Chapter 20

LYNDSEY

The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the expansive windows of Cerberus headquarters, casting long streaks of gold across the polished floors. Lyndsey sat in one of the common areas, her laptop open in front of her and a steaming cup of coffee within reach. Despite the calm that had settled over the city, her mind buzzed with the weight of unfinished work. Lang was in custody, his criminal empire dismantled, but the fallout of his actions still loomed large. Some of her research, warped and weaponized, had slipped through their fingers and into the black market.

Her fingers paused over the keyboard as she stared at the complex algorithms on the screen. Her nanobot technology, once envisioned as a beacon of hope, had become a double-edged sword. She was now working on a way to create countermeasures—an antidote to the damage already done.

“You’re going to give yourself a headache if you keep staring at that thing,” Jake’s voice came from behind her, warm and familiar.

Lyndsey turned, a soft smile curving her lips as she met his gaze. He leaned against the doorway, his broad frame outlined by the morning light. “Hello to you, too,” she said, her tone teasing.

Jake walked over, placing a hand on the back of her chair as he peered at the screen. “Still working on dismantling Lang’s mess?”

“Trying to,” she admitted, leaning back slightly. “It’s like trying to unring a bell, but I have to try. If I can create a failsafe to neutralize the nanobots, maybe we can mitigate some of the damage.”

Jake’s brow furrowed, his eyes locking onto hers. “You’ve already done more than anyone else could. Don’t forget that.”

“It doesn’t feel like enough,” she said softly. “Not when I know what’s out there.”

He crouched beside her chair, taking her hand in his. “Lyndsey, you’ve already taken down Lang and stopped his operation from spreading further. You’re fighting to make things right, and that’s more than anyone could ask for.”

Her chest tightened at the sincerity in his voice, and she nodded. “Thanks. I just… I need to fix this. For me. For the people who could be hurt by it.”

Jake’s thumb brushed over her knuckles, grounding her. “And you will. But don’t forget to take care of yourself in the process. You’re no good to anyone if you burn out.”

Lyndsey smiled faintly. “I’ll try. No promises.”

Jake grinned, his expression softening. “That’s my girl.”

They stayed like that for a couple of hours—Jake finishing some paperwork and Lyndsey trying to figure out how to undo what had been done before deciding out how she wanted to proceed. A quiet intimacy wrapped around them like a cocoon. Lyndsey was the first to break the silence, her tone lighter now. “I’ve been spending some time with Reyna and Samantha.”

Jake’s brow arched. “Should I be worried?”

She laughed, the sound easing some of the tension in her shoulders. “No, but it’s been… enlightening. Reyna’s sharp, but there’s a softness under all that steel. And Samantha… she’s so confident in who she is. It’s inspiring.”

Jake tilted his head, studying her. “You’ve been doing some thinking.”

“A lot of thinking,” she admitted. She hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around his. “Jake, I want to try something.”

His expression didn’t waver, though curiosity flickered in his eyes. “What is it?”

“A scene,” she said, her voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in her chest. “I want to do a Shibari session with you.”

Jake blinked, clearly caught off guard, but his surprise quickly gave way to a slow, warm smile. “You’ve been doing more than just thinking,” he said, his tone teasing but laced with approval.

Lyndsey felt her cheeks flush, but she held his gaze. “I’ve been curious. Watching Reyna and hearing Samantha talk about her experiences… it made me realize there’s a lot I don’t know. But I trust you, Jake. And I think it’s something I’d like to explore.”

His hand tightened around hers, his voice softening. “Lyndsey, Shibari is about more than the ropes. It’s about trust, connection, and surrender. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

She nodded, her green eyes steady despite the nervous flutter in her stomach. “I’m ready. I want to experience that connection with you.”

Jake’s expression shifted, the teasing edge fading as he studied her. “If we do this, we do it right. I’ll walk you through every step, and if you have even the slightest doubt or discomfort, you say the word. Understood?”

“Understood,” she said, her voice firm.

He stood, pulling her to her feet with him. “Then let’s get started.”

Lyndsey’s heart pounded as Jake led her toward the quiet, private space he often used for scenes. Anticipation thrummed through her veins, a mix of excitement and nerves. She didn’t know exactly what to expect, but she trusted Jake completely—and that made all the difference.

Lyndsey stood quietly, her trust in Jake evident as he picked up the silk ropes. This allowed him to enter his top or Dom space, finding peace in the familiar act of binding and suspending his submissive. Though she wasn't sure if she would reach subspace on their first try, she knew he was determined to make it happen.

"I want you to relax and trust me. Do you think you can trust me, Lyndsey?”

“I do trust you, Jake…”

“On the dungeon floor or when we’re playing, I’m Sir or Master.”

“I heard Reyna call Daniels Sir, and Samantha call King Master.”

“Reyna and Daniels like to pretend they have no connection, but neither of them scenes with anyone else. Samantha and King are a committed couple. We’re going to use the stoplight system. Green for everything is good; yellow means you need a break; and red means stop everything until you say different.”

