Latvis Security Services

by Lexie Ray

  “Now I can’t even be mad,” she grumbled.

  “The system works.” With a forced casual tone, he continued, “Hey. You know what I was thinking might be a laugh? Like, if we just so happened to go to a restaurant at the same time and ate at the same table.”

  Andrea blinked. “You mean a date?”

  “Wow! No, of course not. We’re keeping this light and fun remember? Wow, you just jump to all kinds of conclusions.”

  Warmth bubbled up from the pit of her stomach as she watched him carefully. The movie had begun again, but it didn’t capture his attention like it had before. As much as he tried to get her to think otherwise, he was focused on her, nervousness seeping back into the set of his shoulders.

  “It could be fun.”

  A thrill raced through her, but at the same time, she couldn’t stop her selfish streak from wanting something more. Somehow, Dwayne had carved a place for himself in her life, and she didn’t want to see what happened when that place was suddenly vacant.

  He sighed and began to move his hands higher up to work on her tense calf muscles.

  “You know what would be hilarious? Maybe like a year from now, possibly a bit more, we should prank all of our friends.”

  Something within her chest swelled at the possibilities, but she managed to keep her voice calm. “Prank how?”

  “I don’t know. Um, off the top of my head? Maybe we could make them watch a play or something.”

  “A play?”

  “Yeah. We’ll make them dress up and give them a few lines. Something a lot shorter than the time they spent getting ready for it.”

  “I would actually love to do that,” she admitted.

  “Oh, and we should make them buy us stuff.” His strained laugh caught her off guard. “Just be like, ‘You came to watch our five-minute play, now give us presents.’”

  Andrea sat up straight. “Are you talking about a wedding?”

  “What?” he said in a pitch just a little too high. “No, crazy. Gosh, you’re all weird and crazy tonight. I’m just talking about putting on a play.”

  “In about a year or so.”

  “Yeah,” he laughed. “How are you getting wedding? And we could make them have a party to celebrate our crappy play. And then we just run off on a vacation.”

  “That’s a reception and honeymoon.”

  “What? No…What? No.” He faked another laugh and pointed at the screen. “Look, Spiderman. In a Spiderman movie. Crazy, right?”

  “Did you just propose to me?”

  “That would be weird,” he mumbled. “And anyway, I distinctly said that it would be at least a year. Distinctly.”

  “You know,” Andrea smiled, “we should make sure our ‘play’ takes place somewhere out of the way. Really remote. So it’s amazingly inconvenient for all involved. Plus, if they feel guilty that they can’t make it, they might send us more money.”

  “You’re evil,” he laughed. “I love it. I love you.” His eyes bulged, and his jaw gaped. It was obviously something he hadn’t intended to say, and she could almost hear his mind backpedaling, trying to find a way out. With a lot more calm than she felt, Andrea pulled Dwayne up onto his knees. She ran her fingers over his cheeks and pulled him into a deep kiss. He melted into the kiss, his hands cautiously moving along her thigh. She kissed him until he grabbed her butt. It was the sure sign that he had his confidence back.

  “I love you, too.”

  A grin stretched across his face, and his fingers tightened on her. She giggled and leaned more heavily into his arms.

  “And when I’m not dead tired, we’re doing the Spiderman kiss.”

  “You’re awesome,” he said, smoothing a hand over her hair as she put her head onto down on his lap.

  She struggled to smother her smile as she added, “And for the record, I was Spiderman last year for Halloween. I still have the costume.”

  “Oh, my god, I love you!”

  HIDDEN LIAISONS

  Chapter One

  Jai Patel sat at his desk, enjoying the evening light that spilled through the wide windows as sparks of anticipation skimmed under his skin. The office around him was buzzing with energy left over from the latest case. Everyone was happy to be home, with the prospect of a well-earned holiday in front of them. Even Mads had cracked half a smile, which was pretty much the equivalent of a happy dance for him, and had lingered to listen to the excited chatter of holiday plans.

