“How about some sightseeing and lunch in Key West tomorrow? Maybe we can get a fresh start.”
“Okay. We can start with that, I guess.” She knew she sounded far from enthusiastic, but he would just have to deal with it.
* * * *
Devon was enjoying being held close to Sy’s broad chest as they swayed to the music. She had dressed carefully, wanting to please him. Her short black dress was sexy but not slutty. She knew she had to be careful in her choice of clothes—what with the purple streaks in her hair and all.
She could see Cassie in Beau’s arms, and she was worried. She had no idea what plan was bouncing around in Cassie’s fertile mind, but it promised to be trouble. Oh, well. She had tried to worm the plan out of Cassie, but she had refused to spill the beans. Devon wasn’t sure Cassie had it all worked out in her head yet in any event. Cassie was a big girl now and could decide for herself how far she wanted to take this scenario.
“It looks like Sandy and Beau might be making peace,” Sy said hopefully.
“I doubt it. I think it’s just the calm before the storm.”
When the dance had ended, he said, “So, let’s take a walk around the deck.” He grinned down at her. “Maybe we can find a secluded corner to get to know each other a little better. Do you think you might want to scene with me one of these days?” He looked so eager it made her heart skip a beat.
She smiled up at him. “I think I might, Mr. Blackthorn, I mean, Master.”
* * * *
Barbee and Baylee Baxter were standing with a mixed group of passengers and crew members enjoying the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while they waited for the buffet supper to be unveiled. Barbee hoped none of the crew would mention their escapades from the Rio cruise to the other passengers. That would be embarrassing. She thought they probably wouldn’t say anything as most of them had been very fond of Baylee, even after what they had done had come to light.
She shivered when she remembered the beating Alex and Con had delivered in the dungeon that day. It had been scary enough to prompt her to confess and return the stolen jewels. That was too bad. That haul would probably have been their last one even if they had not been caught, and it had conservatively been worth at least a hundred grand, discounted fenced value. She was the business head of the team. She shrugged internally. She and Baylee had determined to give up their jewel thief careers. They both had great jobs in New York, not to mention the impressive offshore accounts they had accumulated over the years toward their eventual retirement, and they didn’t need the secondary income. They had had a close call before boarding the Golden Dolphin. Getting caught aboard so soon after that had scared the shit out of both of them. They could have ended up in jail if not for the kindness of Anne Devereau, Violette O’Reilly, and Harper Cameron.
Barbee planned to retrieve some stolen jewelry that was stashed in a safe deposit box in the Cayman Islands if she got the opportunity when the Dolphin docked there on the return leg of the cruise. She would have to be careful about that and hadn’t decided yet if she would try or not. She might leave that for another trip.
“I see Alex over on the other side of the deck. He refuses to look this way.” Barbee could see the pain in Baylee’s eyes, and it ticked her off. She would like to give that self-righteous prick a piece of her mind. Yes, she understood he was upset, but he was hurting her sister, and that was not okay.
“Honey, try to blow it off. I know it hurts, but enjoying yourself, or at least seeming to, would be the best way to get his attention.”
“I don’t want to cause him pain or make him jealous…”
“Sis, sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do.” Right then Alex turned and speared Baylee with his hard, dark gaze. Barbee could see the anger burning in his eyes. “Well, go and talk to him then. He can’t make too much of a scene on deck with all the other crew and passengers right here. This might be your best opportunity to reason with him.”
Barbee could see Baylee steel her resolve before she walked over to Alex, put her arm through his, and pulled him out of sight around a corner of the deck. It was plain he didn’t want to go, but he went reluctantly.
* * * *
Baylee took her courage in both hands. “Alex, please talk to me. If it would make you feel better, beat me and get it over with. This attitude is more painful to my heart than a crop across my butt.”
“I have no desire to engage with you as Master and sub again. Your actions on the last cruise ended any possibility of a relationship between us.”
“I don’t think that’s true. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be so mad and upset at me now.”
“That is wishful thinking, Ms. Baxter.”
“Prove it, Master Alex. Meet me for a scene in one of the theme rooms tomorrow. I want to know for sure. I can’t live with these feelings. I either want to repair our relationship or kill my feelings for you completely. Maybe that would help you as well. I think we both need closure.”
“Maybe it would. I can’t seem to get past these feelings of anger and discontent either.”
“Eleven o’clock in the French bordello theme room?”
“Okay, but I have to warn you. You are probably going to regret this.”
Chapter Seven
The Golden Dolphin, Key West Harbor, Key West, Florida, May 12, 2014—Monday Morning, Day Three of the Cruise
Beau and Cassie boarded the Riva tender for the trip to the dock in Key West Harbor. The Golden Dolphin was at anchor out in deep water. He had waited for her on the deck that morning trying not to look anxious while he drank several cups of the excellent but strong coffee served on board. He didn’t know why he wanted to get to know this particular woman. He just did. There were certainly plenty of other attractive and willing women aboard, but he kept gravitating back to Sandy.
