by Carter Blake
“If anybody’s a brat, it’s the little heiress who wanted daddy to know she’s safe and sound.”
In any other situation, that kind of remark would likely have resulted in a slap to the face or a stab from a fencing foil. Luckily, Kalista has the sense to keep focused as we head through the winding streets to the rendezvous point Leviathan has just texted me.
I’ve allowed entertaining Kalista to blind me from my own priorities. I can’t let that happen again.
But then I see the fading marks on her neck—her ponytail exposing them to my eyes for the first time—physical proof of our night together…
And I really haven’t fucked a woman like that in a long time. So long as I can keep focused on my job, having Kalista along shouldn’t be a problem. I can’t let it be.
I have a reputation to uphold, after all.
And—most importantly—it would be a crying shame if I didn’t get to strip her down to nothing but glowing skin and moonlight at least one more time.
I just need to keep focused in the meantime.
“Griff, is this the place?” Kalista asks as I begin to slow down.
I survey the area before turning to her with a nod. “Yes. Transport should be here in five minutes.”
She looks at me with those beautiful eyes, skin glistening slightly in the late-afternoon sun.
Focus, Griff!
“No more calling or receiving calls from mummy or daddy, love,” I say, keeping my tone lightly condescending.
Kalista rolls her eyes. “As if you had to tell me that, Griff.”
Apparently, I did, considering we’re now in this mess.
“You cost me a rather splendid safe house, you know. I hope you’re aware that I expect to be paid back in full.”
Kalista smiles in a deliciously suggestive manner.
“Are you open to services in-kind?” she coos.
Oh, I like that. I allow her just a shadow of a smirk in response, confirming that I’m very much open to such a negotiation.
There’s a pause. And then—
“Where are we going to now, Griff?”
I can’t help but grin at the question.
“Morocco. I think you’ll like it there.”
My mind starts thinking about the hammam there—opulent baths which I’m certain Kalista will adore—and the fun we can have in them.
Kalista raises an eyebrow at the statement, and I have to stop myself from kissing her.
“And what makes you think that?”
“You’ll see, love, you’ll see.”
Kalista simply raises her eyebrow even further in response. In the golden afternoon light and with the breeze gently blowing her hair away from her face, she looks particularly irresistible, despite the trouble she’s put me through.
I look away from her.
I’ll make this work. For my own sake, I’ll make this work.
Chapter 24
Griffin
We arrive in Morocco, and I pull our papers out for the Customs agent, who nods and greets us, waving us through.
“Welcome to Marrakesh, Mr. and Mrs. Langdon.”
I nod back at the man and take our documents back, slipping them into my jacket pocket. I feel Kalista’s grip on my hand tighten, and she pulls me in and whispers into my ear.
“Mr. and Mrs.?! Care to elaborate on that, Griff?”
I chuckle and squeeze her hand in response, grazing my stubbled cheek along hers as I whisper back.
“It just made more sense this way. Jackal, my guy who forges my papers, gave us the same cover names, so that going through customs and security would be less difficult. Don’t be so contrary. You know you’d love a husband as handsome as I am.”
She scoffs and tries to act upset, but I can tell that she’s loving playing this role. The flush in her cheeks and spring in her step—a dead giveaway.
“A little heads up would have been nice, at least,” she quips as she scolds me. She rolls her eyes when I give her my best sad puppy look.
“Forgive me, Mrs. Langdon. However will I repay you? In my defense, I didn’t think he was serious when he said he’d give us the same last name,” I say as I lead her to our car.
“And, if I may add, it makes more sense this way. Moroccan culture will certainly treat us better as a married couple, rather than just a couple of travel companions. They’re a bit more old- fashioned here than what you’re used to, I’m afraid.”
“I suppose it does make sense, in that regard. At least we’re somewhere sunny. Maybe we can do some shopping while we’re here. And you can repay me by buying me something pretty. And I mean buy it, not steal it!”
