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  Everest’s frown relaxes just a bit, and the corners of his lips twitch. “I guess I did.”

  I put a hand on each side of his face to make him look at me. I have no doubt he could resist my gentle pressure, but he doesn’t. He just stares at me with surprise. Did hanging around subs make him forget there are other types of women?

  “You realize your sister is a grown woman,” I say.

  “A grown woman with no common sense,” he snaps back.

  “Actually I think your sister is pretty sharp. And while Dmitry isn’t my type, I have to admit he’s a very striking man.”

  Everest seethes, “What sort of friend are you? You wouldn’t want him for yourself, but he’s good enough for my sister?”

  “Hey, hold your horses, Mister All-Righteous!” I take a deep breath to calm myself. I feel insulted that he questioned my friendship with his sister. Without thinking, I have fisted his T-shirt. “I never said he wasn’t good enough for me. I said he wasn’t my type. That’s not the same thing at all. You and Prince are both Dominants. I don’t like Doms—I never have and I never will. I want a partner, not a Master.”

  “And you think my sister’s different?” Everest’s curiosity seems genuine, as if he’s considering his sister as a sexual being for the first time ever. It seems even a bright man with a degree in psychology can’t see a thing when it’s too close to home.

  I let go of his shirt and press my hands flat on his chest in a comforting gesture. “Oh, Everest, I’m sorry. I know she’s your sister and you want to protect her, but surely you of all people can understand what she craves. I mean, seriously, look at her male role models. I understand your father is the very epitome of a big bad Dom, and then she has you and your brother. What type of man did you expect her to be attracted to?”

  He turns his head and brings one of my palms to his lips. He softly kisses it and puts it back on his chest. “I take it back, Sally. You’re a good friend to Juliya. I appreciate you defending her, but you have to understand that I don’t have an issue with the fact that he’s a Dom—well, actually I do, but that’s beside the point. What bothers me is that he’s a Category Five Knight—”

  “And the Knights and the Tornadoes have bad blood. I’ve heard about that. But first I’m ready to bet you have no clue how it all started. Second, I also know that behind that his rough-around-the-edges appearance, Prince is a good, loyal man—”

  “I don’t care! Do you see the way he’s looking at her?” Everest says.

  Oh yes, I do. Prince doesn’t just have the look of a man who wants to eat a woman alive. I’ve seen literally hundreds of hungry looks from men watching me undress on stage, and I can tell that this is different. There’s so much more in Prince’s eyes when he looks at Juliya. I thought I’d caught the same expression in Slider’s eyes a few times … but I’m not about to say that to Everest.

  “Oh, come on, it’s just one dance, or maybe two. No need to get your boxers in a bunch.”

  “No chance, I always go commando,” he snaps back with a smile.

  I laugh and say,“You know what I mean.”

  “Right, and the chances of them meeting again are slim,” he mutters.

  “Absolutely. Non-existent,” I add.

  Well, unless Juliya comes to the Bush Fire this week to watch me dance like she said she wanted to. Prince replaced David as our bouncer, and he’s been nothing less than a gentleman with the strippers. I’m not sure he would be as gentle and hands off with Juliya. That’s not a bad thing though —I don’t think she would want him to.

  As we sway in rhythm to the music, Everest glares at Prince, who ignores him. The man seems enthralled. He’s talking softly to Juliya who seems fascinated by whatever he’s telling her. Everest has stopped talking to me, seemingly lost in his thoughts. I look around for Slider, but he’s nowhere to be seen. I can’t believe the bastard left without giving me a chance to give him a piece of my mind.

  “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” Everest asks. He answers the silent question in my eyes. “One second you were all relaxed, almost cuddly, and suddenly you’re all tense. Something happened.”

  I guess I did tense up. I try to force my body to relax. “I’m sorry. It’s that guy—”

  “The one who’s not your boyfriend?” he winks, and I have to laugh.

