Chief (Kings of Guardian Book 7) (The Kings of Guardian)

by Kris Michaels

  "What? What did you think about just now to make you so unhappy?" His fingers tucked under her chin and directed her gaze back to him.

  "This isn't my assigned territory." She slid off his lap and tucked herself into the corner of the seat, keeping her gaze averted. She had no intel about the U.S. arm of the Bravata operation, that is why she had to get to the top of the organization. As much as she'd like to kill the bastards, in order to disassemble the entire organization, MI6 needed the name of the person running the Bravata.

  The atmosphere thickened between them, dousing any happiness she had at seeing the famous city or its landmarks. They traveled in a lengthy, uncomfortable silence. Lights slowly strobed through the interior of the vehicle casting an ominous glow across David's somber face. Tatyana glanced his way with frustrating frequency. The minutes stretched by. Taty chased her thoughts around and around, but there was no magical solution to her problems. The unknown factor that David Xavier brought to her investigation coupled with the fact she hadn't checked in with her handler put her in a precarious position. She was operating without a net, but after eight years as an agent for MI6, she knew the protocols.

  The car slowed and then stopped at the base of a towering building. She waited as David's security deployed. A team of four men departed the building and brought his security team's number to nine. Headlights glared through the back windshield. She saw Hannah, her husband Higgins, and David's personal assistant, gather at the front door and present identification. They were allowed inside while another traveling security team deployed. Saints above, that was fourteen guards surrounding the small area between David and the door to the building.

  "Why so much security?" Taty glanced back at him when she spoke. He gave a distracted look out the window before he went back to the tablet he'd retrieved earlier.

  "I have no idea. I leave security issues to those who know it. I pay people to ensure my employees and I are safe." He flipped through a screen on his tablet and sighed.

  "You should pay more attention to your security and your surroundings. You never know when being observant could save your life." Her eyes strayed back to the men outside the vehicle. A team of four went into the building. She noticed the distinct bulge of weapons that were not visible in Switzerland. The American version of his security team appeared less refined, more… military. Finally, the men moved as one. She glimpsed the ear pieces and nodded in understanding. They were waiting for something to be cleared before allowing him to leave the secure environment he currently occupied.

  A guard opened the door and extended his hand for Tatyana. She stepped out and tipped her head back, looking as far up as she could see. Buildings boxed in the sky, leaving only a murky blue-black smudge directly above her. David exited the vehicle and placed his hand on the small of her back, escorting her into the building.

  Taty stutter stepped. The opulence of the chalet in Switzerland should have prepared her for this, but… no. A massive round table centered in the lobby held a floral arrangement at least six feet across and six feet high. The immediate fragrance of thousands of blooms swirled against her senses. The floor was a mosaic of interlocking ribbons of color that dazzled the eye. She took in as much as she could as they walked across the beautiful lobby. The far wall held three elevators and two doors. The door on the farthest side was opened by one of the guards. When they entered, they immediately were moved into an elevator with no control panel. Three guards entered with them. One removed a black card that he pressed to the wall. The elevator shimmied under her feet, and her stomach sank as they rose. The door opened seconds later, which surprised her. She'd thought David would have the penthouse, not an apartment on the lower floor. She felt David's hand on her back and moved forward behind the guards. When the behemoth in front of her veered off, she stopped and stared at the beautiful cityscape. She glanced back at the elevator and then ran her gaze along the solid glass walls that enclosed the apartment. To her right and the center, the city's lights were vivid and beautiful. The left was darker. She gravitated toward the windows as if she was a magnet and they were metal. They were in the penthouse. The elevator's speed was astonishing. "Why are there no buildings this way?" she asked as she tried to absorb the excessive affluence that surrounded her.

