Stolen Innocence

by Beverly L Anderson

  Finally, after what seemed like hours, Redmond came back in, grinning at him.

  “You’re a pretty mess,” Redmond muttered, unhooking him from the contraption, releasing his hands last.

  As soon as Redmond stood him up, Kieran’s legs would not hold him. He crumpled, dropping to the floor on his left hip. He managed to catch himself with his hands as he leaned toward the side to keep from slamming his face into the floor. Pain shot up his spine and he thought he might have hurt his wrist in the fall. Redmond snorted, reaching down and pulling him to his feet, practically dragging him into an adjoining room to this one. There was a bed in here, and Redmond pushed him onto it. Kieran did not have time to do anything, because he grabbed Kieran’s hands and slapped a pair of metal handcuffs on him connected to a chain. The chain connected to a D ring in the wall behind the bed. Kieran made a muffled exclamation as Redmond moved to put a pair of larger cuffs on his ankles. Kieran stared because he still had one sock on. He stared at his socked foot for a long time, so long he flinched when the door slammed in the windowless room.

  Kieran pulled at the chain connected to the wall, but there wasn’t the least bit of give from the ring in the wall. He had enough play in the chain to lay on the bed, and roll from one side to the other. He laid back, finding an ugly blanket had been put in his reach. He pulled it over him and winced because it was one of the scratchy wool ones. He tucked his hands under his face and thought it was not worth it, not at all. He would trade his life, his hands, to make everything that had just happened go away. He would rather lose everything by choice, than having had it taken by force. The tears started then, but he did not have the energy to do more than let them fall as the lights went out in the room. He was, for the first time in his life, truly and completely alone.

  WHEN VARICK GOT INSIDE Strawberry’s, Jerome didn’t even say anything as he approached the door downstairs, he just opened it and let him rush past. He made his way down the stairs and came out into the check-in area. Syn looked up at him but didn’t speak as he moved past her quickly. She had a look on her face Varick couldn’t place so he guessed someone had told her what was going on. Didn’t matter, he thought, he saw Clair and Charles near the door as he came out into the Playroom.

  “Where?” he growled. Clair pointed in the direction of the breakroom.

  Just as he was about to open the door, someone spoke up from behind him. “Yo, you can’t go in there.”

  Varick turned and glared at the speaker, a young man he hadn’t met before with gelled hair and dark eyes. Varick arched one blonde brow and stared for a moment. “Excuse me?”

  “That’s the break room for the employees, you can’t go in there,” the guy commented and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Back off.” The statement was flat but when combined with the look on Varick’s face, the young man stepped back, stammering something about getting security.

  Varick snorted and grabbed the handle to the door and yanked it open. He stepped in to find Carmine sitting on the small sofa, holding Devan against his chest and rocking back and forth. Devan was staring at his arms, hands trembling.

  “Devan!” Varick spoke in a strong and commanding voice, surprising the blonde into looking up. Any traces of anger which remained in Varick’s heart melted at the sight of Devan’s face.

  “Varick,” he sobbed, and Varick knew then how serious this was. Devan never used his real name. Devan never used anyone’s real name. “I... I don’t know what to do! I...”

  Several quick steps took Varick from the door to where the other two were sitting. Kneeling in front of them, he took hold of Devan’s hands to stop them from trembling. “Look, we’re going to go get him, that’s what. Even if I gotta pound the skulls of every Irish asshole you’ve ever worked with in this city. Come on, Devan, you’ve worked for these assholes for a long time. You’ve walked in and out of the places they live. Do you know where he would be if this Callaghan guy has him?”

  Devan blinked, silently looking at him for a long time, as though processing what Varick was saying. “Yeah, I do. Callaghan’s office, there’s a room in there. He... he tells people it’s a panic room, but it’s not just a panic room, it’s where he keeps them. You can’t get in without a code or a keycard, and then you have to know the code to the panic room.” Devan’s voice was weaker than Varick had ever heard before.

