Dangerous (The Complete Erotic Romance Novel) (43 page)

But Reid Stirling lived in a different world.

“You just moved, Mr. Stirling, and your wife has been gone for two years. What happened to the contents of her closets?”

“It was packed up by the staff and put in storage. In fact, I just began to sort it out at the new house this week.”

“This week?”

“I’d avoided the job. I guess I was still hoping she’d come back.”

“To you or for her purchases?”

This time, Stirling did smile. “She was never coming back to me.”

The finality in his tone was striking. Their gazes held for a moment, then Stirling shrugged. “But this week, after it was moved, I realized I was being foolish to keep it.”

“This week,” Moynihan repeated, struck by the timing.

Instead of being provoked, Stirling leaned forward again. His eyes were vividly blue and his manner intense. “But why is she here?” he demanded. “She left the old house, a thousand miles away. Why was she found here, right after I moved here?”

The detective shut his notepad and gave Reid a hard look. “Not just here, Mr. Sterling, but moved here in the trunk of your own car.”

“But it makes no sense. She had no connection to this place.”

“Family?”

“She always said she had none. She went to college on the east coast and had some friends still there.” His fingers tapped, as if he had a sense that he was a pawn in a larger game. “Why here and now? It makes no sense.”

Moynihan found it unlikely Stirling would so readily incriminate himself—unless that was part of his game, to be so obvious that the police sought other suspects. Unless he was so confident he believed he could do whatever he wanted, without repercussions.

Moynihan was going to find out.

“Everything makes sense once we know all of the truth.” The detective rose to his feet. “I’d like to thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Stirling, and request that you not leave town.”

He got a look for that, one that made it clear Stirling understood he was a suspect.

The suspect.

Then the other man pivoted and left the station, his stride filled with purpose. He wasn’t one who would stand aside and wait for his fate to be decided. No, if he was innocent, he’d try to prove it himself.

Moynihan would have Stirling followed.

* * *

Alana was dead.

Reid couldn’t believe it.

On the other hand, there was no arguing with what he’d seen in the morgue. He’d had no doubt the body in question was Alana, and certainly none that she was dead.

He knew the detective had interviewed him immediately to take advantage of his surprise, to dig at the truth while his guard was down. He refused to resent how well the strategy worked—after all, he’d used it himself when he wanted to know something.

But the detective’s questions had made it clear Reid was a suspect. Reid knew he should have anticipated that.

If he had been in the detective’s place, he might have suspected himself. He knew that murder victims were often killed by them closest to them. Who had Alana had but him? No one. Who had she argued with right before she disappeared? Him. Who had bought the collar she’d been wearing when her body was found? Reid. He also remembered all too well the cold fury of his anger on that day.

Because she had deliberately deceived him.

And he’d been so smitten with her that he hadn’t paid attention to any small signs. She’d needed to shove the truth in his face for him to acknowledge it.

I never loved you...

Reid pushed away his memories. What was important was the future, not the past. And in order to ensure he had the future he wanted, he would have to guarantee the real killer was found. He would have liked to have believed in the inevitability of justice, but he wasn’t a man to easily place his trust in others.

No, he’d have to make some inquiries himself. Moynihan might be the kind of investigator who never surrendered a case until justice was served, or he might be the kind of cop who liked to close cases as quickly as possible, even if the answer was wrong. Reid wasn’t sure of the detective’s nature and he wasn’t going to count on it being what would serve him best.

He might have to find the killer himself.

Reid stepped into the street and a light flurry of snow, pulled up his coat collar and took a deep breath. It was well after midnight, but he was wide awake. His thoughts were spinning as he made plans and contingencies, created call lists and action plans.

But in the back of mind lurked an unwelcome truth. Alana was dead. She’d been dead all this time, although he hadn’t known it.

And the worst of it was that Reid’s strongest emotion was relief.

* * *

The very worst punishment Reid could inflict was his absence.

His inattention.

Kendra couldn’t stand it.

She wanted to know what he was thinking, why he cancelled, why he wasn’t answering her calls, why he hadn’t called her. She didn’t sleep well, because her thoughts were churning. In the middle of the night, anything seemed possible. He was punishing her for saying ‘mayday’ to Rex, when he’d given her to the other man to be used for his pleasure. He’d tired of the game already—long before Kendra had—and had moved on. He’d left town. He’d found another slave he liked better. He’d lost interest and couldn’t be bothered to tell her about it.

Or he was hurt. He was dead. He’d been in an accident and was in the hospital. His wife had come back and true love had triumphed after all. Kendra tossed and turned, her inventive imagination coming up with more scenarios all night long.

It didn’t help that she was humming with unsatisfied desire. She’d been denied an orgasm and she’d been denied the feel of Reid inside of her. She’d been denied his kisses, but his chain tormented her with the caress of his possession. He owned her, he used her when he wanted—which wasn’t enough—he’d taught her already to need him and only him, and now he was avoiding her.

Maybe that was why. Maybe he had the triumph of her obsessive attention. Maybe he liked the hunt but not the victory. Kendra punched her pillow and rolled over, trying to still her thoughts. She moved so that the cool chain slid over her heated puss and yearned for Reid to unlock the front door.

And discipline her all night long, just the way she deserved.

Oh, she had it bad.

And she only wanted more.