She loops her arm into mine as we walk.
“Definitely. Can’t make it all business, can we? There has to be some pleasure mixed into it.”
I wink and flash her a devious grin, inspiring her to chuckle and give me a playful slap on the arm.
“We’ll have to make a quick stop at my place and drop our bags off first, of course. You’ll meet Auntie.”
She looks at me quizzically and raises her brows in question.
“Auntie?”
“Ah. She’s my housekeeper. She’s an older woman, very pleasant. And very old-fashioned, come to think of it. So, it’s definitely better if she thinks we’re married. See? It all worked out for the best.” I punctuate my argument with a shrug.
“I suppose the less she knows about the whole situation, the better,” she sighs.
Smart girl, this one. Beauty and brains? There’s got to be a catch.
“Exactly. I don’t want to get her involved or risk her getting hurt.”
She looks up at me now and smirks as she speaks to me, her eyes lighting up.
“So, what you’re saying is, I’ll need to actually act like your wife.”
My heart flutters in my chest, and I can feel my cheeks flushing a bit at the idea of slipping into the same bed as Kalista and seeing if she can walk the walk.
Not only that, but the thought of seeing her face when I wake up first thing in the morning? Not such a bad way to start the day.
“Yes, you will. We’ll need to be convincing, too. She’s a smart old bird.”
She leans into me and curls her arm around mine even tighter. I smile as I feel her fingers drawing lazy circles against the muscle of my arm as we walk.
“Well, I guess I could pretend that I like you, at least for a few days.”
I scoff at her, feigning offense. She giggles at me and rolls her eyes in response.
She stops walking and hops out in front of me, prodding me in the chest with her finger.
“Oh, come on, your ego isn’t that fragile,” she teases me, smirking.
I look down at her with my best fake scowl and cross my arms across my chest. “I happen to be crushed, actually. You’ve hurt my feelings.”
“Poor baby.” She leans in, placing both of her palms against my chest and sliding them up to my collar, tugging on it. She pulls my face down within an inch of hers.
“I’m sure I can find some way to make it up to you, Griff,” she whispers, smiling mischievously, her breath hot against my lips.
She releases my collar and bites her lip before turning around. As she starts walking again, she flashes me a flirty grin over her shoulder.
I laugh and follow her to where our car is parked. I catch up and open the door for her, gesturing for her to get in.
“I’m sure you will, Kalista.”
After a short drive, we arrive at my riad. She looks over at me with seeming admiration, the corners of her lips creeping up in a smile.
“I have to say, I’m pretty impressed with all these places you keep. Great spots.”
“Aren’t they, though? See? I’m not some uncultured swine.”
She laughs, and I exit the car, walking around, opening her door for her, and offering her my hand.
She takes it, stepping out of the car, and we walk through the garden into my place. We’re greeted by Auntie when we
open the door.
“Mr. Abernathy! So good to see you! And who is this pretty lady?” She exclaims as she nods at Kalista marching towards us. She reaches for our bags.
I smile at Kalista and take her hand into mine, looking over at Auntie as I speak.
“Hello, Auntie. This is Kalista, my wife.”
I can feel Kalista’s hand tighten in mine, and she barely stifles a giggle, and I nudge her softly.
Auntie looks surprised and confused at my simple reply. I give her a warm smile and slide my arm around Kalista’s shoulder.
“I know I haven’t mentioned anything, but it all happened so fast. We met at a party and have been attached at the hip ever since! She was smitten with me, what can I say?”
Kalista laughs next to me, and I feel her subtly slide her arm around my waist under my jacket. She pinches my side, and I nearly grunt, instead covering it with a sigh.
Kalista nods and looks up at me, then slides her gaze to Auntie and nods.
“He’s right! I couldn’t keep my eyes off that handsome face when I saw him.”
I hand her our bags and offer a sympathetic smile, turning us towards the door.
