“I wasn’t purposefully trying keeping my identity a secret, Mr. Malone,” Clarissa appealed. “Please know that it was never my intention to deceive you.”
“My sister-in-law, Addison, has informed me that she knows you, as well,” Jagger declared. “According to her, while she was being held captive by the Fray, you didn’t know she was there until that final day when we rescued her.”
“Addison’s your sister-in-law?” Clarissa leaned up against the door to prevent herself from falling to the floor. Her situation was getting worse by the minute. Addison was the sister of Reese Matthews, the Deity of the Nobles. The Fray had wanted nothing more than to get their hands on Reese to study her power, which consisted of releasing deadly waves of energy. Addison happened to be a very unlucky woman to be related to Reese, sucking her into a life of captivity. Clarissa had just started working for the government in what she thought was research on DNA and their complex roles in hereditary diseases. The day Clarissa found out what was really taking place in her lab, the entire facility had exploded, and Addison was never seen again. Clarissa was one of the employees who were off-site at the time. “Addison Gray?”
“Yes.” Jagger’s answer was simple. “It’s my understanding that the day of her rescue, you came to her personally and asked some questions she refused to answer. But Addison is requesting that I give you a chance to prove yourself.”
Clarissa remembered that day vividly, because she had gone into the lab early to find a fellow colleague running unapproved samples through prohibited testing. It took some digging after that, but Clarissa eventually figured out that her thesis upon graduating with her PhD would assist the Fray with their mission. That was why they had hired her. Their entire focus was in search of discovering how the Nobles’ DNA functioned, and they thought her research was the key. When the colleague explained who Addison was, Clarissa snuck into her room to investigate further. Addison hadn’t trusted anyone, which was understandable, so Clarissa was forced to leave the facility to speak to the man who had hired her, Richard Howell. On her way to his residence, Clarissa heard about the explosion that took out the entire facility on the radio. Her coworker had been killed, the place destroyed, and no one knew that Clarissa had taken the information with her. It was a no-brainer that Clarissa should keep quiet until she researched the data a little closer.
“Why would Addison say that? I was the lead scientist,” Clarissa admitted, sliding to the floor in defeat. How could they even stand to look at her? Kalen was still standing, and Ace was now leaning forward, his hands hanging between his legs, both watching and waiting to hear what she said next. “I was there while she was being held against her will.”
Ace hung his head and used both hands to rub his hair, which seemed darker than it had this morning from the little bit of growth that occurred. She knew he was disappointed in her, especially when she kept asking for their trust. Clarissa had thought she would have time to explain everything before they found out. Kalen was the confusing one. He still held a look of compassion on his face that made her want to cry.
“You said something to her that day, Ms. Worthing. Do you remember what it was?” Clarissa heard someone in the background and realized it must be Addison. Why would Addison trust her, though? Clarissa remembered every word that had been said, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of what caused Addison to convince Jagger to give her extra time. Clarissa couldn’t look at Ace any longer, so she looked down at her sneakers, the laces having seen better days. “You said that your research wasn’t meant for the harm they intended to cause. It has me wondering, what exactly did you find out on that day?”
“If you give me my equipment and the time I requested, I promise to hand over everything I find.” Clarissa knew he could hear the desperation in her voice, but couldn’t prevent it from slipping through.
“Since I intercepted the equipment Senator Brock promised you, I will see that it is delivered to where you will be staying for a short while. You have until 6:00 p.m. the day after tomorrow to give me the answers I want, regardless of what Addison wants. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” Clarissa said, still staring down at her shoelaces. She was almost afraid to hand over the phone. What would Ace and Kalen say? She didn’t know why, but in the short time she’d spent with them, their opinion of her was becoming important. “Thank you, Mr. Malone. And thank you for making sure my parents are okay. I have a feeling Kalen won’t let me call them to check in, so will you please ask this Lauren person to tell them I am okay?”
“Of course. Please put Kalen back on the phone.”
