Blyss (The Blyss Trilogy 1)

I make my way to the sterilization area and begin disposing the needles into the sharps container, a hard plastic disposal system that prevents needle sticks and cross-contamination of disposable, sharp medical supplies.

Nick slaps me on the back, interrupting my thoughts. “She’s a real beaut, isn’t she? I’d bet my last dollar she’ll be able to chip off a few of your rocks from that stone wall of yours. It will be quite entertaining watching them tumble down.” Nick seems to be in an unusually-jovial mood, to say the least. He’s typically not this happy, but I didn’t miss his smartass comment.

My face is always masked behind an all-business persona. Nobody can figure out what I’m thinking, and everyone says I’m like a stone wall because my expression always holds my poker face, impenetrable from all outside forces. Jackson is my last name, hence the connection. The guys here tried to nickname me that...once. Nick thinks the rules don’t apply to him. I have learned over time to hide behind my unexpressive stonewall, remaining emotionless and calculating. People have come to fear my quiet countenance, because it typically means I’m either ruthlessly scheming their due retribution or I’m hiding intel.

I give him a hard glare that says shut the hell up, but I tell him what he wants to hear. “You know I don’t fuck these girls, Nick,” I say gruffly. “This is a job, not a damn fuckfest for me.”

Even though I’m a naturally-dominant man, I’m not into this type of controlled sex or domination shit. I don’t get sexually aroused when I have to work with these women. It’s rather difficult to get turned on, anyway, since I’m constantly aware of the hidden cameras spread throughout the facility. I like my privacy, and if I want sex, I am nowhere near my workplace. I don’t do relationships, simply because one cannot be in this business and have a significant other. Too many risks all the way around. One-night stands have always worked just fine for me, and I know how to acquire those types of women. I don’t need to drug them, either; they are all too eager to have a piece of me.

“That’s probably why you have a 100% success rate, Travis. You’re good—damned good. You know how to stay emotionally unattached. You know how to keep the main thing as top priority.” Nick’s expression suddenly turns serious and his voice sobers. “I need this one trained to perfection, Travis. I cannot emphasize that enough.”

Nick doesn’t have what it takes to do my job. He’s too high-strung and temperamental. When he’s upset, he has a hard time staying cool and keeping his emotions in check.

“Who am I training this one for, Nick?” I ask, my expression giving nothing away. I’m wondering how much he will enlighten me, or will he stay elusive? Nick cocks his head to the side, staring off into space in deep thought. I watch him slowly lick his lips, which strikes me as odd. Men don’t do that shit unless we have a huge plate of Buffalo wings in front of us. He’s acting as if he’s a predatory animal. When he turns his head back to me, he winks and slips me a sly grin.

“She’s gonna be mine, Travis, all mine. I’ve waited a long, damn time for this one, but I can wait. I’ve waited this long; I can hold out just a little bit longer for you to do your magic and make her perfect…perfect for me, since you know what I like. Well…you know what to do.”

I nod my head in acknowledgment, too stunned to say anything more. Nick is choosing to tell me jack shit on this. I’ve known him for a couple years now, and once I’d earned his trust, everything about him and this business became an open book.

Nick is a player, and as long as I’ve known him, he’s never acted this way over a female before. I’m concerned his sudden fixation has him thinking unclearly. My expression never waivers, but I’m confused; Nick isn’t a one-woman man. He owns the perfect playground here. He’s never wanted to be bothered with having a submissive of his own before. He’s always told me he’s living out every man’s fantasy by owning the most-expensive sex resort in paradise, and takes advantage of all its amenities.

“I’ve got a lengthy board meeting upstairs in ten minutes. I’ll be back after five o’clock, and then we can go properly introduce ourselves to our sleeping beauty, sound good?”

“Sounds good, Nick. I need to talk with Jared anyway to see about getting her meds adjusted.”

Nick turns around and walks out the laboratory door, leaving Jared and me alone to discuss increasing the girl’s dose of experimental drugs.

If Lance Oakley, Julianna’s father, were to find out, he would blow this place sky-fucking-high. My hackles are up, and I don’t care for the nebulous manner in which Nick is handling this situation. I suddenly feel as if I’m holding a time bomb, and something’s going to blow sooner or later. There’s a big red flag waving its warning signal for me to prepare for fight-or-flight. Even though there is no way possible for him to be able to break through this fortress, I wouldn’t put it past Oakley to come knocking on our front door. I shake my head at the thought. No, he’s more like me; he’s stealth and he’d calculate when, where, and how to strike. I hope Nick knows what the hell he’s doing. If he doesn’t, all Hell will rain down on us in a shit-storm of fury. Those men don’t come out to play; they come out to kill.