I pop my head into Ingram’s office to see if he is in yet and find him sitting at his desk, typing on his computer. He stops and looks up at me. “Ahhh…Nice to see one of the elusive ‘Elite’ gracing the office with their presence again. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asks in a mocking tone.
“I know we’ve been a little MIA as of late, but it’s with good reason. After the explosion, a lot has happened, and we are all hunkering down. I dropped by to fill you in on what we’ve uncovered so far with the case,” I reply.
“The case? Do you mean the CASE I told you to back off of? The CASE I told you, you are done with?! When will you all listen? And the explosion was just a gas leak. Don’t start with the dramatics, trying to link it to the Bratva. You think you have something, but it’s nothing.”
That comment from him pisses me off, especially knowing all that we do. Ingram slams a pile of large files down in front of me. “Here, Jackson,” he says in a fatherly tone. “This is a stack of cases I want you to choose from. I want The Elite on a fresh case as soon as possible. And for the last time, you are done with that case you all seem to have an obsession with,” I start to say something, but he stops me from speaking by putting his finger up in the air in a ‘Stop right there’ motion and stares at me. “I said you are done, Jackson.”I wish he would stop fucking using my first name like that.“Take these files with you, and your team can pick out a new case to start right away! Understood?”
“Yep, got it. We will look at them today and pick one out. I will keep you updated on which we choose,” I say to pacify him, feeling a little defeated. “The entire team will be back in the office next week to start work on the new case we choose.” With that, he nods at me and goes back to typing whatever he was working on earlier when I interrupted him.
Walking out of his office, I think about mentioning that BJ is alright, but then realize that he didn’t even ask me about her…which I find extremely odd. He is my boss and has always kept a close eye on all of us, including our well-being. I decide to keep my thoughts and the info about BJ to myself and head to my car with my new stack of files.
When I get to the parking garage, I get in my car, toss the stack onto the passenger’s seat and pull out my phone to shoot the team a heads-up text. Conrad seems the most likely to have his phone on him since it’s almost always in his hand.
Stryker: Hey, I’m just leaving the office. Heading to the safehouse now. Had a one-on-one with Ingram. We have a lot to talk about.Make sure the team is ready. Be there in 20
Conrad: You got it Boss. I will wrangle them up now. Do you want Nat and Alexie in on this?
Stryker: Yes.
I slide my phone back into my pocket and speed away.
Nat
Icouldstayhereforever.Looking out the window in King’s room -well, I guess it’s my room now too- with the rising sun creating the most beautiful mixture of pinks and oranges. I could stare at it all day through the tied-back curtains. This place feels like a dream. A place I could exist for all eternity. I would feel safe here with my chosen family.
Sitting on the couch under the vast window, I imagine curling up with King.Why is it him who immediately pops right into my head? It has to be because I’m in his room. Has to be that. It’s the only logical answer.It would be so easy for me and the guys to sit here watching the sun come up, untouched by the outside world, and to leave everything behind to live a life of peace and happiness.
I throw my head back and laugh at myself.What a ridiculous thought. How stupid can I be? My life will never know peace.How can I sit here and even think of any future life while Katia, another piece of my heart and soul, is being tortured? She doesn’t deserve that.
My face grows warm as my anger builds. The thought of my sweet Katia being held by Ivan makes my stomach twist in a knot. I imagine her hazel eyes pleading for someone to save her.I’m coming, Katia.The anger has turned to sadness as a tear slides down my cheek.
The sound of a throat clearing draws my attention to the bathroom door. King stands there with a towel wrapped very low on his waist. Water still drips down his chest, leading to the V-shaped groove as it continues its trail below the towel.Eyes up, Nat.As my eyes make their way up, I notice the intricate tattoos covering almost every inch of his exposed skin.And there is a whole lot of man to cover.When I finally meet his clear blue eyes, a smirk forms on his mouth. He knows my eyes took their sweet time surveying his body. I turn away quickly in an attempt to try and hide the flush that’s forming on my cheeks.
“That was a whole-ass series of emotions you just went through, Luci,” he comments. “From calm to happy to angry to sad. I got whiplash just fucking watching it.” Even though I’m not looking his way, I can feel him move further into the room before he speaks again. “And then, at the end, maybe a little desire. Some neediness, perhaps?” King asks, and I become aware that he is standing directly in front of the couch.
I don’t turn towards him as I know my face will give me away. “Get over yourself, King. My emotions are probably all over the place because I’m sleep-deprived. Do you know how hard it is to try and sleep with you snoring so loudly? It’s damn near impossible.”
I finally turn my entire body towards him. Our eyes instantly meet, and I realize how close he really is to me.Fuck, those perfect blue eyes.His brow is furrowed, still waiting for a reply. This man can’t stand not getting his way. Refusing to let my eyes wander below his face, I notice his beard seems more unkempt and has grown longer. Not too long, but enough that I could grab a handful. His left eyebrow arches in anticipation of what my response will be.
“Wasn’t it you that said there wasn’t a chance in hell we would share a bed?” I snark back, remembering what he told me when he first brought me to this room. “This couch was a wonderful alternative. I would hate to overstep and take advantage of your hospitality, with you sharing a room with me and all,” I say in a sarcastic tone while arching my eyebrow in response.
King takes another step forward, pushing into my space. As he leans forward, I’m fully aware of how the towel around his waist has shifted and could fall at any time. He must have noticed how my eyes fell to his waist, and a large smile forms on those plush lips. My eyes focus on his lips, which continue to move closer, making me think that he might just kiss me.Would I push him away? No, you wouldn’t, you needy whore!
His mouth moves at the last moment before they would touch my lips. His lips, now by my ear say, “Since when have you ever listened to anything I tell you?” I roughly gulp down a lump in my throat.Where is he going with this?A pulse starts between my legs with all the possibilities for King’s intentions. I stand from the couch, trying to ease some of the throbbing, but then I’m hit with disappointment as he backs away.
He continues to step backward toward the bathroom door, our eyes still locked and that damn smile still present on his face. “For your information, Luci, I prefer the left side,” he says seductively as he runs his tongue over his top lip.Fuck me. No, literally, fuck me.
King turns away from me and walks through the bathroom door, but not before turning around quickly. A little too quick as his right-hand moves to grab the front of his towel before it drops.Bummer.With his hand grasping the front of his towel, he leans against the door frame. “Another thing, Luci,” he starts, and I’m practically sitting on the edge of the couch in anticipation of his next move. “I don’t snore,” he states, then backs up into the bathroom and closes the door. Loud rock music begins to blare from the room, but not loud enough that I can make out what it is.
Fuck. I’m going to need him to hurry because I may need another go at some private shower time.
At this point, I don’t even want to know what King is doing in there. There’s a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” I respond.
Conrad opens the door slowly, but his eyes are focused on the ground. I stand up from the couch.No, bitch, you practically jumped off the couch.“Hi,” I say in a low voice.
Hi? HI? That is all I could come up with!?The man standing before me deserves more than just ‘hi’.
From the beginning, Conrad has been the kindest and most gentle person I’ve ever met. An intelligent man who uses his brain for good. He cares for everyone around him, even if it means neglecting his own needs. This man would give up everything if it meant saving his team.