Chapter 57

Bill found Ken in the kitchen talking with Arianwen.

"I can't believe you're getting to go twice and I haven't even gone once," she said, sounding very much like a pouty teenager. She folded her arms -- making sure her pierced nipples were still very much in view -- and glared at Ken. "You never take me anywhere."

Ken laughed. Ari couldn't hold her pose for long before she started laughing either.

"Still," she said. "You owe me. I wanna go somewhere fun. We live in LA and I've never even seen a celebrity."

"Of course you have," said Ken. "They're in all those movie you watch."

"And you said that with a straight face," she replied, shaking her head. "Ken, you really don't want me to go into one of these places alone. I might end up coming home with Kate Beckinsale or Anna Paquin."

"Huh," replied Ken. "Jane was telling me Jessica Biel was more your type."

"More her type, although I wouldn't throw her outta bed either," said Ari. "Still, if you're not there to keep me in line, anything could happen."

Since he wasn't entirely sure she was bluffing, Ken decided discretion was the better part of valor. Besides, it had been rather too long since the three of them had gotten out, what with Jane having been almost murdered and all.

"Fine, fine," said Ken. "We'll make plans to go out."

"When?"

"Soon," said Ken. "Let's get this thing with Costa behind us."

"Speaking of which," interrupted Bill. He would have tried to get Ken's attention when he walked in, but sometimes it was fun watching Ari act like the teenager she actually was. Especially when she was bugging Ken, since Bill was of the opinion that Ken needed a bit more fun in his life too. Nowadays, if he wasn't trying to figure out some business thing, or dealing with trying to get the cops off his back, or out getting air time in the plane, he was in the studio working out with Sensei, or even alone. Bill had watched Sensei and Ken spar, and even though he himself was coming along well -- as was pretty much everyone in the Circle -- he sure as hell wouldn't want to get between them.

Then there was the sword work that Ken had recently taken a fancy to. He handled it like he'd been using one his entire life, but Bill had never seen him pick one up before about two months ago.

"Oh, now you rush in to save me," said Ken. "After I've already placated her."

"Placated?" asked Ari, mildly outraged.

"Timing is everything," said Bill in a bland tone. "But before you go to your star-studded event..."

"Thanks," muttered Ken as Ari blew a raspberry.

" ... I thought you might want what info I have on Costa."

"Sure," said Ken, sitting down at the table. Ari slid into his lap like a cat, taking one of his hands and pressing it between her naked thighs. She sighed with contentment as he slowly began stroking her wet pussy.

"You gonna be able to concentrate on this stuff or should I write it down?" asked Bill.

Ari grinned and, after a wiggle, got out of Ken's lap. He licked his fingers clean and watched as she disappeared under the table. Bill stiffened (apparently in more ways than one), a few seconds later.

"Depends," grinned Ken. "You gonna remember everything you wanted to tell me?"

Bill closed his eyes for a second and shook his head.

"Seems that Mr. Costa likes to play the field a bit," he started. "He's got a wife and two kids at home, and at least one steady Mistress."

"Costa's a sub?" came a voice from under the table.

Bill just reached down and Ken heard a loud slurp.

"Not that kind of Mistress," said Bill. "Quite the opposite, in fact. He belongs to a very, very exclusive club down town."

"What kind of club?" asked Ken.

"The kind that costs a hell of a lot of money and a personal invite to join," said Bill. "There's very little hard information on it, but word is they can get you pretty much whatever you want to play with for the evening -- legal, willing or not."

"I see," said Ken with distaste.

"Well, the rumor mill says they don't stray too far, but they do stray. Plus, things always get blown out of proportion when it's just rumor, so who knows? I can dig a bit further, if you'd like."

"Sure."

"Anyway, I rather doubt that he'll show up tonight with his wife. It'll probably be with whatever toy he's keeping at the moment. Again, word is he likes it very rough, but not rough enough to cause real problems. He treats his mistresses well, and only seems to be interested in the willing ones. Certainly he has no lack of offers."

Ken nodded, wondering if Costa would make a play for Jane.

"He likes power plays," continued Bill, "direct and indirect. It wouldn't surprise me if he was the one that pulled the plug on the case against you and Jane. If he did, he's gonna want something in return."

