Embraced by Fire

by Delamore, Louise

  “It’s only a kid’s party, but we can’t rule it out. We need to check out who the parents are and where they work. What they might bring home, and how much access the performers will have to the house. You know the drill. However,” he paused, “we may have our real chance the following Thursday—I’ve got a corporate gig.”

  The tension on the other end of the phone changed and he knew any remaining smiles were no longer the fun, friendly kind; they were like his, predatory. The team had finally found the link between a number of companies whose data had appeared on the information black market—Fantasia Alive.

  Now he was in, it was his job to nail down the perpetrators. Someone in FA was involved in stealing top-secret corporate data and selling it to the highest bidder, they need to know who, and how. Undercover, while not the only way to play this, was probably the quickest way to get close to all the players without arousing suspicion.

  “This event is actually taking place at the corporate offices. Whoever we’re looking for is not going to be able to pass up an opportunity like this, especially if it’s Razor as we suspect. Normally our perp would be relying on planning visits to get everything they need, office layout or access cards etcetera… Actually being in the building during the show offers so much more potential for trouble. I’ll send you all the details I have so far.”

  “I knew you wouldn’t let us down, your instincts are killer,” said Delilah.

  He prayed she was right about his instincts because he didn’t think Kait was involved in the scam. She felt clean, but he would hate to find out later his hormones had led his instincts astray. Not that she would give him the time of day once she realised he’d inveigled himself into her employ under false pretences, no matter how good his intentions.

  Women hated it when you lied to them.

  However, until he knew what was going on, the truth wasn’t an option.

  He finalised a few details with Adrian then got into the car, shaking his head in bemusement. Kat Jones, he was amazed he hadn’t made the connection sooner. Her picture in the profile he’d been given was grainy and dark but nonetheless he should have recognised her. That pretty little kitten had grown into a very desirable cat.

  He pulled on his seatbelt but instead of starting the car he leaned his head against the headrest for a moment, remembering. He hadn’t told Kait the truth when he said he recalled her because of a photo in the local newspaper. No, the truth was she once populated his secret fantasies. Her hair, more ginger than the red it was now, had fascinated him.

  He sighed. Not that he’d done anything about it. All the girls he’d fancied back then were virgins, and there was no way he was tangling with one of them.

  Virgins! He shuddered.

  At least they weren’t a problem he worried about much nowadays. Few women he met were still virgins, although he always made sure to ask. The last thing he wanted was to lose his freedom to a life-bond. Sleeping with a virgin would tie his life to hers forever.

  His fingers flexed. Damn the cursed bond anyway. The worst thing was, it only went one way. Sleep with a virgin and he’d never sleep with anyone else, however, she could leave him high and dry.

  He started the car. Irritation at the direction his thoughts had taken evident in the force he used to turn the key. He muttered another curse against the bond under his breath. It was never going to happen. He was never going to be that stupid. No woman would steal his freedom.

  Chapter 4

  Kait slipped Ryu’s contract into a folder and spun on her chair to put it in the filing cabinet. The drawer stuck. She tugged with both hands and winced when it yielded with a shriek. She dropped his file under M, then turned back to her desk, sucking her finger. The sharp edges on her ancient filing cabinet were a menace.

  Bleeding finger in her mouth, she leaned back in her chair and contemplated the man who’d just left. Professionally—he was exactly what the company was looking for. Personally—she’d have to keep a rein on her fantasies.

  Depression settled as she forcefully reminded herself she had strict rules about dating people she worked with, especially if those people were her subordinates. Her rules applied even if the man in question was a dream from her past, and worthy of any present-day fantasy.

  With a sigh, she activated her computer. Forget him, she had more than enough to do without worrying about her newest employee. Children’s parties for the far-too-wealthy crowd were always a nightmare.

  A knock against her doorframe a few hours later was a reprieve from heaven.

  “Victor, come in.” She smiled politely at the tall man filling her doorway.

