Chapter Eight
In the midst of chaos there is also opportunity.
~ Sun Tzu
The television was on low as he walked up from the hallway. Lance didn’t think Jasmine was even watching anything, she just stared at the wall. He swiped two beers from the fridge, opened them then continued to the living room where she sat.
Without a word, he sat beside her and offered her one. Jasmine wore one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers. She looked fucking adorable and he wanted to keep her in his clothing. She put the beer bottle right against her crotch as she sat there but didn’t look at him.
“What are you thinking about?”
“My nephew.”
He’d already swept for bugs so knew this conversation would be fine to have.
“What about him?”
“That I’m missing him growing up. He doesn’t know me and I don’t know him. Hell, I barely know my sister. My twin.”
Her agony pulled at his soul. What was left of it anyway. Beer on the table in front of them, he angled his body toward her, making sure he didn’t physically touch her. Not that losing themselves in the bliss of the physical was bad, for it wasn’t, but he sensed she needed something more right now.
“When was the last time you spoke to any of them?”
She sniffed and his gut wrenched at the sight of one solitary tear making a solemn trek along her skin.
Fuck it.
Lance reached out and swiped it away with the pad of his thumb.
“Jasmine?”
“I spoke to her on Christmas when he was first born. Other than that, it’s been nothing but cards.”
She ran her hands over her face before pushing them through her hair and exhaling even as she flattened her lips. As she shook her head, slightly, she put the bottle to her lips and drank.
Lance held his tongue as she drained the bottle and put it on the coffee table with a yawn.
“Are you afraid you’re going to bring trouble to their door?”
“I know I will. Plus I know her husband isn’t a staunch supporter of mine.
” A wry smile. “Pretty sure I wasn’t easy for any of you to keep an eye on.
” She scrunched her toes. “I know he loves her and that’s why I don’t comment about his behavior to me.
He’s worried I’ll bring more trouble to their home.
As much as I hate it, and that he views me in such a light, I respect it because he’s trying to keep my sister safe. And their son.”
He tucked some hair behind her ear, wanting to continue watching her features and expressions. The hard shell around his heart cracked at her admission.
“There was more than one occasion where I heard your name accompanied by a few choice words.” He shook his head. “How is it Atlanta PD had a file on you but he couldn’t find anything on you?”
“It gets wiped.”
He shook his head. “But you’re not in WitSec anymore. What’s the reasoning behind it?”
“They don’t want me coming to light. I’m nothing more than a huge shame on the Company.
I’m a mistake that shouldn’t have happened, and if it comes to be public knowledge, they’ll look worse in the country’s eye than they already do.
” A shrug. “So it’s best for them to keep me off any and all radars.
Well, that’s what stories are made from.
” She readjusted her position then tugged his shirt down over knees.
“I’m just a ghost. One they wish they could rid themselves of for all eternity. ”
While her words were spoken with a hint of sass, he heard it. Buried deep beneath the don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. The pain and the longing.
“Come here.”
She tilted her head in his direction, one eyebrow up in silent question.
“Don’t make everything such a battle, woman. Get over here.”
Jasmine shuffled over to him on her knees and his cock jumped in his jeans. Ignoring his libido, he tugged her to his chest and let her curl up against him. It took a bit of wriggling and muttering to herself before she settled into him.
Finally.
His arms wrapped around her and his chin on the top of her head, they just lay there on the couch. He held her until her breathing deepened, then he dozed as well.
* * * *
His phone vibrating woke him.
With a yawn, Lance pulled it out and answered in a low voice because she still slept in his arms.
“What?”
“Mr. Jankovic requests your presence.”
Translation—the boss is calling, get your ass over here.
“Gonna be a bit. You woke us.”
“Just you.”
That was it, the call ended.
Lance wasn’t liking this feeling at all.
“They want you alone?” She didn’t stir from her spot against him and he wasn’t in any rush to make it happen.
“Yep.” Lance twisted some of her hair in his fingers. “I don’t like it.”
“I think that’s the general idea. I’m a wild card and he wants you off your game, thinking and worrying about me.”
I am.
She pushed up and gave a small grin. “Good thing it’s just a farce and you know I am more than capable of taking care of myself.”
