“If traveling to Mars in two days is casual.” Despite the annoyance in her voice, he knew she wasn’t about to argue with him because he’d learned long ago she picked her battles carefully.
“Yes. You know as well as I do, taking the tourist line means we can make the trip in half the time of a private transport. I don’t have access to the kind of azipod power plants they do. So I’m going to take advantage of every opportunity I can to get us there fast. It also means we can blend in and use the element of surprise to our advantage.”
“Something told me you’d change the plan.”
“I never let anyone know my exact—”
“Plans and flight details,” she finished with a roll of her eyes. “I remember. Fine, since I don’t have much of a choice, are you going to tell me the rest of the plan?”
“Eventually.” Roland considered the matter with Korene’s inquisitiveness closed—at least for the moment. “I realize you’re tenacious enough not to quit probing until you know all the details. But right now, we need to put on our game faces.”
She tilted her head, giving him an odd look even as she nodded. His hand spread wide between her shoulder blades while he guided her to the check-in area. As they approached, he shoved his free hand into his pocket. The tip of one finger brushed against the trinket hidden in his pocket. Damn. He’d gotten so wrapped up in pulling off this operation, he’d forgotten. His hand curled into a fist to avoid the metal. He didn’t need the reminder of Korene right now, despite the fact he carried the piece with him every day without fail.
Even through the war.
The well-tanned man behind the counter, wearing a shockingly white suit and orange tie, flashed a brilliant smile in greeting. “Welcome to the Aurelia, Mr. and Mrs. Torrington. Your bags have already arrived and I’ve taken the liberty of transferring them to your room. If you’ll follow me, you can bypass the rest of our check-in protocols and I can take you directly to your room through our VIP entrance.” The man stepped to the side, a piece of the desk sliding open to allow them passage.
“Thank you.” Korene slipped her hand through the arm Roland presented to her. They stepped onto the lift with the clerk, waiting while he tapped the top circle on the control panel. When the doors whisked closed, she cleared her throat. “Markus Tabor. You. Sack. Of. Shit.”
The clerk winked at her. “You didn’t think I’d miss you two being together again, did you?”
Roland released Korene, slapping Markus on the shoulder while he shook hands with one of his oldest friends. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been fine. Obviously not as well as you. The mountain air up in the Cascades seems to be treating you well.”
It had been almost a year since Roland had last seen Markus. As soon as he’d gotten notification of Braddock Industries’ desire for his services and learned of Tom Baxter’s involvement with the hostages, he’d put in the call to contact the one person he knew who possessed impeccable communication skills. He hadn’t been the easiest man to get ahold of, but when he’d starting thinking more like his friend, Roland had found him shacked up with some island native. “And evidently living in the South Pacific has suited you.”
White teeth, enhanced by the deep tan that could only come from days spent surfing twelve-meter waves, flashed bright as he grinned. “Damn right. I’m surrounded by more pussy and ass than I can handle. Spend most days giving surfing lessons to tourists. You should have seen the set of tits on my last client. She had to have spent a small fortune.”
“Sounds like it was money well spent.” Korene snorted.
“Gotta say, living each day basking in tanning oil is just about as perfect as it can get. But not as perfect as you, missy.” Markus scooped Korene up into a big bear hug, her smaller figure nearly disappearing in his massive arms. Her pale skin and hair were a stark contrast to his deep coloring as his muscled arms held her close. “You look good too, Korene. Damn good.”
“Same to you, Markus. How’s Rothgary?”
“Stubborn as ever. Damn dog is never going to croak.”
The dog had been a bundle of energy despite his shortcomings when Roland and Korene first met. His three-legged body had been racked with arthritis, but Roland wasn’t surprised to hear he was still alive. He’d probably die before the dog. “Have you seen Finley?”
Markus peered over Korene’s head as he gently set her down. “Already in place.”
Leave it to the best mechanic he’d ever known to plant herself in the most promising position to be nosy. “You mean she’s scoping out the ship. Weighing all our options to see if we need to worry about anything while on board. Valentine will meet up with us on Mars. Just as planned.”
“Nothing changes.” The muttered statement from Korene triggered a smile from Roland.
“Surely you had to know I’d taken care of every little detail.” She stuck out her tongue, clearly annoyed he hadn’t let her in on the plan. He’d deal with her later, right now he needed to make sure things were still going according to that plan. “Got everything we need?”
“Papers are all in order and you’ll find identification chits in your luggage already.”
“Speaking of identification…Mr. and Mrs. Torrington?” Korene interrupted. “Dare I even ask what room you procured?”
Roland pressed his lips to her forehead as he threaded her arm into his again when the lift doors slid open. “The honeymoon suite, of course, sweetheart.”
* * * * *
Korene absently played with the stem of her tea glass. The quiet hum of the engines vibrated through the hull as the ship settled into a trajectory toward Mars. Everything about this transport screamed luxury. From the gleaming marble tiles on the promenade to the spectacular 360-degree views spread out before her in the sky bar.
