Hunger (Seductors #2) (3 page)

“Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say.” Molly eyed me as I walked past her. “Yeah, go and do your laundry rather than own up to your feelings. No wonder you’re not over him yet.”   

I didn’t respond. This was how I dealt with things. Okay, burying my head in the sand probably wasn’t the best way to move on, but it was the only way I knew. It had worked these last six months, too.

“I heard you were back.” I groaned internally as Mario spoke from behind me in the laundry room a little later. “Did Miss S put you on lockdown again?” he mocked.

“You’re not funny, Mario.” I didn’t even look up at him as I continued to fold my clothes.

“I really thought I’d break you while you were cooped up in here. I was hoping you’d take your frustration out on me.” By the level of his voice, I could tell that he was right behind me. I turned around quickly, pushing his chest before he laid a finger on me.

“How many times do I have to tell you, this isn’t a game? I’m
not
fucking interested!” I seethed, barging past him. Mario grabbed my waist, trying to pull me toward him.

“Another few weeks and I would have had you. You wouldn’t be a Seductor if you weren’t addicted to sex like me. You’re only holding back because you don’t want to get attached. We’d be good together and you know it. I could give that sweet pussy of yours a real good beating if you just let go.” I lost it, slamming the heel of my shoe hard into his foot.
Me
get attached to Mario’s cock? I was wrong—this guy was hilarious.  “Oww…you fucking bitch!” he yelled, hopping around while clutching his injured foot. I didn’t even try to hide my snigger as I walked past him.
You deserved that, Mario!

I was still chuckling to myself when I bumped into Molly in the hallway.

“Sonia is ready to see you now.” She had a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Alicia came to get you.”

“She’s back? I thought she wasn’t due back for a progress report for another few weeks.” My mind was racing. Why the hell would Alicia come to get me? It didn’t make any sense; Sonia knew I hated her.

“Sonia wanted her back early. I’m not sure things are going too well with the mission.” Molly followed me back to my room. “What if your theory is right and Alicia has been with Oliver these last few months?” I dumped my clean clothes on my bed, trying to compose myself. I was making Molly paranoid now, and that wasn’t good.

“Why would Oliver become a target again? It doesn’t make any sense. You and Georgie have been telling me that for months.”

“I don’t know, but it all seems a little strange to me.”

“You’re really not helping. You’re supposed to say that I’ve gone crazy. Do you know how ridiculous this all sounds?” I threw my arms up in the air in frustration.   

“Go and see Miss S and finally put your mind at rest. Georgie and I know it’s been eating away at you. You need answers, Jade.”

“I can’t hide anything from you two, can I?” I sighed, grabbing my phone. Molly was right—I couldn’t put it off any longer. I needed to find out what was going on.

Alicia was standing outside Sonia’s office, talking on her phone when I arrived.

“No, really, it was me. I was clearly reading the signs wrong. I can’t apologize enough.” Alicia’s eyes gleamed with smugness when she caught sight of me entering Sonia’s office. What was all that about? “We’ll forget it ever happened. I shouldn’t have crossed my professional boundaries. I don’t want this to come between us…” I didn’t bother to listen to the rest of her conversation as my eyes caught Sonia.

“Jade,” she said as she stood up from behind her desk. That was new. Sonia never stood up for anyone. “You can close the door.” I closed it with a puzzled look on my face. “Alicia doesn’t know I’m bringing you in on this mission yet.” It
was
a mission! Thank God! No, wait…if Sonia was bringing me in, it could only mean one thing!
Damn it!

“The mission involves working with
Alicia
,” I groaned, taking a seat in front of her desk. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad this
is
a mission, but do I have to work with her? Can’t someone else do it?”

“Jade, I’m afraid you’re our only hope. I’m about to go against everything I’ve ever done while running the Seductors, but I can’t see any other way around it. Alicia has been on this case for almost two months and has gotten nowhere.”

“You want me to take over Alicia’s mission?” I frowned. Since when had Alicia had a problem seducing a man? Everything started to dawn on me then, and I clutched the arms of my chair tightly.

“I need the two of you to work together. This steal…it’s asking a lot. We aren’t even sure if it exists.” Now Sonia was losing me. “If we secure what we’ve been hired to find, our clients are willing to pay over one hundred million dollars. Maybe even more. There is no real price for it.”  I was sure my mouth fell to the floor.
One hundred million dollars
? What the hell was the steal? “Jade, I’m asking a lot of you here, but I’ve hit a wall. If Alicia can’t work her magic, it can only mean one thing.” With bated breath, I was hanging on her every word. “He isn’t over you.”

“Who isn’t over me?” My mouth was so dry. I had to swallow my breath to stop my voice from trembling.

“Mr. Kirkham.”
No!
This wasn’t happening. The room began to spin. “The blueprints you stole are worthless without the power core, Jade.”

“
Power core
?” I questioned, trying to wrap my head around everything. Oliver
was
Alicia’s target. My suspicions had been right all along.

Had she just been speaking to him on the phone? I felt so light headed suddenly, and my stomach began to churn like I was going to throw up.  

“It would seem Kirkham Industries might have found a new sustainable energy source for their weapons. If that’s true, the world of nuclear weapons could change forever. Do you have any idea what price that information could bring us?”

“You’re talking about nuclear weapons, Sonia. Isn’t this mission too advanced for us?” I gasped, trying to catch my breath.  

