by TL Reeve
“Are you done freaking out?” Thomas stared a hole through her and if the look on his face was any indication, he didn’t want to be there anymore than she did.
“Fuck off, old man,” AJ snarled. “I’m not a puppet, and I’m not a toy.”
“No,” he agreed. “You’re more of a brat.”
Scotty flipped him off.
Son, I wouldn’t. The flow of Thomas’ sign language was effortless and had a quiet elegance to it.
Scotty sat back. A smile curled his lips. I’ll be damned.
You are indeed. Kaine rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. “This isn’t something I advertise when I am at work.”
AJ paused in her pacing. “Huh?”
“Nothing,” Thomas muttered. “Obviously someone did their research.”
“What kind of Dominant are you, anyway?” She tried to keep her tone as flippant as possible, but staring at his condescending features pissed her off.
The lascivious grin tugging at the corners of his mouth made AJ hesitate. “Most of my subs call me, Daddy.”
Her stomach knotted. Why did the rumbled purr of his voice send a bolt of lust through her body? She should have found him disgusting. Call him ‘Daddy’? Never. No way. Wouldn’t be happening. Still, as she stared at him, some small part of her enjoyed the idea of the man in front of her being her Daddy.
Eww. God no.
She shook her head and sat in her abandoned chair. “I can’t.”
“You can,” Thomas said. “You’ll do it because it’s the job. Both of you wanted a mission of your own. I’ve caught pieces of your conversations when you don’t think anyone is watching.”
“Yeah, maybe,” she stated, “but, nothing like this. How are we supposed to become this...whatever we’re going to call it, in two weeks?”
“We’ll work together every night and when we have a spare moment. We have to make it look real. I have no idea what Murray got us into, but if we’re going to make it appear as though we’re a ménage, we have to get to know each other intimately.”
AJ cringed. “Intimately?”
“You’ll have to be open and used to my touch. Being receptive to affection from a man you barely know is hard. Hence, why we must practice. Nothing like having our cover blown because you or Scotty jumped at my touch during an inopportune moment.” Thomas loosened the knot of his tie then unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt.
She swallowed hard. Oh, God. She closed her eyes and bit back a moan. “Say something.”
It is a mission, Scotty signed. We’d only be acting. Not like we’ll have to do anything in front of people.
Thomas held up his finger before signing, Not necessarily. Depending on the situation, we might have to do things.
When he didn’t elaborate on what those things were, she frowned. “This...this is some grade-A bullshit.”
Thomas chuckled. The harsh reverberation vibrated across her skin and she gasped. “Little girl, you’re not the only person in this situation. Do you think I actually enjoy putting this part of me in the limelight for a job? Or have you considered how Scotty feels?”
“Scotty?” Her voice cracked.
He waved off her concern. It’s a job, right? No big deal. A team member needs our help.
Thomas rounded the table while pulling his tie off. “We’ll get through this together. Now, give me your hands.”
“Huh?” She glanced up at him. “Why?”
He cocked a brow. “Because I said so.”
“No.” She recoiled. “We’re at work. This is workplace sexual harassment.”
He grinned and a spark of arousal filled his green eyes. “You’re going to be a sassy one. I’m going to have fun taming you.”
She shook her head. “Sorry, no.”
“AJ.” The timbre of his voice commanded she pay attention.
She wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“What does AJ stand for?” he asked, catching her off guard.
“Why does it matter?” She crossed her arms.
Thomas chuckled. “I’d like to call you something other than AJ or Hoover while we’re playing together.”
“Too intimate,” she said, trying to close herself off from him.
“A name?” He outright laughed now. “Come now, AJ. Tell Daddy what your name is.”
Ugh... Goosebumps accompanied the flush spreading across her skin. She hated the niggle of arousal spurting to life inside of her every time he used that tone of voice on her. It was a mix of sexual heat and command. “I hate you.”
“I know you do, baby girl,” he murmured. “What’s your name?”
Amelia. Scotty stared at her. Amelia Jane.
