Page 116 of Enthrall
My mind drifted into Richard’s home, recalling those carved pieces of furniture he may have bought during his travels. As well as his walls spotted here and there with framed photos of happy foreigners, offering glimpses into their culture. I wondered at what age Richard decided he liked pain.
“What happened to you?” I said. “What was your childhood trauma?” I even amazed myself with that one. “You know, why are you a--”
He raised his hand. “I prefer to think of myself as a connoisseur of the dark arts.” He broke into a smile, reacting to my train of thought. “Actually I had a very privileged childhood. I grew up in the Hamptons. My father designed boats. I was spoiled. Maybe that has something to do with it. Anyway, I attended private school and later studied medicine. See, all very normal.”
“What made you leave psychiatry?”
“I never left. I have a practice.”
“When do you get time to run Chrysalis?”
“I make time.”
“During my interview, was Penny texting you?”
“Yes. She’s my secretary at Chrysalis.” He shifted in his seat. “That was my way of sitting in on your interview. I had a hectic day.”
“Not an exact science.”
“Yes, but look at us now,” he said with amusement. “We’re all bonding nicely.”
“Did you hire the Mistresses?”
“Lotte and I built up Enthrall and out of that Chrysalis evolved. I took over the society that had been around for a century.” Cameron ran his thumb over his key fob.
It was my turn to stare and try to read the answers from him. I wanted to know more about Chrysalis’s history.
“We have a club in London,” he said. “And Paris.”
“You run them all?”
“I oversee the foreign houses as well, yes.”
“Busy man.”
He gave a crooked smile. “Richard’s very stable.”
“I need to know what happened to his last submissive.”
He rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes. “Shall we go in?”
We exited the car and I followed Cameron to Richard’s front door. He used a key on his fob to open it. Apparently he had a copy of Richard’s house key.
Cameron scoured the house, calling for him.
Within a few minutes of not finding Richard anywhere, I joined Cameron beside the pool. He stood there peering down at the water with his arms folded. On the other side of the pool sat Winston, panting away in his usual unfazed self. I questioned his ability to serve as a guard dog.
Cameron’s gaze swept the pool.
A scream tore from me.
Underwater in the left hand corner of the pool was the blur of a body resting on the bottom. With my heart in my throat I dived in, hitting the water with force, half hearing—
Cameron shouting, “He has a tank.”
RICHARD STOOD ON THE EDGE of the pool.
Hands shaking, I wondered if my heart was ever going to slow. Although all was well now, my adrenaline hadn’t gotten the message and still surged through my veins, causing my legs to wobble. My wet hair clung to my head, my clothes were soaked and clinging, but I didn’t care.
