Tygers 4: Sweet Awakening Read online

  Walker’s house was very attuned to the area. Southwest art hung on the walls, and the furniture was large and overstuffed. She walked to a bookshelf and glanced at the titles. All spy novels or recent thrillers.

  She glanced at her watch. It was after one a.m., which really didn’t surprise her. She was very tired. It had been a long, long day and Oscar was right, it had been very emotional. She climbed the stairs, wondering for the first time if Walker had a dog. She hadn’t seen any signs of one, but he seemed the type who would have a dog, who would take it for walks and play fetch in the park.

  At the top of the stairs she saw three doors. The first door on the left was a bedroom, with dark coverings on a full-sized bed. Directly across from that was another bedroom, this one with a twin-sized bed. One wall contained a trophy case. She walked over to examine it and found photos of Walker in various football poses. There were trophies and framed news articles dating back to the 1980s.

  She looked harder at a framed photo of two high school football players whose jerseys read “Mustangs.” A smile crept on her face. It was Walker and Oscar. They had their arms around each other’s shoulders.

  A photo near it showed them both in the Lobos football uniforms of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. There were also photos of them in various athletic uniforms from younger ages.

  “Longtime friends,” she said softly. “Looks like they dominated on the fields, and now they dominate women. Together. How interesting.”

  She examined some of the articles and trophies, and then she left the room, making sure to turn out the lights and shut the door. There was a bathroom next to this room, and at the end of the hallway was a closed door she was sure led to Walker’s bedroom.

  She rolled her head as weariness took hold. She stopped in the bathroom to wash her face and used a sealed toothbrush she’d found to brush her teeth. Then she went back to the first door she’d opened and made herself at home on top of the covers of the full-sized bed. She was asleep within minutes, her last thoughts centering on Helena and what she was doing at that very moment.

  Chapter Four

  When Walker came into Sapphire’s on the Square the next morning, Harper was sorting lingerie that was about to go on sale. She’d just finished putting the naughty bits onto one table when she spotted him. He was watching her, a smile on his face.

  She crossed to him and returned his greeting. “I didn’t expect to see you until this afternoon. You have news?”

  “Yes, I do. Let’s walk down to La Tienda Dulce and have some coffee.”

  She turned to the woman behind the counter. “I’ll be back soon, Jenna.”

  Once they were on the street, he put his arm on the small of her back. “You don’t have to tell your boss when you take a break?”

  “I am the boss. Helena owns Sapphire’s, and I manage it.”

  “Really? You failed to mention that yesterday.”

  “I told you we’d increased our monies.”

  “Yes, but you said it was through investments.”

  Harper nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. It was chilly for April, but the leaves on the trees were in full bloom, and the square was beautiful. They rounded a corner and came to the bakery.

  “You come here often?” she asked as they stepped inside.

  “Yeah. Good food. Plus, Angel is living with a friend of mine, Eric Neal. He’s a cop.”

  “Really? One of the ones who wouldn’t help me?”

  “I don’t know. Although I think if you’d talked to Eric, he’d be more sympathetic.”

  The smells of the bakery assaulted her and her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten breakfast. True to his word, Walker had been gone when she’d woken up, and Oscar had been nowhere to be found. she’d hurried home to shower, change, and get to the store.

  They ordered breakfast burritos and sweet coffee before Walker urged her to a booth in the corner.

  “Tell me.”

  “A baggage handler at a small airport in Miami remembers seeing Helena. He said she was on a private plane with a bunch of other people.”

  Harper’s heart soared, but at the same time it fell. How could Helena have gone somewhere and not told her? They never did that to each other. Their pact was to stay together and to keep tabs on one another.

  “Where did the plane go?”

  “The kid wasn’t sure. He’s not even sure she stayed on that plane. He was helping to load luggage, and someone asked him to take some boxes inside the plane.”

