by Nana Malone
"I want a bowl."
"Yes, the bowls are right there. At reachable levels."
She frowned. "I want a big bowl for popcorn."
I stared at her. "Popcorn?"
She nodded. "You know, you can make it on the stove or in the microwave. It's delicious."
I sighed and glared at her. "Is there a reason you didn't call me?"
"Well, I figured you were busy. Plus, I can reach it. It's just a bowl."
"Nyla, you were trying to climb on the counter."
Her brow furrowed. "Look, I'm not good at being a prisoner. I just want to be able to do things for myself."
"And you will be able to. Just not yet. You just got out of the hospital."
"Because you shot me."
I threw my hands up. "Jesus. You shoot someone one time, and they never let you forget."
"For the love of Christ, of course I will never forget. You shot me."
I knew I shouldn't react, but my lip began twitching before I knew what was happening. She stomped her foot, but I couldn't help it. The laugh started as a low grumble, deep in the center of my chest. I hoped that maybe she wouldn't notice, but of course she did, and she went still and lifted a brow. Then she threw the pack of popcorn at me as she reached for another packet, and I ducked.
I charged at her quickly, because I knew that if she got going, other things were going to get thrown too. "Nyla Kincade, put the popcorn down."
She reached for the spatula next. Even as I scooped her up gently and put her over my shoulder, she whacked my arse with the spatula. "Put me down, you overgrown wanker. You're such an oaf."
"Well, oaf implies that I'm big, so I'll take it."
"Only you would figure out how to turn that into a compliment. Have I mentioned that I hate you?"
"More than once. Again, I'm sorry you feel that way. I care about you very much."
"Well, I do not care about you right now."
"Nyla, come on, behave yourself."
But instead of behaving herself, she whacked me harder. The sting surprised me enough that I stopped and went stock-still. I glanced down, and my cock was hard. Excellent. The more she struggled in my arms, rubbing against me, the more I was reminded that I couldn’t have her right now.
"Nyla, if you want to start those games, we can. It's not usually my thing, but I am more than happy to spank you. I think I owe you one anyway," I ground out.
The little tremor in her body told me that she didn't hate the idea, but she was injured, so we weren't doing any of that. At least not for another few days when the doctor said she could go without the sling.
"You wouldn't dare." Her voice was a shocked whisper.
"If I think it will get you off, I will absolutely go there." My brain offered up all the helpful images it could of Nyla with her arse up in the air, her beautiful bronze skin begging for my touch.
"You are such an impossible—"
I flipped her body up, bracing her on one arm so that I could ease her down onto the bed. "You were saying, my love?"
I let her body slide down over the ridges of mine and waited to see if she could find a single thing to say.
"I— I don't like this," she said on a breathless whisper.
I laughed. "I know. And I'm sorry that you're in this situation because of me. I really am. Hell, even I think I'm a wanker. But right now, I just really need you to cooperate with me. Please."
"I will not cooperate. I can't lay here in bed letting you just take care of me. I hate it."
"I know. You're not a woman who wants to be looked after. I get that. I also get that I fucked up. These things happen. I should have found another way to get you out of that situation at the Jameson estate.”
"I swear to God, East, when I recover, you are in so much trouble."
"I'll look forward to that. In the meantime, stay here and text me if you need something. You know what, fuck that. Hold on." I jogged back to the kitchen, grabbed her popcorn, stuck it in the microwave, and then went into the office and grabbed my laptop and my phone.
Despite her protests, I'd put her in my room to recuperate. I rarely worked in my bedroom. I liked to keep a nice separation so that on the nights when I couldn’t sleep, I wouldn't associate the bedroom with an office.
Once I settled my things on the desk by the window, I went back for the popcorn. I seasoned it just how she liked it. Very little butter, but a sprinkle of both salt and sugar. The sweet-salty combination was amazing. Then I brought the massive bowl back into the bedroom with several napkins. "For my lady."
She perked up as soon as the scent of popcorn hit her nostrils, and she inhaled deep. "Why are you doing all of this?"
"Because I broke you, so I’m going to mend you. And you matter to me. I don't know how long it's going to take for you to hear me when I say that, so I'm going to keep saying it. I'm sorry I had to shoot you. Now, eat your popcorn. Read your book. I'm going to work now."
"Can you just get me my work files or something?"
I laughed. "No way. Your boss, subsequently also your best friend, already warned you about that. I am not incurring her wrath, because not only do I have to get back into your good graces, I need to earn my way back into hers as well. I shot her most-prized employee. She's pissed with me. So right now, you sit there. Read something."
"But I don't know what else is going on with the case."
"And I guess you won't know until Amelia tells you, right?"
She grumbled something along the lines of, "You can stick your rationality up your arse."
And I chuckled as I turned around. I wasn't sure why, but the harder she fought, the more I wanted her, and the more I wanted to take care of her. She just had to get used to it because she was mine.
And I wasn't letting her go.
Chapter Two
Nyla
One week of not doing much more than lying about and I was losing my mind. Amelia had taken the damn box of files Theroux had given me so that I would rest. That would be the last time I told her anything juicy. My shoulder still hurt, but I had transitioned to sleeping without the sling at least, so that was progress.
