Cassius

by Stevens, Madison

  CJ grinned. Maybe that wasn’t such a problem. First things first.

  “Hey, Kendra,” he called. “How about lunch?”

  Chapter Eight

  Kendra sipped at her glass of water, her heart pounding. She’d been kicking herself since the park. Graham’s serial killer explanation didn’t feel right, and when CJ showed up at Walls and Falls, she couldn’t help but see it as a sign from above.

  She’d been hoping to work up the courage to ask him out after the climb, but he’d gone and done it right in the middle. That almost made her fall, but it was worth it. She’d finished her climb, taken a quick shower, and headed out with him to a nearby Mexican place.

  It didn’t matter that she wasn’t hungry. She wasn’t hungry for food.

  Kendra could feel his eyes on her body the entire time she’d been climbing. She welcomed it, only worrying that it might be messing with her concentration.

  She’d always mixed fashion and function with her outfits since Graham first convinced her. She’d come to appreciate how they showed the results of her hard work but never had worried about how they might please a single man. Of course now, she was in sweats, but he’d gotten to see what she had to offer.

  It wasn’t fair. His short-sleeve t-shirt showed off his thick arms, and his jeans clung tightly to his powerful thighs and awesome ass, but she wanted that shirt off so she could trace every muscle in his chest with her fingers and tongue. She also wanted to see what he could do with his own tongue.

  They’d chatted politely so far, keeping it light and breezy and mostly talking about her videos after he’d admitted he’d finally come across her show. She didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing, but he sounded impressed. Now she felt like an awkward teenager as she nibbled on her carne asada and stole the occasional glance at the man who was already done with one huge steak burrito and moving onto another.

  His appetite didn’t surprise her. A man that muscular and huge needed his protein.

  “Enough about me,” Kendra said. “What about you? I have to admit you’ve got an impressive physique, and I spend a lot of time around men with great bodies.” She put a palm to her forehead and groaned. “That didn’t sound so bad in my head.”

  CJ lowered his burrito with a pleasant smile. “Don’t worry. I’m being generous. Go on.”

  Kendra took a deep breath before swallowing down her discomfort. “You said you were checking out the gym for a friend? You don’t do climbing?”

  “Not as a sport, no.”

  “You must do something.” Kendra reached across the table, stopping herself before she caressed his bicep.

  They both stared into each other’s eyes in silence for a long moment before she sat back down, her face burning with embarrassment. She returned to her meal, but it wasn’t long before CJ cleared his throat and spoke again.

  “I don’t do sports if that’s what you’re talking about,” CJ said. “I train a lot, but gym stuff and general exercise. It’s all functional stuff, more about my job than anything. Besides, I’m one of those guys who was just kind of born bigger. I put in my time, but I doubt I have to work as hard as you.”

  “Your job?” Kendra loved everything about CJ. His size, his voice, his light brown hair. Again, she couldn’t help but think about how he was a dream made flesh. “What kind of job requires that kind of fitness but isn’t athletics?”

  CJ looked surprised for a split second. Kendra wondered why that would be but didn’t want to mess up the moment.

  “I’m a private investigator,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Before you say anything, it’s not that impressive. It’s mostly following around husbands cheating on their wives, that kind of thing.”

  “A PI? Wow.” Kendra laughed. “I’ve never actually met one in real life. I would have never suspected from the way you look.”

  “Sometimes people don’t like getting caught doing bad things,” CJ said. “And I can’t shoot everyone who wants to take a poke at me. Fitness and being able to knock a guy on his ass can come in handy and save me from having to explain why I shot somebody.”

  The more he spoke, the more confident it sounded. Kendra wasn’t sure if that meant he was ashamed of his job or not. It sounded kind of cool, and she could see where it might end up more interesting than her line of work, despite how much she loved being the Roving Champion.

  Kendra gestured to his body. “I just imagine a PI as a chain-smoking middle-aged guy in a trench coat.”

