Her Master's Collar (On the Hunt) (6 page)

Her wariness decreased. “He didn’t.”

Finley nodded. “Oh right, this is your job, so you front the bill. You’ve got nice taste.”

“Thanks. I think.” Korene fell silent as Finley slid onto the oversized king bed and folded her legs neatly in front of her. Her curiosity about the woman finally got the best of her. “How did you get mixed up with these two?”

“Roland paid my bail.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Of the various scenarios that could have answered the question, her response was not expected. She knew Roland could play the knight in shining armor part if necessary, she’d watched him do it enough. Maybe he’d been the one to get Finley in trouble so he felt responsible for her safety somehow?

“Two smugglers tried to take me for a fool, so I stuffed one of their units full of spare parts from an old trash compactor. They were so stupid and unaware, I figured they wouldn’t have a clue if I made a few substitutions. I didn’t get as far away as I would have liked before they realized what I’d done. When the Marshals came to break up the fight, they arrested me without asking any questions. I’d run into Roland earlier in the day during a meeting, so his card was the only thing I had in my pocket. They contacted him, and as they say, the rest is history.”

“Why did they arrest you? Doesn’t sound as if you did anything wrong.”

“One pulled a gun on me and even managed to get a shot off. So I stabbed him with my knife.” A long blade glinted in the overhead lighting as she held it up for display.

Korene choked, cleared her throat and then began laughing. Oh, she liked this woman despite the rough edges. In fact, maybe she liked her
because
of the rough edges. She obviously had a fire inside her that undoubtedly allowed her to keep up with the men. “Well. Very handy.”

Finley licked her lips as she slid the weapon back into the holster strapped against her thigh. “Why did you contract us for this job? I mean, I know we’re the best, but any number of the other top teams could have done this job with their eyes closed. Then you wouldn’t have to put yourself through the torture of facing Roland again.”

Korene joined Finley on the bed, arranging her skirt around her legs. “I wanted people who have their eyes wide open. Who weren’t afraid to do what needs to be done to get the job done.” She waved her hands at nothing in particular. “What he’s done with the setup here is exactly why I chose to contract his company.”

“What you’ve done says a lot about your character.”

Her muscles tightened as her spine straightened. The hard ridge of her short nails dug into her palms. “What do you mean?”

Finley huffed out a laugh. “I simply meant that you’re willing to face someone who walked out of your life in order to do a job. You obviously want the best for those people despite the fact it causes you to face your worst memories.”

“You’re very observant.”

Finley stood, shucking her vest and shirt. “I don’t think a single mission I worked with Roland goes by without some kind of mention about you or your time together. The fact he does it without realizing it either just makes it all the more charming.”

“Yes, well, I haven’t thought about him at all.”

“Liar.” Those unique blue-brown eyes flashed as she pulled off her pants and tossed them near the foot of the bed. “Just remember to be careful, all right? I’m going to get a few hours of sleep, since I’m due back for the breakfast shift. I’m, uh, a pretty deep sleeper when we’re not in the crosshairs. So if something happens and you can’t wake me, don’t worry too much about it. Just don’t want you to think I’m dead or something.”

“Oh. Okay.” Korene eyed the woman as she flopped down on the right side of the bed, crossed her legs at the ankle and closed her eyes. “Goodnight.”

“Night.”

* * * * *

Korene woke the next day to find she’d slept nearly fourteen hours. Finley was nowhere to be found. Probably for the best. She didn’t want to become attached to the woman, because of her association with Roland. The more distance between her and the other members of the team, the better.

A small blinking light across the room caught her attention.

Roland’s handsome face filled the plasma screen as she depressed the indicator. Despite her anger with him, she smiled as she settled back into the pile of pillows.

“Hey, gorgeous. You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to disturb you. So take your time, order yourself some room service. I made dinner reservations for us tonight, so I’ll swing by the suite to pick you up around five for a show first.”

