by J. M. Walker
I nodded in understanding. Anne, Parker’s housekeeper, was like a motherly figure to him. The elderly woman understood his needs and never batted an eye at seeing me naked from time to time. I found that I was getting comfortable in my own skin, embracing my nakedness as a new norm thanks to Parker.
“Troy asked me about your unconventional needs,” I said, remembering me blurting out that confession.
“How?” Parker asked, placing his hands on my shoulders.
“I accidentally mentioned it but quickly changed the subject. He’s not stupid though. He must have seen our special table and the shackles on the feet of the couch.”
Parker chuckled. “Maybe he and Patrick used them too. As long as they stay out of our room, I don’t care what they use.”
I laughed along with him and reached for the doorknob.
“Just because we can’t be alone doesn’t mean I still can’t control you. I know that it will excite you. Obeying me in front of everyone and no one will know,” he purred in my ear.
“Colin will know?” It wasn’t really a question but I also wasn’t sure if that was true or not.
“He will. So will Jones.”
I nodded. Made sense when they were both Doms as well.
“After you are done eating, you will look to me for your next instructions. Understand, angel?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl.” He opened the door. “Now, let the training continue.” He kissed my cheek. “Slave.”
OME PEOPLE probably thought the term slave was degrading. Maybe even insulting. Like the term meant that the person was less than the lowest life form. I guess in some cases, it was. Depending on what the situation was, I would never want to be called it either but hearing the word leave Parker’s lips did something funny to my insides. My heart raced. My palms became sweaty. A tingle of heat spread over my skin. My muscles grew taught and my back straightened. I was proud that he called me it. I almost enjoyed it more than the term pet. But angel was still and will always be my favorite.
I knew when Parker called me slave it was used as a form of trust. A bond between the two of us that only grew stronger as each day passed. I gave him that part of myself, that part that had lain dormant for so long since having it ripped from me.
As I sat at the table, the sounds of banter between Greyson’s crew, the laughter from Patrick and Troy, and the gentle voices of Jones and Colin all flew around me. It was soothing. We all joined together with one goal in mind: to bring Devin Tate to justice. Although everyone that I was with wanted him dead, I would feel more at ease if he suffered. Call me sadistic, but I wanted him to hurt more than he had hurt me and who knows what else he had done to other people. I knew going in that it would be almost impossible to bring down everyone that worked for him.
A vibration erupted in my lap, making me jump, and I glanced down at the phone in my hand. My stomach sunk when Agent Cross’ name flashed across the small screen.
Parker noticed my reaction and cupped my nape. “Tell him where you are but don’t mention my name. He may know that I’m alive but I don’t want anyone knowing that you found me yet.”
“You found me, Parker,” I said softly.
He smiled. “And I will always find you. No matter what.” He turned to the group before us. “Quiet. For just a moment.”
They silenced almost immediately.
“Okay, angel. Put him on speaker phone.”
I took a breath and answered the call. “Hello, Agent Cross.”
“You are a hard person to get ahold of, Miss Price.” His gravelly voice vibrated through the phone.
“I’ve been busy. Staying with some friends for a little bit,” I replied, ringing my hands in my lap.
“Is Parker there with you?” Cross asked.
Parker shifted beside me and shook his head.
“No,” I answered. “He’s not.” The lies came easier and easier, I almost believed them myself.
“Now, Keely. When are you going to stop lying to me?”
I opened my mouth to reply when Greyson rose from his spot across from me. He held his finger to his lips and walked up to me, leaning on the table.
“Mr. Cross. I find it highly unprofessional for you to be badgering Keely.” Greyson’s voice was smooth like silk. His tone was that of a man with power with an underlining edge of contempt and control, bringing anyone to their knees.
“And you are?” Cross asked, his tone condescending.
“Greyson—”
“Ah. Greyson Mercer. President of The Hell’s Harlem. It’s a pleasure.”
“The feeling is not mutual,” Greyson bit out.
“What did you want, Cross?” I interjected. We had enough problems. We didn’t need the Feds all over us.
Agent Cross chuckled. “Always to the point. That man of yours taught you well.”
Parker growled and leaned down to my ear. “Ask him what he wants again,” he whispered. “Fucking guy needs to focus.”
“What do you want?” I repeated, squeezing Parker’s hand tight in mine. We already had an issue of jealousy over the agent since I flirted with the guy to get answers but now that I was in a room with a bunch of men, I couldn’t very well do that again.
“I want to help.”
“Why?” Greyson asked, gripping the edge of the table.
“Because Devin Tate has shit on the FBI as much as the rest of you. And I know that it’s not just you and Keely there. I also know that I’m on speakerphone.” Some shuffling came through on the line like Cross was switching ears. “Now tell me. How can I help?”
“Leave us the fuck alone,” Ex snapped, pounding his fist against the table.
“Sounds like you have a full house.” Cross laughed.
“If you don’t tell me what you want, I’m hanging up, Agent.” I was sick of his shit. His games that he liked to play thinking that he could make me break. Well, no man would make me break ever again. The only person that could come close to it, was Parker. But for that to happen, he would make me into a stronger person. A powerful woman. And we would bring down Devin together.
