Authors: S. K. Munt
‘Yeah... thanks…’ The guy said. Strangely, Tristan could feel his eyes on his neck until he rounded the corner. That was when he realized his error-and cringed. He’d said his name was forty years old, and didn’t look a day over twenty two. No wonder the guy was staring-he probably thought Tristan was a nutcase!
13.
Ivyanne glanced around the hallway between the library and the main bathroom, but it was deserted. She walked towards the fork where it joined to the front entrance, noticing that the door to the security room was ajar and voices were coming from within.
‘.. So this new monitor shows the private bedrooms and bathrooms in the main house-we leave that screensaver on to give people privacy-same with that monitor to your right, which is the guest house.’ Garridan’s voice drifted into the hall. ‘The one in the middle is the one to watch. It has the main rooms, the perimeter cameras, the dock and the gate. There’s no need to shift to the other monitors unless someone has breached the houses and we’re pursuing them.’
‘So are they fixed angles?’ Joyce asked.
‘No. If you want to swivel them, click on the picture you want and it’ll zoom in. Then just move these arrows... see? That’ll pivot them.’
‘Okay... well, seems simple enough.’
‘Thank you.. I really appreciate this. There are definitely going to be times when we need another set of eyes in here.’
‘No problem Garridan. I mean, it’s the
queen
we’re protecting here, you know? And she’s such a lovely little thing...’
Ivyanne felt a flush of guilt-poor Joyce was going to be stuck in the security room all weekend once Garridan knew that Ardhi was still at large. She’d probably change her opinion about Ivyanne’s loveliness after that!
Ivyanne adjusted the incredibly low cut blue halter she’d squeezed into, making sure enough cleavage showed to serve as a distraction. She was in going to be in trouble-and she needed to soften the blow any way she could. Satisfied that the combination of electric blue silk, french-twisted curls and honeysuckle perfume was as good as it was going to get without professional assistance, she eased herself inside the room.
‘Garridan, hey.’ She cleared her throat and looked around, the print out of the e-mail trembling in her hand. She leaned against the door jamb in the most appealing way she could manage, copying something she’d seen in a movie once. ‘Have you seen Lincoln, or Tristan?’
‘Lincoln left and gave Price a ride.’ Garridan said quickly, checking his watch. ‘And Tristan’s plane leaves in twenty minutes so I assume he’s already checked in.’
Ivyanne forced back her smile of relief. ‘What about the others?’
‘Camus and Joyce are headed to Seaview soon and Sahori and Lachlan are going with them. Pintang’s about to head to her parent’s place, if she hasn’t left already... Why?’ He turned to look at her then, and his eyes fell straight to her chest, and widened.
‘Oh sweet lord!’ he glared up at her. ‘What did you
do
?!’
Ivyanne blinked, surprised by his anger. ‘Do?’ She parroted, trying to feign innocence.
But Garridan wasn’t buying it. He crossed his arms and glowered at her. ‘You don’t think your mum pulled the low cut coiffed trick on me when she was trying to get out of trouble too, little miss? Or is there a nightclub out in the open water that I’m unaware of?’
Ivyanne blushed. Okay so the distraction technique was a fail. But the people she needed gone were gone, and enough remained to keep one another, and the grounds, safe. The time to confess had come.
Ivyanne took a deep breath and held out the piece of paper. She’d highlighted the passage she wanted Garridan to read. ‘You need to see this. It’s too bad that the guard have gone, but I’m sure we can handle this without them…’
Garridan straightened. ‘Handle
what
exactly?’
‘Read it and you tell me.’
Garridan took the e-mail, his eyes scanning the page. Ivyanne saw his jaw lock and his eyes darken as he reached the end. He looked up at her, frowning.
‘When was this sent?!’
‘Four days ago,’ Ivyanne said. ‘Sorry, but I only just opened it. I haven’t really been thinking about the sale of the house, you know? Do you think…?’ Ivyanne knew it was a dumb question to ask, but playing dumb was the only thing that could possibly spare her a hiding.
