Page 151 of Their Naughty Student (Office Intrigue Duet 6)
“We did,” Jamie agreed with a huge grin. “And we will be going on Saturday night. But I promised Zeke we’d come by here before the restaurant opened.”
I noticed Cav’s frown.
“It’ll be fine,” I assured him.
“I’ve heard that before,” he mumbled when the door opened and Brax appeared.
There was something in his expression that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. “Something wrong?”
He shook his head quickly, motioned for us to come inside.
“Where’s Zeke?” Jamie asked.
“He’s … uh…” Brax glanced at me. “He’s downstairs in the basement.”
“Then we’ll make ourselves at home,” Jamie said with a strained smile. “Wait for them to join us.”
“I’ve got wine,” Brax announced, making a beeline for the kitchen.
Cav glanced over at me. “Somethin’ happen in the basement that I should know about?”
“It’s his torture dungeon,” Jamie said simply, leading the way to the kitchen. “He doesn’t think I know that, but I’ve been on to him for years.”
Brax’s gaze swung over to her. “Really?”
She waved him off. “Of course. Don’t worry. I won’t go traipsing down there to greet them. I can wait.”
A sigh of relief came from the man. “Thank God for that.”
Jamie laughed. “Is that why you’ve got your panties in a twist?” she teased.
Brax laughed, a strangled sound that had me smiling.
“Somethin’ like that.”
“So, are you excited?” Jamie asked as she took a seat at the bar when Brax passed over a glass of wine. “T minus seven, right?”
For the first time since we walked in the door, a real smile landed on the man’s face, reaching all the way to his eyes. “Yeah. Can’t wait.”
“I bet. This is a big deal.”
“Huge,” Brax agreed, looking over at me. “Wine or scotch?”
“Scotch,” I said, relieved that he’d offered something stronger.
While Zeke and I were still friends and there was no animosity between us, I was still uncomfortable being in the man’s presence. Jamie had breakfast with her brother every Friday like clockwork, so I knew the Sadist was in the know as to how her life was going, but I still got antsy when I was around him.
“A torture dungeon?” Cav asked, clearly still stuck a few minutes in the past.
I laughed, relaxing somewhat.
“Not for the faint of heart,” Brax stated, passing over one glass to me, another to Cav.
“Can I get a tour?” he asked eagerly, his attention swinging to the basement stairs. “When they’re done, of course.”
“I’m sure it can be arranged,” Jamie promised.
A thundering cry sounded from down below and Brax’s eyes swung between the three of us.
“Relax, man,” I told him. “Nothing we haven’t heard before.”
“He had a client over for dinner a couple of months ago,” Brax explained. “Left me up here to entertain while he took Case down there for a discussion.” He used air quotes on the last word. “Not easy to explain away that sort of noise.”
“You know he does it on purpose, right?” I asked, taking the barstool to Jamie’s left. “Probably more of a mind fuck for you than anything else.”
As though he hadn’t considered that, Brax’s eyes widened.
I grinned. “That’s Zeke for you.”
“Don’t worry,” Jamie added, “he tends to tone it down when I’m here.”
“Way down,” Brax agreed, turning toward the oven.
Cav leaned in, lowered his voice. “He really has a torture dungeon?”
“He really does.”
Jamie spun around on her stool to face him. “Does it interest you?”
“God, no. But I’m curious as to what’s down there.”
“Lots of stuff,” she said, a gleam in her eyes. “But that’s nothing. Brax and Case have been known to sleep in the cage under Zeke’s bed.”
Cav’s eyes widened.
That was news to me. Then again, I didn’t need to know the intimate details of Zeke’s relationship with his submissives.
A knock sounded on the door and Brax’s head snapped up.
“I’ll get it,” I said, setting my glass down and making my way to the door. I pulled it open, grinned.
“You’re not Zeke,” Ian Stokes noted.
“Not today, no,” I joked, shaking his hand when he stepped into the house, his twin brother right behind him.
“How are you?” Isaac asked. “Haven’t seen you at the club in a while.”
“I’ve been busy,” I told him.
Before I could close the door, something stopped it. I pulled it open to see Talon, a wide grin on his face.
“Didn’t see you there.”
“Hard to miss,” Talon said, shaking my hand. “Zeke said you’d be here.”
“I’m here.” I glanced out the door, ensuring no one was behind them. “Didn’t realize it was a party.”
“There’re a few more comin’,” Brax informed me when he appeared.
Politely, Brax greeted the newcomers, invited them in, and offered drinks. When asked, he explained where Zeke and Case were, then went back to preparing dinner.
“How’s work?” I asked Isaac and Ian as we stood around, waiting for the host to join us.
“Good,” they said in unison.
Ian deferred to Isaac.
“As you know, we’ve joined Ransom’s security team.”
