Hunting Truth (6 page)

“
Scott, there was a car there that I could
have sworn was Lucas’.”

“
Hmm. What? There are loads of Lexus SUVs,
Issy,” he said dismissively.

“
At a sex club? I don’t think so,” I said
with a snicker.

“
Issy, don’t be so judgmental. If you saw
the list of members for that club, you’d never believe it. Some of
the most influential, well-respected professionals and politicians
in the state frequent Odyssey . . . and some from neighboring
states. Kink isn’t something that discriminates by class or gender.
And yes, some people spend their lives denying their true desires,
but not everyone does or even
can
.”

I lowered my eyebrows as I absorbed his
words.
“Well, I didn’t
see any,” I said, a little sulkily.

“
None that you recognized. The most famous
or infamous members use a private door and private rooms. But the
club has links to some very scary people so I doubt that anyone
would say anything if they were out in the general
areas.”

I turned to him, intrigued. “Scary people?
How so?”

“
The security guys mean business for one
thing, but the ownership of Odyssey is linked to some very serious
gangster types, or so I heard. I’m not sure how or who and, as far
as I’m concerned, the less I know the better.”

He drove me back to my apartment in
relative silence. I recalled
Lucas’ words about attending a BDSM club in the past but not for
several years. I wondered which club he’d frequented. I pictured
him engaging in some of the acts I’d witnessed with some of the
women I’d seen. I felt nauseous as I said goodnight to Scott. I was
so relieved to find that Angel had already gone to bed. No matter
how hard I tried, I couldn’t forget the black Lexus SUV in the car
park or shake the images of Lucas with beautiful submissives at his
feet. It was a while before I eventually drifted off into a
restless night’s sleep.

The next morning, I felt like hell
and hung over, although I’d
only drunk a couple of glasses of wine at Odyssey with Scott. The
image of Lucas and his imaginary sub was burned into my memory and
I knew it was an emotional hangover that I had. I vowed to get him
out of my system and fast. I had no work lined up now I wasn’t
working on mini-Dakota, no office space and no opportunities to
pursue. I needed to get my act together professionally.

So all morning
I worked on updating my portfolio and my website.
Angel thoughtfully left me to it, knowing that I needed to
concentrate.
My involvement in the prestigious mini-Dakota project
should attract some attention
I thought—even if there were awkward questions to answer
about why I’d left the project part way through. I didn’t want to
cite personal reasons in case it made me seem unreliable. There was
no way I could hint at issues with my working relationship with
Lucas—again this could raise potential concerns about my
professionalism. I decided to talk it over with Angel later in the
day.

As I uploaded photographs of the completed
apartment, my heart constricted.
I knew that it was my best work by far. I ached to
be a part of it still and to walk around the completed development
one day, knowing that I’d done it. The saying ‘never mix business
with pleasure’ came to mind. What a shame I hadn’t borne that in
mind at the time.

A photograph of the
elegant living room filled the screen and
I remembered standing in there with Lucas only four days
previously, anxiously awaiting his verdict on the first finished
interior. And the feelings of relief and joy when he not only
approved, but pronounced it perfect, exactly what he’d have chosen
if he lived there. I smiled wryly at the knowledge that I’d
designed that apartment as if it was for me. A single tear rolled
down my cheek and plopped onto the keyboard.

I was dragged from my
self-
pity by the
ringtone of my cell. I picked it up and was surprised to see it was
Daniel. “Hi, Daniel, what can I do for you?”

“
Hi, Issy, I just wanted to give you the
heads up. Lucas has figured out that you’re no longer involved with
mini-Dakota. He’s not just gone ballistic—he’s gone thermonuclear.
I’m so glad that you’re not sat downstairs in your office right
now. I don’t think he’d be able to keep away. He’s just ranted at
poor Jenson, the architect, and demanded that he gets you back on
this project pronto. So, at the very least you can expect a call
from him.”

I sighed. “Thank you for letting me know.”
I was just about to hang up but I spoke without realizing. “How is
he, Daniel?”

He hesitated before replying. “When I came
in early this morning and saw him, I was so relieved. He was
showered and shaved, dressed in his usual work attire and although
he looked haunted and exhausted, at least he was behaving
rationally again.”

Daniel continued, “But he is more
ill-tempered than ever. Even before he’d figured out about you not
honoring your contract, he was snapping at everyone and storming
around. I’ve never seen him this bad. Something must’ve happened in
between me leaving the office late evening yesterday and this
morning. Even if it’s only just in his head. He’s like a man
possessed. God help anyone who crosses him in this
mood.”

I pursed my lips as I listened.
“Oh dear, Daniel. I’m sorry
that you have to work with him when he’s like that. If there’s
anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“
Just come back. Even if not to Lucas or
even to the building, just come back onboard the project.
Mini-Dakota needs you, Issy. Please, just say you’ll think about
it. You could deal with me and Jenson. Lucas isn’t really involved.
He was only interested when Jenson told him that he’d not had
contact from you. I’m sure if he knew you were back onboard, he’d
be content to leave you to it.”

I drew in a deep breath. I was torn. I
wanted to work on the project more than anything but I’d vowed to
myself that I’d make a clean break from Lucas.

“
Daniel, I can’t make any promises except
that I’ll give the matter some serious thought. I’ll get back to
you, okay? Please intercept Jenson and let him know that I’m
considering it.”

I was disconnecting the call when Angel
flounced into the apartment with goodness kn
ew how many bags of shopping.

She beamed at me.
“Right, missy, I hope you’re done because
I’ve just managed to get us hair appointments at the salon for this
afternoon. Then tonight we’re going to watch the boys perform at
the bar. I’ve not heard them for so long, I can’t wait.”

