OnlyatTheCavern (14 page)

He blinked several times and shook his head. “Sorry, I just—
I didn’t think you swung that way, Cap. Wow. My mind has been thoroughly blown.
In a million years, I’d never have guessed you’re all for being tied up and
slapped around by a woman. I’m trying to picture it and I gotta tell you, I’m
totally shocked.”

“Shut up, Coulter.”

“Hold up, boss.” Coulter sidestepped to block the exit. “You
can’t drop a bomb like that and leave.”

“I didn’t say anything. You’re the one jumping to
conclusions.”

Coulter drew imaginary circles in the air. “Your face said
it all. Come on. I need details. What’s it like? I heard Mistress Jasmina is
amazing. Does she make you wear leather? Has she made you lick her boots?”

“My God, you’re an idiot,” he groaned and smacked his gum.
“Drop it and let’s go. It’s not important.”

“You’re wrong.” He widened his stance and popped his neck
back and forth as if he were preparing for a throw down. “From what I can
gather, you started seeing her after your accident, which means she’s the
reason you’ve been mentally checking out recently. And now we’ve had a huge break
in our case that she is directly involved with. I need to know if you can keep
your head on the case or is it in her pants?”

His fingers curled into fists and he felt sweat gather along
his forehead. “You’re asking to get your ass kicked, Lieutenant.”

“I’m being a good cop who’s worried about a member of my
team. You’d ask the same questions if the situation were reversed and you know
it.”

Fuck it all to hell.

Marco sucked in growl and turned away from Coulter’s knowing
smirk to pace the four feet to the wall and back. Why was it that all of a
sudden he’d gone from being the undisputed alpha to a complete and utter
dumbass?

“Goddammit,” he snarled.

Coulter looked at him with puppy-dog eyes. “I’m here for
you, Captain, if you need to talk.” He threw up his hands in defense as Marco
feinted like he was going to deck him. “I’m kidding. I mean, I’m willing to
listen, but geez, you’re wound tighter than a tube top on a sumo wrestler.
What’s going on?”

“Nothing. In the grand scheme of life, it’s nothing.” He dug
the heel of his hand into his eye and let out long breath. “I’m seeing
Mistress—Jaz—Doc—her. I’ve been seeing her for a few weeks to help with
stress.”

“Is that what you call it?”

“I swear to God, Coulter.”

“I can’t help it.” He chortled. “I’m curious and intrigued
and jealous as hell. I know a lot of people who were disappointed when Mistress
Jasmina picked a new sub. I didn’t know it was you, and I didn’t realize she
was Dr. Jovanovich. Man, what’s it like?”

“How do you know so much about her?”

“I’m no stranger to The Cavern, as you well know. I have
friends there. I keep my ear to the ground. Now what’s it like? You’re killing
me.”

“It’s…freeing. I don’t have to think about anything but her,
and I don’t have to guess about what to do or how she’s thinking because she
tells me. For a little bit of time, I can just let go.”

“Has she whipped you?”

“I’m not answering that. No specifics.”

“Man, you’re no fun.” He rubbed at his jaw. “So what
happened after I left you two that pissed her off?”

“What makes you think she was pissed?”

He drew another circle around his face. “That woman was
spitting nails.”

“Fuck.” How had things blown up so badly? “I asked her out.”

“Out?” His brow crinkled. “Like out out?”

“Yeah.”

“Like on a date?”

“Yes.”

The crease across the forehead deepened. “I heard Mistress
Jasmina doesn’t date.”

“She doesn’t and neither does Dr. Jovanovich. Apparently
I’ve broken an unspoken rule and dared to ask her to spend time with me outside
of the club.”

“Oh,” Cassidy drew in a long breath. “I see. Huh. That is a
quandary. I’m sorry, Cap. Does that mean your arrangement is over?”

Ah. The magic question and his greatest fear. “I don’t know.
I hope not.”

“You like her.”

“Of course I do.”

“No. You
really
like her.”

He stared at his friend for a long while before he nodded.
“Yeah. A lot.”

Coulter smiled. “I wish you the best, man. Now the truth. Is
the sex good?”

Marco stepped around him to slide open the door. “What goes
on in the dungeon is not about sex.”

“But if it was?”

His smile stretched so far his cheeks stung.

“I knew it,” Coulter crowed.

“Come on. We have a girl relying on us to keep her alive.”

