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  Margie punched her password into the security panel and leant forward, looking into the eye-scan. The computer ran a verification sweep, taking Margie’s retina imprint into the system and processing it. She passed. Strickland’s office door whispered open. Kelly strode in. She scanned the room then headed straight towards Strickland’s desk.

  “What is it exactly you’re looking for, Miss Evers?”

  “My Happy Pills stash,” Kelly answered in a low tone as if what she just told her was a naughty secret. Margie looked annoyed, probably thinking about the inconvenience she had to go through so Kelly could get her fix. “I had it in my purse, in a small bottle. It must have rolled away when Harry wanted me to take off my panties on his desk. You know how tricky Harry is.”

  “I understand, I—”

  “One time, he wanted me to use his toothbrush—”

  “Miss Evers!” Margie looked very uncomfortable. “I’ll be at my desk when you’re finished.”

  “Sure, sure,” Kelly agreed. “It won’t be long. Hey, did I ever tell you a funny story about when Harry and I had a group org—”

  Margie vanished from sight. Kelly could hear the personal assistant’s frantic steps down the hallway, wanting to get away as fast as possible. Kelly wanted to laugh. Guess who was the prude now? Maybe Margie knew what kind of man she’d worked for all these years and felt that she didn’t need to hear all her boss’s dirty details.

  Kelly crawled on the carpet near Strickland’s desk, pretending she was looking for her Happy Pills bottle. She knew Strickland had installed a surveillance camera in his office, therefore she must act natural so Strickland wouldn’t suspect a thing. He would know that Kelly had been in his office after hours—Nicolla had told her that Strickland paid attention to his visitors’ log.

  When she reached to where Strickland had his server, Kelly fished an AI stick drive from her cleavage and plugged it into the server’s data jack. She then crept away while activating the drive via a mini remote that she’d also stowed in her brassiere.

  Kelly scrambled up and sighed theatrically, acting as if she couldn’t find what she was looking for. In the meantime, the hacker AI she had programmed to infiltrate Strickland’s data vault was doing its job. It would take less than a minute for the Trojan horse programme to attach to Strickland’s mainframe. When it had finished, Kelly would be able to infiltrate Strickland’s data vault through her home computer.

  She padded to the sofa and pretended she was inspecting its nooks and crannies to see if her Happy Pills bottle had fallen between the sofa cushions. The mini remote inside her bra vibrated, telling her the hacker AI had finished its job. Kelly acted as if she was frustrated and went back to crawling around to retrieve the drive stick. As soon as it was secured, nestled between her breasts, she yelled as if she’d found what she was looking for.

  The ruckus attracted Margie’s attention. “Did you find it?” The PA poked her head through the door.

  “Hell fucking yeah.” Kelly gave a wide grin. She’d got the hang of Nicolla’s foul mouth habit. “I’m a happy girl.”

  “Good for you, Miss Evers.” From her tone, Kelly knew Margie couldn’t care less. The PA just wanted her to get the hell out of Strickland’s office as fast as possible.

  “Well, thank you for your help, Margie dearie.” Kelly strutted to where Margie was. “You’re a doll.” She could hear Margie’s response as she walked away. It was more like a grumble.

  “You’re welcome, Miss Evers.”

  Hank Zachary Durbo watched with his mouth wide-open when Kelly barged into his office without an appointment. It seemed that Durbo recognised who Nicolla Evers was, Romana’s glamorous porn star. Kelly made herself comfortable on one of the sofas while Durbo’s secretary apologised to her boss for Kelly’s intrusion.

  “That’s okay, Miss Cole.” Durbo gestured for his secretary to go away. “I’ll handle this one.” The secretary stabbed Kelly with a poisonous glare and stalked out of Durbo’s office. “I don’t believe we’ve met before, Miss…” Durbo took a seat next to Kelly, his eyes flickering a bit too long on her thighs. This morning, as part of her deception as Nicolla, Kelly was wearing a micro-skirt and a matching racy top, leaving nothing to the imagination.

