TWENTY-NINE

 

 

Returning to the party after their discussion, Shea made eye contact with Zogden from the top of the stairs in the archway. Giving a side-nod, she got the message across that they needed to speak. Zogden offered a quick acknowledgement that he understood.

Slipping away from the bright lights of the party, she was quick to scamper along to her new boss’s dark office. As per Raid’s instructions, she didn’t put on the overhead light and instead put on the desk lamp. It provided enough illumination that they would be able to see what they were doing, but not enough that anyone beyond the French doors would notice what was going on inside.

She’d given Raid the code for the door, but went over and opened it an inch anyway, taking the time to reach up and undo the bolt that fastened the second door in case her allies needed the extra space.

These doors led to the side of the house, so they weren’t in direct view of the partygoers. Except they had to be conscious that the patio beyond was the same one that continued to the back; meaning, that although they were around the corner, they weren’t far away from festivities.

Raid had assured her that his people would be there to take care of everything and that she didn’t have to worry about them being caught. The problem had always been getting inside and getting Zogden alone in a setting where others wouldn’t notice him missing straight away.

Security guards caused issues during business meetings, even if they weren’t in the room, they were close by. A party was the perfect cover for stealing their mark. Getting Zogden alone was easier for a woman, and even easier for an employee.

Returning to the desk with a pounding heart, Shea tried not to be nervous. Though, the truth was, she thought it might be excitement that was heating her blood rather than fear. Even if everything went wrong, Raid was close by and he’d get his people out. He’d know what to do.

It was insane that she still trusted him given what he’d done to her. But, the man had hurt her heart, never her body, and he’d never endangered her being… Not since forcing her to kneel in the yard for him.

Perching herself on the front of the desk, she ignored the cool edge of the surface digging into her ass and waited. Zogden would have to make his excuses to get away from whoever he’d been talking to. Depending on how important the conversation was, that could take a while.

Shea was granted a reprieve from dragging this out. Just a score of seconds later, Zogden came in, closing the door behind him. Trapping them alone inside, which was perfect for the plan.

“What did you find out?” he asked, striding toward her.

“I don’t think you can trust him,” she said, surprised when Zogden came close and cupped her face, though she hid her discomfort.

“Why not? What did he say?”

Clutching the edge of the desk, she squirmed. “I just… got the impression that he’s not here to help you.”

Raid had told her that it didn’t really matter what she said to Zogden given that they’d be secreting him away from his life that night anyway. It seemed more likely that their mark would be distracted if she told him something negative. Telling him that all was well and Raid was just a happy, friendly guy would probably make Zogden suspicious.

“Impression?” he asked, his head bobbing back in surprise. “I don’t want your damn impression. I want a fucking answer. Who is he?”

“A dangerous man,” she said, aware that angering Zogden could be the last thing she ever did.

Raid had left her in the bedroom to sneak out and join his men. The discretion of the Laird’s departure meant that as far as Zogden was aware, Shea had left the apparent stranger upstairs in the bedroom, sleeping off whatever they’d done together.

Shea planned to vamp for as much time as she could because she had no idea how long it would take her comrades to get into position or when they’d actually launch their assault.

“Did you fuck him?”

Shea nodded. They hadn’t had sex upstairs but knew enough about Raid that, if quizzed, she could pass any test about his body or technique. Not that she’d want to talk to this pervert about her intimacy with her Laird.

“I thought that’s what you wanted,” she said, salving her lower lip, plumping it as a distraction which worked.

His attention went from her mouth to her cleavage, slithering down her body leaving her feeling slimy and violated. Shea didn’t flinch. If her figure would help them take this man down, she would put up with whatever he wanted to do. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been prepared for him to make moves on her. Standing up to a rapist meant expecting sex would be used as a weapon.

“You’re a useful tool,” he drawled, his voice more sinister than before. “I’m going to enjoy using you to my advantage.”

His hand descended from her jaw, over her throat and down to her breasts. As he began to fondle her, she stayed as still as she could. But, she couldn’t ignore him bending down like he wanted a kiss. Shea had to respond, so she tipped her chin up ready to accept his mouth.

It would make her sick to have him enjoy her in any way, but as long as he was enamored with her, he wasn’t watching those doors. Forcing herself to smile and slide her hands around his neck, Shea pulled him further down.

“Getting mixed up with my boss would probably be a bad idea,” she whispered, thinking about Raid and what a thrill it had been to be his.

She had to think of her Laird. If she wanted to give this guy the impression that she was anticipating his mouth like it would be a good thing to kiss him, she could only imagine Raid in his place.

Forgetting the drama of their relationship and the heartache that followed his betrayal, she imagined Raid holding her, caressing her, teasing her with the prospect of his mouth.

“If you kiss her, you won’t leave this room alive.”

The dark growl came from the direction of the doorway and made both her and Zogden turn. Raid was there, just inside, flanked by two other men who she knew from the compound.

“What the hell is going on?” Zogden asked.

From behind, Kipling stepped in and drove a needle into the side of Zogden’s neck. By the time their mark grabbed for it, the sedative was already in his system. Staggering back a step, Zogden didn’t have a chance to open his mouth because Kipling reached around to slap a piece of duct tape over his mouth.

The two men from Raid’s side rushed in. One threw a hood over Zogden’s head while the other bent to tie his feet. Kipling was already binding his wrists. There was little fight, and little sound, and then just a moment later, the three men were carrying Zogden from the room, out of the doors behind Raid.

“Here,” Raid said, pointing to the floor in front of him. Shea went over and almost gasped when he seized her arm to haul her close. “I asked you once, what you thought I’d do to any man who touched the woman I loved? Were you testing me? Letting him kiss you would’ve been letting him sign his own death warrant. We’re not supposed to be murderers, we’re jailors. How many of my father’s rules do you want me to break for you, Poppet?”

Pushing her fists into his torso was pointless, he wasn’t going anywhere, and he wasn’t letting go. “You don’t love me, remember? I’m a tool for you, just like he wanted me to be for him.”

His head moved in an almost shake and the sound of his teeth grinding accompanied the movement of his tense jaw. Tugging her forward, he turned and thrust her toward the door. “Get out there, Pest,” he hissed, using Diego’s pet name for her. “You’re going to owe me a helluva lot more than time in solitary when I get you home.”

Doing as she was told, Shea scurried along the edge of the house and allowed herself to be shoved into a space in the bushes and then be dragged over the wall to a car waiting on the other side. They were out and Raid was talking like she was coming back to the compound, coming home.

As the car she was in peeled away from the curb, and the van containing Raid and Zogden went in the opposite direction, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d made a deal that would secure her future or just been left in the dust.