Cassandra's Revenge [Golden Dolphin 4] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Skye Michaels

  “I don’t see anything that is obviously the murder weapon, Sy.”

  “Me either. Of course if I was the murderer I’d toss it overboard, but then there would be no game.” Sy had to smile as Devon turned toward the door. He was really enjoying this little pixie with the purple streaks in her hair. Who would have thought it? She was definitely different than his usual type of girl. She was an adventurous free spirit, and he could see she wouldn’t take any crap. He’d have to be on top of his game to keep her interest, but it would definitely be worth the trouble.

  “Let’s try the engine room and tender garages. We might find something useful there.”

  * * * *

  The two couples met for lunch on the main deck. Cassie sank down into her chair and eagerly downed half of her glass of iced tea. “Did you guys have any luck?”

  Devon shook her head. “Nope. We checked the dungeon, engine room, and tender garages for the murder weapon. Nothing. We thought we might try the theme rooms after lunch.”

  Cassie had to laugh at Sy’s hopeful expression as soon as Devon mentioned theme rooms. He obviously wanted to look for something other than a murder weapon.

  Late in the day one of the other teams located a ketchup smeared club under the central stairway on the crew deck. Usually, it was used to dispatch fish after they were caught and landed on the deck. It was wrapped in one of the crew’s uniform shirts and tucked back in the corner, but there was no name embroidered on the shirt. Cassie couldn’t tell how much information the other teams had gathered, but she and Beau didn’t have much except that the murderer was being blackmailed. Sy and Devon had even less when they met on deck for cocktails at sundown.

  “I give up. This is harder than it looked. We questioned a bunch of steward characters about whether they were being blackmailed by Jones, but no luck.”

  “Well, I give up, too. I’m having a frozen strawberry margarita and calling it a day. Someone else can win this game.” Devon looked like she’d had it and curled up in Sy’s lap with her drink.

  Everyone applauded when one of the teams actually cracked the case. Apparently Jones was knocked over the head by a once-wealthy widow played by Casey Campbell who had lost a substantial amount to him at cards and didn’t want to pay up. He had threatened to tell all of the passengers that she was a welsher if she didn’t fork over the money. “Well, they obviously worked harder at it than we did.” The happy couple had won a very pricy bottle of champagne and a bottle of very old brandy and were delighted with their win.

  The day was capped off with cocktails and dinner and dancing on deck before Cassie and Beau retired to the suite and Sy and Devon retired to Devon’s cabin.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The Golden Dolphin, at anchor in deep water off Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands, in the Caribbean Sea, May 22, 2014—Thursday Morning, Day Thirteen of the Cruise

  Cassie was glad that the captain had decided to anchor off Parrot Cay instead of the capital at Cockburn Town on Grand Turk Island. After the hustle and bustle of George Town and Kingston, he had apparently wanted to give the passengers a change of scene in a more relaxed and quiet locale. Cassie and Devon were eager to debark via the tenders to a small dock owned by one of the luxury hotels on the island where they had made arrangements for lunch and a cabana for the day. They were planning on possibly having dinner, cocktails, and dancing with Beau and Sy at one of the hotel’s several restaurants and bar hopping later that evening. The Golden Dolphin was not scheduled to leave until midnight that night. They also had appointments at the hotel’s luxury spa. Facials, herbal wraps, manicures, pedicures, and massages were on order. The Golden Dolphin was luxurious, but they were ready for a girls’ day at the spa. Beau and Sy had made arrangements through the ship’s purser for a deep-sea fishing trip aboard one of the local charter boats.

  Once they were at the hotel, they quickly located their cabana, which was very private and right on the sand at the end of the hotel’s beach. “Oh, this is heaven, Dev. I love the ship, but you have to be on top of your game all the time. It will be nice to just relax all day, and I’m really looking forward to the facial and massage especially.” Cassie was reclining on one of the plush chaise lounges located right under the slowly whirling ceiling fan with an ice-cold mimosa in her hand.

  “And I don’t suppose you mind having a break from Beau today, right?”

