Free Hostage Page 9

  “I just want to point out that I was drugged—twice—and brought here against my will. So, the real question is what do you want from me? Also, I would like to purchase some knickers that aren’t shear, thongs, or open crotch, please. Collin’s taste is bit too wild and risqué for me.”

  Jaxon takes a breath as if to respond, but then just heaves out a puff of air instead. He looks to Melanie. “What do you want?”

  “Me? I’ve got plenty of salacious knickers, thank you very much. I’m just here to join the Unseen.”

  At this, Jaxon’s head jerks back. “Excuse me?”

  I shoot my hand up again.

  “Timber, you don’t need to…” He trails off and pinches the bridge of his nose, motioning with his other hand for me to go ahead.

  “Just an opinion here, but I think the name the Unseen is lame. Will you be open to a name change when Mel makes the team? To something like”—I make a dramatic gesture with my hands—“Specters? Or, uh, Zero Evidence?”

  “Zero Evidence?” Melanie giggles. “Really, Tim?”

  I shrug. “Well, it’s a lot better than the Unseen.” I make air quotes and a disgusted face.

  “What do you mean you’re here to join us?” Jaxon breaks in, ignoring my sarcasm. “How did you learn about us? Who are you, and what makes you think you’re qualified? Blowing doors off, lighting firecrackers, and making a scene is not what we do.”

  “Bypassing your security and blowing your door off was just my first audition,” Melanie says, unperturbed. “How I know about you to begin with is what makes me qualified. If you seek further qualification, why don’t you go ahead and check those impeccably concealed bugs you have in the kitchen? The fact that your team doesn’t even know you’re spying on them, yet I’ve been here less than a day and I sniffed it out, should be more than enough qualification.”

  Wait, what? Ohhhhh. That explains Melanie’s inexplicable careen from our initial plan.

  “Mel,” I murmur as I turn and brace on the chair arm, “you promised her you wouldn’t take credit.”

  “I know,” she said, never taking her eyes off Jaxon. “Just more auditioning for his ears. He’ll understand, and he won’t let on to her that he knows. Besides, if he tells her, I’ll have to tell he’s been snooping on them. And that will only drive a huge wedge between them all where trust is concerned.”

  I cringe inwardly. Damn, she’s good.

  Jaxon doesn’t respond.

  As good as I am at reading people, there is no breaking through that impassive barrier. He’s too adept at hiding himself. My inability to discern his thoughts infuriates me and arouses me at the same time.

  Cool and detached, his unreadable eyes slide to me.

  And stay on me.

  At first I shrink into myself, but then I sit up straighter, jutting my chin out. I can’t let him intimidate me with those eyes.

  But is it intimidation, though? Or is it…twisted seduction?

  “Oh, you want Tim’s qualifications, too?” Melanie asks at his prolonged fixation on me.

  Jaxon still doesn’t break his stare.

  I fidget with my glasses. Partly because it’s starting to get to me…in a sexual way. Not good.

  I blurt out, “I can steal a hundred thousand dollars from you in under ten minutes.”

  This gets double eyebrow lifts from Jaxon…which is huge coming from him. “Explain yourself.”

  “Well, I’m going to need a computer and the name of a bank you have an account with. An account that has at least one hundred thousand dollars in it.”

  Jaxon doesn’t even blink. “You serious?”

  “You either want her qualifications or you don’t, mate,” Melanie chips in, sounding bored and impatient.

  Jaxon looks at her, and back at me, then at her again, before he waves me around to his desk and pulls out the massive, über-comfy wingback chair for me to sit in.

  He glances at his watch. “Ten minutes.”

  I get to work. I open a browser, hack it, and insert my coding.

  He gives me the name of the bank when I ask for it. Using the hacked browser, I go to the online banking site and activate my coding.

  Within three minutes and two seconds, the code successfully imitates the website, word for word, icon for icon, everything legit—well, the fake kind of legit. Once it’s done, a green box with a blinking cursor pops up.

  Without looking up, I prompt Jaxon for his email address associated with the account. He hesitates for a second, but then rattles it off. I enter his email address and hit send.