I groaned and protested that I should be
working but, after a quick lunch, we were walking through the doors
of the salon.
Tyler, my
usual stylist, shook his head at the regrowth of my blue streaks.
“Your mood doesn’t have to match your hair, darling,” he
complained. “But your hair can lift your mood.”

An hour and a half later, we left the
salon.
My black hair was
now minus its blue streaks around my face. Instead it had deep red
ones. The effect was even more striking than the blue had been.
Angel dragged me into a diner. She said that, although she rarely
ate them, she’d been craving a proper cheeseburger whilst at her
parents. I laughed but I had to agree afterwards that she had a
point—the cheeseburger and fries were very good.

A couple of hours later, we were bathed,
dressed and primped to perfection. We were both sporting the rock
chic look, all in black. I’d applied scarlet lipstick and nail
polish, and Angel gave a whistle when she saw me. She joked about
it being unfair to the whole male population as we headed down to
our waiting cab. James told us that he wished he was twenty years
younger and we giggled as we got into the cab. “More like forty,”
whispered Angel as she slid along the seat for me to follow
her.

The bar was buzzing although it was a
Tuesday night.
If it
hadn’t been for the boys taking their usual table near the stage,
we wouldn’t have got seats at all. Ethan jumped up and hugged
Angel, saying he’d missed her. Chad and Scott went to get the
drinks in. There was still a little time before they were due on
stage.

There was no sign of Travis. I asked Ethan
where he was and he pointed across the room.
Angel and I looked then exchanged glances.
He was sat next to a girl who looked quite prim and proper compared
to the way most women in the bar were dressed. He didn’t have his
hands all over her or his tongue down her throat, but seemed to be
hanging on to her every word. I was desperate to meet her but Ethan
said she was shy and that it would be better to wait for Travis to
introduce her.

I really enjoyed sitting chatting with
Angel and the guys.
I
felt my tension begin to drain away and, when the boys got up on
stage and began to perform, I forgot about the drama in my life and
sang my heart out. They were awesome, getting better each time I
heard them and their confidence was so high after their festival
appearances. I just knew that they had such a good chance of making
it to the big time. I really hoped that something would come from
the upcoming tour as a support act. I felt that they deserved
it.

One thing that was very different was
Travis.
He looked the
same but he was quiet and reserved as he played, looking totally
absorbed in the music except for when he looked across at his
girlfriend; then he looked totally absorbed in her. I never thought
I’d see the day. Ever! Angel said that if Travis could settle down
with someone then there was hope for everyone.
Everyone except
me
, I thought with
surprising bitterness. I’d had my fingers burned once—there was no
way I was going to risk that happening again. I felt the
increasingly familiar ache in my chest.

I felt my eyes begin to burn as tears
threatened. I widened them and blinked rapidly to drive back the
tears but it didn’t work. Thankfully, Angel’s eyes were fixed on
Chad as I whispered that I needed to visit the bathroom. She barely
acknowledged me as I slid out of my seat. I crossed the bar and
walked down the corridor to the bathroom.

I was relieved that the bathroom was empty
as I crossed to the mirror.
The threatening tears had smudged my mascara so I closed my
eyes and wiped under my eyes with the side of my finger. When I
opened them again, I did a double take. Lucas was standing just
inside the door! I spun around to face him, convinced that my eyes
were playing tricks on me. But no, he was definitely there. The
tingles on my skin that I got whenever he was near convinced me
that he was very real. My heart began to hammer in my chest and I
found it difficult to breathe properly.

“
Hello
, Issy,” he said; his tone nor his expression giving any
indication of his mood. His voice was its usual velvet-coated self
that made love to your ears.

I opened my mouth but no sound came out so
I closed it again. My mouth was dry and my throat appeared to have
closed up. I just stared at him in shock. He was wearing black
jeans (
wait!
were they
those
black
jeans?),
and a black
shirt open at the neck. His hair was as sexy as always. His eyes
were darker than their usual color but not as dark as I knew they
could be. I knew from past experience that meant that he was either
a little angry or a little horny. I reasoned that it must be anger
and I began to feel somewhat disconcerted. His brother had told me
I was in grave danger.
Am I?

I swallowed with difficulty and looked
again at his impassive expression.
I didn’t feel unsafe.
Is that just my memories fooling
me?
Memories of being
safe and protected in his arms. Memories of trusting him whilst I
was blindfolded and restrained as he was doing unimaginable things
to my body. Surely if he was a danger to me, I’d have found out for
myself during those times when I’d been at his mercy.

“I miss you so much,” he whispered, taking a
step towards me.

I instinctively took a step back and found
my back was against the wall.
I saw the hurt in his eyes and, just for a second, I saw
the broken man that Daniel had mentioned. But then the impassive
mask slid back into place.

“
Issy, you have nothing to fear from me.
I’d never hurt you. I don’t know exactly what my bastard of a
brother said to you, but I can assure you that it isn’t the whole
truth. Yes, I changed my name but I had very good reasons for doing
so. Reasons that involved him and his cruel games that have plagued
me since we were children. I should’ve been honest with you from
the start and told you everything, I know that now. But, probably
for similar reasons that you had for not telling me everything
about your past, I didn’t.”

I couldn
’t argue with him there. I’d not been forthcoming
about my past either. I nodded my head to acknowledge his words,
not daring to attempt to speak again.

“
Issy, all I ask of you is to hear me
out.
I’ll tell you
everything as honestly as I can. After that, if you want to walk
away then I won’t try to stop you. It’ll hurt like hell, but I
won’t stop you. And if you don’t want to do it here and now, we can
meet whenever and wherever you say. You can even bring Angel with
you if you’d feel safer not being alone with me.”