Taken in Hand (5 page)

“Come on. I’ll drive.” He led the way out the door, locking it

behind him. “Remember when we get to the church, walk

just at my heel. Did you read the books I instructed you to

get?”

“Part of one.” He felt like an idiot trailing along behind

him like a well-trained puppy. “I don’t have a lot of free time

for reading.”

“Chin up, eyes lowered. Watch where I walk.”

Chad quickly dropped his eyes to Adam’s feet. “Yeah,

okay.” Watching his feet really did help him to stay close by

his side, but just a step behind.

Adam’s next comment really raised Chad’s hackles.

Adam’s head tipped to the side as he opened the passenger

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side door for Chad. “It’s not as important outside the club, of

course, but it will be good practice for you. I’ve told my

friends you’re in training, so if you mess up, it’s not too big a

deal.”

“I’m not some damned dog.”

“No, but you do need training. If anyone had overheard

that comment, they would know immediately this is all an

act. Watch your mouth. Bratty behavior is something I don’t

stand for, and my friends know it.”

“How about you stop deliberately baiting me so the

killer comes after us instead of some other innocent

victims?”

“How about you let go of your macho posturing long

enough to be a believable sub?” Adam countered. “Prove to

me you can do it, before either of us get in a position where

it could make a difference. Most things I can pull you out of,

but if you don’t follow my direction you could get yourself

into a situation at the club I wouldn’t be able to help you

with. Some of the Doms there are what you’d call hardcore. If

you’re going to do this, then for God’s sake take it seriously.

It’s not a game.”

Chad glared at him a second before what he said

processed. Adam was right. He dropped his eyes and even

slumped his shoulders a bit. “I’m sorry. Uh, Master. I won’t

forget again.”

“Oh good Lord, stand up straight and call me Sir.

You’re not a slave, just a sub, and I’m your Dom. Now that

didn’t hurt a bit, did it?” Adam asked with a slight smile.

“Let’s try to relax for the drive.”

Letting go of his attitude actually hadn’t hurt. Though

he felt his pride should suffer to a degree, in a strange way,

he didn’t feel humiliated. Adam wore his dominance and

authority like a cloak, and it seemed natural to give him the

respect of the honorific. Chad slipped into the passenger seat

and truly did relax. From this point on, it was up to Adam.

He was just along for the ride, and all he had to do was keep

his ears and eyes open when they got there. In a way, it took

a lot of pressure off.

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* * * *

The funeral proceedings were predictably solemn and

sad. Two caskets sat in the front of the chapel, draped with

flowers. The pews were full with many of the mourners in

tears, both men and women. The pastor of some crazy

church Chad had never heard of before gave a sermon on the

grace of a loving God who accepted all men into his heart,

sinners and saints. Chad wasn’t too sure which the preacher

applied to the deceased, but his words seemed to comfort the

members of the families in the front pews.

“Who is he?” Chad whispered.

Adam leaned close. “Not now. I’ll answer all your

questions when we’re in private again.”

Chad wanted to whip back a sarcastic, “Yes, Sir,” but

held his tongue. His job there wasn’t to catalog who was in

attendance. The others from the department who were

present would do that, comparing them to those who

attended the other funeral, but he was curious. He reminded

himself his job was to convince anyone who watched that he

was Adam’s submissive, maybe even especially Adam.

After the services, the families loaded into limousines

for the trip to the cemetery. Waiting for them to leave, Chad

tuned into a conversation between the pastor and some

woman.

“I am so sorry. I know what a burden he is to you,” she

told him, her voice dripping in consolation.

“It is his home as much as mine,” the pastor

answered. “He is such a lost soul. I only wish I could help

him.”

“How long will he stay?”

“I’ve no idea. He comes and goes as he pleases, though

I admit to hoping it won’t be a long visit.”

“It must be so hard for you.”

“He is my brother. I would never turn him out, and I

do always have hope that someday I may reach him.”

Adam took his arm, tugging him away. “It’s time to

leave.”

“What’s that pastor’s name?”

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“Jason Rubin.”

They got in the car, and Adam waited for Chad to put

on his seat belt. A Dom handled his sub with care and

protection, Chad reminded himself. He rolled his eyes as

Adam slipped in behind the wheel. “What kind of church is

this anyway?”

“A non-denominational church sympathetic to

alternative lifestyles. Why?”

“Do you know anything about the pastor’s brother?”

“Jeremy? No, not much. From what I gather, he’s a

n’eer-do-well who goes off chasing one scheme after another

and returns when he’s failed and broke. I’ve only met him

briefly once. How did you know about him?”

“Overheard a conversation. How does the guy feel

about gays?”

“No idea.” Adam glanced at Chad quickly as he drove.

“As I said, I only met him once, briefly, but his manner

wasn’t pleasant. You don’t think—”

Chad waved the rest of his question away. “I don’t

think anything more at this point than he might be a person

of interest. Who was the woman talking to the pastor?”

“Millie Grant. She’s single, and the pastor’s single. She

never gives up trying.”

“He’s not interested?”

“He’s taken a vow of celibacy even though the church

doesn’t require it of their pastors.” His lips twisted into a

grim smile. “He says he couldn’t be a proper husband or

father if there were children and continued to dedicate his

life to the church. I suspect if he were to take a mate,

though, it wouldn’t be a woman.”

