by Nova Black
I did and she closed the door behind her, leaning against it. “Aaron’s an agent.”
“Um… no? Who? What do you mean,” I finished weakly.
She swore. “How did I not see it? I thought there were only seven of you.”
I swallowed. How did she know? Was there a mole? There were only three of us on the “audit” team.
“What’s the big…” What’s the big deal was what I was going to say, but I trailed off at her very fucking scary expression. The cold look in her eye making me reconsider being in such a small space with this woman.
“I set Brenda up with Aaron. I invited him here, to our home," she said flatly.
Oh. Okay. I was breathing shallowly, not making any sudden movements. As one should do with a formidable and unpredictable predator.
“Meghan.” Lia stepped forward, radiating danger. “Is Brenda a subject of investigation?”
Oh. Fuck.
“Lia,” I held out my hand placatingly. “I have no idea, but I don’t think so. I am not told such things, Lia.”
She looked at me, searching every line, every muscle movement on my face. I counted the seconds in my head, reaching ten before her body relaxed, a small easy smile returning to her face.
“I believe you, “ she said finally, bopping me lightly on the nose with a finger. “Don’t be too long, the games are about to begin.”
Holy spitballs of fucks, that was terrifying. I spent a couple of minutes looking at myself in the mirror, convincing myself to go back out there. The woman in the mirror looked back at me, frankly disappointed: You’re fucking in over your head, Meghan.
Yup.
When I emerged, still a little shaken, there were about thirteen people in the spacious living room, everyone having already claimed their seats.
There was one free seat left, a snug little spot between Lia and Azina.
I looked around, spotting Brenda half lounging on a chaise. Bumped her over. “Thanks, Brenda.” She scowled, tugging her dress from under me.
Lia looked amused. Zi outright laughed.
Aaron leaned over to say something to Brenda and both women’s expressions changed – sliding to something I never want to be on the wrong side of. How could he not feel that? Like walking past the Lion’s cage with the gate left open and a pork chop in your pocket – The Lion’s breath on the back of your neck, closing in…
“Aaron,” Lia called lightly. “It was unfortunate what happened to our backup data today, wasn’t it?”
He nodded. “Yes. But at least everyone will have a current backup of their recent data. We’ll have to check it against the data we recover, of course.”
She smiled. “To make sure there are no discrepancies.”
“We want to know if anything has been lost.”
She nodded and Azina, I don’t know, shifted somehow… and the angle of her cheeks, the way the light fell on her hair. Her eyes.
She took my breath away.
Aaron’s too.
“You’re in IT?” Azina asked.
“Um, yes? Yes! Yes I am in IT.” He answered, bobbing his head. I felt kinda bad for him, knowing exactly what he was going through.
She looked extremely interested and stood, coming towards him. He leaned back in his seat, mouth open like Venus herself was approaching.
“How is it you guys didn’t have a off-site backup?”
He began explaining, enrapt eyes never straying from her. She was obviously knowledgeable, offering several solutions he had not considered. Each new solution bringing a wider grin to his face, until he looked absolutely, positively smitten.
He didn’t notice Lia’s eyes, evaluating all he said; all he didn’t say.
He didn’t notice Brenda’s ever increasing scowl.
Everyone else were talking amongst themselves. I snuck another look at Brenda. She looked fucking pissed, eyes not leaving Lia’s face.
Yeah, time for me to get a drink. I slid from the chaise and headed for the kitchen. Multiple bottles of wine were breathing on the counter. Excellent. I poured a glass and drank it. Was pouring another when I saw Brenda stand in the living room.
“Lia, a word.”
Shit. Please no, not in here.
I cleared my throat, giving a little cough, trying to make it obvious someone was in here. Maybe they could take it to another room, the bathroom perhaps?
Of course, neither one gave a damn, standing just inside the kitchen.
“Why, Lia? You cannot be that jealous.”
“I’m always jealous, Brenda. But that’s not the reason for tonight.”
“Then, why?”
“I can’t tell you,” Lia said, coming over next to me and pouring her own glass of wine. She took a sip, leaning against the counter. “Trust me, Brenda.”
