The descendants, p.22
The Descendants, page 22
Miguel is still breathless when he says, “I didn’t intend for that-”
“I know.” I smile weakly at him and he looks a little uncertain so I stand on my toes and kiss him again. “But I needed it. And I wanted it.”
“Well, it wasn’t a chore,” he says, rubbing a thumb along my bottom lip. I titter at that and he says, “I’m supposed to stay here tonight. Just in case.”
“Sleep with me,” I whisper against his mouth. “Hold me.”
“I can do that,” Miguel says, stroking my cheek. “I can definitely do that.”
Kate
Miguel is sweet and polite about things, but if I had to guess, I think he’s feeling pretty conflicted about us having sex. I’m not. I have too much to worry about to think about the proper protocol of spies and informants. Besides, I like Miguel. So far, I like all three of these guys. If something good can come out of this outside of whatever happens with January, I won’t let go of it if I don’t have to.
In the morning, I wake up in Miguel’s arms. He doesn’t bolt or act weird. He kisses me; just a little peck in consideration of morning breath, and gets up to put on coffee.
At this point, I’m not completely sure if he’s just pretending to be my boyfriend or how deep these feelings go or what. But I don’t feel inclined to ask either.
Today, two things may or may not happen depending on how things are going. January will hopefully hire Scott to be my bodyguard and driver. If the day is going well, then just before lunch I will tell Mr. January that he has a new potential high-end buyer who would like to meet him which will be Dennis. To help direct me, I’m wearing not just the microphone on my bra this time but also an earpiece so small I keep asking Dennis if it could potentially fall out. He claims it won’t.
I drink coffee and eat jam toast with Miguel and he helps me fix the mic to my bra and put in the earpiece.
At eight o’clock I say, “Dennis? Scott? You guys hear me?”
“Coming in loud and clear, Kate,” Dennis reports. “Over?”
“Yeah,” I say, sighing. “Over. Or...whatever.”
Miguel can’t hear Dennis but he stands near me and says, “Hey, guys. I’m on my way back. See you soon.”
“You guys okay last night?” Dennis says. “Nothing suspicious?”
I choke a little bit and say, “We were alright last night.” Miguel and I share a sheepish look.
“I kept watch most of the time,” Miguel reports. “I think she had eyes on her from the street. Far as they know, I’m just the boyfriend. Did another sweep of the house for bugs and it was clean.”
I gape at Miguel. “When did all that happen?” I say, my voice going up a little. “Somebody was watching me from the street?”
“I didn’t want to worry you,” Miguel says, scratching his head. “I only slept for about an hour. I’m stealthy.”
“Jesus.”
“Okay, guys,” Scott says, a little snappish. “Let’s argue about this later? Kate should be getting to work.”
“Right,” I mutter. “Yeah, okay.”
I shoot Miguel a dirty look as I take one more gulp of coffee and he shrugs. “You wanted me to put the mission first - if I’m doing that, I’m not going to worry the informant unnecessarily.”
“I guess,” I say, a little waspish.
I feel okay about things all the way to work but when I get there, I have to immediately lock myself in the restroom to calm myself down. I really hope January ends up hiring Scott today. I’ll feel a lot better when Mr. Muscle Bound Action Hero who has a look that says ‘no mission is impossible’ is here with me all day.
I don’t cry or anything, which is good. I was upset yesterday but I feel like if I were too upset today, it would just come off more suspicious. I sit at my desk and work steadily. Messages come in from Dennis’s new fake buyer character and I feel better when I engage with him, just in case somebody hacks in to look at my work at some point or somebody asks, they can see this backlog of establishing contact with this buyer. We chat in the deceptively casual tone I’m used to using with buyers. It’s like I’m establishing a rapport while luring them in. At the same time, it’s all business. I notice Dennis speaks differently, even though I’m sure it’s him. He’s not giving himself away; if anyone ever compared these messages to the ones he wrote as Miguel there would be no link. He’s careful. He’s good at this. I smile softly to myself thinking of him cutely furrowing his brow as he fumbled with the tiny microphone he had to attach to my bra. Dennis has medium brown hair that’s a dark gold when the light hits it. He has hazel eyes and a goatee that should probably be more carefully manicured, but the scruffiness of him is kind of adorable. I told him I needed to talk to him before he introduced himself as the buyer in person. He needs to be very cleaned up. I wanted to be able to approve his look in person. He seemed amused by that but I think he was a little bit impressed too.
