Hero (7 page)

But she’d made it clear she didn’t want me to treat her like a sub. So I resolutely remained where I was, letting her leave. However, I wasn’t willing to allow her to deal with her pain by herself.

I reached for my jacket and pulled my phone from the pocket, quickly finding the number I needed.

“Carina,” I greeted when she answered. “I think Chloe needs you right now.”

I might not be able to take care of her, but Chloe would lean on her friend. I hoped.

I
took
a long sip of my pear cosmopolitan, savoring the sweet alcoholic drink. I wasn’t one to look for solace in a bottle, but this cocktail was hitting the spot. After my confusing afternoon with Dex, I was thrilled that Carina had called me to indulge in a girls’ night.

“How are you?” my friend asked, her features drawn with concern. “Kennedy told me you got into some trouble in Brighton Beach today.”

I let out an exasperated breath. “I didn’t get into trouble. Dex got me into trouble. Seriously, I was fine before he came in and pissed off the
Bratva
.”

She fixed me with a no-nonsense look. “I know research is important, and it’s easy to get carried away. But you don’t know the things Dex has seen in his line of work. If he says you were in danger, you probably were. I can’t believe Sharon left you alone. I’m glad you’re going to be with Dex. He’ll take care of you.”

My eyes narrowed. “You’re still trying to fix us up, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I’ll go ahead and tell you that I don’t think he likes me very much, so you can just forget about it.”

“If he doesn’t like you, why did he call me to ask me to make sure you’re okay?”

My jaw dropped. “He did that? Why?”

“He wouldn’t say. All he’d tell me is that you were upset when you left the field office, and he thought you could use a friend.”

“Oh. That was… nice of him, I guess. But if I’m upset, it’s his fault.”

“Are you really that mad at him for getting you out of Brighton Beach?” she pressed.

I sighed. “It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

I took another long draw of my cosmo. The alcohol tingled through my system, easing my nerves and loosening my tongue.

“He got a hard-on while we were sparring,” I told her. “It was… really unprofessional.” I couldn’t tell her why I’d panicked. Carina didn’t know about Neil. No one knew what had happened between us, not even my sister, Beth. I’d been too ashamed to share the details of that horrible night with anyone.

Carina cocked her head to the side, studying me. “I suppose it was,” she allowed. “But you did have a scene with him. He must find you attractive.”

I shrugged. Maybe there was physical chemistry between Dex and me. It didn’t mean anything. It was inconvenient, at best, and annoying, at worst. I didn’t want to be attracted to anyone, least of all the domineering FBI agent who had been thrust into my life by my meddling friend.

“I don’t understand,” she said, still regarding me intently. “You’re interested in the BDSM lifestyle. Dex is a good Dom and a good man. If there’s an attraction there, why not see where it goes?”

“Because I’m not interested in a D/s relationship,” I said curtly. “You know that, Carina.”

“But you write about it so beautifully,” she countered. “Why would you be so invested if you’re not really interested?”

I pursed my lips. Reading BDSM romance novels had helped me through my depression after losing my life with Neil. The trust and devotion depicted in D/s relationships called to something deep within me. I’d started writing my own stories as a personal fantasy, but when I discovered self-publishing, I decided to take a risk and put my work out into the world. To my surprise, people liked my books, and over the last two years, I’d managed to establish a thriving second career, even more successful than my work in journalism.

“I do find it interesting,” I hedged. “But I’m not interested in a power exchange.”

She reached out and placed her hand over mine. “I know that level of trust can be scary. But I also know that you understand how wonderful it can be. I read your early articles on the
Fifty Shades
phenomenon, and I’ve followed your career as Alanna Granger. Even if you don’t want to explore things with Dex, don’t you want to go deeper into BDSM?”

“Listen, Carina, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, in my journalism and my fiction. But I’d rather leave the real BDSM to you. You don’t mind sharing your experiences with me, do you? I simply don’t want that for myself. It’s not the right fit for me.”

