PassionsTraining Read Free Page B

her expression when he figured out who he was.
    “And of course, we owe Master Lance a debt for filling in this evening.”
    A small gasp escaped her lush lips. A widened, dark-blue gaze darted up to meet his. Shock filled her expression. Pink spread across her soft skin.
    She tugged against the restraints locking her into place. Stryker motioned for Gabe to close the tent flap as the last of the onlookers exited the area. Silence hung in the tense atmosphere.
    “I think we have a problem, Viviana,” Stryker commented as he kicked a crate closer and sat down in front of her. Her belly flopped when she saw the darkened expression on his face. “I’m afraid my friend here doesn’t seem to know you.”
     
    “He knows my ass pretty well now.” Viviana winced at the sarcastic reply.
    Lance. Shock riddled her senseless as she regarded Stryker and Lance, who’d settled onto a second crate beside his friend. Of course this happened. Viviana wouldn’t have any luck at all if it wasn’t bad.
    Lance chuckled. “At least she has a sense of humor.”
    “You are a lippy little thing.” Stryker grazed her cheek with his thumb. “Who are you?”
    “Viviana, Sir.”
    “And why are you here?”
    There was no real good way to answer that. Her brother was going to kill her. Deader than a doornail dead. She cleared her throat and tugged on the restraints. “I guess you aren’t going to unlock me so that I can discuss this dressed.”
    “You are a clever morsel,” Lance commented. He moved to stand behind her. “I’m starting to think you’re overdressed.”
    “You told Gabe you were a covert spy.”
    Viviana glared at Stryker. “I also told him I was dessert.”
    “You certainly look edible to me,” Lance stated. He traced up her inner thighs, leaving no doubt exactly what he was thinking.
    “I’ll ask again.” Frustration punctuated Stryker’s words. “Who are you?”
    “Look, I get that I’m not wanted and I didn’t mean to wreck your party. Really. Just unlock me and I’ll get out of your way.”
    “Oh, you’re wanted.” Stryker’s husky whisper cascaded through her body.
    “I’m afraid we’re too curious to let you slip away.” Lance smirked. “The masquerade bores us, but you’re adding a layer of mystery this year that we intend to savor.”
    “Well, we’re at an impasse then, Sirs.” She ground her statement out and tried to mask herself in the bravado she’d managed before. “It’s not as if my being here caused any harm.”
    “We take the privacy of our guests quite seriously.” Stryker’s jaw flexed as he rested his elbows on his knees. “An unknown crasher jeopardizes them.”
    “As if I’d really want footage of my naked ass being spanked splayed across the internet. I’ll leave the repercussions of the added cameras to someone else, thank you very much.”
    “How do you know about the video surveillance?” Stryker asked.
    Crap. Crap. Crap.
    “There are extra cameras out here? Since when?” Lance asked. “And why the hell don’t I know that?”
    “Probably ‘cause you’ve been God only knows where.” Stryker shrugged. “They were put in last week.”
    Viviana shut her eyes and willed the situation away. But she wasn’t Dorothy and this definitely wasn’t the Wizard of freaking Oz. She’d been dumb to come here tonight. The interactions she’d had with Stryker via email had captured her curiosity because of his quick wit and sharper-than-average attention to detail. He was smarter than hell and she should’ve been more cautious with her responses.
    “You work for Secure Pathways.”
    She winced at Stryker’s statement. The man might be sin encased in sinewy flesh, but she could live without that sharp mind tonight.
    “I did some of the backend programming.” Fear kept her talking. “I didn’t want my boss to know I was interested in this place.”
    “What does one have to do with the other?” Lance asked.
    “I offered anyone associated with the project