“Kate,” January says just moments later as I’m walking back to my desk. “I have someone for you to meet.”
I raise my eyebrows and straighten my jacket. Every single time January speaks to me now I’m on the edge of panic but I think I’m covering it okay so far.
“I think I’ve found a very talented bodyguard for you, Kate,” January says. He looks too happy and suddenly I remember that January always wanted to hire a shifter. I even mentioned that to the guys. That must have been their angle for Scott getting hired. He takes me by the arm in that way that’s deliberately too firm, as if he always wants to remind me that I belong to him. He’s left bruises before because he’s grabbed my arm so hard, even when he was smiling in my face. “Come meet Joe.”
A figure in black slacks and a blue button-up turns around and I think I should win an Oscar for not sighing in relief when I see that it’s Scott. He cleaned up like I told him too. I smile politely and he reaches out to shake my hand, looking casually indifferent as he looks me up and down. He looks good, like mouth wateringly good. His sky blue shirt is tight on his chest. I hadn’t quite realized just how big and built he is and his sleeves are rolled up, revealing all kinds of muscles. His shaggy, sandy blonde hair is the same, just brushed back, but he’s clean shaven.
“Joe Cisco,” Scott says, giving my hand two solid pumps. January won’t let go of my arm and his grip is a little painful. But I keep smiling. He clearly wants even the bodyguard to know very well whose property I am. I see Scott’s gaze shift to where January’s fingers dig into my skin. But he doesn’t show the slightest reaction. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” I say. January’s grip tightens and I let go of Scott’s hand quickly like a trained dog. “Thank you, Mr. January. I really appreciate this.”
“And I haven’t shown you the best part,” he says. He makes a little waving gesture with his hand. “Joe, show them?”
Scott gives him a curt nod and abruptly shifts into the big, beautiful spotted jaguar I met just the other day. George and the few henchmen nearby gasp and titter and a couple of them clap. I hear someone mutter ‘freak’ too.
“Whoa!” I say, clutching my chest. I very nearly forgot to be surprised but everybody was watching Scott so I don’t think it was noticed. “A jaguar shifter? That’s incredible.”
“Isn’t it?” January says, beaming proudly. “Always wanted a shifter working for me. And a jaguar to boot. Might need to borrow him for client meetings once in a while. Everyone would admire him so. Okay, Joe. Turn back.”
Scott turns back and clasps his hands in front of him. He doesn’t say a word, which is about right for the kinds of guys January hires for these positions. They’re always strong and silent types. They usually seem dumb as rocks to me too, except for George. Though Scott is coming off more quietly professional than stupid.
January lets Scott go. Presumably, he has some other duties to attend to when he’s not driving me around. He might even end up scrubbing a floor. Mr. January finally lets go of my arm. It’s definitely going to bruise but I resist the urge to rub it, I hate him knowing he hurt me.
“Mr. January,” I say, now following him to his office, “I have a buyer who’s very eager to meet you. He’s based in London, has a small collection going. Just goes by Daltry. Interested in very big-ticket items. I’ve been speaking to him…”
“Big ticket items?” January says, taking a clove cigarette from his pocket. He seems faintly amused. “How big?”
“He says his pocket book is bottomless,” I say. I roll my eyes a little as if even I’m wary. “I told him you only do business with connections but I know he’s done some business recently in Prague. That’s how he’s found his way onto the collector’s forum on the dark web. He suggested I set up a meeting if you’re amenable?”
“Sounds like somebody who doesn’t quite know what they’re doing,” January says darkly, lighting his clove. “Fresh-faced? Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Kinda like you were when I found you!”