“Got it,” she said nodding.

He focused on her body, seeming to admire how the rope looked against her skin and envisioning the marks it would leave behind for him to savor later—she wondered if he meant to trace each and every line with his fingers or tongue.

"This is the place where I serve you and our pleasure,” he explained as his hands moved, working the ropes. “Where you find peace in surrender, I find mine in dominance."

As he continued to wrap the silk around her, Jake whispered to her, telling her how beautiful she was and how proud he was for her to have chosen him to show her this world. For Jake, D/s was not just about discipline or bending a sub to his will, it was more about a safe place for him to make himself vulnerable to the right woman.

"I think I may dress you in my ropes when we’re alone," he told her as he finished off the last knot. "I left links in the cords so you can experience suspension. Would you like that?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Where are you, Lyndsey?”

“Green, Master, very, very green.”

Jake chuckled as he connected the final silk cord to a suspension harness he often used. He connected her to the harness, ensuring everything was secure so that she could float. Gently and easily, he used the cord to lift her off the ground until she was at chest level.

"Master,” she giggled. “This is amazing.”

She was facing upwards. She couldn’t easily see his face, but she could hear his voice.

"The cords may leave temporary impressions, but they will fade like a memory.”

His breath caught in his throat as he savored the moment, taking in the scent of her arousal and watching her slip into subspace. Jake ran his fingertips along her body, delighting in how her skin goose pimpled in their wake.

"Are you still green?" he whispered.

"Absolutely. I feel amazing,” she purred at him. "I like this, but being held by you is even better. Will you think less of me if I just want to be in your arms up in the lounge?"

"I could never think less of you," he practically purred as he lowered her back down and removed her restraints. He wrapped a warm blanket around her and carried her up to the lounge area with gentle care.

The fire in the hearth of the Cerberus lounge cast a golden glow over the room, the flickering light dancing across the dark leather furniture and warm, polished wood accents. Lyndsey curled into Jake’s chest, her body wrapped in a soft, plush blanket, her hair still slightly mussed from the Shibari session they’d just finished. There were plenty of people in the lounge, but at this time of night, most were engaged in some form of aftercare, the hum of conversation muted, leaving them in a cocoon of stillness.

Jake’s strong arms encircled her, his fingers idly tracing patterns on her shoulder. The stress and strain they had experienced since they met had begun to ebb, but the gravity of the challenges ahead lingered, a faint shadow over the tranquility of the moment.

“You okay?” Jake’s voice was low and soothing, a deep rumble that reverberated through his chest where her head rested.

Lyndsey nodded, her eyes half-closed as she basked in the warmth of his presence. “More than okay,” she murmured. “I feel... safe. Finally.”

“You are safe,” he said firmly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “Lang’s in custody. His network’s crumbling. You can breathe now.”

She tilted her head back to meet his gaze, her eyes soft but searching. “Maybe. But there’s still so much to do. The research that escaped... I have to find a way to neutralize it. And then there’s finishing the work itself, making sure it’s used for good.”

Jake’s expression softened, a mix of admiration and determination in his eyes. “I have no doubt you’ll be able to do that. And I’ll be right here, every step of the way. Whatever it takes.”

They sat in silence for a while, the crackle of the fire the only sound. Lyndsey felt her body relax further, a languid warmth spreading through her limbs. She didn’t even realize she’d spoken until the words were out, quiet and unbidden.

“I love you,” she said, almost to herself. The room seemed to still, her admission hanging in the air. Her eyes widened, and she stiffened in Jake’s arms, panic flooding her veins. “I—I didn’t mean to...”

“Don’t,” Jake interrupted, his voice soft but commanding. His hand cupped her cheek, his eyes locking onto hers. “If you try to take that back, I’ll introduce you to a whole other type of D/s known as discipline.” A nervous laugh bubbled out of her, but it was cut off by the intensity in his gaze. He leaned closer, his forehead resting against hers. “I love you, too, Lyndsey. More than I ever thought I could love anyone.”

Her breath hitched, tears spilling over as a wave of emotion crashed through her. She clung to him, her fingers curling into his shirt as he held her close, his presence steady and grounding.

“I didn’t think I’d ever have this,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jake’s lips brushed her forehead, his arms tightening around her. “You’re everything I never knew I needed, Lyndsey.”

The certainty in his voice soothed the last of her doubts, and she melted into his embrace, letting herself believe. As the fire crackled and the world outside faded away, Lyndsey closed her eyes, a small smile curving her lips. For the first time in what felt like forever, she was home.

DANIELS

The first thing Daniels noticed was the silence. It was unnatural, suffocating, as if the air in the alley behind the upscale BDSM club had been sucked out. The glow of the nearby streetlamp cast a faint light over the scene, enough for him to spot the body sprawled against the brick wall. His gut twisted.

“Christ,” he muttered under his breath, pulling a pair of gloves from his coat pocket. The squad car’s headlights illuminated the area, making the scene feel even more surreal. The Velvet Glove’s signature red neon sign flickered above, a macabre contrast to the lifeless woman lying in its shadow.

