Infinityglass

Chapter 15

Hallie

I wasn’t done with the kissing by any means, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the pictures or his life in Ivy Springs. I took the corkboard off his desk and climbed into his lap.

“Who are they?” I pointed to a group picture. “Them first.”

“Kaleb and Lily,” Dune said. “She can find things; he can read emotional time lines.”

“That’s a lot of sexy in one couple.” Kaleb stood behind Lily, with his arms around her waist.

Dune laughed. “You got that right.”

My jealousy tweaked a little. “And these two?”

“Emerson and Michael. Travelers. They set off electrical equipment when they touch.”

“So do Amelia and Zooey. Imagine how their mom felt when they were in her womb.”

I refocused on the photo. Tall, dark, and handsome held hands with short, blond, and cute, and they both looked fierce, like anyone who tried to come between them would get taken out.

“And you never had anyone?”

“I hadn’t met you yet.”

I turned around to face him. “Why are you giving me puppy eyes?”

“I thought you were going to kiss me.”

“Oh, keep looking at me like that and I can do better than kiss you.” I put the corkboard down and slid my hands inside the short sleeves of his shirt and up, just to touch skin I hadn’t before. I stopped when I saw the tattoo that completely covered his right shoulder. I pulled up the fabric and stared at the intricate lines.

“A tattoo?” The sexy surprises never stopped with this one. I wondered if there were more and made the resolution to go exploring.

“It’s Samoan. Descendants of chiefs usually get the traditional pe’a.”

“What’s a pe’a?”

“The pe’a goes from the waist to the knees. Everywhere between the waist and the knees.”

I blinked. “Do you …?”

“I opted out.” He grinned. “It takes ten days. If an intended chief received it and didn’t cry from the pain or die from infection, he was fit to rule.”

“That’s … terrifying.”

“I’ll never be a chief, so the shoulder was the better option.” He looked down at it. “It stands for a lot of things. All of them important enough for me to carry around for life.”

I pushed him down on the bed. “Who are you and where did you come from and how did I get lucky enough to be here with you now?”

His answer was his fingertips on my face, my neck, the small of my back. So gentle, so careful. He found sensitive spots, teased me with his touch, and then brought every ounce of focus back to our joined mouths.

When my explorations got a little adventurous, he rolled me over, took my wrists in his hands, and put them over my head. Then he adjusted our bodies so nothing but our lips were touching.

“Dune.” I pressed toward him, yearning for more. I’d have begged for him in the middle of the Saint Louis Cathedral during Easter mass.

“You sound winded.”

“You’re withholding.”

“I’m delaying gratification.” He lowered his body half an inch.

I was two seconds away from levitating.

“Delay this.” I managed to work one leg free, and I hooked it around the back of his knee.

His answering groan was bliss. He turned on his side and pulled me to his chest. “We have to talk.”

“No idea where you’re going with this, but I can already tell you I don’t like it.” I started wiggling.

“Stop.” He held me closer, kissing me on the forehead. “It’s not bad. It’s just not your usual MO. A few people from the Hourglass are coming to help us.”

“A few people?” I said, stunned.

“Yes. The ones you saw in the pictures. Except for Nate. He’s on a job with another friend, Ava.”

‘That’s a lot of people.” I twitched. “Why can’t we handle this on our own?”

“I don’t work alone, Hal. The Hourglass was always part of that for me, and you’re part of it now, too, whether you like it or not.”

Overwhelmed didn’t touch my emotional state. “I’m not really a team player.”

“I know.”

“I’m not good with groups.” I stood up.

So did he. “I hear you.”

“I don’t depend on other people. Not really.” Not since Benny.

“Now you can.”

Dune

“Talk to me. Where’s your head?” I asked.

She started laughing. “It’s just sad. I need help to handle my own mother.”

“Have you ever called her out on the way she treats you?”

