by Carter Blake
“Jackal! What’s happening my man?”
“I’m just calling to check in. I’ve got some questions to ask you, Leviathan.”
“Well, that brunette…”
“Now’s not the time for women, mate. This is a business call.”
“Oh, right, yeah.”
I am curious to hear about that American brunette later, though.
Leviathan might be easy to please when it comes to women, but he’s terrible at talking to them. If he’s managed to make a breakthrough, I’ll be the first to buy him a beer.
“So, I was wondering if you could put your ear on the pulse for me. See if you could find out if there’s been any chatter about a human trafficking ring through Greece?”
“Through Greece? I mean, sure, I can look into it.” Leviathan pauses, and the penny drops. “This wouldn’t have anything to with Dani, would it?”
“It might.”
I’m not sure why I’m trying to protect myself like this from Leviathan. All of the Brotherhood were there when she broke my heart the first time—not that I’ve ever really told them how badly it hurt.
“Do you want me to see if anyone’s mentioning her, too? Cause human trafficking man…that’s rough.”
“Just put your ear to the grapevine and see what shakes loose, Levi.”
“I can do zat” Leviathan answers, mimicking the Russian accent of Chekov from Star Trek. “I’ll call you back in an hour or so, Jackal.”
“Sounds great. You can tell me all about that American brunette, then.”
I hang up and suck in a deep breath.
This has almost been too much action for one day—but it’s not like I wasn’t expecting it. When you follow Danielle Robinson around, you have to be ready for trouble.
It’s what makes being with her so exciting.
That and her ferocity—almost everything is black and white in Dani’s eyes. She’s got an idealism and fire in her that the world hasn’t ruined yet.
I don’t know how much shit she’s seen and written about. Bur every time she posts a new article, I find the time to read it within a few days. She’s at the top of her field, and I can’t believe that it hasn’t come without a price.
After all, we’ve all made sacrifices to be good at what we do.
The hour before Leviathan calls back seems to drag on forever. I pace around my room, feeling almost like a lion caged in London Zoo.
I turn the TV on—some German nature documentary about butterflies in the amazon—to pierce the silence. I order tea and some finger food from room service. There was no chance to grab lunch in that café, and I can’t ignore my stomach forever.
I work on some new documents for all of the Brotherhood.
Griff asked me recently if I could create something new for him and Kali, and I’d already finished the documents a couple of days ago. I check on them again, just to make sure they are perfect.
And of course, they are.
I resign myself to reading a book that I’ve already read—twice—when the phone rings again. I sit up straight in my chair, sipping my tea, then pick up the phone.
“Are you sure that was only an hour?”
“I went about it as quickly as I can, Jackal.”
“I know. I’m just restless.”
“Yeah. I don’t blame you, mate. Cause things are about to get a whole lot worse.”
“What did you learn?”
“You sitting down?”
“That bad?”
“Yes. And fair warning—you’re not going to like this.”
Again, it all comes back to never being good news whenever Leviathan calls you.
“There’s a lot of chatter about human trafficking in Greece.”
Not surprising but not worth sitting down for to brace myself.
“I’m talking coded messages about moving shipments, tactics for luring in victims, and which officials are open to be bribed. There are even some photos of what happens to victims after they’ve been auctioned off. Jackal, mate, this goes deep, and it’s dark.”
I sigh heavily into the phone, speechless.
“And I looked out for any talk about Danielle, and I think I found some. They don’t know her name, but a couple of guys have reported seeing the same dark-haired, American woman, asking questions and lingering around where she shouldn’t be.”
God damn it Dani, what have you gotten yourself into?
“How bad is it?”
“Well, it could be worse.”
“How bad is it, Leviathan?” I almost yell at him.
“No, I mean it. It could be worse. It seems like the guys in charge aren’t taking her too seriously right now. They don’t see her as a threat.”
I hear Leviathan laugh almost nervously.
“Thank fuck…”
“If that changes, however,” Leviathan cuts me off, “they’ll probably send Tartarus after her, and she’ll vanish into the trafficking ring with everyone else.”
What the fuck?
Tartarus?
If it wasn’t dangerous enough for Dani already, knowing that Tartarus is involved just takes it over the top. Especially if Tartarus finds out that I’m involved—not that any paper trail would lead them to me.
They’ll be going for blood after what we did to them in Safi.
“Are you for real, Leviathan?”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Jackson, I am for real.”
“Sometimes you really give the worst news, Leviathan.”
“It’s a perk of the job, Jackal,” Leviathan says almost sadly, his soft sigh echoing through the cheap phone speaker.
“So, this brunette?” I ask, hoping to lift the mood just a notch.
“She wasn’t interested. She’s got a boyfriend.”
“And you can’t take him?”
“I mean, she said she wasn’t interested. And imagine if the terminator had a baby with Scrappy Doo.”
“So, he’s strong, dumb, and has anger issues on par with a yappy terrier?”
“Exactly! Sure, I could take him, but what’s the point?”
I smile kindly and shake my head slightly.
