by Kells, India
Without a word, she opened it to find a small box and smiled as she saw what was in it. And all of a sudden, sound returned. “Oh, my grandmother’s brooch! I had it sent to a jeweler to repair the clasp two days ago. I didn’t think they would be this fast.”
“May I?”
Finch took the piece of jewelry and gallantly pinned it to her blouse, and from what Kai could see, his knuckles brushed the top of her breasts. Only Gabrielle’s hand brought him back to the present and made him realize that his own fists were clenched white.
“And now you have a tracker on her. It’s in the brooch. The smallest there is. I almost had to sell a kidney to get it.”
Lazarus came around. “You planned this?”
Gabrielle nodded. “As soon as I got the piece, I installed the tracker and played courier.”
Slightly pushing Kai aside, she tapped a few keys and a window appeared with a red dot. “There you are. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna go play tail to my friend and help Aleksei.”
Kai pushed himself away from the screen. “I’m going with you.”
Gabrielle put back her black cap. “No way. You may be able to blend into the jungle, but here in the middle of Chicago with your height and your hideous shirts, you are far from discreet. But you are right, we need more hands on deck. Liam is still not active duty so he’s someone we can use.”
Kai nodded. His cop brother had been wounded a year ago while trying to take down Finch in the middle of a gang war and got a bullet in his leg for his trouble. The prognosis wasn’t good for a complete recovery.
“Archer is out of the question. And with the baby, he would prefer to stay close to Zoe. That leaves Sam. If he’s stateside.”
Kai pondered it. Sam Sarkhan had only let himself be known a year ago, when he’d come to Chicago on an undercover mission as a bodyguard. The only son of a nomadic Bedouin mother, he had distinguished himself early on in the army. Of all Finch’s bastard sons, he was the one who kept to himself, although Lazarus always kept an eye on him. It was only while he was protecting Zoe had Sam made his allegiance known.
“I’ll contact him.”
Gabrielle nodded. “And if it doesn’t work, I’ll ask people at Purgatory for help.”
Kai watched her leave. He wasn’t sure if he wanted more unknown people on this mission, even as trained and experienced as the people of Gabrielle’s organization, Purgatory: Defend and Rescue, were.
Immediately, his eyes went to the screen, searching for the couple leaving the building in a town car. Once the door was closed and they drove away, he lost visual.
He knew that he had to wait for Aleksei and Gabrielle to get in position and give them feedback on what was happening while keeping Isabel safe. Too bad that waiting wasn’t his strong suit. Oz was still on the phone with Sam, and before he could react, he waved his goodbye to his brother and went out the door.
Chapter Six
If she hadn’t been warned about how dangerous and twisted Jamieson Finch was, and despite her own internal radar at detecting snakes, Isabel would have probably been under the man’s spell. It was a mix of charm, and culture—with the definite polish of what money and power could buy that gave him a potent influence over people. She had seen this type of individual before in her past life, but not to the same extent. Even if they were worlds apart, she could see some of the son in the father. Not that she would be foolish enough to say it to his face, but Kai Jones had definite charm and the way he watched people with interest when they were talking was another trait they shared, although with Kai, the interest was genuine and without a hidden agenda.
Isabel put her menu aside when the server approached and they both ordered as he served coffee. She’d always wanted to try the Magnus Lounge since it had opened. She wasn’t into fancy meals or classy places, but Isabel thought she could treat her team. Maybe for Thanksgiving.
“Is your mind always in overdrive like that?”
The amused male voice brought her back. “I was thinking what a nice place this was. And that I’ve never had the chance to enjoy a meal here. Thank you for the opportunity, Jamieson.”
He smiled. “Too much work and not enough pleasure will make you old before your time.”
Isabel took a sip of this liquid sin before answering. “A new business requires most of my time. As a businessman, you probably know what I mean.”
Jamieson leaned back, a paternalistic smile on his handsome face. “Well, I have to say that I worked hard in the beginning. Finding the right team to oversee everything and networking. From what I can gather, they are your two strengths.”
No surprise there, of course, he would have done his homework on her. Gabrielle had told her that Finch was the type of man that pulled at the weakest thread and she was almost holding her breath as Gabrielle’s cover was tested. “I am a people person at heart. I think it’s the main reason why I chose public relations and crisis management. I work for corporations, but my main passion is the individual. Either to prepare them for an upcoming situation or salvage what can be.
The restaurant bustled all around them, and Isabel got into the vibe of it. Apprehension was replaced by the analysis of the man before her, like in a game of chess. She may doubt certain aspects of her life, but not her ability to assess her clients and the undeniable quality of her poker face, a skill honed over and over throughout the years. The man sitting across the table in the trendy Chicago restaurant was convinced he could play her like a pawn. He needed her help, but wanted to be pulling all the strings. And around the edge of class and worldly manners was that aura of danger, carefully contained and ready to strike.
“What amazes me is why the great Jamieson Finch came to me and my firm. You’ve had plenty of people wheeling and dealing on your behalf for years. And I’m not even talking about the number of lawyers you must have on your payroll, ready to do damage control. So why contact little ol’ me? For what purpose?”