  “I hear you’ve been hiring people while I’ve been out.” He dropped into the chair opposite her desk and stretched out his long legs.

  “I think you’ll be pleased, he’s a fire-worker.” She picked up her pen and twirled it between her fingers.

  Although her boss gave her the go-ahead to hire and fire without consulting him, she always felt nervous when things were fait accompli without his input. Actually, she always felt a little nervous in his presence, although she didn’t know why. He was a very nice man and a good employer.

  He waved his hand dismissively. “I’m sure he’s fine, you’re a good judge of character. Besides, everyone I spoke to outside said his demo was impressive.”

  His demo had been impressive, but the only reason she’d asked him to do one was because it was company policy. She remembered his performances from their shared past, and she remembered him. The after-effects of schoolgirl crushes crept up at the most importune times. She shifted in her seat. Should she tell Victor this wasn’t a cold hire, that she’d gone to school with Ryu?

  Her boss was bound to find out and she dreaded to think what he would do if he thought she was withholding information. He might seem laid-back but he wasn’t a man you wanted to cross.

  She cleared her throat. “In the interests of full disclosure, I should tell you I went to school with him.”

  He tilted his head back and looked at her from beneath slightly lowered lids, his blond hair glinting in the sunlight filtering through her window. She flushed under his intense scrutiny.

  “Did it inappropriately influence your hiring him?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” She swallowed. “I mean, I think I had probably already decided to hire him before I saw his demo, but only because I knew how good he was in the past. If he’d screwed up the demo I would have said no.” Damn, she hadn’t meant to say that much. When he looked at her like that she always ended up babbling, it was like he somehow turned off the filter between her mouth and brain.

  He smiled his slow smile. “I wouldn’t expect anything else. Don’t worry so much. If you’re concerned, I’ll make sure to check the guy out.”

  “No, not concerned, his demo was excellent.” There, she sounded professional again.

  “Where’s he been working?”

  “He was in the military.” She paused, frowning. “Uh, to be honest I didn’t get a full employment history. He joined the military out of school and I assumed that’s where he was until now, but he didn’t actually say that. I guess I got distracted.”

  “It’s not like you to be diverted.”

  She wasn’t sure what to make of the speculative look on his face. “No, you’re right. I can call him and get a full history.”

  “No, don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.”

  “You will?”

  “Yes. I have my doubts about employing ex-military men.”

  “Why? You’re ex-military.” In a strange way Ryu reminded her of Victor, even though the two men looked nothing alike.

  “That’s why I have my concerns.” His face was oddly blank, as if his mind was momentarily elsewhere. “Military types seldom mix well with artistic types.”

  “He’s ex-military.” She found herself defending Ryu.

  “I’m sure you’re right. Tell you what, why don’t you invite the whole gang over to my place after the show on Sat
urday. We can all get to know the new guy, plus it’s about time everyone had a few drinks and relaxed. Reward for working so hard.”

  She smiled, mostly to cover her worry about Victor talking to Ryu. “Sure, that’s a great idea.”

  “Actually, while we’re on the subject of working hard, there’s something else I want to talk to you about.”

  “Yes?”

  “You’re working too hard, Kait. I appreciate all the extra hours you’re putting in, but it’s important to me my employees have a good work-life balance.”

  “I have a good a work-life balance.” She stared at her pen.

  “No, what you have is a ‘work-work’ and there is no balance.”

  “We’ve been very busy.” But that wasn’t the reason, and now someone had noticed work had become her refuge.

  “Not so busy you have to put in the hours you do. What’s going on, Kait?”

  “Nothing. Everything’s fine. Maybe I’ve been getting a bit caught up in things lately. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I’ll make sure I don’t overdo things.” She knew she sounded stilted and formal but she couldn’t help it.

  She couldn’t tell Victor how much she hated going home to an empty house. How much loneliness had been weighing on her lately. He would tell her to buck up, to get out more, meet new people—date more. In fact, she wouldn’t put it past him to set her up with someone. No, she couldn’t tell Victor.

