The chatter around them had grown in intensity and volume and Saul spoke up loudly to get everyone’s attention. “Gentlemen! I think it would be to our advantage if Aaron and I finished sharing the facts we know. Then we can all get a chance to express our opinions on the matter before coming to a vote on whether or not we should proceed with laying out some rules for the club.” Saul straightened his ascot. “Need I remind everyone that we should keep all of this to ourselves until it’s completely resolved. Then we can assemble all the members of the club, if need be.”
For the next hour the discussion went back and forth, many times heating up to the point where Saul feared an actual physical altercation might break out. After a while, Saul concluded they’d gone as far as they could—that everyone had already reached their own personal conclusions and wouldn’t likely be swayed differently. Thomas was wrapping up his final comments on the matter.
“I’ll admit I was just as concerned regarding censure as some of you are, for my own personal reasons. However, upon reflection, I have no choice but to agree that guaranteeing the individual safety of members is the only real issue.” Thomas seemed to be taking a moment as if to compose himself. “If anyone is that vehemently against any policies that are instituted at the club, they can always choose to leave and follow their personal passions elsewhere.”
Saul grimaced. While he appreciated that Thomas had come around to their side, he worried that given the charged atmosphere, his remarks would be viewed as combative.
“What about those of us who have nowhere else to practice our desires? Not everyone can afford a secluded space where we won’t be discovered indulging.”
Barry was one of the members who worked hard and sacrificed just to meet the cost of his membership. His ailing mother lived with him and Hampton Road was his only available outlet. He had a regular boy, but couldn’t afford to keep him. They met at Hampton Road whenever they could manage to get together.
“We have no wish to exclude anyone, Barry.” Saul really felt for his fellow Dominant’s situation. “But I couldn’t live with myself if anything untoward were to happen.” Saul steeled himself to keep his emotions at bay. “Have any of you considered what would happen if a submissive were to die at the hands of an overzealous Master? What good would our memberships do any of us then? Would we be party to murder in trying to cover up what had taken place at Hampton Road? Would the authorities discover our location and bring all of our worlds crashing down around us?”
A silence fell over the room and Barry looked pale and shaken. It was clear that such a thing hadn’t crossed his mind.
Otis cleared his throat. “I have one final question that I think needs to be answered before we go any further.”
Saul kept his tone even, despite his growing irritation with a man he’d always considered a good acquaintance. “Please, Otis. What is it?”
“What about the owner?”
Aaron shot a look at Saul. One of the first things Aaron had pressed with him when he’d agreed to be a board member was why no one knew who the owner was. Saul had explained to him the way he had all of those before, that the owner didn’t want his personal life dragged into the goings on of the club. No one could understand why a man who obviously supported their lifestyle wouldn’t want to be a part of it.
“I don’t understand.”
Otis huffed in obvious exasperation. “This joint belongs to him. I’ve never understood why he doesn’t have a say in what goes on here. This is his fucking mansion if nothing else! If the authorities were to come, like you say, wouldn’t he be first in line for the chopping block?”
Saul had to admit that he had a good point. “True. But he’s been adamant on his position of anonymity. I doubt this will change that.”
Otis jabbed a finger at him. “You doubt, but you don’t
know
. I say we all wait for any further decisions until we’ve received word from the owner on his position. Since the money we give him in fees keeps his mansion up and running, he needs us just as much as we need him. I demand he weigh in or I propose we pool our resources and simply go elsewhere and start up our own club.”
I can’t believe it. This is all going to hell.
“Yes.” Aaron straightened his jacket. “I agree we should table this discussion. I propose we take a week to consider all that’s been said this evening, then gather for a special vote next Friday after Saul’s had a chance to speak with the owner on this. Does anyone second?”
Saul gaped at Aaron as if he’d lost his mind. Otis seconded the motion and before he could fully comprehend what Aaron had done, the men had all said ‘aye’ and the motion had carried. While the board members dispersed with one final reminder to keep the contents of the meeting to themselves, Saul ambled over to the bar cart. There was no one at the club he wished to dominate and he was badly in need of a drink.
