Dancing with Deception (24 page)

Joelle had been wrong, she’d managed to keep her skimpy pieces of PVC tape for twelve minutes and forty-five seconds…not that she’d been counting. It hadn’t surprised anyone that Tobi West was the first one naked and Jen hadn’t lasted much longer. Everyone laughed when Sam McCall handed his brother a hundred-dollar bill. Sage shook his head laughing. “I told you she wouldn’t last more than a hot minute.”

Tobi and Jen had both fallen in the pool in a display Joelle was sure would be shown in BDSM circles for years to come because there wasn’t a chance in hell the Doms were going to erase
that
video. Pleasure had blindsided Tobi when her plug started what she’d described as a “tap dance with dynamite” and she’d fallen ass over teakettle into the water. Somehow she’d managed to launch the tray of drinks she’d been carrying the entire length of the narrow bridge the club’s dungeon monitors had built over the water. She’d surfaced cursing like a sailor before the ice from the beverages stopped tumbling across the pool deck.

Jen lost her balance and fell over the pool’s edge because she’d been laughing so hard at Tobi. Joelle and Coral had both watched in stunned silence and Gracie quietly narrated the comedy playing out in front of them. “Nobody is going to convince me that program is entirely random. Even Tobi isn’t that much of a trouble magnet. And anyone with an ounce of common sense knew she’d end up in the pool. I love her like a sister, but she can get herself into a mess quicker than anybody else I know. And Jen? Well, that part was just plain funny.” The entire scene reminded Joelle of a Carol Burnett skit.
Damn, that was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

Regi leaned over to Joelle and whispered, “I’m so glad that wasn’t me. I really don’t swim very well…okay, that’s not really true. I can’t swim at all. Even my Masters don’t know that…”

Joelle turned to her quickly. “I won’t let you drown, I promise.” The relief was easy to see in Regi’s face. “But, sweetie, you really need to tell your husbands about this, because I’m pretty sure they’ll consider it a big deal.”
Massive understatements aren’t sins, are they? Because if they are, I’m probably going to a whole new level of hell now.
Joelle had played enough to know Doms in committed relationships with submissives demanded to know every detail when their sub’s safety was at stake. And a play party beside a pool when a sub wasn’t able to swim would definitely be considered a huge issue.

Coral let out a yelp of surprise beside them and the tray of drinks she’d been holding tilted precariously to the side. Without thinking, Joelle reached over to steady her friend earning her a sharp reprimand from Master Nate. She’d been standing out of Ryan and Brandt’s view, but her faux pas hadn’t escaped the man running the show. “You aren’t allowed to help. I believe that directive was quite clear. The only reason I’m modifying the punishment is I’m convinced your action was reflex rather than deliberate insubordination.”
Insubordination? Geez, once a soldier, always a soldier.
“Turn around.”

Master Nate gave her two harsh swats, one to each cheek of her ass and then cut the PVC tape in an arch up from one hip then down to the other, displaying what she was sure were two crimson handprints on her backside. The rat bastard didn’t have to tell Ryan or Brandt she’d gotten into trouble—they’d be able to see it clearly for themselves.
Jerk. Should have known better than to think he’d be charitable.

P
hoenix watched the
monitors from the main control room of the Prairie Winds Club as the first two submissives fell into the pool. Nate hadn’t lied to the women when he said the program was run by a random computer algorithm, but he’d also neglected to mention it allowed for impromptu intervention as well. “Shit, I didn’t see that coming.” He recognized the curvy blonde who’d plunged headfirst into the water as Tobi West, but he wasn’t sure about the second woman’s identity until the man next to him called her Jen.

Mitch Ames had volunteered to help monitor the evening’s activities when he’d heard Phoenix was going to be on-site. They’d met a few years ago at a gaming convention. Phoenix had been surprised to learn his friend had been a Green Beret—it had been completely erased from his online biography. Evidently Mitch and the U.S. government were in agreement on at least one point—burying their connection was in both their best interests.