This wasn’t how Roland usually traveled, but these were unusual circumstances. The fact he’d wore a freshly pressed shirt and pants to the funeral should have tipped her off to his change of plans. Especially since he’d been in a suit during the initial meeting at her office. Looking back, this whole mission screamed of Roland. And exactly what she’d asked for.
Hard to get mad at that.
She’d hoped he would have sought her out upon his return to Earth after the staggering loss on Mars. When he never came, her hope had quickly diminished. Instead, the optimism had faded to leave her heart filled with utter despair. She’d moped, spending time hiding in her room while she pretended the rest of the world didn’t exist. When she’d finally come to her senses, she’d cursed herself for the momentary weakness. She’d turned her frustration into a determination to build the company into everything they’d once talked about.
Waiting on Roland hadn’t been an option.
“Want some company?”
She jumped, nearly knocking over her glass at the sound of his voice. Looking up, she found Roland standing over her, his dark hair shining as though he’d just stepped from the shower. He appeared relaxed in dark-green linen slacks and a flawlessly tailored tunic. But she knew him well enough to know better. Under the surface, he was all business. No doubt he’d scoped out the lounge as soon as he’d entered. He could probably tell her where every exit was and even identify anyone he saw as a possible threat.
“Sure. Have a seat.”
He accepted the tea as he sat across from her. “Is the suite large enough?”
“It’s gorgeous. I think I could fit my entire studio apartment just in the bathroom.”
“Good. If it wasn’t, I was going to suggest you look at the other suites on our floor and see if any of those meet your specifications.”
She hesitated as she reached for her drink. As she blinked slowly a few times, Roland offered nothing. She couldn’t decide if he was playing some kind of joke on her. She cocked her head to the side, curious. “You didn’t?”
“I did.” He smiled wickedly around the rim of his glass. “Renting out all the rooms on the floor was the easiest way to guarantee our priva
cy and safety while we’re on board. Don’t worry. I’ll stay in the room across the hall when it’s feasible. If things change, however, I suspect the very plush couch in the living area of the honeymoon suite is quite comfortable.”
Damn right he’d sleep on the couch. “Do I get to know the plan now?”
“We travel as tourists to the Victoria Crater Resort, and once we arrive, we’ll head over to the last-known transmission location from the team. A cave near Arsia Mona, I believe. There are a cluster of volcanoes nearby. Very hot tourist destination.”
“My guess is you’re banking on the fact so our presence won’t seem that out of place.” Hearing their destination caused a small twinge of guilt in her stomach for not keeping her company abreast on Earth. But she was paying for the best. To complain about getting just that would be absurd.
It still plucked her nerves to have hired Elite in the first place. She’d trained her men to prevent these kinds of situations, but yet—here they were. The one person she thought she’d never team up with again was Roland Asher. After she’d gotten over her initial hurt and anger when he’d left, she’d vowed she would never think about him again or his place in her life.
Or rather, his absence.
Yet here she was pretending to be married to him.
His glass clinked softly against the clear table. “Probably better to get as much rest as you can now while things are calm.”
She glared at him. “It’s very annoying that you feel you need to explain the simplest of tasks about traveling in space. I’m not a novice. If I had my way, I’d fly on every single mission we’re hired for. I built this company from nothing. I am more than capable—”
“I’m just trying to—”
“Yes, I know what you’re trying to do, Roland. Finley is more than welcome to take the couch if you feel I need looking after.” She folded her arms and glared at him.
A vein jumped on his forehead. “I just wanted to let you know—”
“Why did you leave?” she blurted. Within seconds, a sinking feeling spread through her stomach. Oh, how she wished she could take that question back. The timing was horrible, but her temper had gotten the better of her. Damn him for getting her this worked up.
Roland’s brow furrowed. “Do you really want to do this now?”
They were supposed to be a couple completely in love, but what other choice did she have? “Your crew needs to count on your undivided attention. I don’t feel as if you’re giving it to them because of me. I really don’t want to do this now, but until we do, tensions are going to make all of us uncomfortable.”
She finished off the last of her tea while he tapped his fingers against the arm of the chair. His eyes lost focus for a long moment before he finally spoke. “Maybe for right now, it needs to be.”
“In other words, you’ll tell me when you’re damn good and ready. I should have known. Guess some things really don’t change.” She pushed out of the chair, shouldering aside the waiter as he tried to enter the small cubby area to refresh their drinks.
Roland’s voice sounded behind her, but she pressed on as she didn’t possess the courage to face him. His refusal to answer said it all. She’d been a fool to think everything could be normal between them. Pretending would be impossible. There were too many unanswered questions hanging between them. Too many raw emotions.
The small electronic passkey unlocked the door to the suite. Her breath came in loud pants in the emptiness of the large room. She closed her eyes against the building burn low in her gut. She would not lose it. Not here and most definitely not now.
“Korene, are you all right?”