  "Central Park. Come." He extended his hand, and she took it without a second's hesitation. He led her through a sliding glass door to the wide veranda. She braced against the cold. Her jacket did little to dispel the biting chill of the wind. He led her to the railing, and she gasped at the beauty of the park below her. During the day the view must be spectacular. Ambient lighting gave her indistinct allusions of trees and shrubbery lining walkways and vast expanses of grass. Pathways and streetlights lined the roads that surrounded the massive green space and glowed in shimmering patterns of white-blue luminescence. She wished the sun would rise in this minute so she could see the splendor she knew was hiding in the darkened vista.

  Tatyana shivered and pulled her coat closed at the neck. He came behind her, wrapping her in his muscled arms. His body heat enveloped her. "How has having this much money not ruined you?"

  His silence stretched between them before he answered. "My father and my mother weren't married. I did not have this wealth while I was growing up. As a matter of fact, before… my father introduced himself to me, I had very little. What I did earn, I sent home to my mother. No matter how successful I become, in my mind's eye, I'm still that bastard child. My mother suffered the fate of many of my people. She was an alcoholic. She died before… father."

  "Is that why there are no photographs of you?" She turned in his arms.

  "Partially. But mostly because the wealth I now control demands certain precautions." He dropped his head, and she lifted onto her toes. His slow, soft kiss ended far too soon for her liking.

  With his arm wrapped around her, they went back into the apartment and through the grand living area. He opened the door to what she assumed would be where she would be immured until she was needed. Higgins and Hannah both worked in the room. She saw a man taking out her luggage along with David's. She glanced up at him questioningly. He shrugged out of his wool coat and winked at her. Higgins appeared magically at his side to take the outer garment.

  "Miss, I've unpacked your cases." Hannah extended her hand.

  "Umm… thank you?" Taty looked at Hannah's empty hand not knowing what the woman wanted. David chuckled and stepped behind her to remove her coat from her shoulders. He handed it to Hannah and the woman headed out the door along with her husband. The door shut behind them quietly.

  "You want me to sleep with you? I thought you slept alone?" She glanced around the massive bedroom. Surely the bed was twice the size of the king-sized beds they had in the chalet. The enormity of the thing still couldn't dwarf the size of the room. She glanced at the floor to ceiling windows and out at the cityscape.

  "I want you in my bed, among other things. My time here shouldn't be as regimented as it was in Europe. And since I have it on good authority you've never been to New York before, we may do some sightseeing."

  Taty's head whipped around. "Really?" She scurried over to him. "May I see the Statue of Liberty? Yankee Stadium? Rockefeller Center? Oh! The Rockettes!"

  He slid his hand behind her neck and stilled her undisciplined and completely regrettable requests. She blushed and dropped her eyes, embarrassed at the lack of focus she'd had since they'd landed. Perhaps it was the jet-lag? She had no other way to explain away the impetuous remarks. She shuttered her enthusiasm and returned her attention back to the mission at hand. Use David to reach the top of the Bravata. Why in the hell was it becoming so damn hard to keep that focus at the front and center of all of her thoughts?

  "We will have time to do a few things." He leaned down and tipped her head back to capture her lips. "But right now we are going to get some much-needed sleep."<
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  Tatyana nodded, not tracking because his lips moved against her neck as he spoke. He stepped away and winked at her. What? What had he said?

  "Bed. Sleep. Now," he spoke as he started to disrobe.

  Taty nodded and headed to what she assumed was the closet. Minutes later, she shivered as she slid under the silk sheets. She squirmed into David's warmth. He tucked her into his side and fell asleep within minutes. Taty stared out the massive window-like walls. If only there were a way she could get to the top of the Bravata without involving David. She drew a deep breath and mentally slapped herself. He was a criminal; she was just doing her job. Taty closed her eyes as his body warmth seeped into her. He was buying women, and no matter what happened, he'd have to pay for his transgressions. And yet her years of instinct were screaming at her to take notice. So many things did not compute on a basic level. The way David had worked to get help to the refugees. The utmost respect of his staff, from the lowest servant to his personal assistant paid him wasn't based in fear, or from what she could see, greed. She compared each thought to try to find a nucleus of redemption that she could attribute to this man… this criminal. She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. No, it wasn't her place to find redeeming qualities, it was her job to stop the Bravata and the men who used them, including David.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chief's security team led him across the foyer and into his private elevator. The day had been a litany of legalese and projections. He'd have to study the information on the near-term decisions that were required and pray he wouldn't have to deal with the decisions for next quarter. If tomorrow's meeting went well, hopefully, he'd be back at the ranch, knee-deep in training issues while the real David Xavier made the decisions. He handed off his coat to Higgins and glanced at his watch again.

