Saving Rain

by Karen-Anne Stewart

  The next couple of weeks fly by. Raina’s been waking up early to study then going to class before going to work, where she’s been spending extra hours with Kas and Erik, helping to close in on the group of traffickers from the lead they got from the data recovered on the laptops she hacked. After work, she has been doing driving lessons, until yesterday, when she got her permit. She’s been staying up late, studying more before falling asleep, usually on top of the comforter with a book open and lying precariously over her stomach.

  Kas sees how exhausted she is and has been pushing her to slow down for days, which ended up in a huge argument last night after he had told her that she was done working on the case until she decides to take better care of herself and get some much needed sleep. He hates the silence that has been deafening between them today. Despite their hectic schedules, they have become increasingly closer over the past couple of weeks.

  Raina stays in her room this morning until it is time to leave. She skips breakfast, which has become a thing between them that they share each morning before the day takes its toll.

  The morning ride is completely silent as he drops her off for class. Only cold, polite ‘bye’s’ are exchanged as she practically jumps from the jeep when it rolls to a stop. Once at work, Kas thinks back on their drive this morning, their last ride together before they go car shopping tomorrow, if she still agrees to go with him, and he wishes he had been the one to break the childish silent game dragged out stubbornly between them.

  He drags through his day, checking his watch every ten minutes, waiting for the time when Raina usually arrives. Mostly, he hopes that she will ignore his arrogant demand to stay away until she rests, even though he sees the toll her long hours have wrought upon her by the dark circles under her eyes. He knows that finals are next week, and he doesn’t want to distract her, knowing that their work has been keeping her too exhausted to concentrate properly.

  Selfishly he needs to see her, to look at her sweet face and tell her that he doesn’t want to fight anymore. The hour she usually arrives comes and goes, and Kas gives up hope to see her until later that evening. Any other day, he would be pleased that she listened to reason, but today, it just makes him feel like a jerk.

  Finally, Kas comes to a good stopping place for the day, and he grabs his keys and races out the door. He pulls into the drive a little after 6:00 p.m. and practically sprints to the house. When he steps inside, the heavenly aroma of Greek cuisine beckons him, leaving his mouth watering and his stomach growling. As he follows the intoxicating scent to the kitchen, he stops dead in his tracks when he hears Raina’s voice belting out a song about some wild one, in a smooth, sultry voice as amazing as any singer he’s heard on the radio.

  He doesn’t hear any music, just her mesmerizing voice pulling him closer to her. The refrigerator door shuts, and he sees the back of her, dressed in a form fitting tank top and tight yoga pants singing and swaying to music on her iPod. Kas nearly drops his jaw, gaping at her, as she moves her hips to the rhythm only she can hear. Heat rushes through his blood, boiling his desire to the point to where he thinks he’s going to erupt as forcefully as a volcano when he sees her body swaying sexily to the music, so slowly and seductively, as she sings and chops vegetables.

  He stops breathing as his eyes roam over her beautiful, slender body, curves soft and rounded in just the right places. His eyes freeze on her round, tight behind, moving torturously sexily to her private music. He has never felt the need for anyone as violently as he needs her right now. It takes every shred of his self-control to tear his gaze away from her tantalizing, hot body and cough, making his presence known.

  Raina drops the vegetables and spins around, ripping the iPod ear plugs out as she looks at him wildly. Her fear is evident in her eyes as he surprised her to the point of her holding the knife out in front of her.

  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He puts his hands up as she looks down at the knife before dropping it onto the counter, relief replacing the fear, when she sees it’s Kas.

  He walks over to her and pulls her into his arms, chuckling when she pulls back from him suddenly, asking, “How long have you been standing there?”

  He roams his eyes over her and raises his eyebrow suggestively. “Long enough, my little wild one,” he whispers seductively in her ear.

  His hot breath sends delicious shivers down the length of her body, and she feels the heat of her blush warm her cheeks before mortification sets in at how she just put on a private show. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry, I—I didn’t expect you home for another half-hour.”

  “Darlin’, don’t be sorry, that was the best show I’ve ever seen,” he winks, his voice husky from throbbing desire. Kas laughs as her blush flushes to even a darker scarlet. “Rain, your voice, it’s truly amazing, you never cease to amaze me,” he tells her, holding her out at arm’s length and looking at her, pride and surprise filling his eyes.

  Her eyes lower shyly. “Thanks,” she mumbles, embarrassment tinged in her sweet voice.

  He pulls her back into his arms. “I’m sorry, too, about last night I mean. I had no right to tell you what you can and cannot do,” he tells her apologetically, “I’m just worried about you.”

  “I’m fine. I’m used to long hours and late nights studying, especially when it’s close to exams.”

  “I thought you were supposed to be resting,” he playfully chastises, pointing to the feast she is preparing.

  She smiles up at him shyly, lightly biting her bottom lip, “I’m sorry, too. This is kind of my, ‘I’m sorry for being a stubborn brat, let’s not fight anymore’ dinner.”

  Kas laughs, “Alright, I’ll forgive you for being a brat if you forgive me for being a jerk.”

