NATHAN
I turned towards Elena and we exchanged a heated look. What was that in her eyes? It wasn't the murderous rage I expected. Kate's presence didn't seem to inspire the fear it usually did in Elena, so that wasn't it either. Was it lust? Desire? No. Something else. Frustration? Intrigue? Whatever it was, I liked it. My hard dick definitely liked it. I wanted more.
"Not you too. You aren't catching the feels, are you Nate? Because that'd be a first," said Kate, breaking the spell. "Cover up your junk. The lady's gawking," Kate mused, shooting Elena a knowing look.
I wanted to wring my sister's neck. Instead, I settled for the sheet she handed me and wrapped it around my waist.
Elena slipped off the table, her head held high as she clung to the sheet. If her feathers were ruffled, she sure as shit wasn't about to let it show.
"Looks like your family stuff followed you back to Maine. This is over. Too many assassins on this date," Elena deadpanned, giving me a once over.
Her gaze lingered on my dick tenting the sheet a fraction of a second longer than I could bear. My mouth was too dry for arguments. She was gawking and made apologies for it. My aching dick could have been buried inside her by now if not for Kate's presence. Elena grabbed her clothes and walked away, her hips sashaying gracefully.
"Got it right on the first guess. That's not usually so easy for you," said Kate, drawing my attention back to her. "Or anyone really. Am I losing my touch?"
I watched Elena until she disappeared from sight, a protectiveness burning inside me that I usually reserved for family. This woman was trouble. I needed to fuck her sooner rather than later. Swallowing my frustration, I turned back to my sister and sat down across from her.
"It's not you, it's her. Keira doesn't go anywhere without Aiden these days. What's up Katie?" I asked, refusing to talk to her about what just happened.
"True. Just checking in on you and your new, little assignment. How's it going? You hit that yet?" she countered, quick on the uptake.
I kept my guard up. With Katie it wasn't just what you said. It was how you breathed, moved, the look in your eyes, micro facial expressions, everything. People always said I was the trickster, player, double crosser, take your pick. That was only because she did it so much better than me though. She was the real master. I was just the apprentice.
"Why do you care if Madz wants to replace a seat holder?" I asked, going on the offensive.
"Because Elena's not the only new seat holder. Madz didn't tell you? Of course not. Almost the entire outer circle is retiring. I smell a conspiracy. Madz doesn't make big moves that ruffle feathers like this. Not unless she has to. I want to know what's going on."
"Madz is probably just doing some heavy damage control because of your little would be coup."
Kate jumped off the table and kissed me on the cheek before turning her back on me. We both knew I wasn't taking her in on my own. Still, bringing her home was my job.
"Don't. I just got this manicure and I'd rather not chip a nail yet. Maybe Madz is just being paranoid about me and the support I've gained to take her place, but watch your back anyway. Even with your new assignment. Now's not the time to get attached, Nate. Do your job. House rules: every target is a potential killer."
In the end, I let her walk away without engaging. It was less out of fear. More out of sibling affection.
Kate was already some distance from me when I called after her, "What about you? Who's going to watch your back?"
"I'm Katherine Dormer. I got me, kid. You just take care of yourself. Watch Elena. Eyes on your target's face, not her ass."
Later that night, I sought to make up for my fumble that afternoon.
Elena laid her purse down as she entered her home and was about to take off her shoes when she heard me.
"Hi honey, have a good day at work?" I asked, blood red roses in hand.
She let go of the heel of her shoe and set her foot back down. Her gaze ignored the flowers outright, but I knew by now that that meant she liked them.
"I don't remember giving you a key or permission to be here," she said, making her way to the dining room.
"Clearly you and I are completely past the whole boundaries thing. We're just so connected, don't you think?"
I followed, hot on her heels. A candlelit dinner and freshly poured wine awaited her once we reached the dining room.
"All I want to do is keep my word and make it a white wine day," I said, picking up a glass of wine and handing it to her.
"Last time you tried that it didn't work out so well," she said, but she accepted the wine and sipped on it slowly.
I looked on, trying to decide if I was in the company of a killer. Sure she was a spitfire who could take care of herself just fine, but a diabolical killer? I couldn't see it. Kate was probably just fucking with my head, playing some game I didn't yet see the endgame of. So why did I keep coming back to this question? Just how much was the woman in front of me really capable of?
"No other assassins this time, I swear," I said, pulling her chair out for her.
"Fine, but I'm counting this as date number two," she said, taking her seat. "And I'm bringing my people in to do a sweep tomorrow. If I find so much as a nanny cam, the deal's off."
I sat down across from her, reached out and laid a hand over hers. What was I doing? The dimly lit room. The mistrust in her eyes even as she sat down to break bread with me. She overlooked me breaking into her house and that I'd been watching her.
All this knowledge combined inside me to create this warm feeling in my chest. Even if she wasn't a bad guy, she was bad news, far too dangerous for me. Kate's advice was good, even if Elena wasn't a killer.
"As long as the no touching rule isn't still on the table," I said impulsively, still hellbent on getting into her pants despite the dangers she posed.
ELENA
I raised my glass to my lips and shook my head before I took another sip of wine. Maybe he was a little bit pushy, but I didn't hate the way the date was going until his sister crashed it. It was probably time to find out why he was in Maine though. His attention was flattering, but I wasn't dumb enough to think he was here just to sleep with me.
I was so focused on not spreading my legs for him, on not losing my chance to become CEO of Moore Industries, that somehow I'd let myself forget who he was. Duke Nathan Dormer aka The Fibster, House of Assassins' Number Three Assassin.
What was the price of his company? Whatever the answer was, one thing was certain: today was definitely a white wine day.