property and men posted to watch them. Maybe he was connected.

  After he was granted access and drove in, he took note of the boarded up windows on the lower level. There was a guard in the driveway and one at the top of the stairs by the front entrance. He figured Wilde was being cautious.

  When Neil was ushered into an office and spotted Wilde standing by the window, he asked, “How’s your guy?”

  Jude turned, clasped his hands behind his back and shrugged. “Too soon to tell. He was trashed pretty good. Did you have a nice reunion with Cat? You two an item now?”

  Neil looked him right in the eyes and said, “Catherine Wood and I will never be an item.”

  Wilde’s relief was evident. He grinned. “She too much for you?”

  Neil attempted a matching grin, but it felt fake and tight. “Sure, let’s go with that.” When Wilde gave him a funny look, he changed the subject. “What about the woman, Regina? Does Kelli still have her?”

  “Is the Pope a Catholic?”

  “Who the hell knows these days.” He took a seat in the lone chair opposite the desk, and cut right to the chase. “So what’s the plan?”

  Wilde unclasped his hands and rubbed them together. “I’m going to get my brother and Regina back, and then I’m going to take Kelli Sharp down. That’s the plan.”

  Neil’s smile was genuine this time. Wilde still had guts, but hadn’t grown any brains. “When you talk big like that you have to back it up with actions.”

  Wilde took his time seating himself in the leather chair behind the desk. He straightened the items in front of him, a pen, a notepad, and three paper clips, before he sighed. “Did you come here to piss me off more than I already am? I know you don’t have the relic which turned out to be a key. Kelli’s been in touch. He wants five hundred K or else my brother’s going to be talking soprano.”

  Neil whistled and sat back. “That’s steep. But my point about talking big? Is that I do it too, but I follow up with actions. Meaning I’m going to keep my promise to you.”

  “Although I’d love for that to be true.” He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you propose to do that without the key?”

  “I’m still making a trade.” Neil pulled the flash drive out of his pocket and held it up. “He gets the equalizer I’ve been holding him hostage with and we get your brother and the girl back with all their parts.”

  Jude sat forward with a frown. “What is it?”

  “The security footage of the night he set that kid on fire. It was downloaded, before the master copy was mysteriously erased. This little item has been keeping him under control. He wasn’t free to terrorize the clubs anymore because I told him if he did I’d post it on his favorite social media outlets.”

  “So that’s why he didn’t press any charges when you beat the shit out of him.”

  Neil nodded.

  “If you trade it, won’t he go back to being a thug? Couldn’t he still press charges?”

  “I suppose he could, but do you have a better idea?”

  “No. I can honestly say I’m glad you pulled this rabbit out of the hat because all I had to work with was going in there guns blazing.” Jude seemed to think for a second, and then narrowed his eyes. “What’s this going to cost me? I don’t have five hundred thousand to fork over.”

  Finally, the one question Neil had been waiting for that would push them over the first hurdle of their new partnership. “I don’t want your money. I want your connections and maybe some help. What do you know about The Pearl?”

  *****

  Neil hadn’t been in the same room with Kelli in two years. The bastard didn’t look much different. He resembled the character Mr. Clean, only with a major attitude. The bright orange flame tattoo that looked as if it was licking up the left side of his neck was new. So was the eyebrow bar, and the nasty scar above it. Kelli had to be in his late fifties, but now that Neil got a good look at him, he had to change his original assessment. Sharp was different. He seemed in better shape today, stronger and fitter than he had been the last time Neil saw him.

  Yeah, other changes had been made now that Neil had been granted access beyond the reception area where he’d met that night with Butler. Kelli’s club had been renovated and expanded. He’d installed a kitchen and was serving gastro-pub type fare at night. Too bad he was so selective over membership. The place could probably turn a good profit if he opened the doors to all levels of kink inclined individuals.

  When Kelli ushered him into his office, Neil had to work to hide his surprise. The style had corporate America written all over it. Right down to the contemporary, curved, black and white leather guest reception chairs squarely positioned in front of the desk. When Neil moved to sit in one, he noticed it had stainless steel legs. For some reason, this small detail bothered him. Something was up. There was more to Kelli Sharp now than there had been two years ago. He’d up-scaled himself.

  “So.” Kelli sat against the corner of the desk and pointblank asked, “Have you come to get in on the auction?”

  “No.” Neil didn’t blink. “I’ve come to make you a promise and I want a promise from you in return.”

  “Sounds intriguing.”

  “A friend of mine got mixed up in something that’s bigger than a bread box, but smaller than a nuclear catastrophe. I want a guarantee.”

  “I’m flattered. You remember how much I love riddles.”

  Neil didn’t say a word as the tension between them grew. He wasn’t going to back down and they both knew it.

  Finally Kelly smiled. His teeth flashing a brilliant white against his fake tanned complexion. “It’s nice to see you again, Cannon. I thought after the mishap you’d turned your back on us.”

  “Us?”

  “The community. You’re never around anymore. Too afraid you’ll be tempted to stick your silver-spoon nose into things that don’t concern you?”

  “Mishap? Come now, we both know what happened that night.”

  “You let him play with me. You walked away.”

