“No.” Billy straightened at the wheezing voice coming from Mask Fuck. His lips flattened as he realized that the bastard was using a device to change his voice when he continued. “I want those tunnels finished and quickly. We can’t afford another delay. Not at this crucial point of our plan. Get it done, Kezzler.”
“I’ll get additional teams to work around the clock. That way, the new access entries should be finished in half the time we planned.” Kezzler sent a fiery look at Yale. “Why do we even bother? We’ve got an escape tunnel. Why can’t we use that?”
Silence descended on the room as three pairs of eyes glowered at him; one sharpened with interest as Billy waited with bated breath.
“Keep your fucking trap shut,” Yale hissed and shot a quick look in Billy’s direction. Kezzler’s face turned red as he realized his faux pas.
“Of course, I didn’t think,” he muttered under his breath.
That was more than enough evidence that Billy had been correct in his assumption they had a back door. One intended only for the top leaders, leaving their operatives to bite the bullet.
Now, more than ever, he had to intensify his search and find it. The day they hit SPEONUS, every member of the board would be in attendance and no way in hell must they have a way to escape.
Chapter Fifteen
“Eat up, my pet. You’re going to need your strength.”
“Going back to sleep will achieve the same result,” she snipped and quickly dipped her face to pop some fruit and yogurt into her mouth. She darted a quick look at him, clear annoyance shimmered in her eyes.
Zeke ignored Taylor’s pout, which had been delightfully present from the moment he’d told her before breakfast she was attending the training session in his dungeon this morning … as a trainee.
She’d been quiet and withdrawn since their return from DC three days earlier. He had to calm her down every night when she woke up gasping from a nightmare, clutching her chest. Last night had been the final straw when he couldn’t wake her the second time and feared for her life when she battled to breathe.
He had to get her out of the terror funk she’d fallen into after the fake assassination. None of them had considered the emotional impact it would have on her. Combined with her hard-headed refusal for therapy with Shane, he was at his wit’s end. The idea came to him during his early morning run. It was one training session that would offer him a way to tap into her mind and unlock her fears.
Now, he only had to make sure she willingly submitted to him and committed to the scene.
“I sense trouble in paradise,” Parker quipped as Ava and he took a seat opposite them.
“Being insulted has that effect on people,” Taylor grumbled around a mouthful of muesli.
“Zeke?” Parker glanced between the two. Zeke was relaxed and sported a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. “I find that hard to believe. He’s the gentleman among the seven of us.”
“She’s irked that I expect her to attend my training session today.” He smiled as Taylor snorted in an unladylike fashion.
“Take it from me, Taylor, you won’t be sorry. I still attend certain training sessions and every time I learn something new. Believe me, as someone who has been a sub for over eight years, I thought I knew it all.” Ava wrapped her arms around Parker’s bicep and leaned into him. “Besides, who wouldn’t want to be the sole attention of these hunks during those sessions?” Her eyes glimmered. “The trainees are way too eager to get into the dungeons if you ask me.”
Parker tapped her on the nose. “You know I only have eyes for you, baby.”
Taylor found no joy in listening to Ava, especially as she knew Zeke had continued with his training sessions since her arrival. If they were conducted similarly to when she was trained, it meant he was demonstrating whatever they were discussing that day—with one of the trainees.
I’m not jealous!
The echo in her mind was mocking at best. It annoyed her since it was a foreign emotion to her. She’d never been in love or in a long-term relationship where such an emotion was triggered. It didn’t sit well with her that it did so now—so soon in their relationship and while they were still getting to know each other.
No, it’s only because I haven’t scened with him in a formal BDSM environment yet. Yes! That’s what it is.
“Good morning, Masters Dragon and Tiger. It’s so good to see you’re back.”
Taylor glanced up at the sugary sweet lilt and stiffened. It was the same tall blonde who had molded her tits against Zeke the day of her arrival. They hadn’t officially met but it was one of the employed subs she liked the least. She always hovered around Zeke when he went to dish up during mealtimes. That he usually didn’t seem at all perturbed about her blatant effort to seduce him annoyed the shit out of Taylor.
“We weren’t gone that long, Madam Cherrie.” Zeke smiled at her. She beamed under his attention.
“I’ve gotten used to having you underfoot every day, Master Dragon.” Her woebegone expression in Taylor’s opinion was practiced and too precise to be honest. She bit into her lip to keep her mouth shut. “I don’t know how I’ll survive once we have to leave the island and only return every second weekend.” She glanced around the grand Dining Hall. “This has been home for so long.”
“You know you’ll always be welcome here, my pet. Besides, you’ll still be sewing outfits for the subs and trainees, which means you’ll be visiting more than the others.”
Her face brightened. “That’s true and I can’t thank you enough for ensuring I can keep doing what I love.”
“You’ll have to thank Stone. He’s the one who made the suggestion.” Parker smiled as he noticed the cold glance Taylor bestowed on the quirky woman.
“Since you mentioned outfits,” Madam Cherrie’s nose tipped an inch higher as she regarded Taylor up and down. Her lips turned down as if saying, ‘Please, this is what I have to work with?’ She cleared her throat. “Is she a new trainee?”
“She has a name and it’s—”
“This is my sub, Orchid,” Zeke cut Taylor short and cast a warning glance at her. He’d warned her not to tell anyone her real name and accurately detected she was about to spit it out.
“Your what?” Madam Cherrie’s eyes flashed as she once again regarded Taylor with a critical look.
“I heard him very clearly,” Taylor snipped and returned her look with a haughty one of her own. “Or do you perhaps have a hearing problem?”
“Well, I never,” Madam Cherrie puffed indignantly and glanced at Zeke with a hurt expression on her face.
“No need to be rude, Orchid.” Zeke didn’t bother to hide the mirth at her show of possessiveness. He was quietly elated at the warning flashing in her eyes that clearly said, ‘He’s mine.’
“I’m just ensuring there won’t be any unpleasantness in the future, Master Dragon,” she purred but kept her eyes on the blonde glowering at her. “Just so you know, Madam Cherrie, we’re in an exclusive relationship, so I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your grubby little paws off of him from now on.”