From Sanctum With Love (Masters and Mercenaries Book 10)

by Lexi Blake

  The good news was Big Tag had very likely scared his brother off. Maybe now Jared would keep his research to the club. Kai stepped out of Ian’s office and moved down the hall. He had a few days before he would have to play the spy. He would keep an eye on Mia and watch his brother’s entourage.

  He would spend all the time he could with Kori.

  “Holy shit, did you see that?” Jared was standing in the lobby, his eyes wide and a smile on his face like his baseball team had won the World Series. His voice went low, a damn fine approximation of Big Tag. Jared’s face hardened, his jawline squaring off as he held an invisible man up in the air. “I swear to god if you don’t stop following me I will split you open, pull out your insides, and let my baby girls play in them.” He dropped the act and went right back to sunny. “He’s so awesome. I’m going to work night and day to get into that character. I think I love him.”

  Maybe his brother didn’t scare so easily. “Is Squirrel still peeing himself somewhere?”

  Jared waved that concern off. “We managed to catch Lena. He’s going to tag along with her today. I’ll send everyone home. Now I understand that Pierce Craig needs his solitude. He needs peace and quiet because the world is so chaotic for him. He’s a deep man.”

  He wasn’t sure how deep Ian was. Kai had seen Big Tag blow up shit for fun in his backyard, but he didn’t mention that to Jared. He might find himself hauling Jared out so he could sit in Tag’s yard and soak up his vibes or some shit. “I’ve got to get to the office. I have patients to meet.”

  He knew he was running away, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He needed to sit his brother down and have a long talk, but his gut was rolling after the talk with Tag. He needed something else more than closure with his brother and he found himself anxious to get it.

  “I’ll hang out here for a while,” Jared replied. “That Alex guy said I could follow him on a couple of client meetings. He’s bringing his wife with us. She seems nice. It’s going to be good to get to see what the job is really like.”

  Eve would be profiling Jared the entire time. Somehow, the idea rankled. He actually thought about telling Jared not to go.

  His brother wasn’t a killer and that’s what Eve would discover. “Have fun.”

  “Kai,” Jared called out when Kai got to the lobby doors. “Thanks for not kicking me out.”

  Kai nodded and walked to the elevator, but he couldn’t get the nasty feeling out of his gut that he was missing something. Something big. Something he would have to deal with before this was all over.

  * * * *

  Kori relished the quiet. No appointments until after noon. No one in the building at all from what she could tell. All she could hear was the hum of the fan overhead and the rushing water of Kai’s office fountain. She took a deep breath and was grateful for the peace. It gave her time to think about what had happened.

  Kai had happened. He’d kissed her and spanked her and adored her body. She could still feel the ache deep in her bones like a reminder of how well he’d loved her.

  Was she thinking that word already? She knew she shouldn’t, but the pesky word wouldn’t leave her alone.

  She said it all the time. She loved her friends, loved certain books and TV shows, loved the club. But this was a different love. This was a forever and drown in it and lose herself love.

  It scared the holy crap out of her, but she also had to be reasonable. She didn’t have to “lose” herself. She simply had to find the Kori who loved Kai. No one stayed the same. To cling to that idea was childish. She wasn’t the same person she would be ten years from now. Time and experience would shape her. Loving Kai would change her, but that didn’t mean it had to be for the worse.

  Losing herself wouldn’t be so bad if he was with her. That was the key. She had to figure out if Kai felt for her what she felt for him.

  And it wasn’t like she didn’t have time. She moved through the office, watering the numerous plants that Kai kept. He was right about all that green. It was soothing.

  There was time. They were starting to explore, having fun but within boundaries.

  He was very likely going to ask her to sign a contract with him.

  The thought of that made her feel a little caged. She’d signed contracts with Morgan. She’d convinced herself she was safe and that it was all right to give up those pieces of herself to a man who took care of her. She’d given him far more than the contract ever required. Every day she would give more, sign away something else, let some piece go until she’d had nothing left.

