“My nightmare… that’s who that is!” Payton sighed, she had no idea what these two were doing at her place of work. She didn’t mind Attor, but as far as Volos went she’d rather not be in his proximity.
“That ain’t no nightmare, hun, I’m sure those two could take you to heaven in ways you could never have dreamed of.” Kylee laughed softly. “They are coming over.”
“What?” Payton looked up and sure enough the two were walking over toward her desk.
“Miss Hunter…” Attor lowered his head in a nod of respect and let a small smile crease his otherwise perfectly balanced face.
“Attor…” Payton stood up. Turning to speak with him, she could feel every females’ eyes in the office suddenly boring into her. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you,” he stated quietly.
“I’m not even going to ask how you found where I work. But if you need to talk to me, why bring him?” Payton looked around the huge man-mountain in front of her and eyeballed Volos, he was standing a few feet back, his head up and was taking in every little detail he could around the office.
Volos looked over at Payton, the slightest of nods to acknowledge her existence on the planet.
“We don’t travel solo…” Attor stated softly. He leaned forward trying to avoid the ears of the office. “Can we go somewhere private?”
“You and me?” Payton asked. “Or you, me and the oaf?” Her head flicked toward Volos.
“Unfortunately, the oaf has to come with us.” Attor smiled and sighed. “We are a package deal at the moment.” The growl was barely audible as Volos showed his displeasure at being called an oaf.
“I’d fucking love to open that package.” Kylee laughed as she leaned back in her chair, taking in the full glory that was these sexy men. “Can I get one on eBay?”
Payton looked to her bestie and smiled. “Trust me… this package you don’t want.”
“Payton, hun, trust me when I say that package…” Kylee’s eyes sunk straight to the large bulges barely being contained by black leather pants, “… I want.”
“Kylee!” Payton laughed. “Sheesh, woman, you need to get laid.”
“I’m trying.” Kylee’s eyes went wide as she grinned at the men.
“Very trying,” Volos mumbled to himself.
“Hey!” Payton walked up to Volos, extended her finger and stood on her tippee toes—still only coming up to his nipple level—she gave a short sharp poke in his chest. “I’ve had just about enough of your attitude. It’s enough that you’re rude to me, but if you take on my friends…” Payton flicked a look back to Kylee who was busy trying to not piss herself laughing at the ludicrous height difference between them. Payton grimaced and looked back up at Volos who was staring down intently at her. “Pick on my friends and I’ll kick your lily white ass from here to next Sunday. My grandfather always said the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I’m more than happy to test that theory.” Paton gave him an extra chest poke which actually hurt her finger far more than his chest, it was like poking solid concrete. She turned back to Attor and smiled sweetly. “If we must talk, let’s go. And if you must bring the oaf, you better put a muzzle on him.” Payton reached down to pick up her bag, flung it over her shoulder and walked out the front door without waiting for the boys to follow.
“Attor,” Volos said, low enough to be barely audible. When Attor looked over to him, Volos raised his eye level to show his brother what he was looking at. Attor looked up and into a set of the most hate-filled eyes he’d seen in a very long time. The male was standing up at the railing on the top floor, he was wearing a suit with an orange pinstripe through it. The thing was Volos couldn’t look away from his gaze, it was like pure acid, he could actually felt the heat filled stare upon his skin.
Attor looked back at Volos and nodded that he’d seen and a discussion would happen later, but for now he flicked his head to the door and they both turned and confidently walked out to a waiting Payton.
Payton stopped at the corner store and picked up a can of Coke, a chicken and salad sandwich and an apple. If she had to take time out of her day talking to these two clowns, she might as well get fed. Payton didn’t speak to either as she just walked out to a secluded spot near the beach, found a bench that was under a tree and took a seat. Opening her can of soda she took a long drink, feeling the cool liquid roll down her throat was refreshing. Next, she opened the sandwich plastic and took a half of the deliciousness in her hand. She was about to take a bite when she stopped and realized both the guys were watching her, and they looked unsure and hesitant in what to do.
