by Dakota Trace
“Don’t know. She left me a letter. I was waiting until you got here to open it.” Jude held it up.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed, his ardor for Rena now completely forgotten. She’d wisely slipped away while Jackson was recovering from the shock of hearing his ex’s name, which was just as Jude had hoped. He hadn’t meant to spring it on his partner this way, but he didn’t want a front row seat to the ravishment and physical altercation that was sure to have happened.
“Fuck!” Jackson ran a hand through his shoulder-length honey blond hair. “I thought we’d heard the last of her.”
“Evidently not.” Jude fingered the envelope. “You want to do the honors or should I?”
“I say we just shred it.” Jackson grumbled. “The girl is nothing but trouble.”
“Well, we did promise her dad we’d take care of her, Jackson.” Honoring Lenard Ralston’s dying request had made both Jude’s and his partner’s life a living hell. Lenard had been a good friend of both of their dads before cancer had taken him. He’d begged Jackson and Jude to protect Suzette, who’d only been seventeen at the time. Lenard’s only child, Suzette, was pure hell on any man’s patience but a promise was a promise. Somehow Jackson had ended up engaged to her for six months. That occurrence had been a huge surprise for the man who went through women like some people slid though underwear.
Perhaps it was because Lenard thought Jackson’s dominating personality would bring Suzette in line. It did until Jackson got tired of playing dictator to a spoiled rotten brat. Jude poured both himself and Jackson a much-needed cup of coffee.
“Here.” He forced the cup onto Jackson. “Drink this.”
* * * *
Two hours later, Jude was buried up to his neck in paperwork when his phone rang. Without looking to see who it was, he answered.
“Larson.” Scribbling a suggested improvement on the security layout in front of him, he wedged the phone between his shoulder and ear.
“Hey, Jude.” The sultry southern voice filled his ear. Dropping his pen to the desk, he squeezed his nose between his fingers.
“Suzette.” Leaning back in his chair, he looked heavenwards, praying to God to give him patience to deal with the bane of his existence.
“Did you get my letter? I gave it to some nasty black security guard. I wasn’t aware you were employing that type of person these days. Daddy would be shocked.”
Leaning back forward, he sighed heavily. “Rena is very qualified to do her job, but I’m sure you didn’t call to just find out if I got your note. What the hell is going on? The last I heard you were married to some attorney down in Charleston.”
“Oh pooh, I signed the divorce papers eons ago. I’m a free woman now and I needed a change of scenery. So when I happened to mention to Shelly, you remember her right?” she continued on without letting him answer, “Dad’s old housekeeper? She told me she’d spoken with your dad a few weeks back. It seems he moved up North to be closer to you. So after a few drinks…well more than a few, I decided to hop a plane and come up to see you. It’s been years since we’ve even had the time to talk.”
A groan escaped him. “You jumped in a plane and flew half way across the country to hold a conversation you could’ve just picked up the phone to have?”
“Why not? It’s not like there’s anything down in Charleston for me anymore.” The bitter tone didn’t surprise him. Suzette had a way of pouting when things didn’t go her way. “You left, and Jackson won’t speak to me anymore.”
“What the hell did you think was going to happen, Suzette, when you dumped him for the idiot lawyer you married?”
A silence filled the air for a moment before she finally answered. “I didn’t expect this out of you, Jude. I thought if anyone would understand it’d be you. I was pregnant. A woman has to do what’s best for her baby.”
A cold fury enveloped him. “This has nothing to do with me and Kathleen. I loved her and offered to marry her when she found out she was pregnant. You choose to dump Jackson after finding out you were pregnant with his baby.”
A long put-upon sigh was her response. “My baby would’ve needed things Jackson couldn’t provide. Isn’t that why Kathleen refused to marry you, Jude? Because you didn’t have two pennies to rub together at the time? Then you let her go. She married that other guy and…”
“Enough! I’m not going to talk to you about Kathleen or Deborah. Just tell me what the hell you want, or I’m hanging up right now.”