  Their food was delivered and Harper attacked hers, taking three quick bites before glancing up at Walker, who was smiling at her. The food tasted like heaven, and she swallowed quickly and scooped up some more.

  “Glad to see your appetite’s back.”

  “Last night was sort of a wake-up call. I can’t help Helena if I’m sick from not eating.”

  He put his hand on her free one. “Harper. Helena doesn’t need help. She’s off playing.”

  “How do you know that? Maybe that person kidnapped her.”

  He sat back and took a bite of his own burrito. “Nobody kidnapped her. The kid said she was putting on a show for the people on the plane, masturbating with a long, glass wine bottle. He stayed to watch, until he got caught. But that wasn’t before Helena screamed in orgasm, turned over, and gave the bottle to a spectator to use on her ‑‑”

  “I get the point.” Harper put down her fork and took a long sip of her coffee. The food she’d just eaten felt like lead in her stomach.

  “Harper. She’s off having a good time. You’re wasting your money.” His voice was gentle, and it should have made her feel better, but it didn’t.

  “No. I’m not. I’m telling you something’s wrong. I can feel it.”

  The silence grew, and then she leveled a glance at him.

  “Where did the plane go?”

  “The kid wasn’t sure. There were several that took off that night, and she may not have even stayed on the one he saw. He just couldn’t wait to tell his friends what he’d witnessed. One friend told another, and that’s how the PI that I hired in Miami found out.”

  “Is he sure it’s Helena?”

  “She showed the kid a picture lineup. He picked her out with no problem, no hesitation.”

  She took another bite of her breakfast, but this time it didn’t taste of a wonderful blend of eggs, chorizo, peppers, and hot sauce. It tasted like ash.

  “Can you find the plane?”

  “We can. Liza didn’t go forward, because she wanted to check with me first. If you want to authorize her to try and locate the plane and see where it went, then she will. It might take a while.”

  “Yes. Do it, please.”

  “All right. You still want to go to Paragon’s?”

  “Yes. When do we leave?”

  They stared at each other and then he shook his head. “Don’t get your hopes up, please. I’m afraid your sister is just being irresponsible and hasn’t called to tell you she found a new friend.”

  “No, she wouldn’t do that. When do we leave?” She emphasized the last words and he took a sip of his coffee.

  “I’ll book the room today. I suppose there are no travel restrictions for you, since you’re the boss.”

  “That’s right. I can go whenever I want and stay gone as long as I want. Jenna is very reliable.”

  “All right. Then I’ll meet you this afternoon at Oscar’s office. Be ready for some intense training.”

  Harper nodded and took another bite of her food. “What does Oscar do, by the way?”

  “He’s a lawyer. A damned good one.”

  He looked up and greeted the woman who approached.

  “Hola, Angel.” The woman slipped into the booth next to him and bussed his cheek. She winked at Harper.

  “Hola, Walker, and to you too, Harper. We don’t usually see you this early.”

  “I was hungry. Good morning, Angel. It’s delicious, as always. Plus, I didn’t know you two knew each ot
her until earlier.”

  “Small world,” Walker said. Harper was happy he was so discreet. She didn’t want everyone to know Helena was missing. Or was she? Was Walker right? Had she just found a new friend at Paragon’s and decided to go off with this person? Or persons?

  Helena had never done anything like this before. They always talked, at least every other day. Still, if she’d been doing what the baggage handler said she was, then maybe she hadn’t been taken against her will. Helena had always been over the top sexually. Masturbating with a bottle while others watched might disgust Harper, but she knew it would thrill Helena.

  She’d never judged Helena on her sexual appetites. That was part of who her sister was. She was just afraid this time it had led her down a path that held a great deal of danger, and that’s why she hadn’t been in touch.

  Or had she? If Harper found Helena sitting on a beach somewhere giving blowjobs she’d throttle her for making her worry. Maybe, Walker was right. Maybe that’s where she was, off having fun while her sister worried. The thought made her blood boil.

