by Billi Jean
She hit him on his arm, careful not to hit him near his wound, he noticed, and shooed him with a hand gesture.
“I’ll check if he’s there, you get to that wall and wait.” He pointed to the far hallway, and she walked quietly to where he pointed. As soon as she was in position, he moved to the glass. The guard was inside, but fast asleep, with his head down on the desk.
Dare eased open the door, and searched the room for the feed to the dozens of screens displaying the department store. He found a line and followed it to a cabinet where he discovered a hard drive. He followed another cord and located the power source. He pulled the plug and turned to see that the screens had all turned to static, but thankfully they remained silent.
The guard hadn’t moved, and Dare couldn’t see a gun on the man, so he left him to his dreams, silently stepping out of the room and closing the door. Ky gave him a questioning look as soon as he walked up.
“Pulled the plug on the camera feed.” He hoped.
“You did?” she sounded amazed.
“Couldn’t think of another way to keep us out of Hollywood,” he teased, turning her to start walking.
She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Oh, yes, that’s good. I was worried.”
He liked her smart mouth, and had a sense that he was the first man she’d ever been so open with. The thought made him pull her close at the door to the mall’s main shops and kiss her quickly.
“What was that for?” she asked with a dreamy sigh.
“Do I need a reason?” he asked, and opened the door for her.
She surprised him with a quick squeeze of his butt then floored him by trailing her hand around to the front of his BDUs to give his cock some attention too. The damn thing jerked like she’d goosed it, and grew heavy, no doubt wanting more action as much as he did. She waltzed her butt out in front of him, and glanced over her shoulder with a sweet smile.
“Damn,” he murmured, caught off guard admiring her rear. But what man wouldn’t? She was slender, but with such a rounded ass, he doubted he’d survive fucking her standing up with those lush curves bouncing against his hips. But he’d give it a damn good try.
“Coming?” she called in a low whisper.
A man could hope. He would be soon, he thought, already mapping out exactly how well he would with a quick nod at her questioning look. “Store first, clothing, you need some new shoes and we have to get a few outfits. And I need out of these BDUs,” he said, wrapping an arm around her tiny waist. “Then we’ll get close to your dad’s lab. Don’t suppose you know of a hotel we can get right across from it, do you?”
She tilted her head and tugged him into a shop that reminded him of a huge Macy’s or JC Penney, but with more glam. “I do. There’s one on the corner from the lab, right across from it.”
“Good. That’s all we’ll need. You look Japanese enough. Can you speak Japanese?”
She gave him a haughty look, as if he’d just insulted her ancestors, but nodded.
“Is there a language you don’t speak?”
“Mmm, yes, I can’t speak Spanish or any German.”
“Ah, but you have smart-ass down pretty well, huh?” He smacked her on the butt, and grinned when she squealed.
“Stop that,” she whispered, looking around as if they’d been caught.
“Baby, if our time schedule wasn’t hinged on one lazy guard and his nap time, I’d have those legs wrapped around me and my—”
“Daren!” She covered his mouth with both hands. “Clothing, new shoes, shower and bed. In that order, please.”
“Food too,” he reminded her, grinning and letting her tug him into the men’s wear. “And not me, but if you’re nice, I might change my mind.”
“Daren Scott, are you ever serious?”
“Only when I have to be,” he said, handing her a few T-shirts, then grabbed a few cargo shorts, a pair of dark jeans and a button down one after another. He loaded her up because she looked so cute holding his clothes, and piled on socks.
“Don’t you need—” She paused and nodded above the clothing to the men’s underwear.
He grinned and walked over, examining the display. She shyly moved closer and he turned. “You pick mine, and I’ll pick yours,” he offered, grabbing all the clothes and nudging her forward.
She blinked, but looked at him quickly, no doubt seeing if he were kidding. He was, but he also wanted to see what she’d do. She turned, going straight for the white boxer briefs with a muscled guy on the front. He wasn’t familiar with the brand, but they were the nicest, and more importantly, the sexiest ones on display. She swung her hair out of her way and pushed to the back where she pulled out two boxes with a grin.
Double extra-large. He winked and loaded them on top. “Might be too small,” he warned her.
She laughed and picked out a light-blue and gray sweatshirt for him, a cap and a blue and gray button down. “We might not get another chance,” she murmured, glancing at him once with a worried frown. “We also need to get some antibiotics for your arm.”
“Clothes for you first. Get enough. Casual and dressy. I want to make sure you have enough—”
“Daren, I know how to shop,” she told him, with a truly evil look in her beautiful eyes. “Very, very well,” she tacked on.
He stayed quiet, smart enough to know when to keep his mouth shut. He’d buy her anything she wanted, if she were his. When she was his.
She checked a few labels, sizing the shirts, then found a few pink and white T-shirts she seemed to like. He nodded and took the small ones off the shelf for her, adding them to the stack. “You get some more and I’ll go get a bag.” He nodded to the right where he’d already spotted luggage. “I’ll be five minutes. I want you with a bigger pile than mine.”
“No problem,” she whispered, giving him a quick kiss by standing on her tiptoes. The damn woman had taken off her shoes. He should have noticed that earlier though.
