Scorching Desire by Mari Carr, Lila Dubois Read Free Book Online Page B

it that way, but Tasha knew how powerful a loving relationship between two people could be—whether those people were lovers, family or friends. It was both the hardest and easiest of relationships to manipulate.
    Tasha took out the items she’d bought for herself and ripped off the tags. She slid the cuffs around her wrists and buckled them into place but didn’t connect then together with the clip that now dangled from her right wrist. They weren’t the subtle, simple kinds that might be mistaken for jewelry. She’d gone for the heavy reinforced-leather and metal ones that were padded on the inside and closed with four separate buckles. They weighed nearly three pounds each.
    As she lifted the collar to her neck Tasha was suddenly aware of their attention on her. She looked up.
    Damon and Marco were both leaning forward, their focus unnerving.
    Tasha put the collar on. Holding it in place with one hand, she slid onto her knees in front of Marco and bent her head, exposing the back of her neck. “Will you fasten it?” she asked quietly.
    His fingers brushed her skin. “Tasha, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
    “This will be simple.” She knew better than to promise him she wouldn’t get hurt. Kneeling like this was making her aware of the bruises that were forming on her knees from falling in Vegas.
    “You shouldn’t have to do this.” Marco took the collar and tossed it onto the seat beside Damon.
    Tasha sat back and tried not to get irritated. “I shouldn’t have let you come.”
    “There’s got to be another way to get information. We can wait until the morning and go to Jennie’s house. You found Sandra’s address, you can find hers.”
    Tasha didn’t have time to explain that a place like a club—designed to strip away inhibitions—was much better for gathering information than someone’s residence, where they would be more cautious.
    She looked at Damon. His jaw was set, his expression shuttered. Tasha shifted to kneel in front of him. She didn’t say anything.
    Damon picked up the collar, slid it around her neck and locked it in place.
    “Damon, what the hell?”
    “She knows what she’s doing. I’m not going to insult her intelligence by assuming she needs my protection or advice.” Though he was speaking to Marco, Damon was looking at her.
    Tasha blinked as she sat back. Before she could stop it, she smiled. “Thank you.” Even experienced intelligence agents had sometimes looked down on her when she used her gender or age to get information. Damon’s trust and respect felt good. It made no sense that she liked both Marco’s protectiveness and Damon’s respect for her abilities, but she did.
    Tasha took the keys to the collar, looped them through pieces of black leather and handed one to each man. Damon slipped his over his head while Marco tucked his into his pocket.
    “Close your eyes,” she said, going back to her seat. Marco did as she asked. Damon waited until she’d pulled the leather bikini top out of the bag. Once he realized she was stripping to replace her lace bra with black leather, he closed his eyes.
    Tasha suspected they were both peeking.
    The limo pulled to a stop as she put her shirt back on and stuffed everything into a bag.
    “My name is Ashley,” she told them. “If you’re asked, you’re Doms or Masters. I’ll refer to you as Sir or Master, depending on what the situation needs.” She handed each of them a chain leash. “Keep these with you, playing with them will give you something to do with your hands, but don’t agree to play with anyone in there. Don’t give anyone your names. If someone asks, ignore them, they shouldn’t be asking. Avoid speaking if you can. I’ll do the talking for you. If either of you recognizes anyone tug your right ear.” Tasha should have spent less time thinking and more time giving them instructions on the way over. She’d just have to hope they could do this.
    “Don’t we need wires or cellphone videos or