Keeping You: KJ Elite Inc. (14 page)

“He exists but doesn’t?” Noah asked, skeptical.

“Yes and no. He exists, but his official record would say he was dead. The FBI is not dumb enough to just create a cover for those guys. No, they create entire lives and they make it rock solid with documentation for their entire fake lives. Even family members and houses, occupations, schools, etc.” That has to be Luke.

They’re practically whispering and this door is way thicker than I originally thought. I’m tempted to open the door but he said not to until he gave me the word and that wasn’t my M.O. I was a bon a fide curious cat.

“So, do you know who he is?” The second one asked.

“I’ve been working on this tirelessly and I think I know but boy oh boy what a bombshell.”

Luke was practically giddy.

Noah said something now but it was so low it was inaudible to me.

“Yes.” Luke answered.

“So, is this going to be a real problem or just a bump in the road?”

“That’s up to her.”

Noah cursed and hit something.

“Always something standing in my way.” He was so close to the door I would swear his forehead was resting against it; his words directed at me.

“Well, I damn well will be.” Now I knew who the second voice was. I was in no danger at all. Not yet, anyway.

“Professor.” Noah said and knocked.

I didn’t move. I knew a test when I heard one.

“That’s not the word.”

“Good girl, sugar.” A smile in his voice.

“Package.”

I checked my new pair of sweat pants before undoing the locks.

“James.” The deep voice said to me from the other side.

“Hi, Tommy.” It was weak and pathetic but no different than any other time I greeted him.

“Do I have to kick my brother’s ass?” He asked, brows raised, a trace of humor painting his face.

“Like you could.” Noah reached out for me, keeping his eyes locked with mine.

Keeping our eyes connected was always this intense vibration in my chest, causing me to feel light headed. No exaggeration.

“No, Tommy. Thank you, though.” My smile was small, but it occurred to me that it was the first I had given Tommy directly since I had met him just over a month ago.

His expression was dumbfounded for all .03 seconds it took to recover his calm demeanor.

A smile played at his lips when he smacked Noah on the back and led Luke to the doorway.

“We’ll see you in five, No. Jamie, Tay is over at her mama’s house waiting for you.”

I said goodbye with a small wave to both Luke and Tommy then looked back to Noah, eyes slit.

“Matt wants to talk to you later, but your laundry is over at ma’s. She came by and got it earlier.”

The way he put emphasis on earlier made me turn a fair shade of crimson. Earlier as in when we were preoccupied. There’s no way I could face his mother now. Or Taylor’s either.

What one knew, the other did too.

Noah’s second story held three extra bedrooms. Heck, I’d settle for the attic; surely I could hide in one for the rest of my life. Or at least until I went back to New York. If I even went back to New York. It might not be where I was taken but the knowledge that the same guy who took me was casually letting himself into our apartment just gave me the creeps. My hair stood on end and I was fighting back a panic attack.

His hand at the base of my spine and another sliding through my hair to massage the nape of my neck, brought me back down.

“Don’t think I’m just going to forget what you told me. We are going to have a very long, in depth conversation about that travesty.”

I swallowed before steeling my posture. “No. No talking.”

“I’m afraid this is one explanation you aren’t getting away without.”

He pulled me into him for a soft, lazy kiss that quickly turned desperate. My hands fisted in his t-shirt and he tugged a little harder trying to ensure there wasn’t enough space for air to pass through us. “Fuck, I need you, sugar.” He growled against my lips.

A knock on the doorframe startled me while Noah kept his grip on me.

Matt cleared his throat making me turn to take him in. A bombshell blonde stood beside him wearing a white sun dress with large blue hibiscuses printed on it. Her nails were flawless with a simple french manicure. Matching toes peeked through the peep toe of her navy blue wedge sandals. This woman was gorgeous with a face that could do my job, effortlessly. The way she wore those clothes, you would have sworn they were designer.

“Well, cowboy, you sure don’t waste any time, do you?” She winked at Noah and walked over to us.

“Baby.” He smiled, releasing me and scooping her into a big hug.

Baby.

Well, this was suddenly awkward.

“How ya’ doin’ Happy?” Baby punched his arm, non-too softly and waved to me.

“Jamie, this is…”

“Let me guess. Baby?” I offered her my hand and a congenial smile. I did not feel threatened but I certainly was jealous. If that even makes sense. Who wouldn’t be looking at this woman?

Jeez, even Matt was.

In my career, I’ve met plenty of women who held their heads high and had a don’t-mess-with-me-attitude; they acted the part like they owned the world and nothing bothered them. That was a cue I picked up on – hence the title “Ice Queen” - but where they actually felt untouchable, I was vulnerable and would fall like a house of cards when I was in private.

Taylor and Matt were my journal.
Being the agent of an author didn’t exactly provide much opportunity for traveling but being his only non-author client, Matt accompanied me quite often to various events around the world. With him, it was easier to deal with people because he could speak my demands for me and had us in and out with precision. Despite the traveling together and him being there for me to open up to, we were never as close as he and Tay; those two were inseparable when we were “home”. He never made a big deal of going with me and listening to me work stuff out, almost like he wasn’t even there. Plus, he was great at helping with my panic attacks.

I must be throwing out all kinds of bad vibes because Noah pulled me back into him and kissed my temple.

“My real name is Alice. The guys call me Baby because of how I look, and the way I sound. Plus, it’s fun to mess with the enemy. Names are like looks, they can be quite deceiving giving you the upper hand.” She shook my hand then pulled me into a hug.

“Where’s little Shirley Temple?” Noah asked, not bothering to introduce me.