“Better luck next time, Leviathan.”
“Thanks, Jackal. Talk to you later.”
The line clicks and goes dead, and I swap my phone for the cup of tea on the table beside me.
Why did Tartarus have to be involved? And is my presence in Dani’s investigation going to be just another hindrance?
Again?
Chapter 12
Danielle
The final drops of water trickle into the deep hotel bath. I sigh deeply, letting the heat sink into every inch of my body. This job, both as a whole and my current assignment, especially, has wreaked havoc on my muscles. I wish I had time to see a professional about it, but a journalist’s day never ends.
Of course, if Janus could just understand that I don’t need babysitting, we might have a real thing, and he could help me with it. But, of course, he had to be a jerk about it, though.
That’s just my luck. He should know damn well that I can handle myself. Sure, I like having him around because he makes me feel safer, and I’m sure there are plenty of situations I wouldn’t be able to get out of his help.
It doesn’t matter, though. He’s a jerk.
But imagine if you did let him close? I think to myself as I let a few drops of lavender oil drop into the bath.
Imagine his strong hands pressing into your shoulders, massaging the muscles deeply before running them all over your body?
My mind swirls as the scented water flows into my brain, and I let my own hand slide along my body, mimicking what Janus has been doing in my thoughts.
He would take his time, for sure. Running his fingertips across my sides, gently tickling me before returning to his duties lovingly, massaging my lower back, and inching the towel down just to tease his hands on my ass. I’d chastise him playfully, but he’d say he was just being thorough.
And before I know it, he
would be plunging his tongue into me from behind, gripping my hips tight as I buck and moan. Oh, how his tongue would make me moan.
My own fingers run down my body through the water, my nipples hard as pebbles despite the hot water. I grip my breast and bite my lip as I remember the feeling of his warm, velvety tongue running across my thighs, my ass, my soaked pussy lips.
A moan escapes me involuntarily as I begin to slip my fingers up and down the lips, slick and soaked with much more than the scented water. As imaginary Janus begins to work his lips and tongue across my clit, so do my own fingers. As imaginary Janus turns me over and spreads me wide, positioning his incredible cock teasingly against my entrance, my fingers also do the same.
In my mind, he teases me, as I let my own fingers slide just inside me. My whole body feels the tension already the fantastic tension of an imminent orgasm already building, ready to break free as soon as imaginary Janus thrusts his veined, throbbing cock deep inside me.
He adjusts my legs for the perfect angle as he draws his hips back, staring me directly in the eyes as he…
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
“Fuck!” I shout, jumping hard and splashing water over the edges of the tub.
I lean out and scramble for the towel as my phone rings loudly. Who the hell is calling me right now?
I finally reach my phone with relatively dry hands. It’s a number I don’t recognize, but that’s not so strange for me. Ninety percent of the people I talk to operate on burner phones most days.
“Hello?” I ask, trying to push the annoyance from my voice.
“—ielle *crackle*”
“Hello?” I say, annoyed for a different reason now. “This better not be a prank call!”
“Danielle, don’t hang—*crackle* it’s Pandora. *crackle* truck with women and children *crackle*—”
“Pandora? Hey, I can’t hear you!”
“Sec—*crackle* clear spot, call back in—”
And it went silent.
What did she say? Truck with women and children? I hope she gets back to me soon, I don’t like being kept in suspense.
Just in case, I go ahead and shoot a text to Janus.
Source called. Sounds bad. Need to talk soon.
I look down at my bath, contemplating getting back in and resuming my little bit of self-care. But I decided that I’m too wound up. Plus, she could call back any moment—hopefully.
I drain the tub and towel myself off sluggishly. My brain is swimming, wondering what she’s talking about, what she’s doing, and if she’s okay or not. Minutes pass, my thoughts begin to fade, and the annoyance with Janus returns.
Why can’t he just understand? My job really matters to me! I catch myself as I begin to fume a little, shaking the thoughts from my head.
I toss a soft silk robe around my body and enjoy the smooth, cool feel of it, a lovely contrast to the hot bath and warm weather outside. I glance down at my phone. Blank, still.
With a shrug, I walk to the kitchen. I need a cup of tea to calm me down. Maybe a glass of wine, too.
I pick out an orange spice blend and pour out some hot water from the kettle. I stare into the liquid as it steeps, letting my mind wander again. The brown swirls begin to take shape, curling around, reminding me of days and months past.
What if? What if you and—
BEEP! BEE!P BEE!P
“Fuck!” I scream, nearly knocking the hot cup onto the floor. “I really need to change that ringer.”
I grab my phone and click the call.
“Hello? Pan...who’s this?”
“It’s me. Can you hear me now?” the familiar voice on the other end says.
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Yeah, yeah. I can hear you. Are you okay?”
“I’m…fine, for now. I don’t have long to chat, though. How much did you hear earlier?”
“Not much. Something about a truck? Women and children? What’s going on?”
“Calm down. It’s just…Bulgarian authorities seized a transport truck. It was carrying women and children—refugees—I assume to relative safety.” She pauses for a few moments.
