Chapter Seven
Her meal settled like a lead weight in the middle of her belly. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “I don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t,” he said, his tone a little cold. “And that’s a problem we’ll need to rectify. I can show you. But you’ll have to trust me. Follow my lead. In everything.”
A wash of heat flooded her face. “Are you…? Is this about…?”
He gave a sharp nod. “Domination and submission. BDSM.”
Preparing to flee, she shook her head and laid her napkin on the table. “I…I think you’ve made a mistake. I’m not into that—”
“I know you’ve never walked in that world. But in the short time we’ve known each other, I’ve seen certain instinctual signs that you might be a natural.”
She wasn’t ignorant. But just the acronym, BDSM, filled her head with images of black leather and leashes, paddles and chains. Ridiculous images. And he thought she might have leanings toward that lifestyle? She wasn’t depraved, wasn’t looking to be used or displayed in such a demeaning way. “I’m sorry you’ve gone to all this bother,” she said, her voice becoming hoarse. “But you’re mistaken.”
His expression softened. “Tell me, Tilly. What do you think BDSM is all about?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” she said faintly. No way would she describe the images in her mind.
“Blunt talk. You were ready for that from me. Give me the same courtesy.”
Her fingers were clasped tightly in her lap. She drew a breath and let her gaze fall away. “I think it’s for people who haven’t learned to connect with others in a healthy way. Or who have something missing inside themselves.”
He stayed silent for a moment, his expression shuttered. “Are you open to the possibility that entering that world can help a person find what’s missing in their lives?”
She raised her gaze and gave him a frown. “Maybe that’s what you choose to believe about me, but twisting my words doesn’t make it true.”
“What do you think might be missing inside me?”
She shook back her hair and lifted her chin. “Like I said. Connection. Being forced to leave everything and everyone you knew behind can’t have been easy. You were the high school football star. On the honor roll. Everything was ripped out from under your feet.”
“So, you think my lack of control over what happened made me seek the ultimate control over my body and someone else’s?”
Her chest pinched, and she sucked in a deep breath before she gave him a nod.
His gaze studied her. “Does that thought disturb you? Surrendering control to someone else?”
“I can’t imagine trusting anyone enough to allow them to tie me up and do whatever they want. It’s dangerous.”
“It can be,” he said, nodding. “But creating fear in my submissive is never my goal. Inspiring trust. Giving pleasure. Helping her discover her own potential for pleasure and submission…Now, those acts are things that excite me.”
A shiver worked its way down her spine, although whether from what he described or the silky tone of his voice, she didn’t know. A knot lodged in her throat, and she swallowed hard. “What did I do to make you think I might be like…that?”
His grin was easy, startling, and at odds with the stern set of his jaw. “You gave me your foot.” He leaned over the table, his eyes alight with humor. “You didn’t want to, but you were curious. The action, lifting your foot, put you physically off-balance. You, Tilly Floret, gave yourself over to me.”
Her breath hitched. The memory flashed in her mind and she remembered the jumble of sensations and emotions that simple action and his care had engendered in her. “All you did was slide a shoe on my foot. I wasn’t acceptin’ anything else from you.”
“You let me touch you,” he said softly.
She blinked. A subtle tell, she realized, because his crooked smile widened. His eyes narrowed as he studied her face. His expression was…expectant, his body unmoving. “Can I show you it’s not all about whips and chains?”
The silkiness was still there in his tone, a teasing quality that tugged at her willpower.
“Will you allow me to show you that surrender can be subtle and beautiful? That the lifestyle isn’t really about sexual perversion at all?”
Maybe the wine was to blame for her body’s reactions. Her skin tingled, flushing hot. Her nipples tightened. She shifted on her seat, squeezing her thighs together, because the timbre of his voice, so deep and smooth, felt like a physical caress.
He leaned closer. “We’re alone. Just you and me. Answer me.”
She cleared her throat, shaking her head slightly, a halfhearted gesture because her body was already leaning toward his. “That’s a lie. You have people all around us. For all I know, you have this courtyard filled with bugs and cameras. Observin’ people is your business. The way you live.”
“True, but only my most trusted are here. They won’t intrude. Or ever speak about what they see or hear.”
Tilly drew in a deep breath. “And that’s supposed to reassure me?” Her eyes narrowed. “Are the bedrooms wired?”
