June 2017

"Your next appointment is here Mr. Grey", Andréa announced.

Christian didn't look up as the click clack of spiked heels crossed his Italian marble floors. He knew it was Elena. The cloying, too sweet perfume was a dead giveaway and he was just not in the mood today. Lately, she was just…well just annoying. Without warning, something landed on his desk on top of a mountain of spreadsheets and reports with a dull thud. "What the fuck Elena", he growled picking up the book and glancing at the cover. His initial thought in reviewing the cover photo was that the woman appeared to be a well trained submissive. His cock twitched. "What is this and why are you showing this to me"?

Elena all but demanded "For Christ's sake Christian, look at it and the title 'The Submissive's Revenge.' "Okay" he said still not understanding what clearly had Elena worried. I've known this woman for nearly half of my life and something about her stance, paled face, and erratic shifting eyes were incongruent with the Domme that trained him he thought. He noticed the paleness of her face and the crease in her brow. "Christian" she began, finally taking a seat; "I've been hearing rumors for months throughout our community that some of our members are being murdered". "Oh Elena", letting out an exacerbated sigh, "I'm certain that it's simply a coincidence". Has all of that botox seeped into your brain? You are being ridiculous and what does that have to do with me or this book?

"Well", Elena tried to calm her fears as she delivered a brief synopsis of the book. "The woman in the book, I believe she's a librarian or art dealer or both, but she is shy, reserved, timid, a wall flower, seduced by a powerful, wealthy man to become his wife. After a whirlwind courtship they marry. Apparently, what he really wanted was a sex slave. She was degraded, beaten, tortured, locked away, and forced to serve him 24/7. She was simply his "pet project", collared and kept on a leash. Once she was able to escape, she learned that there were other "wives" being kept against their will; all of it run by a secret society of men practicing an extreme form of BDSM. Ultimately, she decided to exact her revenge by murdering Dom's that take advantage of innocents".

"The story takes place in New York not Seattle but the description of your playroom is spot on. The color is different but the penthouse, void of color, museum like, even the location of the room itself, top of the stairs, imposing double doors? Plus the Dom/Husband is a wealthy young billionaire."

'Interesting plot Elena but It doesn't sound like something I'll be reading. Why are you sharing this with me? Don't you have a business to run? Do you have enough time on your hands to read that garbage? "Christian, don't you see, Dom's are being murdered. It has to be a sub that believes she was wronged." Her rising voice had him on edge.

Breathing out an exasperated sigh, God he didn't have time for this, "We have all rejected a submissive for one reason or another but that doesn't mean they would commit murder" he said not convinced. He didn't want to admit it and had it not been for that Leila situation a few years ago, he wouldn't have even considered it a possibility. Even with that, he thought the plot was far fetched. The perpetrator would have been caught by now right? "Elena, still how do you know there is a connection? Why are you so concerned?"

She looked up at him with panic and fear creasing her brow. Tapping the book, I received this in the mail this morning Christian, Somehow she's gotten into my files. I knew all of them, intimately, even if they didn't know each other."

"What do you mean you knew them Elena", Christian bellowed as he reviewed the bios and photos from the folder Elena suddenly produced. He knew the answer. They were of similar age and build; all attractive between 25 and 35, single, married, openly gay. She introduced them to the life style. At that moment, he realized he was not "special"; he was just one of many. His therapist had been accurate in his assessment of Elena Lincoln, the pedophile, the child molester. Blood rushed to his ears, his heart rate increased, she had used him, abused him and he was not alone. Everything she'd told him over the years was a lie.

A myriad of emotions swept through him but all he could hear was she lied. She lied to me. All this time, all this time I believed every word she uttered; I trusted her and she lied. He loosened his tie as sweat dripped down his back.

He was crashing. Everything he knew to be true was a lie. He would catalog each emotion for later review. But for now, bile rose to his throat. Two questions surfaced. Why was she admitting her sins to him now and what else did she want? "Why don't you start at the beginning, he hissed through gritted teeth. His head was beginning to ache.

"Christian, there has always been a type of man that excited me. Tall, slim, curly hair, firm, long legs, untouched, tight ass, soulful eyes. When I became sexually active as a young girl, I enjoyed control. As you can imagine, it is difficult to find someone that could satisfy me or had the stamina. My needs were, are powerful and all consuming. As I entered my late twenties, I started fantasizing about a young mans body and what it would be like to train him to my specifications. I started researching at the library and read about BDSM. I was fascinated and would become wet just reading about it. Eventually I got up the nerve to visit a club and from then on I was hooked.

I married Linc, but he never really satisfied me. About that time, I met your mother. She was just establishing Coping Together. We visited some organizations that had after school programs for at risk boys and girls. It was a sign I tell you. This was my answer, don't you see Christian? We would help each other. Elena's breaths shortened, her pupils dilated, her skin became flushed, pressing her thighs together as she recounted each of her students.

