What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 7)

by Lexi Buchanan

  She took a breath and let it out. “Frustrated. And I’m nervous about Kadir, but part of me likes this. Likes the rush and danger. I’m so horny right now, too. I don’t know if it’s because of you or because of what I’m about to do. But I’m afraid, too.” Her phone chirped.

  Jason stopped. “Is that important?”

  “No, the ringtone indicates it’s a minor news alert.”

  He took her wrists and brought her arms down to her sides, then grasped her hands. “What are you afraid of?” he whispered.

  She had to tell him. “What this is going to do to us. What if I decide I like being a submissive? What happens after this mission is over?” Her voice cracked, because the memories of what had happened before came back.

  He took her in his arms. His clothes rubbed over her sensitive skin. If only she could feel naked skin against hers. “It’ll be okay.” He leaned back and looked at her with troubled eyes. “I won’t let our mission stand between us. We can handle it.”

  She nodded, still unsure. “Okay.” She forced a smile. In the back of her mind, something dug away at her confidence and trust. He’d never said he loved her. “Class over?”

  “Yes, class is over.” His words were smooth and gentle. It didn’t help.

  “Then why are you still dressed?” she asked, tugging at his pants.

  He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “How quickly you step out of the submissive role. But you have a meeting. We’ll have to finish this later.”

  She glared at him, then the laugh rolled up inside and she burst out in giggles. “Merritt. I will kill you, but not today.”

  “Good. I get a running start.” He kissed her tenderly on the mouth. Fire blazed in his eyes again.

  He helped her dress, minus the pantyhose.

  Her phone chirped again. She checked. “I was right. It was a fire. A car fire.” She clicked on the link and read more, then read a text from Melissa. “Oh my God, Jason. It’s Alana.”

  Zoe’s gut clenched as she waited in a chair in front of Julia’s desk for her to get off the phone. Jason grasped Zoe’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

  “Let us know if there’s any change,” Julia said into the phone then hung up. She took a breath and held her hands to her mouth, then gently placed her palms flat on the desk. “Alana’s in critical condition. The burns are minimal, but the concussion from the blast is their main concern.”

  “The blast? I thought her car caught fire,” Zoe said, her voice strained.

  “That’s what the media are saying. What the police and FBI told them they’re allowed to say. It was a car bomb that luckily went off early.”

  “Luckily?” Zoe clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from shouting. “Aleid. It was Aleid, wasn’t it?”

  “We can’t prove that,” Julia said. “That’s what we suspect. He hired someone.”

  “I should’ve stopped her when she wanted to see his face in the hallway.” Zoe hung her head, shaking.

  Jason patted her arm. “She’s been in the FLC the longest. She knows the dangers and ignored the guidelines. No contact with the targets after a presentation.” He looked at Julia. “Are we canceling the other presentations?”

  “Cancel? Why?” Zoe shifted in her seat and stared him down. As much as her stomach rolled every time she thought about playing slave to that madman Kadir, the FLC was working and she would be doing something important. This program affected the lives of many people and could make the world less violent. “A number of other countries have signed the treaty because of the FLC, countries who swore they wouldn’t sign. We can’t stop now.”

  “We’re not canceling anything.” Julia held her face in her hands. “In fact, as you’ll see in a few minutes, we’re upping our schedule.” Extra chairs had been brought into the room. Julia must be having another meeting after theirs, or were others joining in this meeting?

  “What do you mean?” Jason asked. “After an exposure like that, aren’t we taking unnecessary risks continuing?”

  “It was dangerous in this case because we did something foolish,” Zoe argued. “It won’t happen again.”

  “You mean like Turkey?” Jason asked his tone even. He wasn’t letting this drop. Why was he determined to undermine her? Hadn’t he gotten her this job?