  CJ chuckled. “I don’t know if that was ever true, and if it was, that would have been back in the Forties. What about you, though? How did you end up becoming the Roving Champion?”

  “Oh. It’s nothing special.” Kendra smiled. “I’ve always loved sports and athletics. I’ve dabbled in tons, even if my most recent love is climbing and OCR. There’s just something about pushing your body to the limit. It’s not really about the competition for me.” She let out a contented sigh. “It’s about having some goal and working toward it. I think that’s part of what I love about the OCR scene. There are definitely people who are competitive, not nearly as much as in climbing, but at the end of the day, it’s more about you versus the course than anything.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “I started in college studying kinesiology,” Kendra continued. “I wasn’t on any of the actual teams because I was too much of a dabbler, and I always wanted to do my own thing, but then I got the idea of doing some videos of me doing my athletics from a guy I met, Graham. He had some experience with that kind of thing, and he kind of helped launch my career.”

  “Graham?” She watched as CJ’s smile disappeared. His neck and shoulders tensed. “That makes sense.”

  “We’re not like that.” Kendra waved her hands in front of her face. “I mea, he’s my best friend, but he’s not my boyfriend. He has a boyfriend, actually. So that’s why… that and he’s not my type, though the first part is more important.” She looked to the side, trying to hide her embarrassment.

  “Oh.” CJ relaxed, and his smile returned.

  Kendra didn’t mind a little jealousy from the man. They might be on their first date, but he showed he cared enough to want to fight for her. Sometimes she might find that annoying, but the last thing she wanted from CJ was apathy.

  “You started your videos and the rest is history?” CJ asked.

  “Basically.” Kendra shook her head in disbelief. “It kind of just blew up. I never thought anyone would care to watch me climb or do obstacles or silly physical challenges, but my channel grew. A hundred followers. A thousand, a hundred thousand. The next thing I knew I was getting major ad share revenue and sponsors were showing up. They wanted me to wear their gear and clothes in my videos, and I could make a living as an athlete on my own terms. I dropped out of college. My parents weren’t happy at first, but after doing it for a couple of years they were proud of me. Kendra’s Challenge became The Roving Champion, and here I am.”

  “That’s very impressive,” CJ said. “It sounds like you’re getting to live your dream.”

  “Yeah, I am. What about you? Was being a PI like your dream? Did you sit there as a little boy and watch PI movies?”

  “I was raised in a… strict environment,” CJ said, sounding uneasy. “Abusive, I guess some people might call it. I didn’t watch a lot of movies.”

  Kendra offered him an apologetic smile. She had such a great relationship with her parents and family that she always felt blessed while also pitying people who didn’t experience the same.

  CJ shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, but my childhood wasn’t as happy as some. Forgive me if I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “No, I understand.” Kendra reached across the table to pat his hand. She smiled when he took hers, enjoying the warmth. “But now that you’re away from them, you must have some sort of dream, right?”

  CJ shook his head. “Honestly? Not really.”

  Kendra sighed. “That’s kind of a bummer.”

/>   “I don’t think that way.” CJ’s smile brightened. “Right now, I’m enjoying every day with my brothers.”

  “Your brothers? You come from a big family?”

  “No, they’re not my brothers in that sense. We’re just so close, we’re like a family.” CJ looked to the side before turning back toward Kendra. “We’ve gone through a lot together. I trust them with my life.”

  “Wow.” Kendra’s eyes widened. “I love Graham like a brother, but if it came down to my life I think I’d rather call the cops.”

  CJ laughed. “Fair enough. We’re all big guys with jobs like mine. We’re used to things getting rough, but the point is I’ve got good people backing me, and I’m one of those guys who just goes with the flow.” He took another bite of his burrito. “I’m hoping it’ll all work out. I can’t control the universe, so why worry about dreams? It’s not that I think they’re stupid or pointless. It’s more like that I’m living my dream every day because I’m free from people who’d control and hurt me.”