“Why?” Tears stung her eyes as betrayal and hurt pushed away any of the arousal she’d experienced. “Why would you tell him?”
Scotty glanced over his shoulder at the clock on the wall then back to her. We have five minutes, and you’re both having a pissing contest in here. Isn’t it easier to pick your battles for now?
“He has a point,” Thomas replied. “Please give me your hands.”
She swallowed the tirade building within her and did as he asked. Later, she’d lay into Scotty then she’d tell the whole team to fuck off. She wasn’t anyone’s sex toy, mission or not. Thomas placed his tie around her wrists then cinched it down. He stuck his fingers between her skin and the binder and when he was satisfied, he wrapped the remainder around where her hands were joined.
“Um, hate to burst your bubble, but I can’t sign for Scotty with my hands like this,” she said, believing she had an out.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be doing it.” Thomas returned to his chair. “When we’re together, I’ll be doing all interpreting.”
What the fuck? Scotty shook his head. I can’t abide by this.
“What would it look like if a submissive was doing the job of a Dom?” Thomas began, “we’re going into a situation where I am in charge of both of you. Having AJ sign for you, Scotty, won’t work. It’ll show her on equal footing with me.”
Scotty lifted his hands at the same moment the door opened, and Noah and Asher entered the room. Heat filled AJ’s cheeks. She pushed her chair under the table to keep her hands hidden and drew a blank with how to explain not signing for Scotty.
“For the time being,” Thomas said, as if reading her mind. “I’ll be interpreting for Scotty. My skills are a little rusty and if we’re going to do this, I have to brush up.”
Asher nodded. “Sure.”
Noah gave AJ a curious look but didn’t say anything to her. “We should be ready.” He pressed the button on the tablet sitting in the middle of the table, connected to the projector.
A man she could only describe as looking like a darker version of Chris Evan’s Nomad from a superhero movie stared back at her. Next to him sat a woman. She had multi-colored hair, big tits, and tattoos on her arms. They were complete opposites and made AJ sick with jealousy at how gorgeous they were.
“Long time no see, asshole,” Noah grumbled.
The guy laughed. “You missing me already, precious?”
“Blow me,” Noah scowled. “Murray, these are the three new members of R.O.O.T Asher and I were telling you about.” He pointed to each of them before naming them. “This is AJ, Scotty, and Thomas Kaine.”
Murray nodded at them in greeting. “This Jaqueline. She is the one who found Hannah for us and is why I took off as quick as I did.”
The woman beside Murray smiled and gave a small wave.
“Thank you for agreeing to take on this mission. Jaq and I understand it’s daunting, but if we can pull this off, we’ll be returning family members back to their families after who knows how many years.”
“Can you tell us what you’ve found and why we need this kind of dynamic between the three of us?” Thomas asked while also signing.
Jaqueline gasped. “I had no idea.”
Noah smirked. “When you called in, they were already here.” He gave AJ a curious look. “Althou
gh, she’s usually the one interpreting for Scotty.”
“Practice makes perfect,” Thomas said. “I think from here on out while we’re on this mission, I should be doing the interpreting.”
Jaqueline nodded. “It’s for the best. The club deals with men more than women, and if they believe they have two deaf subs, they’ll be more apt to let you in or allow you to sell them.”
AJ jerked. “I’m sorry what?”
“Which brings us to the mission itself,” Asher stated. “Jaqueline, can you please tell everyone where you found Hannah along with the others and how you did so?”
The woman nodded and the surveillance photo filled the screen. “The building you are looking at, is called the Emporio de Monstruo—Emporium of Monsters. It is bankrolled by the Nieto Cartel along with several individuals. It’s a specialty sex club, dealing in freaks.”
AJ cut her gaze toward Scotty and got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Freaks. “Freaks as in?” She swallowed around the lump forming in her throat.
“Exactly what you think,” Murray said. “This club’s clientele list is filled with the scum of the earth who get off on exploiting people who have disabilities.”