“Dinner! Have dinner with me tonight. I just need to see a familiar face. I don’t care if its Mickey Dee’s, just agree to meet me for dinner. I promise you won’t be sorry. I won’t mention Kathleen or Deborah. I swear!”
Gritting his teeth, Jude weighed his options. If he met her, more than likely she would hop a plane back to Charleston. If he refused, then she would dig in and never leave him alone.
There was a red flash on his monitor before an address flashed across the screen. A silent alarm had been triggered. His eyes widened as he recognized the address.
“I gotta go, Suzette. Duty calls.” He dropped the phone into its cradle. Surging out from behind his desk, he headed for the door, his cell already pressed against his ear.
“Jackson, it’s me. There’s been a code four-oh-six at Olivia’s. I’m en route right now.”
* * * *
Pulling up in front of Olivia’s, Jude was surprised to see there were no police vehicles or other state officials. What the hell? I had that alarm wired to contact the police. Why the hell aren’t they here yet?
Exiting his truck, he strode towards the front door. When Carlos spotted him, he moved out from behind the counter and pushed outside.
“Jude.” The man’s posture was stiff. “What are you doing here?”
Jude’s eyes narrowed. “My job! Why the hell aren’t the police here? I received the alarm over thirty minutes ago. They should’ve been here already.”
“What alarm?” The look of surprise on Carlos’s face couldn’t be faked.
Grinding his teeth together, he sighed. “I received a four-oh-six on the entry point in the alley. Someone just tried to use the same door Raphael used to enter Olivia’s unseen. It’s the weakest entry point of the whole building. I told Olivia that when I set up her security. It was wired to contact both my office and 911.”
Carlos blanched. “I don’t know, Jude. I didn’t hear the alarm go off, but I just came on duty fifteen minutes ago. Olivia didn’t say anything about any alarm during my briefing this morning.”
“Fuck! That’s it.” He stormed towards the club. Carlos moved in front of him, blocking his entry.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in.” Carlos shifted his weight as if preparing himself for an out and out physical brawl.
He gave a sigh of frustration. “I don’t want to fight with you, Carlos. You’re a good kid and everything, but this has nothing to do with my relationship, or lack of one, with Olivia. This is business, pure and simple. Think about what it would do to my reputation if I let an alarm go unanswered? I just need to talk to her – to find out what happened to trigger the alarm.”
“I understand but orders are orders. If I let you in, not only would I be in a world of shit with Olivia, she’d tell Mistress Keisha I disobeyed a direct order and…” his expression hardened. “…friend or no friend, I won’t get on my Mistress’s bad side.”
Yanking a hand through his short hair, Jude growled. Fuck, I don’t want to get Carlos in trouble with his Mistress or Olivia…but if I don’t get some answers ASAP, I’m gonna just kick the man’s ass and let the pieces fall where they may.
“How about I call her? You can talk to her on the phone,” Carlos offered.
Jude’s head flew up. “You didn’t say anything about her allowing me phone contact, Carlos.”
A flush covered Carlos’s face. “She banned you from the physical premises, not from all forms of contact. You flew out of here so fast you didn’t allow me to tell you all of it. Besides
I figured you needed time to cool down.”
“I ought to kick your ass, Carlos. But I’m not going to if you get her on the phone in the next thirty seconds.”
Carlos nodded before punching a number on his cell phone.
“Mistress Olivia? Jude is here and wants to talk to you.” He paused for a moment. “I know, I told him…yes.” Carlos nodded and handed the phone to Jude. “She wants to talk to you.”
Jude took it. “Mistress Olivia? What the hell is going on? I got a triggered alarm on the back entry.”
“I know, Mr. Larson. Have your partner contact me.” The click in his ear had him fuming. He hit the redial.
“Yes, Mr. Larson?” Her voice was exasperated.
“Whether you like it or not, my company holds the contract for your security and I need to do my job. You had an unreported alarm. Why?”
Her sigh of frustration carried through the lines. “Pet, you’re trying my patience. Patience I don’t have today. Have Jackson stop by around three.”
