Choosing Rena Read online

  Sighing roughly, she grumbled. “I should’ve just let the ass shoot him. Would’ve too, if it hadn’t been for the fact the bullet would’ve had to go through me first.” Moving away from the door, she sank onto her new sofa – a blonde suede leather monstrosity which reminded her so much of the paddle Jackson had promised to use on her again – well until she’d emasculated him by saving his hide.

  Tipping her head back against the plush cushion, she shoved away the memory of his horror filled expression as he’d helped her up, only to leave her alone in the room as he dealt with the aftermath of a near shooting. Freeing the loose bun she’d twisted her braids into, she let them spill over her shoulders as she wondered what the hell she was going to do now. While Jackson didn’t have her address yet, she knew it was only a matter of time before he tracked her down – especially now that all of the utilities were in her name. It had taken Comm. Edison nearly two months before they straightened out the billing mess the last tenant had made.

  For a brief moment she thought of moving again, knowing with his and Jude’s connections it wouldn’t take Jackson long to locate her home address. But she immediately discarded the idea. She loved her new apartment. Quant and cozy with over-stuffed furniture, vibrant paintings her sister had made, and plenty of hardwood floors covered with bright colorful rag throw rugs her grandma and she had braided, it might be a hodgepodge of tastes and decors but it was every inch hers. And I’m not going to let Jackson Levough run me out of it. I’ll just have to keep my need to submit under wraps while rebuffing him the next time I see him. Perhaps if I tell him no enough times he’ll begin to believe it.

  Chapter Two

  “Will you stop? You’re starting to give me a headache.”

  Without even bothering to pause in his pacing or look up at his partner, Jackson shook his head, continuing to wear a hole in the lush carpet in front of Jude’s desk. It’d been two days since he’d run into Rena at the Atrium Mall, and as usual the little minx had been elusive. “No. I’m pissed. It’s either this or I go down to the club and…”

  “And do nothing.” Jude sighed, leaning back in his chair, the wood creaking ominously under his large frame. “Something has to give, Jackson. You haven’t played with a submissive since you got back from Ireland last year.” When Jackson opened his mouth to protest, Jude held up a hand. “Instructed yes, but played no. I’ve never seen you go this long without a woman. You flog them, paddle them, but you go home alone. Not even when you were engaged to Suzette, did you refrain from slaking your physical needs with your playmates.”

  Jackson flushed. It was true, when he’d been with Suzette, he hadn’t managed to remain faithful when things had become difficult, which is why he’d decided monogamy wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to see the hurt look on another woman’s face when he strayed because she wasn’t enough to satisfy his darker needs. But it’ll be different with Rena. She’s in the lifestyle and I won’t have to roam. She won’t freak out when I want to tie her to our bed and paddle her bottom.

  “You can’t keep chasing the woman all over Chicago, man. Rena’s a grown woman, not a three year old.” Jude’s warning jerked him back to the conversation at hand.

  Jackson scowled at him. “Tell me something I don’t know.” He stopped, his shoulders dropping. “I don’t want any other woman, Jude. That little black witch has crawled under my skin like an itch I just can’t reach.”

  Jude slumped into his chair. “Damn. I wish I could say I understand, but I’m not wired the same way as you. It’s all I can do to give Mistress her one night a month off.” Steepling his fingers on his flat stomach, Jude grew silent.

  Jackson wanted to groan as he saw an oh-so familiar look settle over his friend’s face. He recognized that look – the wheels inside the man’s head were turning. Jude was contemplating something dastardly evil, which boded ill for him. His friend had dragged him into more than one shit-fire storm wearing that expression. “Whatever you’re thinking…don’t. I’m not letting you drag me into some cockamamie scheme.”

  The corners of Jude’s eyes crinkled as a wide grin crossed his handsome face. “I’ve got it.”

  Jackson backed away. “Got what? Rabies?”

  Jude slowly stood, drawing to his full height. “How you’re going to get Rena to come around to your way of thinking.”

  “It’s not thinking! I’m way, way beyond thought. I’m so fuckin’ horny, I’d screw a snake if you held the head. I want her in my bed, like yesterday.”

