Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
NATASHA
L achlan was right. It was time to get my head out of the gutter and my hands off his cock.
Boo, hiss.
But I was low-key irritated too. How dare he be so damned amazing that I forgot why we were in Ireland in the first place? We were in Ireland so I could execute a piece of trash human—not to have a fucking honeymoon.
“Good girl.” He stroked my new crewcut, the touch surprising me with how sensitive my scalp was. “You will remain kneeling and silent while I call Ronan. I will have the phone on speaker.”
Still gazing at me as if he expected me to break position or speak, he returned to his chair and tapped a contact. The phone rang once before it was answered by a woman with a brittle Irish accent.
“Doherty Imports. How may I direct your call?”
“This is Lachlan O’Donnell. Ronan and I are old friends from college. I’m in Cork for a few days and wondered if he’d like to meet up for a pint.”
“Of course, Mr. O’Donnell. May I place you on hold?”
“Certainly.”
I heard a soft click before faint guitar music emanated from the phone’s speaker. Lachlan’s face hardened with each passing second, and unsure whether I wanted to comfort him or myself, I tried and failed to resist the urge to crawl to him.
To my surprise, he didn’t chide me. Instead, he cupped the back of my neck and encouraged me to rest my head on his thigh.
The phone clicked again, and the sound of Ronan’s booming voice made me flinch.
“Lachlan, old boy! It’s been an age! How are you?”
“Quite well, thank you,” Lachlan replied, his tone smooth and modulated. “I was in town and realized we haven’t spoken in much too long. I didn’t even know how successful your business has become. I’d love to buy you a pint to celebrate your good fortune.”
“Yes. The import business is quite…lucrative these days.” Ronan chuckled, and I tried to control my shudder of revulsion. “I heard you married Steve Ashland’s daughter. How did that come about?”
“He owed me a significant sum. I took the girl in payment.”
“Then had your dog kill him when he tried to kick her in the face. I heard all about it.” Laughing hard enough to make himself cough, Ronan added, “Bloody brilliant. You get the girl and whatever’s left of his money.”
“Indeed.” Lachlan’s grip tightened, then released almost as quickly. “I do hope you’re up for that pint in the next few days.”
“I might have something better,” Ronan purred. “I could possibly assist you in recouping your loss.”
“Oh?”
“Let me ask you something. Are you attached to the girl?”
I risked a glance at Lachlan’s face. Did Ronan not know that we divorced? If he did, I could totally see that working in our favor. It took a very determined Master to return his ex-wife to slavery—at least, that was how Ronan would perceive us.
Lachlan’s fingers bit into my throat, nearly cutting off my air. “She’s lovely, and we’ve come to an…understanding regarding her behavior and appearance.”
“That’s very good,” Ronan murmured. “Is she with you?”
“Of course. She’s an excellent traveling companion.” Lachlan’s lips twisted. “And so very obedient.”
I swallowed a laugh. That ship had long sailed. I obeyed Lachlan only when I wanted to, but maybe I wanted to more than I should.
“Funny, I remember her father saying she wasn’t.”
“I’m not her father,” Lachlan replied, gazing down at me. “I prefer my possessions unblemished. There are better ways of ensuring proper behavior.”
“I couldn’t agree more. If you’re not particularly attached to her, I could possibly arrange a transaction of sorts that would enable you to regain the loss you suffered.”
“All right. Shall we meet for that pint around seven or so?”
“Nothing so Plebian, old chap.” Lachlan’s phone buzzed with an incoming text. “I’m having a small gathering at my estate this evening. I texted you the address, but you probably remember it from our college days.”
“I couldn’t have told you the address, but I remember how to get there.”
“Smashing.” Ronan’s laughter sounded like nails on a chalkboard. “And tell me. How is the lovely Saoirse these days?”
My muscles tightened and I barely restrained the urge to leap through the phone and strangle Ronan. When Lachlan’s thigh quaked under me, I closed my fingers around his knee in a desperate attempt to keep us both together.
“She’s quite well,” Lachlan replied, his voice taking on a hard edge. “She’s staying with friends in Paris for now, waiting for me to choose an appropriate husband for her.”
I couldn’t help but note his comment was the first time he’d flat out lied in my presence. Not that I blamed him for sending Ronan several hours southeast of where Saoirse actually was. I held no illusions that Ronan wouldn’t look if he thought it would gain him something.
“I know several good candidates,” Ronan replied, “if you’re interested.”
“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind. And thanks for the invitation. What time shall I arrive?”
“I agree with seven. The party starts at nine, so we’ll have plenty of time to catch up over supper. Black tie, if you please.”
“Have we gotten posh in our old age?” Lachlan asked. “I rather miss the pool parties we used to have.”
