It'll Be An Adventure (Masters of the Shadowlands #15)(58)
Author: Cherise Sinclair

 

“Hey, my car’s over there.” She waved her hand to the left.

 

“So’s mine.” His grin flashed. “Miss Foggy Brain, did you forget I asked if you wanted a drink and some food.”

 

“You meant here? The club isn’t open yet.” She frowned as she looked around. They’d exited a side gate on the right of the mansion, and now he opened a side gate on the building’s left. “Are we going back into the Capture Gardens?”

 

“You might think so, but no. The Capture Gardens take up the right half of the acreage. This side is private.”

 

Private? “Who—”

 

“The Colonel and Valerie live on the third floor. It used to be Z’s home, but it’s not suitable for raising kids.”

 

The Colonel… He meant the club manager, Ghost.

 

Before she could explain she wasn’t a sociable, small-talking sort of person, he guided her across a lavishly landscaped yard toward a screen-enclosed lanai. There were people in there—way too many people.

 

Her feet refused to move further.

 

Saxon stepped in front of her, giving her all his attention. “What’s wrong, kitlet?”

 

“I’m not dressed for a party.” Her crocheted dress cover-up wasn’t exactly concealing.

 

“You look beautiful, and this isn’t a party, just an after-event gathering.” His lips curved. “These are just Shadowlands Masters, Mistresses, and their submissives. You’ve met a lot of them already.”

 

I am not ready for this.

 

He cupped her cheek. “I’ll protect you against all the mean Dominants. I promise.” Even though his eyes were laughing, his expression was completely serious. He meant it. “I’d like your company, Murphy.”

 

The skill to resist him wasn’t in her toolbox. “Okay.” She managed to smile. “Food would be good. I don’t know about a drink—it didn’t go well last time.”

 

His big hearty laugh rang out as they walked into the lanai.

 

People were turning. And smiling.

 

Darkly tanned with short, steel-gray hair, Ghost strolled over to them. His arm was around a tall woman with long honey-blonde hair, deep blue eyes—and laugh lines that made her look like a fun person. The two looked about the same age, probably in their fifties.

 

Ghost smiled. “Saxon, Murphy, I’m glad you could make it.”

 

“Sorry, we’re running late,” Saxon said—not sounding sorry in the least.

 

Ghost’s mouth quirked, then he looked down at his companion. “Valerie, this is Murphy, the author I mentioned. Murphy, this is Valerie, a professor at USF, my university.”

 

As they smiled at each other, Ghost turned his attention back to Saxon. “Thank you for arranging the pet and little day.”

 

“Except the slacker disappeared with his feisty kitten and left me to shoo all the pets home,” Master Raoul called. He was sitting on a patio chair. Kneeling on a floor cushion, Kim leaned against his knees.

 

Raoul shook his head. “Some of the stubborn pets didn’t want to leave.”

 

“You must have succeeded. Everyone was gone when we came out,” Saxon said.

 

Standing beside Master Marcus, Gabi grinned. “Because he sent Kim to fetch the sadists. When Master Sam shook out that black snake whip of his, critters stampeded for the exit.”

 

Marcus chuckled. “This li’l pup was laughing so hard I had to carry her out.”

 

Master Sam sat at one of the oak-and-iron tables…and Murphy spotted the coiled whip fastened to his belt. Oh…boy.

 

Next to him was a redhead in her forties or so. Would she be the “my Linda” he’d mentioned before?

 

Also at the table was Ben, the volunteer victim from the search and rescue. He sat next to the tall pregnant brunette whose name was Anne.

 

Huh, I do know quite a few of the club members.

 

Off to the right were Rainie and Jake. When Murphy smiled at them, Rainie waggled her eyebrows with a grin that said I know what you did in the Gardens.

 

Murphy felt her face heat. Sheesh, all this blushing surely wasn’t good for a girl’s complexion.

 

Over on the other side of the table was Kari, the short, blue-eyed friend of Jessica. But Murphy hadn’t met the hard-faced Dom beside her.

 

Or the two women who stood together close enough that it was obvious they were lovers. Was the spikey-haired woman in biker clothing one of the Mistresses? She and her submissive were talking to Master Z and Jessica.

 

Uzuri was there also, standing between two guys, one white, one black with a goatee. Which one was she with?

 

The stern-looking, clean-shaven one saw Murphy watching and lifted an eyebrow. “And who do you have there with you, Saxon?”

 

The Dom with Kari turned and gave Murphy a long, evaluating stare. “Yes, inquiring minds want to know.”

 

Poking the stern white guy, Uzuri giggled. “Cops are so snoopy.”

 

Saxon huffed a laugh. “People, this is Murphy, an author who plans to set a murder or two in a Regency-era kink club and needed some real-life experience.”

 

“Why do I think you gave her all the experience she might possibly want?” The Mistress had an English accent. Raising an eyebrow, she smiled at Murphy. “You are quite brave.”

 

“Quite brave, but not quite Murphy,” Ben rose to his feet and set his palms on the table as he stared at her. His heavy brows drew together making his prize-fighter features even more ominous. “I knew I’d seen you before but couldn’t put it together. Not till I saw you here.”

 

Oh no. No, no, no.

 

He didn’t stop. “Maybe because when I admitted you to the Shadowlands three years ago, your name was Gianna.”

 

The entire patio went silent. Beside Murphy, Saxon stiffened. Everyone’s eyes were on her.

 

Feeling the blood drain from her face, she took a step back. Could she make it to the door before—

 

“This is our missing Gianna?” The deep resonant voice was calm and quiet. Dressed entirely in black, Master Z paced forward.

 

Ben studied her for another moment and nodded. “Yes.”

 

“Ben never forgets a name.” Saxon brushed his knuckles over her cheek, getting her to look at him. “Murphy, can you explain?”