by Measha Stone
With a quick glance toward the bathrooms, she confirmed Alex had arrived and was seated where he could see her. There had been no sign of the detective's team, but he had assured her they would be there before her.
She noticed a man, younger than herself, gawking at her from the bar, and she pulled up the neckline of her blouse.
It had been nearly a week since she had seen Kendrick, and not once had she strayed from his dictate about her wardrobe. The only eyes she wanted on her body were his. After meeting Teri at the coffee house, she'd been tempted to call him. Apologize for being so stupid and beg him to take her back. But she wanted to clear the Ted issue up once and for all. She didn't want him hanging over them anymore. If Kendrick had been aware of what she was up to, he wouldn't allow it.
"Hey, baby." A familiar voice slid over her shoulder.
She swallowed hard, forced a smile, and turned to greet him as he took a seat.
"I see you're back on the prowl." His grin turned her stomach, but she stuffed the nausea down as far as she could.
"Well, in a way." Tilting her head to the right, she gave him a wink.
"No Kendrick tonight?" His eyes sparkled at the prospect, and she wanted to kick him in the dick.
"No, we aren't together anymore." She rested her chin on her hand.
He eyed her with narrowed lids. "Finally saw the light?" He gave a soft laugh.
"Just didn't mesh, is all." The words burned like acid on her tongue.
"Doesn't know how to show a lady a good time." Ted's laugh sounded like the scratching of a cat's nails on Styrofoam. "You're not still afraid of me, are you?"
"Afraid?" She narrowed her eyes. "No. Should I be?" She leaned toward him for the answer.
He scanned the club, inspecting the dancers on the floor and casual drinkers at the tables. "Nah, no reason. I'll even forgive you for our first date."
She bit back the retort settling on her tongue and smiled instead.
"I appreciate that." She glanced over at Alex, who was talking on the phone.
"I'm gonna grab a beer. You want one?" he asked as he stood from the stool.
She glimpsed at the bartender. She couldn't remember if he had been at the meeting with Peltner or not.
"Sure, sounds good. I'll go with you," she offered.
He stilled her with his hand on her arm. "No, don't worry about it. I’ve got the first round." He gave her a slow wink.
She swallowed the rising bile in her throat and thanked him. Her eyes never left him as he sauntered to the bar, put the order in, and came back to her. He held the beers in his hands the entire time; nothing out of the ordinary. He probably wanted her to have at least one clean drink first.
She downed the beer more out of nerves than an eagerness to move forward, while Ted continued to rant about how horrible of a dominant Kendrick was and how he himself was best, and how she'll do so much better under his tutelage then Kendrick's.
The need to hurt the prick was becoming overwhelming.
"I'm no pussy. I demand respect and obedience, but I won't have you dressing like no schoolgirl either. I want to see those tits." He reached over and unbuttoned the top button of her shirt.
She stiffened at his touch but didn't back away.
"I know his tastes. Doesn't like showing off his girl." He licked his bottom lip. "Fuck. Let's get the hell outta here."
"You want to leave? Already?" she asked, feeling panic set in. Peltner hadn't shown up yet. Were they there? Would they follow them?
Alex had left his seat too. Where did he go?
"Yeah. My place is a short walk from here." He stood and gulped down the last of his beer. He helped her off her stool and wrapped his hand around her upper arm.
She turned to try to find someone, to signal they were leaving. No one was there. With one last glance she found Alex; he was still on his phone and not looking at her.
"Maybe another drink?" she suggested as he began to pull her through the crowd.
A sharp pain in her side made her wince.
"You think I'm a big fucking idiot, don't you?" he snarled into her ear as he pulled her closer to him; the intense pain in her side increased. "If you cry out, signal your buddy over there, or try anything else, this blade will slip right into you. Understood?"
Words failed her; she barely managed a weak nod in response.
"See? You can be a good girl. We'll see if you're as good at being my little fuck toy. I bet Kendrick never gave you a proper beating. We'll have to see to that first."