Garridan looked back down at the e-mail. ‘Dammit Ivyanne! We’re down
three
men!’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Maybe I could get Tristan at the airport before his plane leaves…’
‘Actually, Tristan’s still here,’ Pintang appeared in the doorway, frowning. ‘He didn’t tell me about his check-in time and I made him late-so he’s rescheduled for a three o’clock flight.’
‘Well thank god!’ Garridan lamented. ‘That’s something at least!’
Ivyanne’s heart sank. So much for Tristan being safe and sound.
Or
out of her hair!
Pintang glanced at Ivyanne, taking in the outfit. ‘Why? What’s going on? Ooh! Are we going out?!’
Ivyanne blushed further.
Joyce giggled and attempted to muffle it behind her long burgundy hair.
‘No we’re not going out. We’re locking down.’ Garridan tossed the piece of paper to Pintang. ‘Read this, then get Sahori and Lachlan to cancel their plans. Joyce, I know your husband just threw a line in but we’ve got bigger fish to worry about. And sorry Pintang, but you’ll need to stay close by too.’
Pintang’s complexion was leeched of all color as she read the e-mail. ‘Of course,’ she said softly.
‘I’ll go get Camus.’ Joyce said, getting out of the chair and smoothing her tan slacks around her hourglass hips.
‘Thank you. Tell him I need him here, guarding the door.’ Garridan whipped out a phone, glaring at Ivyanne as it rang. Ivyanne shrank back against the wall, thinking how much angrier he’d be if he knew that she’d read the letter an
hour
ago.
‘Tristan?’ he barked. ‘Where are you?’ There was a pause. ‘Why the hell would you answer the phone in the
shower
?’ He paused again, listening, then rolled his eyes. ‘Yeah well clearly I’m not Ivyanne and this isn’t
that
kind of call. I need you to cancel your flight and meet me and Camus at the front gate the second you can-come
armed
.’
Ivyanne almost rolled her eyes at the over-reaction. And at the implication of what Tristan was saying. He showered with his phone in hope of phone sex from her? That was laughable. They’d only ever had that one call, as she’d been silencing her phone at night since the day he’d showed off his guilt-inducing tattoo anyway.
‘No he’s not
here
here-but he’s here, in town.’ Another pause. ‘Huh? No, I’m locking her in the security room until the coast is clear.’ With that, Garridan hung up the phone, grabbed Ivyanne and half flung her into the chair in front of the monitors. ‘You-
sit
!’ he barked.
Ivyanne sat. ‘Garridan seriously-’
‘Seriously do what you’re told, okay?’ Garridan sounded very much like her father. ‘This is the most secure room in the house. I want you to lock the door after me and stay put-watching the monitors-until I know we’re locked down and that you youngsters haven’t left a scale-trail on the dock.’ He tossed her a walkie talkie. ‘Camus will be here to guard the door in a minute, then I’ll go and check everything out. Use the two way if you see anything I should be aware of, and under no circumstances are you to unlock this door until you hear me telling you to come out. Do you follow?’
Ivyanne nodded as the door closed, feeling awful to have stressed Garridan out so much. She swiveled in the chair to face the monitors, gripping the walkie talkie in her hand as her eyes scanned the screens for anything unusual. But there was nothing. Most of the rooms in the house appeared to be completely empty and as she hadn’t had the chance to point out to Garridan yet-Ardhi hadn’t come near them in a week, so ringing the alarm as he was was just Garridan taking his job far too seriously
again
. So much for their cease-fire! She’d really done it now.
Ivyanne sighed and rested her chin in one palm, glancing down at the waste paper basket curiously, rolling her eyes when she saw at least seven little slips of paper with Tristan’s name on them within. Results of the vote, no doubt. She leaned over and rifled through them, shaking her head.
So it was a guarantee.
She thought, exhaling heavily.
My votes were useless, and Lincoln’s own bloody lucky! Fate strikes again!
Then she spotted another one, in her own writing, and then another, and her heartbeat quickened. She leaned over and fished them out, shoving them into the pocket of her jeans before turning back to the monitors, not wanting anyone to see how she’d cast her own votes and read too much into it. But Sahori’s name lingered with her, speaking volumes about what she couldn’t bring herself to say.
