Dusted Star

by Avery Gale

  “Years of training.” For just a second, Cam caught a glimpse of the vulnerable woman beneath the star persona and hoped Juan and Trac were up to the task of convincing Lakyn the world would benefit from her intelligence even more than it had from her pretty face.

  “How long have you known about Cooper?” He could hear the whirl of the helicopter and the high-pitched whine of the jet skis as they closed in.

  “You mean how long have I known he wasn’t a SEAL anymore? Or how long have I known he’d been recruited by the Agency?” Sighing, she shook her head. “I swear to all things holy, I hope to hell I don’t look as dim as everyone assumes I am. It’s just plain insulting.” Cam leaned his head back and laughed.

  “Beautiful, you are going to fit right in at Prairie Winds.” Hovering over her, Cam blocked the flying sand as Sage set the chopper down. He’d read her file and knew she was as smart as she was gorgeous, but files rarely give you a sense of a subject’s personality, and Cam was happy to see she would fit in so well with the other submissives. His own sub was going to be taking a lot more time off in the near future, so she’d have ample opportunity to spend time with the other submissives at Prairie Winds. He knew she’d missed having friends while they’d lived in St. Maarten, and that had played a large part in his and Carl’s decision to move their family back to Texas.

  “What is it with Texas and blowing sand?” He’d barely heard her question as pandemonium broke out around them. Juan and Trac were at her side within seconds, and Cam happily turned her over to them. He’d heard the story of how the men had found her on the edge of the road and chuckled to himself at her frustration with the wind and blowing dirt in Texas. Just wait until the first time she gets run over by a tumbleweed stampede.

  Chapter Ten

  Cooper limped out of the small hospital, barely quelling the string of profanity threatening to color the air around him. The woman who’d pulled him from the alley hours ago sat idly behind the wheel of the car, a brow raised in silent challenge. How the hell had Cam Barnes managed to send the one woman in the entire world Cooper had hoped like hell he’d never have to see again? Catalina Adler was the bane of his existence, and this was the second time in the past six months she’d been sent to save his bacon.

  “You don’t look much better, Ace. Maybe you should limp back in there and give it another go.” The husky tone of her voice only added fuel to the fire of her criticism and made him wish he could tie her to a St. Andrew’s cross and flog her until the sass she wore like armor evaporated into a heated mist.

  “Thanks for your concern, Princess, but I think I’ve been properly medicated to deal with your driving.” She appreciated being called Princess almost as much as he liked being called Ace, so they could call this particular point a draw. Shaking her head, Cat started the car and drove sedately away from the small clinic. When he leveled a curious look at her, she gave him an unimpressed shrugged.

  “There’s no reason to draw unnecessary attention by tearing out of here like our asses are on fire. Cam was crystal clear in his expectations. I’m supposed to make sure the docs patch you up, then deliver you to the airfield. You’ll be stateside before your handler knows you’ve disappeared.”

  Cat was anything but naïve, and she knew as well as he did, his handler had likely given the order for his takedown in the alley. He’d been hurt, but not seriously enough for it to be seen as anything more than a warning. Ironically, it only reinforced his resolve to walk away. It gave him a great deal of satisfaction to know he’d inflicted more damage on the three men who’d jumped him than he’d suffered at their hands. Settling down in his seat and pulling the bill of his hat down to keep the rays of the rising sun from blinding him, Cooper didn’t respond. Why bother? She’s right and agreeing with her would be tantamount to throwing gas on a fire.

  “There’s no need to sulk, you know. I was nearby, and God knows I owe Cam more than a few favors though I have to admit, I find it interesting the Prairie Winds team calls in two favors from my family in one night.”

  Don’t take the bait. Do. Not. Take. The. Bait.

  “I pulled ambulance duty, and B got a call from one of her college pals to break into some celebrity’s apartment near her place to look for bugs.” The hair on the back of Cooper’s neck stood straight up in warning. He knew where Brooklyn Adler lived, and it was damned close to Lakyn’s small apartment.

