Lethal Affairs (27 page)

s one of the most powerful men in Washington, Senator Terrence Burrows had developed the kind of contacts that ensured he could always find a private pleasure party when he was in the mood for one. And he was certainly ready to celebrate tonight. Some aged whiskey, a Cuban cigar or two, an hour with one of the upscale escorts sure to be provided—their discretion guaranteed—and then a few hands at high-stakes poker.

This evening’s entertainment was in the Bethesda mansion that was home to one of his regular gambling buddies, a media magnate with a talent for providing his guests with beautiful blondes.

The walled estate had an elaborately landscaped yard that included a prize-winning rose garden stretching the length of the rear exterior. An elaborate iron balcony extended from the master bedroom on the second floor, and the grand foyer consisted entirely of Italian marble. A dozen guests were invited this evening, most of them politicians and other Washington insiders, but also a few industrial CEOs, and one young Internet entrepreneur who was spending his millions almost as fast as he was earning them.

Terrence had a couple of glasses of whiskey while he ambled among the rooms, admiring his host’s collection of big-game trophy heads and studying the competition he would face later that evening at cards.

The voice behind him was velvet, and as he turned, he hoped the face and figure matched. He wasn’t disappointed.
She wore a classic black dress, tasteful but sexy, that showed a generous amount of cleavage and ended mid-thigh. Her matching black heels emphasized her finely toned legs.
Normally he had a weakness for blue-eyed blondes, and this one had dark hair and brown eyes, but she was breathtaking, and she was giving him a seductive, fuck-me look that made him instantly hard.

“What kind of company did you have in mind?”
“Whatever you’re in the mood for,” the woman said. “We can sit here and you can tell me about your day, or we can go somewhere private and you can tell me what I can do for you.”
“I’ve had a productive day and that just about describes it,” Terrence said. “Now how about we go somewhere and I tell you what you can do for me?”
“My pleasure.”
He put his arm around her waist and led her to the room his host had reserved for him, a ground-floor guest room. Once there, he stepped aside for her, then followed and shut the door. The room was simply but elegantly furnished. To the right was a queen-sized bed with a cream duvet, bookended by matching oak nightstands. Tiffany-style lamps cast a soft amber light.
Straight ahead was a large window with a view of the gardens, and to the left of that, an antique oak dresser. The curtains stirred as the fresh, sweet scent of roses wafted in. The woman had taken a couple of steps to the right, in the direction of the bed, and waited there for him.
Terrence walked up to her and pushed her against the wall beside the door, his thigh firmly between her legs. He reached down to put his hand there, but she stopped him.

“Not yet, Senator.” Domino distracted Burrows by putting her hand to his crotch. He was stone hard and ready.
He groaned and stepped back, smiling with approval. “So you like games. Take your clothes off and lie on the bed,” he ordered.
She nodded and walked to the foot of the bed while Burrows headed toward the dresser. Sensing he was behind her, Domino glanced over her shoulder and confirmed he was standing with his back to her. Moving swiftly and quietly toward him in four steps, she came up behind him just as he removed his wedding ring.
The second the ring hit the dresser top, she had his head in her hands, one on his chin, the other on the back of his head, twisting his neck until he couldn’t move, the pressure intense.
A couple of more inches was all it would take. But she had a message to deliver. “If you can’t play by our rules, Senator, then you shouldn’t play at all.”
She was about to finish him when someone knocked on the door and a woman’s voice called, “Terrence? Can I interrupt? It’s important.”
Domino stretched him to the limit, until she could see the pain in his eyes. “Tell her not now,” she ordered quietly.
“Not now, Maria,” the senator called.
To her surprise, the knob turned and the door began to open anyway.
The rest happened in the time it took to draw a breath.
Domino reacted according to her training—pure reflex, no thought. As she wheeled toward the door, she reached beneath her dress for the revolver strapped high on her thigh, just beneath her ass, and had it pointed toward the door before it was fully open. She wrapped her left arm around the senator.
“Jack,” the senator shouted when he saw Domino’s weapon, “she’s got a gun!”
The woman in the doorway held a gun, too, and fired without hesitation. But Domino was in motion, pulling Burrows in front of her, making him a human shield, and the shot hit him square in the chest.
Jack froze for a second, and Domino threw the senator’s body to the side, dove for the window behind her, and disappeared into the dark night.

uka stripped off her latex gloves and stretched, arching to relieve the tension between her shoulder blades. She was always a little sad to complete a restoration such as this, despite the gratification of seeing the original artist’s work finally restored to its former vivid glory. But the chill of the January morning in the massive Co-Cathedral was apparent as soon as she stopped working, despite the extra layers beneath her coveralls. So she quit appreciating her handiwork in favor of coffee and a warmer environment.

