Chapter 3
D arryl “Chains” Carruthers hadn’t spent any time in London since retiring from MI6. Though he was proud to be British and to have served his country in both the Royal Air Force and as a spy, he had too many enemies here. He’d grown up in central England, far from the big city lights, but he’d loved living in London from the moment he’d arrived to attend university. There was something special about the big city, but after years of navigating the streets undercover, he’d grown tired of always having to be on guard. He worried someone would recognize him, blow an old cover—something that would tie back to his days as a spy. It was a life he’d walked away from after a mission had gone terribly wrong, and he didn’t care to revisit anything from that portion of his past .
The hunt for Emilie brought him home, though, and he cared for her enough to bury his demons and make the trip as soon as they knew when Jamie and Viggo would return from Canada. Since the trial had technically finished two days ago—there would most likely be a verdict any time now—he’d gotten on a flight. Just before he’d boarded the plane, he’d been surprised to receive an email from an old colleague, Warren Bern, and even more surprised to discover Warren and Emilie were friends. Chains had known Emilie was in London, but finding out Warren knew precisely where she was had been a strange coincidence. He wondered how the retired spy and sex club owner knew Emilie and the curiosity was killing him. Warren had said he would explain once Chains arrived, so he was more than ready to talk when he got to his friend’s Knightsbridge townhouse early in the evening .
“Good to see you!” Warren had opened the door and was pumping Chains’ hand as he led him inside .
“Likewise.” Chains narrowed his eyes. “You’re looking a bit green about the gills—feeling all right, mate ?”
Warren shrugged. “Had a round of chemotherapy the other day; leaves me a bit weak. I’ll take a nap after we’ve had our talk .”
“Chemo.” Chains frowned. “You never said anything .”
“What is there to say? I’m an old man with cancer—bloody annoying.” He sank into a comfortable chair in the den. “So tell me about your new life in Las Vegas.” His eyes twinkled .
Chains leaned back in his chair and grinned. “It’s been fun—lots of pretty birds for the taking .”
Warren cocked his head. “But none that spark any interest beyond the bed ?”
Chains laughed. “You know me better than that. Men like us—we don’t do relationships .”
“Don’t be like me,” the older man said lightly. “Lonely as hell getting old with no one by your side. Might be nice to have a couple of grandkids playing at my feet, a nice old bird bringing me a cup of tea …”
Chains arched his brows. “Since when? The cancer in your brain, mate?” He was trying to be funny but the joke fell flat as Warren met his gaze unwaveringly .
“Not at all, but you’re going down a path I’ve already traveled and it’s time for a detour, my friend.” He held up a hand when Chains started to speak. “You were betrayed by a fellow countryman. I understand why you left and why you’ve lived your life the way you have, but since you’re not with the agency anymore, why live like you still are ?”
“Someone could recognize me,” Chains said, arms folded across his chest. “Can you imagine if I had a family? A wife, kids… They could use them against me. Especially since I don’t know who betrayed me during that last mission. It’s safer this way. Trust me .”
“No, you trust me .” Warren lifted his teacup to his lips. “It’s time for you to leave that behind .”
“We can argue all night, old man,” Chains chuckled. “My stance won’t change .”
Warren gave a small shrug. “Then we can discuss Emilie .”
“What’s your relationship with her?” Chains frowned. “I can’t believe you trained someone that young .”
“But I did.” Warren smiled. “Not in the way you’re thinking, though. I’m a bit of a pervert, but Em was just 17 when we met. Some men like them that young; I prefer a woman .”
“She’s a woman now,” Chains said dryly .
“She’s also like my own daughter…in some ways. Understand I’ve watched, but I’d never touch. Not Emilie. She’s…” He hesitated, taking a sip of tea as he tried to formulate the next sentence .
“She’s what?” Chains was intrigued, having never seen Warren behave this way. Especially not over a woman he claimed he’d never touched and thought of like a daughter .
