First Light (34 page)

Kalen held the knife he’d taken from the assassin and waited for the final fight of his life, but the man who got out of the car wasn’t one of them, he was a civilian. In the dim lights of the street lamps Kalen could see the man was tall and red haired, with a mustache. He was squinting into the night, shading his eyes. He asked if Kalen was okay. Kalen slipped the blade under the cover of his shirt and breathed a sigh of relief.

Once close, the old man took one look at Kalen’s bleeding face and gasped. ‘Dear Lord what’s happened to you? Son, do you speak English?’ The man was British and well spoken.

‘Yes, sir, I do,’ Kalen spoke with his own American accent, not thinking straight enough to fake it.

‘Here, let’s get you in the car.’

Inside the car the man offered to take him to a hospital. Kalen refused. The Good Samaritan thought this over, the edges of his mouth turned down as if he knew he was doing something very wrong. Eventually he nodded in agreement.

‘Whatever you’ve done, lad, it’s not worth such a young boy’s life. What can I do for you?’

‘Sir, I just need somewhere to stay the night, if that’s okay?’

He thought it over. ‘I can manage that. Though, I’d prefer it if my girls didn’t know you were at the house.’

‘Sure. How old are they?’

‘Twenty-two and thirteen.’

‘What are they like?’

‘Here, hold this towel against your face to stop the bleeding, we’ll be back at our holiday house soon, are you sure you don’t want a doctor?’

K didn’t answer, but he took the towel and pressed it against his slashed cheek, trying to push the protruding flap of skin back where it belonged. The man saw him flinch and sped up. Kalen couldn’t help wondering at the man saving his life, with no explanation and apparently no fear. Few people ever impressed Kalen, yet here he was feeling a wave of admiration for a man he’d only just met.

‘My eldest daughter you won’t have to worry about,’ the man said eventually. ‘She’s always at the beach or by the pool. She wouldn’t notice a stranger in our house if you danced around her with a cat on your head.’

Kalen felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards at the thought. It was a bizarre thing for the man to say.

‘Ronnie, however – that’s my littlest – she’s another story. Very inquisitive and smart, if she hears a noise, she’ll investigate.’

‘I’ll be quiet as a mouse, sir.’

‘Okay, now here we are. It’s on a complex, but as it’s so late it’s unlikely we’ll see anyone.’

Kalen stared at row upon row of white houses separated by iron gates and swimming pools. It was even more impressive that a person who had so much could be so gracious. He hadn’t experienced this before.

‘Can I ask your name?’ asked K.

‘Can I ask yours?’

‘You can. I may not tell you the truth.’

‘Okay, I appreciate your candor. What can I call you then?’

There was a long pause. ‘Kal. You can call me Kal.’

‘Okay, Kal. Thank you. I’m William – William Rose.’

‘Mr Rose, thank you for what you’ve done tonight, I’m fortunate you were out so late.’

The man coughed awkwardly. ‘I, yes, I just like to get out of the house every now and then, I’m never gone long.’

The garage opened by remote mechanism and the jeep drove smoothly inside. Kal peered over his shoulder as the door automatically closing after them, but already knew they hadn't been followed.

Kalen walked into the warm family home, holding the towel tightly to his face so blood didn’t drip on the marble floor. He found the bathroom and headed inside. A moment later there was a light knock on the door. Kalen pulled it open.

‘Here,’ William handed him a first-aid kit, a pile of cotton wool and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

‘I can help, if you like?’

‘No, I can manage. Thank you.’

The door closed and Kalen lifted the towel away and looked at his reflection. The wound was deep, but it would heal, though his stomach was churning and his vision beginning to blur.

‘Screw it,’ he whispered to his reflection as he removed the lid on the bottle of Jack Daniels. He swallowed two mouthfuls and then, after a few deep breaths, began to stitch his own face.

When he was finished he cleaned the bathroom scrupulously and slipped out towards the room where he was to spend the night. He had to creep past the youngest daughter, asleep on the couch. He stopped as he saw her, unable to keep walking. She was sleeping soundly, a mass of long red hair fanned out across the pillow and a small smile touching her pink lips. He stood transfixed, in awe of the angelic beauty in front of him. He wondered what she was dreaming about.

He was about to reach out, compelled to touch her face, when a large hand locked around his arm. William stared back at him.

‘I’ll be sleeping with one eye open, boy. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt tonight, but if you hurt a hair on the heads of either of my girls, you won’t live to tell the tale.’

‘You can trust me, sir. All I want is to get some rest. I’ll be out of your hair at first light.’

‘Fine. Now let’s get you in that room before she wakes up and we’re both blown.’

With one glance back at the sleeping beauty Kalen went to the room he had been assigned and caught up on some much needed – albeit, broken – sleep.

37 – Astounding The Spy

I opened my eyes to Kalen staring down at me.

‘Morning.’ His dimples jumped out happily with his smile.

‘Morning,’ I agreed.

‘So, do you have to work today?’

‘I do,’ I groaned at the thought.

‘Can I help you wake up?’

