Page 42 of Scarlett Thief (Criminal Underground 2)

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Wolf

The room was overheated, filled with men and women in all manner of formal attire. I felt out of my element but Scarlett obviously did not. She was masterful as she worked the crowd. It was clear she took her job seriously. Despite that, I felt myself stiffening and growing angry as I noted how many men eyed her like hungry animals.

Her dress was practically lingerie, the red silky fabric conforming to her body. While the dress made her look like a wet dream come to life, it was the woman inside of it, and her snarky attitude, that made me want to throw her over my shoulder and carry her out of the party. I'd get her back to the hotel room, throw her on the bed, and...

Nothing, I reminded myself.I’ll do abso-fucking-lutely nothing because we’re here on a job. Perhaps if I didn't have so much riding on this operation, I'd consider doing deliciously wicked things to her body, but for now, I had to rein in the desire to bend her over my knee and not let up until her ass was the color of a ripe strawberry, a strawberry I intended to take a bite of.

I'd shared a time or two—with women who hadn't meant much beyond a quick fuck. The conversation I'd had with Hadrian made me think this time it would be different. Scarlett wasn't a hardcore club submissive. She had only recently been introduced to the world of BDSM, was just now learning the wonders of it, and how very much it suited her. After tonight, she would think nothing of handing the diamond over to Mr. Black's proxy, Gaven Belmonte, and going back to her life of crime. I didn't begrudge the woman her career, though one of the things about being a good dominant was learning to read a submissive, and if I was reading Scarlett correctly, I didn't know what she got out of thievery aside from a paycheck.

There was pride in her as she strode across the room, a sense of accomplishment in knowing she would do this task and do it well, but that was it. It didn't seem to fill her in the way … fuck, it didn't seem to fulfill her in the way I had seen a woman be fulfilled. Mare—America Perelli turned America Marshall-Travis-Petrov. It was difficult not to compare the two women. I wasn't privy to the full details of how America Perelli had become Ian's wife—and that of his friends. What I did know, however, was that in the brief periods I'd seen her before their relationship had become what it was now—those few short months ago—and seeing her now, I had to admit there was a difference. She was happier. She practically glowed. Seeing America at the club had been like looking into a crystal ball. America was confident and secure in the knowledge that she was loved, taken care of, and truly important to the people around her. Scarlett did not have that, not yet.

Was it wrong of me to want to give that to her when all I should have been thinking of was Miranda?

Whatever the case, I would at the very least enjoy showing Scarlett that she could find enjoyment and safety in sex and submission. Hadrian and I would make sure of it—a parting gift if she chose to leave afterwards. And who knew, maybe this little team of ours would work out. Perhaps we would work on other jobs together or become … friends. More wasn't possible. More was dangerous. But friendship … everyone needed friends in this industry.

As I watched the crowd, my eyes following the curve of her back as she continued to move across the room, getting closer and closer to our mark, I wondered how Scarlett would take a cock in her ass. Would she whine and sniffle and beg me not to fuck her tight little asshole. Or would she arch her back and groan as I pressed the head of my dick to that tiny rosette and pushed forward.

Just as that image popped into my brain, bringing my dick to standing attention, there was a crackle of noise in my ear. "Wolf," Hadrian barked into the comm unit, "do you have eyes on Scarlett?"

"What?" I jerked my head up and scanned the room. Scarlett's red dress was one in a sea of various colors—all seeming duller than the woman I currently had my eyes set on. The woman who was striding right fucking past our mark with a polite smile. She didn't even attempt to stop and talk to the Prince's wife, but kept walking, her head high and her eyes tight. I had expected it to be difficult to see her make the lift, but she didn't even try.

"What the fuck is she doing?" I muttered as I cut through a mass of women collecting to one side with champagne flutes in hand. They parted like the red sea, their eyes growing wide. A few clasped their gloved hands to their wrinkled bosoms, and I would have thought I offended them had I not felt a delicate but firm hand grip my backside as I made my way through. Dirty old biddies.

I ignored the ass grab and headed for Scarlett. Her heels clicked loudly against the ballroom floor—they hadn't clicked that loud before. She was usually very conscious of the noise she made, but she wasn't now. The second I made it to her, my hand was on her elbow pulling her to a discrete stop at my side—as if just asking her to dance.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded quietly, cutting a look out of the corners of my eyes to see if anyone was paying us any attention. Thankfully, everyone was still focused on the Princess.

"We have to go," she said immediately. Her eyes lifted, but they didn't meet mine.

"What?"Are we compromised?This time, as I glanced around the room, I was more thorough in my analysis, but the security personnel weren't paying us any attention. In fact, there weren't that many of them around at all—far fewer than I expected. I lowered my voice and spoke into my comm unit. "Hadrian? Do you have eyes on security? They're light."

"It's fine," he replied. "I've made a distraction with the electronic guest list. We can't chance it. If she says we're compromised then get her out of there. Do it now, Wolf."

"Fuck." The word hissed through my teeth as I clenched my hand on her elbow and began to drag her with me.

"Back hallways," she said. "There's cameras, but Hadrian should be able to manipulate the feed."

"She's right," Hadrian said in my ear. I've got them on a loop. You're good for the next five minutes. Should be longer, but I don't want to chance it with anyone watching the footage. There's a party going on, they should expect employees to be using that hallway. They might think something's up if they don't see anyone for too long."

This night keeps getting better and better,I thought sarcastically.

Scarlett kept up with my quick pace as I pulled her along with me. I kept my gaze trained forward, but my attention split between where we were going and her. Every so often, she would glance back as if expecting someone to follow us. It was not the type of behavior I expected of a professional. Something had done this—someonehad thrown her off her game.

I pushed through a metal door labeled ‘Employees Only’ a few seconds later and stopped, turning completely and blocking the path. Scarlett's head jerked up as she nearly plowed into me.

"What are you doing?" she said quickly. "We have to go."

Not until I get some information. Without a second thought, I shoved her back against the wall and caged her in between my arms. Our bodies moved close and her eyes widened. I watched as her pupils dilated. There was no denying she was frightened by whatever had spooked her back in the party, but this reaction was not fear; she was attracted to me, and I was pleased to know it.

"What happened back there?" I demanded. "No bullshit."

"Wolf.” Her tone was icy, panicked, and it only made me that much more aware that something was very wrong. Hadrian hadn’t alerted us to anything, but she seemed pretty convinced we needed to get out. "We don't have time for this,” she hissed.

"We're making time," I replied. "The faster you answer me, the faster we can be on our way. Now, tell me, what the hell happened back there?"

"I'll tell you," she promised. "After we leave. I swear I will, but we need to get out of this hotel and we need to do it before—"

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