“Thursday. I’ll have Evan get with Mia’s people on getting you all flown out.” Mia was the pilot, a shifter, who’d been helping out. “I tried to convince Sato to fly with us, but he’s insisting on commercial air travel so I’ll accompany him back to DC Wednesday evening.”
“As will I.”
Faine hadn’t insisted. He’d simply not taken any other idea seriously. He would be at her side. It was his job and that was that. It had been . . . reassuring. Just knowing she had someone at her back had made the situation slightly less unbearable.
“I don’t like it. You’re not safe.” Gage brushed a thumb through his beard.
“No. I’m not. But that’s the point of a guard, Gage. You know it. He’s even less safe. I was able to convince him to go first class at least. We’ll take up the whole section, which I like.”
“You can’t take a weapon through security.”
“As I’m a senator’s guard, I can. But it’s not worth all the hassle, and you know there will be hassle because I’m a witch. But I’ve got Faine. He’s a weapon. And my magick.” The funny thing about magick was that it was a hell of a lot stronger when a witch flew. Something about the atmosphere being thinner. She didn’t know all the whys of it, just that while she was on that plane she didn’t need a handgun. She’d be stronger than anyone else on board.
“I’ll speak with him about flying on one of our planes from now on when I see him.” Molly looked at her notes a moment.
“He’s not going to agree. It will look bad, like he’s in our pay or something. He’s got enough to deal with.”
“You seem to know him pretty well.” Gage lifted a brow.
“He likes her.” Faine lifted his own in Gage’s direction and the two shared a look.
“He’s a man with principles. It’s logical. Also, it’s sort of my job to know people.”
Molly snorted. “It seems that many men are not entirely reasonable when it comes to Toshio Sato.”
“Why? Because he’s hot, intelligent and powerful?” Helena laughed and Molly joined in.
“Come on. Our tea has been consumed. Helena, you need to rest. I know Molly does too. Let’s get to bed. Tomorrow is a long day.” Gage clearly wanted to be done with the subject.
And bed sounded really good, so she allowed it.
They all headed back to where the rooms were, Gage and Molly disappearing into theirs. Faine continued to walk her to her door. He knew she didn’t need it, heaven knew she was utterly capable of protecting herself.
And yet.
He liked being around her. Liked watching over her, even if to just remove a tiny bit of the weight she always seemed to carry for everyone else.
She opened her door and he leaned against the jamb. Startled, she looked up at him, smiling nervously. “Thanks for your help today. I got a lot of work done because you did all the driving.”
“It’s my job. But it was also my pleasure. Do you plan to work out tomorrow morning?”
She nodded. “I’ll get up at six or so. There’s a workout space here. I’ll run a few miles on the treadmill and then hit the shooting range.” She lifted one shoulder.
“If you don’t mind, come get me. I need to work out as well.”
“Sure. And we can leave from there. If you like, I mean. Since you’re on my personal detail. It’ll be good to have you with me. Just the sight of you will keep the violence-on-a-whim people back.” Her smile was genuine and maybe even a touch flirtatious.
He’d shifted closer and she hadn’t moved back. The tension between them heated, simmering as the scent of her blush reached his senses. She licked her lips and the scent of loam and fur rose.
Her eyes widened and she faltered a moment, and Faine knew his control had slipped. But she’d talked weapons, praised his size and then licked those damnable lips. A Lycian could only take so much.
“My beast.” He pondered whether he should continue. If he should explain to her how much the warrior she was called to him. She was so very strong, and yet, frayed at the edges. Fragile at times. Which was even more irresistible.
“Oh.” She blinked several times. “Should I be worried?”
He bent, brushing his lips over hers, savoring the heat of her before he stood again, taking a step back. “Not for your safety. Good night, Helena. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He left her there, but not before he caught sight of the way she pressed her fingertips to her lips.
SHE woke up without an alarm, at six. Pretty much the same way she had most every morning of her adult life. She lay in bed awhile and thought about her day. It was her way of meditating, of getting herself organized for the hours—and the challenges—she faced.
The meetings would be stressful because the state capital was so crowded. Mainly it was state business handled there. Sato had a senatorial office near the capitol building where he met with his constituents and held meetings. But due to the insanity of the security concerns, his people worked with the state folks and they’d let them use their conference spaces, even for federal issues. Of course the hearings they were going to dealt with State of California business, so Sato would only be there if they needed him to speak on federal issues.
It was mind-blowing, all the different local, county, state and federal issues they drowned in. So many different egos to soothe, everyone had their own turf, their own rules to adhere to, their own processes. At least all Helena needed to do was be sure no one got hurt. All the politics were Molly’s problem.
She pushed out of bed. A hard workout would help cut through some of the stress burning through her muscles. She’d run and lift weights and shoot at things and then she’d shower. By the time they needed to head over to Sato’s office to pick him up, she’d be in a better mental space for all the things she’d need to do that day.
She got dressed quickly, dealing with her hair, securing it in a ponytail after she’d washed her face and brushed her teeth. Her sneakers were on and she headed across the hall to knock on Faine’s door.
Faine.
He’d kissed her. Had gotten up in her face and kissed her. Her mouth still felt the touch, the brush of his lips against hers. The dirty truth was that she’d been hot for Faine Leviathan from the first moment she’d seen him. He was everything she’d never known she found alluring in a man.
She’d been standing with Lark talking about the hows and whys of a speaking event with Molly and he’d come around a corner with Simon. The two were clearly brothers, both dressed quite nattily in suits. But Faine was eleven thousand kinds of delicious. He moved in a long lope, and yet there was a predator’s grace in him. People got out of his way, probably without even realizing it. He’d smiled as Simon had spoken, and then his gaze, which had been taking in the surroundings, had landed on Helena’s and it shocked her to her toes.
It had only deepened the longer she knew him.
Cocky. Self-assured. He knew what he wanted and he simply considered it his due when he got it. He was a badass with his fists. She’d never seen him shift, but she had the feeling he was a big ol’ beast then too. He was gorgeous and his voice was a low, gravelly rumble she felt in her gut every time he spoke.
He watched her, she’d noticed, like a predator watches prey. Not the same way the human separatists watched her. It wasn’t that he thought less of her in any way. But like she fascinated him and he was taking down everything she did for when he decided to run her to ground.