“Jewell, honey, it looks like Tru is carrying a few too many things. How about we get you down from there?”
Tru peered over Jewell’s shoulder to see Alex striding toward them, his long legs easily eating up the distance. Impossibly tall and thin, he reminded Tru of a clay figure she’d made for art class in middle school. The thing had been too skinny in the center to support the weight of the top half, and her person kept bending over. She’d fixed it repeatedly, but when it had come out of the kiln in that position, she’d given up. Gram had remained positive, though. When Tru had brought it home from school, Gram had said the guy had obviously seen something interesting on the ground. Part of her expected Alex to keel over like that, but he was in the habit of remaining upright.
Alex lifted Jewell, who reluctantly released her hold on Tru, and then he hugged Tru with one arm. “Welcome back, sunshine. It’s been a while.”
It had been a while. She motioned to the two newer buildings. “When did that happen?”
Jewell squirmed because Alex hadn’t yet put her down. “We broke ground two summers ago, and they finished up this past fall.”
“If I put you down, you can’t jump on Tru again. Nice hugs only.” Alex’s rolling baritone had a firm edge, and Tru laughed. Jewell was a handful, and Alex loved always having his hands full.
“Fine.”
He set her on the walkway, and she hugged Tru again, this time without almost knocking her on her ass.
Alex held his hand out to Jed. “I’m Alex Zangari, and this is my wife, Jewell.”
“Jed King.” Jed shook Alex’s hand. “This is my buddy, Liam Adams.”
Tru hadn’t known they were going to use code names. She frowned, and Jewell’s endless hug provided cover as Alex greeted Liam.
Finally Jewell let go. “You can’t stay away for two years next time.”
“It’s only been a year.” As she said it, Tru looked at the new structures. She hadn’t seen anything being built there the last time she’d visited. Had it really been two years since she’d been to see this couple? “Sorry. I guess I didn’t realize.”
“We came to visit you in Northport last Christmas, and we met up in Seattle the summer before.” Alex always seemed to know what to say to make her feel better. That had been one of the things she’d always liked about him. “You’ve seen us, just not here.”
Liam cleared his throat, and Tru automatically set her hand on his arm. “This is quite a place you have here. I’m wondering what the inside looks like. Particularly, I’m wondering about a bathroom.”
Chuckling, Alex took the garment bags from Tru. “Of course. You’ve been driving all day. Let’s get you settled. You have a couple of options. The guest rooms were fully booked, so Jewell and I thought you could stay with us in our house. We have a fantastic guest room, and you’d still have access to the Inn. The only drawback is that it has a queen bed.”
Tru caught the looks that passed between Liam and Jed. The size of the bed was only a minor inconvenience. “Alex, we wanted to stay in the Inn. We kind of want to be in the thick of things. Your house is a little far away from the action. Are you sure you have nothing?”
He glanced at Jewell. She rolled her lips together and sighed. “We have one room, but it’s a staff room, not a guest room.”
Sometimes Alex employed staff members who needed a place to live, and so he kept several rooms for that purpose. They were plain, not decorated to cater to a particular fetish, but they contained everything a normal hotel room would have. Tru smiled. “Thanks. We’ll take it.”
Jewell stuck her lip out in a pout, and then she turned the power of her large brown eyes on Liam and Jed. “But you’ll have dinner with us tonight at the house, right? I’m making Tru’s favorite—glazed salmon with cheesy biscuits and corn-on-the-cob. For dessert, I made strawberry sorbet.”
“Sure.” Jed responded with a flirty smile. “We’re looking forward to getting to know Tru’s friends better.”
Alex inclined his head toward the door. “Let me show you to your room so you can get settled.”
They followed Alex into the lobby, a long room that accommodated a common room at one end and a reception area at the other. Decorated in a blue-and-white nautical theme, this room was stunningly vanilla. Wicker sofas and chairs with thick cushions were placed invitingly around a large stone fireplace that was flanked by floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Tru and Alex had gone a few rounds arguing about the flavor of the room, and eventually Tru had won. Not everyone wanted to hang out with fetish décor all over the place. The only indication that this room belonged in a fetish inn was the proliferation of pillows stacked for use on the floor, and even that could be open to interpretation.
