“You wouldn’t be presented as official security.” He leaned back a little and reached out, running the backs of his knuckles down her arm from her shoulder to her elbow. “You’d be introduced as my special lady.”
She spit out a curse so quiet, even audio surveillance would have trouble picking it up, but he choked on the visual it suggested. He held up his hands. “Hey, you do your best work when you have a chance to make yourself a part of the party. This gives you immediate access and reason to check in with me.”
“This brings me to the attention of not one, but three sets of people who could figure out who I am and why my last client’s people want me dead.” Her eyes had narrowed and her gaze darted around their surroundings, searching more diligently for hidden threats.
“I’ll have your back,” he promised her. “You do this, my boss will owe you. He has enough influence to take the pressure off you. You’d be able to come out of this tropical exile and get active in the business again.”
She didn’t answer. Next to her, Tongdaeng looked up at her and whined, then shot Michael an antagonistic glare. Michael wasn’t particularly easy with a dog that size threatening him, but since he deserved it this time, he waited patiently. He also kept his body loose and ready to react in case he had to jump clear. He was pretty sure Su wouldn’t lash out but it was smarter to be prepared.
After a long minute, she sighed and stood. “There’s a certain hell in being a ghost in our line of work. I’m tired of hiding, and I didn’t want to reincarnate myself as a nine-to-five day-job sort of person.”
He rose with her. “So you’ll take this job?”
She moved away, her dog at her side. “I’ll think about it. You’ll know tomorrow.”
He’d wait. After all, he’d been waiting a long time already.
2
Michael headed back to his rooms, took a five-minute shower, then dressed quickly in a two-button stone-blue suit with slim lapels and a fine white dress shirt. The overall effect was a transformation from beach to corporate professional without taking too much time or effort. Come to think of it, it’d been Su who’d taught him how to dress sharp in hot weather without melting. Before her, he’d have thought anyone looking for a wool suit for tropical wear was insane.
As it turned out, tropical-weight wool suits existed, and the very thin, light threads in the weave resulted in a sharp look without suffocating him. He’d liked the look and had the means to ensure he had a selection of suits to fit any occasion. Impressions mattered in his position, where he was too visible now to be able to simply do a job well. Sometimes making the right impact saved the time of a pissing contest later.
Seeing Su had churned up a mixture of emotions and memories, and he’d used the cleanup time to get his shit together. He had hopes for the current situation, despite the risks to both his boss and Su, and this entire meeting could blow up in his face. But he’d grabbed the chance as soon as he’d recognized the possibility of bringing Su back into reach before he’d fully thought out what could go wrong. Now he was committed. He needed to take steps to give this the best chance possible of not turning into a flaming clusterfuck.
He stepped out of his rooms, making note of who was on watch at the end of the hallway and making eye contact with his men. His suite was literally next door to his boss’, and access to this portion of the resort was covered effectively by a few men at key positions. He took the few steps to his boss’ door and knocked sharply.
“Come.”
Michael opened the door to find his boss, Ben Ward, at the desk at the far end of the main sitting area. The suite was designed to host casual discussions in this open room, with a work area and a full kitchen to one side. The other side had a spacious master bedroom and bath that looked pristine. Either the maid service had been by early in the morning or Ben had pulled an all-nighter catching up on work since they’d checked in the night prior.
“Michael, tell me you enjoyed the resort this morning.” Ben stood and motioned for Michael to take a seat on a couch. Ben sat in an armchair next to him as Ben’s personal assistant brought two cool glasses of some kind of juice.
“I walked the resort grounds, got familiar with the facilities.” Michael took a glass and clinked it with Ben’s, then tapped it down on the low table nearby before taking a sip. Old habit. “Checked out the beach and the bar out there. This is a nice place for a vacation.”
Ben grinned. “People like us don’t take enough vacations. We should make time, one of these days.”
“I will when you do.” Michael returned the grin. “Representatives from OpSys Corporation and Tama Incorporated will be checking in between tonight and tomorrow, on schedule. The resort management placed us all in room blocks with plenty of space between on the property. Security has been established for Varitim, and I haven’t identified any advance security from the other two organizations yet.”
It didn’t mean they weren’t here. He’d taken a chance meeting Su down at the beach bar, but it’d been better to meet her sooner than when security from OpSys and Tama were all over the place later today and tomorrow.
Ben only nodded at Michael’s report. “Varitim is in a good position for these negotiations. I’m glad the other two took our recommendation of this location for the meeting.”
“I’ll be working around the clock to ensure the security for the events.” Michael leaned forward and placed his glass on the table, then braced his elbows on his knees. “Not sure yet how the other heads of security will react, but you can let me worry about working with them.”
Ben smiled. “You’ve been with us three years now, and I have no concerns about how you’ll handle this aspect of your job.”
Michael straightened. “Thank you.”
He started to stand but Ben held up a hand. Michael frowned and remained seated. Usually, Ben let him worry about security only, and nothing Ben had said seemed different this time. What else was there to discuss?
