Dutton took one last look at Fairchild’s twitching backside, burning the image into his memory to tide him over until they got to their room. Then he advanced to the front of the group and continued walking.
A little ways down the footpath, they passed a couple on their way to the docks, a middle-aged man in an expensive-looking suit and a noticeably younger woman in a form-fitting red dress. Dutton’s specs allowed him to see all the metal the man had on him: comm tablet in his pocket, belt buckle, artificial hip, artificial heart.
The woman had some metal on her as well, hidden beneath the scarlet of her dress—a barbell piercing through each nipple, and a third down between her legs.
The couple offered friendly smiles as they passed, and Dutton returned their greeting. His augmetically-enhanced ears picked up their whispers a moment later.
“Oh my,” the woman said. “I think we’re leaving too early.”
“Indeed,” the man answered. “I would thoroughly enjoy watching those three run the train on you, my darling.”
“Mm. And I wouldn’t mind watchinghersmother you with her…”
Then the couple was out of earshot, their voices swallowed up by the ambient sounds of soft music and rough sex. Probably for the best. The woman’s last sentence had ignited a sudden spark of jealousy inside Dutton’s chest. The thought of Fairchild fooling around with anyone other than himself and his brethren was almost more than he could stand.
He realized his hands had turned into fists. He took a deep breath and forced them open again.
Don’t be an idiot, he told himself.You’re on a mission here. A mission.
As they moved deeper into the resort complex, they passed more tourists, and received more flirtatious glances from men and women alike. Some were looking at him, but others obviously had their eyes aimed at Fairchild. Even some of the rutting couples lifted their faces to stare.
Dutton did his best to ignore them. He needed to stay sharp, keep his eyes out for—
There!
Just outside the entrance to one of the resort towers, he saw what he’d been looking for. Three men were coming out through the rotating glass door. Dutton slowed his pace and leaned over to whisper to Reece.
“Ten o’clock,” he said. “Black suits. They’ve got pistols under their jackets.”
Reece nodded, his eyes tracking the three men Dutton was talking about.
“Didn’t need your specs to see that,” he said. “They’re printing so bad it’s like they don’t care if anybody knows they’re packing.”
“Think they’re Slayn’s men?”
“Only one way to find out,” Reece said. He turned and gave Fairchild an affectionate kiss on the cheek, then smiled. “The three of you go get checked in. I’m gonna run a bit of recon.”
They stood for a moment and watched him go, strolling after the armed men at a leisurely pace, yet somehow keeping up with them. Reece had always been the best at tracking and tailing.
Beside him, Dutton sensed Fairchild’s tension returning, but he knew it had nothing to do with the discomfort she felt from her dress. She was worried about Reece, worried about his safety.
And worried, perhaps, about the way some of the other female tourists were eyeing him up.
Was it possible that Fairchild had a jealous streak too?
Interesting.
Dutton placed his palm against the small of her back and guided her gently toward the entrance of the resort tower ahead of them. “Come along, darling,” he said, affecting a posh accent. “Let’s see about our suite, shall we?”
In the real world, he would never have dared to touch Fairchild like that. She was a warrior like himself, and he got the impression she didn’t take kindly to being pushed around by anyone—especially a man. But they were undercover now. They both had their roles to play, and she played hers well.
“Let’s,” she said, smiling up at him sweetly. “I’m just dying to test out the bed.”
CHAPTER 15
Fairchild stumbled through the door of their suite, her body and lips locked with Nash’s. They’d both been playing their parts from the moment they’d stepped into the hotel a few minutes ago, and right now Nash was playing his exceedingly well.
As for Fairchild… she wasn’t really playing at all.
