Bound to Serve (Dangerous Liaisons #1)

by Julie Castle

  Something inside her still balked at the idea—but another part of her, one that had been quiet for too long, hungered with anticipation. She smiled and reached for the hem of her gown. If she wanted to get her man, she had to go through with this. She took a deep breath, pulled off the gown, dropped it on the sand, and gazed boldly back at them.

  “I know the rules, Lola. Voilá, naked as a jay bird.”

  Condor went rigid, and his eyes flashed a warning, even though the hint of a smile ghosted his lips.

  Lola scowled, her thin lips compressed in a firm line of disapproval, her ice blue eyes narrowed.

  Double crap! Love slaves were supposed to be demure, but unfortunately Lola brought out her fighting instincts. Bridget lowered her gaze in surrender, hoping she hadn’t completely blown the mission, and she murmured, “I’m sorry sir, ma’am.”

  “Please excuse her, Miss Lola. I’m afraid I do tend to spoil her, and as my personal secretary, she’s rather new to the life,” Condor said smoothly. He added in a firmer tone, “Rest assured, I’ll paddle her if you’ll overlook her outburst.”

  Spoil her! The ghost agent had been nothing but hard on her, except where she ached for his hardness. The man got off on keeping her horny. But it wasn’t all bad. He’d solidified her pose as a mere secretary that was new at this stuff, so a few mistakes could be excused. She kept her gaze down, her body heating up at the prospect of another hot spanking, while Condor smoothed things over with the dragon lady. She was glad her long hair hid her blush and her mutinous expression.

  She felt Condor take a step her way. His scent and his solid presence seemed to envelop protectively around her naked form, exciting her. His big hand wrapped around her upper arm, and she knew he could feel her tremble. She couldn’t hide her true feelings with him. He tugged her toward him in what was supposed to be a physical threat, but it felt more like foreplay. His fingertips gave her a slight squeeze of reassurance and made her smile.

  “I’ll take you to task for that behind closed doors, sugar,” he promised in a husky tone of voice. “Now pick up your gown and behave yourself.”

  She trembled at his warning tone and bent to pick up her gown. She could guess his intentions. He was pissed, and he was going to use a paddle to punish her. Yikes! Given her reaction to the hand spanking, how hot would a paddle make her?

  Lola stepped up to them. “Fine. I’ll let you deal with her impertinence. Come with me, Jason, and I’ll show you to your bungalow.” She linked her arm with his and edged Bridget aside.

  Bridget stepped back and stifled a growl.

  “I’ve assigned you Bungalow Twenty, which should give you plenty of privacy.”

  He smiled at her. “It was so very kind of you to get me in at the last minute. I understand that you’re full up.”

  Lola scowled at Bridget. “We are, although we’re still waiting for a few late arrivals. Lucky for you I had a last minute cancelation, and could fit you in. We like to cater to a man with your impeccable connections.”

  Bridget trailed after them, nude and resentful, as they went through the main gate.

  Walking naked in the sunshine was shockingly sensual. The breeze tickled her skin and stirred the hair hanging down her back. A peek into the gatehouse as they passed showed her that only one person manned it, some guy kicked back and playing solitaire. Screens showing the pool, tennis courts, main building, and grounds indicated that looping cameras were used for security. She saw a PC in the guard shack. Good, their system would be easily compromised. She could hack into it given time and opportunity.

  Was Perez here yet? She noticed a checklist on a clipboard and tried to make it out. A visitor manifest? But it was too far away. Trying to keep her observations surreptitious, she gave that up for now and casually scanned the grounds instead. The Retreat appeared to be the perfect vacation spot, if one discounted the discreetly armed guards, naked sex slaves, and guard towers down by the white sand beach. They were an incongruous sight, but if the den of iniquity catered to members of Perez’s ilk, they needed the tight security.

  Tropical blooms grew in abundance, perfuming the air—hibiscus, jasmine, and wild orchids. A warm breeze caressed her tender skin and made her nipples pucker. She suddenly understood why people practiced nudism. It was glorious being naked in the sunshine. Best of all, nobody paid her the least attention as another naked sex slave. It might give her the ability to fly under the radar and actually get some investigative work done.

