Surreal (Divine Trilogy #3)

by R. E. Hargrave

  Since they were at another light, Jayden reached out and grabbed her knee. Erin squealed as expected and begged him not to tickle.

  “Tell me what’s funny or I will,” he negotiated.

  Her cry of, “Okay!” was breathless.

  Satisfied with his victory, his hand went back to the wheel, and he accelerated with the green light.

  “To be honest, I’m more worried about how I’m going to not lose my mind in the next two weeks.”

  “How so?” He flipped on his blinker then pulled into a parking lot.

  “That’s a long time to go without playing. I can’t promise Catherine won’t turn bratty after being hidden away like that.” She giggled again, which he found enchanting.

  Jayden gasped in mock-disbelief, playing along with her. “Is my pet threatening me?” The deepening timbre of his voice was automatic, and he felt a stirring in his crotch when her breath caught in reaction to him.

  With a slow movement to the left, right, then left again, Erin shook her head while whispering, “No, Sir.”

  “You have to trust me, Erin. They know about my choices, and we’ve agreed to disagree on our views. What matters to them is that I’m happy. Is it too much to show respect for their beliefs by not flaunting my sexual tendencies in their face? I think not. And rest assured, my jewel, I will make it up to you.”

  A shiver racked her body at his declaration. If they hurried, perhaps there would be time for a quickie inside.

  It wasn’t until he was opening his door that Erin noticed where they were. “Now this is just cruel, Jayden,” she whined, and he laughed.

  “The club is closed right now, sweet girl. We have a recognition ceremony coming up, so all the board members need to review the applicant portfolios. Angelique was going to leave my packet in the conference room for easy pick up on our way out of—”

  His words trailed off when they came around the corner of the building. There were two cars parked in the back lot, which was supposed to be employees only.

  “Something wrong?”

  Erin’s gentle voice kick-started his mouth again. “Um, no, I don’t think so, anyway. If I’m not mistaken, that red car is Natalie’s.”

  “She’s the bartender, right?”

  “Yeah. Don’t recognize the other car, though. Maybe Natty is using the lot as a meeting point for a group activity or something over the holiday.” He shrugged and held the backdoor open after he’d unlocked it.

  The club was quiet save the hum of the heater. When they reached the stairs that led to the upper floors where the business offices were located, Erin told him to go on ahead so she could use the bathroom. To her left was the Hall of Play, the back section of the club where the private play rooms were located. Every few rooms were separated by a bathroom.

  “I’ll be back in just a couple of minutes. Meet you here.” Jayden kissed her nose, then mounted the stairs.

  CHAPTER 9

  Erin spared a few seconds to watch him ascend the steps, or to be more exact, to watch his ass ascend. His jeans hugged him with precision, making for a rather luscious bowl of eye candy. On impulse, she gave a wolf-whistle, laughing when he shimmied his ass for her before he disappeared around the corner at the top.

  A long-missed sense of normalcy, and dare she say peacefulness, warmed her while she stepped into the first toilet in the long hallway. Afterward, she returned to the base of the stairs to wait for Jayden. She recalled that her phone had chirped a text notification while she was occupied, so she pulled it out to check.

  Sorry~ Samantha called with a small emergency. Give me fifteen to make some calls. Help yourself to a juice or water behind the bar. Xo ~J

  Not fussed, though not particularly thirsty, Erin sauntered over to the bar anyway. She was a little curious. This was the first time she’d been inside the club without being in the mind frame for play. Erin could lift her eyes and really look around the place right then, without risk of repercussions.

  She found it amusing that under the silence and fluorescent lights, the sensual gothic feeling she loved about the club had dissolved. Looking around, it was nothing more than a large room made of wood, concrete, and metal. It was amazing what the right lighting and music could do. Of course, the absence of life played a large part in the current atmosphere. Any space could become a den of sin when filled with aroused, consenting adults giving into their darkest desires.