“Wondering where Uncle No is.” Her smile reached her ears, showing every perfect tooth in her mouth. “And what the hell is wrong with you, Happy? You’ve got a slice of Heaven tucked into your side and don’t bother introducing her? Don’t mind him much, Jamie; I’ve had money for years that he’s the one his mother dropped on the head a few too many times.”

Even Baby’s laugh was infectious.

“I didn’t introduce her because you already know she is.” He said, pointedly, giving me a squeeze.

Matt signaled for me to follow him with a nod of his head.

“Tay’s waiting on us, sweetheart.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Alice.”

Without a word to him, I push off of Noah and smooth my hair back. I follow Matt down the stairs and out the front door.

Matt could probably hear the wheels spinning out of control in my head. When we got into the truck Luke lent him, he put his hand on mine and waited for me to acknowledge him.

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of just firing off that particular lie? Don’t you want to mean it, just once?”

He wasn’t being judgmental or rude, just understanding. Matt got me.

I blew out a lung full of hot air and then looked over to him.

All I could manage was a small smile; answering that question would open a can of worms.

“Taylor wasn’t supposed to be home for another few days, right?”

“Correct.”

“So, what happened?”

Would he know? If he did, would he tell me? I don’t really know in what capacity he was working with KJ Elite. Matt fidgeted with the keys before answering me tepidly, evasively.

“Something is going down. Some information came in and something separate is happening with that woman you just met; Baby or Alice, or whatever you want to call her.”

“What should I call her?”

Matt laughed a humorless laugh and rubbed his thumb over my palm.

“I’d call her a non-issue as far as you’re concerned.”

“How would you know?”

“I’m intuitive.” His eyes sparkled. “Not mention you’re a got-damned top earning model and the idiot can’t keep his eyes off of you. Plus, she was hitting on me pretty hard when I picked her up.”

I laughed with him and leaned over to hug him.

Matt wasn’t a Kane or a Jameson. I have known him for years. We cared about each other as friends; I could hug him.

He held me tight and kissed my hair.

“We were real worried about you, sweetheart.”

We hadn’t had this conversation yet. When we spoke, it was usually him and Taylor trying to distract me from all the stuff that had happened. They wanted to drag me out of my own head without actually talking about the events to heal over them. I don’t want to heal over them though, I just want to forget and move on with the life I’ve made. They were the best friends someone like me could ask for. Especially Matt for risking everything by helping look for me while also protecting Taylor.

“I’m glad you found me. Thank you, for coming.”

Matt was a super soldier of sorts that the U.S. Government would deny ever creating. He was in some kind of hiding and I was a part of the reason he got found out. Though in good stride, he didn’t deny it or fight it; Matt just strapped up and joined the party to extract me. There were not enough ‘Thank you’s’ or ‘I’m sorry’s’ to cover it.

“We’ve got some business to discuss, you and I, and Tay really wants to hold you. Please, try to let her smother you for at least a few minutes, okay? I told her you were doing much better compared to when you got here. If she gets too much, I’ll pull her off and distract her with shiny things. If that fails, I’ll feed her white chocolate martinis.”

“I think I can handle that.”

Some loud noise caught my attention, on the front porch. A loud curse followed by Noah slamming the front door of his house. Baby led the way down the stairs, smiling sweetly at us in the truck. Her stomach is vibrating with what I guess is silent laughter.

“Let’s go.”

“I aim to please.” He pulled away from me after kissing my hand then put it into gear, and hit the gas.

“Also, I’d like to go on record that I am not in any way responsible for how this night will go.”

Knowing Taylor, I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer.

Chapter 8

“Meeting start time,” Mike checks his watch and says, “1845”.

Not a damn person needs meeting minutes in this company, but whatever gets his rocks off. Mike sits across from me at the large round table; Luke sits beside him, then Tommy, Candace, me, Peyton and Baby.

“Everyone probably already knows, but this is Alice Darling. Baby to me and our squad. She’s gonna be joining us here at KJ Inc. so everyone make her feel comfortable. Baby is family and” I turned to Candace, “is bringing yall another team member. Louisa, her gorgeous 4 year old daughter and no, she is not mine but I gladly claim her.”

“Yeah, if you can get her away from dad.” Luke laughed.

“Baby, starting at the top and moving right; this giant is Mike Kane, Luke Kane our resident genius, you know Tommy I think, this is Candace – she’s one of Tommy’s. Next to you is Tommy’s wife’s twin, Peyton Jameson. Charlie is the eldest Jameson and town Sheriff; he just took over for the old fart we grew up harassing, and Matt who picked you up. He’s an interesting, long story but for now he’s Taylor and Jamie’s agents slash a whole bunch of other shit.” I leaned back into my chair and took a deep breath. Jesus, we have a big group and this ain’t even everyone.

“Charlie and Matt are in town with the girls. Ma, Aunt Vic, Tay, Jamie and Doc are at Doc’s place.” Tommy informed me.

No one else. He looked me dead in the eye and dared me to push him.

“Let me guess, Annie’s brilliant idea?”

“You got a problem with it?”

“Have we checked you for steroids lately?”

“Taylor wanted to get Jamie out a little, get her a drink and enjoy some girl time.” Mike said.

Clearly no one knows that Jamie doesn’t drink.

“What’s the deal with your secret informant or whatever?” Mike asked Luke.

“I’ve already filled Charlie and Matt in, since they’re missing the meeting. I think I might have a few clues as to who this guy is. If he is who I think he is, the Government has succeeded in pulling the wool over an entire nation’s eyes again. Also, he has the potential to either really fuck this up for us or be a God send. Either way, he’ll be a key player. Jamie definitely has a problem.”