Page 2 of Trapped In Wonderland

“Yes, what?” he asks, his voice expectant.

“Please?” Princessa answers unsurely.

“We will discuss the rules once we’re inside. For now, if I untie your legs, what will you do in return?”

After a brief pause, she answers, “I will thank you.”

To my surprise, I detect a trace of defiance in her tone. From the smirk on Knight’s face, it looks like he hears it, too.

But he seems to like it as he replies, “That’s a start. We shall work on that.”

I narrow my eyes as I absorb this power-play dynamic between Knight and Princessa, as I sense Princessa may not be as powerless as she seems. But I keep my face stoic as I follow the duo up the stoops to the massive mahogany double front door. The two leaves open dramatically as soon as we stand in front of it. A butler appears at the door, complete in his regalia and white gloves. He bows with pomp and waves us inside.

The door echoes throughout the foyer where we wait as it shuts behind us. As if on cue, Aisling Kane walks in. Dressed in a sheer white toga with crystal and gold beaded detail strategically placed, she embodies her code name for the night. The Oracle—a mighty sexy Oracle, that is. Her elaborate gold mask makes her glow with a halo-like effect. Though she’s disguised her identity and the fact that she’s the wife of Cillian Kane, the head of the Kane family Irish mafia, isn’t a secret to me. As long as she keeps to the agreement, I’m only here to keep Princessa safe. However, I can’t help but be wary about dealing with this crime family.

Princessa is playing with fire. I hope she doesn’t get burned in the process.

Aisling walks straight to Princessa, reaches over her crown mask, and lifts the layer that covers the eyes. The Oracle smiles at her guest and says, “Bienvenue au Club du Pay de Merveilles, Princessa, old friend.”

Welcome to Club Wonderland, Princess.

2

Raul

She fucking double-crossed me!

I woke up to a phone ringing shrilly about an hour ago. When Núria and I checked into the hotel this afternoon, a bottle of a fine Rioja reserve and a burner cellphone were waiting for us, along with a card from ‘Kitty.’ I don’t know if it was the time difference or the wine, but I was sleeping so deep, it took a few seconds for the voice to break through my grogginess.

“There’s a change of plan. I have the package. Find me at CW,” she says before hanging up.

My mind cleared really fast after that. I jumped off the bed, slammed through the connecting door, and found my cousin’s room empty. Except for the messy bedding, there weren’t signs of a struggle. That at least eases my mind. But it doesn’t answer why I was left in the dark.

Nothing was supposed to happen tonight. We planned a rendezvous at a highway rest stop tomorrow. But instead of doing that, I’m now driving in the middle of the night, following instructions left on a card, dressed in black leather.

Glancing at my phone as I steer the rental SUV down the highway, I consider calling my friend Lina, but decide against it. What’s the use, anyway? She’s on the other side of the world on another project. That’s why I’m working on this one with Kate Bishop, code name Kitty. I have nothing against her, except she’s a bit of a wild card, as her actions tonight have proven to me.

“I trust her to have my back, so can you,” Lina told me two months ago. “Kate is one of our best. She’s perfect—and most importantly, excited for the job. I have a feeling she’ll surprise you.”

She surprised me all right.

I’ve only worked with Kate directly once. She was a genius tech specialist, but I don’t know her as a field operator. I only have Lina’s word that she’s perfect for this job. Though the computer nerd I remember from three years ago will stick out like a sore thumb in a BDSM club. But I don’t exactly have many options. I need a local fixer. After communicating with her through encrypted calls and texts, I got a sense Kate knows what she’s doing. Plus, she isn’t judgmental of the job. In fact, she seems easygoing and fun based on the low-key flirtatious chats we had.

I, by nature, flirt with anyone breathing. It’s just how I ease people around me. It’s funny how people find a guy my size intimidating at the very least, or worse, dangerous. The takeaway here is I came to trust Kate to handle Núria’s request: escort her to the uber secretive Club Wonderland so she can explore her deep-seated needs.

Except making sure our family and the rest of the world never hear a whiff of the trip isn’t so simple. Being part of the Aguilar family, an old and one of the richest family in Spain, has its advantages and drawbacks. As one of the next generation leaders of the Aguilar Conglomerate, Núria is the future face of the company. She knows grandfather will drop dead of a heart attack if he learns about her kink. Plus, imagine the scandal ifsociety even suspects Aguilar’s Head of Business Development, who spearheaded two thriving new businesses for the group likes to play a submissive.

That’s why the planning for this little outing from Madrid to the middle-of-nowhere New York State has to be perfect. There’s no room for error. So, I have every right to be pissed they left me behind with only a card of directions and a ridiculous costume to wear. And what the fuck for? Núria better be safe and her anonymity secured, or Kitty will have a lot of explaining to do.

The GPS tells me to take an exit that leads to a country road. There’s twenty minutes left in the drive, which is twenty minutes too slow. I drive as fast as I can within the speed limit. Being unfamiliar with the terrain, I can’t risk attracting law enforcement here. Not dressed this way.

El Toro… How original.

I don’t know why I have to play masquerade when I’m only here to protect Núria. Nobody cares if I get caught in a little scandal. In fact, few people really know I’m one of Alfredo Aguilar’s grandchildren since I stay away from the elite society.

I’ve always been the odd duck. Instead of joining the family business that encompasses almost anything profitable, I followed my father’s footsteps into theEjército de Tierra—the Spanish Army—toAbuelo’s disappointment. He would’ve been okay with it if I had the ambition to carve a career to be a general, but I like the thrill of covert missions, the bond I have with my squad, and the connections I make in different countries, which I continue to build now that I’ve retired from the military and worked as a private contractor.

So, it’s natural Núria sought my help for this mission of hers. I’ll put on the outfit and the mask if she needs me to. And she knows, unlike everyone else in the family, I won’t ever judge her for who she is.

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