Hold Me Close (6 page)

At Eden, you will have the time you need to reflect and consider all that has happened these last few months. You have a decision to make. Choose wisely, my dear. There is no need for regrets in life, but a wrong decision means missed opportunity. If and when you are ready, Eden will return you at the right moment. Trust your instincts and let go of your fear. Take a chance. It is the only way.

P.S. This is not optional.

The message abruptly ended and Bonnie flipped it over looking for more. No signature or any indication of who wrote it. What the hell? Not optional? What was that supposed to mean?

This couldn’t be right. Had to be some sort of mistake. Bonnie quickly rolled down the window between her and the driver. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“To the airport, ma’am,” he said.
 

“Who arranged for all this?” She held up the card.

The driver shrugged. “The only directions I received were to pick you up at Purgatory and deliver you to one of the private airstrips.”

“But I’m not packed for a trip. This is crazy.”

“I was told to expect questions and that all I needed to say was every detail has been accounted for.”

Bonnie slammed back on the seat and scrunched up her face. This had to be Gabe. Who else did she know with resources like this and the balls to practically kidnap her and force her on a vacation she didn’t want? Well, like it or not, he couldn’t make her do anything she didn’t want to.
 

Although Gabe had to be the mastermind of this twist of events, her mind still went back to Dex. Hell, her body still hummed from their scene. Whatever he was to her at this point, she couldn’t deny the man’s talent. He had more than any man should and she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Bonnie slowly shook her head and closed her eyes against the memories. This wasn’t healthy.

She did need to take this vacation. Her thoughts of Dex were consuming her and the word obsession kept flitting through her mind. Suddenly thinking felt like too much work. Fatigue from the long night had set in and she wanted to curl up and go to sleep where she sat. Sure doubts plagued her about going along with this idiotic trip, but she was too tired to care at the moment. She trusted Gabe and the idea of not having to face Dex anytime soon kind of sounded perfect. He’d want her to talk about what happened between them and she just didn’t want to go there. If Gabe wanted to give her an excuse to avoid having to face anything too hard, then who was she to turn it down? And if he wasn’t going to let her go home and pack, then she’d be happy to send him a bill for everything she’d have to buy.

Satisfied with her decision to go with the flow and stop fighting everyone, Bonnie rolled her neck to stretch her muscles and relaxed against the soft leather seat. She’d never gone on a real vacation before. That kind of thing wasn’t in her budget. Dear God, let there be fruit drinks and an endless supply of books to read.

* * *

Dex leaned against the wall of the open play space and took a swig of the beer he’d been holding for quite a while. He’d left Bonnie alone too long while he worked to catch his breath and she’d disappeared. Never in his life had a woman challenged all of his control like she did. Damn sub. He couldn't get the image of their bodies joined out of his head, and how incredible the moment had been.
 

But as amazing as he felt, it all went to shit the minute he remembered walking out of the bathroom to find her gone. He'd thrown on his clothes and stormed down the hall with so much anger in him he was surprised he hadn't breathed fire. No submissive had ever walked away from one of his scenes before she'd been dismissed. Bonnie had more control than that and she damned well knew the protocols for that kind of shit. Next time they were together, she would have to be punished and it would be severe.

He stopped the bottle halfway to his mouth when he realized what he'd said. Next time. So much for his plan to end things after he fucked her. Although she'd sure have to wait a while before he'd be ready to scene with her again. At that moment, his body tightened and reminded him what a liar he was. His Bonnie sub drove him fucking wild even in his mind. She was probably all curled up in her bed comfy as could be while he wasted the rest of his night in Purgatory.

Disgusted, Dex slammed his beer onto the nearest cocktail table and shoved from the wall. Fuck this. Hanging out here wasn't going to improve his mood. He needed to do something creative with his hands that had nothing at all to do with spanking the generous white ass he couldn't get out of his mind. He was in serious danger of showing up at her apartment unannounced to exact the perfect punishment and then some.
 

Halfway down the stairs, he noticed Gabe standing at the bottom with his arms crossed over his chest. The expression on his face was damn neared unreadable but Dex knew Gabe well enough to know his night was about to go further down the shitter.

"What the hell happened tonight?"

Dex didn't bother pretending he didn't know what his boss was talking about. "That's between me and my sub."

"Your sub?"

"As long as I'm the only one she's fucking, then yeah, my sub."

Gabe stared at him with daggers in his eyes. A few minutes more and that look would probably burn holes into his skin. "My office."

"I'm on my way out. It's been a long night and I need to get out of here."

"I only need five minutes and it can't wait." As soon as he finished the sentence, Gabe turned and walked down the second floor corridor towards the private offices. Dex bristled at the treatment. A Dom was a Dom, but fucking A, he didn't need that Dom shit turned his way. And he sure as hell didn't need this job.

For a few seconds, he entertained ignoring Gabe's request and walking away, but curiosity won in the end. If Gabe had talked to Bonnie before she left, he wanted to hear what she said. Even if it was bullshit. He followed his friend down the hall and entered Gabe’s small but elegant office. There were three much larger offices on this floor but for some reason, his boss and friend, preferred the smallest. The others remained empty except for the perfectly placed office furniture. It was weird. Dex always got the feeling they were being reserved for something—or someone.

"Have a seat." Gabe nodded to one of the black leather chairs in front of his desk and then sat in a similar chair facing him from behind the desk. Again, Dex bristled at the setting. One of the many reasons he'd gone into business for himself was because he didn't do really well working for others. Since childhood, he'd hated being talked down to.

