Master No (19 page)

“So he’s got a mistress.”

Markovic shook his head. “How is this a scandal? Politicians in Russia have many mistresses. It is cold country. Many women are required to keep a man warm.”

“Really?” Desiree said, an elegant eyebrow arching over her right eye.

Markovic put a hand on her head. “It is different here. This is warm country. Only one woman required.”

So they obviously had something going on. Ten didn’t understand it at all. Operatives didn’t have relationships in his world. They were loyal to the mission, to the Agency. Not to each other.

He really wanted to get back to the world he understood. Things were clear at the Agency. Things made sense. He knew his purpose there.

“Besides, we can’t really call her a mistress,” Theo said. “The senator isn’t married. She’s more like a girlfriend. I don’t think we can spin it to hurt him, but I’ve got Michael looking into her. So how do we handle Faith now that we know it’s not the mob after her?”

He’d already dealt with that. “I told her it was safe. I want her to feel comfortable enough to go about her business the way she normally would. I want to see where she goes and what she does.”

But that wasn’t what he’d really done. He’d totally intended to do exactly what he’d said when he’d spoken to her earlier. He’d meant to let her off the leash and see where she led them, but the words that had come out of his mouth hadn’t been the ones he’d meant to speak. He’d told her that despite the fact she was safe, she should stay with Erin and Theo until he could protect her himself. He hadn’t corrected himself.

What the fuck was he thinking?

Theo frowned. “We don’t know that she’s safe. I don’t like this plan, Ten.”

Ten wasn’t used to having his own team question his decision making. Despite the fact that he could easily put Theo’s worries to rest, the idea of telling anyone how he’d screwed up rankled. “You don’t have to like the plan. You merely have to follow it, soldier.”

“I’m not a soldier anymore.” Theo’s eyes had narrowed. God, he looked like his brother, and Ten could remember that same stubborn tone of voice coming out of Tag’s mouth. “You should know I’m going to watch out for her.”

“And you should remember why we’re here. Have you forgotten what her father did to Jesse Murdoch? To my own brother? What he’ll continue to do to our servicemen if we don’t stop him? You might not be a soldier anymore but does that mean you no longer give a shit?”

Theo sighed. “Of course not. I haven’t forgotten anything, but I also don’t think it’s a good idea to leave her unprotected. We don’t know that Kozak was the only one coming after her. He was likely hired, and that means whoever wants her dead can hire someone else.”

At least he could think with something other than his apparently tender heart. “Which is why you shadow her if I can’t. Actually, you and Erin should shadow both of us when we’re together. You might be able to see things I can’t. And that’s all I’ll say on the subject for now. Just get me the information I need, Even Littler Tag.”

He used the nickname the rest of McKay-Taggart had started using to describe the youngest Taggart. It got the rest of the group laughing and let some of the tension out of the room. He didn’t need the rest of the team thinking he and Theo couldn’t get along.

Theo growled. “I hate that. How about Even Younger Tag? That’s more fitting. And trust me, by tomorrow you’ll have more data than you can handle.”

Ten liked data. Data was actually one thing he could handle.

Then he saw something he was fairly certain he couldn’t.

Faith stepped into the bar, her arm through Erin’s as they talked together. Delicious. She looked utterly edible in a scarlet red corset and tiny thong. Fishnet thigh-highs covered her legs and led his eyes down to a truly spectacular pair of fuck-me shoes. Her hair was down, tumbling softly around her shoulders. She’d curled it, giving her glossy waves.

“Your girl is lovely,” Knight said.

“Yes, she is,” Theo replied as he stood up.

Ten frowned. For a second he’d thought Knight was talking about Faith. He kind of wanted to point out that Faith was the most stunning woman in the room and any man who couldn’t see it was fucking blind.

But she was only the mission and his fellow operatives knew that so they reserved their brotherly praise for Theo, who looked like a goddamn groom waiting for his bride.

Theo put out a hand, gesturing Erin forward.

Erin looked like a completely different woman. With her fiery red hair up in a demure twist, she looked oddly ladylike in her sapphire blue corset and matching thong. Her long legs had been left bare and she wore nude five-inch heels that made them look like they went on forever.