“I hate to drop our things off and run, but I promised the wife here that we’d do some shopping before dinner. We’ll be back later, but don’t worry about making anything for us, we’ll pick something up.”
Auntie smiles, takes our bags, and nods as we head out the door.
“Of course, Mr. Abernathy. And make sure you wear sunscreen this time! That pale English skin of yours can’t handle Morocco without it.”
She throws a stern glance my way, her hands on her hips.
Kalista giggles next to me, and I roll my eyes, before nodding at Auntie.
“Yes, yes, I will. Thank you.”
She turns and nods at Kalista, offering a warm smile and tilting her head. “So nice to meet you, Mrs. Abernathy. And congratulations!”
Kalista grins at her and leans into me, sighing. “Thank you.”
I close the door and walk back out into the gardens, but instead of walking straight back where we came from, I take us through the Eastern pathway leading out of the courtyard, heading over to the souk market.
We walk in silence for a few moments, enjoying the expansive view of the hibiscus blossoms and the smell of spices in the air as we approach the souk.
Kalista keeps her hand in mine, and I’m surprised at how lovely it feels to just walk with her, hand in hand. The last time I was able to walk with someone in silence, enjoying their company and not feeling the need to force a conversation was, well, never.
Reaching the canopied entrance, I lead us over to the first vendor stall, drawn to the brightly colored spices and herbs on display in its baskets.
I feel her hand twitch in mine. I look down at her to see her eyes light up as she looks down the lane.
Her gaze is fixed on a stall full of vibrantly colorful scarves and shawls. Clearly, she’s beyond eager to look at them.
I chuckle to myself at her reaction and smile. She’s like a kid in a candy store. Before I can say anything to her, she turns to me and smiles, her grip on my hand tightening slightly.
“I’m just going to head over and check out that booth, just there. I’ll stay within sight, don’t worry.” She reassures me with a squeeze to my hand.
I nod, beaming back at her. “Sure. I’ll be right over there, I want to pick up some turmeric.”
“Sounds good. Oh! You should see if they have some sunscreen, for that sensitive English skin of yours.” She bites her lip and wrangles her hand out of mine as I try to catch it, laughing and waving over her shoulder.
I shake my head and glance at the spice baskets, my nose overwhelmed with it all. I glance over every so often, making sure Kalista stays within sight—which she does. After making my selections and paying the shop keep, I head over towards her.
Something catches my eye to my right as I’m walking, and I turn to see a jeweler’s stall, filled to the brim with various rings, bangles, and necklaces. A hand-crafted ring stands out on a pedestal, glistening and sparkling in the afternoon sun.
I pick it up and study it, marveling at the craftsmanship and care that’s clearly gone into its creation. I glance over at Kalista, still ogling the pashmina scarves.
I’ll need to give her a ring to wear if she’s to play my wife. I’ve got dozens already that I could give her, but it seems wrong somehow.
They’re worth thousands, but they just don’t seem good enough, they don’t have enough meaning. This one was picked out just for her. It’s no Kalista Canary diamond ring, but I’d like to think that this one will be associated with a more positive memory.
I make sure she’s not looking as I pull some Dirhams out of my wallet and pay for it. Thanking the shopkeeper, I tuck it into my coat pocket and stroll towards the stall, smiling when she looks up and waves me over.
I walk over beside her and put my arm around her. My friendly smile turns to a grin when she smirks and cocks her eyebrow at me.
“Hello, husband!”
Chapter 25
Kalista
If Griff didn’t make me feel so safe, there’s no way I’d ever be caught dead anywhere near this place.
Actually, dead is probably the only way I’d ever be in here. This place looks like a decent place to hide a body.
I look around and I can tell by the clientele that this is definitely not a spot frequented by anyone who isn’t from here. Or at least here with a friend. What sort of friend would bring someone to a dive like this—other than to meet up with a group of conspirators and thieves of course—I’ll never know, but there you have it.