“For goodness sake take a seat, I’m just going to use the fact you’re wasting my time to get some food before heading back to work.”
Attor nodded and took a seat next to her on the bench, he took up more than half with his muscular frame. Volos knew Payton wasn’t going to talk to him, so he took a seat on the grass a few feet to the left, close enough to listen, yet far enough away to not be involved.
With a mouthful of sandwich in her mouth, Payton leaned back on the bench and looked at Attor, she swallowed and raised her eyebrow. “I’m guessing watching me eat isn’t the reason you’ve stalked me to my work?” Payton looking over at Volos, who was busy fake watching the clouds pass by. “So, what’s up, buttercup?” she asked Attor, looking back and taking another bite of her lunch.
Attor wasn’t sure how to approach the subject of her possibly enabling the destruction of their home, and in fact, maybe the entire dragon clan.
Be casual, he told himself.
“So, how have you been?” He smiled, satisfied with the level of casual his tone had.
Payton laughed loudly, trying to swallow her mouthful before she choked. “Wow! You two really have to work on your social skills.” She took a drink to wash the lump out of her throat. “I’m guessing neither of you talk to women very often?”
Attor laughed lightly, relaxing back into the bench. “Nah, our work keeps up very busy, a social life is almost unheard of.”
“What is it you do exactly?” she asked, then took another bite.
Attor looked over at Volos, he gave a small nod.
Attor returned the nod and looked at Payton. “We are in the security business.”
“And the sky is blue,” Payton snorted.
“Why do you say that?” Volos’ head snapped as he spoke, he would not tolerate being made into a joke.
“Huh?” Payton jumped slightly at the sudden aggression from Volos. “Sheesh, down boy.” Payton’s forehead crinkled. “I just meant you’re so flippin’ huge, you’re both like walking mountains of muscle, and a job in security would be a little more than obvious…” Payton pointed up, “… not unlike the color of the sky.” Looking back at Attor. “I told you to muzzle him.”
Attor laughed. “V is harmless.”
“If he snaps at me again, I will smack him over the nose with a rolled-up newspaper,” Payton said with no threat, it was a pure promise.
“At your own risk, woman,” Volos mumbled under his breath.
“Volos,” Attor scolded him. “Enough!” He looked at Payton who had jumped up and was seriously rummaging through the rubbish bin in search of a newspaper. “Payton, please… can I just talk to you?” He tapped the bench to ask her to leave the bin search and return to sitting next to him. “Please, ignore the oaf.”
Returning to the bench, Payton grabbed her Coke and took a long drink. Looking at her watch, then back to Attor. “I have ten minutes left of my break, make it fast before I neuter the oaf myself.”
“You are a lawyer for Canadian Oil Drilling and Exploration, correct?” he asked, ignoring the mention of making his brother into his sister.
She nodded as she finished the last mouthful of her sandwich.
“Your name is associated with an application for exploration of the basin,” Attor said.
“It should be. It’s what I’m working on, it’s what I am known for, and may I
say highly sought after.” Payton tooted her own horn, she wanted to let the boys know. Yes, she knew they were royal, but she wasn’t a no-one either. In her circles she was in very high demand for her skills.
“You must be incredibly proud of yourself.” Volos jumped to his feet and towered over her small frame as she sat on the bench. He’d had enough dancing with the devil, he wanted her to stop whatever the fuck that the dick whistles at C.O.D.E. were doing. “You’re famous you say?” He prodded her ego causing her immediately to stand up, looking around quickly, she stood up on the bench and was now standing eye to eye with Volos as she gritted her teeth.
“I’m good at what I do. No… wait…” she stated, “… I’m fucking awesome at what I do.”
Volos stood his ground despite hearing Attor say his name. This woman was infuriating, and it was about time someone put her in her place. “Awesome at destroying land? Awesome at causing widespread devastation? Awesome at killing off an entire species without a second thought? Oh yeah, you’re just fucking awesome!”
