Solving Lara

Can the promise of forever make her give up the one thing she’s always needed?

Lara married for safety. For the kind of life she needed because of her past. But she gave up passion for control. Now divorced, it’s finally time to see to her own needs. So when she hears about a kinky, week-long murder mystery party, she applies for the exclusive vacation filled with debauchery.

Ten Doms. Ten subs. One Madam.

And a murder.

All at Fairford Manor—a luxury kink resort that needs to expand now that the founders have all fallen in love and paired off. The new renovation will allow for more Doms and guests, and this event is the official kickoff.

When the resort’s infamous playboy partner meets the one woman who doesn’t fawn over him . . . well, challenge accepted.

He turns on the Camden Reid charm.

It only makes her want him less.

So he does the only rational thing a Dom can do. He bends her to his will.

Lara thought fear would kick in. She’s always needed to feel strong and in control.

But all she feels now is desire.

Chapter One
Camden

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Each and every word dripped with exasperation.

All but two of the people attending Fairford Manor’s monthly Saturday meeting sighed at the exact same time. Mason, who had just interrupted the pitch for the kink resort’s next big event, seemed startled by the collective reaction, his eyes widening in alarm.

Camden was the only other one to do something different. He laughed. “Please tell me you’re not going back to the angry, grumpy-ass Mason who complains about everything. If you are, I’m taking a month-long vacation.”

A glare narrowed Mason’s intense blue eyes. “Oh, fuck off. It’s perfectly reasonable to not want to do this. It’s absurd.”

With a little shrug, Camden said, “I think it sounds like fun.”

Remy grinned. They’d thrown a handful of small, weekend-long events in the past several months, and the Manor’s event planner clearly couldn’t wait to take his shiny new event space out for a proper spin. “Thank you, Camden. That’s the whole idea, for all of you to have fun with this.”

Mason scowled down at the invitation mock-up on the table in front of him. “People come here to have their darkest fantasies unlocked. Not to have fun.”

“Oh, I like that.” Zach scribbled something in the notebook where he’d been taking notes since the meeting began. In addition to manning the reception desk, he did everything from organizing applications to hand-writing acceptance letters in ornate calligraphy to decorating the mansion for holidays and events. In truth, the man was the backbone of the whole place—something that became extra apparent when he almost quit a year and a half ago. “I’m adding that to the new logo.”

And now he was in charge of designing logos, apparently.

Everyone’s brows shot up that time. Even Remy’s, and he was Zach’s fiancé.

It was Jonathan, the Manor’s head Dom, who voiced what they were all thinking. “New logo? We don’t have an old logo.”

“That, boss, is exactly why I’m designing one.” Zach didn’t even look up as he scratched out more notes in his neat handwriting. “I owe you all an apology, actually. I can’t believe I’ve been here six and a half years, and it only just occurred to me that we don’t have a logo. Disgraceful.”

Camden couldn’t help it. He laughed again. Fuck, he loved his job. Working at the fanciest, most exclusive kink destination in the country was enough all on its own. He legally got to fuck and spank beautiful, submissive women for a living—what more could he ask for?

The fact that he genuinely fucking loved all the other partners and the staff was the icing on the best cake ever made.

“The damn logo isn’t the point.” Mason hadn’t stopped scowling. If he kept that shit up, the man would be covered in wrinkles before long. All of the Manor’s original founders would turn forty later this year, and they needed to be careful if they wanted to age gracefully. Camden was only thirty-four, and he’d already started thinking about these things. “I’m not spending a whole week acting in a fucking murder mystery. It’s ridiculous.”

Smirking, Camden said, “We could always make you the victim. Then you only have to pretend long enough to die. Oh, and I could be the murderer. That would be perfect. I’ve been wanting to stab you for years.”

Laughter rolled through the room. Even Jonathan snorted.
Mason was clearly not amused. “Go fuck yourself, Camden.”

“If I could, I would.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Mason murmured, but at least he stopped arguing. Camden counted it as a win.