by Avery Gale
“Micah Drake?” Cam had heard about the security expert who was a part of the Prairie Winds' team. His computer hacking skills and military connections were practically legendary. When Kent shook his head, Cam felt his mouth drop open, “Jax?” He didn’t even wait for Kent’s answer, the answer was written all over his face. “How? How long?”
“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him. But I want you to stop and think about this, your friend has known this for years—hell, all of us have known for years, and no one has ever judged you or Carl. Jesus, we own fetish clubs that cater to a broad range of sexual preferences and kinks. We preach acceptance every damned day. Do you really think we are that hypocritical? That we’d tell our members to accept themselves and each other, but we’d judge you?” Kent’s words were like a slap of self-awareness, because that was exactly what he’d been doing to himself. He’d watched men together in scenes a thousand times and never judged them, never considered treating them any differently, but he hadn’t trusted anyone else would afford him the same consideration.
Cam was lost in his own thoughts as he rolled Kent’s words over in his mind. Cecelia’s easy acceptance when he’d confessed that he and Carl had enjoyed a physical relationship emphasized the enormity of his error. Kent sighed next to him and Cam couldn’t help but cringe at the sound. Clearly the man thought he was dealing with someone with the I.Q. of a rock. “You know, Cam, the thing that really busts my ass in this whole thing is that you think so little of your friends. Might want to step out of that cold, stark fucking office now and then, buddy. Bet you’d be surprised how much you would enjoy the people around you.” With that parting shot, Kent ambled toward his giggling wife.
*****
Watching from the shadows across the street from the clothing store where Cameron stood watching as his wife and Tobi West shopped, Craig breathed in the cool night air and smiled. They thought I wouldn’t know where they were going, but your friends aren’t the only ones with computer skills, Cameron. He’d overheard his boss speaking to Fischer on the phone, thank God the club’s manager hadn’t actually been in the room. Craig avoided Fischer Weston at all costs, he was certain the man was possessed by the same demons Craig fought—the ones who could reach into a person’s mind and steal his deepest thoughts. Not long after Craig had started working at the club, Fischer had walked by him and absently answered an unspoken question he’d been thinking over. The distracted manager hadn’t even realized what he’d done, but a coworker had seen the exchange and joked that Master Weston could read minds. From that point forward, Craig made it a point to stay as far from the man as possible. He also made a concentrated effort to keep his mind on the task at hand anytime Weston was near.
Craig watched as Cameron talked to a man who he suspected was either Kyle or Kent West. Two of the men that entered the store with the group looked so much alike Craig doubted their own mother could tell them apart. Cameron had been practically drooling as he’d watched Cecelia look through clothing racks with Tobi West. Craig had met the bouncy blonde when she and Gracie McDonald helped the Dark Desires staff set up a few specialty shops several weeks ago. Both women had been friendly, but holy shit had they been able to trash an area in record time. They had teased him that he should demand a raise while they were there, and it was true because they had certainly made his job much more difficult. But they had also been so friendly and unassuming he’d found himself liking them despite their penchant for disorder.
Tobi had laughed at his need to keep the area spotless, telling him, “You are going to make yourself crazy trying to keep up, you know. We’ll just pile up all the stuff and then you can get it at the end of the day.”
He must have looked horrified, because her friend Gracie had burst out laughing. “It’s okay, you know. If you want to keep us from breaking our necks tripping over all this, we’ll be happy to let you handle it.” Then she’d winked at him and added, “If she is going to turn this into tornado alley, she should at least spring for lunch. What shall we order, Mr. Allen?” Before he could answer, Gracie laughed, “But no alcohol. Tobi used to be a stripper and we’ll have to turn off the radio if she drinks or she’ll be dancing on the tables.” Craig knew his chin had hit his chest, his mouth had dropped open so far.