  Jamie Hardy was once again determined to get as far away from civilization as possible. This time however, the ex-Navy Seal had decided to abandon all of his favorite campsites near large bodies of water and instead head inland to the Utah desserts. It was one of the key reasons Jai had refused to tag along.

  While he liked camping, Jamie had a tendency to get rather irritable when he was deprived of a good swim for too long. It was like he was addicted to saltwater, and detox was never pretty.

  Dwayne Kingston was also eager to get out the door. Inexplicably, he had somehow managed to keep his relationship with fashion designer Andrea Chin alive. Most likely because Dwayne loved to cause mischief, and Andrea loved to sit back and laugh at the fallout. Dwayne had been boasting about their trip to Italy for weeks.

  For as much as Dwayne acted like a gigantic lunatic, he was actually pretty bright. The Air Force wouldn’t have let him fly their planes if he wasn’t. So, the history of the destination wasn’t lost on him. Andrea had shown up only a few moments after they had gotten back to the office, barging in with a flair of fashion and an excited squeal.

  Even with her in six inch heels, Dwayne towered over Andrea, which meant that he often picked her up when he wanted a kiss. This time was no different. It had been twenty minutes since she had arrived, and he had yet to put her back down.

  It hadn’t been hard to know what Daren Reese had planned. Winter had set in, and the traveling rodeos would be settling down for the season. Which meant that Rebecca Jones and her daughter, Sophie, would be heading their way. Since both Daren and Rebecca traveled for their jobs, their options had been make a long-distance relationship work or walk away. They were approaching a year and a half together, and Daren was still the happiest Jai had ever seen him.

  Daren, while still the most socially awkward one of the group, had even mastered the art of parental bragging. Sophie wasn’t his genetically, but it didn’t seem like he, Sophie, or Rebecca remembered that. They were a family. They were happy. It was only a matter of time now before either Daren or Rebecca popped the question, and the rest of the office had placed their bets on who would break first. Jai’s money was on Rebecca.

  As for himself, Jai had a conference planned. One that would take him all the way to Europe and safely cocoon him away from the happy couples. He loved them, and he was happy for them, but it was getting harder to ignore the pang of jealousy he felt sometimes. It was worse for Jamie, he knew. It had been years since his last relationship had imploded, but the scars were still there.

  For the woman he had loved, Jamie had given up his hopes to be a father, along with his career. But when he got back, it was only to find out that she had been cheating on him. Rumor had it that she had married the idiot, a mayor of some nowhere little town just big enough to give her some photo opportunities.

  A year or so back, her picture had been in the paper. She had looked good. Elegant and pretty as she happily stood next to her husband. Turned out she was willing to have kids after all. In fact, she now had two. Jamie had stopped talking about it, and Jai made sure that he never asked. No need to salt the wound.

  But all of those thoughts faded away for Jai the second he had seen the crisp, black envelope slipped into his pile of mail. Every letter he had ever received from the eccentric genius had been in the same glossy paper. She must have a huge stockpile of them somewhere.

  Baroness Natalie Vladimirovich had obtained her first college degree before hitting puberty. Now she had enough of them that they were practically collectables. Since Jai had
been a trained doctor with the British army, he had the skills and talents to understand a good hunk of her work. Other things, however, left him feeling like a child with a plastic stethoscope around his neck.

  Given time and a few hints, Jai could normally catch up. But sometimes, the only way he could possibly understand her theories was if she walked him through it, step by step. And while she never used the nicest tone to do it, he loved the glimpse into her brilliant mind.

  Normally, Natalie’s letters were something he would savor at home. It was a ritual, almost. He’d settle down in his favorite chair, a cup of tea by his side, and devour her words with a peaceful silence hovering in the room. But since one of Natalie’s many quirks was that she refused to correspond using any method but snail mail, Jai had felt starved for her thoughts this time and just couldn’t bring himself to wait.

  With the noise around him completely forgotten, he ripped open the smooth, black envelope and pulled out the monogrammed paper, warmth swelling though his chest to find that there were a few sheets. Her longer letters were always better. If she went on long enough, it was inevitable that she’d stumble into a rant over something. They never failed to be entertaining.

