Choosing Rena (7 page)

Out of the corner of his eye, he
caught sight of Gabriel. He was standing near the bar next to Nisey
Richardsen, the sub of another one of his friends. A second, very
attractive brunette stood on the other side of the restaurant
owner. Towering over both women, Gabriel was looking better than he
had nearly six weeks ago, when Jackson, fresh out of the hospital,
had attended the funeral of Sara, Gabriel’s long-time submissive.
The loss of her had hit the other man hard. He still couldn’t
believe some punk kid had murdered sweet Sara for a silver necklace
and the twenty dollars she’d had in her wallet at the time.
Personally, he thought the loss of the necklace had only compounded
his friend’s grief over the violent act. Handcrafted in Greece,
specifically for Sara, it had been her everyday collar.

“He doesn’t seem the same without
her.” Next to him, Caelan Doherty, another Dom from Olivia’s,
swirled the wine in his flute, jerking Jackson out of his
thoughts.

“No, he doesn’t. I can’t
imagine losing the woman I love in such a violent way.”
Or accept my overwhelming need for
revenge.
Just the mere thought of the
gang-banger at the mall threatening Rena had him seeing
red.

“Too true. He blames himself, no
matter how many times I’ve told him he had no way of knowing that
some punk would try to mug her and she’d resist, but he brushes me
off. I think the only reason he agreed to host the munch tonight is
because Nisey asked. She has a Greek friend she met through IADT
who expressed an interest in the lifestyle, and she wanted Zhenya
to have the same type of introduction she did.”

Jackson couldn’t help but smile. He’d
only heard rumors about how the Irishman next to him had brought
his sister’s best friend to her first munch, since it happened
shortly before he and Jude had relocated their business from
Georgia to Chicago. “Is it true Nisey nearly had a meltdown
watching you perform a simple box tie?”

Shooting a look over his shoulder in
his sub’s direction, Caelan chuckled. “Let’s just say I have very
fond memories of Gabriel’s office.”

After giving Gabriel a hug, Nisey and
the brunette joined them. Contentment crossed Caelan’s face when
Nisey brushed her fingers over his shoulder. “Speaking of the
little imp…” He turned his head up to look at her. She looked like
the college co-ed she was, dressed in capris and an emerald cotton
top. “Did you introduce Zhenya around?”

“Of course,
Máister.”
Nisey blushed
slightly as Caelan pulled her down onto his lap.

“She has been a
kaló korítsi,
Kýrie
Dorherty
.
She even
introduced me to your
échase ton
ánthro̱po
”
Then
Zhenya rattled off a few more sentences in Greek.

“Whoa, in dire need of a translator
here…” Caelan laughed.

“She said Nisey was a good
girl and introduced her to a lost man…I’m assuming she meant me.”
Gabriel joined them at the table, a rueful smile on his face very
reminiscent of the man Jackson remembered before Sara had died.
“Very observant on her part…” His eyes saddened, though a moment
later, Jackson saw a glimpse of the old Gabriel as he stared at
Zhenya. “…but unfortunately not something she can fix as she
wishes. It was a pleasure to meet you
,
mikrí̱
but I have other customers to attend
to.” Nodding briefly to the men, he walked away.

“I’ll show him, little one.” Zhenya’s
eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed as her gaze followed Gabriel’s
retreating back. Somehow Jackson had a feeling that Gabriel’s days
of mourning Sara were going to be over sooner than the Greek man
wanted.

Nisey forced a smile to defuse the
situation before quickly introducing everyone around the table.
Jackson didn’t even protest when Nisey sat her guest next to him.
Instead he launched into a conversation about what area of Greece
she was from, listening avidly as she talked about her home in
Xavia, a town on the island of Crete.

* * * *

“Don’t let him get to you, Zhenya,”
Nisey told her as they waited outside the restaurant, referring to
the distant manner Gabriel had treated Zhenya with as they’d
checked out.

“Yes, give him time. He’s not always
such a distant ass,” Olivia agreed. “Most of the time, he’s a just
dominating one.”

