Forever: A Diamond Doms Novel Read online

  Forever

  A Diamond Doms Novel

  9

  Ivy Nelson

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2021 by Ivy Nelson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected].

  First edition September 2021

  ASIN- B08YJXRQQX

  www.ivynelsonbooks.com

  ALSO BY IVY NELSON

  D.C. Power Games Series

  Power Desired

  Power Reclaimed

  Power Relinquished

  Complete Boxset Edition

  Diamond Doms Series

  Blood

  Heist

  Bling

  Pressure

  Ice

  Mine

  Rough

  Flawless

  Christmas at Club Solitaire

  Coming Home

  Past And Present

  New Tradition

  No Limits

  Risky Bet

  All In

  Visit Ivy’s website at www.ivynelsonbooks.com to join her newsletter and get a free Diamond Doms novella!

  Table of Contents

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  Forever

  A Note From The Author

  Forever contains depictions of BDSM. This book is the author’s interpretation of BDSM fantasies and is not intended to be an educational tool. BDSM is different for everyone, and this is just one perspective. Everything in this book is fictitious and should be read as such. If you choose to participate in BDSM, please remember consent above all else and please do educate yourself with something that isn’t a work of fiction. Please note, Forever also contains some depictions of extreme kink that may not be for everyone. These are not things anyone should try themselves without proper education.

  I hope you enjoy this creation.

  Ivy Nelson

  The dedication I wrote contains a spoiler, so I put it at the end.

  1

  “Elijah wants us to look into what else we can do to upgrade security around here.”

  Russell looked up from the book he was reading and set it aside as Lance Moss stepped into the small sitting room in Solitaire. It was a peaceful place he often enjoyed escaping to when the parties got too noisy, and he didn’t have a masochist to play with. Tonight, he was in here to clear his head after a meeting with the board about Matthew and recent events at Solitaire.

  Russell motioned for Lance to have a seat.

  “I’m sure there are some things we can do. I still want to put cameras in, but Elijah and David both seem adamant about not doing that.”

  Lance nodded. “I’ve been trying to talk them into one at the entrance, at the very least. Preferably also the hallways upstairs and out back near the cabins. Riss says we should force it in a board meeting and vote on it as a group, but I’m not sure we would win that way either. I know Garrett is still pretty quiet about his membership here and so is Samuel.”

  Russell stood and put the book back on the shelf. “And so are a lot of our members. I understand not wanting photographic evidence.”

  Leaning against the bookshelf, he scratched at his trimmed beard. “The only thing we can do is put a full-time guard at the door during every party, but we already have reception manned full time. That means security comes down to how well we vet our members.”

  Lance drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. “What are we going to do about Matthew?”

  “If something is wrong, Samuel will find him.”

  “Speaking of Matthew, have you met his wife yet? Can you believe the bastard has been married all this time?”

  Russell chuckled. “I’ve heard she’s a character but haven’t had the pleasure yet. It’s intriguing, the secrets people choose to keep from their friends.”

  “I should get back to the party, Marissa and her new friend Alley are plotting some sort of double suspension scene. But let’s plan to talk about vetting members before the weekend is over.”

  Russell agreed, and Lance stood and headed for the door. “You just gonna hide in here all night?”

  Russell shrugged. “I’m thinking about it. Something tells me we’re going to all need clear heads and rested bodies in the coming weeks.”

  Lance left without responding. Too restless to sit and read again, Russell stepped into the bar a few minutes later and looked around. He didn’t drink at Solitaire unless it was the end of the night. There were a few women who approached him for impact play, and he rarely turned them down. It wasn’t the connection he craved that existed between a masochist sub and her sadistic Dom, but it scratched the itch.

  He went to the bar where Mitch was pouring drinks.

  “Water, Russell?”

  Russell gave him a thumbs up, and Mitch reached into an open top cooler with one hand while he poured whiskey with the other. He tossed the bottle to Russell without looking and slid the drink to the waiting patron.

  Russell cracked the seal on the bottle and pressed it to his lips just as Dakota and Jax approached with a woman he didn’t recognize trailing behind.

  Mitch pointed a finger at Dakota. He couldn’t quite make out everything the bartender said, but it sounded like he was scolding her about not cleaning up a mess.

  He was amused as the two bantered back and forth. Jax kept a hand possessively on Dakota’s back. It made him smile to see the two of them together. He’d been unsure if they would ever work out their differences, but it looked like they were starting to. Somehow, three years had passed since the night Jax first showed up at the club. Where had the time gone?

  Jax and Dakota said goodbye to Mitch and disappeared into the dungeon. The woman he didn’t know stayed behind and ordered a drink.