“I know you can.” He cupped her cheek. “Doesn’t mean I won’t still worry.”
“I’m going to ghost when you leave. You won’t see me. I’ll be around.”
Immediate refusal leaped to his tongue. She covered his mouth with her hand.
“Not up for argument. You wanted me to help you. I’m helping, but I’m also not stupid enough to remain in this place like a sitting duck.”
“You’re going to piss him off, aren’t you?”
That full megawatt smile got him deep in his gut. “Why, it’s almost like you know what a troublemaker I can be.”
She hopped off him and he grabbed her shirt before she could get all the way out of reach. Jasmine let him reel her back to stand between his legs. Hand on her waist, he tipped his head back to glance up at her.
“I’m going to call you later and you’d better fucking pick up.”
Jasmine lowered her head, her black and dark blue hair falling around him like a silk curtain. “You do know I suck at taking orders, right?”
He sought her skin below the cotton shirt. “I know you suck and I love it. But I’m serious, Jasmine.” When he reached her warm, soft skin, he breathed more easily. It was just a fact of how things were for him now. Especially with this woman.
“There’s not a man alive I will allow to boss me around blindly, Lance. No matter how much I love sucking his dick. There’s another around the corner. I do what’s best for me. Believe that.”
Every single male protective instinct roared to life. On their heels were the possessive ones this woman, and only her, brought out in him. These far surpassed the protective urges he had as a cop toward people.
Rising to his feet with a simple push, he towered over her. Jasmine didn’t back down, but held his gaze with a fearless one of her own.
“No other dicks,” he growled. “And don’t fucking get hurt or in trouble where you need me.”
“Listen to me, Lance.”
He watched her for a moment, assessing her seriousness, then nodded. “Listening.”
“This man will push your weaknesses. You know this. You’ve been a certain way all this time, which allowed you to get into the position you’re in. Don’t throw that away because he wants to say shit.”
“It’s not shit when it comes to you.”
Her smile could only be explained as sad.
She shook her head once and settled the palm of her hand against his cheek. “Don’t ruin an op for pussy. No distractions.”
He hated hearing those words from her. Yet it didn’t matter. The words she uttered weren’t anything that hadn’t been drilled into him before he’d taken the undercover op.
That pinch of sorrow never vacated her expression but she nodded and patted his face. “There you are. The man I know will do whatever it takes to get his man.” Jasmine put her face close to his. “I don’t say this often, okay, like haven’t ever before, but it’s something you need to hear.”
Lance refused to release her gaze. Hell, it was going to be hard enough to walk away when this was over. He knew she was only staying to help him in this situation, but his Jasmine didn’t feel she deserved happiness. He simply had to change her mind.
“You’re one hell of an officer of the law.
No matter what you are shown or what you’ve had to do in order to maintain this cover, you’ve held onto that integral part of you that makes you, you.
I’ve seen a lot of people in this line of work and it’s not for everyone.
You have what it takes, just don’t forget that. ”
She stood all the way up and moved from his touch. He clenched his fingers around the space where her shirt and skin used to be, displeased with this new situation.
“I’ll never say it again, so hold on to that.” She winked at him and was gone before he could formulate a fucking word, or process what she’d tossed at him.
* * * *
Jasmine adjusted the wig on her head and smacked her lips at her reflection. The gaudy, bright orange was a hue she would have been okay never putting on once more, but it went with the outfit.
No wonder Carolyn and Declan couldn’t stand to be around me. Hell, I’m worried about spending time with myself looking like this. A fucking Wal-Mart reject. Going to end up in one of the memes of what not to wear.
Plumping her boobs in their zebra-striped top, she blew herself a kiss and strutted on. One simply didn’t walk in clothing like this. You owned it. And strutted. So she did.
Hips swaying far more than she’d done in a while, because the old Atlanta Jasmine had been all about flashy and getting attention, the new California Jasmine was about blending in and not getting killed, she owned the boardwalk as she moved down it, toward the place she knew Dusan and his crew parked their vehicles.
People parted like she was Moses commanding the Red Sea and she smirked.
Yeah, she still had it. Even with her horrid taste in clothing, she cut a figure that drew many eyes. And that’s what she’d wanted. The clothing was outrageous enough that that’s what they would recall. Not her features.