Temporary Master (24 page)

“What
about
your
former Dom?”

She
shook her head. “I doubt it. He kicked me out of his life easily enough.
There’s no way he’d want me back or do something like this.”

“Regardless,
give me his name. I want to do some checking because whoever did this either
has connections to the Department of Justice in New York, or they have deep
enough pockets to pay someone who does.”

She
sighed. It made sense. “Louis Vayarti.”

Davis’s
pen dropped to the floor. “You’ve got to be shitting me.” He reached for the phone
on his desk.

“What
are you doing?” Confusion swamped her.

“I’ve
got to call Ethan.”

“Why?
He’s in New York, and even his long arms can’t stretch clear out here.”

Davis
gave her a concerned look. “That’s just it. He’s not in New York. He’s been in
Napa for the last two months at least. He’s a patient of Ethan’s.”

Her
mind whirled as possible repercussions of information flooded her. “Oh
my gosh
, if Ethan finds out…”

“Psychiatrist
or not, he’ll come unglued on him.”

* * * *

Slapping
his steering wheel, Louis wanted to rip someone’s head off. He’d planned on
‘accidentally’ running into Bella last night, hoping she’d be more receptive to
his advances, or even see him as a port in the storm. It mattered little to him
that the man he’d bribed to hack the sex offender site had charged him nearly a
grand. It had been worth every penny he’d spent. Not that he had spent much on
the hacker. The cost of contracting an artist to make a rather amateurish
rendition of one of his horded pictures of Sabella bound over the end of his
bed had been more expensive. Of course he’d managed to plant the sketch himself
by slipping it into the boy’s portfolio after bumping into the lad and causing
him to spill his work on the walk.
And if my actions lead
to her suspension, all the better.
After all, once she’s back
where she belongs, she’ll never be teaching snot-nosed kids again. She’ll be
too busy taking care of my needs to worry about outside work.
It all hinged
on him getting her alone
,
then convincing her he was
the best avenue of escape from her predicament.
But the little bitch never
came home last night. So help her God if she went where I think she did.

He
was drawn out of his thoughts as a patrol car pulled up in front of the
apartment complex, and a uniformed officer got out. He immediately tensed and
had to remind himself they weren’t here for him. He’d kept his nose clean and
kept all his appointments with the damned court-appointed therapist. The
minutes dragged by as he waited for officer to return to the patrol car.
Finally, the officer came out the building and curiosity got the worst of him.
Grabbing his paper, he got out of the car and made his way to the front door of
the building with his keys out. As he approached he made a scene of shaking his
keys. And it worked. The cop paused before approaching him.

“Pardon
me, Sir, do you happen to live here?”

With
his back to the officer, he paused by the door to skim the directory before
turning. “Yes. Apartment 3C. Jim Hernandez.”

The
cop nodded. “So do you happen to know Sabella Johnston? She lives in apartment
5D?”

Louis
thoughtfully stroked his chin.
“A petite little redhead?
I think her father has been sick?”

The
officer nodded. “Yes. We’re looking for her in connection with a complaint.”

Louis
feigned a surprised look. “Wow, really? I hope she’s okay.”

“I
can’t really talk about the particulars, Mr. Hernandez, but she’s wanted for
questioning about an on-ongoing investigation.” The police officer reached into
his pocket and handed him a card. “If you hear anything or see her, please
contact me at this number.”

Taking
the card, Louis gave the officer a brief nod.
“Will do.
She seemed like such a nice girl.
Always looking out for her
father.
I do hope everything’s okay.”

“It
will be once I have a chance to speak with her. Thank you for your time.” The
officer turned and headed back to his patrol car. Louis waited until officer
pulled away before heading back to his car. It seemed as if his little bird had
flown the coop. Perhaps it was time to press the good doctor for an invitation
to the club. If Bella was indeed with the doctor, she’d be at the club this
weekend.
And heaven help her if she is.
His blood raced at the idea.
It’d been much too long since he’d had a submissive at his mercy and under the
lash of his flogger. He had a lot of frustrations to take out on a willing
submissive’s back.

Sliding
into his car, he carefully rearranged his cock into a more comfortable position
before grabbing his cell phone. Dialing the number from memory, he listened to
it ring. Dolly’s voice came on the phone a few short moments later.

“Dr.
Tremaine’s office, Dolly speaking.”

“Hi,
Dolly. This is Louis Vayarti. I was wondering if the doctor, by chance, had an
earlier opening than the one I have scheduled on
Friday?
”

“Fuck!”
Ethan wanted to hit something. It was hard to believe one simple phone call
from Davis had turned his world completely upside down. As a psychiatrist, his
hands were tied but
good
by patient-doctor
confidentiality. Not that there was anything he could do even if there wasn’t
the relationship between him and Louis Vayarti. “What the hell am I supposed to
do, Davis? The asshole has an appointment today. How am I supposed to help him
when all I want to do is kick the son of a bitch’s ass?”

Davis’s
muffled sigh carried through the phone. “I don’t know. Everything I have at the
moment is pure conjuncture and speculation. I’ve got a private investigator
slash computer hacker back tracking the profile as we speak. There are a lot of
things that don’t add up at the moment. Not to mention I just had a contact at
the local P.D. tip
me
off Bella is wanted for
questioning. As her lawyer, I have to take her down to the station, but have
advised her not to answer any questions without me there.”

The
pencil in Ethan’s hand snapped at the thought of Sabella being alone in a
police department and scared out of her mind. She’d crept under his skin
without even trying. But he couldn’t worry about that now. Not when she needed
him. “Dammit.” He reached for his calendar, glancing down at his schedule, his
brain already moving appointments around. “Can you give me an hour to
reschedule my appointments? I’d like to be there for Bella.”

