Wicked (25 page)

"Graham went downstairs this morning to, uhmm, see how last night went for

you, and found the door open. When he went inside, he saw that the

bedroom was trashed."

"Next time you stay out all night, you call us!" Graham shook a finger at her.

"Graham," Peter cautioned. "We knew where she was, and who she was

with. It's okay."

Graham's eyes were wide, his arms folded tight across his chest as he

stared at her. He'd been worried about her. Scared for her, even! "I'm fine,

Graham." She should call Karl though.

"Nothing is missing as far as we can tell, Miss Fox." The young cop—his

name badge said Mathews—finally spoke up. "But you'll need to let us know

for sure."

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"That makes sense," she said, fighting to stay calm. "I don't have much worth stealing, just my computer or the TV. But why would someone break into my

place and not steal
anything
?"

Officer Mathews held up his notepad and gave her a steady look. "I

understand someone slashed the tires on your car earlier in the week?"

She shared a glance with the boys, noticing how Peter reached for Graham's

hand at the question. "Yeah. We figure it was done early Wednesday

morning, before anyone was awake. I was out late, and my car was fine

when I got home around two in the morning, but when I left for work…"

"Were you with the same friend that night as last night?"

"Yes." Anger hit her hard and fast, and she bit down to keep useless venom

from spewing out. She spun on her heel and stalked away, turned, and

paced back. What the hell? Why the fuck was someone doing this to her?

Someone was targeting her. There was no way she could pretend this was

random. They were after her, and they were doing it whenever she was with

Karl.

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34

T
he police cruiser was pulling out of the driveway just as Karl pulled up

to Lara's house. When his phone rang less than an hour after she'd left him,

warmth had washed over him, only to turn to ice when he'd heard the

fear-tinged anger in her voice.

He noticed the scraped up doorframe on his way in that said someone had

used a screwdriver or something to pop the lock. Not very sophisticated, but

it did the trick. As soon as he stepped into Lara's place he heard voices in the

bedroom and headed straight there.

He saw Lara and the breath he hadn't known he was holding whooshed from

him. A little light-headed, he just took in the sight of her, still dressed in her

boots, skirt, and the black t-shirt of his that she'd borrowed, standing in the

middle of a disaster zone.

Clothes were strewn about the room, the curtains torn off the window, the

mattress half-off the bed…and the mirror on her dresser broken.

She had her back to the door. Graham stood on one side of her and another

guy, with his arm around her shoulders, on the other.

"Lara."

All three heads spun in his direction, but Karl only saw her big blue eyes,

round and full of fire. His girl was pissed
off
!

"You okay?" He wanted to go to her, but the tightly leashed anger seemed to 224

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almost be directed at him, so he waited. If she needed someone to yell at, he

was there for her.

"I'm fine, thanks. But I have a few questions for you."

"We'll be upstairs if you need us, hon." The scruffy guy squeezed her

shoulder and both men headed for the door. When Graham passed him, he

stopped and looked Karl in the eyes.

"She's scared, she just won't admit it." He'd spoken for Karl's ears only and Karl heard him loud and clear. He also understood the unspoken warning in

his assistant's gaze.

If it came down to it, Graham was on Lara's side, no matter who his boss

was.

Karl walked toward Lara, tuning out the room around them, his focus totally

and completely on her. Her pupils were dilated, her cheeks were flushed,

and the pulse at her throat was rapid. She was strong, and she was scared,

and she was using her anger to control the fear.

He didn't want her to control it. He wanted her to release it, to give it to him, to

trust him to take it, and still be there for her.

"What happened?"

"Someone broke in while I was with you last night and trashed my stuff." She planted her fists on her hips and tilted her head. "Nothing was stolen, the rest of the suite wasn't even touched, just the bedroom. Just my clothes, and the

bed…torn apart as if someone were in a jealous rage."

So that was the way her mind was coping. "And you think it has something to

do with me."

"You never did tell me how many subs you have."

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"You are the only anything I have."

She snorted, throwing her hands up and turning away from him.

"Lara," he snapped. "Don't turn away from me."

She faced him again, her mouth twisted and arms folded across her chest.

"What about Jan?"

"Jan isn't capable of something like this. Even if she was, she and I were play

partners only. Neither of us ever wanted it to be more than that."

Unease tightened his gut.
Marie might be, though.

"And your other play partners?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "Two times in the last week something bad has happened to me, and both times, they

were when I was with you. You're the connection, Karl."

"I've had many play partners over the years, Lara. Two that were regulars for

the last year or so, both of whom I've spoken to and cut things off with since

I met you."

"Did you make them feel as special as you made me feel? Did they think they

could
have it all
with you too?"

He stepped closer, speaking softly and holding her gaze. "I never even went

on a date with any of them. It was play and that was it. Until you, I'd given up

on ever finding someone I could have it all with. Someone who would

challenge me mentally, psychologically, and physically."

Eyes wide, she stepped back, shaking her head, and pulling her hands out of

his reach.

"Stop it, Lara! Look at me. Listen to me." He grabbed her hands and pulled

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her against his body, pinning her hands behind her back. "Do not let this

undo everything we achieved last night. These attacks are not about you and

me. You've done nothing wrong and I've done nothing wrong."

She didn't struggle against him, but she didn't give in either. He pressed his

forehead against hers, and willed her to look past his eyes and into his soul.

"Don't use this as an excuse to run from us, Lara."