The gleam she saw in his eyes was one Isabel had seen time and time again from men—surprise, appreciation, and anticipation.
The server came back with their meal, but apart from flicking his wrist, dismissing him, Finch didn’t break eye contact with her.
Oh, what a worthy opponent this man would be in any other circumstances, but Isabel never forgot why she was sitting here and who the man was. Not wanting to continue the useless standoff that was only benefiting Finch’s ego, Isabel turned to her plate of eggs Benedict and with one last smile dug in.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Finch take a bite of toast. His every movement was calculated, thought through, and that made her wonder how much he was holding himself back, and even worse, how close that menace was to the surface. Her instincts knew she would have to push him hard to get to that point, and because of her mission, pulling at the tiger’s tail might very well be necessary.
The meal was beyond delicious and she was hungrier by the minute. A challenge did that to her system.
“It’s a pleasure to see a woman eating with such gusto.”
Wiping her mouth, she took a sip of coffee before licking her lips. “And you are avoiding my question.”
“I wouldn’t call it avoiding, it’s a discussion.”
“If I remember well, a discussion is a question followed by an answer.”
Finch chuckled. “Then, in that case, it may well look like avoidance. But I’ll gladly answer. You were born and raised here. You know the beat of the city, its flow, its heartbeat. For what I have in mind, I need more than just technique. I need heart. I’ve admired your achievements, how you’ve redirected the careers of businessmen and a few politicians. And you aren’t about money.”
It was Isabel’s turn to chuckle this time. “You haven’t seen my rates yet.”
Finch shook his head. “What I mean is that you aren’t after money or fame, but a challenge. I’ve seen what you’ve done. For each of your clients who were in a seemingly impossible situation, you’ve detected the sliver of light
that allowed you to succeed. That’s a rare talent. One I want.”
“And what purpose do you want it for?” A tricky question if there was one.
“You know, you are one of the few who would start asking questions instead of just asking where the contract is so I can sign.”
Isabel took another bite of her meal. “Well, if that’s what you are searching for, I should thank you for the meal and we can part ways.”
She was playing a very dangerous game; the goal was to work with the guy, but she also suspected that if she played coy, it would backfire. Continuing to enjoy her meal, she saw him bore his silver eyes on her.
“You need my business if you want to grow even further, if you want to follow your ambition. I’ve heard how expensive it is to live in Chicago. With me, your business wouldn’t just thrive, it would explode.”
Neatly wiping the corner of her mouth, she replaced the napkin on her lap and leaned forward, mimicking his pose. “I’m not into explosions. I’m into challenges. So is my team. Will I empty your pockets in the process? Of course I will. All that talent is worth gold and as you said, Chicago doesn’t come cheap. However, if we have an agreement, you are buying said talent. Confidentiality is key, but I won’t be leashed and become a puppet on a string. I’ve done my research on you, Jamieson Finch, and I prefer to lay all the cards on the table up front. I’m sure you agree with me. Unless you like surprises.”
The gleam turned feral, and if it wasn’t for her experience with being surrounded by sharks, she would have broken into a sweat. Instead, she offered him her best smile. No way in hell would she ever appear weak in front of that man, even if deep down in that instant, Isabel knew she was pulling the tiger’s tail and was shaking in her knickers.
Very slowly, he smiled and leaned forward. “You will learn, Ms. Osborne, that I despise surprises, but I know how to play with fire.” Finch signaled to the server to bring him the bill. Isabel feared he could see her heart thumping wildly in her chest as she waited for the verdict.
Once he was done, he made a show of pocketing his wallet before returning his focus to her. “Do you?”
And on that note, he pushed himself up. Rearranging his perfectly tailored suit on that barely veiled threat, he bowed to her before turning on his heels and going back to his chauffeur.
Head spinning, Isabel kept up her façade until she saw him completely disappear from view. It was her phone buzzing in her bag that finally brought her back to herself. What she saw was mind-boggling; Jamieson had sent her the contract. Clicking quickly on the document, she scrolled down until she saw his ultimate purpose—for her to manage his image during his run for mayor of Chicago.
She had to tell Gabrielle. But when she finally managed to stand, her legs were wobblier than she’d anticipated. Needing to compose herself, Isabel went to the bathroom. Glad to see that they were posh individual rooms, she sighed in relief and closed the door.
Before she could lock the door, a force pushed against her and Isabel stumbled back. Ready to scream and attack the intruder, she managed to stop herself when she recognized Kai. “Damn, Jones! Way to give me a heart attack!”
Ignoring her outburst, he locked the door behind him. The look on his face was far from apologetic. When he finally turned to her, towering over her, memories punched her in the gut. Already in a weakened state, the only emotion she could rely on was anger. “What are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to stay out of sight? What if Finch saw you? What if he suspects something?”
Ready to fire more recriminations, she put her bag on the marble counter and steadied herself for a confrontation, when their bodies collided and his mouth crashed against hers.