  Opening the pages with care, Jai found a smile on his face before he had read the first sentence. The first page, front and back, consisted of formal greetings, pleasantries, and the answers to some of the questions he had posed in his last letter. She wrote the comments like they were passing thoughts or simply obvious, but each one left him in awe. Even her insults were too entertaining for him to hold onto any annoyance.

  “Who’s the letter from?” Jamie asked.

  Dwayne took up the call instantly. “That’s a mighty big grin you have there, mate. Tallyho.”

  “Your British accent still needs work.” Jai didn’t look up as he turned the page over and kept reading.

  “I sound just like you,” Dwayne protested.

  Everyone present was quick to correct him, creating a chorus of ‘nos.’ Jai jolted and reread the last few sentences again and again. It still didn’t make sense, but not in a way that Natalie’s letters normally didn’t. He sat up straighter.

  “Oops, smile’s gone,” Dwayne noted.

  Blinking rapidly, Jai glanced up and looked around him. He was just about to call for Mads Latvis when his office door opened and the towering man strode out into the common area. It felt like Jai was really assessing him for the first time.

  How was it that he had never noticed that he must look like a hobbit while standing next to Mads? The Lithuanian was an even six feet tall to Jai’s meager five feet, six inches. Mads seemed to consist of sharp, statuesque features and a dancer’s grace: strong and noble. By comparison, Jai had to look like an aging bulldog: top heavy and bowlegged. The last shreds of his dignity surfaced from the back of his mind and pointed out that he, at least, didn’t run Mads’ risk of looking pale. Jai’s Indian heritage gave him dark, smooth skin and loose, midnight black curls that women seemed to like.

  Only once his mind had rampaged through all these thoughts did he realize that there wasn’t actually any cause to be jealous. If anything, he should be more curious that Natalie even knew that he worked for Mads. He was sure he had never mentioned it. Curiosity gnawed at him as he lifted the letter to get Mads’ attention.

  “Do you know Dr. Natalie Vladimirovich?”

  Mads stopped short, but his face betrayed nothing as he nodded the affirmative.

  “She’s got a message for you,” Jai said. “Well, to be accurate, she wants me to read it to you.”

  While his posture was already perfect, Mads seemed to straighten further as he placed his hands behind his back. It looked like he was preparing himself for the worst.

  “One question,” Jamie cut in. “Why would a woman write to Jai to ask him to pass a message on to Mads?”

  Mads turned toward Jamie, but didn’t take his eyes off the letter in Jai’s hand.

  “It’s her normal practice when she has bad news to impart. Please, Jai. Continue.”

  Normal practice? Jai couldn’t quite place why that stuck in his throat so much, but he found himself swallowing thickly to force it down.

  “Okay.” Jai cleared his throat and began to read the letter within a letter.

  My dearest Mads,

  I hope this finds you in good health. As I am sure you have gathered, the news I have to convey is not going to be of a nature that you will be pleased to receive. As such, I have employed our mutual acquaintance, Mr. Patel, to read it to you. It is my understanding that his accent is quite pleasing to the ear and will, with any luck, soothe the blow.

  “She talks like you.” Dwayne laughed as he tapped Mads on the back. “Or at least writes like you. And you do have a pretty voice, Jai.”

  “Tranquil,” Jamie added with a smirk.

  Mads slid his eyes to Dwayne but didn’t comment. By now, Jai was torn between curiosity and just wanting to toss Mads the letter and be done with it. But Natalie had asked him to read it, and it didn’t feel right to do anything else. He had Mads’ attention, so didn’t bother waiting for the rest to settle down before continuing.

  If the condition of the American postal service is as dismal as I have been lead to believe, then this should arrive when any window of opportunity for you to intervene has passed.

  Jai’s hands tightened on the paper as he continued.

  For the last few weeks I have been receiving letters from a rather disagreeable man, and in his latest correspondence, he threatened to murder me during the upcoming conference.

