The Priest (The Original Sinners #9) - Tiffany Reisz Page 0,106
into his house through the backdoor. He led them into the living room, books on every surface. He offered them seats. Nora took the large leather armchair. Cyrus declined to sit, instead standing behind her, the power behind the throne.
“So…” Nora began as Doc took a seat opposite her in a club chair. “What’s up, Doc?”
“Did you really have to go there?” Cyrus muttered.
“I really had to,” she said. Doc laughed but he didn’t seem very happy, not as happy as he’d been the last time they spoke.
“It’s not flattery, you know,” Doc began as he eased back in his seat. “You really are a legend, Mistress. A friend of mine had a session with you in New York at your old club, the 8th Circle. Said it was the best kink he’d ever had in his life. Told me I had to get my old ass up to New York and beg for an hour with you.”
“Did this friend of yours give you one of my cards?” Nora asked.
Slowly, Doc nodded.
Fucking finally. Cyrus wanted to pump his fist, but he refrained. For now.
“When a man asks you for the name of a dominatrix who would do anything for the right price, there’s only one name—Mistress Nora.”
“Fair,” Nora said. “What did he want me for?”
“I’m getting to that.”
Cyrus could tell the man didn’t really want to be having this conversation. He could respect that. A little.
“So you had one of Nora’s New York cards and you gave that card to Isaac Murran?” Cyrus asked.
“Yes. Yes, I did. I had mentioned in that class on medical play, that I made custom chastity devices. He ordered one from me, and I made it for him.”
“When was this?” Cyrus had left his notebook in his pocket, afraid the presence of it would scare Doc into silence. But Cyrus made a mental note of everything Doc said.
“Two months ago,” Doc said. “Late July.”
“What did he ask for?” Nora said. “When he made the order, what did he say?”
“He wanted something that would punish erections. A trainer of sorts so that every time he got hard, it would be agony. Then a month ago he was back, and said it wasn’t enough.”
“Wasn’t enough?” Cyrus repeated. “What the hell did he want? A dude standing over him kicking him in the balls 24/7?”
“As he said, he wanted a more ‘permanent solution,’” Doc said.
“Permanent?” Nora narrowed her eyes at the man.
Doc said nothing for a moment, a long moment, and then an even longer moment. Cyrus was about ready to choke the answer out when he finally spoke.
“He wanted someone to castrate him.”
“Shit,” Cyrus said while Nora let loose a long whistle. Even she was impressed by that request.
“Castrate?” Cyrus said. “Like…literally castrate him. Cut his balls off.”
“Cut them right off,” Doc said. “And he was willing to pay through the nose for it.”
“How much we talking?” Nora said.
“Nora.”
“What?” she asked. “It’s a fair question.”
“He said price was no object. I threw out 50K as a number, and he didn’t blink.”
“Fuck,” Nora said. “That would be tempting.”
“Forget the money,” Cyrus said. “Why? Why would any man want that?”
“He didn’t say explicitly,” Doc said. “But I got the distinct impression he was having trouble controlling himself.”
“Doc, spit it out,” Cyrus ordered. “He’s dead. I saw the body.”
“Yes, he’s dead,” Doc said, “so it shouldn’t matter. Let him rest in peace.”
“It does matter. It matters a lot to me.” Nora pointed at herself. “Answer me right now. Why did Ike Murran want to be castrated?”
“Like I said, he didn’t come right out and say it,” Doc said at last. “But when I said that castration seemed a bit extreme, even for a masochist, he agreed. He said it was a ‘last resort’ solution but that it was…” Doc swallowed. “He said something to the effect of, ‘Better than spending the rest of my life in prison.’”
“Prison?” Nora said.
Doc nodded.
Nora and Cyrus exchanged worried looks. “He was afraid he was going to rape someone,” she said.
Assume the worst, S?ren had told Cyrus. What was the worst?
Cyrus felt his jaw tighten. “He was afraid he was going to…or he already did and thought he’d do it again.”
Chapter Forty
Doc refused to talk to them anymore. He looked old when they were done with him, old and tired and rung out. Cyrus knew how he felt.