Chapter Seven

Jessie closed the last of the books for the business. Thank goodness that was done. She stood and stretched. Caleb had bounced out the door a few hours ago, saying he had some things to do. She didn’t mind. She had more than enough paperwork to do.

Part of her wondered what he might have planned for them tonight. One thing Caleb never lacked was imagination. He knew how to play her body like a fine-tuned instrument, and she enjoyed every second of their time together.

A knock at the front door made her frown. She went to the door and opened it a crack. A man about forty with blond hair stood there. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m looking for Caleb. I was told he’d probably be here.”

Her grip tightened on the door. “Caleb isn’t here right now. Can I take a message?”

“Sure, will you tell him Matt is looking for him?”

Matt? “Just a second.” Jessie closed the door and removed the heavy chain before reopening it. “Hi Matt, I’m Jessie. Caleb has told me about you. Why don’t you come in and wait for him.”

Surprise crossed his face. “Caleb told you about me?”

“Well, sort of. We were talking about how he worked for you in Chicago.” She stood back and gestured for him to enter.

“Thanks. Yeah, I love working with Caleb.”

Jessie relocked the door and motioned Matt down the hall. “Would you like some coffee or something else to drink?” she asked as they entered her office.

“Coffee is fine.” He sat down and thanked her when she handed him the mug.

“So what brings you down here?” Jessie wasn’t sure why Matt was there.

His fingers tightened around the mug before he set it on her desk. “I need Caleb to come back to Chicago.”

“Excuse me?” Jessie couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“It’s time for Caleb to come back to work with me.” Matt picked the mug up and took a sip. “His time down here was limited.”

“Oh.” This was news to her. Why hadn’t Caleb told her this? Heck, why did Rusty recommend him for the job if he wasn’t going to stay? “Tell me what you mean, Matt.”

“Sure. I sent Caleb down here to find out your secret.” He flashed a satisfied grin at her, and it was all Jessie could do not to slap it off his smug face.

“Really.” Her teeth ground together, and she fought to keep her breathing even. No sense in letting this man know he upset her.

“Yes. Now we can duplicate it in all our clubs.”

“And just how many clubs do you and Caleb own.” Time to find out exactly what Caleb was hiding from her.

“Three, soon to be four if we can ever get the San Francisco club off the ground.” Matt rattled on and Jessie listened, letting her anger build. Damn Caleb.

****

Caleb let himself into the club. If Jessie was done with her work, he was going to bring her into the private area, and they were going to play on the bondage system. He’d been dying to try it with her.

With that in mind, he’d taken a run into Bar Harbor to get some rope. He couldn’t wait to see what positions he could tie her in. By the end of tonight, neither one of them would be able to think straight.

Dropping his bag by the stage, he made his way down the hallway to her office. “Jessie?”

“In here.” Her voice was tight, and Caleb went on alert. Something was wrong. He strode into her office.

Jessie was sitting behind her desk, her face tight and her eyes glassy. There was a familiar figure sitting in the chair.

“It’s about time,” the man said as he stood up.

“Matt.” Caleb shook his head. Matt was here? He glanced over at Jessie. Her hands gripped her chair like a lifeline. Shit.

“Jessie and I were just talking, but I’m glad you’re back.” Matt slapped him on the back and pulled him toward the chair.

“Oh, did you have a nice conversation?” He didn’t take his gaze from Jessie.

“It was enlightening,” she said, her gaze hard and cold.

Matt plopped onto the chair. “I explained to Jessie how I needed you back in Chicago right away.”

“Jessie,” he started. Damn, he was in deep shit now. Why did Matt have to show up today?

“It’s okay, Caleb.” She stood up. “I’ll let you and Matt talk while I go check on the supplies for this week.” Without another word she marched out of the office.

“What did you tell her?” Caleb turned to Matt. Damn it, it wasn’t supposed to happen this way.

“Just that I needed my business partner back, and he couldn’t play here anymore.”

“Fuck.” Caleb sprung out of the chair and went after Jessie.

****

Jessie fought against the tears. Caleb had lied to her. Her hands gripped the bar as she tried to come to terms with what she had just learned. She stared at the polished wood, forcing the tears back. Her heart was heavy. Footsteps had her lifting her head.