  “You know entirely too much about me, BFF. How did you know? I’ve been trying to keep up a cheerful front and not let my inner turmoil show on my face. And believe me—it’s not easy despite all my good resolutions about letting bygones be bygones.”

  “Honey, I keep as close track of the calendar as you do where May 22nd is concerned and always have. It was one of the worst days of my life as well as yours. It was hell to watch you go through that experience and to relive it every year since.” She sighed. “I just hope you are really going to let it go now. You’ve had your revenge, and it was a good one. Beau really seems to want to make it up to you and go on from here.”

  “I know…It seems that way anyway. Like you said before, I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

  “Well, can’t you just give him a chance? Give it a try, okay? Please. It would be the best thing for you both. You need to drop this load of hurt feelings, and he needs to drop his load of guilt. Did you spend the night with him in their suite? I didn’t hear any noise from your side last night.”

  “I know you’re right. I am trying.” She continued at Devon’s skeptical look. “Truly, I am. It’s just really hard to change the habits of fifteen years. We did spend the night in their suite. It’s so much bigger than our cabins and very, very nice—as you know. I have to admit Beau is certainly making an effort. He couldn’t be more attentive or caring, and the sex couldn’t be better or hotter. Ha! If I had known that fifteen years ago, I might not have held him off.”

  “Sy says that Beau is determined to make a go of this second chance at a relationship with you.”

  “Really? What else did Sy say?”

  “Nothing much. He is no more likely to spill all of Beau’s secrets than I am to spill all of yours. That was just a passing remark.”

  Cassie finished her mimosa and rolled over on the chaise for a nap until it was time for their first spa appointment. She could see Devon out of the corner of her eye. “Let’s just enjoy today and let tomorrow take care of itself.”

  * * * *

  As Con was about to go down and catch a tender to shore, he said, “I’ll be back at four o’clock to relieve you. I’m taking Barbee to the beach and lunch. I want to keep an eye on her. Who knows where else she has loot stashed. When I get back, you’ll be off until nine. What are your plans? Why don’t you catch up with Baylee and spend a ‘friendly’ afternoon and evening ashore?”

  “Give it a rest, Con. I’m thinking about it”

  “Thinking. You’re always thinking. Just go for it for crap’s sake.”

  “She was the one who wanted to be ‘just friends.’” Alex didn’t look happy.

  “Come on. You know you were thinking the same thing and trying to figure out how to say it to her. You’re just pissed because she beat you to it, and now you realize it was a shitty idea from the get-go. Admit it, and do something about it.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Hey, by the way, have you noticed that Casey seems a little off lately? She’s not her usual cheerful self.”

  “No, I hadn’t noticed. Maybe it’s that time.”

  “I don’t think so. She usually runs with the full moon as weird as that sounds. Oh, well, it’s probably nothing. Women.”

  * * * *

  Baylee and Barbee were finishing breakfast on their deck. “Do you want to go ashore and see what’s available? I’m getting a little stir crazy.”

  “I’m meeting Con. We’re going to the beach and then having lunch. He has to be back on board by four. I don’t know what he has in mind, but I’m sure it involves getting naked at some
point. I just love that about him.”

  “Oh. Okay. Have a good time.” Baylee was a little disappointed that she would be on her own for the day.

  “Why don’t you see if you can’t have a friendly lunch with Alex? You could order lunch for two to be served on our deck and call him just before noon to invite him down. If Con’s ashore, he’ll be on duty.”

  “Maybe. I’ll think about it. I’m a little hesitant to put myself out there like that. What if he says no?”

  “Just remind him you’re only trying to be friendly. He’ll have to respond in kind or look like he’s pouting. That man does have a delicious pout. Another dose of friendly may put him over the edge.” Barbee looked delighted at that idea, but then she wouldn’t have to put up with an over-the-edge Alex.

