Black As Night (Quentin Black Mystery #2) (13 page)

Black fell silent. That time, I had to restrain the urge to touch him.

Whatever feeling expanded off him in those few seconds was gone by the time he leaned back in his chair, resting his weight deliberately against me.

“That is...unfortunate,” Black said. “My client will be displeased.”

The Englishman held up his hands, and that time, a flicker of distaste crossed his expression.
 

“It
is
unfortunate,” he agreed. “No one likes it when such things become necessary. But perhaps you should tell your
client
to do some soul-searching on this matter as well. Maybe he could retrace his steps. See if there’s something he might have done
differently
to prevent this terrible thing from happening.”

Black looked up at that, narrowing his gaze. He didn’t answer.

“Two weeks, Mr. Bouros. We will contact you.”

Frank let out a grunt, as if unable to restrain himself from inserting himself any longer. “In the meantime, might I suggest Phnom Penh, Mr. Bouros? You could also make a quick trip to Macau. Or Dubai. They have little boys in all those places.”

Frank held his hands out, giving me a harder smile when I turned.

I got the sense he could tell this whole conversation was making me sick and enjoyed watching my disgust. He also still seemed angry at Black’s “moron” comment before, and probably the crack about him liking little kids as well. More than anything, however, I got the sense that Frank absolutely hated the fact that he had no power here.

“There are other places,” Frank sneered to Black, even as I thought it. “...as a man of your
tastes
is surely aware. The Americas is becoming increasingly friendly to local variants of this service, as well. Perhaps you could take a trip there, Bouros, after you’ve grown tired of your pretty friend here?”

I gritted my teeth, but only a little, still trying to keep the disgust off my face.

Again, Black’s fingers closed over mine in my lap.

He didn’t look at me though, but leaned against me in the chair, gazing around at the four men who sat around us at the table.

“Well,” he said then.

Without warning, he rose smoothly to his feet. He did it so fast and let go of me so quickly I had to restrain myself from reaching for him.

“...I suppose there’s nothing more for us to talk about then,” he said.

“I suppose there is not,” the Englishman said. He looked up at Black, a clear warning in his eyes. “Despite Frank’s teasing, don’t try to leave town, Mr. Bouros. It would not be advisable. Not if you wish to receive your merchandise in its current pristine form.”

Black didn’t answer, but his fingers closed around mine. He stepped slightly in front of me, and again I got the clear impression of being shielded.

“I’ll be here,” he said, his voice equally cold.

“Excellent,” the Englishman said, smiling. “I look forward to it.” He gave me a very deliberate look then, his gray eyes holding a denser meaning as he looked around Black’s body to meet my gaze. “It was so very lovely to meet you finally, Miriam...”

I flinched as Black’s fingers crushed mine.

“...I’ve heard so many fascinating things about you, my dear. Your beauty, however, was very sorely underreported, I must say.”

Black stood there, breathing harder, staring down at the Englishman.

That time, the intense plume of emotion that came off him alarmed me.

Impulsively, I caught hold of his arm, doing it without thinking even as I stepped up in front of him, smiling around at the table.

“He’s just tired,” I told them, my voice light as I smiled around at the other three men, avoiding the Englishman’s stare. “The client he mentioned is rather difficult to please, I’m afraid. He knows he’ll hear the worst of this tonight, and no one likes to be the deliverer of bad news, as I’m sure you all know...”

I saw the faces of the American and the East Indian grow slightly less tense.

I chanced a glance at the Englishman when I felt him staring at me again. He wore an openly curious look now as he looked me over. I had no idea why he was playing this particular game with Black, but I could feel the taunt there. I had to assume that Black’s real identity being exposed to the other three posed some danger to Black as well, or the Englishman wouldn’t bother toying with the knowledge in front of them.

I brightened my smile still more, tugging on Black’s arm as I stepped back.

“And now if you boys will excuse us,” I said, still smiling. “This one promised me a night on the town, and I don’t have a thing to wear.”

That time, when I glanced at Frank, he smiled at me indulgently. That more lecherous look had returned to his eyes, right before they drifted down to my legs.

“I think you look just fine, ma’am,” he said, glancing up at my chest for a long beat before meeting my gaze. “Better than fine, if you’ll permit me.”

I waved him off, pretending embarrassment, even as I tugged at Black’s arm to get him away from the table.
 

“We still have business of our own to discuss, Bouros,” Frank added, his voice holding a warning again. “Even beyond this bullshit you’ve got going with the kid.”

Black slung an arm around my shoulder, staring pointedly down at my chest himself before he grinned at the others and gave them a knowing wink.

“Well, complain to Anders for monopolizing me,” he said. “That’ll have to wait for another time. Since it looks like I’m stuck in this piss-hole for two more weeks at Lucky’s pleasure, you know where to find me, boys.” He spoke almost cheerfully, that denser threat gone from his voice. “For now I’ve got to keep the missus happy. You know how it is...”

