My Addiction (Club Desire #2)(45)

Kate couldn’t believe she was hurt because he didn’t insist, or even try to demand, that she not play scenes with anyone but him. She would have been pissed had he tried to demand such a thing.

She shook her head. She was definitely still wiped out if she was thinking like that.

She wouldn’t mind having Master Dex all to herself. But she was sure he had plenty of subs. He said he still kept a house in Phoenix, but he never said where he actually called home. She pursed her lips, annoyed that she hadn’t pressed for that information when she had the chance.

She cringed away from the thought of him playing with another sub.

“I just need a shower and a nap, and this sappy, clingy version of me will be banished, hopefully never to return.”

As she padded toward her bedroom she thought of how sweet he had been, making her coffee with vanilla syrup and bringing her breakfast.

No Dominant had ever done that for her. Hell, no boyfriend or anyone else had ever done that, either. Not since her mother had passed away, anyway.

Familiar pain squeezed her heart. She missed the knowledge that there was someone in the world who would accept and love her no matter what. Someone who would always be there for her when she needed them.

She huffed out a harsh breath and thrust those thoughts away as she dropped her robe and crawled back into bed. She had better things to do today than feel sorry for herself.

It took only a few seconds to set the alarm on her iPhone so she could wake, take a shower, and get some work done before she decided if she was up for The Dungeon later.

A few kissing noises brought the sound of Rusty’s claws skittering across the tile in the kitchen and then on the hardwood floor in the hallway. A few seconds later he bounded on the bed and curled up next to her, a warm, fuzzy, purring ball.

One betraying thought of how nice it would be to have Dex spooned against her back while she fell asleep flashed across her mind. She ignored it and rested her hand on Rusty as she closed her eyes and gave herself up to sleep.

—

Merrick guided his Harley into the parking lot of a Circle K and then tapped his earpiece to answer his phone.

“Caldwell.”

“Merrick, it’s Dex Alexander.”

Merrick steered around to the side of the building to block more of the breeze and road noise.

“Dex. I was just on my way to The Dungeon to see if I could find a few of those subs you mentioned.”

“Good. Listen, I have some news you’ll need if you’re headed into the lion’s den up there.” Something in Dex’s voice told Merrick that the news might not be good.

“What’s up?”

“Mark Stanton was found dead this morning.”

Merrick frowned, not sure he had heard correctly. Stanton had been under investigation more times than he could count. “Cause of death?”

“Blunt-force trauma to the back of the head. Even though it was made to look like a smash-and-grab gone wrong, the signs point to a pro. I’ll touch base and fill you in on everything later.”

Merrick whistled long and low. “Damn. He was one of the major players I would’ve bet on being neck deep in this thing. Although his death doesn’t rule out his involvement.”

Dex made a noise of agreement. “The story was just released to the media, so the whole dungeon will be buzzing about it.”

Merrick rolled his shoulders and neck, working out a few kinks. “I can’t say that I’m surprised. Stanton was into some pretty bad shit.”

Dex cleared his throat. “That’s the understatement of the year. I’m never happy to hear about anyone being murdered, but the world is probably a better place without someone like Mark Stanton.” He paused, and Merrick heard the sound of pouring liquid, and then what sounded like a metal spoon clinking against a ceramic cup.

He was jealous. He could use some coffee about now.

“Keep an eye out for Samantha. She’s the sub I told you about. The one Stanton wanted to punish for talking to me.”

Merrick nodded to himself. “I definitely will. She’ll probably need some comfort and guidance now that Stanton is gone. And I don’t want her to fall into the hands of the next-highest * in the chain down there. On a separate note, I would’ve loved to have seen Kate dick-punch that bastard.”

Dex’s laugh carried over the line. “It was a great sight, I have to admit. But I have a feeling Balkins and others like him will try to punish her for it, even now that Stanton is out of the picture.”

“All right, Dex. Are you headed up there anytime soon?”

“I’ve been meeting with a few of the suspected players today. Just accidentally running into them and having casual conversations to try to dig out some information. I’ve happened on a few leads I’ve passed to the analyst team, but I want to head up to The Dungeon in case Kate is feeling well enough to. I don’t want her left at the mercy of her other Doms who didn’t appreciate her fighting back against Balkins and Stanton.”

“Understood. I’ll let you know if I see her.”

Twenty minutes later, Merrick came out of the locker room at The Dungeon, ready to get to work. He took a seat on one of the low couches to people-watch and get the lay of the land. No use bumbling around when taking a few minutes up front to watch and learn usually served him well.

He saw couples who were obviously D/s pairs, and a few subs watching the scenes in progress with wide eyes.