“First time I saw her, my initial reaction was all male. She was young, beautiful, blond…stunning really. Then she turned, looked at me. And even then, I was in my 60s, not young, not interesting to a teenage girl—but she smiled. It wasn’t the polite, expected smile children are taught to give to their elders, but a sweet, genuine smile that reached her eyes. She didn’t care if I was an old pervert—she had no idea who I was—she simply smiled because she was happy and was willing to share it with whoever was nearby .”
Chains found himself smiling too, unable to help but be charmed by what might otherwise be a meaningless story yet was obviously much more than that .
“I don’t think you knew this, but I’d been involved with a woman for a while,” he continued. “Gerry—Geraldine, but she hated that, yeah? We met about 20 years ago, before I knew you, and fell in love. I was in my mid-50s, she was in her mid-40s, but we fell hard and wanted it all. Marriage, children, all of it. We tried everything, but at 44 she couldn’t get pregnant and we were devastated…that we’d waited too long, been so selfish with our careers, wasted our youth. Eventually it ate at us and we went our separate ways. Before she left she told me I should adopt a child—do something useful with my life.” He chuckled at the memory. “Two weeks later I met Emilie. All sweetness and light, so pretty it was almost blinding sometimes. I struck up a friendship with her because she was young and innocent, not like the women I normally spent my time with. She became the daughter I never had in my mind and in my heart. She has a father, of course, but she liked spending time with me and seemed to enjoy the emails we exchanged .”
“That’s nice,” Chains said slowly. “But why are you telling me all this ?”
“You and I met, what? About 12 years ago ?”
“Give or take .”
“When I met Em, I thought, ah, there’s the girl for Chains.” He smirked, his dark eyes glinting. “And now look where we are. You two are already friends and that girl desperately needs someone to love her .”
Chains snickered. “You’re a dreamer, old man! The only thing Em needs from me is friendship and encouragement to go home to her daughter .”
“She’s done something,” Warren said abruptly. “I don’t know what it is, but I would venture a guess it’s something criminal. She’s both afraid and anxious to go to prison—pay for whatever she’s done. I need you to not only go get her, but get her to tell you what it is so that I can make it go away. Do you understand me, boy ?”
Chains nodded but his brows drew together in a deep frown. “What do you think she’s done ?”
He shook his head. “Undoubtedly something with that Therese troublemaker. Good riddance to bad rubbish—almost took her out myself when I found out what she’d been doing to Em…wish she’d come to me .”
“Em seems to feel she has to take care of everything herself,” Chains murmured. “She’s like that at the club, too—always unpacking a box or double-checking that the alarm is set…like she has to be in control at all times .”
“You have no idea,” Warren said dryly .
Chains arched his brows. “I thought you’d never touched her ?”
“Haven’t. But I introduced her to this world and I was there for her training because I had to be sure she wasn’t just taught properly, but also that no one ever hurt her. So I’ve seen her do things you’ve likely not seen from her .”
Chains sighed. “Then what? You want me to find her and make her submit until she tells me her secrets?” His lips twitched as he tried to hide his smile .
Warren rolled his eyes. “As if she would submit to the likes of you! Have you seen Emilie work ?”
Chains shrugged. “Not like that, no. She’s my boss at the club, but not anyone’s mistress, and now that she and Viggo are divorced she’s been reclusive, only coming out of her office when there’s a problem .”
“She’s changed, for sure. That’s why I need your help .”
“I’ll try to sort it out but I can’t promise — ”
“I already know where she is , lad.” Warren stood. “I need you to take her out of there and find out what she’s hiding. Can you do that for a sick old friend ?”
Chains rose as well, his eyes meeting the elder man’s curiously. “Already said I would. But if you’re thinking that something is going to come of this — ”
“Bloody hell, just do as I’ve asked, yeah? I seem to recall a favor you owe me and I’m cashing it in .”
Chains looked at him in surprise. “You’re using a life-saving favor for me to have a conversation with a woman I already know and like ?”
“My days are numbered, Darryl.” Warren knew Chains would understand the severity of the situation by using his given name. “She means a lot to me and whatever’s going on, well, it’s gone on long enough. Not to mention what’s happening right now .”