  * * * *

  Beau and Sy had just boarded the charter boat, Parrot’s Lady, at the dock, and both were looking forward to a day of fishing, no women for a few hours, beer, more fishing, and more beer. It was a good-looking boat—well-kept and efficient. “I’ve got to get a handle on this situation, Sy. I’m not used to not being the one in control of the relationship. I like to drive the boat, so to speak. That’s one of the best things about BDSM.” He laughed. “If you’re the Dom anyway.”

  “Is that why you broke up with Stephanie and uncollared her? What was that? About a month ago? Because she wouldn’t let you drive the boat? Or was it her passive-aggressive tendencies that drove you crazy?”

  “Stephanie was a textbook illustration of passive-aggressive—no question about that. I’m just glad to be out of that relationship. She sure didn’t make it easy to extricate myself from that situation though. This trip came along at the perfect time for a strategic getaway.”

  * * * *

  Casey Campbell and Natasha Romanova were having a late breakfast in the crew’s dining room. They had helped all the passengers with their shore plans and transport to the dock before they took a break. “Well, Con and Barbee Baxter went ashore together again. I wonder how long it will take them to get naked. Never mind. I don’t need to think about that, but he hasn’t spent any time with me at all on this cruise. Not that I want to enjoy that bitch’s seconds, thank you very much.”

  “Casey, try to relax. Trip will be over in few days and all will go back to normal.”

  “Maybe not. I’m not just a convenience for Captain Constantine Cortelis. I think I need to start making other plans.” Casey tucked a loose strand of her wavy red hair back into her braid and straightened her neat uniform shirt.

  “What do you mean ‘other plans’?” Natasha looked concerned. “You are not thinking of quitting, I hope. This is too good job to let some man run you off, what with all the Devereau benefits and everything. That would be big mistake.”

  “No, I’m not thinking of quitting—just another relationship. After all, he didn’t think anything about playing dolls with Barbee. Why shouldn’t I find another guy?” She started to giggle. “That visual is too much. I don’t know about that!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  That evening after the Golden Dolphin set out for Cat Island, the galley crew had prepared a late-night lobster buffet with a romantic evening of dancing on the top deck under the incredibly brilliant canopy of stars to follow the feast. Cassie knew she looked absolutely fabulous after a day in the hotel spa. The nice, long swim and time in the sun, not to mention the facial, wrap, mani-pedi, and massage, had all been top drawer, and she knew she was glowing. She wore the white gauze dress with a delicate gold chain interspersed with multicolored, exotic gem flower stations along its length. Her skin and hair had been conditioned, and the light of the lanterns bounced off the curls framing her shoulders. She had to admit that she had never enjoyed her curly hair before this trip. Compared to all the machinations she had gone through to tame it for all those years, it was now pretty much effortless.

  Devon, dressed in a slim-fitting, long dress in a burnt orange and gold block print that complimented the cap of red hair she’d had trimmed and colored at the spa, poked her head into Cassie’s cabin. “You look great, Cass.”

  “You, too. I can’t say I’m sad to see the purple streaks go. I like your hair better this way. Why don’t you wear my carnelian beads? They will look fabulous with that dress.”

  “Okay. Thanks. We’ll see what Sy says about the hair. I think he was getting used to the purple streaks.”

  Cassie had to laugh at that. Devon was a beautiful little sprite when she wasn’t trying to be avant-garde. Sometimes Cassie thought she tried too hard to be different.

  Heads turned when Cassie and Devon made their appearance on deck. Beau and Sy immediately claimed them for a dance and then commandeered drinks from the roaming stewards.

  Beau whispered in Cassie’s ear, “You look wonderful tonight, babe. I can’t decide if I want to show you off on deck or drag you down to the dungeon to have you all to myself.”

  “A little of each would be nice.” She smiled shyly at him. She still didn’t have full confidence in Beau or herself, but she knew she was making progress.

  After some luscious lobster, two margaritas, and several dances, Beau took Cassie’s hand and led her down the central staircase to the dungeon on the third deck. Cassie had seen the dungeon during the sub training classes, but this was the first time she would be there for a scene.

