by Maddie Wade
Her eyes lit up in surprise. “Shut up! No way do they own that club. It’s so exclusive, and I know people have to register interest months in advance to get a membership, and, even then, the process is harder than joining the fucking CIA.”
“Umm, how do you know that?”
Mustique glanced away, and the answer hit him like a ton of bricks. Mari was in the lifestyle too. No fucking wonder she reacted to Jake and Ian when they’d gone all Dom on her. Ash’s hands clenched the steering wheel as he tried not to crash the car while visions of her dressed in a leather bra and shorts making his dick spring to life behind his zipper. “Are you trying to say, or rather not say, you’re a submissive?”
Mustique turned to him with a blush on her cheeks that made her look younger and so fucking pretty it almost stole his breath. “Only during playtime. Outside, I’m one hundred percent an alpha fucking female. And honestly, I haven’t played in years. I have no time to commit to it, and, with my job and all the travel I do, it makes it pretty difficult.”
If someone had told him he would be having this conversation an hour ago, he would’ve laughed in their face, yet here he was talking about BDSM as if he did so every day.
“Does it bother you?”
He frowned at her question. “Why would it bother me?”
“Some people think it’s weird or fucked up somehow.”
“No, I don’t think that at all. I just don’t know enough about it to comment really, and I guess it was a shock. You don’t strike me as a submissive.”
“You wouldn’t guess. Nick doesn’t look like a submissive either, but it isn’t about being submissive in life or mouse-like. It’s about handing over your pleasure and wellbeing to your partner.”
Ash’s dick was now at full salute and happy to get on board with everything she was saying. It was making this car journey very uncomfortable for him. “I guess not, and now we need to stop talking about this because I only have a few minutes to get my dick under control before we arrive at Lois Richards’ place. I don’t want to be questioning her about her love life with a hard-on.”
Mari smirked. The little devil knew exactly what she was doing, and didn’t that just make things worse?
“Brat.”
“Always.”
They pulled up outside a small apartment complex and parked on the street. Ash dipped his head to get a good look at the front of the building and then scanned the area, noticing Mari doing the same thing. He wondered at her comment earlier about him seeing her differently and what that meant exactly. He hadn’t seen her in action apart from earlier as they cleared the room at Moody’s and last night when she’d saved his life.
“Ready?”
He shifted his focus to her. “Let’s do this.”
They exited the vehicle, both making sure their weapons were easily accessible but hidden beneath their clothes. The listing next to a buzzer by the lobby door showed Lois lived in apartment 3B. He hit the button and waited.
“Yeah?”
“Lois, it’s Asher Thompson. Do you have a minute?”
There was a pause before the buzzer sounded to unlock the door. Ash pulled the door open, and Mari proceeded him. In silence, they climbed the stairs; the building was in good repair overall. From her social media accounts, they’d learned Lois was a lively, outgoing, fun girl, who loved to watch movies and go out with friends, taught yoga part-time, and worked at a local bank five days a week. The quick background check Brody had run for them told a similar story—she had a few debts but nothing huge, a 401K, and made a decent living for herself. Her two younger sisters were at college, and her parents had a construction business.
Stepping out of the stairwell, they headed toward her door. It opened, and Lois’s smile faltered when she spotted Mustique accompanying Ash. He hadn’t seen it before but in skin-tight black jeans, a black vest, and black stiletto boots, Mari could be a little intimidating.
Ash grinned and took the lead. “Thanks for seeing us, Lois.”
She had strawberry-blonde hair, pulled up in a bun, a sun-kissed complexion, and pale green eyes. He could see why Moody had been taken with her, if that was the case.
“Is everything okay? Is Jessie all right?”
Ash nodded. “Jessie is fine. I just wanted to ask you a few questions, if that’s okay? Can we come in?”
Lois hesitated, and he was pleased. She knew him, but she was right to be cautious. “Yeah, okay, but just for a few minutes. I’m heading out in a bit.”
Ash stepped through the doorway, and Mari followed him inside. The apartment was small but clean and tidy, and very much a home with plants and photos on the surfaces of various pieces of furniture. What stood out to him, though, was the long leather case in the corner leaning against the back of a chair.
“Would you like a drink?” Lois moved to get some water, but he and Mustique refused politely. “So, what’s this about?”
“Do you know Clint Moody?”
Her blush was all the confirmation he needed. “Yes, we met a few months ago. He was Davey’s best man.”
“How well do you know him?” Mustique asked.
Lois gave Mari her attention. “Well enough.”
Her answer was evasive, and he didn’t know what she was trying to hide from them or why. “Are you sleeping with him?” Ash watched her reaction to the direct question.
Her back stiffened. “That’s none of your business. What the hell is this?”
Mustique went for the kill. “Clint was found shot this morning in his motel room.”
Lois went gray, and he thought she might faint, as her hand covered her mouth, and she held the counter she was leaning on for dear life. “No. He… he was fine when I left him. Is he okay? I need to go to him.” Her tear-stained eyes met his, and Ash moved toward her.
“Come sit down.” Ash helped her to the couch and pushed her head between her knees to stop her from passing out.
