"I don't work well with allies."
"Me neither," I told her. "Must be the anarchist in me."
That and the fact I created that game. Come on, Drew. Give me an opening here.
"Finish taking care of Rick," she instructed me. "And I'll think about it."
Done and done.
Once I had her in the game, I'd be able to find her anywhere.
13
Vienna
“Are you sure I can’t persuade you to stay for at least one glass of wine, now that the work is all finished?” Fletcher leaned a shoulder against the doorway into the kitchen with his arms and ankles crossed. His wavy, chin length brown hair was tucked behind his ears, giving him a Casanova vibe. It was a very attractive picture, and the teasing smirk he was sporting said he knew exactly what he was doing.
The flirt.
Over the last several days we’d engaged in a playful banter, with a touch of suggestive tones. I enjoyed it much more than I’d originally thought. The man Fletcher turned out to be was very different from the man I saved at Dion’s.
Of course he would be different, when his life wasn’t flashing before his eyes. Sitting so close to death tended to sober a person up. This seductive player he turned into made me laugh, and tempted me far more than he should, for someone so closely connected to my world. But Fletcher didn’t seem to have the black taint of the network hanging over him, which was a miracle in itself.
I liked him. Sue me. I liked him and I liked his tongue piercing. I thought about it far more than I should.
Merrick growled under his breath beside me, and I grinned at him.
These two were a car crash waiting to happen. I could see it in the way Merrick tracked Fletcher’s every move, which shocked the shit out of me. Yes, he could get carried away, which was exactly the reason he came into my life in the first place, butdamn. I hadn’t anticipated that he would be so intense when he felt threatened. Or how fucking attractive that quality could be.
My pussy pulsed to a steady beat every time he tried to subtly assert his claim on me. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t the type to allow anyone to claim me, but the way Merrick did it, more from his attachment to me than a real need to control me, turned me on.
I had assumed Fletcher might be a little out of hand today with the flirtiness, and I wasn’t wrong. My top priority though, was keeping Merrick safe. So, I had to put the kibosh on these two.
“I think we’ve probably overstayed our welcome.” I smiled, holding the folder of newly created documents for Merrick.
Fletcher had impressed me with the thoroughness of his skill, as well as how quick he turned this job around. I had been serious about walking out of here today with a new identity for Merrick and his old one completely erased, but I had expected Fletcher to sweat it out before finally pulling it off sometime before midnight. Not so with such ease and within a few hours. He knew his way around the craft of forgery and it showed.
It was all making sense now why Dion had been so threatened by him. I’d give him one more job just to make sure he checked out, and if he did, I’d have him help me with some of the more serious projects I was working on.
But I needed to know I could trust him first.
“I’ll even pour a glass for your guard dog.” He grinned and pushed away from the door.
Okay, now the dismissive tone and abusive term I didn’t care for. Merrick was the only person who meant anything to me at this point, and no matter how much I liked Fletcher, I wouldn’t let him out and out put him down.
Narrowing my gaze, I took a step back toward Merrick, clearly stating where my loyalties lay. “This guard dog doesn’t need a glass of wine, and neither do I,” I said in a much colder voice.
“Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you or him.” He held up his hands in apology. “It’s been a long day and that came out wrong. It’s not even an insult. The man clearly can fuck someone up seven ways from Sunday. I didn’t think he’d care if I pointed it out.”
Sure, like he didn’t take a small jab at Merrick. They’d been measuring their dicks all damn day. Only Merrick’s way had been in glares and snarls, and Fletcher’s in salacious comments and showing off his technological prowess.
Behind me, Merrick set a gentle hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at him, and he smiled. It wasn’t the normal smile I’d come to know from him, but a sinister flash of teeth that shot another blast of heat straight to my core.
“I’m not offended. It’s better he knows you have someone at your back who wouldn’t bat an eye about killing him if he fucks up.”
I couldn’t stop the wide smile that slowly spread over my entire face.
Who are you Merrick Wright? No, who are you, Rick Drew?