  “That’s a great attitude. I wish I could be more like that, but I get in my head too easily.” Kendra sat back, trying not to be distracted by the hunk across from her. The serious turn in the conversation helped, though she did wonder what he’d taste like. She shook her head.

  “Problem?” CJ asked.

  “No, no. It’s just me being shallow. I can’t even believe I’m thinking some of the things I’m thinking after you laid all that on me.”

  “Thinking what?” CJ asked, his voice low and enticing. “You can tell me.”

  “I-I can’t.” Kendra’s bottom lip quivered.

  She couldn’t take CJ looking at her like that. Her insides fluttered, and heat pulsed through her. This went well beyond undressing her with his eyes. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one thinking inappropriate thoughts in the middle of the serious conversation.

  CJ returned to his food, his eyes never leaving her as he nibbled off a small piece.

  His nostrils flared, and for a moment, there was something in his eyes, a fire. Pure lust. She was sure of it.

  She swallowed and crossed her legs, not liking the warmth in her center. This was ridiculous. A woman shouldn’t get turned on by watching a man eat.

  The way he’d been looking at her was completely different from what she’d seen in the park. Before he’d looked confused and surprised, but now he wanted her. She didn’t doubt that. Something had clicked in his mind, but what was it?

  She’d been dressed cutely in the park and in the middle of a run. That meant her body was as much on display as it’d been at the gym. Between training and jogging, she’d not been wearing much makeup. Graham wasn’t with her at the gym, so there wasn’t any filming that required her to look her best.

  Kendra continued to stare at CJ, enjoying the piercing look he was giving her, as if he could see her lust and was ready to repay it. She didn’t know how to deal with what she was feeling, but she didn’t want it to stop.

  “The assault,” she blurted out. She mentally kicked herself when she saw the fire die in his eyes, replaced by a glacier of confusion.

  “The assault?” he echoed.

  “The race. The Knickerbocker OCR Assault. You’ll come and cheer me on?”

  CJ nodded slowly. “Oh, that. Yeah, I’m sure I can come. It’ll be fun. I think I have a friend who’d be interested.”

  “A friend?” Kendra tried not to sound jealous. She’d assumed that being asked out to lunch and being eyefucked meant they had something together, but she wanted to be sure. Different people had different standards, but she wanted monogamy from the beginning.

  “He’s okay,” CJ said. “We’ve worked together in the past.”

  “Oh, he’s okay.” Kendra smiled. “Sure, bring him along. I wish I had a friend to introduce him to, but I’m only visiting.”

  CJ snickered. “Don’t worry. He’s not really in the market right now.”

  “Then that makes things even easier.” Kendra glanced nervously down at her phone. “I really, really hate to say this, but I’m going to need to leave soon. I’ve got to do some quick voiceovers for some of the videos. Graham’s a wizard at getting things set up no matter where we go. Our hotel room is like a studio right now.”

  “You free tonight?” CJ asked. “At least a couple of hours? We could have dinner.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Just give me your number.”

  Kendra’s pounding heart threatened to burst out of her chest. She rattled off her number. “I can’t stay out all night. Graham will kill me with the race coming up, but I’m sure I can find a couple of hours.”

  “That’s good.” CJ licked some sauce off his top lip. “I look forward to seeing you again.”

  Kendra swallowed and squeezed her legs together. “So do I.”

  Chapter Nine

  Julius eyed CJ from the driver’s seat of their rental car. They’d barely used it since arriving because of their target and lodging situation, but it didn’t hurt to have mobility. Neither of them knew where the investigation would lead. They’d taken a short drive around and now were parked back in the motel lot.

  Suspicion on Julius’s face shifted over several seconds to open amusement. A wide grin preceded a loud laugh.

  CJ frowned. He didn’t think his report about his contact with Kendra was that hilarious. He might not be as slick with the infiltration and acting as Julius, but he was doing a decent job.

  “A PI?” Julius asked, shaking his head. “That’s your cover story?”

