Tamed (5 page)

Whatever crossed his expression made her glare at him. “Just because I’ve agreed to it doesn’t mean your rule isn’t stupid.”

She never disappointed him with that saucy mouth. He leaned down into her face and loved the hitch of her breath. “Ah, kitten, keep hissing at me. I’m becoming rather fond of it.”

The Book Nook bookstore, located on the west end of the Vegas strip, was quaint, smelled like old tomes and dust, and was perfect, in Kenzie’s eyes. She strode through the store and the floorboards creaked beneath her as she passed the books on the antique wooden bookcases that had been there since the store was built in the late sixties.

She reached the romance section and stepped into the thin row between the bookcases, and she smiled. This past year, BDSM contemporary romance had been a big hit. The shelves were now filled with similar erotic stories. Covers of bound hands, of a diamond necklace, or even handcuffs were featured throughout the section. Kenzie had never felt more at home than this last season. Her sales had also never been better.

Gran would’ve been proud of what she’d done with the store. She had raised Kenzie after her mother’s death when she was eleven years old, and it had been only the two of them since her grandfather passed when Kenzie was a toddler. Her relationship with Gran had been special. There were no secrets between them, and Gran would’ve been amused that Kenzie’s alternative lifestyle had become such a hot read for women.

“My dear, whatever makes you happy is all that matters”
was what Gran had said after Kenzie had told her that she attended a BDSM club, because Gran demanded to know where she got the bruises on her arm. Then Gran, with her soft blue eyes, winked and said,
“I might be old, dear, but in my day, I knew how to have fun, too.”

Kenzie remembered laughing so much that day. She had thought Gran would be mortified, but she figured Gran was more worried that she was possibly being abused. That’s why she loved her grandmother. She was the most nonjudgmental woman Kenzie had known, and so full of love. That is, until Kenzie met other submissives like herself. Women who needed the kinky things other women didn’t.

With a sigh, she placed a book on the shelf, feeling her chest swell with pride. She missed Gran—who had been the only family she had, except for aunts and uncles she talked to infrequently, usually on holidays. All through high school, Kenzie worked at the store, and it was just assumed that she’d manage the store when Gran retired.

When Gran had died just after Kenzie’s twenty-second birthday, she’d given Kenzie the store in her will, along with the small apartment above. With all that Gran had done for her, including leaving her with a sizable bank account, Kenzie simply wanted Gran back. Her heart grew heavy as she scanned the store; she had changed little, here or in the apartment above, to keep the memory of Gran alive. Closing her eyes, her mood darkened, far more than it had in a really long time. Her mind wasn’t clouded like it usually was after a weekend in Club Sin. Her thoughts were all too clear.

She remembered happy memories of Gran.

Kenzie liked the happy memories, but the happy memories didn’t stay long. Painful ones always followed. Last night, Porter gave her nothing to ease that strain, and, in fact, only increased it. But yet somehow he had made her mind forget to make things difficult for him, to push him to bring her to the level of pain she required to implode the hurt she contained.

She never doubted the chemistry between them, and sexually she wanted him, but now she couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to it. Perhaps it went deeper than attraction—maybe something could really develop between them.

If she allowed it, of course, and she wouldn’t.

She had stopped more potential relationships in their tracks than she could count. Now she needed to keep her wits about her and hold on to the distance that kept her safe. If she let herself love, the past would return to haunt her and she’d be forced to share it. She refused to let that pain control her future. Firmly believing she had everything under wraps, she opened her eyes and ran her fingertips over the spine of a book, reminding herself why she couldn’t get too close to Porter.

Kenzie skipped behind the group of four older kids in excitement that her sister had let her hang out with the older crowd. She ran her hands over the long grass, feeling it tickle across her palms. Summer camp was always fun, but now that Kenzie was ten years old, it had become even better. She wasn’t the little sister anymore. And her sister, Joslyn, included her more with her friends.

Once she’d caught up to the two girls and the two very cute boys that reminded her of some of the boys on her posters at home, she noticed they’d arrived at a river that went through the town. She took in the tall railway bridge to her right, and then noticed a cement dam farther down the river.

Everyone began taking off their clothes, wearing bathing suits underneath. Her sister laughed in her easy way. “Come on, Kenzie, don’t be such a chicken. Jump in.”

Her sister’s blond hair waved in the air, and her brown eyes were twinkling with mischief. Joslyn was fourteen years old, and Kenzie hoped to be just like Joslyn when she grew up.

Her sister was beautiful.

