Loyalty’s Betrayal

by Mari Carr

  Even his thoroughly modern clothes—jeans and a shirt that strained at his shoulders—didn’t detract from the impression of barely restrained brute strength. The one thing that did distract was the black sling supporting one arm. If the situation hadn’t been so tense, it would have been almost amusing that Eric and Arthur had matching slings.

  Mateo studied the man a second longer. Both his hands were bandaged in thin layers of gauze that made it look like he was preparing for a boxing match. His rugged face was paler than normal, but there was no missing the hard glint in his eyes and strength in his face that said pain was nothing new to him.

  “Bernard.”

  Mateo stood and faced the fleet admiral. He had to bite back an instinctive reprimand. The Spartan Guard were the only people who had the authority to give the fleet admiral orders. That was necessary if they were going to protect him. Mateo wanted to tell him he shouldn’t be here, ask who was with him, what security measures were in place, what provisions and backup plans had been made for his security while he was away from Triskelion.

  Mateo had to clench his teeth and take a breath to hold back the questions. He wasn’t the head of the Spartan Guard right now.

  Right now, he wasn’t the protector, he was the accused. He was here because he’d failed once. He was here because he was trying to, once more, prove himself.

  He was grateful when Cecilia and Dimitri rose as well, flanking him as he awaited the fleet admiral’s decision regarding his future. He’d done what was asked of him and he wouldn’t cower before the man.

  “The traitor was Derrick Frederick,” Mateo said, perfectly aware the fleet admiral already knew that. Regardless, he’d promised to deliver the traitor, so he would. “He confessed and he’s dead.”

  “Saw that part. Lorelei was able to retrieve the video. It ended abruptly when Derrick began convulsing. Died in the middle of a BDSM scene?”

  “Yes, Fleet Admiral.”

  Eric snorted, tried to cross his arms, winced and settled for planting his good hand on his hip. “Red always was garbage. Though I can think of worse ways to die. Unless his dick was out. Wouldn’t want to die with my dick out.”

  Arthur sat back. “I’m guessing it’s not like the place we visited?”

  “Places like Red are as different from The Garden as McDonald’s is from fine dining. I told you if you want to engage in real power-exchange play, you need to talk to Damien.”

  Were they randomly discussing BDSM clubs? Mateo put that thought aside.

  Eric’s attention shifted back to him. He’d relaxed slightly while talking to Arthur, but now his expression was stony, and even with only one arm he looked dangerous.

  “Do you believe Derrick was the Domino?” Eric asked.

  Mateo shook his head. “No.”

  “The apprentice?”

  Mateo considered that, then shook his head again. “Maybe. I believe he was easily manipulated and used when it became apparent he harbored ill will toward me for becoming head of the guard instead of him.”

  “Very well. You have served the Masters’ Admiralty honorably, in bringing the traitor to justice.” Eric’s eyes slid from Mateo to Dimitri. “Both of you have.”

  Mateo glanced over his shoulder at Dimitri, who looked unsure and almost…scared…for the first time since they’d met.

  What was going on? He was confused by his lover’s sudden discomfiture. “Both of us?” Mateo asked.

  Dimitri looked at Mateo. “I started to tell you before. You see, the…” Dimitri paused, and Mateo could see his lover stiffening his spine, taking a deep breath as if girding himself before saying, “The fleet admiral called me to the Isle of Man and informed me of this trinity. My task was to watch over you during the investigation…while doing one of my own.”

  It took a moment for the words, and their meaning, to penetrate. Mateo’s temper erupted. “You were put in this trinity to prove I was the traitor!”

  Dimitri nodded stiffly, clearly not surprised by Mateo’s anger.

  “This was never a real trinity,” Cecilia whispered.

  Mateo had been so focused on Eric and Dimitri, he hadn’t considered how all of this was affecting her.

  Dimitri moved toward her a split second before Mateo.

  “Cece.” Dimitri reached for her.

  “No! Don’t touch me. Either of you!” She took a step away from Dimitri, then her eyes narrowed as she looked at Mateo, her rage stopping him in his tracks as well. “This is done. I’m done with this.”