“Why? I’m here. I can take care of it…”
Her voice was firm. “No, you can’t. I’m the client, and if I say I want Jackson to handle this, he will. Unlike you, Jackson has experience in the BDSM world and I don’t have to worry about him interfering in things better left alone. Good-bye.”
Panic soared through him. “Wait! Tell me what I need to do to get your ban lifted!”
There was a long silence. “Embrace your submissiveness.”
“But I’m not submissive.” The response was automatic - even though he wasn’t sure if it was entirely true anymore.
“Then the ban remains, pet.” Her voice was resigned as if she had given up on him. Another click followed.
This time Jude didn’t redial. He gave the phone back to Carlos before returning to his truck. The resignation in Olivia’s tone had made him suddenly realize he didn’t want her giving up on him.
Chapter Three
Olivia looked up from the paperwork on her desk as Jackson Levough entered her office with nary a knock or even a request.
“Jackson.”
The tall, lean blond stalked towards her. His expression was cold. “What the hell is going on? I trusted you with my best friend. You were supposed to help him. Instead I find out that you’ve banned him from Olivia’s. Consequently I’m now dealing with a break-in that in all rights should be on Jude’s plate, not mine!”
The sub at Olivia’s feet stilled. Glancing down at Micah, she gave him a smile. “Slave, go get yourself something to eat from the bar. I need to talk to Master Jackson for a moment. I’ll call Jolene when you can come back and finish my foot rub.”
He nodded. “Yes, Mistress.” Lumbering to his feet, Micah rushed past Jackson totally unconcerned with his nearly nude body. Other than the collar around his throat and the leather thong covering his equipment, he was bare.
As soon as he shut the door behind him, Olivia focused on Jackson. “Sit.” Her order was met with a stiffening of his shoulders. She counted mentally to three before tacking on a soft, “please.”
With a growl, he tossed himself into the chair across from her. “What the hell is going on, Olivia?”
“There was a minor break-in this morning. It’s nothing to really be concerned about. The sound of the alarm scared the man off. The best I can figure, it was either a homeless person looking for some place warm to sleep, or a vagrant looking for a free meal.”
He arched a brow. “Really? You honestly expect me to believe that a man wearing a Brooks Brothers suit to be a vagrant? I’ve seen the footage, Olivia. The man was after something specific.”
“Well he didn’t find it.” Olivia could feel the tension building behind her eyes. Now she doubted her decision about forcing Jackson deal to with the break-in instead of Jude. With Jude I could’ve pulled out my Domme voice and he’d have backed down. Jackson is immune to it. The little bastard knows me from a totally different lifetime and isn’t above using it. Damn.
“I’m going to put Olivia’s under surveillance twenty-four/seven for the next couple of days. If nothing else happens I’ll buy the random stranger thing.” He leaned forward and propped himself on the edge of desk. “If there’s even one whisper of unease or one thing out of the norm, I’m assigning a permanent security guard until we catch whoever it is who’s after you, Baroness.”
Olivia stiffened. “How dare you use that against me?”
Jackson’s teeth gleamed in the dim light. “I dare many things, Olivia. Uncle Claude may be gone and you may not be acknowledged by the family as the baroness, but it doesn’t change the fact that you still carry the title.”
“I refused the title, you ass. I gave it back to that bitch of a mother-in-law before I left Northern Ireland.”
A confused look crossed his face. “I should’ve heard about it, Olivia. Aunt Aggie would’ve crowed to anyone who listened if you gave her back the title. Lord knows, she hated you replacing her as the dowager baroness when her son died. But I haven’t heard a word. Who else knew about it?”
She frowned. “Anyone who looked at the registry would’ve known. I went to Claude’s barrister and had him draw up papers to give everything back to her – the lands, the titles, any money made from his various properties and businesses. The only thing I kept was the yearly stipend that Claude left for me. It’s how I financed Olivia’s when I first came Stateside.”
