Mass Effect: True Blue - 4.2 (Patreon)

“I was hoping we could have our discussion somewhere more… private.”

Ashley tried to keep the distaste she felt from bleeding into her voice. But the bright neon sign above the club entrance taunted her. It was the silhouette of a naked woman - more specifically, an asari. Offering up an especially impressive profile, the feminine shape was bold, shameless, and gave a clear message to all passersby: come spend money here if you want to see some titties. Beside the dancing holo, a name in glittering light, shifting in color. Pink to purple to blue.

Chora’s Den.

A million lightyears from where humanity began and you could still go out and find a sleazy strip joint. Ashley didn’t know whether that was funny or sad.

A few feet before her, Ashley’s objective slowed to a stop. The tall, powerfully-built man turned to face her. His dark hair had grown longer than Alliance regs would have allowed, combed back away from his hard face. But the regs no longer applied to him, Ashley remembered. Not since he was inducted by the Citadel Council and became a Spectre. Now, this towering man was above the law. And Ashley needed to get on his good side.

His friendly grin was a good sign. The glint in his eyes, not so much.

“Don’t worry.” He told her. “They have private booths. Private rooms, too.”

Ashley said nothing at first, digesting his words. He has spoken so casually, almost flippant with what was such an unprofessional implication. The longer she spent with Gabriel Montes, the harder it was for her to believe he was the Alliance hero his file described.

Already there was a knot forming in her stomach. But Ashley forced herself to ignore it. Years of stubborn grit, hard work, and a whole lot of luck had landed her such a coveted position with Alliance Intelligence. She’d come so far in spite of bearing the name Williams. Failure here simply wasn’t an option. She couldn’t return empty handed. She needed this to go perfectly.

The Alliance lieutenant glanced back up at the neon holo-sign again, watching the feminine shape dance and sway high up on the building wall. A woman outlined in blue, existing only to be ogled, desired by horny, drunken men. Ashley frowned. She let out a small huff through her nose.

Frustration rose in her gut… then died down just as quickly. Snuffed out by Ashley herself. Montes had intel on high profile asari. If Ashley wanted to get it she needed to get on the man’s good side.

“Fine.” The intelligence officer tightened her jaw. “Lead the way.”

Montes continued to grin, satisfied.

“Relax, LT. It’s not against regs to have a little fun on the job.”

“That depends on the kind of fun.” Ashley countered. That earned her a short laugh.

“Sure. But I’m a Spectre, remember? Above the law.” It almost sounded like he was bragging.

Ashley narrowed her eyes. Dressed in civvies the way he was, in dark pants and a tight black shirt, looking like he hadn’t shaved in a few days, he resembled an overly-muscled frat boy more than a deadly government agent. His posture, his demeanor, everything about him just seemed so unlike what she had read about him. Everything but his eyes. Sharp, cunning, they roamed slowly over Ashley, observing… and maybe more.

The knot in Ashley’s gut tightened.

Montes turned and headed into the club. Ashley followed.

The club doors slid open. Immediately there came a rush of sound and sight and scent. Pulsing music, flashing lights, the cacophony of club denizens laughing, cursing, shouting. There was the smell of hard liquor. And the odor of sweat… and other fluids.

Montes led her through a threshold, taking her beyond her world of laws, rules, and regulations… and into his domain. A realm of vice, of desire, of debauchery.

All around, Ashley could see dancers. Most of them were asari, but there were plenty of human girls as well. Each and every one had skin on display. Some were even so bold as to reveal all, dancing up on stage completely naked save for their heels.

The rest of the club’s inhabitants were men. Turian, salarian, human, even volus. But they were all men. All watching, leering, hungering. As Montes led them both deeper into the innards of Chora’s Den, Ashley noticed more and more eyes drifting towards her. Suddenly the lieutenant felt the weight of a sobering realization: that she may very well be the only woman present who wasn’t a dancer. Her uniform should have a clear message: she wasn’t on the menu. But Ashley could feel their eyes upon her. She could feel their hunger.

She half expected one or two drunken goons to try their luck and cozy on up to her. None came. The crowd looked on, admiring, but they kept their distance - not because of the sour look on Ashley’s face, but because of her chaperone. The thought of Montes acting as her protector… the lieutenant wanted to scoff.

Eventually, the pair made it to the central piece of the club - an island bar built around the largest round stage. Up high were several scantily clad dancers, a mix of asari and human girls. Down at ground level was much the same, except these girls served drinks. And many of them seemed quite familiar with Agent Montes. And, shockingly, they looked pleased to see him.

One of the bartenders, a sweet-looking young woman with strawberry blonde hair and full, rosy cheeks came up to greet them. Dressed as scantily as she was, her hurried steps nearly had her spilling out of her tight bodice. Ashley could only dismay in silence.