“Of course I don’t mind. You can ask me anything.” She squeezed my hand. “I’m always here if you want to talk,” she said significantly.

“Thanks.” I blew out a sigh, then arranged my features in a bright smile. “Now, let’s enjoy our cocktails while you tell me all about how Kennedy proposed. I’m sure it was very romantic.”

She smiled dreamily. “It was perfect.”

We passed the evening talking about her relationship and the deep love she’d found through D/s. I tried to pretend it didn’t make my heart ache with yearning.

* * *

“
S
o
,” I asked, my throat slightly scratchy from my lingering hangover. “Where are we going?” I slipped on my sunglasses to shield my sensitive eyes from the bright sunlight that penetrated the tinted windows of Dex’s sedan.

He glanced over at me. “Rough night?”

“You’re the one who called Carina to feed me sugary cocktails,” I countered. “We might have overindulged.”

I might have gulped down a few too many to get over what happened in the training room yesterday.

I shook it off. A little time had helped me see that Dex wasn’t a bad guy. He’d simply had a physical reaction. And when he’d realized I was upset, he’d immediately given me space, and called my friend to check in on me.

I might still be a bit annoyed with him for being so domineering, but it wasn’t like I hated him.

“And thank you,” I added. “For Brighton Beach. I didn’t realize it was dangerous.”

He glanced over at me, surprised. “You’re welcome. I know you weren’t being willfully reckless. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He was silent for a moment. “And I’m sorry for the leash comment. That was out of line.”

Wow.
A man who could admit when he was wrong? Maybe everyone had been right. It seemed Dex was a good person.

“Thanks,” I acknowledged.

He cleared his throat, breaking the intense conversation. “As for where I’m taking you, we’re going to Euphoria. It’s a BDSM club.”

“Won’t they be closed now?”

“Yes, but I need to have a private conversation with the owner. I think his patrons are still using Bliss on the premises, and I want to make sure he knows the Bureau won’t tolerate it. I also need to ascertain if the Russians are still leaning on him to allow the dealing to take place in his club. The
Bratva
shattered when we took out their leadership a few months ago, but there are still
vory
around who might be looking to take control. Not to mention the Colombians. They might be getting involved, as well.”

I nodded, taking it all in. “Cristian Moreno, right? Sharon mentioned he was working with the Russians to traffic Bliss. What is Bliss, anyway? I’ve never heard of it.”

Dex grimaced. “You probably wouldn’t have. Not yet. It was only just becoming popular Stateside last year. The Russians were importing from Europe. Our friends in MI5 are still trying to get the situation under control in London, but things have died down in New York ever since we destabilized the local faction of the Russian Mafia.”

“So, what’s Bliss like? Heroin? Cocaine?”

His knuckles whitened around the steering wheel. “It’s more like rohypnol, only the user remembers everything that happens to them. Some people take it to enhance their sexual experiences, but it can be used against people.”

Ice formed in the pit of my stomach. “You mean it’s a date rape drug.”

“That’s one way it’s used. I’ve also seen it used in human trafficking. It makes the women more cooperative. The victim responds with arousal, whether she wants to or not.”

The ice spread out to crystalize in my veins. My own violation had been horrible enough when I was trying to fight my husband off. I couldn’t imagine being forced to physically enjoy what he’d done to me.

“I’m sorry,” he said tightly. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”

“Because it’s classified?”

He shot me an apologetic glance. “Because it upset you.”

I pressed my lips together. I didn’t have a response for that. Thoughts of Neil swirled just beneath the surface, threatening to rise up. I ruthlessly mastered them. I was stronger than what he’d done to me. I’d worked hard to rebuild my confidence, my identity, in the last three years. I wouldn’t allow my dark memories of my ex-husband to jeopardize that.

“We’re here,” Dex announced as he put the car in park. “This is a safe neighborhood. You can stay in the car, if you want. You don’t have to hear any more about this.”

“No. I want to come with you. I want to know more about FBI procedures.”

