by Mari Carr
His movement had the anticipated effect as he watched an eerie calm pass over Cassandra’s face and, thankfully, the threat to Carly diminished.
“I assure you, my dear, all your concerns will be addressed in due time. But now, I’d like to introduce you to my son.”
Carly turned to face him as if suddenly surprised to find other people in the room. Her performance was worthy of an Academy Award. “Oh. It’s nice to meet you b—.” She paused when she looked at him. “Jon?”
“Oh, that’s right,” Cassandra said gleefully. “I forgot the two of you used to work together. Jon is my son.”
“I’m afraid our paths didn’t cross nearly enough at school,” Jon said with as much charm as he could muster. He was struggling not to pull her into his arms and kiss her until the next Ice Age. She looked lovelier than he’d ever seen her and he struggled to catch his breath as he took in her healthy, if somewhat tired, appearance. She’d apparently survived her three days alone in hell unscathed, but the dark shadows beneath her eyes betrayed the fact she’d not been sleeping well.
Jon proffered his hand, which she accepted, and he gave her a quick wink. He detected the slightest tremble in her touch and realized she wasn’t as unaffected by his presence as she seemed. He sensed a wave of relief and—God bless her wanton soul—a bit of desire in her gaze.
Night stepped forward as well. “And I’m the only man willing to befriend this poor soul. It’s a cross to bear at times—listening to all those dull school stories—but someone has to do it. Night Thomas, at your service.”
She giggled at his words, seemingly enchanted by his good looks. Her actions were so reminiscent of those of every woman who’d ever crossed his friend’s path, Jon could barely restrain from breaking into applause. “You truly are a saint, Mr. Thomas. A martyr among men. But you’re not the son? You and Mrs. Thomas share a name.”
“I’m Cassandra’s stepson,” he explained smoothly.
“I see.”
Cassandra studied the interaction. He silently prayed Carly’s earlier rudeness had done the trick. He had no doubt Cassandra would want to punish her for her transgressions and then get her out of her hair as quickly as possible. Although God help him if that was true because they would never lift a finger to truly harm Carly. Undercover or not. Right now, the best they could hope for was to stall for time while searching for evidence of his mother’s crimes.
“I was just telling Jon and Night how fortunate the center has been to retain you as our office manager.”
Carly turned back to Cassandra and the flirty smile she’d offered them died on her lips. “Yes, well, I’m not sure how much longer I intend to stay. I hate to offer ultimatums, Mrs. Thomas, but if you haven’t gotten me the materials I need by tomorrow, I’m afraid I’ll have to quit.”
Turning, Carly nodded at them. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Thomas, and a pleasure to see you again, Jon. Goodbye.”
With that parting shot, she left the room, shutting the door behind her with just the right amount of force.
His mother picked up the letter opener from her desk and flung it like a professional knife thrower at the wooden door. The razor-sharp instrument lodged there, quivering for a few seconds. Christ, Jon thought, his mother was lethal in her anger. He prayed Carly hadn’t overplayed her hand.
“Well, I cannot allow that kind of insolence to continue. I’m afraid Ms. James needs to learn some respect.” Cassandra grinned evilly. Jon was taken aback by how ugly she became in her rage. “I suppose she will have to join Sammy tonight at the end of my whip.”
He blanched at her pronouncement. There was no way Jon would allow his mother to dole out any punishment to Carly. Given her anger, he had little doubt Cassandra would strip all the skin off their beloved’s back.
“Actually,” Night answered casually, “I was hoping you’d let us punish that little bitch. Uptight prude like that would be a delight to break.” Night mimicked Cassandra’s own nasty smile. Jon marveled at how much his friend suddenly looked like Rex. “I don’t imagine she’s ever been tied up and forced to service two Masters.” Night looked at him, slapping him lightly on the back. “Was that she always so haughty at your school as well?”
