At one time, I’d relied on this man, and what did I get for it? I was played for a fool. I just prayed I hadn’t opened the door for a repeat in humiliation. He might still be able to make my body stand up and pay attention, but my heart, he’ll never own, because I don’t trust him.
Five years! It took me five years of keeping women at arm’s length, building solid walls around my heart, and trying to force myself to not think of Makenna on a daily basis. But it only took one look her direction, one word from her mouth, to tear it all to shreds.
Makenna didn’t trust me, and I still had no fucking clue as to why. I gathered that in her mind I’d done something that had hurt her, but her leaving without a single word as to why . . . gutted me. Didn’t she care about the upheaval she’d brought into my life? Or how I’d focused all my energy into work, not caring whether I lived or not?
I’d spent the first four years trying to contact Kenna by any means necessary, only to find her e-mail account deactivated, her cell phone number changed, and every attempt at snail mail shot back to me unopened or in shreds, with the exception of a few letters. For all I knew those few ended up in the twilight zone for dead letters. Last year I’d finally given up, but while the mind could slowly transition your memories and file them away behind closed doors, the heart was not so easily fooled.
All I wanted was a chance to talk, just a few minutes even, to try and either hash things out or put some closure to what I’d supposedly done. I thought, at least, I deserved a chance to defend myself. But she still refused. She was one stubborn individual, someone I should hate, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. We had too much history to just walk away, as if our time together meant nothing, especially without any answers.
The Makenna that stood before me was definitely not the same woman I’d been in love with all those years ago. We’d spent most of our lives together, playing as children, becoming best friends, and then our camaraderie morphed into something even more. I became her boyfriend, lover, and Dominant. Yes, I was her alpha male, in control of her submission, behind closed doors at least. But now I doubted she’d even dare to let me touch her, let alone be given permission to play with her body and her mind.
She’d always been a looker, having long dark mahogany hair that went down past her shoulders and gorgeous curves with a little extra here and there to hold on to, an Aphrodite incarnate in my book. Kenna had always dressed a bit subdued, never flaunting her body in public, but don’t think for one minute her attire represented her attitude. She was a wildcat back then. Everyone thought she was a pushover, until they crossed her the wrong way and the claws came out. But that’s what I had loved about her. She might look innocent, but in reality, she could have you backed into a corner in less than a heartbeat.
Behind closed doors, dressed like a vixen, she was every bit the submissive, looking for me to guide her to her pleasure, help her find where her limits were between passion and pain. Damn she made me hard just thinking about those playtimes. Marcus, hello! You need to focus, man. She’s not here for you. She’s only here because your family hired her. Granted, you insisted, but she’s here for a job only. Get your head out of fantasyland and back to saving your own ass.
I wish my heart would listen to my mind. But seeing my Kenna dressed like a tough, badass Domme . . . damn, I was hard enough to hammer a nail into a piece of wood. She was sex on a stick, and I wanted to taste this new recipe. I’d never seen her so self-assured in my life. She might not be the same Makenna from my memories, but I sure wouldn’t mind getting to know this version of her, especially on an intimate level.
Admittedly, Kenna seeing me dressed in a towel wasn’t by chance. I planned to purposefully push her buttons, trying to force her to remember the times we’d been naked together. I’d been given a-heads up when she had landed at the airport and again when she’d arrived here at the Canterbury, and had timed my shower and my attire with her arrival. I know, I’m a bastard, but in one respect, I still wanted her. I couldn’t explain why. I just had a feeling we were better together than apart. Okay, so I’m thinking with my dick. Tell me what man doesn’t when faced with every fantasy you could ever imagine, standing right before you.
The blood in my head was quickly traveling southbound on the expressway to my cock as I took in her attire. Black leather and lace were my favorite ways of dressing Makenna behind closed doors. I wanted her to feel confident in her sensuality and ability to trust me with her limits. We’d tried role playing, taking turns being each other’s Dominant, acting as a switch, but we soon discovered greater pleasure in her submission and my dominance, guiding us both to some pretty intense releases.
I swallowed hard as my eyes traveled over her body, taking in the masterpiece before me. I’d always loved her curves, thought her perfect back then, but now—the way her breasts almost spilled out over her leather halter crop top, and how her muscular arms strained against her tight leather mini-jacket—my mind wanted to go to places of a sinful nature. But I brought it back to the present, finally taking in the lower half of her body. Now I wished I’d let myself escape to my dreams, because while the top portion of her looked like a vixen ready to rock my world, the bottom was even more inviting. My gaze couldn’t turn away from the dip of her slim-fitted black leather pants dipping low in the center, barely covering her mound, as if saying Come and get me, big boy. I was salivating with need, and my dick was already dripping with pre-cum. And those thigh-high boots . . . DAMN! My mind instantly conjured up a picture of her tied to my bed with nothing on except those boots, her heels digging into my back as I plowed my hardened cock into her center until she screamed my name.
“Is there a problem, Marcus?” Her words were said with a cold enough tone it felt like ice water being thrown on me, snapping me back to the present.