“Don’t worry about Jen, she’s working on special assignments with the black ops teams. She’s so close to reckless it’s terrifying, but she’s smart as a whip and everybody underestimates her. Honestly, falling in like that is pretty typical. Sam swears most of her kills while on assignments have been accidental. Personally, I think her real superpower is making the shit she does
look accidental.
”

Phoenix laughed as he zeroed in on the exchange between Nate and Joelle. “Damn, buddy, putting your hands on my future sister-in-law is a good way to get your ass kicked. My brother and cousin only share with each other.”

“You think Brandt and Ry are going to get this one wrapped up? She’s got the potential to have a huge impact on the medical world.”

He understood Mitch’s concern, but Phoenix knew the two men who’d claimed her had no intention of standing between Joelle and her destiny. But they weren’t going to let her go either. “They’re already working on a state of the art lab for her in Pine Creek. I think you’ll see the Montana and Texas Morgans pool their resources very soon. The newly formed Morgan Holdings is poised to have a vested interest in medical research.” Yeah, times were definitely changing and Phoenix was enjoying his front row seat without feeling any need to be the one in the spotlight.

“Any progress finding Athena?” Mitch knew the woman who’d bested them both in online games was a thorn in Phoenix’s side. Damn it, any women with the audacity to name her online persona after the Greek goddess of wisdom and war strategy should have enough common sense to know she’d be seen as a challenge once she’d bested the game’s designer.

“No. But I haven’t had much time to look either. My brothers’ love lives keep interfering with my own social calendar. Damn, I hope the next one falls for some boring librarian who’s never been out of the state and doesn’t have an enemy one.”

“Dreamer.” The amusement in Mitch’s voice made Phoenix smile. The two of them had discovered early on they had very similar interests and tastes in women. They also both came from wealthy families. But Phoenix had amassed a fortune of his own so he had plenty to play with, Mitch viewed money as a convenience to be used and not stored away in a bank vault waiting for a mythical coming disaster. Phoenix knew there would come a time to use the money he’d been stashing, but right now there simply wasn’t anything interesting to spend it on.

“Probably.”

“Mind if I join the search? Something about her intrigues me and I want to be sure I’m not fantasizing about some twelve-year-old kid.” Mitch shuddered and Phoenix had worried about the same thing—more than once. There was a sophistication in her communication he felt could only come from age and education, but that didn’t mean they might not be chatting up some fifty-year-old man who only left his house to breeze through the local fast food drive-thru.
Another terrifying prospect.

“No, I don’t mind. Hell, I’d appreciate the help. I’m tired of having my ass handed to me every time I try to track her down. I’ve shown Micah some of the smoke screens she’s thrown my way and he wants to hire her.” They both laughed because anyone who could elude Phoenix was damned good. He’d built in a number of ways to track games because there was always the chance a participant would use their online persona for something nefarious. Phoenix wanted to be prepared to help law enforcement should that happen, but Athena was living up to her name.

Phoenix was glad his friend was showing an interest in the mysterious Athena, from what he’d heard, Mitch hadn’t played much in the past year or two. Evidently he’d been interested in a former Air Force captain, but she’d moved on leaving Mitch reeling from a break up he hadn’t seen coming.

“What’s your cover for the press conference?” Mitch’s question didn’t surprise him. They’d been friends long enough for Mitch to know Phoenix showing up in Texas two days before the press conference wasn’t a coincidence.

“Well, I’m Ms. Rodrick’s new media contact for puttin’ a stop to Joelle’s nonsense, darlin’. After all, how dare a trouble-makin’ lil nobody like Joelle Phillips interfere with the ambitions of a woman as important as Ms. Rodrick.” Phoenix knew his southern accent wasn’t perfect, but the look on Mitch’s face was something between shock and horror.

