Shelby: A Forbidden FBI Bad Boy Romance (The Bang Shift Book 4)

by Mandy Harbin

  And he hadn’t even seen her naked, had only held her and very briefly kissed her. That was all. And apparently, that was all it had taken to hook him.

  He’d told himself it was just because he’d been bored lately and she was a new distraction, but even that felt false. He couldn’t explain his reaction to her, but one thing was becoming painfully clear—he needed to get a handle on this sudden fascination. He didn’t like it when he wasn’t in control of anything, and that included his own emotions. He preferred things tightly tethered in all matters of his life, and when he thought of that woman, he felt frayed at the ends.

  No, he didn’t like that at all.

  She’d come to him for guidance, and his sense of duty had swelled. With any sub he’d have had a hard time rejecting such a request, but with Shelby, he could not have turned her away even if he tried. It was that connection he did not understand but couldn’t deny.

  As a Dom, he’d easily put her needs before his. There was no doubt about that. However, as the man he was, he needed a dose of self-preservation. Hell, he’d wanted her to wait to be sure she was ready to submit, but instead, he was giving himself the time he apparently needed to control whatever connection he’d felt toward her. He could not let normal male weaknesses deter him.

  As a powerful businessman, however, he really didn’t need the distraction of Shelby right now. His plan for William had already been put into play, things already in motion, and he couldn’t stop the momentum even if he wanted, which he didn’t. He’d worked too fucking hard on his plan. It wasn’t a good time to get involved with a woman on any emotional level. He glanced over at William and watched as the man continued with the meeting. Yes, bad fucking timing.

  Something was going to have to change.

  He clenched his jaw. He’d made an agreement with Shelby, so he couldn’t back out. It wasn’t that he was a man of his word. It was his role within the community that solidified his resolve to help once he’d agreed to. Only now, he’d have to switch gears. He would still guide her on her discovery as he’d promised, but there really was only one option for him now.

  And he couldn’t fucking stand the idea that had formed. It did not sit will with him. At. All. But he saw no other choice.

  Mason would be in control, but he was going to have to let another Dom experience what he’d been dreaming about for almost a week. It wasn’t something he and Shelby had talked about specifically, but he couldn’t see this working out any other way. If she wanted him as her Dom, even temporarily, she’d do as he instructed. This would be her first lesson—and a test for himself he hadn’t expected. He’d never let another Dom top his sub before he got the privilege of doing so himself. He would have to watch as another man showed her the pleasure of the lifestyle.

  That thought sickened him, which only strengthened his resolve. He could not, would not, allow himself to become attached to Shelby any more than he’d already become. This sudden bond wasn’t healthy, and he was too powerful of a man to fall victim to it. Shelby was just another woman who wanted to experience submission. Period.

  He was taking control of this situation, so it would not get out of hand. As soon as the meeting was over, he’d call Rafe before he had a chance to change his mind, not that he would. He knew what he had to do, and he was going to do it.

  There really was no other option.

  “We have new information from a source within Fieldstein and Baxter,” Rick announced in the impromptu meeting scheduled late Friday afternoon.

  Shelby was too nervous to focus on facts that were peripheral to the night’s upcoming events. She’d entered Mason’s phone number into her cell a hundred different times since she’d met him with the intention of canceling their plans. No way could she do that. She’d be in serious trouble if she did anything to jeopardize this assignment. She was a nervous wreck who knew the score. She had to find a way to remain focused on her task and work her mark for information…somehow. One step at a time. If she concentrated on the immediate responsibility of the night, then maybe she’d be able to get through it. This was, after all, her mission.

  And her job was important, even if she was picked for this assignment because of her looks. She had to be successful, so next time she’d be chosen because of her track record, not her bra size. Shelby had a lot to prove if she wanted to come out from under the protective shadow of her mentor, Darrell, and make a name for herself.

  “Who’s the source?” Darrell asked as he folded his arms and stared at their boss. “I hope the SEC isn’t running around shouting to all the employees of F and B that they’re looking for info. Kinda makes our job to help not necessary, don’t cha think?”

  Carson chuckled. “Yeah, not to mention flashing neon signs for the executives. If they get wind of this investigation, they’d lock themselves up tighter than a hooker with a poor man.”

  “You’re such a sleaze,” Viola said.

  “Tighter than Fort Knox. Is that better?” he asked with a wink.

  “Too little too late.” Viola rolled her eyes at Carson. The man never missed an opportunity to flirt. “Anyway, his name is Carl O’Brian. He called his contact with the SEC to discuss some discrepancies he’d found within a hedge fund. He couldn’t get the returns paid out to calculate based on the figures they were reporting. Since F and B is flagged in the computer, the contact reported this to our liaison, Jerome Parker, who then spent the last couple of days running the numbers. He couldn’t make heads or tails on just how F and B reached the reported amounts either. Jerome called with the info a couple of hours ago.”

  “Viola then told me, which is why I called this meeting.” Rick looked at Shelby, and she forced her knee to stop bouncing erratically under the table. “According to O’Brian, Mason has been assigned to work on the fund.”

