Penelope's Gift [The Black Dahlia Hotel 4] (Siren Publishing LoveEdge)

by Skye Michaels

  “Maybe this guy wants to start that part slowly so as not to scare you off.” Kathi had a thoughtful look on her face.

  “Could be. We’ll see. He did ask me if I want to be with him for this week, and I told him yes.”

  “Good for you! Good-bye, Jay Preston Fairlamb, at long and unlamented last.” Kathi was grinning like a loon. While both girls had been supportive, they had hoped she and Jay would patch things up. But as the years went by, they wanted Penelope to get over Jay and move on.

  “We’ll see. I have to wonder why he insists on keeping the mask. I hope he’s not ugly or something.”

  “Well, if he is ugly but he’s good in bed—and that body is gorgeous—close your eyes and just enjoy.” Morgan was giggling.

  “Good advice. Anyone want to go down to the pool? It looks wonderful from up here.”

  “Good plan. Get changed and let’s go. I’ll pack up some fruit from the basket, magazines and sunscreen.”

  * * * *

  In the Fairlamb suite at The Black Dahlia Hotel, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, Friday, New Year’s Day, late morning, January 1, 2016

  Jay picked up his cell phone and dialed Jordan at the ranch. He knew his brother would want a status report on Operation Penelope. If he didn’t get one, he might be on a plane to Florida by afternoon. They didn’t often vacation together, except for occasional weekends at the lake cabin and a week skiing in Jackson Hole every winter, because they thought one of them should be available at the ranch in case of emergencies. But Jay knew that Jordan would break their unofficial rule if he thought his younger brother needed him, for solace and a good old-fashioned drunk, or for a good old-fashioned kick in the ass. He’d given him both more times than they could count over the years.

  “Happy New Year, bro. How’s shit in Texas?”

  “Happy New Year. Shit’s good. How is it going with you?”

  Jay filled him in on his night and morning with Penelope, minus the gory sexual details. Jordan had plenty of BDSM experience himself and a damn good imagination in any case, so details weren’t necessary.

  “So you never took off your mask? That’s living dangerously. You’re going to have to keep out of her sight whenever you’re not in the dungeon.”

  “It’s a big hotel, and very well done. I will have to be careful, though, at least for the time being. When she said her old boyfriend ‘wasn’t someone she could trust or rely on’ my heart hit the pit of my stomach. I knew I hurt her, but I thought she’d have gotten over it by now.”

  “Have you thought this out, Jay? What about when she figures out who you are?”

  “Hopefully that won’t happen until after I’ve corralled her again. I realize I’m playing with a prairie fire here, Jordan. I just hope I can contain it when the time comes. I know what I pissed on five years ago with that stupid ménage plan, or at least how I handled it, and I want to make it right, whether we get back together again or not.”

  “Well, good luck with that. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.” He laughed. “We can do what I suggested five years ago—hold her hostage at the cabin until she forgives you. Just kidding. It wasn’t a good idea then, and it still isn’t now.”

  “No kidding. Not to mention slightly illegal.”

  “Well, that should come as no surprise, given our family tree.”

  “True enough, bro. I’ll keep you in the loop.” He laughed out loud. They did have a rather interesting family tree, with more than one or two miscreants on the branches. It was said that there were a couple of bank- and train-robbers in the lineup and that the money to start the Rockin’ F came from a bank robbery. Jay thought that story might be slightly exaggerated, but you never knew with the Fairlambs.

  “Do that.”

  Jay flopped down on the sofa in the suite’s living room and dialed room service for a coffee tray. He’d spend a little time in the suite going over the ranch budget for the New Year and some pending beef contracts. He looked out the big plate-glass windows overlooking the grounds and the ocean and saw the three women heading into a cabana at the pool. He’d give them some time. After lunch, they would probably want to do something else and he could go down to the pool or the beach himself. This was definitely going to be tricky, and he couldn’t afford to fuck it up.

  * * * *

  The girls had lunch in their cabana. The day was gorgeous. The sun was hot, but there was a steady ocean breeze to keep things comfortable. The pool and the lazy river feature that meandered through the grounds were heated and delightful.

