Punishing for Pleasure (3 page)

After learning the group was heading to the hospital’s outdoor courtyard for a media event—
whatever the fuck that mean
t
—to announce plans for a new women’s and children’s care wing, he and Dex made their way down the stairs. They followed the throng of people headed that way, many of whom were speculating about rumors the new wing was going to be named after the two newest physicians on staff. Ash didn’t understand the significance of those concerns, but it was evidently hot news among those making their way into the crowded courtyard. They passed a sign at the entrance that proclaimed Ms. Merilee D. Lanham, CEO of the Lanham Foundation, would be today’s special guest.
Why had she told them her name was Mary?
Wait. Had
she t
old them? Or
had someone else?
Hell, his brain was so scrambled at the moment he could barely remember the details that had just been rolling through his mind a few minutes earlier. But now that he thought back on that night, he was fairly certain it had been Kyle who referred to her as Mary Dillon.

Concentrating on that memory as they made their way inside the courtyard, he remembered thinking Kyle had stumbled over her name because it hadn’t sounded quite right when he’d pronounced it. Had Kyle actually said
Meri
and he and Dex had merely assumed he’d said Mary? Shaking off his wayward thoughts, Ash watched Merilee D. Lanham schmooze with dignitaries and staff members at the front of the enclosed area. She looked completely relaxed and at ease surrounded by all the suits. A brilliant smile they’d seen far too rarely lit up her face, making her glow from the inside out. He’d known she was attractive, but with her long dark hair framing her tan face then falling in soft waves over her shoulders to the middle of her back, he realized she was heart-stoppingly beautiful. Even from this distance, he could see her bright green eyes sparkling with life as she effortlessly moved between the people vying for her attention.

They stayed at the back, choosing to forego the seating that had been set up facing a small raised flowerbed at one end of the enclosed garden area. A clear lectern held a microphone on the wide step surrounding the oval bed providing a colorful background for whoever would be speaking. Standing in the shadows close to the rock wall of the hospital, they’d be able to see the speaker without being easy to spot.

“For some reason I’m pissed. And the hell of it is, I’m not even sure why.” Dex’s comment echoed Ash’s own frustration. Even after he’d learned the man touching Mary was her assistant, Ash could still feel the residual effects of the sudden surge of jealousy that had swamped him—he didn’t understand it and he damned well didn’t like it. He’d played in various clubs all over the world never thinking twice about the scenes being anything more than consenting adults engaging in an activity that was
hopefully
mutually gratifying. He and Dex had always been absolutely candid with the subs they’d spent time with, explaining clearly there were no commitments involved. And all but a very few had not only understood but been of like minds.

Ash watched the group of people at the sidelines and was surprised to see Regi standing next to Mary. Nodding in her direction, Ash asked, “What do you suppose Regi is doing here? She seems more than a little uncomfortable.” Regi and uncomfortable just didn’t go together, that alone had him wondering where her men were just as the two OB-GYNs walked up beside her. Both men greeted Mary with obvious affection, but their attention was clearly centered on their fiancée. Ash had been at the party where Regi agreed to marry the docs, but as far as he knew, the trio hadn’t gotten around to setting a date yet. So much had changed in the little imp’s life in such a short period of time, her discomfort wasn’t all that difficult to understand. The mystery was how the two women knew each other outside Prairie Winds.

When the man Nurse Carla S. had indicated was the president of the regional medical center’s board stepped up to the podium, everyone fell silent. Dex Raines listened as Mr. Full-of-Himself droned on about the “needs” of the community and while Dex appreciated that his points were likely valid, the man’s hard-sell approach was grating on his last nerve. Leaning close to Ash, he whispered, “Whatcha bet he was a car salesman?” Ash’s snort of laughter earned them glares from several people standing nearby, but the amusement in their eyes had belied the scornful expressions. The man continued yammering away until Dex felt his eyelids start to slide south. Christ he’d gone days without sleep on missions without breaking a sweat, and here he was, about to fall into a stupor standing up. “I think I’ve just discovered the cure for insomnia.” More shushing came from the peanut gallery but this time Ash hadn’t been the only one fighting to hold back his laughter.

