He nodded, really not listening. Where was Callahan? She said she would be there by ten. Callahan could be counted on, he knew that. He could tell from the way she methodically planned this that she was ready to go after the guy. He looked over the crowd, seeing a few more familiar faces...and a lot of new ones. Dee was right. There were a lot of new people which was a problem for the investigation. He noted a cluster of people just on the other side of the dance floor. There seemed to be a few people watching, a few people conversing, and in the center, there was a woman. He didn’t know how he knew, but there was a woman. Someone shifted, and he saw her then. Her back was to him. Most of the back of the dress was gone, not there. It showed off all her perfect ivory skin. Dark curls dripped over her shoulders. He dropped his gaze down to her ass. Lord have mercy. Full, curved…he could just imagine the way it would feel beneath his fingers.
He took a step in the woman’s direction and stopped. What the hell was he doing? He was here to hunt a serial killer with Callahan. Who he needed to find. Just as he turned away, the woman laughed and turned toward one of the men fawning on her. He couldn’t see her face fully, but he recognized the curve of her jaw and those sculpted cheekbones. A jolt of recognition went through him.
And on the crest of the wave of that came a possessiveness that he could barely contain. He felt a rumble in his chest, and he realized he actually growled.
He stepped in her direction but stopped when a massive hand clamped down on his shoulder. Rome turned to tell whoever it was to piss off when he found himself staring at a very amused Micah.
“Might want to play a little harder to get there, Carino.”
“Fuck off.”
Micah just laughed and patted him on the back. “Happy hunting…and be careful.”
He nodded, knowing that Micah was just as worried about the operation as Rome was. The partners had agreed, but both of them were worried about Callahan’s safety.
Rome started off in her direction, again determined to make sure she understood that her behavior wasn’t even close to acceptable. And if she didn’t understand that, he would take her some place private and make sure she did.
Chapter Five
Maria could feel something invisible brush the back of her neck. It tingled as if someone had slid their fingers over the fine hairs, but she knew no one was touching her. Which meant people were watching her. Someone in particular. Fighting the shiver it caused, she took a sip of her virgin Lava Flow and looked around the room as casually as possible. She didn’t recognize anyone other than the few people she’d talked to. Something had her looking over her shoulder.
Rome.
He was bearing down on her little group of men. She couldn’t fight the heat that flared low in the belly, or the way her heart turned over at the sight of him striding through the club. In a place where there were Doms aplenty, people stepped out of his way. He didn’t push or shove. He just walked, and something in their subconscious told them to move. The closer he got, the faster her pulse raced.
She turned her attention back to the group surrounding her. Getting her bearings straight to do the investigation was important. She’d worked undercover, so she could hide her discomfort with the gathering, but it was hard. Never before had she attracted this much attention. May had introduced her to two men and then left her alone as soon as the other men descended.
“So, Maria, you’re not from the islands?” a man asked.
She focused on him, or tried to. He was tall and lean, with a hint of public school British accent. From her training, she picked up on the fact that it was fake, as were his capped teeth and sun-tipped hair. He probably had paid a fortune to a stylist to get it to look that natural. Dammit, she couldn’t remember his name. She needed to because it was part of her job. But knowing Rome was on his way to her had her brain scrambled.
“No. I’m just here for a week or two visiting. I heard about Rough ‘n Ready from a friend in DC.”
Her father had taught her how to lie. Make sure you wrapped it in truth so you don’t screw up and reveal something more about yourself.
“I thought I hadn’t seen you before,” he said as he inched closer, not noticeably, but enough to make her uncomfortable. He was good looking, but there was something very calculating in his brown eyes. Something that told her that he had more interest in her than was healthy. Dammit, she needed to remember his name.
“Of course you haven’t, Ashton,” Rome rumbled from behind her. “You only show interest in the new subs.”
There was an acute silence and then Ashton snarled before he could hide it from her. In the next instant, he smoothed his features. Hiding a temper, are you?