Legal Heat

Chapter Twenty-Four


Katy opened her eyes. White surrounded her. Again.

Hospital? No. Wrong scent. She breathed in deeply. Chinese food? She tried to rub her eyes but her hands didn’t move. Fire seared through her shoulder. She looked up.

Her arms were chained above her head.

Fear roared through her like a runaway train and sent her heart into overdrive. She tried to free her hands and the chains rattled loudly with each tug and jerk of her arms. Pain screamed through her injured shoulder.

“You’re awake.” Steven leaned against the doorframe, holding a take-out carton and a pair of chopsticks, his eyes glittering under the naked bulb overhead.

Katy tilted her head back, taking in the giant eye bolt in the ceiling, the cuffs on her wrists and the chain attaching them. Her toes barely touched the lino floor. Bare toes. Like the rest of her. Completely. Naked.

“What the f*ck is this? Let me down, Steven. Have you gone absolutely crazy?” She took a deep breath and screamed as loudly as she could, letting out her anger, fear, rage, and…hope.

“No one will hear you, Kate. This building is vacant. It’s being torn down next week. I got a good deal on a two-day rental.” He took a bite of his chow mien and stared at her while he chewed.

Sheer terror took her breath away. “What do you want?”

“You.” He put down his carton and ran a finger along her jaw and down her neck, stopping at the cleft in her breasts. It was the single most intimate gesture he had ever made since she’d known him.

“But why this?” She struggled to keep calm, focused. Distract him while she figured a way out.

“This is what you want. I know about the fetish club and what you do there. I found the flyer. After I paid them a visit, your new slutty clothing made sense.” He paused and then gave her a cold smile. “I can give that to you. In fact, it’s what I like best. I never thought I would get to share my kink with you. I thought you were too virtuous. Too conservative. Good for my image, not for my bed.”

He cupped her breast gently in his palm, rubbing his thumb over her nipple.

Horror flooded through her. “What are you talking about?”

“I like pain, Kate. Sadistic Personality Disorder, I believe it’s called. But don’t worry; it’s not a bona fide mental disorder. There are lots of us out there. Unfortunately, it still isn’t acceptable in polite society and especially not with my sweet, lovely wife. So I had to find…alternative sources of enjoyment. Women who shared my kink. Unfortunately none of them shared my intensity and they always ran away. I couldn’t go to the club like you. I have a reputation to protect.”

She tried to speak, but her throat froze and she could only manage a croak.

“Imagine my delight when I discovered we shared a common interest. No wonder we were so attracted to each other in the beginning. Subconsciously, we knew we could fulfill each other’s deepest, most hidden needs.”

“No.” Bile rose in her throat and she fought to keep it down.

“The children are at Doug’s for the weekend. I told him we were taking a break to reconcile. We can indulge ourselves here for two whole days. I’ve even brought my medical kit. I can patch you up when we’re done, and then we’ll go home. One big, happy family again. I’ve drawn up plans to set up our own special room in the basement. Sound-proofed. We wouldn’t want the children to hear you scream.”

Her body turned to ice. Blackness rushed in at her and her lungs tightened, making it impossible to breathe.

She heard the crack of his palm on her cheek before she felt the pain from his slap. “No panic attacks, please. You’ll ruin everything I have planned. I’ve even taken time off work for this.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head back. “Look at me and breathe.”

She gasped as air rushed into her lungs followed by a rush of adrenaline that made her heart thunder.

“Good.” He rummaged in a bag on the floor, finally pulling out a long, black leather whip.

“Steven, please.” Her voice shook as the full horror of the situation finally hit home.

He smiled and cracked the whip. Her body tensed and her toes touched the cold lino floor. He didn’t tie my feet. She stretched her body further and gained a secure hold on the ground. How could she use the leverage?

Steven turned to look at her and she carefully lifted her feet, not wanting him to know she could touch the floor fully.

“I thought we could start with this.” The violent hiss of the whip sent a chill down her spine. “I should really warm you up with a flogger so you can take more and mark less, but I can’t wait. I bought this single-tail especially for you.”

Katy swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I don’t want this, Steven. Why don’t we go home? I’ll make dinner and we can watch a movie like we used to do.”

“What we used to do sucked the life out of both of us,” he sneered. “But now we can bring the excitement back into our marriage.”

The Crazy Frog ring tone broke the silence. Her heart leaped in her chest. Then she remembered. Melissa had changed her ring tone. It was Steven’s phone.

“Dammit. I’m not on call. Why won’t they leave me alone? I want this time to be special.” He walked behind her and stroked her back. “You’re lucky I’m a doctor. I know what areas to avoid.” He patted along her sides and lower back. “The kidneys for example, are a definite no-no.”

The Crazy Frog ringtone played again.

Steven sighed. “I have to answer or they’ll just keep calling and I’ll worry it is something important. I don’t want any distractions. I need to be focused or I might cause you irreparable harm.” He gave her a wink. “I’ll only be a minute. Don’t run away.”

He stomped over to the bag and grabbed the phone.