Clarissa looked up and noticed that Kalen had walked across the room without her knowing. He must have known the phone call was concluding and that Jagger would want to speak with him. Pushing against her feet, Clarissa slid upward until she was standing. Not looking Kalen in the eyes, Clarissa handed over the phone and immediately slipped into the bathroom. Shutting the door behind her, Clarissa knew she was hiding, but didn’t have the wherewithal to face either one of them.
* * * *
“I can’t believe she worked for the fucking Fray, Kalen,” Ace growled, slamming down the phone. He had placed their room service order, but didn’t know if he could fathom swallowing one bite of the food being delivered. He literally felt sick to his stomach. “What else don’t we know about her? So what if Addison says we should give her a chance. Addison would have believed anyone who showed a bit of sympathy in that place. She was a prisoner for a year, for crying out loud.”
“I’m telling you, she isn’t displaying any deceit. Zero. Did I feel a little guilt coming off of her when she admitted to the truth? Yes,” Kalen answered his own question. “But what I mostly felt was remorse. She truly didn’t know who her employers were. Think of the shock it must have been to realize you were working with monsters. She was duped, Ace. The real question is, what did she find out and could it hurt us?”
“Why wouldn’t she have told us up front then?” Ace was still not ready to let go of the anger. “And if she does feel bad about everything, then why won’t she tell us what she found?”
“Someone’s trying to kill her over it, Ace. I’m sure she feels that’s all she has left to hold on to. If she randomly starts spilling her guts about what she has, then she really does become expendable.”
Kalen and Ace had a long history, and if there was one thing they both believed strongly in, it was honesty. Kalen’s past might be different than his, but their belief in truth was the same. When Kalen’s parents had been alive and their powers nonthreatening, they had kept their bloodline a secret. Ace could just imagine what Kalen had felt coming into his powers at puberty, thinking something was drastically wrong with him. Kalen had said his parents refused to talk about it, and, thinking he was going crazy, he had sought out help and confided in his school counselor. Thankfully, he was a Noble and explained their history, giving Kalen something to hold on to and introducing him to others of the same kind. That’s when Kalen had entered Ace’s life, and they had become like brothers.
Ace had been part of a group of Noble teens living on their own and trying to find their way through life adjusting to the powers they were born with. Unfortunately, their powers weren’t triggered until puberty, at which time they needed to learn restraint and come to terms with being different. It was a lot to ask of someone so young, especially Ace, who had no control over his ability and would randomly immobilize strangers without meaning to. He had had no choice but to join the group of teens who didn’t conform to society and learn command over his power. It wasn’t like he was missed at home, where his father had turned to alcohol when Ace’s mother had up and left. She hadn’t even had the decency to tell Ace good-bye. So yeah, honesty was a big deal to both him and Kalen.
“I think she’s scared and tired of running,” Kalen offered, sitting across from him at the small table. “Think about it, Ace. She’s a scientist who got caught up with the wrong people. She tried to
make it right, and somehow, somebody caught on to the fact that she had figured it out. Jagger says for the amount of manpower that is coming after her, the suspect must have heavy connections. How she stayed alive long enough to contact Senator Brock is beyond me.”
“Does Jagger think it’s Richard Howell? What ever happened to him after the Fray was shut down?” Ace asked, looking toward the bathroom door. The shower had shut off, but the door remained closed. Kalen was making Ace feel a tad bit guilty about making Clarissa hole up inside the bathroom. He knew his anger had shown through when Kalen told him whom she used to work for, but could she blame him? The Fray was created to exterminate his kind. He had a right to be wary of anyone associated with that organization.
“I’m not sure exactly what took place when the Fray was shut down. It was my understanding that Richard Howell retired after that fiasco,” Kalen said, referring to the man who was at the helm of the now-debunked organization. Ace caught him looking toward the bathroom door as well. “Jagger is checking his whereabouts now. Maybe he took this past year to start up his own little anti-Noble faction. The funny thing is, Clarissa is nothing like Jagger expected her to be.”