“Keely, you still there?” Cross asked.
My cheeks heated. “Yes. Sorry.”
“Where are you?”
I glanced at Colin and waited for his okay before I answered.
He nodded once.
“I’m staying at a friend’s cottage,” I finally said.
“Fine. Meet me at the station tomorrow at 3pm,” he demanded.
“And if I don’t?”
Cross chuckled. “You may have all of these men wrapped around your little finger, but I can see right through you. Don’t test me, Miss Price.”
I jumped at the sound of the click when he hung up. Rubbing my hands down my face, I took deep cleansing breaths. Tomorrow I would meet up with Agent Cross again. How the hell was I going to be able to keep a straight face, pretending that I still haven’t seen Parker? Over the phone is one thing. Last time, I hadn’t seen Parker so I could play into it. But now? I was screwed.
“Keely,” Parker whispered in my ear, cupping my nape.
“I can’t do this. You need to come with me tomorrow. I won’t be able to hold back that I’ve seen you.” The words poured out of me in a desperate plea. I couldn’t do this on my own. I needed Parker there.
“You know I can’t go.” Parker frowned. “You’ll be fine.”
“No!” I shoved to my feet, knocking over the chair.
All conversation stopped and I could feel everyone in the room staring at me. Probably thinking that I was finally losing it. This was it. Keely Price was breaking.
“Keely. Sit down,” Parker said, his voice filled with warning.
I shook my head. “No. I can’t do this anymore. I’ve already lied to Troy for God knows how long. Lying to Agent Cross doesn’t bother me as much but I know my acting is not that good. I won’t be able to hide the fact that you’re here. That I’ve seen you. And then everything will be ruined. He’s good, Parker. And�
�and…Devin knows that you’re alive. I just…”
“And exactly how does Devin know?” Parker bit out.
“I already told you that he knew.” I frowned. “Why are you surprised?”
“You told me that he’s alive but you never told me how he knows this.”
I glanced at Troy and he nodded, encouraging me to go on. The package. I completely forgot to tell Parker about it. Shit.
“Keely, what the hell is going on?” Parker barked.
“I received a package a couple of days ago. From Devin. It was a box of roses with,” I swallowed hard. “Blood on them. He told me that it was your blood. He was trying to break me. To get me to say that you were alive or something. God, Parker. I’m sorry.”
Parker’s jade eyes locked with mine but he didn’t say anything. His composure was cool, calm, collected even.
And I waited. For him to yell. For him to scream, demanding to know why I never told him but when none of that happened, it sent my nerves racing.
“Gentlemen, please excuse Keely as she’s tired and needs her rest.” He glanced at the group surrounding the table. “Whatever you do tonight or wherever you stay, meet back here tomorrow night.” He looked at me again. “Say goodnight, Keely.”
My mouth opened and closed. My brain was screaming for me to tell him off. To tell him that I was fine and that I wasn’t tired. That he couldn’t control me completely unless I gave him permission. But the darkness in his eyes stopped me.
“Goodnight everyone.” Before they could respond, I hightailed it out of there and headed to the room that Parker and I had shared since he helped me fly.
Upon reaching the small bedroom, I paced back and forth. My body vibrated, knowing that the next conversation was going to be a fight. I huffed, stripping off my clothes and made my way to the bathroom in desperate need of a shower. The warm steam soon filled the room and I stepped under the hot spray.
The sound of the shower door closing a moment later made me jump. I never even heard Parker come into the bathroom.
“I’m sorry,” was all I said.
“I understand that you had a life before me. I get that. Devin may have abused you but I know that a part of you loved him.” Parker ran his soapy hands down my arms. “Maybe that part still does.”
A lump formed in my throat at the sadness that dripped from his words. Devin was the biggest asshole but he wasn’t always like that. He wasn’t always abusive. He loved me at one point. But the power and control took over and I faced the brunt of that wrath.
“Parker, he was only trying to scare me. I’m used to it. But I sometimes forget that I don’t have to deal with this on my own.” I turned in Parker’s arms and grazed my fingers down his hard torso. “After everything that I’ve been through with him…I guess a part of me wants to help him.”
Parker stiffened. “Keely—”
“I know. It’s crazy. Trust me, I so know this.”
He pinched my chin, tilting my head to meet his gaze. “If it came down to it, could you kill him?”
“Yes.” I gasped at my quick response. Guilt twisted at my stomach, eating its way through the pit of my being.
Parker didn’t say anything else. He just nodded and went back to washing me.
I frowned, confusion settling in the confines of my chest.
“What?” he asked when he caught my look.
“I’m just surprised. I thought we were going to have a fight,” I said softly.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because of the Devin shit. Me meeting with Agent Cross tomorrow…”
“I’m not going with you, Keely.” His tone of voice dared me to argue with him and I shouldn’t have. I knew that. But there was no way that I was meeting Cross without Parker.
“I’m not going alone tomorrow. I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
I stepped out of his embrace. “No. I’m stronger with you there. We can get Cross to meet up with us at a motel or something.”
Parker rolled his eyes. “You’ve been watching way too many movies.”
“Parker.”
“It doesn’t work that way,” he snapped.
