Page 10 of Keeping Her Secrets

Nick crossed his arms over his chest as he assessed her. “And how do you know this?”

Mustique held his gaze. “I have a contact at the Iranian embassy.”

“That’s impressive. And who did you say you worked for again?” Ian was watchful as he questioned her.

Mustique turned to him and smirked. “I didn’t.” She and Ian seemed to have some mental stand off before she dropped her gaze.

“You’re sure it’s blackmail?” Jake tipped his drink to his lips as he spoke.

“Yes. I managed to get an invite to a private party and did some snooping. I overheard him talking to someone about it. The blackmailer is using illegal campaign funds against Hanley. But what really disturbed me was he was talking about the blackmailer having a penchant for young girls of social standing. Apparently, this pervert likes to break them. Hanley was talking about offering Senator Craven’s daughter up on a platter to try and appease them.”

“Fucking scum,” Nick hissed and glanced at Jake, whose jaw was ticking in anger.

Ash had to agree. These types of men made his stomach churn. Hanley was a misogynistic, paid-up member of the old boys’ club. He probably thought because Senator Craven was a woman, she deserved it. He hated to think it was assholes like that, in positions of power, making decisions about the free world.

“Has Senator Craven been notified?” Jake asked.

“She has. I sent an anonymous tip to the FBI. But it will be hard for her to protect her daughter when the threat is coming from someone inside her own party.”

“So, what do you need from us?”

The fact Ian had asked Mustique the question and not him showed Ash the level of respect the man had for her already, even if he probably didn’t trust her yet.

“I need to find out when and where he’s planning to take the girl, who is blackmailing him, and what exactly Hashemi wants in return for his donations.”

“Why you? Why do you care?” Nick asked, curiously.

“Because she’s an innocent child and never asked for any of this, and men like Hanley and Hashemi should never be allowed to make decisions about things that matter. They aren’t fit to breathe the same air as decent human beings.”

Nick looked at his husband and then his brother. “Good enough for me.”

Ash couldn’t take his eyes of Mari. She was so full of passion and life when she spoke. That she didn’t see it in herself crushed him. Somehow this woman was getting under his skin and making him care in a way he never had before, and he’d barely laid a hand on her. What would it be like if he got to touch her? To feel her shudder as she came around his cock breathing his name? Heaven, it would be heaven, but would that be it or would he be in hell when she walked—or more likely ran—away? The one thing he did know for sure was that Marisol was a runner.

“So, you’ll help us?” Ash asked, tearing his thoughts away from what if’s.

“Yes, but I can only spare Jake and Nick for this and maybe some of Brody’s time on cyber-shit.” Brody Evans was Trident Security’s resident computer geek.” I wish I could do more, I really do, but the rest of my guys are on jobs.” Ian looked regretful as his eyes slid across the room. Ash glanced over his shoulder and saw the Senator deep in conversation with his uncle and wondered how this had gotten so close to home.

“That’s more than I was hoping for. Thanks, Ian.” Ash held out his hand, which the other man took.

“No problem, if I can spare more men down the line, I will.”

“Hopefully we can have this wrapped up in a few days, and it’ll be another shitstorm stopped in its tracks.”

Ian laughed without humor. “It’s just one shit-cyclone after another, brother.”

“Thank you, all of you.” Mustique turned to Ash. “I’m going to pop into the ladies’ room.”

Ash regarded her, admiring the way the long, monochrome dress hugged her curves, and knowing she had an arsenal of weapons hidden beneath it only made it all the more alluring.

“You do know if Command finds out about this you’re toast, right?” Ian’s face was grim when Ash swung his gaze back to him.

“They won’t.” He sounded sure, but in truth, he was anything but confident about this mission, and yet he couldn’t find it in him to walk away.

“You prepared to take that chance for her?”

“I am,” he answered simply.

“And her background. I assume you know who she is?” Ash sucked in a breath, unsure how much to tell his friend, but Ian stopped him. “I have my sources too, you know.”

He knew! Ian knew who Mustique worked for, and he’d still agreed to help. “If you know, why are you doing this?”

“Because while I didn’t know her, personally, until now, I know you, and if you trust her, that’s good enough for me. I’ll also give the guys a heads-up, so they know she’s a professional and to trust her.”

“Thanks, Ian, that means a lot.”

The man just nodded and grinned at his wife as she approached talking about baby slings and bugaboo or some other shit the men didn’t understand.

A feeling of relief surrounded Ash, but there was also the familiar buzz of a mission that zinged in his body before they jumped from the plane. His blood went hot at the scent of a kill, this mission would succeed; it was important to Mari, more than she was letting on, and if they failed, they were all fucked.