“Hey! It’s been a while, mister secret agent. I was afraid you’d forgotten about us.” The girl leaned forward on the bar, offering a view that was somehow even more obscene. If her near-nudity bothered her, she didn’t show it. The young woman was beaming at the tall, brawny Spectre. All flirty smiles and batting eyelashes.

Ashley wanted to hurl.

“I could never abandon my people.” Montes assured the young woman, cool and smooth. He planted his hands on the bar, craning his neck forward to look down into her eyes. Like with Ashley, he towered over her. But where Ashley felt wary, the half-naked bartender seemed pleased with the size disparity. The excitement flashing through the girl’s eyes was clear, only growing as Montes continued to speak. “And I missed your smile, Jenna.”

Jenna giggled, leaning forth even more. She was almost draped over the bar now and her bosom looked at least one heavy breath away from spilling free of her outfit. The girl’s eyes sparkled under the pulsing lights, looking upon Montes like he was some sort of god.

Ashley’s eyes were physically incapable of rolling any further. It was a damn miracle she didn’t groan out loud. It was just her luck that Jenna finally glanced her way.

Instead of the expected disappointment and jealousy, Jenna instead displayed more neutral curiosity. Her eyes danced back and forth between Montes and Ashley for a moment.

“I take it you two are together?” She asked, pointing with a manicured nail. Montes gave a short nod. Suddenly, the giggling, flirty sweetheart was back to professionalism. A few taps with her fingers brought up a holo-terminal. “You want me to set you up with a booth, bring out some drinks?”

Before Montes could answer, Ashley cut in.

“No drinks. We’re here on business.” She did her best to sound authoritative, hoping to regain a measure of control from the looming Spectre agent.

The amused look he sent over his shoulder only tightened the knot in Ashley’s gut. Honestly, she would have preferred a negative, or even hostile reaction. Meatheads were easy, uncomplicated. Especially when a sharp woman could put them in their place. But Montes was a different beast entirely. Her defiance pleased him.

Without warning, he reached over and took her by the waist. Ashley almost jumped feeling his large hand slide across the small of her back, coming to rest on the curve of her hip. With shocking strength, he pulled her close - like a jock would to his cheerleader girlfriend. Suddenly, Ashley Williams was ten, fifteen years younger. And her mind was flooded with memories of handsy dates, desperate kisses from young men who were too horny to think.

For some reason, Ashley didn’t shirk out of Montes’ hold. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to make a scene. Or maybe she didn’t have the energy to start one. Ashley felt the urge to slap his hand away. But it remained only an urge. Montes held her close, chuckling. Jenna kept up her sweet smile. Perhaps the heat rising in Ashley’s cheeks were being mistaken for girlish embarrassment. From an Alliance intelligence officer. Again, Ashley dismayed in silence.

“A private booth, please.” Montes requested, his hand starting to enjoy its spot on her hip a little too much. “With sound suppressors. My associate and I have things to discuss.”

-  -  -

The booth was rounded, with cushioned seating wrapping about a central table. Rising from the center was a holo-lamp, glowing pink.

Mood lightning, Ashley thought, annoyed.

Rising from the back of the cushioned seating was a circle of thick frosted glass through which Ashley could only see faint shadows of the clubgoers beyond. No detail, only the flashes of the club lights and writhing silhouettes. Not even the music could break through the bubble, only the dull thumping of the house music beat.

Ashley and Montes were alone, sealed off from the world beyond. The lieutenant felt a potent sense of unease - especially thanks to the man’s shameless leering. He leaned back against the seating, arms spread wide upon the backrest, not hiding his appreciation of the way her dress blues accentuated her figure. It was like the man couldn’t decide to admire her face or her tits. But Ashley endured the indignity. After fighting tooth and nail to redeem her family name, scraping for every little bit of recognition in the face of Alliance blackballing, a man’s wandering eye was nothing.

She was Alliance Intelligence. And she had a job to do.

Ashley ignored the wavering in her gut, adopting a firm but polite tone.

“Let’s talk about the new friends you’ve been making, Agent Montes.”

The man raised a brow, his lips quirking as he stuck out his chin.

“Straight to business, huh?”

Ashley breathed in. Her mind - and belly - settled. Time for her to go to work. Most fortunate was the confidence that came pooling back into her voice. A little bit of steel came back into her spine. She sat up straighter, crossing one leg over the other. She looked Gabriel Montes straight in the eye, all business, no nonsense. Just the way a Williams ought to be.

“Alliance Intelligence has noticed you making connections with Councilor Tevos, Ambassador Irissa, Sha’ira the Consort… and now Matriarch Benezia T’Soni. Several high profile asari. All in just the last year. It seems you’ve been busy.”

Montes smiled as she listed off every name. Ashley could see it in his eyes… that damned male pride.