Well, that used to be the only indication. Since she’d last been there, they’d added a huge, iron ship’s wheel. It had a padded section down the middle, and places to restrain arms and legs along the spokes. The base allowed for the wheel to be flat or upright. Tru stared, not sure whether she was upset that he’d changed the way the room was decorated or happy that Jewell was so firmly established as a manager of Zangari’s Fetish Inn.
“Like it?” Jewell appeared at her elbow, a bundle of energy bouncing on her toes. “I wanted to keep with the nautical theme, and this fit so well.”
“Yeah, it’s...I never would have thought of a bondage wheel.”
Jewell leaned closer, not that she had ever been someone who recognized the boundaries of personal space. A few earrings—Jewell had at least four holes in each ear—scraped Tru’s neck. “Master likes to put me up there and torture me while the guests watch, play games, or just ignore me.”
That seemed like something Alex would do. He’d always liked to put on a show. Tru looked at Liam, watching him and Jed converse with Alex as they formally registered as guests, and she wondered if he’d like to see her on a bondage wheel.
Liam signed a paper, and as he lifted his gaze, he caught her staring. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle with a special level of cockiness and maybe residual satisfaction from having spanked her that afternoon. Heat traveled up Tru’s neck as she thought about the reasons he’d given for spanking her. Mostly it boiled down to the fact that he hadn’t liked being surprised by seeing her do something dangerous. Her temporary Sir definitely had a hero complex, and there was no way she wasn’t going to continue to tease him about it.
Alex led them down a hallway that also led to the kitchen, storage, and utility rooms. Though it was nice enough, in keeping with the rest of the inn, it lacked the cozy ambiance of the part where guests were allowed. It had been a long time since Tru had seen the staff rooms, and she’d forgotten how austere they were—white walls with no paintings, pictures or wallpaper borders; plain, wood veneer tables paired with serviceable chairs; and a queen bed that was nothing more than a mattress on a metal frame. At least it had a mini fridge and a microwave under the sink, which was in the bedroom part instead of the bathroom.
“It’s not much.” Alex glanced around, a frown marring his forehead. “If you change your mind, the offer to stay with us is always open.”
Liam parked his rolling suitcase next to the bed and set hers next to his. Her bag had wheels as well, but he’d chosen to carry it. He took in the bed, small for three people, the short sofa, and the small window overlooking the parking lot, and nodded. “This’ll do.”
Jed added his bags to the train and agreed with Liam. “We’ll be fine. Liam can take the sofa, while Tru and I get the bed.”
Liam snorted. “Not a snowball’s chance, buddy.”
Not about to let them disagree over this issue, Tru pursed her lips. “Can we get a portable bed?”
Alex looked to Liam and Jed because they were the Doms, and so Tru wasn’t in a position to make that kind of decision. “No children are allowed here, so we don’t have roll-away beds. I have what amounts to a bedroll and a sleeping bag.”
Jed waved away the offer. “Thanks, but we’ll all be in that bed. Neither of us likes to
let Tru get too far away at night.”
Alex nodded, a knowing gleam in his eyes. Jewell threw her arms around Tru for a brief hug, and then she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Jed and Liam’s cheeks. “We’ll see you for dinner in one hour. Don’t be too late.”
Once they were gone, Jed and Liam searched the room. They removed the drawers from the dresser and felt under tables. Tru watched, fascinated by their actions. What did they think they’d find in a seldom-used staff room? It’s not like the bad guys knew they were onto them, much less that they’d show up at an Inn that was sold out a year in advance.
Satisfied that the room was safe, the men shared a silent exchange, and then Liam came over to her. He cupped her cheek in a gentle caress. She thought he might kiss her, but he only ran his gaze over her features. Then his lips parted, and he spoke, his voice soft and low. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She answered reflexively, a lifetime of denying there was ever a problem that couldn’t be fixed with a powerful drug.
