Flashback by Ella Ardent

number. She was arrested, I
think maybe on purpose. She wanted to orchestrate their release and
coordinate what they admitted.”
    Athena smiled. “Amanda is so efficient.”
    “Yeah.” Tex hesitated for a moment, then
spoke in a rush.
    “What about Rex?”
    “He got away with Leya. I heard from Rafe. He
drove them away and they sank the limo before going their separate
ways.”
    How like Rex to have thought about destroying
the limo.
    Tex cleared his throat. “The papers say Rex
called the cops. It can’t be true,”
    “I can’t believe it either.”
    He gave her a cautious glance. “Rafe thought
maybe you did it.”
    “Me?” Athena was dismayed. “Never! Why would
I destroy something I worked so hard to build?”
    “That’s what I said,” Tex agreed, clearly
relieved. “But then, who?”
    Athena shook her head. Who could have hated
the club enough to destroy it? Who could have hated Rex enough to
see him blamed?
    She had an idea, one that made her
uncomfortable.
    “What about the Plume, Athena?”
    “What about it?”
    “Are you going to re-open it?”
    Athena opened her mouth, then closed it
again. “I’m not sure. I don’t think it could be here.”
    “There’s a lot of us who want to know. We’ll
go wherever we have to.”
    Athena pulled a piece of paper and a pen out
of her purse. “Give me phone numbers,” she said. “I’ll have to
ditch this cell phone, but I want to be able to reach you.”
    “You have a plan?”
    “Not quite yet, but I feel one brewing.”
    “Excellent! I knew you wouldn’t let us down,”
Tex said and the first sight of his familiar smile made Athena feel
optimistic all over again.
    Could she start over? Without Rex or the
Count?
     
    * * *
     
    “What has Mike bought for you?” Eric asked,
when he and Joanna were standing in a private back room at the
fetish wear store.
    The angular blonde who was serving them had
bright eyes and watched them closely. Joanna could already tell
that she was interested in Eric. Could she use that somehow?
    “Tall boots,” Joanna said, answering the
question. “Black ones with spike heels.”
    “They go up to your thighs,” the woman said.
At Joanna’s glance, she nodded. “He bought them here.” I know who
you mean now. Hot guy.”
    “Not as hot as me,” Eric said and the clerk
smiled.
    “And a black hood with elastic at the back,”
Joanna continued.
    The woman nodded again. “The one that fits
really smooth.” She nodded. “He likes sleek and smooth, preferably
shiny. Black.” She went to a computer screen and tapped up an
image. “If you want to own his soul, you need one of these.”
    The model in the photo looked like CatWoman
to Joanna. “A catsuit?”
    “A PVC bodysuit. Put baby powder inside when
you put it on. It’ll be easier to take it off.” The clerk pursed
here lips. “It can be hot, so turn the thermostat down beforehand.
You might want to make it a quicker scene.”
    “Sounds like you’re familiar with the model,”
Eric said, his tone flirtatious.
    The clerk shrugged, then slanted a hot glance
his way. “I make a point of familiarizing myself with all of the
merchandise.”
    “Really?” Eric leaned on the counter but
Joanna cleared her throat. “I’m thinking a model with an open
crotch would be the way to go,” he said, to Joanna’s surprise. “And
a face mask.”
    “Lots of people go that route,” the blonde
said. She pulled up a few more images. Joanna thought the outfits
looked too menacing to work for Mike. “Full mask?”
    “Over the eyes, so she can still see,” Eric
said, indicating one he preferred. “And then the wristlets and
anklets with the D-rings, so she can be taken unawares and tied
down.”
    “Nice touch,” the clerk purred.
    “No,” Joanna said, because this wasn’t about
Eric. “He loves corsets so much. And a more feminine look.”
    “It’s all about him, isn’t it?” The clerk
clicked through the images, and Joanna pointed at the screen when