  “But you were the one who set him on fire.”

  Kelli’s smile slipped just a little. Enough that Neil knew he’d gotten to him. “The pretty boy wanted it. Where is he these days? Not so pretty anymore, I bet.”

  “I didn’t come here to discuss him or any other submissive you’ve injured.”

  “Ouch. I only do what they plead for me to do to them. Ask my Bear. He’s a true testament to the fact.”

  Neil kept his expression blank and said, “I want Wilde’s brother returned to him with all his body parts intact. I also want the woman, Regina, released unharmed as well.”

  “Are you fucking the twins?”

  Neil remained expressionless. If Kelli so much as got a whiff that Neil had any interest in either girl they’d be back on his sadistic radar.

  “Come on, you can tell me. Catherine’s a little wild. Too much work for a man of my age, but her museum secretary sister? I could pump that shit all day.”

  “I’m only interested in Wilde’s brother and the woman.”

  Kelli picked up a shiny silver letter opener and scratched his jaw with it. “If you had something worthwhile to trade I might let the brother go. He’s been nothing but a pain in my arse the whole time he’s been here. But the girl? She has a situation that’s currently out of my hands.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  He stopped scratching, and arched a brow. The fucker. “That Wilde’s brother has been a pain, or the girl has been sold?”

  This was the intro he’d been hoping for. He wanted Kelli to think he was shocked at the prospect. “Fuck.” Neil stood up and dragged a hand through his hair. “Sold? Human trafficking is a federal offense. I’d heard the rumors you were pushing some non-consenting vanilla women through your channels, b
ut stupidly I didn’t believe it. Wasn’t prison what you were trying to avoid when you made the deal with me two years ago?”

  “A lot has changed in those years.” Kelli stood. They were engaged eye to eye for a few seconds and then he walked around his desk and took a seat. “And seeing you like this reminds me that some things stay the same.”

  The man was cocky. Too cocky for Neil’s liking. That attitude combined with the way the guy looked and how businesslike his office was had Neil on edge. “I could go to the police about Regina.”

  “Was that her name? Go ahead. Report me. It won’t do you any good. I own the precinct. That’s one of the positive changes I’ve made. The men in blue tend to turn a blind eye to everything but their wallets. Those billfolds like to watch grow. It’s a beautiful thing.”

  “What about Wilde’s brother?”

  Sharp leaned forward, clasped his hands together, and braced them on the desk. “He’s lucky I haven’t already gelded him for all the trouble he’s caused.” He did a quick drum beat against the desk surface and then sighed. “He’s also lucky I’m having a banner week. I’m feeling generous. What are you offering to trade?”

  “You know.”

  Kelli smile reminded Neil of a snake curling up in the sun. “Let’s pretend I don’t.”

  “The footage.”

  He slapped the desk so hard some of the items went airborne for a second. “And my week just got better. You mean if I agree to give the thorn in my side back to his brother, you’re going to give me an entertaining little movie to watch over and over again?”

  Neil’s stomach turned and he wished like hell he had another alternative. “What could Jorge have done to you to deserve what you put him through? I still don’t know why he didn’t want to press charges against you, and begged me not to as well.”

  “Maybe one day I’ll tell you, but not today.” Kelli picked up his phone and dialed. “Bring Brave Heart to my office. He’s going home.” After he hung up he sat back. “Cannon, the stars are aligning in my favor these days and I’d really hate for anyone, or anything, to fuck it up for me. Make sure you tell Wilde that, would you?” He looked almost pleasant when he said, “I’m so close to realizing a dream here, I’m almost giddy.”

  It nearly killed him, but Neil kept what he wanted to respond to himself. In fact he remained silent until the door burst open and The Bear carried Wilde’s brother into the room. A giant carrying a giant. There was a heavy linked chain dragging across the floor beside The Bear’s foot, and when Neil followed the links up he saw they were connected to an inverted spiked collar around Wilde’s brother’s neck.

  The young guy’s clothes hung in tatters and there were bruises and dried blood on the parts of his skin that were exposed. Seeing the state of him, a dark calm settled over Neil even as coldness descended in his heart and that’s when he knew. Kelli Sharp deserved to die by any means necessary.

  He spun around and asked the devil, “Is he alive?”

  “I hope so. I really want to do this trade. I’m looking forward to a scorching video tonight.”

  *****

  Charlie had paced back and forth in front of Neil’s garage door for over an hour, waiting for him to come home. She’d almost given up. She didn’t have much time before she had to meet her family at the airport. They were catching the last red-eye flight available tonight and since her mom was scheduled for surgery first thing in the morning, Charlie had to be on it.

  When he pulled up she was relieved that she still had time. Thankfully he’d returned, but when the garage door started to close as fast as it had gone up once he was inside, Charlie rushed under it before he shut her out. “I’m so glad I didn’t miss you.”

  His expression was unreadable as he exited the car, closing door. “What are you doing here? I thought I was clear about there being no need to continue the lesson.”

  “Yes, but I wanted to apologize. In person.”

  He swept his arms open as if to say, the floor is yours. “Go ahead.”