“This meeting is going to take us all out of our comfort zones, Michael.” Ben sipped at his drink. “That includes you.”
“Sir?” Michael found himself slipping further into the old habits of a soldier when he wasn’t sure what was going on. Maybe he was more on edge because of his meeting with Su.
“Why did you join Varitim?” Ben put the question out there and leaned back in his chair.
Michael dropped his mouth open and closed it. Ben didn’t like it when people thought too long on their answers though, so Michael answered candidly, “It was the best of the job openings available when I was looking.”
Ben chuckled. “That’s generally the way it works. It’s not unusual for someone with your work history to enter private security. But overseeing security for a corporation, even with our kind of special projects, can get boring from day to day. Why do you stay?”
“Because—” Michael paused. He didn’t know how to put it into words. “The people in this organization are stable. Even if we’re not tight as friends, we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We work well together.”
Ben nodded. “You are a team builder. You think first about the team and how to make our position unassailable. You’re a major part of why this corporation hasn’t imploded from the inside out.”
“Thank you, sir.” Michael still wasn’t sure where this was headed.
“It would be a waste to allow you to get bored as head of security. You’re doing the job well and you are capable of more. Besides, you’re apprised of all the objectives for this meeting of minds.” Ben stared at Michael, the scrutiny going deep. “You’ve become like a son to me, not to get too maudlin, and I want to see what you can do when other opportunities present themselves. You’ll be joining me in the negotiations. Let’s see where you take things.”
Michael stared back at his boss, shocked. “Sir—”
“Ben,” his boss corrected him.
“Ben.” Michael coughed. “I don’t know what to say.”
He’d proce
ss his pleasure and gratitude for Ben’s regard later. At the moment, his mind raced through the procedures he’d set up for this summit and what changes he’d have to make. He was a hands-on kind of lead and this meant he’d need to adjust personnel to fill the gap as he moved to fill this new role.
Ben shrugged. “That’s fine. I’m not one for getting too far into it with the words either.”
Michael nodded, his mind whirling. The possibilities were too open-ended to even identify what his next steps would be. Varitim Corporation was lean and agile, changing roles to suit the needs for the organization to evolve fast for success. No position or job title remained permanent. It was about what a person could do to help further develop the company. Ben was giving him the chance to make a new place for himself, if he could benefit the organization while he was at it.
It meant more than Michael was prepared to admit.
“Michael, these events include family and significant others. All part of the relationship building we’re doing to build stronger connections. They’re a balance of social and business.” Ben hesitated, then continued, “It’s going to be new for you.”
Michael snorted. “I’ve never minded being solo.”
“You keep your private life private.” Ben smiled. “I respect that. But you shouldn’t be alone. Trust a lonely, grumpy old man. You can focus on the job and establish an efficient working team that way, but to become better at this business, you need to learn perspective. You’ve built a solid security team. But this organization is more. It’s a living, complex thing. I want you to understand this is all only worth it if you have a life, so you can enjoy the rewards of the business. For different people, it means different things: hobbies, vices, valued people, love. What will be interesting to me is what that turns out to be for you. Don’t become your work. Take this and be more.”
* * *
Sushar decided to wait in the sitting area of Michael's suite. If he was still the pro she'd known and worked alongside, he'd clear the entire set of rooms before relaxing. If she was anywhere but immediately visible and in the open, he might shoot before mentally registering who had invaded his privacy.
She'd do the same.
He'd left his rooms neat, almost as if he'd only recently checked in. His bags were still mostly packed and the garment bag hanging in the closet was the type that could be zipped and carried away with minimal fuss. The only sign of his stay in the rooms was the recently used shower and towels. The man used a lot of towels. He'd started wearing cologne too. From the lingering scent, she thought it suited him. Not too spicy. Many people equated spicy with manly. Either that or ocean. No. Michael's cologne had notes of amber and wood, sweet notes of cedar to give a warm and even elegant impression. She wondered how the cologne might combine with his personal scent and thought she'd like it.
He'd changed quite a bit over the years. He had a sense of calm and patience he hadn't had a few years ago. It'd been compelling, actually. She hadn't had her own sense of calm in at least a year. It was exhausting being on edge all the time. The opportunity he was offering her wasn't a sense of safety. She might not have taken him up on the offer if it had been. She could've disappeared and reincarnated herself if she'd wanted safe. Instead, he'd offered her a course of action and a chance to propel herself forward with her own agency again instead of waiting around for something to react to.
He'd offered her something she really wanted.
So she lounged on the settee in his sitting room and nursed a glass of scotch from the bar. Tongdaeng had settled on the floor by her feet, snoring quieter than she probably did. Patience was an adopted skill for her. It didn't come naturally. When Tongdaeng lifted his head and looked toward the door, her spirits lifted.
Finally. Enough waiting.
Michael didn't disappoint. He strode into his rooms, a hand discreetly on his concealed weapon. She appreciated his choice of suit and the way it was fitted to smoothly conceal his shoulder holster while he paused and took in the sight of her.
