Hunger (Seductors #2) (4 page)

“I won’t let you down, Sonia. I’m willing to work together if Alicia is.” It was a lie, of course. I didn’t
need
Alicia’s help, and I didn’t want it. I knew Oliver better than she ever would.

“Thank you, Jade.” Sonia turned to Alicia, waiting for her response.

“I could have handled this, but if you want Jade on the mission, what else can I do?” she sulked, running her fake red nails through her hair.  

“Excellent! Alicia, I want you to get Jade up to speed with everything. She leaves on Thursday for an interview with Mr. Brentford in Washington. Jade’s first contact with Mr. Kirkham will be at the Brentford Apartments Opening in New York.” Alicia simply nodded, but I could see that she was fuming inside. She knew I had the upper hand. Oliver might still be in love with me, after all. All I needed to do was gain his forgiveness. “That’s everything for now. Jade, you’ll need to pay Miles a visit to get your paperwork in order and to clear your cover story for when you meet Mr. Kirkham again. He has secretly been trying to follow your every move. We need make sure your story matches the destinations Miles faked to keep you safe.”

“Thank you for believing in me, Sonia,” I smiled, standing up. “I won’t let you down.”

“I have every faith in you. I’m glad to get you back out there.”

“Don’t mind the rest of us Seductors,” Alicia muttered icily. “No one can match perfect Jade.”

“You could learn a few things from Jade, Alicia. She is a real professional. There are many reasons she is top of her game, and you’d be wise to try and follow them.” Her words were truly touching. I never knew that was how Sonia saw me. I wasn’t really the Jade she had just described anymore, though.

“I’ll take my leave now and begin preparing for my interview in Washington.” Sonia excused me with a nod and a small smile.   

As I walked out of Sonia’s office, I could hear Alicia raise her voice. She must have been furious at the turn of events. I knew she hated me as much as I hated her, but if working with her would give me Oliver, it was something I was willing to do.

I couldn’t protect my heart this time, though. The moment I saw him, I knew I’d give him anything he wanted in return for his forgiveness.

If that
were
my heart—I’d give it to him gladly.

Chapter Two

“Here are all your papers, Jade.” Miles smiled sweetly at me. “Are you sure about all this?”

“I have no choice. Sonia needs me to take this mission.”

“You want this mission too, don’t you?” he questioned, handing me my fake passport. Why did it feel so good being Jade Gibbs again?

“Yes,” I confessed with a sigh.

“Mr. Kirkham doesn’t seem to want to give up on you, either. He did another background check yesterday to see if you’d used your account anywhere.” Oliver was
still
looking for me.  That was a good thing, right? “Did you get the information I sent you about your bank deposits?”

“Yes, I’ve studied them. I know where I’ve been these last six months.”

“Make sure your tracker is working. I had issues with Georgie’s earlier this week. It might be the software that I updated,” he mused, going back to his computer.

“Don’t I get any fancy gadgets to take with me?” I teased, leaning on his desk.

“There’s no point until we know about this power core. You have your standard equipment, though.”

“Do you think they’re going too far with this steal?” I could confide in Miles. We become close in the months we’d worked together.

“Selling advanced nuclear weapons to the highest bidder? Yeah, I’d say they’ve outdone themselves this time. But we’re all here to do a job, aren’t we?” I nodded sadly. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I always am.”

“Mr. Kirkham has no idea about the stolen blueprints. We’ve advised our client to keep it all under wraps until we find out if this power core is even real.”

“Do you think it could exist?”        

“There have been so many advances in fission and fusion that it could be possible. By generating higher mission velocities with less reaction mass, it could be achieved. Kirkham Industries would need a higher energy density of nuclear reactions, though. That would take some creating.” Miles had lost me already. “Sorry, Jade. It’s my scientist head talking. I can see the glazed-over look in your eyes.”

“You’d get along so well with Oliver,” I giggled. “Does he really not know about the blueprints being stolen?”

“He’s been too occupied with trying to find you, Jade. He has no idea that they were stolen, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t find out.” Miles was amazing. He was all about keeping us Seductors safe.

“You’re a real sweetheart,” I beamed, pecking his cheek. He blushed bright red, like I knew he would.

“Who’s going to keep you guys safe if I don’t?” he mused, looking up from his computer screen.

“Sonia doesn’t value you as much as she should.”

“When you complete this mission, ask her for a pay raise for me, then,” he chuckled.

“Deal,” I smirked. “So, is this everything?”

“Yeah, good luck. Oh, I’ve downloaded information on Brian Brentford to help with your interview, too. I sent it to your phone so you can read it on the plane.”

“That was very thoughtful.”

“I do it for everyone.” I knew that wasn’t true, but I needed to get ready for my flight to Washington so didn’t push it.

