Page 58 of Contention

Her stomach turns sickly, remembering, but she replays the conversation as clearly as she can, leaving nothing out. Ray is quite stoic through it all, because no doubt this is just another day in the office to him. Another horrid crime to haunt him in his dreams at night. He takes out a small notepad, making notes as she speaks.

Kara can practically see his mind racing miles per minute, turning over this information. “Per what you just told me, it sounds like we have an underground torture ring operating in the city.”

She nods. “It sounds organized. And, in regards to the case and theDark Mirage-”

His lips go thin, shaking his head absently. “To be honest, theDark Miragemight have nothing to do with this. It could be an individual within the club that looks for vulnerable people who would be easy to entrap. I wouldn’t get too spun up on hooking this into Paxton Brooker or Max Dotaire. The woman…X…said another woman reeled her in.”

Innocent until proven guilty.

Her coffee is getting lukewarm and Kara makes a face as she sips from it. She prefers it scalding hot. Disappoint. “I just wanted to pass this on to you. Are you able to look into properties that Paxton Brooker owns? That should be public record, right? This might have nothing to do with Max Dotaire, but Paxton Brooker owns the place, dammit. He can’t just be ignored in all this.”

Ray downs his coffee and wipes his lips with the back of his hand. “I can make a few inquiries about properties. Can’t go in without a warrant, but can look at public records. It may just be a different case for my team to get involved in, as you can’t actually prove either man was involved yet.” He sits back in his seat, dark eyes serious. “I’ve heard the Max Dotaire case isn’t going in your favor. Debra Mills certainly has a risqué past with him. The jury is going to balk at pinning him with rape.”

Not him, too! “How do you know?”

He shrugs, looking like a world-weary detective. “I just do. That’s how these go. I’ve seen a lot of perps…and I’ve seen a lot of false accusations. People are getting nervous about it. If you can’t find another credible person to say Max Dotaire is a rapist, you are shit out of luck, my gal.”

Great. Kara feels her face fall.

He places both hands on the table and wraps up their conversation as his pager starts going off. He gives her a regret filled looked, muttering something about duty calling. He must see her disappointment over the find possibly not being of any use to her case, because he tries to throw her a bone.

“Thanks for bringing this to me, Kara. I’ll have to talk to my Captain about this and see if any of our other divisions have been working on an underground film ring. I can’t imagine no one has come across this.” He pats her on the shoulder fondly. “Not sure it pertains to your case, but we can certainly investigate this little tidbit against theDark Mirage.”

“Ray,” she says as he goes to walk out the front door. He turns and looks at her, dark eyes curious and intent. Kara smiles at him. “Thank you for caring. And…for asking how I am. When you came in. It was nice of you.”

He smiles, a flash of white teeth and a shift of the dark scruff on his jawline. “Don’t sweat it. You know it’s my job.” As he’s walking away, getting ready to light one of his cigarettes, he says, “Don’t be a stranger.”

Despite the smile on her face, Kara can’t help but feel darker thoughts take over her mind as she wonders if any members of the club know about The Room. Specifically, one member.

A member that likes aggression as much as Kara does.

You’re a sick bitch, love.

Kara rubs her eyes miserably and hopes she isn’t having depraved fantasies about a man that is involved with a torture film group.

As if she couldn’t sink any lower.

Because even if she were to assume Nicholas Havenwood-Calais is involved, her heart still beats a little faster and her gut heats with arousal. Her body clearly doesn’t care one way or another, no matter how horrified her brain is.

Please don’t let him be that sort of monster. My sanity can’t take it.

Chapter 15

…Her dreams are inside a limo, complete with a scream track, cocaine, the voices of men and women talking as if nothing is happening,as if they can’t hear the shrieks and gasps of pain…

Adrenaline is racing through her veins, like alcohol, fear and ecstasy a heady mix. Shame tastes like acid on her tongue, because she shouldn’t, oh she shouldn’t feel this way…

There’s nothing to see really, she’s staring upward, like the ceiling of the limo is particularly interesting, she wishes she could look elsewhere, but the dream isn’t cooperating. Groans and moans are mixed in with the screaming and her core clenches against her will…

…Familiar pale teeth appear in her vision, looking down at her from above. Nicholas Havenwood-Calais is looking down at her, tropical eyes nearly black in the dim lighting. His voice is a low purr, but she can’t make out what he says.

Someone is screaming, can’t they hear it amongst the shining lights that flicker and dim like stars?

His hand is on her throat and everything swims in blackness…

The nightmare nearly makes her cry when she wakes up, an overwhelming emotion made of shame, fear, and vicious hunger mixed together. When she goes to the bathroom to splash water on her face, she nearly mistakes her own reflection for her father’s in the dark when she glances at the mirror.

Kara shudders, shutting her eyes before opening them again.

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