  “Evers. Nicolla Evers. No, I don’t believe we have.” Kelly proffered her hand. Durbo shook it with great enthusiasm. “I need legal representation and my friend recommended your name, Mr Durbo. She told me you’re the best lawyer money could buy.”

  Durbo let out a sympathetic smile. Kelly hated it when he did that. He was so full of it. “I do have the most win-case ratio in the country.”

  Oh, brother. Kelly gave an inward sigh. Durbo was good because he was a devious, cutthroat bastard. And in this case, to help her win against Strickland, Kelly needed a lawyer with a devious but brilliant mind who wasn’t afraid to do anything to win the case. She needed a black-hearted devil in a litigation lawyer’s skin, and Durbo was the incarnation of the Prince of Darkness himself, in the legal field. “Yeah, Kelly said you’d be able to give me the best defence possible.”

  The smile on Durbo’s face evaporated. “Kelly?”

  “Yeah, Kelly White.” She gave a broad grin, enjoying this mental torture. “I was originally going to hire her, but she was too occupied with her health problem right now.”

  Durbo looked incredulous. “Kelly White recommended my services to you?”

  “Hello? I wouldn’t be here if Kelly didn’t tell me to come.” Kelly rolled her eyes. She rummaged inside her purse and took out a holo-cube. “Do you know Harry Strickland, Mr Durbo?”

  “I believe I’ve read some articles about him in the magazines. He made his fortune in the entertainment industry.”

  “He’s a fucking smut peddler. A sleazy, corrupt, asswipe son of a bitch who’s cheated everybody who’s ever worked for him.”

  Durbo looked surprised by the profanities. “Well, I didn’t know you had such strong feelings—”

  “Let’s cut the crap and jump directly into the chase, shall we? What I want from you is to get me out of Strickland’s contract.” Kelly shoved the holo-cube into Durbo’s hand. He took it with hesitance. “The digital copy of my contract is on page three.”

  Durbo straightened in his seat and plugged the holo-cube into a media reader he took from his pocket. A white and blue holographic projection popped out from the reader’s lens. Silence stretched between them as Durbo scrutinised the legal document that bound Nicolla as Strickland’s slave. Durbo read it several times. His face filled with awe, then amusement when he finally finished. “I’ve never seen such a well written contract like this before, Ms Evers. To be honest, there’s not much I can do in this matter. Have you consulted an entertainment lawyer? My field of expertise is in cor—”

  “Corporate litigation,” Kelly finished off for him. “Yeah, yeah, I know. What if I tell you I know some of Strickland’s secrets, and let’s say if we get a hold of his cards, it will force him to cancel my contract?”

  “Are you suggesting we blackmail Harry Strickland?”

  “Blackmail is an understatement. It’s a downright shakedown.” Kelly inched closer to Durbo and pressed the side of her leg to his thigh. “Sir.” Kelly put a hand on him. He tensed, starting to sweat. “I’m thirty-two years old. Many actresses in my industry would have already left the business years ago. Somehow, people love my films, and I must keep making them until they get bored with me. Strickland will never let me out of the contract until I can no longer make money for him. I have boyfriends who love me very, very much, and we’re planning on starting a new life together once Strickland lets me go free. And it looks like it ain’t going to happen unless I do something about it.”

  Kelly forced herself to inch closer, whispering in a seductive tone, “Please, help me. I’m at the end of my rope. Kelly said you’re the only person who could help me.”

  Durbo swallowed hard, mesmerised by her plea. “Well,” he finally decided. “I’ll help you, Miss Ev
ers.”

  Darn, I’m good. Kelly pulled out a wide smile. “Thank you, Mr Durbo. I can’t express how much I really appreciate your help.”

  “How did you find out Strickland’s secrets? Did you get a hold of them?”

  “Oh, I know them, but I haven’t got a hold on them physically. Yet.” Kelly twirled a finger. “You’re going to get them for me, Mr Durbo.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Kelly told me you used to work for the Security and Exchange Agency?”