He watched and waited while she battled her inner demons, knowing only

she could do it. Slowly, the tension left her body and he had his girl back. He

pressed his lips against hers, elated at the way she softened and opened for

him instantly. Her body melted against his, her softness blending into his

hardness and they were one. No thoughts, no fears, no anger, just the

comfort of two halves becoming one.

He ended the kiss slowly, not wanting to stop, but knowing they had things to

deal with. Together.

Releasing her hands he gave her a small smack on the backside. "C'mon,

sugar, grab a few things and come stay at my place for a few days."

"Why?" Her brow puckered.

"Your door is messed up and probably can't be fixed until Monday, so it's not

safe here until we figure out what's going on." He did not want her alone in

that suite again. Not until they caught whoever was stalking her. Maybe not

ever.

Her back went up and her chin went out. "I don't need a big strong man to

protect me."

"I know you don't, sugar. This is for me, not you."

Karl saw the indecision in her eyes. She wanted to stay independent, but she

wanted to be with him too, and he wasn't above using that. Reaching out he

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wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close in a hug. Bending his

head, he whispered in her ear. "If you come stay with me, I'll tie you up."

Her eyes lit up and she grinned. "Oh, okay then. You convinced me."

The knot in his chest easing, he kissed her again, and then stepped back.

"You gather some things. I'll go tell Graham you'll be with me."

* * *

G
raham's body heat warmed Peter's back as he watched Lara's car

turn down the road and follow Karl Dawson's truck away from their home.

"What are you thinking?"

Peter turned from the window to face his boy. "Just how glad I am that Lara

wasn't home last night. And that she's finally letting someone close enough

to stand by her."

Graham shook his head. "I've never seen him like that, Peter. And I've seen

him angry enough that just looking at him made my knees knock. But

that…that was cold fury. I would not want to be the person on the receiving

end of that."

Karl had come upstairs and introduced himself to Peter, asked for Lara's

phone and given them all his contact numbers. "Lara's going to stay with me

for the rest of the weekend, longer if I can convince her, but that will give you

time to get the door repaired." The tightly leashed fury had left his voice when he'd looked at the men and actually thanked them for being such good

friends to Lara.

Peter smiled at him. "I'm glad. It's obvious he loves her. And that he

understands her."

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Graham cuddled up to Peter, his arms going around his waist and Peter's

heart swelled, filling with love. "Everyone needs someone," he said simply.

"I'm so glad I have you."

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35

T
he weekend at Karl's flew by. When Lara finished work on Monday

she went back to her own place to find the doorframe fixed and a nice new

shiny deadbolt installed. So she decided to stay home. She could tell by

Karl's tone of voice when she called him that he didn't care if the door was

fixed—he wanted her back at his place. But he didn't order her there, or even

ask.

Instead, he said, "You know where I am, and feel free to use your key

anytime."

Lara hung up the phone and dropped onto her sofa with a dreamy smile in

place. He understood. He understood her need to stand on her own, and yet

he made sure she knew she didn't have to. She hugged the throw pillow to

her chest and drifted off to sleep.

"Do you think she's dead?"

A finger poked her shoulder roughly, and she growled. "I'm awake now.

What do you want?"

"Dinner and a movie," Graham said.

Lara opened her eyes and sat up on the sofa. He didn't have dinner, or a

movie, in his hands. Instead he stood there, left hand extended, palm down.

"What?" Then she saw it and she jumped up from the sofa. "Oh my God! You guys are getting married?"

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Peter turned away from his spot by her window, his cheeks flushed, his pride

obvious as he watched Graham show off his ring.

She gave Graham a big hug and pulled back to admire the ring. "Very nice.

I'm so happy for you."

"Good," Graham said. "Now that you know all about our love life, tell us about yours."

Heat crept up her neck and she glanced over at Peter, who had moved on to

her second window with a long wooden stick in his hand. "What are you

doing?"

"I have a guy coming tomorrow to install bars on these windows, but for

tonight, these will have to do." He placed the wooden dowel in the bottom of

the window frame so that it couldn't be slid open.

"No one's going to break in tonight. Don't worry."

Peter looked at her. "You know who it is?"

"Not yet, but they've yet to attack
me.
They only go after my things, so I think I'm okay for a while longer." She twisted her hands and sat down on the sofa

again. "I think it's one of Karl's old playmates."

"Playmates?"

Oops. "Girlfriends, whatever." She waved a hand.

"It's okay, Lara. We know he's a Dom."

Eyes wide, she stared at them, unable to think of something to say. If they

knew he was a Dom, they'd have to know she let him top her.

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Peter dropped onto the sofa next to her and reached for her hand. "Those of

us who play in that lifestyle tend to recognize it in others that we meet."

She looked at Graham, who'd settled down in the chair across from them.

"You knew all along? And you didn't warn me!"

He held up his hands. "Hey, I tried to tell you dating him might not be the

smartest move."

True, but she hadn't listened. Thank God.

Wait a minute. "Those of you who play in the lifestyle?" Now it all made

sense. The intense energy that sometimes sprung up from nowhere when

the two of them were around. The way Peter always seemed to be able to

calm Graham down or shut him up with a word.

She smacked herself in the forehead. "How did I not see that?"

The boys chuckled and she shook her head. She'd been blind.

"We don't hide it, but we don't advertise our private life either. It's for us, and us only. Just like yours is for you."

"So you don't think it's weird? For me, I mean, to all of a sudden enjoy having

someone tell me what—control—dominate?" She threw up her hand and