Chapter Seventeen
ARI STOOD IN the door between the house and the garage, waving as Liesel piled Stella and Olivia into the car. The girls were both ridiculously excited and Ari didn’t envy Liesel the task of wrangling them for the rest of the night. It had honestly surprised her that Liesel had offered to take Olivia, but Ari was grateful that she had. Shutting the door behind her, she made her way back upstairs to where she knew Rex was waiting.
The last few days had been an absolute roller coaster ride of emotions. The one thing that was clear was that through it all, Rex had been beside her. Yes, he’d spanked her, but one, she’d deserved it for lying and trying to escape, and two, it had actually been hot as hell. Otherwise, he’d done nothing but protect her and care for her. And, when she let it happen, given her more pleasure than she’d even known was possible. Rationally, she knew that what they were doing was temporary, but she couldn’t make herself care. If nothing else, she’d have a standard set for how a man should make love to her. She giggled at that thought outside the door. Taking a breath, she composed herself and went inside to see what he had planned for the evening.
He was seated on the couch watching some news program, but he looked over when she entered. “Something amusing?”
Ari felt a blush heat her cheeks. He must have been listening for her. “Just thinking of Liesel having to wrangle the girls this evening. I think they’re going to be a handful,” she lied smoothly. She wasn’t sure exactly why she lied, but she had a feeling Rex wouldn’t appreciate a reminder that there would be other men in her life when they parted ways.
He chuckled. “I’m sure Liesel will manage. Vince is there for back-up, but he won’t step in unless he has to.”
Yes, Vince had introduced himself before they left. He was a distant Nardone cousin. He would be driving them this evening.
“Should we get ready to head out?” Ari asked him.
The smile he gave her made her shiver.
“Yes, I’ve got the outfit you’ll wear when we go back to the auction.”
Ari swallowed. She knew what she’d been wearing that night. It had been conservative compared to a few of the outfits she’d seen in the crowd. Rex stood and, with deliberate movements, pulled a bag from next to the couch. It was wrapped up like a gift and Ari felt a hysterical giggle bubble up inside her that she squashed fiercely. He held the bag out to her, and Ari forced her arms to move to take it from him, but his other hand was on her wrist and tugging her into him. Steeling herself, she looked up to meet his eyes.
“Starting now, I suggest you get in character,” he said against her ear. “What do you say when your master gives you a gift?”
Ari held his gaze. They might be playing a game that he made the rules to, but there was only so far she’d go, especially when it was just the two of them. Still, she answered him appropriately, “Thank you, master.” Then, surprising him, she slid down his body until she was on her knees at his feet. She continued to look at him and it sent a thrill through her seeing his reaction. Heat smoldered in his eyes. He reached a hand down and caressed her cheek with a single finger. “Very prettily done, girl. Take the bag and go get dressed.”
She unfolded her legs and took the bag into the bathroom. She removed the layers of tissue paper and held it up. There was more to it than the outfit she’d gone on stage in, but it still didn’t look substantial. The material was sheer but unbelievably soft. It took her several minutes of careful maneuvering, but once she had it on, she had to admit it was magnificent. It was a romper, but it was constructed of pale pink see through silk with lace appliques in all the appropriate places to cover the things her “master” wanted to keep to himself, or in this case to protect her. The neck was high and had a half inch band of sparkling stone that snapped in the back. They weren’t real diamonds, were they? There were two loops of ribbon sewn onto the back of the band that didn’t attach to anything and a metal ring right at the front.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the bathroom. Rex’s gaze snapped to her, and she watched him scan her head to toe with a look of appreciation. Despite the fact that she was barely dressed, it didn’t make her uncomfortable. It made her… want him to look more. She privately thought he was the more stunning of the two of them, though. He was wearing black leather pants that left nothing to the imagination, combat boots, and a black t-shirt that looked painted on. His hair, usually sleek and smoothed back, fell in soft waves just above his ears and he had a hoop in one ear. How had she never noticed the ear piercing before? She wanted to take it in her teeth and… oh god; she had to stop that line of thinking right now.
Rex closed the distance between them, and grabbing her chin, brought his lips to hers. She’d been braced for a harsh, claiming kiss, but this one surprised her. It was soft, almost tender, with just the barest sweep of tongue before he pulled back.
“You look amazing,” he said, his voice hoarse. She didn’t let the relief show on her face that she wasn’t the only one affected. Rex was hot, and he’d already shown he could meet needs for her that she hadn’t even known existed. That didn’t make any of this a good idea, but a promise was a promise.
“Ready for the finishing touches?” he whispered against her lips.
“Whatever you think… master.” A violent shudder racked her body. That word should not feel so damn hot.
Ari felt his smile against her lips and then brushed across her cheek.
“Just like anything else, red stops it all ok?”
Ari nodded shakily. Rex stalked across the room and grabbed a white gift box off the bedside table. He brought it back and opened it, showing her the contents. There were two items inside. One she understood, one she did not. He picked up the one that confused her. It was a tiny padlock.
“This closes the collar at the top of the outfit,” he said in a low voice.
