Temporary Master

by Dakota Trace

  “Whoa.” Davis pushed back from the desk. “Calm down, Bella.”

  Panicking, her first response was to flee. She had to get out of here… to run…she couldn’t bear the idea of Davis, let alone Ethan, thinking she could ever possibly hurt a child.

  Davis cursed as she tried to dart out of the office. Thanks to his long reach, he caught her before she made it to the door. “Running won’t solve this, Bella.” His words were muffled in her hair. “You need to settle down, and let me explain what I found.” He turned her in his arms, before coaxing her to look up at him. “Can you do that?”

  She finally nodded. “Ye-ea-h..” She drew a shaky hand through her hair. “So tell me wh-what you f-found…”

  He returned to his desk but kept his hand on her arm. Then he urged her to sit down in the chair he’d vacated. Waking up the screen with a shake of the mouse, he scrolled down. “Now take a look at the information. Read it to me.”

  She drew a deep breath before reading through the information. “Offense description…deviate sexual intercourse. Relationship to victim…non-stranger, educator. Weapon of choice…paint brush…” Her brow furrowed. “A paint brush? I don’t paint, I sculpt.”

  “Yeah that’s what I thought too. Your sculptures are beautiful, by the way. But what really caught my eye was the educator tag. I looked but couldn’t find any record of you ever being a teacher at any level in the state of New York.”

  “Because I wasn’t one…”

  “…so I did some digging into other state databases along with residency records.” He consulted his legal tablet. “Did you ever register yourself as a resident in New York?”

  She shook her head, wondering where he was going with this line of questioning. “No, I didn’t. I lived with my Dom for several months, and pursued my art while I served him.”

  “And you came back home when?”

  “When my father got sick. I got a call from Mrs. D. about Dad being in the hospital because of a minor heart attack.” She grimaced. “When I told my Dom I was needed back at home, let’s say he didn’t particularly care for the idea of me leaving.” She shifted. “You see, he’d just lost his father less than six weeks before, and claimed he needed me at his side as he took over the family business. I tried to be sympathetic but he didn’t care, he was too wrapped up in his own wants and needs to have any concern about the fact my father needed me. Instead he gave me a choice, him or my father.”

  Davis’s eyes widened. “Son of a bitch.”

  Sabella lowered her eyes. “Not really. His mother is a lovely woman, who didn’t deserve the crap her son gave her. She was the one who found me out here. I met both her and Louis in San Francisco, during an art exhibit which featured one of my sculptures.”

  “Lauren told me something about that.”

  A blush filled Sabella’s cheeks. “The girl has always bragged about me to anyone who listens. I’m nothing special. I just enjoy working with my hands.”

  He arched a brow at her. “Tell that to someone who hasn’t seen your work. The dove you made was exquisite. I almost thought it was going to take flight.”

  “Thank you.” She decided accepting his compliment was the best idea. “So why did you want to know if I was a resident of New York?”

  “Because if you were an educator in New York, you’d have had to prove your residency - which I can’t find.”

  She shrugged. “So there’s an error on the sex offender registry. That doesn’t prove I didn’t do it, Davis.”

  “But it’s a start. I need you to read over the rest of the entry, and see if you can find any more discrepancies.”

  Scanning over it, she sighed. “Other than the spelling of my name and the date of my conviction, no.”

  He looked at her as if wanting an explanation, so she was quick to explain. “They have me listed as Isabella, which isn’t correct. My given name is Sabella. Not to mention the conviction date can’t be right. I was in the hospital at my dad’s side, on the supposed conviction date. How could I be in court in New York when I was here in Napa?”

  He tapped his chin with his pen. “You couldn’t be.” His eyes met hers. “You do realize, of course, this changes everything. I suspect someone planted this profile to make trouble for you. Did you part on bad terms with anyone in New York who would want to cause serious issues for you here?”

  Racking her brain, she came up blank. “I don’t think so. I didn’t know many people in New York. Just a few in the scene and some art contacts I met through my Dom’s mother.”