  There was a silence as Varick tried to put together what Devan meant, but he hesitated to push him for more details until he was more clear headed. It sounded like he knew these codes, or had keycards, or something, but he wasn’t sure just yet.

  “Do you know those codes, Devan?” Carmine reached over and stroked Devan’s hair back out of his face. Devan turned into his hand and closed his eyes for a second.

  Nodding slowly, Devan’s voice became a little stronger when as he spoke. “Yeah, I...I have a keycard, and I think...I might know what the code would be for the panic room...I can’t be sure, and if...if we go in there, we might not come back out.” He looked up at Varick. “And if we do, they’ll take me to jail, and I can’t...”

  Varick stood up and moved beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. “Listen, I know a guy, he helped me back in Cali. It’s a long story, but he kept me from going to jail for something someone else did, and he worked this deal out with the FBI. The FBI’s on this case already, so if we can cut you a deal with them, then you don’t have to worry, okay, Dev?” His voice was firm and he pulled him closer to him.

  When he looked away from Devan’s face and took in the rest of his appearance, Varick realized he had been in Domme mode because of the clothes. Devan was still in his Domme gear, a long dress with layers of black and red lacey sheer material over a bustier and a pair of thigh high boots. Varick hadn’t noticed when he came into the room since he had been so focused on Devan’s emotional condition. It appeared Devan had fallen out of his female mode, dropping into something Varick hadn’t seen before. He wasn’t acting like his female self, or his male self. It was surreal, but he was obviously the most vulnerable like this. It was like this state of being was somewhere between the other two, and Devan wasn’t able to keep himself under control like he normally did.

  After a few silent minutes, Devan seemed to regain control of his emotions. He closed his eyes and drew a long breath, swallowing. “Okay, we can pull this off.” Devan’s voice was just above a whisper as he stood up and nodded to himself. “I can do this. I can make this right. I have to make this right.”

  “We can make this right.” Carmine squeezed his and smiled up at him. “We’re in this together, okay?”

  Devan nodded at Carmine first in response to his comment, then to Varick. Varick wasn’t sure if he was trying to affirm to them, or to himself, that they were going to do this together. Despite Devan’s previous insecurity, Varick saw the determination beginning to build in the other man.

  “Hang on, I have to change clothes.” Devan paused, breathing deeply before he grabbed a bag from a nearby locker.

  As Devan walked toward the door, Varick noted his walk had changed. It wasn’t the submissive stance they’d seen before, or the Dominant way of moving. Varick became more convinced this Devan was the one he showed the rest of the world outside this Lifestyle. Their encounters with him had all been in the club or for reasons related to the club, and he was always in one of his two roles. Now, they were seeing him in an entirely different light. Devan disappeared into the bathroom attached to the break room.

  A few minutes later, he emerged in a different set of clothes, and Varick almost didn’t recognize him. As he shut the door behind him, he shrugged into a slightly wrinkled black suit jacket. He had changed into a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt. His hair was pulled back tight at the nape of his neck, and for the first time since they’d met him, he had no makeup on. They could see the faint traces left behind around his eyes where appeared like he’d wiped down his face. He glanced at his hands, or rather to his nails. He
winced in anticipated pain and started chewing on the side and began to pop off the fake bright red fingernails one after another, putting them in a side pocket of the bag before he rubbed his fingers thoughtfully for a minute. When he looked up, he seemed unsure because Varick and Carmine were both staring at him.

  “Well, um, so this is me in the real world,” he mumbled, looking somewhat ashamed of himself.

  “Goddamn, you’re fucking hot as hell no matter what you wear, Devan.” Carmine gave him a sideways grin.

  “Wh-what?” Devan stammered. “You...you...like this too?”

  Varick rolled his eyes in frustration. He had felt Devan had been keeping himself distant the last week or so about anything unrelated to the club. This confirmed his suspicion Devan was of the belief their interest was in him as a sub and a mentor rather than an actual romantic partner. “Devan, I know we got attached pretty quick, but I don’t like you because of your clothes, or what you do in the Dungeon, I like you for you. It goes beyond what happens here. When I say I like you, I mean you, not the things you do.”