  Seconds later, his cell phone chirps from his pocket. He pulls his phone out, taps across the screen, reads for a few seconds, then looks at me. “This is an email from the bank saying someone tried to hack my account and advising I change my password to protect it.”

  I sit back and pout. “Well, hell, it seems Scooby-Doo busted me before I could get in. Better change your password to protect that dough.”

  Melanie giggles.

  Jaxon is unamused. He changes his password.

  Has the man not seen Blackhat?

  Minutes later, all his information pings right back to me.

  Damn, I’m good.

  I rub my hands together in giddy glee and open up a fresh, uncorrupted browser, navigate to the authentic online banking site, enter his original password, and voilà, I’m in!

  In another couple of minutes, I’ve transferred a hundred thousand from his account to mine. Of course, the transfer will take a day or two to complete. Therefore, I change the password to his account for real this time, so he can’t get in to stop it.

  Job done, I sit back, look up at him, and give him an angelic smile.

  His mouth opens, but on cue, his phone chirps in his hand. I watch him open the email, relishing the stifled surprise in his eyes. “A wire transfer receipt.”

  “Ta-da!” Melanie exclaims, giving me a proud wink.

  A mystified head shake from Jaxon. “Explain.”

  “See, it wasn’t the bank that emailed you at first. It was me.”

  “Figured that much.”

  “I designed a code that can accurately mimic any website, that can trick you into believing it’s the real deal. My code copies the email addy the bank uses, so everything appears legit. It’s flawless. Zero way to tell it’s fake, unless you call the bank directly. So, you follow the link to change your password. Once you’ve entered your password into the ‘Enter Old Password’ box, that’s all I need. I’ve got you. Bypassing security questions and everything else is a walk in the park. Done and done. The only reason you even got a wire transfer receipt is because I wanted you to. Otherwise I would’ve rerouted it to a random email address so you’d never know until you checked your account.”

  Jaxon nods once, contemplative. “You could make serious money from this.”

  “Except,” I hold up a finger to halt his avaricious thoughts, “I designed that code for experimental purposes. Not to rob people’s hard-earned money.”

  Tucking his phone away, he arches a censorious brow at me. “You want to be part of our team? That is what we do. We take what isn’t ours.”

  I raise my hands. “Whoa there, mate. I did not ask to be a part of your team.” I point to a bored Melanie. “She did. And she doesn’t know this code, so don’t go thinking you can bribe her into telling you anything.”

  “But—”

  I shake my head. “I know. I know. With this you wouldn’t need to go out in the field and risk getting caught. You could just sit behind your computers and become billionaires. But I’ll not be contributing to that.”

  His eyes narrow. “What’s your purpose, then?”

  I shrug. “If my mate’s going to be here, so will I. You heard her, we’re a team. Joined at the hip.” I pause, think, and add, “Also, Collin. I like it very much when he ties me up and straddles me.”

  Oh, yes, he had. When I tried to stop him from ordering those atrocious undergarments.

  Melanie’
s eyebrows jump up in surprise.

  And Jaxon…a reaction slips through his veneer that both scares and excites me. His jaw pops. It’s clenched so tightly I can almost hear his teeth grinding.

  Nerves have me fidgeting with my glasses again.

  Catching himself, he turns away and rakes a hand through his hair. Yep, his perfect control slipped, there, for a second.

  Fixing his attention solely on Melanie this time, he says, “You get a six-month trial run. You’ll sign an NDA, along with the general team contract. You do nothing without my permission. You blend in with the world and do nothing to draw attention to yourself. No more blowing shit up. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you’re just a normal, innocent nobody.”

  He looks up to the ceiling and orders, “Now, get out. Both of you.”

  Mel leaps to her feet, over and done with this meeting ten minutes ago.

  I’m a wee bit slower, giving Jaxon a careful eye. His face is still turned to the ceiling.

  As I’m about to pass him, I hesitate and pause.

  “Timber?” His voice is gruff, gaze still fixed above.

  “Yes?”

  “Go.”

  “I—”

  “Go.”

  I go.

  But I wonder. What the hell was that all about?

  Chapter Eleven

  Melanie’s happy announcement to the group that she’s now on a six-month trial run with them leaves Kavon flabbergasted.