I shook my head to dispel my raunchy thoughts. “No. Just taking in how much you’ve changed.” I raised my hand her direction and stated, “The military looks good on you.”
She half laughed, but never cracked a smile. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Lombardi.”
So that’s how she wanted to play this, calling me by my last name. Ensuring my towel was tightly wound around my hips, I walked toward Makenna slowly to see if I could get a read on her. She used to have telltale signs that let me know if I was getting to her or not, but with her sporting those damn sunglasses and not moving an inch, other than to vocalize her thoughts or cop an attitude, the verdict was still out.
Normally when I approached her for play, her pulse would pick up and she’d visibly swallow hard, maybe even shift the weight on her feet. I realized the military probably taught her to be calm during intense circumstances. Hell, she was one of a rare breed of women snipers within the whole U.S. military. She had to have some modicum of composure to pull off that feat. I was damn proud of her achievements.
The closer I got to Makenna, the more I realized trying to read her was like trying to read a piece of paper through a twelve-inch block of cement. It was impossible. She didn’t budge. The pulse point at the juncture of her neck and shoulders was thumping a regular beat. Hell, even her breathing was normal. Had she truly gotten over me?
I got within a foot of her, wishing, once again, she’d remove those damn glasses so I could see into her eyes. For Makenna, her eyes were truly the windows to her soul. In the past, if she said she was fine, all I had to do was gaze deep into her eyes, and I could tell otherwise. That’s where she banked all of her emotion.
I was about to admit defeat, when I detected a familiar fragrance in the air surrounding her. The scent of her arousal was one thing I could never forget and continually craved, and the closer I got to her, the more I realized she was just as affected by me as I was by her. Perhaps all was not lost on reclaiming my lost love.
As she moved closer to me, she gently pressed a hand against my chest. I thought she was ready to pick up where we’d left off, so I was caught by surprise when she said, “That’s far enough, Lomba
rdi. Any closer and I’ll have to restrain you.”
The laugh came out of nowhere. I couldn’t help it. I had a hard time picturing my Makenna being able to have some form of control over me. I couldn’t help the smug reply back. “I’d like to see you try, babe.”
The room spun as, in an instant, I was thrown into the air and onto my ass. I landed in one of my armchairs, with my wrists securely fastened against the back of the chair, and Makenna sat atop my lap, straddling my crotch. How did I? What the hell? I didn’t know whether to be pissed, turned on, or what.
Her center ground down against my manhood, causing me to moan in appreciation. I was about to open my mouth, when she placed a finger over my lips and shook her head, indicating for me to be silent.
Leaning toward my ear, for what I thought was a kiss or a tease, she whispered, “Do I have your permission to check all your rooms for safety, including the upstairs? Just nod for yes or shake your head for no.”
I was confused by her request, thinking it had come out of left field. But there was no reason to keep her from any rooms in my penthouse. I had nothing to hide, so of course I nodded my agreement, not quite sure what she was up to.
Makenna scooted off my lap, grazing my hardening cock and causing me to moan in frustration once more. I watched in curiosity as she walked over to the duffle she’d placed on the floor and pulled out a small device, switching it on. She set it down on the end table next to the chair and retrieved a cell phone and a tiny device she hooked to the side of her glasses that connected to a small device—similar to a Bluetooth—that she placed in her ear.
She punched some numbers on the phone before putting it back into her pocket. “Yes, this is Baby Bird checking in . . . problem in nest . . . having to scramble a few eggs. Can you get a hawk’s eye view? Copy that, doing sweep now.”
At first I thought Makenna was speaking in some kind of garbled crap, but soon realized she must be talking with her boss, Rick, or someone else at Titan Security. I’d talked with him over the phone, while my father and brother were at his office, to clarify that I truly wanted Makenna’s help or none at all. Yes, I knew I could potentially have someone more qualified than her help me, but the only person I trusted with my life was the woman I’d once loved—correction, still loved.
I watched as she began to walk the living area we were in. The moment she moved just the right way, I realized why she hadn’t taken those damn sunglasses off: they were some form of screening device highlighting various things within the room. It was like a freaking computer screen for her eyes only.
Every once in a while I heard her provide various details about what she was seeing, something to the effect of, “I’ve found the three that are supposed to be here, but we have two more unidentifiable ones. The windows in here are uncovered—easy targets.”
This seemed to go on and on for some time. I maneuvered to get as comfortable as possible. Given I was still sporting a hard-on and my hands were bound, you’d think I’d be very uncomfortable, but I wasn’t. The situation brought me back to simpler times with Makenna, when she was exploring the sexual world as a Domme. It was short-lived, but it was fun to be tied up and at her mercy, even for a short time. Though I admit, my alpha beast was awakened and was already trying to come up with ideas of how to get her back for this.
Thirty minutes passed before she returned to free me from my chair. She tossed me a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt she’d procured from upstairs to put on. I started to speak, but she quickly placed her hand over my mouth to stop me and motioned toward the clothes, indicating I needed to get dressed. She turned around to give me privacy.
After putting my clothes on, I cleared my throat to indicate I was done. My brows furrowed when she turned around, and I held out my arms and shrugged as I mouthed, “Why?”