“Pandora?” I say hesitantly.
“Sorry. I’m not in a secure spot. Gotta wrap this up. When they grabbed the truck I heard a few screams, a few shots, and saw a few bodies tossed out. Once they drove off, I was able to get a closer look. They weren’t in great shape, even for dead bodies. I don’t know what exactly is going on yet, but it’s bad, Danielle.”
“What do you mean? What about the kids on board?”
“Fuck! Look, I gotta go. I’ll try to touch base soon. Consider this number dead.”
Click.
I stare down at my tea, trying to process everything she had told me. I take a sip, but it doesn’t do anything to calm me.
I need to talk to Janus. Now.
Chapter 13
Janus
I’m trying to keep my smile after my talk with Leviathan, but I’m also knotted up inside.
God, this woman is a liability to my famous composure. I’m frustrated because, for the second time, Danielle Robinson has me worried.
What’s more, for the second time, I know it’s either follow her into the fire or walk away completely.
I’m irritated and I’m worried, and I toy with the idea of using my forged copy of the hotel’s master room key just to give her a little bit of a shock—to remind her that there are stakes and one of those stakes is her life. But that wouldn’t be the act of a proper gentleman, so I’m told, and I knock instead.
“Who is it?”
Is that a slight tremor in the voice of the fearless Dani?
“Jackal,” I growl, lower than I mean to, and surprised to have let my code name slip.
But she knows the Jackal well.
The sigh that comes from the other side of the door sounds a little like relief and a little like stress. A sound I heard often three years ago.
“Give me a moment.”
I can barely make out the hushed conversation she’s having on the other end of the door, but none of it sounds good.
Then I hear the click of her door opening and I’m greeted by her in nothing but a bathrobe.
Her wet hair is falling loosely over her shoulder and her cleavage—
Focus man! We have work to do here.
She motions for me to sit down in one of the armchairs and locks the door behind me.
Her back is to me, and I find myself guiltily drinking her in.
God, her ass is barely covered by that robe.
Part of me wonders if she’s doing this on purpose, given that she knows how much I’m a fan of her perfect derrière.
For one insane second, I picture myself strolling across the room and grabbing her by that sweet little ass of hers and throwing her on the bed.
Keep it professional, Jackal.
I take a seat at the table and she sits down opposite me on the other armchair.
Dani crosses her legs, and I can’t help but linger on them for a moment. I force myself to look away and get caught up with her glorious mess of dark locks, flawless skin, and eyes that sparkle like the cool October night.
“I just got off the phone with my contact.”
“I just got off the phone with Leviathan.”
“Not good?”
“Not good at all,” I answer with a slight shake of my head. “You?”
She shakes her head in return, and a glint of sadness washes over her features.
“Horrendous would be an understatement.”
We look at each other for a second. Her neck is wet and glorious. I want to kiss that little grimace of her face and then I want to—
“Alright, you go first,” she says.
Ah, yes. The job.
“You were right about the trafficking ring, and I was right that you could be in danger.”
She gives me a look. One of those tell-me-something-I-don’t-know kind of looks.
“Well, we knew this Janus. But if your contact
is reaffirming it, then it means I’m on the right track.”
I can’t help it, I have to touch her.
Her hand is warm and soft and once we have skin-on-skin contact it’s hard to stop at just her hand.
“Dani, these men,” I shake my head and pause for a moment. “You don’t know these men. Brutal is an understatement. These aren’t the kind of men who will just outright kill you. I know we’ve been through this before, but—”
“Let me speak my piece, Jackal,” She abruptly interrupts. “A truck was seized by Bulgarian authorities. It’s worse than I thought—”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you!”
“Janus, there were dead young women. There were dead young children.”
This hits me harder than I could’ve imagined.
Dead children? I thought even Tartarus was above that.
I can feel my chest tightening and my stomach dropping. I’m desperately fighting memories.
I close my eyes to center myself.
Dani sees she’s finally silenced me, and she pushes on.
“I’m not talking teenagers, Janus. I’m talking children.”
The word hits me again, children.
I breathe in and out slowly.
I open my eyes.
Her full lips are solemn, her brow furrowed.
As quickly as the shock hit me, I can feel resolve flowing through me.
I have to stay. This was just a job before, but there are some lines you don’t cross. If Tartarus thinks they can hurt children and young women, and get away with it, they’ve got another thing coming.
But we’re going to have to be very fucking careful.
Extremely fucking careful.
I start to slowly nod my head. It is one of those still, slow moments, when the future starts to come together.
The windows are cracked open, and the lace curtains are dancing in the breeze.
Underneath the smells of exhaust and dust, I can faintly make out the scent of the sea. The air is hot and clammy.
Dani’s eyes still haven’t left mine.
They’re dark and concerned, but fierce, too.
I can feel my resolve firming.
“Jackal,” she’s squeezing my hand again. “I have to stay here. This just isn’t about my career anymore. Do you understand?”
“I feel the same way.”