He forced a smug laugh and followed Night’s lead, adopting the arrogant, chauvinistic tone. “Dear God, yes. Believe me, the entire school breathed a sigh of relief when she resigned. I’ve often thought a good, hard fuck would cure Carly of her stuck-up attitude.”
Cassandra giggled with glee. “Now, now, boys. Let’s don’t get ahead of ourselves. We haven’t even discussed the possibility of you joining me in this venture.”
Night reacted with enough outrage that Jon wondered who the better performer was—his best friend or Carly.
“Cassandra. Let’s face it. Talented as you are in the dungeon, you can’t run this facility, solicit buyers and train the slaves. I’m assuming most of your perspective buyers will be male, so it stands to reason the slaves should be trained by capable Doms. That is why you called us back, isn’t it? You said you were in need of trainers. Now, I can’t speak for Jon, but I for one have never looked a gift horse in the mouth. This setup is too good to be true.”
“Night, I am a businesswoman, and I’m sure you’ll understand if, after all these years, I can’t simply offer you my trust without some reassurances. Despite the fact I took you under my wing and cared for you after your dear mother died, I don’t think I would be out of line in asking for perhaps a bit of proof from the two of you that you truly are willing to go the distance in this venture. Let’s call it an act of good faith.”
Although Cassandra was still speaking to Night, Jon could feel her sideways glances at him. Her concerns didn’t seem to rest so much with Night’s loyalty as with his. Their background stories appeared to have done the trick, but he couldn’t stifle the feeling that told him Cassandra could still potentially be setting them up.
“You want us to audition?” Jon asked with disdain. “You know, Mother, you were the one who abandoned me. Not the other way around. Perhaps I’m the one who should ask for this so-called proof.”
Cassandra walked over to him and—quick as a striking snake—slapped him forcefully. “You are never to call me Mother.” Once again, he watched the fury in her face vanish, only to be replaced with a complete look of serenity that bordered on insanity.
For the first time since entering the room, he got a sense that Cassandra wasn’t nervous or angry—but crazy. Now that he looked closely, he could see the slightly off-kilter glint in her eyes. Great. Cassandra was dangerous enough with all her mental faculties fully functioning. The idea that she’d come unhinged only quadrupled her threat to everyone around her.
It also explained her behavior since they’d entered the room. The wavering emotions and contradictory comments. She’d preened over him like a proud Mama, but struck out anytime he called her “Mother”. She’d seemed convinced they would wholeheartedly participate in her scheme and then insisted they prove their loyalty.
Hell, how were they ever going to sort out this mess? What if they gathered up the necessary evidence and Cassandra pleaded insanity once again to escape prison? Shit—this time he suspected the plea would fit.
Night deflected Cassandra’s attention. Jon breathed a sigh of relief when her gaze left him. “So let us train this secretary,” Night said. “If we’re able to make her marketable, that should be proof of our loyalty and potential value to this venture.”
His mother giggled maniacally at Night’s offer. Jon saw the same dawning recognition on his friend’s face. Night’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Cassandra’s bizarre mood swings more closely. He glanced over at him, concern written in his gaze.
“Very well,” she finally replied. “You can punish Carly. Break the bitch’s spirit. Oh, this is wonderful. I’ve so missed watching the two of you in action. You will begin tonight. If you succeed in bringing her down, we’ll discuss your roles in the organization.”
Jon attempted to hedge. “Tonight? Perhaps it would be best if we took a few days to study the setup here. Besides, you’ll need to extract the secretary carefully. She’s only just arrived. It may look suspicious if she turns up missing so suddenly. Plus, we’ll need to return home and pack up some things in order to move in here.”
“Home? No, you mustn’t go home. That isn’t what I’d planned at all. Why didn’t you bring your things with you? I can’t let you leave until I know…”
Jon shook his head. It was impossible to keep up with his mother’s rambling commentary. She appeared to be thinking aloud.