“What’s happening right now?!” Chains demanded, an uncomfortable feeling spreading through him .
“She wanted humiliation and surrender—begged me to allow it—so I arranged it. But the time has come for it to stop.” He handed him a piece of paper. “This is the address. The password to get in is flogger .”
“Dammit, Warren, you know she’s not herself right now! I know this place, this is Cuddy’s!” Chains stared at the paper in annoyance .
“She asked me to do this for her and Cuddy knows if he harms her in any way beyond what we discussed, I’ll end him .”
Chains growled. “Dammit, Warren! How could you allow this?!” He stalked out of the house in a huff. God only knew what he was going to discover when he found Emilie, but there was no way in hell he was leaving her there for another minute. What the hell had Warren been thinking ?
C hains was in a bad mood by the time he got to Cuddy’s Kensington home. Floyd “Cuddy” Cudburton was an asshole—there was no doubt about that. He was known for being hardcore—he bent the rules in the BDSM world and had been banned from quite a few clubs. Chains hadn’t kept up with him in the last year or two, but he knew how cruel he could be and had warned many a woman away from him. Chains enjoyed a little BDSM, but it wasn’t a 24/7 lifestyle for him, and he liked being able to switch things up when it came to sex. Though he rarely dated a woman for more than a month or two, he’d had several lovers over the years he’d kept in his bed for an extended period of time and they’d always enjoyed sex in a variety of ways. Despite his aversion to serious relationships, he liked being able to connect with a woman without having her submit to his every whim; sometimes it was fun to let a woman take charge. He also enjoyed romance and tenderness, the kind of lovemaking filled with gentle kisses and slow, gradual passion arising from a genuine fondness for each other. He’d been surprised to discover you didn’t have to be in love to make love, and though he’d been careful with the women he did that with, sometimes it felt good to show a woman he cared. The rest of the time, he was content to be as dominant and alpha as he desired—and the women he slept with liked it too .
Cuddy had probably never made love to a woman in his life, and his tactics as a dom were borderline abusive. He didn’t bother with aftercare, didn’t care whether or not his submissives trusted him, and often forced them beyond their limits. Though no one had ever accused him of actually hurting them in ways they couldn’t get past, many had refused to see him again. Chains didn’t like a man who abused his power—neither as a man nor as a dom—and the thought of Emilie enduring whatever Cuddy dished out already had his stomach in knots. Humiliation was Cuddy’s thing, and though there were subs and slaves that enjoyed it, Chains knew deep down Emilie would not. Whatever she was going through was tearing her apart, and he was going to get her out of there, no matter what she said she wanted .
The man at the door eyed Chains warily. “Password?” he asked .
“Flogger,” Chains met the man’s gaze directly .
“Second floor,” was all the man said .
Chains stepped inside and could hear loud music and laughter coming from above as he headed up the stairs. The place was packed and he could barely get through the mass of people when he got to the landing. Pushing his way past the initial crowd, he was assaulted by the smell of sweat, sex and stale beer. He could hear a group chanting, “More, more, more!” and he headed towards the noise. Instinct told him that was where he’d find Emilie .
As he approached the crowd, he forced himself to school his features and remember Emilie had done this of her own volition. Even if he didn’t agree with her, she was experienced in the BDSM world and a competent, willing adult. He couldn’t lose his temper, even though the sight before him made him furious. Almost nothing bothered him when it came to sex—as long as participants were consenting adults—but breath play was so fucking controversial. Even the most experienced lifelong participants in BDSM tended to avoid it. Breath play essentially decreased blood flow to the brain by constricting the airway. The results were often exhilaration, becoming lightheaded and, from what he’d read, a giddiness that could enhance simultaneous sexual activity. He could see this was what Cuddy intended to do and Chains clenched his fists at his side .
Emilie was bound on a billiards table of some sort, spread-eagle, and completely naked. She was filthy and he tried not to think about whether or not she’d been subjected to golden showers. Someone had used body paint to write the words “slut” and “whore” on her torso and right thigh, and her hair looked greasy, matted against her scalp. Cuddy stood at Emilie’s head, one hand squeezing her neck while he held his penis in the other and ordered her to open her mouth. The crowd cheered as Cuddy moved Emilie’s head so it hung over the edge of the table .
