2020, August 4th, one day before the events of the previous chapter
(Maine, Caspira)
NATHAN
(Phone call: Kate and Nathan)
Kate: Madz is bringing me in. About bloody time too. The situation has gotten out of hand. Her retiring seat holders—
Nathan: Are actually MIA. All but one. I know.
Kate: They're more than missing, Nate. I confirmed three of the four kills myself this morning. It's likely that the fourth bit the bullet too, awaiting confirmation. I don't have to tell you what happens if we can't bring Calvin Hunter in.
Nathan: Elena is not a killer, Katie. Her world is Moore Industries. The woman literally does nothing else. I don't even think she knows what it means to be CEO of Moore Industries. Elena doesn't know it will make her a seat holder, nevermind—
Kate: Did you read her file?
Nathan: Don't patronize me, Kate.
Kate: If you did, then you know the woman almost single-handedly handed John Condron an army literally overnight
This ended up making the cast out duke a crown prince. All that happened on the same day she took half of her daddy's company. That's not even her finest hour.
She survived Dean's meet with Neil, you know the one that got our brother killed, all while outsmarting Theron and stealing an heir to two thrones out from under him. Do not underestimate the pretty, little package.
Get off your ass, stop acting like a lovesick puppy and do your job, before it gets you killed. House rules, Nate. She's your killer until we say otherwise.
Nathan: I can handle myself, Katie. You just play nice with Kei and her prince.
Kate: Yeah, about that. She may be a little ticked off at me since I almost killed him and all. Pro tips?
Nathan: Try the sword? She's rusty. Might not hand you your ass. Just don't kill him, Kate. There's no telling—
Kate: Yeah, yeah. She's super into him and his sword's definitely super into her. Several times a day. Believe me, I know.
"Makes two of us," I said to no one, no stranger to how hung up on each other Aiden and Keira were.
I looked at the freshly picked wildflowers in my hand as I pocketed my phone after my unsettling phone call with Kate and sighed. The woman I was about to pick up to spend the day with, had been spending my days with, wasn't a killer. Right?
After surprising her with dinner at home by breaking into her house, I started showing up at her little events again. I couldn't be around her face to face, not after the way I acted last time. So I kept an eye on her from afar while I got my shit together. I couldn't avoid her forever though. The House of Assassins needed me to get the job done.
ELENA
Nathan didn't go out of his way to announce that he was watching me wherever I went. I was so used to it by now though. Even if I didn't see him. I left drink orders for him with the bartender at charity balls or made bids at silent auctions in his name to say hi. Anywhere I went, I found ways to tell him I knew he was watching and I wasn't phased by it.
I certainly flirted hard for someone who claimed to not be interested. He liked it though. He sent me little thank you texts every night for whatever I'd 'gifted' him that night. Somehow a text turned into a full fledged phone call, one doomed to last hours. If he wanted something other than pussy, I was in so much trouble.
"No," I told Nathan, without so much as a glance at him, walking right by him when he finally did show up.
"No? Wherever and whenever I say, remember?" he said, hot on my heels in an instant.
I stopped short and gave him a puzzled look. What was he playing at? After the personal massage on the private beach and the fancy dinner at home and then the little game we played over the last fours days, I really expected more. Honestly, I was almost surprised he wasn't trying to get me drunk at his place by now.
It was date three and he hadn't made a move yet. Maybe he decided I wasn't his type. Why the hell would that matter? I didn't need to be his type. I just needed his signature.
I found out what was keeping him from me for the last four days. Nathan was meeting with my father. My blood was boiling as I stalled outside my office building in front of his car.
To add insult to injury, of all days, of all places, he wanted to take me there. I wasn't about to let him keep toying with me. Our little game was cute, but this was one step too far. This may not be serious to him, but it was my life, my livelihood, all I had.
"Did all the silent auctions and generous charitable donations bankrupt you, Your Grace? Because if that's the case, I'd be happy to—" I began, in opposition to his chosen destination for today's date.
Nathan chuckled.
"I missed your voice. Not my phone voice, the real one. Your sense of humor isn't quite the same without the facial expressions to go with it," he mused, invading my personal space, backing me up against the passenger car door. "Why do I get the feeling it's not the choo choo that's got you blowing steam out of all your face holes? Get in the car, My Lady."
He reached for the door handle behind me. My stupid heart sped up anyway, certain he would reach for me any minute. Didn't he miss touching me? Evidently not. Our eyes met. For just a second, I thought he'd make his move after all as his gaze fell to my lips.
Then he dashed my needy body's hopes, promptly backed up and said, "Please."
My face flushed as he went over to his side of the car, but I complied and got in the car. What choice did I have? The last thing I wanted to do was go with h
im and let him keep fucking with me, but he had something I needed.