She packed up her gear and had made it halfway down the scaffolding when the voice beckoned her from behind, loud enough for her to hear, but not enough to disturb the priests, preparing for the morning mass.

“I really hate it when you sneak out of bed like that, you know. I’d have come to keep you company.”
Luka glanced over her shoulder as she continued climbing down. Their months together had not diminished her thrill when Hayley looked at her—her eyes shining with love, her dimples framing the crooked grin that said she was remembering their passion of the night before.
She released her grip a body length above the floor and landed lightly on her feet in front of Hayley. “I felt guilty for keeping you up so late. I didn’t have the heart.”
“Well, for the record, and you can quote me on this, you never have to feel guilty about waking me up. When it comes to spending time with you, I love to be kept up late and wakened early.”
“Got it, chief.” Luka smiled, set down her bag of gear, and opened her arms.

Hayley stepped into her embrace and hugged her tight before she gazed up at the ceiling where Luka had been working. “It’s wonderful, Luka. Breathtaking. All finished?”

“Just,” she replied, following Hayley’s eyes to the fresco. “It’s always bittersweet, though, to complete a job like this.” She sighed, then gazed at Hayley. “But less so this time, because I have something great to look forward to.”

“Yeah.” Hayley squeezed her tighter. “Tibet. Can’t wait.” “I don’t suppose you can extend your leave of absence for another month?” she asked. “We could see a little more of Asia. Spend some time in China, or India. Wherever you like—” Luka’s cell vibrated against her hip. “Sorry, my phone.” As Hayley released her, she checked the caller ID and was surprised to see a European area code. “Hello,” she answered cautiously.
“Isn’t payback a bitch, especially when the bitch calls to collect?” It was Mishael.
“Do I need to bail you out? Have they finally arrested your ass for exceeding the speed of light?”
“No, that’s in next week’s agenda. Are you still in Malta?”
“Yup, and about to leave for Tibet,” she replied, smiling at Hayley.
“Can Tibet wait? I need your help ASAP.”
“Work?”
“Sure as hell not pleasure.” Mishael gave her an address.
“Are you in trouble?”
“In more ways than one. How soon can you get here?”
“One moment.” She covered the mouthpiece and looked at Hayley with apology, but Hayley simply nodded.
“I’ll be there in a few hours. Call you at this number when I get there.”
“Oh, and by the way, do you think I’m a self-absorbed, arrogant pain in the ass?”
“No, no, and yes.” Luka was amused and surprised at her friend’s apparent insecurity. “Why?”
“Just something someone recently accused me of. Obviously they don’t know what they’re talking about.”
“Obviously.” Luka tried not to laugh.
“Anyway, see you later.” With that Mishael ended the call. Luka took Hayley’s hand, and they started out of the cathedral. “How long will you be gone?” Hayley asked.
“I’m not sure. But you’d better head back to the States.”
Outside, on the steps, Hayley stopped and faced Luka. She took both her hands in hers and looked at her with obvious concern. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. “You are coming back, right?”
Luka kissed her. “Better yet, I’ll be coming back…home.”

Kim Baldwin
has been a writer for three decades, following up a twenty-year career in network news with a much more satisfying turn penning lesbian fiction. She has published five novels with Bold Strokes Books in addition to
Lethal Affairs
: the intrigue/romances
Flight Risk
and
Hunter’s Pursuit
(a finalist for a Golden Crown Literary Society Award in 2005) and the romances
Force of Nature
,
Whitewater Rendezvous,
(a GCLS finalist in 2007) and
Focus of Desire.
She has also contributed short stories to five BSB anthologies: The Lambda Literary Award winning
Stolen Moments: Erotic Interludes 2; Lessons in Love: Erotic Interludes 3;
IPPY and GCLS Award winning
Extreme Passions: Erotic Interludes 4
;
Road Games: Erotic Interludes 5
; and the upcoming
Romantic Interludes 1: Discovery
(September 2008). She lives in the north woods of Michigan.

Xenia Alexiou
is Greek and lives in Europe. An avid reader and knowledge junkie, she likes to travel all over the globe and take pictures of the wonderful and interesting people that represent different cultures. Trying to see the world through their eyes has been her most challenging yet rewarding pursuit so far. These travels have inspired countless stories, and it’s these stories that she has recently decided to write about.
Lethal Affairs
is her first novel. She is currently at work on
Thief of Always
, the second book in the
Elite Operatives
Series.

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