From Sanctum with Love (Masters and Mercenaries #10)(29)

Jared laughed, his whole face lighting up. “He’s talking about a triathlon, not Robert Downey Jr. And Kori is spot on. Tad is my PR guy and Squirrel and I have been best friends since third grade. He travels with me. Keeps me grounded.”

“And out of trouble,” the soft-spoken Squirrel said. “He needs someone to play Xbox with or he tends to get grumpy.”

“No Lena today?” She and Bolt seemed to be the only two missing.

“I asked her to stay at the hotel. I’m afraid this is not her scene.” Jared looked out over the dungeon floor in a way that made Kori think it was his scene.

He seemed awfully comfy in those leathers.

“She threw a hissy fit about all of this being abusive and how Jared needs to focus on real films,” Squirrel replied. “I swear she can hit a tone with her voice that makes my brain bleed.”

“Don’t listen to that crazy bitch,” Tad said. “This movie’s going to make millions. Women go for this shit.”

Jared’s eyes turned stony. “How about we don’t call it shit? Why don’t you and Brad go hang out in the bar? Or if you’re uncomfortable, feel free to head back to the hotel. I’m going to be spending a lot of time here and I don’t need anyone getting in the way of connecting with this character.”

“I’ll hang out.” Brad glanced around. “It looks interesting.”

“And I need to think about how we can spin this.” Tad pulled out his phone and started scrolling through as he walked toward the bar.

Squirrel sighed. “I’ll go make sure they don’t horrifically embarrass us.”

Jared put a hand on Squirrel’s shoulder. “Thank you, buddy. Explain to him if he takes any video or pictures in this place, that former military men will likely visit him in the middle of the night and it won’t be to party.” He looked back at the group as his friends walked away. “Do you mind if I steal Kori for a minute?”

“As long as you bring her back eventually,” Sarah said with a laugh. “Soon.”

Mia was watching Jared, her eyes serious. “We know where she is and who she’s with. That’s important, you know. You have to know that you have people looking out for you.”

“Yeah, that is good to know. I’ll catch up to you guys, and seriously, don’t let Mia do stupid things.” When the hell had Mia gotten all serious and mother henny? She stepped away and found herself walking beside Jared. “What can I do for you?”

“I can think of a whole lot you could do, but I’m trying to make things right with my brother so I’ll go with show me around.” He held out an arm as though offering to escort her like she was a lady at a ball.

It would be rude, she supposed, to tell him she was perfectly capable of walking on her own. She’d been told by Charlotte that all subs were to be polite. Damn it. She glanced around. Where the hell was Kai? “I suspect you’ve already been here. Are you trying to tell me this is the first time you’ve been inside Sanctum?”

“You’ve got me there.” He stopped in front of the steps that led up to the main level. “I did a walk-through with the guy who runs the place, but he was very academic about everything. I want to see it all through the eyes of someone who loves it here. How long have you been a member?”

“Shouldn’t you be doing all of this with Kai?”

“He kind of ditched me,” Jared admitted. “I got held up in the locker room and he was gone when I came out. Not sure where. I think he thinks if I can’t find him he doesn’t have to talk to me, but I can be patient. This is one of the nicest clubs I’ve ever been to. I like it here.”

She had to stop and stare at him for a moment. “Are you trying to tell me you’ve been to a BDSM club before?”

“Many. I’ve found the owners and members of BDSM clubs are way more into protecting my privacy than any other place I could relax. Also, most other places I would relax at frown on me spanking the girl of my choice. Sometimes the boy. I don’t discriminate.”

“You’re bi?”

“No, I’m a Dom and if a male sub asks for discipline, I’ll hand it out. I make it very easy. I don’t have sex with anyone I’m topping in a club. That’s not to say I don’t have sex. I’m over the idea of casual sex, that’s all.”

“I thought you had a girlfriend. I know you said it was a professional relationship, but I thought it involved sex.”

“Not at all. Jessica is one of the most beautiful women in the world, and her sexual habits would get her in trouble. I hesitate to involve any woman I’m really attracted to in my insane life, so it works out and keeps the press off our backs. We do red carpets together and a couple of times a year, we go to Mexico and let the paparazzi photograph us holding hands, and then we go back to the hotel and watch movies and drink beer. Every now and then she’ll break down and have a cheeseburger and we have to deal with pregnancy rumors, but otherwise, we handle things.” He frowned as though realizing he’d said too much. “I shouldn’t have told you that. Kori…”

She held a hand up. “I would never tell. I know how hard that life can be. You don’t have to worry about me gossiping. I never worked with her, but I hear she’s a nice lady.”