Owning Bella Ch. 08

"We better go fill Kurt in on the morning and let him know I have spoken with Mel. His mobile coverage sucks over there. He'll call back tonight at the club for more details," Rob stood up from the table and walked outside leaving Leon to pay the bill and farewell their hostess.

"She asked me to give you her number, she's divorced now," Leon threw a crumpled napkin at Rob who caught it and tossed it in the bin.

"I am saving myself," Rob said airily.

"For the crypt keeper?" Leon feigned surprise.

"Maybe," Rob considered it with a perfectly straight face.

In truth he wondered if he had the patience to renew that relationship. What he really wanted was to find and groom a girl as Mel had, introducing her slowly to his preferred lifestyle, the age or looks didn't matter to him so much as the trust and loyalty and devotion of a perfect submissive. He didn't want a game player like the woman from the café. He wasn't sure that he could handle one as new to the lifestyle as Bella either though. Her insecurities would drive him crazy.

He was still considering the women he knew from the club and the various social scenes he frequented when they pulled into the parking garage at the company. The two men caused a stir amongst the women in the building as they strode through the corridors to the offices of Kurt White, Associate partner. Tall, handsome, wealthy and single each of them held appeal to the many women that worked there whether they were into the lifestyle or not.

Dianne was not at her desk so together they waltzed into Kurt's office without knocking. Dianne was sprawled over the desk panting as Kurt sat back in his chair smiling happily.

"Good timing as always gentlemen. What brings you in so early? I know I have a certain magnetism that attracts people to me but wasn't I meeting you at the club for lunch?" Kurt as always had an air of joviality about him.

"I dunno why Leon is here but I came to steal Dianne away from you before you wear her out completely," Rob shook his head sadly looking down at the still prone Dianne, "I think I am a little too late though."

Dianne sighed and sat up readjusting and buttoning her clothes. She slid from the desk and smiled at the men. "Any news from the honeymooners?" she asked as if it was a usual day at the office.

"Yup," Rob looked to Kurt, "Seems I have a magnetism all my own."

"It's true I saw it in action myself less than an hour ago," Leon smirked, "Have to take a stick to keep the women from throwing themselves at him where ever we go." Rob groaned as Kurt cocked an eyebrow.

Ignoring Leon's comments Rob filled Kurt in on the mornings activities and the strange calm Jim had shown in not questioning where he was or why as well as the small pieces of information he let slip out during the interview.

"Long story short, which of the companies have pissed the environmentalists off lately," Leon laughed and sat in a comfortable chair close to the desk.

"So you're thinking some militant right wink green peace organisation is targeting us?" Kurt was ready to laugh at the stupidity of the idea. "Mel is so careful about that side of things. Hell, we employ a whole platoon of environmental engineers for just that reason."

"Yeah I told them that the attacks seemed more personal. Directed more at Mel and I on a very different level to corporate sabotage," Rob agreed.

"We gotta follow every lead. Speaking of which, we sent one of my men with the twins," Leon added to the story, "We are going to follow every lead to its end. One of them has to turn up something and it will probably be the one we least expect."

"I don't much like that someone is messing with Mel and Bella but this is all a bit too cloak and dagger isn't it?" Kurt looked at the two men in his office.

"Someone seems to have gone to a lot of trouble to be an invisible thorn in our side down at the club. If for no other reason than our own curiosity, we need to get to the bottom of it. We have two dead club submissives a decade apart, three if we include," he paused to look at Rob, "Kitty."

"If it's just a phantom in my mind bringing together a series of unfortunate events, then fine, I can wear that, it's the not knowing that is killing me," Rob said softly scratching at his beard. "We do a lot to help the girls in trouble and make them feel safe with us, give them a haven from relationships that are less about D/s and more about abuse. We can't promise them that if we keep losing them like Marie and Bella's injury which could have been much worse."

"There are been other smaller incidents too I guess," Kurt admitted.

"I admit I have been absent for too long. Unfortunately this was the catalyst I needed to come back into the club and business and start to live again," Rob still spoke softly. "Humour me and let's look over the companies we have and any that may have some rancour attached the acquisition."

"If nothing else, it will keep him out of my hair for a day or two while you go over that list," Leon laughed.

"Dianne, check my partnership contract and see if there is a clause in there about babysitting the other partners. I have a feeling that is Dorothea's job," Kurt said seriously before turning back to Leon and Rob. "You're the senior partner, Rob, you have access to everything and everyone directly from your office and Mel is out of town. He has a the best PA in the world sitting there idly who would love a challenge like this. It'll be a big job and we both have other jobs to perform here and at the club."

"How did you ever make partner when you fob off all the actual work to everyone else?" Rob laughed. Kurt was right of course, Dorothea had been with this company since it's inception in one form or another and she had an eidetic memory.

"My charming personality and good looks of course," Kurt sat back grinning. "be good to have you back on board again, though," Kurt said with genuine feeling, "And I agree we do need to get to the bottom of this little problem finally.

"I'm gonna leave you two to get on with that and I am going to follow up on the other leads we got this morning. Meet you at the club at one for the meeting," Leon stood and prepared to leave, "Go easy on the old man. He isn't used to the drudgery of real work any more." Leon laughed and left the office kissing Dianne on the way out.

*****

Bella trailed her hand in the water as the gondola made its way slowly to the Grand Canal, she could not have been happier and she found it hard to sit still as she gazed around at the beautiful architecture of the city as they travelled. Mel disturbed by the appearance of Vince at the hotel had smiled indulgently at his gorgeous girl as she almost bounced with excitement when he had led her to the gondola. It wasn't unusual for Vince to be in this part of the world so he tried put it from his mind leaving it up to Tony and his men to discover Vince's whereabouts so he could catch up with him. The last time he had seen the young man, they had argued and Mel wanted to clear the air.

Mel pushed all thoughts of Vince forcefully from his mind and pulled Bella to him. He held her close and lifted her chin to kiss her deeply. They were in the city of romance and he wanted nothing more than the girl in his arms at that moment. "I adore you my Ellie," he murmured.

"I love you, Master," Bella smiled up into his face.