  Charlie stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans, and shook her hair behind her shoulders, looking up at him. “I’m sorry that I tricked you. If I had known that Cat had scheduled—”

  “No.”

  She tried a different tact. “If I had thought there was a chance you’d—”

  “Wrong again.”

  “If the rubber duckie guy hadn’t—”

  He let out a deeply aggravated sigh and cut her off once more. “I have no idea who that is and I don’t need to know. When you’re ready to apologize the right way, I’ll be here. Good luck with your mother, I’ll be thinking all positive thoughts for you and your family.”

  “But…” Charlie heard the garage door motor engage to open, and quickly decided to go with plan B. She yanked her hands out of her pocket and shot forward so fast, grasping his hips, he didn’t have time to say anything. Plan B was working like a charm. She dropped to her knees and really wished she had taken Cat up on the lesson her sister had offered to give her their first year in college on how to undo a guy’s belt with your teeth. Should she try and wing it?

  “Charlotte.”

  Nope. She was so invested in getting the leather unbuckled the usual way, it took her a few seconds to register that he was working to deny her.

  “Charlotte.”

  That firmly uttered address got her attention. She hated having to look up. Suddenly that B was feeling more like an F. “Yes?”

  His stare was freaking her out. It was dark, mean, sad, and something else she couldn’t name. Something that reached inside her, making her warm and scared at the same time. She hadn’t meant to do it, the action always came naturally to her, when she bit her lip and waited for him to order her to get up and go.

  But he didn’t.

  One minute she was making a bad situation between them worse, and in the next he pulled her up and then pushed her down on the hood of his car. The metal was still warm from the engine, but not nearly as warm as she was, lying sprawled and eager for his attention.

  “I thought I told you not to play with me, little girl, and yet here you are. Is this what you want?”

  She may have had a problem trying to get into his pants, but he had zero problem gaining access into hers. “Neil,” she sighed out, just before he dipped down and kissed her.

  The embrace was hard. Angry. Demanding and, god, she loved the intensity. She tasted his power. His determination to claim. To subdue and punish.

  “Oh yeah.”

  She relaxed into his intimate touch, flexing and riding his fingers. She’d had a guy use his fingers to do her like this before; Travis had been good at it, but Neil was a Master. The extra sexual mojo he brought to table had nothing to do with technique and everything to do with ego. A great big I’m-the-man-who-knows-what-you-need-and-I’m-going-to-give-it-to-you ego.

  How did he do it? He sucked on her tongue in such a way that the small inner muscles between her legs contracted. The action made lust-fueled tingles race thrillingly up and down her legs. Was she curling her toes? Normally she could control her orgasms, but not with him. He made them unpredictable. He made them…his.

  Her eyes popped open and she gasped. Although he was still angled over her, he’d pulled back. Enough that his hand was no longer between her legs and there was a ghost of a smile hovering across his lips when he said, “If I can get you to nearly come with a kiss like that, can you imagine what I could do to you using that particular technique on the most sensitive flesh between your legs? Placing those soft, slow, licks on the hottest part of you, the spot that’s no doubt throbbing in unfulfilled need right now.”

  Okay, it was a total dick move on his part to stop right when she was going to get off. The fact that he’d known it before she had was a real bummer, but she was playing this cool. “You say the oddest things.”

  He opened his mouth as if he was going to let her have it, but then he appeared to change his mind. Some of the steam went out of him as he
brushed the hair back from her temple and spoke in a calm and soothing tone of voice, “It was foolish of you to pretend to be an experienced sub. Do you know how badly the lap pool scene could have gone if you weren’t one of the bravest women I’ve ever met?”

  The only part of what he said, and that she heard, was the last bit. And it ripped her heart out. “You think I’m brave?”

  “I do.” He braced his hands on the hood and pushed back off her. “Let me help you.”

  Charlie took his hand. She also kept an eye on him. The way he’d said “I do” sounded final and the way he offered to help her seemed distant. She couldn’t really prepare herself for a breakup because they really weren’t together.

  “Charlotte.”

  Oh God, he was breaking up with her.

  “You see why this can’t work between us, don’t you?”

  She pushed his hands away from where he was attempting to button her jeans. “Thanks, but I got this.” And after securing the button she went on the defensive. “I think it can work. So we got off on the wrong foot.”

  “Try wooden peg-leg.”

  “Every couple has tiny molehills like this to get over.” She looked away, hoping he wouldn’t see how desperate she was.

  “I have to say I’m looking at Mount Vesuvius here.”

  She looked back because well… “It wasn’t that bad.”

  She could tell he was fighting the urge to do something and she didn’t think it was laugh. “You put yourself in danger pretending to be someone you’re not. You lied to me and others. You stole from me and others, and now you arrive at my home and can’t figure out how to apologize for behaving so badly?”

  There was no arguing with the guy. When she tried to justify her actions he shot her down. She slipped her hands into her pockets and drew her shoulders up in an exaggerated shrug. “So, what you’re saying is that I blew it.”

  He tapped his nose and she wanted to punch him in the face. Of course that was the immediate anger phase of their quasi-break up. On the way to the airport she ran through the rest of the stages in record time. Denial, bargaining, bitching, and finally depression.