by Nana Malone
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't. Look, all I mean is that you're eight months pregnant, my love. You have to take it easy."
"As soon as you bring me a note ordering me to take it easy from my doctor and not some hack that you find running around the island, then I'll take it easy, okay?"
I opened my mouth to argue and then snapped it shut. Fuck. No way was her doctor going to bench her. I'd already tried that tactic.
"How about surveillance fieldwork only?"
She frowned. "That sucks. I want to do fun stuff."
"Penny, you're being irrational."
She tried to remove her hand again, but I held it right where it was. I wanted her skin on mine. We were about to have a big argument, and I really didn't want that.
"Okay, look, I'm messing this up. I just want you safe. Can I get you to take more precautions if you're in the field? More guards? Sitting down, no running. Would that work?"
She frowned for a long moment but then nodded. "Yeah, fine. I'll be more careful."
"Let's maybe cap it in the next two weeks, yeah? We're getting really close."
She sighed and nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I have two more weeks, and then I slide into mommyhood."
"You're going to be the best mom."
"Yeah. Let's just hope I get to teach her all about superheroes."
It was going to be impossible keeping her out of the action. But I would absolutely have to do it.
9
Derrick…
The king was pissed off.
Hell, I was pissed way the hell off. But I didn't give a shit. Somebody had snatched me weeks ago, and while Royale Elite might be very good at their bodyguarding gig, they had a morality code. A code I didn’t necessarily seem to be afflicted with. I wanted answers, and I was going to get them any way I could.
I waited in the dark. I knew Brian Cohen's vices. After all, he'd been my father's best friend for years. I'd called him ‘Uncle’ Brian. I'd also discovered that he was once in love with my mother. Since he had a soft spot for her, I was going to milk him for everything he knew. If my father was behind my abduction, he would tell me.
Brian fumbled his keys as a tall brunette behind him wrapped her arms over his shoulders. "Come on, Brian, open the door. Let's go inside."
His voice wavered only slightly. "Yeah, I’m working on it."
Oh, poor guy. I was going to ruin his night. Oh well.
When he finally got the door open, he and the model-looking girlfriend went in, and I slipped my hand around the edge of the door before he could close it. His eyes went wide, and he staggered back a little. "Derrick? What are you doing here? Everything okay?"
The brunette behind him slid her gaze over my body, pausing on my shoulders, my abs, and then my groin. Nice.
"Sorry, Brian. What I need to talk to you about, she can't be here for."
He frowned slightly. "Are you okay? You seem different."
"Do I?"
I'd had my hair cut and shaved my beard to match Theo’s appearance as he'd done the same to match me a few weeks ago. Most of the swelling on my face had gone down, and I’d covered the bruises with the makeup I'd had the nurse get for me. I should have looked just like him.
Or maybe he was on to me, but I shrugged off the thought. "Yeah, I'm good. Sorry, honey, you have to go."
She pouted. "Why? I just got here."
I gave her a saucy grin. "Now, I know you're eyeing me as if I could be a potential option, because if you can get the young guy, why have the old one, right? But that would be a mistake. He's practically my uncle. So that makes me completely unattracted to you. You're out of luck."
She scowled then. "You're a dick."
"You are not the first person to call me that, surprisingly. Go."
Brian sighed when she clamored to the door, teetering on her heels. "Seriously Derrick, why do you have to do that?"
"What, like you were going to keep her?"
He sighed and shook his head. "No, but still."
"Sorry. I need some information."
"What? You're the CEO; you can get whatever information you need."
"No, not about the company. Information on Dad. I need to know about his comings and goings, his movements."
He rolled his eyes. "Jesus Christ, are we doing this again? I don't know. For the last month or so, you’ve seemed better, less obsessed that he's up to something, but I see you're back to it."
"It's important."
Brian rolled his neck. "Look, I've given you all the information I have. I've given you everything. You know who he's tight with on the board and who will vote with him. I've also given you everything you need so you can nullify his voting seat. Now, what else could you possibly want?"
"Something. Like black-box something. Any hints he's got ties to organized crime. Any suggestion that he knows the kind of people that beat the shit out of you for answers to questions you don't know."
Brian's eyes went wide. "Fuck. Do you think he knows people like that?"
"We both know he knows people like that. You don't get where he's been, with the rumors surrounding him, without getting your hands very, very dirty. And I'm going to prove it."
"But he wouldn't keep any of that kind of stuff on the servers. Nothing I would have access to."
"You’ve got to try. Find me something."
"Derrick, what the hell are you asking me?"
I shifted on my feet and then winced.
Brian noticed my discomfort and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine."
He narrowed his gaze and watched me closer. "Fuck, Derrick, what's going on with you?”
"Just get me what I need. You would know where to look, right? He's got to have a burn box, something. Some place he keeps all his dirty secrets where no one can find them."
"Do you think he'd trust me with things like that after what happened with your mother? Just tell me what's going on and why this is suddenly so urgent."
