The receptionist answered on the third ring, and Ella said, “Hello, this is Ella Snow. Could I speak with Derek Nelson?”
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Nelson is in court all week and won’t be in the office,” the receptionist replied. “He is checking his e-mail. If you have anything important that needs to be discussed you can e-mail him, or I can put you through to his assistant.”
Great. Ella knew better than anyone that his assistant would only be able to take her message. If Derek was in court, he was likely overwhelmed at the moment. “Can you just leave him a message and ask him to call me when he’s back in the office?”
“Of course,” the receptionist replied.
“Thank you.” Ella ended the call, glancing down to her cell phone. She knew her lawyer would’ve called if any new developments had happened, and she hadn’t heard from Derek since she signed the mediation agreement that allowed Rory time to make sober decisions before leaving Savannah.
She often wondered about the legal system, but she also trusted in it. She pondered if Rory’s phone call was enough for a violation to force the judge’s hand to grant the divorce, but she doubted it. Rory had hired a helluva lawyer, and she knew a simple phone call would be something he could work around.
Placing her phone back in the drawer, she made a mental note to call Derek next week to learn more about the loopholes to the agreement. One big screwup on Rory’s part was all she needed to ensure the divorce would happen.
Be patient, Ella. Soon this will be all over.
Chapter Eight
Surrounded by stone walls in the police station’s change room, Kyler tucked his cell phone into his pocket and then placed his uniform and duty belt into his duffel bag on the bench behind him.
Relaxed now that his day shift had ended, he zipped up his bag. His job started before sunrise, and all week Ella had stayed on his mind. Every passing moment had intensified his desire for another night with her.
He’d been counting down the days all week, as he’d planned to get another taste of her beauty. While he enjoyed their late-night telephone conversations lasting for hours, he’d relished putting the workweek behind him.
Those moans, her expressive eyes, haunted him.
Placing his foot on the wooden bench, he began lacing up his boot, hearing a locker slam shut. He spotted another Club Sin Master and longtime friend, Sawyer Quinn. As Sawyer approached, he rolled the sleeve of his black cotton shirt down over his dragon tattoo.
To their fellow cops and friends, the tattoo was a symbol of brotherhood that linked Sawyer and Kyler together from their six-year friendship. While they were razzed over sharing the same tattoo, the symbol meant too much for that to bother either of them.
As Sawyer reached Kyler, he fastened his bulletproof vest. His sandy-colored buzz-cut hair fit the uniform. Sawyer was also a veteran, having served four tours in Afghanistan. Kyler figured that’s where the stony edge of his hazel eyes developed.
Sawyer never talked about his time in Afghanistan.
Kyler didn’t dig deeper.
“Are you on the afternoon shift?” Kyler asked.
Sawyer nodded. “Got a drug bust going down at seven tonight. I suspect I’ll be here until nine or so. Then it’s back to the ten-hour grind.”
Kyler was a sergeant, and was content in his position. Sawyer worked in the Drug Unit, and the police officers in that department worked grueling hours.
Sawyer smiled, leaning against the lockers. “Did I hear you making a date tonight?”
“You heard right,” Kyler replied.
Sawyer’s hard gaze regarded Kyler with keen interest. “That little vanilla thing from the wedding?” He smirked. “The one you couldn’t stop talking about on Wednesday?”
Kyler glanced over Sawyer’s shoulder, not seeing anyone else in the locker room. He had briefly mentioned Ella when he had his guys’ night with all the Club Sin Masters at Mickey’s sports bar. He also hadn’t gone into much detail about her. Simply that he had enjoyed her company at the wedding.
If one thing was true about Club Sin Masters, they kept private matters private, and no one had tried to coax anything further from him. They were governed by trust. What happened with a submissive, and what was said to her Dom, stayed between them.
He scoffed. “I didn’t talk nonstop about her. She’s vanilla, but there are hints of submission, too.”
“Interesting.” Sawyer crossed his foot over his ankle. “Do you plan on bringing her to CS tonight?”
Though Kyler liked the thought of bringing Ella to Club Sin, he didn’t know how to broach the subject with her. So, I like to fuck in public, engage in kinky sex play, and demand submission—whatcha think?
He shook his head. “She has submissive tendencies, and from what I’ve seen of her, she seems to like kink, but I can’t gauge how she’d react. I need to get to know her better before I go there.” He couldn’t drop that bombshell on her until he knew she wouldn’t run away screaming.