“What?” I’ve gotten the impression more than once that Leah isn’t super fond of Owen.
She shrugs. “I don’t know. The guy gives me a strange vibe is all.”
“Well, he’s been nothing but polite, and he’s got a pretty strong Daddy tendency. It’s been forever since I’ve played with a steady Daddy. Let me have some fun.”
“Okay, but please don’t go to his house or anything. Not alone. Not yet. Give it a bit more time.”
I sigh. “I haven’t been to his house yet. I promise.” I have met him in public for coffee and twice for dinner, but Leah knows that.
“Worse, you’ve been to his bar. The place he works. Just…be careful.”
I leap over toward the bed and jump onto it, making the mattress bounce next to her. “Maybe you’re jealous.”
She chuckles. “Of what?”
“Because I have a regular partner at the club finally. It’s been a while since I had a Daddy I could count on.” I shrug.
She laughs again. “I don’t want a relationship with a Daddy, so no. Not jealous. Concerned.”
I lift up the hem of my new dress. “We’re not all that different, you know. We both like short skirts. I just like mine looser.” I giggle.
She rolls her eyes and heaves herself off my bed. “Sure. Almost twins.” She leans over and kisses my cheek. “Gotta go. I’ll see you Friday night?”
“Yep. I’ll be the naughty toddler getting spanked.”
She groans with a smile. “You can get spanked without having a fake tantrum, you know. All you have to do is ask any Dom in the club.”
I give an exaggerated pout. “What’s the fun in that?” I shove off the bed and walk Leah to the door, seeing her out before returning to my bedroom. I stop in front of the mirror and spin around again.
I’m duplicitous. I know it. I work my ass off nine hours a day five days a week at Earnest and Heart. I’m a fantastic accountant. People pay me good money to save them as much as I can. I show up every day as the poster-woman for professionalism. Half my closet is filled with pencil skirts, blouses, jackets, and pumps. I can put my hair in the perfect bun in the dark without a mirror. I learned how to apply makeup from the best—my mother.
So what if my preferred method of relaxation after a long day or week is to pretend I’m a small child without a concern in the world? It’s fun. It’s freeing. Liberating, even. And even better when I have a partner who’s willing to baby me and pamper me.
I flop on my bed and stare at the ceiling.
I’ve only been submitting to Owen for a month, but I think we click in the Dom/sub world. I find him charming. It’s not like I’m planning to date him outside of the club. We’re just friends. No big deal. I’m not sure why Leah finds him creepy. He’s a perfectly nice man. He owns a bar nearby, which I found out by accident a few weeks ago when I went there for a drink after work.
Owen is a good match for me as a Daddy. He can be playful and fun but also stern and serious when called for. And when I’m in my little persona at the club, I always ensure the Daddy I’m subbing for ends up needing to discipline me.
I get a rush of endorphins when I scene with a Daddy. Usually, it’s planned. I look cute, misbehave intentionally, and get my bottom spanked. It’s not really different from what Leah enjoys. She gets spanked too. She just prefers not to have a tantrum first.
I giggle and roll to my side to grab my favorite stuffed animal, Jessie. She’s a unicorn. Who doesn’t love to curl up with a furry toy at the end of a long day and just breathe?
Chapter 3
Colton
* * *
When I step into Surrender the following morning, I have no idea what to expect. The receptionist area is perfectly normal. Desk, computer, bulletin board. The usual. I assume the door on the other side leads to the main club, and this makes sense because if anyone accidentally wanders in off the street, they won’t have a clue what this place is from this room alone.
Davis is here, and he extends a hand. “Hey. Good to see you. It’s been a while.”
“You too.” I shake his hand and then take a deep breath. “So, what am I getting myself into here?”
He nods behind him. “Follow me. I’ll show you around. Roman Cortell is the owner. Julius Polk is the manager. They’re both upstairs in Roman’s office.”