“What can I say?” He gave a half-hearted shrug. “I like to make friends.”

“Is that all that they are? Just friends?” Ashley pressed, already knowing the answer.

“You’re the one from Alliance Intelligence. You tell me.” Montes shot back, all too aware of the game.

Ashley clasped her hands together, resting them upon her knee. She had a feeling he might make this difficult, playing coy. But her focus did not waver. If Montes wanted her to be direct, Ashley Williams would be direct. That was how she liked things anyhow.

“I’ll just get right to the point.” Ashley’s voice held an edge now. She leaned forward, her face hardening. Montes’ smile, on the other hand, didn’t falter one bit. His confidence seemed to be boundless. Ashley found that annoying. “Top brass believes that due to your… relationships with these asari, you might be privy to sensitive information. Information that would otherwise be unobtainable by our intelligence agents. Information that could really benefit the Alliance, improve our position in galactic politics.”

She stressed that last point, hoping it would appeal to the man’s patriotic side. But Montes’ eyes drifted away from Ashley, moving towards the frosted glass and the dancing silhouettes beyond. As if Ashley’s spiel was boring.

Montes spoke up just as the lieutenant felt the heat of anger rising up the back of her neck.

“If Alliance Intelligence is looking for dirt on the asari, you guys don’t need me. The Shadow Broker has all the dirt you could ever want or need. For the right price.”

Ashley leaned forward even more, resting her clasped hands on the table.

“That’s the very reason I was sent to speak with you.” She urged. “The ‘right price’ is more than the Alliance is willing to spend.”

Montes turned his eyes back on Ashley. For a moment he regarded her in silence. Then she saw it. Understanding shining in his gaze. And a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He knew he had the advantage.

The knot in Ashley’s gut returned, tighter now.

The man across the table gave a couple slow nods, his smile growing. Ashley remained still, her face like an undisturbed lake. She couldn’t let the cracks show. Or rather… couldn’t show more than she already had.

“So…” Montes began, his mouth tightening in thought. “This intel I supposedly have… you’re telling me it’s worth quite a bit. And you want me to give it up for free?”

Ashley very nearly deflated right then and there. It was a testament to her willpower and focus that her shoulders only sank a fraction of an inch.

“The Alliance needs any edge it can get, Agent Montes.” She managed to send her voice out like cold steel, firm and strong. Her eyes held the edge, sharp like an omni-blade. “Your file led me to believe that you were a patriot.”

The smirk dropped off his face for a second. Flashing across his face was a hardness she had not yet seen from him. His brow furrowed and his jaw tightened. The man leaned forward, his arms dropping from the backrests. He really was a large man, Ashley realized perhaps too late. All shoulders and firm muscle packed in his side of the booth.

“Am a patriot.” He corrected her. For a small moment, his voice was like ice. Cold. Deadly. His eyes were even worse. Like spears, they punched through her, all the way down to her soul. Ashley almost shrank into her seat. Her belly was like a snake, coiling and twisting. “I fought and bled to become a Spectre agent for the Alliance. And I didn’t last this long by taking bad deals.”

Then Montes eased back his seat, the cocky lecherousness slowly returning. He looked at her expectantly. It was a silent question: What’s your offer?

Ashley shifted slightly in her seat. She didn’t like it, but she understood the man’s position. Spectre agents weren’t the sort to do things that gave them no benefit.

“The Alliance has given me the authority to offer you a respectable sum of credits in exchange-”

“I never said I wanted money.”

Ashley bit her tongue, doing her level best to keep anger from creeping into her expression. Talking with Montes had been frustrating from the start… and still the man kept pushing and pushing. It was a game to him, she realized. Perhaps a test to see if she would crack or falter. Whatever biting words waited in her throat, Ashley swallowed them down. She didn’t want to give Montes the satisfaction.

“What is it that you want then?” She spoke curtly.

As it turned out, that was the exact wrong question to ask. She really didn’t like the toothy smile that spread across Montes’ hard face. Nor did she like the flicker of intent in his eyes.

“Well, to start…” Montes scratched his stubbled chin, pausing as if he was seriously considering her question. Ashley had a gut feeling that he had decided the moment she introduced herself. “How about you scoot a little closer?”

His tone was all friendly-like, making it sound like an innocent invitation. He beckoned her over to his side with a large hand.

Ashley pursed her lips, swallowing. The dull feeling that spread through her gut wasn’t dread exactly, nor was it delight. She glanced towards the shut door of their private booth, watching the drunken masses dancing with abandon. Even the strippers had more freedom then she did right then.

Sure, Ashley could scoff or laugh in the man’s face. Storm off without another word. But that would mean going back to her superiors empty-handed. For a Williams girl to have come so far despite her family name, only to blow it on her first big assignment… Ashley shook her head. Whatever indignity Montes desired for her was nothing compared to the misery of proving all of her naysayers right.