She looked away from me as she passed over the glasses. The earpiece and whatever the item was that she’d attached to them earlier were gone. When I put the glasses on, I was amazed at the technology I saw. There were items highlighted in pink all over my apartment, including up close to the ceiling line. But there were other items in blue and green that I didn’t understand, with specifications running against the screen regarding said items.
Grabbing my hand, she took the glasses and put them back on her soft, beautiful face, covering those beautiful blue eyes before looking my direction, and pulled me toward the front door and out into the hallway. The FBI guys, Spencer and Kyle, reached for their guns before realizing it was just us.
Spencer spoke up in a commanding tone. “You’re not supposed to leave the place, Lombardi.”
Still confused myself, I let Makenna do the talking. “The stats indicate a minimum of four to five listening devices per room, a total of twenty throughout the place. We have a total of twelve unidentified devices all throughout his penthouse and one camera that shouldn’t be in there.” Her voice was raised, though not yelling, as she pointed toward my place, demanding, “How am I to cover him when we have someone listening into and watching his every move? Anything we do or say to try and prove his innocence might give the other party the advantage in slandering Marcus even further.
“Currently, I have a scrambler in the main room, allowing me to make a secure phone call and causing interference for all the devices concerned, including yours.” Both guys looked down at their phones, pulling up various apps, before looking up at her in awe.
She shifted her feet a shoulder’s width apart and crossed her arms, then took off her glasses and stared each of the FBI men down with eyes as cold as ice. “I want to know the last time you swept the place and who had access to go inside, and I want a list with pictures of each agent that will be rotating security detail outside this door. I will not tolerate any further surprises.”
The men swallowed audibly and looked at each other in shock. I guess they weren’t used to taking orders from a woman, and she looked damn fine giving them. Kyle spoke up first. “What do you mean additional listening devices? A camera? We didn’t authorize an extra camera, just the one in the main room. Are you trying to bullshit us?”
She shook her head. “Can one of you leave your post and come with me into the condo so I can prove my point?”
Kyle nodded and stepped forward. “I’ll go to see if this is for real or what.”
Makenna didn’t argue with him, instead guided us back inside to show us the scrambler sitting on the end table. She passed him the glasses and explained what he needed to look for.
I stood in amazement as Kyle, now able to see all the devices, started cursing up a storm. I tried thinking back on who’d come into my place recently. Several people had been in and out of the condo, but I didn’t think any one of them could’ve planted the devices, especially without me realizing it. Or could they? My life appeared to be getting more complicated by the minute.
It didn’t take Kyle long to realize everything my girl had told him was true. She’s not your girl. Isn’t it time you let this fixation with Makenna go? My conscience could go take a flying leap. Granted, Kenna and I had been apart for some time, but I’d do anything, and I do mean anything, to win her back. My heart still saw her as mine.
I sat down and watched as Kyle and Makenna put their heads together and came up with a plan.
The FBI sent over a technician to remove the unidentified objects within my space. There was concern that whoever was listening or watching would be alerted. But the alternative to let them continue listening wasn’t an option. Hopefully disabling the devices would force someone to plant new ones, and we’d be on the lookout for when they tried.
The devices would be deactivated and dusted for fingerprints to see if they could figure out who’d left them inside my place. They weren’t hopeful about finding any prints on the items, but Makenna had taken video of the offending objects, with specifics regarding any information printed on them externally, in hopes of tracing where they came from. She’d believed, “The bugs were sub-par in comparison to the FBI uni
ts. In all likelihood, they came from a spy or electronics store somewhere in the area. I’m hoping to get a trace on any recent sales in the area, provided they kept records or have surveillance in their shops.”
I don’t know if I’ve said it yet, but I’m in awe over how my girl’s—I mean, Makenna’s—mind worked.
Before long, the offending items were removed and Makenna started to stifle a yawn.
“Why don’t you settle yourself up in the guest room and take a nap. The guys are outside watching the door, so you don’t have to worry about me running off.” I pointed toward the counter, where a bulky black item sat. “Besides, I have to wear that stupid ankle monitor anytime I’m let out of the apartment, and there’s only one way in and out of this place—through the front door. I couldn’t get far even if I wanted to.”
Shaking her head, she dismissed the idea immediately. “I’ll put my suitcases upstairs, but it won’t do me any good to take a nap now. I’m coming off night duty and have my days and nights mixed up. If I stay up, I’m more likely to fall asleep at a reasonable time tonight.”
Okay, I was confused. “Night duty? What did Titan have you doing, or can you talk about it?”
She half laughed for the first time, almost cracking a smile. “I’d been following a possible cheater for the past two weeks. He keeps really odd hours, and it wasn’t until three days ago he finally slipped up, where I could get proof he was cheating on his spouse. It is an ugly divorce case concerning a multimillionaire. I just needed evidence he had broken his prenuptial agreement.” Shrugging her shoulders, she added, “I’m still hooked on being up all night and sleeping during the day. I need to,” a yawn claimed her, “stay awake. Do you have any coffee or caffeine available?”
Makenna's Trust: Titan Security Series #3 Page 2