Dex listened as the man finally introduced Merilee, he watched as she graciously shook Mr. Sure-Doze’s hand before stepping behind the clear podium. She thanked everyone for taking time to attend and Dex was impressed with her ability to engage the audience. Taking a quick scan of the courtyard, he noticed everyone in the audience seemed to be as enthralled with her as he was. It was clear she was at ease speaking in front of groups, and the woman standing on the makeshift stage was one hundred eighty degrees out from the sub he knew from the club.
Fuc
k me! That is exactly why she
…like so many others,
has to keep her public and private lives distinctly compartmentalized.
Merilee D. Lanham’s public persona and success would depend upon her private lifestyle choices remaining private
…very, very private.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how devastating it would be to her career, and to the charitable foundation she headed, if word got out that she edged toward masochism and frequented the city’s hottest kink club.

Merilee Lanham was clearly a force to be reckoned with outside of the bedroom and for the briefest moment, Dex wondered if he and Ash would be able to handle those two very distinct personalities. He’d heard Neal Chambers talking to Dean and Dell West about the challenges he and Noelle faced trying to reconcile their “public faces” with their private lifestyle. Neal was a popular pediatrician who was quickly making a name for himself not only in Texas, but also nationally, and Noelle’s position as a tough-as-nails-prosecutor was garnering her a lot of political attention as well. Since Lilly West’s charity work kept her in the public eye, Dean and Dell understood the young physician’s concerns and had offered him several bits of advice that Dex wished now he had listened to more carefully.

In Dex’s mind, he’d already started thinking of the woman holding the audience in the palm of her hand as Merilee, because she clearly wasn’t the shy submissive they’d been drawn to at the club. And even though he wasn’t sure he or Ash would ever fit in to her world, his respect for her—and the work she was doing—was growing with every word she spoke. She was obviously passionate about the care of women and children, and excited to announce the Lanham Foundation was partnering with another donor to fund the lion’s share of the new wing. Both Dex and Ash had joined the others in their thunderous applause when Regi’s part in the project was announced.

They’d been along when Regi had “rediscovered” the sunken treasure her parents had been salvaging when her dad’s double life had finally caught up with him. The Prairie Winds team’s entire operation had been FUBAR almost from the beginning, but had really become fucked up beyond all recognition a few weeks ago when Regi swore she’d seen her dad on a boat anchored in the river behind the club. Hell, if she had, then Mark Stephano had just “survived” his second “death” and Dex was starting to think he might be some sort of magician instead of the CIA spook he’d once been.
Jesus, Joseph, and Mary…I was sure no one could have survived that mess.
The sunken ship had been perched precariously on the edge of a deep underwater ridge and when everything had finally shifted enough to tip the balance, Stephano and several of his men had been pulled over the edge to their deaths by the sheer force of the water’s movement—or so they’d all thought.

Dex had been impressed as hell with Regi while they’d been in Belize. When she’d first arrived, Regi had learned her longtime friend and mentor had died. The news had shaken her to be sure, but she’d sucked it up and driven herself to the point of exhaustion because she hadn’t wanted to burden the other members of the team. And now, Regi’s decision to use a huge percentage of the money, from the sale of the artifacts they’d recovered, to help build a facility designed to serve the local community endeared her to Dex even more. Dex smiled when he saw Regi’s future husbands standing to the side watching her, pride easy to see in their eyes. Both Kirk Evans and Brian Bennett had the same sappy grin Dex has seen on the faces of the other Doms at Prairie Winds when they’d found the woman that completed them.

For the first time Dex could remember, he actually found himself wondering what it would be like to
know
you’d found the woman fate had sent you. Ash often teased him about his “new age” ideas, but it had never changed Dex’s view. There was a universal truth and comforting peace found in the knowledge there are forces larger than any one individual that Dex believed was undeniable, and he knew Ash would see it too—when the time was right.

