Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries Book 11)

by Lexi Blake

  Michael groaned. “You have no idea how to deal with women.”

  “Theo was the smooth one,” Case admitted. “I pretty much did what he told me to when it came to women. He could find the one woman in the room who didn’t want to have anything to do with him and a couple of drinks, some conversation later, and he’d be going home with her. I sometimes think he fell for Erin because she was a challenge.”

  “He loved Erin. That was why he never gave up on her,” Michael replied. “He would never have shoved her away. He valued her in the field.”

  “Erin spent years in the Army. Erin could take Theo out.”

  “Yeah, well, Mia might not be able to take you out, but she has value. She’s smart. She’s totally cool under pressure and she follows orders.”

  “She does not,” he shot back. “I ordered her to stay in the safe room on the plane. That lasted two minutes.”

  “She wasn’t going to let them shoot us. I’m sure you gave her a bunch of BS about how they wouldn’t have, but you weren’t there. They were going to take one of us out. They had to. After they lost touch with the copilot, there were too many of us to deal with. It would have been me or Hutch dead and the other used to draw you out if Mia hadn’t bought us some time.”

  Put like that, it was a reasonable way that day could have gone. “I don’t want her to get hurt. I can’t stand the thought.”

  “Finally. Why didn’t you say that?”

  “I did say that.” Mostly. “What did you think I meant by she’s a distraction?”

  “I knew what you meant because I’ve spent the majority of my adult life speaking Case Taggart’s language. It’s mostly grunts and rude hand gestures and the occasional belch that really means it’s been a good night.”

  “I’m not that bad.” He knew how to communicate, although he was good with rude hand gestures.

  “Look, you think you’re being forthcoming, but that’s not what she hears. I grew up with a couple of girls around the house at all times. Cousins or daughters of family friends. They were like sisters to me, especially Dana.”

  Michael didn’t like to talk a lot about Dana. She’d disappeared years before. If he was bringing her up, it had to be important. “All right. What should I have said?”

  “It’s important to realize that women don’t always hear what we think we’re saying. When you called her a distraction, she thought you were talking about sex with her. Fucking her, having to deal with her was a distraction you didn’t want and the sex wasn’t good enough to make you want to keep her.”

  His stomach dropped. He could hear Mia talking in one ear, her voice bright as she charmed the director. Had she thought that was what he meant? “I didn’t say anything like that.”

  There was the sound of the door clicking open and Fain strode in.

  “Ezra, you were there for the dissolution of Case’s relationship with Mia,” Michael began.

  Whoa. “There was no dissolution.”

  Fain took a seat in front of Hutch’s computer. “You mean when he told her he was done fucking her and she should go home?”

  He felt his skin flush. “That is not what I said.”

  Fain started typing on the keyboard. “That’s totally what you said. You were pretty cold about it. Can we cut out the touchy-feely shit and deal with the security cameras? I thought Hutch was supposed to leave me instructions.”

  Should he keep Mia close? He dismissed what Fain had said. And what Michael said, too. Mia was smart. She didn’t need some fucking translator. He’d been in her bed for days. He couldn’t keep his hands off her. She could plainly see that. He’d talked about her moving to Dallas. That wasn’t the talk of a man who wanted to get rid of a woman. He just wanted to keep her safe.

  She was being a brat, trying to get her way.

  Yes, because staying in a shitastic motel room he wouldn’t allow her to leave without a guard had been so much fun for her so far. She’d been stuck in that room for days. He wouldn’t let her out without Fain or Hutch. Her only excitement had been talking to her contact—which she’d done as he’d asked her to. With a guard.

  And every night she welcomed him enthusiastically.

  What had it taken for a woman as independent as Mia to sit on her butt while he did all the work? She was used to being in the thick of things, but she hadn’t once complained.

  He was doing the right thing. He had to choose his brother this time. Nothing could keep him from saving Theo, not even Mia.

  “This is awesome. You should try the little cake thingees. They’re good.” Hutch sounded slightly enthusiastic for the first time that night.