"But I didn't ask him to intervene."

"Doesn't matter," said Bill with a shrug. "If he did it -- and clearly someone stepped in, because those assholes were really pushing this -- he's gonna ask for something eventually."

"What kind of something?"

"I have no idea," replied Bill. "He's got a lot of money. Not as much as we do, but a lot. Of course, he doesn't have any idea what our resources are, so he's going to feel secure that he has the edge when it comes to money. What he has that you don't have is connections. A lot of connections."

"Great," said Ken, remembering when David specifically warned him against owing Costa a favor.

"One other thing I was able to find out," said Bill, who, at this point was clearly having a difficult time ignoring the girl between his legs. "He likes to fight."

"Excuse me?"

"He considers himself a serious bad ass and he likes to fight," repeated Bill. "Rumor is, he has his own little fight club, and now and then he arranges a match against someone that has a rep. Sometimes he wins -- more often than not, in fact -- sometimes he doesn't. You'd think it would matter to a guy like that, but it doesn't seem to. He just gets off on the challenge. And the guys he does lose to walk away clean. No one fucks with them because they beat up the boss."

Now that was interesting.

"One last thing," said Bill, pulling Ari up from under the table. "He's asked Sensei a bunch of times, and has always been turned down. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Ari was looking up at Bill, an incredibly innocent expression on her face -- never mind the fact that her chin was covered with drool from deep throating his cock. Bill used her nipples to position her on the table before sliding his cock over her swollen slit.

"Of course," smiled Ken. He could have stayed and played too, but decided against it.

As he walked out, Sally must have wandered in from another entrance because he heard, "Bill, we're going to eat soon! Make sure you clean off the table when you're done with her."

Ken smiled and continued upstairs.

He and Jane arrived at Toscana's at about five to seven. He was dressed in a casual suit, but considering how Jane was dressed, he didn't expect that anyone would be looking at him. At least, anyone interested in women.

Jane was wearing a thin, blue dress that was off the shoulder on her right side and split almost to the waist on that same side. The hem of the dress was well above the knee, but not obscene -- even with the split, which, after all, only showed while she was walking. Or sitting. It fit so well he wondered if she'd had it made especially for her. Her hair was swept up on one side, exposing her long neck around which she wore a plane steel ring -- her collar, or one of them. It looked like a piece of jewelry, but it wasn't. Ken knew that she was wearing some type of bra, more to conceal her nipple piercings than for the support. He rather doubted if she got excited they'd stay hidden for long. Her legs were bare all the way down to the elegant, four inch heels that she wore. With the hem of the dress as high as it was, those long, beautiful legs were well displayed.

She didn't really need it, but Jane had taken some time to put on makeup. It was understated and served only to enhance her already beautiful face. None of the subservience she showed to Ken was on display, although someone attuned to such things would see it clear as day in how she reacted to him. For her, no one else existed.

"Oh, Mr. Whitestone," said the hostess when he gave his name, "of course. Your table is right this way."

Ken smiled as the woman turned. She was only a little interested in men, but very, very interested in Jane. In the past he might have thought she was checking out the competition, but now his abilities allowed him to see the truth.

Costa and his escort were waiting for him at the table. Costa stood and offered his hand to Ken.

"Ken," he said, "I'm glad you could join us."

"Mr. Costa," smiled Ken, keeping his voice friendly and pleasant.

"It's Angelo, remember?" smiled Costa. He reached out a hand to Jane. "And this beauty must be your wife."

"One of them," smiled Jane as she accepted his hand. Her smile was pleasant too, but it carried a combination of sex and shark.

Costa clearly hadn't been expecting her comment and blinked in surprise.

"Jane," Ken said, just a hint of warning in his tone, "likes to kid."

The warning to her was clear as day: Behave.

"Ah," said Costa. "Allow me to introduce Elaine. Elaine, this is Ken Whitestone and his wife -- one of them, anyway -- Jane."