  “Wait, you mean, you’re saying you like like me like that? Like a real partner thing, not just a club thing?” Devan blurted out with wide eyes.

  After meeting Carmine’s eyes for a second, they both looked back to Devan. Carmine snorted. “Duh, are you dumb or something? Of course, that’s what we mean! You were the one talking about poly romance and everything, remember? I thought we on the same page here.”

  “But...but that’s for you two! I’m not...I mean, how can you...I’m not a...when did this happen?” Devan faltered as he stared at one then the other of them.

  With a deep sigh, Varick shook his head. “Look this is a talk for later, for now, let’s take care of the current problem and get the doctor out of the situation he’s in.”

  Licking his lips, Devan appeared to be gathering his thoughts together before he spoke. “Before we go, you guys need a bag. Look, do you realize what you’re getting into? Like really realize?” Devan glanced between them a couple times before continuing. “This is your last chance to back out, I’m going in there, okay? I have to go in there. But the fact is, when you step through the door at Callaghan’s place with me, you’re taking a chance of getting a very real hit contract put on your heads at worst and getting tossed in jail at the best. Assuming we even get out of the fuckin’ place alive.”

  Carmine put his hands on Devan’s shoulders and shook him gently. “I...I think my mom would never forgive me if I just turned and walked away. She taught me to do what’s right, no matter what.” He shook Devan’s shoulders again, this time a bit harder. “And in case you haven’t figured it out, I’m going there because of you more than anything. I have to make sure you’re okay, and I’m going to be there for you.”

  Varick put a hand on top of Devan’s head, rubbing his smooth hair a little. “It’s not the first time I’ve crossed the line to do something because it’s just the right thing to do. I have to help. I tried to explain this but I’ll do it again. I don’t easily get attached to people, in fact, I can count on one hand the people I’m close to. I spent my life not having romantic feelings for anyone, and now you have become so important to me, so this isn’t just about the doctor. This is about you, too.”

  They stood still for a few minutes before Devan took a deep breath. Varick and Carmine knew that Devan needed this time to collect himself. “Alright. We need to stop and you both need at least two changes of clothes and cash.” He picked up his duffel and led them out of the room.

  They went through Syn’s checkpoint without a word, and passed Jerome as they came out of the stairwell. Jerome, likewise, didn’t speak as they walked toward the bar. Varick saw Lyric standing behind it. She looked up as they stopped at the end of the bar she was wiping down with a damp bar rag. Devan reached out and grabbed her left hand in his and intertwined his fingers. Varick tilted his head to the side because he’d never seen Devan do something like that, and the sudden wide-eyed expression on the face of the blonde Domme spoke loudly of significance. Lyric stared for a second at the spot their hands were interconnected, and then looked up at Devan, her eyes still wide.

  “Lokes, what’s up? What are you doing? Did you get called out?” Lyric asked him as she put down the bar rag in her other hand and covered their intertwined hands with it.

  Brushing his free hand over his head, Devan locked eyes with her. “A fuckin’ problem I’m not sure will end well. I’ll let ya know,” he said, squeezing her hand for a moment before letting go. He stepped back, nodding to her and turned on his heel to leave without another word.

  Varick saw the expression crossing Lyric’s face as he turned to follow Devan. He knew the look was one of understanding. With a few words and one action, Devan had been able to convey he might not be coming back. Varick realized there must be more to the relationship between Devan and Lyric than one inside the club. Despite himself, he felt that pang of jealousy that someone else had a significant relationship with Devan besides him. He turned back as they got to the exit, still thinking about what he’d seen between Lyric and Devan.

