“You look like you've been well and truly fucked. Which I guess you have, haven't you?”
I managed a nod.
“Get dressed immediately. Don't fix your hair or your face or even wipe the sweat away. Just leave the toy in, put on your dress and return to our table.”
There were two women fixing their makeup at the mirror as I exited the stall. They stared at me, but said nothing as I walked by silently, not quite steady on my feet.
Master looked at me with obvious satisfaction as I sat back down. The waiter must have been waiting for me to return because he brought our main course out immediately. To give him credit, he only stared at me for a moment. Given what he'd heard before, he had to have wondered what I had done in the bathroom.
So, looking like I had run a marathon, I ate dinner. Master behaved himself until dessert was served, then the buzzing began again.
“Absolute silence,” he said. Everything about his look told me he meant it. By the time the orgasm had finished, I was doing everything I could to stare down at my creme brûlée without making any noise. My thighs clenched over and over, and a tear leaked out of my eye at the pleasure, but I was able to keep silence.
Which was more than I was able to do on the car ride on the way home. Master made me lie in the back seat naked as he turned the vibrator all the way on high and demanded I scream every time I orgasmed.
By the time we made it home, and he finally turned it off, my voice was hoarse. I lay exhausted on the backseat, unable even to move. He smiled tenderly as he picked me up and carried me to bed. I tried to say something, but I couldn't even speak.
“I'm glad you liked your new toy,” he whispered against my hair. “Somehow I thought you would. Everyone needs a favorite toy.”
This one was definitely mine.
And I would be his, forever.
Chapter Fifteen
He knew the minute Lexi told him she wanted to meet him at the Dungeon deck separately that she was up to something. He'd tried to redirect her. After all, almost everything she'd brought aboard the ship had been moved to his suite, so why would she even need to get ready somewhere else?
The Dom in him wanted to make her stay. Require her to submit and keep her out of trouble. But that's exactly what Donovan and Ian had been afraid he would do. Strategically, the best plan was to give her enough rope to hang herself. It was the only way to prove she was guilty.
But damn it, he didn't want to prove she was guilty.
Every time he'd gotten an update from Donovan the news hadn't been any better. They'd been unable to find any reason why Lexi had set up the skimming program except to skim. And Jackson could admit, if it was any other person, the damning evidence would've already been enough.
Except for the time Donovan had been with them, the other man had been looking into Lexi and SilverSystems as thoroughly as possible. The coding she'd programmed into the ship’s servers had been left alone. Pulling them would've tipped her off that they were on to her. But the software was being watched very closely.
Just as he had been watching Lexi very closely. There had been no need to turn on the tracker in her necklace because she’d been with him every moment of every day for the last few day. There was no way she could've accessed the software she planted.
He couldn't remember ever enjoying time so much. Not just the sex, the company. The conversations. The laughter.
And the sex. Because he knew he could fuck her for the next fifty years and not get tired of it, the sex was so good.
But that wasn’t the problem, her potential criminal activities were the problem.
Donovan had Lexi thoroughly check out and hadn't found anything that would suggest that Lexi wasn't a completely law-abiding citizen. There was nothing found in her financial records, personal dealings, or activities that lent itself towards criminal tendencies.
But then again, Lexi was very smart. Her analytical mind would not have entered any sort of activity without having the means to cover her tracks.
Every hour that they couldn't figure out a reason for her software beyond outright theft made it more likely that Lexi was, in fact, guilty. Jackson had to admit that.
Her insistence that she go get ready in her own cabin before meeting him around midnight on the dungeon deck was just further proof of her guilt. Under other circumstances, he would've totally understood her need for a little bit of space. They'd had a very intense few days. And though surprisingly he hadn't felt crowded, he certainly understood the need for having one's own space, even temporarily. And hell, maybe that was part of why Lexi wanted a few hours on her own.
But he would bet a considerable fortune that Lexi planned to make a stop before going out to play.
The real question Jackson had to face now was what he was going to do if they discovered Lexi really was guilty. When they discovered she was guilty.
Normally someone who stole from him would be going to jail. Calder enterprises had a team of lawyers to make sure it would happen.
But he couldn't do that to Lexi. No matter what her reasons for stealing from him were, whether it was because she was angry or she had gotten herself in some sort of financial bind, he would get the truth from her and they would work it out.
Admittedly, her job, probably her entire company, would be finished. But at least she wouldn't go to jail.
Donovan was waiting at the server room. He'd been there since the moment Lexi had left Jackson’s cabin. It was odd not having her with him, her smaller body pressed close like it had been for the last seven days.
And it would be again. His mind was made up. She would be punished severely for her theft attempt, but not in prison. She would be his to punish.
He liked the thought of that almost as much as he hated the thought of her stealing from him in the first place.
But one way or another this was going to end. Tonight. They were going to face each other.
Thirty minutes after Lexi left him, making sure he had himself completely under control for the night ahead, Jackson made his way to the server room. He half expected for Donovan to have already caught her, but the other man shook his head when Jackson arrived.
“No sign of her,” Donovan said.