  “It’s not polite to stare.”

  Her accent was decidedly British, and it hit him. This was Matthew’s wife.

  “Apologies. You must be Gemma.” He stepped closer to her and extended his hand.

  She smiled and took it. “Everyone seems to know who I am, so I’m at a disadvantage.”

  “Russell Adler, board member and head of the dungeon space.”

  “It’s bloody beautiful in there. Did you have a hand in designing it?”

  Russell gave a half smile. “Not exactly. But I did commission several of the furniture pieces from an artist in the community.”

  Mitch set a gin and tonic in front of Gemma, and she picked it up but didn’t drink.

  “I would love to find someone to try some of that furniture out with.”

  He lifted one eyebrow. “I’m sure your husband will oblige you when he gets back.”

  Her face twisted, and he thought he’d upset her, but then she laug
hed.

  “Darling, that ship hasn’t just sailed. I don’t even think it ever existed.”

  “So, it’s an open marriage?”

  Why was he getting so personal with a stranger?

  She laughed. “Something like that. Why? You interested?”

  He frowned and shook his head. “I don’t play with married women, open relationship or not. Marriage is sacred.”

  At least it had been for him.

  “Marriage is a pointless contract.”

  Russell cleared his throat and tipped the water bottle up and drank until it was gone. There was a part of Russell that agreed with her after his one encounter with marriage two decades ago, but he was not about to flirt with the wife of a friend, especially when that friend was missing.

  “I should get into the dungeon and make sure everything is as it should be. It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Bruce.”

  Before she could say anything else, he set the empty bottle on the bar and walked away.

  In the dungeon, he looked around and made sure the scheduled dungeon monitors were at their stations. As he walked through the dark space, a woman in a corset and mini skirt stopped him.

  “Stella, are you OK?”

  “Not exactly. I was hoping you might be in the mood for a session.”

  He put a hand on the small of her back and guided her to a nearby sofa.

  “What did you have in mind, little one?”

  She blew out a breath. “It’s been a rough week—rough month, really. I need to cry.”

  Stella had come to him several times for cathartic pain sessions as he was a well-known sadist. Her masochism gave her an emotional release she couldn’t find in other places.

  He squeezed her hand. “That can be arranged. Any changes to your limits or needs?”

  She shook her head. “No, Sir.”

  “Good girl. I just need to finish checking in with the DMs.”

  He scanned the room and looked for an empty play station that would allow him to work the way he wanted to. It was a full house tonight and most of the spaces were occupied. Lance had his wife Marissa and another sub, Alley Makoto in the air. He didn’t see her partner Sony though. Alley and Sony were a new couple at the club, but they had dived in with gusto and had already been accepted as a part of the core group. A few feet away from the suspension scene he spotted the perfect spot to play with Stella.

  “Go to that station over there with the cross and kneel in front of it. I’ll finish my rounds and grab my bag and see if we can give you what you need. Prepare to feel my whip.”

  She shuddered but stood and moved to the cross he’d indicated. He watched as she sank to her knees and rested her hands on her thighs.

  Stella was a gorgeous woman, but she would never be anything other than a play partner. He’d taken her to dinner once, but they realized quickly that theirs was a relationship for inside the dungeon only. They’d never had sex and probably never would. In a way, he was providing her a service. One he was all too happy to give as it allowed him to release some of his own pent-up energy and frustration.

  He finished walking through the dungeon and retrieved his bag. As he reentered the play space, he nearly ran into Gemma.

  “Looks like you’ve got quite the bag of tricks.” She tilted her head at the large black duffel in his left hand.

  “It would probably scare you if you opened it.”

  She scoffed. “You don’t know me at all. Why don’t you try me?”

  She’s married and Stella is waiting for you. He clenched his fist and gave her a tight smile.

  “Not tonight, Mrs. Bruce.”

  “Please don’t call me that.”

  The level of discomfort in her voice made him cringe. He knew he was being an asshole, so he apologized. “I’m sorry, Gemma. I won’t call you that again. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve left someone waiting.”

  ♦♦♦♦

  Gemma stood near the dungeon entrance and watched as Russell approached a kneeling woman. The scent of sex, sweat, and human craving hung in the air and had all of her other senses on high alert. When he crouched down and cupped the stunning woman’s chin, Gemma cursed herself for being unable to look away.

  His intense stare at the bar had unnerved her and intrigued her at the same time. Something in his eyes made her want to ask a million questions and get to know him. His demeanor had changed when he found out she was married to Matthew.