  "I'll inform the lady you are home, sir."

  "Thank you, Higgins." They had reservations at Nido dell'Aquila. The insanely successful Italian restaurant was almost impossible to get into. Almost. Chief accepted a glass of cognac and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass panes overlooking the cityscape. His mind worked the intricacies of tonight's meeting. He would introduce Tatyana. That would put her on Guardian's radar. He turned at the sound of her heels. She wore a nude-colored dress that floated around her in an iridescent shimmer. In her dark brown heels, her legs looked miles long.

  She stood still while he slowly crossed the room and walked around her. Chief leaned in for a kiss. "Beautiful." Her cheeks flushed at his compliment, or perhaps with anticipation of another kiss. He didn't care which.

  "Shall we go?" He set his drink down and escorted her to the door where Higgins and Hannah waited for them. Tatyana gasped at the three-quarter length mink cape that he'd ordered from storage for her to wear tonight. He'd originally requested Higgins purchase a warm cloak for her, but his personal assistant suggested using one of the many furs that had been handed down in the Xavier family. He'd had it taken out of storage and cleaned today while he worked. Chief took the cape from Hannah and helped Tatyana into it making sure her hair wasn't caught in the collar. "I was tired of watching you shiver in your designer jackets."

  "It is beautiful." She ran her hand over the plush fur.

  "As are you." He guided her into the elevator.

  "Where are we going tonight?" She exited with him, and they followed his waiting security detail across the foyer.

  "An Italian restaurant that I've heard great things about. I've met the owner a time or two. Interesting man. A successful restaurateur with exceptional business sense."

  He pulled her closer to him when they settled into the limousine. She bent and twisted to look out the windows, taking in the sights. It went against his nature to treat her like a prisoner, but to ensure she didn't contact the Bravata, he'd continue to limit her access to people and electronics. His security team watched her like a hawk, and the apartment had been swept for listening devices before they arrived. The sweep had delayed their entry this morning. The team would be actively sweeping the apartment again, right now.

  They arrived at the restaurant, and Mike couldn't stop his smile at her wide-eyed expression. They were ushered to their table and seated. Drinks appeared without being ordered, and Tatyana gaped at him in surprise. "Why would they not ask what we want?"

  "This establishment is different." He watched as she took in the environment. Each table was secluded from the others. "They know our drink preferences. I'm assuming Joel spoke to them when he made the reservations. The meal is selected and prepared by the chef, taking into consideration our personal tastes.

  "We don't order?"

  "No."

  "You pay money so someone can tell you what to eat?" She watched as a waiter approached with a domed silver tray.

  "I do." A well-timed procession of wait staff appeared. They cleared table settings and placed silverware. Glasses were filled. Delicacies were delivered, and the menu for the evening was explained before the staff disappeared in a graceful, quiet dance of serving perfection.

  He lifted a blue cheese stuffed fig wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with port wine sauce to her lips. She lifted an eyebrow suspiciously but opened her mouth taking a small bite of the delicacy. He popped the rest of the bite into his mouth and froze mid bite at the erotic moan that left Tatyana's lips. His cock jerked with interest when her eyes closed, and her tongue peeked out cleaning a drop of port wine sauce from her succulent bottom lip. "Now I understand why you let the chef tell you what to eat."

