41. June 22nd

JUNE 22ND

Sylvan

Neither TBnor Flame had left the house for two days. Other than to get her something to eat and drink or for one of them to go to the bathroom, TB hadn't left her side, let alone went downstairs. And every time she tried to slip out of bed to work on her book, he'd slide his arms around her, preventing her escape effort, reeling her back into bed, his arms, and loving her thoroughly.

But all good things must come to an end. Waters had finally texted and told him to get his lazy ass out of her bed and get themselves to The Library.

No rest for the wicked.

Tonight was all for TB. Emerald-green silk blouse that was unbuttoned past her cleavage and tucked into skin-tight black pants. A black, lace-covered waist cincher helped to push up the cleavage peeking from the plackets of her blouse. Velvet ankle boots gave her an extra five inches of height. Her hair was in a single, long, thick braid. And the wolf collar was winking in the dance floor lighting all the way here to the bar.

Currently, they stood at the bar. He was tapping at the charm around her throat, and she knew that his locked-in gaze on it was causing him to think about the implications of the collar as well as what had happened the past couple of days. She knew now, beyond the shadow of a doubt. A commitment in words wasn't important to her. She knew he was hers, even if it was never said between them. Even if they were to never see each other again, he was hers, and she was his. No piece of jewelry or conversation was ever going to make it truer than what they knew in their own heads.

She caught his playing finger with her hands. "You're going to hypnotize yourself if you keep that up," she teased.

Grinning, he tipped down and kissed her brow between her eyes. "Too late. The woman wearing it already has me in her power."

Sylvan blushed. TB was starting to have a new meaning—Totally Blindsided.

"I'm going to go use the ladies' room."

"I'll walk you over."

"TB. It's twenty feet away. You can see me the entire way there and back with no obstruction. I think it's safe."

He hesitated. She could actually see him working out the odds in his head, weighing his options, looking for holes in the plan. Reluctantly, he let go of her arm.

"There and back. Quick-like. I don't like it when you're gone from my side."

She gave his cheek a soft stroke with her hand, smiling at his open face. "I don't like it either," she admitted. She went on tiptoe to brush a kiss along his cheek that he had wisely leaned down to her for. "Back in a flash."

Sylvan lookedup into the vanity mirror, wondering how things had gotten this far so fast. She was in way over her head.

And you love it.

The door opened behind her, and Tabitha walked in.

"Hello, Sylvan." She came up to the vanity and stood next to her. Leaning over the countertop, she licked the tip of her pinkie finger, then used it to smooth along her immaculately shaped eyebrow. "I see that tall, dark, and grumpy brought you back again tonight." She began to pat down her hair, looking for imaginary wisps that were out of her sleek twist hairdo.

"Yes. I've been meeting a lot of interesting people."

Tabitha checked for lipstick on her teeth. "Gaining characters for your book?"

"I've certainly gotten to see a lot of different types of relationships and characteristics. Those are certainly insightful for character building."

Tabitha stood upright and faced Sylvan. "Yes, I have noticed that since your first night here, you've both been talking to people, not playing."

Sylvan blushed. "I love the scene. The energy is fantastic, and so are the people. But I guess I'm more private when it comes to the physical activity part."

"So you've been playing at home?"

Sylvan noticed that the question didn't come with a smile or a teasing tone. Instead, it was more pointed. Maybe even a bit angry.

"A little."

"Don't you think it's rather dangerous to let him into your home? I mean, you barely know him."

Okay, that's definitely angry.

"Tabitha, I thought you trusted him. You connected us, after all."

"Yes, well, I didn't expect him to engage with you physically. It was just meant to be interviews. I honestly didn't think he would find you to be his type." She turned and faced the mirror again, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles in her dress. "You were supposed to be my insurance policy. By showing him your ridiculous innocence, it was supposed to remind him of what he really needs in a woman. But apparently, the novelty of your inexperience was an attraction to him. It probably wouldn't have lasted long, though, if it had the opportunity."

Tabitha smiled at her in the mirror. It was not the friendly smile Sylvan was used to. It projected superiority and a fountain of information that the recipient knew nothing about.

"Are you…? Were you a couple?" Sylvan asked, confusion clear on her face.

"Before I opened The Library, we played together. He was the one man I could truly be submissive to. With everyone else and everywhere else, I was a Domme through and through. He's the only man I would submit to. Ever.

"When I took over The Library, he refused to scene with me. Said it made him uncomfortable to be in bed, so to speak, with the owner. I decided to bide my time. He'd come around, eventually. Unfortunately, his interest in the club as a whole seemed to fade. I knew I had to do something to regain his attention.

"That's when you fell so conveniently into my hands. I thought the plan was foolproof. You needed to talk to someone about BDSM, and you knew absolutely nothing. I threw you together to show him exactly what he would be missing out on if he walked away from the club, and then I planned to work my way back into his life.

"Turns out it wasn't the club. It was you. The fool went and fell in love with a vanilla innocent who wouldn't know a paddle from a flogger. Now, he wants a happy little family life with his bondage kink thrown in.

"You're in love with TB? I mean, Lobo?"

"TB?" Tabitha scowled. "Is that his real name?"

"It's a nickname."

