Kiss Me Harder: Unbreakable Series

by Cole, Aja

  “So basically, we should prepare for war,” Roan quips, drinking from a water bottle. “I can get my men here by tonight.”

  “Do that.” Bali nods. Roan starts making calls, and I keep trying to piece together why Elias’s mentor would be acting shady now.

  “Hey, you said there’s rumbling that he’s about to be tapped for Secretary of Treasury?” I say slowly, talking as I work through it.

  “Yeah. Strong contender, but it’s hushed since Monroe stepping down isn’t public knowledge yet.”

  “Well fuck, that’s why. She’s probably backing him. If she’s got a stake in him having that position, she’s invested in nothing coming out that’ll put him in jeopardy.”

  “She knows everything we believe he’s involved in and she chose to tell him.” Elias looks troubled and I hate that for him. I know it’s hard realizing that someone you trusted fucked you over. I’ve been burned a time or two over the years, and it scars.

  “Some people choose their hill to die on.” Kane looks on sympathetically. “At least you know now.”

  “Yeah.” His jaw tightens. “We can worry about my feelings later. None of you are safe now and he knows you’re in DC.”

  “We’re all targets. Nothing new for us, but it might take some adjustment for you and Hayes.” Trevor nods at Tori. “And you, I bet you wish you’d just gone into teaching or something.”

  “It would potentially have been better on my nerves, yes,” she agrees. “But I feel safer with all of you than anywhere else. Amusing, considering you kidnapped me first.”

  “Christopher only received Cameron’s assets because there’s no other direct family, right?” Bali starts, worry lining her face.

  No other direct family.

  “Shit,” Elias swears, and I force myself to push aside the panic rising in me.

  “Yes, he has no other family,” I repeat, shaking my head slightly. Hayes doesn’t know about Cami and I want to keep it that way, in case someone tries to get information from him. It’s far-fetched, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.

  Roan comes back into the room. “We’ve got men and weapons that’ll be here by tonight. My men love a good party.”

  “We can’t afford to be blind here. We need eyes and ears.”

  “Didn’t we say that Christopher likes maids?” Hayes speaks up, and I can already hear Bali’s groan.

  “Why can’t there ever be male maids, huh?” she huffs. “Listen, I’m flooring his ass if he lays a hand on me.”

  “It won’t get that far,” I promise. “I’ll go in with you. We’ll get in, they’ll call him away, we get equipment in there and then we’re out.”

  That’s how it should’ve gone.

  32

  Naja

  Christopher’s housekeeper lets us in, and the first thing that makes me want to kick his ass is that we have to sign an NDA before we move past the foyer.

  Strike one.

  Strike two is that even though we’re in the required uniform for the company that he uses, she hands us a small stack of clothing without meeting our eyes and tells us that we can change in the room down the hall.

  I catch Bali’s eye twitch and I walk faster because we don’t need a confrontation yet.

  I close the bathroom door and lock it, shaking out the terrible excuse for a uniform. Imagine a French maid Halloween costume style, but somehow skimpier. There’s even a jaunty little headband thing that makes me want to choke him with it.

  It kills me that he looks so much like Cameron, knowing that he is nothing like the man he was.

  I won’t get thrown back in time when I see him again. I can’t afford that distraction, and it’s a disservice to Cameron’s memory when his brother is such a sad excuse for a human being. I hope he gives me an excuse to give him a few new scars before he spends the rest of his life in prison.

  I might have reconsidered my initial goal to kill him, but it’s still up in the air. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop Bali from doing it, though.

  She hasn’t stopped muttering to herself in angry Spanish since we stepped in here.

  “Get all of it out now, because if we run into him before he leaves, he’ll be able to feel how much you hate him.” I shimmy out of my clothes and put on the terrible uniform. It takes everything in me to switch out my underwear for the black lacy boy shorts that he’s so graciously provided us.

  I’m surprised there aren’t heels to come with the getup too.

  “Kane, we clear?” Bali asks, making sure the connection is still fine. Today, her hair is a short crop of muted red and her eyes are green. Me, I’ve got mousy brown waves and darker brown contacts, with terribly thick glasses.

  “Yeah, and the bugs are transmitting fine too. We’ll need to check the camera.” He, Trevor, and Roan are nearby. Elias and Hayes went back into work today, and I’m a little worried about him and his director.

  I know she’s more than just a boss to him, and it hurts when that kind of shit blindsides you.

  “We just made sure Brooks got the call. He’ll be out within five minutes and we’ll confirm once he’s off the property,” Trevor says.

  “Ugh, let’s get this over with.” I take in the short black and white uniform on Bali that just barely covers her ass, the tied lacy headband, and the scowl on her face—and can’t help the laugh that escapes.

  “I look just as ridiculous, huh?” I sigh.

  “Si,” she deadpans. “At least there’s no real cleaning to do, but that almost makes it worse.”

  “It definitely makes it worse. That means this all really is just a perverted fantasy.” I open the door and pick up the feather dusters that the housekeeper left by the door, passing one to Bali.