The Domme was young—mid-thirties, he guessed—with a cascade of black hair spilling over her shoulders. She wore a sleek leather corset and thigh-high boots, but it wasn’t her striking appearance that held Daniels’ attention. It was the message scrawled beside her, written in what was unmistakably her own blood: “Cerber…”

Daniels squatted beside the body, his trained eyes scanning for details. Her fingers were stained red, her nails jagged and broken as if she’d clawed the pavement in her final moments. A knife wound slashed diagonally across her abdomen, brutal but not precise. She’d bled out slowly.

“She was trying to send a message,” he murmured. His voice was steady, but anger simmered beneath the surface. This wasn’t just a murder—it was a statement.

Detective Harris, a local cop with more years in the field than most, stood a few feet away, his face pale under the harsh glare of the squad lights. “The club manager called it in. Said she was a member. No ID on her, but the staff recognized her. Said she goes by ‘Mistress Veda.’”

Daniels’ jaw tightened. He’d heard the name before. Veda wasn’t a member of Club Southside but was known in the larger Chicago BDSM scene. She’d had a reputation for playing hard and living harder. She was the kind of person who attracted both admiration and enemies. Clearly, one of the latter had caught up with her.

“Anything else?” Daniels asked, his voice clipped.

Harris hesitated. “Just this.” He held up a sealed evidence bag containing a black leather collar. It was pristine and untouched by blood, as if it had been placed deliberately beside her.

Daniels’ stomach sank. The collar wasn’t hers—Veda didn’t wear one. She was a Domme, not a submissive. Whoever had left it was sending a message, one he intended to decipher.

“Get this to the lab,” Daniels said, rising to his full height. “Prints, DNA, whatever they can find.”

Harris nodded, but his face was etched with worry. “You think this has something to do with Cerberus?”

Daniels didn’t answer immediately. His mind was racing, piecing together fragments of what little he knew. Cerber had to be unfinished for Cerberus. Cerberus wasn’t just a name—it was a private security organization with ties to the BDSM world. And it was also the name of Reyna Marx’s team. The connection wasn’t just chilling; it was personal.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Daniels said finally. “Whoever did this wanted to send a message. Cerberus is the target, or they want us to think it is.”

Harris rubbed the back of his neck. “You gonna call in your people?”

Daniels nodded grimly. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

Harris grinned. “The Chief and the mayor will be glad to hand this over to the Bureau.”

Reyna was waiting when Daniels arrived. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her expression a mix of concern and barely concealed anger. She was dressed in her standard black tactical gear, her hair pulled back into a tight braid. She looked every bit the capable operative he knew her to be, but Daniels couldn’t ignore the flicker of vulnerability in her eyes when she spoke.

“What the hell happened?” she asked, stepping closer.

Daniels handed her the evidence bag containing the collar. “Mistress Veda. Found dead behind The Velvet Glove. Knife wound. She wrote ‘Cerber’ in her own blood before she died.”

Reyna’s eyes widened as she stared at the bag. “Someone’s trying to frame us.”

“Or draw you out,” Daniels countered. “Either way, this isn’t random. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing.”

Reyna’s jaw tightened, and she began pacing, her boots clicking against the polished floor. “Veda wasn’t one of us. She wasn’t even a regular at Southside. Why would someone target her to get to us?”

Daniels crossed his arms, his gaze following her movements. “Maybe she knew something she wasn’t supposed to. Or maybe she was leverage. Either way, we need to figure it out before this gets any worse.”

Reyna stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing. “You think Lang could be behind this?”

Daniels considered the possibility. Lang, a criminal mastermind they’d only recently arrested, had plenty of associates still operating in the shadows. “It’s possible. But this feels... personal. Lang’s people wouldn’t leave a trail this obvious.”

Reyna’s gaze locked on his. “So what’s the plan?”

Daniels stepped closer, his voice low but firm. “We start with Veda’s connections. Someone knew she had guest privileges at Southside. That’s not public knowledge. We dig into her life, her play partners, anyone she might have crossed paths with.”

Reyna nodded, her expression hardening. “I’ll call the team. We’ll run background checks and surveillance on everyone she’s associated with.”

“And Reyna…” Daniels said, his voice softening just slightly.

She turned to him, her eyes questioning.

“Be careful. Whoever did this isn’t afraid to get messy. I don’t want you walking into something we can’t get you out of.”

A faint smirk tugged at her lips, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “You worried about me, Daniels?”

“Always,” he said, the honesty in his voice surprising even himself.

The energy between them crackled, unspoken words hanging in the air. But the moment passed as quickly as it came, replaced by the grim reality of the task ahead.

“Well, don’t be. I don’t know that the FBI needs to get involved in this. Cerberus can handle it,” Reyna said.

Daniels nodded, but the knot in his stomach remained. Whoever had killed Veda wasn’t done yet. And the deeper they dug, the more certain he became that this case would test every limit they had—physical, emotional, and professional.