I cannot believe this. I’ve never seen Aran do something so impulsive. He never deviates from an agreed plan. He just… He’s not like that. At all. With him, it’s all about being in control, anticipating what your enemy would do and countering it in the most effective way. What shocks me the most though is that in the years we’ve been together and he’s looked out for me, I’ve never seen him get physical like this.
I’m not naïve to think he hasn’t done it. But it’s usually somewhere out of sight or he leaves the dirty work to his underlings. There is no one like that with us on this cruise, obviously, but such an extreme reaction was uncalled for at this stage of our plan.
So what made him do it?
A few more moments pass before Aran lets go. Mypotential new friend who won’t want to be friends with me when he wakes upcrumples on the chair limply.
“Oh my god! Is he dead?” I slip out of Aran’s hold and rush to check Mong’s pulse. Thankfully, it’s there. I think.
Aran sighs dramatically, rubs his forehead like he was the one who was wronged, and props his ass on the edge of the table. “He isn’t. I simply knocked him out.”
I am pretty sure we were supposed to interrogate Mong first, get as much info as we could out of him, andthenmake him pass out, but clearly Aran had other ideas.
Heart hammering in my chest, I check Mong’s wrist and neck. After making sure that he is indeed still breathing, I turn around and plant my hands on my hips as I narrow my eyes at the love of my life.
What was this? He’s never acted out like he did just now. He’s smart and collected, always thinking two-three steps ahead. He’d never jeopardize a mission, especially one as important as this one. Too much rides on us getting to the bottom of the drug conspiracy.
“Care to explain yourself? You’re the one who’s always anal about sticking to what we’ve agreed on, and here you are KO-ing the one guy who can help us make the infiltration of this cruise an actual success.”
For the first time ever, Aran appears unsure. Of what to say, of how to justify his actions. It’s written all over his handsome face, where a wild spark still lives in his gorgeous brown eyes. They lock with mine as if they can tell I am staring, and everything sort of stills. The rocking motion of the ship, the buzz from life on the deck above, my surroundings.
“He got too close to you.”
I feel like an electric current has been unleashed within my body, zapping every cell that I possess as I drown in those bottomless dark depths. Aran acted out because Mong was too close to me? He deviated from our plan and went Rambo on the poor guy just because of that?
My heart bursts with satisfaction, dashing madly within the confines of my chest. This has to mean that Aran hasn’t given up on me, right? He hated seeing me being friendly with another man so much so he had to literally come between us.
And he was so hot too, like a wolf protecting his mate. Awooo.
As I sashay my way over to Aran, I can’t stop smiling. His eyes follow me like two laser sights locked on their target, unwavering in their intensity. Heat rushes through me, congregating in my core.
“I wasn’t in any danger. We were just discussing the game. You didn’t need to do anything yet.” The fact that Aran averts his gaze for a heartbeat tells me that he agrees. That he knows he acted out of line. Good.
I plant myself right in front of him. He doesn’t move or push me away. My stomach flips upside down, filling with butterflies and other such bugs.
“I had myprofessionalreasons,” he replies, stroking my cheek. “You let your guard down too easily.”
He better kiss me, because if he doesn’t, I don’t know what I’ll do. “Uh-uh. Yes, sure. That was why, and not because your little reptilian brain got jealous of another man.” He says nothing to that, so we just stare at each other, frozen in the intimate moment. “Don’t worry, I have a solution. Just confess already and kiss me. I’m sure other alpha men will be able to tell I’m taken once we start going out.”
He laughs and pokes me on the forehead. “Enough nonsense for now. We have to secure Mong.”
“Mong wouldn’t need any securing if Mr. Alphahole over here didn’t lose his shit over me,” I point out helpfully as Aran begins patting down our victim.
He comes up with a phone, which he gets unlocked by scanning Mong’s thumb. After a couple of menus and screens, he shifts his attention back to me and hands me the device.
A shit-eating grin the likes of which I’ve never seen gets my heart from calm to frantic in less than a millisecond. It’s so open and beautiful, turning Aran’s attractive face into a masterpiece I will forever remember.
“This might just work,” he says, a flicker of challenge swimming in his gaze. “Mong has access to the roster for the staff responsible for the off-limits area. He can’t make any changes to it, but—”
“Say no more.” I grin back at Aran, our way in already obvious to my brain. “All we need is one person calling in sick, and voila, Mong will be working tonight.”
14
Aran
Apersoncallinginsick sounds easy on paper, but when you have three hours left before the shift starts and someone is yet to actually make that call, the reality ends up being a lot more complicated.
I finish securing the improvised chain to Mong’s ankle, making sure the padding is sufficient so that the metal won’t irritate his skin. The other end of the restraint I’ve locked around the window frame, so even if he tries, he won’t be able to get any further than what the chain allows for, namely the bathroom.