  “Are you sure you don’t want another one? The way you inhaled that one makes me think you haven’t eaten in a week.”

  Harper stared at her empty plate. She hadn’t realized she’d been stuffing her face while she’d been thinking. She was about to say no when Walker said, “Yes, bring her another one. Loaded.”

  Angel made hand motions to the woman behind the counter who nodded in agreement. Then she got up and took their cups. “I’ll be back with more Café de Olla. Relax and stay for a while.”

  When she was gone, Harper lifted her gaze to Walker.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, but I’m more determined than ever to find Helena. When did this boy see her?”

  “Saturday. Which means she was playing with someone the week after she left Paragon’s. It also means it was just four days ago that someone saw her.”

  Harper exhaled in relief, then looked down at her empty plate. “At least it means she’s not dead.”

  “No, I don’t think she is.”

  She lifted her gaze back to him. “If I find out she’s worried me for nothing, she may wish she is when I get hold of her.”

  * * * * *

  Oscar’s office was in an old, renovated building in downtown Albuquerque. Harper left her car in a garage that was attached to it. Then she walked the stairs to the third floor. The exercise would do her good, since she’d been like a pig at a trough all day long. She’d inhaled the second burrito that morning; then, at lunch, she’d had three slices of pizza. It was like making up in one day for a week of picking at her food.

  Her thoughts had been on Helena all day, ranging from fear that she was hurt to anger that she was playing, and was thoughtless not to call her sister and say, “Hey, I found new fuck buddies.”

  Walker’s news had made her feel much better about Harper’s disappearance, but it hadn’t made her want to stop the investigation. Helena could be off having fun, yes, but she could as likely be held against her will.

  When she reached the door to the third floor she stopped, then sat down on the steps leading to the fourth. She wasn’t frightened about what was about to happen, not really. She supposed if she let herself go, she could enjoy it. But she wondered how Walker and Oscar would handle her little secret when they found out.

  Most men didn’t care, but she had a feeling these two would. They would make a big deal out of it, and she was sure it would make her mad, and it would ruin everything. She wondered for the millionth time why she couldn’t be like Helena, who felt pleasure at every turn. That would make things so much easier.

  She took a deep breath, stood, and made her way to Oscar’s office. She’d thought it would be a small office, with him by himself, so she was surprised to see four names on the door. Barton, Martinez, Sneed, and Ruiz.

  The male receptionist smiled at her, then led her to Oscar’s office without making her wait. She glanced at her watch; it was 3:45 on the dot. She was on time. And she’d followed his instructions and shaved her pussy that morning while she was in the shower.

  The receptionist knocked on the door and opened it. “Your 3:45 is here, Mr. Ruiz.”

  “Thank you, Charles. Show her in.”

  She stepped into the office, and Charles closed the door after her. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. The office was elegantly furnished. Oscar sat behind his large oak desk in front of a bank of windows now covered by closed curtains. There was an oak table surrounded by chairs in one area.

  Off to the left she saw a door that was partly open. She glimpsed a sink and knew it led to a bathroom. Sitting just beyond that was an old-fashioned wooden bar. Two stools sat in front of it. Behind it was a glass shelf with various bottles of liquor.

  She tried to block out images of her sister fucking herself with a bottle. She wasn’t sure what to do after she’d examined the room so she stood there, staring at Oscar. He was working on papers, his head bent to his desk.

  Finally, he put down his pen and lifted his gaze to hers.

  “Good afternoon, slick. You’re looking better than when I last saw you.”

  “Thanks. I feel better.”

  “Good. Strip.”

  “What?” She stared at him.

  “Take off your clothes. All of them. Right now. Fold them up and leave them on the bar. Don’t make me wait too long.”

  He started to work on his papers again as Harper fought to get air back into her lungs. She couldn’t strip in an office. What if someone came in and found her? Charles had opened the door without waiting for an answer, which meant people could just come and go.

