by C J Matthew
“What?” he asked.
“Get a load of this.”
“Yipe. Now I really can’t wait to see the bathroom.”
“Lock the door,” she said over her shoulder, as she moved across the room shedding crusty clothes as she went. “Last one in’s a rotten egg.”
Impatient to get clean and attack Devlin, she passed on the giant jacuzzi tub—for now—and turned on the music, lights, and overhead rain feature in the techy shower.
“We need one of these,” she informed Devlin.
“We have one of these in our blue guest room.”
She opened her mouth to object to the ‘our’, but when Devlin pulled her against his completely naked, fully aroused body she stayed silent. And when he kissed her, she forgot her name. With another step forward, he pressed her back against the colorful tile. Her body responded to the full-length pressure of his, her nipples aching and hard. He remembered and payed homage to every one of her erogenous zones and then, somehow, he created new ones. When they reached their orgasms together, slick with soapy water and groaning with the pleasure of release, steam filled the shower.
He held up her limp, satisfied body with one muscled arm and washed her hair with the other. After drying her with a plush bath towel, he carried her to the king-sized bed, and they spooned together under silky covers.
“Remember,” he said, “the first time I told you I love you and we had a brief talk about a shifter’s mate.”
How could she forget? “I recall. Sometimes you make the word mate sound like a verb. Didn’t we just mate?”
“As I explained, in the shifter world it’s a person. You and I are destined life mates.”
“Does that always include overprotectiveness?”
“To some degree. I’m working on it.”
“And it’s harder for me to complain since you rescued me.”
Chapter 21
Devlin
Devlin raised one eyebrow at her. “Would it be so hard for you to admit I’m showing lots of improvement?”
“I guess not.” His mate’s eyes twinkled when she teased.
“Well, say it.”
“Anyone ever tell you, you also need to work on not being so pushy?”
He tickled her until she begged for mercy. Breathless, she shoved him onto his back, curled against him with her arm over his chest, and buried her face in his neck.
“Okay, so you and I are mates who have mated.” She could feel her words rumble across his chest. “Is that a starter thing? Finding your mate?”
“More. It’s a life time thing. I will love you and no one else, for as long as we live. Everything I own, my hoard, my share of Muirdris, everything is yours.”
She was quiet too long. His heart sank.
“I’m just absorbing what you’ve told me,” she murmured into his neck. “You need to stop leaping to negative conclusions.”
“You’re important to me. Maybe you could offer some reassurance?”
“I’m in love with you, Devlin. You know I’ve felt drawn to you from the first moment I saw you. That got stronger after our first kiss.”
“And the money?”
“I haven’t decided how I feel about that yet. I’m beginning to see how you use it, how people around you act. How much have you got?”
“Over a billion.”
She sniffed. “Every gossip columnist, Forbes, and lots of business analysists know you’re a billionaire. How much over?”
“When you include the hoard, it’s hard to estimate.”
Raising her head, she pinched his bearded chin. “Devlin, I don’t know much about dragons. In fact, I’ve only met one. But based on fantasy stories, a dragon knows the precise value of his hoard, to the penny.”
“You’re right, my heart. Please forgive me. I trust you completely, I swear. Even within our clan, we each keep our total worth a deep secret. The competition is fierce enough without a specific goal to top one another.”
He took a deep breath. “With the gold, jewelry, loose stones, and artifacts in the hoard, my share of Muirdris Shipping, diverse business interests, real property—I like skyscrapers—and a few shares of stock, you and I are worth five-point-nine-three billion US dollars.”
“We are? We aren’t even going steady. How can you say we?”
“As my mate, everything I own is yours.”
She stared at him. He ached to see her smile.
“There’s an ancient custom,” he said, “called claiming your mate. Dragons used to consummate their union on top of the hoard and at some point, drape each other in as many pieces of jewelry as could fit.”
“Sex on a pile of coins sounds a bit lumpy. Dressing up and piling on loads of jewelry could be fun.”