At Kenzie’s hesitation, Joslyn shoved her arm, and Kenzie focused on the water and noticed the dam again. There were signs everywhere that said not to go in, but sweat slid over Kenzie’s skin, the sun beaming across her body. The water would feel good. Yet something made her pause. Danger, her senses told her.

She shook her head at her sister. “I don’t want to.”

“Fine,” Joslyn said, dropping her shorts, then stepping out of her flip-flops. “I’ll show you how the big girls do it. I’ll go first and you’ll see it’s fine.”

Brave and fearless, that was Joslyn. Kenzie loved that about her. Still, cold worry cut through her. “The signs—”

Joslyn slapped a hand over Kenzie’s mouth. “Stop worrying. They just don’t want this area being used as a beach.”

Kenzie studied the dam, the coldness in her veins only increasing. She focused on her sister as Joslyn approached the edge of the water and grinned. “Count to three and I’ll jump.”

Kenzie looked down into the water and couldn’t see the bottom. So black. So deep. “I don’t—”

“You need to be more adventurous, Kenz,” Joslyn exclaimed.

Not wanting to disappoint her sister, she glimpsed at the group of all the older kids, now watching Kenzie with challenging smirks. She didn’t want to be the baby. She wanted to be cool like everyone else. Not to embarrass herself, she called, “One…Two…Three.”

Joslyn screamed as she jumped into the water. Everyone cheered, and with that, Kenzie relaxed and cheered, too. A few seconds passed and the cheering continued. Though soon it began to grow quiet.

Hands stopped clapping.

Mouths closed.

Kenzie stepped toward the water’s edge where Joslyn had jumped. She searched for Joslyn in the water, waiting for the water to ripple or a bubble to form.

Nothing.

“Joslyn,” she called.

Still nothing.

Panic sent Kenzie’s heart racing, and she snapped her head toward Joslyn’s friends. “Where is she?”

The boys rushed forward to the edge of the water. Seconds passed that felt like a lifetime. Kenzie held her breath…and counted…but by the time she ran out of breath and had to gasp for air, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Joslyn never surfaced.

All of her so-called friends ran.

Kenzie screamed, “Joslyn!”

A chiming of the bell at the door had Kenzie gasping out of the memory. Her sister died that day. The current from the dam had pulled her right into it. She stepped out from the bookshelves, her heart hammering in her chest. That’s why she couldn’t love—whenever she did, bad things happened. She approached the man entering the store and regarded him, as something seemed
off
about him.

Once she ignored her gut feeling. She’d never do it again.

His gaze swept over the store, and she noted his nicely tailored pin-striped suit. Maybe some would think he was handsome, with a dark head of hair and sharp lines to his face, but his nearly black eyes couldn’t lie—he had something inside of him that sent a wave of unease through her.

“May I help you?” she asked.

His stone-cold eyes zeroed on her. “I’m looking for Kenzie Hart. Are you her?”

“I am.”

He offered his hand. “I’m Adrik Petrov.”

His thick Russian accent sounded as rich and alluring as his looks, and the name registered as familiar, but Kenzie couldn’t recall from where. She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

He squeezed his fingers around hers. It didn’t feel friendly. “Well, Ms. Hart, let’s make this simple, shall we? Are you aware that I bought this entire block of stores a month ago?”

Now the name registered just fine, and the hair on her neck prickled. “Yes, I’m aware.” She rubbed her hand on her black dress pants, wishing she’d never touched him.

“Good. That will make this easy,” Adrik replied. “My associates have told me that you’ve ignored the letters we’ve sent you and also had a few choice words for the two people who have called you.”

She crossed her arms and glared. Possibly because of being so frustrated with Porter last night, she’d had enough of powerful men. Her voice was as snappy as she intended. “Would you like to hear those choice words as well?”

Adrik smiled. It was the scariest smile Kenzie had ever seen. “I think I can do without them. I came today to see if we could come to an arrangement on your selling the store to me.”

She squeezed her arms tighter around her. This was the last thing she wanted to deal with after the memory she experienced, but he also wasn’t wrong—she had received four letters and two phone calls over the last month. From what she’d learned from his associates, Adrik had bought the whole block on the west end of the Last Vegas strip, which was the reason he wanted his grubby hands on her store. His plan was to bulldoze it all to build a new casino. Which meant Gran’s store would be demolished.

Not on Kenzie’s life.

“As I told your associates,” she said slowly, so he fully understood. “I will never sell my store. Not for any amount of money.”

He swatted at the air, dismissing her as if she were a fly irritating him. “Everything is for sale, m’dear, for a price.”

“Not this store.”

“One million.”

