Page 48 of Waiting for Him (Trident Security #3)

Chapter Twenty-Six

A little after midnight, Boomer handed over his car keys before Tiny would open the club door for him.

How sad was it the big bouncer knew he was here to get drunk .

. . again? Aside from Monday and Tuesday , when The Covenant was closed, and he’d gone to Donovan’s , he’d been at the club every night since his dad had been released from the hospital.

He’d offered to stay at his parents’ house until Rick was more mobile, but his mother had insisted she could handle things and he should go after Kat .

Instead , Boomer returned to Tampa and began drowning his sorrows.

The other Doms had taken pity on him and put up with his morose drinking, making sure someone drove him home every night. Then , after popping Tylenol for the resulting hangovers, he’d take a taxi back to work the next day or catch a ride with one of his teammates.

Ian had wanted him to crash in one of the rooms above the offices, but it would only bring back painful memories of the night he and Kat slept there—well, after they had done other things, of course.

At least at his condo, she’d only slept in the guest room.

And damn, her scent was still there—he knew because he went in there all the time just to sniff her pillow like a heartbroken ass.

There was no way he was chasing after Kat .

She’d ripped his heart out and stomped on it on her way out of the hospital to return to Oregon .

When he’d returned, much calmer, with a sack of sandwiches and sodas, he’d discovered Kat missing.

Ian and Marco had left to retrieve the vehicles.

Leaving the food with his mother and aunt, he searched the entire hospital, starting with the cafeteria, thinking she might have gone for coffee.

After not finding her in any public places in the building, he’d asked the security guard at the main entrance and found out Kat had left, taking a cab to God knew where.

He couldn’t call her to find out where she was going because her phone was still back at the compound, and she had given the medical alert bracelet back to Brody , so the GPS was out as well.

An hour of worrying later, Jake called to say Kat had arrived at the compound and packed her duffel bags in her car, which had still been parked in the garage behind the offices.

After speaking to SAC Stonewall , she drove away.

Jake hadn’t been able to stop her since, in all the confusion, he hadn’t known she was there until it was too late.

He had to check the security videos to see what she’d done.

Boomer had told her he loved her, and although she’d said the words back to him, she’d obviously not meant them.

Or maybe she had, but his job and the violence involved were too much for her to handle.

While he hadn’t been the one to kill any of the Russians , a fact which still pissed him off, Kat had seen up close and personal how dangerous his job was.

Maybe she couldn’t deal with it. Either way, the ball was in her court.

He’d be damned if he would beg her to come back to him.

He said hello to a few people on the way to the bar and almost winced when he saw the bartender, Master Dennis , grab a bottle of Jack Daniels to start making his drink.

Had he become so predictable in less than two weeks?

Maybe he should fuck with the guy and switch to Southern Comfort .

The thought left his brain as fast as it’d come.

He wasn’t in the mood to joke around. Instead , he sat his sad-sack ass on an empty stool and nodded his thanks when the drink, mixed with a dash of Coke , was placed in front of him on a cocktail napkin.

He’d spent most of the day and half the night following some fucktard around who was cheating on his wife of six years.

The guy was in deep shit because his suspicious spouse had the purse strings, and their prenup was clear—cheat, and he doesn’t get a cent.

And Boomer had the pictures that would make the bastard drop to his knees and cry buckets.

Mulling over his dull yet successful day in solitude, it wasn’t long before clinking ice was the only thing remaining in the glass, and he caught the bartender’s eye for another one.

“ Scratch that, Dennis . Master Ben will be playing tonight.”

Boomer glared at Carter as the Dom smacked him on the shoulder, then leaned against the bar with an annoying grin.

“ I’m not fucking playing tonight, Dennis . Fill it up.”

Picking up the empty glass, Carter handed it to the amused bartender while shaking his head. “ Nope . You’re playing, so no more booze. Two waters, please, Den .”

Turning back to Boomer , he ignored the dirty, pissed-off stare he was getting.

“ I’ve got a lovely new submissive who wants a little action, and I think she’s just what you need to get out of this fucking funk you’re in.