We will open the hoard and drape her. The dragon was onboard.
Terrific.
He kissed Portia and said, “It’s a date then, as soon as we get home.”
Start now. His dragon insisted.
The dragon was right. When travelling, he couldn’t bear to be parted from the entire hoard so he always brought a few items along.
Devlin uncurled himself from Portia and found his pants in the pile on the floor. He slid the sturdy vial out from the secret receptacle sewn into every pair of his pants. Then he retrieved her Claddagh broach from the duffel and brought everything to her. Sitting beside her on the bed, he placed the broach between her breasts.
“You Portia,” he said, “are the heart of the hoard. I love you more than anything I own or could ever hope to own. The few pieces I have with me, I give to you, and drape them on you.”
He opened the vial and poured loose diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other gems over her chest and down to her bellybutton. His dragon went wild, leaping and growling with joy. His mate curved her neck to see the stones, giggled and several slid across her skin and down onto the sheets. She tried corralling the jewels that remained by scooping them in her hands.
When she looked up and read the raw emotion in his eyes, she paused. Her beautiful face glowing with her unique sense of fun and happiness, she poured the stones back over her body.
The next morning Devlin awoke to gentle teasing kisses on his shoulder and his neck. When Portia hit a ticklish spot under his earlobe, Devlin rolled her onto her back and braced himself above her.
“Good morning,” he whispered, “What would you like to do today?”
“Go home. To the condo.”
He widened his eyes and raised his brows. “Today?’
“I realize you booked us here for two nights, however, I’d like to check on Hoffman, talk to Obasan, and get an update from police Sergeant Sakaguchi. Aren’t you curious to find out what happened to everyone?”
“I suppose.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Can you hear me in there, Dragon? I’m suggesting we go home to the hoard one entire day early. Plus, Devlin, we’re due to start our vacation and we haven’t done any planning. Are we driving or train-riding?”
“Someone loved the hoard argument.”
“Which brings me, last but not least, to the fact that you owe me a dragon swim. One that doesn’t involve a long fall off a ship into freezing water when I’m dressed in regular clothes. Let go shopping for winter diving gear. The dragon keeps me toasty and dry under water. But getting in and out of the icy ocean is brutal.”
“You really want to swim with me?”
“No more emergency swims?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“Of course, I want to swim with you. Hoffman wasn’t your fault.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “I spent most of last night warmed by your body heat and dreaming of swimming underwater with my dragon. We went all around Bali, and Kailua Kona, in Hawaii. We zipped through ship wrecks in Belize, explored the coral reefs off Queensland and the Coral garden at Raja Ampat. And at Utila we swam with the Whale Sharks.”
She cupped his jaw in one hand and stroked his beard. “You, my dragon, are much handsomer and way more imp
ressive than any old whale shark.”
“Bigger, too. Honey, don’t get your heart set on swimming up close with lots of marine life. Most sea creatures see me coming and scatter. Now, I’m on swimming-terms with several whale sharks, so we can definitely do that. Also, I know a couple of pods of friendly, exceptionally brave dolphins. And I seemed to fit in and felt welcomed to the waters off the coast of Galapagos.”
“I want us to go to all those places. After we practice some more.” She flashed him puppy eyes.
“Okay. Let’s see if the concierge can get us tickets for a non-stop flight today.”
“Would you like Champagne with breakfast?” she asked.
“Talk about decadent.”
“Yes, but we have the second bottle from last night. Waste not, want not.”
“You are the perfect mate for a billionaire sea dragon shifter.”
“I’ll order breakfast, you get the concierge working on an early afternoon flight, then we’ll sip champagne in the Jacuzzi tub.”
Devlin’s daytime bodyguard, Yori, stood just inside the Arrival’s hall at Narita airport, waving to Portia—she waved back—after they finished with Security and Immigration.
“Welcome home.” Yori took both bags and led the way. “The Tank is waiting in your regular spot.”
Portia looked shocked “You have your own parking sp—”
“Shush.” He snagged her waist, pulled her close to his side. “Nobody likes a smart-ass.”