“She’ll make you in a New York minute. Hell, most third graders wouldn’t be fooled by that shit.” Swiping his hand through his hair, Mitch shook his head. “I’ll talk to the team, but in the meantime, send me everything you’ve got. I want to read all the conversations between you two. And for God’s sake, let’s have some fun with those sweet little subs who think they’ve gotten off so easy.”

Coral was so
close to her goal she was sure she’d dodged another bullet. She’d carried the last tray of drinks almost the entire length of the pool without the plug in her ass doing anything but annoying her. All she had to do was make it another ten feet as she’d be able to set the tray of snacks down on the glass table where Sage sat waiting.
Don’t tempt fate, Coral Anne, it always comes back to bite you in the ass.

Looking up, she saw Sage sitting casually beside the table watching her intently. His laser-like focus zeroed in on her breasts as they bounced beneath the last narrow strip of PVC tape covering them.
The one that didn’t even reach the outer edges of her areolas? That piece of tape? Does that even count?
She’d known it was too much to hope he’d bind her boobs with enough of that damned tape. No, he’d folded the four-inch wide tape over so the two-inch wide strip did almost nothing to hide her nipples even if she stood perfectly still. But since all of his shenanigans during their honeymoon had erased what little modesty she’d had to begin with, she tried to not focus on the fact men she barely knew were seeing far too much.

Remembering how he’d pulled her onto his lap at one of the dance clubs they’d gone to sent a hot rush to her sex. How he’d managed to free his impressive cock without anyone around them noticing was a mystery, but no one missed her moans of pleasure as he’d rocked her back and forth in time with the music. Of course, anyone who’d been trying to politely pretend they weren’t watching had abandoned their attempts when her new husband pinched her throbbing clit sending her over the edge of a screaming release. She’d fallen over before she’d been able to think about how much attention her orgasm was going to get. Finding out later he’d carefully selected who would be nearby hadn’t done much to dim her embarrassment.

She was only five foot away and closing in on the table when the thin membrane with all those tiny wires circling her clit roared to life. Cripes, she’d been a shivering bundle of need by the time Sage managed to get the devilish device in place, but now the demon-possessed device was going to steal her sanity. Coral froze in place unable to take another step. Her mind was scrambling to pull all the things happening around her into alignment as the pulses of rapture bubbled closer and closer to the surface. The membrane felt exactly like Sage’s fingers, the only reason she knew he wasn’t the one drawing slow circles around her clit was because he was sitting a few feet away smiling like a cat getting ready to pounce on a canary. Even without the electronic device vibrating against her clit, his lust-filled look would have had her sinking quickly into a bottomless pit of need.

Looking down, Coral realized her hands were empty.
What happened to the tray?
A disembodied voice to her right whispered, “Don’t worry about the tray, sweet girl.” Coral recognized the voice. Her last few functioning brain cells knew Master Nate was a friend of Sage’s, but he certainly hadn’t shown her any mercy earlier. She’d gotten the same swats Joelle had been given, but she’d been grateful he hadn’t cut away the thin PVC covering her ass. Her new husband had vowed to put some weight on her during their month long honeymoon and damned if he hadn’t succeeded. Those extra few pounds seemed to please him, but she was certainly less than thrilled.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Coral’s insecurities struck a match coming to life with a deafening roar. It shocked her to realize the overwhelming need pounding in her sex was being overshadowed by her fear of failing her new husband. The reality was, the other submissives participating in tonight’s fun were all experienced in the lifestyle she’d only recently been introduced to. God, just thinking about all the ways she could screw this up was intensely humbling.

Focusing her attention on Sage, everything else faded into the background. Zeroing in on the man she planned to spend the rest of her life with helped her clear the static out of her mind. She was drawn to him like a magnet to steel, their attraction so strong it made her knees weak. She was grateful he hadn’t risen from his seat. He was giving her time to work it out.
If he believes in you, you owe it to him to believe in yourself.
Her small epiphany was enough to let her take the first step. His answering smile and nod of approval sent her racing into his arms.