"You're starting to piss me off, Gabe. I don't want to have a seat and I'm definitely not in the mood for a lecture."

"Relax, that's not what this is about. I need a favor." He shuffled through some papers and pulled a manila folder from a pile. "I was asked for a favor from a group I shouldn't turn down, but I have some things going on here that require my immediate attention. I have no time to leave town."

Dex grabbed the offered folder and flipped it open. There wasn't much in it. An embossed invitation with the word Eden at the top. "What is this?"

"Exclusive island resort that caters in wish fulfillment. One of their specialties includes a state of the art dungeon that I understand is several notches above anything anyone has ever seen."

"Sounds out of my league." He closed the folder and tossed it back on Gabe's desk. He didn’t have the need or desire to hang out with a bunch of rich dudes who had more money than sense. "What does this have to do with me?"

"I need you to take my place. To turn down the invite would be an insult this club cannot afford."

"That is dated for an arrival of tomorrow. I can't leave on a dime. I have a business to run."

“Hardly,” Gabe said. “I know for a fact your business partner is one of the most efficient motherfuckers in town who can handle anything you throw at him. Now give me the real reason."

"Fuck you, Gabe. I don't say shit I don't mean."

"I know you don't. But it still sounds like an excuse. Is this because of Bonnie? She looked pretty upset when I sent her home."

"What?” His spine stiffened at that revelation. “You sent her home?"

"Yeah, she said the scene had ended and didn't look up to driving, so I made her take the car service. At least that way we both know she got home safe."

Dex swiped his hand over his face as another layer of weariness settled over him. "She walked out on me. Didn't even give me a chance to offer any aftercare or a discussion about what happened."

"That kind of behavior from a sub in this club, especially one who works here, isn't usually tolerated. I'll have a talk with her when she returns next week."

Dex's head whipped up. "What do you mean next week?"

Gabe compressed his lips before he spoke. "Let's just say I got the impression that she needed some time off."

"You forced her to take a break?"

"I think she needs some time away from the club. She's at a breaking point and needs to make a decision about her future. And if she’s willing to break club protocols and run out on you like that, then I personally don't think that decision should be made here."

“That sounds harsh, even from you.”

“Not any worse than the punishment you’ll be forced to mete out the next time you are together.”

“You’re assuming there will be a next time.” He wasn’t so sure. With a week break, maybe they’d both get their heads on straight and realize what they had wasn’t working and it was time to move on.

“I’m not even going to bother responding to that.”

Dex was tired of talking. His brain was screaming to do something. “So what do I have to do at this fancy pants place you want me to go to?”

“There is going to be a small, private D/s retreat this week. Not exactly a beginner’s type event, I’m told. It’s more along the lines of taking things to the next level. You’ll be expected to spend some time demonstrating their whip collection. Maybe more. There aren’t a lot of details, but I doubt it’s anything you can’t handle.”

Dex nodded. A week out of town on some island. He’d never cared about spending much time on a beach, but he didn’t hate it. What did appeal to him was a week away from anyone who knew him. The weeks between his sessions with Bonnie had been brutal and his mood even worse. It wouldn’t kill him to get his head on straight before he saw her again. Neither one of them would benefit from him pulling her pants down in front of everyone and beating her raw before he fucked her at this point. That’s the kind of punishment she had coming and it couldn’t be delivered in anger.
 

“Look Dex, I know you want to straighten things out with Bonnie, but I also recognize when two people need some time. What’s a few days going to hurt?”

“Yeah, I guess it couldn’t hurt. My ink appointments can probably be rescheduled.”

Gabe smiled. “Awesome. I really appreciate it man. I’m going to owe you one for this.”

Dex fastened a hard glare onto his friend. “Yes, you will.”

Chapter Five

Bonnie squinted against the sun reflecting off the water and took in her new surroundings. Except after two flights over many hours she could think of little else, other than a long soak in a really hot bath. The soreness she'd expected from her scene with Dex had already set in and everything ached. Which normally wasn't a bad thing, when she was at home nursing her body and reveling in the memories. However, jet-setting across several states and now out into the middle of the ocean was a completely different experience. The private jet had been pleasant enough and thankfully no one bothered her, so she didn't have to share the fact that she'd been scared half to death. Before last night, she'd never been on a plane before.

The kind flight attendant had checked on her several times and even suggested she lay her seat back and try to get some sleep. But Bonnie couldn't sleep with thoughts of the plane plunging her to an early death constantly on her mind. She had however accepted several glasses of champagne and that had calmed her nerves, until she'd hopped aboard the puddle jumper that was to take her out to the island of Eden. Between her fear and the surreal fact she was headed to some fancy place, Bonnie's head was still spinning.

Off in the distance, a mountain rose and she could make out the silhouette of a grand castle. She had no idea what else to call something so big. Lush trees and flowers dotted the horizon and a gorgeous white sand beach that made her rethink her position about not liking beaches to the point she wanted to go for a walk barefoot.
 

Instead, she grabbed the luggage she'd been surprised to find aboard the jet and started down the long, wooden dock.

"You can leave your luggage here and someone will bring it to your room for you, ma'am." The extra chatty female pilot whom Bonnie had tuned out more than an hour ago smiled at her. "Here at Eden, there's pretty much someone to do anything for you that you can think of."

Bonnie looked down at the matching dark purple cases and considered leaving them behind. She had no idea who'd packed them or what they contained. But she was desperate for a shower and clean clothes as soon as she hit her room. "That's okay. I'd prefer to take them myself."

"No problem. Just follow the dock down to that golf cart over there and you'll be all set."