Brenda looked furious. “You sicced your girlfriend on my - whatever he was.”
“I know. It was necessary. I am sorry, Brenda.”
Brenda shook her head, looking hurt. “Lia,” she sighed slowly. “Lia. I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”
Lia went still, her eyes raking Brenda’s face. “Don’t,” her voice was soft, but it shook at the end.
They stared at each other, Brenda breathing hard. Lia barely at all.
“Brenda…” Lia stepped closer, a trembling finger rising to touch her. She let it fall, the air leaving her lungs in a rush.
Brenda watched her, a curious expression on her face.
Lia laid her forehead against Brenda’s, her hands scooping her face. “If I could, Brenda, I would. I would give you everything you wanted.” She whispered, “Everyone and everything.”
This seemed like a fine time to slip out. I put my glass down, eyes on the doorway.
“Stay, Meghan.”
Damn.
They stayed like that for a moment. Then Brenda kissed her. It was a kiss years in the making and I averted my gaze at the stunned look on Lia’s face. It ended with Brenda pulling away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lia.” She glanced at me. “Meghan, can you get back okay?”
“Um, yeah. No problem.” For some reason I started humming. She just quirked her brow at me, shaking her head as she left.
Lia had turned around, hands extended on the counter with her head lowered.
I glanced at the door again.
“Meghan, please stay.”
How does she do that? Seriously?
“She’s going to leave me, Meghan.”
What? “She said she’d see you tomorrow.”
Lia sighed. “I know.” She wiped an imaginary speck of dust off the counter. “It’s selfish of me, I know. But I can’t. I can’t let her go.”
Um…
“So, it’s the trunk, then?”
She laughed, standing to wrap her arms around me. “I do like you, Meghan. And so does Brenda.”
…Okay?
“lt will work out, Meghan.” Her arms tightened. “In the end, it will all work out.”
Now, did that sound incredibly ominous.
~
Back to the party and Azina was the center of attention, laughing, joking, using current events to support clever and insightful witticisms. Aaron looked awestruck. He was not the only one.
“I think half the room just fell in love with her.” I murmured wonderingly. Some of the partygoers were practically falling out of their chair to lean closer to Azina.
Lia nodded. “More than likely she’ll develop a few persistent admirers tonight. I owe her for this.”
She caught Zi’s eye and shook her head.
It was like a switch turning off, a puppet with its strings neatly severed. She slumped, sticking her hands in the pockets of her coveralls, hair shielding part of her face where it had shone with radiance moments before. And then she turned, heading towards the back, where I guess the bedrooms were.
As she left, people actually blinked like they were coming out of a trance.
“Um,” Aaron stood, craning his neck. “Is Azina alright? Is sh
e coming back?”
Lia stood close to him. “She’ll be back, Aaron. Give her a few moments.”
He looked back to where Zi’s departing form was last seen.
Lia sat, pulling him down with her. I moved to sit elsewhere when I heard Lia say, “So, Meghan tells me you’re a spy.”
Shit. My stomach dropped and I froze, not knowing whether I should turn back or just leave, go out the door and start walking until I found a place to start a new life. I could be a farmer or something, grow beets - those are hardy vegetables. I don’t really like beets, but I guess eventually I would have to. Lots of salads. Country cook-offs. Maybe have a cow and name her Daiquiri. That’s a nice name. Witty, even.
“Meghan.”
Slowly I turned to face her, avoiding Aaron’s stare.
“I was making a poor joke, forgive me. Actually Aaron, Meghan’s been the model of tight lips, she just has a trouble keeping every damn thought off her face.”
Aaron’s jaw clenched.
“This of course led me to believe that she was the ruse, an obvious plant to keep me distracted while the more competent agents conducted the investigation. No offense, Meghan.”
Offense most definitely taken, Lia.
“What is it you want, Ms. Onyx?” Aaron’s voice was brusque, after one angry glance he dismissed me, focusing on Lia.
“Are you after Brenda?”
“I’m not discussing details of any potential or ongoing investigations.”
Lia was watching him carefully, doing that X-ray thing with her eyes. She blinked slowly and nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.
