Binding Her to Him (Dupree Investigations Book 1) Read online

  “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she leaned into him, “I puked the first time I saw a dead body too.” She shrugged. “It happens. Don’t worry about it.” She gave him a moment to compose himself, then turned the page in her pad. “So, did you know the victim?”

  He shook his head. “No, not really. I mean, she moved in two weeks ago. I helped her carry a few boxes.”

  “See any suspicious people around the complex after she moved in?” Kennedy bit the inside of her cheek in concentration as she wrote down his answers.

  “No,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “This place has always been pretty safe.” Yeah, she got the same vibe too. Even with the police there along with the medical examiner, the complex seemed quiet—peaceful.

  Pulling her card out of her back pocket, she handed it to him. “If you can think of anything that might be important, let me know.” She squeezed his shoulder.

  “Thanks I will. And, uh, you know, I appreciate you not…” he shrugged before rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Not a problem.” Kennedy exited the front of the apartment complex. There, off to the side, her partner stood next to two uniformed officers. His imposing form towered over the two younger men. His eyes narrowed on both of them, and from the motion of his hands and his facial expressions, he was reading them the riot act.

  Curious, she tilted her head. Whatever happened, he’d been pissed and both men were getting an earful. She gave him another second before making her way over to where they were standing. “Problem, Eric?”

  His gaze snapped to hers, and she sucked in a breath. He wasn’t just pissed off as she’d suspected, he was downright infuriated. His lip curled into a menacing sneer, and his fists balled at his sides. “These two fuckwits were first on the scene and touched the body.”

  Oh shit, you never touched a dead body. You secured the scene and made sure no one got in or out before backup arrived. “What did you do?” She turned her attention to the smaller officer. His gaze darted between his partner and Eric, before settling on her. “They’re not going to help you,” Kennedy informed the officer.

  “I checked for a pulse,” he murmured. His voice was shaky from the dressing down her partner gave him.

  “So the crusty white stuff at the corners of her mouth or the fact that her skin was ashen and tinged with blue didn’t make you back up and say, shit, she’s dead?” Kennedy shook her head. Sometimes she wondered if she’d ever been that new. “I need to tell Maya.”

  “Don’t bother, I’m making them do it,” Eric snapped.

  “We’re going to have to put it in the report as a possible contamination of the scene.” She scrubbed her forehead. “Did you do anything else?”

  “I found her purse,” the other officer with hazel eyes piped up. “I handled it. I didn’t go through it, but I did give it to that detective over there.” He pointed to Jorge Dominguez, who was talking with another officer.

  “Hey Maya,” Eric called out. “Can you come here for a minute?” The examiner started for them.

  “Problem?” she asked.

  Eric shoved the hazel-eyed officer forward. “Explain.”

  The guy cleared his throat, then glanced at his partner. “We attempted CPR on the victim.”

  Maya frowned. “Did you check her pulse, feel how cool her skin is?”

  “W-we did, but thought we should, you know…” the other rookie said, with a roll of his shoulders.

  “Why the hell—No never mind, I don’t want to know,” Maya tsked, as she wrote down the new bit of information.

  “Sorry ma’am,” the officer murmur.

  “I bet you are,” Maya said, with a smirk as she turned around. “Thanks for the update.”

  Kennedy nodded. “Dismissed.” Both officers let out a breath and returned to their duty post. “I’ll go find out what Dominguez knows. You finish up here.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Eric answered, some of the anger dissipating from his voice.

  “Don’t be too hard on them. They’re obviously new,” she said lifting her chin toward the rookies.

  “Yeah well….” He didn’t have to say anything else. She knew where he was going. Had it been them, their CO would have ripped their asses open and made an example of them. The two guys got off easy. “I’ll meet you at the car when I’m done.”

  Eric inclined his head. “How about we grab some breakfast while we wait for Maya to get back to us?”

  “You buying?” she teased.

  “Of course. I have a proposition for you too,” his voice went flat, unreadable. Kennedy took a minute to study him.