“That isn’t any of your concern, Jade. Or mine. We do our job—no questions asked!”

“But it goes against Seductor policy to have the same target more than once. Oliver might not even want anything to do with me. I left him without an explanation.”

“He’ll forgive you when you admit your true feelings for him.” No! That wasn’t fair. She couldn’t ask that of me. I couldn’t leave him if he knew how I really felt. It would be too much. “It isn’t a request either, Jade.”

“Sonia, you don’t know what you’re asking of me.”

“I know you fell in love with him, and I can’t deny that I’m disappointed. I never thought you’d fall into that trap, but for once, we can use that to our advantage.”

“I have no idea…”

“Don’t try and bullshit me, Jade. I’ve been around too long for games,” she interrupted sternly. “You
will
do this. If anyone can find that power core, it’s you.”

“What about Alicia? Where does she fit in?”

“Alicia is Mr. Kirkham’s personal assistant.”

“
What?
” I fumed. I could just imagine Alicia trying to seduce Oliver in his office, bending over his desk, making suggestive comments. I was livid!

“He’s shown no interest in her whatsoever, Jade.” That didn’t make me feel any better. She’d been with him while I’d been stuck here.  

“You should have given the mission to me in the first place,” I glared, crossing my arms.

“I knew how involved you had become with Mr. Kirkham. I couldn’t risk letting you near him and blowing your cover. You’re the best Seductor I have.”  

“What’s changed now?”

“I’m willing to make you an offer,” she grinned, stretching to pick up a file from her drawer. “If you complete this mission, I’m willing to give you
this
life when your contract has been fulfilled.” She pushed the file over to me and I opened it, gasping. I could take the identity of
Jade Gibbs
when I left the Seductors. The Jade Gibbs Oliver loved. Was she being serious?

“I don’t understand…”

“Complete this mission and you can have Oliver back when your contract ends.”

“You’re serious?” Was this a trick? Would he even wait for me? How would I explain my disappearance for over four years? I was overthinking things and I knew it.

“Yes, we can discuss the details once you’ve secured your place back at Mr. Kirkham’s side. This offer is to be kept between the two of us, though. You know it goes against most Seductor rules, but this mission is unlike any we’ve had before.”

“It won’t be easy gaining his trust back,” I admitted.

“This is going to be a long mission, Jade. You’ll need time to infiltrate Mr. Kirkham’s life and his family again. This isn’t like the last mission. Alicia has already scanned all his files. There is no trace of this power core anywhere, so you’ll need to earn his trust and pull the information out of him. You need to get right inside his life. You’ll need to be by his side and watch every move he makes.”

“How am I going to do that if he won’t even speak to me? I ran out on him, Sonia! I can’t picture him being that happy to see me again.”

“He is still in love you with. You can use that as your advantage.”

“It might not be enough.”

“Brian Brentford is an old friend of Mr. Kirkham’s. He’s recruiting freelance interior designers for his new apartment buildings in New York.” Sonia turned her laptop around for me to look at. The apartment buildings were impressive. Brian Brentford was a highflying architect, so it didn’t surprise me that he was friends with Oliver. “I’ve already secured you an interview in Washington on Thursday with Mr. Brentford. Once you’ve been hired, you’ll be invited to the opening in New York, which Mr. Kirkham will be attending. This will be your first contact with him. You will take residence in New York. I’m sure Mr. Kirkham won’t be able to stay away from you when he learns you’re living so close to him. ”  

“When is the opening?” I was desperate to know how soon I’d see him.

“Two weeks from Friday.” Two weeks? That wasn’t long at all. “There is a lot of research for you to digest. I’d suggest you read Alicia’s case notes, too. That will help you get up to speed with everything. I know you can do this, Jade, and I’m willing to reward you with your heart’s desire if you can complete this mission.”

“I accept, but I want your offer in writing,” I replied. Right now, I’d agree to anything if it meant I got to see Oliver again.

“Agreed.” Sonia stretched her hand out toward me and we shook on it. “You can let Alicia in now.”  

“With pleasure,” I smirked, getting up. This was going to be interesting.

Alicia was thankfully off her phone when I opened the door.

“Sonia is ready to see us both now,” I called politely.

“
Both
of us?” She didn’t seem very happy about that statement as she barged past me. “What is all of this about, Sonia?” I closed the door, rolling my eyes as I did. Working with Alicia was always so much fun—the ‘waxing your bikini area’ kind of fun.

“I’m bringing Jade in on this mission, Alicia,” Sonia stated calmly.

“WHAT?!”

“You’re no closer now than you were the day you started this mission. Mr. Kirkham isn’t over Jade. That much is obvious.”

“I’m working on him. He wants me, I can tell. If we hadn’t been interrupted by his uncle in his office, he would have gone the whole way with me last week.”

I took a deep breath before I spoke, but imagines of her hands all over him clouded my mind. “Oliver doesn’t date his employees, Alicia,” I snarled. “You’re wasting your time.”  

“Was I even talking to you?!” she yelled back.

“Alicia, I’m not impressed with your tantrum. Jade is joining this case whether you like it or not, and whoever gets Mr. Kirkham’s heart first will lead the mission. You need to put aside your feud and work together.” As she spoke, Sonia glared between both of us. Alicia and me working together? Yeah, that was
never
going to happen. “You both know what this assignment is worth. We need to report back with
something
to our client. They understand this steal will take some time, but we have yet to find out if it even exists.”