As the girls broke out in
laughter, Jackson marveled at them. Even with Olivia being a Domme,
there were some things that never changed…women loved to gossip.
Catching Micah’s eye, they separated far enough that even though
they were still standing behind them, they were able to protect the
ladies if something happened. While the location of
Pínaka ti̱s Mi̱téras
was
a good one and relatively crime free, he still couldn’t fight the
urge to protect the women - particularly when Jude and Caelan had
gone to fetch the cars which were parked nearly a block
away.
Exactly what we get for coming to
Gabriel’s on a Friday night, but at least the munch was a success –
even if the majority of the regulars came to check up on
Gabriel.

The cell on his hip vibrated. Reaching
for it, he frowned at the display. Flipping it up this ear, he
answered. “Don’t tell me you’ve dropped your keys down a sewer
drain again, Jude.”

“It only happened once you, prick.”
Jude seemed on edge. “I need you to get the women back inside. Tell
Olivia it isn’t safe to be outside. Some asshole vandalized our
car. Call me back when they’re secured. This is a Safe Haven
situation.”

“Gotcha.” Snapping his phone shut, he
caught Micah’s eye, before using a tone he learned while in the
Rangers. “We need to get inside A.S.A.P., people. We need Safe
Haven, now!” He gently grabbed Zhenya’s arm, since she was the
closest and pushed her towards the door. Opening it, he interrupted
the hostess who was getting ready to seat a couple and told her to
go grab Gabriel. When she opened her mouth to protest, he glared at
her. “Get him now! This is an emergency!” He parked Zhenya on one
of the benches inside the foyer as the hostess stomped off. Nisey
sank down beside her.

“No protest from you?” Jackson was
surprised.

Nisey shook her head.
“Nope. You wouldn’t corral us back in without a reason, and
whatever’s going on must be pretty bad if you’re invoking the Safe
Haven law.” She gave him a smirk. “Besides it’s easier to sit here
like a good girl than have my bottom warmed by
Máister
for putting myself in harm’s
way.”

“Good girl.” He scowled as he realized
Olivia wasn’t in the foyer with the rest of the women. Outside the
door he could hear Olivia arguing with Micah. “Unlike that God damn
Duchess.” He gave them both a direct look. “When Gabriel comes up,
tell him it’s a Safe Haven situation. He’ll understand and protect
you until Jude or Caelan arrive.”

Even though Gabriel wasn’t active in
the lifestyle at the moment, a sub asking for a safe haven wouldn’t
be ignored. It was a change that had been added to the club’s code
of conduct after the fiasco Nisey had endured a couple of years
back with her first overzealous Dom. It didn’t matter if it was
because of abuse by a known master, or if it was an unknown Dom or
Domme; it gave refuge to the sub and protected him or her until the
issue could be resolved in a peaceable manner. In fact, it was a
code everyone at Olivia’s had to abide by if they wanted to be a
member. Gabriel was still an active member.

When he spotted Gabriel weaving his
way through the dining room with the irate hostess, he yanked open
the door, only to hear Micah pleading with his Mistress to come
back inside. As usual, the stubborn-assed woman wanted to dive
headfirst into whatever was happening.

“Duchess, get your ass inside before I
take that damn crop you have in your purse to your own backside.”
Jackson gritted his teeth as Olivia froze.

“And just who the hell do you think
you’re talking to, Jackson Frederick Levough?”

“My stubborn assed aunt who
won’t even follow the simplest of requests. For God’s Sake, you
wrote the damn Safe Haven law. You know what it means!” He stomped
up to her. “So we can do this one of two ways. Either you go in
peaceably, or I’ll take you inside and let Jude and Micah deal with
you…
after.
”

Her nostrils flared. “You seem to
forget I’m a Domme and should be doing the protecting while
they’re…”

He raked his hand through his hair.
“…the men you promised to listen to when it comes to your safety.
So please, go inside with Nisey and Zhenya while Jude and I deal
with this.” He softened his tone. “Someone vandalized your car,
Olivia. And it must be bad if Jude thought you were in danger and
asked specifically for you to be inside with the rest of the
women.”