  “Okay.” She eyed him speculatively for a moment then went in search of Dominguez. If he had the wallet and the girl’s identification, she and Eric could inform the victim’s family.

  Dominguez stood near the fountain talking with other detectives. His hands were empty, and she cursed. More than likely, the purse had been tagged and bagged as evidence. She would have to check it out once it had been logged in—which wouldn’t be so bad, but the fact remained they had zero to go on right now. Identifying the girl would go a long way toward helping them piece together the last moments of their vic’s life.

  “Excuse me.” She elbowed her way into the small group of men. Although she’d been on the job for ten years, there was still a ‘good ol’ boys club’ in the department. They subscribed to the theory women should be behind a desk squirreled away, not out in the field doing the physically and mentally taxing work. Dominguez perpetuated the stereotype. In his early fifties, the heavy-set and balding misogynistic pig made it his mission to try to intimidate Kennedy every chance he got. Too bad it never worked. “I was told you were handed evidence before Eric and I arrived. Where is it?”

  The men instantly stilled, and Dominguez gave them a half smile. “Well, if it isn’t Detective Le Roche.”

  Kennedy waited. When he didn’t say anything else, she forged on. “Just answer the question, Dominguez.”

  “Touchy, touchy. It must be that PMS all those commercials are always talking about.” Kennedy curled her lip in disgust when the officers surrounding Dominguez laughed. She wanted to kick him in the balls. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, sweetheart. We men folk took care of it already.”

  A slither of disgust snaked up her spine, and she cringed. The man was disgusting with a capital D. She bit her tongue, hoping to curb the string of curses she wanted hurl at him. “I’ll take your answer as you bagged it as evidence. Thanks,” she said, through clenched teeth.

  “Problems?” Leave it to Eric to show up just when she didn’t need the added attention.

  “Nope, none,” she muttered. “I’m just chatting with our fellow detectives and officers. The purse should be on its way to processing.” Her gaze never left Dominguez’s dull whiskey-colored eyes.

  “Good,” he replied, laying a hand on the small of her back. “If you’ll excuse us, gentlemen, we have work to do. Kennedy.”

  She tensed. Her partner had unwittingly given the pig headed bastard enough ammo to use against her—again. “Yes, run along, Detective Le Roche. Wouldn’t want you to be late,” he laughed.

  “Yeah,” Eric laughed. “Looks like you know a thing or two about never being late as well, Dominguez.”

  Kennedy smirked. The smug bastard lost some of his bluster. His face turned a ruddy red as he took a step forward. “Careful. Wouldn’t want you coding out here at a crime scene,” she quipped. “And with me being such a delicate female, I might have the vapors and not know what to do.”

  “Bitch,” Dominguez spat.

  “That’s queen bitch to you, asshole. Don’t you forget it.”

  Chapter Two

  “Let’s go over everything we know.” Eric took a sip of his coffee then placed it back down on the white diner table. Around them, the small town of Reserve started coming alive as different shops opened their doors. Table after table in the little diner filled with patrons, and Kennedy grew uncomfo
rtable. The atmosphere wouldn’t be the most conducive for their conversation. However, her stomach growled, and her surly disposition showed no signs of improving. A cup of coffee and some eggs might go a long way to help her out.

  After leaving the apartment complex, she didn’t talk to Eric. Deep down, she knew he wasn’t doing it intentionally. He had tried to defuse a potentially volatile situation—like her foot ending up in Dominguez’s ass. Still, in the long run it would hurt her reputation more than help, especially considering the assholes she worked with.

  “We don’t have anything, yet.” She flipped through the menu, not looking up at her partner.

  “We have enough,” he prodded.

  Setting the menu down, she arched a brow at him. “We have a victim about twenty-two or twenty-three years old. No one knows her name. She’s new to the apartment complex, only lived there a couple of weeks. From the way she’d been dressed, our victim went out for a night on the town.” She reluctantly pulled out her small memo pad. “Thomas, the kid who called it in, said he helped her with a few boxes when she moved in and he found her body on his way to work.”