What the fuck? No. Scotty pushed away from the table. Fuck you all for thinking this is okay to do.
“Scotty,” Thomas said. “Sit down. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“What’s going on?” Murray asked.
“Scotty doesn’t like the idea of being bait,” Thomas replied.
Scotty doesn’t like the whole fucking idea. Level the fucking building. No way in fuck I am going in there to watch people be debased because someone gets off on raping disabled people.
“Well, at least he had the same reaction I did,” Murray murmured.
“Did he puke?” Jaqueline added.
“Not yet, looks like he might,” Kaine said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Look, kid, I get it. I had a violent reaction to it, too. My sister is in there. Jaqueline’s brother as well. We can’t not do this. If you can’t perform for this mission, we’ll get Thomas and AJ in there on their own,” Murray said. “It’s okay. It was a crap shoot asking to begin with.”
Scotty sat down beside AJ. He shook, not in fear, but in rage. His eyes were wild. His hands clenched and unclenched while his knee bounced a mile a minute. She’d rarely seen Scotty this way, but on the occasion she did, nothing good came from it. What happened to him while he’d been in foster care before they met, he never talked about, however she had a feeling before they could go through with this mission, he’d have to be up front about everything.
I’m fine. I’ll do it. Scotty wouldn’t meet any of their gazes.
“You’re not acting fine,” Thomas pointed out.
“Continue,” Asher said, his gaze locked on her and Scotty.
“From the outside, it appears to be an abandoned building. The club members use none of the original entrances and exits, instead opting for a business down the block from it, at the Hispanic Heritage Museum. Events at Emporio de Monstruo coincide with the museum exhibitions and on the days when club members want to sample the merchandise, they are able to use the tunnel connecting the structures—accessed through the parking structure located behind the museum. Or through one of the several mapped tunnels running below Juarez.”
“How does no one see into the club? Can’t the...I don’t know music or screams or whatever be heard from outside?” Someone had to see something. A boarded-up abandoned building didn’t magically have power, and if Jaqueline thought no one would step out a side door, she was kidding herself. It had to be a known spot.
“The windows are blacked out on the bottom floors. Most of the activity is done there. However, higher-up windows are clear. Those floors house those who have been kidnapped. It’s where they are kept during the days, unless they’re being put through their paces. It’s how I saw Hannah and my brother Christian.”
Another series of photos filled the screen. “As you can see, the space is immaculate. For all intents and purposes, they can’t have their merchandise getting sick or getting hurt. They’d lose money and clients.”
“Well, at least there’s that,” AJ muttered.
“I have been to the government, the Federales, everyone I can think of to have someone acknowledge this retched business,” Jaqueline said. “However, money talks in Mexico. The cartels have a stranglehold on everything here. If you utter their name without it being in kind, you’re hanged. Steal from them? Dead, as well. The police are so afraid of their own shadow, most cities can’t keep a police force and, if they do, you can bet some part of the cartel has put their men into positions of power.”
“How have you not been killed?” AJ asked. From what Jaqueline said, she’d been kicking a live hornet’s nest for a while. Surely, someone would love to see her dead.
“I live in the middle of nowhere with a topnotch security system, plus I am ex-Cuerpo de Fuerzas Especiales—Mexican Special Forces.”
“Kind of a bad-ass name.” AJ nodded in approval.
“Thank you,” Jaqueline replied. “I can protect myself, but at some point, someone will come at me for trying to get my brother back. I have to take down the Nieto Cartel and Raul Iniguez before it happens, though. And this, this is the first step.”
“Raul Iniguez you said?” Thomas sat forward. “As in the drug runner and money launderer for the Nieto Cartel, Raul Iniguez?”
“Yes,” Jaqueline answered. “But, he’s also the Jefe of the Nieto Cartel. Let me guess, he’s on your radar too?”
Thomas chuckled, but it wasn’t a pleasant sound, like when he made her tingle from head to toe. “I’ve been working the Nieto case with my regular partner for the last five years it seems, and we never put two and two together. We thought he was low-level.”