  Shelby swallowed. “So Mason just went from someone who might know something to someone who does know something.” Her heart pounded at this turn of events. She’d have to be extra careful. If it had been confirmed he was in on the crime, then being alone with him would make her extremely vulnerable. Under normal circumstances, she’d have major backup, but they already knew she couldn’t wear a wire, and it wasn’t open to the public tonight, which meant there would be no eyes inside the place besides hers.

  “I think that’s still iffy,” Rick said, dragging Shelby out of her thoughts. “We only know he has a link to a fund that could be fraudulent. He might not even realize he knows anything yet.”

  It seemed too convenient to Shelby, though. She got the vibe he was very methodical, as if nothing got past him.

  “What’s the fund?” Carson asked as he clasped his hands on top of the table.

  “It’s the Culpeper Hedge Fund, named for founding member Edward Baxter’s mother-in-law, Margaret Culpeper.”

  “That’s one of the firm’s elite funds. Mrs. Culpeper spent the last years of her life giving all kinds of money to charities. Society loved her, and F and B has been offering that fund in her honor for decades,” Darrell said. “Always giving a percent of profits to her favorite charities.”

  “Correct. So the damage could go way back. When O’Brian made contact with Mason, our new mark was vague enough not to answer any questions outright while managing to sound as if O’Brian’s concerns were overstated. According to O’Brian, Mason wasn’t even fazed by the conflicts he’d found.”

  “He must be in on it,” Carson said, sitting up. “He’s trying to sweep the con under the rug.”

  Shelby agreed, but she kept her mouth shut. She knew that look in their boss’s eyes. He wasn’t going to make any assumptions. He would want concrete proof one way or the other before making an assessment. Normally, she’d concur with going that route, but normally, her ass wasn’t the one on the line. An ass that might end up naked tonight.

  “It’s still too early to jump to that conclusion, Carson,” Rick said, just as Shelby had predicted. Then he turned toward her. “But you’re right. Before, Mason was just a pos
sible way to get information since he was recently promoted, but now he’s a link to busting this case wide open. We need to know what he knows. If he’s innocent, we need to secure his help quickly. If he’s guilty, we need to gather as much evidence on him and F and B as we can just as fast. There’s going to be a lag time between the info you get and when we can analyze it. You’ll have to make judgment calls as you learn things from him. Be smart about it.”

  As if there wasn’t enough pressure already.

  Shelby couldn’t afford to be nervous about this anymore. She needed to pull up her big-girl panties and do her job. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t used to being in a testosterone-ridden room. She’d heard dirty jokes going up at her dad’s car shop before she even understood them. She worked in a male-heavy career. Hell, her last assignment was working at the Bang Shift garage with mercenaries who had no clue why she’d really been put there. She could do this. She had to. This case meant F and B had swindled people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, but until now, she hadn’t fully grasped how important it was for her to get Mason to talk. Shelby looked at her watch and stood. She was wasting precious time.

  “I’ll text Viola when I leave the club and report back on Monday. Right now, I have a date to get ready for.”

  She had every eye in the room on her. Some displayed hope while others sympathy, except for Darrell. He looked pissed, and if she didn’t know the man was seriously dedicated to his career, she was pretty sure he would toss her over his shoulder and make a run for it to keep her from having to go through with this.

  But none of that mattered. It was time for her to do the job she’d been selected for and see just what she could get out of Mason.

  And hope Mason wouldn’t take too much of her in return.

  Chapter Three

  Mason sipped his scotch slowly. He relished the burn, savoring the only drink he’d have for a while. He wouldn’t allow his judgment to be hindered by alcohol. It had always been one drink before a scene to take the edge off and one drink after to help him relax.

  But this time, he wouldn’t be conducting the scene, not where it really counted. Fuck. He gulped the last of his drink and slammed the glass down. He’d made the right choice. Each time his body fought the decision, he knew it was right.

  Keep telling yourself that.

  The door of the club hadn’t opened in seven minutes. Mason would know. He’d been watching it like a hawk, waiting for Shelby to arrive. He hadn’t decided how he was going to break the news to her about the change in their arrangement, but he’d already brought Rafe up to speed. Mason had told his friend and business partner to give him some time alone with her before he came over to start. Rafe would be good for her…at least for introducing her to spankings. It was an area the other man excelled at.

  When the main door finally opened and Shelby walked in, his heart raced as he stood. Jesus, she was a vision. She had on a pair of black jeans and a white blouse, nothing fancy, but the beauty was in its simplicity. Much better choice than leather. She signed in with the bouncer and looked around a little unsure of herself, but not as timid as she’d been the first night.

  Her eyes met his, and he stood unmoving, waiting. He wanted to see how easily she came to him, and was immediately rewarded. She not only walked toward him, but with a sense of purpose in her stride. God, her will was an entity all its own. Beautiful.

  Shelby stopped within a couple of feet from him, and her gaze dropped to the floor, an instinctual response that warmed him no matter the sub, but when she did it, his blood rushed in his veins. Instead of warmth, it was a raging fire.