This time he blinked, and her back stiffened. She’d paraded around nude after her shower, while she’d sifted through clothing to find the most flattering outfit.
His mouth tightened a fraction. “The cameras are for your protection, you know. You entered my world willingly. This is one of the prices.”
She remembered the way he and Serge had watched her on the flight to Monterrey. Certainly his large, rugged next-in-command was one of those overseeing her “protection.” Renewed irritation tensed her muscles. “You expect me to learn to be comfortable knowin’ your men watch me?”
“I expect you to learn to take comfort from the fact that I’ll keep you safe,” he said, his words slightly clipped.
Tilly’s shoulders drooped. Suddenly, she felt weary. “At what price?”
Boone leaned back and set his napkin beside his plate.
A door opened onto the patio and a servant walked to the table and took their dishes.
When the woman’s dark-eyed gaze rose to Boone’s and he gave her a nod, Tilly snorted. Not just for her protection or his. For his comfort and amusement as well. He didn’t have to ring a bell to bring the staff. All he had to do was give a subtle signal, placing his napkin beside his plate, to bring someone running.
“You’re entitled to your anger,” Boone said, his voice once again soothing. “But please stay for dessert. Marta will be disappointed if you don’t try it.”
“I think I’ve had enough,” she said quietly. Right this moment, the only thing she wanted was to run as far away from this man as she could.
“If staying would please me, would you? A taste is all I ask.”
And he wasn’t talking about the dessert. She was certain of that.
The door opened again. The woman, Marta, brought out a tray. She set down plates with molded flan and half a dozen raspberries beside the custards. Then she left again as quietly as she’d come.
The chair across from hers scraped.
Her pulse raced as Boone carried his chair and his plate toward her. But she didn’t move. She couldn’t. Her damnable curiosity kept her frozen in her chair because she was dying to know what he intended to do next. If he moved close enough to touch her, would she have the will to resist?
He sat the plate beside hers, his chair as well, and then leaned back. “The fact that a table separated us gave you courage,” he murmured.
“Now you want to intimidate me?” The quaver in her voice matched the trembling in her body.
“No, I want to be close enough to you that I won’t miss anything.”
Close enough that he couldn’t help but note how flushed her skin was or how her erect nipples pushed against the front of her thin bra. Pretending she didn’t care, she lifted her chin defiantly.
Boone gave her a half smile and leaned toward her. “Indulge me?” he whispered. “I promise I won’t do anything that will embarrass you.”
She met his steady gaze, her fearless pose unraveling because he was so close she felt the heat from his thigh right beside hers.
“Tilly…close your eyes. I want to feed you.”
She searched his expression, carefully neutral except for the slight curving of his mouth. He was teasing her. “This is silly. I feel silly.”
“Indulge me. We’ll both enjoy the experience.”
Huffing a breath, she closed her eyes. Not trusting him for a moment, but she’d let him play his game. Fact was, she enjoyed the intimacy of sitting so close to him. She liked the way he smelled: like cinnamon and male. Liked the heat emanating from his body.
“Open your mouth.”
She complied, opening like a baby bird waiting for a worm. At that thought, she wrinkled her nose. Then she tasted the metal bottom of a spoon on her tongue and an explosion of sweetness as she closed her mouth around the flan. She groaned in ecstasy.
“Open.”
She opened again and received a second spoonful of the sinfully delicious dessert—creamy, smooth, sweet like caramel.
“Open.”
This time, she didn’t hesitate. But a spoon didn’t enter her mouth. Instead, two fingers, tasting slightly salty, deposited a raspberry on her tongue. She shivered, fighting the urge to close her lips around his fingers as she had the spoonfuls of flan.
A fingertip dragged across her tongue as it left her mouth. She bit into the berry, tart, sweet, and salty exploding on her taste buds.
“If we were lovers,” he said beside her ear. “I’d take advantage of the fact you can’t anticipate my moves,” he whispered. “Open.”
Without a thought, she did, and his finger daubed flan on her tongue. The taste was even better than before without the metallic aftertaste of the silver spoon.
“I’d open that clasp and part your pretty dress. Open.”
Again, his fingers entered her mouth, dropping another raspberry. Her breaths grew ragged. Her heart raced.
“I’d thumb open the clasp of your bra and expose your pretty breasts. Open. No talking.”