“Well, now I know why Tex brought us all together,” Jaqueline murmured. “Slick bastard. Raul prides himself on keeping his title hidden. Heard a rumor he had a child.”
“I’ll tell you like my husband told Kaine and Frazer,” Noah said. “Bex is off limits for now. She is an abused kid who is struggling to just make it, let alone having some FBI or ex- Cuerpo de Fuerzas Especiales whatever-the-fuck, creeping around her.”
“Understood,” Jaqueline said. “The girl is off limits.”
“So, what are the mission parameters?” Thomas asked.
“The mission is this,” Murray stated. “There is an auction in a month and a half. When you arrive here, we’ll work in conjunction with the Federales. We have two men on the inside for us. One is Miguel Ángel, he has infiltrated the club as their bartender for events and on nights when members want to partake. Then there is Santiago Vasquez. He’s one of Tex’s guys—”
“We know of him,” AJ said. “Never ran an op with him, though, or met him.”
“Good reason you haven’t,” Murray stated. “He’s been imbedded with the Nieto Cartel for about a year or so now, according to Tex. He’ll be the one supplying us with passes.”
“Once we’re in the auction, the mission gets easier.”
AJ didn’t believe it for a minute. Nothing about what they were going to do would be easy. “I’m not sure your definition of easy and mine are the same.”
Jaqueline laughed. It was warm, inviting, and full of life. “All we have to do is pretend we’re enjoying the scene. Fulfill our obligation of being couples and bid on my brother and Murray’s sister.”
“See, so simple.” AJ’s words dripped with sarcasm.
Thomas narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head. AJ shrugged. She wasn’t lying. It wouldn’t be easy. How did she, or how could she, relax in a situation where people were being used as sexual slaves? She had a sinking feeling the majority of them didn’t have a say because they didn’t have the capacity to say no. It was gross and wrong and broke her heart. She understood them more than she suspected the majority in the room did. Because she, too, had her right to say no taken away a long time a
go.
“When the auction is over, we’ll collect Christian and Hannah and be on our way. The minute all of us are free from the building, the raid will begin,” Murray said.
“I’ll be running the mission from C&C,” Noah said. “Then two days before the takedown, I will meet up with you in Mexico.”
“Now that you are all properly aware of the mission,” Asher said. “I want you to take some time—a day or two at most—and figure out if this is the op for you. I won’t lie and say we don’t need you, because we do. Scotty, I understand the idea of being seen as a pleasure object because of your deafness repulses you, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say you have the ability to save those who are locked up in that building suffering. And, as selfish as it sounds, I need you to look at the bigger picture.”
Her best friend glanced up at Asher and nodded. I understand and appreciate your care. I need to sleep on it and get it right in my head before I can place myself or AJ in this situation.
Thomas smirked.
“Fair enough,” Asher replied. “You’re all dismissed. Murray I’ll be in contact with you soon.”
“Roger that,” Murray answered. “See you all soon.”
AJ rubbed her wrists as soon as Thomas removed the binding. She glanced up at the man standing over her and scowled. If anyone noticed she’d been tied up from the moment the meeting began, they didn’t say anything, and she’d been grateful for it. How would she even begin to explain to them Thomas Kaine was an eager beaver who wanted to start their training early?
“We need to have a private conversation.” He slipped her a piece of paper. “Meet me at this hotel. Ask the front counter clerk for my room number.”
“We have a soundproof room here?” AJ hooked her finger toward the hall. “We could go there.”
“Did you really want everyone to see you enter a room with Scotty and me? You seem like the type who doesn’t broadcast your sexuality and your sexual conquests.”
What do you think? She peered up at Scotty.
Hotel. He’s right. We’re going to need privacy. We can’t get that here.
She sighed. Resignation filled her. Maybe before this was all over, she’d call Wolf and have him send a plane for her. Then she wouldn’t have to expose herself. “Fine. In an hour. I’ll clear using one of the vehicles.”