“Except you.”
“Just one.” He dipped his head and nuzzled her neck.
“Uh sir, this way,” Yori said.
At the door to the condo, Devlin swept Portia off her feet and carried her over the threshold. After a breathless kiss, he set her on her feet, took the bags from Yori, and thanked him. As the bodyguard boarded the elevator to his post in the lobby, Devlin kissed his mate again.
“Is that a dragon tradition,” she asked, “to carry your mate over the threshold?”
“Hell no. A real dragon tosses his mate over one shoulder and carts her off to his lair. Wanna try that?”
“Not right now. We’ve got a video conference call with Michael and Madam Shinsuke, and Sak—Police Sergeant Sakaguchi.”
Fifteen minutes later, Devlin snarled at the computer screen. He must’ve lost a coin toss he wasn’t aware of, because somehow, he was the first speaker. He sat at the Rattan table in their breakfast area facing his all-in-one computer, while Portia was opposite him with her laptop. He’d been tasked with recounting Hoffman’s capture.
“The confessed bomber,” he started, “Hoffman, was injured trying to escape from the Empress Pride as the tugs pushed the ship out of the Port of Kaohsiung. The Ichiban ship’s captain, Katsu, called the local police for a medical pick up by helicopter and Hoffman was successfully transported to the nearest hospital in Kaohsiung.”
“Portia?” Madam Shinsuke sat forward, worry lines crossed her forehead. The rest of the skin on her face was remarkably smooth. “My sweet child? We’ve heard wild rumors about you falling into the water? What happened?”
Devlin cleared his throat. “That’s partly true, Madam Shinsuke. Actually, Hoffman threw Portia over the railing and she entered the water. Almost immediately, one of the ship’s life rings was thrown to her and at the sound of the man-overboard alarm, the following tug scooped her out of the water and proceeded to warm her.”
“See Michael,” the older woman whined. “She was almost killed. I was afraid of something bad would happen when you hired her. The job is too dangerous for my baby god daughter.”
Chapter 22
Portia
Portia closed her eyes and tried to relax her tense muscles. She needed to regain her equilibrium before she answered her godmother.
“Obasan, this is neither the time nor the place for me to defend my fitness for the Ichiban job. I would rather discuss it in private. Could we arrange to do that?”
Her godmother shook her head. “I’ve made up my mind, dear child. I couldn’t bear to lose you. Your uncle Michael agrees with me. He’s withdrawing the job offer effectively immediately. I’m sorry but it’s for your own good.”
“That’s it? Are you finished?”
“Yes, child, I—”
“Stop calling me ‘child’. I’m an adult. A grown woman. And since you’re finished speaking, it’s my turn. I have several points to make about my employment with Ichiban. First, I’m not sure what’s going on with you, Obasan, but believe me I will keep digging until I find out. My employment with Ichiban was your idea and I’ve got all the letters and emails to prove it. You encouraged me, invited me to Japan. Offered to pay my airfare. All of it was your idea. I won’t quit looking until I figure out what you’re up to, Madam Shinsuke.
“Second point. I have multiple witnesses who will testify that I am fully capable of handling the job Michael outlined to me and as stated in my employment contract.
“Which bring me to point three. I have a signed contract of employment. It’s too late for you or Michael to withdraw an offer. If you break my contract or default on any part of it, I’ll sue the Ichiban company and you personally.
“Now do you believe I’m an adult? I want to keep my job. Just tell me what’s going on and we can talk it through.”
Madam Shinsuke cut her connection to the conference.
“Portia, do you want us to stop now?” Sak asked gently.
“No thanks. Let’s finish. There’s something strange going on with my god mother and I want to get to the bottom of it. The more Devlin and I can learn about all the players the better.”
“Your call. Back to Hoffman. As soon as he is medically released from the hospital, he’ll be extradited. Sent back here under police escort and delivered to me.”
“Have you received the report from the Empress Pride’s Captain Katsu? Last I spoke to him, Hoffman was confessing to everything.”
