Hard to Serve: A Hard Ink Novella (16 page)

“Congratulations, Detective Vance,” Burkett said, rising. He offered his hand, and they shook.

“Thank you, Captain.” Kyler gave Foster a nod and then looked at Commissioner Breslin. Kyler had seen him around headquarters, of course, but this meeting was the first time since the uncomfortable conversation at that restaurant that they’d spoken.

Breslin rose and offered his hand. “I’m glad it worked out, Detective.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“You’re dismissed,” Breslin said.

Burkett clapped Kyler on the back as they turned from the table. They were almost out the door when Breslin spoke again.

“Detective, one more thing?”

Kyler retraced his steps into the big office. “Sir?”

“Detective Foster, would you give us the room, please?”

The IA investigator blinked up. “Oh, of course.” He slipped out of the office, and Burkett left, too. The door closed behind them.

Here it came. The warning away from his daughter. Kyler had been expecting it for weeks, so he wasn’t surprised it was coming. Though delivering it on the heels of his good news seemed kinda harsh. For fuck’s sake.

But at least the man hadn’t let knowledge of Kyler dating his daughter impact the investigation. He had to respect that much.

Breslin finally sighed. “What you do on your personal time is your business, Detective.”

Kyler waited. And waited. Okay. What the hell was that supposed to mean? “Yes, sir.”

“It’s none of my business.”

The fuck? What was happening right now? “I appreciate that,” Kyler managed.

“Aw, for Christ’s sake,” Breslin said. “Were you this dense with Mia, too?”

The commissioner could’ve smacked him over the head with a frying pan and Kyler would’ve been less surprised. “Uh, probably.”

Breslin smiled, and then the smile grew into a chuckle. “Yeah. Well, then stop that bullshit now and get your head out of your ass.”

Was he…giving Kyler permission to date his daughter? Or his blessing? Or, at the very least, not threatening to cut off Kyler’s dick? Because that’s what it seemed like. “Uh, roger that, sir.”

“We clear here?” Breslin gave him a pointed look.

Kyler inhaled to reply in the affirmative, but other words came tumbling out. “You seriously have no reservations about your daughter dating a cop?”

Breslin dropped into the chair behind his desk and gave him a droll stare. “Only about a million.”

“Then why—”

“I have my reasons. The rest is between the two of you.” The man clasped his hands over his stomach, his eyes observant and open.

Kyler grasped the back of one of the leather chairs. His brow furrowed as he debated.

“What’s on your mind, Kyler?”

He met Breslin’s dark eyes, so like Mia’s. And in that moment, the two men in that room weren’t boss and employee, they were just two men who cared about the same woman. “My parents divorced. My grandparents. I was trying to stay away. Because I didn’t want to do that to Mia.”

The older man tilted his head, giving him an appraising look. “Lots of jobs are hard on relationships. And not a single relationship offers any guarantees. You get out of a relationship what you put in. And Mia’s a hundred-and-ten-percent kinda woman. So I guess I have to ask, what kind of man are you?” He arched a brow.

Well, fuckity fuck. When he put it like that…

When he put it like that Kyler suddenly saw the whole pile of his rationalizations and justifications melt away like a sand castle made without any water, soft and unable to hold shape.

Could it really be that easy? Not the relationship itself, but the leap of faith that they could
make
it work. If they wanted it and fought for it hard enough.

And, oh shit, just two nights ago he’d told her to find someone else to play with. And she’d said she’d see him this weekend. Which meant, she’d be at Blasphemy tonight.

“We clear
now
?” Breslin asked.

“Crystal, sir.” Kyler’s heart thundered in his chest, urgency rushing through him.

“Glad to hear it, Detective. Dismissed.”

Kyler came to attention, then turned and left before Breslin changed his mind.

Back at his desk, the room wouldn’t stop spinning. Because what the commissioner said could change everything. If Kyler let it.

Question was, did he really want to open himself up that way again?

The answer pounded through him with every beat of his pulse.
Yes. Yes. Yes.

Because Mia…Mia was worth the risk. Mia was worth everything.

Don’t be a goddamned coward, Vance
.

Fuck.
Fuck.

