AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You are too memorable, kitten.”
“And your mother isn’t? Are you kidding me? Have you lost your mind? Your mom is a knockout.” Tobi wasn’t wrong.
Before she’d married Dean and Del West, Lilly was a successful model. She’d aged gracefully, and her walk alone would draw attention. If Kent and Kyle were trying to convince their wife that Lilly wouldn’t attract attention, it was going to be a tough sell.
“Your mom will walk down that damned pier like it’s a runway in Paris. Every single person within sight will be riveted to her every move. She freaking glows from the inside out.” Tobi’s tiny fist pounded on the desk for emphasis. “And your dads are going to flank her… and let’s face it, the two of them are hot for their age. That trio is going to set every tongue in Galveston wagging—Mayberry won’t have a thing on them.”
“Hearing you refer to our dads as hot is not helping your cause.” Kyle’s snarled remark was more than Cam could take.
Cam’s bark of laughter drew the attention of all three Wests.
“Would someone like to catch me up? It seems Tobi feels she’s being left out of an assignment, and I’m curious about what’s happened since I spoke with you earlier.” Cam directed his question to Kyle, who rolled his eyes in uncharacteristic drama. Kyle was ordinarily unflappable, so whatever happened was obviously hitting too close to home.
“Tobi received a message from Essex and Giles, asking for clothing, shoes, and anything else she felt a woman would need to leave a boat in disguise.” Before Kent could finish, Tobi jumped in.
“These two Neanderthals don’t want me to deliver the goods. They think their mom would be better. Can you imagine? What am I? Chopped liver? I’m not saying Mom West isn’t capable because we all know that isn’t true. I’m just saying I don’t want to be sidelined because everyone thinks I’m too memorable. What does that even mean?”
“Tobi, you will draw the attention of every man who lays eyes on you. Fucking hell, how you can be so blithely oblivious to your appeal never ceases to amaze me.” Kent shook his head before leaning back in the leather wingback chair that was a twin to the one Tobi was supposed to be sitting in. “Mom will saunter down that damned pier like it’s a fucking runway in Paris. Sure, people will look, but they will also laugh about some rich kid calling his mother to deliver shit to a boat.”
“As for our dads, this isn’t the first time any of us have faced a situation when being, what did you call it? Oh yes,flanked.One of our dads will stay in a nearby beach house with members of our team.” Kyle sighed before leaning forward, his hands covering Tobi’s much smaller ones. “I understand your frustration, kitten, but your safety trumps everything else.”
Cam understood the dilemma his friends were facing. Tobi didn’t have all the information, so it was difficult for her to see the situation objectively. Every time she’d tried to be involved, there had been some reason it didn’t work out. Lilly, on the other hand, always seemed to be in the thick of things. Tobi’s expression seemed to shift from frustration to curiosity as she turned her attention to him.
“Why are you here, Cam? The club isn’t open, and it’s unlike you to put in an appearance for no particular reason.” She straightened her spine in an attempt to take full advantage of her petite stature. “If you are here, the CIA has relevant information, an active interest, or both. This is getting more interesting all the time.”
Cam suspected trying to exclude Tobi from the coming conversation wouldn’t work but still felt an obligation to try.
“I’m here as an advisor. I stumbled on information I think might be helpful.”
Tobi shook her head and chuckled. “That was borderline insulting, Cam. Try again. Wow! Who knew lying was a skill that needed practice?”
Brat. If she belonged to him, she wouldn’t sit comfortably for a week.
“Be careful, kitten. Our good nature isn’t without limits. Your frustration is understandable, but you know better than to disrespect a guest.”
Cam resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. Who would have ever thought Kyle West would cut a submissive an ounce of slack?
“You’re right. I apologize.”
There wasn’t anything remotely apologetic about her posture or tone. Cam decided it would be simpler to wait for the other shoe to drop.
“As a former intelligence officer, I’m sure your interaction with others required creative communication skills. Until now, I hadn’t considered those were abilities requiring continuing education classes and practice.”
The smile on the little minx’s face was as phony as her apology, but Cam was more than capable of playing.
“Deception is a finely honed skill, Tobi. Some of us have a natural affinity for it, while others require continuing education.” He paused before moving across the room. Moving in virtual silence, he used the stealth cat-like movements his wife loved and hated with equal intensity. Grabbing one of the leather chairs against the wall, Cam moved it closer to Kyle’s desk. Opening his laptop, Cam waited for Kyle’s silent nod before proceeding.
There wasn’t any reason Tobi couldn’t hear what he had to say, but it was a point of protocol to get the approval of at least one of her Doms. Since Kyle was typically a stickler for the rules and was the one Cam had spoken to about what he’d found on the dark web, so he was considered the point of contact. The slight inclination of Kyle’s head wasn’t missed by Tobi. The little minx didn’t miss a damned thing.
Tobi narrowed her eyes at Cam but said nothing. There was no doubt she was frustrated with him, but she’d obviously decided it wasn’t worth the argument.
Shifting his focus back to what he’d found on the dark web, Cam briefly reviewed what they’d already discussed, hoping to appease Tobi’s wounded ego. Before he’d finished, Tobi’s eyes widened.
“Wait. Are you talking about Miami Walker? The woman who leads diving trips in Belize? Her mom was an actress or something, but I remember reading she died a while back. I mean, how many Miami Walkers can there be? She was a hell of a diving guide. I met her when Lilly and I went on that girls’ trip with some of the other ladies from the club. Damn, that was fun. We really need to do that again. We had a blast. It was a good thing we were only there a few days. Who am I kidding? My liver will probably never forgive me the way it is. Another excursion like that one would likely prompt a full-blown strike.”
“Tobi, take a breath, sweetness.” Kent shook his head and chuckled. “I swear I don’t know how you do it. Anyone else would pass out from lack of oxygen if they talked that long without taking a breath.”
Cam chuckled because his own wife was guilty of the same thing. Tobi’s cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink, and her sheepish expression reminded Cam why his friends let her get away with so much.