“He’s in surgery. Hopefully we got to him in time.”
A sob came from Lois, and his eyes moved to Mari. Lois and Clint were more than a hook-up at a wedding, rather they were in love—at least Lois was.
Lois lifted her head slowly, the color coming back to her cheeks a little. “Who would hurt Clint? He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Ash bit his lip at that comment. Clint was a Navy SEAL, and he had done more than hurt people, he’d killed in the name of his country.
“Clint was seen getting into his rental car around ten-thirty last night behind the hotel. Can you tell me where he was going?”
“He was coming here. I’d borrowed an old-fashioned chimney sweep kit from a friend of a friend as a good luck charm for Davey and Jessie on their wedding day. I didn’t want to ruin my dress, so Clint put it in his car and brought it here before we went back to the hotel. Since he had a room, we stayed there, so we could walk and have a few drinks at the party.”
“Do you still have the kit?”
“Yeah, that’s it. I have to return it on Monday.” She motioned to the long bag behind her. Ash stepped over to it and looked inside to find it was indeed a chimney sweep brush set. It was also the same shape as a long gun bag, and what they’d seen on camera. Fuck. Moody had been set up.
“Did you go with Clint to your apartment?” He wanted to be sure this wasn’t a distraction.
“Yes, I wanted to change my shoes, so he drove around to the front of the hotel and picked me up at the main doors, so I didn’t have to walk all the way to the car. He’s sweet that way.” Another sob slid from her lips.
Mustique disappeared into the kitchen before returning with a glass of cold water for the other woman. “Here, drink this. Do you have someone you can call to pick you up and sit with you at the hospital?”
“Yes, I can call my mom.”
“Okay, good.”
Lois raised her eyes up, and they had steel in them when she asked, “Are you going to find the person that did this?”
“Yes, Lois, we are,” he assu
red her.
She nodded. “Good, make them pay.”
He and Mustique went towards the door, anxious to get moving and speak with Craven and find out who the shooter was.
He stopped in the doorway and regarded Lois. “How come you two kept your relationship a secret?”
“It was new, and I was worried Jessie wouldn’t be happy about it. Clint has a bit of a reputation as a player, and you know how overprotective she can be.”
“I understand, but for the record, I don’t think Clint would hurt you.”
Lois nodded, and they left closing the door behind them.
“Do you think she’s safe? She’s giving the fall guy an alibi. The real shooter could come after her,” Mustique said as soon as they were out of earshot.
“I agree, which is why I wanted someone with her. Hopefully she’ll go straight to the hospital.”
“Should we take her? We can check on Moody at the same time.”
Ash opened the car door and got in before he answered. “Why are you avoiding Craven?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You’re doing everything in your power to avoid seeing her.”
“Can we drop it, please?” She sounded tired, and he felt terrible for bringing it up.
“Fine, but you’re going to have to tell me sooner or later.”
Mustique said nothing but carried on studying the window again, hiding her eyes from him.
9
Mustique didn’t realize she was doing it until Ash had pointed it out, but he was right, she was avoiding Craven. It was silly, really, but every time she looked at the older woman, she felt a sense of loss, of what might have been for her, and it hurt. Mustique didn’t want to feel that pain or vulnerability ever again. Having Ash with her might be a good buffer, but for some reason, he saw the real her.
He saw what nobody else did—the scared girl she tried to hide from everyone, even herself. She knew he would see through her act and know something was very wrong, and he would push and push until he got the truth from her, but what choice did she have? Once again, she was backed into a corner, and the only person who would get hurt was her.
The alternative wasn’t an option, and she would walk through fire and into the jaws of hell to stop that happening. So, as they pulled up outside the senator’s home, she slid on her glasses, took a deep breath, and let Mustique the assassin lead the way. She would either come out of there intact or shredded so badly she would never be able to put herself back together again.
The house was part of a private, gated community, and they’d had to show ID to get in. Ian Sawyer had come through and gotten them an appointment to meet with the senator today. Trident had stepped up, and she would always owe them for that, but it was a marker she was happy for them to hold.
Ash whistled as they approached the house. “This must have cost a chunk of change.”
It was a luxury, two-story, six-bedroom home with a pool, cinema room, and bar. The senator also had a home office that she was currently using since learning of the threat to her daughter.
A guard opened the door and checked their IDs again before escorting them past a grand entryway with a sweeping staircase, toward the back of the house. Mustique couldn’t hear anyone else in the house and prayed it was just them and the security team. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as the guard, who was five feet ten inches and built like a bulldog, knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
He opened the door and led them in as Kate Craven strode toward them with an open and friendly smile on her face. Her cream skirt suit was pristine, as was her matching blouse. She looked every inch the successful senator, but Mustique hardly noticed, her gaze focused on the teenage girl behind her.
Mustique felt her pulse race, her skin prickle with sweat, and her breathing was shallow to the point her vision began to swim.
Ash grabbed her arm, gently drawing her attention. “Mari, are you okay?”
Mustique swallowed and thanked God she still had her shades on. “Yes, sorry. I’m fine.”
