You Said Forever (Club Decadence) (22 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Six

It was standing room only that evening in the conference room at Rossi Security.  Regan was ensconced in Rick’s lap.  She hadn’t been a foot away from him since the incident.  It turned out that Sunny’s boyfriend,  Diego Torres and his cousin Joaquin Garze were responsible for the attacks on the two women.   Torres, having been identified as one of the cartel’s Lieutenants and was a major distributor right there in San Antonio, was currently in federal custody

Garza had been the one who cut Regan.  Unfortunately, Garza wouldn’t be answering questions anytime soon, if at all.  He was in critical condition at a local hospital having taken a bullet in the chest during the incident.  Rick hoped he got better; after what he’d done to Regan he wanted a little retribution.

Dex and Cap had gone straight to the police station from the scene and met up with the DEA investigators and agents from Homeland Security.  Cap had called this meeting to discuss information obtained during the interrogation.  Dex and Cap walked into the room with an exhausted Sunny in tow.  Sunny’s face was drawn and haggard and her eyes were bloodshot from all the tears she had wept that day.  She had been questioned extensively about her involvement and had adamantly proclaimed her innocence.  She had been released because there was no evidence that she was involved in the drug deals and Torres had corroborated her story.  He had been using her as a cover.

Tony seated her next to Rick and Regan and she immediately hugged Regan closely around the neck.

Rick barked suddenly, “Careful of her stitches!”

Sunny pulled back immediately, “I’m sorry Regan, I didn’t mean to hurt you.  It’s just… I’m so grateful.  You saved my life.  If you hadn’t shown up when you did, and locked those two brutes out of the room, I never would have escaped with my lift.”  She sniffled and wiped at her tears.  “That was one of the bravest things I have ever seen.”

“I guess hanging around all these Green Berets and Marines is rubbing off on me.”  Regan tried to joke and brush off the woman’s praise, she still couldn’t believe what she’d done herself.  

“She’s being modest, Sunny.  We’re all very proud of Regan for her quick thinking and fearless actions.”  Rick kissed his brave little hero’s temple and squeezed her hand.  “We are very happy that both of you came out of this safely and relatively unharmed.” 

Tony called the meeting to order then and explained that the local police had been monitoring suspicious activity at the
teashop for the past two months.  Evidently, some area residents had reported unusual activity at night, which they thought, was odd for a teashop whose doors closed at 7 P.M. each night.  There had been lights on and suspicious people coming and going at odd hours along with a couple complaints about loud voices and disturbing the peace.

It turns out Torres had been using his girlfriends shop as a cover for his collections and the distribution of drugs to the area dealers.  What Torres didn’t know is that Rossi Security had been monitoring the bakery next door including the rear parking lot.  When he found out there was video evidence of his activity he decided it was in his best interest to cooperate and make a deal for protection.  He was a high level operative in the cartel and was able to provide the names and locations of other lieutenants, dealers and contacts in the San Antonio area.  He also provided some information about weapons stores and upcoming drug deliveries.  Not surprisingly a few local officials were implicated including a local bank manager who was involved in the money laundering. 

Their case was coming together nicely.  It appeared they had a lock on the activity in their hometown and were making strides in having it cleaned up and free from the cartel’s influence.   But they weren’t ready to move on the cartel full speed yet.  They needed more information and evidence on the upper hierarchy and the other leaders across the state in order to have enough ammunition to bring them down.

Dex explained that this was a war not a battle.  The leadership in the cartel was similar to the  military, often members were recruited who were ex-military or former police.  Once these lieutenants and even the kingpin
were brought down, others were ready to step up and take their place.  It was reminiscent of the organized crime families in the US over the years.  Its power was growing and far reaching.

Sunny exhaled, incredulous that she had been drawn into this mess. “What does this mean for me? Am I in danger?”

Tony looked at her with a frown, “I’m afraid so, Miss Haynes. You are just an innocent pawn but they might think you know something due to your relationship with Torres, which makes you a risk to their operations.  Violence has been on the rise and they don’t think twice about taking someone out that they feel is a threat.”

Regan stiffened in Rick’s arms and he caught Cap’s attention. “Sorry, Rick but she needs to know what she’s up against.  With Regan’s history of slipping security, I wanted to make sure she knew the seriousness of the situation.”

Regan spoke up then.  “Thanks Cap, but did you have to scare the crap out of me?”

Six male voices answered in a resounding “Yes!”  Regan flushed as she looked around at Cap, Jonas, Lil T, Sean, Jason and Kurt.  All of these Rossi men had been witness to her antics or had the misfortune of being assigned to her security detail.

