“If we stay within the law, not much without getting the cops involved,” Vince said for me. “Kade can tell you more, but the classic step of getting a restraining order requires that you go before a judge and file a grievance, and that requires evidence. If all you can present is this audio recording, the judge is going to want to know what sort of blackmail we’re talking. He could seal whatever it is this Sydney has over you, but the guy would still probably release it before that could happen, contempt of court be damned. Same if you go to press charges, you’d need to present some sort of evidence to the cops and swear out a statement.”
“What about if you stay somewhat close but on the other side of the law?” Alix asked. “I don’t mean Italian men who walk with accents and make offers he can’t refuse types, but still not exactly letter of the law.”
I chuckled. “There’s a lot of ways,” I said. “Most would require a lot of work, but more importantly, they could be backtracked to us here. But if we wanted, we could go after him with debts, I’m sure he has some, foreclosure if we just buy that apartment complex or the note to his car, stuff like that. Credit’s a hell of a thing to play with. The next level would involve cyber harassment, get in contact with some hacktivists and turn them loose on him. He won’t be able to pay for a damn thing with anything but cash at that point, and his entire life would be open to the Net. They could even take over his computer and track everything he does.”
Alix blinked. “Damn, I thought attorneys were supposed to uphold the law.”
“I do,” I said with a smile, “but sometimes, well, the law isn’t always the best answer in the short term.”
“I see. It seems I have much to learn then.”
I could see Vince nod, and I had to suppress a chuckle. If my paralegal only knew the levels of meaning to Alix’s words.
Chapter 13
Alix
After Vince left, I sat back on the sofa, looking across the room at Kade. “How’d I do?”
“Perfect, as if you could be anything less,” he said. “So what did you think of the plan?”
“Counter blackmail or we bring the hacktivists in? I hope it works,” I said. “I’m worried about one thing, though.”
“What’s that?”
I shrugged, feeling shy again. It seemed with Vince gone, I felt myself reverting to the insecure shyness that I often felt around Kade. “Well, what if I’m not the only one Syd is doing this to? He admitted that he’s seduced lots of women, what if he’s milking others the same way?”
Alix smiled and stood up. “Come with me,” he said, holding out his hand.
“Where are we going?” I asked, taking his hand and standing up. “Is something wrong?”
He shook his head and leaned in, kissing me on the cheek. “No. You’ve been amazing. You made that connection faster than a lot of people would have.”
“So where are we going?” I asked, smiling. “Dinner?”
Kade chuckled and shook his head. “Maybe later. But for now, no words unless I ask you something, understand?”
“Yes, Kade,” I said. Just saying those words sent a small thrill through my body, and I realized what Rita was talking about in terms of how being a sub meant being strong. It wasn’t strength over Kade, although I could say Tudor Rose and end it at any time. Instead, it was control and strength over myself. In that regard, I thought as we stepped out of the living room and down the hall, both of us were similar.
At first I thought Kade was taking me to that mysterious room, but instead he led me past the door and into his bedroom. “Stand perfectly still,” he ordered me. “I’m going to put a blindfold on you, but you won’t be restrained or hurt in any way. But you aren’t to move at all unless I direct you to.”
I nodded, swallowing as Kade walked over to his dresser and took a long black cloth from the top drawer, letting it dangle from his fingers. “Alix, once I tie this, our relationship is going to be forever different. If you want to back out, this is the time.”
I shook my head and swallowed, looking into Kade’s dark eyes, almost as dark as the silk in his hands. He hadn’t asked me a question, so I instead closed my eyes and raised my chin, keeping my hands by my sides. In the red-tinged darkness of my closed eyes, I could hear my breathing as well as Kade’s responding hum of approval. “You’re very strong, but also very proud, even underneath that shyness you say you have.”
True darkness descended over my vision as Kade tied the cloth around my eyes, making sure to tuck the fabric behind my ears, leaving me fully able to hear. The knot was tight but not painfully so—that wasn’t its purpose. “Answer me, Alix. Can you see anything?”
“No, Kade.”
“You are using my name. Why?”
“I don’t know what I should call you. Using your name has meaning to me. What should I be calling you?”
Kade’s fingers traced over the back of my neck, trailing from my skin to the fabric of the light sleeveless blouse I was wearing. Goosebumps broke out on my skin, delicious chills rippling through me as his fingers left the blouse to travel down my arms. “When the time is right, we’ll discuss it. Alix, are you sure you’re ready for this? You do realize that we’re going to have sex right here, don’t you?”
“Yes, Kade.”
His lips came close to my ear, his breath tickling against the skin. I was feeling hypersensitive to his presence, like my skin itself was a form of vision, feeling him behind me, the smile on his face and the glint in his eye clear to me as his warm breath caressed my skin.