“Lauren Shaw.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard that name. I think we went through every OB in the state too. Does she have a website or something?”
“Oh no, she doesn’t even have a practice, technically.”
“But… she’s your OB, right?”
“She works for… an organization that Tom’s part of.”
“Like a fraternity of OBs or something?”
The slow shake of her head Sharon gave her sent a frisson of unease through her.
“I don’t know if… I’m really supposed to talk about this. I mean, not yet.” Sharon’s voice lowered, her hand wrapped around the stem of her empty margarita glass. “Has Keihl talked to you about the Trust?”
“Not that I can remember, no. What is it?”
At first, it made her think of some sort of bank or insurance company. But the term was triggering some sort of vague recall in the back of her mind, but she couldn’t place it. Fucking hormones were turning her into the Absent Minded Preggo.
Sharon leaned forward, laying her arms on the butcher’s block. “Dr. Shaw is, well, she’s interesting. Before I refer you to her, there’s something you should probably know.”
“Okay.”
Another fucking shoe to drop. There always was, wasn’t there?
“She’s kinky herself. Like, seriously kinky.”
“That makes it even easier then, right?”
Another submissive woman, a doctor, really
would
understand some of the questions she had. They’d understand it like nobody else on Earth could.
“She’s a Domme.” Sharon cocked her head toward her. “You know what that means right?”
“I’m not a sheltered, quivering virgin straight out of the convent. So she cracks the whip on her man, okay?”
“She does a helluva lot more than that to him, but yes.”
“Her husband then?”
“She runs the show.” Sharon arched an eyebrow. “Utterly and
completely
, runs the show.”
“Fine. I can deal with that,” Kirsten lied, her heart already jackhammering in her chest.
This was more than she’d ever have imagined. It wasn’t that she thought a woman dominating a man was wrong,
per se
. No. It just wasn’t — it
soo
wasn’t — the axis her particular orientation spun upon.
“She’s into girls too.”
Whoa. Hold the train.
“That does, well, that does — complicate things. Doesn’t that, uh, weird you out a little?”
“Like I told you when I visited you at your office, you’re missing out.”
Jesus, this wasn’t one shoe dropping, this was a whole goddamn store of them.
“She doesn’t… I mean, with you?”
Sharon merely shrugged her shoulders, giving her a half smile. “No, she and I aren’t fucking, if that’s what you mean. But it’s a little more complicated than your typical doctor-patient relationship, that’s for sure.”
“I know I’m going to regret asking this, but how is it complicated?”
“She’s an associate of the Trust. Not part of it, exactly, but she does work for them.”
“OB work, I take it?”
“Yep, among other things.” Sharon’s eyes glinted. “She’s got a sister who works for them too. But she sure as hell isn’t an OB.”
Kirsten, took a sip of her now lukewarm tea. “So, no offense to Dr. Shaw, but you’ve successfully talked me out of a referral. Congrats.”
“I suspected you might want to consider other … options.”
“Why doesn’t Tom? I mean, he’s an OB too. Can’t he just… take care of you?”
“Oh he does.” Sharon flashed a gleeful grin. “But he gave me to Lauren instead.”
Gave?
“He said he needed a doctor who could be objective. He’s my husband after all. So it was Lauren. She ended up delivering all of my kids.”
“I don’t suppose you know another OB then?”
Sharon beamed. “I do. Quite well, actually.”
“You don’t mean…
really
?”
“What better person though? Tom’s kinky. He knows both of you. You wouldn’t have to go through the whole feeling-the-doctor’s-style-out bullshit, either.” Sharon’s lips quirked. ‘I can vouch for his bedside manner too.”
“Oh God,” Kirsten said, scrubbing a hand across her lips. “I can’t believe I’m seriously considering this.”
“Look, you don’t have to, obviously. There are dozens of OBs, locally.”
“Believe me, I checked them all out too.” Kirsten pointed at Sharon. “But you know as well as I do that finding what I need is just about impossible.”
“It’s not easy being kinky.”
“No shit.”
She shouldn’t even be entertaining the idea. Keihl’s fucking
best friend
? That was all kinds of weird. Wrong, even. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she considered that it just might work. Maybe she could just have the initial consult, hit him with her questions, and be done with it?
You know it wouldn’t be that easy, Kirsten.
No, it wouldn’t. And part of her
was
curious as to what would actually happen, how it would go. Did they have some sort of secret handshake? Or did you just blurt out that you wanted to know if it was safe for your husband to tie you up and spank you during late term pregnancy? She jammed a fist against her lips, holding back the sudden giggling threatening to bubble up within her.
“I’ll do it.” Kirsten inhaled deeply. “Just talk at first though. I don’t… I can’t just jump into this all the way. Too much what-the-fuck about this whole thing.”
“Good!” Sharon laid her soft hand over Kirsten’s. “Now, let’s go see what the big bad wolves are up to.”
* * *
K
eihl remembered what he’d seen in this room, over this couch, that last time he’d been at Tom’s house.
He took a long sip of his drink. Whiskey sour. His favorite. “I need to know something, Tom. Before we go any further.”
“Okay, fire away.”
Tom was sprawled in the over-stuffed easy chair across the room, the smoky liquid in his glass balanced on the arm, condensation beading on the glass.
“This… Trust. How exactly are you part of it? What do you do?”
Tom crossed his ankles. “I’m one of the people who takes care of… medical needs.”
“Pregnancies.”
“That’s one of ‘em, sure.”
“But that’s not all.”
“Not even close.”
Keihl sat forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “You think she’ll really go for this? How do I even bring it up?”
“You could just ask her.”
“Sure, that’ll go over well. ‘Honey, would you mind if my best friend takes a gander at your pussy’?”