“No screaming, please,” he said, looking back over his shoulder as he left the room. “I have a bull whip in the bag and I won’t hesitate to use it for disciplinary purposes.”

Katy waited until she heard his hello and then she screamed. Nothing to lose.

Steven poked his head around the corner and gave her a cold smile. He stared pointedly at the bag and then stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Violent shudders wracked her body. She breathed slow and deep and tested the restraints. No give. She tightened her stomach and tried to pull up her legs. Her muscles protested fiercely and her legs dropped. Again. She pushed off the ground and pulled up her knees. It might be enough. But if it wasn’t, she would have hell to pay.

Steven returned with a crooked smile on his face. “They don’t think they can manage without me, but I told them I have something important to do this weekend that takes priority over work. You, Kate. Do you see how important you are to me?” He stroked her face with a long, elegant finger. A surgeon’s finger.

Katy shuddered and drew back.

Steven frowned. “Is that what you do when he touches you? Richards? I don’t think so. I think the only reason you’re with him is because you didn’t know I can give you what you need. Me. Your husband. But now you know and you won’t be seeing him again. Ever.”

“You don’t understand. I don’t want this. I don’t…consent.”

Steven laughed. “I don’t need explicit consent from my wife.” He stroked the whip. “But we’ve delayed too long and I’m dying to have some fun.”

“Kiss me.” She forced the words out through gritted teeth.

His eyes widened. “What?”

“Kiss me before you start. Aren’t we rediscovering our relationship? What is the pain without the pleasure?”

His eyes softened. “Of course. You’re right. But that is the last time you will be allowed to speak without my permission. Hereafter, any breach of that rule will be met with swift and severe punishment.”

He sighed and walked toward her. “You were so beautiful at eighteen. Young, innocent, desperate to please and so trusting. You looked at me like I was a god. We can have that again. I promise.”

“Close your eyes. Pretend I’m eighteen again,” she whispered.

“Ah ah. I see our first punishment coming up. Looks like we’ll get to use the bullwhip early. But first…” He closed his eyes and leaned toward her, lips puckered in a tight kiss.

In one swift movement, Katy pulled herself up on the chain and pushed off the floor. Her knees shot up and she smashed her feet as hard as she could into Steven’s groin.

With a strangled cry he staggered backward, his hands between his thighs, his face a mask of rage and pain. “Oh, Kate. You’re going to be sorry. So very, very sorry.”

Blood hammered in her ears. She opened her mouth and screamed.

The door burst open.

Mark. James behind him. And Police. Lots of them.

James grabbed Steven mid-stagger and threw him to the ground.

Mark raced to her side. “Easy, sugar,” he murmured. He reached up and unclipped the cuffs, catching her when she tumbled, trembling, to the ground.

She buried her head in his chest and sobbed, oblivious to everything but his warm arms, his deep, rich voice, and the scent of soap and sandalwood.





“Keegan.”

“Hunter.”

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a fancy dinner planned at the Harbor Centre tonight?”

“I had a craving for Chinese food. Nowhere better than here in Mount Pleasant.”

James laughed. “What a coincidence. There might be a story here for you.”

Keegan pulled out a small plastic tube of toothpicks. “It’s a busy night for stories. I’ve just been over at Hi-Tech’s office. Apparently shots were fired, a security guard was injured and the police took the CEO and a lawyer away in handcuffs. Thought I saw your car there. Gray Crown Victoria. So distinctive.”

“No comment.”

Keegan put a toothpick in his mouth and chewed it with vigor.

“No cigarettes?”

“Decided to quit. Filthy habit. I went to a lecture the other day. I discovered nicotine is a drug. Addictive. Like, say, coke or heroin. Amazing how those drugs are smuggled into the country. Do you want to hear a story about drug smuggling?”

James raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to hear the epilogue to your story about the big bad pharmaceutical company?

Keegan tossed his toothpick on the ground. “Same time. Same place?”

James spotted Lana across the street, giving her statement to a policeman. “Let’s try something different. How about science instead of art?”

“Science World it is.” Keegan pulled out another toothpick. “I hear they have a good cafeteria. Maybe I’ll buy you lunch. It’s not the Harbor Centre, but we’ll get there one day.”

“See you around, old friend.” James gave him a wave and crossed the street toward Lana.

“Red is a good color on you,” Keegan called out.

James spun around. “Keegan?”

Keegan raised an eyebrow.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime you’ve got an itch.”



Lana watched the police haul the ex out of the apartment and into a waiting police van. Mark had already whisked Katy away to his vehicle as if she weighed nothing. Maybe this time they would have their happily ever after.

I wish I weighed nothing. She took a quick glance behind her and caught sight of a familiar, rugged face.

“You checking out your own ass?” James rasped.

Darn. Caught in the act. She wasn’t sure whether to smile or pout so she did a bit of both. “I wanted to make sure it was still there after I had to run two blocks looking for a damn phone.”

James walked a slow circle around her. “Pretty fine.”

Lana put her hands on her hips. “You checking out my ass?”

“You giving me an invitation?” His blue eyes captured hers and she drank him in.

“Hell, yes,” she whispered.