  The layout was exactly as the file she peeked at had said. A series of cottages, twenty in all, surrounded a large main building. The compact grounds would make them easy to survey. A swath of white sand beach led to a boat dock, with several sleek boats tied up to them.

  They passed by the tennis courts, and two men in tennis whites actually stopped playing to stare at her. She stared back and recognized Thom Wetzel, a pudgy diamond merchant suspected to be dealing in conflict diamonds, and Ari Kahn, a reputed arms dealer who was thin, tan, and austere. Delta had files on them both that were at least an inch thick.

  Kahn leered at her, his eyes cold and reptilian. Wetzel’s gaze was just plain curious. The two were obviously on the make, and apparently they saw her as fair game, simply a naked sexual submissive. Thank goodness that she belonged to Condor. Feeling vulnerable, she picked up her pace, unable to stop the blush that heated her face and spread to the rest of her body. She rushed to catch up with Condor and Lola, and Kahn’s booming laugh said he enjoyed the discomfited reaction he’d caused in Bridget.

  A swift gust of wind blew Lola’s short dress up, baring her upper thighs and thong-covered bottom. Did Condor really glance at her ass? Why was he so fascinated by the other woman’s charms? Then she noticed the tattoo on Lola’s ass. A tong symbol, the one for Red Dawn. Holy shit, Lola wasn’t just a flirt, she was a part of the infamous gang. This arrest could be a bigger score than she realized.

  …

  Condor followed Lola as she led them straight to Bungalow Twenty.

  Lola opened the door. “These are your rooms, Jason. I trust that they’ll meet your liking.”

  He smiled, cast a casual look around the well-appointed rooms. Their perfection was all the more chilling for the darkness hidden inside the Retreat. He turned to pin Lola with a friendly smile. “They look perfect, Miss Lola. This will do nicely.”

  Lola handed him the key and batted her eyes at him. “If there’s anything else I can do, Jason, anything at all.”

  “I can think of a lot of things,” he said with a low chuckle, which made Lola smile. “We’ll talk later,” he promised, and he took her hand and kissed it. She wore a diamond ring on her left hand that had to be worth a mint. Her skin was tanned underneath the band, which meant it was recent.

  Lola smiled and leaned in closer to say, “We’ll have our usual social hour this evening. Can I have your bed slave’s name for the program?”

  He cocked a repressive look at Bridget, who was openly glaring at them. She dropped her gaze and bit her lip. She was a perfect, blushing, red-headed goddess standing in the doorway. “Star,” he filled in, hoping his voice didn’t sound as ensnared as he felt. Bridget peered up at him, her eyes twinkling. His cock twitched in response.

  Lola cleared her throat. “May I have your attention, please?”

  “I’m all yours, love,” he said with a slow smile. Lola beamed and licked her thin red lips. Bridget shot daggers at him from behind Lola’s back.

  “That’s better.” Lola touched his arm. “I’ll leave her to unpack your things. Send her down to me at the spa in half an hour so that I can prepare her for tonight, will you?”

  Bridget let out a dismayed gasp.

  “Prepare?” Condor asked. He threw a forbidding look Bridget’s way, satisfied when she went silent. This first day was crucial, much as he hated the idea of turning her over to Lola’s clutches or letting her out on her own. Their performance in these early stages had to be perfect.

  Lola smiled and walked
toward the door. “The girls put on entertainment for the guests, as many of them are put up for swaps. It provides a bit of variety for all concerned. I’m sure you’ll find it amusing.”

  Condor chuckled. “I’m sure I will.” But the pleading gaze Bridget flashed him made him curse under his breath. He knew being with her would complicate things. Her jealousy was probably just for show, but the feelings of protectiveness she inspired in him just wouldn’t do. He had to play his part, too, if they wanted to get out of this alive.

  “Just for the record, Lola.” He stopped her at the door. “I don’t like to share my toys. Star isn’t up for swaps.”

  “Very well,” Lola said with a shrug. “Let me know when you change your mind.”