  Turkey had been her fault. She’d lost her nerve during the deal, and the dealers had sensed that. They would’ve killed her eventually, after they’d all had their turn and tortured her for as much information as they could. The image of the head man ripping her clothes off and three others holding her on the cold concrete floor flashed in her mind. Then Jason and the team had been yanking bodies off of her, bullets and blood flying, and it had all been over before she could crawl for cover. They’d had to blow their covers and the mission to rescue her. They’d failed to stop the deal for bombs and other arms from going through. The same weapons were linked to a bombing attack a month later in London.

  “This isn’t Turkey,” Zoe argued. “This is too important to quit because of a little risk.”

  “I’m glad you think that, because with Alana out, we’ll need you to do another presentation with the Algerian vice president. The president is seriously ill, and the vice president has stepped in for him.”

  “What?” Jason snapped.

  Julia raised her chin. “Vice President Qadir Muhunnad was going to be scheduled with Alana. She was his submissive until the accident. Melissa does not do submissive.”

  “That’s fine,” Zoe said. “Fill me in on the details or have Melissa do that.”

  “I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Jason said. “There’s no time to plan.”

  Zoe glared at him. Was he going to challenge her participation at every turn?

  The press secretary ignored them for the moment as she flipped through a manila folder, slamming each page or photo on her desk. The scent of fresh potpourri drifted through the room. Without moving her head, Zoe spied the crystal bowl filled with the dried flowers on a bookcase. Every object in Julia’s office was meticulously placed, like a staged house in an upscale real estate sale. And Zoe’s coworkers teased her about being OCD. The bookcase also held a small Zen sand garden with the tiny rakes and smooth stones and a Newton’s cradle, those silver balls that bounce in perpetual motion. Had someone given these to Julia as gifts because they thought she needed to chill? In the two weeks Zoe had been there, she’d never known Julia to chill.

  Julia closed the folder, picked up her cell phone and punched out a text. Finally, she looked up at Zoe and locked eyes. “Jason is right about your presentation with Kadir probably being the most dangerous.” Julia held up the file.

  “I’ve seen it,” Zoe said, unperturbed.

  Julia sighed, clenching a pen in her hands, then pointed it at both of them. “Don’t get a false sense of security just because you’re working in the White House. Treat this project as if you’re on a mission in a highly volatile area.”

  Zoe nodded. She couldn’t argue with that. Had her boss ever spent time in a jungle overrun by guerrillas? “I understand.”

  “Fine. Alana’s in a lot of danger. She’s under twenty-four-hour guard.”

  “Good,” Zoe said.

  Julia leaned over her desk and lowered her voice. “I’m sure we won’t see a repeat of this morning’s fiasco.” She continued to stare, waiting for Zoe’s answer. The woman’s lower lip trembled, and her hands shook. Zoe couldn’t decide if it was fear or fury.

  “No, ma’am.”

  Julia shook her head and gazed up at the ceiling.

  “No more mistakes. Stay focused on the project. I’ll give you updates on Alana. No one is to visit her.”

  “Why not?” Zoe exclaimed.

  “I’ll explain in a moment,” Julia answered. “Now, I hope your training is completed.”

  The door to Julia’s office swung open, and General Terrence Guzman stormed in with Julia’s administrative assistant frantically following behind. “I told you, Julia, this type of o
peration should not be run by civilians. This is a catastrophe.”

  Julia waved a hand to her panicked administrative assistant. “It’s all right, Heather.” Julia narrowed her eyes at the general. “Thank you for coming, Terrence. Have a seat, please.”

  He glowered at her. “This operation must stop now, before any other—”

  “Sit down, General,” Julia ordered. “We have a lot to cover.”

  He took a deep breath, and Zoe expected him to explode, but he didn’t. He sat.

  Heather, the young administrative assistant, who had long dark hair and intelligent eyes, stood patiently by the door. “Excuse me, Ms. Flynn. The others are here. Shall I send them in?”

  “Just a minute.” Julia held up her hand, making the girl wait. “Is she ready for her presentation?” she asked Jason, glancing at Zoe.

  “Yes, she’s ready. Melissa and I will go over a few more details with her. But she’ll be ready,” Jason said.