  Catalina sighed heavily as she glanced at him slumped beside her. Her knowing look made his jaw clench so tight, he might well shatter a tooth or two. Only a handful of people at the Agency knew about his sister, and Cat Adler wasn’t on the short list—or at least she shouldn’t be. When he didn’t respond, she shook her head in frustration.

  “You don’t have to like me to trust me, Cooper. I have four sisters and five brothers. Hell, I’m the last person who would ever sell out someone’s sibling.” For the first time since he’d gotten in the car, Cooper turned his full attention to Catalina and wondered what the woman behind the snark was really like. She was an enigma—that was a given. He knew she worked for the Agency, but he’d gotten the distinct impression her work was more free-lance than as a career agent.

  Globetrotting as one of the most sought-after jewelry designers in the world was a perfect cover, letting her breeze in and out of countries while no one looked at her twice. Okay, that was a lie, but those of us looking aren’t thinking about espionage. Studying her profile, Cooper wondered what her real hair color was since it was different every time he saw her. Makes me wonder what else is a mirage?

  Taking a deep breath and wincing at the pain shooting through his broken ribs, Cooper decided to take a chance. “Did Brooklyn find any bugs in Lakyn’s apartment?”

  This time the look she gave him was tinged with sympathy and understanding. “Yeah, she did. The place was loaded. She left to call it in, and they sent her back to tap in, so the Prairie Winds control center can try to follow the signals back to their source, but she said the stuff is really sophisticated, so it’s not going to be a cakewalk.”

  “Fucking hell.” If Brooklyn Adler thought the devices were advanced, they were cutting edge. “I finally got to check my messages while I waited for the doctor to show up, and Lakyn said she was having trouble with a stalker.”

  “A stalker with access to technology only a few agencies in the world can get their hands on? Seems unlikely, don’t you think?” Yeah, he thought it was a fucking stretch, too, but once again, he was reluctant to agree with Cat, just on principle. “How did Prairie Winds get involved in this? Seems a bit outside of their usual repertoire.” That was a million-dollar question and one he was more than a little interested in himself.

  “I’m looking forward to hearing the answer to that myself. But you know how it is with siblings, just when you think you have them figured out, they come at you from left field.”

  Catalina snorted, and he barely heard her muttered, “Preach” before she took the turn into the small airfield on two wheels. Fucking hell, the woman missed her calling, she should have been a Formula One driver.

  Of all the places in the country, how had his conscientious sister managed to find herself under the protection of one of the best teams of operatives in the world? Hell, he didn’t even want to think about how she was coping with the Wests’ kink club. Ordinarily, Lakyn was so predictable, she was almost boring—or at least as boring as a celebrity could be. If it wasn’t work-related, she didn’t do it. His sister had a work ethic that rivaled his own. Hell, now that he thought about it, they were both boring.

  *

  Lakyn rolled her eyes when Juan asked her for the fifth time if she was steady enough to walk on her own the short distance to the SUV they’d be taking back to Prairie Winds. She’d politely assured him… again… she was capable of walking a few feet, but Trac hadn’t missed her gesture of frustration. His eyes narrowed, and his glare might have been intimidating any other day, but after the scare she’d just had, his glower was easy to ignor
e. At least his narrowed eyes and frown hadn’t meant much until he reached behind her and gave her ass a solid smack with his open palm.

  “Hey, what the hell was that for?”

  “Don’t roll your eyes at your Dom even if you are annoyed he’s asking you the same question over and over.” She started to roll her eyes at his terse remark but quickly schooled her expression. “Good save, Princess. Now let’s get you home and cleaned up before the briefing.”

  “Briefing?” She honestly couldn’t imagine what anyone thought she could contribute when she’d been scared out of her mind. Not exactly conducive to information gathering. The ride back to the cabin seemed remarkably short compared to the terrifying trip she’d made going the other direction. Lakyn could only imagine how intense the briefing would be… if the interrogations she’d endured with her brother were any indication, it was going to be a long afternoon.