  “Hutch, how about a little less eating and a little more hacking?” He didn’t even try to keep the irritation out of his voice. “You’ve done your obligatory socializing. I think it’s time to get the job done.”

  “Naturally he found the dessert buffet.” Michael grinned. “You can count on Hutch. If there’s a secret buried in pie, he’s going to find it.”

  “He’s not serious enough,” Fain complained. “I know you swear he’s trained, but I wouldn’t take that kid in as backup.”

  Fain didn’t know Hutch. “He’s good. I’ve worked with him for a couple of years. You know he figured out you were up for CIA recruitment. You want to tell me why they turned you down?”

  Fain snorted slightly. “I turned them down. I didn’t like the way Tennessee Smith worked. I know everyone thought he was the shit, but he didn’t strike me as a great team leader. I also don’t particularly think a team like that can work. It’s better to use military units.”

  “We worked quite well before Ten was disavowed.” Michael stood and moved toward the window with his binoculars. They’d turned off the lights in the room so they could properly see the party across the street.

  “And then you all scattered, from what I understand.” Fain frowned at the screen. “Consistency is important in intelligence work. I’m sure the entire team defecting left a major mess for whatever idiot took the job after Smith.”

  “I agree. It’s time to move,” Mia said over the line. “I think we’ve got a decent understanding of all the good work the charity is doing in the community and how they’re managing it. There are a lot of doors they’re opening.”

  “Yes, they are,” Hutch replied, his voice getting tense again.

  It was good to get back to the op and not focus on his love life or how Fain thought his former team had fucked up. “Are the guards going to be a problem?”

  “There was only one on the door,” Fain said. “There’s a valet, but he doesn’t look big enough to be a guard. Of course I don’t know what they’ve got on the inside, but it looked pretty casual to me. I suspect they don’t want to scare the donors away.”

  The sound of guitar music thrummed in the background, but he could hear Mia loud and clear. He’d noted that almost everything she’d said was innocuous. If overheard, it would likely mean nothing to the people listening to her.

  She was good.

  “I don’t think so.” She replied to his question about the guards in a quiet, calm voice. “He should be able to deal with the problem with ease. Any luck on your end?”

  “She’s asking if Fain’s been able to cut into the feed.” Hutch wasn’t as careful as Mia. Since Case couldn’t see him, he had to hope Hutch wasn’t being watched carefully. “I told him what to do.”

  “It’s not as easy as you made it sound, asshole.” Ezra sounded frustrated. “I’m not a tech guy. I might have pointed that out.”

  Hutch’s irritated tone came over the line. “I could get it done in five minutes if you let me. I can probably figure out how to hack the internal systems here, too. I think we should come in.”

  He couldn’t afford to pull Hutch out now. He needed his tech guy to do the job. He would save the dressing down for later. “Hutch, I know this isn’t your thing, but I’m going to need you to do your job. Get in, download the system, and get out. We can’t be sure what kind of s
ecurity they have. Getting in and putting physical hands on the system is our best shot. You agreed with me earlier today.”

  “Earlier today I didn’t get the feeling that someone was watching me. Something’s wrong with this place. I can feel it,” Hutch said.

  Shit. He hadn’t imagined this possibility, but hearing the tremor in Hutch’s voice made him realize what was happening. “No. What you feel is PTSD. This is the first time you’ve been back out in the field, brother. I promise, it’s normal to be afraid. It’s time to shut that fear down and do your job. A lot of people are depending on you. Theo is depending on you.”

  “I can do it,” Mia offered. “I certainly know how to download a system. Give me the drive.”

  Michael looked his way. “Let her do it.”

  Fain was shaking his head. “Somebody better do something because I’m having no luck at all with these cameras.”

  Hutch came back on the line. “I’m fine. If I get caught in the hallway, I’ll say I was looking for the bathroom. Could you distract the big guy who’s obviously carrying a gun while I slip back there? The other two are moving around outside, but the one to your left is doing an inner perimeter sweep and he keeps looking that way. I need about thirty seconds.”

