apartment was crowded with the women who’d been available to help.
On her living room couch, Gabi, Sally, and Rainie were crowded together. Jessica—so very pregnant—sat in one chair, Linda, the other. Kim, Beth, and Kari were cross-legged on the floor. Josie and Andrea had perched on the kitchen island stools.
They were all there because Ghost already had the support of the Shadowkittens.
Valerie paced across the room as everyone started talking at once.
“I knew he wouldn’t have ignored someone’s limits,” Linda told Jessica, who agreed.
Valerie let them talk for a while before raising her voice. “People. I need ideas on how we can distribute this to the club members.”
“Give it to Master Z so he can email everyone through the Shadowlands distribution list?” Rainie suggested. “Like a special newsletter?”
Valerie frowned. “I have a feeling Master Z would first ask Ghost what he wanted done with the video.”
Jessica broke in. “He would.”
“And Ghost would undoubtedly say no,” Valerie finished. “Because it would…well, expose Faylee.”
Linda nodded. “That would be my read on him, as well.”
“Dios, men have the weirdest codes of behavior,” Andrea muttered. “So…we go around him. Them.”
“Can we send the emails off without involving Master Z?” Gabi asked.
Eyes turned to Jessica who scowled. “After firing Wrecker, Z changed all the passwords—everywhere—including to the Shadowlands email software. I can’t get into it.”
For some reason, everyone turned to Sally.
The brunette shook her head. “I promised Galen and Vance I wouldn’t hack into anything without getting their permission first.”
“And the first thing they’d do is consult with Z and Ghost.” Zuri bumped her shoulder against Sally’s. “I hate those kinds of promises.”
“Tell me about it,” Sally muttered.
Well, so much for the easy way. I’m not giving up. Nope.
“All right,” Valerie said slowly. “What if we play the video for everyone at the club tonight? The members who see it will kill the rumors. Gossip can go both ways, after all.”
There were nods of agreement.
Beth turned to Jessica. “How do we get people to where they could see it?”
“I can get the announcement chime to sound,” Jessica said. “That’ll get most of the members to gather at the bar.”
Kim scowled. “There isn’t any screen or TV in the club. And the walls are covered with floggers and paddles and stuff.”
There was silence, then Josie laughed.
Valerie turned to her. “Idea?”
“Yes.” The bartender waved her hand at everyone in the room. “But…if Master Z fires me, I expect y’all to come to my defense.”
Smiles started to appear along with a chorus of agreement.
“Sure.” “Absolutely.” “Gratitude blowjobs will be given.”
“What do you have in mind?” Linda asked Josie.
“When I was young, our church showed movies on a white sheet pinned to the wall.”
Zuri shook her head. “All the whips and paddles and stuff on the walls would make a hanging sheet too lumpy.”
“True.” Josie agreed. “Which is why you need me. Remember all the chains fastened to the rafters above the bar? We can hook a sheet to them. But if you’re trotting up and down my bar hanging a sheet, the first person Z will hold responsible is me.”
Rainie grinned. “That’ll work perfectly. Especially since everyone faces the bar naturally.”
“I’ll defend you, Josie. If nothing else, I’ll play the pregnancy card.” Jessica’s bottom lip quivered almost as much as her voice as she said, “I…I was so upset to hear Ghost might leave. I begged them to help me, Master.”
Kari snorted. “And if the mind-reading psychologist believes that, I have a nice glacier out in Tampa Bay to sell you.”
As the laughter quieted, Jessica turned to Valerie, and her green eyes brimmed with tears. “It wouldn’t be a total lie. Z feels guilty that he can’t monitor the club like he used to. Having Ghost there lets him relax because he trusts the Colonel to care for the members as well as he could.”
Kari got up on her knees to wrap an arm around the blonde.
Jessica looked around the room. “I don’t want to go back to worrying about Z. We have to fix this.”
Fury rose inside Valerie hard and fast, and she spat out a stream of Arabic.
“What did you say?” Gabi asked, grinning.
“Nothing nice.” When all eyes were still on her, Valerie realized they weren’t going to move on until she translated. Stubborn submissives. “I said the club is not going to lose Ghost because of the lies of a backstabbing, suit-wearing steer who smells like the bottom of a camel-herder’s sandal.”
The group burst out laughing.
Sally was giggling so hard, she sputtered. “Doc Winborne, you