Page 36 of Royal Pain

When he left, I moved to the back of my desk, sitting down and putting my feet on top. I couldn’t lie to myself. One night together and I’d never felt so alive. I wasn’t sure what I was goingto do but one thing was certain—I wanted to spend more time with her.

First things first.

I would help her get rid of the asshole.

Period.

Because she was mine.

The smile crossing my face was practically evil.

Of monsters and men.

It was just another phrase our father had used. It was his phrase for a man who was very good at being two faced. The most successful politicians were. The wealthiest corporate moguls were as well. There was a huge difference in having two sides and two faces. The latter was deceptive in nature.

I’d never had a run-in with Christopher Bentley. He’d been one of the first members when we’d opened our doors. He was from old money out of the Hamptons but had made his home in Connecticut when he was a teenager. Although the family home on the Hampton shore would likely always remain in the family coffers.

Travis had narrowed down the guest to Mr. Bentley. I’d done what checking I could do on the man and his family. If my instincts were right, he was buddies with Heidi’s father. I also found a single picture connecting him to the Hargroves. That’s what bothered me, and I found it coincidental. It just so happened that he was staying on the island in his favoritebungalow. He’d brought a submissive with him, his proclivities something his wife looked past. She adored the money and the clout. It wasn’t unheard of.

The only judgment we placed on membership was based on finances. And whether or not they had a prison record. We didn’t need to get into that mess. Many a man had a girlfriend who doubled as a submissive. Those wealthy men who preferred being the subservient usually hired one of our experts for extra protection.

Powerful men didn’t want anyone to know they liked to be spanked.

I wasn’t going to lie. It had amused me from day one. I knew I was wrong in doing my own private judging, but I couldn’t help but to be amused.

Especially when often those very people were jerks to their employees.

I had a feeling it was a good idea I had a little meeting with Mr. Bentley. It wasn’t necessarily as if the man had done anything wrong in inviting the girls, but if he was providing a pipeline of information on Evangeline, then he needed to learn it wasn’t in his best interest to do so.

As I pulled close to the bungalow, another one where the front stilts were located directly in the water, I continued to think about what I was going to say. Alienating him wasn’t my intention or likely in the best interest of the situation, but I didn’t like feeling as if my hands were tied.

Climbing out, I sucked in my breath. I’d chosen to already slide into my attire for the evening, a black shirt and trousers. He would instantly know I was in my Master Dominator mode. Yes,I’d been trained as my brothers were. Not only various aspects of the art like Shibari but also from a Chinese master who taught the true meaning of utmost self-control.

By doing so, we could better understand how a submissive felt and how he or she should be handled. With respect and care. They were the ones in charge. I’d been just as green as Evangeline all those years ago.

The master had given the kind of punishment when one of us got out of line or didn’t listen that we would never allow to occur in one of our rooms. However, we’d learned. Yes, we’d learned so much from the quiet man.

I jogged up the stairs to the front door, hearing music and what sounded like muffled voices inside. Mr. Bentley preferred his privacy, the bungalow perfect for him.

After knocking, it took a full two minutes before I heard footsteps. When he answered the door, he seemed surprised I was standing on the other side.

“Mr. Royal. Is something wrong?”

He was dressed in his idea of a costume, which included leather pants and vest and a hood covering his entire face. Meanwhile, the submissive he’d brought with him was completely naked, tied to an X cross he’d had brought in for his own private use. He still had a flogger in his hand.

“Nothing is wrong. I needed to have word with you. If you’re not busy.”

“No, we can do that. Why don’t we talk on the back deck. It’s a beautiful evening.”

“Do you need to untie her first?”

“Not at all. My pet enjoys her perch more than most.” He opened his door wider, leading me through the main portion of the bungalow to one of the decks overlooking the water. The views were stunning, something we were well known for.

“Good enough.” I followed him to the outside, basking in the afternoon glow. Strings of color crossed the sky and it was a perfect, clear evening. It would be a beautiful night with stars.

The girl didn’t flinch, didn’t whimper. She simply remained in position as required.

Once outside, he immediately walked to the bar, removing his mask when he did. For a man in his sixties, he was very physical, his salt and pepper hair making him appear younger.

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