  The humor fled the room so fast that it took the oxygen with it. Jai looked up to find his concerned expression mirrored by Mads’ features.

  “She never told me this,” Jai said before he pulled the paper back up, barely able to move his mouth quickly enough to keep up with his reading.

  I have already come to the conclusion that this man is a coward and that I am in no legitimate danger. In fact, I would not so much as bother to repeat his ludicrous claims were it not for your pathological need to constantly throw yourself in the way of any threat, regardless of its legitimacy.

  By the time that you read this, the event should be underway or even completed. I will send a letter covering the highlights. Until then, I would like your next letter – undoubtedly strongly worded – to contain the answer to your upcoming holiday plans. I cannot bear to attend Filip’s winter gala without you in attendance.

  Jai raked a hand over his hair before he forced out the last words of her letter.

  With my fondest regards,

  Yours,

  Natalie.

  Mads took a deep breath, his face a placid mask that didn’t allow any hint of emotion to slip through. His eyes, however, blazed with a seemingly endless rage. Bringing one hand from behind his back, he smoothed a non-existent wrinkle from his suit jacket and cleared his throat.

  “Well,” he said. “Is this conference the same as the one you are to attend?”

  Jai nodded. “Yeah. I leave tonight.”

  “And she doesn’t know you are attending?”

  “Not yet. I was going to surprise her, actually. We’ve been pen pals for a while and–”

  “Yes, she’s told me all about your friendship.”

  “Really?” Jai said. “She’s never mentioned you.”

  “I doubt that I come up in conversation.” Mads smoothed his suit again, his voice crisp and cold, like it was taking all of his effort to keep his anger in check.

  “Do you know her because you’re a count?”

  “Is she a countess?” Jamie asked as he folded his arms and rested his hip against the table.

  “A baroness,” Mads said swiftly. “Jai, would you mind a traveling companion? I find myself with the sudden need to berate my cousin.”

  “Cousin?” Dwayne boomed. “This doctor baroness…” he clicked his fingers. “Help me out here.”

  “Vladimirovich,” Jai said numbly. Natalie was related to Mads. I
t was a realization that sat on the pit of his stomach like a lump of lead.

  “Yeah, her. She’s your cousin?”

  “Yes. From my father’s side.”

  “But you’re a count, not a baron,” Dwayne pointed out.

  Mads looked at him like he was deranged. “We are not different species. Her mother, my aunt, married a baron. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a few arrangements to make and not much time to do it.”

  He pulled out his cell phone and began to dial. It shook Jai out of his stupor, and he stood up. “Mads, the conference is being held at the Castle Maighdeann-muhara Luinneag.”

  Dwayne stepped forward and waved one hand about, still using the other to hold Andrea against his side.

  “Where?”

  “It means ‘Mermaid Song’ in Gaelic,” Mads said as he pressed his cell phone to his ear.

  “I didn’t know that bit,” Jai admitted. “But I do know that there’s not much around there, and the castle’s been sold out for months.”

  “It won’t be an issue. Would anyone else like to come? It’s not mandatory, of course. Although I will insist on paying for the expenses.”

  Jamie perked up a little as Daren shrank away, but it was Dwayne who was the first one to answer. “So, this is an all-expenses paid trip to Scotland where we get to stay at a castle, possibly beat up a creep, and meet your relative? A relative who might, I don’t know, be willing to discuss embarrassing moments from your past?”

  “Essentially.”

  Dwayne whirled his attention onto Andrea, and the couple began to whisper excitedly.

  “The Mermaid is built on a cliff overlooking the ocean,” Mads added.

  “Your cousin’s in trouble. I’m there,” Jamie said with certainty.

  “Again,” Jai said. “I don’t think there will be room.”

  “They will make room.”

  “Is that a perk of being a count?” Dwayne teased.

  Mads was more occupied with the ringing phone at his ear than the conversation.

  “It’s a perk of The Mermaid being one of my estates.”