He swats my ass which he has done a few times before and I swallow the yelp of indignation. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Scott look over from where he’s sitting across the warehouse with two other guys.
“Yes,” I say quietly. “Like that, I imagine.”
“Fine fine,” Mr. January says, shrugging. “Set something up next week.”
“Next week?” I say, choking on it a little. We’d been hoping to have them meet potentially the next day.
“Next week,” January says shortly. “Thank you, Kate.”
He only ever says ‘thank you’ like that when he’s making it clear that he’s done speaking to me, so I just nod and return to my desk. It takes a lot to resist the urge to look at Scott across the room, but I manage it. I do already feel a little calmer knowing he’s nearby.
That evening, Scott is driving me home for the first time, in a car that January is letting me use. It feels strange to act so cold and let him open the door for me and pretend I’m just a stranger he happens to be guarding. In the car, I know we can’t speak, but our eyes meet in the rearview mirror and I feel like he’s trying to tell me he’s there for me so I smile back. The plan is for him to drive me straight home and then we’ll leave from there to meet the others at the hotel, together as long as nobody is tailing us. But Scott is supposed to be my tail. If someone’s following me now, they’re also following him and our cover is blown.
“Are you alright, ma’am?” Scott finally says.
I lean forward from the back and peak over the seat. He’s gripping the wheel with white knuckles.
“Yeah,” I say softly. We have to assume the car might be bugged. He hasn’t had an opportunity to check, I don’t think. “Had a fight with my boyfriend.”
“Yeah?” Scott says, the corner of his mouth turning up. “I bet it was his fault.”
“He’s doing his best,” I say shrugging, smiling as we play this little game. “I really like him.”
“Hmm.” Scott frowns at the window, tapping the wheel now as we’re stuck in traffic.
“I really like his friends though too,” I say then, softly, meeting his eyes again in the rearview. “I like his friends a lot.”
He smiles at that and nods and I sit back in my seat. Even if I could speak freely, I’m not sure what I would tell Scott that could explain it better than that. It’s not as if I’ve known these men long, it hasn’t even been a week. But they give me the strangest feeling of connection and deep trust and maybe even something more than that. But with all of them. It’s a crazy kind of dream to imagine being with three men in a relationship. But...it’s a lovely fantasy anyway.
Scott still doesn’t say anything once we’ve arrived at my place and he’s parked the car. He gets out and scopes the area and gives me a curt nod as we get out and walk around the corner to where Dennis is waiting in a different car to pick us up. I glance at him as we walk down the sidewalk to the Lexus waiting for us and, his eyes straight ahead, he reaches down to squeeze my hand.
Once safe inside the Lexus, Dennis says, “We good?”
“Yeah,” Scott says, as we drive off.
“Except January doesn’t want to meet your buyer until next week,” I say to Dennis.
They both groan at that. It’s just a little more of a wait than we wanted. Although I guess moving too fast can also be dangerous. In the passenger seat, I sit back and sigh, rubbing my eyes. Just existing in January’s orbit takes energy. Being a spy who’s working against him takes double the energy. Even if nothing is actually happening.
“Well,” Dennis says, shrugging. “That’ll give you more time to get my look right.”
He smiles over at me and I have to chuckle. “That’s right.”
At the guys’ hotel room, I feel much more at ease. I kick my shoes off and I wish I could change into jeans and a t-shirt. I actually wish I could take a hot bath to decontaminate. I’m wearing a skirt suit and I drop the jacket on the couch and plop down on the couch next to Dennis, who automatically hands me a bottle of beer.
“You’re doing good,” Dennis says, tipping his bottle toward mine.
“She’s doing great!” Miguel says, appearing from out of the bathroom.
“Hi, boyfriend,” I say wryly.
Scott’s standing in the middle of the suite with his hands on his hips, staring at me, his mouth a tight line. He looks pissed, but definitely not at me.
“What’s your problem?” Miguel says.
Scott looks at me again and turns, stomping off to his room and slamming the door.