  “What about your former Dom?”

  She shook her head. “I doubt it. He kicked me out of his life easily enough. There’s no way he’d want me back or do something like this.”

  “Regardless, give me his name. I want to do some checking because whoever did this either has connections to the Department of Justice in New York, or they have deep enough pockets to pay someone who does.”

  She sighed. It made sense. “Louis Vayarti.”

  Davis’s pen dropped to the floor. “You’ve got to be shitting me.” He reached for the phone on his desk.

  “What are you doing?” Confusion swamped her.

  “I’ve got to call Ethan.”

  “Why? He’s in New York, and even his long arms can’t stretch clear out here.”

  Davis gave her a concerned look. “That’s just it. He’s not in New York. He’s been in Napa for the last two months at least. He’s a patient of Ethan’s.”

  Her mind whirled as possible repercussions of information flooded her. “Oh my gosh, if Ethan finds out…”

  “Psychiatrist or not, he’ll come unglued on him.”

  * * * *

  Slapping his steering wheel, Louis wanted to rip someone’s head off. He’d planned on ‘accidentally’ running into Bella last night, hoping she’d be more receptive to his advances, or even see him as a port in the storm. It mattered little to him that the man he’d bribed to hack the sex offender site had charged him nearly a grand. It had been worth every penny he’d spent. Not that he had spent much on the hacker. The cost of contracting an artist to make a rather amateurish rendition of one of his horded pictures of Sabella bound over the end of his bed had been more expensive. Of course he’d managed to plant the sketch himself by slipping it into the boy’s portfolio after bumping into the lad and causing him to spill his work on the walk. And if my actions lead to her suspension, all the better. After all, once she’s back where she belongs, she’ll never be teaching snot-nosed kids again. She’ll be too busy taking care of my needs to worry about outside work. It all hinged on him getting her alone, then convincing her he was the best avenue of escape from her predicament. But the little bitch never came home last night. So help her God if she went where I think she did.

  He was drawn out of his thoughts as a patrol car pulled up in front of the apartment complex, and a uniformed officer got out. He immediately tensed and had to remind himself they weren’t here for him. He’d kept his nose clean and kept all his appointments with the damned court-appointed therapist. The minutes dragged by as he waited for officer to return to the patrol car. Finally, the officer came out the building and curiosity got the worst of him. Grabbing his paper, he got out of the car and made his way to the front door of the building with his keys out. As he approached he made a scene of shaking his keys. And it worked. The cop paused before approaching him.

  “Pardon me, Sir, do you happen to live here?”

  With his back to the officer, he paused by the door to skim the directory before turning. “Yes. Apartment 3C. Jim Hernandez.”

  The cop nodded. “So do you happen to know Sabella Johnston? She lives in apartment 5D?”

  Louis thoughtfully stroked his chin. “A petite little redhead? I think her father has been sick?”

  The officer nodded. “Yes. We’re looking for her in connection with a complaint.”

  Louis feigned a surprised look. “Wow, really? I hope she’s okay.”

  “I can’
t really talk about the particulars, Mr. Hernandez, but she’s wanted for questioning about an on-ongoing investigation.” The police officer reached into his pocket and handed him a card. “If you hear anything or see her, please contact me at this number.”

  Taking the card, Louis gave the officer a brief nod. “Will do. She seemed like such a nice girl. Always looking out for her father. I do hope everything’s okay.”

  “It will be once I have a chance to speak with her. Thank you for your time.” The officer turned and headed back to his patrol car. Louis waited until officer pulled away before heading back to his car. It seemed as if his little bird had flown the coop. Perhaps it was time to press the good doctor for an invitation to the club. If Bella was indeed with the doctor, she’d be at the club this weekend. And heaven help her if she is. His blood raced at the idea. It’d been much too long since he’d had a submissive at his mercy and under the lash of his flogger. He had a lot of frustrations to take out on a willing submissive’s back.