“Might want to work on your delivery, smart ass.”
Keihl still wasn’t sure how he felt about the idea. Was he really okay with Tom examining Kirsten? Touching her, even in a non-sexual way? Why didn’t the idea of him touching her in a sexual way
not
make Keihl want to put his friend through a wall? It wasn’t exactly something he was… eager to try. But it wasn’t something that repulsed him either. Not by a long shot.
It didn’t matter though, because deep inside, if he was honest with himself, he knew Kirsten would balk at it. He still expected her to come flying out of the kitchen, screaming for the front door. Any minute now.
“What’s wrong?” The ice in Tom’s drink clinked against the glass as he sipped from it.
“Fuck, nothing. Really, nothing. I just don’t think she’s ready, that’s all.”
“How do you know if you don’t try?”
“We showed up, didn’t we?”
Tom chuckled. “Yeah, you sure did. Surprised me too.”
“Can’t have you thinking you’ve got me figured out, can I?” Keihl cocked a thumb at his friend. “Tom Forster. Wannabe head shrinker.”
“Prick.”
“I’ve heard that’s one of the favored terms for lawyers nowadays.” Keihl gave him his best shit-eating grin.
Tom’s smile faded, and he sat up in the chair. “So, I’ve got something I need to ask you too. And I need an honest, no lawyer bullshit answer.”
“I can probably manage. Just this once.”
“How much do you want to know? About the Trust.”
Everything.
“Why do you ask?”
“Answer my question, Keihl.”
“Whatever I need to know.” He stared at Tom. “I know there’s a shitload more to it than you’ve told me. And I know Ella’s stirred up enough to make someone very uncomfortable.”
“That’s why I’m asking you this. I … can show you more. A lot more. If you’re prepared to do what needs to be done.”
Now we’re getting somewhere.
“I’m listening.”
Tom leaned to the side, setting his drink down on the glass side table.
“I’ve been given permission to take you to a Trust facility. The one on that card Stanton gave you? That’s the one.”
“Permission? What is this thing, Tom?”
“Like I said, it’s an
organization
. With rules, and protocols. I know that sounds … odd.”
“It sounds fucking crazy is what it sounds like—”
“It’s
not
.” Tom’s gaze cooled. “And there’s more — but you need to listen to me. I’m your best friend. Try to give me the benefit of the doubt here, okay?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Keihl sat back, giving his friend a nod. “Go on.”
“One of the things we’d need though is for you to stop the inquiries.”
“You mean Ella.”
“Yes.”
Now they were coming to the heart of it, and part of him wanted to tell Tom to go fuck himself. Anytime any organization went to such lengths, there was always something deeper. There was always something to hide.
“I can’t do that, Tom. At least not as long as I suspect my client may be some sort of front. Is the Trust organized crime? Drugs? I need to know. It’s my law license — and potentially my ass — on the line here.”
“I know it. And that’s why I’m offering this.” Tom looked away a moment, twirling the ice in his glass. “Some would rather I just have cut off contact — sent you on your way. But I’m not doing that to my friend.” Tom looked at him again. “And there’s more. I pushed for this, probably pissed off some powerful people for this. I know I’m correct though — or at least that there’s a chance I’m correct. I think you’re the right kind of man for this.”
“Jesus Christ, Tom. For
what
?”
“To become a member of the organization.”
Holy shit.
“How can I even answer that, when I still don’t know what I’d be considering joining?”
“That’s why I want to bring you to that facility.”
“So give me the grand tour, and all the secrets of the Universe are revealed to me?”
Tom snorted. “Well, some of them anyway. I don’t even know everything, so if you’re expecting the doors to be flung wide open, you’re going to be disappointed.”
“I can’t work for the mafia. And I know what drug dealers do to people. If this is part of either — even tangentially — I’m out. I mean it.”
“The Trust is neither. Not even close.” Tom scratched his chin. “I don’t know the full story, but the organization does a lot of good.”
“So it’s a charity then? A non-profit? Carries on the work of Mother Theresa?”
Tom scowled. “I didn’t say that, asshole.”
Despite the shit he was pitching Tom, it
was
a relief to know this wasn’t organized crime — even though Keihl knew there had to be a
lot
more to this thing, whatever the hell it really was. He’d be damned if he worked for a bunch of fucking butchers and criminals though. Keihl wasn’t perfect by any means— but he sure as hell wasn’t corrupt either.
“The Trust is a
huge
organization — worldwide. They’ve got their hands in a little bit of everything. I try to stay out of most of it, but if you really want to know, I can put you in touch with people. People who know. But in order to do that, I’ve got to get you in.” Tom’s eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening around his glass. If I’m going to do that though, you need to do something for me.”
“I know, I know,” Keihl said, waving a hand. “Reassign Ella, call off the posse.”
Tom nodded.
“What if I say no?”
Tom gave him a sly smile. “Because if you say yes, it opens doors. More doors than you could ever imagine.”
“Money? Connections? Access?”
“All of the above — and a lot more.” Tom’s eyes lit up. “It’s a big world out there, Keihl. Most people don’t even notice it, realize it. But it’s there all the same. And there’s so much more there than you’d ever believe.”
A whole
forest of red flags were flying now. But god damn if Tom knew
exactly
how to pique Keihl’s curiosity. He remembered that day at the tennis court again. As he’d walked away looking back at Tom and Sharon, he’d sensed something else that day — the open door. Beckoning him to step through it. He’d had the feeling that he might never have the chance to step through it again, to see what lay beyond. He’d been prepared to deal with that though, if it meant doing right by Kirsten. And nothing that had been said here today changed that either.