“What am I supposed to say? ‘Hey, Mom. You suck at this. Love me more. For once, put me first. Make five minutes about me instead of always making it about you. Hear me. Damn it, just look at me.’ ”

“You could start there.”

“There’s no point.” Hallie threw up her hands. “She’ll never hear it.”

“Maybe it’s more important simply to say it.”

“Right.” Her expression closed in on itself. “If you want the Hourglass here, you’re going to have to ask Dad.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

She gave my floor a good stare-down. “Do you know how demeaning it feels to talk about how little your own parent cares for you? Especially to someone who matters?”

“Nothing you ever say should make you feel that way.” I lifted her chin with my hand, saw the emotional wound in her eyes. It wasn’t the kind she could heal in a second. “Especially since I care about you, too.”

“You mean that.”

“I do. I want you to believe it.”

“You’re doing a good job of proving it.” She rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine. “And you haven’t even been trying.”

“I hope I’m around to try later. ’Cause now I have to talk to your dad.”

As we approached Hallie’s house, I didn’t know if I was more afraid of pissing off Paul Girard or pissing on myself.

“I’ll be right there.” She pointed to her dance studio. “I’ll leave my phone on in case you need a lift to the hospital.”

“You aren’t helping.”

“I wasn’t trying to. I don’t want you to sustain injury.” She held up crossed fingers, and then she was gone.

I wished I’d added another swipe of deodorant as I walked to Girard’s office and knocked on the open door. “Sir? I’d like a minute, if you have one?”

“Come in.”

I handed over the crystal ball we’d stolen from the hotel.

He nodded and put it on his desk. “No problems?”

“No, sir.” I didn’t move.

“Is there something else?”

“Yes, sir.” I didn’t mean to blurt it out, but my mouth had other ideas. “I want to bring in some of my friends—colleagues—from the Hourglass.”

He studied me for a second. “Can’t handle this by yourself?”

“It’s not that.” I pulled at the collar of my shirt, and then dropped my hands, trying for confident body language. I just needed my armpits to agree. “There was a development last night. A serious one.”

I explained the possessions and watched him pale.

“Is my daughter all right?” he demanded, standing up and starting for the door.

“Wait.” I held up my hand. “She’s fine. She’s in her studio.”

Now he stopped cold. “Does she know you’re telling me this?”

I shook my head.

“But she’s okay?”

“Yes, Mr. Girard. I swear.”

“Trying to get back in my good graces?” He crossed the room to a table that held crystal tumblers and an almost empty bottle of Maker’s Mark, poured a glass, and looked me over. “You broke your promise to me in the first week of your employment. The only reason you’re still here is because Hallie drives a hard bargain.”

“No, sir. Hallie is the priority. The protocol needs to change. I’m the only person here who can see the same things she can, besides Poe, and they aren’t on speaking terms.” That you know about.

He took a drink. “Your reserves. How many are there?”

“Four.”

“I have to go out of town for a couple of days. I was content to leave Hallie in the care of my security staff, since that’s the way we usually handle things, but I don’t think that’s going to cut it.” He rubbed his upper lip. Took another drink. Paced. “I can hire all the bodyguards I want, but they don’t know the players or the stakes, and there’s an advantage to numbers.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean, sir.”

“Are your friends male or female?”

“Two of each.”

He nodded. “We have three fully equipped guest rooms, as long as you don’t mind doubling up.”

I did the math and frowned. “That’s six—”

“I want you and Poe here, too.”

Suddenly, I was really glad he hadn’t guessed the nature of the relationship between Hallie and me.

“There will still be security, and the ladies will be located very far away from the gentlemen, but if all of you can see what she can, then you can try to protect her from it. I’ll be in touch with the guards while I’m gone. If things don’t stay aboveboard, I’ll reassess.”

I knew, in this case, reassess meant I’d be fired, and if he found out about Hallie and me, possibly castrated.

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Take care of my daughter.”

“I’ll guard her with my life.”