Theirs to Master (Miami Masters 6)

If the only way to draw out the bastard meant pretending to be something she wasn’t for a few nights at a kink club, then so be it. How difficult could it be? She may not get off on letting some guy tie her up and spank her butt a few times, but she could fake it as good as any other thirty-one-year-old woman who’d been enjoying orgasms for over ten years. Her most intense, pleasurable climaxes had come from her own hand, so she was used to minimal responses when with a man, and could call on those memories to get her through while baiting this guy to approach her. Armed with foreknowledge and several years of kickboxing classes, she’d be ready for him if she caught his attention.

An hour later, Penny’s eyelids fluttered and slowly blinked open to reveal her hazy, confused gray-green eyes. “What… where…”

Her hand jerked in Paige’s grip and she rushed to reassure her. “I’m here, sis, and you’re okay. You’re in the hospital, Cyprus General.”

Two nurses dashed into the room and Paige rose to make way for them. Moving to the corner, it took every ounce of patience she could muster to wait in silence while the doctors entered next and went through a barrage of tests and questions. From what she heard, Penny had seen no one come at her as she left the club, she only remembered being slammed against the building followed by horrendous head pain before everything went black. That left little for Paige to look for if she went through with her plans, but she couldn’t sit back and do nothing, not after the nightmare of the past few days and how close she’d come to losing her only family. Someone had to pay for her sister’s suffering.

Troy and Trevor arrived a short time later, and much to Paige’s annoyance, another quick, warm response to seeing the brothers again spread throughout her body. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand the draw she felt in equal proportions to two polar opposite guys. Their blood relation aside, the brothers differed in personality as much as they did in their clothing. Trevor’s tie in varying shades of maroon and charcoal complemented his gray dress slacks and deep red silk shirt, the attire befitting his position as a District Attorney. His short, scruffy beard and wavy brown hair left long enough to cup his nape and curl around his ears went against the professional image.

Next to him, Troy was just as eye-catching wearing his standard dress code of denim paired with a dress shirt and jacket, and with his neat, shorter hair and clean-shaven face. Both men’s tall, muscular frames, tanned, rugged features and golden-brown eyes had drawn the attention of every woman who’d entered The Precinct, but they’d gifted very few with more than a friendly greeting. They’d given Paige the most time, and that had been pitifully little compared to how often they’d slipped into her fantasies.

Fiddle faddle body, she groaned, facing them head on. She may desire the two men more than she’d ever lusted after another man, but that didn’t mean she’d let them browbeat Penny for information.

“She didn’t see the guy, so she can’t give you a description,” she stated, hoping to cut them off before they could pounce on Penny.

“Hello to you, too,” Trevor returned with his usual half smile. Undeterred by her glare, he stepped up to her and ran one finger down her bare arm in a light caress Paige felt all the way to her toes. “Relax, sugar. Believe it or not, we know what we’re doing, and we’re on her side.”

Troy spared her a quick glance with one elevated brow before taking the chair Paige vacated and leaning toward the bed, bracing his forearms on his thighs. With a concerned look and soft tone, he told Penny, “I’m Detective Carlson, Ms. Wilcox, and I’m in charge of your assault case. I’ve spoken with your doctor and you are very lucky. Other than a concussion and bruising, you’ll make a full recovery. I need any help you can give me to stop this guy from hurting someone else. You aren’t his first.”

Penny’s eyes widened and Paige dashed to her other side, flinging Troy an angry glare. Resting her hand on Penny’s arm, she said, “Apparently the club owner knew of this guy and his security saw to you instead of chasing him. Don’t worry, we’ll get him, sis.”

Troy blasted her with a glacial look. “There’s no we, Paige. You stay out of it.”

That rough demand and cool gaze shot off tingles of sexual awareness to zip around under her skin. For someone who didn’t take orders kindly that reaction alarmed her on several levels she didn’t care for. “Of course, Detective,” she replied in her sweetest voice to counterbalance the urge to lash out.

Trevor chuckled, drawing her scowl. “Save it, Paige. We know you well enough to know you’re not meek and biddable.”