  “Yeah, that stinking rat left without saying good-bye.” I try to growl the way Everest did a few minutes ago, but I just sound like a Chihuahua with a bad case of strep throat.

  Everest looks at me strangely. Suddenly he seems to understand what I was trying to do because he laughs so hard, he cries. We stop dancing, and watching him be so merry puts me in stitches. I hang on to him for support as we laugh. Everyone stares at us as Everest pulls me away from the dance floor and walks me back to the now empty table.

  We sit, and when I finally catch my breath, I say, “Thank you, I needed that.”

  “Anytime, baby, anytime!” he says. “Now tell me, who’s this guy who has you all riled up?”

  “No one you would approve of or like. It’s Slider, the Knight’s VP.”

  Everest looks behind me. “Will you trust me with a little experiment?”

  I raise my eyebrows. He takes that as a yes, because he leans over and pulls me from my chair onto his lap. His hand is on my butt, and the other slides from my waist to very close to my breast—oh, now on my breast. As I reach for his neck so I don’t lose my balance, he pulls me even closer with a malicious twinkle in his eyes.

  “Now look at me as if you want to kiss me,” he says, his mouth hovering very close to mine.

  Oh. My. God. Slider must be back, and Everest is taunting him. How deliciously devious! It’s official, I adore the three Hatcher siblings.

  I hold his face. “Right this instant, I really do want to kiss you.”

  “I sure hope so,” he whispers. “If that idiot doesn’t invite you to dance or whisk you away within the next thirty seconds, I’m going to show you how serious kissing is done. Who knows, maybe I’ll change your mind and make you crave a Master instead of a partner.”

  I caress his cheek. “I doubt it, but I’m ready and willing to try.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Slider

  “Go upstairs. She’s waiting for you in Captain Williams’s office,” Catherine tells me when I enter the house. “I’ll make sure no one comes up while you’re talking.”

  “Thank you, Catherine.”

  I climb the stairs to a small landing where two of four doors are open. One is obviously Lisa’s room. On her tiny bed are a pile of clothes and Sally’s bag. The other one is about the same size. It must have been David’s room, but now it’s Steven Williams’s office.

  I guess the captain getting to meet Betty at the funeral is one good thing that came out of David’s “death.” Who would have thought they would hit it off and decide to get married so quickly?

  There’re a small desk, a couple of chairs, and shelves with various mementos, including some wrestling trophies that are a quarter of a century old. I’m not surprised. Steven Williams has the build and walk of a wrestler.

  Captain Black is examining the trophies and looking at an assortment of framed pictures. In a recent one, Captain Williams is in full uniform and standing next to his wife and Lisa. Captain Black smiles at me. “It’s always interesting to see what’s in a man’s private study.”

  “Yes, it gives you an insight to their real personality. Anything surprise you in here?”

  “No, he’s a pretty straightforward man,” she says.

  “Good.” I dig my hands in my pockets and wait for her to tell me why she wanted this meet.

  She studies my expression. “How are you doing, Paul?”

  It’s been so long since anyone has called me by my real name that her doing so takes me by surprise. “Not well, Martha.” I don’t usually call her by her first name, but she doesn’t seem to mind me using it in private. “I want out.”

  “Then you’ll be ha
ppy to know we’re all wrapped up and we’re pulling you out.”

  “How soon?”

  “The Feds will close the club Tuesday night. I’m giving you a head’s up in case you have loose ends to tie up. Your mandatory psych evaluation is on Wednesday. You’ll meet the shrink at the Point Lookout Hospital, and if she gives us a green light, you’ll take a well-deserved vacation.”

  “Fine. But I may not just want out of the mission….” I look at her to see her reaction when I add, “I may also want out of the force.”

  “I was afraid of that,” she says as she slumps into one of the chairs. “I get it, truly I do, but don’t say that to anybody else.”

  “Why not?” I feel my temper rising. I’ve kept it in check for so long, I’m not sure I can control myself anymore if the mission is over.

  “The brass will question your loyalty if you do.” Her tone is caring.