“She's supposed to meet me on the Dungeon Deck in fifteen minutes. How long will it take her to do whatever she needs to do in here?”
Donovan shrugged. “Depends on what's she's trying to do. If she was just trying to pause the skimming software, it wouldn't take very long. Which, since she doesn't know we're on to her, she would have no reason to think she needs to go in and attempt to cover her tracks. The software is very clever to begin with.”
“Okay, so maybe she's going to make her way here right before she goes to the club if she only needs a few minutes. We'll wait. Plus, we always have our backup plan.”
Jackson grimaced. He didn’t like talking about, or even thinking about the tracking device in the collar he’d given her. Somehow using something so personal, almost sacred in the BDSM world, for the purpose of spying seemed like a pretty huge betrayal of trust. Although thinking that was ridiculous, given she was stealing from him.
After another thirty minutes of waiting, it became clear Lexi wasn't coming.
“What does that mean?” he asked Donovan as they walked to Jackson's small office across the hallway.
Donovan shrugged. “It means she either has no plans to stop stealing from you or she realized that it was more risky to stop the software than to just let it go and forget about it.”
“And either way we don't get our answers.”
“Afraid not. Not unless you ask her outright.”
Damn it, he was not going to let this sit between them. There had been too many things that had kept them apart for too many years — her age, his dominance, her innocence — Jackson wasn't willing to lose her again.
“Can we shut down her software ourselves? Stop her from being able to use it at all?”
Donovan nodded. “But if we do, she's going t
o definitely know we know.”
“She's going to know that anyway. Trust me.”
Donovan sat behind Jackson's computer. “Let me look at what's being filtered, then I can go bypass it in the server room.”
Jackson was surprised at the disappointment weighing on him. He'd known that Lexi was up to something but had held out hope that it wasn't something illegal. Wasn't something personally vindictive. Especially not after how sweetly submissive she'd been the last few days. How honest everything had felt between them.
“What the fuck?” Donovan stared at the computer. “The skimming has already been stopped.”
“What? How? I thought you said it had to be shut down from the server room.” He walked around the desk to see what Donovan was looking at. ”How long has it been stopped?”
Donovan clicked at the keyboard. “Just over thirty minutes. But looking at the numbers now, there's something weird going on.”
“But how did she turn it off, Donovan?'
A few more clicks. “God damn it. She used the secondary server room down on level five. It's actually closer to the Dungeon Club. I didn't even think about it. But wait, give me a second. There's something going on with these numbers.”
Now anger warred with disappointment. She was going to keep this from him. Had she changed her mind about stealing all together or was she just hiding it for right now?
Jackson slammed his fist down on the desk. How could he ever trust her again?
“I'm going to the club.” They were going to have this out. Right fucking now. He could force her body to be honest even if he couldn't force her mind.
“Jackson, I'm telling you, there's something going on with these numbers.”
“Whatever it is, it can wait.”
This confrontation with Lexi couldn't.
Chapter Sixteen
Lexi was fairly humming with excitement when she sat down at the dungeon bar. So many reasons she couldn't keep the grin off her face.
It was her first time being at a public BDSM club without a mask. It was somehow freeing knowing that everyone here could see her real face. That these people wouldn't judge her. She didn't have to hide from them.
She was excited because her submissive's bracelet now had a green bead threaded through it. Not that she needed to wear her submissive's bracelet anymore. They were really only for people who didn't have their own Dom. Submissives who were looking for someone else to play or scene with.
Lexi only planned to show the green bead to Jackson, make sure he understood it meant she was more than happy for him to have sex with her in a scene, then planned to take the bracelet off completely. After all, she was wearing his collar.
It was more a necklace than a collar. But they'd both understood the significance when he'd put it around her neck that day. They were both agreeing there wouldn't be anyone else, except if Jackson decided to share her. It wasn't a permanent commitment, but it was an understanding.
And it meant everything to Lexi.
She drank a sip of her soda as she waited. She'd taken off her trench coat and left it with the coat check. Instead she was only wearing a soft pink teddy, completely sheer over her breasts and pussy. Just like the one in the very first scene she'd written for Jackson. Would he remember? If not, she would certainly have fun reminding him.
She was very much hoping they could reenact that scene tonight. It was her personal favorite.
But most importantly, Lexi was excited that tonight, once they got back to Jackson's suite, she would be able to tell him how she'd caught a thief he hadn't even known about. Her software plant had worked. She had the information she needed to figure out who was skimming money from Calder Enterprises.
She could just imagine Jackson's face when she told him. Gave him the proof. Of course, before she did that she would actually look over the data and figure out who it was behind it all. But that wouldn't take long. She would've done it before arriving here, but didn't want to take a chance on being late to meet him.
Jackson would be proud of her. She could admit to herself that she wanted that. In the bedroom, or in a club like this, where he was the dominant and she was the submissive, she didn't mind giving in to him. Didn’t mind letting him control her, command her. But professionally she needed to know she was his equal. That he knew that and respected it. That he understood what she could do and value her for that. Otherwise no relationship between them would work.