  “Yes, but I don’t—”

  “SEA controlled Romana’s off-shore banking traffic as well as imposing regulations on the market.”

  “Correct. Where are you going with—?”

  “Even though SEA is closely monitored by the other government agencies, the SEA itself is also corrupt. Some commissioners have taken advantages of the system’s loopholes to make it possible for a scumbag like Strickland to make tons of money with his money laundering business. You’ve worked there before, Mr Durbo. You know people who can get you access to the files I need.”

  Durbo looked at her, amused.

  “Look, I’m not asking you to save the world, Mr Durbo. Just me. I want leverage so Strickland will set me free. You’re a man who strikes me as someone who loves to play to win. What could be better than taking down a devil-hearted man who thinks he’s invincible? I’m sure you’ve heard that the governor of Romana has filed multiple lawsuits against Strickland for hate crimes, tax evasion, et cetera. So far, no one has been able to touch him. Wouldn’t it be swell if you’re the first man who could take down the omnipotent Harry J Strickland?”

  He didn’t make a comment against her rhetoric, but Kelly saw he liked the idea very much. Durbo was a competitive individual. She knew he wouldn’t be able to pass on such an opportunity to take down a mogul like Strickland. Durbo loved playing dirty games.

  “You’re an intriguing woman, Miss Evers.”

  Kelly gave a silky laugh. “I know.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Is this really necessary?” Andrew felt his velvet blindfold. “I can’t see a damn thing.”

  “That’s the idea, Daddy Bear. You don’t want to ruin the surprise, do you? Careful, watch your step.” Nicolla held his hand and told him to stop as they arrived at the front door of the Club Arcana. The motion sensor activated the building AI, letting the owner know they had visitors. A minute later, Nicolla heard someone pad towards the door.

  “Where are we?” Andrew was curious. Nicolla had blindfolded him all the way from home as part of his surprise. He was under the impression that Nicolla would take him to their favourite restaurant for dinner. But she had a far more wicked surprise up her sleeve.

  “Welcome to Club Arcana. You must be Andrew White.” A tall man clad in leather greeted them. He turned to Nicolla, nodding. “And you must be Kelly.”

  “You’re Diego Luca?” Nicolla pretended not to know him personally, when in reality she knew Diego like the back of her hand. He was a very good friend of hers—he owned the Arcana, a BDSM club in the District that she, Tyler and Gunnar often visited when they were in the mood for something naughty.

  “The one and only.” Diego stepped aside. “Please come in. I have arranged a private lounge for your party. You may remove your blindfold, Mr White.”

  Andrew murmured something like, “Thank God.” Then he became speechless when he realised where they were. “Kelly, you didn’t…”

  The main floor of the club was empty at this hour since they didn’t open until eleven, but the sight of a few scantily-clad associates preparing the place for guests seemed to make him realise they were in a sex club.

  “Surprise!” Nicolla spread her arms. “Happy almost anniversary, babe.”

  Andrew looked uncomfortable. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. We’re just—”

  “Your wife has arranged a session especially for you, Mr White. Why don’t I show you your private lounge so I can explain everything?”

  “Please?”

  When Nicolla fluttered her eyelashes and made puppy eyes, Andi half-heartedly agreed.

  “Shall we?” Diego motioned at them to follow him. They walked through the dark corridor until they reached a landing of the VIP section. Diego pushed a door and beckoned them in.

  Andrew looked awed with the interior of the room, which was swathed in black leather from floor to ceiling. Sleek BDSM furniture was sprawled across the cavernous lounge. The light was dimmed to the perfect mood, and faint techno music filled the background. “What is this place?”

  “We call this the Leather Room,” Diego answered. “Very popular with our VIP clients, especially catering to gentlemen who wish to train their slave for the first time.”

  “Slaves? Training?” Andrew repeated. “I’m afraid there’s been some misunderstanding. We’re not into this kind of lifestyle.”

  “Are you, Mr White?” Diego arched an eyebrow. His dark eyes flashed. At seven feet tall, with long raven hair and clad head-to-toes in black leather, Diego was an imposing Dominant. He was a panther shifter and exuded auras that affected both men and women. “Your wife told me that recently you just found your true calling.”

