Read Online Love Beat by Flora Dain - Free Book Online

sweep.
    How many others? Are some of them here, his lovers—his subs ? Are they all sworn to secrecy, like I am?
    I’ve been such a fool. I’ve got no rights over a man like him. He’s rich. He’s beyond good-looking. He’s got anything he wants, including any—possibly every—passing female.
    What was I thinking?
     
    * * * *
     
    A few cocktails and a substantial buffet restore my self-esteem. I’m happily flirting with a minor porn star equipped with impressive pecs and a thing for TV presenters when the lights dim and the music changes to the Love Beat song.
    Without warning, Cade steps between us and steers me onto the dance floor. “Enjoying yourself?”
    I’m a little tipsy now. I give him a playful look. “As you see. Cade, where is he?”
    He stiffens mid-beat. “Who?”
    “The Panther. He’s here. I know it. Which one is he?”
    Jake’s play-acting earlier this afternoon about the Panther lurking in the bushes reminds me that the mysterious celebrity Dom is an ever-present danger. He came here for me, and I’ve ducked out.
    He may have been cheated of his prey but he’s still here, camouflaged among the elegant guests as effectively as the real thing, prowling the jungle, watching me, waiting to spring.
    I lick my lips. “He’s one of these people. He’s been here all the time, watching.” The thought is terrifying.
    “Sure he’s here. So what? You’re obsessed.”
    We’re dancing close. As if by chance, his song’s playing as a slow number. Our eyes lock as the words filter through to me. I never hear words in songs, only the music, but I notice them now.
    “When will you wake me and make me behave…?
    When will you take me and make me your slave…?”
    Rattled, I try to keep on topic. “He still scares me.”
    His eyes flicker as his voice lowers to a private murmur. “Hey, relax. You’re with me now, remember?” As the music dies away, he leans forward. “I want you upstairs in five minutes. I’ll go first.”
    Casually he strolls away, leaving me shaky with arousal.
    We’re not even supposed to like each other.
    Slowly I weave a path through the dancing and sidestep a couple near the elevator. With a shock, I recognize Jake and Sonja, deep in conversation.
    She looks delicate in ice-blue satin but she’s still at work, making notes on a pad.
    Jake looks boyish and handsome in his tux but he’s frowning. “Still one of the best in the business. Takes 16mm, 18mm or 35mm. You can even change the film while it’s running. But they’re all museum pieces. You’ll never find one. Even if you did, you’d have to pay up to seven thousand dollars…”
    Poor Sonja. Now she’s got to find him a replacement camera for the one Cade’s men smashed this morning.
    What a life.
     
    * * * *
     
    In our rooms, Cade is waiting. He’s in shirtsleeves and has a short, neatly folded satin garment slung over one shoulder.
    He glances at his watch as I walk in, a little out of breath. “Past midnight. Time for our next session. Strip and kneel.”
    Slowly I do as I’m told, and he tosses me a flimsy pair of panties made of black lace. “Put these on. We’ll do the rest when we get there.”
    “Where are we going?”
    He takes the satin garment off his shoulder and shakes it out. It’s a short black robe with a satin belt. I slip it on then kneel.
    “We’re going to the dungeon. It’s fully booked all week, but it’s always free after midnight. We’ve got sole use of it then.”
    His expression gives nothing away. “The paperwork you signed before coming here covers all this but we’ll go over a couple of things. Your safeword, for instance. I’ll try to be careful. If anything really hurts or gets too extreme just say mercy . Got that?”
    “Can I just say stop?”
    “If you like. But everybody says stop. All the time. If you do, I’ll stop for sure, but if you say mercy, we’ll call it a day. OK?”
    Naturally the dungeon is in the basement. We travel down by service