*****

The hair on the back of Meri’s neck stood straight up just as she was stepping into the hospital’s elevator and she wasn’t even sure what had set her senses on alert. But whatever it was, the feeling had been unsettling and she was still feeling the effects even now. She wanted to chalk it up to the fact she’d been experiencing a significant increase in security challenges recently but hadn’t yet taken her dad’s advice and hired personal protection…but that didn’t feel quite right.
Probably ought to be reconsidering that decision
Ms. Harvard MBA.

Meri had planned to speak with Jax and Micah about updating the security system at her home, but she hadn’t been able to catch them alone at the club. The last thing she’d wanted was for Dex Raines or Ash Moore to get wind of the trouble she was having. She’d seen the other former SEALs at the club in “overprotective mode” and it wasn’t pretty…heck, it was downright oppressive. And it wasn’t as if she actually
belonged
to Dex and Ash, they hadn’t acted the least bit interested in having a relationship outside of the club. Even that wouldn't likely change the fact they’d happily take the opportunity to punish her for not telling them about the recent trouble she’d been experiencing. Cripes, now that she thought about it, Kyle and Kent were probably going to go postal as well. Sighing to herself, she resolved to call Kent today on her way home, he was usually the most reasonable of the club’s brood of mother hens.

Jax and Micah had been busy with Gracie and their new daughter. Their wife, Gracie, had a difficult pregnancy and little Miss Deaga Drake-McDonald hadn’t opted for a peaceful entry in to her parents’ life on any level, and from what Meri had heard, the little dark haired beauty was still giving them a run for their money. She dreaded adding to Micah and Jax’s burdens, but she had a sinking feeling her choices in the matter were narrowing quickly.

Quite frankly, she was more than a little impressed Parker Andrews hadn’t already sung like a proverbial canary. Parker had worked for the Austin Police Department but he’d recently taken a special investigator position at the Texas Rangers state office in Austin. Meri’s family was well connected politically, so a couple of agents from the Ranger’s office had shown up after the most recent breakin.
It wo
n’t matter the incident should be considered confidential
.
Meri knew good Doms considered it their responsibility to protect submissives—in fact, most of what she’d read said it was their highest calling.
Cramamolie
,
it’s
just a matter of time before th
is whole fiasco
blows up in my face.

Waiting for the hospital’s board president to finish his spiel, Meri tried to surreptitiously scan the courtyard. There were more people in attendance than she had anticipated, so obviously someone had gotten the word out, and that worked well for the ambitious plan they were setting into motion today. In truth, she’d been working on this project for almost a year, with her vision for expanded services only now becoming public. And while she believed in what she was doing, there was still a small part of her that worried her ex-boyfriend was simply waiting in the dark shadows surrounding the courtyard ready to pounce. There was something in the air…some underlying energy edged with danger lurking at the fringes of the crowd, but Meri wasn’t having any luck identifying the source. John Stevens’ threats to expose her as a slut with a predilection for pain scared her far more than she’d let anyone know. If he was behind her recent rash of trouble, she knew he would be very hard to catch. He wasn’t extremely wealthy, but he was very well connected and highly motivated to discredit her.

Every lash of John Stevens’ tongue had left a ragged scar on her soul. Some were small…others were enormous, but each one had left an indelible mark and eroded her self-confidence. Despite what others might see, Merilee Dillon Lanham was still a woman with all the same insecurities other women faced. John’s scathing comments about her appearance had cut her to the core, she still heard them echoing through her mind every time she looked in the mirror. It didn’t matter that she came from an incredibly privileged background or that most woman would have been envious of her appearance. When Meri looked in the mirror, the first thing she saw was each of her flaws.

She’d been more than a little worried the pompous ass would use today’s press gathering to his advantage. When she’d learned his staff had forwarded his regrets, she’d breathed a sigh of uneasy relief. What she had been too ashamed to share with anyone was the fact her ex had been emotionally abusive almost from the beginning, and his behavior had quickly escalated to the point she’d become fearful for her safety.