She was just about to ask how he knew her breasts were pretty. How had he known? The thought of cameras entered her mind and for the first time, they didn’t horrify her. They became part of his seduction.
Flan, again, was delivered by two fingers.
The urge was too strong. She latched her lips around them and sucked.
His breath gusted against her cheek.
Not as steady as before.
She almost smiled.
He withdrew his fingers. “Open.”
She did. And this time, a hand cupped her cheek and tilted her head back. His lips touched hers, his tongue sweeping into her mouth. She could taste the flan on his tongue and she swallowed greedily, taking him even deeper inside her mouth. An arm settled on her shoulders, turning her slightly. The kiss deepened.
Flan, wine, raspberries—none tasted quite as wicked as Boone Benoit’s mouth. His lips sealed hers. When he began to move, dragging her lips in slow circles, she was helpless to follow his lead, drugged by the sensual tug.
When he drew back, she licked her lips and slowly opened her eyes.
His blue eyes gleamed. “There’s pleasure in submission, Tilly.” He tapped her nose and drew in a deep breath. “You should go now.”
She wanted to argue. But he’d made his point. Even the simple act of eating a tasty dessert could be filled with sensual pleasure. Her body’s response proved that.
He dropped his arm and stood, helping her to her feet. Cupping her elbow, he led her back into the kitchen through the living room to the hallway. At the first door, he stopped. “I’m in here, should you need anything.”
As she continued down the hallway, she couldn’t help the sway of her hips, aware that he still watched her. Her steps were light, her body awakened as never before.
As she sought a nightgown from the clothing hanging in the closet, she closed the door for privacy, hoping his security concerns didn’t extend to her dressing room or bathroom. The thought of him watching her as she slept was still disturbing, but not for the same reasons she’d had before they’d shared that kiss.
As if he’d sit in front of a monitor to watch her sleep. She really did need to keep this in perspective. Boone might find her a challenge, but for how long? Maybe he did think he needed her to help smooth his way in Bayou Vert, but time and money would do the same.
The town was dying. Losing its young people to the city. In another generation, the town might not exist at all. Sad, given its long history. Bayou Vert had survived storms and its own pirate past, but it couldn’t fight progress. Small fishing operations were giving way to larger, better-equipped companies. Fishing and acting as guides for the odd hunting or fishing tourist were the only jobs left. If she didn’t have a brother who needed familiar surroundings to feel safe, she wouldn’t stay either.
As she turned off the bedside lamp, she admitted to herself that Boone was her only hope. Her resentment was for the fact she didn’t have a choice. And yet she was excited in ways she’d never experienced before.
A handsome, wealthy man wanted her. She’d have to keep her head free of the clouds, remember their disturbingly linked past, and hold true to who she was. More dangerous than their past was the secret she kept. Every day she walked in his world, the urge to tell him what she’d found grew stronger, because she was getting to know him, and feeling more and more empathy for the man. The closer she drew, she had no doubts the guilt would weigh heavier and heavier. She had the means to cast doubt on the town’s foregone conclusion that Boone was a murderer. If he ever found out what she withheld, how would he feel about her?
* * *
Moments after watching Tilly enter her bedroom, Boone entered the situation room, dragging off his tie.
Serge turned from the computer screen he’d been reading. “Boss, is your head in the game?”
Boone narrowed his eyes. “Are you talking about Ms. Floret?”
“Just wondering. You don’t usually let your personal life interfere with work. Not sayin’ that’s not a good thing.”
“Have we received another communication?” Boone rolled a chair beside Serge’s.
“No, it’s been quiet. Alejandro thinks we might have someone on the inside. Makes sense. If they know we’re putting more sticks in their spokes, they might be thinking of ways to punish us. If this is the first of a concerted campaign, and they know where Black Spear’s assets are, they’ll want to teach us a lesson.”
Boone’s stomach roiled. They’d been here before. Waiting for a deal that wasn’t going to happen because the kidnappers wanted to make a big splash, reinforcing a brutal reputation for the lengths they would go to ensure the biggest payoffs.
And this cartel was particularly frightening. Composed of ex–Mexican Army commandoes, they had skills only his own men could rival.
Yes, he’d been here before. Images of headless bodies left in front of a mosque in Afghanistan made his body tight.