I was flying to New York immediately after my interview. I needed to secure myself an apartment, and had booked a room at The Peninsula, Manhattan while I visited a few real estate agents.

The opening for Brentford Apartments was at the St. Regis Hotel, which was just around the corner from The Peninsula. I needed a quick getaway if my first meeting with Oliver didn’t go quite how I planned.

“I still think this mission involves him. I can tell by your face,” Molly moped as I packed my bags.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for
your
mission?” I pointed out, trying to change the subject. “You know I can’t tell you. This mission doesn’t concern you!”

“Why would he become your target again? Plus, do you really want to go there knowing Alicia has, too?”

“Molly, quit it, please!”

“I had to take some of his calls when he kept trying to reach you at your pretend office, Jade. I’m under no illusions about how he feels about you, and I know you’re in love with him, too. I’m worried about you. How are you going to walk away after this? You had a hard enough time after the first mission.”
      

“I’ll be fine!” I threw my hand over my mouth, realizing my slip up.

“Are you for real?” Her eyes widened as her mouth went slack.

“You can’t breathe a word of this—not even to Georgie or Drew. You know Sonia will come down on your ass hard!”

“Fucking hell, I’m speechless! Of course I won’t say anything—I’m not stupid.”

“I’ve got this, Molly. I’ll be fine, I promise,” I murmured, zipping my up my suitcase.
      
 

“Okay,” she sighed, getting up. “You go and have more amazing sex with that hot target of yours. I’m not jealous in the slightest.”

“It might take a while before we get to that. I have a feeling he’s not going to be happy to see me.”

“He’s in love with you, Jade. You’ll work it out. Just remember to look after this.” She poked my chest. “Being in love with your target isn’t a good place to be.” I knew that, but Molly didn’t know that I had the chance to be with Oliver when my contract was over—as long as he never found out I was a Seductor.

“I’m not in love with him. I’m just addicted to the way he fucks me,” I lied.

“You can’t fool me.” I shook my head, giving Molly a tight hug goodbye. When I stepped back, I grabbed my suitcase and papers, and was finally on my way. It seemed surreal that in less than two weeks I would see Oliver again. The question was: would he be happy to see me?

I lay on one of the orange lounge chairs near the pool at The Peninsula, relaxing and soaking up the sun. I was trying to calm myself because today was opening day. In a matter of hours, I’d be face to face with Oliver, trying to explain my absence for the last six months.

My interview with Mr. Brentford had gone effortlessly in Washington, even if he had spent most of the time talking to my chest.  

I had also managed to secure an apartment in Manhattan, not too far away from Oliver’s stunning penthouse. Although, I had to wait a few weeks until I could move in.

I was hoping that by making myself easily accessible to him, he wouldn’t be able to keep away.

He might not be able to stand the sight of me at first, though.

That was what worried me the most—Oliver’s initial reaction. I’d hurt him, but would he be willing to forgive me?

“Jade?” I was snapped out of my thoughts when someone stood in front of me. I groaned to myself at the sight of Brian Brentford hovering over me. His eyes raked over every inch of my body. Only wearing a red bikini, I quickly pulled my robe around my body and sat up.

“Mr. Brentford, what are you doing here?” I acted shocked when really, I knew what his game was. He’d been trying to make a play for me from the moment I entered his interview room in Washington.

“Sorry to drop by unannounced, Jade.” His eyes were lingering on my legs as he spoke. “Would you mind arriving a little earlier tonight to help me set up the room?” Great, that meant I had even less time to get ready now.

“Of course I can,” I smiled, taking my sunglasses off. “I’d better get ready soon, then.”

“Don’t let me keep you. I thought I’d ask you in person since I was passing right by your hotel anyway. Can I take you to lunch tomorrow, too? The floor plans for the apartments you’ve been assigned have arrived. We could look at them over a shared meal.” Oh, I had every hope that Oliver would save me and stake his claim by then. Lunch with Mr. Brentford sounded awful.   

“Sure,” I replied quietly. I still had to be shy, Jade Gibbs, when really, all I wanted to tell this asshole to take a hike. Just the way he was watching me was creeping me out.

Mr. Brentford wasn’t much older than Oliver. I could only imagine what the rivalry was like between the two
friends.
It wasn’t that I was planning on making Oliver jealous by using Mr. Brentford, but Alicia had been alone with him for two whole weeks. Who knew what schemes she’d played trying to seduce him. I only prayed Oliver hadn’t fallen for her charms.    

“I’ll see you later then, Jade, and thank you.” Mr. Brentford left without another word.

I looked down at my watch, knowing I needed to make a move to get ready. I needed to look my best for tonight. Why was I suddenly feeling so worked up?