Griff takes my hand and leads me through what little crowd there is. I smile when I feel him squeeze my hand gently. When I sneak a glance up at him, he’s grinning back at me with that look that makes my heart thud and my knees weak.
Really, a smile? Apparently, that’s all it takes to get me worked up these days—at least from him.
I chuckle to myself, and a look of confusion grazes over his features. I shake my head and wave my hand, dismissing it, and we continue working our way through.
We get close to the back of the place, and a table to our left catches my eye. There’s a group of men—very attractive men at that—sitting together and sipping drinks, much more sophisticated than the rest of the crowd here.
Hmm, they may be scoping us out. I should tell Griff.
I turn to him, about to make my observation known, when I notice that he’s smiling at one of the men at the table as we’re being waved over.
Of course the table of sexy men is where we’re going.
Could be worse. I’d much rather sit with a group of eye candy than a group of greasy, sketchy types.
He tugs my hand and leads me to the table where one of the men stands and nods at us. Griff slips his arm around my shoulder as we walk over.
“Evening, Gryphon,” the man purrs.
He’s got that same posh accent similar to Griff’s. It sounds a bit rougher though, but it’s appealing all the same.
Interesting.
Griff tilts his head in greeting and moves his hand to the small of my back as he introduces me.
“Jackal. This is Kalista. Kalista, this is The Jackal.”
The Jackal takes my hand and kisses it. He flashes me a smile that would buckle the knees of most of the women back home.
“Ah, yes, the wife! Charmed,” he chuckles.
Jackal smiles at me, and Griff pulls a chair out for me to sit down.
I take my seat, and he pushes my chair in before sitting down next to me as The Jackal takes the seat next to him.
He’s tall like Griff—and handsome. Not nearly as buff or broad, but charming nonetheless. His hair is short, dark, and styled—in a manner close to Griff’s—and has those same mischievous blue eyes too.
The man is definitely easy on the eyes.
“So, you’re the one responsible for our marriage, I tak
e it?” I question, raising my brows and smirking at him.
He laughs and nods, fanning his hands out in a feigned bow. “The one and only, in the flesh.”
I smile at him and lean back in my chair, smirking as I cock an eyebrow in mock offense. “And no wedding gift? Rude.”
The men at the table laugh, and The Jackal grins at Griff.
“You’re right, Griff, she’s a quick one! Beauty and brains, it would seem, the whole package. However did you land such a catch?”
“Well…” I quip, sliding my hand onto Griff’s thigh under the table, “I do think that maybe having someone forge our marriage certificate had something to do with it, but what do I know.”
The table erupts in laughter, and Griff shakes his head at me and sighs. “All right, all right. Let me introduce the rest of my merry band of thieves, yes?”
I nod and smile as I squeeze the taut muscle on his leg, to which he grins back at me, which in turn sends a shiver down my spine.
How does he do that with just a look? I wonder.
Well, in any case, two can play at that game.
“You’ve met the Jackal.” Griff gestures to the man who greeted us, and the man nods his head. “He’s my go-to man for when I need a document procured—”
“Or forged,” I cut him off with a smirk.
“Tomato, tomato,” Jackal pipes in with a beaming smile.
“This here is The Leviathan. He’s an expert on all things tech and can get through any security system in the world. If you need to get into any database or get through any alarms, he’s your guy,” he gestures to the man seated across from me, who then gives me a warm smile and waves.
The Leviathan’s got red hair and reminds of the kind of man you’d love to bring home to your parents. Attractive—but not threateningly so—and has a friendly demeanor.
“And just there is The Manticore. Ex-secret something or other; he doesn’t really say which. Suffice to say that he’s the muscle and the firepower of the lot of us, and if he wants you dead, you’re dead.”
The Manticore meets my gaze and says nothing, just gives me a quick salute and tilts his head. A man of few words, it would seem.
He looks to be the oldest of the group, not that he’s any worse off for it. He gives me a strong silent-type vibe.
