Dungeon Games (Masters and Mercenaries #6.5)(34)

Will’s shoulders squared. “Who the f*ck are you?”

“I’m Karina’s Dom.”

“I thought you said you didn’t have a Dom.”

“She lied.”

Karina shot him a look that could have peeled paint off the walls. If they had thought to actually paint the walls anyway. She turned back to Will with a gracious smile. “He’s my ex. My current. Gosh, I don’t even know how to classify us half the time. We’re one of those crazy on-again, off-again couples who can break up faster than we made up.”

Yep, there was a warning in there that didn’t actually scare him in the slightest. She could get as pissed as she liked. He knew what made her melt. He touched the nape of her neck, just a tiny reminder, and sure enough she shivered a little. “We’re on again and it’s going to stay that way. I’m Derek.”

“You a cop?” Will asked, his eyes narrowing.

It was interesting that he went there, though Derek had to admit EMTs worked with a lot of cops. EMTs, firefighters, cops, they were a little community and it wasn’t surprising that an EMT could peg him as a cop. “I used to be. I work for private security now. Got tired of getting my ass shot at for nothing.”

A hint of the truth was always the way to go.

“You know what they say.” Karina seemed to be doing her level best to smooth things over. “Once a cop, always a cop. One day he’ll learn some manners.”

“That’s twenty.” It used to annoy the hell out of him when she would turn that sassy mouth his way. She had a sharp tongue, but she also had a great ass that he loved to spank. When she got bratty, he got spanky. Everything worked out. “And shouldn’t you allow Master Will and I to work out our differences? Perhaps he would respect our relationship more if you were in a proper submissive position.”

She didn’t try to have a poker face with him. She sent him a fierce frown, her voice tight. “Of course, Master.”

She sank to her knees beside him. Yes, he was going to pay for that later. Oddly, he was looking forward to it. Now that they had a contract in place, it was easier for him to relax around her. They had banged it out in bed in between…well, banging. He couldn’t stop the grin that crossed his face when he remembered going over her hard and soft limits and how she’d hit him with a pillow when he tried to get her to agree that figging was an appropriate punishment for backtalk.

She hadn’t agreed, but damn he wanted to watch her squirm.

He looked back at Master Will and decided it was time to put aside his bad cop routine and go on a charm offensive. He could be charming. Maybe. “Look, man, I’m sorry to come off paranoid but I just got back into town and found out this one has been playing some dangerous games. I don’t think going to clubs on her own was very smart and I think it even less now that I know subs are being killed. Do you know how many?”

He wanted to watch Will as he talked about the killings. Some killers loved to brag. Some just wanted to be a part of the drama. He could tell a lot by how the other man reacted.

Will turned serious, dropping any act. His hand stayed in his sub’s hair, still giving comfort where it looked like none was needed. Was the poor dude completely clueless about his lady or was this all a little play? “As far as I can tell, it’s at least three subs, all women. I don’t know if they’re related, but it seems a little coincidental. Two of them had come to this club, but they were about as different as they could be. Tanya was sweet. She was just a kid looking for someone to play with. I liked her a lot. Really sorry about what happened to her.”

“And the other one?” Amanda had reportedly frequented this place, too.

Will sighed. “I hate to speak ill of the dead, but Mandy was a difficult one. She was the kind of woman who was sweet as pie to a man, but the minute they were gone she was mean. As far as I can tell she pretty much bullied every sub in the place. If it was just her, I would say it was about revenge, but Tanya and the other girl are in the mix. Do you think I should warn the guys, too? The new bouncer and the bartender are a couple. Pretty sure the bartender is the bottom. Well, I can’t tell. They’re both awfully alpha looking. And they’re a little awkward around each other. I think the bouncer is the kind who withholds affection as punishment. The bartender tried to hug him and the bouncer practically jumped out of his skin.”

So Sean and Li needed to work on their cover. “Well, maybe we can talk them into a scene so they can work out their issues.”

Karina coughed but it sounded suspiciously like “video.” On that he and his sweet sub were in perfect accord. That shit was going on YouTube.

“How many uncollared subs do you think come in and out of here on a good night?”

Will shrugged a little. “No more than ten or so. You know how it is. There are always more Doms than female subs. We see some gay couples. Lots of submissive men looking for Dommes. The usual for a place like this. There are also a lot of tourists. Honestly, I’ve been talking to a couple of the guys I’ve met here and we’re thinking of leaving. This is not the safest place to play. I don’t like the way they run things. I only came because I have nowhere else to go. Luckily, I met this little thing.” He smiled down on his sub with what seemed like pure affection. “I think it might be time to put my money where my mouth is and open a space where we’re all a little safer.”