"Then this is worse than I had imagined if he's sharing personal information." That comment seemed to be aimed more at herself than Sylvan. Like someone flipped a light switch, her face changed to an overly bright, plastic smile. "No matter. Luckily, I've made other arrangements for you. Fate intervened yet again, this time to resolve my problem with you. It was nice meeting you, Sylvan. You had a gift with your storytelling. Too bad this ending won't be a happy ever after." She took several steps toward the door, then looked over her shoulder at Sylvan's frozen form. "Well, not for you."

As Tabitha passed through the doorway into the club, Medusa came into the lounge, a frown on her face. She looked at Sylvan with concern. "Were you alone here with her?"

"I think so," Sylvan replied. "There was no one in here when I first came in, and I didn't hear or see anyone come in here afterward. Should I ask why you want to know?"

Medusa came up close to Sylvan and spoke in a hushed voice. "Don't be alone with her again. She's mixed up somehow with these missing girls. I don't think she was at the start, but something's changed. We found communications between her and a supplier we've been monitoring."

"Gendry," Sylvan whispered, sinking onto one of the padded stools in front of the vanity.

"You know him?"

Sylvan nodded.

"How?"

"It's a long story. Let's just say I thought I'd escaped him six years ago. It looks like he found me again. Someone's been stalking me online, on the phone, at my house. I thought maybe it was him. We confirmed it two days ago."

"You and Lobo?" Medusa asked.

"Yes."

Medusa swore under her breath. "I knew it. You're the target."

Sylvan tried to calm her erratic heartbeat and panicked breathing. This was no time to lose her head and be the too-stupid-to-live girl. Gendry was here. TB was here but across the club. She needed to get to him fast because whatever Tabitha had been referring to sounded like it was happening soon.

"Gendry must have found me. He tracked me to Tabitha and the club. She's got an obsession with Lobo, and she's using him as a way to get rid of me. Claims Lobo is in love with me, and I'm stealing him from her or something. It sounded like she was planning on handing me over to Gendry."

Suddenly, the lights went out. From inside the lounge, they could hear the collective gasp and light screams from the patrons at the surprise, then the general hubbub of people as they stumbled around in the dark. Sylvan felt Medusa grab onto her arm.

"Listen to me very carefully," she whispered. "I want you to go into one of the stalls. Climb up on the toilet. Do not close or lock the door. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Sylvan whispered back.

"Do not make a sound, and no matter what you hear, do not come out of there until the lights come back on. Trust no one except me or Lobo. If anyone comes in and tries to take you out of here other than one of us, don't leave."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine. Go. Go now!"

Sylvan hurried into the restroom area, went to the second to last stall, and climbed gingerly onto the toilet seat. Luckily, the toilets had tanks on the back, and she was able to sit. If she had to stand in the high-heeled boots she was wearing, it wouldn't be long before her legs gave out or she slipped and fell.

She had no idea how much time had passed. It was probably less than a minute. Maybe two. But it felt like forever.

There was the sound of a door opening, but the noises from inside the club didn't get louder, which was weird.

Please let it be TB! He should have been here by now. He would have known something was wrong when the lights went out, and even if he didn't, he still would have come to make sure I was safe.

Because the lounge was carpeted, she couldn't hear any steps. She did make out some sounds that might have been material rubbing against other material. Pant legs from someone walking, maybe? Whoever it was did not call out, so it was clear they did not have good intentions.

There was a thud, then a grunt, and Sylvan heard grappling noises. It sounded like punches and kicks were being meted out. One set of noises was clearly uttered by a male. The other was higher pitched and likely female.

Gendry and Medusa?

Sylvan literally bit her lip to keep from crying out to the woman. She was attempting to protect Sylvan despite not knowing her, and she worried that Gendry would be too much for her.

A crash sounded, followed by shattering glass, and a guttural groan escaped whomever had been slammed up against what Sylvan figured were the counter and mirrors. Medusa was little, but she looked like she was wiry and strong. Hopefully, she'd gotten in a good shove to her attacker.

The fighting sounds stopped, and all she could hear was heavy breathing. Looking up over the top of the stall walls, she saw a light reflect off the ceiling. A cell phone flashlight, maybe?

"Bitch. You're going to get more than you bargained for."

Obviously, Medusa had not outwitted her attacker. Sylvan hoped the woman was only knocked out, but she'd recognized that voice hurling the threat at her would-be protector.

Gendry! He's found me.

The flashlight swept around the lounge area as if looking for something. Then she heard the sound of a call being made. The phone on the other end rang once before being picked up.

There was no greeting. "Get in here. We've got an extra prize to take with us." Then he disconnected the call.

Hard-soled shoes began to click on the marble flooring leading to the bathroom stalls, and she held her breath. She was going to get taken. It was inevitable now, so what should she do to help TB find her faster? Because he would come for her. Of that, she was certain. She didn't know why he wasn't here now, but once he realized she was gone, he would burn down the world to find her.

The shoes stopped at the first stall. She heard Gendry push open the stall door to reveal it as completely empty.

The outer door of the lounge opened, and she could hear the noise and see another sweeping light.

"Take the bitch on the floor. I'll handle Jolie."

Silent tears filled her eyes, and she felt her limbs begin to tremble. She wanted so desperately to be brave. She wanted TB to be proud of her for how she handled this moment. She wanted to be the strong woman that he deserved, but in these seconds, she experienced a paralyzing fear.

She heard the door of stall two being pushed open.

Stall three.

This is it.

The door pushed open.

"Hello, Jolie. Long time no see."