Now we were fighting. I took a deep breath. “Then I will call Cross and cancel because I’m not doing this again. You’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming first,” I said through clenched teeth.
“You will go.”
I shoved past him and left the heat of the stall. Drying myself off, I threw the towel on the floor and headed back into the bedroom.
The shower shut off and Parker joined me in the room a minute later. “Keely.”
Ignoring him, I got dressed and threw my wet, curly hair up into a messy bun.
“Where the hell are you going?” he asked when I left the room.
“I’m done,” I said. I couldn’t take this anymore. I was running. I knew this but if Parker really wanted me, he would run with me.
“You can’t fucking leave.” He grabbed my arm, spinning me towards him.
“Stop!” I pushed out of his grip.
“Bring her upstairs. Now.”
We both paused at the deep boom of the voice coming from Colin. He stood at the doorway, his eyes dark with fury.
I shoved out of Parker’s hold and followed Colin upstairs. Parker was hot on my heels as we made our way into the office.
My gaze landed on Troy and Patrick sitting alone at the dining room table. Troy looked up, a small smile splayed on his lips. Things still weren’t perfect between us but I couldn’t expect anything else at the moment. Time was what he needed and I would give it to him.
Colin stopped once he reached a floor to ceiling bookshelf in the large room. His fingers grazed over a book before he removed it from the shelf. “Now, I understand where you both are coming from. I do. But Parker? Keely is right. Go with her tomorrow and get Agent Cross to meet you somewhere remote. Not in the city. Or if you meet in the city, we will all be there.”
“But that fucking defeats the purpose of me being dead.”
“He’s talked to you on the phone,” Colin snapped. “He knows that you’re alive. Just because he can’t see you doesn’t mean shit. Now get your head out of your ass and give up some of that damn control. Save it for the bedroom or else it will destroy your relationship. It’s already rocky as it is.”
“Our relationship is fine.” Parker grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles for added affect.
“Is it, Parker?” I asked, pulling from him. “Are we fine?”
His brows narrowed. “Yes.”
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms under my chest, turning away from him.
“Roll your eyes at me again, brat, and I’ll bend you over, spanking your ass so hard, you come instantly,” he growled in my ear.
My heart raced at the underlying tone of lust and anger. “I just want things normal,” I whispered.
Parker sighed and kissed my head. “I want things to be normal also. I want to spend my life with you. I want…”
I looked up at him when his words trailed off.
“I want you. That’s it. If I only have you, than nothing else matters.” He cupped my cheek, grazing his thumb over my bottom lip. “Nothing.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “You have me.” I wrapped my arms around his middle. “I promise.”
“We need to get this shit over with,” Colin said, pulling a key from his pocket. “We need Devin brought down before any of us can have a normal life.”
I watched as Colin stuck the key in a lock on the bookshelf. My eyes widened when the shelf moved, opening to another room.
Colin smirked. “Ready?”
“Yes,” Parker responded. “She needs to see this.”
“See what?” I asked, looking between them both. I had seen enough lately. I didn’t know if I could handle any more surprises.
Parker placed his hands on my shoulders. “You trust me, right?”
“Of course.” I glanced at Colin. “I trust you both.�
�
“Good.” Parker led me towards the room that I never knew existed until now. “I meant to show you your surprise earlier.”
Colin stepped aside.
My eyes widened when the lights flicked on. “Holy balls on a cracker,” I said in awe. The room wasn’t big by any means but the stuff it held were some of the most powerful pieces of equipment I had ever laid eyes on. The far wall held four computer screens. It was like a nerd’s wet dream. God, it was a wet dream for me! My inner geek wanted to come out and play. The hacker in me stirred. My fingers tingled, wanting to brush the tips over the smooth black keys of the keyboard.
I stepped further into the room, my gaze dancing over everything, taking it all in. It was like a dream come true. I felt the need to memorize every single detail before the fantasy popped like a balloon in my face.
“Every single item in this room has been handmade. Handcrafted for a computer genius like yourself,” Parker explained, coming up behind me.
“Genius? I’ve never been called that before.” Computer hacker, yes. But genius? I didn’t think so.
“The way you move around a computer…” Colin grunted. “If only I knew half of the stuff you did. It would make my life a whole hell of a lot easier.”
“Why are you showing me this stuff?” I asked, grazing my fingers over the keyboard. A soft whimper escaped me when the screens came to life.
“Because we need your help.” Colin came up beside me. “This is all yours. You can take it home with you once this is all over. I also don’t know shit about computers but Jones and Parker insisted that we have this set up. This gives you access to everything that Devin has done for as long as I can remember.”
My eyes widened. “Seriously? Does that mean…” I swallowed hard.
He nodded. “Yeah. It means that you’re in here too.”
I looked at Parker before turning back to Colin. “I will do whatever I can to help but I can’t see that part of my life again. That girl no longer exists. You have to understand that.”
“I do.” He pulled up a chair and sat down, scrubbing a hand over his face. “But we need to go back to the beginning. We need to find out how he started this shit in the first place.”
“He started off with drugs.” I paused when I felt Colin and Parker staring at me. “What? You didn’t know that?”