Page 57 of What About Love

“What do you get out of it? If that’s not too personal.”

“Not at all. I was married and have two wonderful children, but my life was routine. After my husband’s death—”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. It was years ago. I loved him very much, but it wasn’t until I met Eric that I learned how sexually repressed I was. Now, in my forties, a whole new world has opened up for me. Who knew that spanking and electricity, which Eric loves, would trip my trigger?”

“Electricity?” Angie exclaimed, sliding out of the booth as Val did.

“Shocking, isn’t it?” She grinned, shaking her head. “Sorry, I can’t resist telling that joke. Every time I tell someone my man likes to strap me down and zap all my naughty places, they make the same face.”

Angie’s mouth gaped.

“Yeah,” Val laughed, reaching out to pat her cheek. “That’s the face. Happens every time.” She looped her arm through hers. “Let’s go get you slutty. And no skimping. I derive great delight in the thought of Rossi buying your kink wear.”

They headed south toward Culver City and where she knew of a “decent” leather and fetwear shop. “Most of mine I order online. Well, mostly Eric does,” she amended.

“They like to do that, I’ve noticed.”

“Mm-hmm,” she agreed. “It’s nice they take interest, don’t you think? Most men appreciate the finished product but don’t want to put in the work of getting there.”

“If you mean shopping, that is so true,” Angie agreed. “I’ve often thought it was a gender-based allergy.”

Val laughed while undoing her buckle, "You crack me up."

As Angie got out, she glanced over the row of shops which were more high-end than she’d expected even for a few blocks from Beverly Hills. “I’ve never seen a leather shop in a strip mall before.”

“I’ve changed my mind. We’re not going with the skank-look for you,” she announced, taking her arm again and making a beeline for the familiar lingerie store in the middle of the row. “We’ll treat the Decadence crowd to a wee bit of class in lace, Angie Hixson style. But not black. Heaven knows, that’s been done to death.”

Chapter 13

BEYOND IRRITATED, Tstalked through the doors of the dungeon at eight o’clock. A few members gave him a nod or a smile in greeting but practically ran in the opposite direction as soon as they got a look at his scowling face, accurately keying into his pissed-off mood. The reasons for his foul disposition were too numerous to count.

Not being able to speak to Angie after the meeting was at the top of the list. She’d up and left with Val without a word, except for a vague text from Val to Eric that they were out for lunch and shopping to get Angie something for the club that night. How that had taken eight goddamn hours, he couldn’t fathom. Women!

Reason number two, they’d left without a security detail. Angie was an ex-cop and could handle herself, but there was a murderer on the loose. They’d easily rectified the situation and had a man tailing the two women, which neither had picked up on the entire day. Rossi men were skilled, but the serial kidnapper turned killer might, too.

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