Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 114820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
“Oh yeah, help me keep a wide berth from her, baby,” he muttered.
Her voice was warm and amused when she replied, “I’ll do my best.”
They made what was left of the ride in companionable silence, and she guided him to a house that was alone, if not remote, quite like Melanie Iverson’s, but it was in much better condition.
There was a lone Subaru sitting outside, indication the client was gone.
They walked up together, and Thea already had the front door open, standing behind a screen, wearing a big, warm-looking, plush robe.
“Well, shit,” she said as greeting, staring up at him. “Did Hollywood cast you, or are you for real?”
“I told you he was fun to look at,” Lucinda murmured as Thea pushed open the screen door and they walked in.
“Special Agent Lazarus,” he introduced himself when the screen shut behind him and he’d offered his hand.
Thea took it, smiling and declaring, “I’d clear a whole weekend for you.”
“Honored, but no thanks,” he replied, friendly at the same time formal.
“The fun I could have,” she said to Lucinda.
Lucinda appeared stricken, then annoyed.
“No offense, but I’m here to talk about a murdered woman,” Rus stated.
The fun she was right then having at his expense, he didn’t mind, exactly.
But that didn’t negate the fact he wasn’t there to have fun.
Not to mention, he could see, he’d been around mirrors, and he knew he was handsome. It was nice when women thought the same, and even nicer when they shared it.
What wasn’t nice was having that conversation in front of him, when, if he and a male friend did the same to a woman, especially if she was acting in an official capacity as he was right then, it would be considered at least harassment, and definitely what he felt it was in that moment.
Inappropriate.
Thea appeared instantly contrite and muttered, “Sorry.”
“I appreciate the compliment, and I appreciate you being willing to talk about a client. I can imagine it took a lot for you to make that decision. It could come to nothing. It could also mean a great deal to this investigation, which frankly, you should know, puts you out there. But I hope you take no offense when I point out we both have things to do.”
She nodded, and apparently okay with the “puts you out there” part of his speech, she said nothing and gestured them farther into her home.
This was the living room, no tools of the trade here, and he was relieved. He didn’t judge, and a good two (or seven) toys were nice to have in your arsenal, but intimacy was intimacy.
And living life was living life.
Thea took a seat. Lucinda took a seat. And Rus looked down at Lucinda.
“Any chance you’d give us some space?” he requested.
“None at all,” she denied.
He blew out a breath and took his own seat.
“You’re here about Ezra,” Thea started it.
“Yes,” Rus confirmed. “How long has he been a client of yours?”
“Three, four years. We have a standing, every other Saturday afternoon appointment. Today is not his Saturday, by the way.”
Rus dipped his chin to note he got that, mentally documenting the lengths of Ezra’s trail of lies that as yet had gone undiscovered by his wife.
She continued. “His wife thinks he’s golfing. In the winter, no clue what he tells her he’s doing. No clue what he tells her about paying my fee. He also comes in when she’s out of town.”
“It’s my understanding he’s into pain?”
“Yes. Mild. Nothing deep, intense, physically scarring. No fire play or blood play.” Both shoulders went up then down. “It’s pretty pedestrian.”
“Have you explored deeper?”
She nodded. “In the beginning, he requested that. He didn’t like it. Used his safe word. We don’t go there now.”
“Have you been uncomfortable with any of his responses or requests?”
She shook her head and surprised him by giving him the skinny.
All of it.
“He takes a paddle. He takes a crop. Light whip work that won’t cause lasting marks. He’s ringed or caged. Likes the pain in his groin of a confined erection or not being allowed to orgasm. I honestly think that’s mostly what he enjoys, since he takes a crop there too, but he definitely likes to be dominated. Told what to do. Light disobedience so he’ll be made to do it, with pain, but not much of it.”
“Humiliation?”
“No. None. Not into that at all.” She moved to the edge of her seat. “Listen, Agent Lazarus, I’ve been doing this a long time. It’s natural, these tendencies, finding ways to live out your fantasies. It’s more normal than you know.”
“I know how normal it is,” he replied.
She took a second to assess him, saw what she needed to see, no judge and here in an official capacity. He then saw her finally relax after their rocky start.
She kept speaking.
“But I do get clients who I move out of my practice with firm guidance of where they should move on from me. I can tell it’s not about getting what they like. It’s about something else. Damage to their psyche that they shouldn’t be working out with me, or anyone like me. They need another kind of professional. Ezra has a wife who makes a lot of money. I don’t know if he loved her in the beginning, or he loved her because of the life she could give him. I do know she’s made it clear she thinks his needs are sick, and she wants nothing to do with them. He doesn’t love her now, he’s said that straight to me. But he stays with her because of what he’ll lose if he doesn’t. She doesn’t give him what he needs, that’s why he sees me. Why he sleeps with anyone else who will take him, that’s about him just being an asshole.”