“Yes, I have that,” Sak said, “and we’ll submit it, but it would be a lot cleaner if Hoffman would confess to a police officer.”
“Sak,” Devlin said, “how about sending one from your Prefecture cops to Taiwan?”
“You make the arrangements and I’ll go.”
Michael spoke up, “I could pay for—"
“Thank you, Mister Shinsuke,” Sak said, “however, you’re too close, too connected to the case. I’ll accept Devlin’s ticket, go tomorrow, and be back that same night or the next day with a valid confession.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.” Michael coughed then asked, “Why did the Hoffman cousins want to hurt me and my company?”
“According to the report from Captain Katsu, the two Hoffman/Haufmann cousins were seeking revenge. They were damaging your company to hurt you and punish your Security Chief, Mister Hana. When the Hoffman’s uncle worked for Ichiban in the past, he was accused of falling asleep on the job. The man who accused him was Len Tadaka who also worked in the security department at the time. Hoffman swears Tadaka lied about his uncle falling asleep. The uncle was fired without the Ichiban Security chief, a Mister Hana, conducting a thorough investigation.
* * *
Devlin
Devlin’s mind sorted through the possibilities. There were too many people involved, and how many were related to each other?
“Remember,” Sak continued, “when we brought Tadaka in for questioning, he confessed to breaking into the Hoffman’s apartment. He was searching for clues to link the Hoffman cousins with the sabotage on your vessels. And Tadaka confessed to the hit and run. Hoffman’s girlfriend walked in on him while he was ransacking the living room, he was terrified she could ID him, so he hit her with a car.”
“I’m responsible for all of this.” Michael buried his face in his hands.
Sak’s image on the computer screen frowned. “Not true, Mister Shinsuke.”
“I’d like to know,” Devlin said, guiding the topic in a different direction, “where the other cousin, Haufmann disappeared to.”
“Funny thing,” Sak said. “He was arrested the first night his ship docked. He was on shore leave. Drunk. He gambled all his money away, started a fight and was arrested. When I thought to run a prison search for him, he was still there. My team transferred him to our custody this morning. But we’ve got no prints, no physical evidence connecting him to his bombs. I need the other Hoffman’s testimony to charge him with placing the bombs on his two ships.”
Devlin curved his mouth in a half-smile and said, “Then may I suggest, Sak, that you hang up now. Check online and pick a flight to Taiwan. Call me with your preferred flight number and I’ll book it in your name on my personal card.”
“Thank you, Devlin. Much appreciated.”
“Wait, Sak?” Portia’s cheeks were flushed with excitement. “I just had a brainstorm. Since he transferred from Ichiban security, Tadaka has been working as my god mother’s personal bodyguard. And it’s seems obvious he’ll do anything to stop or subvert the Hoffman investigation since the cousin’s motivation leads back to him. If he’s capable of hit and run against Hoffman’s girlfriend, is it also possible he’s been pressuring my god mother in an effort to stop me from investigating?”
“I’d be more than happy to assign two of my best field cops to check it out. And one of them will be the same cop who took Tadaka’s confession to the hit and run.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
“I’ll get back to you.”
As Devlin shut down his computer, his iPhone chimed. “Hello?”
“Hey pal, it’s Marc at the Embassy. Your name’s been flying around over here. I’m not calling for gossip. Heard a rumor and thought maybe I could help. A little bird told me your lady, the lovely Portia, apprehended a bad guy named Hoffman and he is currently in the hospital with a broken jaw compliments of the aforementioned lovely and indomitable Portia. The—”
“Stop right there, Marc. You’ve nailed the facts correctly up ‘til now. She did follow Hoffman, did apprehended Hoffman, and during his capture, she head-butted the bad guy, breaking his nose. Indomitable doesn’t begin to describe the lady. And a hint, don’t ever call her my lady within her hearing. Now, fact-check: I broke Hoffman’s nose and I’ve got the bruises on my knuckles to prove it.”