Still… Ashley tried to fight it.

“Is that really necessary for this discussion?” She kept her tone cool, professional. But her eyes never quite met his.

“No.” Montes admitted. His voice was deep - God, was it deep. “But I’d like it if you sat closer.”

She hadn’t really noticed thanks to how flippant and relaxed he was… but Gabriel Montes had a commanding presence. Just sitting there across from her, he seemed towering. Indomitable.

The truth of the matter was ugly but simple. Ashley had to obey him.

Swallowing her pride, the intelligence officer uncrossed her legs and slowly… slowly began to slide her way across the cushioned seating. Circling the table inch by inch, foot by foot. Every shift closer to his side sent her belly into tighter and tighter knots. She hated feeling so uneasy, so vulnerable.

It wasn’t long until she was right beside him, their thighs less than an inch from touching. Behind her, she knew his big, muscled arm rested. If he wanted to drape it over her shoulders, he could do it without any struggle from her.

Ashley took in a long, deep breath. Remaining still, she looked straight ahead. Waiting for him to make his move. With him so close now, she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. And with his larger frame, it was encompassing - enveloping her.

“Come on, closer than that.” He chided her, chuckling. Her eyes drifted down, seeing him patting his own lap. “Right here.”

Ashley blanched. It felt like her heart had stopped. She stared down at his lap as he patted it again. Her face was frozen, without expression or emotion, as she turned her eyes up to meet his. She looked for a sign, a hint, for anything to tell her that he was joking. But Montes only gave her that stupid, smug, insufferable grin. Then her heart began to race again, color creeping back into her face. Burning hot with shock and embarrassment.

“You’re kidding.” Ashley shook her head.

“Nope. Take a seat.” A friendly invitation offered by mocking, lecherous eyes. Ashley wanted to break his nose. Break his whole damn face.

Swallowing her pride and any venomous words, Ashley Williams remembered her mission. She remembered the honor of her family name. Her gut was more than just knots now. It was alive, twisting like a wild serpent. Thrashing her insides and making her legs feel like jelly.

There was a long silence. The thumping of the club music seeping in through the booth walls, matching her heartbeat. In the end, Ashley obeyed.

She twisted on the booth seat, putting her back to the table. She swung one leg over Montes’ lap so that she straddled him. Forced to pick her poison, the lieutenant decided she’d rather face the man himself, forcing him to see her contempt, than give him the pleasure of sitting her ass right on his crotch. Even though she was an intelligence officer, she kept herself in damn fine shape. She was proud of her ass. And pigs like Gabriel Montes didn’t deserve it.

Keeping her face like ice, her eyes sharp and cutting, she eased down onto the man’s lap. It killed a little bit of her spirit, seeing the wicked delight in his eyes. Across his hard face passed a look of satisfaction. It made Ashley feel ill. Then she felt one of his hands come to rest on her hip. A soft but possessive touch. It made her belly twist.

But even worse was what she felt even lower. The firmness that was brushing against her inner thigh.

His cock, Ashley quickly realized. It couldn’t possibly be anything else. She didn’t want to believe it. Not because of any sense of disgust or fright. But because it felt so… fucking… big.

It just wasn’t fair, Ashley knew, for such a pig of a man to be blessed with such manhood.

“Happy?” She asked quietly, practically hissing.

Beneath her, Montes snorted. He looked pleased, Ashley noted. Dread filled her gut as she realized he had caught the shock in her eyes.

His hand drew idly over her hip, treating her to a gentle caress of her curves. He leaned back into his seat… pushing his groin into her inner thighs. Ashley held back a gasp, feeling the outline of his shaft. Now there was no doubt - Montes was hung. And his seemingly boundless luck with his numerous dalliances suddenly began to make much more sense.

“You must really need this deal to work out, huh?” He drawled, smirking.

“Fuck you.” She seethed. She wanted to spit on him, right in his face. But she feared he might just enjoy that too.

Montes became more daring, his hand on her hip sliding around, ghosting over the small of her back. Rubbing small circles through her clothes - caresses that felt more pleasing than Ashley would ever dare admit. His touch wasn’t rough, but deft. And warm.

“No reason we can’t be friendly, Williams. After all… it seems like we can help each other. I have something you want…”

Montes’ eyes lowered from her face. Not to her breasts, but to her throat. His free hand came up then, his fingers brushing over the buttons at her collar. Ashley felt her heart skip a beat as the man began to undo them, popping one, then two, working his way down her blouse.

“...And you really have something I want.”

There was desire in his eyes. Ravenous hunger. And the intent to sate it. Right then and there.

Ashley did not breathe. And she did not stop him.