Chapter 5 Chapter Five
KING’S POV
There are a few reasons I’m fucking around the way I am right now after promising myself that I won’t and those reasons I count as very valid. The first is the fact that her background check came in squeaky clean last night from Remy and I trust his work with my life.
At first I’d been skeptical with the way everything had played out with her. It had looked a bit too easy and coincidental and schemed so I’d had Remy check if she’s affiliated with any of our rivals and here as a spy for them. You can’t be too careful with these things, but like I said earlier, she came back clean as fuck albeit the fact that her file was sadder than any other I’ve ever come across.
The second reason is an even more interesting twist because I’d just found out from the said file that she’s Jeremy Kane’s daughter, the one and same one my father won’t shut up about and seeing as she has no idea who I am yet, I want to see what I can find for myself about her to get me out the noose my father is fast snagging around my neck.
It does help that she’s a pretty little thing with doe eyes that begs for things she has no knowledge of, things that’ll rock her core and a smile that can easily light up a room. She’s quirky and feisty and acts almost too sexually innocent for someone that just got out of a relationship.
I mean, just now when she’d tripped over her own foot and I’d had to catch her to stop her from falling, she’d noticed my eyes dart briefly to the ample creamy bit of cleavage visible over the top of her sports bra and she’d flushed so pink I’d worried for a moment about her.
“I’ve been thinking,” She starts shyly, trying to match my pace with her tiny legs. “You hated the idea of hanging out yesterday, what changed? Why did you really invite me?”
I take a moment to find the best way to word my answer. It’s not like I can’t give her any of my other reasons and I definitely can’t tell her that I realized being with her might be the best cover I can use for the real thing that brought me here.
“Beat me to the top and I’ll tell you.”
Her face drops her lips forming into a cute pout. “That’s unfair, you have longer legs and I’m not even going to mention the part where you’re built like you live in the gym.” She whines, eliciting a chuckle from me.
“I know, that’s why I’m giving you a headstart.”
Almost immediately, as if on something she scurries off, clearly enjoying herself a little too much. I’ll see her at the top, maybe let her win too and come up with some bullshit answer to her question but right now I have to get busy.
Let’s go fish me some bastard.
I spend the next hour going around the people on the hike, looking for a match to the idiot I’m looking for. He’s supposed to be here, he’s the reason I’d signed up for this shit show anyways.
After checking the whole group and finding nothing, I groan with immense frustration wanting to hit something. I’m getting tired of this whole cat and mouse, hide and seek games fucking with the grand scheme of things. Armada won’t get off my back until I get this settled and I fucking want him off. No one wants the Godfather breathing down their neck for any reason whatsoever.
Turning up my charm, I go over to the young lady leading the group in the secluded spot where she’s resting as everyone pauses to take a break. Thankfully, I’d seen my unsuspecting partner sweating her ass off somewhere at the middle when I’d scaled up earlier so I’m safe for now.
“Excuse me, do you know if anyone cancelled from the party?” I ask the guide, coming to a stop in front of her.
“Uhmm…” She looks at me, unravelling at the way I was watching her. It was a trick I’d learned while I was in training and working my way up the cartel. You can intimidate answer out of a man and charm them off the ladies with nothing but your eyes. They take the term windows to the soul a little too seriously in my world and it works.
“I’m not sure I’m allowed to disclose that.” She says ruefully, looking away from me.
“I know but I really need to know. My best friend is getting married tomorrow and I’m in charge of keeping him safe and delivering his ass to the altar. He’s supposed to be here but I’ve checked twice and I can’t seem to find him.”
Her face scrunches, her inner conflict visible in her facial features. She looks around making sure no one is within hearing shot and then says in a half whisper,
“I’m really not supposed to say but two people canceled this morning. They’re both men and I have no idea which is your friend. I can’t say more than this.”
“Thank you. I owe you one.”
My small smile directed at her caused her to blush but before she can say anything more, I disappeared from her side, invested now in making it down past the middle without getting caught by you know who.
The rest of the hike up, I follow quietly, wondering what went wrong. No one is supposed to know I’m here, not even Remy can pinpoint my exact location at the moment and he’s the closest person to me but yet, somehow, I’d spooked my target out of my grasp.
And if he was spooked by me, it means he knows me now, he’s probably marked her too as my partner and it doesn’t take me a second to realize I’ve totally fucked up. I let my haste and games cloud my judgement and I’ve probably jeopardized her safety while at it.
With that thought in mind, I go looking around until I find her, falling a few steps behind to give her advantage. I’ve got to figure out a couple things real fast and I’ve got big decisions to make before I descend this hill but for now, I’m just gonna settle for watching her sweat her way up to victory.
Well, that’s what I think until I hear a sharp scream in front of me.
Oh shit, what has she done now?