Understanding dawned. The ribbons would be held together with this. He was the only one who would be able to get her out of the clothes, because the zipper finished under the collar. Ari licked her lips, then without saying anything she turned, giving him her back. She tilted her head forward and reached back to pull her hair out of the way. She could have sworn he gave a small moan. His touch was gentle as he looped the lock through the top and it clicked into place. Curiously, the power it represented made her feel safe, not confined. That was interesting. Ari decided right now wasn’t the time to analyze that.
The other item in the box was a pink leather leash that exactly matched the outfit. Rex held it up with a crooked smile. “We won’t need this right now. I’ll save it for when we get to the club.”
“Club?” Ari asked.
“Yes, I’ve secured us a one-night guest pass to Chicago Bound.”
“What’s that?”
Rex hesitated for a just a moment, then answered, “A BDSM club that my sister’s boyfriend runs.”
Several parts of that statement surprised her, but she decided to go with the easier one to digest. “You have a sister?”
Rex chuckled. “Thats what you want to ask about?”
Ari shrugged and smiled. “That seemed like the safer topic to start with.”
He nodded, smiling. “Yes, we don’t speak often. One requirement to get in tonight is that you’ll have to do a private interview with the two of them. I’ll go first, but you have to answer anything they ask honestly.”
Ari studied him for a minute before asking, “Your sister doesn’t trust you?”
Rex jerked, then sighed. “No, and with good reason. She left the family the day she turned eighteen and made her own way. She doesn’t think much of those that stayed.”
“That seems unfair.” The words tumbled out before she could stop them.
Rex gave her a long, hard look. “It’s completely fair. She knows who we are and what we do.”
“You mean she knows you’re breaking up a sex trafficking ring, rescuing damsels and children in distress, and keeping a community that thrives on small shops alive?”
Ari watched a struggle pass over his face before he answered. “No, she hasn’t been around to see much of that. She knows how our parents ran the family, though, and she has no reason to think things have changed. I’ll tell her about some of it tonight, so she understands your story and how tonight fits into me getting you settled on your own.”
Ari wanted to say more, but he gave her a sharp look, so she kept it to herself. He couldn’t stop her thoughts, though. If he didn’t want his sister to know about the best parts of him, it wasn’t any of her business.
They rode to the club in tense silence. Ari didn’t know if her analysis of Rex’s actions or the thought of seeing his sister had him drumming his fingers and bouncing on his knee, but either way she didn’t know what to say. Didn’t he see the good in himself? Yes, he was part of a crime family, but even she could see the differences between the Nardone cousins and the other senior members of families she’d met over the years. Tommy had threatened her the other day, but really, he’d only been worried about her trapping his cousin. Never mind that she’d been the one held by them. Ari rolled her eyes, thankful for the dark car so Rex couldn’t see her.
When the car stopped, Rex got out first and helped Ari out after him. She was warm in the frigid January air because Rex had wrapped her in a soft woolen coat that covered her to her knees and had laced knee high fur-lined boots on her feet. The skeptical look she’d given the boots hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“You won’t wear those at the club. I have these for you,” he’d told her, pulling a pair of leather flats that matched her outfit out of another box. The leash and the shoes had gone into a small black duffel bag that Rex was carrying.
He held her hand as they walked inside. When he gave his name, they were shown to a small sitting area.
“Do you want to change your shoes now, or wait until you talk to Kayla?”
“Now is fine.”
Rex knelt in front of her and unlaced the boots before sliding the shoes onto her feet. He was just finishing when the door opened behind him. He was on his feet in a flash in front of her. Ari peeked around him and found a tall woman with rich black hair dressed in a black silk dress and sky-high heels. Behind her was a man who must have been a few years older because his brown hair was lightly speckled with gray.
Rex relaxed. “Kayla.”
“A proud Nardone on his knees for someone? I’ll admit I’m curious,” Kayla said, her voice cold.
Rex’s body tensed for a split second, then relaxed.
“I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. I’d prefer you question me first, then, Ari. She’s been through a lot and I’d rather she didn’t have to relive all of it.”
Kayla stared him down, but when she spoke, Ari knew it was for her. “Are you here of your own free will?”
Ari stood and, putting a gentle hand on Rex’s arm, got him to look at her. He gave her the tiniest nod and brushed a kiss on her cheek.
“I don’t mind going first. What we’re doing is important. I’m fine.” She waited until Rex nodded again. “I promise.”
“Would you mind coming with us next door, Ari?” the man spoke this time. His voice was gentle. “We just want to hear a few things from you.”
“You want to make sure Rex isn’t threatening me?”
Kayla gave her a brittle smile. “I do know my brother. I’m sure better than you do.”
Ari gave her a cold smile in return. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
A look of shock replaced the false smile and the man behind her laughed. “She’s got some spine, doesn’t she, Principessa?”
“Hmph,” was the only answer.
The man’s fingers curled around the back of Kayla’s neck. “Manners, Principessa. No matter what she has to say, you snapping at her isn’t going to end well for you. Clear?”
Ari saw the fire snapping in Kayla’s eyes, but her answer was clear and calm. “Yes, sir,” she said to him.
She looked back at Ari and said, “Let’s get this over with.”
