Page 149 of Wild Mustang Security Firm

“He’s one of Fariq’s lieutenants, isn’t he?”

“Yes, and the one behind the hostile takeover. I got away fairly quickly, with no harm done.”

“Then what?” Zara reached across and squeezed her friend’s hand.

“One of the men with Wild Mustang, his name is William Croft…”

“Billy Crofton—the admiral’s son? The ex-SEAL?”

Finn nodded.

“I saw him once. He’s a gorgeous hunk of man. He’s their main K&R guy, isn’t he? I know he’s well thought of by the authorities and Lloyd’s. How’d you…” Zara stopped and examined Finn’s face. “You didn’t… you bitch! You must tell me all. Please tell me he’s lousy in bed, or I will hate you forever.”

Finn laughed. She knew she’d been right to come to Zara. Not only was she the best reporter of her acquaintance, she was a great friend who always knew the right thing to say.

“Then, I suppose,” Finn teased, “you’ll have to hate me forever. That’s the problem. When I’m with him, nothing else matters, nothing else is important, and I just want to stay with him.”

“From what I know of Croft’s reputation, he isn’t exactly alove ’em and leave ’emkind of man. Oh God,that’sthe problem. He wants more than you’re willing to let him have.”

“It’s not so much that. It’s what he wants. I don’t know that I have it within me to give him what he wants and needs. He’s in security, and I’m a photojournalist.”

“The man is in global security, one of the best at K&R, not a mall cop. Wild Mustang and the Cerberus group are the two top firms at what they do, and they both play on an international scale.”

“I know, but he can be a bit overprotective…”

“The best ones are,” Zara sighed.

It was Finn’s turn to reach for her friend’s hand. Zara had once been heavily involved with an operative for NATO intelligence who, despite the hazards of his job, was killed by a drunk driver. Their fights had been legendary, as had their love for one another.

“I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”

Zara laughed. “The only thing painful about Damian was when I used to do what I wanted regardless of the danger, and he’d have to come save my silly ass. I never did understand why it was after he saved it, he thought he should beat it. But the sex afterward was off the charts… is that the problem? Not the sex, but that he expects to be in charge?”

Finn was astounded. She had wondered how she was going to get Zara’s input without admitting Croft had spanked her.

“I never knew… about you and Damian.”

“Well, it’s not something you tell most people, and I hate to admit it, but it worked for us. It allowed him to express just how pissed he was at whatever I’d done. Once he was finished—and I don’t mean just the spanking—everything was right with the world, and he was always so sweet the next day.”

“Did he apologize to you?”

“Hell, no,” Zara laughed. “But he did make sure I had fluffy pillows to sit on, and depending on how hard he fucked me afterward, would run me a nice warm bath to soak in. God, I miss him—not just the sex, but knowing he cared enough to do whatever he felt he needed to in order to keep me safe, and knowing no matter how much of a bitch I was, he could and would handle it. I take it you’re having an issue with reconciling all that we’ve told ourselves over the years versus everything that cries out to you to run back to him and atone for what I’m sure he sees as your blatant disobedience… for which I’m sure you will be soundly spanked.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Doesn’t it just annoy the hell out of you, the harder and longer they beat you, the more you get aroused? Used to drive me crazy.”

“And you don’t get to hate me.” Finn laughed. “If we’d had this talk anytime over the past decade we’ve been friends, I would have known a lot more and wouldn’t have royally pissed him off by taking off this morning without a word.”

“Oh, dear, I rather imagine that will be an issue for your darling Mr. Crofton. I don’t envy your buttocks, but I do envy all that comes after.”

“Any ideas on how I might alleviate some of his anger?”

“Yes, but you’re not going to like it. The best way I found to get Damian to mitigate a punishment was by atoning for it on my own and taking whatever he dished out with good grace. I can tell you that saved me from his strap—I hated that thing—onmore than one occasion. But if you can’t do that, then at least be contrite and don’t try to tough it out. Damian never let up until I was crying in earnest, and do not, I repeat, do not ever try to fake them out. Pisses them off to the extreme.”

“Even if I can live with that, I don’t see how we’ll make it work.”

“Really? I was an investigative journalist. Damian was NATO intelligence. We never should have been together, but we were, and they were the best and most glorious years of my life. They were also the most successful because I knew if I got into something really out of my league, Damian would come for me. If you love him, Finn… do you love him?”

“More than I ever thought possible,” she sighed.

“Then go home, Finn, and make things right with him. Let me noodle around with things here, then we’ll talk in a couple of weeks.”

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