  Still, if she didn’t follow his orders, or if she waited too long, she’d fail this test. That’s all this was, a test. He just wanted to make sure she could follow orders.

  She put her purse on the bar and took off her jacket, folding it neatly before unbuttoning her blouse. He didn’t lift his gaze to her as she took off all her clothing. She shivered when she was naked, partly from the cold and partly from the fear of discovery.

  “What now?”

  “Come to me.” He put down his pen and swiveled his chair toward her. “Spread your legs, arms behind your back, head down, shoulders back.”

  She did as he asked, a feeling she couldn’t quite place seeping into her veins. Was it pleasure? Or fear? She wasn’t sure, but she knew it made her feel warmer, and it made her nipples peak.

  His hand brushed her thigh and she quivered. “Very good,” he said, and she knew he was talking about her pussy.

  She watched from her lowered gaze as he opened a drawer behind him, extracting what looked like several long pieces of nylon. Was he going to tie her up? Here in his office? He shook out the object and she could see it wasn’t rope, but more straps. He found the center and turned back to her, wrapping one strip around her waist and fastening it.

  Her gaze darted to the door and he slapped her thigh.

  “Eyes down. Do not look anywhere but at the floor. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  When the strap was around her waist, he lifted a smaller one to her neck, fastening it. They were hooked together by a tie, and another band trailed down her back. There was a large D-ring on the collar around her neck. Her heart beat faster as she realized those straps on the back had cuffs on them.

  “Hands behind your back.”

  “I…what are you going to do?”

  He slapped her ass and she jumped. “Ask one more question and it’s over; do you understand me? I’m in charge and you will do as you’re told. Put your hands behind your back.”

  She did as he asked, and he fastened the cuffs around her wrists, then linked the cuffs to the strap around her waist. When he was done, he stood, putting his finger under her chin and lifting her gaze to his own.

  “This is to test your resolve. If you go to Paragon’s with us, the slightest slipup will give us away. You must learn to obey, and to
obey without question. Follow me.”

  Oscar walked behind the bar and she trailed after him, her body in full-alert mode. He pointed to the floor.

  “Sit.”

  He didn’t help her as she lowered herself to her knees and then set her bottom on the plush carpet.

  “Spread your legs and scoot so you’re sitting on your tailbone.”

  Harper obeyed him, then bit back a gasp as he extracted yet more bindings. He attached cuffs to her ankles, running the lead from them through small clips set into the cabinet behind the bar, pulling them so her legs were tightly bound, her ankles resting on the ground.

  “One more,” he said, and she knew what it would be. He walked to his desk and took a rope from the drawer. He attached it to the D-ring on her collar, then linked the rope to something on top of the bar, she wasn’t sure what. Her head was now tilted back, and she couldn’t move.

  “Perfect. Now, I have work to do, for about an hour or so. I can see you while I’m sitting behind my desk, but no one else will be able to see you unless they come back here. There will be people in and out of here, so, if I were you, I’d be silent. If you make noise, they might want to come and investigate. They’d find you naked and bound, and it might prove embarrassing for both of us.”

  She nodded, but didn’t answer.

  “Stay silent and be good eye candy for your Master.” His fingers dipped into her pussy and she gasped. She was wet. Oh, my Lord, she was wet. How could she be enjoying this?

  “Good girl. Nice and submissive.”

  He walked back to his desk and sat down, going back to work on the papers on his desk. Harper tried to move, but even the tiniest of movements made her flinch. Her tailbone started to ache, but so did her clit. The tingling sensations in her clit were so new to her, that she wondered why it was happening. Was she excited about what was happening? Or was it fear that produced the tingling she felt?

  She licked her lips and tried to slow her breathing. Oscar worked steadily, every once in a while glancing her way. Once, he swiveled in his chair and stroked his cock through his trousers, his hungry gaze fixed on her. Then he went back to work, leaving her wondering what would happen next, and when.