The friendly tone was directly at odds with her facial expression, but Ari knew instinctively that the man behind Kayla Nardone had the situation in hand. “That’s fine. Lead the way.”
She squeezed Rex’s hand briefly before following the couple out of the sitting room and down the short hall to an office. Jack pointed to the chairs on one side of the desk and both women sat without speaking. Jack sat behind the desk.
“Ari, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Jack Hayes. Welcome to Chicago Bound. Why did you want to visit this evening?”
Jack’s voice was calm and set her at ease. “Rex wanted me to see what acting like a slave in public would be like.”
Jack nodded. “How did you meet Rex?”
“He bought me from an auction about a week ago now. My stepfather sold me to them. Took me from my home. He raped me before leaving me to be sold.”
“How old are you, Ari?” Jack asked.
“I’m nineteen, but when Rex bought me he thought I was sixteen.”
“Did he engage in any sexual activity with you after he bought you?”
“Yes, but not until after I’d told him how old I really was,” Ari told him.
“Was it consensual?”
“Yes, we both wanted it.”
“Do you understand that Chicago Bound is a BDSM club? All activity here is consensual but may have a… tone… if you will, that you might not be familiar with,” Jack explained.
Ari took a deep breath. “Yes, I understand that. I’ve read some popular books, which I know might not be the most accurate, but I have an idea, anyway.”
Jack nodded, but it was Kayla who spoke next. “Do you know who my brother really is?”
Ari stared her down. “Do you mean, do I know that he helps run a crime business? Yes, I do. I grew up in that kind of family, though not as high ranking. I didn’t know at first, but once I did, I asked for his help to rescue my brother and sister from my stepfather and he got them for me. He even got me temporary custody of them since my mother is in the hospital and my stepfather has disappeared.”
“Did he put your mother in the hospital?” Kayla sneered and Jack snapped, “Kayla!”
“No, it’s ok. It’s a valid question,” Ari said quietly.
“Maybe it is, but it doesn’t need to be rude,” Jack said, glaring at Kayla.
“It’s not rude if it’s true.”
“Rude differs from blunt,” Ari snapped. Kayla’s head jerked around to look at her and Ari continued. “Your question is only valid based on the man you knew a decade ago, though. I’ll answer it though. No, he didn’t put my mother in the hospital. When he went to get my siblings, again at my request, he found them alone and my mother passed out. She’d overdosed on her medication. Realizing what had happened, he called the police and obtained custody for me after giving them a brief version of everything that had happened.”
Watching Kayla’s mouth open and close as she tried to figure out what to say made Ari want to giggle, but she stifled that response.
“Your brother has been nothing but kind, considerate, and careful with me.”
“And he’s fucked you and brought you, all but a child, into a BDSM club,” Kayla snapped.
“I may be young, but I promise you I’ve been an adult in my house for over five years. You walked away from your family at eighteen. I assume you felt old enough at that time to make your own decisions?” Ari countered.
Jack’s bark of laughter startled both women. Kayla moved her glare to him.
“Put that look away, Principessa, unless you want me to turn you over my knee later,” he warned.
Ari watched Kayla’s face smooth, but she couldn’t hide the fire in her eyes.
“Thank you for speaking with us, Ari. What is your safe word?”
“Red to stop, yellow to slow down, green if I’m good.”
“Thank you. Rex wants to take things to a private room. Would you have a problem with that? All of our private rooms are monitored by video feed on close circuit. No one watches the feed unless there’s an issue. The recordings are kept for six months in case they’re needed.”
“I’ll be fine, thank you. I appreciate your concern and your commitment to safety.”
“You said you grew up in a family business?” Kayla asked.
“Yes, my last name is Sloane. My father worked for the Malone family. He was killed in a turf war with another family.”
“And you’re ok with working with my brother after that?”
Ari shrugged. “First of all, it was the price I had to pay to get Owen and Olivia to safety. I’d do anything for that.” Kayla started to speak, but Ari held up a hand to stop her.
“Even if he hadn’t demanded, but asked, I would have said yes. I was there. I know what happens behind the scenes. I heard the sobbing and saw the girls who really were too young to even understand what was happening. If I can help take care of that by pretending to submit to your brother, then I’ll gladly do it.”
Kayla cocked her head and studied Ari for a moment before asking, “Is it pretend?”
Ari stiffened. The question was a little too close to home for comfort. “Is what pretend?”
“Are you pretending to submit?” Kayla asked pointedly.
“Of course. There is nothing between your brother and me. I’m just a girl he rescued.”
“But you’re not a girl. You’re a woman. And you’re sleeping with him.”
“For now. Once this bust is done, he and Tommy have promised to set me up with a house and enough money to finish school and get on my feet. After that I won’t impose on them. I’ll pay them back too.”
Kayla just stared at her. Did Kayla think she was just mooching off the powerful Nardones? Jack cleared his throat, and both women turned to look at him.
“I think we have enough information, Kayla.”
Kayla looked like she wanted to argue, but a hard look from Jack had her mouth snapping shut. “Yes, sir.”
“Come on, Ari. I’ll take you back to Rex.”