Read Online White Collared Part One: Mercy by Shelly Bell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shelly Bell
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hell am I supposed to keep you out of jail if you’re keeping things from me?”
After a brief silence, Jaxon spoke so quietly it startled her. “You never asked.”
“I’m supposed to ask if you were fucking your wife?” Nick asked.
“No. Not that.” Jaxon twisted his thick, gold wedding band. “You never asked if I killed her.”
“I don’t need to.” Nick jumped to his feet and circled his desk to stand by his friend. “The man I’ve known since college, who made me crash on his couch because I was too drunk to drive, that guy is not a murderer. I didn’t need to ask because I know you didn’t do it.” He squeezed Jaxon’s shoulder, providing the comfort Kate didn’t have the right to give.
A twinge of envy stabbed her chest. In some ways, she felt like an intruder as she witnessed the bond between these two men. If she was in Jaxon’s situation, would she have anyone to watch her back? Tom? Hannah? Caden? Or would they all disappear like the last time she’d needed the unconditional support of a friend?
Jaxon thumped Nick’s arm a couple of times, thanking his best friend without speaking the words. “Couldn’t we hire our own detective? Maybe he could come up with something different than the police.”
Antsy, she rolled a pen in her hands. “The killer is one of you. A kinkster. Whoever does the investigating also has to be part of the scene; otherwise he’ll never get anyone to talk. Do you know anyone in the community who could help?”
“You mean a private investigator?” Jaxon frowned. “Not that I know of. Besides, it’s been a few years since I’ve visited our club. When Alyssa and I agreed to separate, we decided she would use our membership at Benediction since she needed it more. That’s where she met her Dominatrix twice a week for her sessions.”
Kate’s mind flew to a hot, sweaty place she’d only read about. Within it lay their answer. A local sex club filled with people who could wield a single-tail whip. People who may have spoken with Alyssa or had knowledge of who’d want her dead.
She swallowed her apprehension. “I have an idea. It’s unconventional, but I can’t think of another way.”
“Anything,” Jaxon said.
Nervous energy forced her to her feet. She paced the length of the office, rubbing the gold cross hanging on her necklace between her fingers. The irony of it bubbled in her stomach, almost making her laugh. Not that an atheist wearing a cross wasn’t ironic enough. “Jaxon needs to go to the club and get back into the scene. They’ll talk to him.”
A frowning Nick tilted his head. “Won’t it seem odd for him to go to a sex club so soon after the murder of Alyssa?”
Playing with his wedding band again, Jaxon stared at her, understanding evident in his eyes. “Some people may take it as a sign of guilt. Others may see it as a way to regain control over an uncontrollable situation.”
Nick reclined in his chair and crossed his arms. “So you just go and ask questions? I don’t see how that would work.”
“It wouldn’t,” she said. “He needs a reason to be there.” Stopping in front of Nick, she placed her hand on his solid shoulder. “Me. I’d go with him as his sub.”
He shot to his feet, his eyes blazing with dissent. “No. Absolutely not. As a member of Jaxon’s legal team, you cannot have a personal relationship, even a pretend one. It’s unethical.”
“I’ll wear a mask,” she said in a quiet voice, attempting to soothe the wild beast she’d uncaged. “No one will know.”
“ I’ll know.” He turned her to him and placed his hands on her shoulders. “It’s my role as your supervisor to ensure you don’t violate the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.”
If Jaxon had not been in the room, she would have accused Nick of allowing his personal feelings for her to get in the way of the case. “Going undercover as Jaxon’s submissive doesn’t violate the code. There isn’t even an explicit rule
After a brief silence, Jaxon spoke so quietly it startled her. “You never asked.”
“I’m supposed to ask if you were fucking your wife?” Nick asked.
“No. Not that.” Jaxon twisted his thick, gold wedding band. “You never asked if I killed her.”
“I don’t need to.” Nick jumped to his feet and circled his desk to stand by his friend. “The man I’ve known since college, who made me crash on his couch because I was too drunk to drive, that guy is not a murderer. I didn’t need to ask because I know you didn’t do it.” He squeezed Jaxon’s shoulder, providing the comfort Kate didn’t have the right to give.
A twinge of envy stabbed her chest. In some ways, she felt like an intruder as she witnessed the bond between these two men. If she was in Jaxon’s situation, would she have anyone to watch her back? Tom? Hannah? Caden? Or would they all disappear like the last time she’d needed the unconditional support of a friend?
Jaxon thumped Nick’s arm a couple of times, thanking his best friend without speaking the words. “Couldn’t we hire our own detective? Maybe he could come up with something different than the police.”
Antsy, she rolled a pen in her hands. “The killer is one of you. A kinkster. Whoever does the investigating also has to be part of the scene; otherwise he’ll never get anyone to talk. Do you know anyone in the community who could help?”
“You mean a private investigator?” Jaxon frowned. “Not that I know of. Besides, it’s been a few years since I’ve visited our club. When Alyssa and I agreed to separate, we decided she would use our membership at Benediction since she needed it more. That’s where she met her Dominatrix twice a week for her sessions.”
Kate’s mind flew to a hot, sweaty place she’d only read about. Within it lay their answer. A local sex club filled with people who could wield a single-tail whip. People who may have spoken with Alyssa or had knowledge of who’d want her dead.
She swallowed her apprehension. “I have an idea. It’s unconventional, but I can’t think of another way.”
“Anything,” Jaxon said.
Nervous energy forced her to her feet. She paced the length of the office, rubbing the gold cross hanging on her necklace between her fingers. The irony of it bubbled in her stomach, almost making her laugh. Not that an atheist wearing a cross wasn’t ironic enough. “Jaxon needs to go to the club and get back into the scene. They’ll talk to him.”
A frowning Nick tilted his head. “Won’t it seem odd for him to go to a sex club so soon after the murder of Alyssa?”
Playing with his wedding band again, Jaxon stared at her, understanding evident in his eyes. “Some people may take it as a sign of guilt. Others may see it as a way to regain control over an uncontrollable situation.”
Nick reclined in his chair and crossed his arms. “So you just go and ask questions? I don’t see how that would work.”
“It wouldn’t,” she said. “He needs a reason to be there.” Stopping in front of Nick, she placed her hand on his solid shoulder. “Me. I’d go with him as his sub.”
He shot to his feet, his eyes blazing with dissent. “No. Absolutely not. As a member of Jaxon’s legal team, you cannot have a personal relationship, even a pretend one. It’s unethical.”
“I’ll wear a mask,” she said in a quiet voice, attempting to soothe the wild beast she’d uncaged. “No one will know.”
“ I’ll know.” He turned her to him and placed his hands on her shoulders. “It’s my role as your supervisor to ensure you don’t violate the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.”
If Jaxon had not been in the room, she would have accused Nick of allowing his personal feelings for her to get in the way of the case. “Going undercover as Jaxon’s submissive doesn’t violate the code. There isn’t even an explicit rule
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