“We had a difference of opinion, had to go in different directions. I’d love to tell you it was some dramatic falling out, but that isn’t the case. I couldn’t live the life they lived anymore, and with some friendships, you’re either close or you aren’t. Still, we can work together, don’t worry.”
She pressed her lips together, the answer no doubt unsatisfying.Get used to disappointment.
“The agent will be here tomorrow. Are you ready?”
Trent ignored the pit in his stomach at the thought of facing them, at the idea of sliding into a role he was not comfortable with.
Being a Dom? Sure. He could do that, and even if it had been a while, heknewwhere his priorities were. He knew his line.
But even pretending to be a slaver? Having to act like that? It turned his stomach.
He’d gone to sleep each night with his own little pep talk, telling himself he could do this, that he just had to keep moving forward, that it was for the greater good.
Still, he thought about the omegas they had, the ones who would go through hell if he failed, if Alison, Kyle and Daniel failed, and that made him know there was only one answer.
No matter how badly he didn’t want to do this, he didn’t have a choice.
“Yeah, I’ll be ready.”
* * * *
Daniel pulled in a harsh breath when he saw Alison walk down the stairs.
He’d seen her almost entirely naked, but it wasnothingcompared to this.
She wore the black dress they’d picked out for the meeting, a short one that showed off her toned legs and lean waist. It plunged low enough for a hint of cleavage, and the shoulders went down into long sleeves. The back dropped low, so it appeared she showed a lot of skin while keeping herself covered—and the bite safely tucked away.
“Holy shit,” Kyle said, the man less capable of keeping in his opinions.
Alison faltered on the last step, as though the praise had thrown her. Her hair was down, the curls adding to her allure, framing her too-perfect face. Shesmoothed the dress as though she could make some change to it that would make her more comfortable.
“Sorry,” Kyle offered. “I just didn’t realize you’d be such a knockout in it.”
“I’m not really a dress-and-heels sort of girl.”
Kyle move in once she stepped off the stairs entirely. He circled her, slowly, his fingers tracing the waist of her dress. “Well, don’t worry about that. As soon as we’re done, I’m more than willing to strip you out of this.”
The pink on Alison’s cheeks only made her look even better, especially with how she pulled in ashaky breath.
“How about we focus on the job?” Trent’s voice came from the top of the stairs as he passed Alison, not looking at her or saying a word about her attire.
The fact that he was right only annoyed Daniel, especially aboutthistopic. “Oh, so you care about completing a job now?”
Trent shook his head and didn’t rise to the barb. “We have backup, but they’re not close. It means we’ll be on our own for the actual meeting. Alison, safe word?”
“Master.” She rolled her shoulders, as if trying to release the tension building up there.
Then again, this was likely the first thing she’d done with them that she was in any way comfortable with. Submitting? Trusting? Those things were beyond her expertise, but from what he’d seen, lying and putting herself in danger were par for the course for her.
And why that made Daniel smile, he wasn’t sure. Maybe because she’d been so unsettled that he was grateful for the chance at something where she could feel in control.
And a little later, when I pull that dress off her, I can take some of that control from her again.
He’d dreamed of her, thankful that she hadn’t been in his bed because he might have just done something they’d both regret later. She hadn’t lifted her boundary of no sex or kissing, but Daniel wasn’t too disappointed in that. They had time, and as he’d proven to her, there was plenty of fun to be had without his dick ever going into her.
The loud roar of an engine outside had all of them coming to a stop, their gazes moving over.
It was time.
