Marked. Part I: The missing Link (31 page)

That crushes me, even though I already know, and Arianna has shifted her mood to one of delight.

“So what's this job you have for me and how much money do I stand to make?”

Jay lifts his head and rolls his eyes, “Still the only thing you care about I see.”

“You know that's not the only thing,” she coos out, overlapping a leg, forcing you to become aware of their long leanness. I can't stop myself from staring at them, but it brings me some satisfaction to know Stevie's are just as good.

Arianna's knees are too big.

Great, now I have pitifully resorted to demeaning her.

Does it make me feel better?

A little bit.

“
I need something from Jaxon,” Jay begins, ignoring her advances. “I want to pay you to get it for me.”

Her mouth gapes open, like she's in disbelief he's even asking, “My Jax? Jaxon Henley?”

“The one and only.”

“
What exactly does Laz want from him?”

“
Not Laz, Vault.”

Arianna licks her lips, “Oh really, what does he have to do with all this?”

“It's none of your business.”

She crosses her arms and pouts, “So typical of you to be discrete with everything, like you don't know you can trust me. I'm your oldest friend and we've been lovers for almost as long.”

I cringe at the word lovers. I'm tempted to punch Jay when he glances my way and smirks when he sees it. I'm glad my jealousy amuses him.

Jerk.

I scowl back at him and this only makes him grin. It catches Arianna attention and she darts a quick glance at me, trying to hide a scowl of her own. Now Jay's smiling broadly at us both. He's enjoying us being jealous of the other way too much.

“
I don't trust anyone, you know that,” Jay gets her attention again, “Why tell a person more information than is necessary.”

“
Fine. What exactly does Vault,” she stops to lick her lips again, “want from him?”

“
A file from his main computer. Do you know where that is and how to get in?”

“
Of course I do. Did you forget who you're talking to?”

Jay laughs, “No one could forget that around you.” He gives her a flirtatious wink before glancing my way. I glare at him and he looks elated. He
is
trying to make me jealous. I can't believe it. What is this, the ninth grade?

“
I'm sorry Jay, but I can't do it. I can't risk my relationship with Jax. I've got a good thing going with him, he takes care of me. If I get caught I lose all this,” she waves her hand around. “Unless you can pay me ten million to make it worth giving up what he offers me.”

My mouth drops open. Ten million?
Damn, s
he doesn't mess around.

Jay starts scratching his scruff, face vacant, lost in thought. Is he considering paying her that much? Yikes, how much money does he have?

“I won't be able to pay you up front. I'll most likely only be able to give you a few separate payments.”

“
I'm supposed to trust you, but you won't trust me?” She chides, “You would seriously pay me ten million to get a file so you can keep
her
safe?” She nods in my direction.

“
It's more complicated than that.”

It pleases me to see he skirts around answering a question with her too.

Arianna shifts back to looking at me, “Have you seen Vault?” There goes the lip licking again.

“
Oh yeah,” I bite my lower lip and suck, remembering.

“
Insanely gorgeous, right?”

“
Definitely, like a Brad Pitt in Legends Of The Fall kind of way.”

She scrunches her brows, “I don't think I know who that is.”

My jaw plummets to the floor before rolling back up, “How the hell do you not know who Brad Pitt is?”

“
Oh wait, is he that guy who plays Heathcliff in that Wuthering Heights movie?”

How has she seen
that
but not know who Brad Pitt is?

“
No, that’s Tom Hardy. I guess with lighter hair and a leaner figure Vault and him could look alike. He'd also need Vault's divinely hot dimples.”

“
Yes!” Arianna swoons, “He's the one guy I can't get to sleep with me.” Gloom shadows her face and I laugh.

“
Are you sure? I can't imagine any guy saying no to you.”

She frowns and I don't miss her taking a peek at Jay who is now the one pouting. Poor boy, must be upset that we're not clawing each other to get to him.

“It's because he's afraid my parents would find out and he promised them he would never touch me.”

“
He did? Why?”

She leans in, ready to divulge the gossip, when Jay cuts in, “Can we please stay on topic?”

“You're such a party pooper.”

“
Isn't he?” I agree, loving how annoyed Jay's getting.

“
Honestly Jay, I don't want to risk it,” Arianna turns serious, “I like Jax. We have a lot of fun together.  Every time he's away on business he flies me out, completely taking care of me, buying me anything I want. All I have to do is be available for sex and attend events with him. Best gig I've ever had.”

“
Fine. Tell me the password and I'll do it,” Jay replies, not appearing to be affected by her turning him down.

“
It's on his laptop that he keeps in his suite. Sorry Jay, but there is no way you'll go unnoticed. He has bodyguards there at all times. I know a few people you could hire?” She offers.

Jay shakes his head, “No, I want as few people involved as I can.”

“Have Holly do it, or is it Lily?”

“
Holly,” Jay confirms, “and no way, she doesn't have that kind of training.”

“
Have her pretend to be housekeeping. I know you could easily get her a uniform and keycard. His main guard's a sucker for brunettes and girls in red. She can wear a lacy red camisole that peeks out at the top.”

“
I can't go in there with a red under top on!” I declare, flabbergasted that she would even mention such an idea.

She crinkles her nose in confusion, “Why not?”

“It would be like going in there with a red shirt on.”

Complete blank stare back at me.

