“Not at all. I started with that name and the trip she told Roni she’d been on with her family, in North Korea. Never found a Natasha.
“But here’s the thing… it’s all fishy. The entire thing looks like one of your jobs. You know, if you were hiding someone or their trail,” I bite out.
Felix releases a long whistle. “No moving forward or back,” he says distractedly. I know he’s looking through the file I sent him. “I’ll get on it. See what I can dig up, but this girl looks like a ghost. Should I look into the assholes that got away?”
I tighten my jaw. “I did a little of that. As much as I can for now. The team that hit the warehouse found three guys with bullets in their heads and four of the girls the same way. None of the girls fit our girl’s description. We’re not supposed to bring that shit back on our heads, so we need to be careful.”
“Yeah, I was thinking that.”
“I feel like that whole mission was cursed. Like we’re waiting for it to blow in our faces. It’s only a matter of time.”
“Yeah, Wyatt said the same thing. I wish I could have gone on that one to watch over you guys,” he says.
I blow out a breath and turn to find Roni walking down the front steps. She’s in jeans and a leather jacket that’s cut to accentuate her hips. That’s the distraction I truly need. Not the bullshit I have going on.
“Let me know what you find.”
“Already on it. Call you soon.”
“Thanks.”
I hang up as Roni stops in front of me. I’m so tempted to kiss her. This is the strongest it’s been in a long time. I thought I had this under control, but at the moment, I want her so much it hurts. She folds her arms over her chest.
“There’s something I’ve never asked you,” she says as she searches my eyes.
“Ask.”
She purses her full lips for a second. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
I grin, unable to keep myself from reaching to cup her face. “I don’t do girlfriends.”
She frowns at me and knocks my hand away. “That’s not an answer, dick. Yes or no?”
I snort. “Watch your mouth. No, I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Okay.” She nods, but there’s a skeptical look in her pretty brown eyes.
“I was going to take you to that West Indian restaurant you like,” I think aloud. “But maybe it’s time you learn a little more about me.”
“What?”
I wink. “You’ll see.”
And just like that, I make a decision that will ruin the comfortable existence we’ve created. I need to clear my head, so I’m going to combine the two things that help me do that. God forgive me.
Chapter 26
Nasty
John
I can’t take my eyes off of her. Roni has been captivated by the scenes that have been playing out in front of her, one after another. I shouldn’t have this much glee running through me from corrupting her.
I thought she would run after we finished dinner and I drew the viewing curtains back. I even went out of my way to bring her in without running into any of the open parties that would tip her off before we arrived at my room.
Yes, I keep a room at Club Desire. Brax loves his expensive cars. I hold expensive memberships to sex clubs. We all have our vices.
Roni scoots forward in her seat, her mouth open. “She’s going to whip him?”
“Yes, Meana is one of the five Mistresses here. She prefers to be called Domina. Her skills with a whip are impeccable. She makes it look like an art,” I reply, letting my gaze search her profile as she keeps her sights on the scene before us.
She turns to me and looks me in my eyes. “You would allow someone to do this to you?”
I tilt my head and study her with a smile on my lips. “I’ve never been topped. I prefer to watch this type of scene. Honestly, I’ve never thought about switching, but if it were something my sub needed, I’d allow it.”
She sucks her button lip into her mouth and my cock twitches. I drop my eyes to her nipples straining against her tight T-shirt. I’m so tempted to pull her into my lap and help her release the tension I see in her body.
She tilts her head mirroring me. “Your ass is nasty as fuck.”
Surprised by her words, I lift my eyes to hers. I expect to find disgust on her face, but I find interest and humor instead. She rolls her eyes over me.
“Damn, of all the things I thought you were into, this was not what I thought. Not at all,” she says.
I release a roar of laughter. Reaching out, I do tug her into my arms as I shift to place my leg on the leather couch so that she can sit between my thighs with her back to my front. Burying my face into her neck, I nuzzle it.
“You have no idea,” I whisper and lick her neck.
“This stuff turns you on?” she moans.
I release a groan. “Not half as much as you do, but yeah. It’s more than that though. Most people think the life is all about the sex and kinks. It’s…”
“About the release,” she says when I don’t finish.
I turn her face to look up at me, a puzzled expression on my own. “Yeah, how’d you know that was what I wanted to say?”
“You’ve been relaxed since we’ve been here. Whatever was going on when you arrived at campus, you’ve let it go.” She pauses to bite her lip. “You haven’t touched me, and you haven’t touched yourself, so it’s not about sex. It’s mental.”
I press my forehead to hers. “Does that freak you out? That I like… need this?”
She cups my face, breathing me in. “I believe the demons running around inside of me are darker than your secrets. You can see yours; I have no idea what mine are fully.
“I think I can handle this. If this is who you are, it’s who you are. From my dreams, I don’t think I know how to connect with people or show affection. If you can handle that, I can handle this.”
In my head I want to call bullshit. I see how she is with Torque. She loves that kid as if he were her little brother.
However, I let the comment go. If I can teach her how to release and free herself, I can get her to see she’s capable of more than she thinks. I go to take her lips, but it’s at that exact moment that my phone rings. Closing my eyes, I tighten my jaw and ball my fists. It’s probably for the best.
After all, my biggest distraction hasn’t been handled. For the last six months, Missy has been clinging to the last thread of my patience and twisted guilt. Two suicide attempts and random threats to follow through have kept me from severing our connection completely.
“Are you going to answer that?” Roni asks as I stare down at my phone.
I heave a heavy breath before kissing her forehead and lifting to my feet. “Yeah.”
Roni
My body is coiled with so much sexual tension, I think my head may explode. I was sure he was going to kiss me before his phone rang. I swear, I want to cut whoever that was. Not only did he look annoyed by the call, there was something else.
“You may not have a girlfriend, but there is a woman,” I murmur to myself as I stare at the door he walked out of.