  Morgan said, “So what are your plans for tonight, guys?”

  “Master said he would text me about getting together. He said he would see about getting a theme room again, if he could.”

  Morgan frowned. “He won’t even give you a first name to call him? Weird.”

  Kathi said, “I met a nice guy last night. His name is Jesse Colton. We had drinks and chatted. We’re going to meet in the club tonight and spend some more time together, then may have dinner together Friday night and maybe a scene. I’ve seen him around Le Club a couple of times. He’s a new member. He’s very nice-looking and easy to talk to, and I definitely felt some sparks, but nothing huge yet.”

  “Well, give it time. Sometimes sparks take time to ignite. I’m going to call Eric and hopefully have phone sex. I’m getting a little jealous here.” She grinned. What she actually planned to do was snoop around a bit and see what she could find out about the mysterious Master. Whether she told the girls what she might or might not find out remained to be seen. She could keep her mouth shut when she thought it was the right thing to do. There had to be a good reason for all this mystery.

  First, she planned to see what she could find out from the concierge at the front desk. That would be tricky because of the confidentiality issues that were apparently taken very seriously here. If that bore no fruit, she would just walk around the grounds, checking out all the guys for that spectacular body. The Master had a world-class chest, long, muscular legs and a great ass, that was for sure. She’d checked him out carefully while they were all having drinks together in the dungeon last night and hadn’t found him wanting. For some reason, he looked a little familiar. Possibly, she had seen him at Le Club at some time. She didn’t recall anyone who had a penchant for masks, though.

  Morgan Hunter, intrepid girl detective. Hmmm, this was going to be fun. While Penelope and Kathi were napping in anticipation of getting ready for their evening dates, Morgan put on a pair of Capri pants, a white silk T-shirt and sandals, pulled her hair up into a messy bun on top of her head, and donned a pair of big, dark sunglasses. She was wearing her Black Dahlia identification bracelet.

  She sat in a secluded nook of the luxurious and spacious lobby for about an hour with a tall glass of iced tea and her Kindle. She watched the guests come and go through the front entrance and the various doors out to the pool and beach. She walked around the small shops off the lobby and poked her head into the dining room, the front porch dotted with white wicker rocking chairs, the dining terrace and the bar. Then she checked out the billiards room. No mysterious Masters and nothing unexpected, so far.

  She walked over to the front desk and struck up a conversation with the clerk. “I’m having so much fun. I love the BDSM element of this hotel. What a great idea.”

  “Well, we hope you and your friends enjoy your stay at The Black Dahlia.”

  “Thanks. A bunch of my friends from Dallas have already arrived or are coming in. Would it be possible to see the list of Dallas guests to see who all is coming? I wanted to plan a little get-together for tomorrow or the next day.”

  The young girl, wearing a navy-blue blazer, white shirt and brass nametag with the name “Donatella” spelled out in fancy script, looked confused. The hotel had had a grand opening on Christmas Day, and apparently, no one had asked that of her before. She clearly didn’t know exactly what to say. Probably, she wasn’t supposed to make something like that public, but she didn’
t want to be rude and turn down a guest’s request. Morgan almost felt guilty for taking advantage of her. But really, in her job as a paralegal for a downtown Dallas litigation firm, she frequently had to fudge the facts to get the information she wanted.

  “Well…really, Ms. Hunter, I don’t think I’m authorized to give out that information.”

  “Truthfully, Donatella, I met a Dom in the dungeon last night, and we had a little…scene, if you know what I mean. He totally blew me away, but I can’t remember his name. That is so embarrassing. Couldn’t I just take a little look at the guest list and see if it jogs my memory? I’d hate to not know his name when I see him later tonight. You might actually spare me a punishment if you could just let me take a peek.” She gave her most winning, innocent smile. Ha! Innocent as a female tiger on the prowl. She giggled to herself.

  “Oh, I guess it would be okay if you’re quick about it. I don’t want to get caught, though, or I’ll find myself up in the dungeon with my boss, Mr. Dunross, in exactly the same predicament.” Donatella shivered visibly.

