From Sanctum with Love (Masters and Mercenaries #10)(92)

“You’re insane.” How had she not seen that Mia had been hiding a whole bucket full of crazy?

Mia stood her ground. “They asked my brother to join them. Oh, it’s not like they sent out an engraved invitation. They’re subtle, but they’ve felt him out. They’ve made it plain that he can get with the program and things will be easy or he can work against them.”

“Who the hell is your brother?”

“Andrew Lawless. He started 4L Software.”

Mia’s brother was one of the richest men in the world? The youngest billionaire in the country? One of the most reclusive men on earth. Well, that explained how she could afford her Sanctum membership. She wasn’t listening to another word of this crap. It was time to make her intentions plain. “You’ve lied about everything. Don’t contact me again and understand that I’ll be talking to Kai and you won’t be allowed back at Sanctum.”

“Do you think I did this for fun?” Mia asked between clenched teeth. “I didn’t. I did it because I can’t allow him to do it again. He’s after Sarah. Can’t you see that? He’s watching her. He’ll hop in her bed and then she’ll be another victim by the time he leaves. And your boyfriend is helping cover it all up. He’s manipulating you. He’s using you.”

“You’re wrong. He loves me.” He wouldn’t have said it if he didn’t mean it. “And he didn’t want his brother here in the first place.”

“No, he’s doing it because he’s a loyal McKay-Taggart man,” Mia agreed.

“He’s loyal because they’re good people.”

“Good people don’t cover up murders. Good people don’t protect corrupt corporations.”

She was done with Mia. She strode toward the back of the lounge. She would go and clean up in the bathroom so she didn’t punch Mia in the face. “Don’t talk to me again.”

She pushed through the door, and the back of the building was blissfully quiet. How could this have happened? How could they not have properly vetted her? McKay-Taggart Security checked everyone who came to Sanctum. How had Mia gotten through?

“This is done, Case.”

She stopped, her hand on the bathroom door. The sound was coming from her right. She glanced down the hall. It ended in an exit door, but it looked like it veered off, a hall leading back into the club. The sound reverberated off the stained concrete of the floors. Likely they thought they were being quiet, but she could hear them plainly. Of course, if she’d been wearing her shoes, they would have heard her walk in.

“You take that and give it to Adam or Hutch or whoever needs it. I downloaded her whole phone the way you asked me to. I want out of this. Don’t get me wrong, man. I’m happy to help, but this stuff with Kori has to stop. It makes me sick. I can’t keep this up.”

“This is everything we need to figure out how to proceed with Mia. You’re out of this. Handle Kori however you like,” Case’s deep voice said. “I’ll deal with it all from here out. Kai, I know what kind of sacrifices you’ve had to make to get this intel. It won’t be forgotten.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not over yet. I still have things to deal with.”

Her. He was talking about her.

So many things began to make sense. She stood there in the hallway, her body going cold. He had to deal with her.

The door came open and Mia walked out. She was wearing shoes and they clacked against the concrete. “You need to listen to me, Kori.” Mia stopped. “What’s wrong? You’re so pale. Are you all right?”

All conversation around the corner had stopped.

Maybe she’d misheard. Maybe they were talking about something else entirely. Except Kai had admitted he’d cloned Mia’s phone. Or downloaded it. She didn’t understand all the technical stuff. She did know when she’d been had.

There was a reason he hadn’t offered her a contract. He’d never intended for it to last very long. Case hadn’t been able to get close to Mia, so they’d changed tactics. They’d decided to go through one of her friends. Kori had been a fairly easy mark once Kai realized what she really wanted from a Dom. Kismet. It must have seemed like pure kismet that she turned out to be such a masochist.

But then he’d likely seen that in her all along. Kai wasn’t the kind of person who was easily fooled. He’d likely known what she wanted and hadn’t acted on it because he hadn’t honestly wanted her. Not until he’d needed her easy compliance.

She’d fallen into the trap again. This time she hadn’t even realized it.

Stupid. She was always so stupid.

“Kori?” Mia said.

She heard him move before she saw him. His loafers thudded over the floor. Yes, this was why they’d thought they were safe. All sound echoed through here. She’d closed the door quietly behind her, not wanting to let Mia see how angry she’d been. They’d never expected she would hear because Kai had told her to stay put and she was a good f*cking sub. He’d never thought she would disobey him.

He stepped out from the corner and she saw it right there on his face. Guilt. Anger. His hands were clenched at his sides. Case stepped out behind him.

“Kori, we need to talk,” Kai said quietly.

“Did you do it?” She stared him down. She wasn’t going to let him see her cry. She’d cried enough for one lifetime. God, she’d actually believed him. This was why she’d hidden herself away, why that part of her that cried out for a Dom needed to stay buried. That part of her was an idiot. That piece of her got her into trouble time and time and time again. She never learned.