Page 10 (1/2)

"Not bad Jenny’s pregnant again One est sister wanted a big faive her a call How about you? Getting married yet?"

"Hell no Not till they let me have at least tives" A pause "You still into the bind-e froot no room for snide remarks"

"Least I don’t have to tie the insult fest "You gonna make it home this summer?"

"Probably not until fall Why?"

"Dad wanted you to--hell, speak of the devil He’s on the other line Talk to you later" Adarinned and shoved the phone back in his pocket Always good to hear fro his perverse lifestyle, distance wasn’t a bad thing He’d taken Felicia with him for a visit once His h she’d behaved appropriately, she was sub women were all hell on wheels

What would they think of Beth with her h beat-up, scarred as all get-out, and terrified, she’d not only had the guts to escape but e city all by herself They’d respect that

Hell, he respected that

That night, Kyler strolled up to the big stone ht, ad the fancy ironwork and the black sconces set on each side of the open door He stepped inside

"Good evening, sir" Behind a desk in the entry, the young uard uniforiving him a friendly nod

"May I have your name, please?"

"I’ "An acquaintance ht?"

"On Saturday nights, yes Tonight is swing night"

Wrong night Hell "Any chance of seeing the place…uard shook his head "Sorry, sir, but only members are allowed inside"

"What does it take to be a member?"

"There’s an open house twice a year for people wanting to join Otherwise a current member must recommend you If you have uard handed over a black card with Shadowlands inscribed in a raised gold font

Kyler’s jaw flexed An exclusive club for the well-to-do Surely she wouldn’t be a n of her in the open Tampa clubs "Can you tell me if my friend coreen eyes" Vulnerable eyes that filled with tears so easily A husky voice whose screauard started to nod, then visibly caught himself "I’m sorry, but our clients value their privacy I cannot confirm that one way or another"

"I understand completely" Kyler kept his expression cal inside hiot you "Well, I’m sure I’ll catch up with her sooner or later Thanks for your tiht"

Kyler walked out into the night, his stride loose and even, his posture straight as he’d been taught And all the way to his rental car, the delightful screams of his wife echoed in his head

On Saturday, Beth greeted Ben, laughing at his jokes despite her anxiety As she entered the Shadowlands, she spotted Jessica and waved, h the croard her The scent of perfunes, leather, sweat, and sex filled the air She dodged a Do her slave and walked around a couple entranced by hot wax play at a station A flash of blue flickered against the rafters; so with a violet wand at the far end

She pushed past twoJessica The little blonde earing a hot pink careat," Beth said with a sigh When God was handing out breasts, Jessica must have been at the front of the line And Beth would have brought up the tail end

"Forget that How are you doing?" Jessica asked, grasping Beth’s hands "Are you all right? What happened with Nolan?"

Beth sed the other wo her for advice "I was going to ask you the sa What did he do to you?"