“Perfect.” I follow Davis through the rear door and step into a large open space. The lights are on, so I can see everything clearly, but I imagine when the club is open, it’s not usually this bright. The main room is painted entirely black, even the ceiling and floor. A wide variety of apparatus are spaced around the room, some even in the center.
“This is the main playroom,” Davis tells me.
I nod slowly as I wander around a bit. I’ve done my research. I’m at least marginally familiar with most of what I’m seeing. St. Andrew’s crosses. Spanking benches. An interesting chain structure that looks like a spider’s web. There are leather-covered tables, sort of like what a masseuse would use. A variety of restraints hang from the ceiling. There’s even a large cage.
Davis points to a hallway. “Down that way are private rooms and the daycare.”
I lift a brow. “Daycare? People bring kids here?”
He chuckles. “God, no. It’s for adults pretending to be young. Littles.” He claps a hand on my back. “We’ll tackle that room later. It’s gonna take me a few days to educate you, my friend.”
I nod. “Apparently.” My mind wanders back to the possibility that Davis is a Daddy, and I wonder again what that might mean.
I follow Davis through a door on the far side of the room and then up a flight of stairs. We pass a few offices on the second floor before entering one.
Two men are inside, and they both stand as we arrive.
Davis steps to the side. “Roman. Julius. This is… Well, I have no idea what your name is or what you’re going by this week.” Davis chuckles. “You were totally undercover when we met as Gordon Shepherd.”
I smile as I shake both men’s hands. “My real name is Colton. You can call me Colt.” I pull out my badge and flash it around. “Swear I’m legit.” I also hand everyone in the room a business card. “This is my boss at the precinct. Captain Johansson. Call him. You should definitely verify I am who I say I am. He’ll know who Colton is. I won’t disclose my last name.”
Both men are in their forties with dark hair. Roman has darker skin than Julius. He’s also about an inch shorter, which is saying something. Both men are a few inches over six feet, as am I. I figure Davis to be six feet, and he’s the shortest man in the room.
“Please, have a seat.” Roman sweeps a hand to indicate a seating area with two armchairs and a loveseat. He and Julius take the loveseat. Davis and I take the armchairs.
Julius speaks next. “Davis has filled us in on a few of the details about how he met you last year and what went down. I understand two of our members are on your radar. This concerns us.” His brow is furrowed.
“Concerns me too. That’s why I’m here. It’s always possible I’m barking up the wrong tree, so I don’t want any of you to panic. I’ve been following Evelyn Dean for a few weeks based on a tip. I have no idea if Owen Karplus is involved in the case or not. Could be an innocent bystander. You never know. Unfortunately, Evelyn fits the profile of the sort of women that get picked up and sold into human trafficking by this particular organization I’m trying to infiltrate, so I’m being abundantly cautious.”
Julius rubs his jaw while he listens. “Damn.”
Roman sighs. “No shit.”
I nod. “Exactly. Recent events have caused me to increase my attention on Evelyn. Ensuring her safety is more important than catching the buyer when it comes down to it.”
Davis glances toward Julius and Roman. “He thinks someone else is following her.”
Both men furrow their brows in discomfort.
Davis turns toward me. “I spoke to Blade, my boss. He’ll do whatever he can to help. He’s
a member here too.”
Wow. Okay. The world keeps shrinking. “Thank you. I’m still early enough in the investigation that I don’t want Owen to have a clue that I’m watching him. When I’m wrong about a suspect, it’s best if they never find out I was surveilling them.”
“I can understand that,” Roman states, “but I’m not comfortable leaving Eve in the dark if you think someone is tracking her, no matter who that ends up being.”
“I’m not either. I’d rather bring her into the inner circle. Besides, it’s incredibly hard to protect someone when they aren’t aware they need protection.”
“She’s done several scenes with Owen in the past month. They seem to have hit it off,” Julius says. “Do you have any experience in the fetish community?”
I shake my head. “Admittedly none.”
