“He didn’t have to,” Carys explained.“He had a membershipto a club in Australia.”
Yes, there it was.Just the wordAustraliacouldmake her heart thump.
Nathan Carter.He was here?She’d thought she would meet himtonight or maybe over breakfast in the morning.“Are you talking about Nate?”
Carys’s shoulders slumped.“Damn.I forgot.You know him.”
“I haven’t seen him in person in years.I used to follow himaround like a puppy.I had the biggest crush on him,” she admitted.“And I wasAidan’s obnoxious kid sister to him.”
“But you wouldn’t be tonight,” Carys pointed out, her lipstugging up in a kind of evil grin.
“I assure you I’m always his kid sister.Aidan’s the doctorand Daisy’s the screw-up.”Her father was the only person in the world whodidn’t seem to see the truth.
“You’re not a screw-up,” Carys insisted.“You simply haven’tfound your place yet, but it doesn’t mean you’re a screw-up.You did great incollege.”
After she spent five years trying to figure out what shewanted to do.She’d gone from majoring in theater to business to philosophy,finally ending with a degree in psychology and then rapidly figuring out therewas nothing she wanted to do in psychology.
Carys had enough to worry about.“Maybe I will look intoanother club,” Daisy said.
But she loved this one.She loved the fact The Hideoutwasn’t elegant like Gabriel’s father’s club, or sleek and modern like Sanctum.It was a little run-down and needed some care, but it was theirs.They werebuilding it.
Well, her brother and his friends were.They got nervouswhen she wanted to help with anything but bringing them beers.She hadn’t meantto nearly bring down a whole wall.
“I have an interesting idea.”Carys had the biggest smile onher face.It was a smile Daisy hadn’t seen on her friend in weeks.“Tonight youdon’t have to find a new club.It’s masquerade night and we have visitors.Wehave Doms you’ve never met before.”
And Nathan Carter, who hadn’t seen her in years.He’dprobably seen pictures of her, but she didn’t take great pics most of the time.It was why it had hurt to dump the one with the cartel.She’d gotten in theright light… She was drifting.
Shehadseen pictures of Nate.She followed his momand sister on social media, even though the gorgeous weirdo didn’t have asingle page of his own.He was still the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.
He might know her.He might take one look at her and laugh.
But she was curious.There was only one problem.“I don’thave any fet wear here.It’s all at the cleaners.”She didn’t own much in thefirst place.“I wasn’t expecting to play anytime soon, much less attend amasked party.”
Carys seemed to think for a moment.“I would loan you someof mine, but…”
“My boobs are way too big.My hips, too.”She was a curvygirl, and there wasn’t anything she seemed to be able to do about it.Sheworried her ample curves were one of the reasons the Doms weren’t rushing in toplay with her.
Carys’s eyes narrowed.“Sure.They’re too big.Like I saidyou’re gorgeous and sexy as hell.I don’t know what’s going on.But you’reright.What I have on hand won’t fit you, but the twins were planning onattending so I would bet they’ve got fet wear in their lockers.Let me checkreal quick.Kenzie is smaller than you, but she wears a lot of stretchyfabrics.”
“I thought they were…on assignment for McKay-Taggart.”She’dbeen taught never to say the wordscentralandintelligenceorAgencywhen referring to the twins or Cooper or Tristan.Or Zach,even though he wasn’t on the payroll at MT.
Carys snorted.“Sure they are.”She pulled out her cell andpopped in a number, pressing the screen to put it on speaker phone.
“Hey, Carys.What’s going on?”a familiar voice said.
“Oooo, it’s Carys?Ask her about the bachelorette party,”another voice said.
The first had been Kenzie Taggart and the second LouisaWard.
“I don’t think I’m up for it, Lou,” Carys said with a sigh.“This rotation is kicking my ass, and I barely have time to get ready for thewedding.”
“Then we’ll call it a girls hang,” Kenzie offered.“Ipromise no wild strippers.I will keep Kala away from all the planning.Louwill handle it and Kala will handle Lou’s, and I’ll make sure Tasha’s is inVegas and we all act outThe Hangover.Who would have guessed marriagewould be so fun?Hey, sis, you’ve got someone coming up on your left.Yeah,he’s definitely armed.”
Were they actually working an op right now?“Uh, maybe weshould call back.”
“Is that Dais?Hey, Daisy.You doing okay?”Kenzie’s tonehad changed from bouncy to sympathetic.
Yeah, she got sympathy from all the girls.Especially theones who were a little older than she was.Carys’s crowd tended to take on bigsister roles.“I’m great.”