  Eric took another sip of his coffee. The way he assessed her made her squirm in her seat. “I know something is eating you. Spit it out.”

  She snorted. “Okay.” Sitting back in the booth, she took up a defensive posture. Arms crossed, she ran her tongue over her teeth. “You took my credibility away from me in front of Dominguez. You treated me, intentionally or not, like a stupid girl who couldn’t do her job. You validated every fucking vile thing they say about women. And you want to know what’s eating me? I should kick your ass.” Her heart hammered. Her body vibrated with anger. He knew how much she had to fight since becoming a detective.

  “I did it to save your ass. Maybe you’ve forgotten your mouth likes to get you into trouble, but I haven’t. He would have rejoiced in writing your ass up. So, I removed you from the situation.” Kennedy sagged. “It’s not like I didn’t want to rip out the fucker’s throat myself, Kennedy. It took everything I had to be nice and aloof. Don’t make it anything other than that.”

  Well shit. “Doesn’t mean it’s right,” she huffed. “People like Dominguez shouldn’t even be on the force.”

  “You’re absolutely right. But….” He didn’t have to say anything else. Since Hurricane Katrina, every rat and every dirty cop descended on area. She’d like to believe the department had been clean before the fateful event, but she couldn’t shake the feeling it only got worse after the fact. “Anyway, we’ll be able to check out her ID soon and we’ll have a definite cause of death as well. We will nail the person responsible.”

  She sighed. “You’re right.” When the waitress came back with their breakfast, Kennedy began cutting into her eggs. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?” She needed to shift the conversation. If she spent another moment talking about dirty officers, she’d likely end up doing something stupid.

  A wicked smile tugged at the corner of Eric’s lips. His dark brown eyes twinkled with mischief. Shit. What the hell does he have up his sleeve? Relaxing into the booth, he draped his arm over the back of the plastic bench. “You need to go out with me.”

  “Come again?” What the hell is he playing at?

  “That’s the point,” he laughed when she curled her lip. “The club I told you about a couple of months ago, you’ve yet to check it out. I thought we should go.” He shifted forward, laying his elbows on the table, “The place is discreet, comfortable and the people there are pretty straight forward. You’d like it.”

  “No.”

  “Kennedy, when was the last time you got worked over?” he asked.

  Kennedy grimaced, laying her fork on her plate. The few bites of eggs she’d eaten fermented in her stomach. She couldn’t lie. He’d know. “Six months,” she whispered. Besides, it wasn’t like he allowed anyone near her, so it was just as much his fault as hers.

  “Fuck,” Eric snapped. “You’re going with me, and I’ll give you what you need.”

  Her spine stiffened. “How the fuck would you know what I need?” she snarled. “You can’t give me what I need. You’ve made it known quite clearly I’m not to be touched by anyone when we’re at a club.” All I need is to get laid. Just one night. I don’t want strings or hang ups. I just want to get fucked.

  “Because you don’t allow anyone to take your control if you don’t trust them. It’s not me, it’s you! I see it every time you rebuff a Dom. I do it to help you out, not because I want to keep you to myself,” he snapped while staring at her. “I get you want more, but when you’re not willing to open up and take it, what else do you expect? So, I fake it for you,” he shrugged. “I can redden that ass, and make you release all the built up tension you carry around with you. The rest? I can use a dildo or a vibrator. All that matters is getting you relaxed.”

  She’d built up this image of no one being as good as Phoenix and used their relationship as a barrier between her and everyone else. In doing so, she didn’t let another man into her life—let alone a Dom. Yet, although she knew the truth, she couldn’t quite bring herself to accept his offer. “I don’t think…”

  “That’s the problem, Kennedy. You think way too fucking much,” he sighed, obviously exasperated by the conversation. “You don’t allow yourself to let go. You’re all wound up. Answer me this one question. If you’d been taking care of yourself like you should be, would Dominguez’s bullshit have bothered you today?”