  Mateo felt the bottom fall out when she turned toward the door, clearly intent on leaving. “No! No, Cecilia.”

  “Cece,” Dimitri said. “Please. Let me explain.”

  She whirled on them, furious. “Explain what? That for the past week, the two of you have been actively working against what I truly believed was…was special? Was right? I gave everything I had to this union, opened my arms, my heart. Gave you my trust and my…” She swallowed heavily, brushing away a tear before shoving her emotions deeper. “Submission,” she whispered.

  Mateo had never loved her beauty and her strength more than in that moment.

  She backed up another step, and Eric reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder.

  “Submission?” he asked quietly.

  Mateo wanted to tell Eric it was none of his fucking business, but Cecilia raised her chin, as if daring Eric to pass judgment on her. “Yes.”

  “Then I’m sorry. Dominance and submission is something I take very seriously. Abuse of trust in a power-exchange relationship can do… If I’d known you were a sexual submissive, I might have handled it differently.” Eric squeezed her shoulder.

  “I’m not,” Cecilia said through clenched teeth, her voice so soft, Mateo barely heard her denial. What she gave them in the bedroom was clearly meant just for them. She’d never allow anyone else to know how much she’d changed, came alive…gave them.

  “Take your hand off her,” Mateo snarled.

  Eric very deliberately stepped in front of Cecilia. “She’s not yours.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Cecilia still looked pissed, but she darted around Eric, turning to address him. “Fleet Admiral, why was I placed in this trinity?”

  Eric smiled. “You were the one I expected to actually solve the mystery. Mateo was my primary suspect, given his presence on the balcony and in the hotel room when the sniper killed Manon, and his access to the medication, Dimitri was the double agent, and you were the brains.”

  “Oh,” Cecilia said.

  Eric wasn’t done. “Mateo might have used your time together to further cover up his crimes. I expected you to see through that. And if he was the traitor, Dimitri was in place to kill him.” Eric looked up, meeting each of their gazes in turn, and there was no remorse or apology in his stare.

  Mateo briefly closed his eyes, feeling sick.

  The silence stretched long enough that he could hide in the darkness behind his eyelids. When he looked around, Eric had taken a step back and Arthur had turned his chair to look at the far wall, giving them the illusion of privacy.

  “I don’t want out of this trinity.” Dimitri was the first to speak. “I haven’t since that first night you took us to your bed. I love you.” Dimitri glanced Mateo’s way. “Both of you.”

  Mateo went weak as relief flooded him. He grinned…and realized he didn’t have a choice to make after all. He looked at Eric. “I am stepping down as head of the guard, Fleet Admiral. My trinity comes first…they always will. If they will have me.”

  Eric studied his face for a long, uncomfortable minute, before nodding. “Very well. And I’m glad you’re not a total dumbass. You’re relieved of your duties.”

  Mateo smiled, ready to take Cecilia in his arms, but Eric moved, putting himself between them again.

  Eric turned to Cecilia. “I’m the one who stuck you with these two, and you were the only one who didn’t know this was—”

  “A sham?” she snapped.

&nb
sp; Eric grunted. “It wasn’t ideal, but it was necessary. I won’t apologize, but I will give you the choice. If you want, I’ll dissolve the trinity.”

  “I thought it wasn’t a real trinity anyway,” she said.

  “This was always a real trinity, Ms. St. John. If Mateo was innocent, I intended to finalize the marriage.” He looked at Mateo. “One way or another, I would be looking for a new head of the Spartan Guard at the end of this.” He looked back to Cecilia. “But the choice is yours.”

  Mateo sucked in a deep breath and held it. There was too much pain, too much distrust still lingering in her expression. He and Dimitri put it there, and he wouldn’t blame her if she wanted to walk away.

  It would kill him to watch her do it, but he would understand why. She’d done everything she said. Found a way to reach two stubborn, antagonistic alpha males and create something that was more than right.

  It was magic.