Funny, but I almost thought Lachlan meant his last comment, and I didn’t blame him. Although rare, I missed those too few and too short days when I was left alone with the servants and could pretend they were my family.
“You have the right of it. That damned Goat…”
“Goat?”
“Just an annoyance, old friend.” Ronan sighed as if he was tired, then added, “My apologies, but there is no rest for the wicked. I must get back to work.”
“Of course.” Lachlan petted my head like it was the only thing holding him together. “I look forward to catching up.”
When he tapped the phone to end the call, I crawled into his lap and wrapped my arms around him. Disobeying his order of silence, I said, “I’m sorry, Lachlan.”
“For what?” He didn’t look at me, but that was okay.
“For losing someone who used to be a friend, baby.” His tense shoulders relaxed under my touch. “I don’t actually have friends, but I’m pretty sure it feels awful.”
“It doesn’t.” He stroked my jaw with a gentle fingertip. “He was once a friend, but the minute he threatened you?—”
“Not Saoirse?”
“My sister as well, but mostly you.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, then smiled sadly as he eased me from his lap. “Always you.”
* * *
LACHLAN
I don’t actually have friends…
Natasha could have created platonic relationships with people, but I’d stolen the opportunity from her, starting with my sister. It was no surprise that she’d eschewed making friends, given what we’d done to her.
“You’re close with Teresa,” I murmured, hoping to remind her that she might have one friend. Teresa was her vet, and despite their professional relationship, I knew they spent time together.
“Eh.” She sat on her heels and placed her upturned hands on her splayed thighs. “Maybe. We do wine tastings and shit.”
“Do you enjoy each other’s company?”
She lowered her eyes, then nodded. “I guess so.”
“Then you have a friend.” I cupped her chin and tilted her head up. “Now, the time for talking is over. While I shower, you will go through your morning exercise. I want your body warmed up and ready before I finish.”
Giving me a brief nod, she rose gracefully, then moved to the center of the room before flowing into her first Tai Chi position. I tore my gaze away from her beautiful body and hurried into the ensuite to complete my ablutions.
When I returned, she was spinning a wooden staff in her callused palms. The weapon blurred as she whirled and leapt to me. Cursing softly, she jerked the staff aside before it crushed my nose.
I held my ground and decided not to question how she’d managed to hide the weapon in her small suitcase.
The staff dropped and she winced. “Sorry, Master. You surprised me.”
“Do that again,” I replied. “From the beginning of the form, but I want you to strip first.”
“Yes, M?—”
“Actually, no.” I went to my suitcase and retrieved the sheer black dress I’d packed for her. “Wear this. I want you to practice as you’ll be presented. We’ll save Ella’s dress for the party.”
“God!” She rolled her eyes and giggled. “Seriously, who are you, and what did you do with Lachlan O’Donnell?”
“As you and Ella might have mentioned, he pulled his head out of his ass.”
She caught the gossamer fabric out of the air. “Too bad. I might enjoy introducing him to pegging.”
I caught her staff and pulled it from her hands. “Love, if you come back alive and unharmed, I’ll permit your wish.”
“Oh, you are so on.” She stripped quickly before tugging the dress over her head. After smoothing it into place, she held out her hand for the staff. “With an offer like that, you bet your ass we’ll come out alive.”
I couldn’t resist a smile at her unintended pun, but she didn’t appear to notice what she’d said.
“I have no doubt, my love.” I pulled her close, then dipped her as if we were waltzing before kissing her. “Show me everything.”
“Um…” She lowered her head and stepped back, leaving me with her staff. “Are you sure?”
“Everything,” I repeated. “Show me how deadly you’ve become, darling.”
She caught the staff I threw at her, and bent her head side to side, cracking the joints in her neck. “Yes, Master.”
The dress didn’t hinder her movements for a single moment.
Her dance of incipient violence was sheer poetry of precise, economical motion.
Although I wanted to, I’d never ask where she found weapons in that tiny black dress.
Throwing stars, push daggers, and the occasional short-barreled handgun all found their way into her performance.
I leaned back in my chair and simply watched her elegant movements. “So fucking beautiful,” I murmured.
She straightened and inhaled deeply. “Thank you, Master.”
“Kneel for me, darling.”
She obeyed, lowering herself to her knees without dropping her gaze from my face. Carefully, she opened her fingers, allowing two throwing knives to fall to the carpet.
“May I speak?” she asked.
“No.” I rose from my chair and strode to her, then tugged her nose piercing to make her look at me. “Never drop your blades, slave. Are you not my bodyguard?”
I felt a stream of air pass my face a split second before I heard the thud of one of her blades embedding itself in the wall behind me. She gave me a heartbreakingly sweet smile, then willfully disobeyed me. “Never, ever think I’m unarmed, Master. Might save your life someday.”