“Gracie, you are a vile wench. I’m telling Jax and Micah that you are delusional and you’ll be spending time with Dr. Freud if you aren’t careful. And you know how Master Dan loves to poke around in the minds of submissives.” Craig learned later that the man they’d been talking about was a well-respected and very successful psychologist in Austin. Dr. Dan Deal was also member of the Prairie Winds Club, but the two women didn’t appear to really fear him. Too brave for their own good in his opinion. Damn, just the thought of dealing with another doctor made Craig shudder. He’d spent his entire life being shuttled between various doctors. Craig’s parents had still been trying to “cure” him up to the night he’d watched them take their last breaths.
Just thinking about that night sent chills up his spine. It was the first time the demons in his head managed to drown out everything but their demands. He hadn’t wanted to kill his mother and father, but they wouldn’t listen to reason. Each time he’d tried to explain how much Cameron meant to him, they’d insisted he wasn’t really “that way” and if he’d just see one more doctor…stay in one more facility for a few months, then he’d be “cured” and become the son they’d always dreamed he could be. Shaking off that memory, Craig refocused his attention on the group he’d been watching as the men loaded multiple packages into the back of the large SUV.
Craig slid down in the seat of his rental car when Cameron and Carl Phillips escorted Dr. Barnes out of the store. He didn’t really want to have to hurt her, she’d always been nice enough to him. But she was an obstacle that had to be removed one way or another. Snapping pictures as the group moved to the vehicle’s open doors, he focused on Cameron because something was different about the man he’d adored for nearly three decades. Craig knew he would spend hours analyzing the photos once he’d returned to his hotel room across from the tower where they were staying. He was able to follow at a safe distance because he’d been able to place a small tracking unit on the vehicle. It hadn’t been easy, but there had been a few precious seconds when both of the men assigned to patrol outside had been at the opposite ends of the block. Damn, they were pissed when I pretended to stagger into the side of their boss’s precious ride. And fast, too. He’d barely had enough time to put the device in place before they’d reached his side.
*****
They had no more than pulled away from the car when Kyle’s phone rang. Carl wasn’t sure who his boss was listening to, but it was easy to see Kyle was about a hot second from exploding. “Can you back trace it? Find out where it’s going and let me know. Also tap into the exterior videos and those of the surrounding buildings to see if you can get his face.” When he’d disconnected the call, Carl listened as Kyle recounted his conversation with Micah. No one doubted the tracking unit had been added by the man who’d bumped into the side of the SUV, but it had been dark enough and he had obviously been convincing enough the team members who had dealt with him hadn’t thought to check his identification. Carl doubted it would have made any difference, the man wouldn’t have been carrying his real ID anyway.
Carl knew the two Prairie Winds team members who had seen the man fall against the car regretted not confronting him, but in their defense, they’d been the only two on the street securing the entire perimeter. From what Carl had heard, it was doubtful they could have gotten to him before he’d made the stick anyway. Kyle watched as Tobi unfastened her seatbelt and leaned forward to speak to Ben Monroe. Carl hadn’t met Ben before coming to Prairie Winds but had heard the six-foot block of muscle had been a college power lifter prior to joining the military. The man had opted out after witnessing a bloody massacre of women and children in Columbia. Kent had told him Ben still struggled with bouts of PTSD but those in
cidents were far less frequent now. Tobi West had a heart the size of her home state and she’d obviously known Ben would shoulder the blame and feel as though he’d put both she and CeCe in danger. He couldn’t hear what she said to Ben, but it had obviously helped because he could see the other man’s shoulders relax as he took a deep breath and nodded.
When Tobi slid back into her seat, Kyle ran his fingers down the side of her face and whispered something to her that brought tears to her eyes before kissing her so thoroughly Cam finally told them to get a room. With the tension broken, the girls started plotting their strategy for their next stop while Kent and Kyle turned to Carl and Cameron. “Micah is already commandeering the cams surrounding our next stop. It’s not the greatest location for video and I’d change our plans if we hadn’t gotten these places to open up in the middle of the damned night for us.”