“Am I really that bad?” Regan felt awful and although she tried to hide it was really scared.  No wonder Rick and Tony had punished her and Meg so severely when they ditched their security detail last fall.  Regan had done it several other times recently.  She remembered how she had tricked Kurt to get to a clinic appointment and blushed fiercely.  Luckily no one had found out about that little incident.  She supposed, with their renewed pact of honesty and trust, she would have to come clean about it to Rick.

“You’re not the easiest client, but now that you know the dangers, we expect a little more cooperation, yeah?”  Tony frowned at her waiting for a response.  She nodded and whispered “I promise to be good, Cap.”  The room was filled with masculine grunts and snorts of disbelief.  Well she’d just have to prove it to them.

“What about Sunny?” Regan was worried about the woman she had planned to go into business with.  She also didn’t mind that her question had successfully shifted some of the attention away from herself.

“Do you have someplace else you can go, Sunny?” Rick asked the nervous blonde seated next to him.  She looked like she was about to lose it. “Friends or family out of state maybe?”

“My parents live about five hundred miles away in Amarillo, I could go stay with them.  Things weren’t going so well for me here anyway.”  Her voice shook revealing the level of her fear.  Regan reached out to squeeze her hand in support.  She was a shy, sweet girl.  It was obvious that today’s events not to mention the room full of huge, authoritative men frightened her, she was on the verge of tears again.

“Just remember you’ll have to come back for any further questioning and to testify.  We’ll set up some security for you there.  Dex will help make the arrangements.”  Cap waited until Dex escorted her from the room then proceeded to make other assignments. “Kurt and Jason, I want you on Meg and Regan.  Lil T is still in LA so Jonas, I need you to work on adding surveillance in the
teashop.  We got six FNG’s expected next week, which will be a big relief.  Rick, Dex and I will handle their orientation.  Questions?”

Tony wasn’t really expecting any so he was surprised when Regan raised her hand.  Rick laughed and pulled it down, “it’s not school, honey.  What do you want to know?”

“What are FNGs?”

The men grumbled in unison, “Fucking New Guys.” The room erupted into laughter as Tony dismissed them.

Epilogue

Regan was pleased that her reconciliation with Rick was going so well.  She felt as though a smothering weight had been lifted from her chest and she could breathe again.  If she’d have known the sense of relief she would feel, living free from lies and all the secrecy, she might have done it sooner.  She was sleeping better, eating more and her moods had stabilized with the return to her husband’s loving care.

Things were looking up for them, but she still had emotional fences to mend.  Rick had told her that they would have to rebuild the trust in their marriage and that it would take time and through actions, not words.  So she had spent the past few weeks trying to do just that. She had been on her best behavior even under the intense security.  She would usually balk at the restriction, but her brush with the cartel was enough to scare her into compliance.

She found trying to come up with ways to prove herself to Rick in there public life was difficult.  So she turned to their D/s relationship that had thrived for years on trust.  After her stitches were removed and Rick had declared she was healed up enough to wear her play collar, they returned to The Club and she started the rebuilding process.  When they arrived in the lounge, their friends welcomed her warmly.  Of course, she had to spend time filling them in on all the gory details of her attack.  After all the questions had been answered and their concern expressed, she surprised them all with her next gesture.  She rose and gracefully dropped to her knees before Rick, a leash outstretched in her hands as an offering to her Master.  Head bowed submissively and her voice strained with tears, she had asked prettily to be leashed until he trusted her again. 

“Please Master, leash your disobedient slave.  I beg this of you as a sign of my submission and surrender to your control.  Please leash me so you can always have confidence that I will stay where you put me until the day comes when you can trust me enough do it on my own again.”

Rick had accepted the short leash, attached it to her play collar and used it to pull her up and onto his lap.  They hugged and kissed, holding each other close as their friends looked on and nodded in approval.  The other women’s eyes were brimming with tears.

She looked for other small ways of proving her trustworthiness.  She decided the best way to do this was to curb her impulsivity and start thinking before she reacted.  She was thirty-two years old and realized it was time for her to grow up.  No more keg parties or going off half-cocked and eluding her security detail.  No more secrets or lies no matter the altruistic reason. No more clamming up but instead opening up and communicating. She knew she couldn’t regain his trust overnight. That would take time and attention to detail. 

