Bates. Hughes. McMillian. Those were the names on the file Weston had offered up.
According to Avery’s day planner, they were the only donors who had met with Molina. There was a connection to the arms deals, but he needed the original documentation to put it all together. A big deal was going down. He could feel it. This was why Nelson was here. The former CIA agent was putting together something, and he was using UOF to do it. He might have been using them for a long time. Even if they got Nelson in custody tomorrow, Liam wanted to take Molina down. It was the only way to make sure Avery was safe.
“Hey.” Avery gave him a big smile as she walked into the room.
He couldn’t help it. He saw her and he needed. “Is that how you greet me?”
She sank down to her knees, her legs falling apart just as he’d trained her. It was the formal greeting of a beloved submissive to her Dom. It was an acknowledgement of their pact. The sub to support and obey when need be and the Dom to adore and protect.
He’d played at this for years, but it finally hit home with this woman. This was honesty. There was no prevarication. No pretending they were friends and roommates and part-time lovers. They were a Dom and a sub with very delineated roles. She softened him. He strengthened her. It didn’t necessarily always follow gender lines. There were plenty of Dommes who lifted up their male partners. But for him and Avery, this was how it was. She showed him that he could sink himself into someone, and he was working on showing her just how fucking right she was.
Her head was down, her knees spread, her hands palms up on her thighs.
She was perfect and his cock responded, but then he was always hard around her. He got off the bed not feeling a damn bit of self-consciousness about his nudity. He hadn’t taken a shower. He still had her sweat and arousal on his skin. He would walk around with it all day long if he could. He sank his hand into her hair, giving thanks for her submission. “You know you’re gorgeous, love.”
“You certainly tell me enough.” He didn’t have to see her face. He could feel her smile.
She was gorgeous. How had he ever for a moment thought she wasn’t? “Have lunch with me today.”
Her face came up. Just a few days and she already smiled more. She was so much more confident. “That wasn’t a question. Do you need an answer or should you just tell me when I should be ready?”
Brat. Yeah, he loved that. “Noon. I’ll be there at noon. I’m crazy about you, you little brat. We’re going to the club tonight. Are you ready?”
A sure smile he knew damn well he wouldn’t have seen a couple of days ago crossed her face. “Yes. I’m ready. Though I don’t have any fet wear. I should have some, right? I read that sometimes clubs don’t allow people in plain clothes in.”
She’d become an expert in the last couple of days. And he’d noted that she’d started reading a writer named Amber Rose. Serena would be thrilled that she had a new devotee.
“I’ll handle it. You’ll wear what I select for you and only what I select.” He would have to make a side trip. His first inclination was to ask Eve to find her some clothes. He’d never given a crap about what a woman wore. He’d only cared about how quickly he could get it off her. But the thought of Avery wearing only what he picked out played around in his brain.
“No undies then, huh?” She frowned. “I used to like underwear, you know.”
“Why hide that pretty little pussy, baby?” Her nipples had already peaked. He could have her again. Maybe if he impaled her on his cock twenty-four seven he could keep her out of trouble. He wanted to ask about the names on those files. He wanted her to tell him she wasn’t thinking about investigating them herself, but he couldn’t risk tipping someone off. They were listening in here, and someone had started following them. He’d picked up the tail the afternoon after they had slept together the first time. Someone was watching Avery Charles, and he couldn’t be sure whom. Her creepy boss or Nelson? Had Nelson made him? Would Nelson show for the meeting now or would he disappear into the woodwork again?
He was just about to kiss her when he noticed her leg spasming. He pulled her up. “You have to tell me when it hurts.”
She held on to him for one sweet moment, her nipples brushing against his chest. “It didn’t hurt, Lee. It just does that from time to time.”
He didn’t like that her leg could give out at any moment. It wasn’t bad when he was around because he was always watching and ready to catch her, but what happened when she was alone? “I think you should stay home.”
She snorted a little. “Lee, if I stayed home every time something was wrong with my leg, I would never leave the bed.”
And that was a problem why? “I can bring you food in bed. We can just stay there.”