  “Coast is clear. Get in and get out. We cut his personal camera feeds and we’ll loop it with footage of you cleaning.” Kane’s voice comes over the comms and we hightail it to Christopher’s office, figuring out the best placement for the small cameras and bugs. Then we spend a few minutes dusting and tidying up, like we’re supposed to be doing, for the camera footage.

  It takes maybe twelve minutes altogether, and there’s still no sign that he’s on his way back.

  “If I were incriminating evidence, where would I be…” I start eyeing the bookshelves and paintings on the wall.

  “Something tells me he’s too arrogant to really hide evidence,” Bali says, feeling underneath his desk and checking the drawers. She moves to a table by the window and feels under it, pausing. When she removes her hand, she’s holding a small USB drive.

  Well, shit.

  I pull out my phone and catch the drive as she tosses it to me, hooking it up to the connector I have attached.

  “You’ve got less than five to get out of there.” The connection is spotty inside the office and Kane’s voice crackles through the speakers, but his message makes it through clear enough for us to know that it’s time to go.

  “Come on, come on,” I murmur to the downloading icon, glancing at the door.

  I hear doors slamming outside, and without seeing if it completely finished, I toss the drive back to Bali and she shoves it under the table. We leave the office and get back to the bathroom, stripping off the maid clothes.

  “We’re stalling, but you need to get out right now,” Kane says, and Bali and I slide out the door, creeping down the back hallway because there’s an exit there according to the floor plan.

  The company will apologize to Christopher and tell him there was a family emergency and they’re sending replacements.

  Opening the door, I let Bali slip through first and I follow, feeling along the wall in the darkness. I hear a lock turn in front of me and I assume it’s Bali unlocking the door to get us outside. I follow behind her, but we both stop short, because the room is filled with pictures.

  Strike three.

  Disgusting pictures of women in compromising positions, most of them with pained looks on their faces and smeared makeup from tears. Christopher is even
in a few of them. Then my eye catches on a familiar face and my heart breaks.

  “Ay bendito,” Bali whispers.

  “Where the fuck are y’all?” Kane demands, and I shake out of my horror, realizing we’re running on borrowed time.

  “We have to take the ones with him in them,” I hiss, snatching photos off the wall. I take a few others too, and so does Bali, then we grab anything else that looks like it might seal his fate: Memory cards, hard drives, until we can’t carry anything else.

  We leave the small room and grope in the dark for the exit again, and realize there isn’t one.

  “Shit,” I mutter, looking up. I spot a window and I drop my loot to the ground, going to it. We’re on the lower level so there’s not a drop, and I get the latch open after standing on a table, shoving it outward.

  “Go ahead of me.” I push Bali forward and she opens her mouth to say no, but I shake my head. “No time to argue, get your ass up there.” Huffing, she tosses her things out the window and moves a leg over the windowsill just as we hear the door open and pounding footsteps.

  I practically shove her out and she pleads for me to dive out the window, but I have some of the bigger items and I can’t take them and myself out at once. We need this evidence. We didn’t just stumble on it to leave it here, and maybe it would’ve been better to be patient and go back for it, keep a level head…but in the heat of the moment—you make the best decision you can.

  I get the last drive thrown to her just as I’m yanked off the table by my legs. I just barely avoid getting my head slammed into the table, and when I face my aggressor and he’s eerily similar to the man I loved—I know that only one of us is getting out of here alive.

  I’m just not 100 percent certain that it’s going to be me.

  33

  Elias

  The minute I step out of the elevators on the floor of our division, Will herds me back inside and lets the doors close.

  “I know I haven’t been around lately, but I didn’t think you’d miss me so much.”

  “Cut the shit, man. What the hell is going on?” Will, who’s usually more of a joker than anything, looks genuinely distressed.

  It raises my hackles immediately, and I know it has something to do with the director lying.

  “Maybe you should tell me what’s happening first.”

  “I’m hearing murmurs that today might be your last day.” He shoves his hands in his pockets, pacing. “You leaving, man? And you didn’t tell me?”

  “If I’m leaving, it’s news to me.” I try to keep my voice light, but anger is bubbling up and it’s directed at exactly one person.

  “Well shit; now I really want to know what the hell is going on.”

  “I’m about to find out. Just know that you might need to make a decision on which side you’re on after today.” Grim, I press the button for our floor again, forcing myself to fix my face.

  The doors open and I start to leave, but Will grabs my arm.

  “Whatever goes down,” He starts speaking, voice low, “I’m with you. We’ve been through too much shit for me to go any other way.”

  “Thanks, man.” I clap him lightly on the shoulder, raising my eyes to where the director is standing at the railing on the slightly raised area. She meets my gaze without a shred of remorse in hers, before she turns and walks into her office, leaving the door partially open.

  Her message is clear.

  Guess it’s my reckoning day.

  Inside her office, I close the door, but I don’t sit. Sitting is for someone you’re comfortable with, and I’m not going to pretend that I don’t see her in a completely different light now.

  “Well, I guess you’ve made up your mind about me.” She sits behind her desk, crossing her arms.

  “Seems we’ve made up our minds about each other.”

