Davies, Corinne - Steam-Driven Seduction [Steampunked Lust 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (9 page)

Despite his comment, Kass covered her breasts with her hands and followed the voice. Twisting, she looked behind her and saw a large shadow against the back wall. “What do you want?”

“I thought that was obvious.” The shadow shrugged but didn’t come closer.

She frowned and fought the urge to pull the pins out of her hair. Paranoia was a good thing sometimes and she would feel better if the small dagger she’d also concealed in her hair was in her hand. “There’s nothing obvious about this situation. You step closer and you’re a dead man.”

“Could you do it, Kass?”

“Yes.” The soft accent to her name gave away the shadow’s identity. “What are you doing in here, Miguel?”

She heard Miguel laugh quietly as he shook his head. “You’re a clever woman, Kass.”

“I have my moments. Why are you in my bath?”

“I most certainly am not in your bath, Kass. Unless you’re inviting me? I’ll beg.”

Thankful that the shadows concealed her body, she rolled over in the tub and peered over the edge at him. “I can’t see you as the type to beg for anything.”

“Only for you, Kass. I’d beg for one brief taste.”

Kass felt like the temperature in the room soared. Never had a man been so bold with her and then offered to beg. Julien demanded. He didn’t beg. She knew that Miguel was a dangerous man. That he managed to circumvent Julien’s security was proof of his talent in espionage.

“Would you tell me how you got to Julien’s office without being detected?”

“So you can escape the same way?” Miguel countered. “I could be persuaded to share that information.”

Kass rolled the idea over in her brain for a moment, planning out what could go wrong and the repercussions. If she escaped Julien a second time, she firmly believed that he would never come after her again. Ten minutes ago she was ready to run and escape. Why the sudden hesitation?

Miguel could have his own motives for getting her to leave. “Do you want Julien for yourself, Miguel?”

“I want him. I’ll never lie about that to anyone, including myself. Can you say the same thing, Kass?”

That pushed her on the defensive. “You don’t know anything about me, Miguel.”

“I know more than either of you realize. Tell me, what was in your trunk? The one with the false bottom?”

“Nothing,” Kass lied. “Did you enjoy snooping through my belongings?”

“I’d enjoy exploring your body much more.” Miguel pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer.

Kass rolled in the tub until her back pressed against the opposite edge. Her knees drawn up close to her chest, she lifted her hand to the top of her head. Her fingers rested on the hilt of the knife.

Miguel stepped close enough that his face was partially illuminated from the light coming through the window. “You’re a beautiful woman. Would you believe that I’ve been following you for months?

“No, I wouldn’t.” Kass felt her heart pound harder. If he’d been following her for months, he might know about the information Gil and Dev wanted her to search for.
What if that’s why he’s really here?

Miguel nodded. “You’re a clever woman. I admit I lost your trail a couple times, and by sheer luck I caught up with you outside of the Islands.”

That was right after she picked up the information for the guys. Kass was less likely to trust Miguel now than she would have been twenty minutes ago. “Funny, I don’t believe in luck.”

Miguel gasped dramatically and looked at her as if she was some poor unguided soul. “No? Not fate or destiny either? What a shame, because I became a firm believer in all of it today.”

“And what epiphany brought about such a change of faith, Miguel?”

“Having both you and Julien walk into that office together.” He said it with such conviction that she almost believed him. “We three were meant to be together.”

“You’re delusional.”

“We’ll see.” He gracefully bowed with a flourish. “Oh, I should tell you, I lied.”

That didn’t surprise her, but his admitting it did. “About what?”

“I could see you perfectly in the water as I stood in the shadows.” He stepped back and the shadows engulfed him. She quickly lost track of where he was in the darkness until he whispered, “You have a beautiful ass.”

Silence descended on the room and Kass sat there wondering if he still lurked in the shadows. After a few minutes she figured he’d snuck away. She was impressed at his ability to not make a sound when he moved. Most men didn’t have that talent. She stretched out but didn’t take her eyes off the shadows.

She tried to figure out what his motivation was to visit her in her bath. He could’ve gone through her belongings and she wouldn’t have known until after she left the bath. Why come in here knowing that he would see her at dinner and have to face her anger at his intrusion? Unless he figured that she would be too embarrassed to bring it up in front of anyone, especially Julien? Miguel was about to learn that she no longer suffered from that kind of embarrassment.

In fact, she didn’t care who saw her body. It was merely a pretty package of skin and bones that housed her heart and soul. Her physical presence was nothing but a tool to be used in order to try to help others. No one gained the inner sanctum of her heart, nor did she think anyone ever would.

Chapter Five

Julien looked through the mountain of paperwork that had been left for him to go over. There was a plethora of information to sort through and clues to follow up, but his thoughts centered on why Miguel had come to
Atlantis
. Hedon Dubrova’s contract wasn’t the first on Julien’s head and he could think of a variety of reasons political and mercenary but not personal. Julien was well aware of Dubrova’s political views. He didn’t want anything to do with either the New or Old Worlds. The man was a mercenary who took care of himself and his family. His focus had always been on money and the lure of treasure. Ordering an assassination was so completely beyond his typical behavior that Julien was having a hard time coming to terms with the possibility.

