“Oh.” My eyes widen. “I’d like to meet other littles. Daddy mentioned Surrender. I can’t leave the house right now, but when it’s safe, I think he’ll bring me there.” I hope he does. I hope I’m still with him then. My nerves creep in. Sometimes I forget the real world for a while. I forget that I’m in trouble. That this is all new. That I might not be here forever. That makes me sad.
“I’m sorry you can’t go outside for a while. Daddy said some bad men are looking for you. I’m glad you have this house to stay in and hide.”
“Yeah. I’m glad too.” I don’t really want to talk about my problems. I don’t want to face them right now. I want to know more about Lucy. “Daddy says you’ve been with Master Roman six years.”
“Yes.”
“And you work a grownup job during the day?”
“Yes. I like having two sides. I get to be little when I’m home, but it makes me feel important to dress up and go to work during the week. When I get back home, I change into my little space immediately. Most of the time I’m kind of young.” She plucks at her outfit. “Like today. Sometimes even a toddler.”
I smile. I really like her. “Thank you for coming over. I feel better.”
“You’re welcome. Any time. What else do you want to know?”
Chapter 29
Master Davis
With every passing day, my stress level increases. My rational mind knows that no one has a single clue where Britney is hiding. Hell, even Shepherd doesn’t know. I try to remind myself often that she’s safe, but I’m still nervous.
I know Britney sensed I was off Thursday and Friday, but she didn’t say anything. I worked in my office several hours both days, mostly touching base with my boss and Shepherd. I placed two calls to Lazinski, giving him a bogus update, but I think he’s given up on me. In fact, on Friday he sounded almost disinterested, which made me even more nervous.
What is the man planning?
I’m sitting at my desk early Saturday morning, tapping the surface with my fingers. I’ve squeezed my stress ball so many times that it’s misshapen. When my phone rings, I snatch it up. Caller ID indicates it’s Blade.
“Talk to me,” I demand by way of greeting.
He doesn’t hesitate. “We have a situation.”
“Give it to me.” I’m not surprised. I could sense this coming all week. Today is the rendezvous day and we still don’t know where or what time. We don’t even know who the fuck Lazinski is planning to sell since he doesn’t have Britney. Shepherd and Spike followed both Lazinski’s goons all week and neither of them ever picked up a woman.
“Mila Herring came through with a replacement dancer last night and you’re not going to like this.”
I cringe. “She looks like Britney.” My voice is deadpan. I’m not asking a question. I know I’m right.
“Yes. Not exactly the same but young, petite, long hair, small boobs. Spike went to the club last night and nearly shit himself when she came on stage. Even Shepherd hadn’t been aware of her being hired until she innocently came out to dance.”
“Fuck. Let me guess, no one has seen her since.”
“Bingo. Shepherd couldn’t leave the front door and Spike only managed to see her leave with Mila. They said they were going to get coffee. The new girl never went home after that.”
A chill climbs up my spine. I grip my forehead with two fingers. “She’s in on it,” I declare.
“Who? Mila?”
“Yes. That bitch knows.”
“Fuck.”
I hear something slam against the wall and know my boss has thrown something. I hope it isn’t the phone. “Blade?”
“I’m here.” He’s breathing heavily. “Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.”
“Have Shepherd check on Mila.”
“Already done. She’s in her bed sleeping.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.” He’s irritated. I don’t blame him. He shouldn’t blame himself. We all missed this. “I’ll call Shepherd and have him put a cop on her. They can arrest her as soon as we nail Lazinski.”
If we nail Lazinski, I think to myself. “Please tell me Spike is on Lazinski.”
“Yes. Of course. The man is at home, but he’s moving around. Lights were on most of the night. His wife and kids are in the house, so there’s no way he brought a girl back there.”
Where is she, Lazinski? Where did you stash a woman over night?
“Sit tight. I’m gonna make a few calls.” Blade hangs up.
I lean back in my chair, but my fingers are squeezing the fuck out of the stress ball.