Kelly walked outside, trying to think of a way out of the shit she'd found herself in. He was no longer pushing the blade into her side, but he made sure she knew he still had it ready to use. He kept his arm around her, pulling her alongside him. She was hoping he'd wave down a cab, thinking she could get out of the car as he was getting in, but he turned down the street once they were outside.
"Just a short walk," he said again.
"Ted, I don't understand," she managed to say. "There were at least fifty other women in there. Why did you pick me?"
"You haven't stepped foot in that club since the night we met. I figured there was a reason. I knew you and Kendrick were over. Some stupid piece of ass I'd been trying to nail took off on me the other night ’cause she was meeting up with him."
Her head snapped to the side.
He laughed in response. "Ah, you still love him. Good. That means he probably loves you too. Fucking moron."
"You lied. Your girlfriend didn't leave you for him?" she asked as he continued to drag her down the street.
"Girlfriend?" he hooted. "I don't do the dating scene, and I sure as hell don't fall in love with my little slaves and bitches." He made a rough turn and pushed her toward the worn-down wooden steps leading to a broken-down house.
"Ted. No!" She pulled away from him and tried to make a run for it, but he was quick to grab her, throwing her at the stairs.
She tripped over the first one and fell; her head hit the edge of the stair. Before she was able to get back onto her feet, he had his hand in her hair, pulling her up by the mass of curls. She winced as he dragged her up the steps and toward the front door. He threw open the unlocked door and pushed her inside.
Again, she stumbled and faceplanted onto the cold linoleum tiles of the front hall. The faint smell of leather and cigarette smoke added to the grime she felt on the floor, and she tried again to get to her feet.
His heavy booted foot landed on her back, shoving her to the ground. "You don't stand in my house. You crawl, like the bitch you are." He kicked the front door shut and nudged her with his foot.
"Fuck you," she growled and tried to get up once more.
He reached down and grabbed a fistful of hair again, pulling her to her feet.
"What the fuck did you say to me?" His grip was strong, and she was nearly on her tiptoes. She couldn't free herself.
Tears welled in her eyes from the sting in her scalp. His eyes were dark and large; spittle gathered at the corner of his mouth. How could she have ever found him to be anywhere near appealing?
"You'll regret it," he promised and shoved her to the ground again.
Her knee slipped on the slick tile, and she sprawled out again. He still had her by her hair and was pulling her forward. She forced herself to her knees and tried to keep up with him as he walked her to a door.
Frantically, she searched for an escape or a weapon. Anything to keep her from going through that door.
The door creaked as it opened, and Ted pulled her to a stop. She tried to scratch his hands to release her, but he yanked harder.
"Knock it off!" he spat at her.
She was sure he was pulling her hair from her scalp. The light from behind the door cast a shadow into the hallway.
A man stepped into the hall, whistling to himself. He turned toward them, shutting the door a bit.
Her eyes adjusted to the lighting, and she gasped at the sight before her.
"Well, hi there, Kelly," Officer
Peltner said with a wide-eyed grin.
Chapter 29
Kendrick sat at his desk, staring at the computer screen. His intention had been to work, but he couldn't get his mind to focus on budget planning. He checked his phone a dozen times, hoping to hear from Kelly. He'd decided to give her space, let her figure out she was wrong. He didn't want to push her too hard too fast and lose her altogether.
The night Kelly left was horrible. Kendrick second-guessed every decision he'd made with her. After analyzing all their dates for a sign there'd been trouble brewing, he'd come up with nothing.
The following morning, he decided she was running scared. She was new to her submissiveness, to his ownership, to the world she had burst into, and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. He'd give her some time to herself to figure it all out, and then he'd drag her ass back into his life and punish her severely for putting him through such heartache. Then, he'd love her until she couldn't speak any words other than those he wanted.