Once she’d started researching domestic abuse, she’d immediately recognized the pattern of behavior the books had described. It had begun with complaints about everything—he found fault with anything and everything she did or said. Nothing she did was or ever would have been good enough. There had been several nights that he’d screamed at her for so long he had actually gone hoarse. But it was Senator John Stevens’ threats to destroy her reputation that resonated the loudest in her mind. His vicious verbal attacks resounded loud and clear anytime she scheduled a press conference. Just thinking about a reporter asking her about her fondness for pain or her membership to one of the most popular BDSM clubs in the state sent shards of icy-fear through her. She wasn’t sure who would be damaged the most in the media frenzy that would ensue, likely they’d both sink like the Titanic.

Somewhere along the way John had decided her interest in BDSM was an affront to his sexual prowess, which really was laughable when she considered they’d only had sex a handful of times.
No reason to repeat any of those ninety-second wonders.
Why had she trusted him when every instinct she possessed had warned her he was a predator? Why had she let this man slip through when she should have known he was like every other man who had ever pursued her? Men were only interested in her for one reason—her parents’ money and political influence. And how on earth had he convinced her to reveal what she needed most in the bedroom?

Shaking off the memory of how her last night with John had shattered all of her dreams, Meri refocused her attention to the task at hand.
Good God
in heaven
above, surely Mr. Bluster is getting close to finished.
When he finally introduced her, Meri stepped behind the podium and instinct took over, allowing her to move easily through her prepared remarks. Her memory had always been phenomenal. From the time she’d been able to talk, her parents and teachers had marveled at her ability to recall even the minutest detail of something she’d seen or heard. She’d been tested numerous times in school and the last she’d heard the psychologists were still arguing whether her memory was eidetic or photographic. Personally she’d never cared—it was useful and that was all that mattered to her.
After all, just because I can remember
minutia
doesn’t make me smart…and it damned well didn’t make me a good judge of character when I got involved with John.

The audience was reacting just as she’d hoped they would and all the right media outlets were in attendance, but something was still
off
although she was too distracted at the moment to sort it out. Continuing to feed the group’s enthusiasm with the architect’s rendered drawings, she could almost feel the enthusiasm of the group growing. The entire project was going to require a tremendous amount of community support in addition to the Lanham Foundation’s seed money and Regi’s generous donation, so today’s announcement was also the unofficial kick-off for the fundraising effort. She’d been happy to see many of the wealthier locals in attendance, but less than thrilled to see Kelly Mason was among them.

Meri had attended very exclusive schools so she hadn’t met Kelly until they’d both become members of Prairie Winds at the same time. She’d found out later their parents had known each other for years, and that her dad had gone to considerable effort to ensure she and Kelly’s paths didn’t cross. She’d confided in her mother after the incident at Prairie Winds…well, she hadn’t really had any choice when her mom had walked into the dressing room while they’d been shopping and seen the bruises from her punishment.
Oh yeah, that had been an interesting moment. Crap on a cracker, I didn’t think she was ever going to stop sobbing.

She wasn’t sure exactly what her mom had told her father, but she was convinced it was a heavily diluted version of the truth. She’d never known her mother to lie, but she was an Olympic champion at spin. Meri had often thought her mom missed her calling, she should have been a political speechwriter…hell, the woman could make Judas look like a victim. Later that evening, her dad swirled his wine around in the heavy crystal goblet he held and looked at her thoughtfully for several torturous moments before tactfully cautioning her to guard her privacy and to avoid “that Mason tramp” at all costs. In the months that followed, Meri had noted the foundation had quietly pulled out of several projects they’d been working on in conjunction with Kelly’s family.

Meri knew he was smoothing the way before she actually assumed complete control of the foundation and appreciated his efforts. Even though she was already the CEO, her dad was still the Chairman of the Board, and she relied heavily on his experience while earning her own. Thinking about her parents made her smile. They never did anything by half measure—they lived in the moment and each of those to the fullest. They were currently on a “cultural excursion” in Peru. Her mother had always been interested in the history and cultures of the people of Central and South America, so Meri hadn’t been surprised when she’d persuaded her doting husband to travel high into the Andes to explore the history of the Incas.