Together they walked to the nurses’ station. Before they
could ask about Dr. Jovanovich’s whereabouts, she stepped out from a nearby
office with a sheaf of papers and walked in their direction.

Coulter sputtered with laughter before he sucked in a
chuckle and Jasmine’s eyes narrowed. If it were physically possible, he knew
they’d be two daggers lodged in his chest.

“Sorry, Cap,” Coulter whispered.

All he could do was grunt in reply. Nothing left to do but
hope Jasmine didn’t take her anger out on his hide.

Actually, if she didn’t, he’d know for certain their
relationship as he once knew it was over.

Jasmine pulled the blanket over the sleeping girl’s chest
before crossing to the window and checking the lock one last time.

Jenny had yet to attempt another dash out the window, but it
didn’t hurt to be extra cautious. So far she had rested peacefully in her new
quarters on the top floor of Amaryllis and Lucian’s penthouse, however, once
her strength returned, who was to say fear wouldn’t propel her back into
danger.

She left the bedroom door open a crack and walked down the
long staircase to join Amaryllis in her living room.

“Her color’s looking real good, but her blood sugar is high.
Quit giving her soda and sweets.”

“It’s my house and you can’t tell me what to do.” Amaryllis
held up a pair of pink open-toed heels. “Which do you like best with that dress
on the chair? These fuchsia shoes or the white flats?”

She gestured to all of the shopping bags and clothes.
“What’s all of this?”

“Jenny’s new wardrobe.”

“Ah. Of course. Well, fairy godmother, let her sleep before
playing fashion show. I’ll be back day after tomorrow to check on her condition.
Call me if she doesn’t seem to be managing her pain. Do not give her any
medication without asking me.”

“Right, good doctor.” She saluted. “Are you off to meet with
the handsome Captain DeWinter?”

“I am,” she answered slowly. If he showed up.

In the two days since he had asked her out, all
communication between them was solely about Jenny and her needs. He didn’t give
any indication that he wanted to cancel his appointment, but he had fallen into
what she called “Iceman mode”. Direct, emotionless. Not a single warm glance or
passion-filled word.

Which was how it should be when they were out in public.

An itch started over her right eye in response to the lie
she kept telling herself. If she kept repeating it enough, maybe she’d convince
herself it was the truth.

“Again, don’t rush her, Amaryllis. She’s not one of your
projects.”

She smiled sweetly. “For now.”

“Oh God.” She rolled her eyes. Why did she ever teach the
woman how to use that phrase to her benefit? “Then I’ll be back
tomorrow
.”

Amaryllis stuck out her tongue. “Go on and tame that
delicious hunk of policeman. Do dirty deeds and show him who he needs to
worship.”

“Good night, Amaryllis.” She waved and left the giggling
woman to her profusion of fabric and footwear.

The Dominatrixes’ dressing room was empty and silent, which
was why she loved coming to the club on off nights, however, the silence was
too much for her taste that night. She turned up the speakers that piped in the
tracks from the dance floor. Usually the constant thump-thump-thump of the bass
annoyed her, but she needed the noise to cover the whispers running through her
head that made her doubt her stance with the captain.

She had no reason to feel bad about turning down his request
for dinner. She never lied or led him to believe their relationship extended
beyond the walls of the club. Quiet opposite in fact.

He had to understand her refusal wasn’t because she didn’t
like him. She did. Very much so. She liked how he could make her smile with a
simple quirk of his brow and the way his eyes sparked when he was happy. And
the way he treated Jenny most definitely caused her heart to flutter. He was so
kind, so compassionate. Ready to slay the young girl’s demons at a moment’s
notice. All very swoon-worthy qualities.

Gah! She shook her head and attacked her hair with
extra-vigorous strokes of the hairbrush. What was she considering? She didn’t
have time to rearrange her life. Besides, his job just hit a major turning
point. It wouldn’t surprise her one bit if he had to cancel future meetings due
to work. Then he’d understand why she kept her distance. Why she tried so
diligently to keep her club and professional lives separate. Although the
captain and all of his charms made crossing that line tempting, the cold
reality was the next few hours were all she had to offer. It was time to remind
them both of their place.

For the evening’s attire, she chose a wraparound dress in
deep-purple silk. Underneath the sumptuous fabric she wore a lacy half-bra and
matching boy-shorts for an added layer of texture. She went without her shoes,
and if Marco had been paying any attention, that clue alone should be a warning
as to her current frame of mind.