She snorted and moved toward the counter with the antique register, and leaned against it. The first offer she’d received was seven hundred thousand, and with every letter and phone call the offer increased. To her, this book shop was priceless.

Tension rippled through her and she snapped, “Do you need me to explain it to you in a different way so you understand that this store
is not for sale
? There is no price that I will sell it for.”

His shoulders stiffened. “Ms. Hart.” He said her name as if he now planned to squish that fly. “I have put a lot of my personal money into this venture. It cannot fail. Only you are standing in my way to proceed with construction. I have many other locations in Vegas that we can move your store to. Would that suffice?”

“No.”

He frowned. “What if I agreed to give you a store inside the casino?”

“No.”

His neck corded as he stepped forward. “You are not willing to budge at all?”

She refused to back away from him, but she surely wanted to. Every word he spoke made his face redden. There was something scary about him that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Then she realized it was his eyes; they had no soul in them. “No, Mr. Petrov, I will not budge. My gran built this store. It will stay as she built it.”

He took another step toward her, coming too close. “You need to realize the game you are playing here and who you are playing it with, Ms. Hart.”

“Are you trying to intimidate me?” she retorted, now pressed against the counter to avoid him.

“I don’t need to intimidate you. I’m giving you the warning that you are not listening to. You’re playing a dangerous game. I’d suggest you find out exactly whom you are playing it with. When there is a billion dollars at risk, I wouldn’t be so quick to say no.”

Kenzie saw no deception in his features before he exited the store. Icy fright filled her veins, as she had the oddest sense that she had just been targeted to be hunted.

Kenzie cut the ignition of her silver Volkswagen Eos, and the clock on the dashboard read 7:15. Heaviness settled into her body as she studied the Georgian-style mansion. Decorated with trees and cactuses galore, the mansion on the large lot set back from the road held a timeless elegance, looking almost Victorian, with rich black accents against the dark red brick.

She always preferred cozy houses with a lot of little nooks and crannies, just like Gran did. With a heavy sigh, she leaned her head back against the headrest, her mind swirling back to how much she missed Gran. How much she missed everyone who had left her. She needed tonight more than ever.

Being so emotional and on edge wasn’t a state she preferred. She also knew she was suffering now for more reasons than one. Turning her head, she read the magazine article she’d printed after work.

Adrik Petrov found not guilty of fraud and money laundering. Does the billionaire have Russian Mafia ties?

From the second she’d read the headline a hard lump had formed in her throat. It still remained, making her chest feel weighted. Adrik’s warning earlier had been clear cut, but she hadn’t suspected the man who entered her bookstore had dangerous ties to a crime family. Even if the article came from a gossip column, she always believed there was a bit of truth behind those trashy magazines—maybe not the entire truth, but at least a small part.

The strain that had insinuated itself this morning as she dealt with painful memories had multiplied after Adrik arrived. Now it became all-consuming. Dark strain sank into her bones, and her body ached as if she was fighting a high-grade fever. There was only one person to blame for all of this: Porter.

If he’d given her the scene she had been expecting, filled with pain and ecstasy, she wouldn’t be on such rocky ground. Her soul would feel a lot more put together. Though she realized part of the frustration came from not knowing how to deal with Adrik. She could talk to Kyler, who was also a cop on the Las Vegas police force, though she instantly rejected that thought. She didn’t want to bring the police into this yet; she wanted to deal with her own problems on her terms, at least until it was clear that it was out of her hands.

To ask for help was to let someone in closer than she wanted to, and broke her rule to keep Club Sin a fantasy that stayed far away from her personal life. She simply needed to find a way to get her shit together. More important, she needed to play tonight.

A car driving up the long cobblestone driveway grabbed her attention, and she settled on the idea that Adrik’s warning had been only to scare her enough to get her to sell her store to him. Knowing that clearly he’d had trouble with the police before gave her some relief, because that also meant he was on their radar. She doubted he’d do anything too rash, since she knew it was him threatening her. One quick call to Kyler, and Adrik’s ass would be in jail.

That option gave her a way to safety, if she needed it.

The car pulled in behind hers, and she glanced into her rearview mirror and saw Aidan and Cora exit the car and move toward the front door. Kenzie wanted to join them, but she still sensed the bite of unease—was this because of Adrik or because she knew she had to deal with Porter’s crap?

The clock on the dashboard now showed it was eight o’clock. She’d always arrived at seven o’clock on the dot, but after reading the article, she’d taken a long bath to recover from the shock of what she’d read. Her hands began to tremble, so she clenched her fists, hating how much Adrik had gotten to her.

Pull it together, Kenzie!