He started at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. He turned and regarded Aaron now that they were alone.
“Why did you bring everything to a close?”
“Saul, we weren’t going to get any answers tonight. Everything was unraveling and all we would’ve succeeded in doing was potentially alienating everyone.”
“But what if Preston gets wind of this? We were supposed to be united so that when it came time for him to throw his hat in for the board, these rules would already be in place.” Saul’s hand shook as he poured himself a gin. Brandy wasn’t enough to do the trick for him after all that had taken place. “What if Preston hears of this and takes Kenneth away—or worse—and never comes back? What then?”
“You know, maybe Otis had a point. Maybe you
should
get the owner to weigh in on all of this. It’s certainly the most serious issue that’s ever come up at the club, as far as I know.”
“Oh, it is.” Saul took a generous swig of his drink as he considered all the available options. “I don’t know…” Saul narrowed his eyes as a thought came to him. It would at least help calm him until their next best move could be worked out. “Is the police chief here tonight?”
“Of course. I saw him head upstairs with Archie earlier.”
“Excellent. When he’s done getting his spanking, could you have him meet me in here? I need to call in a favor.”
Aaron shifted on his feet and covered his mouth with his hand.
“What?”
“You might have a bit of a wait.” Aaron had clearly been hiding a smirk.
Saul arched his eyebrows. “Oh?”
“Archie shared with me that the chief has been a very bad boy and has to stand in the corner for an hour with several weights attached to his jewels. Then he has to… Well, let’s just say that it’s the beginning of Archie’s plans to abuse Chief O’Brien’s cock and balls for the evening.”
“I see.” Saul took another swallow of his gin. “In that case, I’ll have Javier fetch me some cold cuts from the kitchen while I wait. Care to join me?”
Aaron shook his head. “I’d love to, Saul, but Sam needs me. He’s so sensitive and I think he’s picked up on some of my tension as of late. It would be good for him to get a hard spanking and fucking from me in our favorite room. That always calms him.”
“Indeed. Go on and take care of that sweet thing.”
Aaron smiled, a wistful look in his eyes. “I certainly will.” Aaron had already headed to the door, but before he pulled it open, he turned back to Saul. “We’ll get Kenneth, no matter what else happens. I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Thank you, Aaron. I appreciate everything you’ve done already, I truly do.”
Aaron’s hand rested on the knob and he seemed to be torn over leaving Saul and going to Sam, so Saul made it easier for him.
“Do I have to behave like your Master and order you to go to your boy? Now get out of here.”
“You’re a good man, Saul. Kenneth’s very lucky.”
Saul resisted the urge to cry out that Kenneth wasn’t
his
—that he may never be his.
“And think about what I said regarding the owner. He has a right to know what’s going on as much as the members have a right to know how he feels about all of this.”
Saul nodded then lowered his head. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. After the door snicked shut, Saul used the inside line to call down to the kitchen. However long it took for the police chief’s genitals to be punished, he planned to be there waiting. He wasn’t leaving until he’d been assured that a round-the-clock police guard would be stationed outside Preston’s home.
It wasn’t a perfect solution. Preston could still harm Kenneth inside the house without the guard being any the wiser. But it was better than nothing.
Chapter Six
“Your cuts are staying closed. Good. I want you to wear the leather harness tonight when we go to the club.” Preston trailed his fingers down Kenneth’s back. “Your skin has always been so sensitive.” He yanked his hand away. “The buckles shouldn’t break them open again.”
Preston had been fussing over him all day. That night they’d be attending the club for the board member nominations. It would be the first time Kenneth had been off the property since the week before when he’d been beaten up so badly. The only thing that mattered to Preston though was how Kenneth might make him look in front of the others. There’d been much debate between Preston and himself—in the form of his usual mutterings—over whether it was preferable for Kenneth to stay behind or be presented as his slave. The consensus from both of Preston’s personalities had leaned toward Kenneth going.
