Chapter 5 #2
Usually, when a woman was about to be sold, he’d try to get a moment alone with her, implant a tracker, explain who he was, and that her life depended on her not letting anyone know he was undercover.
It killed him that he couldn’t offer that reassurance as soon as they were brought through the doors, but the risk to them, to him, and to all the women who would come after them, was too great.
So, he waited until the last minute to let them know that Prey Security would be moving in shortly to rescue them.
Those missions had to be covert. If it was too obvious that all the women Azure held were promptly rescued, their buyers arrested or killed, then everyone would know there was a traitor.
So he had to hold back the revulsion he felt, play his part, and remember that he would try to save every single one of these women, but there was a possibility that he’d fail, and some would slip through the cracks.
Never had that fact scared him so much as it did as he looked at Emma’s empty cell, and his stomach tightened. Just because it didn't surprise him to find it empty didn't mean it didn't terrify him.
Why couldn’t she just take his advice and play along?
Because she has no idea that you're undercover, and that the quicker she submits—or at least pretends to—the quicker she’ll get out of here.
As much as he would like to, he couldn’t risk telling Emma who he was.
While it might offer her some comfort, give her something to hold onto, it would put all of them at a greater risk, and he couldn’t put one woman ahead of the dozens he was responsible for.
Once he got what he needed to bring the entire operation crumbling down, from the top to the bottom, then he’d be able to save all of them.
“Where’s the new one?” he asked Van, who was watching an old movie that was playing on the TV in the corner of the guards’ room.
“Hmm?” Van grunted, not glancing away from the screen.
“The new one. She’s not in her cell. Wanted to know where she is.”
“She’s a popular one,” Van said with a smirk as he finally looked over his shoulder. “The harder they are to break, the more fun it is when they finally crack.”
“Which is why I'm looking for her,” he said calmly, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.
While he participated in the training of the abducted women, it wasn't because he took enjoyment from it.
It was so they could get a break. He did the bare minimum he had to in order to ensure that the cameras caught him doing what he was supposed to be doing while ensuring the poor women didn't suffer too much pain or humiliation.
Van chuckled. “Adrian has her in the same room as yesterday,” he replied before returning his attention to his movie.
Of course, Adrian had her again. The man had been annoyed that he and Deacon couldn’t get her to strip for them, and he’d want to make her suffer a little for that. He knew what Adrian liked, so he could guess what he would see when he walked into that room.
Still, as he strolled down the hallway, checking in on how each of the women seemed to be faring as he went, when he swung open the door to the training room, nothing could completely prepare him for seeing a wooden paddle come down hard on Emma’s bare backside.
Although she was obviously doing her best to muffle the sounds, she cried out in pain, her skin already red.
Depending on how long she’d been in there, she’d be left with bruises that would make sitting almost impossible for days to come.
“An audience,” Adrian said with a grin.
From her position, restrained as she was, Emma couldn’t turn her head enough to see it was him, but he saw the stiffening in her body, the way her muscles tensed, and she strained against the leather straps binding her to the spanking bench.
“My turn, Adrian,” he said, his voice calm and controlled only through years of practice working undercover.
Inside, his blood boiled with a protective rage he’d never experienced with this intensity.
Saving people was what he did, it was in his DNA.
He’d saved family members and strangers, and yet he was completely unprepared for the ferocity of the emotions currently raging inside him.
“I'm not done,” Adrian whined.
“Yes, you are. You're not going to get her to break, and you know it. Not yet anyway. Let me try.” Really, he had no authority to send Adrian out of there, so Nathan was hoping that Adrian just complied.
Because if the man didn't, he was pretty sure they were going to come to blows, and that could result in him undoing all the work he’d put into being accepted and trusted.
“Fine.” Adrian sighed, throwing in an exaggerated eyeroll. “Look forward to playing again with you soon, one three nine.” Bringing down the paddle on her exposed skin again had Emma grunting in pain, and Nathan curling his fingers into fists. “Enjoy.”
On his way out, Adrian passed him the paddle, and Nathan damn near dropped it like it was on fire. As the door closed behind Adrian, he strolled over to the spanking bench, circling it slowly until he stood by Emma’s head.
She craned it to the side as best as she could to stare up at him. Her cheeks were wet, more tears shimmered in her ocean blue eyes, and her bottom lip wobbled, although he was sure she would hate him noticing it.
“Please,” she whispered, and he knew what it had to cost her to beg for mercy.
Needing to give her something, even if he couldn’t give her everything, couldn’t give her what she needed, he murmured, “You're okay.” His voice was so soft it wouldn't be picked up by the cameras.
“You can do this.” Reaching out, he swept his fingertips across her cheeks, collecting her tears, then brought his fingers to his mouth, licking away the drops of moisture.
Emma watched him, confusion on her face. She knew. Sensed that something was different about him, she just didn't understand what.
Nor could she.
“You going to keep getting yourself into trouble, blondie?” he asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder blades, trailed it down the length of her spine until he reached her backside. There he moved so he blocked her from the camera’s view and began to smooth his palm over the reddened skin.
If only he could take her pain as easily as he’d taken her tears.
It was probably possible for him to somehow smuggle her out of there. Save her. But if he saved her, what happened to all the other women there? His cover would likely be broken, and while there were other Prey operatives there somewhere, he was playing a crucial role in bringing Azure down.
“I won't give up my name,” she said, and although her voice wavered slightly, he heard the determination in it, the strength.
Caressing her smarting backside, he tried to soothe away the sting. The paddle was still in his hand, but he wasn't going to use it on her. Crossing the room, he hung it back up in its place, aware that Emma was tracking his every move.
“You keep fighting like this, and things are only going to get worse,” he told her as he returned to his position, blocking her from the camera.
“I can't stop,” she said, and there was recognition in her tone that she was only going to keep landing herself in hot water, but her sense of self was too strong to be forced into submission.
“I know, blondie,” he said gently. Without giving her any warning, he brought his hand down on her bottom, but he slowed it a second before making contact, so the impact was nothing more than a soft slap.
“What are you—?”
“Shh,” he murmured, brushing his fingers across her bottom, erasing the sting his palm might have caused. “Take your punishment like a good girl.”
“But you're not hurting me.”
“I'm giving you what you deserve,” he said, bringing his hand down again. From this angle, it would look like he was spanking her with his hand when all he was really doing was tapping her.
“I don’t understand,” she whimpered.
“I know, blondie, I know. Fighting is who you are, even if you know it’s going to get you into trouble. I won't always be around to step in, blondie. Remember that the next time you think you have what it takes to go up against them.”
It was a warning, but one he knew she wouldn't heed. Emma Beaumont was a complication that was going to blow up in his face. Yet as Nathan brought his hand down against her skin once again, he knew he would do whatever he could to protect her from the impact.