Sapphire (10 page)

“It is a good thing that Sapphire is a compelling agent. Quite simply, Roberto Ventrilo is as vicious, dangerous, and demented as he is charming. The more I see of him, I’m convinced that he is a misogynistic psychopath.”

Jase picked up a remote control and pointed it at a receiver on the table. The monitor screens on the various walls came to life. Roberto Ventrilo strode through the doors of the impressive club that Sapphire had seen only in pictures. She recognized the tall black man standing in the doorway among a group of guards. She arched a quizzical brow and turned to Noah who grinned.

Jase nodded in confirmation. “In the last two months we have been able to insinuate a number of our agents into the club. Ruby is their newest serving girl and Noah is only one of Ventrilo’s trusted guards who is also one of our agents.”

Turning to Gabriella, Jase intoned, “You are aware from the materials I gave you that Roberto Ventrilo is a ranking member of the Vegas Cartel. We’d always known he was into drugs, but through happenstance we learned of his link to the international human trafficking market. We perhaps should have guessed at his participation in the hideous enterprise given his well-known proclivities.”

Pointing to the image on the screen, Jase’s voice deepened.

“The
Caligula
Club
is devoted to the practice of BDSM. On the surface it has all the protections and guidelines consistent with the upscale Gentlemen’s Clubs that attract men who live the lifestyle. Their members require the security and privacy the Club offers. Their stature makes it essential that the Club meets the legal requirements imposed by the state. At least on the surface it does.”

A smiling Roberto Ventrilo chatting with a group of what appeared to be prominent businessmen confirmed the image that Jase described.

Pointing to the devilishly handsome man, Jase continued.

“While most of the sexually oriented activities of the
Caligula
meet the legal requirements, Roberto chose to name his Club for a reason. His roguish admiration of the insanely debauched Roman leader is in fact only one of the indications of his personal depravity. While you may or may not ascribe to the practices inherent in the BDSM scene, the one consistent element in the sanctioned clubs is that the acts performed are safe, legal and consensual. While that describes most of the activities at the
Caligula,
Ventrilo is the outlier. To put it succinctly, Roberto Ventrilo is a cruel, dangerous sadist. His doppelganger Caligula had nothing on this clearly depraved man.”

Jase paused and emitted a heavy sigh. Focusing on Sapphire, his frown was apparent.

“As I said earlier, it is a good thing that Sapphire is strong and multitalented as her role is to bait this evil man—essentially get him to take her on as a conquest. If that isn’t dangerous enough, what we are hoping is that she can uncover concrete evidence of his role in the trafficking arena.”

Jase let the silence settle for a moment underscoring the seriousness of the mission. Even though Sapphire had studied the evil man they were targeting, the grave expression on Jase’s face, and the obvious concern of the others, underscored the dangers she was facing. Jase’s recounting brought her back to the present. Turning to her, he underscored the obvious.

“The reason your role is so essential, Sapphire, is that Ventrilo prefers, make that he
insists
that any woman he personally associates with has your physical characteristics. Not just any beautiful woman will suffice. We’ve tried introducing other women, including Ruby, and while Roberto is pleased to keep them around for his visual pleasure, he has not taken them as conquests. Unfortunately the only woman that we are personally aware of who met his requirements is Aimee Carpenter, Senator Carpenter’s oldest daughter. It was her disappearance that led us to Ventrilo’s link to the trafficking arena.”

Pausing once again, Jase froze the image on the screen. The stunningly handsome, well-dressed man with the flashing dark eyes, lean body and a shock of long black hair secured at his nape with a leather cord, could have been any successful international entrepreneur. That he was a drug lord who romped with some of the most dangerous men in the world had been known by the authorities for some time. That he was also a crazed sexual sadist and likely a murderer of beautiful young women who looked like her was new news. It should have frightened Gabriella. Instead, it galvanized her.