His voice hardened as he glanced at the Englishman.

“Tell Lucky two weeks. Or I’m going to be a lot less friendly.”

I saw the Englishman frown, right before he glanced at me, his eyebrow raised.

When he did, I felt Black stiffen all over again. Before I had time to so much as raise a hand in goodbye, Black slung the same arm roughly around my neck and turned me around.

We walked to the corner of the roof’s walkway, him talking in a low voice, something about a mall and a show later, but I couldn’t focus on any of his words. All I could feel was that emotion pulsing off him, him breathing harder, his arm gripping my shoulder and neck as he steered me around the corner and towards that red door.

Once we rounded that corner, he began to walk a lot faster.

By the time we were halfway across that second walkway, I had to jog just to keep up.

Six

CHANGE OF PLANS

“WHAT?” I LOOKED at him in disbelief, even as he slid into the leather seat next to me. “You can’t be serious. Please tell me you’re joking, Black...”

He didn’t answer at first, but leaned forward, talking to the driver rapidly in Thai.

He spoke for longer than it would take to simply give an address, or even basic directions. When he finally finished and leaned back, he looked at me from behind the mirrored sunglasses he wore again, his mouth set in a grim line as the SUV pulled away from the curb and began descending down the driveway and away from the Golden Light Hotel.

“You’re going back, Miriam. It’s not open for discussion.”

“You really want me to hop on a plane right now for San Francisco?” I said, disbelief still coloring my voice. “I just got here! I haven’t even
slept
yet, Black.”

Again he didn’t answer right off but leaned deeper into his seat, exhaling before he took off his sunglasses. I watched him rub his eyes with two fingers, right before he looked at me.

“No,” I said, my mouth firming. “I’m not getting back on a plane for twenty-plus hours right now. Not after what I just heard––”

“Yes. You are.”

He didn’t even sound angry.

He just sounded like he wasn’t discussing it.

I bit my lip, then I turned back towards him. “If you want me to leave Bangkok, then fine. I’ll go to the beaches if you don’t want me here. You don’t have to pay me vacation time, but I could use a few days off, just to––”
 

He turned. That time, emotion reached his voice, making me jump.

“No,” he growled. “You won’t. We’re going to talk to my friend Kevin right now...mostly because I’m a fucking coward and I can’t do it alone. Then I’m taking you to the goddamned airport. We’re not talking about this any more, Miriam.”

I stared at him, stunned. I continued to watch his face as he sank his body deeper into the leather seat. With him this close and no longer a blank wall next to me, I could feel things on him that made it harder to get angry with him.

Fear. I felt a lot of fear on him.

I also felt something heavier. What might be depression. Or grief maybe.

Both emotions were pretty foreign to what I’d felt on him so far. But the fear was what caught my attention, especially given where we’d just left.

“Fine,” I said, my voice flat. “Then you’re coming with me.”

“No.” He shook his head, looking up at me again. He surprised me then, reaching over and taking my hand in his. He sighed before squeezing my fingers. “I can’t, Miriam. Not right away. You heard him. I can’t leave town. But I’ll follow as soon as I can, I promise. Anyway, if I left Bangkok now, someone would follow us both to San Francisco.”

I thought back over everything that had happened over the course of that meeting, but I knew I was missing things. There was still too much I didn’t know.

“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t think you should stay here alone.”

He looked up at me, his eyes holding a flicker of surprise. Then he let out an involuntary-sounding laugh. “No?” he said.

“Absolutely no,” I said, my voice warning. “I’ll call Kiko. Have her come for you.”

“I thought you worked for me.”

“Don’t give me that!” I snapped.

The driver jumped in his seat, glancing back over his shoulder. Looking forward again, he stared at me briefly in the rearview mirror, surprise clear in his eyes.

Lowering my voice, I focused back on Black.

“Look,” I said softer. “I know I missed a lot in whatever just happened up there. But clearly it’s you they’re after.” I paused, watching his face tighten where he sprawled in the seat. “How the hell is it that they know what you are?”

His eyes darted towards the driver, right before he looked back at me, his mouth hardening. He held a finger to his lips, without raising his head from the leather upholstery.

“Fine,” I said, softer still. “Then where
can
we talk?”

They. Are. Too. Interested. In. You.

He sent it into my mind that time, hammering the words. I started to respond the same way, but he gripped my hand tighter.

“Don’t,” he said. “Not even here.”

Realizing he still didn’t want me to use the psychic thing, I sighed in exasperation. “Why did you bring me there? You obviously wanted them to see me as––”

“I meant for you to be a
distraction,”
he said, giving me another warning look before he glanced at the driver. “I wanted you to profile Frank and the others. I didn’t expect Anders to be there...which I’m certain you already figured out. Anders practically threatened you in front of me. He knew who you were...he sure as fuck made sure
I
knew he knew. Worse, he clearly picked up on far too much about me in relation to you. I want you
out
of here, Miriam. According to what you told me about Ian, Lucky already knows about your...”