Even though she knew he was simply keeping up appearances should someone intercept the transmission, it sounded good to hear him sound so loving. It was a facet of their relationship she missed—the way he seemed to always want to take care of her. Knowing it wasn’t time to reminisce, she threw back the sheets to set about getting ready for their date.

No, not date. She couldn’t think of it as a date. Just work. A contractual arrangement she needed to see through, regardless of her painful past with her former Dom. She was strong enough to do this without further incident. Her employees being held hostage deserved that much.

Roland knocked on the door promptly at five o’clock. The cranberry-colored garment she’d selected flowed around her legs as she stepped out of the room. He looked cool and casual in the clothes he’d picked. “I’d forgotten you clean up nicely.”

“As do you.” After he brushed a soft kiss to her cheek, she noticed his soft-blue shirt deepened the color of his eyes. That same shirt clung to his heavily muscled chest in all the right places, highlighting his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His pants were loose, but not so much that she missed the faint ridge of his penis beneath the thin fabric.

Everything inside her started to burn as she thought about how glorious it would feel to have him buried inside her pussy. How his hands would pin her in place as he thrust over and over while her keening wails bounced off the walls. The air disappeared from the narrow hallway as her eyes lifted to meet his intense gaze.

Small wrinkles formed at the corners of his eyes as he rubbed his knuckle over her jaw. “You’re blushing.”

“I’m not.” She pushed at his hand, turning away despite the fact she couldn’t stop thinking about him taking her against the wall.

He caught up with her, his hand sliding protectively against her lower back as they walked down the hall. The gesture was an old habit of his. One usually reserved for when they’d gone to dinner to relax and enjoy each other’s company before a scene. He used it as a signal to her he would be there no matter what demands he’d make of her later.

The touch comforted her and unsettled her at the same time. She wanted to give in to her body’s aching need, completely forget about listening to her head and instead give in to the overwhelming desire to fuck.

So much for staunch professionalism.

He leaned closer as they waited for the high-speed lift, his lips brushing against her ear. “I think a little wisp of steam just puffed out of your ear from thinking so hard. Care to share what’s on that pretty mind of yours?”

Damn. She’d forgotten his knack for reading her face so well. “Just thinking about the next few days. Hoping things will go smoothly and that we—the company and the employees—can put this all behind us.”

“Liar.” His amused tone matched Finley’s.

After exiting the lift, they stepped into the opulent theater situated at one end of the promenade deck. The sheer size of the space was overwhelming, and she blinked a few times in stunned astonishment. He swept her up to the balcony, to a private area large enough for just the two of them. An expensive-looking bottle of champagne sat nestled in a chilling bucket while two glasses rested on the small knee-high table between the seats.

Roland dismissed the usher, pouring the beverage himself before handing her one of the glasses. “Now. Tell me what you were really thinking about.”

The flavor of toasted hazelnuts, orange blossoms and dried apricots filled her mouth as she sipped the champagne. Roland had always possessed a knack for choosing some of the most fantastic drinks. She didn’t want to think about how much this bottle was going to cost her. Instead, she simply indulged herself with another sip.

Somehow, the alcohol gave her the strength she needed to answer him. Liquid courage, apparently. “You. I was thinking about what happened when we first came aboard. I shouldn’t have gone to my knees that easily for you.”

“You always did prefer making me work for what I wanted.” Said at any other time, she would have probably laughed and agreed. But given the fact her body still ached for him, his statement simply hurt. She sipped her champagne again, her throat dry. “Your body is obviously trying to tell you something. Why don’t you agree?”

She gave him a cold look. “I don’t know, Roland.”

“I, for one, happen to think you look damn gorgeous on your knees. I always have and I always will. Ten years apart hasn’t changed that. And you can’t deny you reacted, Korene.” He slowly brushed his knuckles against her face as he turned in his seat, the warmth of his touch igniting the banked fire in her core. “Your body responded to my touch, my voice. You want this more than you realize. What happened was a clear indication.”