  Ducking behind the bar, she found the small fridge that housed the juices and grabbed a grape-raspberry. Her hand was slipping from the handle, having just closed the fridge, when she noticed a board of keys tucked at the back of the shelf, under the bar.

  This reminded her that spare room keys were kept there, and her curious nature flared up. Master always used room three when they played here. She wondered if the other rooms were similar in design and decor, or if they had varying themes.

  Checking the time on her phone, she saw she had at least five more minutes, but knowing Jayden and business, it would be more like another fifteen before he’d return. She snatched a random key off the board and made her way back to the Hall of Play.

  Heart racing and adrenaline coursing through her, Erin looked at the number on the key tag. Seven. Down the hall she went, wondering what she would find . . . four, five, six, there it was. Slipping the key into the lock, she turned it.

  The door was swinging open when Erin heard a muffled scream. Spinning on her heel, she tried to zero in on which direction it had come from. A few seconds later it came again, to her right. Backing up to room six, Erin put her ear to the door.

  A whistling sound, followed by a resounding crack, made her heart freeze. She’d recognize that noise anywhere. The bottle of juice slipped from her fingers and hit the carpeted floor, rolling a couple of feet before stopping.

  Her hand braced against the door, and she leaned forward to listen better. The club was supposed to be closed and locked up. There should be no one inside at all, let alone there being a scene taking place without any dungeon masters on the premises. It didn’t take a genius to see this violated the safe ambience that the club prided itself on providing.

  Under the slight pressure of her weight, the wood inched forward, opening—much to Erin’s surprise. Another whistle, crack, and scream—not muted this time—met her ears when the barrier swung away.

  The scream faded into a whimper while Erin looked on.

  Fear-drenched sweat gathered at her pulse points before seeping from all of her pores and tainting the air around her. A ringing started up in her ears. Erin was pretty sure the bound naked woman, whose backside was on display, was Natalie, the bartender. The springy, brown curls were unmistakable.

  Movement on the periphery drew her gaze up and to the left, where a blue-haired young man stood, a manic gleam in his eye. In his hand was a bamboo cane.

  With horror, she recalled bumping into this same man, Dominick Poles, her first night at the club—and how the bartender had swooned over him. Oh, god—how long had this been going on?

  “H-hello, is someone there? Please, help me . . .”

  “Shut up!” Another sickening whack and a fleshy thwap.

  The desperation in Natalie’s voice, coupled with the atrociousness of what she’d stumbled upon, tore at Erin’s heart. Drawing upon the reserves of strength that Jayden had so patiently helped her to rebuild, Erin spoke out. “It’s okay, Natalie. Jayden and I are here. You are going to be fine.” To hear the resolve in her words shocked her. Her body was frozen.

  A low cackle began, growing into a dark laugh that made Erin’s spine hurt with the malice it contained.

  “You stupid whore. Who do you think you are, barging in here uninvited?” His eyes moved up and down her body, lingering on her fitted sweater. “Though I could be convinced to mount you up as well. That could be . . . fun.” Dominick sneered the last word, and the images his suggestion conjured sent a wave of nausea through her.

  In the back of her head, a tiny voice was begging Erin
to run, insisting that this wasn’t her battle, yet she did not retreat. She couldn’t. Instead, she stepped into the room, and defiance stiffened her body while she crossed her arms over her chest and planted her feet in place. Raising her eyes, she met his stare head on, determined not to crumble—for Natalie, and for herself.

  Dominick’s arm moved faster than she could see. The whoosh of air being displaced was the single warning she got before the cane connected with Natalie’s ass. Blood appeared, then trickled down her rump in a crooked, thin line.

  Casting her eyes over Natalie, seeing the scabs and contusions threatening to burst with even the lightest touch, Erin came to a conclusion. This was her battle. Erin had survived an abusive situation and was now recovering because she’d had help. People had cared about her. She wouldn’t leave Natalie to try and understand alone.

  Again Dominick laughed and raised his arm. Since it was obvious that her words were no longer keeping his attention from the bound girl, Erin leapt in of front of him, her arms raised to absorb the inevitable impact, and declared “Red!” at the top her lungs.