  "You need to trust me, Tatyana." He lifted another bite to her lips. An expression flashed across her face right before she opened her mouth and took the fig, her lips and tongue caressing his fingers in the process. His cock filled at the memory of what those lips could do.

  "Mr. Xavier, it is so good to see you again!" Justin King's voice interrupted his desire filled thoughts. Tatyana's eyes popped open at Justin's words, and her face flamed crimson with embarrassment. Mike chuckled and wiped his hands as he stood. He shook Justin's hand while taking in the man's appearance. His slim cut suit was tailored impeccably to his frame. When coupled with the thick black frames of his glasses and his lack of pretentious attitude, his appearance might lead a person to believe the man wasn't one of the world's most successful restaurateurs. Yet, Justin's establishments were the hottest tickets in town. Politicians, the elite of society and everyone who wanted to be someone made it a point to be seen at his restaurants. He was not-so-secretly touted as the man with the Midas touch and had access to people and conversations that gave Guardian a very secret edge. To Chief's knowledge, only Jason knew Justin was involved in Guardian's business. The way the other brother good-heartedly harassed Justin for not being part of Guardian, he could damn near guarantee it.

  "Justin. Thank you for fitting me in at the last minute. May I introduce my companion, Tatyana Petrov? Taty, this is Justin King. He owns this and, what is it, six other restaurants?" He turned to Justin as he asked.

  "Actually, the ink is just now drying on the contract for my ninth." Justin took Tatyana's hand in his and lifted it to his lips. "Es aris didi siamovnebit' shegkhvdebit,' Tatyana."

  Mike chuckled at the wide-eyed expression that hadn't left Tatyana's face. "You speak Georgian?"

  Justin lifted away and winked at her bringing a further pulse of color to her cheeks. "No. I've learned the phrase, 'It is a pleasure to meet you,' in about ten different languages, but I must admit, if it doesn't concern food, nothing else will stick in my muddled brain. English is hard enough to master. Wouldn't you agree?"

  A wide smile spread across her face. "Wholeheartedly. The nuances of the English language frustrated me for years when I was studying it in University."

  "You're a linguist?" Justin somehow managed to look embarrassed. "You must tell me did I get that phrase right? I practice each one to try to get the accentuated words corre
ct, but the last Italian greeting I gave… well, suffice to say, I ended up very embarrassed when I inadvertently told a distinguished sixty-five-year-old woman it was my pleasure to eat her."

  Chief barked out a laugh at the same time as Tatyana. Justin removed his glasses and pinched his nose in an excellent portrayal of mortification. He smiled and shook his head before he returned his glasses.

  "Your accent is cute, and the words they were stilted, but you did well." Taty smiled up at Mike. The happiness on her face pushed past the mask she normally wore. She was breathtaking. With an effort, he turned away from her. Justin's raised eyebrow let him know that he'd seen whatever it was that transpired between them.

  "Are you in town long, Mr. Xavier? I have a new chef that I'm bringing in from Spain. He'll put together the back of the house for my new place in Philadelphia. I'm having a small gathering at my apartment for a few select individuals Wednesday evening so Mateo can test a one or two of his ideas on my favorite clientele's palate."

  Chief weighed the invitation. He rubbed his chin with his hand as he considered the reason behind the invitation before it clicked. He dipped his head slightly and smiled.

  "What time?"

  "We will probably start with cocktails at seven. I anticipate the tasting to start at eight-ish."

  Chief put his hands in his pockets and glanced over at Tatyana. "I'm sorry I can't. I have a rather important business meeting that will have both of us tied up from late afternoon until at least seven."

  "Maybe you can stop over after?"

  "Unfortunately we will be traveling back over the bridge into the financial district from the Bronx."

  Justin groaned. "With traffic that time of night, there is no way to make it back to Manhattan in time to enjoy the party. Maybe the next time you are in the city?"

  "Perhaps." Chief shook Justin's hand. The man turned to Tatyana and bowed slightly. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Petrov. I hope to have the pleasure of practicing my greeting on you again."