  *

  Juan knew Lakyn was crashing, it was written all over her. He and Trac flanked her in the back seat while one of the new recruits drove them back to the small cabin they called home. Trac looked at him over her head and raised a brow. Yeah, they were definitely on the same page, she was fading fast. Leaning against him, Lakyn’s eyes slowly slid closed, and he looked down to see her shivering. Carl and CeCe had wrapped her in a blanket before they left the Barnes’ new home, but these shivers didn’t have anything to do with being chilled. When they parked in front of the cabin, Trac held her upright while Juan stepped out and quickly turned to slide arms under Lakyn’s petite form. She was feather-light in his arms, making it easy for him to cradle her in his embrace.

  Relieved she hadn’t protested being carried, Juan moved through the cabin without stopping until he could gingerly sit her on the counter. Trac started the water in the large jetted tub, and they both stripped in record time. Juan carefully unwrapped her from the blanket and loosened the ties of her bikini.

  “It’s like unwrapping the most beautiful gift I’ve ever received.”

  “Hell, even battered and bruised, she’s fucking gorgeous. I’m glad Del and Dean’s security is linked to the club’s, I’m looking forward to finding out who did this to you, Princess.” Trac’s voice sounded as strained as Juan felt. The elder Wests lived on a parcel of land bordering Prairie Winds which was convenient for many reasons.

  When the first radio call came in that Lakyn was being towed on a fucking tube down the river by an unknown, Juan and Trac had both panicked. Thank God the building where they’d been training was close to the back of the Wests’ property, bordering the river. He and Trac had been on jet skis heading downstream in less than two minutes.

  Pushing aside thoughts of anything but the woman in the oversized tub between his legs with her back pressed against his chest, Juan watched Trac use his hands to spread shower gel over her arms and legs. The lifejacket she’d been wearing might have felt like overkill to Lakyn, but it had offered her chest and back some measure of protection.

  Trac lovingly squirted the floral smelling gel into his hands and rubbed them together until they were covered with bubbles before smoothing the frothy suds over her breasts. Rolling her peaked nipples between his slick fingers, Trac grinned when she groaned and arched into his touch.

  “Not yet, Princess. We’re going to use this as a lesson. You need to be more careful—your safety is and always will be our priority. Sam said you’d drifted away from the others, and that’s how the driver of the boat was able to skim over the rope.” The outboard motor had easily snapped the rope and wrapped it tight enough to pull her the mile she’d traveled downstream.

  “I think you are looking at this all wrong. If we’d all been grouped together, he probably would have run over one of my new friends to get to me. I think I deserve a reward for looking out for the safety of the group. There’s probably some sort of civic recognition in my future. Heck, I’ll bet the Governor shows up to present me with a plaque, after all, I saved two citizens from disaster.” Juan had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing out loud. Lakyn was quick-witted even through the fog of a steep fall into an adrenaline crash.

  By the time they all got dressed and drove back to the main house, Kent and Kyle’s office was overflowing with people. Micah waved them up closer to Kyle’s desk and motioned for them to take the two chairs closest to a large monitor. When Lakyn looked confused, Juan smiled and pulled her down onto his lap.

  “Subs often sit on cushions at their Master’s feet at the club, but you’ll find Trac and I prefer having you on our lap.”

  Micah leaned close and grinned, “And I want you to be able to see the spliced footage between the three security systems, sweetness. You did us proud.” By this time, Kent West had joined them, and his eyes were practically dancing with mirth.

  “Damn, Lakyn, do you perform your own stunts? Because I have to tell you, I was damned impressed. What are you doing traveling all over the world letting those fashion yo-yos take your picture when we could use you on the teams?”

  “Oh, fuck no.” Juan felt his usual charm evaporate in a heated mist. “She is not joining the teams. No. Just. Fucking. No.” For the first time since this whole disaster started two hours ago, he heard laughter all around him and realized how close to the edge of imploding he sounded.