One night Rick presented her with a royal blue leather spanking skirt with a matching pair of knee high leather boots and a blue and black corset.  He loved unusual club wear and told her with a devilish grin as she modeled it for him, “Yours is the only ass I want waving in my face, Peaches.”  She’d blushed as he had used the same jealous words from their previous argument about Stephanie Beckett.  Regan’s inner exhibitionist had embraced the gift and she eagerly wore it to the club that night.   She knew that the large circular cut out over her ass exposed every inch of her rounded cheeks.  She presented a scintillating image from behind and they both loved it. 

As a thank you for the gift, she had suggested that he administer her
nighttime spanking at The Club that night.  She still couldn’t believe she had done that but she had been searching for a grand gesture to show her trust.  Rick had eagerly agreed and then gone one step further.  After her thirty stinging swats with a rubber paddle, he had left her tied to the bench and on display.  She lay restrained, with her freshly punished ass bared in all its glory including a few leftover welts from Friday night’s paddle/tawse/caning session.  Rick had then placed a sign by the station with the following request:

Doms and Dommes,

Please look your fill but do not touch this naughty sub wife who is being punished for dishonesty and disrespect.  Feel free to critique my expertise and provide any verbal feedback on the state of her well-disciplined ass.  I will have her share this information with me for quality improvement purposes.  Let me know immediately if you get other than a respectful response.

Master Rick

Regan was unaware of the outrageous sign and had been confused and flustered by the unusual attention.  She had endured a seemingly endless barrage of comments about her thoroughly punished ass and answered many personal and obscene questions.  Some had praised her submission to her Master’s punishment but most had asked where she or her Master had obtained the lovely spanking skirt and matching corset. 

She learned later that Rick had only been an arm’s length away as he watched over her from one of the viewing couches with Master Jonas and Master Sean.  Both owners had thoroughly enjoyed the show.  The Club Doms had been impressed by his truly unique punishment and stopped by the couch to heartily congratulate him. 

After that evening, Rick had her wear her spanking skirt after each weekly punishment session.  She accepted this  exposure as part of her punishment and also as a symbol of her submission.  She had a weird desire to provide the proof  to the community that her strong Dom followed through with punishment when necessary and she wore the lingering evidence with pride.  When she asked Rick about this he gave his usual response. “It’s your exhibitionist kink baby, just accept and enjoy it.”  The Doms of Club Decadence had acknowledged his need to be stern with her and a couple times had asked to examine the result of his disciplinary measures.

Tonight was four weeks to the day from her first punishment session. They were a week behind schedule due to Rick and Tony both being out of town the following the incident at her apartment.  Some kind of Rossi Security business had sent Tony to L.A. while Rick travelled to Washington D.C. with The General to give an update on the investigation to the Secretary of Homeland Security.  She was very proud of her husband and the important work he was doing.

Tonight was punishment session Number Four. They arrived at The Club following a late evening couple’s session with Dr. Windham.  As soon as Regan’s infertility issues had been brought to light Dr. Windham had referred them to a board certified specialist.  As predicted, once she got on the right schedule of fertility treatments and she started to actually take her antidepressants, her moods had stabilized.  She also had Rick to thank for taking charge of her diet, sleep and exercise schedule, as well as her medications.

The new specialist offered a few glimmers of hope.  As predicted, they tested Rick and were able to rule him out as the problem.  His boys could swim.  After a few additional tests, they were also able to determine that the quacks she had been seeing had misdiagnosed her condition.  Although she had some of the symptoms, she did not have POCS as previously thought.  Instead she had severe scarring caused by the post-operative infection.  Although this was preventing her from becoming pregnant, the good news was that there were options.   So, they were discussing IVF and even adoption.  It was stressful, but they were doing it together.  Rick as usual was her rock and she was so thankful that he was there beside her and able to help her separate reality from all the bullshit in her mind.

Tonight Dr. Windham had pronounced them nearly back on track and had decreased their sessions to once a month. They both had seen a marked improvement in their relationship when they re-dedicated themselves to the 4 D’s of domestic discipline.   Couples therapy had given them some tools for open, healthy communication and Rick had learned to recognize his wife’s triggers that escalated her low self-esteem and self-doubt issues.  They also had a trip to Boston planned in a few weeks for a three day DD retreat.

So, tonight was the final round of punishment and both women had agreed that it should be conducted at The Club.  Megan and Tony had already adjourned upstairs to Room Number Five for a private session.  Regan would receive hers in the member’s only playroom.