  *~*~*

  It figured. Jayden wanted to get this trip underway, so of course there were last minute problems with the holiday orders.

  If it isn’t one thing, it’s another, Jayden thought while closing the door behind him for the second time. He’d been halfway down the stairs when he’d realized the applicant packet was still in the board room, so he’d had to go back.

  Packet now in hand, he descended but was not alarmed when he didn’t see Erin straight away. However, concern bloomed when he reached the bottom of the staircase and still didn’t see her.

  Ice flooded his veins when her emphatic cry carried from the Hall of Play. The memory of the cars in the lot outside flashed in his head. Dropping everything, Jayden let his long legs carry him forward in a sprint. He soon found an open door and in mere moments had assessed the situation.

  A blue-haired man, who had to be Dominick Poles, stood with his arm raised, back to the door. Cowering before him was Erin.

  Except she wasn’t cowering. When Jayden’s eyes raked over the grouping, pride bloomed with the realization that his sweet girl was in a defensive stance, protecting the woman behind her. Seeing Erin in such control kept his anger in check . . . for the moment.

  “If you finish that swing, I will take that stick and use it on you myself.” His voice did not waiver, the fury boiling inside him evident in his emotionless tone. “It’s been much too long since I’ve had the pleasure.”

  Poles jerked around in surprise. “Oh. Hi, Mr. Masterson. I was just—”

  “Listen, Poles, I don’t know what the hell you’re doing inside this building right now, since the club is not open,” his eyes cut over to Natalie and back, “but this stops now.” Looking to Erin to check her for damage and finding none, he calmed a fraction more. Though her creamy skin was paler than usual, it appeared she was no more than shaken. He returned his attention to the bartender.

  Natalie was a different story. Her wrists were suspended above her head in cuffs with a basic buckle on them, so no key was needed. Jayden heard her whimpering sobs and looked closer. The more marks he saw on Natalie’s body—both aged and fresh—the more his admiration of Erin increased, right along with his ire. How she’d put herself in the way of Dominick’s attack, he’d never know.

  Was it strange that the more assured he was that his precious jewel was safe, the angrier he became? He pursed his lips in a tight line to avoid screaming and then attacking the idiot. Erin had never seen him angry, and he did not want her to. She didn’t need to worry that he was capable of such dark thoughts. Besides, the last thing Natalie needed right then was another male venting his anger in her proximity.

  The poor thing was already terrified, as was proven by the acrid scent of urine in the air and the puddle at her feet.

  It saddened him to realize their vacation had just been shortened. Indiscretions the likes of which had happened here could not be swept to the side. Swift action was necessary for all parties involved.

  In the blink of an eye, Jayden transformed into the man-in-charge. Staring down the room’s occupants, he challenged them to say anything while he retrieved his phone and hit the speed dial for Samantha’s private line.

  “Jayden, I told you I had it covered—”

  “Samantha,” he barked, his voice gruff and no-nonsense, “I need you to call my mother and tell her we won’t be arriving tonight. I’ll call her later to explain. You’re a doll. Gotta go. Bye.” His mother wasn’t the only one he owed an explanation after that. He’d hung up on his secretary before she could get a word in.

  Erin’s eyes widened, her confusion and surprise evident.

  In the name of efficiency, Jayden needed her full cooperation, without question or hesitation. A little warning bell was sounding in his head that she might not be as calm and collected as she appeared, and that worried him. Even if they made it through the next few hours without any incident, Erin would need to deal with what she’d walked in on—whether she wanted to or not. He had no intention of taking her on vacation without being positive she was okay.

  “Catherine, get Natalie down and take her to the bathroom. Help clean her up. Understand?”

  “Aye, Master.” Her gaze shifted down. God, she was so perfect for him.

  He hated to put the girl on the spot in her fragile condition, but Jayden needed to know what had transpired before he could proceed. “Natalie, can you tell me what happened?” he asked from behind her in a gentle but firm tone, and she began to shake.