Still, for all her height she only came to the top of Theo’s shoulders. She stepped into his embrace like she belonged there, her whole body seeming to relax as he put his hands on her.

“You look absolutely gorgeous, love.” Theo’s fingertips found her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. “I’m the luckiest man here, and one day you’ll believe everything I tell you because I’ll keep saying it.”

Ten could almost swear he saw a fine sheen of tears in Erin’s eyes as she nodded.

“Of course you will. You don’t give up on anything do you, Theo Taggart?” Erin asked in a low voice.

“Not anything that counts,” he agreed before brushing his lips over hers.

“I love watching them together,” a soft voice whispered in his ear.

Faith. She was standing next to him and he’d been watching Theo, trying to figure out what the hell was going through that boy’s brain. Erin was trouble. Falling for anyone was trouble, but Erin Argent was more trouble than most.

So why did Theo grin like a loon when she walked into a room?

Why had Jamie done the same with Phoebe? Sometimes he wondered if Jamie and Phoebe would take it back had they known what would happen. Would Phoebe have spared herself the agony of loving James Grant if she’d known he would die?

Ten kind of thought he would. The ache still felt fresh sometimes, like Jamie had died yesterday and Ten was still searching for his brother’s body. Like he’d just found it and realized how little the universe cared. Jamie had been tossed away like a piece of trash, like he hadn’t mattered.

A hand found his, warmth drawing him back into the real world. When he looked down, Faith was staring solemnly up at him.

“Can I help you, Master?”

Just once he wanted to give in. It was only one night. “Kiss me, Faith.”

She didn’t hesitate. She went up on her toes and placed her lips on his, her hands cupping his face like he was something precious, and somehow it washed away the dirt from his mind. Somehow when she kissed him, he could forget about everything but her warmth, her sweetness.

Maybe a few days. It looked like she wasn’t involved with the mob. It didn’t mean she wasn’t dirty, but it did mean the jury was out and he could fool himself.

Other voices cautioned him not to. His adopted father’s voice blared out a warning. His own voice reminded him that the sweetest-looking woman could turn deadly.

And then there was Jamie’s voice deep inside.

You go, Tennessee. You take her and don’t fucking let her go. Take the chance.

God, he hadn’t heard Jamie’s voice in his head in years. All he would see when he closed his eyes was Jamie’s dead body, left for the vultures. But in that moment, in the fraction of a minute when Faith pressed her lips against him, he could see his brother on Jamie’s wedding day.

I’ll do this for you one day. You just watch.

When she eased back down, he realized he wasn’t ready. Not for that kiss to be over. He reached out and dragged her close, loving how small she was against him. She was a lovely handful, but small compared to him. She was someone he could protect, could hold close and be a barrier between her and the rest of the shitty world.

For a little while.

He devoured her, not playing around. He let his hands find her hair. For these few weeks she was his. His sub. His girl. His to play with and fuck and protect and pretend that he was normal for once.

Her mouth opened for his, allowing him in and welcoming him with the silky glide of her tongue. Heat suffused him and his hands were suddenly in motion. He couldn’t stay still. He needed to touch her, to slide his palms over her curves and know that every inch of this woman belonged to him.

For now.

A masculine chuckle shattered his focus and brought him back to the real world. He broke off their kiss, but settled Faith securely in his arms before looking over at Knight.

“You know there are privacy rooms, chap.” Knight’s smirk told him a lot.

The men he worked with were going to give him hell about this one.

So let ’em. Let them joke, Tennessee. It’s all in good fun. You know you would rib them about not being able to take their hands off the hottest, sweetest sub in the club. Jealous bastards.

He kind of liked hearing Jamie’s voice again.

He settled down. There weren’t many scenes up and running yet. It was the time of the night when they greeted each other and talked before hitting the dungeon floor. It was a time to anticipate the evening. He pulled Faith down onto his lap, settling his hand on her knee. She curled up against him as though she belonged there, as though this was just what they did.