  Eduardo is indifferent, Jo is suspicious, and Collin is intrigued.

  As for Jaxon—no one’s seen him since our little tête-à-tête.

  It’s a boring Monday night, and no one appears to have plans to go out. Everyone’s gathered in the living room, loafing. Except Jaxon.

  Jo and Melanie are playing chess on the floor, exchanging silent dares and intimidating eyebrow arches. It’s remarkable how well they’re getting along within mere hours of Melanie’s arrival, considering Jo’s detested me the whole time I’ve been here.

  Eduardo and Kavon are slumped on separate armchairs, engaged in a heated debate on Apple versus Android. Collin and I are lounging on the big sofa watching parkour videos on YouTube. My back to his chest, I’m drawn up between his bent legs as he holds out his smartphone at a comfortable angle so we can both see the screen.

  Being with Collin is my new favorite thing. He’s open and down to earth, and he doesn’t snub me like the almighty Jaxon, who’s constantly shooing me from his sight. I can relax with Collin, breathe with him. He accepts me and snuggles me and warms me.

  Yet, the more I get used to being touched by a man, the more I crave Jaxon’s touch.

  I dreamed of him last night. I dream of him while I’m awake. I dream of him in the shower. There, for the first time in forever, I ventured close to touching myself, imagining my hands were his. Urges like that are new and unfamiliar to me, all that raw sexual desire… But now I ceaselessly think about this man and what he does to me. What I want him to do to me.

  He’s corrupted my thoughts and shuffled my hormones.

  I’ll never be the same again.

  “Ace,” I mutter as one of the lads in the parkour video leaps off one towering roof to another and lands with a handstand.

  “Sick, right?” Collin agrees.

  We are wholly engrossed in the video when Jaxon strolls into the room. Hair damp from a shower, barefoot, wearing faded jeans and a plain white T-shirt. He looks…normal. Not the usual stiff, wooden wall of impassivity and intimidation.

  At his entrance, Kavon and Eduardo drop their debate. Jo and Melanie pause their game of chess. But Collin and I continue watching our video. We don’t need our eyes to listen. At least, that’s what I tell myself, so I don’t have to risk looking at Jaxon and have my knickers melt off me.

  He comes to a stop at the foot of the sofa and stares down at us. Briefly, his head swivels to the others, and then back to us. From the corner of my eye, I can see his jaw working, back and forth.

  “Col, can I have your undivided attention, please?”

  Attention still on the screen, Collin holds up a finger in the universal sign for “give me a minute,” then exclaims, “Ohwoah!” when one of the guys attempts to kapour off a staircase and fails, slipping and hitting every step on the way down.

  Ouch!

  Reluctantly, he closes out of the app and squeezes the back of my neck in a gentle caress as he mutters, “Don’t even think about trying those moves, Nerd Girl,” before directing his full attention to Jaxon.

  Jaxon looks expressionlessly above my head to Collin, never at me.

  I feel Collin stiffen, and I bet he’s staring right back at Jaxon. He seems to be the only person in this house who’s not intimidated by their leader.

  Jaxon blinks and looks around to the others. “Just FYI. As of tomorrow, Melanie Tahira is on a six-month trial for the team.”

  “Yeah, we heard,” Kavon replies. “Thing is, I wasn’t aware there was an opening.”

  Jaxon slides his cool gaze to Eduardo. “You wanna tell them, or should I?”

  Eduardo shifts uncomfortably.

  “Tell us what?” Jo demands.

  Eduardo scrubs a hand down his face.

  “Tell us what?” Kavon echoes.

  Shifting to the edge of his seat, Eduardo braces his hands on his knees. “Amigos, I’m sorry, I should have told you a long time ago, but…I’m resigning.”

  “What?” Jo and Kavon exclaim in unison.

  “I know. It’s sudden. But you know Mama is ill, and I have not been there for her because of this job. I have to go back and spend some time with her and the familia before she goes. You understand, si?”

  Jo’s dark eyes narrow. “You sure this is about your mother? Or is this about Della?”

  Eduardo scratches his forehead.