Things between me and East, however, were not making much progress.
Every night, he carried me into the bathroom, refusing to allow me to do anything for myself. He was gruff and stern and ever watchful. And then, scowl fully in place, he would draw me a bath, complete with candles and all of the scents that I loved like vanilla and honeysuckle.
The worst was when he would slide my robe off, his gaze completely shuttered. I couldn't even tell what he was thinking as he helped me into the tub. And then he would dutifully and stoically wash my back, as if I wasn't naked in his tub.
To be fair, I was not a good patient. I was giving him hell. I kept insisting on trying to work, on doing things for myself, begging to leave the penthouse.
But he wouldn't let me near a laptop or let me go anywhere but the balcony for my own safety. And God help me if I asked to actually go into the office. He’d locked me in the other day. And when I finally managed to find out his stupid combination to the lock on the door, there was a guard stationed at the elevator to stop me from leaving.
I was a prisoner.
You're being melodramatic. He's trying to keep you safe.
Safe and untouched.
And I was horny. So it didn't help that every night he would give me a bath and not look at me. Not that I actually wanted him since I was still mad about the whole gunshot thing.
Liar. You want him. Probably more than you did before.
I was going crazy. There were only so many Netflix shows I could watch. I had cases. Things to do.
Amelia, my sole ally, was even worse. She'd come and see me at night but refused to talk about work. I didn't even know where we were with our cases or what was going on with Jameson or Theroux.
The only helpful person was Hazel. But she could only tell me bits and bobs that Denning had told her, which was barely anything be
cause Denning knew better. He compartmentalized really well. For him it was work life and home life, and never the twain did meet.
Livy was marginally helpful, because she at least told me that the guys had met at Ben's, but it had been a closed-door meeting at the office, just the guys. No Lucas, no Roone, no Jessa, so it was probably a work thing. But how the hell were we going on a full week with no news? No information. Nothing. I was going insane.
Amelia came in that night with a smile and a box. I pushed up from my sloth position on the couch, wincing only a little as the stitches pulled.
Oh, yes. No wonder East isn’t in a hurry to shag you.
The man in question caught my look and started to come over, so I put a hand up. "No, you will not fawn over me. I am fine."
Amelia chuckled. "Oh, I see she's still in her usual cheery mood."
East’s voice was barely above a grumble when he said, "Well, someone did shoot her. That someone was me, so she is entitled to be grumpy. Here, let me get you a glass of wine. Nyla, red? White? rosé? Any preference?"
I glowered at him. "Scotch. Neat."
He barely bit back a laugh. "So, rosé it is then?"
"I asked for a scotch, damn it."
"Yes, but you hate the taste. Every time we have it, your whole face scrunches up and you cough. You don't like scotch. You're saying you do because I offered wine, and you want to be contrary. Which I get, and I deserve. But I would rather make you happy, so you can have the wine."
I grumbled and huffed. "Wine is fine."
I could hear his low mumbling as he marched on toward the kitchen.
Amelia did not hide her laugh. "Oh God, you are putting him through his paces. Any chance of a reconciliation here?"
"No, he shot me."
She nodded. "But I could see the way you were looking at his ass as he walked out. The more you snipe at him, the less likely it is that he's going to give you what you actually want, and I think you need to get laid."
She had a point. Not that I was admitting it. "No. What I need is to go to work. Why are you guys keeping work stuff away from me?"
"The doctor said you needed to rest. So that’s what we're doing. We're letting you rest."
"I'm going insane. Please give me something, Amelia. Anything. What's going on with Jameson?"
She rolled her eyes. "We can't touch him. He insists nothing is missing, so Denning has us doing a full inventory. One interesting note though. Jameson insists he knows who broke in."
I winced and rubbed my temples. "Oh God, they know it was East?"
Amelia laughed and shook her head. "No. Thank God. But check this out. He's insisting Francois Theroux broke in and that's who shot you."
My eyes went wide. "He's insisting Theroux is the one who tried to rob him?"
She nodded and grinned. "Yeah. It's actually brilliant. It didn't matter that Denning tried to tell him that it couldn’t possibly have been Theroux because he has been inactive for years. None of that mattered, because Jameson is determined."
I frowned. "But he can’t have proof. And what’s their history?"
She shrugged. "Obviously he has no proof. Thanks to East. As for their history, I’ve started digging, but so far nothing. What I do know is that Denning and your father are very much trying to find the perpetrator who shot you. Thinking it’s Theroux will kick that search into overdrive."
I sighed. "Well, good luck to them. I'm living with the shooter."
She laughed. "Well, maybe you shouldn’t tell them that."
"Wait, what about Jameson’s vault? What was in there?"
"An encrypted file which your man is working on. Look, stop. I’ve already told you more than I intended to. I get that you’re bored, but let’s get you back into tip-top shape before we deal with any of that.”
“Amelia, I’m dying here. Please give me something.”
“I’ve gathered some stuff that you might need to make sense of the files Theroux gave you."