Chains stood off to the side, fists still painfully clenched, wondering what to do. Emilie was completely stoic, her face a mask showing zero emotion. It was strange, how still she was, her eyes closing as another man bent his head and began sucking one of her breasts. People were laughing and whistling, calling her vile names; yet Emilie didn’t react. Ironically, she didn’t appear afraid or humiliated—it was as if she wasn’t even emotionally present. Her eyes were vacant, body still, even her breathing appeared to have stopped. Chains would have panicked had it not been for the opening and closing of her eyes .
She wanted this , he reminded himself. If he could just keep his temper in check for the duration, he would find a blanket, cover her up and take her out of here. He didn’t want to make a scene for a lot of reasons, mostly because she was well-known and respected in the BDSM community. For him to stop this in the middle would make both of them look bad, and despite his worry, he understood she most likely would be angry if he didn’t let her finish what she had started. It was taking a lot of self-control to keep watching, though. Too many people had died participating in this type of activity; how the hell did they find this fun ?
Cuddy let go of Emilie’s neck and, before she could take a deep breath, pushed his impressive cock into her mouth. He moved slowly, going deeper and deeper until he was fully submerged. Chains’ breath caught as he realized having a penis that size so far down her throat she wouldn’t be able to breathe. He wasn’t going to choke her; he was going to deep throat her until she stopped breathing .
Watching carefully, he saw the rise and fall of her chest slow and eventually stop. Even with the man’s mouth on her breast, she wasn’t moving at all anymore. He’d spent a lot of time in the BDSM world, but not with this, and he was damned if he was going to risk her life just so she could say she did it .
“Enough!” Chains’ deep baritone was loud, causing everyone to turn in his direction. His eyes narrowed as he watched Cuddy slowly pulling his cock out of Emilie’s mouth .
“Who the fuck are you?” Cuddy growled, motioning to a security guard standing a few feet away as Chains grabbed his arm .
“Forgotten me, have you?” Chains towered over the smaller man .
“Chains? That you, mate?” Cuddy seemed amused. “What’re you doin’ here ?”
“Came to get my girl.” His eyes never left Cuddy’s .
“She came to me!” Cuddy sputtered, taking a step back, his eyes wide. “This wasn’t my idea—I didn’t force her to do this !”
“But you weren’t going to stop, were you?” Chains pointed to a woman standing off to the side. “Untie her .”
The woman hesitated .
“Now!” Chains’ voice blasted through the room, making everyone jump. The woman quickly began untying Emilie as Cuddy’s security guard approached with a snarl .
“Boss?”
“Call off your man,” Chains said with a deathly quiet growl. “Unless you want me to snap him in half .”
Cuddy raised a hand, causing his man to fall back. “What do you want, Chains ?”
“Told you—came for my girl.” Chains wasn’t sure what had prompted him to call her his twice now, but the words came out and he wasn’t going to correct himself in front of these people .
“She doesn’t want to go,” Cuddy stood up a tad straighter .
Chains barely contained his anger. “She’s done here.” He glanced down and saw Emilie was untied but hadn’t moved, though she was breathing again .
“Come on, love, time to go.” Chains’ voice softened as he looked down at her. “Can you get up ?”
Cuddy started to laugh. “Don’t you see? She—” He gasped as a muscular arm snaked out and grabbed him by the throat .
“Have someone bring a blanket,” Chains growled. He released Cuddy abruptly and the man grasped his neck, the fear in his eyes unmistakable .
Someone thrust a sheet of some sort at Chains and he grabbed it, dropping it over Emilie and gently picking her up. She still hadn’t moved or said a word, so he carried her to the stairs and down to the main floor. The man at the door looked at him in surprise .
“Where are her things?” Chains barked at him .
“In the back!” The man motioned with his head .
Chains went down a hallway and saw several closed doors. “Which one, love ?”
“Last one at the end.” Emilie barely whispered but Chains heard her .