  He could feel the vibes of gratitude coming off Bridget as he walked past her to see Lola out the door. He closed and locked it before turning to face his flame, then leaned back against the door. Well hell, he was becoming emotionally involved. That wouldn’t do. He had to harden himself to get them both through this whole ordeal. She flashed a hungry look up at him and then cast a shocked look around their bungalow, the king size four-post bed with built in restraints, and the spanking bench and paddle.

  Bridget bit her lower lip again and blushed, and he groaned in response. She was everything he wanted and someone he could not allow himself to have. Damn, he was in big trouble. The act would have to go on twenty-four/seven to be convincing.

  He hadn’t known about the swapping going on. But then he also couldn’t have guessed that he would feel so protective. One thing was sure, he wouldn’t let other men use her.

  He went hard when he saw her wide-eyed shock at the spanking bar and paddles. She was like a breath of fresh air in the den of iniquity. He couldn’t wait to introduce her to all the toys. He stalked up to her, locked gazes with her, and saw her blush move down her exquisite body.

  He smiled, stepped into her personal space, and inhaled her tempting scent. Her entire body blushed. Even the plump pink crests, turning rosy. Her fiery hair partially covered them, only her stiff peaks winked out at him, and the red nest of curls between her legs shielded her sex from his gaze. It was all he could do not to pull her into his arms, to take her right here and now and put them both out of this misery. Instead, he took her hand, and she leaned into him like a flower to the sun. His heart opened as his cock throbbed. Still, it wouldn’t do to let her think she could run roughshod over him. He slipped a slave collar around her neck and smiled when she gasped.

  Growling, he pulled her to him and discreetly clicked the jamming device in his pocket. “The place is bugged.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  He rolled his eyes at her naiveté. “Trust me. We’ve got about two minutes to talk. That’s about as long as I can scramble any listening devices they have without making them suspicious. After that, they’ll probably go ape-shit.”

  She crossed her arms. “So what do you have to tell me that’s so secret? How to sit around and wait on you hand and foot? At what point am I supposed to help find Perez?”

  He shook his head. “No investigating, no risks, no sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong when you go off to the spa. You’re here to assist me, and that’s an order. You lost the option to say no the minute you agreed to be my partner. I’ll do the thinking for both of us.”

  “Bull. Of all the arrogant jerks, you’re the worst.”

  His eyes narrowed, his body charged by her nearness. He pulled her close to him. “And you’re the feistiest submissive I’ve ever seen, so I guess that makes us even.”

  She gasped when her breasts pillowed against him. “And I suppose you’ve seen plenty of submissives in your time?”

  “Seen and tamed my share,” he agreed, with a chuckle, enjoying her jealous glare. It was mostly in the line of duty, but she didn’t need to know that.

  “Bastard,” she hissed and pressed against him. “Why don’t you just take me and get it over with?”

  He shook his head and firmed his mouth. “You haven’t earned that privilege yet.”

  “Cocky, aren’t you?” she said with a needy gasp.

  He rocked against her mound. “I haven’t had any complaints.”

  “Jerk.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t protect you when we’re apart. Lola’s already suspicious of you. Don’t do anything else to put yourself in jeopardy.”

  She frowned. “I didn’t do that badly. And you don’t need to protect me.”

  “Not even from me?” he said, pressing against her.

  She trembled. “Especially not from you. If you think I lack experience, you’ll have to train me for real.”

  “Don’t tempt me, sugar.” His eyes twinkled. “From now on, we play by my rules. It’s got to look real, feel real. Behave yourself and we’ll get the job done together. Act up? I’ll keep you bound and gagged while I work alone.”

  She glared up at him and punched him in the stomach. “I will not behave myself. I have a job to do, same as you.”

  He chuckled and grunted a little as the blow fell, marveling at her spirit. “Your two minutes of free talk are up,” he said, and he unclicked the scrambler. Her breasts were warm, pressing against him, tempting him more than he wanted to admit, the crests like ripe strawberries.