He dropped his head into his hand and scrubbed at his face. Fact, he wanted her. Fact, not too long ago, she’d wanted him. Fact, the things he thought stood in their way no longer did—or maybe they
never
had, and he’d had his head up his ass just like Breslin said. Fact, Mia was going to be looking for another play partner. Fact, he didn’t want her to find one.

Which meant he had to make amends. And he had to do it in a big way. Because unlike that first time, a simple apology wasn’t going to cut it this time. He knew that into his very soul.

Looking at his watch, Kyler found that he had two hours until Blasphemy opened its doors, maybe four until things really got hopping. Opening an e-mail, he read over the schedule to see who was on tonight. Master Griffin was on the registration desk. Perfect. He shot off a text.

Can you please let me know if Mia Breslin shows up tonight?

No doubt the other man was going to have a field day with this, but it would be worth it. Worth it to have a chance with her.

Griffin’s reply came back quickly.
About fucking time.

Kyler shook his head and put away his phone. He checked out a few things online, and then he grabbed his jacket and headed out.

Because he had a woman to win back tonight. He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

* * * *

Blasphemy was crowded and pulsing with life, the sounds of sex and submission in the air. Mia had gone out and purchased a new leather mini-dress with spaghetti straps, a zipper that ran from the low neckline to the short skirt’s hem, and a plunging back. She’d needed the confidence boost of something new and sexy and fun.

Making her rounds to watch the different public scenes, she chatted with a few people, but no one who truly captured her attention. She stopped at a ménage scene with a woman bent over and tied down to a fuck bench. One Dom hammered into her from behind, while another mercilessly fucked her mouth.

Taking it all in, Mia’s pulse raced and her core grew wet. What would that be like? She’d never had multiple partners at once before, and it was something that definitely intrigued her. And clearly turned her on.

And it would be different from being with Kyler
, a little voice whispered.

“How are you tonight?” came a deep voice.

Mia turned to the Dom, tall and tan, with shoulder-length blond hair. Beside him stood another man, a little shorter, but seriously built, and with a close buzz cut of his dark hair. The blond especially radiated the kind of hallmark authority of a true Dom. Mia’s body hummed, recognizing it instantly.

“I’m good, thank you,” she said with a smile.

“I’m Jonathan,” the blond man said. “And this is Cruz.”

Mia shook their hands and gave them her name. They both wore the cuffs identifying Blasphemy’s Master Dominants.

“We’ve been watching for a potential play partner,” Cruz said, stepping closer. “You caught our eye. We couldn’t help but notice how interested you were in the scene.”

“Yes, I was,” she said, her heart racing in anticipation.

“Have you ever done a threesome, Mia?” Jonathan asked.

“No, Sir.” She glanced from one man to the other, finding both of them attractive. Their faces, their bodies, their personas. Excitement made her belly flip-flop. Any reservations her mind—or her heart—tried to raise she shoved right aside. What choice did she have?

“Would you like to talk about doing a scene with the two of us?” the blond man asked.

A shiver raced over her skin. Was she really doing this? “Yes, Sir, I would.”

Jonathan slipped his hand into hers. “Let’s find a place to sit,” he said. Cruz stepped in close to her other side. Already, they made her feel surrounded and a little overwhelmed. They led her to a small out-of-the-way grouping of couches on the balcony overlooking the nave. She could see everything from up there. Everyone. She looked away, not wanting to see Master Kyler. Not wanting to think of him at all. It hurt too much.

Jonathan guided her to the middle of a love seat, and he and Cruz sat on either side of her. Their heat warmed her and made her hot, inside and out.

“Since this would be your first time, why don’t we talk about what you’d most like to experience, and what you wouldn’t want to, too.” Jonathan brought their clasped hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

It was sweet and sexy.
Kyler
.

Argh!
Let it go, Mia. Let
him
go.

She nodded. “I would definitely be open to sex and oral. I’ve never done anal, and I’ve never done double penetration.”

“Including vaginal double penetration?” Jonathan asked, his brown eyes paying full attention to her.

Her stomach flipped at the thought. It was scary and exciting at the same time. “No, I haven’t.”

Cruz scooted forward beside her and leaned in. “Are you willing to try those? Or are they hard limits for you?”