  *

  Lakyn watched the video play on the enormous monitor and felt the strangest sense of detachment until she looked at the stricken look on Juan and Trac’s faces. Sam McCall had stepped to the side of the large screen to point out various points, and when he finished, she was surprised when the entire process started again, this time with Cameron Barnes adding his analysis. Jen McCall took the third round and when she’d finished, Kyle turned to her.

  “Lakyn, we’re going to run it through again at half-time, and I’d like you to walk us through it from your point of view.” She must have looked confused because his expression softened, and he added, “We want to know what you were thinking before you realized the boat was bearing down on you and every moment thereafter. Consider it a “thought map.” We’ll probably hear things you don’t even realize you’re saying—I know it sounds strange, but you’re going to have to trust me just this once.”

  This once? Was he delusional? She instinctively trusted every former soldier in the room because they all reminded her of Cooper. Just thinking about her older brother made her eyes fill with tears, but she blinked them back, refusing to give in to emotion. The team needed her perspective and from the way they were acting, the whole situation was more serious than she’d first believed.

  Damn it, Cooper, where the hell are you?

  Chapter Eleven

  Lakyn watched the video and tried to remember what she’d been thinking at various points, but it was difficult to remember when all she could think about was how scared she’d been. Hell, she’d been sure the jack ass driving the boat was going to find his window of opportunity to fling her into the rocks before she could pull her fat ass out of the tube. She hadn’t realized she’d spoken aloud until Trac leaned over and whispered, “That’s ten, Princess.”

  They took the rule about subs not making disparaging comments about themselves to a ridiculous level if you asked her, but she wasn’t going to add bricks to her sinking ship by telling them so. As soon as the video switched to Cameron Barnes cameras, he stepped forward and began asking questions rather than waiting for her to walk them through it.

  “It looks like the driver yells something to you, Lakyn. I want you to close your eyes and put yourself back on that tube for a moment. Let’s rewind a few seconds, shall we?” She thought he was talking about the video, so she opened her eyes. “No, sweet girl, you keep those eyes closed.”

  Lakyn was speechless. Not only did she keep her eyes open, but she was standing toe to toe with Cameron Barnes before Juan had been able to stop her.

  “We met at the hospital. The night I had my appendix out. You were there… but you were older. How is that possible?” A snort of laughter from the bac
k of the room caught Lakyn’s attention, and she looked up to see Mia waving her arm in the air like an errant school kid.

  “Ask me… ask me. I know this one.”

  Tucker Deitz looked at his wayward sub and rolled his eyes. “Kodak, you’re going to find yourself over my lap in about a half a heartbeat if you don’t pipe down.” Mia didn’t seem terribly intimidated, and when she mouthed the word later to Lakyn, it had been hard to hold back her laughter.

  “What Mia is trying—inappropriately, perhaps—to tell you is I’m ordinarily quite good with disguises although I’ll admit I don’t seem to have done a stellar job with the two of you since you’ve both remembered one of my favorite alter egos.” Lakyn almost laughed at the frown lines forming between his brows as he seemed to be considering the implications of that.

  “You told me you were a friend of Cooper’s and you stayed with me until he got home. The doctors listened to you.” Laughter erupted around her.

  “Yes, well, I can be very persuasive, sweet girl. I mentored your brother, so looking out for you until he could get back to New York was important to him, and you needed an advocate because God knows that worthless manager of yours wasn’t doing anything.” Lakyn was so shocked by his words, she felt herself sway before Juan pulled her back down onto his lap.

  “Princess, we keep hearing the same thing over and over about your manager, perhaps it’s time to cut him loose.” Cameron Barnes looked at Trac and shook his head.

  “Love turns men to mush. This is the reason Special Forces commanders don’t want their man to fall in love.” His words might have sounded harsh, but the tenderness reflected in his eyes let her know there was a kind heart hiding beneath the harsh exterior. As if he’d read her mind, he shook his head, “Let’s get back to my question. Do you remember what the man shouted, Lakyn?”