‘Look…’ I said, feeling as if I was losing all control of the situation.
‘No, Angel,’ he said, putting his finger to my lips. ‘You look.’
I went to speak again, but he swept on. ‘You look…beautiful, my little kitten. Trust me – you’ll fit right in.’
Trust him? I sighed inwardly. That was the hardest thing to do, at the moment. I still didn’t really know if I could trust this beautiful, insufferable man. His life, his experiences, were so vastly different to mine, and he was still under investigation for murder. I only had his word he was innocent.
I followed him to the lift and, once more, put my fate into the hands of the Filth Monger.
Twenty Nine
Him
I could hardly credit it, even then. I was on my way down to the club, Grace by my side, clad in next to nothing but one of my overcoats. The only thing that would have made it any better would have been if she’d been cuffed to me. I’d have to wait for that level of perfection, though. I was still not convinced Dominion would be for her, especially after her panic over the thong.
I couldn’t understand it, to be honest. From everything I knew of her, I’d have thought she’d have found it more exciting than alarming. It just showed I didn’t know her as well as I thought. Oddly, far from depressing me, the realisation I still had a lot to learn about her filled me with excitement. I wanted to know everything. I wanted to own her, body and soul.
As we went down in the lift, I checked her mask. The laces were still pulled tight, the double bow secure and uncompromising. The last thing I wanted was for it to work loose and risk exposing her.
‘Is it okay?’ she asked me anxiously.
‘It’s fine.’ I stroked the bare skin of her lower cheek. ‘Everything’s fine.’
She relaxed visibly.
‘Turn away now,’ I said. ‘We’re going past reception.’
She did as she was bidden and we passed through the foyer and down into the club. For once, I regretted having the glass lifts installed. I could hardly bear to keep my hands off her, knowing the secret of what lay beneath her coat.
The lift doors opened and I stepped out, turning back to take her hand. She grasped mine and stepped out tentatively into the secret world beneath my hotel.
‘So, this is it,’ she said, gazing around her in awe. ‘I didn’t expect it to be so…opulent.’
I’d never thought of it before. I hardly even noticed the luxury of the surroundings, but it was true. Dominion catered to the highest echelons in kink and depravity and anything less would simply not have done. The old man had had the placed kitted out to a level of extravagance hardly even seen in his hotels.
‘Welcome to Dominion,’ I said, stepping back to let her pass. ‘Discretion assured. No…’
‘Questions asked,’ she finished. ‘Yes, I know.’ She looked around her as I led her through the foyer and past the security detail.
‘Sir.’
I nodded my acknowledgment. It was Matt, heading the door alongside the best of the rest of my men. I’d made sure of it as soon as I knew I was bringing Grace. Ronnie was overseeing proceedings. I didn’t want anything going wrong and I knew I could count on her.
She was waiting for us just inside the club itself.
‘My god,’ Grace breathed, as she took in the surroundings. ‘Those chandeliers. The chaises-longues. It’s like a vampire’s chateau.’
‘Nat’s father always had a penchant for the dramatic,’ said Ronnie, drily. She kissed me briefly on the cheek, before turning to Grace. ‘He was nothing, if not flamboyant. You should see the dungeons. Welcome, my dear.’
Grace smiled at her, seemingly lost for words. She was still gazing around – taking it all in. I tried to see it through her eyes. The pillars, the gothic arches on the other side of the dance floor, leading to the playrooms. It was, I suppose, like stepping into another world or, at least, another time. I hoped she wasn’t feeling too intimidated.
‘Shall I take your coat, my dear?’
Ronnie held out her hand, but Grace drew back.
‘Not just yet,’ I said, intervening quickly. The last thing I wanted was to put her in a situation she wasn’t comfortable with. I remembered her running out of the playroom at the Castle. I still felt guilty about that, and didn’t want a repeat.
Ronnie turned to look at me. ‘A quick word, my love.’ She turned back to Grace. ‘Please excuse us for a moment, my dear.’
She put her hand through my arm and walked me away slightly, leaving Grace to drink in the sights alone. Once out of earshot, she pulled away and turned to face me, her expression pained.
‘I spoke to Alex earlier, Nat.’
I drew in my breath involuntarily, and she put her hand on my arm.
‘I know, my love,’ she said, her brow furrowed with anxiety. ‘But you know how I feel about it.’
‘I know,’ I said. ‘It’s just a bit soon.’ I didn’t want to tell her that I couldn’t face him. Not knowing what had happened to Rick.
‘He wants to come back to work,’ she said.
I shook my head. ‘No,’ I said. ‘Not yet. If, ever.’
‘Please, Nat.’
‘Look, I’ll think about it,’ I said, with a sigh. ‘I’ll call him.’
‘Talk to him now,’ she said, stepping back.
Alex was standing behind her, hidden in one of the many recesses the clubbers liked to make use of for discreet sex.
‘I’ll leave you to it,’ she said, her expression anguished. ‘Sort things out, Nat. Please.’
She left then and headed back over to Grace. Alex came out of the recess, his hands in his pockets. He looked as uncomfortable as I felt.
‘Sir,’ he said. ‘Please, Sir. I’m sorry.’
‘I don’t know what to say to you, Alex.’ It was true. The whole situation had put me on the back foot, and I didn’t want to say something I might later regret.
‘Sir, please.’
I looked out across the dance floor. The club was fast filling up. Ronnie had put out the word earlier that tonight was going to be something special. It wasn’t, but I wanted Grace to see it in its full glory, not half empty as it normally would be on a weeknight.
‘I can help Ronnie,’ he said. ‘It’s heaving and you won’t want to be bothered. Not with her here.’
He nodded towards Grace. He clearly recognised her, and that alone made me reconsider my decision. I needed him on side.
‘Okay, Alex,’ I said, reluctantly. ‘Do what you’ve got to do.’
He tipped me a nod. ‘Thank you, Sir.’
He went to walk away, then stopped and turned back. ‘I know it’s opening old wounds, Sir, and I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t so worried, but do you know anything about Rick? I mean, his whereabouts? He rang me this morning and said he was meeting up with you, but I’ve heard nothing since.’
I shook my head.
‘It’s not that I want to see him,’ he continued. ‘But I just need to know he’s safe.’
I could feel the colour draining from my face as I shook my head again.
‘No, Alex,’ I said. ‘I’ve no idea.’ I didn’t meet his eye as I said it. I couldn’t. I’d never been good at lying. I didn’t believe in it and yet here I was, trying to pull the wool over the eyes of a man I owed no loyalty to. Fuck, he didn’t deserve to have his feelings spared.
‘What, Sir?’ he said, coming towards me. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
I shrugged. ‘I didn’t meet him. He was gone when I got there.’
‘But you know where he is,’ he persisted. ‘I can tell you do. Just put my mind at rest. Please, Sir.’
‘I can’t,’ I said, tired of lying already. ‘I can’t put your mind at rest.’
‘But you know where he is,’ he said. ‘I can still help him, Sir. I have money put away.’
‘I had money, Alex,’ I said. ‘He wasn’t interested in an easy way out. And it’s too late now.’
‘What do you mean, Sir?’
‘I said it was too late, Alex.’ I looked into his eyes. ‘You know what that means.’
His shoulders slumped and his expression changed with it. I couldn’t read it, but I knew my words must have been a stab to the heart. For whatever reason, he had loved Rick like a son.