“Daddy?” Britney’s sweet voice forces me to calm my nerves as I lift my gaze.
“In my office, sweetie.”
She comes to the door, which I’ve left ajar. I never want her to feel like she can’t approach me. “Come in, sweet girl.” If I can wrap my arms around her, it will soothe me.
She pads over to my desk. She’s still in her nightgown. I haven’t gone to her room to wake her up yet. Her hair is disheveled in long waves down her back, wavy from the braids she wore yesterday. Her nightie is a thin white gossamer that hides nothing. I love this one. She’s like an angel approaching me.
I pull her between my legs and hug her body tight as if she’s life and I need to breathe some into my body. In fact, I inhale her scent, the powder-fresh smell filling my nose and making me groan inwardly. Finally, I lift her up and set her on my knee, brushing long locks of hair from her face.
“I woke up. You weren’t there. I was scared.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I lost track of time.”
She glances around. “You’ve been working already this morning?”
I nod, not wanting to talk to her about today’s shitshow. I don’t want her to worry. I don’t want her to know that some other woman has been taken against her will to replace Britney.
I tip her head back and kiss her, meaning to keep it light and quick. But, I’m unable to stop myself from deepening the intimacy. I let my tongue slide into her mouth, tasting every inch of her, devouring her. She’s a lifeline. She’s my life.
My cock aches. It’s gotten harder every day to reason with my erection. I’ve taken myself in hand at least twice a day since Britney came into my life. I won’t take her virginity. Not until I’m certain she’s mine forever. And I can’t risk letting my cock out of my pants around her. I don’t have the willpower to keep from giving her exactly what she craves.
I’ve explored her entire body many times. All but the inside of her channel. I know all her erotic zones and what makes her easily aroused. I know how to edge her without making her want to punch me. I know how to make her come fast and hard. I know how to make her come slow and sexy. I also know that no matter how many times I’ve pleasured her, she isn’t fully sated. She wants what I won’t give her as much as I long to give it to her.
I cup her bottom with my hand, stroking her soft warm skin, swallowing her sighs when they enter my mouth.
My heart belongs to this woman. It happened fast, but I’ve never been more sure of anything. Does her heart belong to me? Am I pressuring her to commit to me? We don’t discuss it, but I’m certain she knows I’m waiting for her.
I finally break the kiss, reluctantly. I’m worried Blade will call me back any second and I don’t want Britney to know what’s going on today. I slide my hand up her back until she shivers. “Let’s get you dressed, sweetie, and get some breakfast.”
“Okay.” Her face is flushed and she’s squeezing her thighs together preciously.
I lift her off my lap and lead her back to her bedroom by the hand. It only takes a few minutes to dress her in lime green princess panties, a lavender tank top that matches the pink one I love, and a white skirt that won’t hide her panties. I put her hair in pigtails to save time and then she follows me into the kitchen.
“Daddy has to work a bit this morning, sweetie. Can I get you some cereal and milk?”
“Yes, Sir.”
I pour h
er cheerios and a cup of milk and hand her a spoon. “After you eat, clean up your space, brush your teeth, and make your bed. We’ll add stickers to your chore chart when you’re done. Then you can work on your Lego castle for a while if you want, or play with Emily.” I lift her chin and kiss her lips again.
“Okay.” She sounds dejected, and I don’t blame her one bit. I’d rather spend the morning with her than shut up in my office doing everything in my power to ensure some woman who looks like her isn’t sold on the black market to a Saudi prince.
My chest is tight as I leave her alone in the kitchen and return to my office. All I’ve been able to swallow so far is coffee and even that isn’t sitting well in my stomach.
My phone rings again as soon as I’m back at my desk. Good timing. It’s Blade.
“Update?”
“Mila left her apartment. Shepherd is following her. Spike is watching Lazinski’s house. I’m heading to the Sky Lounge to break in and dig around.”
I stiffen. “That’s risky.”
