Page 23 of The Company We Keep

A dangerous part of him told him that it would be more important to see what Dust could do — to watch him work with the team.

Because Leta had been right: Carrowdidlike him instantly for reasons that went far beyond Carrow’s curiosity about the man's narrow frame, about the way his energy was captivating, all of the things that came together to give the impression that Dust was wound up tight as an industrial spring, almost shimmering with the desire to please Carrow.

There's something else,Carrow thought to himself, echoing the other man's words.And whatever it is, I want it.

"We have a score on Sunday in the a.m.," Carrow said, breaking the silence between them that seemed to be somehow shifting in a pleasant way. Dust's face went unguarded in that moment as the realization hit him that he was being hired. "Planning has started, so you'll just be taking orders."

"I can take orders," Dust said, a little breathless, not at all trying to hide his excitement.

"Play it right and we'll talk about a permanent spot for you in The Company."

"So, like a first date."

There was no taunting in his words — and if the man was flirting, Carrow couldn't detect it.

"Something like that. You'll want to pack a bag. You'll be staying with us until we're cleared on Monday."

"A first date that ends with me spending the night," Dust said, raising an eyebrow in a way that immediately cleared up any ambiguity about whether or not he was attempting to flirt. Carrow could feel his poker face flicker and wondered if the other man noticed. "Nowthat'smore my speed."

This is the last distraction you need now, Ansel,he thought to himself.

Carrow let his eyes rest on a distant point as he found something in his breast pocket.

He placed a key card into Dust’s hand, letting their palmsrest together a fraction of a second longer than they needed to.

They shared a moment of eye contact that took on a different feeling than anything before it. Not challenging but… A desire that extended past the boundaries of what it meant to be invited into The Company.

This will spell your disaster,Carrow thought to himself, watching Dust pocket the card.

Dust wanted Carrow.

He saw the man’s steady expression falter, and in that moment Dust had never wanted something as much as he wanted to see it falter again.

He’d caught the most powerful man in Las Abras off guard.

Just the way that he hadn't expected it at first — hadn't expected how much he would relish every part of becoming Dust Wrenshell — he hadn't predicted that the fear and uncertainty surrounding the myth of A.R. Carrow could and would dissolve and be replaced with desire in the span of several heartbeats, in the time that it took him to drink a sweet iced coffee.

But just as it had every step of the way, the pattern continued. He wanted the new clothes, the new identity, the new personality that allowed him to step outside everything he had ever been.

He wanted to see that countenance of Carrow's crack again.

Carrow left the booth before Dust had a chance to, wishing him a restful sleep and then disappearing through some door that Dust hadn’t plotted when he’d cased the placein the weeks before. It was an unceremonious end to such a charged meeting.

Dust had prepared for interrogation. He’d steeled himself to feel nothing, to be strong against fear.

And instead he felt elated, adrenaline coursing through him.

He mounted his bike and enjoyed the roar of air around him as he sped back towards his government-sponsored shithole of an apartment. Dust laughed hard into the night air, something in his chest cracking open.

All of the hard work. Everything he’d forced himself to be. The things he’d turned down and the goodness he’d shied away from for the first 30 goddamn years of his life — it was all already worth it.

He was in. He was hired. He would be a part of The Company — if only for just one job.

Some dark and muted part of himself wanted to remind Dust that his trajectory was meant to include bringing Carrow and his gang to justice. But as he squealed around corners and laughed hard and reckless into the dark, all that Dust could bring himself to think about was that fact that he had finally made it and he would be allowed to peer into the world of this strange, impossibly close family.

6

June 2014 • AIIB Mission Month 1

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