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As far as jealousy goes, this pissy little display is a joy. One that’s lined with bitterness that coats my mouth.
Christ, there was even fucking joy in Jac’s eye daggers when he saw us dancing. A brief and fleeting pleasure, I know, but the asshole in me takes it.
I saw something else in that death glare of jealousy, something I don’t think Jac realizes he gave away or even perhaps knew, something I don’t really want to acknowledge.
But hurting Cat’s nothing but a fool’s errand. I open my mouth to set it all straight when she speaks.
“Maybe Fiona can finish this mission,” she bites back.
Laughing softly, I take hold of Cat’s now stiff arms and drop my head to hers. “I’m an ass, Cat. But no, Fi can’t. Apart from the fact this would be as far as she’d go in this—and no, she doesn’t know what it’s about, nor would want to—she’s not suited to anything more. You are.”
“A means to an end.” She doesn’t look at me. “Is that what I am?”
“You live for this shit.” And we both know that’s true.
Magdalena undoes the package, folds the paper, and slides it and the jewels into the special garter pouch I had made.
I sigh. “We need to get back in shortly.”
“Jac’s probably losing his shit.” But she says it like she thinks he’s going to fuck someone else.
Normally, she’d be right.
Jac doesn’t give a shit, doesn’t have relationships. I don’t even think the term monogamy has crossed his mind when it comes to women. It’s what happened when you’re a hedonistic, sadistic, son of a bitch who lost the one thing that kept him grounded. And even then, had Lili lived…
Actually, I don’t know.
What I do know is I’ve never seen him around a woman like he is around Cat.
And she…
Fuck, I hate jealousy. I hate this convoluted weird triangle we’re seemingly in. Almost as much as I hate the fact I’m thinking about it when I’ve got a lot of other shit to take care of tonight. Like the rest of the mission I’ve been on all day.
“Jac’s working the room,” I say as evenly as I can.
Her gaze hits me. “Hendrick? Talk like that and I’ll start thinking you like him.”
“I know Jac. Better than anyone. I don’t have to like him to know exactly what he’ll do and how he’ll do it. Like Jac’s devotion to Lili’s fucked him up in a lot of ways. And…” I take a breath. “This isn’t about her. She’s long gone.”
“I don’t care.”
“Yes,” I say, “you do.” Then I change the subject. “I need to go again, soon. I’ll explain later, but what are your plans, Cat? I don’t want you fucking off and risking yourself.”
And I fucking know I sound exactly like the stuffy, boring man Jac loves to accuse me as being. Thing is this shit going down is bad, worse than I’m letting on to her.
Whoever it is, they’re dangerous.
Anyone who kidnaps the renowned Magdalena Rossi has balls. Shit, anyone who knows she’s the fucking Invisible Cat and knows there’s some kind of connection between her and me and Jac has power.
We’d fucking squash anyone else.
We’ll squash and kill whoever this is, once I know exactly what and why this is going on.
Jac wants to rampage, Jac style. But nuanced is needed if we’re to get to the bottom of whatever this is.
I don’t think the person or persons behind it—and yes it just might be Kincaid—knows the extent of our relationship with her.
Well…after taking her out, maybe they’ve got an inkling. I wasn’t sent a note, so I’d prefer me to be seen as the lover, protector, and maybe patsy.