She now knew her role in the op and accepted it eagerly. Taking down evil men was her mission in life. But something in the man’s eyes that he had unknowingly revealed to the camera unexpectantly filled her with dread. In that captured image, she saw the demonic evil that Jase had been describing. Catching his eye, and seeing his concern, Sapphire swallowed hard, choking back her fear. Grateful that her voice didn’t crack or waver, she addressed the group as a whole.

“Caligula was murdered by men he trusted. This modern day tyrant is about to meet the same fate. My job is to get him to trust me as much as Caligula trusted the men who killed him.”

She paused and added dispassionately, “Which I will do without hesitation, and with pleasure.”

Chapter10

“Y
ou two, wait here. I want to speak with you both.” Diamond’s customary frown deepened as she turned to Sapphire. “Particularly you.”

Sapphire’s chest tightened. Naturally her formidable boss would have to add that last warning. Just as she was beginning to feel that she had redeemed herself with her confident claim that Roberto Ventrilo would meet his demise at her hands, Diamond cut her down again and, of course, in front of her team.

Having already said good bye to Ian and Noah, and even managed a cursory nod to Jase, Gabriella had congratulated herself on making it largely unscathed through the meeting that had cost her a sleepless night of worry. Knowing that she would be meeting with the intimidating troika the first thing in the morning had ensured that what little sleep she might have had was a pipe dream at best. She still didn’t know how she had finally fallen asleep after castigating herself for hours. She ranted and raged at her image in the mirror for everything from agreeing to meet Jase
alone
, to allowing him into her house. What she regretted the most was not telling him to go to hell and take his stupid mission with him.

Two hours in the middle of the night, beating the punching bag in her home gym until her hands and arms throbbed with the effort, followed by a blistering hot shower and finally half a bottle of wine, couldn’t erase the most agonizing memories. It wasn’t the fact that she’d submitted to—make that participated in—one of the most electrifying kisses she’d ever had, in front of at least 100 noisy patrons in the bar. No, that behavior was uncalled for but paled in comparison to the assault she endured against the wall in her living room. Even now as she silently groaned at the memory, she startled at the shivers of sensation that flickered between her thighs. Good God, just the thought of Jase’s arms around her, his tongue in her mouth and, admit it, his searching fingers pushing aside her panties, were enough to make her swoon.

It was that last thought that caused her the most agony. Dammit, why had she worn what she did? It would have been so easy to wear jeans or her trademark leather pants. Both discouraged wandering hands. But no, even though she was meeting a guy who could best be described as “sex on a stick” she’d decided she could do him one better. She’d chosen a short flirty skirt, knee high boots, a stretchy halter that made the most of her full breasts and a leather bomber jacket. As her mother would say, wrinkling her nose in distaste, “What did you expect, Gabriella?”

Even though her mother was wrong and men should be able to control their sexual impulses no matter what the woman wore, in fairness, Sapphire admitted that she wanted Jase to find her attractive. She wanted him to be enticed. Turnabout was fair play wasn’t it? God knows,
she
was definitely enticed. As it was she could hardly breathe thinking about him particularly when her wayward brain went to those expert fingers of his. It was bad enough when he slid his hand up her thigh, squeezing the sensitive skin. But when he cupped her sex and then moved the scrap of her lace thong aside she almost collapsed from the sensations rioting over her.

Sapphire reminded herself that was when he stepped back. Stopped. Made it clear that he was in charge right down to how much excitement he would allow her to have. She should despise him. At one level she did. He was precisely the kind of man she
did
despise. Arrogant, overbearing, and, in Jase’s case, devastatingly handsome.

As if her life wasn’t tormented enough, now here she was faced with her unsmiling boss ordering her to follow her into her private quarters for what was sure to be a stinging reprimand. She’d known that at some point she would have to face Diamond’s ire without the buffer of Ian’s presence. But why did the intimidating woman have to make sure that the rest of the team knew that she is on probation at best. She thought that she’d handled herself well in the meeting. She’d been calm, professional and assertive. In other words, she’d been the epitome of the trained agent that she had spent her adult life becoming. Now, like a naughty child ordered to the woodshed, she followed her martinet leader into Riley’s inner chambers. Gabriella refused to look back at the three men she most wanted to impress, not wanting to see the amused expressions she was certain were on their faces.