This was Regan’s suggestion, another grand gesture.  She wanted to prove to the membership that she was truly sorry for her recent behavior and to make amends.  Undeniably, she had interrupted their play the evening she had run away which was a definite rule violation.  She was lucky none of the Doms had called for a public chastisement, which was well within their rights.  That would have meant a public flogging naked at the whipping post and the offended party would have been invited to participate.   She shuddered at the thought.  Playing in a scene with her beloved husband was one thing, but punishment by another Dom?  She shuddered.  That scared the shit out of her.

Regan was still nervous when the time arrived.  The last two sessions had been as severe as the first except Rick had left off the gag.  She knew what to expect now, so she didn’t scream or carry on as much.  It still didn’t make it any easier, especially with the hot ginger root burning her bottom hole.  She hoped she wouldn’t become too vocal and embarrass herself.  She also dreaded the aftermath.  Aftercare had always been a special time for them following a scene and in the past led to hot sex with her especially hot Dom.  But Rick had taken to heart the advice of his mentors and added a clause to their DD contract, no rewarding bad behavior with sex.  Thankfully, when they were playing in a scene the no sex rule didn’t apply.  Tonight was a punishment so she would be going home unsatisfied tonight.

So, a subdued Regan lay quietly over the spanking bench, center-stage in the jam-packed member’s only playroom.  Regan wondered how everyone just happened to known this was going on tonight.  She suspected her grandstanding husband had leaked the information.  He always loved to play with her in public, exposing her, and often fucking her before the eager voyeurs in the crowd.

Rick knelt in front of her to secure her wrists and she noticed he had a
well-satisfied grin on his face.  Their eyes met hers and she rolled hers.

“Not a very submissive expression, sweetness. I suggest you stop the eye rolling and get in the appropriate frame of mind for your final punishment.”

“Did you call them all personally with an invitation?” She asked in a suspicious tone.

“Nonsense Regan, I wouldn’t do that.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek and whispered in her ear. “I sent a group text.” Rick laughed out loud at the stunned expression on her face.  He couldn’t help himself.  Things were going well for them and they were back to the loving, playful couple they had been for nine years.  Through therapy and a rededication to domestic discipline they were closer than ever and now communicated openly and discussed their thoughts and feelings with each other.

Rick let her stew for a moment then decided he also needed to be in a more appropriate mind set before beginning.  In his best Dom voice he began. “Regan, this is your last installment on your punishment.  Remember all is forgiven and after tonight we start fresh and won’t dwell on this incident again.  Understood?”

“Yes, Bear.  I love you.” She gave him a watery smile and blinked rapidly to prevent the tears from rolling down her face and leaving tracks in her makeup.

Rick gently stroked her cheek. “Shh, honey.  Wait until I give you something to cry about.”  He gave her that heart-melting smile and she gave a tearful laugh in response.

“Let’s get started then.”

Almost an hour later, Rick lifted her from the bench to the murmurs of approval from the members.  He wrapped her in a sub blanket and carried her to a couch where they joined Cap who had a well-punished Megan snuggled on his lap.  Tony and Rick comforted their women and waited for them to come back to them from subspace.  Sometimes the subs came down from an extreme punishment or scene in a few minutes, others times it hours or longer.  Sean, Dex, and Master Peter joined them in the seating area.  Master Peter’s wife Joanna knelt quietly on a pillow at his feet, the image of an obedient slave.

They relaxed as many club members came by to chat with the owners.  Several asked Rick for a demonstration session on figging since many had never heard of it before.  He said he would work with Dex to get one on the scheduled soon.  The friends sat in companionable silence as they took in the scenes playing out around them.

Master Peter broke the pleasant mood as he spoke quietly so as not to disturb the recovering subs, “We have a new lead in the investigation.”

All eyes looked at him expectantly.  Master Peter’s eyes went to Dex. “Elena may be implicated, Dex.”

“What?” Sean looked for Dex’s reaction. “No way is she involved with the cartel.”

“Let him finish, Sean.” Cap added in a low tone, his concerned eyes locked on Dex’s frozen expression.

“We have some file footage that just came into our possession from local law enforcement. Evidently, she was caught on tape making an exchange at Casa Del Blanco.”

“No shit.  When was this?”

“About three years ago, right before she hightailed it out to California.”

“I still can’t believe she would be dealing drugs.  No fucking way.  Not Elena.” Sean shook his head in disbelief.  He had known her for years, ever since grade school.  He had gotten to know her even better when she and his best friend Dex were engaged for three years.  He couldn’t believe it.  He looked at Dex to see how he was handling the news.