  Raina shoots her hand out, placing it in his and gives a firm shake, a smile spreading happily across her lips, “Deal.”

  Car shopping is proving exhausting for Raina, but at least the weather is sunny and a wonderful seventy degrees. There are so many choices, and she is starting to feel a little overwhelmed at all the components involved that Kas and the dealers keep discussing. She plops down into an oversized chair in the fourth, or maybe fifth showroom, they are all starting to jumble together. She finally gives up, knowing when she’s out of her element, so she sits back, letting Kas wheel and deal.

  He had asked her what features she wants in a vehicle while they were eating breakfast before piling a list of features he wants for her on top of that. She smiles as she watches Kas banter back and forth, expertly matching the lingo and knowledge of the money-savvy salesmen. Knowing that she is setting women’s lib back a few decades, she’s relieved to just fade into the background and let Kas handle this for her.

  She studies him, admiring and feeling a twinge of jealousy at his healthy sense of self-confidence. Discombobulated by how his pure masculinity and power excites her, sending wonderful tingles dancing all over her hormonally sensitized body, she sits in stunned awe. The male gender combined with his strength and power, should send fear spiraling through her, not heating her blood with wayward sexual fantasies of how it would feel being held, thoroughly and satisfyingly loved underneath the raw power of Kas’ toned, muscled body.

  Her breakfast is long gone, and her stomach starts to growl in protest. Her feet start to ache from walking through more lots as they finally decide on a compromise that includes important safety features Kas insists on and the fuel efficiency, green standards she desires. Raina mistakenly thought the hard part was over with until it is time for the paperwork. Kas offers to pay for a lease, but she will hear nothing of it. She knows he’s trying to be nice, thinking that she probably can’t afford payments. She knows that she’s going to have to indulge him with a little more information so he won’t feel like he has to provide for her, even though, for some strange reason, it makes her feel uncomfortable at the knowledge that she is quite well off.

  Pulling Kas to the side, Raina nervously brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, “You
know how I like to work with computers? Well, I kind of developed some programs that gave me a nice nest egg.” She bites her lip and peeks up at Kas through her lashes, not sure of what reaction to expect.

  He steps back, the expression on his face showing that he feels foolish for being surprised at her news. He laughs, “Sweetheart, do you have any more hidden surprises for me?”

  “Just that I am going to be buying the car instead of leasing it.”

  Kas steps aside and holds his hand out, “Well then, Miss Kapture, lead the way.”

  The next day, Raina gives in to Kas’ not so gentle demands of resting, and since it’s Sunday and she is beyond dog tired, she obliges him, even taking a two hour nap after lunch.

  He gloats when she emerges from her room, rested and the dark circles faded. “Why don’t we order in? I’m thinking Chinese, if that sounds good to you.”

  Raina nods, suddenly famished, “It’s amazing how hungry a girl can get after doing nothing but sleeping soundly for a couple of hours.”

  Kas pulls her onto his lap, “Feel better?”

  She snuggles under his chin, relishing the warmth and serenity his body provides, “Much.”

  They share each other’s favorite Chinese dishes, straight out of the cartons, sitting crossed legged on the couch. Kas feels warm inside every time he hears her giggle when his large fingers can’t manipulate the chopsticks like she is trying to teach him.

  “Okay, try again,” she laughs, holding her chopsticks expertly between her graceful fingers, maneuvering them flawlessly as she grabs a bite full of rice.

  His forehead burrows as he concentrates on how she is holding the rice, miraculously, between the two tiny ends. He manages to get his chopsticks in between his fingers and gloats in triumph as he closes the ends around the food. He shoots her a haughty look, with his cocky grin taunting her, but he realizes that he celebrated a bit too soon as he holds the sticks too tightly, squeezing the food in between the two ends, causing it to spew with such force it shoots across the room.

  Raina falls back on the couch in a fit of laughter. She throws her hand in the air and yells, “Ten,” in between giggling breaths.

  He launches on top of her, mercilessly tickling her, “Oh, you think that’s funny, I’ll give you something to laugh about.”

  Laughing until their sides hurt and tears are streaming down their faces, Raina cries out in defeat and Kas pulls her up, rolling her on top of him, switching their positions. She lays on him, her cheek pressed against his chest, as he plays with her hair and runs his strong hand up and down her back. She feels like she can’t get close enough to him as she snuggles down deeper, listening to the soothing beat of his heart as their breathing returns to normal.

  There is one day left before finals, and Raina spends every extra moment studying. Despite what some may think of her achievements and her 4.0 grade point average, she isn’t a genius, she works very hard to maintain her grades. She is more gifted in certain areas than others, Computer Sciences and Languages being her obvious strengths when Chemistry and Economics give her headaches.

  Raina is multi-tasking, her nose buried in a book, while she sips on iced hazelnut coffee as she walks towards the quadrangle to get to her car. The hairs on the back of her neck prickle as she gets a disturbing feeling of being watched. Warily, she closes her book and stops sucking on her main staple of sustenance during exam week as she scans the few people in the quadrangle that are left braving the late hours.