Payton looked incredulously directly at him. “What on earth are you talking about? I’m an environmental lawyer...” a look of confusion passed over her face, “… that means…” she tilted her head, her voice taking a mocking tone, “… I work for the environment. I help business and the environment find a happy medium so that both can exist in a harmonious balance.”
Volos burst out into a loud barking laugh. “Then you’re as stupid as a two armed starfish.”
Payton had never been so insulted, the ball of anger started in her toes and rolled up her legs. It quickly gathered speed by the time it crossed over her hips and was chugging like an out of control steam train as it bypassed her brain and then went straight to her waiting hand. Payton’s fingers balled up tightly and before she had a chance to think twice, her arm pulled back and her closed fist of rage had punched the arrogant oaf in the nose.
Attor laughed as he pushed Volos back a few steps, he wasn’t worried Volos would retaliate, it wasn’t in his nature to hit a woman—antagonize her vocally, absolutely, but never would he raise his fist. He didn’t know who looked more shocked, Volos at having just been punched in the face by a woman, or Payton who had just punched a very large man in the nose.
Volos looked at Attor, running his hand under his nose, checking for signs of blood. “If she wasn’t trying to kill us all, I’d give her a fucking job. That girls got balls.” Attor and Volos walked a few feet away. “I’m going to stand down here, get the information we need, and let’s get out of here before she decides to open a can of whoop-ass. Yeah?”
“Walk away…” Payton nodded as she rubbed her fist, the knuckles on her right hand were already swelling and turning a bright red color. She had never hit a man’s face before and it fucking hurt. She didn’t know how professional fighters did it, one punch and she wanted to go home and nurse her throbbing hand, and she wasn’t even the receiver of the punch. Payton looked up at Volos, his nose didn’t look like she’d even made contact with it.
Bastard, she thought.
“Insulting a woman is never going to end pretty, Volos.” Payton looked him clearly in the eyes. “Even if you smell like a hot brownie making factory, there’s only so much rudeness a woman can take, and you just found my limit.”
Before Volos could answer, Attor pointed him toward the water and turned back to Payton. “Good shot. Was that the first time you’ve hit someone?” He took her hand in his, turning it over and lightly running his fingers over the heavy bruising and swelling that was developing quickly on her tiny hand.
Payton nodded. “He deserved it, rude bastard.”
“He did. And if you hadn’t have hit him, I would have.” Attor laughed. “You need to get ice on this hand. Keep the ice on it for a few hours, it’s going to hurt like a bitch in the morning. Sorry.”
“It’s worth it.” She grinned back at him. “What was he going on about? Killing off a species?” Her forehead creased with concern. “I would never…”
Attor nodded. “Can I ask you to do something?” When Payton nodded, he continued, “Research the company you’re working for, look behind the smoke screen. There’s no oil in the basin,” Attor said. “And if there’s no oil, what exactly are they looking for? And, at what cost to the existing delicate ecosystem?”
Payton looked more confused but she nodded. “Okay, I’ll take a closer look, delve a little deeper. If I find anything that’s suspicious, I’ll squash it faster than a pancake on a Sunday morning.”
“Promise?” Attor’s voice took a serious tone.
Payton paused for a second, there was obviously something these two were seriously concerned about. Personally, she hadn’t seen anything, but digging a little deeper certainly couldn’t hurt. She looked at Attor and nodded. “If I find something that compromises the environment in any way, shape, or form, it’s dead in the water.” She extended her undamaged hand to shake his. “I promise.” And with a small physical gesture, a new comradery was created.
Payton sat in her living room, her right hand was wrapped in a towel that was holding the ice cubes against her swollen knuckles. When she had got back to work, Mr. Embah had greeted her at the door, given a quick quiz about her uninvited guests. He reinforced the company’s policy about signing in visitors, and all arrivals must be approved by him personally. Mr. Embah had also made a point of accentuating the fact that, their jobs quite often cause the radical greenies to come out of the swamp, so to speak. He stated, that if she felt any intimidation or was being pressured by outside forces that she should most definitely tell him immediately, and he would take care of it.