“We’ll get there eventually, Knight.” He noticed Markovic had left quickly, taking the British beauty with him. They would disappear since he would go back to working on the island in a few days. Faith wouldn’t remember ever seeing the Russian.

Her eyes had been on Ten the whole time.

A good girl should be rewarded. He let his hand travel up to her thigh. He didn’t have to be a gentleman here. Here she belonged to him.

“So tell me about business, Knight. How’s it going?” Ten began asking innocuous questions, nothing that would give up their covers. Knight could talk about operating the London office and it wouldn’t tip off Faith.

The truth was always the best cover.

Faith sighed and nuzzled his neck sweetly. His free hand moved on her hair.

The truth was he liked having her close. The truth was he could sink into this cover and maybe never want to come back out.

He would. He would get what he needed from her and come out on the other side, but for the first time he wondered if he could have it all. If Faith wasn’t dirty, then perhaps proving her father was would rightfully devastate her. She would need someone then.

She would need her lover to comfort her.

Tennessee Smith suddenly knew one thing. He intended to be that man.

* * * *

Faith watched the scene in front of her with a smile on her face. And hard nipples. Really hard nipples. It was a hot scene they were watching. Yet there was a tenderness to it.

She and Master T had walked the dungeon floor. He’d taken her up to the second floor, showing her around and patiently answering her every question. She was fascinated with the size of the club and the level of attention to detail that had gone into designing it. There were playrooms of all kinds. She’d watched a medical scene where a doctor had taken his very naughty nurse to task. It was one of the things she’d loved about the lifestyle. She’d met the “nurse” earlier in the evening, and Eve McKay had seemed so staid and intellectual. Nice, of course, but it showed another side of the woman when she’d allowed herself to be spanked and brought to orgasm by her gorgeous hubby.

The lifestyle was where she’d first learned she didn’t have to be just one person. She didn’t have to always be the in control doctor. She could find the other sides of herself and indulge them.

Like Erin was right now.

Erin was wrapped in silk rope, the gorgeous pattern forming a dress around her body. She was kneeling, her breasts on display. Theo had taken his time as he bound her. His fingers had moved slowly, lovingly creating the tortoiseshell pattern that covered Erin’s flesh. It had been easy to watch Erin slip into subspace as he worked the ropes over and over her. Her eyes had become soft, her muscles relaxing.

Once Theo was satisfied his submissive was properly bound and trussed, he’d begun his sweet torture. He’d taken a cube of ice and run it over the nape of her neck, causing her to shiver and writhe.

Sensation play. Faith loved it.

Master T shifted behind her, one arm around her waist as he leaned in, whispering in her ear. “I scheduled a room for us. I want to play with you.”

She felt those words across her flesh as though he could impart warmth to her with only his voice. He’d scheduled a private room for them. That meant he had plans. Plans he hadn’t discussed with her. Oh, he knew her hard and soft limits. He knew what she liked and didn’t like. So it didn’t bother her. She rather liked the idea that he’d spent time planning and plotting how they would play together. It was one of the things she loved about the D/s relationship she’d had before. She’d never felt used. Her Dom thought carefully about what would bring them both pleasure. Sex was careful, thoughtful, never taken for granted.

She was going to have sex with this amazing, gorgeous, wonderful man. It made her want to melt. Instead she nodded, letting him know she was ready whenever he was.

On the stage, Erin gasped as Theo attached a really nasty-looking clamp to her right nipple. The clamps were lovely, with pretty emeralds dangling from the end. Theo rolled the left nipple between his thumb and forefinger before slipping it on.

She would be so aware of her body. The ropes would hold her tight, clamps biting into her sensitive skin. For some people it would be torture. For people like her and Erin, it was the highest high. The endorphins would be flowing, mixing with crazy arousal and flooding her system.

Theo’s hands went to the laces of his leathers. Nice. Oral scene. That was sure to get her completely hot. Yes, she was crazy about Master T, but that didn’t mean she was blind. Theo Taggart was a total hottie. She’d been looking forward to seeing him without his clothes on. She’d seen him without a shirt, and that was one phenomenal chest. From the racket Erin could make, Faith had a hunch her friend’s Dom had a nice package and she was going to…