“What do you mean?” Ace asked, trying to keep his focus on what Kalen was saying.
“Apparently, Jagger knew of Clarissa from when they rescued Addison last year. He was told she was wicked to work with, and the staff seemed a little intimidated by her.”
“Clarissa? Our Clarissa?” Ace was astonished. “She couldn’t scare a fly.”
“That’s what I said, but maybe she’s a different person when she’s working,” Kalen suggested, although from his expression, Ace gathered he didn’t believe it either.
Ace wondered what Clarissa was doing behind the closed door. The water had shut off a while ago. If Ace was being forthright, his anger wasn’t directed at Clarissa as much as himself. If she was guilty, then what kind of man was he to be attracted to someone like her? Even when she had been on the phone admitting her past discretions, Ace couldn’t help but see how beautiful she was. Her quirkiness just added to her charm, and seeing her worry over her parents showed what a good daughter she was. It was almost laughable that her coworkers thought she was intimidating. Now that he had time to really think things through, he was sure Kalen would pick up anything disturbing. If Kalen said she was sincere, then Ace needed to believe him. Hell, he wanted to believe Kalen. The thought of her standing naked twenty feet away was more than tempting. It was downright irresistible.
“I know what you’re thinking. And as much as I’m feeling the same way you are, I’m not so sure it’s a good idea until after this case is over.”
“You’re the one who said you could sense if she was lying,” Ace reminded him. “Let’s place our cards on the table. We’re both attracted to her. Do you mean to tell me you can actually sit there and say you can sleep tonight, knowing she’s lying right next to us?”
“Cards on the table,” Kalen agreed. “Yes, I’m attracted to her. I would love nothing more than to get to know her better. We always talked about having a woman in our life that understood our choice of lifestyle, and I could definitely see her being that woman. But it’s been one day, Ace. Let’s keep her safe and get to know her in the meantime. Then we’ll see if she’s interested in a relationship with two Nobles.”
* * * *
So much for taking his own advice, he thought. Kalen watched the steam billow from the bathroom, Clarissa emerging from the white mist wearing a white hotel robe. His only thought was that he hadn’t kissed her yet. Her hair was still piled high on her head, probably so the curls didn’t get wet from the shower, but she wasn’t successful in keeping all of them dry. The ringlets that escaped in the back now lay wet against the robe, slowly drying in the cool air from the unit on the wall. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, as if she were hesitant to come any closer to them. Before Kalen could tell her they weren’t angry with her, room service knocked on the door, startling Clarissa into a yelp.
“It’s just room service,” Kalen reassured her, rising to his feet. He gave Ace a look that said take care of the order while he spoke with Clarissa. Closing the space between them, Kalen reached out and rubbed his hands up and down her arms in support. He couldn’t help but touch her. “Clarissa, neither one of us is angry. Don’t get me wrong, it was a surprise to learn you worked for the Fray, but I can feel your remorse and your willingness to do what’s right.”
Clarissa stared up at him with her big brown eyes, her lashes wet from her shower. She was still holding herself, but took that last step forward and placed her cheek on his chest, which was now covered in a white T-shirt. He mentally cursed himself for changing into his spare clothes before leaving the safe house. If he’d kept his ripped shirt on, they would be skin-to-skin. Wrapping his arms around her, Kalen glanced up at Ace to find him shaking his head in amusement. So much for hands off until after the case was over.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth earlier,” Clarissa whispered, her heat traveling through the fabric of his shirt.
“Does this mean I can call you Doc?” Kalen asked, trying to get her to smile again. He didn’t like feeling her worry, and instead, wanted to know she felt secure in their presence. “Jagger says you have a PhD.”
“I’m not a real doctor, though,” Clarissa mumbled against him. “Are you guys mad at me?”
“No, sweetheart,” Kalen murmured against her hair while rubbing his hands up and down her back. “Ace ordered room service. He said you weren’t hungry, but you have to eat.”