  “This is your first time in the dungeon, isn’t it? We haven’t used it except for the class that one day. Our only other scenes were in the theme rooms after the sub auction and game night. I’ve been anxious to scene with you again, but I didn’t think you were ready for me to push the boundaries of our very fragile relationship.”

  “That’s right. We’ve only had those two scenes.” She was a little anxious about participating in a full-blown BDSM scene in the dungeon, which was a public venue, but she thought she wanted the experience, especially if it was important to Beau.

  Beau opened the door to the dungeon with his key card. The dungeon with its full complement of BDSM equipment was a little daunting. Cassie took a deep breath and smiled at him. Okay. This really is no different than the theme rooms. There was another couple also using the equipment, so they were not alone.

  When Cassie turned to face Beau, he had clearly slipped into Dom mode. His bearing was more formal and much more intimidating. She didn’t know exactly what it was. It could be the haughty, dominant expression on his face or the dark look in his eyes. “Okay, sub, strip and assume the position.”

  Am I ready for this? The creamy wet between her legs said she was indeed ready for a dungeon scene with Beau. Her pussy throbbed as she said, “Yes, Master.” She stripped out of her white gauze dress and strappy sandals and put them in the armoire as was proper procedure. Neatness counted on this assignment. She could only imagine what the Sisters at St. Mary’s would have to say about this endeavor. She almost laughed but caught herself in time. She was left wearing only the multicolored flower necklace. She dropped down into the slave position at Beau’s feet.

  “I bought you a little gift when we were in George Town. There was a little fetish shop on one of the back streets. I didn’t think you were ready for this in Kingston.” He pulled a black box from his trousers pocket. “I know you’ve never tried nipple clamps before, so I bought these with blue topaz stones for you because I thought they were almost as beautiful as your eyes.”

  He opened the box and took out the two gold nipple clamps with dangling light blue stones that glowed in the overhead spot lights in the dungeon ceiling. “What do you know about nipple clamps?”

  Those sky blue topaz stones are pretty, and they will match my eyes. “I’ve heard about them, Master, and I saw some being used at the club in Savannah when I was there with Devon, but of course, I’ve never used them myself.”

  “Let me prepare you. They can be a little uncomfortable at first.” He reached down and pulled her to her feet, and then he took first one nipple and then the other into his hot mouth. He pulled and tugged on th
e tender nubs until they were hard and standing up.

  Cassie gasped as he fastened one of the gold clamps to her right nipple. It was uncomfortable, but the pain faded quickly as she adjusted to the pressure. Actually, the sensation was amazing, but she couldn’t quite decide how it felt—tingly, almost an itch. Beau tightened the clasp and then loosened the clamp a little so she would be more comfortable. He repeated the procedure on her left nipple. When she looked down and saw her hard, pinched nipples and the sparkling blue stones bobbing against her tan breasts, she felt very sexy, and her clit ached. She smiled at him. “Thank you, Master. They really are beautiful.”

  “You look beautiful. I’ve played this scene out in my mind more than once since I picked up the nipple clamps.” Cassie watched as his eyes ran over her nude body. He stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her, plundering her mouth as she moaned. He ran his hands down her back and over her bottom before he brought them up and around to cup her breasts and jiggle the nipple clamps. The bolt of electricity that ran from her nipples directly to her pussy was shocking.

  “There are a lot of things I’d like to do with you, sub, but I know you aren’t ready for most of them. I don’t want to scare you so let’s start slowly.”

  “Whatever you say, Master.” Cassie hoped she was getting the hang of the BDSM protocol and thought she was when she saw the beautiful smile on his face. She knew her willingness to participate in a scene pleased him.

  “We will put the cuffs on your wrists and ankles, sub. I’m going to fasten them to those hanging chains. Remember to trust your Master.” He reached for her wrists and cuffed them and then fastened the cuffs to the chains. Cassie couldn’t help but be a little apprehensive at the idea of being chained to the ceiling of the dungeon. Beau adjusted the length of the ceiling chains so that she was standing on her toes. “Spread your legs so I can fasten your ankle cuffs to the bolts on the floor,” he said as he proceeded to secure her to the floor as well.