When she didn’t show up for breakfast, he thought she was going to blow off both him and their sightseeing trip. Apparently, she and Devon had had breakfast on their private deck. He breathed a sigh of relief when she had appeared at the tender garage ready for their excursion, although she seemed rather ambivalent about the trip. This was a mystery he would continue to work on. She looked great in a pair of khaki walking shorts and a shape-hugging turquoise camisole top. Those tempting pink-tipped toes were encased in a pair of comfortable walking sandals.
The trip across the water was invigorating. The wind blew through Sandy’s wild hair, and he wanted to run his hands through the soft, blonde curls. When they reached the dock at Mallory Square and got off the Riva, he said, “Do you want to take the trolley tour of Key West or walk up Duval Street? I think that’s where the shops are.”
“Let’s walk. That would be great. I’d like to check out some of the boutiques and galleries offering handmade jewelry—see what my competition is up to.”
They started up Duval Street, and Beau could see she was going to try to keep her distance. He would just have to take the initiative. He walked close beside her, and once he had her hand firmly clasped in his, she seemed to settle down and accept his touch. He wondered if she felt the same sizzle that he did when he was touching her. He didn’t know what it was about her—maybe a sensory or dream memory. He just couldn’t get a handle on it. He knew she had been in at least one of his rather graphic dreams since boarding the Golden Dolphin.
Duval Street was crowded and bustling, and he refused to let go of her hand. The area had been commercialized and lots of tourists and colorful Conch Republic citizens abounded. They wandered in and out of the myriad of shops, and he could see that Sandy delighted in the display of jewelry and boutique style clothes.
After an hour or so of browsing, she said, “I can see you have had enough of shopping. What would you like to see? I think we have enough time to check out the Mel Fisher Museum. They have displays of some of the treasure Mel has discovered.”
Beau smiled at her and wondered how she knew he had always been fascinated by treasure and treasure hunters. “I’d
love that actually. That’s another must see. Let’s go. We can catch lunch at Sloppy Joe’s Bar first and then hit the museum. ”
“That would be great. I love conch chowder, Bahaman bread, and conch fritters.”
“And a beer wouldn’t go unappreciated.”
Over lunch, Beau carefully pumped Sandy for information about herself. She wasn’t very forthcoming, and he found he had to practically pry the most basic information out of her. “So do you live in Savannah also? You never did answer that question.”
“Yes, I have a shop in the historic district with a small apartment upstairs that I moved into after I graduated from college.”
“How did you get into jewelry designing?”
“I’ve always designed jewelry. It’s just what I do, and thankfully, I’ve been very successful at it. I have a very dedicated following at home.”
“Tell me about your family. Any sisters and brothers?”
“No, I just have my parents. Devon is as close to me as a sister. We’ve been friends since kindergarten…and no, she didn’t always have purple hair. The purple streaks are a recent addition. She went to a private prep school, and I went to a Catholic girls’ school, but we still were able to spend a lot of time together.”
“What else can you tell me about yourself? You really are making this hard. I have to dig for every nugget of information.”
“I don’t mean to be difficult. I guess I’m just a very private person. Why don’t you tell me about yourself instead? How did you get involved in BDSM?”
“Now that is a really long story for another day. I’m an investment banker with a large firm in Atlanta. I’ve always been fascinated by money and how it works.” He smiled what he knew as his most devastating smile. “So, are you going to agree to do a scene with me?” He knew he was pushing it, but he just couldn’t seem to help himself.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to do a scene with anyone. I’m still exploring the possibilities. We’ll have to see about that. I have another sub training class this afternoon.”
“Well, maybe while we’re crossing the Gulf. Have you ever been married?” That was one question Beau really wanted an answer to.
“No.” She didn’t elaborate. “Have you?” Geez, the one-word answers were starting to get on his nerves, especially since he wanted to know everything there was to know about this beautiful but elusive creature.
“Nope.” He was puzzled, and he continued to press for answers. “Why not?” She was so gorgeous. He couldn’t believe all of mankind wasn’t trying to batter down her door.
“Just never met the right person I guess.” He could see she wasn’t going to elaborate on that answer either. It just made her more fascinating. There was definitely a mystery here to be solved, and he was determined to do so.
After lunch they visited the Mel Fisher Museum as promised, browsed the shops some more, and then headed back toward Mallory Square at a leisurely pace. He had kept a tight hold of her hand the whole way and was reluctant to let go even to allow her to board the tender. He was as curious about his own eager reaction as he was about her reticence. There was just something about her—he didn’t know what it was. He had to figure this out.
* * * *
Alex needed to get off the ship and away from Baylee. He needed to think. He put a bathing suit on under his jeans and tee shirt and went in search of his buddy, Saltydawg. He put Salty on a leash, and they boarded the tender to the dock. A trip to the dog beach on the ocean side of the island was in order. He needed a couple of hours to think before he met Baylee for the scene he knew he should definitely not have agreed to.
When they got to the beach, he took Salty’s leash off and stuck it in his backpack. He stripped off his jeans and tee shirt, sat down on a towel just above the waterline, and let Salty run in and out of the small ripples on the flat coral rock shore. Key West did not boast the best beaches in Florida, but the water was a gorgeous shade between turquoise and jade. He needed to think, and the water always helped him do that. While Salty explored the small tidal pools looking for crabs and generally enjoyed himself, Alex thought back on what had happened on the Rio cruise.
