Missionary Position (Masters of the Prairie Winds Club Book 7) (4 page)

Lilly’s gaze never left Lara and the Westons’, but her hand waved as if she were dismissing the question, “Oh, it wasn’t that high…men are just alarmists sometimes. And I’m telling you, not getting any is certainly not helping the situation—nope, not helping at all. What do you think she did? Boy, they are sure having to work hard at looking pissed. I know that look—I get that a lot.” By this time Gracie was laughing so hard she had tears running down her tanned cheeks and Tobi was quickly losing her own battle to keep a straight face.

“Damn, you change subjects faster than I do, and that’s saying a lot. I don’t know what she did, but knowing Miss Goodie Two Shoes, it couldn’t have been anything too serious. I swear that girl’s parents have scarred her for life. Living with missionaries in BFE probably instills a special level of
good
in people that I didn’t get living in the seventh level of hell.” Lilly turned and enfolded Tobi in a tight hug without saying a word.

“Kitten? What’s going on? Are you alright?” The concern in Kyle’s voice was easy to hear and as soon as Lilly released her, she found herself being pressed protectively against his chest. “If you’re worrying about Lara, don’t. I’ve known Peter Weston for a long time, and I can tell you he isn’t really angry—he’s obviously frustrated with their sub, but it’s nothing every Dom in the room can’t relate to.”

Tobi wasn’t sure why she was surprised he’d picked up her concern for Lara because both of her husbands always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. One of the many things she’d learned about Doms was their attention to detail—the way they studied their submissive was downright frightening at times. She and Gracie had joked one afternoon during a high-octane tequila-fueled pool party that they were a couple of orgasms away from having stalkers. The alcohol had clearly fogged their judgment, because they had both forgotten every square inch of the Prairie Winds Club—both inside and out, was closely monitored. The place would probably give the CIA and KGB headquarters a run for their money. Oh yeah, that had come back to haunt them, big time.
Damn it all to dangling daffodils, orgasm denial ought to be illegal.

“We’re fine. I just felt like hugging my daughter-in-law, that’s all. No crime in that, is there? And if I can’t shoot anybody, then I’ll just hug people at random until I feel better. And you all will just have to cope.” With that, Lilly stalked off leaving her son gaping after her in stunned silence.

“What the hell was that about?” Kent’s voice sounded from the side, but Kyle just stared after his mom, his mouth still hanging open in shock. It was finally just too much and Tobi joined Gracie, as their nearly hysterical giggles filled the room.

By the time Peter and Fischer escorted her to where their friends were already celebrating, Lara was about ready to faint. She hated being in trouble—she always had. But hearing Tobi’s and Gracie’s giggling had provided the perfect distraction, she felt herself relax as she took what felt like her first deep breath since she’d stepped between her two Masters several minutes earlier. The men had stepped to the side shaking their heads as if women were the most confusing creatures on the planet, and Lara was more than happy to join her friends. By the time Tobi and Gracie had finished recounting Lilly’s outrageous behavior, Lara had been laughing so hard she’d had to retrieve a napkin from the bar to dry her eyes.

She’d never lived in one place long enough to form any real friendships while growing up, so she’d been completely unprepared for all the shifting social dynamics of the world of teenage girls when she’d started pubic school as a freshman. It wasn’t until she’d met the two women standing beside her that Lara had really started to understand the joy of being surrounded by good friends.

Tobi and Gracie winced when Lara told them what had taken place on the other side of the room. “Oh, girlfriend, you are in for it.” Unconsciously rubbing her ass, Tobi shook her head, “I know from experience that cell phones are a cardinal sin…and just FYI, the same is true of iPads, anything with a camera is gonna get your ass in a pickle…or strapped to a spanking bench. Hell hath no fury like a Dom with a legitimate complaint.”

“Yeah, not the brightest crayon in the box this one,” Gracie added, using her thumb to indicate Tobi,” she thought she could cut through the club with her iPad on, but even though she was working on an order for the Forum shops, Master Micah’s cameras don’t miss anything.”

“Yep, the rat-fink sent the video clip to both Kyle and Kent. Damn those Doms stick together like glue. Anyway, I’d already lost my cell phone for a month, and damned if they didn’t take my iPad for two months.” The gleam in Tobi’s eyes told Lara there was more to the story, so she just waited. “But I got even with them. I went shopping with Lilly.” Evidently Lara’s puzzled expression was enough to prompt another round of giggles.

Gracie leaned close and whispered, “When Lilly found out what her sons had done, she intentionally
misplaced
her phone about five minutes into their shopping trip. They were gone all day and no one could contact them.”

“Of course, we’d forgotten about our bracelets.” Lara knew the three women had specially designed jewelry with small tracking devices as an added layer of security. Tobi sighed and shook her head. “Boy I’m telling you, when the four of them stalked through Jezebel, everybody, and I do mean every single person in that restaurant, stopped what they were doing and watched the show.” Tobi shuddered and Lara found herself dying to hear the rest of the story, but something about the way Kyle West had just looked at her from across the room set off all her internal alarms. Tobi and Gracie both followed her gaze, and Lara heard Tobi’s whispered, “Oh no, I wonder what’s happened. I know that look…and it never heralds good news.”