  I take a deep breath and listen. Captain Black has the reputation of being a straight shooter. “A captain who stands by her men and never throws anyone under the bus” was the way a friend described her when she took over the task force.

  “My suggestion,” she says, “is to take all the vacation time you’ve accumulated. When it’s time to come back, ask for a leave of absence. You’ve been undercover for so long that they won’t say no. If you can afford it, take six months, take a year, and then you can revisit the issue.”

  I process what she’s telling me while I look at the books on the shelves. Captain Williams is an eclectic reader. He has poetry, biographies of American politicians, The Art of War, and a leather-bound edition of the Kama sutra.

  Captain Black remains silent for a moment then continues her explanation. “At the end of your leave of absence, if you decide to resign, then no one will pay any attention to you. No one will care. If you do it now, brass will always have doubts about you. They won’t let you go without giving you a hard time about why you’re leaving.”

  “Thanks for your honestly. I’ll think about what you said,” I say and I should. This woman knows how to navigate the shark infested waters of the department, otherwise she wouldn’t be where she is today.

  “Good, then we’re all set. Wednesday after ten a.m., you’ll be your own man,” she says. “Be safe.”

  “Thanks, Captain.” I walk down the steps slowly, the captain right behind me.

  Catherine is standing guard by the landing. “Everything good?” Her look of concern makes me realize I’m frowning.

  I try to relax my face when I answer. “Fine and dandy.” My cheery answer seems to worry her more than reassure her. “You go back first. I need a minute.”

  I let them return to the party, and I pace in the kitchen. I need a beer, or two, and maybe some tequila. I walk through the kitchen door into the yard while deciding whether I’ll go back to the Bush Fire or not. I probably won’t. There’s nothing there that I want. I don’t really need to go back to my room at the MC’s club house, but I will anyway. The Knights have been good to me. I’ll leave properly. I’ll resign as VP and—what the fuck!

  Sally’s on Everest’s knees, and the asshole looks as if he’s about to kiss her. She’s all smiles, holding his face, and before I realize what I’m doing, I’ve crossed the yard and jerked her from his embrace. She stands in front of me, tilting her head as if she’s surprised to see me.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” The question comes out a lot more aggressive than I intended.

  “What’s it to you?” she snaps back.

  “Are you going to let her talk to you like that, brother?” Everest asks. “No sub of mine would get away with that tone without a good spanking.”

  For the first time in my life, I’m considering a spanking as an appropriate answer to a woman’s behavior. Except—if I understand what I’ve been told about D/s relationships—a Dom should never react in anger, and right now, I’m more than angry. I’m mad as hell. I’m not really sure who I’m mad at. I can’t be mad at Sally because I’ve been pushing her away forever. I can’t be mad at Everest, ’cause as far as he knew, she was free game. I guess I’m mad at myself for being in this stupid situation.

  “Come with me,” I say, taking her hand and walking back toward the house.

  I’m almost surprised when, without hesitation, she follows me all the way up to Lisa’s room. I close the door behind her and press the button to lock it. I lay my hands flat on Sally’s shoulders and pin her to the wall. She’s a little out of breath, and her pupils are dilated. She looks at me with that damning gaze she’s been torturing me with for way too long, the one that clearly states that she’s mine for the taking. I love that look. I want to keep it on her face forever.

  I’m not sure what she’ll think when I tell her who I really am. Will it change anything for her? I don’t know. So I stare at her for a minute to burn that expression into my memory. Who can figure out where this is going? Fuck, I want her and I’m going to take her now.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Sally

  My heart is beating so hard I think I’ll die soon if he doesn’t do anything. He’s staring at my face as if he’s looking at me for the last time, and it scares the hell out of me. I’ve never cared for someone the way I care for him. When I’m honest with myself, I admit that it’s more than a simple infatuation. I’m nothing less than in love this man. I may tell myself that I’ll be fine if I never see him again after I quit¸ but I know that’s not true.