How much would it take for her to get her fill of Reid Stirling? Not only was he hot and not only was he tough with her in exactly the way she liked, but he could be achingly tender. She wanted to surprise him, to open him up, to learn all his secrets—and to fuck him senseless besides. She wanted at least one weekend in his captivity, one weekend of more sex than she could even begin to imagine.

Just to know.

Once might be enough.

But she was afraid Reid had already decided. He was the master; he had the right to decide. Not her. But Kendra wasn’t feeling very submissive and accepting of his choice.

She wasn’t going to let this go easily.

Wasn’t their deal about
mutual
pleasure?

Kendra was up early and heading to the office before Jade was even out of bed. She’d deliberately dressed for sexual success. If Reid wasn’t thinking about sex—much less sex with her—she was going to remind him that she was ready, willing and available.

She’d seduce him if she had to.

She’d do whatever was necessary to have one more taste of him.

Kendra wore the corset he’d bought for her and had laced it as tightly as she could manage herself. She wore stockings and no underwear and glossy black shoes with high heels. She wore a suit with a shorter skirt and a blouse sheer enough to show a glimmer of his chain against his skin when she took off the jacket. She felt hot and desirable, a woman to be reckoned with.

A woman in need of an assertive and demanding man.

Reid.

Before she got to Esperanza Enterprises, Kendra had a plan. She’d tease him all day. She knew what he liked to look at, and she’d draw his attention to her assets. She’d ease one shoe off her foot while she was talking, letting him look at the arch of her foot. She’d run her tongue over her lips when she was listening to his instructions, not too hungrily but enough to make him look at her mouth. Perfect lipstick all day, no doubt about it. Nice red glossy lipstick. She’d keep the jacket on until she had him alone, probably right around the end of the business day. She’d do a lazy strip-tease in his office, taking off the jacket first, letting him see the glint of the chain against her skin.

Then she’d remove the skirt.

Then the blouse would go.

She’d remind him that she was his to take, and offer herself. She’d unpack all the toys and tools in her purse, creating a display for him, an array of choices. Then she’d perch on the conference table in his office, spread her legs and let him see how wet she was. Let him watch as she eased his chain back and forth across her aching puss. Fill the room with her own personal scent.

He wouldn’t be able to resist. Kendra could envision him loosening his tie slightly, the glint of resolve that would light in his eyes, the way his eyes would become bluer as he watched her. She could guess how he’d catch his breath, just a slight sound and sign of his awareness, one a person could miss unless she were paying attention.

Kendra would pay attention.

Maybe she’d start to bind herself with the glossy black rope, the one that matched her shoes. She could begin that binding he’d used the first time, and count on him tying the knot. If all else failed, she’d suck him off again. That always worked.

Kendra was sure Reid would accept her offer. It was Friday, and she was prepared to work late. It was only seven when she parked behind the factory, but she was determined to ensure that she had his undivided attention for the weekend ahead.

At the very least, she’d have one good long kiss.

She wished the day was over already. She wasn’t sure how she’d make it through eight or nine hours of paperwork and routine office calls, not when her thoughts were running in this direction.

She parked her car and took a deep breath. She could do this. She could change the balance of power and get what she wanted from Reid. For all she knew, it was what he wanted too.

After all, he always responded well when she surprised him. She was pretty sure a sex slave wasn’t supposed to do the seducing, much less tempt her master to take more.

Kendra hesitated for only a second in her car to consider Ethan’s Jeep. There was an unresolved problem. Maybe Reid would do something about it, talk to Ethan. To her relief, she saw that two of the ladies who took the bus together were arriving at the back door. Kendra got out of her car and walked into the factory with them. She felt Ethan’s gaze land on her once they stepped in the door, but she ignored him. He could have been invisible. She had to hope that without encouragement, he’d let what he’d seen drop.

Once at her desk, Kendra refused to be disappointed that Reid wasn’t in yet. It was early for him. She settled in to work as if everything was normal. Her heart skipped at every sound of someone arriving and she straightened at every car engine passing the office.

Everything was going to work out just fine.

* * *

Reid checked out of his hotel room and gave them the address to the house. He was distracted, not by his interview with the police but the call he’d received from Rex. He’d thought to make sure Miss Jones was worked, but Rex had declined the pleasure.

The other man’s comments had been interesting, as had been his observations. He talked about connections and bonds, probably not realizing that his words were sending a chill through Reid.

It was exactly the wrong time for Reid to find the woman he had always been seeking. He wasn’t sure any relationship could stand the scrutiny of a police investigation, much less the suspicion it could create. Anyone with a speck of sense would suspect him of killing his wife. No one other than Reid could be sure he hadn’t done it.

He knew that the responsible choice would be terminating his agreement with Miss Jones immediately and letting her go.

On the other hand, Rex’s words had sent a tide of pleasure through Reid. It was easy to imagine keeping Miss Jones forever. It was easy to envision a future with her as his long term slave, always ready, always captive, always wearing his chain. The intensity of his response was overwhelming.

He wanted her. For good.

And just as vehemently, he knew he should step away from her.

He couldn’t do it, not this morning, probably not as soon as he saw her. He had to build his own case for making the right choice and convince himself to act selflessly.

In the meantime, he still was her master and he’d prove it to her.

It had been too long since Miss Jones had been allowed a release. Reid knew she wasn’t particularly patient and that she was a passionate slave. He’d thought that in giving her to Rex, he’d be both fulfilling his responsibility to her as her master, and fulfilling her fantasy of being shared—without having to watch the event himself.