A Dom is Forever (Masters and Mercenaries #3)(59)

“I doubt that.” But he was having a hard time telling Eve no. She’d helped him so much. “I don’t have all the information I need to make an informed judgment.”

Because it had been so much nicer to focus on Avery. He’d kept her out of trouble. He’d sent Adam the names Weston had left her to find the files on. He’d done his job. Mostly.

He’d managed to not kill Simon Weston. He’d seriously thought about it when he’d caught the bastard still sniffing around Avery. And attempting to bring Avery deeper into this game. That was what rankled. Weston knew Avery wasn’t involved, and he still tried to pull her in. She wasn’t a bloody agent. She needed to get out.

“You aren’t going to get the truth by staying away. Please, Li. Come to the club tonight.”

“I won’t be alone. I would need to bring a friend with me. Is there going to be a problem with that?” He wasn’t going to leave Avery alone. He wasn’t happy about letting her go to work. Something was brewing in that head of hers. He’d caught her staring at those names from time to time, her eyes glassy as she thought. She could sink into her head and get lost for long periods of time. He hated that. He hated not knowing what she was thinking.

“That can be arranged,” Eve agreed quickly. “I can talk to her while you talk to Ian. Li, you need to come in. I’ve never seen Ian so pissed off and, quite frankly, upset. He damn near threatened that MI6 agent with death for pulling that crap on you.”

Yeah, Liam could bet he’d done that. Ian didn’t like his plans being upset. “It’s always good to know the truth.”

“You don’t know the truth, Li.” There was a little pause. “Can’t you talk to him?”

He knew he would have to. “Yes. We’ll be there tonight.”

A long sigh came over the line. “Thank you.”

He hung up the phone. What was he going to do? He was caught. He was trapped. He had to figure out what the f*ck he was doing, and he needed to do it fast. Not just for himself but for Avery. Weston had put him in a corner. He’d given Avery names to research. Somehow, those names were connected to the arms dealing, or Weston suspected they were. Weston was pulling Avery further in, and Liam didn’t know what to do about that except to bind her up in chains of pleasure and affection so maybe she would obey him when the chips were down and the shit started to hit the fan.

Because he was more sure than ever that it would hit the fan.

She was going back to work, and he was going to figure out just what was going on at United One Fund and how Eli Nelson figured in. According to her day planner, Molina was going to meet with Nelson tomorrow. At least he thought it was Nelson.

The Nelson project might be a done deal tomorrow and then he would focus on Molina. He would need to get into Molina’s office.

He had the key to the office, but he wasn’t able to copy the security codes to get into the building. He’d been hamstrung with that security system, but if he was there with Avery, he could get in. He just had to make sure she didn’t see him going into that office. That might be a problem.

He might be forced to work with Weston. He would rather see the files without Weston around. He needed to make sure there was no way to tie Avery to anything. It wouldn’t be the first time some criminal bastard had set up his assistant to take a fall. Grace Taggart was proof of that.

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 f*cking 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.