The shock was like none other in her life. She was unprepared for the assault on her senses, and the flood of emotions. She was no longer in Chicago, and she could almost smell the sea salt in the air, or was it him? His lips were less tentative as she remembered, they were like the man before her; experienced, well aware of his power, taking whatever he wanted from her. It would have taken so little to yield and press her body against his. And she was well on her way to doing that when he pulled back.
Breathless, Isabel looked up and was hit with the coldest stare she had ever seen on him.
“You want to be part of this, you stick to the plan. Do you understand?” His voice was so harsh, hissing, it took her a moment to understand the words.
“You think I planned this? I know we expected the meeting to happen in my office. Finch suggested something else, it was either go along with him or risk losing him. Which one would you have preferred?”
Kai turned and roared in her face. “Don’t you understand, he’s fucking dangerous! You put yourself in danger leaving a secured area!”
Isabel couldn’t believe her ears. “Being in a restaurant isn’t a dangerous place. What could he have done here?”
Once more he faced her, his muscled body tense with anger, his handsome face darkening with menace. “The moment you stepped out of your office, out of the building with him, and entered his car, you couldn’t have known what would happen. He could have driven you to a completely different location, rape you or killed you along the way, and dispose of your body as he has done so many times with innocent people.”
Still trying to battle her shaky emotions in front of a man who made her feel anything but steady, Isabel tried her best to retaliate. “I’m no hero, I’m scared as shit, but I know from Gabrielle what a monster Finch is. One so bad his own children want him dead. Tell me there is another way to get to him other than using me right now. As you said, he’s got so many victims, threatened members of your family, your brothers and yourself, tell me here and now that the risk isn’t worth it.”
With her lips still tingling from that unexpected kiss, Isabel felt steadier, as if saying those words out loud made everything more solid and tangible. She may be repaying her debt to Gabrielle, as her use of the Dark Sparrow code name suggested, but there was no way Isabel could step away from this. She despised bullies and people whose honor was solely connected to money, power, and ambition. Finch represented all three, and even worse, someone’s life was worth less to him than the soles of his shiny shoes.
In heavy silence, Kai stood before her, his eyes glued to her face. When he stepped forward, she lifted her hand, a flimsy barrier, but one she intended to keep between them. “You’d better go.
“Izzy...”
Her name said from his lips still held power, one she had to crush. “Kai, don’t ever kiss me again. You crossed a line. Don’t do that. Ever. And I don’t need a keeper. If I do ever need one, I’ve got Gabrielle. Now, get out.”
If she’d thought that leaving him all those years ago was difficult, the way he looked at her now, his face closing and the light in his silver eyes turning to ice, was agony.
He snarled. “And for a moment, I forgot who you were, that you’re only a step up from Finch. Thank you for reminding me of that.” And he went out the door without a back glance.
As silence returned to the bathroom, Isabel’s ears started to buzz and the clenching in her chest robbed her of breath. Bracing against the vanity, she forced herself to fill her lungs and exhale deeply before finding the courage to look at her reflection. This time, the mask had fallen, and she only saw the raw pain of what might have been.
Chapter Seven
Calm and collected, Isabel walked out of the restaurant like a consummate professional, not a single hair out of place, all made up. If some people carried a weapon, how she looked often worked as a protective shield. It worked for most people, but not for the blond woman sitting behind the wheel of a sports car by the curb about four parked cars away.
Not that Gabrielle signaled her in any way. With her cap hiding her blond hair, it was clear she only wanted to shadow her. Although her friend could read her like a book, it was fortunate that all her suspicions and questions would only be about Finch. There was no way Gabrielle could know about her confrontation with
Kai in the bathroom.
The sun was high and bright over the city and it was tempting to skip all the nonsense and return to her old life, but she had made a promise and was going to stick with it.
Walking through the busy, crowded street, she pondered between grabbing a cab or a drink when her phone started to buzz like an angry bee in her bag.
The lack of numbers on her screen wasn’t surprising. “Isabel Osborne.”
“You gonna walk all the way to your office in those killer shoes?”
Isabel refrained from turning to look at Gabrielle who was probably still in her car. “These shoes aren’t made for walking.”
“Was that your angle when you decided to dress to meet Finch? A good choice, in my opinion. You took a risk taunting him like that. I guess it was a calculated one. Tell me it was.”
That comment stopped her in her tracks. People cursed and bumped into her as she blocked the human river. Stepping aside, she glanced down at her broach before rolling her eyes. Of course, it wouldn’t only be a tracker. “Well, you’re the only one who thought it was a good idea.”
“Yup, I agree that Kai didn’t like it at all.”
Isabel sighed and sat on a bench. “I hoped you wouldn’t hear that.”
“It was a good speech, until you presented yourself as a complete bitch. And Jones was dumb enough to believe it.”
“Can you please stop playing cupid? What was between the two of us is long dead and I have no intention of rekindling it. You know my reasons. Can we please focus on the task ahead? Finch sent me his contract. You want a copy of it? I’ll also send it to my lawyer before reading it myself.”
“I’ll get it directly from your account, make sure there isn’t an annoying tracker or bug in it.”
As Gabrielle talked, a couple of men started looking at her. Isabel knew that look, it was the one of a hunter, and from what she could see, these men weren’t top of their class.
