Shadows in the Dark (Dark Lotus #1)

26. Adrian

Tokyo, Japan

Time zones were hell and it had seemed to affect me more on this trip than past ones. At least, I had told myself that. While a viable excuse for my exhaustion, the truth was that after the first night, I had been up for the last four of them. I suffered terribly with insomnia, but a lot of it was brought on by myself. My warped mind always seemed to twist itself into knots just when it was time for me to wind down. I stayed wired, and had to out of necessity. If I didn’t, I ended up paying the price. If it wasn’t me, it could be someone else.

Ever since I awakened to find myself strolling around Tokyo Station by myself in the middle of the night, I’d forced myself to stay conscious. I’d had no recollection as to how I had gotten there, and I was thankful at the time that it didn’t seem as if I had actually boarded any of the trains.

These sleepwalking incidents were happening much more frequently, and now not only when in California. Due to my private nature and hectic schedule, I subscribed to a concierge medical service, but none of the doctors over the years had been able to figure out what was causing the blackouts. I wasn’t sure they even wanted to, yet I sank thousands and thousands of dollars into the service each month. Other than these unexplainable blackouts, I was completely healthy.

Even my concern was likely unwarranted. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for people to sleepwalk, but mine went beyond the occasional stroll down a hallway at home. I would seemingly get dressed and end up in places much too far away from where I had gone to sleep. There was no rhyme or reason to it, either.

I was as suspicious as I was private, so I had even had cameras installed throughout my penthouse, and just outside of it. The first time I had seen myself rise from bed, dress myself, then leave the room as if I was awake was not only crazy, but terrifying. Other than some determined focus, I looked and acted the same way I would when awake. It was likely the reason why the doorman, and no one else, ever felt the need to stop me. I rarely spoke to them from what I could see, but I would nod as if completely aware of their greetings.

I didn’t remember them, or anything else that I did. Each and every time I had an incident, I would return to my place with a shell-shocked look on my face. From everything I had been able to gather from scouring local news, nothing had happened the other night in Tokyo which did put me at a bit more ease. Nothing happened most of those nights if I were being honest with myself, but sometimes it did.

“And in local news, a woman identified as Blair Carter has been found dead...”

“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath, then rose from the desk in my hotel suite. Fatigue mixed with worry, and the combination was not a great one. Everything had seemed to annoy me lately, but I suppose it was better to feel something than nothing at all. I craved the moments of emptiness where my pain was gone and I could just be, existing while hollow. Something most people feared, I wanted, and more than my next breath.

The nagging thoughts in my head were a direct reason for that. They taunted me like some sick sixth sense. The very last thing I wanted to be reminded of was what had happened to Blair. Something festered beneath my skin when I thought about her, and the last time or two that we had seen one another. She had done more than annoy me. She had angered me, but was it enough to...

I shook my head to expel the question away, then went into the bathroom. After splashing some cold water onto my face, I didn’t immediately turn the faucet off, instead staring at the water as it circled the bowl before going down. The water was clear, but the more my thoughts turned to Blair, the color began to darken. Soon, it was blood encircling the drain, and at that sight, I quickly turned the faucet off.

My eyes had dark shadows under them, and the orbs themselves were lifeless. They were as hollow as I was, but that wasn’t anything too alarming. Neither was my five o’clock shadow. I needed to shave, but I would do that in a few days when I returned to San Francisco. I ran my hand over it, then looked back down at the sink which was pristine white.

“I need to get out of here,” I mumbled under my breath, then grabbed my room key and wallet.

I didn’t worry about my car keys because I needed some air and a brisk walk would certainly help that endeavor. There were also numerous shops and businesses within walking distance, so there was no need to try to push my rental car out in this hectic traffic. I could lose myself in the crowd, and in a place where no one knew me. A place where I knew no one.

Taking advantage of it all, I quickly left the hotel and began walking down the equally crowded sidewalks. From street vendors and shops to brick and mortar businesses, this area had it all. I soon lost myself as I had hoped until I came to a stop in front of a familiar sign. The boutique with pastel purple and pink lettering on its thick glass window also had a location in San Francisco. It wasn’t just any place, but one that specialized in lingerie.

“Karma.” Her name slipped from my lips as I opened the door and stepped inside. Immediately, a petite beauty approached me with a bright smile on her face.

“May I help you find something, Sir?” she asked me.

A grin spread across my face. She probably assumed I meant to buy the special woman in my life something she might parade around in front of me. Not this time. I had no special woman, but there was certainly a submissive on my mind. She would parade around me like this woman thought, but it would be via camera since Brynn was in California and I was in Japan.

