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“Nemesis,” I heard Z admonish under his breath. He motioned for me to retake my seat before sitting as well.
“Nem will brief you on the events of two nights ago, which resulted in our request for coalition assistance.” He turned to my counterpart. “As I’m sure you’re aware, Ares was responsible for taking down one of the largest trafficking rings in US history. Our investigation will benefit greatly from his expertise.”
I didn’t look directly at the woman; however, from the corner of my eye, I saw the ghost of a bristle. I would’ve had the same reaction if I were in her position. She was MI5’s leading expert on this type of crime. It was the reason she’d been tapped as a task force leader in the same way I’d been.
“Shall we?” I asked, motioning for her to stand.
“Are we not doing the briefing here?” she asked Z.
“I’d intended to. However, another matter has come up, requiring my attention.”
“Understood.” She got up and walked out, not bothering to see if I followed.
“You owe me one for this,” I said over my shoulder, following her as Z’s chuckles faded the farther away I got.
3
NEMESIS
“Bloody fucking hell,” I muttered. I’d requested Z delay bringing in outsiders until our own team had the chance to further the investigation.
However, given the intel regarding the containers had originated from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, we could hardly refuse their suggestion that this type of investigation was why they’d formed the coalition in the first place.
While I understood, the truth was that our discovery of two nights ago had rattled me to my core. Something I’d never allow the arrogant ass trailing behind me to pick up on.
I’d heard of Ares. Plenty, in fact, from a woman who knew him intimately. According to my former MI5 colleague Iris Beacham, she’d never known a better lover. So much so that, even though he was gone the morning after, she would’ve gladly accepted him into her bed as often as he’d like.
While I’d had a similar experience with a different agent, I wouldn’t have been quite so keen on inviting the man who’d spent the night ravishing my body like no one I’d ever known for a repeat performance. Especially when he’d turned to take one last look before sneaking out of my bedroom and our eyes met. “Thanks, babe,” he’d said with a quick wave and a quicker departure. He’dthankedme. And not even bothered to use my name.
While Ares was all “blond Adonis,” almost everything else about him reminded me of the one time in my life I’d succumbed when I should not have. The only time I’d been so weak—or so lust-filled—not to resist giving in to what I knew would mean far more to me than it did to him.
There were two things about Ares that made him different from the other guy. First, he wasn’t from the UK. Second, he’d never worked directly for SIS.
When I reached my office, I realized the man wasn’t behind me, nor did I see him. If he thought for a hot minute I’d seek him out, he’d best prepare to die of starvation instead, lost in the maze of Vauxhall Cross’ corridors. However, before I unlocked the door to go inside, he’d caught up.
“You’re joking,” he said when I motioned for him to take a seat after I’d moved the files stacked on the only chair in the small space, other than mine.
“Pardon?” I said, all but slamming the files on the only spot on my desk not already covered by the same.
“Tell me this isn’t your office, and if it is, this isnothow you typically operate.”
“Mymodus operandiis none of your concern, Officer Kappas.”
“Just Kappas. Ares or Philip work equally fine.”
“We are colleagues in this investigation. I do not report to you. Further, I can assure you I haven’t been micromanaged since I was out of nappies. Nor have I needed to be.”
He waved his arm over the desk. “How many cases are represented in this…mess, Jordan?”
“There is only one case of concern to you.” Rather than bother taking a seat, I grabbed my laptop and walked out. “There’s an open conference room across the corridor that you may find more comfortable.”
“And it gets worse,” I heard him mutter from behind me.
I spun around after looking over my shoulder and seeing he’d picked up a scrap of paper where I jotted a note. When I tried to snatch it from his unyielding hand, it tore in half.
“I sincerely hope that wasn’t a matter of international security.”
“Sod off,” I said, stalking into the conference room.