Caleb came rushing into the room and over to where she stood. “Jessie, I can explain.”

“Really?” She straightened her spine and channeled her mother. She would get through this.

“I owe Matt a lot.”

“So it seems.” Unable to look at him anymore, she began taking inventory. Yeah, right. She couldn’t even count right now, her soul hurt too much.

“Jessie.” He reached for her, but she stepped back.

“Just go, Caleb.” She gritted her teeth as she fought to keep it together.

“I—”

“Hey, Caleb,” Matt interrupted him. “If we’re going to make the flight to Boston, we have to leave now.”

“In a second, Matt.” He waved his hand at Matt but kept his gaze on her. “Will you talk to me?”

She took a deep breath. “No.” Her mother would be proud of her. “Go, Caleb.”

“Jessie, listen to me. It’s not what you think.” But she didn’t respond to him; she couldn’t.

“Caleb. Come on, man.”

“You’d better go.”

“Fuck.” The word made her flinch.

“This isn’t over.” His words were soft. Then hands closed over her shoulder, and he turned her to face him. “I’ll be back.” He pressed a soft kiss against her lips before he turned and walked over to Matt. The two men left by the back door and when Jessie heard the lock turn, she let herself sink behind the bar and the tears to flow. He was gone. But then, he was never hers to have.

****

Three weeks later, Jessie strode through the club. They were busier than ever, and she hadn’t had time to replace Caleb, so she’d been doing double duty. Caleb. Her heart twanged.

She hadn’t heard from him. Well, she hadn’t really expected to. So what if he said he’d be back; those were just words. But it didn’t stop her from expecting to see him walk through the doors of her club.

Enough. She couldn’t continue to dwell over Caleb. She’d done enough crying and thinking. That was the whole thing; she thought about everything and realized she’d fallen in love with him.

That was the real reason her mother wouldn’t let her leave. Her mother had been afraid she’d fall in love and never come back home. As much as she loved her mother, it would have been better if her mother had let her leave, then maybe now her heart wouldn’t be in pieces.

Blowing out a breath, Jessie made her rounds. There had been no more incidents in the club. Word had gotten around about both, and last she heard, Miss Peacock was on her way to Europe. Ron had been arrested for domestic violence and was now awaiting trial in Boston of all places.

“Another full house,” Ryan commented, stepping up next to her.

“Yeah. Business is good.”

“Are you going to get another DM or four?”

A smile crept over Jessie’s lips. Leave it to Ryan to make her smile. “Working on it. I wish I knew why we were so busy.”

“It’s you, boss lady.”

“Me?” She looked at Ryan to see if he was joking but his face was sober.

“Not many women run a BDSM club, people are curious. Not only about the owner, but the lifestyle. Look how popular your education program is getting.”

Four days after Caleb left, Jessie decided to do something to educate people about BDSM, so she started offering classes in the afternoons from one to three. They were a hit.

“I figured I’d just have a few people.”

“And each week, not only do you have locals, but the tourists as well. It’s a way for them to understand and make the club not so taboo.”

“I guess.” She shrugged her shoulders. The classes were just another way for her to keep busy so she wouldn’t miss Caleb. Oh, who was she kidding? She missed him every day.

“Yeah, well...”

Both of their phones went off. Jessie looked up to see Evan standing near one of the private rooms, motioning for both of them. Damn, now what?

They made their way over. “What’s up, Evan?”

“They’re asking for you in the private room, Jessie.”

“Me? Why?”

“The Dom didn’t say. Just said he wanted to speak to the owner and now.”

Jessie wrinkled her nose. It had to be important. Very few patrons asked to speak to her. And it had to be a member of the club as they were the only ones who used the rooms. “Okay. Ryan?”

“He asked for you alone,” Evan said. “We’ll wait out here.”

She glared at Evan and then opened the door and walked in...and stopped short. There were candles everywhere. She saw the man standing across the room with his back to her, wearing black leather pants and no shirt, with a riding crop in his hand.

Nice back, she thought before she shook herself mentally. “I’m sorry, but the candles are a fire hazard.”

“Even for the one woman who makes me burn?”

The door snicked closed. Jessie just stared at the man. “Caleb?” She’d know his voice anywhere.