Like Jane, Elaine was tall and beautiful. Not the blonde that Ken would have expected though. Her hair was dark and she looked Spanish. Like Jane, she was wearing clothing to show off her body, and Ken thought it was a very nice one. She shook his hand with a firm grip and gave Jane a brief hug. Ken read her the second their skin touched.

He didn't touch her actual thoughts. Instead, he flashed through her sexual past, which also included a good deal of information.

Elaine didn't just look Spanish, she was Spanish. She'd grown up in a small town and had always been ambitious. She used sex to get what she wanted. Had since she'd figured out that men could put things inside her -- something she'd discovered at a shockingly young age. Interestingly, she always thought she got the better end of a transaction like that. She loved sex and since she got that and whatever she'd been trying to wheedle from the person (male and later, female) it was a win-win for her.

She was also very, very kinky. While she was happy to switch and play the bottom for the right man or woman (Costa being the right man at the moment), she enjoyed being the top even more. She was very, very sadistic and enjoyed using pain and humiliation as tools to completely dominant the sub. She liked either submissive women or men, and if they liked pain, all the better. But as long as they accepted what she did and gave her pleasure, she enjoyed herself.

The four of them sat down and looked at the wine list. Ken and Angelo decided on a wine that listed for close to three hundred dollars a bottle. Ken would have been fine with a less expensive vintage, but since right from the outset Costa had made it clear that he was paying, Ken let him run the show. It wouldn't do to be an ungracious guest.

The conversation was surprisingly pleasant and covered a range of topics from the latest movies, to the latest politics. Ken was extremely surprised to find that Costa didn't have any higher an opinion about the current administration than he did.

"Iraq," he said with disgust. "The guy who killed our people is still running free, and that idiot had us invade Iraq and create a whole new crop of terrorists."

"It does seem pretty stupid," agreed Ken.

"You ever done any military service?" asked Costa.

"Nope," replied Ken. "Never occurred to me when I was younger, and I'm a little old for it now."

It wasn't until after the meal, when they were waiting for dessert in fact, that Ken saw Costa give Elaine a glance. Less than a minute later, she stood.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to powder my nose," she said, glancing at Jane. Jane looked at Ken, who nodded.

"That sounds like a plan," smiled Jane, standing up.

"Now there's a sight to stir a man's heart," said Costa, his eyes on the two women walking away. They certainly were striking. Then he looked at Ken and said, "I understand that your legal troubles have eased somewhat."

If Ken had been harboring any doubts that Costa had somehow been involved in getting the charges dropped, they were gone now.

"Yes," he said, taking another sip of the wine. It was quite good. "I guess they came to their senses."

"Sense isn't something you can expect out of the DAs office," replied Costa. "Especially not from Carl Rosen. He usually requires a bit of help in that direction."

"I see," said Ken. He'd never actually spoken with Rosen, who was the DA. Just Gerold Strouss, who was an asswipe.

"Yes," smiled Costa, "I think you do."

Ken got the impression that Costa was a little put out by Ken's reaction. He'd expected Ken to be surprised and off guard, but Ken was neither.

"Well, that's how the world works," continued Costa with a shrug. "People help each other out."

"Not as often as you might think," replied Ken. "It's been my experience that there is usually a price."

"Mmm," nodded Costa. He swirled some wine around in his glass. "I understand that you train with Sensei Scott Turcotte."

"I do," admitted Ken. "He's an exceptional instructor."

"Very selective as well," replied Costa. "It's difficult to get into his studio."

"I think I got lucky," said Ken. "His student load was a bit light the day I showed up."

Costa chuckled and shook his head.

"Turcotte's student load is never light," he said. "He's got a very long waiting list. You seemed to have jumped to the top of it though."

"I found out about the list after I became his student," said Ken. That was the truth, and to this day he still didn't know why Sensei had taken him on. "I really have no idea why he decided to accept me as a student."

"He strikes me as that kind of man," said Costa. "You know, I've asked him to spar with me every now and then."

"You know Sensei Turcotte?" asked Ken.

"Not personally," replied Costa. "But I understand he has sparring sessions for certain students."

"That's true."

"I also understand that you're one of them," continued Costa.

"On occasion."

"Word is, you're quite skilled yourself."

"I have my moments," said Ken, who was beginning to see where this was going.