“And we’re out of time. You got another idea?”
“No.” I rub my forehead. “But Shepherd didn’t find a damn thing when he broke in the other night.”
“And let’s hope that changed. At least maybe I’ll be able to find a file on the new woman they hired. I’d like to know who she is. Maybe even an emergency contact. Something. Fucking anything.” The frustration in Blade’s voice matches how I feel.
“You’re right.”
“Shit,” Blade murmurs.
“What now?”
“Nothing. I’ll see if I can pull Mace or Dagger off their case to help out.”
“Are they even in town? What’s going on, Blade? Fucking tell me.”
“There’s a flight scheduled to land at the small runway east of here at ten o’clock. It’s coming from the Middle East. I don’t like it. I’m going to head there and get someone else to break into the Sky Lounge.”
Shit. I start pacing. Blade is right. If a new woman started last night, we need to know everything we can about her. That means her personnel file is at the Lounge. Someone needs to go get it.
I pause and hold my breath. Can I leave Britney here? I’m going to have to. She’s perfectly safe. I’m sure of it. No one has a clue where she is. As long as she doesn’t open the door, she’ll be fine. “I’ll go to the Lounge.”
“No. Absolutely not. You’re staying at home.”
“Blade, don’t fuck with me on this. We’ll all be kicking ourselves in the ass if anything happens to the woman Lazinski is planning to sell in Britney’s place today. We don’t have a choice. We don’t have the manpower. We still can’t be sure where the exchange is taking place. Britney will be fine here. I’ll go straight to the Lounge, dig around, find what we need, and get out of there. I’ll call you with the info and be back here fast. An hour. Two tops.”
Blade sighs heavily. “How much does Britney know?”
“Nothing.”
“You sure that’s for the best?”
“Yes. She’s been through a lot. I refuse to make it worse by scaring her to death. I’ll explain better when this is over. Until then, I’d rather she not worry. Not about me and not about the other woman Lazinski has. We need to fucking find her. Spike needs to stay on Lazinski like fucking super glue.”
“He knows that. He’s not going to lose the asshole.”
“I’ll call you when I leave the Lounge.”
“Okay. Be quick. My damn skin is crawling.”
“Later.”
I end the call and stuff my cell in my pocket before hurrying through the room. I hear Britney in her room and head that way. She’s tucking her covers up around her pillows when I reach the doorway. “I have to go to the office for a few hours, sweetie. Will you be okay?”
She turns to face me. “Yes, Sir.” She’s chewing on her bottom lip.
“Your laptop is on my desk if you want to do some more research this morning.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t open the door. Don’t answer any call unless you recognize the caller. I’m going to set the alarm behind me.”
She nods. “I’ll be fine.” She doesn’t come toward me. Instead, she remains leaning against her bed.
I stare at her for a few moments, memorizing her. I love this woman with all my heart. I can’t resist making her squirm. “You know the rules. No sharp objects. No cooking. No touching yourself.” I lift a brow and enjoy the way she squirms.
“Yes, Sir.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” I watch her fidget, hating that she hasn’t rushed into my arms. But if I were to hold her right now, it would slow me down, so I pat the doorframe and turn to leave.
Chapter 30
Britney
I stay very still while Davis leaves the house and listen for his SUV to pull out of the garage. As soon as I hear the garage door going back down, I race to his office.
My heart is pounding. It took every ounce of willpower I had to act nonchalant while he explained to me that he had to leave for a few hours. I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. I had simply been passing his office on my way to my room when I heard him say my name.
I stopped, thinking I would go into his office, but he sounded so angry. His words came out clipped and tight with frustration. I assume he was talking to his boss, but now I realize there is a lot he hasn’t told me lately.
I reach his desk and start looking around. It takes only a moment to find a file folder filled with information about my sale. I’ve known all along he and his agency were working on this, but I can’t decide whether to kill him or thank him for leaving me mostly in the dark.
