Undercover(7)

She’d wavered that night. He’d held her tenderly, and she’d looked up into his face, tears shining in her eyes as he made love to her. From the questions she’d asked, he was sure she’d agree to be his mistress. Not the best situation, but he’d have lived with her, had children with her and kept care of her.

He left for work the next morning and had come back to find her things gone except for her collar and a letter telling him she loved him, but she deserved to be his wife, not his mistress. She’d been right, of course. But he couldn’t give her what she wanted—what she deserved—and he’d let her go.

After the wedding, he’d thrown himself into his new marriage. He tried like crazy to make Kira happy. Yes, he loved another woman, but there was no sense in punishing Kira for what she was powerless to change, either. Sadly, they were ill-suited from the start. Kira was a woman who didn’t know what it meant not to be the center of all things at all times. She was spoiled and selfish and had no room in her life for anyone but herself.

The sex had been awful, and there’d been no way he could even suggest anything rough. Hells, she’d probably have run screaming from the room if he’d pulled out the cat-o’-nine that had lovingly bitten and kissed Sera’s skin.

In the end, it was Kira’s own selfishness that had freed him. She’d found someone else, and his little brother married one of Brandt and Kira’s cousins. She sought a dissolution, and he’d made no issue of it as long as the contracts still stood uniting their families.

He’d taken on more responsibility in his job and eventually began working covert with Brandt. He’d put his all into the military corps. He believed in what he did and, in a sense, it filled the giant gap in his life. The more it bothered him that the perceptions of him as empty and shallow rose, the harder he worked until he shut out everything but his job and his few friends who knew the real Ash Walker.

For seven years he’d considered finding Sera, but he didn’t know how to get her back. Knew he didn’t deserve her. He’d figured she’d found someone else. But after they’d pulled her name as a new member of their team, he had her background checked. She’d taken other lovers but hadn’t had a long-term relationship since she’d left him.

And now she was there, and he still loved her. He loved her more at that moment than he had when she’d walked out ten years before. He wanted her back, and he planned to move entire universes to make it happen. More than that, he wanted Brandt, too, and the idea of the three of them together teased his fevered brain. Ash Walker had been successful at everything he’d ever tried in his life, and he didn’t plan to let her walk out of his life ever again. Sera Ayers was meant to be his woman. He would make it happen one way or another.





Sera knew Ash stood watching her through the window at the back of the house. She’d always known when his eyes were on her. At one time in her life, that regard had meant everything to her. There was still a gap in her heart where the pleasure at being first and foremost in his attentions used to live.

Instead of looking up, she moved into the house. Once inside, out of his view, she stood a moment, back against the door. Quietly, she tried to get hold of her rampant emotions. She was better than this, a professional. There was a lot to do before they left the next day, and she could not let him get between her and her job. If she focused on that, she’d make it through.

She was strong, and she believed in their cause. She made a fine weapon against their enemies. Her mother often spoke about destiny, and part of Sera couldn’t help but think she was meant to be there. Meant to make a difference.

Checking her watch, she noted there was an hour and a half until their meeting. Decisively, she headed out, leaving a note in the house computer notifying them she’d be back in time for the briefing. They said she could come and go as she needed. They said she was a full team member. She’d see if they really meant it.





Not twenty minutes later, Ash stormed into Brandt’s office. “She’s gone!”

“Not for good. She’ll be back for the meeting.” Brandt didn’t even look up from his screen.

“How do you know?”

Brandt’s eyes found Ash’s. “Because she said she would be.”

Ash took a deep breath and sat down. “Okay. If she’s run off, I’m going to hunt that pretty ass down and bring her back, kicking and screaming. She’s run from me for the last time.”

“Stop making this about you. You’re going to be all right with this, aren’t you?” Brandt’s voice held warning.

“With what? And in case you’ve forgotten, I’m the ranking officer here.” Ash snorted.

Brandt ignored the dig. “You know she’ll have to do more than pose as my concubine. I’ll be sleeping with her on the transport. I’ll be touching her all the time on Nondal. And more.”

“And you do know that as your best friend, they’ll expect her to be shared with me on occasion.”

“Don’t push her too far, Ash. We need her in one piece. You can’t break her down, not on this mission. It could get us all killed.”

Ash’s mouth flattened into a harsh line. “I will do my job. But I’ll get her back.”

“Just be sure you keep the two separate. Know your role here.” Brandt shrugged and went back to his screen.





Just shy of the time for the meeting, they heard Sera come in downstairs and got up to greet her, only to stare dumbfounded at her as she walked into the situation room. She stood there, her short curls now so long they hung to her ass. Her eyes bore the makeup common to most concubines, and the beauty mark was there just to the right of her eye.

“What the hell?” Ash breathed out, but there was a weight on his chest at the sight of her. A glimpse of the old Sera. Just a small flicker of his woman, soft, made-up, but still ready for action if need be.

Sera shrugged as she grabbed a glass of juice. “Concubines have long hair. I went and had extensions put in. She’d—a concubine—never be seen without her face made up, so the eyes and lips are long-lasting. I don’t know how long we’ll be there, so it’ll remain on for thirty days or until I remove it.”

Both men continued to stare at her, speechless. Her eyes, lined with dark kohl, were exotic and sexy. Her already beautiful lips were even more so with the shiny treatment. Not red, more like the flesh of a pomegranate, that succulent jewel brought from another ’Verse millennia ago. Her hair was thick and lush before, but now it hung in curls covering her back and arms. In short, she was luscious, beautiful and damned sexy. Still in cargo pants and boots and yet utterly delicious.

The smile on her lips told Brandt she knew the effect of her transformation. “What? Don’t worry; I went through secure channels to have it done.”

Brandt shook off his stunned surprise and moved into the room to the table and sat down, hoping she wouldn’t notice the state of his cock. “Of course. It looks great. You look great. I like the attention to detail.”

“You look more than great, Sera.” Brandt glanced up at Ash sharply at his words but was relieved the other man stopped at that and sat.

Sera pulled out two folders and put them on the table before the men. “Okay, I took the liberty of checking into some side channels regarding Giles Stander. He appears to have more credits in the last nine months than he’s had before. He’s always been on a tight leash and had a regular stipend from his Family. But he used to spend it within days of the first of the month. Apparently he’s making it to the last week of the month now. He’s even paid down some of his debt.”

“Debt? What are you talking about? We’ve thoroughly checked his finances, and he seems moderately solvent. And what do you mean, side channels?” Brandt narrowed his eyes at the papers in front of him, showing the data to back up what she’d been saying.

“Coming from an unranked family and working with the lower classes has its value. I know people who don’t operate on the standard channels, let’s put it that way. Anyway, it appears that Stander has a problem with the tables. He’s got a wife, three declared mistresses and a concubine as well. Interesting, no? Certainly taxing on his income. Up until not too very long ago, he only had a wife and a mistress, and now suddenly he’s got multiple women. It’s the kind of thing that might lead a man whose Family has a lot of contact with the Interior to see what he can sell off for more credits to keep his women in expensive jewelry and the hired thugs off his back.”

“You can’t just use the criminal element for this kind of thing, Sera! You could have very well compromised this mission!” Brandt stood, and she did as well.

“In the first place, PC Pela, I am not stupid. You recruited me to this team because I have certain talents. My contacts are impeccable, and while less than wholesome, they would not betray me. I did not break protocol in my research. If you’d like to see my work and the steps I took, they’re all there in front of you in that folder.” Her eyes were cold and her voice flat.

He looked down and carefully read over the papers she’d indicated. Slumping back into his chair, he nodded at her to do the same. And she did, only slowly. “Your brother?”