  She entered some key strokes on the computer keyboard and turned the screen to face Morgan, who quickly scanned the list of names to see if any jumped out at her. She knew most of the members of Le Club Longhorn at least by sight. About halfway down the list, her eyes came to a screeching stop. Suite 910, Jay Preston Fairlamb, Mesquite, Texas. What the hell? Jay wasn’t supposed to be here, according to Kathi, who had checked with Michael at Le Club.

  She rapidly continued down through the rest of the list. This was likely to be her only opportunity for a look at the confidential guest list. None of the other names jumped out at her, and in truth, she knew almost all of the people on it. Many were couples, and a few were Doms she had seen at the club. Morgan had to think about this. She didn’t want to spook Penelope by telling her that Jay was on the guest list. Her new D/s relationship with the mysterious Master seemed very promising. It would be a shame if Penelope bolted back to Dallas just because Jay was here.

  “Thanks for your help, Donatella. I think I spotted the name I need.”

  “Please, just don’t tell anyone I showed you the list.”

  “I promise. Not a word.”

  Morgan sat back down in the lobby. One of the waiters from the dining room brought her a fresh iced tea and a plate of cookies. The service in this place really was terrific. What am I going to do?

  Just then, she looked up as the glass door out to the beach opened, and Jay Fairlamb walked through in wet swim trunks with a damp towel slung around his neck. His dark hair was wet and curly, and shorter than he used to wear it, and he had definitely filled out. She watched him carefully from behind her big, black sunglasses. The way he moved. The arrogant set of his posture. The spectacular chest she had seen in the dungeon the night before.

  Chest? Shit!

  The mysterious Master was Jay Preston Fairlamb. She was almost positive. As he walked past, she checked out that world-class ass. She was ninety-nine-percent sure this was Pen’s new “Master.” He headed for the glass-walled elevator and stood waiting for it to return to the lobby. Morgan hastily stood up, gathered up her belongings, and walked to the elevator. She stood slightly behind Jay and out of his line of sight. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. Should she say anything to him? Should she confront him? If he didn’t know Pen was here, she didn’t want to be the one to clue him in. Shit, shit, major shit.

  The distinctive “bing” sounded and the elevator doors opened. She stepped into the car behind Jay and backed up against the wall. She looked around the tiny enclosure at anything but him.

  “Hello, Morgan. Am I busted?”

  “Uh, what did you say, Sir?”

  “Morgan?” He looked nearly as upset as she felt. She didn’t know what to say. “Are you going to tell Penelope that I’m here, that I’m the Master she met in the dungeon last night?”

  “Is there any reason I shouldn’t tell her?” She knew she looked skeptical.

  “Come up to my suite for a drink and let’s talk. I haven’t had an opportunity to talk to any of you girls in five years. Things change. People change. Please?”

  She looked into his eyes. He lowered his guard and she saw the pain there. “Okay. We can talk. I’m not making any promises right now.”

  They got off the elevator on the ninth floor, and he guided her to the corner suite at the end of the hall. He slid his key card into the reader and opened the door for her. She stepped inside. Her eyes popped wide. Their suite on the fifth floor was lovely, spacious, and very nice. Jay’s suite was absolutely gorgeous. It was furnished in cream leather with thick, white carpeting. The floor-to-ceiling expanse of glass was a panorama of sun, sand and ocean.

  “Come on in. Can I get you a glass of wine or something?”

  “I think I could use a glass of wine. You were the last person I expected to see here or to be Pen’s mysterious Master. What the hell is going on, Jay? Kathi was assured by Michael at the club that you weren’t coming on this trip, or Penelope would not have agreed to come.”

  Jay walked over to the built-in wet bar and took a bottle of white wine out of the mini refrigerator. He poured her a glass and himself a short bourbon on the rocks. He walked over to the couch and sat down opposite her.

  “Michael did me a favor. He let me know you all booked the trip. He was my frat brother at UT. When I found out Penelope was coming, I knew it might be my one chance to make this right.” He looked directly into Morgan’s eyes, and his were pleading. “I’ve tried to talk to Penelope for five years, with no luck. Short of becoming a stalker, I was at an impasse. Please don’t screw this up for me, Morgan. I’m begging you, and I never beg.”