“Oh shit,” Dennis mutters. “He’s in a mood. I thought today went well? I mean, didn’t it? I was listening.”
They were both listening, I assume. But they didn’t have eyes on us. They didn’t see January grab my arm or spank me. I’m pretty sure that’s what Scott’s upset about. It wasn’t horribly traumatizing or anything but I find myself not wanting to get into it right now with Miguel and Dennis, if only because I don’t feel like having another couple of angry jaguars on my hands when I was the one getting manhandled.
“I’ll talk to him,” I say, getting up. I take a long drink of beer and set it down on the table.
Scott’s room is mercifully unlocked, so I just walk in, where I find him pacing around as a jaguar. I snort at that. I guess it relaxes him or something but the sight of this large jungle creature casually pacing a hotel suite bedroom is making me laugh.
“Scott,” I say dryly.
Scott shakes his head and growls, continuing to pace.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I say, shrugging. He huffs through his nose. “I’m used to it.”
Scott abruptly shifts and his face is pink with anger but he holds back when he turns to face me. “You should not be used to that!” He snaps. “No woman should be used to some asshole putting his hands on you like that and especially not you!”
“Why...especially not me?”
Scott’s jaw clenches and he spins around. “Forget it. I can’t… This is so stupid.”
“I slept with Miguel,” I blurt out. “Um…”
Scott looks at me blankly. “I know.”
“You know? How do you… You weren’t listening, were you?”
“No,” Scott says, shrugging. “Your mic was in the purse, wasn’t it? But it was kind of obvious?”
“It’s not weird?” I say. “I mean, call me crazy, I feel like you’re interested?” I wince. I couldn’t possibly be more awkward about this.
Scott laughs at that. He’s not even sardonic. He laughs genuinely, throwing his head back and comes to me, taking my hands in his. “I’m pretty sure it would be useless to pretend that I don’t have an interest in you at this point, Kate. So does Dennis, but…” He sighs heavily and runs a hand through his hair. “We’re not… It’s not like… We’re not fighting over you. We’re not jealous. There’s kind of this thing with shifters? It’s called the shared fated mate? Sometimes somebody comes along who’s the mate of a pack of shifters and...she’s with all of them. And they’re with her.”
I blush at the very suggestion but the thought also makes me weak in the knees. “As in, if it were us...all three of you would be my boyfriends?”
“Yeah exactly,” Scott says. He’s being sweet and even a little nervous, but now he locks eyes with me. “I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here at all. But I am saying if it was, even in this situation where it definitely should not be happening because you’re our informant and it would be totally against protocol, as far as I know, we wouldn’t have a problem with it. With...sharing. I mean. Though God knows you probably wouldn’t-”
“I would,” I say quickly, and my cheeks burn.
I might as well have said, Yes, please let me fuck all three of you.
Way to be thirsty, Kate.
“For the record,” I say, shifting from foot to foot. Without my heels, I’m quite a bit shorter than Scott who looks dumb with surprise as he slowly walks over and stands toe to toe with me. “Well...that’s good to know.”
He looks at me and my breath is short, we’re standing so close. He tips his head toward me as if falling into a kiss and leans back again, perhaps thinking better of it. “I just hated seeing him putting his hands on you like that. I wanted to kill him, Kate.”
“I’m glad you’re there,” I whisper. “It makes me feel like I’m safe.”
“We will keep you safe,” Scott says quietly.
“So how much do you care about protocol anyway?” I ask him, looking up into his eyes.
Scott purses his lips and when he steps away, I feel like I have my answer. “Enough that it’s getting to be really annoying,” he mutters and stomps back into the main room.
I take a deep breath and clear my throat. Well, now I know that the three of them are down to take part in some kind of three-way polyamorous romantic relationship...theoretically. Too bad this goddamn mission is in the way.
I spend the evening listing every item in January’s possession that I can think of and every item he wants to buy. We order dinner. Italian this time. There’s something so comfortable about hanging out with the three of them. Scott even ends up rubbing my feet as Dennis models various suits they’ve picked out for his prospective buyer.