  Was she willing to let another man take from her?

  What would Kai want?

  She looked around his office. It was simple, lovely but in a very Spartan fashion. He had a desk, the computer tucked away inside the top drawer. There were no photos or keepsakes marking the top of the desk. The whole office was a shrine to peace and serenity, as though personal history or individual memories had no place here. Beyond the desk, there was a chair and large sofa patients could choose from. Some, Kai had explained, preferred to lie down when they talked, looking up at the ceiling instead of directly at him. It was a way to distance. He often knew he was making progress with those patients when they finally looked at him. There was a rolled up yoga mat tucked into a corner. Even that was a soothing green color.

  This was the place where Kai worked, but he lived here, too, and his personal spaces looked an awful lot like this office.

  As if Kai lived merely to serve those around him.

  He rarely went out beyond his nights at Sanctum. She knew he went to parties the MT group threw, but the only people he regularly saw outside of work and the club were her group when they would have their late night meals. Even then he wouldn’t talk much. He sat back, watching the people around him. He always, always sat next to her. When someone took his place, he made up ridiculous reasons why he needed that particular seat.

  Had Kai been trying to get close to her all this time?

  She heard a bell chime, the one that indicated she was no longer alone. With a long sigh, she stepped out of Kai’s office and back into the lobby. Her desk looked nothing like Kai’s. There was a picture of her mom framed on her desk and a docking station for her laptop. She had a pile of bills and receipts left to log. And two coffee mugs because Kai hadn’t cleaned up yesterday. Which was a surprise since she could always count on Mr. Clean to ensure everything got scrubbed down.

  She waited for the lobby door to open, wondering if it was Kai coming back. His meeting had obviously not taken too long.

  He’d kissed her when he’d dropped her off. Apparently they weren’t doing the professional thing.

  Would he kiss her again? Should she insist that they kept up some kind of distance at the office? Her heart sped up and she tried to smooth down her hair.

  The door opened but it wasn’t Kai who came through. Lena strode through like a diva taking the stage. She had a massive handbag on her elbow that would likely cause nerve damage some day and a phone to her ear. “I need three in the V-neck. Not the crew neck. The crew neck makes him look like an old man. I want only dark colors and one hundred percent cotton. If you try to show me a blend I will have you fired on the spot. Do you understand me?”

  Squirrel wandered in behind her. He was wearing skinny jeans and one of the V-neck T-shirts Lena seemed to be very specific about. He looked quiet, shy. His hair was a bit longer than Jared’s, but it was obvious he tried to emulate his friend. “Hi, Kori. Sorry about that. She’s been on the phone for twenty minutes with some store because she doesn’t like the colors Jared brought with him. The stylist called from LA and said the pictures from the club last night made Jared look old. Like he was thirty or something.” Squirrel smiled. “He is thirty something.”

  Kori rolled her eyes. “I’m so glad to be out of that world. You know thirty isn’t old.”

  “It is in our world.”

  “Not for men.”

  Squirrel shrugged. “Maybe not, but boy they m
ake you feel it. They’re already trying to put Jared on something called a maintenance schedule with a plastic surgeon. Like he needs Botox or something.”

  Yeah, she’d heard the phrase before. “He doesn’t need it. I think Jared is one of those men who’ll likely look amazing at seventy-five.”

  Like Kai would.

  Squirrel gave her a half smile. “We brought by the insurance paperwork for you to sign. Naturally it’s in her bag and I’m afraid to put my hand in it. I have no idea what she keeps in there. It’s probably only going to be another couple of minutes.”

  Lena groaned into her phone. “Neutral colors. I said neutral. Purple is not neutral. Give me to your supervisor. Do you even know who you’re dealing with?”

  “Or not.” Kori nodded toward the small kitchen. “I’m going to get some coffee. Can I get you anything?”

  “I’d love a soda if you have one.”