She gave a sigh. “Fine, but I expect a
full report of what happened as usual.” Another stipulation for
club members; if there was a Safe Haven called then the
investigating Doms, or in this case Jude and Caelan, they had to
file a report to Olivia. It was one way to keep actual abusers out
of the clubs and from praying on unsuspecting subs.

“It’ll be done,” he was quick to
assure her. “Now, I imagine, Ms. Zhenya would love an explanation
of exactly what the law is, considering I told her and Nisey to
invoke it when Gabriel arrives.”

Olivia nodded. “As a newbie, she needs
to be aware of the law.”

Jackson held his breath as she
re-entered the restaurant. Next to him Micah gave a relieved sigh.
“Damn that was close. Why does she have to be so damned
stubborn?”

“I have no idea.” Dialing Jude back,
he waited for his partner to answer.

“Is everyone secure?” Jude’s tone was
brisk.

“Yep, all secure, although I still
think you need to paddle Olivia harder the next time she gives you
shit about her safety. That woman can teach stubborn to a mule. Now
tell me what’s going. Why the hell did you call a code “Safe Haven”
over a simple act of vandalism?”

“Because of what was spray painted on
the passenger side door and hood of the car.”

“What’s it say?” Dread filled his
stomach.

“Well the lighting isn’t the best but
on the hood it looks like it says, ‘Death to all freaks! Doms and
subs alike.’ And there are several gang symbols on the car
doors.”

“Son of a bitch. How the hell did they
know we’re in the lifestyle? It’s not like we wear a huge sign
saying we’re into BDSM. This is gonna bring down a shit storm upon
us, if the media gets ahold of this.”

“Fuck, I know. I’m not sure how they
found out but the spray paint isn’t the worse of it. All the
windows are gone, all four tires are slashed and it smells like
they urinated inside the car.” The sound of Jude’s fist hitting
metal echoed through the phone. “Olivia’s gonna be pissed. We just
bought this car. It’s her baby.”

“Damn. Have you called the cops
yet?”

“Yeah, but I’m sure we’re not high on
their priority at the moment. They said that they’d have an officer
out here soon as possible, but when I talked to Ethan a few minutes
ago, he said he heard on the police scanner that there was a
robbery in progress at the First American Bank on West Madison
Street.”

“Damn. So is Ethan coming out to take
pictures?”

“Yeah he is. As much as he can. The
dispatcher told me not to disturb the car because of the gang
symbols.”

“Do you think it has anything to do
with the break-in at your place? They trashed all your fetish
clothing. Olivia’s and Micah’s too.” A news van came flying by the
restaurant, then followed by another one. God, he hoped that the
news coverage was for the bank robbery since it was only about four
blocks away but had his hopes dashed when a Christian Lifestyles
van passed by and then was followed by a U.S. Catholic
van.

“Ah shit! I think you have incoming
media, Jude.”

“What the fuck are you talking
about?”

Less than thirty seconds
later, he heard an unfamiliar male voice.
“Excuse me, Sir. Are you the owner of this car? Are you
involved in this disgraceful lifestyle? You do realize you’re going
to go to hell for your sins?”
Snapping the
phone closed, he took off at a run, Micah following him.

“We’ve got to help Jude. Someone
called the damn bible-thumpers.”

Keeping pace with him, Micah voiced
the same question Jackson had been thinking. “How the hell did they
find out so fast?”

“Damned if I know, but we can’t leave
him and Caelan alone with those vultures.”

Chapter Seven

Pressing an ice pack
against his black eye, Jackson leaned back in his office chair. The
bright early morning light reflecting off Lake Michigan was not
helping his headache in the least bit. He was out of sorts and
ached in places he hadn’t known could ache.
I can’t believe I was done in by the side mirror on Jude’s
car.
He wanted to do nothing more than to
turn back the clock so he could simply kick the ass of the idiot
reporter from that narrow-minded judgmental magazine. Instead he’d
been nice, asking the man to back away from the crime scene until
the police could photograph it.