“Okay. I’ll introduce you as my partner. I don’t want him knowing you’re a reporter. You can listen and observe, but leave the talking to me.”

I nodded my agreement. “Sounds good.”

We both got out of the car, and Dex led the way into an alley. Like at Decadence, the entrance to Euphoria was inconspicuous, giving patrons the privacy they desired.

Dex rang a bell set into the bricks by the gray metal door. A couple minutes later, it swung open to reveal an older, balding man.

“Stewart,” Dex inclined his head in greeting. “This is my partner, Agent Martin. We need to talk.”

“Yes,” Stewart replied, shifting nervously. “Ah, your boss called to let me know you were coming. He wanted to make sure I’d be here.”

“Then this visit doesn’t come as a surprise,” Dex said coolly. “Let us in.”

“Right. Of course.” Stewart stepped back, and Dex muscled his way past him. I followed in his wake, letting him take the lead.

Stewart led us through the eerily quiet club, crossing through the empty dungeon before heading into a surprisingly business-like office space. Dex closed the office door behind us with an ominous click. Stewart licked his dry lips, clearly anxious.

“What did you need to ask me?” he inquired shakily. Sweat beaded on his furrowed brow.

“You’re still letting people use Bliss at Euphoria,” Dex asserted with utter confidence.

“I don’t know what you’re—”

“Yes, you do,” Dex cut him off. “I’ll send in some undercover NYPD officers to put a stop to it. You can expect them tonight. Let them do their jobs, and we won’t have a problem.”

“I won’t cause any trouble. I don’t want it here any more than you do. I’ve told you I didn’t have a choice.”

“Are the Russians still leaning on you?” Dex pressed.

“No!” he exclaimed with alarm. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’ve just garnered a bad clientele over the last few months. I’m glad the NYPD will help me get rid of them.”

“You’re lying,” Dex said quietly. “Tell me about the Russians.”

Stewart shook his head wildly, his jowls wobbling. “I’m telling the truth. It’s just people using for fun now.”

“There’s nothing fun about rape,” I said coldly before I could think.

He swallowed hard. I pressed on, driven by righteous anger. As a journalist and an author, I’d learned how to get people to talk to me as part of my research practices. Well, if Stewart was allowing women to be raped, I’d make sure he talked. He was going to tell Dex everything he knew.

“Do you have a wife, Stewart?” I asked, all polite nonchalance. “Sisters?”

His eyes clouded over with confusion. “I… Yeah. I have a sister.”

“How old is she?”

“Thirty-one.”

“So younger than you,” I surmised. “I bet you looked out for her growing up. Were you a protective older brother?”

“Yeah, I guess I was. I mean, we’re ten years apart. Of course I looked out for her. She’s my baby sister.”

“So, how would you feel if someone used Bliss against your baby sister? Would you think that was
fun
?”

He blanched. “Of course not.”

“What would you do to a man who raped your sister?”

His doughy face hardened. “I’d want to kill him.”

“What if he threatened to kill you instead? Would you just stand by and let him keep abusing your sister?”

“Fuck, no.” His cheeks turned purple, and his fists curled at his sides. “Why are you asking me these questions? Are you threatening my sister?”

“No,” I said, my voice icy calm. “I’m making you see how you’re letting the Russians threaten every one of your patrons. You should care about the people who come to your club. You should protect them like you’d protect your own family.”

His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“Tell us about the Russians,” Dex interjected. “I want names.”

Stewart’s jaw tightened with determination, and he straightened his shoulders. “I’ll tell you whatever you need to know. I just want this shit out of my club.”

I let out a relieved breath, feeling suddenly drained. I hadn’t meant to speak at all, but instinct had taken over. After what Dex had told me about Bliss, I couldn’t just stand back and allow women to be victimized. It was even more sickening that it was happening at a BDSM club, where submissives made themselves vulnerable, trusting Doms to take care of them. The thought that someone would violate that trust made my stomach turn.