  So much of what Eric said made sense. However, she didn’t let go. She had to be bound and submitting before she did. Eric figured it out a few weeks after they graduated. Sex and submission had taken a back seat to everything else. And after all these years, no one, could get her going like Phoenix. She sighed. Even though it had been eighteen years, that man still did things to her insides. The mere thought of him could make her weak in the knees and leave her a trembling mass. Stupid really. She’d been eighteen. A kid. It was puppy love. Nothing more. Nothing less. There’s no way he should still have this hold over her. Still…she shook her head and blew out a breath. “What do you want me to say, Eric?”

  “The truth.”

  As if it were so simple. The truth. “It’s complicated. I’m complicated.” Frustrated, she turned away from him and stared out over the diner. Every table had someone sitting at it, and the rays from the sun beat down on the black and white checkered floor, heating the diner air. “If I knew how to tell you about everything I would. But, it’s not easy. There are so many twist and turns,” she rambled.

  “Let me take all of it away. Give me your worries and your pain. Give me everything you’re trying to hold on to. I promise you’ll feel better for it when we’re through, NeNe.” Fuck, he only used her nickname when he meant business or when she was hurting.

  Her shoulders sagged and she looked down. “When?” Defeat filled her tone. What happened to her? When had she become…weak?

  “Tonight. I have an appointment at eight and then we have the rest of the evening together. I’ll pick you up, and you’ll stay at my place for the night with me.” Stay with him? He’d never offered her a place to stay. As a matter of fact, several times he’d tried to ditch her and find a better piece of ass after he’d taken care of her needs. What the hell is going on?

  “Uh, okay. But,” she licked her lips. “I don’t have to stay with you. I can come home. It’s no big deal.”

  “Damn it, there you go thinking again.” Eric chuckled. “Just be ready by seven. I’ll take care of the rest.”

  Chapter Three

  Eric was on time. The dirty bastard. After leaving him at the station only a few hours ago, his reminder to be ready at seven echoed in her mind. Kennedy showered quickly and then stared at the clothes lying on her bed for a long time. The soft glow of the bedside lamp glinted off the butter-soft leather skirt and blood red corset. In all honesty, it was one of her favorite outfits, but it seemed empty.

  Once she donned the outfit, she
stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. She should have call Eric and told him to go without her. She didn’t feel sexy or even turned on by the prospects of being dominated. Exhaustion seeped into her bones.

  It wasn’t like the Doms were lining up for a chance to work with her. Eric made sure of that. Just once, she’d love to have someone else take over and give her exactly what she needed.

  Opening the door, she let Eric into her small, yet quaint apartment. Wearing a lazy smile that spelled nothing but trouble, leather pants and a tight black t-shirt which accentuated all the muscular planes of his body, he was every girl or guy’s wet dream. His thickly corded body leaned against the doorframe waiting patiently for her. This was a big mistake. “Eric, I don’t…”

  “From this moment on” —he said, cutting her off as he walked into the living room— “you are mine. Turn off your brain.” Holding his hand out, he waited for her to take it. Kennedy hesitated for a moment, then wiped her palm against the short, black leather mini skirt and placed her hand in his. “Good. Now, spin around for me.”

  “Eric,” her tone laced with warning.

  “Not this time, NeNe. You’re my sub for the night. Therefore, you’ll do as I say.” With a huff, she spun around for Eric’s inspection. “Very good, Kennedy. You please me.” Mentally she rolled her eyes, but the lure of his sensual voice lulled her.

  “Thank you, Sir,” she whispered.

  “But, you’re missing one thing.” The cool kiss of leather being wrapped around her neck had her gaze snapping to his.

  “What the hell, Eric?” Is he nuts? A collar wasn’t part of their deal, never had been.

  “You’re going to a new club with me. I don’t want you pawed by the other Doms, and I don’t think you want it either. This is my way of keeping you safe.” She eyed him speculatively, mulling over what he said. It was true she hadn’t been to a club in a while, and if they were going somewhere new, she wanted to be safe too.