  Sliding into his car, he carefully rearranged his cock into a more comfortable position before grabbing his cell phone. Dialing the number from memory, he listened to it ring. Dolly’s voice came on the phone a few short moments later.

  “Dr. Tremaine’s office, Dolly speaking.”

  “Hi, Dolly. This is Louis Vayarti. I was wondering if the doctor, by chance, had an earlier opening than the one I have scheduled on Friday?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Fuck!” Ethan wanted to hit something. It was hard to believe one simple phone call from Davis had turned his world completely upside down. As a psychiatrist, his hands were tied but good by patient-doctor confidentiality. Not that there was anything he could do even if there wasn’t the relationship between him and Louis Vayarti. “What the hell am I supposed to do, Davis? The asshole has an appointment today. How am I supposed to help him when all I want to do is kick the son of a bitch’s ass?”

  Davis’s muffled sigh carried through the phone. “I don’t know. Everything I have at the moment is pure conjuncture and speculation. I’ve got a private investigator slash computer hacker back tracking the profile as we speak. There are a lot of things that don’t add up at the moment. Not to mention I just had a contact at the local P.D. tip me off Bella is wanted for questioning. As her lawyer, I have to take her down to the station, but have advised her not to answer any questions without me there.”

  The pencil in Ethan’s hand snapped at the thought of Sabella being alone in a police department and scared out of her mind. She’d crept under his skin without even trying. But he couldn’t worry about that now. Not when she needed him. “Dammit.” He reached for his calendar, glancing down at his schedule, his brain already moving appointments around. “Can you give me an hour to reschedule my appointments? I’d like to be there for Bella.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ethan.”

  “Why not?” The harsh statement almost surprised Ethan, but he couldn’t hold it in. Sabella was his responsibility, not Davis’s. Leaning back in his chair he squeezed the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

  “Because I don’t think you can keep your objectivity. I know she’s gotten under your skin, but it would be best to let me handle this. Besides you can do her more good if you can perhaps dig a bit into Louis’s current relationships, or even some indirect questions about what happened between him and Bella.”

  Ethan growled, clenching the receiver tighter. “You’re asking me to play nice with the man who screwed over my submissive, Davis.” It was amazing how easily the word rolled off his tongue. Sabella was his - at least for the foreseeable future. “To listen as he brags about how he exhibited his authority over her by tossing her out with nothing more than the clothing on her back. I have self-control, but doing this would push me to the very boundaries of it.”

  “I know, but until I get more proof from my team or inside information on the son of a bitch who planted Bella on the Sex Offender Registry, it’s all she has. I need your help.” Davis lowered his voice. “I know she’s only a temporary thing with you, but she’s a sweet girl. She doesn’t deserve to be arrested, or even have her name smeared all over the local papers.”

  Closing his eyes, Ethan wrestled with the idea, before coming to the conclusion his friend was right. Sabella didn’t deserve this. All she’d done is help him. And give me the sweetest submission I’ve ever had. He pushed the thought from his head, along with his friend’s accusation about Sabella being temporary. He wasn’t so sure anymore. “Fine, I don’t have to like it, Davis, but I’m trusting you with her. Keep her safe for me.”

  There was a silent moment before his friend spoke again. “Of course. I think I can keep them from arresting her today. But until I talk with the detectives, there isn’t much I can tell you.”

  There was a noise as if someone had just entered the room. “Bella just came back in, Ethan. Did you want to talk to her?”

  “Of course, I want to talk to her.” He also wanted to wring his friend’s neck. A moment later, Sabella’s sweet voice filled his ear.

  “Sir?” The rawness of the word told him what state she was in. He clenched his fingers to keep from telling her he was on his way.

  “Sabella, I want you to trust Davis. He’ll take care of you.”

  “I know…” Her voice broke a bit. “…but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was scared.”

  “I’d be scared too, if I were in your shoes, little one.” Leaning back in his chair, he stared up at the ceiling. “When you get done, however, I expect you to let Davis bring you home to me. Do you understand?”

