Page 8 of Theirs to Desire (Club M: Boxed Set)

ADRIAN

X avier’s right. The Clarke Agency is on the third floor. The next day, after our mid-morning team meeting, Brody and I head over to Fiona’s office.

I can’t deny I’m curious. The woman I’d seen in Downing’s foyer had been adamant that Raymond was perfect for her, determined not to listen to my warnings, but yesterday, Xavier had said that Fiona had broken up with Downing after only three months. Good for her.

An older woman is sitting in the warm, inviting reception area, knitting away busily with neon orange yarn. Brody gives her a charming smile. “We’re old friends of Fiona Clarke’s,” he says, exaggerating the truth. “We just moved into the building, and thought we’d say hi.”

“You’re from Lockhart & Payne?” The knitting needles don’t stop their clacking as she surveys us curiously.

“That’s us,” Brody agrees cheerfully. “Is Fiona in?”

“Yes.” She waves a needle in the direction of the seating area as she lumbers to her feet. “She’s on the phone. I’ll let her know you’re here.”

“No need, Mrs. Morales,” a richly melodious voice cuts in. Fiona. “I’m done with my call.”

Her skin is luminous and soft, her cheeks faintly dotted with freckles. Her curly hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and her blue eyes are wary as she surveys us. “Mr. Lockhart,” she nods in my direction. “Mr. Payne. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Her eyes meet mine, bold and challenging, a refreshing contrast to the too-meek, too-cowed woman she’d been when I met her last. “Shall we head to your office, Ms. Clarke?” I suggest, conscious that Fiona’s receptionist is staring at the three of us, her expression avidly curious.

“I wanted to chat with you about our mutual friend, Xavier Leforte.”

Her cheeks go pink. “Of course,” she says, stepping aside. “Please, come in.”

Brody and I enter her private office. The desk is covered with files. “I was supposed to catch up on paperwork yesterday,” she says, catching my gaze. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get through as much of it as I would have liked.”

“I didn’t realize you were a private investigator,” Brody says.

Her chin lifts. “Why? Because I used to be submissive? I’m very good at what I do.”

Used to be? I guess Xavier was right. She’s vanilla now. What a shame.

Brody cocks his head to one side and surveys her. “I wasn’t implying you weren’t,” he says mildly. “Why would you think I was?”

She flushes. I feel my temper rise as the implications of her defensiveness become clear. Of course Downing would have questioned her competence and made her feel insecure. Weak dominants always do.

Fiona doesn’t answer Brody’s question. The silence stretches out, and I wait, willing her to crack before either of us do. A good dominant is, above all, patient.

Sure enough, she breaks the quiet. “Are you members of Club M?” she blurts out. “Did Xavier Leforte send you here?”

A smile creases Brody’s lips. “Technically, we’re silent partners.”

Oh right. I’d almost forgotten. It was seven years ago, after all.

Xavier’s family had taken an extremely dim view of his desire to start a sex club and had threatened to cut him off.

By then, Brody and I had left the CIA and founded Lockhart & Payne, so we’d given Xavier a start-up loan.

We hadn’t been the only ones. If I remember right, Kai had chipped in too, as had Nolan and Hunter.

“Very silent,” I quip. “Yeah, we’re members. Xavier mentioned you were joining the club, and he asked us to mentor you.”

“Mentor me?” Her voice is nervous. “What does that mean?”

Brody grins wickedly. “It can mean whatever you’d like it to, Fiona.”

Her breathing catches. I frown at my friend, wondering what the hell he’s doing.

Fiona’s already skittish, and there’s no reason to make matters worse.

“Don’t listen to Brody,” I advise her. “He thinks he’s funny.

We’ll just show you around the premises, tell you the rules of the various sections, that kind of thing. ”

“I am funny,” Brody protests, looking wounded.

Fiona laughs out loud and then claps her hand over her mouth. “Sorry,” she mutters sheepishly.

She looks like a different person when she laughs. Her eyes sparkle, and she seems to come alive. I only met her three times, but I don’t think she smiled or laughed once when she was Downing’s submissive.

I want to see her in the club. Will she be eager, or will she be coy? Will she embrace her desires, or will she fight them?

I told Brody at lunch yesterday that I wasn’t ready to go back to the club again. But the direction my thoughts are going…

“We’re driving down Friday evening,” I tell her. “Need a ride?”

She bites her lower lip. “Umm, are you sure? I don’t want your submissive to get the wrong idea.”

We both give her identical, startled looks. “Sandy?” Brody says at last, sounding strained. “Fiona, she died in a skiing accident two years ago.”