He had told himself he'd give her no more than a week. It was a generous amount of time, he thought, considering how badly he wanted to run to her and pull her into his arms. He missed the smell of honey she left on the sheets when she spent the night. The unwomanly way she yawned when she woke up and the wonderful way she filled his life.
His cell danced on the desktop, and he grabbed it, answering before checking the ID.
"Hello." He hadn't meant to sound so desperate, but damn he wanted to hear her voice.
"Kendrick. It's Alex."
"Oh. Hey." He sat back in his chair and pressed his fingers to his temple, rubbing in a circular motion. He was in no condition to do work.
"I'm calling about Kelly."
His heart stopped.
"What's wrong?" Kendrick demanded.
"She's a reckless fool. We all know this, but she's really done it this time. I'm down here at Krush. She got it into her head she needed to help put Ted behind bars. Your officer friend talked her into this harebrained idea of using her as bait. I'm here, she's here, but I don't see your cop friends anywhere."
"Ted? She's trying to—dammit, I told her to stay away from him!" Kendrick leaped up from his chair.
"Yes, well, it would appear she has gone rogue." Alex stopped talking for a minute, and Kendrick heard music pouring through the phone.
"Shit. Ted is here. I don't see your guys anywhere. They were supposed to play bartender. Ted's with to her; he went straight to her. Something doesn't feel right. Damn, I can't see her."
"I'm on my way. Find her and get her away from him. Whatever operation Peltner is trying to pull is over. You tell her to wait for me and not to move a goddamn muscle until I get there. She's had plenty of time on her own; this bullshit ends tonight." He clicked off the phone and tore out of his apartment. He skipped the elevator and dashed down the stairs. He jumped into his car, throwing it in reverse and taking off, his wheels squealing as he made his way onto the street.
Kelly stumbled down the last few stairs into the basement of Ted's house. He had both of her arms pinned behind her.
When they were in the room, she had a moment to look around. The lights were dimmed, casting golden shadows over benches and tables. A large hook hung from the ceiling, and the familiar cross stood in the corner. It was a home dungeon and had Kendrick been the man leading her into it, she would have found the place exciting.
The stench of upstairs was gone and was replaced with a clean, well-kept room.
"Where do you want her?" Ted asked Peltner who joined them after locking the door at the top of the stairs.
"Why are you doing this?" she demanded of him.
Peltner backhanded her hard against her jaw. "Because it's fun," he answered. "Let's put her on the hook. We need to get her out of these clothes," he told Ted.
Ted pushed her forward, and she found herself standing beneath the hook. He didn't let go of her, only adjusted his grip so he had a free hand. She tried to twist out of his grip, but Peltner squashed her attempt with another slap to her face.
The throbbing in her jaw distracted her for a moment from the strain of her arms as Ted yanked them above her head and fastened cuffs to her wrists. Once he had her restrained, he pulled her up higher to slip the cuffs onto the hook. Her toes barely touched the floor, her shoulders ached from being pulled and dragged, and her head slumped forward.
Ted reached for her blouse, and she tried to kick him away, but it hurt her arms to put so much weight on them.
His laugh was hearty and made her sick. "Knock your shit off. You're going to hurt yourself before we get started. I like a little fight, but if you keep this up, you won't have any left." His hands gripped her blouse, and he tore it from her body. Using the knife in his pocket, he ripped the seams of the sleeves and dropped the tattered material to the floor. He slipped the knife under the straps of her bra, the cold steel contrasting with the heat in her skin, and with a few slices, the bra was on the floor as well.
Her breasts bounced free, and she tried to ignore the ogling stares of Peltner as Ted finished removing her clothing. He pulled the boots from her feet, making it even harder to touch the ground.
"Hot damn, those tits are big." Peltner whistled, moving around until he faced her.
She looked up at him the best she could, given the hair dangling in front of her face. His stare left a grimy film behind, and she glared at him.
"Don't fucking touch me," she growled when he reached out.
He paused for a moment, gave her a quick chuckle, and then took her breasts in his hands. He weighed them, as though he were standing in the produce section of the grocery store.