I held my ribs. They throbbed like they'd taken a kicking. Oh, what do you know, they had taken a kicking. "The reason things might seem off to you, Brian, is my twin brother Theo. He's been the one at the office for the last three weeks."
Brian's eyes went wide. "What?"
"Yeah. I found him like we talked about."
"What the fuck were you thinking?"
"What I was thinking was that I want to nail the old bastard, once and for all."
"By bringing your twin here?"
I nodded. "Yeah, but things backfired on me. I got pinched right before I could really put anything into play. Theo had to fly blind. Apparently, he did great. He made a plausible me, and no one was the wiser… not even you. But I mean, I couldn't put any of my plans in place. I have a feeling the old man was the one behind my kidnapping."
“Jesus, back to that again?”
"He's done it once before."
Brian shook his head. "You can't prove that."
"Fine, you're right. I can't prove it. But I'm close. So close. I need your help to finish him."
"This vendetta you have against your father has to stop. He's untouchable."
I ranted on him. "No one is untouchable. What? I'm supposed to walk away and pretend he didn't ruin my life? That he didn't pay people to kidnap me?"
"You don't know that."
"All right, let's go with what I do know. What I do know is he refused to pay the ransom. Even though insurance would have covered it. He was up for a vote, and he needed sympathy. So it was much better for him to have his son gone and make sure he stayed gone until after the vote. But then I escaped. Which worked in his favor too because all of those photos of us at last reunited. Now, are you going to help me or not, Brian?"
"I will, but does he know that you found Theo?"
"The old man? Not yet. But he will soon enough."
"What about your mother? Does she know?"
Derrick lifted his chin. "No. I certainly didn't tell her, and I don't think Theo did, either. And he just f
ound out about our connection, so chances are he's still dealing with the repercussions."
"Do you have to be a nuclear bomb everywhere you go?"
"I learned from the very best. Now find me what I need."
I stormed out. I had a couple more places to go without the prying eyes of my cousins and their security forces watching over my shoulder. And then when I was ready, they'd find me exactly where I wanted them to. I'd had a lot of time to think about what my next steps were going to be while I was held captive. And as much as my cousin meant well, he would only get in my way.
Zia…
The run was supposed to do me good. It had been a while since I'd gotten a workout in. I was tight. Unfocused. Every step hurt.
I took the palace tunnels down to the beach. The cabana that used to be there a few months ago was almost completed. The workmen were at the painting stage. I knew it was Ariel and Tristan's favorite spot, but who knew if they'd ever be back down there? A crazy person trying to blow you up would act as a major deterrent.
All I had to do was focus on the music and get into my stride instead of focusing on my Theo problem. But I couldn't help it. My brain kept running back to that night we'd spent at my old apartment, entwined in each other's arms, whispering, and giggling, and making love. And then my brain kept running to how I'd woken up alone without his warm arms around me, not knowing if I was loved or not. Yeah, that sucked. But it was possibly even worse seeing him on that beach, not knowing if he was hurt, not understanding what was going on, and seeing betrayal in his eyes.
"Whoa. Flash, slow down."
I whipped around. I usually kept one ear bud out so I could be aware of my surroundings. I dragged in a sigh of relief when I saw it was Tamsin. "Hey."
"Jesus Christ, are you training to be the next Usain Bolt?"
"No. Just trying to run the demons out."
Her eyes went soft. "Oh, honey. I get it. You're worried. It'll work out."
I turned around and started running, assuming she would just join me, which she did.
"I’m just afraid I’m going to mess up the whole thing."
Tamsin chuckled. "Honey, we all mess up. I messed up a lot. But it doesn't mean you don't keep trying."
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I cursed, praying I wasn't needed back at the palace just yet. Instead, it was the familiar text. Deedee. I supposed I could always count on my sister to need me.
Deedee: 911
I hit the off button, ignored it, and turned my music back on.
Tamsin slid me a smirk. "Ah, hurricane Deedee strikes again?"
"Yep. You know my sister. She cannot help herself."
"I thought you and Theo helped her move out of her place and she got a new roommate."
"Yeah, but I guessed that would only last a week. Hell, not even. It's only been a few days."
"Oh geez. Look, you have a lot to deal with right now. Maybe Deedee is the least of your worries."
I held up my phone. "That's why I didn't answer."
"And I am very proud of you because the old Zia would have answered it and then given Deedee whatever she wanted."
"You make it sound like I'm a shitty parent."
"You're not a shitty parent. You're just a good sister."
"You know what? I can't even focus on her right now. I just don't have the bandwidth."
"And I'm proud of you for knowing you don't have it. It's so easy to get caught up and think that you're just going to do everything for everyone and save the day."
"God, I wish I could ride in and save the day. My life would be so much easier."
"You can't fix everything."
"I know."
We ran in silence for a little bit, and then she broached the subject. "So, about Theo. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I just wish that I could go back to not knowing everything and live my life."
"Nah, this doesn't sound like you. The Zia I know, even when stuff is hard, wants to find the right solution, no matter how difficult it may be."
