Chloe's Rescue [The Black Iris Club 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)
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The Black Iris Club 2
Chloe’s Rescue
Broward Sheriff’s Office Vice Detective Chloe Carlton is crushed when her handsome boyfriend and Dom, attorney John James Temple, is uncomfortable introducing a vice cop to his law partners and lifestyle friends, or taking a vice cop to the luxurious, private Black Iris Club. Angry and hurt, Chloe confronts J.J. and they break up.
Months later, while investigating a case involving a young girl found dead in a commercial shipping container near Port Everglades, it is determined that a human trafficking ring is kidnapping runaway girls from Fort Lauderdale’s streets. Chloe and J.J. run into each other and after some fireworks, they manage to patch up their differences and give their relationship another try. The investigation puts Chloe and J.J. in conflict again when she suspects that the wife of his law partner might be the mysterious dark-haired woman luring the runaway girls with promises of food and new outfits. J.J. is incensed that Chloe’s investigation of his partner’s wife is just what he had feared all along.
Can their fragile relationship survive a second bout of heated and unkind words, and can the taskforce save the missing girls?
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 51,568 words
CHLOE'S RESCUE
The Black Iris Club 2
Skye Michaels
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic
CHLOE'S RESCUE
Copyright © 2014 by Skye Michaels
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-757-0
First E-book Publication: June 2014
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Chloe's Rescue by Skye Michaels from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
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This is Skye Michaels’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Michaels’s right to earn a living from her work.
Amanda Hilton, Publisher
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
For all of my family, friends, and readers.
I hope you enjoy this new series set in my own backyard, beautiful South Florida. Sometimes we take it for granted.
Life happens. Enjoy the journey.
With many thanks to my beta readers, Patricia Walker, Jennifer Torlone, Donnette Hawley, and Eileen Dix for all their help.
See Kaylin and Jack’s story in Kaylin’s Pursuit, Book 1 of The Black Iris Club series.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
About the Author
CHLOE'S RESCUE
The Black Iris Club 2
SKYE MICHAELS
Copyright © 2014
Prologue
At Shooters on the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Saturday afternoon, December 21, 2013, 3:15 p.m.
Chloe Carlton and John James Temple were having beers and a late lunch on the deck at Shooters, a well-known Fort Lauderdale bar and restaurant on the Intracoastal. The wide waterway was lined with beautiful homes, condominium buildings, and waterfront bars and restaurants. It was a liquid highway for boats of all shapes and sizes that separated the mainland and the barrier island that formed the Fort Lauderdale beach area. The sun was sparkling off the light chop on the water, and there was a brisk breeze. The dock was packed with big and small boats that had brought many of the patrons out on the glorious December afternoon.
“J.J., there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. It’s a little touchy…”
“What, babe?” John Temple glanced over at her. His attention had been riveted on the big-screen television and the pregame, talking-heads sports show that was a preface to Sunday’s football game.
“Well.” She hesitated. She had thought about bringing up this subject for a while, but had not wanted to rock their boat. “Why have I met so few of your friends?” All of a sudden, his relaxed Saturday afternoon expression was gone. He looked—she didn’t know what—hesitant, wary, worried. In any event, the look on his face didn’t bode well for this discussion.
“What are you talking about? You’ve met some of my friends. That’s ridiculous.”
“I saw you give that guy who was walking toward our table a few minutes ago the ‘get lost’ look. Maybe you should hoist a distress flag over our table to warn your friends that there’s a plague aboard.”
“Now you really are being ridiculous.” He was starting to look cornered and angry.
“Are you ashamed of me, Temple? Do I not dress well enough for your fancy buddies and their society girlfriends? Do I not make enough money because I’m not a lawyer or a stockbroker?” Chloe knew she was going too far. She should have kept it to the basic question—Interrogation 101. She
was wearing her heart on her sleeve, and she hated that, just hated seeming desperate or needy. These questions had bothered her for some time, but she had hesitated to voice them. She knew J.J. didn’t think she had seen his gesture. But she had, and she couldn’t let it go any longer.
“Chlo, you’re being absurd. I don’t think we need to have this conversation.”
“What happened to all of that open, honest communication that the lifestyle is supposed to be so famous for?”