Closing the door behind her, Sapphire was grateful when Ruby reached out and squeezed her hand. The surprising gesture underscored that her fellow agent knew what she was going through. It also confirmed that Diamond was as fearsome as she appeared and that Sapphire wasn’t the only “lady” who had faced her ire. The thought was comforting and she threw Ruby a grateful smile. To keep from dwelling on her boss who’d marched to sit behind her desk as if mounting her throne, Sapphire took in the redheaded woman beside her.

Ruby was indeed more petite than most of the agents Gabriella knew but she was surprisingly voluptuous. Her high, lush breasts, curvy hips, and cloud of bright auburn curls dancing down her back were show-stopping. Her cheerful smile and confident laugh were engaging. Gabriella had seen how the three men in the room brightened when Ruby smiled at them or let loose a peal of infectious laughter. And why wouldn’t they? Sapphire had felt that same appealing warmth from the vivacious sprite. But Ruby was clearly more than merely a beautiful woman. Her sharp retorts and insightful questions had livened the debate among the six of them. Intuitively, Gabriella knew this diminutive woman was not to be messed with. Glancing at Diamond’s stony countenance, she breathed a grateful sigh and squeezed Ruby’s hand. It was good to know that she had a worthy teammate.

“I hope you know what you are getting into, Sapphire. This mission promises to be one of the most challenging I’ve agreed to. If Ian hadn’t come to me specifically requesting that I provide one of my agents. I would’ve dismissed it out of hand.” Her already stern expression hardened more. “And I can assure you that I wouldn’t have recommended you.”

Gabriella nodded wondering if somehow her snappish boss thought that she hadn’t already made that clear. Not for the first time, Gabriella wondered how a woman as stunningly beautiful could be such a hard core bitch. She responded gamely, refusing to be cowed by Diamond.

“I know you’re angry with me, Diamond, but, I assure you, I’m up to the operation.”

Diamond gave a dismissive sniff. “You better hope you are. This is the last chance you will have to prove that you’re LOTN caliber.” For emphasis, and because she apparently liked piling on, Diamond added, “If it wasn’t for the fact that our mark has a penchant for willowy blondes with blue eyes and big tits, we wouldn’t be considering you.”

To Sapphire’s relief, Ruby broke in.

“Diamond’s correct, Sapphire. Jase got me into the
Caligula
but I didn’t get more than a friendly pat on my ass from the demonic Roberto Ventrilo. Seems that redheads don’t cause the predator’s flag to rise. But, I will tell you, you are golden in more ways than one.” Her lip quirked up and a twinkle sparkled in her dark brown eyes. “Except for the fact that this gig is dangerous as hell, the fact that you get to enter on the arm of that luscious eye candy, Jase Malone, turns me green with envy.”

Before Sapphire could respond to Ruby’s surprising assertion that she was entering the job on “Jase’s arm,” Diamond took up the theme.

“And that, Sapphire, is my primary concern. Jase Malone is not a man to toy with.”

Before Sapphire could deny that she ever would toy with the arrogant man, Diamond cut her short with a sneer.

“Before you deny it, know that Malone has a reputation with women that rivals the most outrageous lothario you’ll ever hope to meet. Add to the fact that he is charming and the single most dangerous man I know, except perhaps for Ian Ross, you will do well to put aside any foolish thoughts that the man may be interested in you as any more than a partner.”

Sapphire gasped. Good God, had she given herself away? Somehow telegraphed to the insightful woman what had happened last night? Knowing that her cheeks were flaming she glared at Diamond and did her best to respond dismissively.

“I can assure you, Diamond, thinking that Col. Malone is interested in me as anything more than an agent is the last thing I would do. I have spent the last six years of my life working with men who were convinced that they were God’s gift to women. Agent Malone is simply one more tiresome, arrogant man strutting around the barnyard; behavior that I find humorous— not appealing.”