It was Gavriil who answered. “Our school wasn’t exactly the same as the one you attended, Savage. There was training in sex, admittedly all kinds of sex, but it was simply part of the curriculum and not the central theme. We weren’t subjected to pedophiles on a daily basis, female or male. We had instructors who enjoyed inflicting pain, but it wasn’t necessarily sexual. We weren’t exposed to submissives long enough to learn about them or why they are the way they are.”
Savage again answered. “It’s rare to find a true submissive, one willing to give her trust to you more than sexually. It’s even rarer to find someone truly competitive and have that woman give you her complete trust. If she falls in love with you and you’re like I am, you know you have gold. The treasure. You do whatever it takes to keep her and give the best of you in return.”
Maestro wouldn’t have revealed so much information to everyone, but then he tended to keep his mouth shut most of the time. He came alive when he played his music or when he worked with wood. Sometimes, when he was around Czar and Blythe’s children, he found a way to be much more forthcoming, but it was never with information he felt was personal.
He had no trouble sharing his opinion and did so often. He just felt like there was no place for emotions in discussions. When others felt passionate about subjects, he knew he wasn’t going to change their mind—so what was the point of expressing his opinion?
“Do you believe Azelie would be open to having a sexual relationship without any commitment on your part?” Lana asked.
Maestro’s heart dropped. That was the last question he wanted to answer. The policy had always been the members of Torpedo Ink didn’t lie to one another. They didn’t use their gifts on one another, only for one another.
Silence stretched out and tension rose. Maestro finally sighed and shook his head. “I doubt that she’s capable of a relationship only involving sex. I don’t know for certain; that’s just a gut feeling. I only just made contact with her.”
“When are you seeing her again?” There was concern in Czar’s voice.
“Tomorrow night. I’ve made reservations for dinner at a romantic restaurant with a view of the Bay. It wasn’t easy to get that reservation. I had to throw quite a bit of money their way to be first in line for a cancellation. Fortunately, one came up and I was able to get us in.”
“Do you know what kinds of food she eats?” Alena asked. “Is she vegetarian?”
Code answered. “No, she does enjoy fish, and the restaurant is renowned for its fish menu. I gave Maestro all her preferences.”
“We went over the most romantic restaurants with the best menus that she might enjoy,” Keys added. “We didn’t leave anything to chance.”
“Although I almost blew it,” Maestro admitted. “I asked her out and told her what I’d like her to wear and realized after that if she wasn’t spending money on extras, she wouldn’t have a cocktail dress and shoes for the occasion. That would just give her an excuse to get out of going to dinner with me. I’m certain she’s looking for one.”
“How did you handle the problem?” Fatei asked.
“Sent her an apology and bought a dress and shoes and asked Ice to provide jewelry. The dress will look killer on her. Very feminine, silver, clingy, but good taste. She’ll look sexy in it, but I’m hoping she won’t feel on display.”
Lana’s eyebrow shot up. “You aren’t testing her right off the bat?”
“Everything is a test with a submissive, Lana,” Maestro said. “If she chooses to wear the dress and heels for me, she’s passed the test. She doesn’t dress this way as a rule. In fact, she covers up her figure. Asking her to wear the dress and heels is going to take her out of her comfort zone. If she wears them for me and doesn’t cancel, I think I have a very good chance with her. She’s a pleaser. She should want to do the things I ask because she wants to make me happy. That’s how it works.”
“It’s bullshit,” Alena protested.
“It has to be done if we want the information,” Czar said. “I don’t think any of us like it, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to do it. We’ve had to do much worse things in order to survive or to take back women and children.”
“That’s true,” Alena agreed, “but I thought the point of moving here and putting down roots was to learn to be better people. How does destroying this young woman make us better, Czar? Do we have the right to decide, before we know whether or not she’s involved, to potentially destroy her? We know she lost her family and how. We know she was shot several times. After what we put Anya through with an interrogation, and Seychelle, not accepting her the way we should have, haven’t we learned anything?”
“Babe,” Maestro said gently. “You know we need this. I’ll do my best to handle her with kid gloves.”
Alena shook her head and looked down at the table. “You have strong opinions when it comes to what a woman’s place should be. You’re like Savage when it comes to meting out punishment. Forgive me for being blunt, Maestro, but your past with women is horrific. I wouldn’t want to believe that you might take out your very justified anger on a woman who did nothing to any of us.”
There was silence again. Alena continued to stare at the gleaming oak that made up the top of the table.
“Honey, look at me.” Maestro’s voice was velvet soft, but compelling.
Reluctantly, Alena’s gaze met his. She looked miserable, and he could see the guilt in her eyes over her all-too-real fear.
“I swear to you, I’ll do my best to handle this situation right. I’m not looking to hurt anyone, especially this woman.”
Alena swallowed and nodded.
“That’s it, then,” Czar said. “If you need any help, let us know.”
“If I get in with her, we’ll need a club to go to, one we can control,” Maestro said.
“I’m working on that,” Code assured him.
Maestro stayed for a short period of time visiting with the others before he walked out. He was already packed to make the ride back to San Francisco. Keys would be going with him. They would have backup from Mechanic and Transporter. Eventually, when needed, the others would come.
Keys was already outside, leaning against the chain-link fence, regarding him with exasperation. “Cut the crap, Maestro. I’ve been on this mission with you for the last few weeks studying this woman. We both know she’s more than a mark for you. If you do this, you’re going to lose her, and you can’t afford to do that.”
“We don’t know if she’s involved or not.”
“We’ve watched her for three straight weeks helping little kids and old people nonstop. She’s generous and caring. You really think she’s involved in human trafficking? And why is she taking college classes the way she is? She’d have money if she was involved, wouldn’t she? She’s barely getting by, even writing her books,” Keys pointed out.
“Maybe. And maybe she’s smart enough to hide her money. I’m telling you, just talking to her, she’s far more intelligent than Alan Billows,” Maestro said. He rubbed his jaw with the pad of his thumb. “She’s scary smart. Soft and sweet and scary smart.”
“Listen to you. I’ve never heard you like this. Or seen you like this over a woman. You can’t blow this, Maestro. You know how it is for us. Women just don’t come along for the kinds of people we are.”
“I’m not about to get led around by my dick like Czar and Player and, hell, even Savage,” Maestro declared. “I know women can’t be trusted. I’m not going to be the mark here.”
“Is that what you think?” Keys asked. “You need to really think about this before you take it any further.”
Maestro sighed. “I did think about it. We both separately went into the coffee shop several times. She didn’t react when you went in. She nearly dropped her coffee and couldn’t stop looking every time I went in. At no time did she show interest in any other man. It’s me or it’s no one, Keys. It’s my job because she reacts to me. And as much as I don’t want to admit it, I wouldn’t want you or anyone else to seduce her. I don’t think I could take it, and that’s me being real.”
“Maestro, she told you very personal details about the night her family was murdered. Those are things she wouldn’t have told to someone else. You know that. You can’t seduce her, betray her and then think you can have the kind of relationship you need with her after it’s all over. If you want this woman, you’re going to have to come clean with Czar and Steele and tell them the truth.”