“That’s not fair, baby. I guess maybe I just wanted to keep you to myself. I didn’t want to expose you to…”
“Oh, please. That is a load of crap. It didn’t seem like you wanted to keep me to yourself at that sleazy club in Pompano you took me to a few weeks ago. I thought I would need a biohazard shower after that place. Just be honest, J.J. I need to know what’s going on with you, and I can’t let it slide any longer.”
He seemed to regroup and suck it up. “Okay, Chloe. I guess the truth is that while I’m crazy about you, I can’t exactly introduce a vice cop to my lifestyle friends or take you to my regular club. The confidentiality issues…”
“Confidentiality issues? You have to be kidding. If anyone can be ‘confidential’ it’s me. Have you ever been undercover for weeks at a time on an investigation? No? I didn’t think so, Mr. High-End Real Estate Lawyer.” She knew her emotions were showing on her face and in her body language, and right now she was crushed. She embarrassed him. Didn’t that just suck the weenie? And she had sucked his plenty. This hurt like a bitch. She had been falling for him. He seemed like a nice, upstanding, stable guy with a great job, nice home, nice car, not a lot of personal baggage. So his sexual tastes were a tad kinky. She could live with that, even enjoy it. J.J. was tall and extremely good-looking with wavy, sun-streaked hair he kept in a conservative cut, gorgeous blue eyes, a great smile, and a killer body. “Fine. I can see where your head is. That’s just fine. You’re entitled to your feelings. I’m entitled to mine. My feelings right now are that I’m getting a cab and going home. Have a nice life, Temple. I hope you find a sub or girlfriend or whatever who meets your social needs.”
* * * *
John Temple didn’t know what to do as Chloe got up from the table and stalked off toward the front of the restaurant. He wanted to get up and stop her, but he also didn’t want to make a scene. He knew several people who were in the bar right now, and yes, he had warned them off. He wasn’t proud of that. He watched her fabulous butt in those snug, straight-leg jeans stalk away as she searched her huge, rust-colored leather shoulder bag for her cell phone. The black cashmere sweater and high-heeled pumps finished the look. She could have stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. What the hell was she talking about? Women.
Temple was dismayed. He hadn’t planned on having this discussion with her—probably ever. He knew it was a touchy subject, and he wanted to steer clear. He really enjoyed Chloe Carlton, but to be honest, her job as a Broward County Sheriff’s Office detective working out of the secretive Strategic Investigation Division handling narcotics and vice cases did not exactly jibe with his BDSM lifestyle. He couldn’t very well take Chloe, as beautiful as she was, into The Black Iris Club owned by his friend, Jack Dalton Brown, or introduce her to some of his friends and partners at the firm who occasionally used drugs recreationally. It didn’t seem fair, but it was a fact of life. Chloe’s job made people nervous. While he didn’t do any drugs himself, some of his friends sometimes indulged.
When John had met Chloe at a club one night about six months ago, he’d thought she was the most beautiful girl—long golden blonde hair, big brown doe eyes, long legs, big boobs, and an ass to make a guy cry. She had been out with her girlfriends celebrating something or the other. And that fact just made his case. Her friends were Kaylin Gallagher, a BSO homicide detective, Gabriella Delaveccia, a Broward County Assistant State’s Attorney, and Nicollette Sommers, a criminal defense attorney. They were all gorgeous, but he was immediately drawn to Chloe.
At first he hesitated to introduce the BDSM theme into their sexual encounters, but when she had responded favorably to his tying her hands to his headboard one night, he had taken the chance. He didn’t think a cop was ever going to be a true submissive, but he had been getting in deeper and deeper with her, and he didn’t want to hide that side of his personality, his sexual needs. It was important to him.
To be fair, she had not been judgmental. After an initial period of slight embarrassment or discomfort, she had participated fully and certainly seemed to enjoy the sex. At first they had played exclusively in his small, makeshift dungeon at home, but then he had wanted the more exotic atmosphere of a club. Since The Black Iris Club was off-limits, he had tried one of the clubs in Pompano. She wasn’t wrong. He had made a bad choice, and he couldn’t wait to get out of there himself. He should have known better and looked for another solution. The strip clubs and fetish clubs on that section of Federal Highway in Pompano were not top-drawer. The area was crowded with lower-end bars, clubs, bodegas, tattoo parlors, and was just tired looking. He could tell she was uncomfortable the minute they walked through the door. He should have turned around and walked right back out again, but he thought that since they were there they could give it a try. It had been a mistake. Chloe might be a vice cop but she exuded class by the bucket, and it was obvious that neither of them belonged there.