  “She’s pushing you to quit, isn’t she?” Jo presses. “Ever since you knocked up that frigid, rich bitch, she’s been causing problems. She’s the law and you’re the outlaw. But didn’t she know that before she dove headfirst onto your dick? Now she’s using her pregnancy to control you.”

  “Jo…” Kavon cautions.

  Eduardo pushes to his feet. “Look, I get that you don’t like Della, but she’s my woman and she isn’t going anywhere. True, she is ecstatic that I’m resigning, but I really am doing it for Mama…and for our little one.” He walks over to her and looks down. “It’s my decision, Jojo. And it’s final.”

  She just glares up at him in open disapproval.

  Kavon asks, “When are you leaving?”

  “In two weeks.” He ruffles the top of Jo’s hair. “Sorry, mi hermana.” Then he leaves the room.

  Kavon asks Jaxon, “Is the new girl an engineer? ’Cause if she’s gonna replace Ed, she better be.”

  Melanie speaks up. “I have a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Tim has a master’s—with more practical, hands-on experiences than me. She’s been building robots since grade school. Twelve months ago, she designed and built a sports car engine for an esteemed car company in Germany whose name we can’t disclose due to contract clauses. Therefore, even though I’m perfectly capable of doing all your jobs better than you ever could, if I happen to stumble, Tim will be here to help me.” Her chin dips as she eyes Kavon under her brows. “Satisfied? Or should I go on?”

  Kavon’s gaze shifts to me. “She the boss of you, or something?”

  “Nope,” I reply with an easy smile. “She’s just bossy.” I shrug. “I’ve no problem with it. Actually, it makes my life easier. I don’t have to answer lame questions from people who aren’t on my level of genius.”

  Collin chuckles and slides an arm around my middle.

  Kavon shakes his head, then turns back to Melanie. “Sorry. I’m not sold.”

  “Good thing I’ve got three months to prove myself, then.”

  Jaxon steps in, his attention fixed on Collin’s arm around me. “New sleeping arrangements. Until Ed moves out in two weeks, Melanie rooms with Col, a
nd Timber with me.”

  Silence.

  Painful silence.

  Jo’s eyebrows blend in with her hairline.

  Kavon’s mouth gapes open like a ripped back pocket.

  Collin goes rigid behind me, his arm tightening around my middle.

  And, me? Well, I’m just trying to process the decree, wondering if I heard wrong. Pretty sure I had.

  But Kavon proves I didn’t hear wrong when he asks, “When you say with you, do you mean in a sleeping bag on the floor? Or in your bed?”

  Jaxon is without expression or reaction. “Yes, Kav. In my bed.”

  “But…” Kavon glances around the room, searching. For what? Understanding? “But you don’t allow people, anyone, not even Nadine, in your room. Let alone your bed.”

  “A first for everything,” Jaxon says, deadpan.

  His voice laced with a hard edge, Collin mutters, “You’re not serious, are you?”

  With bored eyes, Jaxon cocks his head. “Why would you assume that?” he asks, his tone flat as stale soda.

  “Because you know Timber and I are hooking up. Can’t imagine how you’d think it appropriate to take my girl from my bed and put her in yours.”

  Shocked, Melanie catches my eye and mouths, “What. The. Hell?”

  But I’m too stunned to react. Jaxon wants me in his bed? The man who allows no one in his room wants me in his bed?

  Why?

  Why?

  Breaking the brick-thick tension in the room, Mel says, “So, um, while you blokes butt heads over whose bed Tim will be bonking in, I’d like to object to rooming with Collin. No. Just, no. He has platinum hair, his teeth are too white, his lips are too pink, his abdominal muscles are too hard, and all that really freaks me out. So, no. I choose to room with Jo instead. If she doesn’t mind.”

  Jo’s eyes snap to Melanie. “What?”

  As if Melanie hadn’t spoken, Jaxon responds to Collin with, “Your girl? Didn’t I hear you making plans with Simone today? And here I thought I was doing you a favor taking Timber off your hands before she gets too attached and you have to break her naive little heart.”

  Collin grits his teeth. “Timber and I have an understanding.”

  Jaxon snorts. “No, Timber’s a shiny new toy for you. And when you were supposed to be watching her, you weren’t. That’s how this one”—he gestures to Melanie—“was able to find us.”