The Pleasures of Summer by Evie Hunter

darling. But you can hardly expect me not to be impatient at the thought of bringing two lovely ladies to my favourite club.’
    ‘Charmer! Ignore him, Summer. He’s just teasing.’
    Summer caught Robert’s glance in the mirror. For a brief second his usual urbane expression was replaced by something dangerous. Nonsense, she told herself. He’s Molly’s boyfriend, not an axe murderer.
    As they drove through the night, she wondered what Flynn would do if he discovered that she was missing. Send out a search party? Hardly. He would probably give her a stern lecture in the morning. She was an adult. She didn’t need his permission to attend a club.
    They turned into a side street and Robert reduced speed. Outside a nondescript doorway, two dark-suited security men wearing earpieces waited. One waved to Robert as he pulled up outside. ‘Good evening, sir,’ he said as they climbed out of the car.
    ‘Good evening, Stan,’ Robert replied. ‘These lovely ladies are my guests.’
    Through the thin fabric of her coat, Summer could feel the warmth of Robert’s hand on her back. He opened the door and ushered them inside.
    Summer wasn’t sure what she had been expecting. Something dark and gloomy, maybe a little seedy. She had been to plenty of clubs before, but the quiet luxury of the entrance lobby to
Noir
was impressive. Several people waved to Robert.
    A dark-haired lady offered to take their coats. Summer’s fingers trembled as she opened the first button. Now that the moment had arrived, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go through with it.
    Molly slipped off her coat and handed it over. Summer didn’t know where to look. She was wearing nothing but a red satin thong. A silver chain stretched from a matching collar around her neck and dangled between her breasts. On her nipples were tiny jewelled clamps.
    ‘Here, let me help you with that.’ Robert unbuttoned Summer’s coat deftly and slipped it off her shoulders. She resisted the temptation to tug at the dress. Molly had been right. She was wearing more than most of the women here.
    ‘Beautiful,’ Robert said admiringly. ‘The colour matches your eyes.’
    He glanced at her neck, bare of adornment. ‘Haven’t you brought the chain and collar?’
    ‘No,’ Summer replied. ‘I’m fine without it.’ There was no way that she would let anyone put a collar on her.
    ‘Of course.’ He inclined his head. ‘If you prefer. You’re such a pretty little one. I thought it might make things a little easier.’
    He picked up Molly’s leash. ‘Come along.’
    Summer followed them through the door into the main club area.
    She stayed close to Molly as they moved through the crowd. A dark-eyed man dressed in green surgical scrubs winked at her as she passed. She dropped her eyes and hurried after Molly.
    Indiana Jones and his sexy sidekick were chatting quietly in one corner, while a man in a soldier’s uniform licked the boots of a red-headed woman. ‘Is she a …’ Summer couldn’t get the word out.
    ‘A Domme?’ Molly replied. ‘One of the best. She earns a fortune for private consultations. You have no idea how many captains of industry want to be told that they’ve been naughty boys. Come on, let me show you around.’

    Something was wrong. Flynn knew it; he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Well, there were a lot of things wrong; starting with the knowledge that David was all set to marry Lorna. Once he had seen Summer safely into her salon, he had settled himself in a café across the road where he could see anyone going in or out, and had phoned his half-brother.
    He still winced at the memory of that call. David had not been impressed by Flynn’s interference. ‘Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me who I can or can’t marry?’ David demanded.
    ‘I don’t want to tell you who to marry; I’m just saying that you don’t know Lorna all that well.’
    ‘Better than you do. Asshole.’
    ‘I doubt it.’ Flynn was torn between