  “Hello, Master.”

  Mason reached for her. He couldn’t help it. His arms were moving of their own accord, and his hands had clutched her as if they had the right. His. In this moment, she was his possession. It wasn’t meant to last, but right now, he savored it.

  “Hello, pet.” He bent and kissed her cheek. “I take it you are ready to begin?”

  “Yes, Master. I am.”

  “Good. Come. We have some things to talk about first.”

  Mason took her hand and guided her to one of the halls that housed playrooms. Some of the rooms were designed for scenes to be conducted with an audience, some had windows that allowed for viewing and intimacy, and a couple of them were completely private. He was taking her to one of the private rooms.

  He opened the door, turned on the light, and motioned for her to enter while watching her reaction. Her eyes widened when her gaze landed on the riding crops on the wall, but that was her only response to the set up. She was resolved, really was ready to do this, to explore this side of her sexuality.

  And he very much hated he wasn’t going to be the one showing her.

  Mason clasped his hand around hers again and drew her to the couch in the corner. A blanket was already there and tossed to the side for later. It helped with comforting after an intense scene and would come in handy. But now, they needed to talk, and it was a conversation he wasn’t looking forward to.

  “As a Dom, I must make decisions that I feel are best for you and me,” he started, then took a resolved breath. “I have decided Rafe will be topping you tonight. His favorite play is spankings, and I trust him. He’ll do an excellent job.”

  Shelby tried to yank her hand away, but he held onto it, refusing to let her go. He knew this was going to be hard for her—it was fucking brutal for him. He couldn’t lose the connection of her touch right now. They both needed it.

  “No. I want you. I only want you to do it,” she said frantically. “This whole thing is hard for me. It’s why I came to you.”

  “I know, pet. That’s why I’ll be right here with you, but this is for the best.”

  “Why?”

  Why indeed? Because he knew himself better than anybody else, and if he started dominating this woman, he wouldn’t want to stop until she became his for real. He couldn’t explain it to himself as he’d never felt this strongly toward anyone this fast, so he knew there was no explaining it to her. But no matter the connection, there was no way he could encourage it. He had too much going on in his life right now, and anything that might develop with Shelby would get in his way. Any distraction beyond errant fantasies equaled a loss of control.

  He would not allow that.

  “Because you’ve asked me to dominate you, and as your Dom, I get to choose how we go about it. If you don’t like the way I do things, then we can stop now.” Jesus, part of him hoped she decided to quit and put an end to this insanity, but the other part demanded he do whatever she wanted if she just stayed. He had to stay strong, though. He would. To not be was failure.

  After several long, agonizing moments, she finally said, “So Rafe will be doing the scenes and not you.”

  “No, pet. Rafe will be doing the scene tonight. He is best at spankings. Jedrek will do the binding scene, and Emory will do the whipping.” There wasn’t any chance in hell he’d let just one of them take over completely. He didn’t want to risk her becoming attached to one of the other men. Besides, he’d assigned them scenes based on their specialties, so he knew she’d be in the best possible care.

  “What about fire?” she asked softly.

  Mason shut his eyes. There was only one person he trusted to do that scene, and there was no way around it. “I’ll do that one, pet. I’m the only one who practices it enough for my liking, and it’s too dangerous to let someone else do it.”

  Shelby nodded and then cleared her throat. “Do you expect me to have sex with them?”

  He gritted his teeth. He’d shared many women with his business partners, but the few he’d been in relationships with he’d kept to himself. He wasn’t in a relationship with Shelby, but he didn’t want any of the other men being that intimate with her…at least not before he could. But it wasn’t his choice to make.

  “That’s up to you, pet. The club safe word is red, but since you are new, any indication that you want to stop, including saying stop, or no, or
anything similar will be honored. Nothing will happen that you aren’t completely comfortable with.”

  “We didn’t really talk about sex before,” Shelby said. It wasn’t phrased as a question, but her eyes asked anyway.

  “No, we didn’t.” He hesitated, thinking how best to continue. This was something else that would’ve been handled beforehand had her training been scheduled the proper way. “Scenes don’t have to include penetration.”

  “I know,” she said, almost too quickly.

  “There are some who don’t have sex at all, but there are others whose scenes are extremely sexually explicit. Depends on the individual. Personally, I don’t like going into a scene with a lot of hard limits. I honor them, of course, might even entertain requests, but I want to be trusted to read my partner and for my partner to read me. In fact, I usually reject potential subs who are more focused on their limits than what they can learn.” She frowned and looked around the room hesitantly. Mason realized he needed to be a little more open to help ease her concerns. “If you think about it, pet, the four scenes I use initially aren’t directly sexual. There’s a reason for that.”

  “But they can be very sexual.”

  He smiled softly. “Of course.” Play was sexual, but it wasn’t as if these particular scenes directly involved what she would consider sexual body parts. They could most definitely migrate to or end there, though.

  She licked her lips, nodding slowly. Mason didn’t think it was because she agreed to his decision just yet. Rather, she was mulling it all over. “Um, can I request something now?”