Maybe this was for the best, although he knew he was going to miss having those long, gorgeous legs wrapped around him when he fucked her and her sweet ass nestled up against him in bed in the morning. He would also miss her bubbling personality, suddenly insightful conversation, and playful nature as well. There was a lot to Chloe Carlton, but maybe he wasn’t the right guy for her, and it was better to cut the ties now. He knew she was going to leave a hole in his life.
Chapter One
Chloe Carlton’s bungalow in the Victoria Park section of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Saturday morning, August 9, 2014, 11:30 a.m.
Chloe and Kaylin Gallagher were having a cup of coffee on Chloe’s back patio. “Thanks for bringing the sub wear back, Kaylin. There was no hurry. It’s not like I’m going to wear it again. I’m glad to hear you and Jack have patched up your differences. I think he might be good for you. I know you were hurting.” She laughed. “And besides, he’s hot.”
Chloe thought Kaylin with her Irish cream complexion and a sprinkle of cinnamon freckles across her cheekbones, wavy dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes was the perfect foil for the stunningly handsome Fort Lauderdale businessman and philanthropist with the Greek god body, gray eyes, and aristocratic face with great bones. Jack was beyond handsome.
“Speaking of hurting, why did you never tell me about J.J. being involved in BDSM? What happened with you two anyway? You seemed to be into him, had been dating for six months, and then boom. Nothing.”
“I’d had a funny feeling for a while…I didn’t want to address it. I hadn’t met a lot of his friends or any of his partners at the law firm. One Saturday, we were at Shooters, and I saw him warn someone away from our table. The guy apparently was coming up to say hello. I asked J.J. point-blank if he was embarrassed to be seen with me. It turns out he was. He didn’t want to introduce a vice cop to his BDSM friends or take me to his private club. Maybe he’s a member of Black Iris for all I know. I didn’t know about Jack’s club back then. Anyway, apparently he thought that I couldn’t be trusted with the confidentiality issues involved. I just got up and left. And that was it. I haven’t talked to or seen him again.”
“I haven’t seen him at The Black Iris Club, but I was kind of busy and wasn’t looking for him. I don’t remember his name on the membership list when we were investigating the Lucy Evans case, but then again, same applies. I wasn’t looking for it. I didn’t do any of the in-person interviews with Jack’s club members.”
“Who cares? It’s over. I won’t say I wasn’t down as a dog for weeks afterward. I kept hoping the phone would ring. You know how that is. It sucks
. Anyway, I got over it, got on with my life.”
“Did you? I don’t see you with anyone. Are you sure you don’t still have feelings for him?”
“Would it matter? He certainly doesn’t have feelings for me, or he would be here. Right?”
“I guess that is right. I don’t know. The issues are complicated. Now I’ll have to keep an eye out for him at the club.”
“What? What are you talking about? Don’t do that.”
“I’m on the lookout for J.J. Temple. Enquiring minds want to know. Of course, Jack would never tell me if he was a member, but I might see him there.”
“Don’t do that, Kaylin. I don’t want to cause a problem between you and Jack. We don’t even know he’s a member.”
“I’ll be circumspect, but now I’ll be watching for John James Temple in black leather pants. Woo-hoo!”
“Stop!” Chloe was laughing despite herself. “Don’t bother. It really doesn’t matter.”
“You aren’t curious?”
“No.” She lied. Of course she was. She just knew it would be a mistake to let J.J. back into her mind, her heart, her life. It had hurt too badly evicting him last year. She wasn’t up for another bout of heartache.
Chloe desperately wanted to change the subject. “I think I may still have some of the BDSM catalogs in my office. We can look through them and order you some of your own sub wear—if you think you’ll need it, that is.” Chloe grinned. Kaylin looked a little embarrassed.