Lara watched as the men conversed among themselves. Several pulled out their phones and spoke animatedly, their gazes flickering in her direction. But it was Peter’s and Fischer’s expressions that worried her the most, their eyes held something between worry and sympathy, and it was the most terrifying thing she’d ever seen. Lara felt Tobi and Gracie flank her, their arms going around her protectively as she started trembling so hard she wondered if she would shake apart.

The sound of her own heartbeat pounded so loudly in her ears it nearly drowned out the harsh sound of her gasping for breath. Lara saw both Peter and Fischer turn at the same moment to look at her as if they’d heard her mind racing as worry assailed her. For the first time, Lara understood the fear her grandparents must have lived with every time a stranger appeared on their front porch. Their daughter and her family had been traipsing all over the world and she knew they had to have worried themselves sick. Good God, she really was losing it if she was thinking about people she hadn’t seen in almost a decade. Frantically reaching for her phone, Lara realized it was no longer in her pocket. Why hadn’t she answered it or at least checked it? Anyone who would have called her was already in the room—everyone but those few people who’d been given her number as an emergency number for her parents. The horrible realization that washed over her made her knees buckle, and the last thing she remembered was the sound of chaos surrounding her.

Kyle West had been his team leader when they’d both been Navy SEALs, so their connection was strong enough that Peter had known almost immediately the nature of the phone call his friend had taken. Hell, it wouldn’t have taken a close friend or empath to read the man’s body language. Kyle had gone on point the minute he’d looked at the screen on his phone and his clipped speech was a throwback to their time in the military. Ending the call, Kyle turned and started giving orders to members of his team who had gathered around. Peter saw Fischer pull Lara’s phone from his own pocket and wince at whatever he saw on the screen.

Listening to Kyle recount his conversation with one of his contacts at the State Department sent a spike of fear through him. Peter wanted to put his fist through the closest wall when Kyle explained why the State Dept. had become involved and that Lara’s parents were missing. The part of the world where they’d last been seen was anything but friendly to any humanitarian workers, and particularly unsafe for Americans who were considered a threat no matter how noble their reasons were for being there.

As if that news wasn’t unpleasant enough, in his opinion the situation went from dire to straight up FUBAR when Kyle told them the case was being transferred to the Department of Homeland Security.
Yep, the entire evening was officially fucked up beyond all recognition.

Letting his gaze flick to where Kent West stood with his phone pressed to his ear and his teeth clenched while he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line didn’t do anything to reassure him that Kent was hearing anything more encouraging. Peter wondered if the other man’s teeth would shatter from the pressure his jaw was exerting, hell, everything about his body language screamed anger and frustration. “Please tell me your brother isn’t talking to Roberts. Goddammit, Lara doesn’t deserve this.”

‘
We need to get over there, Lara has obviously already sensed something is wrong and she’ll know it involves her because of the phone call.’

‘
Agreed, I’ve never known anyone to call her that wasn’t already here tonight.’
Fischer’s words might have been spoken in Peter’s mind, but they hit him like a physical blow. It was true, in all the time they’d spent together he’d never known her to receive a single phone call from anyone they didn’t know and that included her parents.
‘Exactly. Have you ever known Mama Weston to go a week, let alone several months go by, without talking to us—all three of us?’
Peter mentally rolled his eyes, hell, his mother had nearly driven his commanding officers insane with phone calls when he’d been on missions. Mama Weston hadn’t ever grasped the concept of “need to know basis” that was for sure.

Once Peter and Fischer started walking toward Lara, Peter saw the stark fear in her eyes and cursed himself for not going to her earlier. It was obvious Tobi and Gracie were offering their support, but he doubted they’d be able to keep her on her feet if her legs gave out and judging from the way she was hyperventilating, that was a distinct possibility. They were within just a few feet when he saw her knees start to fold out from under her. Both Tobi and Gracie shouted for help a split second too late and all three women crumpled to the floor in a heap of tangled arms and legs.

Kent and Kyle’s fathers had only been a few steps away and they had the women untangled and were moving Tobi and Gracie back so Peter and Fischer could check on Lara. “I’m sorry. We tried to keep her up, but she just went completely limp.” He felt sorry for Tobi, she was obviously worried for her friend. Tobi West might drive her husbands to distraction, but she had a heart of pure gold and every bit as big as the state she called home.

Kyle had pulled Tobi into his arms while Kent checked her over, Jax did the same for Gracie as Micah’s hands skimmed over the voluptuous dark-haired beauty. When he discretely kissed her softly rounded belly, Peter knew they’d be sharing the good news soon. Peter looked up at Tobi and smiled, “You did a great job.” And then looking at Gracie he added, “You slowed down her fall and that probably prevented her from being injured, and we’re very grateful. Did she say anything before she fainted?” The women quickly related what had happened and by the time they’d settled Lara on one of the long sofas, her eyes were fluttering open. It was easy to see the moment she realized what had happened because her face flushed a brilliant crimson.

Fischer pulled Lara onto his lap as everyone gathered chairs around to discuss the disappearance of Lara’s parents. He was barely keying in on his brother’s participation in the conversation, but it was obvious the Wests’ team was planning to send a team to find Lawrence and Rita Emmons. Fischer hadn’t been a soldier, he’d known better than to even try. Hell, just seeing the toll it had taken on Peter had been enough for him to steer clear. As an empath, prolonged exposure to extreme violence was brutally painful and he had simply not wanted to be a glutton for punishment, to use one of Mama Weston’s favorite expressions.