“Where are your shoes?”
“I set them over there,” she gestured to the opening of the store and shrugged. “If I had to wear them one minute more, I might have refused to walk another step.”
“You walk in heels like most women walk in flats, so don’t give me that. We’re getting you more heels.”
She smiled like he’d complimented her. Shaking his head, he stalked off, amazed at how quickly she’d shaken off the attack. She hadn’t seemed to miss that they might not get a chance to get more clothing, which meant she knew they were in deep trouble.
No shit, she knew, he thought, glancing over to see her pulling jeans off a shelf then a skirt and blouse from behind her. She picked sexy clothes, but not trampy stuff. She went for the beauty of the clothing, he guessed. He doubted she had any idea that he could already picture shoving that dark blue skirt she chose up to reveal her sweet rounded ass so he could take her from behind. The woman had an ass he’d never get enough of. His cock twitched, reminding him that he still hadn’t tasted Ky nearly enough.
Mind on the task, man. He grabbed matching luggage, good, high quality stuff that would last through being tossed off the train if need be. He found a few smaller bags, a watch that Ky might like. Next to the watch, though, he spotted a small necklace with the sign for yin and yang. It was beautifully crafted with silver encasing the black and white stones. He turned it in his hand and realized it was two necklaces, one for the yin and one half for the yang. They broke apart with a twist, and formed again with a gentle snap. He pocketed the chains and charms right as Ky walked up with a pile of clothing. On top he grinned to see a black, sexy bra and panty set.
“I thought that was my job,” he teased, opening the luggage, then tossed clothing in. Ky stopped him with a small sound of protest.
“I’ll do that, you’ll wrinkle them. You go pick out my panties.”
He grinned and sat back on the display structure. “I’ll watch, then we’ll both go pick out panties.”
She knelt down primly and gave him a ste
ady, no-nonsense look. “You tease me a lot.”
He laughed. “You’re right, I do,” he said, watching her remove hangers and roll their clothing. He knew it prevented wrinkles, but he liked that she did too. Smart. Sexy. Sweet. She was all that and more. “You know, I’m going to marry you, Kylie Chung and make sweet little babies with you.”
The look of shock he got was followed so quickly with a happy squeal and hug, he almost toppled backwards. For a small person, she was strong. “Glad you like that, baby, because I’ve never asked a woman to marry me in my life. Never thought I would either,” he muttered.
“Oh, that wasn’t a proposal. But I will be ready whenever you would like to ask, although you should ask my father, first, Daren, and if he is too busy, my grandfather.”
She went back to folding their things like she was enjoying herself. He tilted his head and examined her. She was serious.
“Your dad?”
“Yes, and my grandfather.”
“If he’s not too busy, huh?”
She patted his knee and went back to organizing their luggage. She was teasing him, but he got the sense she also meant every word. Ask her dad and granddad? Holy hell. Goosebumps formed on his arms, but he was man enough to accept that sometimes he had to do things right if he wanted to them at all.
Ky deserved right. She hummed softly, but she was still uneasy, he thought. She worried for her dad, and now, for him, he guessed. Them. As soon as she had things the way she wanted, she picked up the watch and frowned down at it. “What’s this?”
“It’s for you,” he said, then took her hand in his. “Ky, I’ll get us out of this. It’s not easy to trust me, to believe that, but I will, baby.” He pulled her to her feet and hugged her close. She circled her arms around him tightly, tucking her head down against his chest. “I will, Ky, trust me, okay?”
“I do, I just don’t want to see you hurt. Or my father,” she added.
He tipped her head so he could examine her open, beautiful expression, and brushed another kiss to her lips. Her trust in him did odd shit to his chest. Worse, it made breathing difficult. She depended on him like no one ever had before. He liked it, but he also knew he couldn’t let her down. Not on this. He’d have to find a way to get her safe and find her dad.
“Come on, let’s get going. I want to get some shampoo and all that frilly stuff you women like.”
She laughed quietly and sniffed afterwards, no doubt crying but hiding it. “Okay, that sounds nice. Frilly stuff.”
He propelled her to the shoes and brought their bags with them. “First, shoes, then the frilly girl stuff.”
* * * *
One hour later, Kylie rocked on her feet, testing the pink New Balance running shoes on the platform of the subway station Daren smiled at her, looking so handsome in his new clothes she wanted to kiss him again, but held off. Japan wasn’t the place for public displays. Even between foreigners.
A couple near them, though, said something about Daren, and she stared at them until they realized she understood Japanese. They moved off quickly, probably going on another train even.
“What was that about?”
“Manners,” she whispered, and took his hand. “What will we do?”
“Now? Train, then hotel, sleep, then I’m doing things to you that should shock you, but I’m fairly certain you’ll demand on a regular basis, then—”
She covered his mouth and glanced around them. “Daren,” she whispered, but knew it was useless. He seemed to love teasing her. And he knew she’d love it, whatever it was that he wanted to shock her with…
“All right. Here’s our train, huh?” He kissed her hand and kept hold of it.
“Yes, this is it. It’s nearly empty, which is good, correct?”
