You lied.
Chapter 4
Driving along the quiet streets of Las Vegas, Dmitri downshifted his black BMW sports car. Usually he enjoyed the low purr of the engine, but not tonight. Kyler’s phone call twenty minutes ago indicating that he’d discovered who was behind the leak made Dmitri clutch the steering wheel, looking for the speed and power he was anxious for. He preferred to be on the road right now rather than in his office, reeling with culpability. One question playing over and over in his mind: What the fuck had he done to Presley? He’d taken all his stress, worry, and upset out on her, and she deserved none of it. And she’d safed out. She had never done that before, and the thought that he had brought her to that level sickened him.
This situation was fucking with his head.
He’d built Club Sin to honor his mentor, Charles, who’d passed away from cancer nearly six years ago. All the lessons he’d learned from Charles rushed through his mind. Dmitri had had the utmost respect for Charles. His behavior tonight would have disappointed Charles terribly.
Dmitri had placed himself over his submissive’s needs, something he hadn’t done since before Charles began mentoring him. Christ, he had entered the BDSM lifestyle to ensure that he kept a firm grip on himself. Through his teen years, he’d been emotionally unstable—one second happy, the next flying off the handle in annoyance. Charles had helped Dmitri became centered. The BDSM lifestyle had helped Dmitri become a man.
Tonight, his head hadn’t been focused on her. As a Dom, he knew that was despicable. More important, he had used her for his selfish needs, which was something he’d sworn he would never do.
Guilt and anger had him pressing the brake and slowing the car. The dark night lay close around him, with only streetlights cutting through the blackness on the quiet road. Cursing to himself, he parked at the curb next to the Spanish-style house.
He sighed, leaning his head back against the headrest. She’d pulled her safe word. Disappointment ached in his chest, yet he remained proud that Presley knew to use it. She knew what she deserved, and it wasn’t him fucking her like a horny teenager unable to control himself. Pulling in his emotions, he knew he had to fix what had happened tonight with Presley.
He owed her an apology…and so much more.
With his heart clenching in his chest, he stared at the house. The living room lights were on, while the rest of the house was bathed in darkness. Dmitri knew he had something to finish before he returned to Presley. There was more to do tonight before he took her in his
arms, sharing the depth of the guilt he suffered now over Club Sin’s problems and admitting to her that the world that he’d expertly crafted was falling apart. And that he also felt like he was spiraling out of control, with the concern for his members and his beloved club ripping him apart.
Perhaps he hadn’t realized how closed off he’d been, but not sharing with her hadn’t done him any good either. And, more important, it had forced his submissive to push him away. He’d seen the devastated look in her eyes before he left—a horrified look that would forever haunt him.
One that he would ensure he never saw again.
Determined to get back to her, he exited the car and approached Kyler and Ella’s house. He moved toward the front door, having noticed the other Club Sin Masters’ vehicles parked at the curb.
He knocked on the front door, probably louder than was necessary. The door immediately opened to Kyler. The other Club Sin Master’s eyes were tight with concern. “Good. You’re here.” Kyler stepped away from the door, allowing Dmitri entrance.
Dmitri took off his shoes at the door, and then strode behind Kyler into the large living room. He noted the change in décor since he’d been here last and assumed Ella had been decorating the home. It had a much more comfortable feel. Dmitri couldn’t imagine Kyler shopping for the large mirror above the fireplace, nor could he picture him buying the vase of flowers resting on the coffee table in between the dark gray couches. He glanced around the room at the other Club Sin Masters, either seated on the couch or in the chairs. Everyone looked about as tired as he felt.
“All right.” Kyler dropped down onto the loveseat next to Porter. “No matter what I say here, we need to be quiet. Ella and Andie are sleeping.”
Dmitri nodded in understanding. Kyler’s young daughter, Andie, was awake more than she slept, and even Dmitri had noticed the signs of Ella’s fatigue. Dmitri lowered himself onto the couch next to Aidan. “Go ahead.”
Kyler scanned the faces around him before his gaze settled on Dmitri alone. “Prepare yourself. You’re not going to like who’s behind this.” Names of suspects began to rush through Dmitri’s mind, but none was the name Kyler said next. “It’s Steven Moser.”
A hot rush flooded Dmitri’s blood. “Presley’s ex-boyfriend?”
Kyler gave a grim nod. “That’d be the one. From what I’ve learned, in his early twenties Steven was arrested and sentenced to community service. Apparently, he set a bush on fire, which spread to an abandoned garage and burned it down, and that’s why we had his prints on file.”
A thousand thoughts rushed through Dmitri’s mind, but only one held most important. Presley. If she became aware that her vengeful ex-boyfriend was the reason everyone in Club Sin was worried about being exposed to the public, the guilt she’d feel would consume her.
Steven had cheated on Presley, ending their engagement. But when Steven had learned Presley was going to a BDSM club, he’d disapproved, sparking a confrontation between Dmitri and Steven. To Dmitri it seemed like a lifetime ago. He’d believed that Presley had finally been freed from a lifetime of pleasing others who didn’t deserve their trust. But Steven had accused him of corrupting the innocent Presley and turning her into a whore. And now, apparently, Steven was on a rescue mission.
Dmitri rubbed a hand across his closed eyes, knowing that of all the situations that had gone through his mind, this was the worst-case scenario.
From the beginning, this had all rested on Dmitri’s shoulders, and now it was all becoming too heavy to bear. The thought of Presley taking all this on was something he couldn’t accept. Christ, he’d already made things bad enough for her. Adding this to the pile was unthinkable.
Porter’s rough voice broke Dmitri out of his thoughts. “Why the fuck would he do this?”
Dmitri didn’t need to think about it. “Revenge.”
“Revenge for what, exactly?” Miles quipped.
Body burning with tension and concern over Presley, Dmitri rose and paced, finally coming to a stop in front of the fireplace. “I suspect he feels that I’ve ruined Presley. He wasn’t happy knowing that she belonged to Club Sin, and perhaps he wants to see it closed, thinking he’s protecting her. I imagine this has nothing to do with any of you, and it’s all to get back at me.”