Kate Craven looked at her quizzically, and she could feel Ash’s eyes boring into her from the side. But she could hardly look away from the teen who was oblivious to them as she played on her phone.
“Senator Craven, thank you for meeting with us. I’m Ash and this is Mustique. Is there somewhere where we can talk in private?” Ash indicated the girl, and finally, Mustique pulled herself together and focused on why they were here. Slipping her glasses from her face she tucked them in her jacket. Losing focus would result in a disaster she could not allow.
“Yes, of course.” The senator turned to her daughter, and Mustique watched the exchange. “Leonie, can we finish this after lunch? I need to take this meeting.” The teen looked up, and Mustique felt her breath catch as eyes that she would remember to her dying day met hers.
The eyes of her child, the one that had been stolen from her when she was little more than a child herself. Leonie Van Der Byl, her daughter.
They stayed frozen in time as they studied each other, mother and child. It was a connection that should never be severed, but it had been, and Leonie wasn’t hers anymore. That didn’t stop the bone-deep desire to love her or protect her, and that meant keeping her safe and staying away from her.
Kate Craven was a wonderful mother and role model, and Mari would be grateful until her last breath that the senator had raised Leonie. In truth, it was more than Mari could have ever given her. It didn’t stop the pain though, or the memories. It was only seconds but felt like more before the teen turned away and smiled at her real mom, the only one she’d ever known.
“Sure. Can I go for a swim?”
“Of course, but make sure you use sunscreen.” Kate nodded indulgently at her daughter as she sashayed out of the room with a final shy grin for her and Ash, although the look Leonie gave Ash was more flirtatious than the one she gave her. Mustique laughed inwardly guessing the adage “like mother, like daughter” was true.
“Sorry, I kept her home today with the threat; she normally has ballet class on a Sunday.” Kate Craven was well aware that they knew of the threat, an introduction from Ian paving the way for them.
“That’s okay, Senator Craven,” Ash said as she showed them to a small sectional in the corner of the large office.
“Tell me what you have. Ian Sawyer said you might have more information on the threat to my daughter?” The woman was brisk and matter of fact, but it struck Mustique she wasn’t unfriendly, rather she was worried and juggling way too many plates.
“We received information that a member of your party is being blackmailed. For some reason, the target is your daughter.” Mustique watched her closely and saw the tell-tale swallow as she took in the blow.
“I shouldn’t be surprised; this business is the underbelly of the world.”
“Why do you do it then?” Mustique asked before she could stop herself.
Kate Craven locked eyes with her. “If not me, then who? How can I teach my daughter that women can make a difference in the world if I don’t stand behind my words and do it? I never planned to go into politics, but when my husband died, they asked me to run for his seat and I won. Now I go to sleep at night knowing the sacrifices I make help others.”
“It’s very noble, Senator Craven,” Ash stated.
“Oh, I have no wish to be noble,” she huffed with a humorless laugh. “I just refuse to bow down to bullies, and men like Robert Hanley would love nothing more than to see me fail. I assume it’s him we’re talking about?”
“Yes, but why did you pinpoint him?”
“Hanley hates that my approval ratings are better than his. I fell into this job, and he’d been groomed for it his entire life. He isn’t my biggest fan.” Her brow furrowed, and her hands clasped tightly, giving away her feelings. “But to target Leonie is low, even for him.” She looked straight at Mustique then. “Do you know why he’s being blackmailed and by whom, and why my daughter
is a target?”
“Yes, ma’am, but it’s best you don’t know. This has the potential to go nuclear if it gets out and we’re trying to stop that happening.”
“Why isn’t the FBI taking the lead on this?”
She was direct, and Mustique found herself liking the woman even more. “At this point we want to keep it to as few people as possible.”
Kate Craven tilted her head to Ash. “Would you be able to check my security along the perimeter? My men have upgraded it, but a second set of eyes would be nice for my peace of mind.”
Ash nodded and stood. “Of course, ma’am.”
Mustique went to stand, but Kate placed a hand on her arm. “Can I have a moment with you, please?”
She glanced at Ash who’d stopped and was looking at her in question. She had no desire to speak with Kate Craven, but then she couldn’t very well say no either. “It’s fine. I’ll come to find you in a moment.”
She smiled to try and ease the worried look on his face, and her heart clenched as her feelings for this man became apparent. When the door closed behind him, she faced Kate. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
The woman opposite seemed to drop the façade, and what Mustique saw was a seriously worried mother. “I knew this day would come. In the pit of my stomach, I always knew this would happen, but I wasn’t prepared for it.”
“Don’t worry, Senator Craven. I won’t let anything happen to your daughter. You have my word.”
“I don’t mean that, although that terrifies me too. No, I mean Leonie being your child.”
Mustique felt the room spin as she listened to the words being said. “How did you…”
“She’s the spitting image of you. How could anyone not see it?” Mustique felt her stomach tighten painfully.
“I never intended you to know,” Mustique answered. Kate Craven clenched her fist at her side and tipped her chin up.
“What do you want from me? Money? Power? I’ll give you whatever you want, but I can’t lose her. She’s my baby. I’ve loved her since the day she was handed to me.”