Taking Clarissa’s arms and holding her at a distance, Kalen fought the urge to lean in and kiss her. Ace stepped around them and placed the food trays, one in each hand, on the small table. Kalen motioned for Clarissa to hop up on the bed, and once she was situated against the pillows, he helped Ace uncover the plates. He piled the metal lids on top of each other on the side. “Ace ordered you an omelet, but you’re more than welcome to share his pizza. Do you think you are up to eating something?”
“I don’t really have an appetite, but I can manage a few bites.” Clarissa seemed to be struggling with her robe. Whenever she moved her legs, the robe slid open, revealing smooth porcelain skin. Kalen was having a hard time concentrating on what she had just said and was grateful that Ace responded.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so it’s a pretty basic egg-and-cheese omelet.” Ace handed her the plate, cautioning that it was hot. Forking over the silverware, Ace also gave her a drink, for which Clarissa hummed her appreciation when she took a sip from the straw. She obviously forgot about her robe, as the sides slid down each thigh. Seeing her lips form a seal around the tip of the long tube made Kalen drop the knife he had just picked up, the clatter echoing around the room. It finally ended up on the floor. The only saving grace for him was that the plate on her lap was keeping enough material covering that tempting area. He would like nothing better than to bury his face in those creamy thighs.
“Need another knife there, buddy?” Ace’s amused voice pulled Kalen’s attention away from the enticement that Clarissa didn’t even know she presented. He was getting to be as bad as Ace.
“Sure,” Kalen managed to croak out before sitting down in the farthest chair from the bed. He was a stronger man than this. Since when had the glimpse of a woman’s skin and a sip of whatever it was she was drinking reduced him to an adolescent boy?
“Diet Coke,” Ace declared, sitting down himself and reaching for a slice of pizza, which Kalen knew had every topping imaginable. Kalen realized he was busted, Ace having caught him staring at her lips. Damn, he was usually better at hiding his reactions.
“What?” Clarissa asked, before taking her fork and putting the tongs through the fluffy food.
“Kalen was just wondering what you were drinking. You must really like Diet Coke,” Ace muffled around a bite of food. Kalen glared at Ace, his friend taking way too much enjoyment out of his momentary lapse of reasoning, although gra
teful for the cover up. It was always Ace that acted spontaneously and Kalen pulling him back from making mistakes. But seeing Clarissa looking so innocently sensual and feeling her mild undertones of arousal when he held her was almost Kalen’s undoing.
“I admit, I’m addicted to Diet Coke. Some days, when I get really caught up in the lab, that’s what carries me through the day,” Clarissa said, taking a small bite of her omelet.
“What did you do after the Fray was forced to close their doors?” Ace asked, taking a napkin and wiping his mouth.
Kalen felt Clarissa’s uneasiness before he even looked up and saw her chewing the end of her straw. Damn, between her nails and the straw, she certainly had an oral fixation. Before his mind veered onto a path of no return, Kalen redirected his attention. “Clarissa, he’s not accusing you of anything. Ace is just making conversation. Plus, it’ll help us get to know you.”
Kalen left off that they wanted to get to know her for more personal reasons, but decided now was not the time.
Clarissa placed her drink on the nightstand before pushing her food around on her plate. Her apprehension didn’t go away from Kalen’s attempt at reassurance, but it did tone down a notch. “I didn’t do anything for a few days, until Richard Howell phoned me and asked to see me. He was the director of the facility that exploded. I realize now it was a rescue attempt, but at the time, I wasn’t sure what to think.”
“What did Howell want?” Kalen asked, his mind getting a temporary reprieve now that they were talking business. Since Ace wasn’t using his knife, Kalen snatched it before using it to cut into his medium-rare steak.
“He said that he was trying to figure out who had been at the facility. He seemed rather surprised I answered my cell phone, since my name was on the roster to work that day. I told him I would meet him at his residence, since that was where he was conducting business until the government figured out a temporary space.”
Noble Sensations Page 5