Tonight she needed to find strength inside her. If she entered Club Sin this rattled, the Club Sin Masters would read right through her. Porter would see through her. She drew in a long breath, remembering Porter’s touches. Last night, she’d given him more of herself than she’d ever given to any other Dom before. But that wasn’t a choice, his presence commanded it. A flare of fright made her blood cold to know how easily he manipulated her, and yet even now her traitorous body burned for him.

In the rearview mirror, she noticed Aidan and Cora disappear through the front door, and as images of Porter’s mastery consumed her mind, liquid warmth slid through her veins. She clenched her thighs, feeding pleasure to her throbbing clit, and was instantly reminded that Porter also hadn’t allowed her to orgasm, either.

She wiggled her hips, sensing the growing wetness in her panties. Angling her head back, she could almost feel Porter’s mouth on hers. Hot and needy now, she slid her hand across her thigh and ran it up under her short black skirt. Her clit ached for more of Porter’s touches, more of his commanding presence.

Over the top of her lace panties, she rubbed the hard bud, and her eyes shut as pleasure cascaded through her. Possibly the strain made her body desperate for a release, or maybe the thoughts of Porter urged her on, but she pressed harder and circled her clit faster.

Don’t orgasm.

Porter’s order wasn’t far from her mind. Though, in an instant, she realized that maybe disobeying him was the perfect thing to do. It might get Porter out of that annoying controlled manner he seemed to have around her. Perhaps it would do exactly what she wanted—rev up his Dom.

A spanking. A flogging. A paddling. She wanted it all.

Pain makes you forget.

With erotic images filling her mind, a soft moan escaped her mouth as she swirled her clit, moving her hips against the seat with each and every stroke. Zings of euphoria flowed into her, and with the idea of an intense night ahead of her, her breath hitched. Then all her troubles ceased through the ripples of her pleasure. She moaned, reveling in the freedom of her orgasm as she came just that easily.

Her release was intense with hard quakes, fast with rapid speed, and over before she knew it. She trembled from the lasting effects and exhaled a long breath, opening her eyes and dragging her hand out from beneath her skirt.

All the heartache and all the strain vanished.

She smiled in blissful relief and gave herself a minute to recover. When her breath returned to normal, she hurried out of the car and quickly entered Club Sin. Fancy artwork and rich dark wood floors led her way as she hurried down the hallway, making it to the basement steps a moment later. Her heart was still racing as she reached the dungeon’s door, but it raced in a way she loved. She finally stopped thinking, maybe not forever, but the silence inside came as a welcome relief.

When she entered the dungeon, heavy metal music stormed across her, her hormones bouncing back to life. The sensual atmosphere, the scent of sex, and the sounds of erotic pain always worked her body into an aroused state.

She heard the heavy door slam shut behind her, and she didn’t have to turn to know
he
was observing her. She experienced Porter’s careful regard right down to the tips of her toes, as if his gaze was his touch, powerful and alluring. His study of her wasn’t to be ignored, and she acknowledged him, spotting him striding toward her. It seemed with each step he took, the tenser his posture became. By the time he reached her, his lips were in a tight line.

Perfect! Finally a reaction.

One sleek brow lifted. “Feeling pretty good, aren’t you, brat?”

She smiled, glad to see the fires of annoyance in his expression. That was better than no reaction at all. “Indeed, sir.”

His eyes slowly narrowed in slits. “To your knees, Kitten.”

She dropped down and hoped that this meant her punishment would start now. Her focus went to Porter’s scuffed brown shoes peeking out beneath the hems of his jeans, and she waited…and waited…and waited. Finally he said, “Cora, will you please find Master Dmitri and ask him to come to me.”

Kenzie cursed in her head, and was more shocked that she was so attuned to Porter that she hadn’t realized that Cora had joined them. All the same, she knew she was presently fucked sideways. Going to get Club Sin’s owner to have a discussion meant Kenzie was presently knee- deep in trouble. Once again, Porter didn’t do what she expected. The damn sexy, smart Dom did the exact opposite. She only stopped silently cursing to herself when two shiny black shoes joined Porter’s.

“Is there a problem?”

Dmitri’s stern voice had Kenzie cringing. She owed Dmitri a great deal. Because of him she was given membership, no questions asked, into an exclusive club. She respected Dmitri and all of the Club Sin Masters, so disappointing any of them never felt good, even if sometimes it had to be done to get what she needed.

The silence continued, and she could only assume they were sharing disgruntled looks at her expense due, once again, to her
lack of respect.
She also wasn’t stupid and kept her eyes down. Though she might test these men and enjoy pushing them to give her what she ached for, Dmitri could revoke her membership, and then where would she be? Blessedly, he never played with her and now had collared his submissive, Presley, so Kenzie never had to be tested by him.