  That made her curse her family all over again. Yes, they were legally married. No, they were not in love or even sleeping together. In the best of times, they were friends. But most days, they were strangers who didn’t even live together anymore. They had their own lives, and that was how they liked it. If their world hadn’t exploded—literally—they might be divorced by now, and maybe she would be the one being strapped to the cross by the gorgeous silver fox across the dungeon.

  “You must be new here, I’m Caz.”

  Gemma blinked and looked to her left. “Oh. Hi, Caz. Yes, very new here. I’m Gemma.”

  She wasn’t sure how much she was supposed to tell people about her presence here, so she didn’t offer anything further.

  “I see you’ve spotted Master Russell. If you have a thing for sadists, he’s the person to talk to. At least that’s what I’ve heard. I’ll be honest he’s the first sadist I’ve ever met or played with, but it was more than I ever could have imagined.”

  Gemma shook her head. She’d started staring again, damn it. And now she was feeling jealous of a woman whose name she didn’t know thirty seconds ago.

  “I’ll keep that in mind, Caz. If you’ll excuse me, I should find a place to sit. She told herself to put him out of her head. Other than knowing he was a sadist, there was no sign the two even liked the same kind of play, and here she was fantasizing about him. Get a grip, Gemma. Sadist could mean anything. You’ll be back in London before you know it.

  At least she hoped so. After the harrowing experience of barely escaping death and Matthew shoving her onto a plane against her will, she wasn’t sure what her future looked like. And now, nobody could locate Matthew. She wanted to reach out to Kendall, but he had been adamant about her not contacting anyone for fear that she might be found.

  She shuddered and took one more look at Russell and the woman he was with. Just in time to see him unfurl a single tail whip. A loud crack echoed through the room, and she pushed open the door and left the dungeon.

  2

  One week later:

  “I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you.”

  Gemma stared at Russell. His features were tight, and his shoulders seemed tense. She hadn’t been expecting him or anyone else to visit her at the safe house she’d been staying in since arriving at Solitaire last weekend. And she certainly wasn’t expecting news like this.

  “Is there anything I can do?” Genuine concern laced his tone. She should probably give him some kind of answer, but she couldn’t find one.

  “They’re sure it’s him?”

  “The body was all but destroyed. However, the coroner made a DNA match.”

  A lump formed in her throat.

  Her husband was dead. There should be some kind of overwhelming grief shouldn’t there? But she was just numb.

  “Sit down, Gemma.”

  She blinked at the tall older man standing in front of her.

  “Why are you here?”

  He gripped her by the elbow and led her to the nearby sofa.

  “Sit.”

  She dropped onto the couch and twisted her hands in her lap.

  “This is my safe house. It made sense to send me or Jax because the fewer who know where this place is the safer you are. Dakota is pretty torn up about Matthew, so Jax stayed with her.”

  Gemma jumped up. “I should call my family. They’ll want to know so we can make funeral arrangements. I’ll need to figure out where his will is kept and get his attorneys on the phone. This will be a nightmare. He wasn’t supposed to die until long afte
r we were divorced, so I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this shit.”

  Russell stepped in front of her and blocked the path she’d been pacing. “Stop. Let’s hold off on all of that right now. My people are putting pressure on the coroner to keep his death out of the press for as long as possible, so we can do some investigating. If you call the wrong people, that’s going to compromise that.”

  “I have to do something.”

  “You can stay safe. That’s what he would want, or he wouldn’t have sent you to us.”

  Gemma held up a hand. “Stop talking about me like I’m a package he dropped in the mail.”

  Russell’s eyes closed, and she took the moment to examine his features. He was a stern man from what she could tell, but she’d caught glimpses of him relaxed and laughing with some of the other board members at Club Solitaire.

  “No. You’re a human being he cared about, and since he cared about you that makes you family. We do our best to keep our family safe.”

  She wanted to wrinkle her nose. Family had never kept her safe. Mostly, they just made her life harder. But she knew Russell meant well, so she kept her face neutral.

  “I’ve just never been good at sitting around. And my family is going to wonder where I am if I don’t check in soon.”

  Russell motioned toward the couch.

  “Sit, and we can talk about all of that. As soon as it’s safe, we’ll put you in touch with your family. But that can’t happen until we know for sure they weren’t involved in your husband’s death.”

  That did make her wrinkle her nose. “Don’t call him that.”

  Russell scowled. “That’s who he was.”

  She laughed. “Legally, yes. Realistically, he’s my annoying little brother.”

  “You… married your brother?”

  She smacked her forehead.

  “No. Idiot. I’m saying our marriage is not the traditional love story. We aren’t in love, we don’t have sex, and we will never have children. In fact, before our lives blew up, we were on the path to lining things up for a divorce. Enough time had passed that it wouldn’t harm either family.”