I realized the woman was waiting for an answer, so I cleared my throat. “Something in black.”

She looked taken aback initially, and I knew why. The boutique was full of beautiful pieces, most of which were in some shade of pastel. Black was a dark color, and something they evidently kept farther in the back. I followed her after she nodded, and when in the small section that contained what I was looking for, I dismissed her with a wave of my hand.

After she left, I ran my hands over the lacy pieces. There were some in silk or satin, and even a couple in leather, but I wanted something to hide what was underneath, so I picked up a pair of black silk. I then found some other accessories for it before realizing I had one problem. The saleswoman was still looking at me from across the store, so I motioned her over.

“Did you find what you needed?” she asked me.

I knew she only cared about the commission she would make off of this set. While pricey, money was of no object to me. I had more of it than I even knew what to do with. No matter how much I donated to charity or splurged on useless things, it stayed the same. It was no different for the other billionaire Dominants at Lotus.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a location in San Francisco, would you?” I asked, knowing fully well that they did.

“Y-yes. Is there-“

“Do you offer delivery as well?” I asked in the form of a question and she nodded. “Great. I need to order something from there and have it delivered locally. Would you be able to help me with that?”

“Yes. Come with me,” she told me, and I followed her to the front.

It wasn’t long before she had someone in California on the line. I started off by confirming that they had the right sizes in stock, then I continued talking to her while my current saleswoman began to write up my ticket. She then had me read off the receipt number so the other woman could pull it up. Once she did, I smirked.

“What would you like for me to write on the card?”

“Although I’m away on business in Japan, I want you to log onto Olympus at 8:27 PM tonight. You’re not to wear anything other than what is in this box. I have hand selected each and every strap as I’ve imagined taking my cold blade to your overheated skin while using both, my teeth and the sharp tip of a dagger, to remove them from you. Be on time, and follow my instructions.”

“I-is that it?” she stammered.

“It’s sufficient.”

I paid for the transaction at the location where I stood, and I didn’t miss the slight pink tinging the cheeks of the woman in front of me. She too stammered as she walked me to the door and said goodbye to me. I never felt a need to mince words before, so today had been no exception.

27 – Brynn

I had been correct in my assumption that Randall would become super nitpicky with everything I put together for him. He was being so difficult that my other two bosses actually pulled him aside and said something to him. The only reason I was aware of that particular tidbit was because Edward let me know he was running interference on my behalf.

I never said a negative word about Randall. The last thing I wanted or needed was to give him an opportunity to turn any of it back on me. He wasn’t able to do that because I was acting 100% above board, especially on the days I was physically in the office. Ever the professional, I was polite and cordial on the outside while wishing him a slow and painful death on the inside.

I had indeed reworked my resume, though, and had started to circulate it as under the radar as I could. I was walking a fine line. If Randall really wanted to dig, he could probably find my CV online, and though it wasn’t against company policy to post one there, it was frowned upon. It would have to be a risk that I took because he was making it unbearable to work with him. I loved my job, but I could no longer stand to be in the same room with the man.

Putting the finishing touches on the latest round of edits he’d given me, I was surprised when a box was set on my desk. “Someone has an admirer,” Colleen, the front desk receptionist, whispered conspiratorially as she breezed past.

While the box itself was non-descript, the logo in the upper left corner was not. Holy shit. Whatever was in it was from one of the most exclusive lingerie shops in the city. There was only one person who would have sent this to me. My face flushed just thinking about it and while I was desperate to see what he’d sent me, there was no way I would open the box in the office for a multitude of reasons.

I tucked the box under my desk and continued working on my other assignments. Edward and Thomas were so delightful that they more than made up for Randall’s boorish behavior. I briefly wondered if there was a way I could work for just those two and not have to deal with Randall. I had no idea how to even approach asking something like that, though, without making myself look bad. I refused to appear as though I couldn’t handle an asshole boss.

The rest of the day passed and before I knew it, it was time to head home. I wanted to get to my car so I could peek in the box that EREBUS69 sent me. More than likely, there were instructions to follow and I certainly didn’t want to miss those.

As expected, an envelope was sitting atop sheer scraps of black fabric. My mouth fell open at first glance, but this wasn’t the time nor the place to fully examine the contents. Quickly removing the envelope and tearing into it, I could practically hear his deep voice reading the words on the page.

He was travelling for work, which is why I’d not heard much from him. He was in Japan and while he wasn’t able to see me in person, he wanted to see me digitally. I was to put on the lingerie he’d sent, log on at exactly 8:27 PM tonight, and show myself to him.