  “Ah.” Her lips quirk, “Agents are really a very gossipy bunch, aren’t they?”

  Every word that comes out of her mouth disgusts me a little more. I don’t know who this smug woman is that’s sitting in front of me. She’s not the woman that has been to family birthdays and celebrations. Not the woman I respected for so long and learned from.

  “Why?” I ask.

  “Because there comes a time where you have to think about securing your own future.” She shakes her head, a bitterness to her expression that I’ve either never seen or never paid enough attention to. It ages her. “People are calculating, cruel, and the person willing to go the extra mile will be the one who gets what they want. I’m tired of not being that person. It’s unfortunate that sacrifices have to be made, but maybe you’ll understand in time. Sometimes the decisions are on the right side of authority, and others…” She lifts her shoulders indifferently.

  “I didn’t realize you had such lofty ambitions, or that Christopher Brooks was so essential to those. So I guess your surprise was fake that day? Your being worried about Lightwell’s safety? Did you cover for Shadi’s murder too?”

  “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stands, face smoothing to neutral. “You’ve been valuable to this department, but it’s time for you to pursue other avenues.”

  “You think I’m just going to accept you pushing me out? Abusing your power?” I’m past being hurt that I didn’t realize the person she’d become. I’m genuinely astounded at how nonchalant she’s being.

  “I think you’re a smart man. It isn’t in your best interests to be the whistleblower here, not when you’ve run questionable operations yourself. You can’t save them all, Elias. Let this one go, explore another career option—I’ll even recommend you.” Her phone buzzes on her desk and she glances at it. “You have the rest of the day to clear out your office. Your credentials will be void when you leave this room. If you’ll excuse me, I have to take this call.”

  Just like that, she answers the phone like I’ve already left. Like this was nothing other than failed employment. I’m not going to waste my time trying to understand more about how long she’s been lying to my face.

  I’ve got more important things to worry about, and since I’m apparently completely free of any FBI restrictions now, I guess I’ve got a few calls to make.

  August comes into my office while I’m moving stuff into the large box I’ve been so graciously provided.

  “Just one question, man,” he starts, crossing his arms and leaning back against the door.

  “Yes, you’re still invited over for poker night.” I wrap up my computer cord, setting it inside the box.

  “Thanks, but I want to know if this girl is really worth giving all this up. I’m not going to pretend I know everything that’s going on, but you leaving the FBI and her being all top secret aren’t coincidences.”

  “I wish it were just about a girl.” I shake my head. “The director and I don’t agree on what the oath means anymore. She’s still your boss. I know you have a family that relies on the benefits so I’m not telling you anything else. Just be careful, alright?”

  “I got tapped for a new task force over in cyber crimes, so I’m transferring. But I’m not leaving the agency for good. You are.”

  “In that case, it’s not voluntary, but I don’t want to talk about it here.” I put the last few things in the box and heft it into my arms. “I’m happy you’re moving divisions, man. Me not working here doesn’t mean we’re not cool anymore.”

  “I know.” Sitting the box on the floor, we hug in the most manly way possible, and I feel him slip something into the inside of my suit coat. Pulling back, he nods sharply but his face doesn’t give anything away.

  “See you Thursday.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.” He backs out of the doorway and I grab the rest of my things, looking around my office for the last time. Even if this shit with the director clears up, I know I won’t be back here. I don’t know what the hell I’ll do next, but…I’m not worried about it as long as I can convince Naja to be by my side.

  I make my way to the elevator, n
odding and saying my goodbyes to the people I’ve called part of my team at one point or another over the years. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to miss this, since it’s all I ever wanted to do.

  But not like this.

  The elevator doors are closing when a hand just barely snakes between them, and I jab the open door button before things get gory.

  Hayes.

  “Didn’t think you were gonna leave me behind with this shit-show, did you?” He steps inside with his own sad box, grinning at me. The man’s way too happy for someone that just quit his job.

  “Thought I’d finally gotten rid of you.” I smirk.

  “Think again, buttercup.” He presses the ground floor and I remember that August put something inside my coat. Sitting my box on the floor, I pull out the note and unfold it, my heart stuttering at the words written on it in August’s messy scrawl.

  Kid/leverage. Tnight.

  34

  Naja

  “They told me you were stubborn.”

  I watch Christopher silently, not acknowledging his words. I know it pisses him off; I can see it in the tightness of his lips and hear it in his voice. He’s trying so hard to have the upper hand, and it’s killing him that I’m not begging for him to let me go or speaking to him.

  Every time I look at him, I see more and more differences between he and Cam. There’s evil in his face, settled into the fine lines and perched on the twist of his lips. My wrists are zip-tied, but I can feel the edge of the back of the chair digging into my skin. It might be sharp enough for good friction if I can adjust.

  “I’ve known about you for a while now, you know. Not as much as I know now, but my brother told me about you.”

  That’s news to me, considering I didn’t know Cameron had a brother at all. Still, I don’t let anything show on my face.

  “He told me about the woman that reminded him so much of our mother. They had a closer bond. But then again, I knew she was a treacherous bitch so I didn’t have any interest in goodnight kisses.”