  “True calling?” Andrew smiled. “Kelly must be kidding you.”

  “On the contrary, I know a person with a dominant tendency when I see one. Kelly told me you recently just re-discovered each other after years of drifting apart?”

  “She did?” Andrew gave her a chastising glance.

  “She felt that part of it was her fault. She was obsessed with her career and has been neglecting you all these years—it has taken a toll on your marriage. She wants to resolve her mistakes, and would like to give you some control over your relationship. And what could be better than a D/s session to spice up your marriage and discover your love for each other once again? Even if you’re not into the lifestyle, I recommend that you at least try the session. You’ll be surprised what you can discover about yourself and your wife.”

  Shit, he’s good, Nicolla thought, amused. “What do you think, hon?” She caressed Andrew’s arm. “Is this something you’d like to try?” Kelly had told her that early in their marriage Andrew had wanted to experiment with kinky sex, and Kelly just hadn’t been into it. Ms Prissy had always managed excuses until Andrew had grown tired of nagging her and had begun keeping everything to himself, turning into an ice king.

  Andrew studied her face with intensity. “Is this what you want, darling?”

  Nicolla shook her head. “No, not what I want. Tonight is all about you. I just thought…remember, Verve Island?” Kelly had told her when they were honeymooning on the island, they’d accidentally stumbled on a bondage club. Andrew had been curious and had wanted to try some rope on her, only Kelly had been too petrified at the time and fled. The whole trip had almost been ruined. Now, years later when their marriage had grown cold, Kelly could admit that she regretted being too close-minded. If she’d been a bit more adventurous, Andrew wouldn’t have become an introverted man. “Maybe tonight we could start over? Try something that we might both enjoy?”

  Andrew grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Whatever problems we have, we should discuss them with a therapist.”

  “Or you can have nice sweaty sex to get everything out of your system,” Diego suggested. “Just saying…”

  Nicolla laughed. Andrew relaxed. Tension dropped a notch. Diego went to the oversized bed in the middle of the lounge. He snapped open a wooden box lying on top of the duvet and took something out of it. It was a slave collar. It had a sleek design and was studded with diamonds and platinum clasps. Diego only procured supreme quality items that passed as artworks. Andrew’s eyes widened when he saw it.

  Diego proffered the collar. “Your choice, Mr White. Should you decide to collar your wife tonight, I’ll assist you with this session. I’ll take no offence if you decide to pass on this offer.”

  Andrew turned to Nicolla, still looking unsure. Nicolla gave him a reassuring smile,
then directed her gaze to the floor. After years of Kelly always putting his desires aside, she wanted Andrew to choose for himself tonight, without feeling any obligation or being forced.

  Silence stretched between them until Diego finally announced, “Excellent choice, Mr White.”

  Nicolla looked up and beamed. Andrew was watching her with an unreadable expression. But she saw joy behind those gorgeous eyes and incurable curiosity. The collar was in his hand.

  Diego cut his eyes to her, his face stern and brows knitted, slipping into his role as the taskmaster of the establishment. “Hurry, girl, thank your master for his generosity and kiss his feet.”

  Nicolla quickly went down on her knees and plastered two kisses on Andrew’s shoes. She heard Andrew draw a sharp breath. He wasn’t accustomed to this display of obedience. She had thought long about her plan of saving Andrew and Kelly’s marriage before deciding to take him to a BDSM club to fulfil his long-forgotten fantasy. Even though the ice between them had melted since their encounter in the kitchen, restoring trusts and forgotten love would take some time.

  She thought that by giving Andrew complete control as a Dominant, she would give back his confidence as a man, reminding him of every little thing that had caused them to fall in love in the first place, and making him realise their relationship was worth saving.

  “Stand up,” Diego ordered.

  Nicolla obeyed.

  “Tonight you will refer to yourself as ‘this girl’, and address your husband as ‘Master’. Understood?”