  “Of course.” Squirrel seemed quiet but sweet. She gestured for him to follow her. “So how do you like Dallas? You’re lucky you’re here at this time of year. Summer is a bitch. I, for one, kind of like having brief seasons.”

  “It’s nice enough. It’s good to be home for a while. Back in the States, I mean. Whoa, is that what I think it is?” He peered into the fridge. “This is real, actual soda with real sugar.”

  She hadn’t thought about that. Jared’s crew didn’t seem big on carbs. “I can find you a diet somewhere. I stock this place. Kai only drinks tea and the occasional glass of wine.”

  Squirrel grabbed the red can and popped the top as fast as he could. He took a long drink. “God, that tastes good. No one allows sugar around Jared. His trainer banned it. I don’t think Jared minds, but I miss it.”

  Kori grabbed her coffee mug and fit the pod in the machine. Kai didn’t believe in caffeine but a few days after she’d hired on there had been a shiny new coffee maker and a box of almost every blend the store carried. She preferred a medium roast but she’d found it nice that the boss wanted her to have her favorite morning drink.

  Had he been taking care of her even then?

  “So you grew up with Jared?” She had to admit she was deeply curious about Jared and Kai’s relationship. Kai never talked about his family. She knew he’d grown up in Seattle and his mother had passed away young. He’d gone into the Army to support his brother. Then he’d made his way through college and grad school very quickly once he’d gotten out. That was all she knew. If Squirrel could shed some light, she’d take it.

  Squirrel leaned against the counter. “Oh, yeah. We’ve been best friends since we met in junior high. Jared’s a great guy.”

  “Did you live in the same neighborhood?”

  “Pretty close. I was a couple blocks away, but it was easy to get there on my bike. I liked Jared’s house better than mine. His brother was kind of a tool though. Luckily Kai was always working or studying and their mom was never there.”

  “A tool?” She was well aware of the chill in her tone.

  Squirrel’s hands came up as though in apology. “Sorry. He was kind of the father figure in our lives back then and he wasn’t exactly easy on us. He was always pushing Jared. I don’t think he liked me much.”

  “Kai likes everyone. Well, he tolerates everyone.”

  “All right, let’s say Kai didn’t think I was a good influence on his brother. Not that I was into drugs or anything. We didn’t do stuff like that. We played football and worked out. Kai thought those were stupid things to do.”

  She had to smile because he hadn’t changed that much. “Kai works out plenty and he plays basketball with the guys, but I understand. He likely told Jared that football wasn’t a profession. I can imagine he pushed academics.”

  Squirrel’s eyes rolled. “You have no idea. He was always on Jared to take all these froufrou classes. Like the kind that get college credit.”

  So even as a kid Kai had been a good parent. “He was trying to watch out for his brother. I tried to do the same for my sister, though my mom was around more. I didn’t have the same responsibilities Kai obviously had.”

  Her mom had worked, but she only worked one job, and every other moment was spent with her girls. After her dad died, her mom made sure to be around for all the important stuff.

  She tried to picture Kai as a kid. He would have taken the responsibility seriously. He would have tried to be the man of the house.

  “Yeah, well, Jared wanted to be left alone. He didn’t need any of that shit. I think that’s why he liked me so much. I didn’t try to make him be something he wasn’t. He could chill around me. Jared and I been tight ever since. We used to have a big crew, but a lot of them moved on after high school.”

  She remembered what it felt like to watch her friends all go off to college while she’d been left behind. She’d gotten into a prestigious writing program, gotten a decent scholarship, but it hadn’t covered enough. She’d been the one left behind. “Yeah, I know how that feels. It’s good that you had a friend.”

  “We’re a good team. You know in the beginning I was his manager. I was the one who set up all his auditions and stuff.”

  “That’s nice. Did you ever think about becoming an agent? I’m sure you’ve got a lot of contacts by now.” She wasn’t sure how efficient he would be, but stranger things had happened.