  He started to pull away, and his cock throbbed, aching to be against her satiny skin. Damn, it was going to be pure torture for him, but he’d already expected that. What he hadn’t counted on was the pain he saw in her emerald eyes as he pulled away. Her pain went a lot deeper than a mere case of blue balls. She thought he didn’t find her desirable. She couldn’t be more wrong. So what if he had to torture himself? It was all part of the job, helped keep him battle ready. But she didn’t deserve the same treatment.

  Before he could censor himself he drew her back into his arms.

  “What the hell kind of game are you playing?” she said.

  “No games.” He bent to kiss her.

  She froze against him for a heartbeat, and then her mouth softened against his and she was kissing him back. He reached down between her legs to run his finger along her folds. Wet, he was pleased to find.

  “What are you doing to me?” she murmured.

  “Bridget, be quiet and let me take care of this for you.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t, I mean…I can’t orgasm. Not even my vibrator gets me off. So you needn’t bother…”

  Oh. Well that was unexpected. And explained a lot.

  “Shh,” he hissed and bent to kiss her again. He shuddered and stroked down her spine to cup the globes of her ass. She moaned into his mouth as he squeezed. There was a brief moment of hesitation where, if she’d continued, he’d have pulled back, continued the game of pretend rather than actually getting her off.

  But then she did a little shimmy against him and rubbed her nipples against his chest. He groaned at the sweet sensation and moved one of his hands to cup her mound, and he stroked her clit with one finger. She gave a squeak and went on tiptoes as he stroked her again, and again, harder, until she was shaking against him and he was breathing hard like he’d just run a marathon.

  Her body felt like it was rising, tensing, getting close to that peak she’d said not even her own hand could bring her to. Then he felt her body begin to soften. There was something missing from the equation. Something she needed to take her over the edge.

  He was going to chance it. If he read her right, he knew what she needed. What she was only beginning to suspect.

  He clasped his hand around her throat letting her feel the slave collar and his control while he continued to finger her with his other hand, fingers inside her, his thumb on her clit. She gasped, and her eyes went wide, and he held her firmly, but tenderly, showing her that she could trust him, and looked right back at her.

  His hand still on her throat, he leaned in and whispered, “Come for me now, sugar.”

  “Oh, my god, what’s happening?” She was convulsing, right on the edge. “I can�
�t…” she shrieked.

  “Yes you can, sugar. Just let yourself fall, and I’ll catch you.” He groaned as her sex drew on his fingers, her body tightening at his words, her heat surrounding him. The little hedonist truly didn’t know she was orgasmic.

  He gave one final, firm grasp around her throat at the same time that he pressed his fingers into her and his thumb against her clit, and she let out a shriek as she exploded.

  His cock ached to be inside her, the pressure of her body against it almost unbearable. He didn’t care, not when he’d helped her experience such intense pleasure. He held her as she came down to earth again.

  What kind of clumsy men had she been with? Stupid question…the careless, some said treasonous, James…the guy she still was hung up on…the hero she was so determined to get justice for. Idiot.

  Don’t worry. It’s not possible to cheat on a ghost.

  He cursed himself as she ran a soft hand down his chest, and then her hand started to near forbidden territory, more namely his cock. He stepped back, and his eyes narrowed as she picked up the caftan and put it on without saying a word. What was she thinking?

  A knock on the door broke Condor out of his musings. “What is it?” he barked.

  “Your bags, sir.”

  “Wait a minute,” he said. He gazed down at Bridget. She stood before him flushed and glowing from her orgasm. So much for his plan to keep her sexually hungry. Now he was the one who was aching with unfulfilled need. “I’ll do the unpacking. You don’t want to be late for Lola. And remember my orders, be careful.”

  Chapter Five

  Bridget walked away on shaky legs, her body still charged from her orgasm. Condor was such a stud, and at the same time, a major control freak. She didn’t like his “we’ll both have to make the best of it” comment. Had it been regret in his voice? She turned to gaze at him. He leaned back against the spanking bar, watching her with a predatory look on his face. Was he sorry it was her here with him instead of Jennifer? No! She would not let herself go there. It was obvious that he didn’t work well with others, no matter who they were.