She was so excited about this she might not be able to scene with him without telling him first. She saw her nipples poking out of the sheer pink teddy. No, she would definitely be able to scene with him first. Especially if it was this one.
“Don't you just look like the cat that ate the canary?”
Lexi stiffened. Magic Mike still trawling the bar like he had been last a few days ago.
“Yes, Master Magic. Just excited about tonight's potential,” she said.
Mike moved in closer and Lexi resisted the urge to cringe away.
“How do you know my name?”
Lexi realized he didn't recognize her without her mask. She turned so she could more clearly face him even though it meant he could see her entire body through the flimsy material. It didn't matter, he'd seen her in much less.
But somehow without Jackson here now she just felt vulnerable.
“Alexandra?” Mike's eyes widened, color draining from his face. She hadn't quite expected that reaction.
She nodded.
“But you're not Alexandra Silver. I've seen pictures of her.”
“No, I'm Lexi Durham, Alexandra's partner. She's the face and spokesperson behind our company, I'm more of the brains.”
Mike was staring at her in disbelief. “I thought you were Alexandra Silver.” His voice was hoarse.
Lexi had no idea why he would even care so much. “Most people assumed it, and I didn't correct them.”
Mike came to stand right next to her barstool. Lexi looked around, hoping Jackson would be here soon. It was already five minutes past when they were supposed to meet.
“There are no pictures of you in you in your company’s files. You're buried pretty deeply and there's no pictures of you.” Mike’s voice was a little choppy.
They were hidden because she hadn't wanted Jackson to know how big a part she was part of SilverSystems if he ever checked into her. So she'd made sure she was pretty buried. That unless someone knew she worked there, no one wouldn’t find her.
But why would Mike know that? She looked over at him. “You were reading up on SilverSystems?”
He just smiled in what she was sure was supposed to be a charming way, but somehow made her feel less comfortable. He walked down the bar a few feet and got the bartender’s attention, asking him for something. The bartender grinned and nodded, and walked away. A few minutes later he returned from the back with something in hand, and gave it to Mike. Then the bartender winked at Lexi.
Mike walked back over to her, taking a sip of water that the bartender had also provided.
“What was that all about?” She knew she should be more respectful, more submissive in tone, but couldn't bring herself to be. She's never been attracted to Mike, but tonight she seemed almost repulsed by him.
Was this because of Jackson? Was she going to be repulsed by anybody who wasn't him?
Hopefully he would get there soon, rescue her from Mike again. And she would be very sure never to tell Jackson that if he truly wanted to punish her for something he could lend her to the other man for a few hours. A shudder ran through her. God, that might be a hard limit for her.
“You've been playing with Calder all the last few days,” Mike said, entering her personal space, oblivious to her discomfort. “Ever since your scene with him and Donovan Parnaby.”
“Yes, we’re exclusive now.” She prayed that was true, and even if it wasn’t, she was still going to use it to get away from Mike. She touched the necklace around her throat in reference. Where was Jackson?
“
I don’t see Calder here right now.”
“He will be here soon.”
“Sir. He will be here soon, sir.”
Lexi had had enough. She’d tolerated Mike for months, but tonight didn’t have it in her to do so. She didn’t know why Jackson had gotten held up, but she knew he would not want her to be sitting at this bar, uncomfortable.
“He will be here soon, sir. If you will excuse me, sir.” She got up. She would find some other submissives to sit near. Jackson would find her when he got here.
“Why don’t we get you ready for him,” Mike murmured close to her ear. Before she knew what he was doing, he had slipped some cuffs around her wrists, attaching them together behind her back.
“Hey!” She didn’t care if he was really trying to get her ready for Jackson or not, she wasn’t comfortable with this.
“I think this ball gag will help too.”
Before she could signal to anyone what was happening, he pulled out the ball gag that the bartender had given him and slipped it into her mouth, attaching it behind her head, rendering her mute.
When he pulled her down off the barstool, Lexi began to struggle. The bartender looked over and she attempted to communicate her panic with him.
“I told you she was really into the non-con scenes, Anthony. I’m taking her over to the scene room.” With a laugh and a smack on her ass, Mike hoisted her over his shoulder.
She was helpless.
“Make sure she has a squeaky toy,” Anthony the bartender said. “House rules.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t dare break any of the rules.”
Lexi started squirming, trying to get Anthony’s attention to let him know she was in trouble. But Mike kept shifting her around, under the guise of being friendly and talking to people, not allowing her a chance to get anyone’s attention.
What was happening? Surely Mike understood she didn’t want to do a scene with him.
When they walked by the scene area she was relieved when he didn’t stop. Until she realized he was heading for the back exit with her. She began to struggle in earnest. His hand cracked down painfully on her ass, but she didn’t let it deter her from her struggle. She needed to let someone know she was in trouble and not leaving here of her own free will. She only needed one person’s attention, and it would be enough for them to call into question Mike’s actions. Subs tended to look out for each other, to make sure no one was caught in a situation exactly like this.
Burned (Zodiac Alphas) Page 10