Is she for real? “Do you know
any
pop culture?”

She shrugs, uncaring, “Not really.”

“No,” Jay continues, looking lost in thought, “It's too risky. She could get caught.”

“
I'll bring a gun,” I offer. Am I seriously entertaining this notion? I don't know the first thing about whatever the hell it is they want me to do. The fact that I don't know is even more of a reason I should not be talking right now, but apparently my mouth seems to disagree, “I could pretend to get faint and need to rest wherever he keeps his computer?”

Oh god, that's sounds beyond lame.

I'm even further humiliated by my comment when they both look at me like I'm an alien from Mars.

Jay throws a hand up at me and lets it smack down on his thigh, “See? Not ready. She'll get herself killed.”

“I'll coach her and I'll make sure to be there. I can sexually distract him – as you know, Jay, it wouldn't be that hard,” she frowns when this doesn't get a reaction out of him. He's too busy placing his hardened eyes on me, making me squirm from their intensity. It's not from fear, but something else; it's on the opposite realm of fear. He's looking at me like an animal zoning in on his property that's being threatened, and it's causing my body to have a strong reaction; It makes me want to pounce on him and mate.

“
Anyway, I can keep everyone distracted at the piano in his suite. She can be in and out in five minutes...or a little more,” she adds after the fierce glare Jay gives her. “She can come out of his private study he uses in the second bedroom and pretend to forget extra conditioner – that man goes crazy on conditioner and requests extra everywhere he stays. She'll exit the suite with the file and hurry back to you. Eventually they'll call it in and figure out she's not legit, but she'll be long gone by then. ”

“
No,” Jay firmly states, set in his decision.

“
I don't know what other option you have. If you're worried about her getting caught you can show her how to use a gun. Also, you can easily be waiting on standby, and have her out of there in seconds if you hear gunshots. He usually only has two guards with him.”

“
I know how to use a gun,” I feel the need to inform her for silly prideful purposes.

She snorts and rolls her eyes as if to say, “Super Soakers in the seventh grade don't count.”

“I can't have her recognized.” Jay's still zoning in on me and I'm about ready to rip all my clothes off.

Arianna waves her hand dismissively, “Not a problem, I can prepare her today. I'll take her to get her hair colored and cut, do her makeup, and we can get her a spray tan. You're lucky your girlfriend's so cute, Jay. It won't take much to make her a bombshell and leave them thinking with their dicks, not their heads.”

“I'm not his girlfriend,” I say at the exact same time Jay says, “She's not my girlfriend,” and we both give the other a dirty look. I guess we have aged back to middle school.

Jay remains locked with me when he continues, “I refuse to let you dye or cut her hair, or tan her, or do anything else that compromises her perfection.”

Holy shit, my insides are all mushy now.

Arianna was about to say more, but stops at his comment and stares at him for a moment or two before continuing, “Fine. We can get her a wig and I'll go heavy on the makeup.”

When Jay scowls she rolls her eyes, “Makeup easily washes off.” She looks back and forth between us, “I never thought I would see the day Jay takes possession over a woman.”

Both Jay and I snap our heads in her direction, which makes her laugh.

Jay's features shift as if something dawned on him. “Fuck,” he growls, “Finger prints.” He rubs the scars on his face, “Shit, I can't believe I'm even talking about this. Forget I said anything, she's not an option.”

“
That's easy. She can wear latex gloves. I see housekeeping use them all the time.”

“
I need a minute to think about this.” Jay gets up and retreats to the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

I get up and follow. He doesn't stop me when he looks up from pacing the floor and I shut the door for privacy.

“Baby, I can do this.”

I think...to be honest the idea is scaring the shit out of me.

He sinks down on the bed and puts his head in his hands, “I can't put you in danger like that. It's exactly what I’ve been working to prevent.”

“
Is there any other way?”

He sighs into his hands, “I could hire someone. I don't want my previous contacts to know I'm here, so I'd have to go with someone new which will take awhile.” He looks up at me and gives me a crooked smile, “Not sure if you noticed, but I have trust issues.”

I walk over and straddle him. I place both hands on his face, “Let's try me. If at any point I have a tinge of concern I'll get the hell out of there.”

He tightly wraps his arms around my waist and rests his cheek on my chest. I move my hands to hold him closer to my body.

“I like hearing you call me baby,” he confesses, low and raspy.

“
I like it when you kiss me.” I figured I'd throw that in there if we're being honest with each other.

He silently laughs, “I like that too. A lot.”

I run my nails over his hair, “Let me do this for you.”

“
Give me a minute to think about it.”

I kiss the top of his head and leave him with his thoughts.

I sit back down in the same chair.

Arianna's biting her thumbnail, transfixed on the floor, “You're good for him.”

I'm too stunned to respond and she continues, “He never smiles, but he smiles around you.
And
he talks. I think I've heard him talk more these past two days than I have the twelve years I've known him.” She laughs in a way that people do when they are remembering a painful memory and her eyes dampen, “I was once foolish enough to think I could be his one, that I
was
his one. I never was. I never will be. I figured that out long ago.” She stops biting her nail and studies me, “You are, I can tell. I've known him a long time. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he does you. I like that you look at him with just as much love. The way he kissed you in that video...he's
never
kissed me like that. Ever. In fact, when we were together he barely ever put his lips to mine.”

I reach over and hug her, taking her by surprise.