  “Master?”

  “Yes, Catherine?”

  “May this girl suggest she get Natalie sorted and covered before you question her? She is in a vulnerable state.”

  Of course, I should’ve thought of that. “By all means. One more question, though, and a simple nod or shake of your head will suffice. Natalie, did you let this man into the building?”

  She shook her head.

  Bastard! “Thank you.” He moved to stand in front of her but stopped about a foot back, not wanting to crowd her. Bending at the knees and dipping down to her eye level, he took her chin in his hand and encouraged her to look up at him. “Erin is going to take care of you now. You are safe, Natalie.”

  Gratitude flooded her brown eyes along with the tears that now brimmed over.

  At the feel of Erin’s small hand on his forearm, he looked over to see the same look of gratitude in her eyes, too. He must have done something right.

  “Love you,” she mouthed.

  Jayden mustered a smile. “Lucky me,” he mouthed back.

  Their moment of sweet levity over, the Dom turned to deal with Dominick. With long strides, Jayden closed the distance between them, experiencing more joy than he should have when the man flinched back with fear in his beady, blue eyes.

  “Give me that.” It was nothing to yank the cane from Poles’ sweaty grasp. Jayden then pinched Dominick’s ear and began dragging him from the room. Again, he was secretly pleased when the man squealed like a small child.

  At the sound of whispering when they neared the threshold, Jayden paused and looked back. Erin had released Natalie’s wrists and was kneeling to do her ankles.

  “I’m so sorry, miss—”

  “Shh, none of that, lass. Come now, let’s get you freshened up. And call me Erin.” Erin stood tall and took the girl’s trembling hand to lead her past the men and into the hall.

  “But why? I asked for this; I—I deserve what he did,” Natalie whimpered, cringing when they neared Dominick.

  Erin’s back stiffened.

  “Dunna ever think that. No matter what. I’m going to tell you the story of a girl I once knew who wasn’t too unlike you, Natalie. My story . . .”

  Jayden stood there immobile while her accented words faded as they walked away. If Erin was ready to share her horror with a near stranger, she had come much farther than he’d hoped.

  Next to him, Poles sh
ifted on his feet and let out a discontented grunt, so in a partial daze, Jayden got them moving again.

  Ascending the stairs for the second time that morning, he felt . . . conflicted? He was beyond furious with the whole situation. Unauthorized access to the building, club rules being blatantly disregarded during a scene—or whatever the fuck it was he’d walked in on—the nerve of this idiot to in any way threaten his beloved. All of it made him want to yell, scream, and break things.

  Yet in a moment of sublime restraint, his jewel had been more composed than he, the man who’d spent his life perfecting the art of control. His submissive had shown bravery and compassion enough to shame him. If he’d entered that room first, well, Jayden couldn’t say for sure what might have transpired.

  One thing was certain—it would not have been a scene that either Erin or Natalie should witness.

  CHAPTER 10

  When the girls had disappeared from sight, Poles began putting on airs. He made snotty comments behind Jayden’s back while being dragged through the club back to the meeting room. Vile things, like boasting how Natalie had been begging him to do this, and more, to her for months.

  Somebody needed to teach him a lesson.

  Once they’d entered the room and he’d ordered the man to sit, Jayden called Angelique. She would have all the board members’ phone numbers at hand and be the most proficient at organizing an impromptu assembly. This was going to be dealt with right the fuck now.

  A small click echoed from his phone when he ended the call. Satisfied that Angelique would handle the task he’d set for her, Jayden turned to face his problem head on. The expensive soles of his leather shoes marked the Dom’s approach with distinct taps, and the closer Jayden came to the blue-haired trespasser, the more rank the air became.

  Fear.

  Inhaling deep, Jayden absorbed the emotion, almost getting high off it while his palm pulsed. He still held the length of bamboo. God, did he want to use it in that moment. It had been too long since he’d enjoyed the sensation of landing this particular tool across willing flesh. Micah had been the last, months ago.