“He’s gay?” Chad nodded. “That makes sense. That

explains why he’s in a church for alternative life styles.”

“Possibly, but he says it’s because of his father. Jason

makes no secret of his father’s lifestyle. His father was gay,

with a healthy dose of kink. The man died a few months ago.

Jason had a difficult time dealing with it, fell into a

depression, wouldn’t leave his house for days. They didn’t

have a good relationship, but Jason said he had always

hoped they would someday.”

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“You’re close enough to him to know all that?” Chad

asked, tucking away all the bits and pieces Adam gave him,

making particular note of the mention of the time frame—

two months, about the time when the killings started. Maybe

Jason wasn’t the only one adversely affected by the father’s

death.

“Everyone knows all of that. Jason’s quite open about

it. He’s preached about it a few times.”

“How old is this brother of his?”

“Two years older, I think, although they look enough

alike to be twins, except for the disreputable way Jeremy

keeps himself, unshaven, hair dirty and uncombed. There’s

no excuse in being slovenly.” Stopping for a red light, Adam

twisted in his seat to look at Chad. “The brother has really

caught your interest.”

“Yeah, he has. Has he ever worked at the University?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Did all of the victims attend this church?”

“No, only the two buried today.”

“But you do?”

“No, I’m in a support group at Jason’s request for

troubled young men whose families have difficulty accepting

their sexual orientation. That’s my only connection.”

“Does the brother work at the church?”

“I believe he has at various times, but not

consistently.”

“What—hey, where the hell are you going?” Chad

exclaimed, coming out of his train of thought enough to

realize they were not driving to Adam’s home.

“To the club in Atlanta.”

Chad started and whipped his head around to face

Adam. One hand gripped the arm rest and the other the seat

edge. “It’s the middle of the day!”

“Yes and attendance should be light this early. A good

time to let you see the operation and meet the few who’ll be

there.”

“Wait a damn minute!”

Adam did more than wait. He pulled over and stopped

the car. “Is our association to end this soon?”

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Furious over his panicked reaction and at Adam for

goading him again, he didn’t hold back his temper. “It’s the

first freaking day, and I’ve got things to do!”

Adam glanced at his watch. “What else do you have to

do?”

Getting control of his voice, he spoke more calmly. “Go

in to the office and start research on this brother for one

thing.”

Adam’s voice remained mild. “As I understand it from

my conversation this morning with your chief, your

assignment is to stay with me—while I follow my normal

patterns—and leave the field work to the other detectives

assigned to the case. Isn’t that correct?” He didn’t wait for an

answer. “I believe you could easily call in the information

you’ve gathered to start them on research. Until then,” he

cast a wicked little sideways glance over at Chad, “you’re all

mine.”

Chad steamed in silence, shocked at how the last

comment gave him a funny little twisting sensation in his

gut. He shoved it away, fuming over the fact Adam had been

speaking with his chief. It felt a little like going behind his

back, and he didn’t appreciate it.

“Could it be that you’re afraid of attending the club?”

Adam asked, filling the silence.

“I’m not afraid.” Curious, terrified, fascinated was

more like it, though Chad was not going to admit to any of

those things. “Okay, yes, it makes me uncomfortable. I

thought I’d have a little more time to get used to the idea.

You seem to take some kind of perverse pleasure in rubbing

my nose in it.”

“Not at all. Your chief said he wanted you to become

immersed in the lifestyle. Let plenty of people see you as my

sub. This is the only way to do it.”

“I feel like you’re deliberately trying to embarrass me.”

Adam cut him off, his voice commanding and forceful

without ever raising it. “Visiting this early presents a distinct

advantage. As I stated before, attendance should be light this

early in the evening, making your introduction to the club a

little easier. It will also afford you the opportunity to meet

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several of those who attended the funeral, since there’s a

small wake planned in honor of the deceased. The decision

was to have it there at the club where the victims found

some pleasure, and we wouldn’t embarrass the family at

their function. This is just a private good-bye for us, many of

whom did not attend the funeral.”

“I get it.”

With a smile of satisfaction, he added, “Then too,

there’s the matter of what you’ll be wearing.”

Chad glanced down at himself. “What I’m wearing?

What do you mean?”

“Normally, my subs would be wearing a lot less, shall

we say? Because of the occasion, that won’t be expected

tonight. It will help ease you into the scene a little as well as

the events of the day giving us an excuse to leave early.”

Chad groaned softly. “Why didn’t you just say so and

give me some warning?”

Putting the car back in gear and turning away, Adam

smiled, “Because your reactions are so amusing I can’t help

myself.” He slanted a look at Chad. “Predictable, but

amusing.”

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“I’m beginning to, yes. Make your phone call. It’ll take

us at least an hour to get there.”

* * * *

It took almost an hour and a half because of traffic. It

was close to seven o’clock when they arrived, and the

parking lot was far from empty. “This is light attendance?”

Adam shrugged. “Sorry. Looks like I miscalculated a

bit.”

Chad shot him a furious look, and even before he got

out of the car, he had to take several deep breaths to steel