Penny’s perplexed frown cleared, and she smiled at Paige. “That’s what you get for working in a cop bar.” Turning to Troy, she said in a whispery tone, “I’m sorry. I didn’t see him. I remember his voice, definitely male, and the names he called me before I passed out, but that’s all I have.” Her face paled when she reached up a shaky hand and brushed her bandaged head. “I’ve been in here three days?”

“Yes, but you’ve already given us more than we had before.” Trevor moved to the side of the bed, next to Troy’s chair. “How’s your memory from that night? Can you recall if anyone paid extra attention to you, watched you for long periods of time? Anyone you turned down a scene with?”

Paige knew Penny was uncomfortable about something when she averted her eyes before answering. “No, nothing like that. Master Damien, he’s the owner, approached me right after I got there. I hadn’t even finished my drink yet.” A light blush stained her white, bruised face, cementing Paige’s suspicion there was something there, maybe between Penny and this Master Damien, her sister didn’t want to discuss.

Coming to her aid, she stated, “That’s enough. Come back tomorrow if you have to, but she needs to rest now.”

“Paige…” Penny groaned and shook her head, a small wry smile lighting her eyes. “You said it yourself; I’ll be fine. No need to hover.” She held up the arm sporting the IV. “Besides, I feel like I’m floating on a cloud, no pain or discomfort. There must be some good stuff pumping into my body.”

Paige’s tense shoulders relaxed for the first time since she’d heard the news of Penny’s attack. Seeing the teasing sparkle in her eyes and hearing the soft chiding behind her words went a long way in reinforcing what the doctor had told her. “Hey, as the oldest, it’s my job to look out for you.” And she’d never failed to such a degree before. Guilt sliced through her with razor-sharp pain. She always knew when Penny was determined to go through with something, like her return to alternative sex, which had led to Paige backing off from arguing with her about it. Too bad knowing the futility of an endeavor didn’t negate feelings of impotent, guilt-ridden rage.

“By two minutes.” Penny looked back at Troy. “Do you have any more questions, Detective?”

He nodded. “A few, if you’re up to it.”

“I am,” she insisted, switching her gaze back to Paige. “I love you, now go away. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Fine,” Paige conceded with a grumble. “I’ll be by after work.”

She was reaching for her purse sitting on the chair behind her when Trevor surprised her by saying, “I’ll walk you out.”

“Why?” Whirling, she clutched her purse against her chest, as if the faux leather bag could protect her from another searing touch if he reached for her. Her arm still tingled from the simple glide of his finger earlier. “I’m perfectly capable of getting to my car without mishap. It’s still daylight, and I’m parked in the outside, p

ublic lot.”

“But I insist.” Grasping her elbow, Trevor steered her to the door, tossing over his shoulder, “Be right back, Troy.”

“Addlepated dim doodle,” Paige groused under her breath as they walked to the elevator.

“Tsk, such language will earn you five strokes with my belt. You’d do well to remember that,” Trevor returned with humor.

Her eyes flicked down to his waist, her mouth going dry at imagining the one-inch, braided black leather strap licking her skin. This time when she shivered, she knew it wasn’t from lust. “I’m not my sister, Trevor. You would do well to remember that,” she emphasized.

“Oh, I’m well aware of that, sugar,” he drawled. He didn’t relinquish his hold on her arm on the ride down, or as they strolled out into the balmy evening air. His amiable demeanor and amused tilt to his mouth remained in place as he guided her straight to her car. “But when it comes to ensuring you stay out of the investigation into Penny’s attack, you will abide by our dictates.”

Ignoring that statement, she pulled from his hold and grasped the door handle. “How did you know this was my car?”

“We asked Mel to point it out to us months ago so we could be sure you always parked near the back exit, under the street light. Never can be too careful.” Slipping one hand under her hair to cup the base of her skull, he brought her body flush against his by applying pressure with his other against her lower back. Paige wanted to stiffen against him but her body, the traitorous bitch, possessed other ideas. Going soft and wet all at once, she braced her hands on his thick pectorals to keep from giving herself away with the feel of her throbbing nipples against his chest. The steady beat of his heart under her palm did nothing to lessen her heightened sensitivity to his nearness, an effect impacted by his admission he and his brother had been looking out for her. Turning serious, he stated, “We want this bastard as much as you do, Paige. Let us do our job and stay out of the way. Please.”