Kent shook his head, “Whoever is following us might already know where we were going anyway. If we changed things up, we’d risk spooking him. The tracker may be for later since these two stops really are the only things we had planned while everybody was in town.” Carl agreed with Kent, they couldn’t vary their routine much from the last stop or they’d send up red flags quickly.
This time Cam stayed inside with CeCe while Carl wandered around outside looking as if he was just shooting the breeze with Mitch and Ben. They’d used the large coffee shop across the street as an excuse to look around and noted a couple of cars that had someone seated in the driver’s seat, but only one caught their interest. As soon as they approached, the man inside jumped out of the car and took off down the street. Tossing aside the tray he was carrying, Mitch took off in pursuit as Carl sprinted back to the boutique.
*****
Cam heard Carl’s shout to secure the area as he ran through the front door. He didn’t bother to ask why, he just ushered CeCe, Tobi, and the sales staff in the dressing rooms and closed the door with promises of punishment if they left the area. The wide-eyed response he’d gotten from the young sales staff almost made him laugh. Before he’d stepped away from the door he’d heard one ask if he was serious. “Oh yeah, he’s very serious. Trust me, you don’t want to test him on this.” He smiled at his sweet slave’s words to the others, they would do well to heed her warning.
Carl met him at the front of the building and Cam didn’t miss the fact his friend positioned himself between Cam and the windows. “It’s too easy. I’m worried he was a decoy meant to lure us out of the store. Are you carrying?”
Cam nodded, “Always.”
“Good to know. I’ll cover the front, it’s too exposed for you.”
Before Carl could say any more, Mitch walked in shaking his head. “Fuck! The kid I chased four damned blocks was paid to sit in the car and take off if anyone approached. He said the guy who hired him was—and I quote, ‘not a big guy, with sorta brown hair maybe, and not really tall’. Yeah, there’s a description not worth jack shit.”
Ben was standing behind him grinning, “Well, it didn’t help that you scared him so bad he pissed his pants, either. Fuck man, you scared me and I’m usually the one terrifying women and children.”
Kyle shook his head at the men before turning, speaking to the small group gathered around him, “As soon as we get the all clear from Micah we’re out of here. We’ll scramble the tracker’s signal, but I’m betting whoever was on the other end already knows where we’re staying. We will not be leaving that facility until we escort the Barnes to the airport.”
“I assume we’ll be scrubbing those plans as well?” Cam knew the routine well, but wanted to make sure he and Kyle were on the same page.
“Absolutely. Jax is working on that from Prairie Winds, but I know he’s working with his dad also. Who knows whose jet he’ll hijack for you, hell, between our dads and his, it’s a crap shoot, but I’ll bet it’s a nice ride.” Everyone around knew Kyle’s words were a classic understatement, because the elder Wests and McDonalds were well known for enjoying their creature comforts. Cam smiled and nodded.
By the time they’d stepped back to the safety of the penthouse, Cecelia was pasty white and shaking like a leaf. Carl had been detained downstairs dealing with the electronic tracker, Kyle wanted to meet with all of the men in his office, and Cam wanted to growl with frustration. Knowing he was going to have to leave Cecelia alone for a few minutes didn’t set well with him at all. She’d been working unholy hours for months and Cam knew she had been looking forward to this vacation for weeks, and now some ass hat was destroying it. He didn’t feel like he was doing a very good job of taking care of his sweet slave and that admission made him realize just how valuable a ménage arrangement might be.
Cam stopped at the door to tell Kent he would join them as soon as he settled Cecelia in their room and just as he stepped into the large living room, he saw her stumble, and before he could take the extra few steps to reach her, she was falling. Time slowed and he felt as if he was watching the entire scene unfold from a distance. It had taken just a split second for him to see what was coming and there was no way he could possibly make it to her in time. As long as he lived, Cam was sure he’d never forget the sound of her head hitting the steel edged end table.