Ivyanne knew she was in for a miserable weekend. She was as stressed out as everyone else and now she was going to be cooped up in the room for however long it took Garridan to appease his paranoia. Damn Tristan and his credit limit-his ability to buy up property around her and come and go as he pleased! If she’d waited two hours longer, Garridan would have been even angrier yes, but at least Tristan would be out of her hair instead of in the shower.
Why couldn’t he swim, like a normal
- Ivyanne suddenly sat up in her seat.
Shower. Tristan’s in the shower!
A slight thrill raced down Ivyanne’s spine. Showering meant naked-which was the one state she hadn’t seen Tristan in enough and possibly never would. Her hand went to the mouse, still trembling, but this time for a
different
reason. Ardhi wasn’t coming for them-he had no clue where they were or that they knew he was nearby. Why be bored and stressed when she could enjoy one of the perks of the security room? Smiling, Ivyanne rocked the mouse belonging to the right-hand monitor, her eyes lighting up when the guest house was revealed as clearly as the siren within her.
Ivyanne spotted movement instantly and grinned when she saw Tristan close the door to his bedroom behind him. He had a towel wrapped around his tapered waist and his wet hair was dripping water down the marked indent of his broad back. Ivyanne clicked on the screen and it enlarged to full view. There was Tristan, larger than life, glaring at an unmade bed Ivyanne assumed was Lincoln’s. She smiled and leaned closer, watching him lean over Link’s bed, lock the window and pull the blinds shut. He began to tug up Lincoln’s cover then apparently thought better of it, turning his back and shaking his head, muttering to himself, tossing his phone onto his own perfectly made bed.
Ivyanne giggled at her own audacity even as she mentally brushed the droplets of water off the masculine and muscular shoulders of the man on the monitor.
You talk the talk and strut the walk- now it’s time for a little payback Loveridge! Time to be objectified for real!
Tristan’s hand went to the knot of the towel at his hips, and Ivyanne’s laughter died in her throat as she realized that seeing Tristan naked would lead to
dealing
with having seen Tristan naked- sleeplessness, breathlessness and longing would be her companions for the weekend. Could she handle it again knowing she had only herself to blame?
Yep.
She decided, her siren cells beating her human ones down.
She silently urged him to take it off, thinking that she should volunteer for this safe, cushy job more often!
That
way she’d get to eye off
Lincoln's
streamlined physique as well! At that moment, Tristan crossed to where Ivyanne guessed the closet must be, because he disappeared from view. Ivyanne cursed and glanced at the keyboard, hitting the ‘down’ arrow’ to follow his movements.
On screen, Tristan froze. In front of her own screen, Ivyanne did the same. She watched him slowly look up until he was staring directly at her, through the lens, his eyebrows lifting in surprise.
Oh no
! Ivyanne thought, her hand going to her mouth.
He heard the camera move!
Ivyanne wanted to kick herself. How had she not realized that a moving camera would have some sort of audible giveaway? She didn’t know what the worst part was-that he knew he was being watched, or that her peep show had come to a premature end!
But then, Tristan’s expression of shock melted into a knowing smile, one that seemed to pass straight through the lens and tug at her own lips.
He knows it’s me.
Her cheeks grew hot in comprehension.
Garridan told him he was locking me in here
!
Oh shit shit shit! Busted! I’ll never live this down!
Tristan grinned and stepped back a foot or two, his hands still on the knot at his waist and a cunning smile stretching his full lips as he stepped out of the frame. Ivyanne sank her teeth into the fist in her mouth, hesitated only for a second, then hit the upwards arrow, following him obediently-as he’d known she would.
I’m already going to hell
…. she mused silently.
May as well enjoy the view along the way!
Tristan’s smile grew wider. He cocked his head, bit his lower lip knowingly and then slowly unfolded the join of the towel, teasing her. Ivyanne giggled and leaned closer, holding her breath in anticipation until Tristan winked and opened the towel at last, treating her to a full view of his spectacular naked body.