  I pray that what I read in his onyx eyes isn’t an illusion. My gaze falls to his mouth, and my entire life is reduced to what those lips will do next. With my back to the wall, I stare at him, savoring the pressure of his hands on my shoulders.

  Time is suspended. I don’t know if we’ve been standing here for a minute or more. Does it really matter? I’m turning a page and I have my whole life ahead of me, and I so want him to be a part of it. How long will it take him to see how right we are together?

  Just the touch of his hand is enough to take my breath away. Wrapping my arms around him when we ride together is absolute bliss. Yet I want more, so much more.

  Loving this man has forced me to learn patience.

  I close my eyes and pull in a deep breath. There’s no rush. We’re together, everything is fine. I breathe him in. He smells like leather, sandalwood, and maybe beer too. When he finally makes a move, I’m startled. His lips reach mine, just a caress, sweet and light as a feather. I moan in frustration.

  “Sally,” he whispers. “Sally, baby.”

  My eyes flutter open, and a shy smile blooms on my lips. I’m overwhelmed by my emotions.

  “Want you … bad,” he rasps. “No more waiting….Mine.”

  His tone melts my heart. I close my eyes again, and two tears escape.

  “Don’t you dare cry!”

  I try to listen but more tears pour out. I didn’t wait in vain. A floodgate brakes. I can’t stop. He pulls me to him, pressing my face against his chest. I wrap my arms around him and hold on tight while he rocks me.

  “It’s all right, baby, everything will be all right.”

  A thousand questions bounce around in my head. Why did he wait? Why does he need to tell me it will be all right? I keep my questions to myself. Not now. Now is a magical parenthesis—there will be a before now and an after now—now is precious and I won’t do anything to spoil it.

  So I take a deep breath then another until my tears dry out. When they do, I lift my face and finally claim our first kiss. His lips cover mine, and it’s even more magical than I dreamed it would be. Slider’s kiss starts soft and tender and loving. He’s so gentle that I melt against him. My body slowly become boneless, and when it does, as if he was waiting for my total surrender, Sliders turns into a conqueror. He takes over my entire being. He lifts me and pins my back against the wall again.

  My arms wrap around his neck and my legs around his hips. I regret that I can’t magically wish our clothes away. I want my skin against his. I want him in me. I want him so muc
h, I shamelessly grind against him, and he does the same. We’re like horny teenagers trying to make love with layers of material between us.

  I’m panting so hard, and I can’t believe how close to the edge I am already. Without breaking the kiss, he fumbles for the opening of my jeans and slides his hand in. He just presses hard on my clit and sends me flying. I bite the leather of his jacket not to scream.

  I rest my head on his shoulder as I catch my breath. When I can speak again I say, “I want more,” with a voice I hardly recognize as my own.

  He chuckles and pulls back his head and shoulder to look at my face.

  “Ready for another ride?”

  I nod and his hand slides deeper in my pants, fingers probing, one and then two slide into me and then he stops and swears.

  I frown and only then do I hear it the sound that my brain refused to register. Lisa and Juliya have come up the stairs.

  “You don’t think she would have left without saying good-bye?” Juliya asks.

  “No, I’m pretty sure she’s up here,” Lisa answers. “See, the door is closed.”

  Slider and I remain frozen.

  “Damned it’s locked too.” She knocks and calls, “Sally, are you okay?”

  Slider buries his head in my neck and growls. What is it with men and animal sounds?

  I manage to find my voice. “I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute.” I hear some whispers and some giggles from the other side of the door.

  Juliya insists. “You’re sure, honey?”

  I hear the tease in her voice and I can just imagine the smirk on her face. I swear, one of these days I will make her pay for this.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I try to sound very calm and relaxed.

  “Because if you’re in any kind of trouble, I can call my brothers.”

  “Please, just go away.” The exasperation in my voice reflects the level of my frustration created by the immobility of Slider’s hand immobile at the apex of my legs.