  He nodded slowly. “Very well.”

  She could see he didn’t believe her, but he wasn’t going to press further. She smiled, hoping he understood she appreciated his concern.

  He nodded again and stood up. “I’m out of the office tomorrow but I’ll see you Saturday.”

  The door closed behind him and she looked at her computer with a sigh. Had she got so bad even her boss was noticing she was replacing her non-existent social life with work? She gave a silent laugh. What was she thinking? Of course he noticed, he just reprimanded her about it, in the nicest possible way, but a reprimand nonetheless. He probably didn’t want to have to deal with her burnout.

  The problem was, her love life sucked.

  There were no two ways about it. She worked because she didn’t have a special-someone reason not to. She liked her job but not so much she wanted to live at the office. No, the problem was her empty house reminded her of her empty life.

  She organised her pens in a straight line, rearranged them, then straightened them again. She was starting to think when it came to men she was cursed.

  They were jerks, left her for Rachael, got job transfers, got back with an ex, one even came down with a near-fatal disease… The list went on. An image of Ryu twirling flames, his odd, copper eyes focused on her, snuck into her mind. She shivered. She’d had a crush on the boy, but the man threw that out the window and replaced it with a brand new crush.

  Of course, since she was attracted to him, he would probably turn out to be gay, or married, or leave the country—oh, and he was an employee. As far as she was concerned that put him into a giant, red no-go zone. Maybe she should take Rachael up on her offer to introduce her to someone.

  No, she’d done that before and she was never going there again, an empty house was preferable. She sighed and scooped up her pens, tossing them in the draw. She was going home. To prove to herself she could, if nothing else. She simply couldn’t stand being trapped here with her thoughts. She would go home, have a relaxing bath… No, before she left, she would see if Johnny was still around. The DJ was an employee so she wouldn’t consider dating him, but he was a long-time friend.

  Right now she needed a friend. If he was free tonight she would arrange to meet up at a bar later. Maybe her favourite party clothes and a couple of drinks would cheer her up. So what if she was knocking off early? She didn’t care. If anyone asked, they could talk to Victor about work-life balance.

  She grabbed her bag. As she headed out, she passed the chair Ryu had been sitting in earlier and her nose twitched. That couldn’t be his scent. Victor had been in here since then. She was imagining things. Still, unable to resist, she took another breath before heading for the door.

  Would Ryu be going out tonight? She’d never bumped into him before… Maybe she could suggest to Johnny they try a bar outside their usual haunts.

  Or would Ryu stay in tonight, his strong body sprawled in front of the TV? Would he be alone? She couldn’t imagine anyone with a smile as sweet as his being single. What sort of woman would he have curled up next to him on the couch? Did he like statuesque blondes or delicate, dark-haired elves? Her image of the sprawled Ryu morphed as his shirt disappeared and a glass of wine appeared in his hand. A feminine hand rested on his chest—

  She halted the thought before it could go any further. Closing her office door harder than necessary, she wished she could slam the door in her mind as easily. Darn it, she didn’t want to think about him anymore. Thinking about things she couldn’t have made her mood worse. Single or not, she was his boss. The last thing she wanted was to be caught up in employment court for sexual harassment. She strode over to reception and tapped on the glass desk to get Carol’s attention.

  “Have you seen Johnny?”

  Carol’s eyes flickered toward the door. “Sorry, you just missed him. He had his bag with him so he’s gone for the day.”

  “Never mind I’ll catch him later, thanks Carol.” Kait fumbled for her cell phone as she walked toward the door. Like most of the performers, Johnny didn’t work the regular office hours Kait and the other desk jockeys did.