  “Leap of faith,” Dimitri murmured, capturing Cecilia’s attention.

  Mateo smiled at his lover’s plea. Cecilia had asked both of them for a leap of faith and they’d given it…sort of.

  She narrowed her eyes briefly, but the request had worked. Her anger seemed to melt away, replaced by something that looked a lot like hope.

  “I’ll never betray your trust, your loyalty again, Cecilia,” Mateo vowed.

  “Nor will I,” Dimitri said.

  She studied both of their faces, not responding for a painfully long minute. Then she turned to the fleet admiral. “My trinity is ready.”

  “Very well,” Eric said.

  Mateo wasn’t sure how he could tell the fleet admiral was pleased with her reply. God knew his expression was stern, his voice gruff. But there was something in his eyes that looked suspiciously like respect.

  The fleet admiral stepped in front of Arthur’s desk and gestured for the three of them to stand before him.

  Arthur walked to a bookshelf, running his finger along some spines.

  “What are you doing?” Eric asked.

  “There’s a book…here it is,” Arthur pulled a thin old tome from the shelf. “It contains the script for the ceremony. Since this is your first—”

  “Put that away. I don’t need the book. I know the words. I remember, from…” Eric trailed off then grunted, in apparent self-directed disgust.

  Arthur hesitated, then returned the book to its spot before coming to stand next to Eric.

  With a nod of his head, the fleet admiral gestured for the three of them to link their hands. Dimitri reached out with his right hand. Cecilia placed hers in, and then Mateo rested his on top.

  “I hereby bind you, Dimitri Bondar of Hungary, Cecilia St. John of Rome, and Mateo Bernard of Castile, in marriage.

  “Your union will serve to better and protect the people of our proud and ancient society.

  “It is your duty to love, protect and keep your spouses. I will hear your pledge to not only keep and protect one another, but to strive to better our world.”

  Mateo released their hands and knelt. “I pledge on my honor, and as your spouse, to love, protect and keep you, all of your days.”

  Cecilia was the next to kneel and take the same vow, followed by Dimitri. All three rose as one as Eric pronounced them married in the eyes of the law and the Masters’ Admiralty.

  “We did it,” Cecilia whispered. “I thought…when we got here…”

  “You thought I was going to choose the guard,” Mateo said when it was clear she didn’t want to share her fear lest it remind him of what he’d just given up.

  She nodded.

  Mateo reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “When I was a child, I thought my calling was medicine. After my parents died, I thought I could better serve the world as a protector. Now I know every step I’ve taken, every decision I’ve made was leading me to you.” His gaze traveled to Dimitri, who was standing just behind Cecilia. “To both of you.”

  He kissed Cecilia softly, keeping it short and chaste, given the fact the fleet admiral and admiral of England were still standing there. When he released her, he was surprised to find Dimitri taking her place, offering Mateo a hard kiss filled with promise and—God help him—challenge.

  He and Dimitri were bound to spend the next fifty years or so battling for control. Mateo grinned when Dimitri’s lips left his.

  He couldn’t wait.

  Then Dimitri turned to Cecilia. “Cece, my sweet wife.” He raised an eyebrow as he spoke, provoking the memory of him calling her both names in this office a week ago, Cecilia balking at both.

  She knew he was purposely teasing her, but their lady never backed down. “My Dim…husband.” Her pause gave her words the desired effect and Dimitri laughed.

  “Kiss me, koxaha, my love.”

  Dimitri clearly didn’t give a shit if they had an audience or not as he wrapped his arms around their wife and gave her a long, hot, openmouthed kiss that seemed to go on for hours.

  Arthur cleared his throat as the fleet admiral snorted and said, “Perhaps now would be a good time for the three of you to take the honeymoon elsewhere. Arthur and I have business to discuss.”

  Mateo took one of Cecilia’s hands, Dimitri the other.

  “Thank you, Fleet Admiral,” Mateo said.

  Eric nodded, but said nothing more.

  An hour ago, he’d expected to be imprisoned. Alone.