“We didn’t plan to stay. You said nothing on the phone about us moving in here,” he replied. Cassandra started pacing and muttering to herself. Jon could see her struggling to fight against his argument. No doubt she’d hoped to keep them captive here until she was completely sure she could trust them.
“We can leave now and be back before dinner,” Night added when Cassandra continued to ignore them.
Cassandra glanced up as if surprised to find them still in the room. “Before dinner?” Cassie smiled. “Actually, I think perhaps only Night should go. After all, it doesn’t take both of you to pack up a few pieces of clothing.” Apparently Night had passed a test Jon had not.
“Fine,” Jon answered smoothly. “I’d just as soon not make that trip back down the mountain again today. While Night is gone, you can take me on a tour of this so-called center. Show me some of the improvements you’ve made.” Hopefully, he’d be able to get a good enough overview of the place to figure out where Carly was sleeping and working. Tonight, he and Night would begin searching for evidence that would build a case against his mother and, if he was very lucky, he’d find a way to speak with Carly privately.
“Of course,” Cassandra agreed.
Night—who’d been quietly observing—entered the conversation, no doubt attempting to solidify their progress. “How much money are we talking about making here, Cassandra?”
His mother rubbed her hands together. Greed was the one word she seemed to understand—insane or not. Jon saw a gleam of something that looked very much like respect enter her gaze as she focused on Night. “More than you can ever imagine, Night. We’ll be rich beyond our wildest dreams.”
“I don’t know. My wildest dreams can get pretty expensive.” Night’s joke seemed to break the tension that had been shimmering in the air since they’d first entered the room. He sensed Cassandra truly believed they would be willing participants in her illegal scheme. She’d had plenty of time to imagine herself as the Mistress of her own private and profitable enterprise.
“Buyers will line up for my slaves—trained by the best Masters in the world.” She walked behind her desk and sat down. For the briefest of moments, Jon thought he saw a small tear forming in the corner of her eye, but it was gone in the next instant. “I regret not being able to be a mother to you these past years. Seeing the strong, handsome, powerful man you’ve become does my heart good. I’ve been quite lonely, you see, but now, at last, we can be a true family again.”
A true family. His mother’s words cut through him like a knife. She didn’t have the first inkling of what it meant to be part of a family. Perhaps, once upon a time, when his father was still alive, they may have had that chance, but that time was long past. Besides, he thought, considering the concept, he had found his true family with Night and Carly. They were the only family he’d ever need.
Reilly was right. He’d been lucky to escape his childhood with his sanity and his sense of decency intact.
“Oh, think of the money we can make. We’ll be rich.” This time her cackling laugh truly betrayed the lunacy that had infected her mind.
“Shall we take our tour, Mother?” As soon as the words left his lips, Jon realized his mistake.
“If you call me Mother again, I will have Sammy cut your tongue out and serve it to me on toast for breakfast.”
Nothing like motherly love and family.
Chapter Eighteen
Carly paced the floor of her sparsely decorated bedroom and glanced at the clock once again. It was nearly one in the morning and the compound had been quiet for hours. She’d looked for Night and Jon all day, but other than glimpsing Jon once across the inner courtyard, she’d had no opportunity to see or speak to them.
Now she was struggling to determine what her next move should be. She’d learned during her first night in residence that the quiet was deceiving. She had attempted to leave her room to do a little exploring, but was halted before she made it to the end of the hallway by one of the numerous well-armed guards. The look he’d given her had been a menacing leer that made her blood run cold. She’d said she was merely looking for the bathroom and had taken a wrong turn before she’d quickly returned to her room. Since then, she’d been too afraid to venture out again after dark.
Tonight, however, her desire to see Night and Jon was much greater than her fear. She was desperate to learn how their conversation went with Cassandra. The fact that they were still on the compound seemed hopeful. Obviously, they’d convinced the nasty woman to let them stay. But how? What was the plan now?