"I know. Can't that just be the old Zia?"
She laughed. "Nope. Only the one Zia here. Are you thinking about him?"
"Only every day."
"Do you think you'll be able to let it go?"
"I don't know. I really wish I did know. That I could just say for sure just one way or the other. But I don't. When I think about Theo, I keep seeing the Theo who was pretending, you know?"
She nodded. "I know, and I understand how disappointing it is. I know what it's like to leave someone for something they did. We all know what that's like. The question is what are you going to do with that information? Yeah, you were hurt by love once. But maybe you could cut him some slack. This is a completely different situation than before. Only you will know that though."
Yeah, this one I’d have to work out for myself. "Thanks. I just want there to be a magic solution, an answer, you know?"
Tamsin laughed. "We all want a magic solution, but that's not how it works. How it works is we bust our asses, we hope to make the right choices, and we do the best we can."
My phone buzzed again, and I groaned. When I glanced down, sure enough, it was Deedee.
Deedee: I know I said I had an emergency before, but this is really an emergency.
I waved my phone at Tamsin. "Yeah, maybe life isn't always exactly what I planned, but maybe it's not always so bad."
She grinned at me. "That's the spirit. Now, like I was saying, a good dick is hard to waste. Are you going to pretend that you don't want him? That you're not head over heels for him? Or are you going to forgive him? I vote to forgive, because your mopey face is killing my mojo."
I laughed. "I'm so sorry I'm killing your mojo."
"Hah, well, not everyone is perfect."
I laughed some more. And for the first time in a couple of days, I felt lighter. Like no matter what choice I made, I'd be okay. Like a broken heart wasn't going to kill me this time.
10
Zia…
Jesus.
I still couldn’t get Theo out of my head.
I’d given myself a whole pep talk, promised myself that I wasn't going to go there with him, and then one touch of my hand and there I was with his hands in my pants.
Idiot…horny idiot.
The run with Tamsin hadn’t helped either.
Now we were back at work and in the routine. Trace and Jax had been added as extra security. They stood out, but at that point, who gave a shit?
We needed to cover Theo and figure out where the real Derrick had gone. Someone at Arlington Tech could be behind it. Our time was short, because once we walked into those offices, anyone there who was behind Derrick's kidnapping would either instantly know that Theo was the double or wonder if they had the double instead. So I was going to have to do my real job, which was to cover his ass, not watch it.
But it's so nice though.
Nope. I’d spent enough time fucking around.
I‘d spent enough time fucking him.
I needed to get my head in the game, or somebody was going to die.
We marched in together as always. Olivia did a double take when she saw me with him and then rolled her eyes. She muttered something under her breath, but I couldn't tell what it was. And knowing her, it wasn't anything I wanted to hear.
Theo stopped right in front of her desk. "How many board members are in attendance for today's meeting?"
Her gaze flickered to me. "Uh, all of them."
"None of them have had their representative call in?"
She shook her head. "No. Everyone is here."
He nodded and then adjusted the button on his suit. From what he and Derrick had shared with us, he was supposed to be done now. He was supposed to walk away and be free. So how was he feeling now that he was stuck here? Stuck with me?
The question is how are you feeling?
None of that mattered. My job was the priority now.
I doubted this felt anything like freedom
to him.
I stopped at his office door and kept my voice low. "From now on, you go nowhere without us. Trace is outside the main door in the hall. Even to go to the bathroom, you get an escort, do you understand?"
His gaze searched mine. "Yeah, I understand."
Things between us were different. He wasn't fighting me. He wasn't protecting a secret. He knew that I was there to protect him and that I knew the secret, so there was nothing to hide anymore.
No more clandestine meetings. No more hiding the truth. I should have been happy, but I wasn't. Because it felt like we were staring at each other across an expanse that couldn't be breached. And I felt all alone.
Twenty minutes later when we were headed down to the board meeting, I didn't even bother with my laptop. I wasn't keeping up the pretense anymore. Sure, I could feign the assistant title, but I didn't need my hands encumbered with things.
Besides, I knew there would be notepads and pens provided in case anyone had something they needed to write down. But I wasn't involved in the communication, so it was done for me.
When I reached the main conference door, I watched him. "I'll stay out here if you want."
He shook his head. "I don't know what's going to happen right now. With Derrick gone, I just have to be him. I need to figure out on the fly what to do about the deal."
"Basically, you have to stall."
He nodded. "Yep. It feels awesome."
"You'll be fine."
"Sure, I will."
We both walked into the meeting room. Some of the board members were surprised to see him.
But I'd seen him with them before. He'd talked them into waiting, walked them through the reasons why, and he had been excellent. Outstanding. Maybe he just needed to work some magic again.
But something about the way he held his shoulders told me that wasn't exactly how this meeting was going to go. As soon as he took his seat at the head of the table, his father barged in and made his way to his spot in the corner of the room. I immediately palmed my weapon. Theo gave me a slight shake of his head, letting me know that he had it under control. From the other room, Trace spoke into his comms.