  Case felt his whole body go tense. The guard had a gun. “Get those fucking cameras up, Fain. I need to see where she is. I thought you said the security wasn’t serious.”

  Fain turned slightly and sent him a narrowed glare. “I was the chauffeur. I saw what was happening at the door. I assumed you and Michael would handle the rest of it. Naturally there’s some security inside. Do you want me to go over there? I could explain something was wrong with the car and I need to see Ms. Danvers. Heaven forbid we trust her to talk to someone in a public place.”

  “Fine.” He hated the way the entire experience was making him feel. He knew Mia had been in tighter spots, but she hadn’t been his then. Now that she belonged to him, wasn’t it his job to ensure her safety?

  Or was it his job to care about her and let Mia be Mia?

  “Hi, I was wondering if there was a place I could make a call from. My cell can’t find a signal here.”

  He didn’t need security cameras to see the smile on her face. He could hear it, but he knew it wouldn’t be as bright as the ones she’d given to him over the last few days. Those smiles had lit up his whole fucking world. But even a half smile from his Mia would distract a man for however long she wanted him distracted. “Very good. Just a few minutes more and we’ll have you out of there.”

  A few more minutes and she would be walking out of that place and he would be able to breathe again. She would get on a plane and he could concentrate. Or would he simply sit around and wonder what kind of trouble she was getting into back home? He wasn’t stupid enough to believe she would honestly sit at her condo in Austin and wait for him. She was pissed off and a pissed off Mia could cause trouble.

  He had to find a way to make her see reason.

  A deep voice came over the feed. “We’re kind of in a dead zone, if you know what I mean. Sorry about that, but if you walk outside, you should be able to get a signal.”

  Michael looked back. “He sounds Western. Colorado or Wyoming. What’s an American doing working security here?”

  Fain’s head came up. “Holy shit. Is she talking to one of Theo’s fellow bank robbers?”

  “Tell her what we think, Case,” Michael urged. “She can ask him about Theo. Subtly.”

  Or he would completely lose control of the situation because she would sense a great story and run with it like the thoroughbred reporter she was. Maybe she wouldn’t notice. Maybe she wouldn’t pick up on the possibilities and she would simply do the job he’d asked her to and walk away.

  “You’re American?” Mia asked.

  Michael fist pumped. “That’s a smart girl.”

  Fain nodded. “See, I would totally let her watch my back.”

  They were determined to make him the bad guy. He was saved from responding by the guard’s reply. “Yes. I’m American. Born and raised in New York.”

  “You sound like you’re from Colorado or Wyoming.” Nothing got past Mia.

  “Keep it up, spy chick,” Michael said. “That’s going to be her superhero name from here on out.”

  Luckily she couldn’t hear Michael in her ear. “Aren’t you supposed to be watching the street?”

  Michael turned back to his job, but not before Case saw a shit-eating grin on his face.

  The guard’s conversation with Mia continued to play out in Case’s ear. “Not at all. I’m from upstate New York. Lived there all my life until I left for the military. You’re a lovely woman. Are you here alone?”

  Oh, that was so not fucking happening. “Tell him you have a husband waiting for you and then excuse yourself to find him. Hutch should have gotten to the offices by now. You can rejoin the party until I tell you Hutch is ready to come back out.”

  “Almost got it,” Fain said, his hands moving over the keys.

  “I came with my brother.” It was obvious Mia wasn’t listening to him anymore. She simply continued on in her sultry voice. “I seem to have lost him, but that’s okay. I found the only other American here.”

  “What are you doing, Mia?” He’d given her a direct fucking order.

  “Hey, I’ve got someone walking up to the hotel who looks mighty familiar,” Michael said. “I think we’re in trouble.”

  Case knew they were in trouble because the guard kept talking. “There are two more. My brothers. We all work here.”