“Oh, I know exactly what my body wants, there’s no doubt about that. What happened back in the room—any of it—was a glaring sign I still need to submit to someone.” She set her empty glass on the table, folding her hands in front of her. “But if I listened every time it screamed at me to go to my knees…let’s just say what happened was a one-time thing. It can’t happen again.” She held up a hand. “No, correction—it
won’t
happen again.”

His glass joined hers on the table as he shifted closer. The heat of his body pressed against hers, making it extremely hard to maintain a firm grip on her sex drive. Jesus, did he have to be so handsome and addictive? After everything he put her through, she should
not
want this man. Her breasts shouldn’t swell inside the cups of her bra. Her panties shouldn’t feel good rubbing against sensitive places that grew wetter the closer his body got.

“Maybe you should let go of your restraint and listen to your body for once. When is the last time you gave in to your desires?”

Ice ran through her veins, eliminating the arousing heat that had nearly filled her to bursting. Talk about a sobering moment. “The night you left me.” Swallowing the thickness in her throat, she stared out at the gathering audience. Looking at him right now would break her. “For a very long time, I thought it was my fault. I thought
I
was the reason you left. I wallowed, throwing pity party after pity party. I even grew to hate you because you made me into a weepy mess of a woman.”

“Korene—”

“I’ve started now, Roland, let me do this.” She gathered her composure, feeling strong and secure now that the dam had burst. Ten years of pent-up emotion poured from her. “We met and you swept me off my feet. You turned my world upside down so I didn’t even know where the sky ended and the ground began. In truth, I didn’t care. Perhaps it was silly to let myself get caught up so young, but I loved you so much. Then we discovered the whole mutual interest in dominance and submission…I swear, my life was never the same. For the first time in my life, I was truly, happily, free.”

“Then I left,” he added solemnly.

His touch withdrew, a signal her words had caused him pain. His misery couldn’t possibly come close to the anguish she’d suffered. “Yes. You showed up at the house so serious, so damn commanding. I loved that about you. I thought you loved me too.”

“I did. I still do.” He stood, yanking the privacy curtain to close them off from the loud murmuring of the audience before kneeling in front of her. A subservient position for a man who was the epitome of command. His hands were warm as they closed around hers. “Don’t you understand? That’s why I let you go. That’s why I freed you. I thought I wasn’t going to come back—that I would die out there. God knows I tried hard enough.

“I didn’t want to perish out there in the field and leave you all alone. I uncollared you
because
I love you. I couldn’t die on Mars, knowing you were bound to me on Earth. Nor die, knowing you would mourn the loss of both your man and your Master. Maybe it was the coward’s way, but I had to do it. You have to understand, I thought freeing you was the only way I could go on loving you. Our relationship was always the one thing right with my life. I may have hurt you when I freed you, but it devastated me on every level possible. Why do you think I still have your collar?”

Her breathing stuttered. In all of her pain and anger, it had never occurred to her that he’d done it to save her. The agony of loss had blocked out solid reasoning. It certainly helped to ease the ache, even if it didn’t answer all her questions. “I want to be with you again, but—”

“You’re afraid I’ll leave.”

She studied him for a long moment before answering. “Yes.”

He dipped his head, pressing his warm lips against her thumb. “How about one day, one step at a time? See if we can find our footing. It’s there somewhere. You know it as well as I do. That was apparent the moment you went to your knees for me again.”

She nodded slowly, even though he was wrong. It hadn’t been when she’d gone to her knees. She’d experienced the scintillating rush only he had over her the moment she’d stepped into the conference room back on Earth. No matter how hard she tried, she wouldn’t be able to stay away. Continuing on this way would only further aggravate them both. Negotiation wasn’t a foreign concept, but she wanted to make one thing perfectly clear. “I can’t accept your collar again, Roland. Maybe someday, but for now…”