Julius nods. “Why don’t you come with Davis as his guest, someone new to the scene? That way Davis can pretend to be educating you while you keep an eye on Eve and Owen.”
I swallow the bad taste that idea leaves in my mouth. It’s inappropriate that I’m attracted to Evelyn. Beyond inappropriate. And the thought of watching her do whatever she does here with other men brings bile to the back of my throat. But I must remain professional. “That’ll work.”
Roman nods. “We can give you a crash course in BDSM 101 so you don’t end up looking suspicious as you wander around the club with your eyelids on the ceiling. Then we’ll have you observe.”
Davis leans back. “An evening at my house should bring him marginally up to speed. I’ll talk to Britney. Make sure she’s okay with it.”
I glance at him, wondering what an evening at his house would entail. Maybe he’s thinking he and Britney can do a demonstration of some sort so I won’t be shocked. Very little shocks me, however.
“When do we bring Eve up to speed?” Julius asks.
“I’d prefer to be the one to confront her, if you don’t mind. I don’t care who else is present. But sooner rather than later is best,” I tell them.
“She’s an accountant for a big firm,” Julius states, “so I’m pretty sure she’s not available during the day. How about if I try to get ahold of her and see if she can swing by here after work?”
I nod. “Perfect.”
Roman stands. “Sorry to run, but I’ve got an appointment.” He shoots a look at Julius and then Davis. “We’ve been tiptoeing around an important detail, but it seems like it would be better to wait until Eve is present to discuss her particular preferred kink.”
Julius nods. “I agree.”
I stare at them all, wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. Not that I have a choice. My job is to protect Evelyn Dean.
I need to head back to the precinct and fill the captain in on all this. I already know what he’s going to say though. I’ve been working for him for five years. He trusts me implicitly. He will defer to me on this matter. If I say my primary goal is Evelyn’s safety, he will instruct me to see that she’s protected. After all, if Evelyn is truly being stalked for the purpose of human trafficking, then sticking to her like white on rice will be imperative.
I just hope she doesn’t balk at the fact that I’m about to become her new best friend.
Hell, more importantly, I hope I can remain professional when I’m in her presence. I’ve been following her for two weeks. Every time I see her, my breath hitches. Her smile melts me. Her laughter is even better.
Pull it together, Colton.
Chapter 4
Evelyn
* * *
I’m beyond curious as I enter Surrender. Julius called me in the middle of the day and asked if I could come by after work, so here I am, but why?
“Hey, Eve.” I’m even more confused and surprised when the man waiting for me just inside the club is Davis Marcum.
“Hi.” I glance around. No one else is here. The club isn’t open tonight. It’s only open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Today is Monday. “What’s going on?”
He nods over his shoulder. “It’s complicated. We’ll explain upstairs in Julius’s office.”
“Okay…” I follow him, but now I’m concerned. And who is “we”? “Should I be worried?”
Davis glances at me, hesitating. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”
Well, shit. I keep up with him, my heels clacking on the hard floor as we cross the main room and head up the stairs. When we enter Julius’s office, he stands. As does another man I’ve never met before.
I shake Julius’s offered hand, but the other man takes my breath away. The only way to describe him is tall, dark, and handsome. I wonder if he’s a member of the club I’ve never met before, or perhaps a new member. Either way, I’m intrigued as Julius releases my hand and motions toward the stranger.
“This is Colton.”
Colton… He holds out a hand, and his firm handshake makes my heart race. Or maybe it’s the way his gaze meets mine. Serious but friendly. “Evelyn.”
“Please, call me Eve.”
He smiles, and the initial flutter turns into something more like a tremble. Seriously. I need to get a grip. Then I melt a bit when he says, “Please, call me Colt.”
My breath hitches at the way he repeats my words. He seems more like a Colton to me.
“Have a seat.” Julius motions toward an armchair as he resumes his spot across from me. Colt returns to his spot on the loveseat. Davis pulls up a chair from the small table.
