“Her beloved father dies in a suspicious plane crash, and a cousin she has every reason to despise swoops in and not only takes over the company but sets up a heroin operation. Meanwhile, she just happens to be hot as hell for a guy who just happens to be an undercover CIA officer, and she just happens to put him right in the middle of her cousin's drug ring. That's a lot of happy accidents for a flighty model who just wanted to get you into bed.”
Tox drained his beer and grabbed another from the cooler. “Gentlemen, let's raise a glass to Cam.” The men all grabbed their beverages. “To the only motherfucker in the Navy,” he glanced around as if he were checking for eavesdroppers, then stage-whispered, “or the CIA, who could land himself neck-deep in shit because some broad was obsessed with his trouser torpedo. To the undisputed Boss of Fuck.”
Cam shook his head, smiling as the men clinked glasses and bottles. “That fucking nickname is gonna haunt me.”
“Till the day you die.” Steady spoke around the cigar as he arranged his cards.
Cam set his cards down. “She called me that.”
“Who? Gemini?” Ren asked.
“Yes, Gemini,” Cam confirmed. “She called me the Boss of Fuck.”
“How could she have known it? It wasn’t Miguel's nickname.” Steady asked.
Cam stood and walked over to the railing like a zombie, images flashing in his head like a slideshow:
Gemini walking into the club in Ibiza when his informant failed to show up.
Who are you waiting for?
You.
You’re right about that.
Joseph talking to him beneath the portrait of her late father.
He was a brilliant businessman. A strategist. He wanted to take Gemini under his wing, but she never seemed to show any interest…
Gemini is the star of the show.
Gemini straddling him and whipping him.
Tonight, the Boss of Fuck will work for me.
The truth hit him like a bolt of lightning crashing through his being.
Gemini March is The Conductor.
He repeated the thought aloud.
“Gemini March is The Conductor.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Steady said. “She's featured in Glamour Magazine this month discussing the pitfalls of liquid eyeliner.”
Herc added, “You think the gorgeous supermodel thing is just some cover?”
“No. It's not just some cover. It's the perfect cover.” Cam explained. “Her father, Ulysses, was a brilliant strategist with a global network. Joseph Nabeel told me Ulysses tried to bring Gemini into the business, but the more he tried, the more she became interested in modeling. What if her father laid the groundwork for The Conductor while she laid the groundwork for the perfect alternate identity?”
“Calliope did make a note of Gemini's travel schedule when she interviewed her. Lotta hotspots on that list,” Ren noted.
Tox said, “According to her official bio, she started modeling at fourteen when she was discovered in Paris. She's been in the business a long time. She’d certainly know how to work the system to her advantage.”
“Exactly. She can be in Malaysia for a runway show or Somalia for a humanitarian mission. It's fucking genius when you think about it.” Cam turned to the group. “Where's Nathan?”
“At home with his family, I imagine,” Ren said.
“Call him and tell him I’m coming. I need to see that video.”