“When you took us on that guided detour and put your life in danger, you said that you’d made the appointment weeks ago. But it seems to me that you were trying to delay coming here.”
Speculation. That’s what he was doing. Speculation was a word that Tru had always liked. It evoked feelings of the hope that came with guessing at the unknown. Even the pattern of soft-hard-soft syllables hinted at adventure. Right now, Liam was speculating that she had wanted to avoid coming to Zangari’s, and he was right, though his lens for the term probably had nothing to do with hope and other positive feelings.
Tru looked away, trying to escape his probing gaze while not overtly rejecting his touch. “I just didn’t want to miss my chance to jump. I live for those jumps—the danger and excitement make me feel so alive.”
“That’s not what he’s talking about.” Jed crowded next to them, arms crossed to demand an answer. “You weren’t half as happy to see your friends as they were to see you. If anything, you were tolerating Jewell’s attempts to show affection.”
Tru had never been very demonstrative. Jewell’s constant need for physical contact was one of the reasons she knew the diminutive submissive would be great for a Dom like Alex who liked those high-maintenance types. However she didn’t think that Liam or Jed would be so in tune with her that they’d notice her reticence. She held Jed’s gaze for several seconds before switching to do the same with Liam. “I’m nervous, okay? I don’t want to say anything I’m not supposed to say to them. I’m not sure what parts of the things you’ve told me are cover and which parts are real.”
Liam drew a caress across her cheekbone. “It’s mostly real. We told you not to worry about making mistakes. We can cover you. Trust us to make it work.”
She did trust them. “And then there’s the fact that it finally hit me that you two would be under a microscope. I know you’re used to scrutinizing, but you’re probably not used to being scrutinized.”
Scrutiny—there was a scrunched-up word she found unappealing. It was crinkly and hard, completely judgmental. She hadn’t held up too well under the scrutiny of her two Doms.
Liam’s hand slid down her neck and across her shoulder before slipping away to hang at his side. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine.”
“Princess, our cover is that we’re two Doms visiting a fetish vacation destination with our new submissive. It’s strong because it’s close to the truth. The only people who might possibly suspect us are the bad guys, and that suspicious behavior will help us catch them.” Jed kissed her forehead.
Had they lost their minds? Tru didn’t doubt their professional abilities. “No, I was talking about Alex and Jewell. I’ve never brought anyone here before. This dinner is a ruse. They’re going to have the two of you under a microscope to see if they think you’re good enough for me.”
Thoughts creasing his chin and the space between his eyebrows, Liam took a step back. “She kissed us both on the cheek before she left the room.”
That wasn’t a big deal. “She kisses everybody—babies, puppies, an alligator once—basically anyone who will let her. It used to drive Alex nuts, but he’s learned to accept that she’s one of those gushy, affectionate people.”
Jed chuckled. “She’s giving us the benefit of the doubt. Tru, they’re your friends. They want to like us because you’ve chosen us. We’re not nervous, and you shouldn’t be either.”
Telling someone not to be nervous wasn’t a great way to soothe their anxiety, but Tru wanted to end the conversation. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to unpack and freshen up before dinner.”
“Sure,” Liam said, stepping out of her way. “As long as you’re naked.”
Poised to brush past Liam, Tru froze. She gaped at Liam, asking wordlessly if he was serious. Not even Alex had ever ordered her to get naked unless it was a scene. Nothing in Liam’s demeanor indicated that he was kidding, so she reluctantly undressed.
Neither Liam nor Jed watched. As soon as she started to comply, they grabbed their suitcases and threw them on the foot of the bed. Liam riffled through the stack of clothes inside while Jed just reached into the zippered pocket on top and extracted a zip top, plastic bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste inside.
They didn’t ignore her as she unpacked her things, but they both went about their business quietly. Jed’s cell phone rang, and he went into the bathroom to take the call. Liam fired up his laptop and started tapping on the keys.
