Alex looked up as Tag walked in. Unlike Alex, he’d shucked his clothes and wore one of the hotel’s super-plush robes over what JT thought was likely his boxers. “I thought you would sleep.”
“I did for a while,” Tag said with a yawn. “Then I had a shitty dream and when I woke up I remembered there’s Scotch. It’s funny because I always think I’ll sleep better alone, and then I never do. I get cold without her. Now you were telling the story of me and Charlie and Russian No Balls. I call him that because Charlie shot his balls off before she put two in his chest. That woman is so sexy when she’s working.”
“You let her take your job?” It seemed inconceivable since what he knew of Tag was that he was a control freak.
Tag grabbed a glass. “I sat my pretty ass on the bed and watched her do it. I ate some very delicious chocolates because we happened to be in Belgium, and I made sure she was totally loose. Being loose is important when you’re sniping someone, and it’s a totally different experience than when I did it in the Army. In the Army they shove you in camo, give you a couple of MREs you can’t heat up, and tell you to lie in position for hours, sometimes days, at a time. That was not the way Charlie played it. No. She got a suite in the nicest hotel in Antwerp.” Tag snorted. “Antwerp…”
Alex groaned. “God, it’s like you’re still twelve. How about we skip how you kept Charlotte loose and get on to why you let her take out the bad guy?”
“She won rock paper scissors dick,” Tag replied. “Seriously, when you’re playing that don’t pick dick. Everything hurts dick. Despite what our culture says with all its man-up talk, dicks are seriously delicate. I should never have let her add that in. I thought dick could pee on paper, but she offered to paper cut my dick and I then handed that rifle over.”
“Ian,” Alex prompted.
Tag’s lips curled up. “Fine. I let her do it because she’s a better shot than me. I would let her do it today because she’s still a better shot at that range. My wife is one of the best operatives I’ve ever worked with, and there’s no one in the world I want watching my back more.”
“Who would you take in if you couldn’t take your wife?” Alex asked.
“I would take you, asshole,” Tag shot back. “You’re my best friend, and for some reason you still want me alive. Now if you and Charlie were out, I know exactly who I’m taking in and that’s Erin. I’m stealing her from Li because she’s smart and mean and doesn’t pull her punches. I can’t help the fact that some of my best employees are chicks. I didn’t hire them for their coffee-making skills. I hired them because they’re good at their jobs and they’re committed to doing what’s right. I’ve sent women into dangerous positions because they were my absolute best bet at getting a job done, and one day it will very likely be my daughters I send in. When they’re ready I won’t hesitate because I won’t ever treat them differently than I would my son. I won’t teach them they’re less. If they decide they want to teach school or cut hair, then good for them. They’ll give it their all, and I’ll do my best to make sure they’re safe. But my girls are probably going to follow in their momma’s footsteps, and that means they’ll throw themselves into the dangerous stuff because it’s their calling. I take it this conversation is about how JT fucked up?”
“Yeah, he still doesn’t understand,” Alex replied.
He hated feeling like everyone thought he was an idiot. “Look, I took all those training classes at Sanctum. I thought we were supposed to protect our subs. I know she’s not wearing my collar, but I want to work toward that.”
Ian snorted. “I don’t think Nina’s going to be that kind of sub.” He sighed and sat back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t make fun of you. It’s habit. You seem to have missed the part of class where we talk about there being no one way to have a D/s relationship. I think you’ll find Nina’s on the ‘keep it to the club’ level of submission. Have you not talked about this at all? About how you would behave out in the field?”
He felt himself flush. “I told her I would defer to her since she’s the pro.”
“And then the first chance you get you tell her you’re in charge,” Alex pointed out.
“Dick move,” Ian said. “Remember when I told you dicks are delicate. Yep, you proved my point.”
“Look, man, this would be a solid plan if Nina was your assistant,” Alex said.
“The funny thing is I wouldn’t even have thought of pulling Deanna out.” It was a tough admission to make. “One of the things I like about her is how solid she is. She’s rough and sometimes mean, but I don’t have to worry about her being…fragile. I do treat Deanna like I would any other employee.”
“Nina isn’t fragile either, and I for one wish I was going on this op because at some point in time that assistant of yours is going to get on Nina’s last nerve, and that’s when the wrestling begins,” Tag said. “Have the resort place handy women-sized vats of your favorite gelatin product around the grounds and let them go at it.”
He seriously doubted Nina would lose her cool. Because she was a professional. Because she had a job to do and she took it seriously. “I don’t think I can stand it if she gets hurt.”
Tag took a drink and sat back. “Then you need to find a woman with a safer job.” He was