  A dark blond brow rose before Jude shook his head. “You know for a Dom, you’re surprisingly lacking in patience.”

  “See how you’d feel after chasing your woman all over the place for the past eight months, then tell me how I’m lacking patience.” Jackson dropped onto the leather couch sitting in the corner of the office, covering his eyes with his forearm. “Imagine you know your Mistress needs release, but refuses to let you take care of her – ignoring her needs because she’s scared you’ll think she’s weak. Instead she walks away.”

  The resulting growl from Jude didn’t surprise Jackson. He knew the other man lived to please, pleasure and take care of his Mistress, a chore he shared with Olivia’s other sub, Micah. Even as submissive as the man was to her, he’d go through the roof if she neglected her needs. “Like hell. Micah and I wouldn’t stand for it. We’d gang up on her until she let us…”

  Moving his arm, Jackson smirked. “See what I mean? It’s not as easy as it sounds is it? God I wish you could’ve seen the way she submitted to me in Ireland. Maybe you’d understand my frustration.”

  “Whoa!” Jude drew up short. “You never said anything about her submitting to you.”

  Jackson felt the familiar tightening of his body at the memory. “Oh yes. Our dear prickly Rena gave me her submission while we were over in Ireland. Or at least, a taste of it.” He shifted against the leather of the couch.

  Jude looked surprised. “And when exactly was that? You were only over there for three days to wrap up the necessities of your cousin’s arrest as the mastermind behind the attack on Mistress last year.”

  Jackson chuckled. “I work fast. I hadn’t planned on it. In fact, I would’ve rather had her here at home or at Olivia’s, but the little minx wouldn’t quit pushing. The whole time we were there, she treated me like I was an immature boy who thought only with his dick. I finally snapped, bent her over my knee and spanked her –”

  “I hate to interrupt this, Dickens, but the silent alarm at your residence just went off.” Rapping on the frame of the door, Ethan WhiteHawk, an old Army ranger buddy back from their days in the Rangers, entered the room. As usual, he was dressed casually in jeans and a company polo shirt, his dark hair flowing over his shoulders, other than the thin braids on either side of his face. It wasn’t often you saw a Native American in Chicago, but there was no denying his heritage. Jackson still couldn’t believe the man had abandoned Louisiana for Illinois, but evidently Jude had been more than persuasive in his job offer. And now he’s brought news of a breach.

  “Fuck!” Jumping up from the couch, his current issues with Rena went to the wayside in the face of a break in. He slipped into protector mode with ease. This is what he’d been born to do. “Details, WhiteHawk. Which alarm? The interior door or the balcony?”

  “Balcony.”

  “Shit! That’s like a five story climb. How the hell did they get up there?”

  In the background, he could hear Jude on the phone with Olivia, checking on his Mistress. Jackson just thanked the stars above Olivia was already at the club dealing with vendors, or his friend would’ve torn out of the office like his ass was on fire, which only left Micah unaccounted for. Where was the third in Jude’s relationship? After the man had crossed paths with the wrong Domme in New Orleans three months ago, everyone was still on edge.

  “Any idea if it could’ve been Micah who set it off?”

  Jude joined them, his phone still pressed to his ear. “Okay, Mistress. Keep him
there. Don’t let him leave. I don’t care if he has a meeting in an hour or not. Tie his ass to the cross if need be. I need to know you’re both safe while I’m checking our home.” Jude paused, his face heating. Jackson could only imagine what Olivia was telling her sub, but judging by the look on his friend’s face it was something which Jude was looking forward to. “Of course, Mistress. I remember our deal, but I promise this is a valid issue. I realigned the sensor on the balcony after the last false alarm.”

  Jackson sighed, remembering the numerous false alarms over the past several weeks. They’d thought it had been birds bumping into the glass balcony doors while pecking at the breadcrumbs Olivia was known to throw out, but perhaps it wasn’t. They’d moved the sensor higher up, so the birds wouldn’t be able to set it off but it still had gone off.