“After all, how can I present myself as a slave Master if said slave hasn’t been with me these last few nights and isn’t with me for the nominations? It might appear as if I’m hiding something. Which, of course, I’m not. But who knows what goes on in those idiots’ heads.” Preston gave him the sneering look he always did when he suspected Kenneth of some imaginary wrong. “What did you say to them?”
Oh God.
“To who?”
Kenneth had absolutely no idea what Preston was talking about. He’d been chained up in that awful, sweltering attic for several days. Other than the mice, Kenneth couldn’t conceive who Preston thought he could’ve possibly been speaking to.
“To anyone, you dolt. At the club—or when those two ridiculous board members came here.”
Kenneth was a terrible liar, Preston was right about that. But he couldn’t risk anything interfering with whatever it was that Saul might have planned for him. It was his only hope and he knew that with every fiber of his being. Regardless of whether or not Saul wanted him the way Kenneth wanted him, he knew he was a dead man unless he got away from Preston.
“I did speak with Master Saul.”
Preston backhanded him. Fortunately his lip didn’t break. He’d just healed from the last time.
“What did you say? Huh? Tell me, you fucking piece of shit!”
Preston gripped Kenneth’s shoulders so hard he knew there would be bruises. He shook him and Kenneth’s teeth clattered.
“The limes…” He managed to choke it out.
Preston stopped and stared at him as if Kenneth had gone crazy.
Now he knows how I feel about him all the time.
“Limes? Are you insane? What is that supposed to mean?”
“You asked if I’d spoken to any of the board members and I spoke to Master Saul when he visited with Master Aaron. He was passing by the kitchen and saw me drop some limes on the floor. He helped me pick them up and I thanked him.” Kenneth’s breathing sped up and he knew Preston would sense his nervousness. He always did. “I kept my gaze lowered, I promise. You can ask him. I swear I did!”
Kenneth allowed his fear to carry the lie forward and hopefully throw Preston off the track. Preston pushed him away in seeming disgust.
“Your gaze? I’m about to be elected to the board of the Hampton Road Club that will undoubtedly lead to me eventually heading it up one day, and you’re babbling on about your gaze and some
limes
?” The muttering began once again. He pawed through the built-in cabinets of the bedroom in search of some unknown perfect garment for one of them to wear that evening. “Unbelievable. Why I keep him is beyond me. I’m worthy of so much more. Damn these emotions.
Damn them
!”
Preston threw shirts on the floor, tore through silken undergarments and ties. No item was safe from his rage. Still, Kenneth remained alert in case Preston decided he’d rather unleash his fury on him than the clothing—not that he could do anything about it. He sighed loudly before he could stop himself.
“Am I boring you?” He raised his hand as if to strike and Kenneth cringed. “No. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To be so ugly that I won’t take you to the club. Well, you can forget it. I’m onto your tricks. You’re going to get dressed up like a pretty package. Then once I’ve been nominated, we’ll have a nice, private demonstration for my supporters. I’ll give them a show they’ll never forget. Assuming you survive, you’ll never forget it either.”
Like the weakling he knew he was, Kenneth couldn’t stop trembling. Even though it was warm and sunny outside, Kenneth was filled with a coldness he wasn’t sure he could stand. If Saul didn’t help him that night, he would try to run from the club. He could always wire his aunt to warn her then hopefully get to her in time to save her from Preston. Kenneth wasn’t a thief, he’d always been an honest man, but if he could steal something to pawn so that he’d have some money to get to her, it would be worth it. Once he got back on his feet, he could repay the club.
Preston seemed to have finished his rant and whatever had possessed him had apparently been temporarily assuaged. Kenneth performed the task of picking up and tidying everything that Preston had strewn about the room.
“I’m starved. All this excitement has gotten my blood worked up.” Preston regarded him with yet another creepy expression. “Have to make sure I’m fortified for later.”
The smug smile he added to his features told Kenneth that he’d failed to mask the fear on his face. Preston was thoroughly enjoying torturing Kenneth with the threat of what would occur later during the private showing.
But if we’re at the club, won’t Saul or Aaron be watching out for me?