That position she wouldn’t have favored. Playing with Club Sin’s owner would mean she’d have to be on her absolute best behavior or chance the situation where she would get kicked out of Club Sin. Not anything she wanted. It could be viewed as disrespectful toward a Dom when he couldn’t control a submissive. She didn’t want to disrespect Master Dmitri in his club.

Porter spoke, and his voice was very controlled: “I know this isn’t typical, but would you ask Master Sawyer to scene with a submissive tonight who enjoys high levels of pain?”

A pause. Then Master Dmitri replied, “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Would you like him to scene now?”

“Yes, thank you.” Porter’s voice went gruff. “Kitten, stand up.”

She quickly rose and discovered his features weren’t at all what she’d expected. He didn’t seem annoyed, which made her plan crash and burn. He also didn’t seem amused like she’d seen last night. Not being able to read him rubbed her all wrong. She had no idea how to play a man whose expression showed nothing and who didn’t react to her like everyone else did.

Whatever crossed her face caused Porter to frown. “Go stand in front of the St. Andrew’s Cross. Remove your clothing. Present yourself to me.”

His curt tone stiffened her muscles.
I need to be centered…
“Sir—”

He dismissed her with a flick of his hand as if she hadn’t talked at all, something he proved to have mastered last night. “Go.”

Porter crossed his arms as Kenzie strode toward the St. Andrew’s Cross in the corner of the dungeon with her shoulders hung. Not the way she entered Club Sin. He sighed, running a hand over his eyes.
She is going to be the death of me.
He now completely understood why Doms got frustrated with her. He was nearly there himself.

“She looked relaxed,” Dmitri stated.

Porter nodded. “Of course she did. She gave herself the orgasm that I refused her last night and planned to give her tonight.”

“You knew this would be difficult, my friend.” Dmitri’s expression became pained as he placed a hand on Porter’s shoulder. “I know she’s pushing on you, but look…” He turned to the crowd and Porter did the same, noting how many Doms and submissives were watching their interaction. “They are paying attention to your mastery of her, which is exactly what we want so you can gain their trust in believing that you deserve to be a Club Sin Master.” Porter’s attention returned to Dmitri as he added, “Besides, you also saw what I saw when she stood, right?”

How could Porter have missed it? Kenzie didn’t look at Dmitri as Porter would have expected, considering Club Sin’s owner was there discussing
her;
she stared right at him. To Porter, she seemed like a submissive fighting to gain something, but going about it in the wrong way. Her actions and her expressions never matched. Ever. “Yes, I saw.”

“Good,” Dmitri said with a firm nod, then strode toward Sawyer across the dungeon.

Porter zeroed in on Kenzie as she removed her clothing, folding the items and placing them on the table beside her. He wondered what she thought of when she climaxed. He also considered why she’d done it in first place. Was it only to disrespect him? Or was her intent to simply piss him off?

The woman made no sense.

Intent to find out the true reason, he approached her as she knelt on the hardwood floor. He leaned against the post behind her, observing her. She was so submissive now, patient and waiting for his next order. Perhaps that is what bothered him the most; he didn’t like the act she put on. He liked
this
woman, and he wanted others to marvel over her beauty. Irritation trickled through his veins that she hid this spectacular side of herself. He moved to her front. “Kenzie. Eyes on me.”

She raised her head and her guarded eyes scrutinized him carefully, only confusing him more. He shook his head and said, “When you masturbated, who were you thinking of?”

Her lips pressed into a firm line.

“Me, then?” His mood instantly lightened. “Well, now, that I don’t mind.” He moved closer and recognized the slight trembling of her body. Obviously a little unsure of the situation,
perfect.
“Seeing that you outright defied my order tonight, tell me, do you want me to end our agreement?”

Her posture weakened, the little signs of disappointment. “I…” Then her chin lifted, eyes sharpened within a single breath. “Yes, I want that. This isn’t working well between us. I’m not getting what I need from you.”

“Good, I’m glad you think so.” He caught that high chin, angling it down to where it should be. “That choice, brat, isn’t yours to make. We made an arrangement, one you agreed to. My word, kitten, is final and will never waver.” He noticed the slight curve of her mouth before it vanished. Happiness in his refusal to release her or that he was building trust? he wondered. “Do you know what I would typically do to a sub who defied me like you have?”

“No.”

“Swat your ass until it is red and hot to remind you to never disobey me again.” He leaned in, lowering his face, reading the desire in her burning eyes. “But that would please you, wouldn’t it, kitten?”