  Now Mateo was free. And married.

  When they reached the street, they glanced around, the action reminiscent of the previous week.

  “Where to?” Dimitri asked.

  “I want to go back to my family’s B&B,” Cecilia said, reaching for her cell. “I want the two of you completely to myself for as long as we can manage to avoid the real world.”

  Mateo gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Sounds like the perfect plan, tesoro.”

  * * *

  Arthur closed the door to his office after Mateo, Cecilia and Dimitri left. While he was happy for the trinity, there was still a great deal of work to be done. Uncovering the name of the traitor had only unlocked a new mystery…Alicia Rutherford.

  “There’s something I want to discuss.”

  “My husband, wife and I have a very nice sex life, and I don’t think we have time for a BDSM club membership.”

  Eric snorted. “Time is an issue. Though I expect we could both use the emotional relief.” Eric looked Arthur over. “I can teach you to spank with your left hand. I trained for impact play with either hand.”

  “I…I can’t believe we’re having this conversation right now. But, er, thank you very much for the offer.”

  “That isn’t actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Eric reached into his jacket pocket, withdrawing two photographs. He placed them side by side, faceup on Arthur’s desk. “Just between us, I started to question if Mateo was the traitor before my fall. I want you to look into something for me.”

  Arthur picked up one of the photos. “That’s Mateo and—”

  “The former admiral of Castile, Ricardo Garcia. He was Mateo’s father.”

  Seeing Mateo with his father should have made that fact obvious from the first moment he’d met the other man. The resemblance was uncanny. However, he’d never heard that the admiral of Castile had any children.

  His gaze drifted to the other photo. Mateo was in this one as well, a younger boy clearly flanked by adoring parents.

  “Those are his other two parents, renowned surgeons in Seville. They were brutally murdered when Mateo was sixteen.”

  Arthur considered that, and the fact the admiral of Castile had been gunned down at the same time as his own admiral. “I had no idea Mateo had suffered so much loss, and one so recently.”

  “I want you to look into that first killing, the one that took the lives of both Doctor Bernards.”

  “The killer was never caught?” Arthur asked.

  Eric shook his head. “No. I realize this has nothing to do with your territory. I’m asking
anyway.”

  Arthur tried to connect the dots, tried to figure out why Eric was making this request of him. They were already trying to solve one mystery, track down the Domino. Why would Eric ask him to take on searching for another killer? Unless…

  “You think that killing is connected to the Domino?” Arthur asked, suddenly wondering if that bombing in the Ottoman territory truly had been the initial crime.

  “Just find out what you can. Covertly. I don’t want anyone else to know about this. Not even the librarians. Understood?”

  Arthur nodded, holding the fleet admiral’s gaze, showing him he was a man who could be trusted with secrets…kept even from those he loved and trusted the most.

  18

  Dimitri stood by the wide expanse of windows, watching the sun set over the lake. The sky had faded from a pale shade of white to soft gray to dark slate in the matter of an hour, the colors of the lake matching the ever-darkening sky. A few scattered stars, too rare an occurrence in this country, had begun to make their appearance. Cecilia had remarked on the beauty of this room last week, but all he’d been able to think was the entire first floor of the place was a security nightmare.

  Funny how he was seeing it from her point of view tonight. After years as a spy and a week spent chasing a traitor and racing the clock, it seemed as if his entire existence had flipped on a dime since this afternoon. Since he’d pledged his life to Cecilia and Mateo.

  They’d made the drive from London to the Lake District after leaving the London headquarters. While Dimitri would have preferred to find the nearest hotel immediately after their wedding ceremony, he knew firsthand how special this place was…to Cecilia, and now to them.

  They’d spent their first night together here, and tonight, they’d consummate their marriage in the same room. It was the perfect place to begin their honeymoon, their lives together.

  Mateo and Cecilia were sitting on the couch, her bare feet resting in his lap, both of them sipping a glass of Merlot. For seven straight days, they’d done everything at a breakneck pace, racing from city to city—hell, from country to country—in pursuit of Derrick.