  Once in the employee lot, Devan unlocked the car and opened the trunk to toss the bag in before getting in the driver’s seat. Because Carmine’s house was in downtown St. Louis, they headed there first with Carmine directing Devan from the backseat. They pulled into one of a several similarly made houses, none of which were in great condition. It was a two-story house, and in the dark, it was hard to tell any details, but it looked to have a shoddy fence around it on the sides, but not the front. Carmine hopped out and went inside and was gone for what felt like a long time. Varick was just about to go get him when he came back out, shutting the door but standing there for a while. He then came back to the car with his bag slung over his shoulder.

  “Carmine, what’s the matter?” Varick asked as Carmine slid into the backseat again with a look of confusion on his face.

  “Ah, I feel like I’ve forgotten something. But Ma was asleep, and I couldn’t tell her anything anyway. She gonna be pissed come mornin’...” he mumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  Since Varick’s house was in St. Peters, it took them a good half an hour to get there. An uncomfortable silence borne of anticipation and subtle fear had spread among the three in the car, and Varick felt it was nearly tangible. By the time they arrived at Varick’s house, Varick was even more convinced this was the most scared he’d ever been.

  When he got inside the house, he found a note from Clair on the refrigerator saying she’d gone to spend the night with Charles. Varick wondered about leaving a note for her, but he also knew a note could backfire if someone else found it first. He would just have to trust when he worked with the FBI over this, they would take care of Clair. He grabbed an empty duffel bag, tossed several hands full of clothes into it, and went back out.

  After he got back in the car, Devan took off without hesitation on a route he seemed to know well. Varick realized they were heading way north, into the suburb of Chesterfield. The space between the properties grew and the homes grew bigger. It was almost two am when Devan stopped the car outside a gate. He leaned out, punching in a number into a code box, and the gate swung open. They followed the long private road until they got to a circular driveway which went in front of the house. They stopped in front of a huge mansion with big double doors. Devan turned off the car. Varick waited a few minutes to see what he was going to do. Finally, Devan nodded to himself and turned toward them.

  “Okay, this is how things are going to go. I...I’m gonna have to put down a couple guys; the front guards are going to be easy. This time of night they’re half asleep. I’ll drop them quick, hopefully before anyone hears. If we’re lucky, we don’t run into anyone else. But if we do, there’s no one in there I can’t handle,” he said quietly. “Luckily, Callaghan sleeps in a different room, and Redmond’s got his own house off the property, that fuckin’ beast is the only one I would worry about. Whoever heard of a f
ucking Irishman so fuckin’ big.” Devan muttered the last almost to himself. “You two are gonna have to keep with me, so don’t get separated. I’ll handle talking to anyone we come across, try to avoid confrontation if we can. Got it?” He looked at each of them in turn. Both silently agreed, opening their doors and stepping out onto the gavel of the driveway. From here out, Devan was the one in the lead.

  Devan looked like he couldn’t handle himself in a fight. That assumption was usually the last one someone had about him before their face hit the floor. He was wiry and thin, but strong. O’Brien had seen his potential when he was just a teen, and had arranged for him to learn to fight, knowing he was going to need it to survive. He’d learned boxing, brawling, and mixed martial arts at a gym and dojo O’Brien had owned. While in Callaghan’s employ, he avoided fighting with anyone to keep the image of being meek intact. It worked in his favor when people underestimated him.

  In an attempt at surprising those on guard duty, Devan shoved open the front doors hard. He noted both Carmine and Varick were on his heels. There was a man on either side of the door. One of them was supposed on duty outside the doors, but on chilly nights like these, the outside guard would often sit inside and watch through the glass side windows. He would often fall asleep as well like he had tonight. Devan moved with smooth grace, darting forward and spinning to grab the guy on the right by the back of his neck, slamming his head down into his knee in one move. Concentrating on what he was doing, he barely sensed Varick and Carmine’s presence. The second guard gasped in shock, and started to say something, but he didn’t get a chance as Devan grabbed him by the arm, pulling him around in front of him and locking a sleeper hold on him until he passed out. As Devan lowered him to the ground stood up, he saw another man was standing in the middle of the foyer watching. He was in and his reddish-brown hair was mussed. It appeared he had just woken up as he was in a set of striped pajamas.