She’d been happy to hand the microphone over to the next speaker, but she heard him re-introduce her so she pulled her thoughts back to the moment and smiled as she once again took center stage. They’d set aside a few minutes for photos and questions, but looking out over the sea of reporters, Meri had a sudden urge to bolt. There was an undercurrent of strange energy coursing through the group and she felt a shiver of anxiety work its way up her spine. She had always prided herself on her ability to judge people…or she had before dating John and befriending Kelly, now she wasn’t as sure of herself in that regard. It was that unease that had kept her from revealing her real name to Ash Moore and Dex Raines.
Holy mother of God…j
ust thinking about them makes my body
sit up and take notice.

As if her desire alone had wished them into existence, Meri caught the briefest glimpse of Dex standing in the dark shadows at her left. Her breath caught at the sight, and his stance was so confident, yet pulsing with questions. His feet were shoulder width apart, arms crossed over his broad chest, his head tipped ever so slightly to the side as if he was studying her.
Oh, you can bet your sweet—soon to be very sore ass
—
he’s studying you, Merilee. Did you think he or Ash would be happy to find out the sub they’ve been playing with isn’t who they assumed she was?
Although she had never actually lied to them, she hadn’t been particularly generous with information either. Sighing to herself in resignation, she glanced again and saw Ash had moved up alongside Dex.
Wait…what happened to his arm?
As if he’d read her mind, she saw his head shake ever so slightly as if telling her to not be concerned about something he considered inconsequential, but damn it, his arm was bandaged from his elbow to just above his wrist.

Seeing the two of them poised along the side of the courtyard’s open area explained the strange movement she’d sensed in the crowd a few minutes earlier. Like rippling waves in water, people had stepped forward and then back, now she knew they’d been making way for the two large men to pass behind them.
How long have they been here?
Thinking about them watching her speak to the group gripped her with a mixture of pride in the way she’d held everyone’s attention and anxiety about how they might view the real Meri.

She’d known from the beginning they’d assumed her name was Mary simply by the way they’d pronounced it. She hadn’t bothered to correct them because if nothing else, her sweet southern mama had drilled manners deep into her very being.
It’s not nice to tell others they are incompetent, even if they are Merilee. And it’s good to be smarter than the people around, but you start calling attention to it and they’ll turn mean as snakes
in the time it takes you to blink
.
It had been wonderful advice, but this was one of the few times she’d actually considered she was going to seriously regret listening to her mama.

Answering most of the reporters’ questions had been easy because the vast majority of them had been anticipated, so she and the others easily rattled off their previously prepared answers. But when the skinny guy with the cheap toupee she’d seen Kelly talking to earlier held up his hand, Meri felt a quick sweep of fear at the knowing smirk on his face. “Ms. Lanham, our readers have been asking about your recent break-up with Senator Stevens. Can you tell us what happened between the two of you? And whether or not it was the result of a particular social affiliation?” Her mind was reeling and she knew her deer in the headlights look gave away her surprise.
Recent? Is he kidding? We broke up almost a year ago
!
Social affiliation? He knows about my membership at the club?

Once her brain finally re-engaged, she gave him the smile every southern woman knows how to wield ruthlessly…the one that said,
I’m going to kill you with kindness as I mow you down at the ankles with words you’ll spend days trying to unravel.
“Well, it’s unfortunate you seem to have been given some awfully old news. You are asking about something that happened almost a year ago and is not even remotely connected to the reason we’re here. I’d hate to waste everyone’s time with something no one cares anything about. If you’ll call my office I’ll be
happy
to speak with you about your concerns.” Okay,
happy
was a total lie and everyone knew it, but she wasn’t going to play his game with cameras rolling all around her. Just as the jackass started to open his mouth again, she saw his eyes widen as they shifted to her left. It didn’t take her long to figure out why. Ash and Dex had positioned themselves at the side of the makeshift stage. Their mirrored stances making their intent clear, and if she hadn’t known better, she would have jumped to the same conclusion she was sure everyone else had, they were a part of her personal protection team. In fact she had often used security services when she was traveling and had hoped to talk with Micah and Jax about providing those services in the future, but she’d hesitated fearing club gossip would eventually catch up with her.
Well, doesn’t look like that particular excuse is necessary now…damn and double damn.