  “Oh, no,” Squirrel said. “I couldn’t leave Jared. He wouldn’t know what to do without me. He’d be left with people like Lena and that asshole, Tad. Brad’s pretty cool, but then he doesn’t try to change everything. You have no idea how much pressure he’s got on him.”

  She remembered. “Are they already pushing him to leave TV?”

  Squirrel smiled as he nodded. “Oh, yeah, I forgot you used to be in the biz. Jared reminded me that you worked for the producer of Dart.”

  She’d been the one who brought the original treatment to Morgan’s attention. “One of them, but I left before production actually started.”

  “You wrote some movie scripts though, right?”

  There it was, that nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach that she got when she thought about her former career. “A couple.”

  “Yeah, I think I saw some of your horror flicks. Good stuff.”

  She didn’t want to talk about this. “Well, I like the job I have now better.”

  Did she? She told herself it was easier to be out of that life, but lately she missed the peace that came with writing.

  “Yeah, I get what you’re saying. When you find something good, you gotta hold on. Too many people don’t get that. They’re all trying to change him. I don’t think Jared wants to do those dumb films where everyone’s in historical crap. He’s happy where he is. I don’t get why we can’t be happy where we are.”

  Because that wasn’t the way Hollywood worked. “He needs to decide what he wants. He can actually have a great career doing nothing but TV and genre films. That fan group is very loyal to the actors who treat them well.”

  “See, that’s what I say. I don’t think he’ll be happy doing all those fancy movies.”

  The door to the kitchen came open and Lena walked in, a long-suffering sigh issuing from her mouth. “Are you on that again? God, get with the program. In order for Jared to move up in the world, people have to take him seriously. That’s never going to happen as long as he’s wearing superhero costumes and spanking girls onscreen. Let the rest of us handle the career part.” She looked over at Kori. It was kind of the way Kori suspected she would look at a bug on the floor. Or a non-designer shoe. “As for you, here’s the paperwork. I need you to sign and send it in, and then the work on your car will be paid for. I have no idea why anyone would want to trash your car. It’s pathetic enough as it is.”

  Squirrel took the papers out of Lena’s hand and gave them to Kori. “I think it’s a nice car. I actually thought it was Kai’s car when I first saw it. It looked like something he would drive.”

  Kori took the papers, looking them over. It wasn’t anything she couldn’
t have done herself, but Jared seemed to want to make things easy for her. “No, Kai drives a Jeep. He likes to get out of the city as much as possible. He spends a lot of time hiking.”

  Maybe that was something he could do alone since nature wasn’t really her thing. It was pretty and all but she was a city girl. Kai could go hiking and she could…

  Write. She could write.

  She shoved the thought out of her head. “Thanks for this. I appreciate it.”

  “Squirrel, could you go and have the limo pulled around? We have an appointment with the manager of the men’s department at Neiman Marcus in a few minutes and then we’ll have lunch.” She actually gave him a small smile.

  “All right, but I want to go by a game store. There’s a new game Jared wants. Bye, Kori.” Squirrel waved as he walked out.

  The minute the door swung closed, Lena turned on her, that pretty face of hers going arctic.

  “Am I about to get the mean girl speech?” Kori sipped on her coffee, waiting for whatever would happen next. She was pretty sure this was the part of the scene where she got told to stay away from someone’s man. Lena had the look down, but Kori wasn’t sure she’d be so good with dialogue.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I do have some things to say to you. I looked you up last night. I know that you used to be someone.”

  Not bad. As hits went, it would be pretty good if Kori gave a real shit about that life anymore. She’d figured out a long time ago that if the “someone” she had to be was dependent on others, she was cool being “no one.” “Please continue.”

  Lena frowned as though this conversation wasn’t going the way she thought it would, but she soldiered on. “You’re not going to use Jared to get back in the business. I know Morgan King. I called his wife last night. She told me all about you. How you pathetically clung to him for years. How you claimed to have written all his scripts. You would force him to put your name on them, too.”