Part 4 (1/2)
Lori wrapped her arms around her current lover and tugged her down next to her. She needed human contact. It wasn't fair and she had no idea what was going to become of them, but she needed skin on skin to make her feel alive.
Margaret easily complied, wrapping herself around Lori, stretching a leg across her body and kissing her temple. ”It's going to be okay.”
Lori didn't believe a word of it and she doubted Margaret did either, but she slowed her breathing and eventually fell asleep in her lover's arms.
Carlton sat in one of the plush, comfortable chairs in Jason's office. It was noon and Jason hadn't made an appearance yet. He was on his way, though. This, Carlton knew from a brief text that didn't indicate whether or not Jason was already informed about last night's antics or not.
In either case, Carlton was right where he needed to be. Waiting. Either he was going to be the informant or he was about to get an earful from Jason, filled with questions to which Carlton had no answers.
Sure enough, the door at the rear entrance opened and shut in just moments. Jason hustled around the corner into the office and paused when he saw Carlton lounging away in his s.p.a.ce.
”Hey.” He smiled as he dropped his briefcase on the end of the table and rounded to his chair. ”The traffic was crazy out there this morning. There was some kind of accident on the highway and-”
He stopped talking and lowered himself to his seat as he stared at Carlton. ”You weren't sitting in my office alone because you like the decor, were you?”
Carlton smiled, or tried to anyway. ”Nope.” Clearly Jason was privy to nothing yet, which meant Lori hadn't called him last night or this morning. Neither had Jude. Interesting.
Carlton sat up straighter, steepled his fingers in front of him and leaned on the desk. There was no easy way to start, so he jumped. ”Jude was here last night.”
”Jude?” Jason froze. ”Our Jude?”
”Do you know any other?”
”Holy s.h.i.+t. What did he say? How is he? Wait. Was Lori here?”
Carlton nodded. ”She was here all right. She enacted a s.h.i.+bari scene with Maggie. Or tried to anyway.”
”What do you mean?” Jason shook his head.
”When Jude came in, he more or less took over.” Carlton flattened his hands on the mahogany surface in front of him as though it would ground him in some way.
”Oh, that doesn't sound good.”
”It wasn't. Well, to anyone else standing around, it seemed rather normal I suppose, but nothing about Jude's presence was run of the mill.”
”When you say he 'took over'...”
”I mean he stepped onto the mat and directed the entire scene as though he were Dom to both women.”
”s.h.i.+t.”
”Exactly.”
”And you let him get away with that?”
Carlton rolled his eyes. ”I wasn't happy. Believe me. But Lori insisted. I think she was trying to save face. Half the club watched.”
”How did Lori take that?”
Carlton shook his head. ”That's the thing. It was weird. At first she rebuffed Jude, but then it was like she fell into a trance. She followed his demands just as she had years ago. Anyone who didn't know them would never believe the three of them didn't do this sort of thing every weekend.”
”How did Margaret react? I bet she was p.i.s.sed.”
Carlton swallowed. He gripped his thighs with both hands and then shook his head. ”Not really. She looked a little stunned and confused at first, but then Lori rea.s.sured her and she went along. A little too easily for a woman who doesn't do men.”
Carlton stood and began to pace. He ran his hands through his hair and then swiped them down his face. He was tired. He hadn't slept more than a few hours. His heart pounded from the visualization of what he'd witnessed. ”Jude has a way...”
Jason chuckled sardonically. ”Yes, he does. He's a powerful Dom.”
A s.h.i.+ver made Carlton shake. ”I'm kicking myself for not stopping him. Even though Lori gave me the evil eye.”
”Don't be too hard on yourself. When Jude is in a room, everyone takes heed.”
Carlton shook his head. ”Not me.”
”And yet?”
”Okay, me too. But I didn't like it. I didn't watch the entire scene. I was needed at the front door. Besides, Lori brushed me off, making it clear she wanted no interference from me.”
”G.o.d. Lori must be stomping angry. They didn't fight after?”
Carlton shook his head again. ”Nope. Jude disappeared the second the scene ended. Never saw him again.”
”I better go check on Lori.” Jason stood.
Carlton bit his tongue to keep from saying the next words, but they came out anyway. ”And Maggie. I'm sure it was the weirdest night of her life. Please...make sure she's okay.”
Jason nodded. ”Of course. You know I will. I think of her like my own daughter.” He paused. ”Remind me why you call her Maggie exactly?” He grinned at Carlton.
Carlton shrugged. ”Suits her. I like it.”
”Okay. Whatever.” Jason exited as quickly as he'd entered, leaving Carlton standing in the office alone. It was so quiet.
What he wanted to do was go check on the women himself, but that wouldn't be appropriate since Jason was closer to them and the club owner.
Instead he slumped back into the chair he'd occupied before Jason arrived and tried to gather his thoughts.
Chapter Four.
A rhythmic pounding noise shook Lori awake. She opened her eyes with a start and then squinted at the brightness of the room. What time was it?
The pounding happened again.
Lori rolled over and glanced at the clock. Twelve thirty. Lord. She never slept that late.
More pounding. Someone was at the door. Where was Margaret?