The man was a sniper, worked for SIS, was broody in a typically Scottish way, had an amazing body, and once or twice, let his guard down enough for me to believe he had a dry wit.
It had been a while since I had a shag, good or bad, and I’d be willing to bet David would be an outstanding fuck.
As irritated as he seemed to be with me, I doubted that would be a perk of being under his protection.
4
SAVIOR
If I were Sullivan, I’d ask an equal number of questions. On the other hand, not knowing my fate, I’d be more likely to remain mute in an effort to refrain from letting on anything I shouldn’t.
“This is much appreciated,” I said when Ramesh seated us at a table in the kitchen. It didn’t appear there were many people in the dining room, but where we were, we wouldn’t be seen should someone enter, looking for us.
“I’ve never eaten where I could see the chef preparing my food,” Sullivan said after taking her seat in the chair I held out for her.
“Consider yourself lucky they aren’t butchering anything tonight.”
Her eyes widened, and I remembered her saying she needed to use the ladies’ room.
“Come with me,” I said before pushing her chair in. I led her to the restrooms, but before permitting her entry, I checked the one-room loo, which like the men’s room, had no windows. “Go ahead,” I added, stepping out.
I heard the click of the lock but remained right outside anyway. It had been a long time since I worked in witness protection, and when I had, the instances were few and far between. Still, much of it merely required common sense.
While waiting, I sent Gus a text, alerting him we’d stopped.
He responded almost immediately, saying the cottage on Eilean Mòr Ashcroft, an island that was part of my family’s estate, was ready for our arrival and that he’d been able to arrange for the delivery of several items of clothing and other incidentals.
He also said Con had made arrangements for the contents of Sullivan’s vehicle to be collected and delivered and that Typhon had approved the request.
Copy that,I responded.Many thanks.
Tomorrow, Gus, Con, and I would discuss the security measures we’d need to put in place both for Sullivan’s protection against external threats as well as internal safeguards. Once she had her computer, it would be interesting to see how far she’d attempt to push her online activity. Everything would obviously be monitored and intercepted as necessary. What I needed to know more than anything was whether she could be trusted. My instincts told me she couldn’t be. It was one time it would be nice to be proven wrong.
While staying in the cottage would delay my needing to make a decision, soon I’d have to address how much Sullivan would be permitted to learn about my family. Specifically—my title. Not only mine, but Con’s and Tag’s as well.
It was my work for Unit 23 that necessitated maintaining as much anonymity as possible, something that was controlled relentlessly both by SIS—the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service—and by Con. In fact, he was far more adept at keeping all of us anonymous virtually.
To say he pushed the envelope of what was allowed in his role in intelligence was an understatement that had earned him the code name Infidel early in our careers.
When I heard the toilet flush and water running on the other side of the door, I shoved my mobile in my pocket.
Sullivan gasped when she came face-to-face with me after exiting the ladies’ room.
“My apologies,” I muttered, motioning for her to go ahead of me.
On our way to the kitchen, my hand hovered over the small of her back. Lord, how I wanted to rest it where her gown dipped, exposing her bare skin. Instead, I lowered it to my side and clenched my fist. With all that had happened in the last couple of hours, what kind of a wanker did fantasizing about touching Sullivan’s naked body make me?
Ramesh had set a plate of papadams, green curry sauce, and samosas on the table and kindly held Sullivan’s chair for her while I took my seat after she had.
“Something to drink?” he asked. “A Kingfisher, perhaps?”
“Go ahead,” I said when Sullivan’s eyes met mine. “Still water for me,” I added before our host walked away.
“You seem so familiar to me.”
When I didn’t respond, she made a face.
“What? Should I have said you don’t?” I asked.