  “We didn’t establish anything beforehand.”

  “But a PI?” Julius snickered. “Why not just go with our standard security contractor cover? That explains away a lot without seeming that suspicious.”

  “So does being a PI,” CJ replied. “And it gives me a lot more flexibility than a security contractor story. The event and venue have their own security, so if I started going on about anything related to that, all it would take is one question for Kendra to see through me.”

  Julius shrugged. “Okay, whatever. Then I’m officially your partner on this case, Mr. CJ the private investigator.”

  “Do you have anything useful to tell me, or do you just want to keep busting my balls over my cover choice?” CJ asked.

  “I’d like to continue messing with you.” Julius grinned. “But, yes, I figured out some things when you were running around with your gym bunny lying about being a private investigator.”

  “Get to the damned point.”

  “Touchy.” Julius stared at him for a moment, his grin gone, a calculating look in his eyes. “There are a lot of last-minute deliveries being handled by third-party companies.”

  CJ nodded. “That’s not unexpected given they’re getting down to the wire for the race.”

  “True, but I ran some of these by Maximus,” Julius replied. “Based on some of the intel the government handed over, some of the companies might have received money from Ouroboros.”

  “Money laundering, after all?” CJ scratched his cheek.

  “It feels overly complicated if that’s all it is.” Julius shook his head. “These companies might not even know what it is they’re shipping. If Ouroboros knows everyone is watching them, they might be trying to use third parties for more cover.”

  “But what could they possibly want to deliver to an obstacle course race?”

  “Good question.” Julius glanced into the rearview mirror, watching a car with tinted windows pull up behind them in the parking lot.

  Both hybrids remained silent, ready to grab guns hidden underneath their seats. The doors to the vehicle opened slowly and two giggling college-age girls emerged. Given how low-cut and short their dresses were, there was no way they were hiding any weapons. CJ relaxed when they headed toward the motel.

  “I think we stick to my earlier idea,” CJ said. “Now that I have a contact who knows what to look for, it’ll be easier.”

  “You mean taking the gym bunny to the site?” Julius asked.
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br />   CJ nodded. “If there’s something that shouldn’t be there, she’ll notice.”

  “Do they let people check it out ahead of time?” Julius frowned.

  CJ shrugged. “Not sure.”

  “See if you can take her at night when there are fewer people.” Julius’s gaze flicked to a car passing in front of them in the lot. “Tell her it’s part of your PI crap. She’ll eat that up.”

  “True.” CJ looked down and furrowed his brow. “I wish I didn’t have to lie to her.”

  “There are a lot of things we all want, but right now this is about getting a specialist to help us with our job. Keep your head in the mission. We only have more evidence Ouroboros is involved now.”

  CJ nodded quickly. He wasn’t sure why he was so bothered by lying to Kendra. She was just a woman he’d met. He was letting raw attraction cloud his mind. He’d decided there was no way she was his Vestal.

  Even after he settled on that explanation earlier, he’d pushed it away. He wanted to believe it, but wanting something didn’t make it real.

  It’d be a stronger attraction in such a case. It’d have to be.

  Did it? There was one disturbing possibility he’d not been able to let go of. If Ouroboros was there, they might be there for her. It’d make sense if she was a Vestal.

  But the rest of it didn’t flow with any logic. There was no reason to bother with special supplies or waiting until the race rather than snatching her from her apartment.

  CJ was looking for excuses for his attraction and trying to convince himself she was his Vestal because of his dick, not his soul. He sucked in a breath. At least he’d see her again soon. Vestal or not, he liked that.

  “You good?” Julius asked with a frown.

  “I’m good,” CJ mumbled, not sure who he was trying to convince.

  * * *

  CJ was grateful Kendra didn’t mind going to a corner diner. He’d not brought anything from the island approaching nice clothes. Everything was casualwear to blend in or tactically oriented. Suits and ties weren’t his thing, or most of the hybrids’ for that matter.