His grin was dangerous. I was more nervous than last night. In the daylight I was starkly aware of my naked body, my bed hair and a need to brush my teeth. He took my silence as a yes, however, and I was grateful because he pulled me under the sheets before my embarrassment could do any damage. His lips pressed against my neck and shoulders, tenderly at first and then more urgently. His large hands gripped me as though he was afraid I’d vanish if he let go. Within minutes I was completely at ease again and entirely overwhelmed.

‘I’ve never been this happy,’ he whispered in my ear. I felt my face break into the biggest smile, until I saw the clock hanging on my wall. If I was late for work after taking so much time off, I was sure to lose my job. I sat up, hesitating before I threw back the covers.

‘Can you close your eyes?’

‘You’re kidding?’ he scoffed.

‘No! Please, Kal, just do it.’

‘Okay, okay,’ he held up his hands in defeat and pulled a pillow over his face. I wrapped my fluffy robe around me, making a mental note to buy a sexier one on the weekend, and rushed to the bathroom.

In the shower I couldn’t stop grinning. I smiled into the water as it rushed over my face and closed my eyes to scenes replaying in my mind. I would have laughed out loud had he not been in the next room. I’d expected my first time to be awkward and painful, but it had been neither. Well, maybe a little painful, but Kalen had been careful with me, I could tell that much. For someone so powerful, the gentle way he touched me actually came as a shock. A very good shock.

I showered quickly, conscious of the time. Thankfully, when I emerged he was already in his jeans. Just his torso was naked. I swallowed.

‘I’ll drop you there,’ he said as he stared at me. ‘Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? Your hair, that mouth–’

‘Are you sure you’re well enough to be out and about?’ I interrupted, feeling my cheeks flush.

‘I’ve been well enough for days. I’m just dragging out our time together.’

‘Oh. So, you’re going back to the mansion?’

‘I guess I should go see the boys, but I’ll come back tonight if that’s okay?’ Then he said, ‘Although, maybe you need some time?’

‘Time for what?’ I hadn’t washed my hair, so I was pulling it up into a knot on top of my head and grabbing my blazer while he spoke.

‘Time to tell Adam – that you’re no longer seeing him,’ he faltered, but he kept his eyes on me and I knew he was trying to work out what I was thinking. Truth was, I wanted to laugh – I had completely forgotten the reason behind the argument that had finally brought us together.

‘Oh, right. Yeah, I don’t really need any time.’ I pretended to fluff my hair in the mirror and applied lip-gloss to drag out the moment. From the corner of my eye I could see his expression harden, as I expected, and he looked deadly serious as he held his chin up proudly.

‘Are you going to end it with him?’

Unable to hold it in any longer, I began to laugh. I knew I was being mean.

‘Sorry,’ I said quickly, when his eyes grew dark. ‘I don’t need time, Kalen,’ I walked up to him and slid my arms around his waist, suddenly feeling more confident in my own skin than ever before, ‘because I broke it off with him nearly two weeks ago.’

It’s not often you get to astound a spy, so I was mighty pleased with myself when his face betrayed the shock he felt.

‘You didn’t tell me.’ His expression melted into the smile of the sweet boy I was in love with.

‘No, I didn’t. Now, do you want to get me in trouble at work, or can you drop me off now? I have ten minutes to get there.’

‘I only need five,’ he grinned, and with that he took my hand tightly in his and we left the house.

I arrived at work with six minutes to spare. Turned out, he only needed four.

***

I took all my calls in a trance, replaying the last twenty-four hours of my life over in my mind. I heard nothing Alexandra said to me and eventually she slapped my hand with her ruler and told me to snap out of it. Staring at my computer screen, I began flagging emails that needed my attention. Then I created a to-do-list with Post-its, sticking them across my monitor and desk. It was futile. I could think of nothing else but Kalen; his strong arms, the small of his back. Each perfectly defined muscle and the feel of his body close to mine. My cheeks began to burn with the thought and I glanced around to see if anyone had noticed.

The third time I scanned the room I caught Alexandra’s glum expression. I’d been too wrapped up in my own thoughts to see she was quiet and unlike her usual self.

‘Hey, lovely, what’s up with you today?’

She looked at me, her eyes glassy, then her attention flicked towards another part of the room. I followed her gaze and saw Damien speaking with the new administration temp. She was blonde and pretty enough, though she had nothing on Alexandra. But from the way Damien was leaning in, hanging on her every word, it didn’t take me long to figure out what was going on.

I looked back at my friend.
‘Loser,’
I mouthed.

She nodded and continued typing. I’d never seen her so subdued. I stared back angrily at the flirtatious couple. If nothing else, Damien was a manger and should have known better. I wished I could think of some awesome quip to call out to him, but I came up blank. Instead I whispered to Alexandra, ‘Want to go out later?’

She gave me a small smile, but shook her head. ‘It’s okay. I just want to chill out and eat ice cream.’

I sat back on my chair and tried to think. I wanted more than anything to rush straight home after work in the hope Kalen would be there, but my newest friend had quickly become my closest. I didn’t know what I would have done without her when Kal left. I wanted to be there for her.

‘We're going out,’ I insisted. ‘You can drive us to mine after work so I can grab some things and then we’ll go and change at yours.’

With a glance back in Damien’s direction, Alexandra finally tipped her head. ‘Thanks, babe.’

‘No problem.’

My only slight problem was that I couldn’t contact Kalen to tell him I was going out, but I couldn't do anything about that.