  As she opened the door, the heat from the parking lot hit her in a sweaty blast. She drew the hot air deep into her lungs hoping to burn away her malaise. Finding her phone, she scrolled through her contact list. She dialled and heard the phone ring in stereo. Once from her phone, and once from the far side of the parking lot. She glanced up in surprise, and saw Johnny leaning against his car talking to a man she didn’t recognise.

  The ringing stopped. “Kait, what can I do for you?” His voice was reedy through the phone.

  “Look at the front door.”

  “What?”

  Kait smiled to herself. “Just look.”

  In the distance she saw his head turn slowly, a bit bewildered. She ended the call and waved as she walked over to join him. As she approached, Johnny glanced at the man he was talking to then gestured at her. It wasn’t until the man stepped back and Johnny pushed away from the car that Kait realised how close the two were standing. They must have been talking intensely because they’d been standing so close Johnny hadn’t been able to move until the other man stepped back. She hoped she hadn’t interrupted anything important.

  “Are you leaving early?” Johnny glanced at her bag slung over her shoulder.

  “Yes. I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight?” As she spoke her eyes darted between the two men.

  Both tanned, both focused on her. The sun shining down on them like it longed to stroke them. She should feel overwhelmed, but after seeing Ryu she was over gawping at good-looking men.

  Johnny’s gaze flickered toward the other man. “Sure, it’ll be fun.”

  He didn’t look like he thought it would be fun. In fact, the skin around his lips and eyes seemed tight and his stance tense.

  “Are you sure?” They were friends, she didn’t want him to feel pressured into going out.

  “Totally.” His lips pulled back, but it was like he’d forgotten the proper muscles needed for smiling.

  The other man slapped his hand on Johnny’s shoulder, oblivious to the resulting wince. His slightly feminine mouth shot her a friendly smile. “Johnny would love to go out. After a tough day, he deserves some R and R.” His voice was unaccented, but oddly liquid as if he wasn’t speaking his native tongue. “I’m afraid I brought him some sad news.”

  “Oh no. What happened?” Kait turned quickly to Johnny and squeezed his arm reassuringly.

  He avoided her gaze, glancing at the man beside him as if looking
for permission to speak. What had she stumbled onto? Whatever it was, it was clearly something personal affecting both men.

  The other man answered, his smile slipping away to be replaced by a sad frown. “A friend of ours was shot. I came myself to let Johnny know, I didn’t want him to find out through the grapevine.”

  Kait pressed her fingers to her lips. “Shot! How awful. Who is it? What happened?”

  “You wouldn’t know him.” Johnny’s voice sounded strained.

  “Some men confronted him and demanded money. He didn’t give it to them and they shot him.”

  The line around Johnny’s mouth whitened as the man spoke, he was clearly deeply upset.

  “Are you sure you want to go out, J? We could have quiet night in.” Kait looked up into his face.

  “I’m fine, Kait. I could do with a drink.”

  Kait patted Johnny’s arm, then turned to the other man. She hesitated, then held out her hand. “I’m Kait.” It was unlike Johnny to forget the social niceties but given what she’d just heard she understood.

  “Gordon.” His hand stroked into hers, his thumb a subtle caress before he released her.

  Heat surged in her cheeks. For a moment she forgot Ryu as pale blue eyes impaled her. Lord, the man certainly had sex appeal. It wasn’t the raw magnetism of Ryu’s, but it was nonetheless undeniable. Maybe he was just what she needed to distract herself from the unattainable.

  “Would you like to come with us, Gordon?” Even as she asked she regretted it. What kind of woman hit on a man who was grieving for a dead friend?

  “It’s sweet of you to ask, but I’ve got to get home to my wife. She’s been hit hard by this news.”

  “Maybe next time.” Kait smiled sympathetically. Married, of course he was married.

  Gordon squeezed Johnny’s shoulder, again oblivious to the wince, before releasing him. “Don’t forget what we talked about. Me and the boys are always close by. If you don’t call us, we’ll call you.” He finally released Johnny. “Don’t do anything stupid.” He gave Kait a nod and walked off.