"I expected you tomorrow." He closed the door behind him.
She shrugged. "I don't take too much time to make my decisions."
A smile played on his lips. "You've always been incredibly decisive."
Ah, but he did clean up nicely. She liked him in nothing but skin, but dressed as he was in a good suit, he did naughty things to her sense of propriety.
She lifted her glass to him. "I decided to come here and ask more questions, so don't get too cocky yet."
"Yet." He skirted around her and stepped into the bedroom, conducting his check of the area.
She squashed a pang of disappointment that he didn't trust her enough to assume the rooms were clear if she was sitting in them.
He returned in seconds and took a seat on the armchair opposite the settee. "Ask your questions, Cat."
"Maew." She corrected him absently, using the Thai inflection. He’d called her Cat, once upon a time, but that was an older story between them back when they’d flirted and tempted each other but hadn’t ever crossed the line. "You're in Thailand. Use the Thai word."
He chuckled but said nothing, waiting.
She sighed. No fun. "Why? Why keep this employer alive? Why keep this company stable?"
She'd wondered what made this particular person worth Michael’s allegiance. In her world, loyalty was to people, not corporations. She didn't even give her loyalty to money. People might want to think the mercenary mind-set followed the cash flow but new contracts were obtainable for the business savvy. Loyalty was reserved for the carefully curated network of business associates, people a professional would work with reliably. She was hesitant to say she trusted those same people, because trust was a fluid sort of thing. Instead, she preferred to understand the drives, the things that motivated each of the people with whom she worked.
If you knew what made a person tick, what made them wake each morning and take action, you could find ways to work with them in a way to benefit both of you.
She couldn't see how Michael was tied to this particular corporation and she wanted to know before she helped him. Besides, doing this favor for him and for this corporation would tie her to it too.
"This man, he's built this organization from the ground up." Michael sat back in his chair, leaning on one armrest in a relaxed pose. She must have asked him a question he felt he could answer easily. "He's got his own ethics and he sticks to them. Not many people do anymore, not even on the legal side of corporate activity."
She quirked her mouth, giving him a skeptical look. "It's not like any of us are in it to 'do the right thing' here. We learned a long time ago that even soldiers dedicated to faith and country don't have the choice to do what's right. We follow orders and go where the mission takes us. Sometimes the powers that be send us where we shouldn't be and order us to do awful things. The reasons are never truly good. The world isn't right and wrong, good and evil. It's full of complicated political bullshit. At least in our line of work now, money is more honest."
Michael tipped his head in acknowledgement. "Not going to argue the point. All I can say is that so far, everything this man has done or asked me to do fits with my sense of what's worth it. This man, the organization he's established, has a code of honor to it. I missed having one in my life. Sure, it's twisted. Everything is. But this is the kind of code I can live by and sleep at night."
Huh. Su considered Michael. He'd matured. Perhaps he'd gained wisdom faster than she had. His calm, his patience, his conviction resonated in her. He was at least at peace with himself. Better than her current state of being.
She'd found it compelling earlier and maybe it was because she envied him.
"This job." She changed direction. The conversation had gotten too theological "You want me to pose as your woman and identify any potential wetwork specialist among the meeting attendees."
Michael nodded. "My intelligence says there's a contract out on my boss' head. I don't know who put the contract out there and I don'
t know who took it on, but all signs point to a single operative. I do know a significant amount was placed on the job and said payment is already waiting in escrow in a currently untraceable account. It’s a legitimate threat."
She'd want to double check his sources. It could wait for later though. For now, she wanted more on the immediate interaction with his coworkers and the other organizations. "Am I a whore?"
He froze, his face gone blank. After a moment, animation returned to his expression. "No."
One word. Hard and filled with a simmering anger. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm the one who said the word."
"You're not. Ever."
He wasn't going to tolerate it, not even for the sake of a mission. A fluttering feeling warmed her core. She cleared her throat. "How did we meet then?"
"I'll introduce you as a former lover. This will be our second chance together." He shifted in his seat. "I've been encouraged to develop a life outside my job. It'll make sense for me to bring you in and introduce you."
"I see." A renewed love. It was a different kind of acting. Pretending to be a hired prostitute would've been easier in a lot of ways. She'd have been able to maintain a certain distance from him while throwing herself all over him. She'd have been able to protect herself better. What he wanted would require her to make herself vulnerable in order to be convincing. It was closer to the truth than he probably realized.
"As my lover, you'll have access to every event and no one will question why you're behind the scenes waiting for me." He began listing the various ways the role would be of benefit.
Su leaned over and scratched Tongdaeng behind the ears as she considered the situation.
"It'll also explain why I've brought your dog in to keep you company." Michael's tone had turned dry. "How did the two of you sneak in here, anyway? If you'd come in through the windows, I wouldn't have been surprised. But don't tell me you climbed up here with your dog. He's got to weigh half as much as you do."
Finding His Mark Page 2
