“He’ll kill you if you continue.”
She looked at me then, tears in her eyes. “You are correct in thinking what you did. I never loved him, and he was cruel and twisted. He did things to me that no woman should ever go through. Believe when I say you were better off without him.”
She shook her head as tears flowed down her cheeks. “He hated you. He always said it while he was lying in bed with me.”
I nodded. “Then the feeling was mutual.”
I turned and left her there, while other people’s glares burned through my soul. I sat back down in that front pew and from my seat I could see his hands folded neatly on top of his chest. The gleam of the wedding ring almost too intense to bear. My father stood by his side, his head down, a prayer leaving his lips. The devil asking God to take his friend into his arms, when I damn well knew he was burning in hell.
Biting back the tears and anguished that consumed me, I was certain of one thing. I needed to get out, away from my father’s claws, as soon as possible.
2
Micah
Two weeks later…
Trying to keep a club like Edge functioning and away from the eyes and ears of the small town of Crescent Springs, was a complete nightmare. Alexis had purchased the property directly from the owner and in cash. It took a little convincing, but it was easier that way, and our names didn’t have to go on any other document then that of the deed. A personal notary was called, and the sale was official.
All of our employees got paid in cash and anything done in town was also handled the same way. Our names went on absolutely nothing, and we had to be careful not to stay long enough for people to remember us and talk.
There was one tiny benefit to running Edge. Secrets were coveted by Alexis and myself, and we had made a few connections through the years who could help keep us under the radar. Today, I was headed into town with Liam, a close friend and a Dom who was lethal with a blade. He was a floor master at Edge, one who made sure the rules were followed. There was no better man than Liam Wesson to watch our backs. He, just like us, had devoted his life to Edge. I’m not sure why he did it, maybe to seek refuge, but he was undoubtedly loyal to both Mistress Alondrea and myself.
Today we were heading out to see Landon, the owner of the Hidden Route, the only bar in a twenty-mile radius. He was also Mistress Alondrea’s favorite pet. The owner of the lively establishment was currently supplying us with all the liquor we needed to run the bar. He was also a trusted member among our tight knit BDSM community.
We’d found out rather quickly in the last few years, that kink ran thick along the bible belt. Although the confessionals were filled on Sundays and beating your chest as penance was popular among the masses, the next day you’d see the same people tied up to a cross and begging to be flogged. The regulars we had no worries about, it was the new faces we had to be wary of. It was why Edge required exclusive membership and it wasn’t cheap. A year membership would run up to two hundred thousand dollars, and one night with Mistress Alondrea or Master Micah, could cost you anywhere between twenty-five to fifty thousand dollars.
No sex.
Landon did love his Mistress though and couldn’t get enough of her. He supplied the liquor, and she supplied his needs. It was an even trade off, although lately I saw something more between them. I had a feeling that Alondrea had her own strong feelings for her handsome bartender.
As we walked down the street towards the bar, I was explaining to Liam that we needed some new cocktail creations. I also needed to get a quote for some lumbar. The stages and pieces we constructed were all handmade. We took pride in our sets and our hardware. Everything was new, pristine, and we made sure it never failed. They came complete with pulley systems, top of the line chains, ropes, hooks and levees that would be easy and safe for our guests to use. I made sure each piece was fabricated in good taste and always updated. Currently there were a few pieces I needed to build for our stage scenes.
While I spoke to him, a woman caught my eye. She was running across the street and I was suddenly struck by her. She was stunningly beautiful in a bright yellow sundress, a white cardigan that hid soft plush breasts, and white sandals that showed off long toned calves. I stopped and stared, completely mesmerized by her. It was as if I’d seen her before. She looked so damn familiar, I just couldn’t put my finger on how I knew her.
“Well, I’ll go talk to Landon, you do what you need to do, and we can meet back in the car in an hour.”
“Yeah, sounds gook.” I replied, barely listening. I ran across the street unable to stop myself from following this beauty.
I was taken in by the soft chocolate curls that shined in the sunlight, flowing down her back and barely brushing her hips. The sway of her ass held me captivated, the soft material of her dress molding to two round orbs that jiggled as she walked. And then there was the familiar scent of lilacs that hit me full force and held me as if in a spell.
I stopped short when I realized where she was headed. The church loomed over me, almost foreboding in it’s earnest to let me know I didn’t not belong there. The devil and his demons should keep at bay, yet the brightness of this angel called to me. Church be damned, this woman belonged with me.
At the top of the steps, before entering the church, she pulled out a pair of dark sunglasses and a scarf which she wrapped around her head. Always the sinners entering God’s house ashamed of who they were. I shook my head as she donned on her disguise and disappeared through the heavy wooden door. I snuck in behind her a few seconds later, just in time to watch her enter one of the confessionals. Kneeling in the pew, closest to the booth, I bowed my head, and in a silent plea I begged that no one enter. Sure enough, after about five minutes, there was no one to be found and no priest in sight. Taking care that I wasn’t seen, I slipped into the confessional on the opposite end and locked the door not bothering with the light.
I cleared my throat signaling that I was present, and then I waited. Being an asshole came naturally to me, but this was beyond any merits I could give myself. I was breaking some sort of religious law, this I knew, but did I give a shit, not really. I just wanted to talk to her, to hear her voice.
What the fuck am I doing? This is beyond insane.
I was about to leave when her soft husky voice stopped me. “Bless me father for I have sinned, it has been three months since my last confession.”
I smiled to myself, wondering what sins this gorgeous angel could have possibly committed. So, I leaned back, and I played the roll of her absolver.
“Tell me angel, what troubles you today?”
“I have committed a mortal sin.”
I frowned. “Mortal sins are serious actions. Are you sure this is what you are confessing today?”
“All I know is that I have sinned, Father. I’ve committed terrible atrocities and unspeakable acts since my husband died.”
A widow, how fucking perfect!
“Come now, angel. What atrocities could you have possibly committed?” I urged her to continue.
“I wished for my husband’s death and it was granted.”
I raised a brow, curiosity sinking in. “And why did you wish for his death? Was he not a good husband to you?”
“He was abusive and much older than me. We married when I was eighteen and he was fifty-two, that was ten years ago.”