  “Good.” Julia looked at Heather. “Yes, send them in, thank you.” The other members of the FLC, at least those whom Zoe had met, entered the room, and each took a seat. Melissa, the three Secret Service agents in addition to Jason—Tyler Kirkwood, Clay Stewart and Johnny Vargas—Frank Phillips the security adviser and Chief of Staff Eric Rowland. By their expressions, Zoe expected they’d heard about Alana.

  “Any more news about Alana?” Melissa asked. “I keep calling the guard on duty, and he keeps hanging up on me.”

  Now Zoe folded her hands on her lap to keep them from shaking. She swallowed. There was no turning back now. Julia was right. They had to remain focused. Too much was at stake. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

  Jason reached over to give her hand a squeeze then rubbed his thumb over her wrist. When she looked down, a physical pull yanked her insides. Red marks encircled both wrists, and he’d noticed them.

  A wave of heat slid over her skin. Were there red marks around her ankles, too? Had Julia noticed? Zoe pressed her thighs together. Her body was still worked up from their scene in her office. She shot Jason a warning look and hoped no one else noticed the marks.

  Julia leaned back in her chair. “Thank you for coming on short notice,” she said after her assistant closed the door. “We’re about to increase the schedule of our presentations right after our welcoming reception on Friday evening in the White House. Many of the targeted leaders will be attending, except the president from Iran.” The group remained quiet, waiting for Julia to continue. “But there’s a problem. We have to be on high-security alert because we cannot rule out the possibility of a leak. We suspect the secrecy of the FLC has been compromised.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Adrenaline has a taste, and fear could shift the atmosphere of a room. Jason picked all that up when the members of the FLC entered Julia’s office and heard her words of a possible leak. Jason had suspected something more was up, since Julia rarely called these meetings.

  “You probably heard about Alana’s accident,” Julia said. “She’s in critical condition. The doctors are hopeful for a recovery. At this point we believe this is an isolated incident. But we can’t rule out sabotage of the FLC by a mole.”

  “How can you be so sure?” General Guzman asked.

  “Because of what led up to the bombing,” Julia said.

  “Aleid saw Alana coming out of the Oval Office and recognized her. It wasn’t long after that that the bombing occurred. We know Aleid has ties to terrorist groups, but it doesn’t prove he was responsible. Other terrorists could be linked to the car bomb,” Guzman said, crossing his arms.

  “Zoe saw him glance at Alana’s badge,” Julia added.

  The room fell silent.

  “I appreciate the work the FLC is doing,” Chief of Staff Eric Rowland said. “But aren’t you getting in over your head? Doesn’t this put the first lady in jeopardy?”

  “I have to agree,” Frank said. “But the first lady won’t back down. I’ve tried talking to her.”

  “It’s too late for that now anyway,” Julia said. “With all of the targeted delegates in town, we need to move up our schedule. Melissa, Zoe and I will be taking on the additional presentations. As needed. There will be a private reception in the White House on Friday evening for the delegates. The first lady will be giving tours to the Red Tape Room.”

  Jason held back from whistling. Julia never participated. And tours during a party were very risky. They must be desperate. “What about the media? If they notice the first lady wandering off, they may try to tag along,” Jason said.

  “No media are allowed.”

  “That’s a relief,” Tyler said. “What about Zoe and Melissa? Should they not attend?”

  “No, they should. It’ll give them a chance to study their targets in person. Avoid speaking with the delegates, if possible. No badges after you enter the White House. If you speak to the delegates, don’t give them your real names, and if asked, you work as White House staff, nothing more.” Julia looked around the room, as if expecting more arguments.

  “I don’t like the idea of Zoe meeting Kadir ahead of time,” Jason said. “The man is highly intelligent and brutal.”

  Julia smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. He won’t be there. Zoe won’t have to worry about anyone other than Kadir. The Algerian vice president is a secondary concern. Kadir’s a huge player in the success of the peace agreement. We want her to be focused mainly on him.”