  “I have a feeling you can do that all by yourself without any help from me. Why are you doing this, Jay? Haven’t you done enough to screw her over already? I can’t imagine how she is going to react when she finds out it was you under that mask.”

  “That’s why I’m begging you not to tell her. Please give me a chance to fix the mistake I made five years ago. I haven’t been able to get over it, and I can see now that neither has Penelope. I saw the pain in her eyes when she said her boyfriend had not been someone she could trust or rely on. It nearly killed me to hear her say that.”

  “And is that statement untrue? Were you someone she could trust and rely on?” She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. He had a shitload to answer for.

  “No, I wasn’t. I made a mistake, a really big mistake. But guess what? We all make them, and then grow up, and I realized that I love Pen. I always have. I want to fix this. I want her back. I’ll tell her when the time is right. I just need a chance to make her see that I’ve changed, that I can be the man, the Master, the husband, she needs.”

  Morgan continued to watch him. He looked so upset. She guessed he’d thought he could fly under their radar. Well, big boy, that was not the case.

  But what was she going to do? At the time of the incident, she and Kathi had hoped against hope that Pen and Jay would work out their problem, but it had not happened. It took a lot, but once Pen was mad, she stayed that way. That was another problem. Would she ever talk to Morgan again if she found out that Morgan knew the Master was Jay and didn’t tell her? Maybe not, not in this lifetime, unless Jay was able to pull off a miracle and talk her around. Or screw her around. But she desperately wanted this chance for Penelope.

  “Jay, I would be taking a big risk to my friendship with Penelope if I don’t make full disclosure here. The friendship we’ve had since we were high school freshmen might be over for good.”

  “I realize that you would be making a big sacrifice to help me. I won’t tell her if you don’t. I know that sounds dishonest, but I’m desperate. I don’t want to be the cause of Penelope losing someone else who is important to her. But Morgan, I just can’t walk away from this opportunity to get Penelope back.” He was waiting for her answer.

  Morgan was softhearted and in love herself, and she wanted that for one of her
best friends as well. She took a sip of her wine and made a snap decision. “Okay. I’ll give you this week. If you can’t fix it before we return to Dallas, I’m going to tell her I think you are the Master.” She got up to leave. “I’m not going to tell her exactly when I started to think that. I don’t know how you are going to get her to agree to the mask thing for that long, but that is your problem.”

  * * * *

  Jay took a healthy swallow of his bourbon. That was close. He hadn’t thought he would to be able to talk Morgan into cooperating with this admittedly crazy scheme. If this worked, it would be a miracle, but he’d never wanted anything more.

  Later that afternoon, he texted Penelope. Meet me in the main dungeon at eight. I booked the Spanish Hacienda theme room for our scene. Master.

  Yes, Master. Looking forward to seeing your handsome face.

  Morgan was right about one thing. It was going to be difficult to get Penelope to agree to his continued use of a mask. He was going to have to do some fast-talking. He had to think this out. What could he tell her to get her to agree?

  * * * *

  Penelope and the girls had a light snack on the balcony of their suite, eating while they were getting ready for the evening, doing hair and makeup, and choosing and exchanging dungeon clothes.

  Penelope noticed that Morgan seemed a bit off. “Are you okay, hon? You seem a little down.”

  “I’m okay. I guess I miss Eric, and everyone has something going on but me. Don’t mind my ‘poor little me’ act. I’m fine.”

  “Well, that makes me feel bad. Why don’t we plan a girls’ day in the spa tomorrow? We can book massages and facials and stuff.”

  “That would be great,” Kathi broke in. “I could use a trim. I meant to get a haircut before we left, but my schedule got jammed up.”

  “Okay. That would be fun. We can have lunch upstairs in the café in the spa in our robes and green gooey face masques.” Morgan looked more cheerful already. “I’m going up to the dungeon for a while to watch you girls get settled, but then I think I might come back to the suite for an early night, and to call Eric for that phone sex.”