I wanted to hug her. I knew that moving my arm in such a fashion would be problematic, but I was happy at least. "You did?"
"I did. Look, it's not every day your bestie gets shot. Especially by her very handsome boyfriend."
"He's not handsome. And I don't even know if he's my boyfriend anymore."
Amelia just laughed. "If you say so. I happen to know that the two of you are a very volatile combination, and that you can't stay away from each other. So deal with it."
I wrinkled my nose at her. "Well, honestly, that arse though."
She coughed a laugh. "Yeah, that arse though." She kicked the box over to me. “To help with what Theroux gave you, I pulled all the files from the archives that I could get on the time that your dad and Theroux were doing their royal dance. I wanted to be careful about pulling anything that was already in the electronic archives, because there would be a record of that, so I gathered the paper files instead. I really focused on the time period when your father almost caught Theroux. There was a woman involved. Did you know that?"
I frowned. "What woman?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. There are photos in the files. She was some kind of informant for your father. I don't really know who she is, but I figure you can dive deep and figure it out, at least until you can officially come back to work."
I was already digging one handed into the box. I felt like my brain had started to atrophy. "Any word on that?"
"Your father is insisting that you take at least another week, and none of us are to discuss work things with you. But don't worry, I'm looking out for the London Lords, and I’ll fill you in if need be. Right now, we have nothing. East hasn't heard from Theroux either.”
All of that, getting shot, and East wasn’t any safer. And we weren’t any closer to solving the mystery. "Fucking fantastic. I blew this. I blew all of this."
"No, you didn't blow anything. For starters, your keen eye noticed the Collins painting in the first place. And now that I've been in there, I can ask some lovely probing questions about it. That's if Jameson hasn't moved it. It’s something to go on at least. And I have probable cause now to ask him all sorts of questions since we have a lovely replica in our possession. He won’t be pleased about that at all. I’m sort of looking forward to the conversation if I’m being honest."
"Yeah." My frown deepened. "Do you ever wonder why Ryder Stone had a sudden change of heart? Suddenly calling us and giving away all the treasure that they'd stashed?"
"I have no idea. But why look a gift horse in the mouth?”
She had a point, but something just didn't sit right.
“Look, it's another few days before they'll let you back on desk duty, so work on this business between your father and Theroux instead, okay? Anything East and the crew need to know, I can tell them. And as far as Denning goes, I'll keep an eye on him. I got this."
I nodded. "Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you."
"And thank goodness you’ll never have to find out."
I smiled. "This is the most I’ve felt like me in days."
"Well, maybe you should tell that very hot man in there what you actually need. Something that's good for your brain and body, and not just good for your recuperation."
"You try and tell him that."
"You know, I don't think he'll listen, but I can try."
I settled back against the pillows. "At least tell me you’ve missed me."
She nodded. "Every day, and twice on Fridays."
"Oh no, our Friday tradition."
"I know. We missed it today. But we'll get it next Friday, okay?"
I nodded as Amelia stood and turned toward the door. "Hey, Amelia?"
She turned with a smile. “Yeah?”
"Thank you. I'll dig into this and call you if I find anything."
"Sure. And don’t thank me too much, you're all I’ve got. I need all your mental faculties in place."
I stared at the box in front of me. It wasn't exactly what I wanted to be working on, bu
t it was better than nothing, so I dug in.
East
"You think this is wise? Keeping this a secret from the girls?" Ben asked nervously.
I glanced around, waiting for Nyla to spring up from behind the bar. "Look, I told Nyla I had a business meeting. She needs her rest, so I don't want her involved."
Bridge chuckled as he took a sip of his beer. "Now you understand how I feel."
I lifted a brow. "Except Nyla and I are in a relationship. I care about her. Are you and Emma in a relationship we don’t know about?"
It was a stretch. I didn't think he'd actually come out and say it. And hell, he was still very much firmly encamped with Mina. I wondered how much of that was my fault.
He didn’t answer of course. Every emotion with Bridge was hard fought. Instead, he just glared at me as if I was nothing more than a mere nuisance. Twat.
Ben shook his head. "You know I won’t be able to keep this from Livy. She has ways of discovering things. The girls are going to find out."
Drew grinned at him lasciviously. “Do these ways include anything sexual? Inquiring minds and all that.”
Ben flipped him off.
I threw up my hands. "What is the point of you being the Director Prime of a secret organization if you can't keep a secret?"
Ben shrugged. "That woman is terrifying. She'll do things to me."
Drew snorted a laugh. "Oh, pray tell. Please, some of us are in Siberia here. What kinds of things?"
Ben pinned him with a glare so hard that Drew physically backed away. "Easy mate. I was just having a laugh."
"Not funny.”
“Tetchy, aren't you?"
I glanced at Drew. What was he playing at? "Let's keep this brief. Amelia is with Nyla now, and the others will be joining her for a girls’ night, but it won't take long for them to realize we all had a work meeting. Including Drew. And then they’ll come looking."
From behind us, a feminine voice said, "You mean that even though you agreed that we were all a team, working together for the same greater good, then you sneak off to have secret meetings and cut us all out? I have no idea why any of us would be angry about that, do you?"