Your other option is the one Ian and Devil Dog came up with, but I think you’ll choose door number one after you hear what’s behind door number two. ”

His eyes narrowed. He wasn’t in the mood for this shit, but apparently, everyone was done with his pity party except him. “ What’s their option?”

“ A session with Mistress China , who I must say is head-over-her-pretty-ass about the idea. You know how much she loves to whip pathetic guys back into shape.” Carter paused to take a drink from one of the water bottles that'd been placed in front of them. “ So , what’s it going to be, Boom - Boom ? Some hot sex with an even hotter sub or China’s bullwhip? ”

Astonished , Boomer grunted. “ You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?”

“ No , he’s not.”

He sighed heavily and spun around on the barstool to face Boss -man and found the rest of his team in attendance.

Shit .

Just what he fucking needed—an intervention.

All five wor their best Dom faces, daring him to give them shit. Add in the super-spy, and there was no way he was getting out of this. His choices were clear—a lashing from the sadistic Whip Mistress or fucking a willing submissive who might let him forget about Kat for a little while.

The problem was . . . he didn’t want to forget about her.

He wanted her by his side and in his bed for the rest of his life.

Fucking another woman would never change that.

Instead , it would make him feel like he was cheating on the only woman who would ever own his heart.

And that right there was his answer. “ If I lay off the booze and get my head on straight, can I pick door number three?”

Ian cocked one eyebrow. “ Door number three?”

“ I need some time off. I’ve got to go after her .

. . to Portland .” He swallowed hard, refusing to break down in front of the men who were brothers to him.

“ She’s my life. I don’t care if I have to get on my knees and beg or tie her ass up and kidnap her, but damn it, I’m not letting her get away this time.

I love her, and I’ve got to get her back. ”

“ Thank fuck! Now we can put an end to this fucking pity party of yours. I was about to start watering down the Jack .” Ian took a step toward him. “ But she’s not in Oregon , Boom .”

His eyes narrowed as he slid off the stool and stood. Panic assailed him. If she wasn’t in Portland , where the hell was she? “ What do you mean? She’s somewhere else? Where ? Her aunt’s?”

He might have asked Ian the questions, but Carter answered. “ Downstairs in room four, waiting patiently and presenting herself for her Dom . Don’t fuck it up. And don’t freak out when she tells you I kissed her.”

Running toward the grand staircase, Boomer barely heard the other Dom’s last words and the chorus of snorts and chuckles from his teammates.

All he could think about was Kat was waiting for him on the other side of the building.

Ian or Devon must have waved at the bouncer at the stairs because he let Boomer pass without checking his membership card for alcohol consumption.

Tamping down the urge to push people out of his way, he made his way through the crowd as fast as possible, dodging bodies and cursing along the way.

On the other side of the cavernous room, two sets of hallways led to twelve private rooms, six in each.

An on-duty Dungeon Master , stationed between the entrances to both hallways, nodded at him as he ran past. Grinding to a halt outside room four, he paused to catch his breath and calm himself down.

Carter had said she was presenting herself for her Dom , so her Dom was what he needed to be when he walked into the room.

He didn’t know who had taught her how to present, but he had a strong feeling it was Angie and Kristen .

Since their Masters knew about Kat being here, it was pretty much a given for them to know as well.

And he was positive those two match-makers couldn’t pass up an opportunity to help create a happy-ever-after.

Wait . . . what the hell? Did the fucking spy say something about kissing Kat ? Damn , he’d kick the guy’s ass later if he didn’t have a fucking good excuse for it—and maybe even if he did.

Inhaling deeply, he turned the knob and opened the door.

His breath caught at the sight of her and got stuck in his chest. She was kneeling on a red satin pillow in the center of the room, knees shoulder-width apart, back straight, head bowed, and upturned hands resting on her thighs—presenting perfectly.

Dressed in a black bra and panties with a sheer lace teddy over them, she was the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever seen in his life, and his cock agreed.

He noticed a shiver go through her body, and it thrilled him.

When he remembered to breathe again, he entered the room, closed the door behind him, and stepped over to stand before her.