As she neared the door of her dungeon, she ignored the beads
of sweat that trickled along her hairline. She refused to believe the captain
would not show because she turned down his offer of a date. The man wasn’t that
petty.

She hoped.

She paused with her hand on the doorknob and released a long
breath then opened the door partway to peek around the edge. The sight of his
bare feet made her heartbeat slow and her nerves settle. Thank the lord he was
able to push past her refusal. Of course his pride had probably been stung, but
their relationship worked best within The Cavern’s walls. All she had to do was
reinforce that truth.

This was her dungeon, her sub, her rules. The control was in
her hands.

The captain sat naked, on his knees, palms on his thighs,
and awaiting her instructions like a good boy. However, his eyes slid in her
direction and he watched her as she crossed the room to stand before him. That
bold gaze looked its fill, burning through the fabric of her dress to touch her
with a firm caress. His tongue swept over his lips and she saw his thumbs
stroke the insides of his thighs, the tips grazing his erection.

Did the captain want to play a game? Oh, it was on.

“Let’s take a field trip,” she said and walked over to the
wardrobe. From inside the cabinet she withdrew a pair of black cotton pants and
a satin mask. She handed him the pants then stepped behind him to tie the mask
around his head. “In case we run into anyone you know.”

He made a wicked-looking Zorro with the black fabric hiding
the top half of his face and hair and nothing else covering his body. The
slightest smirk tipped the corner of his lips and his eyes blazed from the
mask’s open slits as he silently confirmed his intent to be ornery. Oh, yeah.
The game was so on.

She held out the pants and ordered him to dress. He wasn’t
going to reap the benefit of having her touch him yet. As a final accessory,
she added a studded collar, complete with a leash, around his neck.

“Come along, boy.” She tugged on the leash and led him out
of the room.

The main playroom was congested as a crowd gathered for the
scheduled floor show. Madeline caught her eye and waved her over, gesturing for
her to share her loveseat in the front row.

“Hello, handsome,” she greeted the captain as they neared.
“Are you going to share your toy today, Jasmina?”

“Perhaps.” She sat and directed the captain to sit between
them. The fit was tight and Madeline made sure to squeeze in extra close by
pushing her lace-covered breasts into his sides. “No sub tonight, Mad?”

“Nope. I had to let Megabyte go and Ponyboy had to work, so
I’m solo. What are your plans for the evening?”

“That depends.” She leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Would
I be correct in saying Lieutenant Coulter is aware of our arrangement?”

“Yes, Mistress,” he replied and his earlier confidence
seemed to falter as his gaze fell to the floor.

“Did you two have a good laugh?”

“Absolutely not.” And his jaw clenched as if the idea were
ludicrous.

She looked back to Madeline. “My plans are still in the
works.”

“Come on, Jaz, let me touch him.” She stuck her nose under
his chin and inhaled deep. “He smells so good. Please, please, please.”

“Begging does not become you. You can touch his right leg
only. He’s been a bad boy.”

“Yay!” She clapped her hands then dug her fingernails into
his quadriceps.

Marco grunted and flashed Jasmine a glare. She responded by
offering a sweet smile and scored her own marks into the cotton covering his
muscular thigh, except instead of flinching, his lashes fluttered and he sighed
her name.

The lights dimmed and a spotlight highlighted Jorges, the
club’s designer and sometime Master of Ceremonies, standing on the platform.

“Watch the show,” she said to Marco but kept caressing his
thigh.

“I’d rather watch you,” he murmured in a voice so low, she
could have imagined he said the words.

“Welcome, everyone,” Jorges greeted. “We have a real treat
in store for you tonight. Joining us from the shores of the Baltic Sea, please
welcome Vitaly and Katarina.”

He swept his hand toward stage right and a couple emerged
from the shadows. Black spandex with splashes of red and blue glitter adhered
to their bodies like a second skin from their necks down to their ankles. At
their groins and Katarina’s breasts, the fabric was cut away, exposing their
more interesting parts to the audience.

“My God,” Madeline muttered. “You can walk the plank on that
erection. Yummy.”

Her observation wasn’t that far from the truth. The moment
the music began, Vitaly lifted Katarina into the air. She placed her left hand
on his head and stretched one foot behind her as her left foot perched upon his
cock. Once she was settled, Vitaly let go and spread his arms wide. They held
the pose for several seconds then moved on to the next strength move to a round
of applause.