“I
don’t think that’s a good idea, Ethan.”

“Why
not?”
The harsh statement
almost surprised Ethan, but he couldn’t hold it in. Sabella was his
responsibility, not Davis’s. Leaning back in his chair he squeezed the bridge
of his nose with his free hand.

“Because
I don’t think you can keep your objectivity. I know she’s gotten under your
skin, but it would be best to let me handle this. Besides you can do her more
good if you can perhaps dig a bit into Louis’s current relationships, or even
some indirect questions about what happened between him and Bella.”

Ethan
growled, clenching the receiver tighter. “You’re asking me to play nice with
the man who screwed over
my
submissive, Davis.” It was amazing how
easily the word rolled off his tongue. Sabella was his - at least for the
foreseeable future. “To listen as he brags about how he exhibited his authority
over her by tossing her out with nothing more than the clothing on her back. I
have self-control, but doing this would push me to the very boundaries of it.”

“I
know, but until I get more proof from my team or inside information on the son
of a bitch who planted Bella on the Sex Offender Registry, it’s all she has. I
need your help.” Davis lowered his voice. “I know she’s only a temporary thing
with you, but she’s a sweet girl. She doesn’t deserve to be arrested, or even have
her name smeared all over the local papers.”

Closing
his eyes, Ethan wrestled with the idea, before coming to the conclusion his
friend was right. Sabella didn’t deserve this. All she’d done is
help
him.
And give me the sweetest submission I’ve ever
had.
He pushed the thought from his head, along with his friend’s
accusation about Sabella being temporary. He wasn’t so sure anymore. “Fine, I
don’t have to like it, Davis, but
I’m trusting
you
with her. Keep her safe for me.”

There
was a silent moment before his friend spoke again.
“Of
course.
I think I can keep them from arresting her today. But until I
talk with the detectives, there isn’t much I can tell you.”

There
was a noise as if someone had just entered the room. “Bella just came back in,
Ethan. Did you want to talk to her?”

“Of
course, I want to talk to her.” He also wanted to wring his friend’s neck. A
moment later, Sabella’s sweet voice filled his ear.

“Sir?”
The rawness of the word told him
what state she was in. He clenched his fingers to keep from telling her he was
on his way.

“Sabella,
I want you to trust Davis. He’ll take care of you.”

“I
know…” Her voice broke a bit. “…but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was scared.”

“I’d
be scared too, if I were in your shoes, little one.” Leaning back in his chair,
he stared up at the ceiling. “When you get done, however, I expect you to let
Davis bring you home to me. Do you understand?”

“I…I
want to…but my dad…I can’t leave him alone…I shouldn’t have spent the night
last night. I can’t imagine what he went through this morning when he had the
police show up at his door. ” She sounded on the verge of tears.

His
eyes narrowed. “I’ll take care of your father.” He took a deep breath. “Davis
and I have plenty of room here. We’ll see if he wants to
come
stay with us.”

“I
don’t know…” He could hear her hesitation.

“Don’t
make me paddle you, Sabella. As your Dom, I’m supposed to make sure you’re
happy and safe. If that means having your father stay at my home until we get
to the bottom of these accusations, then that’s what I’ll do.”

“But
he doesn’t know I’m in the lifestyle…” He could almost imagine the rosy blush
covering her face.

“And
he doesn’t need to know.” He sighed. “I am sure I can curtail my dominance
while he’s here.”

Dolly
stuck her head in the door. “Your next appointment is here, Dr. Tremaine.”

He
covered the mouthpiece. “Thank you, Dolly. I’ll be there in a few moments.”
After his receptionist closed the door, he sighed. “I’m sorry, little one, but
I have to go. Let me handle things with your father. I assure you every thing
will work out. Be safe, love.” He gently hung up before she could protest. He
had plans to make.

* * * *

“Ms.
Johnston, the accusations being leveled at you are quite serious.” The
detective slapped the manila folder against the table where Sabella sat with
Davis. She tried to not jump in reaction. “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm.”

Sabella
wanted to scream. “Perhaps if you didn’t ask me the same questions over and
over again, I wouldn’t feel the need to be sarcastic, Detective Chayefsky. I’ve
told you, in no uncertain terms, I’ve never been intimate with Samuel Croshaw.
He’s nothing more than a young man who’s in my art class at the youth center.”

“Then
how did a picture of you naked end up in his possession?” He opened the folder.

“A
drawing, Detective.”
Davis interjected. “And I assure you a drawing is not the same damning evidence
as a photograph.”

The
detective glared at Davis. “But it does lead to the question of how Mr. Croshaw
drew such a detailed drawing of you, Ms. Johnston. While I have no art
training, I’d have to say Samuel did a fairly accurate rendition of you…” He
pulled out the drawing in question. “This is you, is it not?”

Reaching
out, she took the plastic-encased drawing. Her heartbeat doubled, as she
recognized her body, drawn in amazing if not amateurish style. There was
something off, just not quite right about it. How could Samuel have drawn her
in such a compromising position? The leather cuffs at her wrists and ankles,
which held her tightly to the rumpled bedding seemed familiar, but she couldn’t
quite put her finger on it. But that wasn’t what caught her attention the most.
It was the style. “Yes, this is me, but let me assure you, Detective, there is
no way Samuel Croshaw drew this.”

Leaning
back in his chair, the detective folded his arms over his chest. “And why do
you say that? It was found amongst his personal possessions in the home he
shares with his mother and sister.”

“The
level of drawing.
I’ve been teaching Samuel for nearly two months, and I can tell you, he didn’t
draw this.”

“Why?
Because it’s too detailed, too accurate?”