I heard what he said about protecting me. I get it. But it’s my life and this is my problem he’s dealing with. I can’t sit back and wait while some other woman is sold in my stead.
A business card falls out of the file and I flinch when I see the name on it. Gordon Shepherd. He’s the front door bouncer. Why does Davis have his card? I flip it over. His personal cell is on the back in addition to another number that says SPD next to it. Seattle Police Department.
There are notes in the file. Most of them handwritten by Davis. Gordon’s initials are on many of the pages. Is he undercover?
I need to think, and I drop down into the desk chair and tap the card on the table. I know I can reach Davis’s boss easily, but is that my best option? It seems like he would just tell me to stay put condescendingly.
I don’t have other options, so I pick up the landline and dial Gordon. I’ve known this man for a year. If he’s undercover… Jesus.
“Marcum? I thought you were on your way to the Lounge?”
I recognize Gordon’s voice and flinch at the familiarity he obviously has with Davis. He even knows his real name. “Gordon, it’s Britney.”
“Britney? Jesus, why are you calling me? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Pissed, but fine. Where are you? I want to help.”
“Not a chance. You stay right where you are. I assume you’re at Marcum’s house since that’s where you’re calling me from.”
I’m shaking as I stand. “No. I’m done hiding. I know about the other woman. I know Lazinski found someone to replace me. I won’t let that happen. Either you tell me how to help or I’m going to drive to Lazinski’s house and turn myself over to him.”
“Jesus, Britney.” His voice rises. “Are you crazy? Let us handle this. We’re trained professionals. Stay where you are.”
I shuffle through the papers on Davis’s desk and find Lazinski’s address. “I’m not bluffing, Gordon. There’s not a chance in hell I’m going to let some other woman be sold because I was too cowardly to help out. I have Lazinski’s address in my hand. I’m going to hang up now and head there.”
“No! Fuck. Britney. Just…no. Goddammit. I’ll come get you. Give me ten minutes. Do not fucking leave the house until I get there.”
“Okay, but if you’re not here in ten, I’ll be gone.” I hang up. I’m shaking
as I glance down at my outfit. Fuck. I run from the room and down the hallway to Davis’s room. I race to his closet where I know he keeps all the packages that come for me. I push them aside and exhale in relief when I find my bag of clothes behind them. I yank it open and pull out jeans, a T-shirt, and a bra, grateful to see tennis shoes on the bottom. In three minutes, I’m dressed and running for my bathroom. I pull out my pigtails and gather my hair at the back of my neck in one ponytail.
It’s not until I reach the front door that I realize I have a problem. The alarm. I don’t have the foggiest idea how to disarm it or reset it. It can’t be helped. It’s just going to have to go off.
I wait for Gordon to pull up outside before I yank the front door open, slam it shut, and run toward the car. I jump into the passenger seat and buckle up before facing him. “Let’s go.”
He pulls away, but he’s frowning. I’ve never seen him outside of work. Hell, he’s rarely seen me with clothes on. This man has seen my tits more than anyone alive. The thought makes me shudder as I stuff it to the back of my head.
“Britney, I can’t let you face Lazinski. Marcum would kill me.”
“It would seem to me that you have no other viable options this morning. Someone else’s life is in danger. You don’t know the location of the exchange. And time is running out. Take me to Lazinski. Tell him you found me. Put a fucking tracking device on me or something. But for the love of God, hurry up. I’d never forgive myself if some other woman is sold because of me.”
Lazinski’s phone rings and he glances at the caller ID on the dashboard. “Fuck. It’s Marcum.”
I’m not shocked. The alarm is going off at his home.
Gordon taps a button on the steering wheel to take the call. “Marcum?”
“Where are you? My motherfucking alarm is going off, Britney isn’t answering the phone, and I’m all the way at the Sky Lounge.”
“She’s right next to me in my car.”
“What? What the fuck?” he screams.
Nurturing Britney (Surrender Book 7) Page 23