He knew he had instigated the sexual liaison he had enjoyed with Baylee, and unbeknownst to him, her identical twin sister, Barbee. He had wanted Baylee the minute he had seen her even though she wasn’t his usual “type.” He couldn’t believe he had not known there were two of them, and that fact had only come to light after he noticed a small scar on Barbee’s inner right knee. He hadn’t thought he had ever seen it before and was puzzled.
He didn’t know if what bothered him more was the fact the Baxter sisters had made a fool of him or that they were jewel thieves victimizing the passengers on the Golden Dolphin. As second-in-command, the welfare of the ship and her passengers and crew was his responsibility, and he took it seriously. In all honesty, it was probably some of each. He had certainly felt like a complete fool when he realized he had been fucking both of them and had never known it. He didn’t know if he could get past that and forgive her. The jewels stolen from the Devereau and Rossiter suites had been recovered, and Baylee had been instrumental in saving Violette O’Reilly—that had to count for something, didn’t it? She obviously still wanted something from him. He didn’t know if he could give it to her.
* * * *
Baylee was waiting anxiously for Alex in the French Bordello theme room. The room’s red and gold décor was opulent and over the top. She and Alex had used this room several times on the cruise to Rio. She was on the floor, naked, and in the slave position. She didn’t know how he would react when he came through the door—if he came through the door. She wasn’t completely sure he would show up. She knew he had taken Salty and left the ship that morning. She had seen him aboard the Riva headed to the dock.
When the door creaked open, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least he was here, and she could finally have her say and maybe be able to make amends for what they had put him through. Poor guy. He’d had to make love to two women. Most guys would call that a dream come true, but she knew his male pride was involved here. Alex was a very proud man and had a strict personal code of ethics, despite the rather unconventional BDSM lifestyle he enjoyed.
“I’m glad you decided to come. I wasn’t sure you would. I saw you leave the ship this morning with Salty.”
“I took him to the dog beach. He gets tired of being cooped up aboard, too.”
“Alex, can we talk? I never got a chance to tell you how sorry I was that we hurt you. It started out as a lark, a little sexual fun. Barbee and I had never shared a lover before and really didn’t understand the emotional pitfalls. I never expected to become emotionally involved with you. I am so very sorry. Can you forgive us? Me?”
“Are you sorry for making a fool of me or using me as a cover for stealing the jewelry? What?”
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Alex Dragados.” She straightened her posture. She had her pride as well. “Barbee and I did not need you as a ‘cover.’ We were among the best jewel thieves in the world. We were extremely good at what we did, and the little commercial safes in the suites were child’s play to either of us. I know that might not be something to be proud of in your book, and we have now retired from that life completely, but we did not need you for that.”
“I agree. That is not something to be proud of.” He looked so furious…and maybe hurt as well.
At that harsh statement, she felt the tears beginning to gather in the corners of her eyes. She was bound and determined not to let them fall. She had cried buckets over Alex in the last two months, and she was done with that. “You know, Barbee is right. You really are a self-righteous, self-satisfied prick. Why don’t you just beat me again? Maybe that will get the anger out of your system. I’ve said I’m sorry. Well, I’m sorry I fell in love with you in the first place as well as for all the other stuff.”
“I don’t believe either of you has loved anyone but each other, ever. Maybe I�
�ll take you up on that offer, Baylee. Put your cuffs on and mount the spanking bench. Maybe you do need to expiate your sins, and maybe I do need to exact a little justice for the way you used me.”
Baylee was scared, but she had made the offer, and she had her pride as well. She couldn’t back down now. She just really hadn’t thought he would take her up on it. She didn’t know why. He had paddled both their butts on more than one occasion, but that had been sexual play and not actual punishment—except for that last time in the dungeon with Con and Barbee. That would have been hot if she hadn’t been so scared and worried about where Barbee was, only to find out she was right there all the time and in the same pickle as herself.
Baylee put on her wrist and ankle cuffs. She slowly rose from the floor, looked him in the eye, and turned toward the spanking bench. Technically, she wasn’t supposed to make eye contact with her Master. She was supposed to keep her eyes submissively down. Tough. She might submit her body to this but not her pride. She was hoping he would stop her, but he didn’t. She mounted the step of the bench and bent over, extending her arms and legs. He checked the cuffs and attached them to the bench. Okay. I am officially scared now. She hated having her butt up in the air and her pussy wide open. She knew it was slick with her dew. Alex always had an immediate physical effect on her. She wanted him no matter what the circumstances, and that was as humiliating as the whipping she was about to get, deserved or not.
He left her bent over and exposed as he chose an implement from the armoire near the door of the room. The anticipation of the punishment to come was causing her inner muscles to clench. She could feel the moisture flooding her pussy, and her clit was beginning to twitch all on its own. He had not even touched her yet.
Cassandra's Revenge [Golden Dolphin 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 5