Payton had felt ill at the way he’d said the words, ‘he would take care of it.’ The statement, or perhaps the feelings she got from his words were it would be of a terminal nature. When he’d seen her knuckles, she was sent home for the afternoon, and she’d promised to take her work with her. Payton grabbed her notebook, mouthed a call me later to Kylee and left for the day.
Kylee had turned up after work with some burgers but had to keep going, it was her night class. Kylee had made a late career change and was presently in the last few months of finishing her law degree. It made Payton so proud to be her friend, no matter who or what you were doing, change was only but a single step away for those brave enough to take it.
The notebook was open, but working with her left hand was slow going, the dull ache radiating up her right hand was distracting her, but hopefully, the painkillers would hold it off at least for a little longer. Flicking the panel on the keyboard, Payton scrolled through page after page about the company she worked for. Application after application—this company had explored a great deal of places right across North America.
Payton stopped to think for a second, staring at a spot on the wall while her brain went back to something that had flared in her thoughts. Payton looked down at the screen and flicked back a few tabs, crossing back and forth between applications made in the last two years.
“That’s weird…” she mumbled as she flicked again. Not one to jump to conclusions, she was a lawyer after all, it wasn’t in her nature to draw an answer swiftly. It took time to come to the right decisions and she was doing exactly that, taking her time to mull it over. However, she noticed that every application that had been made in the last two years was always centered around a body of water.
“What’s with the water obsession?” Payton asked the computer as she flicked over some pages and started a search for oil based water versus land-based oil reserves. Oil and gas reserves were commonly found at the joining of tectonic plates, however, the Juan de Fuca plate, while it was indeed off the British Columbian coastline it certainly wasn’t in the basin. Explorations in the past five years had rendered the basin clear of any ‘large’ deposits, and had in fact, also recommended the fault line offshore was a much higher chance of large quantities of natural resources.
“If the basin already got a ‘not worth it’ and was crossed off th
e list, why would this company want to look again?” Payton was mumbling to herself as she sorted through page after page, every article she looked at clearly stated that the basin wasn’t a black gold mine, but if you went offshore to the Fuca fault line, it was a guarantee.
Payton sat back, grimacing slightly from the pain the movement caused her hand. Running her fingers through the long dark loose curls, she let them gently fall over her shoulders. Closing her eyes, her head fell back onto the headrest of the chair, Payton let her mind relive the highlights of the day.
Getting the all clear from the hospital, then the impromptu meeting with Mr. Embah, where he was insinuating that she might find an ‘easier’ path for the application. Of course, to which she said no. After all Payton had her reputation to consider and wasn’t about to risk it for a small-time company with big time dreams.
Skip a few hours to Attor and Volos…
Payton sighed. “Why does he have to smell so fucking delicious?” She didn’t understand it, but every time she was near him the potent smell of sweet chocolate brownies was exhilarating, the kind of smell that made your mouth instantly water and your knees shake with the anticipation of tasting it.
Payton reached behind the cushion and pulled out the oversized T-shirt Volos had given her, she had stashed it there last night after Kylee left. Before the shirt even got close to her nose she could feel the electricity in the air, bringing it to her nose she took in a huge deep breath through her nose and the guttural sound of pleasure that escaped her lips was nothing short of animalistic. Convinced the shirt had been laced with a mind altering hallucinogenic, because when Payton smelled it, all she could envision was climbing that man-mountain viciously and without a safety harness until they reached a mind-blowing peak together.
Throwing the shirt onto the chair beside her, she stared at it like an alien device. A small quiver of energy rippled up from her toes and settled deep in her belly, never had a smell brought her so close to a climax without even moving a muscle. She didn’t know what it was about that oaf, except that his face was incredibly hard. Payton winced as she looked at her swollen hand, the deep red was now sporting a midnight blue hue. If it didn’t hurt so much, she would be impressed with her Picasso knuckles.
Immersion (Apalala Clan Book 1) Page 10