“That’s fair. Well, there’s no point in spoiling the evening. Please, stay. I think we’re playing tricky traveler next.”
He stared at her, opened his mouth to say something. Thought better of it. “Give Zi my regards,” he said standing. He paused, leaning over to hiss, “It’s a damn shame what you got that poor girl into. I want to see you fall for this, Onyx.”
“Mmhmm. Perhaps we’ll see you tomorrow, Aaron.”
He left and Lia patted the seat next to her. I let myself fall into the cushion angrily. “You kinda sold me out there, Lia.”
“Did I?” She pulled me closer. “It seems like the agency sold you out - throwing you to the wolves like that.”
I looked at her. “You know in that analogy, you are the wolf.”
She smiled.
I sighed deeper. Yeah, she knew.
Zi came back, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. “Scootch, Meghan.”
I slid over, somehow ending wedged between them. Resigning myself that this is how the evening was going to be.
The tricky traveler was a silly game where one person had to decide one attribute of a thing they would bring with them, denying all other items without that attribute. We had to guess what is was, and as the wine flowed, the more obscure the “attribute” became.
It was Lia’s turn and she was having a blast, eyes shining. “I will bring my nose, but not water. I will bring small amounts of salt. I will bring loose change. And I will make it there with all I need just in time…
“A pinch!” I laughed. Lia touched my knee, smiling, “Another win for Meghan.”
I noticed Zi never guessed, never took a turn. She was playing a different game. A game involving my body and Lia.
They were tag team touches, Lia’s hand on my knee – just for a moment. The next moment a brush of Zi’s fingers on my back. The second it trailed off Lia’s leg would press mine. And so on...
Never at the same time did they touch me. Never once did they look at each other or acknowledge what they were doing in any way. I’m not saying I wasn’t enjoying it. The state of my panties would call me liar. But it was creepy. How something could be unnerving and arousing at the same damn time was beyond me.
And then, Zi lost. Lia was touching the inside of my ankle with the tip of her bare foot when Zi leaned her shoulder on mine.
They sighed. At the exact same time.
“My turn,” a nice looking guy turned to his wife. “No guessing for you. You know me too well.”
When he began Lia turned toward me, covering my hand on her knee with hers.
Honestly, I didn’t realize I put my hand there. Honest.
“Meghan.”
“Huh.” I tried as hard as I could not to turn to her, eyes fixed on the married guy in the polo taking the moon but not an orange with him.
“We have a spare bedroom.”
My lower parts started jumping up and down, fucking vaginal jumping jacks. “Um, nooo. Thanks, though.”
“Meghan.”
I shivered.
“I think you should see it first before you say no. Zi?”
Zi brightened, leaping up to take my hand. It was the first time I’ve seen her smile since her act with Aaron earlier and I couldn’t help but smile back.
She pulled me up and towards her. “You’re going to love it, Meghan. It has everything you need.”
I bet it does, Zi.
I bet it fucking does.
Thanks for reading Onyx Mafia: Insatiable!
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Onyx Mafia: Insatiable (Series #1)
Episode 6 of 7
View on Amazon.com
~~~~~~~~~~
Meghan Wallace is in far too deep to panic – she’s trapped and she knows it. After Lia exposed Meghan’s indiscretions to her fellow FBI agent, Meghan was horrified, thinking she would be put out in disgrace. It turns out she was sent as bait all along - a lure to catch the powerful Lia Onyx off guard, never fully told the true nature of Lia and the mysterious Azina’s criminal history.
Her own people had lied to her. Used her.
Through this tangle web Meghan begins to realize her feelings for Lia and Azina have grown beyond lust, beyond infatuation - forming a connection she’s never had before.
In the last hours of her assignment Meghan receives another offer, an unheard of offer from the head of the Onyx Mafia that will change the way she sees Lia and Azina, forever.
Curved Blue Lines: A Policewoman’s Tale
Episode 1
View on Amazon.com
~~~~~~~~~~
Another case - another person in need of a personal, in depth lesson in Law and Order. Police officer Tessa Brewer believes in order – she’ll go out of her way to help wayward souls experience the full and long reaching fingers of Justice.