A sharp knock at his door scattered his thoughts like the papers on his desk. “Come.”

Grizz walked in leading a thin man before him. “Captain, I found this man snooping around the corridors.”

“Let me go, you big oaf.” The man jerked his arm and tried to break the hold that Grizz had on him. It was almost comical to watch, but Julien wasn’t going to insult the man’s pride by laughing.

“Your name?”

The man glared at Julien. “Where’s my captain?”

That took him aback for a moment. “And your captain is?”

“Kass, of course. You’re holding her prisoner somewhere up here. It’s not right I tell you. She’s a proper officer and you’re treating her like a common whore.”

Julien narrowed his gaze at the offensive little man. Grizz looked like he was about to snap the man in half. “Your name.”

“Walter.” The man sneered at Julien, showing his rotting teeth through thin lips. “Walter Miller, and we demand that you return our captain to us.”

Julien was surprised that Kass would employ such an offensive person, but then he wasn’t surprised that she would instill such loyalty in her crew.

“Mr. Miller, I assure you that my wife is being treated with every bit of respect and honor. As her husband I take offense at your choice of words to describe her current position. Now, you and your crew will be placed back on board the
Aphrodite
and taken to a safe port, where you will find work on another vessel.”

“That’s not right, taking her ship from her and condemning her to living in an underwater tomb.”

“You have no say in the matter, Mr. Miller.” Julien flicked his gaze to Grizz. “Take him back to the
Aphrodite
and have the crew taken back to their home ports.”

Grizz nodded and then left. Julien sat there staring at the closed door wondering why his instincts were screaming. There was something very wrong going on, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

The clock struck the half hour. “Dammit. Where did the time go?” He looked at all the information on his desk and considered having a plate brought to him in here as he worked. He allowed himself a rare fantasy of sharing the stress involved in running
Atlantis
. Between Miguel, Kassandra, and himself he knew they would make a formidable force if they were to band together. But could they learn to trust each other enough to bring about that kind of future?

After demanding Kassandra be at dinner and not hide in her rooms he figured he’d better be ready as well. A large part of him looked forward to dinner with the two of them. The sooner they all figured out what was going on the better.

Twenty-five minutes later he walked into the dining room. Miguel was already seated at the head of the table with a glass of sherry dangling from his fingers. One leg was hooked over the arm of the chair, and he reclined, his arm braced against the opposite arm. He wore a cream-colored shirt that was laced partially up the front, putting a great deal of his muscular chest on display. A wide belt fitted across his hips with a sword attached to the side. Julien’s heart pounded under his vest, and his cravat felt like it was strangling him. He casually licked his dry lips and tried to swallow, but his mouth had dried out.

Miguel’s mouth kicked up on one side in a grin. The man knew exactly what he was doing and no doubt posed for effect. It worked. “Good evening, Julien. I was concerned that I might be the only one to brave this meal.”

“There isn’t anything that would’ve kept me away,” Julien replied. Not a pile of paperwork, or intel waiting for him to read, or any of the dozen other demands on his time. He moved to the chair Miguel occupied and leaned over him. He braced his hands on the arms of the chair and leaned close to Miguel’s face. “You’re in my chair.”

“I know.” Miguel smiled at him and reached out with his free hand and cupped Julien’s cock in a bold caress. “I plan to fuck you in it later.”

“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”

Miguel’s hand caressed him through his pants, making him shudder. He desperately wanted to toss Miguel facedown on the table and drive his cock into his ass. Better yet, he wanted Kassandra on her back under Miguel while he did it. Sandwiching the man might quash some of the arrogance in him.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, Julien.” Miguel’s fingers moved around his hardening cock. “But, I really want to know.”

Julien heard the tap of footsteps in the hallway and stepped back from Miguel’s grasp. “Looks like Kassandra’s going to join us for dinner after all.”

“This will be fun.” Miguel sat up and propped both his elbows on the table. “I bet she takes our breath away.”

“I bet she tries to kill one of us before the meal ends.”

“That would add a bit of excitement.”

Miguel’s obvious delight alleviated some of his concerns. No doubt Kass would be armed to the teeth. He’d heard rumors of her creativity when it came to personal protection. She didn’t hesitate at the door but strode in as soon as it opened.

The breath rushed out of his chest, and he was afraid his jaw was angled toward the floor. Thankfully she didn’t see him right away, and it gave him an opportunity to clench his jaw shut. Killing him would be easy, because he would never see it coming.

Kassandra walked like a queen. Her body was encased in layers of leather and silk. They swathed her body in an artful combination that accentuated her form and curves but left her free to move. Her leather corset pushed her mouthwatering breasts up and the silk swirled around them before it flowed over her shoulders. Her silk sleeves were slashed from shoulder to hand, where thick leather gauntlets encased her wrists. She looked powerful and dangerous. He couldn’t imagine how she walked in boots like that. The heel was high and looked as sharp as a knife edge and the leather of her boot followed the curve of her leg to her knee.