Chapter 57
Chapter
Fifty-Seven
The next morning, Thomas sat on the edge of the large bed in his condo at The Havens. Kate was still sleeping, her wavy black hair tumbling across the slate blue pillows, her dark lashes resting like fans on her lightly freckled cheeks.
She looked like she’d been through hell, he thought, stroking her hair absently. He knew how that felt.
He’d killed his first signatory and survived, soul still semi-intact…for the time being.
Ginny’s duplicity still shook him. He’d had such a blind spot about her, mostly hidden by guilt and her connection to Elizabeth.
The sheer depth of her deception rocked him to his core.
She’d been in bed with Cyril, possibly literally, for God knows how long.
And she’d managed to pull off her act right here, in his own headquarters.
Living in the sanctuary he’d built, The Havens.
He wondered, with a cold chill, who else he was trusting that he shouldn’t.
Yagi now had a personal vendetta against Cyril. It was bad enough that he’d been unable to track Victor. The fact that the enemy had been able to get so close to Thomas insulted his honor and his competence.
When he’d offered to waive a year’s worth of fees, Thomas hadn’t said no. The man’s expertise did not come cheap.
In the meantime, Kate’s behavior had also been an eye opener.
She’d betrayed him, too…or rather, she’d tried.
But guilt and her own good nature had her not only confessing the whole thing, but going out of her way to save his dumb butt.
Up to and including persuading a demon to bust him out of his prison cell, and basically yelling come at me, bro!
to the man who had victimized and nearly killed her.
He smiled down at her sleeping face. Damn, she is some amazing woman.
He hadn’t been surprised that she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—kill him.
Although he wouldn’t bet on it in the future.
He got the sense that she was harboring a lot of rage, and she really was capable of anything under the right circumstances.
He was pretty sure he was safe, but though the odds were low… they weren’t zero.
She turned over, sleepily, scrunching her face at the light coming in from the other room. Then she sat bolt upright.
“It’s okay,” he said quickly. “You’re okay.”
“What…what am I doing here?” She held the sheet for a second, her eyes wheeling.
“You were out like somebody hit you with a brick,” he said. “I wanted to keep an eye on you.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him. Then she pulled the sheet back a bit, sneaking a surreptitious peek.
“I was a perfect gentleman,” he protested, but couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
Damn, I like this woman.
“I swear to God, that is the last time I let you take me out to dinner.” She rubbed at her face. “Did I hear that Ginny’s body vanished before I conked out?”
“Yagi’s not entirely sure she’s dead,” Thomas said, and Kate pulled her hands from her face, staring at him. “Woman’s got more lives than a cat. It’s one more thing to add to the list. But we got Victor, that’s the important thing.”
“Yeah.” She toyed with the sheet for a minute, her face pensive. “So. Now what?”
He took a deep breath. “We need to talk. To start, I paid off your parents’ mortgage this morning.”
She let out a startled squeak. “You what?”
“You were worried about it. I know you were, and maybe I shouldn’t have, but I didn’t want you to worry anymore. Also, it prevents anybody from trying to use it as leverage.”
“Oh, shit.” Her mouth dropped open. “Now they’re going to know I slept with you!”
He chuckled. God, he was starting to become addicted to the way she continually surprised him. “I didn’t buy you a house because we slept together, Kate.”
“No, you bought me a house because I didn’t kill you.”
“That didn’t hurt,” he admitted. “But the bottom line is, I owe you. You got the short end of the stick here and I want to make amends.”
She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them.
He hadn’t slept last night, thinking about what needed to be done.
“I also don’t want you to have to worry about anything else.
You don’t have to work for me. I’ll make sure there’s a full protective detail on you and your family at all times, and I’ll still pay you your salary.
But I want you to be safe, doing what makes you happy.
And I know that working for a big corporation like Fiendish isn’t going to do that. ”
He watched as she studied him, her green eyes bright. Then, slowly, she pushed the blanket aside. He’d left her in her underwear—it seemed more comfortable, he’d reasoned, than her suit—and he now forced himself not to stare at the black, lacy lingerie that stretched over that smooth skin….
He was totally unprepared when she gave him a sharp thwap upside the head.
“Ow! Damn it!” he snapped. “What was that for?”
“Do I look like the type of woman who wants a big strong man to buy her a house and send her off telling her not to worry her pretty little head about it?” She crossed her arms, inadvertently plumping her breasts up like display models. “Do I?”
“At the moment?” He couldn’t help but stare at the strong, sexy image she displayed. “Kinda?”
She tried to smack him again, but he ducked. “I’m in this, Thomas. You may regret that as we continue on—”
“I may regret it now,” he interrupted, rubbing his head.
She ignored him. “But the fact remains, I am in this. And that means no more mushroom treatment, kept in the dark and fed bullshit. You keep me in the loop, and together, we’ll take care of this.
For better or worse, right now my life—and afterlife—is tied to yours.
For as long as it takes, I’m on your team.
Your Girl Friday.” She grinned with determination.
“Those bad guys aren’t going to kill themselves, you know. So, deal?”
He took her hand. It was soft, and warm, and firm. “Deal.”
They shook. Grinned companionably at each other.
Then seemed to both abruptly realize they were in his bedroom, and she was in her underwear.
“One last thing,” he said, reluctantly releasing her hand. “About…that night. You know.”
“Yeah,” she said slowly, her eyes glowing a little. “About that.”
“You’re right. It was a mistake,” he said, even though every fiber in his being yelled no, it wasn’t! This conversation would be a hell of a lot easier if she weren’t in some damned sexy lingerie. “I won’t mention it if you won’t.”
She looked surprised. Then she looked away quickly. “Absolutely. Best thing for us to do.”
“It’s just a bad idea,” he said, not sure who he was trying to convince. “As you said, we’re both in this. We’ve both made mistakes…”
“We’ve both tried to set each other up to be killed,” she admitted.
“There is that,” he agreed. “But mostly, I think it’d be a bad idea for us to get…you know, involved.”
Because if anybody found out how much I already care about you, you’d be more of a target than you already are.
She nodded, then smiled.
And leaned over, planting one on him.
He held his hands up, then found himself holding her tightly, pulling her onto his lap like he had on the couch that fateful night they’d gotten together.
Now, her lips were like molten silk, and for a second, he was overwhelmed, drowning in the sensation of her.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and held her tight.
After what felt like an eternity—or, conversely, the world’s shortest minute—she pulled back, clambering off him, leaving him breathless and aching and confused.
“So, if you’re serious about this,” she rasped, “I guess that means that cheap, meaningless sex is also out.”
He swallowed hard, trying to ignore the fact his body had already gone into launch sequence. “Maybe we shouldn’t be hasty,” he croaked.
“No, you’re right.” She grinned, then winked at him over her shoulder before strutting her fine ass over to the master bathroom. “Well, then. Daylight’s burning. Let’s get down to business. Boss.”
She shut the door.
He tugged his fingers through his hair. “Gonna be a long damned year,” he groused.
But when this year’s over, he thought with a grin, I’ve got your number, Kate O’Hara.