“Ah… come in, Alannah. Come and meet your new Master.” Master Winston smiled with delight.
~Three~
ROMAN
Wasting the last three hours at the police station wasn’t what I considered a great use of my time. If it hadn’t been for the sexy blonde from the bar, I would have spent the night here. Turned out the chief of police knew her. It wouldn’t surprise me if something was going on between them.
As angry as I should have been, I was glad I could finally get out of this town and search for Lanie. Since the officer who took me in was kind enough to confirm who she left with, I knew where I would find her. I just hoped she would still be there once I got to the mansion. Knowing Winston, he would have sold her to someone else. All he cared about was making a fast buck.
Not only was I thinking of Lanie on the way back to Last Chance, I was also thinking about her father. Why would anyone want to stage his death as a suicide? The more I thought about it, there was only one person who would be so callous as to murder him, and that person was Winston Nelson. He was the only person who was cruel enough to do it. Maybe that was the reason he took Lanie. The fewer people in her life, the better chance he had of getting her back and selling her for an additional profit.
Now more than ever I was certain he had something to do with Albert Jackson’s death. He might have gotten away with it, but soon his greed would catch up and he would make mistakes, just like the mistakes he made with Albert’s “suicide.” There was a reason he hadn’t sold Lanie before now. Come to think of it, the way he acted the day Lanie left with me didn’t seem normal for a man who just made a quarter million dollars. His demeanor was of a man who lost his prize possession.
I was so worried about getting to Lanie as fast as I could, breaking the speed limit laws was the least of my worries. I couldn’t waste any more time. Lanie meant everything to me. Not only was she the most beautiful woman I’d ever met, but she had given me something I hadn’t felt in a long time. She didn’t belong with Winston Nelson. He was a sadist. Far from a master. The way he cared for her was a joke. His train set received more attention than Lanie ever did. Lanie deserved much better. She needed to know that even pain could bring pleasure. I was certain she had never experienced pleasure before I met her. There was so much I wanted to show her. Just the thought of what we could experience together made my head spin with desire. A desire that was making my cock hard.
♥ ♥ ♥
When I pulled up to the mansion, Winston’s car was parked out front. This was a good sign that Lanie was somewhere inside the house. Not wasting any time, I got out of my car and headed to the front door. As I pounded on the door while pulling on the handle, I realized the door wouldn’t budge. “Winston, open the fucking door.” My blood was boiling as a hundred thoughts ran through my mind.
I was just about to knock the door down, but Winston’s trusted servant Willoughby opened it. Pushing him out of the way, I yelled, “Where is she?” as I headed up the steps.
“If you’re looking for Lanie, she’s not here.” Winston’s voice sang behind me.
“You bastard, what did you do with her?”
I could no longer hold back my anger. All I could see was fire and he was all the kindling I needed to make it burn hotter. Grabbing him by the shirt collar, I knotted his crisp, white shirt between my fingers. As I focused on his cold, insolent eyes, he answered with a cackle before pushing me away. “You will never know.”
Unable to hold back, my hand balled into a tight fist. Punching him in the face was the best thing I felt in years. “I’m only going to ask you one more time. Where… is… she?”
“She’s with Mr. Holland.” Willoughby’s voice cracked.
For good measure, I punched Winston one last time. He fell to the floor with a loud thud and a cloud of dust surrounded his body. “You should think about cleaning up this place.” I coughed as Willoughby stood like a statue, his mouth gaped open.
Turning on my heels, I left him to deal with Winston. My only goal was to find Martin Holland and get Lanie back. I had no clue where to start, but one way or another, I would not stop until I found her. Martin Holland was just as ruthless as Winston, maybe even more, and I didn’t know what kind of deal Winston made with him. Maybe I should have asked before I landed that last punch. My guess is that he wouldn’t have told me anyway.
Starting my car, I put it in reverse and drove away from the mansion. If I never came back here again, it would be too soon. Clenching my teeth, the thought of what could be happening to Lanie took over. Pressing harder on the gas pedal, my tires dug into the dirt, leaving a thick wall of dust between me and the mansion.
While I was thinking about nothing more than how I would find Martin Holland, my cell rang. Pressing the hands-free button on the steering wheel, I addressed the caller. “This is Roman.”
“Roman, please help me.”
Lanie was on the other end. I would never forget her voice. I wasn’t sure how she was able to call, but before I could say anything, the line went dead. All I had was the number she called from. I needed to get to the club if I wanted to find out who the number belonged to. With the use of the call-back software I had downloaded on my computer for no other reason than to monitor suspicious calls, I could trace where the call came from with a click of the mouse. The software was ingenious, but the catch was someone had to answer.
♥ ♥ ♥
When I pulled up to Rapture, it occurred to me that I hadn’t been here in over a week. I had focused so much time on Lanie that I neglected my obligations to the club. It felt good to be back, and the greeting I received reminded me of how much I loved this place. The first time I saw the old building, I knew it would be a great place for a BDSM club. The people in Portland made it clear how they felt about having a BDSM club and I couldn’t advertise that it existed. If anyone entered, the place appeared to be nothing more than a strip club. Only exclusive members had access to the other benefits of the place. Most of the men were good friends and had an NDA in place as part of their membership. Not only was their privacy maintained, but the club’s was as well.
The atmosphere was intoxicating. I loved the way the club made me feel. Hopefully, one day I would earn Lanie’s trust enough to bring her here. Walking past the stage, I saw Kevin was behind the bar. He was my best bartender and the girls seemed to like him. Not only did he tend bar, but he also stepped in when the male patrons got too close to the dancers. His big frame was very intimidating and the men listened.
Taking a seat at the end of the bar, I checked my phone while I waited for him to finish loading Candi’s tray with drinks. Candi was another exceptional employee. She had legs that went on forever, and with her long red hair she wouldn’t have any problem bringing in business should she ever decide to become a dancer. She often said that she wouldn’t mind dancing, knowing what the girls made in tips, but she had two left feet and would only cause the men to leave.