  After telling his Mistress to behave, Jude snapped the phone shut at they exited the office. “Wish I was in Micah’s shoes.” The longing in his friend’s voice didn’t surprise Jackson. “Lucky bastard.”

  Jackson burst out laughing as the three of them headed out to the bank of elevators. “I just pray for your ass it isn’t a false alarm.” He pressed the down button, waiting for the doors to open. “It’s not that I want someone trying to break in, but I remember how testy Olivia got the last time we called a lockdown at the club.”

  A loud ding signaling the car had arrived. “I’d take the punishment if it meant some crazy ass bird set it off again, but I don’t think so. I moved the sensor to the top of the door. I came too close to losing Olivia in New Orleans. I about died when I heard the shot go off before she fell in the water.”

  “You and me both.” Ethan said as they entered the elevator.

  * * * *

  Waiting behind Jude as he cautiously unlocked the condo door, all of Jackson’s senses were on high alert. He and Ethan had Jude’s back. If there was any chance of the mess from New Orleans revisiting the trio in Chicago, he personally wanted to nip it in the bud before it became an issue. Following his friend into the surprisingly warm condo, he wanted to curse when the overwhelming stench of urine hit his nostrils. It was still early in the summer, but an unusually warm spell had settled over the greater Chicago-land area and it seemed to magnify the smell. In front of him, Jude began cursing loudly. Ducking around Jude, he too wanted to curse. The balcony sliders were still intact but one door had a huge hole in the middle of it. The twinkle of light off the shards scattered on the kitchen floor mocked them. No bird would be able to do this.

  “Son of bitch! Let’s spread out and do a perimeter check,” Jude ordered as he knelt to free his knife from its ankle sheath. Rising with it in hand, the sun glinted off the blade, leaving no doubt about how serious he was taking the break in.

  Jackson nodded, freeing his gun from his underarm holster. Unlike Jude, who no longer carried a firearm because of Olivia’s unease, he had no problems carrying one. His need to protect wouldn’t be limited by the whims of a woman. Although honestly, Jude was more than deadly with his razor sharp blade. They split off into separate directions, Jude slipping down the hall towards the master suite, while Ethan ducked into the guest room. Taking the dining room, Jackson was just rounding the large oak curio holding Olivia’s china when he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye.

  Spinning back towards the kitchen, Jackson saw the long shadow of a man move across the hardwood floor in the hall before the crunch of glass hit his ears. Silently stalking the sound with his finger poised on the gun’s trigger, he approached the kitchen door just in time to see a man in dark clothing disappear over the railing.

  “Son of a bitch. Jude! He’s escaping!” He rushed into the kitchen and through the broken balcony door, only to find an abandoned rope swaying in the breeze. Smacking the wrought iron rail it was attached to, he let loose a long string of expletives at their stupidity. Obviously, they weren’t quite as sharp as they had been considering they’d missed the rope when they’d first come in. Unless, the perp tied it off before he went over the rail. But damn, is it even possible? He only had seconds to clear the railing before I got in here.

  He felt Jude come up next to him, even as he heard the apartment door open. “The damned perp just scaled down the building using this.” He tugged on the rope. “But I can’t see him now. Damn trees.” Frustration built in him as he glared at the dense brush and foliage surrounding the building. Even if he’d wanted to spot the man, the summer foliage prevented it.

  Joining him at the railing, Jude growled. “Ethan headed downstairs. Maybe he’ll have some luck.” Despite the hopeful tone, Jackson knew Jude was expecting miracles. The intruder had been a ghost. Slipping past not just one but three highly trained ex-Rangers was damned difficult, if not impossible. It took some serious training – more than likely of the government kind.

  Looking back into the kitchen, Jude rubbed the back of his neck. “Mistress is going to be pissed. Not only did the perp break the balcony door, he tore up our room. Shredded our bedding, pissed on it by the smell of it, and slashed all of her work clothes. There was not one corset, one pair of leggings or leather garment left untouched. I think he was attacking her Domme persona because he didn’t touch any of her street clothes.”

  Placing his hand on Jude’s shoulder, he gave it a squeeze. “We’ll find him, I promise. Olivia won’t be hurt again. Besides, it may not have been aimed just at her. Did he shred any of your clothes? Or Micah’s?”