"These are going to be so much fun to beat. The cane, I think. It leaves such pretty marks behind." He took her nipples and pinched them until she cried out. When he ripped his hands away a burn burst through. She flinched at the pain but bit back her tears.
"What the fuck was that?" Ted looked up at the ceiling. "Did you hear that?"
"Nothing. No one is here, you ass." Peltner unbuckled his belt.
"It's Kendrick, you jerk off!" Kelly screeched. "Did you think he'd let your filthy fucking hands touch me!" She began to twist and turn in the restraints. She hadn't heard any noise, but she hoped Ted's fear would escalate if she continued to rant about Kendrick's rescue.
"Shut up, you little whore." Peltner slapped her again, harder than before. "Kendrick is a dumbass. Couldn't take it that he couldn't save the fucking world, so he quit the force. Over a stupid woman. She was good though. Damn good at sucking dick, even better at taking it up the ass."
Kelly tried to pull her body back. If she could just get back a bit, she could swing forward and maybe kick him in the stomach, knock the wind out of him.
Ted stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up. "Peltner, I'm serious. Someone's up there." He took the first step of the stairs.
"Fine. Go check it out. I'll get started down here." He turned his twisted smile at Kelly.
Her foot slipped again, and she found herself dangling. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder, and she screamed out.
"I told you not to hurt yourself yet," he tsked.
Ted made his way up the stairs; she tensed at the sight of Peltner slipping the belt from the loops of his jeans. Her breath came out in bursts, her head spun from the panicked breathing, and her shoulder felt like it was on fire. He licked his lips as he doubled the belt over in his hand and began to walk behind her.
She braced herself for the harsh strike of the leather.
"What the—?" A loud tumbling came from the stairwell. Ted's crumpled form rolled off the last step and landed in a heap at the foot of the stairs.
"You dumbass, did you slip?" Peltner left her and went to inspect his partner. As he reached the unconscious Ted, Kendrick rounded the corner of the stairwell and pointed his semi-automatic pistol at him.
Peltner stared down the chamber and put his hands in the air. "Shit. Kendrick, you scared the crap out of me." He gave a forced laugh.
"We got him good. Kelly, here, was excellent setting a trap. I just got here. He had her—"
Kendrick struck Peltner on the side of his head with the butt of the pistol, knocking him out.
A surge of relief washed through Kelly as the sight of Kendrick registered in her mind. Her jaw was sore from the slaps she'd taken, but she called out to him.
He stepped over the heap of bodies he'd created and stood in front of her.
"My shoulder," she whimpered.
His eyes, stone firm and distant, swept over her body in an inspection of sorts.
He reached up to let her loose of her binds and caught her as she slipped down, keeping her from falling to the ground.
"They cut up my clothes," she said, wrapping her arms around her breasts.
"Here." Alex offered his jacket.
Alex was there. She hadn't seen him walk in. When did he get there?
He handed her his long black coat.
"How did you find me?" she asked Kendrick.
"I knew Ted lived near Krush." Kendrick reached under the coat, feeling her shoulder as he carefully lifted her arm.
Sharp pain shot through her shoulder and she whimpered. Gingerly, he put her arm back down.
"It's not out of the socket. You probably pulled a few muscles; you'll be sore for a few days." He pulled the coat off her shoulders and helped her put her arms in the sleeves.
He was so close to her she could smell his aftershave. Why hadn't he held her yet? Why wasn't he picking her up and carrying her out of the nightmare he found her in?
"I'll wait for the cops and make sure these two stay down. Alex will take you upstairs," he said. Finished buttoning the coat, he handed her over to Alex.
She watched his expression, waiting for it to soften, for the concern to show. But nothing came. He was all business.
"Kendrick." She turned back to him, but he had turned away, pulling out his cell phone.
Alex urged her on and helped her step over her two attackers.
"He hates me," she whispered as she walked up the steps.
Alex gave her a squeeze but didn't correct her.