Jackson rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t blame you for not wanting to deal with them. My mother’s side of the family has always been a bunch of snakes in the grass. Claude excluded of course. But we still have to consider that there may be people out there wanting to hurt you because of your tie to them. If I, as part of your family, didn’t know about you giving it back, I can guarantee there are plenty of others who don’t either.”
Tipping her head back, Olivia sighed. “All right, Jackson. I’ll allow the twenty-four hour surveillance on Olivia’s as long as Jude Larson isn’t part of it.”
A moment later, she felt his hands land on her shoulders. “What happened between you, Olivia? I’ve never known you to ban anyone from your club without a good reason. What did my bone-head of a friend do to earn his banishment?”
She stiffened. “I’m not discussing this with you, Jackson. He knows what he needs to do to get his membership reinstated. If you want answers, ask him.” She pushed back from the desk, nearly running over Jackson in the process.
A low growl escaped him. “I didn’t ask him! I’m asking you, Olivia. I’m tired of seeing my friend struggle with his sexuality. When his ex kicked his ass to the curb, he buried all of his submissive tendencies.”
Closing her eyes, she mentally counted to ten as her temper flared. “You mean to tell me Jude has had experience in the lifestyle?”
Jackson moved back from her. “Hell, no! Old man Larson would’ve had a cow if he thought for a moment his son was a submissive. But Jude has always gravitated towards strong-willed women. When Kathleen dumped him, his dad told him he’d better stick to sweet, old fashioned ladies who knew their places since he couldn’t handle strong-willed ones.”
Tugging on the end of her braid, she moved away from Jackson. “Grrr. What an ass! But how do you get Jude being sexually submissive out of that bullshit?”
Jackson laughed. “Tell me something, Olivia. Do you think he’s a submissive?”
She folded her arms over her chest. “Yes, but in denial.”
“Exactly, but how do you know?” He arched an eyebrow at her silence.
“I…I just know.”
“Exactly! Give me credit here, Olivia. I’ve been in the scene nearly as long as you and I’ve known Jude almost all of his life. I recognized the signs. If my best friend isn’t the perfect submissive for you, I’ll give you that whip you’ve been drooling over.”
“You’re willing to wager your four hundred dollar hand-made leather whip over the fact that Jude is submissive?” Her eyes widened with disbelief.
He grinn
ed. “Of course I am. I know Jude. Once he gets past all the bullshit his dad fed him, I haven’t a doubt in the world that he’ll make you the perfect submissive.”
“You know I should take you up on that, but it would be like taking candy from a baby.”
Jackson grinned. “Really? Or is it you don’t think that you can win over Jude?”
She sobered. “It’s not that I can’t win him over, I can make him submit and even like it, Jackson, but what good does it do if he feels like shit afterwards?”
Jackson moved closer to her. “Is that what happened last night? Did he go off the deep end because you gave him what he wanted?”
Gritting her teeth, she glanced away. “I’m not going to talk about this or him with you. You want answers - go talk to your friend.”
“Stubborn bitch!” Even as he said it, she could hear the deep affection in his voice.
She gave him a small smile. “You betcha! Now I have to prepare for tonight. Let me know who you’re sending over for the surveillance team so I can let Carlos know.”
* * * *
Olivia watched on the monitor as Jackson left the club. She was just reaching for the phone when Caelan Doherty, one of her closest friends and pseudo brother, strode into her office. She frowned.
“What can I help you with, Caelan?” Considering the hour, she’d figured he’d be at home still buried up to his neck in design requests or whatever the hell it was that graphic designers did these days.
“Why was Jackson here? Do I need to kick his ass?” Leaning against the now closed door, Caelan crossed his arms over his chest, his amber eyes dark with genuine emotion.
Ah hell, he’s in his protective big brother mode. It must be my day to have to deal with dominating men who think they know what’s best for me. Arching a brow, she decided to try and defuse the situation. “He does have a membership, Caelan. He’s allowed to frequent the club just like you are. He could’ve been here getting ready for an evening of play.”