Maybe not with the right person, Sir.

The memory came back to her in a flash of sound.

Has anyone ever had your ass, Mia?

“Soft limit on toys for either, and a hard limit for more. At least for my first time,” she managed, trying so hard to stay fully present in this moment, with these men.

Cruz nodded. “Toys can be fun.” He winked.

She smiled. But she was screaming inside. Because she liked these guys. She was attracted to them. They wanted something with her that she wanted to try. And yet a part of her was dying to even consider doing it. Because that part of her couldn’t stop wanting something she couldn’t have.

Someone
she couldn’t have.

Jonathan led them through a conversation about the ribbons on her cuffs, seeking out more knowledge of her interests and limits. “The breath play is a hard limit for us, Mia. We just don’t believe that it’s safe for the submissive. Will that be a problem for you?”

“No, Sir,” she said, her stomach dropping a little. “I understand.”

“Good.” He smiled. And it was a nice smile. A sexy one. But not Kyler’s.

“Excuse me, gentlemen. Jonathan. Cruz. I apologize for interrupting.”

Oh, no. That voice. Mia’s gaze cut up to find Master Kyler standing in front of them. Heat roared into her face, but she wasn’t doing anything wrong, damnit. Certainly nothing to feel embarrassed about.

Jonathan rose. “Of course, Master Kyler. May we help you?”

“Well, actually, it’s Mia I need.” His gaze bore into hers.

He needed…her?

Jonathan frowned, and now Cruz stood too.

“We’re about to start a scene, Master Kyler,” Cruz said.

“I understand, and I am sorry. Perhaps we could leave it to her to decide? Mia?”

Three sets of eyes turned to her. She wanted to kill Master Kyler. She really did. Why was he doing this to her when he was the one who’d told her to find someone else? Well, she had. She’d found two someones. Look at her being an overachiever.

“What do you need, Master Kyler?” she asked, not moving from her seat.

“In private, please?” he said. His blue gaze was imploring and intense. But she’d been on this ride. Twice. And she didn’t think she could stand getting thrown off of it a third time.

She stared at him, and even after everything, he still appealed to her more than any other man she’d ever met. Now that she knew he was a cop, maybe that was part of it. The swagger, the drive to serve, the willingness to protect others at great personal risk to himself. It made him even more attractive to her, and that made her yearn.

She shook her head, trying so hard to be strong. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

His jaw ticked. “Mia, I really need to talk to you.”

“We did talk,” she said. “You told me to find someone else. I have. These men are interested in me. These men
want
me.”

“Fucking hell, Mia.
So do I
.” He raked his hands through his hair, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer but every bit as urgent. “I want you so bad I can hardly think straight. I can’t concentrate. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. For weeks.”

“Christ,” Cruz said. “We didn’t realize you were involved.” He looked from her to Kyler and back again.

“We’re not,” Mia said, his words shocking her and pulling her heart in a million different directions.

“We were,” Kyler said at the same time.

Jonathan and Cruz exchanged a glance, and then Jonathan crouched beside her and took her hand. “If you want, come find us when you’re done. I hope it works out the way you want.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I really didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“I know. If we could all keep the emotions out of the sex, things would be a lot less complicated, eh?” He winked.

The two Doms left, but not before throwing less-than-pleased looks at Kyler. He didn’t even seem to notice.

She crossed her arms and hugged herself. “They’re gone. Satisfied?”

Kyler came right up to her. And dropped to his knees. “Satisfied? That I hurt you? That I failed you? That I made you feel unwanted? That I let fear get the best of me? No, Mia. I could never be satisfied with any of that. I hate it. And I know you’ve already given me a second chance. I probably don’t deserve another. In fact, I’m sure I don’t. But on the slim fucking possibility that you ache for me the way I ache for you, I’m here asking for one anyway.”

Seeing him on his knees for her reached right into her chest and tugged. Hard. “I don’t understand. What’s changed? My father is still your boss. I’m still his
babydoll
who you feel uncomfortable tying up and choking and beating and fucking. Right? Isn’t that what you said? Or what? Spell it out for me, Kyler. Because you’re making my head spin.”