to her underwear, he picked up the bug detector. Yeah, maybe he could have let her keep all her clothing on, but he needed to be sure.
And he was letting her keep her underwear.
“Want some music, baby?” he asked, switching on some mood music. He ran the bug detector over her body. Nothing came up so he handed her the robe.
Quickly, she wrapped the robe around herself. He then ran the detector over her belongings. Still nothing. Good. He took her hand and she flinched back, but he held on tight. Christ, he felt like a pig. When he looked at her, he still saw his Betsy.
His sub.
His baby girl.
You still can’t trust her. Not until you find out the truth. Maybe not even then.
He turned on the porn, the noises of fucking filling the room. She was trembling and he had to stop himself from reacting to her fear. Grabbing her arm, he herded her into another room and closed the door behind him.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Not yet.”
He moved them into the next room where Duke, Reyes, Brody and Razor were. Brody was sitting in front of a few computer screens he’d set up earlier. Reyes was leaning against the wall behind him, while Razor and Duke stood across the room.
Betsy gasped when she saw them all, moving closer to Ink which satisfied the caveman inside him.
Shit. Not now.
“Got eyes everywhere?” he asked Brody as he moved Betsy over to a chair.
“Yep, we’re clear. For the moment. There was someone following her. They’re down in the lobby, talking on their phone, probably trying to get instructions on what to do next.”
“Good. I didn’t find any bugs on her but I put the porn on just in case.”
“What …what’s going on?” Betsy asked. “Who are you all?”
He braced himself for her fear, but when he turned to her that mask was on her face. She held herself stiffly.
Question was, which was the real Betsy? The shy, sweet princess or this cold ice queen?
“I’ll be down by the elevators in case the guy waiting downstairs manages to get up here,” Razor said before leaving.
“Ink?” Betsy questioned, watching them all warily.
He paced back and forth in front of her. “I’m asking the questions now, babe.”
She winced at his harsh tone.
“Got your note.”
“Oh. Then why did you ask to meet with me?” She waved at her robe, at the hotel room. “Why do this? You could tip them off. Oh God, if they find out that I warned you, they’ll…”
“What? They’ll what? And who is ‘they’?”
She looked ill. “I shouldn’t tell you. I told you too much. If they find out…” She wrapped her arms over her stomach. Gone was the ice queen.
In her place was a scared little girl.
And it tore at him.
He heard Duke grunt behind him, and knew he wasn’t the only one affected.
“Fuck, if she’s acting, she’s damn good at it,” Duke muttered.
“A-acting? You think I’m lying? Is that why you did this? Because you think the note was a lie!” Her voice raised. Fury pushed aside the fear and it shocked him into silence. He couldn’t remember her ever being angry.
Well, except at Zac when she thought he was going to hurt Lara.
That hadn’t been an act. He could tell. She’d been running on gut instinct.
To save a friend.
It settled more firmly inside him, the idea that she was trying to warn him.
But why?
“Who is doing this? Who is trying to set me up? And why are you working with them? Are they threatening you?” The last question was a growl.
“Ink,” Duke warned.
He knew the other man didn’t want him saying much. Wanted to hear what she had to say.
“Me? You think I care about me?” She let out a chilling bark of laughter. “I long since gave up caring what happened to me. I’m just a pawn to be used, dragged out when I’m useful. My expiration date is coming. I know that. I don’t care what they do to me.”
Her voice was bitter. Frail.
He frowned. “Then why? What do they have over you?”
Her gaze narrowed. “What makes you think they’re forcing me to do anything?”
Ink moved closer, then crouched down and grabbed her chin. “Don’t think that just because we have an audience that I will not put you over my knee and spank you for lying.”
He wouldn’t. Not because of the audience. That wasn’t an issue. But he could almost taste her fear. The bravado was an act to hide something.