Over the notes of the gently swelling Gregorian chants, the
couple lifted and twined around each other in a series of poses that appeared
impossible for a human to attempt, let alone accomplish. One of the more
impressive moves was a vertical sixty-nine position with Katarina hanging
upside down, legs in the air while holding on to her lover’s waist and Vitaly’s
hands were up over his head. He then grasped her by the waist and with a flinch
of muscle, he tossed her into the air and caught her by the hips as her legs
wrapped around his waist. She notched his cock against her sheath and slowly
impaled herself on his length. Once he was seated, they both leaned away from
each other until they formed a tabletop supported only by Vitaly’s strong feet
and calf muscles.

The duo was impressive and Jasmine would have been
enthralled by their physicality but her attention was diverted by the man to
her right who moaned in her ear as she massaged his thigh and belly. The
texture of the hair covering his abdomen and the heat of his skin felt so nice
against her palm. With the tight fit of the three of them on the couch, he had
draped his arms across the back. His hand cupped her shoulders and his fingers
dug into her skin as she alternated between light scratches and firm caresses.

“Please touch my cock,” he moaned in a whisper. “Please.
Please.”

She lifted her gaze and saw him watching her with lust in
his eyes. “Watch the show.”

“Please, Mistress.”

“Watch them. Not me.” She tugged at the hair around his
navel in warning.

“I’m so hard for you.” He thrust his hips. The strength of
his erection threatened the integrity of the fabric trapping his cock.

“Watch them,” she bit out and twisted his nipple.

Instead of flinching, he sucked in a breath and groaned,
“Oh, yeah, baby.”

“You’re testing my patience, Rookie.”

“Why? Because I enjoy your touch and your touch alone?”

“Because you are being a brat and that’s unacceptable.
Madeline, stop touching him. He doesn’t deserve such pleasure.”

Madeline ran her fingertip across his cheek. “Don’t play
with the queen bee, Rookie, or you’ll get stung.”

“I like her sting,” he said with a laugh.

Jasmine cupped his jaw in a firm grip and drew him close
until they were nose to nose. “Stop acting like a child. You are being
disrespectful to our guests. Be quiet and watch the show.”

The smirk faded. “Yes, Mistress.”

It wasn’t unusual for submissives to test their master’s
authority, but she never imagined the captain would resort to such childish
behavior. The sulking was not in the lease bit attractive.

So far she had gone easy on the captain, breaking him in
slowly into the lifestyle. Apparently he needed the more direct approach.

Behind his back, she stared hard at Madeline until the other
woman turned her head and met her gaze. Jasmine lowered her lashes in a slow
blink and Madeline’s smile curled with wicked intent. Her friend might not know
the details, but she was aware that the hammer was about to be brought down
hard.

Vitaly and Katarina ended their routine with a flurry of
twists and stage dives as the music reached a crescendo and the audience burst
into applause. Jasmine took that as her cue and stood. She walked toward the
now-empty stage and the crowd sucked in a collective breath. She hadn’t planned
on putting on a performance and she usually kept her public play contained in
Amaryllis’s private room unless asked to specifically perform in the main area.
This impromptu exhibition was an anomaly the club’s regulars were quick to
relay to any newcomers in attendance.

She crooked her finger at Madeline. “Bring him here.”

“This is going to be good.” Madeline laughed and tugged on
the captain’s leash. She pulled him onto the stage as Jasmine walked over to
the controls on the wall and lowered a three-foot-long bar from the ceiling.

Jorges sidled up to her with a frown on his brow. “What’s
up, Jasmine? I don’t like the look in your eyes.”

“Bring me my whip. The short one.”

“Jaz…”

“Jorges…I have a willful submissive that needs to be
punished. Will you bring me my whip or do I send someone else?”

He let out a low whistle but nodded. “We’re not done with
this conversation.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. My whip, please, or I start to
improvise.”

“Coming right up, Mistress.”

Jorges was right. Something was up, and she couldn’t put her
finger on it. The captain’s blatant disrespect made her mad enough to draw
blood and see him grovel on his knees for forgiveness. Her present state of
mind was probably not the best for wielding the whip, but she was still in
control and if any part of their arrangement was salvageable, her show of
dominance had to be big.