  Jason nodded. Kadir was the worst of all their targets and the most challenging. One madman was enough.

  “Mrs. Bryson is meeting with the Algerian vice president tomorrow. The Iranian president will be in on Saturday. Expect to do your presentation by the beginning of the week, Zoe.”

  “Yes, I’ll be ready.”

  Jason didn’t make eye contact with anyone. He heard his breathing and concentrated on slowing it down. This was going to happen, and he didn’t think there was any way to stop it.

  “Nothing can go wrong or this project will collapse and the world could be tangled in wars for decades.” Julia pressed her lips tightly together then rolled her shoulders back. “We have a serious problem.”

  “Bad timing for a leak,” Johnny said in his New York accent. “Who do you think it might be?”

  Julia’s fists were clenched on her desk. “The FLC has been a vital part of this nation for over a hundred and fifty years, having to deal with very difficult issues. It will continue. If there is a leak, trust that it will be dealt with in the most severe way possible.”

  After they finished dinner, Jason cleaned up the kitchen while Zoe put on a pot of coffee. Dexter had eaten and was curled up in his bed in the dining room. “I think he likes you,” Zoe said, her heart swelling. She took out a couple of mugs and placed them on the island.

  “Dexter? How do you know?” Jason grinned. He’d asked if he could take him for a walk the moment they got to her house.

  “Because he doesn’t bark anymore when you come over.”

  “I found the trick.” He wagged his eyebrows.

  “What trick?” He was teasing her.

  “I picked up some dog treats.” He pulled them out of his pocket and showed them to her.

  “Cheater.” She play-punched his shoulder. “So was there a trick with me?”

  His face turned serious. He tossed the dog treat into Dexter’s bowl and took her into his arms. “No trick.” He pressed her head to his chest and stroked her hair. “I know I left without saying good-bye. After Turkey, I needed time to think. Working together was going to eventually get us killed.”

  “It has nothing to do with working together. We work in a dangerous field,” Zoe argued.

  He held her back at arm’s length to look at her. “But we’re distracted by our feelings for each other, and that puts us at a higher risk.”

  “I disagree. You’re blaming the distraction of our relationship for a failed mission. It was just a failed mission. It happens.” She pulled away from him and walked into the living room.


  “Zoe.” He didn’t follow. A few minutes later, he came in with two cups of coffee. “Cream and one sweetener, right?”

  “Right, thanks.” She took the cup and didn’t argue when he sat next to her. “Who’s Celia Aldridge?”

  Jason’s eyes widened only for a second, then he shook his head. Rarely would he be caught off guard and show emotion like that. Either he was over-relaxed by being in her house, in her company, or Celia Aldridge had some significance. “A previous FLC employee,” he said warily. “How did you hear about her?”

  “I found an old ID badge of hers in my desk. The badge still works. It opened the Red Tape Room. Do you know her? What happened to her?” Zoe pressed.

  Jason rubbed the back of his neck and stared at Zoe, hesitating. “I knew her briefly. She was killed.”

  “Killed how?” Zoe glared at him.

  He groaned. “You have to understand. The existence of the FLC cannot get out to the general public. That’s why its members are carefully selected. If there is risk of exposure, that risk must be eliminated.”

  Zoe stiffened. “What happened to Celia?”

  “She was in the FLC as a Domme and a researcher. She wanted out, but they decided she was too valuable to let her out yet, so she decided she could sell her information to the media for a lot of money.”

  “She was going to tell the media about the FLC? Oh my God.” Zoe gasped.

  Jason nodded. “Frank overheard her making a contact during a reception at the Kennedy Center. They had her phones, computers, every movement monitored. She made other contacts. She was looking for the highest bidder.”

  Zoe cradled her stomach. She knew where this was leading. “Where did it happen?”

  “Outside her apartment.” Jason held up a hand to continue explaining. “She was on her way to one of her contacts and was found dead with two shots to the head.”

  “By an assassin.”

  He nodded. “The media said it was a random shooting, but the closed file said two bullets struck her.”