Roland’s deep voice resonated through the wall speaker. Her chest constricted, making it hard to breathe. Her stomach rolled, the elegant dinner she’d had just an hour ago threatening to rise. She thought she’d been ready to talk to him, convincing herself of it after her outburst in the car. But the moment he’d shut her down, the last ten years had crashed into her. The weight of each and every year suffocated her, making her feel as if his departure had only happened yesterday.
At least in her office, with other people around, she’d been safe. Here, surrounded by strangers, she felt vulnerable and reduced to nothing more than a quivering mess who didn’t know how to hold a simple conversation with a past lover.
“Korene.”
The gentle caress of his voice saying her name shocked her into movement. She gave a tight-lipped smile as she decoded the door. Lines of worry drew his eyebrows down on his forehead, aging him far more than his forty-three years. She backed away to allow him to step fully inside the room, but he stopped just across the threshold and waited.
The press of silence spread between them, causing her to struggle with asking him to leave. She’d asked for him to help her. They had to work together because of her choice to contract his team. Demanding an answer from him had been wrong and she needed to rectify things. “I have to spend time in close quarters with you until this is over. I thought knowing would help to clear the air, but I was wrong. You don’t have to answer me.”
She started to put distance between them, but he reached out to wrap his hand around her arm. The heat of his touch caused her to shiver despite her annoyance. “You need to sit down so I can explain.”
The command and authority in his voice irritated her, erasing some of the desire that kept flaring deep in her core. The way she kept reacting to him pissed her off even more. She ground her teeth together, yanking her arm from his firm grip. “You lost the right to order me around when you uncollared me, Roland.”
“Is that so?” Evidently losing his grasp on his temper as well, he slammed the door and crossed to her with two quick strides. She inhaled sharply when he stepped near, his body pressing hard against hers. He smelled of a damp, chilly autumn breeze swirling through maple, pine and cedar trees.
Christ, she’d missed his scent. It still made her knees weak after all this time. Her body warred with itself, ready to punch him one minute even as her pussy clenched tight at the thought of how mindless he could make her. Memories of what their life together had once been like nearly choked her with their power. Those memories became more pronounced when his thumb slid along her jaw.
His alluring touch reminded her of the excruciating agony he’d caused with his abrupt exit. She used it to fuel her anger instead of the arousal coiling low in her abdomen. She couldn’t afford to give herself over to those emotions and feelings. To the tingling heat building between her legs. To the emotion clenching tightly around her heart.
“I spent years dealing with how you left. I know you intend to leave after this job is done, so don’t make me go through it. Not again.”
I can’t take it.
“So you’re saying you moved on?” His breath skittered across her bare shoulder as his hand shifted to collar the base of her neck. He didn’t tighten his hand because they both knew he didn’t need to. The pressure of his hand spoke volumes. He was in total control.
Lying to him now would only exacerbate matters, as would the truth. Instead, she chose to remain silent. His cobalt eyes flashed as his head dipped. Hot lips pressed against the side of her neck. Blistering and furious need ripped through her, unleashed the second his flesh met hers. She fought against the desire she had to do whatever he asked. Doing so went against everything she had shaped herself into since his departure.
She would not give in to him again. Not this easily.
“Answer me, pet.” His voice dropped low as he spoke the name he’d selected for her when they were in a scene. A seductive blend of the finest cognac and utter sin. The deep tone wrapped around her, cosseting her as if he’d wrapped her in a soft, downy blanket. His hand shifted, tightening on her neck even as his other hand wrapped around her waist to support her when her knees buckled.
She swallowed, his thumb curving up to caress the sensitive skin under her jaw. Her eyes fluttered closed as a low rumble of satisfaction sounded in his chest. The
vibration of it shot straight to her core, causing her pussy to go damp. Judging by the erection pushing against her belly, she wasn’t alone in her need. If this kept up, they would eventually destroy each other from the power coursing between their bodies. He wasn’t the first man she’d been attracted to, but he was the first man to send her world spinning in chaos.
And right at this moment, she hated him as much as she loved him.
“No.” The confession slipped out even as she tried to bite it back. “There’s been no one.”
His touch withdrew, giving her a second to mourn the loss before his command swelled over her as though a waved had crashed on shore. “On your knees.”
The unyielding order swept over her like a persistent gale from a hurricane, causing her to drop without thinking. The cold synthetic wood floor pressed against her knees. The discomfort of the position made her feel as if she’d come home. Her gaze focused on an arbitrary point between his shoes and she released a slow breath as everything inside her went silent. The wait for him to speak again was sheer torture. A punishment she would gladly endure for eternity.
“Did you take another Master after I left?”
The level demand in his voice sent a thrill sparking through her, her need to please him coming to the forefront of her mind. “No Sir.”
“So you’ve let no one master you in ten years?”
“No Sir.”
“Explain.”
His stern command had her talking before she realized she’d followed his command. “I threw myself into my career to forget about you. About how you made me feel. How you made me ache for everything you ever gave me—and more. The idea of another Master holding command over me wasn’t an idea I wanted to entertain. I had no interest because I didn’t want anyone else to put me on my knees like this.”
Her Master's Collar (On the Hunt) Page 3