“It’s not Kabul, Boone.”
“These bastards are studying terrorists’ playbooks. It could happen. You see what they do to their own people when they cross them. We need to find these guys. If there is someone on the inside helping them, it’s our fault for not finding the link. I want more assets on this.”
“How long are we staying here?”
Boone raked a hand through his hair. “Alejandro’s perfectly capable of running this op.”
Serge gave him a one-sided smile. “Hard being the big kahuna. But you have to be willing to let go of the details. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to return to the ole hometown. It’s—”
“Distracting. I know.”
“So’s she.” Serge arched a dark brow. “Enjoy your dessert?”
“Didn’t touch mine.”
“Wasn’t talking about the flan.”
Boone grunted, annoyed his friend had witnessed so much.
“She’s not into the scene. You sure you want to lead her there?”
Boone aimed a deadly glare at his friend. “I could just tell you to mind your own damn business.”
“I have your back. Always will.” Serge shook his head. “But she’s not part of your revenge. You drag her through it, she might get hurt. You like to think you’re always on target. That you don’t feel. But she’s getting to you.”
The memory of Tilly, opening her mouth so obediently, flashed through his mind. Turning her reluctance to eager enjoyment had given him an erotic thrill he hadn’t experienced in a long, long time. He could still feel the moist pressure of her lips closing around his fingers. “Maybe it’s time I let someone get to me.”
Serge glanced back at the monitor. “Thinking about settling down?”
Boone grunted again. “F*ck, I don’t know. But when I look at her, I don’t see Celeste. Her murder has haunted me for so long, you’d think that’s all I’d be thinking about when I look at Tilly. Instead, I’m racking my brain for ways to seduce her. To please her.”
Serge chuckled. “If you want, I’ll butt out.”
“No, I need you to be my conscience. Sometimes, when I want something, I don’t know when to stop.”
Serge’s expression sharpened, and he held up his finger to alert Boone that he was receiving news. He tapped his Bluetooth. “No wire. A physical drop?”
His gaze went to Boone, who shook his head. Too many things could go wrong, but then again, they might find a way to tag the cash and follow it back to the enemy. Up to this point, the kidnappers had shown remarkable sophistication. They were due to make a mistake. “No more than a quarter of the total payout,” he said.
Serge relayed their agreement to Alejandro, who was manning the burn phone from the Tex-Oil building. When he removed the phone from his ear, he raised a brow. “Don’t guess anyone’s getting any sleep tonight. The drop’s happening at three a.m.”
“Peterson Group has the cash?”
“Alejandro had them primed for the possibility. He figured since we changed the amount, the Omegas were obligated to make the delivery harder for us.” Serge pushed up from the desk. “I’m heading over there. How ’bout you?”
Boone nodded. “I won’t sleep anyway.” Another kind of excitement stirred in his blood. Adrenaline. Something he’d gotten addicted to from his years in the service, something he desperately missed after he’d concentrated on the managerial aspects of his business. “Radio Bear to ready three cars.”
They never left the compound without ensuring necessary firepower. But it was also designed to confuse anyone watching as to which vehicle he might be inside.
Serge slipped the phone over his ear and relayed the message, then called for a replacement to monitor the cameras at the house. Tilly and his staff would remain safe within these walls while they were gone. Then they left the house through the garage door.
Bear met them at the cars. Not only was he Boone’s personal pilot, he was also his preferred driver, having undergone extensive training in defensive driving tactics. Bear had earned his nickname due to his burly, rugged appearance. Although Boone had offered him positions with more authority, even his own region to manage, Bear refused, preferring to “keep it personal.”
Boone rewarded his loyalty with a generous salary and certain perks, including his own membership at The Platform.
Bear took the Glock from his holster and handed it to Boone.
Boone made a quick inspection of the half-dozen men who’d be accompanying them on their run to the Tex-Oil offices. All were dressed in black military cargo pants, long-sleeved uniform shirts, and Kevlar vests. Each man carried a military assault weapon—AK-47 or M4.
Boone lifted the back hatch of the Esplanade and reached inside for a vest, and then gave the signal to roll out. The men loaded into the vehicles, with Boone seated beside Bear in the front. When Boone became part of a mission, he no longer wanted to be the one protected. Like his brothers in action, he was just another soldier prepared to enter the fray to save a few of his own.