Chapter Thirteen
CeCe felt like she was swimming through Jell-O. A small part of her brain knew she’d been hurt, she’d talked to too many patients who had described this exact feeling to her, it was impossible to not recognize it. But the biggest part of her mind was screaming what the fuck happened? God it hurt to think, she wanted to slide back into sleep but someone was talking to her. Whoever it was kept insisting that she should wake up and let them look at her pupils. Seriously? I’m a doctor, I know you are going to shine a friggin’ spotlight in my eyes and it’s going to feel like someone has skewered my brain with a red-hot poker…so thanks, but no thanks. Believe I’ll pass on the hot sword behind the eyes treatment but it was nice of you to offer. Now leave me the hell alone. Maybe I’ll feel better when I wake up sometime next week.
“Come on, pet, you need to wake up and talk to the doctor. He promises to scale back the spotlight. And the sooner you cooperate the sooner we can leave for the beach house. What do you say?” Cam? Was it really him? His voice was so soft and soothing, not at all harsh or demanding. He’d sounded so worried her submissive nature would not allow her to put her comfort above his. CeCe tried to open her eyes and felt her forehead crinkle from the effort, but her eyelids felt as if they were taped down. She felt his fingers threaded through hers and she tightened her fingers hoping he’d know she was listening.
The effort to open her eyes was excruciating and she felt herself sliding back into the abyss. Just as she slipped into the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness, she heard the doctor say, “Let her rest. We know she could hear you and that tells us a lot.” She would have smiled at his words if it hadn’t required so much effort. Please don’t worry, Master.
She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep, but this time CeCe’s eye’s fluttered open on their own. It took a couple of minutes for everything to come into focus and her head still throbbed with what had to be a headache sent straight from the depths of hell. Before the room came fully into focus, she felt warm fingers lace into her cold ones. “Welcome back, sweetness.” Carl’s softly spoken words warmed her heart and she felt tears fill her eyes. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt so emotional, and he must have sensed her unease. “It’s okay, baby, the doctor said your emotions might swing wildly for a while, so don’t feel bad when that happens, okay?”
“Yes, Sir.” Her head was ready to explode, but she wasn’t going to risk answering a Dom disrespectfully. No need to add a stinging ass to her throbbing head.
Carl lowered the side rail on the bed and sat next to her. The warm fingers of one hand tangled with hers as he used his other hand to brush her hair to the side. “Cam just left a couple of minutes ago to get some coffee. I’m guessing his absence is what woke you, and I have to say I envy him that s
oul deep connection.” She wondered if what he’d said was true. Could she be so connected to her Master that she’d awakened when he’d left the room? Carl’s fingers brushed softly over her wrinkled brow, “Don’t look so worried. A trust that deep is a beautiful gift, and it’s one I know he treasures above all else.” She felt herself relax as she listened to his explanation. Viewing it as having felt safe in his presence was so much better than feeling dependent. She watched as something resembling envy flashed in his eyes before he masked it. “Knowing the woman who held my heart felt that safe in my presence would be the sweetest gift she could give me.” Looking into the depths of his Caribbean blue eyes, CeCe realized how much she wished she could be that woman even though her desire didn’t make any sense. Good Lord, Cecelia, get a flippin’ grip. Don’t be putting the cart before the horse. She could almost hear her sweet granny’s words echoing through her mind.
He was probably just trying to soothe her until he could get back to watching out for her. It seemed ironic that she needed a bodyguard but she’d actually done the most damage to herself. “Now, tell me where you hurt. I can see the pain etched in your face, let’s see if we can’t ease that a bit before your Master storms back in here thinking I’ve put that frown on your pretty face.”
His shift in direction surprised her and she blinked at him a couple of times trying to focus on what he’d said. Why can’t I seem to follow even the simplest conversation? “I’m sorry, I don’t seem to be fully cognizant just yet. I’m really not usually this dull, I swear.”
