Page 7 of Blinded
His parents had married while in medical school and gone into cardiology together. They’d had his sister right after residency, and ten years later him. GT never knew if his parents planned to have him, but they always made him feel wanted. Both retired at age sixty and were looking forward to spending quality time together until his father had a fatal heart attack four months into retirement. One moment, he had been there getting an anniversary present out of the car, the next moment he was gone. None of them had the chance to say good-bye. It was a blow to the entire family, but his mother was hit the hardest. One moment she was looking forward to her golden years with him, and the next moment she was a widow who would give everything to spend more time with her beloved husband.
GT hadn’t decided which was worse – finding love like theirs and having it ripped away like that, or never having loved at all.
Chapter Three
Sandra inhaled deeply as she exited the dressing room at Club Indigo on Saturday evening. After five years in practice, she’d built a name for herself, and she had as many patients as she could handle. It was gratifying work – unless the patient was a pompous ass like Dr. High-and-Mighty Lewis – but after a fifty-hour work week Sandra was looking forward to a pleasant night of BDSM and hanging out with friends. Speaking of which – she looked for Ruby but couldn’t locate her. Sandra trotted over to the bar and waited for Bob to notice her as she tapped her foot to the rhythm of Adam Lambert’s For Your Entertainment.
“Good evening, Sandra. You didn’t bring Ruby tonight?”
Sandra turned and greeted Will with a kind smile. The big man had joined the Club recently, and Sandra suspected he had a crush on her friend.
“I was wondering where she was myself. She was supposed to meet me here around eight,” Sandra answered his question and frowned. It wasn’t like Ruby to be late. Will looked down at his wrist. He was wearing a stainless-steel sports watch, and Sandra admired how it looked on his muscled arm. It was a pity that few men wore watches these days – serious arm porn.
Will chuckled, and Sandra could feel her face heat. Had he noticed her interest? She peeked up at him through her lashes. Will was not classically handsome, but when he smiled, he turned ruggedly good-looking and precisely the type Ruby liked. Why her friend didn’t play more often with the Dom was a mystery to Sandra. She smiled at Will. Time to get to know the man a little better. Maybe she could play cupid.
Club Indigo catered to the entire BDSM community in Kansas City and a lot of couples found their significant others through the club. Club Indigo didn’t discriminate based on race, gender identity or orientation. Sandra had met some interesting people over time, but neither she nor Ruby had met anyone they’d consider as a permanent partner. Although they hadn’t found their perfect match, around them people had fallen in love, gotten collared, and married. The most recent love story wasn’t a couple but a threesome! Although her mother’s disdain would know no bounds at the ‘unnatural’ relationship, Sandra found the love between Kate, Chris and Yvonne inspiring.
“What can I get you guys to drink?” Bob’s question startled Sandra back to the here and now, and she politely asked for a diet Coke after Will ordered his sparkling water. They waited in awkward silence as the bartender got their drinks, but after he brought them and left, Will gathered himself together.
“Care to sit down while we wait for Ruby?”
“Sure.” Sandra followed the large man to one of the barrel tables. She liked the way he made sure she got onto the high barstool beside the table, before settling down. A gentleman! She narrowed her eyes, could he be too gentle for her friend?
“So, how long have you been coming to the club now, Will?” she started her interrogation. For the next couple of minutes, she grilled Will about his job, his expectations, and his experience as a Dom. She was pleasantly surprised he’d started to learn rope bondage. Bondage had always intrigued both her and Ruby, but not many Doms had the skill or the patience to make the intricate patterns or careful bonds that allowed suspension. Before she knew it, Will had gotten a second round of drinks and they’d been talking for over thirty minutes. Worry about Ruby swamped her again.
“I need to call Ruby, Will. She’s almost an hour late.” Since the club rules didn’t allow cell phones inside, she would have to go to the entrance where the lockers with personal belongings were and make the call there.
Will glanced over to his watch again and clenched his jaw. He rose and helped her down. “Mind if I join you? I’m starting to get worried, too.”
Sandra agreed, and they went to get her phone.
“Leaving already?” Paula, who was handling the front desk, asked.
Before Sandra could reply, Will answered, “Ruby should have met Sandra here over an hour ago.”
Paula frowned. “It’s not like Ruby to be late, right?”
Sandra shook her head and punched in the code to her locker. She looked down at the screen of her phone. Two missed calls and a text from Ruby.
7:54 pm: Sorry girlfriend, not coming to the club tonight. Let’s have brunch tomorrow and I’ll explain. 11:30 at the Big Biscuit? Nothing to worry about! Enjoy your night.
Sandra sagged against the lockers in relief and held up her phone to Will. He scanned the message and said to Paula, “Apparently, something happened. Ruby isn’t coming tonight.” He patted Sandra’s shoulder. “Are you all right, love?”
Sandra gave him a grateful but wobbly smile. “Yes, thank you. I was working myself into a frenzy.” From the grim expressions on Paula and Will, she imagined both cops would have even more horrible worst-case scenarios than she could imagine. “Sorry for worrying you as well.” She looked down at her feet.
Will placed an insistent finger under her chin and tilted her head, so she faced him. “Never apologize for caring about a friend, Sandra. It would have bothered me much more if you hadn’t been worried about her.”
“Yes, Sir.” It was the first time she’d acknowledged him as a Dominant tonight. From his rewarding smile and the soft kiss he brushed over her lips, he’d noticed and liked it.
“Let’s go inside and enjoy the evening like your friend said, hmm?” he suggested, and Sandra acquiesced even though she was torn between going back in and calling Ruby.
“Have fun.” Paula held open the door for them.
Sandra hugged her friend the next morning in front of the Big Biscuit. Ruby looked tired, and her clothes were rumpled.
“What happened last night?” Sandra asked instead of a standard greeting.
Ruby shot her a tired smile. “Mom got mugged on her way from work to the bank.”