  A jolt of fear, quickly singed by anger, simmers through her, assaulting her senses when her eyes lock on Chris’ father sitting causally on a bench. He’s staring at her emotionlessly, unnerving her to the core. She contemplates turning around and going another way, but anger and exhaustion fuels her, steeling her nerves as she walks towards him determinedly. She looks ahead, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing the detrimental effect his presence has on her.

  Raina fully expects him to say something harsh and degrading to her as she walks by him, her heart dropping at the thought that he might even take it a step further than that. Shocked confusion dumbfounds her as he does and says absolutely nothing when she passes him. She can feel his eyes burning through her the full length of the walk until she turns a corner, then and only then, allowing herself a second to remember to breathe. The ice cubes in her drink rattle from her trembling hand as she thinks of all the scenarios that, thankfully, didn’t occur. The realization that Mr. Sutton has chosen to play a twisted game of cat and mouse infuriates her, making every fiber of her being want to turn on her heel, race back to him and tell him exactly what he can do with his sick game.

  Self-control takes over, and she decides the best offense is to simply ignore him for the time being and, hopefully, he will back off. She prays that he will back off. Rolling her windows down on the drive home, she chooses to forget all about Mr. Sutton and enjoy the warm night air. Raina smiles at how easily she relates ‘home’ with Kas lately. Her tension from being startled by Mr. Sutton dissipates as she tucks it away tightly in the back of her mind. She decides that it’s not necessary to tell Kas about tonight unless it happens again. Besides, she needs a clam, pleasant evening without witnessing Kas going ballistic.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Darkness had started to blanket the evening sky a couple of hours ago as Kas started reviewing the files for what seems like the millionth time, looking for anything they could have missed. The phone rings, and he groans loudly before answering a little more gruffly then intended. He listens intently before he slams the phone down, his blood pumping from adrenaline at the information he just received from an informant he has the displeasure of talking to from time to time. He quickly scans the computer for any conventions that could explain what the informant told him, but there are no current events. Heading straight for Dexter’s office, he stops only to give a brief knock before entering the room, too anxious to share the news to wait on an invitation.

  Dexter is on the phone, obviously not enjoying his conversation, Kas gauges by the pulsating temple bulging out on his forehead. He gruffly motions for Kas to take a seat as he turns back to the window, seeing nothing but red as he deals with a bureaucratic nightmare of multiple agencies trying to tell him what to do and when to do it regarding the girls they have rescued. Even though Dexter is widely feared, known for his swift unleashing of his wrath that he has rained down on many men who have been scarred for life afterwards, he has a soft spot and a high moral ethic, he will not stand back and allow those poor girls to be dragged from pillar to post, further traumatizing them.

  “You’ll get to talk with them when I say you can!” Dexter yells into the phone before slamming it down loudly, his temple continuing to pulsate furiously. “Freaking imbeciles,” he growls before throwing in some very colorfully descriptive expletives. He turns to Kas. “Please tell me you have something,” he groans, rubbing his temples from another migraine threatening to appear.

  Kas relates the information he was given from his informant regarding the recent increased amount of multi-cultural traffic at the ritzy hotels the past couple of days, the kind of individuals with obscene amounts of money and multiple body guards. “There are no conventions going on right now that would explain the recent influx.”

  Dexter folds his hands and presses his fingers to his lips as he works his mind around the information. “It’s slim, but I’ll admit it sounds hinky.” He rubs his eyes wearily, the long hours and stress showing on his taut, unshaven face, “Still no hits from the computers Raina hacked?”

  Kas shakes his head, frustration darkening his eyes at how the Ghost is living up to his name, leaving no tangible information to work with.

  “Are you sure they didn’t detect Raina’s Trojan?”

  Kas ponders Dexter’s question for a moment, not wanting personal feelings to override his opinion. “It’s possible,” he admits. “The systems recovered are very sophisticated, and these traffickers are, unfortunately, proving to be profes
sionals. They’re devious and extremely intelligent.”

  Their conversation is cut short when Erik bursts through the door.

  Dexter stands up growling, “Do I need to start locking my door around here?”

  Erik is unfazed by Dexter’s obvious irritation. Excitement dances in his blue eyes, “We’ve got a hit!”

  Kas jumps to his feet, the need for a break on this case making him wearily on edge.

  “The Trojan worked, they gave a date and a place. They even provided us with a time.” Erik’s smile is smug, “Very generous of them, huh?”

  Dexter gives Erik a glare that would reduce almost any grown man to tears, but Erik ignores it, remaining obliviously unfazed.

  “So, when and where, Erik?” Dexter changes tactics, slowly enunciating every word as if speaking to an errant child.

  “Tomorrow evening, at the empty warehouse on Stark, at 7:00 p.m.”

  Guilt stabs Kas at his momentary lapse in judgment for doubting Raina’s abilities. The traffickers were just playing it safe by not releasing the location until the last minute.

  “Get your team ready, Pierce, I want them taken down!” Dexter commands before turning his back to them, grabbing his phone to make more migraine-inducing calls, effectively dismissing them.