  Jude shrugged, looking a bit lost. “I have no idea. I only got as far as her closet when you yelled.”

  He heard the door open as Ethan re-entered. The Indian had his familiar shit-eating grin on his face as he joined them.

  “Either you caught him or found something, but considering, you’re empty handed it has to be the latter. So spill it, before Jude here has a nervous breakdown.” Jackson returned his gun to its holster.

  “A partial license plate number.” Flipping open his notebook Ethan handed it to Jude. “It’s a start.”

  Chapter Three

  Exiting the CTA station located on the ground level of the State of Illinois Building, Rena entered the Atrium Mall. Around her, masses of people were either heading to work like her, or were shoppers already seeking refuge from the near record high temperatures outside. Hard to believe it’s already kissing ninety and it isn’t even nine o’clock yet. The mall was bustling with activity and even as crowded as it was, she had to fight the urge to check over her shoulder.

  It had been nearly a week since the incident with Jackson, but instead of tracking her down again as she’d expected, he hadn’t shown up. Whether it meant he’d finally given up or was just biding his time, she didn’t know. Either way, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. Pushing his lack of presence from her head, she skirted a woman pushing a stroller. Maneuvering through the crowd, she headed for the escalators to check in for her shift when a voice from her left stopped her.

  “Rena MacAllister – is that you?”

  She wanted to groan as she recognized her ex’s mother. With every silver hair professionally coiffed, and wearing an ivory short-sleeved cardigan with a tan pencil skirt, Elizebetta Vayarti was the epitome of a New York socialite out enjoying a warm summer morning.

  Stepping out of the stream of traffic, she motioned the woman to join her – just wanting to get the confrontation over with as quickly as possible. “Mrs. Vayarti, what a surprise. Are you in town to do some shopping?” She quickly scanned the crowd, hoping she wouldn’t spot Louis. It wasn’t uncommon for him to escort his mother on one of her art shopping trips. While she doubted her former Dom would care one way or the other at crossing paths with her, she personally didn’t want to see him or whichever sub he’d brought with him. Instead the only person she recognized was Dieter, Elizebetta’s right hand man and assistant.

  She smiled. “You could say that, but I’m not shopping for art this time.” She glanced at the slender, expensive Swiss watch gracing one wrist. “I kn
ow it’s not near, teatime but I was wondering if you’d join me for a coffee or tea over at the Bonjour Club.”

  Shock rolled through Rena. The last place she’d expected to see a high-class society matron like Elizebetta Vayarti was in a casual food court restaurant specializing in breakfast and brunch items. For Christ’s Sakes, they don’t even take reservations nor have a dress code.

  “Ah, I wish I could, but I have to get to work.” Plastering a smile on her face, Rena turned to leave when Elizebetta caught her arm. Glancing down at the slender hand on her arm, she was flabbergasted. The woman never touched anyone other than her son.

  “Please, Rena.” A look of desperation crossed the other woman’s face. “I need to talk to you. Louis won’t…”

  Fury washed over Rena. How dare the woman come to Chicago to dump her problems with Louis on her? She was no longer his sub, so she didn’t have to deal with this shit anymore. “If it’s about your son, I don’t want to hear it. If you’re having issues, talk to Sabella or whichever woman he’s with right now. They’ll have more sway over him than I will.” Pulling free, she made it only ten feet when Dieter appeared in front of her. She sighed.

  “Listen, I don’t have time for this. I’m already running late because some idiot on the L decided mugging a sweet little old woman in my car was a great idea.”

  “I’m assuming you disabused him of the notion?” Rena nodded. Still willow thin, Dieter was nothing like what his name implied. Instead of being a huge German beefcake, the man was so skinny it bordered on obscene. While she’d been with Louis, she’d wanted to fix his mother’s assistant some of her Gram’s chicken and dumplings to fatten him up, but at the moment all she wanted to do was shove him out of her way when he opened his mouth. If she’d expected another plea, she was mistaken. The first thing the man did was inquire about the mugging victim. “Is she okay? Did you report the person to the police?”