Tru decided to unpack their things as well. She preferred to move into a hotel room rather than live out of travel bags. “Is your porn addiction that bad?”
Liam glanced up with a grin. “It’s not as bad as my addiction to the Squatch Cam.”
This idea intrigued her. While she didn’t discount the idea that there were creatures on this planet that humans hadn’t discovered, she doubted they’d get video evidence of a Sasquatch. It seemed like a Squatch Cam would capture footage of trees and bears. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Twenty-four hours of surveillance on areas where Squatch sightings have been reported? Yes. But that’s not what I’m doing right now. When we checked in, I noticed that all the records are computerized.”
It took Tru a second, but she realized what he meant. “You’re hacking Alex’s books? That’s an invasion of privacy.”
“Oh, please. He’s networked, which means the CIA and shadow organizations like the State Policy Network have already looked.” Liam’s gaze roved over the data onscreen, so he didn’t notice Tru’s growing ire.
“Stop it. Alex doesn’t deserve to be treated this way. He’s a good man—honest and honorable.”
He must have heard the catch in her voice that betrayed her anger because he finally looked at her. “If I thought there was anything here, I’d get a warrant. Nothing I find is permissible in court, and none of it is actionable. I’m just making sure he’s in the clear.”
That did nothing to soothe her rising fury. “I didn’t bring you here to spy on Alex’s business. He’s poured his heart and soul into making Zangari’s a successful, lifestyle-friendly vacation spot.”
Jed came out of the bathroom and tossed his phone on the bed. “Thanks for unpacking our stuff.”
Unwilling to throw in the towel in her staring contest with Liam, Tru nodded curtly.
Liam closed his laptop and crossed the room to where she was standing, hands on hips and steam puffing from her nostrils. “I see that you didn’t learn your lesson this afternoon.”
He’d not only been upset with her for the risk she’d taken and the time she’d cost, but for topping from the bottom. She put a hand on his chest to protest his assertion and stop him from getting even closer. “I’m not topping from the bottom. I’m sticking up for my friend. It’s called loyalty.”
“Yeah. I like that about you.” He wrapped a hand around her wrist and gently pushed her hand down. “I like your feistiness too. I’d love some trust, maybe the benefit of the doubt?”
“T
he benefit of the doubt?” She echoed him in an attempt to understand what he meant.
“This is my job, Tru. I can’t step around your sense of misplaced outrage unless I lie to you. Is that what you want?”
She wasn’t sure whether she wanted him to tell her the truth. Certainly they wouldn’t be arguing if he hadn’t told her that he was hacking Alex’s system. “Perhaps you should keep some things to yourself.” It was the best compromise. “I don’t need to know everything about your investigation.”
“I agree.” Jed perched on the edge of the bed. “She should be on a need-to-know basis.”
Liam nodded. “I felt she needed to know I was ruling out Alex and Jewell—her friends—as suspects. I thought it’d make her less anxious at dinner to know we weren’t targeting them for the investigation.”
“That’s reasonable. Tru?” Jed’s expectant expression prompted her to answer.
The way he phrased it sounded rational. It cast her reaction in a different light, one that wasn’t standing on a foundation of altruism and loyalty. She faced Liam. “I’m sorry. I overreacted.”
A hard emotion glittered in his eyes, darkening his irises to the color of a storm on the ocean. He grasped her chin with his thumb and forefinger. Though it looked harsh, his tender touch said something else entirely. The contradictory sensations and the look on his face stole her breath. She felt herself surrendering to his gentle dominance.
“The next few days won’t be easy. It’s imperative that you trust me to both do my job and to be your Dominant. I understand the implications, Tru. I will take care of you. I will see to your needs—not necessarily your wants—but your needs. And I will bring down this murderer.”
Something intangible passed between them, the next step of what he’d begun the night they’d watched the stars together. Tru lowered her gaze and fought the urge to sink to her knees. She wanted to kneel before this man, to honor what he wanted to be to her, but she couldn’t. Too much was at stake, and so he had to be content with this level of submission. “I understand, Sir.”
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