He nodded, but he wasn’t really focused on her. He was too busy scanning the platform and giving the dozen or so Japanese a full once over. He’d done that several times already and each time, the people gradually eased away. No doubt he was scaring them on purpose. The train slowed and the doors opened, he waited until the few people exited the train, then he guided her forward, pulling both of their bags along behind them.
No one got on and the doors sealed shut with a soft sound, closing them in. She chose a seat and he sat beside her. “You scared them on purpose,” she accused him with a yawn. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer so she could lean on him. “I’m tired.”
“Yeah, I wanted you alone again,” he whispered theatrically. “And yeah, you should be tired. When did you sleep last?”
She thought back over the past few days, and squinted out of the window when the underground train broke into the light. “I think three days, but I slept some when you handcuffed me. And I did get knocked out,” she added when he jerked like she’d goosed him. He would have moved her away, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. She was simply too tired to do more. “It didn’t hurt.”
“You need to tell me these things, baby. Where did you get hurt?” He looked so concerned, she experienced that warm, melting in her chest again.
“I don’t know, the blast, remember? You were worse and now look at you,” she murmured. She’d taken his stitches out when he’d come out of the men’s room in his new clothes. The wound had healed completely.
The train announced the next exit and she sighed, so tired she just wanted to sleep on the train but knew their stop would be right after this one.
“Yeah, but that’s me, you,” he said, tipping her head up to get her attention. “You are not allowed to get hurt.”
The train slowed and he stood. “Let’s get off here and walk, okay?”
She moved to stand beside him and took his hand. “Are you worried that they will be there already?”
“They could be. Better to be safe, Ky. Always better to be safe.”
“How are we going to do this, Daren? You’re going to try to avoid your own—”
“I was never really part of the Sentinels, baby.”
“The Sentinels?”
He shrugged and didn’t respond until they were off the train and through the small group of people waiting to board. Halfway up the steep stairs, he continued, “I think the team was built on this new drug. I’m not sure, but that’s what I’m guessing. Tazz is on it, and I’ve met only one other person—a woman. I know there are more out there, but my guess is that they’ve used your dad’s drug to enhance the agents, and are using them for missions no one else can touch.”
“Dangerous missions, you mean?”
He nodded.
“But you have never taken the drug.” She wanted to make certain of this, and even though he’d told her he hadn’t, she still wanted to hear it. They reached ground level, and walked for several minutes in silence, navigating their way through the growing crowds of early morning commuters. As soon as they exited the train station though, he wrapped an arm over her shoulder and bent to kiss her on the throat.
“No, I haven’t, but my guess? Tazz was going to introduce it and—”
She grasped the logic quickly enough to stop him. “No, your friend wouldn’t do that, not when he knew there were problems.”
Daren squeezed her closer and pushed through a group of Japanese businessmen, then cut across the street quickly. “No, Tazz wouldn’t, but then again, baby, you weren’t exactly a dangerous mission were you?”
It took her a few minutes to put that together. Daren simply led them along, letting her come to her own conclusions. “You’re saying that he signed you two up on this mission to get information from me—the information I gave him earlier. Then why does he want to kill me?”
“Ky, Tazz doesn’t want to kill you, but until I made it crystal clear you weren’t going down, he was considering all the possible ways to keep this drug out of the hands of the enemy.”
“Oh, I see, and your government is more entitled to it than others? Is more responsible?”
“Is that the lab up ahead?”
She loo
ked up and spotted the tall, glimmering tower surrounded with rows of cherry blossom trees. It was so beautiful, a place where dreams could come to life, but the reality was, instead of fulfilling dreams, her father had created monsters.
“You think more people have been given this drug than those my father has tested. Those people are now these Sentinels…this covert operation.”
Daren turned her with a grip on her shoulders. “I do. I also know that the cat’s out of the bag.”
She frowned at the phrase, familiar with it, but unsure what he meant, but her throat tightened at the serious look in Dare’s dark eyes.
“You, your dad, the drug, it’s all out there now. The only way to insure no one gets it is to destroy it and everyone that’s ever worked on it.”
Chapter Seventeen
Daren watched the blood drain from Ky’s face, knowing she caught his meaning, but not his intent. “Baby, I’m going to save your dad, you and make certain no one knows it.”
“How?” she asked, some of the warmth returning to her eyes.
He couldn’t go more than seconds without touching her. It was like he still wasn’t sure she was actually here, in front of him. Screw the mission and anyone who tried to take her from him. He cupped her cheek in his hand, amazed all over again at how soft her skin was, and simply smiled. “Trust me. Right now, you go get us a hotel room, and I’ll go check out the lab. If I’m not back—”
“God, don’t do this again. We should stay together.”
He laughed. “When you can hold a gun without shaking, run in high heels ten miles and have gone through ten years of combat, then you can stay with me when I hit buildings full of people that want to kill or capture you.”
She stuck her tongue out.
“Damn, you’re sweet. Now, be Japanese and get us a room, would you?”
“I won’t pass for Japanese, but I can get us a room without passports, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” she teased, then turned serious. “Daren, please, can’t you simply watch from the room?”