“Who’s going to tell me what’s going on?” I ask.
“I am,” Colt says.
I shift my attention more fully toward him. This is the oddest assembly of people. Colt is a stranger. Julius, I’ve known for years since he’s the manager. And Davis is a member of the club, but I’ve never scened with him. We only know each other in passing. He has a serious girlfriend and doesn’t scene with other members anymore.
Colt clears his throat. His brow is furrowed. “I’m an undercover agent with the local police.”
I flinch.
“Don’t worry. You’re not in any trouble.” He offers a small smile to emphasize his words. “I’m investigating a human trafficking ring in the area, and I’m concerned that you’re on their radar.”
I gasp. My hand comes to my chest. “What? Why?”
“I wish I knew.”
“So, you think someone is planning to…what? Snag me off the street and sell me?”
“Essentially, yes. That’s my concern. There’s no way to sugarcoat it.”
My hands are shaking now and I fist them in my lap as I tuck my crossed legs closer to the chair. I suddenly feel vulnerable and scared. It’s not a feeling I relish. When I’m at Surrender, I’m usually in my little space, but I just left work. I’m totally out of sorts in my adult persona with a hint of my little peeking through. Adult Evelyn does not panic or cower. I lick my lips. “What the hell am I supposed to do with this information?”
“Let me protect you, basically. I’ve been watching you for a few weeks.”
I flinch again. “Seriously? I’ve never seen you.”
He smiles. “I’m good at my job. You weren’t supposed to see me.”
I narrow my gaze. “Wait. How closely do you follow me?” I flatten my palms on my thighs but grip them with my fingers. The thought of someone spying on me for two weeks is unnerving.
“Don’t worry. I’ve never been inside your apartment or anything. I’ve just kept an eye on you from a distance so far.”
“And now? Did something change?”
“Another man is also following you. I’ve spotted him several times. It concerns me. I’m worried he’s watching for a weakness in your routine. Right now, it’s too early in the investigation to be certain. I can’t be certain any lead I’m following is legit.”
“But you’re concerned enough to confront me,” I point out.
“Yes. It’s safer for you if you’re informed, and I’d rather not remain in the shadows anymore.”
I stare at him. “Do you know who’s fo
llowing me?”
He shakes his head. “Not a clue. He wears a ballcap. I haven’t gotten a look at his face, but I will catch him eventually.” His voice is confident. So is his stance. This is not a man who fails.
I lean back in the chair, my breathing quick and shallow. “This is crazy.”
Davis speaks next. “Colt is going to start coming to the club on the nights you’re here.”
I glance at this undercover cop who had me clenching my legs together just five minutes ago and try to picture him in the club. “Do you have any experience with fetish clubs?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
I groan and lean back. “What a disaster.”
Davis speaks again. “I was thinking the two of you could come over to my place for dinner tomorrow night. Britney has agreed to help Colt understand our particular type of fetish so he isn’t blindsided.”
I rub my temples. I’m not embarrassed about my age play. Not when I’m around like-minded people. Not when I’m at the club or alone at home. But the thought of exposing that vulnerability to a stranger is unnerving. “How about I just don’t come to the club at all for a while?” I wince. “Except, shit. I have plans to meet Owen here Friday night. What am I supposed to tell him?”
Julius nods sympathetically. “You need to keep your routine the same, Eve. You should come to the club because it was already planned.”
I sit up straighter. “Why? So I can lure some madman in? Am I bait?” I jerk my attention to Colt, the man I’m now deciding maybe isn’t so sexy after all. Or, I tell myself that at least.
He shakes his head. “No. I would never use you as bait. But if someone is watching you, they might be inclined to move up their timetable if they think you’ve gotten suspicious. Like Julius said, you need to keep your routine the same for now.”
My head is starting to pound. I look toward Davis again. “What have you told him about me?”
Davis shakes his head. “Nothing yet. I wouldn’t break anyone’s confidence like that.”
Charming Colton Page 2