My hands began to tremble at the thought of him watching me on a laptop screen again. I remembered what had occurred the last time and how fucking hot it had been. My nipples tightened at the visual of him staring at me… I bet he’d ask me to play with myself again. A shaky breath escaped my lips in a rush and my panties grew damp with my desire for him. We might not be together but he would still be able to make me come hard just from the words he used.

I needed to hurry if I was to be on time. I had a stop by the grocery store to make and then I would make sure Lug Nut was taken care of before I prepared myself to see Sir. It would be close, but I would make efficient use of my time.

An hour later, I let myself in, greeted the dog and went straight back to the bedroom so I could finally open the box and look at my gift. Nestled among lilac tissue paper was the softest, sheerest, strappiest bra and panty set I’d ever seen.

“Oh. my. god.” I breathed. In addition to the bra and panties, there were additional straps which would encircle my waist, my thighs, and my neck. It was erotic as hell and I couldn’t wait to put this on for him. I would make sure to redo my makeup as well to fit the vibe… something smoky and sultry to add a bit of mystery.

Placing the items on my bed, I called out to the dog so we could get our walk in before I needed to start getting ready for the call time.

His energy level was higher than usual, and I attributed that to the change in the weather. Fall was arriving in the Bay Area and the cooler air made Lug Nut extra frisky. He wouldn’t stand still for me to attach his leash, preferring instead to try and lick my face.

“No, sweet boy. You know I don’t like that. I love you, too, but no kisses.”

Finally, we were ready to go, and keys in hand, we stepped on to the front porch. I pulled the door closed and was about to lock it when I felt the dog tense. Shit. I knew what was coming. There was a squirrel that teased and tortured this dog every damn day, climbing halfway up a tree and stopping, swishing his tail and looking back as if to say, “Come and get me, big boy.”

The dog took off like a rocket, nearly pulling me off my feet. It was all I could do to stay upright as he went straight for that damn rodent.

“Lug Nut! No! Leave him alone! You can’t climb…don’t you even think about…no!”

I heard a few chuckles from neighbors as they watched the antics. A couple of them said the squirrel had it out for the animals in the neighborhood. The torture wasn’t isolated to dogs, either, from what they told me.

I glanced up at the bushy-tailed menace and glared at him. “As cute as you are, one of these days, some cat is going to get you,” I muttered under my breath. I managed to wrestle the dog away from the tree and we headed toward our normal route, with him acting like nothing had happened.

After an hour, we made it back and I had more than enough time to shower and prepare for my call with EREBUS69. I couldn’t wait to see him… to see his face when he saw me in the gift he’d sent.

I walked up the steps and stopped when Lug Nut began to growl.

“What’s the matter, baby… oh no.” My front door was cracked open. I hadn’t locked it when the squirrel debacle happened. While I hoped this was just a case of the door blowing open, there was no breeze, and the way the dog was acting, I knew I couldn’t be that lucky.

Immediately, I called the police and waited for them to arrive. There was no way I was going in a potential crime scene alone, even with a scary-looking, protective dog.

After some time, SFPD arrived and I stayed out front while an officer went through my house. I gave a statement, then followed them both inside to see what the inside looked like. That’s when my phone notifications began to go off. I felt the vibrations in my pocket but couldn’t respond while I was speaking with the police officers.

The notifications came one after the other and by the frequency, I knew Sir was most displeased. I excused myself for a brief moment so I could respond.

Karma_Is_a_B: Sir. I’m okay, but I am with the police. My house was broken into. I will give more information after they leave.

The tone changed from anger to worry back to anger, but he seemed satisfied for the moment that I was okay. My phone stayed silent while I went through my house. I felt so violated. This was my home. It was supposed to be a sanctuary. Yes, I had been negligent, but that didn’t give anyone the right to just enter my space without permission.

The weird thing was…I couldn’t find anything missing. All of my electronics were where I had left them. Thank god I kept Blair’s diaries hidden except when I was reading one. My living room and kitchen were untouched.

My bedroom, though, was another story. I gasped when I entered the room. My dresser had been ransacked, and it looked like every piece of clothing in my closet had been pulled off hangars. Why just the bedroom?

“Ma’am,” said one of the officers. “Can you tell if anything was taken?”

His expression was sympathetic. I shook my head.

“Honestly, Officer, I have no idea. I’ll have to dig out and put things away before I can determine that. Is that okay?”

Both of them nodded and left me their business cards, along with a copy of the police report and case number once they completed the paperwork. I thanked them for their time and promised to be in touch the next day.

Once they were gone, I deadbolted the front door, checked all the windows and set the burglar alarm before letting out a breath. I knew EREBUS69 was waiting to hear from me, so locating my phone once more, I snapped a few pics of the mess and gave him the high-level synopsis.