  His brothers? All Americans? Case could feel the adrenaline begin to pump through his veins. Mia had told him everything Tony Santos had told her. According to the intel Mia had provided him, there were at least three soldiers in Hope McDonald’s clutches. Whoever Mia was currently talking to could be one of those men, could be one of Theo’s new “brothers.”

  Could be insanely dangerous to be close to.

  “Are they all as big as you?” Mia asked in her flirty tone.

  “They’re tiny compared to me,” came the reply. “I’m afraid I got all the muscle in our family.”

  He didn’t care how big the motherfucker was, he needed to stay away from Case’s girl. “Mia, you walk away right now. You think this is making me jealous? It’s not. It’s making me pissed off that you can’t follow orders. This is exactly why I’m shipping you home as fast as I can.”

  “I’m serious, Case,” Michael said. “I think…maybe I’m seeing things. How are the cams coming?”

  “How did three New York boys end up in Cartagena?” Mia asked.

  In front of him the screen flickered and he could see the walkway outside the building.

  “Got one up,” Fain said. “I’m working on the others. I think I got the only one that’s not connected to the inside.”

  “I don’t…I need to do my job,” the guard was saying in Case’s ear. Case agreed with him utterly. For just a second he almost relaxed. Then the guard continued, his voice going low. “You’re very pretty. I would like to spend some time with you, but I can’t sneak you back to our room. They watch us. She watches us.”

  “Case, I think your brother’s here,” Michael said.

  Fuck. Case stood and moved to the window Michael was standing at. He held his hands out for the binoculars. Theo was here? Theo was walking down the street?

  God, what should he do? Would Theo be happy to see him? Would he know Case at all?

  “Robert, I think we should go,” a deep voice said in his ear. “We’ve been called back into base. Apparently there’s a problem coming our way.”

  That hadn’t been Theo’s voice. It was someone else. Mia had two guards to deal with. Shit. He shouldn’t have done this. He looked down the street, searching for the man Michael had talked about.

  “Mia, if you don’t show up outside in thirty seconds I’m going to come in, and you won’t like how I’ll come in.” He would take care of two birds with one stone. He wo
uld have Fain grab Mia and Hutch and he would take Theo and run like hell.

  “He’s right there.” Michael pointed to a large figure moving down the sidewalk. He wasn’t alone. There was another man with him and two more at his back. What was Theo doing?

  “Thanks for the advice.” Mia’s voice was light, but he could hear the slight strain in her tone. It proved she had some sense. “I’ll pick up a signal outside. Hope you have a nice night.”

  Then he heard her gasp.

  “Hello,” a very familiar voice said. “I think we should talk, don’t you?”

  “I’m not kidding, Mia.” Case was confused because he was watching Theo walk down the street. How could he hear him talking? It had to be a mistake. “You better get your sweet ass out here.”

  The man’s face turned up and he pointed at the hotel.

  That wasn’t Theo. That was Ian. Shit. Theo was with Mia.

  “Why don’t you turn over the communication device hidden in that lovely ear of yours and we can have a real talk,” Theo was saying. “I’m afraid I’ve already picked up your…brother…partner whatever you want to call him. If you don’t want him to die, you’ll come quietly and explain exactly what you’re doing here.”

  He felt frozen in place. The first words he’d heard from his brother and they were threats against Mia. And Hutch. God, Theo wouldn’t hurt Hutch. Hutch had been their buddy for years. Theo had spent all his off time playing video games with Hutch sitting beside him before he’d gotten together with Erin. He couldn’t hurt Hutch.

  “I’m going in.”

  The feed from Mia’s device went dead. Case’s heart nearly stopped. He tossed the headphones aside.

  “Hey, you’re not going in without backup.” Michael put down the binoculars.

  Fain was already on his feet. “I’ll go, though apparently we’ve now got a McKay-Taggart crew with us.”

  “It’s Ian, Liam, Alex, and I’m pretty sure that’s Andrew Lawless walking next to him,” Michael explained.

  Case started for the door, but he knew what had happened. “You told your new boss everything, didn’t you, you limp dick asswipe.”