  “I…I want to…but my dad…I can’t leave him alone…I shouldn’t have spent the night last night. I can’t imagine what he went through this morning when he had the police show up at his door. ” She sounded on the verge of tears.

  His eyes narrowed. “I’ll take care of your father.” He took a deep breath. “Davis and I have plenty of room here. We’ll see if he wants to come stay with us.”

  “I don’t know…” He could hear her hesitation.

  “Don’t make me paddle you, Sabella. As your Dom, I’m supposed to make sure you’re happy and safe. If that means having your father stay at my home until we get to the bottom of these accusations, then that’s what I’ll do.”

  “But he doesn’t know I’m in the lifestyle…” He could almost imagine the rosy blush covering her face.

  “And he doesn’t need to know.” He sighed. “I am sure I can curtail my dominance while he’s here.”

  Dolly stuck her head in the door. “Your next appointment is here, Dr. Tremaine.”

  He covered the mouthpiece. “Thank you, Dolly. I’ll be there in a few moments.” After his receptionist closed the door, he sighed. “I’m sorry, little one, but I have to go. Let me handle things with your father. I assure you every thing will work out. Be safe, love.” He gently hung up before she could protest. He had plans to make.

  * * * *

  “Ms. Johnston, the accusations being leveled at you are quite serious.” The detective slapped the manila folder against the table where Sabella sat with Davis. She tried to not jump in reaction. “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm.”

  Sabella wanted to scream. “Perhaps if you didn’t ask me the same questions over and over again, I wouldn’t feel the need to be sarcastic, Detective Chayefsky. I’ve told you, in no uncertain terms, I’ve never been intimate with Samuel Croshaw. He’s nothing more than a young man who’s in my art class at the youth center.”

  “Then how did a picture of you naked end up in his possession?” He opened the folder.

  “A drawing, Detective.” Davis interjected. “And I assure you a drawing is not the same damning evidence as a photograph.”

  The detective glared at Davis. “But it does lead to the question of how Mr. Croshaw drew such a detailed drawing of you, Ms. Johnston. While I have no art training, I’d have to say Samuel did a fairly accurate rendition of you…” He pulled out the dr
awing in question. “This is you, is it not?”

  Reaching out, she took the plastic-encased drawing. Her heartbeat doubled, as she recognized her body, drawn in amazing if not amateurish style. There was something off, just not quite right about it. How could Samuel have drawn her in such a compromising position? The leather cuffs at her wrists and ankles, which held her tightly to the rumpled bedding seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. But that wasn’t what caught her attention the most. It was the style. “Yes, this is me, but let me assure you, Detective, there is no way Samuel Croshaw drew this.”

  Leaning back in his chair, the detective folded his arms over his chest. “And why do you say that? It was found amongst his personal possessions in the home he shares with his mother and sister.”

  “The level of drawing. I’ve been teaching Samuel for nearly two months, and I can tell you, he didn’t draw this.”

  “Why? Because it’s too detailed, too accurate?”

  “Because it’s too amateurish.”

  “Really? Perhaps your star student isn’t as talented as you think.”

  She went to open the evidence bag intent on getting a clear view of it when the detective ripped from her hands. “The evidence stays in the bag, where there’s no chance of you destroying it, Ms. Johnston.”

  She gritted her teeth. “Fine. I wasn’t going to destroy it. I was going to point out how I know it’s not his work.”

  “By taking it out of the evidence bag. I don’t think so.”

  “Detective Chayefsky, Sabella came in of her own volition to answer your questions. Now that she’s offering to show you exactly how she’s certain it’s not her student’s work, I’d take her up on her offer. Because as far as I’m concerned, you have no valid evidence this is nothing more than a teenaged boy with a normal libido using his imagination to sketch the object of his desire.”

  “Your client has a record…she’s on the Sex Offender Registry in New York.”

  “Which, according to the Department of Justice in New York, was nothing more than a clerical error. If you’ll remember, neither you nor I were actually able to find a valid case number linking to her supposed crime.”