“Hello, Jessie-mine.” He faced her, and her heart began pounding.

“What is going on?” She reached for the door knob and twisted. It was locked. How the hell had that happened? “I’ve been set up,” she whispered.

“Guilty as charged.” Caleb strode across the room to her. Damn, her blood heated at the swagger of his hips. And the riding crop swatted against his leg with each step. Her pussy moistened. How would that feel on her ass? What the hell was she thinking? Where was her anger when she needed it? It flew away the second she saw him.

“Why?”

“Come sit and let me explain.”

“Why should I?” She crossed her arms over her chest, battling the urge to throw herself into his arms.

“Because I love you.”

Her mouth dropped open. Caleb took her by the arm, led her over to the bed, and nudged her until she sat.

“Caleb—”

“Silence.”

She jumped at the harshness of his voice, but when she gazed at his face, his eyes were playful. Oh, so that’s what he wanted. To play. Well, two could play at that game.

“Sorry, but you lost the right to order me around.”

“Did I?” His eyebrows rose. “You belong to me, Jessie.”

“Not anymore.” Her gaze skittered to the floor and to the boots he was wearing. He stepped forward.

“Liar,” he whispered, and the crop was dropped onto the bed. “I had to leave with Matt.”

“You could have stayed.” She wouldn’t look at him. Instead she studied the high, polished boots, thinking how nice they looked on him.

“Look at me, Jessie.” He cupped her chin and lifted her face until she could see into his eyes. “I went back with Matt so I could sell him my half of the business.”

“What?” She wrenched herself out of his hold and jumped to her feet. “Are you out of your mind?” Her hands waved in the air.

“I assure you I’m sane.” He grasped her hands in his. “The second I saw Matt sitting in your office, I knew what I had to do.”

“But Caleb.” His fingers covered her lips, cutting off her words. His touch made her ache and want more.

“No buts. It was time for me to get out of Chicago. Besides, I have a contract with you.”

She shook her head, and he smiled. “I know you think I betrayed you, Jessie, but I didn’t.”

He removed his fingers from her lips and she said, “You lied to me, and that’s just as bad.”

“I won’t argue. I didn’t tell you the real reason I was here.”

“No, Matt did that. So, did you figure it out and duplicate it?” She wanted to pull herself out of his hold, but every nerve in her body screamed at her to move closer. He was here and almost in her arms.

“There was nothing to figure out. Nothing to duplicate.” Again his fingers gripped her chin and lifted her face to his. “Do you know what makes your club so special, Jessie-mine?”

“No,” she whispered. There it was again, he called her Jessie-mine.

“You make it special.” He slid his free arm to her waist and gathered her to him. “People are curious, but it’s your presence, your energy, that makes The Red Club special. There is no way to duplicate it, because you broke the mold.”

“Caleb.” His name came out as a soft sigh.

“I didn’t know what I was missing until I found you again, Jessie. It’s not just our playtime. I loved just being around you.”

“But Matt and Chicago?”

“Always in the back of my mind. The morning Matt showed up, I’d already decided to go back and sell out to Matt.”

“How did he take it?” Her heart pounded harder in her chest.

“Not well, but he didn’t have much of a choice. I was coming home. Home to you, Jessie.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh my, Caleb.”

“And in full disclosure, Rusty and I had some long talks.”

“You have? About what?” She drifted to him, letting him cradle her against his chest. Hope filled her.

“About you. He’s the closest thing you have to a father, and I wasn’t about to ask you to marry me without talking to him first.”

Her head snapped up. “Marriage?” Excitement flowed through her veins.

“Yes, Jessie-mine. But first, I have to reassert my dominance.” He dropped a soft kiss on her lips. “Do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes, Sir.” She wet her lips. “I love you.”

“About fucking time. Now, hands on the mattress and ass in the air.”

With a grin, Jessie sashayed over to the bed and took her position. Caleb picked up the riding crop. Anticipation ran up her spine.

“Five strokes, Jessie-mine.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“And you will count them.”

“Of course, Sir.”

“And after each one you will tell me how much you love me.”

Jessie turned her head to the side and smiled at him. “Naturally, Sir.”

“And I will tell you how much I love you.”

When they walked out of the private room an hour later, hand in hand, the private area erupted into cheers.