They were so young, so firm, and so beautiful. I taught them control and sexual prowess .They loved every moment of it. You know it worked Christian. Look at you, Master of the Universe, my Academy Award and Nobel Prize all wrapped up in my Billionaire CEO extraordinaire" she said absently licking her bottom lip. I did the same for them, they don't have your level of success, not many do, but they are at the top of their game. Top of their game! That is quite an accomplishment. I'm so proud".

Christian was speechless. He looked into the eyes of pure evil and madness, hooded in lust as she remembered her conquest. He had to get her out of his office and rid her from his life immediately. He would have the tape from this encounter destroyed. He didn't know how, but he had to rid himself of her stench. He sent a quick text to legal to dump Esclava at any cost.

"What does this have to do with me Elena? Why are you here? Do I even want you here after what you just divulged"?

"Christian, if she is following a particular timeline, she is coming for you. You are number nine. All of this started about two years ago. She's been working chronologically but they all die within 6 weeks of their birthdays. You have to believe me, you are my favorite. I've been chasing smoke since you ended our relationship.

"Elena held his glare and asked again tapping the book cover, "Christian, do you know her? She looks like your type; Petite, long brown hair, shapely legs

He took another look. Hell it could be any of the countless subs he'd had over the years. He peered closely searching for identifying marks, but his subs all had flawless skin, at least in the beginning. The photo on the front cover was enticing in that the woman was in the perfect sub position, head bowed, knees slightly parted, and hands on her thighs, her face obscured by a curtain of mahogany locks. If it weren't for the weight of the discussion, her submission would have excited him. The back cover how ever was disturbing. The sub was laying on the floor, clearly in distress with welts covering the lower half of her body. She had been punished, but his subconscious whispered the word beaten over and over.

I can't find out anything about her Christian. She is self published, apparently this started as an E-book and then to hard cover. It could be our killer or at least she might know something. I thought you could find her and well, have a talk with her.
Christian, found the authors name, A. Rosenblum, she's not one of mine. I'll have someone look into it Elena.

He poured tall bourbon and looked towards the Seattle skyline. His head was full of questions. He was overdue to have a session with John Flynn his long time psychiatrist. Flynn tried for years to convince Christian of Elena's manipulative, duplicitous ways and he hadn't wanted to see or hear it. Now that his blinders were off, he thought with a humorless chuckle of the irony of blinders, he needed to schedule a session immediately.

Elena was scared and that worried him. Elena the High Mistress, commanding and domineering; instilled fear. He believed the devil himself might even tremble in her presence. Elena cowered to no one but she was clearly shaken. She believes regardless of the lack strong supporting evidence that these men were murdered and he could be next.

Christian's finger hovered over the number of the man who could get him the answers he needed. Before he could second guess himself, he called Welch. Glancing at the book Elena left with him, he requested a detailed background check on the eight dead men and the author A. Rosenblum.

Christian picked up the book, poured another bourbon and settled in to read the novel. Once again, the photo on the back cover disturbed him in its haunting familiarity. He had certainly left his mark on enough women. Only the fear of exposure kept some of his Submissives' from pressing charges. If the girl would just turn her head a little he thought he might recognize her. Instead, he opened the book and began to read.

The words on the page struck him like a hammer and he could no longer deny that this was, at least in part about him. The girl entered into the relationship out of love hoping for hearts and flowers. He hadn't stalked the girl as the Dom in the book had, but the trip to New York, the private jet, gliding, shibari for her birthday, restraints the color of her eyes reminded him of his favorite pet. In the story, she'd reluctantly came to the realization that their love and marriage was a farce; she'd been tricked and terrified there was no way out. The arrangement was killing her slowly. She had to find a way to escape and she finally did with the help of Blade, her husbands' sympathetic CPO.

Months of therapy taught her it was not her fault, that her husband took advantage of her innocence and her naivety. He forced her into a life of submission, calling it BDSM. In a move for self preservation she had submitted; allowing him to use her body in unspeakable ways. She was ashamed.

Her psychiatrist explained that she was in survival mode and that if she hadn't , she might be dead. She learned that BDSM as it should be practiced could be a beautiful experience between two willing partners. A member of her support group invited her to an underground BDSM club. Wearing a bracelet symbolizing an observer, she witnessed depravity at its most vile, conjuring memories that should have remained buried. Her pain festered and manifested itself in anger and hatred and burned like white hot coals. She made a decision to go about removing scum from society so no one else would suffer.

Could the author be Anastasia? At one time he considered having a normal relationship with her. She was so sweet and beautiful and ….innocent. He had to have her. Could their time together driven her to commit murder? Was she that traumatized, that shattered? He unlocked the cabinet behind him and pulled out a file, her file. Running his fingers across the photos, he remembered the feel of her; the scent of her. When he turned to the contract, he noticed her full name and chuckled. Clever girl he thought. Anastasia Rose Steele. A. Rosenblum. A Rose in Bloom. He put in another call to Welch and made this his number one priority. Find Anastasia Steele.