Chapter Five
Kait
THE PREVIOUS night with Aurelian had left Kait a mess. She had never anticipated her efforts at training would bring her such levels of sexual pleasure; just thinking about her orgasms while over Aurelian’s lap made her toes curl.What that man does to me!She gave a delicious little shudder. Then on top of it was his kindness and consideration. Even though her submission certainly brought her to—and sometimes past—the edge of fear, at no point did she feel unsafe. Kait felt, instinctively, he was a good man.
Was she using him? That was why she absolutely had to leave after training the night before; if she had stayed and had a drink and they had chatted, she would have faced a choice: lie to him about why she wanted to be trained or tell him the truth and risk everything.
She took a sip of water and ran a hand through her hair. What a mess. Kait had felt so confused after her second, longer spanking, as if her body was betraying her.Have I been wrong about myself my whole life?
Kait had an image of herself as a strong, capable woman—fierce, even, in pursuit of her goals. In her past relationships, it had been give and take, a carefully judged balance of power. But, last night, she had writhed helplessly over a man’s lap, moaning as he spanked and fingered her.Nothing balanced about that. I was helpless, and I…I enjoyed it.Kait shook her head.And I know I want him to do it to me again.Can a woman be both strong and submissive? Can she go out and break tough stories and butt heads with editors and then go home to curl up at her master’s feet?A week ago, Kait would have said, “Hell, no!” Now, she wasn’t so sure.
Apparently she didn’t know herself as well as she had thought. But what about her treatment of Aurelian? Did the greater good of finding Talia’s killer justify her deception?
She knew what she had to do; what she always did whenever she didn’t know what to do next.
Time to call Carenna.
Kait and Carenna had met in their journalism program back on Earth and had become fast friends in what was still a largely male-dominated field. They had shared many adventures, both professional and otherwise, and Kait knew if anyone could help her get some perspective, it would be her dear friend.
Kait opened the time differential app on her phone and saw it would be two in the morning in Melbourne, where Carenna was living.Sorry, hon,thought Kait, and dialled her number.
After a few rings, she heard Carenna’s bleary, “Hello? Kait, are you okay, hon?”
Just hearing her voice made Kait feel better. “Hi, Ren,” she said. “Yes, I’m okay. I’m sorry to be calling you so late, but I really, really need some advice.”
“No problem, sweetie. Just a sec.” Kait heard a murmured conversation.
“Carenna Jones, you’re not alone, are you?” Kait giggled.
“Shh-shh,” whispered Carenna, also giggling. “He’s a grumpy bear when he doesn’t get his sleep. I’m going into the living room.” There was a pause, and then Carenna said, “Okay, my love. I’m here on the sofa, and I’m all ears. Tell me all.”
“First, tell me who this grumpy bear is you’re sharing a bed with!” laughed Kait.
“Uh-uh-uh, all things in good time,” said Carenna. “You’re the one who called. You dish first. I mean, I don’t even know where you are!”
Kait took a breath. “I’m on Tarma.”
“Tarma? What in the heavens are you doing there?” Then the penny appeared to drop for Carenna, who as a dear friend, knew of Kait’s family tragedy. “Oh, Kait. You’re not.”
“Yes. I have to find out. But I’m sort of stuck in a situation, and I don’t know where to go from here.”
Carenna’s voice was soothing. “Well then, hon, you’d better tell me how you got to where you are.”
“Okay,” Kate began. “Well, you know I couldn’t just let things go with Talia’s…with Talia’s death. The local investigation was going nowhere, and I got the sense it was being told not to go anywhere. So, I came to Tarma to see for myself.”
“Okay.”
“Then I got here, and, Ren, you wouldn’t believe the influence the Pleasure House has on…on everything! Their licensed pleasure consorts travel to the biggest centres of power and influence in the entire sector. I, too, suspect the wealth the House generates is truly extraordinary. And their business is private to a level beyond paranoid. Just absolutely locked down.”
“Sounds dangerous.” Carenna’s voice held concern.
“Sounds like exactly the kind of people who could cover up the murder of an innocent girl and get away with it,” replied Kait fiercely. Carenna, wisely, did not respond. “So anyway, I had to find an in,” continued Kait. “That meant finding someone who could give me leverage. What are people stupid about? Sex and money. So, after a little digging in the dirt, I found my leverage. I had my in. And I used that leverage to get a management-level member of the Pleasure House to train me for the Rites of Admission so I could become a novice and trace Talia’s steps.”
“Youwhat?” exploded Carenna, before quickly lowering her voice once again. “Kait Pyne, have you lost your damned mind?”
Kait winced. “I know, I know. We’ll come back to that in a minute. Let me finish.”
“Damnrightwe’ll come back to that in a minute. But fine, go on.”