She’d seen absolutely nothing illegal since her arrival three days earlier. The women and children staying here were well fed and relatively happy. Unlike her, many of them seemed to take solace in the armed guards roaming the estate. She silently wondered what private hells they’d escaped from to find comfort in such large weapons.
Her main concern was the fact that Trisha and her mother didn’t appear to be anywhere in the compound. When she’d casually mentioned their names, she had been told by another woman that they’d decided to return home. She’d sensed the woman’s disdain over that decision, yet Carly had secretly hoped it was true. Regardless of the situation in the Jackson household, she couldn’t imagine it being any worse than Reilly’s description of what would happen to them here.
Opening her door a tiny bit, she glanced down the hallway. She was sure Night and Jon weren’t hiding out in their bedrooms. The thought left her feeling guilty. So far she had nothing to show for her days on the compound. As a spy, she was an utter failure.
Taking a deep breath, she ventured into the corridor. When she wasn’t immediately stopped, she quietly continued. With each step that drew her farther and farther away from her bedroom, she became more certain she would do whatever it took to find them. She was desperate to see them after such a long absence. Okay, well, technically, three days wasn’t really that long, but to her it had seemed to last an eternity.
She suspected they would be staying in the east wing, the one directly across from where she and the women were being housed. The north wing at the front of the house seemed to be composed entirely of the business area—offices, sitting rooms and counseling areas. The south wing was Cassandra’s private living area. As far as Carly could tell, that area was the most heavily guarded and none of the women she’d spoken to had ever been there.
In order to get to the east wing, she would either have to sneak outside and cross the inner courtyard or attempt to traverse the hallways of the north wing. The inner courtyard was well lit even at night and there were at least two guards posted on the roof at all times, so she quickly discounted that route.
At least inside, the hallways were dark and she could keep to the shadows. Either way the chances of her making it undetected were slim to none. Still, she needed to take the chance. For one, she hated being so isolated and out of the loop. Secondly, she was terribly worried about Trisha and her mother, and anxious to tell Night and Jon they were missing.
And lastly, she simply missed her lovers. She wanted to wrap her arms around them and never let go again. Seeing them in Cassandra’s office this afternoon had reignited her libido. When had she become such a sex maniac? Maybe there was some truth to the fact that women peaked in their thirties. Her body actually felt achy from the withdrawal she’d suffered these few days without Jon and Night in her bed.
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nbsp; When she made it to the end of the hallway, she slowly peered around the corner. Shock warred with relief when she realized this corridor was guard-free as well. Where the hell were the gun-toting villains? She usually couldn’t take ten steps without bumping into one, but tonight they seemed to be suspiciously absent. Taking a steadying breath, she continued on her way, heading down the north wing.
Her heart began racing with each step she took. Suspicion permeated her body as she realized there was no way she should have gotten this far from her room without being stopped. Was this a trap? A trick? What if the guards were lying in wait?
Pausing at the next corner, she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. If she didn’t get her wayward thoughts under control soon, she’d succumb to a full-blown panic attack. Not for the first time, she tried to figure out how a divorced secretary—whose idea of excitement up until a month ago was a new made-for-TV Hallmark movie—got from there to here.
She was about to proceed when a hand covered her lips and she was dragged into the empty office she’d just passed. Struggling, the image of the hulking guard from three nights ago entered her mind. His leering looks left no doubt in her mind what he would do to her if he caught her alone again. Kicking back toward her captor’s shins, she dug her nails into the hand on her mouth.
“Dammit, Beauty, stop now.”
Night’s hushed admonition froze her in her tracks. Once he had her in the office and the door shut behind them, she turned, pulled his lips to hers and kissed him. Hard. Intense. She put every bit of worry, fear and loneliness she’d suffered the past three days out there, and he took it all away from her. She had only begun to come down from that kiss when she felt another pair of arms embrace her from behind.
“Did you save any of that for me?” Jon whispered. She choked back a sob of relief and she turned to offer the same welcome to him. The kiss seemed to last hours when Night cleared his throat behind them.